1905: Uchronia » major events

1754: The Albany Congress

Fighting breaks out between the French and the British in North America over the Ohio region, resulting in both sides constructing forts in the area.

In an attempt to organise and co-ordinate the defences of all of the colonies a congress of the commissioners representing seven British colonies in North America occurs at Albany, in New York, to treat with the Iroquois. This is done chiefly because a war with France is seen to be impending.

At the meeting, a notable example of co-operation among the colonies, Benjamin Franklin proposes The Albany Plan of Union, a plan for the 'voluntary' union of the thirteen British colonies in North America into a Union which would be administered by a Crown-appointed President-General and a General Council of delegates from the colonies. It would have exclusive control of Indian affairs, regulating Indian trade and buying Indian land for the Crown. It would also be responsible for constructing forts and paying for troops to man them. This plan is supported by the chiefs of the six Iroquois nations, who are present at the Congress, who have no resentment with the British. Because the British are focussed more on the orient, the Crown is happy to delegate the running of its colonies to a local level, and, over the objections of the colonial governments, the Plan of Union is implemented.

(In the real world a treaty was concluded, but the Plan of Union was rejected by the colonial governments and the Crown as demanding too great a surrender of their powers. Also, the Indians were dissatisfied with the removal of William Johnson, the Crown Representative who knew their ways well, and were resentful of a land purchase made by the colony at Albany. Because of this they allied themselves with the French in the ensuing French and Indian War. The reduced funds available in America because of increased trade with China means that this resentment does not exist here as there is no Albany land purchase in this timeline.)

Over time, the Plan of Union proves to be a very good idea, as despite occasional tensions and conflicts between Crown and colonists it allows Colonial grievances with the Crown to be addressed, and gives the colonies a voice in England. (It also prevents many of the abuses of the Native Americans that took place in the real world, and gives them, in time, their own Union governments.) Because it is so effective, the same form of government is, over time, adopted for many of Britain's other colonies, and is still used today.

1843-1848: The First Ottoman War

The British and Austrians bring troops into Turkey, with the permission of the Sultan, and battles are fought with the Russians in a number of places in western Turkey, particularly Constantinople, Erdine and Bursa. Attacked on two fronts, and with their forces in Turkey in danger of being cut off, the Russians are forced to withdraw. However, the Treaty of Constantinople, which ends the war after a million casualties, gives both Russia and Britain a good deal of control over the entrance to the Black Sea, and makes the Ottoman Empire a state which, though nominally independent, is actually subordinate to them both.

(This war replaces the Crimean War in this version of history, and happens earlier because Russia is more advanced here than in the real world.)

1888-1893: The Japanese War (World War I)

1887: Russia invades Japan, intending to turn the Japanese islands into a Russia outpost whether the Japanese want it or not. With its old-fashioned military and lack of firearms, Japan can do little to stop them.

1888: When it becomes clear what Russia is doing in Japan, China objects to the invasion, seeing what having a Russian-controlled Japan so close to their coastline would mean. When Russia ignores the Chinese objections, China declares war, and invades Japan too. This quickly leads to a land war in Asia and Japan, and a naval war in the surrounding seas. The fighting quickly spreads into Africa and North America by way of the Russian and Chinese colonies there.

Britain becomes involved nominally because its shipping and various colonies are threatened by Russia; in reality they join the war for political reasons, to maintain the status quo and prevent Russia from destabilising the world political structure. The NEU also supports the Chinese in order to hold onto their trading rights in Japan, and this leads to war with Russia along its Finnish border. Denmark and Belgium, allied with Russia, also attack the NEU and attempt to invade British Continental Principalities of Hanover, Lüneburg and Calais.

The war quickly turns nasty, with various new weapons being deployed, particularly poison gas and machine guns. Airships and aircraft are also used during the war. Although heavier-than-air aircraft are initially only used by China for message-carrying and reconnaissance, they are quickly adapted for combat, particularly cargo aircraft which are turned into crude bombers. Their great effectiveness in this quickly leads to their adoption by the other Powers.

