The Great Silent One - Moltke the Austrian TL
- Thread starter Ultima Ratio
- Start date
I'm not a map guy unfortunately, but maybe @EternalDawn could be persuaded to help out with a map again
Sorry, I've not really the time as of now.I'm not a map guy unfortunately, but maybe @EternalDawn could be persuaded to help out with a map again
I'm not really that good anyway; I suggest looking for someone who can do a better and quicker job.
No problem, your map from before was much appreciated.
Two things on my mind, wonder what you guys think:
- Persia and Afghanistan. Would they try to drift away from Britain or stay close, fearing the Russians? Persia might stay on the British side, but the Afghans I'm not so sure.
- Still have no idea about the butterflies in South America. I assume there could be a higher Slavic and Italian immigration to Argentina and Brazil, but not much else.
That would also depend on how Russia behaves towards them. An overly aggressive and hostile Russia would certainly make Persia stay in the British orbit. However, I think that if the Russians decide on a more softer approach, they might at least get some people wondering if dropping the British wouldn't be better. Though that will carry its own problems, because as far as London is concerned, that would mean Russian armies within striking distance of India. So it would be in their best interests to keep their Persians close by whatever means possible.
Afghanistan, I'm not sure.
Besides Slavic and Italian, wouldn't the troubles in the Middle East also mean that more Arabs would try to flee too?
And perhaps this defeat and blow to British prestige would open the way for other European powers and the USA to expand their own soft power across the continent at British expense, at least slightly?
Chapter XVIII - Postbellum
Chapter XVIII - Postbellum
Not long after the ink dried on the Treaty of Sévres, Europe settled in for a new period of peace. The horrors of industrial scale warfare prompted the Eurasian War a new nickname: the Last War.
The Russian Empire
The Czar attending a memorial service for fallen soldiers and honoring veterans
The Czar attending a memorial service for fallen soldiers and honoring veterans
Ecstasy could not even begin to describe the signing of the peace in Russia. Their ancient enemies destroyed, their ancient rivals humbled and Constantinople restored to Orthodox Christianity. The immense loss of life however ingrained itself deep into the Russian psyche. Maimed soldiers were seen begging on the street in every city and there was little the state could do to alleviate their suffering. The war put tremendous strain on the Russian economy, and it was decided that modernization and industrialization must continue. Soldiers, now returning to the fields and factories however could wield considerable influence, more so than before, leading to a significant improvement in working conditions. This was mostly due to fear of another uprising akin to 1905, but now with a considerable number of veterans among workers. Russia in 1917 was still mainly an agricultural state, and the road was long yet still. In 1920, the health of the Czarevich's health took a turn for the worse, and Nicholas started to distance himself from politics, more so than ever, leading to the Duma gaining more control of the affairs of the state, even signing some of this powers away in 1922, leading the way to Russia becoming more and more a constitutional monarchy. The lessons of the war were also learnt, and STAVKA ordered research into new artillery, paving the way for new Russian doctrines based around the successful rapid artillery barrages during the Brusilov Offensive. While armored cars were used with some success in the Far East, Russia instead decided to rely on artillery (and later, anti-armor artillery) for large scale offensives. The new territories in Anatolia were swiftly incorporated into the Greater Armenian Autonomous Oblast, which guaranteed Armenians and Greeks considerable self rule, somewhat similar to Finland and Poland. Nevertheless, most Greeks in Trebizond instead chose to leave for the home country, as invited by the Greek government. In their place, Russian settlers were urged to move to the area, along with the many Armenians that were now fleeing from other parts of Anatolia, the Middle-East and Persia. The new Oblast would be a tumultuous place for the coming decades, but as housing projects, new industry and railway was brought into the area in the early 1930s, things have settled down.
