Welcome to the New Millennium: A Collaborative Timeline
- Thread starter Spens1
- Start date
(Hopefully, this will be okay since this is my first post here.)
February 14th, 2005: Youtube, a video-sharing social media website, is founded in San Marino, California by three men, Jawed Karim, Steve Chen, and Chad Hurley.
November 19th, 2005: Two teenagers, Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox, create their first video on the newly created website Youtube, entitled "Power Rangers Theme", where they lip sync to the Power Rangers theme song while dancing in their room.
April 8th, 2006: The first episode of the Angry Nintendo Nerd, later renamed to the Angry Video Game Nerd, is published onto Youtube by James Rolfe.
August 2nd, 2006: "rolando nike ad" is published onto Youtube, where it would eventually become the first video on the website to reach 1,000,000 views.
October 9th, 2006: Google buys Youtube for 1.65 billion dollars.
February 14th, 2005: Youtube, a video-sharing social media website, is founded in San Marino, California by three men, Jawed Karim, Steve Chen, and Chad Hurley.
November 19th, 2005: Two teenagers, Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox, create their first video on the newly created website Youtube, entitled "Power Rangers Theme", where they lip sync to the Power Rangers theme song while dancing in their room.
April 8th, 2006: The first episode of the Angry Nintendo Nerd, later renamed to the Angry Video Game Nerd, is published onto Youtube by James Rolfe.
August 2nd, 2006: "rolando nike ad" is published onto Youtube, where it would eventually become the first video on the website to reach 1,000,000 views.
October 9th, 2006: Google buys Youtube for 1.65 billion dollars.
And. Here. We. Go.
And also...
November 10, 2006: Fred Rogers established the Mr. Rogers Online Neighborhood Youtube channel, seeing the Internet as a new place for potential education much like how he saw television years prior.
July 1, 2009: In a historical precedent, Quebec has decided to hold elections over whether or not to rejoin Canada. The decision has been after years of corruption and later financial hardship in regards to the decision. While Quebec has been acknowledged, the following scandals and lukewarm administration had tainted the election. In fact, it was the election of Jack Layton, born in Montreal, that led to the rise of the NDP's Quebec counterpart to hold a supermajority in the nation and to hold an election. Initial remarks on the controversial nature of this died down when it was pointed out that this was a continuation of democracy and ultimately, no one should be afraid. In fact, many of the Quebec citizens responded and thought highly of Jack Layton.
September 2, 2009: The Justice Department announces the largest health care fraud settlement in history, $2.3 billion, involving Pfizer.
September 25, 2009: At the G-20 Pittsburgh summit, world leaders announce that the G-20 will assume greater leverage over the global economy, replacing the role of the G8, in an effort to handle the current global financial crisis and prevent future ones. Furthermore, the 2009 G-20 Metting became well-known for several major instances. First was that of Canada's increased importance with the election of Jack Layton, to where the Canadian dollar has been equal to the American dollar and some believe Canadian dollars may do better than the US's. Additionally, this marked the first major instance without Saudi Arabia. The Arabian State has been considered too unstable as the fragile peace has been breaking down, held together by only force by the council of generals. As such, Ethiopia was invited in Saudi Arabia's stead, both because of its efforts in pacifying the Middle East and in development (Iran had also been considered, but accepted merely an invitation rather than an active participant.)
October 2, 2009: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is chosen as the site for the 2016 Summer Olympics over early favorite Chicago. Many see this as another blow to the US's prestige as a result of the McCain administration.
October 7, 2009: Quebec votes with 80% in favor of rejoining Canada, 7 years after closely leaving. Many would see this as the end of a nightmare and the beginning of a rebirth for Canada. Jack Layton and the NDP would receive incredible boosts of prestige and popularity. Additionally, this led to a reform of the Constitution, now including Quebec within as well as expanding the healthcare.
October 9, 2009: Prime Minister Jack Layton is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize as a result for his de-militarization from the Harper Administration, peace efforts made in the Middle East as well as successfully bringing back Quebec into Canada and maintaining peace and prosperity. This came as a surprise to everyone, including Prime Minister Layton himself.
October 28, 2009: President McCain signs the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, extending federal hate crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim's gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. The act's past history was recorded and saw on television, especially with past failures of being implemented along with the reasons. Additionally, news coverage on how some Republican representatives attempted to defend voting against the act by claiming it would limit free speech earned more scorn for the more right-wing elements of the Republican Party. Some pundits have speculated that there were some that pragmatically voted for the bill in attempts to maintain their seats for the 2010 election, whom many would see would be dominated by Democrats.
November 3, 2009: Democrat candidates win the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial elections
December 23, 2009: Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel is released. Continuing from the last film, the new film introduced the Chipettes as Alvin and his brothers must deal with meeting others like them as well as competition in the music scene while helping their new friends.
Since Jack is from Quebec, along with the financial crisis and how the Orange Wave of the NDP was big in Quebec, I figured it'd be a good opportunity to put that here.
And also...
November 10, 2006: Fred Rogers established the Mr. Rogers Online Neighborhood Youtube channel, seeing the Internet as a new place for potential education much like how he saw television years prior.
July 1, 2009: In a historical precedent, Quebec has decided to hold elections over whether or not to rejoin Canada. The decision has been after years of corruption and later financial hardship in regards to the decision. While Quebec has been acknowledged, the following scandals and lukewarm administration had tainted the election. In fact, it was the election of Jack Layton, born in Montreal, that led to the rise of the NDP's Quebec counterpart to hold a supermajority in the nation and to hold an election. Initial remarks on the controversial nature of this died down when it was pointed out that this was a continuation of democracy and ultimately, no one should be afraid. In fact, many of the Quebec citizens responded and thought highly of Jack Layton.
