Glory: an alternate War of 1812

[Odinson]

The Panic and the Mine War: 1889-1904

America during the later days of the gilded age was rife with both corruption and reform attempts. The moonshine democrats and the liberty party both campaigned for legislative action against monopolies and trusts.

The major accomplishments of President Cleveland included the end of reconstruction in the Rebellious Four as well as the end of the Freedonian occupation. It also saw the transformation of the Indian Autonomous Regions into territories, forming eight new potential states. These became the territories of Flathead, Blackfoot, Crow, Lakota, Cheyenne, Nez Perce, Shoshone, and Paiute. In 1890, Shoshone and the Quincy territory were admitted to the Union, and in 1891 Jackson was admitted as well.

As the election of 1892 drew near, the major political parties scrambled to capture the white house. Democrat David B. Hill, noted political rival of Cleveland, was both a supporter of the spoils system and Bimetalism.


President David B Hill: 1893-1897

Hill took office at perhaps the worst possible time. The Panic of 1893 struck twelve days before his inauguration. As a result of the panic, stock prices declined. Five hundred banks closed, fifteen thousand businesses failed, and numerous farms ceased operation. The unemployment rate hit 25% in Pennsylvania, 35% in New York, and 43% in Michigan. Soup kitchens were opened to help feed the destitute. Facing starvation, people chopped wood, broke rocks, and sewed by hand with needle and thread in exchange for food. In some cases, women resorted to prostitution to feed their families. (Source: Wikipedia, Panic of 1893.) Several cities created community gardens for farming. President Hill was forced to borrow $65 million in gold from JP Morgan, cementing his legacy as the worst president since James Madison. The economy eventually began to recover. The territories of Utah and Clark were admitted during his term.

The Liberty Party easily captured the white house the following election, propelling William McKinley to the highest office in the land.
William McKinley: 1897-1904


McKinley would raise protective tariffs to encourage American industry and promoted sound money, returning the nation to the gold standard. Early in his term, Congress passed the Sherman Anti Trust Act. McKinley, though laissez-faire, encouraged the breaking of powerful trusts, but also saw consolidation as a positive. Labor conflict and unemployment both fell. Cheyenne and Crow were admitted between 1898 and 1900.

In March, 1902, a crisis was brewing in the Virginian mountains. The western portion of the old dominion had been neglected and dominated by the tidewater region. Coal mining companies dominated the region, forcing miners to buy only from company stores and forced many to rent company houses. Poverty stagnated the air like the coal dust. Fatalities were incredibly high in the profession. It came to a head when the miners striked. They demanded a renegotiation of their contracts. Thousands in the lower counties joined the movement, supported by the United Mine Workers. The companies retaliated the strike by firing into the tents of the miners. This forced the miners to fight back in an ever escalating conflict that would be know later as the Mine War. The mine war soon spread across the mountain as the movement gained steam. The governor of Virginia declared martial law and the national guard marched to confiscate the weapons of the miners. The miners by this point had been at war for months and had become hardened veterans. They dug into the mountains, refusing to surrender. The socialist party of America, when alerted to the events, decried it as "A travesty much like Lexington in 1775." President McKinley involved the U.S. army and ordered the governor of Virginia to recall the National Guard. The conflict ended in July of 1902. The miners and company heads were tried by the supreme court. 837 of the miners were convicted of treason, murder, and insurrection. 598 members of the various private detective agencies, mercenaries, and strike breakers were also convicted of similar crimes.

In response to the Mine War and the negligence of Tidewater, many of the western counties sent delegates to Wheeling to discuss a possible separation from Virginia. The Wheeling convention attracted national attention. Fierce debates rang in Congress, the Virginia general assembly, and the convention about separation. In May of 1903, several of the counties were allowed to leave and form the new state of Kanawha with it's capital at Wheeling.

US States in 1904
1 Delaware
2 Pennsylvania
3 New Jersey
4 Georgia
5 Connecticut
6 Massachusetts
7 Maryland
8 South Carolina
9 New Hampshire
10 Virginia
11 New York
12 North Carolina
13 Rhode Island
14 Vermont
15 Kentucky
16 Tennessee
17 Ohio
18 Louisiana
19 Indiana
20 Mississippi
21 Illinois
22 Cherokee
23 Creek
24 Maine
25 Rubrum
26 Texas
27 Albion
28 Missouri
29 Iowa
30 Hanover
31 Nebraska
32 Shoshone
33 Quincy
34 Jackson
35 Utah
36 Clark
37 Cheyenne
38 Crow
39 Kanawha

 

[Odinson]

American Presidents 1-13: The Pre Civil War Presidents

1789-1797 George Washington (independent) 1st


1797-1801 John Adams (Federalist) 2nd


1801-1809 Thomas Jefferson (DemRep)3rd


1809-1817 James Madison (DemRep) 4th

Madison, regarded as the worst president in American history for losing the War of 1812.

1817-1825 DeWitt Clinton (Federalist) 5th


1825-1827 Rufus King* (Federalist) 6th


1827-1829 Timothy Pickering (Federalist) 7th

Mocked by his political opponents as " his accidency", he died shorty after the inauguration of Sam Houston.

