The Phoenix Awakes...

[Desertfox]

From: Wikipedia, History of New Switzerland

The end of the 2nd Pacific War, brought a state of shock to the general population. Five battleships had sailed to battle, and five battleships had returned. If the mighty Swiss Navy had not been defeated, what had happened? In the following eight years, apathy grew as moral dropped and unemployment and resentment grew. The once might Swiss Merchant Marine was now a shadow of its former self, forced to work for the enemy to survive. The great shipyards stood empty while the corners of the cities filled with those seeking jobs. But what galled the population was the idea of a King, the first Republic in the World now laid under the whim of one man. A man, that not only had not been elected and could not be removed, but also a man who now sought relations with the inhuman aliens whose capital laided in the city of Beijing. Even in Australia, where his mother once had reigned, resentment grew. The border ranchers, who had to contend with muslim raiders, especially resented his policies of friendship with a known enemy. In the cities of Australia, that had once been his main base of support, people grew annoyed at his allof and distant manner.

In the armed forces discontent also grew. The National Guard, that had fought so bravely at the Battle of Tasmania, had to satisfy itself with castoff rifles as money was instead poured into useless newfangled weapons called tanks. The veterans of the elite New Swiss Expeditionary Force saw themselves replaced bygreen officers whose only qualification was loyalty to the King. In the Navy, experienced officers where passed over for promotion, their places taken by the highest bidders. The beloved Constitution, now lay rusting in Phoenix Harbor.

Not only the general population, but also men of business lay discontent. Their factories lay silent, their ship holds empty, their power in the government non-existant. Carefully crafted alliances and friendships lay in ruins. New Zion had fought against Italians, and now Siam was under threat and the government made no move. The Kra Canal, the key to dominating the trade routes laid just a ditch. Meanwhile the Maorian power grew unchecked, the Chinese unpunished, the Dutch allowed to wage war at will.  

New Switzerland had turned into a power keg (or Filipino ship), ready to blow at the slightest disturbance, and this disturbance was not long in coming...  

[Desertfox]

November 1st, Phoenix

The bayonet's gleam betrayed the fact that the line of troops standing on the road where not regular police officers. Their brown uniforms confirmed the fact. The unholstered sabers of the mounted troops behind them, and the loaded rounds in their rifles betrayed their intentions. The troops now blocking the road had been choosen for their unbiding loyalty. Their job, to stop the upcoming demonstration. Their orders where simple and to the point.

The tension which had been building up for eight years had finally revealed itself a month back. On October the 10th, the first of many portests had broken out. The next day anonymous posters sprung up all along the city. Their one message was clear, the King must step down and the power once held by the people had to be restored. They also stated something else, a massive protest would be conducted in three week's time. Five small protests and three riots in the following weeks showed the severity of the situation. A delegation bearing a list of terms to the King was thrown in jail without an audience. The situation in the capital city had reached a boiling point.

The sound of the protesters reached the ear of the troops, and for a moment they recoiled. This was not the sound of a few thousand malcontents, it sound  like if the whole city sang with one voice. Then around the corner the leaders came, with them came the old White and Blue flags of New Switzerland. Red and black flags could also be seen, matching the armbands that every person in the crowd wore. But to the troops in line the most disturbing object was a lone flag at the head of the protesters. It was the war ensign of the Old Swiss Navy...



The Naval War Ensign

[Desertfox]

The blaring of a loudspeaker and the line of troops brought the protestors to a halt.

"In the name of His Majesty, Lord Henry the 1st, you are ordered to disperse at once, on pain of death. His Majesty will not put up with rabble rousers."

For one minute an ominous silence descended over the streets of Phoenix. Only the flags flapping in the wind and the snorting of horses broke the silence. The at once the silence was broken by the rousing strains of the old Swiss National Anthem, the crowd as one, once again moved foward. Straight towards the line of troops and history...

"Sir! The continue to move foward!"

"Ready the men..."

"But Sir! There's women and children!"

