CoTF: Chapter One
Hello everyone!
The following is what can be described as a 'recount' of a historical role-play game which I ran on Discord some months ago, with some adjustments. Therefore, this work is in no way an absolutely serious work of historical scrutiny, but a fun alternate timeline of the 1910s, beginning in 1912 with the following 'starting' changes to history:
*Despite losing the First Balkan War, the Ottoman Empire successfully retained control over Bulgaria. In this timeline the First Balkan War occurs in 1911 and ends by 1912
*Italo-Turkish War slightly shorter, ends on Jan. 1st 1912
*British protectorate over Egypt is declared on December 18th 1911
Any and all feedback is welcome!
The majority of the timeline that follows is my work, however, some minor parts of it are directly from the RP's article and are penned by others, to whom I give full credits. I hope you enjoy reading this timeline as much as I am enjoying writing it!
Chapter One: The Balkans Afire
January 12th, 1912- The 1912 Federal German Elections are held, with the Social Democratic Party retaining its majority in the Reichstag. However, they are unable to secure a House majority and Theobald von Bethmann becomes the new Chancellor of the German Reich.
January 14th, 1912- Following the brutal Balkan Wars which greatly degraded Ottoman power (even though the Turks managed to somehow hold on to Bulgaria) unrest has stirred in Turkish Albania. With a Turkish defeat by the Italians in the recent Italian-Turkish War, first Italian minorities then the greater Albanian people began to protest. Violence was quick to follow, and with rebels now taking up arms and open warfare launched across the nation, it is officially recognized that the Albanian Revolution has begun.
As the Balkans are inflamed, Italy and Russia in particular watch on like vultures, with the Italians almost immediately beginning a covert arming of the rebel factions which control much of Albania. However, the arms are scant as of yet with the Italians not wishing to be discovered. Furthermore, the arms are specifically for the minority fiercely pro-Italian militants, and so the wider rebel movement benefits little from these shipments.
The Albanian rebels are as of now still split along multiple ideological lines and beliefs despite being nominally united against the Ottoman threat. The majority of the rebels, however, hold left-leaning and sometimes outright Communist values which is the cause of great friction between them and the similarly numerous far-right Albanian factions. Some are concerned that if and when the Turkish threat is defeated Albania will further devolve into civil war, which can only benefit outside players such as Russia and Italy who seek to use Albania as nothing more than a pawn.
Meanwhile, the Austro-Hungarian Empire declares its neutrality in the affair, worried about the increasing tensions in the Balkans and the stability of its own possessions. However, the Austrians do send observers to the Turkish side to file a report on the war to help the Austrian civil and military leaders improve the increasingly out-dated Austro-Hungarian military.
January 16th, 1912- In Japan, Emperor Taisho makes a highly-publicised and choreographed meeting with the heads of the Japanese Armed Forces and declares an end to inter-service rivalry, although this holds little truth in reality. He also announces his blessing of new plans for the Imperial Japanese Navy, plans ‘Asahi’ and ‘Karyoku’, focusing on the expansion of shipyards and modernisation of ships respectively. The two plans represent the heralding of the Pacific Doctrine, with Japanese funds diverted from the army to go to its naval forces. Further down the track of history, many will look back at this moment with great fascination, seeing it as a precursor to events that would one day in the far future plague the Pacific…
Later on in the same day, Imperial Russia announces its own plans for army modernisation. However, these projects will be riddled with over-ambition, corruption, mishandling of funds, and other issues which will see them move at a slow crawl. Regardless, world leaders across the globe, especially those in Berlin, glance eastward deep in thought and some concern.
The Russians also increase funding of the Okhrana, the Russian secret police, but this action is kept both an international and a domestic secret. The Russian Empire does not want a repeat of the events of 1905, which saw the power of Autocracy, Nationality and Orthodoxy almost come to a grizzly end.
January 20th, 1912- Russian leaders announce plans for an Entente military exposition based in the port city of Murmansk, although its exact opening date is unclear. Japan, anxious to not only get a good look at Western weaponry but also promote its status as a rising Power petitions Russia to be included in the exposition and its request is quickly accepted. The news again sends many world leaders deep in thought as they look at Russia with increasing concern, noting its sudden spat of military-political activity.
Meanwhile Italy announces a variety of social reforms centred on various labour laws, most notably Sunday becoming a work-free day. The response to the new reforms is generally positive, although core sections of the country’s conservative population vehemently oppose the reforms as ‘radical socialism’.
In Albania, after nearly a week of chaos, battlelines are drawn on the map with the Ottomans almost entirely pushed out of the nation. Ottoman forces only maintain solid control over Eastern and Southern slivers as well as a Western coastal chunk of Albania. Contested territory is still sizable and combat is turning increasingly bloody.
January 22nd, 1912- The latest in a series of Russian-related news begins to circulate around the globe. ‘The Great Game’ in Afghanistan is seemingly heating up again, with unverified claims of Afghan-initiated violence against Russian border guards, amplified by Russian propaganda. The news is initially insignificant, until the Russian response the next day.
