Song of a Century- (Pt 3.Khitan Image-Heavy Megacampaign)

[dragoon9105]

Chapter 16: King of the Ashes

(The Khitan Tricolor and National Flag, Black for Germany, White for Franks and Blue for the Khitan People)​

With the Revolution now Truly over with the defeat of Italy the complicated affairs of the new Government needed to be set in order. What Remained was the Provisional Republican Government formed from the Surviving Shadow Government and Military officers, defectors who had served with the Government since the Hotel Congress and Defectors who fought for the Republic against the Italians in exchange for a Pardon.

The Ones excluded were primarily the Socialists, Just payment for the 'Stab in the Back' during the Civil War. The Militant Socialists and their ring leaders were given little quarter, executions and life imprisonment common sentencing though drowned out by the media thanks to news of the War against Italy and Casualties in the Field.

The Priorities set aside until after the war now had to finally be addressed and with swift action. There was the matter of Constitution, The Fate of the Monarchy and the re-establishment of Policy both Foreign and Domestic.
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The First and Second Priorities were for better or worse interlinked. The Government would first need to decide on an approach to Government, a Parliamentary system such as that in America where a Monarch existed but held increasingly little power, or the Greek system where the Government had been reconstructed from the ground up.

To address these issues a National Congress was held with representatives of the Colonial and old Imperial Administrations in attendance as well as former government officials and other important officials. A few things had become plainly obvious especially amongst the more conservative colonial administrations was that the Overthrow of the Monarchy was a step to far for many, a clear message that further steps against the Monarchy such as what happened in Greece would likely result in the Crowning of Julianna's relatives in Places such as Cuba or Khitan China.

Similarly despite some whispers within the Military, support for an Authoritative Lord Protectorship such as the British System was a complete nonstarter. The British had an Island and could enforce their customs and laws as they willed but in their colonies the Junta had very little actual power in favour collaborationist governments formed between Governors and Local Princedoms and tribes.

However the radical liberal elements, the ringleaders who fired the first shots of the revolution were clear, That Power needed to be stripped from the Monarchy, lest the New Republic find itself a Kingdom again as soon as the Conservatives found a suitable crisis. Similarly the German representatives had little love for the Monarchy, and wanted proper representation in Government, The Crown of Germany being often omitted from the Imperial titles while Empress of China and Queen of Jerusalem remained despite the latter having been removed from the Empire for well over a millenia.

It would be a small alliance of Lawmakers and MIlitary Men, a So called Band of Four, led by the Political Refugee now returned Delegate William Coremans who would propose and later back a Divorce of Monarchy, Church and State as well as other recommendations within his Manifesto titled 'Of Nationalism and Liberalism'

Coreman's ideas would gain traction quickly, a compromise that would render many unhappy on both sides but ultimately would ensure a Proper Government could be constructed without a faction simply walking out of the proceeding and possibly re-igniting the civil war.

Empress Julianna, her family and the affairs of the monarchy would be divorced from the Government fully and totally, a Small grant of land around the Imperial Palace only a few miles in each direction would be supplies to Royal Family. In this designated land the Monarch would retain her status of head of the church and state. The small landlocked microstate at least on paper would operate as a sovereign nation with its defense and economy closely linked to that of the Republic. The Imperial Guard would thus be sworn to the Empress but paid for by a provision in the Republic's constitution. The Empress would be allowed to continue her religious functions as head of Khitan Zunism in Western Europe and the Colonies as Normal.

(Infographic of the Proposed 'Liore' System of Government and its Functions)​

For the Republic itself, The Government would form along what would be known as the Liore System. The Alternatives to this system being the Rhine System which was proposed as a Centralized Alternative to Imperial Rule with the President holding a Significant amount of Power and the Sienne system which put the majority of Governmental Power on the Provinces and Elections of the People had meant the Liore system was an adequate 'middle road' while other systems failed to gather much support.

The Liore system of Government Focused on 'Avenues of Power' a term Senator Geoffrey Strumford coined during the proposal. The People would elect both the compositions of their Local Governments and the President directly. The Local Governments would then through either election or appointment or some other means produce a Senator for the Government Senate. Together the Senate and President would participate in the voting and approval of laws. Each Aspect of government would thus operate in separate lanes with checks on the others power.

The Chancellor position would be made an Officer of the Executive Branch under the President and elected from the Senate. The Vice President, an Elected Official under the President would be allowed to cast a vote in the Case of a Tie, and otherwise serves at the Pleasure of the President and serve as both the President's Chief advisor and could be given some or all the powers and responsibilities of the president in case of Emergency or to better help with administering the Government. The Vice President would also serve as the First Ambassador of the country abroad. The President Meanwhile would be to serve as the Head of Government and approve any laws that reach majority support within the Senate Proper. The President is responsible for the Enforcement of laws and Protection of the Country and thus was has control of all offices with respect to such functions including the Military and Navy.

The Senate meanwhile handles the the approval of the presidents foreign policy goals such as declaration of wars and ratification of treaties as well as the writing of laws and appropriation of Government Funding and Taxes. The Chancellor is elected from his Peers within the Senate and serves at the Pleasure of the President. The Chancellor's duty is to oversee the Day to day operation of the Senate and the enforcement of its internal laws and behaviors as well as to bring Proposals to be voted on. In the Event of a Presidential Veto the Senate may override the Veto with a Supermajority. In the Event of National Crisis Senators of respective regions hold responsibility for Votes not rendered and are expected to allocate them in accordance with the national average.

Together the Executive and Legislative Branches collectively form a Government whose powers are exclusive to the Khitan Mainland Territories. Each Colonial Region also has a Government formed either Locally or formed by the President. Together Each Government of the Empire sends a Delegate to the National Congress, a second legislative branch Housed in Antwerp not far from the capital. The National Congress has all the powers of the Senate but on a National Scale with the Khitan President and his executive Branch serving both in the European and National Governments. The National Congress would have the powers to set Empire Wide Policy and Law but would also have several 'soft' powers that would mirror those enjoyed by the Khitan Senate in Europe.

While Confusing to understand the system was made with assurances that another Deadlock would not be allowed to happen without a sacrifice of the Powers of the Senate. In reality the Senate's power was now greatly expanded in this system and the real protection against Deadlock was the Presidential Office elected from Popular Vote. The Colonies which are promised representation within the System however widely only given appointed representation from Europe in the National Congress, the Sole exception being the Government of Cuba which had had the political and economic clout to avoid being marginalized.

A Long Bill of rights would also be baked into the Constitution laying out the Framework for the Divorce of State, Religion and Monarchy, The Protection of rights to assemble and practice free speech. A Right to Free Practice within the Empire, A Right banning the use of Bondage in all its forms carried over from the Monarchy, and the rights of citizens in regards to the military, commerce and due process.

Altogether the Document would be known as the Constitution of 1882 but before its completion and ratification by the Empire there was already flaws being noticed. In Particular the Right to suffrage within the Country promised free and fair elections to all landed Men In its wording. Now this wording was standard in the rest of Europe but in the Khitan Empire especially in the traditionalist rural regions, Women had always retained the right to vote, own property and carry on their surname.

This was very much the opposite in much of Europe and in some more modernized regions of the empire such as the capital and the world where Women were put into lesser roles and traditional roles in comparison to Men. The Campaigning for the assurance of Women's rights under the New government would begin immediately with fiery rallies and demonstrations. Fearful of rejection of the Constitution, predominantly by the Chinese Delegation the wording was left, The Country needed a Government first, reforms could wait.

The Next order of business was the re-establishment of Foreign policy. To this end General Mace Delanor A War Hero and strong supporter of the 1882 Constitution was Elected President. President Delanor's first act was to announce the freeing of Empress Julianna II and to make the Promises that he hoped the new Republic could ultimately bring to fruition.

The Second act of the Khitan Republic's first president would be to meet with the Heads of State and Government of Bohemia to reaffirm the old Foreign Policy of the Khitan Empire. There would be no European Wide revolution, Socialism would be contained, Old Allies would be defended and the Order in both Europe and Africa would be established into Treaty and Law.​

There would be no great Coalitions against the Khitan Republic as there had been for Greece, though this was becuase ultimately something far more Grim was occupying the attention of the Monarchies of the World. Empress Julianna II had been surprisingly lucky all things considered as not long after the Italians had conceded defeat their own revolution had broken out, having been kicked off by the Storming of the Imperial palace at Rome and the execution of the entire royal family.

In the Streets of Italy Socialists and Anarchists battled for supremacy. A Shattered military and a war weary population had meant Italy found herself truly unprepared for a Massive civil war, and in short order it had become two sided between Radical Republicans and Anarchists and Socialists, with the later owning much of the Urban along the Po River.​

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The Civil war was short but bloody, with the Anarchists ultimately unable to find the support or numbers the Socialists enjoyed. What had truly tipped the Balance however was the Veteran Revolutionaries from the Khitan Empire. Those that had managed to evade a jail cell or the firing line were flooding into Italy in Droves, and those experienced revolutionaries would be all that was needed to break the back of the Republican war effort, despite support from the Greeks. Italy fell, and the Red Flag was raised where the old Monarchy once stood.

With the Fall of Italy penultimate economy of the world had fallen into communist Hands. The Khitan Empire's greatest economic rival had gone dark and the order of the would was about to feel the effects. The Italian Socialists quickly had begun to bicker over their spoils leaving the other nations of the world to pick up the pieces.

The Rising Stars of the World, the Americans had supplanted much of the Europeans in the Balance of Power with even mighty Bohemia having fallen into decline. The Powerful tide of Democracy and Immigration had finally begun to erode away the power structures of old.​

With news of Italy the Greco-Spanish war, a war fought over the fate of Alexandria, Arabia and the Suez Canal had been quickly resolved. The Greeks who held an advantage in the war had been fighting across North Africa for several years now and ultimately the Spanish and Persians were unwilling to commit to a total war found themselves unable to break the prepared fortifications of the Greeks while the Alexandrian government collapsed.​

WIth peace signed the British and Greeks took their opportunity to weaken the Persian Empire once and for all. Machine Guns and Steel Hulled warships had enabled the Persians to lose control over Arabia and the Fertile Crescent and so those regions were cut away from the dying Empire. The Southern Coast of Arabia being carved away as a Colony to Join italian Arabia, The Greeks having conquered Egypt in the West cut deep in the East until they had a Port in the Persian Gulf. From the Remains the Arabs were given sovereignty.

With the Treaty Signed, the Allied powers had cut the Italian colonies from Persia, preventing the spread of Socialism, and had effectively declawed the once proud Persian Empire, The Arabs had sovereignty and now Finally the British and Greeks could get to work on the construction of the Suez Canal allowing the Khitan chokehold on Indian Ocean trade to finally be broken.​

There was of course other benefits from gains in Arabia hidden beneath the sands unknown even to those who won them. The Discovery of both Electricity and the Internal Combustion Engine had opened up economic potential not yet seen in the world. While Coal and Vegetable based oils would be the primary means to harness both of these inventions they would not be the only means for long. Black Gold, Oil would quickly be found in America to be the missing ingredient in yet another phase of Industrial expansion. The Art of Mechanics was about to experience a renaissance, and for the first a Power thought to belong only to Gods would be harnessed on a unprecedented Scale.​

Back in Europe the First Khitan election was Looming. With Support in the Provision Government for Further reforms through laws, it would be a tedious and controversial one. Freedom of Assembly was granted by the Constitution but many local governments retained laws banning Socialists from heading and leading unions, With the revolution these laws had effectively become federal having been enacted across the country.

There was also the issue of suffrage, the Right to vote being granted only to Landed Men had already become a source of Friction within the Liberal party itself. Representation within the Senate could be more easily changed but ultimately fears over proportional representation would prevent any ground from being gained on this option, the Socialists able to win a presidency would be unacceptable especially in this fragile stage. The last option was that of guaranteeing voter rights which previously had been controlled by the Wealthy and Politically powerful to an unhealthy degree, however many representatives in the Senate had achieved their positions through corrupt deals or gerrymandering or other such means or at least had connections with those who did, and so any reform on this front would ultimately be something to be spearheaded by a President or at a local level.​

With Election Looming, the main fear of the Interim Senate ultimately would be the Socialists. Fearful of Census Data, however dodgy it was and of weakening the protections of the constitution the vote was expanded, not to women who were expected to vote more socialist than men, but to unlanded men instead. The hope being that the Liberal majority could be maintained by keeping Socialist and Conservative parties in check with one another.​

All the While industry would be left unabated, able to reconstruct and continue to advance in the name of progress, though only with a healthy amount of profit first. The Socialist cause had been broken, it did not deserve concessions, Workers were entitled to freedoms yes but the Government had no right to step into the affairs of those who had brought it into being.

There would be no more revolutions within the Khitan Empire, the Worst blood had been purged. Now it would be back to business as usual.
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Even if the world continued to redden around it.
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[dragoon9105]

World Update 1886 AD

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We sit at the 50 Year Mark of Victoria, the Proverbial Halfway point of Song of the Century. Already the world looks vastly different than it did in 1836, The Americas have consolidated greatly into only a handful of Great and Secondary Powers. Persia has been run out of her territories in the Middle East, China stands divided between Four Different Powers and Africa has come under the full control of the European Great Powers.

In North America we have the Remnants of Canada and Japanese Canada but of course also the Empires of America and California though the Latter has recently found her northern territories stripped away by the Americans. The Americans you'll note have been referred to Ingame as USA for now over a decade, I am not sure how this happened, since there was no revolution in either my popups or news articles, so I can only imagine the Americans went Full Hm's monarchy and some event fired to make them use thier Democracy Flag and Name.

Whats even more Awkward is in terms of government they are Still an HM's monarchy.

Beyond that, America has swiftly become a Powerhouse in Population as well as Economic and MIlitary Power. They have beaten Lousianna to death, Canada to the coast and have now begun to work over the Empire of California which resists but cannot hope to compete with the sheer weight of America.

California herself is very dense in terms of population rivalling a population Density of Europe thanks to a healthy amount of same culture immigrants coming from Japan and China in addition to European Immigrants. In Typical fashion however, The United States won the first war against California and becuase America is isolated and Foreign Powers such as Japan or Britain are reluctant to ever grow involved in American affairs to the extent to send troops, California has continued its steady decline.​

Moving South we get to Central America. We wont be covering South America becuase Bordergore and becuase Ultimately its just going to be a screenshot of Paraguay and maybe bits of the Aztec resistance or Italian or Khitan colonies in the North.

Central America is dominated by the United States of Central America, the Native run republic turned Great Power. Boasting Industry comparable to both Italy and Greece a formidable military and great population growth from European immigration the USCA has earned its place at the Table of the world and even owns some colonies in Southeast Asia pillaged from the Persians and Indians.

The USCA however is in a bad place geopolitically, The Country is divided by mountains and jungle which is a massive liability should the Republic ever go to war. While Columbia and Mexico both weaker powers were never an issue for the USCA once the immigrants began to flow, The United States and Paraguay can mobilize large armies faster than the Central American Republic.

Culturally the USCA is a bit of a tragedy. Despite Khitan being a secondary culture, Most immigrants have been assimilating to Khitan, not Nahau or Mayan, which has resulted in the majority of Mexico and Central America turning Khitan and making the natives a minority government. Though this also means that combined with the USA the majority of America is becoming culturally uniform. Of the Eight Great Powers, the USA, Khitan Republic and USCA all Speak and are now majority Khitan countries with Great Britain being within the same Culture Group. The Implications of this are far reaching and ultimately would take too many words to explain in just the World Update.​

Moving over to Asia we have Japan, one of what I've been referring to as the 'Sometimes' Great Powers along with Bohemia, Great Britain and the USA, Spain and Paraguay. Japan despite not being a Great Power across the world certainly is one in Asia.​

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With Control over the Majority of Siberia and large swaths of Northern China, All of Korea and of course her colonies in Southeast Asia Japan is the Gatekeeper of Asia, the Great Dragon guarding China from outside powers, though this role keeps her diplomatically isolated with her only allies being the Khitan Empire due to mutual requirement of keeping Shun China in Check and California becuase of Close Cultural Ties.

In Greater Asia, China one and indivisible remains divided. Japan controls her North, The Scandinavian Puppet of the Heavenly Kingdom controls the Rich Central Harbors and cities and the Khitan Empire controls the Southern Third. The Shun Dynasty controls the remainder levying ancient claims on the European colonies but remains too weak to properly move against them while still having to deal with regional rivals such as the Pegu Empire of Burma and the Khotan Empire in Central Asia.

With the Situation as it is, China remains still the crown Jewel of the Khitan Empire. With a vast population, valuable trade goods to grow and great captive markets it has become an imperial dream, though for some the cost paid for South China in blood has yet to see a return on investment and many others speculate on what if India had been conquered instead of the Chinese.

Vietnam on the other Hand is significantly less profitable. With worse terrain and a most hostile population the Colony is ultimately supported by its bigger brother in the North. The Pegu Empire, another native state has resisted European attempts at colonization through westernizing. Straddling both India and Southeast Asia the Pegu enjoy defensive alliances with the Khitan and Japanese empires allowing the Pegu to be protected from European foes by her ally, while the Shun Empire is kept in Check in Asia.​

In Oceania things become quickly less unitary. Italy, Persia, Cathay, Japan and Britain all own colonies in the region diving the spoils of the spice islands amongst themselves with no Power able to claim complete dominance of the region. Though with control over the Straights of Singapore Cathay could be said to have the most control over the region with the exception of Japan.

Things however may change in the Future what with the Collapse of the Persia, Australia and other colonies within the region may soon be up for grabs.

Also an honorable mention to Ligor, which is still uncivilized and still alive at least for the moment. Good for them.​

Africa if you haven't already noticed from the world Screenshot is running short on native powers The Mali collapsed into bankruptcy around the time of the Revolution in Cathay and Britain and Spain both invaded the country. While Kongo continued to fall into its own revolt spiral around the same time.

The Spanish, Greeks and Bohemians (Yes I know it says Czech now, more on that in a sec) divided up the Kongo between each other, the Bohemians getting their bridge across Africa, Spain getting a large Chunk south of Khitan Central Africa and the Greeks a large swath of Rainforest and a path to grant access to the Atlantic.

In West Africa the corpse of the Mali has been picked apart with the Majority going to Britain, Scandinavia and Bohemia. Its a complete and utter mess and an eyesore and while I'm sure bismark would be proud no power owns enough of West Africa to truly build a useful colony with perhaps the exception of Scandinavia whose colony is mostly an Actual expansion from their previous territory in the region as opposed to small coastal strips of land being used to divide the Mali Empire like a cake.

The Mogadishu Empire is alright though, and Civilized. If the Vicky AI behaved a bit more realistically I imagine they'd have allied themselves to Japan and India by now.​

Which brings us to Europe, now first off lets address the Great Commonwealth sized Elephant in the Room. Bohemia also had a revolution, but I for whatever reason don't have a Screenshot of it . The Bohemian revolution proper will be covered in the next update becuase something else is about to happen now that Bohemia is not a Great Power and the year is 1880.

Moving on, the Order of Europe is much of the same as we left it in 1836. With no Power truly out for large land gains except Italy the borders have remained somewhat unchanged somewhat helped by the recent smackdown of the Italian monarchy by Greece and Cathay.

The key difference in the European Balance of Power is Spain (And thats why I took the Great Power Screenshot here). Spain changes the great game of Europe dramatically as she Makes access to the Mediterranean yet another variable. With the Suez canal, and no seizure of Gibraltar spain is the single most important Great Power in Southern Europe despite the strength of both the Greeks and Italians.

Britain similarly has united her Islands and now stands as an effective Fortress in the Atlantic, unassailable without great effort the Island Nation can now choose her allies at will in Europe and focus on her colonial endeavors more than ever. Britain's military Junta however is choking the poor nation, exporting large percentages of her coal and other raw materials to support her oversized military and her dictatorship rather than sponsoring capitalists and immigration to properly make use of them as after all, give the people wealth and they might just decide they deserve to vote.

Scandinavia meanwhile seems poised to enter another century the same as she entered this one, a quiet middle power in Europe able to exert her influence and choose her battles. Without control over Northern Germany Scandinavia can only intervene she cannot lead lest she make enemies with the far more militarily powerful Bohemian or Khitan Empires who could run her out of Denmark with ease.

Bohemia despite enjoying economic successes at the opening of the era has stagnated. Europeans rock Europe to her core in these time and Bohemia is still a country with only two peoples who respect the Empire. The Various other peoples of Bohemia still claim their own independence, speak their own languages and quietly knit their national flags. The Critical time is approaching, growing nationalism and the empowerment of the masses is going to make the rebellions only more dangerous, and bold. Bohemia must reform, or she will die a death from a Thousand cuts.

Italy, similarly had just recently experienced a dangerous and violent revolution. This is going to be a fragile time for the Italians, Socialism in the second largest economy of the world could have drastic consequences for a revolution worldwide but such idealism often does not survive past the flag waving and shouting. Italy is after all a country, and now she has enemies to every side and everything to prove. It will be to the Leaders of the Italian Peoples party to decide what really matters, Marx's Ideas, or Italy's future.

The Hellenic Republic spent the last 50 years locked in eternal war with the Italians and Persians both. The Republic has of course always been ready for war, it was born amidst the great revolutions and fought europe to a Standstill. However the defeat of Italy and now Persia has broken the chains. The Greeks no longer need fear invasion from their great rivals for the Rivals of Greece had been beaten bloody and have all fallen. Only Bohemia remains, unstable and growing ill from Nationalism and liberal riots. With nobody left to mind the fences, only god knows what the great beast will do now that she is free.

Which brings us to the Khitan Republic, the Most Powerful nation in Europe and the world fueled by the changes and trials of a new government and a new Ideology. The Greatest Power in the world, once the Gatekeeper of the Status quo has become a wild card, still the most powerful nation of the world but now free to pursue goals long blocked by the old monarchy.​

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In Terms of Demographics the Khitan Empire is home to the most people in the world nearing half a billion in population followed by Greece and Bohemia though The Khitan Empire has more people than both countries combined. Ultimately that is the major advantage of the Khitan Empire, High Population density despite her size has allowed her to maintain increasing literacy at home and a Colonial Empire abroad, complete with a Powerful Navy and Respectable Army. Of course Control over South China doesn't hurt though China doesn't have normal Victoria population numbers this time around, it followed the rules same as everyone else.

Other notable are the increasing Populations of America, as European powers are now being passed in terms of Population numbers thanks to immigration across the Seas into the United States, USCA and Paraguay. Haiti for example has 40 Million People the majority of which are on the Island of Hispaniola proper or on Puerto Rico. Cuba's number meanwhile is a humble 22 million. America is swiftly displacing Europe as the seat of power in the world and will ultimately one day dominate it.​

In terms of Pops the Khitan Empire has the typical Pop/4 Ratio giving the Empire a total of 92M pops. Little more than 2/3rds of the Khitan Population is located in Europe with the majority being Zunist and divided fairly even politically.

