Events in the Americas
Canadian Economic Stimulus Package
Ottawa, Canada
The Canadian government announced an economic stimulus package in the summer of 1936, that hopes to revitalize the flagging Canadian economy. The package provides funding for everything from infrastructure development to subsidies for businesses. Perhaps as a result of this stimulus package, Canada has seen a noticeable drop in unemployment, and higher than expected economic growth in the second half of the year.
First Elections in Independent New England
Boston, New England
After gaining complete independence from Canada earlier in 1936, New Englanders went to the polls in the autumn to determine which leader and party was to rule the country for the next four years. Although several political parties nominated candidates, the election became a battle between the Liberal candidate, Acting President George H. Moses, and the Conservative candidate, businessman Joseph P. Kennedy. Despite significant working-class support for Moses, it would be Kennedy who narrowly carried the election due to his hardline anti-USSA stance. In the eyes of the majority of New Englanders, the election was mostly a calm, civilized, affair.
(-2% Dissent)
New England Fortifies Border
Hartford, New England
One of the Kennedy administration’s first acts was to authorize funding for a line of fortifications along the border with the United Socialist States of America. The forts, in the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont, are intended to defend the largely hilly and forested areas along the border from any possible. The line is estimated to be completed sometime in 1938. The movement of more New English soldiers to the border to man the new forts that are just miles away from New York City, coupled with the increasingly anti-USSA rhetoric coming from President Kennedy, has rightfully worried the Yankees.
New English soldiers manning a newly constructed bunker in Vermont
Landmark Elections in USSA Marred by Violence
Chicago, United Socialist States of America
The world turned its eyes on the USSA in the fall of 1936, as the first ever elections in a socialist state were held. Surprisingly for many, the elections were judged to be, for the most part, just as free and fair as those in any other major democratic country. However, the conclusion was foregone virtually from the start, due to the immense popular support for the big tent Socialist Party, and the complete absence of any unified opposition; indeed, the Socialists won well over 75% of the vote, and Norman Thomas won another four-year term in office.
There was some degree of violence that occurred around election day, mostly coming from reactionary paramilitary organizations. Several high-profile assassinations occurred on the campaign trail, and a number of poll stations were bombed. The closest call was when an assassination attempt was made on Norman Thomas while he was speaking at a party rally in Albany, New York, the bullet barely missing. The would-be assassin, a teenager named George Sears, was apprehended, and further investigation revealed that he belonged to a resistance organization calling itself the “Sons of Liberty,” with funding coming from sources in Canada. It is still unclear whether the Canadian or another foreign government is involved, but nevertheless the incident has provided Yankee war hawks with political ammunition.
(+7% Dissent)
March on Richmond
Richmond, Confederate States of America
Although the Dixie economy has slightly recovered from the depths it was in earlier in the decade, it is still struggling mightily the unemployment rate is still high, especially among the Negro population in the Confederate States of America. Although slavery is long gone in the country, the Negro population is still treated as a perpetual underclass. Frustrated, a contingent of several dozen unemployed Negroes left central Mississippi, with the intention of walking on foot all the way to Richmond to demonstrate their plight to anyone sympathetic enough to care. Surprisingly, as they passed through Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas, they were joined by more and more Negroes and even a few poor whites, and by the time they reached Virginia in December they numbered in the tens of thousands. They have since set up camp outside Richmond, catching the attention of both President Bailey and a number of politicians, none of whom can agree about what to do to rectify the situation.
(+3% Dissent)
Reforms in Mexico
Mexico City, Mexico
Mexico has been hit hard by the Great Depresssion, and support for socialism has been building rapidly. The situation has not been helped by a steady trickle of refugees across the Mexican border, seeking asylum in the USSA. This trickle has accelerated into the stream with the construction of new “harmonious societies” along the border – fully-functioning towns with every modern amenity imaginable, showing the glory and prosperity of socialism, in which many of the refugees now live.
To attempt to rectify the situation, President Marquez has passed some legislation trying to revitalize the economy, with a the creation of several agencies aimed at putting thousands of Mexicans back to work in the creation of public works projects, as well as the passage of the Silveira-Rodriguez Act insuring bank deposits. This has been mildly successful and popular among Catholics and the lower classes, temporarily slowing the growth of militant socialist organizations, but has been fervently opposed by the fiscal conservatives – many of whom the Marquez government relies on so heavily for support, and who refuse to make any compromise with socialists. In addition, the fact that very few solvent banks still exist in Mexico has limited that act’s effects.
