Good day everyone. Many people have sometimes thought about the question “What would happen if..?"and in many examples of popular culture they clearly showed various options for the outcome of possible events. One of the frequently asked questions is “What would have happened if Germany had won World War II?”?». There is a lot of fiction on this subject, several films and TV series, as well as video games.

For example, the series “The Man in the High Castle” clearly showed in four seasons what happened to the United States after the capture of Germany and Japan. Allied leaders were executed, many countries are on reservations, local languages ​​are simplified, American historical sites are destroyed, and Germany has become a developed country and the greatest power.

The work "Night of the Swastika" tells that Germany and Japan won the Twenty Years’ War and established control over the world, and the whole history was rewritten by the Reich.

In the novel "Fatherland", the USSR still resists the Reich despite the fact that Germany controls Soviet territories up to the Urals, and the USSR now has its capital in Omsk. In Western Europe, Germany forces 12 countries to enter into the Treaty of Rome, which creates a European trading bloc with German political and economic hegemony over satellite states. The US defeats Japan using atomic bombs.

In the anime "Werewolves", the action takes place in an alternative 50s, where in World War II Japan was defeated not by the allies, but by the Third Reich, which emerged victorious. This is noticeable in the weapons when a special Japanese special forces unit has a German MG-42 machine gun.

In 2014, the game Wolfenstein: The New Order was released, which showed an alternative history in which Germany, thanks to ancient technologies, was able to turn the tide and defeat the entire civilized world. Some real historical events were replaced for the sake of game lore, and now Germany rules the whole world, and The Beatles are now called Die Käfer (in German. Beetles).

And in 2015, a sequel was released, which reveals the story of B.J. Blaskowitz, and what happened before the events of the main game.

In this blog I want to analyze a number of trailers that show game events, and some things that are shown in the game, and compare: was this possible??

P.S: the author extremely condemns any manifestation of Nazism and does not in any way encourage the actions of Germany during the Second World War, and also treats everything that follows in the blog as history.

Killing of athletes during World War II

One of the trailers for the game shows that in June 1950, during a match, the referee shot one of the players who played rudely towards another player.
Was there something like this during World War II??

First thing that comes to mind: Death Matches. In the occupied Ukrainian territories, football matches were held between Ukrainian football players and various teams of German military units. Several football matches were played between 1941 and 1942. On October 31, 1941, the first match was played in Mariupol between the city team “Illichivets” and Panzerwaffe soldiers. Despite the fact that the Germans played very aggressively and the Mariupol team was weakened, the match was won with a score of 3:1.

“After the final whistle, the Germans began to catch our players and simply beat them. They beat me with fists, beat me with boots,. Pistols appeared. True, the spectators ran onto the field and stopped beating the players.”.

Pavel Karakash. Author of all three assists

In the summer of 1942, similar football matches began to take place in Kyiv. After the end of the battles for the city, the Start team was formed, which included players from Dynamo Kiev and Lokomotiv, as well as Spartak Odessa. A total of ten games were played from June 7 to August 16, 1942, and the Start team won all matches.

On August 9, the so-called “Death Match” took place. According to legend, before the match, a German colonel came to the Start team’s locker room and, under threat of execution, ordered the team to lose, but the match was won with a score of 5:3.

The myth about the execution of the entire team originated in 1943, and subsequently actively developed. In reality, of all the team members, three football players: Nikolai Trusevich, Alexey Klimenko and Ivan Kuzmenko were exiled to the Syretsky concentration camp and shot in 1943. According to one version, the concentration camp director’s dog attacked a detachment of workers and was hit in the head with a shovel. The boss forced the workers to settle the bill "first or second" and shot half of them. Nikolai Korotkikh, as a result of brutal torture, died in the fall of 1942.

After the end of the war, in 1965, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR awarded the surviving participants in the “death match” medals “For Military Merit,” and the rest posthumously received medals “For Courage.”. In 1971, a monument to the fallen players was unveiled at the then Dynamo stadium.

The very fact of winning a football match over the Nazis sank into my soul so much that several films were made. In 1962, the film “The Third Time” was released, which is based on the “death match”, but the version of events presented in the film is almost completely fictional. In Russia in 2012 they shot the film “Match”, which is also based on this match. The film “Two Halves in Hell” was also shot in Hungary in 1962, which took the “death match” as a basis, but the setting was Hungary, and the events take place in 1944. In 1981, the film "Escape to Victory" was filmed with Sylvester Stallone and Michael Caine. Here the scene is a prisoner of war camp in France, and the team consists of various prisoners of war soldiers.

