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Grigory Gershuni (July 1937 – August 1938)
Grigory Gershuni, born 1870, was a terrorist. His early political career included founding the Worker’s Party for the Liberation of Russia and burning down a police station in Talin before being sent to Siberia. His later acts included being a founder of the Social Revolutionary party and working as the leader of the SR “Combat Organization” organizing assassinations and other terrorist acts against the Tsarist regime.
He has been out of politics since the end of the Civil War. Kerensky and Gershuni did not see eye to eye, but Grigory did stay close friends with Chernov. When in April of 1937 Chernov removed Catherine Breshkovsky and her allies from Government he needed an extremely loyal man to be in charge of intelligence, and Gershuni was a sound choice.
Gershuni never had any illusions about the appointment. He was not a politician, but a terrorist, a revolutionary. He would not keep this job for long, but while he had it his goal was to do the most good for Russia by doing what he did best – organizing popular movements.
Gershuni came into conflict with Foreign Minister Mikhail Smirnov. Smirnov was, as Gershuni put it, a “naïve amateur when it came to politics.” His foreign policy was to try and negotiate and persuade and compromise – all great options in a marriage as far as Gershuni was concerned, but not in politics. And so Gershuni went to work, sure that he could get his way and fool Smirnov without a problem.
His first target was Central Asia. In Kazakhstan there were areas populated primarily by Russians and the Russian business class controlled much of the country’s economy. Gershuni felt that with just a little work and organizing he could deliver Kazakhstan into Chernov’s hands. He traveled to the country, organizing both business leaders and local peasant and worker groups, getting ready to demand that these regions were turned over to Russia. Unfortunately, his plan, however brilliant, never came to pass.
In August of 1937 Turkmenistan invaded Kazakhstan. Worse, the Mad Baron in Mongolia saw his opportunity and allied with the Turkmens, pretty much sealing the fate of the Kazakh nation. Gershuni was tempted to strike and to press for the immediate succession of the Russian regions, but he was overruled by Smirnov. The Foreign Minister insisted that it was in Russia’s best interest to support Kazakhstan and instead of taking over Kazakh lands Russia sent weapons and supplies to Kazakhstan to help them resist the Mongols and Turkmens.
Russia nearly entered the war directly some months later. In early 1938 a train full of Russians was stopped by Mongol bandits on the Trans Siberian Railroad and the passengers were massacred. Gershuni and many others called for the head of the Mad Baron, but Smirnov met with Mongolian representatives and negotiated the transfer of the railroad into Russian sovereignty. No war, no undercover operations, just talk, and just like that the Mongols gave up their biggest bargaining chip. Gershuni was furious.
So he went back to the drawing board, trying to organize a grassroots movement that could benefit Russia abroad. To his luck he found Faith and Nation. Now, by all accounts Faith and Nation started as an independent popular movement that thought to promote Orthodox ideals and to influence politics in Russia and abroad. Gershuni got his hands on it only after it had existed for some time. Still, in his capable hands it turned into a fearsome instrument for promoting Russian interests. Gershuni’s next target was Don-Kuban.
Don-Kuban was a place where Smirnov had already tried and failed to extend Russian influence. In early 1938 Smirnov traveled to Berlin to bring up the issue of Don-Kuban and secured Germany’s blessing for re-incorporation of Cossack lands into Russia. The Cossacks, however, were less agreeable than the Germans and continued to resist. To add to Russia’s problems, the Ottomans decided to side with the Cossacks and to threaten war if Russia moved against Don-Kuban. At least for the moment diplomacy seemed to have run out of options.
Gershuni seized initiative and begun supporting Faith and Nation meetings and organizations in Cossack lands. Mostly peasants, these people organized in towns and villages, mostly for religious ceremonies but sometimes to hear political speeches that were decidedly pro-Russian. The Cossacks did not respond to these groups and that infuriated Gershuni. He sent some of his agents to Krasnodar where at one of the Faith and Nation meetings they attacked and brutally killed one of the leading Cossack officials and a close friend of Krasnov. Unfortunately they got caught and revealed the plan and the Cossacks cried for vengeance.
