| abstract
| - 1914: World War One starts with the death of Franz Ferdinand and the mobilisation of European troops. Clashes in northern France remain indecisive as French assaults falter on German defences. The German High Command, seeing Russia as the biggest threat, send their forces eastwards, leaving the Western Front as a defensive measure for now. Italy also declares war on France, liking the odds the Central Powers are offering. Britain hovers before eventually declaring neutrality after seeing none of their interests threatened and Belgian neutrality respected. The War soon develops into a bloody stalemate with the Central Powers slowly edging towards their targets. 1915: Seeing the chaos in Europe, the Ottoman Empire declares war on France, hoping to exploit their weakness in the Middle East and gain some measure of support for the moribund regime. Seeing this as an utterly unprovoked and despicable attack, Britain declares war on the Ottoman Empire while Germany pressures China into doing the same, not wanting to war on a former Ally but also not wanting to let the Ottoman Empire get away with what is seen as a dirty move. Towards the end of the year, a large selection of Chinese troops and British ships stage an attack on Gallipoli, taking incredible casualties. Despite that, the Chinese troops under the leadership of Duan Qirui eventually overcome the defences, making a beachhead and gain a victory over the Ottoman Army. With the collapse of Turkey, the British gain vassal states in the Middle East while China takes control of Turkey itself. In Europe, German forces break through Russian lines in Poland and march east. In the west, French forces still find themselves in bloody stalemate with Germany and Italy. 1916: With the occupation of Turkey, the Chinese Emperor is convinced by several German influenced ministers to visit his troops, a sort of diplomatic sign to Europe of Chinese strength. The move is oddly welcomed by the European powers as they see that the Chinese holding Constantinople is better than anyone else holding the But all is not right in the Middle Kingdom, as with the Emperor, his family and most of the elite German trained troops now out of the country, Revolutionary feeling, suppressed six years ago, explodes throughout Southern China and quickly spreads across the nation. Imperial forces either defect to the Revolutionaries or are promptly slaughtered. By the middle of the year, the parts of the government still loyal to the Qing are forced to flee the country, managing to get to Turkey. The first signs of the Chinese government-in-exile begin to show. Elsewhere in Europe, the War still grinds on in the Central Powers favour as German troops march beyond the Baltic and into Russia proper. 1917: At the Siege of Smolensk, the German army outflanks and destroys an entire Russian Army twenty miles west of the city, finally making the Tsarist government to see sense and surrender. Seeing that there was now no hope of victory, the French also gave up before the full might of Germany's army can be unleashed upon them. The Treaty which ended World War One was signed at Nuremberg and contained the following agreements: The Principality of Poland was to be created out of Russian lands and placed under German control. Effectively making it an autonomous region in the German Empire. Italy was to receive Corsica for its part in the War. Austro-Hungary annexed Montenegro and northern Albania, Serbia is effectively made a region of the Empire as it loses its military and foreign sovereignty to Vienna. France was to give the colonies of Madagascar, Indo-China and their Middle East mandates to Germany. All parties were to recognise the Chinese government in exile as the true ruling power in Turkey. France was to pay reparations for the German defences damaged during the war and also for the loss of life for German soldiers on the Western front. All parties were to recognise the various nations created by Britain in the Middle East after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. A non-aggression clause is to be signed by all interested nations that would last for ten years. The Treaty was seen as harsh but workable by all parties. The biggest winners were Britain as they gained some new Allies in the Middle East with little cost of life. Germany also got a large boost of prestige and power from the newly acquired territories in Poland and the colonies.
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