Part 3:World War I
1914:Russian Czar Nicholas II is assassinated in Warsaw by a Polish nationalist. Russia suspects Hungary-who has their own interests in Poland-of being behind the assassination, depsite the flimsy evidence supporting such an idea. Russia declares war on Hungary. This prompts Germany-who had pledged to protect Hungary when it became independent-to declare war on Russia. France and Spain in turn declare war on Germany. Italy declares war on France. Germany decides to concentrate on Russia and allow Italy to deal with France. However, France is determined to bring the fight to Germany. The French army marches throught Belgium to launch a sneak attack on Germany. This brings Britain into the war. Portugal, keeping with its alliance with Britain, declares war on Spain.
1915:As war rages in Europe, Woodrow Wilson is inaugurated as president of the CSA. Wilson is concerned by the events in Europe, but he resolves not to get the Confederacy involved unless the conflict poses a direct threat to the nation. US president Theodore Roosevelt is more eager to get involved, but he also holds back.
Greece joins the war on the side of the Central Powers (Germany, Britain, Hungary, and Italy). The Ottoman Empire in turn joins the war on the side of the Entente.
1916: The US and Confederacy's neutrality is tested by unrestricted submarine warfare. French submarines torpedo ships attempting to enter British or German ports in an attempt to disrupt trade and economically starve the Central Powers.
In Europe, the war has settled into a vicious stalemate. Germany is hedged in by two long trenches, one covering Belgium and Northern France, the other extending through Prussia and Poland. Greece and Turkey battle it out in the Balkans. Spain beseiges Gibraltar, hoping to gain the British colony.
1917-The turning point of the war.
In February 1917, the Czarina-who had been acting as regent since the death of Nicholas II-abdicates. A provisional republican government takes over and attempts to continue the war effort. The Russian people, however, have been bled dry and are tired of fighting. The Bolsheviks stage a revolution in October and signs the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, dropping Russia out of the war.
In March, joint US-Confederacy intelligence uncovers a telegram sent by French diplomats to the government of Mexico. In the telegram, the French urged Mexico to reclaim the land it lost in the Mexican-American war. The French promised to aid the Mexican war effort. Mexico does not accept the offer-it is too busy dealing with internal conflict. The offer was obviously intended to prevent the USA or CSA from entering the European conflict by keeping them distracted. It has the exact opposite effect-public opinion in both countries turns against France. The US and the Confederacy both declare war on France in April 1917.* Troops from both nations are soon pouring into Europe.
As the stalemate in northern France begins to break, the French government evacutes to Bordeaux.
In the Middle East, revolts break out in the Ottoman Empire aided by the British. T.E. Lawrence leads Arab rebels to several victories over the Ottomans.
1918-The final year of the conflict. The Central Powers score several victories against the French as both sides come out of their trenches.
Gibraltar is liberated after a long siege. Spain sues for peace in August after suffering several defeats on its soil.
As CP forces close in on Bordeaux, the French people begin to rise up in discontent. Emperor Alphonse Napoleon is forced to abdicate and flees to Andorra. A provisional government takes over and signs an armistice.
1919-The Treaty of Bremen brings an official end to the "Great War" in February. France is blamed solely for the conflict and is heavily penalized. France's colonial possessions are divided between Germany and Britain. Provence and Corsica are given to Italy. Nord-Pas-de-Calais is handed over to Belgium. The area between the Seine River and the Franco-German border is demilitarized.
Confederate President Woodrow Wilson is concerned by the vindictiveness displayed by the Central Powers. He warns that punishing France too harshly could have dire consequences later on. His concerns are dismissed by the Europeans. As for the US, Theodore Roosevelt does not live to see the treaty-he dies in his sleep on January 6. His successor, Charles E. Hughes, chooses not to participate in the treaty to the resurgence of isolationism caused by Roosevelt's death.
The League of Nations is created in the summer to prevent another Great War. Wilson plans on having the CSA join, but he is incapacitated by a stroke, and the Confederate Congress votes against joining the organization.
With the war over, Europe turns its attention to reconstruction while the two Americas refocus on their own affairs. France, reeling from the conflict, attempts to build up a new Republican regime, the Third French Republic. Nobody anticipates the troubles ahead...
*It is a common cliche of Confederacy-Wins scenarios to have the USA and CSA fight on opposite sides in World War I. I decided to buck that cliche by having them allied together against the same enemy-in this case, France. Generally, I wanted to go against the timeworn cliche of the USA and CSA being rivals. Why can't they be allies instead?
