Kapitel 25: The small alien Tsar (April-June, 1908).
Gold standard]
During the Great Depression a process was observed where certain countries moved away from the gold standard, the decrease in income (caused by the decrease in the demand for raw materials and the fall in exports) led to the increase in problems to pay the foreign debt and problems obtaining international financing.
Influencing the value of national currencies.
Causing the loss of monetary support and the increase in devaluation, and therefore that certain countries abandon the gold standard (for example some countries in Latin America).
In Russia, the First Duma carried out a vote to decide something similar, although it was not the only option. Former Minister and Premier Sergei Witte had previously advocated for the replacement of bimetallism in exchange for the gold standard, but unfortunately he was never able to make the change during his rule.
The Premier Stolypin proposed the vote on the banking reform on April 3, it included: Remain in bimetallism, adopt the gold standard or abandon bimetallism (and not implement the gold standard).
The reformists, center-left, moderate left, and liberals came from Witte's late days and influenced by Stolypin, so these groups generally voted for the gold standard.
The left generally had neutral or mixed views on banking reform of this type, although they would accept the result.
The right wing (Pan-Russian National Union) did not have economic opinions or well-developed economic programs, so they did not form a different opposition or program towards the proposal.
Therefore finally, Russia abandoned bimetallism to move completely to the gold standard, taking advantage of already present reserves and obviously mineral resources that the state could extract and use.
International investors reacted with some confidence towards the Russian Empire, which appeared to be in relatively good shape.
All this thanks to the policies of state intervention in the economy during the Great Depression, developed industry and agriculture, a colonial empire and a sphere of influence, among many other characteristics of the Russian government-capitalism at that time.
***
The Imperial Federation suffered serious blows in the Great Depression, due to the decline in international trade, but now the Home Islands, South Africa, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia had notable domestic markets and pre-established relationships.
There was a little recovery, but they obviously didn't come out of the Great Depression.
The socialist countries of Western Europe were still very isolated and their control of the economy left them 'intact' from the Great Depression, but they obviously suffered from other problems.
The loss of their former colonial empires, long-lasting and marked civil conflicts, destruction of infrastructure, etc.
The United States was in a relatively good position after finishing the Haitian and Panamanian fronts, but they had invested more than expected in the war, unemployment and inflation were rampant, and there were other economic problems (problems in the agricultural sector) .
Germany was in pretty bad shape, with various problems with its workers, a housing crisis, the costly German-American war, loss of industry, and other extreme government costs (German naval expansion).
In Latin America we saw a major blow to certain industries, such as natural rubber in Acre, coffee in the Brazilian states and Gran Colombia, and copper in Chile.
However, certain states were also able to promote certain industrialization, countries continued to export the same and more but at a lower value, there was unemployment and they had other problems (such as fewer manufactured resources). For this reason, some of the Latin American countries began to abandon the agro-export model to follow the ISI model (Industrialization by Substitution of Imports).
* Gran Colombia: The oil from the Venezuelan part of the country allowed to continue obtaining money, and the coal from the region was used to promote industrialization.
* Uruguay and Argentina: Sellers mainly of meat (and to some extent agricultural products).
* Federation of Rio Grande do Sul.
The ISI model was simply an increase in light industry for civil consumption, products such as furniture, ceramic products, clothing and footwear.
*******
[Minerals]
The Russian Empire has a huge amount of mineral resources, including for example: Oil, natural gas, coal, nickel, tin, aluminum, gold, tungsten, platinum, lead, zinc, iron, manganese, titanium, chromium, copper, nickel , cobalt, silver, uranium, diamonds, etc.
Not counting the colonial empire that Russia possessed in 1908.
Common elements and extremely rare elements, in an extremely extensive territory, represented an enormous wealth for the mining and / or metallurgy industry of the Russian Empire.
During the Great Depression, exports of copper, coal, and iron-steel declined, but Russia remained a major exporter of other resources (such as oil).
Many resources were especially concentrated in regions such as Siberia or Central Asia, of course this occasionally caused problems, but both regions in 1908 already had important industrial and technological developments that allowed the economic development of Russian assets.
In Russia occasionally, as in all countries, mining accidents occurred, born of structural-technological problems, human problems and the insecurity of the mining industry.
However, important developments were occurring, from the military research the Russian mining obtained several developments in safety equipment (gas masks and helmets), and the civil industry also became a field of experimentation for certain military advances in the aforementioned measures of safety.
In structural terms, through natural disaster research, construction planning and policy research, Russian labor laws and the development of the Russian Empire led to some minor improvements in safety.
In addition to the creation of protocol and rescue measures in case of incidents, both by the authorities and by workers or civilians close to the mining sectors.
Accompanied by this, in 1908 there was a certain boom in the diamond mining industry (after major discoveries in 1897) and other minerals.
This product of the industrialization and settlement policies of Premier Stolypin during the government of Tsar Alexander III. Greater population and industry means greater development and extraction of the vast resources of Siberia and other parts of the empire.
Today, Russia is one of the largest exporters of diamonds and leads a fight against the blood diamond industry (diamonds extracted through slave labor in countries at war, mainly from Africa).
