章節 12: Between one and five (July-September, 1904).
A world of conflict and revolution]
From 1896 until the early years of the 20th century, the world order was seriously affected and shaken, after the Fashoda war, things simply did not go back to the way they were before.
The concepts of the Napoleonic war had been abandoned by new military and social theories as history and technology progressed. Jan Gotlib Bloch (1836-1902) of the Russian Empire made one of the earliest reports on this, which the aforementioned empire had adopted early on.
However, despite everything, humanity had not learned at all, there were people who continued to see the war in old-fashioned terms or as simple imperialism-hegemony.
This in part is associated with the majority of Fashoda having affected mainly the African continent and many of its victims were natives. For this reason, many European powers instead of learning the lesson, wanted to regain or occupy the empty throne of the first hegemonic power.
Europe remained, in theory, the hegemonic cultural-economic-political center of the world, although the United States and Japan were contenders for this idea.
But this order began to show post-Fashoda cracks, with economic and political declines that spread new ideas throughout the world, in addition to the consequences of imperialism-colonialism and other historical developments.
* German perspectives.
Among German thinkers (theorists of political developments) a "Domino Theory" had emerged.
The spread of socialist ideas due to the Latin revolutions was seen with interest by the Germans, since it seemed a domino effect, which the Germans feared would affect the rest of the countries, especially Germany (removing this from its hegemonic position in Central Europe).
First it was Iberia (Spain and Portugal), then Italy, and it was suspected that sooner or later other countries would fall if something was not done to stop the 'beasts' of Marxist socialism.
Domino theory held that as a cultural, economic and political consequence, if a country fell into revolution, it was possible that other nearby countries would fall due to similar material conditions and ties.
This is mainly because Germany was going through a delicate time (with socialist Italy to the south and unstable France to the west), the government was ineffective, with a rhetoric of pan-Germanic nationalism and conservatism of the capitalist and landlord elites.
The war in the Caribbean was used momentarily as a distraction for the population, but propaganda and fear cannot maintain the population forever.
The decline was noticeable, the currency was in inflation without stopping and the housing crisis continued, among other 'declines' noted by the German conservatives (the growth of homosexual-leaning groups in Germany, socialists in new parts of the empire, among much others).
Other German conservative-nationalist thinkers were much more aggressive in their ideas, they understood that Germany was now on top of the world and with the developments of geo-politics, they believed that they needed a "Bismarckian New Age".
Somehow bringing other powers to their knees, some were more idealistic and others more realistic, but during this time (early twentieth century) they were quite popular, with the idea of "bringing the Monroe doctrine to its knees."
Some argued the need for an alliance with the UK or to turn the UK into "New Austria" (a lesser part of the Germanic-Nordic world after German hegemony), and deal with Russia in some way (potentially obtaining rich agricultural land) .
* British perspective.
The British did not create the domino theory, but they were inventors in Geo-Politics, and most to be against Russia, of course, since the Crimea the British focused on containing Russia, and since Russia had Tsar Alexander III, containment policies had failed enormously (by internal and external factors actually, even beyond Russian interference).
And now the British intended to continue, but it was difficult (more because of geography than politics, but there were also downsides to the latter).
With the Fashoda war however the UK lost an important advantage over its enemies, its position as the global economic center had been greatly dispersed among other regional centers.
And despite everything, the United Kingdom was not going to give up easily.
This led to a greater militarization of parts of British society, technological advancement allowed many new things, such as the Royal Air Force, improvements for the navy and of course mechanized units.
Something that had a human and monetary cost, but people understood that the survival of the British Empire could be at risk. After the loss of Suez, the economic role of India and South Africa only increased in relevance.
It also increased Social Aristocratic ideologies, white supremacy, racism and racial segregation, anti-Semitism, Aryanism, extreme conservatism, capitalism (in the worst sense of this), and other close characteristics.
The problem of British politics? How to fight Russia.
