WesWorld

[Actually, I think Canis did King Kong a year or two ago....]

Makes sense with the dates in the movie but will change my entry to a new arrival to the Lima Zoo.

February 5th 1933- After his second sell out presentation in the capital city of Lima, the famous South African singer Carlos Gardel left Peru to continue his tour with the city of Medellin, Colombia been the next stop on his itinerary thru South America.

While he cancelled his trip to Bolivia he surprised many by performing in Chile and Peru. He stated before arriving to Lima that "I can't perform in Bolivia as a personal response to the attack launched by the Bolivian government against the good people of Chile. But let me state that I have no emnity again the private citizens of Bolivia and I send them my regards and my apologies for not performing in front of them."

He surprised many by performing in Peru due to his known resistance to perform in Iberian territory and with the growing ties between Iberia and Peru it was believed he was going to consider cancelling the presentations. After Colombia he's expected to visit the South American provinces of Atlantis, were is a popular figure as he is in all South America.

Just what South America needs, a little moral boost!

Just to clairify, Carlos is South Gardel African?

Quoted

Originally posted by thesmilingassassin
Just what South America needs, a little moral boost!

Just to clairify, Carlos is South Gardel African?

In WW he is. He was born in Uruguay and raised in Buenos Aires. Here the area is South African so we got a South African Gardel or at least a South African citizen. The tango is older than any war the late 19th century, so the probabilities of having a man called Carlos Gardel that was a tango singer are slim but possible.

Quoted

Originally posted by Swamphen

Quoted

Iberia and the Phillipines in the same paragraph? The Horror!

Never fear. There is a method to my madness.

Excerpts of the private diary of Francisco de La Guarda

February 24th 1933- “The meetings with Ricardo and Rodolfo(1)are finally over, gracias a Dios! I understand Ricardo’s stand, we weren’t ready to launch the war when we did but it was the best time to do it. We gambled that the Bolivians were going to surrender from the shock of our attack but we were all wrong. Now more than half of our forces are inside Bolivia and no end to this near by. Ricardo was pushing for a draft to raise the manpower to defeat the Bolivians but Rodolfo perceived that an increased size in the Army was going to tilt the balance in the Army’s direction and he stalled for days until the Bonitillo (2) finally relented. He was furious but I agreed with Rodolfo to keep the balance in place. Now a draft will be announced on the 15th of March and the new recruits will began to report for training in April 1st. Still Ricardo is saying the number of troops wasn’t enough to properly prosecuted the war and he was going to do all he could to ensure he get the manpower. I have an idea from where he’s getting it.”

February 25th 1933- “ My informants gave me confirmations of my fears. Ricardo seems to be selling the future of our nation for victory now. I only hope that the former master have better sense than the Bonitillo.”

March 26th 1933- “I send early in the morning a proposal asking for a ceasefire to the Bolivian government thru the Swiss representative to the League but the offer was refused out of hand. It seems the Bolivians are receiving either equipment or support from unknown sources to be that bold. The bulk of their army was defeated in Chile and La Paz is in our hands but with the end of the summer it’s possible they could survive until the end of the year. This war is far from over.”

(1) Ricardo Arjona, Army Commander and Rodolfo de La Garza, Minister of the Navy.

(2) Bonitillo. Slang for pretty one. Derogatory nickname aimed at Arjona and used behind his back.

February 27th 1933- Foreign Minister Francisco de La Guarda left for the city of Geneva today, were the League of Nations has called for their 71st session to discuss the situation in South America.

OOC: IOTL by this time a session was called to discuss the Japanese agression in Manchuria. With the main event being the war in South America is possible a special session to discuss this war in WW is called by the League.

TOP SECRET

March 1st 1933

To: Field Marshall Ricardo Arjona

In reference to your requests presented during the meeting between our ambassador and yourself in late February we are informing you that after giving some consideration to your inquiries we have decided that indeed we will try to help your efforts to prosecute the ongoing war to a positive end but of course in terms that will not affect the security and well being of our Kingdom. As such this are the conditions under our forces will help your nation prosecute the war.

1) The units already in country will be brought back up to strength and an additional Brigade of Angolan Colonial Infantry (1) will be ready for travel to your country by the end of this month to join them.

2) Air assets from our Central American territories will be transferred to your country (2) to increase the offensive capabilities of your air forces.

3) All forces will be technically discharged from the Iberian military and declared “volunteers” in the conflict. As such they will be know as the Cuerpo de Voluntarios Iberianos as soon as the middle of this month. They will be grouped together into an independent command but technically under Peruvian command. Before being used in any operation approval from at least the military attache in the Embassy in Lima is deemed necessary.

4) If this forces and terms are agreeable contact our Embassy so this plan continue forward.

Signed,
xxxxxxxxx
Iberian General Staff

(1) Two regiments of African Infantry. I really feel sorry for the poor bastards! :-)

(2) one squadron of medium bombers similar OTL Rohrbach Roterra bombers, one of light bombers similar to OTL Rohrbach Rotac bombers and two of Cr-32 fighters. All transferred from Central American and Ecuadorian assets.

