Foreign Concerns Gazette/Year 447.5 - 448

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Category:Session Summaries
Home in Less than a Year, But At What Cost? At What Gain?
After Coalition Victory, Serene Doge of Aeldrum Joins 5.4 Million Dead
Casualty Reports:
*Deaths Reported This Issue: 2.8M
*Total Deaths from the Second War of the Coalition: 5.38M
**Fialta Imperium: 2.05M military, 40k partisan, 675k civilian
**Thalranese Marches: 872k military, 30k civilian
**Serene Duchy of Aeldrum: 885k military, 10k civilian
**Shantine Empire: 529k military, 190k partisan, 100k civilian (occupied Zanevuelans)
*Marivan Theater (all naval)
**Thalranese Casualties: 655k KIA, 655k WIA/MIA
**Aeldman Casualties: 765k KIA, 1,665k WIA/MIA
**Imperial Casualties: 1,215k KIA, 1,215k WIA/MIA
*Pin Jump Theater:
**Aeldman Casualties:
***Naval: 90k KIA, 90k WIA/MIA
***Ground: 30k KIA, 90k WIA/MIA
***Civilian/Noncombatant: 10k KIA, 30k WIA/MIA 
**Imperial Casualties:
***Naval: 25k KIA, 35k WIA/MIA
***Ground: 27.5k KIA, 32.5k WIA/MIA/POW
*Zanevuela Theater:
**Shantine Partisans: 30k KIA,70k WIA/MIA
**Fialta Partisans: 40k KIA, 100k WIA/MIA/POW
**Civilians: 100k KIA, 200k WIA/MIA 
Economic News:
*"A Fever Rising" Aeldman economy rides tide of military contracts; interest rate lurches from 5% to 7% as capital shortage intensifies, while consumer goods on track for 10% annual inflation.
**"Crowding Out" Aeldman economic growth driven by Industrial-State ventures left little room for small enterprise, distorted economy toward military, capital good and infrastructure production. Consumer industries starved for cash, labor. Aeldman MP criticizes overshadowing of free enterprise: "Fully one third of our economy is tied up in these colossal state ventures; the economy is booming, but who's buying?" 
***"Organizational Delays" ambitious state-backed Aeldman pharmaceutical consortium stalls agglomeration under strain from rising interest rates.
**"Like a Straight Jacket" Despite enormous inflows of hard currency from roaring trade surplus, Aeldman money supply binds burgeoning economy: state-driven ventures drive enormous capital shifts, leading to uneven money supply.
**"Help Wanted" Military mobilization pales compared to labor flows to state-sponsored industries, driving labor shortage in Aeldman core.
***"Import Labor" Nipponese-Aeldman agreement opens flow for up to 100 million workers to enter Aeldman economy from Celestial regions. Vast company towns spring up across Core Worlds, reminiscent of Guild work-houses of old.
**"Taking Capital to the Wider Economy" Minister Emiir oversees establishment of Aeldman Lending Authority, to bring low-interest capital access to underserved portions of economy, championing consumer sector. Aeldman budget enshrines 500 economic units per turn for Colonial Development Authority, chaired by Spire Doge Luvelath.
*"Contagion or Convergence?" Alusian economy shows signs of similar overheating to Aeldrum on delayed schedule, as interest rates climb 1% overnight, ending year up 2% with consumer inflation picking up.
**"Familiar Problem" Alusian economic growth surged on supply chain integration, with distortive effects on labor, capital markets.
**"Running a Deficit" Alusian capital shortages accentuated dramatically by severe current accounts deficit: currency outflows from Alusia estimated at 15-17% of economic activity have been norm for last 5 years, straining money supply. Where Aeldrum's money supply has grown too slowly to keep up with production, Alusian money supply has shrunk dramatically on breakneck imports.
**"Supply Chained" Alusian integration with foreign trade makes currency deficit looming challenge: shocks to Alusian economy from loss of foreign imports could reduce GDP over 25%.
