Expanded Universe of the "Back in the USSR" - Development of a CP victory scenario

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Billy Joel "A Matter of Trust - The Bridge to Russia" (1987)​

During the Kalter Krieg, German Empire censored rock music because it was seen as part of socialist propaganda directed against forces of conservatism and Anglo-Germanic culture. When the Prime Minister of Germany, Gerhard Frey implemented Öffentlichkeit - conservative-progressive policy of managed openess towards the Socialist Bloc in late 1980s, the Imperial government invited Billy Joel (Билли Джоэл) - Soviet-born American singer, composer and pianist - to perform several concerts in 1986. Since the earliest years of his life, Joel was a history enthusiast interested especially in geopolitical shifts that happened during 20th century. Despite initial fears of going straight into the heart of "Evil Empire" he accepted, knowing that this would impact the history of humanity - not only Germans but also other nations that were influenced by either Socialists or Imperials. He recalled a story of Rosa Tamarkina, young pianist from Kiev who won Imperial German International Pianist Competition in Berlin in 1958 during brief period of detente between two political blocs that happened after death of Nikolai Bukharin five years earlier. A "Bridge to Russia" tour consisted of six concerts - two in Berlin, one in Munich, one in Cologne and two in Potsdam. His every performation was dedicated to deceased or repressed German singers that were a source of inspiration for Joel and "spoke the truth".

Up until the 1980s, successive German governments were trying to limit western and eastern influences. Revolutionary Wars of 1920s and 1930s had shaken the world - more and more countries were experiencing social and economic upheavals caused by the appearance of Soviet Russia, expansion of revolution in East Asia and Southern Europe. Germany was not different - country experienced major socialist revolution during spring of 1919 when the Great War already took heavy toll on Central Powers' population. Millions have died in trenches while civillian population was experiencing food shortages thanks to British naval blockade so the revolution seemed to be inevitable. On May 1, 1919 demonstration in Munich turned badly when part of the soldiers assigned to disperse rioters switched sides and murdered their superior officers. One day later, Soviet of Workers', Peasants' and Soldiers' Delegates assembled there and proclaimed death of Imperial Germany. Member of the Reichstag, Rosa Luxemburg of SDP was elected as the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the German Workers', Peasants' and Soldiers' Soviet with a Reichstag parliamentarian Karl Liebknecht serving as the Chairman of Ministers of the Provisional Government of the German Republic. Soviet tried to force Imperial government to dissolve itself, end Prussian suffrage system (of three classes), imposition of universal suffrage for everyone over 18, imposition of democratic control over workplaces, land reform of all aristocratic estates, resignation of Kaiser, establishment of democratic, free and sovereign Republic with a head of state - President elected by universal suffrage, abolition of all aristocratic titles and privigles, liberalization of arts, social laws (acceptance of feminism, divorce, abortion and equality between races). Threat of revolution was perilous to the Emperor and conservatives as it endangered every aspects of their live - including confiscation of their estates and distribution to peasants. In Kiel Naval Base, preparation to sail against the British Royal Navy triggered reponse from disgruntled sailors - High Seas Fleet's dreadnoughts SMS Thuringen and SMS Helgoland were taken over by rebels committing outright mutiny and sabotage. When a day later, some torpedo boats pointed their cannons at these ships, the mutiniers threatened to fire on them and proclaimed their loyalty towards German Republic. Similar developments were seen on submarines U-78 and UB-116 which were sank due to onboard fighting between revolutionaries and loyalists. When torpedo accidentialy launched towards SMS Kaiser Wilhelm II dreadnought missed its target, loyal parts of the High Seas Fleet started preparations to crush rebels. After brief standoff, mutiniers surrendered (in exchange for their lives). At the time of French surrender on May 8, 1919, there were 156 Soviets in Germany - most of them located in cities. During Victory Day, socialist rebels controlled Munich, parts of Bavaria, industrialized region of Rheinland, Greater Poland (most of them identified themselves as Polish independence fighters intending to establish socialist democratic Poland), Pomerania and Lower Silesia (Kattowitz Soviet expelled all Germans and fortified a city). By the end of July 1919 most of lost territories were retaken. On September 2, 1919, Munich fell after few assaults perpetrated by German Imperial Army and Freikorps - paramilitary force composed from anti-communist and anti-socialist activists. With the fall of German Republic, Wilhelm II and his successor were terrified by the relative success of republicanism and liberal democracy, deciding to contain it by embrancing a path of nationalistic, conservative, authoritative democracy.

Since then, German governments initiated policies that promoted united German identity, anti-republicanism and nationalism. During first days after the Weltkrieg, Freikorps were attacking socialist or social democratic activists and strikers in the state, most of these attacks were extralegal (or outright illegal) but quietly supported by conservative authorities. Similar developments were revived during economic crises of 1928-1929 and 1936-1940 when successes of socialist in East Asia and American inspired radical parts of German socialist to once again challenge authorities. Short-lived Munich Commune (1938) was once again bloodily suppressed. The imperial concept of authoritative democracy introduced during the Revolutionary Wars was a stark contrast when compared to the direct democracy of syndicalist nations of the West or the Soviet democracy. As time passed, more and more regulations were implemented - and the more countries joined the Soviet-American alliance, the stronger was censorship in the German state. During failure of free market deregulation, socialism was associated with a radical social liberalism (divorces, abortion, feminism, desegregation, extramarital sexual relationships) and a liberalization of arts (appearance of the Soviet science fiction, American jazz, acceptance of nudity in arts). To combat those, Prime Minister Hermann Goering of National Conservative Deutsche Partei initiated the "Neue Ordnung" - a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms and regulations - to recover from the Great Depression. "Goering's Doctrine", coined during his premiership (1938-1955) established doctrine of a state supporting chosen industrial cartels, corporations and enterprises to make German Empire as independent as possible from external markets. With half of Africa under their reign and already big industrial potential, it was easier to be done than during pre-War years. New German man had to be serious, hard-working man in the massive collective united under the guiding hand of Kaiser and the Chancellor. New German woman was meant to be full-time housekeeper and mother raising patriotic and nationalist-minded children to serve the Kaiser and the Nation. Reichstag was to be elected in a technocratic suffrage - in German elections, voters were divided into three camps - First, Second and Third. First was composed from those with higher education and wealthy businessmen. Second was composed of adults over 30, with a clean criminal record (those who were never arrested for anti-government demonstrations or strikes) and a secondary education. Third represented rest of the society. In the new German state, there was no room for "all-time loud and provocative" distractions. Accelerating nationalism often clashed with rebellious youth - disillusioned with a failed economy, massive military spending and frozen political system of "old men", they often challenged Imperial policies. Soviet radio station "Radio Free Europe - Germany" broadcasted newest top songs that terrified parents, described "socialist paradise" of government created by the masses, told them that women were after all equal to men while Africans were the same people as Germans. As long as the government provided stabilization and economic development of the consumer goods industry, the majority of people were either supportive or at least were quiet about their political views while fearing socialist influence on their children. After all, who wanted to hear that their daughter was carrying a child from extramarital sexual relationship?

On 1981, first cracks began to be showing in the German sphere of influence. Poland had held a national referendum on the political future of the state. Poles, dissatisfied with the royal policies since the 1940s (when their country became increasingly depending on the German state) voted 67% to 33% to abolish the monarchy, end the authoritative monarchy system and create a democratic republic with universal suffrage. Provisional Government lifted the ban on communist, socialist, syndicalist and anarchist political parties, lowered the voting age to 18 and established diplomatic contacts with the Polish-Soviet Socialist Republic. For the first time in the history of a Cold War, the Iron Curtain was lifted between two countries. German reaction was swift and brutal - for the failure in keeping Europe away from the red menace, Imperial Army's garrisons in Poland began the march on Warsaw. The government ensured that any defeat will be costly for invaders - The Polish state dispersed thousands of rifles, anti-tank rocket propelled grenades, and petrol igniters (Bosnian cocktails) to the population of greater cities and the countryside. Committee for Defence of State dug trenches around Łódź and Warsaw, preparing for a battle. As a result, the German advance stalled. Since the Rheinsberg Nuclear Power Plant Catastrophe, military spendings were reverted for the clean-up, causing soldiers to less trained, less experienced and less equipped. During war, 12,000 Poles died, more than 100,000 were wounded, and major cities were heavily damaged by the German Air Force. As time passed, more and more German soldiers were killed. Those who survived were left with a heavy task of occupation directed against a hostile nation of 30 million people. the Kingdom of Poland was restored two years later, on January 14, 1983.

Impending economic and political crisis enforced a change of leadership in the German Empire. Gerhard Frey (1933-2013) became the youngest Prime Minister in the modern German history at the day of his inauguration on March 11, 1986, being only 53. He used Öffentlichkeit as a political slogan to limit censorship, liberalize arts, put in place more aspects of direct democracy with the "Umstrukturierung" as the economic restructurization of the economy - implementation of computerized control over state-owned enterprises, limiting bureaucratic waste, the introduction of a semi-democratic control over factories. To show preparedness of Imperial Germany to join the international community as a truly free state, Frey invited popular singer Billy Joel to perform there. Documentary film - "A Matter of Trust - Bridge to Germany" (also known as "A Matter of Trust - Bridge to Russia") containing parts of Joel's performance, his meetings with the younger generation of Germans and interviews was released six months later in a Soviet TV.
 
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Event: Rheinsberg Nuclear Disaster (1979)​

Since early 1940s, Imperial German government heavily invested into development of new technologies that could be useful for their military forces or heavy industry. State capitalist practices imposed by Hermann Goering's administration favoured energy and military industry at the cost of light industry. German nuclear projects - under one, organized military supervision - has produced the first nuclear reactors in the world - on September 2, 1946, Kaiser Wilhelm II went online in the Experimental Zone No. 3 in Fulda region. Six months later, Goering created the State Commission for Atomic Development to create good conditions towards adoption of nuclear energy by the German state. Under guiding hand of a commission, first nuclear power plant was established in Hamburg on January 14, 1949, quickly followed by similar projects in Munich, Kiel and Cologne. After Goering's death, government allowed industrial cartels to construct commercial nuclear power plants to relieve state's budget and encourage private investments. First of them, Liepzig Nuclear Power Plant was opened on September 2, 1958. Since then, 39 reactors have been built in 10 plants, elevating Germany to the position of leading world's producer of nuclear energy. But probably the most important of them, Rheinsberg Power Plant was commissioned on January 4, 1970 by the Adolf Hitler Technology Conglomerate - the wealthiest German corporation in the whole Empire[1]. First reactor in Rhaensberg was commissioned in 1970, second in 1972, third in 1975, fourth in 1978, construction of fourth was interrupted by disaster, that took place in third reactor on September 1, 1979. Disaster was caused by a catastrophic power increase resulting in core explosions and open-air fires. Radioactive materials and airborne isotopes were dispersed in Earth's atmosphere and surrounding land, completely destroying reactor and polluting neighbourhood.

Social impact on Germans was even greater. On September 2, 1979 - the Sedan's Day - the most important national holiday in whole Empire, as usual right-wing, conservative and moderate politicians organized massive demonstration in Berlin and smaller one in Potsdam - regarded as a second state's capital city. Nearly 500,000 people marched through the streets of Berlin just few hours after nuclear disaster only 90 kilometers from radioactive danger. In other cities - some of them closer to a power plant, people were celebrating outside their homes, organizing barbecues, festivals or firing fireworks. A day that was meant to be happy was in fact the worst of all. Due to initial inaction, people were informed too late about impending threat and were evacuated too late - radioactive particles carried by air already arrived in Berlin and caused mass panic about scientists in the Albert Einstein's Institute of Nuclear Technology. When a word leaked out, it created panic among celebrating people. After 36 hours of disaster, government imposed national emergency and ordered evacuation of endangered territories within 10 kilometers around failed reactor. 12 hours later, no-man zone was extended to a radius of 30 kilometers. Despite that, Imperial family was evacuated from Berlin as a top priority, leading to rumors about partial cover-up of situation. While Fersehen Kanal-1 dismissed disaster as mild malfunction, people were fleeing capital city in tens of thousands. Situation became even worse on 14:00 September 2, 1979. Prime Minister of Poland, Wojciech Jaruzelski[2] imposed martial law in the whole state, ordered evacuation of western districts, opened nuclear shelters for the civillian population and distributed Lugol's iodine among them. Those were, in fact standards for the nuclear war, not nuclear disaster. Major explanation about those events was given by Jaruzelski several years later when he described his distrust towards official news given to him by the German government. His decision fuelled anti-government organizations within Empire that felt to be cheated and lied about true consequences of Rheinsberg events. In fact, tenfold increase in DNA mutations has been identified in children of workers who tried to stop disaster. High doses of radiation were received by civillian population living in the neighbourhood - thing that would haunt next generations for many decades. Birth defects appeared in thousands of newborn children. spporters of Lebensborn selective breeding were horrified when they realized that even Lebensborners were giving births of genetically mutated children, which meant a total failure of the program to breed the new eugenic designed race. Similar developments crushed Scandinavian eugenic program that was already at its last legs before disaster. Some of those defects were identified as inheritable. In total, 250,000 abortion were requested as result of Rheinsberg radiophobia - most of them in the Soviet Union and Italy where abortion was legal and widely available since 1920s. Polish Soviet Socialist Republic - composed from western regions of a Soviet Union inhabitated by the Polish population - enforced National Emergency Act that opened borders for women from the Kingdom of Poland that wished to get abortion - thing illegal under all circumstances in Germany, Lithuania, Belgium and West Poland. On September 1, 1985 Soviet Union issued official demand to change German law to allow individual people to sue the government for losses sustained as a result of Rheisberg disaster. 1,000,000,000 of Soviet rubles were demanded but never paid. Clean-up already bankrupted state government of Germany, becoming a hole that sucked 30 billion German marks.

[1] Adolf Hitler Technology Conglomerate was established by Adolf Hitler in 1929 to produce computing devices. After gaining lucrative contract in the Imperial Navy to build modern radars, corporation rose to prominence and was recognized by Hermann Goering's administration as one of the vital cartels for national economy. Since then, they produce supercomputers, nuclear powers plants, funds biological and chemical research (both civillian and military). Founder of Conglomerate - Adolf Hitler - and his direct successor - Adolf Hitler II - were lifelong supporters of the Lebensborn project (including human cloning).

[2]Wojciech Jaruzelski - Chairman of the National Renaissance Patriotic Movement - an alliance of right-wing nationalists, conservatives, liberals and social democrats - that came to power after dismissal of Ryszard Kaczorowski to revive Polish economy after stagnation of 1970s. He took active steps to secure Polish independence and refused to allow greater German influence by legalizing both Polish Socialist Party and Communist Party of Poland.
 
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