Part 32: A Turning Point

Chapter 22: A Turning Point



China has got onto the good side of Japan and managed to get into an alliance with them. This alliance between huge China and Japan, the Great Power of the East, could prove very dangerous for any Europeans that feel the need to beat up on China some more.



The Socialists' economic policies have put a dent in our export profits (and capitalist profits) so we've had to increase our tariffs to put us back into the black.



The tariffs won't last long, since the Nationalists win the election, despite the scandal in the Kirby administration and the Populist party splitting the conservative vote. The Nationalist candiate was Jim Hogg, who hails from the more progressive side of the Nationalist Party and is a darling of the middle and lower classes. He has plans for a sort of Texas Business Commission to curb corruption and corporate abuse and this proved very popular with the people who were burned by the Kirby scandal.



This would have been pretty nice 6 years ago, but thanks anyway America. Your well-timed periods of offered protection are appreciated.



Canned Food fetches a decent price on the market and is essential in building an army, so this is very welcome news.



Germany and Austria sign an alliance treaty, and France forgave Italy for the previous war and has rejoined them in an alliance. With these and the recent Chinese-Japanese alliance, a disturbing number of powerful alliances are forming these days.



We inquire about the Midway Islands, to see if they've been colonized yet, and they have. By Russia, of all nations.



The great General Ellis, conqueror of Madagascar and liberator of Argentina, passed away in his drunken sleep. He is given a proper military funeral, and we've "asked" the Argentinian government to build a large monument to him in Buenos Aires.



The Mexicans seem to be having some rebel problems near our border; we cannot blame anyone for not wanting to live in such a country.



Africa is not entirely abandoned; we still have claims in the interior. We are going to finish colonizing a few areas in the interior to claim the prestige that comes with them then trade them away to Britain or Germany.



The Germans had declared colonial war on Portugal some time during our colonial war with France, and it is not going very well for Portugal.



We are trying to catch up our naval technology currently, and decide to trade Mexico for one we need to continue in other areas of research. Mexico had been increasing our relations for some time now, but we've been more or less ignoring them.




The Germans force the Portuguese to cede all their colonies, doubling the German presence in Africa. Though Britain has been dominating the continent, it will now have fierce competition from Germany due to this peace and the provinces we have given them.



One of our two Taureg divisions, who were guarding the Texas-Argentina border when France took their homeland from us and have been helping to put down revolts in our satellite for some time now, has defected to France, wishing to return to their homes. They chose a poor spot to do it, and they didn't even make it to the ocean before they all died of dehydration and starvation. Our countrymen and the Argentinian people were under strict order not to assist the French scum in any way.



France declareds colonial war on Germany, probably hoping to steal the formerly Portuguese colonies from the German Empire. Even though they horribly lost the 2nd Franco-German War, they may do better in a war limited to Africa. We know they keep many divisions in their colonies and Germany has fought fewer wars on this continent than the French have.



We offer the Germans our current three provinces in central Africa for a mere £600, hoping it will assist their war effort there.



Oil is struck in Los Angeles, improving the allure of the Californian city to immigrants and slightly boosting the economic output of the lower classes there. We are now producing oil in Houston, Austin, Dallas and LA.



We trade the British our claim in Koury (northeast of Liberia) for £1000. They needed it to claim a territory there, and we are trying to build up our money. President Hogg has a plan to restore the spirits and stature of the Republic, and we are going to need all the resources we can get.



The canned food factory is completed and immediately staffed. Canned goods will be needed too.



Another division defects from under the command of the Mad General Ellis (cousin to the hero of Buenos Aires) and is put down. Apparently he is such a bad general that he causes his men to turn against him.



California seems to have an endless capacity for industry. Paper is a medium price item, but it will be nice to be able to use our own paper when educating our population rather than have to import it.



President Hogg gives the order to mobilize our reserves, all 32 divisions. They're mostly Californian immigrant farmers and labourers, and they will all be heroes soon.



President Hogg secretly reveals his plan to the American government and asks if they would join us in an alliance to take part in the venture. They decline, but thats okay. We can do this on our own.

Our reserves are ready for deployment within weeks of the offer to America, and they are deployed all along the Mexican border. Eight divisions are deployed to San Diego and immediately loaded onto transports.

On Semptember 15th, 1897, President Hogg made the announcement to the Texan people:

"Fellow Texans, too long we have lived in fear of Mexico, and too long we've lived in the shadow of the United States. The Nationalist Party made a promise to free us from these shackles many years ago, and in recent times it seems we have forgotten it. We wildly ran off to Africa in search of glory and riches, forgetting about our commitments here, and what have we gotten in return? A kick in the ass and some pocket money.

Our Republic is more than fifty years old now. Today we enter a new beginning for the Republic, for tomorrow I will join my fellow Nationalists in asking Congress to declare war on Mexico. This will be a war fought by Texans and for Texans. We will show America that we do not need them any further and Mexico that we will not fear them any longer.

I have remembered the promise, Texas."

The next morning, the vote was held. Every congressmen was present for the vote, and the result was unanimous.