Global News Report
BRAZILIANS SEND FLEET TO NAPLES. Naples, Naples. In a move designed to antagonize the Spanish and support the new unification of Sicily and Naples, the Brazilians have dispatched a task force with two battleships to the Italian Peninsula. The Brazilian fleet set sail across the Atlantic Ocean, and upon arriving in the Mediterranean Sea, were immediately shadowed by the Spanish Home Fleet. The Spanish navy has viewed this as virtually an act of war itself, and were appalled at having to let the Brazilian fleet through the Strait of Gibraltar. The Spanish government has severely lost face at this debacle, particularly as Brazilian sailors antagonized watching Spaniards with obscene gestures and actions. Spanish papers have decried these actions, calling the Brazilians barely civilized brutes and lamenting that the Spanish government has fallen so far to allow them passage. Below Photograph a Brazilian Battleship off the coast of Naples
News from Europe
INFLUENZA SURGES IN FRANCE. Paris, Franco-Burgundian Confederation. After subsiding for nearly a year throughout Europe, the Brazilian Flu has returned with a vengeance to the western part of the continent. The strain of influenza has brought a heavy toll to the nations of the Triple Alliance, and once more raised its ugly head in Britain and Spain. Western Europe has suffered the most heavily this year, as the death climbs ever higher in the ongoing epidemic. The International Health Organization in Brussels has offered some advice on the matter, and has been doing their best to reduce the situation in Flanders. So far, it seems that the Flemish have actually suffered the least of all the nations in Western Europe, as the death toll has been negligible at worst, and contagion spread dramatically smaller than any other nation in the region. The Health Organization has attributed this to the cleanliness and order of the Flemish streets, which surpass the rest of the world in the quality of their sanitation and efficiency. Below are the death rates for this year's outbreaks:
Spoiler :
Brandenburg: 3 Manpower
Brittany: 6 Manpower
Denmark: 7 Manpower
Flanders: 1 Manpower
Franco-Burgundian Confederation: 11 Manpower, 1 Manpower per turn
Netherlands: 6 Manpower
Occitania: 7 Manpower
Spain: 4 Manpower
United Kingdom of Great Britain: 4 Manpower
RAILROADS BOMBED IN WESTERN AUSTRIA. Vaduz, Austria. A series of coordinated attacks were launched throughout what used to be Switzerland this year, as the Austrian military and railroad businesses came under direct attack. The attacks came in the form of a collection of devastating explosions, causing enormous casualties to a troop train transporting soldiers throughout the region. A follow-up attack further devastated the soldiers, though they managed to inflict some casualties among their attackers. Other military posts throughout the region were bombed or attacked by this organized movement, and they have had varying amounts of success. A number of key railroad bridges through the Alps were also demolish by explosions, dramatically hindering trade through the region to the Franco-Burgundian Confederation. The Swiss National Movement has claimed responsibility for the attacks, and vowed to continue their campaign until they achieve independence for their nation from both Austria and the Franco-Burgundian Confederation. The rallying call was heard throughout all the territories of what used to be Switzerland, and a number of sympathetic attacks were barely contained in both nations occupying the area. (-1 Infantry Brigade, -1 Stability for Austria and Franco-Burgundian Confederation)
REVITALIZED STRIKES IN CORSICA. Ajaccio, Corsica. Despite the cessation of worker rights in 1901, the monarchy of Corsica has done very little to assist the unions in further social reform. Corsican companies have continued to use whatever methods they have had at their disposal to break up unions and blacklist workers associated with them. Despite constant lobbying forming unions remains illegal in Corsica, and they have had enormous difficult building up a response against the corporate abuse. At last this year, new strikes have been held in order to force reform and new demands upon the government. They have called for the right to be allowed to form unions and hold strikes against corrupt corporate strategies. They have particularly denounced the practice of blacklisting employees for union involvement. The situation was worsened as the army was called in, breaking up the strikes with armed force. Several dozen casualties were reported, and the majority of union organizers have gone into hiding as the army assumes the duty of protecting Corsican business and industry.
GENOAN SHUTDOWN OF PRESS SPARKS RIOT. Genoa, Genoa. In a highly controversial move, the Genoese government, succumbing to intense external pressure, shut down the Italian National Press. The paper, which has been publishing for two years under the laws existing in the state, has proven to be a rallying point for Italian nationalism. The main publisher was arrested and his press facility was confiscated and has been since used to publish propaganda for the government, calling for a suppression of nationalism and toleration of other groups. This has proven highly unpopular with the masses, and the arrest sparked a major riot in Genoa, damaging a good part of the new university campus, as people fought against the government's point of view. The effort has been loudly denounced by all speakers for Italian nationalism, saying that Genoa has clearly taken a step back in its development as a nation.
