Consider His Ways

August 10th, 2007

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The Announcement

Alternate Historian's Bemusement: If you've been reading me for any length of time, you know that I'm a left-wing loony, and love me because/in spite of that. Well, in my perusal of one of those blogs we left-wingers are always going on about, I found this, and I felt that I had to comment upon his disparagement of alternate historians. Go read the article and defend our honor yourself!
We're recovering from or illness slowly but surely, and will hopefully be able to post tomorrow as normal. Till then, Steve will have the page, as usual – thanks, Steve! Oh, and don't forget our Birthday Contest – send in your alternate birthdays for me (August 14, 1965) and Steve (November 22, 1967) so we can have a special post on those days!

John Wyndham	In 1959, the author John Wyndham received experimental antipsychotic medication. This was part of the course of treatments required by voluntary mental health care which followed an episode of schizophrenia at a book signing ceremony in London England.
Author

This triggered a series of events which Wyndham later described in the auto-biographical account Consider His Ways and others. Wyndham woke up to discover that he is a father of some description, in a bloated body that he believes is not his own. After some confusing experiences his memory gradually returns and he recalls that he was treated with a drug that has the unpredictable consequence of out-of-body experiences. It seems that the drug has worked far better than anyone could have anticipated: he has been cast into the future. He also realises that he is in a society consisting entirely of men, organised into castes, most of whom have never heard of women. Wyndham meets a historian. It seems that the narrator is in a society around 100-150 years after his own time (this is not explicitly stated but it can be deduced from one comment in the account). Shortly after his own time a Dr Perrigan carried out scientific experiments that unintentionally created a virus that killed all the women in the world, leaving only men. After a very difficult period of famine and breakdown the small number of educated men, found mainly in the medical profession, took control and embarked on a crash programme of research to enable men to fertilize eggs and then incubate without females. The men also decided to follow the advice of the Bible: "Go to the ant thou sluggard, consider his ways", and created a caste-based society. The drug wears off. Wyndham returns to his own time and decides to stop Dr Perrigan. However, the next steps suggest that it is Wyndham's own actions that will lead to the catastrophe he hopes to prevent.

~ variant by Co-Historian Steve Payne: extensive use of original content has been made to celebrate the author's genius.

In 1999, James P Hoffa was elected to the Presidency of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. He had been an attorney for the Teamsters from 1968 to 1993. A member of the Teamsters since his 18th birthday (1959), he ran for president in 1996, losing to Ron Carey. He became president of the Teamsters on March 19, 1999, after Carey was barred from running for his role in Teamstergate.
Jimmy Hoffa	The news was running in the Machus Red Fox restaurant in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The waitress had long since left. Back in 1975 she had discovered a napkin tucked in the leather upholstery of a dining booth with the cryptic message "THEY RULE" written upon it.
She'd died of a stomach ulcer, caused by worry about the note. A baseless fear that had come to nothing. And so it goes. Still matters had moved forwarded for America in a big way. The White House and their allies had moved way passed Unionised labour. Crushing international terrorism was the order of the day. The stakes in the great game had been raised considerably, and the pot was so much bigger.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

In 1974, following the tragic death of Bruce Lee, the TV networks presented a surprise proposal to the actor David Carradine. For the forthcoming series of Kung Fu, Carradine could take the lead part which the late Bruce Lee had vacated. Having been turned down before, Carradine seized the opportunity but the series was axed after just four episodes due to appalling viewing figures. American audiences might be more comfortable with the anglophile Carradine, but the show lacked dramatic irony.

~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

Glubb Pasha	"[British Commander of the Arab Legion, General John Bagot] Glubb (“Glubb Pasha”) should be imprisoned for serving in a foreign army without the King's permission" ~ British MP
British Agent

