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General Discussion => Alternative History => Topic started by: Historia Crux on July 05, 2010, 05:26:25 PM



Title: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on July 05, 2010, 05:26:25 PM
To get the creative juices flowing, I hope to tinker with this TL for now. Let's see where she goes!

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Part 1: The Chronicles of Unity

()
Pres. Richard Nixon delivering the "Moon Landing Disaster" Speech

"Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace. These brave men, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice. These two men are laying down their lives in mankind's most noble goal: the search for truth and understanding.

They will be mourned by their families and friends, they will be mourned by their nation; they will be mourned by the people of the world; they will be mourned by a mother Earth that dared send two of her sons into the unknown. In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their sacrifice, they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man. In ancient days, men looked at stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood.

Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man's search will not be denied. But those men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts. For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that their is some corner of another world that is forever mankind." - Pres. Richard M. Nixon, Speech on 'Moon Landing Disaster'


Things progressed rapidly. Around the country, indeed around the world, did people wait or watch. As the last amounts of air ran out, "Buzz" Aldrin's last message was echoed, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me". Tears ran from New York to Washington to San Diego. All over America tears were shed as the brave explorers slowly passed away.

Condolence rained from Europe, South America, Asia, even the USSR itself offered comfort. This time of "Worldly Comfort" helped dull the sadness of the American people. Meanwhile, President Nixon knew the weight of the event and hoped to capitalize upon it, to do something that Kennedy couldn't. In the aftermath, Soviet Premier Brezhnev and American President Nixon met to talk about the thought of a joint American-Soviet moon landing.

()
Leonid Brezhnev and Richard Nixon, after formalization of a joint American-Soviet Moon landing

The world waited with baited breath, in August the Washington conference gave birth to a ray of harmony and hope. Brezhnev and Nixon had reached a deal. It now seemed that the Stars and Stripes and Hammer and Sickle would be intertwined upon Luna's ground. Their was some discontent in both the United States and the USSR to this, mostly reaching to patriotism and Soviet pride.

These would be small to say, as the moon landing disaster had galvanized support for this joint mission. After some deliberation, it was decided that two Americans and two soviets would be on this mission of unity. "Jim" Lovell and Bill Anders were chosen as the Americans. For the Soviets, it was a fierce fight, which Andriyan Nikolayev won one of the seats.

The second seat would go to the man that was already planned to be the first Soviet of the Moon. The man was of course Alexey Leonov. In early September, the event that became a cornerstone of the mid-late 20th Century occurred. The newly renamed Alliance landed on the Moon's surface on September 12th, 1969.

Astronaut Jim Lovell and Cosmonaut Alexey Leonov declared immortal words. Leonov declared "From the farmlands of revolution", Lovell declared "To the mountains, ringing with liberty", both declared "Unity now binds us together". When the Alliance left successfully from the Moon, a greater sense of pride filled Americans and Soviets. When Lovell, Leonov, Nikolayev and Anders returned, they were greeted as heroes of the ages.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on July 06, 2010, 06:28:31 PM
Part 2: The Chronicles of Relaxation

The 70's brought about hope that "MAD" or Mutually Assured Destruction, could be curtailled. Talks grew until it gave a wide birth to the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty, "SALT", in 1971. Ostpolitik brewed in East and West Germany as tension between the two German nations lessened for the time. President Nixon led a cresting victory of popularity with victory in the midterms, with Republicans installing Gerald Ford as Speaker of the House.

Nixon and Brezhnev meeting in Moscow for the signing of SALT 1

1971 was of course called the "Year of Peace", the "Year of Relaxation" or the "Year of SALT". President Nixon had a newfound expanded mantle of power but was even more being scrutinized and critiqued to be held accountable for the war in Vietnam. To counter these attacks and the watching eyes of the American people, Vietnamization was ramped up and the Paris Peace Accords was put back on track. By 1972, US National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger and Vietnamese politburo member Le Duc Tho were hammering out a deal, remembered with Kissinger's quote that "peace is at hand".

The Biological Weapons Convention convened and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty concluded as a second round of strategic arms limitation talks began. The Neutral Outer Space Treaty(NOST) formalized the neutrality of outer space between the superpowers and that hopefully militarization of space would not occur. By then, Soviet and American scientist were intermingling, echoing the possibility of the establishment of an International Space Station. A plan which Brezhnev and Nixon expressed interest.

