The German Century (Old)

Howdy everyone! I hope you are doing well! Well, I decided to get this out of the way. While I do have two sets planned, this plot bunny kept kicking so I unleashed it. Basically, my thoughts on what if the Central Powers won WWI? Namely, Germany doesn't invade Belgium so Britain, Japan and US doesn't get involved in the war. So kinda like Mittelmachte by RvBOMally , though with a different outcome.

Remember to comment, review, speculate and all sorts of fun stuff!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Historical Background

The Great War… the war to end all wars. Many people grew to see it as inevitable over to Europe yet no one knew who would win. And whoever would win could benefit greatly. But no one had any idea just how much Germany would come to benefit from this. When the Germans entered the war, they took time to revise strategies and do everything in their power to make their lives easier in the Great War and this includes doing everything to avoid Great Britain going into war. They focused their efforts in crushing France alongside Austria-Hungary while the Ottomans would spend time wearing the Russians now and once they secured victory, the Germans and Austrians proceeded to help their Ottoman allies in defeating Russia. All while Germany walked a tight rope in order to avoid warring with Great Britain. Eventually, the Mittelmachte triumphed over the Entente. France lost valuable land to the Germans while they were stripped of all of their colonies, divided between the members of the Mittelmachte, all while various new states were formed from Russia.

From the ashes of the battlegrounds, the German century was born in 1915.

However, while the war was over, Germany’s troubles were not resolved yet. Tensions were still running high in Austria-Hungary, eventually forcing Germany to place troops in to reinforce order. Furthermore, they assisted in reforming Austria-Hungary into the United States of Greater Austria, after the deceased archduke’s plans. Despite initial setbacks, the nation managed to stabilize and become a multicultural hub. The Ottoman Empire meanwhile focused on quelling the Arab rebellions in the peninsula though with mixed results. Germany then proposed to them a plan; the Germans will claim domain over the Arabian Peninsula and colonize it in a similar manner to British India. In exchange, the Germans would grant the Ottomans France’s former North African colonies. The Ottomans agreed and due to the shared history and culture, the Ottomans had a much easier time with the North African domains while the Germans tamed Arabia. Both parties grew even more powerful with the discovery of oil in Arabia, granting them vast amounts of wealth. The wealth brought in change to the Ottomans, forcing them to further modernize. This included having to grant independence to some of their vassal states in Europe, but they got some financial compensation from the Germans, so it was worth it in the end. Meanwhile, German Arabia also provided a boon in assistance to the humble Darwish Sultanate, who had been a big help with them, especially in keeping an eye on the British.

While fortune favored the Mittelmachte, the same could not be said for France nor Russia. The bitter loss was handled poorly in France, with tensions high and more radical groups rising to power. But, any plans for vengeance gained little popularity since France lost two wars and some were beginning to wonder if imperialism was worth it anymore. Stability was maintained, but a fragile one. However, Russia was not as lucky. The loss was the final straw for the frustrated Russian people and the various groups, including the Mensheviks, exploited this to lead the Russian Revolution. After all, there was increasing resentment and frustration toward imperialism, as it led the Russian people into nothing but suffering. After months of conflict, the Romanovs were ousted somewhat peacefully from power and the Russian Republic was born. Consisting of the Duma, they competed against the Petrograd Soviets, but over time, the various socialist groups took power and reformed the Republic into the Social Soviet Federation. While they remained out of foreign policies for the most part, the Social Soviet Federation did provide aid in the form of food and such to their French ally. This led to an upsurge in the popularity of socialism in France.

The British remained neutral to the war, but barely. The Germans were careful not to anything that could antagonize the British into joining the war alongside the French. However, they still send some support to the French and helped deal with the financial fallout the French went through with loans and so on. While initially not happy with the German victory, nonetheless they pursued economic ties with them, especially with the growth of the German Empire. While technically on good terms, they also were fierce economic rivals, especially with how much of Europe was under the influence of the Germans. Despite the tension, the somewhat quick victory of the Central Powers meant that there was not as much violence or bloodshed. Yet, war did change forever. Trench warfare had left mental scars on some of the people and while German pride was at an all-time high, there was still cause for some reforms and help the returning soldiers. It would be these reforms that would lay the transition for more democratic governments in Germany, especially as conflicts would arise between the generals and the Kaiser.

Meanwhile, in the United States, German immigrants celebrate their German heritage and leads to a greater bit of diversity within the nation. They have not known wartime for a while and thus their future is impacted. The Roaring Twenties are defined by bootlegging, jazz and the greater societal discontent over economic advantages. In fact, someone have heard of what Russia had done and they began wondering if socialism was all that bad to begin with. However, despite this, it seemed that matters would still be dandy for the American population… until the Great Depression. A combination of stock market crashes and a drought in the Midwest led to the rise of unemployment and the end of the good vibes brought up by the Americans. While the rest of the world wasn’t affected, they did share some sympathies and did cause them to look toward their own economies and agriculture. Socialism’s popularity rose as many began blaming the economic policies as well as Hoover’s unwillingness to do much. However, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s election did spur plenty of public projects to help put people to work and pay higher wages to try and jumpstart the economy, making him a popular president.

