Alternative History: WWI

Bulgaria 1900
What happened this year?
The people wake up, eat, go to work, go home, eat, sleep. They do this 365 times this year.

In all seriousness the military has 60,000 men.
diplomatic relations are open and foreign goods are welcomed into the country.
Due to the low industry of the country the government is currently is making a push to build more factories.

Russian Empire 1900

"The Russian Empire must change with the world it occupies"
-Speech of Sergei Witte in the State Council

At the dawn of the new century, the Russian Empire encompassed two continents and had their hands dipped in European and Asian intrigue. It was the beacon of absolutism against the Republican cause. However, Emperor Nicholas II has given authority to Sergei Witte, as Finance Minister (and soon to be Chief Minister) to dictate Russia's policies as equals to the Emperor. Witte's centrist stance does not spark much celebration in the State Council, he has proven himself to be a competent Minister, substantially improving Russian economy. Some predict he would be the Russian Bismarck, but that future is far, and the present has more pressing concerns.

The Russian Empire, having decided its territories too huge to manage on its own, gives limited autonomy to each region. Each region is led by a Governor appointed by the Emperor and approved by the Duma, with the Regional Council democratically elected. So far, the region that has been given the most autonomy is Poland, the Poles having their own nation in personal union with the Russian Empire. The Kingdom of Poland or Congress Poland of the earlier days is formed. The policy of Russification is curtailed, much to the relief of the non-Russian populace.

Sergei Witte proposes the formation of a State Duma, much to the chagrin of landed nobility and gentry. However, Witte argues that the Duma, being a lower house in the Russian Empire, would function as a means to gain political experience for sons of nobles as well as political representation. Through much effort, the State Duma is formed, with the Ministers from the State Duma and the State Council forming a Committee of Ministers.

The Ministry of National Education is formed, with Count Lev Tolstoy reluctantly appointed Minister. Dmitry Tolstoy's system of gymnasiums is heavily reformed, giving way to the system created by Milyutin in the cadet schools, dramatically changing the curriculum to focus more on Russian literature, modern language (electives of English, French, and German are only available as of now), civil education, the natural sciences, and mathematics. Extracurricular activity is encouraged in these schools, with fresh debate clubs and sport clubs propping up in these schools. As a result, homework is decreased to fit extracurricular activity.

The Ministry of National Education forms a Teacher's Gymnasium, a school for all public teachers to go to. Pedagogical improvements around the world are discussed and teaching experiments done. The teachers are rigorously schooled in the new curriculum, along with five-year tests to ensure competence in teachers.

The number of the "new" gymnasiums increase as more are being built, especially in rural areas. In the areas without gymnasiums, decentralized education is encouraged, with parents and the local community as educators. Elementary education promises many benefits to the Russian peasant, including less time conscripted in the military and possibility of higher pay.

Foreign investment, mainly British, flow to Russia. Industrial growth is expected as the money is used to build factories for government-owned companies or companies which the government has interest in. Russia expects to disperse and diversify its industry by forming a Committee on Rural Industrialization, with the government sponsoring the growth of some small industries with potential. St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Tsaritsyn on the Volga River receive an influx of workers as they are planned industrial centers. Warsaw, Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, and Sevastopol are also developing on their own.

In Civilian Industry, the Russian government begins investing heavily in Electric Power Plants, by using coal and Russia's many rivers for hydroelectric power. The Electricity is mainly funneled to factories, as success of electrified factories in the USA has shown. Russian Captains of Industry discuss revolution in the way labor is used in factories, such as giving laborers only one task in the development of the product, not create the whole product itself. Workers' rights, such as wages and work hours is also discussed. The Iron and Steel industry is greatly expanded.

To increase agricultural productivity, search for fertilizer formulas spread all across peasant villages in Russia. The chemist in Moscow and the peasant in Yaroslavl work together in an effort to increase agriculture. Research on tractors and mechanized agriculture start.

Russia, knowing of its huge oil reserves, begin drafting a National Committee on Oil, comprised of Captains of Industry. While Russia stresses on increasing its coal output, oil is experimented as a new fuel which may revolutionize the world. Already, some Russian Navy ships and some trucks are starting to use oil.

The military-industrial complex is expanded greatly from the investments. Russia especially plans to replace their old Berdan Rifles with modern Mosin-Nagant M1891 Rifles. About 2 million Mosin-Nagants are to be manufactured this year. Russia also plans to improve on the Maxim Gun design. Russia hopes to cooperate with Hotchkiss (France-Jean-Luc Picard ) and Vickers (Britain-Frederick the Great ) in development of the machine gun.

