Another cliche is that if Nazi Germany doesn't start WW2, the Soviet Union (which may or may not be led by Leon Trotsky) does.
XX-XXI Century Alternate History Clichés
- Thread starter Hipster Stalin
- Start date
Normally by invading Poland, which then causes Germany and Britain to ally against the USSR.
Also, if France loses the First World War, they will either become fascist or syndicalist. No other options.
I actually saw this happen multiple times even before I arrived to Hakkou Ichiu, to be fair. Although your TL did help me realize it is a cliche, because in no other scenario would having a Russian leader of a French state be appropriate.Damn son, callin' me out like this. Damn man.
Asami
Banned
I agree, I'm just so unoriginal I have no idea who would be the best anti-Semitic communard ruler.
Throwing this out there, and probably in the wrong place, but could I possibly suggest Louis-Ferdinand Céline for a really out-there option?
In the circumastances of 1933 40% unemployment the Republic was always going to fail
The numbers I see with a quick search are closer to 30 percent, not much worse than the US or the UK or Canada, none of which came remotely close to going authoritarian.
The Communists taking power doesn't make sense, but a right-wing dictatorship is the most plausible outcome. It's important to remember that by the time Hitler was elected Chancellor Hindenburg and his camarilla had been ruling in a semi-dictatorial manner for several years, and the Weimar Republic was incredibly unpopular (as shown by the number of anti-Republic parties that were winning big in the Reichstag). It's a cliché not so much because of lack of ideas, but because of how plausible it is.
One thing I don't see often but seems reasonable is Germany to turn into a monarchy again except with a Regent like in Hungary. After all, the Entente wouldn't allow Germany to bring back Wilhelm II, and one thing Hindenburg refused to compromise on was over letting Crown Prince Wilhelm skipping over II. It seems reasonable that they would compromise by restoring the monarchy but keeping a Regent until Wilhelm II passed.
I've seen a lot of TLs that have China fall apart anywhere from the mid 1960s to 70s and an eager Taiwan invades to regain the mainland.
The Icaruverse is the first time I noticed it, but it's popped up a lot
The Icaruverse is the first time I noticed it, but it's popped up a lot
Some of my favourites are;
- The hideously un-militarised US of pre WW1 could easily defeat a coalition of Europeans bent on invading CONUS at short notice, Fuck Yeah!
- Germany going east in 1914 will win them the war
- The Kaiser Reich is a Nazi state in training, and its sub clichés; The behaviour in occupied territories in wartime somehow equates to how places are run in peacetime / War Aim wish lists thrown out by individuals or groups at various times during the 4 year war are a coherent government policy
- French WW2 tanks aren't shit
- The cancellation of CVA 01, TSR2 et. al. is because of money
- The British Empire is destined to collapse into irrelevancy rather than be reformed into a set of alliances and trade/currency blocs.
They were quite good actually.
The thing is that there was no such European coalition in the 1900s ... if there had been one the US would have build up their military very quickly.
Well, technically a cliche is not something the same as "not plausible" or even something that is "bad". Sometimes something is a cliche for a pretty good reason.
A few that may or may not have been iterated:
- China's default 20th-century state when not united is to collapse into warlord fiefdoms, preferably as violently as possible.
- On the same note: China is a nuke magnet.
- In any Axis Victory scenario, Hitler lives considerably longer than he did IOTL, as opposed to being quietly retired in the late 1940s.
- The USSR collapses due to internal stress within a decade of its dissolution IOTL (never earlier). If it survives the period 1986-1996, it will survive to the present day.
- Nothing noteworthy ever happens in Latin America. Ever. Butterflies here from other global events are an afterthought.
- British India always gains full independence at some point in the twentieth century, and is always divided into a Muslim and a Hindu state. This is the outcome regardless of the POD.
Some more Soviet/Russia clichés:
The 20th Century is always a bad time for Russia. Russia will always bounce from crisis to crisis and suffer many deaths.
If Germany wins WWI they will make sure that the Bolsheviks lose the Russian Civil War
If the Bolsheviks lose the Russian Civil War syndicalism will become the most powerful far-left ideology.
The Tsar will be restored at some point.
Russia cannot into democracy.
The 20th Century is always a bad time for Russia. Russia will always bounce from crisis to crisis and suffer many deaths.
If Germany wins WWI they will make sure that the Bolsheviks lose the Russian Civil War
If the Bolsheviks lose the Russian Civil War syndicalism will become the most powerful far-left ideology.
The Tsar will be restored at some point.
Russia cannot into democracy.
American Presidential clichés:
The following are cliché Presidents: Scoop Jackson, Huey Long, Barack Obama, any Kennedy, and Richard Nixon. There are more, but these are the most prominent.
At some point an actor or other entertainer will become President.
The Electoral College gets abolished.
The 1960s will feature a realigning election. This is understandable if your POD is in the 1940s-1960s; less so if the POD is in the 1870s.
On the same note, the 1960s and 1970s will be tumultuous, and the Presidents in that time period will have problems getting reelected.
The following are cliché Presidents: Scoop Jackson, Huey Long, Barack Obama, any Kennedy, and Richard Nixon. There are more, but these are the most prominent.
At some point an actor or other entertainer will become President.
The Electoral College gets abolished.
The 1960s will feature a realigning election. This is understandable if your POD is in the 1940s-1960s; less so if the POD is in the 1870s.
On the same note, the 1960s and 1970s will be tumultuous, and the Presidents in that time period will have problems getting reelected.