A Shift in Priorities
- Thread starter rast
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I thought that we have an unwritten rule here. 'Ignore the butterflies for people's birth, for the sake of having familiar characters and being able to see how much this world has diverged from ours thanks to that.'
I thought that Greece joined COMECON (I actually forgot. What does 'COMECON' stand for?) after the monarchy had been restored.
I thought that Greece joined COMECON (I actually forgot. What does 'COMECON' stand for?) after the monarchy had been restored.
It stands for Common European Economy.
That doesn't ring a bell at all.
But thanks for that.That doesn't ring a bell at all.
The German word for it is GEMA - Gemeinsamer Europäischer MArkt.
These abbreviations are starting to be too much for me. At least I knew about COMECON. I had NO idea that the Germans themselves use a completely different one! Do all the countries have their own unique ones too? I can imagine the Czechslovak one: SPET - Společní evropský trh in Czech and Spoločný európsky trh in Slovak.
Also, I'm disappointed that Germans don't use one single super long word for COMECON.
I assume that draft dodging is not really a drain on the number of conscripts.
Usually the potential draft dodgers are not willing to go to jail and emmigration is also not an option for too many. the flood of dodgers is probbably not more than a trickle I would be surprise if the number of Germans in Eire is anywhere near 6 - digits probably in the low (very) 5 digits.
Usually the potential draft dodgers are not willing to go to jail and emmigration is also not an option for too many. the flood of dodgers is probbably not more than a trickle
I would be surprise if the number of Germans in Eire is anywhere near 6 - digits probably in the low (very) 5 digits.The US has friendly drug laws and lots of empty space to disappear into. Getting there might be a pain, but we are still in the tramp steamer era. These guys are looking for an adventure, right?
About the Russian advocating ridiculous levels of expansion, that's just laughable. We know where the political will lies in Russia. His opinions are likely about as popular as a restored HRE are in Germany.
Now, retaking the Black Sea coast to some degree...I still don't think it's happening, but at least there are Russians there.
About the Russian advocating ridiculous levels of expansion, that's just laughable. We know where the political will lies in Russia. His opinions are likely about as popular as a restored HRE are in Germany.
Now, retaking the Black Sea coast to some degree...I still don't think it's happening, but at least there are Russians there.
Work is not man’s punishment. It is his reward and his strength and his pleasure.
(George Sand)
At home in Dortmund, Hanne Zülch felt much more at ease than in busy Berlin or half-Polish Kattowitz. Dortmund was an ugly and smutty industrial town, but nevertheless cosy and pithy – at least for someone who had grown up there. The KPD and the A-Jot were well established in the working class neighbourhoods, even if they were not acting in the same street as the SPD and the Jusos. There was a reliable hard core of adherents who always cast their vote for the communists. That was the ambience where Hanne knew the ropes.
Her disorderly younger sister Doris had provided her with a sachet of cannabis – and had shown her how to produce hash cookies and ziggies – and where to get more. When called to Berlin – or some other dreadful place – to work in the campaign staff for the 1949 national elections, Hanne always carried the stuff along. It allowed her to relax evenings. – But here in Dortmund, she didn’t need it. Well, at least not so often… A lonely Saturday night became much more tolerable after smoking a good joint.
Unfortunately, the KPD was not going to demand the release of cannabis. It was something the DFU had written into their manifests. In contrast, the KPD did not support such a move. Drugs, alcohol and religion were tools of suppression in the hands of the capitalists. One must not inspire the working class to dig their own graves. The ideal worker – according to communist belief – was healthy, thirsting for education and ready for revolution. – Now, there weren’t many ideal workers around. Most chaps Hanne knew got regularly drunk each Friday evening, after receiving the week’s wage.
One was still searching for the magic formula, the one that was going to save the KPD from decline. It hadn’t been found yet. Hanne had seen the most recent polls. The frigging DFU was about to eat away the seats the KPD owned since 1943. The darned SDP was about to suffer too. – The new Reichstag had the potential to look very different from everything one had known in Germany hitherto.
