VICUNA DAILY LEDGERVolume 188, Issue w020 January 1935WorldMoD responds to Nihonese fleet deployments
Peter Thoroughgood, AP
Hsinking, Manchukuo--The Empire of Nihon’s diplomatic response to the field exercises being held in Almaty have been joined by the deployment of a Nihonese naval squadron to the seas around Manchukuo. Seven ships of the Imperial Nihonese Navy left port on the 13th, believed to be a cruiser division and a destroyer division. This morning, the Ministry of Defense released a statement regarding the Nihonese deployment and the apparent mobilization of the Manchukuo National Police Force and Nihonese Army Support Group. “It is unfortunate that the Empire of Nihon chooses to view routine training exercises as aggression and condemns them while in the same breath mobilizing their own forces. The exercises in Manchukuo are being held on the border with Almaty for the sole purpose of strengthening the bonds between the Empire and her Aclusian and Norcourtian allies and partners. If the Nihonese Empire wants to maintain peace in Indianum, then the current actions of the Nihonese military only serve to erode that peace. Mobilizing the Nihonese Manchu Guard while the Manticoran Army forces are on the other side of the country is not only an unnecessarily aggressive act but one that bodes ill for peace. It is the opinion of the Manticoran Intelligence Community and the Manticoran Ministry of Defense that these acts could very easily be construed as a prelude to a Nihonese invasion of Manchukuo, which would be at odds with the Nihonese expressed interest in preserving peace.
The Manticoran Ministry of Defense, in complete agreement and with the full support of Her Majesty and Her Majesty’s Government, would like to remind the Nihonese Empire that actions speak louder than words and your actions are far from peaceful.”
When pressed for comment, the Ministry spokesperson stated that the military has no problem with allowing Nihonese observers to view the exercise, as is their right by treaty. “However, the mobilization of military forces while an Imperial dominion is so vulnerable does make one wonder about the true intentions of the Nihonese.” The Chief of Staff of the Army is quoted as saying, “Almaty was chosen precisely to avoid angering the Nihonese. It was the farthest we could physically be while still remaining in sovereign territory of the Empire. The fact that the Nihonese have mobilized their forces while we intentionally moved ours as far away as we could leads me to suspect that they are being less than entirely honest in their reasons.”
Her Majesty provided no comment on the matter and the Prime Minister has not responded to requests for comment, likely a result of his being at sea on his way to Wargloria for a meeting with the Reichsfuhrer.Norcourtian and Aclusian troops arrive in Almaty
Akron Davis, AP
Altai, Almaty-- Today marks the day that Aclusian, Norcourtian, and Manticoran troops conduct operations together for the first time as they work to offload supplies for the coming exercises. The major field exercise, set to contain nearly two million soldiers, will be the largest ever conducted by any of the participating states and will be testing a number of capabilities, including the capability to load ships, run convoys, unload ships, load rail cars and trucks, transport men and material across thousands of miles of open land, and coordinate large, mobile forces in a modern battlefield.
There remain concerns for many in the Army, particularly in regards to the relatively inexperienced Norcourtian troops. However, Fourth Army spokesmen routinely state that any embarrassment the Norcourtians, or anyone else, suffers is constructive. “It is better to be embarrassed in a field exercise than in the middle of war,” said Captain Anthony Giles, spokesman for X Corps, “In war, there are no makeovers or second chances. In an exercise, you go home at the end of the day with all your men and figure out what went wrong and what went right before fixing it and coming back the next day. As the saying goes, “Try again, fail again, fail better.”
This exercise will also mark the debut of the new M1 Medium Tanks, accepted into service late last year. The men of the 16th Tank Brigade were the first to receive the new tanks and still receive jealous looks from other tankers still driving the Vickers Mark Threes from Aclus.Warglorian Government Petitions for production license of M1921 Machine Gun, B-17 Bomber
Kurt Vaughn, AP
Adrillas, Rachana-- In accordance with the technology sharing agreement signed almost a decade ago, the Warglorian Government has petitioned Parliament to grant their request for a production license. An agreement had been reached between Carter’s Manufacturing and the Mauser Gewehrfabrik in early January to manufacture the M1921 machine gun in Wargloria and a similar deal between Heinkel Flugzeugwerke and Kellner Aviation for the production of B-17 bombers was reached last week. However, several members of parliament, notably Roger Early, the 7th Earl of Carterhall and leader of the Conservative Party, have roused themselves in opposition to the move. Earl Carterhall made his opposition known during the debates yesterday, saying, “Barely a generation ago, hundreds of thousands of our young men were slaughtered in droves by Warglorian guns, planes, and ships. I opposed the technology sharing agreement when it was first proposed but now we are going to offer them our most modern heavy bomber for a pittance? With the Warglorian support of the Nihonese, it stands to reason that they may support the Nihonese should war break out. Do we really desire to aid our enemies?”
