A New Balance

[Killerflood]

...the British panicked.

And when one is drowning (even in success), panicking is the last thing you want to be doing. Smart moves all around! Not ...

Did the idea that maybe they should be putting more effort into proactively understanding the Americans rather than reacting in ignorance ever occur to them?

 

[Jim Smitty]

And when one is drowning (even in success), panicking is the last thing you want to be doing. Smart moves all around! Not ...

Did the idea that maybe they should be putting more effort into proactively understanding the Americans rather than reacting in ignorance ever occur to them?

In some circles in the British Foreign Office, yes that idea came up. However they weren't in senior positions nor in the right positions to push it. ITL its one of the biggest WI questions on the alt-AH.com. What if the British hadn't panicked in the wake of the Island War.

 

[Jim Smitty]

Near Wuhan
Rice Fields
May 8 1938


Lieutenant Louis Belanger was out in the boondocks at the moment. He had his modified M1917 submachine at the ready as he was walking around the perimeter that his unit had set up. His small unit was currently guarding a shot down Japanese Ki-29 that had crashed in this rice field. They were here to get technical intelligence on the Ki-29 which was one of the more advance aircraft currently in use by the Japanese Armed Forces. The Japanese had started advancing on Wuhan a few week ago and against the cluster of different warlords. Further the Japanese were terror bombing Wuhan in effort to force the Chinese to surrender. But the Chinese knew the score. The Japanese was looting, raping, and killing on their way across China. The Massacre of Shanghai had only been the start of the Japanese terror against the Chinese people, with larger massacres happening in Nanjing, Weifang, and Peking.


The Japanese through had a nasty surprise a few days ago. The US had sold to one of the larger warlords in the area a number of surplus guns that could be used as anti-aircraft guns. These guns couldn’t be traced back to the United States because they had salvaged the guns from a few British destroyers that had been scuttled at Halifax when the city fell to the US during the Great War. These were tested by the US for intelligence reasons before they were placed into storage and largely forgotten about. The ONI learned about these guns and put the paper work in to take control of them months ago. They then sold the guns to this warlord along with ammo for use as anti-aircraft weapons. The 12 pdr[1] guns hadn’t been designed for that but they were easily modified to be used as such. And since they weren’t American weapons they didn’t even had to let Congress know about this, though they may question where the ONI had gotten a few thousand taels of Chinese silver from.


It was this sale of anti-air guns that had led to this Ki-29 to being shot down. Prior to this the best anti-air guns in this part of China were machine guns and crappy made Chinese cannons that had a nasty habit of blowing up on the people firing them after only a maybe 50 rounds being fired out of them. As such the Japanese were flying low to hit their targets better. Their targets were population areas. Even with the limited training of the Chinese on their new weapons they managed to bring down two of the Ki-29s out of 80 or so that had bombed Wuhan a few days ago.


Now LT Belanger was leading a team to this crashed Ki-29 to salvage intelligence from it. It was why he had a reinforced squad guarding the Ki-29 with a team of aircraft mechanics pulling the plane apart. Given they in the boondocks it wasn’t an easy task. So far they had already taken two truck loads of parts out to Wuhan where they were loaded on to waiting American gun boats for travel back to Franklin and at the moment they were currently working on their third truck load. From there they were get packed up and sent to the states for study. This way they could get an idea what the Ki-29 could do so they could feed that information into the fighter projects to build better fighters to defeat Japanese bombers.


The senior aviation machinist’s mate, a 1st class petty officer came up to Belanger, “Sir we got the port engine loaded up and ready to go. To get the starboard engine we are going to need more acetylene through.” The starboard side was worse off than the port side as it landed with its wing on fire it seemed like.


“Never mind trying to take the whole engine. Strip what you can off it that engine.” Louis would had liked to get that second engine as well, but the Japanese were only a few days out from this position and they wouldn’t take kindly to his team stripping one of their bombers for parts.


“Aye, aye sir”


[1] Think 12 pdr 12 cwt Mk Vs

 

[sloreck]

Interesting, although Japanese engine tech was not something that was ahead of the USA at this point in time OTL, but it will give indications on performance. I wonder why the USA is unwilling to sell the Chinese weapons as they did OTL. After all the USA and Japan aren't "friends" and if they sell the Chinese munitions/weapons for cash, business is business.

