A Red Dawn: American Revolution and Rebirth

[Aelita]

A rogues gallery of posters

A dramatis personæ of in universe discussion board commentators

Username: AdmiralSanders
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Straight
Nationality: French
Religion: Anglican
Location: Cambridge, England
Political Affiliation: Conservative and Unionist Party UK
Occupation: Physics student at Cambridge University
Favorite AH work: Marching Through Georgia, by S.M. Stirling
Other hobbies: Classical literature and poetry, fencing, debate, strategy computer games
Likes: Sunday drives in the country side, fine wine, club dancing
Dislikes: Trolls, rudeness, escargot
Favorite quote: “And he piled upon the whale's white hump, the sum of all the rage and hate felt by his whole race. If his chest had been a cannon, he would have shot his heart upon it.” ~Herman Melville, Moby Dick
Demeanor: Erudite and abrasive
AH works on the board: “Thunder and Majesty: WWII in the 1930s” - Events following the Second American Revolution result in war between the British Empire and the UASR over intervention in Cuba. Japan becomes America's ally of convenience to plunder the Asian parts of the British and French Empires while French and German troops duke it out with the Soviets in Byelorussia.
“Race to Suicide” - Decidedly dystopian TL where a chain of events stemming from the 60s Irish Missile Crisis lead to an apocalyptic nuclear exchange between the three superpowers.

Username: DeOpressoLiber
Age: 37
Gender: Female
Sexuality: Lesbian
Nationality: African
Religion: Wicca
Location: South Bend, Indiana Socialist Republic
Political Affiliation: Socialist Party of America, formerly Progressive Labor Party
Occupation: Locomotive engineer, retired Army Special Warfare soldier
Favorite AH work: Timeline 191, by Harry Turtledove
Other hobbies: Match shooting, gardening, martial arts
Likes: Good cheese, dancing, romantic comedies, cyberpunk
Dislikes: Gung-ho war nuts, historical revisionism
Favorite quote: “Man has the right to deal with his oppressors by devouring their palpitating hearts!” ~Jean-Paul Marat
Demeanor: Bitter and sarcastic
AH works on the board: “The Rainforest Wars” - The UASR decides to enact Operation Leveller, the planned invasion of Integralist Brazil, during the Second World War, leading to a campaign fraught with difficulty, and an eventual occupation of the country and a long guerrilla insurgency.

Username: flibbertygibbet
Age: 24
Gender: Female
Sexuality: Bisexual
Nationality: Welsh
Religion: Wiccan
Location: London, England
Political Affiliation: Socialist Workers Party UK
Occupation: Librarian
Favorite AH work: Spartakus by Harry Turtledove
Other hobbies: Football, rock guitar, singing
Likes: Gothic romance novels, Indian food, pink roses
Dislikes: The monarchy, the Daily Torygraph, chauvanism
Favorite quote: “The cry of the poor is not always just; but if you don't listen to it, you will never know what justice is.” ~Upton Sinclair
Demeanor: Spunky and cheerful
AH works on the board: “Ruled Britannia” - a serious attempt to make the “unmentionable sea mammal” of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler's delusions of grandeur plausible and successful.
“To Remember Spain: A Popular Front Victory in the Spanish Civil War” - Greater joint American-Soviet military intervention in the Spanish Civil War results in victory of the Republicans against the fascist coup led by Rafael Mazas.

Username: KittehKommitteh
Age: 19
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Straight
Nationality: Italian, Russian
Religion: Atheist
Location: Boston, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Political Affiliation: Socialist Party, UASR
Occupation: College English major
Favorite AH work: The Man in the High Castle by Phillip K. Dick
Other hobbies: Computer games, bass guitar, martial arts
Likes: Fast cars, apple pie, John Steinbeck
Dislikes: Labor skates, rudeness, coffee
Favorite quote: “Philosophers have interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it.” ~Karl Marx
Demeanor: Self-righteous and condescending
AH works on the board: “So Long, Il Duche” - Mussolini's attempted takeover of the Italian state is stopped by an alliance of socialist and communist militia. The Italian revolution strangles fascism in the cradle, butterflying away the Second World War.

