Emerald of The Equator: An Indonesian TL

[SkylineDreamer]

The Realm Under Fault

For several years, the presidency unchecked the kingship, as they were the ring’s most faithful of supporters. As federalism under Subandrio was sustained supportively, the power of the region grew gradually. As the government gazed on economic alone, local authorities were taking ventures to seize political rule on one realm.

The premiership, meantime, had already taken intimation on this discrete shift of power. It was felt by Education Minister Bambang Kamil when he tried to implement a national curriculum in Indonesia which Subandrio had enacted the law back during his early terms. The locals loved the government-funded public schools to educate. As the Multilingual Act was passed in 1979, the region can have a particular choice in language compulsory lessons. Singaporean curriculum and Papuan were supposed to have a limited selection, as of almost every province of Indonesia. Alas, when Indonesia sought to teach her citizens English, the locals differed in the government. They later changed English into their proposed languages. At first, parts of Aceh and Minang replaced English with Arabic. In Southern parts of Papua, some small inrush of schools taught Dutch. Some parts of Malaysia also opened Japanese and Chinese schools and replaced English with these two languages.

The idea of English could be changed into other favoured options dawned from Subandrio’s press conference regarding freedom of tongues. In 1981, Subandrio asserted that everyone could speak a language they intend to learn, and the government will not interfere on the matter. However, the locals read the address relating to the Multilingual Act, some changed into their languages.

At 15th July 1982, at the inception of the new study year. Dozens of academics joined up on protest on the new bill in Surabaya. This new bill was meant to substitute English with Arabic, yet the PPP politicians determined nay for this resolution. Teachers demanded that Arabic is essential for children’s maturity in religious values and norms. The protesters highlighted sins against the First Verse of Pancasila in this affair, yet the PPP Politicians stood solidly on their opinions. Aceh, in 1983, under a conjoined military-civilian administration, declared that English as a compulsory language was not optimal for the people of Aceh. They legislated that Arabic should replace English. LKY reacted with slight criticism, as that would violate English as supposed ‘compulsory international language’. Yet, Subandrio stated that they were permitted. LKY and Subandrio later conversed heatedly about this matter.

Schools in Singapore, it compels English while also put Mandarin into context.​

Not long, the idea that this government can be toyed around spread rapidly, and nearly most of the locals had their agendas. Then, it would expand into not just cultural matters, but also political. In August 1983, Cirebon was trying to form a Sultanate, portraying the old Sultanate of Cirebon before its demise. This was probably a monarchist attempt to expand influence all across Indonesia. Still, during the discussion in Bandung, the Pasundan State, legislators mostly pro PPP supporters, disagreed staunchly.

Entering 1984, the politics of Indonesia was starting to look like a modern model of feudalism. The difference was this government check the economic matters indefinitely, while others not literally. This fired massive criticisms from PNI-R and PPP. PNI-R spokesman Suyadino said that the idea of government not owning political authority on the nation is ridiculous. Guntur Sukarnoputra, meanwhile, expressed the Subandrio’s lack of ‘work’ lately and blatantly accused of disclosed play amongst the bureaucrats. Subandrio replied with a simple shrug. LKY, on the other hand, tried everything to make sure that his name was not discredited on this matter. He pushed the government in accomplishing more economical feats, along with social advancement to establish an equal distribution. Regarding political and defence matters, LKY could not do much, as that was under the hands of the President.

The second term of Subandrio, as he articulated earlier on his campaign, was to prepare Indonesia in the international stage. At least in the space age, Indonesia has beaten China. China was always Subandrio’s parameter of successful. Lately, this argument had been judged as irrelevant, as China was under Jiang Qing. Everyone agreed that China was going backwards under Madame Mao. Later, Subandrio announced the crowd that we would start expanding as an economic power. He saw Japan as the optimal partner for it, and he would open as large as possible for Japan to invest in Indonesia.

If we achieved more than China, we can compete with the bigger powers. –Subandrio, 1988

Subandrio’s second objective was to not displease the Americans. Having the US as a close friend for almost twenty years now do violate Sukarno’s previous urge of neutrality. Yet, under the world where the choice is either democratic or communist. Subandrio saw that siding with the US was already the best option. As a result, when the Americans urged nations to send more volunteers to Pakistan and South Africa. Subandrio immediately deployed more than it should, to give an image that Indonesia is American’s friendliest ally.

Out of all things, Subandrio neglected the events within his nation. As a result, the government were on hot water after the election. On Monday, the 12th March 1984, the people of Palangkaraya did not go to their workplace. Instead, they marched on the streets and kept confronting the Dayak small community living there. The natives plead for extra status from the government, especially as Pontianak and Palangkaraya had tried to reinstate their kingdom level demands. A week ago, both the local leaders of Dayak and Banjar were in a mere dispute about their monarchy status in the national governance. Thus far, the Sultanate from Java supported Pontianak while Johor supported Banjar.

The fight happened when a small group of Banjar teenagers provoked their same age in the Dayak Community. After that, the fight emerged into knife battles. Just barely reaching the night, the Dayak had deployed their Mandau warriors and killed 30 Banjarese men. The Banjar majority responded with the killing of the entire neighbourhood with Parang Nabur. Riots turned into arson and killings, with more and more communities determined to cross their regional borders and fight a direct war. This crisis was not cooled by the local government, as the Sultanates were the largest influencer in the region. In one occasion, Sultan Hamid III hardly called a patriotic war for the Dayak tribe killed in Palangkaraya.

The riots in Palangkaraya​

People dwelling in Palangkaraya were those from Java and Sumatra. The migrants staying there were remarkably frightened in the recent developments and leaving the island for good. Foreigners also fled the region, along with the chance of investments on the area. The stop of work in Central Kalimantan does strike coal mining there. LKY was extremely unsettled that the mines stopped working. The Banjarese mines, although owned by the locals, produced ample money to build Kalimantan. Still, LKY’s moves were late, as the military acted first.

Kolonel Sukardinoto acted first, stating that the region must be pacified with or without the government consent. He also expressed upset towards LKY’s administration, which was ultimately the PPP’s ploy in taking down LKY. Kolonel Sukardinoto was a close friend of Musa Hitam, the leader of the Malaccan Faction. Musa Hitam was entirely opposed to LKY’s authoritative economic policies; telling the locals to do this and that. He wanted more flexible measures towards the locals, and let them improve their productivity. Also, Musa Hitam was backed by PRD’s Golkar Faction. They cooperated to seize power, unbeknownst to LKY.

Still, the events alone in Palangkaraya tainted LKY’s marvellous premiership. And, as the heavens might have been in part of it, LKY’s leadership was more under threat after recent events in Indonesia’s largest cities.

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More and more troubles to LKY and Subandrio. We'll see a few of those later.

 

[SkylineDreamer]

Liberalism in Indonesia: A History of Western Influence

Sukarno ever stated that liberalism was not Indonesia’s elemental ideology. Instead, liberalism is a virus that could destroy the nation’s diversity. He never mentioned Indonesia having a society which endorsed freedom. But, Sukarno mentioned that Indonesia was a nation of communities. With socialism and social democracy, Pancasila would be rooted in such beliefs.

Despite Indonesia’s initial set-up, Indonesia currently has shifted towards a freer civilisation and more unrestricted express of beliefs, opinions and thoughts. Ever since Subandrio’s presidency, what was determined to be a pro-community one, has become entirely economic approach, giving the rest of the sectors thrive wildly. In some context, the eras of Indonesia can be divided into three time periods, the War Era, the Prestige Era, and the Economic Era. The War Era was entirely focused on rebuilding Indonesia from conflict and entering another one. The short Prestige Era, just strengthened Indonesia’s image that it has just won a war. Finally, the Economic Era was seen as entirely focused on economic, building this young nation to greatness.

Even LKY is concerned about such negligence in other sectors, he also fully understands that Indonesia is farfetched in the economy. Emerging from struggling independence into one of the top 10 largest nations in the world comes at a great cost. Countless others, nations and rivals, intend to disrupt unity. LKY noted deeply that Indonesia’s greatest weakness was how primitive the economic system is.

Indonesia, before LKY meddled in the system, was a semi-autarchy system. After the War, even Nasution did not intend to revise the system and just continue as it is. While massive rice self-sufficiency commonly occurs in parts of Indonesia, most of them never actually profited money anywhere outside the nation. As the government keep spending on imports, and never really export well, debt rises, and the economy was weakening.

LKY’s solution was simple, entirely change the system to form a new one. He briefly mentioned it as ‘The Singaporean System’, as he found it in his hometown. Singapore, far before Indonesia’s name was even invented, has become a trading port by the British. Markets have become the bane of the island’s economy, and business was highly promoted. In the national context, this Singaporean System would change dramatically the de-facto ones. As taxes were regulated to be pro-business, Indonesia must maintain a healthy number of corporations as a government-owned, while smaller others were given to the individuals. Foreign investments were a valuable source for Indonesia to grow, while local ones were instructed to assist in factory-building. As investments come with a bargain, the government mostly give foreign companies broad entry towards the Indonesian market, immediately flooding the local to foreign influences.

In the end, this system would determine private-owned business in the middle to low scale business, while the higher ones were either government-owned or having a close connection with the government. Koperasi, a government organization for lending money, as all other organizations build before Subandrio, was diminished in cities as it grew ineffective. Because of that, metropolises were becoming an image of Asian liberalism, killing off the former pro-community organizations that once stood. Sectors that were left untouched by this growing wave of capitalism were education and healthcare.

Immigration has already been a question asked by fellow Indonesians since the 70s. After Kennedy openly attached to Indonesia’s importance in South East Asia, more American immigrants grew in parts of the nation. When America joins, immediately the European Alliance nations accompany. As a decent influx of people came to Indonesia, they brought all kinds of traditions back home. In Merauke, the entirety of the town, formerly a Papuan village, was transformed into one of the most Western cities all across Indonesia. People with suits, skirts, and modern clothing became the norm there, so does the people. Passersby have become whiter as along the years, with the white population almost 20% of the total city population. In Jayapura, Javanese immigration eroded the locals. Fortunately, some cities like Timika and Manokwari, experienced acculturation, combining the local customs with modern Western ones, effectively becoming one of the most foreign-tolerant cities in Indonesia. For the time being, pockets of immigrant communities starting to develop in populated Federal Districts. These workers taught Indonesians to be as skilled as others. Other objectives could become high levels of corporatist, whose power is expanding in the nation.

These immigrants brought their own opinions and beliefs: liberalism. They brought their culture into cities. As they were amongst the highest elites in the cities, they incidentally shifting the culture in cities. Midtown has shown more people into casual clothing, unlike kebayas. In suburbs, traditional houses are torn apart, paving the way towards more modern ones. Pop, rock, and jazz music were becoming common in street night pubs, and alcohol was starting to infiltrate in Indonesia’s night business. In addition to it, female brothels have opened up since the arrival of foreigners, mostly located in border towns like Kemang in Jakarta, Dolly in Surabaya, and Geylang in Singapore.

This caused clergies to be infuriated with the demoralization of the youth. Ulamas and Ustads all across cities decry this Western infiltration. Mosques now campaigning for parents to restrain their children for more Western openness of society. Soon, social campaigns turned into social discontent. The first mob emerged on Kebayoran Baru when fundamental communities from Tebet marched their way towards East Kebayoran Baru. East Kebayoran Baru was full of shopping malls, and with Kemang nearby, so does pubs with alcohol display. However, unlike Kemang, East Kebayoran Baru was majorly Indonesian inhabitants, not foreigners. Allegedly instigated by ulamas, the mob turned violently after the police arrived. As Tebet inhabitants considered the police to cooperate with degenerate infidels, the masses who have arrived there commit brawls, unwilling to offer peace with the demoralization of the society. As Tebet initiated their first brave act, more and more fundamental urban communities also followed their footsteps. In Koja, adults and sometimes even faithful youth attacked more open communities in Mangga Dua.

Started in Jakarta, these ‘correction’ mobs have expanded into other towns in Surabaya, Bandung and Semarang. Although most of these communities are active in Java, some of them have caused serious upheaval in Malaya. In some cases, even the police forces teamed up with the protesters, shutting down liquor shops and even some foreign companies.

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Sorry for the long wait, I had some issues to catch up in school.

For the next topic, we would try to explore deep into Indonesia, how the city has changed and such.

 

[SkylineDreamer]

Hustle and Bustle: A Story of Cities Classical Age

Peace and business were two crucial things of settling metropolises. After the Australian Aggression, there were few upheavals occurred. The Papuan insurgency, later, died off, also with Aceh and few others. As those realms became peaceful, the others thrived in figures. Immigration, economic boom and high growth in the society marked Indonesia cities’ augmentation. A fragile lasting peace on East Asia, unlike other regions, which were smoking on fire, also helped newcomers to flock around these areas.

Plans of the Old, Constructed by the New

Indonesia’s cities, throughout the years, had risen in the number of public transports. Commuters have grown dramatically, and outskirts are constructing to have their outstations. Although most of the construction occurred in the first term of Subandrio, the concept of it came as early as Nasution’s 100-day commitments. Some of it was completed in Nasution’s rule but majorly were either redesigned or refurbished by Subandrio. Nasution’s planning period was mainly adopted precisely from the American culture, while Subandrio may alter to promote some of Indonesia’s local culture later on.

The start of American inrush into Indonesia marked the first extension scheme of three main areas, Jakarta, Batam and Tembagapura. These three cities were Nasution’s top priority, an Indonesian clay since the 50s and had already assimilated fully to the Indonesian culture. These three cities were arranged to become Indonesia’s gate into the world. The government intentionally forsook Singapore, the largest port in South East Asia, mainly because the island is still influenced by British politics.

Jakarta was grown with Setiabudhi’s Grid Project. It is an enormous office complex designed for Jakarta’s Central Business District. It would connect Jakarta with Kebayoran Baru. The government would outline blocks, and sell them to foreign investors. While drawn lenders constructed fancy buildings, Indonesia would aid on covering the public transit, providing MRT access and bus terminals. Later, Subandrio abandoned this project, and Setiabudhi’s ambitious masterpiece was left half-finished, as only the Northern parts were leased and fully access-provided.

BNI 46 Tower, later named as Sudirman Tower, became an icon on Setiabudhi Grid's Classical Era​

Jakarta also had a wide expansion of industrial complexes, some of it even exceeded the boundaries of the Federal District. Cengkareng and Pulo Gadung became Jakarta’s industrial strongpoint, covering both ends of the district. Textile industry flourished in Cengkareng, enterprises established almost 100 factories in the region. Pulo Gadung, however, was interested in electronics and chemical companies. As per 1971, nearly fifty businesses flocked to build factories on that area. While Cengkareng and Pulo Gadung grew, the surrounding regions quickly populated with hopeful workers to a promising prospect.

Businessman and Politician Suharto before his death, oversight his franchise automotive company (Honda) in Pulo Gadung​

In Batam, the Malacca Strait Military Base had become Indonesia’s greatest military base. An extensive military base, consisting of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force itself, was built to protect the valuable Malaccan Strait from hostilities. As Indonesia owns absolute control of the strait, Indonesia wanted to perform control on the region, while also oversight multitude of shipping in and out from the nation. From a modest volume of 5000 personnel, the former administration expanded the base to exceed 45000 by 1990. This swelling in numbers may cause Batam’s surrounding towns, Tanjung Pinang and Kota Batam had been exploded in numbers, majorly of them immigrated from Java and Sumatra.

The champion of growth of Indonesian cities located almost everyone in Papua. Both presidencies acknowledged the island’s importance; abundance in mineral resources, strategic location and untouched nature interested nearly everyone to migrate to the Bird Island. Two cities that gained the highest in population growth was Kotabaru and Tembagapura.

Timika Municipal in 1984​

Kotabaru is located at the Northern side of Papua. Situated East from Biak, Kotabaru was a crosspoint between anywhere in Indonesia, to anywhere on the Pacific, granting the city’s popular name as ‘last point’. The city grew inhabitants after the discovery of multiple precious mines in Papua’s northern mountain region. However, due to the city’s rough terrain, most of the populous build a new town West of Kotabaru, where Liberty Space Station was transformed into a bustling city.

Tembagapura was popular because of one enterprise: ‘Freeport’. As Freeport found gold near the town, a massive influx of American mining companies, with also locals in competition, joined the pursuit in searching for gold in the Southern part of Papua’s Maoke Mountain Range. Tembagapura outshone Timika by the start of the 80s, that Timika was organised as one of Tembagapura’s municipalities. The city’s expansion started to move West, while East remained blocked for civilian construction due to Lorentz National Park.

Albeit those two locations, Southern Papua has started to gain trends for the next wave of Papuan immigration. With relatively flat lands in the South, the Carter Administration has invested nearly a billion dollars in constructing a new Space Center. Merauke, Tanamerah and Kota Mappi has been flooded with immigrants, seeking for having a fortune in the most profitable region in Indonesia.

All of these cities, designed architecture that completely copied the Western-style in the 70s. As most of them were purposed to appeal to foreign investors to feel like ‘home’, Federal Districts new development plans have been drawn similarly to American architecture. Sometimes, European architecture was also involved, particularly in lowlands such as Jakarta, when LKY’s governance even proposed a Dutch canal system.

Jakarta, Batam and all of the examples was nicknamed as ‘first-tier cities’. These cities were already in progress from Nasution’s government, and Subandrio agreed on continuing as it is. They were constructed in ‘layers’ of zones, each zone was distinctive. Central cities, Zone A, was full of public transports, compact roads with red lights, and massive pavements. Zone A would be filled in office spaces, government buildings, and most national monuments. Zone B, residential zone, would have roads as broad as possible, common interactions with layered interchanges, and massive bus network. Such as Grogol and Cempaka Putih, houses filled the vast lands, and toll roads connected the city centre with the houses. Zone C, industrial zone, would have designated truck lanes, and a heavy network of public transport. Seaports, airports and cargo stations would be located here, giving less pollution towards the inner cities.

Plans of the New, Integrate it with the Old

Meanwhile, cities that were planned after Nasution’s downfall was called ‘second-tier cities’. These cities, ultimately, was far more complicated than their older generation. LKY mirrored from Singapore and decided that old blends with new were enticing and fascinating. Therefore, he invited local engineers to construct an exceptional style of architecture, that only Singapore can have it. This era of building was called ‘Nusantara Architecture’ and has gained prominence after Subandrio’s term.

I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, in Denpasar, Bali. It blends native Bali pura with modern architecture​

These second-tier cities would erect structures that would increase the city’s allure. As a result, they assimilate modern architecture with traditional ones and combine it to create a unique style. Originated in Singapore, they built apartment complexes that were typical and captivating. This variety of architecture spread throughout new booming cities. Jogjakarta, Surabaya and Semarang started to decorate their cities with amazing touch, giving Indonesia much more colour than monotonous first-tier cities.

Unfortunately, these type of cities were still uncommon in 1984, as they just gained attention on the start of 1980s. Moreover, the government prioritize spending in Federal Districts, which most of them constructed by the first-tier ideas. In addition to it, 1986 would mark a point of change in Indonesia.

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This would be the penultimate chapter for East Asian Community, as the next chapter would wrap up the EAC Organization. The next chapter would focus on foreign events all across the world. Trust me, the world post-1984 is interesting.

 

[SkylineDreamer]

East Asian Community: A Good Start for East Asian Integration

East Asian Community is an economic bloc to reduce trade tariffs. EAC originated as a Free Trade Bloc amongst anti-Chinese sentiment across the West Pacific, and to increase relations with pro-American nations. As a start, the EAC also paved way for PATO or Hawaii Pact. In the early years of EAC, the organization was led by dominant Japan. In later years, more and more successor have risen to become equal.

