The Great Crusade (Reds! Part 3)

[imperialaquila]

Hey, I'm with you on wanting to see a full-fledged workers' state emerging from the ruins of Imperial Japan, but there's also another possibility facing the Imperial family: exile. For all we know, Hirohito may decide to follow the precedent set by the Russia's Royalty ITTL. Unlike what happened to him and his family IOTL, Tsar Nicholas II opted to end up in Sweden during the Russian Civil War (briefly mentioned in TTL's revision). Perhaps he might end up in Hong Kong or some other place under firm FBU control.

Wait, Nicholas II ended up in Sweden?

What are the chances that he, or his son, end up being some sort of Nazi figurehead for the invasion of the USSR? It would make a lot of sense; it might convince some more Russians to defect, and it would give the whole thing a lot more legitimacy in France and Great Britain (see, we're just restoring the Romanovs! We're such selfless anti-Communists, we Germans...). Plus, after twenty years of exile, the Romanovs are very likely to go for it.

 

[Faeelin]

The UASR lost control of all its overseas territories (including Alaska, Hawaii and the Philippines) during the revolution. They won't be able to directly influence events in the Philippines, and IIRC the Brits actually moved in and took control sometime in the 1930s.

This honestly sounds more like Japan's schtick than Britain's at this point.

 

[Edward_Elric]

Wait, Nicholas II ended up in Sweden?

Yeah, the Romanovs apparently escaped to Sweden, where the Kaiser also took up residence after WWI as hinted at in this excerpt from the revised TL:

The Kaiser forms a liberal government under Chancellor Max von Baden, and by early September sues for peace. Soon, mass mutinies begin in the German Army and Navy, and vast worker strikes break out in Germany, prompting the Kaiser to abdicate to live out a life in exile, joining his cousin and former foe Nicholas II in Sweden.

What are the chances that he, or his son, end up being some sort of Nazi figurehead for the invasion of the USSR? It would make a lot of sense; it might convince some more Russians to defect, and it would give the whole thing a lot more legitimacy in France and Great Britain (see, we're just restoring the Romanovs! We're such selfless anti-Communists, we Germans...). Plus, after twenty years of exile, the Romanovs are very likely to go for it.

Now that you mention it, that's quite an interesting possibility you've mentioned in regards to the Romanovs being Nazi puppets. But that'd have a hard time fitting in w/ Hitler's whole rhetoric about Slavic Untermenschen and Generalplan Ost. But hey, maybe the Nazis would ditch those most grand plans for more Lebensraum and be content w/ bringing the Ancien regime back to St. Petersburg. Hell, maybe if that'd happen, there'd be even more focus on the siege of Leningrad than IOTL, which of course inhibits the attempts at other strategic targets like Stalingrad and Baku.

The UASR lost control of all its overseas territories (including Alaska, Hawaii and the Philippines) during the revolution. They won't be able to directly influence events in the Philippines, and IIRC the Brits actually moved in and took control sometime in the 1930s.

Actually, that part of the TL isn't quite set in stone yet (has yet to be addressed in an update to the revised TL). Last I recall, JB wasn't sure what to do w/ Alaska and Hawaii (as well as Puerto Rico and Panama), but yeah, the Philippines will likely still come under the control of the British immediately after the revolution. But in WWII, once the British join the war, I'd expect Imperial Japan to go ahead and invade the Philippines as well as the rest of Southeast Asia much like OTL. This'll once again give the Americans an opening to bring the Philippines back into their sphere of influence, depending on how the Pacific theater goes. Alternately, the UASR's war-time power politics re: cooperating w/ the British and French could mean that the FBU will once again try to re-establish their empire in Southeast Asia after the war. But if that happens, I just don't foresee them having total success if people like Ho Chi Minh pop up ITTL.

 

[imperialaquila]

Now that you mention it, that's quite an interesting possibility you've mentioned in regards to the Romanovs being Nazi puppets. But that'd have a hard time fitting in w/ Hitler's whole rhetoric about Slavic Untermenschen and Generalplan Ost. But hey, maybe the Nazis would ditch those most grand plans for more Lebensraum and be content w/ bringing the Ancien regime back to St. Petersburg. Hell, maybe if that'd happen, there'd be even more focus on the siege of Leningrad than IOTL, which of course inhibits the attempts at other strategic targets like Stalingrad and Baku.

