Book 1: The Chaos
Chapter 1: Germany
Part 3: Doubt
“Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.”
- George Washington
“Ten soldiers wisely led will beat a hundred without a head.”
-Euripides
“To walk through the ruined cities of Germany is to feel an actual doubt about the continuity of civilization.”
-George Orwell from his travels in 1930
The German Civil War
Opening Moves 1923-1924
The Weimar Republic, weakened after years of hyper-inflation and crushing debt, began to violently split at the seams. After the Munich Putsch the Government was slow to use military action. Fearing that attacking their own people would spark more revolt and internal strife, their slow and diplomatic actions only allowed the Bavarians more time to consolidate their forces, and recruit other ultra-right groups from across Germany (including the infamous Major Ernst von Buchrucker and his units from the Black Reichswher) to help defend their new nation. The Republicans finally in late December decided that war was the only option after the battle of Dresden, in which they were dealt a massive defeat at the hands of a better equipped, highly motivated, better led, but much smaller Bavarian force under the command of Emil Maurice.
While the Republic was fumbling Hitler and Von Kahr had restored the Crown Prince of Bavaria, Rupprecht to his “rightful throne” as King Rupprecht I of Bavaria. Rupprecht while an aristocrat and aristocratically given command of the German Sixth Army during the Great War, had proven himself to be a capable commander, earning the respect of Adolf Hitler and the Natzis. While King Rupprecht theoretically held power, the power in Bavaria’s government was actually consolidated in the position of Chancellor, paralleling the situation of Bismarkian Germany. After a Bavarian Parliament was formed, the position of Chancellor was to be decided by the party with the most seats in the upper house, the Bavarian Nationalist party headed by von Kahr. Von Kahr was appointed chancellor and Adolf Hitler was for a short while relegated to the shadows of Bavarian politics.
The Republic started to slip into a crisis. Many of their higher ranking generals and military members were defecting to the Bavarian side. Because of this fact, many have incorrectly compared the German Civil War to the American one of the 1860’s. There are some key differences. Bavaria had a major industrial center; Germany’s second largest, in Munich, which could easily have been turned from making civilian goods to military hardware. Secondly, Bavaria also had foreign intervention and help from the start from the Italians who pledged to support the fascist regime. The Italians proved to be a key instrument in the Bavarian victory, as few countries were willing to help Germany as the wounds of WWI were fresh.
The Bavarian war plan was simple, effective and played to their strengths as opposed to their weaknesses. They planned a three pronged assault. Using rail lines and highways, they attempted a lightening war or blitzkrieg. Their goal was simple. The left two most prongs were designed to isolate the Ruhr off from the rest of Germany so its industry could not be used against them, and then capture Berlin. Their plan while brilliant, could not have worked during the 1920s, however during the late 1950’s (roughly OTL early 40’s technology) it could be possible.
By late 1924, the war had been fought to a stalemate; the Bavarians were stopped on their march to Berlin at the Second Battle of Dresden, and their Ruhr push was stopped between the Ruhr River itself and the Rhine in lower Saxony. Their Northern thrust up the center of Germany was stopped at the Battle of Brandenburg, right outside of Berlin. The Weimer Government’s victories were due to two important factors. A much larger population which allowed them to field larger units, their ability to defend and use the strength of the Ruhr’s industrial base, and popular support from other countries, like Republican England, and France, who hoped to sustain the status Quo. They also had the support of League of Nations, at least what was left, and their late year military and economic support from Poland, after the desperate cession of Danzig.
1925-1926: Intervention
The Bavarians had one massive advantage; they had full military and popular support from Fascist Italy. Benito Mussolini a fascist was in full support of the Bavarian regime, and had pledged support for the Bavarians. While most of the supporters of Weimer Germany pledged material or monetary support, Italy actually provided military units and fought as a combatant. As the war dragged trough is second and third years, the Italian’s entry proved to be instrumental to Bavarian victory. Bavaria had been dealt massive defeats after their initial victories. Their inability to fully cutoff the Ruhr, meant that much of the Weimar Republic’s industry was still intact, and Bavaria’s smaller population prevented them from creating as many or as varied units as the Republics.
When King Rupprecht I, Von Kahr, and Mussolini met in October of 1926, he implored the Italian leader to form a formal alliance with Munich to spread fascism, known as the Munich-Rome Axis the alliance would prove to be one of the key actors in global politics over the next decade.
However as 1926 dragged into 1927, their inability to end the war quickly drew much protests in Italy. The fascists truly did not have as much support in Italy as their claimed. As the protests began to become harder to quietly repress and gain more strength, Italy was forced to slowly draw down troops in Bavaria. In a desperate push the Bavarians launched a counter offensive known as the Cauldron at the same time as suing for peace. Their strategy worked, Weimar Germany recognized the nation of Bavaria on February 25, 1926: Fracture Day with the Treaty of Berlin. Weimar Germany would carry their grudge against the Bavarians long into the next decades.
1927: Lines and Peace.
Peace for the Weimar Republic was bought a steep price. With much of both countries populations dead from both the fighting and needless killing of civilians, Bavaria and Weimar Germany had to reconstruct their shattered countries. With massive aid from the Britannia Republic, Erin, and France Germany began to get herself back on her feet. Bavaria was in much worse shape, with international opinion against them, their only support came from Italy, and later Austria to re-build much of what was left of their land. The Treaty of Berlin left Bavaria much of the State of Bavaria, and nothing more. The Treaty of Berlin treated Bavaria in much the same way the treaty of Versailles left Germany a wreck. The Bavarians would never forget.
Epilogue:
So why did I choose Germany for my chapter on Europe. Germany is a perfect example of what happened through much of Europe during the crisis. While their civil wars happened throughout the nearly 20 year span of the Crisis most countries in Europe experienced different varieties of rebel groups, and combatants but the pattern was similar. Two good examples could be England and France. The Second English Civil War was fought between the Republicans (parliamentarians) and the Monarchists (fascist). In France the Neo-Jacobeans (parliamentarians) fought the Peoples Front (communists) and the Burgundy Resurgents (fascist) a three way chaotic rabble. Each country experienced different victors and outcomes. In England the Republicans won, and so to some extent did the Erinists. The French Civil War (1933-43) was won by the Neo-Jacobins to much rejoicing in the international community in 1943. Europe's map was radically changed afterward. Nothing would ever be the same.