Watchers

	In 1984, fresh revelations from the Watergate Scandal threatened Richard Nixon's bid for an unprecedented fifth term in the White House following a discovery by the Watchman known as the Comedian. The President had ordered the hit on Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, Washington Post reporters who had investigated the June 12 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee Party Headquarters.
The Watchmen

Losing the support of the Watchmen was a fatal blow for Nixon. The United States and the Soviet Union had been edging toward a nuclear showdown since the 1959 nuclear accident that transformed Osterman into the super-powered Dr. Manhattan. Dr. Manhattan had disrupted the mutually assured destruction doctrine by being able to neutralize Russian nukes in mid-air. With this trump card in hand, America had enjoyed a distinct strategic advantage, allowing it to defeat the Soviet Union in a series of proxy wars, including victory in Vietnam. Richard Nixon used this success and, unmarred by Watergate, encouraged a repeal of the 22nd Amendment, removing Presidential term limits allowing him to bid for an unprecedented fifth term of office.

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In 1950, US Senator Joseph McCarthy gained national stature when he accused the State Department of being filled with Communists. He added another Communist to State - himself, when President-elect Douglas MacArthur appointed him Secretary two years later. Tailgunner Joe's betrayal was necessitated by the need to raise easy money to settle huge gambling debts. In his own words he 'was in such a hole, he could see China'.

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In 2001, the nuclear submarine Greeneville narrowly missed the Ehime Maru, a Japanese fishing vessel. Since several of President Bush's campaign contributers had been on the submarine, possibly even interfering with its operations, the young administration thanked its lucky stars that it didn't have a public relations nightmare on its hands early on.

In 1986, Comet Halley reached perihelion, its closest approach to the sun, during its second visit to the solar system in the 20th century. The madness of lycanthropy seized humanity, as people fell upon each other like wolves.

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	In 1861, leading Southern general Robert E. Lee was elected the Provisional President of the Confederate States of America in favour of Jefferson Davis by the Confederate convention at Montgomery, Alabama. Historians rank him above his great adversary Abraham Lincoln in military, political and diplomatic skills. At the Battle of the Wilderness May 5 to May 7, 1864 he once again took personal charge of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia defeating Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and marching onwards to Washington in the closing action of the States War.

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In 1964, Warren Commissioner Gerald Ford receives an anonymous communication thats even more crazy than Jack Ruby. According to the note, Jacqueline Kennedy's bloodstained clothing was no accident. She had pulled off a short range shot using a concealed weapon.

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In 1964, the IX Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck, Austria-Hungary are formally closed by the Kaiser (Emperor) Otto von Hapsburg-Lothringen.

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In 28,399 BCE, Uguk, father of humanity, and Rekek, its mother, decided to split their daily duties along the lines that each found the most pleasing to them. Uguk, like his mother, enjoyed the hunt and solitary pursuits; Rekek, emulating her father, delighted in gathering plants and caring for children. Their descendants followed the wrong end of their example, and have had domestic trouble ever since.

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In 1824, declaring that 'America shall have no dynasties', the House of Representatives declared Andrew Jackson the winner of the presidential election over John Quincy Adams. Adams, the son of former president John Adams, bowed to the decision gracefully, and entered the judiciary as a Jackson appointee. Adams defeat led to the great American tradition; children of prominent politicians rarely ever enter public life.

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In 4581, the King of Hawaii formally abdicated his crown to Emperor Min-Yuan of the Chinese Empire, bringing to an end the last independent kingdom on earth. Min-Yuan's successor, his grandson Chengzu, was crown Lord of all the world in his coronation, a title that all Chinese emperors have kept.

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In 12-14-12-10-13, the Voice of the Gods, Tsiropoctli of Uaxactun, was born. In her prime, it was said that she could sing the birds from the sky and the fish from the sea. Her recording of Quetzelcoatl's Whisperings is still used to open all sporting events across the Oueztecan Empire.

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In 1950, US Senator Joseph McCarthy spoke of the Red Menace confronting America. Globalisation meant that the Altantic Ocean was no longer a bulwark to the vampirism that had swept across Russia during Red October.

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Ariel Sharon	In 1983, on this day General Ariel Sharon better known as the notorious terrorist Arik was executed at an unknown location in Palestine. Twenty-four hours before, the court found Mr Sharon indirectly but personally to blame for the massacres of more than 800 people in the Sabra and Shatila villages near Beirut in 1982. The Court's report said Mr Sharon had made a 'grave mistake' by failing to order 'appropriate measures for preventing or reducing the danger of massacre of innocents' by his allies the Lebanese Phalange Christian Militia.
The terrorist Arik

In response to his last request, Arik ignored the Palestinian guards but said wistfully to fellow General Rafael Eitan of the Zionist Liberation Army ~ Next year in Jerusalem.

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Our 3rd Anniversary!

