(Open) IC 1870 REAL-WORLD RP

[Bolovia]

" My apologies for such a high number, but the more our men get acquainted with these harsh conditions the better. I hope you do not feel Spain is trying to create a satellite out of Korea, we truly want the best for this nation. The Fatherland sees potential in it. We feel enticed to you as we hope you feel enticed to us."

[Saxophonistan]

Toamasina, The Royal Kingdom of Madagascar


As the hot Madagascan sun began to nestle itself in the bosom of the mountains, the nobles of Toamasina were just beginning to arrive at the banquet for sir Francis and his attaché. The steady mumble of dozens of different conversations filled the room as more and more attendees arrived in the Mayoral palace, but were soon hushed as Francis entered the room with his team of economists an experts. The queen stood and spoke in English to address the guest of the party, while translators helped those attending that had not been taught in te English language.

"My esteemed guests and fellow Malagasy people, this night is truly one of great importance to both the people of Madagascar and of Britain" the queen announced as she stood at her table. "For today brings not only promises of aid, but also an economic union that could last for decades. Historically tribal disputes have hindered the growth of our people as a whole, but we have now shown the world that we can unite under one banner, one creed, and join those nations that have begun to propel themselves into industrialization. We have, against all odds, taken our first huge leap. And this of course would not be possible without the kingdom of Great Britain and the man if the hour himself, the noble sir Francis of York." She continued as she motioned for him to stand and everyone in attendance clapped. "So therefore, I propose a toast to sir Francis of York, her majesty the queen of the UK, and to the glorious God that has given us this grand opportunity. For Great Brtain, for Madagascar, for glory!" She gracefully proclaimed as the crowd offered up more applause and a standing ovation. The feast was now set to begin.


The main dishes were a local delicacy of Laokas. One version with rice and groundnut cooked with pork, an another with potato leaves and dried shrimp. There were also many other rice-based dishes as well as those that featured the prime source of meat in Madgascar, beef from The Zebu. The hot and moist steam rose from the dishes as they were delivered to the tables by servants and butlers, the smell slowly wafting throughout the mayoral palaces banquet hall. The queen prayed that this would increase the standing relations between Great Britain and Madagascar, as she planned to soon propose her thoughts on the economic industrialization an militarial modernization, as she took advice from th englishmen

[Waztaskio]

Port Arthur, Lushunkou, Manchuria in April,1,1870


People in the streets began to rejoice to have a proper member of the Qing family in power in Manchuria. In spite of the chaos, they began a parade through the streets to try and lighten peoples spirits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRMTF8ChAAQ

[Shimon-Zhivago]

Bayreuth, Bavaria, 2. April. 1870

"Hold your ground, men! Concentrate your fire on the streets!"

Pockets of soldiers let loose an immense wall of lead towards their Prussian adversaries, making their way up the road to the cemetery outside of Bayreuth; here was the weakest point in the Bavarian line protecting the city.

The commanding officer on the ground was perched in the belfry of the church, a few expert shots picking away Prussian officers as best they could. He looked past the city to the Prussian lines, surprised that there was no artillery to be seen. He remarked to the snipers next to him, "Those clever Prussians don't want to hit their own soldiers...this gives us an advantage. So long as those cannons don't open up, we should be able to hold them off."

Back down in the cemetery, several Bavarians shouted out, "They've broken through the barricades!" Hands worn and town, they kept on firing. They laughed when a column of Prussian would line up and fire from the hip, forced to do so because of the rifles they carried, miss many of their shots, and be knocked down by the lightning Werder rifles the Bavarians had. But this superior technology was matched by the fact that the Prussians had better officers, and were equal in training with the Bavarians.

Suddenly, a cry rose up from the fray: "Prussians in Bayreuth! Through the east gate!"

Atop the belfry, the commanding officer looked out a crevice towards the eastern part of the city, and looked on with horror as a sea of Prussian troops stormed the streets.

"Get a message to the Baden regiment outside of town; we need their extra troops, or we are go--" A Prussian bullet tore through his neck.

His aide immediately took over. He got the message out, and by the time night fell, the Bavarians and their Baden allies had solid control of the town. However, the Prussians were in control of the eastern gate, and this would not bode well...

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München, Hauptstadt des Königreich Süddeutschlands,
2. April. 1870

General von Pranckh looked over the map in front of him, the sound of telegrams coming and going rapidly from the war room in Munich. He was quite amazed that they had held out this long; with any luck, the Kingdom of Southern German might come out of this alive and in one piece. But that would require a lot of luck...

The Austrians were held off now quite easily in the mountains of Southern Germany, but this had been achieved at a great cost; on the southern front, the Bavarians had lost 5,000 troops, with Austrian casualties listed at around 9,000. They'd have to do better...much better...but for now the front was stable. The only problem was that Munich was awfully close to the front...if the line fell, they'd have to move the General Staff Command into Wurttemburg.

Things up north were a different story: the Prussians had launched a three-pronged attack at the northern Bavarian border. For some reason, it had not occurred to the supposedly brilliant Moltke that Baden and Wurttemburg were also part of the Kingdom of Southern Germany...so long as this was not realized, they could hold out longer than anticipated. They had fortified the border of those states, expecting them to be attacked...but nothing! Was Bismarck ignorant? Or focusing on the French invasion? Or did he just not think the western half of the kingdom was worth putting troops into? Whatever the case was, this was certainly good for the survival of Southern Germany.

However, where the Prussians struck, they struck hard, fast, and well. In a day they had almost completely taken Regensburg, and were presently struggling to take Bayreuth. Bavarian and Baden casualties on the northern front stood at 5,300, while it was estimated that the Prussians had lost somewhere near 10,000 troops. But this number was of no concern to Bismarck, Pranckh knew. He remembered 1866, when the Prussians charged blindly to win the day; they succeeded, because of superior strategy, but at what a cost!

