Reds vs. Blues, an alternate Cold War

[Analytical Engine]

I'm highly interested.

Thankee.

So both Wilhelm I and Fritz have died several years early...

ISTM that little Willy, succeeding earlier, would have dumped Bismarck and started throwing his weight around much earlier. Backing Hohenzollern Spain against France seems a natural. He's been on the throne 10 years, instead of only 6.

Sorry - my mistake (note to self - proof read better ). It's still Wilhelm I, not the II.

What happened to the Dodecanese Islands? If Italy did not seize them, there is more scope for Greece.

More on that story later. Actually, most of the eastern Agaean islands are still Turkish. Italy is mostly concentrating on holding down Abyssinia to be bothering too much with the eastern Med at the moment.

Blacks were largely disenfranchised in Cape Colony as well. The Boers and Anglos were little different on this account. Rhodes was a keen advocate of disenfranchising blacks.

Yes, I know that, but I will go into it more later.

I wondered if this could really happen under Hapsburg house law.

There were restrictions about whom any scion of the family could marry, except morganatically. Marriage to a non-Catholic Slav would be very controversial, even for a junior scion. For the Imperial-Royal heir...

But her "royal" status qualifies her: "equal" marriages can be made
"with a member of another Christian house either presently or formerly sovereign..."; the Obrenovics would barely qualify.

Still it seems way too pragmatic for the stuffy Hapsburgs. Note the humiliations visited on Sophie Choutek.

Granted, this may be pushing things a bit, but this is the Habsburgs we're talking about - where others make war, Austria marries. o)

--

Anyway, map (1900):

 

[Analytical Engine]

And for 1906:

 

[Analytical Engine]

And for 1910:

 

[Analytical Engine]

Also, update #1

Act the Second
Chapter 5

In which we take a break (Kit-Kat optional), and catch up on the United Kingdom.


After Lord Darby stood down as prime minister[1] in 1868, he was succeeded by his Chancellor of the Exchequer, Benjamin Disraeli. Disraeli’s first ministry was short-lived, however, and the Liberals, led by William Gladstone took power later that year.

Gladstone’s first ministry was dominated by two things, dealing with Ireland and maintaining peace. However, though his government was largely competent, he was dogged with failures on both, particularly failing to anticipate the Franco-Prussian War. Though managing reforms in education, legalising trade unions, opening up Oxford and Cambridge to dissenters and introducing secret ballots, his efforts to enact reforms in Ireland would prove his undoing. Disestablishing the Anglican Church in Ireland was hard enough, but he tried one reform too many, and was forced to call an election in 1874.

Disraeli’s Conservatives won, and he pushed through reforms of his own, dealing with health, working conditions and slum clearance. Unlike Gladstone, however, Disraeli was more interventionist and interested in imperial expansion. Purchasing the Egyptian government’s shares in the Suez Canal triggered further British interest there, eventually culminating in a full-blown protectorate in 1882. His pressure on the Russians was partially responsible for holding back their intervention in Serbia before the Ottomans were able to crush the revolt[2].

However, losses in Afghanistan, revolts by the Boers, and an economic downturn cause the downfall of the Conservatives, and Gladstone’s Liberals return to power in 1880.

Gladstone’s second tenure was dominated by Ireland and electoral reform. Though he managed to push through land reform, expanded the franchise and bring in boundary reform[3]. His home-rule bill, which would have turned the United Kingdom into something similar to Austria-Hungary, was soundly defeated by the Commons, with a huge backlash by his own party, which was rather truculent at the best of times. One major part of his failure was that he came up with the plan almost entirely by himself, keeping both his party and the *Irish Parliamentary Party out of the loop. Eventually, his health failing, he was forced to step down as leader of the Liberals. Riven by factionalism, they lost the 1886 election badly. However, Gladstone finally accepted a peerage, becoming Baron Hawarden, and the Grand Old Man of Liberal politics spent much of his final months in the Lords.

Disraeli’s successor as leader of the Tories, Lord Salisbury, became prime minister. With the Liberals bereft of Gladstone’s leadership, and split over home rule, the two sides campaigning often against each other, the Conservatives remained in power for the next twenty nine years, led by Salisbury, and later his nephew, Arthur Balfour. However, it rarely managed an outright majority, due to the Irish nationalists holding the balance of seats, though their tendency to abstain on matters not pertaining to Ireland meant that the Tories could command an effective majority most of the time.

Opposed to home rule on principle, the Tories nevertheless pushed through several prominent reforms to land ownership, local government, education, health and so forth, partially attempting to kill off support for home rule. Despite being important reforms in and of themselves, and allowing large parts of the Irish people a chance to elect their representatives that hadn’t had this ability before, if anything it actually fed the appetite for more reform.

Meanwhile, the Liberals were slowly pulling themselves together. After several mostly ineffective leaders, Joseph Chamberlain became leader of the party and of the Opposition in 1899.

Though he was effectively being head of the so-called Liberal Unionist faction, which was broadly opposed to Home Rule, his radical politics wasn’t against it on principle. Instead, he believed in granting home rule to all the nations of the United Kingdom, and even leant towards further integration within the empire itself. Though his vision would eventually come to pass, more or less, it is doubtful that even he would have imagined how far it would go[4].

Thanks to Chamberlain’s efforts, most of the Liberal Unionists were brought back into the fold, with the exception of a few in Scotland, which eventually joined the Conservatives, and those in Ireland itself, which had the biggest concerns over home rule.

Faced against a reinvigorated and reunified Liberal party, the Tories lost the 1905 election handily. Chamberlain lead a coalition of parties, including the Liberals, Liberal-Labour joint candidates, and the two pro-Home Rule Irish parties, the IPP, and the Home Rule League[5], which commanded a decent majority.

Chamberlain’s ministers largely shared his radical politics, and the budget of 1905 was filled with reforms that matched their zeal. Indeed it was so radical, that it was heavily rejected, and indeed denounced, by the Conservative-dominated House of Lords. Irked by this, the Liberals played up this as being an example of “Peers versus the People”, and threatened to stuff the Lords with enough Liberal peers to get the bill through. Eventually, the Parliament Act (1906) was passed, which could force a bill through despite being blocked by the Lords, provided that it passed three separate sessions with the same wording, after 2 years had passed[6]. The Act finally provided for the supremacy of the Commons over the Lords.

The Parliament Act had to be used twice during Chamberlain’s tenure, though it would be used sparingly since then.

The first time was to pass the Electoral Reform Act (1908) in time for the 1910 election. The matter of electoral reform had been quietly rumbling for some time since the mid-19th century. Though the franchise had been expanded under the three reform acts, and now most adult householders could vote in general elections, and women were allowed to vote (and even stand) in municipal, local and school board elections. However, the voting system itself had remained broadly unchanged.

