Explain the AH Quote

[Yeiro]

"Quite an experience to live in fear, isn't it? That's what it is to be a slave." -John Brown

John Brown's words to General Jackson when he was captured after the "month of hell" where Jackson's troops were pursued by the Browns after their defeat in the battles of Atlanta.

"Instead of asking what religions are practiced in Iran, it is more efficient to ask which ones are not" popular Iranian joke

 

[jacob ningen]

John Brown's words to General Jackson when he was captured after the "month of hell" where Jackson's troops were pursued by the Browns after their defeat in the battles of Atlanta.

"Instead of asking what religions are practiced in Iran, it is more efficient to ask which ones are not" popular Iranian joke

Comment noting how after the miracle of the Bab was revealed the Qajar dynasty fell and was replaced by the Neo Safavid this dynasty decided to acquiesce to Bahaullah and allowed Babism to remain in Iran. The Safavids decided to test the sincerity of the Babism movements tolerance by allowing every religion to live in Iran given two conditions they keep the peace and pay taxes. This joke serves as a warning too, the ones which arent practiced like the Separatists caused too much discord.
"In one world Charles is forgotten by everyone who hasnt read Les Mis or Der Altneuland. In this world Josep is the forgotten fourier"

 

[CountDVB]

"In one world Charles is forgotten by everyone who hasnt read Les Mis or Der Altneuland. In this world Josep is the forgotten fourier"

The introduction to the third season premiere of Alternate History: Switched Roles. This show, airing on H2, discusses on the switching of roles and fame of various rulers or individuals throughout history, along with the circumstances leading up to it, all with some tongue-in-cheek humor. The Season three premiere was lampshading how Charles de Gaulle's leadership was viewed as rather secondary compared to FDR, Churchill and Stalin. However, here, the premiere shows us what of Josef (or rather Josep here) Stalin was the one who underwent this fate.

The causality here was a series of events that saw the war end quicker end in Europe and thus, leaving the Soviets with less bartering room. Rather than reaching Berlin, the Soviers were only able to reach the borders of Poland. Meanwhile, Stalin would be unable to join the Pacific front, though he allowed the Americans to use Russian ports. As such, many more Americans aided in liberating China and Korean from the Japanese before the atom bombs were dropped. Of course, the long fighting would lead to a domino effect of Mao dying as well as Kai-Shek, with the Chinese Democratic League uniting the pragmatic and moderate elements of the communists and nationalists to form a new government. Meanwhile, the sight of Japanese atrocities led to plenty of trials and restitution. The Japanese capitulated though to ensure fairness, they became the responsability of the British, with the Americans deciding to grow closer to Korea.

Supranational goals seemed further away in Europe as the British and French seemed to try to aid their failing empires. De Gaulle's lack of commitment influenced the British islands after all, as the British seemed to focus more on their Commonwealth. The United States, became somewhat embittered by this, would work on non-European allies. After all, they could afford to thanks to the Soviet Union growing more insular. Beyond the Chinese, the US would began enforcing more of its global influence, as seen with them assisting Mossadegh in Iran, them backing Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam to get them on their side and most of all... Hindustan. US intelligence would get involved in British affairs, resulting in the parition of India being avoided.

By the time of De Gaulle's passing, Europe was less economically united compared to our own time, though economic unions existed, such as between the Low Countries with Germany or the Poles' economic union with Czechoslovakia and Hungary. Over time, many come to blame De Gaulle's nationalist sentiments for leading to European being not as united along with denying France a chance for more influence. Outside of Europe though, other nations were doing well. The Chinese and Hindustani had taken the place of the British and French as global powers, with them having gone their own route of a mix of market socialism with some state control. The Americans meanwhile would undergo go their own progressive reforms as anti-communist rhetoric had died down thanks to the insular retreat of the Soviets. The Soviets themselves would maintain themselves thanks to this and not having much interest in the outside world until the 1970s and 1980s. The growing detente would see de-escalation of nuclear weapons. The Soviet Union itself would reform into the Confederation of Sovereign States after the Baltics would break out and peaceful revolutions saw change in Romania and Bulgaria.

"The success of Communist North Italy annoyed the United States, but not as bad as the revelation of the embezzlement of donations in South Italy, which was ruled by the mob in all but name."

 

[ClockworkDawn]

"The success of Communist North Italy annoyed the United States, but not as bad as the revelation of the embezzlement of donations in South Italy, which was ruled by the mob in all but name."

A quote from an Innertube video, summarizing the early United States reaction to the situation in Italy. The collapse of the German backed Italian Social Republic was in fact a disaster for both the Germans and the Western Allies: the Soviets rushed to provide aid to the Italians, smashing through German defenses in Austria and working with the Yugoslavian partisans to do so. The underground Italian Communist movement managed to seize control of the revolts, and the northern portion of the country. Rome was handed over to South Italy, but the countryside would fall under control of the communists and Rome became an exclave of the Republic of Italy, while the newly established Socialist Republic of Italy was headquartered in Florence.

The Italians were a little more distant from the Soviets, at least compared to their former axis-partners in the German Democratic Republic; with the Soviets having made it to the Rhine, the Germans were kept on a very, very short leash by Stalin. The Italians, by contrast, were actually closer with the Yugoslavs, Austrians, and Bulgarians in forming a quiet miniature alliance under the larger Soviet umbrella. The Italians were genuinely democratic and managed to resurrect industry in the area, becoming an economic powerhouse all their own (though certain leftist thinkers would decry their methods as downright capitalistic).

By contrast, the Republic of Italy (official capital at Rome, in reality it was in Naples) was a bit of a disaster. Though the south had been little damaged in the war, they were hopelessly corrupt: more than any other country, United States reconstruction funds were often embezzled, and Fascists escaped justice more than anywhere else. The connections to the Mafia families only expanded after the war, with South Italy becoming more and more of a haven for crime in the Med. The expected brain drain from the North that may have bolstered the South's fortunes did not come to pass, many intellectuals simply moving on the US or Australia.

This entirely was exposed in 1962, when the assassination of the President's brother and Attorney General, Robert F. Kennedy, was carried out on the orders of a prominent Mafioso for daring to pursue their organization in New York. When the rifle that carried out the hit was revealed to have come from a South Italian armory, it was exposed that South Italy had been running guns, drugs, and other contraband back and forth across the Atlantic.

America essentially intervened in the South Italian crime situation, though officially only there to support the local police, and essentially occupied the country for the rest of John F. Kennedy's presidency. Meanwhile, North Italy quietly prospered, becoming one of the richest countries in Europe and with some of the most productive factories. The fact that many South Italians were actually crossing the border to the north was immensely embarrassing for the West.

"Turns out, cowboys make pretty good communists!"

 

[DeltaEnterprise252]

A quote from an Innertube video, summarizing the early United States reaction to the situation in Italy. The collapse of the German backed Italian Social Republic was in fact a disaster for both the Germans and the Western Allies: the Soviets rushed to provide aid to the Italians, smashing through German defenses in Austria and working with the Yugoslavian partisans to do so. The underground Italian Communist movement managed to seize control of the revolts, and the northern portion of the country. Rome was handed over to South Italy, but the countryside would fall under control of the communists and Rome became an exclave of the Republic of Italy, while the newly established Socialist Republic of Italy was headquartered in Florence.

The Italians were a little more distant from the Soviets, at least compared to their former axis-partners in the German Democratic Republic; with the Soviets having made it to the Rhine, the Germans were kept on a very, very short leash by Stalin. The Italians, by contrast, were actually closer with the Yugoslavs, Austrians, and Bulgarians in forming a quiet miniature alliance under the larger Soviet umbrella. The Italians were genuinely democratic and managed to resurrect industry in the area, becoming an economic powerhouse all their own (though certain leftist thinkers would decry their methods as downright capitalistic).

By contrast, the Republic of Italy (official capital at Rome, in reality it was in Naples) was a bit of a disaster. Though the south had been little damaged in the war, they were hopelessly corrupt: more than any other country, United States reconstruction funds were often embezzled, and Fascists escaped justice more than anywhere else. The connections to the Mafia families only expanded after the war, with South Italy becoming more and more of a haven for crime in the Med. The expected brain drain from the North that may have bolstered the South's fortunes did not come to pass, many intellectuals simply moving on the US or Australia.

This entirely was exposed in 1962, when the assassination of the President's brother and Attorney General, Robert F. Kennedy, was carried out on the orders of a prominent Mafioso for daring to pursue their organization in New York. When the rifle that carried out the hit was revealed to have come from a South Italian armory, it was exposed that South Italy had been running guns, drugs, and other contraband back and forth across the Atlantic.

America essentially intervened in the South Italian crime situation, though officially only there to support the local police, and essentially occupied the country for the rest of John F. Kennedy's presidency. Meanwhile, North Italy quietly prospered, becoming one of the richest countries in Europe and with some of the most productive factories. The fact that many South Italians were actually crossing the border to the north was immensely embarrassing for the West.

"Turns out, cowboys make pretty good communists!"

A quote explaining how Texas became communists. The lack of control of the frontier led many cowboys to form communes which when influenced by Karl Marx gradually led to them adopting communism.

" These two nations were separated at birth. Both were settler-colonial states but while one redeemed itself from the sins of genocide against the natives and adopted peoples all over the world, the other embraced it became a ruthless expanding genocidal state that enslaved and annihilated all those who chose to resist."

 

[CountDVB]

" These two nations were separated at birth. Both were settler-colonial states but while one redeemed itself from the sins of genocide against the natives and adopted peoples all over the world, the other embraced it became a ruthless expanding genocidal state that enslaved and annihilated all those who chose to resist."

A statement regarding the compare and contrast between the United States of America and the former Draka Empire. Both of thm were settler-colonial states born from English influence, but would take on very different paths. Some believed this started during th America's colonial days, where some last mintue decisions led to a large influx of Quakers arriving over into Americans, where they would butt heads with the Puritans. The Puritans would begin leaving, with them ending up over on a new colony over on a new continent in the South Pacific, which would be called the Drake Colony, named after Sir Francis Drake.

This decision would begin the very different paths since then. The Quakers would have a prominent on American culture and society, leading to greater sympathy to the natives and even making amends to them after the founding of the United States of America. This would lead to a culturally open and progressive nation for them. And the opposite could occur over for the Drake Colony. More and more settlers, traditionally those escaping political conflicts, would end up over in the Drake Colony. This boom would occur over during the revolutions of Latin America, where many of the wealthy and powerful fled to there, leading to the Draka State. Ruled by a neo-aristocratic class, they became some of the most feared people for their campaigns of slavery and terror on the Aboriginal people (who fled further into the heartland.)

They would become the Draka Empire when they would offer the crown to the Carlists and become their own nation state. They were viewed as rather odd to say the least. Their cultural isolation and struggle with the land led to the rise of niche ideals, such as creating their own language in Drakan (a weird amalgamtion of Latin, English and later German) along with a state religion combining Puritan beliefs and the stucture of the Catholic Church. They would become increasingly infamous for the importing of many slaves from the island of Papua up above and their growing piracy over in the East Indies. Their attempts to take the former Dominion of New Zealand (now the Republic of Aotearoa) and failures would lead to them warring against the Dutch to try and claim the Indies while also the Philippines. This led to horrific slaughter as more than a few cultures were practically enslaved or killed in the region though their distance made dealing with them very difficult.

They would meet their end in the Great War. They would end up being invaded by the British and the Americans in one of the bloodiest campaigns ever there. This would also coincide with various revolutions in their domains, such as the Nusantaran Revoluton. The island itself would be also invaded as the Aboriginal people would aid the Americans in finally ending the Draka. However, the Draka Empire would commit one final atrocity. Having preached a dark form of Social Darwinism, the ruling class would try killing off their own people to save their skin. Many Draka citizens would meet their end through famine or the like, horrifying their enemies. Eventually, the leadership would be captured, tried and executed as one of the first actions of the newly formed League of Nations. From the ashes of the Draka came the new Commonwealth of Ulimaroa, formed by the Aboriginals, the freed Melanesian and the remaining citizens. This led also to the Drakan diaspora as many deserting Drakan soldiers or so on would spread to various places, including changing their names to avoid being found. Drakan culture would be lost by a couple of generations due to the growing assimilation of the survivors into the Aboriginals and the Ulima-Melanesians cultures. The Commonwealth of Ulimaroa has been rebuilding from its dark past, seen as the pinnacle of the brutality of colonialism.

"Bulgarian-Arabian relations are very close. The foundations of this began when Bulgaria switched to the Entente duing World War I and invaded Thrace for Istanbul while supporting the Hashemite-led Arab Revolt, with both operations being successful."

 

[mr morbius]

"Bulgarian-Arabian relations are very close. The foundations of this began when Bulgaria switched to the Entente duing World War I and invaded Thrace for Istanbul while supporting the Hashemite-led Arab Revolt, with both operations being successful."

Quote by a Bulgarian Conservative Politicianfrom the documentary ,,An Unbreakable Bond" regarding Bulgarian-Arabic relations. The two states have always remained close, from their joint involvement in WW1 to their cooperation in the European War of '37 to their alliance durring the Second World War (1950 - 1957).


Next : ,,And so, we have crossed the Rubicon. Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus." - Presidency of Joeseph K. McKinley Jr., 2984 - 2988

 

[jacob ningen]

Quote by a Bulgarian Conservative Politicianfrom the documentary ,,An Unbreakable Bond" regarding Bulgarian-Arabic relations. The two states have always remained close, from their joint involvement in WW1 to their cooperation in the European War of '37 to their alliance durring the Second World War (1950 - 1957).


Next : ,,And so, we have crossed the Rubicon. Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus." - Presidency of Joeseph K. McKinley Jr., 2984 - 2988

Joseph Mckinley realizing that the last steps towards the Wachowski movies becoming a reality had finally occurred. Thus with a resigned awareness of how the system had led to that point and what would follow he paraphrases Benjamin in Art in the age of Mechanical Reproduction.

"Dodgson's voting method has served only one purpose to preserve FPTP. The Tories need only say Oxfordshire and voting reform dies" Juan Linz 2020: Why case studies make bad theory.

 

[mr morbius]

Joseph Mckinley realizing that the last steps towards the Wachowski movies becoming a reality had finally occurred. Thus with a resigned awareness of how the system had led to that point and what would follow he paraphrases Benjamin in Art in the age of Mechanical Reproduction.

jesse what the fuck are you talking about

 

[jacob ningen]

jesse what the fuck are you talking about

ie the last pre-Matrix president.

 

[MultiplePOD]

"Dodgson's voting method has served only one purpose to preserve FPTP. The Tories need only say Oxfordshire and voting reform dies" Juan Linz 2020: Why case studies make bad theory.

Dodgson, an Oxfordshire MP, spearheaded an effort to change Britain's FPTP voting system to a "give Oxfordshire all of the MPs" system. He was able to implement it somehow, but every party is against it, and so are the people of Oxford. This won't last very long will it.

"That's my watch and not my mouth!"

 

[ClockworkDawn]

"That's my watch and not my mouth!"

The chorus of an unreleased Beatles song entitled "Watch What?" The song was leaked in 1997 after a demo recording was discovered among some artifacts from the group's early days. George Harrison was the only former Beatle to respond when asked about the song, calling it "...something that really shouldn't have seen the light of day," and also stating it was "...a bit crap, pardon my language" when interviewed that year on BBC Radio 1.

"I'm not presidential enough? How about I tell you to go f*** yourself, how's the for presidential?"

 

[imperiusdamian]

"I'm not presidential enough? How about I tell you to go f*** yourself, how's the for presidential?"

As he ran for reelection in 2008, President Al Gore was up against Republican candidate Donald Trump in the first Presidential debate. This was his reaction when his opponent called him a "wishy washy fake liberal" who had "never acted Presidential a day in his life".
He won his second term in a landslide victory.

"The day I surrender my forces to you, Ptolemy Caesarion, is the day I am no longer Roman. Pompey Magnus does not surrender!"

 

[czareason]

"The day I surrender my forces to you, Ptolemy Caesarion, is the day I am no longer Roman. Pompey Magnus does not surrender!"

A quote from Roman counsel Pompey Magnus aka Pompey the Great. He was speaking to Egyptian Pharoh Ptolemy XV Caesar aka Caesarion. It was made before the battle of Athens in 20 B.C. Pompey had previously been defeated by the Pharoh's father Julius Ceasar and forced into exile in Germany. He only returned after Caesar's assassination on March 15, 40 B.C. The anti-Caesar faction gave him an army which he used to crush Mark Anthony and Ceasar's heir Octavius. Then Pompey retired and watched the republic weaken due to infighting before being recalled and elected counsel. On the day of the battle Pompey was fighting to save the Roman Republic from Ceasar's son. He would fail and the New Egyptian Empire would be born.

"Dear King Edward, my cousin, I thank you for supporting my election as Kaiser and for attending my coronation with your fiancé Lady Wallis Simpson. I am writing to warn you of a plot to remove you from the British throne by forcing you to abdicate. The conspirators appear to have support in your government, France, and shockingly the United States of America".

 

[imperiusdamian]

A quote from Roman counsel Pompey Magnus aka Pompey the Great. He was speaking to Egyptian Pharoh Ptolemy XV Caesar aka Caesarion. It was made before the battle of Athens in 20 B.C. Pompey had previously been defeated by the Pharoh's father Julius Ceasar and forced into exile in Germany. He only returned after Caesar's assassination on March 15, 40 B.C. The anti-Caesar faction gave him an army which he used to crush Mark Anthony and Ceasar's heir Octavius. Then Pompey retired and watched the republic weaken due to infighting before being recalled and elected counsel. On the day of the battle Pompey was fighting to save the Roman Republic from Ceasar's son. He would fail and the New Egyptian Empire would be born.

Off topic for the thread but I would read this TL!

 

[jacob ningen]

A quote from Roman counsel Pompey Magnus aka Pompey the Great. He was speaking to Egyptian Pharoh Ptolemy XV Caesar aka Caesarion. It was made before the battle of Athens in 20 B.C. Pompey had previously been defeated by the Pharoh's father Julius Ceasar and forced into exile in Germany. He only returned after Caesar's assassination on March 15, 40 B.C. The anti-Caesar faction gave him an army which he used to crush Mark Anthony and Ceasar's heir Octavius. Then Pompey retired and watched the republic weaken due to infighting before being recalled and elected counsel. On the day of the battle Pompey was fighting to save the Roman Republic from Ceasar's son. He would fail and the New Egyptian Empire would be born.

"Dear King Edward, my cousin, I thank you for supporting my election as Kaiser and for attending my coronation with your fiancé Lady Wallis Simpson. I am writing to warn you of a plot to remove you from the British throne by forcing you to abdicate. The conspirators appear to have support in your government, France, and shockingly the United States of America".

A telegram from Kaiser Wilhelm the Second to Edward VIII on the eve of his marriage to Wallis Simpson. This warned Edward of the plot of Britain and France to remove him. Everyone preferred Bertie to David and especially Elizabeth. The involvement of the US was shocking due to the isolationist nature of the United States at the time but those conspirators wished to ensure that Edward didnt try to reconquer the colonies. The plot failed due to Edward shockingly for once in his life understanding how to bend the knee and outmaneuver his opponents. However, preventing the plot spent all his political capital and he became a puppet king for the rest of his life.
"I dont care if Reiner and Goldman have Inigo live, Im making this historically accurate to Florinese history like King directed me to and that means Inigo dies."

 

[dokidokiboy]

"I dont care if Reiner and Goldman have Inigo live, Im making this historically accurate to Florinese history like King directed me to and that means Inigo dies."

Many of the adaptations of the Florienese Years of Lead play to film have mob boss Antinio Inigo survive his assessination attempt. However in an interview with Cinematics magazine in 2005, Iacopone Bernero, the 2006 film's scriptwriter, stated he was directed by director Antonio King to maintain a degre of historicl accuracy - explaining why the film has Inigo die as in real life.

"Although Super Mario Bros. was a smash hit for Nintendo, it would also be something of a one-hit wonder. Four months after the game's release Nintendo would be caught in a corruption scandal turned murder investigation that would end up getting the Nintendo leadership arrested for yakuza ties and the entire company destroyed - scuppering any plans for a potential sequel."

 

[John Spangler]

"Although Super Mario Bros. was a smash hit for Nintendo, it would also be something of a one-hit wonder. Four months after the game's release Nintendo would be caught in a corruption scandal turned murder investigation that would end up getting the Nintendo leadership arrested for yakuza ties and the entire company destroyed - scuppering any plans for a potential sequel."

From "Pixel Wonders", a 2010 documentary about the history of videogames. The above quote mentions the rise and fall of Nintendo. After the destruction of the company, the copies of Super Mario Bros that had already been sold became instant treasures for collectors all over the world, with a few reaching a value of 10k dollars.

"I'm afraid that Power Girl is the only member of the Justice League that actually has to die. There's no other way."

 

[farmerted555]

"I'm afraid that Power Girl is the only member of the Justice League that actually has to die. There's no other way."

Overheard during a meeting between Warner Bros. executives and director Zack Snyder before principal photography began for Justice League 2. Snyder's original plan was for most of the league die battling Darkseid and the armies, but the execs (for some Godforsaken reason) insisted Power Girl and only Power Girl to kick the bucket. After several hours of heated arguments (and a fistfight between Snyder and CEO David Zaslav that left the latter with a broken nose), they agreed to a compromise: Superman and Batman die in the final battle, Wonder Woman brings in Amazon reinforcements from Themyscira, and Power Girl becomes the League's new leader. Because of this, JL2 became the highest grossing film of 2025, earning a staggering $3.8 billion domestic box office take.

"You address me by my proper title, ya little bollocks!"

 

[Chillvillain]

"You address me by my proper title, ya little bollocks!"

The quote comes from a televised adaptation of the novel, Lord of Crocodiles. Like the original book, the story follows a boatswain, Marco Alvarez, from the doomed voyage of Christopher Columbus who ends up being captured by the Empire of the Orange Blossom and having to survive and thrive in this new country. In the scene, Alvarez is having a testy exchange with God-wrestler Ookachakee, a concept that Alvarez thinks is absurd, and the two end up getting into an actual fight. In the English dub, the scene was ruined by an out of nowhere decision to have the God-wrestler ham it up in a thick West Country accent, which quickly became a meme.

"The more ill-conceived the plan the greater its likelihood of success."