1902-1904 Protests, strikes and riots spread through the Russian south.
1905
22nd of January: A peaceful worker’s demonstration led by an orthodox priest is brutally massacred by the Russian army sparking a huge wave of strikes and uprisings throughout the Russian industrial centers. Socialist parties and organizations throughout the empire declare general strikes. 4th of February: Ethnic riots in Baku spread to the rest of the Transcaucasus. 20th of Feburary: Decisive Japanese victory in the battle of Mukden. Aleksey Kuropatkin is killed in battle and his forces shatter and are pursued by the Japanese further up the pacific coast, while some retreat to inner Russia. Japan begins occupation of the Russian pacific coast. The major loss fuels anger at the government and further uprisings throughout the Russian empire. 31st of March: The Tangier’s crisis. Kaiser Wilhelm II lands in Tangier, making a political statement in support of Moroccan independence at the expense of French influence, triggering an international crisis eventually resolved in the favor of the Entente, strengthening the relationship between France, Britain and Spain. 13th of April: The Russian battleship P etropavlovsk hits a Japanese-laid sea mine off Port Arthur. Grand Duke Kiril Vladimirovich, an officer on board the ship barely escapes the wreck and is evacuated to a hospital in Vladivostok. 27th of May: Battle of Tsushima. Decisive Japanese victory essentially destroying the Russian fleets in Asia. 29th of May: The victorious Japanese army captures the city of Vladivostok, and along with it Grand Duke Kiril, who is held for negotiations. 1st of June: Treaty of Vladivostok. Discouraged from the massive defeats and terrified by the ongoing revolts the Russian government surrenders to Japan and cedes Russian Manchuria, the Kurils and Sakhalin to Japan. The treaty is met by celebrations across Japan, and with great anger from the Russian Public. 2nd of June: Massive riots break out in all the major cities in Russia. The SR party encourages the riots to spread throughout the countryside and Russia plunges into civil war. Lenin, Martov and other Russian exiles plot secretly return to Russia and aid the revolutionaries. 27th of June: Mutiny aboard the battleship Potemkin. The crew heads for Odessa and sparks a general uprising in the city. Orders to sink the battleship are met with major mutiny in the black sea fleet. Pyotr Schmidt elected admiral of the Soviets of Sailors' and Soldiers' Deputies. The successful mutiny sparks armed revolts in port cities around the black sea and encourages more army units, angry over the losses in the war, to defect to the rebels’ side. 20th of August: Sun Yat-sen founds the Tongmenghui in Tokyo as a merger of various anti-Qing groups. 14th of October: Sergei Witte and Alexis Obolenskii write the October manifesto and present it to Tsar Nicholas II. Despite desperate pleading from Sergei and the increasing agitation from liberal circles Nicholas ignores the manifesto to maintain some of the prestige left after the great defeat. The refusal of the manifesto caused an uproar throughout Russia turning many moderate liberals and reformers to revolutionary actions. 15th of October: Grand Duke Kiril decides to remain in Japan following the massive coup d’etat in Russia. He is given residence outside the newly renamed city of Uraijo. 17th of October: In support of the Russian government and in reaction to leftist riots the Union of the Russian People party organizes pogroms and violent demonstrations targeting Jews and Socialists, causing thousands of deaths, mainly in Ukraine. The surge of violence encourages many Jews in eastern Europe to join Bundist or Zionists groups. 26th of October: The Saint Petersburg Soviet holds its first meeting and is dominated by social democrats. With Lenin, Martov and Trotsky participating. The Soviet’s power grows significantly in the coming months and is responsible for the coordination of strikes and other revolutionary actions. Similar Soviets emerge in other major cities. The work of the Saint Petersburg Soviet proves instrumental in keeping the RSDLP united. 15th of November: Poland breaks into full revolution, with the SDKPiL, PSP and the Jewish BUND leading the insurrection, parts of the Russian garrisons defect to the revolutionaries. 4th of December: The Great Seimas is held in Vilnius; Inspired by the revolutionary opportunity nationalist movements in the Seimas resolves to begin an armed struggle for Lithuanian independence and for the establishment of a republic. Uprisings are organized in the Kovno, Grodno, Vilna and Suwałki governorates. Local Seimas rise up around the country and replace Russian administration.
1906
12th of January: The Liberal party scores a landslide victory over the conservatives in the UK general elections winning 390 seats. 3rd of March: Polish revolutionaries push out Russian forces from the Polish heartland and declare an independent Polish Republic, established in the borders of Congress Poland. The new government continues cooperating with the Russian rebels. Fighting occurs between Poland and Lithuanian militias in the Suwałki governorate. 4th of April: Militias and military forces loyal to the Great Seimas defeat the Russian army in Lithuania and push them out of the country. The Republic of Lithuania is established in Vilnius and elections are scheduled to take place in October. Fighting between Polish and Lithuanian militias in Suwalki receives backing from both governments, making it an official war. 23rd of April: The fourth congress of the RSDLP is held in Warsaw. The party reunites in light of the victories in the civil war and admits the Latvian Social democratic party as well as the Jewish Bund into its ranks. Spilka is recognized as the sole representative of the Ukranian workers within the RSDLP, pushing the USDLP out of the party. The SDKPiL maintains its position within the RSDLP and renames itself into Polish Social Democratic Labor Party (PSDLP). 30th of June: Revolutionary forces led by the Ukrainian Social Democratic Labour Party push out the Russian forces from Ukrainian territories. The Ukrainian People’s Republic is established in Kiev. Mutual recognition between Poland and Ukraine. Fighting continues in Crimea and the Don-Kuban regions. 30th of July: Sveaborg rebellion. A mutiny in the Russian garrison in Helsinki supported by the Finnish red guards attempts to spark a socialist uprising in the city. While the rebellion itself is suppressed by the authorities the bloody battles severely weaken the Russian hold on Finland. 4th of August: Russian authority in central Asia dissolves as the army either deserts or is sent to fight the rebels in the west. Vasile Balabanov, the newly appointed Russian governor of Turkestan flees to China. Khiva, Bukhara and local tribes gain de facto independence and a period of chaos, ethnic violence and tribal warfare ensues. A mass migration of Russians, Jews and other civilians from the region begins. 7th of August: Norway stations a garrison in the Franz Joseph lands after the Russian garrison disbands. 25th of August: The Ukrainian Socialist Revolutionary party is formed by local SR branches in Ukraine. 26th of November: The Mantetsu is established by the Japanese government with heavy private contribution to offset the occupation costs of newly acquired territories in Asia. The Mantetsu begins development project for Japanese colonies in China and Korea with limited direction from the Japanese government. 6th of December: The Finnish senate, headed by Leo Mechelin, declares full independence from the Russian empire and establishes the Finnish parliament, creating the world’s first universal suffrage parliament. 31st of December: Following a series of popular uprisings, the Persian Shah Mozaffar ad-Din signs the first Persian constitution into law, turning Persia into a constitutional monarchy, dying a few days later. The British Empire initially supports the revolutionaries in their efforts to modernize the country.
1907
19th of February: The remaining forces of the Russian army withdraw from the baltics into Russia. Red forces from Saint Petersburg move to block escape routes from the baltics, creating pockets around Narva and Pskov. Red forces lead by the LSDLP secure the entirety of Latvia. 24th of February: Estonian nationalists led by Jaan Tõnisson and his Estonian Progressive People's Party declare independence and form a republic. The Estonian Social Democratic Workers' Union joins the new government and elections are scheduled for May. 16th of May: Pact of Cartagena; In light of German ambitions in north Africa, British, French and Spanish delegates meet in Cartagena to sign a treaty preserving the status quo between the three countries in the western Mediterranean. 28th of May: Marxist revolutionaries of the Mesame Dasi group secure control over Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Transcaucasian federative republic is declared. Joseph Vissarionovich Jughashvili is killed while trying to pacify an ethnic riot in Armenia. The ethnic-nationalist conflicts continue to plague the republic. 29th of may: Lithuania and Poland sign a peace treaty dividing Suwalki between the two countries. 2nd of June: The Ukrainian People's’ Army defeats the tsarist forces in the don region and the remaining loyalists either surrender or scatter to the east. The UPR annexes Crimea and the don region. 7th of August: The remaining tsarist troops trapped in the Narva-Pskov pocket surrender to the revolutionary armies, marking the end of the Russian Empire. The revolutionary forces, primarily affiliated with the Socialist Revolutionary party and to a lesser extent the RSDLP and the liberals, declare the Russian People’s Republic as the new Russian state with Nikolai Avksentiev acting as its Prime minister and Viktor Chernov as the President. The new government recognizes the separatist governments. The Tsar and his family go on exile in Britain. A new legislation with two houses, an upper house in the Duma (500 seats) and a lower house in the All-Russian Soviet Assembly (700 seats) is formed, with elections to be held every 5 years in the 8th of November to both houses. The party which is able to form a majority coalition in the Duma (251 seats) gets to form the new cabinet. The head of the Coalition becomes the prime minister and the president is elected from within the Duma and sharing power with the prime minister. The Soviets and village communes take the role of local governments and elect representatives to the All-Russian Soviet Assembly while elections to the soviets themselves are scheduled to occur every year. The Latvian SDLP pledges its allegiance to the RPR and Latvia is integrated as an autonomous national republic in Russia. Saint Petersburg is renamed Petrograd and retains capital status. 8th of August A day after the exile of the Romanov Family, a group of Norwegian monarchists organize themselves in a rally they call the Solidarity with Russia March. They march for peace and the reunification of Russia, and the restoration of the Monarchy in Russia. 9th of August: The collapse of the Russian Empire and the rise of Socialism in its former territories send shockwaves throughout the world, inspiring both movements and persecution. British authorities begin a repression campaign against the labor movement, essentially radicalizing the movement and forcing it underground. 28th of August: Major Liberal politicians, philosophers and activists gather in Petrograd in a week long conference following their loss of popularity and failures in the revolution, in which they decide on forming the All-Russian Liberal Union, a new political party that will run in the first Russian general elections. Prominent leaders in the party include Pavel Milyukov, Sergei Witte, Alexis Obolenskii, Alexander Ivanovich Guchkov, Alexander Ivanovich Konovalov and others, and internal factions in the party range from constitutional monarchists to radical liberals. 31st of August: Following the collapse of Russian interests in central Asia the British Empire announces their official support of the new Persian Shah Mohammad Ali, as well as the inclusion of southern Persia in their sphere of influence, sparking outrage among the constitutional movement in the country. 8th of November: First Russian general elections; The SRP came first with 271 seats, the RSDLP and its constituents received 90 seats, the ARLU received 70 seats and the remaining seats were divided between smaller socialist, conservative and particularist parties. The SRP is able to form their own government, with Chernov and Avksentiev retaining their positions. The cabinet’s first piriorities were dealing with the agrarian situation, with various opinions on land reform, socialization, collectivization, nationalization, compensation of landlords and more. In foreign affairs the SRP promoted isolationism and cooperation with the other socialist states while the RSDLP opposition, particularly Lenin and Trotsky, promoting interventionism and internationalism.
