TLIAW: Daughters of Elysium - The European Federal Election of 2019

[Fleetlord]

So, who's President Foster?

Bill Foster is too liberal, Mike Foster is too old, Ezola Foster has the right kind of politics but OP says there's been no Civil Rights movement, so probably not her.

Vince Foster?

 

[The Professor]

So, who's President Foster?

Bill Foster is too liberal, Mike Foster is too old, Ezola Foster has the right kind of politics but OP says there's been no Civil Rights movement, so probably not her.

Vince Foster?

Neal Foster? Or probably his father (Neal) Richard Foster? They appear to be Blue Dogs from Alaska.

 

[Steve Bigpockets]

Wonderful timeline given me some ideas there... looking forward to the history

 

[Major Crimson]

So, who's President Foster?

Bill Foster is too liberal, Mike Foster is too old, Ezola Foster has the right kind of politics but OP says there's been no Civil Rights movement, so probably not her.

Vince Foster?

Neal Foster? Or probably his father (Neal) Richard Foster? They appear to be Blue Dogs from Alaska.

Mike was the plan! I wanted a Blue Dog and he seemed, as the politbrits say, "phresh". I know he ran as a Rep but he's got a Democratic background and the business links are good as well, considering whats going on in the US... Neal Snr and Jr both fit very well though, its bizaire how many conservative democrats called Foster there are.

Wonderful timeline given me some ideas there... looking forward to the history

So glad you liked it! History is in progress and more than half done, should be done tonight or tomorrow morning!

Britain saving Europe. Oh the irony. I love it.
WHAT A GREAT ENDING.

Taking back control (from the fascists).

UK coming in clutch.

Even if its only in fiction, its nice to see your country vote the right way for once. I'm glad you guys liked the ending and indeed, taking back control from fascists.

Charles Kennedy, president of Europe.

Britain saving Europe from a fascist-lead coalition.

This was fantastic, and kept me guessing right up to the last minute. Also, even as a Labour man its good to see wee Chuckie Bum get a better shake than in OTL.

Looks like I'm a Coop man TTL.

Whew! This TL was too real and I'm glad we got a happy ending.

GOOD END UNLOCKED

Damn, what a wild ride this was. I can't wait to read more about the history and how it led to everything.

Great ending and almost thought it was gunna be Gordon for a second but honestly happier it was Kennedy.

Oh that was good!

Charles Kennedy overcoming his drinking AND staying in politics and flourishing! (President too!)

This has been fantastically written Bravo!

Thank you all for the lovely comments, I thought after how punishing real world politics has been recently, it'd be nice to see a glimmer of hope for once

Despite being a Labour man through and though, I've always had a real soft spot for Charles Kennedy, I think he was a good man who had some awful luck - his politics were good and his commitment to peace and liberty were unique in this past era of British politics. I think he'd have done a bang up job as PM and lets hope he's a good President too

Like I said above, history coming soon!

 

[Major Crimson]

Also small little graphic:

 

[Analytical Engine]

Also small little graphic:

View attachment 342799​

Why can't I give this more than one like? WHY?

 

[Fleetlord]

Mike was the plan! I wanted a Blue Dog and he seemed, as the politbrits say, "phresh". I know he ran as a Rep but he's got a Democratic background and the business links are good as well, considering whats going on in the US... Neal Snr and Jr both fit very well though, its bizaire how many conservative democrats called Foster there are.

Yeah, Mike would work pretty well except for being nearly 90 by 2019 -- maybe his son followed him into politics? Though a paleocon-America effectively run by Congress and lobbyists with an increasingly dusty figurehead at the top (now on his sixth or seventh term) would be interesting too.

