Timeline (Canadian Independence)

Timeline for the alt-history, Canadian Independence.

Revolutions in North America
The American Revolution began a period of rebellion in British colonies in North America. The American Revolution was caused by transformations in American society and government. America favored democracy over monarchies. Many Patriots hoped for a representative government, the opposite of what they were of colonies: they had no representation in the British Parliament.

The American Revolutionary War started with the Battles of Lexington and Concord, and in 1776 the Declaration of Independence was created, marking the independence and creation of the United States of America. The Americans then won several battles, gaining the support of European powers such as France and Spain.

In the late 1770s, many people in Quebec threaten the British government with independence. The British argued over allowing the people of Quebec to pratice their language and culture. After several weeks of waiting for a decision, the people of Quebec got the answer that they could still not practic their culture. Thus, the Canadian Revolution was set into motion.

Canadian Revolution
Quebec patriots soon begin their rebellion. Americans win the Battle of Quebec, which makes more of the Quebecois revolt. British soldiers are placed in the villages, which angers the local population, fueling the revolution even more.The revolution soon spreads to the rest of Canada. British soldiers are sent to stop the revolution. The first battle of the war was the Battle of Cowansville and Dunham. The Canadians defeated the British in these battles and then engaged the British in the Siege of Montreal, which forced the British to evacuate Montreal. British and Quebec soldiers then clashed in the Battle of Trench Hill, where the British defeated the rebels but lost a third of their own force. Quebec soldiers then crossed the border into Maine, which was under control of the British. The Invasion of Maine resulted in a British victory.

After defeated the British in the Siege of Montreal Canadian forces went to Nova Scotia to defend against a British attack. The British attacked and forced the Canadians to withdraw. The Canadians retreated across southern Quebec and into Ontario. There, on Christmas, Canadian soldiers crossed the St. Lawrence River and attacked Hamilton. The British soldiers were asleep and the city was not guarded well. The Canadians took the city and captured a lot of prisoners.

In the first battle of the year the Canadians attacked the city Burlington. They forced British soldiers in a retreat and got many supplies from the city. The British then tried to get back the Thousnads Islands, which was strategically important as it could stop shipping in the St. Lawrence River and was in the hands of the Canadians. The Canadians and British fought over it for a few months before the British Army in the Thousands Islands surrendered in the city of Kingston. The British then launched an attack on Quebec City, which was important to the Canadians. After defeating the Canadians at the Battle of Levis, the British occupied Quebec City. The British general in charge of the attack on Quebec City, did not, however, move north to help the British in the Thousands Islands. After defeating the British at the Thousands Islands France entered the war on the side of the Canadians.

The British retreated from Quebec City in order to protect Toronto against a possible Canadian-French attack. The Canadians asked the French to either assist them in attacking Toronto or attacking towns on the western edge of the St. Lawrence River. The French chose to sail down the St. Lawrence River and attack Thunder Bay, which was an important port to the British. Canadian and French soldiers marched on land to attack the city while French Navy Ships blockaded the city. The soldiers on land attacked the port while the ships bombarded it. After 25 days of fighting the Siege of Thunder Bay ended with a Canadian-French victory. The British soldiers inside surrendered and over 8,500 British soldiers were captured. With the captured of this amount of soldiers the British and Canadians negotiated a peace treaty.

The Canadians and British sign the Treaty of Madrid, giving Canada independence. The new country contains the area of eastern Canada. Canada is a democracy.

Changed North America
With the independence of America and Canada, the landscape of North America was changed forever. New nations were created while other expanded.

America and Canada
The newly independent nations of the United States of America and Canada both faced each other across the border. Many people in the both nations felt threatened by the other, but others felt that the two nations should be allies. America decided to perform the latter. In 1791, American president George Washington met with Canadian government officials. It was decided at the meeting that America and Canada would co-exist peacefully. Many sight this as the beginning of the American-Canadian Alliance, which would come to exist in the early 1900s.

With the warmthening of relations between the two nations, many people began criss-crossing the border. Merchants from both sides came to sell their goods. Perhaps most important was the selling of timber. Most of the timber that came from New York and Massachusetts were gone, and Canada sold the timber to the northern parts of America. The New England region also sold crops to Canada such as potatoes, dairy products, tobacco, cranberries, and blueberries.

Creation of Winnipeg
The independence of Canada meant that United Empire Loyalists had to move to another place to live. It would eventually be decided to be OTL Canadian Prairies. The 50,000 Loyalists who fled there built settlements around the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers, and the settlements joined together to form the colony of Winnipeg. The Loyalists, however, found that communicating with Great Britain was difficult, if not impossible. Winnipeg was then transformed from a colony into a nation.

The Winnipegers soon found them with odds with local American Indians. Several battles broke out between Winnipeg and the Cree, Assiniboine, Okibway, and other local tribes. By 1800, the situation was continuing to worsen, with Indian raids destroying the Winnipeg crops and cattle. Peace was finally restored to the land by a young man named Jean Baptiste Lagimodiere. Lagimodiere traveled to the Indian tribes camps and managed to bring upon a peace between Winnipeg and the Native Americans.

Rumbles in Haiti
In 1791, a revolution began in Haiti against their French colonial rulers. Forces led by Haitian General Toussaint L'Ouverture freed many slaves and the rebels established control over large parts of the island. In retaliation, French leader Napoleon Bonaparte ordered a large expiditionary of French soldiers and warships to the island to restore French rule. The French restored rule and all was quiet in Haiti... at least until a few months later in 1802.

When the French plot of restoring slavery to the island was discovered, the Haitian rebels went on the offensive. The new French leader of the campaign in Haiti became Donatien-Marie-Joseph de Vimeur, vicomte de Rochambeau. He led a ruthless campaign, and led to many French loyalists to defecting to the Haitian cause. With the Haitians gaining control of the entire island, the final blow they needed to strike was at Vertieres.

An attack on Viertieres was led by an ally of L'Ouverture, Jean Jacques Dessalines. The French fired at the advancing Haitian column, killing a number of them. One of the French soldiers shot at the horse of Francois Capois, the leader of the Haitian column. Instead of hitting his horse, the shot strck Capois, who fell of his saddle and died. The attack soon fell apart and the Haitians retreated. Rocmanbeau declared it a great victory, and continued his campaign against Haiti. By now the revolution attracted the attention of the United States, on which expansionism had became extremely popular.

American Expansion
During the presidency of Thomas Jefferson, the United States of America went under serious expansion. Jefferson had a vision of the United States expanding into Spanish-controlled Louisiana Territory, and later stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. With Napoleon's Army fighting wars throughout Europe and taking over nations, several oppurtunities arose for the Americans.

