Krieg der Adler: Über der Karibik (October-December, 1902)
Army: Firewall]
Russia was one of the first countries to seriously invest in radio and radar technology, both privately and publicly (companies such as Nikola Tesla's SEiPK led part of the private-civil development, while working with the government to give radios to the armed forces). After the scientific progress made by personalities like Aleksandr Stepanovich Popov or Heinrich Rudolf Hertz.
This meant that radio stations in Russia had started to proliferate more and more (still not as much as in later years of the 20th century but there was already a growing trend) and it was known that they would soon proliferate more and more in other developed countries as well, potential problems for Russia.
This is why the Alexandrian government, led by the General Staff under War Minister Mikhail Skobelev and Tsar Alexander III, began developments to follow the development of encryption and radio-radar technology and other communications for military purposes.
For this reason, on October 20, while various new public works of all kinds were being built (schools and universities, plus public transport for cities, among others) in southern Russia from Odessa to Rostov-on-Don, the construction of new military bases, laboratories and communications stations.
Located in the aforementioned Rostov-on-Don, these places were a spearhead for new methods of warfare and defense for Russia.
What is known as the first "Firewall" (Брандмауэр, Brandmauer) of Russia.
With the aim of locating and helping to deal with illegal messages coming from inside and outside Russia, such as terrorist, separatist and foreign propaganda lines of communication (foreign intelligence services putting propaganda messages on the Russian population).
This was also the legal basis precisely to start regulating what could or could not be allowed on radio in Russia, a state as large as Russia cannot afford terrorism or separatism (otherwise it would fall apart) and certainly not foreign attacks.
In terms of enrollment, the situation continued along interesting lines, for the time. By simple mathematical rule, no code is unbreakable, but technology can make it easier or more difficult.
What Russia was researching and trying to develop was one of the first encryption machines for the use of military messages, what they called Zagadochnaya mashina (Загадочная машина, translated into English as Enigma Machine).
Of course, this was still a project that would take years, and that was only seriously investigated between the period 1903-1908.
Neither the first Brandmauer nor the Zagadochnaya mashina would be that good in their early versions, but what was important was laying the foundation for future technological developments for the future and the policies of the Russian Empire in various respects.
*******
[Ulyanov: Russia and the socialist movement]
Events in Russia always brought attention to Russians who were present abroad, especially when they were abroad for political reasons, as is the case with Vladimir Ilych Ulyanov. Marxist theorist, lawyer and journalist who advocated precisely for a revolution in Russia.
Since the labor reforms there have been successes and mistakes.
Certain rights were won but the situation of the proletariat was not yet the indicated one (from a socialist point of view and a modern point of view, although workers' rights in Russia were somewhat advanced, they still lagged behind modern laws decades later).
The labor unions were growing but they were not independent of the power of the tsarist state and could suffer from populist techniques.
Strikes against injustice were a good sign, but incidents still occurred (the struggle in St. Petersburg for example).
The adoption of socialist ideals due to the revolutions in Spain and Italy however was a good sign, despite the attacks of more conservative organizations or ideas.
In Ulyanov's view, this was a clear sign of Russia's modernization: "The Russian proletariat is gaining class consciousness. The working class is increasingly uniting against the Tsarist power structures and the classes that dominate the means of production."
But of course it wasn't that simple. According to Ulyanov, more education was still needed for the proletariat, an educated proletariat was necessary for the revolution, otherwise it was likely that the Russian working class would follow more reactionary-populist positions.
Ulyanov's ideal, as mentioned earlier, was the idea of a socialist-tinged Russian revolution. A revolution that (in Ulyanov's thinking) was near, with socialist movements in Italy, Spain and France taking shape, it seemed obvious that other industrial powers might fall to the "Red Tide" of revolutions.
The Russian proletariat just needed a push, possibly coming from a German revolution near the Russian borders.
Interesting thoughts about what Ulyanov wrote about his homeland, but which were not his greatest contribution during the year. In 1902, Ulyanov published "What Is To Be Done? Burning Questions of our Movement", already taking the name of Lenin (although in the book it is "N. Lenin" and not "V. Lenin").
This political pamphlet is a remarkable piece of Marxist theory expressed by Lenin, which became quite popular in this time of economic recession and revolutions.
Socialist movements in France in particular drew more and more inspiration from Lenin's earlier texts, leading to the precise creation of "Democratic Centralism", supported by Lenin and other Marxist politics-theorists. Democratic centralism is partly one of the ideas of the wide range of socialism, but in particular of Marxist-Leninist socialism.