 

[Major Crimson]

The World of Elysium



The Divergence​

The history of “Elysium” diverges from our own when General Gamelin, Commander in Chief of the French Armed Forces, informs the French Government that fully mobilisation is not necessary to repel the German occupation of the Rhineland. He believes, unlike OTL, the official account from the German foreign ministry that only 19 divisions had been sent into the region and argues that a military response is both possible and correct. French forces hit the Germans quite unexpectedly on the 15th of March, 1936 and push the Germans a fair way back. Hitler is immediately rattled and begins to panic. The fighting very quickly starts to bog down, however, and Hitler doubles down on the war by attempting a disastrous invasion of Belgium in early April. As British and Belgian forces finally make their way to the front in force and the Luftwaffe is shredded by the larger combined force of the RAF and the Armee de l’Air, the war turns against Germany. Hitler, whose mental health and political standing are fading rapidly, is ousted by the Army, who call for a ceasefire and outlaw the NSDAP, largely restoring the government to its pre-1933 state. Hitler is convicted by a German tribunal of breaking international law, violating the constitution and treason. After much debate, he is handed over to the French and hanged in Paris. In Germany, the Army reluctantly give way to a Zentrum-SDP government in 1937 and Germany begins to transition back to a stable democracy.


Whilst the initial economic shock of the war was a clear negative, the French victory boosts their economy by just enough to stabilize the state of affairs. Neville Chamberlain becomes Prime Minister of the UK just like OTL, Blum hosts steady in France and the recicent German Government of Otto Wells begins to build economic and political ties with Western Europe. The European economy begins a steady general recovery, as investment between Germany, France and Britain grows and the respective success of each continues to boost the others. Things take a dramatic turn for the worse in the early 1940s when Stalin begins slowly conquering the Balkan states. Estonia and Latvia fall with only strongly worded letters sent in response. Poland, however, beginning to fear for her security, publicly guarantees the independence of Lithuania and stations troops on her borders. The Soviets call the Polish bluff and invade but Warsaw does not back down and the First Soviet War begins.

The Soviets very quickly storm through Lithuania, despite stiff resistance, and whilst progress is bloody, advance through Poland at a rapid rate. Germany, fearing for her own security, come to the aid of the Poles and the war grows again. The tide turns time and time again and for six months the front line moves back and forth within Poland. In early 1945 however, the soviets make a major breakthrough and storm for Warsaw, Stalin makes a series of speeches announcing how Communism will soon come to all the people of Europe. This threat and the idea of a Stalinist Germany shock Europe into action and the London Conference of 1945, Chamberlain rallies the French and Italian governments to his side to declare war on the Soviets. The Red are immediately thrown back and though there are a great deal of logistical and practical problems at first, the combined European Armies are able to retake Poland mile by mile. In 1952, with his physical and mental health rapidly deteriorating, Stalin doubles down and issues direct threats to many minor European governments. Most immediately join the anti-Soviet effort and the Soviets are pushed back to their original borders. Stalin conveniently “dies of a heart attack” and a troika of Khrushchev, Toduka and Zhukov take over and sue for peace. This new Soviet government is more openly anti-Stalin than OTL’s and over time, Trotskyite ideas are adopted.

The European Alliance quickly evolves into the Atlantic and European Democratic League, formalising the wartime alliance and adding Canada into the mix. The Alliance rapidly centralise their equipment and decision making with a combined High Command for the Army, Navy and Airforce organised in Paris, Portsmouth and Hamburg respectively.

Japanese expansionism and an increasingly aggressive United States lead to the First, Second and Third Pacific Wars (1944-1947, 1956-1960 and 1980) which see all see a three way clash between the Japanese Empire, the United States of America and the old European empires. The AEDL develops a counterpart in the Pacific and Asian Democratic League, consisting largely of Dutch Indonesia, French Indochina and British dominions in the pacific including Australia, New Zealand and splinters of the loose “Indian Confederation” that collapsed in 1951, a mere three years after its founding. The two alliances become increasingly close and both rapidly begin to develop first an economic and then political angle with the creation of the European Federation in 1969 and the Union of Oceania in 1973. These two alliances hold on desperately to the League of Nations as the Soviets, Japanese and Americans all begin to stare down at them.

The Second Soviet War (1969-1971) results in the Soviet capture of much of southern Europe including Romania, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Greece. It is only ended by the first (and last) ITTL deployment of a nuclear device as Leningrad is obliterated by a European bomber. A difficult peace is reached in Europe.

