Es Geloybte Aretz - a Germanwank

[carlton_bach]

03 July 1907, Viborg

“Stupid.” General Alekseyev, commander of the Northern Front, muttered as he pored over the map. It was quite out of character for the Germans to be careless, wasn't it? And yet they were. They had landed on the Alands and gone on to Nystad, putting ashore their Finnish brigands and Dutch mercenaries. The defenders had spread out to counter them, all along the coast and into the interior, and had fought a set of hard battles, losing Nikolaistad, Karleby, and Tammersfors. And then the enemy had stopped. Simply stopped. They could have pushed north, taken over the country all the way to the Swedish border. They could have gone east, fighting their way in among the lakes and destroying his forces piecemeal. But instead, they seemed to be concentrating for a big push to Helsingfors. Maybe it was what the traitor Mannerheim asked them to do. Maybe it was what their navy demanded. What it did was put them within reach of Alekseyev's main force, and with their back to the wall.

“Bonch!”

His chief of staff, Colonel Bonch-Bruyervich, stood to attention.

“We will change our tactical dispositions up north. The Germans have neglected to send forces up there, and no longer pose a threat on that front. Have the troops move south and prepare to attack the German flank when they go along the southern coast.” The general pointed to the railway line east of Abo. “If we can cut them off here, they are lost.”

 

[carlton_bach]

03 July 1907, Kiel

“You are quite lucky, Mr London.” the host said in heavily accented English. “The most of the big ships are away at sea. But just when you come to Kiel, they are taking out a Russian ship for trials. Very lucky.”

Jack London looked out over the bay, the great canal lock to his left, the city stretching along the shore to the right, enclosing the huge expanse of the navy shipyard. For all the time he had spent at sea, he had never been this close to a real, modern battleship. The Germans had captured Retvizan at Bornholm last year, and had repaired and refitted her in the docks at Kiel. She was not the newest kind – not one of the famed all-big-gun vessels that were building in Britain, France, and at home now. But she was as modern, and as impressive, as most of the vessels the US Navy had. She was, he had learned from his host, American-built. The man ran a small boartding house, spoke English, and had a nephew working in the navy yard. Sometimes, a correspondent needed such luck.

“She's not flying an ensign.” London remarked. “And there don't seem to be a lot of people on her, either.”

“It's enough people.” The German stroked his beard and took abnother look through his brass telescope. “You don't see that many people on a battleship. They're belowdecks.”

London nodded, feeling vaguely ashamed - Of course you wouldn't see as many men as on a sailing ship. That was the point, wasn't it? Stupid. He masked his incipent blush by nodding and taking out his own spyglass.

“But she's not flying the flag, you have right. She isn't a navy ship yet. They haven't got her a navy crew on her, either.” The host was feeling loquacious again. “Peter told me, they have a reserve lieutenant running her trials. And civilian sailors manning her, no more than fifty. He says they had to hire them from Sweden.”

“Sweden?”

“It's what Peter said. They had to find a translator when they showed some of them the shell lifts. He speaks a little Swedish, so they took him. The Russians left in all the English signs, so it was not that bad, but they painted them over in Swedish for their shakedown crew.” The reporter listened carefully. “And when they came back, he had them bring liquor for us back. That is how I met them.”

“You have met them?”

The publican nodded again, grinning mischievously. “Well, Mr London. You know our rationing system. And sailors like to drink. We have many foreigners coming here, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, and they become angry when we cannot them serve liquor. But it is banned to make liquor from German grain or potatoes. So I make an arrangement with these sailors, they pay for their board and food, and other things I exchange, with liquor, and I sell it. They were there and here a few times and every time they brought the bottles. Don't be shocked, everyone does it.”

“I'm not, Mr Burmester.” London said, chuckling. San Francisco's port was half a worlds away, but their ways weren't so different. He was still surprised to learn with what gusto the average German circumvented the efforts of the state to regulate his life. He had expected them to be different. “It's a good arrangement.”

“Well, so now they are taking her out to try her engines and all the things they fixed,. Peter said she was in a terrible way, a big turret all torn up, and holes everywhere. Maybe she will join the fleet soon.”

