The Old Bear (October-December, 1913).

Brusilov Offensive: Third Phase]

October 20, 1913, the Brusilov Offensive begins to fully recover after its troubles in Bohemia. This day the officer Mikahil Tukhachevsky succeeded in entering Prague, definitively eliminating the last forces defending the city from the Russian advance.

Shortly after, the last German strongholds in Bohemia are defeated by General Aleksey Brusilov and officer Pyotr Wrangel.

Under this situation, the whole of Bohemia-Czechia has been liberated by the Russian Empire, Slavdom is extremely happy about this event, since it is considered a victory over the Germanic world.

And that according to the thinking of the time, it prevented the Germanization of the Czechs, although there is much that makes us think that the Germanization probably had not occurred (partially or totally).

Russian dominance of large parts of Central-Eastern Europe had been guaranteed with the liberation of Bohemia and the arrival of the Brusilov Offensive on the Oder-Niesse line.

But there was still work to be done, on the one hand the logistical recovery of the Russian army, the liberation of Croatia-Slovenia and the continuation of the invasion of East Germany.

Of course logistics came first, for this the Russian General Staff and the Russian allies were vital. But there was also an important meeting.

A few days later, Russian officers, including General Brusilov, encountered socialist forces based in Bavaria (near the border of liberated Bohemia).

*******

*Perspective.

The flags were waving, a red flag and an imperial tricolor were about to meet on that border. Two fronts had united even though the war was not over.

General Brusilov's troops and his officers found themselves facing a combination of German and Italian socialist forces.

Soon any doubt or possible animosity had disappeared between both troops, or well, between most of the troops.

There was an exchange of food and drink, there was music, there were exchanges of war trophies and some small curiosities of the countries where the soldiers came from.

Brusilov was hanging out with the generals, while the high-ranking officers were at their own separate meeting.

"The Jews are responsible for bringing the morality of capital and Christianity to Russia, that's why I don't like Jews and I'm not Christian." Tukhachevsky exclaims as he drinks.

"Are you an atheist? Or a socialist?" Benito Mussolini, from the Italian Army, asks curiously. A question that sounded completely normal, coming from the environment that Mussolini came from.

"Certainly not. The great socialists are Jews, and therefore socialism is a branch of universal Christianity." Tukhachevsky responds promptly to a stunned Mussolini. "I laugh at capital and I don't care if the land is divided or not, it is all one for me. The barbarians, my ancestors, lived in common, but they had chiefs."

"... I could recommend reading a couple of books." Mussolini calmly mentions as he continues drinking with Tukhachevsky.

Wrangel did not like any of this, he felt a huge contempt for the socialists, what they had done to their legitimate monarchies and how they 'corrupted' everything they touched.

*******

[Russosphere: Economic development of the Middle East]

October 27 was a good day for many of the Russosphere, not only because on certain fronts the war had turned heavily for the Russian Empire and the Russosphere, but also because of other important events.

Mainly in the economic-industrial development, several important events occurred and the Russosphere in the Middle East grew considerably as a result of this.

First, major oil deposits were discovered in Kuwait, Assyria, parts of the State of Mesopotamia (southern Iraq or Shiite Iraq) and to a lesser extent the Republic of Baghdad (Sunni Iraq or northern Iraq).

With this important discovery, whose rights were mostly in Russian hands, the states would quickly become very wealthy states.

The oil production of the Allied Bloc increased, and Russia still had extra money to reinvest in these states and their modernization.

Russian tutelage and proper economic-political management in the post-war years would bring a bright future for these Middle Eastern regions.

Second, developments related to the New Great War.

* Cilicia, with the annexation of Cyprus to the territory of the Republic of Cilicia, the future of the state was guaranteed as a strong and important commercial and political-military center in Anatolia, the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Cilicia found itself in an economic boom, enormous socio-political stability and on the 'good side' of history, for many reasons.

* Syria and Baghdad (again) were becoming important manufacturing centers for their neighbors, especially light-medium production.

