Holding Out for a Hero: Gustav Stresemann Survives

[Susano]

Originally Posted by maverick

Doesn't Morocco border Algeria now?

Yes, and the Spanish Morocco part did, too. I think his point is that makes it easy for Free Morocco to smuggle weapons to ideological breathren there...

[Cadet 419]

Excellent update as always Faelin

[Dr. Nodelescu]

Faeelin? Faeelin! Here's a cookie! Come, Faeelin! Awww, Faeelin! I thought you were a good cat! Come, Faeelin! Give me a head! Faeelin, come on!

[Faeelin]

Originally Posted by Dr. Nodelescu

Faeelin? Faeelin! Here's a cookie! Come, Faeelin! Awww, Faeelin! I thought you were a good cat! Come, Faeelin! Give me a head! Faeelin, come on!

Okay, fine. Writing now.

[Van555]

YES!

it has returned!!!!!!!

[Faeelin]

As the convoy of lorries down the road dusty road, Nieh Ho-'Ting smiled. It was one more of the Kuomintang's many gifts from the foreign devils, used by Chiang to ferry supplies to the front. But Stalin had given Mao gifts of his own…

A voice spoke up. "Excuse me, I don’t mean to complain, but weren't we in the middle of discussing the rape of my daughter and the deaths of my people?"

Nieh was so perplexed he didn't even aim his Kalishnokov at the newcomer. "Err. Who are you?"

"I'm one of the Bosniaks that nobody in Europe gives a shit about because we're Muslim."

"The who?"

"Well, if this had been updated more recently than months ago maybe you'd know!"

An explosion rocked the world around them as the Communist troops opened fire, but Nieh ignored it. "Look, Chiang's overextended his supply lines in his drive into Manchuria. This is our chance to strike back and envelope some of his forces, beginning a great march south."

"Wait, aren't you just a corporal or something? So we're supposed to believe Mao went around telling you guys his grand strategy? I bet you know when the next shipment of T-34s is gonna reach Harbin too."

"…. Historical records from the final phases of the Chinese Civil War are spotty at best!"

"Also, aren't we young men? Why do we never talk about finding a cute girl to fuck?"

"That's probably the failing on the part of the author. Probably has never even been with a girl."

"Could be worse. If he based it on his dating experiences one of us would quote Mises and the German need for Elsass-Lothringen after passing out at a gay discoteque."

A young woman in a sari shrugged. "Listen, at least you got more than 'Look, the peaceful space filling empire of India.'"

There was an awkward silence. "Let's just return to the history book format."

_________________________________________

Although few were aware at the time, as 1945 began Stalin had no desire to see Mao as the master of all of China. The USSR and the KMT had enjoyed cordial relations throughout the 1920s, and the USSR had provided the Chinese with aid against Japan up to the signing of the Soviet-Japanese nonaggression Pact. Chiang was far from a friend to the Capitalist nations of Europe; during the height of the Pacific War he wrote a long screed advocating China's right to lead East Asia towards modernity, in lieu of the destructive and oppressive Europeans. So it should come as no surprise that his first proposal to the CCP was that it should engage in negotiations with the Chiang for the establishment of a united government for China.

We have doubts about one point in your message where it is said that "In the period of the final victory of the Chinese revolution, following the case of the USSR, all political parties, except the CCP, will have to withdraw from the political scene, as this [withdrawal] will consolidate the Chinese revolution substantially." We do not agree with this. We think that various opposition parties in China, representing the middle strata of the Chinese population and standing against the Guomindang clique, will be viable for a long time ahead, and the Chinese Communist party will [have to] attract them for cooperation [aimed] against the Chinese reaction and imperialist powers, while retaining its hegemony, that is the leading position. Probably, some representatives of these parties will have to be incorporated in the Chinese people's democratic government, and the government as such [will have] to be proclaimed as coalition, so as to expand the basis of the government among the population as well as to isolate the imperialists and their Guomindang agents.