**"Going where the workers are" While Alusian labor demand is at unprecedented high, more even spread of production growth reduces acute shortages of labor in comparison with Aeldrum.
*"Cosmic Currency Crisis?" Unprecedented cosmic economic growth strains gold supplies, raising costs of imports and highlighting limits of fiscal systems. Growing voices in academia, government openly discuss policies of currency debasement or free-floating currency. Multilateral solutions may be difficult to achieve in a cosmos so recently emerged from war.
**"Underdeveloped, but Cash Rich" sitting on stores of budget surplus and years of positive current accounts across economy, Shantine state, church and economy poised for advantageous currency position in capital-hungry cosmos.
**"Consolation" despite economic woes, Fialta Imperial economy remains relatively cash rich with comparatively low debt load for state and Pentacle Churches.
**"Tapped and Still Thirsty" Just as Thalranese Economy shows signs of recovery, debased and undersupplied currency may not survive a run on gold.
**"Big Enough to Matter?" Prosperous secondary economies such as Saldan and Sermaye may provide important sources of capital in currency crisis, but experts unsure if their currency surplus will suffice. "If gold really takes off, we may see substantial Aeldman and Alusian gains of the last five years transferred to other powers."
*"Ravages of War and Peace" Fialta Imperium suffers 29% economic contraction due to territorial concessions, loss of trade, cessation of foreign slaveholder compensation and shock of immediate emancipation.
**"Some Forgive Faster Than Others" Sermaye, Aeldrum and Alusia reopen trade with Fialta Imperium immediately on conclusion of Treaty of Tar'Thalran; Bishant and Thalranese Marches offer no positive signals, Saldan pleads administrative exhaustion. Aeldrum, Alusia endorse Imperial readmission to TOSTA, but status uncertain.
**"Prior Planning" Despite accelerated timeline, educational and workforce relocation resources prove ready to absorb millions of immediately emancipated slaves, dampening economic shock to Imperium.
*"The Lines of Credit that Bind?" Aeldrum maintains 150 economic unit semiannual line of credit at 5% interest with Thalranese Marches; Aeldrum, Bishant and Alusia commit to 150 economic units of credit semiannually to Fialta Imperium to facilitate war reconstruction and economic adjustment to emancipation, at rates of 2% under each power's domestic interest rate.
*"Balance at Last" With 260 economic units of mercenary contracts from Aeldrum, war spoils and dramatically reduced military upkeep due to catastrophic losses at Battle of Semal-Marivan, Thalranese Marches achieve budget surplus in bittersweet positive sign for beleaguered economy.
*"Tapping the Domestic Market" Alusian factory program begins sales to domestic Alusian firms, accounting for 14% of total factory production volume. 
**"Still Mostly for State Consumption" State deployment of Alusian factories dominates output, as foreign orders dip with cessation of emancipation compensation to Imperium.
**"All Shapes and Sizes" Alusia begins experimenting with specialist factories to suit tailored applications. Factory-Factory specializing in factories for prefabricated housing ranks among highest priorities: existing Consumer F2 to be retooled to satisfy refugee, immigrant and colonial needs.
*"More than Just Factories – Building a Healthier Empire" Ambitious expansion plan for Alusian healthcare sees inauguration of construction of large medical academies to supply nation with medical professionals. Anticipated programs include hospital construction and factories to supply medicine and infrastructural materials.
*"From Farm to Factory" Shantine mechanization of agriculture underway on Bishant and hinterworlds, with mass grants of farm equipment to nobility: aristocracy manages mechanization from Aeldman imports, builds extensive "cottage factories" to employ displaced peasants. Total labor reallocation in first year estimated at 9.3 million. With hundreds of millions of tenant farmers, pool for growth appears deep.
*"The Way of the Future?" progress in Aeldrum on ambitious technological projects.
**"Machines for the People" "Hotspot" ethernet project paired with mainframe supercomputers allowing consumer terminal access to make consumer ethernet and computing publicly accessible at fraction of previous cost. Aeldman government to build infrastructure, leaving private sector to supply terminals.
