The Union Forever: A TL

[Mac Gregor]

1971​

Foreign Developments ​

In January, the British colony of Damaraland was ceded to the Dominion of South Africa. Prime Ministers Cyril Atkinson and Niles Mbete were both present at the handover ceremony in the tiny provincial capital of Otjiwarongo. The addition of the sparsely populated territory brought South Africa’s total area to 3,066,661 km2/1,184,044 square miles making it the 7th largest country in the world.

On February 19, Germany launched the world’s first ballistic missile submarine the SMU Danzig. Unsurprisingly, other nations soon followed suit including Britain, Japan, France, and Italy. Nations with substantial territory to hide their own missiles silos such as the United States and the Russian Empire placed considerable less emphasis on ballistic missle submarines and wouldn’t field their own for nearly a decade.

Starting in March, the 1971 World’s Fair was held in the Australian capital of Albury. The centerpiece of the exhibition was the Progress Arch which rose to an impressive height of 184 meters over the Murray River making it the tallest arch in the world. Nations making their debut appearance at a World’s Fair included Kashmir-Jammu, Baluchistan, and the newly independent states of Sudan and Indonesia.

On April 7, Chinese Leader Zhang Kun died having led the country for the last 17 years. While most suspected his deputy General Chen Ke the hero of the Tibetan War would succeed him as leader, Chen’s mysterious death a few days later left the order of succession wide open. In the coming months the Chinese government would be paralyzed by infighting between various groups. By the end of the year three major factions had emerged. The old guard militants under Lieutenant General Tu Kwok, the liberal leaning supporters of former Prime Minister Li Qiang Wang, and the Technocrats under Brigadier General Heng Jiang.

On May 24, Japan entered the war against Siam. With China distracted by the death of Zhang Khun, Japanese Prime Minister Ryota Hayashi declared that “the time has come to restore order in Southeast Asia.” Over the next few weeks, Japanese jet fighters based out of Vietnam gained air superiority over much of Laos and eastern Siam. The influx of Japanese ground troops into the conflict had by the end of autumn pushed most Siamese forces out of Laos, with the Laotian capital of Vientiane falling on October 28 after vicious street to street fighting. Despite their staggering losses the Siamese government under King Rama X continued to resist and pleaded for Western involvement.

In August, Russian astronomers Iosif Krupin and Sergej Kuznetsov announced the discovery of a moon orbiting the ninth planet Nox. Named Somnus after the Greco-Roman God of sleep, the satellite proved to have a diameter roughly half that of its parent planet. This made Somnus the largest satellite in comparison to its planet in the known solar system.

As in France and Germany, the Italian General Election saw the fall of the incumbent government and the transfer of power to a leftwing coalition headed by the People’s Party. Sicilian Senator Eustachio Guerino Accosi was elected president and vowed to direct Italy’s growing oil wealth ”to the greatest good for the greatest many.”

On 4 September, in a surprising upset the Liberal government of Prime Minister Atkinson was voted out of power in favor of a coalition of Conservatives and Imperial Progressives led by Alec Presley (A.P.) Vaughan. Interestingly it was the granting of independence to the Sudan in 1969 that proved to be one of the biggest issues of the election. While not a serious issue at the time, during the run up to the election Tories and the IP decried the act as a “grave betrayal” and argued that the territory should have at least remained a commonwealth realm.

In December, Russia exploded its first atomic weapon at an undisclosed location on the Kazakh Steppe.

 

[Mac Gregor]

1971​

Domestic Developments
​

On March 23, a horrific accident occurred during the Santo Domingo 350 resulting in the deaths of four drivers. As the worst accident in the history of the National Auto Racing Association (NARA) the event would lead the sport to adopt a slew of new safety measures.

Over the summer, the nonfiction work Game Change: Fall of the Post War Order by political scientist Claudia Ready was published. In her influential book Ready argued that the balance of power established after the end of the Great War was coming to an end. She claimed that new non-western powers such as Japan and India were determined to “undermine the Anglo-American-German-Russian quartet which has dominated international affairs for the past six decades by any means necessary.” Ready also maintained that that growing friction between the world’s various alliances, especially Germany and her European neighbors, would as they had at the turn on the century inevitable spark a global confrontation. However, with the recent developments of nuclear weapons the consequences would be far more disastrous.

In November the popular musician Wyatt Gilmore of the grind band Titus died from a cocaine overdose following a performance in Seattle, Washington. Gilmore’s death added to the growing national concern over drug use in the United States. Panama remained one of the most affected areas of the country as a large percentage of the cocaine and marijuana traveling from South America to the rest of the country passed through the state’s borders leading to the rise of powerful organized crime syndicates. At the LAR summit next year, President Gavin would label the drug issue as “a crisis affecting the societal fabric of the Americas” and call for a unified effort to curtail it.

 

[Mac Gregor]

1972 ​

Foreign Developments ​

In late January, Japan and her allies launched a surprise attack against the Siamese capital of Bangkok. Known as Operation Falling Lotus, the massive amphibious assault was preceded by a short but devastating aerial and naval bombardment of the city’ defenses. The battle would rage for nearly four weeks as Japanese forces quickly surrounded and then stormed the city. The world was stunned by the ferocity of the attack which the International Humanitarian Association estimated killed at least 90,000 civilians.[1] As the Japanese intended, the fall of Bangkok proved to be a knockout blow against Siam. One month later King Rama X, who had escaped to the city of Nakhon Sawan, announced that he was ready to discuss terms. In the resulting Treaty of Jayakarta, Siam was forced to give up a sizeable amount of its eastern provinces.[2] Kampuchea gained all the ethnically Khmer regions, while Vietnam annexed a swath of territory to the Mekong River. Siam was forced to recognize Nak Nhyai, the Vietnamese backed candidate, as the rightful King of Laos as well as cede some additional territory around Vientiane. Japan claimed for itself a chunk of the Malay Peninsula which it governed as a “special administrative district”, and act which greatly alarmed the British government due to its proximity to the Union of Malaya. In addition to this, Siam was saddled with a sizable war indemnity and limits on its armed forces. In the wake of their victory, Japanese Prime Minister Hayashi declared that “none can now doubt the power, resolve, or courage of the Japanese Empire.”

