SDN World 3 Story Thread I

[Steve]

San Francisco, Lower California
10 May 1925


As the news spread from San Francisco Fleet Base, a crowd of people rushed to the waterfront by the Bay and along the exit to the Pacific to watch the spectacle. Small boats cleared the way and merchants obeyed instruction by radio to leave the Bay's opening clear for the procession coming.
It wasn't every day that the denizens of San Francisco were treated to the sight before them. Most of the Battle Fleet of the Cascadian Navy was leaving port, centered around the dreadnoughts of the 1st Battle Group; 12 dreadnoughts, 7 cruisers, and 18 destroyers in all were departing, with tenders accompanying. Fully half of that battle line was comprised of the current pride of the Cascadian Navy, the CRS Dauntless and her sisters Relentless, Fearless, Superb, Challenger, and Thunderer, all armed with 12 16"/50 caliber naval guns. The two other 16"-armed ships were the Magnificent and her sister vessel Chief Joseph, the latter named after the honored Nez Perce chieftan who successfully negotiated a peaceful compromise with Cascadian authorities regarding his people's land rights and opened the way for the continued good relations between the Cascadian government and the autonomous native tribes. Taking up the rear, in their own battle squadron, were the ships of the Vanguard and Australia-classes, armed with Albemarle-Obukhov 14"/52 guns.
At great expense, the Battle Fleet was being redeployed from the command of Home Fleet to that of the Pacific Fleet at Honolulu, where it would be stationed, for the time being, at Pearl Harbor. If people wanted to know why, they need only go to the nearest newsstand to see the headlines blaring their news.

"REDS INVADE MANCHURIA!"

"WAR IN EAST ASIA! RED RUSSIANS ATTACK MANCHURIA!"

"COMMUNIST FORCES ADVANCE IN ASIA!"

So the headlines blared. The next day would see them formally announce President Garrett's decision to rebase the Cascadian battle fleet at Pearl Harbor "should it be necessary".
There were other movements as well. Fresh from replenishing after their Indian Ocean cruise, the Fast Battle Squadron at Perth-Fremantle had departed again for parts unknown; the two battle squadrons of the 2nd Battle Group, under the command of Australia Fleet, were switching their station to Townsville and the dredged port there. Across the Pacific the Cascadian Navy was undergoing great activity. To what end, nobody knew.... not even the nation's leadership. Those decisions would be in the hands of others...

[Raj Ahten]

Cisplatina

Mr. Del la Vega was not a career diplomat. He was no an elected official. He was one of the most trusted men of Prime Minister Morales of Chilitina. His reputation of being a back room dealer par-excellence for the Chilitinean Conservative Party proceeded him. He was known for his direct and relentless approach to deal making. So when he got a meeting with the Cisplatinean Foreign Minister he went straight to the point after a extremely brief exchange of pleasantries.

"Sir I am not here to waste our time. I am here because Chilitina would like to make sure Cisplatina and chilitina are on the same page. Firstly, Chilitina wishes to have only peaceful relations with Cisplatina. Therefore we would like to sign a non aggression pact with your nation. Secondly Chilitina wishes for there to peace amongst the free non socialist nations with a presence in South America. To that end Chilitina recognizes Spanish claims on Uruguay against any comers. Thirdly we are concerned for your nation's safety. We know the Brazillian Communist's will not keep peace with you; it simply is not in their nature. Communists must export their revolution abroad. Chilitina is willing to join Cisplatina is a defensive alliance against Brazil if that nation attacks either of us."

Papadakis raised an eyebrow. "Ah an interesting set of proposals and claims mr De la Vega. To start with the first certainly the republic would not mind signing a non aggression pact with your nation, as we have just done with Brazil. We seek peace with both your nations after all.

Now to your recognition of Spanish claims against all comers as you put it. Please come to the window. It has an excellent view of the sea and Santa Catarina island. Do you see the two battleships anchored there close to Fort Garibaldi? They are the Jose Artigas and the Juan Antonio Lavalleja. Now would you happen to know why two Cisplatine battleships are named after two national heroes of Uruguay? Why because as it happens they are also national heroes of Cisplatina as well. And why this would happen to be so? Oh because Uruguay and Cisplatina both believed to be one country. Now politics may have stopped the union from taking place after Cisplatina broke free of Brazilian rule but the republic very much maintains its special interest in Uruguay, as France maintains its special interests in Alsace-Lorraine.

Now given that Spain took advantage of the Brazilian civil war and our preoccupation with it to take over Uruguay and that it was at the invitation of the Blanco coupists who had overthrown president Battle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_ ... B3%C3%B1ez) the republic has never de jure recognised the Spanish takeover. And we fully maintain the right to intervene in Uruguay if we think intervention is necessary. So would you care to elaborate on what you mean by "recognizing Spanish claims against all comers and how this ties to offering us an alliance in the next phrase?

"Sir, my meaning is plain. Chilitina recognizes Spanish claims in Uruguay as legal but we do not wish to have Cisplatina as an enemy or have you fall to rapacious communists, hence the offer of a defensive alliance. As to Uruguay last I checked the population at best has shown mixed support for unification with Cisplatina. Your interpretation of events in Uruguay is also debatable. Chilitina is reasonable however. If you want us to consider recognizing Cisplantinean claims on Uruguay and help convince Spain that a peaceful transition to your control is in order we'd need something in return. Specifically we'd need you to recognize the communist threat at your front door and repudiate your non aggression pact with Brazil. The communists need to be confronted, not appeased."

[Lascaris]

Specifically we'd need you to recognize the communist threat at your front door and repudiate your non aggression pact with Brazil. The communists need to be confronted, not appeased."

"An interesting proposition that. Leaving aside the concept that signing a treaty with Brazil constitutes appeasement or that peaceful coexistence is a bad thing one notes that the treaty of non aggression with Brazil was voted by all parties aside from the fringe Accion des Patriotes. What do you think that is the word of our country mr De la Vega? Something of no concern to be thrown without consequences to the four winds?"

[Lonestar]

The Gardens, The Gold Palace

"An expeditionary force? Are you serious?" Elizabeth said, as the two walked.

"No, no. Uh...I think we're going with 'volunteers'. Dear, we cannot allow the Manchus to fall. We are isolated now, if the Manchu Kingdom is destroyed, we shall truly be alone."

"How do you know the Schismatics won't take the chance to launch an attack?"

Lord Fairfax raised an eyebrow. "It hasn't hit the news yet, but a Sheppo battleship sank a Dutch freighter. It appears that they are serious about banning shipping from Communist nations in Grand Dominion Gulf."

"That isn't an answer and you know it." Elizabeth bit her lower lip. "The only reason what that madman Maximilian hasn't begun killing every...every native," she managed to use that term with dripping venom "Is because the Grand Dominion is next door, and shows slightly more restraint than them..."

"Elizabeth..."

Lord Fairfax was cut off by the sound of a MG in the distance, followed by a shudder as an explosion rocked the entire grounds. Two Dominion Knights came running out of the guardhouse. "Lord Protector! The Hindoos are rioting! We have to get you and...and your friend into the bunker!"

Sarah will be there as well. Lord Fairfax thought. Bully.

North Williamsburg


The Magliozzi H2C rolled out of the armory and parked itself at the gate. The 1st Infantry Division was stationed in Williamsburg, and had a handful of the heavy tanks assigned to them, a handful that had been in the process of being prepared for shipment with the first "volunteer" infantry battalions on the way to Manchuria. The tanks were incredibly expensive, forcing a short production run, but even the handful in the city would prove useful in suppressing the riot.