Barely a year of existence, the East Asian Community has contributed so much into the fast growth of East Asia. Initiated by Japanese Prime Minister Taiyo Mimura wanted to decrease economic tariffs to close friends, especially as the JSP agenda was mainly about fixing the nation’s welfare and healthcare. Moreover, Taiyo Mimura was the first prime minister of Japan, which suggested open borders for immigration, the first time any Japanese leader proposed in history.

After the Korean War and the Vietnam War, Japan was the first Asian nation to be in full speed for developing. As the country proceeded to experience a prolonged economic boom, Japan needed more resources to continue the trend. Korea was Japan’s first target to befriend, but the Rising Sun never knew that the significant Japanese market originated elsewhere; Indonesia. Indonesia was the Japanese largest market that they can get; proximity and history may bond Indonesia into a better relation, although history may reveal dark Japanese histories. Due to that, Japan also preferred this economic friendship as one way to give its best apology towards the nations tortured during WW2.

Moreover, Indonesia was not alone. As part of the Spratly League, Japan also invited South Vietnam and the Philippines to join the EAC. Although the Philippines initially wasn’t eager on economic integration, they reluctantly accept as South Vietnam agreed. Fortunately, Marcos had determined his greatest choice, as Japan has outstandingly aid economic boom on Maritime SEA for the last two years.

Korea, as time passes by, has become Japan’s junior partner in EAC. As Korea has been industrialized the nation rapidly, its status has risen to be on par with Japan. Korea has built the devastated the former-communist lands into southern development equals. A united Korea has made the nation experienced an economic miracle, a miracle much similar to Japan years prior. As Korea thrived in constructing electrical companies, they too started to arrive in the South East Asian market, competing with the dominant Japanese base.

Suncheon in 1978​

Japan and Korea, in 1984, was an industrialized-based nation. Industry, processing and heavy-metal machinery had become the largest economic sector in those nations, and they can be said as new first-world nations. However, due to the high industrialized society, they require high raw products. These products can be found, conveniently, in South East Asia. Although Indonesia was catching up in terms of industrialization, it was nothing comparing to Japan. Moreover, South Vietnam and the Philippines was even trying to get out from outdated agriculture systems.

Saigon 1980​

The trade was simple, Japan and Korea would assist South East Asian nations to build their industry, while in return they receive lowered tariffs in raw resources. Besides, multinational companies, especially from Japan, may enter into the markets of the south, dominating them in several sectors of the market. For example, as there was no widespread automotive industry available anywhere around South East Asia, Japanese car manufacture had used this opportunity to expand the market there. Toyota, Nissan and Honda all are competing for the same market, and Japanese cars flooded to Indonesia. In the last semester of 1984, Toyota had launched almost 100,000 cars to be sold in Indonesia. In industry, Toyota had also leased thirty hectares of land in Cakung, a new industrial zone Subandrio government had just opened.

Toyota factory in Cakung, 1984
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The other one was electrical appliances industry. Companies like Sharp, Panasonic and Nikon had infiltrated the market as the leading electronic appliances enterprises. Nikon specialized in optical instruments, such as a camera. Another business tends to expand its specialities, ranging from home appliances like refrigerators and air conditioners to office uses like computers and telephones. They flooded the market in EAC. Just barely a year, Indonesia has seen momentous effects.

Despite all the benefits EAC could give, some felt EAC was Japan’s discreet methods of neo-imperialism. In Korea, a small radical group despised Korea’s entry to the EAC, seeing as Japan’s new imperialism method. In the Philippines, several anti-Japanese demonstrators had burnt offices. Fortunately, in Indonesia, this protest was minimum to no existence.

The EAC was all fine and dandy and were peaceful also. Meanwhile, Japan introduced its plans regarding expansion. In 7th October 1984, Japan’s EAC committee declared that Australia was invited to the EAC. Although Australia’s political force was mainly southern-drive, some Labor-Liberal bureaucrats approved of an economic gift from the land up North. Moreover, Australia was feeling jealous of Indonesia’s rapid growth inside the EAC, while Australia still had ongoing political crises that harmed its economy. Most of EAC members approved Australia’s entrance, except Indonesia whom for some hatred still dwells.

The anti-Australian sentiment in Indonesia came from old-guard politicians, mostly from PNI-R and PRD members. The war was still evident and plain for old politicians. Some elder, although felt the cost of war, forgave the enemies, and later joined up with a younger generation of politicians. This faction became the liberal faction of Indonesia, mostly as PPP and PPI politicians. So, PNI-R members orchestrated demonstration demanding Indonesia to reject Australia’s entrance towards the EAC. The government neglected the demand, stating that we all could never pick. Moreover, friendship is better than conflict. Luckily, the protesters were not as sound or organized, therefore its struggle immediately vanquished in vain.

Anti-Japanese Protestors in front of the Governor Building in Majapahit State
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Another issue that comes up with EAC membership is Taiwan’s appeal on joining the EAC. Japan never really processed the offer, as they still were afraid of China. Although how weak China has become due to purges Madame Mao has held, China is still a strong nation. Moreover, Japan’s politicians had even determined to make China in EAC, as it would give Japanese corporation a huge market expansion. Chiang Ching Kuo, Taiwan’s President, had tried numerous times to make his nation a part of EAC. However, Japan never really listened to his request. Besides, Japan preferred to have good relations with its primary trading partner in South East Asia, all of them had grudges with Taiwanese actions in the South China Sea.

The EAC, despite just being established, has granted a boost for economic growth in South East Asia. It kept the trend for most of the decade, as East Asia stayed calm and peaceful.

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As promised, next chapter would be entirely about foreign events.

 

[SkylineDreamer]

The Struggle of Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Al-Quds and all of its alias, is considered to be home of the holiest sites of the world. Home to three Abrahamic religions, Jerusalem has been a holy city for Christianity, Islam and Judaism. The disputed claim for any three religions marked Jerusalem’s rough history of being conquered or to be conquered. Unfortunately, the trend continues. The 1980s marked the world’s cultural apex, yet Jerusalem is still under fire.

After the British forces left the Middle East after the Second World War, the Palestine Region came under conflict as Jews living there were declaring the state of Israel, moving off the Palestinian Arabs there. After a series of conflicts, survivals and rough diplomacy. Israel was finally crushed under the United Arab Socialist Republic, with Nasser as the Premier. Nasser initially declined of ordering a massive genocide to the hated Israelis, but as the populace has hated the Jews more than the Devil itself, Nasser decided to give the Israelis one choice; exodus.

​

The United Arab Socialist Republic is strange. This republic is led by Abdul Nasser, the leader of the Egypt Socialist Republic. His authority is unquestionable in the Nile, but on further west, he owns little to none. The UASR consists of four republics besides Egypt: Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Iraq. The Arab Socialist Union, or simply called as the Ba’ath Party, was divided equally proportionate as the republic. The rivalry went on two large nations inside the UASR: Egypt and Iraq.

Ba’ath Party had core values on Arab Socialism. It states that nationalism and socialism are not contradicting factors, but one compatibility. Most of the ideology was based on anti-imperialism, opposing the ruling class systems and fight for social justice. This ideology could never be as great without Nasser as the idol. The popularity of Nasser rose as the Egyptians had finally won from the British tyranny dated back in the 60s. Their struggle against imperialism had become a model for Arab nations to imitate. Even in Shahdom of Iran, the Ba’athist movement has risen on the people.

The Ba'athist Party Flag
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Nasser had become the leader of UASR for almost twenty years, and the effects of it were extremely positive for the republic. In 1970, he announced that the Arab Republic should be as equal as the Western nations, therefore education was highly prioritized to create innovative Arabs that can shift the information superiority back towards the Old Continent. Moreover, Nasser announced reforms about cultural and social affairs. Women now may use casual clothing, and be granted education, equality and suffrage. Social justice was reinforced by the Premier. The economy was thriving, and oil stables its flow. The 70s and the 80s marked the UASR’s tremendous rise as the most prosperous nation in the Middle East. Still, despite the good reports UASR has written, the nation had one fundamental problem which locates on the nation’s chokepoint: The Palestine Republic.

Nasser had ordered the massive exodus of Israelis from the Palestinian region. However, the Israelis had a stubborn heart, and some determine to fight until death. In addition to it, Israelis have doctrine their children into believing Arabs as a source of evil. They trained men to become warriors, purposed to kill and struggle for the liberation of Israel. Most of them, even young children, had resorted into ruthless methods, killing thousands with the first suicidal bombs.

In 1978, the city of Gaza had been engulfed in a tragedy as an Israeli revolutionary had bombed himself to blast near a public school. It killed 50 people, 32 of whom were young children. Three months later, a similar bomb scenario happened in New Jaffa, formerly Tel-Aviv, as they killed hundreds of Arabs in a collapsed government building. At Ramadhan period of 1979, Israeli Revolutionary Armies launched extensive campaigns in mosques and public centres, killing almost 3000 total.

Israeli Freedom Fighters on Action
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As ignorant as Nasser may become, he cannot possibly escape from the de-facto problems going there. Saddam Hussein from Iraq was trying to undermine his Premiership. Also popular and charismatic, Saddam Hussein was known for constructing Iraq as a mirror for Egyptian success. Moreover, Nasser needs to worry as the Republic’s large army was mostly Hussein’s loyal Iraqi soldiers. After the chaos the Israelis ensued, Nasser’s popularity plummets while Saddam Hussein’s popularity rise. Saddam was an advocate of security, and vowed to defend the Republic with large military spending, and establish extensive police enforcement – the thing Nasser has neglected for some time.

In 1981, Nasser was getting frustrated that the conditions in Palestine were never becoming any peaceful. Israelis diasporas in Lebanon had caused the nation a perpetual civil war while trying to evoke chaos on Palestine. Moreover, Israeli’s refugees all across the world had summoned a ‘call’, reaching out all successful Jewish to ‘fight the salvation war’ and restore Israel once again. He requested for help but from a source not even a Ba’athist fear from, Maktab Al-Khidmat.

Maktab Al-Khidmat was a secret service organization, perpetrated and established by Abdullah Yusuf Azzam. He with Wa'el Hamza Julaidan, Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri raise funds and recruit foreign members to fight side by side on the Pakistani Rebel Forces, also with the struggle against Afghani’s Soviet Puppet Government. This organization was a fundamentalist-based ideology, and even extremist to some extent.

Abdullah Yusuf Azzam met Nasser in the Egyptian palace in 13th August 1981, demanding a personal plea to make Palestine a stable region. Azzam, a Palestinian nationality, agreed wholeheartedly and prepared all means to finish the chaos once and for all. By December 1981, Israeli freedom fights started to battle with MAK’s extremist followers. Palestine had become an active brawl. The struggle for Jerusalem continued for many years. However, the arrival of MAK gave Palestinians the upper hand against the Israeli freedom fighters. MAK grows in popularity, even some youth determined to jihad. The battle in Jerusalem had now become a battle between extremists.

The first active combat between two hard-witted factions began on December 21st 1981. The MAK freedom fighters discovered a secret Israeli stronghold in a garage on West Jerusalem. The clash was so intense, even mirroring active warfare. The Israelis fighters had gathered sophisticated weapons, possible from Europe or the United States. The MAK’s did not have those advantages, but their will was far beyond anyone can comprehend.

Palestinians rallying support for the Victory of the Siege of Jerusalem​

This portion of history was called the Siege of Salvation, the MAK’s finally destroyed the stronghold fifteen days after. The victory news spread towards the entire nation and felt very supportive of the MAK. In fact, the MAK’s popularity somewhat boosted Nasser’s. However, the MAK’s involvement as another source of defending systems caused Saddam to feel agitated. Luckily, Nasser had a perfect tool to silence him. He thought that the Libyans in the West need some liberation…

=========================
There was actually no US involvement in funding the armies for Israel, however, large sums of money came from Jewish population from the US. Moreover, in Europe, the public has grown sympathy towards the Israeli refugees and supported the liberation of Israel back to Israeli hands.

 

[SkylineDreamer]

The Nine Blue Years: An American Game Changer

21st Nov 1975 - 20th Jan 1985​

James Earl Carter was a newcomer for Washington D.C, intended to arbitrate between the coalition government between the old foes of Republican and Democratic Party, Carter has grown himself to mature as the nation’s Chief. Series of occurrences befell in 1976 marked his way towards the presidency, and surpassed the 8-year limit of the Constitution.

As a replacement for Haldeman's inevitable resignation, Carter entered the White House with the nation under gloom. A president had been assassinated, and the replacement had regressed all his plans, only to expose a disgrace later on. The nation had been destabilized because of the prevailing events. Campaigns overseas are halted with a lack of management from home. In-home itself, the economy was transforming into disorder. A slowdown was happening, and the public had no spirit.

Carter’s first aim was to cut off any extraneous expenses. The first he did was deregulation in several sectors. Airline Act opened up the sector to the public entirely, while the trucking industry was privatized gradually. Carter also slowly managed the instability dilemma, rallying Democrats and Republicans to unite, slowly forming the new party system against the Conservatives.

The election of 1976, albeit very close, was Carter’s ticket to resolve all issues. He announces Home Anew, a series of domestic policies that would shape America thoroughly. He reduced military spending and redirected the money to combat the vulnerable economy. He extended the public works, giving vocation to 5 million who lost their positions. Moreover, the Americans civil engagement in Palestine caused the embargo of oil from the UASR. The oil price had soared up, and the energy crisis happen.

Different from how Carter solved monetary problems, he disentangled the energy crisis much sharper. He rapidly pushed for an Energy Act. The act expected the dangers of reliance on conventional resources, and quickly adapt to find new alternative ways to overcome. He campaigned for solar and wind energy in America. He concluded that alternative sources, such as nuclear, could alleviate the energy crisis while figuring out various car fuels for consumption. Providentially, several farmers from Tennessee discovered that biomass could be transformed into a fuel similar to crude oil. They called this ‘biofuel’ and realised that this alone could clear the crisis instantly. Carter, a former farmer himself, supported wholeheartedly this idea and promptly passed the Biomass Act to establish biofuel refineries. One slight catch for biofuel was the car engines were not designed to drink biofuel for combustion. Therefore, Carter announced the following regulations to increase blue-collar employments to convert several car specs necessary so that it could use biofuel.

Carter signing the Biofuel Act

Carter campaigning for Solar Energy​

Coming off to 1980, Carter’s accomplishments in the Energy Crisis was outstanding. With relatively small flow from Iran and the Gulf States, America could replenish its oil consumption. Uniquely, the United States became the forefront in green energy, inventing power plants that use wind and solar power. Likewise, the nation’s economy was rebuilding itself. Albeit lagging a bit, the economy had recovered. Carter commended East Asia’s booming growth that America’s economy could return to the pre-stagnation era.

The President acclaimed his landslide victory in 1980, was not determined not only the success domestically, but also in foreign relations. The Democrats had become a vanguard for promoting the newer, revised, version of the Monroe Doctrine. Under the Peanut Farmer’s name, Jimmy Carter reshaped America’s interventionist and superiority movement. He put military and defence for domestic shielding against foreign powers. Abroad, America would sell campaigns as a business, giving nations protection while demanding compensations. In Iran, a strong military presence was maintained with a steady flow of oil. In Indonesia, the government reduced strict laws for Americans to migrate or work there. The States, once again, find friendly allies in Latin America. Even without backed coups, interventions, or political movements, the US managed to ally most of South America in his first term. Her pragmatic opinions, no matter socialist or liberal, appeal to nations that once previous administrations despised. By Carter’s last term, Nicaragua had become a small dot of resistance against the US, almost on the brink of destroying itself.

The US, also, tried to visit African nations to join the American sphere. As the continent was flooding with West Red* or East Red**, America had gotten a horrible glimpse that the continent may dislike America. After the calamitous South African War, America retried to befriend newly independent Angola and Mozambique. In the East, Carter talked with dictators of Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya. In France’s backyard, Carter tried to infiltrate from agitated pro-independent Moroccan separatists or secure liberated nations like Ghana, Benin and Biafra.

Carter's visit to Biafra​

Carter also considered an alliance in democratic European partners obligatory, while attempt not to bring forth the continent into another global war. By the end of Carter’s term, he secured the EA as American allies. Nations like Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands conduct close relations with the US. Regarding France, Carter maintained his plan to dissolve the nation from being too powerful. Conveniently, the Germans have been funding nationalist movements, which gain traction due to a scare for extreme multiculturalism.

Nevertheless, his later presidency was marked with controversies, as he pushed for several socialist laws. He restructured the taxes, the rich would pay more while the poor were subsidized. Public education was mandatory for all citizens, despite in the Deep South private Christian schools thrived. He passed the National Health Insurance, a mix of private and public healthcare. This was mainly because the Democrats keep criticizing Carter’s pro-left behaviour. However, his last campaign was a successful one; revoking the space race spirit.

Carter’s excellent administration really helped the party to win the government once again. After Reagan’s withdrawal from politics due to ailing age, William Buckley Jr. attempted to beat Carter-Church in 1980. He failed humiliatingly, the worst in Conservative history. in 1981, Vice President Frank Church passed away from pancreatic cancer, Carter picked the astronaut-politician John Glenn as the successor. In 1984, John Glenn campaigned for the presidency. He battled with James R. Schlesinger from the Conservative Party, a close aide of Nixon and Reagan himself. In the election, John Glenn won with a considerable margin, securing another 4 years in the White House.

John Glenn
==================================​

Here is the American Update I've longed to post. Next up we would jump into another continent.

*=France
**=the Soviet Union

1984 Election Results

 

[SkylineDreamer]

The Atlantic Pact

Everywhere in the world, nations either conjoined collectively to form an association, or fought together to devise a massive mess in the region. France, the Soviet Union, and the United States consolidate to gain influence. France holds its base indefinitely in most of the Middle East, Thailand, and North Africa. They also swayed Yugoslavia and some Warsaw Pact members, shown as more appealing rather than the authoritative Eastern brother. The United States controls the Pacific Sea, and attempting to securing the Indian Ocean from Indonesia and Australia, and securing the Atlantic from a network of influence to West African sovereigns. The 1970s was a time to pick a side for everyone, yet in several cases nations weren’t desired to be sided on. Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom were three particular nations. A mixture of ultra-nationalism and liberalism, these nations couldn’t find a superpower to befriend, so they befriend themselves.

The Spanish Civil War in 1936 resulted in a victory for Franco and his nationalist faction. Franco formed a Spanish State with himself as the dictator or caudillo. The era of Franco meant extensive political repression, which shaped the dark history of the Spanish State. By the start of the 1950s, Franco's state had become less violent. However, his rule was still strict and powerful, as almost all political oppositions were heavily suppressed with police enforcements.

As the nation was on the brink of bankruptcy after the civil war, Spain was convinced to adopt a free market economy. The United States threatened an economic embargo if the planned economy was adopted. As both France and the Soviet Union had sour ties with the Mediterranean nation, Spain finally relented and push for fewer regulations. At the end of the 50s, the Spanish State suffered massive inflation due to the free market. Franco decided that searching for allies in Europe was vital. West Germany was appealed to with a Spanish market and opted to support the nation. From then on, Spain resumed on to an economic boom which was continuing until Franco’s death.

The 142m high Torre de Madrid, an icon for the "Spanish Miracle" ​

Another factor of why the Spanish State continued to survive was because of the Red Scare. Portugal at that time went communist in the early 50s. With France also went communist in the 60s, Spain was wedged by hostile neighbours. Franco, meanwhile, determined this as an opportunity. It was an opportunity to eradicate Spain’s entire communist sympathizers which still dominated Catalonia. Kennedy shrugged with Spain’s purges, and Nixon thoroughly supported in favour of a Spanish friend in Europe. Yet, as Shafer rose to the presidency, everything would change for Spain.

