The Pig War: A TL
- Thread starter Veranius
- Start date
Pigs in particular will continue to play an important role in this TL. Just remember to keep your eyes peeled.
31 - Part 2
PART 2 (1874-1921): The Long Peace
31- Peace at Last
The time between 1874 and 1921 in Europe is known as the Long Peace, nearly fifty years without a major conflict between European powers. Instead, the focus of the world shifted outwards, to the rest of the world. The major world powers at this time also fell into a golden age, marked by general economic success after a series of failures. The first half of the Long Peace was the Long Depression, caused due to debts from the wars of the 1860s/1870s, the influx of American silver, Australian/Alaskan gold, and South African Diamonds, as well as speculation with the new emerging technologies like railroads and electricity.
The Long Peace is generally known to have begun in 1874, with the Congress of Paris after the Cretan War, as well as the signing of the Entente Cordiale between Britain and France. It came to a dramatic conclusion with the Collapse and the beginning of the European Civil War. Though the Long Peace sounds peaceful, it did have its fair share of wars, just not massive global wars like the Napoleonic Wars.
During the Long Peace, several major political developments occurred. The time period saw the rise of socialism (and its more radical cousin communism), populism, progressivism, irredentism, colonialism, technocracy, fascism, and imperialism. The time also saw a vast renaissance, as with the revival of Byzantium many classical references began to pervade society. The United States, Great Britain, and France all rose to become world superpowers, and began generating a staggering amount of wealth. In contrast to this rise, several nations stagnated, in particular the Triple Monarchy, Russia, and China, whose vast empires proved to be a burden with the multitudes of rebellious and increasingly radicalized minorities. The Long Peace also had massive technological advancements, as people became more aware of the world around them and how it could be modified for their own use. Electricity, railroads, and a host of new inventions permeated every inch of the Earth by the end of the Long Peace.
31- Peace at Last
The time between 1874 and 1921 in Europe is known as the Long Peace, nearly fifty years without a major conflict between European powers. Instead, the focus of the world shifted outwards, to the rest of the world. The major world powers at this time also fell into a golden age, marked by general economic success after a series of failures. The first half of the Long Peace was the Long Depression, caused due to debts from the wars of the 1860s/1870s, the influx of American silver, Australian/Alaskan gold, and South African Diamonds, as well as speculation with the new emerging technologies like railroads and electricity.
The Long Peace is generally known to have begun in 1874, with the Congress of Paris after the Cretan War, as well as the signing of the Entente Cordiale between Britain and France. It came to a dramatic conclusion with the Collapse and the beginning of the European Civil War. Though the Long Peace sounds peaceful, it did have its fair share of wars, just not massive global wars like the Napoleonic Wars.
During the Long Peace, several major political developments occurred. The time period saw the rise of socialism (and its more radical cousin communism), populism, progressivism, irredentism, colonialism, technocracy, fascism, and imperialism. The time also saw a vast renaissance, as with the revival of Byzantium many classical references began to pervade society. The United States, Great Britain, and France all rose to become world superpowers, and began generating a staggering amount of wealth. In contrast to this rise, several nations stagnated, in particular the Triple Monarchy, Russia, and China, whose vast empires proved to be a burden with the multitudes of rebellious and increasingly radicalized minorities. The Long Peace also had massive technological advancements, as people became more aware of the world around them and how it could be modified for their own use. Electricity, railroads, and a host of new inventions permeated every inch of the Earth by the end of the Long Peace.
32 - Part 2
32- New Imperialism I (Britain, France)
With the calm in international tensions guaranteed by the Long Peace, the focus of the world shifted to lands unconquered, specifically the Dark Continent of Africa. The Entente took up the scepter and led the European colonization efforts, eventually carving a vast colonial enterprise that controlled nearly 35% of all the world’s land area. The only nations to successfully resist their influence were Ethiopia and Siam.