Product that they were two of the most populous states of Russia in the Middle East. With increasingly strong educational and socio-political institutions.

* Ionia had emerged victorious and more stable thanks to military successes and Russian support.

Kurdistan was in an intermediate situation, it was increasingly stable and modern certainly, but its economic situation was not as specialized as that of other members of the Russosphere.

They did not stand out for light-medium production, they did not stand out for the production of energy resources, and they did not stand out for an important position (at the tourist level).

But they were an important trade nexus and merchandise pass within the Russosphere, which was something (especially once the New Silk Road was 100% up and running again).

The future of Iran (Persia Qajar or Qajar dynasty) was still uncertain, but with the removal of British influence, it was clear that the future lay within the Russosphere.

*******

[Allied Block: Second French Empire]

With the loss of Algeria and important portions of West Africa to the advance of the Imperial Federation, it was clear that the Second French Empire was in great danger.

There were tribal-local rebellions against French authority, the military commandos were less receptive to following government orders (due to logistical problems, personal interests, demoralization or simply that they no longer saw Generalissimo Maurras and Napoleon IV as leaders), economic instability , etc.

The United States, Argentina, Russia and Japan held a meeting to discuss what should be done with this situation.

Russia, led by Premier Skobelev and Emperor Alexander III, had a clear position: They no longer wanted to maintain the Second French Empire, they disliked the French imperial state, and they did not plan to support it enough to guarantee its survival.

The rest of the countries readily shared this opinion.

But the Allied Bloc had to protect Suez from a possible future British attack, so control over the region was still needed.

Hence the decision was simple, it simply needed a new country to control the territory of Egypt, and potentially a multi-national administration of the Allied Block on the Canal.

With this, the Allied Bloc wasted no time in seeking to replace the Egyptian administration of the Second French Empire.

Forget the redundancy, months ago the Russian Empire had met with Coptic Egyptians and Muslim-Arab Egyptians, very willing to support the Allied Bloc in exchange for almost-total sovereignty, economic-military support, etc.

As a result, on November 20, the discomforts in Egypt turned into a total uprising, a revolution against the Second French Empire and its military, colonial and imperial rule.

This November 1913 revolution also soon spread to Palestine and Transjordan, whereby Arab-Palestinians and more Arabs joined the movement against the Second French Empire in Egypt-Middle East.

Pan-Arab leaders and local-regional-tribal leaders became interested, seeing how they could fulfill their various interests on various points.

*******

[Ethiopia / Abyssinia]

On December 12, the death of Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia, a traditional ally of the Russian Empire of Tsar Alexander III, occurs.

With this important event, the internal policies of Abyssinia undergo certain changes.

The (pro-Russian) army and pro-Russia politicians of the Ethiopian Empire ensure that Menelik II's elected successor is placed on the throne.

Lij Iyasu (Kifle Yaqob) or simply Iyasu V.

Despite the fact that Iyasu V is the emperor, the truth is that he has no power against the traditional regency councils set up during the incapacity of Menelik II.

Army officers and pro-Russian strategic positions de-facto dominate the country instead of the emperor. Not that Iyasu V has many complaints in this regard ...

Ethiopia remains in the Russosphere and the New Great War.

They may be able to gain some French territory with the dissolution of the Second French Empire, but future developments in the war remain to be seen.

*******

[The health of another emperor]

Between December 25 and 31, finally the health of Tsar Alexander III enters a critical point, the Alexandrian period is definitely in its final stretch.

At this time, the emperor is forbidden to receive much news or work, due to the possibility that this will further damage his health or make him overexert himself.

Tsesarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich Romanov definitely takes the position of Tsar Alexander III at state events.

Usually which involves paperwork and State Duma affairs.

The Tsesarevich leaves the position of minister of finance, commerce and industry.

*Perspective.

Elena of Montenegro was holding her youngest son (Sergei Nikolaevich, 8 years old), while her husband, Tsesarevich Nicholas, quietly entered the room of Tsar Alexander III.

