Russosphere: Infrastructure program abroad]
The Russian sphere of influence was a diverse mix of states, in this case we are talking about post-Ottoman states (after the fall of the Ottoman Empire), mainly the Republic of Syria, the State of Assyria, the State of Mesopotamia, Kuwait, Republic of Cilicia, State of Ionia and the Republic of Baghdad.
And to a lesser extent the rest (Druzia, Greater Lebanon and the Alawite State).
With the beginning of the creation of the Russosphere in former Ottoman territories (Anatolia and parts of the Middle East), also came the Plan for International Cooperation, also known as the Alexandrian Reconstruction Plan of 1897.
Thanks to the efforts of Russian capital and cooperation with these states, by January 6, 1901, important infrastructure advances were completed.
Achievements aimed not only at improving local infrastructure, but maintaining Russian influence between the Alexandrian government and its subordinates in the Russosphere.
This was the great line of communication (telegraph and radio) between some of the main cities of the Russosphere, and Moscow-Saint Petersburg.
One of the examples of this great line of communications was the Dimašq-Moscow telegraph and radio, from the city of Damascus (capital of Syria) to one of the most important centers of the Alexandrian government.
This great line of communications would mean that Moscow could keep informed or give instructions to the Russosphere members much more quickly than with diplomatic meetings (calling the Russosphere members' diplomats to meet directly with Russian ambassadors or the Tsar).
Of course the big diplomatic meetings would still occur, but minor matters were much faster.
Not only was Damascus part of this great line of communication, but so were Baghdad, Basra (capital of Mesopotamia), Kuwait, Mosul (in Assyria), Smyrna (in Ionia), etc.
In short, the large cities and centers of government in various parts of the Russosphere all connected to Moscow and St. Petersburg, although some did so by a longer way than others (Smyrna for example was connected by telegraph and radio to Tsargrad).
These cities received the largest investment in communication aspects of the time, with access to radio.
Other smaller centers and more remote parts, such as isolated Druzia or Greater Lebanon, also obviously received an investment in communications infrastructure, but it was somewhat disparate of course.
Greater Lebanon and the Alawite State were mostly a collection of commercial ports and tourist cities, with dependencies on Russian capital and products (or other members of the Russosphere). Druzia on the other hand was a poor, landlocked country.
As a consequence communication was still by telegraph (and less by radio) in the case of Lebanon and Alawite State, or depended on other members of the Russosphere.
Druzia depended on Damascus (Syria) for access to the most modern and rapid communication, a product of Druzia's disadvantages (small demography and complicated geography).
Dependent on Russia and allies, Druzia (the state of the Druze) was simply very small and underdeveloped, it depended on foreigners to function.
These developments are very important, some citizens of the former Ottoman Empire (especially those in the peripheries) had never seen telegraphs, and practically none of them had seen most of the technological developments of the radio.
But now under the Russosphere there were new hospitals, railroads, roads, and lines of communication, accompanied by huge increases in people's quality of life.
Of course, with the exception of these great modern lines of communication, still Russia and its associated states did not carry out any mega-projects (due to the Russian interest in their great Trans-Balkan railway).
But there were still other important commercial developments, such as Russian capital in Eastern Mediterranean ports, Persian Gulf ports, and other negotiations.
In advance, Russian capital would obtain the rights (and privileges) to many of the Middle East's oil resources, tourism and strategic points (in the Russosphere areas).
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Meanwhile, during February and March, Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah of Kuwait and Tsar Alexander III became diplomatically close, after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Kuwait was now nominally "independent".
But Russia wanted something more official about its presence and interests in Kuwait, so Mubarak the Great received various offers, a Russian proectorate on the region in exchange for weapons, money and military-diplomatic protection, among other issues.
As a condition Mubarak was committing himself (and his successors) not to receive foreign agents or representatives, nor to cede or sell territory without the approval of the Russian government.
In essence he giving up much of Kuwait's independence, in exchange for Russian protection against foreign threats and investment in Kuwaiti cities (in exchange for Kuwait's resources and strategic commercial-military positions).
This deal would guarantee a protectorate, something Mubarak did not want at all, but it would also give him strong protection against the British and surrounding tribes.
Eventually Mubarak accepted the deal, but on the condition that discussions would continue about whether Russian troops were allowed in Kuwait or not (the main issue was whether to accept Russian troops in Kuwait City or not, the border regions were fine but Mubarak and others were somewhat paranoid about having foreign troops in the capital or centers of power).
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On March 31st, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the Black Sea area, the most powerful earthquake recorded in the region, with its epicenter 30 kilometers from Cape Shabla-Kaliakare, Bulgaria.
The earthquake ended mainly affecting Bulgaria and Romania, not only because of the earthquake, but also because of a tsunami caused by seismic activity.
Tsar Alexander III led the Russian Red Cross (among other Russian organizations) to intervene, especially in Bulgaria. Helping with reconstruction and other important aid (food, rescuing people, etc).
This as part of the Russian investments in the region, and propaganda potential of Russia towards Bulgaria (and Romania).
It also gave Russia the opportunity to continue proposing loans and infrastructure projects to the Balkan countries, guaranteeing not only the necessary improvements that these countries needed, but also managing to put the aforementioned countries in debt, affect them with propaganda and continue to guarantee the success of the Russian capital in foreign states.
