Balance of Power (Gameplay Thread) - Epilogue and Game Over

[Lumine]

End of Late 1903:

In one of the most strange events of the past decades, an alliance was born between Germany, Austria-Hungary, Japan, United States, the Ottoman Empire and Britain, and it seemed the Russian Bear would be eventually destroyed, perhaps even before the year ended. Dissapointment, financial complications, internal unrest and thousands of men dead in complicated naval and land battles, it was definetly not the war the world was expecting. Russia lost almost its entire fleet and faced a potential loss, but a series of quickly arranged treaties managed to bring peace to almost all the involved nations, but at the cost of pretty much ending the Russian Empire across the Asian continent.

But even if war formed a key part of the past six months, there is something more, something that will stay for quite a long time troubling the world powerd, for it seems they are facing a case of overextendance. Partisan, guerrilla and independence movements have appeared everywhere, putting many powers into all-out wars to control the land. The British Empire has to face the insurgency of the Senussi in Western Egypt, the Palestinian revolt, an ongoing war against the Afghans, and now they also have to face a potential war with their new subjects: the peoples of Turkmenistan, who have declared independence from the British Empire. The Ottomans have all but defeated the Turks, but with some minorities still resented, peace will require some time. Japan has managed to sort out the challenges in the Philippines and Formosa, but long term policies are required to succeed and consolidate the Japanese Empire. And finally, the United States of America seems to have reached a boiling point, with President McKinley's harsh treatment of pacifists and isolationalists almost provocking impeachment (saving himself after a quick compromise and putting the 1904 race in jeopardy).

The Venezuela crisis is over, and it seems the Great Russian War will be over soon a well, but the shift in the balance of power is unlikely to stay stable for a long time...

Alliances, Wars and Popularity:

-Ongoing Wars:
  
-Great Russian War.
  -All-out war between Austria-Hungary and Germany vs Russia in the Eastern Front.
  -Limited war between Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire.

-Senoussi War:
  -Full rebel control of the desert, British and French control of the Libyan coastline.

-Third Afghan War:
  -Full rebel control of Afghanistan.

-Turkmen War of Independence:
  -Independence just declared, no action yet.

-Popularity Ratings:
(From Early 1903, to be updated at the end of next turn)

-Tsar Nicholas II: High.
-President William McKinley: High.
-Kaiser Wilhelm III: Medium.
-Kaiser Franz Ferdinand I: Medium.
-Prime Minister Waldeck-Rousseau: Medium.
-Prime Minister Balfour: High.
-Emperor Mutsuhito: Very High.
-Sultan Abdul Hamid II: Medium.
-King Vittorio Emmanuele III: High.

Current Alliances:

Three Power Alliance (USA, UK and Japan)
Quadruple Alliance (Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary and Japan) (Likely to be damaged)
Franco-Russian Alliance (France and Russia)
Franco-American Alliance (France and USA)
Franco-British Alliance (France and the UK)
Turkish-American Alliance (Ottoman Empire and USA)
Turkish-German Alliance (Turkey and the German Empire)
Orthodox League (Russia, Serbia, Montenegro and Romania)
Adriatic League (Greece and Italy)

The Map:

[Lumine]

OOC: Calling it Turkmenistan isn't really accurate either. The new...thing in Central Asia probably won't stay a single country for long.

Precisely. For the time being, I changed it to Turkmenistan and made a few suggested changes, but I have some very fun (read: bloody and violent) ideas for Central Asia. I will have the turn ready by the end of the night or tomorrow in the afternoon!

[Lumine]

Turn Seven - Early 1904: (Part I)

-Russia:

First of all, congratulations on your new family members, Tsar! Despite a complicated pregnancy and fears regarding the health of the mother, the Tsarina has given birth to twins, two sons who are now the presumptive heirs to the Russian Empire. So far they don’t seem to have health problems, and it’s up to you to name them.

Despite the constant surge in popularity that you were facing during the year, it seems the popularity of your government is rapidly sinking after signing the treaties with Britain, Japan and the Ottoman Empire. The losses are not grave (a few minorities and deserted land), but the Russian people are extremely discontent with losing territory at the hands of the west. Not only that, but even in light of the mild reforms to the rights of workers, Okhrana is quickly losing control of the unions they created to control the protests. Father George Gapon heads a massive protest in Petrograd, and he threatens to call a strike for most of Russia unless the Tsar dismisses Witte (you are personally popular, but the people blame everybody else).The opposition is not unified (you have nationalists, socialists, liberals and so on), but they pose a grave danger to the war effort.

Without the necessary time to carry out urgent bureaucratic reforms, corruption keeps spreading in the government, making things complicated, halting projects, and forcing the waste of even military supplies. Russia still has the manpower, allies and a good part of the will, but either arms have to be bought or produced in masse again in order to continue the fight.

Finally, the loss of Poland, Lithuania, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, while humiliating, had a positive effect in regards to the strain posed by these minorities. As a result, the main focus of insurgency has shifted to Estonia, Latvia, Finland and the Caucasus, which is easier to contain that if you hadn’t let those people go.

-United Kingdom:

With enough time to prepare and knowing the Afghan rebels wouldn’t attack India, the British General Staff has made plans for an expedition of Indian troops and a few British brigades into Afghanistan to recapture the country, and they ask for your approval.

Today, more than 80.000 people gathered in Hyde Park, London to protest the policies of the government in regards to South Africa, as hundreds and thousands of Chinese laborers are being sent there to work, becoming pretty much slaves of Rhodes and the colonial authorities.

In regards to Africa and the Middle East, the Senoussi have taken the chance to strike intro Egypt as well, and while they prove unable to take cities, they are extremely effective in controlling the desert. Palestine continues to be a problem, as is almost impossible to please both sides and the moves are only alienating them. The Zionists and the Jewish settlers accuse Balfour of anti-semitism and a lack of decisiveness, the Palestinians, while slightly pleased to see the government is reconsidering its position, are not willing to cede an inch or land, now or never. The House of Saud waits for the proposed treaty and the creation of an Arabic state, and it is advisable not to make them wait too long.

Chamberlain has quieted down a bit, but that doesn’t mean he has surrendered. While praising your constant efforts to strengthen the economy of the Empire (as London virtually controls most of the world economy), he demands a clear course of action in regards to tariffs, advocating once again for his imperial preference system as opposed to the free trade approach of the more “hard-core” tories.

-France:

Brutal in their methods as they are, the French Foreign Legion has managed to crush the Senoussi insurgents in a couple of battles, forcing them to stay in the desert and halt further attacks on the cities. There are rumors of tactics that are no very, ehm, “christianlike”, but they seem capable of getting the job done. Somehow, there is an increasing number of Kurds, Filipinos and American recruits, nobody knows why.

The propaganda campaign in Libya has both backfired and worked, in a way.  While the Sultan’s position has weakened more and more, the people of Morocco don’t seem willing to accept being a French colony. An intervention resulting in an independent country might (might) work, but any attempts to install a protectorate will certainly trigger some level of insurgency, which might be mild or harsh depending on the national mood.

By taking ideas from your cabinet and pushing for an investment in public works the economy seems to be having a good moment, but it is precisely now that your cabinet is split on the idea or either having a tax increase or cuts in spending. Furthermore, the Nationalists in Parliament demand another military surge to counter any possible attacks on continental France. They are pleased with the investment and concern over aerial technology, but they feel it’s not enough.

As a final note, your message to the Pope was a nice surprise for the French Catholics, and they seem rather optimistic about your second government as of now (as opposed as the chaos in the past election).

-Germany:

Greetings, Chancellor Von Bülow. The Kaiser seems close to recovery, but so far you are at the helm for another six months ruling the German Empire. Main issues to consider:

It seems you have developed quite a good amount of charisma by giving several speeches to foreign leaders of the oppressed minorities in Russia, and that seems to have created a sense of goodwill among them, specially in light of an upcoming election for a Polish monarch. Good work, Chancellor!