Her eldest son, Grand Duke Nicholas (18 years old), watched the room silently, trying to see something but not being able to.

"Wait." Elena insists.

"But we want to see Grandpa." Nicholas exclaims determinedly, his brother Mikhail also insists, but Mikhail is more on the verge of tears.

"Your grandfather can't have many visitors right now." The Montenegrin princess insists, firm but tactful about her children, the most mature of them at least.

The door opened again, the Tsesarevich called for his eldest son. And the door closed again when he entered.

The Grand Duke knelt near his grandfather's bed.

Nicholas Nikolaevich took an oath of allegiance to Emperor Alexander III before joining the Russian army, just as the emperor was drawing ever closer to his last days.

*******

[Russia: Government and General Staff]

It was clear that Mikhail Skobelev's Premiership would not be marked by much legislative work (socio-economic reform), instead Skobelev's Premiership (II Duma), would be known as the 'War Duma'.

For obvious reasons, the biggest concern of Skobelev's Premiership was the New Great War (which helped maintain a strong and united government, as far as the many internal factions are concerned).

* One of the few socio-economic reforms to consider during this Duma-Premiership was the militarization and militarism of under Russian society.

It was obvious that one of Skobelev's true passions was not so much governing, but war and logistics, which is why his work as Minister of War played a vital role in every step of Skobelev's Premiership.

And because the Premiership was so successful in various aspects of the New Great War.

It was a natural continuation of Russia's 'proper government', according to Skobelev.

The dictatorship-autocracy with a heart.

The war was tough, and the government had to be tough in response, but the Russian state would still be an iron fist with a silk glove (benevolence covering Russian authoritarianism).

And while for many of the common tasks, the common (and / or elected) bureaucracy-administration did most of the work, the General Staff and intelligence services were just as important at this time.

The armed forces were to protect Russia and lead it to victory, while the Okhrana and the KGB were to protect the Russian state from internal and external enemies.

Everything had to work like a perfect machine.

And Skobelev managed to do it successfully, up to a point. His subordinates sometimes made mistakes (the failures in the second stage of the Brusilov Offensive), but it was not the end of the Russian state.

The training was constant and the logistics were tried to be ready every day.

An acceptable government, but one that would initiate dangerous trends, such as the prominence of military elements in political life, already mentioned above.

There was also a political danger, during all this time, there was a single element that held together the government of the Second Duma (coalition of the VNS-KD).

This was Skobelev, president of the.

Once Skobelev or the New Great War were out, it was obvious that the War Duma would suffer problems, it would begin to fall like a house of cards due to internal divisions.

The next death of Emperor Alexander III would also be a severe blow, generations of the Russian Empire had lived without knowing another monarch (1866 onwards).

Skobelev's Premiership was the first to prepare for an event as important as this.

*******

[International]

October 2, the new National Assembly of the Republic of China meets, now led by President Sun Yat-sen.

The American writer and veteran, Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce, leaves his country and decides to end his life in the Free Republic of Mexico. After 1913, any trace of Bierce is lost and therefore it is not known exactly when he died.

Floods in Texas, cause more than 50 million dollars of property damage.

12 people die in the Hippo Wars.

October 3, the United States Army begins to mobilize 600,000 individuals, it is expected that if the New Great War continues, the United States can mobilize between 1 and 2 million troops.

October 5, Taimur bin Faisal (Al-Wasik Billah al-Majid Sheikh Taimur bin Faisal bin Turki) becomes Sultan of Oman. The new sultan inherited a tribal rebellion and a huge foreign debt, so he needs British financial and material support (Oman falls into a kind of British protectorate).

Despite this, a no-war-no-peace situation is reached, that is, adequate resistance, but there are several territories controlled by rebels and tribes that are not under the control of the sultan (who controls the capital and certain important coastal points).

October 6, the National Assembly of China establishes that the presidential term of Sun Yat-sen is 5 years, with no possibility of re-election.

Chicago, United States, declares that the tango (dance originated in the Rio de la Plata that recently became popular in the USA) is "immoral" because of the contact between the upper part of the dancers' thighs.

