Chapter 21: Russian Roulette, 1954-1956 Part 1
As the world moved into the 50's Eastern Europe remained to be the main area of contention. Meanwhile in Asia, Japan's fragile empire was slowly and surely beginning to fracture. The United States, focused on reconstruction and licking its wounds remained somewhat on fortifying its hold over the Western Hemisphere while alleviating problems at home. The World was filled with uncertainty, instability and death, with only a few key men keeping the Bombs from dropping at any given moment.
In Europe, the Khitan Republic, lead by Arthur Dumont Spearheaded a new foreign policy initiative known as the North by West System. A Series of foreign policy and trade negotiations that would interconnect the Economies of Western European Countries to the greatest extent in modern history. Measurement Units to Railway Gauge would be standardized and the Khitan Republic would pay to see poorer signatories construct infrastructure and bolster civil defense programs in an effort to fight communism.
This Program would be a massive success in Europe, as greater economic interdependence was seen as a beneficial means to prevent a future war from breaking out after the threat of Communism had been contained. The initiative also had the helpful benefit that British and Khitan colonies in Africa and Oceannia would technically remain within the system and thus have access to the North by West system's benefits while not technically being in Europe so long as they remained part of a European country.
In Arabia, the Absolutist Monarchy was overthrown by a Republican led coup. The Monarchy, in moves to restrict the spread of Communism from the North had relied more and more on the British for protection, and had moved further into authoritarian policy in order to keep out Troublemakers from the SBU. This had upset the area's significant muslim minority as well as large swathes of the population who saw the British as attempting to expand her colonial empire over Arabia from its bases in Yemen and Oman.
When Royalist troops opened fire on a demonstration in late March, Riots broke out in Mecca and Republican factions within the Military quickly stormed the Royal palace arresting the Shiek and his Family, and publicly executing them for Crimes against the Arab Peoples. Arabia would forever cease to be a monarchy and now at least in the immediate would be ruled by 'President' Makin Kazemi who was given control of the country by the Military after pressure from the country's liberal movement. Kazemi's first acts in power were to remove the travel ban on Muslims moving between the SBU and Arabia, as well as to open for the first time in decades, Arabian Oilfields to American investors after first nationalizing them from the British.
In Asia, the Japanese, unrest in the Philippines as well as Korea and China had forced a change in direction. While oppression as being fought with Brutal means, An alternative to repressive force was being floated within Military and Political circles as an alternative.
Japan, while having some amount of a Colonial Empire was still a Child in comparison to the vast overseas possessions of the Khitans and British. Japan itself was still resource poor and would remain so and thus was still highly depending on Korea and Manchuria for her raw materials, If she was to survive as a Superpower, nuclear weapons along would not sustain her.
Thus came the dream of the Asian Prosperity Sphere, an initative to unite the Asian Countries under a single Economic market to better beat off foreign influence as well as allow for a Mutual defensive pact against foreign aggression. The Prosperity Sphere would allow for the greater autonomy of Northern China, Though notably Korea was excluded.
The Program on its onset was considered ambitious but would become the primary foreign Policy of Japan for the next decade, with the Showa Emperor signing several unfavorable deals with the new Chinese Republic and Shun Dynasty to remain competitive in China, while promising Military and economic aid to Khotan, which with the War in Russia was currently soul searching for a new sponsor for protection.
By the end of 1954, The Co Prosperity Sphere was beginning to assemble much to the Benefit of Japan, who's autonomy reforms cooled her issues in China and allowed her to now focus more on the Philippines and Korea with her armed forces. Meanwhile the Chinese States received access to Japanese Markets and Vice versa, alleviating both Nations' dependence on the Khitan Empire and Socialist Balkan Union
The Republic of China meanwhile attempted to play both sides off each other, Joining to Prosperity sphere willingly, but retaining its membership in the Khitan Dominion system at the same time. At the same time many prominent capitalists from Within China also began opening ties with the Americans in hopes of inciting even further competition and interest within the region, though other events closer to home were occupying the United States.
In Texas, the Success of Sunset Socialists in California and the Social Democrats in the United States had caused an upset in the 1954 Elections. Under the Nose of both Brazil and the United States the National Solidarity Party won a stunning victory. The NSP had been formed primarily as a response to American and Californian possession of Texan oil through foreign companies. The same loopholes written into the Texas Constitution to allow for easy American control of the Southwest's resources had invited the Khitan Republic and Japan back into the region as well through private state backed corporations.