September 2, 2009: The Justice Department announces the largest health care fraud settlement in history, $2.3 billion, involving Pfizer.
September 25, 2009: At the G-20 Pittsburgh summit, world leaders announce that the G-20 will assume greater leverage over the global economy, replacing the role of the G8, in an effort to handle the current global financial crisis and prevent future ones. Furthermore, the 2009 G-20 Metting became well-known for several major instances. First was that of Canada's increased importance with the election of Jack Layton, to where the Canadian dollar has been equal to the American dollar and some believe Canadian dollars may do better than the US's. Additionally, this marked the first major instance without Saudi Arabia. The Arabian State has been considered too unstable as the fragile peace has been breaking down, held together by only force by the council of generals. As such, Ethiopia was invited in Saudi Arabia's stead, both because of its efforts in pacifying the Middle East and in development (Iran had also been considered, but accepted merely an invitation rather than an active participant.)
October 2, 2009: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is chosen as the site for the 2016 Summer Olympics over early favorite Chicago. Many see this as another blow to the US's prestige as a result of the McCain administration.
October 7, 2009: Quebec votes with 80% in favor of rejoining Canada, 7 years after closely leaving. Many would see this as the end of a nightmare and the beginning of a rebirth for Canada. Jack Layton and the NDP would receive incredible boosts of prestige and popularity. Additionally, this led to a reform of the Constitution, now including Quebec within as well as expanding the healthcare.
October 9, 2009: Prime Minister Jack Layton is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize as a result for his de-militarization from the Harper Administration, peace efforts made in the Middle East as well as successfully bringing back Quebec into Canada and maintaining peace and prosperity. This came as a surprise to everyone, including Prime Minister Layton himself.
October 28, 2009: President McCain signs the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, extending federal hate crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim's gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. The act's past history was recorded and saw on television, especially with past failures of being implemented along with the reasons. Additionally, news coverage on how some Republican representatives attempted to defend voting against the act by claiming it would limit free speech earned more scorn for the more right-wing elements of the Republican Party. Some pundits have speculated that there were some that pragmatically voted for the bill in attempts to maintain their seats for the 2010 election, whom many would see would be dominated by Democrats.
November 3, 2009: Democrat candidates win the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial elections
December 23, 2009: Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel is released. Continuing from the last film, the new film introduced the Chipettes as Alvin and his brothers must deal with meeting others like them as well as competition in the music scene while helping their new friends.
Since Jack is from Quebec, along with the financial crisis and how the Orange Wave of the NDP was big in Quebec, I figured it'd be a good opportunity to put that here.
Last edited:
January 28, 2001: In the Super Bowl, the Baltimore Ravens defeat the New York Giants 44-7. Ray Lewis is named Super Bowl MVP. Notably, Giants QB Kerry Collins is sacked by Ray Lewis, in the second quarter, with such force that he gets a concussion and a leg injury that, combined, takes him out for over a year, leaving the Giants without a quarterback for the rest of the game and the foreseeable future.
April 21-22, 2001: The Atlanta Falcons select QB Michael Vick of Virginia Tech with the #1 overall pick. The Cleveland Browns, with the #3 overall pick, take RB LaDainian Tomlinson of TCU, and the New York Giants, with the #22 overall pick (from the Indianapolis Colts), take QB Drew Brees of Purdue.
April 20-21, 2002: With the #1 overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans take QB David Carr of Fresno State. With the #13 overall pick, the Indianapolis Colts take FS Ed Reed from the University of Miami, Florida.
April 26-27, 2003: With the #1 overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears (from the Houston Texans), take QB Carson Palmer from USC. With the #22 overall pick, the Cleveland Browns take S Troy Polamalu from USC.
February 1, 2004: The Indianapolis Colts defeat the Green Bay Packers, 27-24, in Super Bowl XXXVIII. Peyton Manning is named Super Bowl MVP.
April 24-25, 2004: With the #1 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders select QB Ben Roethlisberger of the University of Miami, Ohio, amid concerns that Eli Manning would not sign if picked. With the #7 overall pick, the Cleveland Browns (traded mid-draft with the New York Jets), select QB Philip Rivers of NC State. QB Eli Manning of Ole Miss falls, disappointingly, to the Denver Broncos with the #15 overall pick. It is notable for Archie Manning's anger in the draft room, as the thought-to-be QB needy Miami Dolphins passed on Eli with the #13 overall pick. An enduring image is Peyton Manning's look of embarrassment towards both his father's outburst and his brother's later selection. The Draft is called "The Manning Family Failure" in the sports section of the New York Times.
November 15, 2004: Dallas Cowboys QB Tom Brady throws 7 touchdowns against the Philadelphia Eagles in primetime, earning him the nickname "Touchdown Tom".
November 21, 2004: New York Giants QB Drew Brees throws 7 touchdowns against the Atlanta Falcons, not even a week after his inter-division rival Tom Brady did the same thing. This feat is the shortest period of time between two seven-touchdown games and adds extra significance to the season-ending game between the Cowboys and the Giants.
January 2, 2005: The New York Giants defeat the Dallas Cowboys in the Meadowlands, 38-37, in primetime on ESPN. The Giants, capping off an 11-5 season, head to the playoffs, while the Cowboys go 7-9.
February 6, 2005: The New York Giants defeat the New York Jets 33-19 in Super Bowl XXXIX, in what is called the "Big Apple Bowl". Drew Brees is named Super Bowl MVP.
April 23-24, 2005: With the #1 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins select QB Alex Smith from Utah. With the #8 overall pick, the San Fransisco 49ers, select QB Jason Campbell from Auburn, shocking the commentators and Aaron Rodgers, who grew up loving the 49ers. With the #21 overall pick, the St. Louis Rams select QB Aaron Rodgers of California.