True, the 1885 Redistribution of Seats Act had made first-past-the-post the norm, but the previous bloc voting system was still in place in the major cities, and several university constituencies. However, there were those that desired change to a more representative system, as they claimed it – namely the Single Transferable Vote[7], using the Hare quota. Critics claimed that it would be overly complicated, though its supporters used the example of Denmark, and, more recently, some parts of Australia[8] to show that this was not the case.

Additionally, as is often the case with Britain, appeals to history were also used to support a vision of reform, though interspersed with appeals to fair play. They claimed that it would hark back towards the period of widespread multi-seat constituencies, which was still within the memory of most MPs. The fact that the [modern] father of this form of voting – Thomas Hare – was a Brit himself was also useful. The clincher, for some at least, was that brining back multi-seat constituencies would allow the Tories some chance to win seats in Liberal-dominated areas, and vice versa, and also (some hoped) dampen down the number of seats controlled by the Irish Nationalists, and give the Liberals and Tories a chance outside of Ulster, Dublin and the Irish Universities. Chamberlain was a late convert to reform of the voting system, but he saw uses for it, and it was a useful sop for his fellow Liberal radicals and the small Liberal-Labour contingent.

Of course, things wouldn’t turn out exactly as planned, but pass it did. It caused more of a stir in the Lords than some expected, as it didn’t extend the franchise further (despite objections from some Liberals and socialists), but fear of increasing Liberal power was enough. Eventually, though, the Parliament Act was used, forcing it through. To save time, the present constituencies from the 1885 Redistribution of Seats Act were used as a base, and constituencies were required to remain within the boundaries of counties and county boroughs, along with a partial revival of the old division system abolished by the Act. In Scotland, the old districts of burghs were combined with suitable county seats, until such time as a boundary commission could establish a more permanent solution.

A set of boundary commissions, one each for Scotland, Ireland one for England and Wales, was established sometime later to redistribute seats further, which would be completed in time for the 1919 election[9].

As part of this legislation came the introduction of electoral deposits, which would only be returned should the individual candidate gain more than 10 percent of the quota for that constituency in their first preference votes. Anyone who failed to do so would be eliminated automatically. The only other real restriction was that no party could stand more candidates than available seats in that constituency. Subsequent acts would amend these rules, but they would remain in place for the next few elections.

The second was, of course, for the Irish Home Rule Act (1910), the first major bill of the Liberal government after the election of the same year.

Unlike Gladstone, who had attempted to create a home rule bill unilaterally, which failed partly because of this, Chamberlain had brought in people both from the Liberals and the two main Nationalist parties. When there was a period of deadlock in 1907, when it appeared that the plan would stumble, King Victor[10] offered to host a conference[11] between the two sides. Eventually, a compromise was formed.

It is said that the defining characteristic of a good compromise is one that satisfies no-one, and the Home Rule bill was certainly a good compromise.

The Home Rule League was prepared to bend over backwards to keep Ulster within Ireland for the purposes of Home Rule[12], willing to give the province a very disproportionate number of seats in the lower house of the prospective assembly, and veto over any legislation that would affect Ulster. The Irish Parliamentary Party was rather less conciliatory than their brethren, but still wished Ulster to remain. However, the Irish Unionists – a now formalised alliance between Conservatives and many Liberal Unionists – as well as the Labour Unionists were fearful that they would be drowned out in the majority Catholic state.

Eventually, solutions were found, which eventually placated them.

The first, proposed by one of Chamberlain’s own pet radical Liberals was regional assemblies. These would be unicameral, and deal with the majority of domestic administration, with the remainder being dealt with by the Home Rule assembly in Dublin.

The second was the composition of the assembly. It would be bicameral, as with Westminster. The upper house (80 seats) had a large number of Irish peers (20) stuffing the chamber, alongside numerous ex-officio seats held by the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, and the lord mayors of Belfast, Dublin, Londonderry and Cork. A few (15) persons from the professions were to be nominated by the Lord Lieutenant (for a 10 year term), and 10 members of HM’s Privy Council in Ireland. A few would also be appointed by the regional assemblies (3 each), and from the county councils of those respective regions (3 each). In addition, 2 representatives of the Church of Ireland and 4 for the Roman Catholic Church would be appointed by those bodies. All this meant that the upper house would almost certainly be dominated by (Protestant) Unionists. Aside from the ex officio and nominated seats, the remainder were to be chosen from amongst their own groups by STV for 10 year terms[13]. The lower house would have 150 seats, and be elected under the same qualification as used by Westminster.

The third would be the requirement for schedules of Ulster-specific clauses in legislation, which would require a double majority of all AMs and Ulster AMs to pass, though this would not be a requirement for those clauses not affecting Ulster.

The fourth was the adoption of STV in both the home rule and regional assemblies, intended to allow the Unionist parties at least a chance of being represented outside of Ulster and the city of Dublin[14].

The Lord Lieutenant would continue to the Crown’s representative in Ireland, and would still have a veto over all legislation, though the government in Westminster could overrule him, or veto legislation themselves.

The Irish Commons and the regional assemblies were all to have their own speaker, chosen similarly to the one in the Commons in Westminster, whilst the Lord Chancellor of Ireland became presiding officer for the Senate[15]. The post of Chief Secretary for Ireland was renamed as Secretary of State for Ireland, and the post redefined to being more like the Scottish Secretary; the former post of Under-Secretary for Ireland was split into four, one for each Region. The Attorney-General for Ireland and Solicitor-General for Ireland were both shunted into the Irish Senate ex officio.

As for Westminster, Ireland’s representation for the next election was reduced to 52 seats, down from 103, and about half of the Irish representative peers were removed from the Lords, though most of them would soon end up in the Irish senate anyway.

The Unionists prevaricated, they grumbled and bawled, but eventually enough (just) were persuaded – some still kicking and screaming – to support Home Rule. The Lords, on the other hand, would not be swayed, but the Parliament Act was used again, and their veto overturned, and the power of the Commons was once again increased.

As for the Irish, things were complicated. Many wanted home rule and no more, and were happy that they finally achieved it; others wanted home rule, expecting that they would get no more than that. The bulk of the Independent Nationalists wanted either to become a dominion now, or saw home rule as a step in that direction. Others wanted independence now, and nothing else, and a small minority wanted an Irish republic, completely independent from Britain, but they would never have be satisfied in any case.

Plans for granting home rule to Scotland were also begun after the establishment of home rule in Ireland. The Scottish Assembly was to have the powers of the Scottish Office[16], and control over the following – Board of Agriculture for Scotland; Fishery Board for Scotland; Scottish Board of Health; Scotch Education Department; and the Prison Department and Prison Commission for Scotland. The Secretary of State for Scotland was to be the executive, with the Assembly able to deliberate, and propose and pass legislation in these areas[17]. The boards were all to become departments, and shunted to Edinburgh.

