The Darkest hour of the Russian Empire 2

[DoomBunny]

Your still forgetting that the UK would never willingly give more land to Russia. The French idea is more plausible and would certainly lead to an interesting case for the UK (Possible side switch to pro-axis/going it alone). Such an event would really screw up Anglo-French relations.

 

[Deus Eversor]

yep, it might actually work to make uk into axis... but it doesnt matter

GREAT RUSSIA OR GREAT RUSSIA!

 

[Vesimir]

And how exactly can Russia predict the Oil Boom of the future? Iraq is just more land while Pakistan would leave India defenseless against any Russian advances as most of the mountains would be already under Russian control. Purely strategic importance.

 

[Deus Eversor]

it dont has too, its more profitable for russia to gain iraq than fro britan to maintain it

 

[DoomBunny]

Iraq without the oil is a needless conquest that could be better spent elsewhere. For instance, somewhere with resources.

 

[Deus Eversor]

such as? germany/balkans are going to be part of russia anyway, china/japan? probably too so that leaves british colonies, having the earlier proposals completely filled i think that this token of british loyalty is just so meagre for the Imperium Sine Fine.

 

[BeardedHoplite]

Another awesome update as always. Although my wallet is mad at you right now, Falconette. I bought the Blitzkreig complete set after I saw that screenshot in the last update. CDV games should give you a job.

 

[DoomBunny]

Why does Russia need to keep expanding? The annexation of unprofitable territories is a bad move, that drains resources from elsewhere. Russia really doesnt need more land in the Middle East as it stands, its already created itself a huge insurgent problem from its interwar conquests.

 

[unmerged(358653)]

Another awesome update as always. Although my wallet is mad at you right now, Falconette. I bought the Blitzkreig complete set after I saw that screenshot in the last update. CDV games should give you a job.

Wow, just wow Thanks

Why does Russia need to keep expanding? The annexation of unprofitable territories is a bad move, that drains resources from elsewhere. Russia really doesnt need more land in the Middle East as it stands, its already created itself a huge insurgent problem from its interwar conquests.

Protectorates and puppets then?

 

[Deus Eversor]

Why does Russia need to keep expanding? The annexation of unprofitable territories is a bad move, that drains resources from elsewhere. Russia really doesnt need more land in the Middle East as it stands, its already created itself a huge insurgent problem from its interwar conquests.

because its an empire, statistics show that every empire after stopping their expansions start to degrade and eventually collapse

 

[DoomBunny]

Not true. Overexpansion can be just as deadly.

Puppets and protectorates, or simply bringing them into puppet status through economic and diplomatic means is a much more beneficial and cost effective route.

 

[Deus Eversor]

give me example.

3rd reich? presence of other stronger empires
alexanders empire? stopped expansion => alexanders death => empires death

over expansion demands evolution of the system to cope with it, if it decides its easier to settle for whati t has already, its becasue its easier thabn to evolve, to reform, defore it begins its rout to collapse

 

[DoomBunny]

Austro-Hungary, Nazi Germany, Napoleon, Alexander, Ottomans and countless others. If an Empire becomes to fractured, then it cant cover all the threats. There is no point in annexing territories that you have to pay to police and offer you no gain whatsoever. Its like if Rome had decided to colonise the Sahara, rather than conquer Gaul.

I would also add that the US hasnt fallen after it stopped expanding.

 

[Deus Eversor]

mesopotamia is not sahara ;d (near suez channel fool! but yeah, take it by force)
besides who cares? you can always make the occupied nation a police state, while your own benefits the funding of a strong modern elite army, considering all nations to have great ammount of effort, any % of that effort poured into military and military that oversees military would be sufficient ot oversee the empire, besides not all of them has to be russified at any moment, all you need to have their tax profit your military, military means industry, industry means jobs, why would they rise against their employer?
besides army, there coems a number of social programs, investments, since empire is liberal, investment and less cultural surpression occurs, even if someone rises, i dont think he would gain much support especially with xxxxx number of armies marching onto him and y elite army just behind them.

 

[Vesimir]

alexanders empire? stopped expansion => alexanders death => empires death

Eee? Alexander died because he stopped expanding? I guess I was wrong when I was thinking MY WHOLE LIFE that he died because of a sickness he caught WHILE EXPANDING HIS EMPIRE. Sorry for the caps but seriously, where did you get that idea?

But seriously, all examples you could give of an empire falling after it stopped expanding are examples of an empire that started to fall because of overexpansion. Overexpansion leads to inability to expand.

 

[DoomBunny]

Why bother annexing them, when its easier to just dominate them economically and diplomatically? In the modern era, a nations power isnt defined by just direct control and military strength.

 

[Deus Eversor]

@Vesimir, he was poisoned while planning conquest of arabia in his capital in babilon.

@DoomBunny yes, but since the empire of the old is still around, the old rules apply, but yeah i agree, but i still would awai a day when they get consumes by russia, russia is like jupiter, consumes all that does not orbit it just because of its gravity force

 

[Vesimir]

@Vesimir, he was poisoned while planning conquest of arabia in his capital in babilon.

