The Union Forever: A TL

[Mac Gregor]

1999

Foreign and Domestic Developments

The Millennium Dam in the Technate of China​

On January 27, the Technate of China’s Directorate of Infrastructure declared the Millennium Dam complete. Located in the Three Gorges area of the Yangtze River the dam was the largest hydroelectric power station yet constructed measuring 2,338 meters long. It took an estimated 27.3 million cubic meters of concrete and 464,000 metric tons of steel to construct.

In February, the Global Health Association (GHA) conclusively traced Renkin’s Disease, an immunodeficiency virus that was spreading rapidly around the world, to primates in Africa’s Congo Basin. The GHA announced that Renkin’s likely first spread to Europe after Belgian and German troops returned home from fighting pro-independence guerrillas there in the 1970s and 1980s. The GHA and similar organizations continued to recommend protected sex and regular blood tests of likely carriers to slow the growing epidemic.

Starting on February 19, the Republic of Goa hosted an international faro tournament. Lasting nearly a week, the widely televised competition pitted some of the best card players around the world against each other. The event was such a big media spectacle that Goa began hosting it on an annual basis. The tournament, known as the Goa Faro Classic, soon became one of the world’s premier gambling events.

On April 2, the newly elected Prime Minister of Jamaica Laney Burnham announced the she would hold a referendum to leave the British Commonwealth during the following year. As a republic, Jamaica would be able to petition for membership in the League of American Republics which she believed would be of greater economic benefit to her island nation.

On June 11, the IEF’s Eurasian Aviation and Space Bureau launched Predvestnik I its manned flyby to the planet Mars. Regrettably, the mission came to a tragic end 29 days later when the capsule suddenly depressurized killing the two astronauts aboard. Rumors that the mission had been approved despite the objections of several failed safety inspections fueled violent demonstrations at memorial services across the nation.

By the end of summer, California and Jefferson joined the growing number of American states to legalize marijuana. This raised the tally of states to either legalize or decriminalize the narcotic to 31. While some clamored for a cohesive national policy, the federal government continued to leave the matter to the various states.

On October 31, a young Dutch evangelist named Arend Beulens delivered his first sermon in front of Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. Stressing the importance of a personal relationship with Jesus, decrying materialism, and rejecting the stogy political conservativism of the day Beulens was temporarily detained by city authorities for disturbing the peace. After his release the following day, Beulens stated he would not rest until he “made Christ king in Europe again.”

The 1999 World’s Fair was held in Omusoma the vibrant capital of East Africa. Often considered as the start of the Swahili Renaissance, the exhibition highlighted the nation’s growing cultural clout as Swahili language books and films became increasingly popular in Africa and abroad. However, as some economists maintained, East Africa’s support for Swahili over English as the lingua franca might be costing it economically. They pointed to English friendly South Africa and Madras, which were quickly becoming international businesses hubs.

In December, as the world prepared for celebrations marking the end of end of the 20th century, the IEF braced itself for its first general election since 1993. Incumbent Prime Minister Bronislav Mihoylev of the conservative Motherland Party, having delayed the election to the last possible moment, was furiously campaigning despite nearly all the pundits predicting his imminent defeat. On December 27, while leaving a rally in Minsk, Mihoylev was assassinated by Jurek Kamińskia a disillusioned veteran of the war in Manchuria from Krakow. Although Kamiński was killed when Mihoylev’s bodyguard’s returned fire, the new acting Prime Minster Mitya Kuznetsov suspended the upcoming election until the “full scope of the conspiracy against the government could be exposed.” While most cities around the globe were busy bringing in the New Year with fireworks and parties, the IEF and its satellite states where plunged into the deafening cacophony of riots, demonstrations, and street battles.

Year 2000 celebration in New York City​

 

[Mac Gregor]

Looks like we have atl aids now. Hopefully nobody denies it exists for a decade. Speaking of which, this America seems more progressive than iotl, so what is the status of LGBTQ rights?

Any equivalent to y2k in this world?

Could we get a 2000 map?

Good question regarding LGBTQ rights. I haven't really touched on that yet in the TL so I am going to defer until I can include it in a proper update. What are your thoughts?

Yes, there was an analogue to Y2K known as 2KCA (2000 Computer Anomaly). As in OTL it caused only a few minor glitches. Unlike OTL it wasn't nearly as big of a deal and considerably less money was spent trying to fix it.

And see below for the map. Note that it contains the updated Canadian provincial boundaries. Cheers!

 

[Mac Gregor]

Government types and freedom index at the dawn of the twenty-first century, courtesy Harper's Weekly. Note that this information was compiled before the recent events in the IEF.

 

[Mac Gregor]

Top 25 most influential people of the century ​

In December of 1999, Harper's Weekly published a list of the top 25 most influential people of the past 100 years. While some accused it of focusing to heavily on Americans it did provide a snapshot of some of the century's most impactful persons. (Note that some slots have more than one individual)

Katsuo Akiyama: Japanese Prime Minister from 1941-1951. Consolidated the Kobushi Party’s corporatist rule over Japan.

Arnie Arias and the Pumas: American musicians. Swag music and popular culture icons.

Shane Bayard: American businessman. Founder of Dreamworld Film Company.

Dr. Molly A. Carroll: Irish chemist. Key developer of practical plastics.

Leroy R. Connor: President of the United States from 1949-1957. Civil rights advocate. A founder of the League of American Republics.

Eckehard Diefenbach: German physicist. Father of the atomic bomb.

Fredrick III: King of Prussia and first German Emperor.

Heng Jiang: Founder and Chief Executive of the Technate of China from 1972-1990.

Christopher R. Janssen. American inventor and businessman. Founder of Janssen Computing Machines (JCM) which developed the JCM Innovator-72 the first personal home computer.

Jurcek Krulik: Slovenian academic and engineer. Author of Man and the Technocratic World. Intellectual father of Technocracy.

Verusha Kuznetsov. Russian neo-romanticist poet and author. Her works help fuel ethnic Russian identity inside the IEF.

Samuel P. Langley: American scientist. Inventor of the airplane.

Robert Todd Lincoln: President of the United States from 1901-1913. Led America out of the Great Depression and to victory in the Great War.

Poul Lykketoft: Danish scientist. Developed a vaccine for polio.

Rev. Samuel G. McGuffey and George W. Harley: American civil rights leaders.

Walter K. Melton and George W. Lopez: American astronauts. First in space and first to walk on the moon.

Napoleon IV: Emperor of the French from 1875-1910. Most historians consider his actions the primary cause of the Great War.

Harshad Nanda: Founder and Leader of the United Republic of India from 1968-1980.

Pius X: Pope from 1965-1983. Convened Second Vatican Council.

Hamid Hassan Qajar: Shah of Persia from 1966-1997. Led Persian forces during the Asia-Pacific War. Returned Persia to great power status.

Hector M. Rifkind: British programmer. Chief architect of the Military Electronic Information System (MEIS) computer network the forerunner to the globtrix.

Ulrich Schiller: German inventor and industrialist. Founder of Reichwagen Auto Company.

