Indeed, I think we are all going to like Frank MacArthur. Are there any programs you would like to see him implement? Cheers!
The Union Forever: A TL
- Thread starter Mac Gregor
- Start date
Indeed, I think we are all going to like Frank MacArthur. Are there any programs you would like to see him implement? Cheers!
1964: Domestic Developments
1964
Domestic Developments
A devastated downtown Sedgwick, Alaska
On Good Friday March 27 what became known as the Great Alaskan Earthquake struck across south central Alaska. At 9.2 it was the second most powerful earthquake yet recorded, killing over 150 people and resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of damage. President Anderson surveyed the aftermath himself and was reported to have been moved to tears by the devastation. The extensive media coverage of this event and its proximity to the 1960 Great Chilean Earthquake are credited with sparking a slew of disaster films that would be a common feature of ‘60s American cinema.
During the summer of 1964 two piece female swimsuits known as “two-ies”, often stylized as 2Es, burst onto the American beach scene. While two piece swimsuits had existed in some form for decades and were already common in places like France and Italy, it wasn’t until actress Madelina Blount modeled one of the cover of Harper’s Weekly that they began to be considered mainstream. By the end of the decade 2Es would become ubiquitous on beaches from Hawaii to Cuba despite the allegations of some that “two-ies are too-lewd.”
On August 23, the new headquarters for Trans Atlantic Airlines opened in New York City which at 404 meters became the world’s tallest building dethroning the reigning champion the 388 meter Reichwagen Tower in Berlin.
In October, Polish-American scientist Joachim Maslanka unveiled the first functional laser. Lasers, originally an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation, would over the following decades come to be used in a wide variety of fields including consumer electronics, surgery, and even weaponry.
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Hmmm...and Harold Hughes, too.
I don't agree with his politics, but I've always admired his character and Christian faith.
Anyhoo, I thought the Republicans were more of a traditional "liberal" party. Infrastructure and civil rights, yes, but also for free trade and liberal (in the European sense) economic policies. Is the GOP going to resemble the OTL Democratic Party after the New Deal?
I don't agree with his politics, but I've always admired his character and Christian faith.Anyhoo, I thought the Republicans were more of a traditional "liberal" party. Infrastructure and civil rights, yes, but also for free trade and liberal (in the European sense) economic policies. Is the GOP going to resemble the OTL Democratic Party after the New Deal?
Hmmm...and Harold Hughes, too.
Anyhoo, I thought the Republicans were more of a traditional "liberal" party. Infrastructure and civil rights, yes, but also for free trade and liberal (in the European sense) economic policies. Is the GOP going to resemble the OTL Democratic Party after the New Deal?
Good eye on Harold Hughes. I didn't think anybody would recognize him.
You are correct. The Republicans are big on civil rights, infastructure improvements, free trade, and a proactive forieign policy. A big difference with OTL Democratic Party post New Deal is that the TL's Republicans don't favor anywhere near as much social welfare spending.
Yeah, I'm weird that way.
I read Chuck Colson's autobiography, and found out how he and Hughes were able to become friends through their faith despite their respective political beliefs.So I guess if the GOP ITTL is accused of being big spenders, it will be through public works projects. I look forward to your next update.
1964: Foreign Developments
1964
Foreign Developments
In February, the 7th Winter Olympic Games are held in Oslo, Norway.
Following in the footsteps of its Italian ally, France granted full and equal citizenship to all people residing in Algeria regardless of their religious or ethnic origin in April. French President Valere Gardinier hoped that offering enfranchisement would undercut any lingering support for the Algerian Independence Front (AIF). By the end of the year most of the AIF, which had suffered severe losses in recent years, agreed to lay down their arms and join the political process under the Algerian People’s Party which began to caucus with the Socialist opposition. Some AIF leaders however refused to compromise and either went underground, formed their own splinter factions, or fled into neighboring Morocco.
On May 2, Pope Leo XIV died after 27 years on the throne of St. Peter making him the third longest serving pope in history. The College of Cardinals chose as his successor Adelfo Ausonio Cattaneo, an Italian cardinal with a reputation as a reformer, who assumed the name Pius X.
Starting in November, tensions flared between the Kingdom of Siam and the Empire of Vietnam over their disputed border. The Siamese government claimed that Vietnamese forces had been making unauthorized incursions into their territory sparking several firefights. Unsurprisingly, the Vietnamese denied these accusations and levied similar charges against Siam. Regardless of the truth of the mater, the Vietnamese government in Hue used the unrest to successfully solicit greater military aid from their chief ally Japan. Furthermore, both sides were becoming embroiled over the future of Laos where two rival factions were preparing to seize power once the country’s ageing monarch, King Samane II, died.
After spending five decades as a British protectorate the small Emirate of Kuwait was granted full independence by the Atkinson government on December 15, 1964. Situated between its larger neighbors of Arabia, Mesopotamia, and Persia, Kuwait’s modernizing ruler Emir Salim II Al-Sabah continued to maintain a security agreement with the British Commonwealth guaranteeing his country's independence. Over the next few years Kuwait adopted a constitution and held their first democratic elections. Despite the monarchy retaining considerable power, these reforms made Kuwait the first true democracy in the Persian Gulf.
Flag of the Emirate of Kuwait
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Nope, complete ASB unless there are *no* skiing events involved. Winnipeg is hundreds of miles from Mountains that would qualify for Olympic level Skiing.
I'm trying to think of areas with Skiing that would be more stable iTTL than in iOTL.
How is the skiing iTTL at Baekdu Mountain? Maybe Samjiyon near TTL's Korea/Russia border is a possibility.
No, the prisoner of the vatican issue was resolved under Pope Innocent IX (1919-1925) pretty much like in OTL.
Baekdu Mountain is to contintious due to the poor state of Russo-Japanese Relations so that probably wont work.
Great set of updates. I, too, am looking forward to seeing what hands-on management looks like.
Nice alternate name for the bikini; I guess that won't be a word in TTL except on some far off island.
Looking forward to laser weaponry, for sure.
Nice alternate name for the bikini; I guess that won't be a word in TTL except on some far off island.
Looking forward to laser weaponry, for sure.
For some reason I thought that Korea was independent ITTL.
Understandable, at one point it was but I retcon it later as I highly doubt the Japanese would ever willingly give up Korea.