ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Congratulations on winning the "Most Likely to Be Banned from Utah" Award, Harry Houdini and HP Lovecraft.
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A Second Sunrise: Taiwan of 2020 Sent Back to 1911
- Thread starter ChrisProvidence
- Start date
- Original Modern Post-1900
Pretty sure this should be "laws against sodomy and homosexual acts are unconstitutional"
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Good catch. Thanks.
Problem is SV seems to be glitching out on my end.
- Pronouns
- He
Ok, this is one interaction I did not expect to see at all.
Good job, OP!
So I wonder when you going to tackle some 'misconception' like this one here ?
The pigeon bird are more OP than we thought and also got dirty by us even harder than how American treat retired veteran soldier there
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3kwJSEdCWQ&t=385s
Edit at 12/8: I noticed about 'Charles Atlas' that he likely exits in this timeline, too. So how about reaction from him and thing related to Gym or other body trainning method like calisthenics ?
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Chapter 84: Growth and Maturity
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
20 Km Outside Brookings, Oregon, United States of America, 11 January 1940
("Brookings Coast in Winter," by Joseph Hunkins)
"Remind me," Selena Rossi breathed, before her boyfriend swung his axe once more. They'd been out here for half an hour, yet he'd barely made a dent in this tree. "Lin, why are you swinging your axe like a baseball bat?"
"Training. Plus, I need a new baseball bat, and you're the only person I know with woodworking skills."
"Sure looks like it," Lena answered with a smug grin. "Tell me something I don't know."
"My sister uses hairpins to put up her hair. Not chopsticks."
"Huh." Her word practically froze in the winter air. "I actually didn't know that."
"Yup," Lin grunted, before putting his axe down. "Your turn. Tell me something I don't know."
"For starters," his partner began, before picking up the axe, "You're supposed to swing down. Not at waist-level."
As if to add insult to injury, she even showed him the correct swing, before handing it back.
"Your turn, Lin."
"Axe or trivia?"
"Both."
"Alright then," he figured, before swinging the right way, this time. "My Dad rammed a barge into the beach during the Chinese Revolution."
"That's a new one," Lena figured, before getting a good eyeful of her partner. For critique on his form, obviously. "Which means it's my turn. Let's see... I grew up in a Mormon cult in Arizona."
"No shit?" Lin asked, though he kept pace with his swings. "You're not exactly the most religious type, you know?"
"I got out when I was ten. Feds raided the place once they got a tip that the Fundamentalist Mormons were working with the Klan. They found that, plus a whole cult full of people practicing child marriage."
"People practicing wh-"
"Next thing I know," the redhead continued, "my sperm donor's in Alcatraz for life, and I'm bouncing between foster homes around Phoenix while they tried to deprogram me."
"Jesus." No wonder you never told me that, Lena. "You seem to be doing better, though."
"Yeah, you could say that," Lena laughed, before leaning back against a tree. It wasn't so much a happy one when it sounded as cold as the winter air. "Even if Dad had to use his connections to get me in."
"Honestly," he huffed, before swinging his axe again, "I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything, Lin." Lena promised, and she even showed a tired smile to prove it. "I have a new family, and they're not a bunch of psychos who think that Black people are a representation of Satan."
"The fuck?"
"Cult, remember?"
"Yeah, I know, but still. They sound like assholes, and I kinda wish I could do something."
"Lin... They're in jail and I- I'm out here with you. That's enough for me."
"Thanks," he figured, before putting his axe down. He'd say more, but he didn't want to say anything stupid that'd ruin the moment. "So, there's really nothing you could want, is there?"
"Short of taking a detour to Alcatraz on our way back and telling the psycho cult leader I'm unfortunately related to I'm dating somebody who isn't white or Fundamentalist Mormon... Not much."
"You know..."
"Lin, no."
"But it would be funny!"
"Okay, maybe."
"Revenue From Environmental Tourism Surpasses Trophy Hunters," CapeTimes.com, 20 February 1940
It is that time of year again, and that means foreigners from all over the world have come to South Africa to view animals. What had started as a fledgling industry among foreign advisors and adventurers from Asia and the Americas has grown into one of the largest segments of the country's booming tourism sector over the last decade and a half.
This much is known to the locals of South Africa, who often make an outsized chunk of their revenue off of business with foreign tourists. Hotels, services, and entertainment all see an influx of tourist money come this time every year, and this summer is no exception.
What is less known, however, is that foreign tourism is expected to surpass that of trophy hunters for the first time in the nation's history.
While one can point to the new regulations on trophy hunters with regard to non-invasive and endangered species, the growth of the African tourism industry over the last ten to fifteen years has skyrocketed in comparison with the sale of hunting licenses and export tariffs on trophies. While licensed hunting is expected to serve a steadily-rising source of revenue and serve as a means of population control and combatting invasive species, the fact of the matter is that environmental tourism simply generates more revenue per year.
This phenomenon is part of a similar trend that has been happening throughout Southern and Central Africa, and South Africa is expected to be the first of many to come. Angola, Mozambique, and Zambia are expected to follow suit by the end of the decade, while the Congo, Kenya, the East African Union, and Uganda are likely to achieve a similar milestone by the end of the year.
Top 5 Travel Destinations You've NEVER HEARD OF", by The Wanderers, YouTube.com, 15 March 1940
NARRATOR: Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Manila, Seoul, Moscow, and Los Angeles are all beautiful, but here are five hidden gems you might not have thought of travelling to.
NARRATOR: Number Five - West Virginia
NARRATOR: Once coal country, this Appalachian state has re-invented itself as an inland tourist paradise. From the mountains retreats to the raging rapids of the Gauley River, this state offers all sorts of biomes for all of you nature-lovers, campers, and hikers. And for any of you history-lovers, be sure to check out the John Brown Museum in Harper's Ferry and the Grave Creek burial mounds to get a firsthand account of West Virginia's surprisingly-rich history.
NARRATOR: Number Four - Port-Au-Prince, Haiti
NARRATOR: What had once been what you'd see in the dictionary next to the word, "Failed State," is one of the Caribbean's fastest growing economies. And with that prosperity has come a national renaissance that tourists can see firsthand. Travel to one of Haiti's beautiful beaches, or get a firsthand look at Haiti's unique art scene that combines African roots with American, European, and Indegeneous aesthetics. And be sure to try one of the Haitian patties that've taken over the Caribbean by storm these last few years.
NARRATOR: Number Three - Ishigaki, Taiwan
NARRATOR: Everybody's heard of Hawaii and Hainan, but Ishigaki is its own little tropical paradise in between Okinawa and Taiwan. While military buffs may know it as the home of the legendary Chinese 6th Marine Division, the island's location and military base has set it apart as a melting pot of peoples from all over Asia. There's a reason so many soldiers from across Asia come back here to retire, and you'll see it firsthand when you get over here.
NARRATOR: Number Two - Ethiopia
NARRATOR: Some think Ethiopia was home to the Garden of Eden, and we can't blame them. This modernizing nation gives the best of both worlds, where modern technology meets thousands of years of history. The ancient ruins of Aksum to the unique stone-cut churches of Lalibela are just a day's drive away from the newly-built resorts on the Red Sea coast, giving you the best of both worlds that the Ethiopian people themselves enjoy.
NARRATOR: Number One - Goa, India
NARRATOR: Everyone's heard of Delhi and Mumbai and Kolkata and Hyderabad. But Goa is unique among India's settlements for its unique Portuguese heritage that is definitely seen in its architecture and culture. And that is before we get to Dudhsagar Falls, the beautiful beaches, and the Vasco nightlife that comes with this new tourism hotspot. Goa is the Subcontinent's hidden gem when it comes to tourism, and it is a must-visit for anyone going anywhere near the West Indian coast.
Alleged Black Hundreds Leader Self-Exiles to Switzerland, Russkiye Vedomosti, 20 April 1940
(Konstantin Vyacheslavovich Sakharov c. 1919)
Konstanting Vyacheslavovich Sakharov, former Russian general and known sympathizer of the Black Hundreds, has recently resurfaced in Bern alongside his son. The former general, whose service includes the Russo-Japanese War, the Russian Intervention in Manchuria, and the Great War. While Sakharov was suspected of collaboration with the short-lived Diterikhs Junta, subsequent investigations found him innocent of crimes against the Russian people due to a lack of evidence.
General Sakharov had gained a notorious reputation in the post-war era as an avowed monarchist, whose openly-expressed opinions at the tail end of his career likely resulted in his retirement at the rank of Major General in 1928. In his retirement, Sakharov published his memoirs, Diary of a Soldier, during which he sought to absolve himself of any failures during the Russian Intervention of 1911 with blame towards the Jews, Social Revolutionaries, and Asiatic Fifth Columnists while also advocating for the merits of the Diterikhs Junta while decrying its flaws.
Recent investigations have implicated Sakharov and his writings as inspirations for several members of the Black Hundreds. In response, Sakharov has argued that while he does have sympathies for the terrorist organization's ideals, he has never had any interaction with the organization. Critics have argued that while Sakharov has never directly called for the actions, his rhetoric has directly influenced them, which is bolstered by the continued references towards him in several far-right circles, including multiple convicted members of the Black Hundreds.
Sakharov had left the Russian Empire for a medical operation in Switzerland to treat a stomach ulcer. Upon his successful recovery, both he and his son Igor Konstantinovich Sakharov announced that they would be applying for asylum in Switzerland as political refugees. Critics of the Sakharovs have noted that said application for asylum comes after the Ministry of Justice issued a warrant for the younger Sakharov's arrest in relation to a foiled Black Hundreds' attempt to assassinate Foreign Minister Viktor Chernov.
Several countries have called on Switzerland to extradite the elder Sakharov to Russia, including the Russian Empire, Poland, France, Germany, Italy, Britain, Ireland, Romania, China, Iberia, and the Ottoman Empire. So far, the Swiss government has not issued a statement on the matter, though the nation has gained a level of notoriety for its rejection of previous extradition attempts under its policy of neutrality.
