We Will Conquer the Entire World!

[Zagan7]

Previous Infochapters from this series: The Danubian Confederation (1940), The Eastern Roman Empire (1940), The Empire (1944), The Empire (January 1945).


The Empire
Imperiul, Imperium

1 June 1945


Official Name: The Empire of the Romans (Imperiul Romanilor, Imperium Romanorum).

Common Names: Romania (România), the Romanian Empire (Imperiul României), the Roman Empire (Imperiul Roman, Imperium Romanum).


Official Flag:


The Imperial Purple (Tyrian Purple).


Commonly Used Flag:


The Romanian Tricolour


Motto: In varietate concordia (Latin, Unity in diversity).


Official Emblem (Coat of Arms):


The Roman Fasces


Anthem: The Imperial March (Marșul Imperial).


National Day: 10 May (the Unification of the Realms, 1940).


Map: Link to map post.


Capital: Constantinople (1.9 million), 41°01′N 28°57′E
Largest city: Cairo (2.4 million), 30°02′N 31°14′E

Demonym: Roman (Romanum, commonly used: Romanian, Imperial).


Official Languages: Romanian, Modern Latin (Roman), Hungarian, Bulgarian, Slovak, Ukrainian, German, Serbo-Croatian, Greek, Turkish, Kurdish, Arabic, Yiddish, Hebrew, Armenian, Georgian, Azeri, Russian, Turkmen, Persian, Pashto, Uzbek, Tajik, Kyrgyz, Kazakh, Albanian, Uyghur, Italian, Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromo, Somali, Berber, Slovene, Polish, Belarussian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian, others.

Minority Languages: See the Imperial States entries.

Religions: Imperial Christianity, Protestantism, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, others, non-religion.


Government: Imperial Dictatorship / Absolute Monarchy, Federal Empire.

Head of State: Empress Anne Julia (Împărăteasa Ana Iulia, Anna Iulia Imperatrix).
Heir: Imperial Crown Princess Victoria Augusta Porphyrogenita.

Head of Government (Prime Minister): Vacant (powers exercised by the Empress).

Legislature: Imperial Senate (advisory role).


Establishment history:
Unification of the Realms: 10 May 1940 (Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, Ruthenia, Serbia).
First Enlargement: 6 September 1940 (Croatia, Greece).
Proclamation of the Empire: 18 September 1940.
Second Enlargement: 10 May 1941 (Turkey).
Third Enlargement: 28 May 1941 (Kurdistan).
Formation of the Capital District: 29 May 1941.
Fourth Enlargement: 14 July 1941 (Syria, Iraq).
Fifth Enlargement: 18 October 1941 (Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Holy Land).
Sixth Enlargement: 22 July 1942 (Cossackia).
Seventh Enlargement: 1 December 1943 (Turkmenistan).
Eighth Enlargement: 22 December 1943 (Hejaz, Nejd).
Ninth Enlargement: 15 January 1944 (Afghanistan).
Tenth Enlargement: 27 February 1944 (Yemen, Oman, Iran).
Eleventh Enlargement: 10 May 1944 (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan).
Twelfth Enlargement: 29 May 1944 (Egypt).
Thirteenth Enlargement: 6 September 1944 (Albania).
Fourteenth Enlargement: 20 October 1944 (Ethiopia, Libya).
Fifteenth Enlargement: 1 December 1944 (East Turkestan, Somalia).
Sixteenth Enlargement: 10 March 1945 (Slovenia, Poland, Belarus, Dagestan, Kalmykia)
Seventeenth Enlargement: 10 May 1945 (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia; enlarged Ruthenia split into Western Ukraine and Eastern Ukraine).


Area: 23,129,000 km² (8,930,000 sqmi), 1st place.
Including indirectly controlled areas: 49,130,000 km² (18,970,000 sqmi).


Population: 306 million, 3rd place (after China and India).
Density: 13.23/km² (34.27/sqmi).
Including indirectly controlled areas: 550 million, 1st place; 11.2/km² (29.0/sqmi).


Administrative Divisions: 1 Capital District, 43 Federal States, 6 Special Regions, 56 Autonomous Regions, 975 Counties.
Client States: the Empire of Africa, the Russian Empire, Italy, France, the Netherlands.
For details, see below.


Miscellanious
Currency: 1 Leu = 100 Bani (with regional coins and banknotes translated into the official languages of the Federal States).
Time Zone: de jure Imperial Time (GMT+2), de facto between GMT+2 and GMT+10.
Drives on the right.




Imperial States
1 June 1945

1. Romania
2. Bulgaria
3. Hungary
4. Slovakia
5. Western Ukraine (former Ruthenia, enlarged, split)
6. Serbia
7. Croatia
8. Greece
9. Turkey
10. Kurdistan
11. Syria
12. Iraq
13. Armenia
14. Georgia
15. Azerbaijan (enlarged)
16. Holy Land
17. Cossackia (enlarged)
18. Turkmenistan
19. Hejaz
20. Nejd
21. Afghanistan
22. Yemen (enlarged)
23. Oman
24. Iran
25. Uzbekistan
26. Tajikistan
27. Kyrgyzstan
28. Kazakhstan
29. Egypt
30. Albania
31. Ethiopia
32. Libya
33. East Turkestan
34. Somalia (enlarged)
35. Slovenia (new State, see below)
36. Poland (new State, see below)
37. Belarus (new State, see below)
38. Dagestan (new State, see below)
39. Kalmykia (new State, see below)
40. Lithuania (new State, see below)
41. Latvia (new State, see below)
42. Estonia (new State, see below)
43. Eastern Ukraine (former Ruthenia, enlarged, split)

For details about the older Imperial States, please see: First list of states, Second list of states, Third list of states.



35. Slovenia
Slovenija



Capital: Ljubljana.

Official Languages: Slovene.

Minority Languages: Italian, German.

Religions: Imperial Christianity.

Ruler: President Marko Natlačen.

Statehood: 10 March 1945.

Administrative Divisions: 5 Counties.



36. Poland
Polska



Capital: Warsaw (Warszawa).

Official Languages: Polish.

Minority Languages: Ukrainian, Belarusian.

Religions: Imperial Christianity.

Ruler: President Władysław Sikorski.

Statehood: 10 March 1945.

Administrative Divisions: 40 Counties.



37. Belarus
Беларусь



Capital: Minsk (Мінск, Минск).

Official Languages: Belarusian, Russian.

Minority Languages: None.

Religions: Imperial Christianity.

Ruler: President Radasłaŭ Astroŭski.

Statehood: 10 March 1945.

Administrative Divisions: 13 Counties.



38. Dagestan
Dagestan / Дагеста́н



Capital: Grozny (Грозный).

Official Languages: Russian, Avar, Dargin, Kumyk, Lezgian, Laks, Azerbaijani, Tabasaran, Rutuls, Tats, Tsakhurs, Noghai, Aghul, Chechen, Ingush.

Minority Languages: None.

Religions: Sunni Islam, Imperial Christianity.

Ruler: Shaykh Abdullah Fa'izi ad-Daghestani

Statehood: 10 March 1945.

Administrative Divisions: 7 Counties.



39. Kalmykia
Haľmg

Proposal for a flag are still being submitted. You may join the flag contest too!

Capital: Elista (Elst, Элиста).

Official Languages: Kalmyk, Russian.

Minority Languages: None.

Religions: Buddhism, Imperial Christianity.

Ruler: Šajin Lama Telo Rinpoche (Lubsan Sharab Tepkin).

Statehood: 10 March 1945.

Administrative Divisions: 3 Counties.



40. Lithuania
Lietuva



Capital: Vilnius.

Official Languages: Lithuanian.

Minority Languages: Polish, Belarussian.

Religions: Imperial Christianity.

Ruler: President Antanas Merkys.

Statehood: 10 May 1945.

Administrative Divisions: 9 Counties.



41. Latvia
Latvija



Capital: Riga.

Official Languages: Latvian.

Minority Languages: Russian, Livonian.

Religions: Protestantism, Imperial Christianity.

Ruler: President Kārlis Ulmanis.

Statehood: 10 May 1945.

Administrative Divisions: 6 Counties.



42. Estonia
Eesti



Capital: Tallinn.

Official Languages: Estonian.

Minority Languages: Russian.

Religions: Protestantism, Imperial Christianity.

Ruler: President Konstantin Päts.

Statehood: 10 May 1945.

Administrative Divisions: 15 Counties.



5. Western Ukraine
Західна Україна / Zakhidna Ukrayina



Capital: Kiev (Київ / Kyiv).

Official Languages: Ukrainian.

Minority Languages: Russian, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, German, Belarusian.

Religions: Imperial Christianity.

Ruler: Hetman Stepan Bandera (Степан Андрійович Бандера).

Statehood: 10 May 1940 / 10 May 1945.

Administrative Divisions: 4 Autonomous Regions (Carpathia, Pokuttya, Galicia, Volhynia), 12 Counties.



43. Eastern Ukraine
Східна Україна / Skhidna Ukrayina



Capital: Odessa (Одеса, Оде́сса).

Official Languages: Ukrainian, Russian.

Minority Languages: Tatar, Romanian.

Religions: Imperial Christianity, Sunni Islam.

Ruler: Hetman Pavlo Skoropadskyi (Павло Петрович Скоропадський)

Statehood: 10 May 1940 / 10 May 1945.

Administrative Divisions: 2 Autonomous Regions (Edisan, Crimea), 15 Counties.




Client States of the Empire
1 June 1945


Empire of Africa
Empire d'Afrique
Império da África
Empire of Africa
Imperiul African



Capital: Congoville (Léopoldville-Brazzaville).

Demonym: African.

Official Languages: French, Portuguese, English, Romanian.

Minority Languages: African Languages.

Religions: Imperial Christianity, Animism, Sunni Islam.