France’s African holdings expanded from just coastal Algeria and a few trading posts in the Gold Coast in 1860 to most of Africa north of the Congo River by the Collapse. Napoleon III wanted to form a colonial empire that was deeply enmeshed into French society, and thus advocated heavily for French citizens to settle in the overseas departments. However, he also promoted many policies that allowed for native assimilation, as he wished to fuse the native societies with the incoming settlers, to form a united French culture spanning the globe. French explorers mapped the wild regions of the Congo and the Sahel, and founded cities like Brazzaville and Niamey. With the end of the Cretan War and the Congress of Paris, France gained control over most of the North African coastline, only yielding in Egypt where they ruled side by side with the British. French control was secured over Morocco after a joint Franco-Spanish invasion subdued the country. French forces stormed across the Mekong Delta and the Gulf of Tonkin, uniting the fractured Indochinese countries into a single nation, which was furthered with the conquests of Laos and Cambodia. However, the Siamese frustrated the French advance into the interior of Indochina, bleeding them dry in the dense jungles. Siam therefore formed a useful buffer between French Indochina and British India. The French even picked up the island of Madagascar, after one of their sailors was shipwrecked on the island and helped the natives industrialize to near European levels, all the while inputting French ideals into the society.
While the French focused on North Africa, the British focused on South Africa. They already held the Cape Colony, formed from Dutch territory seized during the Napoleonic Wars. Resistance to British rule in India had been quelled following the Sepoy Mutiny, and the formation of the British Raj controlling the Indian Empire. Australia, Guiana, and Canada rounded out Britain’s pre-Long Peace holdings. While the French split their colonies into departments, the British turned their colonies into dominions. However, united control over many proposed dominions was non-existent, forcing British authorities into fragmenting some. New Zealand was severed from Australia, and Canada was split into multiple dominions: Laurentia (provinces/territories of Ontario, Manitoba, Keewatin, Vesperia, Athabasca, Northwest Territories), Newfoundland (provinces/territories of Newfoundland, Labrador), Cascadia (provinces/territories of Alaska, Columbia, Yukon), Acadia (provinces/territories of Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick), and Quebec (provinces/territories of Quebec, Ungava) (1). Quebec would fall under French influence as the Long Peace went on, but this was mainly due to the already present French culture in Quebec as well as the increased cooperation and unity between Britain and France. In Africa, British policy was largely dictated by Cecil Rhodes, who had a grandiose plan to build a rail line from Cape Town to Cairo. Therefore, British territory snaked through East Africa until it reached the Sudan, where Franco-British Egypt began. The British were nearly stymied in their efforts by Portugal, who had hoped to unite Angola and Mozambique. Britain basically demanded Portugal to abandon their claims on the land, yet managed cooled tensions afterward when they reaffirmed the Anglo-Portuguese Treaty of 1373, as well as paying Portugal 2 million pounds. Other than South Africa, British agents acquired territory at the mouth of the Niger River and Somaliland, only being prevented from advancing inward by the French and Ethiopians, respectively. Britain also gained control of the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca, fortifying each place into the “Gibraltar of Persia” and the “Gibraltar of Asia”. Finally, Britain solidified their control over Mesopotamia and Arabia, and discovered vast new oilfields to be exploited.
One interesting bit of trivia: the shortest war in history was the Anglo-Zanzibar War, which lasted only an hour and five minutes, and allowed Britain to strengthen their grasp on Tanzania and East Africa.
(1)- Laurentia corresponds to OTL Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Cascadia corresponds to OTL Yukon, British Columbia, and Alaska. Quebec is just Quebec split into two. The others (Acadia and Newfoundland) have the same provinces as OTL, with Newfoundland split.
With the calm in international tensions guaranteed by the Long Peace, the focus of the world shifted to lands unconquered, specifically the Dark Continent of Africa. The Entente took up the scepter and led the European colonization efforts, eventually carving a vast colonial enterprise that controlled nearly 35% of all the world’s land area. The only nations to successfully resist their influence were Ethiopia and Siam.
France’s African holdings expanded from just coastal Algeria and a few trading posts in the Gold Coast in 1860 to most of Africa north of the Congo River by the Collapse. Napoleon III wanted to form a colonial empire that was deeply enmeshed into French society, and thus advocated heavily for French citizens to settle in the overseas departments. However, he also promoted many policies that allowed for native assimilation, as he wished to fuse the native societies with the incoming settlers, to form a united French culture spanning the globe. French explorers mapped the wild regions of the Congo and the Sahel, and founded cities like Brazzaville and Niamey. With the end of the Cretan War and the Congress of Paris, France gained control over most of the North African coastline, only yielding in Egypt where they ruled side by side with the British. French control was secured over Morocco after a joint Franco-Spanish invasion subdued the country. French forces stormed across the Mekong Delta and the Gulf of Tonkin, uniting the fractured Indochinese countries into a single nation, which was furthered with the conquests of Laos and Cambodia. However, the Siamese frustrated the French advance into the interior of Indochina, bleeding them dry in the dense jungles. Siam therefore formed a useful buffer between French Indochina and British India. The French even picked up the island of Madagascar, after one of their sailors was shipwrecked on the island and helped the natives industrialize to near European levels, all the while inputting French ideals into the society.