"France Seeks to Expand RISE to Europe and West Africa," Popular Science, May 1940
(Cover of Popular Science, May 1940)
Years after its introduction, we can safely say that RISE, France's technocratic economic network, is a success. Food waste in Europe is down, while logistical efficiency and industrial productivity have risen in supported territories.
It is this success that has led local government officials in Ireland, Britain, Iberia, Germany, and Italy to begin the process of integration into the French-designed network. The process is expected to take years, during which personnel are trained, computers and servers are acquired, and the necessary infrastructure is built, but Western Europe's leadership seems generally open to the prospect.
"If the socialist experiment is to survive," said PM Clement Attlee at a recent event in Birmingham, "We need to adapt with the times. RISE is the means of doing so."
Leaders in Western Africa are also considering full-integration into the system, rather than the de-facto integration by virtue of France and the rest of Western Europe being their largest export markets.
While Western African resource imports are factored into the network's metrics and its simulations, full-integration would likely see RISE play a direct role in the extraction of said resources. Given the lower development level in the region that will require participants to start from scratch, it is likely that this process will take longer than in Europe.
Critics have described the expansion as "Red Colonialism," with claims that Europe's socialist progress rests on the backs of colonialist exploitation in all but name. The argument, in short, is that RISE requires raw materials from West Africa to function, and those resources are gained through exploitation.
Proponents of RISE have noted that the system have noted that the implementation of socialist policies in West Africa have led to a higher standard of living and greater freedoms for the peoples of the region. To their credit, French occupation has often resulted in greater rights for women and minority groups.
Other proponents have argued that the proposed system is a mutually-beneficial arrangement that combines the resource-based strengths of Western Europe and Western Africa. These proponents are quick to point out that Western Europe is the largest supplier of grains and processed materials such as iron and steel to the less-arable and less-developed Western Africa.
The expansion of RISE into the rest of Western Europe is an ambitious proposal. Even moreso when it comes to Western Africa. While the benefits are apparent, it is clear that this will take time, talent, and treasure the likes of which haven't been seen in European history.
But if RISE's initial success is anything to go by, the Europeans are neither lacking when it comes to ambition nor unwilling to put the work in that needs to be done.
Da Lat, Lam Dong Province, Vietnam, Indochinese Federation, 26 June 1940
(Da Lat, Vietnam)
Le Van Ninh was a soldier, not a farmer.
That was truer today than it was a decade ago. He was a soldier, and he still wasn't a farmer.
That said, he had been busy in his time since the war. There was the training of the Indochinese Armed Forces into something more than a band of rebels, but piracy and fighting the Holdouts in Africa had taken up most of the last decade.
And that was just his day job. His other job, which he hadn't been getting paid for, involved him being the biggest advocate for the Highlanders in the government.
He was a socialist at the end of the day, and not one of those LARPers he despised so much on Twitter when he was younger. Unlike those guys, he'd actually taken up arms and done more than post about a revolution.
Three times, at this point. Rojava, China, and Indochina.
That's three more than that asshole Christman could count.
Maybe it was the old habits from his days in the YPG, but he had the same sympathies for the Highlanders that he did the Kurds. And this time, he actually had the means to do something about it.
Sure, Vo Quong Nghiem was the Minister of Defense, but Le was his advisor. That gave him the perfect opportunity to influence policy and prevent the mistakes of the past.
It worked. Well, it mostly worked, anyways. His tenure at the Ministry of Defense had minimized the use of force against the Highlanders. There was just one problem.
The Ministry of Defense handled military affairs, but the Highlanders' problems were more than that. And as far as he knew, he couldn't shoot issues land reform, language, representation, education, and the availability of resources.
Well, he could, but he liked to think he was better than Ngo Dinh Diem.
No, he had to do this the hard way, and that meant using every bit of leverage, every favor, and every connection he had both inside and outside the government to get things done.
Working inside government was honestly the easiest part. There was Nguyen Sinh Cung, of course, and the man who would be Ho Chi Minh in another life had the most pull out of any single person he knew.
That said, Nguyen wasn't the only person in government Le could influence. Not when many of the men and women he'd led during the war were now in office. Getting them to agree to reforms was simple enough; all he had to do was bring up the "Good old days," when all they had to do was raid the French.
Nostalgia was a powerful weapon, and he's wielded it well enough to help push through representation and language rights for the Highlanders.
There was just one problem with that: Politics was all well and good, but political will wasn't enough to get resources to where they needed to be if there weren't any resources.
That was where his connections outside the government came in handy. People would often say they "Know a guy" who could get what they needed, and Le was no exception.
The only difference was that said "Know a guy" was the Director of the Military Intelligence Bureau of China, and Marty Li himself had a vested interest in helping Le out. The man was a student of history, and rumor had it that he had a thing for rectifying past injustices.
And if that meant making sure the right resources and pressure were available to help the Highlanders on the other side of the border, then so be it.
Exactly how his old acquaintance did it, Le didn't know. Honestly, it was probably better if he didn't, now that he thought about it.
Probably blackmail, favors, blackmail, off-the-book budgets, and blackmail.
But it worked.
A little bit of pressure on Hue was enough to get Hue to ease up on the language issue. A little bit of favors had ensured funding to set up schools and healthcare.
And a whole lot of aid money brought electrification, clean water, sanitation, utilities, and infrastructure to the otherwise-mountainous region he'd called home ever since he retired and started a family.
It was... unique. When he grew up in Little Saigon, his parents had tried to set him up with the daughter of a family friend. She was nice enough, but he was fairly certain that his parents wanted Vietnamese-American grandchildren who'd take on his name.
Instead, here he was in Vietnam, married to a Co Ho woman with three kids who'd take on her name.
Le wondered how his parents would feel about that. "Pissed off" would be a fair guess, and that was before he got to how racist his parents were. Sure, his wife wasn't Black or Mexican, but his parents weren't exactly the "most-tolerant" of people.
Well, maybe Mom and Dad'd like that she's a Christian-
Wait, what am I talking about this?
This is our life to live. Not theirs.
"Political Analysts Say 'Fuck It,' And Rate All Sixty States As Toss-Ups," The Onion, July 1940
With all four conventions finished and the candidates decided, we know who will be the "Big Four" candidates for the 1940 Election in William Murray (D-OK), Robert Taft (R-OH), Floyd Olson (FL-MN), and Theodore Bilbo (TP-MS).
In response to this, as well as the chaos of the Democratic and Republican conventions, political analysts have admitted that they have no idea how this is going to turn out.
"Honestly? At this point, who the Fuck knows how it's going to turn out" said Nate Wasserman of the New York Times, "Huey Long is saying the remaining Southern Democrats rigged it, Smedley Butler is pissed, the True Patriot Convention was basically a contest of who can out-racist the other guy, the Farmer-Labor-Socialist Alliance is somehow the most-sane ones because they just ran Fiorella La Guardia as their VP. You know what? Fuck it, let's just rate all of the states as Toss-Ups. At least that way, we can't be wrong!"
Noted pollster George Gallup has declined our request for a comment and asked us to "Stop bothering me and leave [him] the Hell alone!"
"The Viability of Using Livestock to Manage Kudzu," McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, United States of America, August 1940
(Kudzu smothering trees in Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America)
SUMMARY: Kudzu (Pueraria montana, Pueraria edelis, and Pueraria phaseioloides) is a collective term for several invasive species of climbing, coiling, and trailing deciduous perennial vines native to East and Southeast Asia. Kudzu was first introduced to the United States at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia and the 1883 New Orleans Exposition as an ornamental plant, though it would later be used as a feedstock and a means against soil erosion by the turn of the century. Although future knowledge from the Great Journey and environmental protections passed under the second Roosevelt Administration of 1913-1921 prevented its widespread infestation, expanded trade with East Asia and a phenomenon of Orientalism in the 1910s led to a surge in the plant's spread compared to Lost History trends.
This article analyzes the various methods used to cull and eliminate Kudzu from various regions in the Eastern United States in the 1920s and 1930s and analyze their effectiveness. Data was gathered from 1926 to 1935 in Alabama, Arkansas, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Jersey, Oregon, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Methods of Kudzu removal include mechanical removal, use of herbicides, soil solarization, the introduction of bacterial blights and insect herbivory, and continued livestock grazing.
The collected data was controlled for cost and both variable climate and weather conditions, while results included cost efficiency, rate of removal, and environmental impact, and risk to ecosystems. When factoring in this data, it was determined that repeated grazing by livestock (primarily goats) was the most-efficient means of removing Kudzu with regards to all metrics.
The preliminary data of this study was used to advise Federal, State, and Municipal governmental efforts to remove the invasive species with a minimal effect on the local ecosystems.
Manila Metropolitan Theater, Manila, Republic of the Philippines, 20 September 1940
(Exterior of the Manila Metropolitan Theater)
"Nanay!" Maria Ramona Madden Tsu practically leapt into her mother's arms. "I got the part in the teledrama!"
"That's great, Ria!" Laura Madden knew the sting of rejection all too well, so to see her daughter get her first lead role on-screen was definitely something. "So, will you be doing the Spanish dub, too?"
"Of course!" After all, Ria (as her family called her) had gotten her start dubbing over teledramas for the Spanish audience. "Guess it helps to know Tagalog and Spanish, right?"
"Yup," her mother answered with the same cheerfulness. "Even if it means I have to choose between listening to you in Tagalog or Spanish. I guess I'll have to watch it twice, then!"
"Get in line behind most of South America, Nanay," her daughter teased back. "It's still hard to believe I'm going to be watched all actors South America."
"Hey, don't forget Central America and Spain," Laura pointed out, "They watch teledramas as much as we do."
"Right. I've been meaning to ask about that."
"What's up?"
"How'd teledramas get so popular?"
"Maybe the Uptimer Filipinos brought it with them? You should go ask your father when he's back from the store."
"I meant Latin America. It's not like they can speak Tagalog, you know."
"Probably all the similarities. Do you remember how your Tatay and his Mexican college friends would joke that Filipinos were the 'Mexicans of the Sea?'" Ria nodded. "It might be a joke, but there's they have a lot in common, like language, religion, culture, history, and appearance."
"You added that one because you thought Tatay was Mexican when you met him, didn't you?"