"Two Halves in Hell"

"Escape to Victory"

Some athletes were persecuted for their race or political views, but many were killed in action or executed as members of underground movements. I can give several examples of the killings of athletes during World War II.

Janusz Kusocinski. Polish track and field athlete. Before World War II, he was the champion of Poland in running, took part in the Olympic Games in 1932, and won a silver medal at the European Championships in 1934. At the beginning of the war he took an active part in the fight against the invaders. After some time he joined the local resistance. In March 1940 he was caught by the Germans and soon shot in Kampinos Forest.

Janusz Kusocinski at competitions

Johann Wilhelm Trollmann. German boxer of gypsy origin. In the early 30s, during boxing matches, he was subjected to pressure because of his origin. In 1933, despite Trollman’s clear victory, the judge declared it a draw. But under pressure from the fans, he was forced to award the victory to Johann. A few days later, he was stripped of his German title. In 1939 Trollmann was exiled to the Neuengamme concentration camp, where he was killed by one of the camp kapos in 1943.

Johann Wilhelm Trollmann

Heinrich Beloglavek. Austrian footballer who played for SC Rudolfshügel as a midfielder. In 1941 he was arrested for running a cell of the outlawed Austrian Communist. Ultimately imprisoned in Plötzensee prison in Berlin. He and six others arrested with him were executed by beheading in prison after the death sentence was handed down.

Rino Della Negra. French footballer. Played for Red Star Olympique during the German occupation. Was a member of the French resistance. In 1943 he was wounded during one of the battles and was soon captured. Shot at Fort Mont Valerien on February 21, 1944 at the age of 20.

Rino Della Negra

Tribute to Rino Della Negra

Istvan Toth. Hungarian football player. Played for Ferencvárosi TC as a forward. While a reserve officer in the Hungarian army, he joined the underground resistance and was arrested by the Gestapo and executed by Arrow Cross troops on February 6, 1945, aged 53.

If you believe open sources, it is known that 403 Olympic athletes died during World War II. 80 footballers have died in the UK.

As a result, I can say that what was shown in the trailer could very well be. I couldn’t find the exact same thing that was demonstrated in the trailer, but there were many similar moments, prerequisites and historical events, and the developers clearly relied on some of them. Considering the anger, aggression and impudence of the Nazis, knowing that they dominate the world, for them killing a player from the other team would be quite commonplace. In addition, there is indisputable evidence of cruel treatment of prisoners in concentration camps.

Dropping a nuclear bomb on New York

On December 21, 1948, a nuclear bomb was dropped on New York City, largely destroying Manhattan and killing more than 200,000 people. On December 24, 1948, America announced complete surrender.

In reality, in 1945, the Americans dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, forcing it to surrender. However, the Germans had the “Amerikabomber” project, which involved bombing the United States. I’ll tell you about it now.

The only thing to remember is that there is only one chilling scenario in which "Amerikabomber" could have consequences – if Nazi Germany had completed development of its own nuclear weapons. Fortunately for the world, Nazi nuclear weapons research turned out to be just as misguided as other German projects.

In 1938, German Air Force commander Hermann Goering stated:

“I have absolutely no bombers capable of flying to New York and back with a bomb load of 4.5 tons. I would be extremely happy to have such a bomber, which would finally silence the arrogance overseas.".

Commander of the German Air Force Hermann Goering

In 1942, Hermann Goering launched the development of the "Amerikabomber" – a strategic bomber capable of flying across the Atlantic and back more than seven thousand miles. German manufacturers built three different prototype heavy bombers for this mission: the Junkers Ju-390, Messerschmitt Me-264 and Heinkel He-277. Although prototypes of the Me-264 and Ju-390 flew, neither of them went into large-scale production.

The Amerikabomber was supposed to begin its flight from the Azores (Portugal), but in 1943 the islands were surrendered to Great Britain.

Nazi scientists also began to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles, and a project was developed for a high-altitude partially orbital bomber-spacecraft, the Silbervogel.