In 1939, Glubb succeeded Frederick G. Peake as the commander of the Arab Legion. During this period, he transformed the legion into the best trained force in the Arab world. Glubb served his home country all through his years in the Middle East, making him immensely popular in the end. Arab nationalists believed that he had been the force behind pressure that made King Hussein I of Jordan join the Baghdad Pact. Glubb served different high positions in the Arab Legion, the army of Transjordan. During the World War II he led attacks on Arab leaders in Iraq, as well as the Vichy regime which was present in Lebanon and Syria. In 1948, the British Government was humiliated by the actions of British officers employed in the Arab Legion during the Zionist Insurgency that followed the declaration of the State of Palestine two days before. Regular British officers, including a brigade commander, were instructed to leave the Arab Legion and return to Transjordan. This led to the bizarre spectacle of British officers leaving their units to return to Transjordan before sneaking back across the border to rejoin the Arab Legion. A British MP demanded that the British Command of the Arab Legion, General John Bagot Glubb (“Glubb Pasha”) be imprisoned for serving in a foreign army without the King's permission. 'The internecine struggles of the Arabs,' reported Glubb, 'are more in the minds of Arab politicians than the struggle against the Jews. Azzam Pasha, the mufti and the Syrian government would sooner see the Jews get the whole of Palestine than that King Abdullah should benefit.' Neither was the British government humiliated, nor was he a traitor – his job was to stop the internecine struggles of the Arabs. By suppressing the Zionist Insurgency Glubb Pasha began a new phase of covert operations in the Middle East. Henceforth, British Foreign Policy goals would be achieved by stealth, famously described as neo-colonialism - exerting control over other nations through indirect means. Any means necessary.

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

A well I bless my soul what's wrong with me? I'm itching like a man on a fuzzy tree My friends say I'm actin' wild as a bug
Elvis Presley	I'm in love I'm all shook up Mm mm oh, oh, yeah, yeah! ~ Lyrics to “All Shook Up” - Click to Watch Sample
Charged with Rape

In February 1972 an hysterical Priscilla Presley brought rape charges against her husband Elvis Presley at a Las Vegas Police Station. During the investigation, Priscilla admitted that she had two affairs of her own and their up and down marriage was irreparably broken down by 1972. She alleged that the last straw came when Elvis, possibly having learned of the second affair with her karate instructor, forced himself on her in his Las Vegas hotel room, telling her, "This is how a real man makes love to a woman." Whilst the charges have never been proven, the existence of the allegations have been reported in a number of places including Wikipedia to the great dismay of Elvis fans everywhere. The lyrics are available at at Lyricsdir

~ entry by Co-Historian Steve Payne with absolutely no offence to Elvis Fans (of whom I am one).

In 1979, the movie Apocalypse Now played out the conflict in south-east Asia which hurtled towards catastrophe and tragedy. Since his father's death in April 1964, the demon General-san had transferred to his son, who continued to run China without any respect for the rule of law or human decency. Yet Captain Willard was to discover a great deal of sympathy for General-san Arthur MacArthur.

~ variant from Steve Payne: extensive use of original content has been made to celebrate the author's genius.

Elimina Castle	In 1482, to pass the long night of six hundred years at St. George El Mina Castle, Kwame’s brother spoke to him of African Poetry. ”make room in your inn for me .. even your ports, recalling report how the mayflower moved ..
.. in to deflower at night the virgin land of the red indians jesus christ it seems and judas did not make it america you are a funny girl…everybody dreams of kissing you.”
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

In 955, on this day the forces of Otto the Great, King of the Germans were defeated at the Battle of Lechfeld. Perhaps the best opportunity for holding off the incursions of the Magyars into Central Europe was lost.	Magyars
This defining event in European history was a decisive victory for the Magyar leaders, namely the harka (military leader) Bulcsú and the chieftains Lél (Lehel) and Súr who continued to rage unchecked across the continent.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

Lloyd George	In 1914, European diplomacy entered a critical phase as the August Days continued in the build up to War. In Caerdydd (Cardiff) First Minister David Lloyd George confirmed the nation's policy of neutrality. This statement was to have two very unexpected outcomes on the threat and opportunity scale.
In Berlin, the Younger Bismarck as he was known studied the text of the speech in his office at the Chancellery. If the Welsh were not to mobilize, he figured, nothing was stopping a Prussian landing in South Wales. They could be in London inside of a week.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

In 1995, Richard M. Langworth combined fiction and fact in his publication “If Chamberlain had lost the Battle of Norway”. In this somewhat far fetched scenario, when Germany invaded Norway in April 1940, an expeditionary force was sent to counter ..	Neville Chamber..
.. them, but the campaign proved difficult, and the force had to be withdrawn. The naval aspect of the campaign in particular proved controversial and was to have repercussions in Westminster leading to Chamberlain's replacement by Lord Halifax, who immediately sued for a Carthaginian peace.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

