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Thanks for your replies and I want to show everyone a small teaser, I haven't finished with my duties (yet) but I got a small time to mess around the game and here it is...

Teaser.jpg
:p Enjoy getting this sweet teaser because I have a tough week ahead.

As in our world, the Western Allies have done what they thought was necessary to keep Iran securely in their camp, for a time -- but this event will surely have long-term repercussions. More immediately, I suspect Farid will come to a violent and unfortunate end of his own...

No worries about the delay :) As ever, the real world takes precedence, and your personal well-being especially so. That said, glad to hear that the next update is already in the planning stage, at least.
Indeed, the Westerners just made a big foreign policy blunder regarding Iran. :p A mistake they'll regret one day.

And yeah, I'm still planning what will happen to Farid as I still have some characters to use.
^^
Indeed, next update is getting planned already, I hope you enjoyed the update.
I do believe Farid has done a deal with the devil, as it were.
So right about that, he'll eventually realize he made a huge mistake...or maybe not.

You are back! Love your AAR
Thanks for your kind words!
:D
 
Hope your tough week ends up with you on top :)
 
Hi everyone, thanks for your patience, last week was one filled with projects and this one will be full of tests...
:(

Anyways, I hope to have success this week. :p
So I'll probably post the next update until the next weekend, I've been test-running my new events and also checking what the game has for me...
I bet you'll enjoy it. ^^

Also, I wanted to say that maybe I'll switch to a (bit) faster pace, I feel so stucked in the 50's and I'd like to get sooner to the 60's, with all the exciting stuff that entails.

Hope your tough week ends up with you on top :)
Thanks for your kind words.
^^
 
As before, no worries :) I've been through the university routine myself, and while I'm sure the details are different, the essential formula is probably still the same (Schoolwork, Sleep, Hobbies / Social Life -- pick two :p ).
 
The next update was going to be about the Soviet Union and her allies, however, I got pretty much confused with my game...
[Stalin died and suddenly...well, Molotov kept the government...]

So, I decided that perhaps the best way to react to that strange AI decision...will be to avoid talking about it, at least for some (in-game) months while I understand what happened there or if it's a glitch in my save.

Therefore, the next update will be the last part of the "Beyond our Hanguk" chapter, so get ready for some exciting stuff in Asia.
:D

As before, no worries :) I've been through the university routine myself, and while I'm sure the details are different, the essential formula is probably still the same (Schoolwork, Sleep, Hobbies / Social Life -- pick two :p ).
You are so right about that.
:( But well, two weeks more and finally I'll get some rest. :p
 
Perhaps I'll have a small delay in the next update, on Monday I have my last test and then, finally free!
:p

However, I had two tough weeks and I want to have some rest (before going back to study for my last test) so there's a 50-50 chance of me posting the next update on this weekend, if I do not, then you can expect it on Tuesday.
:)
 
Perhaps I'll have a small delay in the next update, on Monday I have my last test and then, finally free!
:p

However, I had two tough weeks and I want to have some rest (before going back to study for my last test) so there's a 50-50 chance of me posting the next update on this weekend, if I do not, then you can expect it on Tuesday.
:)

Good luck with the test, dude!
 
Next update will come between tomorrow and late Wednesday!
:)
Good luck with the test, dude!
Thanks x999!
I received my microeconomics test from last week, it was a huge success and tomorrow I'll learn how much I got from today's test, so let's see!
Good Luck and thanks a lot for your incredible work
Thanks for your kind words and also for your impressive work!

Recently I had a fun game as Gotenland in Thunder in the Sky (we won against the Comintern, we owned Asia and then United States managed to kick us back to Europe, suddenly I fortified to lvl 10 the whole Crimea peninsula and now USA doesn't dare to attack :p )
:) I'm glad you like my AAR. ^^
 
Well, my classes ended yesterday with quite good results!
Now, I'm working in the next update for the AAR, however, I started reading some stuff quite interesting about the country so now I'm wondering how will I follow this...

I'm thinking about doing one more narration (it would be a bit short, I suppose) for "Beyond our Hanguk" chapter.
After that one, we'll enter into the next messy situation of the Cold War and a brief review of Korea's domestic situation (and also the government's attempts to discuss the issue of Zainichi Koreans in Japan).