Margaret L. Stewart: First female President of the United States from 1977-1985. Led America during the Asia-Pacific War.

Danny “Funky” Turpin: American singer and musician. Known as the “King of Grove.”

A.P. Vaughan: Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1971-1981. Primary political leader for British Commonwealth forces during the Asia-Pacific War.

 

[Mac Gregor]

Here is a map of the various power blocs as of 2000. Note that I decided to include the Kurdistan in the IEF's sphere. No one would have debated this during the first half of the century when Kurdistan was a Russian protectorate. Nowadays, Kurdistan has shown a growing capability to act independent of St. Petersburg's wishes. However, the IEF continues to serve as Kurdistan's principle economic and military backer.

 

[Mac Gregor]

My thoughts on some year 2000 statistics. Let me know what y'all think. Cheers!

Top 10 Nations by Area[1]

1. Imperial Eurasian Federation
2. Dominion of Canada
3. United States of America
4. Federal Republic of Brazil
5. Federation of Australia
6. Technate of China
7. Dominion of South Africa
8. French Republic
9. Argentine Republic
10. Republic of Italy


Top 10 Nations by GDP

1. United States of America
2. German Empire
3. Imperial Eurasian Federation
4. Technate of China
5. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
6. French Republic
7. Republic of Italy
8. Federal Republic of Brazil
9. Empire of Japan
10. Commonwealth of Madras

Top 10 Nations by Population

1. Technate of China
2. Indian Republic
3. Imperial Eurasian Federation
4. United States of America
5. German Empire
6. Federal Republic of Brazil
7. Republic of Indonesia
8. Commonwealth of Madras
9. Union of Nigeria
10. Technate of Bengal


[1] Statistics do not include oversea colonies.

 

[Mac Gregor]

Twelve Deadliest Wars of the 20th Century​

Name (Duration) Low Casualty Estimate - High Casualty Estimate

Asia-Pacific War (1976-1980) 32,000,000 – 35,000,000

Great War (1907-1910) 13,000,000 – 15,000,000

Chinese Civil War (1903-1921) 10,000,000 – 16,000,000

War for Indian Independence (1949-1958) 7,000,000 – 12,000,000

Indo-Bengali War (1974-1975) 3,100,000 – 4,500,000

Laotian War (1968-1972) 2,900,000 – 4,350,000

Ottoman Civil War (1937-1943) 2,450,000 – 3,860,000

Second Sino-Japanese War (1953-1954) 1,040,000 – 3,120,000

Spanish Civil War (1983-1986) 900,000 - 1,050,000

South American War (1948-1949) 314,000 – 336,000

Congolese War (1976-1984) 200,000 – 330,000

War for Indonesian Independence ( 1962-1969) 120,000 - 145,000

 

[Mac Gregor]

what dose corporatist mean and are ther any popular ideology that this time line have and not otl

If I have understand correctly Corporatism is pretty near OTL fascism. Technocratism seems being much more popular than in OTL.

Good question regarding corporatism. Allow me to explain by way of an update.

Corporatism

​

In addition to technocracy, one of the most influential political philosophies to emerge during the 20th century was corporatism. The following is a brief overview of its history, tenants, and status as of the year 2000.

cor·po·rat·ism /kôrp(ə)rəˌtizəm/ (noun): a rightwing sociopolitical ideology characterized by a desire to reorganize society in order to create and further the aims of a strong state.

Corporatism has its roots in the dark days following the Great War. The war saw the collapse of the conservative monarchial autocracies of the French and Austro-Hungarian Empires, leaving many in search of a better way to organize society. Some like Robi Vencel Ignacz in Hungary turned to communism but the swift destruction of the world’s first communist state did much to dampen enthusiasm for Marxism. While no single figure can be identified as the father of corporatism many political scientists point to French theorist Edouard Desrochers (1882-1949) and Belgian radical Jan Karel Blommaert (1890-1937) as having the greatest impact on codifying corporatist concepts into a cohesive political system. The name corporatism is based on the Latin word corpus or body. The use of the term illustrates the idea that the state is the “body” and that all other areas in society such as the economy, military, education, etc, are the organs used to sustain it.

Although corporatist beliefs varied from country to country and organization to organization, there are five key principles that most corporatist movements share.

1) A strong state is paramount.
2) All aspects of society should be organized in the best possible way to further the aims of the state.
3) Individual rights should be abrogated if deemed detrimental to the state.
4) Multiparty democracy is incompatible with a strong state.
5) Strong states are justified in imposing their will over weaker states by whatever means.

Despite corporatism having its intellectual roots in Europe, the first nation to see a corporatist regime take power was Japan. Katsuo Akiyama founded the Kobushi Party in 1929 and eventually seized control of the Japanese government in 1941 albeit through democratic means. As the Kobushi Party was remaking Japanese society, corporatist regimes arose in Vietnam (1947), Venezuela (1949), Kampuchea (1951), India (1967), and Laos (1972). These nations differed in many ways with some being monarchies and others republics but all shared the same illiberal statist beliefs and strong aversion to western influence. It is also important to note that while the military played a key role in each country they did not rule outright as in a traditional military junta. All of these states would eventually become members of the Calcutta Compact and would be defeated by the end of the Asia-Pacific War (1976-1980). By the end of the century, no government officially embraced corporatism though some have pointed to the Republic of West Africa and the Congo Republic as having similar ideologies with the additional characteristic of a race based national identity.

 

[Mac Gregor]

Technocracy

Flag of the Technocracy Movement​

Despite its humble origins, technocracy would grow to govern over 1 billion people by the turn of the millennium. The following is a brief overview of its history, tenants, and current status.

tech·noc·ra·cy /tekˈnäkrəsē/ (noun): a sociopolitical philosophy where decision making powers are invested in those best qualified to better society on the basis of technical knowledge.

The birth of modern technocracy can be traced back to a single individual, Slovenian academic and engineer Jurcek Krulik (1897-1954). In his 1931 book Man and the Technocratic World, Krulik proposed that political power should rest in the hands of those best qualified to solve society’s problems, such as scientists, engineers, and doctors. Krulik explicitly rejected the rule of leaders selected by heredity or popular election and called for the creation of enlightened technocratic nations, known as technates, where learned professionals would select the best amongst their number to rule society. Krulik favored using the state’s wealth on the betterment of society by funding massive infrastructure projects, offering universal higher education, and subsidizing research and development in order to create a smarter and therefore better world. Krulik’s brand of technocracy, referred to by others as Krulikism, took a harsh stance towards religion, which Kurlik, much like Karl Marx, believed “curtailed the intellectual and productive potential of society.” Krulikism also strongly promoted eugenics which he saw as a vital step towards “genetic progress.” The growing popularity of Krulikism often made it synomnous with technocracy in general, though many political scientists maintain that there are various disciplines of technocracy of which Krulikism is only one.

