บท 47: Molniyenosnaya Voyna (April-March, 1912).
Fall of East Prussia]
First week of April (Monday-Sunday), the battles in East Prussia intensified in magnitude, the situation in the Baltic and on land was a serious disadvantage for the German Empire.
After years of economic crisis and continuing war, the breakdown of commercial relations with the Russian Empire began to result in shortages of oil, food and other resources. Germany was dependent on its only great partner, the Imperial Federation.
Königsberg was effectively under a state of siege by the Russian army, commanded by General Aleksey Alekseyevich Brusilov.
The city had more than 200,000 inhabitants and a defense of more than 10,000 troops, with various infrastructure projects supporting the defense of the city (airports and the like). The railways and many ports had been destroyed or blocked.
Why give importance to Königsberg?
Partly because of the symbolism it represented for Germany and the Russian Empire, the fall or resistance of Königsberg represented an important pride for many. The position in the Baltic and to continue advancing in Germany also helped.
On April 7, the fanatical defense of the city fell in front of General Brusilov. Almost exactly as he was predicted by the Russian general.
With the capture of Königsberg, several thousand Germans tried to escape the city, stopped by the logistical cut caused by the Russians during the siege.
It is true that there were some crimes (against civilians and against the city itself), although General Bruslov tried to control the majority of the army under his command.
"Article III: All people will promptly obey the orders of the military administration. Acts of resistance against the occupying forces or any act that disturbs the peace and public security will be severely punished."
They were the words of the article ordered by General Brusilov in the occupation of Königsberg. It also pointed to an incorporation of Königsberg to the Russian Empire and how Russian was the official language during the military occupation.
This was similar to an event in the Seven Years' War, during the years 1756-1763, Russian troops occupied East Prussia. On December 31, 1757, Empress Elizabeth I of Russia issued an ukaz on the incorporation of Königsberg into Russia.
*******
The moral and propagandistic blow in the German Empire supposed serious losses in several senses.
Alsace-Lorraine had fallen to the People's Republic of France, Königsberg had fallen to the Russian Empire, and the socialist revolution in Westphalia and Bavaria-Austria was succeeding.
The situation was not 'precarious', it was disastrous.
As for the front between Russia and Germany, General Brusilov was soon given command over the great front between the two empires.
General Brusilov focused on the idea of the capture of the province of Posen, West Prussia and Silesia, to gain a solid base against eastern Germany and for the liberation of Bohemia.
The Germans hoped to be able to delay one of the two fronts (the Socialists in the west and the south or the Russians in the east), but this task for various reasons was ... complicated.
West Germany was much more populous than East Germany, but Berlin, the capital, was in East Germany so both fronts were strategically vital.
The German high command's 'solution' was to attempt trench warfare on both fronts, while developing a plan (with Anglo-Saxon help) to take down one and then target the other.
Troops from the Imperial Federation rushed to 'help' in the Netherlands almost immediately after the fall of Königsberg, to protect important assets, aid Germany, and prevent the spread of the socialist revolution in Flanders.
However again from the east, problems came, General Brusilov had developed the strategy of "Lightning War" years ago (Молниеносная война, Molniyenosnaya voyna) years ago, but he had never had the opportunity to use it.
The Molniyenosnaya Voyna consists of a rapid defeat of the enemy forces to nullify the trench warfare (which had happened in Fashoda War and between the wars), by using strategic bombing, modern mobile units and the like (a modern army was of course needed, the speed to perform these maneuvers, etc).
Brusilov applied this tactic in Posen and West Prussia, which fell unexpectedly between May and June.
Silesia was a target that would take a little longer of course, but the success of the Molniyenosnaya Voyna was a major event in the New Great War.
*******
* Perspective, Russia.
"Premier Skobelev and the Tsar are happy with the results, of course. But they and others are concerned about the daring actions you have taken recently." Anton Denikin explains.
Denikin was the quartermaster of General Brusilov and was also an important logistics man for the Western Front of the Russian Empire.
"Why is this due?" Brusilov questions, some who were there celebrating, are now skeptical or upset by the news of Denikin.