Some cities had to be rebuilt, but Russia also offered new power plants, public transport, railways, and from time to time big projects (such as the trans-Balkan railway). But everything in this life has a price.
The price that Russia was asking was a great influence on the mentioned countries.
Romania remained a very independent part, but Bulgaria continued to fall strongly in the Russian sphere, a product of cultural, military and political ties.
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[Art of Diplomacy]
On January 12, on behalf of the Guangxu Emperor, Li Hongzhang and Yikuang (Prince Ch'ing) signed the preliminary protocols of the demands of foreign powers in China, for the restart of diplomatic relations after the Boxer Rebellion.
This means that officially China began to accept and give in to some of the European (and Japanese) demands.
Although in these months there were still certain issues to attend to, such as the amount of silver (in taels) that China had to give to the coalition powers, interests and for how many years, penalties for Boxer sympathizers, suspending civil service exams for some years, etc.
And obviously, the Chinese need to begin to cede territories or more particular concessions to foreign powers (especially in the peripheral areas of the Chinese empire).
Related to the Yangtze Agreement signed by foreign diplomats such as Mikhail von Giers (representative of Russia), which precisely marked foreign influences on Chinese territory.
The point is that colonizing China would not be the same as colonizing India (to give an example).
Border territories populated by non-Han ethnic groups, or extremely ethnically diverse, could be removed. But the Han-majority regions with millions of inhabitants were a matter that had to be treated more subtly for the moment.
Russia, the British and Germany could annex for example Xinjiang, Tibet and Yunnan, but if they wanted more influence than that, they would have to work with collaborators, seek concessions and more soft power.
On January 14, Russia would accept the request to begin withdrawing troops from Zhili peacefully while discussions were taking place, which proved to be a good decision, since other international troops in occupied territory (Tien-tsin / Tianjin) would start. to give some trouble.
The French, German and British troops began to have diplomatic problems with each other (in the midst of the Fashoda negotiations, the Boxer rebellion and the international occupation of Chinese territory, old scars are not forgotten), even threatening the resumption of hostilities so close of the signing of peace treaties.
American and Japanese troops had to agree to take over Tien-tsin while the French, Germans, and British retreated to other positions (each separated) to avoid conflict.
A rather childish display in eastern (mainly Chinese) views of most of the foreign occupiers.
The Russians were more "mature", but took the opportunity to send their surplus troops after leaving Zhili to the occupied territories in the north (Xinjiang and Mongolia), simply mounting more defenses in case the Chinese finally decided to deny the Russian requests.
On January 15, international troop commanders announce the formation of a new judicial system for China.
January 22, China's Shan-hai-kwan (Shanhaiguan Railway) is briefly under German military administration.
On February 8, the Chinese ambassadors in Russia were finally forced to acknowledge Russian requests for the annexation of Xinjiang and Mongolia, marking a humiliating loss for China, accepting the conditions imposed by Russia in this regard.
Soon after, the "independence" of Tibet, the German annexation of Yunnan and concessions for other powers in Guangdong (for France) and the legations (for France, Germany, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia) were also accepted.
Secretly among the powers, the Yangtze River was also accepted as a particular area of British interests, which Russia had little interest in crossing (at the moment), with southern China rather divided (in theory rather than in practice), between Germany and France.
On February 21, the international troops agreed not to take any more territories without the consent of the rest, after Russia, the British Empire and Germany obtained those territories they wanted.
France, Japan and the United States would not ask for more territories outside of those concessions they already obtained, Germany could not expand further (logistical problems), the British did not seek territories beyond Tibet (yet) and Russia had no interest in more territories (for the moment).
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Meanwhile in France, Russia is represented by Count Alexander Petrovich Izvolsky.
The final diplomatic resolution of the Fashoda war is near, with many agreements about the future limitations of the war (accepted by the ratifiers of the treaty), minor to neutral reparations and obviously the territorial changes.
But in the midst of this, Izvolsky is a curious person.
A good diplomat certainly, but still curious for the time.
Izvolsky was looking for a Franco-Russian rapprochement and a serious improvement of relations between the United Kingdom and the Russian Empire, in Izvolsky's opinion this triad of nations, or at least Russia with France or Russia with the United Kingdom, were the ideal counterweight to the "New Germany."
A great Germany with new economic powers, a giant with feet of clay, yes, but a giant nonetheless.
However, obviously Izvolsky's ideas had certain problems, while France could effectively seek a rapprochement with Russia to oppose Germany (after Fashoda both groups would hate each other again), the British did not want to know anything about the French and some were looking for a rapprochement. Anglo-German to oppose Russia.
The new international policies were certainly not a simple thing, but Izvolsky currently during his stay in Paris achieved a brief thaw of Anglo-Russian relations, and the increase of good diplomatic relations between France and Russia.
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On February 23, at 10 am, the international powers and states involved in the Paris discussions officially end the Fashoda War, ratifying the Treaty of Paris.
It was signed and accepted by the United Kingdom (British Empire), the German Empire, the Second French Empire, the Kingdom of Italy, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Republic of Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Venezuela, the Empire of Brazil and the Republic of the United States of Brazil.
Other powers acted as observers or even signatories, for example the United States observed, but the Second Mexican Empire accepted the established conventions of the war.
The treaty included.
* Conventions of the laws of war:
1-Creation of the Permanent Court of Arbitration for the peaceful resolution of international disputes.
