The Raging Storm - Gameplay Thread

[KaiserDave]

IL DUCE: IT IS NOW TIME FOR TOTAL WAR

Given in the evening over the Radio to the entire nation and Empire, immediately after the Soviet invasion of the Empire. SALUTO AL DUCE!

Men and Women of Italy. Soldiers and sailors of the Regio Esercito, and of the Regia Aeronautica, and the Regia Marina across the Kingdom and in the overseas territories and dependencies. I, your Duce, come to you live from Rome, heart of Italy, and mother of civilization. I come to you with the blackest news in the history of our civilization.

The Red Army of the degenerate police torturer Genrikh Yagoda has smashed into the Hungarian fortifications with overwhelming force. Despite the heroic efforts of the Hungarian soldiery, and the determination of her people to resist the invader Budapest has fallen. However, Hungarian resistance continues. Now the Red Army marches towards Slovenia and with the intention to destroy Italy. I will not hide from you, my people, the entire truth. The Red Army intends to conquer Italy, destroy fascism, and wipe out Latin civilization. They are in league with terrorists in the Balkans, spies in our own country, and enemies of Italy across the world.

I asked you not long ago to join with me in entering a state of siege. I told you that Italy was under attack by enemies, that they were hiding in the shadows. I now tell you that the enemies have revealed themselves. It is our eternal enemy, the barbarian hordes from the Orient. It was once the Huns, the Vandals, now it is the Red Army with the banner of Marxism, and now instead of Atilla their chief if Yagoda, a diminutive effeminate fool. But nonetheless he is a fool with millions of men at his back, and he is determined to wipe us out.

Italians! Our enemy is out in the open! He is here, teeth bared, blood of our comrades dripping from his lips and teeth, preparing to slaughter us all! But we will not be slaughtered! We will fight, fight like we have never fought before, fight for our survival as as nation, as a civilization, fight like fascists, fight like patriots and heroes! Now, I ask you to let loose your passions, if they were restrained before, our hatred of the reds and of the Soviets, I ask you to let loose, storm forwards, now we are at war! Yes, war! The Kingdom of Italy is at war with the Soviet Union. I conferred with His Majesty today, and he tells me, his first servant, that Italy must fight, and I tell you, Italy will fight like it has never fought before!

Savages! Savages and barbarians threaten to destroy us, this is a life or death struggle. The stakes of this war are higher than all previous wars we have fought. In 1915 the Germanic plutocrats threatened to repeal the Risorgimento, but now, the Red Army desires nothing less than the total annihilation of our people. Should the Red Army be victorious, Italians will be dragged out of their homes and shot. Women will be violated, corpses of your sons will be piled up in the streets, the Coliseum and St. Peter's Basilica will be destroyed, vineyards will be burned, Venice and Florence will be sacked and bombed out, the Italian language will be banned, prayer and faith will be made a crime, and our civilization will be erased from the face of the Earth. Italian women will be married to Russian soldiers in Marxist ceremonies, and their children will be raised as loyal communists who hate their own culture. Italy will be gone, forever! We either win, or we die!

So Italians, I ask you now. Are you prepared to fight? Are you prepared to die? Your Duce asks you, will you fight for Italy? Are you a coward! No! We are a people of strength, and we will fight! Fight like lions, like everything depends on our struggle, because it does! Don't let the enemy into Italy, throw them out, out, leave nobody alive! To throw the enemy out of Italy, to save Italian civilization, are you ready to sacrifice? Do you believe with your Duce and your King in the final total victory of the Italian people? Are you and the Italian people willing to work, if your Duce orders, 10, 12 and if necessary 14 hours a day and to give everything for victory? Do you want guerra totale? If necessary, do you want a war more total and radical than anything that we can even imagine today?

Yes! Yes! Total War! It is now time for Total War! War that is more comprehensive and emotive than any struggle in the history of humanity. Italy is ready! Italy's sons are ready to die! I have ordered the general mobilization so that Italy will be victorious.

I now speak to the world. Italy, mother of you all, is under attack. If you believe in us, if you care for life, you must aid our cause. We are selflessly committed to the destruction of the enemy, unlike anyone else, and we will do our utmost to be victorious.

People of Italy, I have told you many unfortunate things. It is my dearest wish we could live in peace in our land, but the enemy has forced war upon us. But I will tell you now, I believe in victory. If I did not believe in victory, I would not ask you for these sacrifices, but the enemy can be defeated, and if necessary, if it takes all of us, we will do it. Italy will win, will win in the air, on the land, and at sea! The victory of the Italian people is inevitable! Now is the time for heroism and sacrifice, for the greatest victory of our people!