The World in 2019​

Europe, Oceania and the League of Nations


The League of Nations is a military and political alliance born from the ashes of a failed attempt at an international forum. Based now out of Montreal, it is often referred to as the “Free World”, the Democratic Bloc or simply the League. The LoN is a surprisingly tight knit group, her members are all democratic (drifting from this trend ends with either expulsion or intervention and is extremely rare) and relations are warm, if only due to the sheer scale of external threats. The LoN have standardized military equipment and norms, they regularly conduct joint military exercises and their currencies are pegged at a consistent rate: One Euro is One Canadian Pound (the Dollar was scrapped for being too American) is Two Oceanic Shillings is Five Congolese Scrip. Most are social democracies with some state ownership of key industries within a free market. Most also employ a form of national service and military spending is high (mandated at 5% of government spending in the LoN Charter of 1975) though considerably lower than in the USSR, USA or Japan.

With the Formation of the European Federation in 1969, the continent was set on its current path. Though it would lose 4 member states to Soviet invasion that same year, the Federation is now the richest nation on earth, its advanced economic and technological status have lead to extremely high living standards across the Federation. Education is free up to and including Post-Graduate education, a European Health Bureau provides state provided healthcare to the continent (though it is heavily devolved to the regions and private alternatives exist), all members are now fully fledged democracies (since the Spanish and Italian thaws of the 1970s).

Politically, the EF is a parliamentary, bicameral federation with the Parliament of the European Federation forming the lower house and the non-partisan High Council of Europe forming the upper. Both are housed within the Elysian Palace in Geneva. Christian and Social democracy remain the two dominant strains of political thought, with all Minister-Presidents coming from the Christian People’s Party or Cooperative Party. Leadership of the nation falls largely on the minister president though the “Big Three” of Germany, Britain and France hold a great deal of influence and their national leaders have been known to direct the course of the union in the past. Despite a few political scares in recent years (the Mediterranean Secession Crisis of 2001 and the Vigilant Surge of 2019) the Federation is stable and free, her people are happy and rich and under the newly elected Minister-President Charles Kennedy, people are optimistic.


In many ways, the Union of Oceania is very similar. Though a slightly looser arrangement than Europe, Oceania can be divided into three main regions; the “Eastern Dominions” of Australia and New Zealand, the “Central Dominions” of Malaya, Singapore, Borneo and Papua New Guinea and the “Indian Dominions” of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Ceylon, as well as the far flung member state of Madagascar. Oceania is more right wing than the Federation both socially and economically and her trio of mega-corporations (Wesfarmers, UOB and Singtel) all have a great deal of economic, political and even sometimes military influence. A cluster of PMCs bolsters the national army and politicians regularly appeal to these powerful groups as job makers and donors, though lobbying is strictly limited and Freedom House rates Oceania consistently as a full democracy.

Oceania is a semi-parliamentary system with a directly elected President, with the capital based in Singapore, also its largest and wealthiest city. Politically the Union is dominated by three parties; the socially conservative, big government National Action Party with a base in Singapore and Western Australia, the left wing Congress Party based in the Indian Dominions and New Zealand and the incumbent Liberal Party which has in recent years been pursuing a firmly libertarian course. Politically, Australia and Singapore hold far more influence than they should and the vast majority of the national leadership stems from these countries. Indonesia, in particular, has grated under this disparity and the breakaway, pro-Japanese, "Free Indonesian Republic" left Oceania in 1980, sparking the third Pacific War. Whilst eastern Indonesia was brought back under Oceanic control, the west remains a thorn in their side.

Canada is the third power of the LoN but under no illusions that it is a distant third. Spending nearly 10% of their budget on the military, the US-Canadian border is one of the tensest in the world. Whilst during the 50s it appeared that Canada might fall into the American sphere, the success of the Cooperative Commonwealth Party saw a string of socialist and social democratic Presidents throw in their lot with Europe and form the AEDL. When Europe federated, Canada chose not to join but now acts as the link between the Atlantic and Pacific sides of the League of Nations. At any one time, no fewer than 30,000 European and 20,000 Oceanic troops are stationed in Canada – she is certainly a nation on the edge.

