[RFC Dawn of Civ] The Alternative History of France

[clearmurky]

Actually, in mine, which I haven't posted the chapter for, China collapsed early and Khmer took over.

 

[trexeric]

Can't wait!

 

[heitorcccp]

...finally reach their endings.

And so did this one. While being the longest chapter by far, it hasn't any important divisive event, and the whole thing is due to be published in a single block.

But I can hold the end to a separate event - and I want your opinion about this

Do you want a long sixth chapter still without the end, or a very long sixth chapter ending the story?

Anyway, I'm ready to publish all by now - if separate, I'll hold the end for some days to let you appreciate the events leading to it

Critics, suggestions gladly accepted - including suggestions for a new story

Thanks!

 

[heitorcccp]

“Italian barbarians pillaged French border villages!
Government response eagerly awaited”
Le Besançonnais Figaro headline, January 6 1900.

The Italian Empire, as stated in the last chapter, was wiped out in the wake of a nationwide rebellion which ousted the government, dismembering into various minor independent entities, most of them without any recognizable government. Following the partition, many lands turned to the neighboring powers (like the Northern Italy turned to France), and there was an international plea to “restore order” to Italy.
In the following months, the Roman rump government tried unsuccessfully to restore some of their lands back to Roman ownership, a move that only enraged French public opinion. The reason to declare war was there, and in January 1900 the French Republic declared war to the Roman Provisional Government.

(Source: Wikimedia)

Battle was fierce, tougher than expected by the French High Command. Led by General Gamelin, the Southern Expeditionary Force was rush-assembled and still poorly trained, formed from fresh reservists and low experienced officers. Good weapons and tactics were available, but almost none of the soldiers expected what they would find there: brutalized, hardened former Italian soldiers, veteran irregulars ready to give any invading power a nasty surprise. French troops initially lost quite large numbers, causing horror in the home front, but the city of Rome had no way to counter the full structure of an organized empire.

In 24 May 1900, the City of Rome surrendered completely to the French Republic, being immediately annexed “for the sake of the Roman people” (according to French politicians). The Latine Région was established as the newest French province. It was one of the most joyous days in French history, cheered for weeks. The international community was neutral or supportive to the French action, and generally recognized the French claim over Rome.

“Historical Victory – French Armies entered the Roman Forum” Le Besançonnais, 25 May 1900

“We’ve Crossed the Rubicone* - Rome now under French control” La Tribune, 25 May 1900

But not all French media was supportive of the move, as the French left was still disturbed by the sudden interruption of the peacetime politics:

“Rome invaded by troops from The Republic – but who’s really the winner?” Le Monde, 25 May 1900

Many politicians and historians pointed out the fact of the striking resemblance of the modern French Republic and the historical Carolingian Frankish Empire, disbanded centuries ago and giving birth to both French and German nations. Now, for the first time in centuries, the whole Carolingian lands were under a single government again, but now under the solid structure of the French Republic. The centre-right conservative government in charge issued numerous commemorative plaques, statues, parades, triumphal arcs, and other stuff. The same government, 2 years later, won a landslide victory in the general elections, with absolute majority in the Parlement Français.

 

[heitorcccp]

France was enjoying also a very good position among the advanced nations in the Earth, generally placed among the five top nations. Surely the long held tradition of heavy spending on education and research contributed to that result.

That tradition was also spread to the conquered lands, with resounding success: people like Marie Curie deserved international remark with their published works, and also received national support to further research and study. After successful trials with fissile materials, Marie Curie, a French of Lotharingian* descent, was given funds and full support to establish a Science Academy on her city of Francfort, since then a renowned university and research center.

“Fissile Metal found in Normandy – Ministry of Industry announces mining operation soon” La Tribune, 15 April 1912

As immediate result of Curie’s works, the same fissile material was found in huge amounts in Northern France, and The Republic promptly installed a mining company there.

The Third International Congress was held in Erkhüu, Mongolia, to discuss the same unsolvable issues and to settle some land disputes between powers.

The Scandinavian Democratic Republic (the new leftist republican government of Sweden) publicized their claims over Fort George, in North America. The French Republic was supportive of their most important ally, and the vote was passed, with Americans not refusing to relinquish the city.

The British Empire dared to demand a mainland Swedish city, a brute and immoral exigency denied by the Congress.

The French and the Spanish governments demanded the Aztec city of Ciudad Real, on Mexican mainland, but the city remained under Aztec law.

While the powerful Ottoman Empire managed to take the southern Italy, a Greek irredentist movement managed to set the country free from Ottoman rule (after centuries of Italian and Ottoman domination). The new nation was worldwide recognized, and the Ottomans, instead taking an aggressive stance, accepted the new state as a vassal, with full autonomy to Greece except for diplomatic issues.