1829-1837 Sam Houston (Democrat) 8th

1837-1841 David Crockett (Democrat) 9th


1841-1848 John Quincy Adams* (Libertarian) 10th


1848-1852 Daniel Webster* (Libertarian) 11th


1852-1853 Millard Fillmore (Libertarian) 12th


1853-1861 Jefferson Davis (Democrat) 13th

 

[Odinson]

Presidents 14-21: Reconstruction to the Gilded Age

1861-1866 Winfield Scott* (Libertarian) 14th



1866-1869 Schuyler Colfax (Libertarian) 15th


1869-1873 Samuel J Tilden (Libertarian) 16th


1873-1881 James Ewell Brown Stuart (Democrat) 17th

President Stuart in uniform while territorial governor of Hanover.

1881-1885 James G Blaine (Libertarian) 18th


1885-1893 Grover Cleveland (Democrat) 19th


1893-1897 David B Hill (Democrat) 20th


1897-1905 William McKinley (Libertarian) 21st

 

[kaiidth]

A fantastic Timeline.
I really liked that the natives build their own state and stayed neutral in the major Wars that literally didn't involved them anyway.

 

[Odinson]

A fantastic Timeline.
I really liked that the natives build their own state and stayed neutral in the major Wars that literally didn't involved them anyway.

Thanks!
Yup, part of the driving force behind the timeline was averting the Trail of Tears.

 

[Odinson]

Pink: Cherokee
Green: Creek
Tan: Rubrum

Red (southern states): Albion
Green (southern states): Texas
Red (what's left of New Mexico): Jackson
Blue (south west): Arizona territory
Pink (mid west): Hanover
Tan: Utah
Light purple: Quincy
Red (mid West): Shoshone
Yellow (mid West): Cheyenne
Orange (mid West) Lakota
Pink (North West): Blackfoot
Light purple (North West): Crow
Green (North West): Flathead
Orange (North West): Nez Perce
Yellow (North West): Paiute

 

[Odinson]

A Brief History of the ROC: 1874-1904

The Canadian Republic was one of the youngest of all North American nations, preceded by the United States, Mexico, the Republic of Kansas, Freedonia, Texas, Florida, Libertalia, and California, yet it already possessed its own rich history and traditions, many of them similar to Great Britain's.

Taking inspiration from Great Britain and the United States, the Canadian government established the office of Lord Protector, who was chosen from among the ranks of parliament. Parliment was a unicameral legislature, somewhat similar to the American house of representatives. However, unlike the UK, Parliment would hold a general election every five years.

Canada took loans from both the United States and the Native American Confederacy to build its own factories. Most of the former colony's industry was focused on the east coast where britain held control. Due to more quiet activity in local governments in "occupied territory", the rest of Quebec joined the Republic.

Dunn's protectorship was defined by rebuilding the nation and fortifying it. He passed the conscription act of 1876, which established the draft. During the 1880s, a small Canadian navy was established to patrol the great lakes. Explained as an effort to prevent piracy, it was in reality training. The Republic of Canada possessed three proto dreadnought ships. But it's main naval weapon was the submarine.



Canadian subs

With the world unaware, the Canadian Navy tested these weapons in the great lakes, preparing the crews for a war with England. Under the cover of darkness, they even ran tests in the Saint Lawrence River.


Canadian Flags
In 1877, after two years of flying the crimson bear flag (which was often described as a hot mess), a new flag was created that "gave a greater feel of nationhood." The new flag was widly accepted by the public.

(Flag by @J. Westrate )

 

[Odinson]

Trouble in the Emerald Isle: 1858-1904

The story of Ireland is a sad one, filled with brutal crackdowns and English domination. Thousands of Irish farmers and labourers left the island or died of starvation.

Then came the Irish Rebellion of 1858. US naval vessels delivered food and weapons to the islanders and encouraged them to revolt against the British. It seemed that the whole island had exploded in rage, forcing the British to pacify it. Through the shelling of the northern rebel strongholds in the cities, and the slaughter of Irishmen in general, the protestants turned against Albion. This, while reducing religious tension in Ireland, made the United Kingdom of Great Britain much harsher in its treatment of all Irish, regardless of faith.

Ireland continued to be rocked with rebellion every so many years, like in 1867, 1874-1875, 1883, and 1894. The isle continued to struggle, fighting for a multitude of things like home rule, representation in parliament, and land rights. Long has the Catholics of Ireland been forced to serve the protestants on tenant land. After 1858 though, they mostly stopped serving protestant Irish; instead they went to serving Englishmen who didn't even live there. An Irish Land League was formed to try and procure the three f's: Fair rent, free sale, and fixity of tenure. Instead this group was attacked and disbanded by the authorities.

A number of organizations and secret societies arose to combat the British and fight for independence. Some of the most well-known of these groups were the Irish Republican Brotherhood, and the Irish Protestant Union. These groups, not having any sway with politicians, often resorted to terrorism. The IRB set off a bomb in Manchester in 1886. Unknown to the public or the police, Irish Republican Brotherhood member John O'Connor Power committed a string of murders in White Chapel. Power killed eleven members of the London police in gruesome ways. The public gave the (to them) unknown killer the name "Slasher William." These murders went on from 1888 to 1891. Powers as Slasher William was never caught.