Over the course of 1972, the ruling Conservative-Imperial Progressive government of Prime Minister A.P. Vaughan granted dominion status to Madagascar, the Bahamas, British Guyana, and the Trucial States.[3] Why these four territories were deemed more ready for home rule than the myriad of other British colonies was never quite satisfactory explained to the public. Regardless, the move was largely perceived at home and abroad as an important step in the democratization of the Commonwealth. In addition, the British government announced plans to form “self-governing confederations of colonies” in the Caribbean and Africa over the next few years.

In March the Kingdom of Albania joined the Association of European States (AES). Albania becoming the 13th member of the German centered alliance was widely perceived in the wake of Russia’s nuclear weapons test as a defensive move against the Orthodox Council especially neighboring Serbia and Greece. Albania’s ruler KingSkanderbeg IV hoped that the move would not only bring protection but also encourage foreign investment in his poor country that since gaining independence after the Great War had often been ostracized by its European neighbors.

In July, Pope Pius X concluded the Second Vatican Council after nearly three years of deliberations.[4] The council made a number of important changes to the Catholic Church including allowing the liturgy to be given in the vernacular, declaring support for religious liberty, and redefining the relationship between the Church and non-Catholic states. The Second Vatican Council also strongly condemned secularism and recommitted the church to keeping the Gospel as the centerpiece of modern society.

In September, the leftwing German newspaper Tagesanbruch broke the story that several people connected with the German atomic bomb project, including the chief architect Eckehard Diefenbach, had died from radiation poisoning despite government claims to the contrary. Tagesanbruch also released classified photographs of the testing grounds in Cameroon showing the devastation that the bombs wrought on the environment. These revelations proved an embarrassment for the government of ChancellorWolf von Frej, who ordered the paper shut down for disclosing classified information. These stories did much to strengthen anti-nuclear and environmental organizations both in Germany and abroad such as the Anti-Atomic Alliance and the Better World Society who led protests in Europe and the United States.

After nearly 18 months of bitter infighting and political maneuvering, Brigadier General Heng Jiang emerged victorious in the power struggle following the death of Chinese Leader Zhang Kun by launching a decapitating strike against his militant and liberal adversaries. On October 23, Heng announced the creation of the Technate of China the world’s first Technocratic State. Under the doctrine known as Krulikist-Hengism, the Chinese government was reorganized along Technocratic principles with a powerful bureaucracy consisting of the Directorates of Defense, Health, Education, Economics, Foreign Affairs, Technology, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Justice, and Information. Above, the Directorates sat the Council of Directors who with Heng as Chief Executive made most important decisions by consensus. Foreign reaction to the formation of a Technocratic state was strangely muted as most nations waited to see what course Chief Executive Heng would plot for his country.

Flag of the Technate of China​

[1] The International Humanitarian Association (IHA) developed from the same origins and serves much the same purpose as OTL’s Red Cross.
[2] Jayakarta is OTL’s Jakarta. After gaining independence from the Dutch, the ICP changed the name of the city of Batavia to Jayakarta as it had been known in the 16th and 17th centuries. Jayakarta means “victorious deed”.
[3] The elevation of the Trucial States to dominion status was largely ceremonial as the emirates that composed it already enjoyed near complete local autonomy. The Trucial States, now known as the Union of Gulf Emirates (UGE), was granted a central government called the Federal Council which sat in Doha. The United Kingdom continued to manage the UGE’s foreign affairs.
[4] The first Vatican Council was presided over by Pope Pious IX from 1869-1871.

 

[Mac Gregor]

1972

Domestic Developments​

On March 18, Janssen Computing Machines (JCM) unveiled the JCM Innovator-72 the first personal home computer. Utilizing integrated circuits or “microchips”, the Innovator-72 was far more powerful and smaller than earlier transistor computers. In future years, some historians would cite the release of the Innovator-72 as the start of the Information Age.

In June, the world of horse racing was rocked by allegations that previous year’s Triumvirate winner Blue Rampage had used steroids.[1] The fallout of the scandal led to stricter drug testing standards as well as a short jail term for horse owner Herschel Stallworth.[*]

For the 1972 Presidential Election the Democrats nominated former Secretary of State Monty Ziegler and Senator Rupert Stubbs at their convention in Halleckville, Arizona. In Kansas City, Missouri the Republican convention duly nominated President Gavin and chose as his running mate Indiana Congressman Waylon U. Schubert. With a humming economy, foreign policy and social issues dominated the campaign. Gavin promised to continue his policy of armed neutrality in the Western Pacific and “work in concert with our LAR allies” towards curbing the influx of illegal drugs from Latin America. Ziegler attacked the President’s foreign policy record arguing that for all the aid given to Siam, the Japanese Empire and her allies had still triumphed. Concerning drugs, Ziegler saw the LAR as more of a cause and less of a solution claiming that it was the league’s free trade policies that allowed the flow of drugs into the country in the first place. On election night, Gavin and Schubert did better than expected in the South and West for Republicans winning 51.1% of the popular vote and capturing 37 out of 55 states. The Republicans also kept control of both houses of congress.


