Chapter 430
November, 1935
Beijing
A summit of allied leaders would convene in November of 1935. The primary topic of discussion was the completion of the war against Japan. As the Japanese showed no signs of surrendering…or even willing to talk….allied pilots continued to bomb away on what were plainly increasingly vacant cities. Reports of influenza would leak out via Japanese radio transmissions. The death toll was suspected to be high but no confirmation could be found.
The question remained….what to do?
If the Japanese were not inclined to surrender to aerial bombardment or starvation or lack of trade, what then?
The only conceivable option was invasion. But the Japanese propaganda broadcasts (though who was listening was something of a debate) and airborne scouts would verify huge defenses being thrown up near likely landing spots. An invasion could be…. catastrophic.
What was more, the damnable “Indian Flu” had struck the allied armies. Whole divisions were isolated into wards in hopes of slowing the spread. Even with strict protocols, the death toll was climbing. Organizing millions of men together in one place while this pandemic continued…..was simply impossible.
Instead, the bombings continued with less and less Japanese resistance in the air or via land-based artillery.
Some allied Intelligence agents would point out that their own death toll, with well fed and cared for soldiers, was probably being dwarfed in Japan where no medical support was likely present for the starving Japanese masses, including the soldiers.
Thus, it was deemed wiser to just wait the enemy out. Thousands of airmen and the odd sailor would continue to give their lives but the suffering of the Japanese would intensify over the next months of the winter of 1935/1936.
Washington
The global epidemic had reached America and, like in Japan and elsewhere throughout the world, much of the worst effects were felt by isolated farmers who had normally avoided such outbreaks in the past….but contracting this one would prove deadly for those with so few anti-bodies.
Despite the nation still being at war on one front and occupying another country, the United States was hit hard.
In the meantime, the nation was preparing an aid package to their allies who had suffered the most including Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, the Ukraine and most of the eastern European nations.
This was motivated to ensure that Europe could actually return to a solvent state which would prevent the Nationalist and Marxist governments from rearing their ugly heads again in the future. By 1936, only Russia, Spain and Portugal possessed “Nationalist” governments while the rest of the Continent could at least reasonably be called “Democracy”.
The United States would vow to rebuild their “zones” of southern France.
President Stuart, recalling the devastation his own father had spoken about in Virginia after the War Between the States, would vow a “Reconstruction” of Europe with an astonishing $50,000,000,000 in grants and loans to get the Continent moving again. The last thing Stuart desired was extreme poverty instigating political radicalism.
Of course, the minor problem of war continuing in Japan had yet to be dealt with.
In the meantime, the cherished goal of previous administrations remained to be fulfilled, that was the formation of the League of Nations.
The last survivor of the House of Grimaldi would learn, in late 1935, that virtually no close relative had survived the French Commune. The Principality of Monaco had been absorbed into the French Commune long ago and the Americans (and various allies) were willing to restore it. However, the aged patriarch, his health broken by the depravations of the previous years, would decline to take up the mantle of Prince.
Instead, President Stuart would accept General MacArthur’s recommendation to once again separate out Monaco from France….but put it under the control of the League of Nations. One of the problems of the previous negotiations was that global diplomats didn’t want to set up their League in the middle of nowhere (like St. Barts or North Africa). They wanted elite schools and the like for their children.
With Southern France’s political future looking promising under Petain and Monaco was close enough to prospering areas to make diplomats happy. Indeed, MacArthur would even recommend EXPANDING Monaco a bit into adjacent areas (towards the Italian border) for future growth and the construction of a decent international airport (Monaco’s territory would increase tenfold. Southern France would make no complaints).
December, 1935
Persia
Like much of the Arabian nations, Persia possessed large oil deposits. American and British (and Chinese) companies would bid for drilling rights from the Shah (usually a % of the sales).
Soon, several Arab nations would follow suit.
After Persia threw in with the allies, the nation was once again welcomed back into the global political scene after a century of isolation. Oman, Azerbaijan and others would see oil and natural gas fields expanding rapidly.
Athens
After a long hiatus due to war, the Olympic Committee was meet and agree to make Athens the host for the 1940 Olympics.
Months later, Mexico would be selected to host the Futbal World Cup in 1938.
It was hoped that sport would soon help heal global wounds.
