The world after a different WW 1

[Parma]

The World after a different WW1

How would the world look like after a Great War like described in the excellent timeline :
https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/ww1-aufmarsch-ii-ost-in-maps.502420/#post-21436421
including a battle of Loraine:

Alternate Battle of Lorraine 1914

An east-first strategy and a German defense in the west has been discussed before. Still, I like to discuss in more detail such an alternate battle of Lorraine. POD: At the outbreak of the First World War, instead of deployment plan "Aufmarsch II west", Germany implements the plan "Aufmarsch II...

www.alternatehistory.com

and peace treaties as described in:
https://www.alternatehistory.com/fo...ope-after-a-german-cp-victory-in-1916.507429/

all by Helmuth48

I will try to make brief description of each country and the social and technological developments in a world like this. Comments and ideas are welcome.
I do not believe in the AH stereotype of a losing France will end in a fascist state or other so called “logical” course of events. There is NO logic in history.

France 1916-192ties

Direct after the armistice a period of large civil unrest started. Already weeks before the armistice Socialist and Communist staged several large strikes triggered by plans of the General command of an all or nothing offensive against the German lines.

After the armistice the social unrest only intensified. Socialist, liberals, nationalist and communist tried to keep the peace or take the power, with returning soldiers from the front acting as an armed catalysator.

Vladimir Iljitsj Oeljanov, saw in the unrest in France the long awaited opportunity for world revolution. Lenin saw more chance in success in starting a world revolution in an industrialised nation as France than in a peasant country like his mother Russia. There for he left Switserland and moved to Paris.

Lenin with Boris Souvarine and Ludovic-Oscar Frossard, formed the Communist Party and were the driving forces behind the Communist uprising in and around Paris and Liege-Roubaix.

The French Socialist, Front Populaire led by Léon Blum opposing the extremist of the communist and saw more in a parliamentary government system. In order to defeat the Communist the Front Populaire needed the support of the Nationalist and their militias formed by nationalist and disgruntled soldiers and officers. The communist uprising was quelled by extreme brutality within a month. Lenin with Boris Souvarine and Ludovic-Oscar Frossard did not survive the street battles like many others. Vladimir Iljitsj Oeljanov and Boris Souvarine bodies were draged behind automobiles and their corpses hanged on the Column of Place de la Bastile.
Around March 1917 a new government was formed and the 4th Republic was announced. Popular called the Bordeaux Republic since the Bordeaux was the provisional capital during the revolution and city where the 4th Republic was announced.

Politicly the 4th republic was very unstable were Cabinets fell nearly never completed their five year term, a successful government would made it 3 years.

Despite the political instability, France and Paris saw a remarkable cultural renaissance. The clubs and bars were full in a wave of hedonism and living by the day mostly fueld by ex soldier who tried to drown the horrors of the front. Intellectuals responded by condemning the excesses of what they considered capitalism, and demanding revolutionary changes on the cultural scenery. Literature, cinema, theatre and musical works entered a phase of great creativity. Innovative street theatre brought plays to the public, and the cabaret scene and jazz bands became very popular. Euphoria surrounding Josephine Baker in the metropolis of Paris for instance, where she was declared an "erotic goddess" and in many ways admired and respected, kindled further sensations in the minds of the French public. Impressionist, Expressionist, Avantgarde, Surrealism, Cubist, emerged or saw a revival. This all modernism had a counter movement of conservatives, Catholics and Nationalist.

The cultural movement especially that of the young men and women in France had a large effect on the young people of Germany, Austria Hungary and even Great Britain. Especially the generation of men in Germany and Austria Hungary and Russia who had to endure the horrors of the war were influenced by this. In Berlin and Vienna a similar cultural revival.

 

[NoMommsen]

... interesting ... instead of a "Weimar" Republic ITTL we get a "Bordeux" Republic.
,,, would like to know more about this 4th "Bordeux" Republic and esp. it consitutional differences ... one maybe even having one consistent constitution instead of a set of laws somehow forming the 3rd Republic.

Interested to see more of this.

 

[Parma]

... interesting ... instead of a "Weimar" Republic ITTL we get a "Bordeux" Republic.
,,, would like to know more about this 4th "Bordeux" Republic and esp. it consitutional differences ... one maybe even having one consistent constitution instead of a set of laws somehow forming the 3rd Republic.

Interested to see more of this.

To be honnest there not so much differences between the 3rd and 4th they are full parliamentary system, where the chief of the executive branch was in fact the leader of the majority party in the parliament. However a major diference is that there will be full voting right for all men and women of 18 years of age.

 

[Helmuth48]

Thanks for using my threads as inspiration! That feels like a compliment. Your story about France reads very plausible. I am curious about your view on the other countries.

If you want cartographic illustrations, you are welcome!

 

[Parma]

Russia 1916 – 192ties

After the armistice of 20 September 1916 the final chapter of the fall of the Russian Empire started. The Russian revolution is a complicated episode in Russian history there for only a brief description of the vents.

Since the start of the coronation of Tsar Nicolas II and his wife Tsarina Alexandra, the couple was almost entirely personaly responsible for the decline of the Russian state and the popularity of the institute of the Tsar. This might be a bit exaggerated and things are of course more complex but the couple did their best to be come a scapegoat for al misery Russia had to endure.

During the war the Tsar lost all confidence of the military after he took personal command of the army, and after taking nominal command, he showed no initiative or leader ship. With the Tsar at the front the Tsarina was ruling the country, heavily influenced by Rasputin, she replaced competent ministers by less competent ministers who in turn were replaced by incompetent ministers and who in turn were replaced by complete incompetent ones or even complete idiots.

By this the Tsarina lost the confidence of the elite at home as well. In all layers of the Russian society the Tsar and Tsarina lost confidence or even made them self riduculed. The Tsar was essentially isolated without any backing. Things were starting to unravel after the large strike in Petrograd in October, were soldiers joined the protestors and start defend the protestors against the police and genarmerie.

In the night of 29 to 30 December 1916 Rasputin was shot dead by Duma member Vladimir Poerisjkevits and Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich. Convinced that Rasputins influence over the Tsarina endangered the Russian Empire. Unfortunatly thing were already too much out of hand.

Due to the war the the transport by train of food and commodities to the cities was severely disrupted since the available locomotives were primary allocated for military transports. The results were severe shortages and hunger in the cities while food was rotting. The war was very disruptive for the economy at a whole and large inflation ocurred. The huge casualty rate among the Russian soldiers, the hunger and epidemics due to the malnutrition, caused large unrest and discontent among the population in all layers. In February things got out of hand in Petrograd. the then-capital of Russia,

The long-standing discontent with the monarchy erupted into mass protests against food rationing on 23 February. The unrest lasted about eight days, involving mass demonstrations and violent armed clashes with police and gendarmes, the last loyal forces of the Russian monarchy. On 27 February the garrison forces of the capital sided with the revolutionaries. Three days later Tsar Nicholas II abdicated, ending the Romanov dynastic rule and the Russian Empire. A Russian Provisional Government under Prince Georgy Lvov replaced the Council of Ministers of Russia.