1908 27th of March: The Russian government begins a national land reform campaign introducing a mixed system of private, collective and state owned farms, while removing most of the old tsarist landlords. Despite heavy opposition from the right wing parties, these landlords were not compensated in most cases. 23rd of June: Under the orders of the Persian Shah, the British garrison in Teheran bombards the Parliament, forcing the constitutionalists out of the city. This marks the beginning of a decade long struggle between the Shah, supported by the British and constitutionalist revolutionaries in Persia. 19th of August: Sultan Abdelaziz of Morocco is overthrown by his brother Abd al-Hafid. Although initially opposed to european intervention in Morocco the new Sultan is quickly influenced by the French.
1909
7th of April: France recognizes the RPR. The RSDLP candidate Lev Trotsky is appointed ambassador and is posted in Paris. 29th of April: David Lloyd George introduces his “People’s Budget” which intends to equally distribute wealth and tax burden among the British population. 16th of July: Persian revolutionaries march on Teheran and depose the Shah, installing his son Ahmad as the new Shah. The Second Parliament passes a list of progressive reforms, however The new government is unable to effectively govern the country as mass unrest and foreign influence in the country continued to worsen. 5th of October: Unable to withstand the escalating ethnic violence and increased nationalist demands the Transcaucasian Federative republic falls apart when Noe Ramishvili (GSDLP) declares the formation of the Democratic Republic of Georgia, with Armenia and Azerbaijan becoming independent in the following days. The breakup of the republic, sparks internal debates within the Social Democratic movement on the national question. 30th of November: The House of Lords reject the People’s Budget, creating a constitutional crisis and early elections.
1910 12th of January: While visiting a cultural event in Paris Leon Trotsky meets a young Bosnian student named Vladimir Gacinovic and is very impressed with his revolutionary zeal. He offers to become Vladimir’s mentor and invites him to enroll in the Petrograd State University, and Vladimir gladly accepts. 15th of January: The Liberals form a coalition government with the Irish Parliamentary party in the British emergency elections. The new government is able to pass the People’s Budget and begins to pass various social and economic reforms to combat the spread of Socialist thought. Next elections are set to take place in late 1914. 5th of March: The Social Democratic Party of Iran officially joins the 2nd International, and closely aligns itself with the radical wing of the organization, particularly with the RSDLP. 10th of October: Seeking to protect its interests in Persia, the British Empire begins a limited occupation in the south of the country, operating out of the Indian Raj. The weak government is unable to prevent the British incursion into Persia and a wave of anti-monarchist and anti-British sentiment spreads throughout the country. 1911
1st of July: The Agadir Crisis; Rebellions against Abd al-Hafid cause the French to send a force to put down the revolt. The Germans, seeing an opportunity to test the diplomatic strength of the Entente send a gunboat to Agadir and later reinforce it with a cruiser. The French, fearing an escalation that would lead to a war with Germany pull out of Morocco to the surprise of the Germans. In their place the Germans send their own force to Morocco and use the rebellion to reinstall Abdelaziz on the throne as their client king. The German gain in Africa causes Spain to increase their diplomatic and military cooperation with the Entente power, and strengthens the Liberal pro-French forces in the kingdom. 18th of August: The British parliament passes the ‘Parliament Act’, abolishing the house of lords’ rights to veto its legislation. 29th of September: Italian forces invade in Ottoman Tripolitania, beginning the Italo-Turkish war. The war sparks heavy opposition within Italy, with prominent socialists such as Gaetano Salvemini and Benito Mussolini being especially vocal. 10th of October: An anti-Qing protest over railway protectionism turns into a full blown uprising, setting off a chain reaction throwing the entire Qing empire into what would later be called the “Xinhai Revolution” 30th of November: Mongolian nobles declare independence with Japanese aid and establish the Bogd Khanate in a peaceful revolution. 2nd of December: The Republic of China is established in Nanjing by Revolutionary forces of the Tongmenghui. Presidential elections are to take place in the following week. 29th of December: Sun Yat-sen becomes the first president of the Republic of China.
1912 20th of January: Albanian nationalists lead by Ismail Kemal bey and Hasan Prishtina bey launch an uprising against Ottoman authorities, calling for the independence of Albania. Albanian militias were supplemented by turncoat military units and supplied by British agents. 10th of March: Yuan Shikai is sworn in as the second provisional president of the ROC, as an attempt by Sun to prevent a civil war. 10th of June: The Maximalist faction of the Italian Socialist Party led by Benito Mussolini prevails at the party convention and the reformist faction of the party splits to form the Italian Reformist Socialist Party. 15th of September: Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia and Montenegro create a web of alliances known as the “Balkan League” with the intention of capitalizing on the weakening Ottoman empire. 8th of October: The Balkan league nations go to war with the Ottomans, despite protests from the Austrian Empire. The Ottomans prove unable to resist the invasion. 18th of October: Treaty of Lausanne; Ottoman and Italian representatives reach a peace agreement in which Italy will gain the territories of Libya while returning control of occupied aegean islands to the Ottoman Empire. Despite the agreement the islands never returned to Ottoman control. 7th of November: General elections to the second Duma and Soviet assembly. The number of seats have been increased due to increased turnout. The results’ composition is mostly similar to the previous one, although some fringe parties such as the Labor Internationalists and Social-Populists get a small representation in both houses. The issue of industrial growth is brought up by the RSDLP With Lenin and Martov arguing for massive public works projects and industrial development plans. 28th of November: The Assembly of Vlorë declares the full independence of Albania and establishes “Independent Albania” in the territories of the former Ottoman vilayat. Large parts of the country remain occupied by the Balkan league.
1913
10th of January: The 13th Dalai Lama returns to Tibet and seizes control of the country. Despite the ROC claiming Tibet as a province of China, the new state remains de-facto independent. 23rd of January: Following the disasters of 1912, the CUP (Committee of Union and Progress ), lead by Enver Pasha, carry out a coup d’ètat in the Ottoman Empire and establish a dictatorial triumvirate. The CUP began mass reforms promoting centralisation and Turkish nationalism, accelerating ethnic tensions throughout the empire. 6th of April: With the land reform completed in most regions, Russian minister of development, Andrei Argunov, adopts the RSDLP’s suggestion of industrial development, adopting the land reform’s mixed ownership model and focusing on light industry. While credited with the success of the program, Lenin and Martov continued to push for more radical implementation. 30th of May: The treaty of London bring an end to the Balkan war, dividing the Balkan territories of the Ottoman empire between Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia and Montenegro. The treaty also recognized the independence of Albania and forced all league forces to withdraw from its territory. 7th of July: Due to a combination of military discontent and worries over the violence employed by Yuan and his handling of state affairs, the KMT launches the “Second Revolution” in southern China. 1st of September: The “Second Revolution” against Yuan Shikai is crushed when the Beiyang Army takes Nanjing. The KMT leadership flees to Japan. 6th of October: Yuan Shikai intimidates the National Assembly into electing him as president of the ROC.
