Fall Of Giants

Fitz hosts a dinner party at Ty Gwyn with powerful politicians and lords who also despise and fear the Bolshevik regime. Fitz is angry about his son’s lost inheritance in Russia and also fears revolutionary ideas spreading to Britain. Winston Churchill, a political guest, tells Fitz there is a British squadron off the Russian coast. He suggests there could be a military force built up to support counterrevolutionary forces in Russia. Churchill tells Fitz he can become involved by speaking to C (Fitz’s contact in the British secret service). When Fitz meets with C, he tells Fitz that Britain plans to unofficially support Cossack leader Captain Semyonov.

Bea thinks she’s sick, but she is in fact further along in her pregnancy than she knew. She gives birth to a son: Andrew.

Gus finds officer training challenging. He is posted to France and becomes a liaison at a training camp. Gus is a strong believer in President Wilson’s hopes for a new world order, including a League of Nations to safeguard countries’ integrity and freedom. Wilson spells out 14 points, or principles, which he hopes all of the world powers will ratify to prevent further wars.

Walter is jubilant at the success of the German offensive; Germany is gaining territory quickly through the storm trooper strategy. The main delay is moving German soldiers along when they come across British supplies—the starving men insist on stopping and eating.

Gus’s division is called to defend the Allied position at the French town of Chateau Thierry and to stop Germany’s progress across the river Marne. Gus’s friend Chuck is killed by a German shell in the first moments of fighting. Gus takes charge of both platoons. Machine guns and mortars are set up to defend the town as Germans continue to shell and gas the Allied position.

Walter is dismayed at the heavy casualties among his German division. He was expecting a demoralized French force but realizes with dread that the Americans have arrived at the front. The town continues to be destroyed and casualties mount on both sides. Walter is hit by an American bullet, which breaks his shin bone. He learns in an army hospital that Germany was forced to retreat at the river Marne and that more Americans have arrived in France. With devastation, Walter understands the spring offensive failed for Germany. The kaiser returns to Berlin, and the celebrated General Ludendorff calls for an armistice.

Maud has lunch with her friend Johnny Remarc, a junior minister at the War Office. He assures Maud that everyone thinks Germany must surely surrender soon. The German chancellor writes to Wilson suggesting an armistice based on Wilson’s 14 points. Britain is angry at being treated as the lesser party among the Allies. Furthermore, Britain does not support point five on colonial people’s rights or point two, which stipulates freedom of the seas (thereby diminishing naval power).

Fitz in Siberia finds that the Cossack leader Semyonov is disappointingly disorganized. The Aberowen Pals are surprised to find themselves transported to Siberia. Fitz addresses them and explains that they are there to defend ammunition once supplied by Britain (when Russia was opposing Germany) and to stop Austrian and German soldiers returning home. Fitz also says that the Pals are there to assist Czech soldiers escaping Russia and to defend Siberian oil from Germany. Billy, correctly deducing that these reasons do not justify their presence, loudly asks whether they are in fact there to defeat the Bolsheviks. There is a murmur of anger from the crowd of soldiers, who are mostly sympathetic to the Bolshevik cause. Billy also asks whether the mission has been approved by British Parliament. Fitz furiously tells Billy and the men that their mission was instead approved by the War Office. Billy points out that the mission is illegal if not approved by British or Russian people or their leaders. Billy sends coded letters to Ethel explaining that they’re in Russia on a secret mission against the Bolsheviks.

Lev, now an American officer, is also in Siberia. He sells scotch stolen from American supplies to Cossack soldiers until he is ordered on a mission to Omsk in central Russia to work as a translator between British and Russian troops.

In London, Bernie and Ethel attend a Labour Union meeting. A member proposes that Ethel should run for local MP; the legislation is being changed and women will likely soon be allowed to run. Ethel knows this is Bernie’s dream, but she also knows Bernie is an intellectual and an organizer rather than a charismatic speaker. She says she will consider it, and Bernie is hurt and angry.

The Aberowen Pals travel on a train to Omsk with Russian and Canadian soldiers through miles of picturesque Siberian landscape. The town is the gathering point for the anti-Bolshevik movement, including the remainder of the Russian Provisional Government. The tsar has been killed. Fitz is disheartened by the “rabble” of the Russian anti-Bolshevik force gathered to face the red army and led by the aristocratic General Boldyrev (858).

In Europe, Gus is in the midst of a battle when the fighting suddenly stops, and cheering can be heard (including from German soldiers): Armistice has been declared and the war in Europe is over.

In London, Church bells ring to signify the end of the war. Mildred and Ethel go into the city to join in the celebrations for the end of the war. Bernie and Ethel’s argument over who will run as MP for Aldgate is settled when Ethel discovers she is pregnant; she doesn’t feel she can balance having a newborn with this challenging job. She is frustrated and disappointed.

