Hello, and welcome to an interactive after-action report of a game
of Kaiserreich, which is an alternate history mod for Darkest Hour,
a grand strategy game set during the 2nd World War and early Cold War.
In this AAR, I will be taking control of a country of your choice, and
guiding it through a world in flames as various factions strive to forge
their own new world order. As our country faces important decisions and
dilemmas which will shape the future of the world, I will be asking you,
the readers, for crucial advice and guidance. So, let's get started!



Country selection

The world of Kaiserreich differs from our own timeline in several, huge ways.
I'll be explaining the histories of the major countries we're going to choose ours from.




European powers

German Empire
Deutsches Kaiserreich

The sound of artillery and gunfire finally died down on the Western Front after
three and a half years of attritional warfare in March 1919 when the Reichswehr
forced the surrender of the Third Republic of France. Following a collapse of the
Entente frontlines, the German army marched towards Paris and the Loire Valley.
After occupying the proud nation, these hardened veterans quickly subdued most
of Northern Italy, and later reinforced the Ottoman Empire, securing their
hegemony in the Middle East. In 1921, a "peace with honour" was finally secured
with the British, and the 7 years long Weltkrieg had finally ended.

Not everything was well within Germany though - 7 years of war had pushed
her population to the brink of starvation, German industry stagnated following
the war as demand was slashed and the government costs mounted as they
were forced to subsidise conversion back to domestic production.

In 1924, Grand Admiral von Tirpitz became Reichskanzler and his policies started
a golden age of German Weltpolitik, bringing the economy under control through
market regulation, subsidising food imports with money gained from reparations
and the sale of technology to Germany’s allies and client-states. Tirpitz’s hugely
successful regime culminated in the well-executed occupation of British colonial
possessions following the outbreak of the British Revolution and the establishment
of Freistaat Mittelafrika, created along with the Allgemeine Ostasiatische Gesellschaft
in order to reduce the full powers of colonial governors.

However, since the Grand Admiral’s death in 1930 things have been going downhill
for Germany. A general slowing of the world economy is decreasing industrial output
and national income as other nations recover their manufacturing power, and
growing nationalism in Germany’s eastern clients is starting to cause tensions as
both populations and governments begin to drift away from the Reich. The Kaiser is
getting old, and so is the welfare state put in place by Bismarck himself, and if
Germany has never been so powerful, it has never had such heavy burdens either.


Federation of Communes of France
Fédération des Communes de France

The Third Republic ended the way it began: defeated by German arms, and facing
Communist revolution at home. In November of 1919 a revolutionary general strike
was called by the CGT, paralyzing the country and causing the downfall of the
bourgeois government. "The Party of Order" was not strong enough to put an end
to the unrest and in the following months the "Establishment" were forced out of
France by a coalition of leftist forces in a brief but brutal civil war. For the past 15
years the self-styled "Commune of France" has united behind a common platform of
Syndicalist-Socialist consensus, headed by the ruling Comité de Salut Public.
However, by 1936 the consensus that was resolved to rebuild the shattered country
and defend the fruits of revolution from foreign menace is deemed as outdated by
many critics, and there is a growing call for more radical policies. France is increasingly
confident in its security and in its mission, but the French revolutionary tradition is varied,
and it is unclear precisely which strands shall become dominant in the years to come.


Union of Britain

After the defeat of France the United Kingdom’s war with Germany dragged on
inconclusively for two years. In 1921 the stalemate was finally broken when
Lloyd-George agreed to General Ludendorf's proposal for a "Peace with Honour".
Under the terms of this treaty it was agreed that Britain would acknowledge Germany's
gains from the war, whilst Germany would respect the Imperial possessions of
the remaining Entente powers of Britain, Japan and Portugal. However, while Britain's
overseas territories remained largely ordered and intact, the faith and support of the
people in the Home Islands did not. In 1925, disaster struck: a minor labour dispute in
the coalfields of South Wales quickly escalated after troops were sent in to restore order.
Following the French example a General Strike was called by the TUC, and when the
‘government of national security’ sent orders for military action to quell the unrest
many troops deserted to the side of the strikers, which was accompanied by
a major naval mutiny. After six weeks of rioting, looting and pamphleteering on
a massive scale the Royal Family were evacuated to Canada, followed by most
of the country's leading politicians and large property owners. Following the ejection
of the ‘Establishment’ a provisional government of revolutionary groups dissolved
both Houses of Parliament, and declared that political authority in the new
‘Union of Britain’ would pass to a new Congress of Trade Unions. The British people
are currently secure on their island, content to build socialism in political and
economic isolation, protected by the strong Republican Air Force and Navy,
and with each county protected by its own popular militia who act both as
a reserve military and the new police constabularies. Yet, with the world seemingly
ready to erupt into chaos, many are starting to wonder if Britain has a duty to
spread the revolution to her former colonial territories. After all, the Monarchists
in Canada cannot be allowed to plot against the Union indefinitely.


