Valamyr
Banned
To break away with the tradition of earth-shattering PODs, lets have a POD about the world's most insignificant legally recognized entity.
http://www.seanhastings.com/havenco/sealand/history.html or http://www.sealandgov.com/ for info.
WI after the brief takeover of Sealand, the dutch mercenaries had been mostly all killed in the battle take back the nation? Considering that their capture in OTL paved the way to Holland and Germany's recognition of the principalty, it could have a "large-ish" impact. Even larger if the situation allowed them to have the culprits behind this invasion tried for their crimes in the first place.
Timeline follows:
09/78- All dutch mercenaries killed in the re-capture of the island. Single German prisoner of war taken .
10/78- Holland demands the principalty pays reparations for the deaths, but is unable to press the claim. Germany sends a diplomat to request the freedom of their prisonner, but the mood is grimmer in Sealand, and the diplomat is sent on his way.
11/78- Germany refuse to recognize the validity of Sealand's claim to independence, demands the UK takes action. UK declines to meddle in foreign war.
12/78- Sealand, aware that a German buisnessman orchestrated this invasion, proposes a deal. They hand over the prisonner in exchange for formal charges brought by Berlin upon this man who tried to orchestrate the war.
2/79- German buisnessman arrested and tried on 6 counts, found guilty of 5 nine months later.
In OTL, this "buisnessman" (unable to find the name) carried on his little vendetta by creating a number of scams to usurpate the name of Sealand, and make easy money off their backs. And is STILL getting away with it up to now. In TTL, he rots in jail for 15 years and loses his taste for pissing off small countries.
Consequences: The plethora of false websites trying to scam people into various things, including the sale of 150,000 false Sealand passports all over the world (Only 300 real ones exist) for 1000US, never happen, as they were most likely the deeds of the same person. Though easy-to-scam people gets scammed by other scams in TTL instead, the most important impact is that 25,000 Hong-Kong citizens do not make the mistake of buying these false passports.
In OTL, a large proportion of these "unfortunates" ended up being accepted in the UK in a move of the foreign office which was trying to ease the troubles caused by the cession of the territory of Hongkong to China. In TTL, most of them instead are forced to stay there, with a few more managing instead to find their way to the Canadian/US West Coast.
As thus, there are 15000 more people in China than in OTL, and they are the sort who are not happy at all to be stuck in there. When China tries to gradually enforce its laws on HongKong, as in OTL, there are massive protests, as in OTL. Thanks to the butterflies, the presence of one of these people at these protests leads to a conflict with security forces that degenerates into a small-scale slaughter that reminds many of a similar event 10 years before in a certain Square.
These new "martyrs of democracy" cause a bit of an uproar at the brutality of the chinese repression forces. It is politically more difficult for China to defend the incident because of Hong Kong's special status. Beijing makes a statement explaining that it is a "regrettable incident", that there were "mistakes", that were being "looked upon" and that even use the magic word saying they "apologized to the victims of the brutality".
This rare admission of culpability raised hopes that China's slow democratization was successful. Though these developments were not earth-shattering in themselves, it brought interesting developments. Today, in OTL, China issued a statement explaining that the bloodfest of the Square in the late 1980s, where hundreds if not thousands of students were killed was necessary. In TTL, China continues on the path set a couple years ago, and admit that this slaughter was also excessive and regrettable. It explains that the People's government will see that the rights of it's 1,300,000,000 citizens continue to be respected and improved, to avoid abuses in the future.
As for Sealand? Without the incredible amount of frauds perpetrated in its name, it never becomes infamous, and retains more credibility. Without 150,000 false passports floating around, it doesnt need to close its frontiers as in OTL, and tourism helps it prospers. In 2002, the United Kingdom, seeing it's ex-military base boom with tourism as people stop by to see the world's tinyest nation, formally recognize the principalty as an independent state, and allows it to open an ambassy in London. (Which increase Sealand's sovereign territory by 2,7%
)
Thoughts?
