The Violent Spring and the Tsar Fisher (October-December, 1897)

Alexandrian announcements]

Tsar Alexander III, Tsar Augustus, gives a private announcement in the city of Saint Petersburg, announcing the future labor reforms of the Russian Empire. The reforms are aimed at expanding the rights and privileges of workers who are Russian citizens.

These reforms include:

* The ability to form unions based on the individual's job or specialty (miners' unions, workers in a certain industry, etc.).

* *A union has the right to protect its labor rights, freedoms and "legitimate interests", as long as they are accepted by the state and do not harm the interests of the Russian state in critical situation (war).

* Receive remuneration (pay) for work at least once every two weeks.

* One week of annual vacation.

* Economic and medical assistance from the state (or company if covered) in the event of the pregnancy of a woman in the labor force.

* Workday of 8 working hours a day.

* Some other expansions of antitrust laws.

Among other rights regarding the union organization and the first Russian pensions for personal injuries or old age (mainly retirement at 69 years old).

Of course, not all the demands of the 30,000 workers brought together by Nicholas Alexandrovich Romanov could enter into the reform program of Tsar Alexander III, in fact, for example, obviously the unions were not independent.

But something very important to emphasize was the role of the Alexandrian state in the whole situation.

The Russian autocracy was not going to show itself as weak fulfilling all the demands of the workers, but they did offer a basic mattress on which the workers could rely on specific situations (pensions, the first medical aid, pregnancy, etc.) in exchange for that workers' organizations such as unions were under a certain influence of the state and its interests.

The capitalists on the other hand would not be swept away by the Russian state (except that such capitalists will attempt to create a monopoly, prohibited by law), but the tsar still had an image of Little Father to uphold, and a standard of quality of life to their people.

Some points were precisely ambiguous, but always ambiguous in favor of the state, to cover the interests of this and allies over the interests of capitalists and workers.

It was announced that the program would go into effect in 1898, and with it also came some rather tepid promises of other future political reforms, but no compromises.

It should be said that these first reforms would lay the foundations of the Russian legal codes regarding labor rights, although quite timid for the time (something done on purpose in a certain sense).

The first supports were also given for working-class families with children, after all, Alexandrian Russia had to continue growing not only due to territorial expansion, it was necessary to give families some mattress to have more children and be able to take care of them.

This was not the last reform regarding these various aspects (labor rights, pensions, support for Russian families, anti-monopolies, etc.) but they were the first and that is why they are important.

*******

[Navy update]

Tsar Alexander III, accompanied by the Minister of the Navy Stepan Makarov and Deputy Minister Alexander Mikhailovich Romanov watched the progress of a full Drednout.

There was still some work to do, but Russia was making progress that would allow them to have one, at best in 1898 and at worst just into the 20th century (1900-1901).

The Russo-Turkish war had shown something, on the one hand the Russian armed forces had been able to learn the logistical and physical complications of a land-water amphibious attack, the results of the submarines and other ships of the Russian fleets, the air support in the practice and how the technologies such as radar for ships were going.

Makarov and Grand Duke Alexander soon wrote down as much as possible about the results of the Black Sea Fleet's technology and battles during the Russo-Turkish War.

Not only with the intention of solving failures and repeating successes, but it was necessary to be able to develop a much better defense than the Ottoman defense of the straits.

Tsar Alexander III intended that the Russian flag would not once again descend from Tsargrad, and therefore not only a ground defense was needed but also a defense against attacks by enemy fleets attempting to carry out assaults similar to those carried out by Russia.

*******

[The Russian army: Brusilov.]

Commander Aleksey Alekseyevich Brusilov had been in the capture of Tsargrad along with the other Russian forces, but the battle left a certain mark on Brusilov, not a psychological mark in the sense of post-traumatic stress, but a mark of thought.

In the final defense of Constantinople the Ottomans had almost fought house to house, had it not been for the superiority of the Russian armed forces in various ways over the strongholds of the Ottoman forces.

Under this Commander Brusilov developed the lightning war, according to Brusilov in the case of a trench warfare, which Brusilov knew through the Bloch report and his experience in the battle of Constantinople, to break the defense lines of an enemy (or trench ) a surprise attack was needed using a swift and overwhelming concentration of force which may consist of armored and motorized or mechanized infantry formations.

