WI: L. Ron Hubbard died during WWII?

[New Cleo Genesis]

What it says on the title. I don't have a specific PoD, but let's say that he contracts a tropical disease and succumbs to it or trips and snaps his neck while giving chase to a non-existent submarine, or something.

Are there any tangible differences to the world by not having Dianetics or the Church of Scientology? Hubbard's science fiction works from the 1930's might be better known at least, due to not being overshadowed by the crazy stuff he later concocted.

 

[Carl Schwamberger]

My first thought is Hollywood actors have to find other oout of the box organizations to get involved with.

 

[zert]

Tom Cruise might still be in the closet. (South Park Reference)

 

[Some Bloke]

There goes the most brilliantly bizarre criminal racket in human history.

 

[Creidiki]

Without Hubbard there's no Dianetics and Scientology. There will be big butterfly effects for the New Age because Hubbards influence was bigger than is generally known. Forexample Verner Erhard and Charles Manson both studied scientology and used some of its techniques in their own groups.

 

[Arkenfolm]

What it says on the title. I don't have a specific PoD, but let's say that he contracts a tropical disease and succumbs to it or trips and snaps his neck while giving chase to a non-existent submarine, or something.

Are there any tangible differences to the world by not having Dianetics or the Church of Scientology? Hubbard's science fiction works from the 1930's might be better known at least, due to not being overshadowed by the crazy stuff he later concocted.

Or better yet, he actually encounters a Japanese submarine and in the ensuing battle is KIA.

His science fiction probably wouldn't be better known, since they were regarded as cheesy pulp sci-fi by later generations, for one, and for two, the Church of Scientology has played a huge part in promoting the entire body of L. Ron Hubbard's work. I bet not many people but those into classic SF would know of L. Ron Hubbard if not for his involvement in Scientology, although the story of the writer killed in battle in World War II might just be enough to propel him and his works to some manner of fame regardless. Actually, that would make for a good movie, perhaps for irony involving Tom Cruise or John Travolta or other actors who OTL are Scientologists.

 

[Archibald]

First thought: good riddance.

Second thought: The most bizarre Hubbard connection is to early U.S rocketry. Hubbard's lover (can't remember her name) was also the wife of one of JPL "suicide squad" rocket pioneer (think it was Frank Parsons, might be Malina ). This could change the face of the U.S space program.

 

[Catsmate]

First thought: good riddance.

Second thought: The most bizarre Hubbard connection is to early U.S rocketry. Hubbard's lover (can't remember her name) was also the wife of one of JPL "suicide squad" rocket pioneer (think it was Frank Parsons, might be Malina ). This could change the face of the U.S space program.

It was indeed Jack Parsons, the only practicing black magician to have a lunar crater named after him. His relationship with his wives and Hubbard was...complicated.
OT but if you're interested in the odd intermingling of rocket research, occultism, sexual experimentation and science fiction in the period I recommend Rocket to the Morgue.

 

[New Cleo Genesis]

My first thought is Hollywood actors have to find other oout of the box organizations to get involved with.

Unification Church, possibly (assuming butterflies do not result in it not forming)?

Without Hubbard there's no Dianetics and Scientology. There will be big butterfly effects for the New Age because Hubbards influence was bigger than is generally known. Forexample Verner Erhard and Charles Manson both studied scientology and used some of its techniques in their own groups.

Now that's something I didn't realise. I wonder if Jim Jones would also be affected?

 

[Archibald]

Charles Manson both studied scientology and used some of its techniques in their own groups

Dear God... no Hubbard, some impact on Manson, and (hopefully) there goes the Tate - La Bianca horrific murders, with a big impact of post - 1969 counterculture - and hopefully, a better fate for Beach Boys Denis Wilson, not haunted by his connection with Manson madness.
Now that's a TL I would read.

 

[Archibald]

It was indeed Jack Parsons, the only practicing black magician to have a lunar crater named after him. His relationship with his wives and Hubbard was...complicated.
OT but if you're interested in the odd intermingling of rocket research, occultism, sexual experimentation and science fiction in the period I recommend Rocket to the Morgue.

