Kasespatzle unt Schwartzwald Kuchen

If the Germans send several hundred thousand men to Mexico fully equipped without any action by the USA, base surface vessels and submarines on the Mexican east and west coasts again unimpeded by anything the USA does while the USA disarms. Then the invasion starts. If Germany demands any of the French territories in the Western Hemisphere, or even more unlikely British territories the USA will simply decide to occupy before the Germans can.
 
Given the history of American intervention in Mexico and Latin America, it is hard to imagine that the USA would accept the Germany navy in Mexico. The thought of German submarines operating in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and off the Panama Canal would cause major heart burn. As for German army units in Mexico, the USA would find a someone in Mexico to back who would stage a coup.

"The U.S. sent troops to the border with Mexico when it became clear in March 1911 that the regime of Porfirio Díaz could not control revolutionary violence.[33] Díaz resigned, opening the way for free elections that brought Francisco I. Madero to the presidency in November 1911. The U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Henry Lane Wilson, conspired with opposition forces to topple Madero's regime in February 1913, during what is known as the Ten Tragic Days.

The U.S. intervened in Mexico twice under the Presidency of Woodrow Wilson. The first time was the United States occupation of Veracruz by the Navy in 1914. The second time, the U.S. mounted a punitive operation in northern Mexico in the Pancho Villa Expedition, aimed at capturing the northern revolutionary who had attacked Columbus, New Mexico."

Also, the German's are planning for Denmark to become part of the German Empire. They could then put submarines in Greenland and threaten the US-European trade routes. The USA would have to do something to avoid being squeezed from the North and South on submarine warfare.
 
If the Germans send several hundred thousand men to Mexico fully equipped without any action by the USA, base surface vessels and submarines on the Mexican east and west coasts again unimpeded by anything the USA does while the USA disarms. Then the invasion starts. If Germany demands any of the French territories in the Western Hemisphere, or even more unlikely British territories the USA will simply decide to occupy before the Germans can.

Nice. What's the exception and why?
 
The VI were purchased from Denmark in 1917 specifically to avoid somebody else purchasing them and making them a threat to the Panama Canal. My post was meant to be a bit snarky. In order for Germany to invade the USA this is what they would need to do. While stationing naval forces on seized French Caribbean possessions would make difficulties for the USN, and of course the HSF might be able to bombard somewhere on the US coast (at significant risk to the units that do this). Of course U-Boats based in Martinique would be a royal pain. Push comes to shove those German bases won't last long ("send the Marines"). A limited number of German advisors to the Mexican military, the US is unhappy but won't invade. Any regular German Army units there, adios Mexico.
 
The concern that I have with German military advisors in Mexico is that it would start out small and grow. At first there are advisors to help raise the standards of the infantry. Then you start to see new modern German equipment appearing. Then you see more advisors to work with the Mexican army on modern German Artillery. Then as time goes on, you see more advisors to work with the Mexican army on modern German planes. As part of that German companies start to build new modern airports and landing strips. Then you start to see modern German tanks and the advisors to train the Mexican army on how to use tanks. Then you start to see German communication advisors and new modern German radios and telephones and so on. Again you would see German companies building radio and telephone networks. Then you start to see logistic, medical, and engineering advisors upgrading the Mexican army capability and the Mexican infrastructure. Again here come more German companies and investment. Then you see naval advisors and Mexico now has modern submarines and surface ships. So over 10-15 years you see a well trained modern Mexican military and modern infrastructure. You would see German companies involved in the Mexican oil and mining industries. You start to see the best and brightest Mexican officers taking German General Staff training. You start to see best and brightest students obtaining scholarships to study in Germany. They are then hired by German companies who want to expand in Mexico.

I could then see the Mexico and German governments starting to work on bringing the various Central American countries into the Mexican-German orbit. Given the fact that the USA has been heavy handed in Central America, there should be groups that Mexico/Germany could support that would push against the American back governments. This could range from coups to guerilla warfare. An alternative is German banks and companies expanding their operations from Mexico south and competing with the American companies.

The key is to do this slowly as Mexico can absorb the training and equipment. I am thinking 10-15-20 years with each increase justified until the accumulated effect is a significant power on the USA southern border and near the Panama Canal.
 
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What I appreciate about this timeline is that it seems to be pointing a finger at other timelines, where the Entente does not win the Great war and saying "that's not a Central Powers victory scenario, this is a Central Powers victory scenario".
 