Hanne had discovered that Herbert Wehner was hating the turncoat Walter Ulbricht from the bottom of his heart. That was a grave problem, because it biased his judgement. How could one develop a successful strategy when one’s mastermind was eaten up by his own bile acid? Herbert Frahm, Hanne’s darling, was, of course, innocent of all this. Well, actually – as Hanne was slowly realising – he was too innocent to achieve anything.
So, what should she do? What could she do? She was racking her brain all the time. And then, one lonely Saturday night, under the influence of cannabis and a liberal dose of liqueur, she had a vision. She saw herself leading the workers through the Brandenburg Gate towards the Reichstag. And the workers were all women. Yes, that was a new approach. The old chairman had triumphed because he had played with people’s desire for peace. Now, it was time to end the era of male domination. Half of the voters were women. If one succeeded in mobilising the women… Herbert Frahm was a ladies’ man. He could do it. Yes, forget all the political nonsense. Let Herbert enthral the women… It might save the party.
(George Sand)
At home in Dortmund, Hanne Zülch felt much more at ease than in busy Berlin or half-Polish Kattowitz. Dortmund was an ugly and smutty industrial town, but nevertheless cosy and pithy – at least for someone who had grown up there. The KPD and the A-Jot were well established in the working class neighbourhoods, even if they were not acting in the same street as the SPD and the Jusos. There was a reliable hard core of adherents who always cast their vote for the communists. That was the ambience where Hanne knew the ropes.
Her disorderly younger sister Doris had provided her with a sachet of cannabis – and had shown her how to produce hash cookies and ziggies – and where to get more. When called to Berlin – or some other dreadful place – to work in the campaign staff for the 1949 national elections, Hanne always carried the stuff along. It allowed her to relax evenings. – But here in Dortmund, she didn’t need it. Well, at least not so often… A lonely Saturday night became much more tolerable after smoking a good joint.
Unfortunately, the KPD was not going to demand the release of cannabis. It was something the DFU had written into their manifests. In contrast, the KPD did not support such a move. Drugs, alcohol and religion were tools of suppression in the hands of the capitalists. One must not inspire the working class to dig their own graves. The ideal worker – according to communist belief – was healthy, thirsting for education and ready for revolution. – Now, there weren’t many ideal workers around. Most chaps Hanne knew got regularly drunk each Friday evening, after receiving the week’s wage.
One was still searching for the magic formula, the one that was going to save the KPD from decline. It hadn’t been found yet. Hanne had seen the most recent polls. The frigging DFU was about to eat away the seats the KPD owned since 1943. The darned SDP was about to suffer too. – The new Reichstag had the potential to look very different from everything one had known in Germany hitherto.
Hanne had discovered that Herbert Wehner was hating the turncoat Walter Ulbricht from the bottom of his heart. That was a grave problem, because it biased his judgement. How could one develop a successful strategy when one’s mastermind was eaten up by his own bile acid? Herbert Frahm, Hanne’s darling, was, of course, innocent of all this. Well, actually – as Hanne was slowly realising – he was too innocent to achieve anything.
So, what should she do? What could she do? She was racking her brain all the time. And then, one lonely Saturday night, under the influence of cannabis and a liberal dose of liqueur, she had a vision. She saw herself leading the workers through the Brandenburg Gate towards the Reichstag. And the workers were all women. Yes, that was a new approach. The old chairman had triumphed because he had played with people’s desire for peace. Now, it was time to end the era of male domination. Half of the voters were women. If one succeeded in mobilising the women… Herbert Frahm was a ladies’ man. He could do it. Yes, forget all the political nonsense. Let Herbert enthral the women… It might save the party.
My centre is giving way, my right is in retreat; situation excellent. I shall attack.
(Ferdinand Foch)
The English were still around, in Bathurst and on James Island. Bathurst was situated on St. Mary’s Island, a flat sand bar in the mouth of River Gambia, separated from the mainland by mangrove swamps. James Island was a tiny river island about 30 kilometres from the river mouth, which basically consisted of Fort James, an obsolete fortification dating from the eighteenth century.
