An Empire of Liberty, Trade and Civilisation.

[SirCliveWolfe]

The Empire of Liberty, Trade and Civilisation​

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Clouds on the horizon, an introduction


In the heady years of the early 1930’s few in The Empire could see the clouds on the horizon. Britannia, her domain covering a quarter of the globe, united in the ideals laid down in the eighteenth century. Some 15 years earlier the continent had been aflame with war and a struggle between the ‘old enemy’ and a new self-confidant Germany.


England and her sisters had watched on as Germany and her ally Austria ripped Imperial Russia to shreds and France send its sons and the sons of her Empire in to the slow death of the western front. With the continent locked into a self-destructive spiral the moneymen of The Empire looked on gleefully as they sold their wares of war. Then in the last throw of the dice France’s fatal decision, to violate Belgium neutrality, and try and bring a swift end to the war.


Britannia could not watch as the Belgium’s pleaded and so the King’s government declared war upon France. The end of the war was swift as the German Keiser celebrated the misery that had brought victory he ripped France’s colonies into German hands. The Imperial government looked on in horror as colonies fell to Germany and Japan and she once again subsided into ‘Glorious Isolation’.


In just twelve short years every corner of The Empire would be under threat from new ideas and the aggressive intents of new nations. From Canada to Hong Kong and Scarpa Flow to the Falklands the brave men and women of Britannia would be laying down their lives for Liberty, Civilisation and Empire.

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This is a re-working of my first AAR, the history has been changed slightley for a more 'realistic' feel. Comments and surgestions are most welcome.

 

[Pacer]

Ahh UK AAR. You spelled civ wrong

 

[unmerged(44784)]

Ahh UK AAR. You spelled civ wrong

I think that is how its spelled in Britain...

 

[The Yogi]

I think that is how its spelled in Britain...

Yep, many words spelled with a z in US English are spelled with an s in the Queen's English. so its "Civilisation" and "realise".

Interesting, we have a Britiain that ended up joining the Central Powers and was then surprised by what they had wrought? Tsk tsk, how shortsighted of them. How come the British didn't snatch the French colonies themselves?

 

[Jape]

I think that is how its spelled in Britain...

Yes we're not obsessed with putting the letter Z in everything.

This looks promising, its nice that there's quite a few British AAr's but they all have a little twist.

subcribes

EDIT:

How come the British didn't snatch the French colonies themselves?

Well it wouldn't be very gentlemanly now would it

 

[Mettermrck]

What is the pink/purple part of North America? An auspicious beginning....

 

[Phoenix Dace]

What is the pink/purple part of North America? An auspicious beginning....

I believe that's the thirteen colonies (Namely, what the US was before they became the US) which were part of the British Empire until 1776. Either it's an old map, or I'm wrong.

In either case, this shows great promise. Keep up the good work.

 

[Deflare]

The pink part is actually a little large than the 13 colonies. It seems to be an almost-straight line from the Great Lakes in the north to Florida in the South. Did Britain defeat the American rebels in this history?

The rest of the colonies seem to be the same, except that Britain shouldn't have Namibia (German Southwest Africa) or Tanzania (German East Africa). It should also have the eastern part of modern Somalia, as well as a few more chunks of Arabia that may be hidden under the name tags.

Continue! This looks interesting.

 

[Sir Humphrey]

Ah, another man of the Queens English. Excellent. Looks like a great start.

 

[Jape]

The pink part is actually a little large than the 13 colonies. It seems to be an almost-straight line from the Great Lakes in the north to Florida in the South. Did Britain defeat the American rebels in this history?

The rest of the colonies seem to be the same, except that Britain shouldn't have Namibia (German Southwest Africa) or Tanzania (German East Africa). It should also have the eastern part of modern Somalia, as well as a few more chunks of Arabia that may be hidden under the name tags.

Continue! This looks interesting.

The map is from a website about the British Empire if I remember correctly, OTL's Empire at its greatest extent, and the pink/purple is just showing an old part of the Empire and is just vaguely showing its boundaries, if i remember correctly

 

[cthulhu]

I'll be following this one Sir Clive.