The three “up and comers” within the LoN are the Commonwealth of Bengal, the Republic of Brazil and the Congolese Federation, developed and democratic republics built on the ideas of mutualism and left-libertarianism. Though they initially associated with the Soviet Union in the 50s and 60s, the hardline and domineering attitude of Trotskygrad scared away the more democratic and moderate states. Despite a short lived “Non-Aligned Movement” in the 1970s, it became apparent that they would have to pick a side and eventually they chose the League. Though they tack to the left of their former colonial masters (and indeed, a great deal of tension remains over the centuries of suffering and the issue of apologies and reparations) they share a commitment to democracy and personal liberty. Their economies are strong and their militaries large, even if they are under constant threat from American and Japanese puppets who want nothing more than the obliteration of socialist filth like them.

Finally there are the assorted minor allies such as Tibet, Kenya, Uraguay, the (now occupied) Kingdom of Tswanaland and more. They minor countries are steadfastly democratic but often lack the full blown economic success of their larger allies, instead relying heavily on natural resources and agriculture to support them. Almost all have both European and Oceanic military bases on their soil whilst most associate primarily with one or the other. Members of the League within the Indian ocean such as Tibet, Bengal, Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania primarily throw in their lot with Oceania whilst Atlantic members such as Brazil, Congo, Uraguay, Nigeria (and their friends in the West African Federation) and Cameroon rely on Europe.

All in all, the League is the most rag-tag of the four “pillars”. United by fear and a commitment to democracy, the free world huddles together tightly and – with mounting strength in recent years – seems the most likely to grow and thrive.

​

The Soviet Union

After the fall of Stalin, the backlash against his legacy was immense. Works that had been censored, burned or banned were now celebrated and lauded, statues were torn down and cities renamed, those killed under Stalin such as Trotsky, Bukharin and others become national heroes. The new government under Chairman Zhukov (who outmaneuvers Khrushchev for the top spot) paints itself as reformist and open, purporting to adopt tenants and policies of Trotskyism, going so far as to rename Moscow in his honour. In reality, the USSR continues largely as before; workplace democracy is expanded somewhat and many of the gulags are closed down but the party remains absolutely dominant and the politburo is dominated largely by the same men as ever. Under Zhukov there is relative peace until the outbreak of the Second Soviet War (known to the USSR as the Third Great War) which sees many successes for the Red Army in South-Eastern Europe. Zhukov is succeeded by party man after party man and the USSR largely maintains course, there are periods of liberalism and over time the Trotskyite dream slowly grows as more and more party democracy emerges and government power starts to wane. With the rise of Chairmen such as Limonov and his predecessor Kasparov, the USSR has once again taken a turn towards direct rule from Trotskygrad.

Abroad, the Soviet Union adopted the cause of “anti-Imperialism” and hijacked the independence movements of many in Africa and Asia. Whilst Trotskyite thought was often little more than a title, in terms of internationalism the Soviet Union delivered. With the worlds most powerful army and third most powerful navy, Communism has been exported to the far flung regions of the world. Their allies in the Popular Republic of the Congo, Zambezi and Katanga allow them a firm presence in Central Africa where the authority of the Communist Party reigns supreme. Likewise in Eastern Europe, Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece are utterly dominated by Trotskygrad. Local governments are formed and toppled on an annual basis and the mere whisper of reform is enough to have tanks rolling down the street within hours. In North India, a splinter of the Indian National Congress aligned with the Soviets and gave them an immediate head start on growing their influence. Both by agitating locally and via-direct intervention, Afghanistan, Punjab and the Indus Republic have been brought firmly into line with the Kremlin. Only in China is any deviance allowed; in truth the underdeveloped Chinese Soviet Republic is the weakest of the three Chinese governments and for the Soviets it is as much a buffer state as it is anything of greater value. With its heavily agricultural economy and heavily devolved government, the Soviets are content to base their troops there and stare angrily at the Japanese across the border. In South America, high Soviet hopes were dashed by utter American dominance as their rebellions and revolts (though partially successful in Columbia and Peru) consistently fail to take hold. The continent has largely been given up on, instead the USSR focuses its attention on Europe

Recently, the government has taken a turn towards the radical and authoritarian with buzzwords of “National Bolshevism” and “New Internationalism” thrown about as excuses to purge and exploit subversives and push the soviet agenda abroad. In Turkey, the Soviets have backed an assortment of communist, Islamist and military rebels in an attempt to topple a key European ally. Via their puppet in Syria, they conduct air strikes and funnel arms into the country where they crash directly with the European Armed forces.