February 5, 2006: The Oakland Raiders defeat the Chicago Bears, 51-14 in Super Bowl XL. QB Ben Roethlisberger is named Super Bowl MVP, the third straight QB to be named MVP of the big game.
April 29-30, 2006: With the #1 overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints select DE Mario Williams out of NC State. With the #5 overall pick, Buffalo Bills select QB Vince Young out of Texas. With the #6 overall pick, the Green Bay Packers select QB Jay Cutler of Vanderbilt. With the #9 overall pick, the Detroit Lions select QB Matt Leinart out of USC.
November 23, 2006: In the Thanksgiving Game against the Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys QB Tom Brady takes a wrong step and is sacked by DE Robert Mathis, blowing out his ACL and MCL in a Joe Theismann-like injury, which quickly goes viral when uploaded on YouTube, becoming the first video to get 1,500,000 views on the site, as it is mobbed by football fans and pain junkies. The injury means Brady is never the same, losing the Cowboys starting job and a season and a half of his career. After he comes back, he is traded to the struggling New England Patriots, where he quickly becomes the starter. The video leads to an explosion on YouTube as many who otherwise would have no idea of the site become devoted users. These YouTubers are called the "Vicious Viewers", and are seen as the dark side of the growing website, which tries to focus more on improving the world through better communication than just uploading mindless viral videos.
February 4, 2007: The New York Giants defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars 21-17 in Super Bowl XLI. Retiring DE Michael Strahan is named Super Bowl MVP, bucking the trend of QB being named MVP.
And yes, it can always get worse!
January 10, 2010: An intense 7.0 earthquake hits Haiti hard, prompting widespread support attempts by the US government and beyond. This is especially due to the high count of American casualties. Many would note that the lukewarm response to Haiti by the McCain administration would be another issue that would plague the administration, especially so close to election season.
January 19, 2010: The special election to replace the spot of deceased Ted Kennedy ends up going to Martha Coakley.
February 5, 2010: Prime Minister Jack Layton announced the news of his prostate cancer and resolve to beat it (which he would do so after a successful operation and recovery in July 25, 2011). Many news pundits and reporters looked back on the Layton administration thus far: His success in attempts to balance the budgets by raising taxes on corporations along with eliminating the oil sand subsidies and moving them to renewable fuel sources, investments in employment insurance, affordable housing and reforming health care by tackling the pharmaceutical industries and putting more money for more doctors and staff in hospitals. Beyond his healthcare reform, he also led the overhaul to electoral reform via propositional representation and eliminating the former "first-past-the-post" system. Under the optimism of the Layton administration and NDP, Canada grew in prominence and by the summer of 2010, the Canadian dollar was valued more than the American dollar, as Canada better endured the Recession and the "flash crash".
March 19, 2010: NASA announces that 2010 will likely become the warmest year on record due to global warming based on an analysis of temperature record data from the Goddard Institute for Space Studies. This has lead to greater concern, especially due to the efforts to further wean off of fossil fuels while political pundits try to downplay it.
March 28-30, 2010: The Hutaree terrorists attack. A radical militia movement group based on the Christian Patriot ideology proceeds to kill a law enforcement officer and then several more at the funeral alongside some FBI agents planted as moles. With a death count of over 20 individuals, including civilians, the nation was set off in a firestorm and many commentators have noted the similarities to attacks in the 90s as well as the hesitation to refer to them as "terrorists." One of the Hutaree militiamen noted that the news of the environment along with the Great Recession's conditions were signs of the End Times.
April 20, 2010: The Deepwater Horizon explosion occurs, becoming the largest environmental disaster in US history and resulted in greater economic turmoil for BP. The severe environmental, health and economic concerns along with the subsequent public relations mishandling and legal repercussions would begin the downsizing and eventual bankruptcy of BP, sending further economic shockwaves.
May 6, 2010: The Great Recession becomes promoted to the Second American Depression as the so-called 2:45 Crash would occur in the Stock Market. Initially believed to be a "flash crash", the economic turmoil caused a massive downward spiral that would wreak havoc in the United States and to a lesser extent, other parts of the world. This has led to further dissatisfaction in the government for the perceived lack of assistance in the crisis and the rumors of market manipulation fed on the fire and resentment toward the 1%.
May 14, 2010: Nottingham is released. A fascinating retelling of the Robin Hood lore, it examines the Sheriff of Nottingham as he tries to maintain order and examine loyalties regarding an unpopular king and an outlaw inciting anarchy. Rewrites had had the Sheriff be a bit more sympathetic and themes were done on the view of law enforcement examining their loyalty to the law and the people they serve along with justice.
June 11, 2010: Kung-Fu Kid is released. A spiritual successor to the 80s Karate Kid film series, it retells many of the old themes, but in a new setting. China's change is also a massive theme in the plot as it is implied that Jackie Chan's character lost his family around that point. Another is on racial issues as Dre comments on how people like him are used to not being felt welcomed.
June 30, 2010: The Twilight Trilogy- Eclipse is released. The final film of the three-part saga of Stephanie Meyer's romantic fantasy young adult series. While Meyer initially confessed to using vampires and werewolves in her first drafts, she was suggested by colleagues to use the "Fair Folk" instead, as they better fit the representation and themes. The trilogy focuses on the protagonist Bella as she is torn between her attractions to a "changeling" (fairy-adopted human) of the Seelie, Edward and her old friend Jacob, revealed to be of the more wild Unseelie. The trilogy has garnered mixed reviews though ultimately remembered as a modern form of "trashy romance novels", just aimed for teenage girls. Many have also noted the attractive and seductive yet inhuman and unsettling nature of the Fair Folk (which Meyer mentioned was the point and several prominent authors even defended her by pointing to the various old stories about fairies.)