The government was pro-German of course, an alliance was needed to bring down Russia, but the pride simply did not allow such an alliance to exist. Britain was not to be Germany's junior partner as long as it had the Empire, and Germany was never to be seen as Britain's junior partner.
On the other hand Russia was simply too big and extensive, Indonesia and Russian Africa were 'easy' to take or block. But what to do after that?
The Russian Empire stretched from the Baltic to the Pacific, in frozen northern regions, with mountains and deserts blocking the view and easily defensible points like the straits (to take them the Russian army needed a major invasion, even with the weakened Ottoman Empire).
The United States was an option, but the Caribbean war prevented it, and a rapprochement would anger the Germany that the United Kingdom needed to fight Russia.
And no European (at this point in 1904) would stoop to an alliance with Japan or China against Russia.
This is why the British Empire focused mainly on internal politics and interfering in French affairs, rather than planning a war against Russia or forming an alliance against it, in 1904 at least.
Matters were simply complicated. The British did not like socialism but they were not the main issue, the states of Iberia and Italy were simply seen as too weak.
The Caribbean conflict was also somewhat uncomfortable due to the position of the United States and Germany, the government did not want to offend either side, especially geopolitical interests (Canada north of the USA and Germany being a "necessary evil").
* Perspective of Russia and the United States.
Russia and the United States were strange twins, if we see the parallels between them. Huge countries with a geographic extension and resources (both natural and human) that allowed them to influence the nearby area with ease, but at the same time they had cultural, political and geo-political differences.
Russia had entered a time of isolation, the conflict was not in Russia's interest, which could focus on absorbing population and foreign industry, feeding on conflict and immigration, investing and developing technologies, and continuing to grow to prepare for the future.
Many Russian technologies were adopted abroad, especially Europe and the United States, industrial powers that knew there would be a future conflict.
Russia knew it too, the question was: Who is an ally?
The United States, on the other hand, was entering a difficult time, struggling against foreign influence in the Americas.
But there were major internal problems affecting the region, damage to feminist movements, increasing racial segregation, right-wing populist movements (Henry Ford) and socialism (at least seen as a very possible threat).
But more importantly, the enormous influence of companies and unbridled capitalism affecting national politics, the interests of big business against the unions and the common man. That the government did not do much to stop.
These businesses are obviously affiliated with the protection of their interests, rather than with the national interest.
It was difficult to say that the United States had a political strategy, they only wanted to dominate (to a certain extent) South America and the Caribbean, its nearby areas and which they saw as a "no-go zone" for European powers (although they could maintain their colonies and territories).
*World at war.
With all this, something is obvious. Industrial advancement, while not inherently bad, also generates the technology of death, the technology of war.
Moral issues and the cost in human lives were secondary, the great powers developed their armies after Fashoda. Now that they understood an industrial war, but not all the consequences of these.
The golden cultural era of Europe ended, now it was time for mechanized units, better weapons, air forces, and better naval forces (submarines, battleships, etc).
To a certain extent, societies were militarized, they still did not reach the point where they later arrived, but they were militarized.
There was a lot of conscription, the war had not destroyed enough industry or killed enough men for Europe and the United States to care enough.
There were a lot of scars and revenge.
(OOC: Basically very similar to post-World War I Europe, but with less death and destruction in Europe at the cost of a worse great depression and politico-social instability, an also early fascism and socialism)
*******
* Russian plagues, Fashoda plagues.
Finally after years, at least in industrialized countries and urban centers, the post-Fashodas pests seemed to have come under control and therefore, to be stopped. At least on the massive scale that happened before.
In short, the Russian plagues were "over" at least for the international stage. Rural places and some border regions still had some cases, but the epidemic nature of these had ended and everything seemed to return to normal medically.
It is suspected that there were around 500 and 750 million infected with various diseases that occurred during this time, while around 25 and 47 million people died.
The highest estimates of death go to 100 million individuals, but the most likely estimates say that between 1% and 5% of the world's population died.
