Question, ASBs, Hitler, No Hitler, VS Bob and No Bob

[nickjbor]

Question...

If I wanted to make a timeline with no Hitler, I dont think anyone would have much of a problem if I put in the post 1900 section. I could say that he died from an accident, or better yet in WW1. I could even get away with a DBWI asking what if there was a Hitler if I really pushed it...

But why would then a story about "Bob", the president of the US in 1972 who sparked a nuclear war, not be allowed, just because in this time line Bob does not die from being hit by a car as a child in 1931 as he did in OTL. Why would that be ASB... would that be ASB? And if not, could I get away with adding someone to history for a story?

edit - didn't know where else to put this. If a mod wants to move it feel free

[Chris S]

Originally Posted by nickjbor

Question...

If I wanted to make a timeline with no Hitler, I dont think anyone would have much of a problem if I put in the post 1900 section. I could say that he died from an accident, or better yet in WW1. I could even get away with a DBWI asking what if there was a Hitler if I really pushed it...

But why would then a story about "Bob", the president of the US in 1972 who sparked a nuclear war, not be allowed, just because in this time line Bob does not die from being hit by a car as a child in 1931 as he did in OTL. Why would that be ASB... would that be ASB? And if not, could I get away with adding someone to history for a story?

edit - didn't know where else to put this. If a mod wants to move it feel free

I don't think it would be ASB.

ASB is where something is impossible (example: removing Australia as a continent and having the rest of the world not be affected) or highly implausible to the point of being practically impossible (the US and Britain getting into a war with the USSR in 1944/1945 after defeating Germany but before defeating Japan...or having Sealion being successful).

Have John Doe not hit by a car as a child in 1931 and becoming a president in 1972 who is involved in a nuclear war is entirely plausible and belongs in the post-1900 section provided you can show how he moved from point A (being missed by the car) to point B (pushing the button). The first thing that comes to mind is that the person who hit him probably doesn't go to prison for manslaughter so we have the car-driver not in prison. If lucky car-driver ends up being some assassin of a president later (say assassinates FDR in 1930-something) then you can introduce a major change in the TL which could lead to a world where the United States would spark a nuclear war. Or if no major change like that is introduced then all that would be needed is Bob entering politics, winning and then have some crisis develop, throw in some shady and/or gung-ho advisors (Curtis LeMay types) and Bob raises the Defcon level to Defcon-1 and presto! plausible scenario where Bob starts a Nuclear War!

[the_lyniezian]

One would assume if the person in question is entirely fictional, it belongs in ASB as ASB is meant for anything fictional or at least not grounded in definite real history.