2-Specifications of the treatment of prisoners of war, provisions of the Geneva Convention of 1864 for the treatment of the wounded, prohibits the use of poisons, the killing of enemy combatants who have surrendered, looting a city or place and the attack / bombardment of defenseless cities or houses.
The inhabitants of the occupied territories cannot be compelled to perform military service against their own country and collective punishment is prohibited.
3-Principles of maritime warfare such as the protection of marked hospital ships, treatment of wounded and shipwrecked sailors of all belligerents.
4- Statements regarding miscellaneous projectiles.
a) Prohibition of the use of projectiles for the sole purpose of spreading poisonous asphyxiating gases (asphyxiating or noxious gases).
b) Prohibition of the use of bullets that can easily expand or change their shape within the human body (expansive bullets, among others).
* The establishment of the State of Norway and the Republic of Sweden, after the dissolution of the Kingdom of Sweden-Norway. The colonial administration of the Kongo passes to Norway.
** Despite this, the Kongo is divided into some territories. Katanga goes to Russian administration, and some territories become administered by Germany or the United Kingdom.
* Restoration of the territory of Switzerland. With some repairs by Germany.
* Restoration of the independence of Denmark, despite the loss of Greenland and Iceland. Some financial reparations are given to Denmark.
* North (France) and South (United Kingdom) division of the colonial positions in Africa, France wins for example Sudan, Morocco, Egypt, etc. While the United Kingdom wins Mozambique, Angola, the old French Congo, etc.
* Recognition of the German and French annexations of some European territories, such as Flanders and Wallonia.
* The British annexation of certain territories in Europe, such as Ottoman Cyprus or the Balearic Islands, is recognized.
* Recognition of the Holy Land in the hands of France.
* Recognition of the Kingdom of Spain in Puerto Rico.
* Recognition of the Russian annexations of former Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman territory, in addition to the later Russian sphere of influence.
* British Guyana becomes Venezuelan possession.
* Alagoas becomes an independent state, a neutral zone between the Empire of Brazil and the Republic of the United States of Brazil.
* The Spanish military junta of Equatorial Guinea is recognized as an 'independent' state (a buffer state between the southern border of the Russian Kameroon and the British Empire).
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[State funeral]
On January 28, 1901, the Russian Empire briefly went into mourning. Due to heart disease, the general and former minister of war, Iosif Vladimirovich Romeyko-Gurko, passed away at the age of 72 at his estate in Sakharovo, Tver.
On January 30 he was formally buried at a state funeral with the decorations and proper procedures of one of the heroes of the last Russo-Turkish wars.
At the funeral were present the Minister of War Mikhail Skobelev, Tsar Alexander III, soldiers and generals, and the family of the deceased, such as the wife Maria Andreevna Salias de Tournemire, and the sons Vladimir, Vasily and Dmitry (also involved in the government and the army) .
Romeyko-Gurko oversaw many of the reforms of the Russian Imperial Army, such as the standardization of new forms of training and technology.
"In honor of General Romeyko-Gurko, we will continue to do a good job." The general and minister of war, Mikhail Skobelev, 57, insisted on his speech during the funeral of his companion and friend.
Death is an extremely important matter, with this Romeyko-Gurko step into the pantheon of Russian heroes (product of the militaristic and nationalist policies of Dukh Suvorova, and the Russian mentality of respect for his military) and Skobelev continued his renewed political participation.
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[International]
Day 1 of January, 6000 deaths of bubonic plague along the Australian coasts.
Due to anti-pandemic measures, there is little public celebration, but there is an extremely important event celebrated by the authorities, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia federate into the Commonwealth of Australia.
On the same day another 100 Irish veterans are arrested for their participation in strikes in Ireland, UK.
President William McKinley reduces quarantine measures briefly (to celebrate the new year and new century), meanwhile 75 American citizens die from the plagues of Fashoda.
In Germany, on the other hand, a large strike by the miners in Bohemia (Czechia) begins, more than 60,000 involved demanding labor reforms (8 hours of daily working hours, higher wages, better working conditions, etc.).
Due to the fact that the majority of German citizens of Czech origin do not have access to the vote (a product of the nationalist-supremacist policies of the German government, which does not want to give democratic power to newly conquered and poorly integrated populations).
This strike will last 3 months.
On January 2, the SMS Kaiser Friedrich IV of the German Empire, where Prince Henry of Prussia (younger brother of Kaiser Wilhelm II) was present, briefly went on strike by disgruntled sailors.
Prince Henry had to be evacuated while loyalist forces dealt with opponents of the government. The ship's boilers, bunkers, engine room and storage compartments caught fire (unknown whether by accident or on purpose).
January 4, the boer states (Orange Free State and South African Republic) are formally united in the Boer United States (Boer Verenigde Staten or BVS), according to international recognition in Paris.
Of course the elections of the president of the new state have to be delayed pending the signing of the peace treaties in Paris (to solve the Fashoda war).
The United States Senate accepts a law that "Aboriginal tribes and uncivilized people" in the United States should not be sold alcohol or opium.
Of course the illegal trade of such materials to these prohibited persons exists.
January 5, in Seattle, United States, an outbreak of typhoid fever breaks out.
January 7, demonstrations of French-speaking Quebecers in Canada, most of them are detained by police and military forces.