The Russians also launch a new campaign, albeit a secret one- significant stockpiles of Russian weaponry find their way through a compliant Serbia to the hands of Albanian revolutionaries. In the coming weeks and months, the Russian and Italian weapons will be vital to the rebels’ cause, but also make the two nations’ involvement more and more obvious.
January 23rd, 1912- Russian civilians on the Afghan border are evacuated ‘out of precaution’ and ten infantry divisions reinforce the Russo-Afghan border. The two moves send alarm bells ringing across the world as the evacuation of the civilian population can be seen as a sign of war-readiness and the ten infantry divisions are considered a significant, disproportionate and sudden escalation. In a news briefing, the Russian Minister of War states that "the Khan and his entourage should fear the Russian Army, if needed we can make it to his palace within a week." This aggressive rhetoric is condemned by the Afghans and a number of other nations, with Russia upping global tensions by many of its recent moves. Many analysists also ridicule the statement, pointing out the unlikeliness of Russia’s backward army moving through the logistical nightmare of Afghanistan with any considerable speed or ease.
January 26th, 1912- Private Raoul Kerman, Kurbnesh, Albania:
He sighed and grunted for the umpteenth time as he fiddled with his army-issued rifle. It was an old weapon, perhaps older than Raoul himself, a fact which only fuelled his frustration. He didn’t even belong to this platoon, all of whom were strangers to him and he suspected to each other also. In fact, he didn’t belong to the frontline trenches at all- he was an artillery specialist. But the Ottoman Army was low on manpower and with most of their munitions and heavy weapons either captured or destroyed in the early stages of this damned Albanian Revolution he, like many others, had to be forced into ad hoc Frankenstein units to try to hold the frontline.
He used to consider himself a staunch patriot, but his faith had steadily eroded when he served in the First, and then the Second Balkan Wars. He had also served in the Italian-Turkish War, where once again he’d been forced into a role that was not within his area of expertise, and now he was here in Albania serving in another war. He didn’t know how he’d survived all those bloodbaths with the deplorable military leadership and technology his country had. How could a nation which had once terrorized Europe and made it to the gates of Vienna now be so utterly humiliated? He didn’t know, but he was starting to feel less and less proud about being an Ottoman Turk.
Soon the thunderous sound of artillery fire derailed his train of gloomy thoughts. At first he paid it no heed, Kurbnesh was in contested territory and there were often bursts of skirmishes. But instead of dying away, the sound only intensified, and before he had the time to realise what was happening, the officer present was shouting orders to brace for enemy attack. Gripping his hated rifle, Raoul threw himself against the wall of their tiny trench, and cautiously peeked out. He could see the Albanians, screaming and charging, releasing bursts of gunfire. The few machine-guns the Ottoman forces had set up began firing their deadly rounds into the advancing enemy, but to Raoul’s disgust the unreliable Ottoman weaponry stayed true to its notoriety and after a few minutes of cutting down the rebels almost all the machine guns jammed.
A whistle pierced all the other sounds of the battlefield, and Raoul, alongside the rest of his company jumped up from the trenches and charged forward, yelling various battle cries. Soon an Albanian was directly ahead of him, armed with what looked like a Turk rifle (likely seized from weapon caches during the early days of the Revolution). The Albanian made the mistake of trying to shoot, the unreliable weapon missed by a long shot and the more experienced Raoul simply focussed on stabbing his opponent with his bayonet, not bothering to even try and shoot. Unfortunately, he also missed, instead driving the blade through the man’s cheeks, which elicited a scream but was not a fatal wound. Feeling sick, Raoul pulled back his rifle and drove the bayonet again and again at his enemy, animalistic senses overtaking his actions for a moment. Within seconds the man was dead and the duel which had felt as though it lasted for a lifetime, but couldn’t really have lasted for more than a minute, was over. But another would begin, and another, and Raoul Kerman would once more find himself drowning in a bloodbath of carnage and violence.
In Albania, rebel forces launch a coordinated and major offensive toward Kurbnesh. They hope to link their central pocket of control to their northern one to ensure a united front against Turkey.
Albanian forward elements are primarily armed with older Turkish weaponry, however, there are a couple of reserve rebel divisions armed entirely with Russian arms. The Albanians are also able to deploy significant numbers of artillery, a few Russian but most Turkish; although ammunition for these is low and so they have to be used conservatively.
Within a few hours the Turkish forces, comprised of ‘Frankenstein’ divisions are forced to fall back unto secondary defensive lines as the Albanians were very determined and despite lack of experience fought bravely. Following this development, the Albanian commanders deploy their well-armed reserves to break the backs of the Turks. The Russian arms are indeed a turning point and the Turks are forced to fully withdraw from Kurbnesh, giving the Rebels a much sought-after victory (although rebel forces took very heavy casualties) but also making obvious the presence of Russian arms in Albania and heightening hatred of the Russians by the Istanbul regime.