January 10, 2010: An intense 7.0 earthquake hits Haiti hard, prompting widespread support attempts by the US government and beyond. This is especially due to the high count of American casualties. Many would note that the lukewarm response to Haiti by the McCain administration would be another issue that would plague the administration, especially so close to election season.
January 19, 2010: The special election to replace the spot of deceased Ted Kennedy ends up going to Martha Coakley.
February 5, 2010: Prime Minister Jack Layton announced the news of his prostate cancer and resolve to beat it (which he would do so after a successful operation and recovery in July 25, 2011). Many news pundits and reporters looked back on the Layton administration thus far: His success in attempts to balance the budgets by raising taxes on corporations along with eliminating the oil sand subsidies and moving them to renewable fuel sources, investments in employment insurance, affordable housing and reforming health care by tackling the pharmaceutical industries and putting more money for more doctors and staff in hospitals. Beyond his healthcare reform, he also led the overhaul to electoral reform via propositional representation and eliminating the former "first-past-the-post" system. Under the optimism of the Layton administration and NDP, Canada grew in prominence and by the summer of 2010, the Canadian dollar was valued more than the American dollar, as Canada better endured the Recession and the "flash crash".
March 19, 2010: NASA announces that 2010 will likely become the warmest year on record due to global warming based on an analysis of temperature record data from the Goddard Institute for Space Studies. This has lead to greater concern, especially due to the efforts to further wean off of fossil fuels while political pundits try to downplay it.
March 28-30, 2010: The Hutaree terrorists attack. A radical militia movement group based on the Christian Patriot ideology proceeds to kill a law enforcement officer and then several more at the funeral alongside some FBI agents planted as moles. With a death count of over 20 individuals, including civilians, the nation was set off in a firestorm and many commentators have noted the similarities to attacks in the 90s as well as the hesitation to refer to them as "terrorists." One of the Hutaree militiamen noted that the news of the environment along with the Great Recession's conditions were signs of the End Times.
April 20, 2010: The Deepwater Horizon explosion occurs, becoming the largest environmental disaster in US history and resulted in greater economic turmoil for BP. The severe environmental, health and economic concerns along with the subsequent public relations mishandling and legal repercussions would begin the downsizing and eventual bankruptcy of BP, sending further economic shockwaves.
May 6, 2010: The Great Recession becomes promoted to the Second American Depression as the so-called 2:45 Crash would occur in the Stock Market. Initially believed to be a "flash crash", the economic turmoil caused a massive downward spiral that would wreak havoc in the United States and to a lesser extent, other parts of the world. This has led to further dissatisfaction in the government for the perceived lack of assistance in the crisis and the rumors of market manipulation fed on the fire and resentment toward the 1%.
May 14, 2010: Nottingham is released. A fascinating retelling of the Robin Hood lore, it examines the Sheriff of Nottingham as he tries to maintain order and examine loyalties regarding an unpopular king and an outlaw inciting anarchy. Rewrites had had the Sheriff be a bit more sympathetic and themes were done on the view of law enforcement examining their loyalty to the law and the people they serve along with justice.
June 11, 2010: Kung-Fu Kid is released. A spiritual successor to the 80s Karate Kid film series, it retells many of the old themes, but in a new setting. China's change is also a massive theme in the plot as it is implied that Jackie Chan's character lost his family around that point. Another is on racial issues as Dre comments on how people like him are used to not being felt welcomed.
June 30, 2010: The Twilight Trilogy- Eclipse is released. The final film of the three-part saga of Stephanie Meyer's romantic fantasy young adult series. While Meyer initially confessed to using vampires and werewolves in her first drafts, she was suggested by colleagues to use the "Fair Folk" instead, as they better fit the representation and themes. The trilogy focuses on the protagonist Bella as she is torn between her attractions to a "changeling" (fairy-adopted human) of the Seelie, Edward and her old friend Jacob, revealed to be of the more wild Unseelie. The trilogy has garnered mixed reviews though ultimately remembered as a modern form of "trashy romance novels", just aimed for teenage girls. Many have also noted the attractive and seductive yet inhuman and unsettling nature of the Fair Folk (which Meyer mentioned was the point and several prominent authors even defended her by pointing to the various old stories about fairies.)
Last edited:
The Militant Doberman
Banned
Man, this timeline is a hilariously messy. Like, first Mugabe retires from politics in June of 2000 but then he is still in charge of Zimbabwe in 2002 until he is deposed by a South African invasion and sent of to face the international criminal court at the Hague. The court must have cleared him of all charges because in 2005 he is again back as the president of Zimbabwe (and yet again is forced to step down). 
Similar thing happens with Berlusconi (though I guess this is not unlike OTL) and West China’s recognition of East China is the political equivalent of Schrödinger's cat.
Anyway, I feel this timeline utterly ignores an important regional/global conflict.
What’s happening in Chechnya all this time?
The 2nd Chechen War started when Chechens invaded Dagestan in 1999, predating this TL’s point of divergence. Despite it being a conflict which commonly made headlines in the West OTL and featured a myriad of Islamic extremist groups... there is no mention of this war at all here.
Likewise, what of the Kurdish insurgency in Turkey?
Additionally, I’m confused as to the what’s going on with the Syria-Iraq War. The War in Arabia was discussed and set up, as was the new Chinese Civil War. For the Iraq/Syria conflict we’re just told that Syria declares war on Iraq for some reason and next thing we know both nations are on the brink of collapse and need to be “Polanded” by their neighbours. Seems rather... lazy if you ask me.
And did USA go to war with Iraq in this TL? It’s unclear to me.
Similar thing happens with Berlusconi (though I guess this is not unlike OTL) and West China’s recognition of East China is the political equivalent of Schrödinger's cat.
Anyway, I feel this timeline utterly ignores an important regional/global conflict.