HUNGARIAN MILITARY DEPLOYED INTO ROMANIA. Bucharest, Hungary. With nationalist dissent among Romanians rising, it seems that Hungary has been once more at risk of an outbreak of revolt or rebellion. In order to combat this rising dissent, the Hungarian army has deployed a significant amount of troops to the region. They have managed to locate and destroy a number of previously hidden arsenals stashed away either by the nationals or proletarists, a major accomplishment. This success has been lauded by the higher ups and has taken much of the teeth out of the threats made by nationalists throughout the region. Most of the munitions have been confiscated or outright destroyed by the Hungarian government. The effort has been overall seen as a success, and the large number of Hungarian soldiers on the streets has done much to restore order, especially as they assist in rebuilding the Romanian coastline from the disaster that was the Constantinople Event. (+1 Stability)
REPUBLICAN REVOLT CRUSHED IN MILAN. Milano, Milan. The small Italian nation of Milan faced a major uprising this year as a organized republican movement mobilized a revolt against the rule of King Giovanni II. The revolt started well with the deployment of weapons and the seizure of a number of government armories and fortifications throughout the nation. The makeshift army then began to march upon the Royal Palace, only to be torn apart by machine guns and fortified positions. Unfortunately for the republicans, the army clearly sided with the monarchy, and they did not gain the massive defections they hoped for from the armed forces. The army then immediately began mop up actions throughout Milan and the surrounding countryside, resulting in a series of small scale battles, as several small towns had preemptively declared for the rebellion. The effort has proven wildly successful, bringing out most of the dissent into the open and then shooting it. This has left only a very few dissatisfied people left alive in Milan with fairly light casualties. (-2 Infantry Brigades, -7 Manpower, +2 Stability)
OCCITANIAN BOYCOTT AGAINST SPAIN GROWS. Toulouse, Occitania. The previously lower level unrest and dissatisfaction with the alliance with Spain continued to a lesser degree this year, as Occitania's monarchy opened new ties with Britain. Despite the shift in allegiance, bitterness remains against Spanish business and companies. Therefore the boycott of Spanish goods that began last year reached a nationwide scale this year, causing serious disruption to Spain's business and industry in their northern neighbor. A number of Occitanian train stations have even begun refusing to service Spanish trains, though by no means have all of them participated in a highly self-destructive policy, as the southern branch of the Orient Express continues to pass through. The boycott has also been expanded to goods from the Franco-Burgundian Confederation to a lesser degree, mostly in the northern provinces of Occitania.
KING OF POMERANIA ABDICATES TO A NEW REPUBLIC. Stettin, Pomerania. With the major strikes shutting down Pomeranian shipping last year, and the military likely to refuse orders to break it up, King Harold of Pomerania graciously abdicated from his throne. The nation's Reichstag was given absolute authority, and a convention was immediately convened to establish new elections and a new constitution. The new elections were held, and most people viewed the contest as a competition predominantly between the Swedish old guard and the nationalistic German Brotherhood. To the surprise of many though, the republic has come under the sway from a far left organization. The United Laborer's Party, a predominantly social proletarist political group has won the support of the majority of the Pomeranian population. An anti-nationalist, but pro-social reform party, they have managed to win support from both the German and Swedish populations. As the world's first elected social proletarist government, this has been seen as a tremendous victory for the working class worldwide.
BULGARIA RISES AGAINST ROMAN GOVERNMENT. Sofia, Bulgaria. With the government in Athens struggling to rebuild hundreds of years of political infrastructure destroyed in the Constantinople Event, the political situation in the Roman Empire has substantially deteriorated. The Bulgarians have been the first to act, using prepared arsenals and support from now disillusioned legions within the area. The local general has thrown in his support for the Bulgar cause, as have a number of the local forces. Those unwilling to support the uprising have been expelled or slaughtered, if they chose to fight. Negotiations immediately fell apart as the military government of General Panagiotis Danglis refused any such correspondence with the uprising. The first fight took place as the Bulgars attempted to secure the ruins of Constantinople from the Romans, but military aid forces managed to just barely hold the area against assault. Observers expect a bloody war to soon erupt as the Bulgars fight for their freedom from the apparently collapsing Roman Empire.