In 1944, the Air Ministry issued revised requirements for a bomber with a range of 6,800 miles and a bomb load of nearly nine thousand pounds. In February 1945, Goering approved the Amerikabomber project, but he wanted the jet to be built by Junkers and Messerschmitt engineers. By the end of the war, five prototypes had been built (two Ju-390, three Me-264), of which the Ju-390 was chosen for production. A proven pair of Ju-390s were built before the program was canceled. The reason for the closure is quite simple: high costs, high dependence on rapidly declining material and production capacities, and also due to many technical issues, it is simply not feasible.

If New York were bombed, the required combat radius would be 11,680 kilometers, since the bomber would have to make the return trip without refueling. The only German aircraft that was already built, flown, and had a range close to this was the Messerschmitt Me-261 Adolfine with a maximum range of 11,025 kilometers.

If enough time and resources were allocated to the project, the Amerikabomber could be operational before the end of the war. In addition, Nazi Germany’s nuclear program was years behind that of the Allies and did not include weapons in the form of aerial bombs, so it is unlikely that the Amerikabomber could have had a significant impact on the outcome of the war.

Horten Ho IX (Gotha Go 229/Horten Ho 229)

In the trailer, three unusual planes fly in the sky above the Capitol in Washington – Horten Ho IX. In reality, only three prototypes were built and the aircraft never entered mass production. But I have to tell you about it in detail.

In general, the Germans were famous for http://casinoandfriend.co.uk/ their rich imagination and during the Second World War there were various concepts of technology that to this day excite the minds of many engineers. Horten Ho IX is one of them.
The idea of ​​​​creating a wing aircraft belongs to the brothers Walter and Reimar Horten. They designed their first aircraft under the designation “Hörten I” in 1931. Five years later they entered service in the Luftwaffe, which they left in 1938. In 1942, the development of a fighter began in the “airplane-wing” design. Before developing a full-fledged aircraft, they already had several models that took part in various competitions.

At the beginning of the war, the design of Horten aircraft began, which resulted in four Horten H prototypes.IV. And the first aircraft designed by the Hortens was a two-seater Ho-V with two HM-60R engines. The engines were located in the wing and drove pusher propellers through extended shafts.

Subsequently, in 1943, a contract was received for the creation of twenty Ho-VIIs, of which only two copies were created. Later, the Ho-IX fighter was designed and by 1944 the brothers received additional funding, which allowed them to significantly improve the prototype aircraft. First, to conduct aerodynamic research, a non-motorized Ho-IX-V1 with an indestructible three-point landing gear was built.

And suddenly the commander of the German Air Force Hermann Goering became involved in the development. He liked the unusual layout of the aircraft so much that he began to actively provide personal support to the project and demanded that flight tests in the engine version begin as soon as possible. The first tests of the prototype were very successful and soon work began on the second machine. But due to the unavailability of the BMW-003 turbojet engines by this time, it was decided to install Jumo-004 on the second prototype aircraft, which required making some changes to the design.

It is worth noting that in those years technology was limited. In 1944, the first assault rifle StG-44 appeared, optical and night sights began to be used, as well as various devices for small arms. So simply not all wishes could be realized, especially at that time and in that environment.

Horten Ho-IX-V2 was designed for an overload of 7, which has a safety margin of 1.8 gave a destructive overload 12.6. Wing relative thickness 14% at the root and 8% at the ends with a symmetrical profile. The center section had an S-shaped profile. It housed the pilot, engines and landing gear. The leading edge was made of so-called cast wood, which was sawdust pressed with rubber. The rest of the wing surface was covered with plywood. A special varnish gave it a high frequency. A wing with one main spar and one auxiliary one, to which the control surfaces were attached. Protected soft tanks occupied two thirds of the console volume. There were four tanks in each wing – two behind and in front of the spar.

While the Ho-IX-V2 was being assembled, the non-motorized V1 was tested in Oranienburg near Berlin, which gave good results. But one day the pilot forgot to remove the generator fan located in the flow and a subsequent accident during landing delayed the tests. However, those already carried out were enough to study the characteristics of the aircraft and begin mass production.
By early 1945, various changes had been made to the design, including a pilot ejection system and the installation of a jet engine. With normal take-off weight and flaps lowered to 10°, the take-off speed was 150 km/h with a take-off run of 500 m. With the nose wheel extended, the speed reached 300 km/h. Handling justified the most optimistic assumptions. In March, the nose wheel began to be retracted in flight, and the speed was reached at 795 km/h.

