Sadly for the Kaiser, the German Empire was not an Autocracy... regardless of what the Anglo-Press likes to tell everyone in the wartime propaganda...
Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread II
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
>Shortsbelfast
>Irish
hehehHeHeHEMBWHAHAHAHA
Piece of free information. I'm Irish. Shorts is from Northern Ireland, but is more British (no offence Shorts but considering what I do know of you I think that's a fair guess).
Thank you, we do try our best.
Ulster Scot mainly with a small dash of Welsh. And I am Irish at least five or six times a year for major Rugby matches
Ulster Scot mainly with a small dash of Welsh. And I am Irish at least five or six times a year for major Rugby matches
But of course. It is that old un-aired Six Nations ad with respects to that aspect.
Lackofgravitas, and his brother dylanrefined. I actually linked the compilation thread for their stories some time back.
Part 89, Chapter 1392
Chapter One Thousand Three Hundred Ninety-Two
21st August 1960
Vladivostok, Russia
Politics.
Kiki had listened to her father complain about how politics were an absolute blight on his existence for her entire life, but she had not had that play out in a manner that had so directly affected her until now. The Americans had figured out that she was in Korea. While they had not told the Chinese that she was there, they had sent a U.S. Army Commendation Medal to the medical staff who had crossed the Yalu River to render aid to Chinese Soldiers. The Colonel who was in command of the 1st Special Forces Group had endorsed it and Generallieutenant Dietrich “Tilo” Schultz had been forced to award Far East Service Medals to the members of the 1st SFG in a reciprocal move. When the medals had arrived in Seoul, the one for Kiki had been for Officer Aspirant Kristina von Preussen and she had been given fifteen minutes to pack up and say her goodbyes before being shoved onto helicopter out of Korea. Most of the other personnel in the field hospital had been bewildered by having a Platoon of Sealions led by a General drop in on them unexpectedly and Kiki was left smarting as she was forced to leave early. She had liked what she was doing there.
Now Kiki was stuck in Vladivostok until transport back to Berlin could be arranged. Here in Russia, she was called Princess Kristina, and everyone seemed to know that the Czar was her cousin. The framed photograph of Georgy, Lidiya and Alexandra, as they called Gia here, with Georgy’s two sons on the wall behind the desk of the hotel had let her know the exact attitudes of the proprietors. She had done nothing but sleep for the first day but now on the second day she had gone to church for lack of anything better to do. That had been a bit of a mistake.
Her relationship with the Russian Orthodox Church was complicated. She associated it with her mother and childhood as opposed to any real belief, it was also something that she went to went she needed something familiar. That was why she had been there, wearing the blue dress uniform that she had thought nothing of wearing. The bronze medal on a green ribbon with white stripes and that odd “R” device attached was a new addition, one that she could thank Averell Harriman for. Fortunately, the Orthodox Church typically didn’t go for longwinded sermons. However, what the Bishop had said had been bad enough.
Vladivostok was a boom town. Raw materials were getting shipped out of Siberia and the Russian Far East through the port to the growing markets of the Pacific Rim. It was also the largest base of the Russian Pacific Fleet. Unlike during the Soviet Period when the city was an isolated backwater, it was a rapidly growing Urban Center and that was reflected in its growing cultural and financial importance. Vast fortunes were being made here and the sorts of problems that came from that, greed and corruption, were rampant.
The Bishop had pointed out that Kiki as an example to follow. He said that she had come from a life of wealth and privilege had turned her back on that to accept a life of service, helping those less fortunate using the gifts of intelligence and perseverance that God had given her. Kiki was left standing there with all eyes on her, feeling like a complete fraud. None of that mentioned her how her ambition had been what had driven her forward. Or how she had helplessly watched Beat Müller die, his injuries too great for all the learning that she or any of the Surgeons present to do anything about. On an intellectual level she understood that someone who had their body crushed in that manner would be difficult, if not impossible, to save with the resources that they had. That hardly made it easier. Father Lehmann had said that they win some and lose some, that was just how it was, and Kiki would need to accept that or else she should consider finding something else to do with her life. It was however noticeable that he had not disagreed with her when she had said that a nineteen-year-old shouldn’t die like that.