1914
11th of January: Yuan Shikai suspends the parliament and begins constitutional revisions to increase his power as president. 22nd of March: The Liberal party lead by the Francophile Álvaro de Figueroa wins a landslide victory in the Spanish general elections. The Spanish king Alfonso XIII ensures the election goes in favor of the pro-French parties in light of the German intervention in Morocco. The new Spanish government begins negotiations with France and Britain to join the Entente. 1st of May: Treaty of Bordeaux; France, Britain and Spain enter a comprehensive diplomatic treaty which includes a mutual defense pact. This ‘Triple Entente’ serves to counter German influence in Northern Africa. 28th of June: Archduke Franz Ferdinand continues his military inspection in Bosnia uneventfully. 18th of September: The British parliament passes the ‘Government of Ireland Act’, promising Irish home rule to be implemented by the end of 1916. Massive unionist protests erupt in Ulster. 20th of December: The Liberal party wins a majority of the seats in the British elections thanks to the popularity of its social and economic policies, with Asquith serving as prime minister for another term.
1915 26th of April: Sun Yat Sen write a letter to the congress of the 2nd International from Japan asking for international support for the KMT. Several members comply by providing limited but essential financial support for the party. 1st of May: A Massive demonstration organized by the persian Social Democratic Party takes place in Gilan. Similar protests spread to other cities in northern Persia, supported by revolutionary trade unions. The demonstrations help making the SDPI into the central organization in the northern revolutionary movement. 3rd of May: The German Empire, Austria-Hungary and the Kingdom of Italy draft a new treaty openly aligning together and establishing a military alliance. The triple alliance is denounced by Italian nationalists and socialists. 13th of November: Arab nobles and tribal leaders, concerned by the CUP’s centralisation policies in the Ottoman Empire meet with Arab politicians and nationalists in the Second Arab Congress in London. The leading figure in the congress is Hussein bin Ali al-Hashimi, the powerful emir of Mecca. The delegates have resolved to achieve Arab autonomy in the Ottoman Empire by the end of the decade, and encourage a federal structure in the empire. The British foreign office have officially endorsed the congress in an attempt to win favor with the Arabs. 12th of December: Yuan Shikai declares himself to be the emperor of China, attempting to start a new imperial dynasty under him. The coronation sends shockwaves throughout China alienating both the regional authorities and the Beiyang Army against Yuan. 25th of December: Cai E declares Yunnan independent and launches the “National Protection War” against Yuan Shikai. Soon many other provinces join him in the war against the new Empire of China. 1916
22nd of March: The National Protection Army forces Yuan Shikai to abdicate as emperor and restore the ROC. Yuan dies shortly afterwards, and with his death the Beiyang army falls under the control of general Duan Qirui. 22nd of April: Despite unionist opposition, Irish home rule is finally instated over the entirety of Ireland, with John Redmond serving as the head of parliament. 24th of April: The Ulster Volunteer Force (UFV) lead by Edward Carson launches a full scale uprising against the new Irish government, with the aim of reuniting with the British Empire. The newly formed Irish Army is dispatched to the region an the Irish civil war begins. 15th of May: A radical faction within the Arab nationalist movement forms around the levantine coast, advocating for republicanism, ultranationalism, anti-zionism and revolution. The movement gains particular traction among the Palestinian urban population, to the dismay of the traditionalist center around the Hashemites. 31st of July: following a tip from Hussein al Hashimi Ottoman authorities carry out a crackdown on the radical wing of the Arab nationalist movement, securing Hussein’s control over it and removing suspicions off his own revolutionary activities. 21st of November: Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria dies and is succeeded by his nephew Emperor Franz Ferdinand I. Ferdinand announces his intention to use his reign to increase political and national rights throughout the empire through federalism. His ambitions face heavy resistance from Hungarian politicians and officials.
1917 28th of February: French agents are discovered trying to incite an anti-German rebellion in Marrakech. The Germans issue an ultimatum to France demanding the demilitarisation of French Lorraine which the French promptly refuse. Germany declares war on France, with both Spain and Britain joining on France’s side and Italy joining on Germany’s side. In Italy the war is condemned and opposed by the Italian Socialist Party, the Italian Syndicalist Union, the social reformist party and the national syndicalists. 3rd of March: The first offensive of the war begins. Germany executes the Schlieffen Plan and invades Belgium and Luxembourg, sweeping through their defenses and fully occupying them. The German occupation is brutal and causes many cases of mistreatment of civilians and protected targets. 9th of March: The Japanese join the war on the Entente’s side on account of their alliance with Britain, and issue an ultimatum to Germany demanding the German concessions in China. Germany refuses the ultimatum prompting a Japanese invasion of German holdings in Asia. 14th of March: Portugal officially joins the war on the Entente side. 25th of March: Trench warfare between German and French forces in southern Wallonie begin, where machine guns and barbed wires are used for devastating effect. The British begin a blockade of German shores. 2nd of April: Japanese Rikusentai units occupy Palau and the island of Yap 13th of April: Japanese forces occupy the Marshall islands. Japanese submarine groups begin to harass German convoys in the Bismarck sea. 20th of April: Australian forces assisted by Japanese naval ships defeat the last remaining German outpost in Papua new guinea, Bita Paka. The battle is notable for having the first naval launched air-raid from the Japanese carrier Wakamiya. 16th of May: Dissatisfied over the lack of progress in the north, the French high command launches an invasion into Italy, hoping to knock out Italy from the fight. The French forces invade from both Savoy and Nice, smashing the Italian defenses into pieces thanks to superior tactics and geographic advantage. 28th of May: French forces close in a pincer maneuver around Turin and encircle the city along with retreating divisions from the front lines and a siege commences. 4th of June: After a week of fierce artillery barrages against the city’s defenses the battered Italian forces surrender to the French army. The French army splits into two groups, the smaller one heads south to establish strategic control in Genoa and the main group continuing to the west towards Milan. The Austrian military begins mobilization as Franz Ferdinand begins motions to join on Germany’s side. 11th of June: French forces march on Savona and bombard the city with artillery guns and sorties from the French and British navies. The city surrenders without a fight. 20th of June: Heavy fighting between French and Italian forces in western Lombardy. The Entente navies begin a blockade on Genoa as ground troops advance over the Ligurian coast. 27th of June: Entente forces enter Genoa and heavy fighting begins in the city. Fighting continues in Lombardy as French troops march deeper into Italian territory. 1st of July: Taking advantage of the fragile political situation in Beijing, Zhang Xun seizes Beijing and restores the Monarchy under Puyi. Li Yuanhong leaves his post as president giving Duan Qirui full control. Duan soon puts down the coup and takes back control over the republic. 3rd of July: Fighting reaches the outskirts of Milan, with Italian forces frantically setting up defenses and conscripting locals into hastily drafted militias. 5th of July: The Italian forces withdraw from Genoa and rout to the south to form defensive lines to protect Rome. Austria joins the war and begins to transport troops to Lombardy. 6th of July: French forces occupy Genoa and use it as a forward base for their invasion into Italy. 8th of July: French forces close on Milan from the west and begin encircling it. The siege of Milan is one of the most devastating battles of the great war, seeing much of the city being demolished with artillery fire. 15th of July: 50000 men strong Spanish garrison force in Morocco invade German Morocco. The invasion is plagued by poor supplies, leadership and discipline. The Spanish are unable to gain a substantial hold in the country and are beset by a string of embarrassing defeats. 20th of July: the Austrian army is able to punch a line to Milan through the French siege. Reinforcement and supplies begin flowing into the city. 10th of August: Italy is able to push out the Entente forces out of Milan with the help of Austria. The city is completely destroyed. 14th of August: The ROC joins the Great War against Germany in the hopes of regaining land in Shandong, mostly providing the entente with laborers. 19th of August: The ongoing war in Europe causes a massive split in the Russian Socialist Revolutionary Party with the right wing supporting Russian intervention against Germany while the left wing supporting a more internationalist socialist policy in line with the RSDLP policies. The split causes the government to fall and the Duma appoints a provisional council until the elections in November. 25th of August: Members of the original ROC parliament return from exile and convene in Guangzhou, establishing a military government with the aim of restoring full republican rule over China, electing Sun Yet-sen and other military leaders as Marshals. The new government begins a “Constitutional Restoration war”. The new government relies on the backing of local warlords, particularly Lu Rongting. 17th of October: The Austrian forces in Italy begin a bloody offensive to the west with the goal of encircling the French Garrison in Genoa. 20th of October: The Ulster Volunteer Force’s last stronghold is defeated by the Irish Army and the civil war finally ends. A new period of recovery for the unified Irish dominion begins. 7th of November: Third Duma and Soviet assembly elections are held across Russia. The SR split shakes the decade long domination of the party in the Duma and for the first time the RSDLP joins in a coalition government with the left-SRs. Prominent social democrats are given prominent positions in the government, in particular Lenin's post as minister of industry Trotsky's position as minister of foreign affairs. Trotsky's first move in office is the appointment of Zinoviev as the head of the Russian delegation in the second international. 8th of November: Riffian tribesmen and militias rise up against the Spanish occupation and join forces with the Sultanate of Morocco. 20th of November: Leon Trotsky officially announces the end of Russian isolationism in favor of support for socialist internationalism and support for foreign revolutionary movements. The RSDLP officially adopts the theory of the united front, a revolutionary tactic of broad cooperation of organizations against capitalism. 21st of December: The French forces in Genoa are fully encircled by the Austrian military. 25th of December: Soldiers meet for the first christmas truce inside Italian borders. The people of Italy grow weary of the war after much of the north was ravaged in the fighting.
