alternatehistory.com

Update!

1906 Part One The reign of Wladyslaw

January: Von Kaulbars, believing the Soviets to be overextended after their offensive against the Ukrainians, begins plans for an offensive north to break through and take Voronezh. Baiov in the meantime prepares to renew his offensive against the Ukrainians

January: Germany begins to covertly supply the National Republic of Byelorussia with arms in return for a guarantee by Sakharov to re-join a victorious Tsarist government as an autonomous protectorate. However, Sakharov has no intention of resuming the offensive towards Moscow, believing that the Tsarists will not be able to win the civil war and so believes he has a better chance of preserving his dictatorship by staying on the defence.

February: The 1906 United Kingdom general election is held. The Conservatives led by Arthur Balfour are narrowly defeated by the Liberals led by Henry Campbell-Bannerman. Despite having been deeply unpopular prior to 1905, British victory in the War of Dogger Bank bring Conservative popularity back high enough to almost win re-election.

February: The trial of Vladimir Lenin occurs. Despite calls for execution, Lenin is exiled from Russia and arrives in France.

March: The HMS Dreadnought is launched. All other capital ships in navies around the world are immediately obsolete. Major nations begin hastily designing Dreadnought class ships for their own navies.

March: France signs a military and defensive alliance known as the Western Entente with Great Britain. Both sides pledge to defend each other in the event of a war with an external power. France also signs a defensive alliance with Japan, mirroring the Anglo-Japanese Alliance

March: Second Battle of Smolensk: Having reinforced his army to 110,000 men Trotsky attacks the Army of White Russia in an attempt to retake Minsk and destroy Byelorussia. However, despite having minor numerical superiority, his troops run into well entrenched and armed Byelorussians, and take heavy losses without a breakthrough.

March: Ottoman forces push on Yerevan to crush the Armenian revolt. However, there advance is slow, as the Ottoman incursion into Russian Armenia prompts an uprising by Armenians living within the Ottoman Empire. Repression of the revolt is brutal, with Ottoman troops cracking down on Armenian civilians as well

March: Battle of Perm: Tsarist Russian forces cross the Urals and drive towards Perm. The Tsarist advance is slow due to horrendous infrastructure and determined resistance by local Soviet Guards

March: French and British produced arms and munitions begin arriving in Republican controlled Kuban

April: In response to the Western Entente and the Franco-Japanese Alliance, Germany begins sending out diplomatic feelers to the Chinese Qing government

April: Battle of Kiev: Baiov’s army resumes the offensive. However, the Ukrainians continue to wage guerrilla warfare and launch raiding attacks on Baiov’s rear and supply lines, while continually retreating west towards the Dnieper. Baiov advances slowly but surely

May: Battle of Voronezh: The Kuban Army under von Kaulbars launches its offensive north. His army quickly breaks through the outstretched forces on Baiov’s flank and quickly advances.

May: Battle of Kiev: With the offensive from the Kuban threatening his rear, Baiov calls of his offensive just short of the Dnieper river

June: Battle of Voronezh: Recognising that he is in danger of being cut off and encircled, Baiov withdraws his army north west in order to establish a defensive line from Belgorod to Voronezh

June: After months of debate between Germany and Austria-Hungary over the new monarch of a Central Powers Poland, Germanys greater role in the intervention means that they eventually win out. Prince Joachim of Prussia, youngest son of Kaiser Wilhelm II is chosen to become King Wladyslaw V of Poland. In the new Polish constitution (which is very similar to Germany’s constitution), the King is head of state and has the power to represent Poland in foreign affairs, while the Parliament (Sejm) requires his consent to pass laws. The Sejm is headed by a Prime Minister who is appointed by the King, who then has the power to appoint his cabinet. Elections to the Sejm are scheduled for September. NDP and other underground groups intensify their terrorist campaign against the “foreign puppet”.

June: Battle of Perm: The Tsarists finally take Perm from the Soviets but are exhausted and are unable to advance any further. They dig in to await the expected Soviet counterattack.

June: Second Battle of Smolensk: Soviet Guards under Trotsky finally breakthrough the Belorussian lines but are unable to exploit the breakthrough. The Byelorussians fall back to Vitebsk and Mogilev and prepare to fight a defence of the two cities.

June: German General von Mackensen arrives in Beijing. He and Viceroy Yuan Shikai found a military academy in Beijing to serve as a basis for a new professional Qing Army. Von Mackensen also serves as an advisor to Yuan’s New Army.

June: With the ongoing Armenian revolt, Ottoman forces begin rounding up Armenians into poorly constructed concentration camps throughout eastern Anatolia.