Alternate histories.

[thejboy88]

Hi guys.

You know, I see lots of artwork over the internet regarding alternate territorial boundaries for countries and maybe the elimination or creation of others. This got me thinking. The idea of alternate histories is very popular in fiction. And before anyone thinks this is just fanfiction stuff, no, it's been adapted into numerous works of film, TV even literature.

Two of the most notable examples of this in literature are "Fatherland" where the Nazis won World War 2 and "The Two Georges" where the Geoge Washington and King George were able to reach a peaceful settlement without the former having to resort to armed revolt. These two books really do a good job of painting an effective picture of worlds very different from ours and yet only came about through one change in history.

Many of these pieces focus on so-called "points of diversion", looking at the specific moments in history where these worlds changed course from ours. The most popular scenarios seem to revolve around different outcomes for famous wars, like the previously mentioned World War 2 or American Revolution.

Here is my question for all of you:

If you had to choose a different course for world history, what would it be? What would the point of divergence be? And most importantly, how different would the modern world of this version be from ours?

Look forward to hearing your ideas.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

It would be that England never ruled Ireland. Point would be an old Irish King would die by being hit by a stray toilet seat travelling through time. The modern world would be different by people in Ireland having Irish as national language and no one complains including me from time to time about learning it in school.

 

[TeeBs]

I remember watching this one video, and it was a animated fictional mars where everyone was gay and straight marriage was banned.

I think thats in the ball park of what your talking about.

 

[Kimarous]

http://quantumbranching.deviantart.com/

This guy's art page is nothing BUT alternative history maps, complete with explanations on background and politics. If you're into that kind of thing, I highly recommend checking this guy out.

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

I remember watching this one video, and it was a animated fictional mars where everyone was gay and straight marriage was banned.

How do we procreate in that scenario?

Personally, I'd love to know how things would've played out had everyone not have got involved in the First World War, and it had stayed between Serbia and Austria. Or even if Franz Ferdinand's assassination failed completely, rather than partially as it actually did.

 

[Fallen-Angel Risen-Demon]

Code Geass. Why? MECHS PEOPLE!!! MECHS!!! Oh and the Britannian empire still exists. I believe the thing first thing that changed was the Romans didn't manage to defeat the people living in Britain as they banded together, this led to the American revolution being crushed as Britain expanded earlier. Why does that make immortals, awesome mind-altering powers and mechs I don't know. But who cares? MECHS! Oh and Darwinism (Survival of the fittest sorta thing) is a religion I believe, the main thing that Britannia believes in making it the biggest religion.

 

[Macheteswordgun]

I remember watching this one video, and it was a animated fictional mars where everyone was gay and straight marriage was banned.

How do we procreate in that scenario?

Personally, I'd love to know how things would've played out had everyone not have got involved in the First World War, and it had stayed between Serbia and Austria. Or even if Franz Ferdinand's assassination failed completely, rather than partially as it actually did.

The gay gene has been found and everyone is cloned and there looks are changed but there all GAY *dramatic music*.

As for mine America joined with the Nazi's. Bound to be interesting

 

[AnAngryMoose]

It would be that England never ruled Ireland. Point would be an old Irish would die by being hit by a stray toilet seat travelling through time. The modern world would be different by people in Ireland having Irish as national language and no one complains including me from time to time about learning it in school.

Ninja'd.

If the Roman Empire never collapsed, no that would be interesting. Considering it was possibly one of, if not the, most powerful military force to date.

I say it would end up with something along the lines of the vast majority of the world being united under one nation. I can imagine that after the influx of new slaves dwindles that someone would come up with the idea of a 'slave farm' to generate slaves for the Empire.

 

[Drakmeire]

I read an article about one of the scariest alternate histories that came very close to happening.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Downfall
basically in WWII, there was a group of assassins who plotted to kill empire Hirohito to prevent Japan from surrendering after the first two nuclear attacks. Fortunately they failed and japan surrendered before "Operation Downfall" was implemented, which was a plan to wipe Japan off the map with seven nukes and then send in infantry 48 hours later to kill any survivors (The world still did not know much about the lingering effects of radiation). this not only would have destroyed an entire nation but also would have killed millions of allied troops, or caused mass genetic mutations when they all returned home to participate in the "Baby Boom" after being subjected to so much radiation.
We can all be thankful that it never came to that.