Though the Scottish Home Rule Act passed in 1915, its implementation would be delayed by the start of the Great War…

*

Result of the 1910 Westminster election

HM’s Government, Liberal-led coalition (288), of which

• Liberal party – 255
• Liberal-Labour joint ticket – 33

Also, HMG’s supporters (67), of which

• Irish Parliamentary party – 49
• Home Rule League – 18

Giving an effective majority of 40

HM’s Loyal Opposition (197), of which

• Conservative Party – 180
• Irish Unionists – 17

Other opposition parties

• Labour Party and Labour Unionists – 57
• Independent Nationalists – 9 (mostly abstainers)
• Independent Labour Party – 14
• Cooperative Party – 13
• Social Democratic Federation – 23
• Independents and other minor parties – 2

Prior to the act, the minor left-leaning parties did get the occasional MP in the big cities, which remained as multi-seat constituencies. Though their support was considerable in other places, it was rather diffuse.

The size of the constituencies, and the sheer number of them in some areas, has led to an upsurge in support for left-wing parties. This result is also down to transfer votes from other socialist parties, and some from the Liberal party. Previously, there had been calls to unify the various strands of the left together, which might have happened had first-past the post prevailed. However, with each of these parties having gained significant numbers of MPs themselves, this has halted, and the left of British politics would remain splintered.

*

Result of the 1912 Irish Assembly election

HM’s Government (92), of which

• Irish Parliamentary Party – 36
• Home Rule League – 27
• Unionist Party – 13
• Liberal Unionists – 11
• Liberal Party – 6
• Labour Unionist – 2
• Independent (Unionist) – 1

Giving a majority of 42

Official Opposition (38), of which

• Nationalist Federation – 26
• Independent (Nationalist) – 12

Other opposition parties

• Labour Party (Irish) – 4
• Independent (Labour) – 2
• Irish Republicans – 5 (did not take seats)
• Other minor parties – 2
• Independents – 3

Many Nationalist independents banded together to form the Nationalist Federation, for the purposes of campaigning in the Home Rule assembly. Coalition government would feature in every single Irish home rule parliament – the current coalition would be in place, with more or less the same combination of parties, for the next three elections.

The oath AMs take upon taking their seats in the assemblies can be to HM as either the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or as King of Ireland[18]. The latter is used by the Nationalist Federation and the Irish Labour AMs, and most of the independents. The Republicans refuse to take their seats on principle, partially due to the requirement of having to take the oath to the King[19].

N.B. the Irish assembly and regional assemblies all use STF (Hare quota) and with a maximum terms of 5 years.

--

[1] Not the official title of the post, yet, mind.
[2] This is the first significant butterfly of his tenure, though the ATL Serbian Uprising, much like the OTL Russo-Turkish War, brings Gladstone back into politics.
[3] Not exactly the same as the OTL Redistribution of Seats Act (1885), however. It does bring in a raft of single-member constituencies, and shuffles a lot of seats, taking from counties with lower populations and abolishing tiny or corrupt boroughs, and giving them to counties with expanding populations like Lancashire and Yorkshire. Indeed, because the boundaries were specified to follow parish boundaries as much as possible (as was the case IOTL), the shape of the rural constituencies are almost identical to those created by the OTL Act. However, the ATL act has retained rather more multi-seat constituencies than its OTL counterpart, specifically in the cities that already had seats before the redistribution. For example, instead of being divided into 9 single-seat constituencies as it was IOTL, Liverpool is instead a single 9-seat constituency. Similarly, those seats that were later to be within the boundaries of the County of London are also multi-seat constituencies. If anyone would like to map this for me, please do so, as I don’t have a version of the OTL 1885 election map such as the ones made by Thande, with named constituencies or otherwise.
[4] More on that later on.
[5] This is the equivalent of the OTL pro-home rule party, the All-for-Ireland League.
[6] Similarly to the events surrounding Lloyd-George’s “People’s Budget” of 1909 IOTL.
[7] There were similar campaigns IOTL too, both in the 1870s, and after WWI.
[8] Tasmania started using STV in 1907 IOTL. Butterflies ITTL mean that it has been adopted there earlier (1903 ITTL), and more widely adopted elsewhere. By this point, it is also used in municipal elections in Melbourne (1907) and Brisbane (1909).
[9] Again, more on that later.
[10] Albert Victor, elder brother of George V, who survives longer ITTL.
[11] Similarly to George V’s own offer IOTL.
[12] As was the All-for-Ireland League IOTL.
[13] This is similar to the planned Irish Senate in the OTL 1918 Home Rule Act.
[14] Though it doesn’t quite work out that way, as will be explained later.
[15] Similarly to the position the Lord Chancellor had in the Lords IOTL until fairly recently.
[16] Established in 1885 ITTL as IOTL.
[17] Not entirely unlike the Greater London Assembly IOTL, but the Scottish Assembly would have greater power of scrutiny and be able to veto (by 2/3 majority) proposals by the Secretary line by line.
[18] A purely cosmetic issue, largely a sop to the more die-hard non-republican Nationalists.
[19] A similar objection is used by Sinn Fein for their Westminster seats IOTL.

 

[Analytical Engine]

And update #2

Chapter 5.1

In which the new multi-seat constituencies established by the 1908 Electoral Reform Act are elucidated upon.

England (465 in total)

• Bedfordshire – single 3-seat constituency
• Berkshire – single 5-seat constituency
• Buckinghamshire – single 3-seat constituency
• Cambridgeshire (inc. Isle of Ely) – single 4-seat constituency
• Cheshire – three constituencies; 13 seats in total
• Cornwall – single 7-seat constituency
• Cumberland – single 6-seat constituency
• Derbyshire – three constituencies; 9 seats in total
• Devon – four constituencies; 13 seats in total
• Dorset – single 4-seat constituency
• Durham – three constituencies; 16 seats in total
• Essex – three constituencies; 11 seats in total
• Gloucestershire – two constituencies; 11 seats in total
• Hampshire (inc. Isle of Wight) – four constituencies; 12 seats in total
• Herefordshire – single 3-seat constituency
• Hertfordshire – single 4-seat constituency
• Huntingdonshire – single 2-seat constituency
• Kent – three constituencies; 15 seats in total
• Lancashire – seven constituencies; 57 seats in total
• Leicestershire – two constituencies; 6 seats in total
• Lincolnshire (inc. Rutland) – two constituencies; 11 seats in total
• London, County of – constituencies; 61 seats in total
• Middlesex – single 7-seat constituency
• Norfolk – three constituencies; 10 seats in total
• Northamptonshire – two constituencies; 7 seats in total
• Northumberland – two constituencies; 8 seats in total
• Nottinghamshire – two constituencies; 7 seats in total
• Oxfordshire – single 4-seat constituency
• Shropshire – single 5-seat constituency
• Somerset – three constituencies; 10 seats in total
• Staffordshire – four constituencies; 17 seats in total
• Suffolk – three constituencies; 8 seats in total
• Surrey – single 6-seat constituency
• Sussex – two constituencies; 9 seats in total
• Warwickshire – two constituencies; 14 seats in total
• Westmoreland – single 2-seat constituency
• Wiltshire – single 6-seat constituency
• Worcestershire – two constituencies; 8 seats in total
• Yorkshire, East Riding of – two constituencies; 6 seats in total
• Yorkshire, North Riding of – two constituencies; 8 seats in total
• Yorkshire, West Riding of – seven constituencies; 38 seats in total
• Universities – single 5-seat constituency