There's no reason why the Germans can't annex large chunks of Russia while restoring a puppet regime. There's also no reason why the Germans can't secretly plan to backstab the Romanovs as soon as the shooting starts. The problem is that they might have to tone down some of the anti-Slavic rhetoric in the interim, as well as the bad treatment of the local population, in order to have it actually have any effect. Since these are basically OTL's Nazis, that seems a bit far-fetched. I see them as a more influential version of Andrei Vlasov.

 

[Libertad]

Somehow I don't exactly see those two events as having a high possibility. During WWII I'd expect a gentlemen's agreement of sorts shaping up between the Americans and Soviets over the Korean peninsula, making it a neutral Red state as a buffer between their respective spheres of influence.

That would be the case most likely.

As for India: it'll probably remain more within the capitalist sphere at first, but sooner or later the native elites will want to pursue a foreign policy independent of their former colonial masters.

Especially if a federalization of the FBU will not happen since it would mean that India's emerging economy would swallow up both France and Britain.

Well, if the Philippines go Red, I'd imagine that the FBU would grow increasingly desperate in trying to prevent their regional influence from dissipating any further. In that case, do expect yet another futile war in Indochina, as well as Hong Kong and Macau remaining in British and Portugese hands up to the present day (probably emerging as TTL's main parallels to West Berlin)

Speaking of Hong Kong/Macau: How will China turn out? JB previously hinted that Mao won't end up in charge, due to the Chinese Civil War not picking up again after WWII. Even so, I'd expect the country to go through a phase or two of internal turmoil due to the less-than friendly relations between the KMT and CCP. By the 1960's, it should be well on the way towards rapid industrialization, and the environmental consequences being experienced earlier than OTL would lead to a much more aggressive green movement TTL's modern day.

I'm confused about this too since the Nippon Republic post by Jello said something about the words "People's Republic of China". If that would be the case, I think I see a Maoist China like OTL but then Deng Xiaoping would lead reforms simultaneously with that of the Soviets in the 1970's.
But if China is intended by Jello to be what it is right now by late 1960's then this might still be a leftist Republic of China since I think he said before that Chiang Kai Shek wouldn't be in power and it would be the urban population that would push Chinese communism, not the rural peasants. Mao would be also remembered as a war hero, so he would most likely die during the war.

Well, you have to take into account India's native Bourgeoisie, and how willing they are to tolerate the more radical wings of the INC.

I think India TTL should be the one with a Fabian socialist/corporatist state almost like OTL and the postwar economic boom would bring India from its poor status.

Hey, I'm with you on wanting to see a full-fledged workers' state emerging from the ruins of Imperial Japan, but there's also another possibility facing the Imperial family: exile. For all we know, Hirohito may decide to follow the precedent set by the Russia's Royalty ITTL. Unlike what happened to him and his family IOTL, Tsar Nicholas II opted to end up in Sweden during the Russian Civil War (briefly mentioned in TTL's revision). Perhaps he might end up in Hong Kong or some other place under firm FBU control.

That should be the best case scenario. Since TTL's WW2 conferences would be more like how the FBU, America and the Soviet Union plus China most likely dividing up the world amongst themselves, I think it would show up that India would remain in FBU hands; Korea and China as buffer Red states and a Red Japan under American sphere with the imperial family and those from the elite being put into exile in the FBU sphere. But Hongkong? They might not be welcomed by the people there because of the Japanese occupation. Can we think of another place? Australia perhaps?

 

[Libertad]

Actually, that part of the TL isn't quite set in stone yet (has yet to be addressed in an update to the revised TL). Last I recall, JB wasn't sure what to do w/ Alaska and Hawaii (as well as Puerto Rico and Panama), but yeah, the Philippines will likely still come under the control of the British immediately after the revolution. But in WWII, once the British join the war, I'd expect Imperial Japan to go ahead and invade the Philippines as well as the rest of Southeast Asia much like OTL. This'll once again give the Americans an opening to bring the Philippines back into their sphere of influence, depending on how the Pacific theater goes. Alternately, the UASR's war-time power politics re: cooperating w/ the British and French could mean that the FBU will once again try to re-establish their empire in Southeast Asia after the war. But if that happens, I just don't foresee them having total success if people like Ho Chi Minh pop up ITTL.

I think IP said that Puerto Rico, Hawaii and Alaska would be America's independent national republics with fundamental rights of secession and some foreign policy prerogatives. I'm actually targeting the Philippines become one of these republics too. But I changed my mind that it happened in the 30's. It's not that much of a possibility. The planter-merchant elite here would not let it happen.

If Hawaii is going to go Red in the immediate postwar era in replacement of OTL Democratic Revolution of 1954 as I think what's going to happen, I think this would be case too for the FBU Philippine dominion to fall under TTL Sakdalista-Hukbalahap alliance by 1950-1953 while the FBU is also concerned with the independence movements in Indo-China and Dutch Indonesia. On this case, I see Ramon Magsaysay, Claro M. Recto and Luis Taruc would be all at the same side. Of course, the Quezon-Osmena-Roxas elite would push for dominion status within the United States this time around since there is no strong Democratic Party who would push for Philippine self-government here and of course this elite would not negotiate independence with the communists. The American commies would not let it happen too. The offer of the British for dominion status when their RN arrived in Manila Bay would become the conveninet last resort because of the chaos of the Philippine Revolution and the activism of the PKP-Sakdalista movement. Of course, since the elite here now are not totally pro-independence. It would give seeds for the disenfranchised ordinary masses to join TTL American branch of UWCPA, the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas. Then the war would still happen that would create the seeds of the Philippine People's Republic in the same way that it happened in Hawaii by the 1950's.

 

[iddt3]

I think IP said that Puerto Rico, Hawaii and Alaska would be America's independent national republics with fundamental rights of secession and some foreign policy prerogatives. I'm actually targeting the Philippines become one of these republics too. But I changed my mind that it happened in the 30's. It's not that much of a possibility. The planter-merchant elite here would not let it happen.

PR and HI make sense, but I'm not sure Alaska does, it depends on what the demographics are, but I think it's close enough to the US and majority white by this point to merit inclusion as a normal political unit.

 

[Nevermore]

I have some difficulty seeing the Palestinians being all lovey-dovey with the Jews under the presented scenario (ie., I don't see how it would keep the OTL severe Antisemitism of the Palestinians in check).

It's certainly an overly optimistic guess, in hindsight, on my part. We'll have to see how the apparent creation of a 'pan-Semitic' ideology works out. Still, I think that anyone who wants to try something funny to the opposing party is going to run into a lot of problems. After all, both just got done fighting a war side by side - grudging as an alliance might've been - to fight for their independence. While there will almost certainly be power plays to try and hand wave the influence of one another, I'm not sure how much good it'll do either of them.

Or, worst case scenario, we get almost as many problems as OTL, and the USSR and UASR have to keep a close eye on Palestine. Perhaps a comparison with OTL's USA-Israel relationship, except in this scenario, it's much more of a "Play nice with each other or we'll gut our trade with you," or something like that.

Also, I don't know how many Jews would want to flee to the USSR

I'd forgotten about the Doctors' Plot, actually, so this is well met. However, while anti-Semitism in the USSR surely isn't going to die with him, if Stalin dies during WWII ITTL (which, if I'm not mistaken, Jello hinted at) then that would be butterflied away. It's going to suck for a long time being a Jew in the USSR, but my assumption for those Jews after the war in places like France or the U.K. might not care if it actually is better, so much as the perception is that it would be than their former homelands, if that makes sense.

Still, the UASR having an even larger Jewish population than OTL's USA strikes me as the likely outcome here.

I imagine that they would agree it's a strategically important area which is incredibly ripe for revolution. I doubt they would agree on much besides that, though! I can see separate Marxist-DeLeonist (or whatever, UASR-aligned I mean) and Marxist-Leninist (USSR-aligned) rebel groups, each receiving backing from their peculiar sponsor. (Rather like OTL in many countries, actually...)

Oh, for sure. Like I said: they'll agree that the French and Brits have to go, along with all this 'apartheid' nonsense that the Afrikaner are eager to put in place. How they're going to go about doing that, of course, is an entirely different story. South Africa is such a tantalizing prize because it's one of the only 'White Dominions' where revolution looks like a real possibility.

Problem for the Comintern is that the FBU totally knows this too. They're going to have to play really nice with the black population they're sitting on if they want to avoid. Of course, then you've got your Afrikaner administrators and politicians who aren't going to like that one bit...

During WWII I'd expect a gentlemen's agreement of sorts shaping up between the Americans and Soviets over the Korean peninsula, making it a neutral Red state as a buffer between their respective spheres of influence.

I believe it was teased in A Red Dawn that in the future, Korea will be a neutral socialist country, like you said. Basically it exists so that the USSR and UASR don't have to fight over who gets a sphere of influence there. As long as the boys in Seoul keep their heads down, they should be fine...for the most part.

How will China turn out? JB previously hinted that Mao won't end up in charge, due to the Chinese Civil War not picking up again after WWII.

Similar to the above, if I'm not mistaken and unless plans have changed, China's going to be in a situation where they're not Communist, but are a socialist republic (ala Korea, I'd think). China will apparently look toward the Soviets diplomatically much more than the Americans. This makes sense, in hindsight, why Japan is a closely allied Communist state with the UASR. What'll really be fascinating to see is what happens to China when the Americans and Soviets stop being antagonistic to each other around 1980 or whenever it is they decide to work in lockstep again.

In that case, do expect yet another futile war in Indochina...

Jello's gone on record, I believe, for being a fan of Kim Newman's Back in the USSA, one of whose short stories features John Rambo training guerrillas in an alt-Vietnam War. Building off of that, pretty sure that Vietnam was mentioned as another state within the UASR's sphere of influence.

 

[Aelita]

It's certainly an overly optimistic guess, in hindsight, on my part. We'll have to see how the apparent creation of a 'pan-Semitic' ideology works out. Still, I think that anyone who wants to try something funny to the opposing party is going to run into a lot of problems. After all, both just got done fighting a war side by side - grudging as an alliance might've been - to fight for their independence. While there will almost certainly be power plays to try and hand wave the influence of one another, I'm not sure how much good it'll do either of them.

It's not really lovey dovey, certainly not at first. There's considerable tension in post-independence Palestine, but the ruling party puts the lid on that to advance the goal of socialist development. Which is why they often promulgate an ideology of Pan-Semitic internationalism as well as Communism.

A history of mutual mistreatment at the hands of the same oppressor (whether British imperialists or Fascist occupiers) certainly helps.

Or, worst case scenario, we get almost as many problems as OTL, and the USSR and UASR have to keep a close eye on Palestine. Perhaps a comparison with OTL's USA-Israel relationship, except in this scenario, it's much more of a "Play nice with each other or we'll gut our trade with you," or something like that.

They are a potential trouble spot, that's for sure.

I'd forgotten about the Doctors' Plot, actually, so this is well met. However, while anti-Semitism in the USSR surely isn't going to die with him, if Stalin dies during WWII ITTL (which, if I'm not mistaken, Jello hinted at) then that would be butterflied away. It's going to suck for a long time being a Jew in the USSR, but my assumption for those Jews after the war in places like France or the U.K. might not care if it actually is better, so much as the perception is that it would be than their former homelands, if that makes sense.

Still, the UASR having an even larger Jewish population than OTL's USA strikes me as the likely outcome here.

Surviving Jews in Eastern Europe may choose the Soviet Union instead of Palestine or America, but it's unlikely they'd have any influx of people from Western Europe.

Oh, for sure. Like I said: they'll agree that the French and Brits have to go, along with all this 'apartheid' nonsense that the Afrikaner are eager to put in place. How they're going to go about doing that, of course, is an entirely different story. South Africa is such a tantalizing prize because it's one of the only 'White Dominions' where revolution looks like a real possibility.

Problem for the Comintern is that the FBU totally knows this too. They're going to have to play really nice with the black population they're sitting on if they want to avoid. Of course, then you've got your Afrikaner administrators and politicians who aren't going to like that one bit...

Well, they're in a bind, because any revocation of Apartheid means South Africa flips to the other side. So even with its distastefulness, realpolitik forces the FBU to maintain the status quo as long as possible.

I believe it was teased in A Red Dawn that in the future, Korea will be a neutral socialist country, like you said. Basically it exists so that the USSR and UASR don't have to fight over who gets a sphere of influence there. As long as the boys in Seoul keep their heads down, they should be fine...for the most part.

You can't forget China, either. They're treated as an equal member of the Allies, and their desire for America or the Soviet Union not to be fighting over something on their doorstep is just as important as the Soviets wanting a buffer zone between spheres of influence.

Similar to the above, if I'm not mistaken and unless plans have changed, China's going to be in a situation where they're not Communist, but are a socialist republic (ala Korea, I'd think). China will apparently look toward the Soviets diplomatically much more than the Americans. This makes sense, in hindsight, why Japan is a closely allied Communist state with the UASR. What'll really be fascinating to see is what happens to China when the Americans and Soviets stop being antagonistic to each other around 1980 or whenever it is they decide to work in lockstep again.

Pretty much. Even as devastated and impoverished as China is in this period, they are too big to really be anyone's puppet. They are a true wildcard in the Cold War, and who they are diplomatically closest to will shift several times.

