Russo-Ukrainian War Thread - Page 516

An empire that used to dominate Eastern Europe collapsed resulting in a decade of economic chaos, hyperinflation, and infighting between the old establishment, the military, and social revolutionaries. A populist strongman was appointed as the head of the legislative by the president. After appointment he staged fake terror attacks by political opponents to consolidate and strengthen his position.

He offered the people the restoration of order and a return of the lost status and wealth of the old empire in exchange for their abdication from political life. He also blamed the collapse of the old empire on a group of internal enemies that he asserted had undermined the old empire.

In terms of economic policy he strongly favoured large centralized business interests over trade unionism/socialism. There was essentially a pact between business elites and government, he would secure their interests against political unrest, allow for the creation of monopolies, subsidize party allies, reward friends with the property of deposed enemies, and concentrate power in the handful of industrial elites. They would reward his favour by being politically reliable and supporting his goals of rearmament.

In terms of social policy he imposed ultraconservative rules upon society based upon the rejection of globalist liberal values. Church and state were merged into a new quasi christian cult of traditionalism based on ethnic and cultural identitarianism. This cult promoted the idea that they were the bastion of traditional moral virtues against modernity and identified the leader as the only individual able to restore the nation and people.

He engaged in a policy of rapid military rearmament and advocated for the seizure of territories lost when the old empire collapsed. His main argument for this were unsubstantiated allegations of mistreatment of the minority speakers of their language living there. After diplomatic efforts failed he infiltrated the region with paramilitary forces and staged a pro-unification revolt, forcing the neighbouring nation to either allow an annexation as a fait accompli or fight back. When they fought back he intervened directly to protect the liberties of the people living there and to "restore order".

Following this success he attempted to repeat it to seize another territory using paramilitary forces to destabilize the region and then marching his army in on the pretext of protecting the minority speakers. In each instance his propagandists staged false flag attacks and continually muddied the conversation by insisting that it was actually they who had been attacked by their victims. The war on truth was fought alongside the actual war with pervasive and immersive propaganda that was so effective that even the skeptics found themselves accepting at least some of the premises of the big lie.

The victim of his second seizure of territory had defensive agreements with western powers but the western powers wanted to avoid a larger war. He was able to successfully convince them that his interest was only in protecting his people and that he had no further territorial interests. This second successful annexation, like the first, was extremely popular with his people and seemed to show the wisdom in his policy of brinkmanship. Despite ruling as a dictator and murdering and imprisoning his political opponents he also received widespread and genuine support for his regime and it appeared to be delivering on its promises. Stability was restored, the humiliation of the territorial losses following the collapse of the empire were undone, the military was rearmed, there was a sense of being respected/feared abroad, and national pride was at an all time high.

This national resurgence was celebrated with lavish olympic games, intended to show the success and prosperity of the new regime in contrast with its recent history. However this took place against a backdrop of increasing political repression and military competition.

The leader then gambled a third time and mobilized his forces on the border of a former part of his empire. Western states frantically begged him not to attack and made assurances that there was no threat to his nation but if he did invade they would be bound to act in defence of his target. Summits were called, offers of carrots and assurances of sticks were given, but all of it was futile as the order to invade had already been given.

He declared that a large Eastern European nation that used to be part of the empire was planning to attack them and therefore it was necessary in the name of self defence to invade. Despite his insistence that this was a defensive war he didn't wish to fight he also simultaneously argued that the conquest was necessary and unavoidable as part of the greater national destiny, a doublethink that was a classic staple of regime propaganda.

Unfortunately that third gamble was a bridge too far for the western powers which at last recognized that appeasement was only strengthening the dictator. They resolved to defeat him militarily. In particular a policy of lend lease by the USA was instrumental in ensuring that the military of the nations he invaded received critical supplies.

The early war was characterized by blitzkrieg and terror bombing campaigns that prioritized civilian infrastructure and population centres over targets of military value. Unfortunately this backfired and increased the resolve of the people to resist.