The Hohenzollern Kings of America-A HFM Victoria II AAR

[Baltimorehero33]

The Kings of America (1864-1868)

The Kingdom of America has had a massive civil war with thousands of casualties, and were incensed over British influence in the Confederacy. However the British military was considered the most powerful in the world; could this insult be avenged?

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Mood Music:

By 1864, Prime Minister McClellan had successfully reorganized the Royal Army as an institution, making it more professional and politically reliable. It was expected in any war of significance that there would need to be mobilization, and so regular full time recruitment would focus on artillery units and highly-disciplined infantry. Specific legions of troops (such as the Irish Brigade, the German Brigade, and the Black Hundreds) were given officers of their own background, and would incorporate into the overall command structure of the Royal Army of America.

Perhaps most important of the reforms though was the leadership; the officer class was expected to be fully professionalized. No longer could politicians appoint officers, not could a noble buy an officer's commission. Instead, any one who wished to serve as an officer would have to go through the West Point Royal Military Academy. To ensure the officer class was still politically reliable though, any cadet would need to have a letter of introduction from either a congressman, a governor, a general, or a noble with the rank of Marquis or higher.

Among the cadets was the royal heir; Prince Frederick Augustus. He had grown into a fine young man, and at age 14 had enrolled at West Point, determined to be a "soldier king" like his Hohenzollern ancestors; he saw himself as "America's Frederick", and at West Point it showed, with Frederick becoming a top student. There was much speculation on his marriage, but he was far more focused on his career; as Prince of New York, he decided to join the 1st Buffalo Artillery Brigade, attached to The Army of Canada under General Scott (he had wanted to be in the cavalry, but the Queen's insistence forced his hand). Perhaps this was wise, considering what was to come.

An Irish rebel group, known as the Fenian Brotherhood, had fled to American shores, in hopes of using the large Irish immigrant population to recruit an army. Led by John O'Mahony (an idealistic scholar) and James Stephens (a cynical revolutionary warrior), the Brotherhood had a straightforward plan; to free Ireland, they would invade Canada, and trade one part of the British Empire for the other. They found plenty of wealthy sponsors, including (supposedly) the Royal government, and on February 14th, the Irish Revolutionary Army launched their invasion of Canada.

It was a move, by all accounts, idiotic. Stephens, their most seasoned commander, claimed illness, and O'Mahony would lead the troops to a disaster. The British routed the rebels, and several officers of the IRA were captured. Many in the British press denounced the Irish, but in several American papers the Irish were lauded as heroes.

Many in the British political establishment had been increasingly agonized by American provocations, and saw this "Fenian Brotherhood" (and the prior Trent affair) as a deliberate and calculated affair by the Americans, and were determined to make the Americans realize the error of their policies. Led by Ambassador Lyons, the British demanded the extradition of the leaders of the IRA to face justice for their crimes in Canada.

Prime Minister McClellan however, outright refused, to general support across the political spectrum. The British were quite unpopular both in the North and South (especially since they did not support their rebellion), and there was great sympathy for the Irish, who had fought bravely for the Royalists in the Civil War.

The Americans refused, causing outrage in Britain and Canada. Captain Churchill, a military officer in the Colonial Army of Canada, went rogue and attempted an attack in Vermont. The local militia repulsed them, but not before sixteen American subjects were killed.

Outrage was palpable throughout the country, and the American people demanded a response to this blatant outrage. With the Army of Canada in place, and the order to mobilize ready to go, Queen Charlotte and Prime Minister McClellan prepared perhaps the most daring piece of American foreign policy since 1812; war was declared on the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

Thankfully, America's loyal allies in Berlin and Rio answered our call to arms, while the British were aided by Portugal and the Netherlands.

With the Army of Canada stationed in Detroit, the British forces in Canada opted to move east to besiege Buffalo, allowing Scott to advance into Ontario. Prince Frederick, a Captain, was a part of this invasion at his insistence, though McClellan wrote to Scott "under no circumstance is the Prince's life to be placed in any danger", recalling the last time an American Crown Prince was a part of an invasion of Canada it ended in his death.

With the Royal Army ending the occupation of the Southern commonwealths to focus on fighting in Canada, Southern reactionaries took the opportunity to form the "Klu Klux Klan", an organization that opposed the royal government and supported white supremacy. They were too weak to rebel outright, though the Queen saw them as a dangerous threat to royal authority.

Though Prime Minister McClellan did not see the Klan as a true threat, the Queen saw a major opportunity; she had long desired a secret police force that would be able to effectively deal with issues that would be politically insensitive for the crown to be involved in, but issues where the crown had interests in nonetheless.

There was some pushback for the Queen to have her own private police force, but she deftly used the specters of the assassination of Lincoln and the Klan's supremacy ideology (to convince the Liberals) and the ability to clamp down on war dissent (to convince the conservatives), and ultimately, Congress assented to the creation of a new organization; the Secret Service.

With the law and finances now on her side, Queen Charlotte appointed Allan Pinkerton (a Scottish immigrant who loathed the English) to lead the organization; their first tasks were to investigate and disrupt the Klan, as well as any anti-war or republican dissenters.

In the early parts of the war, the field armies of the British and the Americans looked to avoid one another directly. The British brought down Buffalo, while the Americans took Western Ontario. The Army of the Erie was being assembled in Columbus, Ohio and would soon be joining the fray.

On June 30th, the first major battle began, with the Army of Canada and the Army of Ontario attacking the British in Toronto. The British were outmanned and outgunned, and were unable to secure the victory; however, such large casualties were inflicted that the Army of Ontario was merged into the Army of Canada to ensure their fighting strength.

In the European theater, German forces quickly defeated the Dutch and their surrender came quickly after; the Germans did not demand much from the Dutch aside from reparations.

As the war went on, American manufacturers were able to roll out a vastly improved rifle, which American factories worked rapidly to ensure they got into the hands of American soldiers in Canada before another major battle.

