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stefanmg, twcAxeman: unfortunately i won't be converting it over. If i did state that at any point, not sure if i did or not, then i am sorry for misleading you. I have decided, after the converter was being stupid, that the effort of converting and then modding this to be right would just be too much. Also after the chaos that is the next two updates, it is unfeasable to convert it over.
germanpeon: Haha, yes dont you just hate them
Ahura Mazda: Thank you very much
Treppe, stnylan: Perhaps there will be a revolution, but for now they are just a big annoyance.
Van der Gent: Unfortunately no, they will have revolts, lots of them.
update on the way...
germanpeon: Haha, yes dont you just hate them
Ahura Mazda: Thank you very much
Treppe, stnylan: Perhaps there will be a revolution, but for now they are just a big annoyance.
Van der Gent: Unfortunately no, they will have revolts, lots of them.
update on the way...
The Rocky Road Northwards: Giornale Italie No.45 January - September 1929
During the begining of the new year, 1929, the construction of stage 3 of the Infrastructural Development scheme (IDS) began. It was the largest area covered so far and also the most costly. Sardinia was also to be included in the Southern Italy developments.
Mussolini was not happy, though. He was stuck in Rome signing papers for building railroads, while Britain and France fought a war. It only helped Mussolini's later desicion when he recieved the latest report on the Comitern War. The British had had huge success in northern France, taking all of Picardie, and also landing ni Bordeaux. The War was now in their favour, almost irreversibly.
Mussolini could stand it no longer. Italy needed to fight another war, which it had not done for 2 years now. The target was chosen and the telegram was sent. Japan would be Italy's target. Before the Japanese were even aware of it, Abacherly's Corps, lead by the old Marshall himself, crossed the Italo-Japanese border near Alexandrouplis.
With huge ammounts of firing support, Abacherly and his infantry broke the Japanese forces, which were later captured by the advancing 1st Armour. This was the first time the Armour had been used and it had proved itself.
However, even with the military matters going well, the diplomatic front of the war went terribly. A day after the Italians invaded Japan, Russia declered war on Italy, followed by Germany a month later. It was to prove to be the Fascist governments worst desicion ever.
The Germans could be held just North of Bozen
Still, within a few weeks, the entire Japanese territory in Europe had been occupied. And expedition, consisting of Abacherly's Corps and the Armoured division was sent to the Crimea to force Russia out of the war (no screens here). The expedition went well at first, Abacherly seizing the Crimea without a fight, yet the Duma was not willing to negotiate. When the armour tried to move out of the Crimea, the begining of the end came. The single division, even if it had Tanks, met a force of 80,000 Russians. The force was destroyed in a matter of days, and the Crimean expedition was called back to Italy. Russia had stopped Italy knocking her out.
However, the Japanese had been more cunning and quick to react then CSI had anticipated. They only found this out when the Japanese landed at Rome and occupied the Italian capital. It was a national fiasco that the enemy could access the nations central city without a fight. The Cavalry were sent to deal with the threat.
With naval gunfire in support, the superior cavalry were able to beat the Japanese into surrendering without too many casualties, and soon liberated the city. With this attempt at the Italian heartland over, the Japanese were willing to negotiate terms of peace. After some disagreements, Japan signed over Japanese Bulgaria to Italy, and both her and Russia were to cease hostilities with the Fascist state. Germany, however, had other ideas.
The Germans, in the meantime, had advanced into Innsbruck, the first city on the Road to Rome. However, their delay in moving (it was not until September 1st that German forces entered Innsbruck) had allowed the Italian defenders south of their location to dig in around the forts of Bozen. The war would, unless one side wished to lose a large ammount of men, have to be fought on another front.
Very embarassing indeed. Clearly caught the defenders napping.
As for the north, the Alps look like they have potential to witness a bloodbath.
As for the north, the Alps look like they have potential to witness a bloodbath.
lifeless: Indeed, but it won't be the person that you expect.
Ahura Mazda: Maddness, eh?
stnylan: Yes, i really wasn't expecting them to do that. And i will see to my best efforts that the Alpine front is not more tainted than it already is.
Cyrus_The_Great: Only time will tell if Italy can hold of the Germans. Perhaps my good luck will hold.
another update on its way, just to get to the end of a cliff hanger...
Ahura Mazda: Maddness, eh?
stnylan: Yes, i really wasn't expecting them to do that. And i will see to my best efforts that the Alpine front is not more tainted than it already is.
Cyrus_The_Great: Only time will tell if Italy can hold of the Germans. Perhaps my good luck will hold.
another update on its way, just to get to the end of a cliff hanger...
Either that, or maybe...robou said:Ahura Mazda: Maddness, eh?
It's all a part of their secret world-domination plan!
Run for the hills!
The Rocky Road Northwards: Giornale Italie No.46 September 1929 - January 1931
The second, and now primary, front of the 2nd Italo-German war came into being during the winter of 1929-30. German colonial forces, stationed in German East Afrika, attacked Italian Kenya, and the unprepared MVSN forces there. By the time Italian forces reacted, by sending several reinforcement division from East Africa, the Germans were in control of Kisumu and Nairobi, and were hot on the heels of an Italian division at Mombasa.