Russian Republic
Республика России

At the Congress of Omsk in April 1919, the White Generals agreed to form
a united political front behind Alexander Kerensky and the remaining forces
of the Provisional Government. The united White forces, joined by the
Republic of Finland, made considerable gains, but the Red Army was still
too strong and well placed, dominating the Russian industrial heartland and
transportation networks. But soon the German empire, fearing the success
of a dangerous ideology, decided to intervene on behalf of the Whites in
exchange for the recognition of the treaty of Brest-Litovsk. By September 1921,
both Moscow and St. Petersburg fell to the White forces and a new Russian Republic
was established in the old Imperial capital of St. Petersburg. For the past fifteen
years the leading parties, the Social Revolutionaries and Kadets, have governed
in an uneasy coalition under Kerensky, maintaining their power through electoral
manipulation and a lack of serious political opposition. But Russia is becoming
increasingly unstable, and other political forces are growing, and considering
that it is now time for a change, so that the country may once again
assert its power in the world.


Austro-Hungarian Empire
Österreich-Ungarn
Osztrák–Magyar Monarchia

Although Austria was on the winning side of the Weltkrieg, the war’s
main impact was to reveal the Empire’s significant weaknesses and utter
dependence upon Germany. Over the course of the 1920s one disaster
followed another: the Emperor Karl died in 1922 causing the throne to
pass to his 10 year old son Otto. Austrian industry collapsed in face of
competition from German manufactures, while the quarrels of the Czechs
and ethnic Germans in Bohemia nearly pushed the Empire into civil war.
Finally, the humiliation of having to call in German mediation to resolve
the deadlock of the Ausgleich negotitions in 1927, which resulted in the
concession of autonomy statutes given to Bohemia and Galicia, seemed
to signal the end of Austria as a Great Power. However, many feel that
there is new hope for the Österreich - now that the Emperor Otto has
come of age and the terms of the ‘Great Compromise’ are to be renegotiated
at the 1937 Ausgleich next year. Could this be the time for Austria to throw
off her shackles of dependence on Germany and reassert the
power of the Habsburg dynasty over her Empire?





American powers

United States of America

Throughout the 19th century the USA remained of limited importance
to the Great Powers, despite her powerful position in the Americas,
an attitude that was re-enforced by America's policy of isolationism and
adherence to the Monroe Doctrine. The staunch isolationist position of the
country was almost changed in the early 20th century thanks to the
outbreak of the Weltkrieg, due to German ‘belligerence’, particularly with
regards to its unrestricted U-boat campaign against Britain, which had the
affect of pushing the US towards the Entente powers. However from
mid-1915 (after the sinking of the Lusitania by a German U-boat),
Germany chose to change this policy in an attempt of reconciliation- the
move succeeded and the USA remained out of the Weltkrieg as a combatant.
Unfortunately for the United States, German victory in the war and the
consequent revolution in France led to an over-reliance on Britain for trade,
which collapsed when the Home Isles descended into the chaos of their
own revolution. In the decade since these events the USA has struggled
economically as Germany extended her domination around the world and
sought to protect and expand her own economic power. The nation
struggled diplomatically too as President after President chose to maintain
isolationist policies, and this has led to the USA being regarded as
a ‘nobody’ in international politics, making it even harder for her to get
a foothold in foreign markets. On top of these troubles the regime now
faces mounting internal dissent and a political polarisation in parts of
the country- with the 1936 presidential elections drawing ever closer.
The long established Republican-Democratic domination is now being
challenged by two groups - the Combined Syndicates of America and
the America First Union. With a mounting crisis at home and a complete
lack of prestige overseas things are not looking good
for the United States of America.


