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Post by garrisonchisholm on Mar 19, 2017 23:08:03 GMT -6
Chapter 19.
1918 passed with joy and little complaint, as the Commonwealth slowly again recovered from war. The coastal patrol destroyers were decommissioned to spare expenses, and there was little else of note until the first two Kettlers, Fridrich Kettler and Zygmunt August, were launched in October. With the clearing of the two dreadnoughts from the books, the last 3 remaining coal-fired Wilnos were taken in to bring them up to the 1910 refit type standard. Though of some international note that October, a small arrangement was made with Albania- who had absorbed the principality of Montenegro as part of the general peace- to provide Krakow field guns to her newly reconstituted army, a move not appreciated by Austria.
1919 brought great strides in the state's economy, as retooling industry brought multiple reports of increased GNP, and the return to power of Hans Kukiel in June to again sit as Prime Minister brought an increase in the budget assessments. The Peace Prime Minister, Vlacev Huun, had truly had little chance to remain once the war had been successfully concluded, and it was only the people's general lack of desire for angst which had allowed him to remain so long. He had been powerless really for the last two years, having been effectively side-lined by the office of Admiral Kosciuszko, whose will alone many credited with carrying the country through to victory; though likely his family name had as much to do about such credit with the public as anything.
In September the 3 Wilnos were completed, and Alexsandr ordered 16 Wicher class boats for coastal defense, along with 15 new coastal submarines, but staggering the sub's completion, such that upon the commencement of new hostilities they could be resumed and so a flow of replacement boats steadily be received. In December Alexsandr was asked to speak about future threats to the State, and he cautioned against the egregious imperialism recently undertaken by Germany, pointing out that the last state other than Germany to seek such expansion was the United States of America. Minister Duch privately asked him later if he really wanted to antagonize America, to which Alexsandr replied that “just thought should not be thought of convenience.” Prime Minister Kukiel later passed over Alexsandr's comments when questioned by the press, but the statements were not gainsaid, and Alex was not censured.
1920 was a year of significant progress, as new hydrophones developed by the Navy Technical School the previous autumn were installed in the fleet's destroyers, a longer range submarine was developed with an economical new diesel engine, and in March a system was engineered by which a secondary director unit could coordinate fire alongside a ship's main battery directors. With these important innovations in hand, when the new Wichers and Zelazny Wilk (the 3rd Kettler) were completed in June, the 4 Wielki class battleships and Jozef were returned to England for substantial modernizations.
Some at their birth-yards in England questioned spending so much to refit the old ships, but it should be noted that they had sailed with the dreadnoughts many times in the war, and nothing in the Commonwealth's experience yet suggested that they might be a liability or hazard. To the contrary, they had performed admirably on all counts, making solid contributions at every test.
As 1920 drew to a close, some noticed that tensions with Germany and the United States had risen to a caution over the course of the year, and as the government again called for an increase in armaments expenditures Alexsandr began to give an eye more earnestly towards adding more immediately to the fleet.
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Post by Airy W on Mar 20, 2017 23:11:52 GMT -6
Is it wise to be refitting such an 18 year old vessel of 17,000 tons? You could almost afford a new pocket battleship at that price. Using AoN armor and triple turrets you could have five inch deck armor, torpedo protection and six 14 inch guns at that weight. It would cost more but I just dont think two inch deck armor is viable on a ship that slow. If they end up in a battle with cruisers...
