a Valkyrie Rises Over Europe, a Alternate Story of the Cold War

Yeeeesh, Vietnam's even more of a mess here.

Where's Ho Chi Minh in all this again? I seem to have lost track of some of the figures possibly mentioned in the timeline.

Anyway, great work though, and on the map in particular.
 
Re: Uncle Sam's Bloody Battle

Calling it right now that either the Soviet intervention or Vietnam or hell even both is when things start turning around for the west. Why do I think so you ask? Well short of causing the US to break apart they can only bring good(mostly anyways) things long term for the US in the end.

In the short term scheme of things, I can say with the upmost confidence (and without giving too much in spoilerific info away) that both the US military intervention into the Soviet Civil War - and whatever involvement it ultimately has in this TL's version of the Vietnam, are going to be nothing a collective brutal and bloody (literally and figuratively) mess of affairs for the United States both militarily and politically, and likely very traumatizing for the American public and the other nations involved, long term however, seeing as I doubt that either war - no matter how brutal or bloody, can actually cause any damage to the US that isn't repairable in the long term scheme of things (barring any unforseen circumstances arising; which I doubt will); I suppose you are right in saying that it will be the point where things begin to turn around for the West.

Getting to the point where things begin to turn around for the West however, is the tricky part.

Re: Chaos in the Desert

I'm not inherently convinced that Free France will have to evacuate to Guyana.

There is also Gabon as a possible option for evacuation if it comes to that, but we will just have to see if it even comes to that; or if Free France will even have the ability to actually evacuate from Algeria when the dust is settled.

There was a fair amount of Pied Noir immigration to mainland France before Independence (don't remember the exact amount, but IIRC it was around 150,000) - which likely wouldn't occur here. We can also probably add the French population in Morocco and Tunisia (which adds about 400,000 - 500,000) - since that population will likely largely flee to Free France when Morocco and Tunisia gain independence (which *is* an inevitability at this point). I'm not sure the state of the Jewish population in the Middle East, but Free France could be a destination (although most who emigrate would probably go to the United States or Canada) for some Middle Eastern Jews due to the Jewish community in Algeria.

I think it will be difficult for the French to maintain control of the entirety of Algeria - but if they forsake a few areas and retreat to more demographically sound borders, I think it will be difficult to dislodge them.

If Free France develops a nuclear deterrent that will probably eliminate the threat of a ground invasion (which isn't guaranteed to be successful anyway) - and thus enable the Free French state in Algeria to continue to exist in relative safety.

Overall, the French position in Algeria is considerably stronger then it was in OTL, as all of Free France's resources are tied up in Algeria and the rest of the former colonial empire, and the considerably higher European population and the lack of active immigration to the mainland makes the overall demographic position stronger as well; which certainly complicates the situation within the region.

Ultimately, it is hard to say how things will play out, Free France could end up successfully repelling the native Algerian forces long enough to retreat to more demographically sound borders and make a new line of defense that can't be penetrate by the "enemy", thus creating a frozen conflict where a French "Israel" esque nation develops out of the end of official fighting, the Algerians could ultimately overwhelm the Free French and claim all of Algeria, the UAR may end up getting involved and dislodge both the Free French and the native Algerian forces, claiming control of the country for themselves, and there's always the outside wildcard factor of Vichy France to factor in, they may end up getting involved themselves to protect the European population if things go too south for Free France; and kill two birds with one stone by reclaiming the "lost territory" and destroying Free France as a legitimate threat to it's existence and legitimacy as the government of France.

There are many possibilities for how the Algerian Mess will turn out, we will just have to wait to see and find out how it goes, not for long however; as the next update will in fact be dealing with that exact matter.

Re: Maps, Minh and Messes

Yeeeesh, Vietnam's even more of a mess here.

Where's Ho Chi Minh in all this again? I seem to have lost track of some of the figures possibly mentioned in the timeline.

Anyway, great work though, and on the map in particular.

A mess? why of course, things would be boring if things weren't some sort of mess. ;)

In regards to Ho Chi Minh, he is currently the "President" of the US-backed "People's Republic of Vietnam" that controls the majority of the southern part of the country, so basically a kind of incredibly messy flip of OTL (yes, a bit anachronistic; but it seemed to be the natural direction things would go in Vietnam with what I had planned).

This is most assuredly nothing like our Vietnam War however.
 
In regards to Ho Chi Minh, he is currently the "President" of the US-backed "People's Republic of Vietnam" that controls the majority of the southern part of the country, so basically a kind of incredibly messy flip of OTL (yes, a bit anachronistic; but it seemed to be the natural direction things would go in Vietnam with what I had planned).
Considering that China occupied northern Vietnam for a brief period, I don't see it as that implausible. ITTL, maybe Chiang established a North Vietnamese puppet state with the help of the VNQDD? Apparently, the VNQDD was strongest in the north, especially in Hanoi.