The most divisive and important issue in the Republic currently is the purpose and freedoms of the military with Pacifism being the most popular military philosophy followed by Anti War and Finally Jingoism. While the Status of the Faith and Trade with foreign powers are also quite hot button issues.

The Majority of the country is still Farmers and Labourers but ultimately the Population density is the big thing here. The Khitan Republic's European Region is home to about 60 Million people however and With Population numbers as they are the country is rapidly becoming a cityscape, forests are rapidly disappearing and lands untouched for centuries are being claimed by urban sprawl while swamps and coastline is being reclaimed.

With the World as it is, and tensions increasing across Asia, Europe and America its only a matter of time the floodgates open yet again and a truly massive series of wars begin. This time not fought in the fields, but in the factories, on the rooftops, and on the streets. But the Possibility of victory in such a war might not just be sweet, it might ultimately be essential to those who fight it

 

[dragoon9105]

Chapter 18: Of Choice and Consequence

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The Major event of the late 1880's would be yet another revolution, This time in the bastion of Monarchy in Europe, Prague. Inspired by Revolution in the Khitan Republic and Italy the People had taken to the streets of the Bohemian Capital in a great Riot. While this initial uprising was dispersed the seeds of instability had been sown. In the Following Years petitions grew, demonstrations started and bombings and sabotage had become more frequent until ultimately Emperor Wenceslaus III died during a visit to Danzig and the opportunity had struck.

Those to blame were a anarchist group within the city, The so called Red Eagle Society which had previously killed several important officials in the region prior. With the group's exposure came a significant Krakow from Crown Prince Boleslaw. The Government Crackdown however would have the opposite effect as high profile individual in government and business demanded the Crown Prince reform the Sjem and reorganize the country under a constitutional monarchy. Fearing the worst Prince Boleslaw agreed but popular opinion had been soured against the Young Monarch. In Short order the Sjem had removed many of the Monarch's powers while empowering itself. When the Prince now Emperor Boleslaw was caught writing letters to Friends in the Lithuanian and Spanish Goverments for a return to power, the King and his Wife the fair Diane Anniona, Empress Julianna's sister were put to death. The Infant Child of Emperor Boleslaw, Lyra was lost to history in the event, with the fate of the lost Bohemian Empress becoming a popular topic for speculation practically overnight.

News of the Bohemian Royal family's death was met with mixed response in Cathay. Between the Khitan Empire, Italy and now Bohemia three of the established monarchies of Europe had evaporated within a few decades but the Khitan Empire was unique in that its Monarchy was still healthy and simply divorced away from the apparatus of state. In this respect voices once quiet about the fate of the monarchy within Cathay should be exterminated in Kind or reinforced in the face of events in Bohemia had become a topic of controversy only cooling somewhat when the the issue was addressed directly by President Delanor who affirmed and reminded many that with the Socialists taking power in Italy and the Bohemian Monarchy gone, The Empress in Ventralis was now the unopposed head of the Zunist Faith. Furthermore President Delanor condemned the Czech republic for the execution of the monarchy instead of opting for a simple exile though many expected Delanor had mearly took the first excuse available to condemn the Bohemians to force a similar response from the Greeks to reaffirm the Khitan Status Quo.

With the Monarchy gone the Bohemians now had to address the Demographic Crisis directly. Bohemia, Germany, Lithuania, Ruthenia, Avaria all member states all under a Bohemian Monarchy for almost a millennia. Now if a new government could not be formed there would be no reason for nationalist groups not to simply declare independence and for the entire house of cards to come tumbling down.

The Great Constitution of 1886 would see the end of the short lived Czech Republic and Empire of Bohemia and the formation of a Great Federal Republic similar to that of the United States in America with each nation holding representation in a Pan Slavic state. To this end the Capital would be moved to Krakow a central position and significantly in Poland, a nation which would now be first among equals rather than Bohemia's firm dominion over all.​

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The New Republic retained much of its former lands and Colonies It did however now have several major foreign policy issues to overcome. The Khitan had taken the first opportunity to leave the Bohemians cold and alone, The Scandinavians still lusted for Pomerania and Prussia, and the Hellenic Republic remained unhappy about the Balkan Status Quo. Thus the Future for the Repuiblic would need to be with Spain and Britain, a difficult sell to a people coming down off the high of a revolution.

In the Khitan Empire, election campaigns were underway. President Delanor had stepped down and supported the Conservative Candidate William Lyons as his preferred man. Lyons was an experienced politician and in the years since the Revolution had been a common sight in headlines and in the Senate pushing for a 'New Conservatism' that emphasized Social Welfare as a means to combat Socialism.

The issue however was Italy an actual communist state sat across the Alps that had emboldened most of the Conservative Party to take a hardline stance against any and all Social reforms as well as the Liberal parties. President Delanor had been sent at least three votes to go to war with Italy with Greece to end the Socialist Monstrosity and each one in turn. Lyons had a similar opinion that the Khitan Republic could not be a Crusader against Communism, his party however was in stern disagreement.

Enter The Liberal Candidate John Franc, a Liberal Revolutionary known to have been wounded in Battle several times and had been a particularly loud opponent of the Italian Socialist Republic. John Franc and his Liberal supporters demanded a complete dismantlement of the Italian Government and its reconstruction as a Republic despite the fact that doing so would permanently upset the balance of Power in Europe. With the Liberal party split on the Monarchy and facing heat for the lack of any planned labor reform a war seemed like the perfect means to unite a fractured senate against a common enemy.​

The Election and its progression ultimately came to a head with President Delanor's signing of the Veterans and Government Worker's Healthcare act. Otherwise known as the Civil Rewards Act, which granted Government paid medical treatment to currently serving and retired personnel. Passed by a slim majority in the senate the Bill was grilled in the press as communist to monarchist to simply corrupt nepotism, All the same it passed and President Delanor's gambit of winning the Socialist vote to Lyon's instead of their own candidate was ultimately the best he could do.​

When the results were counted, Franc had received the Presidency. The Socialists fearful of getting into bed with reformed Monarchists refused back the Conservatives and instead continued to run their own candidate. With the Vote split three ways the Liberals ultimately had their president, The People had spoken. The Liberal Party however had run into a problem. The Issue of the war had put several new Conservative senators into office who were Anti War, mainly due to appointments made by the Rural border countries near Italy. When Franc's proposal for war with Italy was asked, The Vote failed With 54% Against and 45% in Favor as the Socialists and more Social Minded Conservatives never going to vote for conflict against the Italians under any circumstances. So long as the old guard within the Conservative party continued to tow the line of Delanor and Lyons, there would be no war in Europe.​

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Talk of such things at least in the Empire ceased after that and quickly. A particularly bad Influence outbreak had swept through the country killing Hundreds of Thousands in Europe and many more across the Empire as trade brought it as far as China. Aquitaine, Spain and Britain also suffered. In the Crisis however Delanor's final act, his Healthcare reform had been a quiet blessing to many who were now fortunate to be granted high priority treatment. A Fact not lost on the Socialists who now had a possible rallying cry in five years.

In the Colonies a different fever was sweeping the country entirely. Oil was being found across the Empire and the world at large in quantity capable of supporting industry. Cheaper than Whale Oil and a possible ideal fuel for Locomotives, and Generators the so called Fuel of the Future had many capitalists within the country scrambling to match the success of similar Tycoons popping up in America.​

While Oil was Rare in Europe, it was abundant in America and in both the Middle East and Indonesia. For the British in particular who happened to have Colonies in places oil was now being discovered this had been a small miracle for the country's industry. With Three Major Oil producing provinces already the British Commonwealth now held control over the most important strategic resource since the widespread adoption of Coal.​

Back in Europe the Hawkish President ultimately was about to have his way. Unable to get the Senate to support war directly he worked with diplomacy, sending the Hellenic Republic expeditionary forces number in the thousands and promising support in the event of a conflict over Slovenia. When this conflict broke out the Issue was once again brought to the Senate floor where the Old-Guard Conservatives ultimately voted against the party and voted for war with Italy.​

As expected the War was swift and Brutal, Italy was a pariah diplomatically in Europe, and with no allies to turn to save a reluctant Spain. The British however also involved themselves in the war quite quickly tieing up the Spanish and allowing the Khitan and Italian forces to intervene in Italy relatively unimpeded.​

The Italian Intervention lasted little over a year and resulted in the complete capitulation of the Country. The Spanish, Poles and Scandinavians however would never allow a partition to happen and instead demanded Italy's communist Government be removed at all costs and only rightful Greek lands be taken.​

With those restrictions in place, Slovenia was ceded to Greece and the Italians were allowed to set up a New Republic backed by many of the Powers of Europe but quickly fell under the influence of the Bohemians to the North as the italians rather pick a former ally for aid in reconstruction rather than its enemies across the Alps and Adriatic.​

With peace returned the work of Governing the country returned. The Liberals had thier victory but it was a short war and ultimately nothing was Gained save some meager reparations and access to Italian markets in Asia. All the same despite victory there were many still upset about the lack of Social reforms within the Empire or the roundabout way President Franc ignored the Constitution to go to war with the Italians.

In hopes of quelling these fears a series of minor Labor laws were passed banning Child Labour and instituting mandatory minimums of public schooling for Children to keep them out of factories. The Liberal party could accept that Children ultimately did not have true freedom due to thier parents choices anyway and so allowing for a more equal adult playing field would help exemplify the Ideals of capitalism and Liberalism. It also would be a popular reform and ultimately that would be important.​

Elsewhere in the Empire, particularly in Vietnam an ideal spot the budding Rubber Industry had been found. Rubber was an absolutely essential part of newer technologies which relied upon electricity and wiring. It was also notoriously difficult to grow in colder climates such as Europe. Southeast Asia however finally seemed like it might have a purpose within the Empire outside of Prestige, it would supply the wire that could cover the Empire one day.​

In other News in the world, the Japanese had once again found themselves in a crisis over the Philippines. With Oil and Rubber top on many priorities for the Great Powers in Europe the Islands and their fate would be a topic of some interest. However the Main interest in the region was now America, particularly the USCA who saw Japan as a Natural ally in the pacific able to project power in a place the Americans ultimately had been late to arrive.

At home another development had happened. Because of the Conscription policy a major court case in regards to Flu treatment had finally been ruled on. President Delanor's healthcare act had promised Government funded healthcare subsidies to any working or former soldiers and civil servants however many civilians fought in the revolution and afterwards served in the war to defend against the Kingdom of Italy. The Court ruling ultimately stated that these citizens did fight within the army and thus under the wording of the law were eligible for healthcare coverage.

For the Liberal led Senate and Presidency this was nothing short of abhorant but the Socialists had been quick to control the narrative, using the loss of life from the 1888 Flu to Galvanize the population in favor of the ruling. When the Liberals tried to repeat the act the Conservative-Socialist coalition refused to back anything brought to a motion.​

On the Issue of Women's suffrage things had similarly turned into a quagmire. Local laws had been passed to sabotage Khitan suffragette tactics of using hunger strikes and the like to garner sympathy and support. The Liberal Party which had publicly come down on the side of supporting these movements had a serious issue to contend with however as Women predominantly were known to vote when allowed more Socialist, they also by in large supported more government intervention and were by in large anti war and anti military.

Giving Women the vote nationwide would thus completely sabotage the Liberal party in the next election if they did not vote out of gratitude. So ultimately despite the issue continuing to crop up on a national stage nothing was done and the Liberal party continued to work against the Healthcare reform to give the appearance of something being done.

While Politics was now being played on a national scale in the Empire, Professors at Antwerp University had noticed something different about how Nations themselves were conducting themselves. The Italian intervention had been ultimately a war without a proper ending against a faceless and evil foe for much of the world. Rising Nationalism and the proven tendency for Republics to easily be swayed into war was already worrying but moreso was that the Status Quo in Europe had been irrecoverably shattered.

There were no more monarchies in Europe, In place there were Republics save Spain, subject to the whims of a War Hungry Population across much of Europe fed tales of Nationalism, Social Darwinism and Tales of wars and conquests long since past. Machine Guns had made it into standard issue across the continent with new weapons of war being invented by the day, all the while greater communication made it possible to control vast empires of land half a world away.

If there would be another war between the Great Powers, a True war the scale would be greater than ever seen and could be fought not just on Europe but across the Colonies and Seas of the world. A War that truly had never been seen before.​

A War where only one side would only accept Total Victory.

A War to End All Wars.
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Chapter 19: The Eastern Crisis

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In the late 1880's the Economies of Europe suffered the Greatest Economic Crash yet. With the discovery of Oil a large degree of speculation both on locations for crude but on other alternative fuels to coal had resulted in what would be known as the 19th Century Energy Bubble. Those Primarily effected being Coal and Oil heavy nations such as Bohemia, The United States and the Khitan Empire who found themselves at the center of a rapid period of economic growth and speculation only for a sudden collapse when reality had set in and more advance methods of detection and testing were put to use.

For the First time in Khitan History alone unemployment reached past 20%, And in America many nations began to look towards hard controls or pauses in immigration to stem the tide of oncoming cheap labour as their own economies reeled. The Nations hit the hardest however were those in the east particularly Bohemia, who simulations suffered one of the worst Famines in recent memory brought on by heavy levels of pollution from nearby cities in the Ukraine where Coal mining and Agriculture mixed.

With Unemployment at Critical Levels and a Looming Food Crisis, The Krakow Republic was forced to look North and lean heavily upon Lithuania for its ills, however this move caused the Scandinavians to take offense and fear the Kingdom falling into a southern Sphere. As a resulting in the Scandinavian Embassy to quietly threaten to harass Lithuanian Shipping in and out of the Baltic from her bases in Sjaelland and Bornholm unless the Food Imports to Bohemia were cut back severely. The Krakow Republic hearing of such a move declared the Starving of its people to be an act of War and marched North into Lithuania while making Demands of the Princedom of Holstein for Military access to Jylland.

In Response, the Kingdom of Lithuania sided with the Bohemians rather than fall under occupation, save Governments of the Northernmost Provinces who expected to be defended by Scandinavia, who in response of Lithuania's surrender declared Independence as the Republic of Estonia. Meanwhile the Khitan Empire Blocked any Bohemian attempts to Cross the Kiel Canal with Foreign minister Luthor Braisier Stating that 'The Occupation of Kiel by another Great Power would be an affront of Khitan Sovereignty in the Baltic and put her citizenry and Mercantile Interests at risk'.

With no options, the Bohemians turned south against Scandinavia's most powerful ally, The Greeks. In a limited Campaign the Krakow Republic stuck at Bulgaria in hopes of holding the Border territories North of the Mountains ransom while she Campaigned in Lithuania. The Greeks and Scandinavians responded by tightening up defenses and striking at Bohemia's colonies.​

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After a delayed Standoff in the Winter of 1890 the Bohemians capitulated, selling the African Colony of Zambezi to Scandinavia for Peace rather than face Bread Riots at home. With the War over the Khitan Empire agreed to sell her own food surpluses to the Krakow Republic though at high rate. While no Alliance existed formally between the Krakow Republic and the Khitan Empire, the Khitan Empire's lack of intervention in the war and then blatant profiteering on the aftermath was viewed by many within the country, especially in Nationalist Circles as a stab in the back.

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With the Taming of the Lion underway in Europe the increasing radicalism within far right and far leftist groups had continued relatively with Communist Social clubs reorganizing into militant 'Vanguard' parties devoted to spreading the revolution above all else. The thought being within these groups that semi peaceful revolutions that left room for government and self determination of the people left the door open to reactionary elements pulling the people back into Chains as what had happened in Italy. For the Revolution to Succeed only those most devoted should have power, absolute power until the Country could be thoroughly socialized from top to bottom.

In the Khitan Empire the Liberal Party had aligned themselves wholly with the Suffragette Movement, hoping the support of the Women's vote, which they felt was growing more inevitable would give them ultimately the voting share necessary to fight the growing Socialist faction brought on by the Coal and Fuel Crash of 1889. A Leaflet campaign in the major cities was given out expressing calls to support and to oust Senators and representatives that did not properly vote for women's suffrage as promised. The Campaign would have stunning amounts of success in contrast to earlier more independent campaigns done by the Women's Sufferage movement alone, though at the price of alignment with the Liberal Party.
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President John Franc would sign the Women's Amendment to the Khitan Constitution which errated that All Rights and Privileges granted to Men are also Granted to Women within the Constitution and that no Law can be made to infringe upon the right to vote based on Gender. The Conservative party which had been growing increasingly dangerous to Franc's majority of late ultimately made no announcement or remark on the Law while the Socialists and Liberals fought over credit for granting Women's suffrage, both of course competing for the newly Granted Women's vote in hopes of the next election.

To this end despite having granted Women the vote, Experts still suggested Women would vote overwhelmingly in favor of Conservatism or Socialism. The 'Great Debt' the party had thought to have created ultimately was going into default as the Liberal leadership incorrectly assessed the value of gratitude to a party actively fighting Child Labour restrictions and Lyon's 'poisonous' pension law.​

By the time of the 1895 Election, Franc's narrow Majority was finally ripped out from under him, thanks primarily to Women voting for the Conservatives, and William Lyons was Sworn in as President of the Khitan Republic on promises of a new way forward for Conservative Party, 'Social Conservatism', A Pragmatic hybridization of Conservative Values and Socialist Welfare which Lyon's hoped would ultimately regain the party popularity across the Nation. To This End, Lyon's announces the first Official Coalition Government with the PRLW Party, giving him a just enough for a Supermajority in the Senate so long as the Radical Left and Right wings of his new Government continued to tow the line.
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With his Presidency just begining, William Lyons began what he called his Three Great Promises, of Compassion, Internationalism and Pragmatism. Leading with what was known as the 1895 expansion of the Public Schooling system. The Reforms, amoung other things banned loopholes and Fringe cases regarding Child Labour, Allow Immigrants and Minority populations within Europe to receive Public Schooling and bought hundreds of Private Secondary schools to accommodate the new Mandated 10 years of Government Education.​

As far as Lyon's Second Promise, the Previously on Hold offer from the International Olympic Committee was accepted. Having sat on the President's desk for over a Year without a Response an Occitan Diplomat and several rich investors had revived the classical Olympic games and had seen fit to invite the various Nations of the world to compete in the first ever Olympic Games, hosted by the Hellenic Republic in her capital of Athens. Winning the games, provided most of the great powers supported the endevour would be seen as a sign of international prestige and at the same time Lyons could fufill his promise for a greater focus on the Politics of Europe and the World in a positive way.
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The Next major event would be the death of the Arabian Prince, Mazeed Ali El-Nazir and the Ascension of his Son, a Man educated in Antwerp University determined to rescue his Countrymen from what he viewed as occupation by the British.​

Upon the Prince's Ascension, The Kingdom Arabia nationalized its fledgling Oil Fields and opened talks with the Italians and Khitan Empire for help against the British. The New Italian Republic, Eager for allies quickly replied, sending military aid, while President Lyons promised to send Military and Economic Advisors in exchange for preferential treatment in regards to Arabian Oil.

The resulting Colonial War saw the British pushed out of Oman with the Italians claiming thier Colonies while the Khitan Empire kept their hands relatively clean and simply pushed their newfound Influence with the Prince to gain preferential treatment without the need for direct rule. The only major move made by the Khitan would be the expansion of Djibouti into a world Class Naval and Military Base on par with Hong Kong or Cape Colony to better project Khitan Naval might into the Persian Gulf and Red Sea.​

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In the East, the Ukrainian Famine that had been looming had ultimately only been delayed. With little options to pay her War Debts and the exorbitant food prices from her neighbors, Bread Riots broke out, followed by Nationalist Revolts. The Army ultimately was called to bring order to the country but the fragile stability of the Krakow Republic shattered when an Anarchist Terrorist Cell killed several delegates on Krakow with an improvised Bomb.

The Chaos quickly spread to nearby Lithuania as the country collapsed into complete Anarchy of various Ideological and National Groups battled for supremacy. The Leadership of the country would change several times within this Period, alternating between Socialists and Dictators while the World Watched, some taking the opportunity to sell weapons to their preferred sides.

In Lithuania, the Scandinavian and Lithuanian Empires intervened personally, Aiding the Estonian Government in an Invasion of its Older Brother. The Lithuanian Government however fell within weeks and a Subsequent series of battles and Border Conflicts saw an Opportunist Persian Expeditionary force driven off by the Combined Nordic-Khitan-Estonian Armies.

Despite various Rebel Warlords still roaming the Country, the Hardnosed Baron turned Estonian president Prusas Golding-Oresanko wasted no time in Declaring himself Emperor of Russia, and used his newfound allies to bring Stability to his fledgling State in Northeastern Europe

Of Course with Lithuania, Now Russia under new Management and Bohemia having become a revolving door what was now being Coined the Crisis in the East was in full swing. Though few would truly be able to predict that utter cataclysm that would result from it as the World watched with horror and awe as new Weapons were tested on civilians, terrorists and rebels alike.
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All the While the Games of the Great Powers would send ripples across the World.​

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Chapter 20: Turn of the Century

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With the Turn of the Century approaching the various developing situations in Europe and across the world had accelerated. Eastern Europe sat on unstable ground while the West Flourished while Revolutions both Political and Industrial in the rest of the world had begun to drive the world headlong towards a breaking point.

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In America, one of the Khitan' Empires closest allies, the United States of Central America had moved a substantial army into the Canal Zone. Over the course of a week over 70 Thousand Men marched into the Territory and put the entire region under martial law. While no Shots were fired, the Move went without major response from the Khitan Empire, as losing the Canal was preferable to losing her only major American ally and the Territory remained sovereign Khitan Soil even if not in practice.

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In the North the United States of Central America was making enemies. California, the USCA and USA had locked horns over the desert territories in the Southwest as well as California's easternmost past the Sierra Nevada. California, being less populous and more vulnerable to American troops suffered several failures but had opened the way for her southern Neighbor to secure the remainder of Texas and New Mexico, and their valuable Oil Fields thus despite the Population advantage of the United States, The USCA now held arguably the fastest growing and most important strategic resource on the continent.

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With the Canal possibly compromised the Scandinavian, British and Khitan Governments all finally began to support scientific endeavors to find the North Pole. The Strategic Benefits of not only exploring but possibly colonizing and mapping the Arctic could finally unlock the fabled Northwest Passage to European navies. To this end some of the most modern ships were set to work sailing the Arctic for various purposes. The Most famous being the failed voyage of the British Ship, HMS Terror who's entire crew disappeared somewhere in the Canadian Wastes.

In Egypt the Republican Antiquity Society of Greece had discovered what was being called the Valley of Kings, A dense region of Egyptian Tombs south of Cairo. News Articles across the Globe reported on heavyset men hauling gold and silver out of tombs sealed for thousands of years and archaeologists flocking in from universities to put pickaxes to soil to make names for themselves.​

In the Khitan Empire the arguably largest election yet was soon to be underway. The So Called Social Conservatives and grown to represent almost 43 Percent of the Senate at home, cannibalizing much of Labor's vote share. Though for the 1900 Election, Labour, fearing the people's attitude would turn against further social reforms were being expected to abandon the Cross Party Coalition until it could win the Presidency. As a result, the Conservatives had promised to roll back its military policy to undermine the Labour vote. The Liberals Meanwhile had continued to be utterly ignored in the Senate and had changed their own campaign to that of repeal stating that Minimum Wage and Healthcare reforms were choking the struggling economy while promising to pass laws to guarantee better voter protection in Urban Regions.