The High Seas Fleet, despite being victorious, is in dire state. Heavy losses sustained in the battles for the Baltic Sea have seriously hampered the ability of the navy to compete with Britain, but so far the fleet has more than enough strength to blockade Petrograd. Perhaps when the war is over it might be wise to start buying or building ships?

Despite the loss of colonies over Wilhelm II and his sales, the remnants of the German Colonial Empire in Africa are still there, and despite the peace deal in what remains of German South West Africa, there is another problem. An officer from the Foreign Office, Heinrich Schnee, claims that the treatment of natives is abhorrent, and slavery has to be abolished in those zones. On the other hand, officers from the colonial administration claim Schnee is an idealist, and that abolishing slavery is bound to cause resentment in the colonies.

[Lumine]

Turn Seven – Early 1904: (Part II)

-Japan:

The Great Russian War is over, and while there’s some disappointment over the war being brought to an end so soon, you managed to increase the size of your Empire, destroy Russian attempts at having supremacy in the East, and prevent an economic crisis by ending the war before a year had passed. Now you must choose what to do with your new territories, and meditate about your next move.

It seems the idea of making the navy a stronghold of the Imperial loyalists has been a resounding success after the IJN’s magnificent performance (with Admiral Togo becoming the hero of Japan) and the Army’s poor performance. Some reforms will be needed, but your position grows stronger every day in comparison to 1901.

The Philippines grow more and more stable, and it could be said that without foreign support the rebels won’t last the year.

-Italy:

-Your military surge has been rather effective, with the newly transported troops ready for action and the navy ready to send reinforcements if needed be. Of course, this has greatly alarmed the Abyssinian Empire, and they seem to be searching for a sponsor to back them should you strike at them.

-Your appointment of the young and mostly unknown Cesare Mori to head anti-mafia forces came as a surprise (a worrying one for the police), but he has proved that is more than up to the difficult task. After capturing two hundred Mafiosi and engaging into countless fights, he has earned the nickname: Iron Prefect. If a long term policy is set and Mori continues to face success, the mafia might very well be crippled (many members are escaping to the United States), but it should be warned that if they get desperate, they might go after key figures of the government.

-After facing success in the economic front, Prime Minister Giolitti would like to go ahead with political efforts to change the current status quo, and he wants to deal with two groups often ignored: Socialists (despised by many) and Catholics (who are technically being encouraged not to participate in politics). It is a risky move, but it could result in greater stability.

-Austria Hungary:

-After the lack of success against the Orthodox League and the loss of Transylvania, panic spreads across the Empire, with rumors of mutinies in several units who are beginning to believe the Empire is weak. Swift military and domestic action must be taken or the Empire will suffer.

-It has been no secret that Franz Ferdinand held some level of anti-semitism before taking the throne (as many of his friends and allies do), but so far he has been silent on this issue. With anti-semitism on the rise across Europe, many wonder what the Kaiser thinks about this.

-Could it be that Austria-Hungary has a chance to get a colony? While the war against Russia must not be underestimated, Morocco seems like an easy target to pick after the war is over, in the event the French decide not to move here.

-USA:

Nicaraguan President Jose Santos Zelaya reports that he is very interested in building the canal on his country, and he wishes to discuss the details with you. Sadly, he doesn’t trust Hay, since the Secretary was the one to shot down an earlier deal about a Nicaraguan canal. And, of course, President Santos desires quite an impressive amount of money in order to go through with the project. 

The Presidential Election of 1904 comes this year, and at the end of the turn we will see the results of the RNC and the DNC. As a result, you must choose your candidate and your strategy in order to get through the convention. Potential candidates are: Attorney General Philander Knox, Sec. of State John Hay, Sec. of the Treasury Bob La Follette, Speaker Joseph Cannon, Senator Charles Fairbanks, among others.

Senator Mark Hanna, your mentor and friend, has passed away, right after ensuring the Senate passed the proposed Habeas Corpus Act of 1904, which seems to be the potential solution to the constitutional crisis faced in the fall of last year. Truly a loss for America (as he was a potential candidate for President as well) and for the President’s Men, who face their first loss in regards to members.

-Ottoman Empire:

The Armed Forces of the Empire have seen their pride and confidence restored with the victory in the war and the annexation of Azerbaijan, where the Azeri people have welcomed the troops with enthusiasm. Not only that, but with the new regiments of marine infantry, the German battleships and new ways of training designed by the officers, the Ottoman Army might very well become a truly European styled force very soon.

Your proposal for a solution to the crisis with the Orthodox Patriarch over the new city state of “Phanar” it’s not going without a controversy or two, but your attempts to solve the crisis have been praised, meaning that the deal could very well work as long as both sides managed to compromise.

As of now, the main Kurdish guerrillas have either surrendered or withdrew to the newly created Turkmenistan. They will be back, but at least the Empire enjoys internal peace for now, and the economy keeps doing rather well thanks to competent management and the new tax set on the aristocrats, who see their powers more and more diminished as time goes by,

[Lumine]

Event – Perdicaris Incident!

TO: United States.

Greek-American citizen Ion Perdicaris, a playboy currently living in Morocco, has been kidnapped by a known bandit (a Robin Hood for some), Mulai Ahmed er Raisuli. Raisuli is demanding the Sultan of Morocco $70.000 as a ransom, safe conduct for he and his men, and control as governor of several key places in Morocco. Samuel Grummere, the American consul in Morocco, has relayed his demands to President McKinley, while diplomats from the world powers have sent messages to their respective nations as well, informing them that Morocco is about to become a center of attention for the world.

Event – “The Fall of Constantinople”, a new movie!

TO: Ottoman Empire.

Today, Constantinople watched in both shock and joy the very first more filmed and produced in the Ottoman Empire, distributed to several places across the city. “The Fall of Constantinople”, a short historical drama detailing key moments of the siege of Constantinople in 1453 and the fall of the Byzantine Empire. While the movie could not be as large as planned, it did managed to send the message and it was very well received by the audience, opening a potential market for movies in the Middle East.

Of course, some foreign critics denounced obvious propaganda in the characters and their portrayal, as Sultan Mehmed II was portrayed as an old and wise leader and was given the nickname: “Crimson”. On the other side, the portrayal of Basileus Constantine XI and his foreign advisers (Yusupov, a grisly man from the Duchy of Moskowa, Thomas, an English adventurer and Pierre, a decadent French nobleman) was slightly critical and not very flattering, but the movie has achieved quite an interesting level of popularity so far.

Crisis – Genocide in Belgian Congo!

TO: All Players.

British diplomat Roger Casement, fed up with the increasing amount of atrocities he has seen so far in Belgian Congo, has decided to publish an account of the abuses of the personal ownership of said colony by King Leopold II of Belgium. The report has shocked and enraged the more liberal parts of Europe, with accounts of kidnappings, armed violence, beatings, and even instances of genocide on behalf of Belgian officers, who were apparently encouraged by similar events in the Philippines during the American control of the zone. Many call to strip Leopold of the Congo, or at the very least transfer the possession to Belgium as a nation instead of Leopold as a person, correcting the mistake made in the Berlin Conference many years ago.

[Lumine]

OOC: There are two or three events I had to leave out because I don't have enough time now, but don't worry... they will come, sooner or later. Have fun!

[Lumine]

Announcement: Tomorrow (yes, tomorrow, they are 50% ready) we will get the 1904 DNC and RNC (tickets already determined), an update on the Congo, the first results of the Afghan Expeditionary Force and the Invasion of Morocco. Just in case anybody has anything else to add to those issues before I give you the update, feel free to send a message or post something up until I post the update.

[Lumine]

OOC: I need to check if I have all the answers, but we should be close to Turn Eight.

Event – Democratic and Republican National Conventions!

TO: United States.

William McKinley’s second term was just as active as the first one, and a lot more polemic. After leading his nation against Spain and Russia, after fighting his way on the Philippines and Venezuela, and after the mysterious death of William Jennings Bryan and an impeachment attempt, President McKinley has quickly become a divisive figure, both hated and loved across the nation. But he will not be the candidate, as he has chosen to respect Washington’s example and not run for a third term. With McKinley gone, the election will probably be close, and the parties scramble to find the man who would be the next President of the United States.