It's weird how these things work, isn't it? :p
 
Great last few updates:D. Well i'm hoping China will be liberated as well as Europe. (Communism over fascism, democracy over communism). This is getting dark.
 
How's India doing? Are they in the Non-Aligned Movement? Will the US try to form a treaty of friendship/trade agreement/military alliance with the Indians ITTL? Will a Sino-Indian War occur as scheduled ITTL?
 
I wonder what Henry Luce of Time-Life would think of his old buddy Chiang Kai-shek now considering he was one American who really thought the world of him and called his China "Free China"?
 
Another good update. Also, what is the current status of the faroe islands. are they a part of the UK proper now, with a MP, or as they governed as territory. Also, what is Goering status right now as he had 'retired' from public life in a earlier update.
 
Technically, Canada is probably the largest (in terms of overall territorial size) country in this world at this point and time, with the US, Germany, the USSR and China not far behind in that regards; through China would probably still be the most populated one. If that is what you meant.
Actually, Canada is about 3,855,000 square miles in TTL, while the US is about 4,682,100 square miles, and the USSR is about 6,642,000 square miles.* I don't care to speculate on Germany, but I think they are the fifth largest with China being fourth.

*if you factor out warlord controled areas it gets smaller.
Also, what is Goering status right now as he had 'retired' from public life in a earlier update.
If the wikibox bellow is to be believed, he died back in 1959.
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Re: Somewhat Anachronistic Country Splits

Considering that China occupied northern Vietnam for a brief period, I don't see it as that implausible. ITTL, maybe Chiang established a North Vietnamese puppet state with the help of the VNQDD? Apparently, the VNQDD was strongest in the north, especially in Hanoi.

It's weird how these things work, isn't it? :p

Considering that the VNQDD is openly Socialist, part of me doubts that the China of TTL would have worked with them, the VNQDD probably joined up with the Viet Minh or was absorbed into it; or at least that is what I would personally figure myself.

The government of TTL's "North Vietnam" (official name "State of Vietnam") is in actuality lead by the one and only Ngo Dinh Diem, the OTL President of South Vietnam, and TTL "Leader" and overall military commander of the openly fascist Vietnamese Liberation Front; and President of the State of Vietnam.

Re: Darkness is Coming Jon Snow

Great last few updates:D. Well i'm hoping China will be liberated as well as Europe. (Communism over fascism, democracy over communism). This is getting dark.

Thanks, glad that you enjoyed my and Binky's work.

However, if the hint about the modern state of Chinese-American relations suggests anything; then I would "guess" that China isn't going to get liberated anytime soon.

Re: Neutrality, a messy game; even for a nation of hundreds of millions of people.

How's India doing? Are they in the Non-Aligned Movement? Will the US try to form a treaty of friendship/trade agreement/military alliance with the Indians ITTL? Will a Sino-Indian War occur as scheduled ITTL?

There isn't exactly a so called "Non-Aligned Movement" ITTL, at least in any form that resembles OTL, but India is in fact one of the major neutral nations of the world; and a growing economic and military power as well.

Of course, while India is indeed officially neutral, they - unlike our own world, lean geopolitically towards the American/Western side of the Cold War, and those ties are likely only going to grow deeper and more extensive as the years pass by, with the now openly hostile China threatening both; and a Pakistan that is starting to get pretty cozy in Berlin's bed also posing a political and military threat to both Indian and Western interests.

Re: Chiang Kai-Shek is so not going to be Time's Man of the Year in 1959

I wonder what Henry Luce of Time-Life would think of his old buddy Chiang Kai-shek now considering he was one American who really thought the world of him and called his China "Free China"?

I imagine that Luce is not too particularly pleased with the turn of events that have taken place in Asia.

Re: Where's that Frenchman?!

What of the Béarn? The Free France aircraft carrier. Félix Éboué? Georges Catroux? Jean Decoux?

The Bearn was in all likelihood probably decommissioned by the Vichy French government sometime in the late 1940's, and subsequently replaced by a newer model Aircraft Carrier.

General Catroux, as per OTL, was dismissed from his post as Governor of (then) French Indochina by the Vichy government, and then subsequently defected to De Gaulle's Free France, where he still serves as De Gaulle's Secretary of War in the Free French government; based in the city of Algiers.

General Éboué is De Gaulle's Vice President in the Free French government, having been put on the ticket during the 1955 Presidential Elections; as a compromise choice to try and unite Frenchman and African together.

Admiral Decoux on the other hand, was captured in Saigon by a joint Franco-British task force during the Indochinese Campaign of World War II in 1944, and subsequently transported to Algiers, where he was tried and convicted for treason; and executed in late 1945.

Re: "The Faroe Question"

Another good update. Also, what is the current status of the faroe islands. are they a part of the UK proper now, with a MP, or as they governed as territory. Also, what is Goering status right now as he had 'retired' from public life in a earlier update.

