alternatehistory.com

I've been looking at an alternate history starting in the late 19th century with the [ahem] arguments [ahem] between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison. What I've got here is a basic idea of what I want to happen (to suit a game I'm designing), but need discussion about whether it's even possible, if implausible.

----

Timeline deviates with Tesla's laboratory fire in 1895. Police investigations turn up evidence (possibly circumstantial) that implicate associates of Edison. No charges are laid though as Edison's political influence gets any charges dropped and the case closed.

Tesla, already somewhat frustrated by Edison's personal attacks against him, returns in late 1895 to Serbia to continue his researches. With Nikola back in Europe, George Westinghouse cannot maintain his business interests and by 1897 he is forced to file for bankruptcy, leaving Tesla with no particularly influential allies in the USA.

The following year Tesla demonstrates the capabilties of AC electricity. Europe of course thinks this is a great thing, and happily takes the technology on board. This acts as a unifying force for the nations of Europe, as industrial growth and political negotiations smooth out some of the more problematic areas they are suffering.

In 1899 Tesla is found dead. Evidence points towards Edison fan-boys and information is found to implicate the American in a more direct way.

Tesla's death becomes a matter of importance to Europe as a whole, and diplomatic efforts are made to bring the perpetrators to justice. The US government refuse to cooperate as to do so would damage the reputation and safety of one of their favourite men. It certainly helps that Edison has the ears of a number of politicians in the right place.

By late 1900 any negotiation between Europe and America has crumbled, and peace is kept only very tenuously. It takes a few relatively minor events before the first shot is fired between the two (for want of a better word) empires.

With a common enemy, Europe presents a united front.

----

Ignoring the obvious fabrications, would it have been possible for Europe to combine forces against America during that period of time? I understand that there were not insignificant issues between a few of the nations, but there's nothing better than a common enemy to get unity.

I have more history from this point, but it's not really necessary to state them if the basic premise could never occur.

Thoughts?
Top