To Each According

[Hnau]

A timeline without the man that would become known as Vladimir Lenin.

1870
April - A baby boy doesn’t live through his first night. For the Ulyanov family, this means they will not have a new son and brother. For Russia and the world, this means that Vladimir Lenin will never come to be.

1900
June - The first edition of the political newspaper Iskra for Russian socialist emigrants in Germany is published largely by the hand of one Julius Martov.

1903
March - Julius Martov and other Iskra-ists establish a new Organizing Committee for the Second Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party in Pskov.
November 2 – 25 - The Second Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party is held in Brussels and is then moved to London. Significant during the Congress is the departure of the Jewish Bund from the party, and the creation of a Central Organ triumvirate of the Party, led by Georgi Plekhanov, Julius Martov, and Vera Zasulich. Leon Trotsky is also gaining in influence.

Without the influence of Vladimir Lenin and his writings, Julius Martov is almost indisputably the leader of the Social Democrats. A loose organization of radicals in the party is most certainly present, but without Lenin they have no one to guide and hone a common philosophy. The idea of democratic centralism is never developed, instead radicals rally around the belief that a violent revolution must be sought as soon as possible, to lead directly to a socialist society instead of first a bourgeois one. Needless to say, through the work of Leon Trotsky, Martov, and other moderates, the party remains together, with those of the radical fringe slowly being co-opted towards Martov’s ideology. As the years march by, many would-be Bolsheviks slip further into the political centre.

1909
After participating amongst the RSDLP for over two years, Joseph Jugashvili returns to his native Georgia and the separate Georgian Social Democratic Party.

1917
March 8 – The Russian February Revolution begins with the overthrow of the Tsar.
March 15 – Tsar Nicholas II of Russia abdicates his throne for his son.
March 17 – Grand Duke Michael refuses the throne and power in Russia passes to the newly-formed Provisional Government under Prince Georgy Lvov.

April 20-21 – Riots and street protests begin in Petrograd and Moscow, largely led by radical Social Democrats. Pro-Provisional Government groups soon stop the agitators. May 1 – The provision executive committee of the Petrograd Soviet (Ispolkom) votes to allow its member to take Cabinet posts in the Provisional Government in return for concessions. Julius Martov forces the exit of a large part of the Russian Social Democrat Labour Party to oppose the move of cooperation. Constitutional Democrats leave the government, while Alexander Kerensky becomes the Minister of War.

July 1 – Russian troops attack the Austro-Hungarian and German forces in Galicia, pushing towards Lviv under General Brusilov and Kornilov. Without the substantial Bolshevik revolutionary defeatist agitators, the mutinies do not occur as quickly, and the break-through continues.
July 16 – The Kerensky Offensive reaches the outskirts of Lviv, however, the soldiers have run out of a lot of steam, and fighting stagnates as mutinies are to be dealt with.
July 20 – The Germans and Austro-Hungarians launch a counterattack but meet (at first) stiff resistance.
July 20 – Alexander Kerensky becomes premier of the Russian Provisional Government, replacing Prince Georgy Lvov.
July 24 – The Russians begin a defensive retreat in response to increasing enemy pressure.
July 31 – The Russians have fallen back to their old defensive line, losing nearly everything gained in the Kerensky Offensive.

August 1 – General Kornilov is promoted to Supreme Commander-in-Chief by the Kerensky Government.

November 18 – Kornilov convinces Kerensky to “reinforce” the armies on the Eastern Front by removing many of his liberal modifications: the death penalty remains abolished, however, soldier’s committees are dissolved, giving power back to the officers, while political agitators are removed from the front and defeatist literature is declared contraband. It is a weak time for the Russian Army, with revolution-indoctrinated soldiers resisting the reversal of policy and beginning mutinies, causing quite a bit of bloodshed, but the Germans are unable to take advantage of this momentary weakness.

Due to the general state of affairs on the Front, as well as the lack of decisiveness with the Kerensky Offensive, Kerensky and Kornilov agree that any additional offensive against the Germans could be deadly. STAVKA buckles down for defensive action (“until 1919 if we have to!”), while they wait for the Americans to turn the tide of the war, as the Allies are earnestly trying to convince them of.