However, the world would once more see trouble once more. Japan seeing Germany’s rise to power along with the fall of France led to a rise in imperial aspirations, especially with economic troubles and the rise of militancy. The Second Sino-Japanese war would begin once more. As they began achieving victories in their campaign against China, they eventually ended up in conflict against the Social Soviet Federation. After all, they were still a rather agrarian society and they lost the previous war. Despite being anti-war, the SSF were still not to be messed with and allied against Japan in what would be known as the Pacific War. Despite the numerical advantage, the Japanese still managed to fare well against the SSF and China due to its technological advantage, especially with its purchase of surplus military equipment after the Great War to add to its own. However, the Japanese’s fear of potentially being stopped led them to commit increasing acts of paranoia, the worst one being the bombing of Pearl Harbor of the United States. It was both a pre-emptive and retaliatory strike for the US embargo due to the Japanese horrors on China and the Philippines as well in the fears to strike before the US would join. Rather than keep the US down, it awoke the sleeping giant.

FDR declared war on the Japanese in 1939. US factories were converted for the construction and creation of planes and ships, the economy going into overdrive. However, while the US did keep up with the military technologies due to trade with the Germans and British, they were still lacking when compared to the other Great Powers. To that end, they sought out trump cards or secret weapons they could try and develop. The first of these was Nikola Tesla’s teleforce device. While it did not initially work as intended, it paved the way for the first railgun, to be installed on a large ship. The second was Goddard, whose experiments with rocketry have gotten notice through accident, especially with the possibilities of rockets being used to stop planes and bomb from far targets. The rocketeer was invited into the government and his rockets became weaponized overnight. Several models were developed and quickly used by the Americans against the Japanese. Beyond that, the US created several programs to encourage the sciences and technologies, including hiring several people abroad to help develop any secret weapons. From the Germans such as Werner Van Braun and the British such as Alan Turning and Frank Whittle, many were hired to help develop various weapons against the Japanese, with Goddard’s rockets becoming the most successful.

The Russians and Chinese allied with the Americans, forming the Allies against the Japanese Empire. Brave American men settled on the trenches and experienced the brutality of modern war while they took back Japanese-occupied lands in Russia and in China, all while ships would carry rockets to launch and planes would fly to deliver their payloads. Unlike the relatively quick war of Europe, the Pacific War was a long and brutal affair as the Japanese refused to give up and accept surrender. The Russians would eventually gain rockets of their own and it did benefit the effort, but it was an arduous task nonetheless. Tesla’s T-Gun, the first railgun, would be used in the attack on the home front alongside rockets to try and get the Japanese to surrender. Blockades cut them off and eventually, the largest invasion occurred and after months of occupation, the Emperor was captured and Japan forced into a complete surrender. The year was 1949. After a decade of war, peace was restored to the Pacific.

Yet, old scars ran deep. The men who fought on the lines changed in many ways. The brutality of war had destroyed the sense of a noble and glorious war. They grew a strong sense of camaraderie with the Chinese and Russians they fought over which carried over in their later years, especially in politics and political influence. Mild socialist policies were implemented in the United States as part of FDR’s Second Bill of Rights while the United States grew extensive alliances and relationships with the SSF and China. The United States took it on itself to help rebuild China into a formidable and strong republic while Russia began modernizing with American help in order to have better chances of fighting. While the United States’ capitalist policies kept them from being truly to socialist Russia, they maintained a good friendship even if both took different paths. One of their join actions along with China was in the Kyoto Trials, trials over the Japanese military regarding the horrific warcrimes, broadcast all over the world. From the Rape of Nanking, to the horrible scientific experiments to their brutal treatment of the Ainu, the Japanese people were raked over the coals for their actions. The fact that all of this came from imperialism disrupted US mentality and forced long moments of introspection before vowing to fight imperialism and beginning to amend relations with the nations they formerly mistreated in Central America and South America along with other nations. Creating the League of Nations, they hoped to try and develop nations for the sake of global prosperity and cooperation, with China being one of the first to join. Meanwhile, the SSF took one step further and with the help of France, created L’Internationale, a global organization for the promotion and well-being of socialist nations. Despite the diverging paths, Russia and France maintain honorary spots in the League of Nations while America has special privileges and communications with the L’Internationale. It would be this relationship that would later be the foundation of the Washington Accords, a pact to better combat imperial ideology and its successors.

