The War To End All Wars IC

by **Valkstadt** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 10:02 am

28 June 1914, Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist assassinated the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Outraged, Austria-Hungary delivered the July Ultimatum to Serbia, a series of ten demands intentionally made unacceptable, intending to provoke a war with Serbia. When Serbia agreed to only eight of the ten demands, Austria-Hungary declared war. The Russian Empire, unwilling to allow Austria–Hungary to eliminate its influence in the Balkans, and in support of its longtime Serb protégés, ordered its army to mobilize. Germany, wanting to protect its longtime ally ordered its army to mobilize as well, forcing France to respect their alliance with Russia and declare war on Germany.
It is now August 1, 1914, you are to choose a nation and lead it to glory and decide the fate of Europe.

I am aware there are already several WW1 RPs out there but they do not have the quality I am looking for.

RULES:
No godmodding!
No metagaming!
No one liners!
No flaming!
No tech advancing!
No reserving spots, fill out an application!
Stay realistic!
You will use military numbers listed on Wikipedia!
And please use good grammar!
You will be given one warning. The next offense is punishable by death.

OOC LINK: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=237179

ACCEPTED:
Italy- Valkstadt
France- Mauretania Tingitana
Great Britain- Bolaly
Russia- Mexican Liberation
Germany- Arsuf
Netherlands- Aeken
Japan- Thessaca
China- Great Confederacy Of Commonwealth States
Austria-Hungary- The Great Korean Empire
America- The Empire of Pretantia
Ottoman Empire- Tzarsgrad
Afghanistan- New high charity 24
Spain- Riserland
Belgium- Soviet Ruk-Tsan
Sweden- Thanatttynia
Serbia- Falsea
Persia- Aden Protectorate
Romania- Imperial Navarra
Greece- Ottozum Empire
Bulgaria- Lolloh

MAP: http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag1 ... dd5ad3.png
Full Size.
Scaled-down Version.
Sketch.

OPEN NATIONS:
Japan
Sweden
Portugal
Denmark
Brazil
Mexico
China
Greece

by **Valkstadt** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 10:07 am

THE KINGDOM OF ITALY

Rome, Italy
1 August 1914

Summer lingered in the air over Rome. It was still warm and as beautiful as ever. King Victor Emmanuel III sat in the courtyard outside his palace, admiring the garden. A minister approached him and sat beside him.
"My King, war is approaching. Whose side will we support?"
The king's thoughts seemed to be elsewhere.
"War is such a terrible thing. It is a shame to see so many young lives lost."
The minister sat speechless.
"We must take advantage of this" the King said softly. Send this letter to Franz Josef of Austria-Hungary. He pulled a letter out of his coat pocket.

To the glorious leader of Austria-Hungary, Franz Josef,
It pains me deeply to see us fall into the depths of war. Nonetheless Italy is a member of the Triple Alliance and I am sure you will need our help. We will join you on one condition. Ceede Terintino. It is a rightful Italian region and we feel that it will sway our people into supporting your cause. This is our only demand.
Sincerely,
King Victor Emmanuel III

by **Tzarsgrad** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 12:56 pm

The Most Sublime Holy Multicultural Islamic Sultanate of the Ottoman Empire:

Sultan Mehmed sat in his office, twittering his thumbs. The tinderbox that was Europe had erupted in a fury of alliances and enemies, and the Ottoman Empire was now expected to join in with her allies in the Central Powers. The Ottoman Empire, Mehmed decided, would not disappoint. She would raise as many men as she could to fight their enemies. And the enemies of the Holy Sultanate were everywhere. Russia to the North, the UK to the west, and Serbia to the north. Mehmed was determined not to allow the Ottoman Empire's enemies to overwhelm her. To do this, however, he and the entire nation would have much work to do.

Although he knew there would be no scarcity of manpower, but there would be a shortage of equipment for them to use. He decided he would ask Germany to lend some of her industrial might, that the Ottoman Empire might fight their enemies with German rifles and artillery. He decided he'd compose a letter to the Kaiser himself, perhaps to create some familiarity.

Mehmed hoped this would be enough. All he could do now was hold his breath and wait for a response.

by **Riserland** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 2:47 pm

The Kingdom of Spain

August 3rd 1914

Late in the afternoon king Alfonso XIII paced back and forth through his study as dark clouds gathered overhead and the sound of distant thunder rattled the palace walls. He, like every other man in all of Europe knew that war was about to rear it's ugly head once again but what nobody could have know was just how bad things were going to get.

Spain was a moderately sized nation, certainly it was a force to be reckoned with but it lacked something that would be very key to maintaining it's sovereignty: industry. The bids for alliances would no doubt begin to flow in like the river Tajo but no matter who the Cortes Generales (Spanish parliament) chose to join it would undoubtedly end in tragedy.

He briskly walked across the dimly lit room and planted himself in front of a desk before slamming his fist upon it again and again. "Something must be done!" he exclaimed before covering his face with both hands..... About ten minutes passed as the king prayed furiously ending with the traditional sign of the cross. He suddenly thrust open a drawer and snatched his pen and ink "Something will be done!" he whispered to himself clenching his teeth and raising a fist to about eye level.

by **Bolaly** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 4:57 pm

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

August 4th, 1914
British Parliament
London, England
"Gentleman, now is the time to act. We cannot stand and hope that the war will go away. We must enter this war!" The room applauded as Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith finished making his speech about the current war in Europe. When news was sent to London that Belgium, a neutral country, had been invaded by Germany and German troops were using it as a passageway into France, the British leader knew that it was the time to act. his As the Prime Minister made his way out of the Parliament building and towards his car to be taken back to 10 Downing, he met his Secretary of War and started discussing war plans.