Ho-IX V2 in Oranienburg

Despite the fact that the Allied forces were actively attacking Germany, the project continued. On March 12, 1945, almost a week after the US Army launched Operation Lumberjack, the Ho 229 was included in the Jäger-Notprogramm to accelerate the production of a low-cost "wonder weapon". The prototype workshop was moved to Friedrichrod. In the same month, work began on the third prototype of the Ho 229 V3. In April 1945, George Patton’s Third Army discovered four Horten prototypes, a Ho 229, and a Horten airframe. Of the three Ho 229s, V3 was the closest to completion and was sent to the United States for evaluation.

Go.229 V3 restored by Americans

Go.229 V3 in the assembly shop

The only surviving airframe of the Ho 229 V3, and the only surviving German jet prototype from World War II, is on display in the main hall of the Stephen F Center. Udvar-Hazy Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum along with other German aircraft from World War II.

There was a variant Horten H.XVIII – intercontinental bomber based on Horten Ho IX, which could become one of the aircraft of the “Amerikabomber” project. The aircraft was to be built in huge concrete hangars and operated on long runways, with construction due to begin in the autumn of 1945, but by the end of the war no progress had been made.

I can say that the presence of such technologically advanced aircraft in Germany’s arsenal could well be. New technologies could develop such a promising project at an accelerated pace, and air supremacy would belong to the Third Reich.

Helicopter "Project Whisper"

During the passage of New Order, you can see Nazi helicopters in action at various points in the storyline, which are referred to as “Project Whisper”. In reality, Nazi Germany had its own helicopters. I’ll say more, there were helicopters before World War II.

Screenshot from the game

Screenshot from the game

In general, prototypes of helicopters appeared in ancient China: children played with bamboo toys that rotated by rotating a stick attached to the rotor. Rotation creates lift and the toy flies when released. In the 15th century, Leonardo Da Vinci drew a drawing of an aircraft that could fly into the sky using a propeller.

In 1877, Italian engineer, inventor and aeronautics pioneer Enrico Forlanini developed an unmanned helicopter powered by a steam engine. It rose to a height of 13 meters, where it remained for 20 seconds after taking off vertically from a park in Milan. During the First World War, three engineers created two aircraft – PKZ-1 and PKZ-2, named after the creators themselves: Petroci, Karman and Žurovec. They were intended to replace the dangerous hydrogen observation balloons then in use. Thus, these devices were tethered to long cables and were not intended for free flight.

Over time, the design of helicopter prototypes changed and gradually acquired the appearance we are familiar with. Spanish aeronautical engineer and pilot Juan de la Cierva invented the Cierva gyroplane in the early 1920s, becoming the first practical rotary-wing aircraft, which he flew successfully across the English Channel from London to Paris in 1928. In 1934, during the Asturian uprising, the military actively used Cierva to suppress the conflict.

During World War II, Nazi Germany used helicopters in small numbers for surveillance, transportation, and medical evacuation. The Flettner Fl 282 Kolibri synchropter was used in the Baltic, Mediterranean and Aegean Seas. The Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 Drache, like the Fw 61, used two transverse rotors and was the largest rotorcraft of the war. Extensive bombing by Allied forces prevented Germany from producing helicopters in large numbers during wartime. A total of 24 copies were produced.

Flettner Fl 282 Kolibri

Flettner Fl 282 Kolibri

Flettner Fl 282 Kolibri

Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 Drache

Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 Drache

Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 Drache

Focke-Achgelis Fa Fw 61

Focke-Achgelis Fa Fw 61

An emigrant from the Russian Empire, Igor Sikorsky, built the Sikorsky YS-300 helicopter in the USA in 1939, and in 1942, based on the YS-300, the R-4 was created – the first large-scale mass-produced helicopter. The R-4 was the only Allied helicopter to serve in World War II, used by USAF commandos primarily for search and rescue in the Burma Campaign; as well as in other areas with rough terrain. Total production reached one hundred thirty-one helicopters before the R-4 was replaced by other Sikorsky helicopters such as the R-5 and R-6. In total, Sikorsky produced more than four hundred helicopters before the end of World War II.