As the main British force besieged Ottawa in the North under General Herbert French, the 2nd British Army under General Louis Roberts (a smaller force of some 30,000) probed south to test the American lines. However they were set upon by General Scott, who had three times their numbers ready to fight.

The battle was an utterly convincing victory, with the Americans winning in an utterly one-sided affair. The entire British column of some 30,000 men had been crushed, and the Americans only lost some 7,000 men. After the victory, Prince Frederick was given a brevet promotion to Major.

 

[Baltimorehero33]

Scott was able to successfully use the Army of Erie to bait the main British 1st Army into Hamilton, where he hit the British from both sides with twice their numbers. With over 180,000 men taking part, the largest battle in North American history, the Battle of Hamilton, was about to begin.

General French felt rather confident in his chances; he had studied the American Civil War extensively and knew the tactics Scott would use. Further, French felt that the British regulars were more than a match for American conscripts. The only thing he worried about was the American artillery, knowing that it had been the focus of their reforms. So with that in mind, French hatched a plan.

On October 16th, two days after the armies engaged, French ordered the entire 4th Division (of 5,000 men), supported by elements of the 1st Scots Fusiliers Guards, to launch an all out assault on Scot's right most flank.

French had hit the right flank due to the fact that his scouts identified the right flank was guarded primarily by Southern conscript. The 2nd Georgia Infantry Brigade and the 1st Tennessee Infantry Brigade were immediately hit hard, and the 4th Michigan Brigade under General Partridge was sent to reinforce. The British expected the Southerners to cut and run, but they held! Shot after shot, charge after charge, and they held! Again and again, their officers compelled them to stay!

Mood music:

Scott thought to bring the entire II Corps of the Army of Canada, but worried that reacting too quickly would leave the center dangerously undermanned (a situation French would no doubt exploit). But Brigadier General Thomas Francis Meagher of the Irish Brigade (made up of regiments from New York and Massachusetts) offered to relieve the Southerners and give Scott enough time to wheel the Army of the Erie to the left flank, and to move the IV Corps to the center, and when ready, the II Corps could move right.

The Irish Brigade fought valiantly, side by side with their former enemies, and the British were stunned that they did not cut and run; rather, the Irish and the Southerners advanced, and the British were forced back.

French did not get the advantage he had hoped for, but it was enough. The 1st Coldstream Guards, supported by elements of the 2nd Infantry Division, were able to delay the Army of the Erie from taking the left flank, and for a moment, the entire left flank of the Americans was held but by a single brigade; the 1st Louisiana Brigade "The Louisiana Tigers", numbering only some 2,200. General Bingham of the British 1st Cavalry Division attacked with the entire division, numbering some 6,000 in an open field charge.

The Louisiana Tigers were outnumbered nearly 3 to 1, and the brigade thought that retreat might be the most sensible option, but were the Tigers to retreat, the entire artillery corps would be laid before the British. So, they fought on, desperately. Major Frederick von Hohenzollern and the artillery did their best to support the Tigers, and the Tigers inflicted heavy casualties on their own, but it was not enough to stem the British. After three hours of fighting, the Tigers were nearly depleted; with them gone the Americans would suffer a devastating defeat.

It was at this moment though when the 1st St Louis Hussars under General von Ziegler came to the relief of the Tigers. The 1st Cavalry Division was in utter disarray from their casualties mounting, and were forced to retreat, but not before inflicting a devastating moment on American history. Caught by a stray bullet, General von Ziegler was killed, and would be survived by his grandson Hector.

The Tigers holding firm ensured the British defeat. French had lost nearly a fifth of his men, and he realized that the battle was at a complete loss. His only thoughts were to protect his artillery, but after another several days of battle, French had lost in total a third of his army and was forced to fall back to Toronto.

The British were routed, and forced into a battle in Toronto, where they were disorganized and ready to collapse. At this point, the British Empire in Canada was in danger of collapse

The British were routed, and forced into a battle in Toronto, where they were disorganized and ready to collapse. At this point, the British Empire in Canada was in danger of collapse

In the midst of war in the North, there was a tribe known as the Apache who used the opportunity to rebel, and terrorized American subjects in the Southwest. They were reportedly supplied by the Mexican government, though American militias were able to defend themselves with some degree of effectiveness.

In the Northeast, the British attempted to resupply from Europe, but General Scott, who had swung east to capture Halifax, was well-positioned to head off the British invasion, winning decisive battles in Nova Scotia that eventually lead the entire force to surrender.

The Army of Erie was continuously successful in whittling down the remaining British armies, and by the end of July, the entirety of Canada lay naked to American forces.

By mid 1865, the British had been near completely expelled from Canada, though they were unwilling to sue for peace. In response, the Kingdom of America made clear that Quebec and Nova Scotia would also be annexed in the increasingly likely event of an American victory.

Another major reform in the Royal Army occured with greater exposure to the legendary German General Staff. The Royal Army instituted their own General Staff and High Command system, with a system that put coordinating the overall campaign goals into the War Department's hands, while the battlefield generals and officers would have greater leniency to act as they saw fit in the field.

In the summer of 1866, British tactics changed; instead of confronting the Americans on land, Britain would try to starve the Americans out with a blockade. It had an effect on America's finances and morale, but there was a bit of dark humor; many Southern papers had advice for the Northerners on how best to survive the blockade and how to replace imported luxuries.

The election of 1867 came with rising tension; though the British had been badly beaten on land, the blockade was causing many American subjects to feel exhausted from the war, particularly after being mobilized earlier to fight the rebellion.

The Royalist-American coalition was fraying due to the latter's frustration with the blockade in particular, but McClellan, working to shore up further Southern support for the coalition, pardoned several lower level Southern officers who agreed to serve in Canada, as a gesture of good will.

One major campaign issue came from the increasingly frustrating issue of the American urban poor. As life expectations rose, many Americans came into a life of poverty. There was a minimum wage, but it was rather low. Many nobles and capitalists advocated for a pension for the urban poor, but the Queen disagreed. She knew that a pension would come from the Royal Treasury (already stretched due to no tariffs and war), and further that taxes were fully paid for by the poor. Instead, Congress would pass through a new, higher minimum wage that would allow the working poor to have better lives during their working years.

