An interesting overview. Germania is at leat well set for war – when it arrives, that is. That said, I'm confident that you'll be able to hold onto peace for a few years yet.
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Communism is certainly alive and well in Germania, as you shall see later...
XXVI - The Shots Heard Around the World
1900
December 16th, 1900
My dearest Gerda,
I would like to apologise for the briskness of this letter, but it is with the utmost urgency that I must implore you to leave Wilna immediately. Do not feel compelled to leave everything behind - I am sure Mrs. Bayer will be able to stay sober long enough to assist - but I must emphasise the need for haste.
As you may have gathered from my previous letters, I am prohibited from disclosing detailed information to you, but I am able to say that the reason for my alarm will no doubt feature in the newspapers when this letter gets to you. It is chaos here at work and everybody is panicking. Wilna is not as safe as when we moved there, Gerda, and it is too close to the border.
I would like to send you to Riga, but even that is unsafe. Do you remember my sister's house in Berlin? She would be more than willing to take you and the children in for now. I have sent her a letter explaining the situation. You have more than enough money for the train but please take only a minimum - deposit the rest in the bank. Ingrid and Mathias should be old enough to behave, please stop them from fighting.
I hope and pray you will have a safe journey.
Yours,
Viktor
Gerda leant back in her chair, closed her eyes and sighed, relishing the last few moments of peace. And then, at the top of her lungs, she bellowed:
"INGRID! MATHIAS!"
The shout echoed throughout the house. After a few moments, there was a thunderous cacophony as the summoned trampled down the stairs towards the dining room, Mathias elbowing his sister out of the way at the last moment.
"Mathias, Ingrid, I want you to go upstairs and pack your things. We are leaving."
"Why?"
"Because I say so. Your father says so."
The twins rolled their eyes and left. For fifteen year olds, thought Gerda, they still had the demeanour of children half their age... She cleared her things and asked Mrs Bayer, their single middle-aged servant, to gather up the family heirlooms.
Viktor and Gerda Scholze were not the richest people in Wilna, not by a long shot. However, Viktor's prestigious position in a department of the German General Staff had earned them a lot of money, to the extent where they could now afford a largeish house in the well-to-do part of the city. Admittedly, Wilna (formally Vilnius) was not the most prestigious city to live in, but they liked it there and the local people admired them for their charitable attitude.
After two hours and plenty of shouting, the four of them were at the door, bags in hand, ready to leave.
"Mother, why are we leaving the house? Is it going to be safe with nobody in it?"
"It'll be fine, Ingrid, I'm sure your father knows what he's doing..."
But did he? Viktor rarely sent letters when he went on visits to Berlin, so this must be important. But what could the issue be? The only issues in the newspaper recently were those Greek communists and the Czechs. Gerda trusted that her husband was correct, but was he pushing it?
it is too close to the border...
Was it the Russians? Usually when the government became agitated it would be obvious because there would be troops marching up and down the streets, and as the four of them made the short walk to the station, Gerda couldn't see a single one.
The midday train to Berlin was already waiting at the station when they arrived. As the porters took care of the luggage, only a handful of people, mainly suited men, boarded the train.
"Mother, are we going in first class?"
"Yes, Ingrid, but if you keep asking pointless questions you'll be sitting in third," Gerda replied as they found a compartment and sat down. As Mrs. Bayer grumpily stored away the hand luggage, she picked up the complimentary newspaper and searched for whatever it was Viktor was so excited about. A quick glance was all it took:
"Are you quite alright Mrs. Scholze?" Gerda had let out an audible gasp.
"Yes thank, Mrs. Bayer." She composed herself and returned to reading.
Sources in London confirmed last night that the Queen of the United Kingdom and her Empire sur-
"What is it mother? We want to see!" Matthias leaned over, blocking the view of his mother.
"Sit down children! Read your books." Mrs. Bayer muttered something about her day and the cane. Gerda ignored her and returned to the paper.
Sources in London confirmed last night that the Queen of the United Kingdom and her Empire survived an assassination attempt whilst visiting Paris. The Queen, who is approaching her eighty-first birthday, was travelling to the French Parliament when several men approached her carriage and fired two shots into it before being restrained by guards. The first shot missed entirely, but the second hit her son Edward, wounding his arm. The British government has confirmed the Prince is currently in hospital in Paris, and will soon be transferred to London.
Both the French and German governments have made no comment on the incident, but the British Prime Minister, the Marquess of Salisbury, has denounced the act as "a cowardly and unforgivable act." This event will no doubt strain Anglo-French relations even more, and some sources from inside government claim that it could lead to an all-out war between the two countries. This is not the first time the Queen has had her life put in danger - she has survived no less than seven attempts on her life, but none so politically charged as this.
It is feared that the stress of the incident may impact the Queen, who recently recovered from an undisclosed illness and has since been less mobile. The effect of arthritis has meant that...