RNC:

In a way, the Republicans had an easier time ahead of themselves thanks to the existence of a frontrunner: Secretary of State John Hay. Hay was a neutral and statesmanlike figure, a gentleman, and he was very popular with the party. Without Hanna there to be the other “elder statesman” and Roosevelt dead, it seemed Hay was going to get an easy nomination. Alas, no man can get through a convention without enemies, and several candidates gave their best as well:  Speaker Joseph Cannon’s influence was growing and growing, and entered the fight as a native son. Senator Charles Fairbanks was also a candidate, just like the Attorney General, Philander Knox. La Follette had announced he wasn’t a Presidential candidate, but that didn’t stop people from putting his name into the ballot.

First Ballot Results: (994 delegates)

John Hay: 744
Charles Fairbanks: 112
Philander C. Knox: 89
Joseph G. Cannon: 72
Robert La Follette: 32
William McKinley: 12
William Howard Taft: 3
Theodore Roosevelt: 2

As a result, and without a ballot needed, Secretary of State John Hay was nominated as the Presidential nominee. When he recommended La Follette as his running mate, as McKinley did, the Progressives jumped with joy, although the conservatives weren’t pleased at all. Fairbanks was presented as a possible choice, and managed to get more than 300 hundred delegates to back him. In the end, the power of the party machine defeated him, and the Republican ticket was McKinley/La Follette.

DNC:

The Democratic Party truly had a complicated situation. They had an election they could finally win, but they had lost Bryan, who, even if he was a two times loser, was the man who could have called himself the frontrunner. Senator Joel Stone could have been a choice after standing up to McKinley, but he chose not to run as well, given a strong endorsement to an underdog, Gov. Alexander Monroe Dockery, who chose to run. Facing him was a team of several Governors serving as stalking horses and native sons, two popular judges: Parker and Gray, former President Grover Cleveland (introduced on the ballot without his consent), General Nelson Miles, and the biggest threat to Dockery: William Randolph Hearst, who had been planning for the occasion for months.

After a series of chaotic balloting, the Governors were the first ones to go, most of them going for Dockery or defecting to Hearst and his radicals. Tammany Hall distrusted Hearst and his allies, but without Bryan to help them they couldn’t simply block him, forcing them to find their own candidate. Gray and Miles went down in flames very quickly, turning the convention into a three-way fight between Dockery, Parker and Hearst, which soon turned into Dockery v. Parker by the seventh ballot once it was evident Hearst would not unite the party. Ever the opportunist, Hearst promised Dockery funding and his media Empire in exchange for his support to get the VP nomination, and eventually bullied him into accepting. Parker thought having no known positions would win him the nomination, but Hearst was able to outmaneuver him and portray him as an empty suit and as being too bland to take on Hay. That, and the memory of what had happened last year was enough to force a definitive result in the eight ballot.  

As a result:

Alexander Monroe Dockery: 516
Alton B. Parker: 452
William Randolph Hearst: 21
Richard Olney: 7
George B. McClellan Jr: 3
Grover Cleveland: 1
 
It was hard to get Hearst as the VP nominee, but he finally managed to achieve at least something of what he wanted, having gone from political newcomer to Congressman to VP nominee in two years. And, of course, most Democrats were thrilled with Dockery, which meant that, while facing some division, the Democratic Party was going to able to take on Hay/La Follette almost at full strength. Four years ago nobody could have predicted such a match-up, but here it was: America’s potential clash of the titans.

Event – Invasion of Morocco!

TO: All players.

Morocco was a country in trouble, and that for an increasing number of reasons. As one of the few independent countries in Africa (along with Abyssinia) and thank to its geopolitical situation it was bound to be a target at some point, and the chronic instability and the open war between the Sultan and Raisuli only made the country a more likely target. Original predictions had in mind Germany and Spain as the potential attackers, but with one too busy wrestling with Russia and the other with an overtly complicated and unstable political situation, it was up to an international alliance of France, Italy, the Ottoman Empire and the United States to declare war and send their fleets to destroy all resistance. Ion Perdicaris provided a justification, but he was soon ignored in light of the circumstances.

30.000 men (20.000 Italians, 8.000 Frenchmen and about 2.000 Turks and dozens of modern ships sailed to Morocco, quickly taking control of the seas and landing on all the main cities, forcing Abdulaziz and his court to retreat. While the Royal Army of Morocco fought the landings, they were quickly defeated with the massive naval support the allies had. Tangier, Casablanca, and Rabat were quickly taken, but with limited ground support and with the population openly against the invaders, it was impossible to keep pushing forward. Alas, the Sultan was not going to be able to launch a counteroffensive, as a violent civil war was launched by Raisuli, who took control of most of the interior and the Rif, and Abdelhafid, the Sultan’s brother, who was declared Sultan in Marrakech and acknowledged in the south up to Agadir.

As a result of all this, the allies control the three main ports and the seas, but will need reinforcements if they are to really conquer the country and engage the three enemy armies: Abdelaziz’s Royal Army, Raisuli’s Rif guerrilla and Adbelhafid’s noblemen and tribesmen.

Event – Leopold II in trouble, Belgian Parliament discussing seizing Congo from him:

TO: All players.

In light of a very energetic protest from most of the world powers, the Belgian Parliament has finally decided to act after discovering the truth in the reports of the dire situation of the colony. While the French offer was swiftly rejected (as it was seen as too opportunistic), the Ottoman Plan was taken very seriously, sparking discussions that would lead into a potential vote on transferring the Congo to the government instead to the King. Leopold II will fight and do everything he can to try and save his colony, but the way things stand, and provided the world powers keep their distance, it seems the Parliament will vote to strip him of the enormous African colony.

Event – Afghan Expedition defeated at the Khyber Pass, mutinies in India!

TO: United Kingdom.

Despite the best attempts of the British General Staff to push for a swift expedition that would retake lost territory, Afghanistan has proved once again by Alexander the Great was the only foreign leader to actually conquer the country. In a grim repeat of the Elphinstone disaster and the recent destruction of thousands of British troops, the Expedition proved unable to fight the Afghans, not even by using Indian troops, who quickly protested how expendable they seemed to be to the British officers. In the end, disaster struck at the Khyber Pass, where the expedition was ambushed and almost destroyed, sending shockwaves through Central Asia (it seems the Afghans are intervening in some way in Turkestan), humilliating the Balfour government and causing mutinies across India.

[Lumine]

OOC: Aren't Ceuta and Melilla Spanish?

My mistake, it has been corrected!

[Lumine]

End of Early 1904:

The war continues in the East, and it's likely to keep going for a long time. More than a milion people must have died already, but Germany, Austria and Russia keep pushing to see who falls first. And while Germany has the internal instability to survive, Austria is beginning to suffer the strain of minorities and a general lack of leadership, while Russia is in the middle of ethnic and political violence. Observers bet on a negotiated peace that will ensure the independence of the new nations in Poland and the Baltic, but who knows what might happen there...

Elsewhere, wars seem to multiply with the Senoussi rebellion, the Afghan rebellion and the invasion of Morocco, which might prove key for several nations in search of more prestige. With the possibility of building a canal in Nicaragua (the offer will be delivered next turn), President McKinley might be able to finish his term on a very positive note, despite the major constitutional crisis last year, and thus secure John Hay's election when the time comes.

Overall, the people are divided between thinking that this is a new era in which nations will change or just a phase in the system that has held Europe for the past century. There is no clear Superpower in the world now that the British are fighting rebellions and the Americans have scaled down their international efforts, but a German victory in the East might very well result in German supremacy in Continental Europe, something few could have predicted after Wilhelm II's foreign policy blunders.

Alliances, Wars and Popularity:

-Ongoing Wars:
 
-Great Russian War.
  -All-out war between Austria-Hungary and Germany vs Russia in the Eastern Front.
  -War between Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire/Adriatic League.

