WWI Alt Hist Turn Thread

Sorry for not posting turns. Germany 1903+Germany 1904:
The Kaiser orders two more armies to be mobilized, and that's ten armies total, in two years. Again, these are defensive purposes only, and not to be concerned.
The great alliance between the Ottoman, Britain, A-H, and Russia will stand strong, with a non-aggression pact signed recently with the U.K. We also propose another non-aggression pact with Belgium(Tadamichi Kuribayashi ) and Qing(Laurent de Gouvion St. Cyr ), which with Qing, we have traded seven-year exclusive right to drill oil and the mobilization of the Qing army. The influence over Asia rises. And dear Japan(Santa Anna ), we propose no threat to you, unless you attack Qing with no valid reasons. Only then we should be at war with each other. In other circumstances, our relationship will roll on fine.
We will continue to industrialize. Our GDP rises, and we want to develop oil-drilling technology, along with some modern-military technology. How successfully did we go? S8XNcRIq
Amazing! The Kaiser is very pleased. We will, with the new tech, drill some oil out of the Qing. The cost of oil drops and some are supplied for military training as well. Ten whole armies will need a lot of oil.

                                  World In Flames:
                                                                                         
                                                                                                 Maxtris Refuse Proposition:

                                                                                                  The Maxtris/Matrixs refuse The Kosmat ideology. They state a revolution, I was willing to offer if they took the ideas of Komatism. But storm out saying They will work for the people. The Kosmat Idea is open to the workers being a meretocracy (Please correct the journalist if used wrong terms) A communist or capitalist Ideal is fine here but I would like to restate this proposal. You, you can have a workers revolution but you must keep the Kosmat as the ideology. The Kosmat ideology is a founding principal of preserving your culture whilst industrializing (The way you do it is up to you).   


                                                                                                 Japan Makes "Planes"

                                                                                                   Japan produces A flying craft. Joshua attempted to (And almost did) Make a craft that could compete with it. Not sure what else I could say.


                                                                                                 Armeninia Proposed:

                                                                                                 The Orthodox Armenians have been persecuted and the Russians (Heavily Orthodox) have proposed a jointly ruled State for the people. Joshua believes 2 things. 1. This is amazing if t'is passed but horrible if not. 2. Could this be a somewhat land grab from the Russians.


                                                                                                   Governmental Installment Plan is Faling

                                                                                                   The attempts making governments last year have failed miserably. Maybe if the people were given stronger governmental power (Do not think I am doing this meanly I mean to say they might need more control such as local militias) They would accept it. Update, The people have accepted the governments except one.




                                                                                                     Russia's Governor Crisis
                                                                                       
                                                                                                     In the province of Finland the people hate the Csar's establishment. So much that there is no governor except   the possibility of a cavalryman. Csar Nicholas facepalmed many times hearing the excuses of why. More reports on the situation in the next copy of World In Flames.


                                                                                                     Update On The A-H USA Crisis
                                                                                                 America releases a statement saying (This is paraphrased) that they are a sovereign nation and can trade with who they please and deny trade with whom they please. Franz  said with the guarantee of independence on Greece that this was an attempt to disguise the actions of america under the guise of protection. The actions taken by either side that could be considered in a negative way to Greece are not taken in a harmful way (Opposition to America) So we remain open to trade with all sides. We request a conference between the 2 sides be held in Rome if Italy (liamcog) allows. Brazil also seems ready to enter the Crisis once more. 



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Approved By the Prime Minister Joshua Vizielos Valeta.

Imperial Russia 1905 (Finnish edition)

To the horror of Nicholas II, Pyotr Stolypin (the Prime Minister) came to him with bad news regarding the Grand Duchy of Finland which had enjoyed quite a lot of freedom and prosperity under the Russian crown as an autonomous duchy.

The prime minister had bungled things up and the Finns were preparing to revolt soon. Hardly a shock because as it turns out, Stolypin had tried to implement very unpopular reforms on Finland's constitution and it was beginning to backfire on him.

Not only that, a Finn already assassinated Nikolay Bobrikov, who was serving as the Governor-General in seat of the Tsar for Finland just one year ago in 1904. He had failed miserably to provoke intense loyalty from the Finns to the Tsar.

But this... another string of constant failures to govern the Finns properly!

Nicholas II laconically fired the Prime Minister, Pyotr Stolypin from his position, "You have done enough for the day, I shall appoint a different man for the task. Leave me."