No one wanted a repeat of the 1915 insurrection, that left swaths of the country burned to cinders, and even then the suppression was successful only after the Shepistanis and Dominionites effectively called a "time out" allowing forces to be pulled off the line to bring the revolt to a halt. And even that required the use of chemical weapons.

"Alright lads." Said Captain Cavendish. "Looks like the biggest group is in Lord William Square. The police can't handle it all their own, they're reporting rifle and MG fire." Two city buses crammed with soldiers went rolling down the street. "We're just going to have to go and smack their peepees, what?"

The tank's engine growled as the driver put it in gear, turning out of the compound and heading towards Lord William square. Seven trucks and just as many armored cars followed. The little convoy had to ease through a surge of people trying to get away from the fighting, finally reaching Lord William Square after 30 minutes. A Barricade of policeman and soldiers was blocking the Dominionstrasse. Smoke could be seen rising from the Gold Palace, on the other side of the square. Someone behind a barricade under the equestrian stature of Lord William was waving a red flag.

"I say Leftenant!" Cavendish shouted to the police officer from his cupola. "The Lord Protector's palace is under attack? Why weren't we told?"

"I don't know captain! But we can't get through that crowd!"

Cavendish cursed, and looked at the structures around him. Mortars would be of little use. The mother of all intervening crests... "Right then! We're just going to have to make a go of it. Tell your men to clear a hole!" He ducked back down into the tank. "Sargeant, grapeshot." The tank(Shiva was written on it's side) moved forward and fired at the rioters near the statue, a satisfying number of them fell. MG rounds rattled off the skin of the Shiva as it led the convoy to the Gold Palace.

[Raj Ahten]

Specifically we'd need you to recognize the communist threat at your front door and repudiate your non aggression pact with Brazil. The communists need to be confronted, not appeased."

"An interesting proposition that. Leaving aside the concept that signing a treaty with Brazil constitutes appeasement or that peaceful coexistence is a bad thing one notes that the treaty of non aggression with Brazil was voted by all parties aside from the fringe Accion des Patriotes. What do you think that is the word of our country mr De la Vega? Something of no concern to be thrown without consequences to the four winds?"

"Sir the concept that there can be peaceful coexistence with communists is entirely false. They have already declared war on the free world and will stop short of nothing less than world wide revolution. In the light of the Soviet invasion of Manchuria, supported only by blatant Red lies, surely your government would be well within its rights to reconsider all its agreements with communists? Besides, since the Brazilians have no intention of keeping their word, due to their perfidious nature, any promises that your government may have made to them are of no consequence."

[MKSheppard]

Army House, Shepistan

"Sir, the Goddamns are claiming a cruiser sunk, and several bomb hits on a battleship," began Lord Fisher.

"What's the real score?" asked Maximillan.

"One corvette sunk, and a single bomb hit on Y turret of the light cruiser Raleigh."

"Have we said this yet?"

"Yessir. Had to, the moment that Goddamn state radio began lionizing the results of the battle and handing out medals."

"They continue to stick to their story, though."

"Have to. If they retract their claims; it would be an enormous loss of face for them, as well as highly embarassing to retract the medals already awarded. I believe they've already made someone a Duke over this."

Maximillan coughed. "Enough talk about the international situation. What's going on domestically?"

G. Shroom Liddy, the head of the Shepistani Public Safety Council coughed.

"Critical sir. We are getting reports of outbreaks of red-backed disturbances all over the country; and our Primate in Williamsburg reports heavy rioting there; with red flags being flown on Lord William's monument."

"Call out the Greenbacks, and have a close watch placed on native units known to have communist sympathizers. Also, issue orders for Muhammad Ali Jinnah to be terminated. He's behind this, somehow; and he's had plenty of time to think about his fate since 1915." ordered Maximillan.

[Raj Ahten]

Chilitina Condemns Communist Aggression

In light of the Soviet Unions invasion of Manchuria and communist fueled unrest in the Indian subcontinent, Chilitinean prime Minister said, "All this is further proof that the communists will stop at nothing less than world domination." The prime minister also offered to transport the two brigades of anti communist volunteers that had been raised in recent months to Manchuria at government expense and with a Naval escort. The move was approved by a narrow vote in parliament with many saying the use of Chilitinean naval units would be too provocative.

[Evincer]

Lima


Emergency Cabinet Meeting

President de la Torre had called his cabinet together as soon as the announcement from Shepistan and news of riots fuelled by a Dominion intervention reached the Bolivarian Union. The Communist Party was in disarray. As soon as they heard the news, they broke up into scattered meetings. Their chairman was abroad (what a time to have selected for the International Conference!) and most of the cabinet was scattered across the country overseeing state projects.

The Minister of Youth was the highest-ranking Communist Party minister that had reached the meeting.
"The Communist Party is agitating to send volunteers," he explained.
"They are itching to fight the reactionary impressed legions of the Sheppistani colonialists."

De la Torre knew that a number of immigrants had joined the Communist Party, having fled from Sheppistani brutality.
"That's just the Moscow-centric wing," he replied.
"The party leadership is not so quick to follow Moscow's line."

Sly, thought Rivera, he has a good knowledge of our internal party politics. He's angling for divisions within the party.
But there was more to be said.

"There are communists dying out there, fighting for the proletariat! This is becoming a larger battle, an existential struggle. It may be necessary to repel the imperialist hordes now, lest they be deployed somewhere else,"
he intoned, leaving the threat of colonialist intervention in Bolivaria unspoken.

"A great way for the Communist Party to lose its best and brightest people," de la Torre retorted.
"What will happen to a few brigades among millions of fighing men, lost in a sea of rifles, amid dusty plains and frozen wastelands. Would you commit our brave Bolivarian men to that great gusty graveyard?"

The room was silent.

Suddenly, the leader of the Popular Peasant Party, Acarapi Mondragon, spoke up,
"We do not understand why our people should be sent over the sea. Our party is against sending soldiers into the conflict."

"Well," said de la Torre, "it looks like we aren't going to get agreement on sending in any troops."

[Akhlut]

Niislel Khüree

"Khan? More news regarding the Jurchid: the Grand Dominion has issued a press release stating that they are sending volunteer brigades to aid the Jurchid."

"Buddha's teeth. Send 30% of our surplus weapons to the Soviets. Alert no one to this aid, this is to be completely secret. Put it on their trains back after they ship us grain. Send them more livestock back then usual. This issue is of utmost secrecy. Further, liquidate all Dominion bank accounts and transfer them to the government."

"Immediately, Khan Angarag."

"Also, begin flying the recon planes near the Jurchid border and use that for the artillery to aim at their positions. No firing unless they start to invade. Continue trade as normal until we hear otherwise from them."

"Of course, Khan."

------
Bayan Tümen

The great metropolis of Bayan Tümen, home to Mongolia's aircraft industry. The R&D of the upstart corporation of "Tengri's Eagle Aircraft" was working around the clock on a new bomber design to be utilized, the TEA-3 'Golden Eagle', based off of the earlier TEA-1.

[CmdrWilkens]

Communists everywhere!
Managua, Nicaragua

With the wire news services already awash with news of communist aggression in the Far East it is coming as little surprise that early investigation in to the riots in Granada have already turned up dozens of communist party members and sympathizers at the center of the protest turned riot turned near rebellion. Officials with both the Mexican government, called in to lend aid with its federal police units, and the Nicaraguan National Constabulary (Gendarmes) have refused to discuss any findings. Speaking solely on condition of anonymity, however, several senior officials have confirmed that communist plotters are believed at the heart of the agitation.