*******
[Month of May: Workers' Day and more]
On May 1, the Russian Empire celebrated another (the second actually) May 1, labor day.
This event caused by one of the Stolypin reforms, was accompanied by similar events in Hungary, Slovakia, Cilicia, Kurdistan and Assyria, among some other countries of the Russosphere.
It could certainly seem like just another holiday, with some historical significance, but during this May 1 period, there were certain events NEAR Russia.
In Sweden, militant young socialists Anton Nilson, Algot Rosberg and Alfred Stern carry out a terrorist attack in Malmö (a Swedish port in Skåne / Scania), killing 80 British working in the port and of course other people of Swedish origin.
An event promptly condemned by the conservative-nationalist authorities of that time, but popularly and abroad (Swedish expatriates), the trio of young people gain quite a lot of fame and positive opinions.
But the problem, very notable, was when Nilson, Rosberg and Stern escaped from Sweden without being captured.
In particular the group split up traveling to the socialist countries of Western Europe, although they tried to keep in touch with Swedish socialists in Russia like Ture Nerman.
Nilson ended up in Italy, Rosberg and Stern disappeared from history.
The problem was precisely this, the attempts of the terrorists to tie up with people in Russia and the fact that they went to the socialist countries of Western Europe (with which Sweden had no connection, since Sweden did not recognize them).
A minor diplomatic crisis in the Scandinavian and Baltic region.
*******
*Mother's Day.
On May 10, the United States celebrated Mother's Day for the first time, the United States was close to Alyáska and nearby citizens saw this, spreading the word towards other parts of Russia.
Feminist movements in Western Russia and certain left-wing personalities (particularly women) adopted to some extent, the intention of adopting a similar event in the Russian Empire.
Unfortunately it would not be done until many years later.
Of course, the role and figure of a mother manifested itself in various ways later in the Russian Empire, either when pro-natality policies were promoted (aimed at increasing the number of children per family) or simply the values of the 'traditional family. '(rhetorics that existed in various parts of the political spectrum, but especially on the right).
*******
*Persia.
On May 26, oil was discovered for the first time in Persia, in the areas of influence of the Russian Empire (north of Persia) and the British Empire / Imperial Federation (south of Persia).
It is obvious what happens, by the previous treaties of the Qajar dynasty with foreigners, the oil rights of the country go to foreign states (Russia and the Imperial Federation).
These oil rights represent some profit for both European countries (Russia already dominating various oil rights in its Russsophere in the Middle East and the Imperial Federation making money from Persian oil rights).
Whereas Persia has its markets dominated and only makes some small profits from sales (part of the aforementioned treatises).
Because of this obviously, it is observed that there is another resurgence of constitutionalist and anti-foreign movements in Persia, a threat to Russia, the Imperial Federation and the Qajar dynasty.
Under these conditions, the Shah of the Qajar dynasty, Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar, began to move his chips together with Russia to ensure that future constitutional uprisings (if they existed) were crushed through military force.
Of course this was in the interest of both, Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar would maintain his throne and would not have to yield to parliaments or constitutions, and the Russian Empire maintained its influence in northern Persia.
*******
*******
[Tunguska]
"The official report prepared in 1908 says that the Tunguska phenomenon was detected on June 17, about 13 days before it occurred.
But later, ancient astronaut theorists argue that the phenomenon did not occur as claimed.
That the Tunguska phenomenon was caused, not by a meteorite, but by extraterrestrial activity covered up by the Russian government. Possibly related to aliens or UFOs. "
-Ancient Aliens, History Channels.
Tsar Alexander III was accompanied by Tsesarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich, at a safe distance, before the Tunguska phenomenon occurred.
"I have no idea why you would risk seeing something like this." Nicholas exclaims with some annoyance, shivering with cold.
"It's a giant explosion." Alexander responds quite calmly. "We have already secured the area, for miles around, all people have been evacuated. I can help prevent damage and also see a gigantic meteor explosion."
The tsar sat on a log, his back ached and the coordination of his hands is no longer what it was in the past. The Tsesarevich Nicholas sat next to his father.
"63 years ... seems like a lot, but maybe it's too short a time." Tsar Alexander III mentions.
"There are people who have not lived that long." Nicholas indicates.
"Yes, that is true. But there are so many things that I have not been able to see, not even in my own country. So many rivers, so many mountains, so many animals, so many people and their cultures, so many adventures and problems. Trapped by time and management, that's sad. And one day, I'll be trapped in a bed, and then in a coffin. " Tsar Alexander III responds.
"...". The Tsesarevich Nicholas was silent for a moment. "We were born as very small people in a very big world, right. But even so, even if we don't see everything, it's quite beautiful...I really appreciated being able to see a part of him with you old man."
A meteor explosion later.
"I will never attend an event like this again, ever!" Nicholas exclaims.
"It was amazing haha!" Alexander exclaims through his tattered beard, patting his eldest son on the back.
*******
The Tunguska phenomenon gets its name from the Podkamennaya Tunguska river basin (Подкаменная Тунгуска, literally Tunguska under the stones, then located in the Yenisei province), in a part of the West Siberian taigas.