"You have been moving away faster than the supply lines can 100% effectively sustain our war effort." Denikin warns. "The General Staff wants to reach the Oder-Neisse line and liberate Bohemia, but this can only be maintained if we have the proper logistics." The quartermaster insists.
"We're not at a dangerous point yet, right?" Brusilov questions.
"No." Denikin responds.
"Very good, it means we're fine for now." Brusilov affirms before the answer. Some celebrated at this statement. "Colonel Wrangel." The general calls.
Pyotr Wrangel was placed as one of the most important in charge for the next operations in Silesia and the liberation of Bohemia by General Brusilov.
*******
* German perspective.
"News of looting, rape and other barbarism is hitting Germany. We cannot stop demoralization in Germany." Kaiser Wilhelm III affirms, angrily, with the rage of a young monarch who does not know well how to respond to this situation.
"We are also losing several regiments to the socialist militants, the creation of a rival government has hit the legitimacy of the Reichstag and the monarchy." Erich Ludendorff indicates.
"You are not helping." Paul von Hindenburg, the Chancellor of Germany, promptly proclaims. "We need to take prompt action, or else we are doomed."
Of course, the Große Nationale Deutsche Reichspartei measures were unreal, they involved taking measures for which Germany did not have adequate time or resources.
The fall of East Prussia and the early defeats, added to the advance of socialism on German soil, represented a serious moral blow and in all aspects of the life of the German Empire.
Soon there had been migration and flight from many parts of the Empire, inter-ethnic and ideological violence, suicides, loss of resources and employment, etc.
*******
[Orion]
On April 15, the Baltic Sea witnessed a major military event in the New Great War.
Rear Admiral Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak (officially under the command of Admiral Nikolai Ottovich Essen) came face to face with the British Super-Drednout Orion and her companions (not other super-drednouts, but other warships like destroyers and cruise ships).
Why was there a British interest in destroying the Pogranichnik-led flotilla? (The Pogranichnik was the flagship led by Kolchak.)
Quite simply, Kolchak had been tasked with several important sections of the defense of the Russian Baltic (establishing many sea mines and other strategies) and had also supported Brusilov's offensive by attacking eastern German ports.
So the destruction of the Pogranichnik and allies was important for destabilizing the Russian defense and supporting Germany's war effort.
Besides, there was good news to come after the fall of East Prussia.
Rear Admiral Kolchak had a very direct approach, participating in the execution of the plans he was leading, so he was commanding the flotilla from one of the ships.
There was the Pogranichnik, the Russian Drednouts themselves, aircraft carriers (including with this support from the Russian air force), submarines, and other warships. Outperformed when it comes to size by the Super-Drednout Orion.
It is precisely in this context that the combat occurred. And when the tragedy happened.
In the battle, a few kilometers from Riga, there was 11 hours of prolonged conflict between the Russian fleet and the British fleet.
In the first 8 hours the Orion suffered several damage to the fuel system and its rudders, which made it difficult or directly impossible for the Super-Drednout to move much (incredibly large and expensive to maneuver).
After this immobilization there was an intensive attack and torpedoing (both by submarines and airplanes) against the Orion.
Admittedly, it was an expensive strategy, counting the own problems in the flotilla led by Kolchak (especially in terms of resistance).
But fortunately the defense established earlier by Kolchak posed serious problems for the British offensive (and certain reinforcements were arriving from other parts of the Russian Baltic due to the extended fight).
With the intense attack on the Orion in the next 3 hours, the ship finally sank with the destruction of her power and fuel system, added to other problems.
The problem with the Super-Drednout was that no matter how much armor she had, it was difficult to maneuver and to shoot it cost a lot (in terms of time and the like).
Even so, the Orion managed to sink a considerable part of the Russian flotilla led by Kolchak before sinking.
But the damage was done, the Orion (flagship of the Imperial Federation Super-Drednouts) had fallen just over a week after the capture of East Prussia.
Obviously, the British population was not so happy after this.
Kolchak survived to retreat with the flotilla for repairs, but the Royal Navy had to respond immediately to this major attack (it had cost a lot to British morale, it had also cost a lot of pounds to make the Orion).