Ruler: Empress Anne.
Prime Minister: Makumba Mutombo.

Area: 11,701,000 km² (4,518,000 sqmi).

Population: 59 million.
Density: 5.04/km² (13.06/sqmi).

Administrative Divisions: To be created (Federal States).



Russian Empire
Российская Империя / Rossiyskaya Imperiya

(Imperial flag)

(National flag)

Capital: Moscow (Москва / Moskva).

Demonym: Russian.

Official Languages: Russian.

Minority Languages: Various.

Religions: Imperial Christianity, Sunni Islam, Judaism, Animism.

Ruler: Tsar Vladimir I (Влади́мир Кири́ллович Рома́нов / Vladimir Kirillovich Romanov).

Area: 13,425,000 km² (5,183,000 sqmi).

Population: 82 million.
Density: 6.11/km² (15.82/sqmi).

Administrative Divisions: 4 Kingdoms (Northern Russia, Western Russia, Central Russia, Siberian Russia), 2 Grand Duchies (Yakutia, Tuva), 57 Oblasts (9 of them Autonomous), 7 Autonomous Okrugs.



Italy
Italia



Capital: Rome (Roma).

Demonym: Italian.

Official Languages: Italian.

Minority Languages: Sardinian, Friulian, Slovene, Albanian, Greek, French.

Religions: Imperial Christianity.

Ruler: Queen Mafalda (Mafalda di Savoia).

Area: 282,240 km² (108,970 sqmi).

Population: 44 million.
Density: 156/km² (404/sqmi).

Administrative Divisions: 24 Provinces (9 of them Autonomous).



France
France



Capital: Paris.

Demonym: French.

Official Languages: French.

Minority Languages: Occitan, Catalan, Basque, Breton, Dutch.

Religions: Imperial Christianity.

Ruler: President Philippe Pétain.

Area: 535,385 km² (206,710 sqmi).

Population: 44 million.
Density: 82/km² (213/sqmi).

Administrative Divisions: 96 Departments.



Netherlands
Nederland



Capital: Amsterdam.

Demonym: Dutch.

Official Languages: Dutch.

Minority Languages: French, Frisian.

Religions: Imperial Christianity, Protestantism.

Ruler: Military rule.

Area: 55,652 km² (21,487 sqmi).

Population: 15 million.
Density: 270/km² (700/sqmi).

Administrative Divisions: 18 Provinces.

.

 

[Zagan7]

Contributed by Vahktang



Imperial Law and Order (Part I)
Director Rossellini shooting a movie in Germany.


July 1945, Brandenburg an der Havel, German Reich
early morning

We see a trio of men in civilian clothing, though one is in the uniform of a police officer. This is Inspector Zeni, a former German police inspector who was captured by the Romanians during the war. He is currently working for them. The tallest one is holding a wallet with papers. This is a lawyer, Harker, a native Slovak. The third is Vasilescu, a Romanian Chief of Police.

They are outside a building, the signs say in German that it is a district police station. The camera pans off the men to look at the bombed out streets and ruined buildings down the street, as well as people going about their business and clean up crews. The camera comes back as a heavy, older man in an elaborate police uniform, Galeen, comes out of the building, flanked by two others.

The two groups greet each other. Galeen keeps looking at the camera and is bothered by it.

Galeen (gesturing at the camera crew): "Gentleman, I was told you have an important legal matter for me and my office. But what is that camera crew doing here?"

Harker: "That is an Italian film crew, the one behind the camera waving at you to ignore them is the producer, Amato. The footage made here will be made into a documentary, possibly a feature film."

Galeen: "I may be in a movie."

He puffs up a little, straightening his uniform.

Zeni: "All of us may be, chief. Give him the papers."

Harker opens the wallet and starts handing papers to Galeen, who looks them over and then hands them over to Galeen's adjutants, who study them.

Vasilescu: "These are warrants for the arrest of six people currently living in your..." (a sniff) "fine town. They are signed and sealed by your appropriate judicial officials and these copies are for you. We are presenting them to you as the highest police official in the area. We wish all forms to be followed in this, no mistakes made."

A look from Galeen elicits nods from his adjutants (Hausser and Brandt), but each respectively holds up papers and we can barely hear them speak to Galeen.

A frown comes over Galeen's face.

Galeen: "While the people you have listed once resided in our fair city, that was many years ago. Their families are important and in the chaos of the war I am certain that they have not returned."

Zeni: "We have indications otherwise."

Harker: "Their precise location is not of overwhelming concern for you, Mr. Galeen. Are the papers in order?"

Galeen: "I must check with the city attorney. It will be several minutes."

Harker looks stern but nods. Galeen instructs the adjutants, one who enters the building, the other going down the street past the camera which follows until he disappears. The microphone still picks up the remaining four men.

Galeen: "One of the warrants is for Mrs. Lübbe. She is just a house wife. What shenanigans could she possibly be up to that would concern you?"

Vasilescu: "She owned and ran an aircraft factory in the area. One which used slave labor and had many, many deaths of the same. She had many ties with the former ruling party."

The camera has turned back and gone to a middle shot of Galeen, who looks upset.

Galeen: "And Funk? It is not that Funk, you know?"

Zeni: "No, but they are related and he was a banker. He knows where money is and where it has gone. Just as Schmitt is not the more famous Schmitt, but he was still in insurance and knows people we are interested in."

The adjutants return, the one from city hall with a paper that Galeen reads while the other whispers in his ear.

The camera goes to close up on Galeen and we hear 'phone exchange' but not much else from the whispering adjutant. The camera goes back to its long shot of the six men.

Galeen: "It seems your papers are in order. I will begin to gather my men and prepare them. We can go to the listed addresses soon after lunch."

Harker: "That will not be necessary, Chief Galeen. Flare."

Galeen is upset, perturbed.

Galeen: "What not necessary? In my city? And what do you mean by 'flare'?"

He is beginning to bluster and is looking around, especially at the camera, which he smiles at, then looks elsewhere.

Vasilescu: "It means your assistance is not necessary. That we already have authorized men in place to effect arrests. They are on the estate where the six are hiding and have been since before dawn."

Zeni steps away and pulls out a flare gun while Harker and Vasilescu position themselves to prevent interference from Galeen or the adjutants.

As the three German police do attempt to interfere, Zeni successful fires the flare into the sky as the camera follows and microphone still hears.

Galeen: "What was that? What did you do? I shall arrest you."

Vasilescu: "We signaled our men to begin the arrests before you could warn them."

 

[Zagan7]

Chapter 87. Family Life



10 June 1945, Imperial Palace, Constantinople, the Empire

The Empress was trying to relax in her bath tub, which was filled with deliciously warm and bubbly water. Relaxing was difficult though, with the seemingly neverending war gnawing on her nerves. Sure, the Capital was safe, Romania Proper was safe, the entire Balkans were safe, but not the whole Empire. Other empires could conquer a buffer around their homeland and call it a day, without worrying too much about the people living there. Anne's Empire could not. Everything it conquered turned into homeland and its people into citizens. Eastern Europe was safe but France and Italy were bombed every night by the Allies. Her loyal subjects were in danger. No matter how large the Empire got, while it still had borders, the border areas were unsafe.

Anne sighed and closed her mouth in time to muffle a curse. Elaine didn't like her cursing. Her angel was odd. Millions of people were dying yet Elaine was concerned with cussing. Not to mention contraception or, God forbid, abortion. Anne felt her suple tummy. Obviously, Anne could not feel the embryo but she knew it was growing in there. Elaine had seen it. Another girl, apparently. That time, Anne uttered a minced curse. It was too early and she was too young. She wasn't even 22 but she already had three girls, with a fourth one under way. Less than eight months after giving birth to Cleo. For the last five years, Anne had been either pregnant or postpartum most of the time. Elaine didn't seem to care and neither did Mihai, of course. Another silent curse.

Anne tried to remember some presumably important details from that morning's Crown Council meeting but they were fuzzy. She was very tired and she couldn't focus very well. Did she say anything stupid? Possibly. But it didn't matter very much though. Her field marshals were good enough to take care of the war. She should be a wife and a mother, not a warrior, shouldn't she?... Mare Nostrum... Sure, reaching the Straits of Gibraltar as fast as possible was an absolute priority. But how? There were millions of American soldiers in Iberia and North Africa and the Western Mediterranean was still very much controlled by the Allied navies. Unlike the Luftwaffe, the Allied air forces were still intact and losing an atomic bomb was a frightening thought. Missiles with nuclear payloads, of course, but when? In the autumn? Or were the rocket scientists way too optimistic?

That time, Anne cursed aloud and lightly slapped her sinning mouth. She remembered looking on pages upon pages with insanely complicated formulae. Anne knew she was relatively good at physics and mathematics but the rocket scientists had clearly overestimated her abilities as she had been barely able to follow the first page... Or did they simply want to kiss her arse? A budding cult of personality was always a danger... Or did they try to humiliate her? No, that was absurd... Anne blushed. Why did she read the whole article, pretending she could follow the demonstration? It was not her business to check their work or to delve into calculus, for God's sake! She should have told them it had been too much for her. Anne felt like a fraud. Well, not a complete fraud. She did understand a few formulae here and there although she was not really supposed to.

The same with the field marshals. Let them do their work. Anne was neither a general, nor a scientist. She was reasonably capable at both but those people were the best the Empire had. Yes, she should let them do their work and refrain from interfering. Anne sighed again and submerged her head, watching bubbles escape through her nostrils...


Anne: "No! Get out!... No, Elaine, I wasn't trying to drown myself, I was just having fun! Leave me alone, at least while I'm bathing, will you..."