Nodding at the need for change, Nicholas II summoned the new Governor-General who had replaced Nikolay Bobrikov. But none came forward, for Ivan Mikhailovich Obolensky was just freshly killed by revolutionaries in the streets.

Nicholas II did a facepalm, and muttered "Very well... the Finnish Minister Secretary of State? Vyacheslav von Plehve?"

"Assassination, uh last year, my lord."

Under the double facepalms over his eyes, Nicholas grunted in discouragment. "Okay okay, send in ... Constantin Linder, he was the Minister of Finance, yes?"

"He had resigned, your highness."
"WHAT? WHY in the world did he resigned?!?"

Jumping to his feet, Nicholas started pacing furiously on the floor trying to think up something to resolve for the Finns. "What was the name of that Finnish calvary colonel?"

"Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, my lord."

To be edited

The United States of America









Economy



After intensive economic programs, economist try to determine its success. 

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Political



Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philipines are made equal states within the USA. English is starting to be the common language in those states. 


Military



100.000 militias consisting of 250 militiamen are finally finished after years of intensive training. In case of a defensive war, the United States will be almost impossible to conquer. 




Foreign Policy



Despite negative remarks from the Russian czar the United States has decided to continue joint development of Alaska and East-Siberia. Stronger ties with the Japenese Empire and the Greek state are being made. ·

Brazil 1905 PSA:

Empress Vittoria, ruling in place of her husband while he is still out campaigning in Bolivia, releases a statement that announces the Brazilian position in the crisis:

"As my husband has already stated, Brazil is only worried about European intervention in the Americas. With Emperor Franz Joseph (Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck ) announcing that the nation will still abide by the Monroe Doctrine, Brazil is withdrawing from the crisis. The fact that the Ampudia Doctrine only had to be signed by the government of the United States of America (António Salazar ) as it is more of an agreement between America and Brazil to protect against European intervention means that the Doctrine will still be in effect.

It should be noted, however, that if Emperor Franz Joseph (Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck ) is to make any more threats to any of the New World's nations, Brazil shall re-enter the crisis.

To be completely fair and unprejudiced, however, we, the Second Empire of Brazil, would like to state that we agree with Tsar Nicholas II (Desophaeus ) in that America should stay out of European affairs so as to ensure the preservation of the Monroe Doctrine and to have European nations respect the Doctrine."

Swedish Empire 1905:

1905 is a good year! We don't care about the world events expect for the war in Spain and recent developments in Germany
Military:
Army-
75,000 Elite Infantry (+25,000 this year from reserves)-->35,000 in Spain
200,000 Infantry (Regular infantry with mountain infantry characteristics) [+75,000 raised from reserves]
30,000 Coast Guard
150,000 Reserves (Currently undergoing heavy training) [+30,000 drafted and undergoing training]

Navy-
Battleships: 1 (+1 this year)
Crusiers: 8 (+1 this year) -->1 in Spain
Destroyers: 15 (None this year)-->3 in Spain
Frigates: 18-->5 in Spain
Patrol Craft: 90 (+10 to be built to patrol Denmark border)
Britian is developing a new ship!

Coastal Defenses are being improved in major cities. More defenses are being erected in regular intervals along the coast.

Economy:
New Machine Guns manufactured. Given to the army by the end of the year.
Construction of 3 factories in Oslo. 1 factory in Trondheim.
Exports: Fish, Iron Ores, Other Minerals, Timber

Political:
Troops in Spain.
War has been declared on Denmark! Here is the formal declaration:

Research:

Read more: european-war-4.boards.net/thread/7576/wwi-alt-hist-turn-thread#ixzz4zD0vW0IG

Qing 1904 - A Diplomatic Coup

The Land for Silver initiative was launched to save China from excessive foreign debt; to free up some taels here and there, beginning the strengthening of China. That the program would exceed even the most optimistic expectations turned out as a surprise. Three-quarters of the Boxer Indemnity has been forgiven for land leases. Prince Yikuang delivers a speech, transmitted through radio:

"People of China,

We have been freed from the latest of unequal treaties. The hard work of Qing diplomats has led to favorable renegotiation of these clauses. Now, these treaties are equal treaties, reflecting of the Qing Empire's position in the world order.

Under the banner of Land for Silver, three-quarters of our debt has been forgiven. The money saved shall be used for the betterment of China and its people. You shall find your pockets lined with silver, mouths filled with food, and land filled with industry.