Until his death in 1900, Oscar Wilde wrote several pro independence pamphlets that circulated around Europe for the Irish Protestant Union. The Irish prepared for their next great rising, knowing that their best chance would be when England was waging war in Europe.

 

[Odinson]

The Battle of San Juan Hill: July 4th, 1902

Just a heads up, this is a little unrealistic, but I'm going with it anyways.

A few months earlier, a Mexican naval ship had exploded in Havana harbor while docked in port. This event, due to a severe failure of multiple diplomats, led to the Spanish Mexican War in April of 1902. Mexico defeated the Spanish fleet in what has come to be called the Great Fluke of 1902, allowing a Mexican ground invasion.

On July 4th, the Mexican army prepared to take San Juan Heights. At this time, a young man from Chihuahua had been forcibly inducted into the Mexican federal army. His name was Francisco "Pancho" Villa.

The scream of Spanish shells deafened many a man. Francisco laid flat on his stomach, cursing President Diaz. I couldn't have been drafted after this, huh? Villa sometimes wondered about deserting the army. But where would he go? Cuba was not exactly friendly these days. He cursed luck and probability for not letting a Yankee ship explode in Cuban waters instead.

The twenty four year old reluctant soldier advanced up the hill at a snail's pace as Mexican Maxim guns continuously raked at the defenders on the hill. The humidity made Franciso sweat. His rifle didn't have as much rang as the Spanish weapons, meaning that he'd have to get closer. Inch by bloody inch, they advanced to the peninsular trenches, the fire from the rapid firing Brit ish bought weapons even sent some of the Spaniards running from their trenches. Who knows how many of his countrymen had died when Villa reached the crest of the hill. He watched as Mexican soldiers lowered the Spanish flag and raised the Mexican flag in its place.

Later that afternoon, the Spanish tried to retake Kettle Hill, only to be easily driven away with support of the machine guns from San Juan Heights. Francisco hoped it would be the end of the Mexican adventure into Cuba. Only it wasn't quiet yet done. Almost simultaneously, Mexican and Cuban guerilla forces were laying siege to the city of Santiago, which surrendered on July 25th. By August, the war was officially over and Cuba was in Mexican hands.

 

[Odinson]

View attachment 477674

map by @KolyenuKS

 

[Odinson]

Brief History of the Sunshine Republic: 1858-1904

Florida continued to prosper, slavery being banned by Torres in 1867. Instead, the citrus plantations were worked by unskilled laborers, many who were immigrants from the Italian nations who fled turmoil. You didn't need a lot of schooling to harvest a plant.

Florida also increased it's industrial output during this time, Pensacola becoming the industrial heart of the peninsula, though it would be less industrialized than most US states. Railroads linked the farmlands in the south to the American border, exporting fruit.

In 1877, Antonio Torres, on the cusp of 83 years old, announced that he would step down as president. This was, of course, not happily received. Torres called attention to his advanced age. Reluctantly, an election was held to determine his successor. A man named Jose Milton, Torres's Secretary of Foreign Affairs, won the election. Which was good, because Antonio Torres died of a heart attack while on the commode a few days after the election. With no terms ever set, the office of President was decided to be held for life.

In 1894, two freezes destroyed crops in the northern and central parts of Florida. Lucky for the republic, the southern citrus farms were left untouched, allowing fruit exports to continue. In the north, crop rotation was encouraged more, other crops taking hold. After the freeze in the north, farmers also developed more frost resistant plants.

 

[Odinson]

Some more stuff I haven't found a way to work in

• The Imperial German Empire (aka East Germany) has a colonial empire like the German Union. It's overseas empire includes OTL German New Guinea, South West Africa, German Samoa, and German East Africa.
• The rest of OTL German West Africa is in German Union hands.
• While both call themselves German, people from the German Empire call the citizens from the GU unionists, and citizens from the union call people from the Empire imperials.
• Sitting Bull was the first governor of Lakota.
• Jefferson Davis died in late 1886 after contracting an illness while traveling in the western states that were annexed during his term.
• Mormonism still exists. They were a minority of settlers in the otl Utah area since it was under British control.
• In the 1870s, a popular revolt in the papal States led to the establishment of a Roman Republic. The pope is still in the Vatican however.

 

[Odinson]

Ruin Is On The Horizon: October-December 1904

The Russo Japanese War is arguably the spark that ignited the Great War. The Russo-Japanese War was going poorly for the Russian Empire. With the Pacific flotilla vessels destroyed, the Baltic Fleet was deployed to reinforce the Far East Fleet. When the Russian fleet encountered a British trawler fleet, they fired upon them, believing them to be Japanese torpedo boats. The Royal Navy prepared for war, with 28 battleships of the Home Fleet being ordered to raise steam and prepare for action, while British cruiser squadrons shadowed the Russian fleet. The Russian government refused to bow to political pressure. On October 27th, the British squadron sunk the Baltic Fleet in the bay of Biscay after the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland declared war on Russia.