Gerda stopped reading and looked out of the window. What did this mean? Gerda may have filled the role of a stereotypical 19th century lady, but she was not unintelligent. She knew that Britain and France had been antagonising each other for some time now. There had been incidents in the colonies which had led to actual fighting, and it was only other powers who had managed to calm the situation down. The French had managed to anger the Germans as well, by funding the Dutch independence movement and creating tensions on the Franco-Lorrainian border.
But if Germania joined in the war, then France would ask Russia... It didn't bear thinking about. She turned her mind to other things as the long train journey passed.
They arrived in Berlin sleepy and exhausted the next day. Packed into the compartment, they had had little chance to stretch their legs, except on one changeover in Danzig. The family had been welcomed by Viktor's sister, Alice, and her husband with open arms. They had enough bedrooms to go around, and Alice gave a sense of hospitality.
At about five in the afternoon, as it was quickly growing dark, the front door slammed and in walked a dishevelled Viktor.
"VIKTOR!" His sister cried. "Would you so kindly explain as to what you have brought poor Gerda and the children all the way down here for?"
"Good day to you to too," Viktor muttered. "The fact of the matter is, Alice, that Wilna is no longer safe. Once the Russians begin their advance it will be one of the first cities to fall."
"When the Russians begin their... What are you talking about? We haven't been at war with the Russians for years, and we won't be for a long time to come!"
"It's madness at work," Viktor continued, ignoring his sister. "Everybody running around everywhere." He slumped into a chair without taking off his coat. "Do you know what shocked me the most? They're not trying to stop the war, they're egging it on. It's hopeless."
Alice looked confused. "Now, really, you're making things out as worse than they are. There's not going to be a war..." But she didn't sound sure of herself.
Gerda, who had until now been standing in somber silence, spoke up. "Do... do you think our house is safe? Will we have a house to go to?"
"Well the Russians won't torch and pillage everything in their path if that's what you're thinking. No, our house is safe. But one question is, will we be able to go back to it? It's in coveted ex-Russian territory."
The silence continued.
"Mark my words, even if we win this war, nothing good will come of it."
The day previous
Paris
David, Henri and Jean all stood by the side of the road, deep within a crowd of onlookers. The trio were a shabby lot, and all were very thin from years of malnutrition. They were, as some might call them, the dregs of the city.
David controlled his cough long enough to whisper to the others. "You know what to do. You two distract the guards whilst I go for the Queen. If you're caught..." He produced a small capsule from his coat pocket. "Our country over ourselves."
Despite his apparent confidence, David had no idea, really, what he was doing. He had been forced into doing this by other people, and would rather just have stayed at home. His anger at Britain for abandoning France, however, was enough to give him some motivation. Whatever was keeping the others going, he had no idea about.
Somewhere down the road, a cheer arose from the thin crowds, approaching their position quickly. The carriage rounded the corner and proceeded onwards.
"Here's our moment. Don't mess it up. Go in three..."
The carriage proceeded onwards, the guards on either side marching in step.
"Two..."
David could see a figure inside the carriage now, waving rather unenthusiastically.
"One..."
The carriage drew almost level with their position, revealing Victoria and Edward sitting together. Blast! Victoria was on the opposite side!
"Now!"
Henri and Jean stormed forwards. Out of the corner of his eye, David noticed the red uniform meet the grey shirts of his companions, but he had no idea what happened. His focus was entirely on the woman who, as he approached, sat with her eyes wide with surprise, her companion putting his arms up to shield the pair -
He fired his first shot. It went straight past Edward, but missed Victoria's cheek by an inch. The carriage proceeded onwards, the horse not yet stopped, and David had to adjust his position. It was a split second move but cost him valuable time.
He fired his second shot, but a red mass out of the corner of his eye was getting closer and someone tried to reach for his arm. Instinctively twisting his arm out of the way, the bullet travelled not straight forwards towards the frozen Victoria, but down towards where the Prince had ducked. He saw clothing rip as the bullet made contact, but as guards wrestled him to the ground, he gave up trying to see. He had failed.
Several hours later, the sorry trio sat inside a police cell in silence. They had luckily only walked (or been dragged) away from the incident with bruises, but who knew how brutal the French prison system could be? David knew plenty of his friends who had been thrown inside, coming out again completely different people. And what would the taste of justice be like? Their suicide pills had been confiscated along with their weapons. They were at the mercy of the police.
They all jumped as the door rattled and opened. "Come," the burly policeman standing outside barked, and they obeyed. They were escorted to a plain room with just a table and chairs, before being given cups of coffee. The balding policeman himself munched on a biscuit, sitting sprawled across his chair.
The door to the room slammed shut again, leaving the three failed assassins alone with him. It was an awkward silence for several moments, before Jean looked up from his cup to speak. "We didn't do nothing," he said confidently. "You can't do nothing against us. We're innocent."
David put his head in the palm of his hand. The policeman too looked up and spoke.
"You certainly should be aware of the severity of your crime. This is not going to do much for Anglo-French relations." He paused but was interrupted by Henri.
