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Inspired by the thread about Socrates, what would the world be like if Thomas Aquinas was never born?

I read a really old book on the Civil War, and it said that, in his youth, Jeff Davis wanted to become a Catholic, but ironically a Catholic priest talked him out of it, telling him to wait a few years. What would be the effects on the 19th century had Jefferson Davis been baptized as a Catholic?

I read that the Black Death shattered English authority in Ireland for the rest of the 14th and 15th Centuries, reducing them to a small stretch of land called "The Pale" around Dublin. So, WI some Irish tribes launched an offensive against the English and drove them off the Emerald Isle...

Your mission should you choose to accept it, is to have Esperanto succeed in its stated purpose to become a global international language by the year 2000. Your POD must be no later than 1888.

What is the earliest possible time at which a clockpunk world can be achieved? Steampunk? Dieselpunk?

I found a copy of Book 9 of Livy's History of Rome, and I found an interesting analysis of What If? Alexander the Great invaded Italy following his (ITTL) successful campaigns in Asia. Here: What it suggests is that Alexander would have been hindered by the problems of Less troops, being...

What would it take for a fascist party to win political control in a European nation with a POD after 1945? Would we need a Russian invasion, economic collapse, nuclear winter, what?

For most of its history, Western Civilization was squeezed between more powerful societies to its south and east, and barbarians to its north. Despite this, it prospered, becoming the most advanced civilization in human history. It didn't have to happen, though. *** October 10, 732 Near...

I'm sure some of us have read Harry Turtledove's A World Of Difference. What I'd like to discuss is the further technological development of the Minervans. As of 2000, the Minervans have tools of stone and ice. Can they move further, with or without human intervention? I say no. Their...

Since there is no real knowledge of the orbital parameters of the Tunguska impact object, let's say it impacts in 1928, and strikes Moscow. What would the effects of the loss of Moscow, and Stalin, be?

I just read about an almost-war that took place on the San Juan Islands near Vancouver in 1859. Apparently, British and American soldiers almost shot at each other over an Irishman's pig. Really. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig_War So, WI an actual battle resulted and somehow this...

From 1592 to 1599, Sigismund III Vasa, King of Poland-Lithuania, was also King of Sweden. However, an uprising of protestants led by Duke Charles threw him out. But, could he have held the throne? Could Sweden have become a part of the Commonwealth? If so, would Poland put up a colony...

Japan, instead of bombing Pearl Harbor, launches an invasion of Siberia in order to help Hitler carve up the USSR. Plausibility? PODs? Results?

WI, instead of killing himself, Hitler escapes to Norway, as part of Reichskommissar Josef Terboven's evacuation to Norway plans? Would we see Nazi soldiers hold out in Scandinavia for some time longer?

WI, instead of being reserved for Market Garden (let's say Patton gets his way but doesn't write the Poles in to an offensive plan), Sosabowski's 1st Independent Parachute Brigade is air dropped into Warsaw to aid the uprising?

This thread discusses the fate of famous people in Harry Turtledove's In the Presence of Mine Enemies. Here's an example: Yitzhak Rabin: Killed by SS antipartisan squads in 1948. Charlie Chaplin: Executed in 1944 by SS extermination squads for mocking the Fuhrer.

This is a thread devoted to the ways Harry Turtledove contradicts himself. I'll go first: In the Colonization books, Sam Yeager mentions an Italian embassy in Little Rock. On the map at the start of the books, however, Italy is a part of Germany.

WI, when the Tiger 1 was presented to Hitler on his 50th birthday, his reaction is "What's heavy enough to justify building this?!?!? I like the Panther better, work to get that into combat sooner!" So, no Tiger, just more Panthers. Result? Let's assume that for every Tiger built, 2...

Could Nationalism have developed earlier than the 18th century? Like say, early 17th century? If so, what would be the effects of nationalism sweeping Europe before the 30 years war?

WI, in the 1st Century AD, a Roman philosopher/alchemist discovers the secret of Black Powder?