While the French focused on North Africa, the British focused on South Africa. They already held the Cape Colony, formed from Dutch territory seized during the Napoleonic Wars. Resistance to British rule in India had been quelled following the Sepoy Mutiny, and the formation of the British Raj controlling the Indian Empire. Australia, Guiana, and Canada rounded out Britain’s pre-Long Peace holdings. While the French split their colonies into departments, the British turned their colonies into dominions. However, united control over many proposed dominions was non-existent, forcing British authorities into fragmenting some. New Zealand was severed from Australia, and Canada was split into multiple dominions: Laurentia (provinces/territories of Ontario, Manitoba, Keewatin, Vesperia, Athabasca, Northwest Territories), Newfoundland (provinces/territories of Newfoundland, Labrador), Cascadia (provinces/territories of Alaska, Columbia, Yukon), Acadia (provinces/territories of Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick), and Quebec (provinces/territories of Quebec, Ungava) (1). Quebec would fall under French influence as the Long Peace went on, but this was mainly due to the already present French culture in Quebec as well as the increased cooperation and unity between Britain and France. In Africa, British policy was largely dictated by Cecil Rhodes, who had a grandiose plan to build a rail line from Cape Town to Cairo. Therefore, British territory snaked through East Africa until it reached the Sudan, where Franco-British Egypt began. The British were nearly stymied in their efforts by Portugal, who had hoped to unite Angola and Mozambique. Britain basically demanded Portugal to abandon their claims on the land, yet managed cooled tensions afterward when they reaffirmed the Anglo-Portuguese Treaty of 1373, as well as paying Portugal 2 million pounds. Other than South Africa, British agents acquired territory at the mouth of the Niger River and Somaliland, only being prevented from advancing inward by the French and Ethiopians, respectively. Britain also gained control of the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca, fortifying each place into the “Gibraltar of Persia” and the “Gibraltar of Asia”. Finally, Britain solidified their control over Mesopotamia and Arabia, and discovered vast new oilfields to be exploited.
One interesting bit of trivia: the shortest war in history was the Anglo-Zanzibar War, which lasted only an hour and five minutes, and allowed Britain to strengthen their grasp on Tanzania and East Africa.
(1)- Laurentia corresponds to OTL Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Cascadia corresponds to OTL Yukon, British Columbia, and Alaska. Quebec is just Quebec split into two. The others (Acadia and Newfoundland) have the same provinces as OTL, with Newfoundland split.
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33 - Part 2
33- New Imperialism II (Russia, Prussia, Triple Monarchy, Japan)
The vast Russian Empire was running out of places to settle by the time the Long Peace began. It had no effective way of reaching uncolonized Africa, and Vladivostok on the Pacific was only ice-free during the summer. Central Asia and Siberia were fully explored and subdued, with the Gobi Desert and the Himalayas forming a natural barrier to British India. So, Russian foreign policy focused on gaining an ice free port. Despite already having one at Sevastopol, the Russians couldn’t enter the Mediterranean due to the Ottoman held Bosporus. That is, until the Cretan War rolled around. Russian dominance of the Black Sea was secured, and with the friendly Greeks in charge of Constantinople again, the Russians could finally see the open ocean. Or so they thought. With the unfriendly British holding Gibraltar, as well as both the French and British controlling Egypt, the Russian Black Sea Fleet would not be seeing the Atlantic or Indian Oceans any time soon. And with the Russian Baltic Fleet unable to pass the Danish Straits, the Russians were desperate for access to the high seas. So, their attention turned to Persia. By the end of the Long Peace, Persia had been split into two, with the Russians taking the northern half while the British snatched up the southern half. The Russians also established a half-dozen puppet states ranging from the Caspian to the Pacific. Yet when China fell to pieces after the Taiping Rebellion, the Russians expanded their holdings in Manchuria and Mongolia, finally securing an ice-free port in the form of Port Arthur.
