Monday, November 5, 2007

Diplomatic Shock Rocks the Empire

November 5, 1757 - Vienna The citizens of the Empire were shocked today when they heard the news that Germania and The Imperium had reached a peace settlement today. Count von Kaunitz, the foreign minister of The Imperium and Count Doppleganger, his counterpart with the Germanian foreign ministry, issued a joint proclamation of an armistice between their respective countries. By the terms of the armistice, borders will revert to their status quo ante bellum. As a result, all Germanians armed forces will withdraw from Bohemia and return to Germania while Imperium troops attached to the Gallian and Saxon armies will retire to Imperium territory.

The armistace has no bearing on the current conflict between Germania and its allies from Hesse Seewald, Hanover, Hesse Kassel and Britannia versus the Gallian-Saxon league of allies. As a result, Friedrich II's Germanian army will continue to occupy Dresden as a negotiating tool to get the Gallians to reach an agreement to end their occupation of western Germany.

The Courts of Saxe-Raschstein and Versailles were understandably shocked at this sudden turn of events, and they elected to defer making public comment until they had time to assess the impact of this diplomatic revolution. The armistice will free up the Germanian armies to concentrate on the Gallian-Saxon armies that are currently operating in western Germany, although there is strong speculation that King Friedrich II would rather go into winter quarters and refit his army rather than campaign in western Germany against the Gallians.

Insiders to the Court in Vienna believe that the Empress Marie Therese was shocked at the severe losses that her army suffered at the Battle of Preiserstadt on October 13, 1757. The losses, combined with a depleted treasury, has put a severe strain on the Imperium economy and its abilty to bring its army up to a full war footing. The same insiders also indicate, off the record, that the armistice will buy time for the Empress to rebuild her armies and adequately defend her domains from future incursions from beligerent nations. We do not rule out the possibility that hostilities between the two nations could resume in the Spring of 1758, should conditions change.

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