The Dance of Civilizations [Diplo Game] [Story Thread Pt6 - February 2010]

[Native America (DoC)]

Pontiac's Military Training

The Native American military was in a sorry state. The soldiers were far more familiar with their peace pipes than their rifles. Pontiac entered officer's school with a keen determination to reform the military. He quickly distinguished himself as a fierce competitor with a sharp intellect who inspired loyalty and obedience of those around him. He won many honors at the school. He surrounded himself with others at the school who were similarly disgusted at the state of the Native military. Pontiac's most loyal companion through his training was Arminius. Arminius was a large, powerful man, and a brilliant tactician. They agreed on a great many things.

Brave men like the Russians fought in war after war, distinguishing themselves proudly on the battlefield. The Persians dominated their neighbors, the mighty Indians intimidated the entire world and win battles without even firing a shot! That is fear. That is power. The Natives were one of the most advanced nations on the planet, but submitted like a dog to others. Retreated with their tail between their legs when the Persians kicked them out of New India.

As his final project in officer school Pontiac did an exhaustive study of Native American military engagements throughout their history. The report was rather short. The military has been primarily been used to kill pirates and wild animals thousands of years ago. The military has no combat experience whatsoever. It was shameful, and something Pontiac was intent on changing.

[Russia (DoC)]

Brigadier General Yussuf ibn Volukovich watched as his Galleon sailed eastwards. The Russian flagship, the NKV Tolstoj kept in pursuit from the southeast, as did the Pirate ship from the east. By skillful sailing, the Galleon had put itself in a position that prevented the Ship of the Line and the Pirate vessel from spotting eachother. When the Galleon quickly turned northeast, the Pirate and Flagship of Russia were suddenly within close range of eachother. General Volukovich knew Admiral Flakovich, they had studied together at the Moscow Military Institute. The General knew Admiral Flakovich's feelings towards pirates. His grandfather had been among the settlers that were drowned when pirates sank the Russian colonial expedition several decades ago. Watching with glee as the Pirate vessel was engaged by the 32 cannons of the Tolstoj's port side, the battle would last for at least an hour as the pirate ship attempted to escape and the Tolstoj mercilessly pounded it into the clear blue sea. Brigadier-General ibn Volukovich had succeeded in escaping the grasp of Moscow and would soon be ready to land upon Arabian shores.

[Native America (DoC)]

Rise to Power

Pontiac, Arminius, and their allies began their careers in the military. With no wars or conflict to distinguish themselves, they focused their efforts on training, drilling, discipline. Before long the units led by Pontiac's young allies were the best trained in the army. Soon people outside of the military started taking notice of young Captain Pontiac. He started spreading his ideas about national unity throughout the military and his ideas started to spread through the public as well.

Pontiac promoted a number of ideas that he felt would make his nation strong and unified. He promoted rule by an elite promoting the state as the ultimate end, protecting the class system and promoting class collaboration, rejection of egalitarianism, promoting the militarization of a nation by creating a class of warriors, demanding that citizens perform civic duties in the interest of the state, and utilizing state intervention in education to promote the creation of warriors and future rulers of the state.

Pontiac began to use the Roman symbol of the "fasces", a bundle of rods, to symbolize strength through unity. Whilst each independent rod was fragile, as a bundle they were strong. His movement began to be called "fascism". Combining the fasces with a traditional Native American eagle, he produced an enduring symbol of the movement:



After several years of successfully working to change and strengthen discipline in the military, Pontiac left the army to focus on building a political movement. Pontiac and the fascists managed to be simultaneously revolutionary and traditionalist; because this was vastly different to anything else in the political climate of the time, it was sometimes described as "The Third Way". The Fascists,formed armed squads of war veterans called Blackshirts with the goal of restoring order to the streets of the nation with a strong hand. The blackshirts clashed with communists, socialists and anarchists at parades and demonstrations; all of these factions were also involved in clashes against each other. The government rarely interfered with the blackshirts' actions, owing in part to a looming threat and widespread fear of a communist revolution. The Fascists grew so rapidly that within two years, it transformed itself into the National Fascist Party at a congress in Cahokia.

Pontiac's Rebellion

Supported by the military, the business class, and the right-wing, the new National Fascist Party grew quickly throughout the nation, and even spread to the colonies. The party experienced some small legislative success, but then, on October 27-29, Pontiac led his supporters in a march on Cahokia. Known as Pontiac's Rebellion, his blackshirts were able to seize power in a coup d'état. Metacom's successor, Chief Minister Wamsutta, was powerless to stop the Fascists. Pontiac became the new Chief Minister of Native America. But he was just getting started...