​

The United States of America

The United States of America is the second richest of the world’s superpowers, after the European Federation, and has the second largest military, after the Soviet Union. Despite this however, they are probably the most individually powerful country in the world. More stable than Japan, wealthier than the USSR and better armed than Europe. Her slow descent into ‘race-managed democracy’ or, as the other great powers label it, ‘Racial Dictatorship” came from the end of the Fourth party system. After Franklin Roosevelt served his two terms, the young Mississippi Senator James Eastland clinched both the Democratic nomination and the presidency in an upset that saw the driving force of both the Democratic party and the USA turn southwards. Roosevelt’s historical reputation is complicated; whilst seen as both socially moderate and economically left wing, his stacking of the Supreme Court in 1937 handed a great deal of power to the Democratic party and the unchecked power of a Conservative, pro-Democrat supreme court lead to the slow death of American democracy. Eastland reinforced the Jim Crow laws and was a keen protector of segregation, though attempts to take it nation wide were quickly abandoned as impossible (for now). Eastland won reelection in 1944 and, after a rebellion in the Philippines purportedly funded by the Japanese Empire, the First Pacific War broke out. The results were inconclusive but American influence in the Pacific grew and Eastland was able to use the war to transfer more power to the executive, his old mantra of states rights abandoned now that he knew Southern Democrats had a firm hold on the Presidency. Eastland was followed by his VP, Spessard Holland, who oversaw the reapportionment of the Electoral College that granted nearly 60 extra electors to Southern states, all of which were firmly democratic. Holland was followed by Ross Barnet (1957-1965), James Fullbright (1965-1973), Lawton Chiles (1973-1981), Strom Thurmond (1981-1989), Bill Blythe (1989-1995), Joseph Buchanan (1995-2001), Leroy Gingrich (2001-2009), Matt Kibbe (2009-2016) and finally Mike Foster (2017-present). In all these years, neither the House nor the Senate has fallen out of democratic control as gerrymandering, government censorship and racial limiters preventing black Americans from going to the polls ensure the power of the party is supreme. In recent years, particularly under Gingrich, Kibbe and Foster, it is not the President but the DNC that has had a great deal of governmental power and DNC Chairman Don Black has been in effective power for the past decade. The Republican party has practically 0 presence South of New England and East of the Rockies and even there, they are constrained by a central government with an unflinching commitment to “managed democracy”, racial hierarchy and the success of American corporations.


American allies in Rhodesia and South Africa maintain similar segregationist policies, a recent US funded invasion of Tswanaland has led to an increase in tensions and a LoN boycott of American goods. Their only other willing allies stem from the Shahs of the middle east whilst Central and South America languish under a series of OSS backed Banana republics with pro-European and pro-Soviet rebels in a perpetual state of rebellion. Bar European Guyana, only Brazil and Uraguay have escaped American domination and both are now the most left wing countries outside of the Soviet sphere, utilising system of left-libertarianism they are key allies of the European Federation and remain members of the League of Nations. American puppet states established during the Second and Third Pacific Wars in the Philippines, “Free” Indochina and Odisha in east India seem strong on the surface but their leadership (either Generalissimos or Dogmatically Christian dictators, in the case of Indochina) is struggling under the strength of leftist and democratic rebels and in India particularly Washington’s grip is fading. Perhaps however, with their old rival in Tokyo weakening, the American Empire will last a few centuries more.

The Empire of Japan

By far the weakest of the four pillars, Japan has remained unflinching and unchanged since the 40s. Her Emperor devoid almost entirely of real power, instead it is the army and navy - stuck forever in a precarious balance - that lead the nation forward. The Second Sino-Japanese War ended in deadlock in 1943 and the establishment of the Empire of China the following year saw boy Emperor Pu Yi returned to the throne. With its capital in Nanjing, the Empire is just as much as Japanese puppet as any of her supposed allies in the Co-Prosperity Sphere. Manchukuo, Azad Hind, Burma, Vietnam, Laos and Hainan are all but puppets of the IJA and IJN. The Japanese were, for a time, the undisputed masters of the Pacific. Having smashed the American Navy in the First War of the Pacific and blunted the Royal (and broader European) Navy in the Second, she seemed to be master of the east. The sluggishness of Tokyo to adopt nuclear technology however, and the political ascendancy of the Army faction at the expense of the IJN, led to the loss of their naval crown some time in the 70s however.