The British Army at this time, was small, a mere 400,000 soldiers. Of these men, over half were posted as garrisons in British territories throughout the world. Fortunately, the size of the British Royal Navy made up for it. The British Royal Navy was the most powerful navy in the world. The Royal Navy was predicted to be as powerful as the next two largest navies combined, those of France and Russia. The Prime Minister proposed to his War Secretary that 6 divisions of the British Expeditionary Forces be sent to France to join the war effort. He hoped that they could then push back the Germans, and force them to fight a war on two fronts.

by **Arsuf** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 7:02 pm

4th of August, 1914

Tzarsgrad wrote:
The Most Sublime Holy Multicultural Islamic Sultanate of the Ottoman Empire
(Image)
Dear Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht, Second of His Name, Kaiser of the Glorious German Empire and its Colonial Dominions:
With the war against us members of the Central Powers, I must sadly admit that we of the Ottoman Empire are woefully unprepared to face the aggression of the imperialist nations of the United Kingdom and Russia. If you could lend us a small fraction of your industrial strength, or even troops themselves, we would be very thankful indeed. If we could provide any resources or strategic positions in return, you only need let us know.
Yours in the Eyes of the Glorious and Exalted God, and Our Free and Happy Peoples:
Meḥmed-i Hâmis, Fifth of His Name, Sultan on The Most Sublime Holy Multicultural Islamic Sultanate of the Ottoman Empire

Riserland wrote:
Dear Kaiser Wilhelm II,
I regret to inform you that the kingdom of Spain finds itself in dire straits. The dark clouds of war loom over Europe and we lack the industrial power to defend ourselves from the Triple Entente

We seek your blessing in purchasing military hardware, I can personally assure that our nation's treasury will compensate you accordingly.

The kingdom of Spain wishes to purchase:

10.5 cm Feldhaubitze 98/09: designs

21 cm Mörser 16: designs

7.7 cm FK 16: designs

Gewehr 98: 5,000 rifles and designs

7.92×57mm: 25,000 rounds and designs

(Image)

Alfonso XIII of Spain

Several letters arrived at the Kaiser's desk at once, he had been quite busy since giving Austria his unconditional backing (They couldn't let those Slavic barbarians get away with assassination), he had been signing off orders and diplomatic assignments, which was a change from his usual role, but he enjoyed it, he had always wished to be a military leader like the Germanic hero's who he grew up dreaming of, figures like Frederick Barbarossa and Gebhard von Blücher had conquered his mind at a young age, but he was rather inept, and a poor leader, in an interview had implied that the Germans did not care for the British, that the English were mad as hares and that the German naval build up was targeted against the Japanese not the British, he almost had to abdicate, and had lost much of his former influence, this was his chance to show he was the man he had always wanted to be.

To: Meḥmed-i Hâmis, Fifth of His Name, Sultan on The Most Sublime Holy Multicultural Islamic Sultanate of the Ottoman Empire
It is during these times that we must come together, as allies and as friends, and though we can not spare many men for your protection, as we are fighting on two fronts, I will personally see to it that I Corps is moved south to defend your shores, if this is not enough than perhaps we can arrange more, but for now this is all we can spare.
Please give my regards to von Sanders, he is a Jew, but a very capable officer, he has only been at his posting within your Empire for a year now, but I think he can handle anything that comes his way.
From: His Imperial and Royal Majesty The German Emperor, King of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht

To: The Kingdom of Spain
Your deal is accepted friend, I just hope that our ships can transport the goods to you, as to the north is the British, the west is the French and the east is the Russians, I shall arrange a naval escort to ensure the shipping arrives safely, if all goes well, the weapons should arrive at Barcelona in one piece, I shall send a diplomatic envoy along with them to potentially expand our trade deals and improve our relationship, if this is not acceptable then please see to it that he returns safely.
From: His Imperial and Royal Majesty The German Emperor, King of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht

And now to military matters, his Generals had assured him that the Russians would take a while longer to mobilise their forces, and the German and Austro-Hungarian armies in the East should only have to face limited defence, at first anyway.
The Austrian forces in Serbia are being crushed miserably, the Serbian army was more experienced, having fought for independence up until only a year ago, perhaps our Ottoman allies can assist the Austro-Hungarian fools, although they almost certainly couldn't spare the men, the Austrians were on their own for now.

The Schlieffen plan had called for the quick defeat of France, and as the border was heavily fortified, they had asked for passage through Belgium, but as the nation was strictly neutral they had been denied, and not wanting to risk attack through the Ardennes or Frontiers just yet, they had decided to go through Belgium anyway, despite the fact that the British had a treaty assuring Belgian sovereignty, no one really believed they would risk a war over Belgium, only today Field Marshal Lord Kitchener had been appointed Minister for War, but the British army had barely 120,000 regulars, albeit well trained professionals, along with several hundred thousand territorial troops.

The First Army under General von Kluck, with 320,000 men and the Second Army, 260,000 men under Field Marshal von Bülow, had been set to tackle the fortifications while northern forces attacked westwards, the Third Army under von Hausen and the Fourth Army under Albrecht, the Grand Duke of Wüttemberg, with 180,000 men each, occupied Luxembourg, the Fifth Army under Crown Prince Wilhelm of Prussia, the Sixth Army under Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria and the Seventh Army under General von Heeringen were along the border with France, facing the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth armies, in Belgium King Albert's 117,000 man army stood from Namur to Diest, with two divisions protecting Namur and Liege, and fortifications garrisoned by 90,000 men, a formidable army for a small nation, but not enough to stop the German war machine.

On the 2nd of August they had claimed the French were readying to enter Belgium with the purpose of attacking Germany, and demanded, in self defence, that they could be granted entry, it was a blatant fabrication, King Albert didn't even need to call for British or French help and immediately rejected the plea and destroyed bridges and tunnels on the Luxembourg border.

Today a task force under General Otto von Emmich was entering Belgium and heading for Liege, a city surrounded by a ring of twelve fortresses, containing over 400 guns, luckily for von Emmich however, there was only one infantry division garrisoning the city, hopefully they didn't put up too much of a fight, the quicker the army was done in Belgium, the quicker they could be done in France.

((OOC: This is the longest post I have ever done, man I feel boss, all my info comes from a book I have btw, it is about WW1))

by **The Great Korean Empire** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 8:32 pm

Vienna, Austria-Hungary
4th August 1914

Emperor Franz Josef was troubled. There were rumors that the German officers were treating their Austrian counterparts with contempt. They had lost a few battles against the Serbians. He decided he would do what was needed for the Austrian-Hungarian Empire to survive. He would give Italy Terintino. The empire's military spending would be increased fivefold and he would declare Austria-Hungary as a Federated State with all people in his Empire declared equal. He wondered if this was against his better judgement or not. Whatever may happen he would follow this plan. Another matter would be that Serbian General Radomir Putnik would remain in Budapest under comfortable conditions. He decided that he would also send a letter to Italy.