 

[Jim Smitty]

Interesting, although Japanese engine tech was not something that was ahead of the USA at this point in time OTL, but it will give indications on performance. I wonder why the USA is unwilling to sell the Chinese weapons as they did OTL. After all the USA and Japan aren't "friends" and if they sell the Chinese munitions/weapons for cash, business is business.

The main reason the US is iffy on selling weapons to China is because of the fact the Central Government really doesn't have an army to speak of. China is ruled by different warlords who have been fighting for control of China since the early 1900s ITL. The Central Government's main roles is to pay off the Boxer Indemnity to the Alliance that defeated China during the Boxer War. A face for the western powers (Japanese prior to the war with them) someone to bitch to when things go sideways and their citizens get killed. Being the President of the Republic of China is like an old saying large house but no power. Everyone is really iffy on selling good stuff to the different warlords as new ones rise up to replace older one. Each one has their own favor with some being liked more than others. But China has been in a state of civil war since 1905 or so ITL. The OTL Warlord Period in China would be welcomed over the hell that is China ITL.

Further is the US would be cutting into their reserve pile of weapons if they sold military grade weapons to the warlords they favor. They sold off the old Krags and other weapons that have been declared obsolete during the early 1930s for Chinese silver already. Everyone did that. Maybe once there are enough .276 M1 Rifles for the reserves to be fully equipped the M1899 (OTL M1903) will be sold to the Chinese, but at the moment military grade weapons aren't being sold as they would cut into the defenses of the Army which isn't going to happen. Those guns the ONI sold had been forgotten about and had just been sitting in a storage unit for about 20 years. They turned around modified them for anti-air missions and sold them for silver. But as to anything currently being used by the US being sold to the Chinese not a chance in hell. There might be more to weapons forgotten laying around in the US but that's another story.

 

[Zoidberg12]

Finally! Here is a map of this world in 1937. Once again, a lot of this map was speculation.

I also re-uploaded my 1918 map to fix the border between Germany and Poland.

 

[Jim Smitty]

Canberra
Barton Cottage
May 23 1938


Many people across the Imperial Federation were getting ready for a milestone for their nation. Queen Victoria the Second had died in December last year. Her replacement was politically unacceptable to the Imperial Federation as the nation had a far larger set of Roman Catholics than either the British Home Islands or the Union of South Africa. Empress Victoria the Third was simply the wrong monarch for the Imperial Federation. The Roman Catholic Church took a dim view of the rumor Sapphic Affairs of the new British monarch. Indeed, there was already major gap between London and Canberra/Sydney/Wellington before the whole question of the next monarch had come up.


Unlike South Africa which had their own branch Conservative Empire Party running South Africa, the Imperial Federation own branch of the CEP the Empire Party had never gain any traction. The Imperial Federation was the only part of the British Empire that freedom of speech and freedom of press still existed. Or multi-party elections could freely happen. This was because the branch party of the CEP in South Africa had basically followed the CEP playbook and turned South Africa into a Fascist State led by the Empire Party there. Then again South Africa had a guilty feeling about having their civil war during the Great War. It was why the Boer had been forced to move to Argentina or elsewhere. But still they wanted to prove they were loyal members of the British Empire and sometimes were trying to out British the British.


The Imperial Federation had taken its own route and it was still a true constitutional monarchy because of that. But the Imperial Federation was in an uncomfortable position geo-political position. They were deeply scared that they would be the next Canada. The United States held good naval bases at Rabaul and Noumea. Even with the volcanic eruption last year at Rabaul the US was rebuilding the base there. Making matters worse was Tokyo was still aligned with London. The Imperial Federation was worried that the Japanese would attack them and London would keep backing Tokyo to draw the Americans away from their shipping lanes in the Atlantic.


Prime Minister Donald Storm was getting ready for his last meeting of the day before travelling to Wellington to meet with King Arthur of the Imperial Federation. The Coronation of King Arthur was to start in a few days and it was a critical event for the Imperial Federation. One that needed to go off without a hitch. Yet the German Ambassador was very clear that he wanted to meet before Donald took off to Wellington. His personal secretary showed in the German Ambassador into his office. The German Ambassador put his hand forward, “Thank you for taking the time to see me today Mister Prime Minister.” He said in good English but with a clear German accent.


Returning the hand, “Its no problem Mister Ambassador. However, I would like to know what was so important that it couldn’t wait.”