In Germany, the kaiser abdicates. Workers wave red flags and form soviets in imitation of Russia’s revolutionaries. The population is grief-stricken and angry; a right-wing newspaper suggests Germany lost the war due to the pernicious influence of Jews and socialists. Otto agrees, but Walter thinks these ideas are dangerous. Walter explains that Ludendorff surrendered because Germany was overwhelmed. He thinks that Germans must accept and understand their defeat to learn from their mistakes.

Lloyd George, the British Prime Minister, calls an election. The Liberal Party (which George used to be a part of) withdraws from the Conservative/Liberal coalition formed during the war and campaigns against George. Bernie (a prospective MP representing the Labour Party) holds a speech at the election meeting in Aldgate. Angry people from the crowd yell at Bernie about the need to punish Germany: “make the hun pay” (875). Bernie is evasive on this issue since he believes there are more important issues to discuss in post-war England. Meanwhile, Maud writes to Walter, desperately hoping he’s alive.

Wilson arrives in France to a hero's welcome. He declares that “at Chateau-Thierry we saved the world” (878). French men, women, and children cheer for Wilson, and line up in thousands to take off their hats respectfully as Wilson’s train passes through towns and villages. Wilson hopes to establish a peace treaty based on his 14 points and to institute his League of Nations. Gus accompanies Wilson on his French trip. Rosa Hellman is also in Paris as part of the American press covering the event. She points out that Wilson has lost the support of much of congress and the people of America; his choice to racially segregate his Washington office was controversial as was his Espionage Act, which allowed him to jail enemies. Furthermore, Americans are sick of wartime rationing.

Bernie loses the Aldgate election. Lloyd George is re-elected. Billy writes to Ethel about the British and American armies posted in Russia to support the anti-Bolshevik movement. Ethel angrily starts a “Hands off Russia” campaign to draw public attention to Britain’s unlawful actions. She writes an article with the information provided by Billy in the Daily Mail.

Maud travels to Paris. Signs of the war are everywhere: much of Paris is in ruin, and crippled soldiers beg on the streets. The defeated countries are not invited to the peace conference. Maud learns that Germany will likely only be able to pay one-tenth (two billion marks) of what will be requested in post-war reparations. Even this amount would likely economically cripple the country.

The French suggest the League of Nations should have its own army of soldiers for all involved countries, but Wilson knows American voters would not want American soldiers mobilized in a foreign force. This disagreement slows the process of creating a first draft of the peace treaty as does the Japanese delegate’s suggestion that there should be a clause about racial equality.

Rosa and Gus continue to spend time together in Paris. Gus tells Rosa he is in love with her.

Grigori suggests the Bolsheviks should publicize the fact that the anti-Bolshevik forces intend to return land to traditional aristocratic owners to gather support. An aide interrupts the meeting to say a captured American officer claims to be Grigori’s brother. Grigori goes to see the man, who is indeed Lev. The brothers kiss and embrace and tell each other about their lives. Lev’s illegal sale of American whiskey to Cossack forces finally allowed Lev to raise the money to help Grigori and his family get to America. Grigori wants to stay in Russia. They bid each other farewell, and Grigori has Lev returned to the White Army.

Twenty-two provinces send detachments of the Red Army to suppress the counterrevolutionary “whites,” including Fitz’s force. The anti-Bolshevik forces are forced into retreat, and Fitz concludes with disappointment that the Russian civil war is over.

Fitz wonders angrily how British newspapers know of the army’s actions in Russia. He correctly suspects Billy and instructs all the soldiers’ mail bound for Britain to be brought to him. He cracks Billy and Ethel’s childhood code, and Billy is court-martialed for revealing military secrets. At his trial, which he condemns as a “kangaroo court” and a sham, Billy defends himself by stating his letter was illegally acquired by Fitz (908). Billy objects to not having a lawyer present and claims that Fitz has a grudge against Billy and his family. Furthermore, Billy objects to being used as the private army of a “little conspiracy of right-wing generals and politicians” (910). He is sentenced to 10 years of penal servitude for his crime.

Walter and Otto travel to Paris as part of the German delegation to witness and sign the finalized peace treaty. The terms of the peace treaty stipulate that Germany loses all of its colonies, and Germany itself is reduced in size. Reparations of an unspecified amount must be repaid. Furthermore, Germany must sign a “guilt clause,” accepting full responsibility for the war and for all loss and damage. Twelve Americans resign in protest of the terms, believing that world peace should be prioritized over revenge on Germany. The entire German cabinet resigns rather than signing the treaty. Finally, Germany agrees to sign everything but the guilt clause, but with the British blockade on Germany’s ports and German citizens facing starvation, they eventually must relent on this point as well.

Walter, reflecting miserably on the harsh terms of the treaty, goes for a walk and is shocked to run into Maud. They embrace joyfully. They announce their marriage in the Tatler magazine accompanied by a photoshoot. Maud hopes the announcement will be a powerful symbol for post-war peace, but at the Opera in London she is hissed and jeered at. Maud meets with Walter again in Paris and returns to Germany with him.