In the 40 years after the publishing of Man in the Technocratic World, the technocracy movement spread and diversified. The breadth and variation of technocracy was clearly on display during the 1965 World Technocracy Congress in Buenos Aires where technocratic and Krulikist intellectuals, advocates, and politicians from 51 countries gathered. Many in the West had sought to soften the more illiberal parts of Krulik’s philosophy, and developed what is usually termed democratic technocracy or techno-democracy. Techno-democrats chose to retain and work through representative government. However, techno-democrats achieved only limited electoral success. This included Jarrod Baumgartner of the American Technocratic Party becoming the first technocratic mayor of a major city and later governor of Michigan. Even the more hardline Krulikist Association of Germany (KDG) awkwardly participated in the coalition government of Chancellor Wolf von Frej as a junior partner. Unfortunately for the techno-democrats, all of these modest electoral victories where soon vastly overshadowed by the rise of the Technate of China, the world’s first technocratic state.

Since its creation in 1972, the Technate of China has grown to become the undisputed leader of the non-democratic technocracy movement. Heng Jiang, the Technate’s founder, restructured China on a massive scale. Even religion was altered with the Directorate of Education promoting Techno-Confucianism as the official “spiritual-societal construct” which stressed order, loyalty to the government, learning, and meritocracy. China’s victory in the Asia-Pacific War (1976-1980) allowed it to establish technocratic regimes in the neighboring states of Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Kampuchea, Assam, Bengal, Bhutan, and Sikkim. In 1984, these technates formed the Technocratic Union (TU), a supranational alliance at the command of Peking.

Under the ideology of Krulikist-Hengism, China underwent sweeping modernization. By the end of the century, China had developed nuclear weapons, cloned the first animal, built the tallest building and largest hydroelectric dam, slashed illiteracy rates, launched a space station, and recovered lost territory from Japan, Britain, and Portugal. However, these advancements came at a steep cost. China and its satellite states in the Technocratic Union are routinely criticized for their lack of political and religious freedom, reckless environmental degradation, and eugenics programs that have resulted in the abortion, sterilization, or euthanasia of millions of people. These disturbing factors and China’s swift rise as a great power have led to the current Cold War with other alliance blocs.

 

[Mac Gregor]

Ecoism

A latecomer to the political scene, the variety of ideas known as ecoism promise to play an increasingly important role in the 21st century. The following is a brief overview of the history, tenants, and current status of ecoism.

ec·o·ism /ˈēkōˌizəm/ (noun): a political ideology that aims to create an ecologically sustainable democratic society.

The grouping of environmentalist and democratic policies that eventually coalesced into ecoism took decades to from. Many historians point to late 19th century progressivism such as the American E Pluribus Unum Society and early 20th century conservationists as the movements forerunners. Political scientists usually use the term ecoist as a political modifier due to the diversity of the movement. For example, the Anti-Atomic Alliance and the French Christian Ecology Party are both considered ecoist even though the former is a single-issue global organization and the latter is a big tent national political party. Ecoist groups continue to be heavily divided on economics between socialist and free market camps. Nearly all ecoist however are considered staunch advocates for democracy and human equality.

Two factors more than any other helped catapult ecoism from a fringe ideology to a worldwide movement, nuclear weapon tests and the destruction of the Asia-Pacific War (1976-1980). In 1972, the German newspaper Tagesanbruch did a series of stories over the environmental consequences of nuclear weapons tests in Cameroon sparking international outrage. Audiences around the world saw how the jungles of New Guinea and Malaya and pristine Pacific islands were obliterated during battles between the Calcutta Compact and the Allies.

In the early 1980s, ecoist influenced parties began having more success. In the United States, the Ecoist Alliance nominated Tracy Harlow for president in 1984 and managed an impressive performance for a third party candidate. In 1987, the Brazilian Ecoist Party joined a coalition government with President Flavio Brandao’s Center-Reform Party. Costa Rica became the first nation to have an openly ecoist inspired government when the Natural Front was elected in 1989.

Over the course of the 1990s, ecoist parties enjoyed substantial growth especially in Latin America, Europe, and Africa as shown when Ken Chavez was elected governor of Panama and Kiswahili Green, an ecoist leaning party alliance, gained control of the East African parliament. By the end of the millennium, ecoist bent parties and organizations were poised to continue to proliferate as concerns over nuclear weapons, deforestation, pollution, and global warming garnered mainstream attention.

 

[Mac Gregor]

Imperial Eurasian Federation
2000 General Election

Anti Motherland Party rioters battle security forces
March, 2000​

The world awoke on the first day of the new millennium to gravely disturbing reports from the Imperial Eurasian Federation. The new acting Prime Minster Mitya Kuznetsov of the conservative Motherland Party had suspended the long awaited general election after the startling assassination of Bronislav Mihoylev. Unsurprisingly opposition groups immediately took to the streets. Strikes by transportation workers paralyzed the country as many refused to go to work until a new imminent date for the election was set. Kuznetsov pressured the aging and often ill Empress Elizabeth II to delay the elections for two months “in order to ensure proper security.” The Empress, who was furious with Kuznetsov for his likely unconstitutional suspension of the election in the first place, reluctantly agreed. Kuznetsov with the backing of many in IEF General Staff and security agencies launched a hurried crackdown on all forms of dissent. Under the guise of trying track possible accomplices in Mihoylev’s assassin, Poland and many other non-ethnic Russian regions of the IEF were effectively placed under martial law. While many Russian conservatives did believe that there was indeed some sort of wider conspiracy, these repressive means were more likely aimed at keeping the Motherland Party in power. A sizable portion of Russian conservatives thought that if the Motherland Party was to lose control of the government, the war in Manchuria would be lost and the nation itself might splinter.

As the citizens of the IEF went to the polls on March 2, 2000 many were greeted by the sight of Imperial Army troops patrolling the streets. In numerous places in the IEF where the Motherland Party was known to not be popular, voters found that their polling stations were either blocked, closed, or that their registration was not in order. A string of bombings and attacks on polling stations in Manchuria prompted the extraordinary declaration from the electoral commission that roughly 38% of ballots would not be counted for fear of enemy “coercion and contamination.”

On the morning of March 4, the results were finally announced. Contrary to nearly all pre-election polls, Motherland and other allied rightwing parties won a majority capturing 53% of the seats in the Duma. Yevgen Pasternak the Ukrainian born leader of Soyuz radi Progressa (Alliance for Progress) the main opposition coalition ridiculed the election as “a fraud, a farce, an outright lie.” In a radio address delivered from party headquarters in St. Petersburg that evening, Pasternak denounced the election results, refused to participate in the new Duma, and demanded that new elections “free of government and military intimidation” be called forthwith. Significantly, Pasternak declared that Kuznetsov’s government was illegitimate and that the subjects of the IEF “should resist any and all actions, decrees, or guidance” that it issues. Pasternak soon found himself in a standoff as security forces and his supporters squared off around his besieged party headquarters

The demonstrations and strikes of the previous months paled in comparison to the violent riots that swept the country that night. In Baku, a mob sacked police headquarters and tore down the IEF tricolor. At Odessa, dockworkers set fire to an unguarded naval supply ship. Throughout the Baltic, crowds took to the streets engaging in numerous confrontations with Imperial Army soldiers, the bloodiest being in Riga where over 112 people were killed or severely wounded. Empress Elizabeth II was scheduled to make a televised address from the Winter Palace that night to urge calm and restraint but the broadcast failed to happen. Various rumors that she had suffered a stress-induced stroke or been forcibly silenced by the government spread like wildfire.