Shafer’s radical democratic view changed Franco’s opinion about the US. Formerly, it was a hegemon that needed Spain to endure to maintain Europe’s fragile anti-communist nations. As Germany and her Central European allies kept on defending their grounds, Spain was a perfect tool to counterbalance the trend. Spain, deemed the US untrustworthy, decided to contact a rival of the Empire, the United Kingdom. In the 60s, the United Kingdom was having its downturn. The Wars in Indonesia was not going in favour of the nation, let alone the US intervened against the UK. Indeed, by 1966, almost the entire Empire disintegrated. Leaving some dominions in America and Africa to cherish. Prior's Cabinet, later on, proved to have a mutual interest in Spain, and the UK-Spanish relation blossoms.

Francisco Franco’s untimely death in 1978 forced Luis Carrero Blanco to succeed as the nation’s Caudillo, requested by Franco itself. Blanco was a navy officer, and native to the Northern Regions, most loyal Franco supporters. However, upon rising as Franco’s second man, Blanco saw the heartbreaking atrocities which shouldn’t have happened and determined a slow change into democracy. Upon his rule, Blanco firstly appointed a Carlist claimant, Juan Carlos I, as Blanco’s successor. It fixed a Spanish transition into a monarchy one more, a perfect government system to preserve traditions and cultures adopted by Franco. Moreover, Blanco opened restrictions on political parties, opening them slowly by granting free speech and less police oversight.

Caudillo Blanco with Juan Carlos, Prince of Spain​

Blanco promised his nation a general election by his projected abdication in 1988, ten years after the death of Franco. He opened restriction on political societies in universities, gaining favour in youths. He slowly cut extensive and destructive military influence in the bureaucracy, which formed corruption. Crooks which have proven to harm the Spanish administration are punished orderly, and Blanco persisted for a reliable government. Following the German Model, Blanco massively promotes a liberal governmental system, which silenced separatist groups in Catalan and Basque can finally express their ideas. His reformist attitude, ultimately, caused a swell in popularity among the youths, while causing a massive uproar to the elderly.

Recent developments around Morocco caused Blanco to pay attention to Spain’s colonial holdings. Still controlling Spanish Equatorial Guinea and Spanish Sahara, Spain went with France’s path of retaining all colonies. Equatorial Guinea was affected dearly by the Ebola epidemic happening in Congo and nearly devastated Spain if not for Franco’s immediate island quarantine. The native population struggled heavily from the pandemic. Yet, Spanish migrants entered in the aftermath of the epidemic, and the sole purpose of isolating Equatorial Guinea had been clear; wiping off the native population. Unfortunately, as the United Nations only noticed the virus on the continent, the native population can’t protest while the white percentage in Equatorial Guinea rises.

In the Sahara, Spain was lucky that France kept their colonies. The Moroccan separatists, and also irredentists, had been contained by the French communist government and was kept so that indirectly helped Spain’s control in Africa. However, as the United States started to fund Moroccan separatists by the middle 70s, Franco has caught a fear that maybe this colony would not withstand the decolonization wave. Blanco, meanwhile, had already proclaimed that if Morocco is granted independence under the time of his administration, the Spanish State would negotiate with the Moroccans to give some unwanted lands.

The Spanish State announced a possible alliance with the UK and Portugal officially in 1978. They named the alliance ‘Atlantic Pact’, and their main purpose was to protect tradition and preserve the imperial legacy. Although Spain is the main character of this alliance, the formation would be impossible without the UK’s tumultuous road recently.

Arthur Kenneth Chesterton was appointed Prime Minister after the British Unionist Party secured a majority in the snap-election of 1972. However, he was not a politician supported by the house, his former ties with Mosley discouraged any. Despite his policies were decent, as time progresses Parliament underestimated his leadership and accuse him of yet a Mosley. He had stated that he split from Mosley after being disillusioned, but the Parliament remained opposed. Moreover, his isolationist stances got Britain to lost almost all of her colonies, a humiliation comparing to Communist France. Rather than plummeting the BUP’s popularity, his Cabinet was short-lived, and by 1974 he was ousted by his own party. The BUP was a young party, and have a sounding youth majority both in party seats and outside. However, juvenility was a benefit for Chesterton's contender. His contender, a former Conservative politician called James (Jim) Michael Leathes Prior, gained ranks inside the BUP. He later replaced Chesterton to rule the nation.

Jim Prior​

Jim Prior faced copious problems when ascended as Prime Minister. The country was in deep resentment, having lost the Empire and her dignity. Prior also faced with the nation’s economic downturn, as the United States provoke isolation to Britain, which only effective in American trading. Luckily, the United Kingdom forged a good relationship with the rising German power. The Queen had conversed with the Elected-King of Germany soundly, and a friendly relation ensues. Therefore, Jim Prior adopted a different path from Spain. Jim Prior reform the economy by maintaining the union powers. The government passed a planned economy for the first four years, effectively stomping British capitalism. Jim Prior passed more laws regarding monetary policy, devaluating the currency to appease foreign investors.

Jim Prior’s second tool was to use France as the driving spirit of Britain. Britain has protected France since the 1900s, but France decided to betray Britain’s democracy in the last few years. That alone, have provoked massive resentment, and late a spirit of revenge. Jim Prior exploited this spirit to push Britain to work harder, and cooperate better. The first four years proven to be a massive success, Britain had once again regained her economic health, and unemployment had shrunk to an all-time low.

Trade Unions in Britain. Trade Unions in the 70s were somewhat bolstered by Prior's policies, gaining support from Labourers.​

In foreign policy, Jim Prior was an ardent imperialist. He declared ‘Save the Empire at all cost, retreat not an inch’. He stubbornly kept Malta, Hong Kong, and some other British Overseas Territories. The US had seized all British possessions in the Pacific, except the Pitcairn Islands. Jim Prior worsened relations with the US after attempts of boosting the republican* movements in Canada and the East Caribbean. Also, in 1975, the Irish Revolutionary Army surged guerilla warfare in Belfast, igniting the Ulster Crisis.

Jim Prior was fully committed to staging direct warfare with Ireland itself. But the UN was seeing Britain’s actions. The US, the Soviet Union and France all wished for not another imperialist Britain and passed extreme measures to stale Britain. The public in Britain saw this as a massive provocation, and Jim Prior had the perfect tool to maintain dominance in the Parliament. Although the Ulster Crisis continues even until the 1980s, the BUP’s popularity increased to a whopping 76.3% in the nearest 1984 election.

Britain’s oldest and most loyal ally is Portugal. Although Britain had undergone massive changes in politics, the kingdom of Portugal maintained its best relations. Therefore, Britain asked Spain to invade Portugal in 1975, which made King Duarte Nuno return to his homeland. Despite losing Angola and Mozambique, Portugal was happy in having her last colonial empire with Spain and Britain as friends. Portugal reestablished free elections, with the communist party banned and heavily oppressed. Recently, the Liberal government has been pushing for an Iberian Customs Union, securing a free-pass in Spain and Gibraltar, still under the UK.

===========================​

* Not to be confused with the US Republican party, this is a pro-republican, meaning pro-presidential and anti-imperial movements.

We'll stay in Europe for a few upcoming posts because it would be essential for an important event.

 

[SkylineDreamer]

An Exceptional Balkans

Bismarck once had spoken that the Balkans was always the precursor for major wars. Yet, as the Cold War was getting transfixed with the battle between France, the Soviet Union, and the United States, this region was eerily tranquil.

Yugoslavia is the current largest nation in the Balkans. The nation was a union between ethnicities and religion, fragile terms of integration. In 1948, the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia split from the Soviet Union’s influence as their leaders fought in opinions. President Josip Broz Tito then consolidated his nation, granting autonomous status towards Vojvodina & Kosovo, then under the Serbian administration. A change in constitution renamed Yugoslavia into the Socialist Federal Republic. Tito tried to discuss with non-aligned nations a possible alliance. However, as he saw that those selected nations have already chosen, the President decided to be the Switzerland of the Balkans, at least for a moment.

Tito handled the presidency with an iron fist, he abused his powers to eliminate critiques. He cracked down nationalist youth movements, which gained prominence after the re-rise of a German monarchy. He increased police-oversight to regions that were high in resistance. Edvard Kardelj, a minister of his, was ousted due to criticisms against the government’s authoritative manner.

A Croatian protest against the Yugoslav government, 1974
​

As absolute powers corrupt absolutely, so tensions between rivals created thus. Tito’s minister debated themselves on a constitutional change by 1978, questioning the nation’s path towards more decentralization or centralization. Aleksander Ranković, Deputy Prime Minister of Yugoslavia at that time, demanded a centralization effort. He suggested that giving more autonomy to regions could inevitably lead to a dissolved Yugoslavia, which was no interests of anyone. Ranković’s opposition, Stane Dolanc expressed his intentions to make Yugoslavia less Serbian, and more diverse.

The 1978 Constitution of Yugoslavia was amended to give power to the Federal government and received a more dominant stance of the central government. As a result, tensions to regions outside of Serbian control sparked sporadically. A small concentrated group of young rascals had turned into a decent political struggle. Bosniaks, Albanians, Hungarians, and Croats, before had a fair share of ethnic protests, now had a strong quantity. However, Tito’s methods of controlling these folklores simple: more police control.

On the 19th September 1980, the President-for-life of Yugoslavia, Josip Broz Tito, died. His death was an exciting one for suppressed protesters, and they could finally shout soundly. Moreover, as Tito’s death was unaccounted for, a power grab occurred between Ranković’s partner Marko Nikezić and Stane Dolanc. The Federal Parliament and the Federal Ministry halted into a complete stop because nothing would progress under the dispute between who will be the next president.

The succession crisis was proven to be a costly one for Yugoslavia. For some time, there was no executive to govern, and as they elected, they will be ousted soon by the divided parliament. The trend caused a substantial stagnation in Yugoslavia’s development, savaging the economy, stability and prosperity on the developing nation. Protests, not only ethnical ones, soon rose, they demanded a stable and proud government, mirroring an image to Tito’s previous administration.

Moreover, reported foreign interference also tried to make Yugoslavia as weak as possible. German spies contacted with underground separatism leaders, mostly Slovenes and Croats, to fight against this ‘weak Serbian government’. In Novi Sad, Hungarian activists were brewing their sly chance to reclaim lands. Unfortunately, Poland’s discrete far-right movement had gained engagements on destabilizing Yugoslavia. The Soviet Union was upholding Marko Nikezić and was giving every penny to the faction. As for Stane Dolanc, due to bad dialogue with French foreign minister during his visit, this centralization faction only weakens gradually in time.

Yet, another contender rose into the Yugoslavian government, which was Lieutenant General Veljko Kadijević. He joined the Yugoslav Partisans in 1941, following the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia. In 1943, he joined the Communist Party of Yugoslavia (KPJ). He was given the task of performing important duties almost immediately. He remained an active soldier after the war and became popular inside the military. He sought for a Defense Minister in 1980, months before Tito deceased, yet he was turned down due to insufficient ranks. He was later moved into Pristina, commandeering his rebel-stomping division.

General Veljko Kadijević, 1983
​

From his base in Pristina, Kadijević marched to the capital with his division. He had no Yugoslavian forces to immobilize his army. He arrived at Belgrade on 4th of March 1982. A military coup happened in the following weeks, and Kadijević instated a Bosniak politician Raif Dizdarević. Together with the self-promoted General Kadijević, Raif promoted a Yugoslavian identity superior to mere Serbian dominance. He promised of ethnic tensions no more. This certain President also affirmed for Yugoslavia to rise again, as a regional power, a Balkan dominance. Yugoslavia, after decades of abstinence in seeing other nation’s situation, finally noticed how different the Balkans are now.

President Raif Dizdarević
​

As Poland had become Soviet Union’s bolshie satellite. The Warsaw Pact was banking all the money into suppressing the perpetual far-right underground resistance and making sure that Warsaw Pact stays headquartered in Warsaw. Therefore, it made some changes in policy for member nations, one of them in Romania.

Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej ascended as the nation’s leader after king abdication in 1947. From then on, he would push for a radical pro-Stalinist movement and make Romania be from an agrarian powerhouse to industrialist socialist country. He also pushed for more independence efforts, especially in his late rule, due to Khrushchev methods of De-Stalinization. Romania opened up trade with Western nations, particularly the United States.

In 1965, the president died of lung cancer in Bucharest. His next-in-line, General Secretary of the Communist Party and President Manea Mănescu did a total opposite of Gheorghe’s administration and pushed for inseparable relations to the Soviet Union. He restructured Romania’s Five Year Economic Plans, instead of pushing for the Comecon’s objective to Romania: a breadbasket of the communist world. It was only in late 1980, that Manea contemplated with the Party of Romania’s second industrialization attempt. However, the high production in harvest idled such haze manner.

The Danube-Black Sea Canal, apart from Manea's Government Plan of becoming Comecon's breadbasket
​

In Greece, the Kingdom of Greece outlawed any pro-Communist movements after a devastating civil war after WW2. Greece was included in the Marshall Plan and joined NATO until its disbandment. The parliamentary constitutional monarchy went as a stable government. In 1965, however, a failed military coup occurred. The Federal Kingdom of Germany befell to clinch enough influence to kill the power grabbers. The Greek Monarchy after the tried coup pushed for more liberalization and pro-German economy.

Greece also started to pay attention to events happening in Cyprus. As the nation finally left out from Turkish influence by 1973, Cyprus had become Greece’s small ally in the Mediterranean. Cypriot’s victory to the Turks also boosted Greece’s imperial ambitions, eyeing the prize towards the land lost for centuries, Konstantinopel. The Liberal Party, since 1958, has won every single election. Greece’s slow but steady growth assuage foreign investors and gained satisfying recognition to the United States. As the key to the Black Sea, Greece holds an important location to curb Russia’s maritime outreach, effectively killing the navy’s space.

A bizarre fate took place in another southern nation of Yugoslavia, Albania. The socialist republic had been Enver Hoxha since the end of WW2. Yet, the rule was divided into three distinctive phases. Before 1960, Enver was a close associate of the Soviet Union. It had become the Warsaw Pact’s access to the sea and beyond. Yet Hoxha split from the Soviet Union and became pro-France. The economy shifted from planned to liberalization efforts, similar to the French model. However, in 1976 the First Secretary pushed for more capitalization endeavour. He was intrigued by an economic relationship with the Germans. He deregulates the economy, opens up banks, and actually planned for diversification of the political parties.

Enver Hoxha during his rally in 1981
​

Yugoslavia seemed very isolated from all those turns of events. However, President Raif ascertained with this Balkan dominance, and it would start from weakening the Warsaw Pact itself.

============================​

Most of Europe is almost done, around two more chapters. After that, we would move continent.

 

[SkylineDreamer]

Andropov Decade

This nation was originated after the bloody WW1 and became a contesting superpower against the United States by the end of WW2. The Soviet Union, the so-called leader of the socialist world, has now undergone massive turmoil as France was beginning to change the world’s view of the nation. Kremlin’s influence all across Europe was weakening as all those other members of the communist organization were intrigued by France’s superiority. However, Andropov's steps were surpassed the French initial objectives, moving the odds towards the other.

The KGB agent Yuri Andropov joined the Communist Party in 1944. In 1947, he was elected Second Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Karelo-Finnish SSR. He was ruthless in dissidents of the Soviet Union and continued to be a nightmare for democratic movements all across the Comecon. He took part in killing uprisings all across the Warsaw Pact, on the early eras of democratic protest in Poland and Hungary. Especially in Hungary, when demonstrators were brutally executed under an ‘anti-government’ pretence.

His rise was substantially caused by his cordial connection to Nikolai Ignatov. In party lobbies, Ignatov would mostly be the ‘good negotiator’, while Andropov became that certain strict politician. As Ignatov’s popularity grew, so does Andropov. In several occasions, Ignatov would disagree in Andropov’s stance on ruthless oppression against democratic youths; he was pragmatic after all. However, Andropov favoured Ignatov deeply because of the Secretary’s policies which reclaimed the Soviet’s prestige in the Space Race.

Domestically, Ignatov pushed for similar reforms as Khruschev did before. He passed laws on giving slight deregulation of business and less government control on factories. He finally ended concentration camps for political exiles, gulags as the other name, and finally put peace into the raging faction between radical Stalinist and ardent anti-Stalinist reformers. The Soviet Union was stabilizing itself from the caucus of authoritarianism and was gradually moving for a deregulated path.

Ignatov’s popular policies were essential to Andropov’s rule to be stable. So, he just continued his policies after succeeding the General Secretary. However, Andropov had his own ideas about the socialist world, and how to combat the increasing French influence into the red society. As France stabilizes herself, she has shown her posture as another socialist power in the world, bridging between the Soviet Union’s socialist ideologies with pro-business attitudes derived from the old liberal Western self. As France attempted to make the Wallonians into a French sphere, France has been stealing influence from Cominform members, effectively waning the Warsaw Pact, Comecon and everything the Soviet Union has established.

Comecon Flag​

The anarchist resurgence in Belgium also caused Poland to burn. As the fuel of abhorrence among Poles to the Soviet Union was extremely high, so does the spirit to abandon the Soviet’s sphere. Poland kept nagging the Soviet Union from the protestors, granting the nation as the most militarized location ever done by the Soviet Union. Andropov will not desert Poland, as it would hurt the Warsaw Pact’s significantly, let alone that the organization now has no definite purpose after NATO’s disbandment.

Obstacles continue to meet Andropov when more socialist nations underwent a wave of protesters. In Finland, another mob that demands the ousting of Soviet rule in the government became a proper issue both for the Soviet Union and the Finland government itself. Moreover, it was later proven that these protestors were supported by Sweden. In Hungary, another wave of protestors happened as Andropov was ruling; they don’t want that ruthless man. The Baltic states also happened to find troubles as they gained attention to German’s appeal to form their fantasy ‘The United Baltic Nation’. Indeed, as the Soviet Union is the monster for most of them, anything is preferable and fine for everyone, even the particular nation which probably will be another German satellite.

The proposed Baltic State by German monarchists, appeasing anti-Russian stance to secede from the Soviet Union​

Andropov realized that he needed to address the Soviet’s declining influence in the world. He noticed the United States’ brilliance in withdrawing NATO, effectively making the Soviet Union another rival, this time a rival with similar beliefs. So, after the Soviet Union has focused on the successful Moon Landing on 29 March 1971, Andropov shifted his views to build up the Soviet Union and the Comecon. On his speech in the week after the landing, he declared the Comecon to have 'extensive refurbishment' and kill 'all corrupt bureaucrats'.

Firstly, he introduced a series of reforms done inside the Soviet Union to attain trust and appeal to other Soviet Socialist Republics. He cracked down Soviet labourers that lack of discipline and full of tardiness, putting absentee employees into arrest. He opened criticism of the Soviet Union, economically, to the public, resulting in the populace be able to share opinions about methods of solving the stagnation. He also promoted a farmer’s incentive to increase their productivity. For several years, crop productivity in the Soviet Union decline due to a series of bad management. Furthermore, irrigation in some parts of the Soviet Union was reported to be wasteful and ineffective. In almost five years, Andropov travelled throughout the Soviet Union, fixing the irrigation system that deemed prodigal. He ordered some reconstruction of the Karakum Canal, making them less porous and faster.

Karakum Canal 1966, before the reconstruction by Andropov​

Secondly, he issues a massive 'thirty-year plan' for Comecon members to improve the organization's among each other. That meant specialization on some nations. They unquestioned Romania's arable farming land, granting them the 'new breadbasket', succeeding Ukraine. In Bulgaria, Andropov exploited the nation's pseudo-liberal policies to make them the 'technology valley' of Comecon, funding more scientific projects for the Warsaw Pact's military, or the second round of Space Race between the United States. For each of the Baltic States, they given projects regarding their excelled resources, Estonia's timber and commercial market with Latvia's and Lithuania's agricultural farmlands. Poland, meanwhile, was not mentioned in any of those Comecon plans, as Andropov was uncertain of the promise it can be done with Poland after continual insurgence movements.