With the city of Granada still on lock down and most major urban centers subject to curfew the Nicaraguan government has requested aid under treaty terms that have seen elements of two Mexican Army Corps enter the state in an effort to help support thinly stretched guardsmen and Gendarmes. No mention has yet been made as to when this might be lifted but most residents are already bracing for the long haul and even more have been anxiously expecting additional communist interventions with the latest breaking news.

Interviews conducted during non-curfew hours....



/OOC Those damn dirty commies incited a riot, what will happen next?

[Steve]

San Francisco, Lower California
22 May 1926


Just three weeks after their May Day Parade, the Socialist Party of Cascadia was mounting another series of marches, this time in "Solidarity" with their proletarian brothers and sisters across the world "fighting imperialist aggression and oppression". News of the sinking of a Dutch steamer by Shepistani forces, which sunk the vessel and slaughtered the crew without remorse, had only intensified the desire for a march intended to show support for Russia's attempt to push back the Manchurian imperialists that were sill oppressing innocent Koreans and Celebians and for the Nicaraguan proletariat being oppressed by that nation's government and their Mexican masters.
Police did accompany the march to make sure it remained orderly, just as they did in other cities in Cascadia (the Australian states didn't have even a modicum of a Socialist presence, and there were no strong marches there). Thousands attended, some to watch, some to give support - primarily the more radical trade unions - and some to jeer. The Cascadian Nationalist Front, a pro-Mexican archconservative movement bordering on Portuguese corporatism in its proposed policies, proved especially vicious in its catcalls.
In the end, though, the march ended peacefully. The Socialists and their supporters dispersed once the march was over, taking the time to cheer the news of a Hindu uprising in the capital of the Grand Dominion; their opponents dispersed after they did. The next day newspapers would comment on the marches in passing since they were, in the end, not very exciting things, given the lack of violence.

[K. A. Pital]

Official communique from the Soviet Union to all other nations.

Manchuria has started the war and provided the casus belli by mining the rivers that the USSR uses for transport needs, and thereby causing deaths of Soviet citizens. This is unacceptable and led to the current declaration of war. The Soviet Union does not accept itself being labelled as "agressor" and any nation so officially proclaiming will be considered in conspiracy with the Manchurian imperialists, who, as we gather, have begun a total mobilization.

The Soviet Union is prepared to defend itself from Manchurian provocations, and if that requires disarming Manchurian military along the border, we shall do that.

People's Commisar for International Affairs, G.V. Chicherin.

Soviet-Manchurian war. The North-Eastern Front.

The assault advanced against the Manchurian defence lines. Here, inside the northernmost bend of the Amur, the Manchurians had brought around 300 000 men, some of them in the yet-forming and not battle-ready reserve units, in total to guard the 500 km long border; however, at the seventy kilometer wide front of the assault only around forty-fifty thousand men stood guard - and only the front lines were manned with active duty soldiers. The advancing forces outnumbered them almost three to one. The initial offensive didn't go too smooth - one of the Soviet monitors caught a mine, despite the Soviet attempts to clear out the river mouth with stripped civilian ships and barges.

But there was something the Manchurians did not know. The special heavy artillery regiments prepared massively to wage war according to Tukhachevskiy's doctrine - the Soviet Union didn't supply it's entire Far Eastern Army and the population of border villages and towns with gas masks for nothing. For that doctrine involved mass chemical shelling. The fortresses of defence line Yat and the Manchurian trenches were subdued by extremely heavy artillery fire, coupled with a chemical attack.

A pair of M-24 planes overflying the border to the East noticed the Manchurian monitors advancing upstream to the Shilka mouth; they would be there in about ten hours. Thus the commander decided to return to base and inform the command.

A hour and a half later the planes were dispatched again - this time with a cargo of mines. The wooden planes were easily damaged by rifle fire, but at the same time their primitive frames were resilient and could take quite a punishment before the machine would lose the ability to fly. This time it was the Russians' turn to use mines. About fifty floor mines were dropped from the planes into Amur some twenty kilometers away from the Shilka mouth, that took several flights to accomplish - and another set of about a hundred floating mines was released from Shilka into Amur to go downstream and destroy any careless obstacle by the Soviet forces.

Soviet-Manchurian war. The South-Western Front.

Here, where the Manchurians had concentrated around the same number of forces - 300 000, along the 1000 km wide Argun border, the Soviets had a far superior concentration at the initial breakthrough point, which was only a 30 km wide front - here the defenders were outnumbered almost ten to one, a hundred thousand men against nine-ten thousand. This, coupled with the massive artillery support gathered by the Soviet Union, and the initial bomber strikes, ensured a breakthrough.

Heavy armored trains shelled the positions, much like their counterparts in the North. But here, for the fear of hitting Hailar, the Soviet Union withheld from massively using chemical weapons.

Instead, it relied on massive numerical and tank superiority, artillery superiority, which included heavy tanks or artillery platforms of the Mendeleev design, superheavy 305-mm howitzers and heavy armored trains - as well as massive use of aviation to bomb the positions of the enemy on a very small offensive front.

This advance was overseen by comrade Blucher personally. The distance to Hailar was small, the superiority overwhelming. The USSR was certain that it would be able to take it, and take it soon.

[Ma Deuce]

HMMS Valifaty, Beunos Aires Harbour
Unreal Time, during the Freedom conference

The mighty battlecruiser lay in repose under the still night air, anchored off the sprawling cluster of lights that was Beunos Aires. Well illuminated herself, she had a commanding presence on the waterfront, with all her running lights lit and her powerful searchlights trained into the water around her. The latter was for security: It would immediately alert the guard detail of any unwanted guests, including saboteur frogmen. These guards consisted not only of rifle-toting marines patrolling the decks, but also the crews of the twin 15mm machinegun mounts situated throughout the superstructure, which were manned at all times. Normally these were intended for AA work, and with a 32 kJ punch they were almost overkill against the threats they were supposed to be protecting against tonight.

Despite their vigilance, few in the crew expected any trouble, though Captain Manamboninahitra wasn't taking any chances. Overall, it was very quiet on board. Only two of the ship's eighteen boilers were lit to provide electrical power, and almost half the crew was away on shore liberty, though with the ship at anchor, and all the guests gone since evening, most of those remaining on board had few duties to fulfill, thus tried to pass the time with everything from card games to simply lounging on the deck chatting and joking, while grumbling at not getting as much shore liberty as they would have liked. Nonetheless, Manamboninahitra insisted on keeping the equivalent of a full watch on board in case something should happen, since he was almost certain the Brazilians would pull some stunt during the conference. That meant each man had twelve hours ashore before returning for his next shift, which didn't allow all the drinking and pubbing that many had been looking forward to (no doubt they'd still be visiting the local women of ill repute). He'd increased the rum ration for the ratings as consolation, though few saw that as adequate compensation. Still, in spite of the gripes, there was no sign of insubordination, and the crew carried out their duties satisfactorily.