Arguably the most significant event that night, however took place at Yakovlov Prison on the outskirts of the Siberian city of Omsk. In the early morning hours of March 5, as security forces were busy around the country with the growing unrest, around 40 heavily armed men stormed the complex with guns blazing. With help from some bribed guards, the attackers managed to quickly locate and free Ismail Fitrat, the leader of the Turkic People’s Vanguard, who had been imprisoned there for nearly 14 years. A few dozen other high profile political prisoners were also freed. Fitrat was later seen headed south towards Kazahkiya and his base of support in Central Asia where the enraged populace was already rioting and ripe for rebellion.

 

[Mac Gregor]

A House Divided
The IEF Civil War
March-April, 2000​

For two weeks, a tense standoff between forces aligned with the Motherland and opposition parties existed in St. Petersburg. With violence spreading around the country, Mitya Kuznetsov, leader of what was becoming called the Conservative faction, decided that the time had finally come to act. On the morning of March 18, Kuznetsov order the supposedly loyal Semyonovsky Life-Guards Regiment to storm Pasternak’s already besieged party headquarters. As the heavily armed soldiers marched to arrest Pasternak his supporters, the so-called Reformers, barricaded the streets. Refusing to open fire on the demonstrators, the regiment’s colonel stood his troops down, and then turned them over to Pasternak. Some other units in the capital followed suit and the Battle of St. Petersburg began. Explosions echoed and plumes of smoke rose over the imperial capital as soldiers, party militias, and civilians clashed in the streets. After the first day’s fighting, it was clear though that the Reformers had gained the upper hand. Saboteurs had destroyed two important rail lines into the city which hampered the arrival of Conservative reinforcements. On the evening of March 19, Kuznetsov and his cabinet withdrew to Moscow which had remained largely loyal. After a brief firefight with guards, Reformer troops gained entry into the monarch’s residence at the Winter Palace. To their surprise Empress Elizabeth II had not been evacuated by the Conservatives. It soon became apparent that this was intentional, as the aged Empress was bedridden having suffered a massive stroke the previous month. Pasternak quickly realized that this saddled him with a number of problems. If the Empress died, which seemed likely, it would be on his watch. Also with the Empress incapacitated, she could not publicly name him prime minister. Despite this setback, Pasternak announced himself the IEF’s acting head of government in direct opposition to Kuznetsov. In the following days, as news spread via radio, television, and on the globtrix, a number of Russian cities formally declared for Pasternak including Minsk, Odessa, and Smolensk. In Pasternak’s native Ukraine, the populace was split between the Reformers and those wanting independence. Ultimately, the regional legislature in Kiev announced their support for Pasternak but demanded greater autonomy when the war was over.

On March 27, Ismail Fitrat, having successfully evaded capture, resurfaced in Turkestan. News of Fitrat’s daring escape had electrified the IEF’s Muslim Turkic inhabitants. As sporadic fighting was already breaking out across the IEF’s Central Asian regions there were too few government forces to stop Fitrat and his supporters from issuing the Kokand Declaration which announced the creation of the Democratic Union of Turkic Republics. Open rebellion soon spread throughout Central Asia and Caucasia. Within days, Tashkent was ablaze as Imperial Army troops traded automatic rifle and mortar fire with partisans. In Baku on April 11, Nasib Ibrahimov, who had with Turkish assistance secretly returned to Azerbaijan, announced the formation of the Azeri Republic. In the Caspian Sea, a naval flotilla that had sided with the Kuznetsov government shelled city hall after it fell to the rebels resulting in hundreds of casualties but Ibrahimov was unharmed. By the end of the month, an independent Chechen government was also announced in Grozny.

In Warsaw, Lidka Gorski, chief minister for Poland’s legislative assembly, declared that the chaos in St. Petersburg had shown that the IEF constitution was a dead letter and that therefore the Federation was effectively dissolved. To cheering crowds, Gorski announced the creation of Polish Free State on April 2, the first truly independent Polish nation since 1795. Hosting a red banner emblazoned with the white Polish eagle, Gorski declared the formation of a provisional government. The city’s police force seized a local armory and became the nucleus for the new Polish State Army. Significantly, Imperial Army troops were unable to intervene having been withdrawn to reinforce the opposing sides on the outskirts of St. Petersburg.

Inspired, by developments in Poland and sickened by the fighting in the nearby imperial capital, Finland succeeded from the IEF. At a closed-door meeting in Helsinki, the Finnish Diet asserted the independence of Finland as a sovereign nation. The legislature was divided whether to form a new government as a republic or monarchy. With the aim of eventually securing the support of the neighboring German and Scandinavian monarchies the council decided keep the name Grand Duchy of Finland with the executive council serving as regents to a vacant throne. The government hastily selected a yellow and red Nordic cross with the Finish coat of arms as the duchy’s new flag. The declaration of independence surprised many Finns who worried that their proximity to St. Petersburg would solicit swift retaliation. Indeed, Imperial Army helicopters gunned down demonstrators in Turku after reportedly coming under ground fire.

In Manchuria, the nearly 450,000 Imperial Army troops were faced with an agonizing dilemma as to which government to support. Tied down facing a growing insurgency, they watched helplessly on television as the other parts of the IEF slide into civil war. Significantly, the theater commander General Field Marshal Venyamin Kozlov declared for Kuznetsov. Some soldiers, mostly non-ethnic Russians, deserted refusing to fight for the Conservatives. The majority however remained loyal. Despite the slipping security situation in Manchuria, Kozlov agreed with Kuznetsov and began shipping reinforcements west on the Trans-Siberian Railway to Moscow which was becoming a hub for Conservative forces under Tsesarevich Alexander. Garrisons were strengthened along the route to ensure continued communication and logistics. As May approached all sides prepared feverishly for what was already being called the “Bloody Spring.”

 

[RyderWest]

With the approval of Mac Gregor, this is another addon for the Federation of Australia, this time the anti-Comnonwealth and anti-Monarchist Republican Front of Australia. Enjoy!

Republican Front of Australia

The proposed flag of the Federal Republic of Australia, selected by the RFA in a public poll in July 1998.

The Republican Front of Australia is a right-wing/far-right, protectionist, nationalistic, anti-monarchist, anti-Commonwealth, pro-independence party that advocates for the Federation of Australia to leave the British Commonwealth and become a republic under a presidential system that is elected via popular vote. The RFA was formed on March 28, 1993 by Landon Ruby and Conrad Wilkens, two local councillors in Adelaide that were very unhappy at the British Commonwealth's efforts to keep the former British Empire together. The RFA is considered the direct descendent to the defunct Republic of Australia Committee, an organisation that was formed at the beginning of the Asian-Pacific War to oppose percieved British imperialism in Australia and was disbanded in 1987 over a leadership dispute. Taking notes from the various African countries that split from the Commonwealth, the RFA is notorious during their rallies for accusing the British government of using the monarchy as a tool to keep their colonies and dominions in line, which includes Australia, and saying that Australia would be better off without the monarchy due to the failure of various other monarchs to hold their countries together, pointing to examples like Spain, Tibet, the Ottoman Empire, Austria-Hungary and especially France.

