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

[Spamage]

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Jul-Dec 1903

--The United Kingdom and the Chinese Empire may not have always had a positive relationship, but we are certain a new one is dawning. With China's resistance to Russian strong arm tactics we are sure a friendship can blossom. We officially withdraw from Shanghai, Wei-Hai-Wei and Nanjing and are eager for a productive future with the Chinese. Furthermore our men will be in Peking to advise the Chinese military.

--Worldwide propaganda against the Russians. Continue mobilization as well.

--The Tsarina's child is not her own, but that of Alexander Mikhailovich, her brother by law. The child, male or female, is not Russian royalty and shows how weak Nicholas II is when it comes to keeping his family in order.

--We send our condolences to the Vatican and congratulate the new Pope.

[Spamage]

Foreign Affairs:

-- We are concerned about potential troubles in the British Middle East. Having any ethnic unrests poses a thread to our country's integrity as well.

We want to strength our regional cooperation with London and therefore we are proposing a pact, which would enable our two empires to act, so to speak, as "gendarmes of the Middle East". Both sides would pledge to support each other in dealing with such issues.

We agree. We shall set the date for the PMs meeting which will occur next turn.

[Spamage]

The United Kingdom hereby declares an end to hostilities with Russia, will release their assets, and will have it's men relocated to fight the rebels in Afghanistan and bring back civil order there. The War has ended with the following terms having been negotiated between us.



We look forward to our future.

[Spamage]

...did Germany just annex Austria?

Mitteleuropa is born at last

[Spamage]

    The British Empire hereby is the first nation to recognize the sovereignty and independence of the Turkmenistan nation. We ask they send delegates to London immediately so we can sign a formal alliance and help work on constructing railroads and factories as a way to reduce the isolation and dependency of the region as well as helping them ward off any Russian attempts to invade.

          We will fight against our enemy rebels in Afghanistan who are now alone and un-supplied and also will face off against the insurgents in Africa. God save the King.

[Spamage]

OOC: What's so quiet today?

I'm waiting for the next turn.

[Spamage]

The UK is willing to endorse the Ottoman plan.

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x Abdul Hamid II

[Spamage]

Morocco

Our commitment to aid our French and Italian allies in Morocco remains unaffected and we are ready to send another regiment of our Naval Infantry to strength the allied forces.

Meanwhile, given our problems with logistics (damn Navy still being rebuilt), we would greatly appreciate some assistance with supplies.

France will provide some assistance in this regard. We will send you supplies and we will fill orders for ships for your Navy (though, given that France has never been the kind of naval power that say Britain is).

OOC: Well, your navy when compared to ours is like Paris compared to Tirana.

Damn you, Lord Salisbury, for sinking my fleet!

[Spamage]

The United Kingdom applauds the Belgian Parliament for taking the right action in regards to the Congo.

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The United Kingdom recommends Arthur, the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn for the throne of Norway. He's a son of the late Queen Victoria and would prove to be a great King.

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Anyone with information on the Terrorist Attack is urged to come forward.

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The USA is committed to finding a peaceful solution to the Turkestan situation- I will happily send an envoy to peace talks with the Ottomans, German,s Russians, Italians, French, British, and others who have a stake or an interest in the resolution of this crisis

We certainly do have a strong interest in resolution of this crisis. Russia is talking like she was the only part concerned with the events, which is simply inaccurate. We are bordering Turkestan by Caspian Sea (very sensitive point on the map). Also, most of the region's residents are Turkic, and we don't want to see our brothers under any yoke.

Also, given the fact Turkestan directly borders with the British territories, I believe it concerns London as well.

Turkestan is a common problem.

London backs Russia retaking the region. It's the only way it can be done effectively.

[Spamage]

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X Tsar Nicholas II

X- Prime Minister Balfour

[Spamage]

The United Kingdom condemns the acts committed within the Russian Empire. After the bombing in London we have come to realize the horrors of terrorism, something which ought not be used by nations attempting to make a statement. This is the second attack within a year therefore we shall consider opening a summit on terrorism and the dangers it poses. My ultimate goal is to have it outlawed internationally and widely unacceptable.

Furthermore, we can commit no troops to the Turkestan situation with the ongoing rebellion in Afghanistan alongside the rebels in Egypt. We hope the international community understands as our Empire is going through growing pains. After all, owning a quarter of the world is hard work.

Also, the United Kingdom shall be increasing trade with the Russian Empire and urge the subjects of the Czar to keep a cool head and allow the country to remain intact, it is in everyone's interests, including their own, to keep the losses of life minimal.