Despite the British blockade in the Atlantic, the Panama Canal construction crews finished their work, supplied from California. American forces held the canal from British attacks, ensuring the Pacific ports would remain free to trade with America's holdings in Asia.

McClellan would etch out another victory, with both the American and the Society giving him a strong working majority. The Liberals were condemned to the opposition, along with the Workingmen's Party (a nascent socialist party). The Queen's July 4th speech focused on the desire to continue on the war to ensure Britain's defeat, and called for Americans to make sacrifices in the name of victory.

One piece of news that did not involve the war was the new excavation rights. The Royal Archaeology Society, led by Doctor Henry Watson Jones, was able to secure exclusive excavation rights; the Americans were able to win out over the French and British, whom the Egyptians feared had imperial ambitions on Egypt.

With the rising of wages for the American working class, many union leaders worked to gain additional benefits, including better working hours and conditions. The capitalists, fearing for their businesses, looked to crush the unions with a lockout, but royal intervention caused several judges to declare the move unconstitutional. While the Queen's interests were aligned with the capitalists, she did not want to see the war effort sabotaged, either materially, or in terms of morale.

As the war went on, many in America were desiring better lives for their children; better lives that could be achieved through education. A basic school system was set up in Columbia, New York, Boston, Atlanta, and other major cities, though they were not made mandatory; many parents still relied on their children to earn a living.

On Christmas Day, facing defeat, heavy casualties, and no hope for victory, the British telegraphed an offer for peace, but were rejected by the Americans, unwilling to sign a separate peace without Germany. Four days later, the British Prime Minister Russell's government collapsed, and one week later, the British government sued for peace, agreeing to America's full terms.

On January 5th, the Treaty of Stockholm was signed; Britain was forced to renounce much of Eastern Canada, annexed into the Kingdom of America, and was forced to pay reparations to Germany, humiliating London. Britain was also forced to pay reparations to the American families killed by Churchill.

It was, by all accounts, a costly victory. Thousands of lives were lost, and the American populace was exhausted from 6 years of war in the past decade. But it had to be said; America had never won such a victory, and many were wondering if the British world order was to be replaced by a Hohenzollern one...

 

[Baltimorehero33]

And at this point, we are at last caught up with Reddit. Very exciting times~!

At the moment, we do not have permission for interactivity.

 

[Danzieg]

And at this point, we are at last caught up with Reddit. Very exciting times~!

At the moment, we do not have permission for interactivity.

Forgive me if this question has been asked a thousand times before, but if the interactivity is on other medium and one simply reposts it onto the forums do the same rules apply?

 

[Baltimorehero33]

I imagine the same rules apply, so I believe it would be best if you refrained from reposting

 

[stnylan]

The war is won. Well, not the first time there is a foreign adventure to mask internal discord.

As for the re-posting, the mods are the people to check with, but I imagine it would work best only the post the actual update.

 

[Baltimorehero33]

Nor will it be the last

 

[Baltimorehero33]

1868-1872

Following what was now popularly called "The Canadian War" in America (The Third Anglo-American War by most in Europe), the Kingdom of America was further recognized as equal to the greatest powers in Europe. The British Army, recognized as one of the world's greatest, had been humiliated, and it seemed that no foreign power could at this point stop Columbia from reigning supreme over the Americas.

Under the veneer of victory though, Prime Minister McClellan and the Secret Service under Pinkerton knew the truth. The American annexation of Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia added some 600,000 new hostile citizens, spread across a vast space that would be difficult to fully control. Much of the American South was in ruins, and had suffered significant casualties in Canada; though they did not revolt on the fields of Ontario, there was always the danger that they might return to radicalism.

McClellan and Pinkerton agreed that America needed to rebuild, as did the Queen, but McClellan and Pinkerton's approaches differed wildly. Pinkerton argued that the Secret Service needed to be vastly expanded, with agents stationed throughout Canada, with extrajudicial powers if need be. McClellan disagreed; thought such measures were wildly outside of the American character, a threat to the notions of liberty that America claimed as its guiding value. Further, he thought that Pinkerton's heavy hand might set off rebellions and harden Canadian opinion against America.

Instead, McClellan wanted to bring order and prosperity to Canada, though he knew it would be a tall task to coordinate both Congressional and Royal approval. He thought that the Canadians, given time would make for loyal citizens of the Kingdom of America, were they to be able to integrate. It would be like settling the West, thought McClellan, though it would be much easier; after all, the Canadians already spoke English.

McClellan looked to instead tame Canada the way the West had been tamed. In the eight years since the Homestead Act had passed, thousands of homesteads had been claimed, by any man or woman imaginable. Northerner, Southerner, African-American, immigrant. Rich or poor, they had made the West their home, and with great cities like Denver, Dallas, and Omaha, the region was becoming an integral part of the Kingdom, plus made for many middle class farmers; perfect, loyal subjects to the crown who eschewed radicalism and republicanism. If it could happen in the West, he convinced Pinkerton and the Queen, why not in Canada?

The Homestead Act of 1868 was proposed, to open up land in Canada that Americans could purchase for pennies on the dollar. Veterans of the Canadian War were given special treatment and favorable loans, while English settlers in Canada were forced off their lands, often at gunpoint. Some decided to move back to England, while others fled to Mexico or Argentina. Furious protests from London went unheeded. McClellan felt that with new settlers "Americanizing" the region, and that while regional differences might always remain, after a generation or two he predicted that anyone born in Canada would consider themselves a proud American. This program was overseen by former Senator Partridge of Michigan, who was rumored to also have connections with the growing Secret Service.