January 8, the United States House of Representatives is expanded to 387 representatives.
On the same day, 28 more American citizens are killed in the Hippo Wars, with the death of a small group of hippos. But in general the anti-hippo measures are losing.
January 9, 89 American millionaires meet to create the monopoly U.S Steel, this meeting is a dinner held by Charles M. Schwab, steel magnate.
On the same day, the Maori politician, Hōne Heke Ngāpua, is elected back to the North Maori seat, two months after leaving the post due to bankruptcy.
January 10, oil discovered in Texas, United States.
January 11, Theodore Roosevelt on a hunting trip near Meeker, Colorado, USA, its attacked by a North American cougar.
On January 13 (Sunday), the second daughter of King Albert Victor I and Queen Alix (of Hesse and by Rhine) is born, Princess Mary Beatrice (named in honor of Mary of Teck and Beatrice of United Kingdom, Empress of France ).
The couple still have no male heir.
January 14, in the Ouverture process, the action of the Old Guard reformists, led by Pierre Curie, in action with other moderates and liberals in the Senate, allows a reform regarding the reduction of ecclesiastical power. Of course the reform still does not go very far, and it is a minor secularization.
Still, this is badly received by the conservative members of the church, present in civil life and even the French army.
This is because the Catholic Christian world is, in the opinion of these members, surrounded by socialists, after the loss of Spain, Portugal and Italy (traditionally Catholic countries).
January 16, the French engineer Philippe Bunau-Varilla begins to try to promote among international circles (mainly from the Anglo-Saxon world, the United Kingdom and the United States) the need for an international channel outside of German hands.
Bunau-Varilla's proposal is a canal through Panama, rather than the preferred Nicaragua. Reason why it mainly falls on deaf ears.
January 17, the French Louis Couturat and Léopold Leau lead the commission of the Delegation for the Adoption of an International Auxiliary Language. The union of various "congresses" (without official support from any government) to establish a universal language.
As a result, a "superior version" is created (something subjective considering that it is a language, and a constructed language) of Esperanto, called Ido.
In Germany, celebrations of the bicentennial of the Kingdom of Prussia begin, during this two-week celebration, which include military parades, there are important developments in the army's "Panzerwagen".
The Panzerwagen (literally armored car) is the German version of the Russian Medved (literally bear). That is, the first attempts of mechanized troops in Germany, product of the observation of artillery and Russian troops during the last Russo-Turkish war and the Russian intervention in China.
However, unlike the Medved, the early Panzerwagen were unrefined and rather crude.
January 18, with the aforementioned celebrations in Germany underway, Kaiser Wilhelm II establishes the Order of Merit of the Prussian Crown.
Many of which go to veteran German commanders, but an order of merit does not solve the problems for most German veterans.
There is an unemployment crisis, economic problems, strikes in Czech and Austrian parts of the Empire, and even a housing crisis in Prussia.
Pope Leo XIII publishes the encyclical Graves de communi re, establishing the opposition of the Christian church to the individualism of liberal capitalism while denying that the ideals of Christian democracy are an endorsement of Democracy (democratic political system).
The texts expand into (somewhat) censored versions to the Federative Socialist Republic of Italy through leftist priests (who are in an awkward position to be accepted by socialists, most of the time, while church members generally dislike them).
800 deaths from Fashoda epidemics in British South Africa.
January 20, human trafficking (another form of slavery) occurs in California, United States, when Leong Kow (citizen of China, immigrant in the United States) decides to put up for sale by public auction his five female slaves, who accompanied him from his country of origin to the United States.
Four of the women were bought, but Leong Kow's 12-year-old daughter was not (due to lack of buyers). Instead she was rescued by the local Society for the Suppression of Vice and by a Presbyterian missionary.
This incident led the state legislature to more serious investigations into human trafficking.
January 21, Dr. Henry V. Passage, a member of the House of Representatives of Indiana, United States, is one of the first people to propose lethal injection as a method of capital punishment.
The British in their establishment and influence of the new Republic of Sweden, manage to make a vow to prevent members of the old royal family (such as King Oscar II or Crown Prince Gustaf) set foot in the country.
35 people killed in the United States by the attack of a group of hippos during the Hippo Wars.
January 23, with the successful distribution of 50,000 copies, William Jennings Bryan (member of the Democratic Party) begins the publication of The Weekly Commoner, a new national newspaper in the United States.
Bryan is the main writer, with some notable Democrats contributing to some articles.
January 24, similar to Joseph Conrad's work documenting French crimes in French Africa, British feminist and activist Emily Hobhouse becomes one of the first public figures to publicly document (and criticize) British concentration camps on Boer soil.
January 25, General Racho Petrov Stoyanov, a friend of the late Tsar Sergei I of Bulgaria, becomes Prime Minister and Regent of the Tsardom of Bulgaria while Tsar Alexander I is still 15 years old.
This maintains the hegemony of the army (influenced in turn by Russia) in the affairs of the Bulgarian state.
January 26, Edouard Orban de Xivry, a German official in Luxembourg is shot by opponents of the German government, resulting in the death of the official.
On the same day 32 Filipino rebels are "exiled" for their refusal to swear allegiance to the Japanese government, as a result of this the Filipinos are sent to various parts of the Japanese colonial empire, Taiwan or some prison camps in the Philippines.
Some are executed there but most remain alive.