It should be kept in mind that after the victory of the people's liberation armies of China— at least, in a postvictory period for which the duration is difficult to define now— the Chinese government, in terms of its policy, will be a national revolutionary-democratic government, rather than a Communist one. This means that nationalization of all lands and cancellation of the private ownership of land, confiscation of properties from the whole, major and petty, industrial and trade bourgeoisie, confiscation of properties from not only large, but middle and small land-owners, who live together with their hired labor, can not be effected yet. It will be necessary to wait for a certain period with these reforms.

-Joseph Stalin, to Mao Zedong

It came as no real surprise that the Chinese Civil War broke out once again. Mao was a Soviet ally, and had not Stalin backed Japan? Efforts by the League of Nations to broker a truce broke down, and as the League demobilized, the balance of power in China swung towards the Soviets.

Meanwhile, the Kuotmintang state was collapsing. It turns out it's not easy to rebuild a state wracked by warfare without money; and British loans began to dwindle up. [1] In response, Chiang made personal demands of the businessmen of Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tianjin, and other centers of trade and commerce along the coast. This was not a recipe for love. These predatory practices, the hallmarks of a broken state, extended to China's working class. In Tianjin, the second most important industrial center in China, the party leaders allied themselves with the secret societies that had influence among workers in the textile mills and transportations. The KMT then forced the unions that represented workers to join a citywide union, which then demanded large contributions from the workers. In response to deficits, the government ran the presses; and strangely, wage freezes did not halt a hyperinflation that rivaled 1923 Germany. Chiang hoped a victorious war against the Communists would solidify his control, and to be honest he was always more at home in the field than running a civilian administration. And so, war.

While all of this went on, the CCP cemented its hold on Manchuria and Northern China. Armed with captured Japanese weaponry and prolific Soviet equipment [2], and with thousands of Soviet military, medical, and industrial experts operating behind Mao's lines, Manchuria painfully but rapidly became a Soviet state. It has even been alleged that Mao's writing changed under influence from Moscow. Gone was a free ranging discourse with reference to Chinese history; instead, Mao's writings adopted the terse, doctrinaire style of the Politburo. And so, war.

The conflict broke out in the hot dry months of July. Chiang's forces initially overwhelmed the Communists, expelling them from their positions on the Grand Canal, overrunning Yan'an, and by the end of the year Chiang's campaign, though bloody, had reached the Korean border by the end of 1945. Chiang offered Stalin recognition of the Soviet Union's "special concerns" about Xinjiang, and agreed to recognize the Democratic Republic of Korea. Stalin, of course, promised neutrality.

The first units of the Red Army entered combat in time for a Lunar New Year's offensive which pushed the Kuomintang back to Beijing; and by March, a painful reality was clear. The KMT, without western backing, would be incapable of defeating Mao and Stalin. Even worse, Stalin seemed to have realized this as well.

At peak strength a year ago we had some 113,000 soldiers, sailors and marines in China. Today this number is being reduced to less than 11,000....-Prime Minister Attlee, "The Winter of Our Discontent"

[Faeelin]

Okay, this is short because my gut feeling is that if Stalin does decide to push in China, there's a devil of a chance the Allies can stop him. Thoughts?

[Van555]

I got to agree there, I mean who has the force projection to stop it. neither Taiwan, america, France, Britain or Germany can get force in there?

edit: the footnotes where are they?

[LordInsane]

Originally Posted by Faeelin

Chiang was far from a friend to the Capitalist nations of Europe; during the height of the Pacific War he wrote a long screed advocating China's right to lead East Asia towards modernity, in lieu of the destructive and oppressive Europeans. So it should come as no surprise that his first proposal to the CCP was that it should engage in negotiations with the Chiang for the establishment of a united government for China.

Er, Chiang proposed to the CCP that it should engage in negotiations with the Chiang?

[yourworstnightmare]

Hmm, Stalin don't trust Mao (and he shouldn't), but by now Mao is his ally. Stalin's best move would be to somehow be able to replace Mao as the Commie leader with someone more trustworthy, but that would be hard.

