The Union Forever: A TL

[Ares96]

I think the one with the coat of arms on both colours looks better, even though it defies the rule of tincture.

[Mac Gregor]

Originally Posted by Lalli

Perhaps. Looks good.

Could someone clean this flag up please? Also lets standardize the red between the coat of arms and the background. Either one works for me.

[Mac Gregor]

1949

Part 6: Beyond the War

Although much of the world’s attention during 1949 would be concentrated on the war in South America, other developments both at home and abroad would mark the year as one of the most important of the 20th Century.

Guadeloupe and Martinique join the Union

Flag of the Commonwealth of Guadeloupe and Martinique

On November 11, 1949 Congress admitted the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Martin, and Saint Barthelemey into the Union as the nation’s 54th state under the name the Commonwealth of Guadeloupe and Martinique. Guadeloupe and Martinique (GM) obtaining statehood was unique for several reasons, including being the first of the territories acquired after the Great War to be integrated into the Union, and also the first predominately French speaking state to join since Louisiana in 1812. In the 48 years since being annexed by the United States the state’s four islands have seen rapid development in tourism, agriculture, and fishing. Like her Spanish speaking counterparts, Guadeloupe and Martinique uses English as the language of government and teaches it alongside French in public schools.

Beginning of the Indian War of Independence

1949 would mark the beginning of the end of British rule on the Indian subcontinent. On March 13th a protest in Delhi turned bloody when British troops fired into the crowd after being repeatedly struck by rocks killing 48 people and wounding nearly 150. Often compared to the Boston Massacre of the American Revolution, this incident proved to be the match to the Indian powder keg. Within days, riots had spread across the British Raj as British and Loyalist forces struggled to maintain order. On April 5th, the annual party congress of the Indian Independence Party (IIP) in Calcutta was raided by police. The delegates resisted causing several deaths before the congress disbanded. Three days later the more radical members reconvened at Calcutta University as the United Front for the Liberation of India (UFLI) were a declaration of independence was issued stating “all inhabitants of South Asia currently ruled by the Government of Great Britain are henceforth and forever free from any allegiance to the same” and that “the territories of the so called British Raj now constituent the independent state of the Free Indian Republic.” The British government under Liberal Prime Minister Isaac Pickering refused to acknowledge the declaration and with the support of King Victor I reluctantly began the deployment of tens of thousands of British troops.

Germans break sound barrier

On December 2, 1949 Major Andreas Scherer of the Royal German Air Force became the first man to break the sound barrier when piloting his rocket powered MF-49 Komet over German Kameroon. News of this unexpected development sent shock waves around the world as other militaries scrambled to catch up. Embarrassingly news of the Germans’ triumph reached President Conner only two days after Secretary of War Bernard Kelly had briefed him that the “the advent of supersonic aircraft is at least 5 to 10 years away.” Nowadays many historians point to Major Scherer’s flight as an important predecessor to the beginning of the Space Race in the 1950s.

[Ares96]

Whatever happened to the INC? Also, is the struggle for independence universal (i.e. do both Muslims and Hindus take part)?

[Mac Gregor]

Originally Posted by Ares96

Whatever happened to the INC? Also, is the struggle for independence universal (i.e. do both Muslims and Hindus take part)?

Wiki says the INC wasn't founded until 1885. The IIP/UFLI is basically the TL's counterpart. The struggle for independence is widespread but there will be several competing organizations and movements that will be discussed in future updates.

[metastasis_d]

Sweet flag

Can't wait to see how this Indian Revolution turns out. Also very interested in seeing this space race play out in friendly competition rather than cold war. Who will reach the moon? We don't know!

[Mac Gregor]

Between these two. Which do y'all prefer?

[Mac Gregor]

And number two.

[Ares96]

I'm liking the second one, actually - it's rather similar to the flag of the German puppet kingdom in Lithuania, but that won't exist ITTL, so neither will the problem.

EDIT: Might we see the British trying to recapture some of the glory of times old in space? Either way, if you need some advice on space exploration, don't hesitate to ask. I do think it will start later than IOTL, though, what with the lack of WWII and the rocket reseach at Peenemünde.

[metastasis_d]

I like the first one, but that's because it reminds me of the Polish flag.