Captain Manamboninahitra had gotten very little sleep since arriving, and spent most of his time on the bridge or in his day cabin (where he was now), getting by on coffee and catnaps, waiting for his fears to be realized. He'd been very apprehensive about this whole trip, sending one of the Navy's most prized warships alone so far from home on a very public trip near the territory of a powerful and potentially hostile navy. Sure, the Chiletinian Navy was equally powerful, and would no doubt place the defence of their capital at the top of their priority list. But according to the latest intelligence dispatches from the embassy, virtually their entire battleline had departed it's base at Puerto Belgrano and was now patrolling off the southern Brazilian coast. Although that meant the Brazilian fleet was likely bottled up in port, it also meant that Beunos Aires had no major warships defending it, except for his undermanned battlecruiser. That was what worried him...he got up from his desk to lie on the couch for a bit to stretch his legs and rest his eyes...He must have fallen asleep, for the next thing he knew he was rustled awake by his Executive Officer. He noticed the dim pre-dawn light through the porthole, and glanced at the clock on the wall: it was just before 05:00.
"Captain? Sorry to disturb you, but the radio room has something you should see".

"What is it?"

"A radio intercept from a Chiletinian freighter. Apparently, there's a large Brazilian fleet heading this way!"

The captain cursed. "When?"

"Just a minute ago. I came as soon as I found out"

"I'm going down there"

The Captain scrambled down to the radio room with the XO in tow. When he got there, he saw all of the radio sets manned and their operators busy typing the contents of fresh intercepts.

"What do you have?" asked the captain. the chief communications officer handed him the dispatch. In it, the freighter in question had reported it's own position as well as the Brazilian fleet's approximate course and speed. "Sir" began the comm officer "we've also picked up several other messages since then. Some are encrypted military signals we've been unable to make out, but there are a few other civilian signals like this one"

"Give them to me" snapped the captain

The radioman complied, and Manamboninahitra immediately took them to the chart room. None of the staff were present, so he began to work on the charts himself. Within a minute, he had plotted the approximate location and course of the Brazilian squadron: just outside the entrance to the River Plate. Assuming a top squadron speed of 22 knots, that meant they could be right on top of him in just ten hours.

"Get the crew to their duty stations on the double, and make the ship ready to get underway at 20 knots. Also, alert our embassy and the harbormaster of our intentions, then get a hold of the shore patrol and tell them to get as many of our men back here as they can within two hours."

"Yes sir" the XO immediately turned and left. This event had been considered before they'd even left, and Prime Minister Randriana agreed that if there appeared to be any imminent danger, the captain was authorized to relocate the ship to the Puerto Belgrano naval base, about 400 nm south. Their attendant flotilla of destroyers had already gone there for routine maintenance and refueling, leaving the Valifaty truly alone. As the XO announced his orders over the intercom, the captain wondered how many of the crew the shore patrols could recall. Shore patrols were small contingents of marines who worked with the local police forces to keep track of crew on liberty, and if necessary recall them to the ship. The captain knew that could sometimes take a day, so there was no way he'd get all of them in two hours, especially with the need to ferry them from the shore to the ship moored offshore. Whoever got left behind would have to meet up with them in Peurto Belgrano later. Meanwhile, the ship sprang to life: Deck crews sprung to their duty stations, some of them getting to work pulling down the giant awning covering the ship's quarterdeck, others readying the ship's remaining launches to pick up as many of the cre as they could, the radiomen worked to send off their assigned messages, and deep in the bowels of the ship the stokers worked furiously to get all the battlecruiser's boilers lit.

0645

The last boatload of crewman that the shore patrol had collected had been brought aboard, the launches hoisted up and secured and the police and and civilian craft they'd commandeered headed back to shore. Some of them still had members of the shore patrol: They'd recover the remaining unaccounted crewmembers and have them shipped to Puerto Belgrano. In all, they'd recovered nearly 350 crewmen, though some were still too drunk to perform their duties. That gave the captain nearly a thousand officers and crew to work with. That left him shorthanded by about two hundred and fifty, but that was far more than he'd expected they'd be able to get within 90 minutes, and more than enough for the 18-hour speed run they'd planned to reach Puerto Belgrano: He'd have to give commendations to those marines on the shore patrol.

Captain Manamboninahitra figured could even fire the main guns at a reduced rate if needed. If the Brazilian navy was in a killing mood and weren't out to simply embarrass the Freedom Conference, he could easily run circles around their battlewagons, but if they tried to dispatch any cruisers or destroyers after him, a few salvos of 400 mm shells might give them second thoughts. He'd just have to be careful they didn't box him in between themselves and the south coast of the River Plate. The XO reported that the harbormaster had cleared them to leave.

"Very well. Weigh the anchors and prepare to get underway. We'll proceed at ten knots until we clear the harbour markers, then take her up to twenty at course one-two-zero"

"Aye Captain"

The anchors secured, the ship's four screws came to life as electricity began to flow from the turbogenerators to the drive motors attached to the shafts. The port screws pushed forward while the starboard shafts pulled aft, pivoting the ship around it's stern. After she had come to the desired course, all the screws began moving forward propelling the ship away from the city toward the outer markers.

0730

The Valifaty was now clear of the harbor and heading east-south-east at twenty knots. Civilian traffic was relativly light, so the captain felt it was safe to increase to maximum. After the order was given, oily smoke began belching out the stacks as the machinery throttled up to it's maximum output of nearly 160,000 shaft horsepower, and the ship pitched back slightly as her stern "dug in" to the water. Now that everything seemed under control for the time being, Manamboninahitra decided to leave the conn to his XO and go down for a shower and shave, and then breakfast. Thirty minutes later the ship was tearing forward at as many knots.

0800

No sooner had the ship reached maximum speed did they learn the the Brazilian fleet had decided to turn back. Captain Manamboninahitra was both relieved and annoyed that he'd scrambled his ship out of harbor for nothing, especially given how surprisingly smoothly that mad scramble had gone. He pondered: should he turn back to Beunos Aires, or continue to Puerto Belgrano? He briefly considered intercepting the Brazilian fleet and giving them some "salutations" since it was now clear they weren't looking to start a war today, but decided it wasn't worth the risk to approach them all alone. That, and intercepting the Brazilians before the Chilentinan navy was able to (which they'd no doubt try to as the Brazilians headed home) would embarrass the Chiletinians greatly, and he doubted Prime Minister Randriana would like that to happen to his hosts. That last thought brought him to his next idea. He scribbled a few sentences on a sheet of paper and summoned his yeoman.

"Tell the radio room to transmit this to the embassy"

0810

Malagasy Embassy, Beunos Aires

"He wants to do what?!" Prime Minister Randrdria demanded. He and his family had been staying at the embassy for the duration of the conference, since it was much closer to the conference hall than the waterfront. Last night was the first he'd felt he'd done anything useful attending the conference, having voted in favor of Morales' proposed intelligence-sharing agency. Since getting up that morning, he'd also been informed of the Brazilian fleet's presence and the Valifaty's resulting departure.

"Yes, he wants permission to make an end-run around the Brazilian fleet at full speed and attempt to rendezvous with the Chiletinian battle fleet before they intercept, then sail in formation with them as they do so" the ambassador's naval attache said.

"That's insane! I already took enough flak just for riding that ship over here, imagine if something happened to it and it's crew!"

"Sir, it's pretty clear now that the Brazilians don't want a fight, and Manamboninahitra was emphatic that this would help demonstrate our true commitment against communism better than having the ship sit in harbor doing nothing or bolting at the first sign of trouble"

Randriana ran his fingers through his hair. Manamboninahitra had a point: if it this worked it would definitely be good publicity. After a few moments weighing the pros and cons, he made up his mind.