Username: LeninsBeard
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Bisexual
Nationality: Ashkenazi Jew
Religion: Atheist
Location: Charleston, Commonwealth of South Carolina
Political Affiliation: Social Ecology Union, UASR
Occupation: Associate Professor of History
Favorite AH work: Back in the USA by Eugene Byrne and Kim Newman
Other hobbies: Jumping from perfectly good airplanes, rock climbing, piano
Likes: flibbertygibbet, chocolate, the funnies section, cannibis
Dislikes: living 7000km away from flibbertygibbet, reality TV, suckups
Favorite quote: “We cannot go on record saying he is no good, Jack. We must be seen to be his friend. After all, it is necessary to get behind someone before you can stab them in the back.” ~William Z. Foster
Demeanor: Magnificent bastard
AH works on the board: “The Presidency of Norman Thomas” - Revolutionary martyr Norman Thomas escapes assassination during the Revolution to become the UASR's first president. Generally leads to kinder, gentler UASR.
“Stick to Farming!” - A POD in Premier Wallace's minority government leads to a successful coalition government between Progressive Labor and the Left Democrats following the 1948 general election. A different Cold War results.

Username: Ленин
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Gay
Nationality: Russian, Volga German
Religion: Atheist
Location: Volgagrad, Transcaucasian SSR
Political Affiliation: Socialist Labour Party, USSR
Occupation: Software engineer
Favorite AH work: The Assassination of Premier Trotsky by the Coward Josef Stalin, by Larry McMurtry and Ivan Kalinin
Other hobbies: Computer gaming, Situationist Piracy
Likes: Ostern movies, prog music, gardening
Dislikes: Stalin apologists, bad personal hygiene
Favorite quote: “Marxism does not negate the role of the leaders of the working class in directing the revolutionary liberation movement. While ascribing great importance to the role of the leaders and organisers of the masses, Lenin at the same time mercilessly stigmatised every manifestation of the cult of the individual, inexorably combated [any] foreign-to-Marxism views about a "hero" and a "crowd," and countered all efforts to oppose a "hero" to the masses and to the people.”~Khrushchev, On the Personality Cult and Its Consequences
Demeanor: Collegial and self-righteous
AH works on the board: “Lenin Lives!” - Vladimir Lenin escapes Fanny Kaplan's assassination attempt unharmed, and lives ten more years due to better health. The USSR thaws in the late 20s, with the establishment of full multi-party democracy in the mid 30s.

Username: RuleBritannia
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Straight
Nationality: English
Religion: Anglican
Location: Cornwall, England
Political Affiliation: Conservative and Unionist Party, UK
Occupation: College military history student
Favorite AH work: Fear and Loathing in MacArthur's America, by L. Neil Smith
Other hobbies: Comic collecting, fencing, horseback riding
Likes: tradition, porter, a night at the pub
Dislikes: socialism, Doves, tea
Favorite quote: “Socialism is inseparably interwoven with totalitarianism and the object worship of the state.” ~Winston Churchill
Demeanor: Spiteful and headstrong
AH works on the board: N/A

Username: SeriousSam
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Straight
Nationality: German, Polish, Czech
Religion: Trinitarian
Location: San Francisco, California Socialist Republic
Political Affiliation: Left Democratic Party, UASR
Occupation: Film student
Favorite AH work: The Probability Broach by L. Neil Smith
Other hobbies: Filmmaking, acting, tabletop RPGs
Likes: romance novels, surrealist films, coffee
Dislikes: smoking, fratboys
Favorite quote: “A day may come when our courage fails, when we forsake our comrades and cast away all bonds of fellowship, but it will not be this day! An hour of woes and shattered dreams before the Age of Reason comes crashing down! But it will not be this day! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand, soldiers of freedom!” ~Field Marshal David Eisenhower
Demeanor: quirky and laidback
AH works on the board: “Kropotkin's Russia” - Pyotr Kropotkin becomes a libertarian Marxist instead of an anarcho-communist, and comes to be the leading figure of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party. The timeline explores the divergence caused by a fairly successful democratic USSR on world politics throughout the 20th century. Currently updated to 1974.

Username: Ubermunch
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Straight
Nationality: English
Religion: Non-denominational Christian
Location: Birmingham, England
Political Affiliation: Labour Party, UK
Occupation: Steel mill worker
Favorite AH work: Mobile Armored Riot Police, by Masamune Shirow
Other hobbies: wargaming, rugby, painting
Likes: American sex ed films, Monty Python, Guinness
Dislikes: Neo-Nazis, school uniforms, bottled water
Favorite quote: “Show 'my proper place' when before the King? Comrade, I'm afraid the only proper place before a king is placing his royal neck in a noose of most common rope.” ~William Z. Foster, in private to British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden
Demeanor: Militantly metro
AH works on the board: “A Federal Franco-British Union” - Clement Attlee's Labour/SFIO/Socialist Worker coalition government wins the 1947 elections in the nascent Franco-British Union. The union endures, and begins a peaceful transition to socialism and a federal plan for the colonies. Considered one of the more realistic “better world” quasi-utopias. The Cold War ends by the mid 50s, with swift democratization of the USSR, and the continued strengthening of the Internationale.

