WORLD NEWS UPDATE 1 - MAY 1900
Gdansk Crisis
In Gdansk, the conflict between the Poles and Communists and the Swedes escalates further. The Polish Patriots and the Communists have declared the Worker's Republic of Gdansk, the first Communist dictatorship in the world. Swedish and Jewish workers have openly declared support of the Worker's Republic. In protest, the Swedish bourgeois have set up their own government in the eastern part of the city - the "Swedish Kingdom of Gdansk" as a parliamentary monarchy and have proclaimed that the throne belongs to the Swedish Emperor.
The two governments have already seized their own sections of the Gdansk Army and street fights have begun. Each Government has already sent pleas of help to Sweden or Poland, respectively.
However, it is already clear that the two larger empires will not sit idly by and let the Gdansk situation resolve itself.
The Swedish Navy has bombarded the Gdansk port and destroyed the city's small navy while Swedish troops have invaded into the city, largely occupying the Swedish-populated eastern districts and suburbs. Since the Swedish east was taken first, there were little casualties for the Swedish Army, though a proletarian uprising was crushed with brutal force.
Meanwhile, the Polish Army has also intervened and has occupied the railroad station and the western districts. However, there were already some clashes between the monarchist Polish Army and the revolutionary Worker's Council that is at the head of the Worker's Republic.
The Swedish and Polish armies are preparing their own defenses and for a major show-down for control of the city.
Sweden invades Norway
The Swedish Artilleries bombarded surprised Norwegian divisions along the length of the border. The surprise attack was successful and 1,500,000 Swedish troops rushed past the battered, wounded, and dead Norwegian border troops. Even the Norwegian people were totally surprised and didn't know what to make of the columns of soldiers stampeding across the hills and mountains.
Oslo, the Norwegian capital, was seized quickly by the Swedes who still had the element of surprise. The Norwegian King managed to flee before the foreigners made it to his residence in western Oslo and thus alerted the remains of his forces to the invasion. In Oslo Harbor, the Norwegian Navy saw the approaching Swedish fleet and tried to defend the port, not realizing that the King had already fled, and was defeated completely.
All in all, Norway lost almost half of her Army and all of her Navy.
Norway - 500,000 troops, 400 Navy; Sweden - 50,000 troops, 1 Artillery
North Canada reverts to Iceland
After a relatively short period of time of being under British rule, North Canada returns into the Icelandic Empire when the British sell it back to Iceland for 2 economies. The Icelandic inhabitants of North Canada rejoice the return of their own brethren as their rulers and demonstrations are held in the capital of North Canada.
The British administrators that had to step down from their posts because of the return of Icelandic rule have returned to South Canada in loud protest because of having lost their jobs. The British aristocracy in Canada as well as Britain-proper begin criticizing the King for being far too lenient and for giving away what little overseas empire Britain has and thus diminishing British international influence.
Bosnian government begins hunt for communists throughout the Kingdom
Fearing spread of communist influence from Serbia's volatile situation, the Bosnian King authorized a hunt and crackdown on possible communists. Several hundred labor leaders across the country were jailed by the Bosnian Military and police forces that have been ultra-loyal to the existing order.
The imprisonment of the labor leaders has provoked mass demonstrations by workers in Sarajevo and Byzantium carrying banners reading slogans such as "Reform Now!" and "Give Us Parliament Now!". The nobles of Byzantium have fled the city after a confrontation with police turned the peaceful protest into an out-of-control mob scene, with several government buildings being burned down and the telegraph and telephone relay points being seized. The confrontation in Byzantium escalated because of a misunderstanding of the purpose of the protesters - they, as their comrades in Sarajevo, chanted for a Parliamentary Monarchy, and had no affiliation with any socialist organization. By contrast, in Sarajevo, the demonstration dispersed peacefully with no bloodshed or violence.
Byzantium remains largely in the hands of the workers, however, and an elected City Council has formed to present demands to the King which mainly include:
1. Free elections for a legislature.
2. Release of political prisoners.
3. Restriction of the privileges of the aristocracy.
Because of the disarray, the infrastructure reforms instituted by the King had not been effected in Byzantium itself. But throughout the rest of the country the standard of living has improved slightly.
Mongol and Kazakh armies invade Russia
The armies of Kazakhstan and Mongolia have attacked Russia in tandem. However, the Russians were already prepared for an attack from the east after being tipped off by an anonymous country.
On the Kazakh front, the Russian Artilleries, their operators seeing Kazakh troops marching toward the border, were immediately prepared and leveled the first waves of the Kazakh invasion. Those Kazakhs that avoided the artillery fire were defeated by the Russian cossack and infantry divisions, forcing a hasty Kazakh retreat across the border.
On the Mongol front, the Mongol armies were a bit more successful, using their Tatar heritage to gather the local Ural Tatars' support. However, the Russians were still very prepared. The Mongol Artilleries destroyed several Russian regimens. In some places, the invasion was more successful and thus more land was taken, but the loose formations of the Mongol invaders were not always effective against the slightly more focused Russian defense.
Ukrainian nationalists meanwhile again seek independence and have rallied to support the Communist Party in the elections scheduled to be held at the end of the year.
Russia - 1,000,000 troops; Mongolia - 1,000,000 troops, 2 Artilleries; Kazakhstan - 1,500,000 troops
Nationalist rallies and parades are held throughout India
The government and military of the Indian Empire have organized massive parades and rallies throughout the nation to raise support. The celebrations lasted for a week and culminated in the celebration of Liberation Day - which is the holiday dedicated to the union of Afghani India with sovereign India into the modern Indian Empire - in which historic re-enactments of important battles were shown to the masses gathered.