Something that Russia was already investigating, but that would still be years to finish properly according to the purposes of Brusilov's Lightning War, but that would be the theoretical basis for many approaches to the future general.

(OOC: Russia stole the blitzkrieg).

*******

[Diplomacy: Thailand]

December 1897 arrived, and the Russian Empire joined the Kingdom of Rattanakosin (better known simply as the Kingdom of Siam), led respectively by Tsar Augustus, Alexander III, and King Rama V, reached an agreement that officially established to Thailand under a Russian protectorate.

This established a Russian military presence (the Pacific Fleet and some army detachments) in Thailand, which could trade flexibly with other partners but Russia obtained priorities in diplomatic communications, trade, and other preferential treatment for Russian capital and institutions.

One of the bases of this agreement was the integration of Thailand in the New Silk Road of Russia, the growing diplomatic connections between both countries, the gastrodiplomacy and Russian investment carried out in the country and the growing Russian influence on Thai agricultural production ( among some other particular markets).

In return, of course, Thailand obtained protection for what remained of the territory, after having lost various vassals and territories at the hands of European colonial empires.

In addition, Tsar Alexander III took advantage of King Rama V, or rather the interests of King Rama V.

King Rama V was very interested in modern science and technology, Russia like many other countries in the European world (and the United States) was a leader in technological research and development.

Russia could sell technology and machinery to Thailand, send skilled labor and help with the modernization of Siam, for a price of course (money and socio-political influence).

In short, Russia could not only take advantage of gastrodiplomacy, but it could also export its science to other countries ... and incidentally take advantage of attracting foreign technicians to Russia (use the brain drain from other nations for Russian benefit).

*******

* Foreign perspectives.

Kaiser Wilhelm II was quite good regarding the expansion of Russia into Thailand, yes, he removed the possibility that Germany will annex more territory, but at the same time he created a barrier between German Indochina and the British Raj-Burma, in short it could be a common front of German-Russian investment and diplomacy.

Similar to how Uganda and Keniya were.

Austria-Hungary and Italy couldn't do anything, France was pretty busy, and the United States didn't care. This only left the UK, with a King Victor and Prime Minister Louis Alexander Mountbatten, somewhat concerned about the possible Russian threat to the British Raj.

Especially when the problems with the Pashtun in the northwest of the British Raj were being solved, and the Fashoda war was still going on.

This is why more money was spent on the navy to protect the raj coast from a possible Russian invasion and on the border forces (Burma), but without a substantial improvement in the British army (the one fighting in Africa / the Fashoda war). ) as such.

Russia was still seen as a very great threat to the British Empire, whose nationalist policy was now revenge against France and a possible re-rapprochement with Germany.

*******

[Manchurian forces]

One of the young officers of the 22-year-old Manchurian Cossack host repeatedly fired at a series of targets as he rode, all hitting their target. He receiving applause from his companions as he descended from the horse.

"Nice job." An army soldier exclaims as he approaches the Cossack of Manchu-Chinese descent. "What's your name?".

"Ma Zhanshan." The Cossack responds calmly, although wanting to insult the young soldier, he was quite young and Zhanshan did not know why the teenager was bothering him.

"Wan Fulin." The young soldier introduces himself.

"Just say you want kid." Zhanshan complains, intimidating the young Fulin a bit.

The number of soldiers and Cossacks had increased dramatically since 1895, with peace brought to the region and with the growth in population and industry, the defense and police forces had also increased while crime decreased.

Some could get a second chance or promotion within the Cossack Host of Manchuria or the officer academy. Minister Skobelev instituted strict supervision on various of the elements that received a "second chance", while logistics and trainings in the integrated region continued.

Ma Zhanshan had tried to steal a horse and shoot a Cossack from the Manchurian host, but he failed and got a second chance in exchange for joining the service. He being surprisingly competent these days.

However, the Ma family member had to be watched for his behavior, and that is where soldier-in-training Wan Fulin entered, who had been commander Brusilov's field companion in the Russian intervention in the Sino-Japanese war.

It was a rare friendship between Chinese-Manchurians from Russia entering the military, but the point is that Russian policies to rehabilitate citizens into loyal soldiers and the integration of different ethno-cultures were successful.