November 20 – In the municipal elections for the Petrograd Soviet, the Social Democrats take a third of the votes, a 50 percent increase in the last six months.
November 23 – The Tsentralna Rada, the socialist-dominated government of the Ukraine, declares an autonomous Ukrainian Republic, maintaining ties with Russia.

December 10 – A local nationalist group, the Alash Orda, establish an autonomous government in Kazakhstan, which would maintain ties with Russia.
December 25 – The Social Democrats gain a majority in the Worker’s Section of the Petrograd Section and Leon Trotsky is elected chairman. Under his direction, the Soviet begins a transformation to an appendage of the Party. Lately attendance for the soviet meetings has been withering away, with a large majority of the soviets inexistent except for on paper. With parties leaving for the Provisional Government, the Social Democrats increase their presence.

1918
January 20 – Julius Martov uses recent advances in power to establish a second All-Russian Congress of Soviets. The Ispolkom denounced the Congress due to only three of 160 soldiers’ or workers’ soviets expressing support.

February 1 – The Provisional Government finally declares a Constituent Assembly election to be held at the end of the month. Socialists throughout the Provisional Government set out to discredit the Petrograd Soviet’s authority.
February 15 – The Petrograd Soviet exists only on paper, with little control. Many have split with the Russian Social Democrat Labour Party in order to find representation in the Provisional Government. Julius Martov and Leon Trotsky finally descend from power when the Kerensky issues a Decree of Supremacy that legally wipes the Petrograd Soviet from power. There are a few days of strikes by Social Democrats in the capital, however, General Kornilov has co-opted the garrison, which is used largely to put down the insurrection.
February 22 – The Russian Constituent Assembly election is held on the anniversary of the February Revolution. The Socialist-Revolutionaries take 51% of the vote, a bare majority only when counting the independent Ukrainian Socialist Revolutionaries, while the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party took second place with 23% of the vote, and the Constitutional Democratic Party at a distant third with 6% of the vote. Delegates are to convene in a month at Petrograd.

 

[DAv]

A good start so far. Will the Tsar and his family be allowed to remain in Russia then?

 

[Hnau]

I believe so. The Tsar and his family, along with his servants, were living in relative comfort under house arrest in Tobolsk, in the Urals. I see no reason why they would be moved from such an area until the Constituent Assembly determines their place in the Russian Republic. With the Social Revolutionaries at the helm, it won't be a very good position. I'm thinking the royal family are stripped of all formal and legal advantages, treated just the same as everybody and expected to deal with it. The royal family probably leaves for another country, or stays in Russia to develop a rightist monarchist party.

 

[Analytical Engine]

Shouldn't this go into pre-1900 due to the PoD?

 

[The Federalist]

Great start! Looking forward to the rest of this TL!

 

[Hnau]

Lenin really didn't start to have an affect on history and the world until he began the Iskra, which began in the year 1900. It definitely belongs here.

 

[Geordie]

Lenin really didn't start to have an affect on history and the world until he began the Iskra, which began in the year 1900. It definitely belongs here.

While Lenin doesn't have any real affect until post 1900, the PoD is that Lenin dies in 1870. Generally, if the point of divergence is before 1900, then it belongs in that forum.

Hope to see this continue.

 

[Hnau]

While Lenin doesn't have any real affect until post 1900, the PoD is that Lenin dies in 1870. Generally, if the point of divergence is before 1900, then it belongs in that forum.

I understand that, however, I disagree with this opinion. The more I write, the less percentage my one, 42-word pre-1900 event will take up of my entire timeline. My point of departure occurs in 1870, but has no effect whatsoever on the timeline until the year 1900. De facto, the publication of the Iskra by Julius Martov alone is the POD.

Don't like it?

1900 - January: On a train from exile headed towards Europe, one Vladimir Ulyanov attempts to cross from one carriage to another. The train hits a rough part of the rail at that exact moment, causing Vladimir to slip on the frosted metal and fall beneath the train. Its a horrible incident that is not noticed for a few hours, but then again, Vladimir was just a radical exile anyway.

What's the difference between these PODs? Nothing. The exact same effect. So have at it. It's more plausible that a baby die in early infancy than a man slip and kill himself on a train, but, you choose which one you want for this timeline.

 

[Broz]

you missed the part where the militant rojalists, bolstered by the victories at the front, machinegun protesters and send cosacs with sabres on starving pesants grouping around grain warehouses

and why leawe the tzar family? what for? and let them go abroad? so they can form a goverment in exile and continue to lay claim to power?

