Fenians, Brits, Mexicans, Canucks and Frenchies....OH, MY! An alternate American Civil War

[Alt History Buff]

January, 1907

Sakhalin

Over the past months, over 12,000 American soldiers and Marines would be stationed on Sakhalin in what they feared would be a vain attempt to protect the island. In the end, Japan was close and America was far. The long supply line must, by definition, prove insurmountable on any level technological playing field.

The arrival of winter was actually something of a godsend for the Americans for Sakhalin may be indefensible. With no rail, rudimentary roads and largely undefended harbors, the islands was too far away from American resources to protect against....well....any of the local powers. Should Japan, Russia or China ever get it into their minds......

As America was now at war with BOTH Russia and Japan (though those two were not allies), the situation may get grim very, very fast. Indeed, had the Admiralty known of the impending war with Japan, they likely would never have wasted the resources on the barely populated Russian outposts.

Still, the Americans would dig in as deeply as possible for a battle they knew they were unlikely to win.

Esquimalt, Vancouver

After months of public negotiations with the British, in December, the Americans finally consented to dispatch four capital ships - the USS Santee, California, Louisiana and Alabama, plus three new fast light cruisers and four destroyers - to the Pacific. First, they would sail to Hawaii and then on to Australia.

As the USS Missouri and USS Idaho were already posted to Guam, this meant that the Pacific Fleet was stretched terribly thin.

And that didn't even account for the fact that the USS Yakima and North Carolina were already set to be dispatched to Callao in Peru. Once again, the dysfunctional Peruvian and Bolivian governments had failed to act (the former due to a civil war and the latter for lack of apparent interest in Chile seizing their coastal territories).

Already, the Chileans had managed to seize Antofagasta, Tarapaca and Arica in Boliva and Tacna in Peru. Another 10,000 American soldiers and their transports would quickly be prepared to....for the THIRD Time.....sail south to South America's Pacific Coast.

The US Pacific Squadron would soon sail away from San Diego and Esquimalt towards danger.

Gibraltar

Over the past months, the Royal Navy had attempted repeatedly to land small, quick supply vessels in Gibraltar's ravaged harbor with the hopes of keeping the besieged garrison fed. Each attempt would be halted by the massive land-based guns entrenched in the mainland.

Finally, out of desperation, the Royal Navy would sail forth to engage the land-based guns at close range. While several of the 12 inch guns WERE knocked out, the resultant damage to four heavy British ships would force the Navy to withdraw.

Finally, in February, the garrison would offer its surrender.

Darwin

The Royal Australian Navy would gather most of its effective power in Darwin in hopes using stealth and speed of the Melbourne-class cruisers to offset the sheer power of the Japanese heavy battleships.

Fortunately, the Americans would arrive shortly and the Royal Navy vessels which survived the Battle of the Malacca Straights would similarly be returned to action in the shipyards of Melbourne and Sydney.

To their surprise, the three American cruisers and a destroyer arrived in late January as did two of the lightly damaged British cruisers. Once the heavier American ships arrived from Esquimalt, there would be an armada capable of challenging even those monster Japanese ships.

It was just matter of time.

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Dominion of Australia

The American heavy ships, which lacked the range of the lighter cruisers, would stop in Hawaii for re-coaling and light repairs.

Within two days of their arrival, the western horizon would be scarred with the smoke of a dozen Japanese warships, the Satsuma in the lead.

As it turned out, the Japanese would be less interested in the non-threat posed by frigid, unpopulated Sakhalin than by the vital ports scattered across the Pacific. It was deemed practical to wipe out the enemy navies first, then casually enter whatever regional island or even mainland targets bearing value.

It was a remarkable gamble to dispatch such a large part of the Japanese Imperial Navy to Oahu but one considered worth taking. As it was, the gamble paid off. Not only were the Japanese ships able to utterly ravage the port facilities of Oahu but they discovered, to their delight, that several heavy (but aging) American warships were in port and proceeded to blast them to pieces in short order.

The Japanese commander only had two regrets as they sailed home:

1. That obliterating the four American heavy warships (the Destroyers got away) and two RN/RAN ships cost them two of their vessels in return. While Japan would had won most of her naval battles in the past war, the attrition of each of those "victories" had sapped the Imperial Navy so much that, by the end, the nation suffered a successful attack by the Chinese, of all peoples!

Japan's military industrial complex was simply not strong enough to replace heavy vessels on short notice. Rumor had it the Americans were going to launch two more of those massive Michigan-Class vessels within the year and two to four of the successor class the following year. Japanese shipyards would be lucky to produce one. Having lost four capital ships in the past two months, even in "victory", may yet again spell defeat for Japan if the Emperor's servants weren't careful.

Naturally, the Army didn't see it that way but they tended to be crude thugs, anyway.

2. The second regret was that organizing an invasion of Hawaii was impossible at this time. The Harbor was PERFECT for a fleet base and only the softness of the British/Australians had allowed it to be so terribly vulnerable to attack. Once Japan seized Hawaii, the islands would never be given back.

 

[Alt History Buff]

February, 1907

Paris

As the Emperor prepared for the spring offensive, a series of radicals would meet in secret. The army was in a state of unrest Napoleon IV seemed almost incapable of accepting reality. Even some of the Arch-Royalists saw little point to continuing the war. Two years of bloodshed had gained perhaps 100 square miles of territory in the salient.

The Royal Navy had blockaded much of France's coastline. Trade had collapsed.

And nothing whatsoever had been done to crush Germany or expand French power in Africa.

The war had, thus far, accomplished nothing beyond killing hundreds of thousands of French. The Russian Czarina had been an abject failure as an ally....as had Spain. Italy had proven disinclined to launch their own soldiers against trenches in southern Germany.

Was there really a point in going on?

Yet, the Emperor insisted that the spring offensive must continue.

Moscow

The Czarina would be travelling through the streets when several Marxist sympathizers threw a series of bombs at her carriage. Fortunately for her, the bombs would bounce off the covered transport and explode in the street behind. Frustrated, they Marxists would then turn to firing at the carriage only to find it was bulletproof (somewhat ironically, a gift from the late Edward VII). The horses would run until their wounds bled out and the carriage ground to a halt. By that time, the Czarina's guards would arrive and seize upon the half dozen would-be assassins. Two were killed outright and the rest captured.

Under torture by the Czarina's servants, the Marxist's confessed all, named their allies and generally put the entire Leftist alliance under dire threat.

Not sure who to trust, the Czarina called her Nationalist Party advisors and they would act without hesitation. The entirety of the Socialist Party in the Duma would be placed under arrest. The Czarina intended them for questioning. However, her Nationalist "Servants" would effectively execute most of the Socialists in the Duma as well as other high-ranking members of the Party, both Marxists and more moderate Socialists would be rounded up by the thousands and executed.

 

[Alt History Buff]

March, 1907

Western Front

A massive artillery bombardment would pummel the German positions on the east of the Rhine, in Luxembourg and Southern Belgium. When the French Generals ordered their men from the trenches to attack......very few of them actually moved. Threats of court martials and summary executions would fail to entice many French soldiers to act. Indeed, the execution of several soldiers would spark a rebellion across several Corps which resulted in the slaughter of dozens of officers.

Paris

Encouraged by the revolt of the French soldiers, the Leftist Parties in Paris would dispatch their agents into the streets to formulate riots. Once again, the French Monarchy had led the French people into a failed campaign. The time of the Commune was to begin. The City National Guard was called out...only to join the protests.

By the end of March, the Emperor was forced to flee the city itself and seek refuge with loyal officers in Lyon.

Kiev

The Russian Army effectively disintegrated in the Ukraine as the local units rebelled. The Czarina's Generals had made the mistake of leaving the Ukrainians mainly to defend their own territories on the theory that this would motivate them. However, this only allowed for the rebellion to extend.

In Kiev, the "Kingdom of the Ukrainians" was declared and a government set up (oddly, without an actual King).

Romania

The King of Romania would immediately announced his support for Ukrainian Independence....and annex several districts of the Russian Ukraine which was majority Romanian. This was the price of support.

Though Romanian alliance had been cultivated by both Russia and Germany, the Romanian Crown held no interest in partaking of the slaughter of the past two years. But with Russia in convulsions, the King was inclined to risk Russian wrath by signing an alliance with Germany.

The King would also slyly offer his second son as a candidate for the vacant Ukrainian throne.