-Senoussi War:
  -Relative rebel control of the desert, British and French control of the Libyan coastline.

-Third Afghan War:
  -Full rebel control of Afghanistan.

-Invasion of Morocco:
  -Civil war, Allies control the coast cities.

-Popularity Ratings:
(Updated)

-Tsar Nicholas II: Medium.
-President William McKinley: Medium.
-Kaiser Wilhelm III: High.
-Kaiser Franz Ferdinand I: Low.
-Prime Minister Waldeck-Rousseau: High.
-Prime Minister Balfour: High.
-Emperor Mutsuhito: Very High.
-Sultan Abdul Hamid II: High.
-King Vittorio Emmanuele III: High.

Current Alliances:

Three Power Alliance (USA, UK and Japan)
Quadruple Alliance (Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary and Japan) ("Generalissimo Franco is still dead"?)
Franco-Russian Alliance (France and Russia)
Franco-American Alliance (France and USA)
Franco-British Alliance (France and the UK)
Turkish-American Alliance (Ottoman Empire and USA)
Turkish-German Alliance (Turkey and the German Empire)
Orthodox League (Russia, Serbia, Montenegro and Romania)
Adriatic League (Greece and Italy)

The Map:

[Lumine]

Sick of waiting, here comes the turn:

Turn Eight - Late 1904: (Part I)

-Russia:

The situation in Petrograd keeps growing worse and worse with the protests and the panic that would come from a potential attack to the city. Father Gapon and his associates have almost taken full control of the unions, and they remain on the streets despite your firing of Witte. Gapon has denounced the aristocracy, the Black Hundreds and the conservative elements of the government, and while most still shout “Long live the Tsar”, they still wish to see a constitutional monarchy for Russia, land reform and to see the government more active gainst corruption.

Okhrana has some worrying news in Crimea: Unhappy with having to give away half the fleet and facing trouble with their rations, there have been reports of a potential conspiracy growing within the Black Sea Fleet in order to stage a mutiny.

Ivan Goremykin and his staff have started to work, purging corrupt and disloyal elements from the government as fast as he can. Alas, his main concern right now is the economy, given that the increasingly bad diplomatic situation has the potential to strangle trade. Goremykin is proposing that the economy should be refocused into military production, and he insists on finding a trade partner for advanced weaponry.

-United Kingdom:

Terror in London! Today the city had to face widespread shock when a bomb went off in Trafalgar Square, killing a handful of people and injuring dozens. Scotland Yard followed some suspects across the city, and they were later found dead at an abandoned warehouse. The men seemed to be European, but it was hard to identify them and while Scotland Yard believes this is the work of a large, organized group, they can’t single out the culprit.

The Indian front has stabilized with your reaction towards the officers who wasted Indian lives, an action that has managed to quiet down most of the revolts in the area. Alas, Afghanistan remains defiant despite all your actions, and the Indian troops don’t look very interested in returning to that zone. There’s also another potential conflict in regards to Tibet, given that the current Dalai Lama seems rather interested in having a friendly relationship with Russia. The General Staff is concerned with the possibility of having Tibet as an enemy, and Colonel Francis Younghusband has offered himself to lead a small expedition to take over the country.

Chamberlain has started to work with the tariff system in a moderate version, but the more conservative elements of the government have started openly attacking him and the unionists from this, forcing Chamberlain to fight back and start what seems to be an endless war of public declarations and speeches that threaten to destroy the unity of the government. Should the conservatives receive a reprimand? Should Chamberlain get the reprimand?

The House of Saud has finally come with a proposal in which Ibn Saud has asked for the creation of an Emirate for himself, based on Riyadh. Ibn Saud is ready to recognize the British protectorates in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman, in exchange for him being recognized as the sole representative in the area instead of his rival House of Rashid, which still controls a decent part of Arabia. Experts in the foreign office agree that while Ibn Saud has multiplied his strength since 1902, it will still take him a long time to actually unify the tribes of Arabia, a task that they believe it’s better left for him instead of the British troops. There some concerns about Mecca and a potential Ottoman answer, though.

-France:

Pierre Waldeck-Rousseau is in trouble. The doctors have diagnosed you with cancer, and they have stated that while an operation is possible, you don’t have long to live. This information is still a secret for most people, of course, so it’s up to you to choose whether to remain in office until the end or choose your successor as President of the Council. Among the choices available you have radical Interior Minister Emile Combes, moderate Finance Minister Maurice Rouvier, expansionist and germanophobe politician Theophile Delcasse, and the controversial Senator Georges Clemenceau, who wishes to follow policies from the left that would likely destroy the grand coalition.

The situation in Morocco seems to be improving thanks to the reinforcements, and the same can be said of Libya. Despite some deaths, the General Staff is confident that both nations can be occupied and pacified within a few years, but they ask for your orders in that matter.

A delegation of pied-noirs from Algeria has arrived in France to request a meeting. They claim that the treatment of Metropolitan France towards them is still improper, and they are requesting more benefits in order to  further the differences among them and muslim Algerians, who are still treated as second-class citizens (as in all colonies in the world, of course).

-Germany:

Good day, Kaiser Wilhelm, and welcome back.

Ignored by the government, Heinrich Schnee has taken his case to the press, denouncing the colonial authorities for their treatment of the African natives. He already has a decent amount of support, and he humbly requests an audience with the Kaiser to make his case and seek a reform of the colonial system.

Despite having taken over a while ago, the Kaiser is still unmarried, and that is an issue that has to be resolved right now according to experts in the Imperial court. The more moderate ones recommend a British or Austrian princess, but there are still some “adventures” who insist that an Ottoman Princess would be an interesting choice, no matter how unorthodox it is.

The election for the Polish King is set for this year and with the nobility and the people ready to vote, you have been briefed on certain issues regarding Poland. Since there hasn’t been a monarchy for many years, it will be hard for the Poles to get used to the idea at the beginning meaning that the one with the power will be the Prime Minister. Two men are currently aiming at the position: Josef Pilsudski (socialist and a respected leader of the Polish uprising) and Roman Dmowski (a right-wing nationalist) represent extremes from the Polish society, but are the only ones with the strength to survive.

The candidates for King are:

-Prince Adalbert of Prussia (your younger brother, unlikely to be very popular or accepted)
-Archduke Charles Stephen of Austria (the Austrian candidate, he is more in touch with the poles, but he might become the puppet of Franz Ferdinand).
-Prince Josef Stanislaw Poniatowsky (an old aristocrat, descendant of the old house of Poniatowsky)
-Prince Wladyslaw Leon Sapieha (a moderate landowner and social activist)
-Prince Adam Ludwik Czartoryski (a rich landowner and a patron of the arts)

Franz Von Papen, Bulow’s adjutant and expert conspirator argues that the Empire should push for Adalbert and try to rig the election to keep Poland as a puppet instead of autonomous, as he believes the Poles will soon try to gain true independence from Germany.

[Lumine]

Turn Eight– Late 1904: (Part II)

-Japan:

Is Japan alone in the world now? It seems that leaving the war has destroyed Japan’s credibility among many nations in the West, and it remains to be seen if the alliances Japan set are going to survive the end of the year.

It seems the situation in China grows unstable with the recent fights in the court. While Empress Dowager Cixi still rules with an iron fist, she is old, and people are beginning to wonder what will happen after she dies. On one side we have young Prince Chun, seeking to restore the legacy of his imprisoned brother, the Emperor Guangxu. Another major player is Yuan Shi-Kai, who has seen most of his allies (who ranked higher than him) die of old age, putting him at the front of court politics. Finally we have the eunuch Li Lianying, who pretty much controls the court affairs. It seems the three of them are engaged in a fight to control the court, and some advice that Japan might have an interesting opening here.