Prussia and the Triple Monarchy each demanded a place in the sun, however each were unable to achieve it. Only the Triple Monarchy came close to colonialism, with a colony in the Andaman Islands. However, they were pushed out once it was realized that the Andaman Islands were actually under Danish authority. With the Prussian defeat in the Great Polish War, the Prussians were unable to expand outwards, except for a few failed trading posts on the Gold Coast.
Japan, on the other hand, had much catching up to do. Industrializing after the Meiji Restoration rekindled relationships with the outside world, Japan first sought territory in the form of Korea, which was taken when China fell into chaos after the Taiping Rebellion. Despite Russian interference, Japan took over Sakhalin, which pulled tensions between the two powers to a breaking point. Japan extended its influence into the Pacific by taking the Ryukyu, Marinara, and Caroline Islands. However, it reached greater heights due to the Spanish-Japanese War, in which Japan smashed Spanish forces guarding Guam and the Philippines. However, taking the Philippines proved to be a major mistake, as Japan was forced to send massive armies to subdue the rebellious islands, which were never truly tamed. The Japanese also proved their dominance of the Pacific Basin when they utterly crushed the main Chinese fleet at the Battle of Tsushima during the Great Chinese War, undoing years of toil for the Chinese. Their victory drove them close to the French and British, who wanted to limit Russian influence in the Pacific.
The vast Russian Empire was running out of places to settle by the time the Long Peace began. It had no effective way of reaching uncolonized Africa, and Vladivostok on the Pacific was only ice-free during the summer. Central Asia and Siberia were fully explored and subdued, with the Gobi Desert and the Himalayas forming a natural barrier to British India. So, Russian foreign policy focused on gaining an ice free port. Despite already having one at Sevastopol, the Russians couldn’t enter the Mediterranean due to the Ottoman held Bosporus. That is, until the Cretan War rolled around. Russian dominance of the Black Sea was secured, and with the friendly Greeks in charge of Constantinople again, the Russians could finally see the open ocean. Or so they thought. With the unfriendly British holding Gibraltar, as well as both the French and British controlling Egypt, the Russian Black Sea Fleet would not be seeing the Atlantic or Indian Oceans any time soon. And with the Russian Baltic Fleet unable to pass the Danish Straits, the Russians were desperate for access to the high seas. So, their attention turned to Persia. By the end of the Long Peace, Persia had been split into two, with the Russians taking the northern half while the British snatched up the southern half. The Russians also established a half-dozen puppet states ranging from the Caspian to the Pacific. Yet when China fell to pieces after the Taiping Rebellion, the Russians expanded their holdings in Manchuria and Mongolia, finally securing an ice-free port in the form of Port Arthur.
Prussia and the Triple Monarchy each demanded a place in the sun, however each were unable to achieve it. Only the Triple Monarchy came close to colonialism, with a colony in the Andaman Islands. However, they were pushed out once it was realized that the Andaman Islands were actually under Danish authority. With the Prussian defeat in the Great Polish War, the Prussians were unable to expand outwards, except for a few failed trading posts on the Gold Coast.
Japan, on the other hand, had much catching up to do. Industrializing after the Meiji Restoration rekindled relationships with the outside world, Japan first sought territory in the form of Korea, which was taken when China fell into chaos after the Taiping Rebellion. Despite Russian interference, Japan took over Sakhalin, which pulled tensions between the two powers to a breaking point. Japan extended its influence into the Pacific by taking the Ryukyu, Marinara, and Caroline Islands. However, it reached greater heights due to the Spanish-Japanese War, in which Japan smashed Spanish forces guarding Guam and the Philippines. However, taking the Philippines proved to be a major mistake, as Japan was forced to send massive armies to subdue the rebellious islands, which were never truly tamed. The Japanese also proved their dominance of the Pacific Basin when they utterly crushed the main Chinese fleet at the Battle of Tsushima during the Great Chinese War, undoing years of toil for the Chinese. Their victory drove them close to the French and British, who wanted to limit Russian influence in the Pacific.
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Prussia is allied with Russia, begrudgingly. China is virtually isolationist. Austria is neutral with a leaning towards France, trying to contend with internal problems. USA is definitely Team Britain/France, while the Ottomans don't really matter anymore (for all intents and purposes annexed by Britain and France). Italy hates France and Austria, yet can't do anything about it. However, the upcoming war may not be as clear cut as one may think...