Transcaucasus

While there was unrest in the Russian Transcaucasus (Georgia, Armenia, etc), there would be no widespread rebellion for the Christian states of the region were more afraid of the Ottoman, Kurdistan and Persia than the Czarina....which said a lot.

Borneo

Having suffered a trouncing by the Japanese Imperial Navy in the Straights of Malacca and Oahu, the allied Australian, British and American forces would consolidate in Darwin before sailing forth once more against the Japanese.

After taking a beating by the Satsuma-class heavy ships, the allies decided upon a different strategy as they sailed once again against the Japanese. Instead of attempting to match blow for blow, the Americans suggested utilizing a different weapon other than heavy cannon and armor.

The newer American cruisers and destroyers which had made it to Darwin possessed another weapon: torpedoes.

These weapons were rarely used in large-scale combat as the long-distance artillery of the day (often 3-5 miles of effective fire) would make reaching ideal torpedo range (preferably within 1000 yards) hazardous to achieve.

The Americans would suggest instead of the typical "line" formation at dawn that the allies actively pursue a night attack. This would hamper targeting (on both sides) and allow the smaller, faster ships to get closer to the enemy vessels.

With Japanese forces already on Bornean soil, the Australians were eager to try anything.

Thus, the allies would send forth fast destroyers to scout out the Japanese forces.....and intentionally alert them to the allied fleet's presence. When the powerful Japanese formation of 12 ships (including the two Satsuma-class vessels) emerged, the allies would momentarily retreat out of range and wait for nightfall). At dusk, the allies would charge forward, taking the Japanese by surprise. Dimly lit by the fading sunlight to the west, the Japanese sailed in standard line formation thus allowing them to fire all turrets against the onrushing allies.

Several vessels were hit including the HMS Commonwealth which spectacularly blew up. However, the allied strategy was not apparent until the last minute, when the fading twilight completely obscured the launch of torpedoes from 13 surviving light and fast American and Australian cruisers. Most managed to fire 2 to 4 torpedoes each at the range of only 1200 yards.

The result was spectacular as five Japanese ships were struck, most several times. The Satsuma itself would suffer three blows and immediately began to list as it took on water. The Aki would take one and fall out of line. Two of the three smaller ships hit by torpedoes would promptly sink.

While the Japanese would plainly win the artillery duel, the allies landed several hits as well, damaging two more ships.

Having succeeded in breaking the Japanese line, the large capital ships would engage the remaining lighter Japanese vessel as the Prince of Wales and Albemarle inflicted severe damage on multiple Japanese light cruisers.

Seeking to regain the initiative, the Aki returned to the line in hopes to salvaging the battle against the heavy allied ships. However, the American and Australian Destroyers would, once again, enter the fray and loose a number of torpedoes. This came at a cost as two where struck and crippled. However, two more Japanese ships were hit as well.

In the meantime, the Satsuma capsized and the crew was left to their fates.

Finally, the Commander of the Aki would signal a retreat, leaving four ships below the waves and six others having sustained considerable damage.

The allies had also lost four ships and six sustaining damage but these tended to be lighter vessels (with the exception of the Commonwealth) and, more importantly, the Japanese Imperial Navy was forced to retreat from the coast of Borneo, abandoning their army.

Panama Canal

The United States Admiralty, horrified by the loss of four more capital ships (they were down a full third of the pre-war fleet), would be forced to dispatch the USS South Carolina and USS Wisconsin to the Pacific. It was an enormous risk as the war in Europe continued to rage (though there were indications that France had had enough).

Passing through the Panama Canal, the two Capital Ships and three light escorts would sail on to Oahu. then on to Guam.

Atacama Desert

Utterly disgusted by the fact that the Peruvians weren't even protecting their own borders, the American fleet and newly arrived army of 8000 Marines, Infantry and artillery would sail from Callao to invade Antofagasta and other coastal regions of Peru, Bolivia and even northern Chile.

The much-feared battle with the Chilean Navy proved something of a letdown as one of the two modern Chilean vessels had blown an engine days after delivery from France and had yet to sail beyond its harbor. The other was tasked with defending Antofagasta only to be blown out of the water with most of her support ships in less than 20 minutes by the US Navy.

The land campaign would take less than a week in Antofagasta before the Americans spread out along the coast, regaining by the end of April all of the coastal regions of Peru and Bolivia seized by the Chileans as well as the Chilean seaside towns of Taltal and Caldera up to the Copiapo River.

Manaus

Having ensured dominance of the Amazon river mouth via the naval victory months prior, the American forces would travel under protection of various models of (largely obsolete) river monitors. The aging nature of the vessels was not relevant as the Brazilians had nothing with which to contest the river.

Despite their numerical advantage, the Brazilians would be forced to abandon most of the land areas north of the river lest they be cut off.

Only in Manaus did the Brazilians put up a stiff fight. For several weeks, the Brazilians held out against an America force with only modest artillery. However, the vice around the city would tighten to the point that the Brazilians knew complete encirclement was inevitable. The Brazilians broke out of the city westwards along the Amazon. The Americans determined not to pursue or hinder the Brazilians from cross south across the mighty river in whatever vessels could be found (mainly rafts and canoes.

 

[Alt History Buff]

April, 1907

Java, Sumatra, Malaya

The word of Japanese defeat off of Borneo would allow the Japanese East Indies to erupt in rebellion. Within weeks, millions of Javanese, Sumatrans and Malays had joined the revolt against the Japanese overlords which numbered perhaps 80,000 in total plus local "loyalist" militia. Already spread thin in Borneo and the Philippines, the Japanese would soon find their "loyalists" joining the rebellion with near unanimity when it became clear that the occupation forces were completely cut off from Japan.

The Filipinos would also revolt, though this would be easily enough put down, near Manila. Rural rebellion under Aguinaldo would flourish as the Japanese would face increased resistance.

Beijing

The Dowager Empress' minions had also been keeping a keen eye on matters in the South China Sea. With the apparent crushing defeat to the British, Americans and Australians, the Japanese Imperial Navy was looking considerably less impressive.

Thus, the Chinese government was now willing to join the alliance formally. While the Chinese Navy had clearly fallen behind the Japanese, the massive local manpower and ideally situated coastal cities would provide a bounty for the allies.

What was more, the Mandarin Emperor would even agree to provide soldiers to "liberate" the Japanese East Indies and the Philippines. This was a cunning ploy to ensure that none of these western nations would assume control over the region in Japan's place. The last thing the Chinese needed was the Anglo-Australians or Americans seizing islands 500 miles from China's coasts.

The Australians were willing to accept this as merely regaining Borneo would likely stretch their resources. America had no intention of aiding Britain or Australia gain colonies nor, it seemed, was Britain inclined to dispatch armies across the globe. The fighting in Europe had not completely ended as of yet and the nation's resources remained stretched. Further, the naval battle for control over the Mediterranean still raged and Great Britain would have to dispatch soldiers and freight south of Africa.

This was plainly unacceptable.

Thus, the allies happily agreed to Chinese support and military base access in exchange for agreeing that the East Indies and Philippines were made independent.

Kyoto

The government in Kyoto was in something in a panic, though not for reasons many of her enemies would expect. Yes, the nation had lost a major naval battle. Yes, they were cut off from the East Indies. Yes, the Philippines were also under rebellion.

But more importantly, the supply of vital military and industrial materials (iron, rubber, coal, oil) had been lost. Already, the nation was feeling the pinch as factories and shipyards shut down after the reduction in trade for two years had evolved into a virtual omni-directional embargo.

Japan had bit of iron and bit of coal....but not much else. The construction of the next Satsuma-class warship had already been halted. This was but the tip of the iceberg.

Manila

Augmented by three other capital ships, the USS South Carolina would sail into Manila Harbor and obliterate the small Japanese flotilla present as well as dozens of trading and supply ships. Lacking any ground forces to invade, the South Carolina would sail west, then south before happening into a British/Australian/American fleet bound for the port of Shanghai where the Chinese had formally invited the allies to drop anchor. The South Carolina's fleet would join them.

By the end of April, over 20 allied ships would dock alongside the dozen most modern Chinese vessels.

The Chinese even assured the allies that they would soon gain access to a port even closer to Japan when the Mandarin's ambassadors informed the Joseon King that the Korean southern ports of Busan and Chinhae were to be opened up the allies as well.

Washington

The American press would condemn McKinley's war effort over the repeated losses at sea.