The provisional government had a mountain of problems to solve and had to confront opposition by the Sovjets who representing the working class and soldiers. The Soviets were led by Alexander Kerensky , leader of the Mensheviks and Leon Trotsky leader of the Bolsheviks . The latter lived in France when the revolution broke out there and participated actively in it. He managed to escape France after to collapse of the revolution and via Spain returned to Petrograd, Russia.

*It is not exactly clear to me if Trotsky was Menshevik of Bolshevik. Let assume due to the event in France TTL he become more extreme.

In July large civil unrest broke out in Petrograd with hundreds of death. This July crises led to the so called 2nd Coalition of the provisional government were the Soviets had the majority over the so called Bourgeoisie or conservative members of the Duma. The 2nd Coalition was led by Kerensky. Things were calming down and thanks to the peace treaty of Charlottenburg large number of soldiers and sailors could be demobilised. However within the Soviets faction of the Duma, internal strive and power struggle between Menshevik and Bolshevik occurred. This culminated in the October coup of the Bolshevist led by Trotsky. This coup attempt ultimate failed due to the support of the conservatives and the military support. This October coup led to the forming of the 3rd Coalition which finally was a well balanced provisional government. This 3rd Coalition elected Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich to the new Tsar and restored the Russian Empire. His corronation was already discussed in 1916 after the abdication of his elder brother Nicholas. At that time he wrote:

Inspired, in common with the whole people, by the belief that the welfare of our country must be set above everything else, I have taken the firm decision to assume the supreme power only if and when our great people, having elected by universal suffrage a Constituent Assembly to determine the form of government and lay down the fundamental law of the new Russian State, invest me with such power.
Calling upon them the blessing of God, I therefore request all the citizens of the Russian Empire to submit to the Provisional Government, established and invested with full authority by the Duma, until such time as the Constituent Assembly, elected within the shortest possible time by universal, direct, equal and secret suffrage, shall manifest the will of the people by deciding upon the new form of government.

However events would prevent this election to happen earlier.

The new Tsar Michael would be a constitutional monarch.

The election of the Tsar turned to be a master stroke since it turned out that the majority of the country people, farmers, peasants, craftsmen and traders and most of the middleclass were in favour of the monarchy, despite the large misconduct of the previous Tsar.

In 1920 a general election was held and it turned out that the majority of the Russian people vote for the conservative and religious democratic parties although in the cities the Socialist democratic parties were more popular. The extreme left parties lost confidence.

During the twenties Russia recovered relative fast. The large number of reforms the 3rd Coalition made and the first elected government made did encourage entrepreneur ship, the freedom of the farmers resulted in ever increasing harvest. Although this latter did resulted in world wide sharp decline of wheat prices. The literacy increased within 5 year to 85% for people of the age 6 to 20 years, this trend was already started under tsar Nicolas. The Industrialisation, also started under the old regime, continued and picked up momentum during the 192ties.

Culturally the Russian painters produced new forms of art, cubism, new realism, music and architecture, fitting in the new cultural stream which engulfed post war Europe.

In 1920 a coup attempt was made by general Lavr Kormilov in order to establish a monarchist military dictature. The general and his hence men entered the Duma. The coup was short lived since Tsar Michael condemned them and ask the support of the Russian citizens and armed forced to defend the democracy. This resulted in mass gathering throughout Russia in support of the Tsar and the Duma. The coup members were overwhelmed by loyal soldiers and officers and sent to Siberian prisons. Within the armed forces the coup seemed not have much support.

*General Lavr Kormilov made this coup in 1917 OTL and probably caused the increase of power of the Bolshevist. Event lose based on the coup attempt in Spain 1981, 23-F, were King Juan Carlos as comander in chiefordered the military to return to their military bases.

* In OTL the provisional government were severely handicapt by the still ongoing war, if there was no war, with its huge disruptive effects, the provisional governments might survive or at least not ended in communist/bolshevist dictature, civil war and terror.

 

[Parma]

The Empire of Austria-Hungary 1916-1920ties

The Dual monarchy is on of the victors of this very bloody war. Despite the hundred of thousand casualties on the side of the Dual monarchy not to mention the even larger number of injured or mutilated men.

Emperor Franz-Jozef lived just long enough to see the victory of his Empire over the Russian Empire but died on November 21. He was succeeded by the liberal and reform minded Charles I who had the task to keep the multi ethnic empire to getter and pilot it in to the 20th century.

Even if there'd be popular sentiment that the new emperor could mean a new Austria, "fixing the Dual Monarchy" would still mean some kind of showdown with Budapest, which would be leery of anything that'd threaten its privileged position among the empire's nations. The first and clearest idea would be to create the aforementioned South Slavic Crown, especially considering Karl would be scrambling to find anything that makes Serbia's annexation vaguely palatable to the Serbs and prevent them from requiring centuries of occupation. No matter what, the Black Hand will probably end up achieving an infamy akin to the IRA.

In Poland, the Stańczyks are vindicated. Their loyalty to the Habsburg crown has been rewarded with Poland reappearing on the map; that it's a German puppet is unfortunate but foreseeable, and something that can be slowly and quietly undone. This is still the biggest victory for Polish nationalism in a century, and Warsaw will likely have cozy sentiments towards Vienna that aren't just from the shared royal family.

Austria-Hungary had no clear war aims regarding Serbia. In general, the Austrian leaders are in favor of annexation, while the Hungarian leaders want to leave a smaller Serbia independent. An independent Serbia is seen as a danger by Austria, because it can continue to propagate the Greater Serbian idea and serve as a base for terrorism. The danger of annexation is that the Slavic influence in the Habsburg monarchy will be strengthened, which will weaken the Hungarian influence. No agreement was ever reached in OTL.

Austria cedes Galicia to the new Habsburg kingdom of Poland. As compensation, and in order to remain credible as a great power, Austria succeeds in realizing the annexation of Serbia and Montenegro. These countries are being ruled as condominiums for the time being, pending a final solution. The Austro-Hungarian occupation of Serbia was very repressive, but because lasting peace is only possible with an equal relationship, Austria is making a concession to the Serbs and Montenegrins. Following the example of Bosnia, a constitution is drawn up for both countries in 1917: Serbia and Montenegro are each given a diet with legislative powers for internal affairs. Foreign policy and defence, however, remains in the hands of the joint Austro-Hungarian ministers. Serbia and Montenegro have no influence on this. The budget must also be approved by the Austro-Hungarian finance minister.

In the years that follow, the economic situation for the Serbs and Montenegrins gradually improve and tensions ease. However, in Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, as well as in Croatia-Slavonia and to a lesser extent Slovenia, a movement is emerging that strives for the establishment of a South Slavic kingdom with an equal position with respect to Austria and Hungary. In the respective diets, this movement achieved a large majority. Emperor Karl I supports this idea of Trialism and various proposals are being developed.

However, these proposals are repeatedly rejected by the Hungarian government and parliament. The Austrian government does approve the proposals and is increasingly frustrated with Hungary's refusal to implement reforms. Tensions are also increasing again in the South Slavic countries. These eventually lead to riots and attacks against Hungarian police and government institutions. The uprising also spread into Serbian inhabited areas in Hungary itself, i.e., in the Vojvodina and the Banat. Hungary wants to use the army, which is refused by Austria. A deep constitutional crisis is emerging. Hungary stands alone and must eventually back down and agree to the most far-reaching proposal:

The Kingdom of South Slavia is founded with Karl I as king. This kingdom consists of five Crown lands, each with a large degree of autonomy. Brod is designated as the capital; a small town halfway the Zagreb-Belgrade railway line and with a direct railway line to Sarajevo. Brod will not be part of a Crown land, but will form a neutral capital district. Freedom of religion is established in the constitution.