A few telegrams and letters lay before him as well, and General Pranckh stopped observing the map to respond to them;

To whom it may concern in the Congress of the United States of America STOP

Our kingdom has no naval ports, so you will have to land supplies and troops in France, then transport them to the border, where we will pick them up STOP Proceed with all haste, and make sure the French are on board with this STOP

From the General Staff of the Royal Army of the Kingdom of Southern Germany STOP

To Prime Minister Gladstone of the British Parliament STOP

Please proceed with all haste in your mobilization efforts STOP Our western flank is totally protected and is not being attacked by the Prussians STOP Once your troops arrive in Baden, we will inform you of the situation further STOP

From the General Staff of the Royal Army of the Kingdom of Southern Germany STOP

Pranckh began sending out a telegram to the Russians to reply to their ultimatum, but the line fuzzed out, and the telegraph operator said, "Sir, the lines to the east are dead! The Austrians must have cut them!"

"Scheisse!!" Pranckh shouted. "Die Oesterreichische Schweine wollen nur Krieg!! No matter, I'll draft up a letter, give it to a rider and have him head to the front lines in the south. Have him run up the white flag when he gets there, and have him give this letter to the Austrians; make certain he tells them to give it to their Russian allies!"

From the General Staff of the Royal Army of the Kingdom of Southern Germany:

We have received your ultimatum and will respond to each piece of it thus:

1) Your entire region is independent but you will controlled by Prussia
We would rather be controlled by the Austrians, who we believe are also your allies. The Prussians will rape our land and our culture, you cannot possibly want us to be subject to that.

2) You will join the Yellow Star Global Alliance of Powers
The last time we agreed to be part of an alliance, we were betrayed. If there is some sort of informal status in the alliance, we would like to accept that. But understand that we do not wish to be direct members of any alliance.

3) 1/4 of your food supply will be sent to Russia
Russia has plenty of food, yes? Prussia and Austria as well? We cannot feed our own people if we give you 1/4 of our food supply. We could, however, send 1/16.

4) Your share your military equipment and technology with all members of the YSGAP
We only have one piece of technology that is not already part of your alliance, and that is our 1869 Werder Rifle. We would naturally be open to a trade agreement.

5) You must be a combatant in any YSGAP conflict in Europe and your armies being under Prussian control.
How dare you suggest such a thing! We will command our own troops; in conjunction with our allies, of course, but they are our troops to command! As long as we command our own troops, we would not object to being a combatant in your alliance.

You clearly have no respect for our nation. Showing respect is a fantastic way to make friends, you know.

[Brissia]

March 30, 1870

Vienna, Austria-Hungary

Francis glared at Karl, his teeth clenched tight. "Never, ever say that I don't care about the Bavarian culture. Would I have let you in, a crying, begging man, into my abode if I didn't care!? Would I be having this conversation with you if I didn't give a shit about the fate of the Bavarian people!? NO! What you need to learn is respect! Respect to those who offer you a fighting chance, respect to those who let you speak your mind, respect to those who offer you food and shelter, even when you insult them! You need to learn that just because you want Bavaria to continue it's legacy, it doesn't mean that everyone wants it, and that for me, Austria-Hungary is more important than Bavaria!!"

Francis breathed deeply, his hands clenched into fists. He glared out of the window, fuming. After several moments, Francis had finally calmed down enough to speak again. "To be honest with you, an invasion of Bavaria was never part of my original intent. A month ago, your nation mobilized under the front of military training, alerting me to your possible interest in Tirol. Thus, a meeting with Prussia was an insurance policy, if you will, a way to protect Austria's integrity, people, and prestige. And now you come before me, asking me to end the war, and betray the Prussians. To do this, I must receive an answer to the question that has been torturing my mind: was Bavaria, with the help of the Prussians, going to invade an annex Tirol, or not?"

April 2, 1870

Southern Bavaria

Austrian troops had been bombarding Bavarian positions for a day now, trying to take out enemy artillery. 9,100 men had died on the Austrian side, receiving descent burials. Riflemen scavenged the battlefield for Bavarian equipment, and several models of Bavarian rifles had been sent to Vienna. Knowing that such a position was deadly, the Austro-Hungarian forces opted to make a fast dash of riflemen up the mountains, defended by artillery fire. Several units of infantry men began their ascent up the mountain, with Austrian artillery firing mortar shells at the cliffs, sending dust and rocks down to the ground.


When a Bavarian messenger arrived to the Austrian forces, he was let through. The leading officer lead the message he gave, his mouth wide open in shock. "The conditions presented by Russia are insane!" After some thinking, he ordered the message to be telegrammed to Russia. Facing back towards the messenger, he began to speak once again. "Please keep in mind that Austria will proudly take your nation under our wing, allowing your culture to prosper, and giving you control of your military. Also, please inform your generals that if they aid in our search for the three fyckers who've caused this war, and then send them to us, Austrian forces will exit Bavaria! Good speed!"

To: Minister William Ewart Gladstone of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
From: Minister-President Baron Ignaz von Plener

We will stop advancements onto Bavarian soil, however, such an act will take at least one day, as our people demand a tribute of blood for the acts of those five Bavarian soldiers. We will continue to maintain forces in Bavaria, on these grounds:
1. It will aid the search for the three soldiers currently hiding in Bavaria.
2. We do not know whether those soldiers were acting on their own, or whether they were part of a larger organization. Therefore, a present military force will aid in the defense of Austria, if such a malevolent organization exists.
We promise that no civilian individuals or structures were harmed, civilian privacy was respected, no thefts and rapes were made, and they will NOT be made.

[Shimon-Zhivago]

München, Hauptstadt des Königreich Süddeutschlands,
3. April. 1870

The General Staff looked at the letter from Austria with eyes widened. They looked at the messenger and General Pranckh asked, "Is this...is this to be believed?"