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Whispered Betrayals

The state of TIAH

May 16th, 2007

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Alternate Historian's Note: C'mon people! In 11 days, we'll hit TIAH's third anniversary. As before, that calls for a contest! Please send in your alternate versions of the Academy's beginnings (May 27th, 2004 was the date in this timeline). You can even use 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!

in 1891, the exhausted Union soldiers repulse the Kansans surrounding the fort at Concordia, but are reduced to half their number by the day-long assault. Major Mark Wainwright examines the defenses, and is certain they will not survive another day. “It's like the damn Alamo,” he says to his second-in-command, Captain Jeffrey Taylor. He orders Taylor to find the best scout left in their command. He intends to send this man north to Nebraska, slipping through the Kansan lines, to get help. The captain brings him young Allan Duggan, a 17-year old volunteer from Nebraska who says he knows the surrounding countryside like the back of his hand. “Godspeed, Allan. Our only hopes lie with you.” Duggan takes off from the fort in the dead of night, threading his way through the Kansans.

in 1999, Sir Lance du Lac awakes in the queen's private chambers at Buckingham Palace. He is instantly stricken with remorse for what he and the queen have done, and hurriedly dresses. Just as he is reaching for the door, Queen Gwen says to him, “Will you leave so ungallantly, Sir Lance? No kiss goodbye?” Arthur's best knight turns to her and says, “My lady, forgive me my rudeness. But, the battle in Hungary waits for me, and I must be off – to win it for your husband.” As he turns again to leave, she says, “You're twice the man he is, Lance. You should be ruling this country, not him.” Surprised, du Lac turns on her and says, “He is the king, anointed by God.” Gwen snorts derisively. “Mystical hogwash we all spread about to make it easier for him to seize the throne. What would he be without you, Lance? You've won his wars for him, here and abroad. He wouldn't have that throne if it weren't for you. The troops are all loyal to you.” She walked up behind him and stroked his shoulders. “Take the country, Lance. Take it from this little man who is nothing without you, and set it right again.” He seems to be on the verge of acquiescing for a moment, but then opens the door. “The country has already been set right, my queen.” He hurries off to Hungary, and Queen Gwen ponders her next move.

In 2032, astronauts on a five-year mission travel at faster than light speeds back to Earth where forty years have passed. The crew are greeted by the Security Ombudsman for the Australasian Sector of International Security. In a secret experiment, Albert Raft, the Ship's commander, was cloned before departure. Not only does the Ombudsman know about this, he intends to take Commander Raft to meet his replicant in a few short days.

~ variant from Steve Payne: extensive use of original content has been made to celebrate the author's genius.

In 1972, arguments continued between Marvin Gaye and duet singer Diana Ross over her excessive marijuana smoking which he believed endangered wife Tammi Terrell's unborn child, Marvin Junior. Terrell's song had almost stopped at age twenty-four when she had received a hammer blow to the head from David Ruffin; Gaye was taking no chances.

~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

Leigh-Mallory	In 1947, the Tydings Committee proceeded with the interview of Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory who commanded the 12,000 aircraft to support the D-Day landings. Leigh-Mallory had the vital job of co-coordinating the various air arms during the Battle of Normandy; work for which the subordinate commanders would ..
.. mostly take the credit. Or the blame.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

In 1989, the British Royal household have realised by now that the armed crackdown has failed. They would have to meet with the Republican protesters and find some form of accommodation. After all, when security had been restored, they could always renege on the agreement. It has been done before.	Riots Continue
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

Glubb Pasha	In 1948, the British Government was humiliated by the actions of British officers employed in the Arab Legion during the Zionist Insurgency that followed the declaration of the State of Palestine two days before. Regular British officers, including a brigade commander, were instructed to leave the Arab Legion and return to ..
.. Transjordan. This led to the bizarre spectacle of British officers leaving their units to return to Transjordan before sneaking back across the border to rejoin the Arab Legion. A British MP demanded that the British Command of the Arab Legion, General John Bagot Glubb (“Glubb Pasha”) be imprisoned for serving in a foreign army without the King's permission.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

In 1966, the Communist Party of China issued the "May 16 Notice", marking the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. Contemporaries considered this event a disaster for the nation. In the short term, they were right, it was. Only the far-sighted perspective of history revealed that the decades long program of change started ..	People's Libera..
.. by Chairman Mao delivered a hyper-power ready to seize the Chinese century.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

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Doctrines

	In 2013, General John Abizaid former head of Central Command paid tribute to the late US President Donald Rumsfeld, who had passed away the week before. The war on terror had delivered a bastion of democracy in the Middle East, securing the region and providing the platform for a New World Order - said Abizaid, repeating the Rumsfeld Doctrine. However, it might not have been. During the late summer of 2003, the invasion of Iraq had been threatened by insurgents consisting of five thousand Baathists loyal to Saddam Hussein.

General Abizaid, declared 'When you understand that they were organized into a cellular structure, that . . . they had access to a lot of money and a lot of ammunition, you'll understand how dangerous they were.' It has been intimated that Rumsfeld expanded a highly secret operation, Operation Copper Green, which had been focussed on the hunt for Al Qaeda, to the interrogation of prisoners in Iraq. Controversially, author Seymour Hersh has alleged that Rumsfeld encouraged physical coercion and sexual humiliation of Iraqi prisoners in an effort to generate more intelligence about the growing insurgency in Iraq. Contemporary historians consider it unlikely that the allegations about prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib prison will ever by revealed. Copper Green has already joined Hanger 18 and the Kennedy Assassination in the popular file of conspiracy theories, yet the effectiveness of Rumsfeld's policies cannot be denied.

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	In 2006, Welsh Prime Minister Rhodri Morgan officially opened the new debating chamber for the National Assembly in Cardiff. The Assembly was formed under the Government of Wales Act 1998, by the Labour government, following a referendum in 1997. The name Wales was derived from the Germanic Walha meaning stranger or foreigner and the Welsh Language and culture persisted in the region after annexation by the Laws in Wales Act 1535 in the reign of Henry VIII of England, who ironically was himself partly of Welsh ancestry.

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	In 1914, Gilbert John Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto, KG, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC died. Described by Sir Wilfrid Laurier as 'taking his duties to heart,an energetic man who welcomed many challenges and responsibilities' Lord Minto was an enthusiastic imperialist who served as both Governor General of Canada and Viceroy of India. He served under Lord Roberts in the second Afghan War (1878 - 1879), accompanying Sir Louis Cavagnari on his triumphant mission to Kabul which resulted in the annexation of Afghanistan to the British Empire.

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	In 2007, the US and neighboring countries were plunged into darkness. The crisis is a nearly identical repetition of May 19, 1780 - dubbed New England's Dark Day, - when an unusual darkening of the day sky was observed over the New England states and parts of Canada. The darkness was so complete that candles were required from noon until midnight and did not disperse until the middle of the next night. Many have blamed the genocide of First Nation peoples for the catastrophes that have befallen the American people, asking if a nation so created, can long endure.

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Klaus Fuchs	In 1950, Communist spy Klaus Fuchs was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for espionage. The former scientist had leaked details of Project Rainbow, the US Navy's invisibility project to the Soviet Union. The technology had been credited with the successful execution of X-Day, in which America Carriers had arrived in Tokyo harbour by stealth. Four years later, both sides would deploy the technology, and also bioweapons, at the horrific battle of Incheon on the Korean Peninsula. It was to be a zero sum game with an appalling loss of life.
Traitor

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In 1956, during the build-up to the Suez Crisis, King Hussein of Jordan refused to bow to anti-British pressure and dismiss Lieutenant-General Sir John Bagot Glubb. Better known as Glubb Pasha, he headed the Arab Legion, repaying this loyalty by capturing Jerusalem for Hussein in the Six Day War.

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In 2000, Hans Blix was appointed Executive Chairman of United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) with a public mandate to inspect possible nuclear, chemical, and biological facilities in Iraq. He found something alright, most people wished he hadn't when they heard what is was...

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In 2000, Hans Blix was appointed Executive Chairman of United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) with a public mandate to inspect possible nuclear, chemical, and biological facilities in Iraq. Due to Blix vigilence and determination, the UN discovered a large arsenal of Scud missiles containing monsterous arachnid eggs at the nuclear reactor site at Osirak.

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In 2000, Hans Blix was appointed Executive Chairman of United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) with a public mandate to inspect possible nuclear, chemical, and biological facilities in Iraq. A total lack of progress and utter contempt from the Western Allies followed. The public was amazed by Blix's calm patience. Three years later the truth emerged. This double agent had been leaking military secrets to the Iraqis, preparing Saddam Hussein and his regime for the poorly planned American invasion. George Bush was forced to resign as an ironic regime change scenario played out.