What’s happening in Chechnya all this time?
The 2nd Chechen War started when Chechens invaded Dagestan in 1999, predating this TL’s point of divergence. Despite it being a conflict which commonly made headlines in the West OTL and featured a myriad of Islamic extremist groups... there is no mention of this war at all here.
Likewise, what of the Kurdish insurgency in Turkey?
Additionally, I’m confused as to the what’s going on with the Syria-Iraq War. The War in Arabia was discussed and set up, as was the new Chinese Civil War. For the Iraq/Syria conflict we’re just told that Syria declares war on Iraq for some reason and next thing we know both nations are on the brink of collapse and need to be “Polanded” by their neighbours. Seems rather... lazy if you ask me.
And did USA go to war with Iraq in this TL? It’s unclear to me.
The Militant Doberman
Banned
The East-West China Conflict (2001 - ???)
January 23, 2001 to June 15, 2001 - when the costal regions of China fell out of CCP’s control the P.R.C. lost access to its naval bases. This left the loyalist naval vessels stranded out at sea without a home-port. The North Korean leadership eventually agreed to host the communist Chinese navy at the Rason Naval Base and other maritime facilities, thus allowing the landlocked West China to still maintain a naval presence (including a number of nuclear submarines).
December 20, 2001 - it becomes known that, in violation of previous arrangements with Russia and USA, Ukraine had agreed to sell its remaining stock of Tu-22M bombers to Western China. This would prove to be just the start of Ukraine-West China military cooperation: with Russia under Yavilinsky growing close to East China the Communists looked instead to Ukraine for their rearmament needs. Cash-strapped but possessing a vast armaments industry inherited from the USSR, Kiev was over the years more than happy to sell Chonqing military hardware & know-how including ballistic missiles, cargo transport planes, small arms, artillery and tanks (including the T-84, one of the fastest tanks in the world). Many of Yavilinsky’s opponents point to how the president policies lost a valuable opportunity for Russian industry to cash in on Communist China’s rearmament efforts (Russia would gain some arm contracts with East China but those were not as lucrative since that market had more competition from American and West European military firms)
May 12, 2003 to January 20, 2005 - as the Arab Peninsula fell into chaos and anarchy West China initiated a daring plan to secure valuable assets from the region. With much of the country under the control of rag-tag militias who did not possess the training to use complicated US-made war-machines many of the Kingdom’s jets, tanks and helicopters simply set idle once their bases fell to the Islamist rebels. Using proxy agents the Chinese obtained M1 Abrams tanks, AH-64 helicopters, F-15 jets and other equipment captured by the militants, in exchange providing shipments of small arms, satellite imagery and other intel to the various factions. The American hardware traveled by boat to Vietnam where it was unloaded and shipped off to West China for study and reverse-engineering. Additionally, the Chinese also traded for Arabian oil on the black market as the price of fossil fuels skyrocketed thanks to the Middle East conflicts.
The operation had to be wrapped up in 2005 when USA decided to get involved in the Arab conflict directly.
June 6, 2004 - Chonqing signs a Cooperation Agreement with South Africa. The two nations agree to initiate joint industrial, medical and academic programs. West China is also believed to have joined South Africa’s troubled “Rooivalk” (“Red Falcon”) attack helicopter project, bringing to the table known-how gained from studying Saudi Arabian AH-64s. Chonqing concluded that West China’s lack of attack helicopters would be a major drawback in any conflict against the West or its local allies and hopes the South African project can help fill this gap.
2000 to ??? - China’s “International Brigades” - while pundits in the West saw the Chinese Uprising and the disobedience of the PRC’s military as the confirmation of “The End of History” and the victory of capitalism and democracy over autocratic communism many leftists viewed the events as a C.I.A.-backed neoliberal, fascist coup against the last major communist power on the planet. Those supportive of Communist China drew parallels between the West/East China conflict & the Spanish Civil War where Franco received support from Hitler’s Germany, Mussolini’s Italy and (during the Cold War) Western Powers against his communist and anarchist adversaries. As such, militant and radical leftists choose to travel to Asia and aid the Chonqing government by forming new “International Brigades”. Many of these Brigades were formed by members of the Shining Path and other Latin American Marxist-Leninists, Bolivarian Socialists, Indian Naxalites and the Maoist People's Liberation Army of Nepal. A smaller though more high-profile contingent of volunteers came from CIS & former Warsaw Pact nations — the Chinese were in particular interested in recruiting ex-Soviet veterans of the Afghan War and separatist conflicts of the 1990s for their expertise in asymmetric warfare. Other volunteers came from the ranks of Arab socialists, African leftist groups and radical Marxist-Leninist Westerners (the 2008 financial crisis, Eurozone crisis and the Second Great Depression dramatically increased the number of Westerners who became disillusioned with the capitalist economic model and turned to China, though scholars hotly debate just how many of them traveled to Asia and cooperated with Chonqing).
Additionally, West China cooperated militarily against mutual threats with North Korea and even their old adversary, Vietnam (war makes for strange bedfellows — despite decades of hostilities between the PRC & Vietnam the emergence of a Western-backed East China made Hanoi fearful, both due to E. China’s competing territorial claims in the South China Sea and the possibility of a similar Western-supported uprising occurring at home; the Vietnamese leadership slowed (and in some cases reversed) their market-liberalization policies and grew closer to Chonqing).
The “International Brigades” and other foreigners travelling to West China obtained training and expertise from the nation’s military before being sent off to carry out operations through both Chinas and abroad. The global intelligence community is in disagreement over just how much control Chonqing has over the various “brigades” and whether or not their actions are ordered by the Poliburo, have tacit approval from the Chinese or act completely autonomously.
East China, Tibet and East Turkestan meanwhile have carried out their own clandestine operations against communist China with the aid of Beijing’s western backers, including terrorist attacks and backing of rebel and dissident groups within the nation.