That was why Kiki was feeling completely despondent when she had made it back to the hotel. Again, she felt like all eyes were on her. She kept her eyes on the floor a few paces in front of her, she only needed to make it back to her room, then she could…
“Kiki?” A familiar voice asked.
Startled. She looked up and saw Zella, her face covered with grime everywhere that her goggles didn’t cover. That white helmet that she wore when she rode her motorcycle was under her arm.
“What are you doing here?” Kiki asked.
“I could ask you the same thing” Zella said.
Kiki wracked her brain. Zella was taking that trip with her father around the world and that would take her right through Vladivostok.
“You came from Berlin?” Kiki asked.
“You did too” Zella said, “Poppa went to go check us in and Momma is waiting in the bar where we’ve supposed to meet her.”
That was when Zella grabbed Kiki by the sleeve of her tunic and was pulling her towards the front desk.
“Poppa!” Zella called out, “Look who I found!”
21st August 1960
Vladivostok, Russia
Politics.
Kiki had listened to her father complain about how politics were an absolute blight on his existence for her entire life, but she had not had that play out in a manner that had so directly affected her until now. The Americans had figured out that she was in Korea. While they had not told the Chinese that she was there, they had sent a U.S. Army Commendation Medal to the medical staff who had crossed the Yalu River to render aid to Chinese Soldiers. The Colonel who was in command of the 1st Special Forces Group had endorsed it and Generallieutenant Dietrich “Tilo” Schultz had been forced to award Far East Service Medals to the members of the 1st SFG in a reciprocal move. When the medals had arrived in Seoul, the one for Kiki had been for Officer Aspirant Kristina von Preussen and she had been given fifteen minutes to pack up and say her goodbyes before being shoved onto helicopter out of Korea. Most of the other personnel in the field hospital had been bewildered by having a Platoon of Sealions led by a General drop in on them unexpectedly and Kiki was left smarting as she was forced to leave early. She had liked what she was doing there.
Now Kiki was stuck in Vladivostok until transport back to Berlin could be arranged. Here in Russia, she was called Princess Kristina, and everyone seemed to know that the Czar was her cousin. The framed photograph of Georgy, Lidiya and Alexandra, as they called Gia here, with Georgy’s two sons on the wall behind the desk of the hotel had let her know the exact attitudes of the proprietors. She had done nothing but sleep for the first day but now on the second day she had gone to church for lack of anything better to do. That had been a bit of a mistake.
Her relationship with the Russian Orthodox Church was complicated. She associated it with her mother and childhood as opposed to any real belief, it was also something that she went to went she needed something familiar. That was why she had been there, wearing the blue dress uniform that she had thought nothing of wearing. The bronze medal on a green ribbon with white stripes and that odd “R” device attached was a new addition, one that she could thank Averell Harriman for. Fortunately, the Orthodox Church typically didn’t go for longwinded sermons. However, what the Bishop had said had been bad enough.
Vladivostok was a boom town. Raw materials were getting shipped out of Siberia and the Russian Far East through the port to the growing markets of the Pacific Rim. It was also the largest base of the Russian Pacific Fleet. Unlike during the Soviet Period when the city was an isolated backwater, it was a rapidly growing Urban Center and that was reflected in its growing cultural and financial importance. Vast fortunes were being made here and the sorts of problems that came from that, greed and corruption, were rampant.
The Bishop had pointed out that Kiki as an example to follow. He said that she had come from a life of wealth and privilege had turned her back on that to accept a life of service, helping those less fortunate using the gifts of intelligence and perseverance that God had given her. Kiki was left standing there with all eyes on her, feeling like a complete fraud. None of that mentioned her how her ambition had been what had driven her forward. Or how she had helplessly watched Beat Müller die, his injuries too great for all the learning that she or any of the Surgeons present to do anything about. On an intellectual level she understood that someone who had their body crushed in that manner would be difficult, if not impossible, to save with the resources that they had. That hardly made it easier. Father Lehmann had said that they win some and lose some, that was just how it was, and Kiki would need to accept that or else she should consider finding something else to do with her life. It was however noticeable that he had not disagreed with her when she had said that a nineteen-year-old shouldn’t die like that.
