stSBNES3: A Place in the Shade

[das]

From: Russian Empire
To: Germany, Poland

We suggest that you put an end to your war. We will gladly assist you in finding a peace treaty acceptable to both sides.

From: Russian Empire
To: UK, Sudafrika

We suggest that you put an end to your war. We will gladly assist you in finding a peace treaty acceptable to both sides.

From: Russian Empire
To: NPCed China

We would really appreciate it if you join the GIA.

From: Russian Empire
To: France

We would like to know whether or not LWTO will be a military alliance or a defensive one.

 

[Sheep]

FRENCH ELECTION RESULTS

French National Congress
555 seats - 278 needed for majority

Social Democrat Party of France - 262
French Workers League - 46 (coalition majority with the SDPF)
Liberal Democrat Party of France - 198
United Communist Front - 15
Nationalist Party of France - 10
Action Franscie - 7
Royalist Party of France - 5
Indpendents - 12

Therefore together with the French Worker's League, the Social Democrat Party has made a coalition government in the National Congress.

French Senate
150 seats - 76 needed for majorty

Social Democratic Party of France - 46
French Workers League - 21
Liberal Democratic Party of France - 44
United Communist Front - 10
Royalist Party of France - 8
Action Francise - 6
Nationalist Party of France - 5
Independents - 11

With the support of the independents the Social Democrats and the French Workers League have formed a minorty coalition majority in the Senate.

Presidential Race
50.1% of vote is needed for winner. If no clear winner is found a run-off 4 weeks after intial elections will be held.

Jacques Monet (SDPF) 39.6%
Marcel Wallis (LDPF) 35.4%
Pierre Dutrroud (FWL) 10.1%
Rosa Luxembourg (UCF) 3.9%
Michel Jurgan (AF) 3.2%
Marshall Petain (NPF) 2.5%
Francais Villnerve (RPF) 1.3%
Others 4.0%

Presidential Run-Off Election

Jacques Monet (SDPF) 53.5%
Marcel Wallis (LDPF) 46.5%

Jacques Monet was able to use the fact that his party, the Social Democrats held the majority in both houses to surge ahead of his main rival Marcel Wallis and claim ultimate victory in the French Presidential elections. President Monet will now serve eight years in the Presidential Mansion at Versailles.

 

[Sheep]

To Russia
From France

It will be a military alliance. However actions that are aggressive would need the unaminous support of all members making them unlikely.

 

[das]

OOC: This is getting interesting already... Liberal-Conservative Cold War, with Communism as a third force?

IC:

From: Russian Empire
To: France

We are not completely reassured... But hope that our two alliances could coexist peacefully.

 

[Sheep]

To Russia
From France

As our NAP shows, the willingness of our nations to work with yours for the greater good of all mankind and ensure that people the world live in liberty, security and peace!

President Jacques Monet.

 

[das]

Story:

Throughout 1908, odd, unexpected changes swept throughout Russia.

In 1894 (OOC: don't remember the previous NES' death date), Tsar Gelion I died while visiting Spain. Nikolai II took over, but he was largely incompetent and dominated by his German wife and various otherwise unimportant advisors. Barely, Nikolai led the country through the Great War, but in military command he too, despite bravery and morale-raising effect, was giftless.

So in January 1908, a Narodovoletz* blew up Nikolai II's carriage. The Tsar died, and his brother, Mikhail, became the new Tsar. He too was easy to influent, but largely, there were two people who extended great control over him. Two advisors and statesmen. Witte and Stolypin.

Sergei Witte was a more rational westernizer, and an important industrialist.

Peter Stolypin, meanwhile, was utterly conservative and absolutist. He was not as much a Slavophile as a Russophile. He also had no principles, which earned him the fame of "the Hanger".

It was thus very ironical that Stolypin was to start a NEW era in Russian history.

---

As January 1908 continued, the Sublime Porte suggested an alliance to Russia and Britan. Mikhail II bitterly opposed it - there still were Slavs under Ottoman rule, he said, but finally, Stolypin persuaded him that the conservative empires, "true to the ideal of Divine Right", needed to ally against the "godless communists" and the "liberal traitors". Russian foreign policy, previously, was based on the Balkans and on the wars with the Ottoman Empire. Now, however, relationship with the Ottoman Empire took a 180 degree turn.