Anne had overreacted. She was slightly angry and slightly ashamed, her hands trying to cover her chest and pelvis, her eyes staring reproachfully into Elaine's. The angel knew Anne was on the edge and backed down slowly through the closed door. Anne sighed. She felt sorry for her outburst, as Elaine had never meant anything bad. She was not capable of that, of course. And she felt idiotic for being ashamed with her nudity. Elaine could see everything anyway, even through objects such as clothing. And Anne had never tried to cover herself before in front of Elaine? Why did she do it now?... That question didn't have a straightforward answer... Or an answer Anne was willing to accept.

Time to think of something else... Yes, the suffering of the Chinese under Japanese rule and the discrimination of the South African Blacks by the White minority. Short of actually invading, the leverage of the Empire was quite limited. Invading South Africa was logistically sound, with the trans-African railroad recently completed. But was it worth it? Sadly, probably not. South Africa was not a danger and conquering it would add little value to the Empire while tipping the Japanese that they would be next. And invading China over a single railroad through East Turkestan, while doable, was less than optimal. And the Pacific Ocean was still thousands of kilometres away...

The water was getting cold and Anne was getting hungry. She looked at the clock. Five twenty. It was time for dinner soon. Anne sighed again, towelled her body and went to her bedroom to get dressed. It was a Sunday, so they ought to eat dinner together, the whole family. Elaine got in only after Anne was sufficiently dressed. Anne and Elaine said they were sorry at the same time, then laughed, releasing a bit of tension.

************


Mihai and the girls were already in the dining room. Soon, Anne was hugged and kissed from all sides. Anne kissed her daughters lovingly and her husband too, albeit more perfunctory. Mihai sensed it but didn't comment. They sat down at the long mahogany table. Mihai and Anne at either end, Vicky (Victoria Augusta), Micky (Mihaela Iulia) and Cleo (Cleopatra Alexandra) on one side and 'Aunt' Elaine on the other. The servants brought the chicken noodle soup. Anne usually liked it. Now she hated it and she felt like throwing up. Probably the hormones, progesterone or something. It'd been the same with Cleo but not with the older girls. Odd. Anne gagged but she didn't vomit. She pushed to bowl aside. She'd had enough. Maybe she'd try some steak.

Yes, the pork steak, medium cooked, was better. Anne was looking at her daughters, absent-mindedly using fork and knife on her steak. She was still stressed and her hands were slightly trembling. The knife slipped and the piece of steak flew over the table, landing in Elaine's lap. Anne felt the dull blade of the knife cutting through her skin into her flesh. She felt blood coming out. She felt pain, entirely manageable. She'd been injured in war a lifetime ago, a knife cut was nothing. Yet, Anne felt angry. She jumped on her feet, knocking down her glass of water, spilling it on the table cloth. It was nobody's fault, yet Anne wanted to yell at somebody, at anybody. Elaine would do. Anne lifted up her bloodied hand.

Anne: "You should have protected me, damn it! I can't trust you anymore! You are worthless!"

Elaine knew better than to interfere with a nearly hysterical state. She let her gaze down. The girls had seen blood on their mother's fingers and began to cry. Their nannies entered the living room and took them away. It was a very wise idea because the situation quickly degenerated further. Mihai should have taken Elaine's example but he chose to soothe his wife. He failed, of course.

Mihai: "Come on, my love, it's just a little cut. Let me help you..."

Anne was already yelling.

Anne: "Leave me alone! You helped me enough by getting me pregnant again! I hate you!"

Mihai backed off and Anne turned her anger on Elaine again.

Anne: "And you! You and your moral values! Everybody's having abortions but me! I don't want it! Take it out of me!... I don't want to be pregnant all the time until I reach my menopause!"

Elaine held her hands together in silent prayer, which somehow annoyed Anne even more. She sucked her wounden finger and turned to Mihai again.

Anne: "If we don't use some kind of protection, I'm not sleeping with you for three years after I give birth, is that clear?"

Mihai nodded. The stress of the outburst began to dissipate and Anne felt weak. She finally vomited all over the table and slid down on her chair with her head in her hands. Mihai took a couple of steps towards her but Elaine stopped him. She took Anne in her arms and carried her to her bed, then returned to a very worried Mihai.

Elaine: "She will be fine."

Mihai: "I didn't know she was so stressed."

Elaine: "Me neither... I'm not omniscent, I've told you that... Anne needs rest... And I think she needs a break from producing children."

Mihai: "I know. I won't ask for intimacy..."

Elaine: "I don't think that's a good solution..."

Mihai: "What then?"

Elaine: "Living with your kind for so long made me understand you more. Your problems, your needs, your feelings. It was wrong to try and force on you what we consider to be moral. Using contraception is a least bad option than having both of you unhappy, stressed and snappy."

Mihai: "Are you sure?"

Elaine: "Yes. It's absurd to ask Anne to bear twenty childern or more when that is clearly destroying her. I've been mistaken and... Forgive me, Creator, but I believe You've been mistaken here as well. Of course, when more than half of the children died of disease, having more was recommended, but in the 20th century that is no longer an issue. But I don't have to explain this to You. I'm sure You understand the situation better than me."

Mihai was cringing, waiting for Elaine to be smitten, but nothing happened. Elaine drapped her right wing on Mihai's back, protectively.

Elaine: "Go, comfort your wife."

Mihai: "She doesn't want to be comforted."

Elaine: "She's already pregnant. And, if you don't love her, she'll look for love elsewhere."

Mihai: "Beg your pardon? Are you implying that Anne is seeing someone else?"

Elaine: "No, not yet."

Mihai: "How do you know? And, could you be a little more exact, please?"

Elaine: "I don't know everything but I can still sense a lot of things. Anne is not ready to betray you but she is fancying someone."

Mihai: "Whom? Is it a woman?..."

Elaine (sighing): "Well, I'm not exactly a woman but, unfortunately, I look like one... I'm sorry."

Mihai was obviously shocked but he managed to maintain his composure, albeit barely. In fact, he was relieved it wasn't someone else.

Mihai: "You don't need to be sorry. It's not your fault."

Elaine (sad): "It is though. We shouldn't be so close to humans, exactly for this reason, among others. But I didn't follow the rules..." (forced smile) "Well, it's nothing. I only have to say no to her if need be and everything will be all right... Go to your wife... I'll go spend some time with your girls. They were scared..."


Mihai and Anne apologized to one another and reconciled quickly, like young spouses frequently do. Soon, Anne's mood turned to the better until she was giggling happily. Mihai didn't mention anything to Anne about the latter part of his conversation with Elaine. A while later, the Empress Queen and her King were discussing politics and military matters. Their most serious fight so far had been properly defused and everything was back to normal again.

In the evening, the two parents spent some quality time with their three precious little daughters, as they did almost every day. Sure, not everything was perfect but their family life was still a bliss compared to those of many other families. Anne noticed that it was already late and postponed visiting the British princesses again. Anne knew Elizabeth and Margaret were lonely and sad but they could wait another day. Her family ought to always come first. She would make up with them by organizing a costume ball. Yes, they would surely love that...


Anne didn't sleep much that night but at least she managed to decide upon a number of matters.

• She would allow that innocent soul to grow in her womb and join their family.
• With Elaine's acquiescence, her future children with Mihai would be spaced out wider, one every three or four years.
• She would admit to the scientists that her college level understanding of physics was inadequate for following their calculations. It was nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, she was still better at physics than ninety-nine point some more nines percent of the general population.
• She would also tell her field marshals that, besides general large scale strategy, they really ought to fight the war by themselves. Anne presumed they would be actually happy to not have her breathe on their necks all the time.
• She needed some kind of vacation with her family. Perhaps in the Holy Land, as it was one of the most serene, peaceful and safe parts of the Empire.
• Iberia and North Africa ought to be conquered before the end of year, no matter the costs. West Africa could wait until the spring.
• Carpet bombing Iberia with nuclear bombs would result in widespread death and destruction but North Africa was much sparsely inhabited and its industrial potential was much less significant. Therefore, the main thrust of the Imperial attack towards Gibraltar would have to be in North Africa.
• Japan and South Africa ought to be invaded simultaneously, in order to preempt more preparations and/or Allied interventions. The invasions ought to commence as soon as the Strait of Gibraltar was closed or even earlier if the situation was particularly favourable or if a serious provocation occured.
• India would not be invaded before the fall of Japan. An invasion of Scandinavia was probably not even desirable.
• An invasion of Great Britain was not feasible for the following three years, at the least, and some kind of peace or armistice with the Allies was expected to be concluded long before that.

.
What Anne could not decide upon was the exact nature of her feelings towards her guardian angel turned friend and companion. She couldn't be in love with her angel, could she? No, that was absurd. Was is lust then? Was she really so perverted? If so, she ought to spend some time in Purgatory before returning to Paradise. She remembered her times with Cristina and with Maria. With the good and the bad. Even now, hundreds of years later, Anne/Iulia was not sure about her true feelings towards the two women from another time and space. Why was life always so complicated? Why?...

 

[Zagan7]

Contributed by Vahktang



The Imperial Family (Part I)


September 1945, The Imperial Palace, Constantinople, The Empire of the Romans

The weather was still warm, so breakfast was again served outside, looking over a garden. Anne was conducting business at her table, going over papers and meeting informally with ministers and bureaucrats, while her children sat or played nearby at another table.

Victoria Augusta was with her governess, Maria Schaffel, while Mihaela Iulia was the proper big sister and watched over Cleopatra Alexandra as she clumsily crawled around, while in turn the two were being watched by their respective nurses, of course.

"And what of that one, Vicky," said Doamna Schaffel.

She indicated the pages the young girl was studying. They were going through some of her mother's mail, after it had been gone through by the Empress's secretaries, of course, and had been adjudged proper that the heir see and study them. It was thought that this was good practice for her.

Victoria double checked the large atlas on the table.

"It is from Cortina, a town in Italy."

"It is. Anything else?"

"It is in French," she said, and slightly wrinkled her nose.

