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Just a quick little update today folks. 
Internationally, while the Empire took a step to the right of the political spectrum with the crowning of Edward VIII, Europe itself took a step or two to the left. The French general elections of June 11 found the Conservatives of the Third Republic being defeated by the left with the Communists gaining a large share of the seats in the Parliament. The new coalition government, made up of Socialists, Communists, Radicals, and Socialist Republicans, was led by Leon Blum as Prime Minister and PCF (Communist Party of France) leader Maurice Thorez becoming Vice Premier.
Leon Blum, new French Prime Minister
Four days after the French elections, on June 15 in Belgium, with quite a few questionable activities on the part of some of the Leftist political parties which included links to several assassinations of rival politicians, a very Left leaning government made up of Social Democrats and Communists, was elected, with the Communists being the majority party. The popular Belgian king, Leopold III, made a public announcement that he would refuse to work with a Leftist Cabinet and that due to irregularities with the election he called for another general election, one monitored more closely by the Crown.
This move of the King’s was quickly and predictably contested by the Belgian Communist Party and after a series of meetings between the Communist Party Leader, Jean Duquesne, and the Social Democrat leadership, the Social Democrats also voiced their opposition to the new elections. Vowing not to be dictated to by Belgians who took their orders from Moscow and Josef Stalin, Leopold called for the new elections to be held within three days and announced that the Belgian Army would be called out to assist in the security of the polling places. The BCP responded by sending armed bands into the streets, attempting to gain control of key points in the principal cities of Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Charleroi and Liège. Due to the Army having already been in the process of mobilizing, the attempted revolt of the BCP was answered by the King with the sending of troops into the cities to clear out the armed bands. After several days of bloody fighting, the last of the BCP’s die hards surrendered and were taken into custody. Despite protests from members of the other political parties as well as the Soviet and new French governments, Leopold circumvented the Belgian judicial system and arranged for the leaders of the uprising to be executed forthwith. Two days later on June 25, with the smoke still hanging in the air and the bodies of the BCP ring leaders still dangling from the gallows, Belgians voted again and this time elected a slightly left of center coalition government made up of Social Democrats, Liberals, and Christian Democrats. Not wishing to risk another armed revolt, and faced with a strongly worded communiqué from the French government, Leopold refrained from calling for another set of elections and agreed to work with the new government. While the Foreign Office was reassured by the new Belgian government that there would be no change in Anglo-Belgian relations, Foreign Secretary Eden and the career diplomats knew Belgium would be a very touchy nation to deal with diplomatically for some time to come.
CHAPTER SEVEN– Part A
Internationally, while the Empire took a step to the right of the political spectrum with the crowning of Edward VIII, Europe itself took a step or two to the left. The French general elections of June 11 found the Conservatives of the Third Republic being defeated by the left with the Communists gaining a large share of the seats in the Parliament. The new coalition government, made up of Socialists, Communists, Radicals, and Socialist Republicans, was led by Leon Blum as Prime Minister and PCF (Communist Party of France) leader Maurice Thorez becoming Vice Premier.
Maruice Thorez, new French Vice Premier
The French Cabinet, made up of twelve Socialists, twelve Communists, eight Radicals, and three Socialist Republicans. The reaction within France was only slightly less surprised than that of the rest of Europe. While it had been known that the French conservatives had been losing numbers, it had not been known that the French Left had gained sufficient numbers to stage the kind of victory that had been obtained. There were several calls for inquiries into several questionable occurrences that took place just before the election, the new government quietly brushed those calls aside with loud proclamations of the Governments plans that would make known to the world the utopia that all Frenchmen knew France to be. Within days of the election, it became very clear to the British Foreign Office that France was becoming borderline Communist and would soon become very uncooperative in its dealings with the Empire.
Four days after the French elections, on June 15 in Belgium, with quite a few questionable activities on the part of some of the Leftist political parties which included links to several assassinations of rival politicians, a very Left leaning government made up of Social Democrats and Communists, was elected, with the Communists being the majority party. The popular Belgian king, Leopold III, made a public announcement that he would refuse to work with a Leftist Cabinet and that due to irregularities with the election he called for another general election, one monitored more closely by the Crown.
Leopold III, King of Belgium
This move of the King’s was quickly and predictably contested by the Belgian Communist Party and after a series of meetings between the Communist Party Leader, Jean Duquesne, and the Social Democrat leadership, the Social Democrats also voiced their opposition to the new elections. Vowing not to be dictated to by Belgians who took their orders from Moscow and Josef Stalin, Leopold called for the new elections to be held within three days and announced that the Belgian Army would be called out to assist in the security of the polling places. The BCP responded by sending armed bands into the streets, attempting to gain control of key points in the principal cities of Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Charleroi and Liège. Due to the Army having already been in the process of mobilizing, the attempted revolt of the BCP was answered by the King with the sending of troops into the cities to clear out the armed bands. After several days of bloody fighting, the last of the BCP’s die hards surrendered and were taken into custody. Despite protests from members of the other political parties as well as the Soviet and new French governments, Leopold circumvented the Belgian judicial system and arranged for the leaders of the uprising to be executed forthwith. Two days later on June 25, with the smoke still hanging in the air and the bodies of the BCP ring leaders still dangling from the gallows, Belgians voted again and this time elected a slightly left of center coalition government made up of Social Democrats, Liberals, and Christian Democrats. Not wishing to risk another armed revolt, and faced with a strongly worded communiqué from the French government, Leopold refrained from calling for another set of elections and agreed to work with the new government. While the Foreign Office was reassured by the new Belgian government that there would be no change in Anglo-Belgian relations, Foreign Secretary Eden and the career diplomats knew Belgium would be a very touchy nation to deal with diplomatically for some time to come.
