TsAAR: Russia, The Glorious Years

[Alain-Masque]

deleted album link =) spoils the suspense read on into the aar to find the links










Tsar Nicholas I "The Wise" -Main Character of Leo Tolstoy's Book I




(Prelude to the Russia, The Glorious Years 1836-1920 written in part by Leo Tolstoy and finished by Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy.)


I , Leo Tolstoy, shall attempt to document the changes which began ever so slowly January 1 1836* but soon grew to immense proportions.
These decades will become Russia's Trial By Fire. Over the next eighty years the world will be shocked to it's very core.








The most famous of all Russian authors Leo Tolstoy penning the first page of his novel Russia, The Glorious Years















*note: The dates in this text were origonally written according to the Georgian Calender. We have modernized them for your convience

[AlexanderG]

You might want to find a different image host.

[Valdemar]

The Image host is fine, you just need to open the picture by using hte adress in the properties, then the pic will show on oyur PC

V

[Suvorov]

Great! A Russian AAR! But why did you post a pic of Nicholas II? How will the real Nicholas II look like in your story? Like Nicholas I?

Go kick some Ottoman butt!

[Seidita]

Don't need a new host but maybe instead post the link to the pics instead to save a little time.

[bmk1st]

Originally posted by Valdemar
The Image host is fine, you just need to open the picture by using hte adress in the properties, then the pic will show on oyur PC

V

I tried that and it still shows same image.

[Alain-Masque]

(heh... whoops wrong nicholas eh?=)

Book I-

Spanning from The Second Great Embassy to the Georgian War (1836-1840).


Of the many things that concerned Nicholas over his life none were as important to him as learning. His learning, the learning of the common people, new inventions, whatever struck his interest. In 1836 Tsar Nicholas went along with much of his most favoured advisors to the great cities of London, Paris and Amsterdam. Here he hoped to unlock many mysterious western secerets. Ivan Mikhailoviich Gorsky was left in charge of Russia during this period. He was not a very capable ruler but followed Nicholas's orders to the letter. His portrait reveals an aging man, bald, and slightly plump staring somewhat absentmindedly at the panter. His only major decree was to triple Russia's education spending, from 64.8 Million Pounds to 248 Million pounds. A fledling public education system and Unviersity grants made up a ground breaking 60% of all Russian expenditures of this period.

This as can be expected sent Russia spiraling into debt, and the Puchkin Tax was raised. This tax struck heavily at the upper and lower class, but encouraged the growth of the middle by low taxes. Russia also raised her tariffs to record highs. Russia had a daily income of 468 pounds and and daily expenditures at 455 pounds.

Great leaps were made in literacy under this system. By 1840 over one in five Russian's could read (22.4%), and technological inventions were rolling in like never before.

In 1837 Nicholas after finally finishing his visit in Paris returned to Russia. He was fascinated with the French railroad system at that time the best in Europe and founded the "St. Petersburg Rail Company". Over five hundred miles of rail were built mainly in the baltic provinces, though some with some cutting into moscow. Russia's factories were left largely alone at this point.

To provide materials for the railroads the Iron mines in the Urals were greatly expanded. Near the end of 1837 during the height of the Russian Economic Boom a steel mill was to be constructed in Ekaterinsburg.

June 5 1837, Nicholas cut the size of the army down further decreasing it's spending to minimal in order to fund his planned "Russian Economic Flowering". This project would build several factories across Russia. Two in St. Petersburg, a luxury clothing factory and a artillery factory. Also in the Baltic Fabric factories and a glassware factory were built. A small arms factory was built in moscow and a steel mill was begun in the Urals.

Meanwhile Russia began heavily colonsing the independant Asian steppes.

In 1838 the Size of the army was cut down for the final time and the chief minister of the army Vladimir Ikytov was publiclly knouted and then executed due to his inept handling of the military.

The rail system continued to expand.

To pay back the skyrocketing dept Nicholas ordered the education budget cut and the social spending budget cut even more. He also made plans for the downfall of the Slavphile party.

Late in the year a small rebellion occured among the overtaxed Russian aristocrats. Nicholas personally commanded the army which crushed them. Over a hundred russian nobles were executed and several thousnad commoners. All seeds of rebellion were viciously stamped out.

In 1839 a Russian governor in Astrachan uncovered a Georgian smuggling ring. Ten tons of silk, Fifty tons of opium, and five tons of luxury clothes were seized. When it was uncovered that this movement was directly backed by the Georgian Goverment, Russia summarily declared war. Though her army was in a pitiful state it still numbered many thousands of men and easily crushed Georgia. Georgia was annexed Feburary 2nd 1838.

Meanwhile the Prussian- Dutch alliance triumphed over Blegium and the Netherlands gained Antwerp from the peace. The US and Texas declared war against Mexico and won big. Several south western territories joined the US, and Texas was recognized as independant. The Franco-Austrian alliance was deeply embroiled in a war against Great Britain, The Ottoman Empire, and a few North German minours. Great Britain also claimed much Chinese land from the hapless Chinese gov't in 1839.

--Screenies coming soon as soon as i can figure out how to do them---

[Minodrin]

I'll follow this AAR, to see if you manage Russia better than me.
Nice writing though.

[Alain-Masque]

Screenshots- Tell me if these work

Russian Rail Network, some factories, my income and my literacy.


Post war with belgium Netherlands




West Us

[Alain-Masque]

Coming soon!

Russia Claims Alaska!






Russian Railways Expand!





