The War to End All Wars #1
With a declaration of war from the German Kaiser that was more like an imperial edict, the Khan's army had crossed Baghdad and was now departing the Ottoman capital, heading back to Russia via Romania. The Balkans lay in dead silence, desperate to avoid catching that army's eye. But even in silence, life stirs—and once it lifted, they all poked their heads back out.
Bulgaria, having mobilized 30% of its entire population, tried to hold onto its occupied territories by fighting the Ottomans, only to get dragged into a three-front war with Greece and Serbia. They were basically a corpse at that point. Greece, Serbia, the Ottomans, and Romania sticking its nose in—they all started carving up that carcass the second the Khan's army left, scrapping over every last scrap of meat.
Romania took northern Bulgaria. Serbia grabbed the west. Greece snatched the south. The Ottomans claimed the east. Bulgaria shrank into a pathetic stump—done for.
The Tsar could scream all he wanted, but Russia turned a blind eye to Bulgaria and its Tsar. Truth was, Russia had half a mind to give those Bulgarian bastards a thrashing itself. Who the hell were they to call themselves Tsar? They'd begged for Russian help, then turned around and bickered with their Serbian brothers over territory. Russia had originally backed a Greater Bulgaria, but now that brother Serbia held part of it, they wanted Bulgaria to show some restraint—not fight like dogs over every inch!
In a world where even uniting against the Germanic tribes was a struggle to protect the Slavs, what was this petty squabbling? Russia's mood was foul. Orthodox Christians were still persecuted in Armenia, atheists ran wild in the Russian Republic, and Korean troops were stuck in Ukraine to boot. Still, Russia endured for one reason: no other nation would help the beleaguered Slav brothers in the Balkans from Germanic ambitions—only Russia itself. Since no one else would aid the Slav brothers, Russia had to answer their pleas.
'I won't let any Slav suffer in misery.' Except for those self-sabotaging Bulgarians, that is.
Trotsky, frustrated that the blacks' slave mentality wouldn't budge, exiled himself to Mexico to fix it. More comrades meant more revolutionary power. And the Mexican comrades agreed—they were all in on the anti-American capitalist imperialist struggle. Their methods differed, though.
"Texas is right in their backyard—let's team up and rush America's front yard."
"Nonsense. Conquer LA first, then pool our strength."
Obviously, the first was Pancho Villa of the Mexican Revolutionary Labor Party; the second, Trotsky. To Pancho, Texas was Mexican land waiting to be reclaimed—occupy it, and its national wealth would flow straight to Mexico, especially to him. To Trotsky, Mexico's forces were too weak against America; the two revolutionaries needed to link arms first. Reclamation? Bullshit—they'd just get looted themselves. One pushed for a bold LA strike, the other for Texas rushes and bunkering. Communication was impossible.
But they resolved to fight the revolutionary struggle together, methods be damned. Trotsky would march on LA; Pancho on Texas. Bonus: once Trotsky took LA, he'd back Mexico. The American West with Trotsky and his black army had no trains—regular troops couldn't move without them.
The issue? 'Can I trust that bastard?'
To Trotsky, Pancho Villa—especially dominating northern Mexico—was just a warlord hiding behind "revolutionary." 'Will that support actually show?'
To Pancho, Trotsky was a super-pervert rallying random blacks. Why organize an army with people if you're bothering? Why blacks? Their low fighting spirit was infamous even in Mexico. Mexican gunslingers had made bank recapturing escaped slaves.
One thing was clear: Pancho hadn't conquered all Mexico yet, but with Trotsky's money and guns, he could. They'd join hands—Trotsky pays upfront from his rear position. Then Pancho's unified Mexican cavalry could smash into Texas.
'Maybe Canada would've been smarter.'
'Why blacks... seriously, why?'
The two revolutionaries pulled an all-nighter over tequila.
Parade review day. All of it wrapped up.
"Who said goose-step?"
"Pardon?"
"Who the hell told you to goose-step?"
"...?"
Sigh. I should've known parade drills would naturally lead to that step. All my fault. I rubbed my eyes.
"You'll wreck your legs. Swing your arms all you want, but not your legs. A soldier who can't move isn't a soldier."
In the Korean Empire, you could be a soldier without firing a gun, but if you couldn't move, you were just cargo or a patient.
"Yes, sir!"
I wondered if these guys could even fight a war without shitting themselves. Months of parade drills had produced a book's worth of fuckups, failures, and incidents. On the flip side, catching it now was a win.
"Sir?"
"?"
"Could I maybe get a word of praise?"
"Good energy out there. You can sleep soundly tonight."
"Thank you, sir!"
I watched my aide run off to relay that to all the generals, then sat back down.
The Korean Empire—honestly, I worried if it could hold without me. Over half the population Chinese and communist? Perfect recipe for a Yugoslavia-style Tito breakup. Capitalist states had solid foundations and economies of scale to avoid dissolution, but a communist one like ours—especially with regional autonomy baked in—dissolution was a constant risk.