The other global powers were influenced by the war, especially by the Japanese atrocities committed and with pressure from the Americans and Russians, these powers began reflecting on similar policies. The British reformed its empire into the British Commonwealth, a powerful economic bloc for growth and development. Not wanting to be outdone, the Germans took their empire and formed the German Weltreich (World Realm). While similar to the Commonwealth, the Kaiser maintains a fair bit more sway in the Weltreich nations than the British crown did on theirs. Furthermore, the Germans countered the League of Nations with the Europameisterschaft, or the European League. A strong multination union of virutally every European nations and led by Germany to ensure peace and stability, all guided by the Germans. Meanwhile, the Ottomans had been prospering due to rich oil supplies and economic deals with the Germans. Over time, they formed their own sphere of influence, dubbed the Ummat Al-Mu'minīn.

As the halfway point of the 20th century, the world would be changed forever, dominated by these powers.

 

The World Today

While the balance of the world is kept in check through various allianced and cultural movements, few can deny that the 20th century was the German century. Germany remained to forefront in technological advancements and scientific progress though their rivalry with the Americans was one large reason in being able to do so in the first place. Space travel has become prolific, with the Space Race still an ongoing event. After all, it is an American flag out there on the Moon despite the Germans being first with satellites and a man in space. However, the race is still friendly and an American-German cooperation has been established to try and send a colony to Mars. Computers have become a common sight in households in the Digitial Age. The spirit of human progress never stopped, especially in culture. The Civil Rights movement in the US was a global transformative force and despite some setbacks, the dreams of equality within people have been met and discrimination growing further into a relic many people are happy to see gone. Besides the Space Race, the various powers are racing for the development of sustainable and practical nuclear fusion along with the ongoing development of green power.

Culturally, the world remained on the path of development and progress. Germany remains the scientific stronghold of the world and viewed as such. However, they’ve recently been expanding on their entertainment industry. After all, Germany with the rest of Europe has a rich collection of stories and mythos and the Americans‘ hegemonic dominance in entertainment have gained them plenty of cultural influence in movies, television and in video games. Tourism remains a popular source of income for nations such as France. Massive online communication networks have been established by the Germans, but perfected by the Americans, the first global collaborative effort back in the 1980s.

 

Mittelmachte

The Mittelmachte remained strong. This powerful alliance between the Central Powers have been shaping the world yet continue to push themselves extensively in their rivalry with the Washington Accords. However, they along with many other nations admit that the 20th century is the German Century. Formerly the German Empire, the German Weltreich has been the defining force in Europe and in the world the past century. After the Great War, Germany focused on the maintainance of its Empire, especially the new colonial possessions from France. However, the financial strain meant they needed to divide the territory between themselves and their allies. After the reformation into the Weltreich, they focused on developing their former colonies to be able to surpass their British counterparts. While no longer a true empire, they maintain dominance through economic policy and technological advancement. Furthermore, they’ve been less imposing on their former colonies culturally; as long as they spoke German and respect the authority of the Kaiser and the Weltreich laws, they’re free to explore thier own culture. However, German control over their subjects weren’t always the best and contemporary policy conssts on improving relations and undoing cultural damage.

The United States of Greater Austria remains the Germans‘ right-hand man. Possessing a greater cultural diversity, they tend to be the voice of cultural progression to the Germans. While there were initially tense situations, the decades of peace and prosperity have dissolved the racial tensions to create a strong multicultural state. While there are calls for greater autonomy, they aren’t taken too seriously. Futhermore, a majority of Europe belong to the Europameisterschaft or the European League. Formed as a response to the League of Nations, its purpose is for the peace and prosperity on Europe, to ensure another Great War will not happen, all under the watch of the Germans of course. For the most part, the various European nations work together. Calls to disband it are not taken seriously as the EL’s presence these past 50 or so years have been beneficial to the global peace. Of course, some debate its relevance since not every European nation is a part of it, but the Germans don’t seem too bothered by it.

Beyond the Europameisterschaft, lies the Ummat Al-Mu'minīn. Known as the “Commonwealth of the Believers“, it was established  by the Ottoman Empire after it was granted some of France’s former colonies for them to watch and develop. Rather than absorb them into the Empire, the newer regime focused on developing relations and infrastructure so they would be strong nations. The discovery of oil helepd accelerate economic growth and the Ummat have been large supporters of solar power and green technology to bring prosperity to the hotter and dryer regions of the land. The Ottoman Empire is no longer the sick old man of Europe, being reborn into a powerful force in the contemporary world. Currently, it is seeking to expand its influence and has been in talks with Germany to see if German Arabia could be granted some status in the Ummat while also looking to expand to the other Islamic-majority nations. The other nations have been in support of this, having been undergoing their own renaissaances of culture, such as Libya have been doing well for themselves, relying on the oil trade, but expanding into tourism. The Darwish Sultanate in particular has been doing well for itself with its trade to German Arabia and it has been improving relations with Ethiopia as well.