Louisiana Purchase
The first of these expansions was into the Louisiana Territory. The Territory was originally controlled by Spain, but when Napoleon's army took over the nation, ownership of the area was given back to France. When New Orleans was closed to US trade, President Thomas Jefferson proposed to France about buying the port city of New Orleans.

With the war occuring in Haiti, the French treasury was slowly being depleted. Desperate for money, Napoleon offered to sell the territory for 15 million dollars. Jefferson was pleased with the offer and a some time later the United States bought the territory. The size of the United States was doubled, and Jefferson sent the Lewis and Clark Expidition to survey the United States' new territory.

Haiti
The next part of America's expansion was into the nation of Haiti. With the rebels slowly being pushed back, the United States saw an oppurtunity to expand. Diplomats were sent to Haiti about the possibility of American help in the rebellion. The rebellions, in desperate need, agreed, and the United States began organizing a force to intervene in Haiti. The United States Marine Corps were sent in, and most of the troops had never seen combat before.

The first intervention became one of the worst military defeats in American history. The well-trained French troops easily defeated the inexperienced American troops. In response, Jefferson began to improve the military. Better training was given, and the weapons were updated. Jefferson also created a permanent American army, and the navy was significally expanded.

The second American intervention became an American victory. After first landing in Haiti, the American Army and Haitian rebels forced to advancing French soldiers to retreat. Several battles were won by America and Haiti, and once again, the French were cornered. This time, however, Haiti struck the final blow, and France left the colony.

After the war, America decided to leave troops there to protect the island. In 1808, Haiti became Haiti Territory, America's first Caribbean territory, and received much praise and critism from the local inhabitants of the territory.

French Revolution
The French Revolution began in the year of 1789. The Revolution began in Paris on July 14, 1789 with the Storming of the Bastille, a fortress that respresented royal authority in Paris. The revolution was caused by France's major economic crisis and taxation. Militias were created by the middle class who opposed the monarchy. These militias became known as the National Guard. On July 14, 1789, the militia in Paris stormed the Bastille, beginning the French Revolution.

Soon the monarchy was disposed, and the French First Republic was created. However, the Revolution brought France to war with Austria and its allies. A French invasion of the Netherlands also brought Great Britain into the war, and Prussia joined the war soon later. France's war with these nations are called the War of the First Coalition and the War of the Second Coalition.

Canada Divided
The French Revolutionary War nearly divided the people and nation of Canada. The French people in Quebec sided with the French revolutionaries, while the English people in the rest of Canada supported the English war with France. As the Canadian Prime Minister at the time, James Livingston, put it, "The Storm is breaking in this great nation of Canada."

Prime Minister James Livingston was a military commander during the Canadian Revolutionary War, and had served as the President of Canada for a few years before. Livingston did not support either side in the disput, but was tasked with settling the argument. The first thing he was creating a more equal government, because the Canadian government was mainly made up of Englishmen.This did not stop the problem, as the members of the government took sides and violence was beginning to break out. One such case occured at the city of Montreal, where French militias fought in the southern part of the city against and English militia, and 13 people were killed and 28 people were injured.

The violence led to French militias being created in Canadian cities, and these groups were commonly refered to as "French Cadets". The situation continued to worsen with fights breaking out all over Canada. The Prime Minister created a permanent army to try to stop the violence. However, this led to infighting in the military. Livingston feared that Canada would divided in a civil war if had been embroiled in it already. Livingston's best attempts to reunite Canada were failing. What reunited Canada came as a surprise to Livingston and everyone in the nation.

Britain's Dependence on Canada
While war was brewing in Canada, battles were already fought in the wartorn land of Europe. On one side was the nation of France and its allies, which were led by Napoleon Bonaparte, and on the other side was a coalition of states, led by Great Britain and Austria. The War of the Fourth Coalition ended in 1807. The war led to the British need of rebuilding the Royal Navy, which had lost serious amounts of men and ships in the war with France.

In order to stop this, Great Britain began the impressment of Canadian and American sailors to reman their navy. This caused serious uproar in the two North American nations, as the United States government was dominated by the War Hawks, and Canada faced a great crisis between the English and French. As a result, America and Canada placed economic embargoes on Britain. This crippled Britains attempts at rebuilding, as much of the timber needed to rebuild was exported to Great Britain by Canada. Now their supply was cut off, and they didn't know for how long.

Great Britain faced had no other option: they needed to get the resources from Canada and America. Thus Britain decided to invade Canada. Great Britain decide to get across the Atlantic with the navy of Denmark-Norway. Great Britain could not use Denmark-Norway's fleet to fight against France because it was too small. The fleet, could, however, carry troops across the Atlantic to Canada. So on June 25, 1807, the first British soldiers landed in Canada.

British Invasion of Canada
The British force landed on Nova Scotia. The first town town they came to was mainly populated by Englishmen, and were welcomed there. However, other towns greeted them less nicely, and small skirmishes broke out. The British began the taking of Canada's resources. Trees were cut down and were sailed back to England. The British forces there were stronger than the local militias. Word, however, was sent from the Nova Scotia to Prime Minister Livingston, who was then in Toronto.

Canada declared war on Great Britain. The United States decided to declare war on Britain too, and sent the Marine Corps to take British possessions in the Caribbean. Troops quickly landed in the Bahamas. The United States also sent military northward, with boats coming to Canada through the St. Lawrence River. By the time American troops got to where they needed to be, the British troops were already rolling.

Canada United
The British invasion inadvertently helped the reunion of Canada. French Cadets and English militias, who once fought against one another, fought side by side to drive out the British. Both sides gained respect for another, and both groups were finally jointly refered to as "Canadian". However, Canada still faced a mountain of trouble with Britain's attack.

British gunboats defeated the American navy in the St. Lawrence River after a few battles, and soon they were sailing down the river toward the Montreal. The United States and Canada subsequently placed most of its troops in Montreal. The British forces numbered 1,500 men, while America and Canadian forces numbered 1,700 men. The British forces, led by Major General Isaac Brock, originally had success in Montreal, taking 3/4 of the city. The Americans regrouped, and, along with reinforcements, pushed the British out of the city. The British were forced to retreat.

Battle of Iceland
The British loss at Montreal began a long line of losses for the British army. The war had now gone into the winter, and the British forces were tired and hungry. The British decided to retreat back to the coast. Hundreds died, and the British did not nearly as many men as they did in the beginning of the campaign. Defeat was near for Britain.