Hungary must not only cede Croatia-Slavonia, but also the southern Banat. It must also accept a border change with Austria, whereby the German-speaking west is ceded to Austria (Burgenland). Ujvidek (Novi Sad) will be retained for Hungary.

For the Slovenes, a long-standing wish is coming true, i.e., to be united in one Crown land. Slovenia becomes part of South Slavia to strengthen the Catholic influence against the Serbian Orthodox.

As in the Dual Monarchy, this Triple Monarchy has three joint ministers; Foreign Affairs, Defense and Finance. From now on, each state will provide one joint minister.

The 1920s saw strong economic growth for the Triple Monarchy, especially in South Slavia, where the disappearance of borders opened up new trading opportunities and attracted investors. Yet the Hungarians are not satisfied. The way Austria pushed through the creation of the South Slavic kingdom has caused a lot of mistrust. The Hungarian nationalists have always been critical of the Dual Monarchy, but now in the Triple Monarchy, Hungary has lost relatively even more power (which was also a goal of the Austrian leaders). In the Ministerial Council, the Austrian and South Slavic ministers often work together and the Hungarian ministers are left behind.

Politically, Austria and Hungary are growing increasingly apart. In 1917 Austria had universal suffrage (for men), in Hungary only 10% of men had the right to vote. Austria continues to democratize, Hungary remains authoritarian / reactionary. Where in Bohemia and Moravia Czech has acquired an equal position next to German, and bilingualism is becoming the norm within government institutions, Hungary still pursues a strict magyarization policy. For fear of greater influence of Slavs and Romanians, no further democratizations are carried out. Austrians are accused of being slavophile, Hungarians of being slavophobic.

Culture, the German and Bohemian lands saw a cultural revival, often called the Neue Sezession since it was seen in all forms of art.

*I could not write I better. Above most from Helmuth48


German Empire 1916-192ties

Germany the Great victor of the largest war ever seen on this planet. Over confident due to very successful result of the war, despite the enormous number of deaths' and mutilated men.

German population will be overly pride first of the war result and later due to the economic boom it experienced. However soon the real stories emerged how the front was. Erich Maria Remark publish his book Im Westen night Nues, All qued on the west front, in which he dicribes his experiances of the French front. The book is from the first print to be a huge best seller not only in the German spoken lands but also in France and other languages. The drawing and paintings of Otto Dix, also stationed on the French front, graphicly visualized the horrors of the war and the experiences of the common soldier. Otto Dix also made graphic paintings of the mistreatment the veterans and mutilated men experienced after the war. An other best seller was the book Aufmarch Ost, which described the experiences of common soldiers and NCO’s during the war in the East.

It all had its repercussions on the political landscape of the German Empire. Despite the economic growth and welfare of common Germans it put pressure on the political system.

The Reichstag, become dominated by the Social democrats and demanded reforms. This fact and the unrest in France and Russia gave room for a constitutional reform. In short it limited the power of the emperor and thus made the German empire a true constitutional monarchy.

It mean that the Junkers need to give room to the common German in matters how the country is ruled. It did found resistance of the old elite and military leaders but in the end the old guard lost it of time. Thanks to the limited time of war Germany did not declined in to a military junta.

By the 1920 Germany become a true democracy were the power lied within the Cabinet and controlled by the Reichstag. At the end this will be beneficial for Germany initially direct after the Great War, many politicians and military leaders thought that armed conflicts will solve any foreign problem. ( as they thought after the Franco-Prussian war).
Economicly things went better every year. The custom union proved to be a benefit for all, not only for Germany but whitin a decade especially for the new kingdoms who were initially set up as pupet states. The emerged Poland and the Baltic Kingdoms expericned rapid economic growth and developement on all fronts. Creating new national pride and confidence. National confidence which give them the power to claim influence in the next decade.

The huge success of the army and the rather secondary role of the navy mean the end of the capital ships of the German Imperial Navy. Despite war reparation by France and Russia the cost of the war was tremendous. Large budget cuts were made at the Imperial Navy. It had to disband 2 of its battleship division which were not replaced. In fact the ‘’Mackensens class”, “Ersatz York class” and “Baden class” were essentially one of the last capital ships commissioned by the Imperial Navy.

The battle fleet will not grow any more in size, rather shrink in favour of much cheaper units like cruisers, destroyers and submarines, which are even better suited to protect trade lanes. The reduction of capital ships did favour the attitude of Great Britain toward the German Empire.

Domestical the politics of the twenties were dominated by the reform of the state. The Prussian kingdom was overpowering the other part of the Empire. Various cabinets spent time and effort to reduce Prussia not only in size but also in influence. By the end of the decade Germany was not any more divided by the old kingdoms and other aristocratic lands but by roughly equally sized Bunds Lande.

Culture was booming in Germany. Architecture developed something modern styles called Bauhaus which conquered the architectural world. The Babelberg studio’s produced the most advanced movies and become one of the largest and influential movie studios of the world. The attitude of the young disgruntled young men and women from France was copied and made in a Geman twist.

 

[Helmuth48]

Good story about Russia, I like the positive scenario for the future. I hope constitutional democracy survives the 20th century!

*I could not write I better. Above most from Helmuth48

Your story about Austria-Hungary already seemed so familiar

Domestical the politics of the twenties were dominated by the reform of the state. The Prussian kingdom was overpowering the other part of the Empire. Various cabinets spent time and effort to reduce Prussia not only in size but also in influence. By the end of the decade Germany was not any more divided by the old kingdoms and other aristocratic lands but by roughly equally sized Bunds Lande.

There are a few interesting points in your story about Germany, especially this state reform. The dominance of Prussia over the other states is indeed very unbalanced. I wonder how much of a problem this was? In OTL Hugo Preuss made a proposal when the Weimar Republic was founded to divide Germany into 14 more equal states (source). However, this was not successful. Does anyone have more information about this?

 

[Parma]

The Iberian peninsula Portugal and Spain 1916-193ties

Portugal

Portugal remained neutral in the Great War.
The First Republic of Portugal, established in 1910, was a chronical instable constitution.
Endemic corruption among the politicians and ruling elite. While the elite lived a lavish existence, the leaders lived in spacious villas and travelled up and down from Lisbon to Paris where they invested their money in the Paris stock exchange, instead of in Portuguese enterprises. Workers and civil servants did not receive their salaries. Elections were rigged during the First Republic, some candidates received votes from voters who had long since died. During the 16 years that the First Republic existed, there were forty-four cabinets. Continuing party strife undermined the people's morale and confidence in politics. In short, the original intention of Republicans to establish a democratic republic had come to nothing. All this caused large unrest and discontent among the Portuguese population.

As early as 1915 and 1917, military were in power in Portugal, albeit for a short period of time. Their attempts to create a dictatorship came to nothing. It was clear that the military leadership which was made up mostly of monarchists and partly of republicans who were not in favour of the government, were among the enemies of the regime. In 1925 a number of officers staged a failed coup d'état. When they later appeared in court, General Carmona, deputy of the public prosecutor said: These people must be released, our country is sick, they wanted to save it.