This was shocking. Over at the British Foreign Ministry, Edward Gray and the others were worried as well. Russia was a good ally against Germany... but with the lack of a common threat, Russian again became an opponent in the Great Game. The hopes were to back the Ottoman Empire against Russia, keeping the Russians locked in the Black Sea. And now, Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire... allied. The Straits were effectively open for the Russian fleet to pass through. Oh, sure, they had somewhat improving relations lately, but nobody expected Mikhail II, an ardent Slavophile, to do this. Soon after, Spain allied with Russia as well. The British Empire no longer could rely on the supremacy in the Mediterranean Sea in the event of a war. With the Ottoman Empire as a Russian ally, the entire British foreign policy of the century flew out of the window, as did all the geopolitical considerations.

The Bear was uncaged.

In his public declaration of the Grand Imperial Alliance on 29th of January, Mikhail declared it "the final peace to end the Balkan wars" and the "reconciliation of the Second and Third Romes". The Ottoman Sultan assured the Tsar of the good treatment of the Orthodox Slavs still in Ottoman territory; the Tsar did not even need to reassure the Ottomans of the similar treatment of the Caucasian Muslims. It was a silent agreement between both sides that should either of these groups rebel, that rule did not apply.

The Grand Imperial Alliance was formed, Saburov was sent to Constantinople as the Russian representative. Russia entered a new era in her foreign policy.

---

12th of February was to become a new "St. Barthomelew's night".

The Slavophiles and the Narodovoltsi were to be targeted by the Okhranka. The ring leaders of these two groups were to be arrested for anti-government activity. There was a good reason, too.

"Gospoda!** Predatelstvo!***" - exclaimed some well-dressed person to the other men in the apartment - "The Tsar signed a treaty with the Turks! The Slavic cause was betrayed!"

"What?! How could he?"

The room exploded into chaos, as enraged Slavophiles cursed the Tsar's name and the name of Stolypin.

"This must not stand!" - exclaimed one of them - "This outrage must not stand!"

One of those "Slavophiles" happened to be an agent of the Okhranka.

---

On the morning of February 12th, Russia and Petrograd lived through the night during which thousands of arrests, hangings, imprisonments and forced movements to Siberia "where they can do no harm". Stolypin brutally, yet efficiently destroyed two major groups of political opposition.

Russian government just abolished the ideology of Pan-Slavianism. But it did not accept the Westernizer or the People's Will program, neither.

The ghost of nationalism, which for so long waited in the shadows after largely burning out in Europe, emerged. Russia was to remain a conservative power - now with nationalist backing. Instead of Pan-Slavianism, Russia now rose to Pan-Russianism...

---

*"People's Will man", sometimes the term for all socialist terrorists in Russia.
**"Sirs!"
***"Treachery!"

 

[Kamilian]

From Poland
To Germany:
So.....?

 

[blackheart]

To: All Nations of the World
From: Vietnam

The newly reformed country of Vietnam asks for your aid. We must rebuild our country to the glorious state it once was!

 

[das]

From: Russian Empire
To: Poland

Would you accept our assistance in finding an agreement with Germany?

(OOC: I'm asking this for the third and final time...)

 

[Kamilian]

Poland, after several years of on-again/off-again independence or autonomy during the Great War, and after more than 100 years of being partitioned, is independent yet again. Warsaw has again become the capital of the nation. Unfortunately, Poland's independence has a great danger already... Germany. The German-Polish border is not solid and some Germans just want to re-annex the whole of Poland. With the help and mediation of Russia, that hopefully will not happen.
With independence comes new political life for Poland.
The Liberals managed to get a majority by just 1 person in the 20-person Constitutional Assembly over the nearly-equal Conservatives, smaller Neo-Conservatives, and small Social Democratic parties.
Therefore, a new liberal constitution has been drafted for the Polish Democratic Republic