"And?"

"It is not very good French."

The letter had been selected for that reason, a French so poor that even a five year old would be able to notice the quality.

"Correct. But today's lesson is not only about pointing out errors in another's language ability."
"What about the subject?"

"The author, Florence Usignolo is giving thanks to momma personally for the ambulance that drove her ill husband through the hills to hospital."
"She goes on to say that 'they never would have been able to pay for it and he would have certainly died if the medical services momma made available had not been'."
"She is 'very glad about our policies'."

"And what else," said Doamna Schaffel.

"What he was ill from has been edited. I do not know what it is."

The mail that went through Vicky's hands were understandably bowdlerized.

"That is fine for this lesson, you do not need to know. And ought we send a response?"

"No, Doamna Schaffel. Sending a 'you're welcome letter' to a 'thank you' letter would obligate a 'thank you for your your welcome letter', which would then never end."

"Also correct. Next up is the flyer and the letter. What of those?"

Vicky held up the the papers and looked them over intently.

"The flyer and the letter are in Romanian," said Vicky.

"And the personal note," said Doamna Schaffel.

Vicky was studying the flyer and gave the personal note a glance.

"I do not know," and continued to look over the flyer getting visibly excited.

She glanced up when she noticed her governess's silence.

"Tell me, please."

"It is in Hungarian, and is from the author of the letter, one Ilona Elek-Schacherer, inviting the Empress to an exhibition of fencing and other sporting events to be held at a public gymnasium."

"Mother fences," said Vicky.

"Indeed she does," said Doamna Schaffel, "I am to understand that she is very good in épée but passable in foil, less so in sabre, but that it is to be expected."

"I wish to go," said Vicky. "We never go out. Yes, I wish mother and father to take us, all of us. It will be a nice outing. Very educational."

Even at this age Victoria Augusta was learning to be both diplomatic and political.

Doamna Schaffel was too long experienced a governess to have a frown show on her face, but also did not give a smile.

"I shall consult with the appropriate people and pass on your request," she said, looking over to the head of security, Colonel Siyah.

He was a handsome man, near her own age, normally quiet but could be quite charming. He had been a spymaster for the Turks in years past, and it was only Anne's unique Empire that allowed him to be in her presence at all, let alone a position of trust that he had. He noticed the look, as he usually noticed everything, and began to make his way over to them.

Victoria Augusta looked to her mother, so close but busy, and then looked back to her governess, giving a fake smile. On another girl of her age and position it would have been a pout.

"All right. Thank you, Doamna Schaffel."

And the lessons continued.

Hours later, Anne had moved her work inside, to a pleasant drawing room. Doamna Schaffel and Victoria Augusta entered and the older woman led the girl to a precise spot and then stopped.

A secretary acknowledged their presence and Vicky and Doamna Schaffel began more waiting, as if the waiting outside the room had not counted. Vicky let go of her governess's hand and came to attention.

They had watched a series of military men give reports in the last half hour, but Anne was now talking to a Fellow of the Imperial Astronomy Society, Ovidiu Vaduvescu, and a younger man Vicky did not know. The three spoke in German, too fast and with a lot of words she did not recognize, and were looking at table sized documents colored blue that had drawings and lots of numbers on them. It looked very important.

She finally caught the younger man's name, Walter Riedel. Ovidiu had been a weekly visitor with Anne since Vicky could remember, and was friendly to Vicky herself. He and his wife, Jenica, had been over for dinner several times, and had twice brought over different grandchildren that Vicky had played with.

Vicky tried not to fidget and stay rigid, as she had seen many people who had reported to her mother had done. After a minute, Doamna Schaffel leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"You are a little girl, not a soldier. You do not have to be at attention."

Vicky looked up, gave a smile as thanks and relaxed. She gave a small wave to Ovidiu, who gave a larger wave back but quickly turned back to his meeting.

Time went on, almost interminably for Vicky, before the two men stood up and began to put away their papers. The chief secretary gave a signal to Doamna Schaffel who prompted Vicky who approached the Empress. She stopped before getting too close and gave a deep curtsy and waited.

"The Crown Princess has a request for the Empeess," said the chief secretary, properly keeping amusement out of his voice.

Ovidiu stopped putting papers away and stood, followed a moment later by the younger man. This was ceremonial, he recognized, where proper forms must be followed. Anne turned and gave Vicky her complete attention.

"What is it, my heir," she said.

Thus acknowledged, Vicky came out of her curtsy.

"I wish to go on an outing," said Vicky, handing papers to a secretary who looked them over, then passed them on, where they eventually ended up in Anne's hands.

"Ten days from now, on the 28th, there will be a sporting exhibition at a nearby gymnasium. I wish to go, along with my sisters, my father, and yourself, my Empress."

Anne looked over the flyer, the letter, and read the personal note. As a proper ruler she already had been informed of all this and already had her answer ready.

"We can 'be seen and see the preople'," said Vicky. "It will also be quite educational. And the participants are, umh, quite good at what they are exhibiting."

She winced. She had practiced the speech before presenting it and something had failed her in the end. But she carried on.

"They include Ellen Müller-Preis, Irene Camber, Margot Elek and her sister Ilona Elek-Schacherer..."

"Ilona Elek-Schacherer," said Ovidiu. "I know her. I met her. She beat Helene Mayer. I was there."

Most of the room looked at him, a little shocked.

"I follow fencing, and still do it three times a week."
"I, myself, had intended to go, taking along Jenica and four of the grandchildren. You really ought to go."

He then got quite quiet and abashed, as he had spoken out of turn.

"Abject apologies, my Empress," he said, abashed.

Anne gave her chief secretary a glance. That was why the meeting with Ovidiu had been rescheduled. She gave a wave to Ovidiu, absolving him.

"Helene Mayer," said Anne, "yes, she is quite good, and I understand, quite well known."

She turned back to her daughter.

"Will she be there?"

Vicky was at a loss for words.

"Ma'am" said Ovidiu, who continued when Anne looked towards him. "I believe she is currently teaching at Mills College, in California, USA."

"Women's fencing?"

"German, I believe. But it is a women's college, so, it is quite possible she is teaching fencing, too."

Anne gave a long look at the papers, with a "hmn" here and there. Vicky almost bounced in anticipation.

Finally, Anne put the papers down. She noticed that Mihai was coming in, holding his two youngest, with the nurses following. She had already told him about the event, they had discussed it, and they were in agreement. It was almost family time, the clock was about to strike.

"Yes, Crown Princess Victoria Augusta, you, your father and your sisters may go to the exhibition."

Vicky noted the absence in the pronouncement, but kept her face bland.

"I am sorry to say that the Empress cannot attend. She gets quite a lot of invitations from many, many people, and if she were to attend even a small number, she would have no time for anything else."

The clock began to chime the hour, the chief secretary and the head of security began signaling for the visitors and other servants to leave the room.

For the longest time, Anne had kept a tradition of family time. Every afternoon, barring actual invasion, Anne spent two uninterrupted hours with family, to lunch, play, and visit. And she had kept with it.

"But your mother would be very happy to attend," she finished opening her arms.

Vicky jumped into them for a hug, a kiss, a cuddle and a tickle, very happy.

"Thank you, momma," she said. " And thank you, my Empress."

"And it is a short distance," said Mihai, handing off the other children to Anne as the nurses also retired.

"We shall ride."

"We," said Anne, wondering if this was supposed to be an Imperial 'we', a group 'we' of the entire family on horseback or something else.

"Well, you and the other girls in a sensible motor car. I shall ride a grand horse, and Vicky shall ride with me."

Vicky clapped at the treat, as she loved horses and would start riding a pony by herself soon.

Her father was accomplished equestrian, and riding with him was always nice. He held out a hand to placate his wife.

"A gentle, well mannered, grand horse, equipped with a sensible saddle. It is a gelding named Victor and is a Romanian Trotter."

"I have already spoken to Colonel Siyah, and the commanding officer of the 4th Roșiori regiment, so we will be well escorted."

Thus satisfied, she nodded, but also looked to Elaine. The doors had been closed by the last servant to leave, so she had become visible to the family, and had been pleasantly greeted, per usual. Having followed Anne's concerns, she gave a slight nod back, there would be no mishaps.

Lunch was started subsequently, and the family had another happy day.

 

[Zagan7]

Chapter 88. Before the Nuclear Missiles



July 1945, the Empire

In early July 1945, Wernher von Braun, the new chief of the Imperial Rocket Programme, informed the Empress that the latest tests were exceptionally promissing and missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads would be certainly available before the end of the year, possibly as early as late September. Their effective range was estimated to be anywhere between five hundred and one thousand kilometres, which would presumably allow the Empire to throw the United Nations out of the Old World within months of their effective deployment. The War was thus effectively won.

Although very positive, that development created a small problem because the next course of action was unclear. The Empress wanted to all but cease any offensive operations against the United Nations until the development of the nuclear missiles was complete, in order to save the lives of countless Imperial soldiers. The Imperial Marshals, however, insisted that the Empire continue its offensive operations, both in Africa and in Europe, citing two important reasons: the possibility that the development of nuclear missiles be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances and the possibility that the American Expeditionary Corps resist the nuclear attacks and refuse to surrender, especially in Iberia.

After long and difficult discussions, the Empress had to admit that the Marshals were probably right. Indeed, the timing was very tight, considering that the Manhattan Project would almost surely bear fruit sometime during the coming winter. Presumably, the expected small number of American atomic bombs would be too little too late to change the outcome of the War in the Old World and the ultimate victory was still guaranteed. That was not an issue. The real issue was that, if the Americans still had a foothold in the Old World, the Empire could lose cities to nuclear fire and that meant hundreds of thousands or even millions of civilian deaths, which was too painful to even contemplate.