On May 28 1926, General Gomes da Costa and his men marched towards Lisbon. More and more Portuguese joined the military. What at first seemed like the umpteenth coup d'état turned into a veritable popular revolution. On 31 May they entered Lisbon. The revolution passed without a fight. President Bernardino Machado resigned and on June 9, the National Assembly (parliament) was dissolved. As early as June 2, one of the leaders of the uprising, naval officer José Mendes Cabeçadas Júnior, a republican, became president and prime minister. On June 19, he was replaced by General Gomes da Costa who became president and prime minister. The latter also remained head of state and government for only a short time. General António Óscar Carmona, a member of the junta and government, staged a sort of internal coup on July 9, 1926, proclaiming himself president and prime minister. Gomes da Costa was more or less exiled to the Azores and rewarded with the marshal title. Carmona proclaimed the Ditadura Nacional (National Dictatorship).

President Carmona and the ruling junta and government, mainly military, turned out to be just as messed up as leaders of the First Republic.
The fact that the country was on the brink of bankruptcy was especially worrying. As early as June 1926, President Gomes da Costa asked, Professor of Finance, Prof. António de Oliveira Salazar, to take up the ministry of Finance and to restructure the national debt.
Salazar demanded dictatorial powers, which were far beyond what was necessary in a crisis situation. These demands were rejected and Salazar's resigned.
In 1927, President Carmona again requested Salazar to become a minister. Again Salazar asked for powers of attorney. Portugal's financial situation was so bad at the time that Carmona agreed and appointed Salazar Minister of Finance. Slowly but surely Salazar took more and more power and became dictator in 1929.

In 1931 Salazar became prime minister and drafted a new constitution in 1933, and the Estado Novo (New State) was a fact. The constitution made Portugal a corporate republic with Salazar as dictator. General Carmona remained president, but held no further power. With the arrival of the Estado Novo, the Ditadura Nacional came to an end.

* In OTL Salazar was requested in 1928 to become minister of finance again

Salazar's politics were a mixture of Catholic corporatism and authoritarianism. In 1934 he repelled a joint fascist (national-syndicalist) and left-Marxist coup against his government. Since then, the fascist National-Syndicalist Party has also been banned. Political ideologies such as liberalism, socialism, fascism and the anarchist syndicalism that had come over from Spain were suppressed. The same was true of the communist movement. The workers and the employers had to solve their problems in harmony in corporatist trade unions. In Portugal, the mostly Catholic workers were ideologically positive towards corporatism.

In 1936 Salazar met, during a visit to Brazil, Gilberto de Mello Freyre the writer of Casa-grande & senzala. Freyre developed the idea of Lusotropicalismo
The two men started a correspondence and Freyre visit several times Portugual.
Initial Salazar opposed Freyere ideas of Lusotropicalismo. However He adopted Lusotropicalism only after sponsoring Freyre on a visit to Portugal and some of its overseas territories
António de Oliveira Salazar adopted Freyre's notion of Lusotropicalism in 1939 by asserting that since Portugal had been a multicultural, multiracial, and pluricontinental nation since the 15th century, losing its overseas territories in Africa and Asia would dismember the country and end Portuguese independence. In geopolitical terms, losing these territories would decrease the Portuguese state's self-sufficiency.

The adoption of Lusotropicalism turned to be, for the long term, a watershed moment for the overseas Portuguese colonies of Angola and Mozambique. It caused an increase in investments and developments and an gradually but strong improvement of the development and rights of the native population of Portuguese overseas possessions.
In 1958 Luanda, the larges city of Angola become the Administrative capital of the Portuguese multi continental federation.

* OTL António de Oliveira Salazar adopted Freyre's notion of Lusotropicalism only in 1952

Spain will follow later.

 

[Parma]

There are a few interesting points in your story about Germany, especially this state reform. The dominance of Prussia over the other states is indeed very unbalanced. I wonder how much of a problem this was? In OTL Hugo Preuss made a proposal when the Weimar Republic was founded to divide Germany into 14 more equal states (source). However, this was not successful. Does anyone have more information about this?

I do not have any information if the size and I asume due to this larger influence of Prussia was an issue in the Empire. Although I thought it might become an issue when the Empire turns in a true parlementair democracy. Or at least several politicians or political parties could find it a problem for electoral gains?

 

[spkaca]

The Reichstag, become dominated by the Social democrats and demanded reforms. This fact and the unrest in France and Russia gave room for a constitutional reform. In short it limited the power of the emperor and thus made the German empire a true constitutional monarchy.

It mean that the Junkers need to give room to the common German in matters how the country is ruled. It did found resistance of the old elite and military leaders but in the end the old guard lost it of time. Thanks to the limited time of war Germany did not declined in to a military junta.

By the 1920 Germany become a true democracy were the power lied within the Cabinet and controlled by the Reichstag. At the end this will be beneficial for Germany initially direct after the Great War, many politicians and military leaders thought that armed conflicts will solve any foreign problem. ( as they thought after the Franco-Prussian war).

It's a good set of posts. But this of course is the tricky part, and really the only part the determines the future ATL course of events. Although I would not say that this scenario is impossible, it needs unpacking and justifying, at a minimum. We know from OTL just how hard the old elites fought against the Weimar Republic, and in so doing did much to create the space for Nazism. Why, in the ATL, would the old elites peacefully hand over power to the Social Democrats? As far as the old elites are concerned, they have just led the country to a historic victory. They would brim with self-confidence after such a result, and they would enjoy strong public support. As far as the Junkers are concerned, they would say that they represented the interests of the common German against the divisive ideas of the socialists, and many Germans (above all among the middle class and farmers, but also plenty of workers) would agree.
This idea of an natural peaceful evolution into a true democracy used to be pushed by Niall Ferguson among others (not sure if he still pushes it), and one can find causes for it, but it needs justifying, because it assumes an outbreak of sweet reason and good feelings that were conspicuous by their absence historically in the 1920s-30s. Of course a large part of the nastiness of that period arose precisely from the trauma of defeat, but not all of it. France and Italy were victors OTL, but went through a period of severe social & political polarisation in the 1920s-30s, and Germany would surely do the same. I think a more likely scenario is growing civil tensions once the victory-euphoria wears off, followed by an eventual trial of strength between the SPD & its allies versus the old guard, which the old guard would likely win and impose their own, more clearly authoritarian, solution. As I say, I don't think this outcome is inevitable, but I think it more likely than a peaceful democratic evolution.

 

[Parma]

It's a good set of posts. But this of course is the tricky part, and really the only part the determines the future ATL course of events. Although I would not say that this scenario is impossible, it needs unpacking and justifying, at a minimum. We know from OTL just how hard the old elites fought against the Weimar Republic, and in so doing did much to create the space for Nazism. Why, in the ATL, would the old elites peacefully hand over power to the Social Democrats? As far as the old elites are concerned, they have just led the country to a historic victory. They would brim with self-confidence after such a result, and they would enjoy strong public support. As far as the Junkers are concerned, they would say that they represented the interests of the common German against the divisive ideas of the socialists, and many Germans (above all among the middle class and farmers, but also plenty of workers) would agree.
This idea of an natural peaceful evolution into a true democracy used to be pushed by Niall Ferguson among others (not sure if he still pushes it), and one can find causes for it, but it needs justifying, because it assumes an outbreak of sweet reason and good feelings that were conspicuous by their absence historically in the 1920s-30s. Of course a large part of the nastiness of that period arose precisely from the trauma of defeat, but not all of it. France and Italy were victors OTL, but went through a period of severe social & political polarisation in the 1920s-30s, and Germany would surely do the same. I think a more likely scenario is growing civil tensions once the victory-euphoria wears off, followed by an eventual trial of strength between the SPD & its allies versus the old guard, which the old guard would likely win and impose their own, more clearly authoritarian, solution. As I say, I don't think this outcome is inevitable, but I think it more likely than a peaceful democratic evolution.

