TL: The War of Dogger Bank, or the Anglo-Russian War - Version 2

[WarlordGandhi]

Hey all!
About a year and a half ago I started a timeline about what if the Dogger bank incident had led to a war between Russia and Great Britain in 1904: link here
I have decided that that TL was flawed and made fatal errors, and so I am starting version 2 here in a different format. I will be keeping some stuff from version 1 but discarding nearly everything else
So here is entry 1 of Version 2


1904 The break in the timeline

January: Russo-Japanese negotiations over the status of Korea and Manchuria break down. Japan begins preparing for an offensive against the Russians in Far East Asia

February: Japan recalls their ambassador and severs diplomatic ties with Russia. The Japanese Navy attacks Port Arthur

February: Due to the Anglo-Japanese alliance and current Russophobia in Great Britain, the Japanese and British agree to share intelligence regarding Russian war efforts

April: Anglo-Russian relations, never good to begin with, steadily deteriorate

April: Battle of the Yalu River: The Japanese advance through Korea arrives at the Yalu River

May: Battle of the Yalu River: The Japanese cross the Yalu River and majorly defeat the Russian Eastern Detachment, who retreat north

July: Due to the tensions with Russia, Vice Admiral Lord Charles Beresford begins conducting regular training exercises and patrols in the North Sea with the British Channel Fleet

August: Battle of The Yellow Sea: The Russian First Pacific Squadron attempts to break out of the siege of Port Arthur, but they are forced back to Port Arthur with heavy damage to the Russian ships

October: The Russian Baltic Fleet is renamed the Second Pacific Squadron and is redeployed under Admiral Zinovy Rozhestvensky with orders to overwhelm the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Second Pacific Squadron sets sail from St Petersburg with Vladivostok as it’s destination

October: POD The Battle of Dogger Bank: The lead battleship of the Second Pacific Squadron, the Oryol, fires on the British Cruiser Dido, believing it to be a Japanese Cruiser operating in the North Sea. The Dido is sunk but radios word of the attack to Beresford, who orders his battleships north.

October: The Battle of Dogger Bank: Utilising their superior speed, the British Channel Fleet engage the Russians and cross the T. The ensuing barrage sees the battleships Oryol and Navarin fatally damaged. The Imperator Aleksander II and the Oslyaba are crippled by a torpedo run by several destroyers, while the Kynaz Surovov and the Sissoi Veliky are left dead in the water. The British battleship Swiftsure explodes from a magazine detonation caused by fire from the Borodino, which explodes several minutes later from another torpedo run. The remaining Russian battleship Imperator Nikolai I, as well as two destroyers manages to disengage by nightfall. The Battle of Dogger Bank is a decisive British victory.

October: Russophobe hysteria grips Great Britiain. Anti-Russian protests threaten to break into riots outside the Russian embassy. Tsar Nicholas II sends vague offers of peace and compensation upon the advice of his cabinet

October: Hartlepool incident: The Russian ship Kamchatka, who appeared to have avoided the Battle of Dogger Bank, shells the seaside town of Hartlepool, killing 10 and wounding several more. Anti-Russian hysteria reaches its peak. The captain of the Kamchatka is known to have regularly been drunk while commanding his ship

October: Russian offers of peace and negotiations are rejected by British Parliament and are followed up by a declaration of war. The Anglo-Russian War, more commonly known as the War of Dogger Bank, begins on the 22nd of October 1904

October: With the outbreak of war between Russia and Great Britain, France declares neutrality, declaring that Russia was the aggressor. The French ledearship acknowledge their incapacity to go to war with Great Britain

October: The Royal Navy issues a commission investigating greater protection for battleship magazines, an oversight that doomed the Swiftsure

November: Tsar Nicholas II fires his cabinet, crucially including Sergei Witte, chairman of the committee of ministers. Nicholas II claims that it was the advice of his cabinet that caused the war.

November: The Royal Navy begins operations in the White, North and Mediterranean Seas, blockading Russian commerce. They sink any ship flying the Russian flag

November: Theodore Roosevelt is re-elected President of the United States for a second term

December: Losses from the wars with Japan and Great Britain, as well as an inability to break the British blockade cause the already fragile Russian economy to crumble

December: Port Arthur, disheartened after news of the war with Britain, surrenders to the Japanese. The siege of Port Arthur ends after five months

December: Anti-war protests begin organising across Russia in response to the worsening economic conditions. These protests, however, remain largely peaceful and the protesters have not yet turned against the Tsar

December: The Finns remake their constitution and form a new national Diet based on universal suffrage. They begin negotiations with the Tsar for greater autonomy, with little headway

December: Polish militias begin an insurgency, seizing Lodz, with little resistance from the demoralised Russian army



As always constructive feedback is welcomed, and I will be attempting to upload updates fortnightly

 

[WarlordGandhi]

Here is the finalised update

1905 Part One - Rule Britannia?

January: The British Far Eastern Expeditionary Force (primarily troops from Australian and British India), numbering 15,000 men arrives in Korea to fight alongside the Japanese in Manchuria. British and Japanese forces fighting together results in increased Anglophile and Japanophile feeling in both countries

January: Following the Polish uprising, separatist groups in the Caucasus, Lithuania and the Ukraine begin organising

January: Great Britain and Japan begins covertly supplying the separatist movements in Russia, aiding them with guns and supplies

January: Bloody Monday: A peaceful protest outside the Winter Palace quickly turns violent as the palace guards fire onto the crowd. The ensuing bloodshed results in 35 people dead and many more injured. The Tsar is now labbled as "Nicholas the Bloody" by the many protesters and workers of Russia

January: The St. Petersburg and Moscow Soviets are formed to represent the workers of Russia. Many more Soviets are formed in other cities soon after. The St. Petersburg Soviet is crucially led by Leon Trotsky

January: As a result of Bloody Monday, Cossack forces begin revolting in the Kuban.

February: The Battle of Mukden ends in a decisive victory for the combined Anglo-Japanese army. Russian units in the far east are completely shattered and cannot prevent a Japanese occupation of Manchuria.

February: The Japanese occupy Sakhalin

February: Menshevik and Left leaning SR leaders take command of the growing protests in Russia. The protests become more organised and paralysing. As a result, the Russian economy fully collapses

February: Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany arrives in Tangier and confers with representatives of the Sultan of Morocco. Germany declares they support the sovereignty of Morocco

March: Battle of Warsaw: Polish nationalist militias rise up in Warsaw, coinciding with an attack by Polish militias in Lodz

March: Due to France essentially having no allies in Europe, the French agree to German demands for a multilateral conference to be held in Algeciras. Representatives from Germany, Austria-Hungary, France, Great Britain, Italy, Spain and the United States. Japan will send a delegation as an observer.