American and Canadian armies converged on the British headquarters at Halifax, Nova Scotia. The British were finally defeated, and were forced to evacuate. However, there was not nearly enough boats to carry all the soldiers back. Over 600 British soldiers were captured on that day. America's and Canada's victory over Britain brought them the attention of France, who laid down a plan to finally defeat the Royal Navy during on of its stops at Iceland.

In April 19, 1808, the Battle of Iceland broke out. American, Canadian, and French ships pounded on the Royal Navy stationed there. Canadian troops also landed in Iceland, and stormed and occupied the city of Rekjavik, Iceland's only city. The Royal Navy was decimated, and a month later word of British surrender reached North America. The British Invasion of Canada was finally repelled.

Defeat of Britain
The defeat of Britain brought change to many nations. The victory by Canada and America proved that the two new nations could survive in war with a great power, and a great sense of nationalism was created in those nations. Canada was finally united, and James Livingston went down in Canadian history as one of the greatest prime ministers.

In Winnipeg, news of the war reached the nation in the winter of 1807-08. The nation, despite its loyalty to Great Britain and the empire, decided not to aid the nation. Winnipeg felt that invading Canada would be suicide, and American and Canadian soldiers would roll into the border in seconds. This began Winnipeg's seperation from Great Britain and its path as a seperate nation.

The Royal Navy's decimation at Iceland left England defenseless to a French attack. France had just finished successful campaigns in Europe, and much of the continent was in France's control. Napoleon knew it was time for his invasion across the English Channel into Britain, known as the English Campaign. The crossing was quickly made and French soldiers were in England's southern coast.

The British soldiers had lost the will to fight, and much of them deserted the army. Those who stayed and fought were veterans of the British Invasion and Canada, and seen much combat. The French, however, quickly rolled over the British defenses and in a month and a half London was captured. Great Britain announced its surrender, and France had completed its conquest of Europe.

Victory in the Iberian Peninsula
In 1807 Napoleon invaded Portugal, right after the British invasion of Canada. Napoleon had recently established naval dominance in the Bay of Biscay, and soon was ship soldiers to Portugal. Without British help, Portugal surrendered in 1808, following the conquering of Portugal's capital, Lisbon. Using Portugal as a launching point, Napoleon invaded western Spain, as well as northern Spain from the Pyrenees. Napoleon's soldiers quickly crushed any resistance and conquered Madrid, the capital. In 1810, Napoleon made his brother, Joseph, King of the Iberian Union in, which was a union of Spain and Portugal.

Spanish resistance was still found, and were known as guerrilas. In 1810, Joseph I led an attack on the guerillas known as the Battle of Badajoz. The guerillas were finally crushed, and the Iberian Union got on its feet.

The 1820s
The 1820s was probably the first period of peace in Europe since before the French Revolutionary Wars began. France was dominant over Europe, and virtually controlled the entire continent, with small client states in Italy and the Iberean Peninsula.

In the Americas, Spanish colonies were rocked the Spanish-American Wars of Independence. Led by Simon Bolivar, these wars would later lead to the independence of several countries in the New World. These countries would come subject for expansion of several world powers.

Spanish-American Wars of Independence
With the Iberean Peninsula under the control of the French Empire, Spanish and Portuguese colonies in the New World saw oppurtunities for independence. The rebellion began in the Caribbean, where Cuban troops with American aid overthrew the Spanish occupiers. America supported the rebellions, sent several advisors the areas in rebellion. Simon Bolivar did not support American help because he thought that America's influence in Latin America would eventually led to American annexation. Simon Bolivar based his operations in South America as way to counter American influence, which was centered in the north.

The Royalists and the Rebels fought for nearly the entire the decade. In 1822, Brazil declared independence and greatly helped the Rebels. Infighting broke out between the rebels due to social tensions ans regional rivalries. Hoping to stop the fighting, President James Monroe sent Andrew Jackson to Mexico with a force of 800 soldiers. Jackson quickly took control of Mexico City, and recruited hundreds of Mexicans to his force. Jackson's force soon took more and more land, including a spectacular victory at Veracruz. With victories in Baja California and Sonora, the Republic of Mexico was established and Andrew Jackson was its first president. Many Mexicans not supporting American rule fled to South America, where they helped Simon Bolivar win victories across the continent.

The war ended in 1829, with the last battle occuring in a small town in Venezuela. The wars resulted in the independence of several countries, but most of them joined together in large union. Central America and Mexico joined together to form the Republic of Mexico, which was supported by America. In the Caribbean, Cuba gained its independence and was another US backed nation. In South America, the nation of Columbia was formed, composing of all of South America except for Brazil, which created its own nation as the Empire of Brazil. Tensions across the Americas were great, as the northern nations of Mexico and Cuba were enemies and rivals of Columbia, and Brazil, and both of the nations were rivals, too.

Meanwhile, the revolution in Mexico evolved in 1822 to the Mexican Civil War, a three-way conflict between the Mexican Army under Ferdinand VII, the Mexican Republican Army under Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, and the Empire Army under Agustin Iturbide. The conflict dragged on, but after an alliance betwen the MRA and MA, the Empire Army was defeated. The Mexican Army then turned on the MRA, and attacked their force at Ciudad Juarez, and massacred American settlers at the border town of El Paso. Enraged, US President James Monroe ordered the American Army into Mexico. Under General Sam Houston, the US gained ground until being bogged down by MA guerillas. An attack in 1828 shattered Ferdinand's lines, and Mexico City was captured and the United Mexican States was established, with Santa Anna as its first president.

French Colonization
Knowing that an attempt at a colonial empire in the Americas would prove to be disastrous, Napoleon turned his attention to northern Africa. In 1820, France began a seriers of wars and battles with the Barbary States in northern Africa. A landing at Tripoli in 1821 ended the wars and secured northern Africa for France. Colonists streamed in, and France gained a lot of money from the colonies. The slave trade became important, and slaves were sent to plantations in the American South.

Napoleon also sent ships to Australia to claim what was left of the continent. Explorers came across the British colonists, who hadn't received news from their motherland in years. French colonists began to arrive in 1826. The British colonists at first tried to rebel against the ruling French, and fights broke out between the French and English. The British were then rounded up and sent to camps, where the food, sanitation, and overall living conditions were poor. An estimated 5,000 Britons died. Finally, in 1830, the survivors were released from the camps, and never dared rebel again.

Indian Wars
Throughout the 1820s the United States of America found themselves at war with many of the Native American tribes. The first war came in 1821, when bands of Seminole Indians from Florida raiding American settlements in Georgia. The United States would not stand for this, and sent 4,000 soldiers under Andrew Jackson there. Jackson defeated the Seminoles at the Battle of Macon in central Georgia, which forced to Seminoles to retreat back into Florida. Jackson defeated the Seminoles again at the Battle of Tallahassee. The defeat forced the Seminoles to sign a peace treaty with America, which relocated them to reservation in central Florida.