 

[TheCrow__]

These things made me happy: Username: LeninsBeard Location: Charleston, Commonwealth of South Carolina Likes: flibbertygibbet, chocolate, the funnies section, cannabis. And this almost made me happy Username: SeriousSam AH works on the board: “Kropotkin's Russia” - Pyotr Kropotkin becomes a libertarian Marxist instead of an anarcho-communist, and comes to be the leading figure of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party. The timeline explores the divergence caused by a fairly successful democratic USSR on world politics throughout the 20th century. Currently updated to 1974.---- Further more on Kropotkin are his works more widely circulated and taught in the UASR. Very enthusiastic about the upcoming updates I realy like this TL Jello.

 

[Aranfan]

The Basic Law doesn't provide any restrictions on membership of the Central Committee. There are a couple who have full ministerial rank (like the Chairs of the Academy, StatePlan and Union Bank) but are not members of the CPD. While they can't vote in the chamber, that has very little bearing on their ministerial duties or their responsibility to the Congress.

Basically, the reason for this is to capture the political energy that Sinclair provides as the symbolic leader of the nation. The tradition that he'll set is that though the President lacks formal powers, he's not a figure head like in other parliamentary democracies.

No, I mean the President is specifically barred from having a vote in the legislature. It is illegal for him to vote in the Central Commite, the Congress, the Council, etc. I should know, I'm the one who (mis-)wrote the clause.

 

[Cyclone]

Timeline 191, by Harry Turtledove

Ahem? What is this I see here...?

 

[Constantinople]

It would be interesting to see a profile for a poster, or a thread with a poster from the USA-Cuba.

I mean, it would be interesting to see more about Cuba in general anyway.

 

[TheCrow__]

Speaking of cannabis what's up with it in this timeline. Is it still legal was Hearst crucified I'd love to see that he was a corporate bigot propaghandist, prime person to be crucified by the American communists please do it lol.

 

[Mal-3]

Speaking of cannabis what's up with it in this timeline. Is it still legal was Hearst crucified I'd love to see that he was a corporate bigot propaghandist, prime person to be crucified by the American communists please do it lol.

Hearst probably ran for Canada or Cuba as soon as he knew which way the wind was blowing. A lower-probability outcome might have him jump on the Revolutionary bandwagon, but the idea of Hearst sharing power with anybody... I don't see it, really.

As far as Hearst abandoning ship with the rest of the rats, there's even more interesting consequences from that. Like Orson Welles can still make Citizen Kane - or even an outright biopic on WRH - and not get blackballed by the Hollywood machine for it. That would have some really entertaining effects on Red Tinseltown, I wager.

 

[TheCrow__]

Hearst probably ran for Canada or Cuba as soon as he knew which way the wind was blowing. A lower-probability outcome might have him jump on the Revolutionary bandwagon, but the idea of Hearst sharing power with anybody... I don't see it, really.

As far as Hearst abandoning ship with the rest of the rats, there's even more interesting consequences from that. Like Orson Welles can still make Citizen Kane - or even an outright biopic on WRH - and not get blackballed by the Hollywood machine for it. That would have some really entertaining effects on Red Tinseltown, I wager.

Aww well atleast maybe an assasination. He should be one of the first by the what is it Section 9.. And there fore this would change alot in industrial and medical sectors. If hemp is still kept around you'd have a viable bio-mass fuel made of hemp pretty early. Which would make the American war machine as well its massive transportation infastructure vastly more cost efficent and less harmful on the atmosphere. So your gonna see an America who is not chained to oil imports. It could easily grow it's on fuel on the massive collective farms as well make it's clothes, building materials, various medicines, etc. and still get everybody high. Whoot whoot for a marijuana friendly communist America.

 

[snerfuplz]

Speaking of cannabis what's up with it in this timeline. Is it still legal was Hearst crucified I'd love to see that he was a corporate bigot propaghandist, prime person to be crucified by the American communists please do it lol.

It should mostly definitely be legal. Cannabis wasn't illegal till 1937, after the revolution in this TL. No doubt with the libertarian social values being implemented by the Communists cannabis would remain legal.

 

[TNF]

I take it that, with regard to British politics, the Liberals will again become the main opposition party? You've hinted before that Labour hasn't won an election in TTL's 2010 since 1942, after all.