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Post by garrisonchisholm on Mar 22, 2017 7:15:48 GMT -6
Airy W , "Is it wise?" A good question! I would answer that challenge this way. No. However, I did it for two main reasons- time and story. To refit the old B's with directors and new engines cost as much money as having 2 good "modern" dreadnoughts built. Put another way though, refitting the old B's with modern directors put as many large caliber guns (27, considering Jozef's secondary battery) at sea as two good modern dreadnoughts in only 10 months, not 30. I have always felt this game is a battle with time as much as your foes. So, if I were to get a round of modern ships built in addition, I would then have 40-some-odd guns in 40 months. Considering the need for modern destroyers and modern cruisers, those 20 months might be key. The *main* reason I did it though is Story. Rebuilding the 5 Bs is a move to attempt with a wealthier state after your first success, not a poor state that is in dire need of Everything. However, I thought it would be good for my tale if the 5 B's, already introduced and ..oh, 'beloved' isn't the word, but my vocab is failing me this morning- 'described' were to remain in the story. Could they get caught and smashed by something bigger? I suppose it is possible, but I am hoping they stay securely moored until the battleships lead them out for their next action again. For the sake of my tale, I will chance it. We may see though that, in fact, no design of mine could prepare the PLC for what was to transpire... -btw, based on past experience, I expect to lose 2 or 3 of the 5 B's by game's end, but their contributions will outweigh the cost of said losses.
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Post by Airy W on Mar 23, 2017 7:31:04 GMT -6
I'm more worried about them getting caught and smashed by something smaller
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Post by archelaos on Mar 23, 2017 16:23:24 GMT -6
Garrisonchisholm, don't tell me you went to war against US? UK is more managable, due to their explosive character , but late game US seems brutal (seems, as I always kept it my obligation to maintain good relation with US) I'm myself musing over rebuilding french BC captured in last war (1926.) She is great 40k tons 27kt, 5x2 15in, 14x6in ship, only she is coal fired, a bit low on ammo (100 spg), only TPS1 and has poor turret tops (3.5in). I have 4 options for refit - new FC and minor changes (10-20 mln), that, plus new main turrets (15 +1, 14in T, 5,5 TT, 140spg), secondaries in single turrets (or twin 5in), on deck TTs (require elimination of Q turret, costs 50mil), all that plus oil firing (around 100 mil) or all that plus 3 knots and bulges that cost the same as new ship (only takes 14 monts instead of 30, but with almost 10mil per turn, it wil need to be staggered even with my 60mil in bank...)
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Post by garrisonchisholm on Mar 23, 2017 22:34:15 GMT -6
I'm more worried about them getting caught and smashed by something smaller Doh! (the burn!) Point taken. archelaos, I will not disclose what is "cooking in the kitchen", but part of the delay in my progress has been the need to get the history right. I thought I knew where it was going Sunday night, but it didn't feel quite right, and in long pondering I have thought of a better line of progression. The next chapter should be posted in a few days, I need to get it right. I also noticed I mis-numbered Chapter 7 as 6 again, but unless someone says it bugs them, it (and the other half-dozen typos I have found) is not a dire priority for me to correct. (though PM me if you notice something that really should be changed, grammar tense or what-ever)
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Post by garrisonchisholm on Mar 24, 2017 0:21:13 GMT -6
Chapter 20. 1921 opened with a meeting called by Minister Duch for that first week of January. It seemed the Commission of Royal Ships had requested the number of destroyers be increased, given that ships twice the capability of the Monsuns should now be available, and also thus releasing those older boats to enhance the coastal patrol. Great concern was voiced over the vulnerability of commerce and the ensuing threat to national stability. Given the 5 older battleships should be returned from England in June, Admiral Kosciuszko agreed to order 21 new destroyers of enlarged type at that time.
The next month the King again voiced concerns over tensions, and in high-level meetings the issue of exploring an alliance with France was debated. Ultimately the rumored talks never actually occurred, much to the annoyance of the French, as it was discerned there would be some penalty to be paid in terms of support and ultimately funding within the Sejm. However with Alexsandr voicing the very next month that recent quarreling and disquiet on the Macedonian border and Albania was due to the leveraged provocation of America in the advance of capitalism, when a new opportunity to explore a French alliance arose in March the feelings in the legislature had changed. Upon April 30th the treaty was signed, and the Commonwealth's security could hardly have looked better settled.
June broke brightly, and the 4 Wielki class battleships and Jozef returned to Riga with fanfare, Directors and Secondary Directors fitted. Alexsandr immediately called for design proposals for a new class of destroyers, but no sooner had the calls been placed than minister Duch arrived from the reception ceremonies for the battleships. It seems there had been a change of heart, and instead of a new class of 21 destroyers, the Commission at the behest of the King was now asking that a new class of 3 dreadnoughts be laid down. Alexsandr was in truth delighted at this news, and canceled the destroyer request and asked for proposals to be submitted in 5 month's time for a new class of battle-cruiser. In the meanwhile however, he called for the 6 existing dreadnoughts to come in for director modifications and increased elevation on their main batteries.