France, an ally of Russia since the 1890s, declared war on the UK and mobilized on November 4th. Austria Hungary, who had been competing with France for influence in the Italian peninsula, "encouraged" it's puppet the Kingdom of Venetia to invade french supported kingdom of Lombardy. When AH sent troops to assist the Venetians, France ordered the austro-hungarian Empire to back off or face War. When Franz Joseph ignored the warning, France declared war on it as well. Russia, obeying the treaty, declared war on Austria Hungary. The German Union, allies with France, declared war on Austria Hungary. This forced Prussian dominated East Germany (Imperial German Empire) to declare war on the German Union, Russia and to a lesser extent, France. Denmark declared war on East Germany. This meant that the United Kingdom, East Germany, the austro-hungarian empire were all allies in some degree.

When word reached Canada that the United Kingdom was at war with a good chunk of Europe, they quickly declared war and pledged themselves to the Entente powers and made moves to prepare for invasion of New Brunswick.
The United States declared neutrality.

By December, most of Europe was at war.

1904
Entente Powers
France
Russia
German Union
Denmark
Republic of Canada
Lombardy
Kingdom of Sardinia

Allied Powers
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Belgium
East Germany (Imperial Germany)
Austria Hungary
Kingdom of Venetia
Japan

 

[Odinson]

Great War: 1904-1905


War in South and Central Europe: November-December 1904


The first battle solely on land was in the Italian peninsula. On November 11th, the Austria Hungarian common army invaded the Kingdom of Lombardy. The plan was to reunite it to the puppet state of Venetia. The Empire hoped to reestablish dominance over the Italian states. The 5th, 6th, and eleven divisions of the 2nd army marched through the Po valley, reaching the outskirts of Milan on the 16th. Days earlier, the French mobilized and sent the 6th, 3rd, and 4th armies to Lombardy to prevent Austrian annexation. Sardinia sent 3,000 soldiers to support them.


In the mid day of November 16th, the two opposing forces met in battle, the Austrians launched two waves, only to be repulsed. The French then attacked the Common Army and forced them to retreat on the 20th.


In Central Europe, the imperial German army crossed the Elbe river and invaded Union territory on December 6th. The army marched and captured Hamburg, prompting the GU to march north. Imperial Germany's plan was to capture the coast and choke off trade.


Denmark Joins the Fight: December 10th-29th 1904


Denmark was thankful for the German Union coming to its aid in 1864. After Prussian invasion, Denmark developed a well trained standing army. 1904, prior to the war breaking out, Denmark's standing army was 39,000 strong. When the Danish government pledged to the war alongside it's protector, enlistment bumped the number to a solid 40,000.


When Hamburg was taken by the Imperials, Denmark moved three divisions by rail and laid siege to the city. The Danish army destroyed the rails coming from the city, and surrounded the city. Artillery was shipped from Copenhagen.


The Danish navy, made up of one battle ship and six cruisers, and the Union fleet, made up of sixteen pre Dreadnoughts, six cruisers, seventeen light cruisers, one hundred and two destroyers, and ten subs, engaged the imperial German fleet of fifteen pre dreadnoughts, eight cruisers, nineteen light cruisers, fifty destroyers, and twenty subs in the Baltic.


The Battle of the Baltic was a massive success for the for Entente forces, leading to the sinking of eleven imperial german battleships (still pre dreadnought), three cruisers, and six light cruisers. The GU navy lost six battleships, seven light cruisers, and one destroyer. Denmark lost two cruisers.


The War Gets Worse: November, 1904 to Febuary 1905



After the now infamous Dogger Bank incident, the United Kingdom deployed two squadrons of battleships to blockade Russian ports in the Baltic. However, many of these ships were old and obsolete, making them vulnerable to the newer Unionist ships, giving hope to the russians.


The Russians particularly needed hope: the war with Japan was going horribly, and the UK had just annihilated what was left of Russian naval power. When Prussian led Imperial Germany invaded in late November, Czar Nickolas II faced with a difficult decision: continue to fight a losing war with Japan and the Allies? Or make a Seperate peace with Meiji and fight to defend the motherland?


The Czar chose the latter.


A delegation met with the Japanese and recognize Manchuria and Korea as part of Japanese sphere of influence. Russia also signed over its 25-year leasehold rights to Port Arthur, including the naval base and the peninsula around it, and ceded the southern half of Sakhalin Island to Japan as well as the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. By mid December, 75,000 Russian soldiers were either on their way back to Europe, or fighting the Austro Hungarians and Imperial Germans. While technically bad, the fact that AH and Imperial Germany were invading, this gave the czar a major source of propaganda. "Fight to repeal the invaders! Deliver mother Russia from the great evil! Go forth, save your family!" Russia was on the defense for months, hoping, praying to hold the line. The German Union came to Russia's aid by crossing the Elbe river. The imperial german army fought tooth and nail during the Miracle on the Elbe, halting the Unionist and Danish armies miles away from Berlin.


Back west, the German Union was forced to shell it's own city to retake Hamburg. The Imperials had managed to entrench themselves and believed they were holding up in future Imperial territory. The GU, with heavy losses, proved them wrong, ending any thought of Imperial Germany controlling the Union's coast. Trenches stretched along the Elbe, both sides digging in, ending the notion of a quick war.