Wales (34 in total)

• Anglesey & Gwynedd – 5-seat constituency
• Brecon & Radnor – 2-seat constituency
• Cardigan & Carmarthen – 4-seat constituency
• Denbighshire – 3-seat constituency
• Flintshire – 2-seat constituency
• Glamorgan East – 3-seat constituency
• Glamorgan West – 3-seat constituency
• Merthyr Tydfil – 2-seat constituency
• Monmouthshire – 4-seat constituency
• Montgomeryshire – 2-seat constituency
• Pembrokeshire – 2-seat constituency
• Swansea – 2-seat constituency

Scotland (68 in total)

• Aberdeen – 2-seat constituency
• Borders, Lothian and Hawick DB – 7-seat constituency
• Dumbarton, Stirling and Falkirk – 4-seat constituency
• Dundee – 2-seat constituency
• Edinburgh – 4-seat constituency
• Fife, Kirkcaldy and St. Andrews DBs – 5-seat constituency
• Forfar, Perth and Montrose DB – 5-seat constituency
• Galloway – 4-seat constituency
• Glasgow – 7-seat constituency
• Grampian and Elgin DB – 5-seat constituency
• Highlands and Inverness DB – 5-seat constituency
• Lanarkshire – 6-seat constituency
• Orkney, Shetland and Wick DB – 2-seat constituency
• Southwest Scotland, Ayr and Kilmarnock DBs – 8-seat constituency
• Scottish Universities – 2-seat constituency

Ireland (103 in total)

• Antrim – 4-seat constituency
• Armagh and Monaghan – 5-seat constituency
• Belfast – 4-seat constituency
• Cavan and Fermanagh – 4-seat constituency
• Clare and Limerick – 5-seat constituency
• Cork City – 2-seat constituency
• Cork County – 7-seat constituency
• Donegal – 4-seat constituency
• Down – 5-seat constituency
• Dublin – 4-seat constituency
• East Connacht – 6-seat constituency
• Galway – 5-seat constituency
• Kerry – 4-seat constituency
• Leinster East – 6-seat constituency
• Leinster South – 6-seat constituency
• Londonderry – 3-seat constituency
• Longford and Westmeath – 4-seat constituency
• Louth and Meath – 4-seat constituency
• Mayo – 4-seat constituency
• Tipperary – 4-seat constituency
• Tyrone – 4-seat constituency
• Waterford – 3-seat constituency
• Irish Universities – 2-seat constituency

N.B. Ireland’s constituencies are as set before the Home Rule Act.

 

[Analytical Engine]

And also, for your delight, an election map:

 

[Rich Rostrom]

Sorry - my mistake (note to self - proof read better ). It's still Wilhelm I, not the II.

Ah... much better. But he wouldn't be "the new Kaiser", having reigned 14 years with that title.

Granted, this may be pushing things a bit, but this is the Habsburgs we're talking about - where others make war, Austria marries. o)

--

Yabbut they hadn't done that for hundreds of years. The Spanish Habsburgs almost completely dropped marrying outside the House. The Austrian Habsburgs continued to marry out sometimes, but hadn't acquired a new dominion by marriage since... Hungary, I think, 350 years earlier.

And in the late 1800s, unions of crowns were extremely obsolete. Still, it could be a clever appeal to "Habsburg tradition", to placate the conservatives who would be opposed.

 

[Rich Rostrom]

Act the Second
Chapter 5
[10] Albert Victor, elder brother of George V, who survives longer ITTL.

"Prince Collar and Cuffs"???

Still - have you read King and Joker by Peter Dickinson?

(A mystery set in the royal family of 1975, which to avoid lese-majeste is an alternate royal family, beginning with Albert Victor; history otherwise unchanged. There is some background on the lives of the royals in the intervening decades. The teen princess who is the protagonist finds some dusty old large-print workbooks used for the education of Albert Victor. They were produced by his wife, Mary of Teck, who was determined to Make Something of him.)

 

[Rich Rostrom]

And also, for your delight, an election map:

Uhhh...

Wow?

Like, uh, WOW!!!

 

[Archangel]

Subscribed, AE!

 

[Analytical Engine]

"Prince Collar and Cuffs"???

Still - have you read King and Joker by Peter Dickinson?

(A mystery set in the royal family of 1975, which to avoid lese-majeste is an alternate royal family, beginning with Albert Victor; history otherwise unchanged. There is some background on the lives of the royals in the intervening decades. The teen princess who is the protagonist finds some dusty old large-print workbooks used for the education of Albert Victor. They were produced by his wife, Mary of Teck, who was determined to Make Something of him.)

Never heard of that book.

And yes, Prince Albert Victor is king IOTL. A few royals that died of illness IOTL have survived longer ITTL - for example, the "current" king of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg is this guy. His elder brother died in a similarly ignominious way ITTL too - his personality shouldn't be affected that much so early on.

Uhhh...

Wow?

Like, uh, WOW!!!

Like it? There will be more, lots more.

Also, I need to find suitably clean and sized maps to do the UK general elections and the other home rule elections for later.

Any thoughts, questions or comments on the results of the 1910 and 1912 elections? I'm a little worried that I've been overly generous to some of the little parties, but after studying STV elections over the past year, it isn't easy to come up with a suitable model, especially given that I only used MS Excel and my own imagination to model the results.

 

[Archangel]

Never heard of that book.

And yes, Prince Albert Victor is king IOTL. A few royals that died of illness IOTL have survived longer ITTL - for example, the "current" king of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg is this guy. His elder brother died in a similarly ignominious way ITTL too - his personality shouldn't be affected that much so early on.



Like it? There will be more, lots more.

Also, I need to find suitably clean and sized maps to do the UK general elections and the other home rule elections for later.