"Yes sir," the messenger replied, "when I showed the Russian ultimatum to them, they remarked on how unbelievably stringent it was. I believe that we can trust them."

Tears dripped down several of the officer's faces; several others fell to the floor and praised the Lord for delivering them. Pranckh remained steadfast, and went over to the eastern telegraph line operator. "The line to Austria has been reopened, sir," the operator said.

"Then send the following message to Francis in Vienna..." Pranckh ordered, beginning to tear up as well.

To the esteemed Francis, Kaiser of the Austro-Hungarian Empire STOP

We in Munich have received your proposal, and we find it very appropriate STOP We will tell our troops to cease firing on yours, and we shall engage in a search for the Bavarian soldiers who committed the purported atrocities STOP We thank you for your generosity and friendship STOP

From the General Staff of the Royal Army of the Kingdom of Southern Germany STOP

The order was given for Bavarian troops to withdraw to their lines in the mountains and cease fire. In total, between March 30th and April 3rd, 5,260 Bavarian soldiers were killed or wounded during the fighting on the southern front; the Austrians had lost 9,100.

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A few days ago, before the War of Bavarian Subduction began...

Wien, Österreich, 31. Maerz 1870

Karl had stopped eating, taken aback by the old emperor's remarks. Realizing that he had taken things too far, Karl took a deep breath and apologized.

Unfortunately, at this time, Karl was ignorant to one important fact; which was that Bavaria had dropped the notion of invading Tirol, and so the Austrians and Prussians were going to stage some sort of attack in order to justify invading the southern kingdom.

"Yes...the General Staff has planned out an attack to attempt to annex Tirol. And yes, they were planning with Prussia to make this invasion a reality. In my defense, the Landestag of Bavaria and the governments of other states in the kingdom were opposed to this operation, but the Army's opinion trumped our opinion. In my country's defense, Tirol was once part of our nation, so such an invasion is...at the very least, more justifiable that whatever reasons you would have for trying to invade us. However, I recognize that such an invasion on our part would merit retaliation. I believe that such an invasion on our part is wrong, and that it why I am here, to ask you to spare Bavaria and indeed the whole of Southern Germany your wrath. The actual political heads of our kingdom are willing to negotiate with you, and with our general staff. I'm certain that when the invasion begins, your forces will push ours back, and when the tide turns against Bavaria, or a stalemate is reached, that is when we must act. Because neither you nor I want a Prussian-dominated Bavaria, that's for certain."

Francis looked at him thoughtfully. Karl continued;

"Sire, I must remark, this would not be treacherous towards Prussia. You will not be attacking them, you are not taking back your promise; instead, you are subduing us, and since Austria and Prussia are united by alliance, Prussia will no longer have to worry about us, for we will be undeniably on the same side. You will be making Prussia's work less costly, while still achieving the intended end of having us under your wing. With your ally Russia also putting pressure on Prussia to let such an outcome occur, a larger war can be avoided. But, you would have to act fast towards peace. Within a week's time, the whole of Bavaria will be mobilized, and doubtlessly, international forces will arrive in the Kingdom of Southern Germany to fight you and Prussia."

[The Norrland]

2nd April 1870

Stockholm Palace

The door to King Charles' chambers was opened, and Karl walked in.
"Your Majesty," Karl began. "The French have declared war on North Germany, after North Germany and Austria have betrayed their South German allies. Europe is in flames."
"Well, this is certainly an interesting turn of events." The king replied. Sweden was still on the sidelines of international politics, so they could just sit back and let Europe go to hell. But, they were now part of the Yellow Star Global Alliance of Powers, so if Russia was to join the war, Sweden would be forced to join. This could mean a war with Britain, which is the very last thing Sweden needed. "Have the Russians declared their intentions?" King Charles asked his servant.
"No Your Majesty, they have only committed to sending supplies to the Germans and Austrians. But, both Northern Germany and Austria are part of the YSGAP, so they could call the alliance to war." Both men realised how destructive a Great War in Europe would be for their reforming state.
"We must send a letter to the Russians, and ask them what their intentions are." The king told his friend.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Is their anything else you think we should do?"
"Mobilize the army. Send half of the army to Norway. Mix the veterans with the new recruits. Send the other half to Karlskrona, to the Naval Base there. We must be on war footing. We must be ready to react to anything else that might develop in this war." The king told Karl.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Also, the managers sent a letter, saying that the factories would be finished in late September, early October. The new burst of manpower due to your speech has really helped them, they said." Karl said. He walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.
At least one good thing could come out of a Great European War. The Danish are itching to get back at the Germans, and will almost certainly join an opposing alliance. This would mean I would have a perfectly good reason to annex those scum. Those fucking fence-sitters. They call themselves Nordic, but they are the same as every other Central European nation. Stuck-up snobs who have no respect for the old way. The good way. The way when a King could do as he pleases. Britain and USA are acting like a global police force, and no one can do anything about it. America is vast, and Britain is vastly rich. Those bastards. They are clearly abusing their power as global superpowers.

[Gibberan]

US Embassy, Northern Bavaria
As the carriages arrived in the Embassy, the supplies for the Bavarian army began to be unloaded. They were discreetly helping the Bavarians against the Prussians and Austrians, but no one could know. If someone did find out, it meant the deaths of hundreds of Union soldiers.

A Bavarian official came up and signed a paper, and the men were instructed to load the crates into the Bavarian army wagon. As that one left, more appeared, waiting to be loaded, and the Ambassador started to worry. The Prussian Army was closing in, so they needed to load every bit of the supplies fast.

If they were discovered, well, they would die honorably.