[1] The Triumvirate consists of three thoroughbred horse races; the New York Derby in Yonkers, the Wilmington Stakes in Virginia and the Bollinger Classic in Paducah, Kentucky.

 

[Mac Gregor]

1973 ​

Foreign Developments ​

1973 saw Chief Executive Heng began the arduous process of remaking China into a Technocratic state. The new bureaucracy began massive reforms promoting education starting with an ambitious program of universal literacy by 1985. Although technically legal, religion was heavily discouraged as “backwards and unscientific.” However, the new regime did promote what would become known as Techno-Confucianism which stressed order, loyalty to the government, learning, and meritocracy. After a purge of old regime loyalists, the Chinese military also began an extensive modernization process. Concerning foreign relations, the Technate of China remained deliberately ambiguous seeking technical experts and investment from North America and Europe while at the same time trying hard not to antagonize its historical adversaries such as Japan and Russia.[*]

In July, the general election for the Russian Duma saw a coalition of leftwing and pro-autonomist Soyuznyy parities finally oust the conservative Motherland Party after 27 years in power. Empress Elizabeth II abided by the people’s choice despite pleas from certain groups including some in the military to invalidate the election results. Demyan Matveev, the new Prime Minister, promised a “massive restructuring of the Empire” a declaration that set traditional elements on edge. [*]

On August 17, the British colony of Nigeria was granted Dominion status with King Edward VIII presiding over the official ceremony in the capital city of Lagos. As one of the most diverse and populous territories in Africa, many experts worried that tensions between the Muslim north and Christian south would tear the new nation apart. As such, the newly installed Prime Minister Joseph Ukiwe led a unity government composed of equal parts of Christians and Muslims in the hopes of warding off future division. [*]

With Japan already riding high after its resent triumph over Siam, it scored another impressive success in September when it concluded a formal alliance with the United Republic of India. Known in the West as the Calcutta Compact after the city in which the treaty was signed, the agreement joined Japan, India, Vietnam, Kampuchea, and Laos in a mutual defense pact. The effects of the treaty were apparent almost immediately when India began to more aggressively press its claims against neighboring Bengal. The compact also greatly alarmed Japan and India’s rivals in the region especially Persia and the British Commonwealth who saw it as a boldfaced move to upset the existing balance of power. [*]

In November, representatives from every nation with a claim on territory in Antarctica met in the Spanish city of Barcelona to argue their case. After weeks of negotiations and backroom deals an agreement was finally reached. The result was the 1973 Antarctic Treaty which divided the continent between twelve countries. Australia received the largest portion followed by Japan and South Africa. While some proposed that the continent should be demilitarized, opposition by the Japanese and Germans ultimate blocked this measure. While most found the treaty an amicably solution to a long standing problem, not every country was pleased as France’s claims dating to before the Great War were resoundingly ignored the by the other powers.

 

[rick007]

Here is another contribution:

Robert Gould Shaw (1837-1912)


Born to a wealthy abolitionist family in Boston October 10, 1837 Shaw's family moved to New York when he was young. He was educated in Switzerland and what is now Germany before going to Harvard. After graduating from Harvard in 1859 Shaw to work for his father. When the Civil War broke out Shaw first joined the 7th New York Militia before being commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the 2nd Massachusetts infantry. Shaw served with the 2nd Mass. Inf. until December 1862 when he was asked to serve as the second in command of the 32nd Massachusetts, an all African-American regiment. After thinking about it, Shaw accepted. By the end of the war he was in command of the regiment. After the war Shaw went back to work for his father before going to work on his own in Massachusetts with his wife Anne, in 1868. When the war with Spain broke out Shaw volunteered immediately and was given command of the 24th (Colored) Infantry Regiment. After the wound that cost him the use of his right arm, Shaw went back to business. However in 1881 Shaw was tapped by the Republican Machine to run for the Senate. Shaw accepted and became one of the greatest politicians America has ever known. Shaw was instrumental in passing the 14th and 15th amendments. Civil Rights for all was his passion and one that was passed to his children, Abraham Lincoln Shaw, Harriet Beecher Shaw and Benjamin Franklin Shaw. Robert Gould Shaw died July 18, 1912 at the age of 74.

 

[Mac Gregor]

1973
Domestic Developments

Drugs captured by Panama State Police
June, 1973
​

As promised, following his inauguration President Gavin began to move against the international drug trade in earnest. Two key allies in the struggle against drugs were Governor Ricky Alfaro of Panama and Colombian President Ernesto Jimenez. Working together Alfaro and Jimenez attacked the cartels that transported the drugs across the border, while President Gavin increased the U.S. Coast Guard’s presence in the Caribbean and Gulf of Panama. Naturally, the drug syndicates fought back against these measures as illustrated by the September bombing of the Raul Guizado Federal Building in Colón which resulted in 36 deaths. ​

During the summer the XV Pan-American Games are held in Tampa, Florida. Highlights included Mexico beating the United States in baseball and Haiti scoring a surprising upset over Argentina in handball. Venezuelan dictator Vicente Saturnino refused to allow his nation’s athletes to attend and derided the games as “pathetic window-dressing for Yankee imperialism” in yet another display of Venezuela’s growing tensions with the United States and the League of American Republics.

Following the debut of the JCM Innovator-72 the previous year, Digital Entertainment (DE) released Space Attack considered by most to be the world’s first commercially successful computer game. The success of Space Attack would over the next few years cement DE’s position as a leader in the computer game market, a position it would hold for decades.

In October, the 17th Amendment to the constitution was ratified. The Amendment provided the means to fill vice presidential vacancies as had happened after the recent assassination of President MacArthur.