Beijing
A summit of allied leaders would convene in November of 1935. The primary topic of discussion was the completion of the war against Japan. As the Japanese showed no signs of surrendering…or even willing to talk….allied pilots continued to bomb away on what were plainly increasingly vacant cities. Reports of influenza would leak out via Japanese radio transmissions. The death toll was suspected to be high but no confirmation could be found.
The question remained….what to do?
If the Japanese were not inclined to surrender to aerial bombardment or starvation or lack of trade, what then?
The only conceivable option was invasion. But the Japanese propaganda broadcasts (though who was listening was something of a debate) and airborne scouts would verify huge defenses being thrown up near likely landing spots. An invasion could be…. catastrophic.
What was more, the damnable “Indian Flu” had struck the allied armies. Whole divisions were isolated into wards in hopes of slowing the spread. Even with strict protocols, the death toll was climbing. Organizing millions of men together in one place while this pandemic continued…..was simply impossible.
Instead, the bombings continued with less and less Japanese resistance in the air or via land-based artillery.
Some allied Intelligence agents would point out that their own death toll, with well fed and cared for soldiers, was probably being dwarfed in Japan where no medical support was likely present for the starving Japanese masses, including the soldiers.
Thus, it was deemed wiser to just wait the enemy out. Thousands of airmen and the odd sailor would continue to give their lives but the suffering of the Japanese would intensify over the next months of the winter of 1935/1936.
Washington
The global epidemic had reached America and, like in Japan and elsewhere throughout the world, much of the worst effects were felt by isolated farmers who had normally avoided such outbreaks in the past….but contracting this one would prove deadly for those with so few anti-bodies.
Despite the nation still being at war on one front and occupying another country, the United States was hit hard.
In the meantime, the nation was preparing an aid package to their allies who had suffered the most including Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, the Ukraine and most of the eastern European nations.
This was motivated to ensure that Europe could actually return to a solvent state which would prevent the Nationalist and Marxist governments from rearing their ugly heads again in the future. By 1936, only Russia, Spain and Portugal possessed “Nationalist” governments while the rest of the Continent could at least reasonably be called “Democracy”.
The United States would vow to rebuild their “zones” of southern France.
President Stuart, recalling the devastation his own father had spoken about in Virginia after the War Between the States, would vow a “Reconstruction” of Europe with an astonishing $50,000,000,000 in grants and loans to get the Continent moving again. The last thing Stuart desired was extreme poverty instigating political radicalism.
Of course, the minor problem of war continuing in Japan had yet to be dealt with.
In the meantime, the cherished goal of previous administrations remained to be fulfilled, that was the formation of the League of Nations.
The last survivor of the House of Grimaldi would learn, in late 1935, that virtually no close relative had survived the French Commune. The Principality of Monaco had been absorbed into the French Commune long ago and the Americans (and various allies) were willing to restore it. However, the aged patriarch, his health broken by the depravations of the previous years, would decline to take up the mantle of Prince.
Instead, President Stuart would accept General MacArthur’s recommendation to once again separate out Monaco from France….but put it under the control of the League of Nations. One of the problems of the previous negotiations was that global diplomats didn’t want to set up their League in the middle of nowhere (like St. Barts or North Africa). They wanted elite schools and the like for their children.
With Southern France’s political future looking promising under Petain and Monaco was close enough to prospering areas to make diplomats happy. Indeed, MacArthur would even recommend EXPANDING Monaco a bit into adjacent areas (towards the Italian border) for future growth and the construction of a decent international airport (Monaco’s territory would increase tenfold. Southern France would make no complaints).
December, 1935
Persia
Like much of the Arabian nations, Persia possessed large oil deposits. American and British (and Chinese) companies would bid for drilling rights from the Shah (usually a % of the sales).
Soon, several Arab nations would follow suit.
After Persia threw in with the allies, the nation was once again welcomed back into the global political scene after a century of isolation. Oman, Azerbaijan and others would see oil and natural gas fields expanding rapidly.
Athens
After a long hiatus due to war, the Olympic Committee was meet and agree to make Athens the host for the 1940 Olympics.
Months later, Mexico would be selected to host the Futbal World Cup in 1938.
It was hoped that sport would soon help heal global wounds.