At least one of the Russian aircraft carriers sank, there were problems in several submarines, at least two cruisers and four destroyers sank, etc.
*******
["Front" of Alyáska]
During the New Great War there were numerous fronts on various continents, such as the Americas, Africa, Asia, Oceania (Papua New Guinea) and Europe, in addition to the oceans of course.
But generally when we talk about the war in North America, we pay more attention to the conflict between Canada (Imperial Federation) and the United States.
For a very simple reason, being the biggest players in North America and the poor position of Alyáska Rusa.
It is true that Canada and Russia fought on opposite sides of the war, but the geography and infrastructure posed serious problems for both sides.
Most of the population of Alyáska was on the coast, it is true that there were defensive positions, trained personnel for war (regulars and militias) and possible plans for an invasion.
But Alyáska was a very peripheral region, and western Canada was not the best area for conflict.
It is true that Alyáska was an important position for Russian support in the North Pacific for its ports, but even so an invasion by land was not in the plans of the Imperial Federation (and the maritime war was difficult in itself).
The population simply would not coperate and there was little British logistics infrastructure to sustain a long-term invasion and occupation of such a large territory (and loyal to the Russian Empire).
We can make a similar case for the Russian point of view.
The state of Washington (USA) was close, but they were not very helpful and did not actively cooperate with the Russian Empire for various reasons.
This is why there were simply skirmishes and occasional battles on the border between Alyáska and Canada during the first years of the war, rather than 'major' conflicts.
The truth is that Canada also had important victories during the first years of the war, so it was better to concentrate on other matters.
Russia in supporting the United States in restructuring for the war and Canada in other battles.
********
[Pravda: KGB, Stalin and Russia]
May 5 (anniversary of the birth of Karl Marx), a few days after the celebration of Workers' Day, the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party officially founded the newspaper Pravda (Правда, which means "Truth").
This newspaper would be the new main information organ of the RSDLP, about news from the Russian Empire, international news and the opinions of the party in variety of these, but it also had other connotations.
Historical connotations, Pravda came from the Russkaya Pravda (Russian legal code during the time of the principalities or Kievan Rus) and important political connotations for the time.
The decision came from the troika, but especially from Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili.
Why? Because Pravda meant the change in the balance of the troika and the RSDLP, with Dzhugashvili taking the voice of the party, becoming the official center or line.
Lev Borisovich Kamenev (the third leader in the Troika) would line up as Dzhugashvili's ally against Grigory Zinoviev, effectively taking him to the top leadership position.
Dzhugashvili soon received and adopted the nickname "Stalin", as a symbol of the party.
It soon became popular and most of Russian political life began to refer to Dzhugashvili as Iosif Stalin from 1912 onwards.
The Zinoviev faction was reduced mainly to St. Petersburg and other orthodox socialist areas of the Empire.
Whereas the Stalin and Kamenev coalition would rule Moscow and most of the Russian Empire (specifically speaking of the RSDLP party, not the government proper).
Pravda also had its repercussions in the KGB, thanks to its alliance with the upper echelons of the government, Director Stalin turned Pravda into an important part of the state machine for public information.
"Truth", in what was truly important for the party, the Russian state, Stalin and allies.
It was something different from what happened in the United States, while in the USA due to the New Great War public information began to be influenced by the government from top to bottom for the official narrative (through the hiring of many journalists, the intelligence services and the like), Pravda remained independent.
To a certain extent.
Of course the Russian government had an official narrative and propaganda, but the KGB only especially dominated Pravda (thanks to Stalin) and the like. All other out-of-line newspapers were censored or canceled.
********
[War: Civilians and their needs]
On April 17, with the Russian victory in East Prussia and the immediate victories of General Brusilov on the western front, government measures began to keep the situation under control.
The border population still had to be driven away for security, leaving local administrators and military personnel for border security.
Russia has been prepared for an industrial war for decades, but even so it did not mean that one was simple, a war between industrial powers would require a lot of logistics and necessities.
The agriculture of the Russian Empire was massive, and mechanization had allowed extra labor for factories and the army, but still you had to be careful.
The surveillance and austerity measures in the Russian Empire were quite clear, especially in those areas closest to the war (Congress of Poland, Finland, areas of the Baltic and the Far East).