The party slowly gained steam between 1994 and 1998 with its membership growing to nearly 70,000 members in early May 1998. Later that year, the RFA released its political manifesto and white paper, "The Federal Republic: What it Means for a Republican Australia in the Modern World" during its first annual conference on October 22, 1998 in Fairburn, Papua, outlining its platform in the case that Australia becomes a Republic that is independent of the British Commonwealth, and a basic blueprint for a republican Australia (Australia's version of OTL Scotland's Future white paper with a dash of ARM), and also moving to pressure the then-ruling ADA-NAF coalition to hold a referendum on Commonwealth Secession, which fell on deaf ears.

After the 1999 Australian Federal Election in which Wamsley and his PFC party came into power, the RFA managed to grab 3 seats in the House of Representatives and 1 senator in the Senate, mostly in the State of Queensland and Victoria. However, the party has been subjected to a Cordon Sanitaire by all major parties, with PM Wamsley calling the RFA "radical republicans who will destroy the relationship between London and Albury because of misspent nationalism and protectionism" and the new leader of the the ADA Robert Nelkane describing the RFA as "angry, hopeless people who hope to follow the example of West Africa and split from the Commonwealth because of petty and vague arguments of anti-monarchism." However, Wilkens, who won the seat of Canley in Victoria, refused to back down, saying that "People, especially those who don't seen the benefits of a ineffective monarchy that is sitting in London, want to see Australia, a country with boundless potential and opportunity, split from this ineffective political union and lead our own way in the world."

Currently as of March 2000, the RFA has a membership of over 94,000 people and is trying to use its political influence to push through a Commonwealth membership referendum.

 

[Mac Gregor]

World Reaction to the IEF Civil War

January – April 2000 ​

Refugee Camp in East Prussia​

The world watched intently as the planet’s largest nation slide into chaos during the first months on the new millennium. As would be expected, a multi-front civil war in the world’s third largest economy caused a substantial market panic. Many nations were still trying to recover from the globtrix recession, and this sent stocks plummeting due to supply chain disruption and consumer anxiety. Everyone was understandably concerned that a nation possessing nuclear weapons ripping itself apart posed a threat on a global scale. Nongovernmental organizations such as the Global Health Association (GHA) and the International Humanitarian Association (IHA) began stockpiling medicines and organizing camps for displaced persons, which were soon expected to number in the millions. In what was easily the biggest international event since the outbreak of the Asia-Pacific War a quarter of a century ago, the various countries and power blocs had a myriad of positions and goals that overlapped, intersected, and opposed each other.

German Empire

Due to proximity and being each other’s largest trading partners, Germany had a large stake in what happened inside the IEF. Chancellor Ernst Osterloh, now at the end of his second term, had monitored the situation closely. As Germany and the IEF had long maintained good if not necessarily warm relations, the crisis beyond Osterloh’s eastern border would likely prove to be his defining moment as chancellor, even more so than the political settlement in Cameroon. After Pasternak’s forces had secured St. Petersburg it became evident that these troubles were not going to be quickly resolved. Osterloh announced that Germany would remain officially neutral on March 21 refusing to take sides with either the Conservatives or the Reformers. When Poland and Finland declared independence the following week, matters became further complicated. Refugees were already spilling into Germany, and Osterloh feared that if IEF government forces tried to quell these nationalist uprisings there would be a bloodbath on his border. Osterloh’s government also did not fail to realize the potential opportunity that the civil war provided of potentially adding eastern European states to Germany’s alliance bloc, the Association of European States. With the utmost secrecy, Germany began making contacts with the new governments in Warsaw and Helsinki as well as with dissident groups, including Baltic Germans, in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. However, Osterloh wished to see how matters progressed further inside Russia before he committed himself to a course which could lead to war. Osterloh touted his “steady hand” regarding the Eurasian crisis while campaigning for the general election later that year. Osterloh’s cautious attitude towards action inside the IEF did not carry over to the IEF’s allies in Europe, which he actively courted.

United States of America

As with most leaders, President Blanton was caught off guard by the events in the IEF. With reelection looming and an economy falling back into recession, Blanton and to a lesser extent the rest of the League of American Republics, scrambled to react. While America had a longstanding policy of not getting involved in European affairs the aspect of the conflict that most troubled the western hemisphere was potential technocratic expansion in Asia. Unfortunately, the United States found itself bereft of viable options. Besides, reinforcing the West Pacific Fleet and rebalancing some air assets to Micronesia and Alaska there was little that America and its allies could do besides call for a diplomatic solution and warn other nations not to intervene. However, with a Democratic controlled congress and public opinion against any sort of intervention, Blanton did not have the support to take a more assertive role.

Empire of Persia

When news reached the Shah’s palace in Isfahan of Bronislav Mihoylev’s assassination, Naser Ali Qajar is reported to have remarked “and now it begins.” The Persian government saw the potential fracturing of the IEF as a massive opportunity to spread their influence in the region. Naser Ali Qajar quickly approved covert shipments of weapons and funds to separatist groups in Central Asia and the Caucasus. It was even rumored that Persian agents were active as far north as Dagestan and Chechenia, trying to foment and organize unrest. Naser Ali Qajar hoped that when the war was over, there would be a swath of newly independent states that would turn to Persia for guidance.

Turin Pact

When hostilities erupted in the IEF, Presidents Faucheux, Biondi, and Vasquez met in Genoa to hammer out a cohesive position for their three Turin Pact nations. For them, the largest concern wasn’t even over which regime ruled the IEF but whether their rival the German Empire would take advantage of the situation to expand its influence. While officially declaring their neutrality, the Turin Pact favored Pasternak and the Reformers for ideological and strategic reasons. Despite sympathy with some of the nationalist separatists, they wished for the IEF to stay together as a counterbalance to Germany, Persia, and China. In a joint press conference at the end of March, the three heads of state announced that the conflict inside the IEF was an internal matter for the Eurasians and that other nations should not interfere.

United Kingdom

With an upcoming general election and an economy in the doldrums, Prime Minister Geoffrey Lever hoped to achieve a foreign policy success to boost his Liberal-Democratic Labor coalition government’s chance at the polls. Lever was one of the first world leaders to offer to mediate a political resolution. Sadly, neither Pasternak or Kuznetsov’s governments accepted. Undeterred, Lever called for a meeting of world powers in May to ease tensions and prevent a global conflict.

