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Post by Max Sinister on Mar 16, 2024 8:47:02 GMT
The world, 1960-70:
1960s: Among the young people, the movement of the "Menschenhelfer" (humanity's helpers) develops - people who want to travel the world and help the people in the Chaos countries along the way.
Germany:
1962: German astronauts set foot on the moon. The names of the first two men doing so are Erich Stremmer and Eugen Gorski.
Inspired by this impressing deed, the young people start to celebrate "weightless parties" (climax of said parties is that people are thrown in the air and caught again by their friends).
1964: A government-supported movie about the German space missions (made completely from scenes shot in space) hits the cinemas. Although the government tries to sell it as a victory of science, technology and the virtues of technocracy, the pictures from tiny Earth in space and weightless astronauts seem to influence people in a different way.
1968: Olympic Games in Prague (which is meanwhile relatively germanized).
Behind the scenes, here (and in other computerized states) programmers fight with the "32-bit problem" (as we'd call it IOTL): The number of seconds since January 1900 is approaching 2**32, too big to be represented by unsigned 32-bit integers. All programs have to be switched to 64-bit base instead. While the majority of the population knows only distant rumors, the programmers are practically sleeping at their workplaces to fix the problem.
1969: At the university of Franzensburg (OTL San Francisco), three computer science students (all having to do with Artificial Intelligence) talk about the possibility of a real AI, after the big government project of MULTI-KI (KI = Künstliche Intelligenz, German for AI) was scrapped. Putting together the facts they know, they come to the conclusion that a working AI is possible - but there is no sufficient calculation power to run it (although there are now supercomputers around which can do almost as many calculations as the human brain - not as many parallel, but they make it up with their speed). Still, they keep their plan, and even share it with other Logos.
China:
1960: The young emperor decides to modernize the country. Many (not to say thousands) of new technical schools, universities and research laboratories are built. One of his plans is to join the space race. He doesn't say it too loud, but he also plans to expand - which includes a bigger navy.
1965: First Chinese space station with two men. The responsible people in Germany wonder whether the smaller size of the Chinese people gives them an advantage.
1966: Chinese send the first space rover to moon. In Germany, they frantically start to push robot technology.
1968: During the Olympic Games, China manages to have the first Chinese set their feet on the moon. This success angers the Germans somewhat.
Socialist Block:
1961: French programmers surprisingly present a computer program that can translate complete articles and speeches from French into other languages, including figures of speech and other semantic meanings. The scientists are astounded - however, later it's found out that 1. the program has still problems with typos and 2. it's only usable for the highly formalized speeches and editorials of the French Socialists. Still, the principle of the program is used for similarly specialized texts.
1962: The Socialist Block launches the first space station with a multi-man crew. Internal squabblings about many different things, including the question which nations should have the honor to send an astronaut into space, procrastinated the mission.
1964: At the conference in Rome, the until then secret ruler of the block - the French Socialists - are replaced by the Italian Socialists, who managed to build an alliance with the Germans, Dutch and Spaniards. Now France profits less from the Socialist brotherhood.
1967: Socialist Block tries to launch the first manned moon rocket, but it fails. Their space program has to be restarted.
Canada and Pacific:
1962: King George V of New Albion dies. He has no sons, so the country is split: Should his daughter Elizabeth become the first queen in the history of England, Great Britain and New Albion (which was the will of the late king too), or should the crown go to his brother Humphrey? Elizabeth's supporters fear that Humphrey's son could wreck the kingdom. Humphrey's supporters point out that Elizabeth has no children, despite being over 40.
What follows is a civil war that literally splits the small kingdom - the Northern island with the capital stays loyal to Elizabeth, while the southern island and OTL Tasmania stand behind Humphrey. Although few people outside the kingdom take notice of the war, it shakes up the country like a storm.
1963: When the Taoiseach of Tir Tairngire, Gearailt Seán Ó Cinnéide, protests against German presence in OTL West Australia, the German secret service has him killed. This doesn't make the technocrats more popular abroad. Irish-Catholic pope Patricius IX also protests, and the Irish-Catholics worldwide pass it on (and meanwhile, there's a small community of them in Germany too).
1966: After the death of the last Hong emperor (who was under Canadian protection), a revolt on Ma-i (OTL Philippines) threatens the stability of the region. Germany and Canada can't interfere right now, so China offers to put the unrest down. The Canadian government is suspicious, thinks China wants the mostly Chinese-settled islands back. Finally an agreement is found: In twenty years, the islands will vote whether to join China or stay a Canadian protectorate, although the former clearly is the most probable outcome.
1969: King Humphrey VI (I in New Albion) dies, the crown goes to his son whom everyone suspects to be a bad king, which will become true. Queen Elizabeth I of the Northern island seeks Canadian support, which makes Humphrey VII/II even angrier - in his opinion, not only has Canada occupied British colonies around the Pacific, but is supposed to be his loyal colony!
Atlantean Chaos:
1960s: In Italia Nuova, the Terramici, the organized ecology movement, are formed. The Technocracy dismisses their protests as Socialist-influenced propaganda and their followers as marihuana smokers.
1964-66: Maya-Miskito war.
1967: The government of Peru (OTL northern Andean states) captures and executes the leaders of "The Imperial Way", a movement that wants to rebuild the New Roman Empire, at least in Atlantis.
1969: Unrest among black people in the various states south of German (North) Atlantis for not having full rights.
Russian / Eastern European Chaos:
1962: Choresm makes war against the successor state centered on Itil (OTL Astrakhan), for rights in the Caspian. Itil loses.
1963: The "Free Volga" movement is founded in Russian states, aiming at a liberation of the Russian lands.
1964: In some of the Russian states north of China, the cooperation is expanded - the Chinese emperor speaks of a possible economic union, or even monetary union.
1967: Germany interferes in a war between Bryansk and its neighbors. This again makes many Russians angry about German domination.
Indian Chaos:
1960: Germany gives heavily populated Bengal independence.
1962-67: Several wars in Northern India drive many millions of people into the South.
1965: Followers of Chandramoorthy topple the Buddhist government of Varanasi/Benares.
1968: Except for Bombay/Mumbai, all of India is now decolonized. However, it's also split into several dozen more or less weak states.
African Chaos:
1961: Baoule state falls apart, is replaced by many smaller states.
1964: Some German tourists visiting west Africa stumble over the fact that the Socialist pirates have infiltrated harbor cities on the African coast, incl. bribing officials.
1965: King of the Tutsi officially converts to Irish Catholicism, spreading their influence beyond Großer Afrikanischer See (OTL Lake Victoria).
1969: Germany supports the Congo states to attack Douala, which becomes too strong and possibly threatens German oil fields in OTL Nigeria.
Middle Eastern Chaos:
1962: With help from Greater Judea, Italian Africa (OTL Tunisia, Libya and western Egypt) builds a canal to the Qattara depression, filling it with water and forming a new sea, to make salt and improve the desert climate. This is just the biggest of many Judean programs to irrigate the desert.
1964: Olympic Games in Jerusalem (boycotted by some Muslim nations).
1965: Germany supports an uprising in Upper Egypt to prevent that the state becomes too strong.
1969: Greater Judea replaces coins and paper banknotes by plastic chips. In the following decade, Germany, Canada and other countries will follow suit.