So you just said your earlier argument was invalid? I'm stumbling to understand your process of thought. First you say Alexander's Empire fell because it stopped expanding. Then you say it fell in the middle of expanding which can be explained as a result of overexpansion.

Anyways, I think that's enough OT for this thread.

 

[Deus Eversor]

on the contrary he got poisoned because he had gone back! if he had stayed on the battle field or had made the capital his internal battlefield* and not just sit down and contenplate while jelly and vengefully people slip poisons into his food and fluids then he woudl be alive

*yes i also consider reorganisation, or perfectisation of the empire an internal expansion as well (because it allows further expansion as i said earlier!)

 

[unmerged(358653)]

The Darkest hour of the Russian Empire 2​

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Chapter Four: 1939-1941
Part XVIII: The European tragedy​

The war continued without any pauses. Early failures of German military command were fixed quite soon, and Wehrmacht started winning more and more battles, forcing the Allied armies to fall back. Impressed by the German performance, Italian fascist government started thinking about joining the Axis. In that case France would have to fight 2-front war, which meant her unavoidable defeat...

A British soldier is going to destroy the bridge to stop the advancing Germans​

But while fascists were winning one war, they lost another one. On 20 of August general Franco, leader of Spanish nationalists, had to sign the capitulation, because La Coruna, last bastion of his army, was captured after a week of bloody street fights. Nationalists' army and military junta had to surrender. For them the Civil War was lost.

Republican triumph

Franco signing the capitulation​

In Britain everyone realized that the country badly needed a strong new leader. Prime minister Chamberlain had to resign, while charismatic "British Bulldog", Sir Winston Churchill, took his post. United Kingdom decided to win the war, and Churchill was the only suitable man for such a task.

New leader would try to lead Britain to victory

New prime minister doesn't look very optimistic, but will try to improve the situation​

Churchill got the power in a very difficult moment. The Germans managed to break Dutch and Belgian lines of defense, which meant their inevitable capitulation and a great threat for France. Wehrmacht soldiers spent a lot of time fighting two brave little armies, but the German army was looking totally unstoppable.

French and British POWs, captured in Belgium​

By 27 of August Guderian's tank columns occupied the biggest part of Belgian soil. Royal army of Netherlands was close to death. French expeditionary forces were stuck near Mons, trying to defend that city.

The German advance in Lower countries by the end of August

German motorized infantry enters Namur​

Successes of the Reich provoked an extremely aggressive debate in the State Duma. Militarists were absolutely sure, that after such heavy casualties and panic retreats French and British army wouldn't be able to meet the German attack. They proposed to enter the war or to start preparing the Russian army for it. Baron Petr Wrangel, a member of Union of the Russian people and general of the Imperial Army called the Pacifists "silly cowards and traitors", and suggested to close the Parliament and re-establish the cabinet. Pepelyaev called these words "A fascist provocation" and threatened Wrangel and his supporters with the arrest. Political situation in Russia became extremely hot.

Wrangel with his supporters​

But the things were changing rapidly. SR-leader Viktor Chernov, a former Pacifist, decided to switch the sides when he saw the Nazi progress in Europe. Social-Revolutionaries followed their leader, and Mensheviks became the only pro-pacifist socialistic party.

Chernov becomes a pro-war politician together with his party.​

While the conflict between Russian left parties was striking the Russian parliament, German artillery was striking the Belgian cities. By the beginning of September the Belgians simply didn't have enough soldiers to stand against the invaders. On 16 of September the Belgian government officially capitulated, while the Belgian king, Leopold III, fled to African colonies.

Brave little Belgium is over. The Germans managed to do the thing they didn't manage to do in 1914.

A king who lost his realm

Destroyed Belgian fort of Eben-Emael fortification system.​

When Belgium fell, nothing could stop the Wehrmacht from invading France proper. Very soon Dunkirk and other key Normandy cities fell. In the Netherlands the situation wasn't better - Dutch army was destroyed too, and the allies started evacuation from Holland.

5 of October. Northern France and almost whole Holland under German occupation

Rotterdam after German bombings​

Now France was the main target of the Reich. Most of French divisions were destroyed in Belgium, when they were desperately defending and their casualties' rate was extremely high. So, there were no fresh well-prepared divisions to protect France itself - most of French regular army was rotting in the Belgian soil...

The German invasion meets almost no resistance here

PzIII in Dunkirk​

German tanks were advancing, capturing more and more French towns. By November 10 Wehrmacht divisions took Amiens, Lille, Laon, Hirson, Le Havre, and the main target - Paris. Mobile German units were already in Angers. The French command was depressed and most of French corps weren't able to fight. The war in France was going to finish very, very soon...

German offensive in Northern France

German troops in captured Paris changing the road signs

To be continued
Waiting for your comments
Next update: January, 22​