"Are... are you going to execute us? Sir?"
The policeman laughed harshly before standing up. "Execute you? Why would we do that? You're heroes boys!" They looked at each other, bemused.
"Sure, you failed at your mission, but Edward's in hospital, so there's hope yet! We've been waiting ages for someone to shoo the Brits back home and get them to stop interfering, maybe you've taught them a lesson!"
It's a miracle, thought David. We're off the hook!
"You'll probably have to go to court, just to appease the British, but it won't be a long sentence. You're very lucky people."
"Just to clarify," Jean spoke again in his slow, lumbering voice. "When I said we didn't do nothing, I meant we didn't kill no-one. Obviously we tried."
December 23rd, 1900
The House of Commons
"Order! Order!" William Gulley, Speaker of the House of Commons, rolled his eyes and directed his gaze towards the Marquess of Lansdowne. "Speak, please."
"Does the Right Honourable Leader of the Opposition honestly believe that war between France and the United Kingdom can be avoided at this point in time?" He smashed his hand onto the table. "Can he claim that the Armed Forces are not prepared? Can he think of why France should not be punished for their disgraceful conduct towards this whole sorry affair?" A rousing cry of no! came from the packed benches behind him.
The Leader himself, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, was indicated to speak.
"The fact is, Mr. Speaker, is that we cannot afford to participate in continental wars anymore. Our Empire may give us untold strengths but if we participate in this war, which will give us nothing in-"
He was interrupted by a murmur of dissent behind him, growing louder and eventually drowning out his voice. "Order!" came the cry again from the Speaker, and the noise stopped.
"This war will give us nothing and it will take from us thousands, perhaps millions of lives. By no means are we even prepared for such a thing."
It was the turn of the Marquess to speak again. "To further this debate I would like to read this statement from the German Ambassador on behalf of the government of United Germania." There was an excitable murmur. He unfolded the sheet of paper and began reading:
"Following recent developments in Paris and between the governments of the United Kingdom and France, the German government has concluded a debate on whether or not to support their ally, the United Kingdom. It has been decided with an absolute majority that United Germania, and her associated states, are willing to support the United Kingdom militarily and diplomatically in any-"
The Marquess never finished his sentence as a thunderous roar broke out from the benches. MPs on both sides stood up in defiance of Campbell-Bannerman. As the unruly racket continued, the Speaker called order once again, ending the debate for the day. Those in the Strangers' Gallery shook their heads and left in silence.
1900
December 16th, 1900
My dearest Gerda,
I would like to apologise for the briskness of this letter, but it is with the utmost urgency that I must implore you to leave Wilna immediately. Do not feel compelled to leave everything behind - I am sure Mrs. Bayer will be able to stay sober long enough to assist - but I must emphasise the need for haste.
As you may have gathered from my previous letters, I am prohibited from disclosing detailed information to you, but I am able to say that the reason for my alarm will no doubt feature in the newspapers when this letter gets to you. It is chaos here at work and everybody is panicking. Wilna is not as safe as when we moved there, Gerda, and it is too close to the border.
I would like to send you to Riga, but even that is unsafe. Do you remember my sister's house in Berlin? She would be more than willing to take you and the children in for now. I have sent her a letter explaining the situation. You have more than enough money for the train but please take only a minimum - deposit the rest in the bank. Ingrid and Mathias should be old enough to behave, please stop them from fighting.
I hope and pray you will have a safe journey.
Yours,
Viktor
Gerda leant back in her chair, closed her eyes and sighed, relishing the last few moments of peace. And then, at the top of her lungs, she bellowed:
"INGRID! MATHIAS!"
The shout echoed throughout the house. After a few moments, there was a thunderous cacophony as the summoned trampled down the stairs towards the dining room, Mathias elbowing his sister out of the way at the last moment.
"Mathias, Ingrid, I want you to go upstairs and pack your things. We are leaving."
"Why?"
"Because I say so. Your father says so."
The twins rolled their eyes and left. For fifteen year olds, thought Gerda, they still had the demeanour of children half their age... She cleared her things and asked Mrs Bayer, their single middle-aged servant, to gather up the family heirlooms.
Viktor and Gerda Scholze were not the richest people in Wilna, not by a long shot. However, Viktor's prestigious position in a department of the German General Staff had earned them a lot of money, to the extent where they could now afford a largeish house in the well-to-do part of the city. Admittedly, Wilna (formally Vilnius) was not the most prestigious city to live in, but they liked it there and the local people admired them for their charitable attitude.
After two hours and plenty of shouting, the four of them were at the door, bags in hand, ready to leave.
"Mother, why are we leaving the house? Is it going to be safe with nobody in it?"
"It'll be fine, Ingrid, I'm sure your father knows what he's doing..."
But did he? Viktor rarely sent letters when he went on visits to Berlin, so this must be important. But what could the issue be? The only issues in the newspaper recently were those Greek communists and the Czechs. Gerda trusted that her husband was correct, but was he pushing it?
it is too close to the border...