[Sykaruse]

Tacuarembo, Uruguay
Artillery shells pounded down on the Uruguayan city. Fierce fighting had been going on for hours as the Brazilian troops assaulted Tacuarembo. It was heavily defended and fortified. So far several hundred men had been lost when they charged into the city streets, only to be repulsed by Uruguayan troops. No one had expected the city to be so heavily defended.
Finally, the city's defense broke when a fire started near the city hall, spreading across the town. Brazilian troops seized the opportunity to launch a massive attack on three different places, overwhelming the defenders. Fierce house to house fighting broke out around the town, but the Uruguayan troops were dispirited, and eventually surrendered. However, victory was costly- 2,000 troops were lost in the fighting.

Rio de Janeiro
Emperor Pedro listened to the battle report. Tacuarembo had been captured at a high cost, but it would secure Brazil's foothold in Uruguay. four ironclads and other steam-driven warships were blockading the coast; no traffic could come in or out. Uruguay's puny navy had been obliterated, and some warships had been captured. If they were in good shape, they would be upgraded and used in the Brazilian Navy. Increasing the size of the navy was one of the emperor's main goals.
Modernization was increasing at a rapid pace. Railroads were being built all across the country, linking urban centers and improving trade. Several new factories were under construction. Emperor Pedro had reviewed plans for two new ironclad warships, they would be built in half a year. Brazil was quickly becoming industrialized.

[Vozz]

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| Late March 1870 - Ajuda Palace - Lisbon, Portugal |

As King Luis I, King of Portugal and the Algraves, began to review the various maps of Africa in preparation of his plans for Angola and Mozambique a telegram arrived from the Prime Minister of Great Britain in regards to the conflict in Europe, and more importantly the “Yellow Star Alliance”. “Inform Prime Minister Fontes Pereira de Melo that he must depart at once for London to attend an urgent meeting!” the King said to his council as he turned his attention back to the maps of Africa.

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| Early April 1870 - Atlantic Ocean |

“Prime Minister … We will arrive in London within the day!" the Portuguese sailor said as he retreated back up to the deck. After readying himself for the day Prime Minister de Melo ascended to the deck, and made sure that his entourage of diplomatic staff and government guards were prepared to disembark for the emergency meeting. European conflict has been escalating recently, and de Melo was determined to ensure that Portugal and her colonies were prepared for any incursion in the near future. Moreover, His Majesty of Portugal had instructed de Melo to open lines of communication with various states in-order strengthen Portugal's influence abroad.

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| April 1870 - London, England |

As the entourage exited the ship that took them on their expedited journey from Lisbon to London the Prime Minister was approached by Portuguese-U.K. Ambassador, and his Diplomatic Staff. "Prime Minister, this way please sir." the Ambassador said as he directed de Malo the the horses and carriages standing by in a make shift convoy intended to bring the entire Portuguese delegation to the private conference. "Let's get on with it!" shouted the Prime Minster as he hurriedly entered the carriage with the Ambassador following suit. Moments later the Portuguese diplomatic convoy was en-route to the high level conference of various Heads-of-State to discuss urgent international matters.

[Dangelia]

The Abanian forces had a victory at Shkodër especially because the Ottomans were not prepared for an attack by the Albanians. Therefore, in these last few days, the Albanian wiped out all Ottoman officers in and around the city of Shkodër. The knew Albanian flag flew over the city of Shkodër.





The Albanian people were overjoyed. But there was not time for celebration. They knew that the Ottomans would come back with vengeance.
Therefore, they resumed the conquests of these cities. In Skopje, a revolt took place. 60,000 rebel militia fighters burned the Ottoman government buildings killing everyone inside. They also began a massacre of every Ottoman official in the city. To avoid other officials from escaping, 20,000 UCS soldiers surround the city, slowly marching inwards towards the city center, thereby making sure that no Ottoman official could escape. They also cut off all telegram wires that connected the city to the outside world so that no one may telegram for help against the UCS. The UCS also dismantled many tracks so that trains couldn't send reinforcement or supply's to the Skopje soon.



The exact same is done in the cities of Vlorë, Krujë, Korçë, Gjirokaster, and Ioannina.

[Sibator]

Toamasina, The Royal Kingdom of Madagascar

Francis applauded when the Queen finished her speech, and hailed both Madagascar and Great Britain along with her. When the food arrived, him and his attaché were stumped by some of the odder food, but for the most part the food was good and delicious, especially after a long journey of food from a barrel. So far Francis was enjoying his trip, and he had made sure to get a seat close to the Queen.

Making sure not to speak with his mouth full, Francis began asking the Queen what her plans were.

"So, your Majesty, what exactly are your plans for my experts? What do you believe they should focus on?"

London, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

The British professional forces were almost set up, and the transport ships were ready to transport the soldiers. However, Britain still needed access through either France or Italy, preferably France since Austria was considering peace talks and Switzerland would as always stay neutral.

Gladstone hoped Emperor Napoleon got his telegram, and if not, then any assistance against the Bavarians would be severely hampered as the only way to attack Prussia would be an amphibious invasion, which would be extremely difficult.

Since there was no other preparations to make, Gladstone was able to divert attention to the telegrams he had received. The United States President was already in London, the Italian Ambassador had arrived, and the Portuguese ambassador was on his way. In other news, a telegram had been received of Austria, which promised peace, a very good sign of things to come. Gladstone began formulating a response.

To: Minister-President Baron Ignaz von Plener of Austria-Hungary

Thank you for stopping your advancements, this telegram was received just in time for me to stop the declaration of war against you. I thank you for choosing the path of peace and prosperity.
As for your demands, they seem very reasonable. Your first point demand shall be met to the best of my ability, but I cannot speak for Bavaria. I believe that they will assist you however, for there is little reason not to. As fro your second demand, that is also reasonable, and I will pressure Bavaria into accepting it.