Yes, Cuba was now in American hands (though only with agreement of the Cubans until an election may be held) and Puerto Rico had largely fallen to rebels before American ships entered San Juan Harbor and aided the Puerto Ricans in besieging the Morro Fortification (oddly, Hispaniola did not face much revolutionary fervor and the pox-infested island was perhaps wisely ignored by the Americans once it was clear the Spanish navy in the West Indies was finished).

Yes, Manaus had been regain in the Amazon and the dispirited Brazilians pushed back south of the river.

Yes, the Atacama Desert region was no longer in Chilean control....though this time the Americans were uncertain if they would give it back.

Yes, bits of utterly unlivable Siberia had been conquered.

Yes, both France and Russia appeared to be self-destructing.

But the US Navy continued to be decimated even in "victory". The shocking loss of four capital ships in Pearl Harbor would be viewed by Americans as more important than the victories at Borneo and Manila (though the latter had vastly more important strategic consequences).

McKinley needed a victory that people understood. Thus he agreed to dispatch 30,000 men across the Pacific to aid in the "liberation" of the Philippines and whatever else was to be had. THIS American voters understood.

The previous mid-term elections had seen the Democrats take modest increases in the House and Senate. Another year like this and 1908 may go far, far worse.

 

[Alt History Buff]

May, 1907

Paris

Napoleon IV would order the army into Paris only to to see several regiments mutiny. Parliament would assemble in the face of the Emperor's restrictions. Even his ardent supporters would hold the Emperor responsible for the fiasco on the Western Front.

The Parliament would formally demand a peace and removal of all current Minister officials. Should the Emperor refuse....

Moscow

The Nationalists would gain the Czarina's loyalty by reestablishing order and removing from all influential positions in Government, Unions, etc, the Marxists and Radical Socialists.

However, the chaos would result in the rebel governments of the west and their German allies to have time to adequately prepare for the summer offensive. With the French government in chaos, the Germans and their allies were able to dispatch greater forces east.

Eastern Mediterranean

The HMS Bellerophon, the newest super-battleship in the Royal Navy and first of her class, had been launched in December and would now sail the Mediterranean with graphic reminders of what happened to the HMS Dreadnought.

Leading a flotilla of six ships to reinforce the Suez, the vessels happened upon a Russian squadron of equal numbers. In one of the most one-sided battles of the war (with the possible exception of the Battle of Santiago de Cuba), the British fleet would sink or force to strike four of the Russian vessels and force the others to flee for the Black Sea. Russia's fleet had failed to launch a single ship in the past two years.

New Jersey

Once again employed by the Teamsters Union, this time the eastern branch, the Union Lawyer Mohandas Gandhi would be investigating corruption in the New Jersey Union when he learned of a new directive from the Hindu Socialist Republic (the name had changed multiple times) had once again cracked down upon non-Hindu citizens. Thugs would organize attacks on Muslims, Christians and other religious minorities as well as landowners (those whose land had not yet been confiscated) and business owners looking too prosperous.

Not only did Gandhi's heart break for the individuals being oppressed, forced from their homes or openly murdered but he wept for the state of his homeland. Where once, the Raj had been a growing industrial power with a functional railway and lush agricultural production. Now millions had starved to death and the economy of the Northern India was in freefall as manufacturing had virtually ceased to exist.

In an effort to rebuild their economy, the Hindu Socialist Army would organize "HSA Farms" to replace the old landowner/sharecropper arrangements. The idle were ordered to serve in factories.

The entire episode made Gandhi sick. While a devout Hindu, Gandhi had long opposed the old Varna class privileges and generally supported most reforms prior to the Rebellion. Now, he simply grieved.

In the end, there was nothing Gandhi could do about it. He could only seek justice for the workers in America.

The investigation of the corruption in the Union local was turning up some alarming irregularities, particularly on the part of an immigrant Teamster leader named Ioseb Jughashvili, who seemed very agitated by the investigation.

 

[Alt History Buff]

June, 1907

Borneo

The first of 12,000 Australian troops would land on Borneo where 40,000 Japanese troops had been dispatched over a year prior. Many of these had sickened and died while thousands had been killed by the increasingly violent insurgency. Cut off from supply for months, the Japanese Army would gradually see their munitions dwindle as they turned to face a new threat.

Luzon

Supported by the USS South Carolina and elements of the American and Chinese fleets, 2000 American and 15,000 Chinese troops would land on Luzon. Like their counterparts on Borneo, the Japanese soldiers had largely been cut off from supply and were already facing a lingering insurgency under Emilio Aguinaldo.

Spread out among the Philippines, the Japanese Army would struggle to concentrate forces in great depth.

Mindanao

The predominantly Muslim Mindanao would also rise up in rebellion, effecting revenge after years of oppression.

Malaya, Java and Sumatra

While only Malaya would see the arrival of Chinese and British troops (including some Sri Lankan and African volunteers), the insurrection of the Javan and Sumatran Muslims would make for a terrible time for the occupying Japanese. After years of pseudo-slavery on the plantations and in the mines, the East Indies was ripe with discontent and eagerly accepted arms from covert British sources.

In Malaya, the Chinese would largely partake in the expedition in order to ensure that Great Britain did not attempt to reinstall their own government in the former colony. China was more than happy to see the local peoples independent....and divided.

Lyon

The garrison commander would enter the Emperor's office and solemnly state, "The army will not move, sir. Ordering them to do so would only encourage more revolt. For the moment, the army is under control. Commanding them to attack Paris would be suicide."

Napoleon IV sputtered with rage. This officer's three predecessors had all been relieved after saying the same thing. "If they will not obey, how are they under control?!"

"Because, sir," the officer replied calmly, "they haven't put you under the guillotine."

The new "Commune" in Paris had previously pronounced the Emperor overthrown. Even long-standing Imperial supporters had had quite enough of Napoleon IV.

Smolensk

Instead of invading White Russia and Poland, the Russian Army was forced to put down several Marxist rebellions in the west (Jews, Protestants and Catholics were often blamed and associated with Marxism
) and Muslim rebellions in Central Asia.

While the Czarina's new Nationalist allies were loath to admit it, the nation's economy had collapsed and victory did not seem possible at this time. France was falling apart and neither Spain nor Italy were inclined to do much further in this war.

Instead, they recommended peace.

For now.

Shanghai, Busan, etc.

For the port of Shanghai and a half dozen other Chinese ports, the Chinese, British, Australian and American fleets were gathering. Once the bulk of the vessels landing troops throughout southeastern Asia returned to port, the allies would depart for the home Japanese waters themselves.

In the previous war, the Chinese Navy had surprised the Japanese at their home ports after years of conflict had degraded the Japanese Imperial Navy in a long series of attritional battles. It was a humiliating defeat which effectively ended the war for Japan.

Though the Chinese Navy had fallen behind in recent years, the arrival of much of the allied navies would tip the scales once again against Japan.

Sakhalin

Though Sakhalin had never developed as a naval base (American governments over the past 10 years just assumed it would be handed back to Russia eventually), the 8000 US Army and Marines present had long prepared for an invasion they could not possibly repel.....only for it not to have come.

Still, the US forces would start to organize. Sooner or later, they would be called upon to fight....someone....presumably either Japanese or Russians.

They had to, didn't they?

 

[Alt History Buff]

July, 1907

San Juan Puerto Rico

Having landed in Puerto Rico, Brigadier Theodore Roosevelt and his 1st New York Brigade would surround the El Morro Castle with local rebels and....sat there for several weeks until heavy American artillery was landed and brought to the capital of Puerto Rico.

Roosevelt already had reason to regret forming the 1st Brigade as his nephew Tadd and cousin Franklin had expired in Cuba, not in glorious battle, but of disease. His friend Jack Churchill at least had the dignity of getting his head blown off by a Spanish shell.

But Roosevelt had his duty and, retaining his friend Winston as his adjutant, the Brigadier of Volunteers would press forward until the Spanish had been forced into the Morro, trapped between land and sea. A few Royalists continued to fight in the countryside but Roosevelt was largely happy to leave that to the Puerto Rican rebels. Having suffered the loss of a fifth of the 1st New York....mostly to disease....in Cuba, Roosevelt was happy to billet his army in San Juan's Old Town where the cobbled streets held fewer malaria-ridden mosquitos than Santiago de Cuba.

Yokosuka

Now badly outnumbered by the American, British, Australian and Chinese fleets, the Imperial Navy would begrudgingly consolidate her forces in the naval base located in the eastern city of Yokosuka. Over half Japan's heavy ships had been lost in the past year and effectively nothing had replaced them.

