October 10th, 1938

Considering the worsening of international relations, particularly the formation of the Organization of Free Nations (OFN) and the ascendancy of an aggressive Russian government, the Imperial German government has directed funds, pioneer battalions and civilian construction crews to the commencement of construction of the Ostwall, a series of border fortifications in the United Baltic Duchy to deter any potential Russian aggression in that region.

The Ostwall will be a flexible defense line, unlike the static, dense Ludendorff Line in Elsass-Lothringen. The main defensive structures will be a series of reinforced concrete bunkers (built with the help of the original designers of the Ludendorff Line, but considerably smaller and cheaper) built to contour the landscape. Commanding positions (the tops of hills, especially, as well as positions overlooking critical roads and railway lines) will have well-camouflaged machine gun and artillery positions built into them. Primarily machine guns will be used, overlooking fields of barbed wire, trenches, anti-tank ditches, artificial floodings and minefields. Heavier artillery positions will be built more sparingly along the border, along the most likely avenues of attack, especially along the north shore of Lake Peipus, around Voru, around Rezekne and Valmiera. Good use will be made of the marshy terrain in this region by defending the only accessible roads, thus preventing the enemy from making progress. Coastal fortifications are also to be constructed or reinforced around Tallinn, Parnu, Riga and Klaipeda. These forts will use guns from old destroyers as they are gradually decommissioned, especially those of the UBD fleet (which are to be replaced by decomissioned German units as new German classes are comissioned).

In addition to these static preparations, which, while expensive, will be worth their weight in throwing off a Russian attack, orders are to be given to prepare and improve airfields in the United Baltic Duchy to handle large, modern German planes, particularly the heavy four-engined Ju 89 bomber. Reserves of fuel oil are to be constructed, as well as positions for anti-aircraft guns around major cities and around the Ostwall, though these are not to be provided yet.

The wall is expected to be complete by 1942, should funds permit, though this may be delayed if difficulties are encountered in the transport of materials.