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Blood and Soil
The Sun Rises Yet Again
Chapter 14: Blood and Soil
September 22, 1925
Several months have passed since Germany declared its support for Republican Spain. As the war progresses, Germany, the Comintern, and the League all gain valuable experience and insight into how the next war will be fought. However, the joining of all the European powers, save Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman empire, into one region and one conflict is seen as worrying. Both of the powers not involved are dealing with massive instability, political movements who desires are diametrically opposed in every way, and rampant secessionists groups; therefore, it is reasoned, these powers really aren't important on an international scale and will most likely remain isolationist and focused on an inward strategy to prevent their collapse. There are sizable amounts of people who fear this regional conflict will escalate into a World War, just like the first one. The boiling point before all this tension bubbles over into a full-scale war is being approached rapidly. A stand-off occurs, Germany sends word to the Righteous League to pull their forces out of the conflict or face German retribution. The British, in response, send a message saying that they must pull out their forces or the Righteous League would declare war on Germany. This is a dangerous area to tread for Germany. The Righteous League by itself isn't strong enough to beat Germany, but if they declare war the Comintern might sense weakness and join in the war, and Germany might not be able to hold off the Comintern and the League simultaneously. Even if they could, it would bring them great destruction. As they deliberate, the Soviets send their own message, demanding Germany pull out of Spain. For Germany, this is tantamount to giving Spain over to either the Comintern or the League. Germany mulls over this dilemma. As the world awaits a response, the war continues.
A decisive engagement happens at Madrid. Montgomery manages to trick Rommel into moving forces to Toledo to defend against an attack that is actually just a faint. Harris bombards the roads leading back to Madrid as thoroughly as he can and de Llano pins the force down. With Rommel stuck in the south and Hindenburg concentrating on an offensive north at Aranda de Duero, as its loss would create a dangerous degree of separation between forces in Burgos with those in Madrid and Guadalajara, the GEF lacks reserve forces to defend Madrid. Republican forces are also spread thin due to the loss of Málaga and the siege of Córdoba. Meanwhile, Soviet forces are still reeling from the defeats near Córdoba and French troops are fighting tooth and nail just to hold back the forces in the north by Bilbao. Using this window of opportunity, Montgomery and Yagüe descend upon the city. The light, untrained, and insufficient garrison fight valiantly and cost Yagüe dearly, but without aid from additional troops and continuous bombardment from artillery and planes, they surrender to Nationalists forces after a week of fighting.
Rundstedt is appalled, his front is on the verge of collapsing and with the center forces, especially Rommel, in a precarious position, he sends word to Hindenburg that either he his given sufficient forces to maintain the front-line or he must be allowed to retreat and regroup at Cuenca while other forces could dig in at the city of Guadalajara. Hindenburg is unsure of this, although these positions are relatively defensible, Cuenca is over 100 km away and due to bombed out roads, heavy tanks, and other hindrances, he estimates it would take around 70 hours, or just under 3 days, for Rommel to be able to make the trip. Hindenburg is unsure if he can do so, despite Rundstedt saying there is no other option and Rommel's assurances he can make the trip in just over a day. With this deteriorating situation, Hindenburg relays the dangerous position the center forces of the GEF are in back to OHL and waits for a response. While he waits, he orders Generaloberst Felix Graf von Bothmer to move to and fortify Guadalajara against an enemy assault from Madrid and asks Rundstedt to head back to Germany to relay to him what OHL and the Kaiser want to do. In his absence, Hindenburg appoints Generalfeldmarschall Albrecht von Württemberg, who has been in retirement as the king of Württemberg but has been convinced by his cousin, the Kaiser, to come back to the military, to replace him. After consulting with his superiors, Rundstedt writes back to Hindenburg and informs him that they clearly do not approve of the abandonment of Toledo so easily and that they are ordering him to hold it; but they both know that Rommel is now too far from the city to do so.
With the clashing visions of the High Command and the Kaiser versus the forces on the ground, the German army is paralysed, and with increasing Communist and Restitutio pressure endangering the heartland, the Kaiser has to make a decision. Pull back the GEF and ensure the safety of Germany and her people at the cost of losing face and potentially ceding Spain to one of her enemies, or keep the forces in Spain in a dangerous gamble that could cost the empire much. The Kaiser and his closest advisers convene and deliberate on what to do. He manages to achieve a ceasefire in Spain, allowing both sides to entrench and to prepare for whatever comes next. The British and Soviets, tiring of German stalling, send a joint ultimatum on the 23rd of November, stating that they will both declare war unless Germany pulls all forces out of Spain within 48 hours. The Kaiser calls an emergency meeting comprised of the entirety of the OHL and several generals and officers not a part of it, Maximilian von Baden and his cabinet, and the Kaiser's son and heir, Wilhelm III. They argue about what to do, OHL wants to stay the course and risk a full out war while von Baden, his cabinet, and Wilhelm III all desperately want to avoid one. Although von Baden and his cabinet make good points, the Kaiser is still not entirely convinced that the Comintern and the League can defeat the entirety of Germany and her Eastern allies, however, August gives an impassioned speech pleading to his father to not engage in another avoidable war, to not repeat the mistakes of 1914. The Kaiser decides to pull out of Spain. Declaring this intention with only an hour left. Soon, the GEF returns back to the homeland. OHL and the military in general are angered by this, however most understand the rationale and do not want to put their homes and families in harms way. A small but powerful clique of generals, officers, and commanders do not however and view this as the last straw, they begin plotting against the monarchy. Although it would take years if not decades of preparation to even attempt this, the seeds of dissent are planted.