In the northern part of the nation, the United States fought a war with the Iroquois, which was nicknamed the "Longhouse War". When America gained independence, the Iroquois moved to Canada, which was still of British colony. But once Canada gained independence, the Iroquois decided to move to the Northwest Territory. The Iroqouis fought on the Western Confederacy's side during the Northwest Indian War, but was not forced to move. During the British Invasion of Canada, the Iroquois fought on Britain's side and raided settlements in America and Canada. Even after the war ended the raids continued. To stop the raids once and for all, an American army led by William Henry Harrison destroyed Iroqouis villages and massacred the Indians. With American victory at the Battle of Cuyahoga River, the Iroqouis were defeated and forced to move west.

In 1823, the brief Arikara War began between the Native American nation of Arikara against the United States. The Arikara had attacked a trapping expidition on the Mississippi River, which led to America sending a force of 1,000 men led by Colonel Henry Leavenworth. After a few short battles, the Arikara were defeated and forced to move west. Leavenworth, however, did not annihalate the Arikara, he simply forced them to move. This sparked a great debate between those wanting the destruction of Native Americans and those who wished to for cohabitating with them.

The "Americas Rift"
The "Americas Rift" was the rivalry betweem the two continents of the Americas. The nations of North America (United States, Canada, Mexico, Winnipeg, Cuba) were enemies with the nation of Columbia, and Columbia was an enemy of Brazil. Political differences was one cause of it; the nations of North America were democracies, and Brazil was ruled by Emperor Pedro I. Columbia was divided over federalism and centralism.

Many people in nations disputed the borders. In South America, both Brazil and Columbia claimed the region of Uruguay, which was under Brazillian influence but Columbian military was stationed there. The border between the nations of Columbia and Mexico was also disputed, and small skirmishes erupted. A war was bound to erupt, now the only thing needed was a spark.

Outbreak of War
The outbreak of the war came in Columbia over the division of federalism and centralism. In the region of Panama, rebellion broke out caused by federalists. Both Columbian and Mexican officals were killed in the fighting. Mexican forces rolled into the region because of the fighting. Columbia took this as a threat, and moved its military into Panama. Fighting broke out between the two nations. When word reach the United States, it was decided that America was now in a state of war with Columbia.

Aftermatch of the Americas War
In 1838 La Paz, capital of Columbia, was finally taken by the North American Alliance and Brazil, which secured their victory in the war. The war had its costs, with 25,000 North Americans dead of wounded, 4,000 Brazillians dead or wounded, and 27,000 Columbians dead and wounded. Many leaders were killed during the war; Pedro I died at the outbreak; American Zachary Taylor was mortally wounded; Santa Anna was captured and excuted; and Jose de San Martin died during the Battle of La Paz.

The map of South America was completely changed. Paraguay and Uruguay was given to Brazil, and the Lesser Antilles were given to Cuba. Columbia was divided into eight new nations: Panama, Peru, Colombia, Guyana, Argentina, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Chile.

France's Response
Across the Atlantic in Europe, France was looking at the events in the war. The newly crowned Emperor of the French, Napoleon II, realized that America had proved that it could stand and fight against a nation of equal strenght. He also noticed that the Americans did not defeat Columbia with any strategy, they simply overpowered the nation.

Across the Globe
With the coming of the second half of 1830s, the world was opened. France fought a war with China and increased colonization in southeast Asia. America's influence expanded across the Americas, and at the end of the 1840s brought revoutions across Europe.

France Colonization in Asia
Napoleon II, after witnessing the war which brought America to power, wanted to expand his influence too. He saw an oppurtunity in Asia. France first targeted China. When France decided to trade opium instead of silver to the Chinese, which was illegal in China, China seized French ships near its coasts. The result was the First Opium War. The French Navy easily overpowered the small Chinese Navy, and entered Chinese ports. The war, which ended in 1842, was a French victory. All Chinese ports were open to the French, and Hong Kong and Macau was handed over to France.

France then expanded into Southeast Asia. French traders entered the Vietnamese city of Saigon in 1844, and relationships were established. French colonists entered the southern part of Vietnam soon after. French colonization attempts then moved inward, with French traders appearing in Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia. Malaysian colonization attempts were centered around the region of Selangor.

New World Influence
In the 1840s, after the end of the Americas War, the west was beginning to open up for Canada. Those expanding west found acres of land for the taking, but skirmishes and Indians forced Canada to create the Canadian Western Guard, which was an army that guarded routes to main settlements. The main settlements were on the Saskatchew and Assiniboine Rivers. Winnipeg experienced a population boom, because of it being a major point in a Canadian's journey to the west. Cities such as Winnipeg City, Clearwater, and Beaver had the populations grow.

In 1847, the first railroad opened in the west opened, which connected Winnipeg City of Clearwater. In 1856 this would be extended to join with the Canadian city of Saskatoon, which was the major hub for Canadian settlers. However, many Native Americans found themselves being pushed out by the Canadian settlers. Many worried wars would erupt until Winnipeg welcomed any Native American groups to live in Winnipeg. This began in 1858, with Native American groups-the largest group being the Metis-moving. This added to the large population boom.

America also increased its influence across the Americas. Many of the new nations the became independent from Columbia were weak and subject to revolution and civil war. The United States tried to help these nations, starting with Panama. The United States sent advisors to help improve infrastructure, with new roads and factories being built, and buildings were improved on. In return, Panama's main exports, including bananas and coffee, were shipped to the United States. Panama became a large trading partner with the United States. The success of the US experiment in Panama led many other South American nations to try to adopt it as well.

Europe in Revolution
The War of 1847 brought an end to the French Empire. Napoleon II tragically died in 1847, and period of mourning entered France. Napoleon III was coronated the week after. However, many, including Napoleon II's cousin, Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, thought that Napoleon III was a weak ruler. His rule in Italy before he was coronated was plagued by economic turmoil, corruption, and instability.

A few days after he was coronated, thousands of Parisians gathered outside of Napoleon III's palace and demanded he step down as emperor. When he refused, riots began across the French Empire. Louis, fearing that he would be killed for being an anti-Napoleon III, fled to Germany. There, people led by Otto von Bismarck, had created the State of Germany, centered around Frankfurt. Louis became king, and Bismarck became Prime Minister.

Napoleon III was not going to allow this to happen. So in October 1847, France sent is army into the city of Frankfurt.

War of 1847
The war that became known as the War of 1847 lasted three years and resulted in the death of thousands. The conflict took place in Europe, mainly between the decaying French Empire and the resurgent State of Germany.