Now, an armada was massing along China and the Joseon Empire and the Imperial Navy dare not find itself spread out among several naval bases.

Presently, small frigates posted along Western Honshu would race back to their local bases and telegraph the fact that the much-anticipated enemy fleet of 30 allied vessels was on route past southern Honshu to (presumably) Yokosuka.

A fierce debate would rage among the Admirals. Some pointed out an invasion of Japan was unlikely and, if the remaining Imperial Navy was ordered to sea and defeated, then the war was over. Thus, wouldn't it be better to retreat to another port and live to fight another day?

Others were horrified. Was there no place for honor? What would the Army say if the Navy ran from a fight?

Even if utterly defeated, the Navy's honor would remain. If they ran......then power would shift permanently to the Army thugs. Imagine what the Generals would say to the Emperor if the Navy ran away and left the coastal cities to the mercy of the Chinese and other Gaijin?

And what was the probability that they allies would not give chase and eventually corner the Imperial Navy anyway?

At least with direct battle, the Japanese would be taking their destiny in their own hands.

Eventually, the Emperor himself would end the debate with an unprecedented visit to their Headquarters. He demanded to know what the Navy was doing to halt the Gaijin.

The commander of the Fleet assured him that the Navy was sailing out to defend the Empire within hours. To their credit, the Admirals present each requested and was granted permission to board one of the warships. If the Imperial Navy was to die under their watch, they would go down with it.

New Jersey

Mohandas Gandhi would watch until dusk turned to night the Teamsters transmitting thousands of tons of material towards the Meadowlands Baseball Stadium construction site, the future home of the Jersey Stars, a professional baseball team owned by local movie executives. For the past several months, Gandhi had helped organized the Teamsters Local to ensure that no non-Union workers would labor a moment on this stadium. Though such high-profile projects were incidental to the transportation industry, it served as a beacon to the Union Teamsters to rally behind the flag. By 9:00, the last of the trucks and wagons had been withdrawn and the day was over.

Of course, this was not the only reason for Gandhi's presence. For the most months, he'd also been reviewing the accounts of the New Jersey Local and found great irregularities. The Union boss of the region was the Georgian peasant, Iosef Jughashvilli, who Gandhi was now completely satisfied had been robbing the Union strike and pension funds and improperly using his influence to funnel business to his friends. The man's corruption knew no bounds.

With a sigh, Gandhi returned to the odious motor car and driver assigned to him. The vehicle sat forlornly a hundred yards from the stadium behind a pile of timber and steel. Honestly, Gandhi would be happy to take the train about but this was insisted upon. Apparently, it would not do to see a high-ranking Union figure taking the train.. Still, he was not required to sit in front of the 1905 Packard Touring Sedan. Instead, he would sit in the front seat, allowing the second Union man assigned to escort him around to sit in the back.

Jughashvili is going to have to face charges, Gandhi thought. There was no way around this. A shame, as a trial will reflect poorly upon the Teamsters. But, in the end, the Union will grow stronger from the.....

At that point, the second Union escort sitting in the back of the car wrapped a wire around the Indian's throat as the driver sat staring blankly forward, trying to ignore the small man's kicks. Soon enough, the kicks stopped and Gandhi's body was dragged to the back seat. The 2nd Union man took Gandhi's place in the front seat. With a nod, the driver hit the gas pedal and proceeded through the growing town's streets for five minutes before reaching the Local's Headquarters.

Iosif Jughashvili was waiting in the alley behind. He took a quick look in the back of the car and nodded.

"Good," the Georgian said in his thick accent. "Return him to the Meadowlands and have him buried in the concrete under home plate. The ass had worked hard to get that stadium built with Union labor. Let's make sure he always has a good view of the action."

With that, Jughashvili patted the door and turned his back on his men, fully confident they knew better than to disobey. He reentered the shadows of the Local's back door. A man was already in Gandhi's hotel cleaning out the man's luggage. A story had already been planted that Gandhi intended to return to Chicago that night by rail. Naturally, the fellow wouldn't make it. Probably mugged and murdered in some Chicago side-street. Or maybe he had just decided to return to the subcontinent.

Jughashvili didn't care much either way which story was told.

Believed to be the 1905 Packard Model N Touring Sedan in which Gandhi was last seen alive.

 

[Alt History Buff]

August, 1907

Sakhalin and Hokkaido

General Nelson Miles would assume command of the US garrison on Sakhalin in May. Seeing no particular reason to sit back and wait for a Japanese attack, the General would prepare for an assault on the only conceivable target, Hokkaido, an island of some 80,000 people, mostly Ainu or half-breed residents.

With only a pair of old cruisers on hand, Miles would follow through on a pre-approved plan to invade Hokkaido. The Japanese had once planned to heavily colonize Hokkaido with their own people but those plans were cancelled in the past 50 years due to the reverses suffered on land with Russia. This may have turned out to be a mistake as the Ainu remained the majority on the island.

Learning of the repeated defeats of the Japanese Navy over the past months, Miles would proceed with his invasion. Over 8000 of his soldiers would embark upon the transports, most happy to to the attacking rather than waiting for the Japanese to arrive. Besides, winter was coming and none wanted to spend another season on that hellhole.

Miles would be shocked as to how easy it was. It appeared that the Japanese had withdrawn most of their ships from the north (he would not learn of the upcoming Battle of Yokosuka until a month later) and there was very little resistance from the small Japanese garrison of 2500 men after the first firefight. Having extended their Empire for thousands of miles south, Hokkaido did not merit much in the way of defenses.

The primary port towns would quickly fall and the remaining Japanese soldiers were forced into the countryside.


Yokosuka

Eight capital ships and twelve smaller vessels would sail out to meet the thirty allied ships. The USS South Carolina would lead the "line" of 20 heavier ships (the Americans first, then the British, then the lighter Australians and then, finally, the Chinese).

However, the allies would have an unpleasant surprise waiting for the Japanese. A second line of smaller cruisers and destroyers would sail only a few hundred yards beyond the "heavy" line and, once the Japanese were engaged, would turn towards the enemy and race forward through the allied capital ships and discharge their torpedoes. Most of these would be fired from at least two or three miles away from the Japanese (certainly the limit of their accuracy) but the strategy would work.

Four Japanese vessels were holed by torpedoes even as the allied heavy ships took a toll with their superior guns. The South Carolina's guns alone would sent three Japanese vessels to the bottom.

After three "passes", the Japanese had long figured out the allied strategy but were at a loss how to defend against it without losing their own "line". Within two hours, half the Japanese fleet had been lost and the "line" became moot. Having lost all coordination, individual Japanese Captains would charge forward, attempting to cause as much destruction on the allied fleet as possible.

By the evening, fourteen of the twenty Japanese ships had been lost and the others six, mostly damaged, would limp away in the night.

That the allies had been bloodied as well having lost six ships was a price worth paying.

Among the Japanese losses was the Satsuma-class vessel Aki which had suffered a humiliating torpedo to the propeller and was left stranded as the battle concluded around her. The Captain would order off his crew and personally scuttle the vessel.

 

[Alt History Buff]

September, 1907

Lima

President Pierola would lose the 1907 election. Having already eliminated his competition in earlier elections, the President assumed he would be easily able deal with President-elect Leguia. However, the people of Lima, having grown tired of military dictatorship, would throw their support behind Leguia. Peirola would flee north to Trujillo where he set up a new government under the title of "Northern Peru" only to change it later to Republic of Trujillo.

Leguia would have the support of the "business" community in Lima and represented anti-military groups and the aristocracy.

However, being anti-military meant that the nation was ill-prepare when Jose Pardo, the proposed finance Minister under Leguia, would be so offended by the business interests supporting Leguia that he would seize control over southern Peru based out of Arequipa. He would rename his new country the "Andean Republic".

All three would eventually come to terms with the Republic of Laredo on the interior, which had declared independence years earlier only to be utterly ignored over the past decade.

Rome

King Umberto would consent to his government seeking peace....WITHOUT French or Russian consensus. Apparently, neither of those nations cared about Italy, so why would he care about them.

The King's intention of seizing the Tirol and Malta had succeeded....though his chances of gaining empire in Africa was receding by the year. Maybe the whole effort wasn't worth it.

Only Spain even registered a protest. The Latin Alliance had promised to protect the Spanish colonial Empire (or what was left of it). Now Cuba and Puerto Rico had, with American help, overthrown the Royal Governors and seized control over their islands. Only Hispaniola had refrained from major rebellious activity.