Casualty List
Bulgaria: 7 Conscript Brigades
Roman Empire: 3 Infantry Brigades
REFUGEES SPARK VIOLENCE IN SERBIA. Pristina, Serbia. The Constantinople Event and the uprising in Bulgaria has led to a large number of displaced Roman citizens across the whole of the Balkans. The Serbian government has quickly shut its borders to these refugees, but a number of them have been armed. The Serbian army has thus been engaged in what amounts to a low level war across the whole of their border with armed refugees. The Roman refugees have shot up a number of border stations and cross over into Serbia, where they frequently steal or raid for food or more ammunition. The Serbians have done their best to contain it, and have continued to state that any further border crossings would be fired upon first, and questions asked later. They have appealed to the Roman government in Athens to undertake whatever they need to do to seal the border from this chaos. (-1 Infantry Brigade for Serbia, -3 Manpower for Roman Empire)
IRISH GOVERNMENT EMERGES AS KEY ISSUE[/b]. Dublin, United Kingdom of Great Britain. As the British islands are torn in the new elections, the Irish population has begun to make their voices known once more in Parliament. They have begun to call for greater allowance of self-rule and autonomy within the larger empire, particularly distancing themselves from the English reactionary attitudes currently present in Parliament. The Irish have begun calling for an official designation of a superior status than a colony within the empire, giving themselves the right to rule over themselves. This has taken religious tones as well, as the Catholic Irish continue to remain at odds with the Protestant Irish, who have lobbied against any sort of reform as proposed by the Catholic nationalists calling for self rule. The situation has continued to get more and more tense between the two sides, as the hope for greater autonomy continues to grow among the Irish people. (-1 Stability)
ELECTIONS IN BRITTANY. Nantes, Brittany. To the surprise of Western Europe, a major upset has taken place this year in elections in the small nation of Brittany. The Blaid Ryddfrydol, a liberal political party in Brittany at last offered a real challenge to the reactionary Gweithwyr Sosialaidd Cenedlaethol Llydaweg Blaid. The political system has been weighted towards in the reactionaries over the past few elections, but it seems that the Breton people have at last spoken out to change. The liberals have appealed to ideas of social reform and change, while remaining isolated and neutral from the ongoing politics of Europe. They have vowed to maintain strong economic and trading ties with the rest of the world, preserving their status as one of the neutral nations of the Channel. The liberal victory has been followed by celebrating as a new dawn emerges for Brittany's political system.
EMPEROR OF RUSSIA DIES. Moscow, Russia. To the sadness of the nation, Emperor Ivan passed away this year, leaving the position of Emperor of the Russias to his son, who is now Emperor Nicholas. The new emperor has been known for his skill and prowess, as well as his unrelenting brutality, on the battlefield. The new emperor has frequently shown himself to be even more hard line than his father, firmly against reform or new rights or change of any kind. The peasants have been gravely disappointed by this development, hoping for a more moderate monarch, and the middle class has been alienated by his reactionary proclivities. The new emperor has vowed that under his reign, the Russian Empire will continue to expand and grow throughout the world, and that all the Russians remain united and steadfast against any threat. The army is so far the organization most pleased by this turn of events, glad to see one of their own in power. (-1 Stability)
BRITISH ELECTIONS HELD. London, United Kingdom of Great Britain. To the shock of many, a major shift has taken place in British politics, as a reactionary movement swept through Parliament, capturing the hearts and minds of the people and government. Both aristocrats and the common man have found something to love about the new Empire Party, though they are better known as the Union Jack, or simply Jack, Party. The Union Jacks have emerged from the utter collapse of the Liberal Party, as many of their members have turned away dissatisfied from the failure of the movement. The remaining social liberals have coalesced into the Labour Party, while the Union Jacks have managed to secure a substantial amount of support from the political Conservatives. They have gained most of their support from the English, harkening back to the glory days of the old monarchies and government which ruled half of France and a good portion of North America. They have pledged to restore the glories of the old empire, and this has captured the imagination of much of the British public. The Union Jacks, managed to convert a large number of standing politicians, and have secured an overwhelming majority of the government, not even requiring a coalition to manage the nation. (+1 Stability)
FRENCH TROOPS WITHDRAW FROM DENMARK. Bremen, Denmark. The Danish government managed to prevent a major internal crisis this year as the French troops withdrew from the southern provinces of Denmark. Viewed as a major victory for the German people, what could have turned into disaster was forestalled as the Danish government offered monetary compensation. Many took the money rather than creating trouble, having been offered far more than the damages caused by the French armies. This has also done much to reduce tensions in the region, as the Brandenburgers viewed the deployment as a prelude to invasion. The withdrawal has been lauded by those seeking peace, as a progressive move to reducing the threat of war throughout Europe.
