Post by primeminister on Dec 19, 2015 17:24:03 GMT
19.12.2015
"Things could have been so different? Just open your mind and imagine for half a second damn it!" The Instructor of People's History at the University of Berlin said to Comrade Instructor Ackermann who instructed on the history of the "Great Patriotic War".
"No." The other man said looking around the room. "Be quiet Alois, someone may hear you." The older man said, his large bushy grey beard shaking as his head moved searching for the unseen. But Alois wasn't going to be quiet, he had started research into the period between the "World War" and the "Great Patriotic War" which followed. He had always been something of a amateur writer, if only to upset the dullness of his classes at times. But he felt that he had stumbled upon something that could be great. He didn't feel, as Comrade Achermann clearly did, that his idea was in any way descenting from the law, or the party. The more he thought about it, the more excited he became.
"I mean, think about it." He said again, leaning back into the hard wooden chair that sat at his desk. "It ould be a great thing for the centennial in a few years don't you think?"
"No." His friend repeated. But again, Alios didn't listen.
"Show the world what else could have happened. The mirror of our world today. What else could make them love the world we live in now, then to see the world they may have been stuck with?" He leaned back his head, chewing on the rubber end of his pencil. "What if the revolution in Russia hadn't taken hold? Or the Whites won the Civil War?" He heard Achermann clear his throat, if not in shock, than maybe out of disgust. "What if the Capitalist Depression had been worse?" He started to get excited again, leaning back over his desk. "What if the Revolution had taken hold in America? Or France? OR GERMANY!!"
"Alois. Shut. Up." Achermann said, looking up from his computer. "You'll get hauled away again, and I'll have to fill your places for a month." That had happened before. Not just to Alois, but a few others. Things had Liberalised in the last few decades at least. When he was younger, and someone was taken away, there was always a good chance they would never come back. But, no one he knew had disappeared, not since he was a young boy.
"I know." Alois said, suddenly struck by inspiration. Comrade Achermann sighed, hitting his head against the computer monitor.
"What?" He said finally relenting to the imagination of the younger man.
"One of two options." Alois straightened himself in his seat, lowering his voice. "The first I like a little less than the second." Achermann looked at him for a moment over his glasses then nodded. "Say, that America had a different election in 32 or 36. Not just the same old run of the mill do nothings? They get someone smart, charismatic, powerful, a real leader who drags them out of the Depression kicking and screaming. Makes the United States into...." He rolled words around in his head for a moment. "Something worth spit." That at least had the effect of making the older man chuckle.
"And the other?"
That made Alois smile. "Lindbergh wins on the Democratic ticket just like in our world in 1940." The other man nodded. "But then the Japs attack Hawaii." Achermann nodded again. This was his era after all, he would know all about the abandoned Japanese plan against the United States.
"So America builds up and punches the Japanese in the face?" He asked shrugging. "So what? I don't see how that changes much. You still have a bourgeoisie strangle hold in the USA, and Canada, now add Japan to that mix." He cleared hiss throat again, making his moustache twitch. "If not out right Fascism."
"Ah, ah yes." Alois said point a finger at the other man. "But this is where it gets fun. Rather than just fighting the Japs, they fight the Nazis too." Achermann raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"Hitler declares war on them after the Hawaii attack." Alois said off handedly.
"Why?" Achermann repeated his question.
"Loyalty to his ally? Hatred for the Jews in the United States? He was insane?" Alois tossed out the only answers he could think of. Achermann shook his head looking back to his computer.
"You've lost me comrade. I think you need to put some more thought into your story. The idea of Hitler backing the Japs is just... just." He thought for a second. "You may as well add in some giant alien bats or something. It would almost make it more believable."
Alois looked at his friend then started to laugh. "Maybe you're right. I'll give it some more thought. I do like it though." From the corner of his eye he saw Achermann nod. His friend looked around the side of his monitor again.
"Speaking of the Americas, hear the latest news? the rebels have been pushed back out of Quebec City. I think all they have left is Montreal now. Sad that."
Alois nodded in agreement. "Sad. Work wont be done, until all the workers are free. But I guess we can wait for the last two seats in the International to be filled. Just a matter of time."