 

[The Yogi]

Well it wouldn't be very gentlemanly now would it

After going to war with the French over Belgium, I believe it could be considered cricket. Besides, England snatching French colonies is an old, time-honoured tradition...

 

[Jape]

After going to war with the French over Belgium, I believe it could be considered cricket. Besides, England snatching French colonies is an old, time-honoured tradition...

Touche! Well I suppose in that case let's get the bat in hand give those balls a good walloping eh?

 

[Derek Pullem]

After going to war with the French over Belgium, I believe it could be considered cricket. Besides, England snatching French colonies is an old, time-honoured tradition...

Hmmm.......if the UK is doing a US and entering the war late then it might not get the lion's share in the colony stakes. Also the German High Seas Fleet may well have been landing troops already in the French colonies (as the French Navy would quickly be overpowered) so the impact of the Royal Navy would be slight. It's only the BEF (landing in Normandy perhaps ) that would make the difference.

USA position will be interesting - presumably it will be in supreme isolation diplomatically. Plus the naval treaties will be interesting as Germany wins and UK, USA and Japan's fleets will barely be engaged. No Washington / London treaty?

 

[SirCliveWolfe]

The Foundation of Empire

The ‘new Empire’ was, arguably, borne in 1757 when General Robert Clive defeated Siraj Ud Daulah Nawab of Bengal at the Battle of Plassey. The battle was a great and ‘typical’ British victory, forget the great stories of 800 British and 2200 Indian Sepoy’s defeating an army of 50,000 it was the bribing of the Nawab’s uncle and chief of army Mr Jafar. This shows us the estential aspect of Clive’s determination to succeed and create power and glory for himself.

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The British government was horrified at what it saw as ‘Empire building’ by a renagade general with Ceaser like ambition. General Robert Clive was, it seemed to be destroyed by Westminster. London wanted neither the cost or bother of Empire only a vast network of trade posts.

Clive was saved by fate and and the only factors that could save him from Wesminster wrath. After Mr Jafar was made Nawab for his ‘help’ in defeating Daulah he was indebted to Clive and Britain, thus he happily signed over the tax rites in Bengal in 1765, making this corner of India emencley profitably. The second factor was, as always, the French. When the old enemy decided to dabble in India by supporting frendily Nawab’s London had to act, not only was it a general threat to British power but is now seemed as India would be imencley profitable.

So the idea was borne the Government would ask for only a small amount from the native tax collectors and they would only have to tax the people lightley, they in turn would by British goods making the people of Britain richer and all of the Empire would benefit. This view was naive and soon collapsed in the next decade.

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'The Wheel of Konark'. The Sun Temple at Konark, Orissa built in the 13th century, is one of the most famous monuments of stone sculpture in the world.​

With corruption rife and the East India Company usiung it’s monopoly to enforce low buying prices and high selling a bubble was created for the stock market. In the 1760’s saw a huge rush of investors who soon adopted a doubbling of the dividend payment. The market collapsed after it was realised that profits could not come forever and worse was to come for the people of Bengal.

The weavers of Bengal had been forced to accept payments as much as 40% under the market value for their silk impoverishing many. When the monsoon rains failed so did the economey and a rampant famine spread helped by native merchants refusing to allow aid to come to the area and so decrease grain prices.

London was horrified and sort a new arrangemtent for India on that would produce a better life for everybody. In 1776 Adam Smith produced his master work An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, he proposed that the problems in the company heraled from its monopoly. So in 1777 the first Governer Genral of India Warren Hastings was given extra powers and the East India Company was liquidated and India was to be ruled through Hasrings by the Westminster Parliament.

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The Flag of The Viceroy of India ​

Hastings idea was for the culture and civilisation of India and Britain to be interwoven into a complex fabric that would thrive upon each other and strengthen each nation and peoples. In this respect the Gentlemen of the British Raj slowley became ‘Indianised’ while the country of India became more British. As ever the knack of the British was to take from Indian culture and make these things indelibly British, so that many would now think that Pyjamas are quintessentially British and not of Indian origin.