April 25, 1918 – Berlin, Germany

“You know that the Alsace question continues to loom, sir”. The voice of the minister in question was not unfamiliar, the tone of Georg von Hertling was out of place though, especially as the main parts of the pending question were whether the area in question would remain a military province or become a restored Grand Duchy, and if so whom would become the Grand Duke for the territory. “All of the major families are struggling for the right to claim the seat”.

Kaiser Wilhelm furled his brow as he continued to look over other documents. “Must we settle this now, Georg? We are still detailing our boundaries for MittelAfrika and the claims need attention as soon as possible”.

Von Hertling sighed slightly, the arrogance of the Kaiser was clipped recently by the realization that the army was not in his hands nor could he claim total credit for its victories though the meddling of Hindenburg and Ludendorff went much farther than anyone had anticipated. Overall it left the Kaiser little more than a puppet in their eyes, what real power he had left was influencing the budget for the time being. “Why should we delay the naming of the ducal seat”?, he replied, “especially as the Bavarians have named this common Saxon the new Duke of the Palatinate”?

That brought a notable question to mind. Fighting in the Bavarian army this Saxon had managed to obtain a slew of awards and honors far beyond the expected station, now known as one of ‘The Apostles’ for the twelve men to win one of Germany’s highest military decorations despite being only commoners at the time. “I have heard of this man, but what Bavaria does with its territories is of no consequence to me. He will prove an interesting neighbor for whomever takes the Grand Ducal seat though, and honestly I would be content to break apart the region into smaller and more manageable pro-Prussian spheres. But as you and others insist, I will instead restore the former Duchy while imcreasing its rank among our nobility”.

“It gives the people there a real sense we actually care about them as Imperial citizens, not just conquered Frenchmen”.

“I understand that”, the Kaiser noted, “and yes, the bravery and loyalty of the citizens is not to go unrewarded. Unfortunately the original ducal family is so far lost to time that no one claimant can step forward to show a dominant interest…”

Von Hertling spoke and the two men spoke in stereo. “…so we need a new family to step in”. Hertling continued, “What sort of candidates are there so far”?

Kaiser Wilhelm looked over and shook his head. “I will attend to that later. Come here and look at this map, the British just sent over their latest demands in the region”. A larger map of the region lay spread on the desk as a grey shape began to emerge in the center. “They agree that we will keep the German East Africa and the Kamerun, but the Togoland and German Southwest Afrika area are in question as are any and all claims south of the Zambezi River. It looks like that river will become the boundary for our new state as Portugal has indicated an interest in allowing our ‘exclusive economic development’ of the areas north of it as well. It does not hurt that a professor hunting the ancient city of Rhapta is known in the area and friends with the locals”.

“Rhapta, sir”?

“Capital of Azania, trade town known to the Romans. Not a top priority, just an interesting footnote”.

Von Hertling noted the historical interests of the Kaiser and recalled it was recommended as a way to calm him whenever he was upset or in, ‘one of his moods’, but getting him back on task would also prove interesting. “I see we are taking over former northern Rhodesia along with the Kongo and Nyasaland. So our trouble is with German Southwest Afrika and French Equitorial Africa, then”?

“And part of Angola but so long as the Caprivi Strip remains intact I will let Portugal come to us on the matter”.

Spain must be making progress in their invasion if Portugal was permitting German development of Portuguese West Africa, but its eastern African colony as well? “And what are the likely odds of that, do you think”?

His tone was again out of place but the Kaiser was not ready to argue…yet. “Spain is moving well into the country, it is possible that without a significant Portuguese development that the Spanish will take Oporto by week’s end and Estremoz about the same time. If they capture Evora, the next town up from Estremoz, they are about halfway to Lisbon”.

Serious chance then, von Hertling thought to himself. “What are the troubles with French Equitorial Africa, sir”?

“France is loath to surrender it and is trying to parlay it to the British for ‘safekeeping’ as they already have with most of their other colonies. Their increasingly complex civil conflict is becoming troublesome as well, we are still holding the signing of the treaty at Versailles but Geneva can no longer serve as a fallback – we may have to think about an alternate location”.

“Are we still on for a treaty signature upon finalization of the terms”?

Kaiser Wilhelm twirled the end of his waxed moustache, “Yes, but that looks to be about end of May or early June. Everyone wants the war finished, the French government wants to move troops to the south and the British want to get their Soldier’s Union situation dealt with. I hear ugly things about a disease outbreak there as well, most concerning”.