Bulgarian seaside resorts, also part of the Comecon's grand strategy '30 year plan'​

About the fight against the United States and France, the Soviet Union did something that predecessors haven’t had done before; become completely silent. During the first five years of Andropov’s plan, he programmed calculated political strategy, confirming their dominance in the Red Sea with Eritrea and Ethiopia. Also with a lucky Turkish Revolution in 1973. The Horn of Africa and the Bosphorus had enormous potential for the Soviet Union, to be as both market and posts for expanding the influence. Andropov has also increased relations with North Vietnam, forging ties with the Communist Party there.

Until 1979, the Soviet Union sequentially endured defensively. As problems in Poland and several key members kept emerging, Andropov paid extortionate security measures to secure the Iron Curtain. The nation was revamping its economy and foreign strategy. Called the Andropov Strengthening, the Warsaw Pact was bonded tightly, with large investments from the Soviet Union, making members more supportive of the communist nation.

The Andropov Decade occurred between 1969 and 1979. It marked the Soviet Union’s mainly absence in most of the current crisis. Thus, it manifested France as the second rival of the socialist power, both hungry and demanding of dominance. As the United States remain to confront the French Republic, the Soviet Union sat back and restructure its administration. Nicaragua and other communist movements in South America were rooted towards France, and luckily the situation there had gotten into a geopolitical stalemate, perfect for Soviet’s desires.

The Soviet Union continued its adventurous campaign in October 1979, when they backed the communist revolution in Afghanistan. Followed by an invasion, the Soviet Union succeeded in instating a friendly communist party in power, only to have radical Islamists to start conducting guerilla warfare. In Pakistan, the communist revolution did not go as planned as in Afghanistan with the US in full-front intervention about the ‘Karachi Hostage Crisis’. Fortunately, the Soviet Union finally had a ray of dawn as Jiang Qing announced the return of China into Soviet’s friendly alliance. China was the most valuable ally the Soviet Union may ever get, although Andropov was distressed with Madame Mao’s increasing cultist policies. Yet, as with China, India would also follow. By 1983, India had formally proposed joining the Comecon.

France was terrified as they lost their influence in China and also India, Indochina under Thailand’s small pact had become increasingly endangered with enemies on both fronts. As a result, France moderately pushing for both the Western and Southern Slav’s interests into France, as also reducing tensions with Germany.

The tables have turned for France, they needed to react fast. Yet, a response came first from Germany.

=======================​

Yeah, India is effectively a Chinese ally puppet
One more chapter about Europe, well you can already guess what it is about.

 

[SkylineDreamer]

Germany prepares to Roar

Germany, a nation that suffered twice in a defeat, never attested himself a slight surrender towards predestination. The Fatherland has arisen once again, trying a new mixture of democracy and monarchy, blend the old system with the new culture. Germany, once again, was back on its track. Fate has stated Germany to lost both world wars and be divide, fate now says that Germany can be the nation it has wanted for.

The Monarchial Restoration in 1964 purged all radical left; the right had already gone after the Nuremberg Trials. This monarchy resolved to lead the nation under the basis of the old legacy, times where Germany can be a chap of its own, independent, and capable of choosing its own decisions. Now all unified and restructured, the Monarchial Restoration would continue to preserve Germany rapidly. First Interim Chancellor for the Federal Kingdom, Hans Weber, proclaimed the nation to unify itself from the scars of the Cold War. It was extremely tough, considering that now Germany must also consider additional Poles from East Germany’s plot with the Soviet Union.

He, with the CDU coalition, appointed Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia as the leader. Albeit objections from the Hapsburgs family, Germany needed a strong leader, and Prussia was their greatest option. This carried repercussions all the way into New York, France and the Soviet Union demanding sanctions from the United Nations. The organization, however, had its eyes too focused on situations in Africa. They neglected what was happening in Europe. Elected King Louis Ferdinand I, providentially, declared his first directive is not trying to restore this as another German Empire, but confirming democracy of the Bundestag. That created a relief in the international media, some even giving support. In 1968, after the new German Constitution had set, Hans Weber gave his position to Gustav Heinemann as Chancellor. Gustav Heinemann opened business widely to everyone, easing up all regulations towards business. Mittelsand, Germany’s greatest contributor to growth, was also being supported indefinitely from the government. The results were amazing, Germany doubled the average economic growth for almost 10 years, what was a mortifying wasteland had returned as Europe’s most important region.

Germany, not wanting another mistake, preferred to form an economical organization, rather than all those military pact build-ups the nation has done. That has intrigued the Lowlands nations, which saw Britain unfit as their main importer. Belgium also felt graceful with Germany’s interference to protect the monarchy, they whole-heartedly accepted being inside the economic pact which formed as EA later on. Gustav Heinemann resigned of old age in 1970, his successor Kurt Georg Kiesinger continued their policies of building the economy, as also strengthening ties with all other European nations. Chancellor Gustav also noticed profitable ties with the United States, along with the new market in South East Asia. Gustav Heinemann had also determined Indonesia to be Germany’s decent trading partner, trading raw goods with processed ones along with crafty experts.

Germany's automotive Industry
​

Gustav Heinemann, however, suffered massive discernment as he and his party have ignored the status of Saar for years. Belonged to France, the CDU never actually planned anything to reclaim what was rightfully German, and large portions of the population felt Gustav’s inaction as bad. His party proceeded to decline in popularity until in 1973 when the opposition leader, the Liberal Democratic Party of Germany took the government with their own coalition. Helmut Schmidt was announced the new leader of Germany, and events took a hard turn.

Instead of the usual passive mode that Germany has been developing throughout the years, Helmut Schmidt preferably tried for a more dynamic option. He revised the Constitution, making Germany officially a federation of kingdoms. He separated the government and the monarchy and even attempted to reduce monarchial already non-existent power. Yet, he needed the monarchy because of their image of a strong and stable Germany. So, he adopted another outline. The suitable elected Kings of Germany can only be decided from 5 ratified houses. A change of systems would demand the Parliament’s agreement and confidence. For better rotation better stability, King's reign would lengthen to 10 years. However, they must not be elected consecutively or not be elected after 10 years. It improved the stability of the nation, especially that Southern parts of Germany felt unfair from the Northern rulers, which caused the old Lesser German divide.

Helmut Schmidt openly confronted France about Saar and demanded to return with negotiation. France, during that time, was not eager to relent Saar, and tensions soon rose among the two nations again. Helmut Schmidt then openly announced the military to grow again, completely reverse all treaties after the Second World War. In 1980, after continuous growth, stability, and improvement. Germany was not the same as thirty years ago.

The Heart of Europe

Germany had officially surpassed France and the United Kingdom as the industrial powerhouse of Europe in 1981. France had been busy drawing tracks and roads on Africa, which proved France better in Africa. The United Kingdom had been declining since their defeat against the Indonesians. Germany was the Europeans best hope of trading partner, and most nations had already recognized that. Moreover, Germany had now increased its GDP for twice-fold, nearing a trillion dollars at the start of 1984.

Germany’s European Alliance had been Germany’s strong allies, if not last hope, against the growing communism threat East and West. Literally, Germany is surrounded on most sides, remaining Italy which currently ruled by a pro-French government. Despite the misery, Germany managed to pursue relations with the former neutral countries of Scandinavia. They joined Germany’s cause of maintaining democracy in Europe. Germany’s industry surpassed Japan by 1980, becoming the fastest growing nation in the world. Germany has improved its infrastructure accordingly. Extended highway, railway and shipway networks had been established all across the nation. The famous Rhine-Danube canal was being built for connecting ships towards the mountainous regions of Vienna. Germany’s industry also helped the other EA members, all of whom expected in one major sector.

The Netherlands became the forerunner on agriculture and hydroponics. Germany’s non-stop investment and trading for the nation had improved the Netherlands greatly. As most of the land is under the sea, the Netherlands focused on agriculture, improving productivity on limited land. Up north, Norway has established it’s the great fishing industry, becoming a prime example for maritime nations to copy, including Indonesia. In Sweden, the logging sector was thriving as well, giving wood to Germany, which had used it for building purposes.

Norwegian Fishing Industry​

After the death of openness in British culture, pop culture had been gradually moving towards the continent. The Netherlands created a new genre of rock. Strong guitar solos, heavy distortions of the audio, and loudness crept the entire continent. Starting from the 70s, these music references slowly moved from degrading England. A small Flemish band called ‘Malmedy’ promoted ‘Liberty’, which gained popularity among Germanic song-enthusiast, and even arrived on the United States. In Germany, local beer halls introduced more singers and bands, endorsing small music business to thrive. The other genre which gained prominence after the rock-hype was neo-Jazz. This genre, similar to the original Jazz in the United States, offer a new mixture between Jazz and slow rock. Slow upbeat with sad connotations brought the Germans an impression of their history, along with the Netherlands and Belgium. A strong sense of isolated on the continent, only to have a few selected friends shielding each other. The political conditions also helped the music to thrive in Europe, and become one of the greatest hits on the continent. It also spread towards France and Comecon nations, both of those condemned this art and pursed massive control towards this genre.

A Call

In 1979, condition on China and India emerged the Soviet Union the winner against France, formulating the second round of battle with France on the lower hand. General Secretary Andropov was attacking Mitterrand dearly, nearly stealing all of France’s friends in Asia. France tries to retaliate by funding Poland and Slavic nations of Eastern Europe, to try leaving the Russian sphere. Yet, the new Comecon plan had pressured France’s plan. Both the Soviet Union and France, however, needed the central of Europe to be secure, and both of them tries to negotiate with Germany.

From 1981-1984, both France and the Soviet Union tried to appease Germany on establishing a quid-pro-quo. The Soviet Union announced its support towards Germany’s annexation of Saar if Germany wished to befriend France. While France declared a promise of Germany’s 1914 Eastern borders to appease the nation. In addition to it, both of them pushed aggressively day by day, increasing division from the German government.

Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, along with King Otto V of Germany from the Hapsburgs house, decided that his matter has become increasingly cataclysmic for the nation’s stability. They kept toying Germany as a must-be partner, while not noticing Germany’s friendship with their rivals, the United States. Helmut Schmidt finally agreed with King Otto that immediate measures must be done, and it was strongly opposed them all.

Prince Michael of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen​

The response of Germany towards the Soviet Union was pretty cunning. King Otto V invited Prince Michael of Hohenzollern of the Sigmaringen branch. He also invited Simeon from the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, which talked about the current predicament of their previous ruling nations. This angered the current government on Bulgaria and Romania, as both cause an increase in support for another monarchial restoration on these nations. Starting in 1985, King Otto V was now effectively trying to crush the Comecon. Helmut Schmidt’s another declaration to the people of Germany is they will finally convene with France regarding Saar, and possibly gaining a friendship on this long-bitter enemy.

================================​

Germany is on France's side, let's see what will France do.

Next segment we rush towards a new continent, two chapters about this same continent.

 

[SkylineDreamer]

Biology wreaks havoc in Africa

The 1980s marked a decade of changes by the Soviet Union, stealing France’s rising status. Andropov reaffirmed his nation as the greater forces of socialism, and thus undermine France. Tensions in Europe is rising as due to this great rivalry between similar yet so different ideologies. Maritime Asia and the South Pacific marked a decade of peace and growth. Those societies neglected all those chaotic conundrums happening in Continental Asia. With East Asia restart a cordial relation between the Soviet Union, South Asia partly being under fire, and the Middle East which was starting to incite tensions also. Yet, in Africa, much of the situation revolves around war … and pandemic.

The partition of Belgian Congo has caused massive setbacks for society all across the region. The Democratic Republic of Congo had repeated itself with massive warmongering conflicts, needless insults and provocation to neighbouring countries, also with the widespread corruption, purge and mutiny for or against the communist government. The Republic of Kivu had always been Congo’s relentless plan of reclamation of the united Congo. Moreover, with the United Nation’s resolution of releasing the new states of Ruanda and Burundi, Kivu’s manpower and significance diminished. The Republic of Katanga, however, had been the most peaceful of those three, yet surrounded by conflicts do suffer the nation any chance of progress escaping from the vast problems.

In fact, more problems emerged from the chaos inside Congo. Extreme unhygienic conditions in northern parts of DR Congo caused people to ravage for food, including fruit bats. On the process, these fruit bats carried out a new strange disease. Called infamously as the Ebola virus, the virus became the deadliest VHF (Viral Hemorrhaging Fever) in the 1980s. The Ebola virus had early symptoms of cold and flu. But after seven days, the patient would soon suffer fever, sore throat, muscular pain and headaches. Untreated patients died after reaching the-point-of-no-return in 21 days. However, treated patients can be cured despite irreversible defect it may cause.

Ebola patients in 1978, Gabon​

The outbreak began with three simultaneous outbreaks around the Congo basin. The first being from a school teacher from Kananga. The town was close towards the border between Katanga and Congo. A second outbreak occurred inside a larger town of Kisangani. This city, capital of Kivu until 1978, was announced as the largest contributor city towards Ebola cases. Originated from teenagers who were small militants against the impending Congo war, they contracted those diseases only to spread fast in the populace. The last of it, being on the city of Bangui, the Ubangi-Shari Republic’s capital. Located exactly by the border of DR Congo, the first case being Lokela Mbotu, a Congo DR citizen.

These three hotspots aided the spread of the disease on Sub-Saharan Africa. Wars going on the area increase the risks of infection as hygiene was mostly abandoned during warfare. However, with this factor, the Ebola outbreak remained under the radar for so long. Moreover, the United Nations failed to observe any biological threats going on in Africa, as they were to overwhelmed with the wars occurring everywhere in the Continent.

First international recognition, was the death of Joseph Iléo, the prime minister of Congo during that time. Although the UN demanded an extensive investigation of this virus, the Congolese Communist Party blatantly accuse the Congo Republic to indirectly kill their prime minister. As a result, war soon erupted in the region, which the UN viewed as a massive headache. During that time also, Katanga stroke against the Congo DR. The Churchill’s partition had given cities of Mwene-Ditu and Mbuji-Mayi as DR Congolese, despite the region’s being part of Katanga in the Belgian administration. Moïse Tshombe had called for the liberation of those lands, deemed successful as the communist’s forces were attacking both the Congo Republic and Kivu.

In 1979, the Ebola outbreak had reached parts of Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. Some of the citizens of Cameroon understand of the outbreak as inevitable due to the inefficient government, had persuaded them to move upwards towards Nigeria. This meanwhile created a massive population spike on Biafra. Soon, Ebola arrived there, and infections also spread slowly into the population. The chain of reaction had resulted in the virus to keep migrating westwards, arriving at French Dahomey in 1980 and Liberia in 1981. By 1982, most of the region had acknowledged Ebola cases with a high fatality rate due to bad healthcare.

Cemeteries in Equatorial Guinea due to Ebola​

Nigeria declared war on the contaminate regions Biafra and Benin in April 1979. Yet, this conflict had finally gained attention to the United Nations, which declared an economic and political embargo against the government of Nigeria. In June 1979, Nigeria announced an armistice of the barely withstanding nation of Biafra and Benin. Yet, after conditions in Angola and Mozambique wasn’t over yet, the United Nation slowly loss attention on the region. Later on, in December the nation continued its war efforts. However, the Fourth Biafran War had resulted in a massive victory for the underdog nation.

Nigeria by August had also suffered from Ebola, the backwater society in the lands of Sub-Saharan Africa had also caused similar troubles with the situation in Congo. Also with the influx of migrants keep coming from the East and South, governments become partly overran by wandering refugees. Biafra and Benin, however, had enacted a strict border control to fight against the incoming influx of population, while quickly expelled those who lingered in their soil. By November, most of the Ebola problems had been fixed by Biafra and Benin. They had prepared for war also.

The war lasted longer than the previous one, especially with a US backing towards the lesser nations. By around mid-1980, conditions had been nasty for Nigeria, as they had lost their sea-access from Biafra and Benin. Precisely a year after it started, Nigeria pled for a peace deal, a peace deal proven costly as the state must cede their only sea-port to the new state of Oyo. With also rising attention with the US on West Africa, this new state had been guaranteed by the other two nations of the West. Conveniently, they form a similar region, Southern Nigeria, an old colonial administration owned by the British. Further West, the French state of Dahomey had their case also rising. France, as the first global nation, was the first nation to eventually take notice of this growing virus. With almost 300 cases in 1982, France finally opened a serious discussion on Ebola to the United Nations.

French Dahomey Doctors, 1981​

In 1982, things had gotten very dim. Nearly all of central Africa west of Lake Victoria had encountered or was been hit by the Ebola pandemic. Congo had been ravaged, and governments had tried so hard to solve the problem. Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Congo were also badly hit, causing the governments to fall for military control. In Nigeria, chaos began after the government’s defeat from the Biafran War. With Ubangi-Shari and Chad also affected, it only took a few months until Ebola arrived in Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and most of the East African nations.

Indonesia, effectively after reported that Ebola cases had emerged in Angola and Mozambique, immediately announced a withdrawal of intervention from these nations. Moreover, as LKY wasn’t eager to closing down business in Madagascar, any comers from Africa will have a strict background check, while illegal immigrants are deported immediately. Fortunately, the war was also ending in Angola and Mozambique, with 1983 as the closing point. Indonesia miraculously had no reported cases of Ebola by their campaigns and migrants.

Still, the United Nations addressed the issue with unanimous support from the Security Council. All five members agreed on resolving the Ebola Crisis by carrying extensive field hospitals and humanitarian aid towards these regions. Anticipated response from big superpowers had also been predicted; they helped those regions with the expense of expanding influence. The Soviet Union had been the most benefiting of them all, opening up networks in Nigeria, Ubangi-Shari, Chad and Cameroon. The French meanwhile, tried to sway Niger and Gabon, also with establishing proxy wars with the Soviet Union. The United States, being the less ambitious of them all, only concentrated its efforts in Biafra, Benin and Oyo.

The highest cases reported throughout the whole epidemic was in December of 1983 when Ebola had arrived in Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone and Liberia. However, cases had decreased after that. With the end of 1985, the pandemic had been handled, the crisis was averted.

============================
One more chapter of Africa, then we finally moved to Asia.

And for those who still curious about Germany, here is a simple post regarding it.

Federal Kingdom of Germany (1964-)

National Flag, popular widely but mostly in Southern Germany​

Federal Kingdom of Germany (FKG in short) is a federation of kingdoms located in Central Europe. The King is head of state and elected every 10 years with a limit of no consecutive terms. Currently, there are 5 candidates for the throne, House of Hannover, Prussia, Bavaria, Austria and Baden-Wurttemberg (Swabian Region). Because also of the new constitution, Parliament had 5-year terms instead of 4. They can't elect themselves, they have a separate body of Electors to vote for them. 69 lords, dukes and princes had been invited to be the Electors of the Kings, yet only 35 had accepted. Therefore, Germany added another 75 constituents originated from the Bundestag. Also, there is a proposed constitution that the King's election would be a 2-round system, the second being elected publicly. Yet, the system currently is still First-Past-The-Post (FPTP).

Currently, there are two alternative flag proposals by the people of Germany. The first one was the famous Second Reich Flag that symbolized the eclipse of German proud and prestige all across the world. However, the current flag was agreed by other houses, especially Austrian Hapsburgs, which symbolizes the unity of the German people. However, a small percentage of pro-hybrid followers, meaning pro-republic and pro-monarchy, has urged to use the Rhine Flag. It symbolized German's dream of retaking Saar once more, and reliving a Frankfurt Government similar to the dreams of the 1848 Revolution.