In September there was a positive development from Krakow, in that a 178mm gun was developed which actually had superior performance to the 203mm weapon carried by the Wilnos. Alexsandr took note of this, given that a new cruiser design was definitely needed soon. October saw the work on the director upgrades to the dreadnoughts complete, and the Admiralty looked forward to the new battle-cruiser designs to be laid down the following month.
Constructors from the Gdansk, Riga, and Puck yards submitted designs for the Commonwealth's new dreadnought, and what emerged was a design which was a collaboration of new thought and also a return to the same general planform of the Kettlers, though 10,000 tons heavier and 8 knots faster.
The new Praga class carried the same turret layout as the Kettlers, though mounting the new advanced 12.1” gun purchased from England 20 months previous. The armor was of the All or Nothing scheme, saving substantial weight. In a break from tradition, the secondary battery was modest, only 12 4.1” Krakow guns. However, the secondary casements were mounted above the weather deck, a first in the PLC. The armor was roughly equivalent in thickness to the Kettlers, excepting for the conning tower which was as protected as conceivably it could be. But in torpedo protection they had comprehensively improved subdivision, as assurances were secured that they would not suffer the same fate as their namesake or her sister. With hopes to have delivery complete by 1925, Praga laid down in Gdansk, Grunwald at Puck, and Odsiecz Wiednia in Riga, June's sun was felt to have continued deep through to winter's start such was the mood of optimism that month.
Yet November, alas, was then sure and swiftly darkened over Wladyslawowo.
7 years and 7 months after gaining their independence, New Zealand's shores found themselves fast assailed by the Royal Navy. On the first day the native government was driven out of Wellington, and within the first week every population center was secured as a squadron of dreadnoughts and host of lesser vessels seized the isles again for the English Crown.
Alexsandr was suddenly in a very hard corner. England was their most important ally and friend, vital to their national interest, as amply illustrated by the Great War. However, Alexsandr had steadfastly long-maintained that modern Imperialism was unacceptable conduct for Great Powers, and in fact their very opposition to Imperialism was what had finally brought the Commonwealth into the war. It would be the most heinous hypocrisy to not say as much again, despite England's sure platform that they were simply recovering lost Crown territory. Therefore, with misgivings aplenty and yet resolve unmoved, Alexsandr - compelling his masters' acquiescence- penned a stark rebuke to his English allies, protesting the re-taking of New Zealand.
First Sea-Lord Archibald Caernarvon wrote back- with his Prime Minister's signet- that if the Commonwealth was so offended, then they would not burden them further with the weight of their friendship. Citing article 17 of the Commonwealth Accords, England announced that they would be withdrawing from the alliance in 1 year's time.
English Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, meeting the press after announcing the severance of the Commonwealth Alliance.
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Post by garrisonchisholm on Mar 24, 2017 23:06:09 GMT -6
Chapter 21. 12 months later, upon November 1st of 1922, by the enacted execution of article 17, the alliance was for a second time sundered.
The month following, Alexsandr visited a convalescing Admiral Wir in his retirement upon Christmas Eve.
“I am sorry you do not feel you'll make it to mass Admiral, you will be missed.” They sat in the Admiral's drawing room following an early Christmas dinner served up quite capably my Mrs. Wir and her daughters.
The Admiral smiled faintly.
“I must martial my strength my boy, the grand-children will expect their papa to be quite alert when opening presents in the morning. The youthful can attend midnight mass.”
Alexsandr smiled and nodded, looking down at his tea. The Admiral continued after a moment.
“How fares the Navy? Are you satisfied with the year past?”
Alexsandr looked over, a humorless smirk just briefly curling his lip, knowing full well the Admiral knew the answer he would give.