“Quite right good sir.” Damn Don thought he is really turning on the charm. “As you know I will be representative my nation at King Arthur’s Coronation.” The British had sent their Minister-Counselor to the German Empire to representative the British Empire at Kaiser Wilhelm the Third’s Coronation. The Imperial-Federation send its Charge d’affaires to the German Empire. Donald through it was somewhat odd that the Germans after being disrespected by the British would send their own ambassador to King Arthur’s Coronation. Not only where they sending their own ambassador they were sending a lot of people to the Coronation. “My Kaiser wish to bestow a sign of friendship between are two nations.”


That caused Donald to raise an eye brow. The British hadn’t given Kaiser Wilhelm any awards at his Coronation. The Imperial Federation didn’t have any awards to give at the time as the Order of the Imperial Federation[1] hadn’t been founded yet. “My Kaiser has decided to bestow on King Arthur the Order of the Black Eagle. I would wish just a small amount of time to present this honor to King Arthur.” The Order of the Black Eagle as it was known in English was the highest order of chivalry within the German Order of Chivalry. It was only awarded to nobles, or if a commoner did something to warrant awarding it, they were made a noble than awarded it. Before the Great War it was a common order to be present to foreign monarchs, but since then the Germans had only presented it to allied monarchs of the German Empire.


Donald knew that the Germans were making a play for something by doing this. He wasn’t sure what the play was yet but he had a few ideas. Honestly all of them sounded like winners to him. “I will speak to King Arthur and see if I can set up a few minutes of his time to present this honor to him.”


“Thank you Mister Prime Minister, for asking for his grace’s valuable time.” He left it unsaid that he would later present the Order of Merit to the Imperial Federation Prime Minister. “I will see you in Wellington Sir.”


The two men shook hands again prior to the German Ambassador leaving the office. Donald knew that the German Ambassador would be travelling on the SMS Fürst Bismarck which was travelling with her sister ship as part of the Fleet Review taking place at Wellington. One thing Donald was sure about though the Germans were pulling out all of the stops for what it was they were doing.


[1] Think Order of the British Empire for how this is ranked in British orders of chivalry, but below it.

 

[cortz#9]

King Arthur, nice.

 

[La Rouge Beret]

Let the diplomatic intrigue begin, this might be a situation, whereby the best move is not to play.

 

[Kaiser Chris]

So the Imperial Federation is effectively declaring independence and naming their own King? I like it but they are making a risky decision to piss of Britain right now and only ally with the German Empire. As established in the previous posts Germany has barely any sea power in the Pacific and Britain could easily crush Austraulasia in a war at this point. While America may be scary they would be the far better ally as they can send an actual Armada to back up Federal independence.

Also why does the Maritime Federation exist? I would've thought they'd be absorbed by America as their is no cultural or historical case to give them independence.

 

[Admiral Halsey]

So the Imperial Federation is effectively declaring independence and naming their own King? I like it but they are making a risky decision to piss of Britain right now and only ally with the German Empire. As established in the previous posts Germany has barely any sea power in the Pacific and Britain could easily crush Austraulasia in a war at this point. While America may be scary they would be the far better ally as they can send an actual Armada to back up Federal independence.

Also why does the Maritime Federation exist? I would've thought they'd be absorbed by America as their is no cultural or historical case to give them independence.

Wonder if they're trying to get both German and America as allies? As for the Maritine Federation I'd imagine they left it as a place for those Canadians who didn't want to be uner the control(even if just in theory) of the US. Basically a place where those who would've formed a resistance to the occupation of Canada could call a home.

 

[Jim Smitty]

So the Imperial Federation is effectively declaring independence and naming their own King? I like it but they are making a risky decision to piss of Britain right now and only ally with the German Empire. As established in the previous posts Germany has barely any sea power in the Pacific and Britain could easily crush Austraulasia in a war at this point. While America may be scary they would be the far better ally as they can send an actual Armada to back up Federal independence.

Take note how Victoria III is not a queen, but an Empress in the update. This move has been approved by London. King Arthur is royal family but is now king of the Imperial Federation now. Arthur gave up his position in the Royal Line to take the position but its viewed like the different kingdoms within the German Empire pre-Great War ITL. Needed for political reasons but they will be able to unite again fully at a later date. Or that's what London wants anyways.

Also why does the Maritime Federation exist? I would've thought they'd be absorbed by America as their is no cultural or historical case to give them independence.

