Friends Across The Sea! A Germany/Britain Timeline
- Thread starter torten
- Start date
Just want to say that I am very much enjoying the timeline, and am very interested by the situation in the Balkans.
Bulgaria declared war on Greece. Serbia supported Greece, the Italians stayed out of it, the ottomans were neutral. No comparison to the OTL Balkan wars.
Thank you
Ryan
Donor
I know that, I'm just wondering why Bulgaria didn't join in the ATL Balkan war where they could have gotten even more territory (including an Aegean coastline) fairly easily as the ottomans were fighting Greece, Serbia and Italy as well.
btw I am enjoying your tl, don't think I'm not
Part X: Diplomacy 1908-1911, The USA, and Algeria
In Algeria, much investment took place in military matters. In Alger’s, a dockyard was set up to service any warships which might be based at Alger’s in the future. A large dry-dock 140 metres long was built, along with two 80 metre docks and between 1907 and 1915, six torpedo boats were built, and manned with French officers and Arab crews. Two pre dreadnought battleships were sent to Alger’s, along with several destroyers, creating Alger force. A schooner caught smuggling which was taken into Alger’s was outfitted with a spare 120mm naval gun, and used as coastal patrol boat. A French captain in Alger’s saw the military use of such a vessel, and began to aculeate a small stock pile of elderly naval weapons. A small factory was set up to produce naval shells, and by 1915, Alger’s was an effective naval dockyard. For a normal Arab, to work in the dockyard was a decent job, as it was better paid than many jobs, though compared to Europeans, it was rather poor and the French would only recruit Arabs “Who show some attitude to work”, or who gave a bribe. In 1913, a mosque was built in the dockyard, in the words of a (white) foreman ‘to appease the moslems’. In western Algeria, a small oil field was found and Extraction efforts began in 1909. A railway was constructed to bring the oil to Alger’s and Oran, were it could be shipped to mainland France.
The international reaction to the Bulgarian civil war varied. Russia was upset by the loss of its ally, and decided to support the royalist government, hoping one day that the royalists may be able to reconquer Bulgaria. Austria-Hungary were terrified that its many nationalities may get ideas about having a revolution, and provided aid to Romania, who were equally as scared. The Turkish empire was scared, but thought the revolution would collapse in on its self. France was not too bothered, though maintained solidarity with its Austrian allies. Germany, Italy and Britain watched carefully from the side lines, and all three, despite being concerned about the effects it would have on the region, recognised it as the official government of Bulgaria, deciding in the words of Winston Churchill, the president of the board of trade, ‘That Is better to see the beast and know its deeds, than to blow out the candle, and hope it disappears’. Serbia and Greece kept a careful eye on Bulgaria, but were pleased it would not be a threat in the near future.
The USA, under President William Taft, followed a policy of isolation from European affairs. It had no intention of getting involved in the European alliance system. However, behind closed doors, the US hoped that if a war did come about, the central powers would be able to quickly win, as not to damage American trade, and that Britain would help maintain global stability, as the world’s greatest naval power. The US was also quite fond of some of France’s Caribbean islands, and with the Panama Canal getting nearer to completion, making sure Central America was firmly in Americas sphere of influence was important. The sale of the Panama Canal workings to the USA in France was considered to be a good move, as the USA was a neutral country and the money could be better spent on other things. [1]
In Europe, the French army, by cancelling two Bonaparte class battleships, were able to invest in a large quantity of new armaments. The Lebel Model 1886 rifle was replaced as the main service rifle by the Lebel model 1910, which used a different but more effective Cartridge, as well as several small changes designed to make the weapon easier to make and easier to use.
In Algeria, much investment took place in military matters. In Alger’s, a dockyard was set up to service any warships which might be based at Alger’s in the future. A large dry-dock 140 metres long was built, along with two 80 metre docks and between 1907 and 1915, six torpedo boats were built, and manned with French officers and Arab crews. Two pre dreadnought battleships were sent to Alger’s, along with several destroyers, creating Alger force. A schooner caught smuggling which was taken into Alger’s was outfitted with a spare 120mm naval gun, and used as coastal patrol boat. A French captain in Alger’s saw the military use of such a vessel, and began to aculeate a small stock pile of elderly naval weapons. A small factory was set up to produce naval shells, and by 1915, Alger’s was an effective naval dockyard. For a normal Arab, to work in the dockyard was a decent job, as it was better paid than many jobs, though compared to Europeans, it was rather poor and the French would only recruit Arabs “Who show some attitude to work”, or who gave a bribe. In 1913, a mosque was built in the dockyard, in the words of a (white) foreman ‘to appease the moslems’. In western Algeria, a small oil field was found and Extraction efforts began in 1909. A railway was constructed to bring the oil to Alger’s and Oran, were it could be shipped to mainland France.