Section 1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.
Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.​

 

[Mac Gregor]

1974

Foreign Developments

Indian Jet fighters bombing Begali forces near Tongi
September, 1974​

In the spring, French President Deodat Cousineau lost his bid for reelection and was succeeded by Senator Jourdain Gaëtan of the National Republican Party. In the French legislature the Socialists also lost power and were replaced by a collation of National Republicans and the rightwing populist People’s Action Party. The biggest issue facing the new government was over the political future of France’s two remaining colonies of Western and Eastern Sahara. Unlike Algeria, these two territories had never been fully integrated into the Republic. The “African question” divided French conservatives and liberals alike. While conservatives traditionally favored keeping the vestiges of empire the recent Socialist-Algerian People’s Party alliance made some worry that the inclusion of more Muslim North Africans would create a permanent leftwing majority. On the left, Socialists were divided between anti-imperialists and progressives who favored giving the region independence and realists who saw them as a useful tool in regaining control of the government. In the colonies themselves, public opinion was nearly evenly divided between independence, greater autonomy, and integration

On June 25, the United Kingdom along with its Commonwealth allies detonated an atomic bomb, codenamed Operation Tempest, at a remote location in Eastern Australia becoming the world’s fourth nuclear power.

In July, Mesopotamian King Aqil II broke ground on a massive archeological and restoration project in the ruins of Babylon. The endeavor would eventually make the location one of the premier tourist attractions in the Middle East.

On August 13, after yet another border clash, the United Republic of India invaded the neighboring State of Islamic Bengal. In a matter of weeks Indian forces overran the Bengali Army with the capital of Dhaka falling of October 4 after fierce street to street fighting. Bengali dictator Mohammad Hamid managed to flee the country and went into exile in Persia which was already furious over Indian meddling in Baluchistan, a nation Persia considered within its sphere of influence. After occupying the country, Indian leader Harshad Nanda announced that a referendum would be held in Bengal early next year to “forever decide the territory’s political status.” With the exception of Japan and India’s other allies in the Calcutta Compact, foreign reaction was decidedly pro-Bengali. British Prime Minister Vaughan denounced the attack pledging to defend Commonwealth members against any future aggression in the region and passed a sizable military aid package through parliament for the dominions of Madras, Burma, and Ceylon.

On December 11, after 15 months of intense haggling and negotiations, Prime Minister Demyan Matveev announced that an agreement had been to reach to fulfill his promised restructuring of the Russian Empire, now to be restyled the Imperial Eurasian Federation (IEF) in order to appease non-Russian ethnicities. While foreign policy and the military would still be controlled by St. Petersburg the IEF granted considerable local autonomy to the various federal regions. Elizabeth II retained the title Empress of all the Russias and served as the head of state for the IEF. Reaction to the formation of the IEF varied wildly throughout the country. In Helsinki, Warsaw, Tashkent, and Mukden jubilant crowds took to the streets to celebrate their newfound autonomy. However, in Moscow and several other predominantly Russian cities deadly riots broke out lasting several days and leaving over 120 dead.

 

[Mac Gregor]

1974

Domestic Developments

Artemis VII hours before its launch
Leroy Conner Army-Navy Airbase in American Guiana
April, 1974​

On April 14, Artemis VII became the first manned spacecraft to orbit the moon. Germany’s Imperial Space and Aeronautics Commission would replicate the same feat less than three months later.

In June, the Terra Nova Publishing released Nephilim a novel by Gabriel F. Dickey. Set roughly 300 hundred years after the world has been devastated by a nuclear war, Nephilim’s protagonists are left to wander the ruins of the former United States wondering what sort of calamity could have destroyed such an advanced society. Nephilim was a major commercial success and critics praised the book’s artful blend of science fiction and fantasy elements. The novel’s popularity also illustrated Americans’ growing fears about nuclear weapons and their consequences.

In the 1974 midterm elections Republicans managed to keep control of both houses of congress despite losing several seats to the Democrats. 1974 also saw the election of the first Technocratic mayor of a major city Jarrod Baumgartner of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Most pundits viewed Baumgartner’s election as indicative of voters’ frustration with the Democrats and Republicans inability to stop the decline of the city’s manufacturing sector.

In preparation for the upcoming 200th anniversary of the nation’s birth, the Bicentennial Tower opened in Chicago on December 4. At 1,776 feet it unseated the Trans Atlantic Airlines building in New York City to become the tallest building in the world.

 

[Mac Gregor]

1975

Foreign Developments

Map and Flag of the Federation of East Africa​

On January 4, the six British colonies of Buganda, Kenia, Mombassa, Tanganyika, Zanzibar and the newly created province of Hutuland were formally united into the Federation of East Africa. As a dominion East Africa would control its own domestic affairs while London managed its foreign relations. After much debate, the city of Omusoma on the eastern shore of Lake Victoria was chosen as the capital of the new federation with Tanganyikan native Cleopa Soikine elected as Prime Minister.

In February, Bengal was annexed by the United Republic of India even as skirmishing with Bengali guerrillas continued. While Indian leader Harshad Nanda declared that he was merely “abiding by the will of the people of Bengal” nearly all international observers denounced the referendum as a farce. Worried about future aggression the embattled neighboring country of Hyderabad signed an agreement with several other British Commonwealth governments formally guaranteeing its independence. To the east of Bengal the Republic of Assam was plunged into civil war as the REP backed Indian People’s Front sought to topple the prowestern government of President Sarat Hazarika. The Commonwealth of Madras also began expanding its military by 20% a move which Nanda denounced as “provocative”.

On March 7, the world’s first nuclear power plant came online near Konigsberg, Germany. Over the next few years Germany’s ministry of energy would open several other plants making Germany the global leader in nuclear energy until being surpassed by the Technate of China towards the end of the century.