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None of this will be helpful when it comes time to face Herr Hitler. Not helpful at all!
Tell me about it! Things were not all that fun when Herr Hitler started to march, not fun at all!
Five pages already! You seem to have caught some attention with this - I'll have to get round to reading it, shan't I?
Hmm, despite all your preparations still the Wehrmacht marches on. Are all these leftist uprisings happening in game? If so, did you write events or something? I have never encountered any of this. So far... Nice update, DW
I've always been suspicious of France - with its egalitarian ideals. The French revolution was the beggining of a downward slippery slide! That communism now reigns in Paris is no suprise!
Its time for the royals to reactivate the Scarlet Pimpernel and dig out some real French aristos - not those upstart bonapartes.
Great work
Its time for the royals to reactivate the Scarlet Pimpernel and dig out some real French aristos - not those upstart bonapartes.
Great work
coz1 said:
not necessarily so! ! do you think that the Soviet Union would allow a Communist France to be attacked by Germany?
killer update! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Very interesting developments! If France joins the commintern, Germany's situation will become very precarious indeed. Especially the Sudeten problem (and Austria too) may play out completely different. Also, Leopold might seize power in the future to end the leftist influences. Then Leopold's only possible ally in the short run would be none other than the German Führer...
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Maybe these radical types will shake up the military, however adding political officers may not be a step in the right direction. Loved every minute of it.
Cool update Draco, seems like the evil lefties are getting to much power on the continent, that is bad for the Empire and its friends abilities to defend the Empire in the event of war… It would seem like the British needs to act to ensure a more…friendly…government is put in charge of things both in France and Belgium
Some feedback on feedback :
And actually, yes, all the leftist elections and so forth were in game events that came up with the AI's bidding, not mine. Scary, eh?
Not a bad idea, but the Royals have other issues to take care of, as you will soon see.
:I do believe so.
Well, the Wehrmacht hasn't marched yet, thank God!
And actually, yes, all the leftist elections and so forth were in game events that came up with the AI's bidding, not mine. Scary, eh?
Not a bad idea, but the Royals have other issues to take care of, as you will soon see.
Originally Posted by Ghostwriter
...do you think that the Soviet Union would allow a Communist France to be attacked by Germany?[/QUOTE]
Actually, France is not "officially" Communist at this point, they are just heavily represented in the coalition government. But your point is well made and taken, eh?
Well, there is also the British Empire, right?
Originally Posted by Sir Humphrey
Loved every minute of it.[/QUOTE]
Thanks, Humps!
Originally Posted by Lord E
It would seem like the British needs to act to ensure a more…friendly…government is put in charge of things both in France and Belgium
See the above reply to therev. Besides, doing something like that would be.... wrong, wouldn't it?
Okay folks, now that I've replied to some of your comments, let's find out what is happening in Great Britain while France and Belgium go left, eh?
CHAPTER SEVEN – Part B
The late spring and early summer of 1936 were to prove the first true tests of the House of Windsor’s resurgence of royal power. The end of May saw an increase in Communist Party parades and street agitations, with one splinter group, the English Workers Union Party (EWUP) advocating a Bolshevik style take over of the Government and another splinter group, Workers of England (WE), beginning active campaigning to get its members elected into Parliament. Home Secretary Sir John Simon had MI-5 and Scotland Yard’s Special Branch closely monitor both WE and EWUP members in the hopes of finding any information that would allow those parties members to be arrested or at the very least discredited, with particular interest being devoted to the EWUP. While wishing to do more, the Crown realized that doing any more would threaten the legitimacy of their recovered powers as well alienate their subjects, the citizens of the British Empire.
On June 6, 1936 Eamon de Valera, leader of the Fianna Fáil, the left of center Irish nationalist party, which had was able to take power by winning the 1932 general election, under pressure of the communist radicals within his party, abolished the Irish Free State, the title of Ireland as a Dominion of the Empire under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, and announced the creation of the Republic of Ireland. This republic had a constitution that removed almost all ties Ireland had to the British Crown including any mention of the Govener-General, the Oath of Alligence, any governmental ties between Britain and Ireland, and left the Crown solely as a diplomatic figure head of Ireland.
To say that theis was a blow to the Empire would be a gross understatement. However, despite advice and pleas from many members of the Privy Council and Parliament, King Edward refused to send in Crown forces to correct the issue and instead sent a delegation of diplomats from the Foreign Office, Colonial Office and the Dominions Office to begin negotiations with de Valera.