“If you meant how fares the fleet, you would have asked so. ...The Navy is sound, healthy, improving in its technology and seamanship. Increasing industrial production affords us deeper pockets, and technology exchange with France and England both has been profitable in every regard. Relations are no-where alarming, though it is unfortunate that both the Germans and our own people are as unsettled towards the Government as they are. Still, matters move in a promising direction for next year.”
Admiral Wir regarded him impassively while slowly swirling his drink.
“You were nearly sacked Alex.”
Alexsandr flushed, his teeth momentarily clenching before he let the emotions go. Wir continued.
“You probably saved the nation Alex, and you are definitely responsible for the steady hand on the tiller that saw us through to victory, but policy comes from Warsaw, not Wladyslawowo. Something as important as the alliance with England deserved consultation, not a heavy-handed autocracy.”
Alexsandr sighed, more from weariness at having had to defend himself so many times over the last year than unhappiness, but before he could speak Wir carried on.
“Kukiel and HM both could have been swayed by a strong argument, but by forcing them to accept your statement after the fact, … you used a lot of rope there Alex. I hope you have enough left when you need it.”
Alexsandr did not say anything, not much relishing being made to feel like a junior officer again by a man whom he actually now out-ranked.
“Alexsandr, if the Commonwealth had a chance to add territory with minimal bloodshed, strengthening her manpower and wealth, should she not so expand? If Egypt were a client and open to our governance, would you turn down her canal? Should not such decisions be made by the head of state?”
“Germany was a fine example of Imperialism that threatened the Commonwealth's place and security, but England is Imperialism. You cannot drink her tea or use her timber without drinking from that cup.”
He sighed then, and chuckled softly. “What is done is done. I am sorry for dredging it up a final time my lad, but for goodness' sake, know who butters your bread, hm?”
Alexsandr forced a small smile, though he could not say he was either happy or mollified.
Wir gamely tried to brighten the room, though as he straightened up in his chair he coughed rather fitfully.
“The deal with Elswick, it is completed?”
“Yes, indeed so. In exchange for our advances in underwater protection, purchased by the Royal Navy in October, we purchased from them last month the plans and rights for their 15” gun. We all are grateful for your assistance in writing the agreement.”
Wir smiled a bit, then said without segue, “it is time for you to take my family to mass, and for this old man to get to bed.”
Alexsandr said his cordial good-nights, and the following day celebrated Christmas with his own elderly parents and his siblings. New Years was not celebrated for either family however, for upon December the 30th Admiral Wir passed away in the company of his bride of 60 years and their children.
The next month, following a state funeral and week of mourning, the Wir Naval Regatta was held in his honor, advancing – for the present- peaceful camaraderie amongst all Europe's states.
Rzeczpospolita Admiral, Jozef Wir, 1840-1922
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Post by garrisonchisholm on Mar 25, 2017 12:09:57 GMT -6
Chapter 22.
After a quiet winter and beginning of spring, 1923 was as brazen as 1922 had been benign. In May the Conservatives achieved a clear majority in the Sejm, resulting in Prime Minister Kukiel – standing for the last time – to call for increased funding for the navy. Germany though defeated and limited by treaty to a purely defensive Heer, had been permitted to retain her navy, given it had been her army which had been so feared. Here the clever diplomacy of Executive Minister Gustav Streseman had first been seen, as the arm which required the longer and greater financial investment was what Germany had protected in their surrender. Alexsandr wrote to Prime Minister Kukiel and cautioned that more ducats in the pot would be excellent, but that the current affable mood in Europe was a peace to be treasured, and it should not be threatened.
Not two months later the socialists managed to force cuts to the budget eliminating every extra penny voted in in May, which none-the-less did not sate the public a single whit.
August caused a furor to break across the front pages of the papers. As part of the agreement with France in 1866, the Comoros isles – lying Northwestward off her coasts- had been ceded to Madagascar. With Madagascar later as a constituent member of the Commonwealth, those isles had remained largely undeveloped. However now as part of the budgeting of May 1923, the navy had planned to establish a base there in the Mozambique Channel. Unfortunately the German Government protested strenuously, feeling their colony in Tanganyika was already hard encroached upon by the isle of Zanzibar's English rulers, and demanded that the base be removed.