1918 2nd of January: Grigory Zinoviev calls for an emergency congress of the second international in Petrograd in light of the ongoing war and the International’s role in it. The Russian delegation skillfully maneuvers the congress and firmly secures the radical faction’s dominance in the international as well as Russia’s role in leading it. The theories of the United Front and International Revolution are adopted by the organization. The moderate delegates form a rival organization with the anti-Russian sections of the international, which would eventually be known as the “Third International “. 5th of January: The city of Genoa is completely destroyed along with the French garrison by the Austrian military. 22nd of January: Russia spreads its influence into Persia, providing financial, military and organizational support to the Social Democratic Party of Iran through the Caspian sea. A revolutionary committee is established in the city of Gilan begins organizing a full scale rebellion in the country. 12th of February: The British military begins construction of prototype self propelled armoured vehicles, nicknamed “Tanks” because of their shape. The German military soon begins production of their own models based on designs submitted by Günther Burstyn. 11th of March: The People's Republic of Iran is established in a stronghold around the Gilan and Qazvin provinces. Henmat Party agitators join the revolutionary forces in Persian Azerbaijan. 22nd of March: Two Russian divisions land in Mazandaran and are directed to follow orders from the Revolutionary Military Committee in Gilan. The experience gained by the expeditionary force formed the basis for revolutionary new military doctrines developed in Russia. 5th of April: First tank units are deployed in the Belgian front by both sides. The Entente plans a major offensive in the Somme to be carried out at the end of the month. 26th of April: The battle of the Somme begins with an Entente offensive, employing new weapons and tactics such as tank warfare. 1st of May: The Revolutionary Committee of Gilan declares the Qajar dynasty as illegitimate and establish the People's Republic of Iran. The SDPI and allied revolutionary organizations mobilize militias throughout the north and battles with Qajari forces in the major cities. Russia sends volunteer forces to aid the revolutionary government. 3rd of May: The ruins of Turin is liberated by a joint offensive of Austrian and Italian armies. 5th of May: Irani revolutionary forces secure the entire coast of the Caspian Sea for the young republic and have begun an encirclement of Tehran. The Qajar family flees to the south. 15th of May: The Italian-Austrian coalition retakes the defensive positions on the Alps from retreating French forces and create offensive plans into France. Massive anti-war protests take place throughout Italy 17th of May: Leon Trotsky invites Sun Yat-sen and the rest of the KMT leadership to meet in Russia and discuss Russian aid for his cause. During the meetings Sun moves more to the left and adopts the “United Front” doctrine, opening the KMT to more radical left wing members and parties. Sun returns to Shanghai begins to build up strength and support to create an independent power base in China. 2nd of June: The Irani military forces enter Tehran and engage in a week long urban fight with royalist forces. The People's Republic of Iran control reaches from the Afghan border to Kurdistan, and the revolutionary forces swiftly approach the urban centers in the center as the Qajari forces collapse. 3rd of July: Sun Yat Sen founds the National Revolutionary Army with the aid of Chen Jiongming. The Whampoa military academy is established in Guangzhou. 9th of August: A massive defeat for the Spanish forces in Annual. Thousands of Spanish soldiers are slaughtered by the Moroccan forces. Those who did not manage to retreat to the mainland are taken as POWs. 10th of September: Military conflict in Persia reaches a stalemate as the Irani revolutionary forces are stretched thin and engaged in heavy fighting in the western provinces. Russian military command looks into deployment of new military technology to reach a breakthrough in the field. 18th of September: The Battle of the Somme ends with a decisive German victory, completely breaking the Entente lines and allowing the Germans to pour into France. Nearly two million people lost their lives in the battle. 25th of September: A two-front invasion of France is launched, with Italians and Austrians attacking from Nice and German forces from the Somme. The Entente armies are soon overwhelmed by the assaults and mutinies and many British forces evacuate over the Channel. 20th of December: British elections are postponed due to the war. The Liberal administration is heavily criticized over its inability to deal a crushing blow to Germany. 24th of December: Austrian forces occupy Montpellier. German troops position themselves on the Seine, with a 24 hour surrender ultimatum sent to the French government. 25th of December: The French government refuses the German ultimatum and a two-week long shelling of Paris begins.
1919 3rd of January: In light of the rising tensions within the Ottoman empire, Hussein al-Hashimi’s son Faisal secretly meets with the president of the World Zionist Organization Chaim Weizmann. The two agree on to mutual assistance in the political and military struggle against the nationalist Ottoman regime, with a Jewish national home being established in Palestine under the protection and supervision of a future pan-Arab state. 19th of January: Paris falls to the German army. The German forces secure a defensive ring around the city in case of a counterattack and begin preparation for an invasion of the inland. The French government flees to Orléans 25th of January: The Jewish Yishuv leadership in Palestine creates the Haganah paramilitary organization in preparation for conflict with the Ottoman authorities. The Yishuv’s superior infrastructure allows the Haganah to become the most well organized militia in the Levant. 5th of February: The French general Ferdinand Foch orders a counterattack to retake Paris, but after the string of defeats and a German propaganda campaign the French troops revolt and surrender to the German HQ in Paris. 10th of February: The German army begins an invasion of western France while a smaller force breaks through to Orléans. 12th of February: The Austrian army begins an offensive towards Lyon. 22nd of March: Troyes falls to the German army. On the same day the Austrian shelling of Lyon begins. 4th of April: German forces reach Orléans. The French government orders the army to cease all operations and capitulates to Germany. 15th of May: Sun Yat Sen begins the Anti-Warlord campaign in the south. The NRA gradually takes control over the entire Guangdong province. Lu Rongting is purged from the government and with the aid of the forces of Chen Jiongming the NRA asserts control of the province. 10th of June: The war in Europe settles into a stalemate between Germany and Britain, with neither side being able to mount an attack on the other. 10th of July: The British attempt to open an African theater and tip the tide of the war, but the sub-saharan terrain prevents the offensives to become anything more than isolated raids. 2nd of August: The NRA enters the Guangxi province and skirmishes with Lu Rongting's forces. 30th of August: The Socialist Party of America (SPA) holds an emergency national convention over the growing division within the party. The socialist international aligned left wing of the party lead by Alfred Wagenknecht dominates the convention essentially turning the SPA into a revolutionary Socialist party. As part of the United Front doctrine the new leadership seeks to reconcile with both the right wing of the party and other socialist groups in America throughout the 1920s. 11th of October: The NRA forces lead by Chen Jiongming defeat the Guangxi warlords and the province is brought under the control of the KMT.
1920 15th of January: Sun Yat Sen begins political reforms in his government. First steps for the dissolvement of the military cabinets and the establishment of a civilian administration are taken. 7th of February: The first Russian armor brigades are deployed in Persia, and quickly turn the tides of war in favor of the revolutionary forces. 1st of June: The War ends with the Treaty of Munich, Belgium loses the Congo and is under German occupation. All spanish colonial possessions are transferred to Germany or to German Morocco, Germany annexes Luxemburg. France loses its colonial territories in Indochina and Morocco as well as gabon, benin, ivory coast, madagascar and its pacific holdings, in addition to heavy reparations to Germany and Austria. Italy gets Tunisia as a colony and the Island of Corsica. Britain and Portugal get a white peace. According to the treaty the territories occupied by Japan (Saipan, Palau and Mariana islands) would be returned to Germany. Japan refuses to sign the treaty and breaks its 18 years old alliance with Britain. The Great War claims the lives of around 7.5 million people throughout the world, mostly in western Europe. 2nd of June: Japan launches its own invasion of the newly established German colonies in the pacific, outraged by the results of the great war. in the following weeks the entirety of the German colonies in Asia are overrun by the Japanese army. Massive protests erupt in Italy over the perceived high price paid for little gain in the war. 8th of June: The Liberal party suffers a major defeat in the British elections, and the disgraced Asquith is blamed for the failure against Germany. The Conservative party wins a majority of the seats and forms a government under Andrew Bonar Law. The new government enacted a reactionary social and economic policy, and an interventionist foreign policy with the aim of regaining the prestige of the British Empire. 9th of June: The British military builds permanent military fortifications in major Persian cities in the south, including Shiraz and Ahvaz. Military presence around oil fields and other strategic regions in the south are increased. 15th of June: A small strike of reconstruction workers in Genoa is brutally cracked down by the military. In response, the Italian Syndicalist Union (USI) calls a general strike in Genoa, which quickly spreads to other cities in northern Italy. The Army’s suppression attempts further antagonize the government and causes many workers to take up arms and form militias. Beginning of the Red Years. 16th of June: The Italian socialist party endorses the protests sweeping through the country, launching several riots in the north of the country. 23rd of June: The Zhili-Fengtian alliance defeats the Anhui clique and takes control of the Beiyang government. The new government joins Japan’s war against Germany in the hope they will be able to regain German concessions in Shandong. 1st of July: Over a million striking workers join the USI . The 2nd international officially supports the PSI and USI. 8th of July: The remaining Qajari forces surrender to the revolutionary forces of the People's Republic of Iran. The Gilan government formally establishes itself as the formal government of all of Iran, but its authority is unrecognized in the south where the British maintain their military occupation. The Qajar family arrives in Shiraz where they are given asylum by the British as the rightful rulers of Persia. 10th of July: A combined force of Chinese and Japanese forces storms the German concession in Qingdao and defeats the garrison, becoming a hope spot for the Chinese nationalist cause and an Icon of Chinese heroism. 10th of July: Armed confrontations between left wing militias and the army are reported throughout northern Italy. 20th of July: Disgruntled military units join in with the left wing militias in Milan and Genoa, seizing control of the city centers and establishing independent anarcho-syndicalist communes coordinated by the USI. 28th of August: Military presence in Northern Italy dwindles as the various independent communes grow stronger and more intertwined. Many military units led by radical officers defect to the rebels. 2nd of October: The German counter-invasion begins in the Japanese-occupied pacific islands. The ensuing war is characterized by a series of garrison-busting island hopping operations and an increased usage and development of aircraft carriers. 9th of October: Following occupation policies from the Great War the former territories of Belgium are divided into two German occupation zones: Flanders and Wallonia. 20th of October: In a desperate attempt to keep ethnic tensions under control the CUP regime enacts severe restrictions on religious and national minorities throughout the Ottoman empire. Sporadic violence against minorities is carried out by the military in the Anatolian border regions. 8th of November: The ‘Italian Union of Syndicates” is declared in Milan, claiming the entirety of Italy and controlling all the areas between Venice and the French border. The new union is a federation of syndicalist communes with a federal parliament composed of several parties, most predominantly the PSI. 2nd of December: USI membership in Napoli and Sicily reaches record high, with solidarity strikes with the Italian Union held in every major city.