 

[Nick31091]

Mine would be if the Confederacy won the American Civil War and see what would later world events would look like with a dis-united United States.

Personally, I'd love to know how things would've played out had everyone not have got involved in the First World War, and it had stayed between Serbia and Austria. Or even if Franz Ferdinand's assassination failed completely, rather than partially as it actually did.

That actually sounds like it would be pretty interesting too. Maybe also what would have happened if the U.S. joined allied with Germany during the war instead of the Allies?

 

[DuctTapeJedi]

I'm actually working on a book about the many worlds theory, where the main character can travel between planes (A lot of other stuff goes on, but we won't get into that).
The first chapter starts with her waking up in an alternate London. Henry the VIII had twin sons, instead of just the one who died as a teenager (whatshisface), and the one that lived was super spoiled and coddled his whole life due to being the dominant male son.
So anyways, the throne goes straight to him instead of being passed around until Elizabeth got it.
Since she wasn't there to personally save England (as she did several times), the version of London the main character wakes up in is occupied by Spain, after England was lost to the Spanish Armada. The main character ends up meeting up with Elizabeth Tudor (leader of underground resistance group) and kind of gets drug along for the ride, so to speak.
TLR No Queen Elizabeth=England occupied by Spain and France.

 

[Sevre]

It would be that England never ruled Ireland. Point would be an old Irish King would die by being hit by a stray toilet seat travelling through time. The modern world would be different by people in Ireland having Irish as national language and no one complains including me from time to time about learning it in school.

Considering every other aspect of our history....we'd have ended up in the same place.

I'd wonder how the world would look if America was just an extension of Britain, or if the Americans never adopted containment, how would Europe look under Soviet rule?

 

[Jazzyjazz2323]

Napoleon successfully conquerors Russia and then effectively conquerors Europe.I'd be very happy in a world where that happened.FUCK YOU WINTER*Raises fist angrily*

 

[Agent Larkin]

Mine would be if the Confederacy won the American Civil War and see what would later world events would look like with a dis-united United States.

Personally, I'd love to know how things would've played out had everyone not have got involved in the First World War, and it had stayed between Serbia and Austria. Or even if Franz Ferdinand's assassination failed completely, rather than partially as it actually did.

That actually sounds like it would be pretty interesting too. Maybe also what would have happened if the U.S. joined allied with Germany during the war instead of the Allies?

Someone has been reading (or needs to read) the Timeline 191 series by Harry Turtledove.

It would be that England never ruled Ireland. Point would be an old Irish King would die by being hit by a stray toilet seat travelling through time. The modern world would be different by people in Ireland having Irish as national language and no one complains including me from time to time about learning it in school.

Considering every other aspect of our history....we'd have ended up in the same place.

Except quicker. Much quicker.

Code Geass. Why? MECHS PEOPLE!!! MECHS!!! Oh and the Britannian empire still exists. I believe the thing first thing that changed was the Romans didn't manage to defeat the people living in Britain as they banded together, this led to the American revolution being crushed as Britain expanded earlier. Why does that make immortals, awesome mind-altering powers and mechs I don't know. But who cares? MECHS! Oh and Darwinism (Survival of the fittest sorta thing) is a religion I believe, the main thing that Britannia believes in making it the biggest religion.

Except for the non existence of Sakurdite I'm with you 100% on this one. Hell the Brittanian empire doesn't even seem that bad.

Personally the only alternate reality I would like to see is the one where the Fenians successfully conquered Canada in 1870.

THINK OF THE POSSIBILITIES

 

[Kirkby]

It would be that England never ruled Ireland. Point would be an old Irish King would die by being hit by a stray toilet seat travelling through time. The modern world would be different by people in Ireland having Irish as national language and no one complains including me from time to time about learning it in school.

That would be very interesting, though probably not beneficial, southern Ireland's economy is dying on its ass, i dont think they can afford to have the north as well.. But hey who knows = P It is alternative history, maybe Ireland would of raised a MASSIVE army given time and invaded England

 

[WanderingFool]

My idea would be that Christianity never took a foot hold in the Roman Empire. The result would that there would never have been Christianity to take over Rome, so Rome may never have collapsed. This would possibly mean that the "Dark Ages" as we know them would never have occured, and that the technologies and discoveries of Rome would not have been lost. Also, the Roman Empire would have "fallen" eventually, but it would not have completley collapsed like it did. So much of Europe would be different probably. And America may never have been created, so I would probably be in Slovakia (or its Roman based variation) right about now.