(-2% Dissent)
Haitian President Killed in Bombing
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Haitian dictator Stenio Vicent was killed when the country’s Presidential Palace was leveled by an explosion early one September morning. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the actions. Vincent has been succeeded by similarly-minded Elie Lescot. Lescot has placed the blame for the attack on “Marxist subversives” and promises to take a heavy-handed approach to the “Red plague” in the country. Many Haitians, concerned about the developments, have begun crossing the border into Spanish Hispaniola, where there is increasing worry that Haiti will rapidly become destabilizes.
(+8% Dissent)
Elections in Ecuador; Socialists Take Power
Quito, Ecuador
The Ecuadorian populace went to the polls this fall in order to determine their country’s president for the next four years. Federico Paez’s Liberal administration had attempted to pass some economic reforms at restoring growth to the fragile Ecuadorian economy, but due to pressure from the politically influential upper class, many of those reforms had ultimately floundered. Many working-class voters who had expected some relief from Paez were left dissatisfied, splitting the Liberal vote come election time. In the end, it was the Socialist Party who won big, and Socialist candidate Ricardo Paredes narrowly edged Paez in the polls. Paredes has already announced his intention to align with the USSA, and his anti-upper class rhetoric has angered a not insignificant number of Ecuadorians.
(+16% Dissent)
Petroleum Development in Venezuela
Maracaibo, Venezuela
The country of Venezuela is in a prime position to profit greatly from the existence of large petroleum reserves under that country. However, lack of foreign investment and necessary infrastructure has limited capacity for development in that industry. The Venezuelan government has unveiled plans to construct an oil refinery and other related infrastructure in the port city of Maracaibo to help with that; the refinery is scheduled for completion sometime in 1937. Whether or not the foreign investment will come is, of course, another question entirely.
Brazil’s National Modernization
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Getulio Vargas, President of Brazil, began an ambitious program to truly bring his country in the modern age, which he calls the “National Modernization.” The program includes the partial nationalization of industries such as steel, arms, and rubber, through private-public partnerships and the like, along with the funding for modernizing and upgrading manufacturing facilities to the most modern standard. The program also includes labor reforms that guarantee employment, Coinciding with the National Modernization are educational reforms that glorify the Brazilian Empire’s past and links with the Catholic Church. Support for the program has been high, as the government has ensured the proper people are compensated well for the nationalization efforts.
Massacre in Rio
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
In Rio de Janeiro this year, President Vargas invited leaders of several leftist organizations to meet with the Emperor himself, in a “Celebration of Freedom of Expression” in the capital as part of a greater campaign for Brazilians to “Live a Brighter Tomorrow.” Despite widespread suspicion, most of the invitees attended, as the event would be an opportunity for the leftists to make their voices heard in an otherwise non-conducive atmosphere. During the event, a man shouted, “Death to the Emperor! Death to Vargas!” and fired a weapon in the general direction of the Emperor. Integralist agents fired back into the crowd, and chaos ensued. After the crossfire had died down, the bulk of the leadership of both the Brazilian Communist and Socialist Parties lay dead, although the Emperor had miraculously emerged unharmed. In a speech the next day, Vargas announced to a fired-up crowd that the would-be assassin was a Communist subversive, and that all Communists and Socialists within the country posed a direct threat to the security and prosperity of Brazil. Remaining known members of leftist organizations have already begun to be apprehended and imprisoned. Some managed to escape to safety in Argentina, where they have set up Communist and Socialist parties-in-exile and have claimed that Vargas set up the whole event to eliminate opposition to his regime. Whether or not this was actually the case is uncertain, but conspiracy theories abound.
(+6% Dissent)
Argentina Begins Transportation Overhaul
Buenos Aires, Argentina
The Argentinian government, as a long-term plan to hopefully revitalize that country’s stagnant economy, has begun work on a multi-year project to overhaul and expand its existing transportation infrastructure. Although the cost may prove to be somewhat of a drain on the government’s budget, and some fiscally conservative politicians have spoken out against the program for that reason, the program has been lauded for helping to put thousands of unemployed Argentinians back to work, although the fact that few Argentinians own automobiles may limit its effectiveness.