Flag Proposed by ardent Prussians, popular in North and East Germany

Flag Proposed by Hybrid followers, mostly derived from the Confederation of the Rhine Flag,
or the current Rhenish flag. Popular in West Germany​

 

[SkylineDreamer]

Strive for Equality: A Story of pro-African France

France’s status as being lesser of the three superpowers actually cemented them as the most intriguing nations to observe. Coming as an imperialist bigot that may have harmed a population of blacks into Catholicism or other stuff, France rapidly changed as true libertarians of the world. For the first time in history, it was the first European nation that fully incorporated Africans as a citizen. That radical change, nevertheless, slowly took its toll for massive cultural upheaval.

France’s part friend the United Kingdom had conducted her first nuclear testing in 1957. After the war in Indonesia, the nation had no more interests in developing nuclear power due to political instabilities frequently occur. Because of that, France became Europe’s sole nuclear power after detonated Gerboise Bleue at Algeria in 1971. For more consolidation among her biggest allies, France also shared nuclear technology with them. China and India launched their first nuclear tests in 1973 and 1975 respectively. As a result, France was accused of propagating a possible nuclear annihilation to the United States and the Soviet Union. Those superpowers felt threatened with France’s aggressive stance, so they pled the United Nation to intervene. A proliferation treaty ban was attempted but failed miserably. Yet, France backed off any belligerent manoeuvre as the Soviet Union and the United States were uniting against her.

Thorezian rule in France was filled with prestigious megaprojects. Ambitious mechanical engineers had launched the first high-speed train in Europe. It as well surpassed Japan in connectivity, bringing both French mainland and Africa to have decent routes of commute. Henry Bernard had proposed new urban planning for Paris, adopting from the modernist style of Corbusier while implementing new methods of glass skyscrapers. Plan Bernard expanded Paris into greater Paris while redesigning the whole resident in Saint Dennis. However, their most prestigious of them all is the construction of Trans Sahara Railway, completed in 1976. This railway connects Dakar and Algiers with a high-speed connection cutting through the desert.

Saint Dennis, part of Greater France in 2016. A legacy from Bernard's Plan​

French politics after 1960 revolved on a single purpose, revitalize healthier ties with the African locals. West Africa is abundant with metals and mineral resources, a perfect fit for a growing superpower. As they intended to extract the most beneficial way, a return for the locals was a thorough and extensive development of the regions. Much attention had been focused on the region for so long, that as mainland stagnated, West Africa had thrived exponentially.

Operation Joan of Arc is a failed diplomatic scheme plot by the United States. Yet, in any event, that operation set forth a perpetual conflict between locals and Paris. Algeria, Senegal and Mauritania were silent in any protests against the government, but local politicians in Dahomey, Niger and Togo demanded France to give them more. Nicéphore Soglo, a Togolese, preferred the Trans Sahara Railway to establish a small branch from Dakar to Porto-Novo. The French government noticed a potential in Dahomey, decided to agree on that insistence, giving more budget towards a second Trans Sahara project. This, however, demonstrated how biased the government had been towards Africans.

Georges Marchais leadership silenced any stance against Africa build-up. Furthermore, France’s economy was blossoming, and French culture had almost peaked another golden era after Louis XIV ‘Sun King’. Also, the African population is significantly equal to the French Mainland with projected faster growth in the future. Siding with them also meant absolute majority support for the rest of their lives. Also, for right-wing politicians such as Jean-Marie Le Pen, slight political relief came from French hardliners who migrated to Africa for remarkable business potential.

Pied-Noir family. This particular ethnic group grew in numbers since 1967​

However, Georges Marchais’ presidency was marked with troubles, particularly in his late-term. Algier achieved two million in population by 1977 with a white population of nearly 40%. Dakar meanwhile acquired spikes of an influx in 1967,1972 and finally 1978 with a population of almost half a million with an outright white majority. Transfers of citizens from Africa to Europe also took place. Berbers, Arabs and other West African tribes resettled different cities in French Mainland. These miscellaneous cultures affected livelihood in France also, creating a more diverse population. Southern proud Occitan France, however, had a strong conservative platform, therefore had a less welcoming attitude towards African citizens. Various newcomers inhabit Paris, Calais, Lyon and Bordeaux.

Ebola had caught up in Central Africa, and reports had anticipated a wave of migrants to arrive in Dahomey per 1977. Yet, the government was not keen on aiding seriously any of those nations. Paris only pushed for small cash or medical support for pro-French nations to mitigate the pandemic. Instead, Marchais’ domestic policies specifically focused on building the entirety of French West Africa. Problems emerged in February of 1978, when those anticipated asylum seekers contracted Ebola, and start spreading the population in Dahomey and Niger. Powerful officials immediately announced a lockdown into both regions. Health workers, volunteers, and practitioners from everywhere in France flooded the region to combat the rapid infection in the region. By 1979, conditions had slackened with decreasing everyday cases. France was clearing itself on Ebola happily until reports of extremist movements had ravaged Chad.

The Republic of Chad, after their independence from successful part of the Operation Joan of Arc scheme, had never attained stability in the region. General Wadel Abdelkader Kamougué launched a coup in 1977 after the government suffered a prolonged political deadlock between pro-French and pro-Soviet factions. Just as the junta was finishing its last stage of purging any impermanence of the system, Ebola arrived at the nation. They were caught a startling crisis, as bad living conditions increased the spread quickly in rural places. Government’s ponderous edicts for Ebola had resulted in a strong opposition to emerge, that was Chad Islamic Revolutionary Front.

Government military vehicles before the 1977 coup​

CIRF was an Islam fundamentalist movement originated from semi-arid Southern parts of Chad. It was an ardent anti-imperialist and had high hopes for Chad self-sufficiency. The government’s weak stance and control had enticed people to dream for a unified Islamic nation for West Africa. After the treatments from the West had begun to show limitations, CIRF intended to find alternatives from the Soviet Union. The Ebola conundrum did not weaken the movement’s supports, instead, it bolstered them. In 1980, CIRF controlled much of lush green Southern Chad after a year of civil war against the government. They spread their propaganda to Northern Nigeria, and eventually to Niger and Burkina Faso.

CIRF later was assisted by MAK, the secret service organization famous for its involvements in Pakistan and Afghanistan. A flow of Soviet weaponry started to arrive in CIRF after yet a Sudanese civil war erupted in late 1979. Propaganda demonstrated its effectiveness for the CIRF, as many supports had emerged from Niger and Burkina Faso. They indirectly caused another wave that France could not preempt. In the end, Ebola arrived in Paris, and the government panicked.

A political defeat for Marchais was also a rise for Mitterand. Mitterand, unlike Marchais, was nothing assuring for the Africans. He had seen most culture degeneration happening in Northern France, and was scaring Southern France. With paranoid citizens form high Ebola cases, white French population developed an exclusion for African migrants. It eventually led for distressed citizens, which caused massive political protest and chaos against the conservative neighbourhoods, endorsing the terror. Moreover, France was not fully prepared for integration, as in almost the entirety of Georges Marchais rule, the government had been to entitled for the well-being of people in Africa, not in Europe. Also, people in France were terrified for another European War, a move that Marchais was delightfully doing so.

Little Africa in Paris​

Mitterand’s ascension to the presidency caused protest inevitably on the opposing sides; the Africans. French expatriates in Africa expressed concerns as well, but Mitterand’s focus was stiffened with matters on Europe. For Mainland Europe, Mitterand was famous for de-escalating tensions to Germany and possible the United States. Mitterand also improved French well-being by improving the tax rules, farming and industry in French Metropolitan. To lessened African resentment, Mitterand opted to divide France into two Metropolitans: French Metropolitan and West African Metropolitan. West African Metropolitans is everything south of Algeria and Morocco. He hoped that by that way, France can share the budget fairly to two Metropolitans. Observantly, this political initiative may reduce the protest, for now, effectively helping the government which is still combating the pandemic.

Mitterand's meeting with Helmut Schmidt​

In 1983, much of the Ebola crisis has solved, and West African Metropolitan engaged with the Gambia. An annexation was followed after, and had fierce opposition from the United States and the Soviet Union, but not Germany. Pro-French sentiments occurred in Ghana. Yet, in a global stage, France was having problems after Andropov performed outstandingly in foreign policy. Currently, Mitterand is still developing a sound plan to fight the Soviet Union.

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This Chad Civil War is the Toyota War, but it would have a different background ITTL.
France is the saviour of West Africa, building them mercifully.
I don't think dictators in East Africa is needed to tell of at least for the 80s. I certainly do cover them later as they will have importance in the 90s. Nevertheless, Africa is now over, moving on to Asia.

 

[SkylineDreamer]

Rise of Islamo-communism

Flag of the People's Republic of Turkey (1973-)​

The Republic of Turkey is a replacement for Turkey after the fall of the Ottoman Empire by the first world war. Turkey set a neutral stance in WW2. Mustafa Kemal, the Atatürk, reformed Turkey into selected pioneers of Western advancement in an Islamic society. Advocating liberalism and free-thinking, the Atatürk promoted Kemalism. It embraced a modernist lifestyle and secularism ideas, declining radical thinking into society. During the Cold War, Turkey is among the few nations which maintain a balanced position between France, the Soviet Union and the United States. However, it all came into a big tumble after a mistake done by the government.

In 1969, the whole world gained scanty observation into the situation in the Middle East. The Cypriot Crisis was prompted through the rigid flight of Israeli people when their state was annexed by the UASR. An incident uncalled for the rest of the world, the Democrat Party of Turkey saw it as a disaster. As the Jews were flocking to Cyprus, many Turkish Cypriots were worried about their presence for the island. Some have blamed the Greek Cypriots of inviting the Jews, as Jews were mostly tolerant of the particular ethnic. As the immigrant population grew, the ethnic Turks bitterness grew also. The Turkish Mainland, Ankara, took a stand for stopping the immigration inrush to the island, and yet earned less of a reply from the young Cypriot government, currently dominated by Greek ethnicity.

Fatin Rüştü Zorlu, the President of Turkey since 1960 at that time, had a strong resentment towards ethnic Greeks and was involved during the Istanbul Pogrom in 1955. He sensed an opportunity to reclaim Cyprus, and he directly declared a war for Cypriots deliverance in 15th February of 1969. This announcement shocked the world, and the United Nations already introduced sanctions. Yet, due to the strong proxy war following between three global powers, the UN was ineffective because they involved not to maintaining peace, but to strengthening each of the three global powers' own domains.

Armed conflicts started to occur in March. The Turkish had given an outstanding blow to the Cypriot government. A complete Turkish regiment was departed from Iskenderun to Cyprus for aiding the Turkish Cypriot rebels. They General Cemal Gürsel had thought this war to be quick and decisive. It was confirmed by the end of the year, much of the Northern area of the island was secured by the Turks. However, the General was wrong.

The Turkish Regiments sent to Cyprus​

The act of aggression immediately gained the Cypriot government international recognition and sympathy. The Greeks act earliest, sending volunteers for the government. Germany, which was trying to appease the Hellenic government, also aided the government supplies of weaponry. The UASR, surprisingly, helped the government solely because they wanted Cyprus to keep the Israeli refugees as long as possible, releasing much concern for the integration of Palestine. France, although despised the Cypriot’s gradual allegiance to Germany, agreed on sending medical supplies for the government. Impartial factions by 1970 were the Soviet Union and the United States. The United States was eager to aid the Republic of Turkey for its highly democratic society. However, the Nixon Administration was more willing to reconcile with Europe, therefore abandoning any plans of helping. They acclaimed their abstinence on intervening in April 1969, saying ‘the United States has no business in Asia Minor’.

The longer Turkey was involved in the war; defeats continue to happen. The short-sighted victory ended with a humiliating defeat, the Turkish regiment even was encircled in a port. The Republic of Turkey finally drafted a peace to the Cypriot government. In 21st August 1969, the Treaty of Nicosia was signed. There would be no further Turkish interests allowed on the Cypriot soil. The Turkish ethnics will be forced to deport if any paramilitary activities happen after the peace was signed.

The peace deal resulted in many ethnic Turks in Cyprus to flee for the mainland. The government and the coalition were deeply flustered with the defeat, and after that dissatisfaction was sown to the Democratic Party of Turkey. The Democratic Party blamed the military to be poor organization. The aged General was obliged to resign, and the military opposed the government actions. In 1970, the military tried to regain their reputation with staging a coup. However, a small misdirection between the army officials failed the operation, and jeopardize the military’s strength even further. The government continued to lose their legitimacy, and soon factions were forming.

The Soviet Union was intrigued with Asia Minor destabilized. For all the nations, Turkey was the hardest for turning. The legacy of Atatürk prevented any anti-capitalism thoughts into fruition. The loss in the Cypriot War cracked all of those restrictions. In 1971, Andropov launched Operation Sinope, inspired with the Russian naval victory from the Crimean War. Operation Sinope infiltrated the Republic of Turkey with pro-communist partisans. That pro-social organization had functioned even during the Kemalist era, yet they finally had a chance to grow after Cypriot War.

In 1973, the communist party became the second-largest organization in Turkey, fallen behind the government party. The communist launch labour strikes, demonstrations and anti-government propaganda all across Anatolia. The Turkish Communist Party had obstacles in persuading Turkish Straits. The Constantinople Liberation Movement, a Greek separatist movement, had strengthened the local Turks’ support for the partly anti-Greek government. In Anatolia, especially on the heated region where Kurds were rising, the TCP gained massive traction.

As the leader of the TCP, Çetin wanted to topple the government peacefully. Even with the Soviet Union assistance, the TCP cannot suffer to be ashamed like the military did in 1970 if a coup must be done. Determined with success, Çetin Atlan demanded a referendum for the Republic of Turkey. Startlingly, the government agreed on a referendum, probably because of similar confidence of victory. In April 1973, just months before the appointed election in October, Turkey held a referendum.

The results were surprisingly close, and a shocking one. The TCP hold the largest share of the people, barely passing the majority percentage. The Democratic Party, and all of the other parties, had less percentage than expected. The government accused the TCP of voter fraud and other electoral crimes. They even prepared for a ban for the TCP. Yet, the TCP acted faster. Çetin Atlan became the President of the People’s Republic of Turkey. He immediately ordered a massive change for the government and giving reforms against the pro-banker predecessor. Çetin exploited the Islamic majority with socialist policies, combining to win the populace faster. Though core communist values were instilled, the government appeased the labour equally to the religious.

Women Supporters for the TCP, although their freedom was slightly restricted with pro-fundamentalist regulations​

Çetin Atlan, inclined with Atatürk’s motivation, decided to become the founding father of this new Turkey. He announced a Sharia-commune law, a hybrid judicial system between Islamic sharia law and pro-community law. As they have some striking resemblance, the code was ratified inside the Constitution. He banned banks and financial business that deemed too Western. He proposed a health and financial pension for workmen. Moreover, he intended to repopulate the Eastern Anatolia with more Turkish families. The transmigration policy inflated the Kurdish sentiments in the region and started the Kurdish War of Independence.

The People’s Republic of Turkey established itself as a new ideology for Islamic nations. The ideology is similar to the failed Masyumi experiment in Indonesia’s 1955 election. A merge between right fundamental Islamic values and left commune socialist norms, Islamo-communism has emerged gradually for Turkey. By 1982, the TCP had absolute control of the government and already appointed a Great Imam for the citizens to revere. With that, Turkey also had a decent relation with Saudi Arabia, although the royals didn’t like the Turkish form of government. The MAK as a whole endorsed the sharia-commune law, praising it as a future for Islam. Yet, Abdullah Yusuf Azzam disagreed with communism as a stereotype, giving that the TCP should disband to favour a more Islamic party. His friends, Osama bin Laden for example, really supported the hybrid ideology. Still, the government in Ankara is strongly inclined to Andropov government and continued to be currently.

======================​

Turkey is an ally for the Soviet Union after 1973. Also, the ideology of Turkey is adopting making it somewhat a bridge to Saudi Arabia. Turkey denounced Iran because of its pro-capitalist nature, while loathed the UASR because of secularist rules. After the Cypriot War, Turkey's hatred to Greece grows, although does nothing as a countermeasure.

Sharia-communism is a mixture of Islamism and communism, something I want to dive to as the TL's new wave of ideologies. OTL, the conditions and history forced Islamism and communism to not be applied at one, ITTL, I want to experiment. Islamo-communism is basically a stronger ideology to Islamo-socialism. OTL, Indonesia is considered as an Islamo-social nation, having socialist rules while still acknowledging Islam's beliefs. Islamo-communism basically is extremely anti-imperialism, anti-capitalism and anti-liberalism. Strong pillar for labour, while an equivalent enthusiasm also for religious. The balance is what makes the ITTL MAK leader upset. The MAK is OTL's most radical Islamic groups. As the hardline Middle East is allying the Soviet Union, unlike OTL the United States, they tend to build a middle ground between Marxist ideals with Islam.

I honestly didn't expect the chapter to be somewhat longer. I will skip America and Australia, as they would be more significant especially after 1988. As a result, I probably have two more chapters about Asia. After that, we finally return home.

 

[SkylineDreamer]

The Great Game 2.0

Arriving in the 1980s, the public had been fixated with the situations in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The latest offensive by the Soviet state, with also an American intervention in favour of the Pakistani, has escalated the tensions into a warming proxy war. Both contesting nations were proven to be costly for entering this new stage of the war, fighting among selves that carried nothing but destruction upon the lands. Despite similar openings, Pakistan and Afghanistan had a drastically different outcome.

Pakistan emerged on the international news when the newest communist revolution erupted in August 1979. The pro-democratic state was accused of inefficiency and constant stalemate on anything. The communist wing was funded by the Chinese government, after aligning themselves with communist India. After a slight Panic of 1978, which caused a slight national recession, the revolutionaries had decided that the moment was right, and overthrew the government.

By 15th of September, the communist revolutionaries had established the People’s Republic of Pakistan with Karachi as the nation’s capital. The Indian government announced an agreement regarding the Jammu-Kashmir once and for all, while the Chinese government started sending goods for the newly established regime. The General Secretary, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, published instant soothing efforts for joining the ‘Continentale’¸or basically China-India sphere.

Pakistani Islamic-Democratic Front posing in Northern Pakistan, almost 2 miles from the Afghan-Pakistani border, 1981​

The Karachi Hostage Crisis happened as due to the United States’ Embassy allegedly permitting democratic sympathizers to take refuge on the building. On December, nearly 300 pro-democratic politicians, including the then defence minister, stayed in the United States’ Embassy for asylum. In 1980, months before the US General Election, the Embassy was stormed by young revolutionaries. It took 32 US citizens hostage, while already killed 5 people. President Carter retaliated with a declaration of intervention, and saying the new leadership as ‘Terror Regime’. The implications were very convenient for Carter, as it boosted his chances of winning his first election. After the election, the United States announced support to the remnants of the old republic, now become a bunch of Islamic fundamentalists.

Unlike the previous administration, this communist rule declared the nation to relieve their hatred towards their Hindu brothers. Even though public sentiment still spared death than cooperation, General Secretary Zulfikar promoted more cooperation with China, and confidentially reopened ties with India. In the press, or around the nation, Zulfikar promoted close alignment to China, rather than Iran. This manipulated the public view and evaded any allegations of associating with the ‘demonic’ Indians. The communist revolutionaries were supported by Pakistani neighbours. The Soviet Union, which was already engaging in Afghanistan communists, declared also a support for the young body. China, as expected, had sent divisions to combat against the Islamic fundamentalists. India, meanwhile, had tried to stay silent, although still supported the regime like everyone else.