Jello's gone on record, I believe, for being a fan of Kim Newman's Back in the USSA, one of whose short stories features John Rambo training guerrillas in an alt-Vietnam War. Building off of that, pretty sure that Vietnam was mentioned as another state within the UASR's sphere of influence.

More than that; there was a fluff bit about favorite movies where one in-universe alt-historian admitted to his guilty pleasure of watching John Rambo blow up FBU troops and collaborators in Indochina with explosive arrows.

 

[iddt3]

Jello's gone on record, I believe, for being a fan of Kim Newman's Back in the USSA, one of whose short stories features John Rambo training guerrillas in an alt-Vietnam War. Building off of that, pretty sure that Vietnam was mentioned as another state within the UASR's sphere of influence.

Which would be somewhat bothersome to China and drive them somewhat closer to the USSR I would imagine. If the USSR reconciles with the Americans, than I expect power politics will incline China to chart it's own path. Hmmm, I wonder where India will be at that point...

 

[LHB]

Which would be somewhat bothersome to China and drive them somewhat closer to the USSR I would imagine. If the USSR reconciles with the Americans, than I expect power politics will incline China to chart it's own path. Hmmm, I wonder where India will be at that point...

It's understandable that they would drift into America's orbit vs China's. OTL the North Vietnamese were closely allied with Moscow as opposed to Beijing and years after the Vietnam War China invaded the country. That's before you go into the centuries of Vietnam being a vassal to or outright occupied by China under the old imperial dynasties. Just like OTL their best option is a backer who is powerful enough to be useful, far enough away to not be a problem, and could discourage China from doing anything foolish. TTL the UASR fits the bill on all counts.

 

[Memnon]

Hi! Just wanted to pop in and say that this is a great timeline -- I'm not caught up on the revisions yet, but I've read all the original stuff in a couple weeks. It's nudged me to the left a bit, though I'm still a reformist...

Just saw this article that might be applicable here:
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slat...n_more_horrific_than_previously_believed.html

I imagine that the junta in France would also hand over even more Jews than they did in OTL, though many are likely to run when the coup happens. As a francophile, by the way, I'm sad that's slated to happen.

Re: India, I think that by this point Indian nationalism is too strong -- I doubt the FBU can get away with anything stronger than what they had IOTL. Indeed, the possibility of the UASR providing funding could mean that Congress and the Muslim League draw closer again; the idea of Pakistan wasn't as serious in the '30s.

Possibly drive a wedge between Gandhi and Nehru -- Gandhi displays reactionary tendencies, with some liberal ideas mixed in, but in OTL he was also quite anti-colonialist. If his peaceful protests fail, it's likely that militant elements sort-of allied to Congress, including many Marxists, would resume fighting. This might also have the effect of discrediting Hindu nationalism to a degree.

Speaking of which, if the FBU latches onto Hindu/Muslim nationalism, they could definitely drag it out a little while. But I don't think being made a Dominion would work for long, like OTL. After which India would probably become somewhat like China -- too big to be totally under the influence of any one superpower, though likely only quasi-socialist like in OTL as someone said earlier.

Source: I've taken two classes on early modern to post-colonial India.

On China, I'd say that the Nationalists and Communists only fighting in a political sense would lead to earlier removal of the warlords, and thus more military strength to aim outwards. That would be pretty interesting, and might mean that Mongolia is more of a buffer instead of a Soviet satellite.

 

[Xandeross]

Awesome. I will be bookmarking this. However, I have to ask- I can't find the first draft of the Reds! timeline. I've found the introduction a couple of times, but everything past that seems to have disappeared.

 

[A Real Libertarian]

Awesome. I will be bookmarking this. However, I have to ask- I can't find the first draft of the Reds! timeline. I've found the introduction a couple of times, but everything past that seems to have disappeared.

Hi, long time lurker first time poster.

Anyway it's here https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=122672

 

[Libertad]

Hi, long time lurker first time poster.

Anyway it's here https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=122672

Wait is this serious? Your join date is Dec 2010 but this is the first time you've posted?

By the way I like the name, A Real Libertarian, so I think you're really thinking of the REAL one or of the "other" one?

Welcome to AH.

 

[Libertad]

Awesome. I will be bookmarking this. However, I have to ask- I can't find the first draft of the Reds! timeline. I've found the introduction a couple of times, but everything past that seems to have disappeared.

A Real Libertarian provided you the version 1, but this is the updated version. The POD was moved a few years back towards having Debs and De Leon within Socialist Labor. Here it is:

Special Edition: Version 2

 

[teg]

Small piece that might fit in the timeline, Jello can set it as cannon or not. Will do more if people like them.