March: Protests in Moscow and St Petersburg number in the hundreds of thousands. Russian soldiers begin defecting to the Soviets

March: Russia sues for peace. Tsar Nicholas II and his close advisors travel to Liverpool for peace negotiations, hoping that his presence would make the British more lenient

April: Battle of Warsaw: Warsaw falls to Polish militias, shattered Russian forces retreat eastwards amid mass desertion

April: Leon Trotsky organises the Soviet Guard, a paramilitary group operating on behalf of the Soviets. It is formed primarily from defecting soldiers and officers from the former Tsarist army

April: Treaty of Liverpool: Despite the Tsar’s wishes, Britain and Japan impose a harsh peace on Russia. Some of the more important terms of the Treaty of Liverpool include:

-Russia will acknowledge Korea and Inner Manchuria as part of Japans sphere of influence

-Russia will cede control of Sakhalin and Port Arthur to the Empire of Japan, and abandon her ambitions on China

-Vladivostok will be demilitarised for 10 years

-Russia will pay 10 million pounds to Japan and Great Britain in war reparations

-Russia will fully compensate the families of those lost in the Battle of Dogger Bank

-Russia will limit its Far Eastern Fleet to one capital ships, as well as escorts

-Russia will abandon its ambitions on Persia, Afghanistan and the Ottoman Empire

May: The May Revolution: The Tsar is refused re-entry to St Petersburg upon his return from peace negotiations in Liverpool. The Soviet Guard under Trotsky storms the winter palace and arrests government officials still loyal to the Tsar. The Soviet Republic of Russia is proclaimed by Julius Martov and Leon Trotsky. Elections for the new Peoples Duma are scheduled for July. Crucially, the Provisional government refuses to negotiate nor acknowledge the various separatist groups fighting within the former Tsarist Russia

May: The Russian Royal family flees to Germany, where they find refuge in the royal court of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Tsar Nicholas II does not relinquish his claim to the Russian throne. Many Russian aristocrats, including Grand Duke Michael flee into Central Asia and begin planning for a resistance against the new democratic socialist government.

May: Vladimir Lenin arrives in Moscow from Switzerland

May: Finland declares independence and begins fighting the provisional government

May: Kiev is abandoned to Ukrainian nationalists, who secure the city from disintegrating Russian troops

June: Battle of Brest: Polish militias drive towards Brest in an effort to take the city before the Provisional Government consolidates their power

June: Ukrainian forces, following their consolidation of Kiev, cross the river Dnieper and advance eastward. They quickly take Poltava and Zaporizhia

Next update: 1905 Part 2 -Good God what have we done

 

[WarlordGandhi]

Update!

1905 Part 2 - Good God what have we done

July: Election of the Peoples Duma occurs. Gerrymandering results in the Mensheviks/Left SR coalition achieving absolute control of the Peoples Duma. Martov is elected as Prime Commissar of the Soviet Republic of Russia, with Trotsky elected Commissar of War, and Maria Spiridonova elected Commissar of the Peasantry. The Soviet Guard is proclaimed the military of the Soviet Republic. St. Petersburg is renamed Petrograd.

July: Beginning of the Russian Civil War: Conservative and Tsarist forces declare the results of the election to be fraudulent. Tsarist governments are declared in Siberia, while Right SRs and other conservatives side with the Cossacks who have already revolted against the new government in the Kuban. An uprising by reactionary army generals also occurs in White Russia. The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin seize control of several areas in Moscow, declaring the new government to be against the will of the workers

July: Lithuanian separatists have cleared Lithuania of Russian troops and now advance to the Daugava River to establish an effective defensive line along the river

July: Germany and Austria Hungary covertly pledge support for Tsarist forces in Central Asia in return for secret agreements for Russia to keep out of the Balkans once they retake power

July: The Japanese move into Outer Manchuria without resistance on the pretext of protecting shipping in the area

July: Battle of Brest: Polish militias take Brest from shattered Russian units. There is a mass defection to conservative forces in White Russia

August: Tsarist forces in Yekaterinburg declare Grand Duke Michael as the legitimate Tsar Michael II. Due to German backing of these Tsarist Forces, Kaiser Wilhelm II pressures Nicholas II to quietly abdicate his throne in favour of Tsar Michael II to ensure that all Tsarist forces unite behind Michael.

August: The Bolshevik revolt is crushed by Soviet Guards led by Trotsky. Lenin is captured and imprisoned, awaiting trial.

August: The Army of White Russia, led by Victor Sakharov and 90,000 men strong attack in the direction of Smolensk, using Minsk as a staging area

August: 100,000 Soviet Guards under Aleksei Baiov begin organising in Kharkov, with orders to launch a campaign to take back Kiev and crush the Ukrainian insurgency

August: The Algeciras Conference occurs. Germany attempts to obtain international prestige by gaining multiple concessions from France to show their power. The conference quickly splits into two blocs, with Austria-Hungary backing Germany, and Great Britain, Spain and the United States backing France. Italy initially abstains, but backs France after the French agree to give Italy a free hand in Libya. The Japanese observers are pro-French as well

August: Cossack and Conservative armies numbering 70,000 strong under Alexander von Kaulbars begin establishing a defence along the line of Tsaritsyn to Rostov, believing an attack by Soviet Guards to be imminent. Cossacks begin conducting raids to the north

August: Poland, having driven Russian forces out of Congress Poland declares full independence. A transitionary government led by Jozef Pilsudski is formed in Warsaw. However, alarmed by the prospect of an independent Polish state on their border, Germany and Austria-Hungary begin amassing troops on the border for a planned armed intervention to begin in early September

August: Finnish forces establish a perimeter around the north of Petrograd, but do not advance on the city itself

Next: 1905 Part 3 Red, White and Black

 

[WarlordGandhi]

Nice update @WarlordGandhi

However ... as usual some ... nitpicking questions

What happened to the franco-russian alliance of 1894 ?
How was the russian reaction to the french ... desinterest in its ally being beaten by the brits ?
Also the french position against the Russia 'attacking' Poland ?
And wouldn't Finland and the Ukraine also have to be seen as 'agressors' against Russia nibbling on its territory (though not named in the wordings of the alliance) ?

With the Romanows going to Berlin instead of Paris ... might be a 'sign' already ?

Also :
Who will be seen by the 'international community' as the 'successor' in the russian goverments legal rights and obligations internationally ? (assets as well as debts i.e. ...)

Also :
It looks a wee bit surreal to me, that at the Algericas-Conference ITTL Russia won't be a 'theme' with all these Great or Big or formerly Big (Spain) Powers sitting on a table together.

France dishonoured the alliance, as honouring it would have brought France into a war with Great Britain, which would have ended badly for France. Obviously the Russians felt understandably betrayed but there was nothing they could really do.

All I will say now is that noone recognises the Soviet Republic

Algeciras Conference will address this soon

One thing's for certain; the great powers have a burning powder keg on their hands.




I fully agree that Germany and A-H cannot tolerate an independent Poland; the question is how will the other Great Powers react?

BTW any chance of a map showing what areas of Russia are controlled by which factions? Or at least a list?

If you guys want me to make a map of the situation just comment and I will do so, just like right here
Here is the situation in Europe August of 1905

 

[WarlordGandhi]

Update!

1905 Part 3 Red, White and Black

September: Germany and Austria-Hungary issue an ultimatum to Poland; accept a Central Powers monarch on the throne of Poland and allow German and Austro-Hungarian troops access through Poland. Pilsudski reluctantly agrees to the demands under threat of invasion. German and Austro-Hungarian troops enter and quickly secure the country. The only major countries to have recognised Poland, Japan and the United States issue diplomatic protests but are unable to do anything else. Roman Dmowski and the National Democratic Party go underground and launch a terrorist campaign to rid Poland of the “Hunnic dogs”

September: The Lithuanians establish a defensive line along the Daugava and seize the city of Riga with little resistance

September: Tsar Nicholas II formally abdicates and retires to a country estate in Potsdam. All Tsarist armies in Russia declare allegiance to the government operating out of Yekaterinburg

September: Battle of Smolensk: Sakharov’s forces begin attacks on forces lead by Trotsky (numbering 70,000) defending the approaches to Smolensk, taking Vitebsk and Mogilev by the end of September

September: Ottoman forces move into Batum and Kars with minimal resistance, and prepare to advance on Tbilisi, claiming to be safeguarding the local population

September: With the ongoing situation in Russia, the Algeciras Conference quickly turns its focus from Morocco to what to with Russia. The Germany, Austria-Hungary, Spain and Italy advocate for support to be sent to Tsarist forces, while France, Great Britain and the United States advocate for support to be sent to Republican forces. The invasion of Poland by Germany and Austria-Hungary almost causes the already fragile conference to fall apart.