1921
7th of January: Armed conflicts between Leftist militias and the military reach Tuscany. The commune of Palermo is suppressed in sicily. 3rd of March: Political violence rages throughout all of Italy while forces loyal to the Italian Union of Syndicates advancing to the south. Virtually every city has a USI federation operating in it. 25th of March: The March on Rome - 30000 Roman workers loyal to the PSI occupy key government buildings in the city, calling for the abolishment of the monarchy and capitalism. The King escapes on a cruiser and is headed for Germany, essentially ending the Italian civil war with a red victory. Loyalist troops and right wing militias continue to fight in the west of the country for over a month after the official end of the war. 28th of March: Facing the complete defeat of the Kingdom of Italy, Paolo Thaon, grand admiral of the Regia Marina sails his fleet to the coast of Sardinia, and orders the scuttling of the entire fleet to protect it from being taken over by rebels or foreign countries. 2st of April: The Italian colonial garrison in Libya declares loyalty to the new regime. In a unanimous vote in the Central parliament in Milan it is decided the former colonies of Libya and Tunisia will be given independence under the “guiding hand” of the Italian Union. The former colonial garrison is tasked with combating “reactionary resistance” among the tribes and muslim clerics. 5th of April: The German empire occupies Italian colonies in east africa in order to “Preserve the stability in the region” and “protect its subject from socialist hysteria”. The Italian forces are disarmed and interned. 8th of April: Emboldened by Germany, the Kingdom of Greece enforces its claim on the island of Rhodes, and seizes the island from the collapsing Italin colonial regime. 21st of April: A new colonial charter and administration is established in German east Africa. The D.A.G begins various colonial development plans with private investments from Germany. 1st of May: A peace treaty is signed by Germany and Japan, giving Japan occupation of all German colonial possessions in Asia north of the Carolines islands. China is notably scorned in the negotiations getting essentially no compensation for their participation in the war. 4th of May: Outraged by the results of the the German-Japanese war, thousands of youths and students in China go on mass demonstrations and riots throughout the major cities. The “May Fourth movement” marks a radical shift in China towards national and left wing tendencies, giving birth to the “Social Democratic Party of China” and other such radical groups, which are later ordered by the Second International to join up with the KMT in a United Front. 12th of May: The Italian royal family is appointed by the German empire as governors of German east Africa. The former Italian colonial garrison is released and reissued as the royal guard for the family. 20th of May: After defeating the last pockets of reactionary forces in southern Italy, the Syndicalist government pursues a policy of strict non-interventionism and pacifism. "Red Guard" militias are formed by local trade union chapters and are coordinated by the "Revolutionary Red Guards Council". These militias form the bulk of the Italian military. 24th of May: Emir Hussein al-Hashimi declares himself king of the Arabs and raises a tribal army in the Hejaz against the Ottoman garrison. At the same time massive uprisings broke out throughout the Ottoman territories, with several military units defecting. The British empire sends military and financial aid to the rebels. 5th of June: Tensions in Beijing following the peace treaty cause the collapse of the Zhili-Fengtian coalition, with each side blaming the other for the diplomatic failure. The situation soon escalates to a full war between the two cliques. 10th of June: In response to the May Fourth movement Sun calls for another elections for the Chinese national assembly, which sees a significant rise in the left-KMT power and the emergence of the SDPC as a growing power. The SDPC-KMT coalition retains Sun as president. 26th of June: Emperor Franz Ferdinand I announces his intention to federalise the dual monarchy, using his political capital gained after the victory in the great war. 29th of June: A special session of the Hungarian parliament approves a law allowing Hungary to leave the empire in the case of federalization. This act is declared illegal by the central authorities in Vienna. 16th of July: Enver Pasha, fearing nationalist uprisings in Anatolia begins a systematic campaign against the Armenian and Greek populations. The Ottoman military carries out brutal atrocities in the rural areas. 6th of August: Franz Ferdinand issues an order to dissolve the Hungarian parliament. Hungarian politicians and nationalist protesters occupy the parliament building and municipal offices of Budapest. Protests throughout Hungary erupt over this violation of their rights. 13th of Hungary: Franz Ferdinand declares martial law across Hungary, and goes to command the troops in person, against the wishes of his councillors. 18th of August: Emperor Franz Ferdinand I is assassinated by a Hungarian soldier during a routine inspection in a barracks outside Budapest. The ensuing investigation found the soldier had connections to the Hungarian Independence party. The Emperor is succeeded by his nephew, Emperor Karl I & V. 19th of August: Emperor Karl I is coronated in Vienna. The new Kaiser declares a state of emergency throughout the empire as the assassination sparks a wave of nationalist agitation in the empire. 24th of August: Emperor Karl I outlaws the Hungarian independence party and other nationalist organizations. An extensive crackdown on members and supporters is ordered to the Hungarian military units. 30th of August: Hungarian military units and police forces refuse to take part in the crackdown, with some instead joining in protection of the protesters. Karl I send Austrian units to perform the crackdown instead. 1st of September: While attempting to carry out the anti-Hungarian crackdown Austrian troops are attacked by Hungarian police and military forces in Budapest and are forced to flee the city. The Hungarian parliament issues a declaration of independence from the Austrian empire and lays its claims over greater Hungary. The declaration calls all Hungarians in the service of the empire to join the army of the new state. The Austro-Hungarian war begins. 4th of September: With the aid of British military advisors, emir Faisal al-Hashimi marches with his army north, raising additional forces as he advances into the Mashriq, easily defeating the Ottoman loyalists. 12th of September: Virtually the entire Hungarian army joins the new republic, supplemented by nationalist paramilitary units. Most of the early battles occur deep inside hungary between Hungarian troops and Austrian garrisons. In the following weeks most troops are sent to the western front, or to occupy the German speaking areas of Hungary. 25th of September: The Serbian military skirmishes with Austrian units on the Serbian-Bosnian border. Ethnic tensions erupt with Serbian and Bosnian militias razing villages in the countryside. 7th of October: The Kingdom of Serbia invades in Bosnia in a response to “Crimes against the Slavic peoples“ perpetrated by Austria. The entire region turns into a battleground between Austria, Serbian and Bosnian forces.