Thank you for choosing peace and prosperity, may we work together in the future,
Sincerely,
Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

The North Germans had still not responded, most likely because they had nothing to say. It was obvious that they wanted to annex Southern Germany and unite the German states, and as long as Southern Germany existed, there would be two Germanys, rather than one. So, the declaration of war was passed through Parliament, and all that remained was for the Queen to sign it. Once she did, the declaration of war was sent to the North Germans.

To the Sovereigns of the North German Confederation,

Because you have refused to cease hostilities against our once mutual ally Southern Germany, and have refused to attempt a diplomatic resolution to the problem, I declare war between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the North German Confederation. I insist you begin peace talks before the war becomes to violent,

May God of mercy on your soul.

Once the declaration of war was sent, Gladstone responded to the desperate Bavarian pleas.

To the General Staff of the Royal Army of the Kingdom of Southern Germany,

We have declared war on Northern Germany, and we believe Austria-Hungary shall pursue peace. Currently, we are attempting to secure military access through French lands. If all else fails, we shall telegram the Italians and Swiss an ask for military access.

Sincerely,
Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

[Brissia]

March 30, 1870

Vienna, Austria-Hungary

The Kaiser giggled, trying to suppress his laughter. Finally, it came out, bellowing through the room. His laughter was deep, ringing out through the hallways. Finally, he stopped, wiping a tear from his eye. "If you want to save your country, then listen up: I will end the war with Bavaria, on the condition that they hand over certain....people. You will act as my ally in Bavaria, coercing the government to ally with me. If you do this, I will protect you, your nation, your people, and your culture. Deal?"

April 3, 1870

Bavaria

Austro-Hungarian troops had stopped their advancement into the mountains, and had begun to honor the dead. The officers sat in their headquarters, waiting for the day that they could come back home. The troops had began searching in cities they had gone through, looking for the three criminals because of which this war was started. The Bavarians helped them out, despising the criminals for tarnishing the name of Bavaria. Relations between troops and civilians were surprisingly good, due to the good treatment of civilians by invading forces. Even now, the soldiers helped out where they could, cleaning the streets and tilling in the fields.

Information on the captured criminals was sent to the Bavarian government, as to aid in the search for the convicts.

[Cobaltania]

Florence, Italy

The King was sitting in his room, wondering about the situation in Europe. Then he stopped thinking about the situation, and instead focused on problems in his country, Italy. First he would start with the national railways. "We cannot manufacture our own, it would be too expensive."
"Sir, I heard that the British had large success making their trains." "Yes. We shall contact the British for some of their trains."
"But sir, the railway business in Britain is dominated by private companies." "We shall contact the largest company."
"We shall contact LB&SCR for their famous A1 class tank engine."

To the British Railway of London, Brighton and South Coast Railways

We would like to enter an agreement with your railway. We would like to buy engines of yours, and we shall give you goods and money for running your railway.

[Jamessonia]

April 4, 1870
Berlin, Prussia

Bismarck reviewed the events of the past few days. Things had started out badly and now were worse. The French had invaded the Rhineland, the Austrians were backing out of the war, and Britain had declared war. It seemed Prussia stood alone.

The French were marching through the industrial heart of the Prussia, the Rhineland. From all reports, they were disorganized and acted however they liked, in regards to the people and their property. Luckily, 400,000 men stood ready to counterattack. They were ordered to make a frontal assault on the French lines, hoping to break them and cause them to collapse.

Down south, things were worse. The Austrians, the ones who started the war, were now pulling out and there were rumors of a peace being signed. Prussia could not realistically fight Bavaria and France on their own. The Austrians had compromised Prussian defense, and they would have to take responsibility. On top of that, Britain had joined the growing number of Prussian enemies. They would stop resources from around the world from reaching Prussian ports, which would cause the economy to slow production.

The most important people to contact, of course, were the Bavarians. This telegram was written, much to the disappointment of many prominent Prussians, Bismarck included.

To: The Kingdom of Southern Germany
From: The North German Confederation

It has been determined that it is in the interests of justice and peace to engage in talks. I, Otto von Bismarck, would be interested to hear what your nation deems proper for a peace treaty. We reserve the full right to decline, or to submit a counter offer. No ceasefire shall be called until a preliminary agreement is created.

[Vozz]

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| April 1870 - Ministry of Communications - Lisbon, Portugal |

A urgent message arrives to the Ministry of Communications from the Ajuda Palace via the His Majesty's personal rider. The young messenger scrambles up the stairs to the main office of the ministry to transfer order to the officer in-charge, "A telegram order from His Majesty for immediate delivery!" he says as he extended the order.

Code: Select all

TO ANGOLA CMD FOR IMMEDIATE EFFECT ... STOP ... TRANSFER TWENTY THOUSAND ... STOP ... LISBON VIA SEA WITH HASTE ... STOP ... BY ORDER OF HIS MAJESTY ... STOP .

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[Shimon-Zhivago]

A few days ago, before the War of Bavarian Subduction began...

Wien, Österreich, 31. Maerz 1870

Karl stared in shock at the sudden change in Francis's mood. A look of complete bliss crept across his face, and Karl joyfully shot up out of his chair into a standing position, bowing deeply and proclaiming, "As God as my witness, I shall ensure that these plans will come to fruition! Kaiser Francis, I thank you ten-thousand times over for what you have done today! If ever there is anything I can do to repay you, please let me know!"

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München, Hauptstadt des Königreich Süddeutschlands,
9. April. 1870

General Pranckh was quite relieved that he wouldn't have to move the headquarters of the General staff from Munich. What wasn't so relieving was that the Prussians were still attacking, and that it would take another day or two for the extra million troops to be ready to combat them...then there was the fact that they could only support those soldiers for a week, then their economy would collapse. The Prussians would smash them after that, so it was of the utmost importance that the front lines of the north held...

