The first rule of the Manila gang is: nobody talks about the Manila gang
The Sun, The Stars and The Sickle: Alt-WWII and a Tripolar Postwar World
- Thread starter WaterproofPotatoes
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Well Marcos is the Kid that was in Oceans 11. I'm having problems matching the others up with the appropriate Oceans 11 characters, any ideas?I want to see them team up . So they can rob a casino together.
Now all I can see is Douglas MacArthur in a tuxedo, with sunglasses and a corncob pipe.
This gang would not make very good bank robbers, their cover would be blown in seconds. Bonus if LeMay's cigars set off the sprinkler system, even after they use Patton's shiny helmet to reflect the laser beams...
Spring 1942 Vignettes
On May 9th, 1942...
---
The office of the Special Bureau for Indian Affairs
Berlin, National Socialist Germany
8:32 AM
ADAM Von Trott Zu Solz locked the door carefully behind him. Subhas Chandra Bose was meeting with Himmler again, so at last he had a chance to hold the meeting. In the small room sat Admiral Wilhelm Canaris of the Abwehr, and Graf Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg, a staff colonel serving with Army Group A, on leave before the spring offensive started.
"At last, the Fakir (Bose) is gone for a while, so we can discuss the matters at hand" began Trott zu Solz. "The situation... "
"Is worse than they let on" said Canaris glumly "Moscow...the battle for it... dealt us a harder blow than anyone will admit. The Führer's insistence on a broad front advance is foolhardy while units are still understrength. Stalin still gets his supplies from Arkhangelsk uninterrupted. The British send heavily-escorted convoys, and the Americans escort them too. They even send aircraft carriers, or at least merchant ships with decks on them. Murmansk is useless now, the facilities are still too damaged to sustain submarine operations and the new pens are not yet being built. Leningrad has not cracked either. The war is far from lost, but far from won."
"Something" said Stauffenberg "must be done. They massacre the Jews, they engage in unconscionable criminal acts, and they must be stopped".
"Indeed" said Trott zu Solz. "Is there anyone else who you know we can trust? Your General Rommel perhaps?"
"No." said Stauffenberg "Rommel, or shall we say, 'The Arctic Fox" as he rolled his eyes "is far too great an opportunist for that. He will moan about the SS, but when one mentions a birthday present or waves a field marshal's baton under his nose, he remembers that he is an ardent Party member and friend of the Führer"
"So, we can discount him?" asked a disappointed Trott zu Solz
"Not yet" replied Stauffenberg. "If the Arctic Fox's reputation is tarnished, then he will be more receptive. If it's not too late, that is..."
---
Dijon, Occupied France
3:12 AM
FLAMBÉ DIJONNAIS was the word...
At long last, the sadistic local Gestapo chief had met his end at the hands of the Résistance. A firebomb was lobbed at Klaus Barbie's residence, and claimed its intended target. There would certainly be reprisals, but he had to go.
In the words of the late Marshal Pétain, "On les aura!"
---
Municipal Building
Singapore, British Malaya
7:16 AM
NONE had slept well the night before, but today's urgent meeting had to go ahead. The defence of Malaya became even more urgent as Li's armies crossed the Burmese-Thai border.
Thai Marshal Plaek Philbunsongkhram had given permission far too late for Allied forces to enter Thailand, hoping against all odds the Chinese advance would halt. It did not, and now it depended on Allied land forces in Malaya to stop them. The Allies, however, had their navies to aid in the defence. By some miracle, Sommerville was able to persusde King to commit ships to the fight, even if only to upstage the Royal Navy.
King's powerful task force was centred around the battleships USS North Carolina, Montana, Ohio and the recently-reconstructed California, and the carriers Scorpion, Ranger, Yorktown and Enterprise. Their screening cruisers were even ordered to get up close and drop 8" shells on anything that moved and had a KMT Sun on it. Not to be outdone, Philipps and Yamaguchi ordered additional valuable fast units into the fight, including HM Ships Prince of Wales, Hood and Ark Royal; HIJM Ships Akagi, Shokaku and Hiei likewise.
However, the ships' guns and planes would only slow, not entirely stop the advance. The task fell to the Allied generals. The ranking officer was General Yamashita, accompanied by now Lieutenant Generals Kuribayashi and Isogai. British General Percival had under his command Lieutenant General Montgomery, Major General Merton "Becky" Beckworth-Smith, Australian Major General Gordon Bennett, and New Zealander Major General Bernard "Tiny" Freyberg.
