Nope, don't worry about that. Action Francaise stand no chance of making it into power. Plus, it really would be too much of a cliche wouldn't it?!
Jarres Goes For It
- Thread starter SteveW
- Start date
Nope, don't worry about that. Action Francaise stand no chance of making it into power. Plus, it really would be too much of a cliche wouldn't it?!
Stresemann, back in the driving seat, wanted a big coup, something to really cement his foreign policy standing and show that he was important not just in the sphere of Franco-German relations. On the advice of a party donor, Hermann Apelt, Stresemann went to see the "man of the moment" in mid-September 1925: Kemal Ataturk. Progressive, secular, nationalistic...he seemed a good reflection of what Stresemann considered himself to be.
Not only did he go to see this man so readily associated with modernism, but he also flew (with Deutsche Aero Lloyd), a novelty for a head of government. On the way back to Berlin, he stopped at Munich and Frankfurt, to marvelled crowds. The medium had become, in some ways, the message.
Not only did he go to see this man so readily associated with modernism, but he also flew (with Deutsche Aero Lloyd), a novelty for a head of government. On the way back to Berlin, he stopped at Munich and Frankfurt, to marvelled crowds. The medium had become, in some ways, the message.
Stresemann was not the only visitor received by Ataturk that month. A visit which attracted less interest in the West was the visit of President Zog of Albania. The two men were in some ways kindred spirits: both had banned the veil, both were rooting out serfdom and feudalism and trying to Westernise their nations. Zog, however, was backed by Benito Mussolini.
Zog was ready to hand Mussolini a major concession in return for more financial support. In October 1925, he granted Italy harbour rights at Sarande. Mussolini reacted by cancelling Albania's debts to Italy, which relieved some pressure on Zog, and indeed seemed to him to be a way of reducing Italy's control over Albania's economy by simultaneously reducing the nation's indebtedness and giving a sop to the increasingly aggressive Italians.
Not far away, tension was brewing on the Greek-Bulgarian border. On the 21st October, allegedly caused by an animal of some variety, an armed dispute began on the border in which a Greek soldier was shot. The Greek border troops responded by crossing the border in Bulgaria and attacking the town of Petrich.
Zog was ready to hand Mussolini a major concession in return for more financial support. In October 1925, he granted Italy harbour rights at Sarande. Mussolini reacted by cancelling Albania's debts to Italy, which relieved some pressure on Zog, and indeed seemed to him to be a way of reducing Italy's control over Albania's economy by simultaneously reducing the nation's indebtedness and giving a sop to the increasingly aggressive Italians.
Not far away, tension was brewing on the Greek-Bulgarian border. On the 21st October, allegedly caused by an animal of some variety, an armed dispute began on the border in which a Greek soldier was shot. The Greek border troops responded by crossing the border in Bulgaria and attacking the town of Petrich.
Excellent timeline! Keep it up.
Thanks to you both, FoS and Dan, and everyone else. I'm trying a strategy of moving across the world within the same time to give a fuller picture-is that something people are happy with, rather than a concentration on just a few countries?
The Bulgarians were in some ways surprised, but in other ways not. They had expected trouble with the Greeks at some point, but not over a stray dog. They sat tight and waited for the League of Nations to arbitrate. Turkey resolutely refused to intervene.
Further west, Stresemann had two announcements to make in Berlin on the 25th October. The first was to announce that he would be seeking a customs union with Chancellor Ramek of Austria, with negotitations to start within a fortnight; the second was to call on Sudeten Germans to co-operate with the Czechoslovak authorities.
The latter point infuriated the DNVP, with von Westarp making a series of angry comments about Stresemann. But the damage to the DNVP was done. The news of a possible customs union with Austria seemed to reinforce Stresemann's aura of genius, and was increasingly leading the DVP to swallow up the right-wing democratic vote. This was reinforced when, on the 31st October, the Austrian Social Democrat and former Austrian Chancellor Kurt Renner publicly lauded Stresemann (undoubtedly helped by the fact that the latter was in government with his sister party).
Further west, Stresemann had two announcements to make in Berlin on the 25th October. The first was to announce that he would be seeking a customs union with Chancellor Ramek of Austria, with negotitations to start within a fortnight; the second was to call on Sudeten Germans to co-operate with the Czechoslovak authorities.