To, King Emmanuel III,
We shall give you Terintino on the condition that Italy let Austrian ships use Italian ports and resources for the war effort against Russia and Serbia on the Eastern Front.
Sincerely,
Emperor Franz Josef I

by **Soviet Ruk-Tsan** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 9:00 pm

Brussels, Belgium, 1914
King Albert the first was holding a meeting with his advisers on the sate of his nation. These were indeed troubling times for Belgium. A force of the German army had entered Belgian territory, and was headed for the undermanned defenses of Liege. There were many options the King could make on these events, but most choices would lead to the end of his nation. He would need to tread carefully, and he would need his men to fight their very hardest if Belgium was to have a hope of surviving.

Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant-General Chevalier de Selliers de Moranville, was vehemently against surrendering to German oppression. "We must fight to the last! There is no telling what they would do to the Belgian people if we did surrender to them. If all is lost, we can always evacuate the King to the Congo, and wait out the war there." He said, staring at the other men in the small group. "This is preposterous! Our army, while impressive," Prime Minister Charles de Broqueville said, nodding towards Chevalier, "Can not hope to stand against the German army! I say we simply let them through, and be done with it." The group argued for hours, until something was decided.

Reinforcements would be sent from the closest place to Liege possible, Namur. While it would take them some time to arrive, it would also take the Germans time to get to Liege, and if the Germans arrived first, the hope was that the Liege garrison could hold out until reinforcements arrived. Meanwhile, throughout most of North and West Belgium, military forces were begun to mobilize, to be sent closer to the German border. Albert would not give in without a fight.

by **Aeken** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 9:03 pm

Amsterdam, The Kingdom of the Netherlands
4th August 1914

Queen Wilhelmina paced up and down the throne room hall, troubled by the plight Europe was in. War was about, and there was surely destruction to come. The Netherlands were a small part of the puzzle, confused on how it would react. Wilhelmina was strictly on the neutral stance, not wanting to side in a possibly devastating war. But great gains could come from it. All of Guiana and Guyana, their lost child South Africa, and the Pacific could all come back within their grasp. Unfortunately, Wilhelmina wasn't a general, nor did she have a solid plan in the making. Regardless, she sent the Triple Alliance her condolences and a promise of assistance in very dire times.

As she addressed the public her concerns in the city center, vehicles were poised to mobilize, gathering all the forces the Dutch could muster. They would have to try and find more efficient ways to build up their miniature army. Volunteers weren't flooding to enlistment, but it became somewhat more often. Armored vehicles, however, were in high demand but low capacity. The Dutch military could not manage to import greatly needed machinery from the alliance, so an issue was to be sent to Dutch merchant ships in Java. The order was an ambitious, and yet nostalgic order. Pirating was to be promoted on war shipments, rewarding the privateers high amounts of money to construct the machinery.

by **Valkstadt** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 9:48 pm

THE KINGDOM OF ITALY

Rome, Italy
King Victor Emmanuel III's Office
5 August 1914
King Victor Emmanuel III sat in his office sipping some brandy, a courier burst into the room. "King!" He said gasping for air. "I have a letter from Vienna."
"Good. Bring it here" The young courier handed him the letter. He read it over and smiled. "Thank you, fetch me Prime Minister Giolitti."

About an hour later the Prime Minister entered the King's office.
"You sent for me?" He calmly asked the king.
"Yes the Austro-Hungarians have ceded us Trentino."
"What!? Really?"
"Yes, call Parliament to meet for a special session. We will decide Italy will do in this 'Great War'."

Parliament
The Parliament hall was filled with arguments from each side.
"We must keep our alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary!" an elderly minister yelled.
"No we will only suffer if we get involved. We must stay neutral." another minister replied.
"Gentlemen, Gentlemen!" the Prime Minister shouted. "We will put it to a vote. To support the Centrals or to stay neutral."

A few hours later the vote was completed. 54 votes supporting the Centrals, 36 votes to stay neutral and 10 indifferent. Parliament then issued a declaration of war on the Allied Powers.

AN OFFICIAL DECLARATION OF WAR ON THE ALLIED POWERS ON BEHALF OF THE ITALIAN PARLIAMENT

On this day, the 4th of August 1914, We the elected officials of the Kingdom of Italy have voted to declare war on all members of the Allied Powers. We will support our allies and join the Central Powers. Trade will be completely cut with enemy combatants but will remain free with all neutral nations. May God have mercy on the souls that will surely be lost in this epic struggle.

by **Arsuf** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 10:25 pm

Kaiser Wilhelm II

Aeken wrote:
(Image)
To the dignitaries of the Triple Alliance
From Queen Wilhelmina of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

I am aware of the situation you are all in, and am ready to help in any discreet way we can. I will personally assure that all Dutch ports in the world will be open to the Triple Alliance, along with the support of troops when the Netherlands is ready to commit to your nations. Here are my terms:
- The Netherlands will receive most French and British territories in the West Indies
- The Netherlands will receive the Guianas
- The Netherlands will receive Malaysia
- The Netherlands will be treated as an equal and will be supported in any decision it makes

Ah, the Dutch have some sense, good to know, the Deutsch and the Dutch should stick together, Germanic brothers in arms against the Franco-British alliance, the Dutch demands were not too extreme for Kaiser Wilhelm II, what should he care about some islands if he is going to control France!

To: Queen Wilhelmina of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
This sounds like a suitable arrangement, and I believe that together we can stride forwards into the future, arm in arm, in response to your demands, which I believe are fair, I offer a counter proposal;
- The Netherlands will gain all regions you have demanded, as well as Indochina and if possible South Africa, we might be able to influence the local Boer to rebel against their British masters once more.
- The border between Germany and the Netherlands shall be open to all, any Dutch citizens who wish to enter Germany may, and vice versa.
- Our two nations shall sign a free trade agreement, with limited tariffs.
From: His Imperial and Royal Majesty The German Emperor, King of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht

Valkstadt wrote:
AN OFFICIAL DECLARATION OF WAR ON THE ALLIED POWERS ON BEHALF OF THE ITALIAN PARLIAMENT

On this day, the 4th of August 1914, We the elected officials of the Kingdom of Italy have voted to declare war on all members of the Allied Powers. We will support our allies and join the Central Powers. Trade will be completely cut with enemy combatants but will remain free with all neutral nations. May God have mercy on the souls that will surely be lost in this epic struggle.

Well, this day keeps getting better and better, with Italian troops attacking from the south, and ours from the Rhine and through Belgium, the French will fall quickly, the French army is concentrated across the border with us, there will be few troops in the Italian frontier, this should divert enemy soldiers from stopping us when our main thrust occurs.