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The Thirteen colonies before the War of Independance​

The shock came the the fledgling Empire in 1775 when the thireteen colonies of america first declared and won independence. The shock to the nation was imense and Parliament was shocked by the implications. When William Pitt the Younger took power from the men who had cost what his farther and General Wolfe had worked so hard for a British america, he was determined that it would never happen again. The cry of the Americans had been “no taxation without representation” and Pitt could not make the same mistake with India.

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William Pitt The Younger (to distinguish him from his farther)​

Pitt’s secret plan was ambitious and radical and would take years to come to fruition. It would mean a parliament for Indians and Indian representatives in Westminster, these measures would have caused Pitt to be thrown from office if it were not for his and Hastings acute skill.

In Westminster it was argued by Pitt that an assembly in India would give the people a platform from witch to ‘gripe’ without having to take up arma and rebel. It was also proposed that prominent officials from India would report and advise a select commitie of Parliament on Indian affairs. These measures were welcomed grudgingly by parliament as the assembly would have no real power save addresing the Geverner General and that the prominent officials would all be British.

In India meanwhile Hastings professionalised, bureaucratised, and Europeanised the countries's administration, setting up an Indian civil service and introducing the ways of Westminster to the Elite’s of Calcutta, Bombay, Madrass and all British ruled India.

British influence in India would continue under Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis, who continued his work in government and Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley, older brother of Aurther Wellesley, who used force of arms to grow British India.

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A coin of Charles Cornwallis​

In the meantime Indian influence in Britain and her other colonies grew. They all looked forward to their own assemblies and having representation in Westminster. Preasure grew from Canada and other colonies for their Parliamnet’s to have the growing power of India’s and a voice in the running of Empire.

In 1897 Pitt’s dream came finaly to fruition in a way even he could not have forseen. With the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria held in the pomp and cermoney of Empire the first Indian deligates, voted for by Indians, attended as Menbers of Parliament.

 

[SirCliveWolfe]

First off..... Thanks for your kind words,

Pacer and Earth's Savior: It is indeed spelt in the Queen's English sorry for any incoveniance.

The Yogi and Derek Pullem: The reasons that Britania does not control French colonies is much as Derek Pullem surgests.

Jape, Phoenix Dace, Sir Humphrey, cthulhu: Thank you, and you are correct Jape this AAR will have many twists

Mettermrck Deflare: It is just a map I found, the Pink bit is a little wrong but I did not want to take all of my pictures form Wiki!!

Derek Pullem: Interesting indeed, read on

cthulhu and The Yogi: I am pleased you have looked over this, it is your and other works that have got me to write this.

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WWI to come Gentlemen.

 

[cthulhu]

Interesting. Let's see how India develops under this liberal rule. Won't Indian MPs soon demand fairer business deals for their constituents? Or will they fall to corruption...

Excellent update.

 

[Derek Pullem]

If India gets its own MPs then presumably Canada and the ANZACs will too. An Imperial parliament will be interesting - as will the "Irish" question.

Presumably Ireland will still be part of the Empire if it is a more liberal entity with no WW1 to foster the Easter Rising etc?

Mind you - if there is an Irish Independence movement which does gain its own state I wonder what the other colonies will do with the same status in Parliament.

 

[SirCliveWolfe]

The Great War – Prologue

The British Perspective​

A Changing of the Balance of Power

The Balance of power in Europe began to change in 1864 when an aggressive Prussia acting on behalf of the German Confederation, allied with Austria, crushed Denmark in the Second War of Schleswig. Then only two years later the Germanic state turned upon it’s erstwhile ally with Italy’s support and won a crushing victory at Königgrätz and formed the North German Confederation excluding it’s long time Germanic rival Austria.

Bismarck’s dream of German unification relied upon war with France and so when the question of Spanish succession arose Bismarck engineered a way for war helped by Napoleon III determination to stand up to the growth of Prussian expansion. The French ambassador in Prussia Vincent Benedetti was ordered to require Wilhelm I to guarantee that no Hohenzollern would ever again be a candidate for the Spanish throne. When the French ambassador bypassed the diplomatic channels and directly confronted the king at his holiday resort, King Wilhelm became infuriated. His message to Berlin (the Ems Dispatch) reporting this interview with the French ambassador was edited by Bismarck in such a way as to provoke French indignation, and then leaked for publication. France officially declared war on July 19, 1870.