Therefore, one week and three Crown Councils later, the Empress finally acquiesced and the Imperial military won a free hand to continue prosecuting the War as usual, until the nuclear missiles were actually ready to be deployed against the enemy. The planned invasion of Japanese-held East Asia was postponed at least until the nuclear missiles were available, as the Pacific War was considered extremely unlikely to end before that.



June - September 1945, West Africa

The West African summer campaign, although theoretically victorious, was quite frustrating, left a bitter taste and created further uncertainty regarding future campaigns. Although the Imperial and African forces deployed in West Africa dwarfed those of the United Nations, both in men and in weaponry (tanks, artillery, aircraft, etc), the lack of usable infrastructure, the horrible conditions, the enormous distances to the developed parts of the Empire and the easily defendable Allied positions contributed to a very slow Imperial advance, relatively large number of casualties (over one hundred thousand, albeit most of them due to tropical diseases) and lack of decisive battles.

By mid-September, it had become clear that evicting the United Nations from West Africa in one campaign was impossible and the Imperial and African armies were ordered to end the offensive, fortify the left bank of the Niger River (including the marshy Niger Delta and Inner Niger Delta) and wait for the end of the rainy season and/or important developments elsewhere. Obviously, the Sahel Railway would have been enormously helpful but, unfortunately, its completion was not expected until the spring of 1946.

In the Sahara, the Imperial armies advanced hundreds of kilometres westwards, against very limited Allied opposition but in truly horrendous circumstances, until reaching better defended Allied positions closer to the Allied strongholds in Morocco and coastal Mauritania. The campaign had to be stopped at that point because the disparity between the Imperial logistical train (almost 4,000 km from the Nile or 2,000 km from Tripoli) and the Allied one (about 500 km from the Atlantic Coast) had become ridiculous.



June - October 1945, North Africa

The Tunisian Campaign was difficult and protracted, with the United Nations bravely defending almost every town, hill and mountain pass and thus inflicting a disproportionate number of casualties on the attacking Imperial Legions. The lack of any meaningful naval support west of Cape Bon compounded the problem, making the campaign even more difficult. Massive bombardments and intense street fighting in Sfax, Tunis and Bizerte led to major loss of life and infrastructure destruction in those cities. Moreover, the port facilities in Bizerte were completely obliterated when the Allied detonated a very large cache of high explosives just before safely retreating westwards.

After crossing the border into Algeria, the Imperial advance westwards slowed down even more and the number of casualties mounted to almost unsustainable levels, with a couple of legions losing more than half of their initial effectives. Nonetheless, the Imperial advance was not yet called off. The Empire wanted another victory before the end of the campaign. The Algerian city of Constantine was viewed as an important price and taking it seemed possible.

The battle of Constantine was one of the fiercest in North Africa and represented one of the most severe Imperial defeats in Africa. Despite enjoying an almost two to one numerical superiority and despite reaching the eastern outskirts of Constantine, the Imperial forces faced state of the art Allied fortifications manned by well rested, well fed and well supplied soldiers, as well as a narrow but ultimately very important Allied air superiority. In the end, after almost three weeks of very heavy fighting and after losing at least forty thousand men and numerous tanks, the Empire had to abandon its plans to take Constantine and had to retreat between twenty and forty kilometres eastwards, to more easily defendable positions. The significantly battered Americans were unable to pursue the retreating Imperials, so the frontline quickly stabilized in eastern Algeria.

The Empire finally realized that reaching Ceuta by land would cost a prohibitive number of lives, if at all possible, as long as the United Nations navies controlled the Western Mediterranean. Something had to be done to weaken the Allied control of the Western Mediterranean. Mers-el-Kébir had to be destroyed. The Imperial warships, including the recently finished aircraft carriers, were safe in the Black Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean but keeping them safe cost soldiers' life. The Empire had dozens of nuclear weapons waiting to be deployed against enemy targets. And the Empire would have nuclear missiles in a matter of weeks. All the war plans had to be ready as soon as possible. So that the United Nations forces in North Africa be finally destroyed.



June - November 1945, German Reich

After the Peace of Paris, the German Reich managed to maintain a semblance of self determination for a further six months. With some hindsight, it was obvious that Germany could not remain a sovereign state for long under those circumstances, not when more than one million Imperial police officers were free to run around the Reich, investigating and arresting anyone suspected of war crimes.

The remnants of the SS were the first to be hunted down by the Empire, at first with the help of the Wehrmacht. Within one month, all those who did not leave for South America or not in hiding in the Alps, had been arrested by the Imperial police (and, thus, turned Imperial). At about the same time, the Empire also arrested the entire leadership and most of the membership of the Uranproject, of the Peenemünde missile research facility as well as those of the U-Boat arm of the Kriegsmarine, purportedly according to the Paris Peace Treaty.

When the OKW considered their position secure enough, the Wehrmacht was ordered to storm the Berlin Centre and arrest the rump Goebbels Nazi administration still pretending to be in charge of the Reich. On the 19th of June, after three days of chaotic street fighting, the last Nazi defenders of the Reich Chancellery surrendered and the Wehrmacht took control of the entire centre of the German capital. Goebbels was found dead in his office, but the majority of his supporters were taken prisoners by the OKH, only to be later transferred to Imperial captivity.

Reichspresident Rudolf Heß did not appear to fully understand the situation and the OKW allowed him to keep using his office, until new elections could be organized. The Empire accepted that arresting Heß served no purpose and he was left to his own devices, albeit under strict surveillance, both German and Imperial. Obviously, Heß' authority was non-existent and the post of Reichspresident was usually considered to be vacant. However, in rare occasions when something was thought important enough to need his signature, Heß duly affixed it.


After the SS was no longer a danger, the Empire turned against the Gestapo and the Abwehr and then against the medium-tier and low-tier levels of the Nazi Party leadership, which included most if not all of the civil servants of the Reich at the Land and local levels (cities, towns and villages). Soon, the Reich became completely ungovernable, despite the Wehrmacht's attempts to take over the crumbling administration in some sort of poorly planned and even more poorly realized military dictatorship.

By early October, increasingly large parts of the Reich were de facto under Imperial control and administration, with the Wehrmacht remaining the only German organization not under Imperial control. On the 14th of October, the Empire unilaterally declared that the Wehrmacht was also guilty of numerous war crimes against Imperial and Russian citizens and asked the OKW to allow the Empire to investigate and arrest generals and officers suspected of having commited war crimes. When Rommel tried the "they were only following orders" defence, the Empire bluntly replied that that defence was not even taken into consideration.

Two very tense weeks followed, during which the Empire arrested thousands of officers and generals of the Heer and Luftwaffe and a much smaller number of admirals and officers of the Kriegsmarine. In many occasions, individual officers or generals asked their troops to defend them, which frequently resulted in open conflict with the Imperial authorities, up to and including localized but unrestricted warfare which, in several cases, even included use of warplanes, heavy artillery and tanks.



11-23 November 1945, German Reich

When the number of Imperial casualties in the random confrontations with Wehrmacht units exceeded ten thousand, the Empire issued an ultimatum to the OKW, asking it to demobilize the Wehrmacht and then dissolve itself. The Empire also announced that, regardless of whether the ultimatum was heeded or not, the Imperial Army would cross the borders into the Reich to assist the Imperial Police in taking the war criminals into custody.

The OKW discussed the Imperial ultimatum for two and a half hours before concluding that any resistance was completely futile. The ultimatum was accepted in full, the OKW asked the Wehrmacht to demobilize, then Rommel resigned and the OKW dissolved itself, thus putting an end to the last independent German organization.


The following night, millions of Imperial soldiers from the Netherlands, France, Italy and the Empire began to pour into the Reich over its mostly undefended borders. About one third of the Heer and one tenth of the Luftwaffe refused to demobilize and offered sporadic and uncoordinated resistance to the Imperial Army. Numerous officers and many generals went into hiding or attempted to flee the country, usually unsuccessfully.

In less than two weeks, all organized resistance ceased all over the Reich. On the 23rd of November, Reichspresident Heß was asked to resign, which he promptly did. Less than one hour later, the Empire announced that, until further notice, the German Reich was placed under Imperial military administration and the Empire assumed full authority on the entire territory of the German Reich.


From then on, the already rather limited and mostly ineffective resistence against Imperial rule (especially in the Alpine Fortress) decreased steadily until it remained nothing more than a nuissance.

The Wehrmacht was quickly remobilized and integrated into the military structures of the Empire. The German economy was integrated with the Imperial one, the addition of the still relatively performant German industry being especially welcome.



May - July 1945, Latin America

While almost everybody (including Anne) understood that Latin America was, more or less, the United States' playground, not quite everybody did.

Although (so far) the Empire had no means and no desire to directly interfere in Latin America, President Truman was convinced that there was a real danger of an Imperial involvement in the Americas. And, as it frequently happens, that nearly paranoid fear almost turned into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The crisis was started when the United States began to mention the dangers of an Imperial foothold on the American mainland, to be countered by the so called Hemispheric Defence, where all American countries were supposed to be (increasingly) tightly allied within the already existing framework of the United Nations.

At that point, there were only three Latin American countries which were still neutral: Ecuador, Argentina and Paraguay. American diplomatic and economic pressure was enough to convince Ecuador to join the United Nations, but Argentina only reluctantly relented when important effectives of the US Navy entered the Rio de la Plata estuary in a show of force. The American heavy handed tactics reached their target but managed to enrage a large part of the Argentinian population and further alienate numerous people in various other Latin American countries, with the possible exception of Brazil, which was constantly the most important and stable American ally in South America.

The situation in Argentina became increasingly volatile, with large scale demonstrations threatening to bring down the government of President Ramón Castillo. Desperate to defuse the situation, President Truman blundered again when he unofficially slipped that the United States was going to ask the United Kingdom to consider selling the Falkland Islands to Argentina. The unexpected announcement did calm down most of the Argentinian demonstrants and strengthened the position of President Ramón Castillo but provoked stupor and anger in the United Kingdom, slightly souring the relations between the most important two members of the United Nations. Truman's further clarification that the United Kingdom was free to refuse to sell the Falklands failed to make anyone happy.