January 27, Kaiser Wilhelm II's 42nd birthday.
January 28, 16 new human deaths in the Hippo Wars.
January 29, the Senate takes a new vote to begin to consider Algeria (one of the oldest parts of the French colonial empire) a "Unique and Indivisible" part of France proper.
Of course only giving broad rights to the white population, and maintaining the caste system for the native inhabitants, but that is another matter.
The nationalist-conservative-reactionary factions manage to regain the advantage, and decide to accept this proposal, thinking about the possibility of sending more veterans, criminals, farmers and exiles to Algeria as settlers.
During this period, fanatic members of the Tidjani Muslims carry out attacks against the Qadiriyya Muslims, considered infidels by the Tidjani.
Product of local conflicts and the French influence to promote these conflicts to maintain colonial control.
One of those attacked is "Sufi tribesman Si Mahmoud Saadi", actually Isabelle Eberhardt, a Swiss writer and citizen.
January 30, 246 deaths of US citizens due to unsanitary conditions in various correctional facilities in Baltimore and New York (including newly founded correctional facilities at the time, such as the Sing Sing state prison).
January 31, at the Moscow Art Theater the play Three Sisters (Три сeстры, Tri sestry), by Anton Chekhov, opens.
The play is directed by Konstantin Stanislavski and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko.
February 1, a deal made up of William Kissam Vanderbilt, J.P Morgan and the Rockefeller family bought 1,300,000 shares of Southern Pacific Railroad for $ 10,000,000.
This puts the Southern Pacific Railroad Company under the Union Pacific Railroad, creating a single control from New York to San Francisco by rail.
Of course, American antitrust laws don't really stop this.
On the same day in China, Boxers are formally banned in China, throughout the month more leaders of the movement were executed at the initiative of the central government.
February 2, William McKinley and Elihu Root enact the bill, "Act to Increase the Efficiency of the Permanent Military Establishment of the United States," a reorganization of the US military.
There are also new laws for Hippo Wars, paying for damage to property and farms made by hippos, and continuing to deal with the expansion and escape of animals. Without much success.
February 3, the Japanese martial artist, ultranationalist political theorist and Pan-Asianist, Ryōhei Uchida forms the ultra-nationalist paramilitary group, Kokuryukai (translated under the name of Black Dragon Society).
The society is named after the Amur River (黑龍江, Heilongjiang or "Black Dragon River", in Chinese, or Kokuryukai translated into Japanese) and is a successor to the Gen'yōsha (Dark / Black Ocean Society) founded by Ryōhei Uchida's mentor, Mitsuru Tōyama.
The organization (which originally only admits officers of the Imperial Japanese Army, secret agents and members of the government, although it would later admit criminal elements) aims to seek war against Russia, collect intelligence in Russia and China, defend the Japanese conquest of Korea and Manchuria, and Japanese pan-Asian targets (Japanese dominance of various parts of Asia).
February 4, the Italian immigrant community in the United States performs some of the first artistic works (it operates in this case) in opposition to the socialist rule in Italy.
On February 5, in the Boer United States, some military commanders start taking measures to prevent the participation of Coloreds ("Brown people", a multiracial group of descendants of various groups that have been in the region) in the army.
The central government does not take much action in this regard.
February 6, among his reforms, Vice President Elihu Root promoted the elimination of the traditional practice of "permanent" appointments in personnel departments and required that personnel officers be rotated after four years so that others could gain experience.
Of course this elimination of preferential systems is only in the military, the Spoil System in the treasury department and the postal system is still strong.
The Kingdom of Italy, based in Tunisia-Libya, accepts new measures of censorship and repression, establishing a persecution against "harmful elements of the left."
Product of the paranoia of the conservative elites, the army and the nobility, after the socialist revolution in the Italian peninsula.
This marks an increase in militarism and authoritarianism towards the population of the Kingdom of Italy, in addition to propaganda measures against the left.
January 7, US sailors from the USS Lancaster are attacked by a Venezuelan mob as they pass through La Guaira.
The matter does not go to major, with Venezuela, Germany and Colombia calming President William McKinley and the US diplomatic service.
February 9, terrible events in Holton, Kansas, a population of 3,082 that included children, suffers the death of 1000 individuals (men and women who did not respect quarantine measures), product of epidemic diseases brought by veterans from China to the United States (infected with the plagues of Fashoda war).
In general, this is why Asians are blamed for the spread of disease, more than other white-European people, as a result there are waves of anti-Asian racism in various parts of the United States.
167 British men die as a result of the Russian Plagues in the British Isles, some 500 die in British Arabia and another 5,000 die of various diseases in South Africa.
Another new wave of Italian immigrants escaping socialism in the Federative Socialist Republic of Italy, splitting between Russia, the United States and Italy (in Africa), and to a lesser extent in other countries.
Unfortunately the process is slow due to quarantine measures for epidemic diseases worldwide.
The Italians as group reaches just over 30 million individuals, divided into various states (natives and diaspora).
February 12, prepared for the eventual advance of British influence in Tibet, Lord Curzon establishes the North-West Frontier Province in the north of the British Raj (Punjab).
Of course, with the rise of British imperialism in the region, many Punjab natives are beginning to radicalize.
February 13, 1,200 German citizens die from the Fashoda epidemics.
