Note for the start: I had other plans, but I feel that AARs are needed and I simply must also pay respect to another awesome mod, and people behind it - because they are keeping DH truly alive.
And this time, again, I'll try to make it somewhat different from my other stories. But it still will be monarchist and extremely reactionary - that will never change.
At first, I wanted just Great War AAR for the first time, but Grand Campaign allows me to continue afterwards.
The German Empire was created at Versailles in 1871 under the aegis of Prussian military might after the defeat of France a year previously. Yet Chancellor Bismarck desired no further expansion - rather, favoured the maintenance of the status quo. Bismarck's foreign policy aimed at maintaining Germany's position as Europe's pre-eminent military power by keeping France diplomatically isolated.
In 1879, a rapprochement with Austria was completed, with the signing of an alliance. 1882 saw Italy included into the combination, and a Reinsurance Treaty was signed with Russia, thereby separating France from potential allies and curtailing its desires for 'revanche'. Domestically, Bismarck appeased the socialists' desires for democratisation by pursuing a popular policy of colonialism and modest reforms. 1888 saw the ascent to the throne of Germany's new emperor, Wilhelm II - a year later he sacked Chancellor Bismarck, refused to renew the Russian Reinsurance Treaty and began his pursuit of 'a place in the sun'.
Russia, insecure with the recent repeal of the Reinsurance Treaty, aligned themselves with France. Germany suddenly found itself with potential enemies on two fronts, not to mention the enemy within: the socialists.
Wilhelm II's policy of 'Weltmacht' aimed at turning Germany from a continental power, into a global power. Wilhelm II believed that this could be achieved by the construction of an ocean-going fleet, and in 1897, his Navy minister, Alfred Tirpitz passed the first of two important navy bills, backed by rich industrialists and junkers alike - an attempt to unite all German peoples and integrate the socialist leaning working classes into the volksgemeinschaft.
This move of naval expansion alarmed the British, causing the latter to align itself closer to France by signing the Entente Cordiale in 1904.
By 1906, the British had responded comprehensively to the German naval challenge, by beginning the Dreadnought race, causing considerable antipathy between Great Britain and Germany. 'Der Fischer kommt' (Fisher is coming) was one of the frightened mottos of some of the residents of Kiel. With such a growing sense of encirclement, plans were drawn up for the eventuality of war with France and Russia - Chief of General Staff, Field Marshal Alfred von Schlieffen devised a timetable-tight plan involving an invasion of Belgium and a right-wheel flanking movement to circle Paris and crush the French army in its rear, before moving eastward to defeat the Russians before they had mobilised properly.
This was not the only war that was planned: unease about the growing power of the socialists forced the German General Staff to devise the 'Staatsstreich', a contingency plan to crush uprising revolutionary workers that could imperil the stability of the German state and security of the landed elites.
Crises over Morocco had worsened relations with France, and the continued Dreadnought race strained relations with Britain yet further.
By 1914, the socialists had become the most powerful party in Germany, France was planning to increase conscription from two years service to three, and the infrastructure in western Russia had improved vastly.
The German military had estimated that given current developments, Franco-Russian military power would become unassailable by 1916, and that the Schlieffen Plan would have to be implemented by 1915 at the very latest to work successfully.
These facts could not have been far from the German military's mind as 1914 came: as Chief of Staff von Moltke put it - 'war is inevitable, and the sooner the better'. Time is running out. Can the 'place in the sun' still be found?
1914
1. Why we fight
2. German virtues
3. In retrospect
4. High Seas Fleet
5. Perfidious Albion
6. Teutons and Slavs
1915
7. Long game
8. Naval power
9. Together for victory
10. Global conflict
11. Eastward
12. Long way
13. Broken realm
14. Africa and Asia
1916
15. China Expedition
16. Heads of Hydra
17. Ordered peace
18. Neglected fronts
19. Rogue state
20. March on Rome
1917
21. Unrestricted warfare
22. Settled disputes
23. Middle East
24. Kaiser's battle
25. Sinister changes
1918
26. In the lion's den
27. Victors and vanquished
28. Future spectres
29. Pacification
30. Friendly ultimatum
31. Order and security
32. Golden cage
33. Crimson war
34. Minor concerns
35. Delicate changes
36. Naval treaty
37. Uncivil war
38. White fall
39. Without compromise
40. Eastern crusade (1)
41. Eastern crusade (2)
42. Under banner
43. God's work
44. Two dragons
45. American dream
46. Insidious plan
47. Byzantine affairs
48. Double Eagle
49. Forsaken land
50. Divine right
51. Guards of the Friedrichstrasse
52. The Right Decision
And this time, again, I'll try to make it somewhat different from my other stories. But it still will be monarchist and extremely reactionary - that will never change.
