Baby Steps, part 2
February 2nd, 1936 through January 1st, 1937
Dissent had been ended, but Catalan factories still failed to deliver full production. Premier Casanova was quickly alerted as to why, Catalonia was short on industrial materials. Sure, they had an oil refinery in Castellón, and enough metal and rare materials, but coal and other energy sources were scarce in Catalonia. Factories had to shut down because of this, and thus, new factories couldn't get done. Casanova, and his government worked to solve these problems as best he could. He began signing trade agreements with the USSR, the People's Republic of Korea, as well as, much to Rossco's chagrin, Belgium, and Trentino-Alto Adige for coal and rare materials, in exchange for supplies and oil. He also signed a deal with the Netherlands, trading supplies for money, which was also short considering almost all leftover money went to research.
The PRK was the USSR's best friend in the Far East, along with the CPC. Kim Il-Sung was far from the most savoury of characters, as Casanova has the pleasure of finding out. However, the man helped out the Soviets, so he was open to helping out Catalonia as well, accepting Catalan supplies for coal.
Trentino-Alto Adige struck Casanova as a country that was doomed from the start. Sitting between Germany, Italy, and the remains of Austria-Hungary, Trentino-Alto Adige was created after World War I, and is in constant danger, if not for the fact that retribution would follow for any power that tried to claim it without everyone else's consent. Swift retribution? Probably not.
The Conselleria de Segureta finished their machine tools research, and Casanova called Rodoreda and told her to tell the department that the next field to interest was to be agriculture. Wine was delicious stuff, after all.
Fabrica d'Armes Montsolís finished their infantry research, and Casanova's memo to them contained orders to begin research on a machine that would be used to tabulate the census. Some questioned the Premier decision, but the Premier countered that he was a practical ruler, and that this machine would be used for other things, like calculating fire trajectories for ships. Then they countered that Catalonia wouldn't have or need a navy anytime soon. Casanova told them to shut up and research the machine.
Casanova forgot that there was a war going on in China. That was probably because the CPC wasn't participating and neither were the PRK. Well, around mid-June, he got a report that a new nation, Mengkukuo was established by the Japanese. Casanova and Rossco promptly refused to recognize this development.
Later on, Manchukuo, another nation the Japanese propped up, joined the war on the KMT.
The Conselleria de Segureta finished the agriculture research. Casanova told Rodoreda to press on in the field. Days later, the Census Tabulating Machine was done, and several were shipped to the Party. Casanova told Fabrica d'Armes Montsolís to make a better one.
Months of doing nothing but the basics needed to keep a nation running followed. Finally, though, New Year's Eve came. Then, the day after that, and time for another one of those meetings.
Premier Casanova arrived at the Parlament building late. Not that that mattered, he had just partially conquered a hangover and he ran the country anyway, he could be late whenever he damn well felt like it.
Casanova stepped up to the podium, "Ahem, I am sorry about my late arrival, comrades. Anyway, we can begin the New Year's Day meeting now. It is 1937 now... and I'll be honest, little actually happened during 1936. However, now is the time to reconsider goals if you hold such an opinion."
"First off, the good news. We have greatly increased our production capability. Our infantry technology is somewhat up-to-date now, though upgrading existing units won't happen for a while. And, we have made great strides in the fields of electronics, industrial tech, and agriculture. Let us continue the good work, comrades."
"Now onto the bad news. We are lacking in coal. Though I have worked out many deals, our industries still want more. However, getting more will be hard. And because of this shortage, we have been unable to reinforce or upgrade our army, but fear not, for when our situation is bad, we can go nowhere but forward.", Casanova had essentially concluded there. There wasn't much else to talk about, "That is all. My executive council will now decide policies, everyone else is free to leave."
Everyone filed out, leaving Casanova and his cabinet.
Power to the people! (Democratic)
Power to the Party! (Authoritarian) (1)
- Heinrich von Schnitzel
We don't need to be so radical. (Right-wing)
We need to further eliminate dissidents! (Closed Society) (1)
- Ramon Marín i Bobé
We need to take control of our industries. (Central Planning) (3)
- Joaquim Casanova
- Enric Pla i Barraquer
- Alejandro Finisterre
We need a more professional army. (Standing Army) (2)
- Pontus von Hääfe
- Remei Rodoreda
We need to increase conscription. (Draft Army)
We need to prepare for the worst. (Hawk Lobby) (2)
- Rasputin Iwanowitsch Polkov
- Matthias Rossco
We need to allocate more to domestic spending. (Dove Lobby)
We need to intervene in world affairs! (Interventionism)
We need to focus on domestic issues. (Isolationism)