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34 - Part 2
34- New Imperialism III (America, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands)
Although the United States by definition is not an empire, during the Long Peace it engaged in imperialistic activities, almost all for economic reasons. Cuba was turned into a de facto protectorate after the Spanish-American War, and Puerto Rico soon followed when President Hancock bought their independence in the last days of his term. American economic entrepreneurs soon descended into Central America, buying up vast tracts of land. The Central Fruit Company eventually owned 75% of Honduras, while their main competitor, the Florida Citrus Company, grew to own 91% of Costa Rica. The Stafford Pineapple Company even overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy in 1892, declaring the Hawaiian Republic with John Stafford as its first president. Each nation soon became protectorates of the United States, who wanted to enforce the Monroe Doctrine in every chance it could get. When Mexico descended into a civil war in 1898, American arms flooded over the border to the most favorable candidate. However, when Mexico finally collapsed in 1910, the Americans established protectorates over each and every successor state (Sonora, Rio Bravo, Yucatán, Veracruz, Durango, Guerrero, and Zacatecas).
Denmark’s colonial empire, inherited from the ancestral holdings of the Vikings, continued to decline. They sold the Virgin Islands to the United States, who turned them into the West Indies Federation under American protection. Their colony in the Andaman Islands was sold to the British and incorporated into British India. Even the claims on the Gold Coast, descended from old Danish trading posts, were auctioned off to the French. However, the Danes soon got a revitalization. The Netherlands fell into hard times during the Long Depression, a situation made worse when a severe North Sea storm smashed several vital dykes, flooding most of the coastal regions of the Netherlands. So, to gain some quick cash to repair their infrastructure, the Dutch began to auction off islands in the East Indies. Sumatra, Java, and the islands between Java and Timor remained Dutch, while the Belgians acquired Borneo, Portugal got the rest of Timor, the Danes got Celebes, and the British got the rest. Belgium paid for Borneo with their profits from the Congo, under the direct control of their king, Leopold II. However, with allegations of massive cruelty and near genocide in the Congo, the Belgian government stepped in and annexed it directly.
Although the United States by definition is not an empire, during the Long Peace it engaged in imperialistic activities, almost all for economic reasons. Cuba was turned into a de facto protectorate after the Spanish-American War, and Puerto Rico soon followed when President Hancock bought their independence in the last days of his term. American economic entrepreneurs soon descended into Central America, buying up vast tracts of land. The Central Fruit Company eventually owned 75% of Honduras, while their main competitor, the Florida Citrus Company, grew to own 91% of Costa Rica. The Stafford Pineapple Company even overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy in 1892, declaring the Hawaiian Republic with John Stafford as its first president. Each nation soon became protectorates of the United States, who wanted to enforce the Monroe Doctrine in every chance it could get. When Mexico descended into a civil war in 1898, American arms flooded over the border to the most favorable candidate. However, when Mexico finally collapsed in 1910, the Americans established protectorates over each and every successor state (Sonora, Rio Bravo, Yucatán, Veracruz, Durango, Guerrero, and Zacatecas).
Denmark’s colonial empire, inherited from the ancestral holdings of the Vikings, continued to decline. They sold the Virgin Islands to the United States, who turned them into the West Indies Federation under American protection. Their colony in the Andaman Islands was sold to the British and incorporated into British India. Even the claims on the Gold Coast, descended from old Danish trading posts, were auctioned off to the French. However, the Danes soon got a revitalization. The Netherlands fell into hard times during the Long Depression, a situation made worse when a severe North Sea storm smashed several vital dykes, flooding most of the coastal regions of the Netherlands. So, to gain some quick cash to repair their infrastructure, the Dutch began to auction off islands in the East Indies. Sumatra, Java, and the islands between Java and Timor remained Dutch, while the Belgians acquired Borneo, Portugal got the rest of Timor, the Danes got Celebes, and the British got the rest. Belgium paid for Borneo with their profits from the Congo, under the direct control of their king, Leopold II. However, with allegations of massive cruelty and near genocide in the Congo, the Belgian government stepped in and annexed it directly.