The Belgian Campaign
The German forces crossed the Meuse river by the late afternoon, the cavalry crossed to the north at Visé and met troops from the Belgian 12th Brigade, who managed to fight their way back to the fortress line, the German forces were held near the river for the rest of the day and night, in Liège the 3rd Division hastily erected earthworks, and reinforcements were on the march from Namur and other areas, including French forces to the South.

The next day, the fifth, saw an attack against Liège's fortifications, there was an attack on Fort de Barchon, which was fought back with heavy losses due to Belgian machine guns and artillery, Liège's defenders proved to be much more effective then had been assumed, the German soldiers were in for one hell of a fight.

German forces are attempting to infiltrate between the fortifications into the city itself, several units have succeeded and fighting is going on in the city centre, though it is mostly small scale (Platoon level at most) skirmishes and most infiltrating soldiers have been turned back.

Kaiser Wilhelm II
The Schlieffen plan had called for a quick attack to silence France, like had been accomplished in the Franco-Prussian War, and to accomplish this it had been decided that the armies would move through Belgium, although war was never the favoured option, the officers had assumed Belgium would let the troops through, unfortunately they proved to be quite determined to resist, Kaiser Wilhelm still thought that the Belgians would surrender and had drafted a possible settlement.

To: King of the Belgians, Albert I
Our war with Belgium is regrettable, had you granted our troops passage through your territory it would never have come to this, I am not a cruel man, and would accept a peace settlement with the Belgians, ideally with the following terms, although I am open to negotiation;
- The Belgian army must be restricted in size to 100,000 men.
- All German forces will cease attacks upon Belgian forces and fortifications.
- German troops may move through Belgian territory, and in exchange will defend your territory if needed.
- Upon the defeat of France, the area between the present border and the river Somme, as well as the French Congo will be governed by Belgium.
- The Belgian government will cut all ties with Britain, France and Russia, as well as their allies.
If you do not agree to these terms, or later go back on them, there will be severe repercussions towards you and your people.
From: His Imperial and Royal Majesty The German Emperor, King of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht

by **Soviet Ruk-Tsan** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 11:08 pm

Brussels, Belgium, August 5th, 1914

Arsuf wrote:
To: King of the Belgians, Albert I
Our war with Belgium is regrettable, had you granted our troops passage through your territory it would never have come to this, I am not a cruel man, and would accept a peace settlement with the Belgians, ideally with the following terms, although I am open to negotiation;
- The Belgian army must be restricted in size to 100,000 men.
- All German forces will cease attacks upon Belgian forces and fortifications.
- German troops may move through Belgian territory, and in exchange will defend your territory if needed.
- Upon the defeat of France, the area between the present border and the river Somme, as well as the French Congo will be governed by Belgium.
- The Belgian government will cut all ties with Britain, France and Russia, as well as their allies.
If you do not agree to these terms, or later go back on them, there will be severe repercussions towards you and your people.
From: His Imperial and Royal Majesty The German Emperor, King of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht

King Albert the first had the letter brought to him very hurriedly, the messenger having ran almost the entirety of Brussels to get it to him as quickly as possible. "Thank you, go have some rest." He said, waving away the messenger. He took one look at the letter and began boiling with rage. It bore the wax crest of the Kaiser. Albert was tempted to burn the letter without reading it, but decided against it. Perhaps these bastards had something to say that was worth hearing.

His eyes darted across the page, and his rage was quelled. The Germans already wanted peace! They were fairly decent terms, but Albert wasn't about to have his nation pushed around by anyone. News had gotten out of Liege that it was holding admirably, and when reinforcements arrived they could do even better! This flooded Albert with overconfidence, as he wrote a reply to the Kaiser.

by **Arsuf** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 11:31 pm

Soviet Ruk-Tsan wrote:
(Image)
Brussels, Belgium, August 5th, 1914
Arsuf wrote:
To: King of the Belgians, Albert I
Our war with Belgium is regrettable, had you granted our troops passage through your territory it would never have come to this, I am not a cruel man, and would accept a peace settlement with the Belgians, ideally with the following terms, although I am open to negotiation;
- The Belgian army must be restricted in size to 100,000 men.
- All German forces will cease attacks upon Belgian forces and fortifications.
- German troops may move through Belgian territory, and in exchange will defend your territory if needed.
- Upon the defeat of France, the area between the present border and the river Somme, as well as the French Congo will be governed by Belgium.
- The Belgian government will cut all ties with Britain, France and Russia, as well as their allies.
If you do not agree to these terms, or later go back on them, there will be severe repercussions towards you and your people.
From: His Imperial and Royal Majesty The German Emperor, King of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht

King Albert the first had the letter brought to him very hurriedly, the messenger having ran almost the entirety of Brussels to get it to him as quickly as possible. "Thank you, go have some rest." He said, waving away the messenger. He took one look at the letter and began boiling with rage. It bore the wax crest of the Kaiser. Albert was tempted to burn the letter without reading it, but decided against it. Perhaps these bastards had something to say that was worth hearing.

His eyes darted across the page, and his rage was quelled. The Germans already wanted peace! They were fairly decent terms, but Albert wasn't about to have his nation pushed around by anyone. News had gotten out of Liege that it was holding admirably, and when reinforcements arrived they could do even better! This flooded Albert with overconfidence, as he wrote a reply to the Kaiser.

Addressed Towards: Kaiser Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht
Written By: Albert Léopold Clément Marie Meinrad I, King of the Belgians
I must admit, I was not expecting a proposal of peace so soon. I do agree that the invasion of Belgium is something to regret, however it is my belief that it was the right decision to remain neutral. Perhaps Belgium could have remained in peace. Alas, war has come, and it is indeed wise to deal with these disputes using words, rather than bullets. Most of your terms are quite agreeable, however I would not agree to the limitation of the Belgian military. How would we defend Belgium against an invasion, quite like your own? I would like to see you move troops through a Belgium that has been annexed by the Allies.

There is another matter, however. Good, brave Belgians have died repelling this invasion, and simply ending the war will not bring them back to their friends, their wives and their children. I would ask of the Germans assistance in rebuilding efforts, along with reparations for the families of those who have died defending their homes. Other than these two notes, your terms do look quite agreeable.