Beginning
The French Army quickly rolled into the State of Germany's capital city, Frankfurt. The French Army overpowered the small German Army, and Frankfurt was captured. However, Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte and Otto von Bismarck escaped into the German country, along with 15,000 supporters. For France, it looked like victory was in sight. Napoleon III ordered his army to enter the countryside and burn any village that housed any German supporters.

Louis decided to weaken the French Army in guerilla warfare until a final, decisive battle could bring an end to the war. This benifited the Germans because they weren't as good as equiped as the French, and the French were used to fighting in open battles. Many skirmishes were fought in the hilly countryside. The burning of villages only drove more people to join the French side.

Public opinion in France turned against the war. The economy was slumping, France faced several revolutions, and thousands of people were forced to join the army. A protest in Lyon was brutally put down by police, which led to many people joining the German side.

End
The final battle which Bismarck planned for took place at Munich Germany. When German soldiers attacked and nearly took control of the city, Napoleon III decided he could not let the city fall. He ordered more and more troops to the city. As the French troops were fighting on the outskirts of the city, an army of 200,000 Austrian and Hungarian rebels attacked the rear of the French troops, forcing them into the city. There, the French soldiers were slaughtered, and the battle ended on June 15, 1850. 250,000 French soldiers became casualties, destroying the majority of the French Army. The outlook for France looked grim.

Aftermath
The War of 1847 had a huge effect on Europe. The French Empire came to an end, with the people overthrowing the emperor and establishing a republic. All of the French territory became independent. And finally, a new power had arrived in Europe: Germany.

Iberian-Italian War
The Iberian-Italian War was one of the most destructive conflicts that have taken place in the Mediterranean Sea. The war was fought between the anti-monarchist Iberian Union, and the pro-monarchist Kingdom of Italy. Before the war, Italy occupied the Balearic Islands, turning them into the Kingdom of the Balearics. The Iberian Union, fresh off a revolution, invaded the new kingdom, trying to united all of the former Spain and Portugal under anti-monarchist rule.

The war lasted three years from 1852 to 1855. The war was a stalemate for the first year, but the entrance of the Republic of Italy in the summer of 1853 turned the tide of the war. Still, the disciplined, well-trained Kingdom troops defended off the Republic and Union until 1855, when at last the two sides captured Rome, the capital of the Kingdom.

The Kingdom of Italy was forced to pay massive war reparations to the Union and Republic, and northern territory in the Kingdom of Italy was given to the Republic. The Kingdom of the Balearics was also ended, and was taken over by the victorious Iberian Union. While the Kingdom struggled for the rest of the 1850s, the economy surged forward in the 1860s and 1870s. The Iberian Union and Republic of Italy would experience an economic boom as well.

US Enters Japan
On July 8, 1853, the US entered the waters of Japan near the capital city of Edo. Commodore Matthew led 5 ships there, and attempted to negotiate with Japanese officials about Japan opening trade to the US. Japan ran on a isolation policy, and only traded with a few Chinese officials. Dutch traders entered Japan until France was conquered by the Dutch.

Perry demanded he met by the highest officials in the Japanese government. Perry's boats looked powerful to Japan's leaders, who knew that they could not afford a war with America. On March 1, 1854, a treaty between America and Japan was finally signed, opening Japan to trade with America, and opened Japan to the rest of the world.

Debate Over Slavery
Many nations of the Americas found themselves wondering if they should end slavery. Northern nations, such as Canada, Winnipeg, and the northern USA, wanted to end slavery, and southern nations, such as the southern USA and Brazil, did not. It was only a matter of time before it was decided.

In 1851, Canada, Winnipeg, and Mexico abolished slavery. The Northern part of the United States, as well as some western states, had abolished slavery too. In 1852, slaves in Brazil, inspired by these events, rose up in rebellion as well. It would take a year before the rebellion would end. After the rebellion Emperor Pedro I of Brazil abolished slavery. All that was left was Cuba and the southern United States.

In 1856, Republican candidate John C. Fremont was elected president of the United States. The Republicans were an anti-slavery political party, and Fremont had announced that if was elected he would attempt to abolish slavery. Because he was, eleven southern states declared their independence as the Confederate States of America on January 3, 1857, with Jefferson Davis as President. Cuba declared their support for the Confederate States, as well as several countries in the former Columbia. Skirmishes erupted on the border, and finally, the sinking of the USS Jefferson in the Caribbean Sea, giving the war the spark it needed. The American Civil War had begun.

The End of American Civil War
The war lasted two years, and pitted families and friends against each other. The war is one of the bloodiest wars in American history, and only all three Pacific Wars were deadlier. 600,000 people on both sides ended up as casualties, and many rudimentary medical techniques led many people to have amputated body parts. The war was a Union victory, and the Freedman Act was passed, granting all slaves freedom in both the southern United States and Cuba. Cuba was placed under the control of the U.S. Army, and the governor of it was Henry Wager Halleck, a US commander during the war. The Americans were faced with the daunting challenge of reconstructing the Confederate States, which plagued them for nearly two decades.

Reconstruction
Reconstruction hindered the advancement of the US from 1860 to 1887. Following his re-election in 1860, John C. Fremont began Reconstruction. Fremont was a Radical Republican, and made Reconstruction harsh toward the southern states. Civilian governments were removed, and along with Cuba, the U.S. Army was put in control. The army then conducted elections where freed slaves could vote while those who held posistions under the Confederacy were denied. Violence broke out in the south between those who supported Reconstruction and those who didn't, which then led to a military campaign by the army. Fremont's successor for president, Schuyler Colfax, and despite opposition, continued these policies. Near the end of Colfax's eight year presidency, the economy fell, and soon the Democrats became in control in the south. The northerners soon became frustrated and tired, and demanded an end. Finally, with the election of Democrat Samuel J. Tilden in 1876, Reconstruction was ended. Civil rights for blacks would be denied in the south until the 1960s.

First Pacific War
The First Pacific War was a deadly conflict lasting from 1871 all the way to 1878. The war's name is somewhat misleading, as most of war revolved around the conflict between Japan, the United States, and Canada (the Allies) against China, Russia, and Korea (the Pacific Alliance) in the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria. The Allies initially had the upper hand, and forced the Pacific Alliance all the way back to the city of Harbin in Manchuria. A vicious Pacific counterattack force them all the way off the Korean Peninsula. The Allies then regrouped, and began a bloody, two-year campaign to take back the Korean Peninsula. The Allies made it to around the 38th Parallel before a ceasefire was signed. The Japanese were given the southern half of Korean Peninsula from Korea. The war also caused the creation of the US state of Lakotah. During the war, the Souix tribes rebelled and demanded a state of their own. The US, because they had no troops to fight with because they were in Asia, gave into their commands and Lakotah was created.

Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway became a powerful force in Canada and Winnipeg following its completion in 1883. The railway stretches over 14,000 miles from the eastern Montreal to the western city of Vancouver. The railway allowed products from the west reach the east at a quicker pace and vise-versa. Many people who came from the east traveled to the west on the train to start a new life in the wilderness of the west. Many people also settled in the large cities of Vancouver, Calgary, and Saskatoon. Settlers also started the settlement of Edmonton, which would grow in size as time went on. Winnipeg experienced a second ecomomic and population boom due to its central location. Passing Canadians used the large Winnipeg cities to restock on supplies and other things. The thousands of settlers who moved west are known as Callanders because the railway started at Callander Station.

The Railway had also brought strain on the Native American tribes. Many tribes who had not moved to Winnipeg remained there, and there land was taken from them by the new settlers. Battles broke out, and the Canadian Western Guard was a busy as ever. Prime Minister McDonald of Canada decided to send the Native Americans north on reseverations, and after a few negotiations and skirmishes, the Native Americans reluntantly agreed. This drew the scorn of President Louis Riel, who supported Native American rights. He demanded that the Native Americans be allowed to remain on their homelands. McDonald ignored Riel and continued his plans. Riel then attempted to close Winnipeg to passing Canadians in response. Many of the guards supported the Canadian plans, and allowed the settlers through. When Riel's term ended, the closure ended with success.

War in Europe
Germany, under King Louis Napoleon, the only child of the first king of Germany, embarked the nation on a series of conquests across Europe in an attempt to unite of the former First Reich under German rule. It first signed unification treaties with Saxony and the Northwest German Confederation, adding them to State of Germany rule. Bavaria refused to join with Germany because they had a signed an economical and military alliance with cash-strapped France, in exchange for Alsace-Lorraine. King Louis decided to invade in 1874, beginning the Bavarian War. France entered the war on Bavaria's side, and Poland soon entered the war, on the side of the Bavarians. Things looked bleak for Germany until its ally Austria, who was also in a crusade to take over territory, attacked Poland and southeastern Bavaria. Germany and Austria conquered Munich after days of fighting, forcing Bavaria to surrender. Eastern Bavaria was given to Austria, and, after heated negotiations, the rest of Bavaria and Munich were given to Germany.

France and Poland were still fighting against Germany, but with Austria, the fight was easier. Austria and Hungary signed the Vienna Accords, which formed them into the Austria-Hungary Empire, with both sides have equal representation in the government. Along with campaigns with Germany, Austria-Hungary also invaded the Balkans, which set off a counterattack by the Ottoman Empire and Russia, who wanted land in the Balkans. Because of the monarchy, the Republic of Italy aligned themselves with France, and invaded the Kingdom of Italy. The Iberian Union soon began sending supplies to the Republic, which caused a declaration of war from the Kingdom. Europe had been plunged into the Second Great European War in 1876.

The Eastern Front between the Russians and Poles against the Germans was hard fought. Germany could move supplies to the front easier because of its far superior railroads, but the Russians and Poles outnumbered the Germans. A stalemate occured, with the Polish capital of Warsaw split between the two sides. In 1877, the Germans introduced the Krupp II Steel Cannon, which was far superior to the bronze Russian and Polish cannons. The Russians and Poles were pushed back, and Warsaw was captured by the Germans. The Germans pushed all the way to around the OTL Polish-Russian border before stopping to let supply lines catch up. The Germans put down several Polish uprisings. The Russians and Poles knew that once the supply lines caught up Germany could advance farther. They did one final attack. The attack lasted for ten days, but the Germans could not be beat. The Russians and Poles signed for a peace treaty, and the Peace of Berlin was signed, which knocked Russia out of the war and gave all of Poland to Germany.

With the war in the eastern front over, Germany could focuse its attention to aiding Austria-Hungary in the Balkans. The Germans and Austrians moved down the Balkan coast of the Adriatic Sea, with naval help from the Kingdom of Italy. The Ottomans continued their advance, and took over more peaces of land. By 1879, the Balkans had effectively been split in half. A stalemate arose, and in 1880 a peace treaty was signed, ending the conflict in the Balkans. The German war with France was really unnessecary for the Germans, because they wanted land in central and eastern Europe, was ended in 1881. The seven years of war had ended, destroying the continent.

Finally Peace
The era following the two destructive wars was one of the most peaceful in decades. The 1880s contained no wars except for minor skirmishes. The destruction because of the last two wars worried the nations of the world, convincing them to call off wars. The Second Industrial Revolution was at its peak during the era, and many nations, especially Western ones, experienced a large economic boom because of the mass production of railroads and other easier forms of transportation. The European nations expanded their empires in Asia and Africa, and the nations of the New World expanded their influence. In the words of United States President Grover Cleveland, "The world is finally in peace."

League of European Nations
Following the destructive Continental War, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, William Ewart Gladstone, proposed the idea of an organization that would keep peace across Europe. In a conference with other major European leaders, Gladstone proposed the creation of the League of European Nations. The European leaders agreed to the idea, and the League was formed on April 1, 1884. The Palace of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland was constructed to e the headquarters of the organization. Gladstone was the organization's first Secretary-General. The first decade looked bright for the organization, but problems in the early 1900s would bring the organization down.

Colonization
The European powers, with increasing their power in Europe gone with the fear of large scale wars, began to colonize the world. In Asia, the Germans got a head start, and started settlements in islands of the East Indies, and the second-largest island in the world was soon under the German control, known as New Germany. The Germans continued their march across Indonesia, and by the year 1905 had all of the archipelago under their control. The newly conquered territories were named the "Great Prussian Archipelago". France soon got their act together and invaded Indochina, finishing their conquest in 1894. The newly territories were fittingly named French Indochina. The city of Saigon was named the capital of the colonies. The English soon found their way into Asia, colonizing the Maldive Islands and the island of Ceylon. The British also set up settlements on the eastern coast of India. The colonization in Asia is known as the Race for Asia.

The European powers were not done yet. The Scramble for Africa was a period lasting from 1882 to 1914 when the European powers (and America) set up and expanded colonies. The British began, using an alliance with the Kingdom of Italy to defeat Egypt in the Anglo-Egyptian War in 1883, which lasted for seven months and brought Egypt under the control of the British. The British also asserted their control of South Africa, defeating the Zulus and putting down a Boer rebellion. Following more territorial acquisitions, British imperialist Cecil Rhodes announced a telegraph line from Cape Town to Cairo. However, German colonies in East Africa cut across the route, derailing the plan. The Germans also had colonies in Southwestern Africa, and the French had colonies in Northern and Western Africa.