In late December, early January, the British BEF landed in Belgium. Belgium had hoped to remain neutral, but was pressured by the British government into entering the war. The Belgian army crossed from The Walloon region into France, only to be beaten back and counter invaded. The British expeditionary Force land in Flanders and hoped to take the important northern french regions and to let pressure off of the austro-hungarian empire. The Belgian front also began to grind down, but ultimately still on Napoleon IV's terms. Most of Wallonia was in French hands. The Italian front was still holding, and Austria Hungary still hasn't invaded the German Union.


By February of 1905, Russia looked ready to attempt it's first offensive action of the Great War. On the surface at least. Discontent was growing in the Empire. But any plans for protest or reform was shelved due to the inherent danger the motherland was in. Revolution would be staved off.



For now.

 

[Odinson]

The Election of 1904: 1904-1905

As William McKinley prepared to end his second term, the national libertarian convention convened to select a nominee. Meeting in February, the convention produced a number of people looking to follow McKinley, including governor of New York Theodore Roosevelt, Indiana senator Charles w Fairbanks, and Secretary of War Elihu Root. George Henry White emerged as a Dark Horse candidate. White was a member of the house of representative from North Carolina, and before that a state legislature from New Bern. He had been a political ally of McKinley, supporting his tariff, and was a southern man, which could pull support from the deep South. Despite reconstruction having the desired results, the Rebellious Four began to slip back towards democratic control. The deep South had always been torn between the Democrats and the Americans. After the collapse of the American party in the aftermath of the Civil War, the region would be less contested. If a southern man ran for the liberty party, it could give them an edge. There was one thing that particularly stood out about White; he was black.

George Henry White was the first black presidential candidate in American history. This alone would mean that the Libertarians wouldn't take any votes from Cherokee, Creek, and Choctaw. The convention declared White their nominee anyway. In order to provide a balanced ticket, Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachusetts was selected as the vice presidential nominee.

George Henry White

In July, the Democratic national convention met in Nowa Warsaw, Missouri. By this time, the conservative wing of the party had returned to power in part because of moonshiner President Hill. His corrupt term and the panic had left little faith in the populist wing, much to the sadness of James Ewell Brown Stuart. The party had a quicker time of nominating their ticket. The presidential nominee was Arthur Pue Gorman of Maryland, and his vice presidential nominee was Jack Amos of Rubrum. (His native name was Eahantatubbee). This was the first ticket to feature an American Indian in American history.

Arthur Pue Gorman

In August, the Socialist Party of America held their convention in wheeling, Kanawha. Since its separation from Virginia, Kanawha has developed a political climate that could be called Marxist in nature. This earned it the nick name "the Red State" by newspapers. The state's government was dominated by the Socialist Party, and of it's two senators, one was socialist. (The other was libertarian). The socialist party nominee was George Ross Kirkpatrick. His vice presidential nominee was Eugene V Debs.

George Ross Kirkpatrick

With the outbreak of hostilities between Russia and Britain in October, all the nominees supported neutrality, meaning at the time the War would have little effect on the election. In November, it was announced that George Henry White was the winner, taking the entire nation with the exception of the deep South native American States, Mississippi, and Shoshone. George Henry White was the first black president of the United States. When he took the oath in March, Europe was burning.

 

[Odinson]

So hey, @VANRIDERFAN , I know you stopped watching this particular timeline back during the Anglo American War of 1857/58. You said that this was turning into an America Wank. I've been trying hard not to turn it into one.

Anyway, I was wondering, do you think this is too much of a Wank still?

 

[Odinson]

So, any predictions on who wins the Great War?

 

[Dante]

So, any predictions on who wins the Great War?

It's going to be a giant mess of a war.

There's going to be a front of Belgian and British troops fighting the French (Belgium and Britain had rather small armies in OTL and France had conscription is that different in TTL?)

The Front in Italy will be interesting, I think Lombardy and Sardinia have pretty decent defensive positions and Venetia is pretty exposed. In OTL Austria-Hungary was a total basket case during the war in OTL, is that changed on this one? Germany had to bail them out again and again and it doesn't look like Imperial Germany is going to have the manpower to do that in TTL. Imperial Germany is going to be very hard pressed.

Russia is going to have an easier time in the west in TTL, but, Japan is going to prove a problem for them in the East.

As with the war in OTL I'm sure other nations will be coaxed to join in with various promises from either side. Romania joining the Entente and opening up another front for Austria-Hungary in return for land seems plausible. If that happens I can't see Austria holding out for long. If A-H falls the Allies are screwed. Other nations that could jump in, maybe Serbia? Like Romania they would be looking for A-H land as well.

If I was a betting man, my money would be on the Entente winning

 

[Odinson]

It's going to be a giant mess of a war.

There's going to be a front of Belgian and British troops fighting the French (Belgium and Britain had rather small armies in OTL and France had conscription is that different in TTL?)

The Front in Italy will be interesting, I think Lombardy and Sardinia have pretty decent defensive positions and Venetia is pretty exposed. In OTL Austria-Hungary was a total basket case during the war in OTL, is that changed on this one? Germany had to bail them out again and again and it doesn't look like Imperial Germany is going to have the manpower to do that in TTL. Imperial Germany is going to be very hard pressed.