When he hears the news, Mosley is ecstatic. He wasn't entirely certain that Germany would back down, and knew that Britain wouldn't be even remotely ready to even begin fighting until the mid 30s. With this victory, Mosley and his government is hailed and he begins planning to call a snap election in the near future and so informs the Loyalist delegates that the Imperial Conference will be delayed until January next year. The Republicans feel abandoned by the Germans and thus the more moderate and representative elements fall out of favour while pro-communist factions used the fact the Comintern is staying Spain to expand their influence. With the Germans out of Spain, Mosley decides to break the ceasefire and restart the war before it becomes cold so they can fight at full strength as well as denying the enemy the chance to fortify their position.
All along the front, Falangist and Restitutio forces push into Republican territory slowly but surely. On the 22nd of December, the beginning of Winter, both sides slow down. Although Spain is still warm compared to most of the foreigners homes, it is still quite cold, around 5°C. The majority of the troops in the North stop fighting, the exception being the British and the Soviets, along with some French divisions, as they are used to much colder temperatures. With the fighting slowed, Mosley can now focus on inward development. Mosley calls the snap election and leaves with Joyce, Kitson, Ross, and Fuller to spread support in areas were they closely lost or just barely won in '25. They move immediately so they can use the hours wisely. David gives a public address via radio stating his support for Mosley is as strong as ever. Several pro-Victorian industrialists and retired military officers, Douglas Haig being the most notable, state their support for Mosley. Some mention how they were originally opposed to or unsure of him, but with recent events coming to pass they were swayed and now truly believe in him. He makes an emphasis on visiting Wales to reach out to the Irish and Welsh. The Irish were very supporting of Mosley in the last election due to his efforts to mend Anlgo-Irish relations and his policy of cooperation between Catholics and Protestants, though most of them were Protestants, and their vote helped Mosley immensely. The Welsh, however, were less devoted to him. They hold no significant grudge against him, apart from maybe the lack of anti-Irish rhetoric, but they believe Mosley has nothing special to offer them, especially since the recent recovery has not reached Wales, Scotland or even the majority of Northern England. Upon arriving, he talks to several prominent Irish politicians and social figures and promises them that in their lifetime, Britain will reclaim Éire and that they will return to their homes. This emphasis on saying Éire instead of Ireland particularly endeared him to them even more, as it seemed he truly cared about them and the loss of their homes. He also promises that efforts to revitalise Wales and Northern England will be undertaken. This helps move more Welsh to his side. As for the Scots, he also promises that the recovery experienced by the South would move up to the North as well, he just needed more time. He then returns back to the South and continues campaigning. At 10pm, the last stations close and the process of counting the votes begins. Mosley is certain that they have secured another smashing victory.
The next day, the results are in and once again the Victorian Union are the clear winners. Not only do they win, it is by a staggering amount. By its end, they hold 70% of the House of Commons and many in the House of Lords are already friendly or allied with the Victorians. With this absolutely astonishing majority, with most commentators recognising its uniqueness, Mosley and the Victorian Union stand virtually unopposed. Even if both the Torries and Labour along with every minor party in the country joined together in a coalition, the VU would still have enough votes to override them. Mosley is delighted. This will give him complete control over Parliament as most in the Victorian Union view Mosley with great admiration and some even devotion, so it would be unlikely for them to oppose anything he proposes. Kitson and Ross go wild, hurling a flurry of bills towards Mosley that, until now, they felt unsure of their survival in Parliament. Mosley also gets the news that wiring is essentially complete. Although they will have to continue checking on it for about a week or so to ensure everything stays working. Mosley thanks them and decides his first phone call ever will be to Makgill. He calls him and Makgill responds.
George Makgill
"Hello Your Excellency. What is it that you need?"
Oswald Mosley
"Hello Makgill. I need you to come to my office at the earliest possible convenience. I have an idea I want to discuss with you."
George Makgill
"I will be there in an hour."
Oswald Mosley
"Thank you. I await your arrival"
Makgill finishes up his most pressing work and departs towards 10 Downing. Once he arrives, he enters into Mosley's office and sits down.
George Makgill
"Hello Mosley. What is the purpose of my summoning?"
Oswald Mosley
"I have called you here as I believe a new organisation must be founded. I have already reestablished the Ministry of Information. Now, I believe I must establish a paramilitary group who's focus will be on the internal integrity of the British nation."
George Makgill
"Isn't that MI5's purpose?"
Oswald Mosley
"MI5 is designed to deal with internal military matters, not the stability of the nation. Your job is to identify and apprehend foreign agents, coups, terrorist attacks, and things of such nature. This organisation will be focused on dealing with dissidents, Marxist sympathisers, traitors to the nation, troublesome politicians and other civilian agitators as well as breaking up dangerous strikers. Even with your recently granted extra-judicial powers, which are temporary, MI5's internal structure is not suited for this matter. However, there are people in MI5 that would be especially suited towards this kind of work. I'm certain you can distinguish who belongs where. MI5 also has access to crucial domestic networks that would assist this endeavor so the sharing of the information between your group and this new one will be crucial to the success of both."
George Makgill
"I see. I can begin cataloging who belongs in this new organisation. I can also work to ready our intelligence networks for cooperative use."
Oswald Mosley
"Thank you."
George Makgill
"May I ask what you shall name this new agency?"
Oswald Mosley
"The Institute for Internal Integrity, or I3. Oh, and one more thing Makgill."