 

[Geordie]

I understand that, however, I disagree with this opinion. The more I write, the less percentage my one, 42-word pre-1900 event will take up of my entire timeline. My point of departure occurs in 1870, but has no effect whatsoever on the timeline until the year 1900. De facto, the publication of the Iskra by Julius Martov alone is the POD.

I'm sorry if I caused offence with my previous post. It wasn't intended and, as I have said, I'm interested in where this timeline is going.

I think that you have a point regarding the PoD. All I intended to say was that people appear to post the thread in the forum corresponding to the PoD date, not the date at which large changes are first seen. I don't necessarily agree, or disagree with this, I'm just saying that most people follow the PoD date itself.

Of course it is much more likely for a newborn infant to die than a twenty year old, and I don't think that you should change the PoD.

 

[Hnau]

I'm sorry if I caused offence with my previous post. It wasn't intended and, as I have said, I'm interested in where this timeline is going.

No offense taken! I'm sorry if I came off as heavy-handed or angry, I'm just... enthusiastic sometimes about my opinions.

you missed the part where the militant rojalists, bolstered by the victories at the front, machinegun protesters and send cosacs with sabres on starving pesants grouping around grain warehouses

No victories on the front, just not as huge of a defeat. The victories are in the cities and farms, where the lack of a radicalizing leader allows more liberal policies to dominate the revolutionary process. The militant royalists were fringe by now, most were leftist liberals. Those royalists that were around were mostly in favor of a constitutional monarchy, in fact, I can't find any major general that was in favor of the absolute despotism of old Russia. It is not likely that such countermeasures would be taken.

so they can form a goverment in exile and continue to lay claim to power?

These are democratic parties! Even the Bolsheviks believed it quite extreme of Sverdlov to just go ahead and execute the royal family! With the liberal trend, the powers-that-be wish to keep the royal family locked away and secret until an elected body can determine what to do with them. As Kerensky has already abolished the death penalty, they most definitely won't be executing them.

 

[Hnau]

There are some empty spots to fill, but I think I'll use this thread to show off a lot of my drafts... I'll eventually get to honing the timeline down to a shiny final draft, year-by-year, but I don't want to be restricted to perfecting each month of my timeline before posting it. Feel free to bring up problems or questions about my timeline, I am trying to follow as plausible courses of action as I can, so I need second opinions!

So, a few more months, very rough format, though.

--

Additions to 1917


October 6 – After a German advance is predicted to threaten the city of Petrograd, Kerensky begins plans for evacuation. Ispolkom votes his decision down, and the Provision Government concedes, delaying the evacuation indefinitely.
October 16 – The Petrograd Soviet votes down a resolution to create a Military Defense Committee to manage and direct the arming of the populace for the defense of the city from foreign invasion.

November 10 – Impatient with the sluggishness of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party under Julius Martov to end the war and begin a Soviet revolution, Yakov Sverdlov takes the mantle as demagogue, creating the Left Social Democratic Party and bringing with him the radical leftist core of the RSDLP. “The Soviets must have power!” becomes their leading slogan.
November 22-23 – With such promising returns during the election, Sverdlov and the burgeoning Left SDs begin a manifestation in Petrograd, which gathers a mass of nearly 75,000 and causes some clashes with other factions. Kornilov is fortunately on the front, and cannot order soldiers to fire upon the demonstration before Kerensky orders peace be kept.

1918

February 4 – In reaction to the declaration of a Constituent Assembly, Yakov Sverdlov and the Left SDs organize massive armed demonstrations in Petrograd calling for the overthrow of the Provisional Government and the supremacy of the Soviet. Hundreds of thousands march on the headquarters of the Petrograd Soviet, and in the ensuing clashes with other groups many are killed.
February 8 – Kerensky orders the arrest of the Left SDs and other ringleaders of the protests. Kornilov heads his soldiers in retaking the city, though the masses quickly disperse. Yakov Sverdlov is detained along with many others.
February 11 – The Petrograd Soviet exists almost only on paper, especially after the ‘January Days’ that caused bad press concerning the Social Democrats (having started such a large riot and advocating such extreme measures). In order to validate their party once more, instead of being thrown in with Sverdlov’s camp, Julius Martov and Leon Trotsky agree to sign with Alexander Kerensky a Writ of Supremacy which dissolves the Petrograd Soviet. They acknowledge the supremacy of the Provisional Government and seek to rebuild their party inside that framework.
February 13-15 – A peaceful protest begins in Petrograd by those who favored the Soviet. It will continue for two days, but in the wake of the ‘January Days’, it does little to convince the Provisional Government to abandon their decision. Some resolve to vandalism and terrorism to declare their support for the Soviet system, but by this time, such forces are so weak that they still amount to little.