UNIONS LEGALIZED IN DENMARK. Copenhagen, Denmark. To the surprise of many and to the dismay of Danish companies, the legislature of Denmark has opted for the legalization of workers' unions for any industry. This has given the right to unionize to any industrial business, allowing the Danish work to fight for better business practice and treatment. The process started as a referendum for the people to vote on, and the masses of Denmark overwhelmingly voted to allow this change, as the Social Democratic Party leadership endorsed it. The victory of the liberal party in the 1902 elections are clearly key to this political victory, showing that the Danish nation has clearly taken a swing to the left. They have vowed to continue labor reform, though they have begun to face stiffening political resistance from the conservative element of the government.
ROMAN EMPIRE CONTROLS FLOW OF AID AS REBUILDING BEGINS. Athens, Roman Empire. The Constantinople Event has clearly shocked the world, as reports of the true scale of the tragedy flow in to newspapers across the world. The finalized death toll is believed to be above three million people of all ages in four different nations. This has resulted in an outpouring of international monetary and relief aid, paying for food and other supplies to be sent to the Constantinople area to provide for the displaced masses. The Roman Empire has forbidden these supplies from arriving in any port besides Athens, using the navy to deny them entry elsewhere. They have also disallowed any scientific teams from outside the Roman Empire to visit Constantinople and to view the site of the disaster. The Roman government has also refused access to the region by any warships, turning around three Flemish destroyers and various other vessels sent by other nations. A number of indignant foreign papers have expressed disapproval at this action, claiming that it significantly hinders the ability to provide aid to the devastated people of the empire. Regardless of these actions, the Roman Empire has provided efforts of its own to provide for the displaced citizenry, similar to other afflicted nations. Russia has flooded Sevastopol with money and made substantial progress in rebuilding the port facilities. Similarly, affected towns in Georgia and Hungary have done their best to rebuild their own damaged infrastructures.
HUNGARY BEGINS NEW TRANSPORT PROJECT. Budapest, Hungary. The closure of the Bosporus Strait from the Constantinople Event and the current Roman ban, has led to a search for another route to trade goods from the Black Sea to the rest of the world. The effort has begun, sponsored by the Hungarian monarchy, to construct a new system of flawless transportation through Hungary from the Black Sea coast to the Adriatic Sea. This includes a number of new bridges, ferries, and railroads connecting the Croatian coastal provinces to Romania. The effort is believed to be scheduled to take two to three years, as new trains are constructed, also helping to spur the Hungarian economy. The hope is to provide a feasible and a cost effective alternative caused by the disruption of the old trade routes through the waters of the Roman Empire.
THE OCCITANIAN UPSET. Toulouse, Occitania. In a move surprising most political analysts throughout Europe, King Louis III of Occitania, increasingly frustrated by Spanish internal and foreign policy decisions over the past thirty years, has broken the old alliance between the two nations. The recent agreements made with the Triple Alliance, particularly the Franco-Burgundian Confederation have proven to be the final straw that broke the back of the old agreement which has existed since the Second Orleans War. Stating that the interests of Occitania and Spain clearly no long coincide, it was announced that ongoing negotiations have at last led to an alliance between Occitania and the United Kingdom of Great Britain. The British have welcomed the Occitanian people to a new alliance, providing nearly immediate technological aid and support for their new friend's military forces. The Occitanians' shift of allegiance has concerned the Spanish, particularly as tensions and threats of war continue to emerge.
BRITAIN DEPLOYS ARMY TO POLAND. Konigsberg, Poland. The Krakow Pact was further brought together this year as the British government began the transit of a massive amount of troops to bolster the defenses of Poland. As tensions of war continued to grow, they nearly reached a breaking point as the Scandinavian navy confronted the British transport fleet. The British pressed forward regardless of Scandinavian calls for them to pull back, and the Scandinavians ultimately backed down, allowing the transit of over one hundred thousand British soldiers. This expeditionary force has been stated to be deployed to help the Poles build up their defensive positions and fortresses along the Russian border, and have operated as an independent force to do so. The Polish people have welcomed their British allies, as they assist the British engineers in creating strong defensive positions and lines for use in the event of war with the League of the Three Emperors.
FALLOUT OF THE BERLIN TELEGRAM. Stockholm, Scandinavia. The notorious Berlin Telegraph which was released last year by the Brandenburger government, had significant political fallout throughout the course of the year. The flagrant callous disregard for human life demonstrated in the telegram was viewed as an affront to any civilized diplomacy among nations and Scandinavia was condemned by the members of the Krakow Pact, especially Britain, Brazil, and Brandenburg. The response was an embargo of Scandinavian goods until the person or persons responsible for such diplomacy were punished. The Scandinavian Foreign Minister has been sacked, along with a number of his subordinates, leading to a total purge and shakeup of the Scandinavian Foreign Office. The embargo was ended only a month after it began, as trade relations normalized, but not without significant disruption to Scandinavian exports to Britain and South America.