George Makgill
"Yes?"
Oswald Mosley
"I've been searching for a man, he goes by the name P.S Burton. That is just an alias however and his real identity eludes me. I have asked who I know but have come up with nothing. I would like for you to do what you can to find who this man is, I want him brought to me alive and unharmed. I like him very much. Can you do it?"
George Makgill
"I will do everything in my power to find and identify this P.S Burton, if that is what you desire."
Oswald Mosley
"Thank you George."
And with that, their meeting is concluded. Makgill returns to his office to begin carrying out the instructions given to him by Mosley. Mosley continues to work in private. He has received a response from ICI, they said that if Mosley provides adequate government funding, they can begin research into more advanced chemical weapons and begin developing the first truly modern biological weapons. They state how they have been in limited contact with IG Farben and have the possibility to purchase quantities of organophosphates from them, however, in order to keep it secret they would need to pay them a higher price. They hope Mosley will be willing to subsidise the extra costs. Organophosphates work by disrupting an insects nervous system, some of the scientists at ICI believe there is a possibility of certain compounds to be lethal to humans as well in a high enough dosage. Mosley writes back to them saying he will support them in their endeavors. Fuller has also moved the training grounds for Claudius I and all future armoured vehicles to Bovington, Dorset, as Scilly is becoming too small for future training operations. Development of the next experimental tank, the Claudius II, is already underway. Vickers is working hard and with this promising pace, Mosley has assigned Kitson to work on merging Vickers with Armstrong Whitworth. This model will be another early prototype as Vickers is still working on the design of both their infantry and cruiser tank prototypes. The cruiser has been named "Matilda" while the infantry has been named "Haig".
Sopwith submits the initial blueprints for the new planes. He has managed to achieve such a quick start by heavily cooperating with Avro and Blackburn Aircraft, two other aviation manufacturers, in their designs. The two suffered greatly after the war and did not find the renewed success that H.G. Hawker Engineering did. In order to help their struggling situation, they agreed to supply technical assistance and blueprints. In exchange, Hawker would provide industrial production lines and the labour force and they would split the profits three ways. Kitson uses this cooperation to spearhead efforts to encourage a merger between the three.
The first plane is named the Avro 566 Avenger. It is a single-seat, single engine biplane of wood and fabric construction. The head designer is Roy Chadwick, however, Harry Hawker and other test and war pilots give their valuable input to improve performance by correcting issues an armchair designer might not recognise before the first test flight. The plane will have a length of 7.77 meters, a wingspan of 9.75 m, a height of 3.12 m, a wing area of 22.7 m², an empty weight of 1,074 kilograms, a loaded weight of 1,460 kg and the engine is a Napier Lion VII. Although there has not been a test flight, estimates say that top speed will be around 290 kilometers per hour, cruise speed will be around 209 km/h, the service ceiling will be in the 6,700 m range with the armament being a single engine-mounted 7.77 millimeter Vickers machine gun. A more experimental version would include a rear-mounted 7.77 mm Lewis Gun for rear defense, however the former version is cheaper and easier to produce. Since the Republicans or the Soviets don't have much in the way of aircraft, the French would be the only substantial threat in the air, therefore, the RAF and the Army feel that it is unnecessary if it means getting the planes into action faster.
They also have blueprints of a biplane bomber, the Hawker Horsley. It is a single-engine, all-wooden, medium day bomber. It would hold a crew of 2, 1 pilot and 1 bombardier and rear-gunner. The pilot would have access to a single forward-firing 7.77 mm Vickers machine gun while the bombardier would wield a rear-mounted 7.77 m Lewis Gun and be capable of dropping either two 250 kg bombs or one 680 kg bomb. It would have a length of 11.83 m, a wingspan of 17.22 m, a height of 4.16 m, a wing area of 64.38 m², an empty weight of 2,164 kg, a loaded weight of 3,545 kg and would be powered by a single Rolls-Royce Condor III engine. With these components, estimated performance would point to a maximum speed of 201 km/h at an altitude of 1,829 m, standard bombing height, a service ceiling of 4,267 m, a rate of climb of 3.625 m/s, and could last in the field for a absolute maximum of 10 hours. The two final blueprints displayed are a naval aerial fighter and a naval bomber.
The naval torpedo bomber is named the Blackburn T.5 Ripon. It is a carrier-based torpedo bomber that could also serve as a reconnaissance plane. It holds a crew of two. Its specifications show that its length is 11.20 m, a wingspan of 13.67 m, a height of 3.91 m, a wing area of 63.45 m2, an empty weight of 1,878 kg, a loaded weight of 3,310 kg and his also powered by Napier Lion VII engine. As with the previous planes, test flights have yet to be conducted yet as they're still making sure the planes are safe to fly, but they estimate performance will equal a top speed of 179 km/h, a service ceiling of 3,050 km, and a rate of climb of 2.158 m/s. Its armament includes a single fixed, forward firing 7.77 m Vickers machine gun, another rear firing 7.77 m Lewis Gun, and either a 447 mm torpedo, three 240 kg bombs or six 104 kg bombs.
The final one, the naval aerial fighter, is the Avro Type 584 Avocet. It is single-engine naval fighter whose main role will be a fighter on the high seas. It was not carrier-based as they simply can not make it work with current technology unless cutbacks are made to other areas. It holds a single pilot. Its would have a length of 7.50 m, a wingspan of 9.93 m, a height of 3.05 m, a wing area of 31.59 m², an empty weight of 985 kg, a loaded weight 1,381 kg, and would be powered by a single Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar IV engine. Its top speed would be 233 km, and a service ceiling of 7,000 m, with an armament consisting of two 7.77 mm Madsen machine Guns.