Though it would involve some swallowed pride, as it was a purely Navy matter Alexsandr issued orders to cease construction and to leave the only fleet anchorage in Madagascar as Diego Suarez on the main isle. It was not a matter warranting a threat to the general peace.
4 days later on September 3rd came such a matter. The Royal Navy, in response to a tariff war over sugar cane, sailed into Havana and established there a governor in administration, seizing all of Cuba save for the American fort at Guantanamo. America, not too long past inflamed by English conduct in the Caribbean, was furious. The New York Post actually dragged out the tired “Remember the Maine!” slogan from the Spanish-American war, and Washington was not far behind in its bellicosity. Yet England was the only nation with a larger navy than the fast-growing giant, and so words were at present all that became of the matter, though the White House bristled at England's verily spitting upon the Monroe Doctrine.
The Admiralty at Wladyslawowo did not respond to requests for comment from the press, while the Government gave polite statements hoping the two states would resolve their discord diplomatically.
Alexsandr, dutifully holding his opinions to himself, none-the-less in December while approving construction and sale of a pair of Wilno-class cruisers to Brazil had his naval mission stop at several neutral ports of call in the Caribbean to also assess their potential future viability both as arms clients and depot hosts.
1924 returned to relative quiet, with nothing of ill note passing internationally at all. In fact, Commonwealth relations across the board stood pat or improved, with relations with England returning to a state of near bliss. Wladyslawowo's silence upon the Cuban invasion and Warsaw's more traditional quiet support of a friend doing something that was not quite publicly agreed with seemed to have worked wonders. Alexsandr was certain his peers in England were privately tickled about his obvious public abandonment of his impassioned anti-imperialism stance.
In May the government again noticed a direct correlation between an improvement in industrialization & output and an unexpected rise in civic discontent. The Sejm concluded that it all boiled down to taxes, but none-the-less apportioned the new funds for government use. Also in May the first of the Pragas were launched, Grunwald, with Praga herself following a month later. The 3rd battle-cruiser would need a further 18 months for completion, as she had been stopped and started numerous times to meet budget constraints.
In August Alexsandr saw the opportunity to order 10 more Monsuns, however in October Navy Minister Duch brought a request from the Commission of Royal Ships to add yet more cruisers to the fleet. 5 had been lost in the war, and more yet would be needed if the navy had hopes of avoiding blockade and controlling her coasts. Although this would have been an ideal opportunity to develop a more modern, longer-range cruiser, with a battle-cruiser yet building and the coffers low, Alexsandr saw no alternative other than ordering more inexpensive, yet upgraded, Wilnos. He would place the order the following March.
To allow the above deck mounting of 6 additional torpedo tubes, modern director firing, and more shells, the old 8.0” mounts were replaced with the new 7.1” guns recently developed. Wilno herself was the test-bed, and then 10 additional cruisers were ordered. There would therefore be 8 Wilnos of the 1910 vintage in the fleet for the time being, and 11 of the 1925 type once the constructions were complete. The very next month however, April of 1925, Wladyslawowo was able to obtain an advanced 8.1” gun from their friends in England, raising the question of whether there would in the future be by intention two different marks of Wilno in active service; a 7-inch, and an 8-inch.
These questions were not considered for long however before international matters rendered such musings completely & irrevocably irrelevant.
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Post by Noname117 on Mar 25, 2017 13:18:36 GMT -6
I'm still kind of curious why you are still ordering old designs. You're going to need faster cruisers and heavier destroyers at some point, and the weight savings techs you've gotten since the construction of the first ships of your classes are going to waste.