The shipyards of St. Petersburg bustle as the Russian Empire orders construction of a new class of battleship, the Borodino class. One of the battleships in the class, the Knyaz Suvorov, is expected to use a revolutionary design, with only four turrets of twin 12-inch guns as armnament. Russia seeks to refit its navy with Barr & Stroud coincidence rangefinders, Krupp Cemented Armor, and Russia experiments with HE shells. Russia plans to research torpedo boat tactics along with Italy (Desophaeus ).

Commercial shipyards bustle as well as the Russian government subsidizes construction of commercial merchant ships, to increase trade and put Russia on par with other economic powers. Some commercial shipyards are bought by the government in plans to establish a state monopoly.

The Russian government builds the port city of Murmansk in the Arctic, with meticulously planned designs. Port Arthur is substantially developed, both militarily (construction of fortifications) and commercially.

The Russian Army's horrible condition has forced the government to raise army budget to 25%, along with selling army bonds to the public. The Russian Army considers implementing a commission system, to fund each individual unit. Conscripts out of military service are asked to form associations, as to allow easier surveillance and for them to teach their local communities important skills they have learned in the army, such as reading, writing, and mathematics. Some conscripts are chosen to be NCO's.

A Decentralized command structure is proposed, as the Russian army plans to focus on effective small-unit tactics.

High Command has requisitioned Russian state companies to manufacture 600 trucks in this year for the Imperial Army's logistics. Railways in strategic positions, such as Georgia, Poland, and Siberia is developed more. The Army is currently in the process of re-equipment, with the M1891 Rifles requisitioned. Artillery pieces, including field guns and howitzers are made. 400 howitzers are requisitioned with 1,000 field guns as well.

Fortifications are built along borders with other countries, as well as building of extensive trench lines. Russian forces along the German border retreat to Warsaw and start building trench lines and fortifications there.

The Emperor invites all the World Powers (tagging everyone: best75 ,@khurramzafar ,Desophaeus ,Imperial RomeBall ,Jean-Luc Picard ,Frederick the Great ,Thrawn ,Antonio Santa Anna ,Yi Sun Sin ,Quintus Fabius ,Bismarck Jr ) to St. Petersburg to renew the 1868 St. Petersburg Decree, adapting to weapon development in the modern age.

Witte and Nicholas outline a Ten-Year Plan, to substantially develop Russian infrastructure and truly industrialize Russia. Inspection of the existing infrastructure lines with improvement start, along with building of new infrastructure lines. Peasants who participate in this effort are given a substantial salary and are exempted from conscription.

RUSSIAN ARMY ORDER OF BATTLE

A division consists of about 10,000 men.

Total number of divisions: 70 infantry and 18 cavalry (standing army).

MANCHURIAN FRONT: 18 Divisions of Infantry and 6 of Cavalry.
BOXER REBELLION INTERVENTION: 4 infantry divisons; 2 in Port Arthur, 2 in Manchuria.
POLAND: 12 infantry Divisions.
RUSSO-AUSTRIAN BORDER: 8 infantry Divisions.
GEORGIA (Russo-Turksih border is DMZ): 8 infantry divisions, 6 Cavalry divisions.

RESERVE: 42 infantry divisions
(to be continued)

It sounds like someone's trying to join the Triple Entente.

Laurent de Gouvion , I can see Russia making a serious effort to modernize (and it definitely had precedents in Peter and Catherine the Greats) but democratically elected governors? The Tsar would have refused to recognize them (he even shut down the Dumas multiple times during his reign as Nicholas II). He would rather behead them than to lend an ear. The nobles in the royal court were no less reactionary than the Tsar himself and would have protested to the marginalization to their prestigious place in society. They would have insisted that the positions should be filled by people from their group, rather than completely open to anyone. Governors appointed by the Tsar would be a much more plausible procedure.

Using democratically elected governors would cause massive unrest in both upper and lower strata, nobles.. yeah you know how they would've reacted, but also peasants aren't used to the concept of self-determined rule. That leave out only maybe 1 or 2% in the middle class.

Russia at the beginning of the 20th century was horribly far behind in things like that. So far behind, only 52 years before 1900... Russia was a major exception to the 1848 revolutions because of SHEER backwardness (GB was the polar opposite). In effect, the 1848 revolution happened for Russia in 1917 instead. So right now, think pre-1848 Europe for Russia.

I mean it's called Alternative History for a reason.

If Belgium is British, does that mean that Belgian Congo is now British Congo?

That's a big chunk of land!