Shadow of the Andes - An Interactive Chilean AAR

It appears it is true what they say: an hour is a long time in politics.

I retire but for a short while, and return to find the country in chaos. Suspicion and distrust reign supreme, where once there was friendship and familiarity. The Senate has become a fortress, assailed on all sides by those who fear a darkness dwelling in its soul. Conspiracies are afoot, from the halls of government to the barracks of the army. I can see but one source: a political malcontent, thwarted in his electoral ambitions, engineering the destruction of the Republic for the sake of his own power.

Honourable members of Congreso, do not make yourself a party to this man's ploy. He cares neither for your cause nor your concerns; he is motivated purely by ambition, and exceeds himself. He will destroy you and your party by association, if you allow him to sow the seeds of confederacy in your mind. His conspiracy is spurred on by vanity and megalomania, not pragmatism or principle, and like all conspiracies of this nature, it is doomed to failure. He wants to make his enemy, your enemy. He wants you to believe that your ambitions - and not his - are at stake. But he is wrong.

I am not a liberal turncoat. I am not a syndicalist subversive. My loyalty to the conservador cause has never been in question. I have secured the Republic from insurrection time and time again. I was offered absolute power by Senor Andonie in his liberal dictatorship; instead, I performed my duty as defender of the Republic and stood against the coup. I am a proud Catholic, with the support of His Grace, the Archbishop, and the Church in general. The only thing you need fear from me is a government guided by Christian principles; honesty, integrity and empathy.

Let the election proceed as planned. Where there is anarchy, let there be harmony. Where there is dissent, consent. And where there is a Chile consumed by chaos and discord, let her be restored to her peaceful self. The eyes of the nation are upon us.

- General Charles Maximilien, Prince de Conti

OldCleric said:

Rivera, the time has come to conclude this affair. You have the testimony of those who you allege to be conspirators, and my own word. You are correct when you say that the truth sets one free; I am a very free man.

Senator Alejandro Ruiz de Escovedo

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Once this chaos has been laid to rest we should have a full investigation into your action's. I believe we may find....interesting result's
-Colonel Francisco Salazar

I declare myself to be on the side of the Republic.

It seems this nation cannot go a year without a coup. Oh well, at the very least it keeps the men in tip-top shape, ready for action at a minute's notice.

I am for the Republic as always, but it pains me to see honorable señor Schmidt feeling like he has to take up arms to enforce his demands, that all are just. If I become CoS I would also fight hard for pensions for our soldiers and further social reforms. All revolutions by force are wrong, and if I am ordered to put down Schmidt's revolt I will do that, however I hope we for once can solve our problems peacefully. If the government would take a position to try to mediate with Schmidt instead of just crushing this poor man who obviously has been driven to the edge, I offer myself as mediator.

The Grand Army stands for the Republic.

As I have ever done, I declare myself in support of the government. Nonetheless, I find it difficult to criticise General Schmidt, one of our oldest and finest officers. His intentions are noble, and his motives pure. He seeks not to overthrow the constitutional order, dethrone the government or aggrandise himself; he desires only redress for those soldiers who have fought loyally for the Republic only to be left with nothing once they were discharged. It is with his methods, however, that I must object. We cannot allow force to usurp political power. Were we to stand aside in this instance, we would retroactively legitimise every coup and uprising executed against the Republic and its predecessors. We would sunder the political process and undermine Congreso.

I implore the honourable General Schmidt to stand down, and so be treated with the utmost leniency.

- General Charles Maximilien, Prince de Conti

The Army of North Chile stands for the Republic. It saddens me that General Schmidt would say that he wants to improve the lot of his soldiers but in doing so risks them all being killed. I have great sympathy for him though and would like to support him but not this way. The FNT as ever will look for peaceful solutions to the country's social problems.

General Rios

First signs of sanity in this senate chamber in a while, seeing everyone support the 3rd Republic.

Long live Chile!

I am for the Republic,

Though I must acknowledge that Schmidt's reforms for the armed forces are just and necessary. One cannot, however, take the lives of real men to enact political change. It is not right.

Senator Alejandro Ruiz de Escovedo

I declare my support for the Republic!

I shall also be giving a speech tomorrow, concerning my campaign.