September: Baiov begins attacking in the direction of Kiev, leaving minimal forces screening his flank, believing that Conservative forces in the Kuban are of minimal threat

October: Germany and Austria-Hungary start building a puppet government in Poland. However, they differ on whether a Hohenzollern or a Habsburg should assume the Polish throne.

October: Battle of Smolensk: Sakharok is forced to call of his offensive just short of Smolensk amid heavy resistance, and the worsening winter

October: Lithuanian separatists formally declare the Republic of Greater Lithuania. They quickly align themselves with Germany

October: The Ottomans move on Tiflis. By the end of the month, most of Georgia is secure, and the Ottomans have linked up with the Azerbaijani rebels. The Ottomans give international recognition to the Azerbaijan in return for a defensive alliance and a share on the oil fields of Baku. Both Azerbaijan and the Ottomans make plans to crush the neighbouring Armenian revolt.

October: Battle of Poltava: Baiov’s army makes strong head way against poorly organised Ukrainian militias who quickly fall back towards the Dnieper

November: The powers attending the Algeciras Conference finally come to an agreement. The sovereignty of Morocco is recognised as fully independent. However, France is given control of the port of Casablanca. In regards to Russia, it is agreed to send support to both the Tsarist and Republican forces as each state saw fit.

November: HMS Dreadnought is laid down by the British, with increased amounts of magazine protection then what was originally designed

November: Romanian forces move into Bessarabia on the pretext of protecting local Romanians

November: Turks in Central Asia declare an independent Turkestan with Ottoman support. They seize Tashkent in a matter of days

November: The National Republic of Byelorussia is declared by Sakharov, who becomes the states de facto dictator

November: Battle of Poltava: Due to partisan forces disrupting his supply lines and a worsening winter, Baiov stops his offensive after retaking Poltava

December: Representatives from France arrive in London to discuss the solidification of the Entente-Cordial into a full military alliance between France and Great Britain. France also sends out diplomatic feelers to Japan regarding a similar alliance in order to counter German influence in the Pacific

December: With Ukraine unable to be retaken, and a lack of trade with other countries, famine is now imminent in Russia. Martov is forced to issue strict rationing laws in order to delay the looming disaster.

December: The Soviet Republic moves their capital to Moscow, believing it to be better defended than Petrograd

 

[WarlordGandhi]

Update!

1906 Part One The reign of Wladyslaw

January: Von Kaulbars, believing the Soviets to be overextended after their offensive against the Ukrainians, begins plans for an offensive north to break through and take Voronezh. Baiov in the meantime prepares to renew his offensive against the Ukrainians

January: Germany begins to covertly supply the National Republic of Byelorussia with arms in return for a guarantee by Sakharov to re-join a victorious Tsarist government as an autonomous protectorate. However, Sakharov has no intention of resuming the offensive towards Moscow, believing that the Tsarists will not be able to win the civil war and so believes he has a better chance of preserving his dictatorship by staying on the defence.

February: The 1906 United Kingdom general election is held. The Conservatives led by Arthur Balfour are narrowly defeated by the Liberals led by Henry Campbell-Bannerman. Despite having been deeply unpopular prior to 1905, British victory in the War of Dogger Bank bring Conservative popularity back high enough to almost win re-election.

February: The trial of Vladimir Lenin occurs. Despite calls for execution, Lenin is exiled from Russia and arrives in France.

March: The HMS Dreadnought is launched. All other capital ships in navies around the world are immediately obsolete. Major nations begin hastily designing Dreadnought class ships for their own navies.

March: France signs a military and defensive alliance known as the Western Entente with Great Britain. Both sides pledge to defend each other in the event of a war with an external power. France also signs a defensive alliance with Japan, mirroring the Anglo-Japanese Alliance

March: Second Battle of Smolensk: Having reinforced his army to 110,000 men Trotsky attacks the Army of White Russia in an attempt to retake Minsk and destroy Byelorussia. However, despite having minor numerical superiority, his troops run into well entrenched and armed Byelorussians, and take heavy losses without a breakthrough.

March: Ottoman forces push on Yerevan to crush the Armenian revolt. However, there advance is slow, as the Ottoman incursion into Russian Armenia prompts an uprising by Armenians living within the Ottoman Empire. Repression of the revolt is brutal, with Ottoman troops cracking down on Armenian civilians as well

March: Battle of Perm: Tsarist Russian forces cross the Urals and drive towards Perm. The Tsarist advance is slow due to horrendous infrastructure and determined resistance by local Soviet Guards

March: French and British produced arms and munitions begin arriving in Republican controlled Kuban

April: In response to the Western Entente and the Franco-Japanese Alliance, Germany begins sending out diplomatic feelers to the Chinese Qing government

April: Battle of Kiev: Baiov’s army resumes the offensive. However, the Ukrainians continue to wage guerrilla warfare and launch raiding attacks on Baiov’s rear and supply lines, while continually retreating west towards the Dnieper. Baiov advances slowly but surely

May: Battle of Voronezh: The Kuban Army under von Kaulbars launches its offensive north. His army quickly breaks through the outstretched forces on Baiov’s flank and quickly advances.

May: Battle of Kiev: With the offensive from the Kuban threatening his rear, Baiov calls of his offensive just short of the Dnieper river

June: Battle of Voronezh: Recognising that he is in danger of being cut off and encircled, Baiov withdraws his army north west in order to establish a defensive line from Belgorod to Voronezh

June: After months of debate between Germany and Austria-Hungary over the new monarch of a Central Powers Poland, Germanys greater role in the intervention means that they eventually win out. Prince Joachim of Prussia, youngest son of Kaiser Wilhelm II is chosen to become King Wladyslaw V of Poland. In the new Polish constitution (which is very similar to Germany’s constitution), the King is head of state and has the power to represent Poland in foreign affairs, while the Parliament (Sejm) requires his consent to pass laws. The Sejm is headed by a Prime Minister who is appointed by the King, who then has the power to appoint his cabinet. Elections to the Sejm are scheduled for September. NDP and other underground groups intensify their terrorist campaign against the “foreign puppet”.

June: Battle of Perm: The Tsarists finally take Perm from the Soviets but are exhausted and are unable to advance any further. They dig in to await the expected Soviet counterattack.

June: Second Battle of Smolensk: Soviet Guards under Trotsky finally breakthrough the Belorussian lines but are unable to exploit the breakthrough. The Byelorussians fall back to Vitebsk and Mogilev and prepare to fight a defence of the two cities.

June: German General von Mackensen arrives in Beijing. He and Viceroy Yuan Shikai found a military academy in Beijing to serve as a basis for a new professional Qing Army. Von Mackensen also serves as an advisor to Yuan’s New Army.

June: With the ongoing Armenian revolt, Ottoman forces begin rounding up Armenians into poorly constructed concentration camps throughout eastern Anatolia.