Great Britain
London in the early 20's
A monumental task now lay before Britain: waking up from the lethargy of defeat, something unseen for a century. As the government resigned after the war, the empire was in shambles. A great many lives were lost, not only British, but Canadian, Australian and Indian. Voices about secession were heard from all three, as Canadian and Australian politicians claimed that their boys have been thrown into the mouth of a beast for nothing. In India, nationalist ideas began to gain prominence as veterans returned from the war, ironically the only force that was not subjected to a severe defeat. Something had to be done, before these voices became too loud, and in 1926 a plan was drafted to keep the empire together in a new Commonwealth. The plan outlined a series of changes which included representation of the Dominions in London, as well as a degree of self-governance. The proposal at first included Canada, Australia, India and South Africa, with possibility of other territories gaining representation later, which was mostly tied to development (Malaya and Thailand were proposed to be the next, sometime in the 1950s or 60s). While satisfying most parties on paper, these changes would take decades to take hold, but provided a model for other Great Powers in the future. Britain thus remained the pre-eminent power, although the industrial output was now far outshined by Germany and trailed closely by the United States. A famous group of writers and other artists in London, called the Lost Generation have often noted that the 20th Century will likely be known not after a British, but a German monarch. Some even more pessimists said it might be a Czar. The new Palestinian territories were quickly incorporated into British administration, with the aim of setting up a buffer between Egypt and Russia. While most of the Levant, especially Syria saw a lot of violence during and directly after the war, the Palestine was relatively quickly pacified. London made an effort to get Jews settle in the area, but given the (perceived or real) instability of the region, most Jews that were leaving the former Ottoman Empire instead chose to settle in German Africa, a place with already considerable Jewish population. Nevertheless, some Jews did settle in the city of Tel Aviv, which is to this day the largest Jewish city in the Palestine. Another effect of the war was the resurgence of the ancient rivalry between Britain and France. The French seizure of Libya and their interference in the peace angered many in London, and new plans were drawn up for a possible future war with France. A war, where the Royal navy could finally be put to use. There were however fears that like the Eurasian War, this hypothetical conflict might not be easy. France now controlled all of the Western Mediterranean, with the exception of Gibraltar and Malta, and operating from their many ports (including their access to Spanish and Sicilian ones) they could effectively shut down British incursions into these waters using cheap torpedo boats and submarines, and even endanger Egypt overland. And a large scale battle over the vast African continent was very much undesirable, especially since France had an edge in troop numbers and infrastructure.
London in the early 20's
The French Empire
Prestige. Gloire. Often repeated words in Paris coffeehouses after the war. France, without fighting a war has won Libya and managed to put their foot in the door in the Levant. While the great prize, Jerusalem has eluded them, Syria proved to be an excellent stepping stone to gain control of the Arab states in the Fertile Crescent. As Syria and Iraq descended into civil war, the Russians were quick to recognize the Kurdish state and support them in the face of a Persian incursion. The Empire however had to be cautious, as Germany also wanted a piece of the cake, and the had boots on the ground to back it up. Eventually, an agreement was reached, known as the Luxemburg Settlement, and Syria was split, the North and East coming under French control based around Aleppo, while the South, including Beirut and Damascus became German imperial holdings. With this, the Kurds were allowed, with French help and Russian arms, to seize the city of Mosul, while the Foreign Legion marched into Tikrit, and the towards Baghdad. Britain strongly protested this move, but could do very little. The public would not accept another war, and a French buffer was still preferable to further Russian expansion. As France surrounded and took Baghdad, the German Ostafrikengeschwader sailed into the Persian Gulf and took Kuwait, along with all the former Ottoman coast, including and up to Bashrah. This completed the division of the Middle East, putting a wedge between Britain and Russia. In the 1920's, France continued to flourish culturally, while also investing in the army and the navy considerably, with the aim of being able to counter Britain in a potential war. While relations were amiable, considerable fortifications were also erected in Alsace-Lorraine to dissuade any German invasion.
The German Empire
Emperor Karl at the funeral
Emperor Karl at the funeral
As the Venetian Valentine died down by 1917 under the heavy boots of the Reichsarmee, Germany was ready to flex her muscles in the wake of the Ottoman collapse. Fearful of too large gains of either France, Britain or Russia, Vienna decided to seize as much valuable terrotory as possible. This ended in the division of Syria with France, that was later organized into two new German dominions: Lebanon, based around Beirut, and Damascus. The former was envisioned to be a haven for Christians in the Middle East, and indeed many chose to move there during the civil war, creating a melting pot of various Christian denominations, united mostly by their tacit support for German rule, and fear of Muslim aggression. As France advanced East along the Euphrates, so has Germany, as the Reichsflotte seized Kuwait and German forces moved to take Basrah. Germany was could now be counted among the major colonial powers and was looking at the turn of the decade with hope. However, in October 1918, Kaiser Franz Josef finally died. The man who has lead his nation through the revolutions, the Italian and the unification wars and into the 20th century was now gone. With Franz Ferdinand having been killed in Venice, it was now up to the new Kaiser Karl to fill the shoes of his father. A timid and religious man, he was well liked by the population and eventually