Mosley decides now is the time to push his pro-natalist policies. Mosley and Kitson, along with others he knew, believed that in the future, the colonies, once reclaimed, must be majority White. South Africa, Rhodesia, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand all followed this. But not just any white majority, an English speaking majority with both racial and cultural ties back to the Home Isles, in order to create a tightly knit union of Anglo nations rather than disparate Dominions and colonies. Britain also needed to expand her core population and industrial base to these areas while simultaneously denying natives from accessing these resources and demanding independence. With pro-natalist polices, Britain's economy can recover even faster as the few jobs women take would now be open for male work, decreasing unemployment and also leading to a population surplus. This combined with economic incentives for married couples who have children would see the next generation coming faster than their parents could raise them. He could then implement incentives for immigration to Africa, India, the East Indies, and wherever the British Empire would claim as her own so as to begin another great wave of immigration to the colonies. With Whites being the majority in these areas, Mosley and the public would have no problems giving them equal rights as citizens of homeland while they would be proud to call themselves British. However this also meant the crushing of regional identities. No longer should one call themselves a Canadian, a South African, a Rhodesian, a Kenyan, an Australian, a Zealander, a Malayan, an Indian, or anything else. In Mosley's eyes, these should only be stated if one is asked where they hail from, not what or who they are. In Mosley's vision, it would be an empire of Britons only, "Blood and Soil" as he called it. In order to achieve this, Britain's population would have to be increased, the Imperial Loyalists must be employed to break regional national identities and to create and spread a new global British identity, and the foes who possess these lands must be overthrown so that their rightful owners can return. Britain's population is around 35,000,000 people, this is not enough. Germany's population is almost twice that. He had been inspired by the steps Mussolini and his Fascists had taken after their seizure of power. Once the session is opened by King George V, Mosley proposes the pro-natalist polices and they pass through easily due to the Victorian supermajority, set to be fully passed into law by January, along with the bills from Kitson and Ross. Women will be barred from all work save for nursing, civilian and military, and other jobs that are maternal in nature. Tax credits for married couples and child-bearing ones will be instituted and a tax on bachelor men will be carried out. Birth control and abortion are made illegal and any advertisement for it will be punishable by harsh fines and jail time. The Order of the White Feather would be reestablished. However, to avoid the scandalous and embarrassing events where they were presented to veterans and people engaged in the civilian war effort, those who were considered exempt from enlisting would be identified and added to a newly created database with photos, where available, to see where they should send members to avoid these problems. The Order would remain dormant for a minimum of 2 years in order to hire members and to let the populace recover from the Great War. Women's right vote would be untouched as Mosley was not particularly opposed to the idea and believed that the property restrictions that limited men's voting right was an abhorrent disgrace that he was glad the Fourth Reform Act ended it.
New Years Eve comes and goes, with people celebrating heartily all over the world. In London, people cheer that a new era for the nation has arrived. In Berlin, people celebrate continued peace and prosperity. In Paris, people are jovial that the age of oppression of the past is over and a new future for France dawns. In Moscow, people are less optimistic as Lenin's NEP has failed to revitalise the economy the way he promised, the losses from the Great War and Russian Civil Wars are still felt, and the clash between Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin continues to escalate. However, recent developments in the economy and Germany's backing down over Spain has led people to feeling that there might be hope for the future. In Tokyo, people celebrate their countries prosperity and rise of representative institutions. In Washington, however, are massive riots nearby the White House. President Coolidge has managed to ease the situation, carrying out his campaign of "Return to Normalcy", in which various laws to improve labour rights and limited roll backs on Federal power to appease the Minimalists and Communists have been instituted. Winston Churchill, an admiral in the Royal Navy, a war hawk, an early supporter of Oswald Mosley, and who the primary onus for the failure of Gallipoli is placed on, said, "Coolidge is an appeaser. An appeaser is one who feeds the crocodiles, hoping they will eat him last". However, the effect of this compromise is undeniable. America is still not rife with optimism and cynicism has begun to pervade the country.
As the January month begins, Mosley has plans with the Imperial Conference and the French Exiles.