1972 also brought the close call for detente when an angered Soviet attempted to assassinate Brezhnev. If the assassination had been successful, things could be doomed for detente and peace. In the aftermath, Brezhnev slowed down detente but continued the process, hoping to still hold favor with hardliners and moderates at the same time. Though later in the 70's, Brezhnev began to move to reform the economic measures in the Soviet Union, in response to the stagnation of the economy.

Sino-American relations improved in the ideas of "rapprochement" or what was labled "ping pong Diplomacy. Similarly with the near assassination of Brezhnev in 1972, an failure of a coup led by Lin Biao and the failed attempted to assassinate Mao Zedong in late 1971 led some to doubt the hopes of the July announcement by Nixon. In late February of '72, the two leaders of the People's Republic and the United States shook hands in a historic moment. The Nixon family toured numerous Chinese wonders, the great wall was one of great importance.

()
Chinese Leader Mao Zedong and American President Richard Nixon, 1972

Meanwhile, a man scribbles in his notebook in a dirty motel room.....

"It is my personal plan to assassinate by pistol either Richard Nixon or George Wallace. I intend to shoot one or the other while he attends a campaign rally for the Wisconsin Primary.

to do SOMETHING BOLD AND DRAMATIC, FORCEFUL & DYNAMIC, A STATEMENT of my manhood for the world to see.

He is the man that I will kill. The man deserving of my bullet. George Wallace does not deserve my time. Richard Nixon does. He is the one I will slay. He is the one I will kill"
- Exert from The Diary of Arthur Bremer


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Vazdul (Formerly Chairman of the Communist Party of Ontario) on July 07, 2010, 12:16:06 AM
I really like this. Please continue.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on July 07, 2010, 07:22:14 PM
The Presidential Election of 1972

The Republicans: President Nixon was a highly popular incumbent and faced minimal challenges in the primaries. Only antiwar and anti-Nixon Rep. Pete McCloskey of California and staunch conservative and anticommunist Rep. John Ashbrook of Ohio challenged President Nixon. Ashbrook did well in the beginning, gaining support from disenfranchised conservatives who saw Nixon as "soft on communism". At the convention, Nixon carried all but eight delegates, which 2 were allotted to McCloskey and 6 to Ashbrook. President Nixon and Vice President Agnew were renominated.

The Democrats: The Democratic Party had a handful of candidates and problems. In polls their '68 Vice Presidential candidate, Edmund Muskie polled best against Nixon, but the primaries didn't reflect that. Muskie's campaign got off to a bad start with the publish of what became known as the "Canuck Letter". After McGovern's loss in New Hampshire, he continued an insurgent campaign based where Eugene McCarthy left off. When the convention neared, Edmund Muskie led in the delegates, but was dogged by George Wallace, Henry Jackson, Shirley Chisholm and George McGovern. Only after some backdoor dealings did Jackson support Muskie, pushing him over the top. In a show of support, Muskie chose Jackson supporter James "Jimmy" Carter as his Vice Presidential candidate. George Wallace once again broke off and went his own course with John Schmitz by his side.

The General: When Muskie hit the ground, he was a wounded candidate, only the hope that Wallace could pull more from Nixon kept him going. With no debates, Muskie or Wallace couldn't joust "Tricky Dick". From Nixon's standpoint, Muskie was a strong candidate but there was no way that he could win. The results proved to be right, President Nixon won in a landslide against Muskie and Wallace and was on his track to January, or so he thought.

(
)

(R)-Pres. Richard M. Nixon, NY/VP. Spiro T. Agnew, MD: 405 EV
(D)-Sen. Edmund "Ed" S. Muskie, ME/Gov. James "Jimmy" E. Carter, GA: 87 EV
(AI)-Gov. George C. Wallace Jr, AL/Rep. John G. Schmitz, CA: 46 EV
Others (Peoples, Socialist Workers, Etc.): 0 EV


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on July 07, 2010, 08:29:36 PM
Part 3: The Chronicles of Loss

"With the rapprochement to the People's Republic of China and detente to the Soviet Union. We can only wonder what the future holds for the Earth and for the twinkling stars as if showing their approval of this newfound peace between the superpowers. I'm Walter Cronkite and that's the way it is." - Quoted from Walter Cronkite, broadcast December 10th, 1972

December brought the hopes for a continued peace and relaxation of tension in the world for the new year. President Nixon had returned to triumph to New York for the Christmas holidays. On his way to his private home in the state, Nixon would make a snap decision to shake hands and converse with some of the crowds along the motor cages path. Because of this snap decision, December 17th would become a dark day for Richard Nixon.