So we can say that what is shown in the game is quite reliable. Those helicopters that were in the real war had no weapons. It is worth understanding that in those years, these were the first steps and attempts to create something new, and the main tasks were the ability to soar into the air, cover a significant distance and land successfully. Therefore, game events could show that further attempts by the Germans were successful and were able to develop a more powerful engine and add places for machine guns to the design.

Kiss between a soldier and a girl

At one point in the trailer there is a moment in which a German soldier forcibly kisses a Parisian woman. Considering the fact that Germany won and the Allied forces were unable to liberate France, this message can be understood.
In reality, there is a similar photograph, which is popularly called “Kiss in Times Square”. I’ll tell you about the history of this photo.

On August 14, 1945, the United States celebrated the victory over Japan and one of the sailors kissed an unfamiliar girl dressed in a white dress. This moment was captured by photographer Alfred Eisenstadt and published in Life magazine a week later. This photo was among many other photos of celebrations across the United States that were featured in a section called "Victory Celebrations.". In an interview, Eisenstadt said that he did not have the opportunity to find out the names of this couple, since he was photographing rapidly changing events.

From the book “The Eye of Eisenstadt”:

I walked through the crowd on Victory over Japan Day, looking for photographs. I noticed a sailor heading towards me. He grabbed every woman he could find and kissed them all – both young girls and older women. Then I noticed a nurse standing in this huge crowd. I focused on her and, as I had hoped, the sailor walked over, grabbed the nurse and leaned in to kiss her. If this girl wasn’t a nurse, if she was wearing dark clothes, I wouldn’t have a photo. The contrast between her white dress and the dark sailor’s uniform gives the photo an added impact.

Alfred Eisenstadt

His photograph became an overnight cultural icon and, having established copyright, Eisenstadt carefully controlled the rights to it, allowing only a limited number of reproductions that determined how it could be used.

The debate about who these two are continues to this day. It is generally accepted that the girl in the photo is Greta Zimmer Friedman. For many years, popular culture incorrectly believed that the photo was of a nurse, but Friedman was wearing a white uniform because she was a dental assistant.

There was also Edith Shine, who claimed that it was her in that very photo. But experts found that due to her short stature, none of the male candidates suited her.

Many men claimed to be seamen, among them: Donald Bonsack, John Edmonson, Wallace S. Fowler, Clarence "Bud" Harding, Walker Irving, James Kearney, Marvin Kingsburg, Arthur Leask, George Mendonsa, Jack Russell, Glenn McDuffie, Carl Muscarello and Bill Swicegood. According to experts, they were able to identify the sailor. He is Glenn McDuffie.

In popular culture, the kissing scene could be seen in various films: Watchmen, Night at the Museum 2, even in the animated series “The Simpsons” this photo was played out.

We can say that despite a similar situation, the moment from the trailer shows the girl’s rejection at the moment of the kiss, since this situation is unpleasant for her, she tries to push him away, since she feels bad that Nazism won. This is not the case in the real photo and both participants are happy about the victory over Japan. This is the contrast and the difference in victory.

World’s Highest Status of living

In a short moment in the trailer you can see how a small crowd of people are terrorizing the Panzerhund. This moment is copied from a 1937 photograph entitled “World’s Highest Status of living.”. I’ll tell you about the history of the original photograph now.

First published in the February 1937 issue of Life Magazine, "The World’s Highest Standard of Living" became instantly recognizable to many Americans during the Great Depression for its sharply ironic juxtaposition of an idealized America with the harsher aspects of everyday reality. Often mistaken for the unemployment line, this photo was actually taken in Louisville after the Ohio River flood that killed nearly 400 people and displaced nearly a million people across four states.

Photographer Margaret Bourke-White took "The World’s Highest Standard of Living" along with many other iconic photographs, including images of Gandhi at the spinning wheel, families during the Dust Storm and prisoners of war. Bourke-White’s contribution to photography in the 20th century was significant by any standard. As Life magazine’s first female photojournalist, she created the cover photo for the first issue. She was also the first Western photographer allowed to photograph Soviet industry and the first female war correspondent during World War II.

Although many of Bourke-White’s photographs have iconic status in the history of 20th century photography, "World’s Highest Standard of Living" remains one of her most famous. As an example, this photo was adapted for the cover of the 1975 album There’s No Place Like America Today by musician Curtis Mayfield.