It was a woeful situation for the Italians. Not only were they outnumbered by a division, but the Germans had them on the backfoot. The German forces showed how much more competent they were than the Italian rag-tag MVSN troops. This was nailed home when Lt. General Reginelli failed to defeat the Germans at Kisumu. However, the MVSN showed great bravery at Mombasa, being obliterated rather than surrender to German colonial administration.
By February, the Italian MVSN forces had been dealt a stinging blow by the German colonial troops. And the situation only continued to get worse. Spurred on by news of Italian weakness in East Africa, and the resentment of Italian gains at the expense of the Ottoman administration, the Sultan, although the desicion lay in the hands of Enver Pasha, declared war on Italy pm February 13th, 1930.
However, the Kaiser's nation had to face up to some real truths. Even with the success in East Africa, Germany had not really beaten Italy. It would be foolish to try and smash their way through the Alps, as this would end in slaughter for both sides. The Turkish entry to the war was more of a hinderance to the Germans then it was good, as Turkey could hardly contain the constant revolts by the Young Turk Movement (YTM) let alone fight a war. It was also realised that, eventually, reinforcements from the regular Italian army would arrive from Egypt eventually, and that German troops, how ever superior, would be swamped by Italian numbers. It was all these things that eventually made the Kaiser, with some support from the Reichstag, decided to call a truce with the Italians, that would last until 1935.
Even if the Kaiser thought he had a bad deal, it was nothing compared to what was being suffered by Mussolini in Italy. The war had been a complete failure, and had ended in humiliation at the hands of Germany, Russia and, to an extent, the Ottomans. Italy had gained only a little land for the price of men and exhaustion the war had caused. It was now that Mussolini was at his weakest.
The situation was only exaserbated when the war between the French and the Coalition ended on March 16th. The British, a people who were considered "beaten" by the Italian populace, had scored a crushing victory over the French communist forces. They had, for the first time since the hundred years war, a toe hold on the continent, minus the rock at Gibraltar. The French Empire, which had been rebuilt after the fall of the France in 1815, was disintergrating again, most becoming British.
It seemed it was game-over for Mussolini and the Fascist government. The people of Italy were angry. They had been for a long time, but were willing to endure the fascists due to their military successes. That was gone now, and the Fascists only continued to drain their money and destroy the reputation of their country. Revolts spread up every where. From Rodez in France, stretching through all Italy, to Africa and Greece, people rose up against Mussolini's government. However, the army was order to repress these revolutionaries by Mussolini, which they did. However, this brought huge protest from Britain and the United States of America. These powers believed that the citizens of Italy were having their rights removed.
However, it was not the army or the people of the empire that ended up destroying Mussolini. It was the people the dictator least expected to rise up against him. On April 1st, the Grand Fascist Council met and voted to remove Mussolini from power. They could see their nation breaking up, and would do anything to prevent that. On the same day, the regular Military were ordered to purge the MVSN of its fascist officers and to create regular army division out of the remanents. Mussolini was arrested at his personal residence in Rome and taken northwards to Milan. He was to sit before a court of justice under charges of Human Rights abuse, laid down by the Geneva convention. He would not reach his destination. His truck was stopped a mob of angered Milanese people, and he was taken out and shot several times. The worlds first fascist dictator was dead.
It was not the situation the Grand Council had hoped for, but they would have to adapt none-the-less. It was decided to convert the nation to a democracy and parties that were banned under the Fascist regieme were re-allowed. Elections, the first since 1915, would be held and the results would be released on January 1st, 1931. Until then, the Grand Fascist Council, as agreed with the King and the great powers, would govern the nation.
The revival of Democracy in Italy, 1930
While all eyes turned to Italy, France took advantage of world ingnorance to declare war on Liberia, in a bad attempt to rebuild some of their lost colonial empire. Even if the world wasn't watching Italy, few would care about Liberia's plight.
Not much happened in the year, but the Fascists proved themselves to be competent when not run by Mussolini. Keeping funds rolling into the Four-Year-Plan, which was now behind schedual, while administering the elections fairly, they ensured the nation had an easy turn around from Dictatorship to Democracy. On December 30th, 1930, election results were counted for the last time.
Way ahead of the pack was the Liberal Party, lead by Vittorio Orlando, who were most suited to the recovery of the injured nation. They would ensure good policies for entry into the western world, and were almost assured of victory. Next in line were the National Liberal, a subsection that had split from the Liberal during the war. Lead by Francesco Saverio Nitti, this party was vibrant, but being more right-wing than the liberals, lacked the support of the populace. The Fascists still remained the 3rd most powerful party in Italy, but declined any power they did have after the 1930-31 election.
Other parties, such as the Radicals lead by Enrico De Nicola and the Restorationists lead by Giuseppe Paratore (their patron being, of course, the King) had small percentages, but noting that gave them any sort of power. The other two conservetive parties, the Popular and Moderate Parties, lost their votes to the National Liberals, while the communists didn't gain any support due to the failures of France's communist government.