 

[WarlordGandhi]

I hope everyone is having a happy Christmas!


1906 Part Two - General Winter

July: Second Battle of Smolensk: The Soviet advance against Byelorussia grinds to a halt amid strong Byelorussian defences running from Vitebsk then along the Dnieper River

July: Battle of Voronezh: Baiov’s army, disorganised after its hasty retreat to Voronezh barely manages to hold of the Kuban Army’s first assault on the city. However, Baiov’s forces sustains major losses in two successive attempted counteroffensive against the Republicans.

July: The Ottoman conquest of Armenia is completed. In accordance with their earlier agreement in Azerbaijan, an oil pipeline from Baku to the port of Trabzon begins construction

August: The German Empire steps up its involvement in the Russian Civil War, sending the 35. Division to aid the Byelorussians in their defence of Vitebsk. The French step up their shipments of supplies to the Republicans in the Kuban, with plans to ship the 2nd Foreign Regiment to the area.

August: Battle of Voronezh: Having reorganised for another attack, von Kaulbars feints an attack towards Voronezh in order to draw out the predicted counterattack by the Soviet Guards. The plan works, as Baiov rashly orders his forces forward against the supposedly weakened Republicans. The Republicans cut off the overextended Soviet Guards, and destroy 40,000 of Baoiv’s army, of which the majority are taken prisoner or desert. Baoiv is left with 40,000 men facing the 80,000 strong Kuban Army.

August: Battle of Perm: A determined attack by Soviet Guards drives the Tsarist Armies from Perm briefly, but a counterattack retakes the city for the Tsarist once again.

August: Second Battle of Smolensk: Trotsky launches another attack at the Byelorussians, this time attempted to break the Byelorussian lines at Rechytsa but is once again unable to cross the Dnieper.

September: Battle of Voronezh: Baiov is unable to prevent Voronezh from falling to a fresh Republican assault, leaving the road to Moscow wide open. Due to his failures, Baiov is sacked, and replaced by Vladimir Smirnov, who begins to fight a delaying action against the quickly advancing Republicans, aiming to stall them for long enough until the onset of winter.

September: In order to hopefully revitalise the strained Soviet economy, Martov implements the policy of Market Socialism, which allows private individuals to own small businesses, while also maintaining the full nationalisation of large industries. Further, the Soviet government established quotas on peasant farms, in the form of financial incentives for a percentage of grain grown (to be paid once the civil war was over), to hopefully mitigate the beginning effects of famine.

September: Second Battle of Smolensk: With the Byelorussian lines showing signs of cracking under Soviet pressure, the Germans send the rest of XVII. Armeekorps in the form of the 36. Division. These substantial German reinforcements cause Trotsky to call of his offensive and dig in for the winter.

October: The 2nd Foreign Regiment arrives in the Kuban to begin fighting alongside the Republican armies.

October: Battle of Voronezh: Von Kaulbars halts his offensive around 350km south of Moscow. A lack of supplies and worsening weather forces the Republicans to dig in for the winter.

November: With the Soviets gone from Ukraine, a civilian government is set up in Kiev. They immediately ask Germany to send advisers to create a modern army for Ukraine

December: The fortress of Sevastopol along with the rest of the Crimean Peninsula, having been fully cut off from the Soviets for months, surrender and defect to the Republican government

 

[WarlordGandhi]

Update!
I'm sure we all know where this is going......
Please comment thoughts and feedback!


1907 Part One - Race for Moscow


January: With the Soviet Armies seemingly on their last legs, the Germans successfully convince Sakharov to launch an offensive towards Moscow, with the German XVII. Armeekorps leading the way. The Germans aim to capture Moscow before the Republicans can. The offensive is scheduled for early April.

January: Similarly, Republican armies under Von Kaulbars prepare for an offensive north to take Moscow before the Byellorussians can. Their attack is scheduled for late March.

January: Despite the food situation improving due to the policy of Market Socialism, the Soviets are nevertheless in a dire state. Trotsky convinces Martov that Moscow must be defended to the last man. The idea is to slowly fall back to Moscow (which will be a fortress), making both the Tsarists (Byellorussians) and the Republicans pay with every drop of blood.

February: The Dowager Empress Cixi dies from a stroke, prompting large scale unrest within the Qing Empire. The Tongmenghui launch several uprisings in Southern China, while Qing armies are paralyzed due to confusion and disorganization.

February: With the Soviets seemingly on their last legs, delegations from France, Britain and Japan meet in London. Concerned about the possibility of a German puppet Russia, the British and Japanese pledge to support France should the civil war in Russia escalate into a war with Germany.

March: With Qing rule now falling apart, Yuan Shikai’s new Army marches on Nanjing and proclaims Yuan the new President of a Republic of China with German support. The Guangxu Emperor and the infant Pu-yi are exiled to Japanese controlled Manchuria. However, the republican revolt in Southern China continues with the Japanese sending supplies and arms. Further, Western China descends into Warlord-ism.

March: Battle of Moscow: Von Kaulbars launches his offensive north towards Moscow. With another regiment of the French Foreign Legion supporting the charge, the outgunned and outnumbered Soviets are forced to fall back north with the republicans advancing at a steady pace, with only the spring mud providing a major obstacle.

April: Battle of Moscow: The Byellorussians begin attacking in the direction of Smolensk. With Soviet reserves having been mostly diverted south to meet the Republican offensive, the Byellorussians quickly break through the Soviet lines and take Smolensk by mid-April. Again, the spring mud prevents the Byellorussians from advancing any faster.

April: Battle of Moscow: With news of the Byellorussian advance, the retreat from Republican forces turns into a rout as morale collapses. Many Soviet soldiers' defect to the Republicans.

April: Facing minimal resistance, Tsarist armies in Perm once again begin advance east.

April: France begins secret negotiations with Italy, promising Italy their claims on Trentino, Istria and the Dalmatian coast should Italy join France in a war with Germany.

May: Japan formally annexes Manchuria

May: Yuan Shikai begins a campaign of securing Northern China under his rule. By this point the Tongmenghui are in full control of Southern China and have set up a government led by Sun Yat-sen based out of Guangzhou.

June: Japan sends military advisers to the Sun's government in Southern China.

June: Battle of Moscow: With Soviet armies retreating in all places, Trotsky places his reserves within Moscow for a final defense of the city. The defenders of Moscow are mostly revolutionaries who were veterans of the May revolution in 1905. Martov moves his government to Nizhny Novgorod and prepares to fight on from there. By the end of June, the Byellorussians are in Vyazma, while the Republicans take Ryazan and Tula. Moscow is within reach for both armies...

 

[WarlordGandhi]

Update! From now on for the Great War, I will be doing updates by theatre.
As always feedback and comments are appreciated!

1907 Part 2 - A shattered peace

July: Battle of Moscow: After a brief respite to let supplies catch up to them, the Byellorussians open the Battle of Moscow with a short but fierce artillery bombardment on Soviet lines at Mozhaysk. The Soviets manage to hold for 5 days but end up crumbling under Byellorussian pressure. The Soviets attempt to mount another defence at Kubinka, but are unable to and instead dig in at Odintsovo and the outskirts of Moscow. From the south the Republicans manage to establish bridgeheads over the Oka River at Stupino and Kolomna. The Republicans secure Domodedovo by the end of the month.

