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That's one huge state, indeed. And probably friendly relations with National France and OE in the north?
They'd be complex to say the least. Whilst National France needs to get Mittelafrika into the fight, they still desire their lands back which they lost at the end of the Weltkrieg. Relations with the Ottomans are much better seeing as Mittelafrikan intervention was a part of the reason why they were able to triumph over the Axis, and the "loss" of Sudan isn't really an issue since the Ottomans are overstretched anyways.
 
Africa, the Continent of Blood
Africa, the Continent of Blood
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List of ongoing conflicts as of March 1938:

Southern Revolt:


Sahara Revolt:
  • National France vs Tuareg Federation, Mauritania and Wadai
Ivory Coast Revolt:
  • National France vs Ivory Coast
Moroccan Revolt (also part of the Spanish Civil War):
  • German Empire and Kingdom of Spain vs Morocco
Eritrean Revolt:
  • Eritrea vs Ethiopia
Collapse of Mittelafrika:

Congo Crisis:
  • Rykmans Government vs Kasai vs Karanga vs Kivu Clique vs Outer Heaven Mercenaries
Nigerian Civil War:
  • British Nigeria vs Sokoto vs Hausaland
Equatorial African Conflict:
  • French Congo vs German Cameroon vs Central African Empire
Namibian Civil War:
  • German Southwest Africa vs Namibland
Vorbecksland Conflict:
  • North Rhodesia and Nyasaland vs Vorbecksland
East African War:
  • Tanganyika vs Goeringia vs Zanzibar
Mau Mau Uprising
  • Kenya-Uganda vs Mau Mau
Madagascan Collapse
  • German Loyalists vs Goeringians vs Action Francaise Madagascar vs Jewish Settlers
 
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The African continent in flames... Did Goering and Petain get into some kind of contest to see who could hack off the most people, or something?
The National France situation is just an accident, "misunderstanding with the natives" and all. Goering just wanted to finally seize full power for himself and the rest of the continent didn't particularly like that.
I see that only Egypt and Portugal hold the ground.
Portugal is the only country that actually gained ground, gaining some small strips in Zambia and Malawi during the collapse of the German protectorate there.

(The map btw is a combination of DHKR, H4KR and the Dankest Hour Africa Rework for H4KR)
 
A Throne of Bayonets: German WWI victory
A Throne of Bayonets: German WWI victory
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“One often regrets the choices one has made, yet we now find ourselves regretting the choices we haven’t made”
-Lord Grey, 12th of August 1917, after the terms of the Treaty of Potsdam were announced in Britain

“Germany surprised the world over and over again during this Great European War. The thing that surprised me is that people didn’t start expecting the unexpected from Germany in this war.”
-Lord Kitchener, 14th of February 1917, after the beginning of German winter offensive against Belgium and France.

The unexpected defined the German actions of the Great European War that began in August of 1914. Everybody expected that Germany would strike west in case of war with the Franco-Russian Entente. And that would provide a ticket to British entry into that conflict. It was an open secret that the Germans would to this. Maybe they wanted it this way, or maybe they were actually planning such a strike and later changed their minds, there is evidence to be found for both theories, but this attack in the west did not come in August 1914.

There was one man for whom this was very inconvenient, Lord Grey. He had been working with the Entente, and had promised to join the war. Yet, with no proper casus belli for him to justify his war, parliament did not issue a declaration of war. Instead of heading west, Germany headed east.

The German attack in Poland was devastating, and the first in a series of disasters that would eventually cause the downfall of the Tsarist regime. The German armies struck south from Prussia, linked up with the Austrians, saved their failing lines and encircled multiple armies in the process. Central Poland would be conquered following that, ending in the Siege of Warsaw where the last 2 Russian armies would be defeated. The operation was done by late October. It was expected, with just an offensive having been finished, that the east would be quiet for the winter, this would prove to be another surprise.

The German winter offensive began in February, and was somewhat limited in scope, it was a push through Eastern Lithuania, which swung northwest to the city of Riga. Yet again this operation would prove a disaster for the Russian. Once again, multiple armies would be encircled in the Courland pocket. But this would prove only a stepping stone to the general offensive of that year. From eastern Lithuania the German armies would advance across Byelorussia and the Pripyat. The armies would, from there, turn south, rushing along the Dnieper until they reached the black sea. This would see another massive encirclement, far beyond the scale of the last two, once and for all, destroy Tsarist forces. For the rest of the year, the front would seem quiet. Once again, this was a wrong assumption.