Was it the Russians? Usually when the government became agitated it would be obvious because there would be troops marching up and down the streets, and as the four of them made the short walk to the station, Gerda couldn't see a single one.
The midday train to Berlin was already waiting at the station when they arrived. As the porters took care of the luggage, only a handful of people, mainly suited men, boarded the train.
"Mother, are we going in first class?"
"Yes, Ingrid, but if you keep asking pointless questions you'll be sitting in third," Gerda replied as they found a compartment and sat down. As Mrs. Bayer grumpily stored away the hand luggage, she picked up the complimentary newspaper and searched for whatever it was Viktor was so excited about. A quick glance was all it took:
ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON QUEEN VICTORIA
QUEEN UNHARMED; PRINCE EDWARD ESCAPES WITH INJURIES
QUEEN UNHARMED; PRINCE EDWARD ESCAPES WITH INJURIES
"Are you quite alright Mrs. Scholze?" Gerda had let out an audible gasp.
"Yes thank, Mrs. Bayer." She composed herself and returned to reading.
Sources in London confirmed last night that the Queen of the United Kingdom and her Empire sur-
"What is it mother? We want to see!" Matthias leaned over, blocking the view of his mother.
"Sit down children! Read your books." Mrs. Bayer muttered something about her day and the cane. Gerda ignored her and returned to the paper.
Sources in London confirmed last night that the Queen of the United Kingdom and her Empire survived an assassination attempt whilst visiting Paris. The Queen, who is approaching her eighty-first birthday, was travelling to the French Parliament when several men approached her carriage and fired two shots into it before being restrained by guards. The first shot missed entirely, but the second hit her son Edward, wounding his arm. The British government has confirmed the Prince is currently in hospital in Paris, and will soon be transferred to London.
Both the French and German governments have made no comment on the incident, but the British Prime Minister, the Marquess of Salisbury, has denounced the act as "a cowardly and unforgivable act." This event will no doubt strain Anglo-French relations even more, and some sources from inside government claim that it could lead to an all-out war between the two countries. This is not the first time the Queen has had her life put in danger - she has survived no less than seven attempts on her life, but none so politically charged as this.
It is feared that the stress of the incident may impact the Queen, who recently recovered from an undisclosed illness and has since been less mobile. The effect of arthritis has meant that...
Gerda stopped reading and looked out of the window. What did this mean? Gerda may have filled the role of a stereotypical 19th century lady, but she was not unintelligent. She knew that Britain and France had been antagonising each other for some time now. There had been incidents in the colonies which had led to actual fighting, and it was only other powers who had managed to calm the situation down. The French had managed to anger the Germans as well, by funding the Dutch independence movement and creating tensions on the Franco-Lorrainian border.
But if Germania joined in the war, then France would ask Russia... It didn't bear thinking about. She turned her mind to other things as the long train journey passed.
***
They arrived in Berlin sleepy and exhausted the next day. Packed into the compartment, they had had little chance to stretch their legs, except on one changeover in Danzig. The family had been welcomed by Viktor's sister, Alice, and her husband with open arms. They had enough bedrooms to go around, and Alice gave a sense of hospitality.
At about five in the afternoon, as it was quickly growing dark, the front door slammed and in walked a dishevelled Viktor.
"VIKTOR!" His sister cried. "Would you so kindly explain as to what you have brought poor Gerda and the children all the way down here for?"
"Good day to you to too," Viktor muttered. "The fact of the matter is, Alice, that Wilna is no longer safe. Once the Russians begin their advance it will be one of the first cities to fall."
"When the Russians begin their... What are you talking about? We haven't been at war with the Russians for years, and we won't be for a long time to come!"
"It's madness at work," Viktor continued, ignoring his sister. "Everybody running around everywhere." He slumped into a chair without taking off his coat. "Do you know what shocked me the most? They're not trying to stop the war, they're egging it on. It's hopeless."
Alice looked confused. "Now, really, you're making things out as worse than they are. There's not going to be a war..." But she didn't sound sure of herself.
Gerda, who had until now been standing in somber silence, spoke up. "Do... do you think our house is safe? Will we have a house to go to?"
"Well the Russians won't torch and pillage everything in their path if that's what you're thinking. No, our house is safe. But one question is, will we be able to go back to it? It's in coveted ex-Russian territory."
The silence continued.
"Mark my words, even if we win this war, nothing good will come of it."
The day previous
Paris
David, Henri and Jean all stood by the side of the road, deep within a crowd of onlookers. The trio were a shabby lot, and all were very thin from years of malnutrition. They were, as some might call them, the dregs of the city.
David controlled his cough long enough to whisper to the others. "You know what to do. You two distract the guards whilst I go for the Queen. If you're caught..." He produced a small capsule from his coat pocket. "Our country over ourselves."
