World War I (Early Colonization)

World War I occured from 1914 to 1918 all across the globe between most of the nations of the world.

Timeline
1914: Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary is killed by Serb terrorists. Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, which results in Russia declaring war on Germany. Germany declares war on Russia, which results in a declaration of war from France. After Germany invades Belgium England and Wales declare war on Germany. Normandy joins the German side while Japan attacks German Pacific colonies, which results in Polynesia declaring war on Japan. After Normandy entered the war Phoenicia declared war on Normandy. The Celtic Union declares war on Wales after the split up of the Colony Protection League and strained relationships. After Russia declared war on Germany Scandinavia, who was an enemy of Russia declared war on Russia. After Germany sinks too many supply ships Virginia declares war on Germany. Because of Japan entering the war China declares war on them, which results in a declaration of war from the World Entente, which made Maya enter the war on the side of the Chinese. World War 1 is set with the two sides: The Central Powers of Germany, Austia-Hungary, Normandy, Celtic Union, Scandinavia, Polynesia, China, and the Mayan Empire against the World Entente of Russia, England, Wales, France, Virginia, Japan, Serbia, and Phoenicia.

Battles are waged all across the world. In Europe, the French cannot hold back the storm that the Normans and Germans give them and Paris is almost captured. The British managed to land soldiers in France in enough time to stop the Norman and German attack. With more Central Power soldiers in the Western Front the Germans the Germans hold back the invasion of Eastern Prussia by defeating the Russians at Tannenberg in a complete victory; the Russians were forced out of Germany by the Germans and Austria-Hungary (with German support) defeats the Russians in the Battle of Galicia and forcing the second Russian offensive to retreat. The Russians were then forced on the defensive for most of remaining part of the war.

In the Brendanias, the Virginians launched attacks against Norse Colonies while the Russians launched an attack from their own. Virginia also launched attacks in Celtic Union territory. The Russians launched invasions into Chinese territory while Mayan and Welsh ships clash in the Caribbean and soldiers clash on their borders. Phoenicia manages to have some success at first but as soon as the first Norman reinforcements come their offensive bogs down. In the Atlantic, superior Norse ships blockade England while Celtic ships blockade Wales. The Norse also won the Battle of Vinland, preventing a Entente blockade of Norse colonies. Meanwhile the Polynesians launched attacks into Welsh South Brendania and blockade their Pacific coasts.

In the Pacific and Asia, Polynesia attacks Japanese controlled (their was a short conflict in 1898 known as the Spanish-Japanese War, from which Japan got the Philipines) Philipines. The island suffers heavy fighting but is taken by 1915. By then it is occupied, not subdued. China is forced to fend off attacks from Russia in the north and Japanese raids in the east. Japan manages to forced a blockade of China.

As the world is engulf in warfare many new types of warfare will break out: Trench warafe, gas attacks, aeroplanes, submarines, bayonet charges, tanks, armoured cars, machine guns, and new ways of posistioning of artillery.

1915: The War has entered its second year. In the Brendanias, the Virginians begin the year with the Christmas Offensive, a huge offensive against Norse posistions. The offensive has mostly ground to a halt with the Norse indotrucing trenches into the fight. Virginia however has one of the newest weapons of war: the aeroplane. The aeroplane, invented in 1904, performs reconnasince and bombings. Bombings were not accurate however with limited technology. In Germany, a new type of airplane is released: the Fokker Eindecker. This airplane was one of the greatest in the world, and once given to the Norse to use it changed the tide of dogfights to their advantage. The Virginians and Norse also clashed at the Battle of Kensington where desperate Norse defenders were attempting to stop the Virginians to cross the Great Lakes into Norse territory. Battles also broke out between the Norse and the Russians. The Norse were holding back against the Russians while the Chinese launched an attack into Russian colonies and the Russian Far East.

1916: The Norse has finally been defeated at Kensington and have placed there Great Lakes Fleet on high alert in case of any crossing. They had air superiorty until the summer of 1916 when Virginia got new models and finally defeated the German Fokker Eindeckers. With air superiorty they launched an attack into the Great Lakes while Russia launched another offensive to take back lands taken from them by the Norse and Chinese. While the Russians made some gains the Norse Great Lakes Fleet managed to destroy most of the Virginian landing fleet. The Virginians could replace the fleet though and construction began right away. Stalemates were continuing all across the Brendanias with the the Mayans and Welsh stuck along their borders in Central America.

In Europe, the Battle of the Somme resulted in a German victory with extra Norman troops. The British and French had suffered tremendous losses (over 650,000 men) and were forced to retreat. The Germans and Normans used this to their advantage and launched an attack into British and French trench lines. The attack is horrendous and the British and French are forced to retreat back to Paris. The Germans and Normans cannot launched another attack as many of their men died.