To: Albert I, King of the Belgians
Those terms seem most agreeable, during war many people suffer, not just the soldiers fighting it, because of this I am in the process of creating a law, one that will give a special pension to those wounded in war, the families of those killed or maimed, and those rendered homeless due to fighting, if we continued this war many more would have died, though even one death is a tragedy for the wives and children of the dead, I propose to include the citizens of Belgium affected by the day of fighting and any that come later in the pension, only one day ago our currency switched from the Gold Mark to the Papier Mark, perhaps we can also boost the Belgian economy by devaluing our currency slightly against your own, I would also agree to help rebuild the areas that were destroyed and expand fortifications to include the southern border, which you had neglected.
As for the limitation of your armed forces, it is merely to ensure my own troops safety, if you can guarantee their well being then you may keep your full forces, but if I get any reports of armed hostility then I will take back all my offers and make you regret ever becoming king.
From: His Imperial and Royal Majesty The German Emperor, King of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht

The War Victims Pension Act

To claim a pension, you must be a citizen in Germany or any other area directly affected by German fighting, civilian pensions are higher than military pensions because military men take the risk when they join the armed forces, they know what may happen to them, the pay rates are as follows;
- For a minor wound (Soldier): 10 marks per month
- For a minor wound (Civilian): 15 marks per month
- For a major wound (Soldier): 50 marks per month
- For a major wound (Civilian): 75 marks per month
- Rendered homeless: 25 marks per month, and free governmental housing until accommodation can be found
- Rendered jobless: 25 marks per month, and job provided by the government
- Rendered an orphan: 25 marks per month, and entered into state orphanage
- Member of immediate family killed: 100 marks per month

Pension payments will be mailed out at the end of each month, to apply for a pension visit your local government body or building.

by **Thessaca** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 2:53 am

Edo, Imperial Palace

Yoshihito sat peacefully in the cool morning breeze on his front steps. The sun's rays cast light upon his serene realm, the Imperial Palace of Edo. Small, cleanly-cut bonsai trees littered the grounds around him and small birds chirruped as they frolicked across the lawn. A wisp of steam from a teapot wafted near to his nose. He let out a deep sigh... And drank, the war liquid flowing down his throat like water down a drain. The Shogun once more closed his eyes but opened them in a hurry. He felt the air around him. Something was stirring, he could tell; something malignant, treacherous, it spread like wildfire, gripping people in fear and hatred. This disease was so infectious, almost none could escape its wrath when it came blundering through regions. This disease, this horrific tumour... This was war. Yoshihito stood and, leaving his tea for the maids, turned tail and headed towards the war chamber.

After a brisk walk, Yoshihito marched into the chamber, where as he predicted, a meeting was being held. "Kon'nichiwa," he bowed before his ministers. They all bowed low in reply, but maintained grave faces. "What is the problem," inquired Yoshihito.

"Yoshihito-sama, the Balkan powder keg has ignited. Europe has been thrown into a state of hostility, and I'm afraid that skirmishes between the Germans and Belgians could escalate into a full scale European war, considering their alliances."

"However," said another minister, "due to the colonial holdings of many of these nations, I fear the war may quickly spread through Africa and even into Asia."

Yoshihito brooded the matter for a moment and considered his options. "Can we use this war to our advantage? As in, could we possibly finally achieve our plan of a full-scale mainland invasion?"

"Yoshihito-sama, surely you don't mean an invasion of China!? That would be absurd!"

"No worries, minister. I would only dare to attack China in the case that the war spills over into this continent of ours. Ministers, please do consider it. Sayonara." With that, Yoshihito left the chamber of stunned ministers and headed off to his private quarters. This would be a very interesting turn of events indeed.

by **The Empire of Pretantia** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 12:13 pm

Riserland wrote:
(Image)

The Kingdom of Spain

August 3rd 1914

Late in the afternoon king Alfonso XIII paced back and forth through his study as dark clouds gathered overhead and the sound of distant thunder rattled the palace walls. He, like every other man in all of Europe knew that war was about to rear it's ugly head once again but what nobody could have know was just how bad things were going to get.

Spain was a moderately sized nation, certainly it was a force to be reckoned with but it lacked something that would be very key to maintaining it's sovereignty: industry. The bids for alliances would no doubt begin to flow in like the river Tajo but no matter who the Cortes Generales (Spanish parliament) chose to join it would undoubtedly end in tragedy.

He briskly walked across the dimly lit room and planted himself in front of a desk before slamming his fist upon it again and again. "Something must be done!" he exclaimed before covering his face with both hands..... About ten minutes passed as the king prayed furiously ending with the traditional sign of the cross. He suddenly thrust open a drawer and snatched his pen and ink "Something will be done!" he whispered to himself clenching his teeth and raising a fist to about eye level.

Dear president Woodrow Wilson,

I regret to inform you that the kingdom of Spain finds itself in dire straits. The dark clouds of war loom over Europe and we lack the industrial power to defend ourselves from any of the major powers. We know that 16 years ago things were far different but today that is all behind us.

We seek your blessing in purchasing military and industrial wares, I can personally assure that our nation's treasury will compensate you accordingly.

The kingdom of Spain wishes to purchase:

M1903 Springfield: 20,000 rifles

30-06 Springfield ammunition: 500,000 rounds

Pre-milled lumber: 5 metric tons

Pre-smelted steel: 5 metric tons

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Alfonso XIII of Spain

Dear Kaiser Wilhelm II,

I regret to inform you that the kingdom of Spain finds itself in dire straits. The dark clouds of war loom over Europe and we lack the industrial power to defend ourselves from the Triple Entente

We seek your blessing in purchasing military hardware, I can personally assure that our nation's treasury will compensate you accordingly.

The kingdom of Spain wishes to purchase:

10.5 cm Feldhaubitze 98/09: designs

21 cm Mörser 16: designs

7.7 cm FK 16: designs

Gewehr 98: 5,000 rifles and designs

7.92×57mm: 25,000 rounds and designs

(Image)

Alfonso XIII of Spain

To Alfonso XIII of Spain,

We as well believe that our pasts should nopt interfere with our relationships in these troublesome times. However, the American people do not wish to involve our nation in the war in any way unless necessary for a healthy collective. Therefore, we shall continue trade as normal and avoid actions that may present us as biased.

To this end the government shall only sell lumber and steel and refuse to trade exclusively to one belligerent over another.

Signed,
Woodrow Wilson, president of the United States of America

by **Mauretania Tingitana (Ancient)** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 1:52 pm

French Third Republic

Autumn, 1914
Paris, France

"The Germans already move through Belgium towards us. We must act now, before they surge into Paris itself." Prime Minister Viviani adressed the cabinet and the President. They all agreed. Germany's advance must be stopped dead in its tracks.

"Send word, a conference to be held with the British, Russians and Belgium. We will end these... Krauts once and for all." The president looked at his audience, who all cheered.