December 3, 2003 to March 16, 2004 - Shigatse, Tibet comes under control of communist forces comprised of Nepalese PLA, Naxalist militants and Chinese army personnel who refused official orders to vacate Tibet. The Tibetan security forces, with international help, took over 3 months to clear out all the enemy forces. Chonqing denies all ties to the incident.
September 14, 2004 - a suicide bomber carries out an attack at a Chonqing metro. An Uyghur group is suspected to be behind the terrorist act but never claims responsibility.
February 6, 2005 - an international incident occurs when Chonqing government arrests Cynthia Wong, a Chinese-American Protestant missionary. Cynthia is accused of using her work as a cover to support anti-communist forces in the country on behalf of Beijing and Washington. After several months in prison Cynthia Wong is quietly released as part of a spy-exchange.
July 4, 2006 - the Ching Chuan Kang Air Base in Taiwan, now once again home to a USA Air Force contingent, comes under attack. A group of militants lay down indiscriminate mortar fire into the base, destroying several aircraft. A Shining Path-affiliated group claims responsibility, calling the incident a “strike against American Imperialism in Asia”.
February 18, 2009 - Marenglen Shkoza, an Albanian pensioner, is killed after opening fire at a branch of the BKT bank. Before his suicide-by-cop Shkoza published his manifesto/suicide note online from a local Internet cafe. There he explained how he could not survive on his meagre pension, how his small roadside-stand business was shut down because he could not pay off the local mafia and how he could no longer even afford his small apartment. The letter goes into a diatribe against Western capitalism & the banking system as well as the desire to return to a socialist state of living where criminality was kept in check and apartments were handed out by the government. The note concludes with Marenglen asserting his support for West China and their battle against capitalism aggression.
Though first believed to be a member of the “International Brigades”, no links are found between Marenglen Shkoza and the Chonqing government and the case is chalked up as a lone-wolf attack. The ‘Marenglen Manifesto’ is translated into multiple languages and circulated online amid leftist and Marxist circles.
Ugherstan Civil War (2001 - ???)
After gaining independence it did not take long for Ugherstan/East Turkestan to devolve into a civil war of its own. Disagreement over the future of the nation led first to hostilities & then open conflict between the Islamists and Turkic Nationalists, with the region’s large Han population and PLA remnants complicating matters further. The Islamic factions received backing and funds from Qatar and Arabia, the Turkic Nationalists were given help from Turkey (for ideological reasons) and various Central Asian nations (who feared spillover of the conflict into their lands) while the Han factions cooperated with West China.
Despite the scale of the conflict and the size of the territory being disputed the Xinjiang War got little media coverage in the West due to the region’s remoteness and the public attention being focused on other hotspots like Arabia and East/West China itself.
January 23, 2001 to June 15, 2001 - when the costal regions of China fell out of CCP’s control the P.R.C. lost access to its naval bases. This left the loyalist naval vessels stranded out at sea without a home-port. The North Korean leadership eventually agreed to host the communist Chinese navy at the Rason Naval Base and other maritime facilities, thus allowing the landlocked West China to still maintain a naval presence (including a number of nuclear submarines).
December 20, 2001 - it becomes known that, in violation of previous arrangements with Russia and USA, Ukraine had agreed to sell its remaining stock of Tu-22M bombers to Western China. This would prove to be just the start of Ukraine-West China military cooperation: with Russia under Yavilinsky growing close to East China the Communists looked instead to Ukraine for their rearmament needs. Cash-strapped but possessing a vast armaments industry inherited from the USSR, Kiev was over the years more than happy to sell Chonqing military hardware & know-how including ballistic missiles, cargo transport planes, small arms, artillery and tanks (including the T-84, one of the fastest tanks in the world). Many of Yavilinsky’s opponents point to how the president policies lost a valuable opportunity for Russian industry to cash in on Communist China’s rearmament efforts (Russia would gain some arm contracts with East China but those were not as lucrative since that market had more competition from American and West European military firms)
May 12, 2003 to January 20, 2005 - as the Arab Peninsula fell into chaos and anarchy West China initiated a daring plan to secure valuable assets from the region. With much of the country under the control of rag-tag militias who did not possess the training to use complicated US-made war-machines many of the Kingdom’s jets, tanks and helicopters simply set idle once their bases fell to the Islamist rebels. Using proxy agents the Chinese obtained M1 Abrams tanks, AH-64 helicopters, F-15 jets and other equipment captured by the militants, in exchange providing shipments of small arms, satellite imagery and other intel to the various factions. The American hardware traveled by boat to Vietnam where it was unloaded and shipped off to West China for study and reverse-engineering. Additionally, the Chinese also traded for Arabian oil on the black market as the price of fossil fuels skyrocketed thanks to the Middle East conflicts.
The operation had to be wrapped up in 2005 when USA decided to get involved in the Arab conflict directly.
June 6, 2004 - Chonqing signs a Cooperation Agreement with South Africa. The two nations agree to initiate joint industrial, medical and academic programs. West China is also believed to have joined South Africa’s troubled “Rooivalk” (“Red Falcon”) attack helicopter project, bringing to the table known-how gained from studying Saudi Arabian AH-64s. Chonqing concluded that West China’s lack of attack helicopters would be a major drawback in any conflict against the West or its local allies and hopes the South African project can help fill this gap.