Events in the Middle East and Africa
Border Incident in Georgia
Tblisi, Soviet Union
A brief skirmish erupted in September between Ottoman border guards and a Soviet infantry regiment conducting military drills near the Armenian border. When the Russians moved slightly too close to the border for the border guards’ comfort, the Ottomans fired shots, and the Soviets fired back. The shootout lasted less than an hour, with several casualties reported on both sides, and only ended when the Soviets exhausted their ammunition and retreated. The commander of the border guards later claimed that the Russians had in fact crossed the border, something which the Soviets denied fervently. The incident has raised the already high tensions between the two countries.
Petroleum Boom in Saudi Arabia
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Although much of the rest of the world is still struggling to recover from the Great Depression, Saudi Arabia has seen a minor economic boom thanks to the development of state-run oil fields in the eastern part of the country. Similarly to Venezuela however, the Saudi state suffers from the problem that it needs foreign investment and trade for the country to profit greatly from the petroleum – something that Saudi Arabia certainly has the capacity for.
Anger at Spanish Colonial Policies
Rabat, Spanish Morocco
The populace of the Spanish holdings in North Africa became incensed when they learned of a new Spanish colonial policy had called for renewed conversion of the colony’s Muslims to Catholicism. Many of the colony’s residents do not appreciate the government’s sudden involvement in their personal lives, and thus protests have blossomed in the streets of the colony’s major cities. Some are even calling for the colony to gain complete independence from Spain.
(+10% Dissent)
Self-Determination for Germany’s Colonies?
Buea, German Equatorial Africa
The German government has established a task force of colonial administrators, both German and local, to analyze whether creating a system of entities along the lines of Britain’s dominions was a possibility. In a report presented to the Reichstag, the task force suggested that such a possibility was an option in the future, as there was an ample amount of colonial bureaucrats to manage it; however, they also reported that a significant problem was the general lack of advanced education among the indigenous peoples in the colonies, meaning that most administrators would still have to be from the German motherland. Whatever the case, the idea itself shows that the age of imperialism may be ending at last.
(-5% Dissent in all colonies)
Widespread Protests in South Africa
Johannesburg, South Africa
The South African government this year, mirroring actions occurring at home in Great Britain, passed legislation illegalizing any political party or organization that subscribed to or promoted Communist ideals. However, the problem remained that the government’s definition of “communism” was rather ambiguous, and what resulted was the attempted suppression of organizations that often were in no way Communist whatsoever, including trade unions, Black and Asian rights groups, and even some social democratic parties. The Conservative government had already implemented discriminatory policies against non-whites, and the new law was, in many ways, the last straw for an angry populace. Hundreds of thousands of people, largely blacks and Asians, but also a few poor whites, have taken to the streets, protesting the new law. The South African government attempted to institute martial law, but this did not go over well, and clashes between protestors and the military resulted in significant casualties for both sides. The government has offered to reconcile with protestors, but these offers have been largely ignored.
(+10% Dissent, -2 Infantry III Brigades)
Events in Asia and the Pacific
Housing for Everyone in India
Delhi, India
The fledgling socialist government in India has embarked upon an ambitious new initiative, to give at least basic housing to each and every one of its hundreds of millions of people, regardless of culture, religion, or caste. The initiative coincides with independent India’s first complete census. Although this initiative is expected to take years to complete, thanks to the high rate of homelessness caused by years of British colonial neglect, it has been applauded by most Indian people and politicians, although at least a few non-socialists are staunchly opposed to it on the basis of its prohibitive cost.
Radio Tower Under Construction in Siam
Bangkok, Siam
The government of Siam this year has begun construction of a large radio transmitter on the outskirts of the capital city of Bangkok. Its stated aims include ensuring modern communication with the entire country. Many Siamese politicians have stated their opposition to the project, on the grounds that it is an unnecessary waste and that it may not even fulfill its intended goal.
Vietnamese Nationalists Stage Attacks
Hanoi, British Indochina
A popular Vietnamese independence organization, led by a man named Ho Chi Minh, calling for Indochina’s full independence from Great Britain and Germany has claimed responsibility a series of attacks on British and German soldiers and civilians in the area. The first came when bombs exploded paramilitaries fired upon British soldiers during a British military parade in Hanoi, killing and wounding several hundred. Further attacks on British and German military encampments caused significant casualties, and the people in the region are now fired up.
