Prelude to the Second Weltkrieg - Part 5: Russia

Evening

NOTE FOR NON KAISERREICH PLAYERS: Just like in our timeline, in the Kaiserreich world, Russia collapsed into civil war because of the pressures of the World War/Weltkrieg. Unlike in our timeline though, Russian Bolsheviks did not win the civil war. Instead the "Whites" that worked for representative democracy wound up winning the civil war (with German help), led by Alexander Kerensky. After the war was over Kerensky became the first President under a republican form of government.

However, unlike in our timeline - where the Soviet Union effectively reunited most of the land and people that had been the Russian Empire into the USSR - Russia in the Kaiserreich world lost huge areas of territory to other interests. Poland, Ukraine, Ruthenia, and the Baltic states were all forcefully separated from Russia and fell into a sphere of German control. The Caucus nations, including Georgia and Azerbaijan, also declared independence, while most of Russian control in Central Asia fell apart. They even lost portions of the Far East on the edge of the Pacific Ocean to a breakaway republic.

Despite all these losses, Russia flourished for a long period under Kerensky's leadership. Elections, albeit not entirely free ones, re-elected Kerensky and his party time and again, and Russians enjoyed the largest level of political freedom they had ever experienced. The economy also modernized - albeit slower than under our timeline's Soviet Union - and most of the capital that financed their growth came from Germany, keeping the two countries closely connected.

Many Russians however, disagreed with one or more aspects of this new Russian state. Some were inspired by French and British socialists to try and overthrow the capitalist order, others longed for a return to monarchy, and some were ultra-nationalists who viewed the loss of Russian land as the ultimate insult.

This swirl of political undercurrents came to a head when President Kerensky was murdered in January 1936. A coup took place almost immediately, led by a political party closely tied to Weltkrieg generals and royalists, with support from the far-right ultra-nationalist party. Since then, the two parties have fallen into an uneasy alliance, with shared goals of dismantling many of the liberal institutions built up by Kerensky and his allies.

February 3, 1937 – Moscow, Russia

Ilya Mikhailov rapped the brass knocker on the large door. A pause of several seconds, then the door creaked open.

"Ah, Ilya, it's good to see you."

"And you Aleksander."

"Come in, come in. How was your trip?"

"Quite good. Petrograd is lovely in the winter."

"Isn't it? I am done with the winter by now, but Petrograd is just warm enough to make it pleasant. Were the canals still frozen?"

"Yes, and quite busy. I took little Peter skating for the first time. He did nothing but fall over, but I don't think I've heard him laughing so hard."

"How old is he now? Two years already?"

"Yes."

"Two years. A wonderful age to be sure."

"Indeed. He is growing up so fast."

"Here, let me take your coat. Something to drink?"

"Yes please, that would be wonderful. Where is Daria?"

"Oh, out visiting her sister. Maria's pregnant again the poor woman."

"How many is that now? Nine?"

"Nine! Can you believe it? More beautiful Russian children are always good, but surely one family doesn't have to do all the work themselves."

"Mother Russia indeed! And what about your children? Sleeping?"