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Post by garrisonchisholm on Mar 26, 2017 0:39:46 GMT -6
Noname117 Fair enough, that is a valid question, and as they say in radio if one person writes a letter then probably 20 people have a similar unvoiced question. I will answer it directly and in detail, pursuant to this moment in time when technology offers better cruiser options, and on its own merits rather than citing past game experiences. Firstly, in a "meta" sense (accounting for the notion that it is a game), I want my standard cruiser to be less than $1m, because of the need to build 10 of them and also because I was taking every chance to sacrifice budget to address unrest. Secondly, I need cruisers for sea control, to prevent Blockade. They are intended to sail with the Fleet, avoiding cruiser actions as unprofitable. In the "great" war the 5 CL's lost were lost due to submarine and fleet actions, with their few cruiser intercepts grading out to a 'C' - as I recall, 1 kill and 3 "opponent escapes". Additionally, if I suffered the case of a modern 8x8" heavy cruiser killing a Wilno, the point loss would be so low that I do not fear its occasion. Building a 6" gunned CL to 28 knots & less than $1m yielded a ship with less armor by half to a Wilno (counting only turret and conning tower) and only 8 guns. I am confident that if I wait another 4 or 5 years I will be able to build a much more capable CL that I would indeed rather see than a new Wilno. In a "game" sense, there are 2 additional reasons I built more Wilnos. First, the type had not yet 'failed' the PLC, and so so-long as it was able to get the job done I didn't see a reason they would abandon it. The second reason is they are uniquely Alexsandr's design- he loves the type and wants to see what it can accomplish. And, in a sense that last reason is a "meta" reason too. I have never designed a ship like the Wilno before, it is a unique product of this game, so *I* am very much interested in seeing how far it can go. It is entirely possible that we'll see that building these 10 ships was a mistake, but we'll find out as the story unfolds- I do not yet know. (Lost advantages from hull & armor improvements I cannot defend, you are correct. To a certain degree expediency was also involved I suppose then. I will simply have to pay the price if my designs seem less well-thought-out than they otherwise could have been, but hopefully the tale will benefit from the risk)
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Post by Noname117 on Mar 26, 2017 9:59:08 GMT -6
Couldn't you just use the machinery and hull improvements to make the ships smaller? Would require a second class of ship, but they'd still function quite similarly to a Wilno,
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Post by garrisonchisholm on Mar 26, 2017 10:59:48 GMT -6
You are quite right there, a ground-up design would have taken advantage of improvements and technologies which I otherwise had not. Had I been flush with cash, I likely would have considered it, but at the time the "build 10 cruisers" event occurred I had been planning to wait for the 3rd DN and the 10 cheap DDs to finish before looking at the cruiser need. Wanting to take advantage of the budget bonus, I was looking at a lot of red due to those other 11 ships, and I had to put some on hold to build a large enough reserve to be able to afford a single turn of 10CLs building to collect on the bonus.
"Ifs and buts" at this point really, I will handily admit to having made an error in judgement. I am ~ 15 months on from the point I stopped writing, and this next chapter will be a while in the crafting, as it affects the entire direction of events and I want to do the most passable job I can.
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Post by garrisonchisholm on Mar 27, 2017 0:07:13 GMT -6
Chapter 23.
In August of 1910 the US had occupied Haiti, the western half of the isle of Hispaniola, of which the eastern half was known as Santo Domingo. Santo Domingo being historically less prosperous was at various times in the previous 90 years since independence from Spain ruled by Haiti, however with the swift collapse of Haitian self-governance Santo Domingo had declared themselves an independent Dominican Republic that same August.
America had sought to put an end to what it had termed “unreliable trade” from Haiti by taking charge of the customs offices of Port au Prince (the major harbor), which had been rife with graft, bribery, and chicanery of all kinds, however once the initial policing force had been landed and discerned the depth of corruption in native government their plans had changed and the nation was claimed as a US protectorate and colony.
The ruling elite (such as they were) fled the urban areas and took to the mountainous east with their henchmen and cronies, but they were not nearly organized enough to even think about anything like a resistance or civil war, and instead turned to plain robbery of their former citizenry to keep themselves going. Within 6 months however due to persistent US hunting they had crossed the border into Dominica for easier pickings. Throughout 1911 a humanitarian crisis developed as the banditry became wide-spread.