This photo inspired a similar billboard in the dystopian sci-fi film Brazil. And it was recreated by graffiti art pioneer Freedom (aka Chris Pap) in one of his murals in the eponymous Freedom Tunnel, where New York’s homeless population lived for years.

From the film "Brazil"

Drawing by Freedom

A rather ironic adaptation of an iconic photograph, given the context of the original. Indeed, in the game, the population of America, after the complete occupation and total control of Germany, is not at the highest level, and the presence of a Panzerhund, which is aggressive towards the residents of the USA, further emphasizes the deplorability of the world.

Destruction of landmarks

In February 1949, the Nazis blow up and completely destroy Mount Rushmore, along with a bas-relief in the form of the faces of US presidents. I was able to find similar incidents that occurred during World War II.

On April 6, 1941, by order of Adolf Hitler himself, the National Library of Serbia was completely destroyed. It included a collection of more than 500,000 books, as well as a priceless collection of medieval Cyrillic manuscripts, maps, engravings, magazines, newspapers and charters.

In 1941, at least two synagogues were completely destroyed in Ukraine: the Great Suburban Synagogue and the Golden Rose.

The Great Synagogue was built in 1630 on the Krakowskie Przedmieście. For a long time it remained the only stone structure in the area. In 1798, two sections for women were added to the main volume on the south and north sides. The synagogue was destroyed by the German occupiers in 1941. Not restored after the war.

Memorial sign at the site of the bombed synagogue

The Golden Rose Synagogue (“Turei Zahav”) was a monument of Renaissance architecture, a shrine of the Lviv city community. Located on the territory of the medieval Lviv Jewish quarter. Founded 1582. This building was the center of public life in the medieval Jewish quarter and one of the most beautiful synagogues in Eastern Europe. In the 1930s, it was studied by specialists who carried out architectural measurements and photographic recordings. The architectural monument was destroyed by the Nazis in 1942. The remains of the synagogue have been declared an architectural monument of local importance.

Picture A. Kamennobrodsky: Golden Rose Synagogue

As a result of the Luftwaffe bombing on November 14, 1940, the Cathedral of St. Michael was almost completely destroyed. Only the outer walls, the tower with its spire and the bronze tombstone of the first bishop survived. Provost Richard Howard wrote on the wall behind the altar after the bombing: "Forgive us, Father".

The following architectural monuments were destroyed in Russia:

Zvanka estate in the Novgorod region. Novgorod estate of another outstanding statesman and poet Gabriel Derzhavin. The Zvanka estate existed on this site long before Derzhavin acquired the estate. But it was under him that she reached her heyday. The manor house with a belvedere – a turret – was rebuilt by order of Derzhavin by architect Nikolai Lvov. At the same time, a fountain, a garden and a flower garden appeared in the estate. During the Second World War, the German invaders destroyed the estate. Today there are proposals for its restoration.

Currently

Amber room. A collection of decorative wall panels trimmed with amber was created in the 18th century and presented to Peter I. Gradually, things made of amber began to accumulate in it – hourglasses, snuffboxes, salt shakers, goblets, caskets, checkers, chess, inkstands. In 1941, the Germans, having occupied Leningrad and its suburbs, captured the Amber Room and transported it to the Royal Castle in Koenigsberg. In 1945, during the capture of Koenigsberg by the Red Army, she disappeared without a trace.

Oryol Palace in Strelna. The neo-Gothic palace, given by Nicholas I to Olga and Alexei Orlov, can no longer be seen in its original form. The facade of the wooden palace overlooked the shore of the pond; on both sides of the terrace there were the main decorations – sculptures of cast iron eagles on balls. On the north side there was a four-story tower, the roof of which was protected by a crenellated parapet. During the Great Patriotic War, the palace was destroyed and the sculptural composition was stolen.

The list can be huge. Most of the architectural monuments were destroyed as a result of bombings, fires or shelling. But among these examples, it can be noted that some buildings were demolished and destroyed intentionally. So something like what is shown in the trailer actually happens. Not as big, but quite plausible.

Nazis in the USA

After the Nazis captured the United States, the game became a unitary collaborationist regime of government under a Nazi one-party fascist authoritarian-totalitarian dictatorship. Was this possible and were there Nazi parties before and after World War II?? Sorry but yes.

