Peace In Europe

November 11th, 2005

in 1831, the public execution of the slave leader Nat Turner becomes a flashpoint of rebellion for the African slaves in Virginia. Although forbidden from attending the ceremony, thousands of slaves showed up, outnumbering the whites who were there. When they realized their advantage, they swarmed the platform, freeing Turner and killing most of the Virginian officials who were there to see Turner pay for his “crimes”. Virginia seethed in warfare between slave and freeman for months after.

in 1890, Mormon elder Jack Smith, who had been one of the many Latter-Day Saints who turned towards the federals after Charles Brigman's excesses, assembles a large company of men and leads them out of Salt Lake City to find the rebel. When he is captured by Brigman's followers, he pledges his allegiance to Brigman and says that he will gladly participate in a plan to assassinate Colonel Beauregard T. Jackson.

in 1915, Austria’s conflict with Serbia ends with the collapse of Serbian opposition to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Serbia had held out hope that its web of treaties with other nations would bring in some allies to its cause, but no nation in Europe was willing to plunge the continent into war over tiny little Serbia.

in 1918, the Great European War ends with the downfall of all the monarchies on the continent. After the Christmas Truce of 1914 had produced a huge body of soldiers unwilling to fight each other, these soldiers had returned to their native countries and begun fighting the regimes there. The 4 year struggle finally ended on this day with an agreement among the new governments in a dozen nations to never commit war against each other again. The Treaty of Prague, signed by over a hundred soldiers and representatives of the new Peace governments, marked what President Wilson of America called, “the end of the war to end all wars.”

in 1942, another successful Road picture, The Road to Morocco, starring Leslie Hope, Harry Crosby and Mary Slaton, opens in Hollywood. The trio find themselves in Morocco this time, and as usual, Hope gets the girl at the end and sad sack Crosby is left to console himself with being the funny one.

in 1973, Russia announces that it will not play the People’s Republic of Chile in soccer’s World Cup competition. The protest is made because of the overthrow of President Augusto Pinochet by American-backed socialist Salvadore Allende. The Soviet States of America claimed no official role in the coup, but Allende was seen by the capitalist world as an American puppet.

in 1977, authors/publishers Robert and Gari Strawn were married. The Strawns began a publishing empire with their Heron View Literary Services in 1996, using the internet to help dozens of authors publish their work and give it mass distribution. Although several other companies attempted to copy their formula, the founders of Heron View always remained in front of the competition, selling almost 17 million books online in the last year.

in 1988, Dorothea Puente, a cruel manager of a home for the elderly in Sacramento, California, pays the price for her cruelty when the bodies of those she has let die in her care rise from their makeshift graves in her lawn and seek her out. Their hideous vengeance leaves many of the living residents at the home insane when they are taken from the place the next day.

in 2002, after a full day of trying to find the engine room, Professor Thomas and Air Force Captain Trent Laughlin are hopelessly lost in the robot ship carrying them to the center of the galaxy. They are still able to communicate with their fellow humans on the ships following them, but Professor Thomas tells Dr. Courtney, “It's hopeless. We'll just have to see where we end up.”

in 2004, Chelsea Perkins and her father Terrence reconcile when Terrence informs Chelsea of the consequences of refusing to participate in the rites of their ancestors. Chelsea reluctantly returns to the Great Tree that Terrence has turned into a makeshift school for Chelsea, and Chelsea's studies begin in earnest.

Christmas Day Contest! Following up on our Halloween contest, you can enter our next contest, which will be alternate histories for Christmas Day, December 25th, 2005. The same rules will apply, the top ten entries will be posted on that day, and by entering, you grant TIAH the right to electronically print your writing on October 31st, 2005, maintain your writing in our archives, and reprint your entry should we decide to reuse it in the future. TIAH only maintains full copyright over material it has originated that has been used by contestants in writing their own entries. Enter early and often - entries must be received by December 20th, 2005! Email us up to 3 entries of your best alternate Christmas Days!

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