July: The first skirmishes between the Chinese Revolutionary and Chinese Republican armies happen as the two sides clash in Southern China. While the Revolutionaries are better equipped, the Republicans have better leaders and training. As such no side gains the upper hand.

August: Battle of Moscow: The Byellorussian and Republican advance slows considerably due to fierce house to house fighting. Losses are high on both sides, as the defending veteran Soviet guards contest every bit of ground. Despite this, both the Byellorussians and the Republicans reach the Moskva River at Ramenki and Brateyevo District respectively.

September: Battle of Moscow: While the Battle for Moscow continues to rage on, the first shots between Byellorussian and Republican forces occur as they clash at Obruchevsky District. Unintentionally, the German 36. Division and the French 1st and 2nd Foreign Regiments fire upon each other in a fierce battle in Vorontsovskiy Park, which results in stalemate and both sides nearly shattered.

September: September Crisis: With news of the clash between French and Germans in Russia, tensions skyrocket in Europe. Media in both France and Germany call for war to be declared. The last straw occurs when Kaiser Wilhelm II speak against the “French menace” and calls for the need to settle the “Russian question” once and for all. On the 29th of September, with no sign of a solution, Germany begins the mobilisation of its armed forces. France, Great Britain and Austria-Hungary quickly follow suit.

October: In accordance with plans drawn up by Field Marshall von Schlieffen, the Germans invade Luxemburg, Belgium and the Netherlands on the 11th of October without a declaration of war. Advancing quickly over Limburg and Belgium, the German army under von Moltke the younger aimed to outflank the French Army in Lorraine and hopefully destroy it.

October: Belgium and the Netherlands declare war on Germany. France, Great Britain, Japan and Austria-Hungary follow up with their own declarations of war a day later.

October: Battle of Liege: The Dutch are unable to hold Limburg and are pushed back over the River Meuse. The main Belgian defence line, centred around Liege, manages to hold the Germans as they lack enough heavy artillery to break through the Liege fortifications. However, German troops flank around the north of Liege from Limburg and cut Liege off from reinforcements. Despite this, Liege only surrenders by the end of October, giving the Western Entente enough time to establish a defensive line running from Charleroi to Eindhoven to the Dutch New Waterline.

October: Battle of Moscow: With the outbreak of war, German and Austro-Hungarian armies begin deploying to the front in Russia against both the Soviets and Republican Armies. However, the outbreak of winter means that no offensives can reasonably occur until the next year. Despite this, the Battle of Moscow continues, with the Soviets completely withdrawing over the Moskva River, leaving the Central Powers and Western-Entente forces to fight over the Southbank.

October: With German General von Mackensen in Republican China as an advisor, the Revolutionary Chinese government covertly joins the Entente and asks the Japanese to invade the Republicans from Manchuria. The Japanese offensive is scheduled for April next year.

October: Great Britain begins a naval blockade of the North Sea in an attempt to starve the Central Powers of resources. With the British having 5 Dreadnoughts built and 7 under construction, the Germans cannot hope to break the blockade (with only 1 Dreadnought built and 4 under construction).

October: France begins occupying German Kamerun while Britain begins occupying Tanganyika, Togoland and Sudwest Africa. Resistance is fairly limited in the German colonies.

November: Battle of Liege: Having taken Liege despite heavy losses, the Germans continue their offensive in an attempt to take Brussels and Antwerp, splitting the Entente from the Dutch. However, the Germans are disorganised and have lost their momentum, while the Entente are heavily dug in, with machine gun emplacements and trenches quickly becoming a common sight along the Western front. The Germans suffer heavy losses for very little gain.

November-December: Japanese and British marines begin occupying German colonial holdings in the Pacific. Troops from British Australia begin a campaign to bring German New Guinea

December: The Western front settles along a line of trenches and fortifications beginning at Utrecht, then to Eindhoven, Charlerois, Sedan, and along the Franco-German border.

 

[WarlordGandhi]

Update!

1908 Western Front Part One - Back and Forth


January: With reserves of nitrates and ammonia running out, Germany needs to break the western front stalemate quickly. Karl von Bülow, the new Chief of the General Staff (Moltke the Younger having been dismissed for his failure), devised a new ‘war winning’ offensive designed to split the British and French from the Belgians and Dutch. Attacking west, the Germans planned to take Brussels and Antwerp, before moving on to Ghent and Lille and driving to the coast. A follow up offensive would knock the Dutch out of the war once they were cut off from the rest of the Entente armies. Bülow aims to have this achieved by June, with the offensive scheduled for late March.

January: The Entente similarly are devising plans. While the British want to remain on the defensive for the moment in order to build up their army, the Belgians and Dutch are crying for an offensive to liberate their occupied lands, while the French want the fighting to remain on foreign soil. In the end, it is agreed for two offensives to be launched in April, one from Eindhoven in the direction of the River Meuse, and the other from Sedan in the direction of Rochefort.

February: The pre-dreadnought SMS Schleswig-Holstein is sunk in a naval engagement in the southern North Sea. Fearing the loss of more capital ships, the Imperial German Navy dials back patrols in the North Sea.

March: With the seeming weakness of the Central Powers in the Western front, the Entente finally convince Italy to join the war on their side to gain their claims on Austria-Hungary. Italy immediately attempts an offensive in Trentino but fails to advance with heavy losses.

March: Battle of Brussels: The German offensive begins with a day-long barrage of 2000 artillery guns (mostly 15cm sFH 02s) concentrated east of Leuven. With Entente reserves concentrated elsewhere, the Germans are able to break through the Entente lines after five days of heavy fighting. The Entente withdraws towards Brussels.

April: Battle of Brussels: The German offensive stalls in front of Brussels. By this time Entente reserves have stopped the Germans and Bülow is unable to breakthrough once again.

April: Battle of Weert: With German reserves diverted to Brussels, the Dutch begin their offensive towards the Meuse. However, they lack sufficient artillery to break through and suffer immense casualties as a result.

April: Battle of Bouillon: The French offensive however, takes the Germans by surprise, who believed that an offensive in the Ardennes was unlikely. As a result, the French break through easily and advance north.

May: Battle of Brussels: Having failed in his objectives and faced with enemy offensives, Bülow orders the German army to fall back to shorten his line.

May: Battle of Weert: Advancing only five kilometers and suffering tens of thousands of casualties, the Dutch call off their offensive

May: Battle of Bouillon: The French continue advancing, taking Libramont-Chevigny in mid-May. However, their advance begins slowing due to stiffening German resistance.

May: Battle of Gorizia: The Austro-Hungarians launch an offensive against the Italians and make headway towards the Tagliamento River.

June: Battle of Bouillon: The French offensive finally stops at Saint-Hubert. The French dig-in and hold off against multiple German counter-attacks until the front-line settles.

June: Battle of Gorizia: The Austro-Hungarians reach the Tagliamento River but do not cross it.

 

[WarlordGandhi]

Hey guys, here is another update! Please comment thoughts and feedback!

1908 Eastern Front Part One - Fall of the Republic?


January: With the Republican Russians deprived from Entente support and the Soviets seemingly on their last legs, the Central Powers decide to destroy the Republican forces before turning once again to deal with the Soviets. With the Battle of Moscow still raging on with immense numbers of troops within the city, the German decide to concentrate forces at Kaluga in an offensive eastward to encircle the Republican forces in Moscow.

January: Battle of Moscow: Republican forces attempt to cross the Moskva River at Lyublino District but are thrown back with heavy casualties.