Any thoughts, questions or comments on the results of the 1910 and 1912 elections? I'm a little worried that I've been overly generous to some of the little parties, but after studying STV elections over the past year, it isn't easy to come up with a suitable model, especially given that I only used MS Excel and my own imagination to model the results.

Could you explain the differences between the Home Rule League and the Irish Parliamentary Party?

 

[Analytical Engine]

Could you explain the differences between the Home Rule League and the Irish Parliamentary Party?

Ok, here goes.

So the ATL Irish Parliamentary Party is more or less equivalent to the OTL one, whereas the Home Rule League is an ATL party, which is more or less equivalent to the OTL All-for-Ireland League.

Both parties are in favour of home rule for all of Ireland, land reform, etc - the best deal possible for Ireland and the Irish, basically. The major difference is their attitude to Ulster. Both sides are opposed to partition, such as what happened IOTL.

The IPP wants Ulster to be a part of Ireland come what may, but on an equal basis to the rest of Ireland. Not something that the Unionists are (or were IOTL) happy with, as you can imagine.

However, the Home Rule League, much like the All-for-Ireland League are hugely conciliatory towards the unionists. IOTL, the A4IL proposed giving Ulster a big chunk of the seats in the proposed Irish parliament (60 out of 164), that northeast Ulster* have its own set of appointed court judges, magistrates and education inspectors, and that the Ulster MPs have an effective veto over Irish legislation unless the House of Commons in Westminster aproved it.

Seriously, they were willing to bend over backwards to placate the Ulster Unionists, something the IPP wasn't prepared to do. This is similar IATL too.

*i.e. the most heavily Protestant and thus Unionist bit.

 

[Analytical Engine]

Moar update

Chapter 6

In which one asks the question, “War, huh, yeah, what is it good for?”[0], and the seeds of the new world are planted.


Joseph Chamberlain would be remembered as one of the most radical prime ministers of the 20th century. But even Brummie Joe’s time must pass. As his health failed him, he stood down as leader of the Liberal Party in February 1914, handing over to Robert Haldane, Lord Cloan – the last PM from the Lords. A few months later, Chamberlain passed away.

Cloan’s ministry managed to keep up the Liberal policies of domestic reform, such as the disestablishment of the Anglican Church in Wales, allowing the districts of Scotland to decide whether to prohibit the sale of alcohol, and brining forwards legislation for Home Rule in the rest of Britain. Unfortunately, events on the continent would soon become Parliament’s main obsession.

Ever since the formation of Germany decades earlier, European politics became a quagmire of nationalism, empire building and ever-changing alliances. Towards the turn of the century, it had become a powder keg.

In truth, one of a hundred different things could have triggered war on the continent. A war that everyone expected, and a few even encouraged, but once it started, people were powerless to stop.

In 1915, a group of Serbian nationalists, unhappy at being under Habsburg rule, attempted a coup in Belgrade. Ultimately it was unsuccessful, crushed by the Emperor’s armies. However, this prompted an outrage in St. Petersburg, as the war hawks whispered in the Tsar’s ear that Austria was wobbling, and that decisive action could topple it.

Russia demanded that Serbia become a semi-autonomous kingdom, separate from the Habsburg Empire, and the immediate release of the Serbian nationalists (real or not) that had been arrested. Whilst this was going on, more and more uprisings sprang up around ethnic Serbian lands, whilst the Habsburgs were practically playing whack-a-mole trying to stamp them out. The attempted kidnap of Archduke Otto[1], severely injuring (though not fatally) his father, Archduke Rudolf, in the process was the last straw. Eventually, Russia threatened to declare war unless Austria acceded to its demands. Vienna refused, and war was declared.

Kaiser Wilhelm II prevaricated. Though he was itching for a fight and for Germany’s place in the sun, he was more interested in a war against France, to grab some more colonies. Eventually, though, he decided to declare war on Russia, in accordance with alliance agreements with Austria.

Soon afterwards, France declared war on Germany, in support of Russia. Italy, despite ‘arrangements’ with Germany, decided to remain neutral – it was more interested in grabbing lands from Austria, and the current government was less than convinced by the German promises of French lands in return for an alliance.

Meanwhile, Westminster was thronged with debate and confusion. Some (rather a minority) wanted to side with Germany and Austria, others with France and Russia, whilst others still wanted to remain neutral, and act as arbiter for the peace.

The Tories were largely of the opinion that Britain’s entry into the war was inevitable, and even necessary, for the normal historical reasoning – to prevent one power from dominating the continent, and thus endangering Britain’s trade there.

The Liberals, though, were split heavily. Lord Cloan was torn – on the one hand, he didn’t want another split, so soon after the re-absorption of the majority of Liberal Unionists back into the party. But, on the other, he didn’t particularly want a war on his hands either. The German invasion of Belgium, designed to outflank the French, was the last straw. Even then, despite British guarantees of Belgian neutrality, the government wavered.

Eventually, though, the decision was forced upon him. Cloan approached the king for dissolution of parliament in 1915, and a snap election was declared. Peace or war would be the deciding factor, and would be put before the people.

The Tories were largely united around war, which helped their platform, whilst pro-peace and pro-war Liberal candidates stood against each other, splitting their vote. Eventually, a Tory-led, pro-war coalition government was formed, headed by Edward Mitchell[2]. Britain and its Empire declared war on Germany in August 1915, with the first wave of troops deployed in France and Belgium, to reinforce their positions.

In Ireland, too, the question of war heavily split the assembly. And they came to the same decision – an election was called. Though, unlike in Westminster, the government coalition won, its majority was cut to a knife-edge.

*

Result of the 1915 Westminster election – the War Coalition

HM’s Government (425), of which

• Conservative Party – 185
• Liberal (coalition) – 145
• Labour (coalition) – 57
• Labour Unionist – 3
• Irish Unionist – 10

Also, HMG’s supporters (25), of which

• Irish Parliamentary Party – 16
• Home Rule League – 9

Giving an effective majority of 231

HM’s Loyal Opposition[3] (167), of which

• Labour Party – 55
• Liberal Party – 36
• Independent Labour Party – 21
• Cooperative Party – 20
• Social Democratic Federation – 35

Other opposition parties

• Independent (Nationalist) – 11 (mostly abstainers)
• Independents and other minor parties – 16

*

Result of the 1915 Irish Assembly election – the War Coalition

HM’s Government (77), of which

• Irish Parliamentary Party – 32
• Home Rule League – 20
• Unionist and Liberal Unionists – 19
• Liberal (coalition) – 4
• Labour Unionist – 2

Giving an effective majority of 4

Official Opposition[3] (34), of which

• Nationalist Federation – 25
• Independent (Nationalist) – 9

Other opposition parties

• Non-coupon Home Rulers – 15
• Labour Party (Irish) – 10
• Liberal Party – 5
• Independent (Labour) – 1
• Irish Republicans – 6 (did not take seats)
• Belfast Labour Party – 1
• Independents – 1

*

The war along the Western Front was a long, bloody, wet, miserable stalemate. The front line between the Anglo-French forces on one side, and the Germans on the other would shift inches at a time. The roar of the guns and pounding of the shells would drive many soldiers mad, desiring to escape the horror. Indeed, it was during the Great War that this was recognised as a mental health issue rather than cowardice, though a lot of men on both sides would be court martialed before it became commonly acknowledged.