During the 80s, Japan was the undisputed world leader in technologly, the economy and even culture. Cars faster and cheaper than anything made elsewhere, televisions and radios churned out at impressive rates, tanks and rifles made of composite materials and fitted with space age gadgets: Japanese factories flooded the world with glimpses of the future. Japanese movies and video games were smuggled into America and Russia and sold freely in Europe. The bright animation and enthralling acting of Japanese soaps won over many across the world, it seemed for a while as if the Empire would - against all odds - come out on top in the four way "Frozen Years" conflict. When the 80s ended however, Japan was too trapped in her "Decade of Good Feelings" to accompany the world forward.

In recent years, the cracks have begun to show; overtaken technologically by all other powers, Japans economy languishes in the past and her "allies" and beginning to assert themselves more. With the belated, underground entrance of the internet into the Co-Prosperity Sphere, agitation is once again beginning to crop up not only in her puppets but key parts of the Japanese Empire itself such as Korea and Taipei. Even more dramatically, the anger between the Army and Navy appears to be reaching a breaking point as Admiral Abe, head of the Naval Faction, has repeatedly talked of the superiority of "sea over earth" and has made several outings on nuclear submarines as well as appearing time and time again at the side of the Emperor. Abe appears to be attempting to monopolise power within the Empire and, if he continues, threatens to upset the delicate balance and bring civil war to Japan.

Even if conflict is avoided and even if Abe's rash acts come to nothing, Japan is on borrowed time and her pillar will likely be the first to fall.

India

With the rise of a Labour government in 1943, Britain finally begins a plan to grant Independence to India. Despite protestation from the Muslim League, the British government opt to create a singular, large dominion known as the Confederation of India. With the princely states maintaining their freedom and authority and a careful balance of Muslim and Hindu influence in government, there was much hope for the new nation. However it was not to be, Soviet agitation causes a schism in the ruling INC and this, combined with the Japanese funded Indian National Army rising in the east, caused the confederation to splinter and collapse.

The North Western states are slowly brought into the Soviet sphere and one by one fall to communist coups and invasions. In the North East, a democratic Bengal is the last hold out against an increasing number of Japanese and American puppets. Washington’s chosen puppet, Odisha, and Japan’s “Azad Hind” government are constantly clashing and in truth cause more trouble for each other than anyone else. In central India, the most powerful of the princely states band together and survive on their wealth and the size of their independent armies whilst in the South, Ceylon and the Tamil republics join with Oceania.

The Kingdom of Hyderabad and the rump Republic of Dehli cling together firmly. Occupying central and Northern India, they are the last hopes at true Indian self government. Whilst the Raja of Hyderabad is unabashed in his wish to rule over all India, the Dehli government is technically the legal successor the Confederation and thus the legal government of all India. Only time will tell if that can mean anything on more than just paper.

China

China is equally a mess, the Civil War was put on ceasefire during the 40s to fight off a Japanese invasion. They only succeeded in part and Japanese puppet governments are set up in Manchuria and eastern-central China. In the South, the authoritarian Republic of China is a firm American ally whilst the northern Chinese Soviet Republic is ruled almost entirely from Moscow. The three way split of China continues to be extremely tense and the fact that Britain and Portugal have been able to hold on to Hong Kong and Macau comes exclusively from the fact that all three Chinas would rather the Europeans had them than either of the other two. Living in China is tough these days but varies depending on which state you live in. The Soviet Republic is incredibly underdeveloped and mostly agricultural, bar cottage and basic industries near the coast and in Beijing, but probably the most content of the three. Bar five years of conscription in the Red Army most Northern Chinese live their lives with little government intervention, farming and living as they had for thousands of years before hand. In Southern China things are harder, the Republic is invasive and authoritarian – comparable to the PRC of OTL – and whilst a middle class has developed and wealth is certainly becoming more abundant, the army and Kuomintang punish political dissidence harshly. In the Japanese-controlled Empire of China however, things are certainly worst. A ruling caste of Japanese and quisling Chinese businessmen enforce a strict racial and economic hierarchy. Rule of law is arbitrary at best and nearly 70 years of rebellions and revolts and put the Japanese on edge – even breathing a word against the Emperor is met with the executions and family wide imprisonment. Tokyo’s hold on China is slipping however and many predict that one day soon, middle China might be free.