***"Neveth goes first" Spire Doge Luvelath secures construction of inaugural Hotspot infrastructure to serve Neveth Spire.
***"Quid Pro Quo" Saldan supplies deep roster of technological and administrative experts on 5 year contract in return for Aeldman construction of Hotspot to service Saldan.
**"Machines for Industry" Mechanization program under collaboration of Nebai Industries, Aeldrum Mechatronics Corporation to automate production at Ursa Arms consortium factories. 
*"Amid War, New Frontiers of Trade" Empire of Alusia achieves trade agreement with Nippon States through Nipponese Foreign Quarter: Aeldrum remains only Imperial power with limited merchant passage rights through Nipponese worlds to Celestial Space.
*"All These Guns and No-One to Shoot" Military budgets soared during wartime, but experts doubtful of force reduction. "The peace still needs to be enforced." Others criticize war profiteering as source of pressure to keep military budgets fattened.
*"State Correction" Alusian State discloses evidence of unlicensed investment by Bank of Valdos in Alusian economy, acting through Fialta Union. Alusian State promptly nationalizes known Valdosian assets as enemy resources, and forms State Enterprise to manage seized assets.
**"You Deceived the State, the Church, the People" Anti-Valdosian violence, with some extension to violence against other Pentacle Faiths, flares in Metropolitan Alusia on war frustrations and secret investment allegations.
**"The roots are far from dug up" Patriarch of Ahlam, anonymous civil servants warn that Valdosian financial influence could be much deeper.
International Relations and Affairs:
*"The War is Over" Empire of Bishant, Serene Duchy of Aeldrum, Thalranese Marches and Empire of Alusia Declare Victory Over Fialta Imperium.
**"A Quick Peace" Aeldrum, Bishant dictate terms to Fialta Imperium, Alusia signs on after Imperial acquiescence to major terms. Signing ceremony conducted at symbolic site of Tar'Thalran. Fialta Imperium was left no room to reject terms but was permitted to add financial aid requirements for reconstruction and economic adjustment to emancipation terms.
***"A Glorious Day" Shantine Empire achieves major concessions, including immediate emancipation for all Imperial slaves, waiver of all compensation obligations of foreign powers for Imperial emancipation. Shantine annex Zanevuela and hinterworlds between Korinth and Zanevuela on Estonne line, gaining imposing second access point to interior of Fialta Imperium and restoring "Shantine Protectorate" after century's interruption.
****"Relieving Obligations" Alusia and Shantine benefit equally from end of slaveholder compensation.
***"Strategic Concession" Serene Duchy of Aeldrum extracts Imperial promise to decommission null bomb production facility, render Black Pyramid in Marivan theater inoperable under armed international observation.
***"Restoring Relations" Aeldrum is bound by treaty to restore trade relations with Fialta Imperium and promises vote of support for readmission to ToSTA organization.
***"Back to Base" Naval forces at Semal-Marivan battle retreat to respective naval installations under treaty terms.
**"Victory Frustrated" After horrendous naval losses, Thalranese Marches frustrated to receive no compensation from Fialta Imperium. Unable to raise further forces to prosecute war in short term, Thalranese government agrees Armistice with Imperium but refuses to ratify formal treaty of peace.
*"After the Storm, Calm in the Shadows" Merchants and diplomats remark on dramatic reduction in signs of civil disturbance within Nippon states; reported erasures of persons return to normal levels.
*"A King Chosen by Ethernet" King of Druz elected by etheric vote of clan elders after nine months of lengthy deliberations. Gunnar Kamrand inherits a kingdom slowly recovering from fever after losing estimated 3% of population. King Gunnar announces,"The Worst is Over," vows he will push for reopening of normal trade relations.
*"Hung Parliament" Deutschreich remains unable to form government, judiciary issues mandate for leading party to achieve coalition within 2 months or face new elections.
*"Crowned and Confirmed" Emperor Phillip Neptos is crowned Fialta Emperor at Fialt in hasty ceremony before negotiations at Tar'Thalran. Deposed Emperor Asterion, incommunicado for months, is presumed dead as Imperial court, including Asterion supporters such as Grand Marshal Cato, swear fealty to Netpos.
