Or, more specifically, the Panama Canal itself was gained ITTL's Great War. The US purchased the upper half of the Panamanian isthmus from Columbia.
The Union Forever: A TL
- Thread starter Mac Gregor
- Start date
Or, more specifically, the Panama Canal itself was gained ITTL's Great War. The US purchased the upper half of the Panamanian isthmus from Columbia.
1977: Domestic and Foriegn Developments
While the war dominated much of 1977, there were of course other significant events. Here are some of the highlights.
1977
Domestic and Foreign Developments
Badlands National Park
Domestic and Foreign Developments
Badlands National Park
In the United States, President Stewart launched an ambitious new agenda known as Forward Together. With the economy mired in recession, Stewart’s plan called for a plethora of infrastructure projects to generate jobs. These included finishing the last links of the National Highway System, construction of a massive international airport in Lincoln, Guiana and the establishing of nine new national parks such as Badlands National Park in the states of Laramie and Pasapa. To help square the nation’s finances, Stewart proposed to dramatically simplify the nation’s tax code. While the corporate tax rate would be reduced, several costly tax loopholes and agricultural subsidies would be ended. While this angered many in her party, Stewart was able to work with Republican Senate Minority Leader Skyler Almassy to garner the necessary votes. By the end of the year, most economists started to see the American economy beginning to improve. Stewart also commissioned an extensive new study due next year on drug use in America, potential ways to mitigate its effects, and the effectiveness of current counternarcotic efforts.
On May 26, the joint Franco-Italian atomic bomb project Operation Nova successfully detonated its first nuclear device in the Libyan Desert. With the number of nuclear powers now reaching six, calls for an international treaty to regulate these weapons grew.
In the Imperial Eurasian Federation, the 1977 general election saw Soyuz radi Progressa (Alliance for Progress) keep control of the government but with a reduced majority. Lithuanian Liudvinkos Zelenko, who had succeeded Demyan Matveev, became the first non-ethnic Russian to become Prime Minister. As usual in the aftermath of an election, conservatives of the opposition Motherland Party staged several violent demonstrations prompting Empress Elizabeth II to remark, “Can we not hold a single election without rioting?”
In London, the computer network MEIS (Military Electronic Information System) came online on August 14. While originally devised by the Ministry of Defense to securely store and transfer information, it eventually branched out into other government areas. In years to come, many historians would cite MEIS as a forerunner to the globtrix computer network that is used throughout the world today.
The popular American grind band Barbed Wire concluded a world wind tour of Latin America and Europe in October. Years later, commentators would hail the extremely profitable trip as the “high-water mark of grind.”
After a series of setbacks in the eastern part of the Belgian Congo, the German Empire stepped up aid to its faltering ally. Led by Colonel-General Alfred von Lauenburg, the Germans began to deploy limited numbers of combat troops, mostly spezialkräfte (special forces), for the first time in August. The bombing campaign also intensified, despite loud protestations from some in the international community. On October 22, the German wing of the Better World Society held anti-bombing protests in Berlin, Munich, and Vienna involving over 400,000 people. Chancellor Julius Holzner increasingly worried that the war in the Congo was destabilizing his ungainly ruling coalition of Christian Democrats, Social Democrats, and Krulikists.
An office linked to MEIS
Ministry of Defense, London
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It's interesting how ideology has developed in the United States over the years. You can't really compare the Republican and Democratic Parties ITTL to their OTL counterparts.
Globtrix...the Global Matrix, I presume?
Good as always.
Globtrix...the Global Matrix, I presume?
Good as always.
I like "Globtrix" as the internet.
Glad to see the US economy picking up, and it looks like the drug war of the 80s won't be a thing. Good.
Having the large airport in Guiana should do well to keep the US's assets in the Caribbean feeling nice and cozy.
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What's the Islamic world looking like?
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Well, that and the East Indies. The parallels aren't as clear as far as competing ideologies, other than "Imperialism vs. Anti-Colonialism," in that war, but the idea of Western nations sending troops to far flung corners of the world in the 70s with violent pro-peace demonstrations back home definitely rings familiar.
Glad to see the US economy picking up, and it looks like the drug war of the 80s won't be a thing. Good.
Having the large airport in Guiana should do well to keep the US's assets in the Caribbean feeling nice and cozy.
~~~
What's the Islamic world looking like?
~~~
Well, that and the East Indies. The parallels aren't as clear as far as competing ideologies, other than "Imperialism vs. Anti-Colonialism," in that war, but the idea of Western nations sending troops to far flung corners of the world in the 70s with violent pro-peace demonstrations back home definitely rings familiar.
Interesting update, for sure......
But just one question: "Globtrix"? OTOH, it looks like some real progress has been made in the area of drug policy.....hope it continues.
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It's interesting how ideology has developed in the United States over the years. You can't really compare the Republican and Democratic Parties ITTL to their OTL counterparts.
Globtrix...the Global Matrix, I presume?
Good as always.
Thanks guys.
And yes, as many have guessed the globtrix (global matrix) will be the TL's equivalent of the internet.
To answer the question "what is the Islamic world is looking like?" it all depends on the country. With the absence of Israel and radical Islam being far less widespread the region as a whole is far more stable. I will try and provide more information in future updates.
Interesting update, for sure......
OTOH, it looks like some real progress has been made in the area of drug policy.....hope it continues.
Glad you liked it but please don't repost entire updates. Cheers!
Like the name that you've given to the net. It's interesting how Britain got it first. Maybe there is some chance for the Empire and Commonwealth if they can unite their holdings virtually.
I imagine that large Syria would have a lot to do with preserving the peace. I suppose it is having to integrate its varied population into a whole, and hasn't had the chance to be a player of sorts on the world stage. If I remember correctly, it was never a mandate, so they will not have a great anti-colonial sentiment. Perhaps the split might be between the large oil producers and the rest?
Huh. That does raise a good question. How much oil does Italian Libya produce? Would it be enough for the Turin Pact, or could Italy be a net energy exporter?
The Republic of Greater Syria is doing well and has industrialized considerably in recent years. Living standards are roughly equivalent to OTL's Turkey. Politically Syria is a flawed democracy with the military and oligarchs holding considerable influence. The religious and ethnic minorities in Syria are pretty well integrated into society although occasional confrontations with the Sunni Arab majority occur.
Italian Libya produces a good deal of oil that generates substantial income for Italy. Italy is a net exporter of energy.
Globtrix is indeed an amusing TTL name for the Internet
Glad y'all like the name. For the record it is pronounced "globe-trix" Furthermore, I would love to hear some suggestions for alternate computer terminology. For example how about if we "surf the internet" in OTL maybe you "trek the globtrix" ?
Maybe people start out sayinf "interface" but eventually just use "face." I need to face the 'Trix, I need to face my messages, I need to face the server, etm.
How about DigiExpress instead of email, as in "Digital Pony Express" which could be shortened to Digipress or Digit.
Sounds cool to me, IMO. Was that a Star Trek reference, btw?
The one problem might be, though, wouldn't this conflict with the likely description of systems that use a graphical interface, like OTL's Windows? If no one minds the suggestion, perhaps I can offer "I need to browse my messages", and "I need to access/link to the server". Which may be a tad more convergent but makes a little more sense, IMHO(no offense meant, though).
DigiExpress could work pretty well, I suppose, though probably more as a service(much as the original Pony Express was itself a service) than the function itself, TBH. (think: America Online in the real world).