"Okay, that was one time, and he was hanging out with the Mexican club when I met him. How was I supposed to know he was the one Asian guy there?"
Military Intelligence Bureau Headquarters, Nanjing, National Capital Region, Republic of China, 23 October 1940
"You all are the best of the best," Director Fong said to the exploratory committee at the table. "Between all of us, we have over a century's worth of experience in espionage, operation, research, and intelligence. The fact that you are some of the best, most-qualified people I've ever worked with is why I've brought you all here."
"So let me get this straight." Her predecessor put his folder down and looked at her. "You want us to come up with Rift-based contingencies in case another Great Journey happens, or something like that. I may be retired now, but I'm pretty sure we already have those."
"This comes from the top, Marty," Rachel told him, "President Soong herself."
"This is about the new tachyon data, isn't it? About calibration?" asked Marty. Rachel nodded. "And she wants to know the viability of sending in survey teams into the Rifts to gather information and technology."
"Effectively yes. Hu, I want your opinion on this."
"Do you want the long answer, or the Dr. Malcolm quote from Jurassic Park, Fong?" asked Deputy Director of Operations Richard Hu. "Because there's nothing stopping us from opening a Rift and sending in agents that'd be going in blind. The question is if we should open an unknown Rift and send in agens that'd be going in blind."
"Not to mention the issue of contamination," Dr. Chen Akira added, before putting her own folder down. "Opening a Rift to a different timeline risks exposing us or them to unknown diseases and invasive species at best. For all we know, we could be opening a RIft to an unknown threat that could wipe us out faster than the IJN."
"Or zombies," Marty pointed out, and he got some weird looks from everyone else. "No, I'm serious. Just because we got sent to the past and the one Rift we can open sends us to a world that's like ours, but run by fascist American monarchists (not that there's any difference) does not mean that the next RIft's universe follows the same rules as ours. Or that it hasn't descended into some apocalyptic or dystopian hellscape."
"He's right," Aki agreed. "Theoretically speaking, a Rift could open to a world that is overrun by something that is, for all intents and purposes, a zombie apocalypse, though the possibilities are endless."
(Portrait of Soong Qingling, 5th President of the Republic of China)
"Which is why I'm wondering why President Soong wanted us to look into this in the first place?" Deputy DIrector of Operations Richard Hu said outright. "With all due respect to her, it's highly unlikely that we run into a timeline we could actually benefit from. When the possibilities are infinite, the chances of running into either a benevolent society that'd share technology with us or one that we could steal technology from with minimal risk is almost-zero."
"Because the MIB is possibly the most-competent research institution on the planet that can also keep its mouth shut," Rachel sighed. "Besides, she thought it would backfire horribly, but she wanted a second opinion just to be sure."
"And she doesn't want the rest of the world to find out that we're considering re-creating the Great Journey on purpose to steal technology."
"That too, RIck. Which is why we get paid well enough to keep our mouths shut."
"Election Night in America," NBC, 6 November 1940
(Ronald Reagan, Host of NBC Nightly News)
REAGAN: Welcome back to Election Night in America. I am your host, Ronald Reagan, and with ninety-five percent of the votes in on the West Coast, the election is still too close to call. With four parties splitting the vote all across the sixty states, the territories, and the District of Columbia, the electoral vote count cannot be projected.
REAGAN: The four candidates, Representative Robert Taft of Ohio of the Republicans, Governor William Murray of Oklahoma for the Democrats, Governor Olson for the Farmer-Labor-Socialist Alliance, and Senator Theodore Bilbo for the True Patriots, have split the vote to such an extent that recounts are almost a certainty across over a third of the nation.
REAGAN: For the those of you at home, the United States works on an electoral college system, under which the candidate with the most votes in a state receives all of the state's electoral votes. With turnout as high as it is, it is possible that a state can be won without the majority of the votes.
REAGAN: With several key states for each candidate headed to a recount, it is likely that there will not be a president-elect until the recounts are finished by the end of the month. As for us here at NBC, this will conclude our broadcast. Good morning to you America, and God bless you all.
Dowd Residence, Palo Alto, United States of America, 6 November 1940
"Well shit," said Jon Dowd to his two remaining friends in the living room. "The Hell do we do, now?"
His teammate Adrian Friese shrugged. So did their equipment manager Morgan Chen.
"I guess we wait?" Adrian figured. "Yeah, I'm not going back to Tennessee for Christmas."
"I do not blame you," Jon figured, before looking at Morgan. "You're smart, right?"
"I guess we wait? Not much we can do."
"Well shit," Jon reiterated. "I guess Lin and Selena had the right idea to get shitfaced and pass out."
"KEEP IT DOWN, WILL YOU?!" he heard a woman shout from the other side of the wall. "SOME OF US ARE TRYING TO SLEEP!"
"Not my fault you drank half my tequila!" Jon shouted back. Honestly, he wasn't so much pissed as he was impressed. "You two go... Get a room!"
"WE'RE IN A ROOM!" a second, more-masculine, voice shouted. "Hey, Morgan?"
"Yeah, Lin?!"
"Did anyone win yet?"
"Nope! Reagan said it's too close to call!"
"Thought so," Lin groaned. "Then yeah, go to sleep! It's 3 AM!"
Yangon, Republic of Burma, 24 December 1940
("Yangon Colonial Architecture," by Marcin Konsek)
Beautiful.
Aung Kan looked over the city again, and he didn't have any better way to describe it. Yangon was as beautiful as when his parents fled when he was a child.
I was just a kid during the 8888 Uprising. But this? This is better than anything from the stories.
It was a low bar when he was comparing it to the Tatmadaw and Ne Win. Then again, they'd run Burma into the ground, tossed the bar in it, and then neglected to bury the bar because they spent all that funding on Naypyidaw instead.
But when a country wasn't being run by a corrupt, ultranationalist, military junta or an idiot who screwed the economy because he liked the number nine. This time, Burma had the chance to prosper, and they seemed to be on the right track.
Infrastructure had been built, the government wasn't practicing state-sponsored racism, and there were actually competent people running the country. Sure, it had taken over a decade of the Nanjing Accord basically training and educating a new class of bureaucrats and officials from scratch, but the Burma of today was more-developed than the Myanmar of 2020.
Of course, the bar for that was really, really low when Myanmar was one of the least-developed countries in the Lost History, but the point still stood. People were healthier, richer, more-educated, and living better lives than they would have back in 2020, and that was as much a testament to the Burmese people of today as it was the Tatmadaw of 2020.
That's why he'd moved here after the war, rather than staying in Little Burma.
Sure, he'd spent more time living in Taiwan than he'd ever done in Burma, but he'd wanted to be a part of this. Burma was his homeland, and he wanted to make it a better place than the one he had fled.
Then again, educated professionals were in high demand, and Yangon practically welcomed him and with open arms. Somebody had to modernize the infrastructure of the country, and it wasn't as if the British had been doing a good job of it before they left.
Capitol Building, Washington, District of Columbia, 20 January 1941
(Floyd B. Olson, 32nd President of the United States of America)
It was a cold day in Washington, but a hopeful one at least. The chaos, lawsuits, and backroom deals were settled, and a coalition (if he could call it that) had been formed in compromise.
All that was left were the formalities.
"Please raise your right hand," Chief Justice Brandeis instructed, "and repeat after me: I Floyd Bjørnstjerne Olson do solemnly swear."
"I, Floyd Bjørnstjerne Olson do solemnly swear."
"That I will faithfully execute…"
"That I will faithfully execute," Olson repeated, just as he'd practiced a hundred times.
"The Office of the President of the United States," the Chief Justice said.
"The Office of the President of the United States," the President elect answered.
"And will, to the best of my ability."
"And will, to the best of my ability," Olson reiterated, knowing full well the new lease on life he'd been given.
Had it not been for the forewarning, I'd have died of stomach cancer, instead of catching it early.
"Preserve, protect, and defend…"
"Preserve protect, and defend," Olson promised.
"The Constitution of the United States."
"The Constitution of the United States," the man repeated, with all the reverence that was expected of him.
"So help you, God."
"So help me, God."
This was not part of the Oath of Office, but Olson needed all the help he could get. And if God was willing to help him, then he wasn't about to say no.
There were four parties in Congress, and a tenuous coalition of Farmer Laborers, Liberals, Progressives (of Republican and Democrat stripes), and Socialists that had agreed to certify his election by the slimmest of margins. Everyone from Smedley Butler and Huey Long, to Jack Reed and Norman Thomas were all on the same side, and even then it had taken some help from his predecessor to smooth things over.
Then there were the Knights of the Golden Circle. Weak enough to not have much sway outside of the True Patriot Party, but large enough to be the greatest domestic threat since the Klan. They were the reason the Secret Service had to be vetted and security had to be on high-alert across the entire parade length.
And a nation that hadn't had such a divided election since the days of Abraham Lincoln. Even if it was, thankfully, not as divided as the last time there was a four-way election that had been split this badly.
All of this was his responsibility. Not as a ruler, but as a leader of a fractured nation and the head of a coalition that was seemingly held together with chicken wire, duct tape, and the dream of an America that not only looked forward, but one that would bring everyone along with them.
Even the ones who would like nothing more than for me to die of stomach cancer.
America had elected him to lead, and he intended to lead America. Not just the Farmer-Labor-Socialists or them plus the Progressives from the Democrats and Republicans.
No, Floyd Olson was elected to lead all of these United States, and he intended to do just that.
("Brookings Coast in Winter," by Joseph Hunkins)
"Remind me," Selena Rossi breathed, before her boyfriend swung his axe once more. They'd been out here for half an hour, yet he'd barely made a dent in this tree. "Lin, why are you swinging your axe like a baseball bat?"
"Training. Plus, I need a new baseball bat, and you're the only person I know with woodworking skills."
"Sure looks like it," Lena answered with a smug grin. "Tell me something I don't know."
"My sister uses hairpins to put up her hair. Not chopsticks."
"Huh." Her word practically froze in the winter air. "I actually didn't know that."
"Yup," Lin grunted, before putting his axe down. "Your turn. Tell me something I don't know."