35 - Part 2
35- New Imperialism IV (Spain, Portugal, Italy, Byzantium)
Despite having vast a colonial empire in the Age of Discovery, Spain was reduced to just a small coastal stretch of the Saharan desert after the Japanese and the Americans stripped away what little they had left. Spain probably wouldn't even have that slice of the Sahara if it hadn’t joined when France took over Morocco. The total decline of their once glorious colonial empire, along with nearly a century of virtual anarchy, spawned the Venganza Movement, which was a radical right-wing movement aimed at reclaiming Spain’s glory. Winning over the populace, Spanish general Sebastian Valens took control of the country in 1907, after ousting the last King of Spain. He rapidly crushed all dissent, and nationalized almost every industry, while greatly strengthening the military. He undertook a genocide of Berber peoples living in Spanish Morocco, planning on colonizing it with a supposedly superior Spanish Race. He was careful to present himself to the people in the best light, emphasizing on the order and (relative) prosperity he had brought after the time of anarchy. Valens soon changed his party name to the Partido Legionario, named for the ancient conquerors of Spain, the Roman Legionaries. Despite forming the Republic of Spain after his takeover, the country was mostly referred to as Valencian Spain, as Valens moved the capital from Madrid to Valencia.
Portugal was a different story. Despite losing Brazil in 1822 to a bloodless war of independence, Portugal still had colonial holdings in the world. Angola, Guinea, Goa, Mozambique, Cape Verde Islands, the Azores, and East Timor all still constituted the Portuguese Colonial Empire. And yet, everywhere the Portuguese went, they were blocked. Guinea was left hugging the coast when the French took over the interior. Angola and Mozambique were left disjointed when the British demanded they give up claims. Goa was surrounded by British India, and only East Timor managed to expand much, when the Netherlands sold the rest of Timor to Portugal. However, the close relationship with Britain helped the Portuguese, as it allowed for almost free trade to exist in southern Africa, and many merchants grew rich taxing the goods flowing through Luanda and Beira. Unlike the chaos in Spain, Portugal was relatively calm, with the country transitioning into a constitutional monarchy much like Britain.
Italy, on the other hand, felt cheated. While Venetia had been brought into the country in the Treaty of Paris at the end of the Cretan War, many opportunities had been lost. The French and British effectively controlled North Africa and the Levant, with the Turkish remnants in Anatolia hardly enough to look at. Nice, Savoy, and Corsica were held directly by the French, and South Tyrol, Trieste, and Dalmatia were held by the Triple Monarchy. Although Italy did have some Aegean Islands, they were being looked at hungrily by the Byzantines. As time went on, the urge of nationalists and imperialists in the ear of the King of Italy grew stronger. Finally, he gave in, and chartered an expedition to Somaliland, to see if that territory was suitable for a colony. However, as soon as the ships arrived in Mogadishu, they found the flags of Britain and France waving proudly. Instead, they landed in Eritrea, founding a small colony in what little land hadn’t been claimed already. Yet as they tried to push inland, they found a new obstacle: the Ethiopians. At the time the Ethiopian Empire had been slowly shrinking, as it tried to fend off ever increasing raids by the French and British, who had long given up the thought of conquering and subduing the mountainous country. So, the Italians began to trade with the Ethiopians, flooding in European arms and materiel in exchange for precious metals and food for Eritrea. So, when the French and British attacked again, they were met with accurate volleys of rifle and cannon fire. Italian weapons were instrumental in maintaining Ethiopia’s independence, as well as fueling the Venganza Movement in Spain. Italian merchants even tried to purchase the island of Formosa from the Chinese, but the deal fell through,
Byzantium was poor. Arable farmland was hard to come by, especially after thousands of years of cultivation. Any and all natural resources had been long exploited. Yet with the liberation of Constantinople, people of all ages and professions lined the streets to watch and cheer as military units marched by, headed by the new Emperor, Georgios I. And with the people proudly behind him, Georgios set his sights on the next area for Byzantine expansion: Anatolia. A series of wars with the Turkish Sultanate saw the Byzantines gradually absorb western Anatolia. Yet Byzantine diplomats had to play an dangerous game, juggling the interests of Italy, with whom the state eventually grew close to, and Russia, who wanted the Bosporus open at all costs. However, when Russia began preoccupied with Asia and the northern Balkans, Byzantium formed the Mediterranean League with Italy and Valencian Spain, which aimed to restore the true glory of Rome: the Mare Nostrum. Russia reacted and formed the Dual Alliance with Prussia, commonly referred to as the Central Powers.
