The Macabees
31-08-2005, 21:29
[The Rise of Norway]
It had been only two years and eight months since Norway had again become it's own sovereign European country. Through those two years and some months the new king, old Prince of Denmark, Haakon VII, had taken Norway through leaps and bounds, making it one of the most successful Scandinavian countries in terms of ecnomic prowess. However, it was in the Norwegian history to emerge as an economic power, and it was one of the major reasons that Norway secceeded from Sweden. Sweden, historically, had been very inverted, and little interested in mercantilism outside of Europe, however, Norway was interested in a global market, and consequently, they had formed their own kingdom, their own laws, in order to ensure this market for themselves, especially in the face of Sweden's recent introverted decisions regarding trade and such.
However, there was a certain Norwegian attitude that made the seccession from Sweden something larger than it really was. Norway had always been a territory, since the union with Denmark. Indeed, when Denmark allied with France during the Napoleonic Wars, and then was consequently defeated by the coalition of Britain and Russia, Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden, finishing off the Treaty of Kiel (1814). Nonetheless, Norway resisted and declared immediate independence, forcing Sweden to wage a short, but moralistically devastating war with Norway, forcing Norway into a union with Sweden, who's ground rules were set in the Convention of Moss. Regardless, Norway never considered itself a part of Sweden, instead it was always considered as a territory.
Consequently, the indepedence of Norway in 1905 left Haakon VII with Norway, fully indepedent, and in the midst of a European war, in which he had no wishes to take part of. However, since Norway's indepedence, both Norway and Sweden had been effectively increasing the size of their militaries, although Sweden's military had always been much more effective and larger than that of Norway. All in all, the Norwegians could hope to scrap up about four proffessional divisions, giving them a frontline strength of some twenty-eight thousand soldiers, mostly armed with older rifles, and obsolete uniforms. Regardless, at least it was an army to defend Norway with.
Whatever the past was, however, it was the past, and Haakon VII was ready to make Norway an economic power, if he couldn't make it a military power at the same time. Norway was nowhere near its zenith, however, it would come pretty damn close in the coming years.
June 7th, 1908
It had been two years exactly since the Storting had declared Norway an independent kingdom, although that year, 1905, there was still many months of heated dicussion, which was close to becoming an extremely heated war. Now, two years later, the Storting had power over Haakon VII in the new constitutional monarchy, however, strong ideologies still persisted within Norway, although perhaps they weren't as militaristic as other nations.
Nonetheless, there were still those who saw Denmark as property of Norway, and those who wanted retribution from Sweden. Haakon VII was not an idiot, however, and he immediately set out on a diplomatic quest to formally weave Norway as a diplomatic nation within the textures of the world. He also knew that Norway, more than a strong land army, would need a strong navy, and although he knew he wouldn't be able to match the British or the Germans for dozens of years, he would work towards matching the smallers of Europe, so that Norway could at least defend itself successfully.
Haakon VII sat in the center of a multitude of represtatives within the Storting, and he tapped his fingers on the chair's arm beside him. The lead right wing representative continued to pound his point away, although not many were listening,"We must ally ourselves with those who are strongest, the Germans, and the powers of central Europe. Only then will Norway become a true power within this world. The truth of the matter is that since our independence from Sweden Norway has made little progress, and our military continues to be one of the smallest in Europe, perhaps a bit larger than the Dutch military and the Danish military. We must make sure that Norway can protect itself from those who wish to do it harm!"
He sat down finally and Haakon looked at him, and then rose to argue against the other man. He cleared his throat and began to evolve his thoughts as a king,"Ladies and gentlemen, Norway cannot polarize itself from half the world. We must attempt to stay neutral at all costs. Norway's power is the sea, and it must remain that way. If we continue to sell our petroleum, our woods, and all the other natural and finished goods we produce Norway will be able to rise one day. Again, may I repeat this as many times as necessary, a country cannot become strong within three years, it takes dozens of years to become a power. Dozens of wars must be thought, dozens of hundreds of lives must be lost, and frankly, Norway is not prepared to take that step, nor am I."
The building of the Storting resounded in applauses and Haakon nodded and then sat back down. The other man sat quietly as he had no support, and he refused to stand back up. Haakon smiled. Although the Storting was to act independently according to the Norwegian Constitution, Haakon had so much support within the Storting that most of his arguments were backed to the point. Of course, it was better this way, since Haakon thought he knew the best of all what was good for Norway.
Already, Haakon, unknowingly to that right-winger in the Storting, had ordered for the expansion of the Norwegian Royal Army from four rifle divisions to a full six rifle divisions, offering Norway a projected forty-two thousand front line men, as opposed to the original twenty-eight thousand. Although still not equal to the estimated seventy thousand of Sweden, it wasn't thought that Sweden would risk a war with Norway anyhow - not because they wouldn't win, they had a very good chance of winning, but because it wouldn't be beneficial in any way. In any case, the Norwegian Royal Army was just a secondary fixation. The arm that would recieve the most food was the Norwegian Royal Navy, which would be expanded from their current numbers, which were rather large for a Scandinavian country, to a vast fleet making Norway one of the few rulers of the seas.
The Norwegian Royal Navy was composed of four dreadnoughts, both constructed in 1897, named the Tordenskjold, the Harald Haarfagre, the HNoMS Eidsvold, and the HNoMS Norge, as well as twenty-seven Lyn class torpedo boats and two frigates, the Oslo and Stavanger.
It would take much time, but Haakor VII was prepared to make Norway a leading power in the North. Maybe not compared to Russia, Germany and Great Britain, but compared to the nations which immediately threatened her, she would be.