"We have our orders, now do as your told Luitenant!"

.

.

.

"Fire!"

The line of fire, speweing from the troops, marked a new period in the history of New Switzerland. Change was coming.

[Desertfox]

From: Wikipedia, History of New Switzerland

The Day of the Dead Massacre stunned all of New Switzerland. Thought the government immidietly established martial law and took control of all forms of communication, the word of the massacred spread like wildfire. November would be a quiet month, but the fuse had been lit. Two hundred and one, unarmed men, women, and children lay dead in the streets of Phoenix...


From: The Internet Movie Database, The Battleship Constitution (1930)

Pictures from the famous scene 'The Capitol Stairs', based on the November 1st Massacre.

[Valles]

"So, what does this mean for us and for ours?"

"Not much. If you'll turn to page seventeen..."

"Seventeen? 'Demographics of protest'... Ah. It's all coming from the middle and upper classes, the white population."

"Yes, Ma'am. That does mean that they've got a majority of the currently registered voters, but most of our people there aren't, and getting them registered and involved had always been a necessary part of our plan. For us, it doesn't matter whether it's the pacifist invaders or the rapist invaders who are in charge - our people, Atarian or Papuan or Hawaiian, still represent as much as three fifths of the population of most of their states, and they're still locked out of the political process and economic opportunity. Even if that changed tomorrow, massive incentives, registration, actual punishment for lynch mobs, the works, I don't think we'd lose them. Their memories are too long and their own efforts are too close to fruition."

"I hate to say 'good' to that, but... Did we see this coming?"

"Somewhat. We'd been expecting some of the same factors, the disillusionment with their current regime among the invaders, to play in our favor when the time came, but the sudden outbreak of action on it is surprising. Some of our analysts are suspicious, thinking its a cover for some mastermind type trying to further his own political career by demagoguery."

"I take it that we already have some 'Class A' agents trying to track down evidence of that?"

"Our network is working on it. 'Class B' agents are still inactive."

"Then the question is, are we going to try and move now, during whatever regime change happens, or are we going to wait for the planned election? Hmm... Either way, our information here in Kaiwera is limited; see what Perkins and Hua and Schmidt intend. We'll back their judgment."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Thank you, Rangi. I'll tell my husband."

"Yes, Ma'am."

====================================================================
(OOC: The news of the massacre will, of course, not arrive by ship for several days, but it isn't likely to change anything, either.)

[Walter]

DF, I was reading the news bit and, with the soldiers about to fire on the civilians, was thinking "I should PM you and tell you that you should use the infamous 'Odessa Stairs' Scene from 'Battleship Potemkin' for that." Scrolling a bit further down, I saw that you already did. :D

[ledeper]

Ahhh;You also have "Potemkin"  ;) :) :) :D

[TexanCowboy]

The Imperial Romanian Goverment declares it's support for the valient revolution of the people for a repulic and denounces the current goverment of New Switzerland.

[Walter]

No.

I don't have "Potemkin".

Russia has "Potemkin"...

*Looks at Wiki*

Wait a second...

The film is in the public domain.

... everybody has "Potemkin".

Sounds like it's a disease now. ;D

[The Rock Doctor]

Gran Colombia has neither a Potemkin nor a Constitution, thank you very much.

The Imperial Romanian Goverment declares it's support for the valient revolution of the people for a repulic and denounces the current goverment of New Switzerland.

So...your monarchy is supporting an anti-monarchal (?) movement?

[TexanCowboy]

Yes, because Romania elects It's Kings, like an medivial sweden.

[Logi]

Oi, oi, electing a monarch never worked well (ex: Germany).

[TexanCowboy]

Ya, well, eventually we will realize this, but we have only had 2 Kings, and one was shot by the Ottomans.

[Desertfox]

Hehehe, I like how everyone is jumping to conclusions already...

[TexanCowboy]

HeHeHe.... I just signed a treaty with your arch-nemisis. Now I will sign one with you..... Hehehe 8)