*"Interim Choice or Another Generational Leader?" With death of Serene Doge Bareth Aefendt, explosive media campaign and Parliamentary horse-trading sweeps Count Guillarme du Montreal to leadership as rival Doge Luvelath of Neveth bows out of race. With victory at Semal-Marivan in hand, Guillarme enjoys strong initial support but will need to maintain momentum to secure re-election at end of late Serene Doge Bareth's official term in two years.
*"Playing for Second" Following death of Prince Karenus and Lord Gunnot, Thalranese Marches struggle to coalesce around new leadership: front-runners Lord Armalos and Prince Cattrel offer competing visions. High Lord old guard Armalos champions tradition, but old isolationism tinged with revanchism and garbed in memory of victorious Karneus. Ex-Congressionalist Cattrel emphasizes economic solutions, security through alliances. Rumors persist that Marches may abolish post of Titular Prince, inaugurated in time of crisis for Gunnot and carried in war by Karenus, and revert to rule by council.
Military, Criminal and Disaster News:
*"Victory in the Marches" Alusia declares Imperial aggression repulsed by Thalranese victories, takes no further part in fighting.
*"Bloodiest Naval Battle in History" Battle of Semal-Marivan claims distinction of most recorded deaths in naval battle. Estimates of number of ships engaged exceed 5,000, range as high as 10,000. Aeldrum and Thalranese faced off against Fialta Imperial navy in brutal week-long engagement: Imperial forces were forced to retreat off-lane and toward Marivan ahead of arrival of Aeldman reinforcements, delivering hard-won battle victory to Coalition.
**"A Pincer Foiled and Reversed" Coalition Forces attempted pincer maneuver against Fialta administrative capital at Marivan, strategic word of Ehbett, with Thalranese-Aeldman fleet striking out from Semal, Shantine fleet striking from Korinth, Zanevuela. Etheric storms at Korinth, Zanevuela (now known to have been caused by Imperial null bombs) prevented Shantine passage onto Marivan line: due to greater distance from Semal to target, Thalranese-Aeldman forces were well on their way to rendezvous before receiving word of Shantine delays.
***"Taking the Stage" Imperial Grand Admiral Tenebrius makes appearance in Aeldman rear aboard enormous flagship.
**"Drown Them in Our Blood" Thalranese fleet at Semal-Marivan experienced destruction or disabling of 88% of ships, suffering bulk of losses holding vanguard of Thalranese-Aeldman fleet against Imperial pincer maneuver.
**"Bizarre Heroism" Knights of Adarnum hijack Fialta stealth warship, with apparent intention of delivering to Shantine Empire for study, but instead ram warship to force premature detonation of Fialta null bomb, dealing significant damage to Fialta fleet.
**"To the Victor, the Spoils" Aeldman and Thalranese crews trawl enormous quantities of Imperial materiel, naval wrecks from ether around Semal-Marivan battlesites. Aeldman officers issue orders to destroy wrecks which cannot be towed.
*"Long-Term Insurgency?" Fialta Militia and Kirvan Partisans clash in Zanevuela as Shantine troops prepare for deeper strikes into Fialta Imperium. Civilian casualties high.
**"For Kirva, and Adarnum" Knights of Adarnum draw on pool of Kirvan Partisans at Zanevuela to raise standing army of 600,000 men. "Professional Troops can Keep the Peace without the Same Errors of Judgment"
*"Deep Strike" Fiatla Imperial naval force strikes deep into Aeldman colonies, hitting Black Pyramid site at "Forgotten World," a little over two weeks from Pin Jump. Aeldman forces on-hand to protect site were insufficient and devastated by Imperial warships, allowing Imperials to launch torrential air-campaign onto Forgotten World, deploying two null bombs (detonating one) and successfully disabling Aeldman Black Pyramid and destroying two Aeldman null bomb production sites. Evidence suggests Aeldman null bomb stockpiles were elsewhere and thus unharmed.