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Post by Max Sinister on Mar 20, 2024 0:59:11 GMT
The world, 1970-80:
1970s: Young people fed up with the movies from Paradies (OTL Rio de Janeiro, TTL Germany's equivalent to Hollywood) and elsewhere, which have become predictable and repetitive, start to make "system movies": Movies without a linear structure, where you can decide - not about the end (which soon becomes boring, as people find out), but about looking at the fate of other characters, background information about them, free associations, and so on.
Germany:
1970s: After the success of Märchenwelten (VR) in the last decades, "virtual persons" are sophisticated enough to take roles as salespersons, supporters and other traditional white-collar jobs in the Weltsystem (=internet/WWW).
1971: First free elections at region level. (Second-highest level of administration; precincts are 3rd, districts are 4th).
1972: Olympic Games in Haraldsborg (OTL New York).
1974: After a long time of prosperity, the German economy faces trouble, also because many workers were fired after the factories replaced them by robots. Unemployment higher than 10%. Behind the scenes, the elected politicians and the technocrats try to shift blame.
1975: Germany launches its permanently manned space station, called Deutschland. China soon follows.
1977: Germany makes a law that every firm has to have at least one human salesperson / supportperson, if these positions are necessary, for those customers who insist on human interaction. (Some firms cheat, however, esp. for support.)
China:
1970: China presents "smart button" computers: Computers in the size of, well, buttons.
1973: China also announces that they plan to send a manned rocket to Mars.
1976: Olympic Games in Ayutthaya, Thailand (which is a Chinese satellite).
The games are overshadowed by the Tangshan earthquake, which kills more than half a million people (exact numbers are hard to get).
1977: The Chinese emperor founds the first university dedicated alone to nanotechnology.
Socialist Block:
1972: Ten years after they tried first, the Socialist Block manages to send a manned rocket to moon. The costs are very high, though, and strain their finances - so, they have to cancel the planned permanently-manned space station. Germany decides to prepare for a manned flight to Mars.
1975: The government talks about the weakly developed third sector in the Block. Their problem: After many decades of Socialist propaganda, too few people want to work in "servant" jobs. It's decided to allow immigration from the Chaos, esp. Africa.
Computer science professor Kilian Houston, working at the "House of Tomorrow", publishes the "Houston manifest", demanding more use of artificial intelligences for government and manager work. This is seen as criticism by the Socialist rulers and thus suppressed, but the idea becomes very popular among the Logos.
1978: The worst case of smog so far in London (there are rumors that more than 10,000 people died) forces the government to implement measures for the ecology, finally. (There's less individual traffic ITTL Britain, but OTOH they use more coal than oil or gas.)
1980: The Block finally launches its permanently manned space station, called Socialism. While it's very prestigious, and the research work goes well, some people point out that the results could also be acquired by more espionage via the Weltsystem.
Canada and Pacific:
1970s: Canadian technicians develop drones for the military - which Canada with its low population base needs more than the other powers. (Most of them are used at sea.)
1971: A flood in Annam kills about 100,000 people. China uses the opportunity to spread its influence when they help.
1973: In the province of Quebec (which is most of OTL Ontario!), there's unrest among the French-speakers.
1974: When the chaos in the area of OTL Burma makes Canada's position in Annam, Thailand and Lan Xang (OTL Laos) too shaky, Canada leaves these countries - its influence replaced by China.
1977: Canadian commonwealth officials are concerned that China might expand its influence into Kambuja, Vietnam and Melaka.
Atlantean Chaos:
1970: Ancash earthquake kills more than 50,000 people in Peru.
1973: The famiglia "government" of Potosi (southern half of the Andes) reports that Socialists coming from the small republic Aymaria (OTL southern Chile/Argentine, traditionally friendly with the Red Pirates) tries to infiltrate the country.
1976: The technocrat for the occupied areas finds out that the Mexican immigrants in occupied Texas now form the strongest population group there (the others being: Germans, Italians, Spaniards, Blacks, Atlanteans).
1979: Cocaine smuggling from South Atlantis starts big style.
Russian / Eastern European Chaos:
1972: The terrorist group 121 (its name is a reminiscence to the victorious battle against the Germans 121 years ago) is founded in Moscow.
1973: The Steppe republic (roughly OTL Inner Mongolia, Tuva and some areas around) officially becomes a Chinese tributary, which is to their advantage.
1974: Surprisingly, the Socialists manage to take power in Greece, which immediately declares to join the Socialist Block. Germany can't interfere. However, the latest expansion is a drain on the Block's power, since the country is poor and lacks a strong economy.
1977: Vlachian SF author Mircea Savu surprises the world with a satirical novel playing in a galaxy made up not from a few monolithic empires, but a lot of independent small states (Imagine this as a mixture of Stanislaw Lem and Douglas Adams. ITTL, for unclear reasons a lot of good SF comes from the Balcan states). Although he also describes Socialist and Socialist-leaning states, the novel manages to pass the German censorship, since those states aren't depicted exactly positively.
Indian Chaos:
1970: The Bhola cyclone kills some hundred thousand people in Bengal (OTL Bangladesh). At least, for a few years the wars in the area end.
1972: Twenty years after Chandramoorthy's death, his followers manage to take power in Puducherry, which is now dubbed by some "the second Vijayanagar" (we remember, this means "city of the victor").
1974: In Bhojapal, a university for Artificial Intelligence is founded.
1979: China starts infiltrating Punjab, Assam.
African Chaos:
1968-72: Sahel drought continues.
1971: The Igbo people in OTL Nigeria start to form the center of resistance against German presence in the Niger area.
1974/75: Irish-Catholics and Coptic Christians clash in former Ethiopia. The Jews and Muslims are caught between the fronts. Greater Judea decides to interfere and evacuates the Falasha.
1978: Uprisings in OTL Kenya/Uganda against Germans start. Many Germans (playing an important role as businessmen and such) flee to Australia (OTL South Africa).
Middle Eastern Chaos:
1970: At the Algerian coast, an Italian tanker going from Libya to Italia Nuova is damaged, losing more than 100,000 tons of oil, creating the biggest oil spill yet. (Note that German oil tankers are more secure because double hulls were introduced and soon made mandatory earlier, for fear of the Socialist pirates. Poorer states can't always afford this measure, however.)
1973: Mahdi Sudan expands into destabilized Upper Egypt.
1974: Socialists try to topple the Moroccan government, which would expand the Socialists' power onto the African continent. Germany manages to avoid this.
1977: Socialists take power in Kurdistan, threaten Armenia and Azerbaijan, attempt to nationalize oil wells. Germany and Greater Judea interfere, seize Kirkuk and bomb the Kurds into submission.