Well you give the anwser your self. Although the transitions in France OTL were nasty mostly due to the two year longer war and as a consequnece the absolute wrecking of demography and above all the economy. France was literly wrecked after four years war.
I will not say the transition in TL German Empire is sugar coated but will not be as violent as in OTL France. It would be more graduate in stead of by revolution as the Weimar Republic emerged. The German Empire did, before WW1, enjoyed a large participation of male voters ( and female?) it was already a very democratic country, for that time. The thing was that the old constitution gave a lot of power to the Kaiser, which was sometimes used extensivly by Whilhelm II and the aristocratic lobby. I think the German aristocratice elite will see that they will be catched up by time , due to the simple economic reality. Most of the aristocrats based their whealth and power on land and the money it generated. Germany was already the most indusrialised nation of the European continent and after a victorious war it will experience a large growth in wellfare for the coomon people,, increased wages, bigger living standards etc. This all will contribute in a demand for more rights and influence how the state will be governed. The aristocratic elite might be well catched by suprise by this movement since they were too long intoxicated by the victory. A victory the common German started to see a bit different and was well dicsribed by writers as Erich Maria Remarque and painters as Otto Dix and others (In TL Remarque publish his book years earlier as OTL). And France in TL experince a masive violent period with the danger of becoming a comunist state and a risk of a spill over of this unrest to Germany, this is a considerable leverage to demand more democracy.
In short the Junkers will not easily give up power, how ever it will be not by far as violent as in OTL Germany or France.

 

[JanWellem]

Good story about Russia, I like the positive scenario for the future. I hope constitutional democracy survives the 20th century!


Your story about Austria-Hungary already seemed so familiar


There are a few interesting points in your story about Germany, especially this state reform. The dominance of Prussia over the other states is indeed very unbalanced. I wonder how much of a problem this was? In OTL Hugo Preuss made a proposal when the Weimar Republic was founded to divide Germany into 14 more equal states (source). However, this was not successful. Does anyone have more information about this?

The problem is that the German Empire wasn't a unitary state like France, where the central government can decide to merge or split départements at will, but a confederation of principalities and free cities, where e.g. Bavaria still had an embassy in Berlin in 1918. A federal German government could no more decide to split up the Kingdom (or later, during the Weimar Republic Free State) of Prussia than the federal government in Washington D.C. could decide to split California into 3 states without the consent of the California House and Senate.

In the case of the Kingdom of Prussia it would also require the consent of the ruling House of Hohenzollern, but that could be obtained through the fact that Wilhelm II had 6 sons, so he could split Prussia more or less equally among them into the
- Kingdom of Prussia (capital: Königsberg)
- Kindom of Brandenburg (capital: Potsdam)
- Kingdom of Westphalia (capital: Münster)
- United Kingdom of Jülich-Cleves-Berg (capital: Düsseldorf)
- Kingdom of the Rhine (capital: Koblenz)
- Kingdom the the Chatti (former electoral Hesse(-Kassel), capital: Kassel)
and recreating the Kingdom of Hannover for his daughter and son in law and the Grand Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein for his wife.

 

[Parma]

The problem is that the German Empire wasn't a unitary state like France, where the central government can decide to merge or split départements at weill, but a confederation of principalities and free cities, where e.g. Bavaria still had an embassy in Berlin in 1918. A federal German government could no more decide to split up the Kingdom (or later, during the Weimar Republic Free State) of Prussia than the federal government in Washington D.C. could decide to split California into 3 states without the consent of the California House and Senate.

In the case of the Kingdom of Prussia it would also require the consent of the ruling House of Hohenzollern, but that could be obtained through the fact that Wilhelm II had 6 sons, so he could split Prussia more or less equally among them into the
- Kingdom of Prussia (capital: Königsberg)
- Kindom of Brandenburg (capital: Potsdam)
- Kingdom of Westphalia (capital: Münster)
- United Kingdom of Jülich-Cleves-Berg (capital: Düsseldorf)
- Kingdom of the Rhine (capital: Koblenz)
- Kingdom the the Chatti (former electoral Hesse(-Kassel), capital: Kassel)
and recreating the Kingdom of Hannover for his daughter and son in law and the Grand Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein for his wife.

Why splitting up the Kingdom of Prussia?
It is a costitutional monarchy. The kingdom however can be split up in different lande for government purposes. The king or queen of Prussia still can be the reign of all administrative parts.

 

[JanWellem]

Why splitting up the Kingdom of Prussia?
It is a costitutional monarchy. The kingdom however can be split up in different lande for government purposes. The king or queen of Prussia still can be the reign of all administrative parts.

Merely subdividing the Kingdom of Prussia internally for administrative purposes, which it already was, those subdivisions were merely called provinces instead of Länder, wouldn't have changed the fact that it still covered 70% of the territory of the German Empire and had 65% of the population. While the German Empire was a confederation of 22 principalities and 3 free cities, Prussia was absolutely dominant. It had as many votes in the Bundesrat as the next 4 states - Bavaria, Saxony, Württemberg and Baden - combined. The idea of splitting up Prussia had the intention of getting rid of this hegemon and replacing it with several medium sized states. In the end those smaller states combined would've had more votes in the Bundesrat than united Prussia had before, likely somewhere between 25 out of 66 and 35 out of 76 instead of 17 out of 58. If the states Prussia is split into are ruled in personal union by the King of Prussia, the result would be to strengthen Prussia instead of achieving the intended purpose of weakening it within the German Empire.

 

[Parma]

The Low Countries 1916-192ties

The two small counties caught again between two European Great Powers, and both relying on their neutrality.

Although Belgium thought it was protected with the treaty of 1839.

The war of 1870 showed this neutrality could be difficult to enforce. In Both countries lessons were learnt form this war and large investments were made by both countries. First in fortification and later in a restructure of the armies. However the latter this took more considerable time and by the 20th century the urge to made this innovations had faded away especially in Belgium were the idea of being protected by a treaty of 1839.

The Netherlands was a bit earlier in this army reforms but Belgian politicians were too contemplated. By 1914 the Dutch field army was, for 1914 standards, modern but small.

The two small countries did not co-operate with each other, relations were cordial. An overture by the Netherlands in 1912 was never answered by Belgium. When the June crises of 1914 spiralled out of control during the next month Belgium asked for military cooperation. This time the Netherlands initially rejected this since military investigations predicted that the German war machine might pass the Netherlands. For Belgium it was not so clear there was a large concentration of forces East of Luxembourg and a smaller but considerable force just North- East of Luxembourg facing Dinnat-Namur.