The effort was truly multinational. Malays, Britons, Japanese, Australians, New Zealanders white and Maori, Gurkhas, Indians, Taiwanese Tribal Peoples, Kenyans, Ugandans, and, diverted at the last minute en route for China, even a battalion of French Canadians made up the Allied forces, united by common purpose.
The news of the advance into Thailand was grim, but not entirely unexpected. Freyberg and Kuribayashi seemed as calm as ever, and Becky was eager to finally see some action. Monty... was Monty, which was a small measure of relief to Percival. The defeat hadn't gone to his head. The real worry was Bennett, who seemed very nervous about the battle to come. The news that "Piggy" Heath's forces would not be dispatched from India now did nothing to help.
The Allies would make their first stand in the defence of Malaya at Kota Bharu, near the Thai border. While the Allies had more and better artillery, aircraft and knowledge of the terrain, Li still held the numerical advantage in men, and likely still tanks.
This had Bennett quite worried- he had been tasked with the defence of the reservoirs that supplied Singapore's water. Much was riding on him, as Australia had
made an outsized contribution to the war effort considering her population. A mass surrender would be disastrous. He inquired of Percival as to what the plans for escape were, should the defence fail.
"Mister Bennett, should the issue arise" said an agitated Percival "evacuation to the Dutch East Indies or to Sarawak will be arranged, but it will not be necessary". The last part was particularly emphasized by Percival
"Have arrangements not already been made?" asked a surprised Bennett
"Mister Bennett, as I have already expl-" began an exasperated Percival before being interrupted by Yamashita.
"Shut up!" bellowed Yamashita, in English. "I don't want to hear it! All I want to hear is whether you will stand and fight!" Yamashita banged his fist on the table , staring straight at Bennett as the room looked on, shocked. "Yes or no!"
"Yes!" replied a newly-invigorated Bennett. "Dammit, yes we will!"
It was at that moment, it is said, that Gordon Bennett discovered his inner Ned Kelly...
---
The office of the Special Bureau for Indian Affairs
Berlin, National Socialist Germany
8:32 AM
ADAM Von Trott Zu Solz locked the door carefully behind him. Subhas Chandra Bose was meeting with Himmler again, so at last he had a chance to hold the meeting. In the small room sat Admiral Wilhelm Canaris of the Abwehr, and Graf Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg, a staff colonel serving with Army Group A, on leave before the spring offensive started.
"At last, the Fakir (Bose) is gone for a while, so we can discuss the matters at hand" began Trott zu Solz. "The situation... "
"Is worse than they let on" said Canaris glumly "Moscow...the battle for it... dealt us a harder blow than anyone will admit. The Führer's insistence on a broad front advance is foolhardy while units are still understrength. Stalin still gets his supplies from Arkhangelsk uninterrupted. The British send heavily-escorted convoys, and the Americans escort them too. They even send aircraft carriers, or at least merchant ships with decks on them. Murmansk is useless now, the facilities are still too damaged to sustain submarine operations and the new pens are not yet being built. Leningrad has not cracked either. The war is far from lost, but far from won."
"Something" said Stauffenberg "must be done. They massacre the Jews, they engage in unconscionable criminal acts, and they must be stopped".
"Indeed" said Trott zu Solz. "Is there anyone else who you know we can trust? Your General Rommel perhaps?"
"No." said Stauffenberg "Rommel, or shall we say, 'The Arctic Fox" as he rolled his eyes "is far too great an opportunist for that. He will moan about the SS, but when one mentions a birthday present or waves a field marshal's baton under his nose, he remembers that he is an ardent Party member and friend of the Führer"
"So, we can discount him?" asked a disappointed Trott zu Solz
"Not yet" replied Stauffenberg. "If the Arctic Fox's reputation is tarnished, then he will be more receptive. If it's not too late, that is..."
---
Dijon, Occupied France
3:12 AM
FLAMBÉ DIJONNAIS was the word...
At long last, the sadistic local Gestapo chief had met his end at the hands of the Résistance. A firebomb was lobbed at Klaus Barbie's residence, and claimed its intended target. There would certainly be reprisals, but he had to go.
In the words of the late Marshal Pétain, "On les aura!"
---
Municipal Building
Singapore, British Malaya
7:16 AM
NONE had slept well the night before, but today's urgent meeting had to go ahead. The defence of Malaya became even more urgent as Li's armies crossed the Burmese-Thai border.
Thai Marshal Plaek Philbunsongkhram had given permission far too late for Allied forces to enter Thailand, hoping against all odds the Chinese advance would halt. It did not, and now it depended on Allied land forces in Malaya to stop them. The Allies, however, had their navies to aid in the defence. By some miracle, Sommerville was able to persusde King to commit ships to the fight, even if only to upstage the Royal Navy.
King's powerful task force was centred around the battleships USS North Carolina, Montana, Ohio and the recently-reconstructed California, and the carriers Scorpion, Ranger, Yorktown and Enterprise. Their screening cruisers were even ordered to get up close and drop 8" shells on anything that moved and had a KMT Sun on it. Not to be outdone, Philipps and Yamaguchi ordered additional valuable fast units into the fight, including HM Ships Prince of Wales, Hood and Ark Royal; HIJM Ships Akagi, Shokaku and Hiei likewise.
However, the ships' guns and planes would only slow, not entirely stop the advance. The task fell to the Allied generals. The ranking officer was General Yamashita, accompanied by now Lieutenant Generals Kuribayashi and Isogai. British General Percival had under his command Lieutenant General Montgomery, Major General Merton "Becky" Beckworth-Smith, Australian Major General Gordon Bennett, and New Zealander Major General Bernard "Tiny" Freyberg.
The effort was truly multinational. Malays, Britons, Japanese, Australians, New Zealanders white and Maori, Gurkhas, Indians, Taiwanese Tribal Peoples, Kenyans, Ugandans, and, diverted at the last minute en route for China, even a battalion of French Canadians made up the Allied forces, united by common purpose.
The news of the advance into Thailand was grim, but not entirely unexpected. Freyberg and Kuribayashi seemed as calm as ever, and Becky was eager to finally see some action. Monty... was Monty, which was a small measure of relief to Percival. The defeat hadn't gone to his head. The real worry was Bennett, who seemed very nervous about the battle to come. The news that "Piggy" Heath's forces would not be dispatched from India now did nothing to help.
The Allies would make their first stand in the defence of Malaya at Kota Bharu, near the Thai border. While the Allies had more and better artillery, aircraft and knowledge of the terrain, Li still held the numerical advantage in men, and likely still tanks.
This had Bennett quite worried- he had been tasked with the defence of the reservoirs that supplied Singapore's water. Much was riding on him, as Australia had
made an outsized contribution to the war effort considering her population. A mass surrender would be disastrous. He inquired of Percival as to what the plans for escape were, should the defence fail.
"Mister Bennett, should the issue arise" said an agitated Percival "evacuation to the Dutch East Indies or to Sarawak will be arranged, but it will not be necessary". The last part was particularly emphasized by Percival
"Have arrangements not already been made?" asked a surprised Bennett
"Mister Bennett, as I have already expl-" began an exasperated Percival before being interrupted by Yamashita.
"Shut up!" bellowed Yamashita, in English. "I don't want to hear it! All I want to hear is whether you will stand and fight!" Yamashita banged his fist on the table , staring straight at Bennett as the room looked on, shocked. "Yes or no!"
"Yes!" replied a newly-invigorated Bennett. "Dammit, yes we will!"
It was at that moment, it is said, that Gordon Bennett discovered his inner Ned Kelly...
No idea who he is, but Ned Kelly.....
The grossly oversimplified version is:
OTL, Bennett was the ranking Australian officer as of the February 1942 attack on Singapore. He was a decorated WWI veteran, and the youngest general officer in the Australian Army. He clashed with Percival and other senior British officers. However, when the Japanese crossed from Johore into Singapore, Bennett transferred command to his senior brigadier and escaped Singapore via the DEI. He returned to Australia, was promoted to Lieutenant General, but told he would never command troops in battle again. He argued it was his duty to escape to fight on, rather than allow himself to be captured.
His legacy in controversial. In most Commonwealth countries, he was considered a coward who left his troops to their fates while he escaped. In Australia, it is more complex. On the one hand, he did leave his men, but on the other, the situation was hopeless, his concerns were ignored, and he had the impossible task of trying to please the British command and the Australian government. To stay would have been a noble but useless act of self-sacrifice.