"Sir, you can't. Secret service is light as it is" Haldeman said. "Damnit Bob, you have to say that when people love me", Nixon barked. The President quickly exited the car and went to shaking hands, striking up casual conversations, using the 'ordinary man' version of himself from the '68 and '72 campaigns. Nixon came upon a nervous man in mirrorshades. "What's your name son?". The nervous man squeaked "Arthur....Arthur's my name".

()
Walter Cronkite during reports on the assassination of President Nixon

"We....we have just received this new bulletin. President Richard Nixon has died. I repeat the president has died. It seems after the two inflicted guns shots by a Arthur Bremer, the President bled out during surgery to remove the bullets..." - Quoted from Walter Cronkite, broadcast December 18th, 1972

()
President Agnew's speech to the nation

"Our national nightmare is here, like storm clouds seemingly grouping. Our nation have seen two President's struck down by an assassin's bullet in only a decade. We have recovered from the death of President Kennedy, we will do the same with the death of another great leader. We will march on as a nation, it is our nightmare and we must face it with no fear, only resolve..." - Exert from President Agnew's Speech to the nation

Tears were shed at the funeral of Richard M. Nixon. Not as hardy as the ones for the explorers of the Moon, but still non the less tears. President Agnew, Speaker Ford, Soviet Premier Brezhnev, Chairman Mao, the Nixon family and numerous American citizens attended the humble funeral. It was a somber moment, now time would have to tell if only the spirit of Richard Nixon had passed on, or now all of his work was in danger of passing on as well.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on July 08, 2010, 08:40:05 PM
Part 4: The Chronicles of Hate

With Spiro T. Agnew sworn in on December 18th, January 20th passed as a reminder to the nation of the death of Richard Nixon. The whole world now had their eyes on this Greek Marylander, watching what he did on the issues of the day. Agnew quickly moved to stop "vietnamization" and instead began drafting plans to deepen the war in Vietnam. This move sparked off anger from antiwar inside and out.

With the new hawkish President, the Paris Peace Accords stalled and after confrontations between President Agnew and Advisor Kissinger, Kissinger resigned. Anger bubbled up in Congress against President Agnew when Democrats battered Agnew's first choice for Vice President, Congressman George H.W. Bush. After the defeat because of "nattering nabobs of negativism", Agnew was forced by Senate Democrats to nominate Senator Hatfield as Vice President, in hopes of placing a voice against the Vietnam War by Agnew's side. By then though, Vietnam was quickly deepening and antiwar riots were worsening and detente between the Soviet Union seem to break apart.

()
White House Press Transcript, September 1973

Agnew: All of these reports on bribery and conspiracy are false.

Reporter 1#: Mister President what about the allegations of fraud from your tax retu...

Agnew: I said that all of these allegation are false you blundering baboon!

All of these events, growing discontent in America and politics, bloodletting in Vietnam, were categorized as the "Summer of Hate". President Agnew fiercely rebuffed moves by Congress to end the conflict in Vietnam. Instead, during the hate filled summer, Agnew sought out advice from General William Westmoreland over Vice President Hatfield, who at the time had been completely frozen out of administration dealings. The hateful summer quickly birthed a terrible moment for the Agnew Administration, when in late summer allegation sprouted about tax fraud, extortion and bribery. The "Summer of Hate" stretched into the year of rage as Congress began impeachment processes against President Agnew. Finally in November, President Agnew resigned, giving way to Vice President Hatfield to take the presidency.

()
President Hatfield's Address to the Nation

"The warped mirror has been shattered. For all of the American people can see the despicable actions of former President Agnew. That is why as my first act as President of the United States, I will and shall not pardon Spiro Theodore Agnew from his fate in a prison cell..." - Exert from President Hatfield's "Shattered Mirror" Speech

With President Hatfield in charge, only fate can deem if this Oregonian will face unity or division in his term of office.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Vazdul (Formerly Chairman of the Communist Party of Ontario) on July 08, 2010, 10:01:27 PM
Nice update. Keep it coming!