That was why Kiki was feeling completely despondent when she had made it back to the hotel. Again, she felt like all eyes were on her. She kept her eyes on the floor a few paces in front of her, she only needed to make it back to her room, then she could…
“Kiki?” A familiar voice asked.
Startled. She looked up and saw Zella, her face covered with grime everywhere that her goggles didn’t cover. That white helmet that she wore when she rode her motorcycle was under her arm.
“What are you doing here?” Kiki asked.
“I could ask you the same thing” Zella said.
Kiki wracked her brain. Zella was taking that trip with her father around the world and that would take her right through Vladivostok.
“You came from Berlin?” Kiki asked.
“You did too” Zella said, “Poppa went to go check us in and Momma is waiting in the bar where we’ve supposed to meet her.”
That was when Zella grabbed Kiki by the sleeve of her tunic and was pulling her towards the front desk.
“Poppa!” Zella called out, “Look who I found!”
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So instead of Harleys being associated with the outlaw biker scene and the Hells Angels, here BMW motorcycles will be associated with bands of hard-nosed ex-servicemen that tour the countryside dispensing medicine and guidance for those in need? (And breaking the noses and legs of those less deserving)
And they will not be the servants of the Prince below, but angels in truth, bringing succour to those in need.
And they will not be the servants of the Prince below, but angels in truth, bringing succour to those in need.
Kiki should not be all that upset about leaving early, she was going to leave in a few days anyways.
The ACM to the Germans was a nice gesture but it should have coordinated with the German higher ups on the timing, so it is basically for the Americans it was Two Steps Forward, One Step Back on the diplomatic front.
Emil might remind Kiki that because she is an Imperial Princess, every time that she interacts with the military of another country she is going to get some kind of medal wether she thinks she deserves to or not, a case in point the medal that she is going to get from the Korean government is going to put every other award that she has received in the shade.
The ACM to the Germans was a nice gesture but it should have coordinated with the German higher ups on the timing, so it is basically for the Americans it was Two Steps Forward, One Step Back on the diplomatic front.
Emil might remind Kiki that because she is an Imperial Princess, every time that she interacts with the military of another country she is going to get some kind of medal wether she thinks she deserves to or not, a case in point the medal that she is going to get from the Korean government is going to put every other award that she has received in the shade.
Thank you, we do try our best.
Ulster Scot mainly with a small dash of Welsh. And I am Irish at least five or six times a year for major Rugby matches
Indeed. I support my team and anyone playing the English.
Oh Dear..... why, WHYYYY i just got the idea that Kiki will take the loooong road back to Berlin, if only to make groan her superiors?
Am I the only one who want's Kiki to ask Zella and Emil, "Got a spare bike?"
With the apparent end to the crisis there are going to be winners and losers in this.
Winners:
Korea for standing up to China and not backing down and making any meaningful concessions.
They also found out who they can rely on in the future and will reciprocate the next time.
Japan by showing that it is part of an international coalition has made strides in overcoming its pastt actions in the last war.
With the deployment of the IJA it has shown that in the aftermath of the IJA-IJN Civil War that it has become a professional military service firmly under civilian control, in the past some junior IJA officer would have taken action with no orders and attacked the Chinese on his own.
Vietnam by deploying troops to Korea has sent a message to China that just as it answered the call to help Korea it will not hesitate to call for help in case China decides to focus their attention on the long standing border dispute between Vietnam and China.
Germany by cementing relations with its allies in Asia will continue to sell arms and other goods to them and the JMS has shown the humanitarian side of Germany which goes a long way in projecting soft power in the region.