2000 to ??? - China’s “International Brigades” - while pundits in the West saw the Chinese Uprising and the disobedience of the PRC’s military as the confirmation of “The End of History” and the victory of capitalism and democracy over autocratic communism many leftists viewed the events as a C.I.A.-backed neoliberal, fascist coup against the last major communist power on the planet. Those supportive of Communist China drew parallels between the West/East China conflict & the Spanish Civil War where Franco received support from Hitler’s Germany, Mussolini’s Italy and (during the Cold War) Western Powers against his communist and anarchist adversaries. As such, militant and radical leftists choose to travel to Asia and aid the Chonqing government by forming new “International Brigades”. Many of these Brigades were formed by members of the Shining Path and other Latin American Marxist-Leninists, Bolivarian Socialists, Indian Naxalites and the Maoist People's Liberation Army of Nepal. A smaller though more high-profile contingent of volunteers came from CIS & former Warsaw Pact nations — the Chinese were in particular interested in recruiting ex-Soviet veterans of the Afghan War and separatist conflicts of the 1990s for their expertise in asymmetric warfare. Other volunteers came from the ranks of Arab socialists, African leftist groups and radical Marxist-Leninist Westerners (the 2008 financial crisis, Eurozone crisis and the Second Great Depression dramatically increased the number of Westerners who became disillusioned with the capitalist economic model and turned to China, though scholars hotly debate just how many of them traveled to Asia and cooperated with Chonqing).
Additionally, West China cooperated militarily against mutual threats with North Korea and even their old adversary, Vietnam (war makes for strange bedfellows — despite decades of hostilities between the PRC & Vietnam the emergence of a Western-backed East China made Hanoi fearful, both due to E. China’s competing territorial claims in the South China Sea and the possibility of a similar Western-supported uprising occurring at home; the Vietnamese leadership slowed (and in some cases reversed) their market-liberalization policies and grew closer to Chonqing).
The “International Brigades” and other foreigners travelling to West China obtained training and expertise from the nation’s military before being sent off to carry out operations through both Chinas and abroad. The global intelligence community is in disagreement over just how much control Chonqing has over the various “brigades” and whether or not their actions are ordered by the Poliburo, have tacit approval from the Chinese or act completely autonomously.
East China, Tibet and East Turkestan meanwhile have carried out their own clandestine operations against communist China with the aid of Beijing’s western backers, including terrorist attacks and backing of rebel and dissident groups within the nation.
December 3, 2003 to March 16, 2004 - Shigatse, Tibet comes under control of communist forces comprised of Nepalese PLA, Naxalist militants and Chinese army personnel who refused official orders to vacate Tibet. The Tibetan security forces, with international help, took over 3 months to clear out all the enemy forces. Chonqing denies all ties to the incident.
September 14, 2004 - a suicide bomber carries out an attack at a Chonqing metro. An Uyghur group is suspected to be behind the terrorist act but never claims responsibility.
February 6, 2005 - an international incident occurs when Chonqing government arrests Cynthia Wong, a Chinese-American Protestant missionary. Cynthia is accused of using her work as a cover to support anti-communist forces in the country on behalf of Beijing and Washington. After several months in prison Cynthia Wong is quietly released as part of a spy-exchange.
July 4, 2006 - the Ching Chuan Kang Air Base in Taiwan, now once again home to a USA Air Force contingent, comes under attack. A group of militants lay down indiscriminate mortar fire into the base, destroying several aircraft. A Shining Path-affiliated group claims responsibility, calling the incident a “strike against American Imperialism in Asia”.
February 18, 2009 - Marenglen Shkoza, an Albanian pensioner, is killed after opening fire at a branch of the BKT bank. Before his suicide-by-cop Shkoza published his manifesto/suicide note online from a local Internet cafe. There he explained how he could not survive on his meagre pension, how his small roadside-stand business was shut down because he could not pay off the local mafia and how he could no longer even afford his small apartment. The letter goes into a diatribe against Western capitalism & the banking system as well as the desire to return to a socialist state of living where criminality was kept in check and apartments were handed out by the government. The note concludes with Marenglen asserting his support for West China and their battle against capitalism aggression.
Though first believed to be a member of the “International Brigades”, no links are found between Marenglen Shkoza and the Chonqing government and the case is chalked up as a lone-wolf attack. The ‘Marenglen Manifesto’ is translated into multiple languages and circulated online amid leftist and Marxist circles.
Ugherstan Civil War (2001 - ???)
After gaining independence it did not take long for Ugherstan/East Turkestan to devolve into a civil war of its own. Disagreement over the future of the nation led first to hostilities & then open conflict between the Islamists and Turkic Nationalists, with the region’s large Han population and PLA remnants complicating matters further. The Islamic factions received backing and funds from Qatar and Arabia, the Turkic Nationalists were given help from Turkey (for ideological reasons) and various Central Asian nations (who feared spillover of the conflict into their lands) while the Han factions cooperated with West China.
Despite the scale of the conflict and the size of the territory being disputed the Xinjiang War got little media coverage in the West due to the region’s remoteness and the public attention being focused on other hotspots like Arabia and East/West China itself.
The Militant Doberman
Banned
May 6, 2012 - mass protests rock Moscow on the eve of Grigory Yavilinsky’s inauguration for his 3rd term as president of Russia. The protesters (made up of left-wing activists, right-wing Russian nationalists, anti-globalists, libertarians, E.U.-opponents and others) shout slogans like “Rossiya bez Yabloka!” and “Rossiya bez Yavi!”.
Although Yavilinsky remains popular as he had overseen an unprecedented period of growth in Russia’s post-Soviet economy & standard of living thanks to the skyrocketing price of oil he nevertheless has his detractors both at home and abroad. The leftists condemn him for letting Russia’s industries & job opportunities outside the oil and gas sectors atrophy and rot under the free-market economy where Russia is flooded by E.U. products to the detriment of local manufacturers. The nationalists despise him and the E.U. for accelerating Russia’s brain-drain as those that can move to a better life in Western Europe with little hassle while Russia has to open up to immigrants from Central Asia and China to compensate. Anti-corruption activists point to the fact that Russia still tops corruption charts amid the E.U. nations and how the government is in the pocket of powerful oligarchs and corporate tzars. Others point to how funny it is that despite the West continuously praising Yavilinsky for maintaining Russian democracy the “Yeltsinists” have been in power for over 20 years without any apparent charge. Many are simply unhappy with Yavilinsky’s foreign or domestic policy as well as the the Eurozone crisis and Russia’s inability to set its own monetary policy.