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In 1954, the biggest explosion ever made by man was witnessed in the Pacific when US scientists explode their second H-bomb at Bikini Atoll.

The species endangering tragedy that followed was most accurately described with the publication of 'Web', a written account from Arnold Delgrange, a man suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Delgrange had led a failed attempt to establish a utopian colony on an island in the Pacific Ocean remote from civilization, which has suffered fall out and been cursed by the original inhabitants. As a result, intelligent and communally acting spiders had evolved on the island, acting in a manner that endangers all life in the vicinity. Dr Camilla Cogent first realised that the spiders inhabiting the island chosen for the utopian experiment have evolved intelligence, it is her actions that allow Arnold Delgrange to survive to tell the tale.

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Bikini Atoll	In 1954, the biggest explosion ever made by man was witnessed in the Pacific when US scientists explode their second H-bomb at Bikini Atoll. Rather than bombing Beijing, US President Thomas Dewey ordered that a demonstration shot of the hydrogen bomb be given, but the Chines refuse to surrender. The regional conflict on the Korean peninsula was now getting very dangerously out of control.
H Bomb

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In 1910, the actor David Niven was born. In his 1971 autobiography, The Moon's a Balloon he mentioning his private conversations with Oswald Mosley, Edward VIII, the bombings, and what it was like entering a nearly completely destroyed Germany with the invasion forces. He said once: 'I will, however, tell you just one thing about the war, my first story and my last. I was asked by some American friends to search out the grave of their son near Bastogne. I found it where they told me I would, but it was among 27,000 others, and I told myself that here, Niven, were 27,000 reasons why you should keep your mouth shut after the war.' Niven never made any public statement of approval for the rise of fascism in Anglo-America, and most probably he suited the role of English officer and gentleman rather than sought it.

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	In 1984, the son of Lt. Colonel Nicholson wrote an open letter to The Times newspaper, counter-signed by the one hundred living service veterans of the 1942-3 Burma Railway construction. British prisoners of war were forced to build the 415 kilometre (258 mile) railway, by the Imperial Japanese Army. The bridge formed one of many infrastructure pieces built during the Greater East Asia War.

The letter ended on a poignant note ~ When you go home, tell them of us and say for your tomorrow we gave our today. . The fiery controversy created by the revelations of John Lennon's extramarital affair with Mrs Toshi Ichiyanagi continued to rage throughout the vanquished nation.

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	In 2008, a dead U.S. spy satellite in deteriorating orbit hit the Earth within Drakan Territory somewhere in sub-Saharan Africa. Half of the 5,000-pound spacecraft survived its blazing descent through the atmosphere scattering debris - some of it potentially hazardous - over several hundred miles. The satellite is outfitted with thrusters, small engines used to position it in space, that contain the toxic rocket fuel hydrazine. Hydrazine can cause harm to anyone who contacts it.

The satellite, known by its military designation US 193, was launched in December 2006. It lost power and its central computer failed almost immediately afterward, leaving it uncontrollable. It carried a sophisticated and secret imaging sensor. Alliance for Democracy officials did not want this equipment to fall into the wrong hands. 'The Drakas spend an enormous amount of time trying to steal Alliance technology,' said John Pike, a defense and intelligence expert. 'To have our most sophisticated radar intelligence satellite - have big pieces of it fall into their hands - was not our preferred outcome.' Where US 193 landed was difficult to predict until the satellite descended to about 59 miles above the Earth and entered the atmosphere. It begin to burn up, with flares visible from the ground, said Ted Molczan, a Canadian satellite tracker. From that point on, he said, it took about 30 minutes to fall. Archon Von Strakenberg accused the U.S. of a clandestine attempt to strike the Domination with a space bio-weapon ~ The Draka will conquer the world for two reasons; because we must and because we can. And yet of the two forces the second is the greater; we do this because we choose to do it. By the sovereign Will and force of arms the Draka will rule the Earth, and in so doing remake themselves. We shall conquer and beat the Nations of the Earth into the dust and reforge them in our self wrought Image; the Final Society without weakness or mercy, hard and pure. Our descendants will walk the hillside of that future, innocent beneath the stars, with no more between them and their naked will than a wolf has. THEN there will be Gods in the Earth.

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