"The liberation of Belgium starts now. Let Belgium know, help is on the way. Send 12 divisions to the border, and prepare to enter Belgium itself when given word."

by **Aeken** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 3:01 pm

Cape Town, Union of South Africa
August 5th, 1914

Javanese ships moved closely into the harbor. Officially, they were in Cape Town for commercial reasons, but Wilhelmina had a different plan for the ships. In a very discreet compartment were enough capital for the ever rebellious Boers to cause havoc in South Africa. The colony was a major African section for the British, and would draw strained resources that would decrease their position in Europe. The Dutch could easily break apart the prospering Empire that caused their own demise. Revenge was sending resources suited for this war, and it would be on Dutch terms.

Secret contacts were being made with the Boers, who were initially furious at Dutch abandonment, but quickly forgot about the past incident and were prepared to move forward with the attacks. Guns were going to be smuggled into South Africa to refit the Boers and their local militias. The Dutch hoped using Javanese ships would draw the British to assume that Javan nobility was trying to get a stake back into Africa, instead of direct Dutch involvement. Wilhelmina was now fearful of the war, and was ready to do whatever she could to ensure that the Dutch would make it through more stronger, powerful, and prosperous.

by **Arsuf** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 4:08 pm

Kaiser Wilhelm II

His generals had been quite surprised with the fight the Belgians had put up, but with a possible peace treaty they wanted to take troops through Belgium and attack France, but they knew that the 60,000 man task force in Belgium was not enough, so the attack would come from the south, through the German provinces of Alsace and Lorraine, the forces there were also outnumbered, but hopefully they are forced to send a few units to the Belgian and Italian borders, ah yes, the Italians, they shall help with our goal of victory over France, I doubt that the French could stop an all out Italian attack, there was at least a strong chance they would stop a German one.

To: Emmanuel III, King of Italy
It is my belief that the French can not hold our armies on more than one front, Belgium and our border were the two we included in planning, but with your declaration of war, I believe we can bring the French to their knees in no time, and accordingly my generals and I would like to arrange a joint attack on the French, our troops through our border should face heavy resistance from the enemy armies concentrated there, your border will have few at the moment, but more will undoubtedly be arriving, the date is set for the 9th as this should give our forces ample time to prepare, if your army is not in such good order please respond as such and we will postpone the attack.

Also, in response to your joining of the war, I believe I can promise you Corsica and Provence from the French when they are defeated, this is just the minimum however, in future peace talks you may get more.
From: His Imperial and Royal Majesty the German Emperor, King of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht

by **Tzarsgrad** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 6:00 pm

The Most Sublime Holy Multicultural Islamic Sultanate of the Ottoman Empire:

The German troops and arms arrived rather soon to the aid of the Ottoman Empire, much to the Sultan's belief. According to the dispatch from the Germans, a specific one among them, a one von Sanders. A Jewish leader of troops among the Germans, he would spearhead the Sultan's new plans for the war. Von Sanders arrived at the Sultan's throneroom, right on time as the Sultan had requested him. After a brief exchange, the two spoke privately, with no others or recording devices in the room.

After hours of conversation, it seemed as though they had their plan. "And you're sure it will work?" the Sultan asked skeptically. What von Sanders proposed seemed borderline impossible to him, but he was sure to keep an open mind. "Ja vol, your highness," he responded. "If we can raise such numbers, with adequate supply, I see no reason why these goals cannot be achieved." The Sultan smiled a wicked smile. "Good," he continued. The allies won't know what hit them."

As per the Sultan's orders, regiments of militia were raised, trained, and armed by the sparse German reinforcment, that they might learn a fraction of their fighting abilities. Those who go through the basic training are stationed on defensive positions in Palestine, Mesopotamia, the Caucasus, and in Rumelia. They are commanded by small groups of German officers, the remainders of those men sent by Germany, that the new Ottoman ranks might be led by experienced men. The majority of the men take up strategic positions in the southern Caucasus, on the border with the Russian Empire.

Meanwhile, little is heard from the main bulk of the Ottoman Army itself, nearly three million men. Other then parades in major cities such as Istanbul, Damascus, Baghdad, and Al Quds, no major bodies of men are seen in major areas. However, this is the point. In reality, the majority of the Ottoman army is making a slow (and undetected) march to the border with Egypt. When they arrive, the next step in the plan will take place.

While this is going on, the Sultan has introduced several new sweeping reforms in hopes of changing the country for the better. He passes laws requiring all men from twenty to fifty serve a temporary five year term of service if called upon in times of need, and that they know how to use a rifle, bayonet, and grenade, as well as how to march. The textile industry has received a minor boom thanks to the new demand for uniforms.

At the same time, economic and social developments have also taken place. The Sultan has introduced what he hopes what will be built on to in order to create a real sense of multicultural pride in the Empire. Hate crimes against minorities such as Armenians or Romanies are now punished by great fines, imprisonment, or even temporary stays of labor in governmental projects. The police swell in ranks to fight these issues, and to defend the citizens of our own empire.

Another attempt to modernize the empire begins with new laws regarding industrialization, laying down several new policies that will pave the way for large-scale factories. Although most built have been textile mills, several metallurgy plants bring hope that the Ottoman Empire might be able to produce on the same scale as Germany or the United Kingdom. Young men (and even some women) come flocking from the countryside to fill in the new jobs brought by such rampant construction of industry.

by **Mexican Liberation** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 11:20 pm

Россійская Имперія

Empire of Russia
"Съ нами Богъ!"

"God is with us!"

A warm, vibrant glow of air and sunlight dropped down, descending further onto the mighty Russian lands, stricken heavily with the inviting scent and sound of a late Summer's day

A village springs out of nowhere in the thick, natural scene of farmlands and the like

That village suddenly grows into a town the closer you get to it, until finally, it's turned into a large and lively metropolis of people and buildings, going about their day as they did the previous one, and as they would the next.

