Cauldron (novel)
Encyclopedia
Cauldron is a novel by Larry Bond
that centers on a European financial crisis
that leads to a military confrontation between the United States
and France
. The instrument of French imperialism in this novel is a transnational organization
known as the European Confederation (EurCon). EurCon is dominated by France
and Germany
and bears a disturbing resemblance to the European Union
. The story is set in 1998 and includes a role for post-Soviet
Russia
.
As an economic downturn grips Europe
, France
and Germany
use their industrial might to dominate the former Warsaw Pact
nations. They establish company factories, and buy out the government. However, the Eastern Europe
ans grow restless under French oppression. Led by Poland
, the Czech Republic
, and Slovakia
, they confront EuroCon. The French are outraged and buy out the Russia
ns, ending the fuel shipments to Poland
. Disturbed by the bullying, America
steps in with fuel shipments to Poland. The French
confound this effort by sabotaging a fuel ship.
Unfortunately for the French, the Poles remain defiant and the Hungarian
s rebel. Hoping to stomp out the Hungarians, the French invade, but are slowed by fierce Hungarian defenders. The French and Germans decide to invade Poland
, hoping to make an example of them. The Poles fight back, and with U.S. and UK
reinforcement
s, the Poles push back the Germans. France later reaches a treaty with Russian military leaders who have put the country's pro-West President under house arrest, agreeing to look the other way as Russia reconstituted the Soviet Union if it first joined forces with them in crushing opposition to EurCon. The CIA figures out the plot, makes contact with Russian officers who are against the coup leaders, and kills the treaty negotiators. When the treaty information comes about, the Russian President tells France Russia will not be helping them, Germany turns against France because of the traitorous plans with Russia, and the rest of EurCon quickly joins them. The supine German Chancellor is forced to resign, while the leader of France's intelligence service commits suicide. Europe begins to rebuild after the conflict ends.
Larry Bond
Larry Bond is an American writer and wargame designer. He is the designer of the Harpoon and Command at Sea gaming systems and several supplements for the games. His numerous novels include Dangerous Ground, Day of Wrath, The Enemy Within, Cauldron, Vortex and Red Phoenix...
that centers on a European financial crisis
Financial crisis
The term financial crisis is applied broadly to a variety of situations in which some financial institutions or assets suddenly lose a large part of their value. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many financial crises were associated with banking panics, and many recessions coincided with these...
that leads to a military confrontation between the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The instrument of French imperialism in this novel is a transnational organization
Transnationalism
Transnationalism is a social movement and scholarly research agenda grown out of the heightened interconnectivity between people and the receding economic and social significance of boundaries among nation states....
known as the European Confederation (EurCon). EurCon is dominated by France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and bears a disturbing resemblance to the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. The story is set in 1998 and includes a role for post-Soviet
History of post-Soviet Russia
With the dissolution of the Soviet Union on 29 May 1991, the Russian Federation became an independent country.Russia was the largest of the fifteen republics that made up the Soviet Union, accounting for over 60% of the gross domestic product and over 50% of the Soviet population. Russians also...
Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
As an economic downturn grips Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
use their industrial might to dominate the former Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
nations. They establish company factories, and buy out the government. However, the Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
ans grow restless under French oppression. Led by Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, and Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, they confront EuroCon. The French are outraged and buy out the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
ns, ending the fuel shipments to Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. Disturbed by the bullying, America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
steps in with fuel shipments to Poland. The French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
confound this effort by sabotaging a fuel ship.
Unfortunately for the French, the Poles remain defiant and the Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
s rebel. Hoping to stomp out the Hungarians, the French invade, but are slowed by fierce Hungarian defenders. The French and Germans decide to invade Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, hoping to make an example of them. The Poles fight back, and with U.S. and UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
reinforcement
Reinforcement
Reinforcement is a term in operant conditioning and behavior analysis for the process of increasing the rate or probability of a behavior in the form of a "response" by the delivery or emergence of a stimulus Reinforcement is a term in operant conditioning and behavior analysis for the process of...
s, the Poles push back the Germans. France later reaches a treaty with Russian military leaders who have put the country's pro-West President under house arrest, agreeing to look the other way as Russia reconstituted the Soviet Union if it first joined forces with them in crushing opposition to EurCon. The CIA figures out the plot, makes contact with Russian officers who are against the coup leaders, and kills the treaty negotiators. When the treaty information comes about, the Russian President tells France Russia will not be helping them, Germany turns against France because of the traitorous plans with Russia, and the rest of EurCon quickly joins them. The supine German Chancellor is forced to resign, while the leader of France's intelligence service commits suicide. Europe begins to rebuild after the conflict ends.