Southeastern Europe

With its headquarters in Kiev occupied by Reformers, and rival IEF governments in St. Petersburg and Moscow, the Orthodox Council was effectively defunct by the end of April. As Imperial Army troops were withdrawn to the various fronts inside the IEF, the authoritarian governments of Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Greece found themselves without a patron for the first time in nearly 90 years. In Romania, King Carol III took the bold step to head off likely unrest by announcing constitutional reforms grating, albeit limited, greater political freedom. Believing that the war in the IEF wasn’t going to be over anytime soon and that Romania needed a powerful benefactor in order to retain the monarchy, King Carol met publically with the German Emperor Wilhelm III in the Stadtschloss in Berlin. Naturally, political cartoons depicting King Carol as a rat leaving a sinking ship were expurgated from the Romanian press. During this time, the Kingdom of Serbia remained surprising calm but unlike Romania refused to cozy up to the Germans. In Bulgaria, the government called for a partial mobilization to secure its borders and keep the populace in check as IEF troops evacuated through the ports of Varna and Burgas. Greece, however quickly descended into anarchy as violence erupted between supporters of the monarchy and socialists.

Turkish Republic

Turkish President Hayati Değirmenci took a very bellicose stance regarding the IEF declaring “that the time has finally arrived for the Turkic peoples, long oppressed, to throw off the Russian yoke.” In retaliation, both the Pasternak and Kuznetsov governments broke off diplomatic relations with Turkey. Having already facilitated the return of Nasib Ibrahimov to Azerbijian, Turkey began sending financial and intelligence support to him and to Ismail Fitrat’s newly declared Democratic Union of Turkic Republics. This put Turkey in an interesting position with its regional rival Persia, in that they were both trying to out due each other in aiding the separatists. Değirmenci also startled the world when he said that demarcation of the Turkish-Armenian border is “still open for negotiation.”

Technate of China

Having long supported the insurgency in Manchuria, China and its technocratic allies began flooding the area with arms and ammunition as Imperial Army troops were forced to withdraw to the west. The leader of China, Chief Executive Yu Qishan, had long hoped for such an opportunity to fatally weaken the IEF and spread technocracy. However, Yu had no intention to risk a nuclear war by direct intervention. Instead, Yu favored “making the Imperials quit Manchuria on their own accord.” The IEF’s other allies in the region, weak monarchial states like Tuva, Mongolia, Uyghurstan, Tibet, and Kashmir-Jammu naturally feared that with the IEF unable to guarantee their security they would be open to attack by an ascendant China. For the most part, these nations sided with Kuznetsov’s Conservative faction. This was due largely to practical reasons, as the Conservatives were easily the strongest force in the east. All the nations in the region braced themselves as events spiraled into unknown territory.

 

[Mac Gregor]

Hey everyone, starting a series on U.S. Army service rifles since the Civil War. Enjoy!

Name: 1872 Winchester Rifle

Designer: Winchester Armament Company

Type: Lever action repeater

Caliber: .45 in

Feed system: 8 round tube magazine

Adopted: 1874 by United States Army

Notes: In the decade following the Civil War (1861-1863), the United States Army fielded a variety of rifles with the most common being the venerable but antiquated 1861 Springfield Rifled Musket. By the early 1870s, minie ball firing muzzleloaders like the 1861 Springfield had been surpassed by metallic cartridge firing breechloaders such as the United Kingdom’s Snider-Enfield. The War Department during the administration of President John Sedgewick authorized trials to find a new service rifle with the goal of making it standard issue across the army. After considering a number of designs, the U.S. Army’s ordinance department finally decided on a lever action repeater produced by Winchester. Built to military specifications, the 1872 Winchester Rifle was chambered to fire a .45 inch cartridge and given a bayonet mount. A shorter bayonet-less carbine was also designed for cavalry use. While some complained of feeding problems, the rifle’s eight round tube magazine gave it a significantly higher rate of fire than the single shot bolt action rifles used by most militaries at the time. This high rate of rife coupled with the smoke producing gunpowder used at the time gave the rifle its nickname "Old Smokey." During the Spanish-American War (1877-1878), the 1872 Winchester performed admirably though its shorter range compared to the Spaniards’ rifles, which were based off of Prussia’s Dreyse-Mauser Gewehr Model 1873, forced the Americans to favor aggressive tactics that quickly closed the distance with the enemy. With only a small number of upgrades, the 1872 Winchester would serve the country well until the end of the century.

 

[RyderWest]

I'll think I will start on a Commonwealth series of small arms, if you approve Mac Gregor. Since we mentioned a Commonwealth assault rifle a while back named the Batts-Enfield Assault Rifle, I'll start on that.

A British L53A1 automatic rifle, also known as a Batts-Enfield to many outside viewers, with a uncommon 20 round magazine, which was dismissed for having a very low ammo capacity by the British military and subsequently replaced by a more conventional 30 round magazine.

Name: Batts-Enfield Assault Rifle aka Batts L53A1 AR (Also known as the C53A1 in Canada, the L53A1 AR in Australia, Rifle 7.7 mm 53A1 in Madras, the R53A1 in South Africa and the SS53A4 in Indonesia)

Designer: Kenneth McPatrick Batts [1] (produced by Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield)

Type: Short-stroke gas piston automatic rifle

Caliber: .303 British (7.7x56mm) [2]

Feed system: 20 or 30 round box magazine (although 30 round magazines were more common in military service [3])

Adopted: 1953-1959 across the British Commonwealth

Users: British Commonwealth and associates, Indonesia [4]

Notes: In the late 1940's, the venerable but old Taylor-Jalenson No. 4 bolt action rifle, of Great War heritage and updated to the No. 4 standard in 1930, has started reaching the end of its service life in the British Commonwealth, and the British Army asked the Ministry for Armaments to produce a new rifle that can fire a fully automatic rifle cartridge, in response to the other powers calls for an assault tifle. The answer came in the form of Kenneth McPatrick Batt's innovative short-stroke gas piston design of automatic fire, the answer to the direct impingement firing system that was developed American Century Armaments Factory in the United States. Batt's system was accepted by the British military and was paired up with Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield for production. It was officially called the Batts L53A1 assault rifle in military records, but most people called it the Batts-Enfield in celebration of its heritage as the primary produced weapon of Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield at Enfield Lock, where the Taylor series of rifles were produced one time. The rifle was first used by British Army regulars against Indian rebels in the War for Indian Independence in 1953, then used in heavy combat against Corporatist Indian forces during the Asian-Pacific War where it was famously used in the Siege of Bangalore as the main weapon of the Royal Madrasian Army and British Army units that were in Bangalore at the time, where it symbolised the struggle of the British Army and her allies against Corporatism. It has also been kept in service as of 2000 due to its reliability against dirt, sleet and sand and its .303 British round has been continually proven as a powerful round, shredding targets with ease. It is one of the most common military firearms in the world today, in use with more than 40 countries around the globe.

[1] A fictional designer of weapons in ATL, he created the short-stroke gas piston system of automatic fire and is considered to be one of the most prolific British firearms designers in the 20th century, producing several British weapons that would become world famous.