 

[heitorcccp]

Russia was definitely taking the lead in the new scientific fields, showing advances on the new nuclear science earlier than any other nation.

The famed French engineer, Blaise Pascal, established himself in Marseille after his creations about industrial processes and helped to found a new production method in Marsellaise factories.

“WAR – Scandinavia declares war against the British Empire and their allies” Le Besançonnais, 25 March 1928

“British Imperialism leading to war – Scandinavia reacts to British violence” Le Figaro, 25 March 1928

In 1935, the philosophical movement created by Pierre Abelard in Aix-Le-Chapelle reached its apex when their manifest, Philosophie de la Raison. It sparked a new wave of changes in the rationalist philosophy around the world, and since then many people come to Aix-la-Chapelle to study the fundamentals of this treatise in the schools of its founders.

“Mining Rush! – Huge mineral deposits discovered in Sinnamary – New subsidizing awaited”

“Sinnamarian farmers discover huge Aluminium mines – French industry startled”

The pacific lifestyle at Sinnamary was to change forever, after two farmers deemed their new lands “unusable” and full of a kind of yellow rock and bad soil in that August 1935. Government rural technicians visited the lands, and lost their breath at the sight of tons of that “yellow rocks” around the place – it was bauxite.

Soon, miles of miners, industrialists, factory workers and others flocked to the little colony, eager to explore the new riches and so enrich themselves. The French government, badly needing that industrial boost, subsidized the whole operation.

But, although being rich in most needed resources, the French republic was desperately poor in oil. No French land had that precious black liquid, and attempts to buy it in large amounts from other countries never succeeded. The envisioned solution was to seek the needed “black gold” and take it, peacefully or not, before it was too late – and the French armies too deprived of modern stuff.

[NOTE: Sorry for bad pic, but REALLY there is an oil field under that letter soup of announcements]
The badly needed resource was finally found – but marginally on Malinese hands. Military action was initially considered, but the Malinese were vassals of the Spanish Republic – and a large scale war was something to be avoided without modern weaponry. But someone noticed that the lands around the oil field were still free – and a peaceful takeover could be attempted.

 

[heitorcccp]

“ON AIR”
“Today, December 7, 1941 – a day that will live in the media history – the French Radio is emitting its first broadcast, using the new radio technology to markedly improve the communications in our country. Now, the whole nation can be noticed of anything within hours, and this will also further unite our great Republic.”

These were the first broadcasted words in the history of the French radio, forever stored in microfilm recordings in the Museum of Applied Science in Besançon.

French scientists and engineers devised new methods to burn coal as industrial fuel, helping French industry to remain in good pace despite the lack of oil.

“The French Company of Mineral Fuels proudly announces its greatest endeavor of all times: the founding of the colony of Libreville, in Western Africa, where reportedly the badly needed oil reserves were found. We ever went far and wide to bring needed resources to the French people, and this colony is another chapter of this long cooperation”

In 1948, the newly founded United Nations decided to put an end to the ugly hostilities between Scandinavia and British Alliance, passing a vote against the war in its general assembly and settling the peace in the same year.

“Today, the French Institute of Sciences and Fine Arts announced to the world the final result of their research in advanced computing engineering: the Lavoisier – 1, capable of 20000 mathematical operations each second and occupying two entire rooms of the Institute, is the new “electromechanic brain”of the researchers, designed to aid in the calculations of industrial and military research”

French Radio, broadcast in August 8 1949.

With the aid of miles of engineers, workers, and more recently, the fast calculations from Lavoisier-1, the French could finish the wondrous Three Gorges Dam in Francfort in 1951, powering the entire country (in these days) with hydroelectricity, further alleviating the lack of other fuel resources. The French industry was then ranked among the most efficient industrial systems in the world.

 

[heitorcccp]

While France had a burgeoning private computer industry, booming from the recent advances in the area, the Russians were turning themselves almost invulnerable with their new defense system.

“Orleans displays “The Maid of Le Chapelle” in the debut session of their Opera House” Le Monde, April 17, 1954

While France was still developing new colonies and enjoying an economic boom, the German Kingdom could not cope with the growing unrest in their country due to poverty, underdevelopment and lack of assistance from their so-called masters in England, and the German government finally collapsed in 1956 – but civil war ensued throughout the country and the French authorities promptly expressed their will of “aiding the war-torn peoples to set themselves back to order”, while declaring partial mobilization to “handle border issues in the revolting area”

This assertiveness was further assured with the securing of the oil deposits in French West Africa, now ready to exploration. France was again to thrive.