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Post by Max Sinister on Mar 23, 2024 23:04:26 GMT
The world, 1980-90:1980s: The developing nanotechnology and AI leads to an improved economy in the developed nations, but also to further rising unemployment. (During the decade, it'll break the 25% barrier in Germany, and many people will spend their days with drugs, television or computers.) Germany:1980: Olympic Games in Krakow. 1982: Germany sends the first astronauts to Mars. 1983: A strange new disease, which is dubbed "Erworbenes ImmunSchwäche-Syndrom", short EISS, pronounced like "Ice" (OTL Aids!) starts to take its toll in Germany. Gays and drug addicts face persecution. This even includes influential persons. 1985: After more than five decades, Germany gets the first nation-wide free elections. The military still holds a lot of power, as do the corporates and the police. 1987: The first book of the series "Sebastian der Zauberer" (Sebastian the sorceror - TTL's Harry Potter equivalent, as it seems) is published. 1988: Germany finishes the "Schwarm" (swarm) - clouds of artificial insects guarding its borders, especially to the Socialist Block. Now, no one without comparable nanotechnology can cross their borders. China:1981: Computer chips have reached the physical limit: They can't be improved anymore by making the transistors yet smaller. Chinese hardware producers react by introducing 3D-chips, which soon leads to the replacement of CD- and DVD-like media by "data cubes" - as the name says, cubes in the size of about one cubic inch, with a polished surface gleaming in all colors of the rainbow. 1983: China's team reaches Mars, two months later than the Germans. 1984: Olympic Games in Edo (occupied Nippon). Although the Chinese government had intended to demonstrate that Nippon was successfully pacified, the contrary happens: The visitors from the world have the impression that the Nipponese are oppressed, or were displaced. Radical Nipponese-in-exile organisations gain support. 1987: China starts to build up an army (incl. navy and airforce) in SE Asia. Canada isn't too happy about this. 1989: Surprisingly, the Chinese emperor suggests Germany to start to scrap their nuclear weapons. The point is, however: Meanwhile both states have strong nanotech arsenals which have a higher potential than nukes. Socialist Block:1981: Technical laboratories of Milan develop the "Zanzara" - artificial insects, which are used to spy in Germany. It takes some time until they're discovered, which gives the Socialists lots of useful knowledge. 1984: French Socialists accuse the Italians of using the Zanzara system to spy out not just Germany, but also others parts of the Block. This leads to some infighting behind the stage. Italians mourn the 40th anniversary of the Verona bomb. 1986: For the first time, the states of the Socialist Block are allowed to participate in a football (for Americans: what you call soccer) world championship. The "Reds" do unexpectedly well, despite the fact that German athletes are helped with the wonders of modern medicine. In the half finals, England defeats Texas 2:0, while Bavaria beats Argentinien 1:0 (the old German lands and western European states have survived in the sport championships, if nowhere else); and when England defeats Bavaria 7:6 after penalties (3:3, 2:2, 0:1), the surprise (or shock) is perfect. The German Technocrat for Inner affairs and sports has to resign. 1989: In the north of Scotland, there's a big fire. Germany suspects that a nanotechnological experiment done by the Socialists went awry, and they had to burn the whole area because they knew no other solution. This leads to many discussion about and fear of a "Braunschleim" (German for "brown slime", with the same meaning as OTL Grey Goo) scenario. Canada and Pacific:1980s: The Indies become another hotbed of piracy, after the Pacific region had been spared mostly by the Red Pirates. These new pirates are mostly Nipponese in exile in the Indies or Antipodia (OTL Australia), and target Chinese ships. The big difference: While the Red pirates try to get ransom for caught people (if they're rich) or try to win them for their cause (if they're poor), the Nipponese usually kill every Chinese they can put their hands on. 1982: Canada starts a program to further develop low populated areas of the Indies (like Papua, Kalimantan, Sumatra, and Sulawesi). 1986: As planned, the referendum on Ma-i (OTL Philippines) takes place, to decide whether to stay in the Canadian Commonwealth or reunite with China. The pro-Chinese groups expect an overwhelming victory. On referendum day, however, they get just 64%, thus fail to get the needed two-thirds majority. Since only a part of the upper and middle class prefers Canada over China, it is generally assumed that the Canadian technocrats rigged the (electronic) vote. 1988: Irish-Catholic pope Patricius XII elected. 1989: Canada stations more men, ships and nanotech in the Indies, reacting on the Chinese threat in SE Asia. Atlantean Chaos:1981: Mexico and California enter a confederation. 1985: OTL Nevado del Ruiz volcano erupts, killing more than 20,000 people. 1986: Germany uses nanotechnology to destroy the cocaine plantations in OTL Colombia. Braseal now has had German occupation troops for 30 years, but it seems they're going to stay even longer. (The civilian German government made the suggestion to retreat, but the diplomats and the military are against it.) 1989: Germany gives independence to OTL Cuba (since WW1, they've controlled all the Caribbean islands). Russian / Eastern European Chaos:1980s: Russian drug lords start to produce amphetamines and other drugs which are smuggled to Germany. 1984: German spies report that the republic of Yenisseisk, the former capital of proud Novorossiya, seems to become a Chinese satellite too. 1985: An uprising in Itil (OTL Astrakhan) against Choresm, which is China's ally. Ironically, the Germans have to help them, since they don't want China's influence to spill over to Europe. So Itil is now free again, but the Russian governments is split between westerners and Chunkvophiles (we'd call them Sinophiles). 1988: Centennial Olympic Games return to Athens. An earthquake in Armenia kills 25,000 people; government has to retreat the army from Azerbaijan. Indian Chaos:1981: Several South Indian states decide to cooperate more. This doesn't sound like much, but in fact the cooperation goes very far - they just don't fully unite to deceive the Germans. 1983: The Indian subcontinent now has more than a billion people. 1988: Followers of Chandramoorthy decide to enter the nanotech business. 1989: A stock crash in India throws the economy in turmoil. African Chaos:1982: Germany is caught in a costly guerilla war in the Niger delta, having to protect the oil sources there. 1984: Germany leaves the area of Kenya/Uganda/Tanzania, just leaves a small presence in the harbors. 1987: A German ship is captured near the coast of OTL Liberia by an all-black pirate crew - apparently the Africans learned something from the Red pirates. 1989: Clashes between Tutsi soldiers and German citizens in Katanga. Middle Eastern Chaos:1981: In Greater Judea, the first brain-computer-interface becomes available. 1983-85: "Gulf War" (however, it's more of a civil war, with more than two sides) at the Arabian peninsula. 1986: Surprisingly, the various splinter states on Persian territory find together and unite. 1988: Some Irish-Catholic missionaries are killed in Yemen.