The Imperial General Staff is now in the possession of many bases in the Pacific, and it has been suggested that it’s time for Japan to arm the Pacific and turn it into a stronghold. They recommend funding military and naval bases in Formosa, the Philippines, the Kuriles, the islands bought to the Germans and so forth. The reasoning behind it is that the IJN would be safe to act in the Pacific and with enough capabilities to threaten places like Singapore.

-Italy:

-It’s election time in Italy! Giovanni Giolitti stands ready for the next election (in which he is expected to win in a major landslide), and he has asked for your support during the election. So far Giolitti leads a coalition of Liberals, Radicals and Republicans who are fighting Filippo Turati’s Socialists (who like Giolitti anyway) and Tommaso Tittoni’s Historical Right.

-The war in Morocco and Bulgaria seems to be going along rather nicely, but the commanders there have asked for reinforcements and an increased commitment to these wars.

-Taking the complicated situation in Europe into account, several military leaders have asked for Trieste’s defenses to be increased, and they argue that a fortification system should be built in Northern Italy to contain the French or the Austrian in case of war. It’s an expensive project, but it could prove decisive in case of a war.

-Italy has quickly consolidated control of Somaliland after the recent treaty with France, and it has been suggested that a railroad could be built to increase the existing infrastructure in the zone. Needless to say, it would be also prove decisive in a conflict with Abyssinia...

-USA:

Finally we have a competitive election in the United States, and it will be Hay/La Follette v. Dockery/Hearst. It seems Hay has the edge over the Democrats, but the election shouldn’t be taken for granted at all. The Senate and House elections will be crucial as well, so you should be careful in your electoral strategy. (This is the final McKinley turn, next turn belongs to the winner)

President Santos of Nicaragua feels quite encouraged by the recent news, and he has proposed something very similar to the Hay-Herran treaty, provided that the United States will pay his government $50 m and $250.000 a year in gold coin as long as the temporary lease of Nicaraguan soil remains there. Experts have calculated the expense of the project to be set at $140m without counting the payment to Santos’s government.

With the economy more or less stable and most foreign adventures finished, it seems the McKinley government has a few months left for their final actions. What will you do to end your term as President?

-Ottoman Empire:

Grand Vizier Hilmi Pasha has started a very active and ambitious schedule, and so far he has already coordinated efforts with the Senate and the Army to give further strength to the Empire. He reports that, so far, the Baghdad Railway is progressing, but in need for more money. He also believes that while the war in Bulgaria can be won, the country cannot be occupied for long before facing a guerrilla war that Empire will have problems fighting.

Your foreign trip has been a massive success, but you faced a lot of danger during your stay in Italy, where a gunman tried to assassinate you before being gunned down by the Carabinieri. While you suffered no harm, it should be a good time to think of a potential successor should anything happen to you.

Kurdistan and the occupied zones in Armenia seem to be stabilizing, but it’s not easy at all to control such large populations. There are rumors among the army that the Sultan might be thinking of repeating past actions against the Armenians in order to wipe them out of the Empire (read: genocide).

-Austria Hungary:

-While some parts of Transylvania have been recovered by the army, the population has turned against the Austrian army, desiring to join their Romanian brothers. The army reports that they can take Transylvania back, but holding it will be complicated and bloody.

-A lack of action in the domestic front not only has led the Austrian economy into stagnation, but it’s hurting the war effort was well. Some argue that the Austrian economy should be geared towards military production, some that rationing will be need, and some say that the problem will simply go way after the war is over.

-Following the example of Kaiser Wilhelm III, the feminist movement in the Empire has faced a massive growth, with women demanding the right to vote just like the German women. Of course, the conservatives and the aristocracy are up in arms against this, and Hotzendorf and his military group already have enough motives to despise you. What will you do?

[Lumine]

Event – a Nobel for the Institute of International Law!

TO: All players.

With war growing over in the East and atrocities mounting over the world, it was obvious the 1904 Nobel Peace Prize was not going to a head of state. As a result, the winner was the Institute of International Peace, an organization based on Belgium who had been working rather tirelessly “to formulate the general principles of the science of international law”. The Institute has gained a lot of prestige with the prize, and rumor has it that they plan to denounce Nicholas II, Franz Ferdinand I and Wilhelm III as warmongers if the war goes on.

Event – 1904 Summer Olympics!

TO: All Players.

The third modern Olympic games were hosted in the United States this year, from August to September 1904 in St. Louis, Missouri. It was a strange occasion, since Governor Dockery was one of the main candidates to the Presidency, and it was believed that a successful Olympics would help his bid. Sadly, it was not to be. The Great Russian War prevented many athletes from coming to the games, and organizer James Edwards Sullivan proved to be incredibly incompetent as an organized, which, coupled with the fact that most athletes couldn’t even get to St. Louis meant that the bulk of the participants were Americans (who won 212 medals). Some records were broken and interesting events held, but it was certainly a disappointing occasion, leaving many people to hope that the 1908 Olympics would be much more efficient and enjoyable. It seems Governor Dockery has not suffered in popularity in the United States itself, but his perception in the exterior has become mostly negative.

[Lumine]

Lumine, I just see a problem for Germany.

A legislative chamber has been created as well, so it should be these elections that should determinate the future Prime Minister?

Could be, but the legislative elections will have to come later (when the war is over, otherwise it's kind of futile), which means the next Polish King will appoint his first acting Prime Minister.

[Lumine]

OOC: I tried my best to make it plausible (but with some elements added for fun) with the limited resources and time I had, I hope it's a satisfactory election!

United States Presidential Election, 1904:

Overview:

It was truly a clash of titans. Before the constitutional crises a landslide was expected for McKinley's third term, but the President soon grew unpopular with many sectors of America and he chose to give Sec. Hay his chance, seeing Hay sucessfully nominated at the convention with Robert La Follette as his running mate (in a ticket very similar to McKinley/Roosevelt). On the other hand, the Democrats had a slightly chaotic convention, but they managed to unite behind Gov. Alexander Monroe Dockery and Rep. William Randolph Hearst, trying to combine many of the Democratic factions while appealing to William Jennings Bryan's legacy.

While La Follette took a speaking tour Hay chose to play elder statesman and remain in Washington, confiding in his chances. Dockery was not as active and efficient in the trail as Bryan was, but he still managed to draw large crowds while Hearst's media empire trashed Hay and the Administration over their policies. With immigrants supporting Dockery and the Democrats energized to win the White House back, the result was closer than expected.

Electoral Map:

Sec. of State John Hay (R-NH)/ Sec. of the Treasury Robert La Follete (R-WI)- 47.6%; 263 EV
Gov. Alexander Monroe Dockery (D-MO)/ Rep. William Randolph Hearst (D-NY)- 44.2%; 213 EV
Former State Sen. Eugene Debs (S-IN) / Mr. Benjamin Hanford (S-NY)- 3.3%; 0 EV
Former Representative Thomas E. Watson (Populist-GA)/ Mr. Thomas Tibbles (Populist-NE)-  2.8%; 0 EV
Mr. Silas C. Swallow (Prohibitionist-PA)/ Mr. George W. Carroll (Prohibitionist-TX)- 2.1%; 0EV

In the end, Dockery and Hearst were not able to beat Hay at the polls, but they did great in comparison to earlier elections, narrowly winning New York back and getting close to winning Montana and Nevada as well. A big suprise was the surge for third parties, with some dissafected conservatives joining the Prohibitionists, some dissafected progressives joining Eugene Debs's growing Socialist Party, and the biggest surprise: the revival of the Populist Party at the hands of the charismatic Thomas Watson, who multiplied the support of the almost dead party by attacking Hay and achieving significant sucess in the West.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

United States House and Senate, 1904:

Overview:

President William McKinley's second term ended up being less easy than the first, having to face unprecedented foreign crises and a constitutional crises that ended up in a short-lived impeachment attempt. His Presidency can be summed up as a sucess in many ways, but he leaves a divided legacy among many Americans, and it remains to be seen if Hay will have the necessary charisma to keep the Republican Party together. The Senate was obviously going for the Republicans, but the House was truly competitive this year thanks to the massive amounts of immigrants voting for Dockery and the energized progressives of La Follette. In the end, the Republicans managed to increase their seats by four, holding the House for two more years.