prove to be a capable and stern Emperor. In the 1920s, Germany continued its almost unchecked growth, becoming the world's industrial powerhouse. The military was greatly reformed under Karl as well, as a new generation of Prussian officers have risen to prominence in the Reich. The lessons of the Eurasian War were put to good use, in particular the new doctrines based around armor, as observed by Russian successes in Manchuria. While Russia did not trust the flimsy constructions and Britain instead focused on heavy armored vehicles known as tanks that used tracks to overcome obstacles (but were cumbersome in turn), German engineers attempted to combine the two into a fast tracked vehicle with rotating turrets. The man behind these designs was Günther Burstyn with his idea of the Motorgeschütz. His research was given huge funding with the help of Heinz Guderian, and his construction became the core of what would become the German Panzerkorps. Fixed wing aircraft were also developed greatly in the 20s, with German airplane industry coming to dominate the world. As planes became bigger and more reliable, so have Zeppelins become more and more obsolete. Although used extensively well into the 30s and 40s, after the accident of the American blimp Manhattan in London, they have faded greatly. The only place where they remained in extensive use was Africa. Originally, hauling cargo was much easier over the vast distances, which led to their use as such well into the 50s, and after that as a source of leisure. African blimp cruises are still extremely popular today, albeit only affordable to the wealthy. As for Africa, the end of the war had a profound effect on German East Africa. On the one hand, Germany offered many refugees from Europe to settle in the region, hoping to bring expertise that could be used to fuel local industry. While people from the Balkans did not go in great number, Italians and Czechs from the Reich were more inclined to undertake the journey to be provided free land and not be subjected to Germanization. Ironically, since the lingua franca in the colonies was German, they eventually mostly Germanized themselves. Hungary was also a large exporter to these colonies in terms of dissidents. Many Slavs and Romanians were given a choice to move to German Africa or face prosecution and prison. Given how this journey was effectively free as opposed to a long American trip, many decided to go. Another important group to move there was the Jews. Fleeing the wars in the former Ottoman Empire, they were happy to join the other faithful in Ethiopia, where Aksum would virtually become a Jewish city by the mid 20s. The inflow of immigrants contributed to improvements in infrastructure, but was of course not without conflict. The traditional pastoral life of the locals was greatly upset by the settlers, and the unregulated nature of the local economy contributed greatly to their impoverishment. By the end of the decade however, the price of coffee rose enough that the state stepped in, providing funds to modernize the plantations wit modern irrigation, infrastructure and most importantly laws protecting plantation workers as well, most of whom were natives. This improved the quality of life on East Africa greatly, and would become a reference point for other modernization projects across Africa. Today, German East Africa is not only a major provider for coffee and cotton, but also a major tourist destination.
The Empire of Japan
While the defeat and immense losses in Manchuria had been terrible, they haven't made a huge dent in Japanese militarism. In fact, it was seen as the failure of the army, while the navy has defeated the Russians before. The political climate in relation to expansion into China however was seriously affected. The general view now was that a major land war on the continent is to be avoided, and that static defenses were the way to go forward. Thus, the Korean border was fortified to the extreme, becoming the most well fortified area in the world. Russia, while mostly exhausted, was now back, and free to expand their navy in the Pacific: one more reason for the IJN to take the lead into leading the Japanese effort. The 20s were mostly spent with consolidation in Japan. As Korea was properly incorporated, and efforts were made to industrialize the Philippines, Japan was now also reconsidering their ties to Britain. Had it not been Britain that dragged them into an unwinnable war across the trackless wastes of Manchuria and Siberia? However, for now, the alliance with Britain stayed, yet new objectives and plans were drawn. Japan desperately needed resources to fuel her booming industry. And having been thrown out of China, there was one place that was ready for the taking: the wast islands of Dutch Indonesia.
The Republic of China
The Republic of China was often seen as a state ready to implode. Yet, as the Beiyang Army marched victoriously across the streets of Beijing, the nation was beginning to show signs of life. Yuan Shikai's regime has never been more popular, nationalist flags were flying high in all major cities. But all was not yet well. Shikai was now becoming increasingly confrontational with the Kuomintang, and some sources indicate that he intended to crown himself emperor riding on the surge of his popularity. What might have happened is up to speculation, as Shikai died in August 1916, leading to new elections, which were won by the Kuomintang by a landslide, placing Sun Yat-Sen into the presidential seat. Although there were fears of the Beiyang army disintegrating in the face of Shikai's death, and some units did disband and join various frontier warlords, most of the army swore allegiance to the Kuomintang, and stayed an intact force. Sun, after his inauguration promised to restore peace to the country, and the newly renamed Republican Army soon embarked on the long Western Expedition, a campaign to restore order to all provinces, lead by General Chiang Kai-Shek. The campaign would be an arduous task, and would only be declared finished in 1928. In the meantime, Sun recognized the need for modernization of the state and declared the "Ten Thousand Steps" program with the aim of industrializing and modernizing China. For this, Sun invited German investors, experts and military staff to train. This move also served to create more formal ties with the German Empire, as Beijing had little trust for either Japan, Russia, Britain or even France, due to their presence in Indochina. A new China was born.