Morale across the entire Ottoman army is plummeting as their weapons are old and unreliable and the Revolution is coming off the back of the First and Second Balkan Wars as well as the Italian-Turkish War, all of which saw Turkey deeply humiliated and the soldiers’ faith in their commanders shaken. A minor offensive is launched toward Korce to try to recover morale, but once again imported weaponry gave the Albanians the upper hand and both the Battle of Kurbnesh and of Korce were won by Albanian revolutionaries.
February 3rd, 1912- French officials announce plans for some French army modernisation efforts, most notably changing the colour of the uniform to a more practical green colour and extending fortifications and infrastructure across France.
The British, in lockstep with their Entente French allies, also announce some new military strides, namely the Mark 1 Lee Enfield rifles, which are put into mass production and are planned to be shipped out to all British military forces across the globe.
February 7th, 1912- Russian officials put into mass production a new version of the Mosin Nagat, with the older versions now exclusively used either on obsolete fronts and of course in the hands of Albanian revolutionaries. Tensions on the Afghan border have remained somewhat stagnant for now, which is a relief for the world.
In Albania, the Western pocket controlled by Ottoman forces is beginning to run low on everything, munitions, food, water, etc. However, Albanian revolutionaries are focussing on their Eastern front and do not spare the manpower for a major drive to the coast- yet.
February 12th, 1912- In the Albanian capital, the Tirana Purge begins, with the decidedly far-left rebel faction in full control of the city ordering the execution of any and all dissidents and ‘reactionaries’. Other rebel factions, notably the right-leaning ones, are dismayed and disgusted at the events, but are generally either silent or reluctantly supportive. The Purge does focus mostly on Turkish citizens or Albanians deemed too loyal to their former masters, however many rightists are also sent to the executioner under the orders of the rebel leaders. Just in its opening day, the Purge murders over sixteen hundred civilians with worse to follow, in most cases those shot were not even offered a mock trial and were merely shot on the spot. Much of the civilian population does actually support the measures, aiding the local rebels in identifying Turks or those with pro-Turk views, although support will slowly but surely diminish the more repressive the Purge becomes.
February 20th, 1912- The Empire of Japan announces a major industrialisation effort across the flourishing island of Hokkaido. ‘The Wall Street of the East’ will see significant development, as will all the rest of Hokkaido. Despite being thought of as a sound plan which will in the long term benefit Japan, its costs worry some who think that Japan may be sliding toward higher and higher inflation. Japanese officials meet with Russian ones and the Russians agree to invest considerable funds in this Industrialisation of Hokkaido.
February 27th, 1912- An attack on a Russian civilian train near Afghanistan, claimed by the Russian government to be an action of the Afghan government kills fifty-six and injures hundreds. Tensions on the Russo-Afghan border flare up drastically once more after weeks of relative silence and inaction. Accusation and counter-accusation is flown, but most realise that the attack was likely a false-flag action by Russian forces themselves. However, the domestic Russian public fully believes government propaganda and calls for an outright attack on Afghanistan are growing. This worries many statesmen across the globe, who fear what Russia’s ultimate intentions are.
March 6th, 1912- The United States officially intervenes in Nicaragua after the nation’s descent into political and military turmoil. American forces stabilise the country and soon most leave, with Washington claiming Nicaragua’s “independence” had been secured. However, few are blind enough to believe that the Nicaraguan government is not merely a puppet of America.
March 13th, 1912- The Russian Empire begins wide-ranging agricultural reforms in the hopes of reducing chances of famines. Food output is indeed improved, in some places by up to 17%, however the danger of famines does not necessarily disappear.
March 22nd, 1912- Romania orders the construction of major railroad networks to interconnect the nation and capitalize on its oil-based economy and oil-provided wealth and further enhance the Romanian economic boom.
April 14th-15th, 1912- Titanic the Unsinkable sinks. The RMS Titanic sank in the early morning hours of 15 April 1912 in the North Atlantic Ocean, four days into her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City. The largest ocean liner in service, the Titanic had an estimated 2,224 people on board when the vessel struck an iceberg at around 23:40 (ship's time) on Sunday, 14 April 1912. The event resulted in the deaths of more than 1,500 people, making it one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history.
The ship was considered unbreakable and the designer decided to put only half of the necessary number of safety boats on it. The British Government considers that the designer made the decisive mistakes and is guilty for deaths of 1500 people.
April 21st, 1912- The Ottoman Navy is rapidly deployed to the Adriatic to blockade the coast of Albania after rumours of arms shipments from Italy, though it remains unclear whether this is true and if so, if it is sponsored by the Italian Government. Regardless, the blockade should be able to protect the entire coast of Albania and prevent any arms from getting in that way.
On land, the Ottomans send a large number of regular army troops to move north and cut off Albania from Serbia from where the rebels are sure to be receiving Russian arms. However, due to infrastructure support and other logistical difficulties as well as the difficult terrain, this campaign has bogged down and not all troops can be used to their maximum potential. As such, the results of the campaign so far are failed, with ambushes of Ottoman forces and heavy casualties reported among the demoralized forces. There is a silver lining, however, in the fact that no major battle has been fought and the rebels are mainly restricting themselves to hit-and-run tactics, which could indicate ammunition issues.