Bennett remained concerned about his troops, and was on hand to welcome the first group of freed POWs- they too remembered him fondly and voiced their support for Bennett. Postwar, a court of inquiry found him unjustified in relinquishing his command under international law, but under Australian military law, there was no inflexible obligation for him to stay, so be was not charged.
I am sorry but every time I see Bose's callsign, I laugh as Fakir in my language is usually related with the very poor.
Funnily enough, Trott zu Solz regards Bose as something of a grifter, and is critical of how much is spent on the Bose family's lifestyle, which is quite lush compared to most Germans'.
Indeed it is! Their focus is harrassment and interdiction of the Chinese National Army's supply lines, slowing their advances wherever possible (usually a river or klong), and reporting positions to the Allies. This is not the battle "Philbun" wanted, but it's the one he has to deal with now. All he can do is choose the most palatable flavour of imperialist conquering devil.
Hard to believe this TL has made it a year, thank you all for your support!
Reflecting the naval roots for this TL, a quick few naval updates:
Germany
-Dönitz has managed to stave off the scrapping of Spee and Scheer another year. Lützow's guns were removed and transferred to the Heer as she was scrapped after being torpedoed by USS Edsall
Britain
-Manpower is becoming a real problem, and is expected to get worse, with all 6 KGVs and 2 Implacable class carriers in service. As of April, HM Ships Revenge and Resolution are serving as training establishments again and Royal Sovereign is mothballed. Construction of Audacious and Irresistible is slightly ahead of schedule.
USA
-Progress on the Two-Ocean Navy is rapid, but the only bottleneck is steel production. Essex class construction timelines lengthened.
Reflecting the naval roots for this TL, a quick few naval updates:
Germany
-Dönitz has managed to stave off the scrapping of Spee and Scheer another year. Lützow's guns were removed and transferred to the Heer as she was scrapped after being torpedoed by USS Edsall
Britain
-Manpower is becoming a real problem, and is expected to get worse, with all 6 KGVs and 2 Implacable class carriers in service. As of April, HM Ships Revenge and Resolution are serving as training establishments again and Royal Sovereign is mothballed. Construction of Audacious and Irresistible is slightly ahead of schedule.
USA
-Progress on the Two-Ocean Navy is rapid, but the only bottleneck is steel production. Essex class construction timelines lengthened.
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Glad you are still writing- this is a fun and impressive timeline to read.
Britain could start actively recruit sailors from the Caribbean, Newfoundland, and the African colonies? Lots of possible labour there- maybe bring some labour over the the UK yards even? Integration was never a problem for the RN as I recall. Plus it would have tremendous impact on the Empire/Commonwealth going forward. Possible shipbuilding industry and navel bases all over!
Thank you! It's a fun one to write!
As for the Royal Navy, that is quite likely. In the interwar years, dockyards in Britain, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Malta and Canada were improved to allow Hood, Ark Royal and the Nelsons to fit in them. This has definitely helped the shipbuilding amd construction industries in the Dominions. The Crown Colonies can also be called up to contribute manpower for even a watch if not a full crew for a Royal Navy ship.
As for construction, there are some big things ahead- namely the four Malta class carriers. When Vanguard's would-be sisters Conqueror and Thunderer were canceled, Malta and Gibraltar were assigned their slips; arrangements for Furious and Incomparable still must be made. As for the Guard's Van herself, the Admiralty has quietly concluded that no more changes will be made to her design, otherwise she will never be completed- her construction is projected to proceed well into 1945 or even 1946 as it stands. Ark Royal also needs to go in for her major refit to receive an angled deck and deck-edge elevators.
Design work is progressing on the 1943 Programme Light Cruisers, and orders of the Battle and Weapon class destroyers are leaving builders' yards in good order.
With all the recent events in the Far East, it's time for an update on what's going on in Europe:
-Germany is preparing for the second summer offensive against the Soviet Union. Morale is still high, but some cracks are starting to show. It was hoped, if not outright expected, that one swift kick to the door would bring the whole rotten structure crashing down. It didn't, and now the Germans are winding up for the next kick. How the kick should be delivered is the question.
That Barbarossa didn't cause the collapse of the Soviet Union is not without consequences. The Wehrmacht Invincibility Myth, broken by Norway, has now been shattered into so many pieces it can't be put back together again, nor excused because it was an amphibious operation that managed to get into a mix-up with the Royal Navy. The only path to redemption is crushing the Soviets, and that isn't as easy as it looks.