March 4 – The Spring Offensive begins on the Western Front with the First Battle of the Somme. The Germans may not have the freed divisions from the Eastern Front, but they do have much more material that would have been used in the occupation of Brest-Litovsk territories.
March 30 – The Constituent Assembly quorum meets in the Tauride Palace in
Petrograd. Victor Chernov, the leader of the Socialist-Revolutionaries, is elected Chairman by more than 100 votes.

April 1 – The Law on the Land is passed, decreeing an abolition of landed proprietorship and the redistribution of the landed estates amongst the peasantry. Uyezd Assemblies of Peasant’s Plenipotentiaries and volost land committees are established to distribute all such property. Also, Russia adopts the Gregorian calendar, suddenly skipping ahead fourteen days (not shown in timeline).
April 2 – The Constituent Assembly passes a law declaring the Democratic Federal Republic of Russia (RDFR).
April 5 – The Constituent Assembly sends peace-feelers to Britain, France, the United States of America, and the German Empire. “Russia desires peace without annexations or indemnities.”
April 8 – With the Spring Offensive on the Western Front winding down, the Germans agree to an armistice with Russia.

May 6 – Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister Ottokar Czernin asks for an armistice based on the Fourteen Points.
May 8 – Charles I of Austria issues a proclamation transforming Austria into a federal union.
May 10 – The Armistice of Zurich is signed between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Allies. Troops were to be withdrawn significantly from all fronts, except for the border with Germany to protect from a vengeful invasion. Germany hears the news with shock.

May 14 – Bulgaria signs an armistice with the Allies.
May 19 – Germany attempts to approve the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk when Victor Chernov threatens to call off the peace discussions, however, as the tables have turned, Chernov does not wish to be bound by a settlement that could have been more profitable for Russia otherwise.
May 20 – German troops move into the Sudetenland, claiming the native Germans were “unsympathetic to defeatist agendas”.

May 24 - Czechs rise to take back the Sudetenland. Token shipments of Austrian weapons are sent to aid Czech soldiers, as the Austrians desire to gain favor from the Allies.
May 25 – The Summer Offensive begins against Russia. The German command is determined to pressure Russia into a favorable peace, as well as aid minority ethnic groups that might side the Germans.
May 27 – Kurt Eisner, a social democrat, declares a “free state” of Bavaria, to become a socialist republic.

June 1 – The Ottoman Empire signs an armistice with the Allies.
June 2 – Germans capture Estonia in the Summer Offensive, but elsewhere the Russians are turning the starving Germans back.
June 3 - 10 – Germany agrees to the Armistice of Chantilly with the Allies. The war is over. On the Eastern Front fighting will continue for a few days where news is slow, but eventually the soldiers begin their retreat. Russian armies follow, confiscating weaponry, artillery and German materiel where they can.
June 4 – Jozef Pilsudski, newly released from Magdeburg Prison, arrives in Warsaw from Germany, is appointed Commander in Chief of Polish forces by the Regency Council. On the same day, he declares an independent Polish state. That week he would negotiate the evacuation of the German garrison from Warsaw and other German troops, and facilitate fleeing German soldiers to Germany. All weapons were to be left to the Poles.

June 9 – Russian-Polish dialogue begins with the trading of ambassadors and envoys, particularly over Poland’s claim of independence and borders.
June 10 – Count Mihaly Karolyi proclaims the People’s Republic of Hungary with himself as Provisional President.
June 13 – Victor Chernov and the Constituent Assembly agree to the provisional independence of Poland under the territories of Congress Poland during the Russian Empire, but desires that self-determination be practiced to finalize borders.
June 14 – Polish forces arrive in Lviv and overpower Ukrainian forces there. Radical nationalist Ukrainians are put into concentration camps.

