Icedaemon’s comment first, then the rest.
Ottoman influence in the Islamic world is a rather undefined and nebulous topic for the era, especially ITTL. But suffice to say, many Muslims in the middle east have a more nuanced and ambivalent view of the Porte whereas opinions are more simpler and abstract in India and Southeast Asia. To put it simply, the further you are from Kostantiniyye, the more removed are you from the nuances of Ottoman rule, and the more abstract are your thoughts on them. Diplomatically, they hold a lot of clout with the governments of Aceh and Riau-Lingga, and have a substantial presence in Johor. Socio-culturally though, the Ottoman sultan/caliph is seen in very high regard amongst many people, and many religious-minded reformers don the fez to show their affinity with the Grand Turk.
This is going to cause some problems down the line though, especially as nationalist movements began to coalesce. The Muslims of British India are definitely volunteer to join in the fighting in Europe and Asia, but they would rather be transferred or shipped to the Balkan and Caucasian fronts rather than dying in Europe. And that’s not counting the ideas they might pick up abroad bring back home.
As for the naval posts, the prioritisation and qualitative difference of the French navy vis-à-vis the British are really enlightening. Given everything we’ve discussed, I can see the Admiralty confining themselves to guard the home islands and guarding the transatlantic route to Canada and West Africa once they realized how overstretched they are. Besides engaging in the Med and Red Sea basins, India, South and East Africa, and the East Indies could be left on their own for a while until the empire’s latent industrial capacity picks up steam.
As for the Italian Navy, they are several grades better than OTL due to basic necessity in managing their colonial empire, stretching now from Africa to Papua. Still, local priorities and the presence of close belligerents could hinder them to defending the main peninsula and blockade the Adriatic sea, venturing out only in cooperation with the French. The Regia Marina itself could also split in twain if Britain and the Ottomans close the Suez canal, which would separate the mainland high command from their Bornean and Papuan-based vessels.
Guangzhouwan maybe, but Japan is more interested in beating back Russia, and grabbing Korea + the Pescadores than taking hold of anything further south. Promise them Sakhalin and some influence in Manchuria… then they’ll maybe consider.
I’ve been thinking about a term like that, but the trouble is that both the British monarch and the Ottoman sultan aren’t exactly ‘emperors’ in the exact vein. ‘Triple Alliance’ also fails since all the pro-British empires were connected through informal and somewhat indirect matters. If I can’t think of anything else soon, I’ll settle for the ‘Triple League’, for simplicity’s sake.
(There’s also the Malê Rising option of using acronyms, but I don’t think ‘BOAH’ would ever catch on anywhere).
Needless to say, the war is going to be a giant shock to many armies on both sides.
The Franco-Hova wars occurred relatively similarly IOTL, resulting in Madagascar becoming a colony and the Merina monarchy being overthrown by 1900. The French Resident-General now rules the roost, and he’s using the war to prey on any British ships plying the waves between South Africa and India.
Correct! The Limbang highlands are the native lands of several tribes such as the Lun Bawang, but not the Kayan. The Resident heard there was some trouble along the interior Sarawakian Divisions and along the border near the Rajang headwaters, and assumed that was the case throughout all the Sarawak-Dutch border. And as you can see, he’s not a particularly understanding fellow for the moment.
The Apo Kayan do live south of the border, but Dutch exploration and a few inter-tribal wars have led a few families to migrate inward of Sarawak, and the subgroup – alongside some others – are looking for any weakness in both nations to stir up some trouble.
Oh wow, looks like I have to do some more reading! Penghulu Dalam Munan has an altered history in this TL, being a Brooke ally and getting more interested in trade. For the others, I think I’ll need to do some research before I can answer on them.
I’m still surprised that some of you remembered how Sarawak took the Sentarum floodlands waaaay back. I still have a candle for that place, and the coming war will definitely have an effect on at least the border situation there. As for the Dutch, they are rebuffing all attempts to join either side in the war, knowing that jumping in could land them in very hot water. In Borneo’s case, the local Residents are silently requesting for troop placements along the border with Italian Sabah, just in case the chaos up there wouldn’t lead to a cross-border native uprising. Sarawak is going to be a tad busy fighting Italian Sabah and Brunei to care for annexing Borneo, but the demand in resources might lead a few commercial eyes to gaze on beyond the forested horizon.
Fait accompli, plus banking off the regional chaos after Al-Zayn passed. In any case, the French didn’t expect their entry to be received so badly.
Interesting. I wonder how much pull the Ottomans will have with islamic peoples in other people's empires. Will 'Pakistani' muslims be more willing to fight in a colonial war for Britain if they are fighting alongside the Grand Turk?
Ottoman influence in the Islamic world is a rather undefined and nebulous topic for the era, especially ITTL. But suffice to say, many Muslims in the middle east have a more nuanced and ambivalent view of the Porte whereas opinions are more simpler and abstract in India and Southeast Asia. To put it simply, the further you are from Kostantiniyye, the more removed are you from the nuances of Ottoman rule, and the more abstract are your thoughts on them. Diplomatically, they hold a lot of clout with the governments of Aceh and Riau-Lingga, and have a substantial presence in Johor. Socio-culturally though, the Ottoman sultan/caliph is seen in very high regard amongst many people, and many religious-minded reformers don the fez to show their affinity with the Grand Turk.