HMS Hermes, the First Ship in the World to Designed as a Seaplane Carrier on the British Coast, 1925
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French Communard Troops Advancing Upon Nationalist Positions in Osorno, 1923
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Locals Dealing With the Problems of the Civil War, 1924
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Republican Troops in Madrid. They Were Undersupplied and Undermanned to the Point of Having to Conscript Females and the Effects of the Siege Began to Drive Some of the Troops Mad, 1925
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Locals Clearing Away Debris in Madrid After its Fall to the Nationalists. The Siege Brought Great Destruction to the City, 1925
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Nationalist Troops in Laredo Marching Towards Bilbao to Engage French and Republican Troops, 1925
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The Avro 566 Avenger Prototype, the Next Step in British Fighter Planes, 1925
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The Avro Type 584 Avocet Prototype, the Evolution of Naval Air Warfare for Britain, 1925
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The Blackburn T.5 Ripon Prototype, an Advanced Carrier-Based Torpedo Bomber and Reconnaissance Plane in Development, 1925
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The Hawker Horsley Prototype, an Advanced Medium Day Bomber and Torpedo Bomber and the First Step in Realising "Strategic Destruction", 1925
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Chapter 14: Blood and Soil
September 22, 1925
Several months have passed since Germany declared its support for Republican Spain. As the war progresses, Germany, the Comintern, and the League all gain valuable experience and insight into how the next war will be fought. However, the joining of all the European powers, save Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman empire, into one region and one conflict is seen as worrying. Both of the powers not involved are dealing with massive instability, political movements who desires are diametrically opposed in every way, and rampant secessionists groups; therefore, it is reasoned, these powers really aren't important on an international scale and will most likely remain isolationist and focused on an inward strategy to prevent their collapse. There are sizable amounts of people who fear this regional conflict will escalate into a World War, just like the first one. The boiling point before all this tension bubbles over into a full-scale war is being approached rapidly. A stand-off occurs, Germany sends word to the Righteous League to pull their forces out of the conflict or face German retribution. The British, in response, send a message saying that they must pull out their forces or the Righteous League would declare war on Germany. This is a dangerous area to tread for Germany. The Righteous League by itself isn't strong enough to beat Germany, but if they declare war the Comintern might sense weakness and join in the war, and Germany might not be able to hold off the Comintern and the League simultaneously. Even if they could, it would bring them great destruction. As they deliberate, the Soviets send their own message, demanding Germany pull out of Spain. For Germany, this is tantamount to giving Spain over to either the Comintern or the League. Germany mulls over this dilemma. As the world awaits a response, the war continues.
A decisive engagement happens at Madrid. Montgomery manages to trick Rommel into moving forces to Toledo to defend against an attack that is actually just a faint. Harris bombards the roads leading back to Madrid as thoroughly as he can and de Llano pins the force down. With Rommel stuck in the south and Hindenburg concentrating on an offensive north at Aranda de Duero, as its loss would create a dangerous degree of separation between forces in Burgos with those in Madrid and Guadalajara, the GEF lacks reserve forces to defend Madrid. Republican forces are also spread thin due to the loss of Málaga and the siege of Córdoba. Meanwhile, Soviet forces are still reeling from the defeats near Córdoba and French troops are fighting tooth and nail just to hold back the forces in the north by Bilbao. Using this window of opportunity, Montgomery and Yagüe descend upon the city. The light, untrained, and insufficient garrison fight valiantly and cost Yagüe dearly, but without aid from additional troops and continuous bombardment from artillery and planes, they surrender to Nationalists forces after a week of fighting.
Rundstedt is appalled, his front is on the verge of collapsing and with the center forces, especially Rommel, in a precarious position, he sends word to Hindenburg that either he his given sufficient forces to maintain the front-line or he must be allowed to retreat and regroup at Cuenca while other forces could dig in at the city of Guadalajara. Hindenburg is unsure of this, although these positions are relatively defensible, Cuenca is over 100 km away and due to bombed out roads, heavy tanks, and other hindrances, he estimates it would take around 70 hours, or just under 3 days, for Rommel to be able to make the trip. Hindenburg is unsure if he can do so, despite Rundstedt saying there is no other option and Rommel's assurances he can make the trip in just over a day. With this deteriorating situation, Hindenburg relays the dangerous position the center forces of the GEF are in back to OHL and waits for a response. While he waits, he orders Generaloberst Felix Graf von Bothmer to move to and fortify Guadalajara against an enemy assault from Madrid and asks Rundstedt to head back to Germany to relay to him what OHL and the Kaiser want to do. In his absence, Hindenburg appoints Generalfeldmarschall Albrecht von Württemberg, who has been in retirement as the king of Württemberg but has been convinced by his cousin, the Kaiser, to come back to the military, to replace him. After consulting with his superiors, Rundstedt writes back to Hindenburg and informs him that they clearly do not approve of the abandonment of Toledo so easily and that they are ordering him to hold it; but they both know that Rommel is now too far from the city to do so.
With the clashing visions of the High Command and the Kaiser versus the forces on the ground, the German army is paralysed, and with increasing Communist and Restitutio pressure endangering the heartland, the Kaiser has to make a decision. Pull back the GEF and ensure the safety of Germany and her people at the cost of losing face and potentially ceding Spain to one of her enemies, or keep the forces in Spain in a dangerous gamble that could cost the empire much. The Kaiser and his closest advisers convene and deliberate on what to do. He manages to achieve a ceasefire in Spain, allowing both sides to entrench and to prepare for whatever comes next. The British and Soviets, tiring of German stalling, send a joint ultimatum on the 23rd of November, stating that they will both declare war unless Germany pulls all forces out of Spain within 48 hours. The Kaiser calls an emergency meeting comprised of the entirety of the OHL and several generals and officers not a part of it, Maximilian von Baden and his cabinet, and the Kaiser's son and heir, Wilhelm III. They argue about what to do, OHL wants to stay the course and risk a full out war while von Baden, his cabinet, and Wilhelm III all desperately want to avoid one. Although von Baden and his cabinet make good points, the Kaiser is still not entirely convinced that the Comintern and the League can defeat the entirety of Germany and her Eastern allies, however, August gives an impassioned speech pleading to his father to not engage in another avoidable war, to not repeat the mistakes of 1914. The Kaiser decides to pull out of Spain. Declaring this intention with only an hour left. Soon, the GEF returns back to the homeland. OHL and the military in general are angered by this, however most understand the rationale and do not want to put their homes and families in harms way. A small but powerful clique of generals, officers, and commanders do not however and view this as the last straw, they begin plotting against the monarchy. Although it would take years if not decades of preparation to even attempt this, the seeds of dissent are planted.