Throughout 1975 security in the Belgian Congo continued to deteriorate as clashes between government forces and a variety of increasingly hostile militia and guerrilla groups became more common. Limited measures granting some local autonomy made governing more difficult and with around 20 million people the Belgian Congo was considered far too large to be successfully integrated into the nation itself. Belgian Prime Minister Andre Wathelet of the Catholic National Party came under intense pressure from the Labor led opposition to put the Congo on a path towards self-government, a stance opposed by King Leopold IV, Belgian conservatives, and their German allies.

In October, Yegor Maksimov become the first Russian in space with the successful flight of his spacecraft the Burevestnik making the IEF the third nation in history to send a man into orbit.

On November 12, an Anglo-Persian Defense Treaty was signed in Bahrain. The treaty marked a drastic realignment in Persia’s foreign relations which traditionally favored Russia over the British. However, India’s recent bellicose attitude towards its neighbors, especially Baluchistan, convinced Shah Hamid Hassan Qajar and his Prime Minister Shahin Attar that the British Commonwealth would be a better ally in the case of a general war than the IEF.

 

[Mac Gregor]

And here is the Philippines. Enjoy.

Name: Philippine Republic
Capital: Manila
Official Language: Tagalog
Demonym: Filipino
Government: Presidential Republic
Head of State: President Guy Estrada
Head of Government: President Guy Estrada
Independence: 1909 (from France)
Currency: Philippine Dollar

History of the Philippines 1860:-1975

In 1879, after over three centuries of Spanish rule, France purchased the Philippine Archipelago from Spain during its brief republican period. The French proved to be little better than the Spanish as overlords and most Filipinos were glad to see them go when the United States invaded the islands in November of 1909 during the Great War. After a seven year period of being an American protectorate a constitution establishing the Philippine Republic was ratified in 1916. The United States would remain the Philippines chief ally, retaining Subic Bay as the headquarters for the U.S. Asiatic Fleet, and signed a mutual defense treaty. Over the next several years the Philippine economy steadily developed but growth was hampered by lack of infrastructure and government corruption. In 1973 Guy Estrada of the National Reform Party was elected president on an anti-corruption platform ousting the Filipino Democratic Party that had dominated the country’s shaky democracy for most of its post-independence history. In recent years, the Philippines has become increasingly worried about Japanese expansion and continues to rely on the United States for protection.

 

[Mac Gregor]

1975

Domestic Developments

George W. Lopez on the Lunar Surface
March 28, 1975​

On March 28, Artemis X astronauts George W. Lopez of Cuba and Charlie Rosenthal of Pasapa became the first men to walk on the surface of the moon when their lunar lander Discovery successfully touched down near the Mare Serenitatis. After planting the flag, collecting rock samples, and taking a call from President Gavin the crew of Artemis X returned safely to Earth where they were hailed as national heroes.

Starting in the spring, Philadelphia played host to the 1975 World’s Fair drawing massive crowds to the city. With the slogan “Celebrating 200 years of Liberty and Progress” the exhibition not only commemorated the nation’s upcoming bicentennial but also displayed the latest technological developments including an automatonic statue of Ben Franklin that welcomed visitors.[1]

In November, the Supreme Court in Dominguez v. Puerto Rico ruled six to five upholding the state’s right to ban abortions. As of 1975, only 22 states allowed abortion under certain circumstances.

[1] Autonomatonic is the TL’s term for Robotic.

 

[Mac Gregor]

Hey Everyone, here are a couple of maps and some statistics as we are three-fourths done with the 20th Century. Enjoy.


The world by government type. Please note that the term "limited monarchy" is used for countries where the monarch still wields some power as compared to a "constitutional monarchy" where the monarch is merely a figure head.

Here is a map that shows the level of political and social rights by country.

Below are some statistics compiled by Harper's Weekly for 1975.

Top 10 Nations by Area[1]
1. Imperial Eurasian Federation
2. Dominion of Canada
3. United States of America
4. Federal Republic of Brazil
5. Technate of China
6. Federation of Australia
7. Dominion of South Africa
8. United Republic of India
9. French Republic
10. Argentine Republic

Top 10 Nations by GDP
1. United States of America
2. German Empire
3. Imperial Eurasian Federation
4. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
5. Empire of Japan
6. French Republic
7. Republic of Italy
8. Technate of China
9. United Republic of India
10. Dominion of Canada

Top 10 Nations by Population

1. United Republic of India
2. Technate of China
3. Imperial Eurasian Federation
4. United States of America
5. Empire of Japan
6. German Empire
7. Republic of Indonesia
8. Commonwealth of Madras
9. French Republic
10. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

[1] Statistics do not include oversea colonies.

 

[Mac Gregor]

1976

Foreign Developments
Part I

Helmfried Lafrentz plants the Imperial German Flag
January 26, 1976​

On January 26, the German Empire became the second nation to send a man to the moon when Helmfried Lafrentz and Dierk Wechsler landed on the Sea of Tranquility. Germany may well have reached the moon months earlier had they not suffered a fatal accident the previous February killing three astronauts and delaying their lunar program.

In May, the French Government of President Jourdain Gaëtan made a decision hoping to resolve the “African Question”. Starting in 1978, France’s two remaining colonies of Western and Eastern Sahara would be given de jure independence and control over their own domestic affairs but like the British dominions have their foreign policy directed by the mother country. The announcement was received with mixed feelings both in France and the Saharas, but by and large was treated as an acceptable compromise by most.

During the 1976 Italian elections the new center left Christian Labor Party (PLC) captured the presidency and lower house while the Democratic Republicans kept control of the Senate. Formed largely from the remnants of the now defunct People’s Party, the PLC and the new President Furruccio Gagliardi promised the country improved working conditions, a massive infrastructure improvement plan, and announced the start of a joint Franco-Italian space program.