Edward VIII speaking with Prime Minister Churchill
Just as feelings began to calm after the Irish Defection, London’s Daily Telegraph newspaper carried a front-page headline on June 14 announcing that Chancellor of the Exchequer, Neville Chamberlain, had been found to be in league with a Communist spy cell that contained rival newspaper, The Times, editor George Dawson. The report talked of a vast Communist conspiracy stretching through the Government, the press, academia and society itself. The resulting outcry was quite damaging, spreading a “Red Scare” throughout Britain and the Empire itself. The initial damage of the report was a sharp downturn in confidence of the Government, a significant drop in respect and credibility for The Times, and an increased awareness of the growing numbers of the Communist Party of England, EWUP, and the WE. For many days there was a tension throughout England that was simply a powder keg waiting for a match. Despite the best efforts of the Home Office, many members of Parliament, and the King, tensions remained high and on the early morning hours of June 18, the same time that riots began in Belgium, a group of English Workers Union Party members clashed with a members of a royalist party in the city of Birmingham. The rioting soon escalated beyond the means of the local police to contain and The Home Office was forced to send in troops to assist in sanitizing the city. The result was far from peaceful, but luckily there were few fatalities and the city was brought under control with the troops leaving with two days. Following the riots, a sense of release spread throughout the nation and while feelings were still tense, tempers were calmed to a certain degree. Soon after the riots, the accusations in the press and in Parliament began to fly and there were many calls for Chamberlain and Dawson to be prosecuted under the Official Secrets Act of 1911 and punished under the harshest of the Acts’ penalties namely death by hanging, as well as prosecution of the EWUP leadership for causing the riots. Again going against the wishes of many of his supporters, King Edward directed Home Secretary Simon to have Chancellor Chamberlain and Dawson prosecuted under the Act, but directed that the death penalty not be sought and that the EWUP leaders and members were only to be prosecuted if there was sufficient evidence to support their prosecution. At the same time, the King began a speaking tour of the nation, speaking in person in many cities and towns and over the radio nightly for serveral weeks. Due to the King's natural wit, charm and believability he was able to help restore the confidence of the Crown’s subjects, while at the same time gaining even a greater amount of animosity from the members of the various Communist groups in existence within England.
The King addresses the Empire by radio
This growing animosity would in time become a catalyst for monumental decisions and actions with the British Empire, occurrences that would have reverberating effects throughout the Western democracies as well as the rest of the world.
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Those damn bolshies!
No wonder the royals have little time for France.
Communisim is growing apace and little stops it from REDecorating the world! God bless Edward and Albert the hope of the Empire and the freedom loving peoples of the world!
Gret stuff Draco
No wonder the royals have little time for France.
Communisim is growing apace and little stops it from REDecorating the world! God bless Edward and Albert the hope of the Empire and the freedom loving peoples of the world!
Gret stuff Draco
Aha! Communist rebellion in England. No doubt led by that beast, Eric Blair. It should be clear to all thinking, well right thinking Englishmen, that the monarchy restored is the only hope for the Empire. More random events?
Draco Rexus said:
discord by the left shifts the country to the right. hmmm. where have i read about this before? :wacko:
Yeah, Draco: Are these random events? Or is the SU going on a concerted "influence nation" spree? I don't have HOI2, but I don't remember HOI1 being half this wild.
As for the story itself, very well done! I can definitely see a Red Scare sweeping through Britain, causing the moderates and moderate-lefts to take a hard swing to the right similar to the US with McCarthy in the 1950s. Your king's doing a very good job avoiding the extremes of behavior (like hanging Chamberlain) to try and restore calm. The far left and far right won't appreciate it, but the overwhelming majority will be fine once things calm down a bit.
It's still early yet. I just hope you have all this internal stuff worked out before Adolf goes nuts. Still, I see the historical Allies breaking down. France, for example, is already irritated with Belgium and I can't see your king being too pleased with the French government. The SU can't really afford to help France early, and anyway Stalin strikes me as a selfish &*(@. Maybe everyone will unify against the common threat once Germany starts moving. Maybe Britain will still be getting the Empire under control.
As for the story itself, very well done! I can definitely see a Red Scare sweeping through Britain, causing the moderates and moderate-lefts to take a hard swing to the right similar to the US with McCarthy in the 1950s. Your king's doing a very good job avoiding the extremes of behavior (like hanging Chamberlain) to try and restore calm. The far left and far right won't appreciate it, but the overwhelming majority will be fine once things calm down a bit.
It's still early yet. I just hope you have all this internal stuff worked out before Adolf goes nuts. Still, I see the historical Allies breaking down. France, for example, is already irritated with Belgium and I can't see your king being too pleased with the French government. The SU can't really afford to help France early, and anyway Stalin strikes me as a selfish &*(@. Maybe everyone will unify against the common threat once Germany starts moving. Maybe Britain will still be getting the Empire under control.