The Faroe Islands were in a "de jure" sense still apart of the exiled Kingdom of Denmark from 1944-1955, but they were in a de facto sense apart of the United Kingdom in all ways but actual name, a situation which was made de jure with the formal annexation of the islands by the British government in 1956; and were then subsequently reorganized as a overseas province with a MP in Parliament; through there is a Faroe autonomy movement that is gaining steam.

As for Goring, after Speer kicked him out of power, he and his family were subsequently forced into political exile in Crimea; where Goring would die in late 1959.

Re: Size does Matter

Actually, Canada is about 3,855,000 square miles in TTL, while the US is about 4,682,100 square miles, and the USSR is about 6,642,000 square miles.* I don't care to speculate on Germany, but I think they are the fifth largest with China being fourth.

*if you factor out warlord controled areas it gets smaller.

Oh yes, I can't believe I almost forgot that that the US would in actuality be larger in overall territorial size ITTL; thanks to the annexation of Greenland and Iceland. D'oh. :p

Overall however, I would have to say that your numbers (however guess-y they are) and order of largest nations by territorial size would probably be correct in all honesty.
 
One of these days, someone has to write a TL where Laos doesn't get screwed, million-to-one shot that such a scenario is. :(

Well Laos could certainly have it worse ITTL in any case, I mean, it could be in Soviet Union levels of chaos, it could be under the control of a heinous dictator (well... more heinous then whomever is leading the US puppet state there right now), it could be under Chinese invasion, so while the situation may be bad; a Fascist insurgency in the North is one of the least worst off scenarios. At least as of now.

Through, if and when (likely when) the situation in Vietnam deteriorates, Laos could end up finding itself in for some tough times.
 
The government of TTL's "North Vietnam" (official name "State of Vietnam") is in actuality lead by the one and only Ngo Dinh Diem, the OTL President of South Vietnam, and TTL "Leader" and overall military commander of the openly fascist Vietnamese Liberation Front; and President of the State of Vietnam.
Heh. Nice little Vietcong reference you got there. :D

Well Laos could certainly have it worse ITTL in any case, I mean, it could be in Soviet Union levels of chaos, it could be under the control of a heinous dictator (well... more heinous then whomever is leading the US puppet state there right now)...
It's definitely possible that the Lao Issara and Prince Phetsarath have remained in power without the French trying to re-assert their influence. Meanwhile, Sisavang Vong (and later Sisavang Vatthana) probably remains on the throne as King.
 
You know, with the failure of Communism with the fall of the USSR, thus making it seen as not as bad in this TL. What of people like Igor Gouzenko, Elizabeth Bentley, Eric Johnston, William F. Buckley, Jr, the Rosenberg, or John Henry Faulk? Thous people had a big part in the Red Scare of OTL 50's.
 
You know, with the failure of Communism with the fall of the USSR, thus making it seen as not as bad in this TL. What of people like Igor Gouzenko, Elizabeth Bentley, Eric Johnston, William F. Buckley, Jr, the Rosenberg, or John Henry Faulk? Thous people had a big part in the Red Scare of OTL 50's.

Due to the lack of a Red Scare, I would imagine that many of the more prominent Anti-Communist individuals who gained national prominence for their activities during the Red Scare, as well as spies of the era such as the Rosenbergs and Elizabeth Bentley, did not gain the same level of historical significance as OTL, and in the case of politicians or political commentators like Buckley, would have been blacklisted out of politics or out of general work during TTL's Grey Scare; for holding so called "anti-Freedom and pro-Fascist" beliefs.

The Rosenbergs in particular were probably still arrested and tried for espionage as per OTL, even through the Soviets are allies of the United States ITTL; but the trial likely would not have gained the same national attention that it did in OTL; as I imagine American media would try to downplay it (and similar trials) in order to help the process of establishing friendly long-term relations with the USSR.
 
So how is Albert Speer jr. doing right now?

Albert Speer Jr. is doing fine I suppose, he is the Son of the Fuhrer, so that has it's benefits, he is also a high ranking young officer in the Heer; and is also the current Mayor of Rowno, Ukraine.

So all things considered, I would say that young Mr. Speer is doing fine for himself right now; through the familial connections always help in a state like Nazi Germany.
 
Life for the Average American Worker:

I can think of one possible light spot in the midst of the grimdark nature of TTL. With no Red Scare ITTL, the rights of consumers and workers alike could be much stronger movements, creating a safer, more equal America that looks similar to OTL Western Europe. With Communists as strategic US allies, some leftist ideals may enter the American mindset, thus creating an America that downplays the stubborn individualism, cutthroat competitiveness, and unchecked consumerism of OTL and embraces group mentality, mutual benefit, and co-operative business models.
 
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