1918 1916 – The Carranza government in Mexico issues an ultimatum to Washington that no longer will American troops be tolerated on Mexican soil, issuing demands that if the American troops in Mexico are not removed in 3 days then war will be the only recourse left to Mexico. President Wilson declares that American troops will remain in Mexico until Pancho Villa has been captured or killed and until it is certain that American soil and assets within Mexico are secure from danger. The deadline passes and the Mexican Army begins launching attacks to remove the invading American forces from their soil. After several large offensives by both sides the war quickly bogs down into a stalemate of trench warfare. 1918 – A renewed German Spring Offensive breaks through British and French lines in Northern France utilizing Sturmstruppen, small groups of men armed with grenades and flamethrowers, etc. to infiltrate enemy lines and break through their weak points. The offensive is sufficient to push the Anglo-French forces behind the Seine River and allow German forces to enter Paris. The French capital is removed to Le Mans as the Germans approach the capital after the failure of the French counteroffensive, and there are mass desertions and mutinies from the French army. A weeklong fit of brutal street fighting in Paris claims the lives of some 60,000 people, mostly civilians, as the German invaders take control of Paris. The French government asks for an armistice, independent from the British, news is leaked to the media and there is a general strike across France in response to the news and outrage in Great Britain over the French cowardice. With the collapse of the French forces Germany is free to focus on aiding the Austro-Hungarian push into Italy, which had only recently entered the war on the Allied side. Romania and Serbia were fully overrun by Austro-Hungarian forces and were inducted into the empire as full provinces. The Serbian Army retreats into Italy for safety. With the full pressure of both Germany and Austria-Hungary being exerted upon her Italy follows the French lead and asks for an armistice. In the face of desertion by their allies the British vowed to fight on. The peace terms are laid out for the French, drawn in black and white: · France will make massive war reparations to Germany for the cost of the war. · France will trade with Germany on “equal” terms (German goods will cost less than domestic French goods). · Germany shall receive all French colonies as a “protectorate” until such time that they shall be released (if ever). · The French army and navy are limited in the size and constitution of their forces. As such Germany will take possession of all banned weapons within French territory including 80% of their navy. · The German Navy and merchants will have full and free access to all of France’s free Atlantic ports, and refueling rights therein. · No foreign troops will be allowed to enter French soil. · And last and definitely not least, as an addition of insult to injury, Germany will annex all of France above the Seine and occupy Paris for the next 15 years. 1919 - Against better judgment and in the face of renewed warfare by the Germans accompanied by worse set peace terms the French government signs the Treaty of Mainz. Similar but less harsh terms are forced upon the Italians at a conference in Vienna; No foreign troops, equal trade, loss of the province of Veneto to Austria, and the limitation of arms and forces. However Italy grants all Serbian forces within her borders citizenship prior to the signing of the treaty allowing them to stay without violation. The British forces within France are outraged by the treaty and vow to continue the fight; an attempted offensive by the British army begins, causing numerous casualties to the Germans due to the use of tanks by the British. Germany is outraged, and issues France a first and final warning; if the British are not brought to heel and expelled from French soil then war will come again and will not end until the new German border is with Spain. The French reluctantly comply, escorting British troops to the Channel ports and on their way back to Britain. British troops bristle at this disgrace and several skirmishes break out between the French forces and the Brits. In the end the British comply with France’s wishes and withdraw under armed guard of the French Army, those that had not deserted or mutinied at any rate. In the French ports the French navy had been recalled and was being readied to be transported to Germany in the Baltic. British naval commanders considered this unacceptable and ordered that the French ships be sunk while at dock, regardless of the fact that they were still crewed by French sailors. The event that followed came to be known to the French people and most of the world as the Massacre of Biscay as numerous French ships were sunk during the dead of night with all hands aboard. The Massacre served to inflame the French public against the British, and begin a long, and burning hatred of the British by France. Late in 1919 Germany and Great Britain entered into negotiations for a cessation of hostilities between them. The talks were held in Luxembourg, and were slow and rough. Finally after three months of pounding out suitable terms the war between Germany and Great Britain ended. The terms primarily were the following: · Belgium shall remain independent from both powers and a neutral government shall be set in place. · Great Britain shall gain control of the French Asian colonies as well as those of Germany, having already been lost to war. · The two powers would divide up the French African colonies with the Germans getting East Africa, and allowing the British “Cairo to Capetown” railway to pass through their territory. · Lithuania, most of Poland, and all of occupied France become part of Germany. · Ukraine, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland are to become independent nations under the German sphere of influence, after having been established under a German “protectorate” under the rule of German princes (same as French colonies mentioned above). · Great Britain will recognize the gains of Austria-Hungary in Italy and the inclusion of Serbia-Montenegro and Romania into their empire. The treaty ends the war and begins the peace, serving to satisfy the Germans, Austro-Hungarians, and the British to an extent, yet left simmering discontent and bitterness within France and Italy. Across the Atlantic at about the same point in time that the Germans’ Spring Offensive pierced French lines, the American forces organized their own offensive. Using tactics from both Germany and Britain in Europe American army forces ruptured the long-standing Mexican defenses that stretched across northern Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas. American forces poured through the gap, sweeping south at breakneck speed, preventing the formation of any serious trenches or defensive lines. Threatened with total collapse and the continuous conflict with the various rebel groups the Carranza government seeks a cease-fire in exchange for aid against the rebels. The Americans are receptive to peace and readily enter into summit. After the summit ends, nearly in half the time required for the French and Germans, American army forces set to work with