Despite his apparent confidence, David had no idea, really, what he was doing. He had been forced into doing this by other people, and would rather just have stayed at home. His anger at Britain for abandoning France, however, was enough to give him some motivation. Whatever was keeping the others going, he had no idea about.
Somewhere down the road, a cheer arose from the thin crowds, approaching their position quickly. The carriage rounded the corner and proceeded onwards.
"Here's our moment. Don't mess it up. Go in three..."
The carriage proceeded onwards, the guards on either side marching in step.
"Two..."
David could see a figure inside the carriage now, waving rather unenthusiastically.
"One..."
The carriage drew almost level with their position, revealing Victoria and Edward sitting together. Blast! Victoria was on the opposite side!
"Now!"
Henri and Jean stormed forwards. Out of the corner of his eye, David noticed the red uniform meet the grey shirts of his companions, but he had no idea what happened. His focus was entirely on the woman who, as he approached, sat with her eyes wide with surprise, her companion putting his arms up to shield the pair -
He fired his first shot. It went straight past Edward, but missed Victoria's cheek by an inch. The carriage proceeded onwards, the horse not yet stopped, and David had to adjust his position. It was a split second move but cost him valuable time.
He fired his second shot, but a red mass out of the corner of his eye was getting closer and someone tried to reach for his arm. Instinctively twisting his arm out of the way, the bullet travelled not straight forwards towards the frozen Victoria, but down towards where the Prince had ducked. He saw clothing rip as the bullet made contact, but as guards wrestled him to the ground, he gave up trying to see. He had failed.
***
Several hours later, the sorry trio sat inside a police cell in silence. They had luckily only walked (or been dragged) away from the incident with bruises, but who knew how brutal the French prison system could be? David knew plenty of his friends who had been thrown inside, coming out again completely different people. And what would the taste of justice be like? Their suicide pills had been confiscated along with their weapons. They were at the mercy of the police.
They all jumped as the door rattled and opened. "Come," the burly policeman standing outside barked, and they obeyed. They were escorted to a plain room with just a table and chairs, before being given cups of coffee. The balding policeman himself munched on a biscuit, sitting sprawled across his chair.
The door to the room slammed shut again, leaving the three failed assassins alone with him. It was an awkward silence for several moments, before Jean looked up from his cup to speak. "We didn't do nothing," he said confidently. "You can't do nothing against us. We're innocent."
David put his head in the palm of his hand. The policeman too looked up and spoke.
"You certainly should be aware of the severity of your crime. This is not going to do much for Anglo-French relations." He paused but was interrupted by Henri.
"Are... are you going to execute us? Sir?"
The policeman laughed harshly before standing up. "Execute you? Why would we do that? You're heroes boys!" They looked at each other, bemused.
"Sure, you failed at your mission, but Edward's in hospital, so there's hope yet! We've been waiting ages for someone to shoo the Brits back home and get them to stop interfering, maybe you've taught them a lesson!"
It's a miracle, thought David. We're off the hook!
"You'll probably have to go to court, just to appease the British, but it won't be a long sentence. You're very lucky people."
"Just to clarify," Jean spoke again in his slow, lumbering voice. "When I said we didn't do nothing, I meant we didn't kill no-one. Obviously we tried."
December 23rd, 1900
The House of Commons
"Order! Order!" William Gulley, Speaker of the House of Commons, rolled his eyes and directed his gaze towards the Marquess of Lansdowne. "Speak, please."
"Does the Right Honourable Leader of the Opposition honestly believe that war between France and the United Kingdom can be avoided at this point in time?" He smashed his hand onto the table. "Can he claim that the Armed Forces are not prepared? Can he think of why France should not be punished for their disgraceful conduct towards this whole sorry affair?" A rousing cry of no! came from the packed benches behind him.
The Leader himself, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, was indicated to speak.
"The fact is, Mr. Speaker, is that we cannot afford to participate in continental wars anymore. Our Empire may give us untold strengths but if we participate in this war, which will give us nothing in-"
He was interrupted by a murmur of dissent behind him, growing louder and eventually drowning out his voice. "Order!" came the cry again from the Speaker, and the noise stopped.
"This war will give us nothing and it will take from us thousands, perhaps millions of lives. By no means are we even prepared for such a thing."
It was the turn of the Marquess to speak again. "To further this debate I would like to read this statement from the German Ambassador on behalf of the government of United Germania." There was an excitable murmur. He unfolded the sheet of paper and began reading:
"Following recent developments in Paris and between the governments of the United Kingdom and France, the German government has concluded a debate on whether or not to support their ally, the United Kingdom. It has been decided with an absolute majority that United Germania, and her associated states, are willing to support the United Kingdom militarily and diplomatically in any-"
The Marquess never finished his sentence as a thunderous roar broke out from the benches. MPs on both sides stood up in defiance of Campbell-Bannerman. As the unruly racket continued, the Speaker called order once again, ending the debate for the day. Those in the Strangers' Gallery shook their heads and left in silence.