*******
[Jagadish Chandra and Russia]
In 1904, Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose, a scientist of Bengali-Indian origin (at the time of the British Raj) moved from his previous residences to the Russian Empire, for various reasons actually.
On the one hand, the failure of Jagadish Chandra to obtain financing for his interest in radio (a highly developed industry in Russia), the interest of the prestigious Moscow institutes in the botanical experiments of Jagadish Chandra and the popularity of science fiction in Russia.
Of course it was a rare thing to have natives of South Asia in Russia, simply for reasons of language, geography and politics, but money moves the world, people move to this song (the song of money).
And in Russia there was a lot of money flowing, if you got the chance.
Sir Jagandish Chandra, one of the fathers of Bengali science fiction, began to introduce Bengali literature to Russia and to work on scientific projects for the state in Rostov-on-Don (more specifically on the subject of the Russian Firewall).
Literature remained primarily a niche, but Sir Jagandish brought many things to Bengali science fiction by interacting with Russian science fiction and Russian science fiction grew with the contributions of Bengali literature.
In addition to the contributions in radio technology, Jagandish Chandra contributed to Russia in the field of botany in the years after his arrival in the country, which earned him recognition and money in the Russian Empire during these years.
The Indian community in Russia was of course never particularly large or notable, as were other Asian communities (Chinese and Japanese), but Sir Jagandish Chandra was a remarkable example and a curious point of relationship between Russia and South Asia.
*******
[MFFA]
On July 1, celebrating decades of sports development (beneficial to health), Tsar Alexander III called delegations from Russia and other parts of the world, leading to the creation of the MFFA.
The MFFA, Международная федерация футбольных ассоциаций / Mezhdunarodnaya Federatsiya Futbol'nykh Assotsiatsiy.
Translated into English as International Federation of Association Football, IFAF. To Spanish as the International Federation of Association Football, FIFA. To German as Internationaler Verband des Association Fußball, IVAF. And translated into French as Fédération Internationale de Football Association, FIFA.
An international soccer regulatory body, which was growing in popularity, attending delegations from Russia, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, the Balkans, Italy, Canada, and Latin American countries (with the exception of Mexico).
They still did not hold an international tournament in 1904, but one was planned in Kharkov, the headquarters of the MFFA and the Russian city of sport.
*******
[Rio Grande do Sul]
On September 1, the conflict in Uruguay officially comes to an end on September 1, with the battle of Masoller in Rivera, near the border between Uruguay and the Federation of Rio Grande do Sul.
In the battle the forces of the White of Aparicio Saravia are defeated by the Reds led by José Batlle y Ordóñez. Saravia is wounded by a bullet and he and his army were forced to flee to Rio Grande do Sul.
There the Russian Red Cross treated the wounds of the white commander, who barely survives them. Nine days later, Saravia, Russia and Rio Grande do Sul can finally reach an agreement with the Montevideo government.
The 1904 revolution was a victory for the Reds of Battle and Ordóñez, while Aparicio Saravia, the last great warlord of Uruguay, retired to Rio Grande do Sul.
Without him, the Whites abandon their militancy (many of the armies, simply loyal to Saravia, move to Rio Grande do Sul) and a new course enters for Uruguay.
The central government led by Montevideo was consolidated, future democratic and labor reforms would be consolidated.
Uruguay normalized relations with Russia and Rio Grande do Sul, as Tsar Alexander III promised, Russia paid Uruguay for the damage to cattle (practically a few thousand cattle were not much for Russia).
With this normalization, the border between Uruguay and Rio Grande do Sul was fixed once and for all, countries that began to share more and more aspects due to the growing Spanish-speaking population produced by Whites in the region and the separation between Brazilian states (Portuguese-speakers).
Meanwhile, Russia continued to invest in the Federation of Rio Grande do Sul, the only member of the Russosphere in South America.
********
[Intelligence services: Agents for Japan]
* Georgy Apollonovich Gapon.