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I feel like I might write some short narrative intermissions, would you guys be interested? The usual format will stay of course, these will be just short stories in between.
Love the timeline so far, good work! It will be interesting to see if this actually was the "Last War", or at least the last large scale one between great powers. There are certainly enough friction points for future conflicts.
I'd love some narrative sections. It's always nice to see what life is like on the ground. Maybe getting a closer look at the newly Greek Constantinople or the developing German East Africa could be interesting. But anything is appreciated really.
I'd love some narrative sections. It's always nice to see what life is like on the ground. Maybe getting a closer look at the newly Greek Constantinople or the developing German East Africa could be interesting. But anything is appreciated really.
Oops, I missed that. In that case it seems another war is definitely happening. Still, maybe it's at least on a more limited scale like TTL "WW1", which compared to OTL seemed fairly comparatively painless (except for the Turks of course). Right now I at least don't see the same kind of Revanchism compared to OTL. Maybe we will see some limited conflicts like Anglo-French or Sino-Japanese wars. Either way I will wait with bated breath.
Jesus Christ, I'm a literal idiot. Was meant to call it postbellum. I guess I'll go and kill myself now. This is embarrassing.
Good TL! could we see how the italian states (and the german and french parts) are doing? I live in Piedmont, so i'm particularly interested in seeing how bitter it is, and how it feels about its (forced and unavoidable) neutrality. Could it be that trying to unify Italy is now seen as a folly?
The next update will be about the minor powers (plus the USA). I was meaning to put it in the previous one, but it was already a bit long. Stay tuned
Japan learned never to start a land war in Asia without getting nuked first? Inconceivable!
AnywayAnyway, this is a great TL so far. You've managed to give the French Empire, the Russian Empire, the Habsburg Empire, China, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Greece a much better time than IOTL. The first four especially. It's not everyday that four of history's losers get wanked at once.
Too bad for Italy though, but you can't keep everyone happy I'm afraid
Sorry guys, private life caught up with me again. I'll try to get one or more updates going next week.
Chapter XIX - In the Shadow of Giants
Chapter XIX - In the Shadow of Giants
The Last War had a profound effect on not only the Great Powers that participated in it (one way or another), but also those secondary and regional powers that were on the sidelines watching the events unfold.
While the US was considered as a Great Power due to economic power and size alone, in truth, the US was a secondary power when it came to military. The US Army was little more than a militia force built around a professional core of soldiers, while the US Navy was built with the aim of projecting power no further than South America. After the war, efforts were quickly made to increase the American naval capabilities to ensure that the US can defend her interests. Both the Pacific and Atlantic fleets were enlarged with the addition of modern ships, so that Americans can enjoy their splendid isolation far from the bloody fields of Europe. As the peace treaties were signed, a great number of Europeans left their home to search for a better life in the new world, and the early 20s saw a new wave and new type of immigration. Italians fleeing German oppression, Turks fleeing from the Civil War and various people from the Balkans all arrived to Ellis Island in large numbers. While received with some level of disdain from the populace, they quickly found their way to the workforce as the roaring American economy needed a great number of them. The factories in Chicago and Detroit swallowed up a great deal of men and women, fueling the economic boom. The new arrivals, particularly Italians, were however not without their own ideas. Fleeing persecution in Europe, socialists, communists and anarchists found fertile ground among the workers of the Factory Belt. These years are generally seen as the start of the Red Scare that eventually blossomed in the tumultuous Red Thirties in the United States. Another important development in the States was the Prohibition, the ban on alcoholic beverages. This gave a rise to speakeasies, moonshining and organized crime that made great profit of smuggling alcohol and would lead to great troubles for law enforcement during the 30s. The United States also greatly profited from the Last War, having sold war materiel for both sides, leading to the general view that the best way for America is to remain isolated. While this made sense economically and in terms of internal politics, Washington feared that too great an isolation from world affairs would leave the US sidelined. Thus, four main foreign policy goals were pursued to retain prestige among the Great Powers, basically reaffirming the Monroe Doctrine. One was a support for the new Republic of China, which was in line with the Open Door policy of the old Monroe Doctrine (heavily tarnished during the Cuban Crisis) and the general support for democracy worldwide. The second was the maintaining of American sphere of influence in South America, with the exception of the remaining European holdings, as the US decided not to support any more revolutionary movements to avoid conflict with the other Great Powers. This policy has not changed from the previous decades, but would have more effect later on as Washington becomes actively involved in fighting Communism on the continent. The third one was the continued uninvolvement in European affairs, as outlined in the Monroe Doctrine. The fourth one was the only policy that deviated significantly from previous decades and that was the relationship with Liberia. All over Africa, development of colonies became a source of prestige among the Great Powers, and a new, more civilized way of rivalry. The US, priding herself as the bastion of freedom was determined to make Liberia a model state on the Dark Continent. This first materialized in government support for Marcus Garvey, his Black Star Shipping Line and the Negro Factories Corporation with the aim to improve Liberian economy and support trained black Americans to move to Africa. The efforts were slow at first, but would gain speed by the 30s and 40s, making Liberia one of the most developed parts of Africa.