They looked out over the calm waters at the enormous vessel slowly puishing out through towards Laboe. London noted her sides were painted in a darker, more bluish shade of grey than he had seen on the German bird cruisers that occasionally passed through accompanying convoys. Maybe the navy hadn't decided yet if they really wanted her. The Germans didn't seem to be big on capital ships any more. He'd have to talk it over with some more knowkledgeable friends.

 

[carlton_bach]

4 July 1907, Washington DC

The smell of the fireworks drifting down the lawn into the colonnades of the Executive Mansion put Roosevelt in mind of a battlefield. It was extraneous to the peaceful, joyous scene of well-dressed, well-fed gentlemen that he was hosting today. Like most such events, it bored him. Escaping from the stifling heat of candlelit rooms with the end of the formal dinner, the president made his way out into the thick, smoky summer air of the garden. After a minute, Vice President Fairbanks joined him. They had things to discuss.

“So” he asked, puffing on his cigar, “what did you think of the kaiser?”

“A promising young man.”, the president said, looking out over the lawn. “Quite remarkable. Though I'd say he doesn't get out as much as he ought to. He's pale, and a bit on the weak side.”

“Well, he was injured quite badly.” Fairbanks objected.

Roosevelt grunted noncommittally. “I guess so. Still, he could be getting more exercise. Lazing about like that is not going to do him any favours. Mind, he's smart and strong-willed. Maybe he'll snap out of it yet.”

The vice president nodded, dropping the subject. “What about his political views, though?”

Roosevelt mildly shook his head. “Charles, you need to stop thinking about work every moment of the day.” he chuckled. “I saw him for maybe an hour, in an unofficial capacity. Do you honestly think we talked politics? Much more important to get the measure of the man than the content of his diplomatic writs, surely.”

“Fair enough.” The cigar bruned down, Fairbanks ground the stub underfoot. “So what did you talk about?”

“He talked mostly about America, actually.” The president sounded amused. “Quite impressed, he was. Sometimes he sounded right like a schoolboy. I suppose trhe skyscrapers of New York left a mark on him. He was also talking about that Hollerith fellow. Seriously, would you imagine? He comes down to Washington for a one-day visit, and he calls on the White House and the Tabulating Machine company! That's Kaiser Wilhelm for you. He loves everything shiny and modern. Gave the man a medal, I heard. Hollerith almost burst with pride.”

Fairbanks stroked his moustache. “Not what you'd expect from a European monarch, is he?”

“Nope. The Society hostesses of New York are in despair over his erratic habits, and of course they can't well tell him what to do. Lovely story, he was two hours late for dinner the first day because he demanded a tour of Grand Central Station. I think he'd do fine in this country, actually. A bit effeminate, coddled, but folk like that can still thrive back east. He knows his stuff, you know. Real engfineering, I mean. Not just dreaming about miracle machines. He has a good grounding in science. A pity he doesn't believe in the human factor.”

“It is. And what does he say about the war?”

“He seems unconcerned. As he should be.” Roosevelt took a few steps out onto the lawn and stretched. “The Germans have already won, really. It's just a question of how much they can extract from the Russians at this point. They'll need their pound of flesh, too, with all the money they've spent. I'm getting the figures tomorrow. Don't suppose we could try to broker a peace, do you?”

“Like the Italians did for the Japs? We might. It sounds like a good idea, though the big industrialists will howl.” Fairbanks shrugged. American trusts were earning good money selling war material to both sides. As far as they were concerned, the war might as well go on another few years, though they hollered for the navy every time a Russian or German cruiser so much as came near the ports they delivered to.

“Let's keep it in mind. That fellow is going to shock a few people, you know. He was talking to me about the American volunteers he picked up for his army, Negro muleskinners, they hired them right off the farms and sent them off to Germany with shiploads of American mules. I figured he'd go on complaining, but he was full of praise for them. Wanted to know how we managed the negro population so well.” He laughed. “Wants to meet Mr Washington, too. That should ruffle a few feathers.”

The reverberations from Roosevelt's own meeting with Booker T. Washington had not quite died down yet. If a foreign head of state was to meet the leader of the race... the Southern press would have conniptions.