While the Election was expected to be a tossup, a major wrench had been thrown in the Anti War wing of the Senate, Bohemia had once again led to problems the newest of which would threaten the very integrity of the country and the Republic.
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The Bohemian Revolution was now reaching a fever pitch, with the Military having reorganized itself under the ambitious Henry Golding-Orsesanko a relative of the Estonian Born president turned Emperor of Russia a long thought defeated idealogy had come into power overthrowing the Republican Dictatorship.

With the country in Chaos once more the Germans west of the Elbe River declared independence, forming the Republic of Elbia. In sudden appearance of a German state was felt across the border in the Khitan Republic as German nationalists within Hanover and the Rhineland took to the Streets, Demanding Independence and the Creation of a Pan-Germanic State. While in the Italian Republic the German Independence Party received a surge in votes, resulting in the party being banned from the General Election of 1900.

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The Khitan Run Establishment however was under no obligation to abide what Elbia represented and quickly maneuvered the paperwork and legal framework for a reclaimation of the Territory. Within the 18th Century after all what made up most of Modern Elbia had been a Khitan Client state and the Armed mob that now run the State needed to be put down with haste.

On the Eastern End of Europe a veritable Golden Age was beginning for the Russian Empire. With much of her ails treated by the medicine of foreign intervention, the Monarchy wasted no time in pushing efforts to Establish a Russian Identity. To This End Culture was promoted and wealthy Native Born Capitalists were invited back from America and Elsewhere and given seats in Government.

Effectively the new Monarchy would be run by Companies, Capitalists and Businessmen, who would drag the Baltic and Russia from the Dark Ages and into the future. A heaven for Capitalists who now fought against legal action from their own governments who had pulled themselves free from similar marriages born from the Industrial Revolution.

In Britain the rising cost of bread on the Islands, mostly due to the Chaos in Eastern Europe and Harsh prices from the Americans had led to a nationwide riot. With a growing crisis on its hands the British chose not to repeat the mistake of Bohemia and instead stayed the course, subisidiesing when possible and negotiating deals with her allies in secret, particularly Japan and the Khitan Republic.

Eventually the British found a solution, British ships would buy Rice from Japan and the Khitan Empire but would need to carry the foodstuffs back home to Europe themselves, thus bypassing the lion's share of the Khitan Empire's harsh food export regulations. With the Local Chinese Senate approving the act, it fell to President Lyons to approve the measure, to which Lyons agreed knowing well he could use such an agreement to hold the British at his mercy.​

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In the Months Preceding the Election, an Anarchist bomb attack in southern Paris had allowed the Government to assign Blame of the Elbian Republic. Several Newspaper companies, particularly those with Pro War Agendas had fanned the flames behind the Attack shocking many into believing that the German Provinces were on the cusp of rebellion.

With such fearmongering threatening to undermine the Liberal Party even further during the election they backed the Conservative Act of war in the Senate. The Hope being that a short war could prevent Pro-War Conservatives from challenging the party for even more seats.

With the Act passed by Lyons, Khitan Troops arrived in Luneburg and Hanover within a week and utterly crushed the Local German Armies. Occupation of the country and later integration however would be far more costly in terms of men and materials.

By the time the General Election of 1900's Votes were counted it had become clear that the Liberals ultimately didnt matter in the election. Labour who had decided to back the Ambitious Joseph King for President lost enough seats to fall out of second place but had failed to make any meaningful progress. On a Similar Note the Liberals also lost ground giving the Conservatives 41% of the Senate, enough to coalition with whatever party they pleased and thus force Labour to get in line or face a return of the revolutionary anti socialist coalition that had existed in the past.​

In the East, things were finally calming down as with the backing of Russia and the Latin Republic the so called Polish-Bohemian Empire had pushed most of its rebel elements to isolated Rural Areas and border territories. Over the entire eastern Crisis Bohemia had shuffled from Monarchy to Republic to a Communist Dictatorship to an Anarchist Republic to a Dictatorship to finally a Monarchy yet again.

With the Revolutionary spirit leaving the Empire for the moment it would finally be time for quiet and consolidation under a new powerful government that promised to respect the various ethnicities within the Empire while harnessing far right populism to shift Bohemia's foreign policy against Scandinavia and the Khitan Empire whos actions both ultimately led to the great troubles to begin with, with both nations having benefited in some way from the Lion's weakness.
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With the election over, William Lyon's put further efforts on the re-integration of Elbia into the Republic. Within the region pro german newspapers were banned, and immigration from the population dense Lowlands was encouraged while a heavy military presence kept the province in Line. The so called German question had ultimately been kicked down the road yet again.​

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With the revolution over a quiet would take hold of Europe, A Quiet that ultimately would last years. Major developments however still continued in Asia, particularly in India where the Communist Indian Government and the Pegu Empire clashed over the Eastern regions of India.

Politically Isolated the Indian Peoples Republic had weathered invasions from both Persia and the Pegu on separate occasions but for the first time was now fighting both states at the same time. The Pegu who controlled all of Tibet and much of Southeast Asia were the favorite to win in the so called Subcontinental War, but the Empire quickly found itself bogged down by the More Modern Indian Partisan movement in the North, and the fierce revolutionary army in the South.

In Hopes of Fighting Communism in her own territories the Hellenic Republic announced the Israel Act, removing century old laws against Jewish and other religions in the middle eastern territories. Though that was not all the act did, as heavy incentives were given for Jewish Immigrants to come to Palestine from both parts of Greece but also Europe and even America.

The Hope being that Jews, with a strong religious identity would resettle the Lands of Jerusalem both to counteract rising Communist ideals in the region and also ethnically mix it enough so as to deny Arabia a valid claim on the province, guaranteeing a land connection both to Egypt and to another important development.
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The Suez Canal having been complete had become the Hellenic Empire's most important strategic asset. Having shattered the Spanish Stranglehold on the Mediterranean her navy was now free to sail across the African and Asian coastlines and bring valuable resources and trade back to Greece. The Italians of course now had further leverage with Spain as well, being able to utilize the Suez instead of passing through the Pillars of Hercules to access her American Colonies.

For the British and Khitan however the promised Suez Shortcut while much quicker was said to be three times as expensive as the Tolls imposed by both Spain and the Hellenic Republic made Cape still a viable trip for those wishing to save on cost over time. A Small cottage industry for business to opt for Suez or Cape shipping had become popular in years following the Canal's completion with it becoming more viable to use the Suez whenever the Hellenes lowered the toll.

To many the years between 1900 and 1904 Would be one of quiet. For the east it would be reconstruction as cities were rebuilt and armies replenished but Tension on matters diplomatic continued. In Retrospect the entire Eastern Crisis had set the stage for an oncoming disaster larger than the world had ever seen. It had in a sense put a Belligerent Government in Bohemia, hostile to the established Status Quo.

When that Government eventually did as was expected and Nationalized things such as the Oil Fields in Muntenia things had Grown worse, but the Public Declaration of alliances with the Latin Republic, and Spanish Monarchy had ultimately been the last straw for the hawkish factions of some European Great Powers.
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On Feburary 3rd 1904 the 'News of Athens' published an Article disbarring the Monarchist Regime of the Polish-Bohemian Empire, inciting a wave of oncoming tension. With 1904 being an Election year for the Greek Republic it would take mere days for one of the more popular candidates to endorse the article.
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For many this would be the opportunity of thier lifetime, The Final conflict, Dominance of Europe at last. For others this was an Omen of a coming Derailment in Europe, one with no maximum number of deaths and an unlimited cost of destruction.



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Chapter 21: This, Means, War

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The World hinged on the coming 1904 Election of Greece. As Tensions between the Monarchist Flavored dictatorship that was the Polish-Bohemian Empire and the Hellenic Republic had continued to rise other European countries quietly began recruitment and expanded military funding.

In the Khitan Empire the excuse came after several anarchist Bombings in Frankfurt justified president Lyons to pass the 'German Security Acts' which enabled greater military presence within the region during peacetime, and opened irregular recruitment offices to German citizens for the first time since the civil war.

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The 1906 Olympics, scheduled to be Held in the rebuilt City of Prague were delayed as as the Polish-Bohemian Government refused to allow Hellenic Competitors. The International Olympic Committee, feeling the symbolism of blocking the Hellenic Republic from the Games would forever weaken their legitimacy made an ultimatum to the Bohemians to allow Greece or they would move the games to Toyko, the Second Place Bidder.

The Bohemians repeated their demands and the Games moved, though the Empire of Japan quickly asked for a two Year Delay to prepare facilities, thus leaving the now 1908 Olympics in a State of Flux and uncertainty.

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Disaster Struck again in June of 1904. Hellenic Senator and Social-Liberal Candidate Isaakios Spartenos was killed in a Socialist Bombing attempt in Napoli. Spartenos was not a front runner by any means, falling in fourth behind the Socialist, Conservative and Liberal Democratic Candidates and thus had his security reduced prior to the bombing.

The Assassin, One Giacomo Ricci fled with his conspirators across the border into the Southern Latin Republic. Where the Italian Government promised to catch and extradite the assassin. In the Following weeks however Ricci's last known location, a Railroad workers union office was raided during a suspected meeting but Ricci was not found and instead several international illegals from Communist and Anarchist cells across Europe were instead including bohemia.

With Ricci in the Wind the Politics in the Hellenic Republic continued to radicalize with the doves slowly dropping out of the race one by one. By the time of the election's end, Conservative and Retired General Dimitros Athenos had won resoundingly over his Socialist Opponent and as his first moves as President quickly put the Provinces within Magna Graecia under Martial law as an excuse to increase military presence within Italy Threefold under the premise of preventing further bombings.
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In the Khitan Republic, several Colonial expeditionary forces were called back and reorganized along the Border with Italy and with Aquitaine but not with the Bohemians. At least in Western Europe tensions remained somewhat low and the expectations were mostly that the Greeks may start yet another short war over its claims in Italy or Croatia.

Under pressure from the Anti War wings of both some of his peers and the Socialists who had formed a Coalition with his Party President Lyons asked for an Official Diplomatic Congress in Prague to diffuse the coming tensions, a request that ultimately the Bohemians granted.

The Hellenic Republic ultimately was forced to attend and at least give a show of lowering hostilities across the border. With every great power in attendance though the Congress quickly lost its focus becoming about Suez Transit Rights, Extradition in Italy and the Renewals of Grain and Rice Shipments to the Bohemian Empire now that its agricultural sector had begun to recover.

The Military buildup across most of Southern Europe had effectively gone without much notice and while the Congress was labels as a great success and victory for each Great Power it had ultimately only delayed what some were already seeing as inevitable.​

(The "Feburary Invasion Plan")
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In Late Winter 1905 the Bohemian National Newspaper has Published the so called 'February Invasion Plan' that had supposedly had been drawn up by the Khitan Republic in case of a perceived Failure of the Congress of Prague. The Plan was supposedly stolen and leaked by a Radical Monarchist within the Khitan Republic to expose the Republic's Hippocratic.

In reality the Plan was one of Hundreds of Plans drafted as a Military Exercise over a potential 'balanced war' in Europe which set the Powers of Great Britain, Scandinavia, and Khitan Empire on Defense with the Hellenic Republic against an Invasion from a Joined Alliance of Spain, Italy, Bohemia Persia and Russia and was stolen and sold by a Dishonorably Discharged Officer.

Despite this and the Khitan denial of the Plain, The Poles and Italians responded by denouncing the Khitan Republic and solidifying their Alliance Publicly with Italy asserting her claims over Eastern Alps and the Boot of Italy and the Poles doing the same for Germany.

The Khitan Response was a demand for a Return to Status quo while the Military reoriented itself. President William Lyons who had tried his best to negotiate a happy medium between the Hawks and Doves in the Senate now was forced to at least Acknowledge the possibility of Full and Total War in Europe and moved the American Fleet to the Naval Base at Bremen, reorganizing it with Three new Battleships, The KMS Khatun Xiao, KMS Empress Morgan and the KMS Princess Catherine.

The Homefleet meanwhile was moved from its Base in Britanny to the Netherlands for the First time in its history as the Britanny Naval base was thought too Exposed to the Spanish and British navies, while in Holland it would be protected by both Geography and Naval forts in the Dutch Heartland. At its Head was the KMS Arthur the largest and most heavily armored Warship in the world with its two sister ships the KMS Julianna and KMS Hammerer and KMS Emperor Kiran.

As a Small Aside, the Naval scheming for Khitan Warships was quite controversial at its inception. With the Republic having officially abolished the Monarchy the Navy predominatly had remained loyalist and had asserted those loyalties with its newest toys, the Imperial Class Battleships. After sufficient public outcry had arisen the Navy as a compromise instead began using names from Khitan iniquity instead of Recent Monarchs such as Arthur and Princess Catherine, making the Two Oldest Warships named after the most Recent Royals. Future ships however would abandon the naming scheme altogether as the Old-guard of the Navy slowly but surely retired.

In the Following Weeks a massive riot had broken out in Bavaria with the express purpose of sponsoring German Independence. With things as they are the Bohemian Military responded swiftly and put down the riot by force forcing similar calls for German independence to echo across the entire region. The Bohemians meanwhile blamed the cause for the riot on rabble rouses from the Rhineland where German citizenry was far more wealthy and politically active.
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In the Spring of 1905 the Khitan Army announced the Widespread adoption of Bolt Action Rifle which abandoned the breach loading method in widespread use across Europe. The Bolt Action Rifle allowed for greater rate of fire and versatility at the cost of increased weight and lower accuracy. However, recent innovations particularly with constructing fine metal parts had allowed Bolt Action Rifles finally keep the stopping power that would have been lost due to lower firing chamber pressures and as such the Military wasted no time rushing weapon into service.

The Adopted Rifle of the Army, The Westing Model 1905, Known for its heavy weight, accuracy and rate of fire had come to represent the Army Philosophy as a whole, trading off potential movement ability in favor of the capacity for less men to deal more damage. This decision was made with a mind for the Previous wars in Khitan history. Wars which many of the army leadership felt that despite victory, the way the wars of the 18th century had played out were an embarrassment due to the sheer desperation of having to conscript civilians to serve on the front. The Chinese had used mass wave tactics against the Khitan Empire in the past, and now the feeling was the Republic was already making the same mistakes and needed to course correct if it wished to remain free and strong in the eyes of the world.

Things however were escalating far faster than many had expected, In the Summer of 1905 a Group of Greek Nationalists had rioted across Besarabia. While for the most part the Riots were no less organized than the German one there was one key difference, when the Bohemian Government responded and the Bodies were tallied Several young Teenagers were found. The Teenagers had crossed the Border during leave from school and were visiting relatives in Odessa a city no less than 20 Miles from the border and had arrived well before the Uprising. When their deaths were discovered the final straw had fallen.

The Greek Government demanded a Full Apology and the right to march Military forces into the Polish-Bohemian Empire's Southern Territories to enforce peace in the region. The Bohemian Government's response was a Full Mobilization order.

In response to Bohemia Mobilizing her own Military the William Lyons Ordered his own preemptive mobilization. The Senate however raged against itself whether to punish or support the Greek Government and as to how to go about either.

The Khitan however did not need to make a decision as the Latin Republic and United Kingdom of Spain both honored their alliances with Bohemia, declaring the Greek Government out of bound and began to mobilize thier own militaries.

Britain and Scandinavia both denounced the Spanish intervention as a Spanish Mobilization meant the official closing of the Straights of Gibraltar to all Northern Trade. As a Result both nations uniformly denounced the Spanish for escalating the war and later for its marching of Troops into the previously Neutral Aquitaine, which under pressure from the Italians and Spanish declared in Support of Bohemia.

Finally the Deadline for the Greek Ultimatum Passed and the Greek Government passed a Declaration of war.

The Bohemian Emperor Followed declaring war on the Khitan and Hellenic Republics, alongside her allies of Persia, Italy and Spain.

Before the Khitan Declaration had been announced the British Commonwealth declared war on Spain and Italy alongside Scandinavia. In the Hours that followed the first shots of the war had been fired, In the Indian Ocean by a British naval vessel against the Italian port of Aceh.

Over a Week, War had Erupted from every Corner of Europe with Only Russia staying neutral to block Military intervention south from Scandinavia. While she could send Volunteers.

However A Major war in Europe would not truly make things a World War, there were still the Great Powers of Japan, The USCA and the United States and Paraguay who could weigh in and it had looked at least for the moment they might stay out.​

In the Following Weeks India would declare war on Persia, Prompting the Declaration of Khotan on India and Finally, the Enter of Japan, on the side of what was being called the Central Powers.

The War to End all Wars had Finally Begun.​

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[dragoon9105]

Chapter 22: Escalation

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Europe was at War. The Conflict and its scale however was in fact welcomed by many, seen as an ultimate and inevitable conclusion to rising nationalism and militarism across Europe. Not since the Revolutionary Wars had there been a true bloodletting in Europe, the last of which had allowed the Khitan Empire to dominate a century and build a global empire like which the world had never seen.

The Newest War was a chance ultimately for Italy and Bohemia to upset the Status Quo of Europe, to Settle Longstanding Grudges and to take back the world Order from the Greeks and Khitan.

On the Reverse the Khitan Empire now finally had an excuse to leverage her full military might against her Rivals in Europe. The Declaration of War announcement had come alongside cheering and celebration. The Republic could now prove itself where the Empire had only survived and in the Ashes a new Europe could be constructed.

​

This war however would be different from many since the onset. The First Shots and maneuvers would undertaken not in Europe but in Africa as Colonial Garrisons were informed via Telegraph that there existed a State of War between the Central Alliance and the Republican League.

​

Bohemian Troops in Africa, sent to put down rebellions in her southeasternmost Colonies were not heavily supplies but ultimately were in an ideal position to push for Khitan Cape Colony and for the Valuable ports in Zanzibar and Nigeria.

In Arabia, the British and Italians similarly were prepared to Square off for control of the Red Sea. Control of Yemen, Oman and the Horn of Africa ultimately would be Vital for securing a supply line to the Hellenic Republic through Suez and Greco-British Forces put the opening of the Suez at the highest of priorities.
​

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In the Atlantic the newly refurbished Khitan Fleet of the Atlantic had sailed to the Spanish Coastline to blockade the Straights of Gibraltar and the Spanish Coastline in its entirety. Supplies for the mission at least in the short term were shipped en mass to Khitan Bases in West Africa while Marines could be prepared to take the Azores and Canaries. The Ships in these Islands had been sailed by Spain either back to Home Ports in this time or had been scuttled for fear of Anglo-Khitan forces making use of them in the possibility of a Blockade.

​

In Europe the first move of the Khitan Military was a strike North into Holstein to unify with the Scandinavians. Holstein while Neutral and in the Khitan Sphere was decided early on to be best occupied and set aside while the Great Powers fought.

In Response to the unauthorized arrival and subsequent Siege of Hamburg the Government of Holstein moved the capital to Helgioland along with a substantial garrison and declared war on the Khitan Empire, bringing yet another power into the war and earning denunciations from several neutral powers.

​

In South America the Invasion of Holstien had prompted enough Public outrage that the Opportunist government of Paraguay had seen fit to declare war. Marching North into the Khitan Held Colonies in the Southern Caribbean. With the Khitan Navy in the Atlantic the Local garrisons were overwhelmed within days and William Lyons had a hard choice to make.

The Colonies could be conceded and left to be fought over for a later time, and then Paraguay and her economy would likely set itself to work taking the remainder of the Khitan Caribbean, Pacific and possibly Africa.

Or Lyon's could escalate the war even further, and make a predominantly European War into a Global War by calling in Favours with his allies on the Continent.

Ultimately Lyon's chose the later, Calling the Kingdom of California into the war as well. Emperor James IV Norton within days had issued a Declaration of War on Paraguay and Japan at Lyon's urging, and made preparations for the Californian army to March across Texas and be ferried to the Khitan Caribbean while the Californian Fleet made the long voyage to Australia and then up to Singapore to meet with the Khitan Pacific Fleet.

​

At home the Order was issued to mobilize Reserves. The Situation was already escalating out of control and the Empire was ultimately surrounded and outnumbered in terms of Divisions afield. Though ultimately the Government was reluctant to issue a Draft the preparations for Army 'Expansions' were made as well in the face of upcoming war coordination talks with the British and Scandinavians who the Chiefs of Staff viewed as reluctant to commit their entire armies in Foreign Territory rather than in the colonies.

​

Speaking of the Colonies, the African Front spread from South Central Africa to the Colonies in West Africa, with Spanish Mali under siege from Locally Recruited Khitan Irregulars. The Spanish, more numerous had made preparations to defend the fortress at Bissau where the Siege was expected to last for weeks but between poor weather and machine gun emplacements the campaign for such a small sliver of Africa would ultimately last over a year.

​

In Europe the first Major Campaign and Battle had begun as the Greek Army pushed out of Batalon Province and into Slovakia. The Greek Army had become convinced that a quick decisive strike at the rail lines between Bohemia and Carpathia could lead to poor supply and reinforcements and thus lead to the promised '"Solstice Peace" as without Carpathian industry and Grain the entire Bohemian War effort would collapse in on itself.

With this philosophy in mind the largest concentration of Greek troops marched up past lake Batalon and into Slovakia where they were met ultimately be a combined force of Bohemians, Occitans and Italians. The Push ultimately would fail to cross the Danube and both armies became embattled as neither side was able to cross the river in enough force to hold territory.​

​

In France the Kingdom of Aquitaine tried a similar bold move, crossing the Liore River at Nantes before the Khitan Army could arrive on her Western Border in force. The Hope of the Occitan Army was to catch the reserve supply fleets of the Empire napping as Nantes was the largest and most important port West of Antwerp for the Khitan Navy. If Succeed had bred succeed then the Entirety of Britanny could be seized and thus keep the fighting on Khitan territory in the forests of Anjou.

​

This did not happen, as Khitan forces quickly broke the southern Rearguard and encircled the Occitan thrust on the wrong side of the Liore. With little hope left the Occitans help up in the various farms and hills north of the River where the army was encircled and the Khitan Leadership in charge opted to starve the army out rather than cause devastation to Home Soil. Though ultimately a controversial move as it had effectively taken an Entire Khitan army out of the fight while Reservists could be brought in to replace the trained Regulars.

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​

In Holstein the Khitan invasion was going smoothly but the Scandinavians had paused their own invasion south pending talks in London over potential Wargains. As a result of the Scandinavian pause, the Fleet of Aquitaine had sailed out of the Baltic with some Bohemian Warships in hopes to break the siege of Helgioland and save the Holstein Government personel. The Khitan Fleet was outnumbered nearly two to one on paper but had larger total displacement due to her larger battleships and heavy cruisers making up the bulk of the bombardment detachment.