In the Pacific and Asia, the Polynesians launched an attack on the United Kingdom's Solomon Islands. The Germans also launch attacks into British East Australia along with the Polynesians. The Japanese launched an invasion of China, mainly at Shanghai and Hong Kong. Battles there ravage the two cities. In order to the Japanese attacks the Polynesians uses their large navy and battle the Japanese in the Battle of the East China Sea. The Polynesians barely managed to pull off a victory but the victory cut off the Japanese soldiers in China. The Germans then landed in the two cities to defeat the Japanese while the Chinese started their own attack against the Japanese. By the end of September the Japanese were forced out of China and the Solomin Islands were in Polynesian hands. The Chinese had also managed to keep the Russians from adavancing from their borders into China's northern borders.

1917: The war continues into its 4th year. All across the world the stalemates are finally broke with the introduction of the tank. In Europe the British use this to force the Germans and Normans away from Paris. The Virginians mass produce the tank and spread it across to fight the Norse and the Celtics. The Norse manage to catch a break, as the Russian Civil War breaks out between communists and loyalists. Most people not supporting communism went to their colonies in Alaska. Not wanting to have fighting break out in its borders Alaska declares independence from Russia, forming the Alaskan Republic. The Civil War ended earlier as the newly created republic was a democracy which made many future-White Army men and women go there. The newly created Russian Soviet Republic only contained Russia as Germany still had their territories in East Prussia.

With Russia leaving the war Germany and Austria-Hungary were free to bring their soldiers from the Eastern Front to the Western Front. Operation Mitchell, the attack on France began. The Germans were forced back to the Somme during a British Offensive earlier in the year. The Germans and Normans would now have over 600,000 men, which would be strategically placed across Hindenburg Line and the Norman Line. When the operation began British and French soldiers could hold back both attacks and retreated all the way back to Paris. The Germans and Normans would then bombard Paris and and a day later attack it. The Battle of Paris lasted a week and resulted in a French surrender. With France gone most of Europe was in Central hands. Near the end of the year Austria-Hungary launched an invasion of Italy. Italy quickly surrendered.

1918: 1918 kicked off with German-Polynesian bombardment of Japan. Germany and Polynesia had managed to defeat the Japanese and take their colonies. The two navies surrounded the Japanese main islands and peridically bombard the islands. Meanwhile Polynesia launched an attack into French Indo-China, however it was unknown to them France surrendered. Malaysia quickly fell with the Polynesians blockading Indo-China.

In the Brendanias Virginia attempted to force a second crossing of the Great Lakes however it was unsuccessful again. The Norse launched a counter-attack against Virginia took back Kensington. The Norse then launched the Spring Offensive, an attack on Virginia. It quickly defeat northern Virginian lines and continued onward. The Norse then launch simultaneous attacks into Cleveland and Cincinnati. Both sides put their all into these attacks. During the battle, young Captain William H. Thorton (my own creation) is injured and carried back from the front lines. The Norse managed to push the Virginians back from the two cities, leaving the Ohio River open for attack. The Norse sailed down the river and attack Pittsburgh. With the capture of Pittsburgh a great deal of Virginia's industrial production would be gone. The attack commence on September 20th. The Virginians were defeated on November 8.

Back in Europe, Scandinavia and Germany managed to defeat the Royal Navy at the Battle of the Irish Sea during the start of the year. Now in September, Britain began to have food shortages and the majority of the population wanted peace. Finally on November 11, 1918 the World Entente and the Central Powers signed a cease-fire, ending World War 1.

War Begins
The War began on July 28, 1914 when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, setting off a chain of alliances all across the world.

Serbian Campaign
The first battles of the war involved Austria-Hungary against Serbia. Serbia defeated several Austrian attacks, preventing Austria-Hungary with a swift victory. Because of Serb resistance the Austrians had to keep soldiers in Serbia, which lessened its soldiers in the fight against Russia.

Norman-German Invasions
After the war began Normandy and Germany made incursions into France and Belgium. Norman support proved to be a great help to Central Powers, and after Belgium fell the Germans went farther into France as France had to hold back both Norman and German assaults. However, the Entente still defeat the Germans at the Marne, stopping the German advance. The Normans were stopped before Paris too. The Normans then attacked French and British posistions at the Somme, hoping to stop them from attacking it from behind. The First Battle of the Somme resulted in a Norman defeat, and the battle was the last mobile battle in the Western Front. Trench lines were dug all across Western Europe, and trench warfare began.

Fighting Starts in the Brendanias
The first battles of the war in Brendanias were between the Chinese and the Russians. The Chinese and Russians were enemies after the Russo-Chinese War, and both sides were ready for fighting. The first battle of was the Battle of Portland, where the Chinese launched attacks into the city. The Russians had superior defenses and pushed the Chinese out. Chinese artillery continued to bomb the city, and Russian artillery fired back. Fighting also existed in the Gulf of Alaska. Chinese warships fought against Russian warships and sometimes Japanese. The Russians launched Operation Bering, which would be an offensive in the Chinese colonies in North Brendania as well as blockading the coast, preventing an Chinese supply ships from entering or existing North Brendania. The operation failed, and trench warfare settled in on the West Coast Front.