In Quebec, the Homestead Act triggered a wave of anguish, with many Quebecois fearing they had seen one tyrant replaced with a far worse one. The preeminent Quebecois statesman though, George-Étienne Cartier, saw an opportunity. He had feared American expansionism, and had hoped for a reconciliation between Quebec and America, but now it was too late and instead he decided to embrace the new reality. He traveled to Philadelphia and used the French Ambassador to help secure a meeting with McClellan (who incidentally spoke French). Cartier had anti-British bona fides due to his role in the Rebellion of Lower Canada, and looked to secure for Quebec the greatest possible autonomy.

By avoiding an argument for independence, Cartier was able to present himself as an eager new American. He knew that America would not tolerate any independent nations in the West, and so instead argued for a status similar to what Finland had to Russia. He noted that Quebec would be reliably anti-British, if only there was a receptive ruler to its needs; their land privileges, their church, and their culture. McClellan was receptive to the argument, noting that in the hundreds of years since the conquest by Britain, Quebec had proven impossible to assimilate by Britain. But he was fully convinced when Cartier promised to lead an elected Commonwealth government and provide soldiers for the royal army.

Cartier walked away with an impressive haul; Quebec was made a Grand Duchy (though integrated territoriality in the Kingdom), with the Queen ruling as Grand Duchess over an autonomous Quebec, tied to America by foreign policy, currency, trade, and the military. The Royal Family gave patronage to several Catholic churches and French language universities, gave privileges to the French language, and even sponsored several burgeoning Quebecois companies to help industrialize the region. Cartier was hailed as a master statesman, and elected governor of the Commonwealth; he further helped McClellan by ensuring Quebec sent a full contingent of Senators and Congressmen for the Royalist party.

With McClellan able to pass a Canada solution, and peace reigning in the nation, America looked to move on from its "Decade of War". Dr. Henry Jones of the Royal Archaeological Society provided a welcome distraction with his work in Egypt, discovering incredible burial tombs. He discovered dozens of Egyptian artifacts and sent them back to America. The artifacts prompted a wave of interest in Egyptian style, including architecture; several obelisks were relocated to America, and there was discussions of creating new ones, including for the now destroyed King Henry monument.

After a decade of rebellion and war, the Queen hoped to at last turn her eyes towards an aspect of great importance to her; the marriage of her son, Crown Prince Frederick. At age 21, he was as of yet still unmarried, and after the Canadian War many royal houses were unwilling to be affiliated with America due to fears of Britain. Many observers thought that Prince Frederick would marry a German princess, but the Queen was in opposition; she had plans to marry her daughter to the Crown Prince of Prussia, but was worried that if America only kept up relations with Germany, then America would become dependent on Berlin for foreign policy decisions. There was only one court that had the power and prestige to defy London, and had ample reason to do so.

That answer was Russia. The only daughter of Tsar Alexander II, Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, would be turning 16 and he was seeking allies against Britain as he continued Russia's expansion south. In his eyes, America was the perfect ally for Russia; antagonistic towards Britain, but it did not carry the European issues that an alliance with Germany would have. Further, there was the matter of Alaska; many in Russia saw a war on the horizon with Britain as Russia continued to attempt to expand south, and many felt that Alaska would be lost. In their eyes, a royal match and a sale of Alaska could be combined to make for a very lucrative deal for Russia.

The Russian Minister to America, Eduard de Stoeckl, negotiated a strong agreement; the royal houses of Russia and America would be tied together through the marriages of Frederick and Maria, but also the Kingdom of America would purchase Alaska for the sum of $9 million dollars. Further, Queen Charlotte gave a guarantee that in the event of war between Britain and Russia, America would pressure Germany to not intervene, and that America herself would join the Russian side if France were to join Britain.

On July 4th, 1869, a grand ceremony was held in New York, at the Royal Oheka Palace; the Tsar attended, the first ever trip to America by a Russian sovereign. America was so eager for the match, that there was an acceptance that Maria would keep her Orthodox faith: they even conducted a second, Orthodox service. The Queen was determined to make up face from the ceremony not being held in Columbia (as it continued to rebuild). She insisted on a lavish wedding feast, with dozens upon dozens of courses. The Tsar looked pale throughout the entire ceremony and said afterwards: "It is for her happiness, but the light of my life has gone out." Maria was given a significant dowry of jewels which she hoped would become prizes of the American monarchy she hoped to perpetuate. From the Queen, the couple were given Oheka Palace as a residence in New York, and Prince Frederick expressed desire to continue his education at Columbia while commanding the nearby Fort Hamilton.

Before settling in though, Frederick wanted to tour the country as his mother and father had. Introducing his wife to his future subjects, the couple visited much much of New England, the Midwest, and controversially, the South. The couple received a raucous welcome in the South, and the prince visited several of his former war colleagues, but was outraged at the conditions veterans lived in. Prince Frederick promised he would take up their cause to his mother and McClellan. "Perhaps republicanism, sectionalism, or slavery caused their first rebellion" wrote Frederick "but their second will be caused by their abject and miserable poverty".

Prince Frederick personally lobbied his mother and McClellan for a bill to fully reintegrate the South into the country once more, both politically and economically. Queen Charlotte was hesitant, and did not want to give any quarter to traitors,. McClellan was more sympathetic; aside from the region's African American population, he knew the Liberal Party was quite unpopular in the South, and that, if certain liberal and radical constituencies were prevented from voting, the South could be a reliable source of votes for the Royalist party. After McClellan promised to remain harsh on unrepentant traitors, the Queen gave McClellan the authority to create civilian governance once more for the South.

Enter William Hugh Smith, Royal Governor of Alabama and a member for the Society of American Imperialism. He was a slave owner before the war, but stayed loyal to the Crown. He had the ear of the Queen, and was well-respected even among Liberals due to his unionist credentials. He had seen the fruits of reparations paid to him for his lost slaves, and he had used that money to open a textile mill in Alabama, to great profit. And he felt that a new Southern Reconstruction bill could create men like him, and could also make him very, very rich.

On the surface, the plan he proposed was simple enough. The government would put up a temporary tariff to finance, and then protect, several new textile mills and clothes factories in the South. Good, well paying jobs for men, women, and children would be available in cities like Atlanta, Jackson, Montgomery, and Charleston.