"For starters," his partner began, before picking up the axe, "You're supposed to swing down. Not at waist-level."
As if to add insult to injury, she even showed him the correct swing, before handing it back.
"Your turn, Lin."
"Axe or trivia?"
"Both."
"Alright then," he figured, before swinging the right way, this time. "My Dad rammed a barge into the beach during the Chinese Revolution."
"That's a new one," Lena figured, before getting a good eyeful of her partner. For critique on his form, obviously. "Which means it's my turn. Let's see... I grew up in a Mormon cult in Arizona."
"No shit?" Lin asked, though he kept pace with his swings. "You're not exactly the most religious type, you know?"
"I got out when I was ten. Feds raided the place once they got a tip that the Fundamentalist Mormons were working with the Klan. They found that, plus a whole cult full of people practicing child marriage."
"People practicing wh-"
"Next thing I know," the redhead continued, "my sperm donor's in Alcatraz for life, and I'm bouncing between foster homes around Phoenix while they tried to deprogram me."
"Jesus." No wonder you never told me that, Lena. "You seem to be doing better, though."
"Yeah, you could say that," Lena laughed, before leaning back against a tree. It wasn't so much a happy one when it sounded as cold as the winter air. "Even if Dad had to use his connections to get me in."
"Honestly," he huffed, before swinging his axe again, "I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything, Lin." Lena promised, and she even showed a tired smile to prove it. "I have a new family, and they're not a bunch of psychos who think that Black people are a representation of Satan."
"The fuck?"
"Cult, remember?"
"Yeah, I know, but still. They sound like assholes, and I kinda wish I could do something."
"Lin... They're in jail and I- I'm out here with you. That's enough for me."
"Thanks," he figured, before putting his axe down. He'd say more, but he didn't want to say anything stupid that'd ruin the moment. "So, there's really nothing you could want, is there?"
"Short of taking a detour to Alcatraz on our way back and telling the psycho cult leader I'm unfortunately related to I'm dating somebody who isn't white or Fundamentalist Mormon... Not much."
"You know..."
"Lin, no."
"But it would be funny!"
"Okay, maybe."
"Revenue From Environmental Tourism Surpasses Trophy Hunters," CapeTimes.com, 20 February 1940
It is that time of year again, and that means foreigners from all over the world have come to South Africa to view animals. What had started as a fledgling industry among foreign advisors and adventurers from Asia and the Americas has grown into one of the largest segments of the country's booming tourism sector over the last decade and a half.
This much is known to the locals of South Africa, who often make an outsized chunk of their revenue off of business with foreign tourists. Hotels, services, and entertainment all see an influx of tourist money come this time every year, and this summer is no exception.
What is less known, however, is that foreign tourism is expected to surpass that of trophy hunters for the first time in the nation's history.
While one can point to the new regulations on trophy hunters with regard to non-invasive and endangered species, the growth of the African tourism industry over the last ten to fifteen years has skyrocketed in comparison with the sale of hunting licenses and export tariffs on trophies. While licensed hunting is expected to serve a steadily-rising source of revenue and serve as a means of population control and combatting invasive species, the fact of the matter is that environmental tourism simply generates more revenue per year.
This phenomenon is part of a similar trend that has been happening throughout Southern and Central Africa, and South Africa is expected to be the first of many to come. Angola, Mozambique, and Zambia are expected to follow suit by the end of the decade, while the Congo, Kenya, the East African Union, and Uganda are likely to achieve a similar milestone by the end of the year.
Top 5 Travel Destinations You've NEVER HEARD OF", by The Wanderers, YouTube.com, 15 March 1940
NARRATOR: Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Manila, Seoul, Moscow, and Los Angeles are all beautiful, but here are five hidden gems you might not have thought of travelling to.
NARRATOR: Number Five - West Virginia
NARRATOR: Once coal country, this Appalachian state has re-invented itself as an inland tourist paradise. From the mountains retreats to the raging rapids of the Gauley River, this state offers all sorts of biomes for all of you nature-lovers, campers, and hikers. And for any of you history-lovers, be sure to check out the John Brown Museum in Harper's Ferry and the Grave Creek burial mounds to get a firsthand account of West Virginia's surprisingly-rich history.
NARRATOR: Number Four - Port-Au-Prince, Haiti
NARRATOR: What had once been what you'd see in the dictionary next to the word, "Failed State," is one of the Caribbean's fastest growing economies. And with that prosperity has come a national renaissance that tourists can see firsthand. Travel to one of Haiti's beautiful beaches, or get a firsthand look at Haiti's unique art scene that combines African roots with American, European, and Indegeneous aesthetics. And be sure to try one of the Haitian patties that've taken over the Caribbean by storm these last few years.
NARRATOR: Number Three - Ishigaki, Taiwan
NARRATOR: Everybody's heard of Hawaii and Hainan, but Ishigaki is its own little tropical paradise in between Okinawa and Taiwan. While military buffs may know it as the home of the legendary Chinese 6th Marine Division, the island's location and military base has set it apart as a melting pot of peoples from all over Asia. There's a reason so many soldiers from across Asia come back here to retire, and you'll see it firsthand when you get over here.
NARRATOR: Number Two - Ethiopia
NARRATOR: Some think Ethiopia was home to the Garden of Eden, and we can't blame them. This modernizing nation gives the best of both worlds, where modern technology meets thousands of years of history. The ancient ruins of Aksum to the unique stone-cut churches of Lalibela are just a day's drive away from the newly-built resorts on the Red Sea coast, giving you the best of both worlds that the Ethiopian people themselves enjoy.
NARRATOR: Number One - Goa, India
NARRATOR: Everyone's heard of Delhi and Mumbai and Kolkata and Hyderabad. But Goa is unique among India's settlements for its unique Portuguese heritage that is definitely seen in its architecture and culture. And that is before we get to Dudhsagar Falls, the beautiful beaches, and the Vasco nightlife that comes with this new tourism hotspot. Goa is the Subcontinent's hidden gem when it comes to tourism, and it is a must-visit for anyone going anywhere near the West Indian coast.
Alleged Black Hundreds Leader Self-Exiles to Switzerland, Russkiye Vedomosti, 20 April 1940
(Konstantin Vyacheslavovich Sakharov c. 1919)
General Sakharov had gained a notorious reputation in the post-war era as an avowed monarchist, whose openly-expressed opinions at the tail end of his career likely resulted in his retirement at the rank of Major General in 1928. In his retirement, Sakharov published his memoirs, Diary of a Soldier, during which he sought to absolve himself of any failures during the Russian Intervention of 1911 with blame towards the Jews, Social Revolutionaries, and Asiatic Fifth Columnists while also advocating for the merits of the Diterikhs Junta while decrying its flaws.
Recent investigations have implicated Sakharov and his writings as inspirations for several members of the Black Hundreds. In response, Sakharov has argued that while he does have sympathies for the terrorist organization's ideals, he has never had any interaction with the organization. Critics have argued that while Sakharov has never directly called for the actions, his rhetoric has directly influenced them, which is bolstered by the continued references towards him in several far-right circles, including multiple convicted members of the Black Hundreds.
Sakharov had left the Russian Empire for a medical operation in Switzerland to treat a stomach ulcer. Upon his successful recovery, both he and his son Igor Konstantinovich Sakharov announced that they would be applying for asylum in Switzerland as political refugees. Critics of the Sakharovs have noted that said application for asylum comes after the Ministry of Justice issued a warrant for the younger Sakharov's arrest in relation to a foiled Black Hundreds' attempt to assassinate Foreign Minister Viktor Chernov.
Several countries have called on Switzerland to extradite the elder Sakharov to Russia, including the Russian Empire, Poland, France, Germany, Italy, Britain, Ireland, Romania, China, Iberia, and the Ottoman Empire. So far, the Swiss government has not issued a statement on the matter, though the nation has gained a level of notoriety for its rejection of previous extradition attempts under its policy of neutrality.
"France Seeks to Expand RISE to Europe and West Africa," Popular Science, May 1940
(Cover of Popular Science, May 1940)
Years after its introduction, we can safely say that RISE, France's technocratic economic network, is a success. Food waste in Europe is down, while logistical efficiency and industrial productivity have risen in supported territories.
It is this success that has led local government officials in Ireland, Britain, Iberia, Germany, and Italy to begin the process of integration into the French-designed network. The process is expected to take years, during which personnel are trained, computers and servers are acquired, and the necessary infrastructure is built, but Western Europe's leadership seems generally open to the prospect.
"If the socialist experiment is to survive," said PM Clement Attlee at a recent event in Birmingham, "We need to adapt with the times. RISE is the means of doing so."
Leaders in Western Africa are also considering full-integration into the system, rather than the de-facto integration by virtue of France and the rest of Western Europe being their largest export markets.
While Western African resource imports are factored into the network's metrics and its simulations, full-integration would likely see RISE play a direct role in the extraction of said resources. Given the lower development level in the region that will require participants to start from scratch, it is likely that this process will take longer than in Europe.
Critics have described the expansion as "Red Colonialism," with claims that Europe's socialist progress rests on the backs of colonialist exploitation in all but name. The argument, in short, is that RISE requires raw materials from West Africa to function, and those resources are gained through exploitation.
Proponents of RISE have noted that the system have noted that the implementation of socialist policies in West Africa have led to a higher standard of living and greater freedoms for the peoples of the region. To their credit, French occupation has often resulted in greater rights for women and minority groups.
Other proponents have argued that the proposed system is a mutually-beneficial arrangement that combines the resource-based strengths of Western Europe and Western Africa. These proponents are quick to point out that Western Europe is the largest supplier of grains and processed materials such as iron and steel to the less-arable and less-developed Western Africa.
The expansion of RISE into the rest of Western Europe is an ambitious proposal. Even moreso when it comes to Western Africa. While the benefits are apparent, it is clear that this will take time, talent, and treasure the likes of which haven't been seen in European history.
But if RISE's initial success is anything to go by, the Europeans are neither lacking when it comes to ambition nor unwilling to put the work in that needs to be done.
Da Lat, Lam Dong Province, Vietnam, Indochinese Federation, 26 June 1940
(Da Lat, Vietnam)
Le Van Ninh was a soldier, not a farmer.