The city of Saint Petersburg, the very heart and head of the sprawling empire (made a mistake, St. Petersburg is the capital, not Moscow

) that was once divided among several nations and now remains united under the Czar's own personal banner, or the banner of the very people, the cheery old White, Blue, and Red Tricolor, flying high across from the Easternmost tip of the Chukchi Peninsula to the Westernmost point of the streets of Moscow and beyond, across the world even, higher than the very clouds and sky that almost seemed as if it made them

A palace, lying in the middle of one of the grandest divisions of the beautiful city, sits still, its face howling in anguish as the awe-inspiring Russian winds strike with fury upon the elegant Winter Palace. As it can be told from its own name, such a breathtaking structure could not have been meant to take such warmth from a source that rarely ever seems to come down upon the lands

Taking a look at the vast inner workings and industrious rooms, giving more of a quality as if this was a labyrinth made to trick those unfamiliar, rather than welcome them with its decorative and finely furnished areas

In one of these rooms, an aged old man, slumped in a chair that would make a king die for, sits and thinks heavily upon the situation of this time

Tsar Nicholas II, a man of widely conversed glory and popular competence, struggles to grip on what had just happened to his own homeland, not his Russian, his European home, stricken with war as each day, thousands upon possible millions gather to watch, or even participate in the bloodbath of their own brothers and sisters, yet, he finds it even harder to comprehend that he started it, though not entirely

A pen and paper is picked up from his king-like desk, and he writes away in his own language, the language of his people

General Orick,
Have your armies, your men, your women and children if you have to, and gather them up. Have the men armed and ready for any force that comes towards them. Have the women and children prepared for the worse...

I will explain the rest to you later,

Signed,

Nicholas

PS. This is an immediate order

Finished, he sits back in his desk once more, and prepares for more news...

by **Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 4:56 am

“And we, the constitutional conference of the year 1914, give Yuan Shikhai, in an almost unanimous vote, extended powers to govern the Republic of China in these dire times. May he rule with dignity and pride and serve his country well.”

An applause stirred the room. Pieces of paper went flying, people shook hands, reserved bottles of champagne popped. Several well-dressed gentlemen, all dressed up in the new Chinese fashion, celebrated the increase of power for their parties leader. But something fishy was running here. Less than half of the chamber was celebrating. Some 450 of the 600 total delegates slowly shuffled out of the room, bitter, and angry. Some looked back at the celebrating minority, others just left with their briefcases as soon as they could. A few bolder members looked up at a balcony of the conference hall, where the leader of the small group was seated. Yuan Shikhai, the provisional leader of the republic. The man who had just achieved dictatorial status. The men who looked up, however bold, couldn’t stare back after he looked them straight in the eyes. Shikhai, the general of the Beijing army during the revolution, was going the way of Napoleon. It was clear to almost everyone present: the conference had been rigged. And there was nothing they could do. The KMT, the party of Sun Yat-Sen, their leader in exile, had the large majority in both the National Assembly as the senate, but somehow, they could not win anything from the progressive party lately. Which wasn’t strange, seeing that Yuan could now do about everything he liked. Which was bad for the KMT, and probably, for the whole of China.

Half an hour later, in the presidential residence, there was less festivity. The first wave of pride and glory had subsided, and made room for the fears the country had had since its revolution a couple years earlier. The southern delegates, who fiercely supported the KMT, had given a warning that they would secede if the sweeping powers were not immediately revoked. These threats were nothing new, the south had been complaining about Yuan Shikhai since the first day of his government. But this time, after all the struggles for power and the suppression of dissent, there was finally time to discuss the matter. Shikhai himself sat on a large sofa, of American making, while his closest officers and councillors sat around the room. Xiong Xiling, his prime minister, sat next to the president. They were discussing the unthinkable.
“President, if we don’t talk with the KMT soon, they might become even more hostile towards us. You getting almost unlimited power is certainly good for the party and for the nation, but we risk civil war if we don’t act soon. We can probably arrest the KMT and send troops to the south, that will make them more cooperative.” Xiling’s reasoning was logical and sounded reasonable to the president, who had commanded the Beijing army during the revolution. Crushing the opposition would make him a hero, if he made the cover up story convincing enough. The last year, time and time again, he had claimed that the KMT was a criminal organisation, and they needed to be stamped out immediately. Yuan opened his mouth to speak in agreement of this idea, but history was changed that day. The words of a young KMT turncoat, Zao Qing, changed the coarse of the River Time.

“President, Prime Minister, I think that trying to crush the dissent will be seen as a declaration of civil war against the south. Send troops there, and watch them get slaughtered by the populace or the regional armies. Your army is strong, president, but the south has done a lot more fighting.” The room went silent. Nothing but the heavy breathing of the councillors could be heard, and the young turncoat felt the eyes burning in his flesh. The president stood up from his comfortable position, and spoke in a heavy, angry voice:

“what would you have us do? Send them flowers? Give my presidency to some local farmer? Give China to Britain straight away?” The councillors and officers went into laughing frenzy. Only the young turncoat stood there, like a rock, smiling to their faces. He continued:

“No, your excellence. We need to invite Sun Yat-Sen back to China. Furthermore, we need to give him a government appointment, prime minister for instance. The KMT will calm down, and you will have total control. And if he doesn’t act accordingly, you execute him, and cal in another prominent member. See him as you puppet. Yours to control”

The councillors were startled by the idea. It was too crazy to even think about it, let alone carry it to the president himself. Almost all of them, but mostly Xiling and the officers, began to protest, but they were silenced by Yuan. He was attracted to the idea of having his enemy, his foremost opponent, as a puppet to control. It would be his ultimate victory, and the utter shaming of the KMT. He would show his dominance, and, with the help of the genius Sun Yat-Sen, achieve greatness in China. With a softer, almost apologetic voice, Yuan spoke:

“Yes. Good. You have some sense, lad. Having Yat-Sen as a puppet will give me ultimate power. Good. Send word to the leaders of the KMT, they will know where he is hiding. Prepare everything for his return.”

The councilors were stunned. Baffled. How could he have agreed with these terms? Was he going insane? A military expedition would have routed out his opponents. In their ignorance, they bowed. In their ignorance, they left the palace, and in their ignorance, they fell asleep. Pondering how Yuan could have caved in to the demands of the petty turncoat. Just that day, the first shells began raining down in Europe, and the great war of the time had begun.

by **New high charity 24** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 6:41 am

KABUL, EMIRATE OF AFGHANISTAN, HABIBULLAH KHAN'S PALACE

It was a very warm day in Kabul, as Habibullah Khan stood in his office as he looked out his window, to the courtyard, which some of his soldiers were training with what weapons that they held, looking very serious, as children peered in through the gates, as over the front gates he smiled as he looked at his luxurious office, taking a seat as he viewed a piece of parchment, detailing events that were happening in the world.

