Recaps

Germany used the Strasbourg bombing to provoke a war with France and Britain, while Japan and the Soviet Union weighed their next moves in the Far East. As Soviet officials and Prince Konica inspected East Africa’s routes and infrastructure, the story left the Soviet delegation traveling toward negotiations with East Africa.

• Benito and Adolf agreed that Italy would covertly prepare to join Germany in an attack on France while publicly pretending the Axis powers were focused on the Soviet Union.
• German forces quietly assembled supplies in Metz as Kacheryev, Tré, and Douss recognized the danger, but Gamelin dismissed warnings that Germany might attack France.
• France withdrew from Tripoli, where Massimi took office as Italy assumed control and local families and resistance groups began weighing how to respond to the occupation.
• Klin staged Sterling’s confession to the Strasbourg bombing, then had him poisoned, while German officials blamed France and Adolf issued an ultimatum demanding the alleged culprits.
• Britain backed France, France mobilized, and Germany declared war on Britain and France on February 25, 1939.
• Japan’s military leaders shifted toward Southern Advancement and considered attacking the Dutch East Indies, while Tsuji Masanobu continued pushing the Kwantung Army to fight the Soviet Union.
• Yosef chose to accelerate the Central Asia Highway and seek East African cooperation, sending Litvinov to negotiate as Prince Konica inspected the route toward the Soviet border.
• Litvinov’s delegation traveled across East Africa by rail, admiring its ports, farms, roads, and infrastructure as it journeyed toward negotiations.