I'd be curious to know who here had even HEARD of Sealand before
Once again, the power of the butterflies is proven I guess.
http://www.seanhastings.com/havenco/sealand/history.html or http://www.sealandgov.com/ for info.
WI after the brief takeover of Sealand, the dutch mercenaries had been mostly all killed in the battle take back the nation? Considering that their capture in OTL paved the way to Holland and Germany's recognition of the principalty, it could have a "large-ish" impact. Even larger if the situation allowed them to have the culprits behind this invasion tried for their crimes in the first place.
Timeline follows:
09/78- All dutch mercenaries killed in the re-capture of the island. Single German prisoner of war taken .
10/78- Holland demands the principalty pays reparations for the deaths, but is unable to press the claim. Germany sends a diplomat to request the freedom of their prisonner, but the mood is grimmer in Sealand, and the diplomat is sent on his way.
11/78- Germany refuse to recognize the validity of Sealand's claim to independence, demands the UK takes action. UK declines to meddle in foreign war.
12/78- Sealand, aware that a German buisnessman orchestrated this invasion, proposes a deal. They hand over the prisonner in exchange for formal charges brought by Berlin upon this man who tried to orchestrate the war.
2/79- German buisnessman arrested and tried on 6 counts, found guilty of 5 nine months later.
In OTL, this "buisnessman" (unable to find the name) carried on his little vendetta by creating a number of scams to usurpate the name of Sealand, and make easy money off their backs. And is STILL getting away with it up to now. In TTL, he rots in jail for 15 years and loses his taste for pissing off small countries.
Consequences: The plethora of false websites trying to scam people into various things, including the sale of 150,000 false Sealand passports all over the world (Only 300 real ones exist) for 1000US, never happen, as they were most likely the deeds of the same person. Though easy-to-scam people gets scammed by other scams in TTL instead, the most important impact is that 25,000 Hong-Kong citizens do not make the mistake of buying these false passports.
In OTL, a large proportion of these "unfortunates" ended up being accepted in the UK in a move of the foreign office which was trying to ease the troubles caused by the cession of the territory of Hongkong to China. In TTL, most of them instead are forced to stay there, with a few more managing instead to find their way to the Canadian/US West Coast.
As thus, there are 15000 more people in China than in OTL, and they are the sort who are not happy at all to be stuck in there. When China tries to gradually enforce its laws on HongKong, as in OTL, there are massive protests, as in OTL. Thanks to the butterflies, the presence of one of these people at these protests leads to a conflict with security forces that degenerates into a small-scale slaughter that reminds many of a similar event 10 years before in a certain Square.
These new "martyrs of democracy" cause a bit of an uproar at the brutality of the chinese repression forces. It is politically more difficult for China to defend the incident because of Hong Kong's special status. Beijing makes a statement explaining that it is a "regrettable incident", that there were "mistakes", that were being "looked upon" and that even use the magic word saying they "apologized to the victims of the brutality".
This rare admission of culpability raised hopes that China's slow democratization was successful. Though these developments were not earth-shattering in themselves, it brought interesting developments. Today, in OTL, China issued a statement explaining that the bloodfest of the Square in the late 1980s, where hundreds if not thousands of students were killed was necessary. In TTL, China continues on the path set a couple years ago, and admit that this slaughter was also excessive and regrettable. It explains that the People's government will see that the rights of it's 1,300,000,000 citizens continue to be respected and improved, to avoid abuses in the future.
As for Sealand? Without the incredible amount of frauds perpetrated in its name, it never becomes infamous, and retains more credibility. Without 150,000 false passports floating around, it doesnt need to close its frontiers as in OTL, and tourism helps it prospers. In 2002, the United Kingdom, seeing it's ex-military base boom with tourism as people stop by to see the world's tinyest nation, formally recognize the principalty as an independent state, and allows it to open an ambassy in London. (Which increase Sealand's sovereign territory by 2,7%
)Thoughts?
I'd be curious to know who here had even HEARD of Sealand before
Once again, the power of the butterflies is proven I guess.
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