Umberto would quietly write the King of Spain and tell him to shut the hell up. There was no one left to protect his Empire. Instead, Umberto proposed that Spain and Italy seek peace together with Britain and Germany....on the condition of keeping Gibraltar, the Tirol and Malta, of course.

Given the exhaustion of Britain and Germany, the chances were good that the enemy would happily accept the offer.

Kyoto

The handful of surviving senior officers of the Imperial Navy would bow deeply to the Emperor and apologize. There was no chance whatsoever that they might regain the initiative and relief the beleaguered and surrounded Japanese garrisons on Hokkaido, the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies. Various Generals would look on, barely keeping their tongues as the Navy men pronounced the Japanese Empire at an end.

But the allied fleets now outgunned Japan 10 to 1 and could easily bombard every coastal city on the Home Islands. The economy had collapsed fully from lack of raw materials and military construction had halted.

The revered but unhealthy (largely as a result of incest) Emperor Meiji would treat the Admirals with graciousness and wanted to know the demands of the enemy.

Naturally, all conquest of the past fifty years would be lost. Japan would formally renounce any further ambitions abroad. Even Hokkaido would be "evacuated" of its Japanese residents and return to the Ainu.

The Imperial Navy would give up her modern ships and agree not to build another over 10,000 tons for the next two decades.

In return, the enemy would return the Japanese soldiers abroad and allow Japan to trade the seas without hindrance. In their own way, the Army was pleased at the deal as it utterly humiliated their Navy Rivals. The Japanese budget for the foreseeable future would be dominated by the Army. However, it would not be realized until later that a powerful Army was useless to an island nation without a Navy. Instead, the Army would spend even more time interfering with politics at home.

The Pyranees

Emperor Napoleon IV would quietly cross the border of France into Spain, leaving his country for the last time.

The Paris Commune had declared him a criminal.....and it was obvious they intended him to be the next Louis XVI. The Royal Family and key retainers would flee with them. High ranking politicians and soldiers at odds with the Commune, which was looking increasingly despotic already, would follow wherever they could.

In agreement with the Germans, the French Army retreated from southern Belgium, Luxembourg and what they held of Alsace and Upper Lorraine. The borders returned to the ante-bellum.......again.

Moscow

Learning that their allies had universally abandoned them to make their own craven peace, the Czarina saw reason. However, she was comforted by her new advisors who promised that, once the Musselmen, Jews, Catholics and Protestants who "stabbed Russia in the back" were dealt with, all that Russia lost would be regained.

The Czarina agreed "not to contest" the independence of so many of her former subjects....but refused to formally recognize them. That was the furthest Anna was willing to go.

Yes, Poland, Finland, White Russia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia and the Ukraine were forming their own governments.

Yes, China had marched north into Siberia until they reached the Trans-Siberian Railroad....and destroyed it by the track, mile by mile. The distant Pacific villages like Annagrad were nearly impossible to reach, much less supply. The Chinese were even ordering the Russians from the southern Siberian reaches. They had two years to evacuate....or face Mandarin justice. A surprising amount would decide to move to America rather than western Russia.

In return, northern Siberia would see a terrible pogram against the natives who were deemed "disloyal" to the Czarina. Many of these would be killed or fled to China or.....America. It would be a devastating generation for Siberians after centuries of determined Russian colonization.

But the Czarina was content.

She would never forgot the betrayals of the past years....and vowed to repay them a hundred fold.

The Black Hundreds, Russians who supported "Orthodoxy, Autocracy (at least symbolically) and Nationality" would enthusiastically support the Czarina and happily serve the government in hunting down Jews, Muslims, Protestants, Catholics and non-Orthodox as well as Ukrainians and, most of all, Marxists, and slaughter them wherever found.

The next few years would see a massive exodus from Russia as minorities from the corners of Russia fled across various borders.

Washington

For perhaps the first time in two years, the American people had come to see the war as having been "won".

The Co-Protectorate was safe.
Their "allies" in Europe were victorious (or their enemies vanquished, if that was the same thing).
Brazil had been taught yet another lesson and the Amazon border was reestablished.
The long-disputed Atacama Desert Region was being organized into a protectorate of America. Whether this meant this was "American Territory" was a bit of an open question.
The Japanese Empire, having been defeated at sea, had been utterly destroyed.
America seized Hokkaido (which was being reorganized into the "Ainu Islands" as an American Protectorate with Sakhalin and the Kurils). The Japanese residents were being expelled by winter.
America even occupied parts of Russia, though no one really knew why and most assumed the lands would be given back. Only the Russian pride had prevented an actual negotiation to take place and, in 1908, the US Government would simply announce the Kolyma River in Northeast Siberia as the new boundary. America was now an Asian nation apparently.

Exhausted, President McKinley would announce in late 1907 that he would NOT run for office again. He assumed that Republican Stalwart William Howard Taft would be the candidate in 1908. Vice President Matthew Quay had died in 1905 so there were few candidates within the Administration. Maybe Senator Fairbanks or Lodge.

Of course, a New Yorker returning from Puerto Rico would have something to say about that as well.

 

[Alt History Buff]

 

[Alt History Buff]

October, 1907

Paris

The Commune would initially serve as the governing body of France until the new "French Socialist Republic's" new Parliament was fully embodied. But there was a great deal to do before hand. Any high ranking military official of dubious loyalty to the Socialist Parties would be removed....and that accounted for most of them.

Several soldiers would attempt coups only to find that this only reinforced the fear of the Commune. In the Parliamentary elections of 1907, the Conservative Parties were banned for "disloyalty".

Poland

A new King of Poland would arrive in Krakow weeks after the Constitution was signed. There had been numerous choices but one of the House of Wettin from which the Kings of Poland had once drawn was preferable. As a distance cousin of the current monarchy (a Catholic), the new Poland would choose its own path.

Lithuania would soon follow, as would Finland.

Others like White Russia, the Ukraine, Latvia and Estonia would hem and haw back and forth about whether to be republicans or constitutional monarchies. Eventually, in 1908, the Ukraine would offer the throne to the cousin of the Romanian King, himself a mix of Romanian, Georgian, Greek and Russian nobility.

Once the first few nations took this path, most of the others would follow. Various German princes would ascend the thrones of the Baltic states (Finland would take one of the Swedish Royal family). Another Romanian would be selected for White Russia (by this point renamed Byelorussia) largely due to the lack of good candidates. The Greek and Serbian Royal Families were too tied politically to Russia while the Bulgarians did not have any good male candidates.

The Russian Czarina had approved the formal peace though some border disputes remained.

Beijing

Having destroyed the Trans-Siberian railroad for a length of nearly two thousand miles, the Chinese government was content to wait for the Russians to come to terms. In the end, the Mandarin was not concerned. Russia had its own internal problems and was busily killing hundreds of thousands of its own people to "purify" the nation.

If the Czarina wanted to pretend she still had practical access to eastern Asia and the Pacific, she was entitled to those delusions.

The Turkic tribes of Central Asia were being slaughtered. Marxists, Jews, native Siberians, non-Orthodox Christians, Old Believers, Muslims and even Mennonites were ruthlessly hunted down. The borders of Russia would ripple with the flight of huge numbers of refugees over the years.

 

[Alt History Buff]

November, 1907

New York

The 1st New York Brigade would return to Manhattan for the inevitable parade in which Theodore Roosevelt was given the key to the city. His extended family would be there, many glaring at him over the death of his kinsmen. It would be some time before "Teddy" would be invited to family dinners.

Lieutenant Winston Churchill would manage to spy his mother Jenny in the crowd, stilling donning black over the loss of her son, Jack. Fortunately, Jenny had come to terms with her Hungarian daughter-in-law once the grandchildren started rolling in. A fourth had been born while Winston was away at war.

Roosevelt had a surprise for his friend. He'd managed to get the English-born soldier a promotion to Captain, a rare accomplishment for a man with so little experience and out of a "Volunteers" Brigade to boot. Churchill would encounter resentment from "regular" officers who had spent years working their way up the ranks. But that wouldn't bother Churchill. He'd had enough of military life and was happy to return to civilian life.

Kolyma River, "American" Siberia

First hundreds, then thousands of "native" Siberian tribesmen would cross the Kolyma River into "American" Siberia. The Sea of Okhotsk was already icing over and the tribesmen were eager to escape the Russian kill squads wiping out locals left and right. Ironically, it would be the nominal Russian Governor of Annagrad who would repeatedly offer these tribesmen transport to Kamchatka and Sakhalin.