Fortunately for Belgium this assessment of their Northern neighbours was incorrect. Never the less the Belgian mobilization was not really smooth and highlighted the lack of and too late investments in the field army. More crucial was the multitude of war plans, around 5 different defence plans, and the internal conflicts within the army staff. The latter was the main reason King Albert took in person the command of the Belgian army.

Even the war seemed to be limited just South of the Belgian border the imminent treat that one of the belligerents would out flank the other via Belgian or Dutch territory remained.

This threat forced the two small neutral countries to cooperation. First a military cooperation and an, although temporary, custom union. The military cooperation was initially limited to an exchange of military attachés in the general staffs. In 1916, after nearly a year of long leave for most conscripts, the scare of invasion become suddenly imminent. The invasion scare came more from France, both Belgian and Dutch high command had clear information that France could launce an invasion in to Belgium and possible Southern Netherlands in a desperate attempt to out flank the Germans.

In order to deal with this threat the nearly entire Belgian field army would be concentrate to the Franco-Belgian and the fortification line along the river Meuse and Sambre. The Dutch army would hold the Meuse line just South of Maastricht however on Belgian territory, with 4th division of the filed army, and the 3rd division would be guarding the Franco – Belgian front in the province West Flanders, while the 1st division would be relocated around Malines as part of the Belgian reserve for the Southern front or the Eastern front. Malines/Mechelen is a major rail junction

The cooperation between the two nations was mostly the result of the combined effort of the monarchs of both nations. King Albert of Belgium and Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands.

King Albert could assured more influence since after he took command of the armed forces he took more and more power, some critics wrote he acted almost as an absolute monarch. For Queen Wilhelmina it was more precarious but never the less due to their effort not only close military cooperation but also economic cooperation was established.

King Albert took the opportunity during this war year not only to speed the modernisation of the armed forces but also to implement several reforms.

Even both countries had to maintain relative large armies during this period, the economy was booming. The ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp and others were open and not hampered by any naval blockade. The exports of both countries to Germany and France exploded, as far as it did not endanger the neutrality too much. In matter of fact the industry had a severe labour shortage, inflicted by the large number of conscripted men and the exploded demand. This labour shortage was partly compensated by long leave permits to most of the military manning the fortification of Antwerp and the Hollandse Waterline and Stelling of Amsterdam. The field armies reduced as well in size most of 1915.

The cooperation in both military and economic turned out to be very well and despite this cooperation was intended to be temporary, the international situation dictated differently.

After the Berlin peace conferences the power block which emerged around Germany was intimidating. In order to form some sort of counter force, even limited, and in case of any future conflict between Great Powers, Belgium and the Netherlands decided to extend their cooperation.

In 1920 the Union of Brussels was signed. This was done in a grand ceremony at the Royal Palace of Brussels by King Albert and Queen Wilhelmina. The Union of Brussels referred in a distance tot he Union of Brussels of 1577.

The union comprised a military alliance, safe guarding their neutrality, and a custom union, a Schelde river treaty and over time would be extended with more agreements.

The unrest in France did not get un noticed in Belgium and the Netherlands. It caused severe unrest among the conscripts and workers in the factories all over both nations. The unrest was experienced that threatening that it caused a constitutional changes in the Netherlands and Belgium. The Netherlands would get single voting right for all men 18 year or older, regardless of their income or the amount of tax they paid In Belgium the voting right for all men was lowered to 21 years and become a single voting right. Multiple voting right, depending on your education level, possession or tax amount were abolished. Improving the equality of the two national languages, French and Dutch, guaranteeing the right of Flemish people to higher education in their own language, and the University of Ghent become Dutch.

Not hampered by a naval blockade or devastating war and occupation both countries experienced an economic growth a boom which even lasted several years after the war. Sympathy for each other grow considerable. The relative large number of Dutch troops in some parts Dutch Belgium showed the local population that the “Hollanders” weren’t that bad and not most of them not even Protestant. To the Flemish soldiers it was some of an eye opener to see or hear officers speaking in your own language. Although it must be said that in 1914 nearly all Dutch people spoke a local dialect or strong accent. For the Dutch it was hart warming that after the flood of 1916 which caused sever damage and deaths around the Zuyderzee, the Belgian citizens held a national collection for relief support.

Since both nations were unharmed by war devastation large public projects continued or were started earlier. By 1922 king Albert officially opened the railway link between the North and the South Station of Brussels. While Queen Wilhelmina open the Afsluitdijk in 1926 closing the Zuiderzee. During the next decade two huge land reclamations were completed. The Belgian field army continued its modernisation. The Dutch navy, left the idea purchasing costly battleships, which showed no significant value during the conflict, contrary to the German submarines against French warships and merchant ships. Instead in 1918 a fleet law was accepted by parliament which had as major offensive weapon a fleet no more than 32 submarine and just six light cruisers as heavy surface units as future protection of their colonial gem, the Dutch East Indies.
The Belgian industry, in general and the heavy industry around Lige and Charleroi, kept florishing and grew during the war even more in importance. Only hampered by the shortage of labor the iron works of Liege took a considerable market share left open by the German and French heavy industry who ha to concentrate on the war effort of both nations. As mentioned earlier Belgian industry delivered to both parties, as long as it not endangered neutrality, mostly due to some loop holes.
* In OTL the Belgian industry and specially the heavy steel industry around Liege never fuly recovered from the looting and devastation inflicted by the German occupation. In TL the capital required to rebuild this industry will find an other destination. Due to the war Belgium and the Netherlands had a large positive trade defict, whihc both countries managed to keep after the war.

 

[Parma]

Great Britain and her Empire 1916-192ties

Great Britain was undoubtedly the biggest winner of the war on the European continent.

Her industry, with the competition of France and Germany removed produced an abundance of products for the rest of the world. It even supplied for millions of pound goods and supplies to France, to the extend it nearly endangered her neutrality. The neutrality of Great Britain was a bit different than that of the Low Countries, beiing a world power, non of the belligerents wanted that the UK would get involved with it on the opposite side. The City made billions of pounds, in loans to France against ever increasing interest rates, and in a bit lesser extend to Russia.

Right after the outbreak of hostilities there was a certain sense of missing out. News papers, of all kind, stirred up anti German sentiments in the years before the war. Now war between France and Germany did broke out, the same news papers demanded British involvement in this conflict to stop the "Hun" against the poor French. This mood turned a bit after France made the first moves and not Germany. And after the first news reports from the French front entered the British newspapers , describing the carnage of the battle of Loraine, where French soldiers, with their red trousers were shot to pulp in massive head on attacks against the Germans. The mood changed in an attitude of “good that our boys are not in this mess” or “British Generals would not be so daft to sent our soldiers in this pointless attacks”. Since the war was pretty well reported, surprisingly form all fonts and sides, the British news paper reader had a quite well informed idea, including graphic photographs, of the horrors this new war brought. When the war was not ended by Christmas 1914 the last ones who thought Britain missed an opportunity changed there minds.

The neutrality of Great Britain had a significant effect on British society, or better said, no effect, nothing changed. The aristocracy, the upper class and the upper middle class did not have to made any concessions. The civil unrest in France hardly crossed the Channel, and thus had no effect as it had as in Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany. The economic boom during the war years, and few year after it, meant demands for higher wages in nearly all sorts of industry and trades, whihc were granted, , but politicly there were no major changes. At least not as on the continent. The Financial world did had a slight hiccup, since France and Russia could hardly pay the interest on their debts, let alone their loans.