In late 1915, Nicholas II abdicated, and a provisional republican government was established. The Germans, looking to destabilize the Russian state further, sent Lenin back to Russia, and in March he took control. What was to be a quiet winter turned into a German offensive towards Petrograd. The only real resistance was given at this city, which would fall after a 3 week siege. Following the fall of the city, Lenin sought peace at any cost, and it was a heavy one. Ukraine, Byelorussia, the Baltic states and Poland would gain independence under German supervision. Finland would become independent with a German King, and the Caucasus would gain independence under German influence.

The redeployment of German forces to the west would take until December of that year. And once again, whilst everybody knew the strike was coming, Germany surprised everybody. The offensive came in February. This gave Germany one major advantage, developing a trench system was way harder for the French. This had existed since 1914 on the Franco-German border and had made for an incredibly harsh environment for war, with an incredible advantage for the defender. Making sure the French could not use this was the one goal the Germans wished. Thus, they moved through the lowlands. They demanded these countries join them in their war, and that Luxembourg would ascent to the German Empire. Luxembourg ascended, the Netherlands, because of her dependence on German trade, joined the war. It was only Belgium who resisted. Belgium threw up a valuable defence on the Meuse, but they were outflanked from the north. French forges moved in, but they were soundly defeated in the Battle of Mons. From there, the line collapsed all the way until Britany was occupied. The lines in Lothringia held, until they were outflanked by units moving from Paris towards Lyon. The French, seeing the writing on the wall, capitulated together with the Italians who had fought a failing defensive war after the end of the Eastern Front.

The Treaty of Potsdam saw France give up most of her colonial empire except for her possessions in northern and western Africa. Along with that, she was forced to secede a border strip to Germany and hand control of French Flanders over to the Netherlands. Belgium was dismantled. The Congo and Belgian Luxembourg were ceded to Germany, Flanders was annexed by the Netherlands and the remaining part of Wallonia joined France, and for the foreseeable future, North France would remain under occupation. This was not the harshest treaty however. The Treaty of Klosterneuburg saw the dismantlement of the Kingdom of Italy and her replacement by the Italian Confederation, headed by the King of Lombardo-Veneto, a kingdom ruled in personal union with the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy.

In Britain, the new order was received with horror. Germany ruled the continent and had colonies all over the world from where she could project power. Whilst the Liberal Party was crushed in the 1915 election over the government wanting to bring the country into a war it didn’t wish to join, one of her most prominent members now stands in the spotlight again. Austen Chamberlain once again champions the idea of Imperial Federation as a way to wield the power of the Empire against the German threat, and the elections of this year will see whether the public is still as enthusiastic for this idea. But resistance is already coming from overseas. The Afrikaners of South Africa fear that in a federalized empire they will find their way of life slowly dying out, and German South-West Africa nearby, it isn’t a far fetch that the Germans could sponsor a revolt.

At the same time, the new order in Europe is unstable. The French military government is facing ever increasing pressure from socialist and revitalized far right groups. The Ottoman Empire, whilst they didn’t join the war, have bound themselves to Germany. The Baghdad Railway is close to completion allowing Germany access to Iraqi oil. Arab leaders have been in contact with the British to start a revolt. And then there is Austria. Whilst victorious, the bad performance against Russia and Serbia has shown that her military leaves much to be desired for. Ethnic tension has been on the rise, and the inclusion of Montenegro and Serbia into the Empire could provide a hotbed for agitation. And the new situation in Italy just seems to explode into revolt if Austria was ever distracted by issues somewhere else.

Yes, Germany did surprise the world over and over again during the war. But maybe she will surprise herself that the unstable new order will provide weaknesses to be exploited.
 
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Idle thought: It strikes me that this would make a more plausible backstory for the Kaiserreich timeline than the actual POD the Kaiserreich scenario uses.
Certainly food for thought.
 