*"Good for Raids, Not Pitched Battles" Military commentators remark that terrifying stealth and trans-lane capabilities of Fialta Imperial navy allowed it to score two superlative victories against lightly defended naval targets: Firhbank and the Forgotten World. Imperial naval forces gained impressive tactical advantages in pitched battles and showed easy disengagement capabilities but are believed by experts to have underperformed in heavy fighting.
*"First Strike Doctrine" Fialta Imperial navy deployed estimated six null bombs in course of War, violating 3C Arms Agreements: two at Forgotten World (one recovered unexploded by Aeldman forces), one to cover retreat at Semal-Marivan and three to generate or sustain etheric disturbance at the Korinth and Zanevuela gates. 
*"Fewer Null Bombs" With destruction of Aeldman null bomb production sites at Black Pyramid on Forgotten World and treaty-mandated decommissioning of Fialta Imperial Black Pyramid and null bomb production facility, cosmic production capabilities may be at lowest point in decades. Coalition War saw detonation of six null bombs (five Fialta Imperium of six launched, one unknown at Fialt), but without public intelligence on production in course of war, it is unclear whether stockpiles have actually diminished.
*"It's Death to be an Airman" Heaviest casualty rates of the war endured by amphibious units; Fialta navy displays "callous disregard" for life of amphibious crews, sacrificing swathes of fighters and bombers to sustain capital ship effectiveness. Aeldrum plays more conservatively with forces, but Aeldman amphibious units bear by far the greatest brunt of deaths.
*"The Class of ‘47" Aeldman, Fialta navies deployed large proportions of untested recruits; while green units bore disproportionate casualties to established elite forces, Battle of Semal-Marivan and other engagements provided military experience for hundreds of thousands of fresh sailors and officers to form next generation of great power navies. Shantine forces at Zanevuela, in contrast, tended to be professionalized and experienced.
*"Horror at Summit" At reception after signing Treaty of Tar'Thalran, terror attack slays Serene Doge of Aeldrum, Grand Master Halifax Novascotia of Knights of Adarnum, two Thalranese lords. 
**"Radical Thalranese" Terror attack was carried out by Thalranese nationalist, belonging to terror cell calling itself "Fialta Unbowed". Bomber evaded security measures by concealing explosives inside body; artificial stomach cavity and biological detonation mechanisms suspected.
**"Strict Condemnation" Thalranese Prince Karenus issues condolences and disavows violence at Tar'Thalran summit, shifts blame to inflammatory Gunnot, "he wanted Aeldrum to restore his cowardly rule, and when they refused, he responded like all failures, by punishing others for his inadequacy." Gunnot branded outlaw by Thalranese state, remaining assets in-country expropriated.
*"Showdown" After branding as outlaw, Gunnot demands duel with Karenus; after initial refusal from Karenus, Gunnot threatens that Sword of Dres'Fialt will be forever lost if his demands not satisfied. Karenus consents; ensuing showdown sees Karenus and Gunnot slain.
**"The True Victor" Former Thalranese priestess retainer to Gunnot summons angelic intervention to confirm that Gunnot won duel before being gunned down by Karenus's guards.
**"A Traitor and a Weasel" Thalranese state alleges that Gunnot cheated in duel, killing Karenus while his back was turned and forfeiting protections of honorable combat, leading guards to slay him.
Culture and General Interest:
*"Diversity in Defense of Empire" FialtNet disseminates images of non-Fialta subjects and non-Kirvan Fialta rallying in defense of Fialta Imperium, emphasizing cosmopolitan rule under a benevolent state.
*"NOT GOOD ENOUGH" Kirvans Go on Strike in Metropolitan Alusia to protest Alusian cessation of military activities, Demanding War of Immediate Emancipation, End of Fialta Tyranny.
**"The Century of Fialta Impunity is Over!" demonstrators rally to revanchist cries, citing history of Fialta Imperial aggression.