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stevep
Fleet admiral
Posts: 24,832 
Likes: 13,222
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Post by stevep on Mar 24, 2024 19:15:30 GMT
The world, 1980-90:1980s: The developing nanotechnology and AI leads to an improved economy in the developed nations, but also to further rising unemployment. (During the decade, it'll break the 25% barrier in Germany, and many people will spend their days with drugs, television or computers.) Germany:1980: Olympic Games in Krakow. 1982: Germany sends the first astronauts to Mars. 1983: A strange new disease, which is dubbed "Erworbenes ImmunSchwäche-Syndrom", short EISS, pronounced like "Ice" (OTL Aids!) starts to take its toll in Germany. Gays and drug addicts face persecution. This even includes influential persons. 1985: After more than five decades, Germany gets the first nation-wide free elections. The military still holds a lot of power, as do the corporates and the police. 1987: The first book of the series "Sebastian der Zauberer" (Sebastian the sorceror - TTL's Harry Potter equivalent, as it seems) is published. 1988: Germany finishes the "Schwarm" (swarm) - clouds of artificial insects guarding its borders, especially to the Socialist Block. Now, no one without comparable nanotechnology can cross their borders. China:1981: Computer chips have reached the physical limit: They can't be improved anymore by making the transistors yet smaller. Chinese hardware producers react by introducing 3D-chips, which soon leads to the replacement of CD- and DVD-like media by "data cubes" - as the name says, cubes in the size of about one cubic inch, with a polished surface gleaming in all colors of the rainbow. 1983: China's team reaches Mars, two months later than the Germans. 1984: Olympic Games in Edo (occupied Nippon). Although the Chinese government had intended to demonstrate that Nippon was successfully pacified, the contrary happens: The visitors from the world have the impression that the Nipponese are oppressed, or were displaced. Radical Nipponese-in-exile organisations gain support. 1987: China starts to build up an army (incl. navy and airforce) in SE Asia. Canada isn't too happy about this. 1989: Surprisingly, the Chinese emperor suggests Germany to start to scrap their nuclear weapons. The point is, however: Meanwhile both states have strong nanotech arsenals which have a higher potential than nukes. Socialist Block:1981: Technical laboratories of Milan develop the "Zanzara" - artificial insects, which are used to spy in Germany. It takes some time until they're discovered, which gives the Socialists lots of useful knowledge. 1984: French Socialists accuse the Italians of using the Zanzara system to spy out not just Germany, but also others parts of the Block. This leads to some infighting behind the stage. Italians mourn the 40th anniversary of the Verona bomb. 1986: For the first time, the states of the Socialist Block are allowed to participate in a football (for Americans: what you call soccer) world championship. The "Reds" do unexpectedly well, despite the fact that German athletes are helped with the wonders of modern medicine. In the half finals, England defeats Texas 2:0, while Bavaria beats Argentinien 1:0 (the old German lands and western European states have survived in the sport championships, if nowhere else); and when England defeats Bavaria 7:6 after penalties (3:3, 2:2, 0:1), the surprise (or shock) is perfect. The German Technocrat for Inner affairs and sports has to resign. 1989: In the north of Scotland, there's a big fire. Germany suspects that a nanotechnological experiment done by the Socialists went awry, and they had to burn the whole area because they knew no other solution. This leads to many discussion about and fear of a "Braunschleim" (German for "brown slime", with the same meaning as OTL Grey Goo) scenario. Canada and Pacific:1980s: The Indies become another hotbed of piracy, after the Pacific region had been spared mostly by the Red Pirates. These new pirates are mostly Nipponese in exile in the Indies or Antipodia (OTL Australia), and target Chinese ships. The big difference: While the Red pirates try to get ransom for caught people (if they're rich) or try to win them for their cause (if they're poor), the Nipponese usually kill every Chinese they can put their hands on. 1982: Canada starts a program to further develop low populated areas of the Indies (like Papua, Kalimantan, Sumatra, and Sulawesi). 1986: As planned, the referendum on Ma-i (OTL Philippines) takes place, to decide whether to stay in the Canadian Commonwealth or reunite with China. The pro-Chinese groups expect an overwhelming victory. On referendum day, however, they get just 64%, thus fail to get the needed two-thirds majority. Since only a part of the upper and middle class prefers Canada over China, it is generally assumed that the Canadian technocrats rigged the (electronic) vote. 1988: Irish-Catholic pope Patricius XII elected. 1989: Canada stations more men, ships and nanotech in the Indies, reacting on the Chinese threat in SE Asia. Atlantean Chaos:1981: Mexico and California enter a confederation. 1985: OTL Nevado del Ruiz volcano erupts, killing more than 20,000 people. 1986: Germany uses nanotechnology to destroy the cocaine plantations in OTL Colombia. Braseal now has had German occupation troops for 30 years, but it seems they're going to stay even longer. (The civilian German government made the suggestion to retreat, but the diplomats and the military are against it.) 1989: Germany gives independence to OTL Cuba (since WW1, they've controlled all the Caribbean islands). Russian / Eastern European Chaos:1980s: Russian drug lords start to produce amphetamines and other drugs which are smuggled to Germany. 1984: German spies report that the republic of Yenisseisk, the former capital of proud Novorossiya, seems to become a Chinese satellite too. 1985: An uprising in Itil (OTL Astrakhan) against Choresm, which is China's ally. Ironically, the Germans have to help them, since they don't want China's influence to spill over to Europe. So Itil is now free again, but the Russian governments is split between westerners and Chunkvophiles (we'd call them Sinophiles). 1988: Centennial Olympic Games return to Athens. An earthquake in Armenia kills 25,000 people; government has to retreat the army from Azerbaijan. Indian Chaos:1981: Several South Indian states decide to cooperate more. This doesn't sound like much, but in fact the cooperation goes very far - they just don't fully unite to deceive the Germans. 1983: The Indian subcontinent now has more than a billion people. 1988: Followers of Chandramoorthy decide to enter the nanotech business. 1989: A stock crash in India throws the economy in turmoil. African Chaos:1982: Germany is caught in a costly guerilla war in the Niger delta, having to protect the oil sources there. 1984: Germany leaves the area of Kenya/Uganda/Tanzania, just leaves a small presence in the harbors. 1987: A German ship is captured near the coast of OTL Liberia by an all-black pirate crew - apparently the Africans learned something from the Red pirates. 1989: Clashes between Tutsi soldiers and German citizens in Katanga. Middle Eastern Chaos:1981: In Greater Judea, the first brain-computer-interface becomes available. 1983-85: "Gulf War" (however, it's more of a civil war, with more than two sides) at the Arabian peninsula. 1986: Surprisingly, the various splinter states on Persian territory find together and unite. 1988: Some Irish-Catholic missionaries are killed in Yemen.
This is getting dicey technologically wise! Too much chance of something going wrong with that nano-tech. I wonder how selective the German Schwarm is in terms of picking up humans against other objects, i.e. animals, trees, etc. Plus does it kill suspected intruders, imprison them or simply alert authorities.
Some interesting parallels to OTL. Not sure that aids would occur in a similar war although it would depend on the situation in Africa say.
