September 5th, 2005
in 1836, William Barrett Travis, savior of the Alamo, was elected President of the Republic of Texas. Travis had been a hero of the new country since his heroic stand at the Alamo mission, where he had fended off Santa Anna long enough for Fannin’s and Houston’s men to surround and crush the Mexican forces.
in 1847, Jesse Woodson James, Missouri’s first Communist governor, was born in the state. James was captivated with President Whitman’s oratory and scouted for the union as a teenager during the Southern Rebellion. This led him into work with the state Communists, and election to the state legislature, U.S. Congress, and finally, the governorship in 1892.
in 12-13-2-13-5, Oglala Sioux chief Tashunca-uitco, killed earlier in the year against the Oueztecan Empire, is seen in a vision by his Cheyenne ally, Tatanka Iyotake, urging him to move to the north. Tatanka Iyotake moves his warriors north just before his encampment is overrun by Oueztecan soldiers; the Cheyenne chief sends a thanks to his friend’s spirit.
in 1914, the Battle of the Marne begins as French General Michel-Joseph Maunoury attacks the center of the German line. His reckless attack was due to his desire to save the French capitol of Paris from the Germans, but his straight-ahead tactic failed, and the Germans were able to push through and take Paris. It was a horrible defeat for the Allies, and completely demoralized the French.
in 1959, Li Huang-Sen wakes up from his coma, fear in his eyes, and searches through the ship for Huan Yue. She has vanished, according to everyone on board. He gazes out across the water, and sees a figure standing on the waves, silently waving at him. He collapses in tears.
in 1972, Semitic-African Resistance fighters captured and held hostage the German Olympic team at the games in Munich. The SARies held off two separate rescue attempts before being killed in a 3rd, taking all the hostages with them. They had been attempting to gain television airtime to detail to the world how their people were being systematically slaughtered, but the German Reich refused to negotiate with them.
in 1975, mousy young Hippie Lynette Fromme, known to her friends as Squeaky, shoots President Gerald Ford as he visits Sacramento, California. A Secret Service agent had seen her, but failed to register that such a harmless young woman could present a threat to the president; after she had fired twice into Ford, he tackled her and was wounded himself before he could wrestle the gun from her.
in 1996, Professor Malcolm Thomas emerges from the crashed object nursing what he fears is a massive concussion – his vision is blurred and he is barely able to walk. Dr. Melvin Courtney is in worse shape, and Professor Thomas begins walking toward the city that he sees in the distance, hoping that he can get to help before collapsing himself.
in 1997, Albanian actress Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu died in Hollywood, California. The Oscar-winner was best known for her performance as Mother Maria Elena in the holocaust drama None Shall Return, in which she played a Catholic nun who sheltered Jews against the Nazis.
in 2003, Vietnamese painter Lu Tong Dao assassinates Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, screaming to those who capture him afterwards, “He was supposed to die!” At his trial, Lu claimed that as a young man, he had seen Kerry die in Vietnam when his swift boat was blown up. The painter was sentenced to life in a mental institution.
in 2003, thousands of people across the Holy British Empire claimed to have seen the Loch Ness Monster walking across the land, heading towards London. In London, itself, many people thought they saw some kind of huge serpent slithering its way into Buckingham Cathedral. Pope Righteous’ spokesman claimed the event was mass hysteria.
in 2004, a deadly calm settled over the earth; each nation has received the broadcast from the Elders, and hope seems to have disappeared. At the U.N., Secretary-General Kofi Annan waits anxiously to meet with the representatives of the Elders that the broadcast said were going to appear. As he stands at the General Assembly’s podium, there is a flash, and a delegation that appears completely human suddenly flashes into existence. The dark-skinned woman who had made the broadcast greets Annan, telling him, “You will find that your fear is unfounded.” She then makes a speech before the assembly, broadcast to the world, in which she invites the human race to join the Galactic Brotherhood of Elder Civilizations.
TIAH HALLOWEEN CONTEST
In order to provide for the upkeep of our new historian, Today In Alternate History is sponsoring its first contest - make a donation at our Paypal link, then email us up to 3 alternate history entries for October 31st, 2005. The best 10 entries will make up the entire content of the post on October 31st, Halloween day. Boring contest information is available on our Forum link below. Enter early and often!
Also, we still have our standard offer - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!
Forum Link - Boring legal info on the TIAH Halloween Contest!
Fresh New Poll - Shall we use future dates in our entries?
Warp and Protocols still available; also, see the script I submitted for Bravo's Situation: Comedy. Speaking of which, voting for the winner is now over. Be sure to watch Sept. 9 for the winner, and watch the pilots at http://aol.com/situationcomedy
Still wishing...
As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!
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