The Future

The Frozen Years, seen as wasted time to many politicians and philosophers, show no signs of stopping. Children have been born, grown old and died within the period and the many great powers of the world persist continually in their hatred of one another. The world has changed a lot in these last eighty years, new nations and ideas flourishing across the globe. Perhaps this standoffish era will continue forever, perhaps it will all come crashing down in nuclear fire tomorrow. Either way, the world of Elysium certainly has a few more stories to tell...

 

[Major Crimson]

And there is your 4000 word monolith of a background, I hope you enjoy!

It's a little rambling, a little inconsistent and probably a little ASB but its 4am, this TLIAW has lasted 5 weeks and I wanted to give you all a glimpse at the wider world.

Enjoy and thanks for coming along for the ride! For now I'll be returning to my other TL, The Red Crowns (which I advise you all read!) but in the future plan to return to the world of Elysium, so stay tuned.

 

[Magyarország]

Nuuuu, some images are broken.

Far-right Japan always makes me sad, while far-right America is ouright terrifying.

I do love the Rhineland gamble PoD. Maurice Gamelin is TTL's greatest hero.

 

[Tsar of New Zealand]

Ah, hell, I'll get cracking on finishing the map.

On the plus side, I can do a much better job of annotating with the extra context.

 

[andry2806]

*clap*clap*clap*clap*clap*

The last lines make me think that we'll see other Elysium TLs in the future, or at least I hope...list of presidents of Oceania?

 

[traveller76]

The World of Elysium


​

This was epic and beautiful. Thank you. What is the level of space development and technological development in 2019?

 

[jolou]

Great TL !
But the map isn't working for me :/

 

[BootOnFace]

images seem to be broken, but I love the background information!

Seems a bit dystopic to me, with America, China, and probably India being so worse off. I don't really see a slightly better-off Europe, Brazil, and some of Africa balancing that out. But very plausible, and thus unsettling. I could see the US descending into Party dictatorship very easily and have worried about much the same thing happening in the next few years myself.

 

[Bulldoggus]

What is American culture like? I assume country music, stock car racing, and vicious racism.

 

[Progressive Populist]

More Please!

 

[Tsar of New Zealand]

What is American culture like? I assume country music, stock car racing, and vicious racism.

I figured like the 1950s continued, sorta like pre-War Fallout given the reds-under-the-bed mentality. One of the annotations in the forthcoming map mentions cultural emigres in Canada, which hopefully doesn't trample canon too much - I got the impression of a culturally stagnant US which panders to Southern sensibilities way more, with the dominant-party system (in which the Southern Dems are dominant) hampering progress from the top.

 

[Major Crimson]

Nuuuu, some images are broken.

Far-right Japan always makes me sad, while far-right America is ouright terrifying.

I do love the Rhineland gamble PoD. Maurice Gamelin is TTL's greatest hero.

I think it's surprisingly neglected as a PoD and it is always sad when japan falls into the same old fascist holes and I wanted to do an American dictatorship that was as "American" as possible. Same culture, same political systems, same parties and sometimes the same Presidents but transformed into something scary. The world does owe Gamelin an awful lot, although arguably this world is worse than OTL.

Ah, hell, I'll get cracking on finishing the map.

On the plus side, I can do a much better job of annotating with the extra context.

No rush but yeah hopefully this fills in some gaps!

*clap*clap*clap*clap*clap*

The last lines make me think that we'll see other Elysium TLs in the future, or at least I hope...list of presidents of Oceania?