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Post by Max Sinister on Mar 27, 2024 19:39:24 GMT
The world, 1980-90:1980s: The developing nanotechnology and AI leads to an improved economy in the developed nations, but also to further rising unemployment. (During the decade, it'll break the 25% barrier in Germany, and many people will spend their days with drugs, television or computers.) Germany:1980: Olympic Games in Krakow. 1982: Germany sends the first astronauts to Mars. 1983: A strange new disease, which is dubbed "Erworbenes ImmunSchwäche-Syndrom", short EISS, pronounced like "Ice" (OTL Aids!) starts to take its toll in Germany. Gays and drug addicts face persecution. This even includes influential persons. 1985: After more than five decades, Germany gets the first nation-wide free elections. The military still holds a lot of power, as do the corporates and the police. 1987: The first book of the series "Sebastian der Zauberer" (Sebastian the sorceror - TTL's Harry Potter equivalent, as it seems) is published. 1988: Germany finishes the "Schwarm" (swarm) - clouds of artificial insects guarding its borders, especially to the Socialist Block. Now, no one without comparable nanotechnology can cross their borders. China:1981: Computer chips have reached the physical limit: They can't be improved anymore by making the transistors yet smaller. Chinese hardware producers react by introducing 3D-chips, which soon leads to the replacement of CD- and DVD-like media by "data cubes" - as the name says, cubes in the size of about one cubic inch, with a polished surface gleaming in all colors of the rainbow. 1983: China's team reaches Mars, two months later than the Germans. 1984: Olympic Games in Edo (occupied Nippon). Although the Chinese government had intended to demonstrate that Nippon was successfully pacified, the contrary happens: The visitors from the world have the impression that the Nipponese are oppressed, or were displaced. Radical Nipponese-in-exile organisations gain support. 1987: China starts to build up an army (incl. navy and airforce) in SE Asia. Canada isn't too happy about this. 1989: Surprisingly, the Chinese emperor suggests Germany to start to scrap their nuclear weapons. The point is, however: Meanwhile both states have strong nanotech arsenals which have a higher potential than nukes. Socialist Block:1981: Technical laboratories of Milan develop the "Zanzara" - artificial insects, which are used to spy in Germany. It takes some time until they're discovered, which gives the Socialists lots of useful knowledge. 1984: French Socialists accuse the Italians of using the Zanzara system to spy out not just Germany, but also others parts of the Block. This leads to some infighting behind the stage. Italians mourn the 40th anniversary of the Verona bomb. 1986: For the first time, the states of the Socialist Block are allowed to participate in a football (for Americans: what you call soccer) world championship. The "Reds" do unexpectedly well, despite the fact that German athletes are helped with the wonders of modern medicine. In the half finals, England defeats Texas 2:0, while Bavaria beats Argentinien 1:0 (the old German lands and western European states have survived in the sport championships, if nowhere else); and when England defeats Bavaria 7:6 after penalties (3:3, 2:2, 0:1), the surprise (or shock) is perfect. The German Technocrat for Inner affairs and sports has to resign. 1989: In the north of Scotland, there's a big fire. Germany suspects that a nanotechnological experiment done by the Socialists went awry, and they had to burn the whole area because they knew no other solution. This leads to many discussion about and fear of a "Braunschleim" (German for "brown slime", with the same meaning as OTL Grey Goo) scenario. Canada and Pacific:1980s: The Indies become another hotbed of piracy, after the Pacific region had been spared mostly by the Red Pirates. These new pirates are mostly Nipponese in exile in the Indies or Antipodia (OTL Australia), and target Chinese ships. The big difference: While the Red pirates try to get ransom for caught people (if they're rich) or try to win them for their cause (if they're poor), the Nipponese usually kill every Chinese they can put their hands on. 1982: Canada starts a program to further develop low populated areas of the Indies (like Papua, Kalimantan, Sumatra, and Sulawesi). 1986: As planned, the referendum on Ma-i (OTL Philippines) takes place, to decide whether to stay in the Canadian Commonwealth or reunite with China. The pro-Chinese groups expect an overwhelming victory. On referendum day, however, they get just 64%, thus fail to get the needed two-thirds majority. Since only a part of the upper and middle class prefers Canada over China, it is generally assumed that the Canadian technocrats rigged the (electronic) vote. 1988: Irish-Catholic pope Patricius XII elected. 1989: Canada stations more men, ships and nanotech in the Indies, reacting on the Chinese threat in SE Asia. Atlantean Chaos:1981: Mexico and California enter a confederation. 1985: OTL Nevado del Ruiz volcano erupts, killing more than 20,000 people. 1986: Germany uses nanotechnology to destroy the cocaine plantations in OTL Colombia. Braseal now has had German occupation troops for 30 years, but it seems they're going to stay even longer. (The civilian German government made the suggestion to retreat, but the diplomats and the military are against it.) 1989: Germany gives independence to OTL Cuba (since WW1, they've controlled all the Caribbean islands). Russian / Eastern European Chaos:1980s: Russian drug lords start to produce amphetamines and other drugs which are smuggled to Germany. 1984: German spies report that the republic of Yenisseisk, the former capital of proud Novorossiya, seems to become a Chinese satellite too. 1985: An uprising in Itil (OTL Astrakhan) against Choresm, which is China's ally. Ironically, the Germans have to help them, since they don't want China's influence to spill over to Europe. So Itil is now free again, but the Russian governments is split between westerners and Chunkvophiles (we'd call them Sinophiles). 1988: Centennial Olympic Games return to Athens. An earthquake in Armenia kills 25,000 people; government has to retreat the army from Azerbaijan. Indian Chaos:1981: Several South Indian states decide to cooperate more. This doesn't sound like much, but in fact the cooperation goes very far - they just don't fully unite to deceive the Germans. 1983: The Indian subcontinent now has more than a billion people. 1988: Followers of Chandramoorthy decide to enter the nanotech business. 1989: A stock crash in India throws the economy in turmoil. African Chaos:1982: Germany is caught in a costly guerilla war in the Niger delta, having to protect the oil sources there. 1984: Germany leaves the area of Kenya/Uganda/Tanzania, just leaves a small presence in the harbors. 1987: A German ship is captured near the coast of OTL Liberia by an all-black pirate crew - apparently the Africans learned something from the Red pirates. 1989: Clashes between Tutsi soldiers and German citizens in Katanga. Middle Eastern Chaos:1981: In Greater Judea, the first brain-computer-interface becomes available. 1983-85: "Gulf War" (however, it's more of a civil war, with more than two sides) at the Arabian peninsula. 1986: Surprisingly, the various splinter states on Persian territory find together and unite. 1988: Some Irish-Catholic missionaries are killed in Yemen.
This is getting dicey technologically wise! Too much chance of something going wrong with that nano-tech. I wonder how selective the German Schwarm is in terms of picking up humans against other objects, i.e. animals, trees, etc. Plus does it kill suspected intruders, imprison them or simply alert authorities.
Some interesting parallels to OTL. Not sure that aids would occur in a similar war although it would depend on the situation in Africa say.
The predecessor of the AIDS virus has been around for longer, so as soon as the population grows and people start to go farther away from where they are born, the probabilities for the virus to jump from monkeys to humans will grow, so this is a realistic development.
The world, 1990-93:
Germany:
1990: After the elections, Germany cancels its planned manned mission to the Asteroid Belt. The Logos are disappointed.
1992: Olympic Games in Paradies (OTL Rio de Janeiro).
May 1993: Singer Anjaka rises to the top of the charts with her new album.
June 1993: The newest fad: Clothes which change the color.
China:
1990: China and Germany sign the VAR (Vertrag zur Abrüstung der Raketenarsenale - treaty about disarmament of rocket arsenals), starting to scrap their nuclear weapons.
1991: First former military base for nuclear weapons closed.
June 1993: The Chinese court gossips about the discord between the emperor and his adoptive son. It seems that for the first time in the history of the adoptive emperors, the emperor might rethink his choice for succession.
Socialist Block:
1991: Britain celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Socialist Revolution.
1992: The German Socialists start to install a lot of mini-cameras and bugs in public places to surveil the population even more and find out possible troublemakers. Unfortunately, after a few weeks things turn out awry - they'd have to arrest at least 10% of the people, and the speech recognition software still has mistakes.
July 1993: A corruption scandal in Greece leads to big protests in Athens and Thessaloniki.
Canada and Pacific:
1990: San Raiden Akiyama founds a new resistance group, called "Sōka Gakkai" (Value-Creation Society), among the Nipponese in Indonesia. (The title "San" is used similarly as Spanish "Don" among Nipponese, as is the custom to put the personal name before the family name, caused by the strong Spanish influence.)
1991: Explosion of OTL Mount Pinatubo, Philippines. China wants to send helpers, which Canada forbids for the fear that they might come for other purposes.
1992: The Olympic committee decides to celebrate the Olympic Games of 1996 in Fort Knox (OTL Singapore). This further complicates the conflict between China and Canada (and thus, indirectly, Germany).
Atlantean Chaos:
1991: Confederation between California and Mexico breaks apart again. Many people blame the Germans for it, although this time they're wrong.
1992: Race riots in Roma Nuova.
1993: Jacques "le Duc" Jessamy is elected first black premier of Louisiane. This leads to diplomatic conflicts with Italia Nuova.
Russian / Eastern European Chaos:
1990: Various Balcan states start talking about closer cooperation (it's the third time after WW2 that they try - until now, their plan always failed).
1991: "The quiet before the storm": Nothing special happens during this year, but the Russians suspect that something might happen soon.