So, keep an eye over here, soon there will be a new update.
:)
 
Glad to hear the results were encouraging.
 
Chapter IV: Beyond our Hanguk. (Part III)
Chapter IV: Beyond our Hanguk. (Part III)
""Freedom" in capitalist countries exists only for those who possess money and who consequently hold power." - Nikita Khrushchev, former leader of the Soviet Union.

-----------------------------------------------
Gyeongmudae, Seoul, Republic of Korea. ~ February 19th, 1954.

Everything was improving at Korea, slowly, of course, but at least the people was way happier than they had been under the Japanese colonial administration and the dictatorship that Syngman Rhee had imposed over the country. While there was some anger in the North of the Korean Peninsula it was fading out slowly as unemplyment fell and the economic situation improved with American aid.

At least for now there weren't enough issues to worry about, the most pressing concern had been the struggle after Stalin's death in the Soviet Union. The whole world was shocked at the developments, at the beginning it seemed that Nikita Khrushchev would be the new leader of the USSR, suddenly, Molotov and Malenkov came out claiming that Nikita Khrushchev was a revisionist planning on leaving communism and after that came the Troika.

It was pretty confusing for everyone, even those socialist countries allied to the Soviet Union couldn't understand what was going on at Moscow, there were rumours of a military coup, of a looming civil war or worse, an attack against the Western countries. But eventually, none of those took place, at least that was what the Soviet government claimed as the Troika emerged from the confusion.

Nikolai Bulganin, Kliment Voroshilov and Georgy Malenkov; the three of them were the new leaders of the Soviet Union, however, Vyacheslav Molotov was more like a shadow partner in that troika.
After the brief chaos ended, the situation turned back to normal.

President Cho Bong-am was still trying to decide the path that Korea would take, the fears started by the Soviet Succession Crisis proved that perhaps only with the help of the United States would Korea stay independent and safe, but he also understood that being an ally of America would also paint a target at the country.

There were already opportunist politicians trying to take advantage from the fear generated by the crisis, one of them was Park Chung-hee, the Hero of Seoul, after resigning from his military post when his daughter was born he went on to form a political party, the Democratic Republican Party was a wide coalition for all conservative movements.
His main proposals for foreign policy were the strengthening of relations with the United States of America and also the normalization of relations with Japan, he also advocated for more cooperation with the Republic of China; seeing it as an important ally against communism.

Another opportunist was Chang Myon, the current prime minister of the country, he also organized his supporters into a party; the Democratic Party. His party was seen as center-right as he had also support from some of the supporters of former president Rhee. However, his close association to the tyrannical Syngman Rhee brought him a wave of unpopularity from all parts of society and a huge hate from the North. He avoided mentioning Japan in his speeches, considering that it would affect his performance, instead he advocated for stronger ties with the United States and close cooperation.

It was ironic, Chang Myon was one of the strongest supporters of democracy but the clique of supporters he had around him only weakened his public image.

"The opposition is slowly consolidating, our Progressive Party must display bigger achievements. We've won the peace and we are slowly improving the economic situation, but we need a foreign policy success to prove our strength." - president Cho couldn't stop thinking about that, everytime he arrived to the same conclusion, only a foreign policy achievement would bolster his popularity.

-----------------------------------------------
Outskirts of Saigon, Democratic Republic of Vietnam. ~ January 18th, 1954.

The weather was warm and the moisture in the air was suffocating, at least in the beach, the place where she spent must of her free time. It wasn't too much time, of course, there were things to do, but at least she could enjoy for some hours walking through the city and the beaches it has.

It was strange, she couldn't tolerate the hot weather, but she was walking barefoot through the sand, feeling it burning her skin and then running towards the sea.
Few words could explain the emotions behind that.

"Apologies..." - she heard in a heavily accented Korean-. "We were wondering if you were assigned by Moscow to train the remains of the KPA."

She couldn't understand why people always spoke to her in Korean, yes, she was a Koryo-saram, but her family had lived in Russia for such a long time, she barely spoke Korean!