Rumors were spreading about a new virulent type of flu-like illness said to be more dangerous than normal. With all of the refugees concentrated in the Dunkirk pocket ready to leave for other places…,“I have heard the same but the numbers are few and peace is the priority. Should we quarantine the Germans in the nearby areas as a precaution”?

Kaiser Wilhelm thought to himself. “Yes”, he kept a smile to himself, “yes absolutely, and inform the Army of the need to control possible disease outbreak among our people. Tell them to be wary of signs of infection as they appear and keep movement to and from the front to a minimum”.

He can show some degree of influence on the army and say I brought up the suggestion, von Hertling thought to himself, not the best position to be in. “I would of course need your signature on the paperwork”.

“Draw up the appropriate orders and have the proper people informed. If there is some new type of disease I would like it to stay near the coast of France and not the rest of Europe. Do we have any P.O.W. camps nearby or are any of the enemy’s nearby”?

“Yes, many of our soldiers are being held in a camp about 12 miles away”.

“Quarantine them upon release with the treaty in an isolated area, ideally one of the islands in the Baltic or North Seas until this blows over”.
 
“You know that the Alsace question continues to loom, sir”.
Wilhelm have a plan(dunno if was real, i hear it from the late Robert Perkins, might have read it from a german source)that Wilhelm II was planning long term to make Eltass lothringen a duchy and gift it to Franz Fernindand children as he fell their children not being heirs was a disgracce but that plan never happened...maybe here he would revived it?
 
April 28, 1918 – Tobolsk, Russia

“I dunno, boss”, came the timid reply from the back. “Those new orders sound unusual at best”.

In front of the large truck the main officer calmly re-read the telegram one more time from Moscow. That night had seen a particularly fierce storm shatter windows in the building with concerns for many of the documents being whisked away or made so wet as to not be easily legible. With over thirty troops between the two trucks and a large escort, he knew the Imperial Family was being moved to Yekaterinburg where they would be much safer, but something seemed out of place. Paranoia was a survival trait in Russia these days with the Civil War leaving Asia, the remaining Russian areas near the Caucasus, and the Kola Peninsula in the hands of the pro-Allied Whites while much of the rest was in the hands of the Reds. Persia joined the fray barely a month ago only to occupy Dagestan, Azerbaijan, and now the western edge of the Caspian with no way for either side to deal with the German ally without risking their intervention, negotiations would likely see Persia keep the Turkmen areas, Dagestan, and any place that spoke their language, too. Finland, Poland, the Baltic areas and the Ukraine were at the cusp of independence with long-standing grudges coming to the fore. Japan launched a full invasion of northern Sakhalin and the Kamchatka Peninsula while landing thousands of troops at Vladivostok as the Whites began to fracture internally into major sub-factions. At least the Reds maintained a unified command, thought People’s Army Major Grigory Hanstov, noting his *very* specific orders to move all four daughters, the son, and parents to the old house-turned-fort in the city across the Urals. “Times are unusual at best”, he said, “and do not think these are ordinary days. Change breeds unease, it is right to have your guard up”.

“At least we are still eating”, noted another soldier, “and still have a place to call home. Think of the poor bastards hit by the damn Germans and Austrians, right”?

All of the men in the truck nodded in agreement. A quick way to prevent potentially ‘reviewable’ conversation was to curse the Germans or Austrians or both and change the topic immediately. Loose tongues here could mean loose necks or ventilated skulls later, and everyone here knew it. “What are our orders, boss”?, came the question from a very young private in the back of the truck.

“Prisoner transfer”. No one asked who it was, the only other major prisoners involved would be political affiliates that no one outside of Moscow would likely identify.

“Yes sir”, came the reply, and everyone else became very quiet as the journey continued.

Roads were bumpy even from the train station to the area in question, this was something the new government(s) promised to work on ‘someday’ but just having the truck instead of horses and wagons were enough to satisfy many of the troops as a sign of progress. As they passed another truck, a crisp salute came as the Major’s bars were noted and the two trucks stopped to exchange information.

“How are the roads ahead”?, asked Hanstov.

“Clear for now, but there’s a good storm over Tobolsk itself, definitely get the raingear out before you get into town”.

“Got it. Anything else going on in town”?

“Yes, there was a cavalry raid by the Whites but it looks like they were trying to free…”

“Understood, how did it turn out”? No one else in the truck needed to know who they were trying to move or where until the time came.

“We got most of them, but a few remain for…questioning…and I am sure they are looking forward to having another officer on hand for just that purpose while the rest clean up”. There would be glory for getting that kind of information to Moscow first…

“Understood. Got some spare shovels”?