Definitely there will be more in the future, the outline for "Sons of Elysium" is already underway . And sure, I'll whip one up and probably a few other official lists for the US, USSR, EF and Britain.

This was epic and beautiful. Thank you. What is the level of space development and technological development in 2019?

I did my best and thank you! Space development is a little ahead of OTL, Mars landings happened in the 90s and 2000s and each of the four alliances have a space base varying from the notoriously dangerous "Imperial Observation Platform" (Japan), the large but clunky "USS Coumbia", the hardy "Cosmobase II" and finally the League's state of the art "Multinational Space Platform". Tech in general is a little ahead of OTL with a big tech race between the four powers pushing funding and interest in R and D up. Access to tech is probably a little lower than OTL, at least outside of the League. Middle and upper class (white) Americans have computers and PDAs at about the same rate as OTL but poor and black Americans (two catagories that crossover a lot) rarely ever do. In the USSR you're only likely to find them in libraries or owned by high ranking officials whilst Japan will have them in offices but the idea of a "home computer" is pretty much non-existent. In Europe and Oceania it'd probably be the same as OTL. Otherwise, again it's slightly ahead.

Great TL !
But the map isn't working for me :/

Sadly no map yet, all flags but should be fixed now! Glad you enjoyed it!

images seem to be broken, but I love the background information!

Seems a bit dystopic to me, with America, China, and probably India being so worse off. I don't really see a slightly better-off Europe, Brazil, and some of Africa balancing that out. But very plausible, and thus unsettling. I could see the US descending into Party dictatorship very easily and have worried about much the same thing happening in the next few years myself.

Images fixed! It started as a slight utopia/better than OTL but the more I filled in the gaps and explored the universe (as well as pondered why Europe would bond so tightly together) it just turned out worse and worse. Life is actually better if you live in Africa outside of SA/Rhodesia/Tswanaland, Brazil, Palestine-Israel, Hong Kong and those parts of India and South Asia that are part of Oceania. Sad thing is if you're American, Russian, South American or anywhere within the Co-Prosperity Sphere, life sucks. It's pretty much the same (or slightly better) in Europe, Australasia, Canada, ect.

As for the US, I think it's interesting how easily you can corrupt the American electoral system, I have faith that it won't happen OTL (but who knows with the current level of gerrymandering and the clear bias towards one party in both presidential and congressional elections) but we'll have to wait and see! Glad you liked it!

What is American culture like? I assume country music, stock car racing, and vicious racism.

I figured like the 1950s continued, sorta like pre-War Fallout given the reds-under-the-bed mentality. One of the annotations in the forthcoming map mentions cultural emigres in Canada, which hopefully doesn't trample canon too much - I got the impression of a culturally stagnant US which panders to Southern sensibilities way more, with the dominant-party system (in which the Southern Dems are dominant) hampering progress from the top.

The good Tsar is pretty much spot on here, the 50s style nuclear family/Tupperware lifestyle sums up life in middle America whilst the south is that plus an effective caste system with Black Americans forced economically and sometimes even legally into city slums and menial labour. The west coast is a bit of an anomaly, culturally close to the 80s and libertarian/conservative republican dominated, LA or San Fran are closer to Blade Runner than anything else. NYC is probably the best you can get but even there there's a massive racial and economic divide. Women's right aren't doing so well either and as of 2019 there's no federally legislated need to pay men and women (or even blacks and whites) the same rate.

More Please!

I'm taking a little break (and going back to my long neglected Red Crowns TL) but there is more on the way.

 

[Bulldoggus]

The good Tsar is pretty much spot on here, the 50s style nuclear family/Tupperware lifestyle sums up life in middle America whilst the south is that plus an effective caste system with Black Americans forced economically and sometimes even legally into city slums and menial labour. The west coast is a bit of an anomaly, culturally close to the 80s and libertarian/conservative republican dominated, LA or San Fran are closer to Blade Runner than anything else. NYC is probably the best you can get but even there there's a massive racial and economic divide. Women's right aren't doing so well either and as of 2019 there's no federally legislated need to pay men and women (or even blacks and whites) the same rate.

What is N.E. like? Is there secessionism based on a democratic culture/underground there? Some Europhilia, perhaps?