The government established sites for the distribution of food to the most needy, use of the Russian Red Cross, collaboration with local churches for humanitarian aid, etc.
And all this added to the usual iron fist of the Russian government, it was important that citizens were well fed, followed the line of the state and had work, in exchange for maintaining support for the war, not making problems (strikes in important sectors of the economy) and loyalty to the state.
Most of the people complied of course, the Russian Empire was being victorious in the war and the war was something recent, so there was not much problem.
Although there are always some bad apples (separatists and traitors).
But it was quite possible that the war would drag on for years, so there were early preparations by the state to ensure a continued supply of food, vital resources, and weaponry.
Measures to keep the population-army-administration happy and under control.
And propaganda, like public speeches by an already sick Tsar Alexander III.
********
[Perspective, Inner Mongolia.]
A man rode with a flag of the Russian Empire, surpassing the rest of the riders in speed and reaching the finish line.
"Hurrah!". The man exclaims with emotion, the audience (made up of Mongols from Outer and Inner Mongolia), adores him.
"Roman!" A man calls with annoyance appearing.
Roman Fyodorovich von Ungern-Sternberg turned to look at his friend (and army superior), Grigory Mikhaylovich Semyonov.
"How are you?". Roman asks calmly.
"What are you doing?". Grigory asks, still with some annoyance. "You were supposed to be doing your job."
"I'm doing it ... my way. I've been recruiting some locals to help out among the Cossack units, they're good at riding." Roman indicates.
Grigory frowns, he was a friend of Roman, but sometimes his personality got in the way ... A good soldier, brave and willing but with a somewhat unstable mind.
The Bogd Lama had come to visit, calmly walking through one of the many palaces guarded by Russian soldiers and Mongol collaborators.
The war against China continued, the Republic of China was in a precarious period and the Russian army achieved the independence of Inner Mongolia, for the time being.
The Han population was submissive, though of course problems were arising from time to time ...
"Interested in something?" The Bogd Lama asks a young man who is observing the architecture and art of the palace.
"All this, the geometry of this place is ... I don't know how to describe it." Roman von Ungern-Sternberg indicates with surprise, until he realizes that it was the Bogd Lama with whom he was speaking.
"I see. How about talking a little about this place?" Bogd Lama asks, genuinely friendly to the young Russian that he is interested in learning (to a degree).
Having friends among the Russians had proven to be advantageous, and no doubt Roman had a future in the eyes of the Bogd Lama.
********
[International]
April 1, some reform in Canada (Imperial Federation), the Quebec Boundaries Extension Act is created.
As the name suggests, the fringes of the province of Quebec stretch out, giving French-Canadian citizens territories to the north (inhabited by Inuit).
Partly to please the white (but French-speaking) citizens of Quebec and continue to implement the Final Solution in the native population (Inuit in this case, who inhabited most of the new territory of the province).
April 5, the Industrial Workers of the World successfully launched a strike in San Diego, California (USA), marking how several other West Coast cities had increasingly socialist leanings at the time.
Due to the problems experienced in the traditional Republicans (not National Republicans) and Democrats.
Although the socialists at the national level were still a third place in the political echelon of course.
April 6, there is a massive attack by the government of New Zealand (Imperial Federation) against the multiple labor organizations in the region.
This is a kind of Red Scare, which includes the purge of many elements considered Labor-Socialists (including moderates and of course radicals).
April 8, finally the Imperial Federation accepts a minimum wage law for miners, ending the more than one million strikers in the Home Islands, England, Scotland and Wales more specifically.
The problem? It was a little less than what the strike originally wanted and incidentally the government did not accept many other proposals and requests (such as pensions and other social reforms).
While most of the strikers calmed down, in Ireland the situation was getting worse.
Victory of the Imperial Federation in securing part of Morocco, with this being able to send resources to defend Gibraltar from the invasion attempts of socialist Iberia, but delaying other plans against the Second French Empire.
April 9-10, the Orion (Super-Drednout) begins its journey to the Russian Baltic.
April 12, the Orion reaches the outskirts of the Russian Baltic.