(Great Britain: -1 Infantry III Brigade; +3% Dissent)
(Germany: -1 Infantry III Brigade; +3% Dissent)
Reviving China
Beijing, China
In a similar vein to Brazil’s National Modernization program the Kuomintang government in China has created the “Revive China Society.” This is a multi-pronged program aimed at transforming Chinese society. Central to the program is its efforts at partly nationalizing certain industries, such as steel and salt, through public-private partnerships. The KMT has also attempted to solidify its political support by organizing mass rallies and youth leagues and integrating the military with the party. Energies have been directed into eliminating crime and filth from Chinese city streets. Lastly, the program also includes some land redistribution among the peasants in the countryside. That last part has helped crystalize a degree of support for the KMT among the peasantry, a group that was previously more or less politically indifferent.
(-3% Dissent)
Corean Automobile Industry
Seoul, Corea
To help revitalize its economy, Corea’s government has begun the creation of an automobile industry within the country. Some middle-class Coreans now have the opportunity to buy automobiles like those in western countries, and Corean-made automobiles have begun to be exported to other Asian countries. The minor boom in the automotive sector has given the entire Corean economy a slight boost.
Japanese Economic Development
Tokyo, Japan
Much like Canada, the Japanese government has seen fit to invest in Japan's economy, by investing in the development of infrastructure in the form of transporation and utilities, both at home and in the colonies. This has helped lower the unemployment rate. The government has also put some money in education. Both moves are popular, and have been given approval by the Japanese people in getting the economy growing again.
Failed Military Coup in Australia
Canberra, Australia
Although Australia was not sovereign British territory anymore, and was not really affected by Britain’s sharp political turn to the right, New Order’s rise to power deeply divided the Australian public. While the existing Australian government declared that they would remain completely, many supported completely cutting off ties with Great Britain. One of the anti-New Orderists, the aging general William Birdwood, entered Canberra and drove the Australian Parliament out of the capital, publicly announcing that he would be forming a new government completely independent from London. The coup was not popular to say the least, and less than a week later, a cabal of loyalist officers staged a counter-coup and restored the elected government. Birdwood has since been tried and is awaiting execution for high treason. Violence between various factions did continue throughout the rest of the year.
As it turns out, the British had made plans for such a situation, and deployed parts of their army and navy to the Pacific to ensure security. Although some of the British forces would end up getting caught up in the fighting, British military presence was largely peaceful and ignored by the populace.
(Australia: -5 Infantry II Brigades, -2 Infantry III Brigades, -1 Mounted Brigade, -2 Artillery II Brigades;+10% Dissent; +10% Dissent in All Colonies)
(Great Britain: -2 Infantry III Brigades)
OOC:
That’s what the updates will end up looking like, I hope there was nothing too implausible. If/when you see any mistakes, let me know (as you can probably tell, organization is not my strong point, so there are probably mistakes)
Anything that was in your orders but not mentioned in the update was (more or less) successful (including any secret research, etc.), I just didn’t judge it important enough to warrant mention since mentioning “Country X built infrastructure Y” repeatedly does not make for a very exciting update.
I’m certainly not going to murder you in your sleep if you revise your orders, but I do request that you keep the number of revisions to a minimum.
The Serbia/Croatia border issue, Edward VIII issue, and a small number of minor inconsistencies in the German and Italian stats have all been fixed.
Countries have been rearranged by geographic location in the stats, mostly because it’s less awkward for me to work through.
I might make some minor changes to how research works, considering that I massively underestimated how much money people actually put into research. Still thinking about this.
“Birdwood” sounds like the name of one of those birds from Peanuts.
Immaculate: I put the homeland loyalty program under projects, but it hasn’t been put under upkeep because I’m trying to limit the upkeep to military only. Also, with Australia, I did what I could with your plan, but couldn’t do the rest because
Nintz: I’ll just answer your one question here, the main internal difference facing India right now is religious differences, between Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists. There’s also still the vast amount of inequality, especially in the more Hindu areas, because of caste differences.
Lokki242: Unfortunately, the one plan you had didn’t work because there just aren’t passenger flights in the Balkans yet, not to mention that the other Balkan nations aren’t letting planes from Communist countries in their airspace anyway.
Krzowwh: Your bank thing wasn’t really a project, just a policy shift, so I didn’t put it as a project.
SamSniped: Same with your bank thing, it wasn’t really a project either.
Milarqui: I wasn’t sure what “20 EP into infantry” meant, so I placed it into army research, please tell me if that’s wrong.
Map coming as soon as I get it uploaded, and stats minutes after that.
): Thanks, those have been fixed.