I can see a jealous Parsons killing Hubbard by using his knowledge of solid-fuel rocket (bar nuclear weapons, nothing explodes like a defective Big Freakkin' Solid Rocket

).
Parsons actually blew himself and his rocket garage. Could be Hubbard instead.
Parsons could trap Hubbard car with explosives and (very ironically for a sci-fi writer) shoot him in space, just like ETA did with Carrero Blanco Dodge in 1973. https://www.google.fr/webhp?ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b&gfe_rd=cr&ei=nbchWKT4LJSCaJP3vtAL#q="carrero+blanco""astronaut"

 

[Catsmate]

I can see a jealous Parsons killing Hubbard by using his knowledge of solid-fuel rocket (bar nuclear weapons, nothing explodes like a defective Big Freakkin' Solid Rocket ). Parsons actually blew himself and his rocket garage. Could be Hubbard instead.
Parsons could trap Hubbard car with explosives and (very ironically for a sci-fi writer) shoot him in space, just like ETA did with Carrero Blanco Dodge in 1973. https://www.google.fr/webhp?ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b&gfe_rd=cr&ei=nbchWKT4LJSCaJP3vtAL#q="carrero+blanco""astronaut"

Something spectacular perhaps? Like a rocket impacting near one of Hubbard's "workings"...

 

[desmirelle]

Why not both? An accidental or deliberate murder suicide with debates on which it was.....

 

[Alien and Sedition Bat]

Most of his pathbreaking science fiction had already been written, but we'd miss To the Stars (Return to Tomorrow).

 

[acrsome]

I bet not many people but those into classic SF would know of L. Ron Hubbard if not for his involvement in Scientology, although the story of the writer killed in battle in World War II might just be enough to propel him and his works to some manner of fame regardless.

FWIW, those of use who are heavily into science fiction- including pulp era- consider his later works to be pointless pablum. The cut point is somewhere in the 1960s, where he has a pretty substantial publication hiatus. World civilization would have benefited from it all being fed directly from his typewriter into a woodchipper. I am stupider for having read Battlefield Earth, I award him no points, and may God have mercy upon his soul.

OK, that's a little extreme. But just a little. His earliest stuff was pretty standard pulp- he was making a living bashing out stuff for Campbell. Then around and post-WWII he had some decent stuff (To The Stars even got nominated for a Retro Hugo in 2001) but during, oh, the 1960s or so he goes off the rails. (I checked his bibliography, and had to keep moving that date around.)

 

[RanulfC]

1)OP said "during" WWII so Parson's and any Scientology/Dianetics connections is out of bounds. (Unfortunately)

2) Battlefield Earth was 1982, To the Stars/Return to Tomorrow was 1954 and prior to the end of WWII he was mostly pulp sci-fi and fantasy see:
http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/hubbard_l_ron
Note it says his fantasy was actually better considered than his sci-fi so that may be what he's remembered for instead. He had a lot of straight up "pulp" stories such as "The Phantom Patrol" as well.

3)On Dianetics, (New Age wise that's the stuff that was passed around and studied not Scientology) itself there were some others originally involved though Scientology has tried to remove the idea that anyone but Hubbard was involved in its creation. It's quite possible that someone else would have developed it under another name and the scary part is without Hubbard it might actually have become less fringe and more acceptable! No matter how Hubbard 'spun' how he got ahold of the research it WAS in fact government studies on the use of mental manipulation on groups. Though technically they were studying it to fight the effects post-war in our recently enemy nations populations, the side effect that it could be used at home...

4)He was injured during the sub-chase incident as I recall. Have the depth charge explode instead. His name was pretty much 'mud' due to the way he ran the ship in the first place this would probably destroy whatever reputation he'd built up.

Randy

 

[zert]

Make it worse and have him killed off by his own incompetence during a depth charge drill.

 

[Alien and Sedition Bat]

FWIW, those of use who are heavily into science fiction- including pulp era- consider his later works to be pointless pablum. The cut point is somewhere in the 1960s, where he has a pretty substantial publication hiatus. World civilization would have benefited from it all being fed directly from his typewriter into a woodchipper. I am stupider for having read Battlefield Earth, I award him no points, and may God have mercy upon his soul.

Who is "those of us...heavily into science fiction"? The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction praises his work. I'm heavily into the Golden Age and I find much of his early work to be of real merit and to open up new paths. And no, I'm not a Scientologist.

 

[acrsome]

I think you missed something in my post. Let me help you:

FWIW, those of use who are heavily into science fiction- including pulp era- consider his later works to be pointless pablum.

Does that clear things up? Because, Brother, if you liked Battlefield Earth or any of the Mission Earth series then I would have suspicions about your poor taste in SF. And maybe mental stability... And that's almost half of his published work. And, yes, I stand by my evaluation of it. It's tripe.

Yes, earlier he was doing something right- he was paneling SF conferences and all. As I mentioned, To The Stars was pretty awesome. But shortly after that he started going really nuts with the Dianetics stuff. That's where the money was. (Yes, probably apocryphal.)

 

[Archibald]

How about the Battlefield Earth movie ? (runs for cover)