​

By the Battle's End the Khitan Fleet had lost nearly half its number but mostly transports and lighter ships which had made up the bulk of the Blockade. The Fleet of Aquitaine however had lost every single ship as the Fleet was Scuttled upon telegraph confirmation that Khitan Troops had seized one of the locks at Kiel.

With the first major naval victory of the war to his name, Rear Admiral Louis Grant received a promotion and was reassigned to the American Theatre to serve as head of Joint Naval Operations against Paraguay from the newly reacquired Base at Panama.

​

With Paraguay at war with the Khitan Republic the United States of Central America had seen fit to Sign a Five year Lease with the Khitan Empire over the Canal Territory and remove Military personnel from the Region yet again. While the region was never officially annexed, the Signing more or less established the handover of Panama after the War was over and a large amount of time had passed to make an official transition.

The Cost for the lease would be in the Tens of Millions of Khitan Dollars, equal to the GDP of several smaller countries combined but ultimately the return of one of the most strategic locations on the world was worth the cost. It also served as an excellent precursor to further negotiations with the Central Americans about boots on the Ground in South America.

​

After his Trip to London, President William Lyons had mixed news. Talks with the British Lord Protector and Scandinavian President had been ultimately mixed. The Scandinavians insisted for their aid in the war they receive vast European concessions. Control of the Kiel Canal, The return of Prussia, Vopommern as well as the Session of Estonia and the forced concession of several islands or coastal enclaves to serve as military and naval Bases in the Baltic.

The British Meanwhile had their own demands, the Complete partition of all Italian and Bohemian Held Colonies in their entirety. Furthermore the British were unwilling to commit to deploying exclusively in Europe which meant the British were planning on making commitments elsewhere, likely in Africa where they hoped to make the greatest gains but also in the defense of her colonies against Japan.

President Lyons attempted to at least force an agreement on the Kiel Canal to become a Neutral Zone controlled by all Three North Sea Powers but the Scandinavians were unwilling to budge while the British were amendable. The Colonial concessions the British had demanded ultimately were also agreeable so long as some commitment of troops were made to Europe.

By the Meeting's Third Day the Scandinavian President was no longer in attendance and plans to divide up Africa between the Victorious powers was made. The British would 1 of every 3 Men to Europe, but would be free to commit the remainder of their army as well as the entirety of their navy wherever they wished.

When The president had returned home he had done so prior to the British official Declarations of War on Bohemia, Italy, Spain, Paraguay and Japan. Within Two Weeks British Divisions had arrived in the Netherlands in some small numbers while Reports of British Colonial Regiments in Africa mobilizing had begun to fill the ears of Khitan Intelligence.

​

The Eastern Front of the War, Between the Hellenics and Persians had begun in earnest in this time. The Persian and Caucasian Mountains had become notorious for their difficult to fight and traverse within, with modern technology in play the Front quickly turned to a Quagmire with neither side willing to undergo a large military advance when softer easier prizes elsewhere were on the table.

This of course Benefited the Greeks who had this freedom of choice but the Persians were effectively locked in by thier own Geography and were reduced to mustering vast amount of troops for one great thrust into Greek controlled Mesopotamia.
​

With Successes mounting at least Diplomatically, the United States of Central America issued a Formal Declaration of War on Paraguay following the sinking of several Merchant vessels en route to the Khitan Republic. The Sinking of these vessels while forgivable had ultimately been the long awaited excuse for the United States of Central America to declare another expansionist War, this time into Columbia, and with Great Powers in Europe as well as California on her side the concessions that could be gained were simply too tempting for the Hawkished Centro-American administration to resist.

Though the Entry of America into the Theatre of war had demanded an organization of Fronts. The Centro-Americans and Californians as well as the Khitan Expedtionaries in the region would be organized into the American Front.

In Africa and Asia the British and Khitan Colonial and Mother Governments organized a Colonial War Department for the management and seizure of Colonies from Japan, Bohemia, Italy and Spain.

In Europe it would be the British and Khitan against alongside the Greeks coordinating a European Theatre of war.

In all Cases however any sort of organization or coordination was few and far between, the various departments neared served as a quick avenue for the various powers to inform each other of what they were doing as no power ultimately wished to have its troops subservient to any others.

The Escalation however was not nearly over. With the Entry of the USCA, and at least apparent Neutrality of Scandinavia, The Russian Empire entered the war on the side of Bohemia providing a valuable Link for Persia to the flatland of Europe.
​

The Opening Moves had been taken even with the sides still being drawn, Now the War itself was about to begin.​

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[dragoon9105]

Chapter 23: Betrayal

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Newspapers in London now had read "Britannia Marches to War" while in the Americas fighting had already started. The Russian Emperor has declared for the Central powers and Scandinavia, frustrated over a lack of promised demands has walked out of Talks to join the Republican League.

The War itself, in all its horror and glory was about to explode on the European stage.

​

The Khitan Empire was Encircled. To the East Lied the vast and effectively endless Bohemian and Russian Territories, The Italians lay to the Southeast highly militant and prepared for war. To the South Finally lay Aquitaine, a former territory of the Empire pulled into the Spanish and Italian spheres of Influence.

With the Latins and Spanish working over logistics and marching troops into the region there was at least a distinct opportunity to lessen the potential disaster of a two front war provided the Army act accordingly.

Plan Tiger 3, was rushed into Motion by William Lyons war Cabinet, Detailing a massive push by the Khitan Regular army as deep into Occcitan territory as possible. The Goals of the campaign being the seizure of the Garrone and Rhone Rivers effectively given the Khitan Republic a Natural border in which to plot further advances south to the Pyrennes or campaigns over the Elbe in Germania.

On August 16th 1905, Khitan Troops marched over the border and into Aquitaine from the Atlantic to the Alps. The Occitan Army was quickly overwhelmed and repulsed back to defensive positions. The British Expedtionary Forces commanded by General Robert Huxley had marched down the Rhone river to meet the Italians in the rough burgundian terrain.

By the End of the Month, the British however found thier army split in two on each side of the river, with at least half of the BEF caught between the Rhone and the encroaching italians with almost six times thier number. With little options the BEF hunkered down and begun to dig trenches as the Italians seeing the potential for being cut off from their Spanish allies through everything possible at the forming Burgundian front.

​

By September the Scandinavian President after talks with the Russian and Bohemian Emperors officially declared war on the Khitan and British Empires, citing that her demands in China, Africa and control of the Kiel Canal being as its reasons.
​

The Entry of Scandinavia came with the Invasion of Holstien from the North, with nearly 100 Scandinavian divisions pouring south into a Killing ground north of the Canal. In Response the Anglo-Khitan rushed to send aid through every available means to Holstein by land and sea. As a result the Understaffed North Sea Fleet was caught on convoy protection duties East of Jylland by the Combined Norse-Bohemian war fleets coming through the Straights.

For Four Days the North Sea Fleet held against overwhelming odds, Inflicting six hits for every one suffered. By the time British Reinforcements had arrived from Norfolk the KMS Princess Catherine had been scuttled, the KMS Morgan had suffered several major superstructure hits and the KMS Khatun Xaio, the Flagship had run out of ammunition for her main armaments and had been forced to serve as a hospital and rescue ship in addition to being a command vessel. Half a Dozen other ships had either been critically damaged or Sunk, but the Scandinavian and Bohemian fleets found themselves far worse with estimated losses including nearly Six Battleships as well as the Scandinavian Dreadnought SRS 'Thunderer' which had found itself targeted relatively early on during the battle.
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In China, Region Governor Andrew Shaw had mad a controversial decision, after losing several key victories north of the Yangzte River, he had ordered a General retreat to positions far further south near Hong Kong and Macau and at the Pearl River and its tributaries. The Japanese had the advantage of numbers and Scandinavian Garrisons in the region that had ultimately caused any effort to hold the Yangzte to be wasted.

The Pacific Navy however held strong from its bases on Formosa, Disrupting Japanese shipping to the Philippines with fighting efficiency. ANZAC garrisons also were being recruited for the eventual invasions of Guinea and for the Defend of Malaya which many pessiments were expecting would fall before proper resources could be allocated eastward for defense.

The Japanese Navy Arm, which had to contend with the Americans near Hawaii and the Khitan in the South China Sea effectively was boxed in to defend the Japanese Home Islands. While a Naval invasion was considered unfeasible, the possible bombardment of the Japanese coastline was considered unacceptable by the Emperor and Military Government as it would make the Imperial party look weak and thus vulnerable to democratic or communist revolutionaries while the army was deployed in China.

​

in Arabia, the British and Khitan armies had signed with the Arabs the so called 'Arab reclamation Treaty' which promised the Italian held colonies in the Arabian peninsula to be returned to the Kingdom. With treaty in Hand the Arabian army marched into Yemen and Oman against the Numerically superior Italian colonial garrisons to seize or sabotage as much territory and infrastructure as possible. Vague assurances from the British and Greeks that Aid would arrive in the form of Regular troops were made but ultimately at this time both the British and Khitan Empires were looking more to the defense of their own colonies.

​

By Mid Fall Plan 'Tiger' had been a rousing success at least on Paper. The Central front of Aquitaine had completely collapsed leaving hostile troops pushed back south of the Garonne river or in Burgundy.

At Bordaeux the Occitan army stood in force. The Khitan troops had made several crossings but had quickly found themselves pinned against the river by heavy artillery bombardment. The Occitan army meanwhile had dug into civilian areas and had begun evacuating the city. The Plan ultimately was to fight for every city block possible, though the Khitan army had vastly underestimated the Occitan Army and found themselves stuck on the beach, unable to advance.
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In Burgundy the Situation was far, far. The uneven terrain of the Provential alps had led to a chaotic dissaray of advancements across the Line. For Weeks the Italians had been preparing positions all throughout the region unsure of where the main Khitan Thrust would come. Meanwhile the Anglo-Khitan leadership were unsure of where thier own troops were within the region and soon the entire province at turned into a chaotic killing ground with fortified and prepared italian positions making mincemeat out of the Anglo-Khitan forces.

With Reports of combat as far east as Turin and no sensible battle line to speak of a retreat order was given to reassemble just southeast of Lyon but the orders either did not recieve the stranded troops or simple were unable to be carried out. The Italians meanwhile began to understand the situation first and quickly set about fortifying passes northwards using machine guns and artillery to kill thousands.​

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With Humiliation Mounting and unease growing in the war Department the orders had come in for the Successful Northern front to produce a victory before winter. Plans were set in motion for the Capture of the Jylland Penninsula with the hopes that a fast aggressive campaign with the help of shore bombardment could quickly lead to the taking of the region and thus closing of the Danish Straights to enemy shipping.

A General attack order was given across the Kiel Line, into Scandinavian territory into the prepared machine guns and bunkers at the Slesvig-Hussam Line. The Assault would stall after three days as Artillery fire from the Fortress at Nordstrand had made any possible assault on the Western side of the line all but impossible. Naval support ultimately was sorely needed but the Fleet of the Atlantic was still busy hunting commerce raiders in the North Sea.

Needing a victory before the first snows fell, the assaults were ordered to continue until the Line fell, at any cost of Men. Scandinavia's front in the war needed to be removed as soon as possible. With another 100 Thousand Men commited to the Narrow Assault Line and additional artillery and Naval resources brought to bear a 20 Mile Stretch in Denmark had become the most important front of the war, host to Thousands of casualties as more men were funneled into what was infamously being named 'The Scandinavian Woodchipper'
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By Mid Novermber nearly 100,000 Men Lay dead and the Scandinavians retreated to a secondary line between Flensburg and Octholm only a few Miles to the North where trenches and still drying concrete fortifications were being prepared.

The Burgundian disaster had ultimately been covered up by a far worse incident. By December the Wartime session of the Government had declared the temporary bans on unpatriotic material in the press, blocking further reports of future campaigns, with several papers blaming 'enemy spies' for the disasters at burgundy and Nordstrand and as an excuse for the temporary wartime press ban.

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However it was not only the Khitan army feeling the Pressure. With successes mounting in Aquitaine and the italian army stuck digging into burgundy, initiatives came from the Italians to push the fortifications taken during the early was in the Swiss Alps and Southern Germany around Bern. The Italians had arrived in force but the British, expecting to wait for Khitan reinforcements from the North had dug in with machineguns.

All along the front the Italians probed in force and were repelled each time, taking thousands in Casualties while the main thrust hirt the British forces in Baden. Poor communication at ultimately doomed the British thrust where it was finally pushed back across the Rhine but only after inflicting 3 to 1 kill ratios on the oncoming Italians.
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In the Mediterranean the Central Powers had decided to weigh thier sufficient Naval advantage at the beckoning of the Italians and Bohemians who were fighting for the Suez in North Africa. The Spanish who together the Italians held the largest Mediterranean Fleet had decided to land troops at the port of Cysus near Symrna on the Anatolian Coast. the Hope being that the Ionian Islands could be easily swept up and potentially the Dardanelles could be threatened. Similar Landings near Rhodes and on Crete supported this theory but in all cases save the Cretan Invasion the Greeks had rallied to meet the invaders in force. Still the Spanish doggedly fought on to hold their Beachheads convinced that keeping as many troops off the eastern European or African fronts as possible would help the war effort in some way.

For the Soldiers on the ground however the campaign was a complete quagmire with Greek artillery raining death day and night and any attempted breakouts were silenced by the overwhelming sounds of machine gun fire and the sounds of men dying.

By the End of 1905 the Spanish Invasions of the Ionian Isles were abandoned, with most divisions left intact only containing single digit fractions of their original strength.

The End of the Year brought other more unfortunate news however. The First major peace deal had been struct, not Europe, but in the often forgotten Asian Theatre of the War.

The Japanese were on the March, and with little resistance in thier Path, they were winning victory after Victory.

With front lines growing blood and slow moving in europe the pressure was on to break through before successes in Asia ultimately turned to Success, in Europe.

 

[dragoon9105]

Chapter 24: All is Quiet

Bloodbaths in Burgundy and Holstein and continuous retreat in Asia. The Prospects of a victory by the winter solstice had been looking grimmer by the day across the Republican League, however the commitments to a full and total war were only being made as the first were beginning to loom across the front.

With Winter looming the assaults across the front would need to stop, cold as major obstacles such as the Alps and Elbe River were thought to be simply impossible to breech in heavy snow and mud. Across the Western Bohemian where there had been relatively little fighting troops had prepared trench systems in anticipation of winter.

These actions were now being continued primarily in Denmark where the old Scandinavian defensive lines were fortified and being used to hold against any incoming Scandinavian counter attacks to retake Holstein. In Aquitaine where climates were warmer the Spanish and Occitan troops had dug in around the Capital while heavy fighting continued in burgundy.​

Feeling pressure for a major victory following news of Japanese success in Asia, Chief of the Army Dale Anjou demanded a 'Thrust for the Mediterranean' against Occitania and Italy and into the Burgundian Alps. To do this hundred of divisions were pulled from reinforcing the Bohemian and Scandinavian Theatre to be poured into Burgundy with intent to hit the Italians as hard as possible and remove the fortifications before they could entrench further.

While the Aquitainian Territory fell easily, by December Khitan Troops at managed to breech Italian Provence yet again but did so in a very narrow line where the Italian fortifications were weak. The Italians however with superior artillery and positions all along the Khitan thrust shelled the army the entire way with General Thomas Grenfell, commander on the ground in Italy writing several strongly worded letters requesting another retreat over the alps before the Winter Solstice.
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With a lull come over most of front since late November and Winter Solstice looming the Bohemian Front generally had come to a ceasefire in what would be known as the 'Solar Truces' where the Holidays went on with little to no fighting as efforts were being spent elsewhere. During a Period of almost a month troops on both sides fraternized, exchanged gifts and prisoners and buried their dead. By the End of the Holiday however the fighting had resumed wholesale on the threat of court martial by officers on both sides though in some areas of the trenches the fighting did not resume until entire companies of men had been rotated to other regions.

During the Winter Lull, the Khitan Republic and her allies met in the Paris to talk over intended demands against the Central Powers. The intent was firm across the meeting that the 'Latin Bridge' from Gibraltar to Rome had to be removed. Aquitaine's monarchy would be removed in favor of a Republic overseen by the Khitan One while in Southern Germany a new Danubian State would be created to drive a wedge between Bohemia and Italy.​

Demands and Colonies were also promised and divided out between the Khitan and Hellenic Republic as well as the Commonwealth, with the Khitan Empire also demanding Gibraltar to both ensure the Hellenic Republic could not demand it later and to ensure the Mediterranean would stay open in the event of future hostilities.
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By the Break of Spring tensions once again reignited across the Front Starting with Scandinavia where Khitan Troops had marched north in force with Naval support in Denmark while the Imperial Marines had been redeployed to take Heligoland under heavy shelling.

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In the European Front things had reignited with the Spring Thaw. Burgundy had once again become a meatgrinder as Genfell's Salient had become no less than a region to pour more young recruits in to die against a Numerically superior and prepared enemy the Army of Burgundy losing dramatic percentages of its strength in weeks, though inflicting significant losses on the italians and Spanish at the same time.

In Germany, in order to reverse the perceived weakness of Morale caused by the Solstice Truce, Men were forced, over the top of the lines that had been left relatively static for months. In Some Places like Bayreuth where the enemy had concentrated these assaults were no less than complete and utter slaughter.​

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Through Sheer Numerical superiority however some small success was gained with Khitan troops pushing out of Germany and into Pomerania while the BEF had even managed to march up to the gates of Prague. The Disaster at Bayreuth however had cut the British off and now they were stuck, outside the Enemy capital with little support and a swarm of angry Bohemians about to come down on their positions while their Khitan Allies wary of a great counterpush of Scandinavian and Russian reinforcements instead dug in and waited for further reinforcement.

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In Southern France, The advance southwards continued meeting the Italians on the field in their own territory and leaving the powerful Provencal fortifications for another day. The Spanish having effectively realized that they were being bottled up from participating in the land war pushed out in force attacking well prepared Khitan positions all along the Occitan Lines. All across southern France troops fought trench by trench while the key battles in Province and Bordeaux continued into the summer as the Italians and Spanish continued to bash the line until a weakness developed.

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In the North the Khitan Republic forced government of Holstein to sign the Treaty of Cologne, formally ceding complete control over Holstein, the Kiel Canal, and all other functions of the territories to the Khitan Republic for the duration of the war. The Prince of Holstein was forced into Exile with elections promised to be held at wars end though the expectation would be for Holstein to exist merely as another puppet state provided the Khitan Republic won the war.

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With Holstein effectively absorbed into the Khtian administration the new initiative for the North was the Final push against Jylland and Denmark as a whole. If Scandinavia could be bottled up in the North all of her troops would be forced into the Bohemian front and thus off home soil.

The thinking being that if Scandinavian troops could fight with the Bohemians, a previously hated enemy thier morale would suffer and as a result they would fight more poorly. This strategy however completely disregarded the realities of the war such as Machine Guns and Artillery which were the true determining factors across the entire front. The Days of superior training and spirit of troops had long since past and even a year into the war the lesson was still only being learnt in the bloodiest way possible.

With new blood at home still flooding the recruitment centers and slow and bloody success coming in across the front the order was given to press the advance. For the Army leadership the stalemate of winter had been broken and success was in sight. If the Bohemian and Aquitaine center broke the entire line would cascade and the war would be over before next fall. Similarly the thinking was much the same in the central powers camp, grind the Khitan Empire to a standstill while Japan swept up her vital colonies, then starved and broken, crash through the demoralized Kits and Greeks once and for all.​

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A mentality that in Hindsight would be hilariously naive, if the millions of dead across Europe did not make the reality of it, tragic.​

 

[dragoon9105]

Chapter 25: The Infantryman and his Rifle

With the Winter Thaw fighting has broken out from Bordeaux to Provence, From Burgundy up into Germany and Denmark. Japan continues to advance in the east while blood stalemate dominates the front in Persia while Colonial Garrisons skirmish across Africa. The War is in full swing and thousands die every day.

Across the front however each army had a different doctrine, different soldiers with different training and equipment, some better equipped than others but all had been horrifically unprepared for the modern warfare of the time.

(Greek Soldiers at the Onset of War, From Left to Right, Infantryman, Officer and NCO)
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The Greek Army had started the war equipped with their traditional White, Gold and Greys, the same colors the Empire had since the days of the Hellenic Revolution where purples and golds had to be dropped in order to equip more men for the army. One of the Better prepared Armies for the war the Greek uniform had evolved since Revolutionary days for combat particularly in the desert.

The Greek Regulars started the war equipped with drab tunics and loose breeches both to save losses due to heat related problems on march but also to not stand out as easily in a battle line. Officers often wore more extravagant versions of the traditional Greek uniform with rank and insignia being gold for NCO's and Purple for Commissioned Officers. The Traditional Hat was a cap and if the soldier in question was lucky he would have leather low cut boots, a greek soldier's most prized possession after his rifle.

(Greek Troops into Winterized Uniforms)
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With winter oncoming, most Hellenic Troops were provided an overcoat which helped with the Balkan winters and the continuous mountain combat all along the frontline. However only lucky soldiers managed to receive winter clothing on time as logistics issues had resulted in confusion between the low lying troops who were supposed to receive cold weather clothing at a delay and those fighting in the Alps and Balkan Highlands. Furthurmore producing said coats had also become a major issue, especially as casualties had forced the further recruitment of thousands more to be sent to the front.

(The Grigori-Alexander Pattern Rifles, Ordered Top to Bottom, Oldest to Newest over the Entire War)
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The Primary armament of the Hellenic Infantry was the Grigori-Alexander Pattern Rifles. Adopted in the mid 1800's the G-A Series had become the Greek Mainstay mostly due to their high accuracy and rate of fire. The GA 1890 Was the Mainstay of the Greek Military featuring a shorter length than the previous 1879 Model as the Greek Military brass had made the realization that artificially lengthening rifles to allow for rank fire was an outdated concept. What had been realized quickly as the war began however was there simply wasn't enough GA1890's to outfit the entire greek army forcing a reliance of older, breach loaded or rank fire capable rifles to be introduced into service from storehouses across the country while the pre-trained regulars of the greek army received the Standard issue Weaponry. Special forces and Guard detachments were already receiving the new 1901 Pattern Rifle which introduced stripper clip over end block loading, though such advancements had already been made in Italy and Germany almost a decade prior.

(Bohemian Troops, with a Typical Bohemian' Officers uniform Depicted in the Center)
​

The Bohemian Rank and Rifle Soldier wore was was called the 'New Imperial' Uniform which was primarily grey. The so called 'Imperial Grey' uniform was not born out of battlefield needs for soldiers to better blend in but to erase the nationality of the soldiers within the army as previously within the Bohemian Empire, Polish, Bohemian and other nationalities had radically different uniforms. Though the so called New Imperial Uniform had only been in service for about a decade when war had been declared and many of the old 'National' uniforms were seen on the field dating back to 1840 in terms of design and color.