The international reaction to the Bulgarian civil war varied. Russia was upset by the loss of its ally, and decided to support the royalist government, hoping one day that the royalists may be able to reconquer Bulgaria. Austria-Hungary were terrified that its many nationalities may get ideas about having a revolution, and provided aid to Romania, who were equally as scared. The Turkish empire was scared, but thought the revolution would collapse in on its self. France was not too bothered, though maintained solidarity with its Austrian allies. Germany, Italy and Britain watched carefully from the side lines, and all three, despite being concerned about the effects it would have on the region, recognised it as the official government of Bulgaria, deciding in the words of Winston Churchill, the president of the board of trade, ‘That Is better to see the beast and know its deeds, than to blow out the candle, and hope it disappears’. Serbia and Greece kept a careful eye on Bulgaria, but were pleased it would not be a threat in the near future.
Theodore Roosevelt on a steam shovel
The USA, under President William Taft, followed a policy of isolation from European affairs. It had no intention of getting involved in the European alliance system. However, behind closed doors, the US hoped that if a war did come about, the central powers would be able to quickly win, as not to damage American trade, and that Britain would help maintain global stability, as the world’s greatest naval power. The US was also quite fond of some of France’s Caribbean islands, and with the Panama Canal getting nearer to completion, making sure Central America was firmly in Americas sphere of influence was important. The sale of the Panama Canal workings to the USA in France was considered to be a good move, as the USA was a neutral country and the money could be better spent on other things. [1]
William Taft
In 1909, morocco was annexed, by Spain and France. Britain and Germany decided to support the annexation, in return for a little more land in the Congo. It also prevented the tactically important north coast of morocco going to the French.
By 1910, a Cairo to Kenya railway had be completed, connecting the northern British colonies to each other. In South Africa, a line was being constructed which would connect Katanga to South Africa, making access easier. The connecting line though German Africa was being planned, and the cape to Cairo railway was expected to be completed by 1916.
The Balkan powers of Serbia and Greece agreed to join the triple alliance as junior partners in 1910. A pro Austrian coup in Romania, led by carol I, against a pro central powers government in 1909 successfully overthrew the government, allowing king carol more control of the country, which was leaning far more on Austria-Hungary, for protection against Bulgaria, which was a large threat in the eyes of many of the Romania aristocrats. By 1911, Romania was effectively an Austrian puppet.
The Balkan powers of Serbia and Greece agreed to join the triple alliance as junior partners in 1910. A pro Austrian coup in Romania, led by carol I, against a pro central powers government in 1909 successfully overthrew the government, allowing king carol more control of the country, which was leaning far more on Austria-Hungary, for protection against Bulgaria, which was a large threat in the eyes of many of the Romania aristocrats. By 1911, Romania was effectively an Austrian puppet.
Carol the First of Romania
In Europe, the French army, by cancelling two Bonaparte class battleships, were able to invest in a large quantity of new armaments. The Lebel Model 1886 rifle was replaced as the main service rifle by the Lebel model 1910, which used a different but more effective Cartridge, as well as several small changes designed to make the weapon easier to make and easier to use.
[1] - America is almost unchanged partly because the events in Europe have had little effect there.
Part XI: Bulgaria 1909-1915, and Alsace-Lorraine
The Bulgaria revolution had led to two main groups appearing. The demokratsiya believed in turning Bulgaria into a socialist paradise, and the Razpredelenie believed that revolution should be exported, especially to Romania, who were not quiet in their dislike of the republic. The Razpredelenie faction had been side lined, though cracks were beginning to appear. The Bulgarian republic was receiving visits from Young radicals, introducing new ideas into Bulgaria’s fledgling socialist state. Several believed that Bulgaria was not a proper Socialist state, the powerful factories dominating the government, while the theoretical Democracy of the Syndicated factories, Farms and Industry was disappearing. This was true in many cases, with many of the workers seeing little change in their everyday lives, and in many cases, some of the larger factory’s were completely ignoring the syndicate system, so called Rotten Syndicates. One of the greatest flaws in the system was the fact the factories sold goods to the country, other Syndicates, or individual and therefore, many ended up in competition with each other, leading to each factory attempting to undercut each other, only the workers suffering.