That was truer today than it was a decade ago. He was a soldier, and he still wasn't a farmer.
That said, he had been busy in his time since the war. There was the training of the Indochinese Armed Forces into something more than a band of rebels, but piracy and fighting the Holdouts in Africa had taken up most of the last decade.
And that was just his day job. His other job, which he hadn't been getting paid for, involved him being the biggest advocate for the Highlanders in the government.
He was a socialist at the end of the day, and not one of those LARPers he despised so much on Twitter when he was younger. Unlike those guys, he'd actually taken up arms and done more than post about a revolution.
Three times, at this point. Rojava, China, and Indochina.
That's three more than that asshole Christman could count.
Maybe it was the old habits from his days in the YPG, but he had the same sympathies for the Highlanders that he did the Kurds. And this time, he actually had the means to do something about it.
Sure, Vo Quong Nghiem was the Minister of Defense, but Le was his advisor. That gave him the perfect opportunity to influence policy and prevent the mistakes of the past.
It worked. Well, it mostly worked, anyways. His tenure at the Ministry of Defense had minimized the use of force against the Highlanders. There was just one problem.
The Ministry of Defense handled military affairs, but the Highlanders' problems were more than that. And as far as he knew, he couldn't shoot issues land reform, language, representation, education, and the availability of resources.
Well, he could, but he liked to think he was better than Ngo Dinh Diem.
No, he had to do this the hard way, and that meant using every bit of leverage, every favor, and every connection he had both inside and outside the government to get things done.
Working inside government was honestly the easiest part. There was Nguyen Sinh Cung, of course, and the man who would be Ho Chi Minh in another life had the most pull out of any single person he knew.
That said, Nguyen wasn't the only person in government Le could influence. Not when many of the men and women he'd led during the war were now in office. Getting them to agree to reforms was simple enough; all he had to do was bring up the "Good old days," when all they had to do was raid the French.
Nostalgia was a powerful weapon, and he's wielded it well enough to help push through representation and language rights for the Highlanders.
There was just one problem with that: Politics was all well and good, but political will wasn't enough to get resources to where they needed to be if there weren't any resources.
That was where his connections outside the government came in handy. People would often say they "Know a guy" who could get what they needed, and Le was no exception.
The only difference was that said "Know a guy" was the Director of the Military Intelligence Bureau of China, and Marty Li himself had a vested interest in helping Le out. The man was a student of history, and rumor had it that he had a thing for rectifying past injustices.
And if that meant making sure the right resources and pressure were available to help the Highlanders on the other side of the border, then so be it.
Exactly how his old acquaintance did it, Le didn't know. Honestly, it was probably better if he didn't, now that he thought about it.
Probably blackmail, favors, blackmail, off-the-book budgets, and blackmail.
But it worked.
A little bit of pressure on Hue was enough to get Hue to ease up on the language issue. A little bit of favors had ensured funding to set up schools and healthcare.
And a whole lot of aid money brought electrification, clean water, sanitation, utilities, and infrastructure to the otherwise-mountainous region he'd called home ever since he retired and started a family.
It was... unique. When he grew up in Little Saigon, his parents had tried to set him up with the daughter of a family friend. She was nice enough, but he was fairly certain that his parents wanted Vietnamese-American grandchildren who'd take on his name.
Instead, here he was in Vietnam, married to a Co Ho woman with three kids who'd take on her name.
Le wondered how his parents would feel about that. "Pissed off" would be a fair guess, and that was before he got to how racist his parents were. Sure, his wife wasn't Black or Mexican, but his parents weren't exactly the "most-tolerant" of people.
Well, maybe Mom and Dad'd like that she's a Christian-
Wait, what am I talking about this?
This is our life to live. Not theirs.
"Political Analysts Say 'Fuck It,' And Rate All Sixty States As Toss-Ups," The Onion, July 1940
With all four conventions finished and the candidates decided, we know who will be the "Big Four" candidates for the 1940 Election in William Murray (D-OK), Robert Taft (R-OH), Floyd Olson (FL-MN), and Theodore Bilbo (TP-MS).
In response to this, as well as the chaos of the Democratic and Republican conventions, political analysts have admitted that they have no idea how this is going to turn out.
"Honestly? At this point, who the Fuck knows how it's going to turn out" said Nate Wasserman of the New York Times, "Huey Long is saying the remaining Southern Democrats rigged it, Smedley Butler is pissed, the True Patriot Convention was basically a contest of who can out-racist the other guy, the Farmer-Labor-Socialist Alliance is somehow the most-sane ones because they just ran Fiorella La Guardia as their VP. You know what? Fuck it, let's just rate all of the states as Toss-Ups. At least that way, we can't be wrong!"
Noted pollster George Gallup has declined our request for a comment and asked us to "Stop bothering me and leave [him] the Hell alone!"
"The Viability of Using Livestock to Manage Kudzu," McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, United States of America, August 1940
(Kudzu smothering trees in Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America)
SUMMARY: Kudzu (Pueraria montana, Pueraria edelis, and Pueraria phaseioloides) is a collective term for several invasive species of climbing, coiling, and trailing deciduous perennial vines native to East and Southeast Asia. Kudzu was first introduced to the United States at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia and the 1883 New Orleans Exposition as an ornamental plant, though it would later be used as a feedstock and a means against soil erosion by the turn of the century. Although future knowledge from the Great Journey and environmental protections passed under the second Roosevelt Administration of 1913-1921 prevented its widespread infestation, expanded trade with East Asia and a phenomenon of Orientalism in the 1910s led to a surge in the plant's spread compared to Lost History trends.
This article analyzes the various methods used to cull and eliminate Kudzu from various regions in the Eastern United States in the 1920s and 1930s and analyze their effectiveness. Data was gathered from 1926 to 1935 in Alabama, Arkansas, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Jersey, Oregon, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Methods of Kudzu removal include mechanical removal, use of herbicides, soil solarization, the introduction of bacterial blights and insect herbivory, and continued livestock grazing.
The collected data was controlled for cost and both variable climate and weather conditions, while results included cost efficiency, rate of removal, and environmental impact, and risk to ecosystems. When factoring in this data, it was determined that repeated grazing by livestock (primarily goats) was the most-efficient means of removing Kudzu with regards to all metrics.
The preliminary data of this study was used to advise Federal, State, and Municipal governmental efforts to remove the invasive species with a minimal effect on the local ecosystems.
Manila Metropolitan Theater, Manila, Republic of the Philippines, 20 September 1940
(Exterior of the Manila Metropolitan Theater)
"Nanay!" Maria Ramona Madden Tsu practically leapt into her mother's arms. "I got the part in the teledrama!"
"That's great, Ria!" Laura Madden knew the sting of rejection all too well, so to see her daughter get her first lead role on-screen was definitely something. "So, will you be doing the Spanish dub, too?"
"Of course!" After all, Ria (as her family called her) had gotten her start dubbing over teledramas for the Spanish audience. "Guess it helps to know Tagalog and Spanish, right?"
"Yup," her mother answered with the same cheerfulness. "Even if it means I have to choose between listening to you in Tagalog or Spanish. I guess I'll have to watch it twice, then!"
"Get in line behind most of South America, Nanay," her daughter teased back. "It's still hard to believe I'm going to be watched all actors South America."
"Hey, don't forget Central America and Spain," Laura pointed out, "They watch teledramas as much as we do."
"Right. I've been meaning to ask about that."
"What's up?"
"How'd teledramas get so popular?"
"Maybe the Uptimer Filipinos brought it with them? You should go ask your father when he's back from the store."
"I meant Latin America. It's not like they can speak Tagalog, you know."
"Probably all the similarities. Do you remember how your Tatay and his Mexican college friends would joke that Filipinos were the 'Mexicans of the Sea?'" Ria nodded. "It might be a joke, but there's they have a lot in common, like language, religion, culture, history, and appearance."
"You added that one because you thought Tatay was Mexican when you met him, didn't you?"
"Okay, that was one time, and he was hanging out with the Mexican club when I met him. How was I supposed to know he was the one Asian guy there?"
Military Intelligence Bureau Headquarters, Nanjing, National Capital Region, Republic of China, 23 October 1940
"You all are the best of the best," Director Fong said to the exploratory committee at the table. "Between all of us, we have over a century's worth of experience in espionage, operation, research, and intelligence. The fact that you are some of the best, most-qualified people I've ever worked with is why I've brought you all here."
"So let me get this straight." Her predecessor put his folder down and looked at her. "You want us to come up with Rift-based contingencies in case another Great Journey happens, or something like that. I may be retired now, but I'm pretty sure we already have those."
"This comes from the top, Marty," Rachel told him, "President Soong herself."
"This is about the new tachyon data, isn't it? About calibration?" asked Marty. Rachel nodded. "And she wants to know the viability of sending in survey teams into the Rifts to gather information and technology."
"Effectively yes. Hu, I want your opinion on this."
"Do you want the long answer, or the Dr. Malcolm quote from Jurassic Park, Fong?" asked Deputy Director of Operations Richard Hu. "Because there's nothing stopping us from opening a Rift and sending in agents that'd be going in blind. The question is if we should open an unknown Rift and send in agens that'd be going in blind."
"Not to mention the issue of contamination," Dr. Chen Akira added, before putting her own folder down. "Opening a Rift to a different timeline risks exposing us or them to unknown diseases and invasive species at best. For all we know, we could be opening a RIft to an unknown threat that could wipe us out faster than the IJN."
"Or zombies," Marty pointed out, and he got some weird looks from everyone else. "No, I'm serious. Just because we got sent to the past and the one Rift we can open sends us to a world that's like ours, but run by fascist American monarchists (not that there's any difference) does not mean that the next RIft's universe follows the same rules as ours. Or that it hasn't descended into some apocalyptic or dystopian hellscape."
"He's right," Aki agreed. "Theoretically speaking, a Rift could open to a world that is overrun by something that is, for all intents and purposes, a zombie apocalypse, though the possibilities are endless."
