Dimension 398 or How a Few Bacteria Changed the Course of History
- Thread starter Beedok
- Start date
Just caught up again with the TL. This really feel like some kind of Coalition War… Will France defeat its enemies? I hope so, but anyway, it's going to get interesting.
As in anti-Napoleonic Coalition Wars?
As for the answer, I hope to get some more updates up in a couple weeks, but school is pretty busy right now.
Also, apparently an Indian state has banned alcohol in OTL recently. It's a good thing I did actual research for that map...
Like the coalitions of the War of the Grand Coalition or the Revolutionary/Napoleonic Wars, yes.As in anti-Napoleonic Coalition Wars?
As for the answer, I hope to get some more updates up in a couple weeks, but school is pretty busy right now.
Also, apparently an Indian state has banned alcohol in OTL recently. It's a good thing I did actual research for that map...
Thank you. Was just busy with some apartment hunting, but I seem to have clinched one, so I should have more time available (though still have job hunting, my other two stories, and need to keep practicing drawing to do...).Hi, Beedok! Great work so far, btw-hopefully a new update does come out soon.....
I need to stop beginning new stories before finishing other ones. Also the next update will involve me reading through the whole current timeline to double check dates on things. That'll take a while. I forget how many words long this thing is, but it's got to be pushing novel length.
Careful when appartment hunting. These beasts are heavy, they could crush you in no time
The South American Front
Cape Town (1988)
Cape Town (1988)
To say that the Entente had other concerns beyond South America would be a spectacular understatement. The Guyanas had seen significant neglect even before the war, their former economic value mostly replaced by cheap imports from the PRNA. Defenses were almost non-existent, and in the case of the French colony the large number of prisoners sent to the penal colonies of the region meant there was little love for Paris. To the South things were different, the Platean breadbasket was seen as vital to long term stability for the French Empire and Chile was quite happy to support the Entente.
Brazil however was not quite as formidable as one might at first expect. Her army counted barely fifty thousand, most of whom were stationed in Europe or Africa, and she was quite lacking in plans for military expansion. The Navy was on the other hand surprisingly modern, if quite compact. Brazil could never have stood up to a serious French naval assault, however with Rome and the Thonburi Powers challenging them the French navy had the bulk of its assets tied up elsewhere. As such Brazil was able to launch a surprise assault on Cayenne.
Between a landing of 5 000 Brazilian marines and revolt by prisoners in the region the small French garrison present either surrendered or retreated into the jungle. Taking advantage of the large number of French prisoner rebels the Brazilian offensive under Captain Heitor Cabanas took the initiative of leading the ragtag army to secure the rest of the French Guianan coast and launch a probing assault into Dutch Guyana. The force suffered heavy losses from disease and desertion, but did eventually reached the settled regions of the Dutch colony. The local population would fight fiercely to keep the criminals at bay, however numbers were strongly against them and they were pushed into retreats and piguerre tactics by the new year.
A meaningful offensive on the southern flank would have to wait until summer (or winter from the view of most combatants) as the fresh recruits joining Brazil’s small army were trained and their equipment manufactured (often imported from the LRA for a quite affordable price). By mid December the Brazilian army was ready at last. The situation in Bonnaire and the Platean region had been dominated by the French securing coastal regions and rail lines to Chile (with Chilean support), while the Platean rebels focused on consolidation and training in the dry interior. The Brazilian border had seen some minor skirmishes.
In December the balance shifted as Brazil was finally confident to deploy a force of nearly 100 000 fresh recruits to cross into northern Bonnaire. One prong attempted to push into Cisplatina while another moved along the Incan Border hoping to meet up with Platean rebels in the interior. The first offensive saw significant success due to French manpower shortages (support from Europe was not yet available), however the logistical strain of trying to move troops through the untamed interior, combined with Entente control of the rail network, meant that efforts to meet up with the Platean rebels was not to succeed by summer’s end.