In Afghanistan, the Soviets intervened in the War after an Afghan Civil War erupted around the same time with Pakistani Revolutions. The kingdom was ousted in 1973 due to the democratization process, only to cause another revolution for the communists in 1978. In that time also, the Mujahedeen rebels, both Sunni and Shia, announced their detestation towards the new red regime and react with rapid insurgency efforts. As the United States intervened in Pakistan, they also aided military appliances to the Mujahedeen rebels. The Afghan communist power held their land astonishingly with the Soviet Union, despite the opposition hard blows and victories around the nation.

Soviet Troops in Afghanistan, 1982​

Shockingly, the short war had lengthened unto present day*. By early 1985, the Soviet had announced a direct invasion to Afghanistan for quenching the radical Islamic pockets all around the country. Not only supported by Western powers, but the Mujahedeen also supported by MAK, Saudi’s intelligence. The Soviet Union is extremely furious that an ally has supported the opposing faction. The Saudi’s remained silent, which was awaited because of their later events before the 90s came.

In Pakistan, the war also evolved into a slow but gruesome civil war. The public support of Pakistani communist government was waning after India’s direct involvement helping the government. Added with successful Islamist campaigns all over the region, this nation was predicted to end its war sooner than its northern neighbour.

India Stabilizes

EMS Namboodiripad became the official leader for India in 1966, tossing out Indira Gandhi after the North-South increasing tension across India. The communist party, along with the alliance, managed to reform the nation into a much more unified country, by doing what the Chinese did before. In 1970, Namboodiripad had revamped the nation into a one-coalition party dictatorship, although not as radical as Maoist rule. The Indian communist administration, however, adopted a very liberal economic relaxation, while locating the core division between North and South, thus mend them together again. He quietened the south sentiments of northern spoils by the government, while also maintaining the northern success in harvest, industry and economy. Basically, he intended to balance the nation. He invited French agriculturalists to examine the Indian crops while advising on further enhancement. Also, he began the construction of the Pan-Indian Highway, which basically looped India into a massive highway network.

French agriculture experts looking at Indian rice, 1971​

A partnership with France boosted India into a growing industrial power competing with China. Despite no innovativeness, as China did under Mao, India Socialist Republic remained industrious and skilled. The North, under the Indian National Congress, has unfolded with sophisticated rice farming with also growing heavy industry. Namboodiripad also enhanced rice production, although not extensively to create a massive inequality gap between two regions. Under Namboodiripad, the South’s plantation and agriculture were treated better, and by 1974 it had become the largest exporter of tea, cotton and sugarcane in the world. Rice production is slightly unappealing, a decent third below China and Indonesia. Yet, in terms of industry, India is growing rapidly. Even without other foreign assistance, India had grown likewise China, able to stand on their own feet. They had their counterfeit, less advanced Western products in the making, yet the people were never disappointed by the communist government. Invested by France, India had become France’s greatest trials for greatness. However, it changed when Namboodiripad decided to retire.

The General Secretary and Prime Minister decided to end his term by the new year of 1975. The successor was undecided by the outgoing politician. The Communist Party of India, with the coalition, must decide to pick their successor. They opted the second largest members of the coalition, the National Workers Party of India to pick. The NWPI voted for Rajmohan Gandhi. Rajmohan Gandhi, still left-leaning, is not particularly an ardent supporter of the communist regime. Living out in the States for a long time, Rajmohan Gandhi supported the West as Indira Gandhi did. This kind of successor gave problems to the communist rule, possible returning India to the previous system which the communist had strived not to return. However, his premiership was quite popular among the people. Fortunately for the communist party, his jurisdiction was not to deform the current establishment.

After his commencement, Rajmohan Gandhi visited the building Kra Canal and offered Thailand his own nation’s workers to help boost the construction into completion. In his rule also, he opened a good eye for the conditions on the East, such as Bangladesh and Myanmar. Bangladesh, after liberation in the early 70s, has become increasingly friendly to India regardless of attempts by the Indonesian government to sway against. In Myanmar, the Indian government was supportive of military control and even offered the business to arrive in Myanmar. Moreover, Gandhi also opened relations with Andropov, something that even his far-left predecessor even done.

Regardless of his initial success, his rule abruptly stopped when Janata’s resistance put a bullet on his head. The assassination shocked the nation as a whole, although not so in the world. Mogiligundla Baga Reddy followed him. Just like Namboodiripad and Gandhi are similar to Mao, Mogiligundla Baga Reddy was the Madame Mao.

Indian talks to promote Reddy's Anti-Caste Revolution​

After his ascension in 1977, Reddy announced the coalition to disband and join under the Communist rule. He also added the Anti-Caste Revolution, a similar Cultural Revolution-Esque by Madame Mao even before her climbing into her own nation. Reddy even proceeded to purge his military officials or doing covert operation allegedly or guiltily with the opposition. However, unlike Madame Mao did three years later, Reddy’s revolution was orderly paced, and was relatively acceptable to the people. He also ordered a massive campaign against the Janata's resistance. He swore to put an end for the Hindu radicals.

The years of communist rule did undermine Hindu’s thick religious models. After Reddy ascended to the leader of India, this was finally annihilated and noticeably outlawed. He envisioned equality without exclusions. This move was unprecedented by any politician, even the communists were not so adamant to change this before Reddy rose. However, the decade of red rule had given Reddy promising results; much more Indians have become atheists.

Temples, shrines and mosques remained intact especially influential ones like the Taj Mahal. However, practices of religion were highly repressed under Reddy, some even partly banned. The Anti-Caste Revolution did evolve successfully. By 1981, public opinion on Pakistan had gradually improved. Even harsher sympathizers even considering a condemnation to Janata Resistance, which still lingers on parts of South-Eastern India.

============================​

*present-day as in ITTL November-1985
India is growing quickly like China, while the US is busy with Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Next up, we finally resolve the question of How the hell Hongkong still survive?

 

[SkylineDreamer]

The Red Nation

The death of Mao Ze Dong on 28th March 1978 shocked the core of communism in China. Not only it shone a new light on the Marxist ideology, but it represented a new way of thinking, centralized yet democratic, which put envy towards most nations all around. His image displays hope for a better People’s Republic of China. However, all those years of progress will be passed on to his wife, who has nothing in favour of her husband’s setup.

Before Mao Ze Dong’s death, his CCP was divided into two conflicting factions. The Reformist Clan, supported by Deng Xiao Ping, was the moderate wing for the CCP. It promoted Mao’s soft stance towards intellectuals, while also persuading him to privatize parts of the commercial sector. Although Mao never asserted any promises, he started to side with the Reformists. The clan also supported France’s new communist ideology and wished to maintain friendly ties to now the holder of the world’s oil.

The other faction is the Conservative Jiang Qing and her Gang of Four. Unlike the reformist, they perpetrated Mao’s friendly terms with intellectuals as reprehensible. The Western thinking that the intellectuals provided amidst their plans and designs pushed the nation into a force of democratization. Several youths began parading for more freedom, the KMT even infiltrated Fujian and Zhejiang, gathering sympathizers. For Mao, as long as the economy flourished, people will stay supportive of the ideology. Affirmative outcomes manifested widely in Northern and Western China. The Southern, however, remained defiant, even after decades of submission. Still, Southern China was getting keen on the Beijing government, and successfully influence the Pearl River Delta that Hong Kong citizens flocked towards the promising communist government. Especially after a recommended project about building the next megacity, empowering residents announced their encouragement for Mao Ze Dong.

Nevertheless, the conservative faction had enough, and havoc ensued. Her initial policy after her ascension was the Cultural Revolution. Jiang Qing proclaimed a revision of Chinese history, as well as serving the communist ideology as the martyr above all the previous governments. All she needed to bolster this effort was a failed intellectual project or anything that can undermine the influence of scholars and academia. That event happened just weeks after the paramount leader was changed.

The Banqiao Dam was constructed back in 1951 and finished in 1953. The construction of the dam was built by Chinese intellectuals, also by Soviet engineers. In 1969, the dam was evaluated by Chen Xing, stating that the dam was subjected to imminent disaster, and the government must proceed with pressing stratagem. Much to Chen’s surprise back then, Mao demanded reconstruction of parts of the dam. The dam was strengthened and adjusted, fixing the base and open more outputs for control water accumulation. In 1975, hurricane Nina 1975 passed through the dam regions, killing the residences around. Yet, the dam remained intact and had become one of the greatest success the government had conducted, as well as Mao’s confidence with the intellectuals. Sadly, in 1979, the dam broke due to extensive damage from decay and the hurricane.

Ban Qiao Dam Failure (1979)*​

Despite the faults not to be entirely the Chinese engineers. Jiang Qing couldn’t care less, as this was her perfect opportunity. She broadcasted the disaster nationwide, exaggerating counts and dramatizing the effects of the disaster. She blamed many of the scholars to cause the deaths of thousands from the flood and famine that followed. Expectedly, demonstrators increased due to being accused of something they never did. Jiang Qing took an iron heart and proceeded to purge according to her will.

At first, she revised the idea of Maoism to strengthen labourer and peasantry. Unlike Mao’s current thoughts of putting the scholars as to the third force, Jiang Qing sufficed in two, and actually promoted the two fundamental classes into soldiers of the communist thought. As for this to happen, Jiang Qing promoted the Red Front, a new youth movement that functioned similarly to a cult for Madame Mao. With the extreme planned economy, Jiang Qing pushed for becoming the literally supreme commander of the state.

Peasant Soldiers reading the Little Red Book, Jiang Qing's book doctrine about her**

Burning of scriptures, traditional clothes in Tibet**​

Then, the Cultural Revolution sought to change in four basic aspects. The Four Olds: Custom, Culture, Habit and Ideas, were provoked to be the obstacles of the People’s Republic. Propaganda arts produced substantially, indoctrinate a new generation to fight academics. Intellectuals protest in 1980 and were responded with massive crackdown and purges from the university. Pagodas, temples and ancient scriptures were either broken down, altered, or scraped in favour of the Paramount’s wishes. The people’s Republic of China had become a society worse imagined.

In 1982, the Great Famine happened in Southern China, and Jiang Qing blamed it also on the intellectuals. She appointed also her own supporters even into the lowers branches of government, and kill everyone against her. Unlike her husband, the proletariats were extremely frightened of her, even so criticizing her. Any negative content aiming at her was promoted as taboo. In the same year, Jiang Qing eradicated the entire reformist faction, either killed for treason, exiled, or silenced into extensive house arrest. The CCP had been entirely supportive of her.

The foreign policy of China became aggressive under Madame Mao. She declared the Great Scare and the Great Mission, both of this promised Chinese expansionism beyond borders. The Great Scare involved the United States, Japan and Korea; all of them threatening the survival of the regime. Therefore, in retaliation, China pursued relations with the Soviet Union and the Comecon, as well as inviting India to join the cause. The Great Mission, however, was China’s covert operations to influence Continental Asia. As France’s Mitterrand shouted for appeasement to Germany, China induced anti-France communist rhetoric to Indochina. Rival generals under the junta government of Thailand and Myanmar soon erupted into the domestic competition. By late 1984, Laos had evolved into a civil war between the militarist and communist militias. North Vietnam was secured by China. Starting in 1985, the Chinese funded Khmer Rouge and destabilized Cambodia.

The Last Crownland in Asia

Chinese domestic events had been very influential towards the Colony of Hongkong, especially after Australian Aggression. The 99-year lease will end by 1997, yet Mao had eyed for the colony ever since the British declined rapidly. Prime Minister Arthur Kenneth Chesterton had been delighted to abandon the colony and give to the Chinese yet sooner than scheduled. However, his meeting with the Queen enforced him to do otherwise. Queen Elizabeth II instructed the Prime Minister to retain the possession of the colony until the deadline. In a latter thought, Chesterton complied, as Hongkong may be a stepping corner for future revanchist wars against Indonesia. The colony had a few administrative changes involving the power of the General Governor. After simplifications of colonies into Dominions, Hong Kong endured as the last colony of the United Kingdom. However, the colony had a regional council, and a governor-general to administrate the land.

Pro-CCP protest emerged after 1972, possible after the BUP’s Afrophobia which may extend to Sinophobia. The Chinese citizens demanded a referendum for integration to the Chinese Mainland, which was flourishing in growth. Much of it also came from the scare of the Apartheid conditions of South Africa, imaging each native that Hong Kong will soon be one. Still, the BUP maintained harsh repression against the supporters. Hong Kong fears motivated them to emigrate from the nation. Some labours flocked to Mainland China, while businessmen moved to South Vietnam and Indonesia.

Another suggestion from the Royal Family, which the BUP agreed, was exiling a few hard-lined Conservative MPs there. The party, or the remnants of it, had moved into the BUP platform. Some of them, however, remained strict to the conservative values. One MP who had created troubles for the BUP was Margaret Thatcher. A strong advocate of liberalism, small government and privatization had become an impediment for strong government, nationalization BUP. After Jim Prior ascended into the premiership, he appointed Margaret Thatcher as the first woman, former party-affiliated, and politician Governor General of Hong Kong. In November 1974, she effectively moved her station to Hong Kong, and the region changed dramatically.

Upon arrival, Margaret Thatcher ended the dissonant relation between the Hong Kong Council and the Governor. Weak governance, obstinate racism and corruption-plagued the growth of the region. She effectively increased her control to rooted out all impartial defects from the old administration. Fortunately, as more conservative exiles arrived in Hong Kong, the Council had become effectively hers, she then pushed for her agendas.

Governor-General of Hong Kong Margaret Thatcher (1974-)****​

Privatization, liberalism and a free-market economy were reinforced in Hong Kong. The government in the UK shared a disappointment to Thatcher’s conflicting beliefs to be implemented there, yet Thatcher had brokered a deal with Jim Prior. Under Thatcher, the UK should give her self-governance and independence of will to Hong Kong. In return, Hong Kong will give a negotiable amount of revenue, also helping the United Kingdom out from the self-made isolationist stance after BUP’s rise. Jim Prior signed the deal, called the Thatcher-Prior Agreement, with confidence from the British Parliament.

The first ten years of her rule had become great progress for the citizens of Hong Kong. Business returned and thrive in Hong Kong. Japanese shipment came again to the port, and the city had returned its status as an Asian continental port, competing with Singapore. Relations with the United States was originally bitter under Shafer and the first Carter term. Yet, relations improved on Carter’s later second term, and Hong Kong thrived.

Margaret Thatcher, 1984​

In 1981, Thatcher announced Hong Kong as a tax haven, even appealing to more business to come to Hong Kong. The spending was so efficient that 25% of the profit was returned to the UK, which was derived to pay the welfare programs. In 1982, even Japan announced mutual assistance with the UK, as combating the Chinese attempts of expansionism and also improving business vice versa. In 1983, a secret agreement was made to Lee Kuan Yew, giving Hong Kong a profitable economic friendship with Indonesia’s Singapore. Jiang Qing threatened the region in March 1984 after many Chinese mainlanders fled to Hong Kong after the change of leadership. She backed down in 1985, thinking that Hong Kong will return to China by 1997. Currently, Hong Kong, even under the hated BUP Britain, was lovable by Western nations. Thatcher called this paradox Britain’s One Country Two Systems, expressing the Colony’s vastly opposing policy than the United Kingdom.

==================================​

*The Ban Qiao dam failed in 1975 OTL, but with intellectuals performing better under Mao, and also less repression, the dam withstood until 1979.
** The little Red Book OTL is about Mao's views. ITTL would be about Madame Mao's view and a mixture of Mao's old ones.
***Tibet is still under repression, and with India under China's friendly terms, Tibetans will never stand a chance.
**** Margaret Thatcher's OTL persistence maintain ITTL, she became one of the exiles to HK, and become one loved politician there.

We return to the domestic policy after this, covering few shifts under the PUP and Subandrio's administration.

 

[SkylineDreamer]

14 June 1985

Premier Lee Kuan Yew has now matured as a part of Indonesian politics for twenty years. Yet, he never comprehended the mechanism of it even until momentarily. Back then, administrating mere few millions of Singaporean citizens was simple. Now, he governed almost 181 million people. Nor that the population was Chinese, it was fiercely diverse. Adding opportunist immigrants from Europe and the United States, or the rising Jewish people in Madagascar had become Lee Kuan Yew’s bonus demography.

Politics in Indonesia is absolutely unconventional than the ones in British Malaya, or Singapore in particular. The parties uphold each specific interest, either in economic, social or military issues. In Jakarta, politics turned out to become more … personal. Islamists are allying with the alleged-communist, the coalition is so grotesque that even hell didn’t want to contribute in. Current PNI-R is nothing crossed to PRD’s Golkar Faction. It broke solely of internal military conflicts and Suharto devotees. The PRD and the PPI were also similar, their strong posture of favouring the workers forced both parties to compete on the same target. The compromise which has established is that the PPI gathered more farmers than PRD did in labours.

Premier walked in the long corridors of the National Assembly. The structure was aesthetically modernist. Simple pillars and wall formation is decorated with milestones of the Indonesian government. He passed Wilopo’s portrait, the second man of Sukarno, which shaped the early era of Indonesia. Lee Kuan Yew finally arrived at his destination, a large door with inside a rectangular shaped meeting board. The chairs were all sat by his cabinet without the President.

“Good morning, gentlemen. I believe we have a second quarter evaluation to proceed,” Lee Kuan Yew greeted the audience. He can see his entire cabinet; some he deemed likeable, some other contributed his debates. Emil Salim was LKY’s newest Minister of Economy after Trihandoko’s own commitment to managing his BUMN creation. This man was also an aide to former Premier Suharto, advising most economical issues that implemented quite decently.

“I would review our economy, Emil?” LKY signalled Emil to start the briefing first.

“Sir, our economy currently is going extremely well. Our GDP growth has maintained a 10% increase, and after the rising of oil and rubber prices, our GDP per capita has grown 745%, barely reaching $4000.” Emil explained.

Indeed, LKY has seen a glimpse of the economic growth in all parts of Indonesia. In his hometown, the island had grown with multiple apartments complexed organized by state constructors while high-rise offices are being built around the city centre. In Jakarta, even pre-planned housing complex, predated back before Nasution’s presidency, was finished and have thrived. Cideng has become new Menteng essentially, paving for the new elites. Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta’s nearest neighbour, has become a city of its own in the South. Government officials never tried to merge Jakarta with Kebayoran Baru, despite no apparent borders that can separate them. LKY even doesn’t know why.

Nasution’s construction projects, fortunately, have also contributed to this government’s success. Easy connection, both by road or rail, has become an entrepreneur’s easy ticket to establish factories even beyond city limits, boosting the local economy. Even though urban population exploded, it had resulted from a high influx of foreign entry. The real condition was that people more eager to flee to the suburbs, or even back to his/her hometown. The last Lebaran*, Jakarta and Kebayora Baru in total lost more than 50 thousand people due to emigrating to Tangerang, Bekasi, or the newest sprawl in Walini.

“Spectacular,” LKY responded. “How about our resource management?”

This time, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources spoke. This man, is Josef Manuru, a Kotabaru descendant. After the boom in Papua, Josef Manuru has become one of the richest men on the island. He owned the Jaya Papua Mining, a private local corporation for coal and other stones. Competing with US’ Freeport, Jaya Papua Mining was bought by the government in 1980, he has become our Minister of Energy ever since.

“We have great accomplishment regarding the energy sector. As apart from substantial discoveries of reserves all across Indonesia, foreign corporations are drooling against our huge blocks. Pertamina is selling approximately 2 million barrels per day. As with increasing oil production, the big oil nations; Saudi Arabia, Iran, the UASR, and others have invited us to join OPEC**.”

“We’ll be delighted, Josef, register us in.”

“All right, I will negotiate with the Arabs. Our second-largest oil company in Indonesia, Chevron Pacific, has also increased in size and giving us cordial friendship with the Americans. In fact, what made the Americans loved us very much is because of the profit we give for them. Meanwhile, our greatest commodity is not oil, but rubber and wood. Especially after the rubber’s increasing demand for high-tech products, Perkanas has expanded its profit greatly, perform better than Pertamina itself.”