Eduard von Toll was a Baltic-German explorer who had been put in charge of Annagrad (only a few thousand people, mostly soldiers and sailors) so he may spend more time exploring the furthest reaches of Eastern Siberia in the brief summer. As news of the horrors inflicted upon the Russian population by the Czarina's Nationalists slowly trickled in....and the independence of the European tributary regions like his homeland.....the governor would realize his presence in a position of power probably on existed if someone forgot he was here. Not an administrator, von Toll was a scientist put in the position by a friend so he may study the far east. Sooner or later, the Czarina would send someone to replace him....or bury him.

Going back to Moscow was NOT an option.

The soldiers and sailors were mostly on punishment detail. The only men who cared were the Captains of the Russian vessels which got sank by the Americans months prior. When local tribesmen started arriving in Annagrad, von Toll arranged for their transport to "American" Siberia or Sakhalin. When those ships returned, more refugees were already present. These were shipped along with a surprisingly amount of soldiers and sailors.

By winter, Annagrad was feeling a ghost-town.

But von Toll stayed as hundreds more tribesmen, political refugees and other "undesirables" showed up and he arranged transport for these as well.

When a Russian officer arrived after months of travel across Siberia with orders to enact the new Nationalist policies. A new garrison was reportedly only a few hundred miles behind. Von Toll had him thrown in prison and promptly boarded the last ship out of Annagrad.

Over the summer and fall of 1907, von Toll had evacuated thousands of Russians and Siberians.

Washington

After years of debate, Congress would finally accept the separation of Long Island from New York as a new state, Staten Island to be transferred to New Jersey and the division of California into two states (with the southern one annexing the territory of "Lower California".

Of course the latter would drag on as each demanded to solely retain the name "California". Irritated, the President promised to veto the Congressional approval if the "Californias" didn't work this out themselves.

Eventually, the names "Upper California" and "Lower California" were settled upon by grudging local governments in early 1908.

In the meantime, the American government would also purchase from Cuba the second largest island of the Colony (after Cuba itself), Isla de Pinos (Isle of Pines). While the harbors at Guantanamo Bay or Havana were undoubtedly superior, the lightly inhabited island off the southern coast of Cuba still had an adequate harbor for the use of the US navy. The millions offered for the island by America would go a long way to making the new Cuban Government solvent for the first year or two and the Cubans were not exactly in a position to say no given that America could simply sail into the harbor and take it whenever they wanted.

Madrid

By the end of 1907, both Italy and Spain had completely cut ties to the radical new regime in France. In order to put a definitive end to the war, Spain and Italy would agree with cut all ties with Russia and France....provided that Great Britain gave up all claims to Gibraltar and Malta.

That was the price of peace.

 

[Alt History Buff]

 

[Alt History Buff]

December, 1907

Paris

The purge of high-ranking officers in the French Army and Navy would only continue as thousands were relieved of duty and hundreds arrested. Unemployed common soldiers were offered positions in factories now confiscated by the Commune. Union officials would be heavily vetted and laws supporting "workers" were placed on the books but the economic chaos would see rampant unemployment and inflation.

While the French banking system survived the war, it could not survive the Marxist-Socialists. Private deposits were simply taken by the government.....only to naturally see the banks collapse.

Similarly, the Commune would start "nationalizing" large landowners' property to distribute them as state-owned small farms. Unlike other regions of Europe, though, small landowners had long been increasing their holdings from the old feudal plantations. But tens of thousands would receive land (though nominally owned by the state) to farm with limited taxes.

However, annexing land, nationalizing factories and seizing bank deposits was, at best, a one time boon. Eventually, and far sooner than expected, the political benefits of these actions would be offset by the radical drop in taxation received from agriculture, manufacturing and the like. In short order, the Commune would be forced to raise taxes on income and land (usually higher than under the old regime). Reduced grain yields would see the government sprint to subsidize or artificially cap prices (the latter in particular was a dismal failure as capped prices reduced production). Eventually, the government would start determining which crops the farmers must cultivate. For practicality, the Government would order more potato production despite centuries-long antipathy of that particular food staple (the French were attached to their bread despite lower caloric yields per acre for wheat than potatoes).

For the most part, the French economy continued to collapse.

London

Despite the "victory", Great Britain would hardly prove in a victorious mood. For all her expenses of the war, the British had, at best, merely held the line.

At worst, they'd lost Gibraltar and Malta (now confirmed by treaty to Spain and Italy, respectively), gained nothing, seen faith in the Empire by the various Dominions significantly wane and wracked up a huge debt.

Yes, France had been laid low again but the economic collapse there also hurt the British economy as pre-war France had been a significant trading partner.

Worse, Britain's relationship with her "allies" America and Germany had also proven somewhat lackluster. During the war, America offered virtually nothing in Europe and not much more in Asia until a Japanese ship attacked an America vessel. America was concerned with America, nothing else.

Worse, the Balfour Government was also learning of large-scale protests throughout the Anglo-American Co-Protectorate by native tribes, many of which had prospered by the presence of the Protectorate but wanted additional representation in the Regional Councils. To make matters worse, the damned Americans were publicly stating that they SUPPORTED this!

Had Cousin Jonathan not learned from Britain having lost India after allowing "modest" political reform?

Cursing the Americans, Balfour would wonder if McKinley and his ilk were actually happy to potentially lose Africa.


Washington

President McKinley had reached the point he would be happy to give up Africa. The Co-Protectorate was becoming something of a political embarrassment. A large faction of Congress had spent the past years accusing him of Imperialism with the intent of turning Cuba and the rest of the Spanish West Indies into colonies (in truth, the thought HAD crossed his mind but now looked like too much trouble).

McKinley was already struggling with what to do with Guyana and Amazonia. The Orinoco Territory was clamoring for Independence, Autonomy or Statehood, depending on the day. Guyana and Amazonia did not appear likely to develop capacity to govern themselves any time soon. It would remain a sinkhole for American capital.

Similarly, Kamchatka and the Ainu Islands didn't appear overly promising. At least there was a basis for a population here, though, as tens of thousands of Siberians, Russians, Americans, Joseons and even some Chinese would migrate to the islands to work the mines or just seek refuge. The Russians fled the Chinese and the Siberians fled the Russians.

Now, however, America was expected to defend lightly populated territories near three potentially hostile powers, not only a great expense but increasing the likelihood of sparking another war, a war in which America could by definition have little to gain and much to lose.

Like Sakhalin and the Kurils, it had long been assumed that eventually America would hand back Kamchatka to the Russians. Looking at a map, it did not seem likely or possible for American to retain such remote territories proximate to three powerful nations for long. However, the poor relations with Russia prevented McKinley from making a magnanimous offer to return these lands to Russia (and possibly Hokkaido to Japan). The Yellow Press had decried the massacres and thuggery apparently forcing hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of people across Russian borders. Non-Orthodox Christians, Jews, Muslims (mainly in Central Asia), Siberian tribesmen and basically anyone else the regime didn't like were being forced from their homes in vicious Pogroms.

Handing ANYTHING back to these people was unacceptable to the American public.

McKinley, after eight years, was happy to turn over the nation to someone else in 1908.

 

[Alt History Buff]

March, 1908

Brooklyn Naval Yard, State of Long Island

President McKinley would personally christen the new USS Georgia, the latest of the Michigan-class warships to launch. In July, the USS Louisiana would follow, being the last of the Michigan-class for the next class of heavy warships, the Virginia-class, had already laid keel in Norfolk. If the designs could be finalized soon, the following class would soon lay keel next year, probably in the San Diego shipyard.

Having lost half the US Navy's heavy ships in less than two years, the necessity of rebuilding the fleet bigger and better than before was obvious to anyone, the President thought grimly. Japan did not lose their war due to losing many battles, but losing too many ships even in victorious battles. America came perhaps too close to suffering the same fate. The fact that America and her allies had a few more ships than the Japanese meant the difference between total Japanese dominance of eastern Asia to being entrapped upon their home islands.

Forfeit a few more ships and the American Pacific colonies, the American West Indies, Guyana-Amazonia and the Co-Protectorate could have been just as easily lost.