*******
[Russosphere: Thailand]
King Chulalongkorn or better known as King Rama V, was a reformist monarch, but reforms are not achieved only with effort and will, they are also achieved through resources and allies.
The early years of the 20th century required, to some extent, the support of Russia. Russia offered capital and its goods-services, in exchange for Siam's resources and affiliation to the Russosphere (Russian interests).
It was a relationship for Siam to defend itself from more foreign threats and to look at its internal development, bringing Russia European technology to the Thai kingdom.
An administrative reform was established some years ago, in 1901, the Russian capital financed many new railways for Siam and by 1902 the troops loyal to King Rama V, supplied with Russian arms and support, crushed various regional rebellions (caused by the abolition of the slavery in Thailand, unimportant in the grand scheme of things).
The railroad system and the army had two very important roles.
Both Tsar Alexander III and King Rama V were looking for a Thailand that would stick together, for this a stronger central control was needed but this required infrastructure.
Russia had already invested in ports, cities and private businesses (a product of gastro-diplomacy and Russia's New Silk Road), now all this had to be connected through Thai territory.
Offering work to the local population in exchange for benefits for Russia of course.
In terms of the army, King Rama V intended to create a modern conscription system in 1905 (the type of standard system for the time, among more developed countries).
But an army needed supplies and education, something Russia was willing to help with (building more ties between Siam and Russia).
Russia obviously became the supplier of arms and ammunition for Siam, and invested in the education of the army, both in some institutions (academies) in Thailand, and in receiving Thai officers in Russia for them to study.
The investment in education was not solely aimed at forming more ties between Thailand and Russia, or gaining power in the region through the military.
The goal was also that the army would be used to obtain more information about ownership of land and resources, allowing both Russia and the Thai monarchy to obtain information about who owns land and what resources there are.
This would ensure a more precise investment, better economic planning and a focus on strategic resources.
Thai modernization continued year after year with Russian support on various levels, making Thailand increasingly developed (though not independent in several respects, but rather codependent) compared to British Burma or German Indochina.
Of course Russia and Thailand made no moves against the British or Germans, but there was a clear difference in the ways in which European empires developed their colonies.
*******
[Russian Turkestan]
On December 16, an earthquake of 6.4 (Richter scale) accompanied by various aftershocks and tremors occurred in the city of Andijan, located in the Russian Turkestan region, more specifically in what we can locate as "Uzbekistan" or the Fergana valley.
In a city southeast of Russian Turkestan, with about 80,000 inhabitants.
The disaster ended up killing 4,880 people (according to official numbers, potentially more) and destroying more than 11,000 homes, in short a natural disaster with great repercussions for the locals, such as the cold, windy and rainy weather at the time of the disaster.
Days before, the region was covered in fog and there was little seismic activity (premonition of the largest earthquake on December 16).
The aforementioned houses, more than 11,000 local buildings (including houses and factories) and 161 "European" buildings were destroyed. The local bank, the prison and the Orthodox Church survived, among others.
The government of Tsar Alexander III put the Trans-Turkestan Railway to work in order to help the city of Andijan and its inhabitants, towards reconstruction and humanitarian aid.
In particular, the most recent train stations in the region worked, recently built (between 1899-1905), Fedchenko (Kuva), Serovo (Kokand), Gorchakovo (Margilan), Assaka (Zelensk), Vannovskaya and others.
The 1902 earthquake was the most destructive (and strongest) earthquake ever experienced by the Fergana Valley.
More than 12 million rubles were raised to rebuild the homes of the natives (who included Uzbeks, ethnic Russians, and other local ethnicities).
Temporary shelters were built for the population or taken to nearby cities, while the city's cotton and textile factories were rebuilt to reactivate economic affairs.
The city's main mosque, the Jami Mosque (600 years old, the largest mosque in the Fergana Valley and the tallest building in the Fergana Valley in 1902) was mostly preserved as was the local Orthodox church, somewhat that all the local inhabitants celebrated.
Unfortunately the "wings" of the mosque, a series of structures that gave the Jami Mosque a "U" shape, were lost.
As the situation normalized, Muslims and Orthodox respectively celebrated for the survivors, mourned their dead, and cheered for the surviving historic buildings or sites (or what was left of those buildings).
A tragic event, the city's remoteness from the rest of Russian Turkestan impacted a bit, but swift action by officials, investment, and the Trans-Turkestan rail system were vital in mitigating the damage and assisting with reconstruction.