Heavy rains kill 600 people in the Bosphorus Straits, Tsargrad.

October 7, the Maryland Supreme Court approved the Baltimore ordinance, increasing the segregation of neighborhoods in this state.

* [Ford and the National Republican Party]

The New Great War had involved the patriotic-nationalist radicalization of various parts of society, giving a boost to the Henry Ford faction within the National Republican Party.

Impulse that had allowed Ford to co-opt the right-wing progressive-populist party in his favor. Eliminating the leader and one of the original founders, Robert M. La Follete Sr.

However, the party had in a sense swallowed more than it could chew, in a very short period of time the party had gained the aforementioned momentum, replaced the traditional Republicans, and so on.

This could be very damaging for certain balance sheets within the party.

The traditional center-left faction had been replaced by Ford's right-wing faction, the more left-wing ones had gone to the Socialist Party of America.

But now a third wing was forming within the party, which had emerged as the second most popular wing-faction.

The far-right faction of the National Republicans, who as their name suggests, were quite radical on many issues: Anti-Semitism, white supremacism, ultra-nationalism, etc.

(OOC: Basically Fascist-Nazis in America emerging because of Ford and other events.)

********

* [Socialist Congress in Munich]

The German socialist revolution had been stopped by the war minister Erich Georg Sebastian Anton von Falkenhayn, but his counter-revolutionary counter-offensives had changed nothing.

Some of the richest and most populated parts of Germany were already controlled by the Socialists: Bavaria, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Bremen and Baden-Württemberg.

(OOC: I am using the modern states and not those of the German Empire, for obvious reasons).

Simply leaving some parts of northern and eastern Germany still under monarchy and capitalism. The Netherlands was also lost due to the British occupation of the territory.

Likewise, the socialist countries held a huge congress in Munich on October 7, 1913, to decide how to continue the war and various mutual policies.

* In national affairs: Luxembourg would receive independence as a new socialist republic, similar to Andorra, but a protectorate of the Free Republic of Germany and the People's Republic of France.

* Diplomacy, economy and supranationalism:

It was clear that the capitalist powers (except for some), were quite aggressive with the socialist countries, after the New Great War, the future was uncertain.

Right now, socialist unity against global capitalism was essential.

This is why a doctrine of Socialist Pan-Europeanism emerged, similar to the Russosphere, the socialist countries needed mutual economic and military treaties to join a solid bloc against global threats.

A socio-political, economic and military integration, where although the sovereignty of the socialist countries was preserved, they mutually committed to similar economic policies, mutual defense, etc.

The Munich meeting was the beginning of something very great, extraordinary, since the majority of the Socialist dignitaries approved this plan. Francisco Largo Caballero, Jules Guesde, Costantino Lazzari and Karl Liebknecht.

At this same meeting, German Minister Vladimir Lenin presented his New Economic Policy (Neue Wirtschaftspolitik), or NEP.

In Lenin's opinion, while it is true that Germany and France had modern technologies and production forces for the time, they still needed a further development of productive forces to achieve socialism.

"Get down to business, all of you!

You will have capitalists beside you, including foreign capitalists, concessionaires and leaseholders. They will squeeze profits out of you, amounting hundreds per cent.

They will enrich themselves, operating alongisde you.

Let them.

Meanwhile you will learn from them the business of runing the economy, and only when you do that, you will be able to build a Communist Republic. Any slackness in this in this respect is a serious crime, we must learn quickly.

We must undergo this training, severe, stern and even cruel sometimes. Because we have no other way.

After many years of trial and suffering, we still have a long run to go. Our industries and technology still needs more development, but not all neighbors are friendly to help us.

Bear that in mind!

We must remember that all experience and technology, one time belonged to the capitalists, who are currently fighting us in all fronts of society. "

-Vladimir Lenin.

The NEP and its principles were quite popular with large parts of German socialism and French socialism, which already enjoyed advanced productive forces (albeit somewhat damaged by civil wars and the like).

