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France is one of the playable factions in Leviathans.
History[]
Franco-Prussian War[]
The Republic felt keenly the loss of Alsace-Lorraine and the threat to Paris in the Franco-Prussian War. While fought using conventional weapons, it would do much to define strategic thinking on both sides as the world progressed to electroid-based technology.[1][2]
Launching the Great Sky Race[]
The Republic obtained copies of German research into eteroid and electroid, and began research into an "aether flyer". The keel of the Ganymède was laid in 1888, though development faced numerous technical difficulties. Despite this, the craft was ready in time for a debut at the Greater Britain Exhibition in 1890, where, along with the HML Leviathan, the Great Sky Race began.[3][4][5]
Africa[]
The new Flotte de Volée helped France gain new possessions in Africa. Using these new craft for both aerial bombardment and as troop transports, the Republic took power in places like Algeria, French Somaliland, and Tunisia.
Trouble came when they sought control of the Sudan. In what became known as the Fashoda Incident, the Dunquerque and the HML Achilles fought overhead while Jean-Baptiste Marchand and his forces fought the expedition of Lord Kitchener below. A French victory led to a diplomatic draw, though war did threaten for a time.[6][7]
Trouble with the Neighbors[]
The new "ganys" soon found themselves part of France's conflicts with its neighbors on land and at sea. The Rousseau crash-landed along the border with Alsace-Lorraine in 1892[8][9], one of many clashes to come along that border prior to the Great War.[10]
France also tested Italy's claims in the western Mediterranean Sea: the Altair Affair in 1902 saw their vessels doing battle in the sky over Sicily. [11][12] Corsica was also a scene of conflict.[13]
A perpetual site of conflict was the English Channel: the British Salisbury Doctrine was taken as an affront to French sovereignty, and encounters between the squadrons of the two nations patrolling the Channel ranged from tense to openly violent. [14][12][15]
An attempt was made to reach a formal calming of relations with Britain after the Fashoda Incident. It failed.[16][17]
Swiss Acquisition[]
In 1912, six eteroid sites were discovered in Switzerland, and France and Germany both moved fleets to the Swiss border, preparing for war. To forestall this, the Second Berlin Conference on Switzerland was called. Switzerland was divided up, with France taking part of the Alps and its eteroid reserves for its own.[18][19][20]
The Great War[]
The outbreak of the Great War saw France declaring war on Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire in support of Serbia and the Russian Empire. To prevent the Kingdom of Italy from joining the other side, Corsica was offered in exchange for an alliance. In response, Germany invaded Belgium, threatening to flank French forces from the north. Paris itself was threatened before French leviathans turned the tide at the Battle of the Marne. Germany was forced to withdraw and set up anti-leviathan defenses.[21][22][23] The Germans began seeking a new front in the Alps.[19]
Foreign Relations[]
All of these are as of July 1914:
Relations with the Austro-Hungarian Empire[]
- At War
While sharing no common border, France declared war on Austria-Hungary as part of their treaty obligations with Russia.[21]
Relations with the British Empire[]
- Officially At Peace
Despite the long tensions between them, France and Britain did not enter the war on opposite sides: the British Empire declared neutrality. Britain's entry into the Northern War against the Russians did not trigger an automatic declaration of war by France, but occasional skirmishes along the English Channel did continue.[21][16]
Relations with the German Empire[]
- At War
While Serbia was the official casus belli, the French and the Germans were primarily focused on their shared borders at the start of the war.[21]
Relations with the Kingdom of Italy[]
- Allied
Allies, but not friends. The Kingdom made overtures to both Austria-Hungary and France. Corsica was handed over as the price of alliance, sparing France another front in the war.[21][24]
Relations with the Empire of Japan[]
- At Peace
As of July 1914, the Empire of Japan had not entered the Great War.[25]
France was part of the Triple Intervention, and friendly with Russia, Japan's old foe.[26][13]
Relations with the Russian Empire[]
- Allied
France joined with Russia in the Triple Intervention. [26][13]
The Republic was quick to take Russia's side against Austria-Hungary and Germany at the start of the Great War.[16]
Relations with the United States of America[]
- Generally Friendly
The historic friendship between France and the United States was not without its tests: in 1904, as part of the Perdicaris Affair, an American leviathan was engaged by a French gany on the north coast of Africa after the American refused a French order to heave to. Both ships were heavily damaged, though the American was able to limp back to port using, of all things, sails.[27]
In 1908, a French ship came to the aid of the USS Richmond when the latter was in distress in a storm.[28]
Relations with Minor Powers[]
- Belgium: Friendly allies, France moved into Belgium to help fight off German advances.[23]
- Kingdom of Morocco: France sought effective control of Morocco.[29][27]
Historical Notes[]
References[]
- ↑ Leviathans Gazetteer, pp. 8, 37
- ↑ Leviathans Core Rulebook, pp. 67, 121
- ↑ Leviathans Gazetteer, pp. 8-9
- ↑ Leviathans Core Rulebook, p. 67-68
- ↑ Leviathans Gazetteer, p. 6
- ↑ Leviathans Gazetteer, pp. 37-38
- ↑ Leviathans Core Rulebook, pp. 119-120
- ↑ Leviathans Gazetteer, pp. 13, 34, 37
- ↑ Leviathans Core Rulebook, pp. 69, 119
- ↑ Leviathans Gazetteer, p. 90
- ↑ Leviathans Gazetteer, pp. 19, 68-69
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Leviathans Core Rulebook, p. 71
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Leviathans Gazetteer, p. 14
- ↑ Leviathans Gazetteer, pp. 20, 38-39, 88
- ↑ Leviathans Core Rulebook, p. 72
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Leviathans Core Rulebook, p. 121
- ↑ Failure of the Entente
- ↑ Leviathans Core Rulebook, p. 74
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Leviathans Core Rulebook, p. 112
- ↑ General Act of the Second Berlin Conference on Switzerland
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 Leviathans Core Rulebook, p. 75
- ↑ Leviathans Core Rulebook, pp. 93, 121
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Miracle de la Tactique, entire work
- ↑ Leviathans Core Rulebook, pp. 102-103
- ↑ Leviathans Core Rulebook, p. 130
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Leviathans Core Rulebook, p. 69
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 The Wind from the Sky
- ↑ Cadet Cruise
- ↑ Leviathans Gazetteer, p. 67