"Alright, tell him he can start heading for the fleet. It'll probably take him over a day to reach them anyway, so I'll clear this with the Chiletinians in the meantime. If they say no, then I'm turning him around. Get me on the phone with Morales."

Meanwhile, over a hundred kilometers to the east, the Valifaty, having received her reply began edging to port. As soon as she cleared the River Plate, she would turn northeast.

Results: the Malagasy battlecruiser Valifaty scrambles out of Beunos Aires upon the approach of the Brazilian Fleet during the Freedom Conference, then upon word of their reversal requests permission to link up with the Chiletinian fleet already at sea to the north.

[loomer]

Soviet-Afghani border, Obe District,
May 1925, immediately following the announcing of war with Manchuria

Brigadier-Captain Hotaki threw up his hand and drew the infantry division to a halt as the order to stop was thrown down the line by his officers, shouting it and blaring it with trumpets, before dismounting and walking, hands raised, towards the Soviet checkpoint. "Do not shoot! Peace!" His Russian isn't so good, with a very heavy accent.

His divison, based out of the town of Obe proper, are young and restless as they sit on their horses and check their gear, looking over towards where they think Manchuria might be with a youthful desire. Fifteen thousand of them in their first ever move to a foreign land - if things go right.

"We are come for help maintain the internal peace of the Republics during time of war! I have here letter from Defence Minister! You have telegram machine here for check with Kremlin, yes?" Wisely, he keeps his hands up and his men a respectable distance back from the border as he strides.

Diplomatic Telegram for Attention of Mikhail Bakunin, the Kremlin, Moscow, USSR

Hello from People's Republic Afghanistan Defence Sub-Minister Fahad stop Sending second infantry Divison of Northern Army to border stop Division available to Soviet interests in areas of internal security and internal patrols stop Request not be used in combat with Manchurians stop.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Constantinople Times

Communist Party of Byzantium stages rally in support of the Soviet Union

The Communist Party of Byzantium staged a large rally at the Theodosian walls in support of the Soviet Union's invasion of Manchuria, under the watchful eyes of the Urban Cohort. The Leader of the Communist Party, Fedorov Patroklos, say that that the Soviet Union is reclaiming what was rightfully theirs, after the capitalist land grab that occurred nearly a decade ago. "The Soviet Union is reclaiming what is rightfully theirs. The Capitalist pigs and their support for this old land grab is repulsive." While there is no word from the palace on its stance on the matter, the palace is likely to maintain its stance of neutrality in the conflict.

[Bluewolf]

Chinese-Manchurian Border

The roads, the rail lines and the local sea lanes were a hive of activity as thousands of Chinese troops flooded through the Manchurian border. Trains full of soldiers and supplies were becoming a regular feature for the people nearby. The roads were filled end to end with tanks, trucks and artillery while ship transported munitions and other equipment. The Soviet declaration of war had finally brought the men near the border into Manchuria to aid the ailing defence forces there. A total of 240.000 (12 divisions) had been amassed who were now filling the Manchurian transport network. The men which made up 2 Corps would be split and sent to the North and West defence lines. After that a further 8 divisions would eventually be sent in. Such numbers were now a lot easier due to the second tier mobilization which allowed a further 2 million men to join the fight if needed. Some planes were even being rebased into Manchurian air fields to help with the fight while several Chinese battleships, cruisers and destroyers moved upwards in response to the fear of outside attack from another nation.

Neither Numbers nor other attackers were China’s main challenge though. Speed was. The fortress lines were already getting broken, cut off and demoralized. If they fell then the Soviet army would gain ground fast, even if they hit another line of defence. China’s army was glorious with state of the art weapons and equipment with the numbers to back them up yet the infrastructure of both Manchuria and China had limits. Even now it was getting overcrowded and clogged in some areas with lesser capacity. Transport via sea helped alleviate this problem slightly yet it did not solve it by any stretch. The Chinese army’s high command knew that time was ticking.

With a large insertion of troops through the Manchurian Sothern border underway, the Mongolian border was left quiet with 4 divisions there as a precaution. Mongolia seemed to be spooked out of providing any military aid and was still trading with Manchuria! However caution was something that was needed. The Western Sino-Russian border was one seeing more activity though with 4 divisions trickling into the area to make sure that no attack could be attempted by the USSR there. A heavy artillery brigade was on its way as well to finally cement this new force.
Soon the real fight in the war would begin.

Result:

China sends material aid, men and equipment through Manchuria, the flood gates are opened.

Infrastructure struggles with the sheer volume of men and supplies.

The Western border with Russia is reinforced.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Imperial Chronicles

Quietly, many trucks carrying lots and lots of jewelry arrived at the train depot, off loading them onto the waiting trains. Some came from donations from Byzantium, some from the Balkan Confederacy. Some were donations in the name of Socialist solidarity, some however, were in the name of Slavic Brotherhood. Most of the crates were incidentally unmarked, to avoid them getting traced. Most of the trains were over 10 years old, from both the Balkan Confederacy and Byzantium themselves. The first train moved onto the rail, and then made its way to the Caucasus, onto the Soviet rail network. The trip was to be a one way trip, and the drivers would return separately later. More trains were to follow, easily over 30.

[Thanas]

Berliner Zeitung

Chinese-German Naval Agreement revealed
Our naval correspondents had been wondering for quite some time what had been the reason behind the new activity at the shipyards of Schichau and Blohm&Voss. The Berliner Zeitung now feels confident to announce that the ships building there are in fact destined for China. Germany had previously sold China ships of the Baden class, the single most succesful Battleship class in the world (according to numbers built and sold). In the past years, German technical expertise has also been flowing into china as part of an agreement reached between the two governments in 1925. Nowadays, China has several state of the art Naval shipyards, in which mostly technology licensed from Germany is used. This familiarity, the good ties between the nations and the increasing naval challenge posed by the asian nations has apparently prompted China to once more buy German designs.

Under the terms of the agreement China will receive a license to built 2 54kt battleships and 1 40kt BC in its yards, with two more 40kt BCs being built by Blohm&Voss and Schichau Danzig, respectively. No design specifications are known to the Berliner Zeitung, but we expect them to be heavily armored and armed with 16 or 18inch guns. There is also some talk about them receiving a new torpedo defence mechanism, allowing them to survive between 15-25 torpedoes.



Scharnhorst class cruisers to be decommissioned and sold
The German navy announced today that the two Scharnhorst-class cruisers, SMS Scharnhorst and SMS Gneisenau, are to be sold, either to an interested foreign Navy or for their scrap value.



Commissioned in 1907 and 1908 respectively, each of the ships enjoyed an honorable service life, forming the German East Asia Squadron stationed in Tsingtao. In 1910 they showed the German flag on a widely-acknowledged world cruise. Each cruiser was considerd heavily armed with 8 × 8.2 in (21 cm), 6 × 5.9 in (15 cm) and 18 × 3.45 in (8.8 cm) as well as 4 × 450 mm torpedo tubes, throwing a broadside that is still as heavy or even heavier than most modern cruisers. However, with the rise of the Blücher class, the German Navy relegated them to training duties due to the longer range and better speed of the Blücher class. The German Navy announced that the ships still had about twelve years of life left and were considerd crack gunnery ships, but that the operational budget of the Navy did not permit the two ships to continue operating. The German Navy would therefore either sell the ships or scrap them and use the guns for coastal foritifications.