American Nazi Party Flag

US flag in Wolfenstein

But first a little preface. In the series "Penny Dreadful: City of Angels" the action takes place in the mid-30s of the 20th century. And some of the characters are employees of the German-American Bund. While watching this, I was a little confused and decided to check this fact for accuracy. And as it turned out, that’s how it was.

In 1933, Heinz Spanknöbel created an organization for German immigrants to support Nazism and the Third Reich. In total, according to various estimates, there were from five to ten thousand participants. It was called Friends of the New Germany. It did not last long, until March 1935, when it was disbanded and its members transferred to the newly formed German-American Bund. Its goal was to prevent US participation in the war and establish friendly relations with the Third Reich. The main tasks were as follows: holding rallies in New York and filming propaganda films.

The leader was the German immigrant Fritz Julius Kuhn, who met Hitler at the 1936 Olympics. It is worth noting that Adolf Hitler did not want the “German-American Bund” to conduct aggressive propaganda, fearing a negative reaction from American society.

During World War II, members of a conscription evasion organization were detained and forcibly evicted, and Gerhard Kunze was convicted on false charges in 1942. The organization soon lost popularity and gradually disintegrated.

After World War II, the American Nazi Party was formed in 1959. The founder and leader was George Lincoln Rockwell, who led it until 1967, until he was assassinated.

Subsequently, the party changed leaders several times and in 1983 changed its name to New Order. What the party is known to do is celebrate Adolf Hitler’s birthday, and some of its members are members of the Ku Klux Klan.

In general, I can say something that is shown and told in the game quite reliably. Even before the war there were Nazi parties, but the fact that they still exist is nonsense.

Weapon

The prequel and first level of New Order is set in 1946, while the rest of the game is set in the 60s. During this time, the arsenal between games has changed significantly to suit the new time. I will look at several samples of firearms, compare them with real samples, and try to find analogues in the real world.

1946 assault rifle. Externally, it strongly resembles the StG-44, but with a few cosmetic changes, such as the presence of a folding handle under the barrel. Interestingly, in the prequel she could shoot with a cut-off of three rounds, and in the main game with single.

in The Old Blood

in The New Order

1960 assault rifle. Externally, it resembles the Heckler & Koch G3 rifle, which entered service with Germany in 1958. Modification G3A3 appeared in 1963. G3 features are noticeable in the 1960 rifle: sights, choke tube and handguard.

Heckler & Koch G3A3

Sniper rifle 1960. Is a hybrid of StG-44 and WA2000. From the last weapon, the game version received the location of the bipod above the barrel, muzzle device and barrel. In reality, the WA2000 only entered service in 1982.

Sniper rifle 1960

Pistol 1946. Externally resembles a Luger P-08. Can be equipped with a muffler, which is reliable. Already in the early 30s of the 20th century, designers of the Mauser weapons company began working on the creation of a special model for the needs of the secret police of the Weimar Republic with an expansion-type silencer. But P-08 pistols with silencers began to arrive not to the German Ministry of the Interior, but to the intelligence services of Nazi Germany: RSHA, Gestapo, SD and Abwehr.

Luger P-08 with silencer

in The Old Blood

Pistol 1960. Externally still resembles a Luger P-08. But the characteristics differ from the previous model: it fires in bursts of three rounds, and when installing a silencer it becomes semi-automatic. The burst firing feature may have been borrowed from the HK VP70 or Beretta 93R.

in The New Order

It is rather strange that the pistol continues to use a lever action, despite the fact that almost all lever action weapons were phased out during World War II due to high production costs. Lugers in particular were also unsuited to burst fire, giving them an uncontrollable and absurdly high rate of fire that degraded the weapon very quickly and had serious problems with bullet reliability and accuracy.

Kampfpistole. This weapon is a single-shot mini-rocket launcher. In reality there was a similar weapon – Leuchtpistole Z (Kampfpistole Z). It fired 25×35.5mmR rifled ammunition, but some sources claim it can also fire standard 26.65mm ammunition. Some Kampfpistole models have a small inclinometer sight mounted on the left side of the pistol. The game shows the loading system incorrectly: instead of inserting ammunition into the barrel, in the game the barrel was opened from the breech and the shell was inserted inside. Although the Kampfpistole Z can fire specialized explosive rounds, they are still technically modified grenades rather than rockets as shown in the game.