(Portrait of Soong Qingling, 5th President of the Republic of China)
"Which is why I'm wondering why President Soong wanted us to look into this in the first place?" Deputy DIrector of Operations Richard Hu said outright. "With all due respect to her, it's highly unlikely that we run into a timeline we could actually benefit from. When the possibilities are infinite, the chances of running into either a benevolent society that'd share technology with us or one that we could steal technology from with minimal risk is almost-zero."
"Because the MIB is possibly the most-competent research institution on the planet that can also keep its mouth shut," Rachel sighed. "Besides, she thought it would backfire horribly, but she wanted a second opinion just to be sure."
"And she doesn't want the rest of the world to find out that we're considering re-creating the Great Journey on purpose to steal technology."
"That too, RIck. Which is why we get paid well enough to keep our mouths shut."
"Election Night in America," NBC, 6 November 1940
(Ronald Reagan, Host of NBC Nightly News)
REAGAN: Welcome back to Election Night in America. I am your host, Ronald Reagan, and with ninety-five percent of the votes in on the West Coast, the election is still too close to call. With four parties splitting the vote all across the sixty states, the territories, and the District of Columbia, the electoral vote count cannot be projected.
REAGAN: The four candidates, Representative Robert Taft of Ohio of the Republicans, Governor William Murray of Oklahoma for the Democrats, Governor Olson for the Farmer-Labor-Socialist Alliance, and Senator Theodore Bilbo for the True Patriots, have split the vote to such an extent that recounts are almost a certainty across over a third of the nation.
REAGAN: For the those of you at home, the United States works on an electoral college system, under which the candidate with the most votes in a state receives all of the state's electoral votes. With turnout as high as it is, it is possible that a state can be won without the majority of the votes.
REAGAN: With several key states for each candidate headed to a recount, it is likely that there will not be a president-elect until the recounts are finished by the end of the month. As for us here at NBC, this will conclude our broadcast. Good morning to you America, and God bless you all.
Dowd Residence, Palo Alto, United States of America, 6 November 1940
"Well shit," said Jon Dowd to his two remaining friends in the living room. "The Hell do we do, now?"
His teammate Adrian Friese shrugged. So did their equipment manager Morgan Chen.
"I guess we wait?" Adrian figured. "Yeah, I'm not going back to Tennessee for Christmas."
"I do not blame you," Jon figured, before looking at Morgan. "You're smart, right?"
"I guess we wait? Not much we can do."
"Well shit," Jon reiterated. "I guess Lin and Selena had the right idea to get shitfaced and pass out."
"KEEP IT DOWN, WILL YOU?!" he heard a woman shout from the other side of the wall. "SOME OF US ARE TRYING TO SLEEP!"
"Not my fault you drank half my tequila!" Jon shouted back. Honestly, he wasn't so much pissed as he was impressed. "You two go... Get a room!"
"WE'RE IN A ROOM!" a second, more-masculine, voice shouted. "Hey, Morgan?"
"Yeah, Lin?!"
"Did anyone win yet?"
"Nope! Reagan said it's too close to call!"
"Thought so," Lin groaned. "Then yeah, go to sleep! It's 3 AM!"
Yangon, Republic of Burma, 24 December 1940
("Yangon Colonial Architecture," by Marcin Konsek)
Beautiful.
Aung Kan looked over the city again, and he didn't have any better way to describe it. Yangon was as beautiful as when his parents fled when he was a child.
I was just a kid during the 8888 Uprising. But this? This is better than anything from the stories.
It was a low bar when he was comparing it to the Tatmadaw and Ne Win. Then again, they'd run Burma into the ground, tossed the bar in it, and then neglected to bury the bar because they spent all that funding on Naypyidaw instead.
But when a country wasn't being run by a corrupt, ultranationalist, military junta or an idiot who screwed the economy because he liked the number nine. This time, Burma had the chance to prosper, and they seemed to be on the right track.
Infrastructure had been built, the government wasn't practicing state-sponsored racism, and there were actually competent people running the country. Sure, it had taken over a decade of the Nanjing Accord basically training and educating a new class of bureaucrats and officials from scratch, but the Burma of today was more-developed than the Myanmar of 2020.
Of course, the bar for that was really, really low when Myanmar was one of the least-developed countries in the Lost History, but the point still stood. People were healthier, richer, more-educated, and living better lives than they would have back in 2020, and that was as much a testament to the Burmese people of today as it was the Tatmadaw of 2020.
That's why he'd moved here after the war, rather than staying in Little Burma.
Sure, he'd spent more time living in Taiwan than he'd ever done in Burma, but he'd wanted to be a part of this. Burma was his homeland, and he wanted to make it a better place than the one he had fled.
Then again, educated professionals were in high demand, and Yangon practically welcomed him and with open arms. Somebody had to modernize the infrastructure of the country, and it wasn't as if the British had been doing a good job of it before they left.
Capitol Building, Washington, District of Columbia, 20 January 1941
(Floyd B. Olson, 32nd President of the United States of America)
It was a cold day in Washington, but a hopeful one at least. The chaos, lawsuits, and backroom deals were settled, and a coalition (if he could call it that) had been formed in compromise.
All that was left were the formalities.
"Please raise your right hand," Chief Justice Brandeis instructed, "and repeat after me: I Floyd Bjørnstjerne Olson do solemnly swear."
"I, Floyd Bjørnstjerne Olson do solemnly swear."
"That I will faithfully execute…"
"That I will faithfully execute," Olson repeated, just as he'd practiced a hundred times.
"The Office of the President of the United States," the Chief Justice said.
"The Office of the President of the United States," the President elect answered.
"And will, to the best of my ability."
"And will, to the best of my ability," Olson reiterated, knowing full well the new lease on life he'd been given.
Had it not been for the forewarning, I'd have died of stomach cancer, instead of catching it early.
"Preserve, protect, and defend…"
"Preserve protect, and defend," Olson promised.
"The Constitution of the United States."
"The Constitution of the United States," the man repeated, with all the reverence that was expected of him.
"So help you, God."
"So help me, God."
This was not part of the Oath of Office, but Olson needed all the help he could get. And if God was willing to help him, then he wasn't about to say no.
There were four parties in Congress, and a tenuous coalition of Farmer Laborers, Liberals, Progressives (of Republican and Democrat stripes), and Socialists that had agreed to certify his election by the slimmest of margins. Everyone from Smedley Butler and Huey Long, to Jack Reed and Norman Thomas were all on the same side, and even then it had taken some help from his predecessor to smooth things over.
Then there were the Knights of the Golden Circle. Weak enough to not have much sway outside of the True Patriot Party, but large enough to be the greatest domestic threat since the Klan. They were the reason the Secret Service had to be vetted and security had to be on high-alert across the entire parade length.
And a nation that hadn't had such a divided election since the days of Abraham Lincoln. Even if it was, thankfully, not as divided as the last time there was a four-way election that had been split this badly.
All of this was his responsibility. Not as a ruler, but as a leader of a fractured nation and the head of a coalition that was seemingly held together with chicken wire, duct tape, and the dream of an America that not only looked forward, but one that would bring everyone along with them.
Even the ones who would like nothing more than for me to die of stomach cancer.
America had elected him to lead, and he intended to lead America. Not just the Farmer-Labor-Socialists or them plus the Progressives from the Democrats and Republicans.
No, Floyd Olson was elected to lead all of these United States, and he intended to do just that.
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ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
So yeah, a few fun(-ish) facts:
1. Lena's former cult is the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who existed at the time. You might remember them from their leader getting arrested for child abuse a decade ago.
2. In our timeline, Sakharov's son collaborated the Nazis and fought in Vlasov's army. The elder Sakharov himself also blamed the Jews for his own failures in our timeline.
2a. Konstantin Sakharov is an asshole.
3. The War on Kudzu is America's version of the Emu War in terms of memetic status, and they intend to win. It's also inspired by how a lot of areas around my hometown in California usevery adorable goats to minimize fire risks by eating grass/foliage.
4. There's a reason people don't screw with Rift technology, and that reason is that you don't know what's on the other side. Stealing tech from more-advanced timelines isn't worth it when you risk exposing your world to whatever possible apocalypse is on the other side of that Rift.
1. Lena's former cult is the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who existed at the time. You might remember them from their leader getting arrested for child abuse a decade ago.
2. In our timeline, Sakharov's son collaborated the Nazis and fought in Vlasov's army. The elder Sakharov himself also blamed the Jews for his own failures in our timeline.
2a. Konstantin Sakharov is an asshole.
3. The War on Kudzu is America's version of the Emu War in terms of memetic status, and they intend to win. It's also inspired by how a lot of areas around my hometown in California use
4. There's a reason people don't screw with Rift technology, and that reason is that you don't know what's on the other side. Stealing tech from more-advanced timelines isn't worth it when you risk exposing your world to whatever possible apocalypse is on the other side of that Rift.
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ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Okay, it took slightly longer than that.
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"Pinko Floyd" And The Red Scare That Never Happened
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
National Taipei University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China, 20 February 1940
Teaching had come as second nature to Dr. Chen. Then again, it was half her job.
The other half was research and mentoring other students in their own research.
Today was the first half.
"In conclusion," one of her students spoke, "The reason that we do not associate pink and blue with women and men is because the root causes that occurred during the second half of the Lost History's twentieth century never occurred. Thank you for listening to our presentation, and we will now take questions."
The rest of the class was oddly-quiet. Even Hu Hao, who seemingly wanted to answer every question. While some saw him as a "tryhard," he was the first to admit he did it because he was bored.
Which, if Aki was being honest, she could respect on some level. After all, she'd spent the better part of a decade being bored on an island and telling soldiers from the IJN garrison she wasn't interested in them.
"Now, since we have about twenty minutes left, I want to ask if any of you can name another example of a Lost History phenomenon that was 'butterflied away' in our own timeline."
A hand shot up. "Yes, Fei?"
"Can we use recent examples?" Aki nodded to the young woman. "Well, the lack of a Red Scare, for one. Sure, there was some similar rhetoric in the last few months, but the Americans just elected a socialist as their next president despite him being called 'Pinko Floyd' every other day."
"That's a good example," the professor agreed. "And why do you think it happened differently?"