A bright fireball was seen moving from the southeast to the northwest with a trail of dust that persisted for several hours, causing an explosion at 07:14/15 in the morning. This explosion was caused about 7 or 10 kilometers high.
The explosion of the Tunguska phenomenon is equivalent to about 12-40 megatons, which corresponds to the energy of an average hydrogen bomb.
The event was recorded by observatories around the world, including the Western Hemisphere.
Taiga trees were felled in some 2,150 km² around the epicenter of the blast.
The sound (similar to thunder) could be heard for more than 1000 kilometers around.
The windows of several houses kilometers away from the site were broken by the phenomenon.
Later religious and fanciful interpretations of the phenomenon would come out, attributing it to aliens or God (or an alien God).
In Russia, an investigation of the phenomenon of the falling of the object soon began in 1908, Aleksander Vasilyevich Adrianov (educator, ethnographer, archaeologist, botanist, etc.) was the first to write about this in a local Tomsk newspaper, after the statements of the authorities.
Russian astronomers and other stakeholders also investigated the object shortly after it was collected at the end of June, and other processes of bureaucracy and reconstruction began.
Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky, the father of Russian rocketry, was interested as an astronomer and one of the fathers of Russian science fiction.
But he was not the only one, so were Leonid Alekseevich Kulik and others.
Kulik was the principal investigator used by the Imperial Academy of Sciences of Saint Petersburg in the study of the zone, relatively young (24-25 years) but specially designated for the work and interested in the subject.
A wise decision, Kulik was the father of the Department of Meteorites in the Mineralogical Museum, initiating a continuation of astronomy and space sciences in Russia, which had a certain increase and fervor thanks to his work on the Tunguska phenomenon.
More meteorite science expeditions would take place under the influence of Kulik and the boost he gave to the sciences.
*******
[International]
April 8, the first elections are held in the Imperial Federation (precisely because of the recent union of the parts of the British Empire in this country) for the Imperial Parliament.
Regional parliaments in South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Canada also hold elections.
For the Imperial Parliament wins a collection of social aristocrats and nationalist-imperialists, with the Conservatives behind and a small number of Liberals and Labor. Needless to say, the share of Irish has decreased.
In Canada and Australia the Social Aristocrats and regional nationalist-imperialists win, while in New Zealand and South Africa more conventional conservatives win, although New Zealanders are very inclined to the Social Aristocracy.
April 20, the guerrilla Emiliano Zapata is defeated by the US intervention, culminating in his death, a serious defeat for the Mexican guerrilla movement in the north.
Zapata's forces are divided, a part of them joins Emilio Madero, who is now the largest guerrilla in the north opposed to the Americans.
The other portion is going to join the guerrilla effort in the south, helping Venustiano Carranza and Pancho Villa against the Americans.
April 21, Pancho Villa heads south after having suffered a defeat in his attempts to capture Mexico City, fortunately the presence of the 'Centauro del norte' (centaur of the north) and his troops in southern Mexico, is a hard blow to the American forces.
The recent victories had been a small encouragement to the United States, but in reality they did not change the course of the war much against the Mexican guerrillas and did not bring the American people closer to the Tehuantepec canal or peace.
In fact the death of Zapata would prove to be more disastrous for the United States than for Mexico, but that is another matter that is studied more importantly in 1909.
May 14, the British Imperial Exhibition begins in London, the Imperial Federation, with this King Albert Victor and Prime Minister Louis Alexander Mountbatten (re-elected after the last elections), for the demonstration of colonial articles of the empire (India and Africa ) and premises of the federated parts of the Federation (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom itself).
The cultural and technological 'superiority' of the Imperial Federation over others.
It is certainly another form of propaganda, but it is successful. The event lasts from May 14 to October 31, with millions of visitors.
In part a support for an 'imperial identity' based on colonialism, the white man, Christianity, British nationalism and so on.
May 1, terrorist attacks in Malmö harbor, Sweden.
May 10, first Mother's Day in the United States.
May 26, oil is in Persia.
June 28, an annular solar eclipse is observed in Central America, North America, the Atlantic Ocean and parts of Africa.
June 30, Tunguska event or also called Tunguska phenomenon.
*******
* Felipe Carrillo Puerto.
A 33-year-old man (34 for November), rode and walked with his companions to the south, the man was one of the company's messengers, more of an administrator and politician than a guerrilla and officer.
The man had joined Zapata, but now Zapata was dead.
"What will you do now?". One of his classmates asks.
"I plan to go to Yucatan for a brief time, I will try to get support and then I will join Pancho Villa to expell the Americans from the South." Felipe Carrillo Puerto proclaims.
"Do you think you can? It is not because of doubting you, but perhaps the natives are not willing to help without the support of the monarchs." The partner indicates.
"I trust I can. We are all Mexican in the end. It doesn't matter if we believe in a president or a monarch, we all want the Americans out, and whoever doesn't, is a traitor." Felipe adds, his companions applaud him. The man smiles and begins to read something during the break of the trip, Marxist and revolutionary texts
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein