The 20th Century

luakel · Aug 10, 2005

Should we still post ideas in this thread?

Romulus Augustulus · Aug 10, 2005

Well, how does Edward become paranoid? Make it plausible, but make it funny. Like that German fellow who almost made the Kaiser abdicate after he performed ballet in a tutu during an important reception and died of a heart attack...

Romulus Augustulus · Aug 10, 2005

Yes! That's the ticket...

Justin Pickard · Aug 10, 2005

Romulus Augustulus said:
Yes! That's the ticket...

Good enough? I say we make him gravitate towards a Rasputin-esque (mid)advisor, bodyguards etc. and have Victoria's physician "disappear".

I'd love to pick up the story later. I think we should have the installments come as they seem right. Not neccesarily monthly.

Romulus Augustulus · Aug 10, 2005

Wikipedia said:
February 3 - Gubernatorial candidate William Goebel is assassinated in Frankfort, Kentucky. Former-Secretary of State Caleb Powers was later found guilty in a conspiracy to kill Goebels.
February 7 - The British Labour Party is formed.
February 8 - British troops are defeated by Boers at Ladysmith, South Africa.
February 9 - Richard Wigginton Thompson, U.S. congressman, dies.
February 14 - Russia responds to international pressure to free Finland by tightening imperial control over the country.
February 14 - Boer War: In South Africa, 20,000 British troops invade the Orange Free State.
February 17 - Battle of Paardeberg in the Second Boer War
February 22 - Hawaii officially becomes a territory of the United States.
February 23 - Boer War: Battle of Hart's Hill - In South Africa the Boers and British troops battle.
February 27 - Boer War: In South Africa, British military leaders receive an unconditional notice of surrender from Boer General Piet Cronje.
February 27 - Ramsay MacDonald appointed secretary of newly formed British Labour Party.
February 28 - British Labour Party founded.

Okay...now for February 1900, I'm thinking the failure of British offensives against the Boers and a few limited Boer counterattacks against the British. Kaiser Wilhelm says his very stupid things, a few volunteer units of Germans are formed to fight with the Boers, etc.

ATL Wikipedia said:
February 3 - Gubernatorial candidate William Goebel is assassinated in Frankfort, Kentucky. Former-Secretary of State Caleb Powers was later found guilty in a conspiracy to kill Goebels.
February 7 - The British Labour Party is formed.
February 8 - British troops are defeated by Boers at Ladysmith, South Africa. (Ladysmith taken January 6th...half-hearted recapture attempt.)
February 9 - Richard Wigginton Thompson, U.S. congressman, dies.
February 14 - Russia responds to international pressure to free Finland by tightening imperial control over the country.
February 14 - Boer War: In South Africa, 20,000 British troops invade the Orange Free State.
February 17 - Battle of Paardeberg in the Second Boer War
February 22 - Hawaii officially becomes a territory of the United States.
February 23 - Boer War: Battle of Hart's Hill - In South Africa the Boers and British troops battle.
February 27 - Boer War: In South Africa, British military leaders receive an unconditional notice of surrender from Boer General Piet Cronje.
February 27 - Ramsay MacDonald appointed secretary of newly formed British Labour Party.
February 28 - British Labour Party founded.

Not fully fleshed out...but I think that the Boers should probably take Mafeking or something similar, and that the British should run into trouble during their offensives. Also, what effects on the Labour Party and the Khaki Election is the war going to have?

Othniel · Aug 10, 2005

Count me in as a researcher. My own writing is suspect, but I do have some ability on the early end of this era.

Justin Pickard · Aug 10, 2005

Add in the coronation of King Edward VII. Hmmm...an event with lots of royalty present...*thinks*

Could we have two people who didn't meet in OTL meet and fall for each other? I'll have a look to see who is of the right age for the longer term butterflies...

luakel · Aug 10, 2005

I was just thinking about things and thought up a provisionary list of presidents up to the 1950's:

William McKinely:1897-1901* Re
Theodore Roosevelt:1901-1912* Re
Elihu Root:1912-1913 Re
Woodrow Wilson:1913-1919** De
James Clark: 1919-1929 De
Herbert Hoover:1929-1933 Re
Huey Long:1933-1938* Ra
Charles Coughlin: 1938-1941 Ra
John Nance Garner:1941-1945 De
Robert Taft: 1945-1950 Re
Thomas Dewey: 1950-1953 Re

Re=Republican Ra=Radical De=Democrat
*=Assassinated **=Died in Office

What do you guys think?