There were two English destroyers in the vicinity, one usually lying in the roads at Bathurst, while the second was patrolling. Unfortunately, these two vessels represented more strength than the whole navy of Ala Ka Kuma could muster. The garrison of Fort James was rather small, hardly a platoon, but with the two men of war around they were effectively invincible.
In Bathurst, something like a battalion was present, Scotsmen wearing their distinctive kilts, and a diverse bunch of English civilians. All natives had been evicted. One could observe the soldiers constructing fortifications. Obviously, the English did not plan to leave.
Yusuf Tankomayé, the foreign minister of Ala Ka Kuma, was relentlessly consulting with his colleagues from the Protectorate, Morocco and Middle Africa. However, the counsel he was getting was quite variegated. Morocco, mindful of her own violent decolonisation, was proposing the use of force. The English had to learn who was the master of the country. By attacking Bathurst and James Island simultaneously one could neutralise the destroyers – or rather coerce them to abandon James Island.
The Protectorate, on the other hand, was unperturbed. One had French still in Bingerville-Abidjan and Conakry-Tombo, it was no problem. Admitted, they were unarmed – or, rather, civilians, but they still formed separate entities. One simply ignored them. True, they weren’t paying taxes, but they had to buy stuff. Therefore, one was getting them with indirect taxes. Sooner or later, even the hardliners among them were going to integrate – or leave…
Middle Africa remained sphinx-like. Well, picking a fight with the obdurate English wasn’t unreasonable. But the timing was a little bit unfortunate. There could be no direct support – except in case the English used nukes. One was, however, posed to provide equipment and ordnance, if an armed conflict should erupt. – On the quiet, Tankomayé was told that the two tiny spots weren’t considered important. Ala Ka Kuma should let the English rot on their islands.
It was dissatisfying. The hawks at home were pressing for a quick solution – one that saw Ala Ka Kuma victorious. But the country would be on its own, and England certainly had more to throw into the ring than a battalion of Scotsmen and two destroyers… Now, what could England win by holding fast to Bathurst and James Island? Basically nothing; Bathurst wasn’t even suitable as naval base. It was just their pride that made them spiteful. But they were going to incur expenditure without producing counter-value.
So, if he somehow could appease the war party in Timbuktu, one was going follow the example of the Protectorate. Cheating one’s way through life was a concept Ala Ka Kumans were quite familiar with. Yes, one would get along… And – with peace retained – one could focus on coaxing the good inhabitants of Portuguese Guinea to change their mind.
(Ferdinand Foch)
The English were still around, in Bathurst and on James Island. Bathurst was situated on St. Mary’s Island, a flat sand bar in the mouth of River Gambia, separated from the mainland by mangrove swamps. James Island was a tiny river island about 30 kilometres from the river mouth, which basically consisted of Fort James, an obsolete fortification dating from the eighteenth century.
There were two English destroyers in the vicinity, one usually lying in the roads at Bathurst, while the second was patrolling. Unfortunately, these two vessels represented more strength than the whole navy of Ala Ka Kuma could muster. The garrison of Fort James was rather small, hardly a platoon, but with the two men of war around they were effectively invincible.
In Bathurst, something like a battalion was present, Scotsmen wearing their distinctive kilts, and a diverse bunch of English civilians. All natives had been evicted. One could observe the soldiers constructing fortifications. Obviously, the English did not plan to leave.
Yusuf Tankomayé, the foreign minister of Ala Ka Kuma, was relentlessly consulting with his colleagues from the Protectorate, Morocco and Middle Africa. However, the counsel he was getting was quite variegated. Morocco, mindful of her own violent decolonisation, was proposing the use of force. The English had to learn who was the master of the country. By attacking Bathurst and James Island simultaneously one could neutralise the destroyers – or rather coerce them to abandon James Island.