The Battle of Moscow caused the Heer far more casualties than even the most pessimistic of estimates, leaving the OKW and OKH scrambling to make up for the shortfall. It hasn't yet come to sticking WWI veterans and Hitler Youth in Feldgrau yet, but there are a lot of understrength infantry formations, and a lot of Panzers that are only serviceable on paper.
Originally, the Army wanted to repeat last year's feat of a broad-front advance, but that looks more difficult than previously thought. The Soviets seem to have a bottomless supply of men, tanks and aircraft, and they now seem to be learning from their mistakes. They have learned how to dig in, they no longer surrender en masse, nor waste men in noble but fruitless "Not One Step Back!" last stands. Ambitious tank-focused generals such as Rommel and Guderian stretch their supply lines, and Göring's Luftwaffe's ability to fly supplies in is questionable. SS atrocities proceed even with these "difficulties".
As for the question of what to do next, the Army favours an approach centred on three main thrusts- towards Arkhangelsk to cut off supplies, towards the Caucasus for oil, and towards Moscow in the centre. It is hoped that this approach will force Stalin to split his forces, and when one objective falls, Stalin will draw forces off to retake it, making the other two easier to take. Hitler, however, favours a focused drive on the Caucasus for oil. He has no appetite for another Moscow meat grinder situation, and the Reich needs oil more than anything. Hitler believes that Arkhangelsk is a waste of time and resources for little material difference, as the Allies can still supply Stalin from the East.
Whose approach will ultimately be carried out remains to be seen...
-The Allies haven't forgotten France either. A lot of military talent is being tapped for preparations for the liberation of Metropolitan France. The French old guard has largely been sidelined, leaving de Gaulle as the most important French general. The Americans have put Eisenhower in charge, and Omar N. Bradley has also arrived in England. Alanbrooke is also tapping the talents of Ironside, Slim and Alexander. With Brooke-Popham in Malaya and Leigh-Mallory in Malaya and China respectively, the RAF looks to some of their most famous commanders with single-barreled names in the ETO- Harris, Dowding and Park, while the Americans tap Spaatz and Arnold.
-The timeline is challenging. Britain and the USA favour a mid-1944 invasion, enough time to do it right. France wants one tomorrow and the USSR wants one yesterday. The biggest amphibious invasion the Allies have conducted thus far is Shanghai, and that was to a lightly damaged port. However, some creative opportunities for practice are being examined...
-Germany is preparing for the second summer offensive against the Soviet Union. Morale is still high, but some cracks are starting to show. It was hoped, if not outright expected, that one swift kick to the door would bring the whole rotten structure crashing down. It didn't, and now the Germans are winding up for the next kick. How the kick should be delivered is the question.
That Barbarossa didn't cause the collapse of the Soviet Union is not without consequences. The Wehrmacht Invincibility Myth, broken by Norway, has now been shattered into so many pieces it can't be put back together again, nor excused because it was an amphibious operation that managed to get into a mix-up with the Royal Navy. The only path to redemption is crushing the Soviets, and that isn't as easy as it looks.
The Battle of Moscow caused the Heer far more casualties than even the most pessimistic of estimates, leaving the OKW and OKH scrambling to make up for the shortfall. It hasn't yet come to sticking WWI veterans and Hitler Youth in Feldgrau yet, but there are a lot of understrength infantry formations, and a lot of Panzers that are only serviceable on paper.
Originally, the Army wanted to repeat last year's feat of a broad-front advance, but that looks more difficult than previously thought. The Soviets seem to have a bottomless supply of men, tanks and aircraft, and they now seem to be learning from their mistakes. They have learned how to dig in, they no longer surrender en masse, nor waste men in noble but fruitless "Not One Step Back!" last stands. Ambitious tank-focused generals such as Rommel and Guderian stretch their supply lines, and Göring's Luftwaffe's ability to fly supplies in is questionable. SS atrocities proceed even with these "difficulties".
As for the question of what to do next, the Army favours an approach centred on three main thrusts- towards Arkhangelsk to cut off supplies, towards the Caucasus for oil, and towards Moscow in the centre. It is hoped that this approach will force Stalin to split his forces, and when one objective falls, Stalin will draw forces off to retake it, making the other two easier to take. Hitler, however, favours a focused drive on the Caucasus for oil. He has no appetite for another Moscow meat grinder situation, and the Reich needs oil more than anything. Hitler believes that Arkhangelsk is a waste of time and resources for little material difference, as the Allies can still supply Stalin from the East.