(The Heideseen1889, Standard Rifle for the Bohemian Army on the Onset of the Great War)​

The Bohemian Primary armament was the straight pull Heideseen1889 a so called 'shooter' designed rifle to increase the combat effectiveness of Bohemian troops on the field. The Nature of the rifle however and its adoption as the Imperial Standard rifle in the late 1800's had led to several compromises. The straight pull bolt had limited the power of the rifle and complexities regarding its manufacture had made it expensive and slow to reproduce. While the Bohemian Army had enough prepared for before the war solders had repeatably complained about the size of the rifle, its stopping power and the proprietary ammunition that left it incompatible with other older guns on the battlefield. In response to these complaints the Bohemian Imperial army put out requests for upgrades to the Heidessen ultimately resulting in the entire rifle series being thrown out and the shorter Alfred Pryczcnek designed Pryczcnek-1904 (Named the P1904) Bolt Action Carbine being adopted instead which forwent the straight pull design for a traditional bolt action, thus allowing for more power in a smaller rifle. The Heidessens still saw production throughout the war as retooling the factories ultimately would prove too slow and costly and the P1904 (As well as the Longer Barreled Rifle Variant) would slowly reach the field but would not be produced in enough numbers to make a difference, though the Rifles would continue to be used extensively throughout the coming decades.

(A Scandinavian Regular at the Onset of the Great War dressed in Revolutionary Era Uniform with a Bolt Action Rifle, Typical of most of the armies of Europe at the time)
​

The Scandinavian Military uniform would become infamous for its ill-preparedness. Out of all the Uniforms the Scandinavian Republican was not the only fighting force that still maintained her Revolutionary era colors on the field but unfortunately had colors that were completely and utterly ill suited to the reality of modern war. With Bright Golds and Reds on modern battlefields the Scandinavian infantry found their more outdated uniforms being more of a liability than a help, with the only true reprieve coming in that despite the Scandinavian hunger for demands in the war her troops would primarily be fighting on the defensive.

The Spanish Uniform ultimately would differ very little from that of the Scandinavian one except that the Spanish uniform had minor differences in the Tunis, Boots and Legging. The Spanish blue was more Denim while the legs were a softer red. The Spanish Colonial Garrisons however used different colors ranging from light grey to white to Khaki with ultimately the Khaki colors being adopted in short order after similar issues on the front were discovered.

(The Karbine 1894(Top) and the Skaeling 1892 Rifles of Scandinavia, both made famous for their use in the Danish Campaign)
​

In terms of armaments the Scandinavian Regular soldier was no different than the variety of Europe in that her government had only recently adopted a modern bolt faction firearm. In Scandinavia's case she had recently adopted two of them. The Short Karbin1894 and the Long Barreled Skaeling1892. The Short Carbine was meant for Swedish cavalry and colonial operations while the Skaeling rifle was designed with a unique 'Dump' loading system that allowed multiple rounds to be loaded at once without the need of clips or end blocks. With both rifles in production and a relatively small population of soldiers to supply the Swedish army was perhaps one of the best equipped armies at the onset of war with both rifles being responsible for high Khitan casualties in the Danish Front alongside Machineguns and Artillery.

(Italian Troops on the onset of the Great War, Italian Infantry being furthest right with a Typical Italian officer of high rank in the middle)
​

The Italians similarly had marched to war with Pre 1870's colors but had the luck to have the national color of green. However the Italian army like all armies of the day lacked helmets and were woefully unprepared for the Alpine and German winters, expecting a fast sweeping war similar to the Mid 1800's wars against the Khitan Empire where the main fighting would be on hostile ground. Similarly, Khitan Snipers used the italian penchant for each and every officer being armed with a sword to pick off leadership at a distance across trenches with marksmen rifles ultimately resulting in the carrying of swords on the battlefield by officers to be banned the Summer of 1906. Otherwise Italian Troops were dressed fairly standard for the time with decent quality tunics, looks breeches and leather shoes as was the norm for a Mediterranean based fighting force.

(The Italian Built and Designed Machenzo-Nicci/1872 Type III, The Breach Loading Rifle of the Great War to still be in mass production)
​

The Italian army was woefully unprepared in terms of armament for the war. Having not adopted bolt action rifles and only just recently adopted smokeless powder the Italian army's primary armament was the Wartime produced Machenzo-Nicci/1872 Type III once known as the finest breach loaded firearm in the world now decades out of date. Boasting inferior fire rares to her contemporaries the Italian military had scrambled to adopt a bolt action rifle as fast as possible ultimately buying surplus Bohemian and Spanish Bolt designs enmasse which had caused even further logistics problems for the Italian army.

(British Troops, wearing what would become known as the first Modern uniform with Drab colors ot olive, khaki and dark grey)​

The British meanwhile had showed up well and truly prepared for war. With a small highly trained and highly taken care of army the British with their Glascow Armory series Rifles and Khaki uniforms had far less issues transitioning to modern warfare than other countries. Though the Leadership generally had not seen real combat outside of colonial conflicts in decades there was an initiative within the Commonwealth to ensure each and every Officer had well equipped soldiers capable of fighting the enemy to a standstill as the British expected to be outnumbered any in conflict they found themselves in.

As a result the British would have found great success in the fronts in Europe if not for technology favoring the defense and the British leadership still holding to outdated tactics dating back to the 1800's.

(The British Glascow Armory Rifle, Model 1905)
​

The Glascow Armory Rifle the British used was considered one of the finest and most modern rifles in Europe if a bit small in comparison to the Long Rifles being fielded by most European countries. The Rifle had been custom built to Commonwealth Government set specifications to achieve a 'Five Rounds Rapid' result allowing a soldier in an emergency to empty the entire five round bolt action magazine. As the British tended to Tinker with their designs the original 1891 Model would become the Mark II of 1895 and Finally the Modern 1905 version or Glascow MKIII which increased reliability in regards to the sights and bolt while dropping nonessential processes like milling finger rests into the stock in order to cut down on production times as much as possible.

(Khitan Army Troops, Cyclist on the Left, Officer in the Middle and Infantrymen on the Right)
​

The Last major army of the War, the Khitan Republic was very much caught during the transition to a more modern fighting force. Her Troops still sported civil war era Blue, White and Gold and there had been significant resistance within the military and civilian administrations to reverse the change as the new Army was considered emblematic of the Republic. While not as nearly as disastrous as the Red Lined Scandinavian uniform the high quality striking uniform of the Wealthy and populous Khitan empire had quickly become a liability in the trenches all along the front line as the only truly revolutionary part of the Khitan early war uniform was the boots which were made of thick leather as well as the various accoutrama that other armies simply didn't afford to its rank and file.

In the Spring of 1906 the Army had enacted 'Emergency Plan No.8' to immediately shift production to a new standard with the Blue Tunics being made more drab, Swords being dropped entirely from officers and as much vibrant colors being struck from the uniforms as possible such as buttons. The Plan ultimately would be to shift the uniform to the proposed Khaki designs brought forward in the late 1890's but there was still significant resistance to adopting was was being thought of as a British Design.

(The Westing 1905, Infamous within the Khitan Military for its low Magazine capacity and poor reliability)
​

The The Westing Model 1905 and its Carbine Variant the Westing Model 1905S were the first bolt action rifles of the Khitan army. Entering production the same year the war had started it had not seen fighting until the Fall Campaigns of that year. Considered the Pinnacle of Modern Khitan Firearm design it was outdated by European standards even before its introduction, hosting only a three round magazine in comparison to the standardized five across Europe. The Model 1905 was still long enough to accommodate two rank fire which was considered a liability and the entire action and assembly had made the rifle overly heavy and prone to jamming in Mud.

By 1906 the so called New Age Westing rifle had become a laughing stock but possible replacements were few and far between. The Westing's major competitor was the American built Rochester-Rifle which was famous only for its tendency to explode due to problems with the breech and those rifles that didn't explode were prone to jamming. The Americans had fixed these issues with the Rochester II but those designs had remained proprietary and the army simply refused to allow a foreign rifle to be what was seen in photographs of Khitan Soldiers.

With no other real options present the Khitan army resorted to using Civil War Era Repeaters and Breach loading rifles while production lines of the Westing were retooled to make the Westing Model 1906, 5 Round Bolt Action that effectively was a licensed version of the British Glascow Armory Rifle with a Westing style stock and a Khitan Model 1890 Bayonet Mount. A Compromise born out of the necessity to get working weapons onto the front while the politicians and army bickered over prestige and reputation.

​

Thousands of these soldiers would fight and die in Trenches. With Machine Guns and Artillery being the dominant method of pushing and holding ground in modern warfare armies across Europe rather than continue to mindlessly drive into enemy fortifications dug in as the only reliable way to overcome prepared positions was to use mass assaults in conjunction with artillery. Trenches for both sides allowed armies to protect themselves from each other while simultaneously making said mass assaults far more difficult.

As Troops dug in further complexity was added to these trench lines and only geography ultimately stopped such networks from extending from the Baltic down into the Mediterranean. They ultimately would be most extensively used in Germany and France but also infamously in Denmark where Millions of Men were pushed into Jylland from both sides in order to take the Peninsula.

​

The use of Trenches ultimately lead to the innovation of the Helmet as reports of Snipers and head injuries from artillery blasts had become frequent. At the Onset of the war helmets were rare only used by combat engineers but by Mid 1905 each and every nation were rushing to design and mass produce steel helmets to replace the once standard issue hats given to troops on the field. The demands of such designs needed to be effective but also comfortable if possible to incentive soldiers wearing them even outside of combat as artillery strikes could begin at any time.

​

Weapons of war were not the only use of Modern technology however, The Combat Rations of Soldiers on the field also had become fully products of industrialization with mass produced foodstuffs and cookware found within any soldier's supplies provided they were receiving them. In Comparison to the warfare of the past, attrition from starvation and poor nutrition had been reduced by a significant degree. Though on the other end of the spectrum disease had become far worse and more significant as greater numbers of troops were packed together for large periods of time. Cholera notably had returned in force in the trenches and fighting the disease was being done by differing methods across no man's land.

By the time of the Summer of 1905 no Power truly had the wish or means to end the war quickly. Technology had made it only more and more difficult to push and gain an advantage and as a result all parties were draining valuable manpower and resources on the fields of Europe. Though commitments however had been made, offensives had to be undertaken, the war would continue because it must continue, as no power could risk weakness or worse, the possibility of surrender.

​

The Fighting would continue, and Men from both sides and all participating countries would die, thousands of miles away from home, In the Mud.

​

 

[dragoon9105]

Chapter 26: Drowning in the Mud

Day after day, week after week the Battle Raged on in Southern France. From the Atlantic coast to the Alps, Khitan and British Troops clashed with the Spanish, Occitans and Italians for mere kilometers each day as the Khitan Empire pressed down on her enemies with her demographic and industrial might before the winter of 1906.

All the While entire armies had become bogged down in mud soaked trenches as the Summer offenses turned to Fall advances and Still the Occitan Line had yet to break, and millions now laid dead on both sides.

​

By Mid Summer 1906 the Khitan Army had once again pushed on Aquitaine but in doing so left a weakness in their western Lines leaving the Armies at Nice and Turin trapped by a Spanish counterattack through Toulouse and over the previously thought unbreakable Rhone Line.

However, The Southern Arm of the Army of the Rhone under command of robert butler rather than attempt a retreat instead dug in, taking italian trenches and fortifications in hopes to hold out until reinforcements could break through the Spanish Lines.

With the occidental Capital fallen and reinforcements expected in Burgundy, the order came in from Spanish High Command. Crush the Khitan Pocket stretching from Nice in the South to Turin Province in the North at all costs.

Through July and August the Army of the Rhone would come under siege from the Spanish but continued to doggedly hold until finally a lack of supplies and an exhausted army forced General Butler to call a retreat of the Northern half of his army to Turin, ever more miles away from Help but fortified at least.

Command however on both sides had been deafened from the causalities that had become all to common across the front. While Antwerp would not hear or be able to report about the outstanding defense of Turin until learning about the disaster from intelligence leaks the Italians and Spanish marched on, laying siege to Turin while all across their Northern Flank under the command of the new Southern Fieldmarshal, the Butcher of Bordeaux Jacques Vanahorst

​

In Eastern Europe the war had continued to stagnant. Due to Pressures both poltical and from the Military leadership to bottle up both Scandinavia and Spain from Bohemia and Italy the Eastern front had recieved less reinforcements, replenishment and supply and so the Polish-Bohemian army was able to continually solidify a line across Germany with the only major lands lost being Bohemia proper by the British.

All Across Germany forests had been blasted away by artillery and lines of trenches and fortifications had resulted a quagmire of blood, mud and disease as major victories in the hills surrounding Bohemia were undone weeks later by similar amounts of effort from the opposing side.

A common misconception about the War in the East is that it was static and thus unmoving but this would be incorrect, Land and lines would move, but such movements was often impermanent as neither nation was willing to commit millions of men to a killing ground over a few hills or forest while more important fronts such as in the Balkan Peninsula and Southern France still existed.

​

In the East the Japanese had begun to find real resistance for the first time in Southern Vietnam and Cambodia. With the ANZAC Legion's arrival in Saigon. The Japanese who had grown relatively content to occupy Khitan China while focusing on pushing the Khitan Pacific fleet further south had ultimately allowed three major armmies to land and harrass the Japanese push into Southeast Asia, where at least temporarily the Japanese would be forced to stop and suffer the taste of Modern Warfare, losing several battles before finally encircling Col Hubert Havelock at Hue and annihilating his army with almost twice his number.

However, Khitan troops from Africa and Malaya were expected to arrive by Spring of 1907 meaning that a turning point in Asia was coming close as the Vast Khitan Empire had begun to wake to defend itself.

​

In Africa the Anglo-Khitan forces had managed to resoundingly secure West Africa from the Scandinavians and Bohemians with some few exceptions along the coast. What had helped the Allied Coalition in the region was agreements with the Mali Natives of Bohemian West Africa for returns to autonomy and self rule depriving the Bohemians and Scandinavians from all important native replenishment, guides and supplies.

With Fall approaching by the day, the August Offensive of 1906 Began in Aquitaine to surprisingly little fanfare at home. 1906 Was an Election year as the declaration of war had resulting in the Khitan Elections of 1905 being postponed until it was clear if the Khitan Capital was in any immediate danger or absentee votes would need to be held.

This would of course be an unpopular decision to start with, especially as the war at home turned into a political tool for the various parties within the Khitan Government. Labour in particular saw the war as an abomination brought on by Jingoist thinking, rampant military spending and blatant imperialist policies of a conservative cabinet and that the Khitan Republic had a duty to see a negotiated peace on its terms but not to overextend in demands or military affairs. The Liberals were more neutral on the war, favoring it and the Ideals of overthrowing the Monarchies in Bohemia, Spain and Japan while simultaneously denouncing the conservative appointed military leadership which had led to disastrous causalities across all of the fronts.

William Lyon's the acting President once again ran for re-election but this time on what was being called a Coalition Ticket, as the Conservative party, as the dominant party within the Republic demanded that for the duration of the wars a grand coalition be formed of all major parties to ensure the war be seen through without hindrance for the sake of the Country.

This Coalition ticket fell apart almost instantly when the Socialists abandoned broke their own Coalition with the Conservatives, a Final straw in a series of perceived slights. The Liberals similarly saw no need to lose a chance to Oust Lyons who had become a symbol of everything despised about the New Conservative movement, promising protections with one hand and holding an expensive bludgeon with the other.

​

With offensives all along the front but no great victories besides Holstein the Conservatives would ultimately claim a narrow victory with only 9% of the General vote against the Runner up Coalition. The real upset however was the fall of the Liberal party whos coalition fell to third place by a razor thin margin as the Socialists had used their anti war message to galvanize widows across the country in addition to their usual base of trade unionists and those of the working class.

However this left the Government in an awkward place considering the result of the presidential election which was anything but clear.

President William Lyons, Conservative Incumbent of the 1906 Election
​

William Lyon's and his Cabinet ever since the early days of the war had been commonly criticized for Bad and outdated Leadership specifically in the context of the military. In Lyon's day wars had been won with one or two decisive battles which would grant initiative and momentum. For well over a year Lyon's and his military advisors have been searching for that battle and each time it had eluded them, turned out a disaster or had been a false promise revealing further hardships in the immediate aftermath.

However, Lyons was a reliable and consistent factor in government, Capable of mending ties where there was otherwise apathy or even hostilities. In the context for the immediate aftermath of the revolution it had been Lyon's that truly forged a Republic from the disorganized mess of the Post Revolutionary Empire, formalizing and legitimizing many democratic processes for the first time and pulling the conservative party away from its monarchist loyalties to a focus on Moral Conservationism focusing on Social Welfare and economic and importantly religious protections and traditional values in a rapidly advancing world. Still even with a censored press, Military Funerals were something difficult to repress fully and at least in the Public eye, he was a respected but now foolishly stubborn captain, steering a ship into disaster in hopes of finding his last victory.

Charles Rackam, Liberal Candidate of 1906
​

The Liberals Wartime Candidate was Charles Rackam, a renowned writer and politician from the Urban north of the Khitan Empire. He had served two terms as Senator under William Lyons and was an experienced Statesman with impeccable Market Liberal credentials. On the Military front, Rackam was what was widely lambasted as 'Low Imperialism' by the socialists, Favoring the Growth and stability of the Empire, but not to the extend of the conservative party.

In Rackam's own 'Thesis upon the Ideal Capitalist Society' he acknowledged that while not ideal, a modern Capitalism government was required to provide opportunities for its Peoples, and thus would need colonies and that native peoples within those colonies had 'Proven they do not wish to engage in a capitalist society as potential captains of industry', making their economic and political exploitation, justified. Effectively the growing Social Selection movement but a traditional Khitan Liberal flavor.

Outside of his Market Liberal credentials themselves being a liability outside of traditional liberal areas, Rackam had not seen a day of military service in his entire life, dodging draft registration at an early age due to his wealthy upbringing. Instead Rackam claimed to be the right man to steer the ship at war on the promise of the skill to appoint worthy veterans to key positions and on his own genealogy of all things, as Rackam was descended from a famous Khitan Privateer through his father's line.

Needless to say even in traditional liberal circles this gaff would ultimately backfire tremendously.

(Socialist Candidate, Walter Weiss/Waverly)
​

The Final Contender was the Elderly Walter Weiss/Waverly. A Veteran of the Revolution in his Youth, Weiss had done much to divorce himself from his distant German-Jewish heritage during the following years taking the Name Waverly before entering politics and serving first for the Rhineland Conservative Party, eventually changing over to the Socialists when it had become politically expedient. Weiss has been the Mastermind behind the Socialist coalition with William Lyons and now in the time of the nation's biggest crisis had been thrown to the forfront by his political enemies to run against Lyons for the Presidency.

Weiss However had capitalized on the issue. With Decades of experience in and out of Antwerp, Weiss had pulled every single political connection he had to ensure the Coalition he orchestrated had fallen through. He began meeting with prominent conservative and liberal leaning military officials and did something not yet seen before on a grand scale, giving speeches with Radio.

From Antwerp to Cape to Singapore, Weiss's speeches reached across the Empire demanding a new Path forward. When his Liberal opponent Charles Rackam gaffed he ensured that every corner of the empire was aware of the blunder and whenever the Troops had won a great victory he nothing but praise for the men affield.

When the Votes were tallied, Weiss had won a razor thin victory against his once political friend turned Rival William Lyons to a shocked and stunned nation. The Blame of course landed squarely at Charles Rackam who many thought scared away Social Liberals with his talk of genealogy and Low Imperialism. The Socialists however were of mixed stance as Weiss was a political ally, he had never truly been aligned with the movement and now he was to represent the party moving forward, a Pragmatist and Opportunist leading a party of revolutionaries.

Once in power, Weiss wasted no time reorganizing his military chiefs of staff in a completely different style, in what was called 'The Fake Revolution' by his critics. Officers that had shown promise on the field were pulled from the dangerous and fickle trenches and given leadership positions while generals such as Grenfell were dismissed from office or otherwise put in backwater or do nothing positions within the staff.

Politically he wasted no time coalitioning with the humiliated conservative party and later even offered the Liberals a say in his cabinet shortly after in what would come to be known as the Tricolor Coalition, where all the moderate elements of government were formed into one singular coalition while the Monarchist Imperial party as well as the Anarchists and Communists were left out.

​

This reshuffling would come with unsteady news from the Greek front, where Japanese Troops arrived for the first time in the Caucuses Mountains. The Veritable Canary in the Coal Mine that meant that the Khitan Empire was now on the Clock for 1907.

When the Snows finally broke in the Balkans come spring, the Greek Empire would be well and truly surrounded on all sides, Italy needed to be broken and it needed to be broken quickly.

​

When the Spring Thaws came, Jacques Vanahorst wired personally that his troops had set foot on Spanish soil for the first time in the war, and that Turin had been retaken in the Name of the Republic. The Italians and Spanish nearly outnumbered three to one in Southern France were taken aback by a massive assault that had ultimately pushed thier fronts past the breaking points.

Meanwhile the Bohemians and Italians pressed hard in on Greece while Scandinavian, Russian and Japanese troops pushed on her Caucasian front. 1907 had arrived, and the fronts were now moving but the Bloodletting was worse than ever. Another 100,000 Causalities across Turin, 40,000 in Toulouse, 60,000 in Bern and a whopping 150,000 across the Alpine front in the first two weeks of March alone. The Losses were simply unsustainable Longterm.​

​

With this in Mind, Experiments for new ways to end the deadlock were done across the front and on both sides. In the Khitan Empire this would lead to a stunning realization, A moving machine gun, a moving pillbox really could avoid the dangers of no mans land and serve to break through where previously no human thought to survive.

At first this would come in the form of armored tractors but eventually Automobile Manufacturer Renard-Delora RD for short would produce the RD-7, the First Mass produced tank of the war, featuring a fully rotating machine gun turret, and armored tracks and hull capable of shrugging off similar caliber weaponry. Months later the British would produce their own variant in the Armstrong Land Battleship and Finally the Bohemians with a Ferdinand Class Landship. All the Same in Purpose, to cease the Drowning in the Mud, and end the war as fast as possible.

​

But as to who would win was still a major question. The Central Powers had reached Armenia and had pierced the Vital Caucasian shield in Greece in the East. At the Same time however the tide was turning against the Japanese in Asia, West Africa was in Anglo-Khitan Hands and of course Aquitaine was now fully under occupation with Germany, Bavaria and Bohemia soon to follow.

The War was still in the air. And the world had now begun to holds its breath on which nation would finally break first.

 

[dragoon9105]

Chapter 27: Breaking Point

As the Winter of 1906 Came and left the front remained mostly static once again. Developments in the East as continued to move, mostly in Southeast Asia where Japan continued to struggle against the Khitan ANZAC expeditionary, while in Africa the Bohemian and Scandinavian expeditionary forces continued a fighting retreat further into central africa where local alliances granted them a defensive advantage in both terrain and supply.

With the the Fronts of Aquitaine and Persia blown open however the coming spring of 1907 was quickly shaping up into a bloodbath as new entrenchments were prepared and new weapons of war were devised on all sides to break them apart. The Two Year Stalemate had ended, The War was about to move, but the willingness on all levels was mixed.