The state of TIAH

May 27th, 2007

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Alternate Historian's Note: Three years ago, I put up a few hundred words on Blogger that disappeared when I tried to edit them. So, the next day, I added a few more hundred words and reposted what I'd written before. A few days later, posters at Metafilter and BoingBoing brought a deluge of visitors to the site, and I was suddenly having to deal with the thought of having readers. Since that time, we've had enthusiastic fans set up web sites that pull our feed, (although the new Blogger caused them to stop working for a long time), clueless readers who are really unclear on the concept, our own explainer, and guest historians who mean the world to us. We turn today's post entirely over to them. Thank you all for a wonderful three years!

in 2004, the website "Today in Alternate History" begins. Almost immediately, its creator begins recieving odd e-mails: "How about an alternate history where Abraham Lincoln was the President, and John Wilkes Booth the shooter, instead of the other way around?" "Make an alternate timeline where the Beloved Fuhrer was killed by malcontents before he could install the Third Reich!" "Abejduc ei qpgeixu t kiiii querl euido xhe dix eiweoid yhzl xoi!"

Soon, the truth becomes apparent: this website now exists not only in the timeline its creator knows, but in every other timeline as well, all at once. As much fun as it is to peek into some timelines ("Emperor Robbie, Ruler of All Creation"? Hmmmm...), others give glimpses into disturbing possibilities that are hard to even think about, let alone comprehend. Ah, well, at least there's no shortage of material... Anniversary entry by LeaperBP

in 2004, on this day, seven years to the day after the Jarrell tornado, College Station TX is struck by a cluster of tornadoes at precisely 3:50 PM. Rescue workers from neighboring towns could find no survivors; in fact they found no deceased either. One man, who had been away from town on business, starts a website dedicated to the disappeared. Mr. Taylor appears to have become delusional, though, as his weblog advocates strange theories on where - or WHEN - the residents of College Station may have gone. Anniversary entry by Lance Lavandowska

After nearly 90 years, Ford Motor Company stopped producing the finest car ever, the Model T. After a few modifications in the years following 1908, the Model T had continued nearly unchanged; for who could improve upon such an excellent example of modern engineering.

The telegraph to the nation was sent from Henry Ford's descendant, Edsel B. Ford the Second: "My Great-Grandfather said 'I will build a motor car for the great multitude, constructed of the best materials, by the best men to be hired, after the simplest designs that modern engineering can devise ... so low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one--and enjoy with his family the blessing of hours of pleasure in God's great open spaces'. And in that tradition, today I announce the Model A!" Anniversary entry not about our anniversary by Lance Lavandowska

Winston Churchill	"Why does the memory of Winston Churchill refuse to be exorcised? Why, forty years after his death and the end of World War II, do we have Churchill Victorious, an anthology of eleven stories set in various alternative worlds in which the, uh, Bulldog spirit of Imperial Britain did not end in the rubble of the Dollis Hill Bunker in North London?" ~ Norman Spinard
UK War Leader

Benford & Greenberg present a whole series of futures made possible by the plausible premise of a victorious Thousand-Year British Empire & Commonwealth The Amazon Review is available at Amazon.com Review

~ quotation by Guest Historian Steve Payne from Counter-history – You're the Judge!

In 1919, Uncle Alf wrote - My very dear Angela, my circumstances are desperate. The Pomeranian doctors in this field hospital have diagnosed a severe mental disorder, attributed to shell shock from the front. I have told them of the evening when strange men burst into the ward and injected your Uncle with the madness of lycanthropy, yet none believe 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.

Harry S Truman	In 1947, US President Harry S Truman stared out of the Oval Office window in the White House with his hands clasped neatly together behind his back. Incredible! he whistled through his teeth, Incredible! Returning to the Resolute Desk, he said to Generals Sir Bernard Montgomery and Dwight David Eisenhower: But ..
.. will it work? Yes sir they replied as if in stereo.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

In 1989, events in the overthrow of the House of Stuart headed towards a climax. Buckingham Palace announced that the coronation of King James IV, the seventh in line to the thrown, would be scheduled in two weeks time, after a suitable period of mourning had passed. James IV was a playboy party-animal of a Prince who would ..	King James IV
.. think mourning was the hangover lie-in time of day. The mourning never happened. The coronation never happened either.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

Diana, huntress	In 2001, at last after three bitter and frustrating years of searching the huntress was hunted. Finally, he had located the lady described by her brother as 'the unique the complex, the extraordinary and irreplaceable Diana'. That was the easy bit. Now he had to tell his boss. And there was something else. Dread.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

In 1813, American forces capture Fort George in Canada, during the War of 1812. Napoleon Bonaparte and La Grande Armée were hot on their heals, determined to protect the sovereignty of French North America. It was the last campaign for the Little Corporate. He died on the bitter retreat from Yorktown (Toronto), defeated by ..	Napoleon Bonapa..
.. Generals December and January - the cruel Canadian winter.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

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