The figure opposite looked around, the men in the truck quietly nodding and two shovels were quickly produced. “You are lucky, but yes, and we could use them ourselves…”

Hanstov noted the Captain in the opposite truck. “Sorry, you might need them, but we need them more, so please hand them over”.

The Captain smiled dryly, but complied. Two broad shovels came into the truck, one having an oddly red color to the mud but maybe that was just the color of the soil in some areas here, and the Captain asked for permission to leave.

Hanstov had more questions but wanted to get ahead as soon as possible. “Granted”, he noted, and the trucks went on their respective ways.

It would be several hours before the troops arrived at the pickup location, but on arrival the scene looked like a massacre with at least two dozen dead still laying out on the ground as others continued to hurl the bodies of former Red Army colleagues into large piles pending the digging of the necessary pits. Hanstov hurried his men out of the truck and assembled them on the front entrance of the compound, gave one shovel to a private and another with the oddly red soil to his lieutenant, ordering most to help organize the disposal of corpses and taking his captain and lieutenant into the building with him. Upon ordering his men loose, he looked around and nodded to the entrance where his men followed. On entrance to the building, Hanstov found the stairwell and proceeded down the basement as people stared at him uneasily. At almost two meters tall his height alone was intimidating, but with a Major’s rank this was magnified that much more. Upon arrival to the basement, the guard of the room stopped the three officers and asked for identification papers, which each man easily produced and the guard nodded after slight hesitation. Hanstov ordered the two men to wait outside as he entered the poorly-lit room alone, one light descending from the ceiling directly over a single person I a seated position. Upon entering Hanstov noted at least eleven dead men on the floor – one much younger and oddly missing a bullet wound easily visible from this angle – and a younger man nervously sitting in a chair covered in his own blood and perhaps that of several other men as well. His face was gashed from multiple angles, his wrists and legs bound to the wooden chair, and another pair of men reviewing what was already discussed. “Greetings, comrade”, came the bellowing almost-laugh from a…Colonel, Hanstov thought…”Are you here to help with the information gathering process for the Motherland”?

Hanstov did not like torture but would do his duty for his country. “Yes sir, I am”.

“You were the reinforcements we were expecting, yes”? The Colonel had a fairly thick Caucasian accent, maybe somewhere in Georgia, Hanstov could not quite place it.

“Yes, sir, we arrived only a few minutes ago”.

“Your timing is rotten, Major”.

“What happened here, sir”?

“Well, it appears we had a small search-and-rescue mission of some kind, except they came very well equipped and killed most of the people on site. They took over the area briefly and even managed to bury a few things locally before the troops from the garrison managed to catch up to the site. We managed to capture four of them, three of whom are now dead in the information extraction process and the final survivor is as you see here. Your papers, please”.

Hanstov handed them over immediately. “Ah, Major Hanstov, I have heard of you. You will be welcome here, your actions near Rostov are already preceding you”.

His forces were fresh from battle there having recaptured the city from a White offensive. “Yes sir”.

“Our few surviving men reported the survivor here and his comrades speak German, though this one knows at least a little Russian - so how is your German, Major”?

Hanstov spoke loudly and harshly at the prisoner, who nodded. “Excellent! Grigori”, the young man next to him snapped to attention, “ask your last question for our prisoner, whose name escapes me, and have him ready for the Major in ten minutes. Major, please come with me”.

They entered an office at the top floor of the building where hot tea awaited next to a small cup of sugar and some biscuits. “Please help yourself, Major, I will join you shortly”. Hanstov poured himself some tea, added the sugar, and ate a biscuit as he waited on the Colonel occupied with another sort of waste disposal. A few minutes later he returned, the biscuits tasting as wonderful as the tea was fragrant.

“Excellent provisions Colonel, my compliments”.

“You are of course quite welcome. Tell me, what of the Rostov situation”?

Hanstov nodded and briefly recapped the story, minimizing his own role though the Colonel knew he had been instrumental in retaking the city. His promotion to Colonel was already all but assured at the next Commissarat meeting next week, the rapid climb of a former Imperial sergeant so dedicated to the cause astounded those there to witness it. “I note your play yourself down, comrade, no need to do that here”.

“But I must sir, we moved as individuals but functioned as one group. Change thinking by changing language, and if I make one person stand out the others might not get due credit”.

“A true believer is always welcome, comrade, not everyone would do the same for their men”.

Hanstov noted that. “Thank you, the food is a welcome reprieve”.

