The state of TIAH
May 26th, 2007
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Alternate Historian's Note: This is it - our 3rd anniversary is tomorrow! Today, you have your last chance to send in your alternate versions of the Academy's beginnings (May 27th, 2004 was the date in this timeline) to appear on the anniversary celebration page. You can use everything you know about us - even the fact that we lost the original day and had to restart on the 28th – whatever you can think of to provide a twist to our start. Send 'em in, and we'll print 'em! Be sure to tell us how you want your credit for the post to appear, as well as any links you want to be connected with your entry. Thanks for reading and get researching those alternate timelines! And, here's an update – we've gotten some entries, but if we don't get any more, we're going to consider printing some of our more interesting emails and comments...
in 1891, more trains pull into Hebron, Nebraska, full of troops to fight the war in Kansas. A few Kansan sympathizers make note of how many troops are being moved west, and send a telegraph to Topeka. The Farmers Council convenes to discuss what to do about this new development. “From what the telegraph said, they might have 20,000 men or more by next month,” Councilor Stephen Zamachowski said. “All massing at the border in Hebron, with a straight shot down to Concordia at that damned fort.” 'Sockless' Jerry Simpson, leader of the council, dismisses Zamachowski's fears. “We've got 5 times that number armed and ready to fight. These boys they've sent down haven't even gotten through the most basic training. They're of no concern.” Councilor Thaddeus Elridge, who had opposed Simpson before, saw an opportunity here to score some points against the 'Socrates of the plains'. “Mr. Simpson is right that we got 100,000 men ready to defend the state, and the men they got ain't exactly battle-hardened. But, our 100,000 men are spread all over Kansas, and those 20,000 are right where they can make a run for us, here, in Topeka. Plus, they're being trained by a man whose got a personal grudge against us and who has managed to defeat us in the past. We need to start pulling our volunteers away from the other borders and bring them here, to defend Topeka.” While many of the councilors are afraid that action will leave their borders ill-defended, Elridge's plan receives approval, and word is sent to all corners of Kansas to begin troop movements to Topeka.
in 1999, Prime Minister Kay Ector of Great Britain meets with success after success as he tours across the former vassal states of the Central European Empire, securing pledges from their governments to cease hostilities against the British, and turn over CEE war criminals. King Arthur II is relieved to hear of the cessation of fighting in many of the hot spots of the war, and Sir Lance, his chief general, turns to rooting out the CEE elite who had been responsible for prosecuting the war against Great Britain.
in 2004, the gaming blog RPGs-a-plenty gets mentioned on the news aggregate sites Metafilter and BoingBoing, causing thousands of people to begin reading the upstart blog in only its first week. The rush of readers to this site causes the site's writer, Robbie Taylor, to forgo the plans he had to create a blog about alternate history. Who would've read that, anyway?
| In 1940, UK War Leader Winston Churchill delivered his final radio broadcast before fleeing to the Falkland Islands with the remnants of the British Navy. His last words to the defeated British nation were a fragment of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner The Sun's rim dips ; the stars rush out : At one stride comes the dark ;.. Fear at my heart, as at a cup, My life-blood seemed to sip ! One after one, by the star-dogged Moon,Too quick for groan or sigh, Each turned his face with a ghastly pang, And cursed me with his eye. |
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!
| In 1919, Uncle Alf wrote - My very dear Angela, You will have seen, I am sure, from the stamp and the postmark that I am now in a field hospital in Pomerania. My circumstances are confused. You can write to me at the address on this envelope. I hope all goes well for you, and that you never have to trouble your lovely little head about the schemes of these degenerates who threaten me. I send you many kisses, and wish I could give them to you in person. With much love, I remain your Uncle Alf. |
~ variant from Steve Payne: extensive use of original content has been made to celebrate the author's genius.
 Guderian | In 1947, General Hans Guderian addressed the final session of the Tydings Committee. Yes, it was still possible to pay the Pied Piper. And yes, it was possible to release the eight divisions of the Allied Expeditionary Force from the Caves of Hamelin. But to what benefit? The troops would be in the middle of hostile of North .. |
| .. West Germany? General Sir Bernard Montgomery leans over to General Dwight David Eisenhower and whispers in his ear 'Are you think what I am thinking?' Says Monty, to which Ike says a simple affirmative: Yes. | |
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge! | |
| In 1989, on this day the Grand Hotel, Brighton bomb went off at 2.54 am. The British Royal household and key advisers who had planned to meet with Peter Tatchell and members of the Republication protest leadership were decimated. The King was still awake at the time, said to be working on his compromise speech. It shredded .. |  Grand Hotel Bri.. |
| .. through his bathroom barely two minutes after he had entered it; killing him instantly. The UIRA claimed responsibility the next day; their statement famously included the words: 'Today we were lucky'. Security Forces claimed the bombing was 'an attempt to cripple Her Majesty's Government'; it had succeeded. | |
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge! | |
 Queen of Sheeba.. | In 2001, the note he was expecting was pushed under the door of his room at the Queen of Sheen Hilton Hotel in Eilat. It would be an emissary of course, a small child perhaps on a five dollar task. There was no point darting out into the corridor. He opened the note and read the few words carefully. Pouring himself a gin .. |
| .. and tonic from the mini-bar, he realised he was very excited he was. Tomorrow evening his search would be over. | |
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge! | |
| In 1828, a mysterious feral child Kaspar Hauser is discovered wandering the streets of Nuremberg. He was wearing peasant clothing and could barely talk. The only identifying material carried by the boy was a letter addressed to the captain of the 4th squadron of the 6th cavalry regiment, in which the author asked the captain .. |  Kaspar Hauser |
| .. to take the boy in or hang him, and another piece of paper which appeared to be from his mother to his prior caretaker. Hauser said that he had spent most of his life in a darkened 2×1×1.5 metre cell with only a straw bed to sleep on and a horse carved out of wood for a toy. He was given nothing but bread and water, and was periodically drugged so that his clothes could be changed and his hair cut. The first human being he ever had contact with was a mysterious man who visited him on occasion, always taking great care not to reveal his face to Kaspar, and from whom the boy acquired his limited spoken vocabulary and learned to write his name. The stranger eventually released Kaspar from his cell and deposited him outside, where he fainted. His next memory was of wandering the streets of Nuremberg. He had not seen the last of the mysterious man.. | |
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge! | |
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