Hundreds of people are arrested throughout Russia as the government officials characterized the protests as a foreign (read: West Chinese) plot to disrupt the nation’s democracy. The stars of the protests turn out to be Sergei Udaltsov, the leader of the far-left Vanguard of Red Youth movement (accused by Moscow as being a member of the International Brigades, something Udaltsov neither confirms or denies) and the nationalist Alexei Navalny (whose supporters often shout “Stop Feeding the Caucasus!”, a slogan showing their displeasure at Yavilinsky’s decision to spend money on the Caucasus region rather than Russia).
It is in these conditions that Alexei Navalny proposes that, after nearly 10 years in the E.U., Russia should hold a Rexit Referendum to see if the Russian citizens really want to be in the E.U. despite all the problems it caused...
Although Yavilinsky remains popular as he had overseen an unprecedented period of growth in Russia’s post-Soviet economy & standard of living thanks to the skyrocketing price of oil he nevertheless has his detractors both at home and abroad. The leftists condemn him for letting Russia’s industries & job opportunities outside the oil and gas sectors atrophy and rot under the free-market economy where Russia is flooded by E.U. products to the detriment of local manufacturers. The nationalists despise him and the E.U. for accelerating Russia’s brain-drain as those that can move to a better life in Western Europe with little hassle while Russia has to open up to immigrants from Central Asia and China to compensate. Anti-corruption activists point to the fact that Russia still tops corruption charts amid the E.U. nations and how the government is in the pocket of powerful oligarchs and corporate tzars. Others point to how funny it is that despite the West continuously praising Yavilinsky for maintaining Russian democracy the “Yeltsinists” have been in power for over 20 years without any apparent charge. Many are simply unhappy with Yavilinsky’s foreign or domestic policy as well as the the Eurozone crisis and Russia’s inability to set its own monetary policy.
Hundreds of people are arrested throughout Russia as the government officials characterized the protests as a foreign (read: West Chinese) plot to disrupt the nation’s democracy. The stars of the protests turn out to be Sergei Udaltsov, the leader of the far-left Vanguard of Red Youth movement (accused by Moscow as being a member of the International Brigades, something Udaltsov neither confirms or denies) and the nationalist Alexei Navalny (whose supporters often shout “Stop Feeding the Caucasus!”, a slogan showing their displeasure at Yavilinsky’s decision to spend money on the Caucasus region rather than Russia).
It is in these conditions that Alexei Navalny proposes that, after nearly 10 years in the E.U., Russia should hold a Rexit Referendum to see if the Russian citizens really want to be in the E.U. despite all the problems it caused...
Man, this timeline is a hilariously messy. Like, first Mugabe retires from politics in June of 2000 but then he is still in charge of Zimbabwe in 2002 until he is deposed by a South African invasion and sent of to face the international criminal court at the Hague. The court must have cleared him of all charges because in 2005 he is again back as the president of Zimbabwe (and yet again is forced to step down).
Similar thing happens with Berlusconi (though I guess this is not unlike OTL) and West China’s recognition of East China is the political equivalent of Schrödinger's cat.
Anyway, I feel this timeline utterly ignores an important regional/global conflict.
What’s happening in Chechnya all this time?
The 2nd Chechen War started when Chechens invaded Dagestan in 1999, predating this TL’s point of divergence. Despite it being a conflict which commonly made headlines in the West OTL and featured a myriad of Islamic extremist groups... there is no mention of this war at all here.
Likewise, what of the Kurdish insurgency in Turkey?
Additionally, I’m confused as to the what’s going on with the Syria-Iraq War. The War in Arabia was discussed and set up, as was the new Chinese Civil War. For the Iraq/Syria conflict we’re just told that Syria declares war on Iraq for some reason and next thing we know both nations are on the brink of collapse and need to be “Polanded” by their neighbours. Seems rather... lazy if you ask me.
And did USA go to war with Iraq in this TL? It’s unclear to me.
It is what happens when a lot of people go to contribute things and less and less people get involved.
As for Syria-Iraq, it’s a consequence of the bigger Middle East conflict. There could’ve gone more in it, but I’m not sure what else could be put in beyond two dictatorships beat each other into powder.
As for the Kurdish thing in Turkey... I’ll try and address that.
The Militant Doberman
Banned
Just seems strange that the governments of both Iraq and Syria in this timeline disintegrate after a few years of fighting each other since OTL 10 years of the Iran-Iraq War (one of the top 10 most devastating wars of 20th century by body-count IIRC) plus the loss of the one-sides 1991 Gulf War failed to topple Saddam while Syria’s central government survived nearly a decade-long civil war.
Well, I may edit it, but we have two political forces that have become increasingly unpopular over the years. Like, the regimes have led them to a pointless war so how long could that last
Last edited:
The Militant Doberman
Banned
May 7, 2007 — Harvard Medical School publishes the results of a 4-year study on the effectiveness of marijuana as a pain-reliever. The result show a negative correlation between weed use and pain, with regular marijuana users showing more pain symptoms than non-users. This gives new ammunition for those opposing drug legislation and medical marijuana use in USA.
August 12, 2009 — a study is unveiled by the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México linking cannabis use and psychosis.
OOC: basically the equivalent of these two studies appear ~10 years earlier in this TL due to more research into cannabis.
One was based in Australia though so not sure if it would’ve occurred earlier unless MM was approved even earlier