Whose approach will ultimately be carried out remains to be seen...
-The Allies haven't forgotten France either. A lot of military talent is being tapped for preparations for the liberation of Metropolitan France. The French old guard has largely been sidelined, leaving de Gaulle as the most important French general. The Americans have put Eisenhower in charge, and Omar N. Bradley has also arrived in England. Alanbrooke is also tapping the talents of Ironside, Slim and Alexander. With Brooke-Popham in Malaya and Leigh-Mallory in Malaya and China respectively, the RAF looks to some of their most famous commanders with single-barreled names in the ETO- Harris, Dowding and Park, while the Americans tap Spaatz and Arnold.
-The timeline is challenging. Britain and the USA favour a mid-1944 invasion, enough time to do it right. France wants one tomorrow and the USSR wants one yesterday. The biggest amphibious invasion the Allies have conducted thus far is Shanghai, and that was to a lightly damaged port. However, some creative opportunities for practice are being examined...
Well spotted, as of mid-1942, he would "only" be Sir Alan Brooke, GCB.
Postwar conventions creeping in and whatnot
.Maybe you've covered some of this already, but I don't remember, so....
What is the Soviet attitude in the east? Have they recognized the UoC? Do they have any unresolved disputes with Japan(ese puppet states)? And, have there been any discussion/agreement for Soviet forces to engage in the east after Germany is defeated?
What is the Soviet attitude in the east? Have they recognized the UoC? Do they have any unresolved disputes with Japan(ese puppet states)? And, have there been any discussion/agreement for Soviet forces to engage in the east after Germany is defeated?
If I have, it's been long enough that it's worth mentioning again!
-As of mid-1942, the Soviets have not recognized the Union of China formally. Although they have put feelers out to Wu, the Soviets favour Mao, who maintains his stronghold in the northwest of China. Some within the Foreign Ministry hope that the war between the UoC and RoC will allow them to punch each other out before Mao can swoop in and clean up, while more moderate voices advocate backing Wu, along with the rest of the Allies.
-The Soviets are not happy about Manchukuo and Mengjiang. Manchukuo has a large community of anti-Communist Russian emigres, and worse in Soviet eyes, allows them to serve in the Manchukuo Imperial Army. Tanks painted with tricolours and Imperial Eagles, and units named after Russian heroes (that didn't serve in the Russo-Japanese War, mind) certainly give the Soviets a bad impression. Despite these frosty relations, trade still occurs, mainly via the Trans-Manchurian Railway, which links Harbin with Khabarovsk.
Mengjiang is viewed no better. Demchugdongrub Khan was long known for loudly complaining about Communist oppression in Outer Mongolia and ill-treatment of ethnic Mongols, only backing off after Barbarossa, and has ordered that any attempts to create a Communist party in Mengjiang be squashed. The Soviets have pointedly refused to recognize either state, not even provisionally, like the USA.
The Japanese government is almost fanatically anti-Communist, but has not made any attempt to take North Sakhalin or encroach onto other Soviet territory. The Communist Party of Japan is not banned, largely due to Japan's robust protections for freedom of association- protections, oddly enough, put into place during the early 1930s when the militarists were at the height of their influence, so they would avoid prosecution for belonging to radical associations. However, the Communist party has no influence, and only a few thousand members, as association with communism is enough to see one blackballed in Japanese society.
-Arrangements have not been finalized yet, but during the Tunis Conference, the Allies began to discuss how a defeated Germany will be occupied and divided, and also formally laid out the policy of "Germany First".
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Hello! I found this timeline recently - an interesting premise that you've clearly put a ton of care and detail into. I'll be staying tuned for further developments.
I have to admit, whenever discussing alt history my mind goes to pop culture, trying to imagine what ripple effects the timeline changes would have on music, cinema, books, etc. In this case, a film titled The Empire(s) Strike Back takes on a whole new set of connotations.
I have to admit, whenever discussing alt history my mind goes to pop culture, trying to imagine what ripple effects the timeline changes would have on music, cinema, books, etc. In this case, a film titled The Empire(s) Strike Back takes on a whole new set of connotations.
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