[2] As with the Dreyse-Mauser AG Gewehr 54, since there is no 7.62x51mm NATO round in existence due to NATO not existing, the British continued to use the venerable .303 British round, since there is no European intergration this time around.

[3] The British Army rejected the OTL 20 round magazine this time around due to troops complaining of running out of ammo too quickly in the battlefield and having to reload often in the field and also complaints about the weight and the flimsiness of the magazine. RSAF Enfield solved this problem by introducing a 30 round slightly curved magazine that fixed the ammo problem and also reduced the number of magazines, meaning more rounds carried with less weight.

[4] After the independence of Indonesia in 1970, the Indonesian Republican Armed Forces was left in quite a predicament. On one hand, they had received the old armaments factories that were left behind after the Dutch withdrew from Indonesia, but on the other they had found the rifles the Dutch had carried (which was the Dreyse-Mauser G-54) to easily jam in the dust and did not perform well in the Indonesian heat, with accuracy and range being degraded significantly. They asked the British and the Japanese for some arms, and they received the Batts-Enfield rifle before the Japanese could deliver their design in time. It is still in use with some units of the IRAF, being slowly replaced by a native design.

 

[ersatz-york]

Here's my take on the development of Imperial German and AES service rifles.

Name: Automatisches Gewehr jhr. 54 (designated G-54 in Germany, Hungary, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Albania, and Royalist Spain, Vz. 58 in Bohemia and Slovakia, Gv m/63 in Denmark, AG-56 in Norway, Ak-4 in Sweden, and VS-56 in Slovenia and Croatia)*

Designer: Johann Kaltenbach and Wilhelm Steigler, Dreyse-Mauser Waffenfabrik AG [1]

Type: Roller-delayed-blowback-operated automatic rifle

Caliber: 7.92x40mm AES [2]

Feed system: 20 or 30 round box magazine

Adopted: 1954-1962 throughout the AES

Users: Germany, other AES states, Persia and client states [3]

Notes: By the early 1950s, it was becoming increasingly apparent to militaries all across the world that the bolt-action service rifles adopted by the various powers at the turn of the century were rapidly becoming woefully obsolescent. Though most of Europe had not known war for more than four decades since the conclusion of the Great War, unrest in the colonial sphere and the continued existence of alliances in Europe itself served to drum up calls within European militaries for the modernization of small arms. Within the armed forces of the German Empire and its AES allies, this modernization took the form of the G-54, an automatic rifle firing an intermediate cartridge designed chiefly by engineers Johann Kaltenbach and Wilhelm Steigler of the famed Dreyse-Mauser corporation. It would go on to serve for several decades in a number of conflicts, ranging from the colonial independence conflicts waged by the AES states throughout the period to more conventional conflicts such as the Asia-Pacific War and the Iberian Civil War, where it would be used by the armed forces of Persia and Royalist Spain, respectively. In German and AES service, the G-54 would continually find its service life extended as technical issues continued to plague its radically innovative successor.

to be continued at a later date

* I would very much appreciate it if people familiar with those languages and/or those countries' military nomenclature could critique and help me improve my designations.

[1] Nikolaus von Dreyse encounters a certain Paul Mauser and names him successor to his mill in Sömmerda.

[2] In OTL, Ludwig Vorgrimler (who designed the OTL CETME rifle, which itself led to the G3, IIRC) initially developed a proprietary 7.92x40mm round for his rifle. The caliber was later changed to 7.62x51mm NATO in order to ensure commonality with the rest of NATO. In TTL, I figured it would be more in line with German military tradition (7.92x57mm Mauser, 7.92x33mm Kurz, etc.) and better reflective of the geopolitical situation of TTL's Germany (at the head of a major power bloc) if TTL's G-54 kept the 7.92x40mm round.

[3] In OTL, Iran adopted the G3 rifle sometime during the Cold War period. I just figured that they'd adopt a similar rifle in TTL. I imagine that TTL's Persian successor to the G-54 would be indigenously designed and produced, just as Iran in OTL has designed, produced, and fielded some of its own indigenous small arms designs.

 

[RyderWest]

Great update. Do you care to do an installment on the Taylor-Jalenson?

Sure.

A British Army Taylor-Jalenson SMTJ No. 3 bolt-action rifle, with a 10-round magazine and polished wood finish. The No. 3 and No. 4 standards of the SMTJ are the most common versions of this rifle, and it is primarily used for heavy game hunting and sport shooting. Some versions of the rifle are still in service with a few countries around the world, including Madras, Burma and the various Caribbean countries.

Name: Taylor-Jalenson bolt-action rifle

Designer: Patrick Nelly Taylor and George Elliot Jalenson [1] (produced by Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield)

Type: Bolt-action rifle

Caliber: .303 British (7.7x56mm)

Feed system: 10 round detachable box magazine (usually reloaded by magazine [2])

Adopted: 1897-1904 across the British Empire

Users: British Empire, dominions and colonies

Notes: By the time of the eve of the 20th century, the British Army realised that the collection of old rifles that they had in stock at the time were becoming completely useless due to the rapid innovations that weapons had been making since the mid 19th century. Rapid fire bolt action weapons had become the norm in the world, while the single shot muzzle loader and the single shot breech loader had entered its final days as the standard weapons of the day. In the late 1880's the British Army presented an ultimatum to the gun designers of the day to design a bolt action weapon that can counter the famous Dreyse-Mauser Waffenfabrik AG in Prussia and the Winchester Repeating Arms Company in the United States. Two pairs of designers, James Paris Lee & William Ellis Metford and Patrick Nelly Taylor & George Elliot Jalenson won out, but Taylor and Jalenson won out after Lee and Metford bankrupted themselves creating their weapon. The rifle entered service with the British Army in 1897 and gained a prominence for its fast bolt action and powerful round, things that would prove useful during the Great War where it faced Imperial French Army forces carrying French built Lebel-Berthier Modele 1902 rifles. In the field, the Taylor-Jalenson became infamous for its tactic of the "Jalenson Gallop", a tactic where British troops try to fire as many rounds from the rifle down range in a semi-accurate formation in a time for a horse to gallop 5 furlongs, which is about a minute. The rifle was also rugged and reliable, with many rifles managing to survive the rainy storms and sticky French mud and still work afterwards. After the Great War, the rifles continued in service with the British Army until it was finally replaced with the equally famous Batts-Enfield assault rifle in 1953.

[1] These fictional two weapons designers replaced James Paris Lee and William Ellis Metford in the rifle business after the latter two went broke in early 1891, making the Taylor-Jalenson bolt-action rifle for RSAF Enfield. Taylor and Jalenson are presented as fictional rivals to Lee and Metford in ATL.

[2] Differing from OTL policy on reloading the Lee-Enfield, which was reloaded by using two stripper clips, the British Army decided it would be too clumsy to try to reload two 5 round stripper clips in the field, so they used the magazine, which was intended to be fixed on the rifle as the new reload. This helped the SMTJ stay reliable when the Great War rolled around and the magazine protected the rounds from being clogged up by dirt or water.

