Search results

Dias in 1488 came to South Africa. Let's imagine he had a bigger following and somehow stumbled across the gold deposits in Transvaal and the diamonds in Kimberley? Now what? It is a bit of an inspiration from the Spanish gold discovery in California. Ivan

People, this is a thought that came from the "after 1900" forum. The original threat was pertaining to Alaska. It came out that Spain was making claims on Alaska (1860's). Now, what could have happened if Spain was the "owner" of the Gold Rush? What if, on top of, France is selling...

Something from the "real" world: The British general who planned to arm Vichy France: BBC today A British general kept Winston Churchill and Free French leader Charles De Gaulle in the dark about a top secret 1942 plan to arm Vichy France, recently discovered documents reveal. Both...

All, Watching NZ vs SA. Good stuff, although 5-day test cricket is pushing it. I think I remember thar Royal Challengers Bangalore (IPL team) has an American batting coach. At an interview he said that he could easily see cricket becoming a big hit in the US, at least T20 cricket. Can...

All, When we try lift the discussion a bit, it does become faily difficult to reach concensus. Here is one for all: What should and could Germany do after 1940? The sea mammal excluded, thanks. 1) Make peace at all cost? Not really possible, as Britain seemed not interested 2) Pursue a...

The US and Marshall were all for an invasion of France in 1942, latest 1943. What if Churchill and Brooke cannot get Marshall off the idea but have to let the US have overall command, provide the best part of the troops and the airforce (which was not really in place at that time)? As...

We are now into Barbarossa again. IF Barbarossa would have been remotely successful (in whichever way we measure it), to the extent of knocking Soviet out. Would Stalin ever have been party to a peace/settlement with Hitler? IF Barbarossa is remotely successful, it would mean that the...

Now, we are very good at saying that Japan would NOT invade Russia in 1941. We have all the stat's to prove that it would be a bad move and that Japan had to go South insofar as the Northern Resource Area would take decades to develop and Japan was seriously running out of time. Well and...

Just for fun, really: We seem to be very good at looking at the "friction" and the un-expected in all military planning. Now, which plan has ever worked 100%? I am not sure I could name even one. Swartzkopf's "100 hour war" springs to mind, but even that I am not so sure about. Any...

Insofar as we are ow very much into the early days of WWI, what would your actions have been as King/Kaizer/Tsar/... if you were to prevent the war? Any takers?

Dear All, I am busy reading Clive Ponting's book "Thirteen days", the period from the AH ultimatum to the start of it all. It is focused on the diplomatic end of it, the telegrams going forth and the actions of the different governments around the globe. A lot of facts and a good read...

Dear all, Something to think about: Facts: 1) PW Botha tried to create a black middle class, not interested in politics 2) He also tried to intimidate ANC in all surrounding countries 3) ANC was led at that time by Oliver Tambo, mainly from Lusaka 4) Thabo Mbeki was Oliver's "right hand man"...

I know the Chinese 'discovered' a good part of world, based on the books of Menzies (1421 and 1434). Also that the treasure ships would dwarf anything Europe had at that time. Now, There is one thing I don't get. Why didn't they sail up the Thames or the Seine? going straight to the major...

All, I have a little tricky one for all Africa enthusiasts: Mandela became the rallying point for a lot of international anti-apartheid movements and organisations. Insofar as he was out of the "rough and tumble" of ANC politics, he gained the upper hand as nobody could fault him for any...

All, Maybe this is not the best forum. Please tel me then. If we should get into real space travel, i believe that a low-orbit space station, like the ISS, is a great idea. Now to get anywhere else, some sort of space vehicle is required. It should be able to carry significant cargo, etc...

Could the Czech have defended their country in 1938? Could they have stood up to Germany on their own, or maybe together with Poland at that time? Having read up on a few things, it could look like the Czech fortifications could withstand a German attack, at least in 1938. Poland, ruled by...

Dear all, What if the top British commanders became POW's at the fall of France in 1940. The commanders I am looking at are Monty, Brooke, Alexander, Dill, Anderson, Dempsey, Ritchie, etc etc. Plenty of them really. How would it have impacted on the conduct of the war? Ivan

Dear all, This is a discussion also ongoing (sort of) on one of the other forums, but I take the chance to raise it here as well, due to the many good quality comments here. Hitler was determined to invade France (case yellow) in October/November 1939. 1) Would it have been feasible...

Dear all, I don't know if this is really a topic for this forum or not. Please forgive me if not. I think we all believe that a war in western Europe is not on the cards anymore. Cannot happen. Flandern wil never be a battle field again. If we look at the European history, probably from...

Dear all, This little thread is a consequence of the discussion Armchair started with his "coup on South Africa in the 70's". After long discussions with people on the forum and a lot of refresher reading, I tried to put this together. I am new here, so please don't hurl sticks at me. I...