~ Senator Ernesto F. Fuentes

While these declarations of support are encouraging it is only the support of Ministers and Generals that counts. Still, it is warming to see the level of support for the Republic.

General Rios

Syriana said:

The Grand Army stands for the Republic.

As I have ever done, I declare myself in support of the government. Nonetheless, I find it difficult to criticise General Schmidt, one of our oldest and finest officers. His intentions are noble, and his motives pure. He seeks not to overthrow the constitutional order, dethrone the government or aggrandise himself; he desires only redress for those soldiers who have fought loyally for the Republic only to be left with nothing once they were discharged. It is with his methods, however, that I must object. We cannot allow force to usurp political power. Were we to stand aside in this instance, we would retroactively legitimise every coup and uprising executed against the Republic and its predecessors. We would sunder the political process and undermine Congreso.

I implore the honourable General Schmidt to stand down, and so be treated with the utmost leniency.

- General Charles Maximilien, Prince de Conti

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I am, of course, for the Republic!

And I promised myself that I would run a positive campaign but honestly Senor De Conti you have baited me like a fish on a line with this one. Schmidt's intentions are not noble because he is starting a coup. A coup against a lawfully elected government goes against everything we stand for Senor! If De Conti is in the right for plunging Chile into chaos that will spill the blood of thousands of our soldiers, is it not fair to say that the Communista coups of the last decade were also noble? And what of the Germanista's? In truth, all of these coups went against a lawfully elected government and therefore these men are not shining heros to be emulated nor even noble ideologues to be held in moderate esteem. Nay, these men are proud fools and pests that draw their power from the weak and foolish among our population. Whatever the goal, no matter how worthy, does not justify the violent and highly destructive means.

I hope this remark was a translation error (although French to Spanish is a rather smooth translation). It surely was not an attempt at pandering to the left wing? I would expect better of you Senor...

---Caitan Crazzio---

I agree with Senor Crazzio that Schmidt's coup cannot be glorified. We have seen recently the realities of coups. Hundreds of thousands of deaths, and the destruction of our good name. How can we be a world power when, after every election and for every reform, we literally kill each other?

We must make a stand against coups such as these, and from now on I call on the Congreso and the president to enact harsh penalties for those who decide to rebel.

I will admit that, at a point in time not too far ago, I thought that coups were a necessary vessel of change. Now, however, I understand the evils associated with them, and I apologize to anyone who believes that I was involved in a coup.

Respectfully,

Senator Escovedo

I find it odd that many would treat Schmidt with a little bit more leniency only because he does not want to unseat the executive branch of the republic but the Upper House. It is still an act of war against the lawfully elected government and therefore high treason.

Against an old comrade, I stand for the Republic.

While Schmidt does not seek to bring down the Republic, looking only to the betterment of his men and the soldiers of all of Chile rather than the promotion of his own power or ideology, we cannot bypass the very foundations of the Republic to bring about such changes in law. We cannot be swayed by a precedent of marching to the capital to threaten for our grievances. That will lead only to instability and disorder, and will disguise the real seizures of power in the veil of protests. The military, like any other set of citizens, must vote for their causes. General Schmidt is noble, as General Maximilian said, but tragically misguided. Nobility means nothing in politics or war, if the reality of your actions is simply grief.

- Admiral Alvarez

"I am For The Republic. I find Schmidt's aims of welfare reform to be reasonable, yet I find his methods to be dishonourable. I view that he has acted without due caution, and has just lost himself his career. In the event that he is captured and convicted, however, I can do no more than ensure a clean execution."

Severiano Miramontes

Though his actions are noble as several have said before me, we cannot send the a message that violence and force will achieve more than democracy. I have no choice but to support the Republic as Minister of Defense, so that democracy remains in place. Hopefuly the reforms that General Schmidt wishes to see can be voted into law by the people in a few short years.

I would also ask that only the current Generals and Ministers declare their support, the Senators, especially one de Escovedo have no role in this affair, no power or influence in deciding whether or not this coup is successful.

- Minister of Defense, Christiano Ferarri

The Army of Patagonia stands for the Republic. I respect General Schmidt's wishes but this is definitely not the way to push them through.

- Gen. Sebastian Hidalgo