​

At home in the Khitan Empire a group of Scientists, Doctors and Engineers signed the so called February Conscientious objection as a new wave of drafts were signed and approved by the Conservative Socialist led Coalition. While initially the number of signatories were small, by the wars end the document had held the names of almost a third of the Khitan Scientific community and had sponsored similar acts by intelligentsia in Bohemia and the Latin Empire. Notably, Famed Atomic Physicist Anton Braunmeyer was an original signatory who had recently published the results of tests regarding light's behavior during solar eclipses, taken during the 1900 Solar Eclipse from the University of Norfolk in America.

On the other side however, many Scientists instead had taken a more national stance taking Government stipends for the funding of research along defense lines. Among their own discoveries in this time were advancements in regards to combustion engines, theories lift based vehicles, the militarization of airships of which the Khitan Empire had recently adopted into the Republican Army Aeronautical Core. At least 3 so called 'Airships' had been ordered for reconnaissance duty on the relatively expansive German front while a 4th and Final Airship was being developed in coordination with the British for deployment in the expansive North Sea Theater.

​

In The Middle East, the Kingdom of Arabia had effectively been knocked out of the war thanks to Japanese, Italian and Persian forces flooding into the Peninsula following the capture of Bagdad. The Arabians who had spent much of their own military power on the Persian Meat Grinder were relatively defenseless, and rather than face capture and surrender, Muammar al-Kanan, the Sultan and his immediate family fled the capital to rule in exile in Jerusalem

​

At Sea the Japanese Fleet had decided to finally strike out at the Khitan Pacific fleet moored in Singapore Harbor as the precursor to a full scale Invasion by Japanese and Shan Forces into the Valuable Peninsula. Admiral Jules Nemoria having received faulty intelligence on the strength of the Japanese fleet had sailed much of the fleet out out rather than wait for the British Fleet, based in Brunei to reinforce. On the 28th of March at 0300 Hours the First Shots were fired by the Japanese Battleship Kashima who fired at what was originally thought to be a Khitan Convoy moving to reinforce the Garrison at Saitan Island. Roughly Ten Minutes later the full force of the Khitan Pacific Fleet arrived and the Battle of Saitan had begun.

For the next Sixteen Hours the two fleets exchanged salvos in what would ultimately be considered the largest naval battle fought with modern ships. While initially the Japanese fleet had a solid edge in numbers and technology that continually were hounded by coastal defense guns from the Riau Archipeligo which while not particularly modern for the time, posed a serious threat to Japanese Capital ships which were built larger and slower than European ships. By the time Telgraphs had arrived to the british the battle had already been ongoing for Seven Hours and at least two major battleships, the Japanese Yamishiro and the Khitan Prince Jing while many other light craft had been sunk or held significant damages. Upon the Arrival of the British the Japanese withdrew having inflicted severe losses on the Khitan fleet but having taken severe losses themselves. Both Naval commands would ultimately deem their Pacific fleets to be utterly inoperable in the short term leaving the Japanese in an awkward position of having to delay the crucial invasion of Malaya leaving Khitan Rubber Shipments able to continue freely under the watchful eye of the British Navy.

​

In Eastern Europe the Main thrust had shifted away from Prague, which the Bohemians had retaken with force and shifted further North. Under President Waverly, the stratagems that called for Siphoning Scandinavia into the German front were permanently shelved. The Bohemians had since shifted much of thier attention on ending the war with Greece and protecting thier own capital and as a result much of Poland had been weakened as a result.

The City of Danzig, Crucial for its place as a port up for the majority of Prussian and Polish industry had become the Northern Campaign's Primary objective. Crossing the Vistula River and completing control over the city however was no easy task however, meaning that further troops desperately needed for other fronts were now being sent by rail North to Danzig to die. The surface level justification being that a capture of Danzig would cut off the crucial flow of Scandinavian Iron ore and Tungsten to Bohemia, while full plans were made for an invasion into the Baltics and down into the Ukraine.

​

In Southern France results had continued to be produced. The Spanish time and again were sent back from fortified positions all along the Navarra-Lyon Line. The doctrine being that ultimately the Khitan Empire could afford to trade lives for superior positioning where the Spanish and Italians lacked such luxury. Each time the waves of Iberian and Italians broke upon the defensive line, it would advance until openings were found and then the trade for Land and Lives would be made again until Khitan boots were over the Pyrenees and through the Alps.

​

In Denmark the Final chapters of the Jylland campaign were coming to a close. With Supremacy in the Atlantic, the Scandinavian lines had continued to crumble, though not without taking a severe toll in blood upon her attackers. At Randers and Aarhus the Remains of the Scandinavian Line had reformed and prepared a valiant defense while the Shipyards at Aarhus were rendered inoperable and the westernmost regions of Djursland were fortified. The Plan being ultimately to form several layers of continually narrow defenses until the the remaining Islands within the Sound could be fortified or modernized.

In Samso just south of the Aarhus front line, fortification dating back to the age of sail had yet to be updated and new modern shoreline guns and concrete were being shipped to the island each day to effectively deny the use of Khitan Naval artillery against northern Sjaelland as well as to assist in the battle for the Djurland peninsula.

The Island of Fyn however had also fallen, which had meant any major attack from Scandinavia now needed to come from Aarhus or over the Sound into Fyn. Effectively this mean that the Plan to bottle up Scandinavia within her borders had reached its completion and thus supplies and new equipment previously flowing into Denmark were instead diverted to the Baltics as there ultimately would be no Plans to commit to a costly campaign for Cophenhagen, as the city while an industrial center was not considered worth an Invasion of the Interior Danish Islands.

​

Economically, Production of the RD-7 was begun in earnest however therein remained a major challenge to the production goals set forth to produce the numbers military command was asking for. Automobile manufacturers unaware of even what the vehicle was designed for due to secrecy had no clue how to retool thier factories to create what was often being refered to as a hollow brick of steel and were already swamped with demand for Trucks and other logistical vehicles for transporting supplies.

As a result of a lack of progress, President Waverly's Chief of Transportation drafted the Liore Train Manufacturing Company, which held control of nearly 50% of the Market share of Khitan Train Car Manufacturing to produce the Hulls of the Vehicles. Engine Manufacturers would then be drafted to build the Engines of the RD on site and the tanks would be assembled in the field. While a great idea on paper, months into the RD's construction in the fall of 1907 it was soon revealed that this style of 'On Site' Manufacturing for the weapons system had created reliability problems simply not seen before in a vehicle. The RD-7 for all its purported faults, when it was present could barely start, or move, and those few RD's that were factory assembled did work but had many unforeseen issues such as the thickness of armor plating and defensive armament.

The British Armstrong tank did not have these issues but was also exceptionally rare, twice as expensive and incredibly difficult to transport due to its immense size. It also had its own problems on the battlefield which the british were already resolving at home.

When the Vehicles worked however, their effect was pronounced. Upon thier first appearances in the Battles of Danzig, the Third Battle of Bohemia and the Counter attack at Avignon. The Italians and Bohemians scrambled to produce tanks and weapons to defeat tank armor in order to slow the Khitan advance. However the Central Powers faced much different difficulties mainly of a logistic issue. Due to successes of the British and Khitan Navy the Central powers had lacked the Oil and Rubber to utilize these weapons in any larger capacity, and constructing them had to come at a far sharper material cost than anticipating. Paraguay of course had control of both the Oil and the Rubber the Central Powers desperately needed but was tied up in a blood stalemate in Northern Columbia while flailing helplessly against the Californian and Central American fleets.

​

As yet another campaigning season slowing drifted by, the Central Powers had managed to score their most significant victory in Europe in the Third Battle of Bohemia, cutting off a British and Khitan army in southern Bohemia while forcing pressure off the Polish front in the form of the Silesian Counter attacks that happened ultimately on Bohemian terms against well prepared Bohemian positions. However, the Victory was only a delaying action, the Bohemians refused to commit significant amounts of men to defend Prague as the city once considered an incorruptible bastion against the revolutions of Europe had been laid low by Foreign artillery.

Of all the Old European Capitals the only one to truly escape devastation in the 18th and 19th Century was ironically, Athens itself, the so called Heart of the Revolution. Though with things proceeding as they were, Athens itself may not be spared as the Bohemians and Italians continued to push on Macedonia, with the Greek Republican heart sitting just beyond.

In Avignon one of the bloodiest battles of the war had just concluded. The Breaking point of nearly three years of warfare in Burgundy, The Italians, Spanish and now even the Scandinavian Expeditionary, recently shipped across the Mediterranean from Tunisia had fought for the towns from Lyon to Turin to Avignon. Now with the introduction of armor to the field and superior numbers and supplies the Khitan Army had finally broken the back of the Central powers on the Burgundian front.​

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With Aquitaine finally broken the Door now laid open for a siege of Italy from positions in Piedmont and Liguria. The Remains of the Italian Front line were encircled on the Provencal coast and put to siege and Evacuations by the Italian fleet to bring Troops out of Provence and back to Italy to defend Milan and Florence had begun. After all the bloodshed on both sides, and years of bitter warfare the Occitan campaign had been finished, but the war was still not over.

News had arrived on the telegraph. From the Americans, not the Central Americans, or the Californians or even the South Americans. A New election had produced a new Prime Minister, one who had opened talks with the Central Powers.

In exchange for control over the Caribbean and Oil fields across Tejas and California, breaking up her enemies along ethnic lines and of course ceding the panama canal, she would join the war. Demands that if she won, would grant her dominion over a continent.

On July 12th 1907 The United States of America had declared a state of war on the Central American Republic and her allies citing demands of American unification, and Manifest Destiny.

The War was about to enter its bloodiest, and most heated stage.​

 

[dragoon9105]

Chapter 28: A War to End All War

After years of heavy pressure there had finally been a breakthrough in Southern France. Advancements were being made in Germany and now Poland and The Greek Republic in the east now as fighting a losing war on two fronts.

In Asia the Japanese Empire now held dominion over much of China and has established the Road of Iron Silk, a Railroad network allowing the movement of troops through China to the frontline in Persia. Meanwhile Anzac Forces fight mile by mile in Vietnam with locals to keep the Japanese from the Rubber and oil of Malaysia and Indonesia.

In Africa the Khitan and British Colonial forces have pushed thier enemies into the Congo and look to have solidly won victory, allowing for greater naval deploments to be made elsewhere and military supplies to now be diverted.

Finally in America, Continued pressure on Paraguay and an Invasion of Columbia had finally led to the Intervention of the United States of America whos Navy, Army and Industrial Capacity could spell doom for the American front.

​

The Entry of the United States had several major implications but the most dangerous for Europe was the introduction of American supply to Scandinavia and Spain and thus to the entirety of the Central Powers. Off the Coast of the Azores and Canaries, Anglo-Khitan Raider fleets now needed to choke the Spanish from American reinforcements and military shipments.

​

In the North, the Danish front had turned quiet yet again following victories across Jylland but the 'North Sea Gap' was open allowing transports to reach Scandinavia from Bergen to Narvik, and be protected by Zepplins, Escorts and submarines operating out of Iceland.

Well aware of the Danger posed in the coming year the British Navy had begun plans for an Invasion of Iceland come the Summer of 1908. The Khitan meanwhile pressed further and harder on Danzig, so deprive thier primary enemy, Bohemia of any Scandinavian and now American aid.

​

In Germany, the spring of 1908 brought the Full force of the Khitan army down upon Italian troops entrenched in Bavaria. Ignored for the majority of the war, the treacherous and defensible terrain in Spain and the Italian alps had meant entire army divisions now needed to be shifted to new locations where they could properly fight.

While the Italians had attempted to push for the Rhine river several times well prepared fortifications along the border had stopped either side from gaining any significant ground. This was about to change, as Khitan Tank divisions now had provided enough confidence roll into Bavaria in support of a British push from Switzerland.

While the Italians had since devices ways to deal with tanks on the field, they had not prepared for the numbers the Khitan Empire would be willing to throw into the meat grinder, and slowly and surely the Italian lines fell into disorganization and collapse though not before extracting a heafty price in casualties.

​

On the homefront, President Waverly had decided it best to begin delivering on some additional campaign promises, both to soften the moral his of America joining the war but also to bolster further recruitment and support of the war during its critical stage.

The Military Veteran's Pension Act would not be the first of its kind in Europe but would ultimately be the groundwork for further welfare reforms going forward in the Khitan Government. The Act itself would grant Veterans degrees of pensions dependent on their time of service and rank, as well as government provided healthcare and rehabilitation for those who had been wounded in the field. Though notably, Soldiers taken out of commission due to shellshock were not included in such provisions as under current medical examinations such soldiers were expected to return to civilian life without difficulty and thus did not require medical benefits.

The Final law ultimately would go into practice in April of that year.

​

In the Senate support for the Coalition government was reaffirmed due to the entry of America. Senator Franklin Anjou, a Conservative would give what would become known as The 'War to End All Wars' speech speaking of the urgency and requirement that the Khitan Government not submit, not surrender and put every able effort into bringing a swift and decisive end to the war, for the destruction wrought across Europe and the world had already been so great that no other wars could truly match it, ever.

With this in mind, War demands were being drawn up by the Khitan Republic for numerous things including the dissolution of Spain back into its member states, the Possible breakup of the Polish Empire and even the creation of several satellite states in Europe to ensure Khitan dominance on the continent. The Greeks had made similar plans years ago but now behind closed doors they would become ever more grandiose and less reserved as public opinion did not quite matter when one was at war with the entire world already.

​

In Eastern Europe, the watchword for the day was Surge into Poland and Prussia. Bohemia however was battling hard for every inch of home terrtory. While the Generals of the country had been relatively lax in the defense of Germany, more and more troops were spun off the Greek front line and sent north to defend Polish Heartland.

The main battles of course would continue down in Prague where there was a significant value in both prestige and morale, though perhaps more important was the coal mines of Silesia nor far to the north, which had become the center point on the Thrust into Poland while Scandinavian supply lines were cut off in Prussia.

​

In the South, Breakthroughs were occuring in unlikely places. With advances being made in Bohemia and the Italians fighting tooth and nail in the fields of Bavaria, the Khitan army had found a gap in the territories they had won in the Italian Alps. From this central position, the Khitan armyhad poured into Northern Italy but also advanced further, into Tirol with the British, enabling the possibility of a full encirclement of almost a third of the Italian army in Bavaria.

The Italians firmly aware of this dug in rather than attempt a breakout. A Critical mistake, The one that the Khitan Empire had spent nearly four years of warfare waiting for.

The Italian army, with its distain for Germany and its relative indifference to Bohemia's plight in the North had grown increasingly focused on the defense of Italia. Particularly the city of MIlan, one of the largest industrial centers in Italy, and key to the Military strength of the country.

As a result, the Italian army had pushed everything possible into the defense of the city and its surrounding areas at the cost of losing Pisa to the Khitan army, and even enabling a Greek landing near Venezia in accordance with Anglo-Khitan plans to enforce a Bavaria Pocket.

While the Khitan lost thousands in Italy, the War in Europe was about to reach its climax.

​

On the 12th of July, another Khitan secret weapon was deployed, all across the Front after being tested extensively in Africa. The Weapon code named 'Sandwich' was weaponized Mustard Gas, which the Khitan army had managed to develop in complete and covert secrecy.

​

'Fuel' Trucks, had arrived at major artillery emplacements all across the European frontline. Thier contents condfidential to even the carriers of the vehicles and known only to the most trusted highest level officiers. By the time word had eventually leaked to the Bohemians and Italians it was early July, and too late to properly prepare defenses against what was to come.

​

in Italy, Bavaria and Poland it would be deployed for the first time in terrifying amounts, breaking the stalemate in a horrific and dramatic display of death.
​

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In Italy the Front had completely collapsed leaving the main Italian army at Novarra trapped without supply. It too would be bombed into submission, cut off from Italian supply lines to receive Gas Masked and other preparatory supplies.

With his men dieing by the Hundreds, Italian General Giardino led a death defying assault on what would be known as 'Revenant Hill'. Reaching so close to Khitan lines so as to stop thier bombardment and have the battle descent into hand to hand fighting for days. General Giardino would succumb to Mustard Gas poisoning but his third in Command, General Lorenzo Zappa would surrender on the 8th of September, officially ending the Campaign for Northern Italy with a final bloody chapter.
​

The use of Poison Gas however was not without its downsides, The Italians and Bohemians had developed their own and short order and hesitated little in its deployment. The Wind also could shift unpredictably, often resulting in Poison Gas deployed against the enemy to then waft into Friendly lines.

The production of masks and other defenses against the weapon proceeded rather swiftly ultimately meaning its effect on the Battlefield turned from a dramatic, war winning secret weapon to a dangerous and deadly tactic used by both sides that required answering in the form of countermeasures, no different than the tank.

The Initiative granted by its deployment however had put the war at least in Europe on an unwinnable course for Italy and Bohemia, the former of which had lost much of its Core territory to the Khitan army and now faced complete encirclement in Germany.
​

In Germany the Fall of Bohemia had become the main event, but the Loss of Prussia and advancements all across Western Poland had effectively robbed Bohemia of a frontline or the ability to Win the war with a Greek Knockout. The Khitan Empire now held a frontline running from Sjaelland in the North down through Prague to Milan in the south, effectively a third of

Meanwhile British forces for the first time were within radio communication range of a interesting discovery. The Greek 6th Army originally sent to push for Prague at the onset of the war had been pinned down around lake Batalon and had held at the fortifications in the Region for the duration of the entire war.

The so called Lost army and its survival was the result of unwillingness to take the positions from Italiand and Bohemian forces once Croatia had fallen and the tenacity of the 6th Army who had effectively fortified the entire region and resorted to used enemy weapons and supplies looted from the dead to survive. For Foodstuffs for almost a year, the Lost Army had been supplied by locals and army personnel fishing from Lake Batalon until Bohemian and Italian forces poisoned the lake in order to kill wildlife within. By the time of thier rescue by the British, the Greek 6th Army had been reduced to eating shoe leather and to survive and had fallen to a third of their original strength in terms of effective fighting men.

​

Across the world with war raging science still ever marched onwards. In the Halls of the ancients in Egypt a major tomb had been discovered using new explosives invented for use against fortification. While the Frontlines remained far from Egypt, small victories on the homefront were ultimately the stuff that helped keep Greece into the war while it found herself continually pushed on every side.

​

Not far from Egypt, The Arabian Kingdom had surrendered to the Central powers after being overwhelmed by Japanese and Persian forces. With Arabia taken out of the picture the road now was open for Jerusalem, A major government seat, and a site of incredible religious significance.

With this in Mind the greeks abandoned Iraq to prepare a defense across the Levantine coast from Sinai across the Dead Sea to Allepo, where the Greeks hoped to use the desert against the oncoming Japanese and Persians to bottle thier advance into more contained zones of approach.

​

Meanwhile in the United States, American forces burst over the border into Tejas and into Southern California, effectively taking the regions with little resistance. With the majority of Central American forces in the South, the defense of the region fell primarily to California who had focused efforts on defending the Sierra Nevada and upper Haida regions of the country.

With one swift move the Oil producing regions of both California and the Central Americans had fallen to the united states, a crippling blow for the war across the world as now Arabia and America had been removed as potential supplies of one of if not the most important fuel the world over.​

And as 1908 Came to a close, the Italians prepared one final defense of Rome, as the Greek navy returned in force to the Adriatic to try and lessen pressure on Greece proper, making landings in Croatia but also in Sicily.

The War in Europe would now be won entirely within the Autumn of 1908, Rome or Athens, If either capital fell the war effort for either side would go with it. A War to End All Wars was being fought, and the victor was soon at hand.​

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[dragoon9105]

Chapter 29: The Guns Fall Silent

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With the Road to Central Italy open, Prague Taken and Fighting against Spain and Bohemia shifting to the Pyrennes and Poland respectively, military and political figures within the Khitan Republic were now, cautiously setting the groundwork for a potential peace and victory.

Japan and the United States were still hostile, within the war and winning on thier respective fronts, but lacked the ability to influence the European Theatre in any major capacity at least so long as the Greeks held the line.

Meanwhile the Wartime economies of Europe after almost half a decade of heavy fighting were beginning to feel major strain across all sectors of civilian and military life.

​

In the Southern Balkans the Hellenic Republic continued to fight for every mountain hill and valley. Set against the Bulk of the Italian and Bohemian army the fighting on the balkan front had begun with the offensives on 1908 and had only increased as news of defeats back home had driven more reckless and aggressive attacks.

​

The Doctrine and MIlitary strategy for the Central Powers had become clear, The Khitan Republic could not be fought while Greece still stood. The Central Powers, to win victory in the war needed to knock hostile forces back over the Bosporous, and then Hold the line against the Khitan Republic while her American Allies folded to Japan and the United States.

By fall nearly two-thirds of the Central Powers European theater had been focused on taking Central Greece, particularly the city of Thessalonike which would allow an encirclement of Athens and further pushes towards Constantinople. Augmenting this force was the majority of Bohemian Armor as well as Poison Gas and Italy's last remaining core of Zeppelin bombers.

The Greeks ultimately fought for every inch but were heavily outnumbered and outgunned. The Middle eastern line had failed to hold and the new Syrian Line was expected to at least delay the Sino-Persian advance for a time but was in desperate need of aid from Anglo-Khitan Forces from africa, still bogged down and fighting in the african interior. At Sea the Italians and Spanish had managed several key victories on the Isles of Crete and Rhodes and had even attempted bombardment of Athens by sea but were detered by anti naval artillery.

Thus the Hellenic War Cabinet enacted what was to be called, Operation Crucible, focusing its defenses on where they expected the main Thrust, Macedonia, and saw to fortifying the southern Mountains as a one last desperate defense of Thessalonike. Should the line fail to hold the Central Powers would have access to a crucial trans Aegean Port and could be free to segment away parts of Greece away and use naval superiority in tandem with their numbers to take Mainland Greece, including Athens.

​

From August of 1908 to February of 1909 The Central Powers put a siege to the Macedonian Line, from Kajmakčalan to Radomir the Greeks put a meatgrinder to the Central European advance, aided by ice and snow in the mountains and propositioned killing grounds in the Vadar River Valley. To the attackersthese regions would take on different names, particularly Vadar Valley, which men on the ground had infamously become known as the Valley of Death, a name that would stick with the place for decades in almost twelve different languages.

Hundreds of Thousands were killed or wounded at the Battle of Macedonia on both sides, making it the largest and most costly single continuous conflict in history, but tragically, the Greek Line broke and with the Fortresses seized, Thessalonike fell during the Spring. The Fierce Greek resistance however had ultimately done what it needed to do, through the price of Hellenic Blood the Central Powers had been denied thier great victory in the east, and in the West, Rome Burned.

​

In Italy, Khitan forces had marched into Venezia and Roma after successful campaigns in Tuscany. Rome an ancient city and crucial to Italian Morale had become ideal prize in the war. Khitan High command knew of this, and set not to only take rome but to lock the city in an eternal struggle in which to choke the remainder of the Italian army with.