Frederik Trihandoko interjected Josef with a cough. “Pertamina’s national asset has reached Rp 14.05 million***. There is another 2 million which was owned by private investors. Pertamina sells 2 million barrel per day with a relatively lower price than the global market, this was caused by trade agreements in the US and Japan. With estimation, the net selling was around 1.7 million barrels. We should have produced more than 3 million barrels, but as we should share with Chevron and Total…”

Premier Lee Kuan Yew acknowledged Trihandoko’s distaste on foreign companies profiteering from Indonesia’s seas. Unlike his pragmatic issue of ‘as long the economy grows’, Trihandoko prefer to nationalize all of the vital resources, especially oil and mineral resources. Sadly, President Subandrio made those precise sectors a bargain for foreign powers. LKY only supported the initiative due to fact that the Japanese willing to share their technology under those circumstances.

Both Frederik and Josef added each other about our export production. The Temasek holding is becoming a large shipment chain globally. Their rival, unfortunately, is Pelni, the state-owned shipment company. Logging industry also flourished, cutting woods in Kalimantan and Sumatra, producing wood products.

After they finished their briefing, Emil Salim concluded.

“We also have an inflation rate of 3.9%, which is not excellent but still delicate. As healthy our economy may seem, we need to also fix the growing chasm between the North-West and South-East. Java and the East had significantly more medium-sized companies, while the North Malaya had large multinationals. The South prefer equal outcome while the North prefer equal shot. With the Singapore Stock Exchange and Jakarta Stock Exchange opened, we will see less unity in our economy, which we should pay attention to. We already know that even with Indonesia’s best shape, we still have predicaments in the Defense Department.”

Lee did not notice Salim’s subtle message to review the defence and instead ask for agriculture, education and social situation in Indonesia. Suherman, the Ministry of Agriculture, stated that crop production is slightly worrying, with multiple catastrophes that had happened in Indonesia. The farmers had been less cooperative with the government, and keep implementing their destructive monoculture system in their fields. Yet, LKY is more interested with the booming fishing industry, as Sutedjo stated ‘we exported more fish than Japan itself’.

“I think we should import more rice from Vietnam and the Philippines to combat this agricultural mess. We haven’t succeeded in swasembada for almost two years. I think the PPI has something to say here.”

Soon, the cabinet discussed more the steadily rising in literacy and education. Especially with the success of Fuad Hassan’s national curriculum. People have become increasingly tolerant and less racist. The population diversification is also helping, as growing emigration leaving Java and Malaya to other places; immigration to cities and Jewish settlers in Madagascar helped to loosen radicalism in Indonesia.

“Currently, we are predicting a total of 750 thousand Jewish migrants from the jumble in the Mediterranean. More than 250 thousand resided in Northern Madagascar. 75 thousand of them moved to cities in Malaya, Indonesia and Sumatra. 90 thousand of them scattered evenly in Papua, and the rest live mostly in Javan cities. Besides rural West Java, East Java, and West Papua, we have no reports of any civil protest about the increasing refugees.” Minister of Interior Musa Hitam explained.

The meeting continued for another two hours, argue about infrastructure, cultural and finally military issues. Defense Minister Try Sutrisno is unsatisfied with the government’s attention deficit to his sector, despite having intervened in two wars already. LKY did not address his frustration and instead of telling the minister that no troops will be sent to Pakistan and Afghanistan until President Subandrio said so.

The meeting finished just before noon, LKY returned to his office for a homemade lunch cooked by his wife. He reflected himself,” The nation is definitely booming, why should our party be very unstable?” This question had nagged LKY for years, even with growing support for the party, the internal members can’t even be unified. Some Golkar ministers disagreed with Subandrio’s reluctance on intervention. The PRD disagreed with LKY’s postponement of wage raise. Even his own Liberal faction, Musa Hitam, debated with their own party about social issues. Luckily, LKY compromised with Musa Hitam and established a strong pact. He hoped that he can survive for another 5 years. However, his feeling has suggested that he wouldn’t.

===============================​

*Lebaran is another Indonesian term for the Eid-al-Fitr holidays or during that time. It starts about a week before Eid-al-Fitr and ends a week after.
**ITTL OPEC was established around the 1970s, with members of UASR, Iran, Saudi Arabia and UAE. It's a loose organization to control the oil price globally, although the UASR sells their only to France's sphere only.
***The same equivalent to OTL 2020 Rp 379 Trillion.

The next update will cover about Subandrio.

 

[SkylineDreamer]

Subandrio: The Inconspicuous President
2 August 1985

There are notably three men ever lived, or living in Medan Merdeka Utara Street No.3, Subandrio is the latest resident. Unlike him, his forerunner never stops exhibiting their charisma, power and service to the Indonesian people. Subandrio, ever since beginning office, has his influence weakening. The constitution of 1969 indulges a strong presidency if the man in charge is powerful. If not, the movement of the nation would ultimately seat for the second-high command, the Premier.

That is exactly what happened to Subandrio. Upon his moderate views about socialism that mixed with liberality, Subandrio launched famous reforms about education and welfare. As those were extremely successful, their importance fade as time went by. Modern trends of appraisal by the people, is the booming economy, Lee Kuan Yew’s climax of his career. The popularity of the latest election put Lee Kuan Yew the most accountable for winning the election. Subandrio is delighted, obviously, but he felt his loved ideology robbed by Lee Kuan Yew himself.

Subandrio sighs as he put on another cigarette. What happened to the idea of socialism? The last time he was young and vigorous, he advocated the ideology of the Soviet Union. He endorsed the principle of the means of production. Furthermore, he promoted the idea of allying with China. Adam Malik, the successor of Hatta’s socialist policies, has shown similar concern about this. The PPP politician criticizes the lacklustre of Koperasi strengthening and much of the social welfare stagnated. Especially after 1982, Lee Kuan Yew and Trihandoko, pushed for various government companies to explode on the people, triple in personnel and quadruple in assets.

Moreover, Subandrio also sees the looming retreat of Javanese companies. As Malayan and Singaporean companies have more strategic importance, more capitals and more organization than the local Javanese, they tend to overtake the Javanese branches in Sumatra and Kalimantan. Except for Aceh, the entire Sumatra island has been influenced directly or indirectly by Malayan companies. The same goes with Kalimantan. Luckily, people on Java had been particularly interested in Papua, and haven’t recognized the dire situation they are in. LKY's response is simple, the Javanese companies are not strong enough to kick start the necessities for a booming economy. Give the more expert businessmen in charge and we will train the Javanese later on.

Migratory courses are gradually displacing also. Nasution’s government open Sumatra, Papua and Borneo for Javanese farmers. Overpopulation has been a worry for the former President Nasution, the rice stockpile in the island alone cannot suffice for sustainable growth in the populace for another five years. After transmigration policies, not only does Indonesia succeeded in rice self-sufficiency, so does corn, ubi, and cabai. After Subandrio’s ascension, transmigration policies are still underway. But after a few years, Papua has become Javanese’s only destination as Sumatra and Borneo are giving in to another type of migrants: Jews.

Surely this revelation must have shocked at least a few in Jakarta. But nobody cared! The economy is thriving everywhere, and most people are appealed mainly to the money that comes. People can buy adequate homes, better food and spares for a leisurely vacation. Air and boat tourism travels have increased by 300%, and Pelni and Garuda Indonesia are low strugglings to manage their money. Also, not all of LKY’s policies are harmful or immoral according to Subandrio. His meritocracy attitude has become the standard in Jakarta and has reduced corruption massively in the government. In five years, the government has managed to recover some of his money from foreign tax-evaders or money launders, all rooted in Nasution’s crooked cronies.

Subandrio brave opposition from the PPP clan started when he ordered no more attack on his watch. After the expedition in Angola and Mozambique that went utterly nowhere for Indonesia. Angola fell under civil war after independence and Mozambique had its government toppled by a military dictatorship. Most of the party wanted Subandrio to intervene in Pakistan and Afghanistan, saying that it would boost the economy of Indonesia. Do they have a conscience? Subandrio despised the party’s oblivious distress for the death of thousands and the destruction of homes and lives of those who lived there.

General Susilo Sudarman arrived in the Presidential Palace. Adam Malik convinced Subandrio to have a thorough talk with the general. The General sat down on the other sofa of the room. He has a mature yet affectionate figure, a hidden gem for his charismatic behaviour. Out of all things, he tidies up his hair, and proceed to introduce himself.

“Mr President, I’m sorry that I have to do my usual routines. I’m General Susilo Sudirman. You can call me Susilo,” the general offers him his hand.

“Welcome Susilo,” Subandrio shakes his hand. “And congratulations to your promotion, General.”

“Thank you, President. You’re so kind.”

Subandrio opens any etiquette that talks usually do. General Susilo Sudarman was born in Cilacap, Banyumas State, but he currently lives in Ponorogo, Majapahit State. He participated in the last military adventure in Mozambique as the 3rd Army Reserve leader after almost a defeat of Indonesian forces facing the South Africans. Fortunately, his tactics on guerilla warfare saved the Mozambique campaign adjacent to the US air superiority. Mozambique became independent, yet now suffered an undemocratic military coup.

“Weirdly enough, as President of Indonesia, I grew fond for the United States. Especially the Democratic Party, which upholds its commitment to the Pacific approach. Kennedy, Carter and now Glenn is still aiding especially Indonesia for her growth.”

“The Democratic Party is not the state’s single ruler, though. Mr President. If the Conservatives came to be in power, we will see some hard negotiations to prepare.”

Subandrio hears Susilo’s opinion about the United States. In the 70s, after the rise of McGovern, a new movement, the New Left, has risen across urban sprawls on the East Coast. The New Left is a reactionary organization that opposes the United States’ perpetual intervention all across the world. The small Democratic faction also abhorred the government’s welfare stagnation under Carter while supporting Carter’s green movement. The movement appeased the very young and the very old, supporting free schools and free retirement respectively. Observing the manifesto, Susilo criticized it as weak and partly hypocrite. Not because they sought peace, but because they demand the eradication of religious importance in the government and allowing immoral actions like homosexuality and free sex*. Susilo thought that the war in this organization is diverted elsewhere; War for Religion.

Subandrio sensed a strong and supportive admirer to this general. After explaining his stance of the Ali Sadikin vs Suharto military division, Subandrio loves him more. Susilo didn’t like Suharto’s authoritative demeanour. Suharto’s little cult supported the defence industry and the military cooperation, a longer definition of the Military-Industrial Complex. However, Susilo also distasted Nasution’s strong favour for strengthening Dwifungsi ABRI, which now failed under Subandrio’s administration. A corporatist interference to military strategies and diversification of military duties is not Susilo’s main objective. Susilo, on the other hand, read Edi’s Back to Basics, his personal view for the future of the Indonesian military. It was a shame that Edi supported Mbak Tutut**, but his writings depict the exact belief for the military.

The next two hours of discussion is delightful for both Subandrio and Susilo. Not that they have similar opinions, but they have a similar objective; to spread the wealth for Indonesians. They also discussed the growing inequality between the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich. Nevertheless, their small talk must end as by noon Subandrio needs to discuss with Anwar and Try.

-----------------------------------------------------​

Adam Malik was the former foreign minister before LKY sacked him in favour of Anwar Ibrahim. He became the youngest foreign minister, age 38 upon appointment. The ascension of General Alex Kawilarang in 1984 as the Commander of the Army forced a big change of leadership on the Commander of the Armed Forces. Alex Kawilarang is a friend of Ali Sadikin, therefore completely against Suharto and his followers in power. After the indecisive warfare in Africa, General Alex reshuffles the Army Chief of Staff, giving new faces for the ones in Jakarta. General Bambang Wiranto has been reassigned to be Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army, while his Kopassus Organization is restructured.

The Executive Order made by Subandrio in 1983 reorganized Indonesia’s Regional Military Command into 19 Regions. All of those are renamed numerically according to Earth's Longitude, with westernmost North Madagascar as 1st Regional Military Command. There are some exceptions, however, Jakarta Region is called Jaya and Aceh Region is called Iskandar Muda Regional Military Command. The regional command is led by a Major General. After the African intervention, Alex demanded an extra 5 reserve divisions to be stationary active for any incoming demand from the government. That extra five now stays in 1st, 3rd, 6th, 8th and 18th ***. Each region has one division; two if they have reserved. The Kopassus is now commanded by a Lieutenant-General and commands three division, stationed in Bintan, Jakarta and Kotabaru. They are usually the ones to be sent abroad for intervention or peacekeeping activities, but mostly the former.

The change of structure did bring repercussions especially from Umar and Try, as Jakarta’s power is weakening by the more decentralized commander and even Kopassus. Moreover, the Defense Minister now has a difficult time in cooperating with the Army, considering that Alex hated him. Fortunately, the 3rd Regional Military Command, under Major General Muhammad Binsar is a close aide. He can cooperate to strengthen the border against Thailand.

Also, for Foreign Minister, the events hit him differently, although negatively too. Alex swapped the 1st and 2nd Regional Commander to a friendlier, leaning officer. And that has given problems about the rising Jewish refugees. Especially the 1st Regional Command, they have rejected tens of thousands of refugees, mostly young men of their twenties with questionable intention. Although their allegation was unprovable, Subandrio understands the concern behind the action.

Still, for Subandrio, General Alex is the lesser evil against those close to him. The interventions have revealed some of the inconsiderate, heartless politicians. It is such a disgrace that those politicians are none other than the PPP itself. Defence industries are thriving happily for another intervention which Subandrio blocked for any attempts.

Subandrio’s Secretary, Sabam Sirait, called Subandrio, “Mr President, I think you need to see the news.”

Subandrio opened the TVRI News Channel, and unexpectedly the news opened with a hot one.

“The LKY Government is under fire as whistleblower Andri Nurtansetya give an almost 500 pages’ proof of government’s blackmailing, suppression and collusion against the local manufacturers in West Java and East Java in favour for Singaporean corporations. Andri Nurtansetya is an agent of BIN that also reported the government’s authoritative measures on economic decisions, which make Indonesia’s economy completely under the hands of LKY, not the people of Indonesia. There is also damaging deforestation that continues to give nothing for the locals in Riau and Banjar State.”

Subandrio sighed in desperation. This term would be troublesome.

=====================================​

*1980s Indonesia never acknowledges same-sex and homosexuality ITTL and OTL. I need to cover this so there would be no misunderstanding of me having bigotry or prejudice against the specific member.
**Mbak Tutut is Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, daughter of Suharto
***1st Regional Military Command (RMC) is in North Madagascar, station in Antsiranana
3rd RMC is in Malaya, station in Kuala Lumpur
6th RMC is in West Java, station in Bandung
8th RMC is in East Java, station in Surabaya
18th RMC is in Western Papua (OTL Indonesian Papua), station in Kotabaru

We'll see LKY's side on the next post.
Another spoiler, I have determined the Indonesian and the US Presidents until 2033, and I can guarantee you only one OTL President each (one US, one Indonesia) that become ITTL Presidents.

 

[SkylineDreamer]

The Gresik Scandal

LKY enacted Undang Undang No. 21 Tahun 1978 that settled a more novel, much easier license for industries to build within a specific area or zone. In before, 1950, 1955 and 1970 laws that predecessors adopted were omnipotent for the government; any objection from one of the bureaucrats would mean no license, vulnerable for bribery and lobbying. The 1978 law, however, pushed for a more meritocratic form of licensing for the industrial zone. The company that has an assuring future, reliable background and superb experience would be chosen foremost. This system, however, proven to be discriminative overall and caused the ruckus during the year 1985.

Firstly, the Surabaya Industrial Zone is located in Gresik to raise Majapahit State’s potential for sustainability and a new spring of income. The government allowed chemical and electronics firm to be installed in the zone, essentially to build competition with Japan and Korea in terms of electronic potency. The zone was opened in 1980 and has attracted thousands of enterprises all across Indonesia. The local Surabaya Chemical Group and Maspion Group were notable contestants that Surabaya locals craved for. Their vast employment network in Majapahit State appealed the populace to support these firms. On the contrary, the government executed without people's consent. In 1981, the government invited Mitsui Chemical and Nanyang Chemical*. Mitsui Chemical is within the Mitsubishi Group, while the Nanyang Chemical is under Singaporean’s Temasek Holdings. Surabaya Chemical Group and Maspion, however, upon final settlement wasn’t given any permit.

In January 1983, a small protest appeared in front of the DPR, Jakarta, about this topic. The small demonstration consists of Maspion and Surabaya employees, managers, and even director who concern their conflict with the government’s final determination. Gresik locals, that would be running on the industrial complex, also joined in for the protest. The government, at first, disdained the protesters. But after months and months of the relentless rally in front of the DPR, LKY decided to appear. The government pressured the Maspion and Surabaya Chemical Group for protesting. LKY stated that these companies are lazy and guilty for imperilling the economy growth of Indonesia. In March, the government audited scrutiny on the two companies, and later squeezed for flaws and mistakes on the administration. In one occasion, LKY even spoke these companies as loafing pribumi. Nevertheless, Maspion and the Surabaya Chemical shut down in 1984 for bankruptcy, giving way for other pro-government companies as puppets of power.

The second scandal that emerged from the Surabaya Industrial Zone, is the low regulation of forestry exploitation in Indonesia. The Surabaya Industrial Zone chopped 30 hectares of forest and rice fields. Andri Nurtansetya investigated the obvious contortion the lack of law could have. The BIN agent surveyed Riau and Banjar State. What he found was truly shocking. Strengthened with hidden documents BIN stored regarding the ruthless deforestation of corporations, Andri Nurtansetya not only found significant companies that exploiting and stealing the local resources in favour of money, but also most of these companies came from Singapore and Malaya, with small significant others of foreign companies.

-----------------------------------------​

15 August 1985

Thirteen days after the news, LKY finally received the worst reception ever in his political profession. Most of the scandal was excessively embroidered in favour of news uncovering, yet most of the fact given is right. LKY is confused about the fitting reply for the indictment. Sitting on the Premier office, LKY can only slam his fist to the desk that Indonesians must perceive this earlier.

LKY never thought his strong criticism towards a local venture could be so devastating for his presidency. Maspion and Surabaya Chemical were very unlikely for the government candidate because of its inefficiency. LKY only intended to maximize profit while reducing time dilation. The locals were hard to teach, and educate them with sufficient and sophisticate business management is much costlier than to give better companies to establish there. The blackmail and threat from him is specifically quick intimidation to finish Maspion and Surabaya Chemical from protesting and start to work to help continue the improving economy.

Now, LKY bore not only the reverberations by Andri discovery but also the insults and prejudices the majority has towards LKY and the Singaporean community. The last interview of SCTV with the Semarang businessman involve ‘greedy Chinese’ and other racial slurs. Demonstrations also occurring in Surabaya that opposed the LKY’s authoritative government. Although the economy is booming, not his popularity. Subandrio openly stated yesterday that he had no involvement in this appalling finding, and vowed to resolve this issue to the core. That is a bad report for LKY indeed, as most of his cabinet selections, all are wholly or partly responsible for the illegal deforestation and the Gresik Scandal.

One thing is certain though, LKY felt blameworthy for the deforestation on Riau and Banjar. He had seen reports of illegal clearing for almost 7 years, yet aren’t punished as the companies are willing to credit more for the government’s benefit. The illegal logging did add a little boost of the government’s surplus especially for the last 3 years, but what LKY was infuriated was the companies had been giving community reward to the locals that lived there; a deal that LKY had arranged. Moreover, LKY also neglected parts of the area to satisfy Javanese and Malayan taxpayers.

Currently, Andri has left to Australia for political asylum. The government has approved of the asylum and that slightly damaged Indonesia’s relation to Australia. President Glenn of the United Stated urged the government to resolve the current crisis quickly. The worst response, came from Japan, as they have one of their companies targeted. An anti-Japanese sentiment all across Indonesia also rose as Andri also revealed much deeper plots that also involved most Japanese companies. LKY’s response was simple, the Japanese were far more superior in technology and still is. It was the government’s effort to boost the economy quickly while preparing the citizens for better education and skillset.

BUMN Minister Frederik Trihandoko entered to LKY’s office. He then sat down and offered LKY a cigarette. LKY refused but the minister still smokes anyway. He inhales a few tries until he finally broke the silence.

“Our local investors are pulling out from the BUMN shares. These conglomerates joined hands with the opposing Golkar, which is gaining traction due to Andri’s revelation to the public. Also, we fully understand that Andri himself is part of the Mbak Tutut’s friendlies?”

“I don’t think Golkars failed at this. We surely have done something wrong and got caught, although those mistakes can be beneficial to the fate of Nusantara. Those opportunists have tried to crack down the PNI-R, now they’re crumbling down the PPP.” LKY replied.

The aftermath of the news is truly destructive for LKY’s government. Part of the future European investment in Indonesia is halted, and the present ones are not prolonged. The Japanese government, aware of their businessmen money greatly borrowed for Indonesia, has now stressing Indonesia to cover the issue. The American companies, fortunately, are not involved in the scandal, probably because most of them contributed to the defence and mining industry, the forte of Golkar’s highest contributors.

LKY’s leadership focused solely for advancing Indonesia faster to pace with the growing acceleration of technological innovation in the world. Integrated circuits, store-programs and transistors have become the trend of the decade and has become a widespread phenomenon in Japan and the United States. Arpanet, a breakthrough of faster internet connection in the United States, has successfully been constructed. For the cabinet, progress needed to be done and fast.

LKY conversed with Trihandoko about the possible consequences about their position and their lives. Trihandoko realized that the scandal may ruin all the work he has done to increase state-companies into the current state. Pelni, Samudera Indonesia, and few others have their investors dropped while Pertamina and Perkanas still steadily remain. The stock exchange hasn’t been affected by the crisis, but the government should expect a drop if not taken care of.

LKY sighed, two days later and the government will hold the Independence Day Celebration. The 40th anniversary of Indonesian independence must be gloomed with scandal; most of it still uncovered.

-----------------------------------------​

Jakarta, 15 August 1985

Dedi Hariman Kusumaningrat is an alumnus from the Gajah Mada University in Jogjakarta. He lived in a decent noble family with a modest income for his living. A family of three children, Dedi is the middle child, with older brother Rudy and younger brother Sugeng. His family told him of possible blood relation with the Sultan himself, Dedi wasn’t keen on the topic, and instead, prefer he wasn’t from the nobility.

The man is currently working as a postman for Wonosari Regency. He, along with twenty others, is responsible for 500 thousand residents on that Regency. He loved his job, connecting face to face with the people. Villagers always ask him why to bother being a postman, the nobility is famous for their connections with the highest officials. A young man like Dedi could have become something important than the postman. Dedi refused to use his family’s connection, starting from rock bottom is his motto.

Living on a rented house just on the suburbs of Jogjakarta’s capital, Dedi has been living there ever since. His hometown, Klaten, he preferred Jogjakarta. After 5 years of planning, the Sunanate of Surakarta planned a Mataram Metropolis Scheme, uniting the divided kingdoms of Mataram; 4 of them; into a megapolitan place. This program, unlike any other, involved large swath of eco-friendly parks and recreations, preserved cultural heritage of sites and temples, traditionally constructed homes and residents, and restriction of a high-rise in the town. The Metropolis Scheme would make southern Central Java as one big suburban area from Jogjakarta to Surakarta.

The Gresik Scandal has occupied his mind for a while. The LKY government, as angelic and pure as it looked on the inside, was a great menace. Even intentions were as transparent as it seemed in the early days of the campaign, LKY government has been corrupted by greed. Dedi endorsed hard work and perseverance, he thought that given the chance, Maspion and Surabaya Chemicals would have succeeded better although it cost more time.

His criticism of the government is what caused him to stay in Jogja rather than Klaten. He is an activist of PNI-R, the slump party, shadowed by its greatness. He currently a part-time staff of Fransiskus Xaverius Aryo Ardianto**, the Sleman Regent. He hopefully wishes for a return of PNI-R, at least after what the Golkars have done was senseless. He would anticipate more from them though.

==========================​

*Nanyang Chemicals is entirely alternate that I've made.
**The first Catholic Regent in Java, not OTL real person.

Two posts in two days? Surprising eh? I got more time to invest myself ITTL.

 

[SkylineDreamer]

22 August 1985
New York City, USA

Nugroho Wisnumurti is the replacement of Deputy Permanent Representative for the United Nations per 21 August 1985. His antecedent retired of old age, and have given Nugroho a recommendation to the Foreign Ministry. Just in his mid-forties, his staunch passive stance and less interaction with the heated debate on the United Nations is what made him possible for an upcoming promotion perhaps four years later. However, fitting a Permanent Representative for the United Nations is not an easy assignment. Just after Subandrio’s presidency, almost periodically Jakarta must appoint new Permanent Representative for the United Nations. Nugroho couldn’t fathom a difficulty the job may seem, he has substituted for a few occasions, none of which overwhelmed him. However, he might conjecture why people left working in the United Nations, probably because of all the nuisance in the council.

Dean Rusk stepped down as the Secretary-General for Phạm Hùng, a North Vietnamese politician. Both the French and the Soviet Bloc approve of this socialist politician into the rise of the Security Council, which upset the Americans. However, naïve President Shafer confirmed no veto for the appointment of the seat. The reelection in 1980 that finally, the United States vetoed Phạm Hùng out for reelection. A French Moroccan nationalist, Mehdi Ben Barka, was picked by the United States. France, comprehend this selection as part of the American struggle for African decolonization 2.0, has initially denied. However, France and the United States had a unanimity that Mehdi’s party, the National Party of Morocco, will be dispersed effectively after the ascension. Nonetheless, any consensus seemingly failed to happen after that, especially in the General Assembly, where civil sessions may end up with a tense conclusion or even violent fights. Shouts, insults and slurs are now common in the annual session of the United Nation. Perhaps, that was the reason for many Indonesian diplomats’ resignation: unpreparedness of such barbarity.

The recent session briefed about the Afghanistan and Pakistan Civil War, and how that may erupt a global conflict. Much of the audience agreed, but they started to lose concurrence after the Assembly convened of how the United Nations should resolve the issue. Much of the American Bloc, including us, issue a national referendum that would decide the populace choosing a communist or revolutionary government. Naturally, the Soviet Bloc denied these referendums, stating that the communist government was the people’s plea and the legitimate government in the region. The French Bloc then started condemning the violent purges and repression happening under the communist government. Ultimately, the cycle of shouts never ends.

Indonesia’s international stance wasn’t in her most excellent. Sukarno’s reign was the height of Indonesia’s podium, loved by both sides of the Cold War, then three sides. Only the British and the Commonwealth hated Indonesia, but mostly because of a justified war that was happening. Nasution ended relations with the Soviet Bloc, and Subandrio currently weakening the French friendship by nationalizing their companies first. The progress is scaring Nugroho, looking at Indonesia’s network slowly closing for just one superpower. Moreover, Indonesia is all but a Japanese source of market. The American influence is waning for a larger Japanese influence, and that has probably caused the scandal that he just read yesterday.

Nugroho isn’t keen on Subandrio ideals, either. He was hopeful for the president, but lack of leadership bothered him deeply that Jakarta is now governed by Singapore. Ironic, the land that was annexed has become the master. Lee Kuan Yew, despite outstandingly good achievements, still has small authoritative laws that may turn Indonesia into a despotic state. A ‘meritocratic regime’ is what now youths are offending the government. Moreover, an overrepresentation of Malayans in the DPR has been noticed. Heck, even the Palembang Representative is a Malayan entrepreneur. The Umar Faction, or simply a continuation of Golkar Faction, was the government’s ardent opposition despite being in the coalition. They have been more vocal than it used to, also using stronger connotative speeches that dissuading the government while campaigning for themselves. However, as long as the Madagascar Faction still support the Liberal, while Hatta’s Faction remained small, Nugroho thinks the government can survive.

The man rests on his bedroom’s recliner with the remote TV on his hands. He searches the local East Coast channels; President Glenn has announced the continuation of the NASA program. Typically, the astronaut president pushes for space programs. A bold initiative indeed from the president, saying that ‘we will put a man on Mars by the end of the millennia’. Nugroho sees the current President’s space speech trying to imitate former President Kennedy, who had sadly passed away in 1977. Nugroho feels no vivacity, but at least Indonesia will partially involve in space’s newest exploration.

Nugroho reaches for the telephone next to his seat, and call for his family in Surakarta. He has a lovely wife and two children, a daughter Imelda and son Bima. After briefing the local Long-Distance Operator for pinpointing his house number, Imelda picked up.

“Hello, this is Imelda Wisnumurti speaking. To whom am I speaking to?”

Nugroho couldn’t fathom how well mannered his daughter has become, how long has he left for New York. Two or three years? It seems like a long time. He called home a few months ago, but mostly his wife would pick up. “You grew up so much, Imelda.”

“Dad! It’s been so long. How is New York? Mom has told me a lot, but I want to hear from you.”

Nugroho talked with his daughter about Central Park, a massive park that made him love New York. For him, running around the park is a luxury that home regrettably hasn’t had. He also tells his daughter of the famous landscapes of Big Apple, from the Twin Towers, Empire State Building, to the Statue of Liberty. He wished his family could see them directly, but money and work have prevented Nugroho from fulfilling that. Even though the economy has helped the family, they still can’t afford long-term flights, which is still ridiculously expensive. Nugroho also talks about the people and culture. For the diplomat, New York is similar to Singapore. It is extremely diverse that no corners of the community seem dull. He visits the Italian restaurants with the European diplomats, the food is wonderful. Little Greece and little Cuba also fascinated him, educating him on new cultures, cuisines and people.

Nugroho then asks Imelda about the situation at home. She says that Surakarta is growing massively, and the government is making new urban development that sustains and prepare growth for nearly fifty years. That involves a new city bus transit, that currently drives Imelda to her high school. The Sultanate is bonding closely also, by making the distinct commuter line between Surakarta and Jogjakarta. Closer partnerships are being conducted on these two states, improving various sectors especially tourism and the environment. Imelda has seen her home state to be greener than other growing industrial places. It seems that the regional autonomy granted by Nasution and PPP’s ties with the royals help the sultans in Java not becoming one of LKY’s transformation initiatives.

A long conversation with Imelda needs to end after Nugroho asks her to contact the daughter’s mother. He can hear Imelda calling mother from a distance, then with a reply from the wife with a pace towards the telephone.

“Hello, dear. How’s been New York?” Unlike his vibrant daughter, Nugroho’s wife is calm and much more controlled. Age and maturity have changed most of Nugroho and his wife. Even Nugroho before was proactive and relentless. Now, he prefers to go with the trend, keeping his life as passive as possible. A diplomatic task avoids attention so objectives can be met faster. Creating a scene causes people to see you, choking space for movement.

“Lovely, my dear. How’s work?” Siti Wisnumurti is working at the local independent newspaper that endorses scientific progress. Bangkit Solo! is the print’s catchy name that lingers much of Purwosari residents. Even though the citizens of Solo have been unanimously voting yellow for almost twenty years, there has been a growing development of PRD and the PPI in the lower class of the folks. The PRD, obviously, targets the shop owners and commerce. Nugroho’s wife was persistent in improving livelihood within much of Untung’s ideals. A weakening voter share for the PPP has been ongoing all across Java’s metropolitan, all because of the Gresik Scandal and lack of fire from the agitators. Nugroho wishes for Hatta’s politicians to revive the old PPP, but he thinks it’s too late. The dye is cast.

=================================​

I decide to close the year with humble information about Indonesia according to the eyes of abroad and within. As the last post of this year, I wish everyone a great new year. I apologize first that unlike the Christmas Update, there won't be any New Year Update.

As for next post, we are going to cover the Golkar's perspective of the Gresik Scandal, and what others may they have on their sleeves.

 

[SkylineDreamer]

31 August 1985

Premier Lee has pushed too far on accelerating progress on the Indonesian soil, that that progress becomes meaningless to the Indonesian people. This corporates, almost all Japanese, have been profited and given Indonesia practically money only. Most of the money also stopped on the pockets of LKY’s trusted partnerships. Moreover, most of the Singaporean conglomerates are ultimately siding for the foreign powers. We have been colonized, dear Indonesians. We must fight back!

The Vice-Chairman of Partai Rakyat Demokratik, Umar Wirahadikusumah, glared profoundly at the Suara Indonesia exempt on the front page. He knew Andri Nurtansetya, Lieutenant General Edi Sudrajat introduced him a few years back. He has been an associate of that particular Deputy Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army. He met him during the appointment of the new Commander of the Armed Forces. After a staff reshuffle performed by the General Alex Kawilirang, he resigned just last month, leaving the space to Admiral Hendro Darmawan. The choice has been controversial for the Armed Forces. Hendro is the first Admiral Commander, a new trend for rebuking the Army's dominance. Also, considering Edi Sudrajat wasn’t rightfully appointed, much more Army officials objected it. Moreover, Hendro Darmawan’s little genealogy has traced him back to a Nicholson family, a Dutch lineage of almost four generations above him. Nevertheless, as the former leader of the 4th Fleet, Hendro was famous for combating pirates from Africa. Nasution and Ali Sadikin also endorsed him for the position, which makes him victorious.

BIN is essentially an intelligence bureau independent from the military but responsible to the Defense Minister. However, the trend becomes that BIN has been associated like Army troopers. Last intention from Try Sutrisno also demanded agents to be part of Indonesia’s fifth branch of the armed forces, but the president refused. Nevertheless, BIN agents have constantly come to the party with berets, especially the Army. Andri Nurtansetya was no nobody, Umar knows him as Vice Chief of the Audit Sector of the Intelligence. His job includes analyzing patterns, numbers and charts that may seem suspicious. The man told that Gresik Scandal was uncovered because of him looking at Mitsui’s finance records, which had shown a big number of capital towards ‘effective productivity’, which means cutting trees beyond the contract validates.

The PRD is definitely on the rise as the government’s alternative voting platform. As the PPP’s becoming entangled with this scandal, PRD luckily wasn’t affected, yet. The news kept saying that the defence industry may also have violations. Umar can detect that PRD’s deep relations with defence businesses may cause this blame, but he can confirm unconditionally that there is no such offence. The newspaper has been using Suharto’s authoritative character as the narrative of bad Golkar’s features. Umar and friends are certainly jingoistic, but it’s just another form of approach for improving the nation.

“It’s the damn PUI. Bustami Djalid has given him the green light for publishing. We never told him to do that, it would be shooting ourselves in the foot.” Golkar Faction spokesperson Murdiono says.

Indeed, Umar thinks likewise. PRD is with PPP for goodness sake. If the scandal was given too early at the moment, not only it would destroy the PPP, but the entire coalition. Try Sutrisno is one, they tried to ruin his career during the fiasco in Jakarta. Umar considers of abandoning the ship, but that would make people reminisce the PNI-R split, which would, in the end, make Golkar Faction a blatant opportunist. Bustami Djalid has also contacted Andri from Golkar’s inner circle. They discussed several topics, some of them they support indefinitely; like the fear of rising secularism, and less power of the religious.

To undermine PPP’s Malacca Faction, Umar needs to hit the target precisely where it can hit most, but not extensively. It’s like opening a coconut; you must hit hard to slice open the hard skin while gentle to avoid splashes that reduce the coconut’s inner solution. An equilibrium of precision and severity is what Umar thinks of, unlike the Gresik Scandal. Not only that Gresik Scandal would halt the nation as a whole, but also reduce investments to Indonesia’s defence company, most of it was aided by none other than Japan. About this ‘attack’, Umar has stored one specific event to be covered, but it needs to wait.

Just at the outskirts of Poroporo, the Melanesian State, a growing number of American Christian settlers living there. Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, as the leader Jim Jones has named, has increased the number of settlers there for a few months. They said that the intentions are pure, to establish a non-fiscal paradise. Apparently, Jim Jones has accumulated the community a large sum of money, possibly three million dollars, to the government budget. The community has attracted middle to rich fundamentalists that wished to abandon money for faith. A noble initiative, Umar reflected, but extremely naïve. Almost fifteen hundred people are living there. The community has been secretive of its activities since its foundation, but more settlers mean more money for the government. Moreover, Jim Jones has probably keep transferring money to the Indonesian government from the declining parishes he has made in the US. The gradual diminishment is caused by reported revolting controversies from the religious organization.

Umar Wirahadikusumah has had a gut of uneasiness regarding the PTAP. He sensed a calamity on the verge of contact shortly, but he wasn’t sure what would it might be. That is why Umar have called local Melanesian party, the Melanesian Alliance Party headquarters in Honiara to monitor the situation. This, if happens, will be PRD’s greatest weapon to steal PPP voters into the PRD base, while maybe accomplish the riskiest political manoeuvre in Indonesian history; a Premier impeachment.

Despite the plans, the gentleman wasn’t particularly optimistic. Andri Nurtansetya had opened a new disaster for the Prosperity Coalition. Golkar’s greatest fundraiser, the defence company, will be in ruins after a national malaise. Moreover, it would benefit the PPI more, who is attempting their second iteration on Sukarno-ism vigour. Guntur Sukarnoputra has been considerable in reproducing his father’s energy. Observing the other candidates, Guntur by far is the most chosen from the people.

“He shouldn’t have. He published it too early for our benefit. This is advantageous for the PUI party, which is advocating the PPI for the upcoming election. Both the Muhammadiyah and the NU are not retreating for another Islamo-communism.”

Umar then retreats into looking outside of his office, where he can see the city highway Nasution had constructed before. Nearly a decade has passed, and the highway is busy, but not full. He contemplated watching the highway being constructed, a marvel of its time Now, it seemingly lost beneath the economic miracle of the Subandrio party. It was unfair. Nasution has cleared the path for Subandrio to take the credit, yet he couldn’t blame him as PNI-R was faltering apart partly because of him.

The PNI-R, or what is left currently, has been conducting themselves to appease mixed voters. Nasution firstly adopted this method as he promised for a non-discriminatory society. Much of his generals, especially frontline soldiers opposed this effort by trauma. They mostly sought no more Australian Aggression anymore, which is reasonable. Cipto Robinson, the son of Tjalie Robinson, has been appointed Walini’s PNI-R city council. Djambi’s family in Jakarta has also been contacting Ali Sadikin. Djambi has been a controversial clan. The head Idjon Djambi was kicked out from Kopassus because of the Australian Aggression because of his skin, but Nasution has exerted huge efforts to patronize him. Luckily, Indonesia’s society in the 80s has been friendly again to foreigners, therefore fewer measures were extracted for his family. Djambi’s family house in Cideng is also secure by tolerant and educated communities.

Subsequently, Umar talks with Murdiono about the faction’s status. The weakening General Untung has been beneficial for the Golkar faction to expand, with appointing Try Sutrisno as the party’s icon. Although the people weren’t ready for Try, especially for what he had done as a military officer, Umar has been trying relentlessly to appease voters and recover Try’s name. The growing heir, Mbak Tutut, has also become a decent queen maker, establishing good relations with everyone she meets. Umar, now suffer elderly issues, has been lacking the cognitive capabilities of his golden days.

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Next, a new problem emerges, and Golkar will be the first to respond.
I was occupied with OTL stuff that I haven't realised this thread has been ongoing for a year now. Thank you all for reading it, and please comment on constructive suggestions.