Of course, the fact that every nation is not only rebuilding their fleets of capital ships but furiously adding new submersible and destroyer designs as well proved that the great powers are hedging their bets. Perhaps the arrival of the torpedo heralded the end of the age of super-battleships early. When the 20 man crew of an Italian submersible can sink the HMS Dreadnought without even being seen, how useful WERE these big ships?

Maybe this USS Georgia was already obsolete?

But the ship had been bought and paid for. It may as well put to sea. Time would tell if it would prove to be a white elephant, yet another waste of government spending.

April, 1908

Chicago

The Republican Convention would commence in late April in Chicago. There were a number of candidates though William Howard Taft, General Theodore Roosevelt and Senator Fairbanks and others were considered the front runners.

Soon enough, Roosevelt would take control and Taft and Charles Hughes were brought over to his candidacy by brazen promise of the next two Supreme Court vacancies.

In short order, the General was nominated. At that point, it was more a matter of his runner up. Considered a "Progressive", many Republicans wanted to balance the ticket with a more conservative. Seeing this, Roosevelt begged the leading Progressive in the Senate, Robert La Follette to seek the nomination but the Senator refused.

In the end, Speaker of the House Joseph Gannon agreed to take the nomination. He was enthusiastically supported if only to get him out of Congress. Perhaps no Speaker in history carried such power. Members of the Progressive faction were livid that the seniority system had been set aside by Gannon who would then personally select all members of various committees. A revolt was predicted in 1908 where members of the Republican Progressive side were actually going to ally with Democrats to select another Speaker.

In order to avoid such a spectacle, the Republicans agreed to give Gannon the Vice-Presidency. Already 74 years old, Gannon was considering his legacy. History books always noted Presidents and Vice-Presidents....but seldom Speakers of the House.

It was a reasonable compromise and Gannon agreed for his own reasons.

In the meantime, the young and moderate Governor John Johnson of Minnesota, hardly a household name nationwide (it was a very poor year for Democratic candidates), would be selected as the Democratic nominee.

July, 1908

Beijing

Dowager Empress Cixi would, after nearly half a century of dominating Chinese politics, expire. Her son, the Tongzhi Emperor, would diligently have her buried before returning to his diffident lifestyle. However, he was soon shocked that HE was expected to make decisions now. Utterly unwilling to do anything resembling work, he would delegate that to his son and return to his mistresses and poetry.

Brooklyn Naval Base, Long Island

While Congress was out of session and preparing for the election of 1908, President McKinley would return to Brooklyn for the christening of the USS Louisiana. After the traditional breaking of the champagne bottle on the hull hilariously took four attempts before the damned bottle actually broke (by this time, the entire crowd, including the President, was laughing hysterically), the President made for his carriage (he hated the smelly new automobiles and only rode in them for photo opportunities).

Minutes later, the President would be pushing through a crown of well-wishers only to be stabbed by an onlooker who somehow managed to slip the knife into his lower back without catching notice in the press of humanity. The man managed to escape while McKinley was momentarily held up by the tight crowd.

 

[Alt History Buff]

October, 1908

Mayo Clinic, Minnesota

The frail Governor John Johnson would expire after a last minute surgery in his home state of Minnesota. This would be tragic enough if he hadn't also been the Presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. Johnson was a moderate, consensus-builder and the first Democrat Governor in Minnesota's history. He would be legitimately mourned.

His running mate, former State Senator John Kern of Indiana, was hardly a national figure. He was among the "Progressive" wing of the Democratic Party. In truth, no one knew who the hell he was. While there would be a wave of sympathy for the death of Governor Johnson (another less than famous figure), the near absolute lack of name recognition for both Johnson and Kerns would not help in the Ballot box.

A Republican sweep in November was looking more and more likely.

November, 1908

Washington

President William Frye of Maine had been President Pro-Tempore of the Senate at the death of President McKinley. Unfortunately, Vice-President Matthew Quay had died months prior to the actual 1904 election and the Republicans hadn't acted quickly enough to replace him on the ballot in the fall of 1904 due to infighting. Many figured the sympathy vote of having a dead man as Vice-President was probably worth more than a living man, anyway.

For nine months, Frye would serve as President. By law, Frye had been forced to resign his Senate seat and thus the old man would serve out his final public position(he would die in 1911) in the highest of the land.

He would oversee the 1908 election in which Roosevelt would win by a considerable margin. Frye would also happen to face two Supreme Court Justice vacancies in short order. While HE had not made any promises to the men Roosevelt had guaranteed Supreme Court Vacancies, Charles Evans Hughes and William Howard Taft, Frye would nevertheless support his party's unity by nominating the two men for the seats.

Frye would also normalize relations with Brazil, Chile, Spain, France and Italy over the following months (as well as Peru and Bolivia after declining to return their territories). . Trade resumed and, beyond some minor discussion regarding reparations for attacks on civilians or seizure of private property, relations would return.

Bolivia and Peru (the latter engaged in a civil war.....again), would be outraged at the new "Atacama" Protectorate formed from their coastal regions (plus some of northern Chile). However, having intervened three times on their behalf, was no longer interested in dealing with the dysfunction of the locals. Instead, America took direct control over the region. Oddly, this would satisfy the Chileans more than the Peruvians and Bolivians as America would actually follow through in respecting civilian contracts and allowed immigration to any who desired to reside there.

In 1908, there had been more Chileans in the Bolivian Atacama region while there were more Bolivians than Peruvians in Peru's section. There were also large numbers of "foreigners", particularly Europeans. There seemed to be no particular inclination or ability for Peru and Bolivia to resume control and it was politically unacceptable for Chile to be handed the area (or even the section which had belonged to them prior to the war).

Instead, America would guarantee Bolivia's access to the the sea (which was never secure under THEIR nominal control) and swiftly returned to the business of nitrate production. America would improve several port facilities and commence construction of the first north-south railroad along the length of the territory (and two routes into Bolivia).

Chile had fallen into civil war when four different General led coups in the same year, eliminating any pretense at Democracy in what had been the most stable country in the region.

London

Having routed Balfour's Conservatives in early 1908, Liberal Prime Minister Henry Campbell-Bannerman would die in office. He would be replaced in the government by his Chancellor, H.H. Asquith.

While Britain had nominally "won" the war, the lack of any credible gains for the loss of billions in treasure and over a hundred thousand lives would make voters question Balfour's judgement and the Liberals would sweep back into power. Like most of the leaders of the past war, Balfour's Conservatives would pay the price for a conflict many doubted was necessary (only the American and German parties in power during the war would remain so after).

Newark

Seeking a new "antagonist" for the hundreds of movies already lined up in 1909 and 1910, the new Motion Pictures of Newark would select a young Italian, Benito Mussolini for the role. With his odd looks and somewhat over-the-top theatrical demeaner, he made for the perfect villain. He would be among the most proliferate actors in Newark.

Mussolini had fled Italy years before to avoid compulsory military service and spent the war years in Switzerland. Not exactly welcomed back by the government, Mussolini would end up in New York teaching Italian before answering an audition flyer for bit part actors. Within the year, he had moved up to bigger roles until he signed his contract with MPN.

 

[Alt History Buff]

December, 1908

Rome

King Umberto I would be forced to dismiss Prime Minister Solandra of the Conservatives. Paolo Boselli of the Liberals would take over despite the King's personal loathing. Like so many others, the leadership of the Italian government would fall despite winning Malta and the Tirol. Italy had been forced to, once again, publicly repudiate any designs on Africa, the true purpose of the war on Italy's participation in the war.

It was not a promising beginning to a new government.

As it was, Umberto I would suffer a stroke in December and his son Victor Emmanuel would assume a regency. Not remotely as inclined towards politics as his father, Victor Emmanuel would develop a good relationship with Boselli over the coming years.

Shanghai

The new Chinese shipyards had been chartered by the late Dowager Empress Cixi and was intended to finally give the nation a shipyard capable of building ships powerful enough to challenge the other Great Powers on the high seas.

The Naval Minister knew full well that without the aid of Great Britain, Australia and America that Japan could easily have crushed China at sea. This had been the reason for the Chinese entrance into the war. Japan must be stopped while China could FIND allies.

The naval race would begin once again.

Warsaw

After months of debate, the more central city of Warsaw was determined to be more viable than Krakow as the long-term capital of Poland. While the new King would actually prefer Krakow, he made no objection (he truly loved the architecture of the ancient city). But Warsaw was nice too. Better, he didn't have to deal with his jackass cousin any more in Saxony. It was so much better to have one's own Kingdom.