 

[TheCrow__]

It should mostly definitely be legal. Cannabis wasn't illegal till 1937, after the revolution in this TL. No doubt with the libertarian social values being implemented by the Communists cannabis would remain legal.

That's what I'm saying lol. I just have a strong hatred for WRH he can be blamed for a magnitude of reasons why the USA sucks. I would like him to be dead in this tl. When he was alive otl he was strongly against commies as well. After printing about marijuana making negroes and mexicans go crazy and rape white women and such. He printed how the commies were sending it over to make Americans pacifists and more inclined toward communism. WRH assasinated by John Dillinger or someone please.

 

[Sean Mulligan]

I would have thought that the Spanish Republicans would have won, with USAR aid unless the British and French aided Franco.

 

[Hobelhouse]

Civil unions in the 1930s? No way. I can;t see that until the 60s at the very very earliest.

 

[StevenAttewell]

I would have thought that the Spanish Republicans would have won, with USAR aid unless the British and French aided Franco.

One plausible possibility: the U.S and the USSR back different factions within the Republic, thus when the Soviet-backed C.P moves against the militias, they find themselves opposed by USAR-backed POUM/Anarchists, a second Civil War splits the Republicans, and the Fascists manage a victory from behind during the infighting.

 

[Aelita]

Civil unions in the 1930s? No way. I can;t see that until the 60s at the very very earliest.

ITTL, it's more like common law marriage, so not as far fetched as you might think. And it was the compromise position from abolishing marriage in its entirety, what with marriage being a bourgeois institution and means by which a man can own a woman and turn her into a factor of production, as Marxists see it.

 

[Cyclone]

Wait a second...

Location: Volgagrad, Transcaucasian SSR

Why is Volgograd in the Transcaucasian SSR? Why is there a Transcaucasian SSR?

 

[Aelita]

Wait a second...
Why is Volgograd in the Transcaucasian SSR? Why is there a Transcaucasian SSR?

Can't say anything definite, but here's something to think about. One of the Soviet Republics is bigger, more populous and wealthier than the others by orders of magnitude...

 

[President Al Bundy]

Sinclair's vote of confidence regarding public nudity is a bit badass in my opinion. "Gimme' boobies, or I'll retire." Okay, he wouldn't have said something like that

And of course, I'm eagerly waiting for new updates

 

[Cylon_Number_14]

I really enjoy the imaginative ways you have to tell your AH story. I know you didn't invent the alt-AH.com format, but you are very deft in your use of it.

 

[OwenM]

having survived the horrors of exams, moving, and, worst of all MICROSCOPES, I'm returning to comment on the thread again.

Well, one thing to consider is that due to the way the UASR's electoral system is structured, it is going to have a much more multipolar party systems. In the post-war world, coalitions are going to be the rule.

Difficult, but not impossible

Not in the UASR . ITTL, the position of Deputy Secretary in the American government will be fairly analogous to the position of Permanent Secretary in the British Cabinet, with the Deputy Secretary serving as the head civil servant in the Secretariat.

Bernard's cross-pollination holds the position of *Hacker's Chief of Staff, which in this case is pretty much a direct analogue to a Principle Private Secretary. He runs the People's Secretary's private office. *Humphrey, on the other hand, takes the position of Chief of Staff to the Central Committee (cuz it wouldn't be a proper government without possibilities for grievous mental confusion), who essentially serves as deputy secretary to the Premier.

Hacker's party was never stated explicitly. However, I figured it was appropriate for an American show of a similar premise, sense Americans generally never have a problem taking the piss out of whoever is in power at the time.

Yeah, you're correct. That's essentially straight from Married...With Children.

PR systems still tend to be fairly bipolar, just with the power of the bigger parties reduced. What I means is that though there will be coalitions, it will usually only be two, each with a leading party which rarely changes. It's more as if parties are coalitions, with factions within parties being parties themselves, than several parties with realistic hopes to lead the government.
You explanations make sense. What position did *Bernard hold when Hacker became Premier? Premier's Chief of Staff, for extra confusion?

November 12: The UK general election: Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Baldwin's National Government returns with a reduced majority. Notably, the British Union of Fascists makes its electoral debut and entrance into the House of Commons.(4)

Should be Stanley. Also, wasn't it either still MacDonald or the point of handover IOTL?
The profiles were good and seemed quite fitting. Very good technique. And it seems I was right about the start of the Japan-UASR war!
Yay, slightly better performance for Labour and worse for Tories! No Fascism Next Time TTL I see though. Oh dear.