But beneath was a potentially more sinister plot, one that allegedly implicated the royal family, including Prince Frederick and Queen Charlotte. The money appropriated by the bill was to ensure factories were created via loans, but Smith ensured that the beneficiaries were the politically well-connected (former traitors incidentally did not receive any benefit). However, this was hidden from the general public, and many were none the wiser other than complaints over higher prices from the tariffs.

In Puerto Rico, brutal conditions came to a head with the rebellion at Lares. American troops quickly put down the revolt with particular cruelty, and in an effort to prevent further rebellions, Pinkerton was authorized to establish a Secret Service branch in San Juan. The Secret Service quickly made a name for itself by using bribes to infiltrate and divide communities, and hauling off dissidents to a secret Secret Service prison in Cuba.

The stories of the tensions in Puerto Rico held little currency on the mainland though. Many were instead enjoying the era of peace and prosperity, including the rebuilding of Columbia. The royal capital was not yet fully restored, but the city center now featured wide avenues, a grand opera houses, a museum and a rebuilt and vastly expanded White Palace, influenced not only by leading German, Russian, and French architects, but also with some Egyptian elements. Prince Frederick, coming into a particularly large amount of money, began financing the construction of several buildings in Greco-Roman and Medieval style; in particular he began construction of his own castle in Northern Virginia, desiring an estate close to the capital so that he would not be required to stay at the White Palace when he traveled.

One particular monument that was being constructed was the "Hall of Victories" (artist's interpretation above), commemorating America's constant victories. It was planned to be a monument and hall of fame to American victory, and there were plans to move the royal crypt here, as well as develop a city square around the building.

The Egyptian revival continued with the discovery of the Tutankhamen tomb by Dr. Jones. A group of newly rich industrialists from the South pushed money into Egyptian revivalist architecture in Columbia and elsewhere, including, most ostentatiously, a pyramid in the city of Memphis.

Peace was treating America well, but it would be expected that one day, American men would be called to serve. On September 11th, 1870, the SS Columbia, docking in Hainan for emergency repairs, exploded in the harbor. Immediately foul play was assumed, and the Chinese were ordered to pay a massive indemnity. The Taiping refused, calling for a proper investigation and denying any wrongdoing. In face of this bullheadedness, America had only one recourse:

War.

 

[Baltimorehero33]

Two months later, the British Empire, in hopes of preserving the Turks in the face of Russia's defense of their Christian minorities (and confident America would not retaliate) intervened in what was now being called "The Crimean War". America, true to its word, sent a strongly worded message supporting Russia to Paris, and a softer message to Berlin emphasizing the same. Despite the fact that there were doubts the American Navy could do much against Britain, stayed neutral (war not being a particularly popular subject for the French at the moment), and America further supported Russia with war subsidies in hopes of helping the Tsar vex the British.

The Second Sino-American War would be a short one. The Taiping were constantly dealing with rebelllions and infighting between the regional kingdoms, and Tianjing was once again occupied with barely a fight Scattered Taiping units attempted to put up some resistance, but the disciplined Royal Army took barely any casualties.

As American interests continued to expand across the Pacific, one chain of islands fell under the eye of the Kingdom of America. Hawaii, a strategic location in the Pacific between California and China, was visited by the HMS Neptune and a full contingent of Royal Marines. Queen Liliʻuokalani was disposed but was given the title "Duchess of Hawaii" in recognition of her former title, and several wealthy Americans were able to purchase Hawaiian land for pennies on the dollar (often under coercion), though the estates of the Hawaiian royal family were left untouched.

From Berlin joyous news came that Princess Charlotte Louise and Crown Princes Frederick of Germany welcomed the heir to the German throne, Prince Wilhelm, named for his grandfather. In Princess Charlotte's honor, the German government contributed to the rebuilding of Columbia with the construction of the German-American Friendship Garden, which was to include several statues of the shared Hohenzollern ancestors, a pavilion, and a museum of art.

Eventually, the Taiping were once again forced to sue to peace, and victorious American armies took Chinese treasures, forced the Taiping to agree to pay tribute, and perhaps most importantly, took the silk producing city of Jiaxing as a treaty port. Several Southern factories began producing luxury clothes; some designers hoped that Savannah and New Orleans would by synonymous with Paris for new fashions.

In July of 1871, a dangerous ideology emerged in the country of Belgium called "Communism". Calling for a revolution and reordering of society, these Communists were considered enemies to the crown. Some radical members of the Workingmen's Party turned to this ideology and split with their former comrades. They called their new party "The Majority", implying that they alone spoke for America. Pinkerton was unable to legally suppress the political party, but he did make sure to harass its members and when possible arrest them for unrelated crimes.

At the end of 1872, America cemented itself as the most prestigious of great powers, despite its economy and military being smaller than powers such as Germany and Britain.

The Kingdom of America, now including Alaska. Connecting Alaska with Pacifica should be a top priority.

Canadians only make up 5% of the Kingdom's population. Some 50% of the American population could reliably be counted on to support the crown, but there were worries about the socialist and liberal factions within the country.

America's political situation

The world in 1872

 

[Baltimorehero33]

And so 1872 comes to an end, with a nice respite of peace. While we wait for our truce with Britain to end, shall we:

1. Annex more Mexican states?
2. Conquer Uruguay? Another South American country?
3. Expand into Africa?
4. Expand in Asia?

Let me know your thoughts!

 

[zenphoenix]

I would recommend annexing more of Mexico (I presume there's still an "All of Mexico" movement) and conquering a South American country, preferably one bordering your provinces because of border gore. As for African and Asian expansion, I feel that's a little gamey, because I've seen so many people do that in their AARs (almost always suspiciously targeting the resource-rich and population-heavy areas). If you want to be truly unique, try invading Australia and New Zealand instead.

 

[stnylan]

Well surely you want to turn the while Caribbean into a more complete Mare Nostrum?

 

[guillec87]

subbed!