Georgy Apollonovich Gapon (born February 1870) was an Orthodox priest living in the city of Saint Petersburg for most of the time, a pseudo-leader of a local workers union with a certain willingness to work for the government (Sergei Witte) . Gapon met with a man from the Congress of Poland.
"Sorry to say, but I only have black bread and olives." Gapon mentions the man, offering these goods mentioned to the Pole.
"You dont have money?". The Pole questions.
"All my money goes to the families of the workers. We are in a difficult time worldwide, and priests like me are already ascetics, so spending on the rest of my compatriots is not a problem." Gapon insists.
"... I know, that you are lying, do not play with me. I know that you have been receiving Japanese money to try to give weapons to terrorist elements in Russia, we have already detected and dismantled the 11 revolutionary nests you tried to make." Felix Dzerzhinsky exclaims, getting up. The agent does not make a sudden movement, while Gapon hardly moves.
"Any business, especially a revolutionary one, requires money, a lot of money." Gapon claims. "More than feeding terrorists, I have given workers money and weapons for the possibility of a violent change if the situation requires it. There is an important difference between a terrorist and a revolutionary."
"You have tried to sell Russia to try to create an armed uprising, that is terrorism, not revolution." Felix responds as he goes to arrest Gapon, who doesn't really show much opposition.
"Well, I've always been a man who considers the end justify the means. Pay attention Agent, one day everyone will know the name of Gapon." Gapon testifies while he is arrested, and his cult of his personality within his syndicate is dismantled shortly after.
*******
* Sidney George Reilly.
The man was marching solemnly through the forest, his face was covered and his hands were tied behind his back, behind him was an agent with a weapon. "It is a beautiful day for a walk in the woods of Sokolniki. Have you ever been here?"
"...". Sidney George Reilly was silent, but then a small groan comes out of him as he is brought to his knees and the blindfold is removed. "Yes, I have had the pleasure during a hunting trip with the emperor's court."
"Lies." Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili responds.
"What do you know about me? Dzhugashvili. I actually know about you, brilliant work in the Middle East. The English call you 004" Reilly exclaims defiantly. "Is this some kind of torture? Make my walk in this dirt and snow to freeze?"
"You work with the British, I know that but we aren't here only for that. You are here for the possession of blueprints about Russian military assets, and the attempt to sell them to the Japanese government." Iosif claims. "You have also committed other crimes, such as bigamy and trying to pass state information to the British. I already found your journal in your cell."
"I'm impressed." Reilly mentions.
"You should be, Rozenblum." Iosif insists. "Zigmund Markovich Rozenblum, born on March 24, 1874 in the city of Odessa, the son of a doctor and naval agent with a noblewoman."
"Lie, I'm the son of an Irish captain. Hear me Iosif, I am more useful alive to you than-"
Again there was silence. Except for a couple of shots.
"How annoying are the pretentious. I don't need traitors" Iosif insists while he terminates the operation.
The forests of Russia are vast and hide many secrets, one of them was the death of Sidney George Reilly.
Before the execution, Reilly had received a letter from an anti-Russian association of Polish-Japanese collaborators, who wanted to meet with him (Reilly).
By March despite the dismantling of some Japanese circles in the Far East, Reilly was living mainly in St. Petersburg and had agreed to meet the anti-Russians in Moscow.
The whole thing was actually a circle created by Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili to deceive and lure the foreign agent for execution on September 29, after a brief period in prison (where Reilly was not tortured, but he did record the Okhrana interrogations through from a diary that he hid on the walls).
This operation also eliminated other enemies of the state, such as Ignacy Jan Paderewski. A Reilly associate in Polish circles.
*******
[International]
At the beginning of July. Ionia, Cilicia and Russia observe through the KGB the socialist revolution in the Republic of Turkey, the leader of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), Mustafa Kemal, leads a small unit successfully to create the first base of the TKP.
This small area of course is surrounded by mainly rural surroundings, not necessarily open to the socialist (and more than anything, secular) ideas of Mustafa Kemal.
This marks more internal violence within Turkey, and perhaps the first seeds of opposition to the TKP.