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that was a outstanding piece of an update!!! War is coming at great pace!!
Btw, don't give up Metz, it's very name is German, and was both in 1871 and 1940 annexed into the Reich
Btw, don't give up Metz, it's very name is German, and was both in 1871 and 1940 annexed into the Reich
Thank you guillec!
A few things about this update -
Victoria is obviously living longer than in OTL, as it says in the newspaper, she has recovered from the illness that really killed her. In reality she would be on her deathbed by now.
Greece has become the first communist nation in Europe (and, I think, the world).
The Czechs, like in Iceland, asked for autonomy (I refused. Mwahahahaha.).
Members of the House of Commons are not allowed to refer to each other by name, clap, acknowledge the "Strangers" (those in the public gallery) amongst other things. The House of Commons, unlike some parliaments, is a very confrontational place (for one thing, the opposition face each other square-on) and this leads to very heated debates (examples 1 2 3).
A few things about this update -
Victoria is obviously living longer than in OTL, as it says in the newspaper, she has recovered from the illness that really killed her. In reality she would be on her deathbed by now.
Greece has become the first communist nation in Europe (and, I think, the world).
The Czechs, like in Iceland, asked for autonomy (I refused. Mwahahahaha.).
Members of the House of Commons are not allowed to refer to each other by name, clap, acknowledge the "Strangers" (those in the public gallery) amongst other things. The House of Commons, unlike some parliaments, is a very confrontational place (for one thing, the opposition face each other square-on) and this leads to very heated debates (examples 1 2 3).
Oh boy, oh boy. This is gonna suck.
All I can hope is that by the time the dust settles, gallant Germania will have sqeuezed out an armistice for at least forty years.
All I can hope is that by the time the dust settles, gallant Germania will have sqeuezed out an armistice for at least forty years.
Indeed, war is unavoidable, it's being encoouraged. xD Great update! Can't wait until the next one! 
All I can say is wow. I have had an incredibly unproductive day at work, and I 100% blame this incredible AAR for that. I have read this all the way through today and was on my seat for this last bit.
Truly terrific work, I look forward to the next update.
Truly terrific work, I look forward to the next update.
A fine narrative interlude! Very well done indeed.
I await the oncoming storm with all due gravity and anticipation.
I await the oncoming storm with all due gravity and anticipation.
XXVII - Gott Mit Uns... Hoffentlich
1901
With the cries for war echoing from the streets of London to the House of Lords, the British government could not hold back any longer. They had suspended their break for Christmas to debate the issue, which quickly became known as the December Crisis. On the 11th of January, the United Kingdom sent an ultimatum to France, demanding a reply within three days. The demands were as follows:
The President of France, Jean Casimir-Perier, had absolutely no desire to sign this. He was confident that Russia would be able to provide support to France in Europe and Spain and Portugal would triumph in the colonies. As an increasingly uncontrollable and despotic dictator, it would have been uncharacteristic for him to have not stood his ground.
The French President.
Since Christmas, however, Britain had been mobilising troops and the Entente had followed suit immediately afterwards.
On the 14th of January, the United Kingdom was ready and announced that France had refused the ultimatum and hence the two countries were at war. The cheering crowds on the streets of London had no particular reason to doubt that their country would triumph when allied with Germania. Germania too, started the process of mobilisation. According to the plans of the General Staff, mobilisation was irreversible and meant only one thing: war.
Berlin
Viktor sat reading the paper from the day previous. Scanning the front page, he rolled his eyes and tossed it onto the table. He had grown tired of the hysteria crowding the front page every day - after all, he learnt the facts at work every day. Breaking his line of thought, Viktor's sister descended to clear away his plates, but was beaten by a lightening quick Mrs. Bayer, who appeared to view everything she did to help as competition. Alice instead leant against the wall and gave her brother a disapproving stare.
"You don't think you could get out of your dressing gown and actually get dressed? It's awfully late."
"Alice, I've been working late shifts... you know how late I got back last night."
Alice continued, ignoring her brother. "What do you do all day? Stare at maps? I get that impression..."
Viktor ignored her and rose, lighting up his pipe and walking over to the window. The kitchen in which they ate was small and cramped, but being placed at the front of the house, it gave a good view over the street outside. He enjoyed watching the usual morning rush of people rushing here and there, caught up in their own worlds, and try to guess where they were going.
"Now Alice you know it gives a good income. Maybe you would like to visit our house one day?" He turned around with a facetious grin on his face. "It would make a welcome break to... to..." He broke off. Turning around again, he peered out of the window with a perplexed expression on his face. "What on Earth..."
"Why? What is it?" His sister replied, a tone of worry in her voice. She walked over next to her brother. "What is going on?"
For, as they had been conversing, there had been an increasingly audible rumble of something, something on the street outside, something going towards the square. From their vantage point, they realised the rumbling was not motorcars, nor was it carriages, but feet, hundreds and hundreds of them, all hurrying in the same direction. Most people were running, others were continuing at a confused, worried pace, but all of them were proceeding together. It was certainly not the rush hour traffic.
