Hearts of Iron
Blood of Oil
The flag of the Oblast of
Alyeska
Over the summer as the economy still staggered to maintain any growth, the government stock piling of currency was the one success story. While taxation was a bit of a hit and miss affair, trade was booming paradoxically in a global economic mess. MittelEuropa had embarked on a massive spree of public work and infrastructure improvement process in order to bring the economy back on-line, and most of the resources needed for these works was Russia. While production dropped off from its already dismal levels when the German companies left, vast stockpiles of material had been maintained over the years and fed the German orders which then led to increasing demand in steel, mining, the embryonic chemical sector and other heavy industries and therefore employment started to rise, and the added boon of vast sums of German funds (while greatly reduced in value since before the crash, still maintained a far greater value than the Rouble) which was then transferred into valuable commodities, metals and currency.
The Profits of Stripping the Earth of Her Bounty
Abroad, the Korean uprising had run into serious difficulties. After weeks of attempting to go toe to toe with the Japanese army had resulted in defeat and scattering of the rebellion. The Russian advisor's had naively prepared and instructed the untrained, inexperienced Koreans to fight pitched battles with trained and hardened troops. However the bravery of the Koreans had inspired a wave of strikes and civil unrest in Formosa. With the main centralised body of the revolt broken and splintered the various Korean rebel factions reformed themselves, some syndicalist inspired others Monarchists and democrats and all to often attacking each other as well as the Japanese, but they would adapt to the changing state of affairs and adopt unconventional warfare. Hitting the Japanese state and forces in stinging high profile and devastating attacks in areas the Japanese thought was subdued, and the insurgents blending into the population. As the Japanese regained control they would inflict terrible reprisals on the civilian population in response to the insurgency, also the smuggling of Russian arms between the Qing and Legitation ports dried up with the added Japanese security measures. With the confirmation that Russia had armed the rebels and the captured Russian arms and bodies of Russian combatants led to a serious diplomatic spat between Russia and the Japanese and her puppets.
Seoul once again falls beneath the Searing Gaze of the Rising Sun
While Russia was lagging behind her peers in what her men under arms were equipped with, she didn't in the technological advancement. With such minds as Sikorsky, Mikoyanand and Yakovlev, Russian aerospace, aviation and prototype aircraft became abundant and a vibrant sector to partake in. Denikin had been sending funding towards the air forces to design aircraft worthy to equip the Air force, as such prototype designs of YAK trainers and recon, MIG interceptors and Sikorsky's forays into bomber and sea plane aircraft designs and his theories of vertical lift aircraft were astounding to say the least.
Prototypes at the Aircraft Design Bureau in Kazan
For the land forces, the concepts of ''armoured warfare'' were built upon. Armoured cars had been steadily upgraded over the years till they reached the level of the ''tanks'' used in the Weltkrieg. With technical advice from Canadian and occasional German advisor's, a tank design bureau was formed in Omsk and within months prototypes of a ''
Bystrokhodny tank/fast tanks/BT'' series of tanks. Based upon Canadian ideas of ''
Calvary tanks'' they were to be fast armoured raiders, harassing cumbersome infantry formations on their flanks and rear.
The BT-7 Cavalry Tank Prototype, the Pinnacle of Russian Armoured Technological Thought
Alongside this, the special warfare committee set up under Denikin's tentative reforms suggested the formation of an airborne formation of soldiers who when the technology and logistics allowed it could be dropped from heavy lift aircraft behind enemy lines to harass and distract the enemy or dropped onto areas in need of direct reinforcement, the ''
Vozdushno-desantnye voyska'' or Air landing forces were formed on the 29th of August by volunteers from the regular ranks. Also the general armaments committee had commissioned the arms entrepreneur Vasily Degtyaryov with numerous contracts to produce more advanced and capable small arms for the forces.
The DGT Light Machine gun, the first of many Weapons Degtyaryov's Gunsmith would Produce
By the end of October it appears the new thinking with in the Church had come round to the sway of the state. While there was still grumbling in the background, the new Patriarch had declared a national Mass to the benefit of the Russian nation, government and people and blessed them all in the name of Christ. It had been viewed the earlier clash between Church and State resulted in Russia becoming a secular nation, it might have appeared so, but Denikin and the current ruling clique were very much still in touch with their faith, and supported an Orthodox, Russian nationalist vision for Russia.
May God and Christ Guide our Steps and Watch over us
While Russia has settled into a state of stability and tepid rate of transition, November would mark a great change for Russia and the world. In the United States of America a seemingly endless period of economic depression, bad government, prohibition and polarisation of national wealth had seen the rise of the dreaded syndicalist threat in the industrial centres of the Mid-Western United States, centred around Chicago, in the south the ever changing and populist forces of the Union Staters had built a strong support base in the American deep south, the traditional parties had shown themselves impotent to adapt to change or bring any hope of a recovery from the ''
Devils Depression'', as a result traditional politics had eroded. Strike actions, industrial militancy and strike breaking became ever more and more intense in previous years in the Mid-West, often spurred on by the British and French backed Combined Syndicalist party. In the south the Union Staters were targeting blacks, Mexicans, the travelling poor, the rich who opposed them and the federal government. With elections rapidly approaching the situation deepened as the campaigns became more partisan, militant and fervent in their victory. The day after the release of the polling results was going to be marred with riots in the areas that supported the more radical candidates that failed to win the day. The deeply unpopular President Hoover, after heavy deliberation decided the elections were not
''in the national interest'' at such a delicate time, but that he would stand down to be replaced by a temporary military government, led by a committee of the Joint Chiefs of Staff headed by MacArthur. As soon as the transfer was complete MacArthur began a purge of the Syndicalist, but turned a blind eye to the Union Staters who began pogroms to root out suspected Syndicalist elements in their areas. But the outcry was colossal and the American public were fever pitch in their rage.