[Spamage]

Russia is not our exclusive trading partner, and we'd seek to remind the rest of the world that.

Britain is increasing our relations with Russia, because it's time for reconciliation. While I have no intention of seeking a military alliance, I believe that if we want lasting peace we ought to work together.

We are in no way abandoning our existing allies.

[Spamage]

The United Kingdom in no way ordered this attack and we seek to remind our fellow countries of that. The mutineers will be punished accordingly. The British Empire has treated those of other faiths respectfully in many of the recent years, we've refused to force India or Egypt or many other parts of our Empire to change their religion.

The criticism coming from the United States is rich considering the fact that Americans undertook the bombing of London according to our sources at Scotland Yard (OOC this is not just me making something up it was stated by Lumine) and we've yet to see them act to punish those responsible.

The Ottomans too cannot be blameless as they took one of the most important buildings in Eastern Orthodoxy and changed it into a mosque.


We repeat, we had nothing to do with this attack and are going to be reworking our system in this region as to govern more effectively.

Furthermore we are announcing the immediate mobilization of the British Empire until these threats subside. We have no wish of war with anyone, but will defend ourselves in anyone dares attack us.

[Spamage]

The British insinuation of guilt of the USA in the Trafalgar Square bombings is ludicrous and is a clear attempt to change the topic of conversation (OOC- Spamage mentioned to me that the USA was one of several nations to be mentioned in the Scotland Yard leads, not the only)

Typical British duplicity....making an absurd charge when they themselves are guilty of barbarism. This is indicative of how they run their Empire....which is why my founding fathers long ago wisely decided to leave it

We were checking to see if you'd be honest and confess or deceive us further when we told you there were multiple leads. You lied to us.

The United States is one to talk about running a country well, how long did it take you to finally end slavery? How many native Americans did you kill? Were we the ones to descend into civil war? You can criticize this incident, sure but don't attack how I run my empire which is both the largest and most powerful in human history. Furthermore we codemn he increasing of tensions by the Ottomans, we mobilized to put down uprisings and keep order, you're mobilizing to create war.

The United Kingdom has nothing but sadness for this incident but we'd like to note how quick America and the ottomAns were to throw us under the bus when we've been forgiving of them in the past. I gave the US the benefit of the doubt when I heard the were responsible for the London bombing, why won't they do he same for me?

[Spamage]

It is truly sad how eager the United States and the Ottomans are for a war, first Russia and now they turn their sights to me. First off, yes this was a terrible tragedy, and I will punish those responsible, but other nations cannot continue to act as though my Empire is the scourge of the Earth. Sure we've all had misdeeds, and this is one of them.

The United States is responsible for the London bombing, that much is a fact and to deny it is not only hypocritical, but even more harmful to our relations. I confess that British Nationals committed this horrible attack on Islam, but London did not organize it or expect it.

We woke up this morning with the US as our second most strong ally, and now going to bed London is uncertain of what our future with Washington can and will look like. We wish to reconcile the the USA, one of our friends for many years and a country we look upon with great admiration.

To the Ottomans we must admit we are not surprised. Istanbul has been the largest warmonger we see in the world today. The second we freed thousands of people across their former Empire they began planning on re-enslaving them. First they jumped on the Russian bandwagon and then they used the Turkestan crisis to harm their relations with us. Now they appear set on war with London, something we certainly do not wish for. For all we know they'll turn their sights on France after they're done with us!

Also, the civil war you are referencing was when England and Scotland were separate Kingdoms, technically this government has never faced a civil war.

(OOC: Good job at escalating tensions Lumine! Also good job Clarence and Kalwejt I love this arguing, it seems almost realistic how fast relations can change )

[Spamage]

We shall attend the Paris Conference, in the hopes of ending these unecessary hostilities.

[Spamage]

A Proclamation:

Due to the crisis surrounding Mecca the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland has come of the opinion that Mecca is to be ruled by Muslims. The city itself is to be reserved for Muslims alone, and the British Army shall be officially stationed around, but not within the city itself.

In the meantime we hereby announce that the House of Saud is to be given the region of Hedjaz within the next couple of years as the British fall back from the region. As the members of the House are Muslims, it is right they should control the city.

Furthermore those troops caught to have damaged such an important object and site to Islam shall be sent to London, tried, and should they be found guilty of such an act of cultural destruction, executed. In the meantime forbid alcohol consumption among troops stationed near the city.