Idle thought: It strikes me that this would make a more plausible backstory for the Kaiserreich timeline than the actual POD the Kaiserreich scenario uses.
Potential History on Youtube said it quite well when he spoke of "changing what the war was" when he discusses the flaws in the general ideas of how Germany could win WWII. This scenario fundamentally changes what WWI was, whereas KR takes WWI, accepts it for what it is and than looks for the best way for Germany to get out of the situation it found itself in
 
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Potential History on Youtube said it quite well when he spoke of "changing what the war was" when he discusses the flaws in the general ideas of how Germany could win WWII. This scenario fundamentally changes what WWI was, whereas KR takes WWI, accepts it for what it is and than looks for the best way for Germany to get out of the situation it found itself in

In the same vein, I remember an alternate history essay I read years ago where the author's answer to the question "How could Germany have carried out Operation Sealion successfully?" was to go all the way back to the First World War and have Hitler join the navy instead of the army, and have the changes snowball from there.

Circling back to the topic at hand: I'm mildly curious about where the United States would fit in all this. Obviously, no British intervention means that the chances of the Americans joining the war are practically nil, so would they instead turn inward? Or maybe Pershing's Mexican expedition would have a greater chance of escalating into open war, since the US doesn't have to worry about committing resources to a future European expedition?
 
Circling back to the topic at hand: I'm mildly curious about where the United States would fit in all this. Obviously, no British intervention means that the chances of the Americans joining the war are practically nil, so would they instead turn inward? Or maybe Pershing's Mexican expedition would have a greater chance of escalating into open war, since the US doesn't have to worry about committing resources to a future European expedition?
Well, if I remember correctly, the Mexican Revolution ended in early 1916 with the Constitutionales being victorious, so the intervention wouldn't have the chance to take place. But if the Revolution stays the same as OTL, Pancho Villa would have make quite a few extra casualties in Columbus or destroy Pershings Expedition (perhaps it would fail because Pershing doesn't lead it) to press the American public enough to accept a large scale military intervention in what would essentially be a Iraq or Afghanistan in the 1910's with the intervention painting the Constitutionales as foreign puppets. Wilson isn't really the type of person to let a thing like this escalate into a full war, but perhaps he thinks "well, if those Europeans won't listen, perhaps the Mexicans will see us as the Shining City on the Hill"
 
Lovely alt history you've got there.
 
The Italian Empire, the third power in Europe
The Italian Empire, the third power in Europe

The Italian Empire in 1949 is a country that has arisen like a phoenix! The end of the First Weltkrieg had destroyed the Italian state itself, as the Austrian project of confederation under Habsburg-Toskana fell in on itself as revolution and disobedience struck the land. The newly re-impowered nobility simply broke off, leaving Italy divided it her pre-Risorgmento state. Only in 1935 would Austria allow for the formation of a Italian Federation under the leadership of the Pope, as the growing threat of syndicalism forced Austria’s hand.

February 1937 would be the month Italy’s fortunes forever changed. Just when war broke out in the Danubian Basin, Pius XI would pass away, leaving the Federation leaderless. As the army moved to intervene in Venice, leadership was needed. The Papal Conclave, in agreement with the nobles of the Federation, asked the regent of Sardinia-Piedmont and field marshal of the Federal Army, Amadeo of Savoy-Aosta, to assume the leadership of the Federation. He did so, leading the Federal Army against the Austrians, eventually taking Vienna with Hungarian support on the 5th of August of that year. The Austrian Empire would come to a end, the rump Austrian Archduchy applying to join the German Empire on the 21st. Meanwhile, in Rome, Pius XII had been elected to the Chair of St. Peter, choosing to relinquish his duties as President of the Federation. The defeat of Austria allowed the return of Victor Emmanuel III to the Savoyard throne and allowed for Amadeo the be crowned as Emperor of Italy, transforming the country into a Federal Imperial Monarchy akin to Germany.