Amid the celebrations, red flags were seen being waved by numerous groups of people - indication of the Indian United Socialist Party, which has begun gathering up support for a communist government.
Nevertheless, the rallies were a huge success for the government and support for the status quo has risen considerably.
Kyoto Military Parades interrupted by a Communist demonstration in front of the Imperial Palace
The Kyoto Military Parades turned from propaganda and celebrations for morale of the Army to a violent clash with the Trans-Japanese Communist Party. When the parades reached the Imperial Palace, they found the Communists demonstrating and hurling stones over the Palace gate. The participants were not numerous at all, since the Communists have had little success among the Japanese people and workers, but the loyalist commanders of the Army were infuriated and ordered the troops to surround the demonstrators, draw their guns and fire. All 100 demonstrators perished in front of the Palace, eliciting cheers of support from the Japanese people for the military. Otherwise, the military morale was increased a bit.
Egypt joins the Arab Empire
Egyptian King Tutankhamen IX agreed to unite with the Arab Empire. An important part of the terms of the union was religious freedom for Copts in Egypt and the rest of Arabia and likewise for any Muslims in Egypt. For years the Arab Empire had been an exclusively Arab and exclusively Islamic entity, so this move is indeed considered as very revolutionary. Some Arab nationalists, most of them in Mecca, the capital, have voiced opposition to Egypt's admission and conservative Muslim clerics have demanded that the Emperor enforce Islam as the only religion allowed and demand Egyptian conversion. Likewise, Egyptian nationalists have voiced their own opposition, condemning Arabia as a political entity that will demand complete assimilation.
Nigerian nationalists continue agitation for independence
Nigerian nationalists have continued to demand that Portugal let Nigeria go its own way. The Portuguese Emperor, however, has refused to let them go, fearing that such an action will result in losing the support of the Portuguese Army, which has been the only thing keeping him in power.
Shanghai Senate promises to vote in September about the sovereignty of Shanghai
As violence escalates further, the beleaguered Shanghai Senate has promised that they will vote whether the city-state will join China or Japan. However, dissatisfaction continues to grow among the overanxious Japanese and Chinese nationalists.
Filipino communists continue rioting
Their riots being overshadowed by the military parades in the imperial capital, the Filipino communists have intensified their protests and have begun requesting help from the Filipino Colonial Army.
Prussian forces tentatively enter the Bohemian Kingdom
Prussian forces tentatively enter Bohemia and begin promoting the values and freedoms afforded by democracy untainted by any foreign monarchs. This has propped up the Parliament, but the state of Bohemian people's support remains in a flux as some nationalists denounce both Prussia and South Germany as foreign aggressors seeking to expand their influence. Still, there are monarchists advocating the Habsburg Reich, and there are democrats promoting the Greater Prussian Federation as the true way to go.
Meanwhile, nationalism spreads like wildfire across South Germany and Switzerland, which has been "customized" to include belief that all Germans should share one nation and be one nation together. The Habsburg Kaiser has shown weariness about this sudden influx of pan-German propaganda and has ordered a crackdown for any nationalist writers or leaders in the South German Reich. Several divisions were sent to northern Bavaria, ordered to anticipate Prussian aggression.
French Communist Party leads a coup d'etat in Paris
The French Communist Party leads a coup d'etat in Paris and seizes the French National Assembly building with armed force. After the Paris coup, workers and soldiers across the nation join each other in revolt against the weak and ineffective government. The leading commanders of the Army are also overthrown and rank-and-file is completely thrown out of whack and all but abolished, though a tiny minority of soldiers has still not joined what seems to be the SECOND French Revolution. The Communists order the revolutionaries to form Worker's and Soldier's Councils, and though the fate of this revolution remains uncertain, it has been highly successful so far.
Turkmen National Liberation League gathers more support among the Turkmen
The TNLL has grown in popularity and it has already overshadowed the Kazakh Peasant's Party (communist) as the main threat to the Kazakh status quo. Demonstrations begin in the Turkmen areas.
Californian Republic is overthrown by a military coup
Military generals have overthrown the ineffective Republic and have instituted their own government - a military dictatorship. The Californian people have not responded in support of the ousted President, but they have not really thrown in their lot with the new military dictatorship either.
NPC Diplo
From Poland
To Sweden:
Withdraw from East Gdansk immediately or face is in war!
From Denmark
To Norway:
Give us Jutland immediately!
From Norway
To Britain and Iceland:
Allies, help us!
(note: trade request redirected by stalin away from Iroquois to another American nation because Iroquois was no longer NPC after he asked)
From Seminole Empire
To Greater Prussian Federation:
Yes, a trade would be great.
From South German Reich
To Greater Prussian Federation:
What is the meaning of this occupation of Bohemia?! Withdraw at once! Bohemia is a Crown of the South German Kaiser!
From Hungary
To South German Reich:
*SECRET* We will support you if Prussia attacks*SECRET*
From California
To Mexico:
If you need help with the communists just call us!
From Incaland
To Portugal:
Let the Incas under your rule join us, or you may have to face us in war!
From China
To Shanghai:
You belong with us, and not with Japan. Japan is an empire that consists of more overseas land than it does of homeland! The majority of our land, on the other hand, is our homeland, which means it has less chance of breaking apart. Do you choose stability with us or instability with them?
OOC
First update in a while, so I'm still getting used to zipping between orders and open web pages again.
If you PM me orders and then make additions or changes, please PM me the ENTIRE revised orders, no matter how small the change. Because with 6 windows open, it's hard enough and it just gets difficult if I have to open a whole new page just to see one sentence.
How did I do w/ Europe and non-Europe this time? I didn't focus too much on Europe this time, did I?
