Chapter Six
Chinese Civil War, European Economic Reforms
A TL
A German gold mark, the symbol of power Germany holds in Europe’s economy. Since the Great European War, Germany and Austria-Hungary, along with a few other neutral countries, were the few remaining strong economies in Europe.
“This era is far different than our past…our once proud nation uses the German gold mark instead of the pound sterling…we are in shambles, and wait in unwilling submission to our German masters in the east.” –A British citizen assessing the situation in Britain on August, 1880.
In Europe, with the formerly powerful countries, such as Britain and France, a fragment of themselves, the victors of the war take up the mantle as much of the European economy lay in ruin. The Sino-American Conflict slowed trade in the Pacific, and the colonies of Europe, including Britain’s India and France’s Indochina, were fighting for independence. This, paired with a civil war in China, nearly eliminated the chance of recovering the trade in the East. The newly formed German Empire took the opportunity to take control of Europe’s economy by creating the Richtofen Plan, a plan that stated that Germany would continue business with the European countries affected by the war. Not only would this help the economy, but would help build pro-German opinion in Germany and France. Meanwhile, Germany would draft a European Trade Pact, similar to the Asian Trade Pact, but would only apply to European countries. As for Asia, the only significant and noticeable power still in Asia is America, so in order to try and recover the Asian trade region the Euro-American Economic Plan, the promise of trade between the two regions. With an economic growth spurt, Germany thrived and became a major power, both politically and economically.
China, late 1880: the Chinese mainland is split between two forces, the Nationalists and the Dynasticals. This civil war has been going on since early 1879, the objective to gain control of the government. The Nationalists want to evict the Western powers from its soil. The Dynasticals want to keep the Westerners, as they have been promised power in the Chinese government by the West. But since 1879, they have been locked in a stalemate until December, when Nationalist representative, General Li Zhao, asked for Russian support, knowing that with a largely Nationalist government, the Russians would have Chinese nationalist sympathies and comply. On December 22nd, 1880, Russia joined the war on the side of the Nationalists. Although Russian troops never went to the front line, the support and supplies would eventually tip the war in the Nationalists favor, and cause the Dynasticals to eventually surrender. Shortly after the Russians entered the war, the Dynasticals surrendered on December 30th, 1880. This angered both Europeans and Americans, or now they had to send more resources to China to protect their assets in a pointless conflict. This strengthened ties between the countries of the Asian Trade Pact, especially Germany and America, the only remaining superpowers in Asia. During the Western Eviction campaign in China, Indochinese and Indian nationalists seized the chance of a weakened Europe to start rebellions of their own, hoping to be noticed and supported by Russia to gain independence for their countries. As Britain and France scrambled to secure their colonies, the Nationalist parties at home chastised them for not granting the colonies’ independence and for sending troops there, for they did not want more war. This not only peaks the Nationalist party’s popularity, but peaks the threat of a Nationalist takeover of the government in Britain and France.
“We condemn Russia for using such aggressive tactics in Asia…as if they wanted to pursue another war…in order to halt the threat of a growing problem, we must combine forces as a great, glorious Europe…as the Russians have done nothing to help.” – The French Secretary of Foreign Affairs, in his speech about the Chinese Civil War.
The Nationalist fever is spreading…