Senate:
Republican Party: 54 (+1 Silver Republicans, -2 Defeats)
Democratic Party: 35 (+2 Pick-Ups)

House:
Republican Party: 209 (+4)
Democratic Party: 176 (-4)

Speaker Joseph Cannon will be reelected, and President Hay will enjoy from having solid majorities in both chambers for his first term. Alas, balancing the interests between conservatives and progressives won't be easy, and the Populists and Socialists will do their best to start winning House seats in 1906.

[Lumine]

Polish King Election, 1904:

Overview:

It's easy to call what transpired in Poland a curious event, as it was Germany (and by extension the Prussian Junkers as well) that gave Poland it's awaited independence, thus creating the Kingdom of Poland. The nation had to deal with the trouble of minorities, the lack of sea access and the rivalry between Pilsudski and Dmowski (and let's not even mention the enormous number of Poles who wished for a Republic). In the end, Wilhelm III and Bulow chose to take the more efficient approach and forced Dmowski and Pilsudski to collaborate, all while not intervening on the outcome of the election. This was probably a wise option that avoided resentment among the Poles, but it was not easy to force the political rivals to collaborate. In the end, the fear of the Russians and the assertive moves of the Germans were enough to give some strength to the new Polish government, and a decent numbers of Poles went to the polls to elect their King (with a Parliamentary election scheduled for next year).

Since the Kaiser chose not to back Prince Adalbert and Austria was too weak to force Archduke Charles Stephen through, both candidates lost by wide margin along with Prince Poniatowsky (who only had his name as an asset). As a result, the real election was contested among Prince Sapieha and Prince Czartoryski, with the second winning by a narrow margin. Prince Sapieha and the other candidates conceded the race, and the government, the aristocracy and the army joined together to crown King Adam Ludiwk of Poland in Warsaw. The young King (32 years old) and his Queen Maria will have the hard task to organizing the Polish state and bringing actual popularity to the Monarchy, all while trying to strike a balance between the two more important candidates for Prime Minister.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Italian General Election, 1904:

Overview:

This election was never in doubt since the beginning, and it marked the success of the Prime Minister Giolitti/King Vittorio Emmanuele duo that managed to lead Italy into massive changes. With the King providing the necessary support and with the first strong Prime Minister in years, both men were able to revive the Italian economy while giving further strength to the army and keeping enemies at bay, all while getting Trieste and Somaliland. The anarchists and some radical socialists are still making trouble, and the body count of the Mafia War grows higher each day, but the Italians were ready to support Giolitti and back the popular King.

Turatti and Tittoni fought as hard as they could, and the appearance of Catholic candidates for the first time in a while (in no doubt thanks to Pope Albert's reorganization of the Church) made the election interesting to a degree, but it was awfully predictable.

Results:

Giolitti Coalition:
-Liberal Party: 351 (+55)
-Radical Party: 29 (-6)
-Republican Party: 26 (-3)

Other:
-Historical Right: 71 (-45)
-Socialist Party: 26 (-7)
-Catholic Bloc: 6 (+6)

As a result, Giovanni Giolitti has a Super-Majority in Parliament and is reelected Prime Minister. Of course, with the Liberal Party so large there are many Deputies who wish to stab Giolitti and get rid of him at the first opportunity, but as long as things go fine then the Prime Minister should be able to keep his party under control.

[Lumine]

Event – Invasion of Morocco! (Part II)

TO: All players.

Since none of the three major players in Morocco had enough forces to take the captured cities, it was easy for the allies to regroup and prepare for the next season. With heavy reinforcements coming from many sides, the invasion force was able to consolidate most of the ports and the coastline, being forced to stop to contain the angry population and the severe logistical difficulties a war in Morocco implied. The civil war went on in the meantime, with the Sultan bitterly fighting Raisuli to see who would the one to force the invaders out. Raisuli had no problem with outmaneuvering the Sultan who retreated to the interior of the country to prepare his forces. Raisuli took control of a big part of the Royal Army, and combined it with his guerrilla and thousands of militia to form a powerful form, which he is using to march north to cut off the French forces from Algeria.

With the Sultan neutralized and Raisuli busy dealing with the allies, the biggest winner of all three was Sultan Abdelhafid, who used the time to consolidate his rule from Agadir to Marrakech and build a new army with his personal fortune and dozens of foreign advisers who fought on the war against Turkey and the war against Russia. Since he controls the last port in Moroccan hands, Agadir, he also managed to smuggle some supplies from the American blockade, including ammunition and modern artillery weapons. With the impossibility of launching two offensives at the same time due to limited resources and the logistical strain, the allies will have to decide on whether to march on Agadir or Marrakech to fight Abdelhafid or confront Raisuli in the north before he launches his offensive.

Event – Leopold II loses the Congo, Belgian Parliament formally annexes the colony:

TO: All players.

Leopold II fought, and he fought very hard, using his allies in the media and the government to try and justify his actions. The issue has proved to be extremely divisive in Belgium, with many politicians trying to turn it into a referendum on the Monarchy. In the end, and with such undeniable proof of crimes the Anti-Monarchy position was not even needed, and the Belgian Parliament finally acted, stripping Leopold from the Congo Free State and claiming it for Belgium. With the rubber sales going down the Belgian Government is expected to make a major push to reform the colony and avoid further economic losses, and it is expected that the country will hold elections soon thanks to the division on the Belgian society after the defeat of King Leopold.

[Lumine]

Updated Map:

Notes:
-To make it easier to read, I changed the tone of Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania and the new United Baltic Duchy. It doesn't mean they are independent, but it helps to recognize them on the map.
-Since Clarence chose to go through with the Nicaragua Canal, there was no need to support the Panamanian Rebels, who were defeated by the Colombian Government.
-Changes in the war in Morocco acknowledged.

[Lumine]

Map updated! (Hopefully it will work this time)

Also, there's a special event coming this afternoon. This one is designed to create a new storyline, so stay tuned!

[Lumine]

You gave the wrong half of Bulgaria to Turkey.

What? Oh, for god's sake... Time to correct again!

[Lumine]

Event – Bloodless Coup in Austria-Hungary, Franz Ferdinand forced to abdicate!

TO: All players.

From all the nations that witnessed good or bad things happen to them after the balance of the world started shifting in 1901, Austria-Hungary had the complicated situation of having both. Kaiser Franz Joseph had always been respected due to his long reign, acknowledged as the last monarch of the “old school”. Sadly, his leadership abilities waned at the turn of the century, and a series of poorly executed moves (which included the anathema of giving Trieste away to Italy) ended up forcing his abdications as the hands of disaffected groups in the military, headed by the ambitious Conrad Von Hotzendorf, who went from Commander of the Trieste Garrison to one of the leading men in the army and a candidate for Chief of Staff. It was expected that Franz Ferdinand would be the energetic and militaristic leader that would lead Austria-Hungary to victory, but that perception went wrong rather quickly. Despite the success that holding onto Bosnia-Hercegovina meant, Franz Ferdinand was often inactive or vague over orders, bringing some frustration to the political leaders in the Reichsrat.

It was the Great Russian War what ended up turning some mild discontent into full resentment, as Franz Ferdinand let Chancellor Von Bulow handle most affairs while the Austrian troops suffered from a lack of initiative and major losses in Transylvania, which caused major instability within the Empire. Doing their best to restore the situation, Hotzendorf and his officers demanded to Franz Ferdinand to act, which then turned into an embarrassing attempt for a separate peace, further enraging the subjects of the Empire. But what finally destroyed the Kaiser was his infamous law allowing for women’s suffrage, which was badly implemented and had the virtue of pushing Hotzendorf, the Hungarian and Austrian Nobility and other sectors over the edge. Plots started to form, there were rumors of foreign money involved and everybody looked over to Conrad Von Hotzendorf and Chancellor Von Bulow, the only ones with credibility (since the Reichsrat had fallen into further irrelevance).