The fighting in Europe quickly bogs down into trench warfare, as it does in places in Africa, America and Asia. Because the Chinese tend towards 'suzhan sujue' - "rapidly fought and rapidly decided" - operations, which have long been the preference of Chinese strategists, they have problems with their large numbers of losses in the trenches and other theatres of the war.

After five years, in late 1892, the British, Chinese and their allies are beginning to turn the tide against Russia. Japan is devastated as it has been blockaded and had two major armies fighting across it.

It is at this point that the Russian Czar, Nicholas, is overthrown in a coup by a group who wish to end this terrible war. It is led by his wife, who becomes the Tsarina Catherine III. This leads to a negotiated settlement which leaves China and Britain the victors. Russia loses some of its African colonies, and some nominal amount of its North American holdings to Britain and China. It also loses some of its Asian holdings to Britain, recognising the front line at the end of the war, when Britain has taken control of the area up to and including Tashkent. China gains Japan. The NEU loses Finland to Russia during the war, but takes Norway from Denmark.

Initially known as the Japanese War, it has become known as the World War (later renamed to World War I) to history. It directly killed an estimated eight million people.

1894: Constantinople Conference

The [First] Ottoman War was officially concluded with the Treaty of Constantinople. The Constantinple Conference, however, was also the site where the League of Nations was established

The League of Nations was created as an organisation where representatives from all the nations of the world can meet to try and ensure no repeat of the horrors of the World War. It has no enforcement powers, and is basically a debating society where nations can talk out their problems rather than fight over them.

1905-1920: The Second Ottoman War (World War II)

Russia sees the possibility of the British Empire cornering the world oil market, and as this would significantly affect them, moves to secure its needs and maintain what it sees as its rightful place and influence in the Middle East. Their attempted seizure of the Middle Eastern oil fields quickly leads to war being declared between Russia and Britain. This quickly spills over from the Middle East and spreads to the rest of the world. China, also seeing the problems of a British oil monopoly, joins the war on Russia's side, forcing Britain out of the Philippines. The NEU attempts to remain neutral in the conflict, but sees a possibility to retake Finland from the Russians.

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Eventually, the Chinese/Russian/Nouvelle France alliance was victorious over Britain and its allies Mexico and the NEU. It conquered most of the British territory in North America. The British army was able to hold off the invader at the borders of the Albany Union, but lost Arabia to the Chinese/Russian alliance.

1921: Kingston Conference

In 1921, the Russian Empire invited all other powers involved in World War II to the city of Kingstone, Canada. There, a peace treaty was signed between all parties. Also, the Chinese/Russian conquered territories were equally divided between the two.

Russia gained control over Canada, western-Suriname, western-Bolivia, northern-Arabia, and The Congo colony. China gained control over British occupied territory in northern America, eastern-Bolivia, southern-Arabia, and the Philippines. The NEU conquered Finland and the Russian western-Sahara colony, but traded the latest for the most southern British Africa colony. Nouvelle France expanded its territory at the Mississipi Delta and the Acadian region.

1917-1921: The Great Muslim Uprising

Upon British withdrawel from the Middle East region, the Chinese/Russian alliance saw its chance to conquer most of the British their colonial possessions there. With Chinese support from their southern Omen colony, the Russian infantery launched an invasion of Arabia from their Persian colony. A long, hard battle follows for the city of Mecca, which degenerates into house-to-house fighting. The Russians manage to repel the British, but in the process the most holy sites in Islam are destroyed.

As news of this spreads, Muslims across the world rise up against both the British and Russian Empires, causing huge civil disorder in many places. The prosecution of the war quickly grinds to a halt as each side attempts to deal with this domestic unrest.

China, which although allied with Russia had nothing to do with the attack on Mecca suffers least from this Muslim unrest. The Ottoman Empire, which gave permission for Britain to occupy Mecca in the first place, is wracked with unrest.

A hastily convened conference in Kingston, Canada, brings the war between the Great Powers to an end, so that Britain and Russia can concentrate on quelling Muslim unrest.

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