 

[Baltimorehero33]

Kings of America (1872-1876)

Following the Second Sino-American War, matters in East Asia became increasingly important for the fiscal health of the American monarchy. Tribute from China was no longer a luxury, but rather a necessity. Jiaxing's silk plantations were necessary for America's textile industry, and Chinese silver paid for generous tax breaks for the rich and middle class. However, increased competition with Britain and even Japan forced Columbia to reassess their East Asia strategy.

There were two approaches championed, one by each branch of the military. And though it was couched in various terms of military strategy, the value of imperialism, and commerce, the underlying issue was who would receive the lion's share of the military budget: Army or Navy?

The Army saw East Asia as a "periphery interest" that did not directly impact American prosperity. They argued for a continued alliance with the Shogunate of Japan to protect Korea (which they regarded as little better than a white elephant) and American interests in Asia, and that the navy should, in the event of war, focus on protecting America's coastline from blockade. They worried that an overstretched American empire in Asia would be vulnerable to the British, and, more importantly in their eyes, that in the event of war, gains in Canada might have to be traded to recover losses in Asia.

The Navy vehemently disagreed. The Navy argued that by expanding America's mere presence in East Asia, it would force Britain to split its own fleet in the event of war to protect India. This could allow the Navy greater operational freedom, though it would necessitate a shipbuilding program. They saw Vietnam and Indonesia as strategically the most important assets in a hypothetical war against Britain, due to its ability to be a staging ground to attack British Singapore, India, and Australia. As such, they wanted to acquire basing rights, peacefully or otherwise.

Though McClellan found himself naturally sympathetic to the Army's arguments, there was significant political pressure for him to back the Navy's plan. Most shipyards were in the Northeast, and the Congressmen in the region were worried that McClellan's seeming favoritism to the South would drive voters into the arms of the Liberals, even in McClellan's own seat in New Jersey. A naval build up would be a major boon to the local economy, and they argued it was long due after the subsidies given to the Southern textile industry. On the other side, Prince Frederick vehemently lobbied for a focus on continuing military expansion in the Americas, and Queen Charlotte wisely used an excuse to visit New York City to avoid taking sides. Prime Minister McClellan decided to propose and pass "The Naval Construction Bill of 1872" and agreed to dispatch an envoy to Vietnam to negotiate the purchase of a naval base. Prince Frederick personally wrote to McClellan, calling him "a wasteful fool whose prime thinking years are well behind him", causing McClellan to remark to his wife "The young prince must be learning from his wife and father in law...woe to his Prime Minister who will need to teach His Highness the Constitution".

Along with the Naval Construction Bill, McClellan agreed to push forward a bill outlawing child labor throughout the Kingdom. William Smith, and many landowners in Mexico, disagreed with the bill vehemently, but McClellan and Pinkerton were convinced that the effort was necessary to dull the impact of the Workingmen and the Majority parties.

McClellan saw his political fortunes boosted with the success of his Homestead Act. Windsor, Ontario (just across the bay from Detroit) had an American majority by 1872, something Minister for Canada Partridge was quite proud of. Canadians increasingly assimilated into larger American society, and some cities such as Toronto were growing rapidly, flush with American capital and immigrants.

One further drive causing immigrants to move to Canada was The Great Chicago Fire, leaving 100,000 Americans homeless. Many looked to move North for a promise of free land, while the city of Chicago was rebuilt in a new style that reflected the rapidly industrializing America.

The Royal Navy, flush with confidence in their political victory, made moves to capitalize on the position. A basing agreement was consolidated with Spain and Taiwan, both of whom were considered in the American sphere of influence, but Vietnam was a tougher nut to crack. The court had poor relations with the West, and made clear in no uncertain terms that the Americans would not be welcome in the region. However, the American Navy was undeterred.

On August 1st, American warships entered the Gulf of Tonkin, ostensibly on a mission to hunt pirates. The Vietnamese navy, though small, was undeterred in meeting the Americans and demanding they depart. The Americans, lead by Captain Bolton Porter (son of the powerful Admiral David Dixon Porter), demanded that the Vietnamese submit themselves to inspection, which was refused, and in response, Porter fired upon the Vietnamese.

American chain of command in Asia was not entirely clear. Officially, the royal governor, Peter Parker, had wide latitude to guide the Royal Army and Navy absent guidance from Columbia, but Governor Parker was struggling with a bout with cancer and was in no position to do anything. Admiral John Rogers, a good friend of the Porter family, used Porter's actions to justify the embarkment not only of the fleet, but the 6,000 Royal Marines as well.

General Michael Smith, commander of American forces in Asia, was outraged, and put in a delicate situation. With the departure of the marines, the Royal Army of Asia numbered 3,000 white men and 21,000 Koreans; a dangerous proposition. Urged on by his subordinate, Brigadier General George Custer, Smith begrudgingly agreed to go along with Rogers' plan, and asked the Navy for transport to Vietnam.

On August 24th, McClellan was informed that the Vietnamese had declared war on America, a situation he was utterly confused upon hearing of it. The acting royal governor assured McClellan that there was no cause for alarm, and that American forces in the theater were more than enough to subdue the Vietnamese.

Upon embarking at Hai Phong, General Smith felt the effects of tropical disease, and delegated the forces to Custer, who also took command of the Royal Marines. Custer was by nature a cavalryman, and though Vietnam was less than ideal terrain, he felt the principles of a quick, rapid strike would ensure a quick victory. The Army embarked on a rapid day and night march to Hanoi, where they caught the Vietnamese off-guard. The Americans set up camp outside Hanoi on September 1st and the Vietnamese hesitated to attack; the city fell on September 2nd to Custer's assault and the Emperor was captured.

The city was captured just in time for the celebration of the 18th birthday for Princess Pacifica. Custer had dedicated the city of Hanoi to her as a birthday present, a source of some awkwardness between the Navy and Army, as each tried to claim credit for success in the region. Still, it was a royal celebration, and officers from both sides were on their best behavior until later that evening.