The front has not moved in any significant way so far.
April 26th, 1912- Extremist elements of the Japanese Foreign Ministry go rogue and send a short diplomatic note of condemnation against the American intervention in Nicaragua a month prior. The note reads:
“The Empire of Japan officially extends condemnation of American intervention in the internal affairs of another nation, and therefore the infringement of said nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The United States has no right to intervene in the independent nation of Nicaragua and its actions amount to an illegal invasion. The Empire of Japan urges the United States to withdraw all military units as soon as possible to ensure peace and stability across the Americas.”
Before the Imperial Government can reign in the rogue officials, America replies with the following proclamation:
“The United States of America rejects all suggestions of the Empire of Japan and the president of America, William Howard Taft has said that - "Japan knows nothing about this topic, of the Monroe doctrine, of how important stability of the countries within America is, we believe that as a major power among the Americas it is our responsibility to maintain stability among the countries present in the Americas. If we had not intervened, what would have happened? The state of Nicaragua would have descended into anarchy and civil war, with the country being split in two or more. The civil population of the country would have suffered far worse than it has right now, and we demand that these statements shall be withdrawn, especially as it is done right after the signature of the American Japanese Trade. For if not, it would be viewed as a betrayal and that America will be tempted to make more drastic measures in the region.”
The diplomatic spat is an utter humiliation for Japan, which finally resolves the issue by summoning the American ambassador and explaining the incident, as well as publishing a public apology. The perpetrators are sentenced to life in prison for ‘actions against the Emperor and Empire’, however, they will only serve 3 years of their sentences before being released.
May 1st, 1912- A number of German labour and social reforms take effect after some heated debate in the Reichstag. In the end, the original proposals made by the German Social Democratic Party are watered down to less ambitious reforms, however, these are nonetheless a step in the right direction.
May 4th, 1912- The Albanian revolutionaries launch a large-scale attack on the Ottoman pocket in their rear, for fear of it possibly being used to land troops from the sea and catch them in a pincer movement. They deem it vital to take this pocket, which has been besieged for some time and is running low on supplies and morale.
The results of the attack show astonishing success on the rebel side, as many Ottoman police forces and third-tier units which were starving simply fled their positions once they saw the attacking armies. Little resistance was faced as the Albanians quickly swooped in from all sides and eliminated the pocket from existence, capturing some 2,300 troops and 2 machine guns as well as hundreds of rounds of ammunition and scores of guns.
Following the battle, it seems that at least 600 of the Ottoman POWs were shot by orders of rebel leaders, marking the first- but not last- mass execution of the Albanian Revolution.
Meanwhile, the Tirana Purge begins to hit its peak, spreading to most of rebel-controlled Albanian territory. Thousands are arrested and hundreds are shot, in some of the most gruesome scenes of the Revolution.
May 6th, 1912- In response to the recent Albanian victory, as well as reports of Albanian war crimes, Ottoman forces renew their northern offensive with vigour. Despite heavy casualties and persistent logistical difficulties, the Ottomans successfully begin to move northward, leaving contested territory and beginning to engage rebel strongholds.
May 13th, 1912- In what can be described as the greatest political achievement yet for Egyptian democracy, His Highness Sultan Kamal has agreed to the formation of a "National Assembly," a popular-elected legislative body that will serve as the lower house to the Royal Council. Flanked by high-level government ministers, politicians, and public figureheads, Sultan Kamal, along with members of varying political parties, signed the Damietta Agreement, ending a 3-year period of political tension between the Egyptian Sultanate and the growing pro-democratic movements that have taken over Egyptian politics.
Signed in front of a relatively unknown mosque, the new agreement lays the foundation for a legislative body that will contain ministers who will be duly elected by Egyptian land-owning males. This National Assembly will serve as the lower-house counterpart to the Sultan's Royal Council, who the Sultan still reserves the right to appoint and dismiss its members at will. However, the agreement will also allow the National Assembly to elect a person to serve as an "advisor" to the Royal Council. Addressing a group of wealthy Egyptian landowners, Aly Shaded of the Royal Ministry of Communication defended the Sultan's action, stating that the agreement will allow the Egyptian Sultanate to shift its focus from domestic affairs to more pressing international matters.
Despite the many concessions made by the Sultan, there are those who still feel that the agreement does not suffice the growing need for a democratic Egyptian state. Hanzal Asfour, leader of a growing nationalist movement, has called the agreement as nothing more than "an empty paper, carrying emptier promises." Despite being involved in the political agreement, Asfour maintains that the only agreement that matters is the one where the Sultan abdicates. The agreement will be presented to High Commissioner Reginald Wingate for British approval.
May 16th, 1912- After weeks of secret negotiations, the Treaty of Resistance is signed by the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Romania. The Treaty stipulates that if one of the two nations find themselves in a war in the Balkans in which Russia is involved, the other will enter the war against Russia. The Treaty hopes to prevent any Russian inroads into the Balkans, especially in light of the Russian-backed Albanian Revolution.