The years and decades following the war were marked by one word in Scandinavia: industrialization. With a great demand for Swedish steel, matches and the expansion of shipping in Norway, Scandinavia was fast becoming a modern industrial state. With the creation of the Scandinavian welfare system, the Federation enjoyed improved standard of living and a booming economy as part of the Zollverein. A small number of Scandinavian marines took part in peacekeeping operations after the Ottoman collapse, the experience of which prompting a greater investment in the armed forces and particularly the navy. The Federal Navy soon became strong, coherent force that could supplement the German Reichsflotte in the North Sea and the Baltic, leading to much concern in Britain. While economic ties were almost inseparable with Germany, Scandinavia also enjoyed trade with both Russia and France and is today seen as the conduit for the early globalized economy that saw the European states becoming intertwined.
The war has left Serbia in a bad shape. While the state itself was not invaded directly, the poor performance of the Serbian general staff has lead to a great loss of Serbian life on the Albanian and Macedonian fronts. For now, postwar reconstruction was the main goal, as Belgrade attempted to industrialize the nation, especially the mostly rural Bosnian parts. This did not go easily however, as the Bosnian countryside was largely devastated in the uprisings and following reprisals during the war, leading to whole villages burned, their locals either executed, interned in camps or driven away from their homes. A great number of Bosnian Muslims left the country, some to Turkey, others to the Americas, while others to places like Egypt. While this was welcome at first, as the government was happy to get rid of troublesome Muslims, they soon faced the problem of a deserted countryside. To repopulate these areas, Serbs from other neighboring states were encouraged to move in, being given free land and other subsidies. Many Serbs living in Hungary and Croatia soon moved in, being already oppressed there, which saw a slow recovery of these rural regions after the conflict, however, proper integration and development of Bosnia and Macedonia would take more decades.
The only unconquered part of the European Ottoman Empire, Albania declared independence shortly after the collapse of the Sultan's government. Their fierce resistance during the war ensured that they had leverage, even though they were separated from the rest of the empire, the new Albanian army made use of Ottoman troops and officers trapped there, as well as the large number of Turkish and British equipment. Indeed, it was the Royal Navy presence in the Vlore harbor that ensured that instead of a renewed invasion, Albania was quickly recognized by the Great Powers, and Tirana soon applied for a peacekeeping force to be sent by the Germans and the French. Soon a German-Hungarian contingent occupied Vlore and the major cities, which ensured that neither Serbia nor Greece would carry out any further offensives. Recognized as a sovereign state in Sévres, the borders of the new Albanian state were set later in the Treaty of Naples. Here, Ahmet Zogu, fearing for that the fighting might be reignited after the Germans leave, accepted Greek demands for the Greek-dominated southern territories, while also recognizing Serbian control of Kosovo and other Albanian-dominated parts of the Balkans. A difficult decision to be made, but Zogu is now widely regarded as the father of modern Albania. The newly independent state allowed any Ottoman soldiers to remain, should they wish so, if they swore fealty to the Republic. While a great many of them went home, a significant number stayed, mostly those that were known to be loyal to the Sultan and expected to be imprisoned at home. These seasoned officers provided the core of the new Albanian army.
