The German Civil War
Germany Split In Three!
The German Government of the Kaiser has finally collapsed. Marxist revolutionaries have seized the industrial cities of Munich and Stuttgart and declared a
'peoples revolution' in Germany. The Kaiser immediately moved to stamp the revolution out but found his military forces in the South had rebelled against their commanders and refused to fire at the huge swathes of protestors in the streets.
With the Kaiser's authority now seriously undermined liberal and socialist politicians advocating the formation of an elected parliament declared the end of the Kaiser Reich and announced a new German constitution and parliament (Bundestag) in Bremen. Philipp Scheidemann has been elected as the interim leader of the Bremen Reichstag until law and order can be restored in Germany and nationwide elections can be held. The Parliament is convening in the Bremen University and already has wide support amongst many business leaders and the middle-classes in Northern Germany. Although it's main weakness is a lack of any military support. With only a limited number of military personnel they face a tough struggle should they face any sort of conflict with the other factions in Germany.
The Kaiser, refusing to accept that it was the end of his reign, continued to grip to his throne. But his tenure as leader of Germany was at an end and on the 6th of April 1908, General von Moltke forced the Kaiser to abdicate his throne and immediately declared Germany in a state of Martial Law. Von Moltke has declared that he will restore order to Germany and is solid in his conviction to put down the Marxist revolution in Bavria and Wurrtemberg. Backed by the large majority of the military forces he has managed to keep control of the crucial western industrial regions of the Rhine and holds the nations Capital City, Berlin.
This struggle looks set to tear Germany apart once again and all the German people can hope for is that, once this conflict is at an end, they may finally be able to live in peace without war in their country.
Key Players In The Civil War:
- General Helmuth von Moltke - Army Chief of Staff since 1906 and the retirement of Alfred von Schlieffen he is the supreme commander of the armed forces. A staunch conservative and Prussian aristocrat he is extremely worried by the threat of Marxism and will stop at nothing to put it down.
- Philipp Scheidemann - Interim Chancellor of the Bremen Riechstag, an effective orator and leader of the Socialist Democrats, he is highly respected by his peers and therefore was unopposed when elected leader of the Bremen Recihstag.
- Gustav Stresemann - Foriegn Minister in the Scheidemann Cabinet, he has a crucial role to play in securing international support for the Bremen Reichstag. A prominent member of the Liberal Party he wants to see the Bremen Reichstag and the Army join in alliance to defeat the Marxist revolution and form a new Germany.
- Karl Liebknecht - Uncertainty remains over who is the leader of the Marxist revolution, but Liebknecht is certainly one of it's key players. A graduate in law and economics from Leipzig University, he has been a key figure in advocating revolution in Germany. He is seen as being one of the core members of the German Marxist Party and has connections with the extremist Peoples Liberation Movement.
- Joachim Ackerman - Thought to be the leader of the Peoples Liberation Movement. Not much is known about him and there is very little information available about his past and what he looks like. Prepared to use any means necessary to bring down the Government and leading classes of Germany.
Diplomacy
To: France and The United Kingdom
From: The Bremen Reichstag
Friends, as liberal nations we ask for your support in this civil war. We do not have the military support necessary to hold off the Army or the Marxists. It would be in all of our interests to see democracy and liberalism thrive in Europe and supporting our cause will help prevent another dictatorship, be it Marxist or Military.
Yours,
Gustav Stresemann