1992: War between Choresm and an alliance of several Uralian, western Siberian and Volga statelets breaks out. Although the Russians have the stronger military and highly motivated soldiers, they have to fight with the problem that during the war several statelets change sides or otherwise sabotage the Russian coalition's efforts.
Indian Chaos:
1991: Cyclone hits Bangladesh, killing more than 100,000 people.
1992: Indian groups resist China trying to win influence in the heavily populated Ganges valley. Even Germany supports them, saying that "China's influence mustn't cross either the Volga or the Ganges".
1993: A young Indian Logo (and follower of Chandramoorthy) becomes famous (although only his first name, Shekhar, is known to the public) when he hacks the computer of the mayor of Goa and publishes the information (very effectively, using all the electronic billboards of the city), so the mayor has to resign under the pressure of the public, and the city subsequently joins the South Indian confederation (a group of small states in Southern and Central India more or less dominated by the network of Chandramoorthy's followers). Although the full story is more complicated, he is hailed as if he single-handedly brought down the unpopular government.
African Chaos:
1990: German ships are attacked by Socialist pirates coming from Inhambane (OTL Mozambique). The Germans are in sorrow because it seems that the "Red Piracy" now spread to East Africa too.
1991: "Greater Somalia" proclaimed at the Horn of Africa.
1993: Matthew "Good Luck" Igali, son of a canteen staff woman working in Britain, returns to his home in OTL Nigeria and takes power, forming a Socialist republic. Germany immediately interferes to topple him, but he can hold out so far.
Middle Eastern Chaos:
1990: Socialist agents caught by officials of Italian North Africa when trying to smuggle arms to radical Muslim insurrectionists.
1992: Greater Judea abolishes the restrictions placed on the Irish-Catholic church until then.
June 1993: The biggest dam at river Tigris in Mesopotamia is destroyed by suicide attackers, leading to a great flood along the river, several hundred thousand dead people and chaos in the whole region.
The crisis:
13. 7. 1993: Akiyama's group kidnaps a plane (an old-fashioned model without AI), flies to Shanghai, knowing that the emperor is there. The plane hits the summer palace, killing the emperor, several hundred members of the staff, the seven kidnappers and the passengers and the crew of the plane.
14. 7. 1993: Akiyama presents a video message to the world, claiming the responsibility for the attack on Shanghai and protests against the Chinese occupation of Nippon.
Later that day: The new emperor (the fifth adoptive one) is furious. For the beginning, several responsible air controllers and airforce officers are executed "for neglecting their duties". But this is just the beginning.
Even later that day: Various interest groups associated with the flight industry suggest a law that makes an AI controller for airplanes mandatory, which is fervently discussed by the public.
15. 7. 1993: The new emperor demands from Canada that they allow the Chinese police, which he wants to be supported by the military, to search for bases of Sōka Gakkai in the Indies. Although Canada agrees with most of the demands, they don't accept Chinese troops on Commonwealth soil.
Later that day: The defense condition of the Chinese occupation troops in Nippon is pushed up to the highest level save for open war. The troops start to crack down on any Nipponese even distantly appearing suspicious.
16. 7. 1993: Some generals and bureaucrats who want to win the emperor's favor demand that not only Canada shall allow the Chinese army to search in Indonesia for Akiyama's followers, but also demand the return of the OTL Philippines to China.
Later that day: The emperor orders that a special task force (with strong AI and nanotech components) is made ready for the search after Akiyama's group.
17. 7. 1993: Canadian government declares that while they're willing to search Indonesia to find the culprits, they definitely exclude the possibility of Chinese military on the ground of Canada's commonwealth members, or reducing their influence in the area around China in any other way.
Later that day: To confuse the situation, the Taoiseach of Tir Tairngire and the Irish-Catholic pope protest against the imperialism of the superpowers (and thus, against the German presence in western Antipodia [OTL Australia]).
18. 7. 1993: Oberster Technokrat Slezak declares that he (and thus, Germany) firmly sides with Canada.
Later that day: The special task force for the raid on Sōka Gakkai has been assembled in China and is officially ready to strike.
19. 7. 1993: Raiden Akiyama presents another video message, claiming that his group is ready to undertake further strikes against China. The emperor immediately orders to mobilize the army to guard China's (and its satellites') borders.
Later that day: Canadian soldiers in Fort Knox observe that China has mobilized its nanoswarms. Canada immediately starts to do the same, just in case.
Meanwhile in Nippon, more than hundred thousand people have been interned by the Chinese, and there have been at least several hundred dead. Unfortunately, among the interned are also the Nipponese relatives of some influential Germans.
20. 7. 1993: Germany starts to mobilize its troops. Their men (and AIs) on (and in) the computers closely observe the Weltsystem for Chinese activities; their nanoswarms are also activated.
Later that day: The Chinese emperor demands that Germany and Canada undo their mobilization and repeats his demands that the Chinese task force may search for Sōka Gakkai in the Indies. Germany and Canada are willing to demobilize if China does the same, but otherwise keep their position. Plus, they want a better treatment for the mentioned Nipponese.
Even later that day: Near Kamchatka, a German and a Chinese nanoswarm clash. Fortunately, thanks to a Sinophile Russian helper of the Germans the situation can be kept under control. But the message is passed on on both sides, and all the militaries fear that the next incident may lead to World War Three.
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stevep
Fleet admiral
Posts: 24,832
Likes: 13,222
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Post by stevep on Mar 27, 2024 22:46:14 GMT
This is getting dicey technologically wise! Too much chance of something going wrong with that nano-tech. I wonder how selective the German Schwarm is in terms of picking up humans against other objects, i.e. animals, trees, etc. Plus does it kill suspected intruders, imprison them or simply alert authorities.
Some interesting parallels to OTL. Not sure that aids would occur in a similar war although it would depend on the situation in Africa say.
The predecessor of the AIDS virus has been around for longer, so as soon as the population grows and people start to go farther away from where they are born, the probabilities for the virus to jump from monkeys to humans will grow, so this is a realistic development.
The world, 1990-93:
Germany:
1990: After the elections, Germany cancels its planned manned mission to the Asteroid Belt. The Logos are disappointed.
1992: Olympic Games in Paradies (OTL Rio de Janeiro).
May 1993: Singer Anjaka rises to the top of the charts with her new album.
June 1993: The newest fad: Clothes which change the color.
China:
1990: China and Germany sign the VAR (Vertrag zur Abrüstung der Raketenarsenale - treaty about disarmament of rocket arsenals), starting to scrap their nuclear weapons.
1991: First former military base for nuclear weapons closed.
June 1993: The Chinese court gossips about the discord between the emperor and his adoptive son. It seems that for the first time in the history of the adoptive emperors, the emperor might rethink his choice for succession.
Socialist Block:
1991: Britain celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Socialist Revolution.
1992: The German Socialists start to install a lot of mini-cameras and bugs in public places to surveil the population even more and find out possible troublemakers. Unfortunately, after a few weeks things turn out awry - they'd have to arrest at least 10% of the people, and the speech recognition software still has mistakes.
July 1993: A corruption scandal in Greece leads to big protests in Athens and Thessaloniki.
Canada and Pacific:
1990: San Raiden Akiyama founds a new resistance group, called "Sōka Gakkai" (Value-Creation Society), among the Nipponese in Indonesia. (The title "San" is used similarly as Spanish "Don" among Nipponese, as is the custom to put the personal name before the family name, caused by the strong Spanish influence.)