As the war ended, Romanian troops returned home to a country mostly untouched. The Ottomans and British never reached Romanian soil, and thus the initial response was jubilant. Not all was well, however. Many Romanians died on the Macedonian front, essentially defending Bulgaria, and the country effectively gained nothing in return, except for reparations. The Romanian government expected to be granted an outlet to the Black Sea by Russia in the form of either Northern (which has been occupied by Russia since 1878) or Southern Dobruja (which was part of Bulgaria). Neither were granted, as the territory was essential for the Russian plans for the new railroad network, not to mention having access to the mouths of the Danube. This lead to great disillusionment by the populace, and had given a rise to the Iron Guard movement, that slowly gain traction during the 1920s. Basic their rhetoric on antisemitiscm, antiziganism and Magyarophobia, the Iron Guard gained power by 1927 and began an aggressive industrialization of the country, and building up a new, modern Romanian army based on the lessons learned from the Eurasian War. While careful not to challenge Russia, Corneliu Codreanu often openly agitated against Hungarians, particularly for their rule in Transylvania. By 1931, Romania was a proper dictatorship under the Iron Guard, openly agitating for irredentist claims in Transylvania.
It was no small irony that the King of Greece was named Constantine when the country regained rule over Constantinople. Ecstasy would be an understatement to describe the jubilant atmosphere in Hellas following the Treaty of Sévres. However, the recustruction proved to be quite the task. The population exchanges following the treaty did not spill over to outright genocide solely because of the presence of German and French forces in Anatolia. The same could not be said about the Turks that were living in the newly acquired territories. While most of them were simply moved to camps to wait for being shipped over to Anatolia, Greek and Russian soldiers committed many atrocities against the Turkish population of Thrace, with mass graves still being uncovered as late as 2013. The new Greek population also had to be housed and fed, something that could only be done with tremendous effort. Indeed the early 1920s were a time of limited famines and close calls at humanitarian crises in Greece. It would take more than ten years until the country consolidated. Constantinople itself became the seat of the king, although the government continued to reside in Athens for strategic reasons. Russia was granted free passage over the Dardanelles along with a naval base in the city as well as leases for building new railroads. In the early 1930s, Greece showed signs of recovery and steady economic growth.
Hungary, while having limited involvement in the war, sending only a token force to Albania, was greatly impressed by the new type of warfare exhibited not just in the Balkans, but also Manchuria. Ever the militant state, the general staff soon urged a reform of the army, something that was supported by King Joseph August as well. In general, the army had great sway over the king and was seen by many as dangerous in the civilian government, fearing that the country may fall to a military dictatorship should there be a disagreement with the government. This lead to the Hungarian government and the nobility's effort to sideline the military and their supporters during the late 1920s and the 1930s, characterized as a never-ending tug of war in the administration. The rise of militarism and the Iron Guard in neighboring Romania was a main conflict point between those that wanted to reduce the Honved's power and those that feared that the Romanians might intervene, should Hungary ever show weakness. This latter was often dismissed by men such as Mihály Károlyi, an ardent enemy of militarists, citing that the standing agreements between Russia and Germany do not allow for territorial changes in the Balkans, and the danger posed by the Iron Guard is little more than fearmongering.
The Last War had a profound effect on not only the Great Powers that participated in it (one way or another), but also those secondary and regional powers that were on the sidelines watching the events unfold.
Th United States of America
President Warren G. Harding
President Warren G. Harding
While the US was considered as a Great Power due to economic power and size alone, in truth, the US was a secondary power when it came to military. The US Army was little more than a militia force built around a professional core of soldiers, while the US Navy was built with the aim of projecting power no further than South America. After the war, efforts were quickly made to increase the American naval capabilities to ensure that the US can defend her interests. Both the Pacific and Atlantic fleets were enlarged with the addition of modern ships, so that Americans can enjoy their splendid isolation far from the bloody fields of Europe. As the peace treaties were signed, a great number of Europeans left their home to search for a better life in the new world, and the early 20s saw a new wave and new type of immigration. Italians fleeing German oppression, Turks fleeing from the Civil War and various people from the Balkans all arrived to Ellis Island in large numbers. While received with some level of disdain from the populace, they quickly found their way to the workforce as the roaring American economy needed a great number of them. The factories in Chicago and Detroit swallowed up a great deal of men and women, fueling the economic boom. The new arrivals, particularly Italians, were however not without their own ideas. Fleeing persecution in Europe, socialists, communists and anarchists found fertile ground among the workers of the Factory Belt. These years are generally seen as the start of the Red Scare that eventually blossomed in the tumultuous Red Thirties in the United States. Another important development in the States was the Prohibition, the ban on alcoholic beverages. This gave a rise to speakeasies, moonshining and organized crime that made great profit of smuggling alcohol and would lead to great troubles for law enforcement during the 30s. The United States also greatly profited from the Last War, having sold war materiel for both sides, leading to the general view that the best way for America is to remain isolated. While this made sense economically and in terms of internal politics, Washington feared that too great an isolation from world affairs would leave the US sidelined. Thus, four main foreign policy goals were pursued to retain prestige among the Great Powers, basically reaffirming the Monroe Doctrine. One was a support for the new Republic of China, which was in line with the Open Door policy of the old Monroe Doctrine (heavily tarnished during the Cuban Crisis) and the general support for democracy worldwide. The second was the maintaining of American sphere of influence in South America, with the exception of the remaining European holdings, as the US decided not to support any more revolutionary movements to avoid conflict with the other Great Powers. This policy has not changed from the previous decades, but would have more effect later on as Washington becomes actively involved in fighting Communism on the continent. The third one was the continued uninvolvement in European affairs, as outlined in the Monroe Doctrine. The fourth one was the only policy that deviated significantly from previous decades and that was the relationship with Liberia. All over Africa, development of colonies became a source of prestige among the Great Powers, and a new, more civilized way of rivalry. The US, priding herself as the bastion of freedom was determined to make Liberia a model state on the Dark Continent. This first materialized in government support for Marcus Garvey, his Black Star Shipping Line and the Negro Factories Corporation with the aim to improve Liberian economy and support trained black Americans to move to Africa. The efforts were slow at first, but would gain speed by the 30s and 40s, making Liberia one of the most developed parts of Africa.