Brendanias
Naval warfare was the most important in the Caribbean Sea, where Mali and Chinese ships squared off against Welsh and Phoenician ships. The Welsh had the initial advantage as they had the most ships in the area, and they dealt defeats to the Chinese and Mayans. The Norse Navy engaged in battles with the Royal Navy near Iceland, Greenland, Ireland, and Vinland. Virginia was also in the war and was a member of the World Entente, so they tried to blockade Vinland, resulting in a defeat.

Europe
Naval warfare was also fought in Europe, where the British and Welsh attempted to blockade Germany, Normandy, and Scandinavia. Scandinavia's navy was the strongest in Europe, only rivaled by Britain and possibly Wales. The Norse Navy engaged in battles with the Royal Navy near Iceland, Greenland, Ireland, and Vinland. Norse ships also attacked Russian ships in the Baltic Sea, and blockaded the Baltic Coast.

Trench Warfare
Trench warfare began in the western front in 1914. The powers of the world had dug defensive fortifacations across the world, and the technolgy of the time was not advanced enough to break through. Artillery, which was more lethal in World War 1 than in earlier wars, proved to make crossing open ground difficult. Machines guns also made advances on open ground difficult. Barbed wire hindranced advances, slowing soldiers down as they ran across No-man's land. Poison gas was introduced by the Germans and Norse in the summer of 1915. Both sides began to use it but it never porved to decisively win a battle, however it was the most-feared weapon of the war. Later technological advances were created such as the tank, and it first came into the battle in 1915. The Entente were the main users, however the Norse used a number of tanks as well.

1914-1915
As the Central Powers made the first attacks in the war they built their trenches better than their Entente counterparts; Central Power trenches were designed to keep the Entente from liberating their occupied lands, while the Entente trenches were designed to be temporary, only to be used until a breakthrough was reached in Central lines.

The "Race to the Sea" found the trenchlines on the Western Front to be from Lorraine to the Flemish Coast of Belgium as well as trenchlines around Somme.

In the Brendanias trench warfare existed from the Virginia-Norse border and the Virginia-Celtic border. The Virginians used their manpower to their advantage, and used former black slaves to build their trenches. The Norse and Celtics had their soldiers build their trenches, and it was hard work. Virginia soldiers were better-rested, however this did not really prove anything in combat. In the Russo-Chinese Brendania front trenchlines existed around Portland, and across the border.

In 1915, the Germans used chlorine gas at the Second Battle of Ypres, and the Norse at the Battle of South Kensington. This forced the Entente to retreat, resulting in holes in the lines. The Germans exploited this by taking Kitchener's Woods, and the Norse exploited this by taking Erikville. The Normans then used chloring gas to defeat the British-French forces at the Somme, however the Entente soldiers there managed to prevent a Norman advance. These attacks were in direct violation of the Hague Convention. The gas became the most-feared weapon of the war; victims had slow, painful deaths. This resulted in both sides giving gas masks to their soldiers.

1916-1917
Trench warfare dealt many blows to the powers of the world in this time. On July 1, 1916 the British Army endured the bloddiest day in its history, with over half a million men dead during an attempted offensive against Norman and German posistions in the Somme.

During this time neither power on the Western Front could launch an attack, and a stalemate insued. The French Army was brought to brink of collapse because off the German action at Verdun and continued casualties against the Normans at the Somme. French mutinues began, and partially cost them their defeat during the Central Operation Mitchell.

Operation Mitchell was launched in 1917, and in preperation for the attack the Germans and Normans produced many tanks. The attack was launched on June 14 and the German soldiers advanced from the Hindenburg Line and Norman soldiers from the Norman Line. The operation included 660,000 men. As the Russian Civil began many soldiers from the Eastern Front were now at the west, and with extra soldiers because of the Normans, British-French posistions were simply overrun and Entente soldiers were forced to retreat to Paris. The Germans and Normans took Paris on July 10, resulting in French surrender.

Even though the Central Powers enjoyed success in Europe, the Brendanias was still a stalemate.

1918
Trench warfare ended in 1918, as the Entente was mainly in retreat. In early 1918 German and Norman soldiers came to North Brendania to aid in the campaign against Virginia. Trenchlines were broken and Virginia surrendered in late 1918.

