Look to the West Volume V: To Dream Again

[Thande]

Thanks for the comments (and likes!) everyone. I still have trouble finding this thread without the Green Arrow Of Thande Threads, but oh well.

I would indeed like to see Alex apply his HRE-fu to the mess that is post-Jihad India...

Excited to see the aftermath of the Great Jihad, and happy to see my theory regarding the naming of Panchala appears to be correct thus far! Although two questions based on the news from the past two updates:

1) if Mozambique remained outside the Hermandad, what happened to Portuguese controlled East Africa (Zanzibar, et al)? I know it's been mentioned that there's a significant Persian influence there; Persian colony?

2) How does the Meridian hold on Nagasaki work with the Russo-Corean domination of Yapon?

Thanks for reminding me I need to mention Zanzibar. As for Yapon, it's just one corner based on inheriting the former Dutch control of Deshima/Dejima. This will be discussed a bit more not long from now.

 

[Makemakean]

Great update. I am very intrigued by the political developments in the United Provinces. You've taken the Gilded Age and put it on steroids, so to speak. I am also enjoying the alternate take on colonialism in this timeline, which, to me at least, is quite different from 19th colonialism and imperialism such as we know it. We're not really seeing any fanciful cries about the need to "civilize the savage peoples" or "building empire to bring glory and recognition to the mother country". Governments seem to be acting not out of a sense of deeply misguided and perverted sense of idealism or aggressive nationalism, but rather as ruthlessly pragmatic businesses playing a geopolitical game. It's all about strategical moves, increases in profits, cynical attitudes about winning votes, etc. That's quite novel.

 

[Thande]

Great update. I am very intrigued by the political developments in the United Provinces. You've taken the Gilded Age and put it on steroids, so to speak. I am also enjoying the alternate take on colonialism in this timeline, which, to me at least, is quite different from 19th colonialism and imperialism such as we know it. We're not really seeing any fanciful cries about the need to "civilize the savage peoples" or "building empire to bring glory and recognition to the mother country". Governments seem to be acting not out of a sense of deeply misguided and perverted sense of idealism or aggressive nationalism, but rather as ruthlessly pragmatic businesses playing a geopolitical game. It's all about strategical moves, increases in profits, cynical attitudes about winning votes, etc. That's quite novel.

Thanks very much. The International Settlement is a bit of an exception to this in that it does claim to have some high-minded ideals - but then, so did the Congo Free State in OTL...

 

[Abhakhazia]

Great update as ever, Thande. I agree with Makemakean's assessment of a Gilded Age on steroids in the UPSA, adding to my perception of the Meridians as the "imperialist side of the United States on steroids". Also a few more clues on the upcoming Societist world, always nice to see.

I think any cartography software trying to make it would burst into flames.

Nonsense, if we can map the Holy Roman Empire, we can map anything.

 

[traveller76]

It will be interesting to see what kind of India will emerge in the 20th Century.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

When confronted by a Portuguese officer about his actions, who told him ‘history will judge you’, Castro retorted

Heh.

 

[Knightmare]

Nonsense, if we can map the Holy Roman Empire, we can map anything.

I dunno, this is a considerably different subject....

 

[Petike]

Apparently, they are called Moravians. Just like Germans and Austrogermans, Bohemian Czechs and Moravian Czechs are now distinct, separate groups.

Dunno about the Czech lands in LTTW, but in OTL, Moravians are de facto distinct from Czechs as a nationality, even though they're very close due to many centuries of cohabitation in a single realm. Think of it as the standing of Mazovia within the Polish realm and so on. There was room left for a separate identity, but not one wholly politically independent from the shared polity.

It's more the terminology- a distinctly 'Bohemian' identity which emphasises German and grudgingly accepts Czech elements will not necessarily be considered in the same way by a text which is talking more about the specifically linguistic elements of the Kulturkampf on minority languages by an in TL source.

I see.

 

[Grand Prince Paul II.]

It is Belgian! Four years after I asked about Ceylon's fate, my question was answered.

And another hint that Japan will be Societist.

Is the International Settlement of Guntoor comparable with the OTL concessions of Tianjin?

 

[Faeelin]

The references to these free-ranging Meridian sailors is interesting, because it makes one wonder where are the Americans. There's a reason Yankee traders used to be a stereotype...

 

[Umbric Man]

The references to these free-ranging Meridian sailors is interesting, because it makes one wonder where are the Americans. There's a reason Yankee traders used to be a stereotype...

Read through the timeline, and you'll notice they had ample trade opportunities they took advantage of in Antipodea/Australia (eventually taking over the Anglo colonies in the western half of the continent), India (joining in the BEIC), Natal (joining in the Royal Africa Company, most prominently Philip Hamilton), and other British-helmed territories.

 

[Thande]

The references to these free-ranging Meridian sailors is interesting, because it makes one wonder where are the Americans. There's a reason Yankee traders used to be a stereotype...

They are there as well, it's just these writers don't talk about them as much for the same historiographic reason that (say) the backstories of 1910s Russian socialists in OTL get more attention than the backstories of their German counterparts--if it had been Germany that went Communist and not Russia thanks to a different WW1 outcome, the reverse would be true.

 

[1SaBy]

Well, if there is an area of the world which has been described in detail in this timeline which confuses me, it's India.

Enjoyed the update, but I'm gonna have to Nth the request for map for this one!

 

[red1]

@Thande What is the status of LGBT rights in this universe?

 

[Petike]

All right, I've updated everything I could concerning the last few chapters. Feel free to use the overview, in case you don't want to keep searching this thread for new updates.

 

[Indicus]

Poor, poor India, so far from God. This makes Britain seem benevolent in regards to India.

BTW, what's the state of Kashmir?

 

[Badshah]

I think any cartography software trying to make it would burst into flames.

You know, even India OTL would make a cartographer attempting to actually show the legal situation's head hurt. Those maps you see of the Marathas being here, and the Mughals there didn't at all show the true complicated nature of the Mughal system. And don't get me started on Company rule until 1858- a faithful map of that would be a headache like you wouldn't imagine.

 

[Thande]

Apologies to anyone who thought this was an update but I just thought I would let you know that I have (just about) finished editing Volume II for publication so that should come out on Sea Lion Press before too long - and I can now get back to doing new updates for Volume V.

(Improvements include 'not introducing characters to foreshadow later events which, when you finally get around to writing them a year later, you have forgotten those characters exist and never mention them again...')

Also I had forgotten how creepy the ending of Volume II is - I actually have to resolve that cliffhanger soon come to think of it, it's been a while...

 

[OwenM]

Apologies to anyone who thought this was an update but I just thought I would let you know that I have (just about) finished editing Volume II for publication so that should come out on Sea Lion Press before too long - and I can now get back to doing new updates for Volume V.

(Improvements include 'not introducing characters to foreshadow later events which, when you finally get around to writing them a year later, you have forgotten those characters exist and never mention them again...')

Also I had forgotten how creepy the ending of Volume II is - I actually have to resolve that cliffhanger soon come to think of it, it's been a while...

Is this the famous Spanish general?

 

[Petike]

All right, after several months of building up the resolve, I've decided to do it. I've long been stuck on update 23 and wanted to continue reading, but kept forgetting. A lot remains to catch up with. However, for the coming weeks and months, I'll try to read chapter after chapter of LTTW on a regular basis and then give my verdict. It's going to be difficult, but I need to try it.

Self-imposed challenge accepted. Wish me luck.