With Inflation taking off, the workers were finding their standard of living was falling. At a glance, the workers could then find another employer, but in 1909 in a partly successful attempt to stop inflation, workers required the permission of their current Managing council to work for another Syndicate, if they worked in Township. Many suggested nationalising the Factories, and then setting up trade unions which would provide the workers with control of their working conditions. These ideas created yet other rift within the state, between the odŭrzhaveni faction and the nezavisim faction. The problem came erupting to the surface in July 1911. The factory workers inside one factory demanded they elect a new managing council. The existing Managing council refused, and the workers went on strike. The managing council hired a bunch of thugs, who went to beat up the Workers, to drive them back into work. However, several of the workers had brought rifles, and drove off the thugs. Within hours, many of the rotten Syndicates were on strike.
The Government panicked. If it nationalised the Syndicates, the Powerful Syndicates wouldn’t go down without a fight. If it didn’t, the workers would overthrow the government and the Austrians would invade. The government chose the former. It declared that all industrial Syndicates were nationalised. The Nationalisation was rather peaceful, with almost all syndicates peacefully handing over control of the government, mainly those which were reasonably popular. Those which resisted being ‘persuaded’ by ABN (Bulgarian people’s army) forces. In one Town, the mayor, who held Royalist views, believing the day of restoration to be nigh, threw out a tiny garrison of ABN forces, and believing that other areas would follow, declared the town liberated, believing that other areas would follow. He was wrong. Within a week the town was restored to government control.
The Socialist Republic of Bulgaria was an improvement on the Syndicate system. As the Government owned the factories and paid a set wage for all the employees, poverty was reduced, despite living conditions remaining poor for many. The union of Bulgarian workers was set up, which was a massive state run trade union which would look after workers’ rights. Of course being part of the government limited the effectiveness of the union, and several other unions were set up by groups, and approved by the central government. Bulgaria was considered by many socialists and communists to be a Communist state. For the time being, Syndicalism would take a back seat, discredited by its failures in Bulgaria By 1915, Bulgaria was becoming increasingly powerful, and Austria-Hungary was planning to attack Bulgaria in the near future, but these plans were stalled by the outbreak of war.
The Kaiser and his wife had their first child, Crown Prince Fredrick in 1906. However, Crown Prince Fredrick suffered from Epilepsy and was called rather meanly, the Retard Prince. He was sent to live away in the Bavarian Alps at the age of five where he gained a strong love of nature. At the outbreak of war, the Crown prince came home. While he was still prone to the odd fit, he had become much better as he got older. The Kaiser had more children, Prince Waldemar in 1907, Princess Margaret in 1909, and after a short break, Prince Hubertus in 1912, Princess Victoria in 1914 and finally Prince Henry in 1916. In 1912, it was decided that Alsace Lorraine would become a fully-fledged part of the German empire. Before 1912, it was administered as an imperial Territory, but in 1912, it became a fully-fledged Grand Duchy, in personal union with Prussia. Under the 1912 Constitution of Alsace Lorraine, Prussia was not allowed to annex the duchy. While Kaiser Wilhelm the third was Grand duck, the intent was that the title would be given to a suitable candidate at some point.
The Bulgaria revolution had led to two main groups appearing. The demokratsiya believed in turning Bulgaria into a socialist paradise, and the Razpredelenie believed that revolution should be exported, especially to Romania, who were not quiet in their dislike of the republic. The Razpredelenie faction had been side lined, though cracks were beginning to appear. The Bulgarian republic was receiving visits from Young radicals, introducing new ideas into Bulgaria’s fledgling socialist state. Several believed that Bulgaria was not a proper Socialist state, the powerful factories dominating the government, while the theoretical Democracy of the Syndicated factories, Farms and Industry was disappearing. This was true in many cases, with many of the workers seeing little change in their everyday lives, and in many cases, some of the larger factory’s were completely ignoring the syndicate system, so called Rotten Syndicates. One of the greatest flaws in the system was the fact the factories sold goods to the country, other Syndicates, or individual and therefore, many ended up in competition with each other, leading to each factory attempting to undercut each other, only the workers suffering.