The new Constitution was signed, the new Parliament engaged and the nation was already taking shape. The monarch was left to do little more than fix up a local palace in Warsaw and cut a few ribbons (oh, and learn to speak Polish).

The specter of Russia, though, would always hang over Poland.

Ankara

A group of young officers led by Ishmael Enver called the "Young Turks" seeking more political reform. However, the officers would not realize the depth of support for the Pasha by the common people. The army largely supported the Pasha and most were arrested. Shortly thereafter, a mob of several thousand people would storm into the prison and hang dozens of rebellious officers from Enver down to a young officer named Mustapha Kemal.

Seeing that the would-be coup was backed by some genuine discontent, the Pasha would enact a certain phased series of reforms with a new Constitution which allowed multiple parties.

The Pasha would be surprised to find that granting multiple parties did more to cement his status than anything else he could have done. By splitting the opposition into factions, they were FAR easier to manipulate.

 

[Alt History Buff]

March, 1909

Washington

President Theodore Roosevelt would take the oath of office in March, 1909. Roosevelt took Churchill's advice and didn't wax on for hours on end and kept his speech a relatively short 20 minutes. He was complimentary to the outcoming Acting President (Frye) and to Congress for their efforts in a difficult time. The Republicans had gained back most of what they had lost in 1906 and, once again, held a moderately comfortable majority.

Better still, the Democrats were splintering again. Southern Democrats were livid at being marginalized at the Convention after John Johnson and John Kerns were selected for the Presidential ticket. Closer to the "Progressive" side of the Democratic Party preferring in the north, the southern Democrats wondered why the hell they bothered supporting the Democrats at all. It had been the Southern Democrats which supplied most of the Democrat electoral votes in recent elections, not the north.

Many began to wonder if simply breaking away into a new party would make sense. On the surface, it did not. There would likely be no support outside of the South for such an entity. However, breaking away would have some potential benefits. The southern Democrats, removed from the hindrances of a Party with deep regional divisions, may take advantage of the situation by offering their votes in Congress to whichever Party offered the most for them.

The probable results of such an action would be the "Progressive Democrats" moving ever closer to the Republican platform. This would lead many "Progressive Republicans" to join them while more traditional Republicans to retrenched. This would lead to a potential "three party" system. There were arguments against this, of course, as the American electoral system (winner takes all) seldom allowed for more than two parties as it, by necessity, encouraged all groups to consolidate and then move towards the middle as the "third" party would never take exact amounts of support from both of the others. Multiple parties made more sense for proportional representation systems akin to many European governments.

But there was also the potential for the Republicans to split as well. Similarly divided into faction, the Republicans were not a monolith. Already, opposition to Roosevelt was growing in some quarters.

Roosevelt was leading his Party into a Progressive direction which did not make everyone happy.

Nothing had been decided in 1908 but the issue would rise up again and again.

Orinoco Territory

Having seen the rapid expansion of the oil industry in Orinoco Territory, the denizens had debated for years if statehood or independence should be the goal. Sitting on a pile of wealth surrounded by potentially jealous neighbors without American military power to protect it did not appeal to most. Besides, still seeing dictatorships from the remnants of Venezuela and aggression by Brazil, the people of Orinoco would prefer statehood.

Despite the rush of American immigration to the territory in the past two decades, only about 40% of the territory spoke English as a first language compared to 45% Spanish and 15% "other". This was concerning by some in Washington but not critical. The educations system was entirely in English and that was enough for most to think that English would one day be spoken by all.

What was more, many in Washington believed refusing statehood would eventually lead to the loss of Orinoco as well as Guyana and Amazonia.

Statehood would be investigated over the next several years but quietly delayed until more American settlers could reach the region.

Luanda

A 24 hour general strike in the transportation industry would shut down Luanda almost completely. From train conductors, light rail drivers, teamsters, longshoremen and cab drivers (both horse and automobile), Luanda stopped.

The strike was a protest against the lack of native representation in the various Councils of the Co-Protectorate. Indeed, even many of the "non-native" Council members were ready to advocate more tribal representation.

A proposal was written to add a number of Urban and Rural tribal members to each Council. The Americans were generally supportive but Great Britain had not been. However, the new government in London was far more accommodating and was willing to compromise.

The Co-Protectorate had grown so much in recent years that a new Constitution was likely required anyway merely to govern it. A convention was called in which a new....higher.....continental Parliament would be formed while the regional Councils would be reformed greatly. Guarantees of representation by large tribes and of regional proportional representation would be made.

 

[Alt History Buff]

 

[Alt History Buff]

July, 1909

Dublin

For the past several years, the British government had viciously clamped down on Home Rule sentiment in Ireland. With the arrival of the Liberals, there was hope that the resistance would slow enough for the government to negotiate a deal with the Irish to retain the Isle under the House of Saxe-Coburg.

However, the repression and violence would effectively destroy the old, moderate Home Rule Movement. When Ireland was allowed to vote in the 1908 elections, the Fenian Party would sweep the election for all non-Protestant regions. The Fenians were adamant for complete Independence.

The British government would have to decide if they should allow the Fenians to sit....or ban them from Parliament as traitors.

New York

For the first time, French migrants would begin to arrive in America in large numbers. Over 1,000,000 monarchists and other undesirables would depart France by 1909 (many others would follow). Over 200,000 would arrive in eventually arrive in America. The rest would be split mainly between Spain (and Hispaniola), Italy, Germany, Belgium, Brazil and Quebec.

While not exactly the most popular people in America given the recent war (though the US and France seldom crossed swords in that conflict), there was relatively little opposition to the migration.

As with most migrant groups, many would settle in New York. Others would land in Charleston, New Orleans and California.

Eventually, the labor force reduction and "brain drain" would be so fierce that France would stop issuing passports. This only led to people fleeing across the borders at night. Presently, the Socialists would discuss measures such as increasing funding to the internal security service to root out potential "traitors" who wanted to emigrate and even building a guarded fence along the borders.

Paris

The Commune would formally recommend abolishing private property in perhaps the most far-reaching political reform in human history. Given that a large percentage of the French public actually OWNED property relative to many other nations, this was moderated to allow for ownership of private homes below a certain value and between 40-80 acres of farmland depending upon productivity of the land. Therefore, most property owners were not immediately harmed.

In the meantime, the French Marxist-Socialist Government would throw enormous resources into building the navy as well as weapons research. Of course, since many of the best engineers and tradesmen in France had fled the nation (having served the former government), the French would have to begin anew.

However, the French Navy WOULD create a revolutionary new weapon. Over the past years, it had become apparent that the submersible and the torpedo had radically altered warfare. A brilliant French inventor would design the first efficient depth charge in history (granted, there had never been a need before). The lighter French ships would soon be armed with them. Of course, the Americans, British and others were experimenting as well and would design similar features.

In time, the submersibles would be made more deadly by reducing engine noise, increasing the time allowed underwater, increasing the depth of the dive and allowing for vastly greater distances the vehicles could cover.

The surface ships would be given sonar to compensate. Thus, a new arms race was born to compare to the capital ships of the past six decades.

Central Asia

The Russian "reconquest" of the central steppes would soon convert into a mass slaughter of the Muslim tribal groups of Central Asia. After millions were killed by Russian nationalists from 1907 to 1914, many more would flee to the borders. Some would be accepted in Persia but others would largely be blocked from the lands of the Afghans (which held tribal rivalries) and Chinese Xinjiang (the Chinese did not want MORE Turkic Muslims and had only recently completed a pogrom kicking tens of thousands OUT).

The result were the Kazaks, Turkmens, Kirgiz, Uzbeks and others were largely left to die on the Steppe as the Russians ruthlessly moved further and further south.

The Amazon River Mouth

Unlike prior to the war, the Americans would no longer allow Brazilian shipping along the Amazon. Given that most of the remaining Brazilian territories along the Amazon were along tributaries of the Amazon, that meant hundreds of thousands of square miles were virtually lost to the Brazilians. This had not been the intent of President Frye's peace with Brazil but new President Roosevelt was disinclined to be merciful to a nation that effectively launched what he considered to be a cowardly sneak attack upon America.

That this would ensure animosity with Brazil was nothing short of obvious.

Atacama

Seeking workers, the American government would, for the first time, allow Chinese to migrate to Atacama. They would be followed by, of all peoples, Japanese. While most of these workers were male (over 95%) and the heavy majority would eventually go home, they would nevertheless create a new demographic in South America.