The latter point infuriated the DNVP, with von Westarp making a series of angry comments about Stresemann. But the damage to the DNVP was done. The news of a possible customs union with Austria seemed to reinforce Stresemann's aura of genius, and was increasingly leading the DVP to swallow up the right-wing democratic vote. This was reinforced when, on the 31st October, the Austrian Social Democrat and former Austrian Chancellor Kurt Renner publicly lauded Stresemann (undoubtedly helped by the fact that the latter was in government with his sister party).
Whichever you think is the best option.
It is probably easier to concentrate on one nation, or a region(since your doing a tl based on Germany, Europe), and it would be very interesting to see the eastern european nations brought more to the fore in a timeline and they dont always get centre stage.
Either way, I think you can make it work. Its been really good so far.
Whichever you think is the best option.
It is probably easier to concentrate on one nation, or a region(since your doing a tl based on Germany, Europe), and it would be very interesting to see the eastern european nations brought more to the fore in a timeline and they dont always get centre stage.
Either way, I think you can make it work. Its been really good so far.
Many thanks!
Oddball
Monthly Donor
IMHO you are doing great so far.
I looking forward to see what you plan to do with the Balkans.
OTL Balkans in the interwar periode was an "interesting"
place. Who knows what will happen without the Nazies to "sort things out." The French Far Right were furious. Briand was seeming to let the Germans have a free rein and to strut around the world stage. This tension boiled over on the 26th October 1925, when members of Pierre Taittinger's "Jeunesses Patriotes" attacked deputies at the National Assembly on the day that Briand's new cabinet were being sworn in. Anatole de Monzie, prospective Minister of Public Works, was badly injured- his Masonic affiliation made him a natural target. The protestors had to be restrained from entering the Assemblee Nationale by force.
Briand was concerned. He had to mollify this new far-right threat or he would lose control of the country. How could he achieve this?
He delayed the naming of a new cabinet by two days as he sorted the issue out. The eventual cabinet was thus:
President of the Council- Aristide Briand
Interior Minister- Camille Chautemps
War- Paul Painleve
Finance-Louis Loucheur
Labour-Antoine Durafour
Justice-Pierre Laval
Marine-Georges Leygues
Education and Arts- Marshal Philippe Petain
Pensions-Rene Rounault
Agriculture- Jean Durand
Colonies-Paul Doumer
Public Works- Edouard Daladier
Commerce and Industry- Charles Daniel-Vincent
Petain seemed a good choice. He had expressed an interest some months previously about becoming Minister of Education, came partly on the recommendation of President Gaston Doumergue, and to boot he held the respect of the wilder nationalistic fringes. Whether he would remain loyal to Briand, however, was the question.
Briand was concerned. He had to mollify this new far-right threat or he would lose control of the country. How could he achieve this?
He delayed the naming of a new cabinet by two days as he sorted the issue out. The eventual cabinet was thus:
President of the Council- Aristide Briand
Interior Minister- Camille Chautemps
War- Paul Painleve
Finance-Louis Loucheur
Labour-Antoine Durafour
Justice-Pierre Laval
Marine-Georges Leygues
Education and Arts- Marshal Philippe Petain
Pensions-Rene Rounault
Agriculture- Jean Durand
Colonies-Paul Doumer
Public Works- Edouard Daladier
Commerce and Industry- Charles Daniel-Vincent
Petain seemed a good choice. He had expressed an interest some months previously about becoming Minister of Education, came partly on the recommendation of President Gaston Doumergue, and to boot he held the respect of the wilder nationalistic fringes. Whether he would remain loyal to Briand, however, was the question.
Petrich and Beyond
The situation in Bulgaria was looking precarious. Whilst the League of Nations dithered, the War of the Stray Dog was escalating. In full control of Petrich, the Greeks were in no mood to give it up unless forced to.
At this point, spotting an opportunity, Mussolini publicly announced his support for the Bulgarians. On the 30th October, Corfu came under Italian bombardment for the second time in two years. The Greek dictator, Theodoros Pangalos, hardly inspired much sympathy in the world community, especially after attacking Bulgaria. He ordered his men to retreat from Petrich and pleaded with Mussolini to call off the attack.