In that tense geopolitical situation, Paraguayan dictator Higinio Morínigo, supported by a large portion of the population, delivered a bombastic speech in which he categorically refused to join the United Nations and insisted on maintaining the full neutrality of Paraguay.

Normally, the position of Paraguay would have been completely irrelevant, because Paraguay was a small and poor country, with a small and ineffective military and, most importantly, landlocked. There was absolutely no way, not even theoretically, in which the Imperial Army could reach Paraguay. That should have been obvious to anybody. There should have been no crisis and certainly no war. But, when everybody is paranoid that the Empire is coming to get them, everything has the potential to escalate. And Paraguay did escalate, quickly and lethally.



August - September 1945, Paraguay

Apparently, Truman wanted to use powerful but peaceful measures to convince Morínigo of his error but the situation rapidly slipped out of control when a gigantic purple scare suddenly erupted all over the mass media, both in the United States and in most of Latin America. Soon, millions of irate and scared citizens, convinced that Morínigo was going to join Paraguay to the Empire and thus bring the disease to the American mainland, were energetically asking their governments to do something and eliminate the threat.

And the United Nations did something. It was certainly not the best course of action but their people felt better, they felt that their leaders cared for them and their feelings, cared to keep them safe from the dreaded Imperial Effect which was going to destroy their souls or something like that. The United Nations issued a 48 hours non-negotiable ultimatum to Paraguay, asking it to immediately join the alliance and the war against the Empire of the Romans and to allow United Nations troops on its territory.

As expected, Morínigo and his countrymen were incensed. Contrary to expectations, Paraguay did not fold. In fact, now, many people say that that was to be expected. Because that was the country who had once fought against three of its neighbours until ninety percent of its male population was dead. Paraguay should not have been expected to fold. And Paraguay did not fold.

On the feast of the Assumption of Mary, Morínigo deplored norteamericano imperialism, promissed to never give up on his country's neutrality and threatened to ally with the Roman Empire if attacked and ask for Imperial military help to be deployed on Paraguayan soil (which was not logistically feasible, but that was willfully ignored by everybody). Somehow, the threat to ally with the Empire was understood as to join the Empire (which was, moreover, falsely thought to imply automatic Imperial Effect, applying immediately to the entire population) and, thus, the crisis had already snowballed so much that it had become all but impossible to solve peacefully.


The United States declared war on Paraguay on the 16th of August, citing mortal danger to the entire Western Hemisphere. Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay and most other Latin American countries followed suit within hours or days. The United Kingdom and the British Dominions, as well as the smaller United Nations members from outside the Americas, were not involved in what was called a purely American matter. Argentina did not officially join the war, but it nonetheless allowed the US Air Force to operate from its territory.

Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay and the United States invaded Paraguay with overwhelming force on the 18th of August. Paraguay asked the Empire for help, which was politely refused, citing insurmontable difficulties in transporting Imperial troops and materiel across the Atlantic Ocean and four hundred kilometres of enemy territory. Moreover, the Empire opined that the strategic position of Paraguay was so bad that holding the position, even against half-hearted enemy attacks, was completely impossible. Paraguay was on its own.

The outmanned and outgunned Paraguayan army began to collapse within days. Morínigo unilaterally announced the accession of Paraguay to the Empire but he was deposed and executed shortly afterwards by his own men. The Empire did not even comment on the supposed accession and Paraguay was never considered an Imperial State by the Imperial authorities or shown as such on the Imperial maps.

Less than one week after the start of the invasion, Asunción fell and any meaningful resistance disintegrated during the following week. A rump Paraguayan government signed an unconditional surrender on the 30th of August and the remnants of the Paraguayan Army surrendered on the 2nd of September. The last military action of the short conflict was fought a couple of days later and the entirety of the Paraguayan territory was shortly placed under the control of the United Nations.


The United States and Brazil wanted to make an example out of Paraguay, to hopefully forestall any possible future defection from the United Nations and to cow the anti-UN parts of the population into submission. Needless to say, but the second part of their plan did not work as expected.

Paraguay was dissolved on the 11th of September, the country ceased to exist and the Paraguayan citizenship was abolished. The entire area west of the Paraguay River (almost co-termimous with the Chaco Boreal, more than half of Paraguay's area but only about 3% of its population) was given to Bolivia and the rest of the country (including the capital and most of its population) was annexed to Brazil as the Federal Territory of the Paraguay River (not a Federal State) and was placed under military rule. Argentina had also been offered a part of Paraguay, but it wisely declined to annex any part of it.



October 1945, Latin America

The Catholic Orthodox Church (usually called the Imperial Church inside the Empire), with its temporary headquarters in Argentina since the fall of Rome, consistently spoke against the war and criticized the United Nations' invasion of Paraguay. By then, the Americans were already sure that the Pope and most of the leadership of the Church were in collusion with the Empire and the criticism of the Paraguayan War was viewed as the last straw. Arresting the Pope was taken into consideration but, in the end, cooler heads prevailed and the Pope and other Vatican officials were simply asked to leave United Nations territory.

On the 3rd of October 1945, after almost one year of exile, the leadership of the Catholic Orthodox Church left Argentina and returned to Rome. Conveniently forgetting that it was them who had told the Pope to leave the Americas, the United Nations declared the Catholic Orthodox Church seated in Rome an enemy organization and forbid it to carry on any activity (function) in the member states of the United Nations and in the territories controlled by them (basicly making the Church illegal).

All Catholic dioceses from the United Nations member states were officially detached from the Catholic Orthodox Church and made part of a newly (re)formed Catholic Church seated in São Paulo, Brazil. A Papal conclave was quickly gathered and Brazilian Cardinal Jaime de Barros Câmara was elected (Anti)pope. The strictly politically motivated schism provoked a great amount of animosity, especially in the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America but also in Brazil, the United States and the United Kingdom. It is estimated that over three quarters of the priests (and about as many parishioners) rejected the schism and continued to view Pius XII as their rightful Pope. Overt protests were limited (and usually forcefully broken by the authorities) but the simmering discontent and hostility of the Catholic majority of the Latin American countries remained a serious problem.



26 November 1945, London, United Kingdom

A single Imperial missile fell less than two hundred metres from the limits of the City of London, partially wrecking the roof of a small building due to mechanical forces alone. There was no explosion as, instead of the expected warhead, the missile only contained a five tonne lead sphere covered in stainless steel. And, around the sphere, an ominous phrase was carefully etched: A nuclear bomb weighs only four tonnes. It represented the start of the threat of nuclear annihilation. And the Great Imperial Offensive in the Western Mediterranean commenced just five days later. As the Empire had to hurry, because time was running out.

 

[Zagan7]

Africa
October 1945
Previous maps from this series: September 1940, June 1941, November 1941, August 1942, March 1944, August 1944, October 1944, January 1945, May 1945.

​

Orange Line: Frontlines in May 1945.

 

[Zagan7]

Latin America
October 1945
Compare to OTL (see below)





Latin America
1944 (identical to OTL)

​

.

 

[Zagan7]

Chapter 89. Decisive Victories



28 November 1945, Panama Canal Zone

The United States Coast Guard stopped a Haitian ship for the mandatory check-up prior to being allowed to pass through the Panama Canal. L'Inquisiteur was a rather old and relatively large yacht, which was currently sailing under wind power, despite having been recently fit with a very large and, frankly, quite odd-looking petrol engine. The ship's owner, Serge Bellepois, was a relatively well known Haitian entomologist who was then on his second trip to the Galapagos Islands to study whatever endemic bugs roamed there (which US Navy Captain Bob Hartford viewed as a bizarre and useless but harmless hobby).

Captain Hartford and his men cursorily checked the already known ship, noting that it had no cargo besides the necessary supplies for the three weeks trip and some high quality filming equipment (deemed necessary for capturing the small and elusive critters on camera). The small crew and the three students from the Port-au-Prince State University of Haiti had their papers in order and no potentially invasive bugs were found alive on the premises. Captain Hartford (who was less racist than most of his countrymen) chatted a couple of minutes with Professor Bellepois, before giving L'Inquisiteur the green light to enter the Panama Canal.

Later that day, a couple of hours after sunset, Colonel Harris was informed that the Haitian yacht failed to pass the Gatun Locks and was slightly incommoding naval traffic at the locks. A team was quickly dispatched to investigate the ship and found it abandoned. The American sailors began to manoeuvre the ship to pass through the locks into the Gatun Lake, which allowed ample space to store the ship safely until the investigation was concluded.

However, at 21:56 local time, a 29 kilotonne nuclear explosion vaporized the Gatun Locks, drained most of the Gatun Lake into the Sea and covered the Atlantic side of the Canal in radioactive fallout. The losses in men and ships were relatively low but all traffic through the Panama Canal ceased completely for an unknown but presumably long time. The Americans would have to use the Strait of Magellan (or to double the Cape Horn) to move their ships between the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans.

The crew of L'Inquisiteur was apprehended two days later in the Panamanian jungle. Some of them broke under questioning and revealed that they were not Haitians but Imperial Africans from French-speaking Gabon. Apparently, they had trained for that mission for more than one year, that is since before the Empire had nuclear weapons. Professor Serge Bellepois was alive and well in Port-au-Prince and he had no particular interest in the Galapagos insects and no knowledge of having been impersonated on two different occasions by Gabonaise operatives. No connection to actual Haitians was found. The investigation continued for years but its findings were never published (officially due to being top-secret; actually because the affair was very embarrassing). The Empire published a report of the operation in 1949 but the United Nations deemed it a complete fabrication. Nonetheless, it was a good read if treated as a spy novel.