The Protectorate, on the other hand, was unperturbed. One had French still in Bingerville-Abidjan and Conakry-Tombo, it was no problem. Admitted, they were unarmed – or, rather, civilians, but they still formed separate entities. One simply ignored them. True, they weren’t paying taxes, but they had to buy stuff. Therefore, one was getting them with indirect taxes. Sooner or later, even the hardliners among them were going to integrate – or leave…
Middle Africa remained sphinx-like. Well, picking a fight with the obdurate English wasn’t unreasonable. But the timing was a little bit unfortunate. There could be no direct support – except in case the English used nukes. One was, however, posed to provide equipment and ordnance, if an armed conflict should erupt. – On the quiet, Tankomayé was told that the two tiny spots weren’t considered important. Ala Ka Kuma should let the English rot on their islands.
It was dissatisfying. The hawks at home were pressing for a quick solution – one that saw Ala Ka Kuma victorious. But the country would be on its own, and England certainly had more to throw into the ring than a battalion of Scotsmen and two destroyers… Now, what could England win by holding fast to Bathurst and James Island? Basically nothing; Bathurst wasn’t even suitable as naval base. It was just their pride that made them spiteful. But they were going to incur expenditure without producing counter-value.
So, if he somehow could appease the war party in Timbuktu, one was going follow the example of the Protectorate. Cheating one’s way through life was a concept Ala Ka Kumans were quite familiar with. Yes, one would get along… And – with peace retained – one could focus on coaxing the good inhabitants of Portuguese Guinea to change their mind.
I had thought Ala Ka Kuma didn't have much in the way of an organized government. I guess their situation has improved?
altamiro
Banned
OTL Switzerland wasn't that painfully expensive up until the 1980s. Not a cheap place to be sure, but in line with general Western European cost of living.
The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.
(Marcus Aurelius)
Nikolay Fyodorovich Vatutin was a man of peace. However, he was not a wimp, quite the contrary. Only that his basic political approach did not encompass the use of violence. – In secret moments, he was glad that his precursor Savinkov had waged the Far East War. For him, there was no doubt that it had been necessary. After all, Russia had repeatedly been cheated by the Japanese and Chinese. The application of force had been just – even when the outcome had been horrible. – Anyway, it had been done. He was glad it was it was all over – and he certainly had no intention of waging another war.
No, Russia truly could do without war. 120 million Russians represented an enormous domestic market. The country could easily compete with the creative power of 110 million Germans or the same number of US Americans. Russia was thriving, her exports were steadily on the rise, as were per capita income and gross domestic product. She was leading in many important industrial branches – or was at least member of the top group. She was a nuclear power and a space faring nation.
It was Mother Russia’s charism that Vatutin was counting on. The Germans – and in their wake the Turks – had pushed back defeated Russia massively at the end of the Great War. Winning back these lands was not a matter of war, couldn’t be… War with China almost had ended in a mess for Russia; war with Germany might easily lead to her obliteration. Even if the Germans had been observed to grow soft and weak recently, their nuclear and chemical weapons were not to be underestimated.
The roll back had to happen on the basis of economy and self-determination. This wasn’t easy – and it would take a long time. The COMECON provided strong protection – to the member nations – and to the German hegemon. The prime objective – the Ukraine – provided an especially tough target. Therefore, it was better to look at the fringes first.
The Finns had overexpanded. While the Finnish core region might be lost forever, the eastern part of the peninsula was poorly developed and impoverished. Here the Russian example was taking effect already. Getting back these area – and the ice-free harbour at Murmansk – would be a major success. No force would ever be threatened, the lure of consumption and abundance was Vatutin’s secret weapon.
The applied to the Estonian Republic. The Estonians clearly didn’t want to come under Russian rule again. But there were many ethnical Russians living in the country, who felt the enticement of Mother Russia’s cornucopia. When these good people – under the banner of self-determination – seceded from Estonia and joined the Russian Empire… What, then, would remain from Estonia?
Vatutin possessed the phlegm to see all this happen on a casual basis. Mother Russia would, of course, embrace her lost children, but without any hustle – and threat. – And the example was going to spread. One day, the downtrodden ethnical Russians of the eastern Ukraine would see the light. Well, perhaps the Ukrainians would come to their senses as well… Independent Ukraine – nonsense! The country had been the nucleus of ancient Russia. How could the cradle be divorced from the child?