In July, open rebellion finally broke out in the Belgian Congo. Prime Minister Wathelet’s government reluctantly began deploying troops, mostly in the western part of the colony to protect key facilities and infrastructure. German forces from neighboring Cameroon also began providing limited assistance to shore up the Belgians against the myriad of armed groups opposing them.

Flag used by most Congolese freedom fighter groups​

 

[Mac Gregor]

War in Asia ​

After decades of simmering tensions, provocations, and military buildups the largest conflict since the Great War finally erupted in August of 1976. While some had thought it was only a matter of time before the Corporatist powers of India and Japan sought to right the perceived wrongs imposed on them by the Western world other experts were dumfounded by the sudden maelstrom that descended on Asia and the Pacific Ocean.

The Road to War
​

The root causes for the conflict between the Calcutta Compact and the British Commonwealth are complicated and differ from country to country. Many can be traced back to the beginning of the twentieth century if not earlier. Here is a list of the some of the most often sited reasons.

-Anticolonialism: One of the key ideological components of both Indian Leader Harshad Nanda’s National Unity Party (Rāṣṭrīya ēkatā pārṭī or REP) and Japanese Prime Minister Ryota Hayashi’s Kobushi Party was opposition to European colonialism in all its forms. Nanda had always asserted that the so called “sundering of India” during the Indian War of Independence (1949-1958) had been a tragedy of historical proportions and that all territories once part of the British Raj should be united under a single Indian government, no matter the cost. It was commonly believed in Kobushi Japan that it was Western meddling which prevented them from achieving an outright victory against Russia during the Great War stunting their destiny to be the undisputed masters of East Asia.

-Competition for natural resources: A definite factor for Japanese involvement in the war was their desire to acquire much needed natural resources. Having been industrialized for decades, the Japanese Empire sought to gain what it perceived as low hanging fruit from the oil fields of Northern Borneo to the rubber plantations of New Guinea.

-Relative decline of the British Empire: While the British Commonwealth remained a major powers its position it the world had been slipping since its midcentury peak. The loss of Egypt, Indochina, Sudan, and most of India along with the granting of dominion status to various territories was perceived by many in Japan and India as evidence of imperial decay. Furthermore, the lack of a substantial response to the Indian annexation of Bengal (1975) and Japanese aggression towards China (1954-1955) and Siam(1971-1972) led Nanda and Hayashi to believe that Britain had lost the will to seriously contest the Asia-Pacific.

-Advent of nuclear weapons: Before the war began many strategists had believed that because Britain possessed nuclear weapons no major power would dare challenger her in open warfare. With the outbreak of hostilities however, the opposite proved to be true. Britain had exploded its first atomic device in 1974 and now possessed a few dozen bombs. As it would be several years at least until the Indian and Japanese nuclear programs could produce weapons, Nanda and Hayashi believed that they couldn’t wait. By then Britain could have built hundreds if not thousands of bombs. Moreover, China was also known to be pursuing nuclear weapons and Japan wished to capture the desired British territory before turning to deal with the Technate.

The Hammer Falls

Harshad Nanda in military uniform
Leader of the United Republic of India​

In early July, forces belonging to the REP backed Indian People’s Front captured Shillong the capital of the Republic of Assam after years of fighting with the pro-western government of President Sarat Hazarika. Within days, Harshad Nanda “accepted their request” to join the United Republic of India and sent elements of the 6th Indian Army to occupying the territory. Hazarika was granted asylum in neighboring Burma were he vowed to “continue fighting against this unwarranted and illegal power grab.” As with Bengal the previous year, this act of aggression sent shockwaves throughout the subcontinent. However, it wouldn’t be Assam that proved to be the spark to ignite the powder keg.

On August 2, a small group of pro-REP officers in the Hyderabad military, apparently taking their cues from Assam, attempted to storm the royal palace an overthrow Hyderabad’s ruler Nazim Asfar Jar VIII. After a three hour long gunfight, the palace guards were able to beat back the assault. Fleeing to the countryside, the coup plotters led by Major Siddharta Joshi demanded that the United Republic of India intervene. On August 7, after finally seeing the opportunity he had been waiting for, Nanda ordered the invasion of Hyderabad and its ally the neighboring Commonwealth of Madras. For the second time in as many decades, the Indian subcontinent found itself engulfed in war.

 

[Mac Gregor]

Sorry for no update yet. I will try and get something posted this weekend. Here is (hopefully) the final map of the IEF. Enjoy!

 

[Mac Gregor]

The long overdue update. Thanks for being patient. (Sorry for the sloppy editing, it won't let me put spaces between the paragraphs for some reason)

The Opening Moves
August 7-17, 1976 ​

Japan enters the War

As Indian forces surged south into Hyderabad and Madras, the Empire of Japan finally saw its opportunity to expand in the Pacific. During the early hours of August 8, Prime Minister Ryota Hayashi meet with senior Kobushi Party officials and announced his intention to move against the British Commonwealth. After a brief but tense discussion, a consensus was reached that war would begin the following day. Hayashi assured his compatriots that Vietnam, Kampuchea, and Laos would honor the Calcutta Compact as well and join the fight against Britain and her Dominions.
Known as Operation Umigame (Sea Turtle) the war plan entailed for the Japanese military to move quickly on multiple fronts. Hayashi wished to seize the “low hanging fruits” of the British Empire without sparking a wider war involving China, Russia, or the United States. As such, great emphasis was placed on speed, hoping to conquer the desired territory and gain supremacy in the Pacific before other powers could weigh in.
On August 9, the Imperial Japanese Navy launched a series of attacks in the Western Pacific. The first Commonwealth casualties were on the heavy cruiser HMS Redoubtable after it was struck by a Japanese torpedo approaching Hong Kong’s Victoria harbor. Over the next two days air raids by Japanese jet fighters and bombers were launched on Singapore, Sarawak, and New Guinea. On the Malay Peninsula, the 22nd Corp of the Imperial Japanese Army under General Takuma Saito began its long advance towards Singapore. ​