The British Empire was, in hint sight, even the greatest winner. In order to make their overseas possession more efficient, and profitable millions of Pounds were invested during the war year in infrastructure, energy production, communication, mines, plantations and ports. Especially the African overseas possessions benefit from this. Not unimportant , the British remained morally on top as well since it did not had to sent hundred of thousands of men from the colonies to a horrific front, a place deprived of any civilisation or humanity,

In 1915 the Government of Ireland Act and the Welsh Church Act was approved by Royal Assent. Both acts were postponed for twelve months after the war on the European continent broke out. After the of the Government of Ireland Act was approved and the bicameral Irish Parliament was established in Dublin , the Unionist in Ulster, hostile to the act, increased their armed opposition. Subversive actions were made in the counties Antrim, Armagh, Down and Londonderry. This armed unrest would endure the whole next decade.

*I do not know much of this Irish conflict, so be free to add comments.

Due to the involvement of Russia in the war, the Great Game, was played again. The Caucasus front against the Ottoman Empire was the only front the Russian Empire was successful and tried to tighten their grip on the Russian part of Perisa. Persia was divided by Anglo-Russian treaty in 1907 in three influence zones, one British, one Russian and in the middle a neutral zone. Both empires strived to turn their part in a protectorate. A complicating factor for both Russia as Great Britain was the presence of Germany's Intelligence Bureau for the East. The members of this intelligence bureau were to increase German influence in Persia and to assist the Ottomans against the Russians. During the war however the focus of support changed toward the Persian Nationalist. It is thanks to this bureau that the German Empire, in 1917 did sent two cargo liners with food and simple transport means to relive the Persian population in some aera's, ravaged by Russian and Ottoman troops, were severe food shortages ocured to an extent that famine loomed. Since Great Britain was neutral, the empire did not activly occupied their Persian part to counter Ottoman actions. Only the part of Russian zone of influence and the Ottoman border had to endure the wrath of foreign soldiers and only in this part severe food shortage ocured.
*in OTL the war and the foreign troops were the major contributor of the Persian famine of 1917

 

[Parma]

The Ottoman Empire 1916-192ties

The period during and direct after the war was for the Ottoman Empire a very confusing time with changing allies and parties involved. The event are very brief and simplified described.

The Ottoman Empire was brought in the camp of the Central powers due to the sizing of the battleships Reşadiye and Sultân Osmân-ı Evvel by the British Royal Navy as part of their neutrality policy.

The Central powers and especially the German Empire experienced no much benefit of the Ottoman Empire as ally. The only positive effect was the diversion of Russian and French troops. Even with German advisors the Ottoman army proved to be inferior to the Russian and French troops resulting in significant territorial loss to the Russian army. To make matters more complex the Ottomans, by order of Enver Pasha, expelled all Armenian officers and soldiers from the Ottoman army, which was the start of the genocide on Armenians. Atrocities took already place since 1914 not only to Armenians, but also Assyrians and Greeks, all large, Christian minorities. The atrocities were well documented by American, British and German diplomats and journalist from the first two countries. Hundred of thousand Armenians managed to flee behind the lines of the advancing Russian army. The atrocities committed to Christians did put a strain on the German-Ottoman relations after to very poor conduct of war. The German relations deteriorated more since the German military advisors were blamed as well for the Ottoman retreat. Furter German diplomats were told that the German and Austrian Empire were not helping the Ottomans enough. Most likely that Germany re-evaluated her position towards the Ottoman Empire after the peace conferences were Russia and France had to give up all conquered land. Given the poor performance of the Ottomans this was a generous offer, how ever the Ottoman diplomats and politicians saw this differently and blamed the German and Austrians for this poor peace result. After it became clear the French and Russians had to leave Ottoman territory a massive movement of refugees emerged. Hundred of thousand of Armenians living or fled to Russian occupied territory fled to Russian Armenia. Dramatic scenes erupted in Erzurum and Van. But a true tragedy happened in Alexandretta where thousands of Armenian, Assyrian and Greek tried to leave the port with what ever was afloat. People begging to enter French navy ships. The atrocities did continued after the peace treaties were signed.

In Great Britain, the powers that may be, came to the conclusion that the Ottoman Empire was a nuisance which stood in the way of British interest. Even before the war it was clear that in the Iraq, region and possible the Arabian peninsula of the Ottoman Empire, the ground held large deposits of hydrocarbons. The war made it all clear that the next energy source will be Petroleum.

In 1917 the British started the Arabian revolt. At the same year the Germans hand over to the Greek Navy the battleship Salamis. Which infuriated the Ottomans. Unnoticed due to the turmoil was the commissioning of four U-boats to the Greeks as well.

Due to the war the Germans re-evaluated their position in the Middle East. In Persia they filled the gap the Russians left and won the trust of Persian Nationalist and threaten the position of the British in their spere of influence of Persia.

If there was a deal made on high diplomatic level is unclear but there in no doubt some sort of division of the former Ottoman Empire is made between Great Britain and Germany and possible other Great Powers of Europe even nations who were less than two years involved in one of the bloodiest wars humanity had ever seen.

In 1918 The Greeks were persuaded to invade the Ottoman Empire in order to secure the mainly Greek populated region of Smirna. The Greek army however was quit successful and during the following years they conquered far more territory.

The Persians, backed by German advisors invade the Iraq region and advanced even West of the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. At the same time Germany initiated a Kurdish revolt.

Russia, and France, despite the domestic unrest in instability the countries still recovered from or endured, supplied the Armenian and Assyrian rebel armies of weapons and supplies. The French tried to initiate a revolt of Assyrians with mix result. The Russians were far more successful, due to the large number of refugees. During the Russian unrest in 1916 to 1917 the situation in Russian Armenia and Azerbaijan was explosive. Large scale ethnic violence committed in Russian Armenia and Azerbaijan with mainly Armenians as victims. The Russian army had to force order in 1917. In this environment it was easy to erect an Russian-Armenian army. This force invade with success the Ottoman Empire.

Even the Ottomans manged to defeat the invaders two time the Empire was completely isolated. By 1920 an request for armistice was negotiated. After lengthy negotiations a peace treaty was signed at Lausanne. The treaty was effectively the dissolvement of the Ottoman empire. The Greeks would annex complete Western Anatolia including Istanbul, renamed Constantinople. The Greeks however had to guaranty free passage and neutrality of the Bosporus. The Armenians carved out their own state, Russian/Armenian army conquered nearly equalling the territory the the Russians did in 1916. The Kurd would get their own state as well, no plebiscite would be held. The Persians could move their border West of the river Euphrates in the South of the Iraq territory. Bagdad would be part of British protectorates. The British could call the Arabian peninsula up to the Jordan river and the Mediterranean coast as their protectorate. The French received as protectorate the area of Syria, which they split up in department of Aleppo, Druze, Alevite, Damascus, Lebanon and Alexandretta. The rump state of the Ottoman Empire renamed it to the Republic of Turkey.

The rupture of the Ottoman Empire was not seen in modern history, neither the ferocity of foreign nations to rip an empire appart for their own benefits and goals. All new independent states where de-facto protectorates of one of the European powers.