The United States has gained a potential large trading partner in China and a market for its arms industry, IOTL the United States was facing a large agricultural surplus and selling that to China will do wonders for the farmers in the Midwest.
Also American manufacturing can start opening plants and factories to make goods with much lower labor costs and ship them to America with little or no tariffs imposed on them to sell them at lower prices, so say goodbye to that textile plant in New England and to small electrical appliances factories in the Midwest.
China has won by not losing a war and it has gained a trading partner that will make massive investments in industry, it also will be able to import a lot of agricultural products at low prices with cheap loans made by the American government.
China has also identified the short comings in its armed forces and will be able modernize with the help of the Americans.
Losers:
China has lost by not winning a war against Korea and having to back down with little or no gain to show from its posturing.
Winners:
Korea for standing up to China and not backing down and making any meaningful concessions.
They also found out who they can rely on in the future and will reciprocate the next time.
Japan by showing that it is part of an international coalition has made strides in overcoming its pastt actions in the last war.
With the deployment of the IJA it has shown that in the aftermath of the IJA-IJN Civil War that it has become a professional military service firmly under civilian control, in the past some junior IJA officer would have taken action with no orders and attacked the Chinese on his own.
Vietnam by deploying troops to Korea has sent a message to China that just as it answered the call to help Korea it will not hesitate to call for help in case China decides to focus their attention on the long standing border dispute between Vietnam and China.
Germany by cementing relations with its allies in Asia will continue to sell arms and other goods to them and the JMS has shown the humanitarian side of Germany which goes a long way in projecting soft power in the region.
The United States has gained a potential large trading partner in China and a market for its arms industry, IOTL the United States was facing a large agricultural surplus and selling that to China will do wonders for the farmers in the Midwest.
Also American manufacturing can start opening plants and factories to make goods with much lower labor costs and ship them to America with little or no tariffs imposed on them to sell them at lower prices, so say goodbye to that textile plant in New England and to small electrical appliances factories in the Midwest.
China has won by not losing a war and it has gained a trading partner that will make massive investments in industry, it also will be able to import a lot of agricultural products at low prices with cheap loans made by the American government.
China has also identified the short comings in its armed forces and will be able modernize with the help of the Americans.
Losers:
China has lost by not winning a war against Korea and having to back down with little or no gain to show from its posturing.
First, the new plants get opened in China instead of within the US.
Then new plants are opened in China while old plants are closed in the US.
And finally plants in the US are shut down and shipped to China.
All of this sets up turning the industrial regions of the US into the Rust Belt.
Yeah, great long-term planning.
At first the Americans will be able to sell big ticket items to China then they will open the textile and small appliances factories over there, economics is not a Zero Sum Game in the long run both China and the United States will get richer.
The question for the American people is going to be are they willing to adapt to the new realities by investing in themselves?
This may be what the 1960 Presidential election is fought over.
Part 89, Chapter 1393
Chapter One Thousand Three Hundred Ninety-Three
24th August 1960
Seoul, Korea
Emil and Zella had left after Emil had arranged a flight on a cargo plane for himself and Zella along with their motorcycles. They were determined to go around the world but couldn’t ride across oceans. Skipping from Vladivostok to San Francisco was apparently fine and there was a Lufthansa fight leaving from New York that they would be on next week. That would get Zella back to University with not a moment to spare. The lorry and caravan that they had lived out of across Russia had been sold and the support team had train tickets back to Germany. Maria didn’t want to think about how much this trip was costing her and Emil. It had not been cheap. However, she had been able to secure publishing rights for a book based on Zella’s notes, photographs and the dispatches that she had been sending back to the Berliner. Maria’s hope was that would offset the cost somewhat. Still, Maria couldn’t complain too much. This trip had been Emil’s way of washing his hands of military, it was what he needed to do to get on with the rest of his life.