"Yes, I'm here to train the future leaders of the Korean People's Army." - she answered in perfect Russian, proving that not every Koryo-saram had to be a fluent speaker of Korean-. "Your group is the one preparing Cyclone, am I right?"

The young lieutenant suddenly shivered as Masha turned around, the first thing he was able to recognize was the small KGB insignia in her civilian clothes.

"You should be training the 'volunteers', shouldn't you?" - Masha asked, staring at him.

It didn't take long, the lieutenant and his comrades left as fast as they could, hoping that Masha wouldn't report them for miscondunct.

She smiled as she got away from the beach, the plan was working and now she only needed to find the training bases for the remains of the KPA, after that, notifying the ROK Army would be easier. However, the Soviet personnel would eventually find out about the death of one of their agents, she had to act quick.

Korea Cyclone.jpg

At the moment it was unknown that the "farming equipment", "industrial aid" and "Soviet technicians" arriving to Saigon were part of a larger plan from Moscow.
-----------------------------------------------
Modern History: Korea. - Wade Barnett.
The situation in the Korean Peninsula was stable thanks to the actions taken by president Cho Bong-am, however, it's also important to understand that the situation was easier because the next issues of the Cold War were brewing far away from the country. But that didn't stop the popular general from trying to investigate what were the Soviets up to.

In one of the most impressive espionage operations by the Republic of Korea, even before the creation of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency, the Hero of Seoul managed to learn about two Soviet operations for Asia:
° Operation Cyclone. [For further reading about it check the book "Blood-stained Indochina".]
° Operation Snowfall, this one consisted on rearming and training the leftovers of what had been the Korean People's Army, the main objective being the reestablishment of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

No one knows what happened to the former leader of the DPRK, Kim Il-sung, eventually, the Soviets had a hard time trying to find a suitable replacement. But it was an absolute failure, they tried to use Koryo-saram, but those Koreans weren't able to earn the trust from those who left the peninsula after the failure in 1950.

Bulganin considered that Choe Chang-ik could be a good leader for the renewed Democratic People's Republic of Korea, however, Malenkov and Voroshilov saw him as a revisionist and they couldn't agree on a suitable leader. The information that Park Chung-hee managed to acquire stated that Op. Snowfall would take place at the same time as Operation Cyclone, however, it's evident that the Soviet Troika was never able to organize it properly.


Kim Il Sung.jpg

After the success of Op Cyclone, the Soviet Union chose to follow a different approach to the renewed KPA issue, they decided to continue the huge cult of personality around Kim Il-sung, even claiming that he was kidnapped by ROK Army elements and being kept at Busan.
Park Chung-hee didn't reveal the information regarding Op Cyclone to the Americans at Korea, he decided to only inform about Op Snowfall and for that he gained more popularity with the American advisors. He wasn't only seen as a war-hero or a capable general, he was starting to be seen as the correct man to fight communism in Korea. President Eisenhower respected his Korean homologue, but he thought that Korea was at a huge disadvantage by having both communist powers as neighbours, therefore, a stronger hand was needed in the country; if it wanted to stay free...

-----------------------------------------------
White House, Washington D.C, United States of America. ~ June 25th,1954.

The mood at the Oval Office was tense, the Soviets did it again and no one saw it coming, the situation at Korea was prevented but not even Park Chung-hee, Washington's man at Seoul, had been able to warn them about the incoming storm.

"President, we must do something, Asia is far from stable and the reds are running through the continent unopposed, the only thing stopping them from messing with Taiwan is that strait and Japan is far away from their reach, but what about Korea? It has a large border with both countries, Red China and Russia, we must take measures regarding the security of the Korean Peninsula." - said Allen Dulles, the CIA director.

"Allen, I totally agree with you, but I don't think we should sponsor one of your government changes in the peninsula. Our first and only man at Seoul ended up death and creating a huge chaos in the country, president Cho may be at the left, but he hasn't shown any interest in throwing his lot into the Soviet side." - vice president Nixon intervened-. "While I agree that the general would be a better choice than the current president, I also think this can blow up on our faces."

Everyone was trying to find a solution, sponsoring a coup against the popular president in Korea wasn't seen as the best choice available, everyone knew it could go wrong. However, they also wanted to be sure about Korea staying far from communism.
Suddenly, vice president Nixon suggested something different, but as awful as a coup.