Scandinavian Federation
King Gustav V
King Gustav V
The years and decades following the war were marked by one word in Scandinavia: industrialization. With a great demand for Swedish steel, matches and the expansion of shipping in Norway, Scandinavia was fast becoming a modern industrial state. With the creation of the Scandinavian welfare system, the Federation enjoyed improved standard of living and a booming economy as part of the Zollverein. A small number of Scandinavian marines took part in peacekeeping operations after the Ottoman collapse, the experience of which prompting a greater investment in the armed forces and particularly the navy. The Federal Navy soon became strong, coherent force that could supplement the German Reichsflotte in the North Sea and the Baltic, leading to much concern in Britain. While economic ties were almost inseparable with Germany, Scandinavia also enjoyed trade with both Russia and France and is today seen as the conduit for the early globalized economy that saw the European states becoming intertwined.
Serbia
King Alexander I
King Alexander I
The war has left Serbia in a bad shape. While the state itself was not invaded directly, the poor performance of the Serbian general staff has lead to a great loss of Serbian life on the Albanian and Macedonian fronts. For now, postwar reconstruction was the main goal, as Belgrade attempted to industrialize the nation, especially the mostly rural Bosnian parts. This did not go easily however, as the Bosnian countryside was largely devastated in the uprisings and following reprisals during the war, leading to whole villages burned, their locals either executed, interned in camps or driven away from their homes. A great number of Bosnian Muslims left the country, some to Turkey, others to the Americas, while others to places like Egypt. While this was welcome at first, as the government was happy to get rid of troublesome Muslims, they soon faced the problem of a deserted countryside. To repopulate these areas, Serbs from other neighboring states were encouraged to move in, being given free land and other subsidies. Many Serbs living in Hungary and Croatia soon moved in, being already oppressed there, which saw a slow recovery of these rural regions after the conflict, however, proper integration and development of Bosnia and Macedonia would take more decades.
Albania
Ahmet Zogu
Ahmet Zogu
The only unconquered part of the European Ottoman Empire, Albania declared independence shortly after the collapse of the Sultan's government. Their fierce resistance during the war ensured that they had leverage, even though they were separated from the rest of the empire, the new Albanian army made use of Ottoman troops and officers trapped there, as well as the large number of Turkish and British equipment. Indeed, it was the Royal Navy presence in the Vlore harbor that ensured that instead of a renewed invasion, Albania was quickly recognized by the Great Powers, and Tirana soon applied for a peacekeeping force to be sent by the Germans and the French. Soon a German-Hungarian contingent occupied Vlore and the major cities, which ensured that neither Serbia nor Greece would carry out any further offensives. Recognized as a sovereign state in Sévres, the borders of the new Albanian state were set later in the Treaty of Naples. Here, Ahmet Zogu, fearing for that the fighting might be reignited after the Germans leave, accepted Greek demands for the Greek-dominated southern territories, while also recognizing Serbian control of Kosovo and other Albanian-dominated parts of the Balkans. A difficult decision to be made, but Zogu is now widely regarded as the father of modern Albania. The newly independent state allowed any Ottoman soldiers to remain, should they wish so, if they swore fealty to the Republic. While a great many of them went home, a significant number stayed, mostly those that were known to be loyal to the Sultan and expected to be imprisoned at home. These seasoned officers provided the core of the new Albanian army.