Rosa professes her love to Gus, and they decide to get married.

Gus brings Rosa home to Buffalo to see his ancestral home and meet his parents. She is courteous and complimentary to Gus’s mother and makes a good impression. Gus and Rosa get engaged.

The League of Nations, which Wilson managed to convince the world powers about, needs the support of two-thirds of the American senate. Many Americans are skeptical of America becoming the “world’s policeman” and don’t want American men dying in foreign wars (935). Wilson travels around America, planning on making 50 speeches in four weeks to convince the country of the importance of the League. Wilson completes part of the tour, but his health deteriorates, and he must call the remainder off. Gus feels gloomy about the chances of the bill passing the senate.

Lev is back in Buffalo managing three nightclubs for Vyalov. Prohibition becomes law in the United States, which damages Vyalov’s business immensely. Lev installs Marga in an apartment and visits her frequently. She has given birth to Lev's son, Gregory. When Olga finds out from a friend that Marga has given birth to Lev’s son, she is furious and angry. Josef is also furious and punches Lev. Lev fights back, punching his father-in-law repeatedly. Suddenly, Josef falls to the ground, and Lev realizes he has died. Lev worries he will be wanted for murder and escapes to Canada. He finds a cheap hotel to spend the night. Lev notices how cheap Canadian Club whiskey is. He buys the whiskey in bulk, returns to Buffalo, and convinces Olga to tell the police that Vyalov clearly died of a heart attack rather than of Lev’s attack. He plans to resuscitate Vyalov’s failing businesses. Olga reluctantly agrees to save herself and Daisy from penury.

Fitz is outraged that a Russian trade delegation is welcomed by Lloyd George. Lloyd George explains that the country is in a dire financial position and cannot afford to be turning down Russian money for British products. Meanwhile, dockers in London go on strike rather than load ammunition to be used by Poland against the Red Army.

Billy is serving his 10-year sentence in a military detention barracks outside London. One day, he looks in the newspaper and sees a photo of himself accompanied by an article claiming that “his crime was to tell the truth” and that he was victimized by powerful men (959). Ethel continues to publicize the case and lobbies the House of Commons for sentences to be reduced for those who committed war crimes in Russia. He is released and marries Mildred. They return to Aberowen. Billy begins working in the coal mine again and plans to stand to represent Aberowen in the upcoming election (voting legislation now allows Billy to vote and to stand for Parliament).

In Russia, Grigori is living with his family in a comfortable apartment. He and fellow members of the inner party often attend the opera and eat at fancy restaurants. He is referred to as “excellency,” and is mildly uncomfortable to notice waiters clicking their heels at him like they used to do for the aristocracy. Magda, an old friend, comes to visit Grigori begging for his help. Her husband Konstantin has been arrested as a counterrevolutionary. Grigori rushes to the prison to advocate for Konstantin. He finds out Konstantin’s alleged crime was to attend a meeting of the Mensheviks. He saves Konstantin, but a group of other men are assassinated. Grigori watches the men die under the red flag of the Bolshevik Party and feels devastated and disillusioned.

Maud and Walter, who live in a small apartment in Berlin with their children Eric (3) and Heike (2), host a small birthday party for Walter’s cousin Robert. Maud had to learn to cook and clean because they do not have enough money for servants. Otto’s family fortune was reduced to nothing with inflation, and the family lost their country property to the new Polish border.

At Robert’s party, the family discusses the revolution based out of Bavarian beer halls. Storm troopers in brown shirts seized control, and the legitimate government needed to quash the revolution. Around the country, people are angry with inflation and with food shortages. Otto is sympathetic to the right-wing revolutionaries led by Adolf Hitler, saying Germany is being “subverted by Bolsheviks and Jews” (975). Robert agrees, saying their current democracy is ineffective and weak. Walter is angry with their comments; He feels Germany needs to support their democracy. Maud leaves the party to work a shift at a local nightclub, where she plays the piano. She is thrilled to receive an American dollar, which is worth a trillion marks. She leaves work to line up for a loaf of bread, which costs 127 billion marks.

Fitz, campaigning in support of Perceval Jones, addresses a crowd at Aberowen before the general election. Perceval Jones, a member of the Conservative Party, is competing against Billy, who is with the Labour Party, to become member of Parliament for Aberowen. In his address, Fitz insults Billy for being disloyal—a reference to Billy being imprisoned for betraying British military secrets.

Billy speaks next. He graciously refuses to insult Fitz or Jones. He refers to the ineptitude of the aristocratic officers during the Great War and suggests to his fellow workers that Fitz and Jones were part of the past, and that the working class is the future. Billy wins in Aberowen, and Ethel wins in Aldgate. Britain has its first ever Labour government, headed by Prime Minister Ramsay McDonald.

In Parliament, where she works as an MP, Ethel and her son Lloyd run into Fitz and his oldest son, Boy. Ethel introduces Fitz to Lloyd (his son) and then defiantly waits for Fitz to step aside so she and Lloyd can pass.