*******
[International]
On October 1, the "Home Fleet" is officially created, under the command of Vice Admiral Gerard Noel.
The Home Fleet is a part of the Royal Navy dedicated to patrolling British territorial waters, though they also have members keeping a close eye on mainland France and parts of French West Africa.
October 3, thanks to its positions in Yucatan and Venezuela (not a military base like the one in Yucatan, Second Mexican Empire, but being allied with the government helps) the German imperial navy arrives in the Caribbean Sea to pressure the Haitian rebel Anténor Firmin.
After Admiral Hammerton Killick (follower of Firmin) captured a German ship (the Markomannia), loaded with arms and ammunition for President Pierre Nord Alexis.
This quickly upsets the US administration, President Elihu Root calls on the Germans not to interfere in Haitian affairs, while the Germans claim their right to answer for the hijacking of their ship.
This marks the beginning of a crisis in the Caribbean, caused by the division in Haiti, with a rebellious government in the north (led by Firmin and "supported" by the United States ... more for being against Germans than for some another reason) and the south, led by Pierre Nord Alexis with German support.
Both navies are mobilizing.
The tensions between the United States (trying to intervene in Haiti before the Germans do) and Germany (wanting to intervene after the crime) continue during the following days.
October 6, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake occurs in Hindu Kush, Afghanistan.
The Afghan government and the Russian Red Cross are mobilizing to help the population.
October 7, the Haitian Crisis finally explodes into a conflict about 4 days after the mobilization of ships and resources near Haiti (in civil war) begins.
German troops with the permission of President Alexis landed in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital (located in the south, in opposition to the rebel government in the north of the country) carrying American ships attacking part of the German navy.
Elihu Root is criticized for being imperialist by some people at home, but what has been done, the US navy mobilized to support the northern government in Haiti (weapons, supplies and physical support).
October 9, squads of volunteers are formed in Venezuela, Colombia and Mexico to support the Germans in the Caribbean, while the United States sanctions (through economic policies) the three countries mentioned, especially Mexico for the German base in Yucatan.
No troops have yet been mobilized in the Second Mexican Empire or the southern border of the United States, but tensions are mounting due to the close relationship between Germany and Mexico.
In Altona, Manitoba, Canada, Henry Toews, a Mennonite School teacher, shoots one or more colleagues and three children, before injuring himself.
Only one girl (Anna Kehler) dies from this shooting, while Toews dies from his injuries days before a trial can be held.
The British parliamentarian Winston Churchill proposes a measure to fight against price inflation in the United Kingdom (product of the loss of Suez), certain basic products can be solved with support to the White Dominions (such as Australia, between 2/3 or more of Australian exports go to the Home Islands) and more tea plantations are needed in India.
The young Churchill is given support, and therefore an opportunity and confidence, being part of the most notable young Social Aristocrats. Working with Lord Curzon for the elimination of many agricultural parcels that begin to dedicate themselves almost exclusively to tea. Agricultural plots formerly dedicated to feeding the natives.
This is why Curzon and Churchill are considered some of the architects of the most brutal and destructive policies (and their consequences) in the British Raj.
October 10, the Yoshina Maru ship catches fire in Kagoshima, Japan.
October 11, the German Imperial Navy wins a battle against the US Navy in the southern Caribbean Sea, allowing the flow of German support to the government in southern Haiti.
Both powers continue to amass resources to support their favorite candidates.
*******
[War in France]
October 16, the Parti Communiste de France (PCF) celebrates the First Congress of the Socialist Party of France (Premier Congrès du Parti Communiste de France), held in Brittany (seat of the Socialists of Jules Guesde.
This congress reaffirms the need for an alliance with Paris to fight the reactionaries and other enemies of the socialist revolution, but perhaps most importantly, the French revolutionary socialists embrace "Democratic Centralism".
After this congress the British begin to support enemies of Pierre Curie and the Socialists of Jules Guesde, and several ports in Brittany are essentially blocked by British action and influence.
November 15, the rebel armies of Charles Maurras achieve some victories in the south of France, allowing a few kilometers to be mobilized further north.
But of course these simple victories are not the end of the war, there is still much fighting ahead.
******
October 18, first fighting on Haitian soil between US and German troops, both forces attack by sea the capitals of enemy Haitian governments and try to take territory on Haitian soil.
Leading to the destruction of crops, villages and massacres of innocent civilians at the hands of Germans and Americans.