With France defeated in 1871 and the Prussian king Wilhelm I proclaimed Kaiser, or Emperor, of Germany, the balance of power on the continent was irrecoverably changed. Britannia was worried until it became clear that Bismarck did not want to dominate Europe but cement Germany’s position in it.

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German Empire upon Unification​

The Empire of Germany flourished under Bismarck until the Kaisers death in 1888 when his impetuous son Wilhelm II came to power and forced Bismarck out of power in favour of a more subservient Chancellor who the new Kaiser could guide to make himself the real power in Germany.

The actions of the new Kaiser in reaching for a ‘place in the sun’ would unsettle the Empire and almost lead to a disastrous course of events. Wilhelm set about trying to expand Germany’s power and influence by expanding its colonial possessions and to guard this colonial empire a strong fleet. In the Naval laws of 1897 it was laid down that nineteen battleships with accompanying vessels should be constructed to strengthen Germany enough that the leading sea power, namely The British Empire, would have to contemplate loosing its naval supremacy if they joined battle with the High Seas fleet.

The Empire’s Problem

With Germany now threatening British naval power, The Empire now saw itself in a diminishing position. One major concern was Russia’s growing power in the Far east especially when its participation in the ‘great game’ lead to the annexing of the central Asian Khanates in the 1870’s.

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area annexed by Russian from the Guberniya (Governorate General) of Turkestan​

The ‘old enemy’ France was Britain’s major concern, she was be far and away the biggest colonial empire after that of Britain the two clashing over Northern Africa, the Far East and many more places. The real flash point was in 1898 when both the British and French arrived in Fashoda in force as both powers looked to unite their African colonies. Some wonder that if Théophile Delcassé had not fallen too ill to take up the post at the foreign office from Albert Auguste Gabriel Hanotaux, known as Gabriel Hanotaux, the outcome may have been different. Hanotaux’s distrust of England was ledgendary and maybe if Delcassé had been in office the unfortunate events may not have followed as he saw Germany as the threat and seeked raprochment with Britain as Hanotaux had with Russia.

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Modern day Sudan​

Full scale war was immament after Lord Kitchener superior numbers easily defeated Major Jean-Baptiste Marchand at the Sudanese fort. Only when Germany, looking to drive France and Britain further apart, gave The Empire their full support with Wilhelm II declaring, “…Britain was the rightful master of Eastern Africa…” did France back down.

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Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener of Khartoum​

The effect of Kaiser Wilhelm’s speech was enormous along with British anxiety of French and Russian plans for the growth of their power. With the careful work of first Lord Salisbury and then Joseph Chamberlain and eventualy German Chancellor Von Bülow, Germany and Britania were brought closer and closer. Eventually Germany and Britain came to a ‘understanding’ or Versthen as it was un-officialy dubbed. Germany would not grow her fleet past what had been laid down in 1897 and Britain would protect German interests and shipping in the world with her navy. It was also laid down that if either was attacked by another of the ‘great powers’ that the other would come to their aid.

Some still wonder what would have happened if Wilhelm had not made his speech, if he had not been moderated by his advisors or if Delcassé had seen to a raprochment. Some feel that France, Russia and Britain may have even come to an ‘understanding’ and that the Great War may have been different but as with all alternate history no one knows for sure.

 

[SirCliveWolfe]

cthulhu: Indeed India has developed and things are much better for our friends on the sub-continent, coruption in His Majesty's India... how dare you sir!!

Derek Pullem: Indeed the parliamant at Westminster in 1900 holds MP's from all over The Empire from the Americas, Africa, The Far East and Ociania. It is still dominated by the orignial British seats though.

The irish question is not something that matters up to the war with a certain world power with close links to the Irish *cough*USA*cough* who interveen to stir up troubble.

Thank you all for your words, soon the Great War shall be played out for your amusement.