Russia is going to have an easier time in the west in TTL, but, Japan is going to prove a problem for them in the East.

As with the war in OTL I'm sure other nations will be coaxed to join in with various promises from either side. Romania joining the Entente and opening up another front for Austria-Hungary in return for land seems plausible. If that happens I can't see Austria holding out for long. If A-H falls the Allies are screwed. Other nations that could jump in, maybe Serbia? Like Romania they would be looking for A-H land as well.

If I was a betting man, my money would be on the Entente winning

The French army is indeed conscripted.

Austria Hungary, on land at least, is doing the best out of the allied powers. Russia, while preparing for the first major offensive of 1905, isn't in as good shape as the czar wants his people to believe. And while Austria is suffering defeats in Italy, the French army isn't at Vienna's gates.

Russia is planning on dealing with Japan at another date. The Czar hasn't forgotten the lost lands.

Romania is looking at the Transylvania region that's in Hungary's hands with curious eyes, but are refraining from acting until they're sure it's not going to backfire horribly.

 

[Odinson]

Great War: 1905-1906


The Great White North Joins The Fight: December 1904 - February 1905


When word that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was at war, the Canada was prepared to take action. Lord Protector James O. Davidson went before Parliment and asked for a declaration of war against the UK. Only a few opposed this action, notably Robert M. La Follete.

Lord Protector James Ole Davidson

Leader of the opposition: Follete


The Canadian Army marched across the Quebec - New Brunswick border and, for the second time within a hundred years, Fredericton became a battlefield. The Maritimes were unprepared and Fredericton fell easily. The Canadian navy sailed out across the Saint Lawrence River and would go on to blockade the ports of Nova Scotia. By mid January, all of New Brunswick was under Canadian control. Nova Scotia, however, put up more of a fight after fortifying the peninsula's entrance. But the overwhelming weight of the Canadian Army crushed the militias and the small British regiment that was stationed in the province. Hunter's took pot shots at the Canadian Army as it passed through, determined to make occupation difficult.


Preparing to fight on, the Royal Maritimes Navy regrouped at Prince Edward Island and evacuated the shattered remnants of the Royal Maritimes Amy to the island. From here, they would plot their next move.


Pressure in the East: Febuary to March, 1905


With most of the army back in Europe, Russia was ready for the first major offensive. The Imperial German army was seen as the best trained of the Allied powers, causing the Czar to look at Austria Hungary. In particular, the Galicia region. Striking fast, the Russian army attacked the thinly spread AH army and broke through. After twelve days of marching, the Russian army attacked Radziechów. 6,000 soldiers from the Common Army were captured by the Russians.


Five days later, the Russians attempted to take Brody, only to be repulsed by the Austro Hungarians. The left flank completely shattered under the pressure from the Austro Hungarians, leading to Allied victory. 20,000 of mother Russia's best, most loyal troops were captured.


Eleven days later, Austria Hungary pushed it's advantage and forced the Russians out of the region and managed to make headway into Russian lands. Austrian propaganda called the war in the east "a sure victory" and compared the enemy to a "drunken dancing bear that could hardly stand."

These were bold words from an empire that was struggling to fight a two front war. And the war was nowhere near over.


Western Front: March-June, 1905


The Western Front was no less brutal than its Central or Eastern counterparts. Trenches were dug and fortified along the Flemish/Walloon border, with most of the latter now in French hands. In late March, the French army launched a two pronged invasion aimed at both Flanders and and Yser river. British machine guns and general ferocity drove them back across the river, giving the french a bloody nose. The attack from Wallonia only advanced half a mile with horrific losses, forcing the Belgians to pull back further.

Under the pressure of war, cries for greater Flemish autonomy arose, many of these voices in the military. Despite the war, much of the officer class still spoke french and treated the Flemish soldiers with contempt. And the failed promise by the British that the french would be expelled from Belgian territory by summer gave a greater voice to the separatist movement.


On April 7th, 1905, the British fleet attacked the french fleet west of Cape Trafalgar. The plan was to break the blockade at the Strait of Gibraltar and relieve the garrison. The Admiralty no doubt also hoped for a propaganda win at a Second Battle of Trafalgar. For twelve hours, the British navy clashed with the French navy, ships hammering away at one another. Not wishing to see the entire squadron destroyed, the french slunk away to Marseille to repair what was left after the confrontation.


Bleiben Sie Dran!: June-July, 1905


While the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was struggling to hold on to Flanders, Imperial Germany was faced with a static front at the Elbe river. Facing a two front war (that was nearer to the Berlin than anybody in the empire wanted) against both the German Union/Denmark in the west and the Russian Empire in the east, most of the army was sent to the trenches at the river. Austria Hungary was doing most of the heavy lifting in the Eastern Front.


On June 2nd, 1905, in the small hours of morning, the Entente launched an attack across the river in a three pronged invasion. The northernmost trench was taken by surprise. The Imperials rallied and organized a strategic withdrawal to the back trenches. When moral was low, an officer gave out a rallying cry of "Bleiben sie dran!" Hold the Line! The cry was heard across the front as the defenders joined to repulse the Unionists and the Danes. As the sun's warm rays illuminated the fields of carnage and death, the soldiers of Imperial Germany pushed back against the Entente. Day became night, and night became day as the battle raged on.