Rumors abound on what was later to be called "The Garden Party incident", but the most widely accepted version of events is that Princess Pacifica had taken to wandering about a hedge maze with three hussar officers, who had offered the Princess a taste of whiskey. Two naval lieutenants, also wandering the maze, happened upon them, and were appalled at the behavior of the "noble" officers. The naval officers insisted they escort the princess back to the party, while the hussars told the lieutenants to "get lost". Princess Pacifica then wondered aloud which group was the strongest, and asked the two groups to fight "Like you are Arthurian knights".

When eye witnesses arrived, Princess Pacifica was calmly sitting on a nearby bench, with five men on the ground heavily injured with bleeding and multiple broken bones. The incident was quickly suppressed, though it did much to encourage animosity between the Army and the Navy. Queen Charlotte and Prince Julius agreed that it would be best to try to find Pacifica a husband in Europe quickly.

In Vietnam, Custer won victory after victory against the Vietnamese nobles, and forced other strongholds to submit to him by showing the captive Emperor. The Vietnamese landscape was more effective in killing Americans than their bullets, with their muskets horribly outdated. Custer quickly realized that his success meant much more than a port or two could be acquired; he realized that if he was aggressive enough, all of Vietnam could be conquered.

The Vietnamese realized that fighting Custer in the field was impossible, so they tried another tactic; hit and run. But Custer was more than able to deal with them. With the villages, Custer used measures to instill fear and obedience into the peasantry, ranging from the mild (kowtowing to passing American soldiers) to the extreme (kidnapping hostages to force obedience). The peasants were not particularly loyal to the dynasty, and would often inform on any guerrillas in hopes the Americans might spare their village.

Almost one year later, the Vietnamese at last were brought under control of the American crown, in a war that many Americans were not initially aware was even occurring. The Vietnamese Emperor was allowed to be a puppet in Hue, while General Custer and the renamed Army of Vietnam made their command center in Saigon.

Admiral Rogers took the opportunity to press the reeling Taiping for concessions in Southern China. The warlord of Guangxi had broken free from the Taiping Emperor and established his own dynasty, and with their control of the South diminished, America was able to secure control over Kwangchowan, a port they hoped would rival Hong Kong.

Despite two decades of being ruled by a woman, the social situation for women had barely improved. But in 1874, national controversy emerged when a woman by the name of Agatha Thornwood looked to enroll in the University of Kansas. Thornwood was denied, and embarked on a sensational campaign that won the support of prominent women, including the Queen and Duchess Christina of New York. The Queen wrote "In my time as the pillar of the nation, I have learned that far too often it is the men, not the women, who are hysterical and unreasonable..." The Queen ordered King Henry College to begin admitting female students for the first time in its history, a that many supported outside of Kansas. Ms. Thornwood would be given a full scholarship to King Henry College, and would study architecture.

Within a year of its acquisition, Kwangchowan had quickly become a prominent port, becoming quite wealthy from its proximity to Canton and American Vietnam.

By the end of 1874, the Secret Service had grown to be one of the most powerful organs of power for the crown. Several thousand "Queensmen" were scattered across American territories in secret, conducting surveillance, assassinations, and blackmail against enemies of the crown, and could be backed up by a large force known as "The Queen's Hand". Several secret prison camps were operated throughout the country, and there was even a special division assigned to keep watch over senators. The latest in victories seemed to come with the arrest and execution of 47 Klu Klux Klan members, which was widely seen as an end to the Klan's power in the South.

And yet after this great arrest, not five days later in Chicoutimi, Quebec, Communist agitators began inciting disobedience to the Crown. Minister Partridge quickly used the Secret Service agents under his control to disperse the rioters, and though there was some fear that there might be a rising, none occurred; one week later, Partridge road through Chicoutimi in an open carriage (though accompanied by a few plain clothes Queensmen).

Queen Charlotte summoned Pinkerton and the leaders of the Secret Service, including Partridge, Whitley, and Wood to a meeting to discuss what she saw as the priorities of the royal state and to solicit their feedback. The meeting lasted several days, and a consensus was reached.

Ultimately, a communist or republican revolution was considered the biggest threat to the Crown. Partridge noted that the rebellion he put down in Quebec was motivated not by nationalism, but from the fact that the local economy was in shambles and the poor were increasingly desperate. He advocated for reforms such as pensions and healthcare to ensure the people saw the crown as a provider and protector, not an oppressor. Whitley felt that the African populace needed to be accommodated and protected as quickly as possible, and noted that anti-black laws in the South and the Caribbean would provide for ample recruitment fodder. And Wood noted that many in the Kingdom were seething at the corruption, noting that the rich not only paid nothing in taxes, but also routinely gained interest free loans paid straight from the treasury, noting that the Radicals were susceptible in part due to the corruption that existed under the Whigs and Grand Party.

The Secret Service settled on a strategy that would emphasize infiltration of worker groups to steer them from revolution and to labor reform movements. it was accepted that violence and intimidation were effective tools, but only when it was down in secrecy and where nothing could be traced back to the throne. Meanwhile the Queen agreed to look to push through social reforms. It was also agreed that the disagreements between the Army and Navy were becoming an issue, and that an eye would be kept on them as well.

Confident after seemingly winning a public relations coup with Ms. Thornwood, Queen Charlotte looked to further expand the rights of women. In one of her first public speeches since the Rebellion, the Queen spoke at length of the need for women to be on equal footing with men. She pushed McClellan to pass a bill granting women the right to vote and run for office, something that though he personally disagreed with, he acquiesced to in obedience to his Queen.

 

[Baltimorehero33]

In early 1875, Prince Frederick had become a major leader of the Army establishment, and used his status as crown prince to push for further war against Mexico. Specifically, there was desire to capture the gold mines of Durango and to force Mexico to agree to allow American troops through the country. When Mexico refused, Frederick convinced his mother that it was an insult that had to be retaliated against. War was declared on January 10th.

Mexican forces were quickly overwhelmed, though they did manage to bloody the Americans in a few battles. But it was quickly made apparent both in terms of numbers, quality, and equipment, the reformed Royal Army was vastly superior to the Mexican forces, as was the Royal Navy with its powerful new ironclads.