Despite having vast a colonial empire in the Age of Discovery, Spain was reduced to just a small coastal stretch of the Saharan desert after the Japanese and the Americans stripped away what little they had left. Spain probably wouldn't even have that slice of the Sahara if it hadn’t joined when France took over Morocco. The total decline of their once glorious colonial empire, along with nearly a century of virtual anarchy, spawned the Venganza Movement, which was a radical right-wing movement aimed at reclaiming Spain’s glory. Winning over the populace, Spanish general Sebastian Valens took control of the country in 1907, after ousting the last King of Spain. He rapidly crushed all dissent, and nationalized almost every industry, while greatly strengthening the military. He undertook a genocide of Berber peoples living in Spanish Morocco, planning on colonizing it with a supposedly superior Spanish Race. He was careful to present himself to the people in the best light, emphasizing on the order and (relative) prosperity he had brought after the time of anarchy. Valens soon changed his party name to the Partido Legionario, named for the ancient conquerors of Spain, the Roman Legionaries. Despite forming the Republic of Spain after his takeover, the country was mostly referred to as Valencian Spain, as Valens moved the capital from Madrid to Valencia.
Portugal was a different story. Despite losing Brazil in 1822 to a bloodless war of independence, Portugal still had colonial holdings in the world. Angola, Guinea, Goa, Mozambique, Cape Verde Islands, the Azores, and East Timor all still constituted the Portuguese Colonial Empire. And yet, everywhere the Portuguese went, they were blocked. Guinea was left hugging the coast when the French took over the interior. Angola and Mozambique were left disjointed when the British demanded they give up claims. Goa was surrounded by British India, and only East Timor managed to expand much, when the Netherlands sold the rest of Timor to Portugal. However, the close relationship with Britain helped the Portuguese, as it allowed for almost free trade to exist in southern Africa, and many merchants grew rich taxing the goods flowing through Luanda and Beira. Unlike the chaos in Spain, Portugal was relatively calm, with the country transitioning into a constitutional monarchy much like Britain.
Italy, on the other hand, felt cheated. While Venetia had been brought into the country in the Treaty of Paris at the end of the Cretan War, many opportunities had been lost. The French and British effectively controlled North Africa and the Levant, with the Turkish remnants in Anatolia hardly enough to look at. Nice, Savoy, and Corsica were held directly by the French, and South Tyrol, Trieste, and Dalmatia were held by the Triple Monarchy. Although Italy did have some Aegean Islands, they were being looked at hungrily by the Byzantines. As time went on, the urge of nationalists and imperialists in the ear of the King of Italy grew stronger. Finally, he gave in, and chartered an expedition to Somaliland, to see if that territory was suitable for a colony. However, as soon as the ships arrived in Mogadishu, they found the flags of Britain and France waving proudly. Instead, they landed in Eritrea, founding a small colony in what little land hadn’t been claimed already. Yet as they tried to push inland, they found a new obstacle: the Ethiopians. At the time the Ethiopian Empire had been slowly shrinking, as it tried to fend off ever increasing raids by the French and British, who had long given up the thought of conquering and subduing the mountainous country. So, the Italians began to trade with the Ethiopians, flooding in European arms and materiel in exchange for precious metals and food for Eritrea. So, when the French and British attacked again, they were met with accurate volleys of rifle and cannon fire. Italian weapons were instrumental in maintaining Ethiopia’s independence, as well as fueling the Venganza Movement in Spain. Italian merchants even tried to purchase the island of Formosa from the Chinese, but the deal fell through,
Byzantium was poor. Arable farmland was hard to come by, especially after thousands of years of cultivation. Any and all natural resources had been long exploited. Yet with the liberation of Constantinople, people of all ages and professions lined the streets to watch and cheer as military units marched by, headed by the new Emperor, Georgios I. And with the people proudly behind him, Georgios set his sights on the next area for Byzantine expansion: Anatolia. A series of wars with the Turkish Sultanate saw the Byzantines gradually absorb western Anatolia. Yet Byzantine diplomats had to play an dangerous game, juggling the interests of Italy, with whom the state eventually grew close to, and Russia, who wanted the Bosporus open at all costs. However, when Russia began preoccupied with Asia and the northern Balkans, Byzantium formed the Mediterranean League with Italy and Valencian Spain, which aimed to restore the true glory of Rome: the Mare Nostrum. Russia reacted and formed the Dual Alliance with Prussia, commonly referred to as the Central Powers.
36 - Part 2
36- Digging a Canal (or Two) (or Three)
Some of the greatest engineering marvels of the modern world emerged during the Long Peace, as it was a time that engineers and scientists could work in relative peace and quiet and build amazing structures. The greatest marvels of the time are the Three Canals: Kiel, Suez, and Panama. All three canals were built by companies chartered by the governments of Britain and France, yet each were built with the blessing and aid of surrounding nations: the United States in Panama, the Danes and Swedes in Kiel, and the Italians in Suez.