The Maritime Federation exist for much the same reasons the Republic of Rio Grande exist. The US wanted to annex the area but found the locals heavily against being annexed. Much the same played out in Ontario. But the US wasn't about to allow Ontario to go which why they had the place under military occupation till the early 1930s ITL before it was fully annexed into the Ontario Territory on the path to statehood. So they decide to allow the Canadian Maritime States to be spun off as their own nation with heavy ties to the United States. The US got a 99 rent free lease at Halifax and is the biggest trade partner of the Maritime Federation that it makes up 60% of the trade the Maritime Federation does with other nations. Beside Roosevelt who oversaw both the creation of both of those nations put a plan into action for something with both and its been followed by the people who took over after him. Let me say this the peace treaty that ends the Second Great War, the map of the world ITL is going to be something radically different than OTL map post-WWII so much so its going to be a laughable difference if you so an OTL map to an ITL alt-AH.com member.

 

[Killerflood]

It sounds like the Second Great War is going to wind up being even more monstrous than ours. By the way, I forget if there was one but is there a more logical reason you're continuing to call it the Second Great War or are you using it just to differentiate it from our WWII?

Secondly, is the end balance going to look like what you made in A Sudden Change? America vs. Britain vs. Germany?

 

[Jim Smitty]

It sounds like the Second Great War is going to wind up being even more monstrous than ours. By the way, I forget if there was one but is there a more logical reason you're continuing to call it the Second Great War or are you using it just to differentiate it from our WWII?

Secondly, is the end balance going to look like what you made in A Sudden Change? America vs. Britain vs. Germany?

As to the Second Great War yeah, its going to be a massive war.

But its not going to have anything like Sudden Change.

 

[Jim Smitty]

Thurmont, Maryland
ONI Safehouse
June 13 1938


Former British Ambassador Ronald Williams was currently getting for his first morning at what would be his house for the next few weeks. He had given up the knighthood he had when he accepted American citizenship. Currently the disappearance of Ambassador Sir Ronald Williams was a major mystery within diplomatic circles at the moment. Ronald had been known for taken walks in La Paz and other cities he had been posted to over the years. It was a habit he had picked up prior to becoming an American agent. The ONI used that for getting information out of Williams after making contact in Oslo 1921. It was also how they were able to stage his disappearance. On a walk only after learning that British had cancelled his plan retirement in August this year. The ONI decided they were getting too close on closing in on him and decided to get him out of La Paz then.


The British had a hunch that Sir Ronald Williams had defected to the United States. He had made it to the final four list of possible leaks within the Foreign Office. It was why they had cancelled his planned retirement so they could be sure he wasn’t the leak that was feeding information to the Americans. However, they couldn’t prove that Sir Ronald Williams had defected to the United States. His personal safe still had all the papers in it should. The same was true of the embassy safe at La Paz. His wife had no answers after being interrogation by the SS. And so far, there had been no effort to contact by any Americans. But they were still keeping an eye on her just incase the ONI decided to allow her to join her husband in case there.


After pouring a pot of tea, the two men came into the dining room, “Morning Ronald.” The ONI Commander said. A second morning came from the State Department official who was taking part in the debrief.


“Morning chaps.” Ronald said just before he took a sip of his tea.


At that the three men moved to the table to start the day’s work. The topic of the day military sales of the British to Bolivia. The British had just sold a large amount of military gear to Bolivia. This included a fair number of fighter and dive bombers, artillery, and light goliaths to Bolivia. This was after the massive military sell to the Mexicans and Argentines and a smaller military sell to the Haitians of last year. The fact the British were making large military sells to nations that were fairly hostile to Americans was unwelcomed by Washington. During this debriefing they were trying to figure out why the British were making such a massive a move in the Americas.

 

[Cryostorm]

Holy Shit, is Britain really trying to start a mass war in the Americas against the US, and possibly Brazil? It would be a incredibly risky plan that could tie up the US and Brazil long enough for the London pact to break Germany, if it works. If it doesn't then may the Lord have mercy on the minor nations of the Western Hemisphere because I doubt the US will.

 

[sloreck]

In theory mexico can threaten US soil directly, but their ability to do this in any meaningful way is minimal and while the 6 coastal subs could be a nuisance it will be some time before they are effective. Beyond that, other than the Panama Canal any conflict in South America can be contained well away form important US interests, and South America is not united so the US can offer allies there chunks of those countries that fight the USA. British bases in some of these countries would be a nuisance but still...

