FEEDBACK:
@Zhuge Liang: Maybe so, yet despite his style that is reminiscent of Legitimist views, he still supports the Orleanist claimant, a Constitutional Monarch.
@Everyone: Thanks for the comments, Here's the chapter as promised. (Note I didn't use all the pictures I took cause I felt I was pushing at the image limit.)
Chapter VI: Imminent Threat
The French Foriegn Legion in Algeria, 1920
On a warm spring day in the middle of April, a party of tax collectors made their way to the town of Tamaghasset, in French Algeria. They were to collect taxes from the natives living in the region, the Tuaregs.
The Tamaghasset Incident was the incident that sparked the Tuareg Rebellion.
A few days later, a single man returned to the city of Oran, severely wounded and collapsing on the city outskirts. The man was rushed to the hospital where he was treated for a few lacerations and dehydration. As soon as he recovered he told of what happened, his fellow workers were killed by the Tuaregs in Tamaghasset, beheaded right in front of their eyes. He was told to tell that to the French leaders that they will refuse to pay taxes and dire consequences will occur if the tax laws are not repealed. Jean III responded in a live radio address, “We will not negotiate with those who break the law, and should there be any French nationals or loyal subjects who are injured or die because of your decision, then we will bring the full might of our armies against you.”
The Tuaregs began uniting throughout Southern Algeria, and Jean III began the process of sending troops over to contain the rebellion, in hopes of destroying this scourge. For the next two weeks, French troops clashed with Tuareg rebels across the North African frontier, but they were small in scale, and was met with limited successes for the Tuareg rebels.
The Tuareg's decision to broaden the rebellion only served to bring the Royal French Army into direct confrontation. However, it weakened the Tuareg's hold, as they lacked a strong military to defend all of it's gains.
However, on April 26th, the Tuaregs turned their attention southwards, not towards the Atlas Mountains, but towards the Niger River, sweeping across the lands and brutally murdering French colonials in the south. It was clear; the French army will launch a direct offensive against the Tuaregs.
The events that led up to Guinea's Fight for Independence
Meanwhile on the Gold Coast, Rioting and mob violence over the Tuareg advance. Losing control over the situation, the governors of the French Gold Coast were evacuated via ship to Algiers, whereas the rebels declared themselves independent as the Republic of Guinea. Now the French forces in West Africa were cut off from their main force and must now fight to survive.
General Francois de la Rocque, Chief of the Army came up with a sound strategy to defeating the Guinean forces. Since the closest Army units to Guinea were the created colonial forces stationed in Dakar, Senegal and Abigjan, Cote d’Ivoire; they would be the ones to subdue the Gold Coast Rebels. The strategy would be simply put, to take the rebel capital of Conakry. This objective is made much easier as 3 divisions of troops from the Liberian Expeditionary Corps were moved in to support in the assault.
Meanwhile Rocque’s plan for the Tuareg Campaign would involve an assault from the north from the Algerian Coast and from the south from Ouagadougou, in the Upper Volta State, since the Tuaregs had no areas of strategic value; the objective was simply to get to their capital Fort Lapperine, as quickly as possible.
The Southern Campaign for the most part was won in a matter of days. The Army of Seneal traveled south to reach Conakry, where they encountered the Guinean Army near the railway town of Tambacounda, in Southern Senegal. The French Colonial Army proved their mettle, defending the town against the smaller Guinean raiding force. The result saw the Guinean Army retreating back to Conakry after 70 minutes of fighting, pursued by the French Colonial Army, the following day, the remnants of the Raiding Party that attacked Tambacounda was now engaged in battle, this time they were defending their homeland.
After a day of intense fighting, the Guinean Army was forced to retreat, and the decisive battle for Conakry was won. The Guinean rebels, now cut off from the coast, surrendered at the end of May. This freed up the Colonial-Liberian Armies to support the attack on the Tuareg Confederation from their southern borders.
Meanwhile in the Northern Front, French troops close to the border began launching their own invasion attack. French troops and tanks attacked Tuareg cavalry in El-Oued, whilst a regiment of mountain troops attacked enemy forces in Geryville. In two successive battles during late April and into May, the National French Armies were able to pull together and push the Tuaregs back.
