Revolution,Maple Leafs,Chry
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Revolution, Maple Leafs, Chrysanthemes and the Eagle By Beer (and special Thanks to Adler 17 for his contributions) PoD 1: The PoD that starts all is that in TTL 1848 the uprisings and Revolutions erupt with more force and become more widespread as the result of some early successes. In several cases the nations stand on shaky legs. Prussia as one nation hit hard by the Revolution sends a delegation to the Paulskirche Parliament with the young Rising Star Bismarck part of it. Bismarck is against the uprising, but after some time in Frankfurt sees the chance to use the Revolutionaries to give Prussia the top position in Germany. He marshals all his influence (he is well connected to the King´s court) to lobby for a Prussian acceptance of a to-be-modified Paulskirche constitution. Prussia thinking seriously about the Paulskirche proposal gives the Revolutionaries all across Europe hope and fresh drive. New revolts pop up or already began ones keep their momentum. Bismarck succeeds and after some gruesome negotiations on second May 1851 a united Germany is born. Several states close to Austria, despite the public opinion internally pro- Unification, decline to become part of Germany. But the more severe strife created TTL saps more of Austria´s strength and during the rest of 1851 and early 1852 all German states beside Austria join Germany. When Sardinia-Piemont with French help begins her Quest to unify Italy anew, overstretched Austria begins negotiations with Germany about what to do. To win time for negotiations and to stop a French allied Italy emerging, Germany and Austria help Guiseppe Mazzini´s Roman Republic. (OTL the Republic was smashed by the French protection of the Papal state, TTL France has other things on her plate first due to the stronger Revolution) While on the Italian peninsular a Civil War goes on, Austria and Germany try to find a solution for the trouble both nations have. In March 1853 they find it and after some tricky treaties Hungary becomes independent but closely allied to Germany. The Austrian half of the Empire (except Dalmatia and Galicia which become Hungarian, but with Burgenland gained from Hungary) accedes into Germany on the second birthday of the united Nation, creating Großdeutschland (Greater Germany). In 1857, both sides of the Italian unification war are war weary. France and Germany, who have other more important (for them) matters at hand, begin joint mediating and on New Years Day 1858 Italy is united. PoD 2 : In the 1860ties the growing Power of Germany was met with wariness by some circles in Britain, who wanted to preserve Britain´s position as THE Great Power at all costs. In 1864 it seems the time for testing Germany is ripe, when the Danish-German war erupts after Denmark tries to absorb Holstein fully. The British Government, under the weak in foreign matters PM Lord Palmerston, in a hipshot action backs the Danes. But the decision soon turns out to be rash and ill-advised. While Germany´s outnumbered small Navy does not even think about doing more than some coast patrolling against the Royal Navy, the British Army, lacking enough preparation time and fighting against the strategic genius of Moltke, march into an unmitigated disaster. At a battle near Flensburg the British-Danish forces experience what TTL historians often call “Second Waterloo”. The war is soon over after Flensburg. Bismarck, in his quest for stability in Europe, takes all of Schleswig and Holstein (Germany gives Denmark a small part of North-Schleswig back in 1952), but leaves all Danish Colonies in Copenhagen´s hand. The problem is peace with Britain. Germany never wanted war with Britain in the first place and has no means for bringing her superior land forces to the Isles. The German Navy is no match for the Royal Navy. So a rather tame treaty is a must and even the wish of Berlin, since Germany does not want Britain as a committed foe. On the other hand, the British land campaign was a disaster and resulted in a noticeable Prestige hit. In the “Great Game”, this meant Germany needed some spoils of war to show the world and her populace. Bismarck, as almost always with a feel for the best outcome in foreign matters, wanted Heligoland. Losing it would not hurt Britain in a serious way, while it could be shown as a token of victory and did improve Germany´s strategic position in the North Sea. But the new British Government tried a political play, adding a new chip into the pot. A “chip” called Rupert´s Land. See text below: Germany came to her first colony like the proverbial virgin to a child. Some circles in the British Empire, wanting