Comrade Acherman nodded. "Just a matter of time."
"Things could have been so different? Just open your mind and imagine for half a second damn it!" The Instructor of People's History at the University of Berlin said to Comrade Instructor Ackermann who instructed on the history of the "Great Patriotic War".
"No." The other man said looking around the room. "Be quiet Alois, someone may hear you." The older man said, his large bushy grey beard shaking as his head moved searching for the unseen. But Alois wasn't going to be quiet, he had started research into the period between the "World War" and the "Great Patriotic War" which followed. He had always been something of a amateur writer, if only to upset the dullness of his classes at times. But he felt that he had stumbled upon something that could be great. He didn't feel, as Comrade Achermann clearly did, that his idea was in any way descenting from the law, or the party. The more he thought about it, the more excited he became.
"I mean, think about it." He said again, leaning back into the hard wooden chair that sat at his desk. "It ould be a great thing for the centennial in a few years don't you think?"
"No." His friend repeated. But again, Alios didn't listen.
"Show the world what else could have happened. The mirror of our world today. What else could make them love the world we live in now, then to see the world they may have been stuck with?" He leaned back his head, chewing on the rubber end of his pencil. "What if the revolution in Russia hadn't taken hold? Or the Whites won the Civil War?" He heard Achermann clear his throat, if not in shock, than maybe out of disgust. "What if the Capitalist Depression had been worse?" He started to get excited again, leaning back over his desk. "What if the Revolution had taken hold in America? Or France? OR GERMANY!!"
"Alois. Shut. Up." Achermann said, looking up from his computer. "You'll get hauled away again, and I'll have to fill your places for a month." That had happened before. Not just to Alois, but a few others. Things had Liberalised in the last few decades at least. When he was younger, and someone was taken away, there was always a good chance they would never come back. But, no one he knew had disappeared, not since he was a young boy.
"I know." Alois said, suddenly struck by inspiration. Comrade Achermann sighed, hitting his head against the computer monitor.
"What?" He said finally relenting to the imagination of the younger man.
"One of two options." Alois straightened himself in his seat, lowering his voice. "The first I like a little less than the second." Achermann looked at him for a moment over his glasses then nodded. "Say, that America had a different election in 32 or 36. Not just the same old run of the mill do nothings? They get someone smart, charismatic, powerful, a real leader who drags them out of the Depression kicking and screaming. Makes the United States into...." He rolled words around in his head for a moment. "Something worth spit." That at least had the effect of making the older man chuckle.
"And the other?"
That made Alois smile. "Lindbergh wins on the Democratic ticket just like in our world in 1940." The other man nodded. "But then the Japs attack Hawaii." Achermann nodded again. This was his era after all, he would know all about the abandoned Japanese plan against the United States.
"So America builds up and punches the Japanese in the face?" He asked shrugging. "So what? I don't see how that changes much. You still have a bourgeoisie strangle hold in the USA, and Canada, now add Japan to that mix." He cleared hiss throat again, making his moustache twitch. "If not out right Fascism."
"Ah, ah yes." Alois said point a finger at the other man. "But this is where it gets fun. Rather than just fighting the Japs, they fight the Nazis too." Achermann raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"Hitler declares war on them after the Hawaii attack." Alois said off handedly.
"Why?" Achermann repeated his question.
"Loyalty to his ally? Hatred for the Jews in the United States? He was insane?" Alois tossed out the only answers he could think of. Achermann shook his head looking back to his computer.
"You've lost me comrade. I think you need to put some more thought into your story. The idea of Hitler backing the Japs is just... just." He thought for a second. "You may as well add in some giant alien bats or something. It would almost make it more believable."
Alois looked at his friend then started to laugh. "Maybe you're right. I'll give it some more thought. I do like it though." From the corner of his eye he saw Achermann nod. His friend looked around the side of his monitor again.
"Speaking of the Americas, hear the latest news? the rebels have been pushed back out of Quebec City. I think all they have left is Montreal now. Sad that."
Alois nodded in agreement. "Sad. Work wont be done, until all the workers are free. But I guess we can wait for the last two seats in the International to be filled. Just a matter of time."
Comrade Acherman nodded. "Just a matter of time."