“We liberated it from the stocks of the Imperial Family, I have already sent word out to find those who would sequester them away. In a few hours I would anticipate the return of our guests though conditions at their next location might be a bit deteriorated”.

Hanstov noted the fatigue of being on the road for so long, the strength finally starting to come back with the refreshment. “How many casualties”?

“Well the Tsarevitch was killed in the fighting, I believe you saw his body in the room. Rifle butt to the head, honestly poor Ivan thought he had not hit the boy so hard. Apparently he bleeds very easily, or so his mother cried before we shot her. Their oldest daughter was also killed”.

“That leaves the three younger daughters and the Tsar himself”.

“Yes it does. Unfortunately the man himself escaped but with two good bullet wounds in his belly I do not think he will live for long. One of the girls was shot in the arm, but it is a lighter wound, the bleeding for her was also difficult to control I think. And about a third of their staff were also able to escape”.

Staff people could present issues as it would let the various escapees blend in more easily. “How many are we talking about altogether”?

“Five staff, four royals, three dozen soldiers, two pets, and a prisoner”.

Hanstov stopped. “They took a prisoner”?

“Indeed, apparently a Major like yourself”. Grigory walked in, spoke quietly into the Colonel’s ear, and quietly left the room. “Ah, the prisoner is ready for you, Major. Let us proceed”. Hanstov took three of the biscuits down with him after the Colonel turned his back.

Five minutes later the Major nodded to the guard behind the door as the prisoner remained silent. He saw the biscuits sticking out of the Major’s pocket. “May I have a last request, sir”?

Hanstov noted the German, probably a Rhine dialect, and made a mental note of it. ”Sure”

“Those look like almond biscuits, which are a favorite of mine. May I have one or two of them”?

Hanstov held the biscuits out for the man to eat, watching him do so ravenously as he felt the long hours catch up with him again. He gave the prisoner the third biscuit for good measure, noting his only having had one himself. The door slammed open. “What have you done, Major”?!

The prisoner spoke quickly in Russian, “I told you my men would come back for us…” before trailing off, his breathing becoming erratic.

“Major Hanstov, I would kill you myself except you have already done me the honor, it seems. Your men brought two shovels with them, one of which has blood mixed in with the clay out back. It matches the color of the soil next to a buried body of a scout sent out two days ago before his capture. Apparently the foreigners got in and poisoned the biscuits before assuming the roles of Red Army Officers and troops”. Hanstov felt the weakening progress long enough only to make a final statement, “But how do we know, my colonel, that you are not the one…who poisoned the biscuits…after all…how are you still alive…”?

Grigory then pulled out a pistol and arrested his former commanding officer on the spot. No one could question the incredible coincidence, for even with the evidence that the Colonel was with his local mistress at the time of the attack it was still gross dereliction of duty. Knowing his fate was sealed, he simply turned to Grigory and asked, “May I have a biscuit”?
 
April 29, 1918 – Moscow, Russia

*PRIORITY_ONE_MESSAGE*

*MOST_SECRET_HIGHEST_SECURITY*

*ANY_REVELATION_TRACED_FROM_THIS_MESSAGE_MEANS_DEATH_TO_TRAITOR_AND_FAMILY*

*DETAIL_ALL_COMMANDERS_RED_ARMY_EUROPE*

*CAPITALIST_MERCENARIES_HAVE_RETRIEVED_TSAR_AND_THREE_DAUGHTERS*

*BELIEVE_THEY_HEAD_EAST_TO_WHITES_CHECK_ALL_TRAINS_AND_ROADS*

*SAME_FOR_ALL_WEST_AND_SOUTH_TRAINS_LOOK_FOR_LARGE_GROUPS*

*ISOLATE_AND_SECURE_ANY_OF_THE_ROYAL_FAMILY_IMMEDIATELY_IF_FOUND*

*DO_NOT_REPORT_BY_TELEGRAM_IF_FOUND_EXCEPT_BY_PHRASES_INDICATED*

-STOP-
 
May 04, 1918 – Tehran, Persia

“We are honored to have you here, Oberst”, came the calm voice of Radolph von Kardoff, the Charge d’ Affaires for the German Embassy in Tehran and a main impetus in the deliverance of Persia to the Central Powers, “and of course you as well, Your Excellency”.