Russia was suddenly at war, and the bulk of the spare troops were on the Kazakh/Mongol border in case hostilities should spill over to Russia. There were barely 18 divisions on the border with the Cossacks when the war started. Markov immediately recalled his officers and the best equipped and reinforced troops to Volgograd and begun preparing for a completely unplanned war.
Cossacks Ready for War:
Grigory Gershuni, born 1870, was a terrorist. His early political career included founding the Worker’s Party for the Liberation of Russia and burning down a police station in Talin before being sent to Siberia. His later acts included being a founder of the Social Revolutionary party and working as the leader of the SR “Combat Organization” organizing assassinations and other terrorist acts against the Tsarist regime.
He has been out of politics since the end of the Civil War. Kerensky and Gershuni did not see eye to eye, but Grigory did stay close friends with Chernov. When in April of 1937 Chernov removed Catherine Breshkovsky and her allies from Government he needed an extremely loyal man to be in charge of intelligence, and Gershuni was a sound choice.
Gershuni never had any illusions about the appointment. He was not a politician, but a terrorist, a revolutionary. He would not keep this job for long, but while he had it his goal was to do the most good for Russia by doing what he did best – organizing popular movements.
Gershuni came into conflict with Foreign Minister Mikhail Smirnov. Smirnov was, as Gershuni put it, a “naïve amateur when it came to politics.” His foreign policy was to try and negotiate and persuade and compromise – all great options in a marriage as far as Gershuni was concerned, but not in politics. And so Gershuni went to work, sure that he could get his way and fool Smirnov without a problem.
His first target was Central Asia. In Kazakhstan there were areas populated primarily by Russians and the Russian business class controlled much of the country’s economy. Gershuni felt that with just a little work and organizing he could deliver Kazakhstan into Chernov’s hands. He traveled to the country, organizing both business leaders and local peasant and worker groups, getting ready to demand that these regions were turned over to Russia. Unfortunately, his plan, however brilliant, never came to pass.
In August of 1937 Turkmenistan invaded Kazakhstan. Worse, the Mad Baron in Mongolia saw his opportunity and allied with the Turkmens, pretty much sealing the fate of the Kazakh nation. Gershuni was tempted to strike and to press for the immediate succession of the Russian regions, but he was overruled by Smirnov. The Foreign Minister insisted that it was in Russia’s best interest to support Kazakhstan and instead of taking over Kazakh lands Russia sent weapons and supplies to Kazakhstan to help them resist the Mongols and Turkmens.
Russia nearly entered the war directly some months later. In early 1938 a train full of Russians was stopped by Mongol bandits on the Trans Siberian Railroad and the passengers were massacred. Gershuni and many others called for the head of the Mad Baron, but Smirnov met with Mongolian representatives and negotiated the transfer of the railroad into Russian sovereignty. No war, no undercover operations, just talk, and just like that the Mongols gave up their biggest bargaining chip. Gershuni was furious.
So he went back to the drawing board, trying to organize a grassroots movement that could benefit Russia abroad. To his luck he found Faith and Nation. Now, by all accounts Faith and Nation started as an independent popular movement that thought to promote Orthodox ideals and to influence politics in Russia and abroad. Gershuni got his hands on it only after it had existed for some time. Still, in his capable hands it turned into a fearsome instrument for promoting Russian interests. Gershuni’s next target was Don-Kuban.
Don-Kuban was a place where Smirnov had already tried and failed to extend Russian influence. In early 1938 Smirnov traveled to Berlin to bring up the issue of Don-Kuban and secured Germany’s blessing for re-incorporation of Cossack lands into Russia. The Cossacks, however, were less agreeable than the Germans and continued to resist. To add to Russia’s problems, the Ottomans decided to side with the Cossacks and to threaten war if Russia moved against Don-Kuban. At least for the moment diplomacy seemed to have run out of options.