[FONT="]Yes, reflected Vatutin with satisfaction, Russia could regain much of her lost territory without violence – however, not everything. The Muslim states in the south had been conquered by force in the last century. They would never join voluntarily. And Vatutin was quite happy to leave it that way… [/FONT]
(Marcus Aurelius)
Nikolay Fyodorovich Vatutin was a man of peace. However, he was not a wimp, quite the contrary. Only that his basic political approach did not encompass the use of violence. – In secret moments, he was glad that his precursor Savinkov had waged the Far East War. For him, there was no doubt that it had been necessary. After all, Russia had repeatedly been cheated by the Japanese and Chinese. The application of force had been just – even when the outcome had been horrible. – Anyway, it had been done. He was glad it was it was all over – and he certainly had no intention of waging another war.
No, Russia truly could do without war. 120 million Russians represented an enormous domestic market. The country could easily compete with the creative power of 110 million Germans or the same number of US Americans. Russia was thriving, her exports were steadily on the rise, as were per capita income and gross domestic product. She was leading in many important industrial branches – or was at least member of the top group. She was a nuclear power and a space faring nation.
It was Mother Russia’s charism that Vatutin was counting on. The Germans – and in their wake the Turks – had pushed back defeated Russia massively at the end of the Great War. Winning back these lands was not a matter of war, couldn’t be… War with China almost had ended in a mess for Russia; war with Germany might easily lead to her obliteration. Even if the Germans had been observed to grow soft and weak recently, their nuclear and chemical weapons were not to be underestimated.
The roll back had to happen on the basis of economy and self-determination. This wasn’t easy – and it would take a long time. The COMECON provided strong protection – to the member nations – and to the German hegemon. The prime objective – the Ukraine – provided an especially tough target. Therefore, it was better to look at the fringes first.
The Finns had overexpanded. While the Finnish core region might be lost forever, the eastern part of the peninsula was poorly developed and impoverished. Here the Russian example was taking effect already. Getting back these area – and the ice-free harbour at Murmansk – would be a major success. No force would ever be threatened, the lure of consumption and abundance was Vatutin’s secret weapon.
The applied to the Estonian Republic. The Estonians clearly didn’t want to come under Russian rule again. But there were many ethnical Russians living in the country, who felt the enticement of Mother Russia’s cornucopia. When these good people – under the banner of self-determination – seceded from Estonia and joined the Russian Empire… What, then, would remain from Estonia?
Vatutin possessed the phlegm to see all this happen on a casual basis. Mother Russia would, of course, embrace her lost children, but without any hustle – and threat. – And the example was going to spread. One day, the downtrodden ethnical Russians of the eastern Ukraine would see the light. Well, perhaps the Ukrainians would come to their senses as well… Independent Ukraine – nonsense! The country had been the nucleus of ancient Russia. How could the cradle be divorced from the child?
[FONT="]Yes, reflected Vatutin with satisfaction, Russia could regain much of her lost territory without violence – however, not everything. The Muslim states in the south had been conquered by force in the last century. They would never join voluntarily. And Vatutin was quite happy to leave it that way… [/FONT]
Expansion is expansion. It's going to be greeted with alarm no matter what the Russians attempt. Luckily, these nations have had a full generation to exert their outlook over the population. If we accept Mittelafrika as a reality- where within 10-15 years and with almost no infrastructure a German-speaking national identity was established over literally hundreds of ethnic groups- I propose there's no way Finland, Ukraine, and Estonia haven't exerted sufficient pull over their minority populations to integrate them. How many ethnic Russians under the age of 30 (considering the borders changed 30 years ago) really feel like trading prosperity for nationalism in the language their parents spoke?
Did the COMECON make no statements about defending territorial integrity? That's a bit of a hole...
Did the COMECON make no statements about defending territorial integrity? That's a bit of a hole...
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