“Thank you”. Nicholas Romanov, second of his name, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias, looked broken and despondent. His daughter Anastasia was the only one of the family to accompany him, upon reaching ‘relative safety’ at Ufa the rescuers and rescued parted ways in four different directions, only five came to Persia where the Tsar, his youngest daughter, Dungerman himself, another German soldier, and a member of the staff accompanied them. Despite two small-caliber bullets to the abdomen the Tsar insisted they continue out of Russia as fast as possible, that meant heading South into the now Persian territories. Upon reaching Tashkent the Persian forces made themselves known, literally walking or riding into towns and simply obtaining local allegiances, the local Russian forces totally outgunned and ill-equipped to deal with what had been all but autonomous colonies of Russia herself.

"You mean Oberstleutnat, right",? noted Dungerman.

"No, it's pretty clear as Oberst here, Dungerman, so congratulations on that and the new Ducal rank as well".

"...Thank you". With that he summoned everyone else out of the train car, Anastasia herself and the Tsar had left to go with Kardoff for official business, leaving Dungerman alone with Anna Demidova, the child’s maid for so many years

“I think she likes you”, noted the maid quietly in German with her back to the window facing out the train as she sat across from Dungerman.

“It is possible”, Dungerman replied, the four days spent on trains and in constant danger at one point ending with the two of them asleep sitting up and her laying into him gently. “She is young and danger has a way of affecting young hearts”.

“You are the first man she has looked at that way in at least three years, sir. I think it is more than a spark of danger and the threat of death. She looked at you in such a way when you kicked in the basement door and shot the man trying to kill her brother”.

“He did not try to kill the boy, he succeeded”.

“And a pox on his house for that”, noted the maid as she almost spit on the floor, “but an eye for an eye – the man is dead thanks to you”.

Dungerman sighed. “Yes, he is. As is the boy, as is his mother, as is his sister”.

Demidova looked Dungerman in the eye. “For one who has seen so much your heart is still tender”.

He lost himself in thoughts of home – a sister buried at the age of ten, a brother shortly after birth, another brother died in an industrial accident not ten months before the war and a sister dying in childbirth after her husband died on the Eastern Front, the child was in an orphanage in Breslau awaiting Dungerman to pick him up. Only two sisters remained now, and with the news that he was to move to the Palatinate after this the whole of the family name was his to propagate for three generations. “I am not sure what people may say but I would find it difficult to truly inoculate oneself to the horrors of war”.

“You still have a soul to lose, sir, and perhaps that is the greatest gift we have in this world”.

Dungerman smiled. He had seen more before a twenty-fourth birthday than many would in a lifetime, he knew – somehow, he knew – that another war would come in his lifetime. That one would be for much higher stakes, and without a durable peace the stage was set such that any children of his would likely have to fight at that time. “Perhaps it is, madam, and I am glad for it. I only hope not to break the poor girl’s heart, she is so young”.

“She has lost as much as you have, maybe more. Family, wealth, power, friends, all gone like ashes in the wind”.

“She has her father and whatever jewels they snuck out in their clothes”. Demidova looked at him as he held up a hand, “Your secret is safe, they have enough family elsewhere I doubt many would be lost. Either way, so long as they are careful, the three I saw alone will keep them comfortable for years to come”.

“Nicholas is not always a careful man”.

“He is loyal and can be shrewd when he must. But I think the wounds broke him physically as much as the loss of his wife did mentally. I fear for his well-being”.

Demidova nodded. “He shares your concerns. He fears for his daughters to, they are unwed and still so young”.

Dungerman chuckled twice. “They shall have no trouble finding husbands, they are pretty, wealthy, and pretty wealthy”.

“He promised them they could marry who they choose”.

Dungerman looked over quietly and was starting not to like what he heard. “She’s all of what, fourteen? You can’t expect that she would swear the rest of her life to someone and not regret it later. I get it, she grew up fast in a very short time – many of us did – but she deserves a chance to live a little bit first”.

Demidova looked into his eyes. “I see the way you look at her, sir, and she will be seventeen next month. Plenty of royals marry at that age under the best of circumstances. Right now the only man in her life is doing everything he can to keep her safe and you are the only other refuge she has known in a very long time”.

Dungerman blushed, the maid was absolutely right in that he saw a beautiful, smart, funny young woman just coming into her own. She deserved a chance to become something more than a trophy for a random prince or grand duke in a far off land, but royalty played their own games, especially at this level, and it was not a place for Dungerman to explore. “She deserves more than I can give her. She is a princess after all, and I will not build her up only to see the dream shattered. Her heart is precious”, he found himself trying to find words and beginning to stutter in the process, “and I will not see it ruined for my own sake”. He found an inner strength – she was only a part of the mission – and became more tempered soon after.

