Empire of the Pacific - A California AAR

[Riccardo93]

@Alfredian: That COULD be a possible plan. I do have high relations with the USCA still.

All right folks, I plan on pushing out an update before the weekend. Hopefully I will have the time to do this. Stay tuned!

Make it so, Frymonmon

[Frymonmon]

Giddings: 1851 - 1856

President Giddings was determined to keep the will of the people geared toward what he saw as the natural expansion of President Wagner's California Plan. He supposed that the only way California could be taken seriously is if it could branch out, away from the confines of California itself, and position itself to create a sprawling Empire.

He kept this idea to himself and in private settings, the Californian Army was composed of only 6,000 men, paltry compared the the 30,000 strong Mexican Army and the 84,000 strong American army. Wielding these figures, President Giddings was able to get a bill passed through the Californian Congress that would double the size of the Californian Army within the end of 1852.

1. Debate in the Californian Congress about military expansion.

By late June of 1851, the expansion of the army was completed. The Army of California was commanded by General Joshua Buell and consisted of 12,000 men. It was a powerful force at the time, normally only used to crush Native revolts and the occasional usage as a police force to ensure order. President Giddings saw this army as a small start to an eventual large, threatening military force.

In the fall of 1851, President Giddings sent his Minister of Foreign Affairs, British-born Walter George Lloyd, to the District of Columbia, the capital of the United States of America. The venture was designed as a show of friendship between the United States and the Californian Republic, as well as to negotiate a treaty of mutual co-operation between the two nations. After only a few weeks of negotiation, the United States Congress passed the Lloyd-Webster Treaty. This treaty ensure that the United States and the Californian Republic would work together in military cooperation, as well as aide each other in economic terms.

2. Minister Walter George Lloyd, the man who negotiated the Lloyd-Webster Treaty.

The turn of the year was celebrated in the Californian Congress by a huge debate. Information had come to them from a leaked document from Mexico City that showed the current Mexican Government was preparing to try and re-establish its control over California, seeing its large population and vast natural resources as nearly vital to their national interest.

The Californian Congress thus found itself embroiled in turmoil over what to do about this situation. A note was quickly dispatched to the United States over the information they had received. Until a response by the United States was received, the Californian Congress had to decide between publicly addressing this issue, or quietly preparing for an invasion and building defensive structures near important cities and garrison, and most importantly, protecting California's vast supply of gold.

After a week of debate, the Congress resolved to go public with the information and demand Mexico give an explanation for the document. Mexico, in turn, did not deny this document, but presented both California and the United States with an ultimatum; evacuate Texas and California and allow for Mexican occupation or face the prospect of war.

A day later the United States of America responded with a declaration of war against the United Mexican States.

3. The United States calls upon California to aide in the war.

The response in California was quick, the Congress immediately approved the Declaration of War against Mexico and handed all military powers over to President Giddings, where he and his staff of generals could direct the war.

The opening moves of the war were purely occupation. The 1st Cavalry Division moved south towards the Mexican city of Rosarito, where the local garrison was easily overrun and slowly, but thoroughly, control was established over the city.

Trouble came when a small Mexican army of 3,000 men approached the city, this prompted the commanding General to send a dispatch back the Californian Army's Garrison in San Diego to send as much support to him as he could at the fastest pace possible.

4. The Californian Army marches into Rosarito under Mexican gunfire.

The battle lasted an impressive five days, dragging on until the city's outer defenses were breached by the Mexican army. This provided the Californian's with the chance to rush up to defend the line, cutting the Mexicans in two, with half trapped in the city and the other half still trying to breach the walls. The battle ended with the remainder of the Mexican army to retreat towards the south, moving towards the city of Loreto. Following the surrender of the trapped soldiers, the Californians were able to claim the first victory in the Californian-Mexican war.

With the onset of winter, any armed conflict was regulated to nothing more than a small skirmish or two, with both sides being able to claim victory. With little warfare on going, California wasted no time in occupying and pacifying the area round the city of Rosarito. Under the protection of the Californian Army, a few settlers from California actually ventured across the southern border between California and Mexico and began to settle there, angering the local Mexican population, but widely accepted by the few immigrants that lived there.

On Christmas Day of 1852, President Giddings issued a proclamation to Mexico, there would continue to be a State of War between the two nations as long as the Mexican state of Baja California would not be seceded to California. Mexico refused such a proposal, but President Giddings was adamant about his claim, he wished to annex this stretch of territory to the Californian Republic, and he was going to fight for it.

5. Giddings issues his demand to the Mexican Government.

In the Spring, a renewed offensive was taken by the Californian Army, where they marched from the occupied city of Rosarito towards the city of Nogales, which was garrison by a Militia of about 3,000 Mexican citizens, mostly poorly armed.

