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Message: <blockquote data-quote="mikelaff" data-source="post: 4331935" data-attributes="member: 39664">Q - so what is the US doing the great war? A - Well - we seized on the Zimmerman Telegram to create an interesting alternate take on history. Here's an excerpt from that section -  SECTION IV – THE MEXICAN INVASION (aka The Second Mexican-American War) 1917-1919The US attempted to remain neutral in the Great War, but economic and cultural ties to England and France – combined with Germany's use oif unrestricted submarine warfare combined to push them into the war. However –two weeks after Congress declared war on Germany; the surprise invasion of the American Southwest by Mexico preempted any active involvement by the US in the Great War.Real History: In January of 1917 the Foreign Secretary of the German Empire, Arthur Zimmermann, sent the German Ambassador to the US a telegram directing him to seek an alliance with Mexico. In return for Mexico invading the US, Germany would providen "generous financial support". The telegram was intercepted by British Intelligence and shared with the US government. This telegram was one of the chief reasons that the US entered WWI in April of 1917May 1915 – After the sinking of the RMS Lusitania, German mystics had foreseen American intervention in the Great War. To preempt this, agents of the Central Powers persuaded Mexican officials to ally with them and prepare for an invasion of the US, should that become necessary. This was a less then ideal proposition for Mexico as the nation had recently undergone a revolution and was still putting down a long-running magic-fueled insurgence led by a coalition of the Tzotzil and Tzeltal Mayan groups in the southern state of Chiapas. The degree to which enchantment played a role in the decision by Mexico to agree to Germany's terms is still debated by historians. There are persistent rumors that the Central Powers employed magical persuasion to convince Mexican President Francisco I. Madero to cooperate with them.August 1915 - German advisors arrived secretly in Mexico. They began organizing and training magical warfare.troops with the spells used by the Kaiser's Zaubereikorps. In addition, the Germans brought along the blueprints and engineering notes for the latest in German fighter planes – the Fokker E.I. Under the technical direction of German advisors, the Mexicans begin building their first warplanes and creating the first squadrons of the Mexican Air Force.Initially, it was a successful partnership. The spellbindings and training obtained from the German Zaubereikorps (Sorcery Corps) did make it possible for Madero to put down the Mayan revolt. The influx of cash from Germany made it possible for Madero to sustain his expensive land redistribution program that was very popular with low income farmers and peasants.July 1916 - The training and war preparations in Mexico went largely unnoticed in the United States. After arson led to the destruction of a munitions factory on Black Tom Island, New Jersey that was involved in selling war supplies to the Allies, American attention was focused intently on hunting for German agents on the East Coast. Although the US Army Signal Corps had an early reconnaissance squadron flying patrols along the Mexican border – they never ventured far south enough to note the activity in and around Mexico City – where the war preparations were under way.January 1917 – A massive explosion destroys a Canadian owned munitions factory in Kingsland, New Jersey (the modern-day Meadowlands). The factory takes four hours to stop burning and over 400,000 rounds of high explosive artillery rounds (destined for sale to England and France) exploded in a massive display that was visible from as far away as New York City. Investigators with the Bergen County, New Jersey Magic Crimes Unit arrest a German national, Charles Thummel, who had been working at the factory under the name of Charles Thorne. After searching his apartment and turning up several German spellbooks and magical items – they turned the case over to federal authorities. April 1917 – In response to the Kingsland attack, Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany. Congress passed a declaration of war on April 6, 1917. Mexico launched a surprise invasion of the US on April 20. The Native Confederation and New Orleans both declared neutrality and signed non-aggression pacts with Mexico. The Mexican strategy called for a two-pronged attack. One force would head up through West Texas and New Mexico and the other through California to Nevada and Utah. The two armies will move north, meeting up for a joint attack on Denver, Colorado. Despite engaging in extensive magical research during the previous decade, the US has been laggard in developing and integrating spell-fighting capability into its military. In addition, the US military had the bulk of its troops stationed east of the Mississippi. While reconnaissance patrols along the Mexican border provided a few hours of early warning –  the Americans are still routed badly. The US military presence in the American Southwest was small, poorly managed and logistically unprepared to defend the homeland from an organized enemy force coming from the south – especially one with a proficient spellcasting arm and an air force. The US Army didn't have a spell-fighting division – a few wizards with the Illusion spellbinding (obtained from British and Canadian allies during joint exercises in 1913) are embedded within various infantry units. There is no meaningful thought given to how to use magic in conjunction with infantry tactics the degree to which magic plays a part in battle plans differ widely from unit to unit.The Mexican Army – with its German trained combat wizards and squadrons of Fokker E.Is - steamrolled over the Southwestern US in the first few months. May 1917 - The western prong of the Mexican invasion forces met no significant resistance until they reached San Francisco. General Pershing – who had been hastily declared the Supreme leader of US Forces by President Wilson shortly after the invasion - had the presence of mind to scuttle the Southern Pacific Railroad's fleet of ferries – slowing down the Mexican forces as they had to take the several hundred mile long trek to circumnavigate San Francisco Bay.  This gave Pershing the time he needed to regroup the surviving units and  get well on his way to Utah - where he had heard the Mormons had their own spellcasting army that was fortifying the border town of St. George. When he received word that the Colorado National Guard had strange technologically advanced weapons built by Nikolai Tesla and were preparing to engage the Mexican forces in near Santa Fe in northern New Mexico - he sent a group of officers (including Captain George S. Patton) to provide leadership and advice on tactics and strategy---A: And here's a short bio on Pancho Villa in this setting:<img src="http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c382/mikelaff/pancho_villa.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /> Pancho Villa – Born Doroteo Arango Arámbula, Villa was a charismatic and popular figure in Mexico and is the unquestioned military and political leader of the northern province of Chihuahua. He was an ally of Madero during his revolt. He becomes the face of the revolutionary movement when a Mexico City newspaper photo of Villa with bandoliers of ammunition crossing his chest, leading a calvary charge against the forces of the dictator Díaz become the single most iconic image of the revolution. Villa and his calvary are pivotal in defeating Díaz and this earns him the nickname El Centauro del Norte (The Centaur of the North.) Initially a propopent of the invasion (as a way to regain honor and territory lost during the First Mexican-American War of 1846-48) and one of the lead generals in the invasion force (the Western Army was under Villa's command), the wars cost in troops and resources soured him. In 1918 Villa openly opposed the war and launched a revolt aimed at deposing President Madero (who Villa charged had been enchanted by German agents). Whether or not Villa truly believed Madero had been under the influence of German spellcasters is debatable. According to some historians, it’s equally likely that he grabbed a chance to end a costly war that was ruining his country and catapult himself to national leadership at the same time . The accusation that the President was under the influence of foreign mages provided him with a rationale for rebelling without seeming to betray his previous friendship with Madero and played on Mexican sensitivity to outside nation’s meddling in their affairs. Perahps in deference to their previous alliance, after seizing power, Villa did not execute Madero – but exiled him to Cuba for five years.</blockquote>

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