*******

[International]

********

*[British Empire: Indian Spartans]

On October 2, the Fashoda war continues in full swing, the war in the northwest of the British Raj was already something but Indian troops were also being prepared for a possible participation of the natives in Fashoda.

This has already raised several problems among some nationalists, radicals from the Indian National Congress who had entered the political scene.

They did not want to participate in the war that did not suit them or at least they wanted some autonomy in return, but the negotiation with the Social Aristocrats was useless, their ideology was against any autonomy even for other European (Irish) ethno-cultures.

This went hand in hand with the arrest of individuals and the suppression of many moderate and radical newspapers by King Victor, with the moderates crushed in fact only broadening the path for the radicals further.

In particular were the brothers Aurobindo Ghose (also known as Sri Aurobindo, the older of the two at 25) and Barindra Kumar Ghosh (the younger of the brothers at 17), as well as Pramathanath Mitra.

Indian nationalists of Bengali origin.

Faced with British pressure (the denial of peaceful reform promoting violent revolution) they would found the Anushilan Samiti, an anti-British nationalist group of a militant-revolutionary nature.

Pramathanath Mitra developed the group's first political-ideological programs through the writings of Bengali author Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, a quasi-Spartan cultural and martial nationalism.

Although the group was influenced by some European currents (anarchism), pan-Asians and later socialism with a Marxist tinge, at its bases it was understood and analyzed as a militant Bengali-Indian nationalist group.

When at the end of 1897 the British Empire began to order the recruitment of some colonial citizens, even if they were few, there were many complaints from certain groups, such as the Francophones of Quebec, Bengalis and Catholic Christians.

*******

*[Brazil]

On October 5, the city of Canudos, in the Empire of Brazil (Alagoas) officially proclaims its independence from the region once "verified" that the return of Jesus and the legitimate King of Portugal (Sebastian I) are approaching.

Surprisingly Isabel I and her government underestimate the followers of Antonio Conselheiro, the Conselhists and are defeated in subsequent skirmishes.

The socio-economic situation of the Brazilian states, which include Rio Grande do Sul, the Empire of Brazil and the Republic of the United States of Brazil, was not very good.

In many ways, the republic was full of corruption and authoritarianism, with a good army but having to repair the ports and build the merchant-military navy almost from scratch.

On the other hand, the empire had to rebuild its land forces, but it also had its own economic and social problems, such as generalized poverty, displaced Brazilians filling the cities and the reduction of the economy of the former Empire of Brazil, in addition to religious extremisms like those already mentioned above.

The Rio Grande do Sul federation was simply there ... it was the most curious, the influence of Gumersindo Saravia as head of the armed forces caused the influence of Uruguayans, especially of Whites, towards the country. The south of the federation, like the northeast of Uruguay, was a region where Spanish and Portuguese converged very easily.

They had a merchant navy, not the most impressive but they did, and an army, not the most impressive but they had survived.

They also had a growing democratic tradition and a liberal constitution that implemented a federalist model, the problem was their underdeveloped economy and they did not have much developed industry either, they traded mainly agricultural products and livestock.

They were monarchists without a king as well, which left them in a somewhat uncomfortable position.

The Brazilians of all the states needed money, and Europe bet on the empire and the republicans, France began to woo the Empire of Brazil (a bit painful for Napoleon IV and Georges Boulanger, but they decided to treat the Brazilian royalty as cadets of the Braganzas and not the Orleans) and the United Kingdom to the Republic of the United States of Brazil.

Brazilian tensions escalated again.

Meanwhile, the Federalists were more or less ignored.

The United Kingdom and France respectively give some economic incentives to their favorite Brazilian states, with France being supported by German and Italian money, in addition to other juicy donations from Catholic Christian believers migrating to the Holy Land.

*******

On October 6, Ethiopia adopts the green-amerillo-red tricolor with a lion, green is for the land, yellow for gold, and red is symbolic of strength.

October 11, the Hawaiian Navy is developed as a professional force by the government of the Kingdom of Hawai'i for the coastal defense of the Hawaiian Islands.

*******

* [Fashoda War]

The Fashoda war continued relatively the same as before, with the French gaining more and more forces although the British are far from losing.

However, it is then that events that surprise international politics occur on October 12 onwards.

German forces cross the Netherlands and Flanders (Germanic portion of Belgium) proclaiming the annexation of these territories to the German Empire in the midst of the Fashoda War.