 

[Parma]

Aviation, a possible near future after this Great European war....1916-192ties



Although the conflict saw the first large scale use of aeroplanes as scouts which during the conflict were equipped with ever sophisticated armament with the aim to shoot the opponent aeroplane out of the sky. Eventually evolving in the first purpose build fighter in 1915 as the Fokker Eindecker. Despite the quick development of this flying machines, the potential of the airplane was not fully used in the conflict. At the very mobile East front the few airplanes, remained primary used as scout and for artillery's observation.

At the West front the airplanes were a bit more frequent used and saw the emerge of the fighter. From simple balsa wood machine the war ended with sophisticates fighter as the SPAD S.VII, Nieuport 16 and German Albatros III. At the end of the conflict it were primary the French who deployed larger airplanes, like the Voisin E.28, who were able to carry bombs, converted artillery grenades, in a desperate attempt to break the German defence lines. Alhtough the Germans deployed large Gotha bombers and even experimented with so called “giant “bombers, machines with four engines.

The limited use of this new thing like heavier than air airplanes did not mean there were no men who saw the potential of this machine.

Especially in Germany, the big winner of the conflict, not hampered by treaty restrictions and home of quite a lot of promising aeronautical engineers and entrepreneurs.

There for it was not a military conflict who accelerated the development of this new means of transportation but good old fashion capitalism and economic competition.

DELAG, acronym for Deutsche Luftschifffahrts-Aktiengesellschaft (German for "German Airship Travel Corporation"), was the world's first airline to use an aircraft in revenue service. It operated a fleet of zeppelin rigid airships manufactured by the Luftschiffbau Zeppelin Corporation. Its headquarters were located in Frankfurt, Germany. DELAG was founded on 16 November 1909 as a commercial passenger-carrying offshoot of Zeppelin Luftschiffbau.

By July 1914, one month prior to the start of the First World War, DELAG's Zeppelins had transported a total of 34,028 passengers on 1,588 commercial flights; over these trips, the fleet had accumulated 172,535 kilometres across 3,176 hours of flight.

DELAG's zeppelin fleet was pressed into service to aid Germany's war effort. LZ 11, LZ 13, and LZ 17 were all operated by the German Army and primarily used as bombers, with limited success.

Following the conflict's end, DELAG quickly set about to relaunch its commercial zeppelin operations.

Initially, the company intended to use the both new and more aero dynamic LZ 120 Bodensee and LZ 121 Nordstern to help reconnect the German cities. The renewed domestic lines were quickly expanded by more European cities. By 1921 there were regular flights between Berlin-London with stop-overs at Dusseldorf and Rotterdam. But as well to Vienna, Budapest, Rome, Copenhagen, Stockholm and Warsaw. The in the first half of the 20ties build LZ 122 Nordsee and LZ 123 Mittelmeer, larger versions of the Bodensee and Nordstern were the first who started intercontinental lines to Brazzaville with a stop at Duala.



The success of these airships encouraged aircraft designers as Hugo Junkers and Claude Dornier, to design and construct heavier than air aircraft who tried to compete with these DELAG airships, with every aircraft model they build with increasing speed, reliability and luxury.

The aircraft designs of these men and other aircraft manufacturers like Fokker spurred the need for ever more powerful and reliable aircraft engines.

Junkers saw a successful line of aircraft designs who increased in size from the small all metal Junkers J 1 and F-13 to the single-engine G.24 and three-engine G.31 and four engine Junkers G.38.

And eventually in the enormous four-engine 80-passenger plane, incorporating a forward canard wing, as well as a main wing, both of which were fitted above twin pylons. Called the Junkers J.1000 Super Duck passenger seating was to be provided both in the main wing and the hull sections of the craft.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b1/6b/18/b16b18e931f114b916d3f707482ed732.jpg

Junkers J1000

Dornier focused on ever larger and luxury fly boats with in 1924 the Dornier Do X series , first flight in 1924 as temporary zenith.

Anthony Fokker, more pilot and businessman than engineer seemed initially the more commercial successful of the number of aircraft manufacturers. Due to investments from the Netherlnads he expanded with a construction yard close to Amsterdam and later in the USA. His much smaller planes were economic for smaller airlines and postal delivery services in Europe and the USA. The Fokker F.VII trimotor was one of the best selling planes and set a standard for a time. However Anthony Fokker was more businessman and no aeronautical engineer and his company lost the technologic contest and soon the commercial one. At the start of the thirties the factories in Germany and the USA had to be closed and the small factory at Amsterdam survived thanks to a consortium of Dutch investors and the Dutch State.

Gotha, Gothaer Waggonfabrik, never expanded its airplane manufacturing division and remained focussed on railroad stock, engines, cars, motors for various uses, including airplanes and only small airplanes. Even Gotha disinged and build one of the largest airplanes of the war.

All these heavier than air aircraft successfully compete the larger and slower airships and by the start of the 30ties, also due to the enter of the very sophisticated USA airline designs by Douglas and Boeing,. Although DELAG build several ever larger and luxury airships during the twenties and early thirties, it lost more and more market share over the airliners who used airplanes and could only compete in transatlantic lines to New York and Buenos Aires.

 

[Parma]

Automobiles, Lorries and motorbikes

The manufacturing of automobiles took a great flight after the Great War. In the USA Henry Ford, Louis Chevrolet, William Durant, were one of the major entrepreneurs who wereresponisble for the motorisation of the citizens of the USA.
In Germany Daimler Benz and several others continued with the manufacturing of cars but mostly aimed at the upper middle class and high clsaa of the society and lorries, motor bikes and engines.
Belgium had the most manufacturers of automobiles of the world, compared to the size of the nation. Many of the Belgian car makers profit of the unique situation of Belgium. Belgium styed neutral during the Great war, the industry was completely unmolested during the conflict. The whole nation profit greatly of the beligerent parties. Despite the mobilisation and the cost of it the nation and her citizens had money to spent.
The brands of Belgian car and motor manufacturers who become very large in Europe in the next two decades were;

• Imperia (OTL factory was robbed empty in WW1)
• Ateliers Teixeira Automobiles ATA ( Portuguese Belgian, Dutch brand, terminated due to WW1 OTL)
• Linon, ( seized production OTL WW1)
• Alfa Legia (started in 1914 terminated in 1914 duet to WW1 OTL)
• D' Aoust, sports cars
• Juwel, started mass prodcution of affordable cars in the 1923 ( did not ocure due to lack of funds)
• Bercley, motorbike manufacturer, become large due to large orders for the Belgian army during the mobilisation.
• Bovy, lorry manufacturer, major suplier of lorries to the Belgian army since the mobilisation of 1914
• Flandria, bike manufacturer who start prduction of motorbikes since the early 30ties
• Excelsior
• Dasse, lories and utility vehicles like firetrucks
• FIF (terminated production due to WW1 OTL)
• Miese, manufacturer of engines, cars and lorries
• Minerva, luxury cars, motor bikes, engines, lorries, armored vehicles (heavy affected due to WW1 but recovered OTL)
• Sava/Royal Star engines, motorbikes, cars and armored vehicles (never recovered due to WW1 OTL)
• During the thirties a consolidation took places and resulting in half a dozen manufactures while many continied to use the former names as brand names.