"I think it's because the root causes never happened. Like, for example, we didn't have a Russian Revolution or a spree of anarchist bombings like the Lost History did, so people don't have any reason to fear socialists the way they did in the Lost History."
"It's possible," Dr. Chen figured. She knew the answer, but part of teaching was shepherding one's students to get there. "So what do people think when they hear the word 'socialism?'"
"They probably think of France, where the socialists came to power through peaceful, democratic means by allying with the radicals. Or they might think of Russia, where the anarchist movement promotes a communal alternative to the status quo. Both of these are, for lack of a better term, 'less-scary' than the Bolshevik Revolution and bombings."
"And this is why you believe that a Red Scare failed to take hold in America?"
Her student nodded. "When somebody calls Floyd Olson a socialist, most people don't think of a violent revolution or bombings because those things didn't happen."
Teaching had come as second nature to Dr. Chen. Then again, it was half her job.
The other half was research and mentoring other students in their own research.
Today was the first half.
"In conclusion," one of her students spoke, "The reason that we do not associate pink and blue with women and men is because the root causes that occurred during the second half of the Lost History's twentieth century never occurred. Thank you for listening to our presentation, and we will now take questions."
The rest of the class was oddly-quiet. Even Hu Hao, who seemingly wanted to answer every question. While some saw him as a "tryhard," he was the first to admit he did it because he was bored.
Which, if Aki was being honest, she could respect on some level. After all, she'd spent the better part of a decade being bored on an island and telling soldiers from the IJN garrison she wasn't interested in them.
"Now, since we have about twenty minutes left, I want to ask if any of you can name another example of a Lost History phenomenon that was 'butterflied away' in our own timeline."
A hand shot up. "Yes, Fei?"
"Can we use recent examples?" Aki nodded to the young woman. "Well, the lack of a Red Scare, for one. Sure, there was some similar rhetoric in the last few months, but the Americans just elected a socialist as their next president despite him being called 'Pinko Floyd' every other day."
"That's a good example," the professor agreed. "And why do you think it happened differently?"
"I think it's because the root causes never happened. Like, for example, we didn't have a Russian Revolution or a spree of anarchist bombings like the Lost History did, so people don't have any reason to fear socialists the way they did in the Lost History."
"It's possible," Dr. Chen figured. She knew the answer, but part of teaching was shepherding one's students to get there. "So what do people think when they hear the word 'socialism?'"
"They probably think of France, where the socialists came to power through peaceful, democratic means by allying with the radicals. Or they might think of Russia, where the anarchist movement promotes a communal alternative to the status quo. Both of these are, for lack of a better term, 'less-scary' than the Bolshevik Revolution and bombings."
"And this is why you believe that a Red Scare failed to take hold in America?"
Her student nodded. "When somebody calls Floyd Olson a socialist, most people don't think of a violent revolution or bombings because those things didn't happen."
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ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Added a follow-up short story to go with Chapter 84.
It's a good look at how certain events not happening can have a butterfly effect.
It's also an excuse for me to make Pink Floyd puns whenever Olson is mentioned.
It's a good look at how certain events not happening can have a butterfly effect.
It's also an excuse for me to make Pink Floyd puns whenever Olson is mentioned.
- Location
- San Francisco
But think of the hot alien booty we could be missing out on!
In all seriousness though, probably a good idea. They're not thinking broad enough anyways. In an infinite multiverse, the massive majority of parallel earths will probably be uninhabitable rocks. Unless you REALLY want to go mining, there's not enough of an immediate reward.
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Honestly, yeah, most places are probably going to be empty, but they really don't want to do something that might upset anything that might be out there or get their attention.
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IMO, Lenin set back the socialist cause by decades, if not centuries - or, at least, Marxist-Leninist hegemony over socialist discourse, enforced by the Third International, did. Sure, life in the Warsaw Pact might've been decent if you kept your head down and did not question the status quo, but the mere fact that you had to keep your head down and avoid questioning the status quo to live a decent life doomed the whole experiment: of course, the USA got down to some weird shit during the Cold War but, in the end, America was less repressive than Russia, and that's why people left the East for the West, and not vice versa.
The lack of any kind of state-enforced Marxist-Leninist orthodoxy will allow socialist countries to experiment, even inside the countries themselves, and to avoid keeping their populace on a tight leash, and that's good - socialism will be considered just one ideology among many, free to compete with capitalism on its own terms rather than those enforced by an authoritarian regime. In fact, capitalism and socialism might steal ideas from each other with reckless abandon, depending on whatever will be proven to work in this timeline's universe - you might see capitalist countries adopt RISE-esque platforms, and socialist countries with a vibrant consumer/pop culture.
The lack of any kind of state-enforced Marxist-Leninist orthodoxy will allow socialist countries to experiment, even inside the countries themselves, and to avoid keeping their populace on a tight leash, and that's good - socialism will be considered just one ideology among many, free to compete with capitalism on its own terms rather than those enforced by an authoritarian regime. In fact, capitalism and socialism might steal ideas from each other with reckless abandon, depending on whatever will be proven to work in this timeline's universe - you might see capitalist countries adopt RISE-esque platforms, and socialist countries with a vibrant consumer/pop culture.
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Yeah, that's kind of where I'm at. The main difference between this timeline's socialist movement and our own is that the European socialists in SST are a Hell of a lot freer and more-democratic. The Left Bloc definitely sees themselves as a "vanguard" movement that promotes and pushes the ideology, but they aren't even nearly as repressive as the Soviets, and they wouldn't even consider doing Stalin-level purges.
Sure, they'll probably keep an eye on you if you, say, are a monarchist restorationist organization, but it's not like the GIGN is going to drag you off to a French gulag, or something.
The central idea of this International is that, at the end of the day, people should be socialists because they think it's a good idea, not because it's forced down their throats. Admittedly, the European socialists are more than willing to use propaganda and the apparatus of the state to support their efforts, but they are working towards that utopia.
That's pretty much where it is right now. Socialism in this timeline isn't a one-size-fits-all movement as the Soviets so often seemed to make it. It's a movement that grows and adapts to the cultures and realities of the people they're trying to win over.
For example, you'll see Islamic Socialism in Africa, Liberation Theology in Catholic Europe, and Christian Socialism in Protestant Europe. Oftentimes this is an approach that also considers the differences between the less-developed African regions and the more-industrialized European regions, as the development of Africa without colonizing them is a central topic.
As for sharing ideas, that pretty much already happens. China also uses economic simulations as a tool to guide fiscal policy, while the French basically use Chinese technology to run theirs. Meanwhile, Chinese media like music, gaming, television, and movies have a certain appeal to the socialists of the world, as many Uptimer ideas of the 21st Century (Feminism, Civil Rights, Separation of Church and State) resonate with the socialists who champion those very causes.
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Having "The Talk"
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
The Buena Vista, San Francisco, California, United States of America, 14 February 1941
"I don't see what's hard to understand, Lin," Selena Rossi insisted, "Let's say we got married and had, like, a dozen kids-"
Lin spat his drink out.
"We're not actually doing that!" Lena groaned. "I swear, sometimes, you're the stupidest smart person I've ever met."
"I'll take that as a compliment," he figured. "Wait, what were you saying?"
"I'm saying that feminism and being a nomad have a lot in common. It's all about freedom, y'know?"
"Yeah, I get that. And it's because it should be your choice to do what you want, right?"
"Yeah," she figured, "Being a nomad's all about freedom, and that includes the freedom to make my own choices and do whatever I want, as long as I respect other people's freedom."
"Which can include not traveling in caravans?" Lena nodded. "How does that work? I thought nomads were joined up because they didn't want to get tied down."
"Yeah, but that's the thing with freedom. If you tell people, 'You're not really about freedom unless you do this thing I choose to do,' then it's not really freedom, is it?"
"Yeah, I guess so. But what happens if somebody chooses to give away their freedom? Like those weirdo Tradcaths we ran into when we went through Chico?"
"Yeah, that's the problem with 'em. They want to force people to do what they want. If somebody wants to be their Trad-wife, that's her choice. I'd thing she's fucking stupid and has a terrible taste in men, but she's free to do whatever."
"Lena, you think that half the people you talk to are stupid."
"Yeah, but these guys are assholes and weirdos, Lin. Also, just sitting at home all day and keeping house sounds boring, and I don't know how women managed to do that back in the 1950s."
"Drugs, probably." Honestly, Lena didn't know if Lin was joking, so she just went with it. "But yeah, I get it, Lena: Feminism and being a nomad's not so much about the life you live, as much as it's the freedom to choose to live that life."
"Pretty much, Lin. So, you ever heard of Professor William Marston?" Her boyfriend shook his head. "Okay, so what's your opinion on polyamory?"
"I mean… I'm always open to new ideas, so if you're interested-"
"I meant for other people, Lin."
"I dunno. I guess it's fine, as long as nobody's being forced into it? I mean, it's like marriage, but with more people, right?"
Eh, close enough.
"Sure, let's go with that. That's kinda what freedom is all about. Professor Marston and his two wives choose to be in that kind of relationship, so feminists and nomads wouldn't really have a problem with it."
"Because they were using their freedom, right?"
"Pretty much," she figured, "Kinda weird that you hadn't really dealt with this kind of stuff before, Lin. Is it that different in China?"
"Eh, not really. Remember, my Dad's from America in the future, and you've met my Mom. They already "Got it," you know?"
"Right. What about the rest of China?"
"Most of China'd probably agree with them by now, because the other option's associated with the Qing, and nobody wants to be compared to them."
"Because they think it's backwards?"
Lin shrugged. "Pretty much. You start saying you like foot binding or misogyny, and somebody'll start shouting, 'That sounds like Qing talk! And the Qing were the Europeans' bitch for most of your life, and you still didn't have enough food to eat! You wanna go back to that?!'"
"I don't see what's hard to understand, Lin," Selena Rossi insisted, "Let's say we got married and had, like, a dozen kids-"
Lin spat his drink out.
"We're not actually doing that!" Lena groaned. "I swear, sometimes, you're the stupidest smart person I've ever met."
"I'll take that as a compliment," he figured. "Wait, what were you saying?"