Long live Italy! Long live the King! Long live Fascism!

The radio speech is followed by the playing of E. A. Mario's "La Leggenda del Piave"

[KaiserDave]

THE DAWN OF THE LATIN PACT

The PACT of THE LATIN NATIONS

We assembled, the governments of France and the Kingdom of Italy do resolve to bind our nations together in the face of chaos and violence on a global scale. The Italian and French peoples are already bound together by a shared Latin and Romance culture and heritage, and since the rebirth of the French State, deep and comprehensive shared values in political outlook. Italy and France also recognized how events have played out in Europe in such a manner that illustrates the similarity of French and Italian strategic interests in the face of Bolshevik terror and foreign domination, as well as in keeping vital routes of trade open. Italy and France cannot depend on others to keep them secure, only each other. This Latin Pact hereby formalizes the deep and comprehensive diplomatic, economic, and security relationship between Italy and France.  

France and Italy agree to defend each other by force of arms in the case of attack

France and Italy agree to coordinate on matters of security and defense

France and Italy agree to coordinate and cooperate for matters of mutual economic benefit, and provide preference for one another in trade and international commerce, and coordinate on projects especially in such a manner that maximizes strategic flexibility and independence

France and Italy agree to undertake all efforts to the reopening of Mediterranean commerce

France and Italy agree to cooperate in areas of suppressing internal subversives and malcontents

France and Italy agree for joint military planning and cooperation in peacetime

xIL DUCE, Benito Mussolini


Remarks by IL DUCE at the signing of the accord, at Palais de Justice in Nice, France

The friendship between the people of France and Italy is a deeply logical and rational friendship, based not only on strategic interests but also brotherhood and kinship. We share a connection that goes back to Mother Rome, to Virgil, to Augustus and to Gaius Julius Caesar. It was Rome that civilized the savage plains of Gaul and from her rose France, among the most cultured and advanced civilizations in Europe. This kinship stretched through the annals of history, the French stood by us many a time to drive out the heirs of the Goths from Italy, it was Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte who fought in the Carbonari, though many suppress this memory, and it was France who bled with us in the First War against our enemies, and now the Lombard Legion bleeds with Army of Graziani in the heroic defense of the Macius Line. Furthermore, Charles Maurras, who is a friend and a deep inspiration, has taken up, with the call of destiny, the reins of the French State. With this, Italy and France are ever closer, we both share the same values. We are, absolutely, brothers in the same creed.

In today's world of struggle, France and Italy share much in common. Not only do we have our deep historical bonds, but share geo-strategic interests. We both resist the tyranny of the Bolshevik, who desires the destruction of Europe, and the tyranny of dark foreign powers, who desire our subjugation. We share a desire to keep open the flow of trade, and a desire to develop ourselves as independent states.

Despite our deep kinship, many have tried to keep Italy and France apart. The plutodemocrats, who once ran both France and Italy, have devised plots to subjugate both our peoples, it was them who were responsible for the Mutilated Victory, and it was them who enflamed the animosities between our states. But Maurras, might Maurras has driven them out of France. Now there are crowned heads and plutocrats abroad who still conspire to keep our states apart because they know that France and Italy, once together, cannot be defeated. They know that if France and Italy are apart that they are free to dominate Europe, bomb whoever they please, and wage economic warfare against whomever they like in pursuit of their goals of control. Well, today I have to tell them that they have failed. The Latin sisters are now bound together, for victory! Long live the Latin Pact!  

[KaiserDave]

IL DUCE DECLARES VICTORY OVER RED MENACE

Selected Excerpts from Il Duce's Public Address, "On the Successful Defense of the Line of Macius"

...I have received reports, from Marshal Graziani on the struggle being waged on the Macius Line, and he has informed me, in a telegram from his command post on the frontline, in a bunker wedged into a mountain, that "the enemy has been driven from the frontier of the nation. The soldiers of Italy are victorious along the entire line. Long live Il Duce!" Successive reports have indicated a massive retreat from the Line, and the liberation of Slovenia is imminent...

...The Macius Line has been defended, Italy has been saved from Bolshevism. We have won the battle, now we will drive the enemy out of Hungary, and out of the Empire for good....

...Italy has kept her promise made to defend civilization. I have kept the promise I made almost a decade ago to defend Europe from the Bolshevik menace. Now, the heart of Europe has been saved, with the valor of the Italian soldier....

...The total liberation of Hungary and Croatia is imminent, the terrorists and dogs of the enemy will be put down, no quarter will be given to the Bolshevik violators of our homes and families. Italy will be victorious...