(OOC: Anyone who wants to have them, PM me with an offer. I am going to sell them cheap, probably about 10-20% of what a new comparable ship would cost.).


The German Navy also said that it had not decided which ship would replace the two ships as long-range cruising ships. Naval experts however pointed to the old dreadnoughts of the Nassau and Helgoland class.


Berlin, the Reichskanzlei

"Chancellor, the Soviet Union has started its attack.", Field-Marshal von Mackensen reported. Sänger nodded. "It was to be expected. What are their chances?" The Field Marshal shuffled around in his papers and then answered: "They started a war without fully mobilizing and Manchuria is receiving a lot of foreign support. Likewise, the Soviet Union has received numerous pledges of foreign support as well. The Dominion meanwhile apparently is fighting some kind of homegrown uprising in its capital."

Sänger nodded. It was to be expected that the poor treatment of the Hindus resulted in an uprising sooner or later. But as far as he was concerned, this was the Dominion's problem. "Herr Kanzler, should we blockade the Baltic sea in order to stop volunteers reaching Russia?", Admiral Scheer asked. After thinking about it for a moment, Sänger shook his head. "No, we will not. If anyone is going to act on this, it is not going to be us - unless the balance of power shifts dramatically. Gentlemen, this meeting is concluded."

After the admirals and Generals had left, Sänger poured himself a scotch. Germany would have to act very carefully not to loose influence over this. A knock on the door interrupted him and Elise entered with two lists. "Come in, please. I assume you have the list of names?" "Yes, Herr Kanzler. So far, a total of 3189 communists have asked to leave for Russia immediately to form a volunteer brigade. A russian merchant steamer is standing by to receive them."

Sänger looked at the lists. It was not surprising to see some members of the SPD on that list, but so far the low scope confirmed to him what analysts had already foreseen - that with the growing prosperity and the integration of the former Austro-Hungarian territories as well as the atrocities committed by the communist in the last war communism had lost much of its appeal for the German people.

"And the second list?" Elise handed it to him. It was much larger - and two names were highlighted. So Wanja and his younger brother are going to Manchuria. Most interesting. "A total of...6293 men, I take it." "Yes, Herr Kanzler. They have boarded a freighter in Venice and are waiting to be allowed to leave. Most of them are Russians emigrees, but there are some Germans as well."

Sänger considered for a few moments before nodding. "Let both ships leave. If some fools want to kill themselves, let them go." "Sir, should you want to have the two I highlighted depart the ship before it sails?" Sänger frowned. "The man pointed a gun at me. Why would I want to save him?" Elise fidgeted. "I just thought...he is so young and his sister-" she broke off. "And what about her?" "Nothing, Herr Kanzler. I'll go process those."

Sänger nodded. Hans had shadowed the two to their house and had arranged for their supervision by agents, but nothing suspicious had come of the afair. And as far as Sänger was concerned, if Wanja and Piotr Volkonsky wanted to risk their lifes, who was he to stop them?


Results:
- Germany and China sign Naval agreement
- The German Navy is looking to sell or scrap the two Scharnhorst class cruisers they have
- 3189 German Communists and 6293 Russian emigrees/German nationalists from Germany sail for the Soviet Union and Manchuria respectively, to form the 1st. German Volunteer Regiment (Russia) and the 1st German volunteer brigade (Manchuria).

[Coyote]

Haifa
Landing Docks
ItaliAvia Air Service








The Flying Boat was German, a Dornier Do-J, but it was in the service of the Italian passenger service. It landed, and taxied to the dock, where it was moored, the ramp extended, and the passengers disembarked. Among the small knot of passengers that emerged from the regular Haifa-Rome run were three women in colorful clothing and of striking looks. One was older, in her forties, but lively; the other two were clearly younger; University age, in fact.

"So he just dumped you like that?" one of the young women asked of the older woman.
"Like that," she said, and snapped her fingers in the air for emphasis.
"For being Jewish," the other young woman said. It wasn't a question.
"Can you believe it? The little... cagnolino," she said, eliciting giggles from the younger women.

"What caused him to be such a person?" They were speaking Italian, although one of the younger women was clearly having some difficulty with it even though she appeared to be the most 'stereotypically Italian' of them, with her jet-black hair and olive complexion. The other two were blonde and pale.

"He started listening to that bastard on the radio," the older woman said dismissively. "The one with the new radio show? The Austrian fellow."
"Oh, him," the olive-hued woman said. "ha'mamzer ha'katan..." she muttered a string of Hebrew curses, then switched to Arabic for a few more. The other women were titillated at the cavalcade of invective, and a handful of nearby passengers looked at the young woman in shock. At least one glaring parent nearby covered her child's ears.

"Si, si, that one!" the older woman said, laughing. "Everything you said is true." They reached the passport desk where the stern-faced official was examining papers and stamping them. He looked at the older woman's passport first.

"Welcome to Haifa," he said in English, "Miss... Margherita Sarfatti. Business or pleasure?"
"Well, I'm here to attend Comrade Trotsky's rally, what does that count as?" she asked, laughing. "I'll say pleasure, with option to upgrade to business if things go well." She turned to face her traveling companions. "After all, I have nowhere left in Italia anymore; maybe the University in Tel-Aviv is hiring?"
The passport official frowned, stamped her passport, and waved for the next one.

The other young blonde woman stepped forward, and got a different reaction. "Miss Montefiore, welcome back," he said, stamping her arrival. "Next!" he barked firmly.

The olive-skinned woman stepped up next and presented her passport. "Miss Na'ama Shaham, welcome back. Coming through Haifa instead of Tel-Aviv?" he said.
"I am joining my friends," she said. "I am done with Uni and have earned some fun. No calling my father and spoiling it, ken?"
"Khamuvan," the official said. He stamped her return and the women moved off, and the official wrote a note to himself to call the Tel Aviv office as soon as he had a moment.

"So, what now, ladies?" Madame Sarfatti asked. "You know the lay of the land, after all."
"Well, this is where I live," said Yulia Montefiore. "I should see my papa, tell him I'm back, but you want to head south, to Ashkelon, for the rally, si? So I will go home and see my family, and then we'll meet in the Ristorante Fiama this afternoon, si?"

"Trumpeldor Street?" Na'ama asked. Margherita had told them about it earlier; it sounded like a good place. One of the few places in the Yishuv that served proper Italian coffee, but then that was Haifa for you-- a lot of the Italian Jews came to Haifa, either to live or for seasonal visits with family.
"Trumpeldor street," the Italian woman confirmed with Yulia. Yulia Montefiore's family lived in Hiafa and were, in fact, well-known among the upper classes there. She knew the town well, whereas Margherita Sarfatti had made Haifa a frequent vacation spot in her recent past. Na'ama Shaham, however, had never been to Haifa before.

Na'ama and Margherita moved off to catch a cab into town while Yulia caught a different cab to go into the estate-covered hills nearby. Her family had a beautiful view, overlooking the town and Mount Carmel --although few other Europeans would really call Mount Carmel much of a mountain, when compared to the Alps in their backyards. Yulia came home to an excited mother and father, eager to hear about life in Italy since their last visit, almost four years earlier.

Many of the Jews that had left Italy had done so out of fear from the war with Germany, and while no one had reported any threats or problems for being Jewish --aside from the usual handfuls of anti-Semitic individuals-- they had seen the formation of the Yishuv as a sort of lifeboat, which they eagerly boarded, many never to return. It was a natural place to go that many of their neighbors hadn't had available to them, although the Monetfiore family knew people that had fled to Sicily, Sardinia, Malta, Libya and the Balkans.

