I hope, but I can see Dzerzhinsky thinking "yes, I want the Germans to win (and the independence of Poland is in their interest), but not win too much".
Es Geloybte Aretz - a Germanwank
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I hope, but I can see Dzerzhinsky thinking "yes, I want the Germans to win (and the independence of Poland is in their interest), but not win too much".
And if they do, will they be believed. And if they are believed, what steps are politically possible at this point?
I agree there, they will probably think, how can those poles find out what our intelligence couldn't. They will very likely not believe it.
(bit like the way the netherlands in otl dismissed information coming from germany about the coming fall gelb)
but then again, i don't put it past dzerzhinsky to let the germans 'discover' it, after all his agenda might not be the same as the agenda on whats good for poland.
(bit like the way the netherlands in otl dismissed information coming from germany about the coming fall gelb)
but then again, i don't put it past dzerzhinsky to let the germans 'discover' it, after all his agenda might not be the same as the agenda on whats good for poland.
He doesn't think the Germans would believe it, and he is fairly convinced (with some justification) that they already have the information he has. Plus, he wants the Russians to be the attackers. A German attack on Russia at this juncture would very likely produce a free Poland - for a given value of free - and a quick peace. With the war triggered by Russian aggression, the peace would be more punitive and the fall of the dynasty a real possibility.
Dzerzhinsky is a Polish patriot, but he is a Socialist well before that.
Like I said earlier, it isn't a wank if it ends with "Everybody Dies".
Eek!
Serves me right.
Reading several TLs and commenting late at night leads to confused comments.
I totally forgot about no Tsushima here. So the Baltic fleet is still a definite threat.
Not so sure about the coastal batteries / defense though. The book I mentioned started with describing the Russian situation following Tsushima. The point still stands that the Russian army was responsible for them till 1911/12 - when the navy took over - and was neglecting them.
If I understand it right, fortifying the entrance of the Gulf of Finland (Abo, Hango island in Finland and Dagö, Ösel, Moon island in Estonia - as in deploying long range guns) only started after the beginning of WW1 in our TL.
Likewise Reval was only designated a "fortified zone" and new major naval base in 1911. After which the defenses there received large caliber long range guns. The new naval harbor and docks were supposed to be completed in 1917.
Major coastal defenses in 1906 seem to have existed in Sveaborg and Kronstadt (12" guns and less). With probably 10" guns defenses for the Narva harbor and Gogland island. And everything else neglected and probably only having smaller gun calibers?
So I´m not sure if the Southern part of the Gulf of Finland is really that well defended by coastal batteries yet?
Of course with the Russian Baltic fleet still existing that point is moot for now.
Mobilizing that many men won´t go unnoticed. Lots of countries would keep an eye on the Russian situation. From Japan in the East to Germany, Austria-Hungary and the British Empire in the West. From Sweden in the North to the Ottoman Empire and British India in the South.
Misinterpreting the facts at first is a real possibility. Like Russia wants a second round with Japan. But if no new troops turn up in Asia then the attention will turn to (Russian) Europe.
Even the Poles are looking closely, and they don't have much of a foreoign intelligence service. The great general Staff is in two minds about what's going on. It's just that nobody knows quite what exactly it is the Russians want to do with these troops. Bear in mind, military operations with division-sized forces were not entirely unusual as part of tax collection even in "normal" years. The game for the coming month or so will be much akin to Kremlinology: figure out what Ivan's next move is. It'll keep Europe's governments quite busy.
I really, really hope you arent getting him hooked on opiates, as its almost looking.
Otoh, i understand most dont get hooked, i tthink it depends on how chronic the pain is, which doesnt look good here.
Otoh, i understand most dont get hooked, i tthink it depends on how chronic the pain is, which doesnt look good here.
Dzerzhinski's information should be transfered to the Germans as fast as possible. Polish independence can only be achieved through German weapons, thus the Germans should be prepared for the Russian attack.
It seems to be already too late. I guess he's already addicted. But to be fair: A Kaiser that's addicted and has to delegate responsibilities to the Albert of TTL, likely a Zentrum chancellor and the general staff during war isn't that bad for Germany.
It seems to be already too late. I guess he's already addicted. But to be fair: A Kaiser that's addicted and has to delegate responsibilities to the Albert of TTL, likely a Zentrum chancellor and the general staff during war isn't that bad for Germany.
As far as I know, opiates (even heroin) that are administered for severe pain relief do not cause physical addiction. Psychological addiction is a different story, of course.
It's actually rather scandalous that heroin, which has been shown to be by far the most effective pain relief opiate for terminal cancer, as well as being completely non-addictive in that use (not that it would matter, given the circumstances), is still banned in the US, even for that purpose.
Great work as usual, carlton. I like the painstaking attention to detail as you slowly build up to the war.
Faeelin
Banned
While it would suit the purposes of DRAMA to have him become an addict, bear in mind that the Kaiser is in extremely serious pain and so it is not unreasonable for him to say "Hey, I feel better when I am not in searing agony." Trust me, I had to take morphine after a very intensive surgery and can relate.
Oh true, very true.
The other fun thing will be, will he remember these conversations?
My wife had her gall bladder out, was on morphine, seemed entirely lucid, but had no memory later that id told her of the death of a very important family friend.
Wikipedia states her as completed in June 1905, commissioned October of the same year
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