The “border issues” quickly degenerated into open conflict, and the French Republic declared war to the rump government of Wien in December 1957. More than 10 infantry, artillery and mechanized divisions were mobilized to deal with the fortified rebel city, defended by strong military and partisan garrisons. The former Germans fought hard for what they believed to be an “independent country”, but, again, the entire structure of an empire could not be countered.

“Joy in the streets! French Armies parade in the Ringstrasse – Vienna now in French hands” January 11, 1959

In January 1959, Wien (now Vienna) finally fell to French armies, becoming the last grand achievement of the French military to date. The Region of Tyrol was annexed to the French Republic, a move which secured the French claim to the European mainland.

 

[heitorcccp]

Then, that's the last chapter - minus the ending. it' really proved to be enormous, even without the final pics in the history.

It's late night here, and I'm really "late" to sleep - and awake early later

Soon, I'll be posting the end. Good reading!

 

[christos200]

Great update.

Are you going to do a new civ story? If yes do greece.

 

[trexeric]

Well done!!!

 

[Jwitti]

NO do Aztecs. SURVIVE AT ALL COSTS!!

 

[Optical]

Actually, I'd like to see a Maya domination

 

[Lelouch]

Maya domination? On my Mac maya conquest is easy if I start as them, because for some reason, if a human starts as them all their techs cost 1beaker.

 

[j_mie6]

too many greek stories. Do something that isn't done much

 

[hoplitejoe]

in the end it can you buy a word map or have a look round on WB?

 

[heitorcccp]

@hoplitejoe: Ok, you just pointed out a large fault in this story , and maybe in my strategy as well.

I've never valued to buy maps in RFC, maybe because they're based in our real geography, or maybe because the AI never give it away for a non-huge price. I'm so centered in my nearby area to operate, and, in RFC, when I need to locate a new resource or place to colonize (like I did to get oil), the work is just about pointing a ship right to the presumed location, with almost no fail.

but many stories here still print a world map (often in the WB) to show the world situation to readers, usually at the end of their chapters, and so I'll be addressing this stuff for the next stories. Thanks!

 

[heitorcccp]

“BREAKING NEWS – Russia launches a huge spaceship from Baikonur. Destination: Alpha Centauri”
The Soviet Union, the “worker’s paradise”, confirmed their industrial and scientific might by launching the long-awaited spaceship Lenin, set to explore the outer space beyond the Solar System and bound to reach Alpha Centauri in a reasonable time – equipped with full life support, a self-recycling environment and ionic thrusters operating at sub-light speeds, the expedition was greeted by peoples across the globe, hoping the expedition and the worldwide effort help to unite the peoples around peaceful objectives.

But, while the ever-peaceful times didn’t come yet, the French Republic was arming itself with the ultimate weapons available at the time – with their first nuclear weapons, France now had the power of deterring, making would-be enemies to think many times before attack.

With his South-American background mixed with French classical education, the singer Antoine Juruna came from the obscurity in Sinnamary to the heights of fame worldwide. His unique style led millions to hear his music either on live shows or through recording media. This undoubtedly strengthened French culture in the world, showing the diversity arising from the French colonies overseas.

Charles Augustin de Coulomb, “The Father of French Astronautics”, patronized the efforts to assemble the French space industry and infrastructure, culminating at the building of the Besançon Space Port in 1977, placing France among the nations which explored the outer space.

The day has finally come.
In 1980 the news from the distant Russian expedition launched in 1959 arrived in Earth, travelling through above-light speeds from the Alpha Centauri system. The successful cosmonauts appeared to be very happy, finally setting foot in firm land in the first time since 20 years, having as background in the pictures the wondrous geographic features of the “Planet Stalin”, a rocky earthlike planet around Alpha Centauri.
The USSR announced to the world their intention to “cooperate fully with the entire mankind in this completely new challenge – to colonize the stars”, receiving – surprisingly – a positive response from almost all countries including all great powers.
The French Republic was very glad to enter this world consortium as one of the main partners, possessing a fully equipped spaceport and holding advanced spacecrafting technology. Russia announced also the presence of some other planets in the same system, including the twin star of Beta Centauri – and France was surely set to expand the French civilization to at least one of them.
And the history enters now a full new chapter – now we have the group of the entire mankind, having to operate together, making their history among the universe’s interstellar powers – a beginning of a new era.

From the French Historical Archives, Besançon, 1981.

 

[christos200]

Great end.

 

[trexeric]

I clap for you!

Sad its over, though.