Dominion of Canada

Canada saw a quick economic rise through the combined impacts of the
transcontinental railroad (completed in 1885), shipping, industries and
settling in the West. The dominion supported Great Britain during the
Boer War and the Weltkrieg, but due to her remote location she was able
to avoid serious penalties in the resulting peace, and Canada seemed set
to continue as she always had. However, when the collapse of royal and
parliamentary authority in Britain in 1925 resulted in the royal family and
central government of Britain fleeing to the country, Canada has been set
down a different path.Slow industrialisation funded by the old families
of Britain and the maintenance of trade links to the US have allowing it
to avoid some of the economic decline seen in other nations outside
German influence. There is some dissent growing amongst the Canadian
population about the presence of the British exiles increasing political
dominance and the fixation of Canada bending towards being the means
towards their aim of ‘liberating’ Britain. The spread of such sentiment has
however been slowed by propaganda against the left and encouraging
a strong and restored Commonwealth, seen as a means of returning to the
economic and political securities of the 19th century.The political situation
with regards to the newly created Union of Britain remained tense over the
next decade but neither side was prepared or able to escalate matters into
open warfare. By 1936, however Canada's navy continues to grow rapidly
in strength, and some amongst the Royalist faction are beginning to suggest
that the time has come for direct measures to retake the Home Islands.
With the possibility of this being a feasible goal growing with each day,
war seems inevitable.





Asian powers

Empire of the Great Qing
大清國

After the proclamation of the Chinese Republic by Sun Yat-Sen in 1911
and the separation of numerous provinces throughout China, the Qing dynasty,
installed in 1644 by the Manchu clan Aisin-Goro, was removed a year later
by the Imperial Edict of Empress Dowager Longyu bringing the abdication of
the Child Emperor, Pu Yi, then six years old. The Chinese Republic stood despite
anarchy and some attempts to restore the Chinese Empire, namely the
short-lived Empire of general Yuan Shikai (1916) and a twelve days-long
recrowning of Pu Yi by warlord Zhang Xun (1917). In the 20’s, German Chancellor
von Tirpitz, fearing that a Chinese Civil War would bring instability in Asia, decided
of an intervention in China. In a few months, German colonial armies controlled
Eastern China and divided the country in two zones : the south under administration
of German companies, the north under a restored Qing Empire ruled by collaborationist
native politicians. Former emperor Pu Yi was reinstalled as Gongde Emperor.
The Qing Empire is now a shadow of its former self: it lost its dignity as an
independent country, its economy is in the hands of the German trusts,
and even its legitimacy is disputed, challenged by Shangqing and their puritan revolters...


Greater Japanese Empire
大日本帝国

While the 'Peace with Honor' guaranteed Japan's rule of her overseas territories,
most importantly Korea, the situation in Japan was already critical well before the
end of Weltkrieg. Japan's once booming economy had turned to ashes immediately
after the collapse of France and the gap between social classes continued to widen.
Starting with the Rice Riot of 1918, the later period of the Taisho Era (1912-1926)
witnessed severe economic crises and social conflict. Also one of the greatest
natural disasters in human history happened, the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923,
which was then followed by an anarchist rebellion influenced by France's syndicalist
revolution. After a failed attempt on Regent Hirohito's life by a lone anarchist,
martial law was declared for the first time in Japanese history. General Tanaka Giichi
(1864-1936) formed a cabinet with support from the Genro and Seiyuhonto
(splinter groups of the Seiyukai), and then introduced the Peace Preservation Law
which symbolized the Draconian rule of Tanaka. However, with collapse of the British
Empire and with the economic depression in America, Japan's export-led economy
continued free fall with no end in sight. 1926 saw a series of massive bank closures
at home and German military intervention in China. As Tanaka was incapable to protect
Japan's interest in China or stabilise financial system, the weakness of his rule was exposed.
By April of that year, the two main opposition parties, Seiyukai and Kenseikai, formed
a coalition and and started so-called 'the 2nd Movement to Protect the Constitution'.
With popular support for the opposition and Prince Regent's indirect intervention,
Tanaka was forced to resign. The coalition cabinet was formed, marking the beginning
of democratic governance, universal suffrage and party-based cabinet.
The coalition however, collapsed over the issue of intervention in Manchuria.
Prime minister Inukai Tsuyoshi, and his Seiyukai cabinet, was determined to support
Zhang Zuelin, the Warlord of Manchuria in an attempt to alleviate or resolve a number
of economic difficulties, and prevent a complete German domination of China.
On June 4 Japanese troops crossed the Manchurian border and quickly occupied
all of Manchuria. Further advances were halted however due to diplomatic pressure
emanating from Berlin. Nevertheless the success of the campaign helped to solidify
the strong position of the military, most of whom felt the way forwards was to seek
further conquests elsewhere. The chaotic year of 1926 ended with the death of
Emperor Taisho and his son Hirohito assumed the throne. The next nine years saw
mild economic recovery and peaceful political developments. Japan in 1936 is poised
to extend her empire, with Germany's dominance of the world appearing to be in
decline the Japanese look greedily at both the remaining Qing Chinese territories
and the German pacific possessions.


Go ahead and post your opinion on which country we should choose to rule.
Also feel free to ask questions about the scenario, the game, and everything.