While not technically part of the South American front colonial conflicts between Brazil and the Entente were quite fierce in Africa and the Atlantic. The Azores and Madeira fell to French naval assaults by late December. Brazilian West African fell following a single battle where defenders had been forced to shortage of munitions (having had only 5 shells at one coastal battery). The dry colony of no use beyond a few coaling stations was stripped of the 500 defenders and left with Pierre Martin as governor (gaining the position by virtue of being one of two Frenchmen who lived in the colony and having the luck to guess the coin toss with Louis Drapeau) given a dozen soldiers to run the region.
The Dutch and Danish colonies in Africa were nearly as vulnerable as Brazil’s in the north. Dutch West Africa had a respectable defense force with a thousand European soldiers and roughly two thousand native auxiliaries, all equipped with relatively modern equipment. The Danish colony was in much worse of a state, with scarcely 500 European forces and native auxiliaries so poorly equipped some were found to be using bows when lated captured. Brazil’s significant colonial holdings in central Africa housed a much more significant force. With nearly a quarter million Brazilian settlers the region was able to mobilise 20 000 soldiers for citizens militias, on top of nearly 2 000 regulars present and 10 000 natives raised with the promise of full citizenship. Ambitious settlers pushed the army forces present to launch invasions of the small Entente colonies nearby, assaults which saw significant success, delayed more by disease and logistics than enemy defenses. The Danish force collapsed by the end of January and had to be replaced by French forces.
Found this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pournelle_chart
Seems like it would be a more fitting system than OTL's prefer left-right authoritarian-anarchist axes for describing things in D-398.
(And yes, I hope to get an update out soon.)
Seems like it would be a more fitting system than OTL's prefer left-right authoritarian-anarchist axes for describing things in D-398.
(And yes, I hope to get an update out soon.)
The History of GlobEx
(Pyongyang 1987)
(Pyongyang 1987)
The 1st Globex: Nouvelle Orléans
The First Globex, at the time simply called the Global Exhibition, is seen by most as marking the boundary of two eras, but which boundary varies significantly. To those who saw the violence that opened the 20th century as a national failure, and especially those who ‘lost the peace’, the Nouvelle Orléans Globex is seen as the last withering gasp of the era of optimism that existed before the war, a time where the horrors that science had wrought were not yet unleashed upon the world. To others however it was the first hints of the wonders the next decades were reveal.
The plan for the fair had begun amongst various Acycian politicians and scientists during the early 1890s as the new century approached and a desire to show off their various amazing discoveries grew. With the Long Depression still clinging on despite F. B. M.’s best efforts to undo it the idea of the Globex grew more popular as a way to improve civilian morale with the idea that there was something worth working towards.
By 1897 the French had been invited to also participate as an effort to increase international standing, and soon the Americans wanted in as well. Nouvelle Orléans was chosen as an easily accessible port for all nations involved, and due to it being home to an extensive ‘chemin élevé’ or the ‘É’ (or ‘Eh’/‘Ay’ as it is often translated) building project, one of the most impressive metros in the world at the time[1], something the Acycians wanted to show off.
And show it off they did. Nearly 30 million visitors would attend the first Globex, mostly from the Americas but certainly large numbers arrived from further abroad. Almost every country of the day had a display, the main exceptions being Persia, the Hui Republic, Madagascar, and a scattering of small German and Chinese states. Various technologies, fashions, musical styles, and cuisines were on display. This complex mixture of cultures led to a number of controversies, Brazil’s choice to put African pygmies on display sparked fierce protest, especially from the large portion of Nouvelle Orléans’ population who held African heritage. Similarly a Dominionist display discussing their so called ‘Scientific Racism’ ideals saw protest, and the Dominion of Africa’s display was effectively cancelled after just 3 days when members of the Dominion’s representation made questionable comments about various prominent locals’ mixed ethnic heritages.
Still, amongst those nations which had kept on the right side of history by banning slavery (and surprisingly the Russians), the Globex was an impressive success at mixing various cultural and scientific ideas together and thrusting them into the first true global spotlight. American pop culture would be a major winner in that mixing. Hop and Swing would soon be on the (freshly popping up) radio channels of the world. Radio itself was a major winner, the technology had until this point been mostly seen as a novelty to the non-military minded outside the People’s Republic, and the long depression had dulled the spread of new consumer goods, but the convenience of the extensive radio infrastructure appealed to all who visited. Likewise displays of arts and sciences from the Thunburi Pact impressed upon the world their status as equals, or even leaders in some fields, to the nations of Europe and the West. China’s displays of recovery and renaissance also left a strong impression upon the globe.