**"We Will Not Be Replaced" Mass refugee program sees Alusia set to accept tens of millions of possible refugees from Shantine-threatened Imperial territories. With largely non-Kirvan refugees steering toward Ahlam, metropolitan Alusian Kirvans sound alarm at cultural and religious dilution.
*"Falling Stock" While public attitudes among Kirvans toward Knights of Adarnum remain highly positive, Alusian civil servants and Aeldman politicians express frustration, anger toward alleged KoA abuses in War.
*"Kirvan liberation war" Patriarch Jan doubles down on emancipation as essential goal of war, cites continued suffering of the enslaved. Jan emphasizes that peaceful Kirvans should find other ways to contribute to war.
**"A Moral Reminder When Our Leaders and Neighbors are Complacent" Portions of lay Kirvan populations outside Bishant flock to Jan as moral exemplar, sometimes in preference to local Kirvan bishops or patriarchs.
**"Unwelcome and Divisive" Aeldman pacifist groups criticize Jan for placing"foreign moral obsessions" on Aeldman backs.
*"Is this War Worth These Allies?" Millions of Aeldmen protest war, citing disgust at Shantine war crimes, lack of Aeldman material gain. 
**"All Over the Ethernet" Ethernet cafes become epicenters for dissemination of news on atrocities committed in Shantine occupied zone, burgeoning criticism spills into public spheres. "Legion of K" implicated in multiple leaks of photographic evidence.
**"What do we get for it?" Aeldman militarism is connected by politicians to distorted and uneven economic growth.
**"Difference of Opinion" Protests and Counter-Protests on Aeldrum Turn into Riots as Pro-Shantine Demonstrators Brawl with Pacifist Groups
***"With us Or Against Us" Motorcade of Patriarch of Aeldrum Firebombed by Kirvan radicals disattisfied with his lukewarm attitude toward war
**"What Did We Win?" After war, Aeldman enthusiasm for victory is dimmed by lack of tangible changes in Aeldman quality of life. "We're short a Pyramid, and so are They – we could have stayed equal and kept nigh a million lives if we'd quit while we were ahead."
*"Not Aeldmen but Alldmen" Serene Doge Bareth makes pitch for a cosmic-facing national orientation, moral imperatives to be achieved by Coalition War, in polarizing speech. 
**"I was an Emancipator Personally" Bareth invokes Aeldman abolition, to support from constituents, derision from opponents
**"Aeldrum is not Exportable" Intellectuals and politicians on Aeldrum, core worlds resist calls for universalism, pan Bareth for "degradation of Aeldman identity"
**"Fault Lines" Pacifist branch of Aeldman Conservative Caucus, including strong showing of Colonial MPs, rebukes Serene Doge for "spending Aeldman lives on foreign problems and moral adventurism"
*"Yowl" Weeks after conclusion of war, "War Poetry" gains popularity in Aeldrum, Bishant, with very different themes. Voices such as Aldan Ginsbeth decry madness and futility of Aeldman participation, while Rudlard Keplinus praises moral necessities of war.
*"They Took my Hovercar and Made it a Weapon! They even changed the name!" Saldanese Scientist pens tell-all criticism of Saldan-Aeldrum contract to weaponize "ethercar" innovations in vehicle levitation.
*"Clash of Manners" Some Shantine Farmers Leave Tenancy Altogether, Seek New Lives in Imperial Capital, Bringing Rural ideas, Sometimes Shocking Urban Hosts.
*"Where Do They Get This Music" Innovation in fast disc-transcription allow portable and rapidly transmissible audio, spurring unprecedent dissemination and remixing of Shantine, Aeldman, Sermayan, Saldanese music in uncensored ethernet ecosystems.
*"A New Day for Radio Fialt" Radio Fialt introduces a new type of content, the ethercast, a long-form audio format. Top hits include its newscasts ("Planet Econ", "The Quotidian", the "Joseph Regan Experience"), cultural shows ("This Fialtan Life", "My Dad Was a Porno"), and assorted non-fiction ethercasts ("Cereal", "Welcome to Nolothville", "99% Othal").