to preserve her position as Great Power Number One no matter the cost, were wary about the German Unifications, but in the turmoil of the revolution years Britain had no chance of intervention. The time for intervention and testing the Unknown seemed to come when the 2. German-Danish War erupted 1864 after Denmark tried to absorb Schleswig and Holstein fully. The decision to back the Danes on short notice and the aftermath was much lamented for decades and the nickname of then Premier Viscount Henry Palmerston, “Lord Firebrand” became a curse in England. On sea Britain had no problems, the German Navy kept hugging the coast and ports, knowing their chances in open battle against the far more numerous Royal Navy. On land however, the British army, thrown into the fight with too much haste and after a string of mistakes in the gathering, experienced the most severe loss of the 19 th . Century. The scale of the disaster at Flensburg surprised even the commanding German Generals von Moltke and von Wrangel, who beat the British-Danish forces most masterfully. Many historians speak of this battle as the “British or Second Waterloo”. The fighting ended soon after, only some small skirmishes were fought until armistice. In the case of Denmark the proceedings were fast. The Danes lost all of Schleswig and Holstein, they could keep their colonies, but had to accept after the peace negotiations with Great Britain some “rest stops” on Iceland and Greenland for German ships on the Canada route. At the conference with England the problem was how to proceed. Germany had clearly won on land, but had no way to reach England with enough forces, so a negotiated and rather tame peace was a must. On the other hand Britain had lost the land war so miserably a white peace was not in the cards, the world public would not allow it and too much Prestige was lost at Flensburg. Bismarck did not want to make Britain a committed enemy, but after such victory he needed some tokens for the public eye and the other Great Powers to show. Both sides knew it would be a pain to find a solution the 2 nations could live with. It was one of those sentences only having impact at a special specific time in history, which brought Rupert´s Land into the “haggling”. Britain, in the hope that Germany would soon tire of this “conquest” and would be able to get it back from the “Jerries”, literally pushed the undeveloped, far away region into Germany´s lap. London would give Heligoland, which Bismarck wanted as a showcase and Britain could live without, only if Germany took Rupert´s Land as well. It would be a political gamble and a cheap way to peace for Britain. The new British Government, after the Flensburg debacle Lord Palmerston was history, wanted to get back as much international standing as possible. They admired Bismarck´s deft proposal. Loosing Heligoland would not hurt Britain in ways that mattered and Bismarck got the token he needed without creating bad blood. Adding Rupert´s Land in out of own volition, Britain would score points everywhere for her Magnanimity in “defeat”. Despite grandiose looking on paper especially after some embellishment by the British diplomats, Rupert´s Land was basically worthless in it´s present condition. Developing it would be a long, stony road measured in decades, not years. And costly decades at that! The plan was easy; Britain would get lots of prestige for her “sacrifice”, while burdening Germany with a foreign policy stone around her neck. There was even a betting pool established in the British delegation, how long Germany would keep “Rupprechtsland” (the German Name for it) after it became publicly known how undeveloped it was. While the more well-educated in Germany knew this, the public there and in other nations as well were blinded by the British propaganda. Soon the Germans would have a dilemma. Either they kept a grandiose looking, but expensive if one wanted to develop it, Colony or they sold it to someone. Selling it would mean a Prestige loss for Germany and a Prestige gain for Britain, since the Sell would show British superiority at the green table. In the eyes of the public England would have her “lecture”, while it was not really the case. First, Rupert´s Land was more or less company owned, so while looking like Britain lost territory, it was nothing truly important. Second, Germany would have problems with the region considering the travel circumstances. Third, with so much land, no matter it was practically wilderness doted with some outposts, changing hands, Britain would escape costly reparations, because for the public eye it was enough. Bismarck knew what the British tried to do, but the situation was a mess.