Johann Fennhoff's Campaign

"Look, if you're gonna kill me, go ahead. I probably deserve it, but... leave innocent people out of it." "I have no intention of killing you, Mr. Stark. I am going to make you suffer."

- Howard Stark and Johann Fennhoff

Johann Fennhoff's Campaign was a revenge plot orchestrated by Johann Fennhoff because of the death of his brother. He blamed Howard Stark for his sibling's demise.

Background
Johann Fennhoff and his brother joined the Soviet Armed Forces; Johann as a medic, his brother as a soldier. They were deployed to participate in the World War II campaign to push Nazi forces back from the German town of Finow.

General John McGinnis of the United States Armed Forces wanted the Soviet forces to be able to defeat the Nazis quicker. He knew that Howard Stark was commissioned to create a gas called Midnight Oil that would allow people to work and fight without sleep. McGinnis stole the gas from one of Stark's safe houses and deployed it over the Soviet soldiers. Johann wore a gas mask on the battlefield; his brother did not.

Unknown to McGinnis, Stark learned that Midnight Oil caused symptoms similar to intense sleep deprivation coupled with asphyxiation where ultimately the inhaler of the gas desired to kill those around him, friend or foe. Stark did not want it used. The Battle of Finow became legendary as the whole platoon of Soviet soldiers were massacred. Though Nazi General Ernst Mueller was given the credit, his troops never fired a shot, finding the Russians already dead having killed themselves.

Howard Stark had an underlying feeling of guilt for not being able to find his friend Steve Rogers, after Rogers was lost in icy waters.

Aftermath
Johann Fennhoff was arrested by Strategic Scientific Reserve New York Bell Company Office branch agents Daniel Sousa and Jack Thompson. He was muzzled so that his power would not be used on the prison guards. He was given a cell to share with HYDRA scientist Arnim Zola, who wanted to learn how Fennhoff's power worked.

Though Peggy Carter stopped Howard Stark from deploying the Midnight Oil gas, Jack Thompson was recognized by President Harry S. Truman as saving New York City. Carter chose not to care about the approval of others; this lack of recognition would cause her associates to continue to undervalue her.

A method known as Faustus would be used by Daniel Whitehall to recruit operatives to serve loyally for HYDRA, including Carl Creel, Donnie Gill and Agent 33.