While a final vote has not occurred, Her Majesty’s Government does hold enough of a majority to pass the bill without the Conservative Party. That hasn’t stopped the Conservative Party from launching a powerful campaign, with numerous radio advertisements and posters calling for citizens to “demonstrate and ensure that the Empire doesn’t surrender the technological edge to its enemies.” It remains to be seen if the campaign will be enough to sway the outcome.The EmpirePrime Minister, Crown respond to rhetoric of Aimeslandish Government
Dwain Wright, AP
Vicuna, Manticore--The Blue Republic of Aimesland, a self proclaimed Spring Liberal Republic, has become the center of controversy following the remarks of Nihonese Member of Parliament Baron Tetsuo Yoshimura. After riots broke out in Takeshima, Baron Tetsuo said before a crowd of voters and reporters, “The country of Aimesland and its political leadership have for too long spread harsh and aggressive rhetoric against foreign nations including our own divine Empire. Their public policies are that of an aggressive nature, using slogans such as 'Aimesland shall conquer!' They support violence as well. Just the other day I heard of laws being passed to allow for swords and firearms to be carried in public!” The comments and the riots took place after multiple Aimeslandish politicians and activists accused several nations, including the Empire of Nihon and the Empire of Manticore, of engaging in so-called “regressivist policies” and maintaining institutions such as chattel slavery, which was outlawed in the Empire in 1813, shortly after its independence from Aclusia. Other accusations included the insinuation that Her Majesty was involved in the slave trade and other forms of slanderous forces.
In response, Prime Minister David Kasper issued a letter of stern condemnation, saying, “The outrageous exclamations of the Aimeslandish excuse for political leaders indicate their immaturity and utter lack of fitness to lead anything more than a barbershop quartet. It is clear from their statements that the Aimeslandish mean us harm, as we see through their barbaric custom of duelling, little more than legalized murder. What’s more, anyone with the sense oppose such barbarism is hunted down by their countrymen and brutally beaten and killed, as we witnessed when a group of Aimeslandish citizens sought to ban the open carrying of swords in public, a whole-heartedly sound decision which may have given the Aimeslandish some much needed respite from the violence of their anarchic youth. Alas, it was not to be. The violence perpetrated by Aimeslandish citizens and supported by Aimeslandish politicians is reprehensible and cannot be condemned too strongly. I am therefore urging the Parliament to enact a trade embargo upon the Blue Republic of Aimesland and I have requested the Minister of State to urge our allies and trading partners to join us. A nation which will abuse its citizens in this way without even the decency to disguise it or decry it is not a nation which deserves the attention of the international market.”
Her Majesty also spoke before reporters today, saying, “The allegations levied by the leaders and activists of the Blue Republic are most shocking and distressing. How anyone could believe that any nation is still practicing chattel slavery or in any way supports the ownership and trade of human beings is beyond me. These allegations tell me that the leaders of the Blue Republic have no more sense than they have years and no more brains than they have tails. Furthermore, the aggressive rhetoric that many of their activists and leaders have displayed leaves me quite concerned for the safety of my Empire and the citizens that live within it. After all, without you, the loyal citizens of the Empire, this nation would not function. As such, I must put your safety and your wellbeing first. With that in mind, I have asked the Government to close the borders of the Empire to any traveler from the Blue Republic and I implore all of you to avoid travelling to the Blue Republic until such time as this crisis has abated. I now speak to the other nations of the world, who have also been slandered most egregiously by the Blue Republic. While their words have been harsh and their leaders promote violence against those who have different beliefs and opinions, let us not engage in rash actions or unnecessary displays of violence and force. Allow cooler heads the time to sort this out with diplomacy before we resort to bullets.”
Crowds gathered in front of the Aimeslandish Embassy in Vicuna yesterday and today, protesting the treatment of Her Majesty and demanding justice for those slain by Aimeslandish activists.Admiralty announces First Fleet to tour global ports, seeks invitations from Nihon, Wargloria, and others
Irene Samson, AP
Ostland Naval Base, Manticore--The First Sea Lord, Lord David Nelson, 12th Earl of Branden, announced that the First Fleet of the Royal Manticoran Navy would embark on a circumnavigation of the world’s ocean, intending to visit major ports around the world. Among the planned destinations are Gokyo in Nihon and ports in Hoosier, Aydinir, Wargloria, Aclusia, Norcourt, Guuj Xat Xil, Arengin, and Skarten, among others. Containing the most modern battleships and cruisers of the Royal Manticoran Navy, the First Fleet is being deployed with the goal of improving relations with nations around the world.1st Airborne Division begins training at Camp Dixon
Sarah Hodges, AP
Camp Dixon, Reikland--The 1st Airborne Division, formed earlier this month, has already begun accepting volunteers from the Officer and NCO corps of the Royal Army to begin jump training. The division is the first truly airmobile combat formation in the world, with a parachute infantry regiment and two glider infantry regiments, it can be deployed virtually anywhere in the world by airplane. These officers and NCOs who have volunteered this week will become the core of a training staff that will teach other, later volunteers how to jump from airplanes into battle. As one volunteer Staff Sergeant said, “We’re gonna teach cowboys and brawlers how to jump and then we’re gonna send them feet first into hell.”