This entry had caused the previous president to amend the constitution, setting dangerous president that upset many across the country, who saw the government effectively capitulating to the United States much as the USCA had. Enter the National Solidary Movement which campaigned on nationalization for both the oil and ranching industries the implementation of a Sunset-Socialist inspired welfare state and implementation of the National Militia protections act. The movement, was considered to be easy to ignore at its onset as it lacked establishment backing and the Texas constitution in place made it difficult for Anti American parties to find any sort of real electoral success.
This all changed when State Senator Nigel Elison, a member of the Conservative Party and renowned political insider officially ran for president on the National Solidarity Platform but as a Conservative, bringing the movement into the existing political infrastructure on an unofficial level. In 1954 Six months before the election, Elison survived an assassination attempt during a rally reputed to have been ordered by the CIA. The Attempt and the already growing popularity of the NSP served to skyrocket Elison's chances of winning from nothing to a slim possibility.
When the Results arrived, Elison's conservative party had swept both Rural and Urban seats across the country and Elison himself won with over 53% of the vote, though sources reported that tampering might have been involved with the results and that in reality Elison could have won only 45% to over seventy. Following Elison's election, President Hubert Kreig resigned and gave orders for the military to install the Pro American, Andrew Wright as his replacement. The military leadership however took a different path and in a bloodless coup installed Elison as the rightful president of the country preserving the Texan democracy and in a sense forcibly sending a shock to American influence in the entire Region.
Elison, who now effectively had a mandate he could only dream about set to work nationalizing Texan industries and opening up diplomatic ties with other great powers such as the Republic of China and notably, the Socialist Balkan Union.
Meanwhile the Russian Civil War was heating up, as the Spring of 1954 saw the Courland Perimeter break in favor of an armored breakthrough for Riga, as well as a Major landing in Estonia. While some Russian Royalists participated, the troops primarily were under the control of General Dorian Black, who had returned from Retirement to lead the assault for President Dumont. Black had served as the primary Armored and Combined arms commander in the East after Dumont's departure and later was responsible for much of the success in the Southern Front. He had more singular experience working with and studying Balkan Doctrine and strategy than any man in the Coalition forces, though he still would work towards a coalition victory, enlisting the Swedish in what he was calling Operation Valkyrie, The Mission to save the Russia from certain demise.
The Operation called for a major landing in Estonia and an armored Breakout towards Riga and out of Lithuania and into Western Russia. These attacks however would be to draw the majority of attention to the West, while the Swedish maneuvered their large border with the Russians to their advantage, striking out across the border so as to reach Moscow as soon as possible. All along the front Khitan and British Aircraft would assist the Scandinavian Coalition forces.
By Summer, both Advances had managed to meet at the Crimean Border, encircling a large majority of the Red Army in the Smolensk while the Scandinavians were pushed out of Territory further East. Pressure to relieve the forces at Smolensk however arrived quickly and harshly as more pretenses were dropped in the following months. By fall the Socialist Balkan army had met with Coalition forces all along the Crimean border while the Pocket closed. General Black, in an effort to de-escalate the conflict used his influence to have the World Congress offer a peaceful resolution in exchange for the Red army at Smolensk being spared, as well as call for a Moratorium on Nuclear arms being added to the conflict. The Eastern Russians accepted the Terms and Negotiations had started between the World Coalition, Russian Empire and Russian People's Republic while blood coalition forces bled to keep control of Moscow and keep Greek forces from spilling north from Kiev.
After about another year of bloody fighting a negotiated ceasefire was agreed Upon. In the interest of preventing a Socialist invasion of the Balkans, and preventing Nuclear arms from being deployed on a strategic level across Eastern Europe, The Russian Empire would cease hostile action against the Russian People's Republic and Vice Versa. Territory of the old Russian Empire would be split according to the borders at the time of the Armistice, and then a 100 Kilometer Demilitarized zone would be created from that border, guarded by World Congress Peacekeepers from the Americas.
After about two and a half years of Blood the Russian conflict had managed to pause without igniting the world, But Russian herself was now devastated and all the nations involved had been left relatively unhappy, save the SBU which now could breath easy knowing the Khitan Republic's flank in Eastern Europe had been effectively removed, and permanent Pressure on Scandinavia could be applied through the Russian People's Republic.
The Russian Civil War had been the primary entertainment for the early 1950's but it was not the only major event bringing new Countries into the world.
The Africa issue was also being resolved in the same time, and on the Dark Continent, as well as in Indonesia, things being handled with just as much malice, and not quite as much care.