The Constitution for the Polish Democratic Republic
Government
Poland is a Parliamentary Democratic Republic. All non-militant political parties are permitted. The unitary system centralizes power in the central government in Warsaw rather than giving it all away to the 13 provinces.
Provincial Distribution
Format: Province - Capital of Province - Designation on Map
1. East Pomeranian Province -Gdansk - E. Pom
2. West Pomeranian Province - Stettin - W. Pom
3. Silesian Province - Katowice - Sil
4. West Galician Province - Krakow - W. Gal
5. East Galician Province - Lwow - E. Gal
6. Poznan Province - Poznan - Poz
7. Masurian Province - Olsztyn - Masu
8. Konigsberg Province - Konigsberg - Kon
9. Masovian Province - Warsaw - Maso
10. Bialystok Province - Bialystok - Bial
11. Lublin Province - Lublin - Lub
12. Zielona Gora Province - Zielona Gora - Z. Gor
13. Lodz Province - Lodz - Lodz

Executive Branch
The President is the head of state and is popularly elected by the citizens of Poland for 7-year terms. He then appoints a Premier and a Council of Ministers who must be approved by the Sejm. The President is a titular head of state, and most power rests in the head of government - the Premier - and the Sejm. The President can only declare war with the Sejm's approval. The Premier handles most internal and foreign negotiation issues. The President can declare a state of emergency and suspend the Sejm if:
a. there is a coup
b. civil war occurs
c. foreign invasion occurs
In the case of a state of emergency, the President may also disband Council of Ministers and rule by decree until the crisis has passed
Legislative Branch
The Sejm is the unicameral legislature of the Polish Democratic Republic. There are 130 seats in the Sejm - 10 per Province. The deputies are directly elected by the people, separately in each province and the number of deputies for each province from each party is proportional to the percentage of votes the party received in the Province. All deputies serve for 3 year terms. The Sejm can pass a vote of no-confidence in the Premier by a 2/3 majority vote.
Judicial Branch
The Supreme Court is the national court. All political cases are held in the Supreme Court. If election candidates contest election results, a court case is scheduled in the Supreme Court.
Crimes
The following are regarded by the Government as crimes that are to be tried in the Supreme Court:
Ethnic discrimination and ethnicity-motivated violence and intimidation.
Religious discrimination and religion-motivated violence and intimidation
Revolutionary propaganda.
Militancy and intimidation campaigns by parties.
Plots to assassinate members of the government.
Plots to kidnap members of the government.
Citizenship
All people born on currently Polish soil are considered to be citizens of the Polish Democratic Republic.
The following privileges come with citizenship:
1. Participation in Elections (must be 18 or older).
2. The right to bring trials to the Supreme Court if the Provincial court system fails or is deemed unfair.
3. The right to run for seats in the Sejm with a political party (must be 25 or older)
4. The right to run for Presidency (must be 30 or older).
Political Parties
All non-militant, non-extremist political parties are permitted.
Current active political parties:
Social Democratic Party of Poland (SDPP) - Socialists
Polish Democratic Party (PSD) - Liberals
Polish Conservative Party (PPK)
National Democratic Party (ND) - Neo-Conservatives


Jozef Swierzynski, a Democrat, has been chosen by the Constitutional Assembly to be the first President.
(map to come later)

 

[Red Masque]

To: Poland
From: Swiss Confederacy

The Swiss Confederacy recognizes Poland as a sovereign nation, despite its barely liberal majority. *ahem* Need I ask about economic aid?

 

[Insane_Panda]

ooc: Alex let me command the expeditionary force, I will be doing his bidding as them.

The Royal Expeditionary Force
Under the command of General John Nafield

General John Nafield, Hero of the Normandy Invasion of France at WWI, was a Corporal in the British Army at the time of the Boer assault on British South Africa. He was promoted to the rank of Colonel when Lord Seymore arrived from China to take control of the South African Theater, He served in the charges through the north, and even in the failed siege of Pretoria, where he witnessed the Boer's savage tactics come into full fruition.

He was one of the main proponents against signing peace with the Boers, citing that there was no need for peace when we had the advantage in the field. He was overruled by Parliament.

Then, war broke out in Europe. Lord Seymore was now too tired to command troops actively in the field, and Nafield was promoted to lead the expeditionary force. At first they did not see much action, instead they heard on radio how badly the British were losing their war in the carribean. Peace negociations began, leading to an armisitice, but that broke down, and now the expeditionary force was called into the European theatre, into Normandy.