World in Crisis
The period from 1900 to the beginning of the Second Great European War and the Second Pacific War is known as the "Decade of Crisis". Nationalism and imperialism clashed as territories and influence were contested across the six inhabited continents.

Atacama War
The Atacama War, less commonly known as the War of the Pacific, was a war between Chile against Bolivia which supported by Argentina. that was fought over a mineral-rich territory near the Pacific Ocean. Many of the battles took place in the nearby Atacama Desert, hence the name. The war's roots were in the breakup of the nation of Columbia way back in 1838, as the border between Bolivia and Chile was never specified, and both nations claimed that the Atacama was theirs. In 1894, Bolivia opened a railroad that sprawled across the Atacama, and forced the Chileans to pay an extra large tax to use it. This angered Chile as much of its economy relied on trade with Chile. When words a naval buildup near the coast by Bolivia reached Chilean leaders in 1901, they had heared enough. Chile invaded a week later.

The war ended in 1905, and Chile had defeated Bolivia. The Americans had helped Chile, and Chile became the United States' main ally in the Pacific. The three defeated nations - Bolivia, Argentina, and Peru (Peru entered in 1903) would join together in an alliance, with the goal of eventually getting back territorial losses in the war. Chile, worried about a counterstrike in the coming years, joined an alliance with Venezuela and Brazil. The battle lines in South America were drawn, and war would break out in 1916.

1902 Geneva Conference
The Scramble for Africa was at its peak in 1902, with the European nations in it racing for colonies. This worried the League of European Nations, who feared wars would break out over the "Dark Continent". In August of 1902, a conference in Geneva was held and representatives from each member state appeared. League Secretrary-General, Eugene Ruffy, proposed spheres of influence in Africa for the scrambling nations, which were Germany, Britain, France, Italy, the Iberian Union, and Belgium. The representatives, however, only argued over the spheres. Each had a "grand plan", and all of them would be derailed if the spheres would be set. They also claimed that the spheres would give the other nations too much land, while in reality all of them wanted what they claimed was "too much land". The representatives continued to squabble, and the conference was finally ended in early September. The nations had agreed on nothing, and had also lost their confidence in the League. Victor I of Germany is alleged to have said that "the League can hold talks, but they can't hold conversations."

Tensions in Asia
The First Pacific War was still fresh in minds of every Asian country who fought in it, especially in Korea's mind, who had lost half of her territory to its main enemy, Japan. In 1904, the naval Chinese War occured, when the GAA (Great Asian Alliance) fought with the European fleets trying to enter the waters around China. China was despreatly trying to prevent outside influence from entering, but when it became clear during the First Pacific War that Japan and the United States were more technologically advanced, the Qing allowed some Western influences, but none involving the military. However, the Chinese War was the last straw for the people of China, who saw that to keep up with its enemies in the upcoming wars it needed to advance. In 1911, the Qing was overthrown, and the Republic of China was established. The new republic was only strong in the east, however, and the warlords reigned supremed in the western regions.

After the first war, the belligerents attempted to make a De-Militarized Zone (DMZ) along the 38th Parallel as the border between Korea and Japan. However, this couldn't work as sometimes patrols would cross over the border. Eventually, two lines of outposts and bases were established along the outside of the DMZ; the northern side would be for Korea, and the southern side would be for Japan. This created more disputes, as in 1912 Korea claimed that the city of Chemulpo (Incheon) belong to her and not Japan. US President Theodore Roosevelt said that the city belonged to Japan. When Korea refused this, the US began to ship men and supplies over to Japan-occupied Korea. The first US international military base, the Washington, was established near the 38th Parallel. The GAA responded with a mobilization of troops. In 1913, after much negotiations, Korea relented and the city was undisboutedly in Japanese hands.

European Balance of Power
From 1881 to 1915, the nations of Europe began to delevolop a policy as of imperialism, with the goal of expanding their empires across the large continents of Africa and Asia. This was combined with nationalism, and obviously nations began to dispute over territory in the continents. Cultures in the Balkans were forced to belong to either the Austrian-Hungarian Empire or the Ottoman Empire, and once of the ideas of nationalism spread there, it was mass chaos. In 1912, mass uprisings began in the Balkans against the two empires, hoping for a unified Yugoslav states. However, this was refused by the two powers, resulting in mass riots, uprisings, and rebellions. In 1914, the Governor of the Serb Province, Hans Ferdinand, was assinated by members of a Yugoslav militia. The Austrian government responsed with total military control, earning the sympathy for the Yugoslavs by Russia. This tension brought Europe closer to war.

In order to be able fight with more power, alliances were made between the nations of Europe. In 1882, Germany and Austria-Hungary signed a treaty which created the Dual Alliance. In 1900, both Great Britain, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Italy joined it, and the name was switched to the Great Alliance. This made the rulers of the remaining nations worried that the balance of power in Europe might have shifted toward the Alliance. So in 1902, the leaders of France, Russia, the Iberian Union, and the Republic of Italy met in the Paris Conferece. The nations formed the Paris Entente, nearly equalling the balance of power. The two alliances could not agree on anything, which resulted in the European League of Nations being split in half. In 1906, the League was disbanded, as nothing was solved in the Palace of Nations. To get the upper hand on each other, a naval arms race developed. The race only added to the tension in Europe.

Results of the First Great War
The First Great War, which began in 1914 (South American theater) and ended in 1928 (also South American theater). The war is result of combining the three major conflicts occuring at the time: the Second Pacific War, the Third Great European War, and the South American War. Every war (except the Second Pacific War) had an alliance win, and the winning alliance received great amounts of money from the losers. Economic growth was found in the victorious.

The Losers of the War
The nations that lost the war suffered from mass debts to the nations that defeated them, which made the economies plummit, even during the Roaring Twenties, which was period of great economic growth. Territories were wrestled away and given to the winners, and the culture of the new territories of clashed with the one that controlled it. This all gave way to revolutions, and most of them were either Socialist, Communist, or Fascist.

The first nation to give way was the Philipines. In 1918, revolutionary Crisanto Evangelista formed the Philipine Red Army and began an uprising against the occupying American forces. Aided by the Chinese, the Red Army eventually forced the Americans off the islands, and the People's Republic of the Phillipines was declared. Soon China followed the Philipines' example, and in 1920 the Republic of China was overthrown by communist revolutionaries led by Mao Zedong. In 1921, Zedong would lead campaigns into Mongolia and Taiwan, bringing them under the control of the communists.