Meanwhile, the French armies crossed Wallonia promptly to "save the French-speaking populations" in his words.

The Germans get Brussels (surrounded by towns in Flanders) in exchange for money, some resources, and some access to Belgian-Dutch ports. A fair price to pay in Wilhelm II's opinion in exchange for Brussels, the non-aggression pact with France and the Netherlands (and colonies) as a prize.

The pro-Germanic elites of these annexed regions were given a fairly limited right to vote to pursue the interests of the Berlin government.

The Great National German Reich Party (Große Nationale Deutsche Reichspartei, GNDR) of the militarists and pan-Germanicists welcomed this advance in the causes of the unification of the Germanic-speaking peoples.

Victor I could have accepted it under other conditions (the Netherlands) but Belgium was another very difficult matter, it was a neutral country that had not been under the German sphere.

Not only that, but France took advantage of the fact that Victor I was slow to exclaim how the United Kingdom was not a reliable ally for minor and neutral countries ... curious coming from France, but at least they could say that the English (and Germans) attacked first in the Sudanese (and Belgian) case.

This led Victor I to proclaim an unrestricted embargo warfare, not declaring war on Germany ... but things were getting very tense.

Now the Royal Navy threatened other non-French ships much more, which annoyed Germany, Sweden, Italy and Russia (and to a lesser extent the United States and Argentina, but to a much lesser extent).

Precisely this increased even more the French propaganda against the English, they not only betrayed Belgium for Germany, but they were "savages of the sea" (like the peoples of the fall of the Bronze Age).

December 9, France forms the first military divisions of flamethrowers, after Marie Curie could finish them in time for use in the Fashoda war.

*******

November 1, the Kingdom of Spain gives autonomy to Puerto Rico.

* [Iberian revolutions]

November 25th arrives, the fall of Madrid is definitive while the government of Carlos VII escapes to the north, but not only that happens. Leaving the socialist government of the PSOE led by Pablo Iglesias as interim president in control of the city until "elections or until further notice."

But it is not the only relevant thing, the Italian anarchist Michele Angiolillo Lombardi leaves to join the Portuguese socialist revolution in Lisbon and currently assassinates King Carlos I of Portugal.

Portugal falls definitively in a wave of socialist-republican revolts with the sudden assassination of the king when the British troops take the first-born of Carlos I, the crown prince Luís Felipe, who rises as Luis II of Portugal to the government.

Technically established as a British puppet, the Portuguese are no fools and have already had their fill of the British and the Portuguese monarchy in its current state.

The Portuguese socialist revolution took control of north-central Portugal and advanced towards lands in the center of the Iberian peninsula to unite with its socialist brothers from central Spain.

The legitimate Portuguese, British and Austro-Hungarian authorities denounced the Italian citizen as the murderer of the Portuguese king, but at first Italy behaved quite badly with foreign diplomats.

Umberto I was too arrogant, he did not seriously consider that Austria or the United Kingdom would declare war on him with the alliance with Germany behind him and France as a friend.

As a curious fact, with the Iberian revolutions there are many cases of women beginning to participate in military activities within the revolutionary armies-militias.

(OOC: OTL Lombardi assassinated the Spanish prime minister in 1897, August).

********

[Russia]

It was December 28, Russia was enjoying a visit from the Ethiopian Emperor Menelik II, who was fishing with Tsar Alexander III.

"Well, as I was saying, I recruited this guy. Charles Corydon Hall, an American from the United States, the economic crisis in his country has not yet been solved and he needed funds for his projects so take the opportunity." Tsar Alexander III explains.

"Oh, I heard that the Americans recently bought a lot of hippos, right?" Menelik II asks curiously.

"Yeah, they seem to have a project ... something weird on their hands. Have you ever eaten hippopotamus?" Alexander III questions.

"No, and you?".

"Neither, but that's the idea of the Americans." Tsar Alexander III responds, when then a diplomat arrives.

"My tsar, the war between the Germans and the English has broken out!". The diplomat exclaims in terror, for a moment Tsar Alexander III looks at his diplomat and then immediately fixes his attention elsewhere.

"Can't you see I'm fishing?" Tsar Alexander III questions. "As Menelik told you, I apologize for the problems that the European wars cause in Africa." Alexander III exclaims to his ally.