With Inflation taking off, the workers were finding their standard of living was falling. At a glance, the workers could then find another employer, but in 1909 in a partly successful attempt to stop inflation, workers required the permission of their current Managing council to work for another Syndicate, if they worked in Township. Many suggested nationalising the Factories, and then setting up trade unions which would provide the workers with control of their working conditions. These ideas created yet other rift within the state, between the odŭrzhaveni faction and the nezavisim faction. The problem came erupting to the surface in July 1911. The factory workers inside one factory demanded they elect a new managing council. The existing Managing council refused, and the workers went on strike. The managing council hired a bunch of thugs, who went to beat up the Workers, to drive them back into work. However, several of the workers had brought rifles, and drove off the thugs. Within hours, many of the rotten Syndicates were on strike.
Rioting in Sofia, against the Rotten Syndicate System
The Socialist Republic of Bulgaria was an improvement on the Syndicate system. As the Government owned the factories and paid a set wage for all the employees, poverty was reduced, despite living conditions remaining poor for many. The union of Bulgarian workers was set up, which was a massive state run trade union which would look after workers’ rights. Of course being part of the government limited the effectiveness of the union, and several other unions were set up by groups, and approved by the central government. Bulgaria was considered by many socialists and communists to be a Communist state. For the time being, Syndicalism would take a back seat, discredited by its failures in Bulgaria By 1915, Bulgaria was becoming increasingly powerful, and Austria-Hungary was planning to attack Bulgaria in the near future, but these plans were stalled by the outbreak of war.
Kaiser Willhelm the Third
The Kaiser and his wife had their first child, Crown Prince Fredrick in 1906. However, Crown Prince Fredrick suffered from Epilepsy and was called rather meanly, the Retard Prince. He was sent to live away in the Bavarian Alps at the age of five where he gained a strong love of nature. At the outbreak of war, the Crown prince came home. While he was still prone to the odd fit, he had become much better as he got older. The Kaiser had more children, Prince Waldemar in 1907, Princess Margaret in 1909, and after a short break, Prince Hubertus in 1912, Princess Victoria in 1914 and finally Prince Henry in 1916. In 1912, it was decided that Alsace Lorraine would become a fully-fledged part of the German empire. Before 1912, it was administered as an imperial Territory, but in 1912, it became a fully-fledged Grand Duchy, in personal union with Prussia. Under the 1912 Constitution of Alsace Lorraine, Prussia was not allowed to annex the duchy. While Kaiser Wilhelm the third was Grand duck, the intent was that the title would be given to a suitable candidate at some point.
Loving the timeline, those ripples in the Balkans and Africa are tasty and I wonder how the post-war world will develop with the two Germanic brothers standing United, one dominating land and the other the sea.
Still feeling like the spoil sport again but in the Congo partition update I found a little flaw. The UK wanted part of the Congo to go to Portugal to gain an alliance but the UK and Portugal have been allies for centuries after the signing of the Treaty of Windsor in 1386.
Could be changed to Britain wanting to strengthen their other ally in the region or as a way to deprive the French of more territory.
Still the timeline is great and I am anxiously waiting for the next update.
Still feeling like the spoil sport again but in the Congo partition update I found a little flaw. The UK wanted part of the Congo to go to Portugal to gain an alliance but the UK and Portugal have been allies for centuries after the signing of the Treaty of Windsor in 1386.
Could be changed to Britain wanting to strengthen their other ally in the region or as a way to deprive the French of more territory.
Still the timeline is great and I am anxiously waiting for the next update.
Good point. I suppose the right wording would be to gain Portuguese favour so Britain can count on Portugal as a ally in a European war. It also deprives the French of more territory in that respect.
Part XII The First Chinese Civil War, Siam Crisis and Adolf Marschall von Bieberstein
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Qing dynasty Flag
The First Chinese civil war started in April 1911, with the collapse of the Qing Empire. In the aftermath, Tibet and Mongolia declared independence, Tibet falling into the British sphere of influence. In the south, the Chinese republic was established, led by Yuan Shikai and Song Jiaoren and in the north, the Qing, backed by the Japanese, attempted to reconquer the south of their country. A Large military force, made up of Manchu peasants, Qing loyalists and Japanese soldiers, marched south from Beijing to force the Republic to its knees. Defeated by the Beiyang Army at suqiun, the army retreated northwards, and after a short fight at daxing, despite heavy resistance by army, especially the Japanese force of 5000 men and 20 guns, the capital fell to the republic. The emperor, hoping that he would be restored as emperor of the Chinese republic, was killed when a shell from a captured Japanese gun hit the Forbidden City.