BRANDENBURG POLITICAL REFORM CONTINUES. Berlin, Brandenburg. The government of Brandenburg has continued their efforts to reform, following guidance from London. King Charles Frederick II has stepped further aside, granting full power to the elected legislature. The Reichstag has been given full governing authority, as the king maintains only limited authority. This has not been a popular move among the aristocracy and upper classes, who view it as a bit of a betrayal. Furthermore, the dissolution of the secret police force is believed by some to compromise the security of the state, threatening influence and attacks by groups such as proletarists or anarchists. Fortunately the sting was lessened as the old guard still managed to sweep the elections, resulting in the establishment of the Shield Party as the leading political group. The new Chancellor is clearly a conservative, hopeful of preserving old social norms and politics, while not being as radical as members of the liberal German Brotherhood opposition.
SARDINIAN COMPROMISE ENDS STRIKES. Cagliari, Sardinia. The Sardinian government has made a number of major concessions to the strikers who paralyzed the nation's economy through the end of 1903 to the current year. An assurance of a maximum number of working hours along with new safety regulations has brought about an end to the strikes for the moment. The strikes were also lessened with a promise of government reform to be planned and implemented by 1908. The monarchy has pledged a parliamentary legislature to be established, similar to the British systems of government. While the strikes have stopped for the time being, the monarchy has warned that any further strikes will be declared illegal and broken up by force if need be. For now, the unions have taken their victory, and the worker has a slightly more tolerable status among Sardinian business. (+1 Stability)
MILITARY SEIZES POWER IN TUSCANY. Florence, Tuscany. The situation in Tuscany has quickly deteriorated over the past few years, and with the seemingly incompetent rule of King Ferdinand leading to disaster, the military has grown tired of his leadership. A letter found among the assets of the king was soon disseminated to the military, alleging that the secret police would soon arrest and execute a large number of army officers. Though the status of the letter's authenticity was in doubt, preparations were begun for a coup. When Sardinian troops began landing at Leghorn, the situation was clearly at its breaking point. The Tuscan army immediately arrested King Ferdinand and declared an emergency military government to resist the invasion. They immediately pledged to fight the Sardinians to the last and that upon victory, a new government would be formed to managed the beleaguered Tuscan nation. (+3 Stability)
SARDINIA INVADES TUSCANY. Florence, Tuscany. The descent of Tuscany into unrest and rebellion over the past few years has been an issue of concern for the Sardinian government. While they have allegedly acted in support of the monarchy, they have found that the navy and army have decided that they are not friendly forces. The new Tuscan military government has declared the invasion to be illegitimate in its origins and an act of pure aggression. They have managed to rally the Tuscan people against this common cause for the time being, and build up some support among the populace. The initial invasion went as planned, though the Sardinians suffered significant casualties taking several coastal fortifications in all the coastal cities. The Tuscan military regrouped further inland, while Sardinian reinforcements were brought in. As the Sardinian troops began to dig in, the Tuscans rallied and launch a general offensive against all the invaders' positions. The Sardinians barely held, though they did lose control of Pisa, consolidating their defensive position along the northern coast. After receiving heavy casualties in the initial invasion and the Tuscan counteroffensive, the Sardinians and Tuscans have been locked in a stalemate, as the Tuscan army continues to increase its forces for a renewed attack.
Casualty Lists
Sardinia: 10 Infantry Brigades, 2 Artillery Brigades (+1 Army Quality)
Tuscany: 9 Infantry Brigades, 1 Cavalry Brigade, 3 Artillery Brigades, 2 Early Destroyers (+1 Army Quality, -1 Navy Quality, +1 Stability)
SICILY UNITES WITH NAPLES. Palermo, Naples. Negotiations between Sicily and Naples have led to unity between the two nations, as King Ferdinand II becomes the de jure ruler of both regions. The Sicilians voted in their republican convention to join the Kingdom of Naples, a status of historical relevance. The decision was also made after the extensive financing and aid received from the Neapolitans during the war for independence from Spain. There had to be several conditions before the effort could be pushed entirely through, however. The Spanish were offered assurances that old economic rights would be maintained under Naples' rule, offering them a more secure position than they previously thought. Furthermore, the republican government will be maintained until a point in the near future when the Neapolitan government would adopt a constitution and form a legislature for the larger management of the country. Unfortunately, the economic implications of the agreement were not immediately considered by the king of Naples. With the annexation of Sicily, Spain now possesses a back economic door into an even larger market, able to undercharge even local businesses.