-----------------------------------------------

So, here's the next update.
I apologize if it seems short and it lacks pictures, but I wanted to wrap up this chapter for the next one.
:p

I wanted to cover in this one the Moncada attack in Cuba and the Egyptian revolution, but, to be honest, I couldn't bring myself to writing about those.
I lacked the inspiration or something like that.

Now, I already played from January 1954 to May 1956, so I've got several screenshots to use and I think enough material for two chapters at least.
I don't know when I'll post the next update, but I don't think it will take long. :)

(Sheesh, writing the custom events for that 2 year period took me a long time, but I bet you'll like them :p it will add flavour to the AAR)
[The narration with the Soviet Korean was experimental, so apologies if it's bad, I'm still trying to adapt to English.]
 
Those leadership changes in Moscow do certainly sound rather confusing.
 
The Soviet Union appears to remain in the group of Stalinism, alas. It seems like there will be no "Khruschev thaw" in this timeline, at least for some years yet.

Operation Cyclone... Well, it certainly sounds like it will live up to its name, from what tantalizingly few details we have at present ;)
 
Readers, I was wondering about future events for the AAR...
I don't really like to mess up too much my save files as sometimes they end up quite badly, so I was thinking that perhaps I'll reduce the amount of screenshots I'll use in the future. So, perhaps for government changes I'll end up avoiding showing the cabinets in-game or stuff like that, I think that will also work for the best as I can try to find other pictures to use (from real life), I'm still unsure about it, but what do you think?

I also wanted to leave you with another teaser for a future update, I've been a bit busy writing another story so I apologize for not having ready the next update.

Korea-Japan Part 5.jpg

Also a small info-teaser, 1958 will have an interesting event taking place.

Those leadership changes in Moscow do certainly sound rather confusing.
They were pretty confusing, I was playing and suddenly Stalin died, then Beria took power, then he died, then I briefly saw Malenkov and suddenly I found Voroshilov and Bulganin in power...yeah, pretty weird. :p
The Soviet Union appears to remain in the group of Stalinism, alas. It seems like there will be no "Khruschev thaw" in this timeline, at least for some years yet.

Operation Cyclone... Well, it certainly sounds like it will live up to its name, from what tantalizingly few details we have at present ;)
Indeed and with the Soviet Union staying on the Stalinist-camp we can safely assume the relations with the PRC are quite better than the ones with Khruschev, of course they aren't best buddies ever, but they're still buddies.

:p Operation Cyclone was one of my best event chains at the moment (well, before I wrote the one dealing with Japan and Korea...haha), I really enjoyed writing those events (even if they gave me a huge headache when testing them out), you'll soon see them as next chapter will deal with it. ^^
 
Whatever works best for you re: screenshots
 
I don't really like to mess up too much my save files as sometimes they end up quite badly, so I was thinking that perhaps I'll reduce the amount of screenshots I'll use in the future. So, perhaps for government changes I'll end up avoiding showing the cabinets in-game or stuff like that, I think that will also work for the best as I can try to find other pictures to use (from real life), I'm still unsure about it, but what do you think?

If you think you can make it work, go for it :) Ultimately, it boils down to finding a style you're personally comfortable with.
 
Thanks for both replies ^^ I was wondering, what do you think regarding the small teaser I left?

Whatever works best for you re: screenshots
I'll try my best.
:p
If you think you can make it work, go for it :) Ultimately, it boils down to finding a style you're personally comfortable with.
Yeah, it has been a bit hard to find a style. :eek:
 
Re the teaser: Normalized relations with Japan are certainly no bad thing. I think, though, that realistically, reaching such an agreement by 1955 might be a bit too soon for any real rapprochement between the two; it's been less than a decade since the war ended, and there's still plenty of bad blood and high emotions to go around on both sides.

One possible thing working in its favor, though, would be having the United States serving as a third-party mediator between the two, especially if they can get Douglas MacArthur to serve as the mediator in person. He is perhaps the one figure that both sides can actually respect and consider relatively impartial, and in a world where his "push to the Yalu" stance ultimately paid off, his popularity and credibility on the world stage generally are going to be through the roof.