April 13, the Imperial Federation has a MAJOR victory in New England, the (Imperial) Royal Air Force launches a bombardment against various points in the United States.
Marking the beginning of successful advances towards Washington D.C.
The United States Army along with local volunteer militias are obviously trying to mount a defense to prevent the Imperial advance towards the Executive Mansion (and allow many civilians to escape), but there are several problems.
April 14, in a strange (?) Event, the president of China, Yuan Shikai, releases a new document, where he asks the "five racial groups" of China (racial vision of the time) to unite through intermarriage.
Not mean-spirited, but a bit strange and ineffective for a number of reasons.
April 15, the Orion sinks.
April 17, Fez, capital of the province of Morocco (Second French Empire) is captured by troops of the Imperial Federation and their local collaborators.
Once again border problems occur between the United Mexican States and the Free Republic of Mexico.
April 19, Rear Admiral Alexander Kolchak is put in charge of 27 Russian ships and allies from Cilicia and Italy, with the objective of a future attack against Greece and Cyprus (British possession).
April 20, the "Indigenization" (or Nativization-Decolonization) program is created in the Free Republic of Mexico.
This political program promotes the representation of Native Americans (people, their culture, history, etc.) in public life, local government and bureaucracy, cultural preservation programs (including saving Native American languages in danger), and the removal of harmful elements in certain parts of the Mexican public sphere (influences such as the Germans in recent decades).
(OOC: Similar to the Soviet Korenizatsiya).
April 21, Munich falls before the social revolutionaries in Bavaria, with this the extension of socialist power in the southern region of Germany increases dangerously.
April 23-24, the state of New Hampshire falls to the British advance.
April 25, the reconstruction of St Mark's Campanile in Venice, Federative Socialist Republic of Italy, is completed.
April 26, reconstruction in the commercial sector of Damascus, Syria (Russosphere) produce a profit of 10 million rubles after the increase in commercial activity.
This reconstruction included the modernization of the old bazaar, new industries-services and technology, etc.
April 27, the Republic of China signs an munitions contract (worth 25 million pounds) with Germany and the Imperial Federation.
Of course, military contractors would try to make a profit in the New Great War even with world troubles.
And several are doing it.
May 2, the local tribes of Khost, Afghanistan, rebel against Emir Habibullah Khan.
May 3, almost all of Morocco is occupied by British troops and their African allies, in opposition to the Second French Empire.
May 4, Battle of Rhodes in the Dodecanese, between Greece and the Imperial Federation against Ionia, Russia and other allies.
The battle of Rhodes ends up being indecisive, but it gives some breathing space to the Greek dictatorship against the Russians ... at sea. By land Greece continues to suffer serious problems against Russia's Balkan allies (Serbia, Bulgaria, Albania, Macedonia, etc.).
May 7, more than 54 hotels and 30 restaurants in New York suffer an employee strike, we are talking about more than 2,650 waiters, 1,000 cooks and 3,000 hotel workers.
It all started with only 150 waiters, but the working conditions were really poor and therefore the strike spread to thousands of local workers.
May 14, death of Frederick VIII of Denmark.
The next king of Denmark is Christian X.
May 15, elections in the Diet of Japan end with the defeat of the Liberals and the return of the influence of the armed forces in the politics of the Empire of Japan.
But this time, it is the Imperial Japanese Navy who have the supremacy in political influence, preparing certain changes in the Empire of Japan.
May 17, the nominated Socialist Party of America nominates Eugene V. Debs as a presidential candidate for the 1912 elections (and Emil Seidel for Vice-President).
May 20, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is consecrated in Warsaw (Congress of Poland, Russian Empire).
May 30, Wilbur Wright, the eldest of the Wright brothers (contractors and aircraft innovators for the United States government), dies of typhoid fever.
June 3, several German warships led by the battlecruiser SMS Moltke launch a surprise attack on Hampton Roads, Virginia (USA).
Although the Germans are promptly expelled, there is damage to the city and to American morale after the attack.
British-German rule over Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and parts of the Caribbean poses a serious problem for the United States due to potential attacks on coastal territories (though not full-invasions like New England).