Gershuni seized initiative and begun supporting Faith and Nation meetings and organizations in Cossack lands. Mostly peasants, these people organized in towns and villages, mostly for religious ceremonies but sometimes to hear political speeches that were decidedly pro-Russian. The Cossacks did not respond to these groups and that infuriated Gershuni. He sent some of his agents to Krasnodar where at one of the Faith and Nation meetings they attacked and brutally killed one of the leading Cossack officials and a close friend of Krasnov. Unfortunately they got caught and revealed the plan and the Cossacks cried for vengeance.
Russia was suddenly at war, and the bulk of the spare troops were on the Kazakh/Mongol border in case hostilities should spill over to Russia. There were barely 18 divisions on the border with the Cossacks when the war started. Markov immediately recalled his officers and the best equipped and reinforced troops to Volgograd and begun preparing for a completely unplanned war.
Cossacks Ready for War:
Eeek! Someone, do something! I can't work in such environment!
*hides under his table in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Smolenskaya square*
*hides under his table in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Smolenskaya square*
Domestic advisor Vincent receives a heart attack in the Duma
What is this, spineless proxy war politics? Nobody has nukes yet! Bloody hell, let's annex something before we get locked in a Cold War.
(On a sidenote, would it technically be legal to lead the advisors into a militaristic revolt, reflected by an event ingame, allowing us to go on a Greater Russian rebuilding spree nontheless? Because I find this democratic stuff really boring tbh)
-Vincent
Sure, if you convince most of the advisers that we need a military coup there will be an event for that in 1940. Otherwise I suggest you be a bit more patient. We don't have a very big military and while I am building things up (our military is finally fully reinforced and upgraded btw!) it is not a bad idea to let the Kazakhs, Mongols, and Turkmens fight each other. And after all, we have a war to fight now, even if its a small one, right?
It's the Cossacks! They're fast! They've got a fully-motorised cavalry army! Send all troops there! Reinforce Tsaritsyn!
This post is semi-OCC
True, but I'm still looking at it as HOI, and in HOI I know we can get away with annexing all the bastards. One of the great things of being Russia in KR is that 'rebuild the empire!' feeling you can have, and I will not stand for this lame-ass shit as substitution!
Blood and Fatherland! Comrades, join the revolution!
I suggest that we as revolters choose for fascism (national-populism) based on a sort of imperialist nazi theory, with a strong central leader (which in the AAR would be one you invent, StormBringer. We could then unite a Greater Russia (we'd be like 1936 Germany only less nazi and more awesome
)Every advisor is hereby invited to join the revolution, or do a contrarevolution, and we'll see who wins by democracy
On a completely OOC note I feel that playing an aggressive democracy is also very rewarding, especially in an AAR, because you get to deal with internal politics as well as the conquering. Since USA decided to go nazi think of Russia in this timeline as the USA, a beacon of democracy that will (hopefully) by the end of the game be leading the world towards a brighter future. Then again, if everyone here wants a militarist coup I can acomodate that as well.
Agreed. Personally, I'm in favour of a democratic Russia. Long live the Republic!
We already had a revolution during a war, and look where that brought us!
We already had a revolution during a war, and look where that brought us!
Current Members of the Administration:
Chief of the Presidential Administration: Alexander Kubarev (KaiserMuffin)
Domestic and Economic Policy Adviser to the President: Vincent (TRP)
Foreign Policy Adviser to the President: Colonel Ironboot
Public Affairs Adviser to the President: Milites
Army Affairs Adviser to the President: FlyingDutchie
Navy Affairs Adviser to the President: yourworstnightmare
Air Force Affairs Adviser to the President: rule_them_all
Adviser to the President: Gregory Zackonov (mad general)
Adviser to the President: CarbrBard
Adviser to the President: trekaddict
Adviser to the President: Kolin Shephard
Adviser to the President: geek_knight
Issues Facing the Administration:
The only issue currently facing the administration is whether the Administration believes the current perceived weakness of the Government on Foreign Policy is serious enough that enough high-ranking military officers will consider moving against the Government.