...Italy has defeated the Red Army. I repeat, Italy has defeated the Red Army. Italy has humbled the Red Army, the Bolshevik has bowed before the martial superiority of the Italian soldier...

[KaiserDave]

Bucharest Accords

France, the Kingdom of Italy, and the Kingdom of Romania agree to the following terms:

I. France, and the Kingdom of Italy shall guarantee the inviolability of Romania’s current borders against Soviet aggression or that of another great power, and pledge to offer all aid and assistance should they be violated by a hostile power.
II. France shall establish the Compagnie Pétrolière de l'État Français (CPEF) to finance the reconstruction of Romanian oil infrastructure through investment.
III. The CPEF shall also direct funds to the establishment of additional infrastructure to provide for the transport of this petroleum to the other signatories of this treaty.
IV. This treaty shall not be construed to infringe on any previous economic commitments made by the Kingdom of Romania.

xCharles Maurras

x IL DUCE, Benito Mussolini

[KaiserDave]

Italo-Egyptian Agreement
Signatories agree to the following:

1. The Italian Empire will serve as a guarantor for the safe passage of Egyptian vessels in the Mediterranean.
2. Italian bases in Dodecanese Islands shall be open and provide safe harbor to Egyptian vessels, as well as provide fueling and supply support.
3. The Italian Empire will serve as a guarantor of the independent sovereignty of the Kingdom of Egypt and the Sudan.

x IL DUCE, Benito Mussolini

[KaiserDave]

Eulogy for Chief of Police, Arturo Bocchini

It was Luigi Federzoni who recommended that I appoint Arturo Bocchini to be Chief of the State Police. It was good advice at the time, but I do not believe Signore Federzoni truly understood what he was just given to me. He had given to me an irreplaceable man. Signore Bocchini proved to be the most able and competent Chief of Police in the history of this country. He was an efficient bureaucrat and manager, capable of managing with the sprawling apparatus of state with incredible ease, he was an effective inspector and investigator, who rooted out crime with unbelievable success. He made the country safe. He was a man whom I sought out for counsel, and who provided that counsel reliably, with great sense and comprehension. But more than anything else, he was a dedicated fascist, and a strong man. He understood that the work of police requires ruthlessness, a lack of sentimentality, a lack of liberal moralist pretensions. It is not an easy job, it is not meant for weak men. It is meant for strong men. Men who know how to destroy enemies. Arturo Bocchini was one such man.

Signore Bocchini was a lion for fascism. He gave his life to fascism, and to Italy. He gave us everything, and expected nothing. It is a great tragedy that we have lost such a man. He is an ideal fascist, a man of great skill, who possessed vision for what Italy could be, and who knew what was necessary to destroy obstacles to that goal. He was a truly selfless man. A man of virtue, a man who deserves to go down in the annals of the history of this country as a great man. I extend my salute to Signore Bocchini, one brother to another. Italy will miss him dearly, and the State Police will continue their good work in his name. The Palazzo del Viminale, the headquarters of the State Police, will be renamed the Palazzo del Bocchini in his honor.

Thank you Signore, for your good work and service. Salute!

[KaiserDave]

THE LATIN PACT EXPANDS

The PACT of THE LATIN NATIONS

We assembled, the governments of France and the Kingdom of Italy welcome with open arms to the Latin Pact our brother nation of Portugal. Portugal shares its common heritage with the French and Italian nations, and shares in its outlook the defeat of Bolshevism and the protection of Christian civilization. The ascension of Portugal to the agreement merely formalizes the already deep ties between Paris, Rome and Lisbon. On Portugal's suggestion the security guarantees encompassed in this pact now include all territories, in Europe and elsewhere, possessed by each signatory, and as such the Latin nations shall united around the world.

France, Italy, and Portugal agree to defend each other by force of arms in the case of attack

France, Italy, and Portugal agree to coordinate on matters of security and defense

France, Italy, and Portugal agree to coordinate and cooperate for matters of mutual economic benefit, and provide preference for one another in trade and international commerce, and coordinate on projects especially in such a manner that maximizes strategic flexibility and independence

France, Italy, and Portugal agree to undertake all efforts to the reopening of Mediterranean commerce

France, Italy, and Portugal agree to cooperate in areas of suppressing internal subversives and malcontents

France, Italy, and Portugal agree for joint military planning and cooperation in peacetime

France, Italy, and Portugal agree to undertake all efforts to protect and preserve the colonial possessions of Latin Pact members.

xCharles Maurras

x IL DUCE, Benito Mussolini