1991: Explosion of OTL Mount Pinatubo, Philippines. China wants to send helpers, which Canada forbids for the fear that they might come for other purposes.
1992: The Olympic committee decides to celebrate the Olympic Games of 1996 in Fort Knox (OTL Singapore). This further complicates the conflict between China and Canada (and thus, indirectly, Germany).
Atlantean Chaos:
1991: Confederation between California and Mexico breaks apart again. Many people blame the Germans for it, although this time they're wrong.
1992: Race riots in Roma Nuova.
1993: Jacques "le Duc" Jessamy is elected first black premier of Louisiane. This leads to diplomatic conflicts with Italia Nuova.
Russian / Eastern European Chaos:
1990: Various Balcan states start talking about closer cooperation (it's the third time after WW2 that they try - until now, their plan always failed).
1991: "The quiet before the storm": Nothing special happens during this year, but the Russians suspect that something might happen soon.
1992: War between Choresm and an alliance of several Uralian, western Siberian and Volga statelets breaks out. Although the Russians have the stronger military and highly motivated soldiers, they have to fight with the problem that during the war several statelets change sides or otherwise sabotage the Russian coalition's efforts.
Indian Chaos:
1991: Cyclone hits Bangladesh, killing more than 100,000 people.
1992: Indian groups resist China trying to win influence in the heavily populated Ganges valley. Even Germany supports them, saying that "China's influence mustn't cross either the Volga or the Ganges".
1993: A young Indian Logo (and follower of Chandramoorthy) becomes famous (although only his first name, Shekhar, is known to the public) when he hacks the computer of the mayor of Goa and publishes the information (very effectively, using all the electronic billboards of the city), so the mayor has to resign under the pressure of the public, and the city subsequently joins the South Indian confederation (a group of small states in Southern and Central India more or less dominated by the network of Chandramoorthy's followers). Although the full story is more complicated, he is hailed as if he single-handedly brought down the unpopular government.
African Chaos:
1990: German ships are attacked by Socialist pirates coming from Inhambane (OTL Mozambique). The Germans are in sorrow because it seems that the "Red Piracy" now spread to East Africa too.
1991: "Greater Somalia" proclaimed at the Horn of Africa.
1993: Matthew "Good Luck" Igali, son of a canteen staff woman working in Britain, returns to his home in OTL Nigeria and takes power, forming a Socialist republic. Germany immediately interferes to topple him, but he can hold out so far.
Middle Eastern Chaos:
1990: Socialist agents caught by officials of Italian North Africa when trying to smuggle arms to radical Muslim insurrectionists.
1992: Greater Judea abolishes the restrictions placed on the Irish-Catholic church until then.
June 1993: The biggest dam at river Tigris in Mesopotamia is destroyed by suicide attackers, leading to a great flood along the river, several hundred thousand dead people and chaos in the whole region.
The crisis:
13. 7. 1993: Akiyama's group kidnaps a plane (an old-fashioned model without AI), flies to Shanghai, knowing that the emperor is there. The plane hits the summer palace, killing the emperor, several hundred members of the staff, the seven kidnappers and the passengers and the crew of the plane.
14. 7. 1993: Akiyama presents a video message to the world, claiming the responsibility for the attack on Shanghai and protests against the Chinese occupation of Nippon.
Later that day: The new emperor (the fifth adoptive one) is furious. For the beginning, several responsible air controllers and airforce officers are executed "for neglecting their duties". But this is just the beginning.
Even later that day: Various interest groups associated with the flight industry suggest a law that makes an AI controller for airplanes mandatory, which is fervently discussed by the public.
15. 7. 1993: The new emperor demands from Canada that they allow the Chinese police, which he wants to be supported by the military, to search for bases of Sōka Gakkai in the Indies. Although Canada agrees with most of the demands, they don't accept Chinese troops on Commonwealth soil.
Later that day: The defense condition of the Chinese occupation troops in Nippon is pushed up to the highest level save for open war. The troops start to crack down on any Nipponese even distantly appearing suspicious.
16. 7. 1993: Some generals and bureaucrats who want to win the emperor's favor demand that not only Canada shall allow the Chinese army to search in Indonesia for Akiyama's followers, but also demand the return of the OTL Philippines to China.
Later that day: The emperor orders that a special task force (with strong AI and nanotech components) is made ready for the search after Akiyama's group.
17. 7. 1993: Canadian government declares that while they're willing to search Indonesia to find the culprits, they definitely exclude the possibility of Chinese military on the ground of Canada's commonwealth members, or reducing their influence in the area around China in any other way.
Later that day: To confuse the situation, the Taoiseach of Tir Tairngire and the Irish-Catholic pope protest against the imperialism of the superpowers (and thus, against the German presence in western Antipodia [OTL Australia]).
18. 7. 1993: Oberster Technokrat Slezak declares that he (and thus, Germany) firmly sides with Canada.
Later that day: The special task force for the raid on Sōka Gakkai has been assembled in China and is officially ready to strike.
19. 7. 1993: Raiden Akiyama presents another video message, claiming that his group is ready to undertake further strikes against China. The emperor immediately orders to mobilize the army to guard China's (and its satellites') borders.
Later that day: Canadian soldiers in Fort Knox observe that China has mobilized its nanoswarms. Canada immediately starts to do the same, just in case.
Meanwhile in Nippon, more than hundred thousand people have been interned by the Chinese, and there have been at least several hundred dead. Unfortunately, among the interned are also the Nipponese relatives of some influential Germans.
20. 7. 1993: Germany starts to mobilize its troops. Their men (and AIs) on (and in) the computers closely observe the Weltsystem for Chinese activities; their nanoswarms are also activated.
Later that day: The Chinese emperor demands that Germany and Canada undo their mobilization and repeats his demands that the Chinese task force may search for Sōka Gakkai in the Indies. Germany and Canada are willing to demobilize if China does the same, but otherwise keep their position. Plus, they want a better treatment for the mentioned Nipponese.
Even later that day: Near Kamchatka, a German and a Chinese nanoswarm clash. Fortunately, thanks to a Sinophile Russian helper of the Germans the situation can be kept under control. But the message is passed on on both sides, and all the militaries fear that the next incident may lead to World War Three.
F**k this is sounding very bad. You could see what's left of the stable world destroyed, along with just about everywhere else if things really spiral out of control.
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Post by Max Sinister on Mar 31, 2024 19:01:44 GMT
The predecessor of the AIDS virus has been around for longer, so as soon as the population grows and people start to go farther away from where they are born, the probabilities for the virus to jump from monkeys to humans will grow, so this is a realistic development.
The world, 1990-93:
Germany:
1990: After the elections, Germany cancels its planned manned mission to the Asteroid Belt. The Logos are disappointed.
1992: Olympic Games in Paradies (OTL Rio de Janeiro).
May 1993: Singer Anjaka rises to the top of the charts with her new album.
June 1993: The newest fad: Clothes which change the color.
China:
1990: China and Germany sign the VAR (Vertrag zur Abrüstung der Raketenarsenale - treaty about disarmament of rocket arsenals), starting to scrap their nuclear weapons.
1991: First former military base for nuclear weapons closed.
June 1993: The Chinese court gossips about the discord between the emperor and his adoptive son. It seems that for the first time in the history of the adoptive emperors, the emperor might rethink his choice for succession.
Socialist Block:
1991: Britain celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Socialist Revolution.