[Rome (DoC)]

Pontiac began to use the Roman symbol of the "fasces", a bundle of rods, to symbolize strength through unity. Whilst each independent rod was fragile, as a bundle they were strong. His movement began to be called "fascism"

Roman right wing senators are clamoring about a resolution for the introduction into the national seal of the fasces symbols in direct support of the new philosophies of the new Native American movement. Senator Aurelius, amongst the most vocal of them, passing by the Senatorial Foreign Affairs Committee, sent an envoy to Captain Pontius to discuss sending private aid from his extensive family funds to the Native movement.

[Native America (DoC)]

Fascist Reforms

Chief Minister Pontiac was one of the youngest leaders his nation had seen. He worked quickly to consolidate power and modernize the nation. Initially favorable to business interests, early in his administration, Mining Incorporated was founded in Poverty Point. Also, a massive foundry and iron works was established in Mound City. This foundry provided steel for the new rails Chief Minister Pontiac's government built connecting cities and speeding transportation and unity between far flung cities. Trips that once took days now took mere hours. The new rails together with new technologies such as the telegraph and the new political climate Native Americans started to feel less loyalty to their local tribes and clans, and more loyalty to the Native American nation as a whole.

The reorganization of the military was a top priority. Chief Pontiac made large strides while in the army, but now as leader of the nation his goals were more ambitious. Pontiac made his close ally Arminius a general, ensuring the loyal support of the military no matter what the future might hold. He directed the creation of a new headquarters for all branches of the Native American armed forces. All branches would be housed under one roof, in the most massive building the world had ever seen: the Pentagon.



A unified military command together with the innovative training and discipline techniques of Chief Minister Pontiac and General Arminius greatly enhanced the quality of Native American troops. Together with their modern equipment, the Native infantry and machine gunners were growing in strength. Under General Arminius' direction, plans were made to start building a grand military training facility. While early in the planning process, the government purchased land at the west point of Mound City on which to build this new military academy.

A new Native America was taking shape. In the north, the Pentagon and the Iron Works dominated the city of Mound City, making it the center of industry and the military. The ironically named Poverty Point became the focus of commerce and religious devotion for Native followers of Hinduism in the west. And in southern America, Cahokia, the ancient capitol remained the seat of government, administration and science. Working together with leading corporations and leaders of industry, Chief Pontiac directed all cities in the fatherland in a campaign of industrialization. Factories would be built to boost the productive capacity of the nation.

A new day was dawning.

[Rome (DoC)]

Fascist Reforms

ooc: nice work!

[Native America (DoC)]

Native machine gunners were the fiercest the world had ever seen:

[India (DoC)]

Indian military on high alert in New India

A massive Perisan army apporaches the border. New India decided on full border close towards both Media and the Persian rebels.
According to the Indian intelligence no significant rebel forces are operating near the Indian-New Persian border so bringing such a big army close to our coloniy's capital can not be tolerated. If the army continues to march that will be the violation of our non-aggression pact by Persia.

announcement from New India's Governor

edit*
India is actually a bit confused whose army is it.. diplomacy even more complicated..

[Byzantium (DoC)]

On arrival at the Egyptian capital to meet with Queen Cleopatra, Basil looked through the latest diplomatic post and news reports.

Reading through the lastest top secret files from the group which had worked over the centuries encircling India and building opposition to her, he smiled, jotting down the names of various Byzantine officials who needed to receive handsome rewards for their recent successes.

Then in the new file he almost spat out his fine Antiochene wine when he read this in the communications from the Natives:

Brave men like the Russians fought in war after war, distinguishing themselves proudly on the battlefield. The Persians dominated their neighbors, the mighty Indians intimidated the entire world and win battles without even firing a shot! That is fear. That is power.

Calling his secretary he dictated a letter:

Chief Minister Pontiac, I hail your rise to power in America, and stand in awe at your military reforms and developments. America, from a Byzantine perspective long the distance, silent, giant, has definitely woken and the world will never be the same again.

In some of the early news emerging from your reforms, however, we saw an amazing error which, forgive me, caused some shaking of heads here in Byzantium. It was reported here - perhaps mistakenly - that the Americans believed that "the Indians intimidated the entire world and won battles without even firing a shot!". Can I be as bold as to remind you that the Indians have actually fought one war in history in which they were utterly annihilated despite their long planning, extensive espionage and their overwelming technoglogy. Thus I believe that the Indians actually have the worst military record in history. They have great sucess in religion and technology but I hope for your sake your pentagon examines more successful militaries.

Byzantium wishes you well - as the world continues to shrink maybe soon we will be neighbours, and we hope friends.

Basil II

[Korea (DoC)]

Indians intimidated and defeated the English in the last war witohut firing a single shot..

Ancient hisotry of the proud Byz versus India is forgoten in Nativia

[Robert]

New Story thread: http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?t=190409