English ships, using the new Dreadnoughts, swept the channel clean, smashing the French fleet and leading the way for an allied assault. The British landed. Ten columns of Infantry followed by artillery brigades and cavalry, leading all of this, was Nafield. The British light brigades lead the way into France, disrupting french supply lines and screening the movements of the army. British troops engaged the French near Paris, the blue uniforms of the French army were worn, and they had no more will to fight. Their allies did not help much either, Germany was defending against a Russian offensive. The French were swept clean off the slate, and the British occupied Paris.

Their empire is no more, instead, in its place is put the Republique, the liberal French government.

Then came the trenches of Sedan, the impassible barrier protecting both Germany and France from each other's assaults. British tanks tried to cross, but they were thrown back. Infantry tried to cross, but they were thrown back. Stalemate was reached, and eventually peace was signed.

Now, for the Boers. The rag tag Afrikaner armies had defeated the English once, but no more would they plague the Empire. They had taken our coastal holdings, and the expeditionary force was ordered to fight them back. The Dreadnaughts paved the way for assault, their guns decimating the Boer coastal defences.

Cape town was taken by the fire of machine guns and tanks, deadly weapons not yet seen by the Boers. Now, the armies of England will march on, their motto:

To Pretoria!

There would be no more falling empire.

Current Status of the Expeditionary Force:

The Royal Infantry:
5,000 Light Infantry
15,000 Line Infantry

100 Artillery Guns - to be ordered

The Royal Cavalry:
1,000 Light Brigadesmen (Hussars)
2,000 Lancers
2,000 Dragoons (Mounted on the march, yet on foot in battle)

20 Tanks - to be ordered
30 Armored cars - to be ordered

 

[Toteone]

Starting yet?
When do I have to send orders?

 

[Stormbringer]

economic orders are due by sometime next week, military - whenever you feel like it

 

[Stormbringer]

Buenos Aires Gazeta

WAR IN SOUTH AMERICA

Brazilian troops have marched into Peru, the defending army fell back the the capital, but was quickly destroyed by superior forces of Brazil. The march continued south, seizing a number of cities, and then the Brazilian general crossed into Chile, striking down the army of Chile with lighting speed he advanced and occupied two main cities in the country.
The result however has been qestionable. The armies and governments of the two nations surrendered, but the populations did not. Major cities are occupied by Brazilian forces, but out in the countryside people go on working as they have, refusing to recognize Brazilian government, refusing to follow Brazilian orders and organizing into bands of guerillas, something they learned to do long ago fighting the Spanish. Only time will show what is to come from this.

 

[Insane_Panda]

The Arrival at Cape Town, The Road to Pretoria:
Africa heats up

General Sir Redvers Buller, Commander of the South African Field Force

The Fleet has arrived at Cape town, welcomed by the Rt. and Honorable General Sir Redvers Buller, awared the Victorian cross for his action in the First Boer War. Bullers has been put in command of the South African field force, and is now on the march.

Also in Africa, the Fleet has arrived, cutting off the Boers to the ocean, and stopping any supplies from getting through. Thus begins the Road to Pretoria.

Buller is accompanied by 40,000 Infantry, 10 tanks, and 15 armored cars, and will begin his march shortly. Buller has always been a proponent of modern warfare, and believes the effective use of modern vehicles will bring British troops to victory, and with the loss of India and Australia, Parliament has ordered the doctrine of 'New Imperialism", African Imperialism.

 

[Sheep]

ALL LIBERAL NATIONS PLEASE REGEISTER ON THIS THREAD IF YOU WISH TO JOIN FRANCE AND THE UNITED KINGDOM IN THE DEFENCE OF LIBERALISM IDEALS.

 

[Insane_Panda]

OOC NOTE: Egypt is still a protectorate of the UK. One should not get ideas of invading it.

 

[das]

From: Russian Empire
To: Brazil

We protest your action.

From: Russian Empire
To: Poland

We repeat (for the fourth time) - if you wish, we will help you negotiate with Germany. CAN YOU AT LEAST RESPOND?

 

[Kamilian]

From Poland
To Russia:
We thought it was clear that we want negotiations WHEN WE REPEATEDLY ASKED FOR GERMANY'S RESPONSE, which THEY have not given yet.

From Poland
To Switzerland:
Thank you. We would gladly appreciate any aid you can send so that we can start building our industry and make our economy stronger.