The battle was quick and decisive, the Mexicans suffered nearly 50% casualties before giving up the town to the Californians, who had only lost twelve men [1]. A similar occupation strategy was carried out in Nogales as in Rosarito. The city was slowly occupied, with soldiers then branching out and establishing control over nearby villages and towns.

From his command in San Diego, President Giddings' main goal was to connect Californian controlled territory with American controlled territory, to connect the two frontlines and establish and easy method of communication across the Mojave desert. The United States was quick in her response to the Mexicans. The United States' 1st and 4th Armies moved south towards the Rio Grande river, crushing the Mexican army stationed there. Along with the push in the south, the United States initiated a three-pronged attack directly down into Mexico from Idaho and Wyoming.

6. State of the War in the Spring of 1853.

Territory controlled by the United States and California rapidly grew with little resistance during the summer of 1853. With the lack of military news, focus once again shifted back the home front. The immigrant towns of Eureka and Sacramento, once barren of any signs of English-speaking Californians, now boasted a small minority of them. Immigrants slowly started to accept English and the customs and culture of their adopted country now that they have lived amongst Californians for a few years.

A rise in Nationalism also helped some of the immigrants to more easily accept being called a "Californian". Everyone supported the war against the former owners of California; in a way, they desired to win Independence the same way the United States did, by overtaking them on the field of battle to assert their ability to maintain and protect the freedom they hold.

During the Fall and Winter of 1853, the United States boldly pushed further into Mexican territory, chasing their retreating army until nearly 80% of the Mexican Army was either killed or paroled by the United States. Fighting was brought to the outskirts of Mexico City on December 19th, 1853, with the joint United States and Californian forces assaulting Chapultepec Castle, a primary defense for Mexico City.

7. United States forces assaulting Chapultepec Castle near Mexico City.

With Chapultepec Castle no longer a threat, the United States and Californian forces entered into a battle against the Mexican forces defending Mexico city. With the Mexican defenders numbering 34,000 and the joint US-Californian forces numbering 45,000. The battle began with the opening barrage by the 1st US Artillery Company lasting around 30 minuets, followed by the charge of the Mississippi State Militia led by Jefferson Davis, which was able to breach the outer defenses of the city almost immediately. Fighting soon took to the streets of Mexico City. The northern part of the City was quickly subjugated and used as a base of operations for the rest of the battle. The Californians were entrusted with capturing the Eastern portion of the city while the United States took the Southern and Western portions of the city.

Street fighting only lasted a day and over the course of the next few weeks, the partisan forces were finally eliminated and the United States finally declared victory over Mexico by raising the American flag over the Mexican capital building.

8. Occupation of Mexico City by United States forces.

The Spring of 1854 brought the Capitulation of Mexico. After seeing their army shattered and their cities occupied by the United States and California, they conceded to the joint demands of the victorious powers. Mexico would recognize that the Southern boundary of Texas is the Rio Grande river, and Mexico would give up control of Baja California to California as well as hand over all territory North of Nogales to control of the United States.

9. Map of North America after the Mexican Conflict was completed.

With the war over, and new territory to consolidate control over, the nation was once again focused on the issues that were pressing them the most. The Mexican Question was quickly raised amongst the people of California. The lands of Baja California had an estimated population of 120,000 native Mexicans, with 30,000 estimated Mexican able-bodied males. Many wished to kick them off their land and deport them to Mexico, to allow Californians room to resettle the territory.

President Giddings decided to take matters into his own hands and appointed General John H. Bell to be the Governor of Baja California. Bell took the side of many English-speaking Californians and routinely imposed sanctions on the Mexican population and allowed Californians to settle and take over Mexican-owned lands. it was because of his rule over Baja California that the army had to put down several revolts by the local population.

10. John H. Bell, the heavy-handed Governor of Baja California.

As 1855 rolled around, the Californian Census Department released its results to the Californian Congress for evaluation. As expected, the incorporated territories from Mexico added a sizable Mexican minority to California. At 13.2% of California's 231.50K able-bodied male population, the Mexicans were by far the largest minority in the Republic.

The most surprising results from the census was that Californians have moved towards supporting the Ursine Imperialists, the ideal of a Pacific Empire was embraced by the electorate and the older idea of California being a small, independent republic was thrown out. The Free Soil and Liberty Parties became more and more marginalized in the electorate as political power was mostly contested between the Ursine Imperialists and the Farmer-Laborer Party.

11. Population Statistics of the Californian Republic, 1855.

In response to the uptick of Nationalism and Imperialism, the Farmer-Laborer Party moved away from rampant expansion and Imperialism. President Giddings no longer believed that his place was in the Farmer-Laborer's. On July 16th, 1855 President Giddings announced that his party membership had changed to that of the Ursine Imperialists.