This is going to cause some problems down the line though, especially as nationalist movements began to coalesce. The Muslims of British India are definitely volunteer to join in the fighting in Europe and Asia, but they would rather be transferred or shipped to the Balkan and Caucasian fronts rather than dying in Europe. And that’s not counting the ideas they might pick up abroad bring back home.
As for the naval posts, the prioritisation and qualitative difference of the French navy vis-à-vis the British are really enlightening. Given everything we’ve discussed, I can see the Admiralty confining themselves to guard the home islands and guarding the transatlantic route to Canada and West Africa once they realized how overstretched they are. Besides engaging in the Med and Red Sea basins, India, South and East Africa, and the East Indies could be left on their own for a while until the empire’s latent industrial capacity picks up steam.
As for the Italian Navy, they are several grades better than OTL due to basic necessity in managing their colonial empire, stretching now from Africa to Papua. Still, local priorities and the presence of close belligerents could hinder them to defending the main peninsula and blockade the Adriatic sea, venturing out only in cooperation with the French. The Regia Marina itself could also split in twain if Britain and the Ottomans close the Suez canal, which would separate the mainland high command from their Bornean and Papuan-based vessels.
That said, Britain will probably want to promise Japan Guangzhouwan and possibly bits of French Indochina in exchange for naval aid.
Guangzhouwan maybe, but Japan is more interested in beating back Russia, and grabbing Korea + the Pescadores than taking hold of anything further south. Promise them Sakhalin and some influence in Manchuria… then they’ll maybe consider.
It occurs to me that the Ottomans, Austria-Hungary and Britain are all imperial powers of some stripe. The same holds true of the friendly neutrals they would really want to pull to their side. Might they be called as the 'League of N Emperors' or somesuch?
I’ve been thinking about a term like that, but the trouble is that both the British monarch and the Ottoman sultan aren’t exactly ‘emperors’ in the exact vein. ‘Triple Alliance’ also fails since all the pro-British empires were connected through informal and somewhat indirect matters. If I can’t think of anything else soon, I’ll settle for the ‘Triple League’, for simplicity’s sake.
(There’s also the Malê Rising option of using acronyms, but I don’t think ‘BOAH’ would ever catch on anywhere).
My, this is going to be messy. One saving grace for Austria-Hungary is that if reforms which took place by 1914 OTL have not occurred, neither has Russia undergone a shock like the Russo-Japanese war, which means _they_ haven't spent much of the last decade attempting to carry out reforms of their own.
Needless to say, the war is going to be a giant shock to many armies on both sides.
In that regard, do the French have occupied Madagascar? I'm not sure having read it or not.
The Franco-Hova wars occurred relatively similarly IOTL, resulting in Madagascar becoming a colony and the Merina monarchy being overthrown by 1900. The French Resident-General now rules the roost, and he’s using the war to prey on any British ships plying the waves between South Africa and India.
That's gonna be a bitch to fix. Apo Kayan is at the south of the border. [///] [The Bruneian Resident] was lied to, isn't it? Because there's no record of such activities there OTL.
Correct! The Limbang highlands are the native lands of several tribes such as the Lun Bawang, but not the Kayan. The Resident heard there was some trouble along the interior Sarawakian Divisions and along the border near the Rajang headwaters, and assumed that was the case throughout all the Sarawak-Dutch border. And as you can see, he’s not a particularly understanding fellow for the moment.
The Apo Kayan do live south of the border, but Dutch exploration and a few inter-tribal wars have led a few families to migrate inward of Sarawak, and the subgroup – alongside some others – are looking for any weakness in both nations to stir up some trouble.
If Charles lucked out in his diplomacy, he'll gain these people as his commanders:
Oh wow, looks like I have to do some more reading! Penghulu Dalam Munan has an altered history in this TL, being a Brooke ally and getting more interested in trade. For the others, I think I’ll need to do some research before I can answer on them.
Bad move. The Dutch had nothing to gain and everything to lose by doing that.
Yeah but just imagine if they DID join Italy and they end up losing. Sarawak might get the floodlands back....or more.
Like most, if not all of Borneo annexed into Sarawak
The Dutch could end up losing the entire East Indies.
Yeah but not to Sarawak.
They would be imploded due to the great shame if it does.
I’m still surprised that some of you remembered how Sarawak took the Sentarum floodlands waaaay back. I still have a candle for that place, and the coming war will definitely have an effect on at least the border situation there. As for the Dutch, they are rebuffing all attempts to join either side in the war, knowing that jumping in could land them in very hot water. In Borneo’s case, the local Residents are silently requesting for troop placements along the border with Italian Sabah, just in case the chaos up there wouldn’t lead to a cross-border native uprising. Sarawak is going to be a tad busy fighting Italian Sabah and Brunei to care for annexing Borneo, but the demand in resources might lead a few commercial eyes to gaze on beyond the forested horizon.
My lord, how was that [Ubangi-Shari to Obock ]supposed to work? This makes the Fashoda Incident look like a brilliant French gambit.
Fait accompli, plus banking off the regional chaos after Al-Zayn passed. In any case, the French didn’t expect their entry to be received so badly.
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