Far away in Russia, things were becoming increasingly difficult for the monarchy. The defeat in the Crimean war shook confidence in the monarchy, and forced the Tsar to abolish serfdom in the empire. However, he did so haphazardly and without any aid for serfs to integrate into society as peasants. Many were kicked off their land by their former feudal masters and starved, prompting an angry army of ex-serfs to march on St. Petersburg petitioning for aid.

A priest led the procession, and begged the soldiers of the Tsar to let them through so they might ask the Tsar to relieve their plight. Instead, a soldier shot into the crowd, sending them into an uproar. They charged the guards who fled, and in confusion, a man named Oleg Ivanov took advantage and egged the crowd into an uprising. They sacked an arsenal, arming some 25,000 men and took control of St. Petersburg. The Tsar, fearful for his life, crossed in disguise to Finland with his servants carrying the Romanov imperial treasures. He attempted to restore order from Finland, but subsequent risings in Moscow, Riga, Warsaw, Vilna, Kovno, Tiflis, Baku, Batum, and the Baltic region caused the collapse of the Russian monarchy.

In its place, a new republic was declared, with Ivanov as President. The nobility of Finland were pressured by Ivanov to hand over the Tsar, but the Finns quietly helped the Tsar escape; some fled to Denmark or Germany, but the Tsar himself went to America in hopes of seeing his daughter and perhaps getting aid to restore his throne. Crown Princess Maria was in utter shock and she lobbied the Queen personally to help her father, though both knew that would be impossible without Germany's help.

The ripple effects were quickly felt throughout the world, and in America in particular, it reminded the Queen that the Secret Service had been nothing but correct; when labor attempted to organize in Nebraska into a socialist union, the local governor had hoped to use the militia to disperse them, but the Queen ordered him to do nothing.

One major demand from the reformers was an improved education system so their children might have better opportunities. The Americans modeled theirs after the Prussian school system, complete with military drill, a pledge of allegiance, uniforms, and long school days. Students were given 1 week off in the summer over 4th of July, 1 week off for Christmas, as well as some festival days such as Thanksgiving, the day after Easter, and the Queen's birthday. Though the school system was rigid, and areas outside the cities did not enforce the rules as strictly, the American educational system did what it was promised to; it raised a new generation of Americans and prepared them for the middle class.

After a mere five months of fighting, Mexico had been the victim of a jaunty and one-sided defeat, and forced to agree to humiliating terms. Many felt that Mexico was ripe for annexation though there were some calls to puppet the nation instead.

In the East, the Russians were joined by the French in an "Entente Republican" alliance, and worked together to dismantle the Ottoman Empire, hoping to set up a string of republics in the Balkans. The Queen looked to see if it might be possible, with German aid, to use the crisis as a pretext to restoring the Tsar to his throne. However, Emperor Frederick III, her son in law, was unwilling to fight a two-front war that Britain might intervene in as revenge for Germany's participation in the Canadian War.

In Vietnam, General Custer kept himself busy, being appointed Military Governor of Indochina. He brought Luang Prabang under American hegemony by fighting the Black Flag Army, which he saw as an excellent response to the British control of India. He worried that the region might be susceptible to British attack, and noted to McClellan that in the event of war, Vietnam would likely be lost.

After victories in both Vietnam and in Mexico, the Queen felt it appropriate for another victory parade in Columbia. She invited Frederick III and her daughter to the capital for a full day of festivities and parade, and some Cossacks who had fled the Russian republic marched as the first ever American Cossack regiment.

Late 1875, the Great Eastern Crisis rages on; the Ottomans are losing in Turkey but are gaining ground in North Africa.

The American elections of 1876 bring to America their first ever female congresswomen. One such woman is Duchess Christina of New York, who used her vast wealth to become a Senator, surprising many observers.

As 1875 came to an end, Queen Charlotte was focused on several important milestones. Her 50th birthday was approaching, as was the centennial of America's independence, which would likely stir anti-British feelings. Her soldiers and sailors were preparing for another war for final control over Canada, though she wanted to ensure the Royal Navy was prepared. In 1879 she would have her Silver Jubilee, and by then she wanted to ensure Canada was conquered, her South American holdings expanded, and ideally, her daughters Pacifica and Columbia married.

The situation in China; Russia has taken more and more concessions from China, while Mongolia, Qinghai, Guizhou, and Pingnan Guo are now all independent from the Heavenly Kingdom.

The American population. The Yankees make up only 1/3 of the population, and Conservatives and Reactionaries now make up only 40% of the populace. The Vietnamese are America's second largest ethnic group.

An in depth look at the Great Powers. Though American industry still lags behind Germany and the United Kingdom, the Queen is confident that this would not be the case permanently.

Now, with nearly 100 years of nationhood complete, America looks forward to her next 100; what shall the future hold?

 

[Baltimorehero33]

I was actually a bit surprised I was able to pump this out so quickly, but I wanted to get a special 4th of July update out

Now that we are at 1876, we have a few different options to go forward. What should our course of action be:

1. Celebrate 100 years of independence with war against Britain?
2. Attack Dutch Indonesia while we build our navy further (monitors now) and then attack Britain?

And in the future, 3. Mexico: puppet, or annexed?

 

[zenphoenix]

I was actually a bit surprised I was able to pump this out so quickly, but I wanted to get a special 4th of July update out

Now that we are at 1876, we have a few different options to go forward. What should our course of action be:

1. Celebrate 100 years of independence with war against Britain?
2. Attack Dutch Indonesia while we build our navy further (monitors now) and then attack Britain?

And in the future, 3. Mexico: puppet, or annexed?

Fight Britain and annex Mexico, of course.

 

[stnylan]

Well, one is called the Kingdom of America. Surely one will not let other pretenders continue to hold land that is justly yours?

 

[guillec87]

war and blood!

 

[Baltimorehero33]

Wow, quite a bit of support for annexation of the North and South. Her Majesty will surely consider it