Re: Blood and Iron

To say that the global reactions to the ongoing war, or at least among those independent nations, were wildly varied was an understatement to the say the least. In its efforts to maintain neutral and not provoke either faction, the United States had begun a process of self-reliance.

God had blessed the American people with a land that held virtually everything they needed to be self-sufficient. It was probably one of the few countries in world history that could say such a thing without needing to form an empire of some kind.

Russia was another, but for reasons which only God could explain, they had never been able to collectively get their shit together. Vodka played a major role in this, but there were plenty of other reasons to be sure.

Still, in this life, without the Soviet Union throwing a wrench in modernizations efforts with their civil war, and acts of democide so vast they made a certain Hugo Boss wearing red armband group blush in embarrassment, the Russian Empire was on the right track.

Regardless, the United States, despite the pleas from the Allies to support them with material aid, remained insistent ongoing their own way. The Monroe Doctrine had been reinforced, which was more or less a pledge of "If you don't fuck with the Americas, we won't fuck with whatever you all have going on across the pond."

A joint declaration made by the United States Congress, and President said that wars on the other side of the world were no interest of theirs, so long as they themselves were not provoked into conflict. And that supplying either side in favor of the other was without justification.

Though there were some wealthy industrialists who lobbied for supplying both sides in the conflict, many felt that being known as a nation of two-faced war mongers was not within their best interest as a country.

And because of this, the trade of weapons, munitions, and raw materials that could be used as such were restricted solely to neutral nations. However, the United States did approve the sale of material goods either fully processed or in their natural state that could be used for non-military applications to nations that were on either side of the conflict.

Bruno, having a vested interest in the prosperity of the United States, did everything he could to keep people working within the corporations he in part owned within the American industry employed and in good health.

And even lobbied against the existence of things like corporate towns/stores from the shadows. If the American economy collapsed as a result of their current pursuit of autarky, then he would ultimately lose as a result of it.

Even if he took a personal loss of some of his monumental fortune, he did not care. Because having the United States, and its massive industrial potential, enter the war on behalf of the Allies was a behemoth that Bruno wanted to avoid awakening from its slumber.

Could he win such a war with the exceptional alliance he had built and his advanced military? The odds were most definitely in his favor. But would such an outcome extend the war, and losses Germany, Austro-Hungary and Russia would suffer as a result? Oh, yes… And that needed to be avoided.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a matter really left up to Germany, or the United States, for that matter. The Allies, having had their one theater of war that they had gained any victory in, that being the Alps frozen in stagnation once more, were desperate for a victory.

Even after the massacre, that was the first organized protests against the War in France had occurred. Things had only settled down for a time. Public Sentiment could only be appeased with victory. And when those victories were once more reversed, and ally nations started dropping like flies.

Well, was it really all that surprising when the people were up in arms again? Because of this, France found itself embroiled in another series of protests that were on the brink of full-scale civil unrest. And because of this, the French head of state was quick to call upon the British to do something to help in this regard.

The conversation was held in person within London, as both parties discussed their options.

"It was bad enough when the Western Front was our greatest concern. But losses have been substantial ever since the Germans and Austro-Hungarians discovered how to counter our tanks in the Alps!

And then there is the entry of Bulgaria into the war. An act that should have appeased the people and their anxiety, but only compounded the latter as they capitulated within a mere three days! Now the people think that the Ottomans are next.

And then what becomes of our Great Alliance? You, me, and Italy? Luckily, the public isn't quite yet aware of what is happening in Indochina, or Africa for that matter, else I dare say we would be well and truly boned…"

The English Prime Minister really couldn't deny these words. He was having his own problems with Public Demand. Serbia was gone, and they were the ones who had started this whole global affair. Meanwhile, Bulgaria had surrendered in a mere 72 hours.

Their ability to land troops in the Balkans were thoroughly countered by the naval supremacy of the Central Powers in the region, meaning that any reinforcements to the Ottomans who now found their army in Eastern Thrace trapped between two fronts would have to first go through North Africa and then through the Levant, and then into Anatolia until finally reaching Constantinople.

Even by train, that was a long journey, let alone the time it took four ships to land troops and supplies in Egypt to begin with. And that was a of course assuming the damned Arab rebels had not taken out yet another railway with their frequent hit-and-run tactics.

It was a nightmare of the highest caliber, and the British Prime minister only had one thought left in his mind on how to possibly salvage this horrific situation he found himself dragged into.

"There is one option that might work… The Imperial Japanese Army has recently showed that they are willing to spare those soldiers in our armed forces who have dual citizenship with neutral nations… If we could somehow get them to obliterate a unit composed of men exclusively with such origins it could theoretically drag other nations into the war on our behalf…

Although, their ability to detect these men and grant them clemency seems to be quite advanced… I'm afraid to make this work. We might need to take this into our own hands…"

The French head of state did not even feign shock, dismay, or condemnation. He simply stated the obvious out loud, since the two of them were the only ones in the room and was quick to agree with the sinister sentiment.

"You want us to plant a false flag? At this point, I'm open to anything so long as we can gain a win to appease these unpatriotic bastards. Because France cannot be humiliated for a second time against those German bastards! I will never allow it so long as I remain in office!"

A silent agreement was made between the two men as they nodded their heads and with sadistic grins. Innocent men would have to die for them to drag neutral nations into the war on their side. It was just a matter how who they targeted and how they could pull it off without revealing they themselves were behind it.