Suddenly, one of the telegraph operators in the war room tore off a message he had received and handed it to Pranckh. The Bavarian general looked it over, and his eyes widened: it was the names of the Bavarian soldiers who had survived. "This can't be right...these soldiers were killed in the 1866 war..." he mused aloud. Pranckh ordered a special division of Royal Life Guards to keep an eye and ear out for when the soldiers were found; the capture men would be handed over to the Royal Life Guards before anyone else could ask any questions. Pranckh had his suspicions, but he didn't want to upset the peace that had just been brokered.

Another telegram came in. This one too troubled Pranckh greatly:

From the Bavarian Embassy in Vienna STOP

Greetings General Pranckh STOP It is I, Karl Hausman, former representative in the Landestag STOP For the past few days, I have been in Vienna, I don't think you know this STOP I have been talking with Francis to try and prevent this war from destroying our country STOP I am returning home to Bavaria soon to help organize this new peace STOP Do tell Ludwig I said hello STOP

Pranckh knew exactly what existed between Ludwig and Karl, all the high-ranking officials in Bavaria did. He knew how angry Ludwig was at Karl for leaving Munich, even though doing so literally saved the country. The order to shoot Karl on sight if he returned still stood, and Pranckh didn't know if he could reverse the order in time. After all, Karl was a hero...for him to die would be a right shame.

Yet another telegram came in, from Prussia. Pranckh sighed, knowing exactly what to say to diffuse the situation. He sent out the following message:

To the esteemed government of the NDC STOP

Pull your troops out of Bavaria, that is all STOP We want nothing else at all STOP I hope we can continue our previous alliance, and we would love to help you against the French invaders STOP Our people stand by you and can be ready to launch an assault against Alsace-Lorraine in a week's time STOP Please accept this offer as a true peace between our nations STOP

Wishing you the best in health, wealth, and happiness, from the General Staff in Munich STOP

---

---

Outside of Bayreuth, Bavaria, 9. April. 1870

The Prussians had forced the Bavarians out of the city, but now that reinforcements had arrive from the southern front, a counter-attack was launched in an attempt to retake the city. Cannons pounded the Prussian lines, and hoards of troops prepared to charge forward.

When the order was given, 100,000 Bavarians and Badeners ran across the fields to the south of Bayreuth. They, of course, had no idea that the Prussians would be dug in.

A withering volley of light artillery and needle-guns rippled across from the northern side of the field. For hours, the southern Germans tried to get around the defenses, but in the end, it was to no avail. At the end of the day, the Royal Army had lost 3,000 soldiers, while the Prussians had barely five casualties. The Bavarians and their friends were forced to retreat back to their lines at the end of the day.

In total, on the northern front, the Kingdom of Southern Germany had lost 7,400 men; the Prussians, 11,500. Yet the war dragged on, while the men in the capitals drafted peace plans with pens and telegrams.

[Kalmath]

Château de Versailles, Empire of France

---

---

Napoleon read the message from Prime Minister Gladstone with suspicion, the English and French had seldom seen eye to eye. If he accepted the Prime Minister's offer the war against the Northern German Confederation would be more likely for a victory. However, British troops on French soil would make him look weak and he did not to further infuriate the High Command. If he allowed the English military access the Imperial Army very well might move on Versailles, seeing the English's presence as attempt to consolidate his position. The response would be nothing, he decided. Leaving him without a position let him choose it at a later point as the situation called for. Yes, a lack of response would be best he told himself as he slid the message into his desk drawer.

Rhineland, Northern German Confederation

---

---

The French had made a rapid advance into Rhineland over the past few days, the German Army had been mobilized to the Bavarian Front which led to little to no resistance for his own troops. They had advance mush faster than expected and this led to the the 350,000 French soldiers to become thinly spread throughout the occupied areas. General Trochu estimated that he had no more than 100,000 men on the front lines with the rest straggling behind. Trochu was well aware of the dangerous position he was in but his orders were clear. Trochu now stared blankly at the map below him as thought. He had set up his Headquarters in the parlor of a café in some nondescript German village in order to stay close to the front.

"Tea Sir?" Trochu's attention flashed to the Lieutenant who stood next him with a cup in hand.

Trochu thanked the Lieutenant and sipped the Tea then set it down. Returning to the map to plan his next moves as he studied he his gazed moved to the glass of tea he had placed on the table. It shook in its plate, he looked out a window into the streets. Soldiers stood there and were pointing into the distance somewhere out of Trochu's sight. As he scratched the ridge of his eye an artillery shot landed in the streets, Trochu's muscle memory kicked in and he dropped to the ground. The General looked back up and saw French soldiers retreating from the field. He ran out into the street and looked at what all his men were running from. NGC artillery had taken up position on the hills overlooking his lines. He grabbed a Chief-Sergeant by his sleeve as he ran by him.

"What happened to the lines?!" asked General Trochu

The Chief-Sergeant tried to pull away "Thousands smashed into our lines, we're in full rout."

Trochu let go of the Sergeant's uniform and he ran and the General rushed to his horse, his staff was already waiting there for him.

General Trochu hopped onto his horse "Sound the retreat."

"Sir, we can reform in a few miles and make a counter-attack."

"Lieutenant, we are in full retreat and our lines are completely broken. With the enemy on our backs a rally on this side of the border is impossible especially with our own artillery still en route. When we counter it will be on the ground of our own choosing. Sound the retreat, that's an order."

[Jamessonia]

Preußen's Gloria

Das Rheinland, Preußen, 10. April 1870

The French had invaded the Rhineland over the past few days, mostly unmolested. Attention had been on the Bavarians, but now that little border skirmish was drawing to a close. The Bavarians had powerful friends, and that had saved them. France, lacking those friends, would certainly fall prey to the Prussian onslaught.