The brazen attack, the first Imperial strike in the Americas and the first on what was arguably United States soil, had major consequences, not only on the American logistics and trade but also on public morale as the implication was clear: You are not as safe as you thought to be. It is argued that, together with the nuclear threat against Britain and the catastrophic defeats in Africa, as well as other events (see the rest of the chapter), the loss of the Panama Canal contributed to the United Nations' decision to put an end to the fighting and leave the Old World to the Empire.



26 November - 17 December 1945, United Kingdom

At first, the British authorities kept the panic under control by explaining the very large unexploded missile as a dud. Of course, while forbidden, Imperial Radio broadcasts were widely listened to and, while not completely believed, rumours about an impeding nuclear apocalypse started to circulate within hours. The British media (under war-time censure) and the British government tried to calm down the increasingly restless population but, by and large, they failed.

When, a few days later, the Imperial nuclear missiles began to rain down in the Maghreb and elsewhere with catastrophic results, maintaining censorship became impossible. The cat was out of the box. Churchill delivered a speech in which he claimed that the Empire would not target British cities unless as retaliation so, as long as the United Nations refrained from destroying Imperial cities, they ought to be safe. Shortly, Churchill was widely and openly ridiculed, both in the House and by the British public.

The British people suddenly realized that they could be killed by the millions, at any time, with complete impunity, with absolutely no means of defending against the missiles. That was coupled with six years of near continuous defeats, with major national humiliations (such as the successive scandals involving their hitherto beloved Monarchy), with the almost complete loss of their Colonial Empire and Great Power status, with an economic collapse so bad that all out bankruptcy was only averted by massive and continuous American aid and with a clear realization that the War was not only completely unwinnable but clearly lost.

In that catastrophic situation, almost any hope for a better future melted and the morale hit rock bottom. However, many British subjects reacted not with depression but with rage. Impotent rage against the horrible situation, against the Empire who wanted to kill them and destroy their country, against God who had deserted them, against the Americans who dragged them further into that madness, against everybody and everything. But soon their rage coalesced against their government, for it had been their politically and military leaders who had dragged them head first into that untractable mess and had insisted that the war be continued beyond what was reasonable and even sane.

But the public rage against their government was not impotent, for the people who had no means to harm God, the Empire or the United States, did have the means to bring down their government or force it to call for terms and end the war. Braving possible enemy bombardments as well as the policemen's batons, thousands of people took to the streets in various British cities, calling for the resignation of Churchill (as Regent and as Prime Minister) and for the end of the war (peace at any cost which preserved the liberty and independence of the country).

At first, Churchill tried to shut down the protests (citing war-time safety measures regarding public meetings) or ignore them, but the quick and catastrophic defeats in North Africa, followed by the utter collapse of the British Expeditionary Corps, turned the very difficult situation into an impossible one. As if gasoline had been poured on the fire, the demonstrations swelled from thousands to tens of thousands and even hundreds of thousands of people (in London) and the comically outnumbered and overwhelmed police talked of a real threat that the incensed participants might start to storm public buildings and bring forth a revolution.

In those conditions, on the 7th of December, Sir Winston Churchill resigned from all his positions and retired. Churchill was replaced as Regent to three years old Queen Victoria II by her uncle, Prince George, Duke of Kent, the youngest son of the late King George V (after Edward VIII and George VI, who had abdicated, and Henry IX, who had been assassinated). Prince George, acting as British Regent, immediately accepted the resignation of the Churchill Cabinet and asked Labour leader Clement Attlee to form the new government.

After minimal discussions in the Parliament, the Attlee Government was sworn in on the 10th of December. A few hours later, the United Kingdom announced that further prosecution of the war serves no purpose and asked for terms. Negotiations with the Empire started immediately. The Americans were not happy but, by then, they were already aware that the war was lost and that keeping the British in the war was impossible and, probably, even counter-productive (as they were already thinking of a way out themselves and it was certain that the Empire would not stop fighting until Britain was not, at the very least, successfully neutralized).

A ceasefire between the United Kingdom and the Empire was signed the following day (the 11th of December) and a follow-up armistice took Britain out of the war one week later (the 17th of December).



1-22 December 1945, Worldwide

The military campaigns which finally broke the Allies' will started on the 1st of December and were over in just three weeks. It was a monstrous endeavour, in scope (the Maghreb, the Western Mediterranean, the Pyrennes, the Atlantic Ocean, West Africa, Madagascar, the Indian Ocean and even the mainland United States), in realization (seventy-three nuclear missiles, millions of men, thousands of tanks, tens of thousands of military aircraft and most of the Imperial Navy), in brutality (unprecedented rate of destruction and loss of life) and in consequences (the almost complete destruction of the Allied forces in North Africa and the Western Mediterranean and major defeats elsewhere, which prompted the United Nations to ask for a ceasefire, thus cementing the Imperial control of most of the Old World).



1-22 December 1945, North Africa and the Western Mediterranean

Operation Y started in the early hours of the 1st of December with a massive rocket attack on Allied-held Algeria from bases in Tunisia and southern France (which was near the end of the 800 kilometres operational range of the Imperial missiles). Twenty-two nuclear missiles obliterated military targets, troop concentrations and logistical hubs as well as the most important harbours, including Mers El Kébir (near Oran) and the port of Algiers. While most of the hits were airbursts, which produced limited radioactive fallout, one of the two missiles which hit Mers El Kébir was programmed to explode when it hit the water surface. The blast sank most of the Allied ships and hurled large amounts of highly radioactive sea water on the port facilities and the surviving ships, coating them in a deadly layer of radioisotopes (which made them unusable).

In a matter of hours, the Allies had lost almost all their naval assets in Algeria (representing about half their total naval strength in the Mediterranean), as well as more than two hundred thousand soldiers and large numbers of tanks, aircraft and other military hardware, with their entire position in North Africa being severely compromised.

While the Allies were still dealing with the aftermath of the disaster, the Imperial Army attacked on the entire breadth of the frontlines, destroying the disjointed remnants of the Allied military formations encountered and bypassing the sites of nuclear blasts. The Empire failed to take heavily defended Constantine for a second time but managed to quickly advance westwards and placed it under siege.

At the same time, the Imperial Navy, including three aircraft carriers, entered the Western Mediterranean, engaging the severely understrength remnant of the Allied Mediterranean fleet. A major naval battle was fought near the entrance in the Alboran Sea, which ended in the first major Imperial Naval victory and forced the remaining Allied warships to take refuge in Gibraltar or leave the Mediterannean altogether.

The Imperial Navy followed the Allies into the Alboran Sea, apparently seeking a follow-up battle. However, that was not the case because, when in range, three nuclear missiles were launched against Gibraltar from an aircraft carrier. Gibraltar was almost completely destroyed, with almost total loss of life (only military, as there were no civilians there during WW2, both in TTL and in OTL) and all warships present there were either sunk or rendered unusable. To complete the destruction, the Rock itself was partially melted by the heat and parts of it were destabilized and collapsed on the network of caves beneath. For all intents and purposes, Gibraltar ceased to exist.

The few remaining Allied warships crossed into the Atlantic and the Empire achieved total naval supremacy in the Mediterranean. The Imperial carriers, now stationed in the Alboran Sea, deployed a further nineteen nuclear missiles against Allied naval and military targets in Morocco, including against the harbours of Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca and Agadir, important transport hubs around Oujda, Fes and Marrakesh and various other military installations and troop concentrations.

By the 7th of December, the Allies had lost access to the Mediterranean, most of their Mediterranean fleet, about half a million soldiers (killed, injured or sick) and untold numbers of tanks and other military hardware. It was a military disaster of unprecedented proportions. Moreover, the destruction of all major ports and many transportation hubs created a situation in which adequately supplying the four million strong Allied force now virtually stranded in North Africa had become all but impossible (as the only way of suppling the troops was by air from Iberia or the Canary Islands).

Faced with sure defeat and possible famine, many soldiers and several units surrendered at the first contact with the Imperial Army. At the same time, millions of healthy, well-rested and well-supplied Imperial soldiers with excellent morale were advancing westwards at an incredible rate, destroying, capturing or encircling entire Allied divisions. It was then when the resignation of Churchill made clear that the United Kingdom was going to leave the war. A few days later, even prior to the signing of the armistice with the Empire, British troops from the Iberian Peninsula and elsewhere started to return home.

Normally, at that point, the Americans should have asked for terms or, at least, for a ceasefire. However, remnants of the political will to go on, coupled with the (unfounded) belief that the Empire could not have too many atomic bombs left in stock, made Truman wait for a further two weeks.

During the following two weeks, the North African campaign went on as expected, with a steady Allied retreat towards the Atlantic and a relentless Imperial advance, punctuated by mostly one-sided battles, decisevely won by the Empire.

Algiers fell on the 11th, Oran was encircled on the 16th and Oujda fell two days later, thus nearly completing the conquest of Algeria and bringing the first Imperial soldiers on Moroccan soil. Despite being helped by the Imperial Navy, including at least four successful landings, the Imperial westwards advance slowed down and neither Ceuta nor Fes were reached before the ceasefire.

Further south, the Imperial Army took most of the still Allied-controlled parts of the Sahara in an almost uncontested march westwards, then overran large but sparsely inhabited areas of central Morocco before finally reaching the Atlantic Ocean between Ifni and Agadir. None of them fell, despite being unter sustained attack for days.

The Americans understood very well that holding Morocco was impossible but, after the loss of most harbours, an evacuation was all but impossible. Unless the Empire allowed them to go home, four millions UN soldiers would become prisoners of war. In those very difficult conditions, President Truman announced that the United Nations were ready to negotiate an end of the conflict and Imperial and American diplomats met in Oslo on the 20th of December. A partial ceasefire was signed just two days later, which stopped the fighting in the Old World, giving the diplomats time to work towards a more definitive solution to the conflict.