War Begins in the Eastern Front
Following the declaration of war Russia invaded Galicia of Austria and East Prussia. Initial Russian advances into Galicia were successful however German forces defeated the Russians at the Battle Tannerberg in a bigger victory in OTL, and launched a huge counter-offensive. As the Normans were fighting against France it freed up more German soldiers to fight on the Eastern Front, resulting in slaughterings against the Russians at Tannerberg and Masurian Lakes and a quicker victory in Warsaw against the Russians.

The Russian Campaign
The Russian Campaign was the name given to the German-Austrian Invasion of Russian in early 1915. The Austrians with German support pushed the Russians out of Galicia earlier, so Austrian troops were present in the campaign. Because of Central Power success the Entente could not convince Romania to enter the war, which freed Central soldiers from entering and occupying Romania. The first incursions into Russia were made in Ukraine, resulting in the taking of Kiev in June. Russian soldiers were sent to stop the the Germans from advancing farther, however Germany and Austria broke through Russian lines in late June and made several advances into Russian territory, the most notably taking of Tsaritsyn in late 1915, which jumpstarted the Russian Revolution, which was already in its early stages.

Russian Revolution
Because of the failures in the war against the Central Powers dissatisfaction grew with the Russian government's conduct of war began. In December 1915 demonstrations in Petrograd resulted in Tsar Nicholas II to adbicate the thrown and a Provisional Government was created. The new government was weak and chaos reigned at the home and the front, and the army became innefective. Soon the Bolshevik Party under Vladmir Lenin came to power in Russia. The Bolsheviks began to negotiate terms with Germany, and an armistice was signed on July 16, 1916. This brought Russia out of the war, and sent German soldiers to the Western Front.

West Coast Front
The West Coast Front was fought between the Russians and Chinese.

Northern Front
The Northern Front was fought between Russia and the Norse.

East Coast Front
The East Coast Front was fought between Virginia against the Norse and Celtics.

1914
1914 was the first year of World War I. The first battles were between Russia and China at the Battle of Portland, which resulted in Russia successfully defending the city. The Russians then launched Operation Bering, an assault at Chinese colonies in the Brendanias. The operation failed and the West Coast front became all trench warfare. In the Northern Front the Russians were the first one to attack; it crossed the border into Markland in mid-August. The Norse were put on the defense with these attacks but they stopped the Russian advance.

1915
1915 was the second year of World War 1. China began the year by beginning an attack on Russian lines near Portland. Trench warfare kept the Chinese from defeating the Russian defenders. China then launched continuous bombardments against Portland and Russian posistions near there.

On the East Coast Front the Norse began the year by fighting defensively. Virginia, who entered the war on the side of the World Entente, hoped to take Kensington, which would give them a port on the Great Lakes. The Virginians launched the Christmas Offensive, a huge assault into Norse and Celtic territory. However, determined resistance by Norse and Celtic defenders kept the Virginians from taking over much territory. Trench lines ran across the East Coast Front. As the East Coast front settled into a stalemate it became clear that the Virginian war plan would not work. The Virginian War Plan was to use its industrial power and its manpower to quickly overrun enemy lines, securing a quick victory. 1915 also saw the first use of the aeroplan in the war, with both sides using them. The Entente had the upper hand at first but the new Central Power Fokker Eindecker, first used in summer 1915, quickly secured Central Power superiorty.

In the Northern Front the Russians launched an offensive at the same time the Virginian Christmas Offensive was launched. The Russian offensive was not successful and the Northern Front became trenchwarfare. The Norse and the Russians both tried to advance but with little success.

1916
1916 was basicly a continuation of the stalemate that began in 1914 and 1915. All across North Brendania trenchlines were built and the continent was divided. In the Northern Front however, the Norse made huge gains as the Russian Revolution began and the soldiers fighting were becoming innefective. The Alaskans, seeing that if the fighting doesn't stop they would eventually be pushed off the continent, declare their independence from the Russian Empire as the Republic of Alaska. Most Alaskans supported the move, and by summer 1915 independence a reality. Alaskan leaders signed a peace treay with the Norse, ending the Northern Front. The Norse soldiers fighting were sent to the East Coast Front to aid in the defense of their colonies against Virginia. The Chinese gained land as well against the Russians, and they finally took Portland and they pushed them back to they 49th Parallel.

Virginia, seeing that the oppurtunity to take Kensington and cross the Great Lakes would be over once the Norse soldiers from the Northern Front came, launched another huge assault against the port city. The battered Norse defenders were finally defeated, but with costs to Virginia. Virginia then ordered that a crossing off the Lakes begin at once. The Virginians, using captured Norse ships as well as some newly manfactured, crossed. The Norse Great Lakes Fleet dealt the Virginian Fleet great defeats, and a crossing of the Great Lakes became impossible for the Virginians.

1917
The Norse and Celtics enjoyed success in 1917. The Virginians were defeated in the Great Lakes and were slowly being pushed back. By April Kensington was taken back by the Norse. Virginia still had posistions near the city, so the Norse sent attacks to force them back.