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The Commonwealth Answers the Call​

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Hours after news that the United Republic of India had invaded Hyderabad and Madras, Prime Minister A.P. Vaughan called an emergency session of the House of Commons. Vaughan announced that an ultimatum for the URI to withdraw its forces had been rejected out of hand by Indian Leader Harshad Nanda. Declaring that “the time has come for the United Kingdom to honor its promises,” Vaughan asked that parliament request a declaration of war against the URI. After two hours of fierce debate, the motion carried despite the vehement opposition of Keith Reece the leader of the Socialist Workers Party.
It now fell to the legislatures of the five independent dominions to make their own decision whether to stand by the UK and their allies on the subcontinent. Japan’s aggression in the Pacific made the choice an easy one for Australia and New Zealand, both of whom entered the war on August 9. Canada followed suit the next day. Prime Minister Mbete declared his support for the Commonwealth stating, “An attack on one of us is an attack on all us” paving the way for South Africa’s declaration of war on August 11. Ireland proved to be the most contentious with the anti-British Prime Minster Sean Madden suffering a vote of no confidence after he refused to allow the Irish parliament to vote on joining the war. Ireland finally joined its sister commonwealths on August 17 after a new government was formed under Meridith O’Nullain of the centrist Justice Party.

Retreat in India ​

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In the first ten days of the war, over 600,000 URI troops advanced south into Hyderabad and Madras. Severely outnumbered, the Madrasian and Hyderabadi armies began withdrawing in earnest, destroying bridges and blocking roads as they fled. Hyderabad city fell on August 16 after only token resistance. In the air, the Madrasian Air Force had its hands full with dogfights raging over the Deccan Plateau against their more numerous Indian opponents. At sea, the Commonwealth had some modest success with the sinking of the battleship URIS Lahore off the coast of Bombay. In a questionable move, Nanda also directed for Portugal’s Indian territories to be occupied. In the resulting battle of Gao over 1,300 Portuguese soldiers were killed or wounded before they finally surrendered. At the time, the exact reason for bringing Portugal into the war was unknown but it was believed that Nanda wished to secure Gao before launching future operations into Mysore. By midmonth, it was apparent to all that if reinforcements didn’t arrive soon the Commonwealth’s position on the subcontinent would become untenable.
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The belligerents as of 17 August, 1976​

 

[Mac Gregor]

Red Sun Rising

The South Pacific:
August 18-October 14, 1976

War Flag of the Imperial Japanese Army​

As Japanese troops plodded down the Malay Peninsula, Prime Minister Hayashi directed the Imperial Army and Navy to attack a slew of Commonwealth possessions in the South Pacific. With Commonwealth assets already stretched dangerously thin in India, few forces could be spared to contest the multipronged Japanese advance. Most of the Royal Navy’s Far East Fleet was either bottled up in Hong Kong or ordered to withdraw to the Indian Ocean or Australia, but not after suffering the loss of two frigates and the cruiser HMS Glasgow.

Northern Borneo

On August 21, after taking the isolated island of Palau, Japan launched a massive air and naval invasion of northern Borneo. Hayashi’s intentions were easy to discern as the Japanese Empire needed to secure the island's lucrative resources such as oil and rubber. The small British protectorate of Brunei fell quickly after Japanese helicopter borne troops stormed the royal palace and captured Brunei’s elderly leader Sultan Muhyiddin II. The neighboring territory of the Kingdom of Sarawak however would prove a more difficult nut to crack. Led by Alastair of Sarawak the latest “White Rajah” of the ruling Brooke dynasty, the tiny Sarawak army took to the jungle interior to wage a guerrilla war against the Japanese occupiers. As the war progressed, Alastair would earn the nom de guerre of Howaitotaiga “White Tiger” from the Japanese along with a sizable bounty on his head for his daring exploits.

Alastair of Sarawak (middle) in commando uniform
September, 1976

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Papua

In early September, Japanese forces made hotly contested landings at Wewak and Port Edward on the northern coast of Papua. The Royal Australian Air Force did their best to intercept the invaders but Japanese carrier based jets managed to win local air superiority. By mid-October, roughly 40,000 Japanese troops had made it ashore. On the southern portion of the island, Commonwealth forces under Australian Lieutenant General Sir Peter Carter began to mass for what would surely be a horrific fight in the island’s jungles and central highlands.

The Bonaparte Archipelago and the Solomon Islands

Following soon after the landings on New Guinea, Japan swiftly captured the Bonaparte Archipelago. The toughest resistance was by Australian forces on the island of New Britain, which inflicted over 4,000 Japanese casualties despite being hopelessly outnumbered. To the east, the lightly defended Australian territory of the Solomon Islands was evacuated before Japanese forces arrived. Attempting to cover their withdraw the Commonwealth scored one of its rare success during this period on October 1, when it severely damaged the Japanese aircraft carrier Kochi with a missile strike from a New Zealand cruiser during the indecisive Battle of the Solomon Sea.