Bulgaria
King Boris III
Of all the victors, Bulgaria was left most devastated by the war, with large part of her territory being one of the main fronts of the conflict. When British and Turkish troops retreated, they left behind a devastated landscape with deserted trenches and immeasurable number of unexploded shells. Sofia, while not occupied, was badly damaged due to British shelling when they had the city in range during the fighting. The nation, which was already backwards in terms of industrialization now had a monumental task ahead of it. Most of the rebuilding and early industrial effort was done with Russian help. The Czar wished to maintain a firm grip on the Balkans, and the main tool of this was the new Petersburg-Moscow-Constantinople railway, which was to be later expanded all through the Balkans, mainly building on the already existing railway lines in Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece and Romania. Given the geographical position, Bulgaria benefited greatly from this new construction effort, providing them with engineers trained in Russia, as well as work for the country's poor. Maintaining their image of the "Prussia of the Balkans", the Bulgarian army was rebuilt around the core of their Eurasian War veterans, but in general the country would be in no shape to fight a war in the 1920s.
King Boris III
Romania
Corneliu Codreanu
Corneliu Codreanu
As the war ended, Romanian troops returned home to a country mostly untouched. The Ottomans and British never reached Romanian soil, and thus the initial response was jubilant. Not all was well, however. Many Romanians died on the Macedonian front, essentially defending Bulgaria, and the country effectively gained nothing in return, except for reparations. The Romanian government expected to be granted an outlet to the Black Sea by Russia in the form of either Northern (which has been occupied by Russia since 1878) or Southern Dobruja (which was part of Bulgaria). Neither were granted, as the territory was essential for the Russian plans for the new railroad network, not to mention having access to the mouths of the Danube. This lead to great disillusionment by the populace, and had given a rise to the Iron Guard movement, that slowly gain traction during the 1920s. Basic their rhetoric on antisemitiscm, antiziganism and Magyarophobia, the Iron Guard gained power by 1927 and began an aggressive industrialization of the country, and building up a new, modern Romanian army based on the lessons learned from the Eurasian War. While careful not to challenge Russia, Corneliu Codreanu often openly agitated against Hungarians, particularly for their rule in Transylvania. By 1931, Romania was a proper dictatorship under the Iron Guard, openly agitating for irredentist claims in Transylvania.
Greece
King Constantine I
King Constantine I
It was no small irony that the King of Greece was named Constantine when the country regained rule over Constantinople. Ecstasy would be an understatement to describe the jubilant atmosphere in Hellas following the Treaty of Sévres. However, the recustruction proved to be quite the task. The population exchanges following the treaty did not spill over to outright genocide solely because of the presence of German and French forces in Anatolia. The same could not be said about the Turks that were living in the newly acquired territories. While most of them were simply moved to camps to wait for being shipped over to Anatolia, Greek and Russian soldiers committed many atrocities against the Turkish population of Thrace, with mass graves still being uncovered as late as 2013. The new Greek population also had to be housed and fed, something that could only be done with tremendous effort. Indeed the early 1920s were a time of limited famines and close calls at humanitarian crises in Greece. It would take more than ten years until the country consolidated. Constantinople itself became the seat of the king, although the government continued to reside in Athens for strategic reasons. Russia was granted free passage over the Dardanelles along with a naval base in the city as well as leases for building new railroads. In the early 1930s, Greece showed signs of recovery and steady economic growth.
Hungary
King Joseph August I
King Joseph August I
Hungary, while having limited involvement in the war, sending only a token force to Albania, was greatly impressed by the new type of warfare exhibited not just in the Balkans, but also Manchuria. Ever the militant state, the general staff soon urged a reform of the army, something that was supported by King Joseph August as well. In general, the army had great sway over the king and was seen by many as dangerous in the civilian government, fearing that the country may fall to a military dictatorship should there be a disagreement with the government. This lead to the Hungarian government and the nobility's effort to sideline the military and their supporters during the late 1920s and the 1930s, characterized as a never-ending tug of war in the administration. The rise of militarism and the Iron Guard in neighboring Romania was a main conflict point between those that wanted to reduce the Honved's power and those that feared that the Romanians might intervene, should Hungary ever show weakness. This latter was often dismissed by men such as Mihály Károlyi, an ardent enemy of militarists, citing that the standing agreements between Russia and Germany do not allow for territorial changes in the Balkans, and the danger posed by the Iron Guard is little more than fearmongering.