1922 12th of January: The Austrian-Hungarian border regions are devastated as neither side is able to maintain their territorial gains. Ethnic tensions mount in the Banat province between Romanians, Hungarians, Serbs and Germans. 20th of January: A major ethnic clash between ethnic Germans and the Hungarian military prompts martial law in the entire Banat province. Similar actions are taken in the Romanian speaking areas of Transylvania. 23rd of January: The Austrian military command in Bosnia surrenders to the Serbian occupation forces, while some units continuing to fight alongside Bosnian militias. 3rd of February: The Armenian populations in eastern Anatolia rise up in general uprising against the Ottoman military, with smaller revolts among Greek and other Christian populations. The revolt is supported by the Republic of Armenia, who supplied the militias and swayed world public opinion against the Ottoman atrocities. 10th of February: The Kingdom of Romania declares war on Hungary with the goal of annexing Transylvania. Major battles are fought between Hungarian garrisons and the Romanian army. 13th of February: Following the formal annexation of Bosnia, Serbia reorganizes itself into a unitary Kingdom of Yugoslavia. 1st of March: In a secret agreement the Kingdom of Greece and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia agree to divide Albania between the two countries. The occupation is executed without much local and international resistance. 3rd of March: The Croatian Parliament terminates the Croatian-Hungarian compromise, declaring Croatia's independence from the Kingdom of Hungary and votes to join with the newly formed Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Hungary is outraged by this decision, and sends troops to occupy Croatia before Yugoslavia can assert control. 20th of March: The Kingdom of Yugoslavia declares its commitment to the protection of the Yugoslavian people and sends troops to secure Croatia from the Hungarian invasion. Clashes between Hungarian and Yugoslavian troops commence throughout the country. 27th of March: After a prolonged period of isolation from Austria, Polish nationalists in Galicia establish the Republic of Galicia. The republic soon votes to be annexed into the Polish Republic, a move encouraged by the Polish government. 5th of April: A Syndicalist uprising in Friuli is instigated by USI agents. The Austrian military, preoccupied by the ongoing war is unable to contain the revolt and the province comes under the control of Italy. 17th of April: The Republic of Ukraine formally annexes the Ukrainian speaking regions in Austrian Galicia following a referendum. Austria is unable to resist Ukraine due to the ongoing war. 7th of May: Emir Faisal’s northern army reaches the Negev desert. The Haganah, along with several other Jewish paramilitary organizations begin military actions against Ottoman targets throughout Palestine with the goal of assisting Faisal’s advance and paving the road for Jewish national autonomy. 5th of June: Combined forces of Jewish and Arab units defeat the Ottoman garrison in Jerusalem and the city is placed under joint military control. The Yishuv’s military forces grow immensely with a surge of Jewish volunteers and donations from Europe, America and North Africa. 17th of August: The siege of Medina ends with Hashemite victory, granting Hussein full control of Hejaz, with Hussein al-Hashimi crowning himself as King of Hejaz. The Arab armies march to the transjordan with the intention of taking over Mesopotamia. 2nd of September: The Tsardom of Bulgaria takes advantage of the chaos in the Balkans and launches an invasion against Yugoslavia and Greece in an effort to gain claims denied from them in the first Balkan war. The Bulgarian army quickly routs the unprepared Greek army and the Yugoslavian army which is busy with military maneuvers in the north. Most of Macedonia comes under Bulgarian occupation. 1923
6th of January: The Third Balkan War comes to a military standstill as none of the belligerents are able to to make significant advances. The British and German Empires manage to force a general ceasefire to allow for a peace negotiations in the region. 12th of January: The Zhili clique led by Wu Peifu defeats Fengtian who retreat back to Manchuria. Sun Yat sen exploits the situation launching an invasion of the Zhili clique from the south, beginning the northern expedition. The war is waged by the National Revolutionary army aided by various warlords and factions. Due to the relative small size of the NRA the expedition advances slowly and with great difficulty. 25th of January: Treaty of Prague. A comprehensive peace treaty for the Third Balkan War is signed under the auspices of the British and German Empires. The treaty recognizes Hungarian independence from the Austrian Empire. The Yugoslavian-Austrian border is drawn at Istria, Carniola and Styria, while the Yugoslavian-Hungarian border at the Drava and the Danube. The Yugoslav-Greek partition of Albania is formalized. The Hungarian-Romanian border is drawn through Transylvania . Bulgaria gains most of Macedonia, leaving only northwest Macedonia to Yugoslavia. The Polish and Ukrainian annexations of Galicia are recognized by all signatories, while the Italian occupation of Friuli is declared an unlawful aggression. Both the German and British Empires begin aggressively courting the new regional powers in hopes of gaining influence in the Balkans. 5th of February: The Republic of Armenia launches an invasion of Ottoman territories in support of the ongoing insurrection. The liberated regions are placed under civilian administration and the local militias are absorbed into the advancing Armenian National Army led by Andranik Ozanian. 23rd of February: Faisal’s Palestinian campaign is completed with the last Ottoman garrisons retreating into Syria. Most of Palestine is put under Jewish military administration, to the dismay of the more conservative elements of the Arab movement, with Jerusalem being put under joint Arab-Jewish control. 21st of April: Faisal’s northern army enters Damascus and begins his Syrian campaign. Hashemite forces are fighting the Ottomans in western Mesopotamia. 17th of May: Wahabbi pilgrims from Nejd are denied pilgrim access to Hejaz by Hussein al-Hashimi. Abdulaziz ibn Saud launches an invasion of Hejaz with the help of German advisors, catching the Hashemites off guard while most of their armies are fighting the Ottomans to the north. 1st of September: The Great Kanto earthquake hits Japan causing mass destruction and over 100000 deaths in the Kanto region. The damages from the earthquakes and the ensuing violence leave a considerable strain on the Japanese economy. 12th of October: The Nejdi forces overwhelm the Hejazi forces in Mecca and bring an end to the short lived Arab Kingdom of Hejaz, and instead proclaiming the Saudi Sultanate of Arabia. Hussein al-Hashimi flees to Damascus, where Faisal seizes the opportunity and declares himself the king of the Arab Kingdom of Greater Syria. The Hashemite forces in Mesopotamia swear loyalty to Faisal, making him the supreme commander of all Hashemite forces. 1924 12th of January: After liberating much of the Erzerum province, the Armenian National Army occupies Artvin to gain sea access to the black sea. 20th of January: The German Empire formally recognizes the Saudi Sultanate as the legitimate ruler of the Arab people. A few hours later the British foreign office issues a similar statement recognizing Faisal’s Greater Syria as the legitimate government of all Arabs. 5th of March: The Hashemite armies converge on the city of Mosul in an attempt to break into Anatolia. The Ottoman forces led by Mustafa Kemal Pasha manage to repel the Arab forces from the city using fresh units from the west and Kemal uses his military leverage to sign a cease-fire with Faisal, against the orders of Enver Pasha. 10th of April: Ottoman forces led by Mustafa Kemal Pasha manage to stop Armenian incursions in western Armenia and repel the Armenian National Army into Erzerum. Seeing the depleted state of his armies Kemal signs another unauthorized ceasefire allowing Armenia to occupy most of Erzerum and Artvin. Enver Pasha orders the termination of Kemal. 16th of April: Forces loyal to Mustafa Kemal carry out a military coup against the triumvirate and restore the parliament. Kemal is welcomed in Istanbul as a war hero, and the Sultan appoints him as prime minister. 25th of April: Treaty of Mosul. The Ottoman empires signs a peace treaty with the various rebel forces. The Kingdom of Greater Syria is established in Palestine, Syria, the transjordan and the Arab areas in Iraq. A Jewish autonomous region is established within Palestine to serve as a national home for the Jewish people within Greater Syria. The Republic of Armenia annexes most of Erzerum and maintain a military occupation of Artvin to gain access to the black sea. The Ottoman imperial house is maintained and the integrity of the empire is confirmed by all signatories, including representatives from the British and German empires. 10th of May: In an effort to establish a multi party tradition in the Ottoman Empire, Mustafa Kemal Pasha encourages the poet Mehmet Akif Bey to establish an opposition party, the Milli Selamet Fırkası . The MSF quickly turns to the right as islamists and conservatives flock to its banner. Kemal co-founds the secular and nationalist Halk Fırkası with his friend Ismet Pasha. 17th of May: The exiled Enver Pasha arrives in Bukhara, where he offers his services to Emir Mohammed Alim Khan, promising to modernize his armies and lead them in a campaign to unite Turkestan. The emir appoints Enver Pasha as the supreme commander of his forces. 27th of July: Japanese statesmen Hiranuma Kiichirō establishes the Kokuhonsha (National Foundation Society), a nationalist political society that endorses Japanese militarism and expansionism. 12th of October: General elections in the Ottoman Empire. The MSF wins the majority of the votes and Mehmet Akif Bey becomes prime minister. Mehmet’s first decree is to ban Mustafa Kemal Pasha from politics, while keeping his role in the military. The MSF administrations begin numerous reforms towards the islamization of the Ottoman Empire. 1925
29th of January: The NRA captures the city of Nanjing and moves the seat of the national assembly there. 12th of March: Sun Yat Sen dies in Nanjing. A power struggle ensues between Wang Jingwei and the left wing of the front and Chiang Kai-shek and the right wing. 15th of March: The conservative Dutch government enters into a diplomatic and economic treaty with the German Empire. 25th of February: Wang Jingwei asserts control over the left wing of the KMT and establishes a close alliance with the SDCP and other radical left wing movements. 25th of March: Chiang Kai-Shek and other right wing generals of the KMT carry out a military coup in Nanjing and executes a mass purge of leftists. The National assembly flees to Guangzhou and the National Revolutionary army purges its right wing members and prepares to confront Kai-shek. 30th of March: The NRF defeats the KMT in Nanjing and launches a counter attack into southern China. 30th of July: The newly organized Bukharan military begins a reclamation campaign around Samarkand, rallying several tribes around Enver Pasha’s pan-Turkish rethorics and defeating others. In response to Bukhara’s expansionism the Khivan Khanate begins its own incursions into the transcaspian. 7th of November: The Dutch parliament passes legislation officially adopting the golden standard. 8th of December: The Bukharan army captures Tashkent. Various tribal leaders in northern Turkestan swear fealty to the emir.