Despite having been designed to display Acycian progress ironically the least successful advertisement of accomplishment. Part of the issue was the complex web of which scientific discoveries remained government secrets. All but the most primitive mechanical computers, typically those out dated designs which were already leaking to the outside world, were declared a state secret, however a number of statistical sciences based on the analytic crunching power of these devices were not. As such early geneticists and sociologists were often harshly questioned by their peers from abroad as to how they could reach such grand conclusions in such short research times, and barred from giving the full answer they were often declared liars and frauds. Things were made worse when displays that raised too many questions were shut down by the government out of fear they were indicating just how far ahead Acycian computing was. This distrust of Acycian science would linger for decades, and in turn Acycian secrecy would only grow worse.
It was not just their displays that caused tension though. Even the city of Nouvelle Orleans itself, as well as the inhabitants, confused and flabbergasted many. Acycian’s abandonment of the personal roller in exchange for tramways in the cities, and even many rural rollers were run on flywheels or electric power reliant on an extensive rural electrical grid. While the widespread radios were mentioned as quite popular the level of advertising, both one radios and billboards, surprised many. Unlike other nations were private companies typically placed signs on their own buildings, and display board advertisements were not unheard of, the nationalisation of most Acycian companies mixed with government building schemes meant that advertisements for products were everywhere as a push to increase consumption[2]. Government built (or sponsored as was often the case) housing would have places for large displays showing off either products from a local government owned factory or store for free or at a profit from one the still privately owned business. The É Trains were effectively plastered with advertising. Particularly striking was the bold colours and somewhat surreal or abstract art styles used in many advertisements. Artists visiting from Paris and Mexico were often seen fuming about having not thought up such bold ideas and being beaten to the punch by some Acycian marketing committee. Non artists typically fumed about how annoying and omnipresent the advertisements were, and upon looking at their expenses later would find themselves fuming at how effective the advertisements have been at driving them to purchase fizzys[3] and other trinkets.
Yet another cultural class was the status of alcohol compared with cannabis. For a large number of European visitors this was especially problematic and saw Nouvelle Orleans (and the anglophone suburb of Bourbonham where the Globex grounds were technically positioned) to be temporarily allowed to sell alcohol to foreigners. The speed at which supplies were found would result in a number of arrests after the exposition, but initially in papered over the issue (and led to some very drunk patrons who had in fact come from similarly ‘dry’ nations). Perhaps more tense though were the fresh ideas on sexuality from Clelia Klepin[4]. Many young couples of the same sex drew unsettling stares from foreign visitors, and tragically fights were far from unheard of. European writers would discuss the matter as a sign of ‘moral decline’ in the PRNA, a sign that abandoning tradition and religion in the name of science led to all sorts of odd things, while Acycian commenters would complain about the close mindedness of foreign visitors.
[1] The PRNA had a near monopoly on metros at this time though. Paris had only built a few lines due to the dominance of the bus system as a result of the slower rise of rail vs. road vehicles. Meanwhile the LRA effectively rejected the idea of passenger rail transport as being authoritarian. As such New York, Mont Peuple, Philadelphia, and Centreville are the other main metros, along with Tokyo.
[2] Interestingly, iOTL it was also Expos in the late 1880s and early 1890s that brought the idea of Billboards into the forefront.
[3] Aka: Pop/Soda/Carbonated Beverages
[4] A strong believer in the concept that marriage existed to protect mothers, as was held by many Acycian women as they saw the struggling single mothers in more ‘sexually liberal’ nations in earlier decades, Klepin also recognised the concept of ‘just wait until marriage’ wasn’t really that popular with much of the youth influenced by foreign novels and photoplays. As such she pushed for the idea that it was merely heterosexual sex that should be held off on. As a very prominent mentalanalyist, her ideas on division of labour by personality was being trumpeted as helping to revive the economy[5], basically having the prominence of say. . . Doctor Phil? But with more attributed professionalism, her ideas spread quickly as ‘proper scientific thinking’.