It had been only two years and eight months since Norway had again become it's own sovereign European country. Through those two years and some months the new king, old Prince of Denmark, Haakon VII, had taken Norway through leaps and bounds, making it one of the most successful Scandinavian countries in terms of ecnomic prowess. However, it was in the Norwegian history to emerge as an economic power, and it was one of the major reasons that Norway secceeded from Sweden. Sweden, historically, had been very inverted, and little interested in mercantilism outside of Europe, however, Norway was interested in a global market, and consequently, they had formed their own kingdom, their own laws, in order to ensure this market for themselves, especially in the face of Sweden's recent introverted decisions regarding trade and such.
However, there was a certain Norwegian attitude that made the seccession from Sweden something larger than it really was. Norway had always been a territory, since the union with Denmark. Indeed, when Denmark allied with France during the Napoleonic Wars, and then was consequently defeated by the coalition of Britain and Russia, Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden, finishing off the Treaty of Kiel (1814). Nonetheless, Norway resisted and declared immediate independence, forcing Sweden to wage a short, but moralistically devastating war with Norway, forcing Norway into a union with Sweden, who's ground rules were set in the Convention of Moss. Regardless, Norway never considered itself a part of Sweden, instead it was always considered as a territory.
Consequently, the indepedence of Norway in 1905 left Haakon VII with Norway, fully indepedent, and in the midst of a European war, in which he had no wishes to take part of. However, since Norway's indepedence, both Norway and Sweden had been effectively increasing the size of their militaries, although Sweden's military had always been much more effective and larger than that of Norway. All in all, the Norwegians could hope to scrap up about four proffessional divisions, giving them a frontline strength of some twenty-eight thousand soldiers, mostly armed with older rifles, and obsolete uniforms. Regardless, at least it was an army to defend Norway with.
Whatever the past was, however, it was the past, and Haakon VII was ready to make Norway an economic power, if he couldn't make it a military power at the same time. Norway was nowhere near its zenith, however, it would come pretty damn close in the coming years.
June 7th, 1908
It had been two years exactly since the Storting had declared Norway an independent kingdom, although that year, 1905, there was still many months of heated dicussion, which was close to becoming an extremely heated war. Now, two years later, the Storting had power over Haakon VII in the new constitutional monarchy, however, strong ideologies still persisted within Norway, although perhaps they weren't as militaristic as other nations.
Nonetheless, there were still those who saw Denmark as property of Norway, and those who wanted retribution from Sweden. Haakon VII was not an idiot, however, and he immediately set out on a diplomatic quest to formally weave Norway as a diplomatic nation within the textures of the world. He also knew that Norway, more than a strong land army, would need a strong navy, and although he knew he wouldn't be able to match the British or the Germans for dozens of years, he would work towards matching the smallers of Europe, so that Norway could at least defend itself successfully.
Haakon VII sat in the center of a multitude of represtatives within the Storting, and he tapped his fingers on the chair's arm beside him. The lead right wing representative continued to pound his point away, although not many were listening,"We must ally ourselves with those who are strongest, the Germans, and the powers of central Europe. Only then will Norway become a true power within this world. The truth of the matter is that since our independence from Sweden Norway has made little progress, and our military continues to be one of the smallest in Europe, perhaps a bit larger than the Dutch military and the Danish military. We must make sure that Norway can protect itself from those who wish to do it harm!"
He sat down finally and Haakon looked at him, and then rose to argue against the other man. He cleared his throat and began to evolve his thoughts as a king,"Ladies and gentlemen, Norway cannot polarize itself from half the world. We must attempt to stay neutral at all costs. Norway's power is the sea, and it must remain that way. If we continue to sell our petroleum, our woods, and all the other natural and finished goods we produce Norway will be able to rise one day. Again, may I repeat this as many times as necessary, a country cannot become strong within three years, it takes dozens of years to become a power. Dozens of wars must be thought, dozens of hundreds of lives must be lost, and frankly, Norway is not prepared to take that step, nor am I."
The building of the Storting resounded in applauses and Haakon nodded and then sat back down. The other man sat quietly as he had no support, and he refused to stand back up. Haakon smiled. Although the Storting was to act independently according to the Norwegian Constitution, Haakon had so much support within the Storting that most of his arguments were backed to the point. Of course, it was better this way, since Haakon thought he knew the best of all what was good for Norway.
Already, Haakon, unknowingly to that right-winger in the Storting, had ordered for the expansion of the Norwegian Royal Army from four rifle divisions to a full six rifle divisions, offering Norway a projected forty-two thousand front line men, as opposed to the original twenty-eight thousand. Although still not equal to the estimated seventy thousand of Sweden, it wasn't thought that Sweden would risk a war with Norway anyhow - not because they wouldn't win, they had a very good chance of winning, but because it wouldn't be beneficial in any way. In any case, the Norwegian Royal Army was just a secondary fixation. The arm that would recieve the most food was the Norwegian Royal Navy, which would be expanded from their current numbers, which were rather large for a Scandinavian country, to a vast fleet making Norway one of the few rulers of the seas.
The Norwegian Royal Navy was composed of four dreadnoughts, both constructed in 1897, named the Tordenskjold, the Harald Haarfagre, the HNoMS Eidsvold, and the HNoMS Norge, as well as twenty-seven Lyn class torpedo boats and two frigates, the Oslo and Stavanger.
It would take much time, but Haakor VII was prepared to make Norway a leading power in the North. Maybe not compared to Russia, Germany and Great Britain, but compared to the nations which immediately threatened her, she would be.