Britain kicks some ass in Asia



(Also, Russia begins spending heavily on her military, and Nicholas executes several prominent boyars!)

[Minodrin]

They don't work too well...

[Gen. Wolfe]

The pictures are working fine.

[Gen. Wolfe]

Originally posted by Minodrin
They don't work too well...

You need to right click, copy the address and paste it in the bar at the top. Then go to the address and they will appear.

[Alain-Masque]

A letter from Lieutenant Peter Nikolaiovich Dimidowsky to his father:

"Dear Father, the campaigning in Georgia was like nothing i have experienced before. Though i believe the ineptitude of our generals was only out performed by the Georgians themselves, it was truely glorious! I myself personally killed fourteen Georgians and am now a Lieutenant in St. Peter's Regiement. The Georgians outnumbered five to one chose to engage us at Tibrus ridge out side of their capital at Tblisi. Our Don Cossacks charged and routed their men. My brigade was sent in as back up. Unfortunately due to General Svidosk's limited intelligence we were completely flanked by three (!!) Georgian regiments. We held for nearly fourty minutes, before reinforcments arrived. The Georgians attempted to surrender after their defeat at Tibrus but the cossacks would have none of it, and neither would we! Spit in our faces will they? Smuggle in Mother Russia! I think not. Georgian blood runs thick in the snow this day. Tblisi was sacked and I myself came away with several valuable vases I hope will add nicely to the family collection.

Your Loving Son
Petrus

(Peter signed his name in latin imitating Peter The Great's tendency to do so)

[Alain-Masque]

Sorry for the inconvienance with the pictures =(.

Comments are appreciated

[Gen. Wolfe]

Originally posted by Alain-Masque
Sorry for the inconvienance with the pictures =(.

Comments are appreciated

I really like this AAR, the writing style especially. Keep up the good work.

[Minodrin]

You need to right click, copy the address and paste it in the bar at the top. Then go to the address and they will appear.

Well, wouldn't it be easier if he just posted the URL's instead? Or do you see the actual pictures here?

[Alain-Masque]

1840-1843
Years of Rice and Machine Parts
The Asian Senzation

In 1840 Tsar Nicholas issued a stunning proclamation, indicting nearly thirty of Russia's most prominent nobles of plotting to overthrow him. These nobles disliking Nicholas's westernizing tendancies and his very non-expansionist stance proposed to dethrone Nicholas and put his cousain Irena on the throne. Nicholas confiscated the noble's lands (primarily located in Samara) and imprisoned the nobles for fourty days in Moscow while deciding their fate. Meanwhile, Irena was sent to a convent to become a nun. She died thirty years later unknown to the world. The nobles were not so lucky, they were executed to a man. Another four thousand commoners acused of participating in this plot were exiled to the newly claimed Russian colony of Alaska.


This was the high point of Russian foreign policy. Russia was in one of the world's strongest alliances consisting of Russia, Sweden, Prussia, Denmark, and Greece.

In other parts of the world THe Ottoman Empire fought a war with Egypt, the front remained steady until 1841 when Britain intervened on behalf of the Egyptians. The Anglo-Egyptian troops quickly overwhelmed most of Iraq and forced a humiliating Ottoman Surrender.

The Netherlands renewed their age old war with Belgium this time the Dutch navy quickly sank the pitiful Belgian navy and blockaded Brugge. In the end Belgium ceded two more provinces to the Netherlands. This war was extremely harmful to the Dutch economy and they went from being the 7th most powerful nation in the world to the 21st.

Nicholas cautiosly began his own expansionistic schemes to expand Russia farther into Asia. First he made a deal with China in which China surrendered all her claims on Central Asia for the designs of the newest Russian Rifle.

(China currently was continuing a desperate war against the british and basically gave the Russians what they wanted, for they could NOT afford another front).

The Russian Economy was largely self sufficient and industrialisation continued focusing on the Urals and Finland. Finally a trans-Ural railroad was completeld and Vaasa was linked to the Greater Russian Rail Network.

Nicholas prepared to wage war on the remaining central Asian states. To this effect 50,00 Russian soldiers were ordered to Uralsk. (These included Lieutenant Peter Nikolaiovich Dimidowsky).

[Alain-Masque]

Whatever would be easisiest for you guys i'll try to do =).

I can see the pictures fine.

I like your AAR minodrin, more military oriented than mine though
Hopefully ours will end up very different.

[Alain-Masque]

(quickie here and then i leave for the night
thanks to all who've read my AAR)

Where we left off - 1845

The Drive to the Indian Sea

Russia invaded Khiva first.
60,000 Russian soldiers marched to war on January 4 1843. The Khivan army made a semi-valiant stand a Akumstyk but was quickly routed. This resulted ultimately in Khiva's collapse over the next week and Russia's following annexation of them. The Grand Army then moved on to Bokhara and quickly routed the Bukharan army. Bukhara was annexed.

Russia then invaded afghanistan. This was proceeded horribly slow and by 1845 Russia had only occupied 2/3rds of Afghanistan. Thus peace was declared with Russia gaining six provinces and some prestige.

Russia's drive to the Indian Ocean was temporarily stopped.

Russian industry expanded at a breakneck pace throughout this time period. Railroads were extended into Poland and further into the Urals.

The Great Polish revolt of 1864 resulted in the Tsar exiling 10,000 poles to Siberia.

Nicholas was determined to see the Indian Ocean, if not through afghanistan perhaps through Persia.....