At first, I wanted just Great War AAR for the first time, but Grand Campaign allows me to continue afterwards.
The German Empire was created at Versailles in 1871 under the aegis of Prussian military might after the defeat of France a year previously. Yet Chancellor Bismarck desired no further expansion - rather, favoured the maintenance of the status quo. Bismarck's foreign policy aimed at maintaining Germany's position as Europe's pre-eminent military power by keeping France diplomatically isolated.
In 1879, a rapprochement with Austria was completed, with the signing of an alliance. 1882 saw Italy included into the combination, and a Reinsurance Treaty was signed with Russia, thereby separating France from potential allies and curtailing its desires for 'revanche'. Domestically, Bismarck appeased the socialists' desires for democratisation by pursuing a popular policy of colonialism and modest reforms. 1888 saw the ascent to the throne of Germany's new emperor, Wilhelm II - a year later he sacked Chancellor Bismarck, refused to renew the Russian Reinsurance Treaty and began his pursuit of 'a place in the sun'.
Russia, insecure with the recent repeal of the Reinsurance Treaty, aligned themselves with France. Germany suddenly found itself with potential enemies on two fronts, not to mention the enemy within: the socialists.
Wilhelm II's policy of 'Weltmacht' aimed at turning Germany from a continental power, into a global power. Wilhelm II believed that this could be achieved by the construction of an ocean-going fleet, and in 1897, his Navy minister, Alfred Tirpitz passed the first of two important navy bills, backed by rich industrialists and junkers alike - an attempt to unite all German peoples and integrate the socialist leaning working classes into the volksgemeinschaft.
This move of naval expansion alarmed the British, causing the latter to align itself closer to France by signing the Entente Cordiale in 1904.
By 1906, the British had responded comprehensively to the German naval challenge, by beginning the Dreadnought race, causing considerable antipathy between Great Britain and Germany. 'Der Fischer kommt' (Fisher is coming) was one of the frightened mottos of some of the residents of Kiel. With such a growing sense of encirclement, plans were drawn up for the eventuality of war with France and Russia - Chief of General Staff, Field Marshal Alfred von Schlieffen devised a timetable-tight plan involving an invasion of Belgium and a right-wheel flanking movement to circle Paris and crush the French army in its rear, before moving eastward to defeat the Russians before they had mobilised properly.
This was not the only war that was planned: unease about the growing power of the socialists forced the German General Staff to devise the 'Staatsstreich', a contingency plan to crush uprising revolutionary workers that could imperil the stability of the German state and security of the landed elites.
Crises over Morocco had worsened relations with France, and the continued Dreadnought race strained relations with Britain yet further.
By 1914, the socialists had become the most powerful party in Germany, France was planning to increase conscription from two years service to three, and the infrastructure in western Russia had improved vastly.
The German military had estimated that given current developments, Franco-Russian military power would become unassailable by 1916, and that the Schlieffen Plan would have to be implemented by 1915 at the very latest to work successfully.
These facts could not have been far from the German military's mind as 1914 came: as Chief of Staff von Moltke put it - 'war is inevitable, and the sooner the better'. Time is running out. Can the 'place in the sun' still be found?
1914
1. Why we fight
2. German virtues
3. In retrospect
4. High Seas Fleet
5. Perfidious Albion
6. Teutons and Slavs
1915
7. Long game
8. Naval power
9. Together for victory
10. Global conflict
11. Eastward
12. Long way
13. Broken realm
14. Africa and Asia
1916
15. China Expedition
16. Heads of Hydra
17. Ordered peace
18. Neglected fronts
19. Rogue state
20. March on Rome
1917
21. Unrestricted warfare
22. Settled disputes
23. Middle East
24. Kaiser's battle
25. Sinister changes
1918
26. In the lion's den
27. Victors and vanquished
28. Future spectres
30. Friendly ultimatum
31. Order and security
32. Golden cage
33. Crimson war
34. Minor concerns
35. Delicate changes
36. Naval treaty
37. Uncivil war
38. White fall
39. Without compromise
40. Eastern crusade (1)
41. Eastern crusade (2)
42. Under banner
43. God's work
44. Two dragons
45. American dream
46. Insidious plan
47. Byzantine affairs
48. Double Eagle
49. Forsaken land
50. Divine right
51. Guards of the Friedrichstrasse
52. The Right Decision
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