Russo-German War
The Russo-German War was a major conflict between the Russian and German Empires. The conflict ended in a bloody stalemate, which constituted a phyrric victory for Germany and their allies.
The Conflict
Prelude
Germany and Russia had been allies during the Great War against a large coalition in Europe. The new balance of power rested with Germany being among the dominant powers in the world, with a growing alliance of European nations against the new Soviet Union. However, after Germany annexed Austria following the fall of the Hapsburg Confederation, the Russian government became weary of German territorial expansion as well as economic dominance.
Also following the collapse of the Hapsburg Confederation, there saw the rise of the Kingdom of Poland and the Kingdom of Galicia, formed out of the provinces of West and East Galicia respectively. While the German Kaiser Wilhelm II supported efforts to relocate many of their Polish population to the new kingdom, Russian Tsar Ivan VII suppressed nationalist sentiments in his own provinces that wished to unite with the new kingdom. This suppression was seen greatest in the regions of large ethnic Ukrainian populations, wishing to reinstate an independent Ukraine much like the previous tsardom. Russia protested against the founding of the new kingdoms, especially that of Galicia, being ruled by a Ukrainian nationalist as king. In an attempt to placate Russia, Archduke Gabriel, brother of Tsar Ivan, was elected as King of Czechoslovakia.
Meanwhile, the Empire of Japan had been reeling from their white peace during the Great War. Despite being victorious in their theater, Japan felt pressured to come to the negotiating table after their allies had been defeated elsewhere in the world. After the Kingdom of Holland was dissolved and joined the Soviet Union, the Dutch East Indies came under disarray. Japan gained influence, but sought to regain a foothold in mainland Asia through Korea and Russian held Manchuria.
Deployment
The rulers of the respective Empires had come to a tense understanding. Kaiser Wilhelm agreed to not send any military aid to Galicia. However, The power of the kaiser was diminished greatly during and following the Great War. The true power was vested in the chancellery as head of government, but with the kaiser retaining much of the symbolism of the nation. As such, Erich von Ludendorff, upon being appointed chancellor, attempted to circumvent the agreement through Poland.
The Russian Duma became wise of this, and called for war. The British Prime Minister of the Anglo-Irish Empire attempted to be a mediating force as a means to keep the focus on containing the Soviet Union. However, the calls were too great, and Ludendorff refused to back down. Both the Russian Duman and the German Bundestag declared war. Following this, Japan also declared war on Russia in exchange for the influence over controlled territory barring annexation.
Germany had little difficulty gaining Galicia as allies, but had issues with gaining Polish support. King Charles II of Poland reluctantly agreed after convincing from his brother, King Vasyl I of Galicia, as well as concessions to the Polish government to gain Russian Polish lands. Galicia was offered a unified Ukraine, which Vasyl readily accepted.
Most other nations, particularly Sweden, Finland, and the Baltic Kingdoms, all remained neutral. However, many of them backed Germany indirectly. Sweden sent Germany much needed iron used in tank and naval warfare. Gabriel was sympathetic towards the Russian war effort and the plight his brother faced, but sided with neutrality having been surrounded by combative nations and geographically cut off from the battlefield. The Anglo-Irish Empire also remained neutral, though the British Parliament was more sympathetic to the German cause, believing they were the favored to win the conflict quickly.
Battlefield
Japan invaded mainland China through the Russian control Liaodong, mimicking their actions through from the Great War. The Russian Eastern Fleet, having been defeated in the Great War by Japan, had yet to adequately rebuild their forces. The Eastern Fleet had been reinforced eventually by the Baltic Fleet in the years since as a defensive measure, but still lagged behind in numbers to the Imperial Japanese Navy. Japan defeated the Russian navy and landed in China. Korea was later invaded, and a warpath north was planned.
Germany quickly gained air superiority over Russia as they invaded from the west. With no true Baltic Fleet, St. Petersburg, renamed Pertrograd after anti-German sentiment by the Duma, was easily blockaded. The Russian Imperial Family and government fled to Moscow, where they established a war front from the key city.
Galicia marched into the former Ukrainian territories and were regularly seen as liberators. Vasyl relocated the capital of the nation to Kiev, proclaiming the new Kingdom of Ukraine. Charles of Poland captured the regions of Russian Poland, but halted their advances out of fear of losing too much of their forces.
Conditions
Winter set in the Russian countryside, slowing down the German advances towards Moscow. The German army suffered casualties to starvation, exhaustion, and exposure. However, after a grueling months long battle, Moscow eventually fell, causing the Russian government to once again fall back to Tsaritsyn. Russian morale plummeted after the retreat, but the government refused to capitulate, believing the Germans would over extend themselves. However, the German high command ignored the tremendous loss of life and kept pressing.
Japanese advances into Siberia faced similar circumstances. However, the Imperial Japanese Army took control of Vladivostok, effectively ending Russia's naval capabilities. Japan also took control of vast swaths of Manchuria. The Republic of China, a lose unification of warlord cliques, attempted to mount an opposition, but ultimately failed due to competing ideologies and ambitions.
Outcome
Germany besieged the city of Tsaritsyn after a grueling battle that lasted months. Russian Tsar Ivan VII was forced to sue for peace in order to spare the city and the lives of his people. In the Treaty of Stockholm, Russia was forced to pay war reparations as well as cede land to Poland and Ukraine, recognizing the legitimacy of the latter. Japan was held to the terms of the Great War treaty and was ineligible to annex territory. However, they did establish favorable governments in Manchukuo and Korea.
Aftermath
Japan gained the resources it needed through indirect means in Manchuria and Korea. The Japanese friendly Emperor Yeong of Korea established mutual agreements to Japan while retaining a large amount of autonomy. Ousted Qing Emperor Puyi was made Emperor of Manchukuo, but was largely a puppet of the Japanese Imperial Court. Japan reserved the right to replace the two emperors at their wish in order to maintain Japanese superiority over the regions.
Though Germany was made the undisputed Super Power of the world, they found it difficult to maintain their domestic institutions due to the high cost of lives between the Great War and the Russo-German War. Measures were made to grant women the right to work in a man's place to replace the shortage of a male population that had been lost in combat. While this softened the economic blow from the war, many criticized the measure as it was viewed as too similar to policies in Soviet France.
Having had their nationalist movements funded indirectly by the Turkish Sultanate, the Region of the South Caucasus seceded from the Russian Empire as the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic. This organization rapidly had a referendum for annexation into Turkey, but the Azerbijani were outvoted by the nation's Armenian and Georgian population.
Historical Significance
Legacy
Japan eventually declared the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere as a form of an Asian Continental Ordinance. The Japanese Empire forced Korea and Manchukuo to adopt the agreement, as well as coerced the nations of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. Talks were made with the Kingdom of Siam in order to bring them into the agreement as well. Though this treaty was proposed as a means of anti-colonialism in Asia, it cemented Japanese dominance in the Asian continent.
Very well written article! What a mess this war was for all sides though. Excited to see what comes next!