“I disagree, sir, and think you are mistaken. Her heart has only one thing on its mind right now”.

“That’s not her heart, madam”.

“You get my point”, said the maid in a quick reply. The sneeze behind Dungerman alerted him to the presence of the young woman, curiously standing in the doorway as though listening to every word and her father was not far behind her.

“Anastasia, join Mr. Creegman and Anna in the next car, please”.

“Father, I…”

“It is not a request, Anastasia”. She leered at him and smiled widely with a mild blush as she went to the next car up, the door closing behind as Nicholas sat across from the young German officer with a combination of fear and loathing in his eyes. He looked into the eyes of his savior, studying them briefly, but Dungerman felt the back of his head hurt after the prolonged stare. “Demidova is right, of course, Anastasia has taken quite the interest in you, young man”.

More of the ‘young man’ talk. Could be worse, Dungerman supposed, not everyone got a chance to have personal time with an Emperor even if it was a dressing down. “I know”, he replied, “she is quite the young lady”.

“I would prefer that this not be repeated, but let me tell you a story about her mother”. Nicholas shifted slightly as Dungerman began to listen more actively. “When I planned to marry Alexandra, I gave up all others, in thought and in practice, forever. Some would say that such statements are ludicrous, that it is the stuff of fairy tales, but somehow it was actually fairly easy”. Dungerman nodded. “I may not be here for long, Mr. Dungerman, and according to the young man who was just here you are apparently a newly minted Duke. Mind her safety if I am not around, eh”?

“I would be honored to...”

“And if on her twenty-fifth birthday she has not found a husband to capture her heart as you just did, you are free to marry her yourself”. Dungerman was shocked to silence. “She would not be able to inherit the throne, and you would treat her well from what I can tell. Besides, I would not force her to marry anyone she did not wish to, nor would her mother. We fought that sort of crap for years ourselves”.

“…As…you…as you wish, your Excellency”.

Nicholas Romanov laughed, and laughed heartily. “Right now my boy, I am in charge only of my own affairs. There is freedom in being outside of politics, and in this case I have felt more alive in the last week than the last decade. Yes there are people gunning for my head, my wacko cousin is about to become the de facto ruler of Europe itself, and another only slightly less wacko cousin may lose his formerly world-straddling Empire, but at least we are alive and able to enjoy life as it is”. He munched away at a cookie-like confection. “And I just found these wonderful almond-flavored biscuits in the dining car, Anastasia seems to love them, so please try one”.
 
May 06, 1918 - Berlin, Germany

Von Hertling studied the 'draft' map in front of him for the so-called Treaty of Paris, now being relocated to Versailles for security reasons. Norway still needed another color, he thought, but given the time crunch and uncertainty there, this map would only be shared with the innermost German government until the final draft was ready. Spain and Portugal still had their difference to work out so he left their pre-conflict border intact. After taking a step back and taking in the whole map, von Hertling shuddered as he foresaw the potential fates of the nations involved, his hopes in Germany strong but still outweighed by the prospect of internecine warfare on a scale never before seen, perhaps never before imagined. His map of North America would reportedly need updating too as the Americans had, indeed, passed the approval for purchase of so much of Canada.
Treaty of Paris 1919c.png
 
Very well written I enjoy the focus of human interactions. As much I like the map the Ottomans may have trouble mainlining control of Egypt in the long term. On the positive side the Wahabites will not have access to Oil money to spread their fundamentalist views.
 
So Canada really is American now.

There goes the British Empire. The Australians are probably going up in flames by now, and may be looking to either or both Berlin or Tokyo as an alternative to London or Washington. Ditto for South Africa...and Indian nationalists are going to smell blood in the water.
 
I can't see the Australians looking to Tokyo, this is, after all, the era of "white Australia" on top of the general run of racism. Decent relations with Tokyo, sure, but their patron - I doubt it. Decent relations with Germany too, however while they have some presence in the Pacific it will be relatively small and Germany is far away and will have a boatload of fish to fry in Europe, and Africa, much closer to home. Germany has only so many resources to spread around. I don't see the Australians being hostile to Washington - the USA did not stab the UK in the back, and as far as Canada goes it was London that made the offer and not the USA twisting London's arm. The USA is white (basically), English speaking, has Pacific possessions and now a huge Pacific coast. The USA is still far enough away that, unlike Tokyo, actual encroachment is unlikely. IMHO while negotiations might be touchy, I don't see why the Australians would not consider the USA a better big brother than Germany or Japan - attachments to London are going to fade rapidly and absent some sort of patron, Australia's future is dim indeed...
 