“Anyways, we should keep him happy easily enough. He's a good man. Sees a great future for his country, once Russia is defeated, a country for all Germans, run along modern lines. I've said it before, Charles, we can both learn a lot from each other. The way they manage their civil service, for example. I'll be quite embarrassed to show him ours, to tell you the truth.”

Fairbanks drew his lacket more tightly around his shoulders. The evening cool was finally setting in. “Do you think he can do it?”

“If anyone can, yes.” The president sounded quite convinced. “He understands machines. I wish he understood men better, but you know, in a German that is probably less of a fault than it would be in an American. And he has a will to be reckoned with. The best kind of support you can hope for, too. Had a confidential reporet from Admiral Evans yesterday, about the state of his navy ships. He was at sea escorted by a couple of second-line cruisers. Evans says they're top-notch, the officers very well trained, the men eager and disciplined. He'd hate to fight them.”

“Fight them?” The vice president was startled. “Why on earth?”

Roosevelt shrugged. “We had better be ready in case. I'm sure the Russians had no proper plans for fighting the Japs, and see where it got them. Germany is about the only real friend Britain has left, and things haven't exactly been peachy of late. If London keeps boosting the Japs, or interferes in the Caribbean... it'd be stupid, but stupid wars have been fought before. Just because everybody loves the germans now that they're standing up to the tyrant Czar doesn't mean they'll love them tomorrow the Manila squadron has to fight their cruisers in Tsingtao.”

“God help us if we have to.” Fairbanks muttered.

“God help them, too, Charles.” Roosevelt said. “Don't worry too much. We won't let that happen. Let's go in. My cigar is all used up, and I could use some more to drink.”

 

[Dr. Niles]

Excellent as always Carlton. Keep up the good work.

 

[Tibi088]

Italians brokered the peace for the Russo-Japanese war? Was this mentioned before? It could be but i really dont remember. And how could they manage it? I mean they should have no influence in the far east. IOTL it was the USA who did it and they where very capable of doing that but Italy? It doesnt sound very plausible.

 

[Vingilótë]

Italians brokered the peace for the Russo-Japanese war? Was this mentioned before? It could be but i really dont remember. And how could they manage it? I mean they should have no influence in the far east. IOTL it was the USA who did it and they where very capable of doing that but Italy? It doesnt sound very plausible.

I think in this case, the reason was to have a suitably neutral party; Britain, Germany, A-H, and France were right out, for various reasons; OTL it was America, everyone else is too small, leaving Italy as the other alternative. To be sure, Italy is a far more minor power than America, but I presume that the diplomats had their reasons.

 

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

03 July 1907, Kiel

False flag operation? Get a Russian ship, flying a Russian flag in the midst of the Russian navy and then .... ? What? Blow it up? Fire at Russian ships at midnight in the middle of an anchorage?

 

[wietze]

Or hand it to the dutch or another ally.

The dutch now already have a bunch of russian ships, so it would make sense.

 

[Josephus]

But why overpaint the controls in... Swedish? Which meshes nicely with the 'stupid mistake' of leaving the northern flank in Finland wide open... you know, the flank where Finland has a border with...

 

[carlton_bach]

But why overpaint the controls in... Swedish? Which meshes nicely with the 'stupid mistake' of leaving the northern flank in Finland wide open... you know, the flank where Finland has a border with...

Wilhelm would neither know nor care, but Albert is an aficionado of naval history. He is fully aware how the original Retvizan came into the Russian fleet. And he likes symbolic gestures.

 

[DrakonFin]

False flag operation? Get a Russian ship, flying a Russian flag in the midst of the Russian navy and then .... ? What? Blow it up? Fire at Russian ships at midnight in the middle of an anchorage?

If they deck out the former Retvizan well enough, it might look enough like a Swedish pansarskepp from afar. It was named after a Swedish ship, after all.

I'd guess either they intend to pass her off as a Swedish ship or hand her to the Swedish in some deal. The first option is problematic: wouldn't the Russians pretty easily know their own former ship, even if refitted and, um, camouflaged?

EDIT: Damn, ninja'd by the Author himself.

 

[carlton_bach]

Italians brokered the peace for the Russo-Japanese war? Was this mentioned before? It could be but i really dont remember. And how could they manage it? I mean they should have no influence in the far east. IOTL it was the USA who did it and they where very capable of doing that but Italy? It doesnt sound very plausible.