February 14, 12,000 Irish citizens protest against the British government due to lack of autonomy, censorship measures and the worsening economy in the home islands.
The government manages to get rid of the bulk of the protests with the support of the police and the power that the central government, led by Prime Minister Louis Alexander Mountbatten, still possesses.
The popularity of the Social Aristocrats continues in the south of England and various parts of the British Empire, while the non-Anglo-Saxons have it quite difficult.
Military demonstrations in France, the right-wing factions of Boulangism led by Charles Maurras show dislike for the Ouverture.
69 Scottish miners die during an intervention (private forces and police) in a strike.
February 16, more economic recessions in world trade, in this case to the sugar, iron and steel industry, among some other products.
In particular during this recession, Germany, Japan, France and the United States are hit in disparate ways.
February 17, the Catalan art student and poet Carles Casagemas, 19, commits suicide due to a love rejection.
Casagemas' best friend, Pablo Ruiz Picasso (Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Crispiniano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso) starts his Blue Period accordingly, a period where Picasso paints mostly in bluish tones.
February 18, malaria epidemic in British India, Dr. Ronald Ross proposes for the first time the elimination of mosquitoes to deal with the disease.
However, the proper medical procedure was not perfected until 1902.
One of Germany's field marshals, Alfred von Waldersee, secures Yunnan territory for Germany with the support of a smaller mobilization in German Indochina.
200 deaths of Chinese citizens from epidemic diseases.
The British Parliament takes measures not to denounce the carnage (concentration camps) used against the Boers.
Among these, various newspapers criticizing military and government elements (critical of the Social Aristocrats), are confiscated by the authorities.
February 19, speeches in Irish Gaelic by Irish members take place at the House of Commons in the UK.
This is quite scandalous for the English parts (the majority) of the House of Commons, since most of them do not understand Irish Gaelic.
As a result various Irish nationalist members are expelled or censored, Irish nationalism continues to radicalize to the left as the English (at least under the Social Aristocrats) move to the right.
February 20, Butch Cassidy (Robert Leroy Parker) and Sundance Kid (Harry Longabaugh), and his partner Etta Place escape from the United States to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
February 21, certain positions (railways or ports) in China, especially around the Yangtze, pass to British administration during the peace talks.
The German physicist Albert Einstein renews his commitment to Russian citizenship, moving to the city of Saratov.
February 22, 208 deaths in the Empire of Brazil and 137 deaths in the Republic of the United States of Brazil, caused by epidemic post-Fashoda diseases.
After the war, both countries gained absolutely nothing, they continue to be economically ruined, and from bad to worse in many respects.
The Empire of Brazil lost the territory of Alagoas to the Conselhistas (Catholic Christian extremists), yes, but the Republic won nothing. Both states as mentioned above, they have simply destroyed and spent each other (more).
Brazilian reunification will still have to wait a few more years.
5,000 Boer citizens die from post-Fashoda diseases.
The "Doctor Von Olden" actually a man with the last name Christianson, would briefly go to notoriety after trying to scam various investors and newscasts with the 'Von Olden Process'.
In Copenhagen, Denmark, Dr. Von Olden "proved" that he had sealed a can of butter for 1 year, without it being contaminated. Of course, this was actually a fake, the can had been sealed on January 22, 1901, but Christianson managed to modify the 1901 to a 1900.
February 25, despite the blow to the American steel industry, actually JP Morgan uses it to gain control much more easily of monopolies over the steel industry, with the creation of US Steel (monopoly of steel and other products ) together with its associates.
February 26, Bombay reports are released, showing British authorities that 400 people have died in two days from some of the epidemics brought on by the Fashoda war.
Chi-hsui and Hsu-cheng-yu, Boxer leaders, are executed in Peking.
February 27, officially begins the division of the Congolese territories with the Treaty of Paris, with the transfer of administrative authorities, a total of 50,000 natives are forcibly transferred from eastern parts of the Kongo to other territories, with all the problems associated with said transfer.
There are the first economic panics in the European stock exchanges after Fashoda and the damage to international trade, more than 650 million dollars lost by Fashoda.
February 28, the preliminary protocols of the Treaty of Paris are signed, to end the Fashoda war. Restoring the independence and neutrality of Switzerland and Denmark.
March 1, the Australian Department of Defense is created.
In Saratov, Albert Einstein publishes Vyvody iz yavleniy kapillyarnosti (Выводы из явлений капиллярности), translated as Deductions from the Phenomena of Capillarity.
The first time that Einstein is published in scientific journals and documents, such as the Russian magazine "Elektrichestvo" (Electricity).
March 2, 50 deaths of Chinese citizens in Zhili due to epidemic diseases.
March 4, 63 Japanese casualties (against 60 Philippine casualties) due to a defeat against Philippine guerrillas by General Gregorio del Pilar (the youngest Philippine general, 24 years old).
Meanwhile, General-President Antonio Luna must move from position to position on the island of Luzon to escape Japanese persecution (which wants to capture him to try to put an end to the Philippine revolts).
March 6, some 16 Irish rebels are captured by British troops, after the investigation that these rebels wanted to carry out an attack in London.
The government of President William McKinley, suffering one of the worst Treasury Department gold declines in US history, begins proposing bills against Free Silver.
However, its effects are already underway, such as the exchange of the cheapest silver for gold, inflation (with wages that cannot compete with the increase in prices) and problems for the industrial states against agricultural products.
