Although you are right, it is too much to expect the reader to have the exact same library of knowledge that I have. But I didn't want to write 'just another Michael Bay film', full of action, fun, but not really much substance. Again I should have taken my own advice and probably expanded this into some form of novel, where the serious ideas of European Nationalism can be more thoroughly explored, and justice given to this subject. Perhaps I could also have tried harder to explore the varying types of nationalism within the EU4 timeframe, akin to your suggestion, although considering nationalism as a modern concept was still in its infancy I probably would have struggled to find a legitimate reason for a sudden display of pan-European patriotic fervour.

I hope by 'flabbergasted' you mean surprised or shocked, and not disgusted or offended! The alternate Europe of course is different from real Europe, and I was particularly careful to avoid mentioning any specific countries. If anyone should be offended by the conclusion it should be the (few) socially-aware Australians. As Australia is a country so far away from basically everything, we are shielded from many troubles that even developed parts of the world face, for example, tensions between migrants and locals in (real life) Europe. In a world where ethnic (German, and by extention, Breton) nationalism triumphed instead of civic (French) nationalism, I can only logically conclude that this tension would even be worse. In this round-about way, in a world where such a small change in history can trigger such a massive change in modernity, this is a fictitous-thesis arguing for greater integration of history in the education system. But again, you are right in that I should have accounted for the fact that my readers don't get access to my brain through telepathy, and might get lost wading through many sudden time jumps.

Rules: I. Grammar II. Racism III. No Nsfw IV. No Supporting Israel

Also look r/paradoxplaza or r/totalwar etc