The President requires a report on this situation by end of day TODAY.
Chief of the Presidential Administration: Alexander Kubarev (KaiserMuffin)
Domestic and Economic Policy Adviser to the President: Vincent (TRP)
Foreign Policy Adviser to the President: Colonel Ironboot
Public Affairs Adviser to the President: Milites
Army Affairs Adviser to the President: FlyingDutchie
Navy Affairs Adviser to the President: yourworstnightmare
Air Force Affairs Adviser to the President: rule_them_all
Adviser to the President: Gregory Zackonov (mad general)
Adviser to the President: CarbrBard
Adviser to the President: trekaddict
Adviser to the President: Kolin Shephard
Adviser to the President: geek_knight
Issues Facing the Administration:
The only issue currently facing the administration is whether the Administration believes the current perceived weakness of the Government on Foreign Policy is serious enough that enough high-ranking military officers will consider moving against the Government.
The President requires a report on this situation by end of day TODAY.
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Moving against the government will only return the country back to the dark ages of the Смута. We do not need a Civil War, especially when we have a war on our borders already. The government currently in control enjoys a certain level of people's trust, why do we always have to fix what's not broken and ruin Russia again and agai? Remember what the best Russian Prime Minister of all times, Pyotr Stolypin wrote:
You, gentlemen, may want a great disturbance, but we want a great Russia!
The Foreign Ministry says no to the revolters.
You, gentlemen, may want a great disturbance, but we want a great Russia!
The Foreign Ministry says no to the revolters.
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A revolution, with the barbarians, wether Cossack, Turkmen or Mongol, at the gates! Madness!!! The army will not stand for such foolishness. We hope to remain aloof of such foolishness, but we are willing to fight for our government.
We will resist a coup from any extremists, wether leftwing or rightwing...
On a further note, the army had prepared some emergency plans, those for fighting the Cossacks, Turkmen and Mongols will be retrieved from the archives this evening...
We will resist a coup from any extremists, wether leftwing or rightwing...
On a further note, the army had prepared some emergency plans, those for fighting the Cossacks, Turkmen and Mongols will be retrieved from the archives this evening...
I am looking forward to those plans FlyingDutchie. You have about 18-21, maybe 24 infantry divisions to work with. Most of them equipped with artillery. In addition 2 cavalry divisions, 1 HQ, and 2 infantry with engineer brigades supporting the HQ.
Looks like lack of support mihgt smother my revolution before it even starts. But hell, let's try it anyway
Claims of the ultra-nationalists. Blood and fatherland!
Claims of the ultra-nationalists. Blood and fatherland!
We Suport the Revolution! For the Motherland, for the Russian Empire!
.
But Lets talk first, do I get Cookies?
.
But Lets talk first, do I get Cookies?
A revolution?? A coup?? Are you nuts?? The Bolsheviks oppressed the people, the Czar oppressed the people. All dictators oppress the people. Look at those rambling Cossack leaders, they're attacking us because they hate the freedom we have! Stop this nonsense and let's instead spread our democracy to those poor bastards living under Cossack rule!!
Stole it off a blog talking about Communazism, it's a satirical emblem depicting the current russian democracy: between Tsarism and communism, something like that. Don't mind the flag, basic point is we're militarists
But it seems the revolution has already been defeated, without a majority we can't do anything
Stole it off a blog talking about Communazism, it's a satirical emblem depicting the current russian democracy: between Tsarism and communism, something like that. Don't mind the flag, basic point is we're militarists
But it seems the revolution has already been defeated, without a majority we can't do anything
Don't take anything back, it's an awesome flag. Keep pressing for revolution.
And when they arrest you and put you in front of a firing squad...I'll steal your job!