When he hears the news, Mosley is ecstatic. He wasn't entirely certain that Germany would back down, and knew that Britain wouldn't be even remotely ready to even begin fighting until the mid 30s. With this victory, Mosley and his government is hailed and he begins planning to call a snap election in the near future and so informs the Loyalist delegates that the Imperial Conference will be delayed until January next year. The Republicans feel abandoned by the Germans and thus the more moderate and representative elements fall out of favour while pro-communist factions used the fact the Comintern is staying Spain to expand their influence. With the Germans out of Spain, Mosley decides to break the ceasefire and restart the war before it becomes cold so they can fight at full strength as well as denying the enemy the chance to fortify their position.
All along the front, Falangist and Restitutio forces push into Republican territory slowly but surely. On the 22nd of December, the beginning of Winter, both sides slow down. Although Spain is still warm compared to most of the foreigners homes, it is still quite cold, around 5°C. The majority of the troops in the North stop fighting, the exception being the British and the Soviets, along with some French divisions, as they are used to much colder temperatures. With the fighting slowed, Mosley can now focus on inward development. Mosley calls the snap election and leaves with Joyce, Kitson, Ross, and Fuller to spread support in areas were they closely lost or just barely won in '25. They move immediately so they can use the hours wisely. David gives a public address via radio stating his support for Mosley is as strong as ever. Several pro-Victorian industrialists and retired military officers, Douglas Haig being the most notable, state their support for Mosley. Some mention how they were originally opposed to or unsure of him, but with recent events coming to pass they were swayed and now truly believe in him. He makes an emphasis on visiting Wales to reach out to the Irish and Welsh. The Irish were very supporting of Mosley in the last election due to his efforts to mend Anlgo-Irish relations and his policy of cooperation between Catholics and Protestants, though most of them were Protestants, and their vote helped Mosley immensely. The Welsh, however, were less devoted to him. They hold no significant grudge against him, apart from maybe the lack of anti-Irish rhetoric, but they believe Mosley has nothing special to offer them, especially since the recent recovery has not reached Wales, Scotland or even the majority of Northern England. Upon arriving, he talks to several prominent Irish politicians and social figures and promises them that in their lifetime, Britain will reclaim Éire and that they will return to their homes. This emphasis on saying Éire instead of Ireland particularly endeared him to them even more, as it seemed he truly cared about them and the loss of their homes. He also promises that efforts to revitalise Wales and Northern England will be undertaken. This helps move more Welsh to his side. As for the Scots, he also promises that the recovery experienced by the South would move up to the North as well, he just needed more time. He then returns back to the South and continues campaigning. At 10pm, the last stations close and the process of counting the votes begins. Mosley is certain that they have secured another smashing victory.
The next day, the results are in and once again the Victorian Union are the clear winners. Not only do they win, it is by a staggering amount. By its end, they hold 70% of the House of Commons and many in the House of Lords are already friendly or allied with the Victorians. With this absolutely astonishing majority, with most commentators recognising its uniqueness, Mosley and the Victorian Union stand virtually unopposed. Even if both the Torries and Labour along with every minor party in the country joined together in a coalition, the VU would still have enough votes to override them. Mosley is delighted. This will give him complete control over Parliament as most in the Victorian Union view Mosley with great admiration and some even devotion, so it would be unlikely for them to oppose anything he proposes. Kitson and Ross go wild, hurling a flurry of bills towards Mosley that, until now, they felt unsure of their survival in Parliament. Mosley also gets the news that wiring is essentially complete. Although they will have to continue checking on it for about a week or so to ensure everything stays working. Mosley thanks them and decides his first phone call ever will be to Makgill. He calls him and Makgill responds.
George Makgill
"Hello Your Excellency. What is it that you need?"
Oswald Mosley
"Hello Makgill. I need you to come to my office at the earliest possible convenience. I have an idea I want to discuss with you."
George Makgill
"I will be there in an hour."
Oswald Mosley
"Thank you. I await your arrival"
Makgill finishes up his most pressing work and departs towards 10 Downing. Once he arrives, he enters into Mosley's office and sits down.
George Makgill
"Hello Mosley. What is the purpose of my summoning?"
Oswald Mosley
"I have called you here as I believe a new organisation must be founded. I have already reestablished the Ministry of Information. Now, I believe I must establish a paramilitary group who's focus will be on the internal integrity of the British nation."
George Makgill
"Isn't that MI5's purpose?"
Oswald Mosley
"MI5 is designed to deal with internal military matters, not the stability of the nation. Your job is to identify and apprehend foreign agents, coups, terrorist attacks, and things of such nature. This organisation will be focused on dealing with dissidents, Marxist sympathisers, traitors to the nation, troublesome politicians and other civilian agitators as well as breaking up dangerous strikers. Even with your recently granted extra-judicial powers, which are temporary, MI5's internal structure is not suited for this matter. However, there are people in MI5 that would be especially suited towards this kind of work. I'm certain you can distinguish who belongs where. MI5 also has access to crucial domestic networks that would assist this endeavor so the sharing of the information between your group and this new one will be crucial to the success of both."
George Makgill
"I see. I can begin cataloging who belongs in this new organisation. I can also work to ready our intelligence networks for cooperative use."
Oswald Mosley
"Thank you."
George Makgill
"May I ask what you shall name this new agency?"
Oswald Mosley
"The Institute for Internal Integrity, or I3. Oh, and one more thing Makgill."