The following is what can be described as a 'recount' of a historical role-play game which I ran on Discord some months ago, with some adjustments. Therefore, this work is in no way an absolutely serious work of historical scrutiny, but a fun alternate timeline of the 1910s, beginning in 1912 with the following 'starting' changes to history:
*Despite losing the First Balkan War, the Ottoman Empire successfully retained control over Bulgaria. In this timeline the First Balkan War occurs in 1911 and ends by 1912
*Italo-Turkish War slightly shorter, ends on Jan. 1st 1912
*British protectorate over Egypt is declared on December 18th 1911
Any and all feedback is welcome!
The majority of the timeline that follows is my work, however, some minor parts of it are directly from the RP's article and are penned by others, to whom I give full credits. I hope you enjoy reading this timeline as much as I am enjoying writing it!
Cries of the Fallen: 1912
Chapter One: The Balkans Afire
January 12th, 1912- The 1912 Federal German Elections are held, with the Social Democratic Party retaining its majority in the Reichstag. However, they are unable to secure a House majority and Theobald von Bethmann becomes the new Chancellor of the German Reich.
January 14th, 1912- Following the brutal Balkan Wars which greatly degraded Ottoman power (even though the Turks managed to somehow hold on to Bulgaria) unrest has stirred in Turkish Albania. With a Turkish defeat by the Italians in the recent Italian-Turkish War, first Italian minorities then the greater Albanian people began to protest. Violence was quick to follow, and with rebels now taking up arms and open warfare launched across the nation, it is officially recognized that the Albanian Revolution has begun.
As the Balkans are inflamed, Italy and Russia in particular watch on like vultures, with the Italians almost immediately beginning a covert arming of the rebel factions which control much of Albania. However, the arms are scant as of yet with the Italians not wishing to be discovered. Furthermore, the arms are specifically for the minority fiercely pro-Italian militants, and so the wider rebel movement benefits little from these shipments.
The Albanian rebels are as of now still split along multiple ideological lines and beliefs despite being nominally united against the Ottoman threat. The majority of the rebels, however, hold left-leaning and sometimes outright Communist values which is the cause of great friction between them and the similarly numerous far-right Albanian factions. Some are concerned that if and when the Turkish threat is defeated Albania will further devolve into civil war, which can only benefit outside players such as Russia and Italy who seek to use Albania as nothing more than a pawn.
Meanwhile, the Austro-Hungarian Empire declares its neutrality in the affair, worried about the increasing tensions in the Balkans and the stability of its own possessions. However, the Austrians do send observers to the Turkish side to file a report on the war to help the Austrian civil and military leaders improve the increasingly out-dated Austro-Hungarian military.
January 16th, 1912- In Japan, Emperor Taisho makes a highly-publicised and choreographed meeting with the heads of the Japanese Armed Forces and declares an end to inter-service rivalry, although this holds little truth in reality. He also announces his blessing of new plans for the Imperial Japanese Navy, plans ‘Asahi’ and ‘Karyoku’, focusing on the expansion of shipyards and modernisation of ships respectively. The two plans represent the heralding of the Pacific Doctrine, with Japanese funds diverted from the army to go to its naval forces. Further down the track of history, many will look back at this moment with great fascination, seeing it as a precursor to events that would one day in the far future plague the Pacific…
Later on in the same day, Imperial Russia announces its own plans for army modernisation. However, these projects will be riddled with over-ambition, corruption, mishandling of funds, and other issues which will see them move at a slow crawl. Regardless, world leaders across the globe, especially those in Berlin, glance eastward deep in thought and some concern.
The Russians also increase funding of the Okhrana, the Russian secret police, but this action is kept both an international and a domestic secret. The Russian Empire does not want a repeat of the events of 1905, which saw the power of Autocracy, Nationality and Orthodoxy almost come to a grizzly end.
January 20th, 1912- Russian leaders announce plans for an Entente military exposition based in the port city of Murmansk, although its exact opening date is unclear. Japan, anxious to not only get a good look at Western weaponry but also promote its status as a rising Power petitions Russia to be included in the exposition and its request is quickly accepted. The news again sends many world leaders deep in thought as they look at Russia with increasing concern, noting its sudden spat of military-political activity.
Meanwhile Italy announces a variety of social reforms centred on various labour laws, most notably Sunday becoming a work-free day. The response to the new reforms is generally positive, although core sections of the country’s conservative population vehemently oppose the reforms as ‘radical socialism’.
In Albania, after nearly a week of chaos, battlelines are drawn on the map with the Ottomans almost entirely pushed out of the nation. Ottoman forces only maintain solid control over Eastern and Southern slivers as well as a Western coastal chunk of Albania. Contested territory is still sizable and combat is turning increasingly bloody.
| Blue indicates areas of Ottoman control, Red indicates areas of Rebel control and Black indicates contested areas. |
January 22nd, 1912- The latest in a series of Russian-related news begins to circulate around the globe. ‘The Great Game’ in Afghanistan is seemingly heating up again, with unverified claims of Afghan-initiated violence against Russian border guards, amplified by Russian propaganda. The news is initially insignificant, until the Russian response the next day.