[CCA]

I'm sad that the KMT are losing

[anon_user]

I'm sad for the Bosniak. Poor, ignored Bosniak.

On the other hand, hooray for update!

[LordInsane]

Originally Posted by CCA

I'm sad that the KMT are losing

On the bright side, if it isn't retconned, we do know that by 'now' China is under the control of a state whose name seems somewhat strange for a CCP-controlled China.

[Francisco Cojuanco]

Faelin, I thought you left? Yay, you're back! Even though I do disagree with you on topics unrelated to this thread.

So, I bet Stalin's going to try and purge the ChiComms...

[I Blame Communism]

Hip-hip, hurray, calloo, callay!

[Arafeel]

Hurray tis back, any chance on a political uppdate for Germany?

And how much aid would the KMT need to atleast hold the south of China?
Should be some soldiers stationd, as well as equipment from the Japanes and the Leauge force? Naval support atleast. After all the KMT cant flee too Formosa, but maybe hold the south, around the pearl river with support? Kwangtung, Hainan and Guangxi would make for an interesting Republic of China at least.

[Faeelin]

Originally Posted by Arafeel

Hurray tis back, any chance on a political uppdate for Germany?

Has much of anything changed? When we last left off, Schumacer headed a leftist government which took power in 1942.

The main problem up ahead will be how everyone reacts.

After all the KMT cant flee too Formosa, but maybe hold the south, around the pearl river with support? Kwangtung, Hainan and Guangxi would make for an interesting Republic of China at least.

Hrm. Point...

Originally Posted by yourworstnightmare

Hmm, Stalin don't trust Mao (and he shouldn't), but by now Mao is his ally. Stalin's best move would be to somehow be able to replace Mao as the Commie leader with someone more trustworthy, but that would be hard.

Well, there were enough planes falling out of the sky with senior CCP officials in this period...

Originally Posted by CCA

I'm sad that the KMT are losing

Yep.

[Arafeel]

Originally Posted by Faeelin

Has much of anything changed? When we last left off, Schumacer headed a leftist government which took power in 1942.

The main problem up ahead will be how everyone reacts.

I am actually wondering how the opposition looks in Germany ITTL now.

We have seen years of the Stressman ear, and his center-right movement, several of his policy`s looks more one-nation conservative than liberal, and that could have pissed off the less-is-fair wing that his party is sure to have.
The loss of the elcetion after Stressman would probably be a big blow, and maybe a need to more that just his party.

Zentrum as well would be interesting, Corporatism might be more viable in this TL.

And we have the DNVP, i think they might splinter, following the trends of OTL of the moderates leaving it for the KVP (sort of Protestant Zentrum?) and the pan-germans and militants leaving it for the Deutschvölkische Freiheitspartei, (DVFP). If might remain as a small Monarchist Aristocratic Junker party.

[Francisco Cojuanco]

Originally Posted by Arafeel

I am actually wondering how the opposition looks in Germany ITTL now.

We have seen years of the Stressman ear, and his center-right movement, several of his policy`s looks more one-nation conservative than liberal, and that could have pissed off the less-is-fair wing that his party is sure to have.
The loss of the elcetion after Stressman would probably be a big blow, and maybe a need to more that just his party.

Zentrum as well would be interesting, Corporatism might be more viable in this TL.

And we have the DNVP, i think they might splinter, following the trends of OTL of the moderates leaving it for the KVP (sort of Protestant Zentrum?) and the pan-germans and militants leaving it for the Deutschvölkische Freiheitspartei, (DVFP). If might remain as a small Monarchist Aristocratic Junker party.

Nah, the Protestant Zentrum was the CSVD. KVP would be kinda-sorta neocon in the modern spectrum.

[Arafeel]

Hmm that is true, but neo-con ish KVP? Arent these mostly old DKP and FKP meabers, ie more burke than hayeck? Westarp never struck me as such anyways.