Hong Kong and Macau

Throughout these difficult times, the British and Portuguese outposts of Hong Kong and Macau suffered multiple bombing raids and were essentially besieged by prowling Japanese submarines. Despite initial fears, it soon became apparent that the Japanese were not going to attempt to capture these cities, rightly believing that it would provoke Chinese intervention. Never the less, the two cities were devastated by the resulting fires and soon found themselves running dangerously low on antiaircraft missiles. ​

 

[Mac Gregor]

The Indian Front

August 18-November 4, 1976 ​

Battle of Vijayawada

After the fall of such important cities as Hyderabad and Vishakhapatnam, the Commonwealth Commander in Chief in India, Field Marshal Reginald MacDougal, decided to make a stand at Vijayawada, an important road and rail junction, in order to allow Commonwealth forces and civilians time to flee south of the Krishna River. On September 3, URI cataphracts supported by waves of infantry made their first assault on the city. British and Madrasian anti-armor rockets inflicted heavy losses but after nearly 36 hours of continuous fighting in the driving monsoon rains, the city finally fell. Casualties were estimated at over 10,000 for both sides, not including civilians. This delaying action did however accomplish its purpose and MacDougal was able to withdraw in good order.

Reinforcements

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British Valkyrie Attack Helicopter in action near Tumkur​

Starting in late August, Commonwealth reinforcements began to land in strength on the subcontinent. Elements of the 1st Infantry Division (South Africa) were the first to arrive followed by units from East Africa, Madagascar, and the 25th Canadian cataphract brigade. The government of Madras under Prime Minister Thakur Diwan also began a massive conscription campaign to bolster its numbers, but shortages of weapons and supplies hampered efforts. The most significant addition was arguably the arrival of the first squadron of Valkyrie attack helicopters from Britain. The Valkyries proved especially effective against URI cataphracts but were vulnerable to ground fire. The strain of modern warfare stretched logistics on both sides to the limit with expenditures of fuel and ammunition far exceeding prewar expectations.

The War at Sea

While the Commonwealth enjoyed naval superiority from the start of the war, the URI did attempt to whittle away their strength through submarine and aerial attacks. Despite the loss of a few ships, the British Southern Fleet under Admiral Sir Roderick Chatfield was bolstered by vessels from the dominions, Portugal, and the Home and Atlantic Fleets. URI aircraft prevented the Royal Navy from approaching close to the shore in most cases, but a distant blockade was soon put in place. URI Leader Nanda planned to crush the remaining Commonwealth forces in the south before the blockade could affect the war effort. By the end of October, the small URI Navy had lost over a dozen ships and was forced to stay in port or cling to the coast.

The Commonwealth Retreats

Despite limited success at Vijayawada and at sea, the overall military situation on the subcontinent continued to deteriorate throughout October. Commonwealth troops were forced by superior URI numbers to fall back further and further south. By early November, the front line was just north of the key cities of Mysore, Bangalore, and Madras. As such, these cities were choked with refugees fleeing the fighting and were under intense bombardment by URI rockets and bombers. Soldiers continued to pore in from the rest of the Commonwealth, but were offset by heavy losses. As Field Marshal MacDougal made preparations to strengthen his defensive line he had no illusions about the seriousness of the situation. Remaking to his chief of staff, MacDougal is reported to have said “it may soon be necessary to draw up contingency plans for withdrawing to Ceylon… or even Africa.”

Position of the Frontlines​

 

[Mac Gregor]

Taking a short break from the war to discuss the bicentennial. Cheers!

The American Bicentennial ​

Although the dark clouds of war were gathering on the far side of the world, Americans during the summer of 1976 were preoccupied with the nation’s bicentennial. Indeed celebrations started the previous year with the 1975 World’s Fair in Philadelphia and had increased throughout the following months.

Monuments

In honor of such an auspicious occasion, cities throughout the country dedicated monuments commemorating the 200th anniversary of the declaration of independence. The most notable statues came from foreign countries, many of whom were eager to curry favor with the United States. The members of the League of American Republics unveiled a beautiful bronze statue of George Washington, Simon Bolivar, and Miguel Hidalgo with swords raised titled “Fathers of American Independence” outside the LAR headquarters in Panama City, Panama. France presented a 30 ft marble statue of the Marquis de Lafayette to Congress dedicated to “the lasting friendship between the French and American peoples.” Despite their intense rivalry in the space race, the German Empire presented the most expensive gift, a towering statue of Columbia with an eagle on her shoulder, which was erected on Bedloe's Island in New York harbor.

Arguably, the most controversial gift came from the Imperial Eurasian Federation. Empress Elizabeth II offered a flattering statue of the revolutionary war hero Casimir Pulaski. The IEF government tactlessly tried to pass off Pulaski as a “Russian-Polish hero” conveniently ignoring the fact that Pulaski was a Polish nobleman who had fought against Russia expansion. Polish-American groups loudly protested President Gavin accepting the gift claiming that it represented American acquiescence of Russia’s historically heavy-handed treatment of Poland. When the statue was officially dedicated in Savannah, GA an angry mob tried to disrupt the proceedings. The following day similar riots broke out in Warsaw and Krakow in Poland, ending in two deaths and nearly 80 wounded before order was restored. Altogether, the event reinvigorated the Polish independence movement in both America and the IEF.

Festivities

Naturally, the bicentennial was accompanied by a slew or parades, speeches, and parties. Several reenactments were held along the east coast with the largest happening at Trenton, New Jersey involving nearly 5,000 participants. Following the World’s Fair, the Liberty Bell was sent on a tour of all 56 states. British Monarch King Edward VIII made an unprecedented goodwill tour of the United States where at a speech in St. Louis, Missouri he urged America “to continue to be a beacon of liberty for the civilized world.” One of the most memorable moments from the bicentennial however didn’t even occur in America. That credit is given to astronaut Jake Dyson who on June 2, unfurled a 13 star American flag on the moon as part of the Artemis XIII mission.