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey on July 09, 2010, 09:42:36 AM
Hey man, this TL's great! :D I wonder how Hatfield will handle Vietnam.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on July 09, 2010, 07:38:29 PM
Part 5: The Chronicles of Division

Now with President Mark Hatfield in charge, he pursued a peace policy in Vietnam. Hatfield would reopen dialogue at the Paris Peace Accords, booting the Agnewite Secretary of State and replacing him with Henry Kissinger. By mid January of '74, Kissinger returned and gave the news that a peace deal was at hand. By March, Hatfield declared on national television that American troops in Southeast Asia would begin to be returning home in full force and that South Vietnam would have to stand on it's own feet.

By August of 1974, Hatfield had started up negotiations again for the continuation of strategic arms limitation with the USSR and domestically had pushed through alternative energy policies to help the oil shortage. August also had the slow march of the North Vietnamese forces deeper and deeper into the South. In November, so many South Vietnamese pleaded at the US embassy to by taken away. Finally the gates broke down as a hastened pullout only worsened things.

The famous photo's came from the evacuation of American forces from the South Vietnamese capitol of Saigon would capture the turmoil and true horror of the events in southeast Asia. For all Hatfield had done in his short time as President, his support considerably shrank. This led to the Democrats marching into control of Congress in November of '74. With Republicans shattered, Hatfield would move to form an alliance with the new Democratic majorities, quickly angering conservatives further.

()
United States pullout as Saigon falls

On February 8th, 1975, President Hatfield would call Senator Kennedy in a suprising move. The two would talk of something the two men would find common ground in. This common ground was that the health care system was broken and needed repairing. With this, the White House and Senator Kennedy would begin crafting a health care reform bill.

"I remember sitting in one of those uncomfortable chairs in the Oval Office. I can say I felt covetous of the President's chair. We spoke about the biggest hurtle for the administration as of yet, health care reform. I was only on board with great reluctance. The President said "the country needs this right away!".

I said that conservative were already boiling, that it wasn't a good idea to pester them evenmore. The President immediately came back and said that my confirmation as Vice President had been the straw the broke the camels back. "What is one more hit to their single-minded brains gonna do?" the Chief of Staff said. If the President, if the Chief of Staff, If I knew what effects it would have on the 1976 election, things could have been very different."
- Exert from the Biography of Vice President Gerald Ford

()
Sen. Kennedy submitting the Kennedy-Hatfield Health Care Reform Bill

In June, Senator Kennedy submitted the health care reform bill to the Senate. The fierce battle would last for several months until it passed. In the house, it was accepted more and with the help of shepherds like Speaker Albert and Majority Leaders Boggs, it passed as well. President Hatfield eagerly signed the bill into law in a televised event on November 3rd.

After his victory, President Hatfield met with Soviet Premier Brezhnev between November and December and domestically basked in his victory for a short time. That was until is was broken when the news came in that Red Army Faction(RAF) members had stormed the US embassy in Bonn and had taken hostages. With the hostage powerplay that would be called the "German Winter" set, it would be up to the choices of the Americans and Germans that would dictate if the lives of the hostages would be ended or spaired.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on July 12, 2010, 11:50:51 PM
Part 6: The Chronicles of Tension

1976 continued the divisory feelings of 1975, but in much more staunch "lines in the sand". Reagan was running against Hatfield for the Republican nomination. The remaining southerners were grouping behind George Wallace to lead one last punitive campaign for the Presidency against the Democratic frontrunner, Senator Ted Kennedy. Now Hatfield had on his hands a hostage crisis and every minute counted.

President Hatfield, Soviet leader Brezhnev and West German Chancellor Schmidt all kept in contact. They had to if they wanted up to the date information about the hostage situation. The decision was finally made between Austrian and American diplomats to send in a surgical strike team to take out the Red Army members and free the hostages. This was brought on by the near week long siege and the continued road blocked attempts to negotiate. When the strike team entered, it was all up to them to either fail and risk the lives of the hostages or succeed and have the hostages walk out of this to their families.

()
Photo of one of the RAF hostage takers

"We were in one of the many rooms that housed both hostages and Red Army members. The reds were dressed just like the men from the Munich massacre, ski masks, heavy coats. None had taken their masks off, it they did they would probably kill us. Then everything went wild I hear out of the corner a pop and everything went smoky.