George Makgill
"Yes?"
Oswald Mosley
"I've been searching for a man, he goes by the name P.S Burton. That is just an alias however and his real identity eludes me. I have asked who I know but have come up with nothing. I would like for you to do what you can to find who this man is, I want him brought to me alive and unharmed. I like him very much. Can you do it?"
George Makgill
"I will do everything in my power to find and identify this P.S Burton, if that is what you desire."
Oswald Mosley
"Thank you George."
And with that, their meeting is concluded. Makgill returns to his office to begin carrying out the instructions given to him by Mosley. Mosley continues to work in private. He has received a response from ICI, they said that if Mosley provides adequate government funding, they can begin research into more advanced chemical weapons and begin developing the first truly modern biological weapons. They state how they have been in limited contact with IG Farben and have the possibility to purchase quantities of organophosphates from them, however, in order to keep it secret they would need to pay them a higher price. They hope Mosley will be willing to subsidise the extra costs. Organophosphates work by disrupting an insects nervous system, some of the scientists at ICI believe there is a possibility of certain compounds to be lethal to humans as well in a high enough dosage. Mosley writes back to them saying he will support them in their endeavors. Fuller has also moved the training grounds for Claudius I and all future armoured vehicles to Bovington, Dorset, as Scilly is becoming too small for future training operations. Development of the next experimental tank, the Claudius II, is already underway. Vickers is working hard and with this promising pace, Mosley has assigned Kitson to work on merging Vickers with Armstrong Whitworth. This model will be another early prototype as Vickers is still working on the design of both their infantry and cruiser tank prototypes. The cruiser has been named "Matilda" while the infantry has been named "Haig".
Sopwith submits the initial blueprints for the new planes. He has managed to achieve such a quick start by heavily cooperating with Avro and Blackburn Aircraft, two other aviation manufacturers, in their designs. The two suffered greatly after the war and did not find the renewed success that H.G. Hawker Engineering did. In order to help their struggling situation, they agreed to supply technical assistance and blueprints. In exchange, Hawker would provide industrial production lines and the labour force and they would split the profits three ways. Kitson uses this cooperation to spearhead efforts to encourage a merger between the three.
The first plane is named the Avro 566 Avenger. It is a single-seat, single engine biplane of wood and fabric construction. The head designer is Roy Chadwick, however, Harry Hawker and other test and war pilots give their valuable input to improve performance by correcting issues an armchair designer might not recognise before the first test flight. The plane will have a length of 7.77 meters, a wingspan of 9.75 m, a height of 3.12 m, a wing area of 22.7 m², an empty weight of 1,074 kilograms, a loaded weight of 1,460 kg and the engine is a Napier Lion VII. Although there has not been a test flight, estimates say that top speed will be around 290 kilometers per hour, cruise speed will be around 209 km/h, the service ceiling will be in the 6,700 m range with the armament being a single engine-mounted 7.77 millimeter Vickers machine gun. A more experimental version would include a rear-mounted 7.77 mm Lewis Gun for rear defense, however the former version is cheaper and easier to produce. Since the Republicans or the Soviets don't have much in the way of aircraft, the French would be the only substantial threat in the air, therefore, the RAF and the Army feel that it is unnecessary if it means getting the planes into action faster.
They also have blueprints of a biplane bomber, the Hawker Horsley. It is a single-engine, all-wooden, medium day bomber. It would hold a crew of 2, 1 pilot and 1 bombardier and rear-gunner. The pilot would have access to a single forward-firing 7.77 mm Vickers machine gun while the bombardier would wield a rear-mounted 7.77 m Lewis Gun and be capable of dropping either two 250 kg bombs or one 680 kg bomb. It would have a length of 11.83 m, a wingspan of 17.22 m, a height of 4.16 m, a wing area of 64.38 m², an empty weight of 2,164 kg, a loaded weight of 3,545 kg and would be powered by a single Rolls-Royce Condor III engine. With these components, estimated performance would point to a maximum speed of 201 km/h at an altitude of 1,829 m, standard bombing height, a service ceiling of 4,267 m, a rate of climb of 3.625 m/s, and could last in the field for a absolute maximum of 10 hours. The two final blueprints displayed are a naval aerial fighter and a naval bomber.
The naval torpedo bomber is named the Blackburn T.5 Ripon. It is a carrier-based torpedo bomber that could also serve as a reconnaissance plane. It holds a crew of two. Its specifications show that its length is 11.20 m, a wingspan of 13.67 m, a height of 3.91 m, a wing area of 63.45 m2, an empty weight of 1,878 kg, a loaded weight of 3,310 kg and his also powered by Napier Lion VII engine. As with the previous planes, test flights have yet to be conducted yet as they're still making sure the planes are safe to fly, but they estimate performance will equal a top speed of 179 km/h, a service ceiling of 3,050 km, and a rate of climb of 2.158 m/s. Its armament includes a single fixed, forward firing 7.77 m Vickers machine gun, another rear firing 7.77 m Lewis Gun, and either a 447 mm torpedo, three 240 kg bombs or six 104 kg bombs.
The final one, the naval aerial fighter, is the Avro Type 584 Avocet. It is single-engine naval fighter whose main role will be a fighter on the high seas. It was not carrier-based as they simply can not make it work with current technology unless cutbacks are made to other areas. It holds a single pilot. Its would have a length of 7.50 m, a wingspan of 9.93 m, a height of 3.05 m, a wing area of 31.59 m², an empty weight of 985 kg, a loaded weight 1,381 kg, and would be powered by a single Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar IV engine. Its top speed would be 233 km, and a service ceiling of 7,000 m, with an armament consisting of two 7.77 mm Madsen machine Guns.