February 27th 1933- It has been reported the battleship Huascar left India yesterday and it's expected to arrive something next month to El Callao. In a report that can't be confirmed at this time it has been stated that the Huascar is accompanied by an escort of the Indian Navy to ensure support in case of pirate attack. If true this reporter personally thanks the Indian nation for their consideration and good actions to our nation.

March 10th 1933- The War and the Naval Ministeries have announced a draft will be implemented and the lottery for the recruitment of new personnel will occur in April 1st.

Clerks in both ministeries are using the last census (the 1930) to tabulate all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 30 to be entered into the lottery. Exemptions will be given to students, individuals with disabilities and workers in necessary industries or professions.

March 16th 1933- The War Ministry announced today that the Iberian forces training in our nation since October has announced their intention on their own free will to volunteer to fight against Bolivia in our behalf. The Ministry announced all Iberian forces in the country will be grouped into a so-called Cuerpo de Voluntarios Iberianos to ease their familarization with our country. The Iberian Ambassador stated when asked about these events that "not only our forces in your country are volunteering. From as far as Angola some of our colonial troops are itching with the desire to help your troops defeat the Bolivians and we have decided to give them a change to join this great and just adventure."

March 19th 1933- Captain Raul Velasco of the Huascar received the radio communique with apprehension. “A fleet so big is looking for us! But why? Me cago en la leche!” told no one in particular. That swear was borrowed from the Iberians so near their borders, enemies before and now friends. “Like the Chileans were now.” Raul smiled at that last thought, spoken aloud to no one in particular also.

He has many options. He could try to run for it. Increasing the speed to 21 knots could force the short legged Chilean destroyers to abandon the chase but one of his escorts, the Indian sloop Kudligi(1), will be also forced to abandon them. The another option was to allow the Chileans to “escort” them to Peruvian territorial waters but he knew the humiliation that will be to Peruvian naval forces.

Finally he made up his mind. He radioed his decision to the Naval Ministry in Lima but also requested for a rendezvous with any force available. He at least expected the Chileans not to try anything strange with their Indians escort close by. At least he can hope for that.

(1) OOC: the Rock Doctor offered the Kudligi and the CL Chaka as escort for the trip to Peru, good neutral observers to ensure no accidents occur on the trip back. I expect the Chilean to behave with neutrals close by plus the El Cid and their escorts are on the way. It could turn into a long review all the way to El Callao. At least I hope. :-)

Given the events in the Indian Ocean I haven't posted yet there could be a good reason for all those escorts...

Quoted

Originally posted by Hood
Given the events in the Indian Ocean I haven't posted yet there could be a good reason for all those escorts...

Good to know them. It will look like a giant parade all to the way to El Callao. :-)

rather off topic, but I wanted to note that I like those little footnotes you include

If Mexico gets wind that El Cid and the Iberians are among the parade, I might just send some "escorts" along too.

The Chileans, while in larger number this year, are more polite towards the Peruvians...so no barrel pointing high towards them...The Iberians vessels if and when present, is another story. The four Teniente-class destroyers might need to break off, depending on how far out to see the Chilean escort joins them. Since those four don't have great range, I wasn't thinking of escorting them with those four from a great distance from South American.

March 23rd 1933- "Sir, the El Cid and escorts are visible over the horizon at port." reported the nonrated to Captain Velasco, CO of the Huascar, who turned in the direction being reported to observe the eleven ships coming on his direction.

The Chileans arrived yesterday and he knew they were a superior force to the Iberians. So far they have been very polite to them and their Indian escorts but he knew the strain relations that existed between both sides. He signaled the Indians to position their ships at each side of the Huascar and then began preparations to inform the Iberians to stay at port side of the Huascar. "I will try to stay between both fleets and with your ships close to us we are like neutral border between the Iberians and the Chileans," he informed of his plan to his Indian counterpart.

"I only hope the commanders of both forces have cooler heads as you and I do." was the response of the Indian officer before signalling off.

"So do I. So do I." said Velasco to the now silent radio.

March 24th 1933- The War Ministry has announced the arrival of the Iberian General Emilio Mola, who will take command of the Cuerpo de Voluntarios Iberianos.

Mola, born in Cuba while his father was stationed in that island and living close to half of his adult life in the Americas during his military career, renounced to his position as commander of the Navarra Front in the Iberian Army to volunteer for the noble cause being fought in the Andes.

He arrived with a staff of close to fifty individuals, all of them also volunteering for service with the CVI. He's expected to move into Bolivia next month to try to organize the Iberian forces already in country and the ones expected to arrive soon into a coherent force.

March 23, 1933

Commander of the Chilean Force assigned to escort the Battleship Huascar to Peru sighted the El Cid and the Iberian force on the horizon. "Signal all ships to form a battle line on the starboard side of the Huascar. Capitan Oyama and Capitan Tylor will lead the formation."

The Chilean line formed as the Iberian formed up on the port side of the Huascar. Dreadnought Almirante Latorre took escort position abreast of Huascar while the remaining cruiser and destroyers trailed the Chilean battleship.

"Oyama and Tylor shall attempt to parallel El Cid. Present to our former masters the fruits of our independence." Armored Cruisers Oyama and Tylor presented their main batteries, at full elevation (thereby obviously not being able to hit anyone in the local area) toward the El Cid.

"I'm sure the Crowns will be pleased with our progress."