Othniel · Aug 10, 2005

luakel said:
I was just thinking about things and decided on a provisionary list of presidents up to the 1950's:
William McKinely:1897-1901* Re
Theodore Roosevelt:1901-1912* Re
Elihu Root:1912-1913 Re
Woodrow Wilson:1913-1919** De
James Clark: 1919-1929 De
Herbert Hoover:1929-1933 Re
Huey Long:1933-1938* Ra
Charles Coughlin: 1938-1941 Ra
John Nance Garner:1941-1945 De
Robert Taft: 1945-1950 Re
Thomas Dewey: 1950-1953 Re

Re=Republican Ra=Radical De=Democrat
*=Assassinated **=Died in Office

What do you guys think?

Why would Wilson get in?

Romulus Augustulus · Aug 10, 2005

Regarding the US presidential elections...how's about Roosevelt runs for them in 1900 and wins? McKinley dies a week before Election Day--food poisoning--and Roosevelt wins...

Justin Pickard · Aug 10, 2005

luakel said:
I was just thinking about things and decided on a provisionary list of presidents up to the 1950's:
William McKinely:1897-1901* Re
Theodore Roosevelt:1901-1912* Re
Elihu Root:1912-1913 Re
Woodrow Wilson:1913-1919** De
James Clark: 1919-1929 De
Herbert Hoover:1929-1933 Re
Huey Long:1933-1938* Ra
Charles Coughlin: 1938-1941 Ra
John Nance Garner:1941-1945 De
Robert Taft: 1945-1950 Re
Thomas Dewey: 1950-1953 Re

Re=Republican Ra=Radical De=Democrat
*=Assassinated **=Died in Office

What do you guys think?

We'll see what happens, but it does look pretty good.

-----

ALSO

5th Feb 1900 - The United States and Great Britain signed the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty, giving the United States the right to build a canal in Nicaragua but not to fortify it.

20th Feb 1900 - J.F. Pickering patented his airship.

Might be worthy of closer examination...

luakel · Aug 10, 2005

Othniel said:
Why would Wilson get in?

Mostly because he did in OTL, and I figured he might still get the support of Bryan. But if it's too implausible I could change it to Clark: 1913-1921.

luakel · Aug 10, 2005

Justin Pickard said:
5th Feb 1900 - The United States and Great Britain signed the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty, giving the United States the right to build a canal in Nicaragua but not to fortify it.

What could butterfly from a canal in Nicaragua instead of Panama?

Romulus Augustulus · Aug 10, 2005

Okay...a canal in Nicaragua is a definite possibility. What else, though...oh yes. I still want airplanes to be dominant. Sorry. Come the 1930s, however, there will be something to make up for the lack of zeppelins...

Grey Wolf · Aug 10, 2005

luakel said:
I was just thinking about things and thought up on a provisionary list of presidents up to the 1950's:

Why ???????

This is an ATL

Its year on year changes

Why are you even thinking about 1950 ?

Its why I warned I was not a good person to get on board. This kind of speculation ignores all the basic tenets of what History is

Grey Wolf

Straha · Aug 10, 2005

Why not have the US directly annex cuba in this TL instead of making it a protecterate/ally?

Romulus Augustulus · Aug 10, 2005

Okay...so we generally have the first part of the timeline (up to 1905) fleshed out.

The Boers do better, Queen Victoria dies early, King Edward, paranoid, ascends the throne early, Anglo-German relations spoil, earlier alliance with France, Russia, Russian victory in Russo-Japanese War, Japan in German camp, US digs canal in Nicaragua, US annexes Cuba and Hawaii, T.R. president in 1901, US less isolationist due to butterflies.

luakel · Aug 10, 2005

Grey Wolf said:
Why ???????

This is an ATL

Its year on year changes

Why are you even thinking about 1950 ?

Its why I warned I was not a good person to get on board. This kind of speculation ignores all the basic tenets of what History is

Grey Wolf

What's wrong with thinking ahead? All of the people I have becoming President were born before 1900 anyway, and all of them were likely to rise to greatness. It's just meant to be innocent speculation. I'm sure that when 1950 does roll around, it's unlikely that Taft will be Pres, get killed, and have Dewey take over. But some of the earlier ones could be of some use.

luakel · Aug 10, 2005

Straha said:
Why not have the US directly annex cuba in this TL instead of making it a protecterate/ally?

What about the Phillipines as well?

Justin Pickard · Aug 10, 2005

Grey Wolf said:
Why ???????

This is an ATL

Its year on year changes

Why are you even thinking about 1950 ?

Its why I warned I was not a good person to get on board. This kind of speculation ignores all the basic tenets of what History is

Grey Wolf

I'm with Grey on this. Play it as it comes! We only need to be with 1900, still! Speculation, however, is still good.

Erm..don't feel contrained to one excerpt a month. There'll probably be a lot of jumping around, eventually...