Yes, you may have lost land in these negotiations, but it will come back. In a decade, your land will be given back, in a state much better than before.

May Heaven shine upon us."

In other statements, the Grand Council has agreed to default on Qing's indemnities to France, Spain, Sweden-Norway, and Belgium. France, due to the political crisis existing there. Spain, due to the Civil War. Sweden-Norway, due to its civil war and militarism. Belgium, due to its relatively close location to Marxist Netherlands worrying diplomats regarding the spread of revolution there.

The successful implementation of foreign policy has led to a massive amount of taels unspent. These silver taels go to the planned programs for state-sponsored industrialization. Money begins to flow into villages, forming factories out of guilds, being led by second sons of landowners, some even by sons of tenant farmers. Wages are paid by the government, but price, product design, and materials are left to the factory leaders and workers. This, in addition with tax plans, would see the beginning of rural industry in China.

Silver taels flow too on the creation of infrastructure, mainly into the inner areas of China. This development of infrastructure will involve private investors, but the design and construction would be overseen by the government, ensuring a standard in the built infrastructure. That standard would include a minimum quality for materials involved, a standard rail gauge, standardized telegraph poles, and other measures. Labor would be hired from local villages instead of outsourced, with wages and training to ensure the development of human capital in regards to construction. Western-educated Chinese engineers and intellectuals create the design for infrastructure, some surveying in the field.

In the coast, standardization (ensuring rail gauges are the same) and quality control would be done to existing infrastructure. The other part of engineers and surveyor would be used for this. Any repairs would involve human and natural resources from places near to the infrastructure. After repairs, the engineers would educated some from the local population centers to be able to inspect and repair infrastructure.

A plan is revealed for the monetary future of China after state-sponsored industrialization; silver taels would be replaced by paper money pegged to gold. After further development, another transition to free-floating paper money would be done. As of now, letters issued by provincial governments in exchange for a certain amount of silver taels, given as wages to government officials, as to prepare the people of China for the usage of paper money.

In these programs, provincial governments are barely involved, due to suspicion of corruption. As of now, the Grand Council settles on a policy of centralization until corruption is dealt with. It formulates a plan to deal with corruption:
1. The immediate passing of 8-year term limits for governors and viceroys. Term limits will be considered retroactive from 1900, with a ban on consecutive terms,
2. Government appointment of provincial governors in 1908,
3. Abolishment of the post of tídū (captain-general) by 1908,
4. Abolishment of provincial armies by 1910, merging them with the Imperial cadre army,
5. Abolishment of the post of zǒngdū (viceroy) by 1912,
6. Ban on provincial governors from entering service in the Grand Council or other institutions of central government,
7. Establishment of new provinces outside China proper in Manchuria, Mongolia, and Tibet;

The cadre army increases in number to 40,000 or four divisions, supplies paid for from the budget surplus. They would be trained by Chinese officers experienced in European armies. The Qing Empire requests clarifcation from Russia (Desophaeus ) in regard to military advisors destined for this cadre army.

In the Navy, any and all wooden gunboats are scrapped from China's modern fleets. The four fleets (Beiyang, Nanyang, Guangdong, and Fujian) are to be intergrated by 1906 into one Chinese navy. In regard to bases, the dockyards of Fuzhou and Jiangnan are to be expanded in the course of five years. Naval engineers begin to draft plans for new classes of ships, to be made in China and China alone.

To deal with the social divide between the Han and the Manchu, the Grand Council realizes that oppression is not sustainable. A campaign starts, using Chinese culture as legitimacy for Manchu rule, as the Aisin Gioro Manchus have adopted Chinese culture. Furthermore, the Guangxu Emperor reveals that the wife (not concubine) of the heir to the Empire will be married to a Han instead of a Manchu noble.

Intermarriage is encouraged between the Han and Manchu. In the nobility, several prominent officials of Han descent are raised to nobility and betrothed to old Manchu nobility. Equality is campaigned in social interaction, with no member of certain ethnicity getting more privilege than the other.

The Guangxu Emperor goes on many visits around China, participating in cultural celebrations, meeting regional leaders, Han, Manchu, or anyone else in the Empire. However, it is speculated that Cixi still retains power in Beijing.

Outside of China, intellectuals such as Sun Yat-Sen plan to overthrow the monarchy. To counter this wave of anti-monarchic intellectualism, young intellectuals are given an advisory role, even internships inside the Grand Council, preparing them for a possible transition into Constitutional Monarchy.