Italy, still reeling under the effects of the Berlin Stock Market Crash, would recover under the leadership of the catholic corporations and following catholic socio-economic doctrine, which would prepare it for war with the syndicalists, a war which almost came in 1937 as the SRI closed the border following the Exodus, seizing Anzio in the process. Revenge would come once the Communards demanded the return of Alsace-Lorraine. Italy, knowing it could not permit a Internationale victory, independently declared war on them, fighting a successful defensive campaign in the Alps whilst taking out the SRI, completing the Second Risorgmento. Outplaying the Germans in the Division of France, it would hand over her part of France over to the Algiers Government, allowing it to stake her claim to the south, in exchange Italy would receive Tunisia and the Algiers Government would revoke her claims on Savoy, Nice and Corsica.

In the east, the Balkan Pact would declare a second war on Bulgaria, leading to Hungarian and Italian intervention on the side of Bulgaria, establishing the Zagreb Pact as a neutral 3rd side in the Cold War which was just beginning and reorganizing the Balkans once again. Hungary would find the Crown of St. Stephen fully restored, a Croatian Kingdom was carved out of Hungarian Croatia and Serbian Bosnia. Montenegro and Albania would be integrated into the Empire, Greater Bulgaria partially restored and friendly governments established in the defeated powers.

Finally, Italy would restore her colonial empire. With the blessing of the Pope, Italy would go to war with the victorious Axis, marching across the deserts of North Africa, and eventually signing a peace treaty with the Arabs and Persians, giving the Levant, Egypt, Sudan and Libya to Italy. Finally, Ethiopia would be subdued, making Italy the foremost player in the Eastern Mediterranean. The colonial ministry is already hoping to have 1.000.000 Italians in Libya and Tunisia by 1975.

The world is dividing, and tension is running high, Italy can play the role of a powerful third party in the coming decades. If she is able to play her cards right, the future is bright for her, very bright.

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Members of the Italian Empire:
I. Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont
II. Duchy of Parma
III. Duchy of Lombardy
IV. Grand-Duchy of Tuscany
V. Papal States
VI. Kingdom of Two Sicilies
VII. Most Serene Republic of Venice
VIII. Bishopric Trento
IX. Principality of Illyria
X. Knights Hospitaller
XI. Duchy of Dalmatia*
XII. Principality of Montenegro*
XIII. Kingdom of Albania*

*no full voting rights due to ongoing Italianization

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Political situation on the Balkan​

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Italian Colonial Empire:
Colony of Tunisia
Colony of Libya
Colony of Sudan
Colony of East Africa
Colony of the Levant and Aegean
Kingdom of Egypt (protectorate)
Naval Base and Legation at Alexandria
 
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Good going for Italy in this timeline, much success. :D
 
Nicely done. I've always found the Italian Federation to be one of the more difficult starts -- so much can go wrong in the early years if, for instance, the Austrians get German backing during the Crisis or manage to knock out Hungary early (among other events).
 
Third American Republic: 1938
Third American Republic: 1938

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Early 1938 is often considered the height of the Second American Civil War. In the north of Pennsylvania, Federalist forces finally had some success against the Syndicalist guerrilla forces that began their struggle when “president” MacArthur sent the army north to crush the strikes. In Ohio and New York City they hold on, remaining a massive drain on the Federalist army. The front in the Midwest remains quiet for now, as neither Federalist or Syndicate has the units to spare for the front, not to mention the constant harassment faced by local militias loyal to the Atlanta government. The Unionists had spared their forces for most of last year, with the exception of the failed First Appalachian Drive. Only in late 1937 had they counterattacked the Federalists on the Mississippi River. 1938 would be the decisive year of the SACW, with a Federalist offensive against Virginia and Lower Michigan, two Syndicate offensives against New Orleans and Atlanta respectively and a Unionist offensive against Texas and the Second Appalachian Drive.

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Operation Valley Forge and the following AUS counterattack, the Pittsburgh Commune Rising and the 3rd New York Commune Rising, February and March 1938

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Operations Anaconda and Sherman, followed by the stopping of the CSA advance and subsequent AUS counterattack, April and May 1938

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Operation Jackson, better known as the Second Appalachian Drive, surrender of the Federal forces on the East Coast, failed Syndicate offensive into Michigan, 4th New York Commune Rising, Cleveland Commune Rising and Detroit Commune Rising, June and July 1938

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Operation Scott, the Federalist counterattack and elimination of the Federalist forces in Texas, August and September 1938
 
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