June faded to July as the Imperials pushed the Unionists back. The bloodiest battle of 1905, the Battle of the Elbe cost the German Empire almost 400,000 lives, while the German Union lost 430,000. Mothers and fathers in both Germanies wept as couriers delivered the bad news.


In truth, the battle hurt the Imperial German Empire much more than the German Union. The Union was fighting a one front war while the Empire was busy fighting a two front war. Military commanders started to draw up plans with Austria Hungary to knock Russia out of the war.


A New Weapon and the Nova Scotia Campaign: 1905


While the German Union used Rigid Airships called Zeppelins to bomb Berlin, the Republic of Canada introduced a new weapon to the Great War in the fall of 1905: the Aeroplane. Back in the late 1890s, when Wilbur and Orville Wright started experimenting with flight, the Canadian government approached them. Offered generous grants and aid, the Wright Brothers would open a workshop in Rupert's Land with government backing. In 1900, they would make their first powered flight, lasting for 12 seconds. This was seen as major progress by the Canadian War Minister Sam Hughes. The Republic was looking for an edge to combat the numerically superior British Royal Navy. By August of 1905, the first Canadian Aeroplanes built for combat flew over Prince Edward Island. The Wright Flier Mark IV was a light bomber that could hold two people, a pilot and a lookout. The lookout was armed with a bolt action rifle, binoculars, and sixteen incendiary bombs. During the First Chartlottetown Air Raid on August 19th, three ammo dumps were destroyed, and the HMS Icebreaker was badly damaged.


The Royal Maritimes Army, though badly out manned, landed troops on the east coast of Nova Scotia. Operation: Take Back was supposed to retake the Martimes, starting with Nova Scotia, before moving onto New Brunswick. The plan was to be enacted in stages, step one being retaking Halifax. Halifax was heavily defended by ROC troops, artillery, and barbed wire. The Maritimes Army couldn't even dislodge them. Of the 967 men who went to liberate the Nova Scotian capital, only 102 made it back to Prince Edward. Any hope of retaking their homes was dashed by the failure, and when they asked the United Kingdom for help, the UK claimed it couldn't send any until 1906, with the possible exception of a few naval destroyers. Jolly Old England's main concern was in the Old World, not the New. With most of Belgium in French hands, it was sending most of the BEF to Flanders while the ANZAC was shipping most of her men to the Italian peninsula to put the pressure on the french in the south.


Instead, the dominion that would meet the call of aid was British Columbia, who would send 1,500 men to march eastward toward the ROC. The Battle of the Wilderness would rage from November to April of next year, with casualties mounting in a a series of skirmishes in the vast tundra. The isolated farmers and homesteaders often found themselves facing the barrel end of rifles as starving soldiers on both sides pillaged in the search for food. Far away from government oversight, the open lands were chaotic from the start of the Great War to its finish.


Bless The Rains Down In Africa: 1905-1906


Beginning in July of 1905, the native people of Imperial German East Africa (Deutsch-Ostafrika) saw an opportunity to overthrow their colonial masters. The Imperials were often times harsh masters who maintained control of the colony by fear and violence.

Germany began levying head taxes in 1898, and relied heavily on forced labor to build roads and accomplish various other tasks. In 1902, the colonial governor ordered villages to grow cotton as a cash crop (for export). Each village was charged with producing a quota of cotton. The headmen of the village were left in charge of overseeing the production, which set them against the rest of the population.


The German policies were not only unpopular, as they had serious effects on the lives of the natives. The social fabric of society was being changed rapidly. The social roles of men and women were being changed to face the needs of the communities. Since men were forced away from their homes to work, women were forced to assume some of the traditional male roles. Also, the fact that men were away strained the resources of the village and the people's ability to deal with their environment and remain self-sufficient. There was thus a lot of animosity against the government at this period. In 1905, a drought threatened the region. All that, as well as opposition to the government's agricultural and labor policies, led to open rebellion against the Germans in July. (Source: Wikipedia, Maji Maji Rebellion)


When the medium named Kinjikitile Ngwale (who would later call himself Bokero) began arming his followers with "war medicine" that was supposed to turn bullets into water, which In reality was a mix of millet seeds and castor oil, the German Union approached the tribals with rifles. Ngwale was ousted as a sham when his magic water was shown to be useless.


Starting in the south, the Ngindo began moving up, destroying colonial garrisons. With most of the Imperial German army on the Elbe front, the colony couldn't be reinforced. The Kaiser didn't trust the United Kingdom to intervene in Ostafrika, and so by the summer of 1906, the region was in native hands, liberated from their colonial overlords.


Revolts: February to May 1906


1905 had not been a particularly good year for for the Allies. The Imperial German Empire was still on the defense, struggling to hold the line a mile east of the Elbe River. The German Union had scored a critical victory in the early days of the war, and refused to let off. The Kaiser implored Emperor Franz Joseph to open a new front in Bavaria. The ruler of Austria Hungary "polity" declined, and instead pointed out that the Austrian army was doing the heavy lifting in Russia, preventing the Tsar from putting any more pressure on the Imperials.