The Roaring Twenties
The period after the end of the First Great War is known as the Roaring Twenties, a period of great economic growth for nations mainly in Europe and North America, though it was also felt in places such as Brazil and Japan. Several cultural and social movements during this time has also given it the name the "Jazz Age".

The "Social Reformation"
The Social Reformation was a cultural and social movement that had rocked North America. The war had mauled an entire generation of young men and created a bleak moment for society, which led to many nations in North America wanting to end the war. The Socialist Party﻿ of America, led by Eugene V. Debs, promised just that and Debs won presidency in 1921 over incumbent Woodrow Wilson of the Democratic Party. Debs had won over the support of trade unionists, progressive social reformers, populist farmers, and immigrant communities. Under the watch of Debs, the economy soared with more products being manufactured and the prices dropped. In Winnipeg, the Socialist Party of Winnipeg was created, and presidential candidate J.S. Woodsworth was elected in 1914. The Socialist Party soon became the most popular party in the country, and still is today.

Feminism became widespread in the 1920s, and promoted women's rights across the world, as well as suffrage for women. With leader's such as Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, the United States allowed woman's suffrage in 1923, becoming the third country in the world to do so (after Great Britain and Finland). Other feminist goals were met later in the decade or during the Second Great War.

The Lost Generation disappeared, replaced with a youth culture who had forgotten the horrors of the war. With products costing less money, more consumer goods were purchased, many of them considered luxuries during the past decades. Radios were popular, with people able to here news from all across the nation. Black-and-white films became increasingly popular, switching from silent movies to talkies. In nations that were defeated in the war, many patriotic films were made, and were used by socialist, communist, and fascist movements to draw support for themselves.

China Leads the Way
In China in 1924, with all territories rebelling against the communists pacified, Honorable Premier Mao Zedong began the first of the People's Republic Economic Plans, also known as "Great Jumps". In eastern China, Zedong began a period of rapid industrialization, with large government-run factories, steelmills, and other industrial things. Transition from rural to urban (central China to the coast) increased, with the percent of people working in industries skyrocketing. Manchuria was also developed, and soon oil, petroleum, and natural gas was being pumped from the ground. Factory output soared, and steel and iron were being made at shorter times and there were more of it.

Agriculture was also changed. The government collected farmers and their families and brought them large government farms. The families set up homes around the farm, and many "farmvilles" were created. The farmers worked everyday, and made sure the crops would come out perfect. With the first harvest at the end of 1924, large amount of crops were collected, the largest being grain. With the end of the first plan in 1929, China had become an economic powerhouse and an industrial giant.

China's progress had inspired other nations to make their own plans as well, and, especially in Indochina, had made the Chinese government less frowned upon. The Philippinese began their own plan in 1926, mainly copying most of the Chinese plan. When the plan ended in 1930, the Philippines, even though not having as much success as the Chinese, became the main power of the Southeastern Asia. As President Evangelista of the Philippines said, "Our nation and China has madee great progress. We are now one of the powers of Asia and the world."

Nationalist Groups


The war had brought great bitterness to the people of the nations who were defeated. Nationalist groups popped up in those nations, and claimed they could bring the nations back to the former glory, and end the massive hyperinflation, debts, and the overall feeling of defeat. The first nations to fall to the national groups were Argentina and Italy. The South American War was still going on during the 1920s, and Argentina was one of the hardest hit nations, being attacked by powerful Brazil and Chile. In 1924, President Hipolito Yrigoyen was deposed in a military coup led by General Jose Felix Uriburu, and soon the government took control of all of the nation. Uriburu promised he would win the war for Argentina, but by the war's end in 1928, he could not do this and Argentina suffered massively. Two months after the end of the war, Uriburu was overthrown, and Colonel Juan Peron became president of the nation.

In Italy in 1925, Benito Mussolini, a former military leiutenant, former the Unione fascista d'Italia (Fascist Union of Italy), drawing supporters from the population of Italy all around the country. Mussolini planned to take control of the nation with a coup against King Joachim VII, but the king had gotten the nation back on track and transformed the nation into a parlamentary democracy, decreasing the king's power. Mussolini decided instead to become Prime Minister of the nation. But because the king had gotten his act together, the people no longer supported nationalist and extremist groups. Mussolini's supported lessened for the next five years until 1930, when the Great Depression began.

The results for France after the war were disatrous: a lot of eastern territory was lost; the military was demobilized and and downsized to a fraction of other nations' militaries; and massive reperations had to be paid to Great Britain and Germany. The end result was turmoil, especially in an economic sense, with massive hyperinflation and high unemployment. The French people needed someone to rally around, and two people were found: Alexander Millerand, an Independent Socialist, or Charles de Gaulle, of the Parti Nationale socialiste de France (National Socialist Party of France). In a close, heated election for President in 1924, Millerand won by just 54%, and would serve for up to the next seven years. De Gaulle knew, however, as the years went on he would gain more supporters.

Great Depression
The great economic growth during the 1920s had to come to an end at some point. The end occured on June 12, 1930, when the two largest stock markets in the world, the New York and Frankfurt, crashed. The New York crashed first, with the Frankfurt falling an hour later. Thousands of dollars were lost, and this crippled the nations who were defeated in the First Great War, because they had to pay debts and loans, and without any money they could not do it. The result was the great depression, which traumatized the world until the beginning of the Second Great War in 1941.

The Rise of National Groups
Many of the nationalist groups formed during the 1920s were saved by the Great Depression, which they used to their advantage by blaming the current government for the defeat and that their group could save their nation and bring it back to prosperity. In 1931, de Gualle used his "Steel Guard" to scare people away opposition and force people into voting for him for President. He was elected, and transformed France into a dictatorship. The government took control of everything, and the French people had to agree with de Gualle. During the 1930s, hundreds of people "disapeared" and were sent to re-education camps in the Pyrenees or Atlantic islands. De Gualle ruled with an iron fist.

In 1935, Mussolini managed to win the posistion of Prime Minister in Italy. He immidentialy set up shop in Rome and his own secret police, the Polizia italiana Guardia (Italian Police Guard), began a reign of terror throughout the country, removing any people who disagree with him and place them in concentration camps in Libya. The one person who did not support Mussolini was King Joachim VII, and eventually was going to have him replaced. In 1937, Joachim mysteriously died in a fire at the palace, and his nine-year-old son was placed on the throne. This meant that a regency had to be established, and Mussolini placed supporters of him in it. It is disputed if the first was caused by communists, like Mussolini said, or Mussolini himself. With the king gone, Mussolini had free reign to do whatever he wanted.