Habibullah walked over to his globe in his office as he looked at a map of his country, he laughed to himself as he thought of how much his nation was pushed by the British, as he placed his right hand into a fist, he thought to himself that Afghanistan must fight against the British power to acquire Afghanistan as its own entity, to be free from foreign rule of his nation, yet he remembered that war would tear his country apart without mercy, a war like no others, along with having a small amount of support from the tribes, he would need to prepare his nation for war like none other, to defeat any possible invaders, for that was what the Afghans were best for, he thought.

Habibullah walked back to his desk, feeling the looks of his guards, as he looked at the walls, his photograph was quite prominent, as he looked at his desk, he looked at the reforms which he had created for his country, from his many reforms, he knew that Afghanistan would need to grow, to show that Afghanistan has grown as a people, from being simple tribal men to being a prominent westernized nation in the East.

As sun continued to shine in through the window, Habibullah picked up a piece of parchment from his desk, and a quill, to which he would pen up a letter to the Ottoman Empire, Mehmed the Fifth, in which he would ask for weapons and ammunition for his army, and capital to support the Afghan reforms and preparation to be able to pay back the Ottoman Empire, Habibullah would request for anything available that would help Afghanistan, and if the Sultan refused, Habibullah was to request support from the British, he knew he would be turned down many times before getting the support that Afghanistan needed, but he was prepared.

Office of the Emirate of Afghanistan

“There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.”

From: King of the God granted Kingdom of Afghanistan and its dependencies, Habibullah Khan
To: Sultan of this Islamic Ottoman Empire, Sultan Mehmed V
Encryption: High

Subject: Choosing loyalties

Assalama 'Leikum

My Brother, in certain times as these, we realize that we must find support to defend the Fatherland, this time is no different, I hear of war in the West as Germany is fighting, and certainly many nations will join, and fight against Germany, I believe you are one of those who align with Germany?

I write this letter to request that you... Invest in Afghanistan, as we require many goods, as the outside world ignores... It is going to be quite difficult in the coming days to stay away from the fighting amongst major powers, I cannot deny that I will require, for my nation, a hand up in being able to prosper effectively so that the outside world will not destroy us, I will tell you no lies; if you wish to aid me in my noble quest to liberate my people from poverty and the chains of which we come from, I will pledge my support for the Ottoman Empire in coming days.

Sincerely, Emir Habibullah Khan

by **Valkstadt** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:42 am

THE KINGDOM OF ITALY

The Italian Peninsula
August 10, 1914

It has been 5 days since the declaration of war was passed by Parliament. Troops have been scrambling about the country preparing for combat. Some 4,500,000 men have been conscripted and are on track to being trained and mobilized by September. In the meantime, the Franco-Italian border is being heavily guarded to prevent attack. In the Mediterranean, a mighty wall of dreadnaughts form a line stretching from Sicily to Tunis. Nothing will get past it without a fight. The RIN has also began to blockade Corsica, hoping to starve the island into surrendering while Italian submarines patrol its northwestern coast on the lookout for French vessels.

Across the Adriatic Sea, Italy has taken an interest in Albania and Montenegro. King Victor Emmanuel III issued ultimatums to these tiny nations asking them to peacefully lay down their arms and accept Italian rule. Neither Montenegro or Albania gave in to these demands. The Italian Navy will begin shelling coastal cities to try to change their minds.

by **Tzarsgrad** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 10:22 am

"There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) is His Prophet"

The Most Sublime Holy Multicultural Islamic Sultanate of the Ottoman Empire:

Mhemet sat in his throne as the developments of the Empire raced around him. Industry was booming at a rapid rate, and there was no shortage of workers to respond to this. Even now, citizens move from the farms of the countryside to work strengthening the Ottoman war machine, whilst making much more money than they ever could on a farm. In response to an exceptionally large boom in Istanbul, the government, as well as several mosques, have funded public houses projects for those immigrants to the city who cannot afford a regular home. The races of these people vary, from Turks, to Armenians, to Greeks, to Arabs, and many more groups and creeds.

With this boost in production, the Ottoman Empire finally had the strength to manufacture. A la the German model, factories pump out guns and artillery faster than ever before in the Empire. Cities like Istanbul, Trabzion, Bursa, Damascus, and Baghdad become industrial centers, were just about anything can be built. Now, the swelling ranks of the Ottoman Army can be supplied and armed well enough for the Sultan's plans, or so the Sultan hopes.

However, the feudal structure of the Ottoman Empire threatens to tear the progress apart. Low lords and dukes (or the Ottoman equivalents

) demand too much tax from the new industry, leaving to little for the Empire to take, and make the business profitable. The Sultan and the Empire require a new source of income, and will need it soon.

In the meantime, a letter from the King of Afghanistan requesting goods and aid couldn't have seemed to arrive at a better time. This way, the government could allow for tax-free goods to be manufactured by various companies, keeping away the prying hands of the nobles, and could then be sold for low rate to the Afghanis, who could then go to work on their two neighbors of interest; Russia and British India. The Sultan has decided to give the Afghanis their guns.

by **Bolaly** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 4:58 pm

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

August 12th, 1914
The rain came down rather slowly and quietly, but that was not an irregular occurrence in the rainy city of London. However, the poor weather did not slow down the eager young men racing around the city, all heading to the nearest recruitment office to do their part in the Great War. It had only been 8 days since the United Kingdom had gone to war with the great war machine that was Germany, yet many young men were fascinated in the idea of war. They looked at war in a romantic light, thinking about all the great adventures they would have, and all the hell they would raise! But unfortunately for these young fellows, their thoughts were farther than the truth than they could ever imagine...

The Prime Minister sat in his office, as he discussed with military and government leaders what the coming days would hold. 6 divisions were currently 3 days away from being en route to France, while three more were being raised and prepared back at home. 3 divisions of the British Expeditionary Force would be sent to the French-Belgium border, and would deploy into Belgium if necessary. The other 3 divisions would be sent to beef up the border between France and Germany, and between France and Italy.

The Royal Navy had already started deploying its forces in strategic places to disrupt the Triple Alliance's shipping. British ships had been sent to blockade major German ports in mainland Germany, and at her colonies. British ships were also being sent towards the Iberian peninsula, to fight the Italian Navies blockade. The Prime Minister knew the much stronger Royal Navy would be able to destroy the weaker Italian Navy, but they would not go down without a fight. Royal Army troops were also being sent to the Borders of British India, and British Egypt, in the possibility of an attack on the United Kingdom's colonies. All major British ports around the world were also on high alert, and all German, Italian, Dutch, and Ottoman nationals in British colonies would be detained.

The War To End All Wars IC

The War To End All Wars IC

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