[5] It had more to do with trade deals with the Entente and China, but it sounded good to say Acycian science had solved the issue.
Also a few samples of what American music that was burning up the airways at the time would sound roughly akin to:
Hop can be quite Rock and Roll. But not always. Basically a mix of rockabilly and energetic callipso.
Swing is more easily recognisable as akin to slow Callipso.
Hop can be quite Rock and Roll. But not always. Basically a mix of rockabilly and energetic callipso.
Swing is more easily recognisable as akin to slow Callipso.
Barely, but yes. I have grand schemes, I just need a slightly lighter workload.It's alive !
Just finished reading the TL so far. Got some questions:
- How are the colonial powers in Africa converting the native peoples into Christianity? Do people settle Algeria like OTL?
- Is there a unification movement for the Spanish-speaking people in the Americas?
- How does mainland Southeast Asia feel about being under Chine rule?
- Why is Ireland not an independent nation yet?
- How likely would France lose its foothold in the Southern Cone of South America?
- What's the status of the Balkan and non-Turkic Anatolia ethnicities under Ottoman rule?
Yay! A question.
1. Not actually all that well. The French vs. Italian/Portuguese near divide in Catholicism has left many questioning the idea of Catholicism. Meanwhile the Dominion's rather racist preaching doesn't go over well. Plus the French are turning more of a blind eye to Islam to keep their Ottoman allies happy.
There is settlement in Algeria though. About the same amount as OTL (more French people, but more options too).
2. Not really. Chile is happy being friends with France and doesn't care about the LRA. The Inca are majority native and not really interested. Argentinians were interested, but the LRA ignored them while Brazil invested, so they're leaning that way. The the LRA isn't even that sure about keeping itself unified.
3. Indochinese rule? The Thai and Vietnamese prosper. The Burmese grumble. The Cambodias get by (mostly by playing the Thai and Vietnamese off one another). Smaller groups are often just in the jungles and not that connected to the government.
4. Ireland (and Scotland) run the show. England is full luddite isolationist, just supplying cheap labourers to Welsh mines and food to the rather urban Celtic states.
5. We shall see. Depends how the war goes.
6. The Burlgarians are doing alright (as mentioned). Serbs are more rebellious. The Romanians are in a troubling position. Greeks aren't sure if Rome is better.
I thought a Chinese faction controlled it because that nation controlled parts of southern China. But is this Indochinese nation won that would last?
Also what are Europe and the Americas's views on race? And how is Christianity doing in Asia?
It was conquered by the Vietnamese (northern Vietnamese I think, but still Vietnamese). They then consolidated by setting up some power sharing with the Thai, running up Buddhist Unity ideals, and rallying around a few wars against China (that allowed them to grab a bit off the South). Currently the Thai and Vietnamese are trying to work out how to keep the experiment going becaust it works good as a sort of double Empire. (Think Austria Hungary, but less codified.)
Europeans see 'White' Europeans as being a bit better than everyone (and include Turks in that group, but not Russians). They never really went down the 'Scientific' Racism route though, so it's more of an informal 18th century 'we're the up and comers' thing than anything else. (Also didn't reach the level of power monopoly OTL saw with no conquest of India and subjugation of China or whatnot, so they're not as over confident.)
The LRA has a weird veneration of Amerindian culture, while also looking down on actual natives (and only sort of accepting Mestizos). They're plenty open to South Asian and South East Asian immigrants though. Brazil doesn't care too much about race either, money makes the difference to them (well that and your accent in Portuguese). The Acycians have sort of misguided good intentions about 'hybrid vigour' and want interracial marriages to be more common (might actually be good for immunity though). The Dominion and Oceania have more OTL early 1900s racism levels though.
Mix between 'Thai' and 'Jungle Dwellers who don't get out much' status (more the latter).