Some have called the Great War the first modern war. This isn’t entirely true, though – trench warfare was used in the American Civil War, and the *Russo-Japanese War at the very least counts as the first war between two industrialised nations. Others called it the last great war of empire. Again, this isn’t entirely true either. The truth, naturally, falls somewhere in between. But it was definitely the bloodiest war in centuries. Rarely (if ever) in the field of human conflict had so much blood been spilt for so little gain.

It also highlighted to the British government just how unhealthy most of its people were, as the medical corps examined volunteers, and later conscripts. This would prompt later governments into action to help boost general health for the population[4].

It was, however, the first war to be fought in the air, as well as on land. Balloons had been used during the American Civil War, and on occasion since, but for reconnaissance, and sometimes for communications. Aircraft[5] were too new to be used in the Russo-Japanese War – the art of war in the air would be written in the skies above Belgium and northern France. It also saw the first aerial bombardment of cities. The south coast of Britain was bombed by German airships, whilst both sides later employed aircraft as bombers.

In Britain, the government became the major shareholder in the *Anglo-Persian Oil Company, and acquired a large share in the Burma Oil Company. The numerous railway companies were put under national administration (which would continue until the war was over), in order to move the huge quantity of men and materiel to the ports, for shipping out to France[6].

However, Britain’s largely volunteer army would soon prove not to be enough. Large numbers of troops from all over the Empire are brought in to help, and conscription is rolled out beginning in 1916. Mindful of the delicate situation in Ireland, and using the precedent of Canada not instituting conscription in Quebec[7], Westminster decides only to institute conscription in Great Britain only – it was intended to be an interim measure, but it held all the way to the end of the war. In exchange, the Unionists and Home Rulers accelerated their volunteer drives, which helped a lot.

Ultimately, though, the war would change Europe, and the world. The fate of the future had been set into motion…

--

[0] Either “absolutely nothing, say it again, uh huh”, or quite a lot of things, if one asks Corporal C. W. St. J. Nobbs of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch.
[1] Second child of Archduke Rudolf and his Serbian bride.
[2] An ATL character.
[3] Just as HMG in both Westminster and Dublin are termed as a “War Coalition”, the opposition is often commonly termed as a “Peace Coalition”.
[4] IOTL, this was discovered during the Second Boer War, which doesn’t happen ITTL. It is also a very bad time to discover it, but, as in OTL, as the war drags on, the recruiting staff increasingly turn a blind eye to people who would ordinarily fail the medical exams – the army needed every man (whether actually male/adult or not) it could get.
[5] Invented in Canada, in 1899 ITTL. A little nod to Murdoch Mysteries there.
[6] Similarly to OTL.
[7] This happened IOTL too.

 

[Analytical Engine]

No replies makes AE sad.

Therefore, I will post maps. Firstly, map of the world in 1915:

 

[Analytical Engine]

And a map of the Irish home rule election (1915):

 

[Archangel]

Post war, we may see some of those parties reuniting or merging.
Keep it up, AE!

 

[Van555]

Looking good!

 

[Analytical Engine]

Does this timeline look OK to everyone?

Chapter 6.1

In which we have an abridged timeline of the Great War, and other significant events during this period.


1915

• May 6-30 – Abortive coups by Serbian nationalists occur, culminating in attempted kidnap of Archduke Otto.
• May 27 – Russia issues its “9-point Article”, a series of demands to the Austrian government, which is rejected outright 3 days later
• June 4 – Russia issues 24 hour ultimatum to Austria
• June 5 – Russia declares war on Austria
• June 22 – Germany declares war on Russia
• June 23 – France declares war on Germany, Austria
• June 24 – Germany invades Belgium, Luxembourg
• June 30 – Netherlands declares official neutrality, as their government falls into meltdown over whether to support Luxembourg or not
• By July – Fighting in the so-called Western Front descends into trench warfare, as the Germans fail to deliver the decisive blow they were hoping for
• July 19 – Ottoman Empire declares war on Russia, France declares war on Ottoman Empire
• July 26 – UK government is forced to call election, results released 5 days later
• July 30 – Irish Home Rule government calls election, results released 4 days later
• August 6 – United Kingdom and empire declares war on Germany, Austria, Ottoman Empire
• August 16 – Portugal declares war on Germany, Austria
• August 29 – Japan declares war on Germany
• September 3 – German Samoa surrenders without a fight to British and Imperial forces
• September 11 – British, Australian and Indian forces begin the invasion of Ottoman Mesopotamia
• September 19 – German forces in Togoland surrender to the British
• September 27 – German forces in New Guinea surrender to joint British, Australian and New Zealander forces
• October 11 – Russia invades the Ottoman Empire through the Caucasus Mountains
• November 1-15 – Japan captures the German-held Marshall Islands and Nauru
• By December – British and Imperial forces are in effective control of the Vilayet of Basra[1]
• December 22 – German forces in Tsingtao surrender to the Japanese

1916

• January 20 – First German airship raid on Britain
• February 11 – The first gas attack occurs, with the Germans using chlorine against French and British troops to deadly effect
• By March – German agents attempt to ferment revolt in Persia, against the British and Russian forces stationed there
• April 19 – German high command removes restrictions on the types of shipping its submarines can strike, targeting American freighters bringing supplies to Britain. In America, the subject causes much controversy
• June 27 – British forces capture Baghdad, though the Ottomans keep them from pushing any further north
• July 24 – United Kingdom institutes the beginning of conscription
• August 2 – Italy declares war on Austria, Germany
• August 19 – German forces occupy Warsaw
• By September – British and Imperial forces capture the last German holdouts in Cameroon and Tanganyika[2]. Secret talks begin between British agents and forces loyal to the Sharif of Mecca, to ferment an Arab revolt against the Ottomans
• September 27 – German forces occupy Vilnius
• By November – German and Austrian advances reach their furthest point into Russia for the time being, along a line from Riga-Vilnius-Pinsk-Rivne-Ternopil. The line would hold at more or less this position for the next year or so