Indeed, of all the Allies, the Austro Hungarian empire was doing the best in the field. The Eastern Front was deadly, but the better armed and supplied Austrians were dealing damage to both the Russian army and Russian moral.

Austro-Hungarian Artillery Unit, c. 1905


In Russia, discontent was starting to spread. Patriotism could only carry Nicholas II so far before the population turned on him. The Tsar couldn't give the guaranteed victory against the Japanese, and now the war in Europe was becoming a clear mistake. The Okhrana did its best to root out "Allied spies" (protesters and unhappy soldiers) under the guise of protecting the empire. In truth, the Russian secret police was further adding fuel to the fire with its methods. Quiet whispers of one word began to spread to spread across the empire.


Revolution.


On Feb. 12th, 1906, a few days after a major Austrian offensive that ended with heavy Russian causalities, a laborers in St. Petersburg were shot in sight of the Winter Palace while protesting. This would be later known as Bloody Monday. General strikes soon spread to other major cities. Some army units mutinied. The Tsar called for greater unity and for an end to the strikes, citing the Austro Hungarian/Imperial German threat to the rodina. As if to drive the point home, the Allied Powers began to make deeper inroads into the Empire. The Imperial German Empire assisted in the Polish Uprising and liberated Warsaw from the Russians. Nicholas promised reforms would come after the end of the war and announced that he would form a state Duma. Seeing the advance of the enemy into Russian territory, some of the strikers returned to work or their units, not wanting to see their homeland dominated by a foreign power. Most, however, were more determined and demanded reforms now. On March 23rd, 1906, another protest was organized in the capital city. This time, they were armed. When the troops fired upon the workers, the workers fired back. Overwhelming the guards, the protesters stormed the Winter Palace and attempted to find Tsar Nicholas and force him to enact reform and surrender most of his powers to a State Duma that would be elected by the people. Instead, they found out that the royal family had fled the palace all together. Anger boiling over, the workers set fire to the Winter Palace.


Nicholas of house Romanov had fled to Moscow ahead of the protest. His advisers had warned him ahead of time and he moved the royal family to the city and took up residence with the Governor of Moscow. It was here that the Tsar issued his decree that declared the protesters enemies of the state and allied spies. The army was recalled from the front to put down the uprising against the crown. The peasants and workers took up arms, the revolt spreading to most of the major industrial centers of the empire. The Polish Uprising of 1906 became the Polish Revolution, inviting Adam Ludwik Czartoryski to return to his family's homeland to become their king. For the first time since the November Uprising, a Czartoryski would rule Poland.

King Adam of Poland.


With Imperial and Austrian assistance, Poland declared a War of Polish Independence against the Russian Empire and declared its "neutrality" in the Great War while assisting the Allies in the fight against Russia. During the revolt in Russia, two sides began to form; the Monarchists and the Reformers. There was some over lap between the two, however, with some of the moderates backing the Tsar in the face of radicalism. Opposing the Tsar, the Reformers were not a unitary group either. Aside from those seeking a general reform, there were socialists and communists. Facing the insurrection, Nicholas approached the Imperial German Empire and Austria Hungary for a cease fire and a separate peace in April.


In the British Isles, revolt was also brewing.


London, March 30th, 1906.


Thomas walked down the street. It was a cheery day, or as cheery a day could be when one's nephew was fighting in Belgium. Men and women milled about, young boys advertised for a number of papers, announcing yet another "victory" by the BEF for holding off the French attack. A constable stood on the street corner, directing traffic and keeping the peace. He walked past the bobby and tipped his hat. The officer nodded, otherwise ignoring him. A black cat ran past Thomas. Curious, he followed it into an alley.

"Here, kitty kitty kitty." He heard it meow before running back out. He began to turn until he smelled something rank. His gaze went back to the alley. He walked further in. The smell got stronger. He moved some garbage from over to find the source, finding it... familiar. I haven't smelled that since....

He found a dead body with most of its clothes stripped. .... since 1880.

The only clue to the identity was the badge laying beside it. Carefully picking it up, he carried it outside to show the copper, only to notice that he was lacking one. Before Thomas could speak, an explosion shook the street and blasted stone and wood like shrapnel into the busy street. Four more followed in four different buildings. The "constable" pulled out his pistol and fired into the crowd.

"Imperial Bastards! Die, the lot of you!" More cries followed from other "cops" and randoms on the street toting their own guns or bats and hammers.

"The Emerald Isle Doesn't want you!"

"Retribution!"


In Ireland, the cities of Dublin, Londonderry, Belfast, and Cork rose in armed revolt, lynching the public officials and executing British soldiers. The government in London was caught off guard and began pulling men from Belgium to put down the rebellion. The French, finding it a prime opportunity, dropped off ammo and rifles to their "Catholic brothers in arms, resisting the dreaded Lion." The Irish were determined to repel the British, and continued a bombing campaign in Briton itself. With the northern cities in English hands by May, the southern part of the island and the northern country side were in the hands of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and the Irish Protestant Union. In Ireland, it was dangerous to be British, or suspected of harboring British sympathies. Both sides found themselves drifting towards extremism.