A4 Super Pacific


The A4 Super Pacific was commissioned by LNER following the record breaking run by Mallard, where it reached 126 miles per hour, breaking the world record for steam. LNER however was unsatisfied and the board of directors remained convinced that either the Germans or one of the Communist powers was building an engine capable of running faster than Mallard. This was in fact ludicrous as all three states had begun to prepare for war by 1939, and the Soviet-American emphasis had always been on heavier loads rather than higher speeds, an emphasis that would only shift in the post-war years. Sir Nigel Gresley and the rest of the LNER board were also skeptical of the 'Super A4's, believing that they would too high maintenance and would only marginally increase running times along the East Coast Mainline. In spite of these objections, the LNER board ordered the construction of twelve such engines, with more to follow.

The first Super A4, Princess Consort, rolled out of Doncaster in the summer of 1940, just days after the murderous German assault on the Soviet Union began. In its first run, Consort easily broke the 100 mph barrier and would have probably broken Mallard's were it not for the fact that the LNER directors were unwilling to risk their prize engine so early in its career. To the dismay of the LNER board however, the engine was met with derision by elements of the public and press; Clement Attlee described it as; "A prime example the delusions of those in this country who would claim Britain can sit out the storm without committing to one side or the other". In spite of this poor press, the Consort was able to perform a record breaking run on April 5th 1941, when it reached 129.7 mph.

Unfortunately, the Super A4s proved to be expensive to run and maintain, as predicted by Gresley and his successor as Chief Mechanical Engineer, Edward Thompson, attempted to stop their construction. In the end he was only able to limit construction to twenty machines. Many of these engines suffered from long periods under heavy overhaul due to the stresses on their structures. The cost of building the Super A4s put serious strains on LNER's budget and forced them to redirect funds from the more capable and less expensive B1 and V2 models. With the outbreak of war, the Attlee government nationalized of Britain's railways (the main exceptions being small narrow gauge railways such as the Tallylyn and Ffestinog Railways in Wales), and suspended construction of the Super A4s. The Railway Executive attempted to use the Super A4s as heavy freight engines, in a similar way to the A4s and A3s but they proved to be incapable of operating without consistent maintenance. As a result the Railway Executive ordered the Super A4s to be broken up and used for spare parts for the A4s. Only a few parts of Princess Consort have survived and are currently stored in the National Railway Museum in York.

---

Comments, criticisms, rotten tomatoes?

teg

 

[Edward_Elric]

^the last part about the train's scrapping makes me wonder about how historical sites and treasures in the FBU will be treated post-WWII. IIRC, the Americans pursued a policy of preserving the mansions and estates of exiled capitalists, albeit converting a lot of them into multi-family homes and hotels. With the FBU apparently experiencing less devastation in the war, maybe post-war central London will more closely resemble central Paris in terms of architectural integrity, shifting skyscraper construction out of the historic center.

And speaking of historic preservation: I sure hope that the atomic bomb gets dropped on Kyoto's industrial areas rather than its most valuable historic landmarks.

 

[A Real Libertarian]

Wait is this serious? Your join date is Dec 2010 but this is the first time you've posted?

By the way I like the name, A Real Libertarian, so I think you're really thinking of the REAL one or of the "other" one?

Welcome to AH.

Lets just say I view the US Libertarian party as fundamentally the same as an African-American Rights party whose sole platform is the repeal of the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments. Also they keep running a David Duke/corpse of John C. Calhoun ticket for some totally inconceivable reason.

 

[Libertad]

And speaking of historic preservation: I sure hope that the atomic bomb gets dropped on Kyoto's indiustrial areas rather than its most valuable historic landmarks.

Damn. It should be that way! Despite the contradictory semi-dystopic/utopian hodgepodge of a timeline this is, I do hope that given that there's no Pearl Harbor here that the Reed Government have some conscience left to spare historical Kyoto and just aim in the industrial outskirts and a part of the surrounding countryside to finally make the imperialists surrender. I think with its combination of an Operation Downfall, just one atom bomb would be enough. Still, given the standards, it would still be devastating enough that a single bomb can do so much damage and this is in the center of Japan! A historical imperial capital at that! That would be enough. The psychological impact and its historical legacy would be much worse than OTL in the overall context of Japanese reconstruction and the fierce Cold War rivalry that's for sure but the physical damage is what I'm targeting here. I do hope that it is not as much as OTL bombings. Thankfully!