US
''Doughboys'' move in to Break up the
''Polling day General Strike''
The handling of the affair was botched as the troops went in too heavy handed and forced strikers onto the defensive, weapons quickly became common place and in some cases troops mutinied and defected to the strikers. Militia's fought running battles with federal troops, federal hold over the Mid-west quickly evaporated as entire regiments and National Guard divisions went over to the strikers. Jack Reed declared a provisional Syndicalist regime centred around Chicago and the states of Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania had succeeded from the Union. The Federal forces began a sustained offensive against the new state when Long sensed his time, on November 4th he declared the United States a ''
defunct and poisonous '' state that had ''
abandoned the ideals of the American forefathers'', he succeeded from the Union taking the states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, South Carolina and the Mississippi with him to form the American Union State. One of the world’s last Liberal Democracies had fallen to its internal demons. Washington was connected via a narrow bridge of land to the west, to the rest of the United States. The worse news kept coming for MacArthur. The New England governors had formed a Congress of New England and succeeded from the Union as well in fear of being overrun by the Red Militias, they quickly jumped into the lap of a petrified Canada whose southern border became a warzone. As the world seen this fight as a proxy battle in the on-going clash of ideologies, where would Russia lodge her support?
Decisions, decisions.
The Russian state had formed lucrative trade contracts with several high profile Union State tycoons, out of all of the factions; the Union State shared more in terms of policy with Russia. When California, Washington, Oregon and Idaho succeeded to form the Pacific States in a vain attempt to remain neutral in the conflict, the rump of the Federal government was pinned on all sides. Rumours were plenty that Mexico was eyeing the undefended southern borders, Syndicalist arms and volunteers were on their way from France and the Union of Britain, Germany had thrown its lot in with the Union State, what good news there was, was few, Canada supported the federalists, sending volunteers and equipment, but New England was sealed as being lost by this act, and the threats of Canadian intervention signalled that they could potentially annex the areas around the Great Lakes, Hawaii then formed their own independent Kingdom under a native Monarchy. The Russian ambassador approached MacArthur with a pact, a pact with a steep cost.
Cincinnati burns under the Clash of Federal troops and CS Militias
The Russian ambassador to Washington, Misha Petrosyan had been instructed by Denikin to deliver to MacArthur a pact of support to the Federalists. Russia would provide equipment, funds, material, resources, volunteers and political asylum if wanted to Russia (Canada would have been much for likely, but the offer was there). But this would come at a cost, the United States government would have to formally revoke the Alaska purchase and cede the entire American held territories of Alaska to the Russian state. The pact was met with understandable hostility, but it was painfully obvious the Federalists could not hold Alaska, being separated from it, far too large, far too current pressing needs to retain it, also suggestions Canada or the PSA would take it sealed the deal, at least with this Russia would assist the Federalists. The Russo-American Treaty of Mutual Friendship and Cooperation was signed and Russian Alaska was reborn.
Maybe we could send the Ukrainians here?
Following closely to these dramatic events, the East Asian revolts came to a close. Civil unrest at home, and prospects of a prolonged war in Korea and Formosa, Japan formally concluded treaties with the democratic factions amongst the rebels, Korea and Formosa would become quasi-independent states tied to Japan, open to limited elections and maintain their domestic affairs. This brought the steam out of the rebels who were drawing out the Japanese ability to stop them, but destroying their homelands. The hard-line nationalist government in Japan was over thrown for a democratic one; Japan had moved to become a democracy of sorts, all dependent on the good will of the Emperor. The Syndicalist and more nationalistic rebels would not be placated and carried on their war in the form of terrorism, for Russia it was a lacklustre result, Japan hadn't been weakened, more strengthened in some ways by the whole affair. It appears as if Russia is not yet ready for any Far Eastern adventures in the near future.
The whole Affair was quietly allowed to Disappear in the Bright Haze of Alaska
On the 16th of November Denikin revealed the results of the nine month long economics and industry committee, they had been hearing the most experienced economic scholars, industrialists, businessmen and economists they could gather, and they outlined three paths for Russia;
1. A return to the peasant economy, Russia was to find its strengths as an agricultural nation, the traditional life style served Russia well, it would again, this would no doubt go down well with the teaming peasants.
2. Russia was to become an armed camp, a military industrial complex were all production is centred around the military
3. Russia was to industrialise and modernise, it must destroy the peasant system and become an advanced economy with industrial production to form the basis of the economy.
''Russia must be a land of men with hearts of Iron, and blood of oil!''
Denikin's regime favoured industrialisation on a massive scale, in an address to the nation that would go on to become known as the ''
Hearts of Iron'' speech, he called on Russia to leave its past, not abandon it, but move on to a better tomorrow of plenty, agriculture was to become mechanised, industrial complexes to cover vast areas, infrastructure to weave and encrust the nation with rail and road, Russia's future lay in the factories, not the fields of her past. This caused concern amongst the landed Aristocracy and peasantry who seen their way of life threatened. They would have to see the results to be won over to the brave new Russia and the five year plan. Alongside this was the decision on the economy, the events of the
Black Monday crash had caused vast areas to be nationalised by the state, Russia was essentially a command economy. As such as part of the wider economic reforms Russia would privatise sections of the economy, but retain 50% stakes in industries and sectors that are vital to the national good. Military officers by their nature or inefficient economists, so it is better to nurture an embryonic free market class to become the future creators of Russia's wealth, also the balanced approach security of state support and tepid capitalism appeared to good down well with the Russian middle classes and state employed workers.
A Restrained Market for now is the Best Market!