The sounds of bloody battle echoed around the small village. From the hill that Karl Friedrich von Steinmetz sat upon, he could see that the French were disorganized and chaotic.

"What are these French doing? Where are their officers? It is lunacy!", he said to an aide.

"Sir, I agree completely."

Then, they heard a low, droning noise coming from the battlefield. Field Marshal von Steinmetz took ahold of his field glasses and peered down below. He then said, very excitedly,

"They are retreating! They are retreating! Tell the men to push on, we must capitalize on this!"

******************************************************************************************

Rittmeister Karl von Büllen steadied his horse. The equine was getting nervous, after so many cannon shots had come so close to their position. The cavalry brigade was stationed outside the village, where the main battle had occurred. When the Prussian armies first attacked, the French defenders had repelled them. But once the Krupp artillery got to work, their élan had broken. They had left their defenses, and met the Prussians in open combat in the field. Once they did that, Prussian maneuvering and training had swung the battle further into the German favor. Most French units were now in a disorderly retreat back into the village. But one section of the battlefield was proving trying. They had better officers and training than most other French divisions, and the French had concentrated much of their artillery fire on this sector. The Prussians were taking heavy casualties, and the High Command had deemed a cavalry charge necessary.

Suddenly, the order came through. Captain von Büllen raised his saber and yelled,

"Gallop! By God, gallop!"

The cavalry went into action. The flank of the French line was right in front of them. They barreled down the field, horses almost slipping on spilt blood. The brook that was normally a lovely part of village life was running red with the commingled blood of Frenchman and German. The artillery pounded away in front of them, threatening them in their boom-crash, boom-crash.

Von Büllen felt like an angel. He could see the entire battlefield, the retreating French, the celebratory Prussians. He saw French blood being spilt as they ran back towards their own country. He was an angel of Germany, a Valkyrie. His saber was raised in the Prussian fashion, aching his arm terribly. No matter, angels don't feel pain. The French line was quickly approaching.



Then, the crash. His horse impacted the line, sending shockwaves up into Büllen's body. He raised his saber, slashing down on the enemy. All he saw were blue uniforms, and red trousers. The faces blurred together. Everything had a red tint to it. Am I in Hell? he thought. No, angels don't go to Hell. With that, he raised his sword and thrust downwards into a random Frenchman. The line was broken, but that didn't matter. Now it was time to kill. The Prussian infantrymen cheered him on, urging him to kill another and another. A second cavalry division smashed into the second flank of the now nonexistent line. They were also angels.

Then, all of a sudden it was just angels. The demons were lying on the floor, bleeding to death. The rest of the enemies were fleeing into the village, past the gates and walls. Holes were hacked open, and the III. Kavalrie was ordered into the village. They would beat them into a complete retreat, and take the fight to their land. Their people. Their blood. 




[Jamessonia]

After much deliberation, the North Germans voted to sign a peace with Bavaria, under their suggested terms. Two telegrams were sent out, one to Munich and the other to von Moltke.

We accept your terms STOP We will tell our units to ceasefire STOP We hope we can have a better relationship now, even if we have been through hard times STOP You can communicate with us through our ambassador in Munich, who shall return today STOP He is our representative to your nation STOP To begin rebuilding relations, we politely request blueprints and models of your 1869 Werder rifle STOP

A ceasefire has been ordered STOP Take 400,00 of your 600,000 men out of Bavaria and march to Mainz, where you will receive orders STOP Have the other 200,000 stay on the Bavarian border STOP

[Shimon-Zhivago]

München, Hauptstadt des Königreich Süddeutschlands,
12. April. 1870

A few parades were held in the city streets, but few troops were available. 860,000 were being transported to the French border, with 130,000 remaining on the northern border. The Prussians had retreated, and the peace had been signed. By a miracle, the Kingdom of Southern Germany had survived. Fall Schwarz was terminated, thankfully long before it would have ruined the kingdom's economy. Once again, the total of conscripts and standing soldiers in the army was held at 1,000,000.

Such survival had cost the country dearly. Between March 30th and April 10th, the Royal Army had lost, in total on both fronts, 12,660 men. Although their spots were being filled, such casualties were felt throughout the relatively small kingdom. There was pride to be had, of course. The Prussians had lost nearly 12,000 men, the Austrians almost 10,000; in total, 22,000 estimated deaths for the Yellow Star Alliance, nearly double that of the Bavarians' casualties.

But now there were a few deep splits forming in the kingdom; one was with the soldiers, who wondered why they, after having fought so hard to stop an invasion, were going to be invaders themselves. The second was the people, who wondered why they would be fighting alongside the treacherous Prussians. The third was the government, most of whom were pro-Prussia, but in the days of the War of Bavarian Subduction, the General Staff of the Royal Army dominated the country, and they were doubtlessly pro-Austrian. All of this would come to a head in a matter of time, but for now the country was united.

The leaders at the Landestag promptly responded to Prussia's request for blueprints of the Werder rifle. They were all filled with pride that a nation as powerful as Prussia was in want of their technology:

The blueprints for the 1869 Werder Rifle are being shipped to Frankfurt STOP We will also be sending up a team of engineers to work with the best minds in Prussia to refine this rifle and look for possible replacement designs STOP We have been approached by Peter and Paul Mauser, and we believe that their input on rifle design for both our nations is key STOP

The leaders of the kingdom wished to wait for Ludwig's return before declaring war officially, but it was assumed by all of them that Fall Al, the plan for attack of France, would go ahead as intended.

And so the soldiers of Bavaria and her allies once again marched off to war, singing songs like the Bayernhyme and Badnerlied as they went...

[Gibberan]

From: The United States War Department
To: All Regional Commanders on the East Coast, III Division in Bavaria
Encryption: HIGH
Urgency: HIGH

All recipientss, you probably know by now, but the government of France, our ally, is being attacked by the ruthless Prussians. Put all sections on high alert. This is top priority. Units inland that can spare men and machines, relocate them to the divisions on the East Coast. A Declaration of War will be issued in due time, so prepare your troops on the ships that have been arranged for your travel to France.