October 23, President Elihu Root sends federal troops to crush the coal strikes in Pennsylvania, effectively breaking the strikes but not the workers.
This consolidates unions throughout Pennsylvania and gives a foothold to organizing socialist movements in industrial states like never before (the epidemic situation helped too, less movement means more organizing).
What did the industrialists gain? Its workers continue to work 10 hours and continue to receive the same (low salary).
November 1, the first German propaganda of the Haitian Crisis Conflict is created, obviously attacking the United States and its "illegitimate" position by favoring criminals such as Anténor Firmin or Hammerton Killick.
The first jokes about Americans being defeated by hippopotamuses also occur. Many of them, in German.
November 2, Kaiser Wilhelm II calls his high command to review once again the plans for an invasion of the United States of America.
It also begins a larger mobilization.
November 3, a new telegraph line from Australia to Canada is created.
November 4, Senator Henry Ford buys the Independent newspaper (founded just 1901) from Marcus Woodruff, to support the views of the National Republican circle (which he runs with Robert La Follete, governor).
Ford is a pacifist who believes that the Haitian crisis was started by Jewish intervention and influence in the United States, Germany and other parts of the world (such as Russia, the country with the highest percentage of Jews in the world).
The newspaper quickly becomes more and more popular because of Ford's personality associated with it, but criticism against the war is not as well received by the government (which defends itself with the Monroe doctrine).
November 5, 45 deaths in the Hippo Wars and more than 1500 people in the battles in Haiti and the Caribbean Sea (conflict between the United States and Germany).
Various Liberals resign in the UK House of Commons, Liberals lose ground to Labor from the North and Social Aristocrats from the South (who still hold the majority of power in the British government).
November 9, various British journalists will film and document the war in the Caribbean Sea between Germany and the United States.
November 10, the Kingdom of Italy (present in Africa) is scandalized when the great businessman (especially in the fabric industry) Ferdinando Bocconi defected to the Federative Socialist Republic of Italy.
Why would this man do this? Due to his son Luigi Cesare Roberto dying while in the Italian royal army against a small African uprising.
Although Bocconi had bad practices against his workers, he simply donated all of his money to the city of Milan for the construction of new schools and universities, before committing suicide on the soil of socialist Italy.
The second son, Ettore Ferdinando Achille, inherits his father's properties in the Kingdom of Italy (the properties of the Bocconi family on the peninsula were long ago nationalized).
In the United Kingdom various tributes are celebrated to King Albert Victor (the pseudo-cult of personality that exists towards all monarchs), art collector Max Waechter, Chief Justice of Hong Kong William Meigh Goodman, and Australian newspaper proprietor John Winthrop Hackett among others important personalities, receive the title of knight.
November 11, the US anti-imperialists present a request for diplomacy regarding the conflict in Haiti and the Caribbean, but they are not very successful.
November 15, the new penal code of the Federative Socialist Republic of Italy introduces new laws for women, allowing an easier divorce and the "liberation of women", who can participate more in Italian work and political life.
Everything made the construction of Italian socialism of course.
Italian anarchists bring Gennaro Rubino to trial, it turns out that during the Fashoda war, before and at the beginning of the Milan revolution, Rubino was part of the intelligence services of the Kingdom of Italy.
Spying on anarchist groups in the UK (more specifically London), however, Rubino always had sympathy for such anarchist movements and opposed the royal army.
Because of this he is simply put under house arrest. Rubino was briefly an advisor to the FSR's intelligence services foundation, although that is not his area of expertise.
November 20, King Albert Victor, at the request of Chile and Argentina, resolves the territorial dispute between the two countries.
The Cordillera of the Andes Boundary Case ( Laudo limítrofe entre Argentina y Chile de 1902) ends in favor of Argentina.
November 21, the conservative and social aristocratic movement becomes increasingly popular in Canada, as part of the UK's efforts for the future.
November 25, the first weeks of the New Zealand general election, which ends on December 22, 1902, between the liberal Richard Seddon and the conservative William Ferguson Massey.
Seddon wins again thanks to his popularity. Seddon does not have much ideological commitment, but he is a populist and defender of the "interest of the common man" in front of local elites, at the same time that he is a pillar of British imperialism, the role of New Zealand within said empire and that he believes that New Zealand must be like the British Isles of the South Pacific.
Seddon became a strange ally in the plans of the Social Aristocracy for the British Empire.
November 26, the socialist republics of southern Italy present their "Plan for the Alleviation of Poverty" (Piano per Alleviare la Povertà), a centralized plan (through business between the various republics-communes) to continue the modernization of the Southern Italy.