1-22 December 1945, Europe

No bombardments against the United Kingdom took place, allowing the British people to demonstrate against their government (and, eventually, to bring it down).

The Empire did not mount any attacks on Sardinia, Corsica and the Balearic Islands, preferring to have those islands hopelessly trapped in an Imperial Sea, the Mare Nostrum.

Thirteen nuclear missiles were fired against the Allied fortifications in the Pyrenees, which largely collapsed, both in the west (Basque Conuntry) and in the east (Catalonia). The Imperial Army crossed the Pyrenees against significant resistance and fought several large scale battles in Catalonia against the retreating Allies. Most of Catalonia was eventually captured, including Barcelona, but the advance in the Basque Country was modest.

At the time of the ceasefire, the Allied position in the Iberian Peninsula was difficult but still far from collapsing (although the end result was not in doubt).



1-22 December 1945, West Africa

The Empire used a further eleven nuclear bombs to break the Allied defences along the Niger River, in the western Sahel and in central Mauritania.

Most of the still Allied-held parts of Mauritania were swiftly overrun and the Imperial Army reached the Ocean north of Nouakchott, which was under attack but held.

Large parts of West Africa were overrun after the collapse of the frontlines, with the Allied forces quickly retreating towards the relative safety provided by the coast. The Empire took the rest of Mali, Upper Volta and parts of Guinea, Ivory Coast, Gold Coast, Togo and Dahomey. The southernmost course of the Niger River (including its delta) could not be crossed and Lagos remained under Allied rule for the time being.

On the 16th, the Americans decided to evacuate the Allied forces from West Africa before further Imperial strikes destroyed the West African harbours (as it had already happened in the Maghreb). With no easy means to interfere with the evacuation and because the difficult terrain favoured the outnumbered defenders, the Empire decided to slow down the advance towards the coast and let the evacuation proceed almost unimpeded. On the 22nd, the evacuation was still in progress.

Nominally independent Liberia left the United Nations and declared its neutrality, hoping to avoid conquest. The Empire did not even bother to respond.



1-22 December 1945, Atlantic Ocean

After the near complete destruction of the Allied Mediterranean Fleet, the Imperial Navy sailed into the Atlantic, both to take advantage of the short term local superiority (to sink more Allied ships) and to attempt to launch nuclear missiles on various important military targets on the American mainland.

The Americans quickly scrambled a fleet in response to the large Imperial fleet which had exited the Mediterranean into the open Atlantic. An inconclusive battle was fought just west of the Azores and the Imperial fleet continued westwards after losing several ships and sending back others, including a damaged carrier.

During the following days, the two fleets harassed each other, mainly using naval aircraft, until a second major naval battle took place closer to the American mainland in the evening of the 19th of December. The battle ended in a clear American victory, with most of the decimated Imperial fleet forced to scatter in a desperate attempt to reach the safety of the Mediterranean. Luckily, the Americans didn't follow them, because protecting the American coast was infinitely more important than sinking more Imperial warships.

One of the three Imperial carriers had been damaged in the Azores battle (and had returned home for repairs) and a second one (undamaged) sailed back after the loss of the West Atlantic battle. The third carrier, Biruința (The Victory), was seriously damaged and its chances of reaching the Mediterranean were considered low. Therefore, Biruința pressed forward and, before sinking in a massive rain of enemy fire, it managed to fire three of its five nuclear missiles towards the United States East Coast. The remaining two unexploded nuclear bombs and over one thousand of its 1,800 crew ended on the bottom of the Atlantic together with the ship.

The first missile was aimed at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Virginia. It scored a direct hit, completely destroying all the facilities as well as the hulls of the ships being built.

The second missile was aimed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine. The facility was slightly out of range and the missile hit the open ocean some thirty kilometres short of its target. High waves hit the shipyard minutes later, splashing mildly radioactive sea water all over the naval facilities and ships stationed there. There was no direct destruction but the shipyard was closed for a cleanup for a couple of months.

The third missile was aimed at the Pentagon but missed by almost two kilometres, exploding over the adjacent Arlington National Cemetery. Dozens of buildings in Arlington were destroyed and about three thousand people died in the blast but the damage to the Pentagon was minimal (mostly broken windows), so it was safely reopened a couple of weeks later.

As expected, the shock was profound and many people were hysterical, furious or subdued in the aftermath of the missile attack. Although no further attacks were possible at that point, the Empire had clearly shown that hitting the mainland United States was within its abilities. Even more troubling was the fact that a missile could have hit nearby Washington D.C. to kill tens of thousands of people, including senators, congressmen, members of the government and, possibly, President Truman. Therefore, following the attack, the Americans devised detailed plans to scatter parts of the establishment throughout the vast interior of the country and/or quickly move the president and other important officials to newly built nuclear bunkers. It was the beginning of the atomic scare.



13-22 December 1945, Madagascar and the Indian Ocean

The Imperial invasion of Madagascar was very much a sideshow, with its only purpose being to have a reason to claim it in the expected negotiations. With most of the Imperial Navy busy in the Mediterannean and the Atlantic, the United Nations enjoyed a solid superiority in the Indian Ocean but Madagascar was so large and close to the African mainland that successfully protecting its entire western coast was difficult.

After two failed attempts, the Empire finally managed to land troops in a remote and forested part of Madagascar and establish a solid foothold against limited resistence. Because of the Allied naval superiority, the Empire had lost numerous ships with thousands of men and precious supplies, so continued support was only delivered by the Imperial Air Force from then on. It is debatable whether the Empire would have succeeded in conquering Madagascar against an easily augmented Allied resistance. In any case, the Oslo Ceasefire turned those concerns moot.

Limited naval warfare took place in the Mozambique Channel, around the Comoros Islands, with a half-hearted Imperial landing attempt on the Grand Comore being easily repulsed by the Allied defenders (mainly Australians). No further military actions took place afterwards in the area, with the exception of the usual bombing raids. No nuclear weapons were used in the Madagascar / Indian Ocean campaign.



23-30 December 1945, Constantinople, the Empire

Citing gross human rights abuses against the Black population (real) and violations of the 1944 Peace Treaty (alleged), the Empress asked South Africa, in a public broadcast, to surrender its sovereignty to the Empire or face immediate invasion. Despite the recently signed Oslo Ceasefire between the United States and the Empire, the South African government approached the Americans for consultations. After President Truman unequivocally answered that defending South Africa was likely impossible and not even under consideration, South Africa informed the Empire that is was ready to negotiate a surrender which guaranteed some degree of personal and economic safety net for the White minority, including a general amnesty. The Empire accepted the South African request, in principle, and the negotiations started the following day.

Citing gross human rights abuses and heinous crimes against the Chinese and other occupied nations (real) and the development of biological and chemical weapons of mass destruction (also real), ready to be deployed against the Empire (alleged), the Empress asked Japan, in another public broadcast, to surrender all of continental East Asia (except Korea, Kwantung and Malaya) to the Empire or face immediate invasion. Less than two hours later, Japan declined the ultimatum. A further three hours later, the Empire declared war on Japan, Mongolia and Thailand (as the other members of the GEACPS were rightfully viewed as puppets). The Imperial invasion of East Asia was scheduled to start on or shortly before the New Year's Eve and the defeat of Japan was planned to take three months.

Citing its past as a Roman Province (Raetia) and its current status as an enclave deep inside Imperial-controlled territory (correctly deemed unsustainable due to the Imperial Effect), Switzerland was asked to choose between voluntarily joining the Empire as a single Imperial State or being split among its neighbours. Faced with impossible odds, the Swiss Federal Government declared its willingness to surrender but asked to hold a referendum as it was customary in Swiss politics. The request was duly granted and a hastily organized referendum yielded a 56.9% majority favouring a peaceful accession to the Empire.

During that period, the Empire published plans concerning the Accession of Western Europe to the Empire, including a proposed splitting of the larger countries (Germany, France, Italy and Spain) into several smaller Imperial Federal States (with the stated reason being fairer representation into the Imperial Senate, as it had already been done with Ukraine). In the same document, it was also stated that the accession of Russia and Africa would have to wait an undisclosed amount of time (for which no official reason was provided but possible economic reasons were strongly suspected).




Yes, I know, this chapter leaves a lot of unanswered questions. As always, you are welcome to speculate. The contents of the armistice with the United Kingdom, of the ceasefire with the United States (and the rest of the United Nations) and of the accession negotiations with South Africa, as well as the territorial reorganization of Western Europe and the start of the Imperial invasion of East Asia will be presented in the following chapter, which will be posted soon. More maps, as well as some statistics and other data, will follow soon afterwards. Be assured that the story will not end at that point, but its pace will quicken.

 

[Zagan7]

Africa
22 December 1945
Before the Oslo Ceasefire with the United Nations
Previous maps from this series: September 1940, June 1941, November 1941, August 1942, March 1944, August 1944, October 1944, January 1945, May 1945.

​

Orange Line: Frontlines in May 1945.

 

[Zagan7]

Europe
22 December 1945
Before the Oslo Ceasefire with the United Nations
Previous maps from this series: September 1940, December 1944, January 1945, February 1945, March 1945, April 1945, May 1945.

​

Note: The map depicts the proposed splitting of large Western European countries into smaller future Imperial States, as well as proposed changes in the Iberian Peninsula.

In case anyone is wondering, the naming convention is very much intentional. The names of all parts of Germany (for example) must end in Germany. Because they are and they will remain Germany, which is only administratively split for electoral reasons. But it's still Germany.
Moreover, the names were (more or less) chosen by the locals (and the location of some of the internal borders as well). For example, during the initial consultations, Anne had suggested Occitan France but most locals preferred Southern France, refusing to have the word Occitan in the name of the new Imperial State.