*******

October 10, the problems between Victoriano Huerta and his war minister, Felix Diaz, intensify. Power struggles within the United Mexican States intensify.

October 11, Boston makes its own order banning tango.

* [Situation of the Berlin-London Axis]

If before the New Great War there were doubts and competition about WHO was the leader of the Anglo-German alliance, after the New Great War this had become quite clear.

With the German revolution, the German economic, political and social crisis, and the successes of Russian offensives (the Brusilov Offensive), it was clear that Germany would be permanently damaged in many respects (for the next several decades).

Despite the fact that the Imperial Federation had suffered blows, they became indisputably leaders of the Berlin-London Axis. Their colonial empire was still the largest, their economy was now bigger, and they could carry on.

The undead empire could go on for a bit longer, and she decided to drag what was left of 'Free Germany' with her.

The operations of this axis on a global scale would be decided and led by the armed forces and British capital.

*******

October 14, the division of Ireland continues, the majority Protestant sites are heavily under British control, but the predominantly Catholic sites of Ireland are being lost to the separatist revolutionaries.

October 18, the composer Sergei Rachmaninoff premiered his composition Piano Sonata No. 2 in Kursk, Russian Empire.

October 19, the British defense of the Canadian border succeeds in preventing the American counter-offensive from reaching Canadian soil.

October 20, fall of Prague.

October 21, the Union of Iberian Socialist Republics begins its program for the defense of the Rock of Gibraltar.

Thousands of loyal Iberian citizens are sent to inhabit what was once a British position, and the Iberian armed forces mount more defenses against British attempts to recapture Gibraltar.

October 22, the sociologist, socialist, writer and activist (among others) William Edward Burghardt Du Bois publishes The Star of Ethiopia, a book that among many things, demonstrates the contributions of Africans to the culture and history of mankind.

The Star of Ethiopia was surprisingly well received by the American public of the time, although of course, a single book does not solve all the problems of racism in the United States or the world ...

October 23, the Empire of Japan finally manages to conquer northern Vietnam, effectively cutting off German Laos from an outlet to the sea.

Soon Republic of China forces reoccupy Yunnan, which is again unified with China.

October 24, for obvious reasons, Winston Churchill is removed from the Admiralty after his disastrous failure in the battle for the Eastern Mediterranean.

October 26, coup in the United Mexican States, General and Minister Felix Diaz removes 'President' Victoriano Huerta from power.

Soon Diaz is going to ask the United States to recognize him as the legitimate leader of this country, in exchange for being loyal to American interests of course.

Champ Clark United States accepts this change.

October 27, Russian-Georgian surgeon Yustin Djanelidze becomes the first to repair a wound in the ascending aorta of the heart.

Another success for Russian medicine.

November 2, the Russian Empire and King Vajiravudh of Siam establish the Thai Air Force, successfully continuing the development of important armed forces in the country.

Russian training and technology is vital to the development of this joint Russian-Thai project.

November 3, the Kiev Conservatory, Russian Empire opens (thanks to the Russian Musical Society).

November 5, the Social Democratic Labor Party of Mongolia is established, which in fact functions in both Russian Mongolia and Inner Mongolia.

The party is led by various progressive Mongol military officers in the Russian army, such as Damdin Sükhbaatar. Influenced by other socialist-social democratic movements of the Russian Empire.

November 6, miners' marches begin in the north of the British Raj.

Birth of the Russian-Korean poet Cho Ki-chon.

Mohandas Gandhi is arrested in a march of Indian miners in South Africa (Imperial Federation).

(OOC: I seriously thought about assassinating Gandhi at this event).

November 7, more than 200 people are executed in occupied Bolivia by British-Peruvian troops, successfully continuing to install allied politicians in the town during the New Great War.

The Latin American fronts are quite stagnant as a result of British interference, geography, guerrilla warfare, etc. Well, almost all of them, the Brazilian front, is a curious exception that will be seen later.