The Reichsrat, handled by Von Bulow and the Imperial Council, handled by Hotzendorf, declared that the Kaiser’s health had deteriorated too much in the past years, and that it was on the best interest of the nation for him to abdicate. Military units took temporary control over some key places in Budapest and Vienna while Schönbrunn Palace was left blocked from the rest of the nation. Bulow and Hotzendorf went to Schönbrunn personally to meet with the Kaiser, but how exactly that meeting went is a secret lost to history. Either way, a few hours later it was announced that the Kaiser had abdicated due to his ill health, and that he had taken Countess Sophie and his family and left to Prague Castle to recover and enjoy some peace (just as Ferdinand I had done when he had abdicated to Franz Joseph). The next day the military troops left the streets in Budapest and Vienna, and it was announced that Archduke Otto Franz wouldn’t be taking the throne due to his painful syphilis, which forced to stay out of the public eye. As a result, the crown passed to the young Archduke Charles, seventeen years old.

After other arrangements, it seemed to most political observers that Hotzendorf, Bulow and some political elements of the two major nations of the Empire had managed to create a compromise, as it was decided that Kaiser Charles I/IV would officially take the throne by his eighteenth birthday on late 1905, leaving a full year of regency on the hands of Archduke Otto Franz, who kindly resigned the honor to a Regency Council led by Bulow, Hotzendorf, new Foreign Minister Alois von Aehrenthal and ambitious new Hungarian Prime Minister Count Stephen Tisza. The four men are expected to use that year to enact urgent reforms to Austria-Hungary and save the Empire from ethnic collapse, and they are expected to use every single method they can use, including forcing the Reichsrat to pass legislation if needed be.

[Lumine]

An Explanation:

Yes, Oldiesfreak/Franz Ferdinand gets a game over. A mixture of inactivity, war performance and some bad choices eventually led to him being overthrown and now Windjammer takes over Austria-Hungary as the Regency Council (hopefully Cranberry can take full control over Germany now). This arrangement will last for two turns, Early and Late 1905, and in the meantime I will find a player for Austria-Hungary (I believe Butafly mentioned some interest in being a player). Some of the changes and storylines moving forward might not be overtly realistic (at the level of alternate history), but I believe the more fun the game is the better, and I trust Windjammer not to disappoint us with his reform of Austria-Hungary. Now, for the updated cast:

Updated Cast:

GM: LumineVonReuental.
Assistant GM: Windjammer.

Current Players and Leaders:

Prime Minister Waldeck-Rousseau: Dr. Cynic. (1901-1904) (Next turn will have the next PM)
Tsar Nicholas II: Snowstalker. (1901- )
Emperor Mutsuhito: SJoyce. (1901- )
Sultan Abdul Hamid II: Kalwejt. (1901- )
King Vittorio Emmanuele III: Sawx. (1901- )
Kaiser Wilhelm III: TheCranberry. (1902- )
Prime Minister Arthur Balfour: Spamage. (1903- )
Regency Council of Austria-Hungary: Windjammer. (1904 - )
President John Hay: Clarence. (1905 - )

Old Players and Leaders:

Kaiser Wilhelm II: IBDD. (1901-1902)
Kaiser Franz Joseph I: Jack Enderman. (1901-1902)
Prime Minister Salisbury: Spamage. (1901-1903)
President William McKinley: Clarence. (1901-1905)
Kaiser Franz Ferdinand I: Oldiesfreak. (1903 - 1904)

[Lumine]

End of Late 1904:

The war is over, finally over, and while Eastern Europe wasn't as damaged as it should have been, the chaos will still take time to be solved. Germany is now the stronger power in Eastern Europe, controlling the Baltic Nations, Lithuania and Poland as puppets. With Russia suffering from internal strife and Austria-Hungary focusing on reforming the government after the "voluntary" abdication of Franz Ferdinand I, Germany is now free to expand and prove that they are the dominant power under Wihelm III and his new chancellor.

The rest of the world sees limited warfare in Morocco, Libya and Afghanistan, but other conflicts have ended as well, now that the last Filipino rebels have given up and a coup in Colombia to force the separation of Panama was aborted. So far there are no major wars in the horizon, but it's hard to tell whether the tension has been reduced or increased after all the past conflicts. Either way, the nations are changing leaders, and with the resignation of Waldeck-Rousseau and the end of McKinley's term some new blood will come to the world powers.

It's time for a realignment!

Alliances, Wars and Popularity:

-Ongoing Wars:

-Senoussi War:
  -Relative rebel control of the desert, British and French control of the Libyan coastline.

-Third Afghan War:
  -Full rebel control of Afghanistan.

-Invasion of Morocco:
  -Civil war, Allies control almost the entire coast line and Raisuli goes north.

-Popularity Ratings:
(Will be updated in Late 1905)

-Tsar Nicholas II: Medium.
-President William McKinley: Medium.
-Kaiser Wilhelm III: High.
-Kaiser Franz Ferdinand I: Low.
-Prime Minister Waldeck-Rousseau: High.
-Prime Minister Balfour: High.
-Emperor Mutsuhito: Very High.
-Sultan Abdul Hamid II: High.
-King Vittorio Emmanuele III: High.

Current Alliances:

Three Power Alliance (USA, UK and Japan)
Quadruple Alliance (Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary and Japan) ("Generalissimo Franco is still dead"?)
Franco-Russian Alliance (France and Russia)
Franco-American Alliance (France and USA)
Franco-British Alliance (France and the UK)
Turkish-American Alliance (Ottoman Empire and USA)
Turkish-German Alliance (Turkey and the German Empire)
Adriatic League (Greece and Italy)

[Lumine]

Turn Nine - Early 1905: (Part I)

-Russia:

The war is over, but that doesn't mean Russia is in peace. Disturbed at the loss of such large portions of territory, the Black Hundreds and Okhrana have begun to turn against Goremykin, which only adds to the massive chaos across Russia. The nation won't have to worry about reconstruction, but the social tension is higher than even and your popularity is quickly decreasing. Bold actions will be needed to save Russia.

Refusing an offer to receive further training, the sailors of the Black Sea Fleet have acted and taken control of the fleet after killing most of the officers. Knowing that Sevastopol is surrounded by Ukraine now, they have taken control of the city after bloody street battles against the Black Hundreds, and now they seem to be fighting for power as well. Nobody knows what they want and there's no true leader yet, but the city is lost.

Taking the opportunity, the Finish aristocracy and military officers have demanded full internal autonomy and a series of moves that would secure the independence of Finland in all but name. The Army is weakened, but the best troops are near Petrograd and ready to act if needed be. Because of that very same army strength Father Gapon and his followers have fled (which means you know have Petrograd controlled with an iron fist), but the workers are striking across the European part of Russia and they only grow bolder and bolder as the Okhrana sponsored unions join them.

In one of the few good news for this year, the Viceroy of the Far East reports that the Transiberian Railroad is now fully repaired, and steps are being taken in order to make it larger and more efficient. Goremykin has also opened new trade routes, and he argues that as soon as the workers are crushed the Russian economy will be able to rebound.

-United Kingdom:

The Trafalgar Memorial was inaugurated by yourself, the Cabinet and thousands of Britons who came to pay their respects, all of them visibly moved and ready for revenge. Scotland Yard continued to investigate as hard as they could, and they realized something truly shocking: one of the world powers was definitely behind this attack (it was too well organized to be the work of anarchists), and they manage to rule Russia out, meaning that there is someone out there who sponsored this attack without being at war (or apparently, at odds) with the Empire.

Ibn Saud has obviously accepted your generous offer, and he has returned to Arabia to raise his armies and restart the unification process to defeat the House of Rashid. Thus, the newly crowned King Ibn Saud of Arabia has formally recognized the British protectorates elsewhere in the region, but he has also requested supplies, weapons and instructors for his army.