 

[RyderWest]

A British Army Madensen L67A5 LSW light machine gun, with Para stock, bipod and attachment rails.

Name: Madensen L67A1 light machine gun (Also known as the C67A1 SAW in Canada, the L67A1 LMG in Australia, Machine Gun 7.2 mm 67A1 in Madras and the R67A1 in South Africa)

Designer: Rhys Wilson, Griffin Conrad & Brooke Johnston, Madensen Armaments [1] (produced by Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield)

Type: Gas-actuated long-stroke piston open bolt light machine gun

Caliber: .280 British [2] (7.2x43mm ComNat [3])

Feed system: 200 round box magazine or 30 round magazine

Adopted: 1967 by the British Army and the Commonwealth of Nations

Users: British Commonwealth and associates

Notes: TBA

[1] Formed by Adrian Madensen in 1911 to supply arms to the Territorial Forces, it soon became one of the largest arms manufacturers in the United Kingdom and it is well renowned across the world for its innovative work in field design, ammunition and weapons system design, often being compared to Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield in prestige for the United Kingdom.

[2] Due to the butterflies of NATO not existing and the pressure of the United States to reject the .280 British round for the 7.62x51mm NATO round in OTL, the .280 British round was officially adopted into the British arsenal in 1948 and put into various intermediate weapon platforms (to be revealed soon) and the L67A1 machine gun.

[3] Short hand name for the "Commonwealth of Nations", saying this round is standardised for the British Commonwealth.

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A Royal Singaporean Infantry Rifle Regiment (part of the Royal Malayan Army) SCLTSE L76A1 submachine gun with the 50 round casket magazine and suppressor.

Name: SCLTSE L74A1 submachine gun (Also known as the C74A1 CSW in Canada, the L67A1 SMG in Australia, SAF Carbine 9.1 mm 74A1 in Madras and the R74A1 in South Africa)

Designer: Shi Suyin, Wai Yongzheng, Nawar bin Nirmala & Vairesh Thanujkumar [1], Singaporean Commonwealth Laboratories of Technology, Science and Engineering (SCLTSE) [2] (produced by Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield)

Type: Striker-fired blowback closed bolt sub-machine gun

Caliber: 9x22mm Madensen/ComNat [3]

Feed system: 30-round box or 50-round casket box magazines

Adopted: 1974 by the British Army and the Commonwealth of Nations

Users: British Commonwealth and associates, Malaya, Brunei, Sarawak

Notes: TBA

[1] These 4 weapon designers and professors at Singapore's famous SCLTSE university were the main innovators of the compact sub-machine gun, or personal defence weapon, with their designs on the prototypes of powerful, compact personal weapons that could be issued to officers and security forces.

[2] The Singaporean Commonwealth Laboratories of Technology, Science and Engineering were formed in 1952 as a small research university and has grown, within the Union of Malaya as one of the most important laboratories in the Commonwealth, where they developed numerous civilian and military technologies that helped the British win the Asia-Pacific War, even as the Japanese were only 80 miles from the main campus in Singapore during the war.

[3] A fictional pistol round developed by Madensen Armaments that is intended to fit the role of the 9x19mm Parabellum round in the British Commonwealth, due to the 9x19mm Parabellum being locked into Association of European States boundaries and has instituted a export ban on the foreign use of Parabellum ammunition and all foreign weapons using the round by the German government and its AES allies, forcing the designers to use the 9x22mm Madensen round.

 

[Mac Gregor]

Eurasia on Fire

The IEF Civil War
May – September, 2000​

During May and June, Reformer forces loyal to Yevgen Pasternak’s government in St. Petersburg managed to consolidate their position in most of the western portions of the Imperial Eurasian Federation. Conservative troops had fled, disbanded, or surrendered in a crescent shaped swath of territory running from the Crimean peninsula through Belarus and the Baltic and stopping near the outskirts of the port of Arkhangelsk, which despite a vicious three day battle, remained in Conservative hands. By July, the separatist governments in Helsinki and Warsaw had cleared most of their territory of either Conservative or Reformer IEF forces although a number of holdouts remained. For the most part, the separatists and Reformers did not engage each other as part of an unofficial truce. The same could not be said of the Conservative troops. In the Caucasus, the Armenian and Georgian regions declared for Pasternak despite considerable pressure from nationalist groups to pursue full independence. Like the Ukraine, they demanded greater autonomy inside the IEF when the war ended. In the east, the Conservatives fared better destroying a number of Reformer enclaves such as during the short but costly siege of Kazan. In short, by mid-July a rough but discernable front had formed between the warring factions.

Starting on July 17, the Conservative leadership under Mitya Kuznetsov ordered a massive offensive to recapture the capital of St. Petersburg. In the bloodiest battle yet, an assortment of army units and militias clashed over a wide area north of the city of Novgorod. The Conservatives scored some impressive initial successes having a clear advantage in the number of cataphracts including the modern B-88 Bagration. However, as Conservative forces pushed north the advance ground to a halt due to insufficient numbers and a shortage of close air support. On August 5, the Reformers counterattacked the overextended Conservatives. By the end of the month, the Conservatives were forced to withdraw to the south and east losing control of Novgorod itself before the front re-stabilized. An estimated 98,000 soldiers and civilians were either killed or wounded during the fighting. Kuznetsov was humiliated by this failure and only narrowly survived a coup attempt by a small group of disgruntled military leaders in Moscow. On other fronts, like that in the Crimea and Bessarabia, a deadly stalemate persisted.

On September 6, news broke that Empress Elizabeth II, who had reigned over the IEF since 1962, died after suffering for months following a debilitating stroke in February. This provided a much needed boost to the Conservatives as the Tsesarevich had long been a supporter of the Motherland party and its Slavic/Orthodox centric ideology. In a nighttime ceremony in St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Tsesarevich was crowned Emperor Alexander IV. The new Czar blamed the death of his mother on the Reformers, an obvious absurdity but a notion that played well with many Russian peasants. Alexander’s ascent to the throne sent shockwaves throughout the IEF. In St. Petersburg the Reformers were distraught as this now put them in the awkward position of being in direct opposition to the monarch. Some Reformers wished to abolish the monarchy. Pasternak however, realized that doing so would critically undermine support amongst monarchists and ethnic Russians. Instead, Pasternak refused to recognize Alexander’s authority and instead declared that the imperial throne was “temporarily vacant.” This struck many as a political dodge, as Alexander’s claim to the throne had never been contested.

Following the death of Elizabeth II, the Baltic, which had largely sided with Pasternak, saw a significant increase in separatist activity. Though the two sides mostly refrained from fighting each other, and the area officially remained loyal to St. Petersburg many Balts seemed to view that their best chances lay outside the IEF. In the Caucasus, the various Muslim ethnic groups of Dagestan followed the example of their neighbors in Chechenia and declared independence. A provisional government was established in Petrovsk, now renamed Anzhi-Qala, under the unwieldy name of the Republic of the Islamic Peoples of Dagestan.

As October neared and winter approached, all sides began to plan for the long term. The war had no end in sight.