There was a slam and a rush of white came thumping down the stairs. "Father! Father! Can we follow them? Can we go and-"
"Stay here, Ingrid, you'll be lost in moments, no Mathias, NO-"
But it was too late as Mathias, closely followed by Ingrid, had charged out of the door. Viktor began pursuit, followed by a distraught Gerda and then a confused Alice and husband. Sprinting out onto the street, Viktor was caught up by the crowd and had no option but to go with them; the force was too great. A flash of white up ahead gave him a focal point to follow.
"What in..." A passing man gave Viktor a disapproving stare, looking him up and down, before slowing down to draw level with his wife. Viktor wanted to ask him what he meant, but catching up with Ingrid, he was quickly reminded that he was still in his dressing gown and suddenly became aware that everyone was now witnessing a member of the German General Staff running barely dressed down a street. Still, he continued to follow the crowd, which finally slowed down and assembled, facing towards the end of the square. A plainly dressed man stood atop a plinth, grasping a megaphone with a facial expression that could probably frighten away the French army by itself.
"Today," he shouted as the people fell silent, "we see the true nature of our French enemies. The French despot Casimir-Perier has demanded the slaughter of our allies the British. He is forming a coalition with the Russians and the Spanish to accomplish his aims. But we will not stand idle! We will fight with whatever means we have to see the final destruction of our age old enemies, for the Germanic blood that runs in our veins is shared with our noble allies! No longer are we rich and poor, Dutch and Danish, Protestant and Catholic, we are all Germanic!" A rousing cheer ascended from the crowd below.
"We are now fighting for our country, and we shall gladly lay down our lives to ensure the future of our great nation, we shall provide the ultimate sacrifice to make sure her honour and glory never fades!" The hysteria in the crowd exploded as he took off his hat, threw down his megaphone and began to chant: "War! War! War!" until the crowd began to chant with him, a cacophonous symphony of frenzied nationalism which echoed throughout the rooftops of Berlin and beyond.
Hats are raised in celebration outside the Palace in Berlin.
"I was supposed to be the peaceful Kaiser." Friedrich remorsefully looked out of the window of his study to the crowd in the distance.
"Well, your Majesty, it is hardly your fault. I'm sure you are just as angry as the rest of our allies at the attempted assassination of your mother-in-law." His secretary was scribbling furiously across several sheets of paper. In the past few days, the room had become more and more disorganised until it looked like hundreds of sheets of paper had fallen from the sky and landed, scattered, across the tables and floor.
"I suppose if not now, it will be another time. We are better prepared than ever." Friedrich sighed.
"It doesn't seem like they are resisting much," his secretary glanced down towards the crowd. "As you said, now is the best time."
There was another silence before the Kaiser finally spoke, a sudden outburst.
"But they are more numerous than us. They have better defences than us. We cannot win a victory like we did in the Russian War, it is impossible. If we lose, even grind to a stalemate, it is all over for the Union."
The Kaiser's elephant in the room had been revealed and he sank slowly into his seat, staring out of the window and into the distance.
"The General Staff have a fine plan. They know what they're doing. They always do, they are the men who win the wars for us."
"I hope to God you're right," Friedrich replied.
1901
With the cries for war echoing from the streets of London to the House of Lords, the British government could not hold back any longer. They had suspended their break for Christmas to debate the issue, which quickly became known as the December Crisis. On the 11th of January, the United Kingdom sent an ultimatum to France, demanding a reply within three days. The demands were as follows:
- France will hand over the criminals who attempted to assassinate Queen Victoria
- France will allow a police inspection from the United Kingdom
- France will cease to antagonise British forces in their African colonies
- France will cease their hostile behaviour in general towards the United Kingdom
The President of France, Jean Casimir-Perier, had absolutely no desire to sign this. He was confident that Russia would be able to provide support to France in Europe and Spain and Portugal would triumph in the colonies. As an increasingly uncontrollable and despotic dictator, it would have been uncharacteristic for him to have not stood his ground.
The French President.
Since Christmas, however, Britain had been mobilising troops and the Entente had followed suit immediately afterwards.
On the 14th of January, the United Kingdom was ready and announced that France had refused the ultimatum and hence the two countries were at war. The cheering crowds on the streets of London had no particular reason to doubt that their country would triumph when allied with Germania. Germania too, started the process of mobilisation. According to the plans of the General Staff, mobilisation was irreversible and meant only one thing: war.
Berlin
Viktor sat reading the paper from the day previous. Scanning the front page, he rolled his eyes and tossed it onto the table. He had grown tired of the hysteria crowding the front page every day - after all, he learnt the facts at work every day. Breaking his line of thought, Viktor's sister descended to clear away his plates, but was beaten by a lightening quick Mrs. Bayer, who appeared to view everything she did to help as competition. Alice instead leant against the wall and gave her brother a disapproving stare.