November 9, The Great Lakes Storm ravaged four of the five Great Lakes around Michigan. This results in the lost of more than 19 ships (some of which have never been located), and the deaths of more than 200 people.

Some British ships are sunk, but most of the sunken ships are American.

Empress Elizabeth II of Brazil and Prince Louis are placed under house arrest, effectively marking the end of the civil-dynastic war within the territory of the Empire of Brazil.

The army has definitively chosen Dom Pedro III as the legitimate monarch of Brazil, and therefore society definitively accepts the new emperor.

Let's hope peace and prosperity for Brazil ...

November 12, the Peloponnese led by the Greek dictatorship and the British monarchy (with the support of the Imperial Federation) manages to survive almost miraculously the assaults of the Allied Bloc.

Despite this successful defense, the Peloponnese has lost almost any chance for an immediate offensive to regain territory or topple its enemies.

So they are in a very bad position, similar to the case of Croatia-Slovenia.

November 15, coronation of the XV of Novembro, Emperor Dom Pedro III is officially named undisputed emperor of the Empire of Brazil.

Of course, the still extant Republic of the United States of Brazil does not recognize the empire as legitimate Brazil.

November 16, the reforms of Pancho Villa and Felipe Carrillo Puerto get an important boost, with the re-opening of the Tehuantepec Canal the finances of the Free Republic of Mexico have an important recovery.

With this, the Communist Party of Mexico can continue the construction of educational institutions, rebuild lost infrastructure and give a better quality of life to various parts of its society.

Starting everything with the educational reform, the agrarian reform and the labor reform.

November 20, beginning of the rebellion in Egypt (Second French Empire).

On November 25, the Minister of War of the Free Republic of Mexico, Emilio Madero, begins to make progress in the mechanization of the Mexican army.

December 1, the Buenos Aires underground metro system, the Buenos Aires Underground, opens. First underground metro system built in all of Latin America.

December 3, 28 deaths in the Hippo Wars.

December 4, German Minister Vladimir Lenin of the Free Republic of Germany publishes his book "The Poverty of People's Teachers".

The German Empire's minister of war, Erich Georg Sebastian Anton von Falkenhayn, begins to successfully amass factions loyal to him within the German government.

For the moment Falkenhayn has managed to maintain 'Free Germany', but he does not believe he can sustain the Brusilov Offensive and the German Revolution for long. So he wants a compromise.

A compromise that can only be achieved if the monarchy of Wilhelm III and the military dictatorship of Paul von Hindenburg are out of the way. Falkenhayn begins planning a coup.

December 10, he begins the construction of vast prison camps in Northern Ireland (Protestant Ireland, controlled by the Imperial Federation).

Future home of any Irish revolutionary captured by British troops in the civil war in the Home Islands right now.

December 11, important advances in the Sikorsky Ilya Muromets, a bomber designed by Igor Sikorsky for the Air Force of the Russian Empire.

With these important developments, it is clear that new parachutes are needed. For this reason, the Air Force of the Russian Empire begins to seek new and important support in this area.

December 12, death of Emperor Menelik II of Abyssinia, Ethiopian Empire.

December 14, revolution in the French Hainan, the Imperial Japanese Navy attacks the island to fulfill the secret agreements of Russia with the Republic of China.

Soon after, Chinese delegates arrive to receive command from Japanese officers.

December 15, with the loss of the Rock of Gibraltar and the loss of the battle for the Eastern Mediterranean, the Imperial Federation begins to use alternatives.

Malta is in danger, right.

But through Morocco and Algeria the British still have some opportunity to interfere in the affairs of the Mediterranean region.

December 16, strike by railway workers in Niigata Prefecture, Japan.

December 21, earthquake of magnitude 7.2 in southern China, Yunanan is the most affected area.

December 25-26, successful Swedish-Norwegian defense with British support stops the Russian advance in most of Scandinavia.

But several ports are damaged, the Swedish economy is on fire, Stockholm has been bombarded by sea and air (and badly destroyed by this), and the Norwegian province of Troms or Finnmark is under the control of the Russian Empire.