The government of Constantino Lazzari accepts the plan.
November 30, various German and American prisoners of war are sentenced to forced labor in Haiti (site of the conflict), Suriname (colony of the German Empire) and Florida (United States).
Harvey Logan, better known as "Kid Curry" is sentenced to 20 years of forced labor and a fine of $ 5,000.
December 2, political demonstrations in Austria against the German government occur repeatedly, especially in rural spaces and smaller industrial centers.
In addition, a housing crisis occurs in the city of Vienna.
December 3, José Paranhos, baron of Rio Branco is appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Empire of Brazil.
December 4, new contraction of international trade (caused in part by the conflict in the Caribbean and the British and German navies moving through the Atlantic, the first towards Haiti and the second guarding the French coasts).
Causing losses of more than 50 million dollars.
December 5, The Power of Darkness (Власть тьмы, Vlast 't'my, written in 1886), by Leo Tolstoy, is presented for the first time in Moscow.
Konstantin Sergeyevich Stanislavski is the character Mitrich, just one of the most notable roles of the Russian theater practitioner (although Stanislavski would be more notable in future decades).
December 7, more than 6,200 US and European soldiers die in combat in Haiti, adding 9,200 deaths from yellow fever.
December 8, on the way to the aristocratic social plans, Louis Alexander Mountbatten (British Prime Minister) establishes the Committee of Imperial Defense.
For greater coordination of the defense of the British Empire, the way of the imperial administration made the Imperial Preference and many other measures.
December 9, Venezuela joins the war between Germany and the United States.
This after the US sanctions and embargoes on Venezuela, in addition to Venezuelan support for Germany and American ships too close to Venezuelan waters.
Just one more excuse for greater American movements to South America, while Germany and Venezuela rush to protect the country and the German colony of Suriname.
December 10, the French in Egypt begin the process of building dams on the River Nile, such as the Aswan Low Dam.
Because? Well, while the French administration in Africa sided with Maurras, it doesn't mean they see a lot of action, they send some support but their main role and goal is to keep things under control and protect Suez.
So in the meantime, the French put colonial subjects to work.
December 12, the unionization of Japanese railway workers continues quite successfully.
The Tsesarevich of Russia and King of Slovakia, Nicholas Alexandrovich Romanov, and his family, Elena of Montenegro and Grand Dukes Nicholas and Mikhail and Grand Duchess Maria, visit Slovakia.
During the visit, which continues the rapprochement of the Kingdom of Slovakia and Russia, Princess Elena of Montenegro becomes pregnant again (with the couple's fourth child).
December 13, first conflict between the Venezuelan navy (with German support) and the US navy, near Puerto Cabello (Venezuela).
It results in a first victory for Venezuela, though not without costly casualties of course. The Americans will return to bombard the forts of Puerto Cabello and other positions in northern Venezuela shortly thereafter.
December 17, several American ships are sunk by Germany in the Atlantic, among them the ship Frank A. Palmer and Louise B. Crary.
December 20, Prince George is born, son of George and Mary of Kent.
On the other hand, Albert Victor and Alix of Hesse remain without male children.
December 21, food problems begin in Haiti due to the conflict.
Meanwhile, martial law is installed (officially) in the south of the country, with Pierre Nord Alexis as the leader supported by the Germans against the Americans and the rebel government in the north of the island.
December 26, Ada Evans becomes the first woman in Australia to obtain a degree (of law).
December 30, the Discovery expedition of Robert Falcon Scott, Ernest Shackleton and Edward Adrian Wilson reaches the southernmost point reached by man, in 1902.
The next day on December 31, Wilson, Scott and Shackleton turn back, with most of their sledge-dogs dead and Shackleton suffering from scurvy (a result of a lack of vitamin c).
*******
[Russian position]
"Wait, are you telling me that Germany and the United States went to war for Haiti?" Alexander III asks almost laughing.
His secretary and his son, Grand Duke Mikahil, affirms "Yes."
"... Hahaha!" Tsar Augustus, Alexander III, laughs. "Ah, Wilhelm is really hilarious at times." The tsar exclaims, ending his laughter promptly.
"What is Haiti worth?" Mikhail asks confused.
"You are thinking in good terms, every position in the Caribbean is vital, militarily or economically, even if Haiti is not the most developed territory. But you are forgetting national pride, the United States feels cornered and Germany on top of the world." Tsar Alexander III explains.