"So what are your plans, now?" asked Yulia's father, Colonel Raphael Montefiore, back from his meeting in Tel-Aviv.
"Our former professor, Madame Sarfatti, is heading to Tel Aviv to see if the university is hiring," she revealed. She didn't want to mention any side trips to Ashkelon to see Leon Trotsky. "You remember that girl I wrote about that I met at the University? Na'ama Shaham?"
"I know her father," Raphael said, "Good fellow, him. You want to go down there? You just got back! What about your brother, Renato? He is being sent to Portugal?"

"Portugal?" Yulia asked, "What for?"
"He is one of our best pilots," her father said, "And the Portuguese hired a Spaniard and some others to build them some new aircraft, which the Yishuv may want to invest in. So they want Renato to go there to fly it."

"When does he leave?" Yulia asked.
"Tomorrow morning," Rapahel said. "Stay long enough to say good-bye to him, at least? We can have one dinner as a family, after so long?"
"Papa, not so much drama, please," Yulia said, smiling. "I will go to Tel-Aviv for a week and then come back. Then I can show you all my boring photos from Italia. It will take at least that long to get the photos developed, okay?"

"So, four years at journalism school and you are now the big photographer, eh?" Raphael said. "You come back here, and maybe I can get you a job with the newspaper here."
"Papa, what if I get a job with a newspaper in Tel-Aviv?" Yulia asked.
"Why you want to do that?" Raphael asked, shocked. "I can get you a great place here, in town, with your mama and me..."
"That's just it, Papa," she said, "If I get a good job here, people will always think it is just because of our family. I love you, and I love it here, but I need to prove I can do this on my own."

"Your mama will cry like a river, you know that? Her babies gone away..."
"It's not like Renato will be shacked to a wall in Portugal, Papa!" she said, "And I'll be in Tel-Aviv, if I even get the job! It is a few hours away by aeroplane, or a bit longer by boat. I will not go away to never come back!"

"Have dinner here tonight," Raphael said. "Your friends are in town, waiting for you?" he asked.
"At Trumpledor street," she said.
"Go get them, let them stay here in the guest rooms. You can go after Renato leaves, and we'll talk about this later..."










Results:
The Haifa Montefiores introduced.
Captain Renato Montefiore will go to Portugal to work on gyrocopters.
Na'ama Shaham, Yulia Montefiore, and Margherita Sarfatti will go to Tel Aviv and sneak into Ashkelon for the Communist Rally.
[OOC: More reaction to the Far East War will come later]

***

[Siege]

Al-Ahram Daily



WAR IN THE EAST!

CAIRO – Soviet Russia and Manchu Kingdom are at war. After a number of incidents in the last few months the USSR finally decided to declare war over the sinking of a Soviet river barge by a Manchurian mine. Our correspondents in the Far East have learned that Russian troops and tanks have crossed the Manchurian border in at least two locations and have begun shelling Manchu fortifications.

The declaration of war was followed by declarations of support by several countries: communist nations world-wide declared their solidarity with the USSR. The Chinese meanwhile have mobilized in support of the Manchus, and the xenophobic robber state of Shepistan has seen fit to declare the Arabian Sea off-limits to ships flying the flag of a communist nation, a clear assault on the freedom of the seas.

Despite comments on the state of affairs in Asia by the governments several prominent nations the Diwan has remained silent on this subject. “The perfidious actions of heathens and unbelievers in the remote corners of the world are of no concern us” commented Sheik Farouk Abdelnassir. A brief statement by the board of the Universal Suez Ship Canal Company stated that the Company at this time is not limiting transit of ships flying the flag of combatant nations, however trans-canal convoys will be organized in such a way that Manchu and Soviet ships will not transition together.

[Thanas]

Message from the German Empire to the Sultanate of Egypt

Your excellencies,

should you so require, the German fleet currently stationed at Dar-es-Salaam would be available to station Egyption officers onboard and help with the efforts to control the canal or search vessels of the belligerent nations for mines and other explosives onboard that can potentially damage the canal and deny Manchuria reinforcements from Europe.

Signed,
For the German Navy

Großadmiral Reinhard Scheer, Commander in Chief of the Navy
Generaladmiral Franz von Hipper, Commander of the Hochseeflotte
Admiral Ludwig von Reuter, Commander of the Scouting Groups
Vize-Admiral Wilhelm Souchon, Commander of German Pacific Forces

[Shinn Langley Soryu]

Malacañang Palace
Manila, Philippines, Southeast Asian Union



"The Soviet Union is now at war with Manchuria, Mr. President," Marshal Antonio Luna reported matter-of-factly to the new President of the Southeast Asian Union, Apolinario Mabini. "Many Communist parties and other far-left organizations the world over have pledged their support to the Soviets, while the Grand Dominion is openly sending 'volunteer' units to fight for the Manchurians. Intelligence reports state that the Chinese have started mobilizing forces towards the north in order to assist the Manchurians; we've also received word that the Mongolians are starting to mobilize as well, though we doubt they'll actually get involved unless the Manchurians are stupid enough to actually invade them."



"What are our options?" Mabini asked curtly.

"Quite frankly, Mr. President, there is nothing we can do, nothing that should warrant our direct involvement," Marshal Luna replied. "While there are those of us who think that we should expand further into southern China while their forces are distracted in the north, they severely underestimate the extent to which the Chinese armed forces have expanded and modernized. Even though we have over 80 divisions in theater, most of them are reserves and won't be up to full strength in time to help support any offensives or ward off Chinese counterattacks. In addition, Germany has plenty of Chinese interests and is highly likely to intervene on China's behalf in the event of war, and Cascadia has pledged to declare war on any power that tries to exploit the Soviet-Manchurian conflict for territorial gain, which includes us. Also, there's the issue of Dominionite shipping through the Strait of Malacca; obviously, blocking it off will severely disrupt commerce in general. Now, what is your decision, Mr. President?"

Mabini thought about it for a second before he gave his reply: "If anyone else is going to act on the Soviet-Manchurian conflict, it definitely will not be us. Continue trade and diplomatic relations with Manchuria and the Soviet Union, exactly as it was before the war. Keep the Strait of Malacca open, and keep our forces in southern China at their current dispositions. As for the issue of foreign volunteers, if any of our citizens want to fight for either the Soviets or the Manchurians, allow them."

---

Cavite City, Philippines, Southeast Asian Union


LEFT TO RIGHT: Maximilian Gaius von Reginrave, Selvaria Bles, Radi Jaeger, Berthold Gregor

The Southeast Asian Union, particularly the Philippine part, was home to a particularly vibrant expatriate community; while Germans formed a relatively small minority of the expat population, they were instrumental in arranging for Union volunteers to go to Manchuria. The Union volunteer mission to Manchuria was largely the brainchild of an aristocrat, Maximilian Gaius von Reginrave, and two ex-German Army officers, Radi Jaeger and Berthold Gregor; all three were staunch anti-Communists and knew that it would be relatively easy to find those among the Union's population who agreed with them and were willing to fight for their ideals.

Among the many people who chose to come along for the ride was a highly impressionable (and highly busty) 22-year-old Cascadian woman named Selvaria Bles. While the more conservative Radi and Berthold were hesitant to allow women to volunteer for front-line combat, the somewhat idealistic Maximilian was willing to give women a chance to prove themselves on the battlefield; over the objections of his two colleagues, Maximilian personally approved Selvaria's enlistment request, as well as those of several other women who were interested in joining up.