We condemn the actions of the Palestinian rebels who so evilly attacked the Jewish settlers and expect all other major powers to do so as well. One act of desecration should not lead to the death of thousands of people uninvolved all the way across the region. Harsh justice for Palestinians caught having harmed and murdered the Jews. They are to be rounded up and detained in some of our various dependencies around the world including Canada, Australia, and South Africa. In the meantime we shall continue Jewish settlement in the region. If they thought massacring innocent Jews was going to stop settlement, they were wrong. In fact Jews worldwide are hereby welcomed back into the Holy Land, the Diaspora shall be put to an end. In the meantime greatly increase the presence of our troops there by sending many men form Britain and Canada.

We refuse to withdraw our accusations against the US and continue to hold them responsible for both the bombings in London and in Russia. We announced a call for a terrorism summit yesterday if you look on the page prior to this, and we second that call now, a day later. My government shall remain at the forefront of the anti-terrorism fight and shall condemn any government which appears to be sponsoring it. While the President himself may not have commanded either attack, it is true American nationals coordinated both. And those nationals must answers for the people they have killed, the property they have damaged, and the chaos they have caused. We reaffirm that we want a peaceful world, and will look for every way to keep it that way.

Furthermore Scotland Yard shall be given the task of sorting through the Mecca Crisis alongside increasing its investigation into the attack on London. This is no time for excuses, it is the time for honesty.

Throughout the Empire commence training of our forces in case they need to be deployed in the Middle East to fight off the Palestinians.

This is not the first time the Kaaba has been damaged (930 and 1629) therefore the government of Britain has faith that it can be restored. A task force of Muslims throughout the Empire shall be created to oversee and work on restoring the historic wonder and religious centerpiece. It shall be restored to its original appearance and will be one of our final works before we hand over Hedjaz to the House of Saud.

[Spamage]

Until cooler heads arise, and tensions decrease, the United Kingdom shall suspend bilateral talks with the United States and the Ottoman Empire. It seems as though everything we state inflames them even further and shows the warpath they are truly on.

By suspending these talks which have gradually gotten harsher and harsher, we've ended any chance of them building a pretext to go to war.

Yet again the US and Ottomans refuse to condemn the murder of the innocent Jews of Palestine.

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We strongly condemn announcement of giving the Saudi barbarians a control of the Holy City at expense of its rightful rulers, the House of Hashim, descendents of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) himself. This is just another of many British insults, thrown in the face of the faithful.

We shall continue to recognize the Shariff of Mecca as rightful ruler of Hejaz and we shall never recognize Saudi expansionism.

OOC: This is ironic cause in OTL it was that House which revolted from Istanbul

[Spamage]

The United Kingdom would like to note that we are more than willing to attend the Paris Conference and resolve this crisis and are not the ones refusing to attend it. It the Ottomans and the Americans truly want to end this crisis and stop further tension they'd agree to attend as well.

We initially wished for nothing but positive relations with the US and Ottomans and must express our shock at how quickly our relations collapsed.

Once again, we urge the Ottomans and the US to attend the Paris Conference. We're willing to discuss leaving the Sharif in Mecca as the ruler of the territory among other things involved in reorganizing the Middle East should they choose to attend.

It's time for peace, and if the US and Ottomans really want to prevent global war, they'd agree to come to Paris where we can sort out our differences and solve this problem peacefully.

The actions of a few drunken idiots should in no way change the state of global politics, we'll make sure they pay dearly for what they have done. We have nothing but regret, sadness, and shame for what occurred in Mecca and want to solve this issue, but something that can only be done by working together as a global community.

So once again, I ask the US and Ottomans to attend the Paris Conference. All I wanted was good relations with you two and although that may now seem like an impossibility, I'm confident it may one day be achieved.

[Spamage]

Speaking frankly, we are not a democracy like the United Kingdom, but that doesn't mean I can afford to blatantly ignore the will of my people, especially when it comes to the Mecca crisis.

The barbaric attack on the Islam's most holy shrine has, it's safe to say, outraged every Muslim, myself including. While we believe it was not a deliberate action ordered by the British government, it still has happened under the British watch. Under this situation, I cannot resume our ties without causing a great uproar within the Ottoman Empire. In fact, the British should be happy we are doing everything we can internally to prevent our rightfully outraged subjects from rushing south and killing every British soldier they can find.

We would never speak to you in such a manner, and are disgusted you would talk to us as such. All we want to do is end this crisis, can you understand that? If you truly want peace you'd attend the Paris Conference.

I will not be drug into war against you Sultan, so stop trying to create a conflict. What's done is done.