The Suez Canal had begun as a French project. Using thousands of forced laborers, the project took twelve years to build, from 1859-1871. Despite being outraged in the beginning, the British government bought up half of France’s shares in the canal when they realized the strategic importance of the canal. Following the Cretan War and the two countries’s takeover of Egypt, the debts of the Suez Canal Company mysteriously disappeared. The British played a key role determining the size of the canal. They deliberately made the canal too small it fit sailing trading ships, forcing those to circumnavigate Africa via the Cape of Good Hope, which was also under British control. However, the British eventually relented and widened the canal in 1888, once it was realized the vast majority of the ironclad Royal Navy would be unable to transverse the canal.
The Kiel Canal was derived from the Danes, who wanted to build another entrance to the Baltic that was under their control, and thereby could profit immensely through tolls. They were also fearful of Prussian influence in Schleswig and Holstein, and wanted a better barrier between the two nations. While the Dannevirke worked, having an impassible body of water appealed more to the Danes. With the aid of the Swedes, the French, and the British, ground was broken in 1884. Despite several covert attempts by the Prussians to sabotage the canal, it was completed in 1893, and improved upon the nearby Elder Canal. The techniques used aided the French and British immensely when they built the Panama Canal.
The Panama Canal was, is, and will forever be one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. It was built from 1899-1911, with the combined engineering might of Britain, France, and the United States. It drew the attention of the whole world, especially when US President Theodore Roosevelt pitched in to help dig, ignoring the concerns of his aides. The canal advanced medical thinking as well, discovering the connection between malaria and mosquitoes. Canal workers subsequently filled every source of standing water with gasoline and burned it, effectively eradicating mosquitoes from Panama. Even today, there are barely any mosquitoes in the country. The canal was only built when the United States bought Panama from Colombia, turning the new country into another protectorate.
Some of the greatest engineering marvels of the modern world emerged during the Long Peace, as it was a time that engineers and scientists could work in relative peace and quiet and build amazing structures. The greatest marvels of the time are the Three Canals: Kiel, Suez, and Panama. All three canals were built by companies chartered by the governments of Britain and France, yet each were built with the blessing and aid of surrounding nations: the United States in Panama, the Danes and Swedes in Kiel, and the Italians in Suez.
The Suez Canal had begun as a French project. Using thousands of forced laborers, the project took twelve years to build, from 1859-1871. Despite being outraged in the beginning, the British government bought up half of France’s shares in the canal when they realized the strategic importance of the canal. Following the Cretan War and the two countries’s takeover of Egypt, the debts of the Suez Canal Company mysteriously disappeared. The British played a key role determining the size of the canal. They deliberately made the canal too small it fit sailing trading ships, forcing those to circumnavigate Africa via the Cape of Good Hope, which was also under British control. However, the British eventually relented and widened the canal in 1888, once it was realized the vast majority of the ironclad Royal Navy would be unable to transverse the canal.
The Kiel Canal was derived from the Danes, who wanted to build another entrance to the Baltic that was under their control, and thereby could profit immensely through tolls. They were also fearful of Prussian influence in Schleswig and Holstein, and wanted a better barrier between the two nations. While the Dannevirke worked, having an impassible body of water appealed more to the Danes. With the aid of the Swedes, the French, and the British, ground was broken in 1884. Despite several covert attempts by the Prussians to sabotage the canal, it was completed in 1893, and improved upon the nearby Elder Canal. The techniques used aided the French and British immensely when they built the Panama Canal.
The Panama Canal was, is, and will forever be one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. It was built from 1899-1911, with the combined engineering might of Britain, France, and the United States. It drew the attention of the whole world, especially when US President Theodore Roosevelt pitched in to help dig, ignoring the concerns of his aides. The canal advanced medical thinking as well, discovering the connection between malaria and mosquitoes. Canal workers subsequently filled every source of standing water with gasoline and burned it, effectively eradicating mosquitoes from Panama. Even today, there are barely any mosquitoes in the country. The canal was only built when the United States bought Panama from Colombia, turning the new country into another protectorate.
Don't forget Poland. They're unaligned but leaning towards the British and French. They utterly hate Prussia/Russia.