Then the bodies starting dropping. Some of the red army members fired off their guns, but they to fell silent. It was so silent, then the footsteps. I saw many people crying. At the time and still today I don't know if they were tears of fear or joy.

Then I saw them, these armored men like fierce Centurions. One approached me, I thought it was all over. His thick, swampy southern accent shook me up. I didn't cry, all I said was 'no ****ing way' to him."
- Exert from Under the Red Star: The German Winter Crisis

The "German Winter" was over, loss of life was minimized to only a few sad deaths. Numerous RAF members were captured, at least the ones that weren't dead. Leonid Brezhnev openly condemned the RAF openly, angering some Soviet hardliners who lived close to the mantra that a "good capitalist was a dead capitalist". President Hartfield then used the "rally around the flag" feelings of the nation to pass energy reform through Congress and several other small measures.

With things well for now, President Hatfield and Vice President Ford began to swing into the campaign spirit. Hatfield and Ford hammered away at former Governor Ronald Reagan. On January 23rd, Vice President Ford was nearly assassinated by Sara Jane Moore. With the United States campaign in full swing, things were transpirering in the People's Republic of China.

On April 5th, the Qingming Festival, displays of mourning of the fallen Zhou Enlai had been removed, sparking demonstrations against this. In charge of China was the "Gang of Four" and had Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping jailed and labled the demonstrations as counterrevolutionary. The demonstrators marched against the security forces, leading to a bloody event when the security forces charged and began to beat the demonstrators. Criticism from Europe, the Soviet Union and the United States rained in for the heavy handed tactics in the "Tiananmen Incident".

()
Security Forces in the aftermath of the "Tiananmen Incident"

Quickly things began to spiral in China. A coup was attempted against the Gang of Four, which failed. In an attempt to silence the demonstrations, Deng Xiaoping suffered a "fatal accident" in his cell. This only charged up the demonstrators and criticism from abroad.

Brezhnev and the Soviet Union would not come to support the demonstrators, but Senator Kennedy and Governor Reagan came out well before President Hatfield did in support of the demonstrators. Brezhnev cautioned Hatfield not to interfere in "Chinese matters" and that this could lead to war. This tamped down on the time that Hatfield came out in support but did not stop him. Only that he refined it to be seen as a support for the demonstrators but not too overtly attack the Chinese government.

President Hatfield's "Tiananmen Incident" Speech

"We Americans have a common ancestry that has the blood of demonstration. We don't go along the grain with things. When the Bostonians poured the tea into the harbor, it was a symbol of determination against oppressors. Now today we look across the Pacific to another people oppressed by oppressors. We can do little but to stand with them in this time of turmoil in the People's Republic...." - Quoted from President Hatfield's speech about the "Tiananmen Incident"

The Chinese government in response tightened the yoke evenmore and purged several opponents of the government. Crackdowns commenced and broke the backs of the demonstrators. Beaten and bruised, the demonstrators had sowed the seeds of the future for the end of the People's Republic and a restoration of a "Chinese Democracy".


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Vazdul (Formerly Chairman of the Communist Party of Ontario) on July 13, 2010, 11:30:22 AM
This is a great timeline, keep it coming!


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on July 13, 2010, 08:36:33 PM
Presidential Election of 1976

The Democrats: The campaign had the man that helped craft the health care reform bill, Ted Kennedy, and the kind Georgian Governor "Jimmy" Carter. The campaign was mainly between Kennedy and Carter, sweeping away Robert Byrd, Jerry Brown and Birch Bayh in the first primaries. Carter blew George Wallace out of the water in the south, leading the Alabamian to once again run for President on the American Independent ticket. The convention was a messy one, but when it became clear that Kennedy would be the nominee, Carter stepped aside. To show unity, Kennedy chose Senator Nick Galifianakis as his running mate.

The Republicans: The campaign was as bitter as the Democrats, except without a happy ending. Reagan attacked Hatfield on all stances. Detente, health care, energy reform, taxes. The campaign split moderates and conservatives on one side or the other. Reagan carried the west and south easily, splitting the great lake states, while Hatfield carried the hefty northeast. At the convention, it took several ballots until Reagan eked out a victory. When Reagan picked Senator Laxalt, Reagan declared that it was a "shift in the right direction" for the GOP. Disgruntled moderate and liberal Republicans soon flocked to the candidacy of Secretary Elliot Richardson and Congressman John Anderson on the "Moderate-Republican" ticket.