June 15 – Lithuania passes a legislative act to create a national army.
June 17 – Russian forces retaking formerly occupied territory begin to encounter Polish troops. The encounters sometimes lead to conflicts, due to each side trying to claim the most territory. In particular, fighting breaks out between Russian soldiers and German soldiers at Wilno/Vilnius. The Lithuanian government has invited the Germans to remain in the country for the time being.
June 18 – Ukrainian forces open fire on Polish troops in the Volhynia after border disputes.
June 19 – With the official response from Commander in Chief Jozef Pilsudski over the border question being “the situation will be looked over shortly”, Chairman Chernov and the Assembly question what looks like hostile Polish movements to expand their borders. The Russians put forward the idea of a joint provisional government of all disputed areas until a formal settlement can be made. They also push their ‘disputed zone’ all the way to Bialystok and passed Lviv.

June 21 – Russian troops have routed the Germans in Wilno. Chernov passes the Enemy Evacuation Executive Order, ordering the confiscation of all German materiel and the departure of German troops from Lithuania due to the Armistice, by force if necessary.
June 22 – Pilsudski decries the ‘disputed zone’ as a Russian ploy to retain as much land as possible. He urges the Poles to look upon the Russians as the expansionist Empire of old, and take what territories belonged to them. Meanwhile, he attempts to build an alliance with Lithuania and incite nationalist passions in the Baltics and Ukraine in order to create his Pole-dominated power bloc.
June 23 – The Czechoslovak Legion arrives in Slovakia.
June 24 – The Lithuanian government passes an act declaring hostilities against the Russian Republic. German soldiers are organized under volunteer Freikorps, paid by Germany and promised land from Lithuania. This declaration of war begins the Russo-Lithuanian War.

--

What I need to work on: Nationalist resistance movements in the former Russian Empire, more information on the Spring Offensive, much more description on the developments in the Austro-Hungarian Empire (a chance for a last-ditch federal union!), and elaboration on political maneuvers amongst the rest of the Allies.

What it looks like is going to happen is a Russia vs Lithuania and Poland war against extreme territorial grabs. Dmowski is going to be unable to align himself with Pilsudski, and inevitably begin a landing at Gdansk/Danzig with the Blue Army to take back Poland. Dmowski wants ethnic Polish independence but he deems this political vision of Pilsudski as dangerous. Lithuania is probably too independence-incited to think about joining Russia again, but I have hope for Latvia, Estonia and the rest.

The Czech Legion is going to be able to fight back both the German and Hungarian foreign adventures, which should be very fun to see, but likewise it will most likely unravel hopes for an Greater Austrian Federation.

 

[Hnau]

Any suggestions on changing the format?

 

[Empror Mike]

I commend you on this TL. Very promising!

 

[Hnau]

What I did today...

Focus on (former) Austria-Hungary, as you can see...

--
1918

June 3 - 10 – Germany agrees to the Armistice of Chantilly with the Allies. The war is over. On the Eastern Front fighting will continue for a few days where news is slow, but eventually the soldiers begin their retreat. Russian armies follow, confiscating weaponry, artillery and German materiel where they can. Germans continue to occupy the Sudetenland, though Eisner’s Bavarian Free State allows enough disruption that the Czechs are able to take the western Sudetenland for themselves.

June 5 – The Allies affirm Emperor Charles’ hopes that they are behind his federal union. An important item is that Germany be refused the Sudetenland, as they want to prevent Germany from gaining any new territory. Charles also is forced to make a promise to not join in a union with Germany and maintain perpetual constitutional neutrality. Austro-Hungarian troops are therefore sent to aid the Czechs on the Sudetenland front.

June 6 – The State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs is declared.

June 7 – Romania notifies Hungary that it will assume control of Transylvania.

June 8 – Hungary responds to Romania’s note in disagreement, proclaiming that it failed to secure rights for Transylvanian Hungarians and Germans. When the order goes out to move retreating Hungarian troops back towards the borders, an uprising begins, the Chrysanthemum Revolution.

June 10 – Following the Chrysanthemum Revolution in Budapest, Count Mihaly Karolyi finds himself as the leader of Hungary as Provisional President.

June 11 – Germans begin a retreat from the Sudetenland after Austro-Hungarian armies march on their defensive line. Some Sudeten Germans leave for the Reich, disgusted with current Austrian policies.