Through his conduct in the war, and the subsequent expansion of the Californian Republic, President Giddings was easily rewarded with a second term. The budget was still in surplus, even throughout the war period. The army was still be expanded, and the Gold Rush was still in full swing. The Californian Republic was massively expanding in multiple ways, stepping out from the shadows of Mexico and establishing its place in the world as a Pacific Power that can, and will, enforce its demands by military might if needed.

Previous Update: Stephens: 1846 - 1851
Next Update: Giddings: 1856 - 1861

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Author's Note(s)
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[1] – Five of these twelve men had lost their lives to friendly fire.
[*] - Most likely this will be one of my worst updates, not much happened in these five years besides the war and I've been feeling under the weather.

[King50000]

No Nevada for California?
Hopefuly all those Mexicans will either be assimilated or thrown out before they can all rise up at once. We wouldn't a California Civil War.

[Prince of Savoy]

I've NEVER seen America acquire all of it's Manifest destiny cores from Mexico in one war. Did you tag switch to make sure they did or did it happen by itself? And as for Baja Cali, do you have cores there?

And a small typo I spotted.

After seeing their army shattered and their cities occupied by the United States and Mexico

So Mexico was occupying itself?

[Frymonmon]

@King50000: The United States started the war over Nevada-Utah so I had to go else where for my territory. The good news is already, Baja California has roughly 2% Californians so immigration/assimilation should be quick.

@Prince of Savoy: Oh my, what a typo. It has been fixed, thank you for spotting that. As for the war, I was amazed that America actually took all four states. I saw that they added the war goals, and was afraid I'd get screwed over and they would only take two states and leave me in the dust, but I had enough occupied to get my own peace deal, the US then took over my areas and got all of their cores.

I do not have cores on Baja California. I started out with only cores on California proper, just to make expansion a bit harder.

[King50000]

I always thought you could cheat allied AIs out of a territory they want, as long as you ask for it as well and peace-out with it first

[Prince of Savoy]

I always thought you could cheat allied AIs out of a territory they want, as long as you ask for it as well and peace-out with it first

Except the US still had a bunch more men, and Mexico was still strong enough to beat up on California. I'd be shocked if Cali could have out-occupied the US for Nevada-Utah.

[King50000]

It sounded like the majority of the Mexican Army was busy in Texas with the US, so a splitting up of the divisions and spreading over the Nevada-Utah could have done it if fast enough.

[Frymonmon]

The bulk of the fighting was between two 35kish US Stacks and a Mexican 45K stack in Texas. I only had trouble with mobilized troops, nut the US also had cavalry and 12k stacks in Nevada-Utah. I had to go from Baja Cali then down the coast, just to make sure I had room to occupy.

[King50000]

Ouch, well at least you may get the chance to jump on the US when they are busy with the Confeds.

[robb1993]

loving this to bits.

[BootOnFace]

I like this AAR.

[TKFS]

I expect there might be more California-on-Mexico action in the future.

[Dewirix]

I'm not sure I like Giddings crossing the floor like that, but it seems to have paid off for him. Being at war does seem to give the reactionaries a massive boost.

[Alfredian]

I thought you might have more room to expand into the interior. Hadn't guessed the US would advance so quickly.

Hawaii next maybe?

[CaptRobau]

Great AAR. Your writing is getting better and better with each update.

[Commandante]

I really like your expansion along the coast. It looks good on the map. It will be interesting to see if California continues to expand southwards or if it will take advantage of the Civil War to nibble something off the US...

[Frymonmon]

King50000: I might jump the Confeds instead, the USA made Arizona a slave state. (New Mexico and Nevada are free.)

robb1993: I'm glad! I enjoy making this tale of California.

BootOnFace: Glad you like it. Thanks for reading!

TKFS: Don't be so sure. I was checking the influence values of the GPs to be wearing of Britain and they are already at friendly.

Dewirix: I normally judge parties off the in-game elections that take place in the Summer of the year ending with a "5" or "0" and use that to see if the President got re-elected or not. When the Ursine Imperialists won, I was shocked, so I decided to have Giddings cross the floor because I don't think he would be voted out like that, he can be seen as the "Father" of the Empire of the Pacific.

Alfredian: I even raised a regiment of cavalry to go occupy Nevada, but the USA already occupied it. As for Hawaii, the USA already has it in its sphere (as am I) so I cant do much there.

CaptRobau: Why thank you, I had thought it was getting a bit worse, I had a cold at the time I wrote this.

Commandante: I think Southwards AND taking advantage of the Civil War sounds pretty good.

[King50000]

Well I wouldn't bet on taking Arizona just yet. Don't forget about all the user games where Florida, a slave state, has stayed with the Union and not joined the Confederacy.

[ncm]

Is any Pacific expansion - whether of influence or land - is in order for Giddings?