Plot twist Spain invades North Korea before either China or the US does
Bush vs. The Axis of Evil - TL
Accurate depiction of the era. The USN and the JMSDF used SM-2 since the SM-3 didn't enter service yet. They would only enter service in the later 2000s, particularly with the USS Lake Eerie in 2006 and the JDS Kongo in 2007. Japan only has both procured PAC-2s along with the U.S. Army's PAC-2s to intercept those No-Dong missiles.
Nice take on pop-culture here. So it appears to be the 21st Century version of the 1960s counterculture movement. We might see another Woodstock after the failure of Woodstock 1999.
I wonder how bands like Green Day, Linkin Park, Evanescene, Hoobastank, and other 2000s bands and music artists evolve in their careers for this TL.
The Iranians are finally standing up to the insanity of the IGRC. But who are the Iranian Army regulars responding to the U.S. invasion? Are they even considering entering a "truce" with the U.S. Army and Marines to focus on the IGRC fanatics?
Would Washington even consider giving them official support? Or is it going to end with the Iranian Army turning against the Americans once the IGRC has been defeated?
Alternatively, you could have corrupt Russian or Chinese border guards or military officers deciding to sell arms and fuel at the black market for North Korea. In this way, both Beijing and Moscow are truly "innocent" because it is the work of rogue military officers.
One example I can cite is the case of Chinese pirates operating in the South China Sea in the 1990s. The Philippine Navy clashed with them twice in early 1996, which was around the time of the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis. Captured pirates were found using PLA uniforms without the China flag patch but had logbooks, fake IDs, small arms such as the Type 56 Norinco and the Type 81 assault rifle, and even the PLA-N's ensign. The IDs did not match the names of the sailors. When inquired through the Chinese Embassy in Manila, the embassy and Beijing declined "all knowledge of pirate activities". The Philippine Navy deduced these were run by rogue PLA-N commanders which exposed the corruption of the Chinese military. The PN also apprehended several Chinese pirates and confiscated with them smuggled goods. Reports were prevalent of Chinese pirates (aka "rogue PLA-N sailors") of boarding vessels to steal cargo. There will be no doubt that rogue Chinese and Russian stationed on the North Korean border will do the same thing.
Paju was a 21st Century equivalent of Nanking. It kinds reminds of that chapter in Dragon's Fury: World War Against The West when that's what exactly the KPA did to the civilians of Seoul.
Probably in the six figures.
Early internet had a way to leak videos. Or maybe uploaded into older blogspots.
Perhaps the Spanish Navy would send their two aircraft carriers: Principe de Asturias and Juan Carlos to the Korean Peninsula. We might see their Harriers engage against MiG-21s.
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Why is it that every time an authoritarian regime or country sees something that they consider "degenerate" they immediately assume that said "degenerate" is weak and soft and will immediately give up upon the slightest push? Still, definitely highlights the different worlds that both Koreas live in, and somewhat exemplifies the regime's state of mind regarding how it sees its southern brethren.
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The Iranian army is fighting a people's war tangentially in alliance with the IRGC, but the soldiers consider themselves a separate entity much like the Japanese army and navy - to them they are ordinary guys while the IRGC is where the 'true believers' go. The soldiers likewise hate their commanders since they come from the same fundamentalist cloth, meaning the mutiny was a very bottom-up and socialist-tinged. The average soldier doesn't want occupation, but if the regime goes too far into religious fundamentalist madness, including anything to do with their children, they automatically become the greater evil.
The mutiny stopped after the policy reversed, but it has exposed a critical weakness in the Iranian regime.
IOTL most of the "North Korea fandom" in the West is located in Spain, which makes this even more accurate lol.
Because degeneracy means hedonism, and people busy partying and doing drugs and whatever aren't exactly soldier material.
The problem is that the "degenerates" aren't so degenerate. They just aren't constantly touting their own horn about how manly and militaristic they are.
By the way Sorairo, South Korea is officially the Republic of Korea, not the "Korean Republic" like how Kim Dae-Jong refers to it.
And also, in the Death of Russia timeline, the correct names of the post-Communist parties following 4/10 are the Communist Party of China (later Socialist Party of China) and Communist Party of Vietnam (later Socialist Party of Vietnam), not Chinese Communist Party or Vietnamese Communist Party.
And also, in the Death of Russia timeline, the correct names of the post-Communist parties following 4/10 are the Communist Party of China (later Socialist Party of China) and Communist Party of Vietnam (later Socialist Party of Vietnam), not Chinese Communist Party or Vietnamese Communist Party.
You've got to give the Spanish fans credit, they take their soccer very seriously...
About Russia, this would have some chances to work in the 90s but not in 2002, IMHO.
Oh man, I cannot believe that my quick suggestion has actually been used on your timeline lol, it is an honor!
Anyways, do you intend to put this Communist Party of China/Vietnam fix on The Death of Russia too? or maybe put this quick fix on an updated edition of its physical book?
Because it is a popular belief, like the idea that the only reason an authoritarian regime would start a war is as part of a strategy to distract the population from its internal problems (economics, as people specified today) and prevent the leadership of the ruling elite to being questioned..., rather than because the rulers or the inhabitants actually consider that they have reason to feel aggrieved.
@Sorairo something to think about in regards to ITTL: the late Shinzo Abe was, IIRC, talking about North Korean abductions of Japanese citizens, at this time IOTL. I could see this playing into how the hawkish right reacts in response to the bombings.
The butterflies here might also help Suzuki Muneo (though who knows).
The butterflies here might also help Suzuki Muneo (though who knows).
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