March 6, during a visit to Bremen, a man later identified as Deidrich Weiland, throws a sharp iron object (a fishplate actually) at Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Weiland was later considered insane during his trial (the incident also begins to be considered an assassination attempt). Wilhelm II does not suffer much trouble after this, although he could have caused severe damage to the kaiser's eye.
Preena, a 7-year-old Indian girl (in Dohnavur, Madras, British India) manages to find a Christian mission, where she meets missionary Amy Carmichael, after escaping from a temple where she was sold into prostitution (in some temples where Perumal was worshiped as an incarnation of Vishnu, young girls were kept captive for the purpose).
Charmichael as a result would create a sanctuary and school (and later some orphanages) as part of the Dohnavur Fellowship, to protect young people from human trafficking and prostitution.
March 9, a fire destroys the Ransom E. Olds factory, Oldsmobile.
As a result of rising costs and financial problems, Olds moves Oldsmobile to Russia, where he learns about assembly lines and greatly cheapens the process of making cars.
Russian car production is hurt a bit by contractions in international trade, but there are still many customers within Russia and the Russosphere, as for example Russia has been able to sell more than 2000 cars to elites in Siam and Ethiopia.
Leo Tolstoy is excommunicated from the Russian Orthodox Church, a big problem in Russian society.
March 10, over Sicily, and central-southern Italy (Federative Socialist Republic of Italy) there is a rain of blood, a strange meteorological phenomenon where red rain occurs.
March 11, the Japanese government in Firipin (Philippines) begins the creation of identity cards to follow and have information on all persons of interest, both in the fight against rebels and in common life.
Religious authorities (mainly Catholic, Muslim and native religions, depending on the region and population), civil officials and people of importance in local communities.
This means the creation of central intelligence and information commands. With whom the Kokuryukai organization would be related, supporting Japanese espionage against Philippine rebels, the United States, Russia and the Hawaiian government (among other ultra-nationalist Japanese targets).
More than 59 deaths of French citizens from epidemic diseases in various parts of the southern French colonial empire.
March 12, John Gregory (Chief Medical Officer of Cape Colony, British Empire) forcibly removes almost the entire black population of Cape Town (the exceptions are some freeholders and leaseholders, domestic servants, and stevedores housed near the docks).
This was to contain an outbreak of bubonic plague, confining the inhabitants to Matiland Plague Hospital (Uitvlugt) 8 kilometers from the Cape. The possessions of these inhabitants were burned.
March 13, German General Alfred von Schlieffen indicates (according to his calculations) the forces necessary for a German invasion of the United States.
According to Schlieffen, the United States would be able to move 100,000 troops to defend Cod Bay, while Germany would need to deploy its own 100,000 troops to the Cape Cod peninsula, 100,000 more to occupy Boston, and many more to New York (but Schlieffen would emphasize, "for an advance into America, even this number would not, in any way, be expected to be sufficient ").
Admiral Otto von Diederichs, who supports a direct invasion operation, is annoyed with this "vague" response from General Schlieffen.
March 15, the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh (age 47, about to turn 48) exhibits more than 71 new paintings, many of them composed in his period in Russian psychiatric-medical institutions.
Except for 150 men, most of the US troops leave Beijing.
March 16, Prince George and his wife (Mary of Teck), brother of King Albert Victor, travel through Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
The relationship between the brothers (Albert Victor and George) has been strained, and getting worse, in part because of rivalry between their wives, and competitions that have gotten out of control.
March 17, tens of thousands of protesters gather in Prague to oppose the serious limitations imposed by the German government on the common Czech man.
As a result, and to end the mining strikes, the German government (under Kaiser Wilhelm II and his Chancellor Bernhard Heinrich Karl Martin von Bülow) called on the army to intervene.
10,000 German troops, including artillery and the first mechanized units, crush the protesters in Prague in the popularly called (by trade union movements) Battle of Prague.
The three-month strikes in the Czech Republic are ended, and the miners do not achieve much, but it is clear that Germany continues to falter in various sectors.
March 18, currently during this strange world diplomatic period, Baron Hermann von Eckardstein, the Germany's chargé d'affaires (diplomat serving in the absence of the ambassador) to the United Kingdom, proposes the idea of a defensive alliance between Germany and the United Kingdom.
Lord Lansdowne, Foreign Secretary under Prime Minister Louis Alexander Mountbatten and King Albert Victor, is currently seriously considering such a proposal.
However Lansdowne first wants to make sure if such an alliance would be unconditional, secret or open to other possible allies (perhaps the United States, China, the Boers, or someone else, it all depends on the situation).
On March 19 there are more than 700 deaths in the United States from epidemic diseases, and another 5 new ones from hippos.
The Prussian government tries to take charge of the housing crisis in Germany, trying to motivate the local administrations of cities, towns and villages to buy as much land as possible.
The policy fails miserably when said government is led by the Junkers and nationalist-conservative nobles, who do not want much competition, do not buy the land themselves and do not want communal ownership of said lands by opponents (socialists, liberals, etc.) .
March 20, Vice Admiral Hubert von Rebeur-Paschwitz under the command of Admiral Otto von Diederichs, carries out a reconnaissance mission (masked under a "repair" of the ship SMS Vineta in Boston) by the United States, to determine which places would be better to disembark in the case of a German invasion of America.