February: With the promise of Crimea and Rostov, Ukraine enters the war on the side of the Central Powers. Their inexperienced army begins a slow drive to Sevastopol

February: Battle of Moscow: The Republicans once again try to cross the Moskva River, this time at Kapotnya District. However, they are finally successful and manage to establish a substantial beachhead north of the River.

March: Battle of Kaluga: After a six hour artillery bombardment, German, Austro-Hungarian and Byelorussian armies destroy the Republican positions on a line from Kaluga to Sukhinichi. Central Power cavalry immediately exploit the breakthrough and advance forward over 6 kilometers on the first day. By the end of March, the Central Powers have taken Odoyev.

March: Battle of Moscow: In coordination with the Kaluga offensive, Byellorussian troops attack the Cheremushki District, attempting to drive the Republicans but failing to do so with heavy losses.

March: Battle of Izhevsk: Tsarist forces begins a drive towards Kazan. The outnumbered Soviet troops steadily fall back to Izhevsk.

April: Battle of Kaluga: The Central Powers continue their rapid advance with the Republican lines completely disintegrating in disarray. In an attempt to preserve as much of their army as possible, the Republicans begin evacuating their part of Moscow to establish a defensive line much further South. Tula falls by the end of April. However, the entry of Italy to the war, along with Entente offensives in the Benelux, force the Germans and Austro-Hungarians to withdraw one army each from the Eastern front.

April: Battle of Moscow: Seeking to capitalize on the Republican evacuation, the Soviets launch an offensive over the Moskva River both inside and east of Moscow in the direction of Podolsk. As the Byellorussians are still recovering from fighting the previous month, the Soviets quickly advance to Vidnoye.

April: Battle of Izhevsk: The Tsarist advance begins to slow due to a lack of supplies and heavy Soviet counter attacks.

May: Battle of Kaluga: With Central Power troops being siphoned off to other fronts, and their advance outrunning their supplies, the Kaluga offensive begins running out of steam.

May: Battle of Moscow: A surprise Byellorussian attack at Tsaritsino District drives the overextended Soviets back over the river.

June: Battle of Izhevsk: The Tsarists finally take Izhevsk but stop their offensive in order to consolidate their gains.

June: Battle of Kaluga: The Central Powers halt their offensive on a line running from Kursk to Ryazan. While the majority of Republican forces escaped encirclement, they are disorganised, and morale is low. The Central Powers begin planning for a follow up offensive in August to end the Republican movement in Russia.

June: Battle of Moscow: With Moscow now split between the Byellorussians and Soviets along the river, the First Battle of Moscow comes to an end as both sides lick their wounds and dig in.

 

[WarlordGandhi]

Update!

1908 Global Theater Part One - Trouble in the Orient

January: The Central Powers begin placing large orders of weapons from the Ottoman Empire. While the Ottoman industry is initially strained by the large quantity of orders, profits from the Baku oil fields allow the Ottomans to begin expanding their armaments productions quickly. Germany also begins importing Nitrates through the Ottoman port of Basra, but low infrastructure within the Ottoman Empire means that only minimal imports can be shipped through the Ottomans. These imports aren't enough to sustain the German war machine for more than a couple months longer. However, the Ottoman Empire accelerates construction of the Berlin-Baghdad Railway as a result.

January: Siege of Qingdao: The German East Asia squadron attempts to break out of the Japanese blockade but is driven back to Qingtao with the Furst Bismarck sunk.

February: The occupation of German Kamarun and South-west Africa is completed. Britain occupies Dar es Salaam.

February: Battle of Ningde: Republican Chinese forces attempt an offensive south along to coast. Their advance is slow amid heavy revolutionary resistance.

March: Siege of Qingdao: Japanese troops begin landing on the outskirts of Qingdao in an effort to seize the city

March: With the ongoing blockade of Germany and the inability of the Central powers to respond, the United States, along with other neutral nations, begin protesting the blockade. President Roosevelt calls the blockade immoral and barbaric, but the British and French refuse to lift to blockade. US-Entente relations begin a long-term deterioration as a result

March: German colonies across the Pacific are occupied by Britain and Japan.

April: The Japanese offensive against the Republican Chinese begins. Thrusting out of Manchuria, the Japanese advance along the coast in the direction of Beijing. However, Yuan Shikais New Army is in strong defensive positions, and the Japanese are only able to advance due to superiority in tactics and artillery.

April: Battle of Ningde: In coordination with the Japanese offensive in the north, the Revolutionary Chinese counterattack, driving the Republicans back.

April: German East Africa is fully occupied by Britain.

April: Siege of Qingdao: Qingdao falls to the Japanese. There are no German colonies left unoccupied.

May: Battle of Shandong: Fresh from the victory at Qingdao, Japan begins a drive to occupy the Shandong Peninsula.

May: Battle of Ningde: The Revolutionary drive continues north along to coast, reaching Wenzhou by the end of May

June: Battle of Beijing: The Japanese army reaches the outskirts of Beijing amid heavy resistance, but pauses to give their troops respite. Yuan Shikai, President of Republican China appoints General August von Mackensen commander of the New Army in the hope of stopping the Japanese advance.

June: Battle of Ningde: The Battle of Ningde ends with Wenzhou falling to Revolutionary forces in a quick assault.

 

[WarlordGandhi]

Update!

1908 Western Front Part Two - End in Sight

July: With the failure of the German offensive to cut the Western Entente in two and recognizing the impossibility of a new successful offensive, von Bülow turns to the defensive in the Benelux, hoping to cause substantial losses to the Entente in order to obtain favorable peace terms. A defense in depth is established, with counterattacks to be minimized.

July: Sensing German weakness, the British agree to launch a joint offensive with the French at Charleroi, after which they would drive on to Namur. This offensive is scheduled for August.

July: Second Battle of Gorizia: The Italians attempt to cross the Tagliamento and liberate their land but are repelled with heavy casualties.

August: Battle of Charleroi: The British and French open their offensive with a joint artillery barrage of 1800 guns around Charleroi, which lasts for 4 days. However, a lack of detailed reconnaissance means that many of the German forward positions and fortifications are left intact. The first day of fighting alone sees 31,000 British and French casualties for less than a kilometer of gain.

September: Second Battle of Gorizia: An Austro-Hungarian counterattack briefly establishes a beachhead on the east bank of the Tagliamento but is driven back by a vigorous counterattack.

September: Battle of Charleroi: The Entente offensive continues despite heavy Entente casualties. The British have managed to advance to Velaine-Sur-Sambre, while the French have advanced to Tamines.

September: Battle of Lommel: In order to try and divert German reserves from Charleroi, the Dutch and Belgians launch an offensive south of Eindhoven near the Dutch-Belgian border. Similarly to the Dutch offensive earlier in the year, the Dutch and Belgians make very little headway with immense casualties.

October: Battle of Charleroi: With the Franco-British offensive petering out, the Germans attempt a counter-attack in order to regain lost ground. However, the German offensive fails to gain any ground. The battle is called off by the end of the month.

October: A lack of artillery shells forces the Germans to start rationing artillery shells, with the Artillery ordered to only fire when absolutely necessary.

November: Battle of Charleroi: The Battle ends with the French and British having suffered over 400,000 casualties, and the Germans losing over 200,000. The western Entente has only advance around 7 kilometers.