The Commonwealth Governor of Trinidad, Artur Kossak, traveled to Santo Domingo himself with a deputation on request of the Dominican Prime Minister to see first hand the misery and suffering of their neighbors. Governor Kossak was deeply troubled and incensed, and he himself then traveled to Warsaw to report first-hand to Prime Minister Kukiel regarding the matter. Kossak successfully raised the empathy and concern of his government, and in truth much of the venom behind Alexsandr's opposition to Great Power Imperialism originated in these meetings. Action had then been swiftly ordered.
For the next 12 years a Commonwealth naval landing party of 150 men performed policing services when called upon and delivered humanitarian aid when regional states made it available, also chasing down bandits when possible. Even through the course of the Great War, their thankless and little known mission was carried out with a meritable degree of success, competency, and professionalism.
In the spring of 1925 however matters spiraled out of control. Elections had been called for by the Dominican populace and the brigands tried to not just influence but determine the outcome of the balloting. Through intimidation and violence mayhem swiftly threatened to overwhelm the Commonwealth detachment with assaults upon the citizenry, such that at the last to prevent a wholesale slaughter of innocents the Lieutenant in charge of the detachment called for the Warszawa off-shore to reinforce his company and asked for gunfire-support of coastal areas to ensure the safety of the reinforcement's landing. On May 9th the Commonwealth detachment enacted effective marshal law to ensure the protection of the local Dominican populace, acting under the powers they had been granted by their government 12 years before.
Or, the Commonwealth Navy had directly forced de facto governmental control of a neutral state in the Western Hemisphere which also happened to have an extant land border with the US Protectorate of Haiti.
US Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes vented his state's fury with such vehemence that in Warsaw a vote of No Confidence in Prime Minister Kukiel was passed in the Sejm and a new government voted in, which immediately called for wholesale arms reductions to stay America's wrath. Despite successfully reducing tensions, Secretary Hughes toured continental Europe making his appeals, and in September of 1925 to the shock of everyone in Wladyslawowo a pact of mutual support against Commonwealth Imperialism was signed between an apoplectic America and a revenge-hungry and suddenly-seething Germany.
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Post by garrisonchisholm on Mar 27, 2017 22:05:10 GMT -6
Chapter 24.
The stunning news of this improbable alliance was the stuff to chill the blood of the Commonwealth. The fact that it brought down a government and would torpedo naval estimates for years to come was earth-shattering. The elderly King was even rumored to have considered abdicating, and the fact that the Commonwealth's nearly shameful efforts at self emasculation to appease America had failed only made an impossible situation more galling.
The Peace Government, voted in just 2 months previously, had defections in droves following the alliance signing to support a desperate push for funds by the Conservatives. This partial restoration of the funds voted away in July did not however prevent Alexsandr from needing to put 8 of the new cruisers on hold. The rebuilt Wilno was completed in November, but it was hard to relish its launch when tensions with Germany had risen of their own accord in October.
The 3rd Praga, Odsiecz Wiednia, was launched in January, allowing all of the new Wilnos to resume work. Perhaps in response, in February the Reichsmarine was at sea in the Baltic in force, to which provocation Alexsandr privately asked the French to intercede and request from Oberbefehlshaber der Reichsmarine Hans Zenker that he make a gesture showing an interest in peace. The German response came through the French press, and gave the appearance of a willingness to pursue just that. Only a bit relieved, Alexsandr followed up his communique by requesting planning sessions with his French allies to discuss requirements should hostilities develop. Surprisingly, his request and its follow-up went unanswered, until the answer was made all too clear. There would be no planning sessions.
French Foreign Minister Aristide Briand & German Foreign Minister Gustav Stresemann had concluded a treaty for which, in exchange for a promise to never make war on France again and a relaxation of indemnities, France withdrew from their alliance with the Commonwealth. For this, in May, they would both be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Commonwealth now took her turn to be outraged. Some in Wladyslawowo hatched a plan to occupy Sumatra, and from there threaten French Southeast-Asian sea-lanes, but Alexsandr would have none of it- beyond his innate opinions, such a move would be indefensible in every context. There was little they could do as all watched Germany's mobilization over the next 2 months, which inexorably ladder-stepped to war. Minister Duch was with Alexsandr when the declaration came on July 4th. “It is hopeless,” was all he said.
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