1926
15th of January: A truce is signed between the KMT and NRF, allowing the NRF to keep control of Nanjing and neighboring areas. 20th of February: Kokand falls to Bukharan forces. The Khivan army advances into Syr Darya. Tensions between the two entities mount as both compete for control of Turkestan. 14th of March: Khivan and Bukharan forces clash at the Syr Darya river, sparking a full scale war. The Bukharan armies superior organization and training, as well as the ideological fervor instilled by Enver Pasha gives them an edge in the battle. 6th of April: Chiang Kai-shek enters an alliance with Cao-Kun of the Zhili clique with the goal of uniting all of China under their dual presidency. This creates further tensions within the Zhili clique, with many of the left-leaning generals outraged by the deal with Chiang. 16th of April: Bukharan forces defeat the bulk of the Khivan army in Syr Darya and capture Khiva, effectively ending the Khanate. 22nd of April: Yan Xishan of the Shanxi clique joins the Zhili-NRF alliance. 3rd of May: Enver Pasha and a contingent of loyal troops return to Bukhara and depose emir Mohammed Alim Khan, installing Enver as the Başbuğ of the newly established Great Turkestan State. Enver Başbuğ announces his ambition to unite all Turkic peoples and achieve their national harmony. 11th of September Lavr Kornilov, the chief of staff of the Russian army forms a group of officers loyal to the White cause known as “The White Hundreds” with the aim of overthrowing the socialist government of Russia and the stated goal of restoring order and greatness to Russia and protect it from the Japanese threat. 25th of December: The Taisho Emperor passes away due to poor health and is succeeded by crown prince Hirohito, the new Showa Emperor.
1927
13th of April: Unification Convention of the SPA; The SPA, Socialist Labor Party and the Farmer-Labor party merge to form the United Socialist Party of America (USPA) as part of the United Front doctrine. Norman Thomas is elected leader of the party and the 1928 presidential nominee. 20th of April: A run on the banks throughout the Japanese empire forces the Wakatsuki Reijiro administration to resign. A new cabinet is created by the Seiyukai party headed by Tanaka Giichi which manages to control the crisis with emergency fiscal reforms. The crisis causes further monopolization of the Japanese economy by the major Zaibatsu groups. 3rd of May: Mehmet Emin bey founds the Milli Ülkü Partisi, a radical nationalist party in the Ottoman Empire. The party advocates for Turkish Nationalism, Pan-Turkism and anti-islamism. The party plans on participating in the 1928 elections and enjoys some popularity among the urban youth. The new party forms friendly ties with the recently established pan-turkist regime of Enver Buşbuğ. 14th of July: The “Kornilov affair”; Lavr Kornilov and his White Hundreds march on Moscow and besiege the Duma. Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky rally the workers of the Moscow Soviet and under Tukhachevsky’s brilliant leadership they manage to protect the city. Kornilov and his officers flee to the far east. The post of Army Chief remains vacant. 14h 10th of August: Lavr Kornilov and his officers arrive in Vladivostok and meet with Japanese military command. They reach an agreement sanctioned by Tanaka Giichi in which Japan assists Kornilov in invading the Russian PR and establish a “friend state” in its place. 25th of August: The Japanese army and Kornilov’s White Hundreds invade into the Russian far East, catching the Russian Army surprised and leaderless. 26th of August: The RSDLP walks out off the governing coalition forcing the government to resign. A partial reunification of the SR party is able to form a slim majority government. 29th of September: The Japanese army occupies Irkutsk. 13th of October: Despite heavy resistance by the Russian Army the Japanese forces threaten to break into the Russian heartland. 8th of November: Riding the waves of popularity gained by their defense of Moscow and aided by the anger and frustration against the government The RSDLP manages to win a majority in the Supreme Soviet in the general elections. The SRs maintain a slim plurality in the Duma and attempt to form a coalition block against the RSDLP with other moderate parties. 9th of November: Through the authority of his soviet majority Lenin dissolves the Duma and establishes a provisional Soviet government in Petrograd. The new government outlaws most institutions of the republic and rapidly recreates new revolutionary ones built around the existing Soviet system. The coup is popularly supported and RSDLP affiliated militias are upholding the orders of the Petrograd soviet. 11th of November: The RSDLP forms the “Revolutionary Military Council for the Soviet Republic” which acts as the provisional government during wartime. Lenin is appointed as the president of the Republic and Julius Martov is appointed prime minister. The RMCSR implements a policy of “ wartime socialism” which divides the country into military districts and assigns the military governers varying levels of economic control over the region. Wartime socialism is most radical in the far eastern district, where Trotsky, along with Tukhachevsky, Frunze, and other RSDLP aligned officers organize the front in preparation for a prolonged conflict. In the western theater, under the command of Yakov Sverdlov military control is far more limited and the party focuses on political development.
7th of December: The Red Army blocks the Japanese in Tomsk. Repeated incursion attempts on both sides ultimately fail to gain any substantial gains. Several months of attrition begin. 10th of December: Chiang Kai-shek launches the second Northern Expedition against the Fengtian clique and its local allies, defeating their already battered forces.
1928
2nd of February: The Japanese army launches an ill advised winter offensive attempting to overwhelm the Russians and cut off their supplies. 20th of February: The winter offensive fails miserably, leaving the Japanese forces battered and low on morale. The Russians exploit the situation and begin an offensive of their own. Tanaka Giichi and the Seiyukai receive a major blow in the Japanese general elections, failing to secure a majority and resulting in a hung parliament. While still holding on to the government, the Tanaka administration is unable to push through with their authoritarian reforms. 4th of April: The Red army slowly approaches the outskirts of Irkutsk. Fearing a prolonged fight in Siberia and potential defeat, the Japanese sue for peace. Vladimir Lenin decides to sign a peace treaty acknowledging the devastation the war brought and the already dire economic situation. 6th of April: Treaty of Irkutsk; Russia concedes Japanese occupation up to Irkutsk, cedes the rest of the pacific coast up to Kamchatka and releases some imprisoned members of The White Hundreds. Free usage of the Trans-Siberian railway is guaranteed for both parties throughout its length. End of the second Russo-Japanese war. Public opinion in Japan turns against Tanaka and the Seiyukai for waging a major, costly war and eventually failing the objectives. 10th of April: The Turkestani military completes the annexation of the independent Kazakh tribes in Turkestan. Enver Başbuğ begins a period of relative isolation in order to cultivate the pan-turkish identity within Turkestan, and economic and military buildup. 12th of April: Vladimir Lenin calls for a constitutional assembly in the Duma where he leads the Social Democratic party in forming a new political platform for Russia centered around the primacy of the Soviets and village communes. 29th of April: The Social Democratic constitution is presented to and ratified by the Duma transforming the Russian People's Republic to the Russian Soviet Republic. The Duma is dissolved and replaced by the All-Russian Soviet assembly that is elected every 5 years on the 25th of August from the delegates of lower Soviets. All non-Soviet political bodies are dissolved and economic reforms transfer all state owned businesses and industries to their local Soviets. A central planning bureau is established. 10th of May: The Central Planning Bureau of the Soviet Republic launches the first four year plan with the goal of transforming the economy of Russia into a true socialist economy through a campaign of sovietization and collectivization. 25th of August: The first Soviet General elections begin. Over the course of the next two weeks representatives to all higher level Soviets are elected. In the elections to the All-Russian Soviet assembly the RSDLP come out as the largest party. Lenin forms a coalition with the Left SRs and some other small socialist parties. 3rd of September: The Japanese create a “Friend state” in the occupied regions with Blagoveshchensk as its capital. The new “Russian State” is established as an autocratic republic under the control of Lavr Kornilov and the White Hundreds. The new state claims the entirety of the old Russian Imperial lands as its territory. 14th of September: The NRF defeats the Fengtian clique and establishes control over Manchuria. 10th of November: Chiang Kai-Shek begins negotiations with Cao Kun and Yan Xishan to organize a confederacy of Chinese nationalist polities. The negotiations are hindered by sharp ideological differences between the parties. 25th of December: Lenin Receives his first stroke. He is sent to recover in Gorki. Leon Trotsky serves as prime minister in his place.