June 4, the British invasion of New England is splendidly celebrated by the Imperial Federation, after all it is 100 years since the war of 1812.
June 5, US counter-attack against Hispaniola and Cuba (occupied and allied with the Imperial Federation and Germany respectively).
The assault on Cuba fails but there are minor successes in La Hispaniola.
The Free Republic of Mexico establishes its "indisputable sovereignty" by creating new standard public services and establishing state dominance over 'vital' industries such as oil, running water, electricity, beer production, public transportation, and the like.
Tsuruko Haraguchi earned a doctorate in psychology from Columbia University, the first Japanese woman to earn a doctorate.
June 6, Novarupta volcano explosion in Alyáska, Russia.
June 7-8, small tribal rebellions in French Sudan (Second French Empire).
June 10, Leonida Bissolati and Ivanoe Bonomi become some of the most important leaders of libertarian socialism and social democracy in the Federative Socialist Republic of Italy.
Leading the leftist communist factions in the government, luring a young Amadeo Bordiga to their side (kinda).
Costantino Lazzari allowed this, which certainly won him some trouble among the radicals, his former allies, and other rising politicians-administrators-military men like Benito Mussolini.
June 11, the Imperial Parliament adopts a measure to give more importance and autonomy to the Protestant parts of Ireland (Northern Ireland), over the rest of the island.
June 13, peace talks begin to stop the rebellion of the Khost tribes in Afghanistan.
However later in June the peace talks fail and the conflict resumes in August.
June 16, 29 US citizens die in the Hippo Wars.
June 17, President William J. Bryan accepts measures proposed by the other agencies of the US government to increase the defense budget.
Due in part to the necessity of the New Great War and obvious failures in the defense of New England.
June 20, the Minister of the Navy of the Russian Empire, Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich Romanov, presented a new five-year plan for the expansion of the Russian navy and new strategies in view of the needs of the New Great War.
June 27, the Second Mexican Empire (Cuba) establishes new laws for the representation of Afro-Cubans in the local bureaucracy, after Emperor Maximiliano I (81 years old) learned of the measures in the Free Republic of Mexico .
He just loved the idea and it seemed like another way to protect native and non-white populations from poor local governance.
The emperor is popular with Afro-Cubans and the non-white populations of Cuba, who openly unite against the Americans and others in favor of the emperor (they like Maxilimiano I, not the monarchy itself or the other politician-royal family of the empire).
********
*[Perspective.]
The Provisional Government of the Free Republic of Germany was not exactly the most professional or the happiest gathering, the members of the government were currently meeting on the outskirts of the city of Bonn.
"Very well, the British imperialists have been intervening in the Netherlands and therefore we hope that they will soon send support to the reactionary forces against the revolution in Flanders." Vladimir Lenin reports.
"We must swiftly crush these attempts, we must send support to the Flemish socialists." Rosa Luxemburg proposes.
Briefly, there is a conflict between the government about: How?
Some proposed to send troops directly, others simply to provide resource support, others that it had to be discussed first with the other international socialist forces, or that revolution in other parts of Germany was a much higher priority.
Then suddenly in the discussion the dogs of one of the premises had appeared, Lenin got up for a moment to pet the dogs before returning to the situation.
It was a simple gesture, impressively spontaneous.
Lenin got up again after petting the dogs. "Gentlemen and ladies, we are revolutionaries." Lenin declares. "Our only fear should be failure."
"... That is precisely why we must prevent reactionary or capitalist nations from establishing themselves close to the revolution. They will be a dangerous element." President Karl Liebknecht indicates strongly. "We cannot let the British establish a puppet in the Netherlands in the face of the imminent fall of Germany."
The decision became clearer, it was necessary to do everything possible so that the most independent revolutions (such as that of Flanders), triumph.
After a while the meeting was officially over.
"The socialist revolution in Germany, a dream of Marx, so close to being fulfilled." Karl Liebknecht optimistically proclaims.
"It is sad that the Russian proletarians and peasants are not following the German example." Vladimir Lenin (a high-ranking minister within the Liebknecht government, despite not being a German by birth) indicates with disappointment.
"The revolution is not over yet, be calm." Rosa Luxemburg supports Lenin.
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