There was one photograph though that she knew that she would treasure forever once she saw in come out of the developers. It was of Zella and Kiki, on a rocky beach in the golden sunlight of the setting sun and wind off the ocean was whipping their hair around. Zella was wearing her leather jacket and Kiki was wearing the splinter pattern coat of the German military. They seemed to be taking a lot of joy in the presence of the other. Zella was laughing and Kiki was smiling. The photograph captured exactly who they were, they were so beautiful and full of life. Both of them wished that Aurora could have been there. That entire afternoon had been enjoyable, and Kiki had been able to forget all the things weighing on her for a little bit. The next morning reality had come crashing down on Kiki’s head when she had been called in to the German Consulate to be awarded the Far East Service Medal, once called the China Medal, it was awarded to members of the Military who had completed a term of service in the Far East. Kiki had tried to tell them that she had only been to Korea for a few weeks and that she did not deserve it. Emil had told her that duration wasn’t as important as the example that she had set while she was in the field, so she needed to stop making a fool of herself and take the damned medal. The look on Kiki’s face had suggested she had very seldom been talked to that way before.
Soon enough, Emil had arranged the flight and Maria got the impression that Kiki would have preferred to have gone with them. Instead Kiki had been asked if she would return to Korea so that she could be inducted into the Order of Military Merit by the Korean Government for her efforts on behalf of the Korean People and promotion of a peaceful resolution of the Chinese crisis. Kiki had asked Maria if she would accompany her. Something about the whole thing made Maria realize that Kiki was in over her head when it came to the wider implications of her actions and she needed help.
Maria wasn’t sure what exactly she could do for Kiki but she had known her since she was eleven so she felt she should try to do something. That took the form of Maria being present for Kiki, but she fell into her professional role as an observer of events. When the citation was read Kiki just listened to it, unsuccessful in her efforts to keep the incredulous look off her face and obviously wanting to be anywhere but there. The Korean Emperor had awarded her the medal, wanting to be seen as rewarding the daughter of a prominent ally, but he clearly didn’t want anything to do with this strange young woman who had come halfway around the world. Just not for the sort of recognition that she was receiving.
Maria recognized the pattern of behavior because she had watched someone else act that way over the previous two and a half decades. Do far more than is expected of you, even to the point of personal destruction. Don’t ask for recognition, ever. And most of all, never let today’s success overshadow yesterday’s failures. It was the direct influence of Kat Mischner, the woman who had played almost as large a role as Kiki’s own mother in shaping who she had become. Maria wished that Kiki would break free of that influence. That way of thinking had never made Kat happy and probably played a role in the black moods that Maria knew Kat fell into occasionally.
Once the medal had been awarded, Kiki respectfully bowed and thanked the Korean Emperor. All in perfect accordance with the Court etiquette here. Having an Imperial Princess represent the German Military did have its advantages. An uncouth Officer from the Marine Infantry would have made a total hash of that.
There was a bit of polite applause as Kiki walked towards where Maria waited. She was holding the framed citation and the new blue and white medal was pinned to the front of her tunic.
“I just want to go home and sleep in my own bed” Kiki said softly to Maria when she got close. It sounded like the best course of action for her right now from Maria’s perspective.
24th August 1960
Seoul, Korea
Emil and Zella had left after Emil had arranged a flight on a cargo plane for himself and Zella along with their motorcycles. They were determined to go around the world but couldn’t ride across oceans. Skipping from Vladivostok to San Francisco was apparently fine and there was a Lufthansa fight leaving from New York that they would be on next week. That would get Zella back to University with not a moment to spare. The lorry and caravan that they had lived out of across Russia had been sold and the support team had train tickets back to Germany. Maria didn’t want to think about how much this trip was costing her and Emil. It had not been cheap. However, she had been able to secure publishing rights for a book based on Zella’s notes, photographs and the dispatches that she had been sending back to the Berliner. Maria’s hope was that would offset the cost somewhat. Still, Maria couldn’t complain too much. This trip had been Emil’s way of washing his hands of military, it was what he needed to do to get on with the rest of his life.