The Mountain Division was the first to reach Fort Lapperine, and began launching their attack on the Tuareg Capital. However, the Rebels were able to quickly recoup from their losses, and after several days of continuous fighting, was repulsed by a larger force. The next five days were spent replenishing the troops in the fight while the Colonial troops, the National French Army and the Liberian Expeditionary Corps.
As soon as reinforcements arrived, the Royal French Army struck again, this time attacking on two fronts. Despite the tenacious defense of their capital, the Tuaregs were unable to keep up the fight and after hours of fighting were forced to evacuate the city. With victory, the capital was expected to be taken in a matter of months.
The Tuareg War would be a test for the Royalist Army as they prepare for the Weltkrieg.
Meanwhile, the Southern Armies continued occupying land from the Tuareg rebels, with the capture of Fort Lamy, the Tuareg Army was forced to surrender. On July 27, 1938, Akhemuk ag Ihemma, leader of the Tuareg rebels, surrendered and was placed in Royal custody, the French Colonial War, had come to an end.
International News:
The American front as of Autumn 1938
American Civil War-1938: The tide of battle remains fixed solely on the Combined Syndicates of America, as the Federal Troops are now being swept up. The syndicalists have made it to the outskirts of the American State of California. It is expected that the United States will fall in a matter of months.
January 24: Rebels supporting Tsarist rule take over the Don-Kuban Union. With the country under the rebels, the Russian Empire reincorporates the Don-Kuban Union back into Russia.
February 12: The German East Asia Company formally agreed to join with the Qing Empire, on the pretext that its leaders would be given positions with the Imperial Government. While this made no change to Germany’s Sphere of influence, it does however, look to turn the tide of the war with the Shanqing Tianguo military.
March 19: The Central Asian War comes to an end as Turkestan and Russia divide Alash Orda amongst the two nations.
April 22: In an attempt to jumpstart the fledgling Royal economy, Jean III and the Royal Parliament approve of a plan to create a national airway from Algiers to Dakar, hoping to bring new business to North and West Africa. Both cities were some of the largest in French Royal Africa.
May 30: In a desperate attempt to prevent any more Syndicalist states from spreading to any of its remaining possessions, Puerto Rico was given to the Entente for protection. Canada, the leader of the Entente decided it was best to hand the island over to Puerto Rico who placed it under direct administration from Cayenne in Guyana.
July 15: Brazil, now under a Syndicalist government and seeking revenge against Argentina for its defeat in the Great South American War, declares war on both La Plata and its ally Chile. Bolivia, the other Syndicalist nation in South America, remains neutral in the matter.
July 16: After a year and a half of fighting, the Carlists finally achieve total domination of the Kingdom of Spain, defeating Alfonso XIII. Xavier de Bourbon-Parma is now crowned as King Francisco Javier I of Spain. Four days later, the Carlists sought to establish a Catholic League. Despite the offer made to National France, it dared not to abandon the British Royals-in-exile, choosing to recognize Javier as ruler of Spain.
August 11: The Kingdom of Denmark allows Iceland to become an independent nation. For next several months, the new nation became a site of contention between the Union of Britain and Canada.
October 12: Tsar Kyril I, the first Russian Emperor since the Restoration of the Monarchy was declared dead at the age of 62. His son, Vladimir Kirillovich, seceded his father as Tsar Vladimir I.
October 13: In a move that deeply angered the Commune of France and irritated the Kingdom of France, Francisco Javier I officially declares himself a claimant to the French throne, now occupied by Jean III. While this move irritated the French government-in-exile, they knew that they will still need the Carlist’s help in reclaiming the French mainland. Once the mainland is claimed they can then deal with the Carlists.
November 11: The Russian Empire decided to take control of the Baku Oil Fields and extend control over Azerbaijan. Azeristan, knowing the threat being brought from its neighbor to the north, decided to allow Russia to do as they please. Azerbaijan, whilst not directly a part of Russia, now became its puppet state.
December 8: With the overthrow of Milutin Nedic, Serbia’s ruling dictator since the monarchy was overthrown. Petar II, King of Serbia was called in to restore the Absolute Monarchy, reestablishing the Kingdom of Serbia.