 

The Washington Accords

Created as a response to imperialism, the Washington Accords are a pact between the League of Nations and L’Internationale. They initially had more hostile relations toward the Mittelmachte for their imperial practices and even after the reformation, there were tense moments as they viewed their system as merely a new form of economic imperialism. Despite this, the two powers have been improving relations.  The League of Nations, led by the United States of America, founded the Accords to ensure better cooperation. An old idea by President Wilson, it was revived by President FDR as a global society for the benefit of all of humanity. Many lower and disenfranchised nations saw it as an opportunity to grow and development as well as to escape European hegemony. Since the Pacific War, the Americans have been devoted to a better world and championing the ideals of freedom and euqality across the world. They have maintained a strong funding of the arts and sciences to keep up with the Germans while also serving as the entertainment hub of the world though other nations have established their own “Hollywoods,“ especially China. Currently, the Americans have been expanding their new “green cities“ over in the Midwest while gradually building ties with Japan once more. They’ve also been trying to deal with the Brazilian Empire, whom while amicable and not a troublemaker, is ambitious and can be a bit of a burden for the Americans to deal with. Beyond that, the Americans have been trying to get a European nation in the League of Nations to better reperesent the world. However, besides the honorary inclusions of France and Russia, the only other one is Switzerland, and even then, that is also an honorary seat.

The USA’s loyal companion and Eastern counterpart, the Republic of China has also been undergoing its own swell of good times. Having rebuilt after the Pacific War, the Chinese have proven to be a powerful producer of goods and a country of rich culture and history. While a bit mroe left than their American neighbr, they are still quite close allies and China enjoys a good relationship with them and the League. Recently, it has been serving as a newer source of entertainment, with the populated animated Journey to the West  being popular worldwide. China also maintains a fair bit of companies with their own brand of fast food being regular competitors to McDonalds on the global sector. Other League nations have also been growing well. Iran has been growing greatly and has been experienced a resurgence in Zoroastrianism in the fast few decades after a mild skirmish with the Ottomans and a desire to distance themselves from them. Mexico has been a popular tourist hub due to its lovely locations, warm people and the marijuana bars along with experimentation with shrooms. Morocco joined the League, having staved off the Germans and Ottomans long enough to do so.

On the other side of the Accords lie the L’Internationale. The global collective group of socialist or at least socialist-like states, they have been growing more influential as the rising levels of technologies allow them to futher push to the ideals of socialism. The French Social Republic has been doing well for itself in investing for the sake of sustainable technology and have managed to eliminate homelessness and most economic disparity for the most part. A large sum of money comes from tourism over the rich French history and culture and plenty of artists help the economy through commissions and outside work, with the French even launching the largest website to publish art, Artcollectif, where independent artists around the world came showcase and make money from their art. Meanwhile, the Russians maintained their agrarian socialist style of living, but have expanded their economy to include tourism and have become the new power player in the green technology revolution, especially in order to stop famines. Russia does maintain some levels of technology for military purposes. Many older technologies and ‘obsolete‘ formats tend to find their way over to the Social Soviet Federation. They haven’t been able to expand for the most part, but have been turning toward neutral states, such as those in South America or courting former colonies, such as those in Africa.

 

Neutral Powers

Despite the two superpower alliances dominating the world, there are some notable power players beyond them. Dealing with both is none other than the British Empire. While having waned in power, they are still a respectable player and they tend to focus on balancing themselves between the Washington Accords and the Mittelmachte, doing business with both. Instead, they focus mainly on their Commonwealth and growing their nations. They still get in some conflicts, such as the Ottomans still wanting Egypt in their sphere. While they remain neutral from both sides, there is an increasing urge to side with one of them. However, the British have also considering creating a third faction with the rising star, the Empire of Brazil. After the collapse of the Estado Novo of Portugal, Brazil took their former colonies under their wing, making them into associate states and through liberal policies and development, Brazil is seen as a rising star. They remind some of a younger United States and the USA itself butts heads with Brazil often. They have been considering Britain’s alliance deals, but are content with following their own path, trying to get the rest of South America under them. However, they do know that Argentina and their allies may ally with the British to counteract against them. Brazil also maintains good relations with Japan. Japan has been humbled greatly since the Pacific War and has made great strides in repentance toward not only the countries slighted, but to their own people. Having become a strong economic player in the 60s, they have been in the background for the most part since. They do a fair business with Brazil along with the Weltreich while repairing relations with the Americans and Chinese.