Obviously it wasn't really the Italians. They were the ones extending the invitations and hosting the meetings, though, because the other great powers were out (not neutral enough) and the USA weren't interested at that point (Russia was losing, that was all right by them). The real driving force behind it was Britain, initially.

 

[Grouchio]

So we've covered around 6 months of 1907 in 50 pages? When will this war ever end?

 

[Richter von Manthofen]

Do the Germans pull off a Yavuz on the Swedish? - Buying an ally by gifting it Ships?

 

[HanEmpire]

So what are Wilhelm III's demands?

Some I can think of at the top of my head:
-Kurland
-Independent Poland and Russian recognition of it
-Territorial Concessions to Austria-Hungary (if Vienna actually wants any, that is)
-Dropping any claims to the lands it loses
-Dropping all claims of Pan-Slav-ism, agreement to stay out of all matters regarding the Balkans
-Monetary indemnities to pay for German, Austrian and Dutch war expenses
-Abdication of Nicholas II
-Limits on military size
-Outlawing the Patriotic Union
-Releasing nations in the Caucasus
-Independent Ukraine?

Anything else?
Man, Russia's gonna be fucked. Would a fascistic backlash form over this?

 

[carlton_bach]

So what are Wilhelm III's demands?

Some I can think of at the top of my head:
-Kurland
-Independent Poland and Russian recognition of it
-Territorial Concessions to Austria-Hungary (if Vienna actually wants any, that is)
-Dropping any claims to the lands it loses

That's almost a given at this point. Finland is on the wish list, too.

-Dropping all claims of Pan-Slav-ism, agreement to stay out of all matters regarding the Balkans

The second definitely, the first is too much an internal matter to make it into the peace treaty. The Russian state can consider itself anything it wants. after all.

-Monetary indemnities to pay for German, Austrian and Dutch war expenses

Until the pips squeak. This is going to be the biggest issue. Germany and her allies have to recover enough cash to at least ensure their continued creditworthyness. They'll be rolling over bonds for at least a generation. But Russia doesn't really have that much money.

-Abdication of Nicholas II
-Limits on military size
-Outlawing the Patriotic Union

The first one is a definite no. Nicholas is not considered a criminal, and German diplomacy is invested in legitimist ideas. You don't just depose a sitting monarch because you win a war. The second will probably be limited to fleet strengths and border fortresses. It's interfering with the internal affairs of another country, not really a done thing. The third comes broadly under the same heading, buit they may outlaw the PU militias.

-Releasing nations in the Caucasus

Not yet, but if the war goes on much longer, that may come

-Independent Ukraine?

Also not yet on the agenda. The Germans are concentrating on the northern front right now. It's where the Russians are strongest, but they fear the depth of territory too much to move into the 'broad land'.

Anything else?

Concessions to the Chinese in Turkestan, certainly. And there is Kola peninsula that the Swedes may want because you have to have something after a victorious war.

Man, Russia's gonna be fucked. Would a fascistic backlash form over this?

You get a civil war first. Then, yes, for a given value of 'fascist'.

 

[carlton_bach]

So we've covered around 6 months of 1907 in 50 pages? When will this war ever end?

It's still going to be a fair while, but we're about halfway through in terms of time, and the issue is decided. From now on, Russia's going to drag out the process of losing.

 

[Richter von Manthofen]

Limit on military will come automatically if the reparations are severe enough

If russia tries to rearm it will have to cut back on infrastructure, so either is a win-win for Russias enemies.

 

[wietze]

So we've covered around 6 months of 1907 in 50 pages? When will this war ever end?

lol maybe you should read TomB's operation unicorn(it is is on another site btw), about WW1, I think he started writing in 2003 (or earlier), 8 hours of a day per update, now in 2013 he reached june 1915

You get a civil war first. Then, yes, for a given value of 'fascist'.

The PU sound proto-fascist enough already

 

[Lord Insane]

Concessions to the Chinese in Turkestan, certainly. And there is Kola peninsula that the Swedes may want because you have to have something after a victorious war.

I don't think Sweden would want Kola. No actual land-border, and it rather a long way around to get it by boat. I suspect the Swedes would rather push at a chance for the Ålands and Finnish independence.