In the north, the Japanese attempted to appoint Empress Dowager Longyu as empress in her own right. When this provoked upset from some of the imperial eunuchs, who argued it was untraditional, she was declared regent until another monarch could be found. In the meantime, the treaty of Beijing was signed in April 1912, splitting china between the republic of china and the Qing Empire. The Forbidden City would remain part of the Qing Empire. The Late Emperor puyi’s Brother Pujie, was appointed emperor, and was given the name Běidì Emperor. Never returning to the Forbidden City, he reigned in Shenyang. The Qing remnants in the north broke apart, with four small states in the north falling into the Russian sphere of influence and the Zhangjiakou clique falling into the sphere of the republic, these states being nominal parts of the Qing Empire, as well as Japanese Hainan, which was governed by the Japanese. Leaving only south Manchuria under the direct control of the Shenyang government, which was increasingly controlled by the Japanese. By July 1914, the Shenyang government was almost powerless, causing the Empress Dowager Longyu to launch a Coup to expel the Japanese. Crushed within hours, The Empress Dowager was forced to commit suicide and the Emperor escaped to the Zhangjiakou clique.
Von Bieberstein
The Years 1910-15 are often called the conservative years in Germany, as the Prussia junkers, powerful landowners, began to grow in power, after the death of Kaiser Fredrick, and the rise of extreme socialist ideology, and by 1910, a conservative chancellor, Adolf Marschall von Bieberstein replaced Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg, who had been chancellor since 1902. Worried about how reliable Britain would be in a war, he ordered the construction of four more battleships, concerning many who though that Britain may get upset about this rash construction. Germany was concerningly heading towards its Prussian roots of militarism, which had the potential to damage its relations with Britain. However, one of von Bethmann-Hollweg flagship policys, which was to give some polish majority areas Autonomy, was passed by Von Bieberstein after considerable pressure from the Kaiser, and Several Prominent liberals. This created the Grand duchy of Poland, which was in personal union with the German Emperorship. The Grand Duchy of Poland was created in June 1912. In 1913, a revolution overthrew the Portuguese monarchy. King Carlos, went into exile in Germany.
Austria-Hungary also began a drive towards militarism, and began enlarging the common army and enlarging the amount of reserves it could muster during wartime. This caused an officer shortage, and Middle class Slavs began to be trained as officers.
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HMS Pandora
The Siam crisis in 1911 was another attempt to expand France’s colonial empire. Siam, scared of French expansionism, sold some of its southern provinces to Britain, in return for British protection. France decided to test the British protection of Siam, and demanded that the Siamese cede a small amount of territory along the coast and provide the French control of Bangkok harbour. Britain refused to allow this to happen, and told the French it would protect Siam, by military means if necessary. The French, British and Siamese held talks in London and agreed for a small amount of land to be sold to France, in the Gulf of Siam. While even the small amount of land was a concession to France, the British made the French pay a good amount of gold to Siam for the land, which went partly straight into the British treasury, as the next day Siam agreed to purchase a large amount of British arms. At first they wanted to buy a Dreadnought battleship, but to the annoyance of British ship builders were convinced otherwise , and instead the Siamese brought a ‘fleet unit’ of 4 destroyers, similar to the British Beagle class, and an obsolete British protected cruiser, HMS Pandora, which was to refitted for Siamese needs, as well as 10000 Lee-Enfield rifles, ten BL 10-pounder Mountain Guns and 2 12 inch guns to be set up for coastal defence in Bangkok. This was a failure for France, as it showed that Britain would not allow its allies to be bullied, and with the Anglo-Siamese treaty being signed in 1913 a formal military alliance, that Siam would not be bullied. A footnote of the treaty was that Siam would allow for a railway to be built though its territory, as part of a Singapore to Delhi railway.
Here is a map of the world in 1912. Only a few more updates away from the Weltkreig. Comments always welcome. I have got exams in the next few months, so updates could get a little uncommon, but enjoy your view of the world, in this very intriguing timeline which everyone should read which has now had 10000 views. (Totally unbiased!)
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