There was one photograph though that she knew that she would treasure forever once she saw in come out of the developers. It was of Zella and Kiki, on a rocky beach in the golden sunlight of the setting sun and wind off the ocean was whipping their hair around. Zella was wearing her leather jacket and Kiki was wearing the splinter pattern coat of the German military. They seemed to be taking a lot of joy in the presence of the other. Zella was laughing and Kiki was smiling. The photograph captured exactly who they were, they were so beautiful and full of life. Both of them wished that Aurora could have been there. That entire afternoon had been enjoyable, and Kiki had been able to forget all the things weighing on her for a little bit. The next morning reality had come crashing down on Kiki’s head when she had been called in to the German Consulate to be awarded the Far East Service Medal, once called the China Medal, it was awarded to members of the Military who had completed a term of service in the Far East. Kiki had tried to tell them that she had only been to Korea for a few weeks and that she did not deserve it. Emil had told her that duration wasn’t as important as the example that she had set while she was in the field, so she needed to stop making a fool of herself and take the damned medal. The look on Kiki’s face had suggested she had very seldom been talked to that way before.
Soon enough, Emil had arranged the flight and Maria got the impression that Kiki would have preferred to have gone with them. Instead Kiki had been asked if she would return to Korea so that she could be inducted into the Order of Military Merit by the Korean Government for her efforts on behalf of the Korean People and promotion of a peaceful resolution of the Chinese crisis. Kiki had asked Maria if she would accompany her. Something about the whole thing made Maria realize that Kiki was in over her head when it came to the wider implications of her actions and she needed help.
Maria wasn’t sure what exactly she could do for Kiki but she had known her since she was eleven so she felt she should try to do something. That took the form of Maria being present for Kiki, but she fell into her professional role as an observer of events. When the citation was read Kiki just listened to it, unsuccessful in her efforts to keep the incredulous look off her face and obviously wanting to be anywhere but there. The Korean Emperor had awarded her the medal, wanting to be seen as rewarding the daughter of a prominent ally, but he clearly didn’t want anything to do with this strange young woman who had come halfway around the world. Just not for the sort of recognition that she was receiving.
Maria recognized the pattern of behavior because she had watched someone else act that way over the previous two and a half decades. Do far more than is expected of you, even to the point of personal destruction. Don’t ask for recognition, ever. And most of all, never let today’s success overshadow yesterday’s failures. It was the direct influence of Kat Mischner, the woman who had played almost as large a role as Kiki’s own mother in shaping who she had become. Maria wished that Kiki would break free of that influence. That way of thinking had never made Kat happy and probably played a role in the black moods that Maria knew Kat fell into occasionally.
Once the medal had been awarded, Kiki respectfully bowed and thanked the Korean Emperor. All in perfect accordance with the Court etiquette here. Having an Imperial Princess represent the German Military did have its advantages. An uncouth Officer from the Marine Infantry would have made a total hash of that.
There was a bit of polite applause as Kiki walked towards where Maria waited. She was holding the framed citation and the new blue and white medal was pinned to the front of her tunic.
“I just want to go home and sleep in my own bed” Kiki said softly to Maria when she got close. It sounded like the best course of action for her right now from Maria’s perspective.
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That would have meant either kissing her career bye-bye (she is in the military) or her principles (she'd have to call daddy for a special dispensation). Of course, it can be made not to seem that way for everyone else, but she'll know.
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Zella's book about her journey east is likely going to be a hit. Any narrative about just being a normal everywoman riding with her father is going to be slightly undermined by the whole meeting two princesses on the way though.
In any case it is going to do wonders for tourism for the places she visited. A shame about missing out on China. It might have made for a weird counterpoint of hippies traveling to the far east for enlightenment to see bikers going a similar way looking for freedom.
In any case it is going to do wonders for tourism for the places she visited. A shame about missing out on China. It might have made for a weird counterpoint of hippies traveling to the far east for enlightenment to see bikers going a similar way looking for freedom.
[Stoned American Hippy Voice]"It's the same thing man, the saaaame thing"...