1917

• February 11 – After American protests, Germany ceases the doctrine of unrestricted submarine warfare
• February 22 – Covertly aided by Britain, Arabs rise up against the Ottoman government in parts of the Hedjaz
• March 9 – Arab forces capture Mecca, the first of many victories
• March 11 – Germany and Austria declare the creation of an independent Kingdom of Poland. It is promised a minor Habsburg as a monarch, though the actual coronation ceremony is planned for after the war
• April 6-7 – Major naval confrontation in the North Sea between German and British ships[3]. Although the Germans “win”, it is a pyric victory – the Royal Navy is able to redeploy ships in short order, whilst the German Hochseeflotte (High Seas Fleet) has been battered
• By May – Arab forces control the Hedjaz, and land as far north as Aqaba
• August 11 – Romania declares war on Russia, and moves on Bessarabia
• September 4 – Ottoman forces repulsed from Sinai
• September 10 – Anglo-Egyptian forces begin to press into Palestine

1918

• January 19 – British forces capture Jerusalem
• February 9 – The house of Rashid, which controls much of the interior of Arabia, join the Arab uprising
• March 11-14 – First of several mutinies amongst French troops occur
• March 22 – Exhausted, frustrated at lack of victory on the battlefield, and angry at the government’s indifference at home, Russian forces begin to mutiny, which breaks out into rebellion in Russia proper soon afterwards, as word spreads east
• May 11 – First known use of a landtrack [tank], by British troops against a German emplacement near Saint-Ghislain, Belgium
• By August – The Russian lines falter as more and more troops mutiny or desert their positions. German, Austrian, and some Romanian forces, push further east
• August 17 – Amman falls to a joint Arab-British force
• September 21 – Greece and Bulgaria declare war on Ottoman Empire, though they secure neutrality with Germany and especially Austria
• By October – British and Arab forces are in control of Palestine
• December 14-27 – British and Arab forces take Damascus

1919

• January 2 – Aleppo falls to British forces
• January 11 – Russia and Central Powers troops declare a ceasefire, to discuss terms
• February 6 – Russia signs the Treaty of Gomel[4] with Germany, Austria, Romania, recognising the independence of Poland and Finland, ceding the Baltic Provinces (to German occupation) and Bessarabia (to Romania)
• February 19 – Russia signs a peace treaty with the Ottoman Empire, declaring status quo ante bellum
• By May – With troops freed from the Eastern Front, Germany is able to reinforce its troops in the Western Front
• May 16 – Ottoman Empire signs Treaty of Samos with Britain, France, Greece and Bulgaria, recognising the independence of Mesopotamia and the large Kingdom of Arabia, along with British and French control over the Levantine coast. Land in Europe is ceded to Greece and Bulgaria, whilst the Straits are kept neutral for the interim
• June 1-July 19 – Rebel forces in the rump Ottoman Empire overthrow the government, and install a republic
• June 9 – Germany begins its final push west, breaking out of the trenches
• June 21 – German forces overrun French-held positions near Laon, and begin a push towards Paris. French troops are re-deployed to intercept
• June 29-July 3 – German forces engage the French near Compiègne, ending in a German victory
• July 7 – German forces reach the outskirts of Paris
• July 10 – With German troops massing outside their capital, the French government orders a surrender
• July 12 – General ceasefire is declared between the western allies and the Central Powers
• July 23 – The Bosporus Straits is placed under joint Anglo-French occupation, which is later transferred to international control
• August 19 – The new Turkish Republic declares an end to the Caliphate, replacing it with a secular republic, based partly on the precepts of what would eventually be known as the Islamic Democracy movement[5]
• August 24 – By common consent of the tribal chiefs under his rule, the Sharif of Mecca, Ali bin Hussein, is proclaimed the new Caliph, partially due to his (claimed) descent from the Prophet himself[6]
• September 16-21 – Signing of the Treaty of Dusseldorf, with delegates from the United States as arbiters. The Great War is finally over

Other significant events

• 1916 – Norway formally claims Bouvet Island, to forestall anyone else from grabbing it
• 1916-1918 – The *Napo War occurs, between Colombia and Peru on one side, and Ecuador on the other, over disputed territories in the upper Amazon[7]
• 1917 – With its Jewish population now getting quite large, Britain makes East Africa a dominion

--

[1] Somewhat different to OTL British plans, where they planned to rush for Baghdad, only to be beaten back. ITTL, they secure southern Mesopotamia, with its important oil fields, first, before pushing further north.
[2] Tanganyika falls much faster ITTL, as there is no equivalent to Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck commanding the German and auxiliary forces there. Instead, superior British supply lines and manpower win out, just as they did in Cameroon and Togoland. Also, with no front in Namibia, South African troops can be spared to fight in the East African theatre.
[3] Equivalent to the OTL Battle of Jutland, with a similar result.
[4] OTL Homel, Belarus.
[5] More on this later.
[6] But mostly because he has a great big army, and no one wanted to argue with that.
[7] This is equivalent to a combination of the OTL Ecuadorian cession of territory to Colombia (1916-26), the Colombia-Peru War (1932-33) and Ecuadorian-Peruvian War (1941). ITTL, Colombia and Peru gang up on Ecuador, capitalising on European focus being directed elsewhere, and on relative American indifference.

 

[Analytical Engine]

Sorry for the delay folks

Chapter 7

In which the peace agreements are elaborated upon


German victory in the Great War had come at a great cost, both in terms of lives and money. Helped by the effective collapse of the Russians, a mad dash for Paris had been a huge gamble, but it paid off.

Delegates from the combatant nations met in Dusseldorf to negotiate terms, with envoys from the United States sent over to act as mediators. Unfortunately, it felt like the peace talks might last nearly as long as the war itself, and several incidents nearly restarted it. One of those – Gregory McManus – remarked “Europe has torn itself apart for five years. Now the really hard work has begun”.

Eventually, though, after several arduous months of negotiation, a settlement was hammered out. Firstly, the terms of the peace between Russia and the Central Powers (the Treaty of Homel) was recognised:

• Russia would make Finland[1], Lithuania and Poland independent; they would receive monarchs from the houses of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Wurttemberg and Habsburg[2] respectively
• Russia would cede the Baltic provinces and recognise the newly-created United Baltic Duchy. Kaiser Wilhelm II would become Grand Duke, though the three constituent parts – Estonia, Livonia and Courland – would receive dukes from the houses of Nassau, Hesse-Kassel and Schaumburg-Lippe respectively
• Russia would cede Bessarabia to Romania
• Russia would evacuate its troops from Ottoman territory and acknowledge status quo ante bellum borders in the Caucasus
• Russia agrees to pay an indemnity to Germany and Austria, though the Central Powers agree that territorial cessions would make part of this
• Russia agrees to limit its army, navy, and air force for 15 years[3], and to a 50 mile deep demilitarised zone along its new border, again to last for 15 years

Afterwards, terms are agreed between the combatants along the Western and Italian fronts. Austria has to make do with only receiving indemnity payments and increasing its influence in the newly independent countries in Eastern Europe. Italy is let off territorial cessions, though it is forced to give up all claims to Austrian territory, and to pay the Habsburg Empire (not inconsiderable) reparations for the next 15 years.