June 12 – Mihaly Karolyi accepts King-Emperor Charles V offer to become Prime Minister of a ‘Federal Union of Austria-Hungary’. While he has radical liberal ideas, he does want to keep the monarchy and links to Austria, though with a great deal of autonomy. Karolyi demands to remain in Budapest for the time being.

June 16 – Prime Minister Karolyi, following the example of Russia, issues a ‘Decree on the Land’. This begins the redistribution of titled and church lands to the peasants, effective throughout the former Empire, beginning with Karolyi’s own estates. Social Democratic revolutionary councils throughout Hungary resist these motions, as they would support the spread of capitalism amongst the peasants. Since Karolyi has virtually acknowledged the continuation of the monarchy by accepting Emperor Charles’ appointment, this is the last straw that causes the Social Democrats to begin an uprising against the formal government.

June 18 – Ukrainian forces open fire on Polish troops in the Volhynia after border disputes. Romanian soldiers enter Transylvania after affirming the agreement of its populace that a union with Romania is desired.

June 20 – The Social Democratic Party of Hungary takes power, forcing Mihaly Karolyi and other anti-socialist forces into Austria. While a sizeable minority of the country remains outside of their control, the Social Democrats under Jozsef Pogany and Sandor Garbai declare a ‘Hungarian Socialist Worker’s Republic’. Pogany promises to retake Transylvania, Slovakia and Galicia. As some of his first acts, he begins the nationalization of virtually all private property in Hungary, declaring the collectivization of farms, and abolishing all taxes in rural areas. In Vienna, Karolyi begins instituting his land redistribution throughout Austria and to a lesser extent, Bohemia.

June 25 – In order to feed the country, Jozsef Pogany orders red militias ‘the Pepper Boys’ to requisition food in the countryside, which endears him very little to the populace.

June 27 – Prime Minister Karolyi opens a dialogue with the Russians, hoping for an alliance of ‘multi-ethnic federations’. Particularly, Karolyi hopes that the Russians will help him in taking down the Hungarian Socialist Worker’s Republic in return for a legitimate border settlement.

June 28 – Emperor Charles IV throws his support to Kurt Eisner’s Bavarian Free State, hoping to create a buffer against future German attacks (and perhaps a new member for his federal union).

June 30 – The Russian military command requests the Czechoslovak Legion to assist Karolyi’s forces in overthrowing the Hungarian Socialist Workers’ Republic and the establishment of a ‘Austrian Democratic Federal Union’. Republican sections of the Czechoslovak Legion depart to aid various factions, but most prepare to act on the Russian request. The Czechoslovak Legion was organized by the Russian military, consisting of Czechs and Slovaks isolated in Russia during the the outbreak of the war. They do owe a part of their loyalty to Russia, and so a good majority of the Czechoslovak Legion rallies for an offensive against Hungary. This touches off a countrywide peasants’ uprising against the Social Democrats.

July 3 – In the same day, Syrmia and Vojvodina secede from the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs to join the Kingdom of Serbia.

July 8 – Prime Minister Karolyi re-enters Budapest, the day after the siege is lifted. The Czechoslovak Legion has driven the Pogany administration from the country. Karolyi declares the abolishment of the Social Democratic Party and executes some of its leaders, though Jozsef Pogany escapes to Serbia. The Prime Minister begins the reversal of socialist policy, especially in the redistribution of land to the peasants.

July 9 – The State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs joins the Kingdom of Serbia, forming the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.

July 10 – Emperor Charles IV unveils his plan for a ‘Greater Austrian Confederation’. Four states consisting of German Austria, Hungary, Czech Bohemia, and Slovakia would have their own prime minister and parliament, while a bicameral ‘Federal Diet’ would have responsibility over foreign policy, a common military and a customs union. A Prime Minister would hold executive power. Autonomous enclaves would be established within states to provide semi-autonomous powers for minority groups. This is essentially a clean transformation from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as it merely gives Bohemia and Slovakia the powers of former Austria and Hungary and gives the power of the monarchy to an elected body. Many praise Emperor Charles for relegating the royal family to a merely symbolic role with simply emergency powers. Prime Minister Karolyi pushes for plebiscites to determine the boundaries of the four states, and to accept the union.

September 11 – Elections for the National Assembly are held in Weimar, Germany.
September 15 – The Paris Peace Conference convenes.