Mod description: Rise of Italia is set in an alternate history with many divergences from our own. With the US Constitution unratified and Napoleon dead at the hands of the Fourth Coalition, republicanism is on the verge of failure as conservative values entrench and expand across Europe.
Times of conflict and rivalries plague Europe without the Congress of Vienna, and yet the Italian substates manage to develop and expand their reach and partially consolidate. Their eventual unification under the Savoyard crown.
LORE Background: After the Serbian partial rejection of the ‘July Ultimatum’, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Kingdom of Serbia both mobilized their army to their common boundary. Having support from the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, decided to declare war to the Kingdom of Serbia. Meanwhile, to help the Kingdom of Serbia, the Russian Empire mobilized its army to the frontline. In addition, in order to take back Alsace-Lorraine from the Germans and support the Russian Empire, the French Third Republic ordered full mobilization. Considering the rise of the German navy and the German invasion in Belgium as its threats, Britain decided to declare war on the German Empire. The Entente Powers and Central Powers(except Italy) had fully participated in the war since August 1914.
The First World War eventually broke out in August 1914. Europe was the main battlefield. The Kingdom of Italy stayed neutral when the war started because my father, Victor Emmanuel III, thought that the situation was not favorable for us to join the war. In order to counter the attack of the Entente Powers in the southern frontline, the Central Powers were willing to offer Tunisia as a return after the defeat of the Entente Powers. At the same time, the Entente Powers made a counter-offer in which Italy would receive the Southern Tyrol, Austrian Littoral and territory on the Dalmatian coast after the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Further encouraged by the successful Allied invasion of the Ottoman Empire in April 1915, my father and other government officials decided that Italy joined the Triple Entente and declared war on the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the German Empire, the Kingdom of Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire on 23 May 1915.
The war lasts for 14 years. With the signing of the Treaty of Vienna, the war ended on 18th September 1928. Many countries had suffered heavy losses. Heavily suffering from the race conflicts and Franco-Russian pressure, Austro-Hungarian Empire was dissolved into the Austrian Empire, the Czech State, the Kingdom of Hungary, the Independent State of Croatia, a part of the Kingdom of Poland and Slovakia. The failure of the reoccupation of Alsace-Lorraine and the losses of colonies in Africa had strongly boosted the fascism in France. The German states were united to form the German Federation under the rule of Willheim II. Great Britain is no longer great again since most of its colonies became minimized or independent. The Russian Empire was also divided into the Baltic States, the Greater Armenia, the Kievan Rus, the Provisional Government of Russia, the Republic of Kazakh and the Soviet Socialist Republic. Portugal and Spain are integrated into Iberia. The United States was also no longer united. It is dissolved into Louisiana, the Iberia Orejón, the United Federation, and the Shoshone Confederacy.
As a main participant in the Vienna Conference, the Kingdom of Italy had united. We had colonized the whole Abyssinia which favors our operation in the middle east. However, those great powers have seen a united Italy as a threat, especially the Austrian Empire. Veneto was demilitarized under the Treaty of Vienna. Without military protection, those cunning Austrians could occupy Veneto within a few hours which brings disaster to our brothers.
In the cultural aspect, we signed the Patti Lateranensi with Pope Pius XI in 1929. This consolidated our relations with the Vatican State and Catholics. We gain war support for these Catholics. We are trying to turn those Africans into “Italians” through further integration. We just need more manpower in the frontline. The next war is near.
For the economy, our country has been deeply harmed by the Great Depression in 1929. Thousands of citizens are unemployed. Most of them are relying on subsidies. The southern part of Italy cannot catch up with the economic development pace of the northern part of Italy. This creates tension inside the kingdom. In addition, the ideas of communism and Fascism have spread to European countries on a large scale. The economic policies directed by the Prime Minister Mussolini help recover the economy to a certain extent. His reputation has risen rapidly. Meanwhile, the reputation of our Royal House has dropped steadily. Apparently, Mussolini is a real threat to us. He may try to overthrow my father.
To deal with these problems, we must act fast. Italia should remain under the rule of the King. Since my father is tired, he passed the throne to me in 1935. I shall remove these obstacles. It is time to take action. There is no place for communism and Fascism. Farà da sé!
To be continued…
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