FRANCE
Paris during celebrations marking the new Century.
The 20th century had finally arrived for France! With a new government, came a new century, and a new status quo in Europe. No longer did France have virtually total power in the continent, as Russia joined the Accord, and Germany joined the UNA. However, Bosnia would remain a minor player in Europe.
With the new century, came full industrialization. The nation had achieved full industrialization and employment, and building new factories was no longer the answer to fix economic woes. Instead, France must look outwards to increase her wealth and power. The economy must move towards technology, and French culture must remain dominant. The defense forces weakened during the Dreyfus-Esterhazy Affair, and the war that followed, but they must be rebuilt to a size never before seen. President Armand Fallières was the first true leader France has had since Jules Grevy, although Felix Faure was a good President, he was virtually powerless, as was exposed during the Dreyfus trial.
As such, a new policy has taken over French politics. Nationalism is on the rise for the first time in ages, as people begin to see the rest of the world as rightful French domain. The French Revolution has been revived by Armand Fallières, with the ideals that all of Europe, and perhaps beyond, should be united under the French flag, with liberty and justice for all. It was even spreading in the Co-Prosperity sphere. "The riots in Iceland and Portugal must be brought to a peaceful end," in the words of the President. "We must not allow our mighty nation to fall apart because some misguided youth have taken it upon themselves to make themselves slaves to a foreign master. We might have different ethnicity, but we are all Europeans, and we are all, more or less, French." This was received with huge applause all over western Europe, as Fallieres spent a good portion of 1900 reviving the original cause of the French revolution, Liberty.
President Fallieres embarked upon a mission with Bosnia to liberate many people in the East, however, Bosnia managed to convince the people that they were nothing more then property of the Sultan, and worthless at that. They rioted, and much of the land was set up in illegitimate "democracies," were the people were a pawn to the ruling party, with Greece having the stupidity to insert a monarchy. France does not like monarchies.
In 1900,
The Grand Paris Laboratory was built, a center for scientific research throughout the Republic. Their first goal was to design warships even larger then the destroyers. Many said that these were to be the largest ships in the world, even bigger the the finest Russian cruise liners! They were appropriately named,
grand navire de guerre. Perhaps soon other nations may follow in the production of these grand vessels.
