~January to March 1918: Perfidious Albion
January 1918: The Entente leaders meet in Paris to discuss strategy. With all but the US forces exhausted, it is agreed to primarily stand on the defensive, so as to allow their armies to recover. There will be a series of small offensives for limited objectives. The US First and Second Armies, along with the French Ninth Army under General Robert Nivelle will attack on the Schelde in May with the objective of taking the rail junction at Mons. The Russians will launch an offensive in April to eliminate the Dvinsk bridgehead while the Balkans League will make an amphibious landing at Symra to secure a solid foothold in Anatolia in August. The aim is to allow their forces to recuperate, then defeat the Central Powers in 1919.
January 1918: A new a deadly strain of flu breaks out in a US army camp in France. The disease will spread rapidly, sparking a global pandemic. As the virus first affects military personnel, it will come to be known as Soldiers Flu.
January 1918: After carefully constructing an explanation which will not reveal their interception of diplomatic messages, the British release the German post war plans for Belgium. The Germans acknowledge their validity and the British issue an ultimatum for a guarantee of Belgian sovereignty post war. After the brutal war so far, it is clear the German public will not tolerate such a guarantee and the British declare war. Each of the Dominions follow as does India, supported by the new Indian Assembly. While public opinion is generally favourable, it is clear there is no great enthusiasm for the war. With the declaration of war, the Imperial War Cabinet is formed in London including members from all the Home Nations, Dominions and India to direct the war. While India is represented in the cabinet its representatives are British Indians appointed by the Viceroy.
January 1918: With the Empire's entry into the war, the Entente immediately begin pressuring the Empire for a substantial deployment to France. However it is clear public opinion within the Empire will not tolerate any deployment of troops to France due to hostility after the sinking of the Oranje Nassau. Eventually a compromise is reached. Initially six British divisions will be attached to the Belgium army and another two deployed to the Northern Army in Norway. The Persian garrison will be reinforced to four British and two Indian divisions. The Entente also concede the Empire may secure territory in the Middle East required to protect the Suez Canal. The RN, other than those required in Middle East, will be deployed to Rosyth, to strengthen the blockade.
January 1918: Since the Empire entered the war, a number of leading Indian politicians have embarked on a campaign encouraging Indian support. The concept is to show India's worth and commitment to the Empire in order to gain further autonomy post war. The campaign is well received, with recruiting brisk.
February 1918: With the Empire's entry into the war the inevitability of a Central Powers defeat is an almost universal belief. With their economy now booming due to four years of war orders and penetration into the combatants abandoned markets, the Italians decide to enter the war. Anxious to secure territory, Italy begins negotiations with the Entente regarding territorial gains. Italy demands Albania, Dalmatia, Fiume, Istria, Littoral Croatia, South Tyrol and Trieste.
February 1918: The Central Powers meet in Berlin. It is clear with the Imperial entry into the war, the situation has become dire. However it is thought it also presents an opportunity. It is recognised there is little real enthusiasm in the Empire for the war. A major offensive will be launched against the Imperial-Belgian army at Ghent in May. It is hoped if the Empire suffers sufficiently heavy casualties, public opinion will force them out of the war. The belief is the resulting morale blow to France and the US will force them to negotiate, allowing the gains in the east to be retained. In the East, an offensive will be launched in March to exploit the Dvinsk bridgehead and drive to the Gulf of Riga, cutting the supply line to Russia.
February 1918: With ten African-American, six Hispanic, five Philippino, three Cuban and one Puerto Rican divisions now serving in the US army, US public opinion is becoming polarised over civil rights. Many, predominantly in the north, are calling for their participation to be recognised by an end to segregation. While others, mostly in the south, are growing increasingly concerned at the prospect of hundreds of thousand combat trained African-American veterans returning to the US.
15th February 1918: The Empire begins deploying eighteen British plus three Indian and two Dominion divisions as well as the Royal Marine brigade along with ten fast battleships and four dreadnoughts, all armed with 15" guns, to the Mediterranean and Middle East. The Entente protest at the scale of the deployment as being totally unnecessary to secure the Suez Canal, but the Empire refuses to alter their plans.
February 1918: The pace of mechanisation of the Empire's cavalry arm is dramatically increased, with the intention of converting the regular battalions one regiment enter the three month conversion program every month.
February 1918: With the entry of the Empire, the RN's Atlantic Fleet with 16 dreadnoughts and 4 battlecruisers have been deployed to Rosyth. These combined with the 22 dreadnoughts and 6 battlecruisers of Admiral Fisher's North Sea Fleet now have overwhelming control of the North sea. German Admiral Franz Hipper's High Seas Fleet with 10 dreadnoughts and 5 battlecruisers is redeployed to strengthen the 4 dreadnoughts of the Baltic Fleet, giving the Germans superiority over Admiral Mikhail Bakhirev's 4 Russian dreadnoughts and 1 battlecruiser. The Baltic Fleet immediately begins attacking the Baltic convoys, cutting the Baltic supply line.
March 1918: With the massive Imperial deployment to the Middle East, the Balkans League's planned amphibious operation in Symra is abandoned in favour of a drive on Constantinople to forestall any Imperial attempt to take the city.
March 1918: With German and Ottoman promises of support, Afghan troops cross into India. The Empire declares war, starting the Third Afghan War.
March 1918: Two Imperial divisions land at Alexandretta. Again the demoralised Ottoman defenders prove no match for the coordinated assault. The capture of Alexandretta cuts the Ottoman supply lines to Syria and Palestine.
March 1918: Since Hipper's Baltic Fleet forced the suspension of the Baltic convoys, the Entente has been pressing the Danes to allow the Baltic to be reinforced. The Danes finally relent, allowing Fisher to deploy the North Sea Fleet to the Baltic. The North Sea Fleet is reduced to 6 US and 1 Japanese dreadnoughts Admiral Henry Mayo. Fisher's newly created Combined Fleet of 16 US and 2 Japanese dreadnoughts along with 4 Japanese and 3 US battlecruisers restores Entente control of the Baltic, allowing the Baltic convoys to resume.
March 1918: General Eric von Falkenhayn's Central Army Group with two German and one Austro-Hungarian army launches his Dvinsk offensive. The Russian Dvina Army Group under Brusilov has been reinforced to four armies in anticipation of its own offensive. Though suffering heavy casualties, the reinforced Dvina Army Group holds the Central Powers, preventing a breakthrough.