*Edit*

I just thought of another one, an idea I had a while back for a series of books, which for the time being have been put on hold (as in probably never going to happen).

What I said about Christianity still happens, but the Roman Empire falls just the same, only this time from internal civil war. It conqured almost all of Europe at this time, so much of its culture and advancements have spread to every contry in Europe, and was spreading into Russia. After the fall, much of the landscpe is different. Most of Europe is still multiple countries, but they are unified under a confederacy, much like the US was right after the Revolutionary war. All of North and South America have been colonized, and due to the richness of the lands, are a powerful part of the European Confederacy (EC. But like what happened in America, There is revolution, except from both of the Americas, and afterwards, they form the American Union (AU), which is North (USA and Canada), Middle, and South Americas, and is ran from The City of the Union in Middle America, what would be today's Panama. Africa would be part of the Middle East, forming the United Africana/Arabic Nations (UAAN), and Russia would have merged with the EC, the EC would have became the United Eurasain Countries (UEC), and be seperated into the Greater UEC and Lower UEC, Bring Russia and the Eastern European countries and the current European Union, respectively. China would have stayed an Imperial nation, and would have taken all of Eastern Asia undr its domain, Largley being called the Eastern Kingdoms by everyone, but them, as they (China and the other Asain countries) would still refer to themselves as they were before. Lastly, Australia would just be a prison colony of the the original EC, which, sinc the EC became the UEC, would now be independent, but would side with the Eastern Kingdoms, since they are rather to close to be enemies.

Well, after all that, it would take place during a massive war (actually a series of small wars that are considered interconnected) between all these factions. It would have a kind of Steampunk feel, but instead of steam, because technology developed through the non-exsistant dark ages, it would be more like Resistance in terms of the level of tchnology.

Damn, slightly longer than I thought...

 

[Agent Larkin]

That would be very interesting, though probably not beneficial, southern Ireland's economy is dying on its ass, i dont think they can afford to have the north as well.. But hey who knows = P It is alternative history, maybe Ireland would of raised a MASSIVE army given time and invaded England

We did invade England once.

It failed miserably.... We don't talk about it. And at no point have we ever been able to afford the north. Seriously we just moan about it we don't really want it.

 

[Kirkby]

That would be very interesting, though probably not beneficial, southern Ireland's economy is dying on its ass, i dont think they can afford to have the north as well.. But hey who knows = P It is alternative history, maybe Ireland would of raised a MASSIVE army given time and invaded England

We did invade England once.

It failed miserably.... We don't talk about it. And at no point have we ever been able to afford the north. Seriously we just moan about it we don't really want it.

Really? Hahaha i go to uni in Ireland and get a lot of stick for being English, iv never heard about the invasion before = P Perhaps i will have to learn more to get some points back in my favour

 

[Agent Larkin]

That would be very interesting, though probably not beneficial, southern Ireland's economy is dying on its ass, i dont think they can afford to have the north as well.. But hey who knows = P It is alternative history, maybe Ireland would of raised a MASSIVE army given time and invaded England

We did invade England once.

It failed miserably.... We don't talk about it. And at no point have we ever been able to afford the north. Seriously we just moan about it we don't really want it.

Really? Hahaha i go to uni in Ireland and get a lot of stick for being English, iv never heard about the invasion before = P Perhaps i will have to learn more to get some points back in my favour

The Silken Thomas rebellion. You'll find it thereish, my exact recall of 14th-17th century Irish history is a bit iffy.

 

[Kirkby]

That would be very interesting, though probably not beneficial, southern Ireland's economy is dying on its ass, i dont think they can afford to have the north as well.. But hey who knows = P It is alternative history, maybe Ireland would of raised a MASSIVE army given time and invaded England

We did invade England once.

It failed miserably.... We don't talk about it. And at no point have we ever been able to afford the north. Seriously we just moan about it we don't really want it.

Really? Hahaha i go to uni in Ireland and get a lot of stick for being English, iv never heard about the invasion before = P Perhaps i will have to learn more to get some points back in my favour

The Silken Thomas rebellion. You'll find it thereish, my exact recall of 14th-17th century Irish history is a bit iffy.

Mate I'm impressed you know any 14-17th century of any country. Though isnt Irish history part of the module in secondary school? Still kinda impressive