The General: The general campaign was a battle on numerous fronts. Richardson was battling Kennedy in the Northeast and the Pacific northwest. Wallace's and Reagan's battle for the south only lead to Kennedy taking close leads in most of the south. The debates were rather interesting, four men bickering and blasting each other. The polls showed Kennedy leading over the split Republicans. On election day, Kennedy won the election in a fair landslide over his three opponents.

(
)

(D)-Sen. Edward "Ted" M. Kennedy, MA/Sen. Nick Galifianakis, NC: 316 EV
(R)-Fmr Gov. Ronald W. Reagan, CA/Sen. Paul D. Laxalt, NV: 168 EV
(MR)-Commerce Sec. Elliot L. Richardson, MA/Rep. John B. Anderson, IL: 30 EV
(AI)-Gov. George C. Wallace Jr, AL/Fmr Lt Gov. Lester G. Maddox, GA: 24 EV


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Vazdul (Formerly Chairman of the Communist Party of Ontario) on July 14, 2010, 12:42:19 AM
Very interesting election. Could you give us the nationwide popular vote percentages?


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey on July 14, 2010, 09:22:59 AM
Reagan '80!


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on July 14, 2010, 06:20:28 PM
Very interesting election. Could you give us the nationwide popular vote percentages?
Alright, this is a rough estimate

Kennedy/Galifianakis: 43%
Reagan/Laxalt: 34%
Richardson/Anderson: 12%
Wallace/Maddox: 10%
Other: 1%


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on July 16, 2010, 05:01:02 PM
Part 7: The Chronicles of Dreams

()
40th POTUS, Edward Moore Kennedy

"We stand here today united as Americans to affirm a cause. I ask for renewal of our commitment to a fair and lasting prosperity that can put America back to work. This is simple, rejuvenation for our country. This simple belief has sustained this campaign of the people, by the people, for the people over the span of 50 states and numerous miles.

Now is our time to make the beliefs that we hold to our bosom, not dreams, but a reality..."
- Exert from President Ted Kennedy's Inaugural Speech

President Kennedy had a large mantle of power. Democrats controlled both houses of Congress and Kennedy went to crafting his policies of the "New Dream". Kennedy expanded on President Hatfield's alternative energy policies, pushing expermentational and expansion of solar, nuclear and natural gas power sources. One of the first things he did was install "Jimmy" Carter as the new Secretary of Energy and the Environment(SEE) and put a rough and tumble former Representative in the Justice department by the name of William Clinton.

Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and President Kennedy met at a historic meeting in Prague. Both superpower leaders announced that the Soviet Union and the United States would begin construction of a united space station and invited other nations to join them in this pursuit. Construction of this international space station would begin in 1978. Another point of the meeting would button up the second strategic arms limitation treaty.

Another point of tension came when President Kennedy switched the US neutrality on the creation of a Palestinian state to a support of one. Only of course with mutual respect and understand between Palestine and Israel. Still, this new "alignment for peace" sparked fear in some and led to the "upheaval" victory of Alignment over Likud in a close race, keeping Shimon Peres as Prime Minister. The upheaval brought worry for middle east peace, but quietly Peres and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat would open dialogue for a possible peace.

1977 also had the first major trip back to the moon, jointly between Americans and Soviets. This move certified Kennedy and Brezhnev's support of an international space station and international space program. All of this had nearly been put in jeopardy when Republicans in congress nearly forced President Kennedy to cut funding to the space program. One major moment of the mission was the first woman on the moon, Soviet Valentina Tereshkova.

()
Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova by USSR flag

In December, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat suprised many when the leader of a nation that had been so opposed to Israel, met with it's Prime Minister to discuss peace. Both leaders would be cordial and kind to another. President Kennedy would hail this move by both leaders as a "step towards cooperation and peace in an otherwise war torn environment". Other middle eastern nations accused Egypt of pandering to Israel.