[Mac Gregor]

Originally Posted by Ares96

I'm liking the second one, actually - it's rather similar to the flag of the German puppet kingdom in Lithuania, but that won't exist ITTL, so neither will the problem.

EDIT: Might we see the British trying to recapture some of the glory of times old in space? Either way, if you need some advice on space exploration, don't hesitate to ask. I do think it will start later than IOTL, though, what with the lack of WWII and the rocket reseach at Peenemünde.

Any help would be great. Feel free to post some ideas or message me. Cheers!

[metastasis_d]

A US/UK combined space wing could be interesting to counter the German efforts.

And Russia would no doubt be up for a space race.

[Mac Gregor]

Anybody got any thoughts on a flag for the Indian Independence movement?

[FleetMac]

Awesome update Mac, the situation in India seems quite foreboding at this moment. I doubt it will all be over until after too many people have died...

Also, you let the Krauts beat us past the sound barrier!!!!

Interesting choice of aircraft to do it with, apparently IOTL the Komet was quite the performer hot off the deck; being a rocket plane, it had crap for flying time of course. I'm assuming Messerschmitt built this version as well (the "M" in MF-49?), but where will the tech trail go from here? Obviously the next step is building M1+ jets; something perhaps along the line's of OTL's Ho 229, and for the Yanks the XF-92, with maybe the EE Lightning for the Brits?

[Ares96]

Originally Posted by Mac Gregor

Anybody got any thoughts on a flag for the Indian Independence movement?

I think that if the movement is unilateral, the flag should include the colours orange, green and black (for Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, respectively), and it should probably have the spinning wheel on it to symbolise both progress, the Buddhist minority and the rule of law. Perhaps a white-orange-green horizontal tricolour, with a black wheel in the centre?

[metastasis_d]

Originally Posted by Mac Gregor

Anybody got any thoughts on a flag for the Indian Independence movement?

Here is the flag of British India, which predates the POD, to start with.

Originally Posted by Ares96

I think that if the movement is unilateral, the flag should include the colours orange, green and black (for Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, respectively), and it should probably have the spinning wheel on it to symbolise both progress, the Buddhist minority and the rule of law. Perhaps a white-orange-green horizontal tricolour, with a black wheel in the centre?

I tried to come up with something, but not really good with symbols. I'll keep trying.

[Mac Gregor]

Originally Posted by Ares96

I think that if the movement is unilateral, the flag should include the colours orange, green and black (for Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, respectively), and it should probably have the spinning wheel on it to symbolise both progress, the Buddhist minority and the rule of law. Perhaps a white-orange-green horizontal tricolour, with a black wheel in the centre?

I agree that for a unilateral movement safron/orange and green are a must. But is this to similar to OTL?

[Mac Gregor]

Here is a varient.

[metastasis_d]

Originally Posted by Mac Gregor

I agree that for a unilateral movement safron/orange and green are a must. But is this to similar to OTL?

Perhaps go with horizontal stripes? The one I was trying to make had Orange, Green, White, and I was going to make the centerpiece big enough to nearly reach the top and bottom edges. I was also going to keep the yellow flower, with the wheel inside it. Then again, I could see them preferring to shed the colonial symbol.

[Mac Gregor]

Originally Posted by FleetMac

Awesome update Mac, the situation in India seems quite foreboding at this moment. I doubt it will all be over until after too many people have died...

Also, you let the Krauts beat us past the sound barrier!!!!

Interesting choice of aircraft to do it with, apparently IOTL the Komet was quite the performer hot off the deck; being a rocket plane, it had crap for flying time of course. I'm assuming Messerschmitt built this version as well (the "M" in MF-49?), but where will the tech trail go from here? Obviously the next step is building M1+ jets; something perhaps along the line's of OTL's Ho 229, and for the Yanks the XF-92, with maybe the EE Lightning for the Brits?

Hey FleetMac good to hear from ya.

No the TL's MF-49 Komet is not related to OTL's ME-163 Komet (I wasn't even aware the Germans had a aircraft of this name) nor is the MF-49 built by Mersserschmit (which due to being created in 1938 does not exist in the TL). No, MF-49 simply stands for "military aircraft 1949" or Militärischeflugzeuge 1949 (correct me if I am wrong on the translation). I chose the name Komet because well it sounds like a good name for a plane to break the sound barrier. Cheers!