In regards to III Division, as the War in Bavaria has ended, you will arrange passage through Italy in order to arrive in France. From there, you will immediately report to French command. By that time, war will have been declared.


I repeat this is TOP PRIORITY

[Oyrotia]

Tash Hauli Palace, Khiva, Khanate of Khiva

The sun shone brightly down on the courtyard of the royal palace. Sitting comfortably in a large chair atop one of his balconies, the Khan surveyed the scene below him, a pen held lightly in his right hand as he pondered over the next verse of a new poem he was composing. His tranquility was interrupted by the sound of tentative footsteps to his left, and turning his head he saw one of his ministers approach him. Bowing deeply, the man presented a roll of paper.

"Read it to me," the Khan ordered, slowly setting down his pen on the desk in front of him. The minister nodded and began to speak.

"Most revered and enlightened Khan,
It has come to our attention that sporadic conflicts have once again broken out near the borders with Kokand. Two days ago our patrols were met by bandit groups moving across the frontier, and despite the best efforts of our troops these men could not be persuaded to surrender themselves. It is with great apology that I must inform you that incidents such as these seem to have been on the rise as of late."

The Khan sighed lightly, turning back to gaze down into the palace courtyard. It could not be ignored any more, the border regions between his domain and the neighboring Russian protectorate of Kokand had become increasingly dangerous. The unstable ethnic and political conflicts across the border were at risk of disrupting the peaceful perimeter he had worked to maintain around his kingdom. Focusing back on his minister, the Khan began dictating a dispatch to the Russian Tsardom.

To His Highness, the Tsar of Russia,
We wish to make known to you the continued unstable political situation near our borders with the territory of Kokand. It seems that local conflicts there have begun to spill over into our own domain, and in the interest of preserving peace and stability I would request your agreement in dispatching a force of my own troops, in an amount that can be decided upon between us, to move across the border and engage in military efforts to return stability to our north-eastern frontier.

Yours respectfully,

Sayyid Muhammad Rahim Bahadur II
Khan of Khiva

[Gibberan]

From: The Government of the United States of America
To: The Northern German Confederation and it's allies
Encryption: None
Urgency: HIGH

OFFICIAL DECLARATION OF WAR
by the
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

---

It has been the decision of the Congress of the United States with written support from the President, among others; to declare that a state of war now exists between the United States of America and the Northern Confederation and it's allies. A state of war between our two states will continue to exist until such a time as all hostile intentions towards the Second Republic of France are eradicated from the government and military of the Prussians.

The unjustifiable aggressiveness and hostility exhibited by the Northern German Confederation and it's allies towards the Second Republic of France and it's allies has been well document in recent history and known to the world. It is for this reason that the government and military forces of the United States of America extend an offer of assistance to the government of the Second Republic and all allies devoted to securing the sovereignty of this nation with this declaration of war.

The United States Armed Forces are authorized by this declaration of war to conduct any and all operations required to assist the defense of the Second Republic and it's allies. This includes the immediate seizure of any vessel flying the colours of the NGC sailing within the territorial waters of the United States and the deployment of personnel from the Armed Forces of the Union to the Second Republic of France. May God be with us.

---

Signed,
President John P. MacArthur,
Commander-in-Chief of the United States of America

[Jamessonia]

From: The North German Confederation
To: The Government of the United States of America
Encryption: None
Urgency: MEDIUM

OFFICIAL CONDEMNATION OF THE DECLARATION OF WAR
by the
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

---

The Landtag of the North German Confederation (henceforth also known as the North Germany) condemns the declaration of war by the United States of America (henceforth also known as the United States or the U.S.). The honor of the North German people has been trampled upon by this unjust measure, and also by the twisted lies of the United States. The various indecencies of this document shall be exposed by the government of the North Germany in the form of this rebuttal.

The villainous document submitted by the U.S. stated that "unjustifiable aggressiveness and hostility" has been exhibited by the North German Confederation. This is not only untrue, but it is far from the truth. The people and government of Northern Germany have never wished harm on the people of the Second Republic of France. They have never threatened, offended or abused the French people or nation. The U.S. declaration says that these crimes have "been well documented in recent history and known to the world". We challenge the United States to find these "well-documented" instances.

The real culprits of aggression are the very people the United States claims to be victims. The U.S., in their declaration, stated that they wish to fight towards "securing the sovereignty of this nation". The United States, it seems, has forgotten that the French were the ones to declare war on the North German Confederation, and have invaded the soil of the latter nation. If the U.S. wishes to secure a nation's sovereignty, they wouldn't be helping an aggressive army to invade and occupy another. This is exactly what France has been doing. France is the blatant aggressor in this conflict, and one who does not see that is a fool.

Apparently, the United States believes that North Germany has exhibited "hostile intentions" towards the Second Republic of France. This is simply ludicrous, because it was the French who have shown hatred towards the North Germans. On March 28th, 1870, the Prussian ambassador in Paris was brutally murdered and left to rot on the banks of the Seine. A private investigation funded by the North German Landtag showed that butcher's knives were stuck in his body, as well as Marxist and anti-German propaganda and slurs. The French government obviously found out, but they did not inform the North German government. No French diplomat has ever been discovered in Berlin, nor would the Prussian or North German government dream of withholding any information from French authorities.

It is hoped that these points have helped to reveal the lies the U.S. government has told in their wrong and horrible declaration of war. This miscarriage of justice is on of the most disgusting of our time, and this document will hopefully shed some light on the true causes of this war.

---

Signed,
Otto von Bismarck,
Ministerpräsident of Prussia and the North German Confederation