the cooperation of the Mexican army into hunting down and eradicating or integrating into Mexican society the various rebel groups. The American cooperation is not free though, the terms of the Treaty of San Antonio require several efforts by the Mexican government: · Free elections by the end of 1920. · Reforms in the government, and the end of widespread corruption. · Modernization efforts with aid from American industries. · Free and equal trade with America. · America has the authority to intervene in Mexican foreign or internal affairs or send troops into Mexico to protect their national interests at any time The Mexican government is not happy with the terms of the treaty but will abide by them. The Mexican people see this treaty as yet another degrading persecution from their giant northern neighbor. The end of 1919 had brought the Great War to an end, but the peace was just beginning and would be a greater struggle than the war that preceded it. The Peace to End All Peace The Not-So-Central Powers The Ottoman Empire collapses under its own weight and war with Britain, while Bulgaria does not make peace with the Allies, and is forced into a rough peace treaty with them by the other Central Powers, costing them some of their gains in territory in exchange for peace. The Rise of Fascism Fascist governments are established first in Italy as the Serbian army in Italy supports the Fascists under Mussolini as their best chance at liberating Serbia. The next nation to fall under its sway is France, followed by Greece, Bulgaria, and finally Spain. France becomes the center of the Roman Pact, the alliance of Fascist Europe. The Roman Pact is so named for its resemblance to the old Roman Empire, and its air of power, dignity, and prestige that defined the Roman Empire. The Roman Pact enters into an alliance of convenience with Japan. On the other side of the world Mexico suffers under the weight of the Great Depression, and a simmering discontent over the peace treaty that ended the Great War. The National Salvation Front (Mexican Fascist party) leader Eduardo Ramon Puertas rides to the presidency on a wave of nationalism and discontent with the current government, their policies, and the treaty of San Antonio. Following his election both Japan and the Roman Pact begin modernizing Mexico and supplying it with modern weapons. Civil War breaks out in Spain between Loyalists, and the Fascists with England and Germany supporting the Loyalists, while the Roman Pact sends aid in the form of “volunteer” combat units, modern armor, and air power to the Fascists. Spain becomes a testing ground for advanced weapons and tactics. After the victory of the Fascist forces in the Spanish Civil War, the other fascist powers in Europe make a tantalizing and potentially beneficial offer to Spain; join the Roman Pact and we will modernize, update, and rebuild Spain into a new world power. Spain’s acceptance of this offer brought the vast majority of the Iberian Peninsula under fascist power and threatened the Straits of Gibraltar, the other side effect of Spain’s entry into the Roman Pact was bringing in more territory, experienced troops and arms production to offset those of Germany and Austria-Hungary. Communism in Russia, or lack thereof, and the Effects of the Russian Civil War Following Germany’s success in the West, Germany once again turned her attentions East to Russia and her raging civil war. It was time to decide which side to help lose, not win, because in their minds it was a shame that they both couldn’t lose. In the end the Kaiser decides that the Whites are the lesser of two evils. Communism is a loathsome system wholly opposed to everything that Imperial Germany and her allies stand for. Russia nominally becomes a constitutional monarchy with a powerless czar on the throne and Kornilov as his Prime Minister, but in practice it is a military dictatorship with Kornilov at the helm. After 15 years Russia is confident enough to demand the return of the Ukraine, and the rest of their former territories, the Germans do not even respond. Russia begins sending out feelers to the Roman Pact countries and Japan, warming their relations despite their differences in ideology. When Russia crippled by Civil war, Byelorussia, Kokanistan (Kazakhstan and Kirgizstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan), and the Trans-Caucasus Republic all formed breakaway republics. These republics maintained their independence due to the crippling destruction the civil war brought to the Russian Empire. The Forging of New Alliances Britain is fearful of the path that France and the rest of the Roman Pact have chosen to follow, it stinks of a new world war, and there is a roiling anti-British sentiment at the heart of the Roman Pact, blaming the British, Americans, Communists, Capitalists, and Democracies of the world for their loss in the First World War. When Russia and the Roman Pact begin talks of alliance, Britain is forced to assume the worst, and begins looking for her own allies. Britain is forced to look realistically at the situation; Japan is gearing up for a major confrontation in the Pacific, eyeing the British colonies, and anxious of America’s power in the region. In Europe, the Roman Pact dominates Western and far Southeastern Europe, and Russia is not a viable alternative thanks to their warming relations and impending alliance with Japan and the Roman Pact. The only option left to the British, no matter how they loathe it, is the remaining Central Powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary and the Nordic League. Britain is not eager to consider America as an ally as they are a potent rival in the Atlantic Naval Arms race, and have had no fewer than three near conflicts since the end of the Great War, as well as the American funding and arming of the Quebecois Revolution that created the Republic of Quebec. As soon as the Vladivostok Accords are signed and the Trinity Bloc is formed between the Roman Pact, White Russia, and Japan, Great Britain shocks the world by announcing their alliance with the Nordic League and the Central Powers creating the Combined Powers League, and forming the most potent naval force in the world. America begins a massive arms development program to counter this new threat to their power of the seas in both the Atlantic and the Pacific. The Trinity Bloc approaches and welcomes Mexico into the fold as an associate member. America begins fortifying their southern border, and expands their massive arms build up. With the threat to America in all directions an American alliance is formed to maintain their own neutrality: The American Alliance of Democracy. As the 1930’s near a close there are three great powers in the world: The Combined Powers League: Great Britain Imperial Germany Austria-Hungary Norway Sweden Finland Dominion of Canada Ukraine Latvia Estonia Africa India Middle East Turkey Hong Kong Singapore Australia New Zealand Byelorussia Kokanistan (Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan) Trans-Caucasus Republic The Trinity Bloc: Russia France Spain Italy Serbian Army in Italy Greece Bulgaria Mexico Japan American Alliance of Democracy United States of America Republic of Quebec Cuba Nicaragua Honduras Guatemala Belize El Salvador Dominican Republic Haiti Brazil Venezuela Columbia Discussion Forum