Hello,
This TL is great, but I see one thing i find a bir unlikely, snd it is the massive screwing of the uk; my point is that even in a scenario where france falls in 1918, even in a scenariowhere the bef gets completely cut off and destroyed, it is extremely unlikely that the germans can hurt britain in ant significant way, while the germans themselves would be heavily bloodied.
Now as far as I understand the way you go on order ti screw britaon is that to make british war debt felt very heavily to the point of having them throwing the towel...but despite the economy in uk being in a bad status by 1918, I assure you it was nowhere as bad as you might havr tought.
I think @CalBear can give you further info about that
 
Hello,
This TL is great, but I see one thing i find a bir unlikely, snd it is the massive screwing of the uk; my point is that even in a scenario where france falls in 1918, even in a scenariowhere the bef gets completely cut off and destroyed, it is extremely unlikely that the germans can hurt britain in ant significant way, while the germans themselves would be heavily bloodied.
Now as far as I understand the way you go on order ti screw britaon is that to make british war debt felt very heavily to the point of having them throwing the towel...but despite the economy in uk being in a bad status by 1918, I assure you it was nowhere as bad as you might havr tought.
I think @CalBear can give you further info about that

Britain in this era used its financial strength as leverage to influence world opinion and politics. Germany just shut down Italy, France, and Russia along with other recipients of British loans leaving them in a financial lurch. By May of 1918 the British economy of OTL was in seriously rough shape but had American help and could reasonably count on repayment of many of the loans after the war. Now take all of that away and park a significant military force at Britain's doorstep. Whether it is a strategic threat or not, large-scale riots already happened in OTL under better circumstances - what could happen here? And what other ways might they have had to gain access to capital to restore their market dominance?
 
Britain in this era used its financial strength as leverage to influence world opinion and politics. Germany just shut down Italy, France, and Russia along with other recipients of British loans leaving them in a financial lurch. By May of 1918 the British economy of OTL was in seriously rough shape but had American help and could reasonably count on repayment of many of the loans after the war. Now take all of that away and park a significant military force at Britain's doorstep. Whether it is a strategic threat or not, large-scale riots already happened in OTL under better circumstances - what could happen here? And what other ways might they have had to gain access to capital to restore their market dominance?
That's what I was talking about...depsite common misconceptions britain was not critically dependent on repayment of loans after the war; that applies well for France, not for Britain...sure, the economy was in bad shape, but ni british politician EVER would practically throw away the empire without one enemy with boots on the ground in britain itself, all the while the army has all but won the war in the middle east. The empire was the only thing that made britain the superpower it was...discard it and you have an tiny island nation with little resources and small manpower.
Sure, as you say, francr having fallen and germany parking massive forces across the channel is threatening, but as history shows, during WW2 with france similarily occupied, and a much weaker Royal Navy, a much weker financial situation after years of crisis, and with the threat of german air raids, Britain did not surrender. And the us were not even at war
By late 1918 germany, even a victorious germanty was totally spent...totally...game over. Likely the british and the Americans would not be capable of invading Europe, true, but the american presence alone wipll assurr that bo german ever would set foot on british soil. In the meantime the social situation in germany is dangerously explosive. With victory in france you may avert the kiel mutiny,but food was lacking tragucally and it was aml matter of time before a civil war exploded. The eatern breadbasket in Ukraine, was by now a bloddy mess of warring factions that would take months to pacify, even in a best case scenario, and with the infrastructure largely gone and a huge amount of local agricultural arms spent in the war, thetr is noc chance it is going to supply food in adequate quantities anytime soon.
Oh and Austria-Hungary is cracking at the edges and threatens separate peace.
In such a scenario you may a white peace with england IF you are lucky. Even in a veeeeeeery implausible scrnario where britaon is willing to cede ground, it may trade some leaser african colonies, or renounce her gains in middle east, but there is no way, NEVER that the uk os going to do something like selling Canada. No matter how drsperayr they might be, it would be a suicidal move which would collapse the empire in an instant. To make a conparison, it is like france commanding the partition of germany at versailles...there is 0 chance of any German government, no matter how despaired would accept that, even in the face of occupation and civil war. Not counting that selling canada would pitt britain as a rogue nation.
Also any such move would havr needed to be ratified by the canadian parliament and I do not see that happening
 
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