The Italians took the bait, pulling from Romagna to form the Latium Line through central italy to prevent a linkage between greek and Khitan forces, prioritizing Rome while the remainder of italy fell into Khitan hands. By December the Italians had managed to still hold the city, but were now encircled within thier own capital, Meanwhile a lack of support in Poland and Slovakia had led to crippling defeats of italy's allies in the North.

The Truly crushing news however was the news from America.

​

Success in the Americas had allowed the United states to seize the majority of the Northern USCA, and occupy almost 70% of California. With such gains in America and sensing peace in Europe soon the Americans walked out of any and all meetings of the central powers, opting to pursue a separate peace of their own, with American terms rather than be shackled to a Corpse.

When the Japanese threatened to seize American held naval bases in California to prevent use by the United States, the United States responded with a Declaration of war, citing anti colonial doctrine dating back to the early 1800's that the Japanese Colony of Alaska was illegal and would be removed.

​

With the Americans walking out of the Conference, and the Japanese now occupied with a war for the Gold and Oil Rich Territory of Alaska the Poles sued for Peace, asking for an Armistice on April 22nd. Before major hostilities were expected to begin again in Southern Poland. The Khitan Republic, ultimately would accept terms of an armistice and the Khitan alliance would gather at Ventralis for to discuss peace terms.

The Great War, was perhaps far from over, but the War in Europe, almost certainty was. Italy asked for an Armistice six days after the Polish Request and with Italy and Poland-Bohemia out of the war the Spanish and Scandinavians, followed by Russia requested a peace with terms within the month.

By Early April, Japan and the Khitan Republic agreed to Terms of Withdrawal of Japan from Khitan China and for fighting between ANZAC and Japanese forces to cease in Vietnam. Meanwhile the several nations took it upon themselves to enact their own peaces before the congress of Ventralis, with Iran capitulating to Nationalist rebels on her Southeastern Fringes as its Government collapsed over the issue of Surrender to the Greek Republic.

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With Fighting stopped over Europe, The Gravity of the situation had dawned on many. The War was over, If it were to be reigignited things would be far different. The Khitan Empire held control over much of continental Europe and had Barcelona as a base for further invasions into Spain. The Greeks had fortified thier new emplacements and the Persian War effort was in complete freefall as the army was recalled east to put down popular revolts. All the While the Central Powers with a means to fight and win the war, Japan and the United States now were maneuvering to fight each other in the Cold Mountains of Alaska

The Fighting in the world was not over, but the War, almost certaintly would be.

When the Representatives for each power gathered in the Imperial Palace of Ventralis, the long awaited peace would finally be officiated, and the Path of the world would be locked on a new course one dominated by the Khitan Republic and her allies,

for better, or ill.​

 

[dragoon9105]

Chapter 30: The End of All Things

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The War was over, but the peace ultimately had not yet been truly signed. With fighting ending across Europe and Asia, the representatives of the Republican League sent representatives to the Khitan Imperial Palace in Flanders. Within the initial conversations were war demands but also the future of a Europe and the World now that victory had been achieved.

To this end there was several viewpoints, Revanchism, Balance of Power and Supremacy, all unofficial terms to describe the different stances of the various Major contributors to the War effort.

The Greeks who had undertaken extensive fighting in Magna Graecia and their Balkan territories wanted to be compensated greatly from the defeated powers. With some Greek delegates demanding borders not seen since Justinian's day. In a Modern climate where nationality and the will of the people however ruled the day such demands were untenable and ultimately were dismissed for what they were, grandious claims in hopes that the Greek Republic could bargain down from rather than starting with more conservative ones.

The British, who had contributed heavily to the war in Africa, and whos navy was vital in locking off American aid to the Central Powers had valued status quo in europe, and the removal of the dangerous and inflamatory colonies of Bohemia, Italy and Spain in Africa. However, a lack of any change in Europe was simply a no sell to either the Greeks of Khitan who had done the majority of the fighting on the ground and had men who had died by the millions in the war. The British had no chance to gain anything from demands made in Europe after all, and so any colonial changes would come alongside European ones.

The Khitan stance was thus, ensure the Central Powers could never again reunited to threaten Greco-Khitan dominance of Europe, Anglo-Khitan Dominance of Africa and the precarious Sino-Anglo-Khitan dominance of Asia. Thus important industrial regions would need to be dismantled, demilitarized or seized entirely, Khitan and Greek back republics needed to be installed in Russia, Bohemia and Italy with the possibility that such countries such as Bohemia be broken up along ethnic lines. For the Greeks however this solution was considered dangerous at best and suicide at worse, the validation of Self Determination for previously forgotten ethnicities such as Germans, Ukranians, Avars and Balkan peoples would have lasting shockwaves on the Greek's onw multiethnic republic. Though it wasnt a central point of the Khitan proposal it ultimately would be used in the congress to discredit many of President Waverly's points.

​

Eventually a compromised was reached between all three extremes. Ultimately however this was not the peace that many delegates had hoped for and when the Central Powers diplomats arrived to negotiate what they hoped would be more minor peace demands they were faced with heavy reparations, the loss of their colonial empires and heavy demilitarization demands as a starting point. With the fighting over however, there would be no choice but to accept the terms given at Antwerp. The War to End all Wars, had officially ended.

​

In Europe Spain got off relatively minor, she would pay heavy war reparations to the Khitan Republic, Grant Free Access to the Mediterranean to all neutral and Allied shipping and renounce any claims to Aquitaine, She would also be required to hold Plebiscites in Barcelona and Navarra to determine the future of said regions, though the choice for said Plebiscites would be between Staying within the Spanish Union, Independence and for Barcelona a Third option of union with Aquitaine was allowed. To Ensure the terms of the treaty were upheld however, the Khitan Empire claimed a large slice of land at Gibraltar near the rock in order to enforce access of the straights and serve as a naval base for her Mid Atlantic Fleet.

​

In Europe as a whole the major change was the shifting of Italian,Bohemian and Aquitaine borders. Italy would renounce all her claims to the Adriatic coastline and cede all Non ethnic Adriatic regions areas to the Hellenic Republic, Bohemia similarly would revoke all her claims to Illyria, and cede the entirety of Wallachia to the Hellnic Republic. Bohemia, Russia and Italy would be forced to hold Elections with Hellenic and Khitan supervision on new constitutions that would limit their abilities to make war in the future.

The Largest change in the Map of Europe however was the birth of the South German Federal Union of the Danube, otherwise known as the Federal Union of Bavaria or Bavarian Republic. Created as both a State for German peoples and also to serve as an essential military link between the Hellenic and Khitan Republics, and the divorce further co-operation between Italy and Bohemia.

​

In Northern Europe a Plebiscite in the Elbe Heartland would lead to the renewed independence of Holstien as a Khitan Satellite Republic. All Regions between the Elbe and the Oder River would be allowed to vote. Though the Khitan had been sure to Spoil the pot and ensure that at least Pommerania and Berlin would be integrated into Holstein preemptively, so effort could be spent on the vote in Dresden.

​

In Eastern Europe, borders were officially established between Russia and Khotan and Persia was officially 'revoked' from the Steppeland in order to Grant the new Russian Republic more freedom in her operations. Though this was done with little regard to the ethnicities within said regions, as large numbers of Persians now resided in Russia, Khotan and now the new XinJiang Republic, founded as a Republic for the various Steppe underclasses that resided in Crimea, Alania, and Central Asia.

​

In The Middle East and India, India was given the entirety of her territorial Claims East of Afganistan. Arabia was granted Italian Yemen while the Greeks pushed their border to minimize the frontage possible against Iran and swallow the entirety of Iraq and the Caucasus. Persia' theocratic Republic would be dismantled and in its place an Election would be overseen by the Greeks.

In Africa, the Story was simple, complete partition. No Central Powers colonies was left, save Morrocco which the Spanish held several centuries long claims to. The British rather infuriatingly were denied access of a connection between their gains in the Congo and Mutapa as Khitan Diplomats refused to redraw the maps for their own colonies in a peace conference. The Greeks, rather reluctantly were given compensation in Africa to avoid further demands in Europe, being given the North Congo, Senegal and the entirety of Italian and Bohemian North Africa. Britain was given a Naval base at Oran to protect her shipping in the Mediterranean.

Italy would also cede her Java colonies to the United States of Central America and otherwise the Status Quo would be upheld in Asia due to Japan's separate peace with the Khitan Republic. Thus concluding the peace conference's demands.

Overall the Central powers had been heavily reduced, and the stipulations of Antwerp meant that their armies would be restricted to self defense forces be forced to make regular reparations payments. In particular Italy had much of the Po valley under occupation during this period both to ensure the payments arrived on time but also to ensure no rapid militarization occurred, effectively holding the country's industry, hostage.

The Treaty would be declared a great victory by some, others would be more skeptical. Hardliners who wanted the complete destruction of Bohemia and Italy as entities of the map of course would never be pleased but even some moderates estimated that peace could not last and that at worst, the Greeks who had started the war had been given license to keep growing into a hegemony that could Threaten Khitan dominance of the world. The Presence of Greek colonies in Africa would only serve to stoke such fears.

In the Immediate aftermath of the war however things were not quite as had hoped. the Japanese occupation in Khitan China had caused a Famine, the likes of which the Empire had not suffered in well over a century and of a scale far greater as well. Combined with the Devastation of the Ukraine, Hostility from the United States and rapid demobilization across the world millions would die and the empire would ultimately be slow to reach and provide aid to one of its more important regions.

The Japanese, who were still fighting the United States had similar issues with thier own colonies. With growing political and ethnic consciousness in the area the entire country would slowly become a hotbed of unrest and resentment within years of the war's end.
​

​

In Academia the so called Lost Generation, the dead generation of young working age men had already begun to send shock waves through the economy and the intelligentsia. Women had found a more prominent role during the war as bread winners, causing social upheaval even at the family level while broadly there was a much larger critique of nationalism and national myth but also that of Human exceptionalism. The great war to end all wars didn't come at any significant gain, and at such great cost much of the criticisms turned to anger.

In the defeated central powers this resentment was targeted not at the old establishment but at the new imposed democracies that had started this war and forced such abhorant peace terms upon their nations, and fairly notably, the United States as well who was seen as having sold out her allies in order to preserve her own ambitions.

In America, with stalemate on the Alaskan frontier not making much news, the Great California earthquake had turned the war devastated and for the most part, forgotten California's situation from bad to worse. With unprecedented complete destruction of the Capital city in San Francisco bay occurring the Country was for almost a week without leadership or direction. For many it had seemed that God himself was rejecting the way the world had turned.​

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In China the Shun Democratized and granted Women the Right to vote. The Shun dynasty having done so in an attempt to try and harness Anti Japanese and Anti Khitan sentiments into new Nationalist Uprisings as appearing to be a more local and democratic alternative to the Imperial Powers. However such a move ultimately backfired as reactionaries within the Shun Administration attempted to walk back the changes ultimately resulting in a standoff between the Shun Emperor and Several prominent members of Government. The Resulting Coup and Counter coup would lead to the Crown Prince, backed by several reactionary members of the military establishing a Junta four years later. The first sign that the Khitan Democratic way forward was showing cracks as the first of its fair weather allies fell back into authoritarianism.

(Ignore the Date)
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In 1914 A Scandinavian Philosopher would coin the Term fascism with his paper 'The Revision of Nationalism and the Marriage of Socialism and the Military' which outlined terms for what would become known as 'Fascism', a form of Hyper Nationalist Government uplifting masculine values, militarism, ethnic purity and self sufficiency for a nation. Something that would ultimately resonant with many, particularly those with reactionary and conservative leanings who felt threatened by the rising ride of Socialism in the world. Though ultimately it would be a fringe movement for the rest of the decade as reconstruction and war weariness still remained high.

In 1915, The Khitan Republic would hold elections, With President waverly stepping down due to age and health concerns the Liberals, who campaigned on an anti military, low corporate regulation and social rights protection swept the election taking a slim majority on the Senate and winning the presidency. The Liberal President, a man by the name of Alexander Dumonte had promised to fufill the demands of a war wearing populace and send boys home from occupational garrisons in Italy and Bohemia, and ensure the protection of democratic in Europe through diplomacy, not interventionism.

Speaking of Democracy in Europe, the Plebiscites which were demanded by the Treaty of Antwerp had been held in this time, and the results would range widely in legitimacy and scale of scandal. In Spain the Plebicites for Navarra and Barcelona ultimately were resolved but with heavy vote tampering from local officials to ensure union with the Spanish, as Aquitaine, devastated by war was openly accused in the streets as attempting to pillage Catalonia. The Basques, similarly were hesitant to leave union with for fear of reprisal by either Aquitaine for its traditional claims on the region or Portugal for its betrayal.

In Bohemia however things were far, far worse. Nationalism did not simply die with the war, and the new Democratic Government of Bohemia was considered to have offered such elections without the mandate of the people. In order to ensure Dresden remained in Bohemian hands, factions within the Polish and Bohemian government lobbied to send thousands into the region to vote, similarly, Ethnic Bohemians and Poles born in Dresden and its surrounding counties were recalled and encouraged to vote to oppose the Germans in the region from Joining with Holstein. In some instances rioting and violence were the natural result. By the time of the Plebicites end, Dresden did manage to remain in Bohemian hands, though news stories about the Ballot had spread stating that the Khitan had tried to split the ticket between asking the Locals to Go with Bohemia or Poland or Holstein, implying that the Republic intended to divide the entire country soon.

While this particular instance was not true, it ultimately gathered a large amount of attraction with both formal and underground press, specifically within newborn fascist circles, the most prominent being the Polish Impreza Ludowa, or people's party.

​

By 1916 the War for Alaska had officially ended, officiating the United States as the Third Place great power in the world. Japan's vital oil and gold fields had been seized by the Americans knocking her completely from note from the world at least for the moment. Though tensions continued to build and relax over the decade as war recovery had begun to set in the Khitan Empire, the economy flourished, and soon spread to other stable powers such as the British, United States, USCA and Even the Spanish and Italians. The More ethnically charged nations of Greece and Bohemia however were undergoing rather significant unrest even still, and such problems would only grow worse.

The late 1910's would quickly become known as the Red 10's as the Communists and Socialists returned in force, particularly in Bohemia. In an effort to keep the elections free and fair Socialist parties were allowed the vote in Krakow by Khitan authorities. With this permission, several Socialist movements regrouped together under the National Workers Party based around the Bohemian and Polish Coal Miners unions. When they ultimately swept the 1918 Elections the rest of Europe held their breath.

The NWP quickly set about nationalizing private industry and establishing 'The Congress of Three' a legislative government aimed at promoted a national Polish-Bohemian identity, allowing Ukrainians to participate in government for the first time. These acts, particularly the re-nationalization of Oil refineries in Poland drew the wrong type of attention from Europe who quickly cut ties from the Socialist Led Second Krakow Republic.

​

What was far more worrying however was the Fall of California. Ever since the Great Earthquake had the Empire of the Rockies been teetering on collapse, and on Friday 13th 1919, That fear had become a reality as a Contested election and subsequent riots in the urban areas of the country turned to a full revolution. The Royal family was caught in the revolution, while they attempted to escape, the Emperor, his wife and children were all executed by revolutionary firing squad.

Japan and The United States in unison denounced the Californian Republic, having both royal ties to the new executed royal family. Rumors of war in the pacific rim had begun to circulate, as the Californian People's Republic had begun to take shape out of the mess of various militarized unions and socialist academia.

The last and heaviest shock however was to come on Red Monday on May 1st, The Mayday protests in the Hellenic Republic had accidentally turned violent when Troops garrisoning Wallachia mistoke mayday celebrations for a nationalist riot. When news reached the rest of the country, it was assumed that the Hardline Conservative party was attempting to crackdown on Socialist unions throughout the country after four years of moves to regress union rights and impede both social and economic mobility in order to keep new Greek territories compliant with the status quo.

​

By the time the incident had been addressing things had already spiraled out of control. The Greek Socialists walked out of Government, And Communist Red Guard Militias had seized city blocks and soon entire towns. The Military not waiting for Government approval attempted to put down the revolution in force, which only sponsored sympathy as photographs appeared in Papers from Constantinople to Athens. By June, It was no longer a revolution.

it was civil war.​

 

[dragoon9105]

Chapter 31: Myths and Reality

​

Civil war burning in Greece, Revolution in California and the settling of Politics in the new Democracies of Central and Eastern Europe were the events of the day. Still despite it all, after almost a decade after The Great War, the world economy had now begun to sing, and wartime innovations now being offered for public consumption.

In America, a short relatively bloodless war in comparison to her compatriots had led to a booming peacetime economy. In Western Europe this upsurge was mirrored particularly in the countries of Spain, Britain and Cathay.

​

In Greece the Civil War had picked up, as sides slowly had begun to develop. The Wartorn Balkan territories up to Macedonia had fallen to Red Forces. The Greek Peninsula however had been successfully protected and defended at least for the moment. In response to the Uprising however, President Isaakios Nikolaou had suspended elections citing Petrovic era provisions in the constitution. Suspended elections quickly turned to Martial law as the situation worsened.

With the growing Red Tide in the countryside Nikolaou had commanded the Greek Special Police, (The EAD) to round up potential socialist sympathizers, within both the military and government to prevent the situation from worsening. At the same time Nikolaou requested and received volunteer aid from the Khitan Republic, as well as Britain.

There was of course another problem, The Navy, which had long been considered a conservative Bastion had lost a considerable number of its ships during the Takings of Zadar. In Egypt there was a complete different issue, Local nationalist revolutionaries had seized Alexandria as well as several other major cities and were planning to fight a war for independence while Republican forces battled in Greece and Anatolia to preserve the government.

The remaining Greek Republican Fleet, for fear of being taken by Revolutionaries had been moved to Napoli under the command of Admiral Basil Stavros, who's command of Magna Graecia during the Greek civil war would earn him the Moniker Stavros 'The Imperator' for both his hardline and ruthless tactics in keeping the region suppressed but also his effective independence, ignoring orders from the Military Government with many suspecting Stavros intended to fight his own private war against the communists using the remains of the Greek Mediterranean Fleet, The Greek Marines and the Local Magna-Graecian militias..

​

In the early 1910's the Khitan Army finished the administration's demanded 'Army Review' reducing the armed forces down by a considerable number. Large portions of equipment were either sold off to the greeks with volunteers, mothballed or scrapped. However the administration received significant pushback from the army on the Baldwin Amendment, which would cease armored developments and tactics advancement in order to publicly give the appearance of saving on fuel costs.

The Military many of had remained in command since the end of the great war spoke publicly about the futility of such actions, and also the hypocrisy of Army budget cuts while the Naval and Colonial branches of the country in fact received further distribution of taxpayer wealth.

It ultimately however was a battle the army could not win. The War in the public mind had been fought primarily on the ground, Tanks, Machine guns and Barbed wire were featured on photographs and spoken of by shell shocked veterans. The Navy, similarly had a 'clean' war and the Colonial Force, particularly the ANZAC and Africa garrisons were funded by Colonial administrations. Ultimately resulting in the reduction of all Armored training operations, the reduction of the Khitan military by 40% and outstanding military orders for 2,000 for the Post War RD-11 Tank were cut to just 300.

​

Politically, the Liberals delivered on campaign promises, reinforcing the status quo in regards to Pensions, Healthcare and Corporate Regulations, walking back on several minor reforms. However the Liberals refused to walk back on Trade Union allowance, allowing trade unions to have open Socialist and Trade Union allegiance, despite the recent publication of works promoting what was being refused to as 'Syndicalism' that proposed that the world revolution should be headed and overseen by trade unions.

This action would ultimately lead to the so called Extremist 'Surge' for the UWC. Though this surge would cause the birth of one of the first true 'Fascist' parties in Europe. Geoffery Malliard's 'Divine' Socialist party.

​

Malliard was a Rogue on the political stage, having served as a Senator for the Conservatives, Socialists and Reactionaries at different points. Leaving the Socialist Party after citing a 'surge of radical leftism' entering the party Malliard and several other supporters of what was considered the newborn 'Third Way' movement set about marrying disenfranchised workers, rural voters forgotten by the conservatives and monarchists, a mix that many thought would be impossible to truly hold together, however Malliard and his supporters did so through the use of heavy anti communist rhetoric, naming the very party to serve as 'A Godly Alternative' to Labour, giving rise to the term 'Divine Socialist'.

The DSP promoted a return to religious values, a strong stance against communism in foreign policy and domestically what Malliard and his followers named the Three Pillars, Purity of Mind, Soul and Body. In his 1924 Manifesto he spoke extensively about the need to remove Ethnic French and German peoples from Khitan borders for the sake of greater political stability, The use of Eugenics and a return to divine marriage practices among the genetically pure to remove Genetic 'abnormalities' such as mental illness and the return of a strong military industrial complex for the Defense of the State and her empire. All wrapped around a welfare package not to dissimilar to that Labour was pushing though all DSP socialist policies were for Ethnic Khitan only. There would also be a tax credit system given out to established and prominent functionaries of the Church, Monarchy and State, especially those that could trace family lineage back to the days of the conquest.

​

The DSP however would not gain that much popularity in the 1925 Elections. The Liberals were popular and the Good times within the Empire were rolling along at good speed. Though Malliard himself won relection in the senate along with two others of the party, granted it some legitimacy though not with enough support to qualify for a President candidate in 1930. The Liberals would in fact enlarge their lead at the expense of the conservative party. With such success however this meant further representation and influence of the radical liberals who wanted to cut regulations even further and even attack the Khitan Welfare apparatus.

​

In Russia, authoritarianism returned in force. Unable to properly adjust to a Liberal Democratic system so quickly the New Russian Republic found itself facing an anarchist coup of all things when a contested election led to violence in the capital. Unwilling to return to 'The Bad Old Times' the Military intervened in short order. The Deposed and elderly Henry Golding-Orsesanko was returned as the Monarch under a constitutional monarchy not too dissimilar to the Spanish model, though in practice it was a military junta in all but name.

Russia at least for the moment however would be the exception of the post war central powers. Bohemia and Italy remained at least nominally stable, The Scandinavian Republic was enjoying a period of quiet, having gotten off relatively easy during the war, and of course Spain outside of issues regarding her northern territories retained her strong economic heartland having been spared the ravages of war, and so was a major player in the Interwar economy.

​

In the East, the Empire of Japan, Khitan Empire and British Commonwealth signed the Edo Naval Treaty, Establishing a status quo for Naval Power in the world. Japan after all had been humbled by the united states and Tasted the logistical nightmare that was a war across the entirety of Asia. It did not want to repeat the possibility of war with the Khitan Empire *and* the United States at the same time, especially when the Khitan Empire was more than happy to continue working with the Emperor as an equal instead of a lesser power.

The New Naval Treaty would limit all ships to some extent but most prominently limited the number of battleships, their armaments and displacement based on tonnage based on a ratio of all participating Powers.

The New Status quo moving forward would Put the Khitan Empire, Japan and America at an equal level for Naval Tonnage, Followed by Britain, Greece and the USCA. Followed by Finally Scandinavia and Spain. All other major powers would be considered equals to existing brackets when signed and approved by the Khitan Empire, Japan and the United States or otherwise be sorted into the lowest bracket.