In the case of Rebeur-Paschwitz, he determines that the best location are Rockport and Gloucester, Massachusetts.
March 21, scientist and businessman Nikola Tesla obtains the patent for an "Apparatus for the Utilization of Radiant Energy", which he has described as a machine to capture the sun's cosmic rays and turn them into electricity.
In essence, what we could identify as a solar panel. But obviously much less advanced and practical than modern models.
Philippine General Ananías Diokno y Noblejas, and his men (Philippine guerrillas and rebels), surrender to the Japanese troops, ending the leadership and most of the organized Philippine opposition on the island of Panay.
March 23, ratification of the Treaty of Paris.
March 24, the newspaper La Nación, from Buenos Aires, Argentina, publishes an article by Dr. Carlos Villar, who claims to have a serum that can immunize people to tuberculosis and heal its effects (permitted organic rehabilitation, led to significant improvement in weight, physical vigor and vital capacity, in Villar's words).
The news spreads for two months to newspapers in the United States, but the Argentine Medical Association, after studies, verifies that the curative value of Villar's soil is nil.
All a fraud.
The first Japanese environmental activist (or at least recognized as such) Shōzō Tanaka, apologizes in the Japanese parliament after having insulted his colleagues (implying that the Imperial government was being run by traitors, called the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce a club of criminals in the pay of copper mining magnate Furukawa Ichibei, a major polluter in Tanaka's opinion, and also called the Ministry of Home Affairs a pack of hobgoblins).
March 25, 18 new human deaths in the Hippo Wars.
March 26, in the Socialist Union of Hispania (or more commonly called Iberia), the Basque branch of the Iberian Socialist Party, gives a budget of 1,500,000 pesetas to a renovation of the city of Bilbao.
Mainly for the construction of new factories.
Considering that Iberia is quite isolated (only having positive ties with the Federative Socialist Republic of Italy), they have to depend a lot on themselves and not on the outside. But there are also other possible future problems, internal problems, economic problems and international problems. At least the food situation in Iberia is slightly better than the situation in Italy (there are still no famines or food cuts like those in southern Italy).
March 27, in the south, General Nicolas Capistrano, leader of the Philippine resistance on the island of Mindanao, surrenders to Japanese troops.
Urban centers become safer for Japanese settlers, but unfortunately the interior of the islands continues to be dominated by various Philippine rebel leaders, such as on the island of Luzon (President Antonio Luna and associates), and in most of the central islands. From philippines.
"The Emperor Alexander Regiment is called upon in a sense to stand ready as bodyguard by night and by day, if necessary, to risk its life and its blood for the King and his House; and if ever again the city should presume to rise up against its master, then I have no doubt that the regiment will repress with the bayonet the impertinence of the people toward their king. "
March 28. These are the words of a speech that Kaiser Wilhelm II gives to the Emperor Alexander Regiment, in new barracks in the city of Berlin, warning of the possibility of repeating the revolutions of 1848.
An understandable fear, looking at the situations of veterans, socialists and southern Germany.
March 29, 700 deaths in British Angola from Fashoda epidemics.
China reports the signing of various codes and protocols offered in the discussions of the Boxer Rebellion.
The United Mine Workers of America, in the pro-big business government of William McKinley and Elihu Root, are prohibited from planning large strikes in Pennsylvania, due to the contraction of international trade, it is considered that the strikes would cause even more damage for the economy of the industrial states.
*******
* Perspective of an Italian.
The teenager was 18 when the announcements came, a spokesman for the local council in the Emilian-Romagnol Socialist Republic.
The Federative Socialist Republic of Italy called various young men into military service (or well, at least that's what the local government did) for various purposes (mainly the need to build professional armed forces at FSRI).
"Ah yes, what an honor!" The father of the family exclaims with excitement for his eldest son, opening a bottle of alcohol to celebrate.
"But, I don't think the army is for me." The eldest son holds.
"Nonsense. It's just a few years of service at best. Think how important it is, to serve the protection of the working class and the state. After this everything will be better." The father insists.
Shortly after the son began military service, the father began working in one of the new metallurgical factories in the republic.
* In one of the FSR of Italy military camps.
"Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini". One of the officers calls out the name of the recruit.
"Present." Benito responds with a weapon in his hands, meanwhile some documents are handed to him.
"For the instruction of a socialist future." The officer explains, while Benito observes that the documents are Italian translations of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Between official jobs, many new soldiers in the Italian army would read the works of Marx and other socialists.
Of course not everything was honest work and reading ideological documents.
On some occasions, the forces had to work on other government projects (dealing with / negotiating with a particularly troublesome priest, recovering grain and agricultural products, dealing with reactionaries, etc.).
On one occasion Benito and his companions were moving a truck full of objects from the old Kingdom of Italy, belongings of the nobility and gold.
"Where is this going?" Benito questions curiously.
"That is not important. The important thing is to take this to port, in return we will obtain important resources." The commanding officer responds.
"Yes, but I mean ... who are we giving this to in exchange for these resources?" Benito insists.
"Elements outside of Italy, unfortunately we must keep most of this secret. The Emilian-Romagnol SR is one of the first ports where this transaction can take place, it is the only reason why we are involved in this and no more can be revealed. " The officer responds.
In exchange for the objects, tractors and food were received, even some luxury products such as chocolate and coffee.