"You Europeans are weird, no offense of course. Russians are very respectful to Ethiopia, so I want to return that respect and not seem ungrateful or something." Menelik II responds.

It turns out that on December 28, the European powder keg was finally ready to explode completely just over 1 year after the Fashoda explosion.

Italian ships were destroyed by the Austro-Hungarian navy, the Austro-Hungarian authorities argued that Italy violated Austrian waters while the Italians said it was an attack without prior communication from the Austrians to the Italians.

Italian natives in Austria-Hungary became angry with the Austrian authorities, and Italy supported them, eventually leading to the declaration of war between Franz II and Umberto I.

Georges Boulanger endorsed Umberto I and Victor I endorsed Franz II.

But then Wilhelm II arrived, a member of the Dual Alliance ... and decided to support Italy. Why? Very simple ... Bohemia and Austria, especially Austria, were too appetizing.

They were asking to be annexed to the German Empire.

Victor I tried to stop his country's war with Germany, but there wasn't much more chance, the British had to defend his face.

The British then declared war on Germany, thinking that perhaps there would still be hope for an Anglo-German re-rapprochement after the war or a peace between the two.

The mobilizations began, but not yet the fighting.

*******

"Aren't we going to do anything?" Nicholas questions.

"We have to implement our labor reforms next year, and we are also profiting from selling abroad. The problem is the Balkans, Romania and others are probably going to immediately jump in and steal something from Austria-Hungary if they can, money or territory. I don't want to lose that ship of opportunity ... "Tsar Alexander III exclaims. "For now, let's stay neutral and wait and see."

"Even in the face of socialist revolutions?" Nicholas responds.

"Well, that's a long way from our zone of influence and power right now." Tsar Alexander III explains. "I understand your concerns Nicholas, but for now this is for the best ... I will also initiate plans to see how we can get the Polish-Ukrainian territories from Austria-Hungary."

"... Are we good or bad imperialists?" Nicholas asks one more time.

"We are imperialists and that's it." Alexander III responds to the question.

*******

[Latin America]

In Latin America there were two great economic poles (but not political) in Latin America, one was the Second Mexican Empire, and the second was Argentina.

Argentina was a very particular case, with the wars in Europe a lot of direct capital and educated immigrants were going to Argentina, a region with many mineral, agricultural and other resources that could be exploited.

These immigrants were favored by the state, with their private property and rights to trade and business highly defended by the Argentine constitution.

This created a very rich country, where the country of tango had a railway network that did not stop growing, energy development, extractive industries and other primary sectors, growth of cities, etc.

But it was also a country with political problems and tremendously unequal with respect to the distribution of wealth between the upper class and the lower class.

*******

Argentina was a particular case with extensive economic development, and the Second Mexican Empire was also an exception.

Although the other Latin American countries also benefited from immigrants, foreign capital and the Fashoda war (mainly selling food and raw materials), we cannot say that this will bring current change in Latin American countries.

Because? Well, most of those monies were "reinvested" in the respective countries, but not in a fixed industry, they were reinvested through the purchase of important imports from the countries in energy resources, European manufactured products, and the best of the cases some industry.

And unfortunately this was not maintained because the countries did not invest so much in the modernization of their educational systems, the maintenance of said improvements, etc.

In short, it was a "nice" time in Latin America, but it didn't change much for future generations.

... But a shadow hung over several countries, European imperialism and the war of alliances.

*******

[Louisiana hippo infestation]

The US government had brought more than 1000 hippos to Louisiana to get rid of invasive plants and also create hippo ranches ... For various reasons, it is obvious that the latter did not work as anyone expected.

The ranch defenses were unsuitable, and vigilance errors led to Hippos breaking through fences or escaping into the wilderness of Louisiana.

In the beginning, many did not give it importance, after all there were still many other hippos to buy and eat ... It was more or less delicious, if you cook it well. The problem is that hippo meat is somewhat tough.

The hippos from the Congo transported to Louisiana could survive and interact with the ecosystem with virtually no natural enemies except for some crocodiles (especially young).

And these hippos could successfully breed in the region, starting to trigger a wild hippo growth in Louisiana.

Causing long-term problems for the population, and the ecosystem, since hippos are strong engineers of the ecosystem through their consumption of resources, their habits and their interaction with other animals, etc.