"I'm saying that feminism and being a nomad have a lot in common. It's all about freedom, y'know?"
"Yeah, I get that. And it's because it should be your choice to do what you want, right?"
"Yeah," she figured, "Being a nomad's all about freedom, and that includes the freedom to make my own choices and do whatever I want, as long as I respect other people's freedom."
"Which can include not traveling in caravans?" Lena nodded. "How does that work? I thought nomads were joined up because they didn't want to get tied down."
"Yeah, but that's the thing with freedom. If you tell people, 'You're not really about freedom unless you do this thing I choose to do,' then it's not really freedom, is it?"
"Yeah, I guess so. But what happens if somebody chooses to give away their freedom? Like those weirdo Tradcaths we ran into when we went through Chico?"
"Yeah, that's the problem with 'em. They want to force people to do what they want. If somebody wants to be their Trad-wife, that's her choice. I'd thing she's fucking stupid and has a terrible taste in men, but she's free to do whatever."
"Lena, you think that half the people you talk to are stupid."
"Yeah, but these guys are assholes and weirdos, Lin. Also, just sitting at home all day and keeping house sounds boring, and I don't know how women managed to do that back in the 1950s."
"Drugs, probably." Honestly, Lena didn't know if Lin was joking, so she just went with it. "But yeah, I get it, Lena: Feminism and being a nomad's not so much about the life you live, as much as it's the freedom to choose to live that life."
"Pretty much, Lin. So, you ever heard of Professor William Marston?" Her boyfriend shook his head. "Okay, so what's your opinion on polyamory?"
"I mean… I'm always open to new ideas, so if you're interested-"
"I meant for other people, Lin."
"I dunno. I guess it's fine, as long as nobody's being forced into it? I mean, it's like marriage, but with more people, right?"
Eh, close enough.
"Sure, let's go with that. That's kinda what freedom is all about. Professor Marston and his two wives choose to be in that kind of relationship, so feminists and nomads wouldn't really have a problem with it."
"Because they were using their freedom, right?"
"Pretty much," she figured, "Kinda weird that you hadn't really dealt with this kind of stuff before, Lin. Is it that different in China?"
"Eh, not really. Remember, my Dad's from America in the future, and you've met my Mom. They already "Got it," you know?"
"Right. What about the rest of China?"
"Most of China'd probably agree with them by now, because the other option's associated with the Qing, and nobody wants to be compared to them."
"Because they think it's backwards?"
Lin shrugged. "Pretty much. You start saying you like foot binding or misogyny, and somebody'll start shouting, 'That sounds like Qing talk! And the Qing were the Europeans' bitch for most of your life, and you still didn't have enough food to eat! You wanna go back to that?!'"
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ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Full-time professor at UC Berkeley whose work was integral to the fight against nuclear proliferation through international oversight. Kinda helps that New China doesn't really need a nuclear deterrent, though, but the lack of nuclear proliferation advocacy is important nonetheless.
I'll probably have him show up in a later section, since I do have a background in physics.
Sakuya's Butler
A refined Butler to a knife wielding Mistress.
- Location
- ↓, ↘, → + Punch
Thing is, nukes kinda sorta do keep conflicts from escalating out of hand.
MAD is insane, yes, but it more or less worked in preventing an all out conventional WW3, or a 'full exchange' WW3, from breaking out. So having at least some nuclear deterrent isn't exactly as bad an idea as many might initially believe. The few conflicts between the major powers, post-1945 OTL, were them tiptoeing into things compared to the sheer devastation caused in WW2, let alone the cataclysm that was WW1.
OTOH, going full OTL's 1950s-1960s nuclear arms buildup? Yeah, that's batshit crazy.
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
We need to remember that there haven't been any nuclear weapons developed in this timeline.
Now, this is due to multiple things like lack of funding, a lack of political will, ethical concerns, and the potential fallout of unilaterally developing such a weapon, but the fact remains that there aren't any nuclear weapons right now.
While a minimal arsenal could, theoretically, prevent the "Big Three" (China, France, and the United States) from starting a second Great War, the issues are that there aren't any nuclear weapons as of Chapter 84, there aren't any major conflicts that would necessitate it, and trying to invoke the same kind of dynamic as MAD would be seen by many in-story as "Nuclear Weapons for the sake of Nuclear Weapons."
Plus, if a country at peace and without any security threats started developing nuclear weapons out of the blue, they'd probably terrify and/or anger the entire world, including their allies.
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Sakuya's Butler
A refined Butler to a knife wielding Mistress.
- Location
- ↓, ↘, → + Punch
Let's just say I'm waiting for either Africa, SA, or the Middle East to explode. It's not a question of if, but of when.
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
One person who is doing a lot better is Richard Feynman. Uptimer technology means his first wife Arline would survive tuberculosis.
Which means two things:
1. Feynman might have a softer view on soft sciences, given Arline Feynman's artistic background and complementary personality.
2. Oh God, he now has a partner for his shenanigans.
Insistent Terminology
ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Paige's Corner Sports Bar, Palo Alto, California, United States of America, 21 February 1941
"Bruins win again," Adrian Friese yawned, before his teammate Jon paid up. "Double or nothing for tomorrow's hockey game?"
"Like Hell I am," Jon grumbled. "That's the last time I bet on the Leafs. Wait, who are they playing, anyways?"
"Let's see…" Adrian scrolled through his phone. "Habs. Oh, and the Racism League is going to try to join the majors with the PCL."
"Adi, what the Hell, man? You can't call the Southern League the 'Racism League.'"
"Sure I can," Adrian shot back, before waving his hand over his dark face. "Especially when they had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to integrate by the Governor of Kentucky."
"Yeah, well, Governor Chandler's now the commish, and they've cleaned up their act. All the teams have broken the Color Barrier by now, and they're better for it."
"I'm like, 90 percent sure they did that to stop losing talent to China, Jon. Pretty sure the owners are still racist as all Hell."
"Doesn't stop them from having to pay good money for non-white guys," Jon pointed out. "Turns out they hate losing more than they hate Black people, Mexicans, and Asians."
"They're still dragging their feet on desegregating everything else. Last I checked, my hometown team in Chattanooga still has 'Whites Only' sections. And that's before we talk about all the money the owners donate to the TP Party."
"Okay, yeah, I don't really have anything for that. Still think Chandler's going to get them to fall in line. Only way they can go to the Majors."
"And I'm going to call them the 'Racism League' until they do," Adrian promised. "I'll stop when they stop."
"Really?" Jon just shook his head. "Who even calls them that? Double or nothing that nobody else calls it that."
"You're on."
"Sorry I'm late," Lin greeted as he walked up to his friends. "Did I miss Game 1?"
"Hey Lin," Adrian greeted back. "You're looking at a guy who's two dollars richer."
"Sup, Lin," said Jon. "And yeah, Boston kicked the Leafs' asses. Again. I swear, the Maple Leafs must be proof that God exists, because He seems to hate their guts."
"Anyways," Adrian chimed in, "We're just waiting for Game 2 to start."
"Cool." Lin sat down next to them in the booth. "So, what're you guys talking about?"
"Adi and I were talking about the two independent leagues trying to join the Majors. Pacific Coast's looking to join at the same time as the Southern League."
"Wait, hold up." Lin needed a moment. "What's going on with the the Racism League?"
"…"
"Pay up, Jon."
"Bruins win again," Adrian Friese yawned, before his teammate Jon paid up. "Double or nothing for tomorrow's hockey game?"
"Like Hell I am," Jon grumbled. "That's the last time I bet on the Leafs. Wait, who are they playing, anyways?"
"Let's see…" Adrian scrolled through his phone. "Habs. Oh, and the Racism League is going to try to join the majors with the PCL."
"Adi, what the Hell, man? You can't call the Southern League the 'Racism League.'"
"Sure I can," Adrian shot back, before waving his hand over his dark face. "Especially when they had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to integrate by the Governor of Kentucky."
"Yeah, well, Governor Chandler's now the commish, and they've cleaned up their act. All the teams have broken the Color Barrier by now, and they're better for it."
"I'm like, 90 percent sure they did that to stop losing talent to China, Jon. Pretty sure the owners are still racist as all Hell."
"Doesn't stop them from having to pay good money for non-white guys," Jon pointed out. "Turns out they hate losing more than they hate Black people, Mexicans, and Asians."
"They're still dragging their feet on desegregating everything else. Last I checked, my hometown team in Chattanooga still has 'Whites Only' sections. And that's before we talk about all the money the owners donate to the TP Party."
"Okay, yeah, I don't really have anything for that. Still think Chandler's going to get them to fall in line. Only way they can go to the Majors."
"And I'm going to call them the 'Racism League' until they do," Adrian promised. "I'll stop when they stop."
"Really?" Jon just shook his head. "Who even calls them that? Double or nothing that nobody else calls it that."
"You're on."
"Sorry I'm late," Lin greeted as he walked up to his friends. "Did I miss Game 1?"
"Hey Lin," Adrian greeted back. "You're looking at a guy who's two dollars richer."
"Sup, Lin," said Jon. "And yeah, Boston kicked the Leafs' asses. Again. I swear, the Maple Leafs must be proof that God exists, because He seems to hate their guts."
"Anyways," Adrian chimed in, "We're just waiting for Game 2 to start."
"Cool." Lin sat down next to them in the booth. "So, what're you guys talking about?"
"Adi and I were talking about the two independent leagues trying to join the Majors. Pacific Coast's looking to join at the same time as the Southern League."
"Wait, hold up." Lin needed a moment. "What's going on with the the Racism League?"
"…"
"Pay up, Jon."
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ChrisProvidence
Time Traveling Unequal Treaty Destroyer
- Pronouns
- He/Him
This sidestory serves two purposes:
1. Fleshing out the world a bit by talking about the Civil Rights Movement, race relations, and American culture.
2. An excuse to make fun of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Plus, I really like writing about people who are just living their lives in this world.
1. Fleshing out the world a bit by talking about the Civil Rights Movement, race relations, and American culture.
2. An excuse to make fun of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Plus, I really like writing about people who are just living their lives in this world.
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