The rest of the treaty takes longer to negotiate, however, as the French are rather sore losers, and the UK keeps trying to get Germany to water down its demands. In regards to colonial matters, the following is agreed:

• Britain agrees to return Bornu, Kameroon, Tanganyika and Togoland to Germany
• Britain agrees to “purchase” German Samoa and German New Guinea for a (rather high) negotiated price. (These are given to New Zealand and Australia respectively a little while after the negotiations are resolved.) Britain is allowed to pay for the “purchases” in instalments
• Japan is tacitly acknowledged in its acquisitions of Tsingtao, the Marshall Islands and Nauru
• France cedes its colonies of Gabon, the Middle Congo, and Ubangi-Chari to Germany

The separate Treaty of Ratingen was signed between Germany, Belgium and the various allied nations, such as Britain and France. In it:

• Belgium agrees to pay Germany 25% of all annual revenues from the Congo for the next 15 years, then 15% for the next 10 years, and then 12.5% for the next 25 years. Germany is also allowed unrestricted trade with companies operating in the Belgian Congo, the rights to build and operate a railway system there, as well as and the right to base a certain number of troops and ships there for the next 50 years[4]

To Britain, agreeing to the “purchase” agreement was considered to be rather more “honourable” than what it actually was – a code word for reparations. It was also excused from any limits on its military, since Germany’s focus was on punishing France rather than Britain. Japan was invited by Germany to “purchase” its acquisitions. However, the Japanese government, fully aware that Germany didn’t have any means of enforcing this, politely told Germany where to put its demand. Considering that discretion was the better part of valour, Germany decided to let the matter drop.

However, Germany demanded a high price for leniency in the above matters.

• Belgium agrees to German annexation of Neutral Moresnet, a roughly triangular area along the border that wasn’t formally part of either. It is attached to the Prussian Rhineland province
• France cedes the iron-rich areas around Briey and Longwy to Germany, as well as the Territorie de Belfort. These areas are annexed to Alsace-Lorraine
• France agrees to dismantle fortifications along the new border, and to a 50 mile demilitarised zone, to last for 25 years
• France agrees to limit its armed forces for 25 years. It also agrees to scuttle all its *dreadnaught-type battleships and not to build any new ones, or any new submarines or bombers for 25 years
• France agrees to pay reparations to Germany for the next 25 years
• Luxembourg agrees to hold a plebiscite on accession to the German Empire within the next 5 years, and is allowed to hold another at 5 year intervals if it votes no[5]

The later Treaty of Bielefeld forms a customs union between Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and the states newly independent from Russia. Britain, with its traditional fears over any one state dominating Europe, manages to get Germany and Austria to agree not to prohibit (or to unduly influence) any signatory member to trade with other nations during peace time[6].

*

The Central Powers are also forced to accept the situation in the former Ottoman Empire as a fait accompli. Negotiations for the Treaty of Samos, which also involved Greece and Bulgaria, which were co-belligerents of the Allied nations, had German and American observers. According to its terms, the signatories:

• Recognised the Turkish Republic as the successor of the Ottoman Empire
• Recognised the independence of Yemen and Najd[7]
• Britain gained Cyprus as a crown colony, and Egypt as a formal protectorate (merely recognising the de facto situation)
• Recognised the creation of the Kingdom of Arabia, with the Sharif of Mecca, Ali bin Hussein, as its king. It also recognised his claim as Caliph of Islam[8]
• Recognised the creation of the Kingdom of Iraq[9], with Ibrahim bin Hussein, brother of the King of Arabia, as its king
• Recognised the Bulgarian annexation of Edirne, Kırklareli and adjacent parts of formerly Ottoman Thrace
• Recognised the Greek annexation of the remainder of Ottoman Thrace to a line 40 miles west of Istanbul
• Recognised the British acquisition of territory in Palestine
• Recognised the French acquisition of territory along the Syrian coast past Yeşilkent[10]
• Recognised the internationalisation of the area around the Sea of Marmara, with the Asian part extending up to 40 miles inland

*

The acquisition of Syrian coast would be France’s only gain out of the entire Great War. Though it had had lost far less territory in Africa that it would otherwise have done, thanks to British negotiators, the loss of even more territory in Europe was an abject humiliation. Post-war French governments rapidly turn hostile towards Britain, despite British efforts to ameliorate things. But animosity towards Germany would seethe and eventually boil over into outright revolt against the “cowardly” government that “gave up too soon”.

In Britain, things were bad as well. Despite the fact that it had made territorial gains, in popular opinion it had bled and bled, only to fail at the last hurdle. Even so, one learns more from defeat than from victory – and Britain had learned much. It had also made promises to its – to its new friends, as well as to its Empire – and, by Jove, it intended to honour them.

Despite technically being on the losing side, Japan was undoubtedly a winner. It had gained territory with comparatively little cost, and, more importantly, reputation. Now the Japanese military was itching to flex its muscles again. It would not have too long to wait.

Russia had been given an almighty bloody nose, and may well have given up too soon. However, it had its own problems to deal with closer to home – the people were getting uppity, the army needed paying and the Romanovs were pushing the boundaries of decadent autocracy to its limits.

Austria had survived the war intact, but its constituent peoples were agitating for internal reforms.

Germany had won the war, and gained considerably from the peace. This despite effectively fighting with one hand tied behind its back. For decades, here as in Russia, the elites had refused to enact those political reforms the legislature demanded to approve the taxes needed to pay for foreign wars. Victory had helped to ameliorate this issue for a while, but it would not stay down forever. Germany had caught the victory disease. In time, it would prove to be fatal…

--

[1] However, the status of Aaland would be hotly disputed for several years, as a Swedish garrison occupied it, before a German or Finnish one could arrive.
[2] This one being from the deposed Grand Ducal house of Tuscany.
[3] This term isn’t really a problem, though, as Russian losses means that its forces already come below the imposed limits.
[4] This arrangement was negotiated by the UK, instead of German demands to annex all or part of the Belgian Congo outright.
[5] Again, another UK negotiation, instead of Germany just annexing it outright.
[6] Not that it could really do much about this, if it could.
[7] But not their borders, which would be set out in later treaties.
[8] More as a sop to Ali himself, really, as the Christian nations wouldn’t really care very much about this.
[9] Again, the exact border would be delineated later.
[10] Basically, it reaches the northern border the OTL Turkish province of Hatay.