Mosley decides now is the time to push his pro-natalist policies. Mosley and Kitson, along with others he knew, believed that in the future, the colonies, once reclaimed, must be majority White. South Africa, Rhodesia, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand all followed this. But not just any white majority, an English speaking majority with both racial and cultural ties back to the Home Isles, in order to create a tightly knit union of Anglo nations rather than disparate Dominions and colonies. Britain also needed to expand her core population and industrial base to these areas while simultaneously denying natives from accessing these resources and demanding independence. With pro-natalist polices, Britain's economy can recover even faster as the few jobs women take would now be open for male work, decreasing unemployment and also leading to a population surplus. This combined with economic incentives for married couples who have children would see the next generation coming faster than their parents could raise them. He could then implement incentives for immigration to Africa, India, the East Indies, and wherever the British Empire would claim as her own so as to begin another great wave of immigration to the colonies. With Whites being the majority in these areas, Mosley and the public would have no problems giving them equal rights as citizens of homeland while they would be proud to call themselves British. However this also meant the crushing of regional identities. No longer should one call themselves a Canadian, a South African, a Rhodesian, a Kenyan, an Australian, a Zealander, a Malayan, an Indian, or anything else. In Mosley's eyes, these should only be stated if one is asked where they hail from, not what or who they are. In Mosley's vision, it would be an empire of Britons only, "Blood and Soil" as he called it. In order to achieve this, Britain's population would have to be increased, the Imperial Loyalists must be employed to break regional national identities and to create and spread a new global British identity, and the foes who possess these lands must be overthrown so that their rightful owners can return. Britain's population is around 35,000,000 people, this is not enough. Germany's population is almost twice that. He had been inspired by the steps Mussolini and his Fascists had taken after their seizure of power. Once the session is opened by King George V, Mosley proposes the pro-natalist polices and they pass through easily due to the Victorian supermajority, set to be fully passed into law by January, along with the bills from Kitson and Ross. Women will be barred from all work save for nursing, civilian and military, and other jobs that are maternal in nature. Tax credits for married couples and child-bearing ones will be instituted and a tax on bachelor men will be carried out. Birth control and abortion are made illegal and any advertisement for it will be punishable by harsh fines and jail time. The Order of the White Feather would be reestablished. However, to avoid the scandalous and embarrassing events where they were presented to veterans and people engaged in the civilian war effort, those who were considered exempt from enlisting would be identified and added to a newly created database with photos, where available, to see where they should send members to avoid these problems. The Order would remain dormant for a minimum of 2 years in order to hire members and to let the populace recover from the Great War. Women's right vote would be untouched as Mosley was not particularly opposed to the idea and believed that the property restrictions that limited men's voting right was an abhorrent disgrace that he was glad the Fourth Reform Act ended it.
New Years Eve comes and goes, with people celebrating heartily all over the world. In London, people cheer that a new era for the nation has arrived. In Berlin, people celebrate continued peace and prosperity. In Paris, people are jovial that the age of oppression of the past is over and a new future for France dawns. In Moscow, people are less optimistic as Lenin's NEP has failed to revitalise the economy the way he promised, the losses from the Great War and Russian Civil Wars are still felt, and the clash between Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin continues to escalate. However, recent developments in the economy and Germany's backing down over Spain has led people to feeling that there might be hope for the future. In Tokyo, people celebrate their countries prosperity and rise of representative institutions. In Washington, however, are massive riots nearby the White House. President Coolidge has managed to ease the situation, carrying out his campaign of "Return to Normalcy", in which various laws to improve labour rights and limited roll backs on Federal power to appease the Minimalists and Communists have been instituted. Winston Churchill, an admiral in the Royal Navy, a war hawk, an early supporter of Oswald Mosley, and who the primary onus for the failure of Gallipoli is placed on, said, "Coolidge is an appeaser. An appeaser is one who feeds the crocodiles, hoping they will eat him last". However, the effect of this compromise is undeniable. America is still not rife with optimism and cynicism has begun to pervade the country.
As the January month begins, Mosley has plans with the Imperial Conference and the French Exiles.
HMS Hermes, the First Ship in the World to Designed as a Seaplane Carrier on the British Coast, 1925
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French Communard Troops Advancing Upon Nationalist Positions in Osorno, 1923
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Locals Dealing With the Problems of the Civil War, 1924
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Republican Troops in Madrid. They Were Undersupplied and Undermanned to the Point of Having to Conscript Females and the Effects of the Siege Began to Drive Some of the Troops Mad, 1925
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Locals Clearing Away Debris in Madrid After its Fall to the Nationalists. The Siege Brought Great Destruction to the City, 1925
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Nationalist Troops in Laredo Marching Towards Bilbao to Engage French and Republican Troops, 1925
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The Avro 566 Avenger Prototype, the Next Step in British Fighter Planes, 1925
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The Avro Type 584 Avocet Prototype, the Evolution of Naval Air Warfare for Britain, 1925
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The Blackburn T.5 Ripon Prototype, an Advanced Carrier-Based Torpedo Bomber and Reconnaissance Plane in Development, 1925
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The Hawker Horsley Prototype, an Advanced Medium Day Bomber and Torpedo Bomber and the First Step in Realising "Strategic Destruction", 1925
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- Lord_Vespasian
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