The Russians also launch a new campaign, albeit a secret one- significant stockpiles of Russian weaponry find their way through a compliant Serbia to the hands of Albanian revolutionaries. In the coming weeks and months, the Russian and Italian weapons will be vital to the rebels’ cause, but also make the two nations’ involvement more and more obvious.
January 23rd, 1912- Russian civilians on the Afghan border are evacuated ‘out of precaution’ and ten infantry divisions reinforce the Russo-Afghan border. The two moves send alarm bells ringing across the world as the evacuation of the civilian population can be seen as a sign of war-readiness and the ten infantry divisions are considered a significant, disproportionate and sudden escalation. In a news briefing, the Russian Minister of War states that "the Khan and his entourage should fear the Russian Army, if needed we can make it to his palace within a week." This aggressive rhetoric is condemned by the Afghans and a number of other nations, with Russia upping global tensions by many of its recent moves. Many analysists also ridicule the statement, pointing out the unlikeliness of Russia’s backward army moving through the logistical nightmare of Afghanistan with any considerable speed or ease.
January 26th, 1912- Private Raoul Kerman, Kurbnesh, Albania:
He sighed and grunted for the umpteenth time as he fiddled with his army-issued rifle. It was an old weapon, perhaps older than Raoul himself, a fact which only fuelled his frustration. He didn’t even belong to this platoon, all of whom were strangers to him and he suspected to each other also. In fact, he didn’t belong to the frontline trenches at all- he was an artillery specialist. But the Ottoman Army was low on manpower and with most of their munitions and heavy weapons either captured or destroyed in the early stages of this damned Albanian Revolution he, like many others, had to be forced into ad hoc Frankenstein units to try to hold the frontline.
He used to consider himself a staunch patriot, but his faith had steadily eroded when he served in the First, and then the Second Balkan Wars. He had also served in the Italian-Turkish War, where once again he’d been forced into a role that was not within his area of expertise, and now he was here in Albania serving in another war. He didn’t know how he’d survived all those bloodbaths with the deplorable military leadership and technology his country had. How could a nation which had once terrorized Europe and made it to the gates of Vienna now be so utterly humiliated? He didn’t know, but he was starting to feel less and less proud about being an Ottoman Turk.
Soon the thunderous sound of artillery fire derailed his train of gloomy thoughts. At first he paid it no heed, Kurbnesh was in contested territory and there were often bursts of skirmishes. But instead of dying away, the sound only intensified, and before he had the time to realise what was happening, the officer present was shouting orders to brace for enemy attack. Gripping his hated rifle, Raoul threw himself against the wall of their tiny trench, and cautiously peeked out. He could see the Albanians, screaming and charging, releasing bursts of gunfire. The few machine-guns the Ottoman forces had set up began firing their deadly rounds into the advancing enemy, but to Raoul’s disgust the unreliable Ottoman weaponry stayed true to its notoriety and after a few minutes of cutting down the rebels almost all the machine guns jammed.
A whistle pierced all the other sounds of the battlefield, and Raoul, alongside the rest of his company jumped up from the trenches and charged forward, yelling various battle cries. Soon an Albanian was directly ahead of him, armed with what looked like a Turk rifle (likely seized from weapon caches during the early days of the Revolution). The Albanian made the mistake of trying to shoot, the unreliable weapon missed by a long shot and the more experienced Raoul simply focussed on stabbing his opponent with his bayonet, not bothering to even try and shoot. Unfortunately, he also missed, instead driving the blade through the man’s cheeks, which elicited a scream but was not a fatal wound. Feeling sick, Raoul pulled back his rifle and drove the bayonet again and again at his enemy, animalistic senses overtaking his actions for a moment. Within seconds the man was dead and the duel which had felt as though it lasted for a lifetime, but couldn’t really have lasted for more than a minute, was over. But another would begin, and another, and Raoul Kerman would once more find himself drowning in a bloodbath of carnage and violence.
In Albania, rebel forces launch a coordinated and major offensive toward Kurbnesh. They hope to link their central pocket of control to their northern one to ensure a united front against Turkey.
Albanian forward elements are primarily armed with older Turkish weaponry, however, there are a couple of reserve rebel divisions armed entirely with Russian arms. The Albanians are also able to deploy significant numbers of artillery, a few Russian but most Turkish; although ammunition for these is low and so they have to be used conservatively.
Within a few hours the Turkish forces, comprised of ‘Frankenstein’ divisions are forced to fall back unto secondary defensive lines as the Albanians were very determined and despite lack of experience fought bravely. Following this development, the Albanian commanders deploy their well-armed reserves to break the backs of the Turks. The Russian arms are indeed a turning point and the Turks are forced to fully withdraw from Kurbnesh, giving the Rebels a much sought-after victory (although rebel forces took very heavy casualties) but also making obvious the presence of Russian arms in Albania and heightening hatred of the Russians by the Istanbul regime.
Morale across the entire Ottoman army is plummeting as their weapons are old and unreliable and the Revolution is coming off the back of the First and Second Balkan Wars as well as the Italian-Turkish War, all of which saw Turkey deeply humiliated and the soldiers’ faith in their commanders shaken. A minor offensive is launched toward Korce to try to recover morale, but once again imported weaponry gave the Albanians the upper hand and both the Battle of Kurbnesh and of Korce were won by Albanian revolutionaries.
| Blue indicates areas of Ottoman control, Red indicates areas of Rebel control and Black indicates contested areas. |
February 3rd, 1912- French officials announce plans for some French army modernisation efforts, most notably changing the colour of the uniform to a more practical green colour and extending fortifications and infrastructure across France.
The British, in lockstep with their Entente French allies, also announce some new military strides, namely the Mark 1 Lee Enfield rifles, which are put into mass production and are planned to be shipped out to all British military forces across the globe.
February 7th, 1912- Russian officials put into mass production a new version of the Mosin Nagat, with the older versions now exclusively used either on obsolete fronts and of course in the hands of Albanian revolutionaries. Tensions on the Afghan border have remained somewhat stagnant for now, which is a relief for the world.
In Albania, the Western pocket controlled by Ottoman forces is beginning to run low on everything, munitions, food, water, etc. However, Albanian revolutionaries are focussing on their Eastern front and do not spare the manpower for a major drive to the coast- yet.
February 12th, 1912- In the Albanian capital, the Tirana Purge begins, with the decidedly far-left rebel faction in full control of the city ordering the execution of any and all dissidents and ‘reactionaries’. Other rebel factions, notably the right-leaning ones, are dismayed and disgusted at the events, but are generally either silent or reluctantly supportive. The Purge does focus mostly on Turkish citizens or Albanians deemed too loyal to their former masters, however many rightists are also sent to the executioner under the orders of the rebel leaders. Just in its opening day, the Purge murders over sixteen hundred civilians with worse to follow, in most cases those shot were not even offered a mock trial and were merely shot on the spot. Much of the civilian population does actually support the measures, aiding the local rebels in identifying Turks or those with pro-Turk views, although support will slowly but surely diminish the more repressive the Purge becomes.
February 20th, 1912- The Empire of Japan announces a major industrialisation effort across the flourishing island of Hokkaido. ‘The Wall Street of the East’ will see significant development, as will all the rest of Hokkaido. Despite being thought of as a sound plan which will in the long term benefit Japan, its costs worry some who think that Japan may be sliding toward higher and higher inflation. Japanese officials meet with Russian ones and the Russians agree to invest considerable funds in this Industrialisation of Hokkaido.
February 27th, 1912- An attack on a Russian civilian train near Afghanistan, claimed by the Russian government to be an action of the Afghan government kills fifty-six and injures hundreds. Tensions on the Russo-Afghan border flare up drastically once more after weeks of relative silence and inaction. Accusation and counter-accusation is flown, but most realise that the attack was likely a false-flag action by Russian forces themselves. However, the domestic Russian public fully believes government propaganda and calls for an outright attack on Afghanistan are growing. This worries many statesmen across the globe, who fear what Russia’s ultimate intentions are.
March 6th, 1912- The United States officially intervenes in Nicaragua after the nation’s descent into political and military turmoil. American forces stabilise the country and soon most leave, with Washington claiming Nicaragua’s “independence” had been secured. However, few are blind enough to believe that the Nicaraguan government is not merely a puppet of America.
March 13th, 1912- The Russian Empire begins wide-ranging agricultural reforms in the hopes of reducing chances of famines. Food output is indeed improved, in some places by up to 17%, however the danger of famines does not necessarily disappear.
March 22nd, 1912- Romania orders the construction of major railroad networks to interconnect the nation and capitalize on its oil-based economy and oil-provided wealth and further enhance the Romanian economic boom.
April 14th-15th, 1912- Titanic the Unsinkable sinks. The RMS Titanic sank in the early morning hours of 15 April 1912 in the North Atlantic Ocean, four days into her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City. The largest ocean liner in service, the Titanic had an estimated 2,224 people on board when the vessel struck an iceberg at around 23:40 (ship's time) on Sunday, 14 April 1912. The event resulted in the deaths of more than 1,500 people, making it one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history.
The ship was considered unbreakable and the designer decided to put only half of the necessary number of safety boats on it. The British Government considers that the designer made the decisive mistakes and is guilty for deaths of 1500 people.
April 21st, 1912- The Ottoman Navy is rapidly deployed to the Adriatic to blockade the coast of Albania after rumours of arms shipments from Italy, though it remains unclear whether this is true and if so, if it is sponsored by the Italian Government. Regardless, the blockade should be able to protect the entire coast of Albania and prevent any arms from getting in that way.
On land, the Ottomans send a large number of regular army troops to move north and cut off Albania from Serbia from where the rebels are sure to be receiving Russian arms. However, due to infrastructure support and other logistical difficulties as well as the difficult terrain, this campaign has bogged down and not all troops can be used to their maximum potential. As such, the results of the campaign so far are failed, with ambushes of Ottoman forces and heavy casualties reported among the demoralized forces. There is a silver lining, however, in the fact that no major battle has been fought and the rebels are mainly restricting themselves to hit-and-run tactics, which could indicate ammunition issues.