So it was that, on January 1st 1931, Italy entered a new era of Freedom under Vittorio Orlando's Liberal Party. The revolts stopped all over the empire, although in some places the news didn't get across as well.
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Now that wasn't really what I had expected!
I had expected Facist rule awhile longer, followed by a bloody commie coup!
Fantastic AAR so far! Very impressed with how well Mussolini faired in the twenties, he certainly did alot to build up Italy's position among the Great Powers. Certainly will be interesting to see how the 30's and WW2 will play out
And so the grand fascist experiment in Italy comes to an end, let us see what democracy will lead to.
Ok, to summarize:
- Successfull Irish landing in France
- Portugese advances in Africa
- Japanese Bulgaria
- Japanese in Rome (without cameras)
- Fascists holding elections and losing
I think I'm gonna have a headache.
- Successfull Irish landing in France
- Portugese advances in Africa
- Japanese Bulgaria
- Japanese in Rome (without cameras)
- Fascists holding elections and losing
I think I'm gonna have a headache.
Ahura Mazda: Well that is what we would all like
Sematary: I thought it might mix it up a bit. Also because revolts were ripping me to shreds, and i had 99.7% Plurality, which for a dictatorship, destroys any chance of internal peace.
stnylan: It was quite an quick decision, so i wasn't really expecting to take it either.
Maximilliano: Thank you! Italy's position is a bit of a lie though. The country under mussolini was just waiting to be invaded by a huge coalition and just be destroyed.
Cyrus_The_Great: In game terms, it leads to good things, in AAR writing and reading, it leads to boringness.
rhynoclemmis: It gets you thinking dosent it
update coming soon...
Sematary: I thought it might mix it up a bit. Also because revolts were ripping me to shreds, and i had 99.7% Plurality, which for a dictatorship, destroys any chance of internal peace.
stnylan: It was quite an quick decision, so i wasn't really expecting to take it either.
Maximilliano: Thank you! Italy's position is a bit of a lie though. The country under mussolini was just waiting to be invaded by a huge coalition and just be destroyed.
Cyrus_The_Great: In game terms, it leads to good things, in AAR writing and reading, it leads to boringness.
rhynoclemmis: It gets you thinking dosent it
update coming soon...
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The Rocky Road Northwards: Giornale Italie No.47 January 1931 - October 1932
Vittorio Orlando, the new Primeminister of Italy
Orlando's liberals had only been in power for six months, and already the effects of their reforms and the presence of a free democracy was having a profound effect on the happiness of the people. Revolts were now only sporadic and tended to be somewhere in the African colonies. However, it was not all plain sailing for Orlando. Even from a month after the elections, people began to sway to the right-wing again, the National Liberals gaining about 60% of the vote and the Fascists from 13% to 18%. It was unknown why this was, though it possibly thought that the Liberals were simply not agressive enough.
The Revoltrisk situation, June 1931
This lack of agressive policy was brought to the front when Germany declered war of France in mid-june. Again, a global war, things that seemed to be becoming more and more common since the end of the twenties, slapped the world in the face. Italy would have to stand up for herself if she was to survive and mantain her empire. Knowing this, Orlando decided to do just that. When the French demanded that French troops be allowed to use Italian territory to gain access that of Germany, Orlando refused saying that he would "rather secede all my Empire than betray the German nation!". unfortunately the French would hold him too that.
At home, the Liberals were proving themselves to be very adapt at managing the Italian industry. In Milan, the expansion of the Lombardia Electical Parts factory meant that Italy would no longer have to import this expensive item from the United States, which now veiwed Italy as a good freind. The economy began to recover again, as liberal policies cut imports and lowered taxes.
At first taxes were cut for the Industrialists, in an attempt to give them to continue rebuilding Italy's industry and infrastructure independantly. The new budget was reformed in several ways, though. Taxes had been cut slightly for the lower classes, tarrifs had been lowered and defence spending, which had cost the fascists a huge ammount, was cut by 2/3 of the original costs. The only downside was the lack of funding for social reforms, which upset some more radical people.
However, the Liberals plan would not succeed. The capitalists had been so badly used and taxed by the Fascists, that they were only getting along by the skin of their chin. They would not be able to fund any industrialisational projects without government support.
However, government support was not to come, at least not in large ammounts. Government funds were going into a naval re-building project, in a hope to bring the Regia Marina back to it's pre-war strength. The first ship to be commisioned was the SS Aquila, a light cruiser. It would be the start of a huge project.
At the start of the new year, 1932, the budget was reformed again. This year revising of the budget would be common place from 1932 onwards, as the economical situation of Italy, and the world, changed. Taxes were re-placed for the more wealthy citizens and lowered for the lower classes, who made up the largest percentage of the Italian population.
After this revision, the government had more funds, which it placed in the hands of the Navy. Two more light Cruisers, the Giglio and the Authion, along with several destroyers, were ordered from the Taranto dockyards.
Over the this period, the French had requested Military access twice, and both times were met with the same response as before, "Over our dead bodies!". Was Italy willing to back that up though?