Washington, D.C.
President Roosevelt listened to the Joint Chiefs' report with a furrowed brow. News of Alexandria's fall had sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles. But the United States was still not officially at war.
—"Lend-Lease is running at full capacity," said the Secretary of the Navy. "But the British are hanging by a thread. Egypt is gone."
—"And Churchill?"
—"He won't surrender. But there's not much left for him to hold on to."
Roosevelt stood and walked over to the map. He spoke calmly:
—"Very well. Then we'd better be ready for when war knocks on our door. Because it will."
Tokyo
The Imperial High Command met in tense silence. Alexandria was no longer just a British colony—it was a symbol that the balance of the world was shifting.
—"The Germans deliver," said Admiral Yamamoto. "We cannot fall behind."
Plans to attack the Philippines and Pearl Harbor were being finalized. The war with the USSR had been postponed for now—the Soviets had held firm and reinforced Siberia ahead of time.
—"Now it's the Pacific's turn," muttered a general. "We'll strike where it hurts the most."
Moscow
Stalin studied the maps. The Germans were advancing, yes—but not as expected. Thanks to the anticipation of a coordinated Axis attack, the Red Army had fortified the southern front long before summer.
—"They haven't cut through us like butter. And now they won't," he said sharply.
The war had stalled in many sectors. But the southern front remained dangerous. Unsettling names were starting to appear in GRU reports: the Don, the Volga, Stalingrad.
Berlin
Guderian and Speer were satisfied—but not complacent. The African victory mattered, but total war was far from over.
—"The canal is close, but the East is key," Guderian said.
Divisions were being reorganized. Spring and summer would bring a brutal campaign. The spearheads of the Reich were already nearing the Volga steppes.
—"The decisive battle is still to come," Speer warned.
And everyone knew it.
Madrid
Franco maintained his usual balancing act. On one side, the Falange pushed for deeper commitment. On the other, conservative factions demanded caution.
—"Let those who need glory do the fighting," the Caudillo told his inner circle.
Meanwhile, Spanish troops continued to fight alongside Axis forces. They were few, but present—in Africa and in auxiliary roles on the Russian front.
—"We collaborate. But we sign nothing," Franco repeated.
And thus, Spain remained in the war... without being in the war.
London
The British cabinet was nearing collapse. Supplies were dwindling. Alexandria had been their last major stake in Africa.
Churchill refused to yield. But Foreign Office reports were damning: civilian morale was crumbling, resources were low, and the United States hadn't fired a single shot.
—"What do we do now?" asked an advisor.
—"We endure," Churchill said, without blinking. "And pray the Germans make a mistake."