The Conservatives and the Unionists have backed off for now thanks to your leadership (you are finally changing your original perception as a somewhat weak leader when compared to Salisbury), but that doesn't mean they will remain silent forever.  There's a General Election next year, the Liberals are energized and many Cabinet members are considering leaving the Cabinet. Chamberlain has managed to stop a few defections (like MP Winston Churchill), but if he leaves, the government will be left in a weak state.

What should be done about Ireland? The Irish Parliamentary Party only grows stronger every year, and there are concerns about the ongoing political struggle. You have gone on record saying that Irish Home Rule is ridiculous and a half-baked solution, and your party wants to know if you are still behind those words.

-France:

With everybody surprised at Pierre Waldeck-Rousseau's resignation, the Cabinet and the Chamber quickly scrambled to choose a Prime Minister/President of the Council. Combes would have seen as the logical successor, but the catholics hated him, leaving Clemenceau to deliver a series of grandiose speeches along with Delcasse, but they proved to be unacceptable for the coalition to hold as well. Rouvier was unpopular in light of his stance to compromise with Germany, but with Pierre Waldeck-Rousseau's earlier success in Alsace-Lorraine, Rouvier had a past success on which to campaign against Delcasse, who became the main threat.

In the end, Rouvier was chosen as a caretaker until the Late 1905 General Election. For now on you are Maurice Rouvier, but the next election will come soon and it will be up to you to choose who to lead. The decision can be taken now or next turn, but you need to choose whether to revive the Left-Block under a new leader (Delcasse, Clemenceau or inexperienced newcomer Gaston Doumergue) or lead the Grand Coalition under Rouvier. You will also have to outline the policies for the year, and it has been suggested to start with some reform of the pensions for old age Frenchmen.

The Pied-Noirs left Paris more than satisfied, and while this is making the Right more and more angry and unwilling to support the government, the flag of equality has become a very powerful rallying point for most members of the government coalition.

-Germany:

Schnee has been taken by surprise by your positive reception, and he gladly accepted the audience. Essentially, Schnee stated that he believes expansion in Africa to be a good thing for the Empire, as long as the territories are concentrated and not split as they currently are. Schnee proposed to send massive amounts of economic and cultural aid to develop the colonies, and while he knows that the expense is going to be large and revenues will only come in the long term, he feels it's worth the attempt. He also made a very strong case for the Azeri troops in Tanzania, arguing that they have proved very effective and loyal as soldiers in the past years.

The elections in Poland have taken place as efficiently as it could be done, presided by King Adam Ludwik I. Despite a close result, Pilsudski has scored an upset over Dmowski, and he is now the sole Prime Minister of Poland. On one hand, Pilsudski is not happy with continued German rule over some Polish lands and he will try to assert Poland's independence, but on the other hand he will have a hard task ahead with reconstruction, so Poland will take its time.

Now that the Baltic Duchy and Lithuania have been reorganized, it's time to appoint a monarch! Let's see houses and candidates:

Lithuania: (Thanks to Kalwejt for his help on this one)
-While there are no native dynasties since the last one died out, there are some princely houses from Lithuania and Poland that might serve to fill the role: Radziwill, Sapiecha and Giedroyc. The Houses of Sapiecha and Radziwill are currently more identified with Poland (they contested the King election), and the Giedroyc is probably the most Lithuanian of the three. Candidates are Prince Wladimir Giedroyc (currently in Russia, which is a danger), Prince Wilhelm Radziwiłł (whose wife lives from scandal to scandal) and Prince Władysław Leon Sapieha (who already contended the Polish throne). You could also appoint one of your brothers as well.

Baltic Duchy: (Thanks to Kalwejt for his help on this one as well)
-Here it gets harder, as the Duchy doesn't truly have a common identity, but the House of Giron is the claimant to Courland. Sadly, the line is confused, and most of the claimants are either female or linked to the French aristocracy. Once more, you can always use a German Prince.

Once again, Kaiser Wilhelm, you have to marry! The Court is now talking about you being unwilling to do so, and nasty rumors are being spread already,

[Lumine]

Turn Nine - Early 1905: (Part II)

-Japan:

-It seems the political situation has reignited once again, as Prime Minister Katsura and Prince Saionji continue to snipe at each other in the harsh battles in the Diet and the House of Peers. Katsura has followed an agenda related to Europe and the winning of the war, but it doesn't seem like he has many projects left to, as he is running out of ideas and support. Saionji Kinmochi wants to be the Prime Minister, and Hara Takashi (member of the Lower House) has presented the Crown Prince a plot to dismiss Katsura and replace him with Kinmochi to keep the members of the Genro fighting each other.

-After spending the past months in a military mission in the Ottoman Empire, Field Marshal Yamagata Aritomo has returned to Japan with a busy agenda. Enormously popular with the army and as a man who hates parliamentary democracy, Yamagata has talked against Katsura, Saionji and the navy, stating that resources should return to the army and that if Japan truly wants supremacy in the East, then they should invade Korea now that they have the chance.

-The Navy has greatly expanded with the arrival of new ships from Europe and the new bases being built across the Pacific, and they report that they are ready to sail in case they are needed.

-Some delegations from Latin America have approached the Imperial Government, stating that they are interested in increasing trade and cultural relationships with Japan, with Brazil being the most persistent (and Chile and Colombia showing a great deal of interest as well).

-Italy:

-Congratulations, your majesty! Queen Margherita has given birth to an male heir to the throne (you only had two daughters before him), Umberto, Prince of Naples. The entire nation celebrates the new heir, and your popularity continues to rise in your fifth year in the throne.

-Despite his early landslide victory there are many in the Liberal Party opposed to Giolitti and plotting to replace him at the first setback, forcing Giolitti to take more drastic actions to assert his leadership. He has proposed to you to make new reforms in the economy and go for the nationalization of a couple of sectors, starting with the railroads, key to sustain the economy and a potential war effort.

-Technological advances continue to increase, with new findings to build vehicles and airplanes. Perhaps it's time for Italy to make a truly major investment in the future and start an "air race"?

-USA:

Congratulations, President Hay! You have been inaugurated into office, and so far the United States is in a good position. Alas, there's work to be done, and you will have to choose your Cabinet (this one is optional, though) and see what will your polices be for the first 200 days. As of now, VP La Follette is asking you to take action against Wall Street and follow more progressive policies in the economy, and he is opposed by the powerful Speaker of the House, Joseph Cannon.

Although the war in Europe is over, there are still hundreds of men currently in prison for opposing the war during the constitutional impeachment crisis, many of them socialists as well. What will you do with them?

After careful consideration, Denmark has refused your offer of $20 million for Greenland, and they have been clear in stating that they will not sell the island under any circumstances.

The Nicaragua canal has begun it's construction, and experts hope it will be ready by 1913 or 1914.

-Ottoman Empire:

-The Guard of the Horn made its first appearance in Constantinople, shocking the people of the city with their discipline and impressive uniforms. With the troops well positioned to defend the Yildiz Palace and Murad dead after the war, you should be more than safe now, safer than your brother and your uncles never were.

-An urgent appeal from help has arrived from the House of Rashid. Even taking into the account the irony due to the past rivalry, they fear Ibn Saud more than they fear you, and they request weapons and supplies to fight of the new King of Arabia.

-More sources of oil have been discovered in Azerbaijan and other isolated places, and that combined to a sound economic policy has reduced the economic damage of the war to a minimum with the Bosphorus open as well. So far the Ottoman Empire is now able to fund the Baghdad Railway and the educational reforms once again, but the Empire should refrain from further massive spending in the future just to be on the safe side. Also, your new port in Morocco is starting to be upgraded and rebuilt, and having a base in the Atlantic will do wonders for the navy and for trade with Latin America.

-Mehmed Vahideddin has been taking some progress as a potential successor, and he proved crucial in defeating a couple of minor plots within the Harem. It seems he feels rather comfortable with the Secret Police, and he has requested to be a part of it as a high-ranking member of even as its leader.

-Austria Hungary:
-No crises needed here, Windjammer will handle Austria-Hungary.