()
Israeli Prime Minister Peres and Egyptian President Sadat

Still a path to peace was being mapped out. Only in time, will it show if peace can be achieved.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on July 19, 2010, 12:31:00 AM
Part 8: The Chronicles of Fissures

1978 opened with a major event. The Vietnamese had intervened in the Cambodian Civil War against Pol Pot and his allies in February. The United States, no friend of Cambodia or Vietnam, was more inclined to Vietnam but still saw this as a war to expand Vietnamese influence. Soon though the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union realized this as well, with the Soviet taking support for Vietnam and China with Pol Pot Cambodia. Soon tension and fissures grew even wider as Soviets began plans to send supplies to Vietnam.

()
Vietnamese forces entering Phnom Pehn

 The PRC called this move by the Soviets as "desperate" and in turn increased Chinese forces along the Soviet and Vietnamese borders. President Kennedy made a neutral call and instead called for Vietnamese withdraw and UN peacekeepers be sent in. Chinese leader Jiang Qing only increased troops and the borders and tightened control of the government internally. Qing would then call Kennedy a "child that needed a spanking".

With war seeming to be a real possibility between China and the USSR, President Kennedy began to put measures into the safeguard the government while send diplomatic envoys to both nations to ease tension. This worked only remotely. Finally Vietnam's punitive campaign against Pol Pot ended in April, which the Chinese called that the Soviets had disowned their Vietnamese ally. In May, the United Nations voted to send in peacekeepers into Cambodia.

These peacekeepers would only act as a policing force, much less than what President Kennedy wanted. Also in May, a coup in Laos occurred and installed a friendly government to the PRC. With this, China was in the midst of securing itself as a third power in the Cold War and was beginning to surround Vietnam. War had been adverted but things were much from peaceful in southeast Asia.

Things were much less tense in Europe. Pope John Paul I had visited Poland to spearhead Ostpolitik and now the major topic was the official signing of the second Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty(SALT2). This treaty tied together the Soviet Union and the United States ever closer in a hegemonic union of sorts. With the signing of SALT2, the Soviet Union had effectively completed the total split between China and now has cemented their cordial friendship policies with the United States. Meanwhile in the internal of America, things were much less friendly.

The Equal Rights Amendment or ERA as it was called, had just finally been ratified by the needed number of states. Conservatives were angry at that across the country and a stalking shadow of conservatism was following President Kennedy on all the issues of the day. They dogged him on energy policy, social funding, international relations and now a battle was raging on the issue of Homosexual rights. In numerous cities across the nation, sodomy laws were being passed or laws safeguarding gay rights were being repealed.

Many pundits had declared that the 1980 election was already underway between President Kennedy and conservative posterboy Ronald Reagan. It was only when the two men came together to rail against laws discriminating that gays couldn't be school teachers. President Kennedy himself would visit San Francisco to show his support of the gay community. Reagan would do something similar, the two only missing each other by a day.

()
President Kennedy visiting San Francisco

"The glasses hung lazily upon the bridge of his nose. He was intertwined in the midst of a political battle of right and left. Who also wouldn't take the position of President serious. Then, a slight thumb and puff was on his desk.

He glanced down, lay a small bag. He looked up again and saw Chief of Staff Sargent Shriver standing with a quizzical smirk on his face. "Do you know what that is?" Shriver asked, obviously already knowing what it was. "A teabag?" Ted said. "Well sir, you don't know how much trouble that's going to be". "Why?". "Because sir, people have sent whole crates to federal government offices. All apart of the conservatives 'Tea Party'..."

As UN peacekeepers marched about Phnom Penh, the Camp David peace accords came to be in late 1978 between Egyptian President Sadat, Israeli Prime Minister Sharon and US President Kennedy in the lodging. The three leaders would hammer out a deal and would put the Sinai peninsula back under Egyptian control. As tension eased in the waining light of the year 1978, 1979 would be much more chaotic in comparison.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: hcallega on July 19, 2010, 05:34:02 AM
Does Zack Galifianikis get to go to the White House to party with Teddy?


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on July 20, 2010, 08:47:03 PM
Does Zack Galifianikis get to go to the White House to party with Teddy?
If you mean VP Nick G., yes. If you mean "The Hangover" Zack G., well he's 10 by 1979!


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on July 20, 2010, 08:54:22 PM
Part 9: The Chronicles of Chaos

In February, UN peacekeepers began to withdraw after nearly a ten month period of work to cement the provisional government into a standing one. As American, