Riiight – Hi Gang
Here Goes – Hmmmm
Rider – “The Author does not necessarily believe in any of the Views or Opinions expressed in these articles – and furthermore, any things which the Author expresses a wish to achieve in this Fantasy Timeline, are only desirable from the point of view of the Timeline itself. The Author does not necessarily believe in these things as a necessarily ideal or desired situation in “the real world” or OTL”.
I am trying to get started on a TL
First of all, I know what I “want” it to be like in 1992 – and how things “should” go from 1992 up until 2006.
The POD for this Timeline is sometime in the mid-1980’s – or it may need to begin earlier is this is necessary for the evolution of this Timeline.
My own areas of knowledge or research have been in History ( not very modern ), Military History ( fairly recent ), Warfare ( including modern ) and Weapons ( including Modern ). I do not know much about Political History, Politics or Political Personages.
Now – I do not really know which Political Parties or Groups could evolve to embrace the Policies and form Governments which would create the Scenario or TL which I am working on. These would need to be in the U.K., the U.S.A., Germany and a number of other countries.
In my Scenario or TL, these Nations will all move towards policies of “protectionism”.
These Nations would together form a new joint Trading Alliance – which would create “trade barriers” around the group of Nations. This will include the U.K., the U.S.A. and Germany as principle movers – but it would grow to include most of Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and several other smaller Nations.
These policies of “protectionism” would comprise the limitation and control of the Import of Manufactured Goods, and certain Agricultural Products and Raw Materials – from Russia, Eastern Europe, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and China ( although China is a special case – see lower down ). This would include the removal of all Import Duties between the Members of the Trading Alliance
On the other hand, the Nations in the Trading alliance would provide financial and other support from the Governments for Home Manufacturing and Home Industries.
This would include the revitalising of Basic Home Industries - notably Steel Production, Coal Mining, home Oil Production, Shipbuilding.
In addition, there would be determined efforts to make a major reduction in the Imports of Oil and Oil Products from Nations outside of the Trade Alliance – along with major investment in alternative forms of energy and even new Industries to provide alternative types of Fuel. There would also be some additional State Investment in Home Production of Oil, where appropriate.
These Nations in the new Trading Alliance would all leave the EEC and also leave NATO.
A MAJOR FACTOR in World Affairs would be the Signing and Ratification of a new Instrument of International Law, called “The Prague Convention”, signed in Prague in 1992 and Ratified by nearly all Nations. This would be an Arms Limitation Treaty in many ways, with a number of other provisions. The most important single limitation is that it would include a COMPLETE BAN on the use of Nuclear Weapons, and an agreement to SCRAP All existing Nuclear Weapons by all of the Nuclear Powers. Other limiting factors would include an agreed maximum speed for All Aircraft, including Military Aircraft.
Riiight – You are almost certainly asking Why ???
By 1992 or a little later – the “Eastern” Nations of Russia, Eastern Europe, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan are getting VERY annoyed by the closing of their Export Markets in “The West”, which were formerly a very important part of their Exports and their Economies.
This leads to their belligerence to the Nations of “The West”, and heated verbal exchanges between the two “sides” – leading to the formation of opposing Alliances, which soon become formal Military Alliances.
Both “The West” and “The East” then begin a MAJOR Re-Armament – to an unprecedented extent, in an attempt to gain an equivalent destructive power in “conventional” Weapons, to that formerly possessed with Nuclear Weapons.
This Re-Armament become very extreme – and I will freely admit that this may be a bit of a “wank” or even a bit ASB, in that I doubt that the Economics of this degree of Re-Armament make much practical sense, still it IS meant to be for Fun.
OKAY – You are still asking WHY ???
Simple – A MAJOR Conventional War begins in 2006 – being a “Conventional” War between the two Alliances, a full World War. This could go on for quite a long time indeed.
This is where the “FUN” part comes in – because I have no idea who will win, how the War will go, or how it will be won. Except that it will NOT involve Nuclear weapons or the breaking of the other Terms of “The Prague Convention”.
My contribution to this – if it is a contribution. Well – I have been “planning” for this War since 1976. My principle areas of interest are Weapons, Equipment, Military Vehicles ( including A.F.Vs. and Armour ), Military aircraft and Warships – together with the Command Structure of the fully Integrated Western Alliance.
NOTE – I am actually a Pacifist by nature, and I have NEVER been involved in any kind of a fight. I would make a really bad War Leader, because I would hate to order people killed – and even more, I would be too cautious, in not wanting to risk the lives of my Troops.
Riiight – Gang – I would be interested in any Comments at all.
I try to remain even-tempered and I will treat all comments in a civilised manner.
I am well aware of my won weaknesses and weaknesses in knowledge.
A Final Note – believe it or not, I have been Writing on the Weapons and Equipment, etc. and the Command Structure for the last 30 Years, but with a few major gaps.
There is actually something like about 6,000 Pages of A4 Writings on this, which I have written.
I have also been doing Design Drawings of a few Major Warships.
My Professional Career has been as a Mechanical Design engineer, and as a Technical Author – so that that these things come easily to me, and I enjoy them.
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If Iwasn't so Stupid - I might know what I am doing