Lore

INTRODUCTION

In the year 1941, the Netherlands, under the leadership of Willem M., had grown into a major world power. The nation's influence was built upon centuries of exploration, maritime strength, and a strategic focus on maintaining a strong colonial presence. The Dutch established extensive trade networks across the globe, gaining control over key maritime routes and ensuring that their economic and political influence reached nearly every corner of the world. The VNH (Vereniging voor Nederlands Herstel), a political party leading the Netherlands, formed the backbone of Dutch expansionist policy, guiding the nation’s colonial ambitions and economic influence.

COLONIAL EXPANSION

The Netherlands, led by the VNH, has managed to retain and further expand its colonial trade empire, even as other colonial empires collapsed. This success can be attributed to the resilience of Dutch colonial policies, which emphasized economic integration, strategic alliances with local leaders, and a focus on long-term stability and prosperity. Dutch colonial administrators were adept at balancing local autonomy with centralized control, ensuring loyalty while minimizing unrest. This is reinforced by the establishment of the Crown Colony of New Holland in Oceania and the restoration of influence in South America, where the Crown Colony of Argentina has been established. The presence of the VNH is strong in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean, where the charters of the Dutch Antilles and the colonies of New Zealand and New Friesland ensure strategic control over important trade routes.

WAR AND ALLIANCES

In an effort to secure its interests and ensure further expansion, the Netherlands, led by Willem M. and represented by the VNH (Vereniging voor Nederlands Herstel), joined a new alliance known as the Germanic Pact, consisting of Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands, all of which embraced authoritarian nationalism as their guiding political philosophy, focusing on centralized power and strict control over their populations. The Germanic Pact was formed to unite nations with common Germanic heritage, shared goals of regional dominance, and a focus on authoritarian nationalism, emphasizing strong centralized power and national unity over individual freedoms. The separate existence of the Axis Pact allowed these non-Germanic nations to work in coordination without undermining the cultural focus of the Germanic Pact.

Italy, Spain, Japan and other Axis members, while not part of the Germanic Pact due to their non-Germanic heritage, formed a cooperative relationship with the Germanic Pact through the Axis Pact. The Axis Pact consisted of countries with similar military goals, aiming to challenge Allied powers without sharing the cultural or ethnic ties of the Germanic Pact. This arrangement allowed Axis members to coordinate with the Germanic Pact while maintaining their own political independence, facilitating shared military goals and joint strategic interests against common enemies.

During the ongoing war, the Netherlands made a significant trade agreement with Denmark, exchanging military and economic support for Denmark in return for  Greenland. This agreement not only expanded the territorial reach of the VNH but also provided strategic naval bases in the North Atlantic, which were crucial for controlling maritime traffic and securing supply lines between Europe and North America. Denmark has also been promised control over Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland once the war is over. These territories are strategically important as they would provide Denmark, and by extension the Germanic Pact, a foothold in the British Isles, which is crucial for weakening Allied influence in Northern Europe and securing maritime dominance. This promise was made to secure Denmark’s continued loyalty and to create a strategic advantage by expanding the influence of the Germanic Pact into the British Isles, effectively weakening the remaining influence of the Allied powers in Northern Europe. As a sign of mutual trust and cooperation within the Germanic Pact, Germany has granted a significant territory to the Netherlands: the region around Esslingen up to the Dutch border. This territory provides the Netherlands with strategic access to Germany, further strengthening the military alliance between the two nations.

The concept of the Enterprise, which emphasized trade over military conquest, proved effective in times of peace. However, the ongoing World War II continues to challenge this strategy, forcing the VNH to shift its focus from commerce to increased militarization and resource allocation for defense. The economic focus on growth has been increasingly overshadowed by the need to produce military equipment and fortify trade routes to withstand enemy attacks, especially impacting major colonial cities such as Batavia, Buenos Aires, and Sydney. The VNH has had to balance its commitment to economic growth with the increasing demands of wartime production and defense, which has led to significant changes in colonial life. Major cities such as Batavia, Buenos Aires, and Sydney have seen shifts in daily life, with factories repurposed for military needs, increased fortification of trade routes, and stricter governance to ensure resources are directed towards the war effort. Factories that once produced goods for international trade have been repurposed to supply military equipment, and trade routes have been heavily fortified to protect against enemy attacks. However, the VNH had a major strategic advantage thanks to its fleet, which was one of the most modern in the world and proved crucial in protecting trade routes and ensuring the supply of resources to Europe, especially in the ongoing fight against the British navy.

ECONOMIC RECIPROCITY

The cooperation between the different parts of the VNH was based on economic reciprocity: the colonies supplied the industrial centers in the Netherlands with raw materials, such as rubber, tin, and spices, which were essential for both civilian and military industries. In return, the colonies were provided with infrastructure improvements, such as roads, schools, and hospitals, as well as military protection to ensure their stability and continued prosperity. This reciprocal relationship was vital to maintaining the cohesion and strength of the empire during both times of peace and conflict. The new territories in Germany, with Esslingen as the central point, were also rapidly developed to further strengthen the VNH's trade and military infrastructure.

CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

This system led to unprecedented prosperity in cities such as Batavia, Buenos Aires, and Sydney, which grew into thriving centers of culture, commerce, and innovation within the VNH. Batavia, for example, became a bustling port city, attracting merchants, artisans, and scholars from across Asia and Europe. Buenos Aires developed into a major hub for agricultural exports, while Sydney became a focal point for trade and cultural exchange in the Pacific. These cities not only contributed economically but also fostered a rich cultural landscape, blending Dutch, local, and international influences.