 

[Jim Smitty]

Rome
Lateran Palace
July 3 1938


Today was a major day for a number of Italian Nation. King Victor Emmanuel VI and Prime Minister Adriano Lucciano were both wearing smiles as they were standing waiting for the one more person. Today was the first of three major treaties being signed within the next few weeks that had been in the works for years. These treaties were between the Italian Kingdom and two minor nations and the Catholic Church. These treaties would slightly change the borders of the Italian Kingdom by a slight amount. However, these treaties would end the final issues left over the Italian Unification Process that had created during the mid to late 19th century. Well, all of the problems that could be finished peacefully. The issues with Austria-Hungary could only be finished by force of arms which at the moment Italy and the rest of her alliance wasn’t willing to push without a just cause, well at least publicly.


For the two nations that had been in talk with the Italian Kingdom for these treaty, they were micro-states. These were the Principality of Monaco and the Republic of San Marino. Between the two nations they made up just 63 square kilometers of land. Given the size of Italy this amount of land was minor in size. However, both nations were totally border around the Italian Kingdom and were totally depended on the Italian Kingdom for food imports along with the defense and foreign affairs of their nation. These treaties were have these small micro-nations be annexed to the Italian Kingdom. There would be some things that these smaller nations would be carried over into the Italian Kingdom itself. But in the end the Italian Kingdom would see these small nations annexed.


The treaty being signed today was not with a state but the church. And not just any church but the Catholic Church. This treaty would finally end the Roman Question that had been around since the Italian Kingdom annexed the Papel States during the Franco-Prussian War. The Pope had been the Prisoner in the Vatican since then, but today that was coming to an end. Pope Pius XII[1] would signing this treaty which would return sovereignty of the Vatican City to the Catholic Church. The amount of land that would be returning sovereignty to the Catholic Church was little over a half of a square kilometer.


Pope Pius entered the room to sign the treaty that would restore control of the Vatican City to the Catholic Church. Both King Victor Emmanuel VI and Prime Minister Lucciano kissed his ring as the pope greeted the two Italian leaders. They the three of them when forward to sign the treaty. It was a defining moment for both the Italian Kingdom and the Catholic Church.


However it was the secret sections of the treaty that would had raised eyebrows if they became publicly known. These sections of the treaty were built off the secret Treaty of Constantinople that was signed in 1935. The Ottoman Empire was not an official member of the Quadruple Alliance, however they were linked to the Quadruple Alliance via the German-Ottoman Alliance Treaty of 1921. However, they hadn’t been brought into the talks when the Quadruple Alliance was formed. However, the Treaty of Constantinople that was broker by Germany between the Italians and Ottomans saw some major give and take between the Christian and Muslim world. This had been done by the Germans to improve relations between two allies.


Following the losses in the Great War the Ottoman’s ability to project power in Arabia was questionable on the best of days. They had lost control of Mecca and Medina which fell under control of Ibn Saud during the 1920s. With their loss of those two cities the Ottoman Empire had lost control of all of their holy cities. Yet under the terms of the Treaty of Constantinople it agreed to borders between Italy and the Ottoman Empire in the event of a victorious war over the British. The Ottomans agreed to allow the Italians to have control of Palestine which was currently under British control, in return for this control the Italians agree to no further territorial claims in the Middle East. It further promised Italian logistical help to the Ottomans to help them retake Mecca and Medina when the time came for that. One of the main reasons the Ottomans were sure willing to take this deal was because they didn’t want anymore unruly Arabs in their nation which made up the bulk of the population of Palestine.


Under the terms of treaty being signed between Italy and the Catholic Church the Italian government was making promises to the church to land that they didn’t currently hold. If Palestine fell to the Italians the Italians agreed under this treaty to turn over control of the Christian Quarter of Old City of Jerusalem to the church. It was set up much on the same lines at the turn over of the Vatican City was being handle. This was done to allow Pius to back down from his demands of control of Leonine City which had been his starting point in these talks.


[1] No relation to the OTL Pope Pius XII.

 

[blackswordzero]

Sorry if i missed it but how much of territory France lost to Italy?

 

[Jim Smitty]

Sorry if i missed it but how much of territory France lost to Italy?

Nice and Savoy in Europe and a bunch of worthless desert in Northern Africa.