Mussolini, eager to look reasonable, complied on the 4th November, but only after 27 Corfiots had died. He had, however, earned Bulgaria's friendship, and this would form the basis for a number of concessiosn to be squeezed out of Tsar Boris III in the coming years.
The situation in Bulgaria was looking precarious. Whilst the League of Nations dithered, the War of the Stray Dog was escalating. In full control of Petrich, the Greeks were in no mood to give it up unless forced to.
At this point, spotting an opportunity, Mussolini publicly announced his support for the Bulgarians. On the 30th October, Corfu came under Italian bombardment for the second time in two years. The Greek dictator, Theodoros Pangalos, hardly inspired much sympathy in the world community, especially after attacking Bulgaria. He ordered his men to retreat from Petrich and pleaded with Mussolini to call off the attack.
Mussolini, eager to look reasonable, complied on the 4th November, but only after 27 Corfiots had died. He had, however, earned Bulgaria's friendship, and this would form the basis for a number of concessiosn to be squeezed out of Tsar Boris III in the coming years.
Stresemann scored yet another triumph on the 5th November when, months after their French counterparts in the Ruhr had done the same, British troops moved out of Cologne.
It was at this point that he launched another bill on decentralisation, with the full backing of his coalition. On the 7th November, the Third Decentralisation Act 1925 was signed into law by Jarres after passing smoothly through Parliament. Hanover was to be reconstituted as a state in its own right, and merged with Braunschweig in a state to be simply known as Hanover. The German-Hanoverian Party suddenly had no reason to exist, and very quickly approached the DVP for merger talks. In a matter of weeks, Stresemann had outmanoeuvred not just the DNVP but also outright destroyed another source of rivalry in the Protestant, Northern heartlands of the DVP.
It was at this point that he launched another bill on decentralisation, with the full backing of his coalition. On the 7th November, the Third Decentralisation Act 1925 was signed into law by Jarres after passing smoothly through Parliament. Hanover was to be reconstituted as a state in its own right, and merged with Braunschweig in a state to be simply known as Hanover. The German-Hanoverian Party suddenly had no reason to exist, and very quickly approached the DVP for merger talks. In a matter of weeks, Stresemann had outmanoeuvred not just the DNVP but also outright destroyed another source of rivalry in the Protestant, Northern heartlands of the DVP.
The DNVP In Trouble
With Stresemann's star in the ascendancy, the DNVP turned on itself. On the 9th November, citing his weakness in the face of the DVP threat, the hard right of the DNVP orchestrated the deposal of Kuno Graf von Westarp as party leader. They manoeuvred Alfred Hugenburg into office as leader.
The reaction was swift. Admiral von Tirpitz announced his anger at what had been done. More worryingly for the DNVP, its moderates were appalled. Two days after the Hugenburg coup, former minister Martin Schiele announced his defection to the DVP, followed by two other deputies.
With Stresemann's star in the ascendancy, the DNVP turned on itself. On the 9th November, citing his weakness in the face of the DVP threat, the hard right of the DNVP orchestrated the deposal of Kuno Graf von Westarp as party leader. They manoeuvred Alfred Hugenburg into office as leader.
The reaction was swift. Admiral von Tirpitz announced his anger at what had been done. More worryingly for the DNVP, its moderates were appalled. Two days after the Hugenburg coup, former minister Martin Schiele announced his defection to the DVP, followed by two other deputies.
Seconded. The inter-wars Balkans are always a good basis for an interesting story.
Good TL, Jarres (my bad, I meant Steve)
Good TL, Jarres (my bad, I meant Steve
)Hmm, Musso as the "good guy"!
Keep up the good work.
I'd prefer to have every Prussian province become its own State (as they then were). Are you going to do this eventually?
Keep up the good work.
I'd prefer to have every Prussian province become its own State (as they then were). Are you going to do this eventually?
Hmm, Musso as the "good guy"!
Keep up the good work.
I'd prefer to have every Prussian province become its own State (as they then were). Are you going to do this eventually?
As much as I'd prefer to, I don't think the political will would exist to do it to all of them. Splitting off East Prussia would be tempting, but I sense it would be unworkable. What I will hopefully go for, though, will be a rationalisation of states, to form counterweights to Prussia. Splitting away the Rhineland in particular should help.
PS: Mussolini will certainly not be the good guy!