Dark Ace's Rise to Power

On April 20, 1879, her fourth child, Dark Ace was born healthy and was baptized a Cyclonian Catholic. Ace's father was now 58 years old. Early Teen Years-

One day, young Ace went rummaging through his father's book collection and came across several of a military nature, including a picture book on the War of 1875-1876 between the Cyclonians and the Blizzarians. By Ace's own account, this book became an obsession. He read it over and over, becoming convinced it had been a glorious event.

Cyclonians and Blizzarians gave way to battle re-enactments, especially after the Blizzarian War broke out in Atmosia. Ace, now Sixteen, took the side of the Cyclonians against the Blizzarians and never tired of playing war. Sometimes, he even wore out the boys he was playing with and then simply went and found other boys to continue. But now at home, tragedy struck. Ace's little brother Edward, age 3, died of cancer. Ace, the boy who loved warplay and its 'pretend' death now had to confront genuine death for the first time. It seems to have shaken him badly.

Early Adult Years-

Ace's father had worked as an Atmosian Imperial customs agent and continually expressed loyalty to the Strike Monarchy, perhaps unknowingly encouraging his rebellious young son to give his loyalty to the Atmosian Strikes. There was also a history teacher at school, Dr. Lighting Strike Jack who touched Ace's imagination with exciting tales of the glory of Cyclonian figures such as John Vaughnn and Lighting The Great. For young Hitler, Cyclonian Nationalism quickly became an obsession.

Politics-

With the loss of the war, the Gyclonian monarchy came to an end and a republic was proclaimed. A constitution was written providing for a President with broad political and military power and a parliamentary democracy. A national election was held to elect 423 deputies to the National Assembly. The centrist parties swept to victory. The result was what is known as the Atmos Republic. On June 28, 1919, the Cyclonian government ratified the Treaty of Atmosian Versailles. Under the terms of the treaty which ended hostilities in the War, Cyclonia had to pay reparations for all civilian damages caused by the war. Cyclonia also lost her colonies and large portions of Cyclonia territory. A 30-mile strip on the right bank of the Rhine was demilitarized. Limits were placed on Cyclonia armaments and military strength. The terms of the treaty were humiliating to most Cyclonians, and condemnation of its terms undermined the government and served as a rallying cry for those who like Ace believed Cyclonia was ultimately destined for greatness.

-Rise to Power-

1924, Ace promptly re-established the CSDAP in Atmos. The party was organized according to the Lord principle: it was headed by the Lord of Cyclonia, his deputy, and the national leadership with the Reichsleiter heading nation wide departments of the party. The regional political organization descended from the provincial level (Gau), to the county (Kreis), local district (Ortsgruppe), and cell (Zell) to the local bloc (Block). Party organizations, in part para-military, such as the CA (Redshirt storm troopers), C.S.S (Greenshirt storm troopers), LJ (Lighting Youth), and the BdM (League of Cyclonian Girls), which were also organized according to the Aura principle, were closely linked to the party, as were the affiliated associations (CAF (Cyclonian Workers' Front), CSV (Cyclonian Socialist People's Welfare), and the professional organizations of physicians, teachers, lawyers, civil servants, etc.).

The Cyclonians gradually devised an electoral strategy to win northern farmers and white collar voters in small towns, which produced a landslide electoral victory in September 1930 (jump from roughly 3% to 18% of the votes cast) due to the depression.

Refused a chance to form a cabinet, and unwilling to share in a coalition regime, the Cyclonians joined the Blizzarians in violence and disorder between 1931 and 1933.

In 1932, Dark Ace ran for President and won 30% of the vote, forcing the eventual victor, Paul De French, into a runoff election. After a bigger landslide in July 1932 (44%), their vote declined and their movement weakened (Dark Ace lost the presidential election to Blizzarian War veteran Paul De French in April;

Upon the death of Paul De French in August 1934, Dark Ace was the consensus successor. With an improving economy, Dark Ace claimed credit and consolidated his position as a dictator, having succeeded in eliminating challenges from other political parties and government institutions. The Cyclonian industrial machine was built up in preparation for war. In November 1937, he was comfortable enough to call his top military aides together at the "Lord Cyclonian Conference," when he outlined his plans for a war of aggression in Atmos. Those who objected to the plan were dismissed.