After I'm gone, anyway. Not really my problem, but it nagged me. I'd pushed the unpopular fully funded pension system over the popular pay-as-you-go generational solidarity model because of that unease. Lately, I felt it closing in.
What if Korean troops took massive losses in the war? What if Chinese blamed me, armed up, demanded my resignation? What if Gojong, playing emperor, stepped forward? The Empire could shatter.
I'd prepped countless ways to win, but defeat could crash in anytime, for any reason.
'Sticking to strict neutrality really would've been best.'
Switch to neutrality now? Impossible. I wouldn't have bogged down in Ukraine or run these drills. Neutrality wasn't for just anyone—it took a powerhouse willing to endure diplomatic isolation. America or Britain. Not Belgium, soon not Romania, and not Gojong's Korea.
Sad truth: even my powerhouse Korean Empire wasn't there yet. We'd already been squeezed by Britain, so joining the war was inevitable. Declare neutrality mid-crisis? They'd choke our oil supplies under "wartime necessity." Protest? "Go eat shit."
Or Britain fights Germany, so they land in Southeast Asia and Arabia for a "southern operation"? Classic Japanese Empire bullshit. We'd just watch burning oil fields.
To take something by force from Britain, invading India was more practical. Still an ant hell, though. In the end, the "best" option was always a pipe dream. As Sun Tzu droned on...
"Sir! Big trouble!"
"?"
"Chinese are massing at the border! Civil war!"
"What?"
"Civil war's broken out in China!"
Lead with that, dumbass. I thought it was us for a second with your panic.
"That big landmass? Bound to happen sometime."
It was my doing anyway. Gotta bleed 'em out so they can't come at us.
"It's not that! I mean, no!"
"Heh, couple hundred thousand? Yeah, figures."
Shanghai and Nanjing—major cities. Refugee wave of a few hundred thou? Plausible.
"Sir, the Yellow River docks are packed with people waiting for ships."
"We can spare some boats. Uh... wait."
Shandong Peninsula south—no rivers there. The Yellow River now flowed through our Shandong north.
So that "Yellow River" meant...
"What the hell?"
"China's split in two, fighting everywhere. Every Yellow River port's jammed with people waiting for ships."
"...All heading here?"
"Probably."
The Korean Empire already had plenty of Chinese. A lot. Jokes flew about them being our top import, not export.
I could teach Korean as the lingua franca and Hangul as official script all day; didn't change the fact they were Chinese, Han Chinese, living with Chinese identity.
"We're really becoming the Great Han Empire, huh?"
"Sir, not the time for jokes."
"I know, I know."
Our economy was booming even in global depression. Disperse them right across regions, and we could absorb 'em. Problem: if these were just the start.
"That won't be the end, right?"
"Likely not."
Unlike my expectations, the civil war was a monster—refugees wouldn't stop there. These early ones were the smart, moneyed types. Later, beggars would swarm.
Even our equality-loving Korean commune would balk. Food first—Koreans competing with Chinese. Plenty of jobs now, less resentment. But beggar hordes saturate the market? Koreans prioritize Koreans; Chinese feel sidelined. Straight-up Sweden.
Introduce regular/irregular gigs, ship incoming Chinese back as temps or illegals? Dumping potential rioters domestically. Perfect for a Joseon-style butcher backlog explosion.
Core: economy. Oil boom needed amplification. Overflowing jobs.
Oil limits that.
"First, real estate. Build new cities to house 'em."
"Spot on."
"Move citizens to ongoing new cities ASAP. Ramp up plans. Fill old cities half with incoming Chinese."
"Pardon?"
"Not ownership—co-op rentals. They got no cash. Plop 'em in the cultural heart; they'll feel less alienated."
"Ah."
"Once new cities fill, redevelop old ones. Up from 8 stories to 20. Use new space for cultural builds."
Buses and bikes rising, cars nil—time to build up.
"Oh yeah. Central AC per building—cool air in every room."
"Yes, sir!"
Koreans moving from no-AC to AC? No complaints.
"Drop electricity prices. Not margins—cut production costs. It's the electric age."
"I'll pass it along."
"Burning coal and trash near-free, and still pricey... Construction costs? Fair enough."
Monopoly? I'd have words. "Lastly, build ships."
"Ships too?"
"Tech transfer from Britain—build 8 battleships ourselves. 8 battleships plus 8 cruisers: the 88 Fleet."
Battleships useless anyway—Germans wouldn't sortie. But for future naval treaties, our max tonnage sets the bar. Japan aimed for 88; modest for us? Neighbors might buy it. I thought so.
"But costs explode. Unlike real estate. Raise taxes temporarily?"
"Nah. Tax hike with Chinese influx? They'd hate it."
"Collect donations instead. Navy hotshots weren't thrilled with 8—pushing for more. That right?"
"...Yes."
"Gather funds. Treasury covers most, but donations decide next fleet's size."
8 either way, but achievement unlocked? Even with tons raised, just 8? No—'This many ships?!' Fireworks galore.
"And print bonds. Patriotic ones."
Risky or not, couldn't let ammo rot in piles when war loomed.