The Footprint of Mussolini - TL

[Bookmark1995]

Looking at that map I worry for Turkmenistan going RA.

Also I am thinking we could see "Russians Out" movements against Russian settler populations across the former USSR. The Baltics and Finland will likely stop short of official endorsement but see hate crimes and de facto persecutions from the new private sector; with ITO protecting them from any Russian threats and not getting too involved to stop the persecution. The RA may get an "In" with the Central Asian republics by supporting Russian expulsions as part of them joining the RA.

If the TTL collapse had been more violent....probably.

But considering how Malenkov has so gracefully surrendered power, there might be far less animosity than usual.

Considering Turkmenistan IOTL had a crazy dictator who changed the months of the year and days of the week and forced people to read his horrible autobiography/manifesto, I wouldn't be surprised if they did.

The dude named months of the year after himself, and built a city of marble.

The man was NUTS!

 

[Lisowczycy]

Sold for scrap - the Russians need money and they need it yesterday.

I imagine the newer ones were had found some buyers in a foreign navy at a cheap price( we take anything please buy) . But man to disbanded one of their best fleet is a sad thing.

 

[nemo1986]

I give it a few decades before the Russians begin to work or regaining control of those breakaway states. Especially the internal republics.

 

[Dolan]

There is no way Malenkov won't ended up declared as a Saint, to the Orthodox Church at least, or even more, as he was basically singlehandedly responsible for "liberating" a lot of People The Soviet Union oppressed, and even going further by destroying all their own nuclear weapon.

Something that might seem foolish if anyone expect them to fight, but I think the new Russian Federation might ended up being the total reverse of Russia we have today IOTL, being a technically pacifist country who treat their populace well, focusing on long term prosperity and equality, all while having "The Church in Power" being run by idealistic Christian-Socialists who actually win in fair and free elections because they did care for their country as a whole, further making the contrast with not only Old Communism but also Fascism.

which might ironically also trigger the fall of Fascism.

 

[Herr Frage]

A Christian Socialist being he one who not only brought down Communism. but decolonized the USSR territories and half the Pact, all without a major war; could really boost Christian Socialism worldwide. That he also took the lead in nuclear disarmament is a nice touch too.

The Left was dealt a huge blow from Stalin ITTL. But this move of a socialist taking down the majority of Stalinism with no WWIII could be rallying call for a new era for the Socialists. Christian Socialism, and socialism working/inspired by other religions , could start to really advance; taking support from the religious right with an alternative that could still appeal to the religious.

Even if Tolstoyism ends up a failure, and they are still likely to be seen as leagues better than Suslov's USSR, this could get the ball rolling again for the Left in general. Hmm, I could see Malenkov even call out other Christian leaders for supporting Fascism and/or imperialism if he remains in power. After all he has promised free elections and has already divested Russia of most if not all colonialism; so he room to talk on such.

 

[Bookmark1995]

A Christian Socialist being he one who not only brought down Communism. but decolonized the USSR territories and half the Pact, all without a major war; could really boost Christian Socialism worldwide. That he also took the lead in nuclear disarmament is a nice touch too.

The Left was dealt a huge blow from Stalin ITTL. But this move of a socialist taking down the majority of Stalinism with no WWIII could be rallying call for a new era for the Socialists. Christian Socialism, and socialism working/inspired by other religions , could start to really advance; taking support from the religious right with an alternative that could still appeal to the religious.

Even if Tolstoyism ends up a failure, and they are still likely to be seen as leagues better than Suslov's USSR, this could get the ball rolling again for the Left in general. Hmm, I could see Malenkov even call out other Christian leaders for supporting Fascism and/or imperialism if he remains in power. After all he has promised free elections and has already divested Russia of most if not all colonialism; so he room to talk on such.

Yes but...

Malenkov is presiding over a famine-stricken, desiccated empire. He needs outside help to get what he wants done.

No matter what he tries to implement, he also may need to dance to the tune of the West.

 

[Joseph890]

Do you know I just realize that there is a very good biblical parallel between Malenkov And Saint Paul the apostle. Both of them originally persecuted Christians but then they had a experience that made them into fervent believers in the Almighty.

 

[Herr Frage]

Yes but...

Malenkov is presiding over a famine-stricken, desiccated empire. He needs outside help to get what he wants done.

No matter what he tries to implement, he also may need to dance to the tune of the West.

Very good points. I look forward to seeing how the quest for Tolstoyism vs the need for foreign aid and investment plays out.

Also the text notes how most Fascist powers didn't realize what the collapse of the Pact meant for them becoming the major threat. I wonder which ones turn out to have the foresight?

 

[Lalli]

Russia has still long way to recover. I am not sure that it will has same economy in 2020 as in OTL 2020 altough probably it is lesser corrupt and more safe country.

Just wondering will remnants of last tsar family be found and buried to Peter-Paul's Fortress earlier. Probably they are too declared as sainst much earlier. There hardly is restoration of monarchy but it is possible that Romanovs get same honorary status as OTL Montenegrian and Serbian royal families.

Speaking about monarchies how likely are restorations of monarchies to Serbia and Greece?

 

[Bookmark1995]

Very good points. I look forward to seeing how the quest for Tolstoyism vs the need for foreign aid and investment plays out.

Also the text notes how most Fascist powers didn't realize what the collapse of the Pact meant for them becoming the major threat. I wonder which ones turn out to have the foresight?

Yep.

Without a scary atheist Soviet empire, the Roman Alliance and it flaws are now laid bare.

The next generation of Western leaders are going to be increasingly intolerant of the mistreatment of native Africans.

 

[Dolan]

Yes but...

Malenkov is presiding over a famine-stricken, desiccated empire. He needs outside help to get what he wants done.

No matter what he tries to implement, he also may need to dance to the tune of the West.

I could also see that Orthodox-Majority people like Ukrainians and Belorussians, as well as maybe Georgians and others, ended up sticking with Malenkov's Russian federation in the end, ironically because Malenkov never tried to force them to stay, and being genuine in his actions.

 

[Lalli]

I could also see that Orthodox-Majority people like Ukrainians and Belorussians, as well as maybe Georgians and others, ended up sticking with Malenkov's Russian federation in the end, ironically because Malenkov never tried to force them to stay, and being genuine in his actions.

Belarus might be possible but I can't see Ukraine and Georgia going back to Russian Federation. Too much bad blood here altough relationships are much better than in OTL and some certain problems between the countries are butterflied away altough in Russia is surely extremist nationalists who would want see borders of former Russian Empire. But they hardly get power.

 

[Herr Frage]

Speaking about monarchies how likely are restorations of monarchies to Serbia and Greece?

Hmm, the Serbian de facto military government may try for a restoration to grant themselves more legitimacy and further distance themselves from communism against any RA aggression. Though they would likely want a malleable monarch who will not rock their boat and also be seen as Serbian enough.

Hard to say for Greece. I suppose we would need to know how the royal family ia viewed by Greeks as a result of this long occupation by Fascists. And wgat the exiled royals have been up too since they fled to the UK. If they have just been living in London this whole time I don't see much support; but if they have been doing some aid work in say Cyprus, they might have some recognition.

 

[bigmanfish]

Man this is a good timeline, but I just can't read it with the whole Fascist bloc and for what it is, Arab-screw (then again, when isn't it ever?) The world in some ways is better off, but its definitely worse off in areas that I just can't vibe with. I guess that's just the effect of a well written timeline, I definitely don't hate this but I just cannot subscribe to this. Nice!

 

[Whiteshore]

Arab-screw (then again, when isn't it ever?)

Hopefully by 2020, things for the Arab World are starting to improve for the Arabs and they could feel a sense of optimism for the future that they haven't seen in decades.

 

[Drizzt]

I could also see that Orthodox-Majority people like Ukrainians and Belorussians, as well as maybe Georgians and others, ended up sticking with Malenkov's Russian federation in the end, ironically because Malenkov never tried to force them to stay, and being genuine in his actions.

Belarus might be possible but I can't see Ukraine and Georgia going back to Russian Federation. Too much bad blood here altough relationships are much better than in OTL and some certain problems between the countries are butterflied away altough in Russia is surely extremist nationalists who would want see borders of former Russian Empire. But they hardly get power.

Perhaps a middle case: They don't outright re-join, but some Eastern Europe/Central Asia version of the EU is formed in TTL.

 

[Guardonion]

HA! I knew it!

Also, would the name Tolstoygrad eventually warp into Tolstograd just because it has a better flow?

 

[Dolan]

Perhaps a middle case: They don't outright re-join, but some Eastern Europe/Central Asia version of the EU is formed in TTL.

And everyone in ITO and RA scratch their heads when realizing that the Tolstoygrad Pact is mostly Stalingrad Pact, just with Prayers and Choirs intead of Military Domination.

Somewhere in Rome, Balbo is nervously eyeing the St. Peter Cathedral...

 

[Gar48]

Hopefully by 2020, things for the Arab World are starting to improve for the Arabs and they could feel a sense of optimism for the future that they haven't seen in decades.

Didn't one of the earlier chapters hinted that missiles were launched against Israel from a place called "Mesopotamia"?
Considering the situation in the kingdoms of Syria and Iraq, i wouldn't be surprised if the end of the RA allowed the local population to overthrow their puppet kings and unite in a single country.

Also regarding the serbian and greek royal families: in OTL they became extremly unpopular for their inability to protect their countries from the Axis invasion.
ITTL they are probably even more impopular for abandoning their people and letting them stay under fascist rule for decades so i doubt they are going to be restored.

 

[Kammada]

HA! I knew it!

Also, would the name Tolstoygrad eventually warp into Tolstograd just because it has a better flow?

As a native Russian speaker, I'd say that Tolstovsk or just Tolstoy would have had a better ring to it that either of the two.

And, since I'm here, I would add that to reconcile the Russian Orthodox Church with the teachings of Tolstoy would be no small task - after all, it has excommunicated him and has never bothered to lift the excommunication IOTL to this day. I've also got a bad feeling about TTL's source's title: 'The Decade of Freedom: the 70s Remembered'. I wouldn't be surprised if things go haywire somewhere down the line and Russia becomes fascist, or an Orthodox Christian theocracy, or even pulls a Stalinist Restoration 2: Electric Boogaloo by the early 80s.