1929
7th of January: Lenin suffers a second stroke and subsequently passes away in Gorki. A state funeral is held in Moscow with hundreds of thousands of citizens and public figures from all over the world coming to pay their respects to him. Lenin is buried in a special tomb in Moscow and a massive monument in his honor is erected. Petrograd is renamed Leningrad in a unanimous vote of the supreme Soviet and a political triumvirate forms with Trotsky as prime minister, Sverdlov as party secretary and Zinoviev as premier as the new leaders of the republic. Zinoviev long time ally Kamenev is appointed by him to the Russian delegation at the 2nd international. 15th of January: Using their newest position, Trotsky and Zinoviev present an updated strategic direction for the “United Front” in a special congress of the second international and calls on all proletariat parties in the world to expand their influence with promise of Soviet aid. New regional headquarters of the international are established around the world to coordinate political and economic activities of member organizations. 16th of January: In response to the updated protocol of the International the USPA establishes the Trade Union Unity League (TUUL) as a general labor federation of socialist trade unions in the US. 27th of January: The NRF attempts to nationalize some railways in Manchuria, prompting a panicked response from the Mentatsu board. The Mentatsu begins to lobby the Japanese war cabinet to intervene in Manchuria with the purpose of protecting Japanese interests from Chinese nationalism. Hoping to regain some public support by a successful campaign, Tanaka launches an invasion of NRF held Manchuria with the Kwantung army. The invasion proved more difficult than initially thought, with the Japanese forces still recovering from the war in the previous year. 1st of February: In response to the rising power of the radical left and the recent political developments in Russia, several key American businessmen are invited to a secret meeting by Henry Ford in Detroit. Together they form a secret society dubbed “Club 28” with the goal of stopping communism by establishing a national integralist state using their vast capital and connections. Ford and his gang contact various right wing politicians and activists and fund a new political party called “American Party” founded by William Dudley Pelley. The party promotes a new radical ideology promoting a combination anti-communism, anti-semitism, pan-christian white ultra nationalism, social conservatism, fordist populism and authoritarianism eventually coming to be known as “Americanism”. Additionally contacts were made with right wing paramilitary groups and military figures in preparation for future activities. 29th of October: Black Tuesday. The midwest real estate bubble bursts serving as the catalyst for a decade of economic collapse and hardships in the industrialized world as a result of a global money shortage. The global markets crash and millions of people lose their job, causing social unrest and tensions throughout the world. 12th of November: The Kwantung army captures Mukden from NRF forces. Despite the success in Manchuria, the constant warfare and the critical economic situation completely breaks the public trust in Tanaka and the Seiyukai. The government disbands and an interim cabinet is appointed by the emperor until the general elections next year.
1930 1st of January: Membership in radical political organizations in the US such as the TUUL and the KKK reach an all time high. 20th of February: The Minseito manages a landslide victory in the Japanese general elections with Hamaguchi Osachi appointed as prime minister. Hamaguchi pledges to tackle Japan’s economic issues and to put an end to the war in China. Negotiations between Chinese, Manchurian, Japanese and Mantetsu representatives begin in Seoul. 3rd of March: In a successful attempt to reign in the military using changes in public opinion, Hamaguchi signs a peace treaty with Chiang Kai-shek, establishing a Manchurian “Friend State” between the Amur and Mukden. The new state is a presidential republic largely dependent on Japan but mostly independent in internal affairs. Much of the administration of the new republic is placed in the hands of the Mantetsu with elections planned for 1934. 5th of March: Massive protests originally organized by the underground labor party, but soon taken over by the liberals over the economic collapse take place all over Britain. Stanley Baldwin resigns from his role as prime minister and emergency elections are scheduled. 10th of March: The NRF defeat in the second Sino-Japanese war causes the NRF-Zhilli-Shanxi alliance to fall apart. Feng Yuxiang performs a military coup in Beijing and forces the Qing family into exile. He is eventually beaten back by Wu Peifu and retreats to his territories in Shaanxi. 4th of April: Hamaguchi announces the new economic policy for Japan, including cuts in government spendings on civil servants, increased privatization of services and joint public-private projects to rebuild the Manchurian garrison and development of the new colonies. These reforms manage to halt the worst of the economic crisis but are unable to fully address issues such as unemployment and land disputes. Despite the limited success of these reforms Hamaguchi popularity continued to grow among both the middle classes and the Zaibatsu, allowing the Minseito to focus on liberal political reforms. 10th of April: The Liberal party wins the emergency elections in Britain, with the conservatives losing their decade long hold over the parliament. The March protests have caused a rise of popularity for socialist policies, and a new political party, the “Democratic Party” is established by moderate Labourists and social Liberals. 23rd of April. 28th congress of the SSDLP. Trotsky and Zinoviev outmaneuver Sverdlov and are able to demote him from the role of party secretariat. Both Trotsky and Zinoviev try to place their own prodigies as secretary, and eventually compromise with the appointment of Sergei Kirov, a popular party cadet and veteran of both revolutions. Kirov have steadily built a reputation as a moderate within the party and was quickly accepted by both the party and the public. 2nd of July: Using his growing political power and popularity, Osachi Hamaguchi of the Minseito repeales the “Peace Preservation Law” of 1925, greatly expanding the political freedoms within Japan and entrenching the Parliamentary system. Additionally amendments to the Public Order and Police Law of 1900 have further laxed restrictions on political rights, leading to a massive growth in political organizations and parties of both the left and the right. 20th of December: Encouraged by the liberalization of the political atmosphere and promoted by the Second International, the Japan Labour-Farmer Party, the Proletarian Masses Party, the Japan Farmers Party and the Labour-Farmer Party have formally reunited as a united front for revolutionary socialism in Japan. The Japanese Social Democratic Party also legally reformed itself and joined as a formal member of the new Japanese Proletarian Party. 1931 4th of July: Violent clashes between Klansmen and TUUL strikers in Chicago erupt on independence day. Herbert Hoover’s apparent failure to address the tensions cause a marked drop in his popularity. 10th of October: Trotsky publishes "The Permanent Revolution" - an ideological treatise introducing radical theory regarding the role of the working class in the world revolution and in the Soviet republic. The book creates ideological tensions within the party as more conservative elements within the party oppose Trotsky's radicalism, tensions which are quickly utilized by Zinoviev in his attempts to seize control of the country. 1932 1st of March : Japanese war minister Kazushige Ugaki resigns over the government’s intervention in the invasion of Manchuria. As per the constitution his resignation requires the assembly of a new government. 3rd of April: Snap elections in Japan grant Hamaguchi an absolute majority in the diet to the dismay of the militarists. The 2nd Hamaguchi cabinet continues the democratization reforms in the country. 23rd of April: 30th congress of the SSDLP; Despite fierce campaigning Zinoviev is marginalized by Trotsky's radical faction with the help of Kirov. Zinoviev is removed from the post of premier and replaced by Karl Radek, a close associate of Trotsky. 10th of May: After securing his control of the Soviet Republic Trotsky launches the 2nd four year plan, with the aim of creating a massive industrial base and a buildup of the military in preparation of the world revolution. 8th of May: French general elections. The liberal and conservative parties merge into the Republican Party and form a national unity government to fight the rising militant forces in the country. 8th of November: American elections go ahead despite massive demonstrations from both the right and the left. The democratic candidate, Franklin Delano Roosevelt secures enough delegates in the electoral college and is expected to become the President despite many elements in American society vocally opposing his program. 16th of November: Antoun Saadeh forms the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, a republican revolutionary party which attracts both nationalists and socialists. The party advocates for a stronger Syrian national identity, establishment of a republic, the dissolvement of Jewish autonomy in Palestine and radical social and economic reforms aimed at modernization.
1933 2nd of February: The Japanese Diet passes the State Cabinet Law, which removes the constitutional provisions for the dissolvement of the government in the case of a minister resigning. This move essentially ends the military’s domination of the civilian government. 4th of March: Franklin D. Roosevelt is inaugurated as President of the United States. Already on his first day of office the new president set out to address the dire economic situation despite heavy resistance from the right. 26th of April: A coalition of conservative parties lead by the Roman-Catholic State Party wins a majority in the Dutch general elections. 28th of April: Ford’s The ‘Dearborn Independent’, one of the most widely circulated papers in America spreads a rumor the USPA is planning a coup on the upcoming May day, creating mass anti-communist hysteria. 1st of May: Army troops loyal to George Van Horn Moseley march on the white house and declare an “Anti-Communist Defense Campaign”. Franklin D. Roosevelt is evacuated from washington westwards as loyalist military units are attacked in the city by the putschist units. As news of the event spreads across the the east coast street battles are sparked between right wing militias and labor demonstrators. The beginning of the second American civil war. 13th of November: SSDLP party secretary Sergei Kirov is elected as the editor in cheif of the party newspaper 'Pravda'. 20th of December: The consequences of the great depression hit the netherlands, causing a wave of social unrest and political radicalization.
1934 6th of March: Ichishima Hideki, a former executive of the Mantetsu corporation is elected as the first president of the Manchurian Republic. Ichishima’s administration is heavily opposed by both Chinese nationalists and leftist dissenters. 5th of May: The conservative coalition in the Netherlands falls apart over disagreements on economic policy, particularly over the gold standard. New elections are called and a new government is formed with the Anti Revolutionary Party, Liberal State Party, Christian Historical Union while the Roman-Catholic State Party becomes marginalized. The first item on their agenda is the replacement of the gold standard and economic reforms to combat the great depression. 17th of July: The new Dutch government passes economic reforms dubbed “Economische Bijstandswetten” which entail among other things the abandonment of the gold standard and heavy investments in the colonies. 1935 1st of May: In a grandiose may day ceremony Leon Trotsky announces the creation of the national 'Young Revolutionary' youth movement. The movement is established as a voluntary organization to promote social responsibility and revolutionary spirit among the youth. 15th of August: In a summit sponsored by the British empire the two factions in the American civil war sign a ceasefire and retreat behind a DMZ along the Rocky Mountains.