Once all was said and done, the entire volunteer legion, 3,161 strong total, gathered in Cavite City to board a Grand Dominion-flagged freighter destined for Manchuria. Selvaria was one of the first to arrive in Cavite, and she was one of the first to get on board the ship; little did she know what fate would have in store for her...

---

RESULTS

- The Southeast Asian Union officially declares neutrality in the Soviet-Manchurian conflict.
- German expatriates in the Philippines manage to recruit 3,161 people to form the 1st Union Volunteer Brigade (Manchuria).

[Minister of Pigeonry]

Spanish Submarine SC-108
Rio de La Plata
Early Morning

The 108 had tracked the Brazilian vessels for some time, they’d increased speed to twenty knots and Captain Lopez had ordered his boat to flank speed in pursuit. The C2 Types were only rated for a maximum of nineteen and a half knots but the engineers down in the engine room had coaxed twenty-point-one knots out of the big diesels, now roaring away deep in the bowels of the boat. After several hours of the high speed chase, the crew began to fear the heavy vibrations shaking the deck plating from bow to stern and it soon became apparent that the engines might shake themselves apart if pressed any further. Before the diesels burned out, however, the Brazilian ships were lost in the darkness and, frustrated over losing them; the Captain ordered a new course and reduced speed to eight knots as the big boat turned towards Montevideo.

He’d sent several updates on the course of the ships throughout the chase, all Third Level encryptions, and relayed a final message when the vessels were lost before turning back home. SACDeF had deployed four Destroyers and a Cruiser to scout the area in which Lopez had last seen the Brazilians, they were en route now and the SC-108 had spotted one of the Destroyers as it moved out of port to form up with the search flotilla.

The updates and deployment information had, like Lopez’ first report, been transmitted to the Chilitinians and all SACDeF HQ could do now was wait. At least the 108’s crew could expect a bit of shore time after their transatlantic journey and, as the boat pulled into the Submarine Pens west of Montevideo proper, Captain Lopez once again began to consider moving his family to Uruguay.


Colonial Defense Command Uruguay
Montevideo
Mid Afternoon

The Overseas Province remained at Readiness Condition Yellow as the search flotilla was dispatched. At the moment several aircraft were in the air as well, both from the Fleet Air Arm and the Air Army, buzzing along out over the Rio de La Plata in search of the Brazilian fleet. At a point, one of the Macchi M.18 flying boats had sighted a large warship and descended to investigate. It turned out to be a Malagasy Battlecruiser and the crew of the M.18 had made a low pass waving to the ship below before swooping off to search for the red fleet elsewhere.

As time went on, CDCU and SACDeF HQ had debated increasing the number of aircraft and ships committed to search. It was agreed that a flotilla of C2 Type Submarines would be dispatched to patrol the northeastern territorial waters and several ships would remain on standby in port until word came in on the whereabouts and intentions of the Brazilian fleet. Word or no word, however, at least a few of the vessels would need to set sail in time to meet with and escort the inbound German vessels on their way to Uruguay following the break up of the international exercises.

Unfortunately for one CDCU HQ aide who’d informed Teniente General Manuel Alejandro of the Costal Defense Marines rapid mobilization in contrast to his own troops’ performance, the young fellow would likely be sweeping floors for the next two weeks. General Alejandro had always been known for his temper and had remained crabby for sometime following the report. He had always felt the Army got the short end of the budget stick and being shown up by the Marines only reinforced his opinions. Grumbling to himself, he stalked the main planning room still waiting on word from the field. The Brazilian warships were still out there somewhere.


Barcelona, Spain
Mid Afternoon

The large crate had arrived by rail and the dockworkers had managed to peek in at the contents while an officer from the Air Army made a quick inspection of what lay inside. Before any could get a good look, however, a pair of armed guards wearing Air Army uniforms shooed them away. Most of the men had guessed right about the object, though, it was indeed an aircraft of some sort, the wings, tail, propeller and ailerons had been removed and placed inside with the whole fuselage. At least one of the laborers had caught a glimpse of the three machineguns upon the nose of the craft as well.

The airplane within was a Dornier Do H Falke, the premier fighter-interceptor in the Spanish inventory. It was a German design ordered by the Spanish Air Army and built in Spain by a German owned factory. When they first came out, it seemed the Germans hadn’t been interested but the Spanish certainly had and now, as the Germans considered the adoption of the aircraft into their own air force, Spain would send one of its own H’s for the Luftstreitkräfte to evaluate. With a top speed of one-hundred and forty-one knots, the Do H was the fastest production aircraft flown by the Kingdom of Spain as well as one of its best armed with a pair of 7.62mm machine guns and a single 12.7mm completing its armament.

Now, as the resealed crate was lifted aboard the freighter, the dockworkers could only wonder where the aircraft was headed. One suggested it was bound for Manchuria, another said China, but the debate quickly ended as the foreman rounded the men up and got them back to work. Within two hours, the ship was off across the Mediterranean bound for Genoa in what was once northern Italy.

[Lascaris]

Specifically we'd need you to recognize the communist threat at your front door and repudiate your non aggression pact with Brazil. The communists need to be confronted, not appeased."

"An interesting proposition that. Leaving aside the concept that signing a treaty with Brazil constitutes appeasement or that peaceful coexistence is a bad thing one notes that the treaty of non aggression with Brazil was voted by all parties aside from the fringe Accion des Patriotes. What do you think that is the word of our country mr De la Vega? Something of no concern to be thrown without consequences to the four winds?"

"Sir the concept that there can be peaceful coexistence with communists is entirely false. They have already declared war on the free world and will stop short of nothing less than world wide revolution. In the light of the Soviet invasion of Manchuria, supported only by blatant Red lies, surely your government would be well within its rights to reconsider all its agreements with communists? Besides, since the Brazilians have no intention of keeping their word, due to their perfidious nature, any promises that your government may have made to them are of no consequence."

"The last one to sprout that argument was the pope claiming any promises made to schismatics and infidels were of no consequence. As a catholic I'm certain you know all too well how much or a success this was for the catholic church. [1] We keep our word when we give it no matter to whom we give it.

As to the rest of your argument, the Soviets actions in Manchuria are no different than the Tsarist actions in Manchuria back in 1904. If anything they are an exact copy of them. I also note that for all your anti-communism Brazil according to our intelligence remains one of the prime customers of Argentine beef and grain. [2] Would you care to elaborate how your export of ardent anticommunism ties to the volume of trade you have with them?

[1] This reminds me to ask the whereabout of the catholic pope/popes given that the bishops of Rome jump at the behest of Constantinople as they should.

[2] Or so my Brazilian counterpart informs me.

[Master_Baerne]

Quartier Latin
Paris
France

"Communism under attack! Socialism threatened! The Rights of Man trampled! And by who, comrades? The imperialist, monarchist Manchus!"

Sophie Marceau, the French Communist Party agitator for the student's quarter of the capital, held forth from a platform - decorated with red flags and tricolors - just outside the Sorbonne, regaling the crowds passing by with the fiery rhetoric that had won her branch of the Communist movement more converts than any other in France, exhorting them to-

"Join the People's Volunteers! Fight the imperialist oppressor!" And they did, by the thousands, while less-successful but more numerous agitators in other parts of France echoed her message.

Results: People's First Volunteer Division formed, departs for Russia on civilian passenger ships.[youtube][/youtube]