1992: The German Socialists start to install a lot of mini-cameras and bugs in public places to surveil the population even more and find out possible troublemakers. Unfortunately, after a few weeks things turn out awry - they'd have to arrest at least 10% of the people, and the speech recognition software still has mistakes.
July 1993: A corruption scandal in Greece leads to big protests in Athens and Thessaloniki.
Canada and Pacific:
1990: San Raiden Akiyama founds a new resistance group, called "Sōka Gakkai" (Value-Creation Society), among the Nipponese in Indonesia. (The title "San" is used similarly as Spanish "Don" among Nipponese, as is the custom to put the personal name before the family name, caused by the strong Spanish influence.)
1991: Explosion of OTL Mount Pinatubo, Philippines. China wants to send helpers, which Canada forbids for the fear that they might come for other purposes.
1992: The Olympic committee decides to celebrate the Olympic Games of 1996 in Fort Knox (OTL Singapore). This further complicates the conflict between China and Canada (and thus, indirectly, Germany).
Atlantean Chaos:
1991: Confederation between California and Mexico breaks apart again. Many people blame the Germans for it, although this time they're wrong.
1992: Race riots in Roma Nuova.
1993: Jacques "le Duc" Jessamy is elected first black premier of Louisiane. This leads to diplomatic conflicts with Italia Nuova.
Russian / Eastern European Chaos:
1990: Various Balcan states start talking about closer cooperation (it's the third time after WW2 that they try - until now, their plan always failed).
1991: "The quiet before the storm": Nothing special happens during this year, but the Russians suspect that something might happen soon.
1992: War between Choresm and an alliance of several Uralian, western Siberian and Volga statelets breaks out. Although the Russians have the stronger military and highly motivated soldiers, they have to fight with the problem that during the war several statelets change sides or otherwise sabotage the Russian coalition's efforts.
Indian Chaos:
1991: Cyclone hits Bangladesh, killing more than 100,000 people.
1992: Indian groups resist China trying to win influence in the heavily populated Ganges valley. Even Germany supports them, saying that "China's influence mustn't cross either the Volga or the Ganges".
1993: A young Indian Logo (and follower of Chandramoorthy) becomes famous (although only his first name, Shekhar, is known to the public) when he hacks the computer of the mayor of Goa and publishes the information (very effectively, using all the electronic billboards of the city), so the mayor has to resign under the pressure of the public, and the city subsequently joins the South Indian confederation (a group of small states in Southern and Central India more or less dominated by the network of Chandramoorthy's followers). Although the full story is more complicated, he is hailed as if he single-handedly brought down the unpopular government.
African Chaos:
1990: German ships are attacked by Socialist pirates coming from Inhambane (OTL Mozambique). The Germans are in sorrow because it seems that the "Red Piracy" now spread to East Africa too.
1991: "Greater Somalia" proclaimed at the Horn of Africa.
1993: Matthew "Good Luck" Igali, son of a canteen staff woman working in Britain, returns to his home in OTL Nigeria and takes power, forming a Socialist republic. Germany immediately interferes to topple him, but he can hold out so far.
Middle Eastern Chaos:
1990: Socialist agents caught by officials of Italian North Africa when trying to smuggle arms to radical Muslim insurrectionists.
1992: Greater Judea abolishes the restrictions placed on the Irish-Catholic church until then.
June 1993: The biggest dam at river Tigris in Mesopotamia is destroyed by suicide attackers, leading to a great flood along the river, several hundred thousand dead people and chaos in the whole region.
The crisis:
13. 7. 1993: Akiyama's group kidnaps a plane (an old-fashioned model without AI), flies to Shanghai, knowing that the emperor is there. The plane hits the summer palace, killing the emperor, several hundred members of the staff, the seven kidnappers and the passengers and the crew of the plane.
14. 7. 1993: Akiyama presents a video message to the world, claiming the responsibility for the attack on Shanghai and protests against the Chinese occupation of Nippon.
Later that day: The new emperor (the fifth adoptive one) is furious. For the beginning, several responsible air controllers and airforce officers are executed "for neglecting their duties". But this is just the beginning.
Even later that day: Various interest groups associated with the flight industry suggest a law that makes an AI controller for airplanes mandatory, which is fervently discussed by the public.
15. 7. 1993: The new emperor demands from Canada that they allow the Chinese police, which he wants to be supported by the military, to search for bases of Sōka Gakkai in the Indies. Although Canada agrees with most of the demands, they don't accept Chinese troops on Commonwealth soil.
Later that day: The defense condition of the Chinese occupation troops in Nippon is pushed up to the highest level save for open war. The troops start to crack down on any Nipponese even distantly appearing suspicious.
16. 7. 1993: Some generals and bureaucrats who want to win the emperor's favor demand that not only Canada shall allow the Chinese army to search in Indonesia for Akiyama's followers, but also demand the return of the OTL Philippines to China.
Later that day: The emperor orders that a special task force (with strong AI and nanotech components) is made ready for the search after Akiyama's group.
17. 7. 1993: Canadian government declares that while they're willing to search Indonesia to find the culprits, they definitely exclude the possibility of Chinese military on the ground of Canada's commonwealth members, or reducing their influence in the area around China in any other way.
Later that day: To confuse the situation, the Taoiseach of Tir Tairngire and the Irish-Catholic pope protest against the imperialism of the superpowers (and thus, against the German presence in western Antipodia [OTL Australia]).
18. 7. 1993: Oberster Technokrat Slezak declares that he (and thus, Germany) firmly sides with Canada.
Later that day: The special task force for the raid on Sōka Gakkai has been assembled in China and is officially ready to strike.
19. 7. 1993: Raiden Akiyama presents another video message, claiming that his group is ready to undertake further strikes against China. The emperor immediately orders to mobilize the army to guard China's (and its satellites') borders.
Later that day: Canadian soldiers in Fort Knox observe that China has mobilized its nanoswarms. Canada immediately starts to do the same, just in case.
Meanwhile in Nippon, more than hundred thousand people have been interned by the Chinese, and there have been at least several hundred dead. Unfortunately, among the interned are also the Nipponese relatives of some influential Germans.
20. 7. 1993: Germany starts to mobilize its troops. Their men (and AIs) on (and in) the computers closely observe the Weltsystem for Chinese activities; their nanoswarms are also activated.
Later that day: The Chinese emperor demands that Germany and Canada undo their mobilization and repeats his demands that the Chinese task force may search for Sōka Gakkai in the Indies. Germany and Canada are willing to demobilize if China does the same, but otherwise keep their position. Plus, they want a better treatment for the mentioned Nipponese.
Even later that day: Near Kamchatka, a German and a Chinese nanoswarm clash. Fortunately, thanks to a Sinophile Russian helper of the Germans the situation can be kept under control. But the message is passed on on both sides, and all the militaries fear that the next incident may lead to World War Three.
F**k this is sounding very bad. You could see what's left of the stable world destroyed, along with just about everywhere else if things really spiral out of control.
And your intuition didn't fool you indeed, Steve-o.
20. 7. 1993, 20:43:07 (Central European summer time): Start of World War Three. No politician, or rather, technocrat, ever officially declared war, but the mobilization in Germany and China started, and after it had begun, the military wouldn't stop their nanoswarms, fearing that they wouldn't be ready anymore if the other side decided to strike first. 20. 7. 1993, 23:51:86: World War Three is over. It didn't really take long, but the world will never be again as it was before. What? That's it! The TL is over! What do you expect? Move along, nothing to see here. Don't stop reading yet, folks! You want to read the epilogue? Here are the thoughts of some people while the war happened... |
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