"You don't think you could get out of your dressing gown and actually get dressed? It's awfully late."
"Alice, I've been working late shifts... you know how late I got back last night."
Alice continued, ignoring her brother. "What do you do all day? Stare at maps? I get that impression..."
Viktor ignored her and rose, lighting up his pipe and walking over to the window. The kitchen in which they ate was small and cramped, but being placed at the front of the house, it gave a good view over the street outside. He enjoyed watching the usual morning rush of people rushing here and there, caught up in their own worlds, and try to guess where they were going.
"Now Alice you know it gives a good income. Maybe you would like to visit our house one day?" He turned around with a facetious grin on his face. "It would make a welcome break to... to..." He broke off. Turning around again, he peered out of the window with a perplexed expression on his face. "What on Earth..."
"Why? What is it?" His sister replied, a tone of worry in her voice. She walked over next to her brother. "What is going on?"
For, as they had been conversing, there had been an increasingly audible rumble of something, something on the street outside, something going towards the square. From their vantage point, they realised the rumbling was not motorcars, nor was it carriages, but feet, hundreds and hundreds of them, all hurrying in the same direction. Most people were running, others were continuing at a confused, worried pace, but all of them were proceeding together. It was certainly not the rush hour traffic.
There was a slam and a rush of white came thumping down the stairs. "Father! Father! Can we follow them? Can we go and-"
"Stay here, Ingrid, you'll be lost in moments, no Mathias, NO-"
But it was too late as Mathias, closely followed by Ingrid, had charged out of the door. Viktor began pursuit, followed by a distraught Gerda and then a confused Alice and husband. Sprinting out onto the street, Viktor was caught up by the crowd and had no option but to go with them; the force was too great. A flash of white up ahead gave him a focal point to follow.
"What in..." A passing man gave Viktor a disapproving stare, looking him up and down, before slowing down to draw level with his wife. Viktor wanted to ask him what he meant, but catching up with Ingrid, he was quickly reminded that he was still in his dressing gown and suddenly became aware that everyone was now witnessing a member of the German General Staff running barely dressed down a street. Still, he continued to follow the crowd, which finally slowed down and assembled, facing towards the end of the square. A plainly dressed man stood atop a plinth, grasping a megaphone with a facial expression that could probably frighten away the French army by itself.
"Today," he shouted as the people fell silent, "we see the true nature of our French enemies. The French despot Casimir-Perier has demanded the slaughter of our allies the British. He is forming a coalition with the Russians and the Spanish to accomplish his aims. But we will not stand idle! We will fight with whatever means we have to see the final destruction of our age old enemies, for the Germanic blood that runs in our veins is shared with our noble allies! No longer are we rich and poor, Dutch and Danish, Protestant and Catholic, we are all Germanic!" A rousing cheer ascended from the crowd below.
"We are now fighting for our country, and we shall gladly lay down our lives to ensure the future of our great nation, we shall provide the ultimate sacrifice to make sure her honour and glory never fades!" The hysteria in the crowd exploded as he took off his hat, threw down his megaphone and began to chant: "War! War! War!" until the crowd began to chant with him, a cacophonous symphony of frenzied nationalism which echoed throughout the rooftops of Berlin and beyond.
Hats are raised in celebration outside the Palace in Berlin.
"I was supposed to be the peaceful Kaiser." Friedrich remorsefully looked out of the window of his study to the crowd in the distance.
"Well, your Majesty, it is hardly your fault. I'm sure you are just as angry as the rest of our allies at the attempted assassination of your mother-in-law." His secretary was scribbling furiously across several sheets of paper. In the past few days, the room had become more and more disorganised until it looked like hundreds of sheets of paper had fallen from the sky and landed, scattered, across the tables and floor.
"I suppose if not now, it will be another time. We are better prepared than ever." Friedrich sighed.
"It doesn't seem like they are resisting much," his secretary glanced down towards the crowd. "As you said, now is the best time."
There was another silence before the Kaiser finally spoke, a sudden outburst.
"But they are more numerous than us. They have better defences than us. We cannot win a victory like we did in the Russian War, it is impossible. If we lose, even grind to a stalemate, it is all over for the Union."
The Kaiser's elephant in the room had been revealed and he sank slowly into his seat, staring out of the window and into the distance.
"The General Staff have a fine plan. They know what they're doing. They always do, they are the men who win the wars for us."
"I hope to God you're right," Friedrich replied.
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There is a lack of chronological progress here, but it will hopefully pick up as the war gets going. I was thinking using war diaries as a primary method of telling the story - is this a good idea?
Personally, I would prefer also having some historical style updates as well, like the beginning of the latest update.
B, you've gotten us this far, do what you think is best! But personally I like the storytelling, but what I see is common in authors, books and likewise AARs, is its easy to get caught up in such a narrative and forget about the big picture. As long as you don't forget this is a grand strategy game, go for it!