November: Battle of Trentino: The Austro-Hungarians aim to cut off the Italians in Venezia by launching an offensive south out Trentino. While the Austro-Hungarians make substantial headway at first, a lack of artillery shells and worsening weather forces the Austro-Hungarians to stop just short of Bassano del Grappa.

December: Von Bülow prepares plans to withdraw to the Meuse if necessary but is replaced by Moltke the Younger due to the Kaisers disapproval.

 

[WarlordGandhi]

Update!!

1908 Eastern Front Part Two - Beginning of the Red Phoenix

July: With the front line against the Russian Republicans settled at a line running from Kursk to Ryazan. Germany prepares an offensive directly south, focusing on speed and aiming to reach the banks of the Volga within a few months. The underequipped and outnumbered Republicans are expected to quickly disintegrate. The offensive, initially scheduled for August is brought earlier to late July:

July: Second Battle of Voronezh: The Central Powers open their offensive with a short Artillery barrage around the Republican lines at Yelets that lasts for 4 hours. The Germans and Austro-Hungarians quickly breakthrough and start a rapid advance in the direction of Voronezh. The Republicans are once again forced to retreat, or risk being annihilated.

August: Battle of Sevastopol: After heavy fighting between the inexperienced Ukrainians and the underequipped Republicans, a ring is finally closed around the fortress of Sevastopol.

August: Second Battle of Voronezh: The Central Power advance continues, as the Republicans are so broken that they are not able to even attempt to mount a defence. Voronezh is taken by mid-August, along with Tambov.

September: Battle of Viipuri: Having regained a major part of their strength, the Soviets feel confident enough to launch an offensive against the Finns and secure the flank of Petrograd. The Finns are surprised and are driven back towards Viipuri.

September: Second Battle of Voronezh: Overstretched supplies, along with troops being siphoned off to the Western Front means that the Central Powers advance begins to slow. Nevertheless, the Germans continue to take ground.

October: Second Battle of Voronezh: The Republicans finally have finally recuperated enough men to mount a defensive line from Donetsk to Kamyshin. The Germans and Austro-Hungarians stop their offensive to allow for supplies to catch up.

October: Battle of Viipuri: The Finns are driven back to the Vuoksi River, where they are able to establish an effective defence against the Soviets.

November: Battle of Sevastopol: The demoralised Republicans surrender to the Ukrainians, who quickly establish control over the City.

November: Battle of Viipuri: The onset of winter brings an end to the Soviet offensive. However, they have succeeded in securing the northern flank of Petrograd.

December: With the lack of artillery shells now plaguing the Central Powers, the Germans withdraw two further armies to the Western Front to hold off the Entente offensives anticipated for next spring. The Republicans are too disorganised and demoralised to exploit this withdraw.

 

[WarlordGandhi]

Apologies about the several month hiatus, I have been hemmed in by uni and work but now I have a bit more time on my hand to resume writing this TL. Here is the next update!

1908 Global Theatre Part Two - Split

July: With their economy booming, the Ottomans are able to pay off a part of their public debt early. They are also able to begin a modernisation program of their military.

July: Battle of Beijing: The Japanese resume their advance on Beijing in a frontal assault believing that their superiority in artillery will allow them to easily breakthrough. The Imperial Japanese Navy is brought in for coastal bombardment for added firepower. However, the Republican Chinese repel the attacks with heavy casualties.

July: Having been continually fighting a war for most of the past several years, along with the costs of maintaining the occupation of Manchuria and Pacific Russia, war weariness is starting to show in Japan. Anti war demonstrations begin to organise.

August: Battle of Beijing: The Japanese finally breakthrough through sheer volume of firepower the Republican lines and enter Beijing, but house to house fighting is fierce, with Japanese casualties skyrocketing.

August: Battle of Shandong: In an attempt to divert Republican reserves from Beijing, the Japanese attack in the direction of Jinan. Despite early advances, the assault stalls after a few days.

September: Despite pressure to launch an attack north to help the Japanese, the Revolutionary Chinese instead opt to recuperate their forces for an ambitious planned campaign to reunify China in the next year.

September: Battle of Shandong: The Battle of Shandong ends with the Japanese calling off their offensive.

October: Battle of Beijing: Beijing finally falls to the Japanese but has basically been destroyed by house to house fighting. The Japanese do not attempt to renew the offensive but instead dig in to lick their wounds.

October: As news of the horrific losses reach home, the anti-war protests in Japan rapidly swell in size. As the Japanese economy has already been strained by the war, the government is fearful that the protests will paralyse the economy. A cease fire is agreed upon with the Republican Chinese, but a peace agreement is never made, leaving the Japanese in occupation of Beijing.

November: With news of the Japanese ceasefire, the Revolutionary Chinese have no choice but to enter in a ceasefire with the Republicans. China is effectively left split into two for the next several years.

November: William Howard Taft is elected 27th President of the United States.

December: The Ottomans enter into a military and economic pact with Turkestan.

 

[WarlordGandhi]

Update time!

1909 Part One - When the War was over

January: With their defeat all but imminent, the Central Powers attempt to negotiate a peace settlement with the Entente. Sensing victory, the Entente refuse.

January: Angry with the conduct of the war so far, protests begin organising throughout Germany and Austria-Hungary.

February: Battle of the Isonzo: The Italians launch an assault over the Tagliamento. The Austro-Hungarians attempt to hold but a lack of artillery shells force them to retreat. The Italians advance in good shape in the direction of Trieste

March: Battle of Namur: The British and French launch a massive offensive after a short but intense artillery bombardment. The Germans initially hold for three days but break into a shattered retreat. The Germans virtually have no shells left and are unable to respond to the Entente bombardment. The Battle of Namur sees the first use of aircraft in war, with two French built Bleriot XI monoplane aircraft providing limited aerial reconnaissance of the retreating Germans

March: Battle of the Isonzo: The Italians decisively defeat the Austro-Hungarians on the Isonzo River. The Austro-Hungarian army begins to collapse.

April: Battle of Namur: The German lines in Belgium collapse amidst a shortage of shells. The Entente rapidly advances in the direction of Malmedy

April: Seeing the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian army, Romania and Serbia launch an invasion of Transylvania and Vojvodina. They advance with little resistance.

April: Battle of the Isonzo: Trieste falls to the Italians, who now advance on Ljubljana.

April: The Soviets resume their advance against the Finns, who are unable to hold the lines north of Viipuri.

April: The Polish NDP, led by Roman Dmowski stage an uprising and begin fighting Royalist forces for control of Warsaw and the surrounding countryside.

April: Second Battle of Moscow: Central Powers armies begin a withdraw from occupied Russian territory, leaving the Byelorussians to face the Republicans and Soviets alone. While the Republicans are still too shattered to exploit this, the Soviets quickly launch an attack across the river, taking back the south bank of Moscow from the demoralised Byelorussians.

April: With the war effort collapsing, the home situation in Germany steadily worsens. Support for the extreme right and extreme left skyrocket.

May: Battle of Namur: By now, the Germans have been almost completely driven from Belgium and the Netherlands, with only Maastricht and Liege in German hands.

May: Battle of the Isonzo: The Italians take Ljubljana. The Austro-Hungarians sue for peace with the Entente, and while the Entente essentially demands a total surrender, the Austro-Hungarians have no choice but to agree. The Italians, Serbians and Romanians begin occupying the empire.

May: The Dutch, emboldened by their ally's success down south, launch an offensive in the direction of Dortmund and Emden, bringing the war to German soil for the first time. The Germans offer what resistance they can but are unable to stem the Dutch advance.