The Ratio would ultimately be as follows: 5:5:5: 3:3:3 2:2:1

​

While all powers acknoledged that they may grow to regret the treaty in the future, Japan and the Khitan Empire now had assurances from DC that a Naval Race with America was at least going to be delayed by a decade or so. The Americans for giving the Japanese legal parity with them in the pacific would receive aid in crushing the Communists in California and putting the region under military occupation until such a time it was judged to be stable.

​

Given free License to effectively annex California temporarily the Americans wasted no time suppressing Communism on their continent. Meanwhile the Khitan Government could now officially dismantle nearly a dozen battleships against the politically affluent navy. Japan meanwhile had be reassured that despite what was now millions dead from the combined war and aftermath in Asia, specifically china, Peace in the Pacific Rim would return.

​

In Greece however things had turned for the worst. Despite foreign aid, the Greek and Red Guard were both utterly devastated in a civil war that had simply refused to end. With Communist forces in control of Constantinople but not the Capital the war had turned far more violent and stories of Red and White Terror had made support for any side in the conflict untenable.

Aid continued to arrive but it became slower and more cautious. Admiral Stavros intercepted large percentages for his own betterment in Sicily. The lack of true communication or organization on the front also meant sometimes supplies were delivered to the red forces instead. In at least three separate instances, British and Khitan Volunteers accompanying armor shipments were hijacked in port by Red Guard and their equipment, which included Armstrong Tanks was found being utilized against the Whites no more than half a year later at Bagdad.

​

By 1926, the Civil War ultimately would end due to further defections in the Greek Army and a so called 'Second Wave' of Moderates and Socialists in Athens and other major cities. With the War over, many Greek Republicans fleed, though many others would be executed. Admiral Stavros would continue to rule Sicily as his own personal feifdom until his assassination in 1928. President Nikolaou escaped the country, first to Crete, and then to Cathay. In the aftermath Nikolaou set up a government in Exile in the newly acquired Greek Congo, though the Congo still held firm loyalties to Spain. He was abducted later in the year and delivered under cover of darkness through Greek Africa and was tried and publicly executed in Athens after a show trial.

​

The Resulting Government for Greece would be the more internationally inclined 'Socialist Balkan Union' or SBU. The 'Government' of the New Great Power however had yet to be formalized as there was still several major factions within the Socialists themselves fighting for power ranging from Moderate Democratic Socialists to Syndicalists, Communists and Authoritarian Communists. For the moment, the leaders of the Revolution, The Red Vanguard held power, and the Vanguard party wasted no time engaging in what would be refereed to by the outside world as 'The Blackout' with Foreign journalists being deported, the Suez Canal Closed and nationalist revolts in Egypt and Tunisia put down, violently.

Effort to deal with the SBU came slowly, all other Socialist Governments in Europe has collapsed within a decade, and many expected Admiral Stavros would ultimately return and overthrow the Socialist Government given some support. This did not happen and as 1930 Congress of Socialists loomed the Vanguard party was removed in favor of the Decentralists, an anarcho-Syndicalist group that wished to collectivize agriculture and pursue a policy of revenge against the bourgeois. They would also change the color of the SBU flag from Red, back to Purple.

​

For the rest of the world, The Greek situation was worrying, but ultimately a faraway drama. Economically the World was doing greater than ever before. Automobiles, Radio and Aviation were seeing unseen amounts of progress and growth. Politically things remained somewhat divided, with Anti Communist factions growing more favorable out of Fearmongering from the Greek Revolution.

Even Bohemia and Italy had begun to experience this post war economic boon. In 1924 the Socialists had been elected out of Krakow by the Moral Conservative party and reparation payments were arriving on time. In Italy, reconstruction had finished leading to an explosion in the automobile and aircraft industry as new factories replaced the old with new more modern goods. Though both nations had incredibly unstable politics, with unrest within the far worse off lower middle and poor classes. Meanwhile entrenched political elites, retired military men mostly looked on at the oncoming specter of communism, and at the modern erosion of culture with both fear and disdain.

As few stock brokers discovered in early one morning in late 1928 however, Things were about to grow far, far worse.

​

 

[dragoon9105]

Chapter 32: Tumbling Down

​

On June 21st 1928, a Friday the Stock Markets in Antwerp would open to a panic not yet seen before. Less than Four Hours later a similar event would occur in New Antwerp an Ocean away in America and within weeks the entire world would be gripped by the worst economic collapse in history.

But the disaster that would be the great depression had it roots and causes traceable as far back as the Great War.

In Order to afford Mobilization Costs and Pay War Debts the Economy of Europe, based upon the Agreed Gold Standard. With the War in full swing Japan, The United States and California had become the Primary creditor nations while the war was fought in Europe with the Central Powers borrowing Millions. When the War ended and new constitutions were imposed upon Italy and Bohemia, their debts would have gone into default, however in order to negotiate peace with Japan and the United States the Khitan Empire had agreed to refinance all the War debts owed to the Americas and Japan under the same Transnational body formed to enforce reparation payments.

This had already lead to a rather unstable foundation but the Khitan and British Empires who had escaped the war without massive destruction or War Debt still held the financial confidence of investors across the world in their grasp. This Changed with the 1920 Election as the Liberals swept into office regulations were removed a frenzy of Borrowing both at the Stock Exchange and on level closer to the citizenry exploded. The Reality however was that as Europe was rebuilding, the actual productivity of both American and Khitan industry and construction had been steadily falling.

In 1925 the Liberals had won again on the high feelings on the decade citing good financial policy as a reason for the good economy. In America, the Pro Business Federalists won a majority in the Senate leading to a Federalist Prime Minister who made similar changes across the Pond.

A Few years later however cracks had begun to form in the growing Bubble. With economic growth slowing far more than realized the Economy grew more and more unstable as lower class citizens across both America and Europe had begun to pay large percentages towards interest payments while Stock prices continued to climb.

In 1927 the GMF or Government Monetary Fund, the Khitan Sphere Economic Oversight agency warned against margin trading and gave several recommendations for Government intervention in regards to the Economy. News articles of the time however criticized the GMF as being too cautious and many others saw simply fat bureaucrats attempting to stifle investment. With no real resistance the speculation continued, with optimism and recklessness only growing over time.

​

The illusion had begun to come apart by June however, and by the Wendsday before the disaster the Market had dipped a total of 4%, On Thursday it had dropped 8% and by Friday, the 21st the Market was in freefall.

With the stock market in a panic news sensationalized the issue and soon the chaos spread to the banks. However action could not be reasonably taken as at least in the Khitan Empire the so called Banking Crash was blamed by the Establishment Liberal party on Socialist interference. As it was an election year the entire crisis had begun intermixed with the Election even as the economy continued to plummet.

Sensing Panic major banks and investors attempted to stop the bleed from the market, publicly investing to stop the selling freezing that had overcome the market. Between efforts from the Government and the Banks the Run at least publicly appeared to be over for a brief moment before the selling frenzy returned in full force.

The Full consequences of the Crash of 1928 would take almost 2 years to be felt across the world, where Japan would receive its own Stock Market Crash in the Autumn of 1930. The Effects of the Crash across the world however would begun being felt as specifically those who had screamed in public squares about the evils of both the rich, bankers and others had been given not firewood, but pure gasoiline.

​

In the Socialist Balkan Union chaos within the leadership had led to the ousting of the Revenge and Agrarian Focused Decentralists came at a heavy cost. A Veritable second civil war between the Red Vanguard loyalists, Decentralizes and a Third Faction, the Unionists was fought on the streets of the capital and the back rooms of the Communist leadership eventually resulting in a Unionist 'Victory' in Early 1931.

The Unionists were a far more 'moderate' party within the SBU, agreeing with Marxist and collectivist tendencies and principles but rallied around the idea of internationalism and interventionism. Instead of focusing on Class alone Unionists wanted to not only erase class but ethnicity into a singular proletariat. However their hard line stance in regards to centralization and foreign relations brought many into their ranks with differing views. The name Unionist, is a western term referring to the group's syndicalist allies particularly Teamsters Unions as well as Steel and Coal workers.

The Leader of the Unionists would be Mikhail Komnemnos, A Great War Vetrean, who served with the Cavalry. After the War Mikhail served with the Young Balkan Revolutionaries in Polish Avaria aiming to create a Unified Socialist state from the Carpathians to the Dardanelles. After several high profile assassinations within the Unionist party following their ascent, Mikhail was placed as a figurehead for other members within the party. He was not expected to last long within the position only expected to hold it until his death or when the Unionists had properly prepared ground to oust Decentralist and Vanguard loyalties within the administration.
​

​

In America the Annexation of California had been completed, however the unrest in the region had not ended. Communist Rebellion had spread down into the USCA festering due to a poor postwar policy as well as economic collapse and general unrest following the Great War. The United States however was forbidden by the Treaty of Yucatan to intervene in the USCA without yet another provision given by the Khitan Empire.

​

With the US administration reeling from the coming economic recession the thought had occured to continue the war, and fighting the Communists in the USCA even in clear violation of the treaty could provide some amount of stimulus to the US war economy. As Such the US military invaded New Mexico in clear violation of the Yucatan Treaty.

President Alexander Dumonte back in Antwerp made gestures implying that Khitan Empire would intervene publicly but silently the Liberal party was agreement that an Americans could be trusted to bring order to the region and stop the Red Tide in America before it swelled into a Hurricane. Nothing would be done for the Centro-Americans as the country's own civil war worsened and American troops pushed in from the north.
​

​

In 1932 Elections had been held in Krakow. Following Economic Downturn turned to depression the Unified National Socialist Front , a Union of several individual national populist and peoples parties from across the country had won a significant portion of seats. The Presidency however was more contested, and would constitutionally was deemed to be decided in Runoffs by the courts.

​

With the Runoffs scheduled for 1933, It was expected the relatively Moderate Conservatives would retain their president. This changed however when the Krakow Parliamentary Building was set ablaze only two months after the election. With the Populists and other right wing groups blaming the Communists, another major and influential party in the country. What had made matters worse is the only surviving records of the Dresden Plebicite were held within the Krakow Parliamentary building at the time following a demanded recount by the Bavarian Republic.

​

Expecting the Recount to die with the Fire the Bavarian Republic demanded Dresden and Saxony formally withdrawn from the Krakow republic and invaded the region, occupying it in the Summer of 1933. With support promised from the British in the event of escalation the Krakow Government with the old Conservative president met in the Government building in Prague to surrender the region to Bavaria. That however had been the final straw, The military both current and former within the Krakow Republic swiftly abandoned the Conservative led government for the Nationalists and together marched on Prague to put the nation under martial law.

The Krakow republic was abolished in favor of what was being called the Slavic Hegemony by the Nationalists. The Nationalist Coalition meanwhile was formalized into the National Socialist Slavic Unitary Party (Or NSSUP) where a single party state was formed with the aims of furthering the advancement of the true Slavic Peoples, the reclamation of the Economy from the Bankers and other subversive influences and the rejection of the Failed Treaty of Antwerp and the reclamation of lost territories.

The New State quickly set about the nationalization of almost everything under a new, Corporatism model. Taking out excessive amounts of State debt in order to alleviate the Depression. The new national priority was first on self sufficiency and industrial prestige. The new policy showed promise and State run media reinforced this message making it appear at least on the surface that this new 'Third Way' government could do what liberal democracies in Europe could not, cure the Depression and meet Communists on Open ground, as the only nations to have been spared the depression were Greece and India.

​

Two years later, following a major socialist uprising within the Po Valley, the Military and Nationalist parties, with the aid of Nationalists within the Khitan Empire and the new Slavic Hegemony seized the apparatus of state in both Rome and Ferrara ending the Latin Republic under a declared state of emergency. When the Communists had been put down however the Emergency state was never removed and the Italian Fascists party quickly enforced 'The Emergency Appropriations act' which disallowed any other parties from holding seats that would result in a Hung Senate. Effectively constitutionally guaranteeing at least 51% of seats in Roma would be held by Fascists or Caucus with the Fascists.
​

​

In Asia things were also heating up, Unsettled by the growing presence of Nationalist movements in the Pegu, China and Japan, the Indian People's Republic seized several major territories in the East, a precursor to a full invasion of Persia in conjunction with the Greeks a year later.

The War was an absolute slaughter, Still under restrictions from Antwerp the Persian army in its weakened state was unable to handle a two front war and quickly folded, pulling back to the Central mountains and sueing for peace. India and Greece were happy to oblige, linking the newfound Internationale for the first time.

Arabia meanwhile hunkered down. With British Marines backing them the Arabian Military seized power and banned Socialist and later nationalist parties from participating in Government. A Similar act the British would repeat at home and in her colonies. Iran in the aftermath would not so much as fall to a Fascist uprising as embrace them and welcome them into government. A Revanchist fever would take hold over the country as she looked desperately for allies for help against a growing Indian and Greek hegemony all around her.​

​

In Western Europe, Aquitaine had meanwhile also fallen to communist takeover. A Revolution so close to her own borders and in a culturally sensitive region demanded an immediate response. There however was a major blockage to any interventionalism in the south, the Anti War Liberal party who refused to back any military actions in Europe, end of story. Only when Aquitaine communists mistakenly exploded a Khitan train crossing through the country from Barcelona did Public perception turn against the government and President Dumonte was left with no choice but to invade.

The Khitan MIlitary for the first time was mobilized to march on Aquitaine and together with Spanish aid from the South, and Italians from the West the upstart communist state was killed in the Cradle and put under military occupation. It would be a short and bloodless war, but also won with overwhelming force,
​

​

In February 1934, Spain and the Khitan Republic both agreed to hold a Plebiscite for the region under military supervision to go with the Spanish Crown, citing ancient Toulousian ties to the Barcelona Monarchy, or with the Khitan Republic. Italy also laid claim to the region citing her royal ties but was instead was ordered by both powers to hold its own referendum between the Khitan and Spanish Empires.

However even this was too much to swallow, as Labour and the Communists within the Empire petitioned firmly against such a move. The Economy was in shambles, People were lining up for bread and the Liberal Government was more interested in defying the integrity of a sovereign nation than helping its own people. On the Opposite spectrum the Divine socialists wanted further action done, particularly regarding Communists strongholds in Africa and Asia and pointed towards Italy and Bohemia as evidence of a proper way to pull the nation from the depression, renewed militarism, self sufficiency and Fascist principles. Unfortunately all this criticism was tied up within the 1935 Election set to be held later that year.

​

The Result was as many had feared, Inconclusive. With the Great Depression Ravaging the country and only growing worse the Liberals were ousted from power but only just. However the Socialists had predictably been weakened by the entry of the Divine Socialists in politics. The Monarchists with another 8% of the seats were equal to them in popularity and had agreed not to coalition with the conservatives at the insistence of Geoffrey Malliard.

The Liberals, meanwhile refused to coalition until the results of the Runoff election of 1936 was held. In the Meantime, as per the constitution, Conservative party chair, Catherine Brycewell would serve as interim President, becoming the first Female President in Khitan History, though not through an election. Brycewell would promise to ensure the stability of the 1936 Runoff and then return to her Seat in the Senate to represent her party no matter the result.

However the Socialists despised the woman as she had served to effectively block any and all co-operation over the course of Seven Years, Conservatives meanwhile blamed her for losing the Monarchists, The Divine Socialists meanwhile had a mixed opinion as part of the Ancient Regime narrative did include Conquerers such as Xiao Caetye who were female, in stark contrast to the Fascist Narrative elsewhere in Europe. She was also, famous for being a conservative from the Burgundian Lowlands, a Region that had been exceedingly trending towards voting towards the Divine Socialists, and whos Local Senatorial seat censused as 43% Divine Socialists 40% Conservative with the remainder being other. The Liberals of course had thier own bone to pick, attempting to lay most of the blame for the Depression at Brycewell's feet staying the last seven years were 'The Brycewell Administration' as Brycewell actively blocked efforts to Liberal austerity efforts due to a lack of support from the Liberals to empower the welfare state during the disaster.

​

Japan meanwhile underwent its own constitutional crisis. Following a Hung parliament the Japanese Emperor had rescinded his democratic privileges and had at least attempted to rule once again as an absolute monarch for the duration of the crisis. However the Liberal and Conservative parties of Japan did not allow this and consorted with the military to attempt a coup.

This however had backfired as Nationalists also had been planning a coup. Ironically enough both efforts had undermined one another and the Emperor quickly purged his own officer corp to prevent the act. In little over a Year Japan had went from a great power in the world to going silent as the Monarch reasserted itself through a mixture of dumb luck and sheer force of will. The Emperor's supporters immediately attributing it to the Empire's divine will saving the country in its darkest hour.

With leaders of both plots behind bars, the Japanese would break the silence in 1935 Reaffirming treaties with the Khitan and British Empires and making open statements supporting the new North America Movement, and signing an alliance for the Return of Unlawful Territories with the new Government of the USCA.

​

In the USCA, anger against both the Communists and being left for dead by the Khitan Republic had meant as expected, the utter collapse of the government, as had been fashionable at the time. With No alternatives a Hyper Militaristic and Nationalist coalition formed within the House and Senate under the so called 'Walker Party' after William Walker, the movement's head. This would come alongside the so called 'North American' movement popular in the Northern and Midwestern US where anti immigrant, natist and unionist sentiment was growing powerful.due to Canadian support from Newfoundland.

​

Walker, had widely credited himself and been credited as the Savior of Centro-America, having rebuilt the country from the ground up following the Red Tide and American Invasion. Under Walker the Central American army had been restored to working order and the Economy was humming along, though as massive deficit mimicking the economy policy of a Fascist Government in Europe. As an American however the Fascist circles in Europe wanted no part with Walker's 'City on a Hill' Brand of Populism that was common on the Sunset Continents.However much of this power came not with a legitimate election, but a bloody coup'deat.

Walker's Policy regarding his rival in the united states was simple, The reclamation of the Northern Frontiers, The partition of Paraguay back along Ethnic Lines and the release of California as a friendly state with a restored Monarchy, a surprisingly moderate policy for Nationalists of the day. Walker's supporters however were anything but, going so far as to publicly harass, beat and execute 'Unamericans' in the streets, particularly those of Union, Communists of Socialist affiliation.

His environmental policy was also clear, stating plainly in his 1934 Election Address that 'Mother Nature has no claim to rightful American land, Jungle is best left to over there (In reference to the Congo and Amazon)" Walker would outside of his political leanings would be permanently remembered for his economic policy of deforestation as a result turning large swaths of Central American Jungle into lands thought at the time more 'suitable' for human settlement, and as such still bears the name 'Walker's Scars'.

The United States Meanwhile was under command of George III at least Nominally. One of the last sitting constitutional monarchs in the world George had remained a symbol of American exceptionalism even in this trying time representing the country and holding it together while others floundered. Having intervened directly following the great depression George removed the Federalists from power and instead appointed the Republicans in Parliament who promised aid packages and infrastructure in order to 'Prime the Pump'. As had been set by his predecessors, George then resigned from politics to his his ministers and government repair the country.

Many within the United States, Particularly the Fascists and Communists saw this aggressive interventionism as running counter to their goals. A Monarchy after all was the worst kind of oppression for the Communists, it represented generational systemic influence whereas for the Fascists it represented a force in government that was effectively sacred by law, and thus could intervene at will without reprisal, legal reprisal anyway. George III would suffer from assassination attempts across his entire life, a price paid for a constitutional monarch intervening in the Politics of his time.

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In The Caribbean things had remained much as they had for decades, Haiti remained a closed off Communist State funding and encouraging communist activity across the Americas. Cuba meanwhile remained divided between the Communist East and Capitalist West, with USCA and US influence ensuring that the Western half of the island stayed under military government to deny the communists a true base of operations off of Florida or Yucatan.

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Paraguay meanwhile would collapse, Unable to sustain its sheer size in the face of growing divisions in both ethnicity and ideology the country Unofficially split into the Republic of Columbia, Republic of Brazil, the Incan Empire and the Socialist Republic of Argentina with neither country recognizing the others.

The Inca would be the first to receive recognition, from America of all places with Brazil receiving backing from the Khitan Republic. Columbia meanwhile fell into William Walker's Sphere of Influence leaving Socialist Argentina as a natural ally to both Haiti and the SBU in America.

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In Asia as 1936 approached, the Indians would once against assert themselves over the Pegu, seizing not only the border territories in the West but the South Bengali Coastline, An Effective Red Dagger pointed at the Khitan Empire's Eastern Possessions. In Response Khitan Malaya would be given more autonomy for its self defense as the region was not only considered Vital for the Empire but also Capitalist democracies at large due to one key resource, Rubber.

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Isolated from Vietnam via the Pegu Empire, Khitan Malaya would be reorganized into a Dominion proper in the early 1930's with the Terms of Dominion being officiated in 1935 by Catherine Brycewell. The new Satelite would hold its own elections, Participate in the Imperial level elections of the Empire and also be largly responsible for its own administration and defense both internal and external. A Preemptive maneuver to offset growing support for independence within the region.

In South Africa, a similar situation would be negotiated with Native South Africans being granted nominal autonomy under the Khitan Imperial System. For many in the region this was sold as a 'First Step' by local collaborators towards independence though at this time there was little to no intent of allowing South Africa to go its own way outside of the Imperial system as its own raw materials were considered vital to the survival of the Republic.

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Similarly, Catherine Brycewell, being Interim president took to enforcing a court decision made earlier in the decade that due to the draft, all Khitan citizens were members of the armed services, and as such were allowed participation in the Veterans healthcare system. While a Minor change, with many out of work and the economy recovering slowly, it would allow further burders to be shifted off the poor and unemployed and onto the Government. Unfortunately it would become a major issue in the Runoff election due to the Fascists wanted to deny healthcare to Germans, Dutchmen and French while the Liberals wanted to abolish the entire system entirely.

Further North, Scandinavia had decided to copy the British Position on extremism, Instead of allowing participation in government, the Parties were banned entirely. Fascists were expelled from Government alongside Communists, those that stayed were arrested or otherwise put onto watch lists. While considered a harsh response at the time and arguably unconstitutional under Scandinavian law, the growing popularity of such parties elsewhere in Europe was ultimately abides by the Socialists, Conservatives and Liberals who all hesitantly pulled thier own policies more towards the center as a result of the bannings.​

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And as 1935 Came to a close, Bohemia would once again rise to the world Stage. With most of the Liberal democracies of the world still suffering from the Great Depression and unwilling to enforce the Treaty of Antwerp, it had now looked that the opportunity had come to avenge past wrongs, and reevaluate the true balance of power in Europe.

The Country had re-militarized in clear defiance of the Treaty of Antwerp, Italy another defeated power had done so in short order as well under the pretenses of containing communists. The SBU's internal issues were being resolved and rapidly as India surged as well to the status of a great power. For the wise, there was no denying what was coming, but none could agree who would be fighting and where. Only that when War Came again, it would be horrid and that it would be deadly

but none could predict it would be the worst Conflict Mankind would ever face.

Tune in Next time when we Venture,

Through Light And Shadow.


Minor world update still to follow at some point. There will also be one in Hoi.​