The front has not moved in any significant way so far.
April 26th, 1912- Extremist elements of the Japanese Foreign Ministry go rogue and send a short diplomatic note of condemnation against the American intervention in Nicaragua a month prior. The note reads:
“The Empire of Japan officially extends condemnation of American intervention in the internal affairs of another nation, and therefore the infringement of said nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The United States has no right to intervene in the independent nation of Nicaragua and its actions amount to an illegal invasion. The Empire of Japan urges the United States to withdraw all military units as soon as possible to ensure peace and stability across the Americas.”
Before the Imperial Government can reign in the rogue officials, America replies with the following proclamation:
“The United States of America rejects all suggestions of the Empire of Japan and the president of America, William Howard Taft has said that - "Japan knows nothing about this topic, of the Monroe doctrine, of how important stability of the countries within America is, we believe that as a major power among the Americas it is our responsibility to maintain stability among the countries present in the Americas. If we had not intervened, what would have happened? The state of Nicaragua would have descended into anarchy and civil war, with the country being split in two or more. The civil population of the country would have suffered far worse than it has right now, and we demand that these statements shall be withdrawn, especially as it is done right after the signature of the American Japanese Trade. For if not, it would be viewed as a betrayal and that America will be tempted to make more drastic measures in the region.”
The diplomatic spat is an utter humiliation for Japan, which finally resolves the issue by summoning the American ambassador and explaining the incident, as well as publishing a public apology. The perpetrators are sentenced to life in prison for ‘actions against the Emperor and Empire’, however, they will only serve 3 years of their sentences before being released.
May 1st, 1912- A number of German labour and social reforms take effect after some heated debate in the Reichstag. In the end, the original proposals made by the German Social Democratic Party are watered down to less ambitious reforms, however, these are nonetheless a step in the right direction.
May 4th, 1912- The Albanian revolutionaries launch a large-scale attack on the Ottoman pocket in their rear, for fear of it possibly being used to land troops from the sea and catch them in a pincer movement. They deem it vital to take this pocket, which has been besieged for some time and is running low on supplies and morale.
The results of the attack show astonishing success on the rebel side, as many Ottoman police forces and third-tier units which were starving simply fled their positions once they saw the attacking armies. Little resistance was faced as the Albanians quickly swooped in from all sides and eliminated the pocket from existence, capturing some 2,300 troops and 2 machine guns as well as hundreds of rounds of ammunition and scores of guns.
Following the battle, it seems that at least 600 of the Ottoman POWs were shot by orders of rebel leaders, marking the first- but not last- mass execution of the Albanian Revolution.
Meanwhile, the Tirana Purge begins to hit its peak, spreading to most of rebel-controlled Albanian territory. Thousands are arrested and hundreds are shot, in some of the most gruesome scenes of the Revolution.
May 6th, 1912- In response to the recent Albanian victory, as well as reports of Albanian war crimes, Ottoman forces renew their northern offensive with vigour. Despite heavy casualties and persistent logistical difficulties, the Ottomans successfully begin to move northward, leaving contested territory and beginning to engage rebel strongholds.
May 13th, 1912- In what can be described as the greatest political achievement yet for Egyptian democracy, His Highness Sultan Kamal has agreed to the formation of a "National Assembly," a popular-elected legislative body that will serve as the lower house to the Royal Council. Flanked by high-level government ministers, politicians, and public figureheads, Sultan Kamal, along with members of varying political parties, signed the Damietta Agreement, ending a 3-year period of political tension between the Egyptian Sultanate and the growing pro-democratic movements that have taken over Egyptian politics.
Signed in front of a relatively unknown mosque, the new agreement lays the foundation for a legislative body that will contain ministers who will be duly elected by Egyptian land-owning males. This National Assembly will serve as the lower-house counterpart to the Sultan's Royal Council, who the Sultan still reserves the right to appoint and dismiss its members at will. However, the agreement will also allow the National Assembly to elect a person to serve as an "advisor" to the Royal Council. Addressing a group of wealthy Egyptian landowners, Aly Shaded of the Royal Ministry of Communication defended the Sultan's action, stating that the agreement will allow the Egyptian Sultanate to shift its focus from domestic affairs to more pressing international matters.
Despite the many concessions made by the Sultan, there are those who still feel that the agreement does not suffice the growing need for a democratic Egyptian state. Hanzal Asfour, leader of a growing nationalist movement, has called the agreement as nothing more than "an empty paper, carrying emptier promises." Despite being involved in the political agreement, Asfour maintains that the only agreement that matters is the one where the Sultan abdicates. The agreement will be presented to High Commissioner Reginald Wingate for British approval.
May 16th, 1912- After weeks of secret negotiations, the Treaty of Resistance is signed by the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Romania. The Treaty stipulates that if one of the two nations find themselves in a war in the Balkans in which Russia is involved, the other will enter the war against Russia. The Treaty hopes to prevent any Russian inroads into the Balkans, especially in light of the Russian-backed Albanian Revolution.
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