June: Warsaw, Lodz and Lublin fall to the NDP. King Wladyslaw V flees to Germany.

June: With their army disintegrating and hostile soldiers on its soil, the Germans ask for a conditional surrender to the Entente. The Entente accepts, with the terms of the armistice including the surrender of its fleet to the Entente, the withdraw of its forces from all occupied territory and eastern European states, and the occupation of the Rhineland, Oldenberg and Baden. The Great War is now over.

 

[WarlordGandhi]

Update time!

1909 Part Two - At what cost?

July: German soldiers come home to a disgruntled population. Similarly blaming the government for their conduct of the war, many soldiers radicalise and turn to the extreme left and right.

July: The Entente begins demobilisation.

July: Czech and Croatian nationalists’ revolt, seizing substantial parts of Bohemia and Croatia yet to be occupied by the Entente.

July: The Byelorussians begin a general retreat west in the face of the Soviet onslaught.

August: Growing dissent forces Kaiser Wilhelm II to abdicate. August Bebel of the Social Democrats forms an interim government, but this government does not have much authority outside Berlin.

August: The extreme right and left begin forming militia groups. Despite the new government, violence erupts throughout Germany, beginning the German Civil war.

August: Finland surrenders to advancing Soviet troops, marking the end of the Finnish uprising. Martov’s government establishes a Finnish Soviet Republic with significant autonomy.

August: Having secured control of the country, Roman Dmowski establishes a government based in Warsaw. His regime immediately begins the ethnic expulsion of all Germans living within Poland.

August: A peace conference is opened in Paris to determine the formal peace agreement to end the Great War. No representatives from the defeated Central Powers are invited.

September: The Byelorussians manage to establish a defensive line running from Vitebsk to Gomel. Knowing that the Republicans have barely recovered since the previous year, the Soviets divert their attention south, seeking to crush the Republicans once and for all.

September: Bavarian communists seize Munich. In an attempt to restore order, Bebel’s government utilises Freikorp militias to put down the Bavarian communists, but the Freikorp prove unable to overcome the Volksmiliz.

October: Soviet troops reach the forward Republican lines at Frolovo.

October: Bavarian Volksmiliz attack north towards Berlin. Fierce resistance by the Freikorp makes this advance slow and bloody.

October: A peace treaty is signed with Austria-Hungary. The Treaty of St. Germaine includes the following clauses:
• Czechia, Slovakia and Croatia are recognised as independent
• Galicia is ceded to Poland
• Italy annexes South Tirol, Istria, Slovenia and the majority of the Dalmatian coast (Croatia owns the coast from Rijeka to just before Zara)
• Serbia annexes Vojvodina
• Romania annexes Transylvania
• The remaining Austro-Hungarian rump state is permitted no more than 100,000 troops
• Minor reparations are imposed

November: Riots erupts in Austria-Hungary once news of the Treaty of St Germaine reaches the public. Austria-Hungary quickly descends into Civil War between Habsburg royalists loyal to Kaiser Franz Josef, Hungarian nationalists, Austrian nationalists, Republicans and Communists. The Royalists have control of the Vienna, Budapest, Graz and Linz, while the countryside is divided amongst the other factions.

November: After waiting for supplies to catch up, the Soviets resume their offensive south. They quickly breach the Republican lines and advance on Tsaritsyn.

November: With the end of the war, the Ottoman economy enters a minor recession. However continued profits from Baku alleviate the worst of the economic problems.

November: Habsburg Loyalists deal the Republicans a decisive defeat at Krems, ending the Republican Austro-Hungarian movement.

December: General Hindenburg (who led the Eastern campaign) along with veteran army divisions who fought victoriously on the eastern front marches on Berlin. In the face of professional troops, Bebel’s government relocates to Hamburg. There are now three different regimes claiming to be the legitimate German government, although Bebel’s government remains the internationally recognised government of Germany.

December: With Entente support, Poland, Byelorussia, Lithuania and Ukraine sign a mutual defensive pact (known as the Warsaw Pact), promising to aid one another in the event of a Soviet invasion.

 

[WarlordGandhi]

Update!

1910 Part One - Peace in our time

January: The Hindenburg Government deals the Bavarian Volkmiliz a decisive defeat at Erfurt. Hindenburg’s troops begin a pursuit of the fleeing communists southward.

January: Freikorp militias attempt to retake Berlin but are stopped by superior firepower and discipline. Freikorp militias begin deserting the Bebel government.

January: Tsaritsyn falls to the Soviets, marking the end of the Republican government in Russia. As the Warsaw Pact is too powerful for an invasion of those states to be attempted at the moment, the Soviets shift their gaze east to crush the Tsarist regime still operating out of Yekaterinburg.

January: Hungarian nationalists clash with Communist forces at Pecs, after heavy fighting, the nationalists seize control of the city.

February: The Treaty of Versailles is signed by the Entente powers and representatives from the Bebel government. While the British had attempted to alleviate French demands, French military strength, along with Dutch and Belgian pressure results in the Treaty being quite harsh towards Germany. In the Treaty of Versailles:

· France annexes Alsace-Lorraine and the Saarland (along the Mossel-Rhine).

· Belgium annexes Eupen-Malmedy

· The Netherlands annexes Emden and Papenburg

· The Rhineland is to become an international zone under the jurisdiction of an Entente mandate

· Denmark is to be ceded Northern Schleswig

· Poland is to be ceded Posen, Katowice and East Prussia (up to the Vistula, with Danzig remaining German)

· Lithuania is to be ceded Memel

· Germany’s colonies are to be divided between France, Belgium, Britain, the Netherlands and Japan.

· Germany is permitted an army no bigger than 200,000 men

· Germany is permitted 2 Dreadnoughts

· Germany is to pay for the reconstruction of Belgium and the Netherlands

· Minor reparations are imposed

The treaty immediately results in the downfall of the Bebel government in Hamburg. Freikorp militias establish a new government in Hamburg led by Wolfgang Kapp but this government quickly crumbles to infighting and desertions.

February: Taking advantage of their victory at Krems the previous year, Habsburg Loyalists begin clearing the rest of Austria from hostile elements.

February: Yuan Shikai declares himself emperor of the new Hongxian dynasty. Yuan’s army still led by General Mackensen quickly crushes any dissent.

March: Hindenburg’s troops crush the communist regime based in Munich, ending hopes for a Communist Germany for the next decade.

March: Dmowski’s expulsion of Germans extends to the newly annexed territories from Germany and Austria-Hungary. Königsberg is renamed Królewiec, and former East Prussia is now subject to heavy Polonisation.

March: The Soviets launch an offensive from Kazan to retake Izhevsk from the Tsarists.

April: The Hamburg government surrenders to Hindenburg, ending the German Civil War. Hindenburg’s junta immediately sets to rebuilding the country but does not lift restrictions on civil liberties. Hindenburg reluctantly recognises the Treaty of Versailles to stave off an intervention by the Entente

May: The Tsarists fall back in the face of substantial Soviet pressure, who retake Izhevsk before moving on to Perm.

June: With their poor performance in the Great War against Austria-Hungary, Italy begins extensive an extensive modernisation program of their army.

June: With the occupation of Manchuria and Pacific Siberia continuing to strain the Japanese economy, the Japanese begin creating local governments subservient to Japan in order for local troops to take over from the Japanese.

 

[WarlordGandhi]

Here is a map of Europe as of the Treaty of Versailles.