July 11, President Elihu Root announces the reconstruction of the south and modernization projects in Haiti (which the president wants to turn, in essence, into a colony of the United States).
Of course the anti-imperialists continue to criticize Root, but he continues to move forward with what he believes best, a 'wise' and paternalistic man, albeit behind on certain social issues.
August 3, Colonel Sir Francis Younghusband is promoted by Lord Curzon to start administering British Tibet (not officially a part of the Raj, but a de-facto one).
August 4, climatic and political conditions begin to worsen in the British Raj, climatic conditions indicate a worse situation for agriculture, while Winston Churchill and Lord Curzon do not think of any measure to help the population, on the contrary, they want punishing the Indians for "breeding like rabbits."
This leads to worsening conditions for the Indians, who are often illegally imprisoned.
This sets the stage for artificial famines especially in eastern India, there were already a few cases during this period, but the Bengal Famine would only start a few months later, worsening by action of the British Raj and taking millions of lives in one of the regions. most populated of the Indian Subcontinent.
August 11, Francis Younghusband proves the good decision by defeating some other anti-British rebel groups in Tibet.
Partly by collaborators between the theocratic-noble elites of Tibet and the technological-organizational superiority of the British armed forces in the face of the Tibetan resistance, without a clear leader, without serious organization, without tools and enemies of the local elites and the British.
August 14, the general and minister of war Ismael Montes becomes president of Bolivia, after elections against Lucio Pérez Velasco, of the conservatives.
Montes being a member of the Liberal Party (of Bolivia), the new president plans a new educational plan, military reform to modernize the army, carry out an official peace with Chile, economic treaties and railway development.
Montes shows some sympathy for Venezuela and Colombia, also led by liberals, but he does not plan in any way to join the war in the Caribbean.
August 17, the 'British expedition' (as the French people calls) begins in northern France. A group of British ships, mercenaries (partly financed by the real central government of UK, a information not known in 1904) attack and support rebellious French groups, to support the looting and destruction of French ports and industry, especially in the north of the country.
After the Royal Navy was for months blocking and investigating ports from afar (and with espionage).
Germany hardly reacts to this, while Russia is against it but does not interfere. Obviously the central government and the socialists in Britain denounce this but lack real proof to call this a false flag attack, they cannot do much aside from fight this mercenaries and reactionaries.
With this Pierre Curie gives the executive order to move the socialist party to Paris, giving the revolutionary socialists of Jules Guesde a real seat in the Senate while fighting against this opposition from the north, anarchists and socialists of Jean Jaurés.
With this, a new era is effectively declared for France, since the new central government (the union of the government of Prime Minister Curie and Jules Guesde) restarts offensives against them with the support of Iberian and Italian socialists, going north after having expelled the rebels of the south.
On August 18 this change becomes official, a vote is called in the Senate of France to change the old constitution, where the socialist proposals obtain victory.
This is due to the support for the economic socialism of Pierre Curie and the arrival of the revolutionary socialists, although there is opposition between some parties, it is crushed ... electorally. For now.
August 24, the United States continues to form (artificial) opposition to the Mexican government, also calling the imperial government illegitimate, getting closer and closer to the center of Mexico.
However, the Panamanian front (especially in the Darien region) has stagnated, and the US, Venezuelan-Colombian and Panamanian armies suffer from yellow fever.
September 7, Jean Jaurés and his socialists are finally captured by the central government, putting an end to this opposition on the part of the reformist socialists, 'social-chauvinist' according to the central government.
September 17, the Russian Empire conducts early studies in Moscow medical institutes, about the possible relationship between alcoholism and cardiovascular problems.
August 26, several US ships have problems with the navies of Germany, Colombia-Venezuela and Mexico during the Caribbean conflict, which in turn awakens some tensions with nearby Central America.
In these countries the American companies begin to interfere to bring these countries into the field of the United States against Germany, or at least neutral. Having relative success.
Although US imperialism of course does not end here.
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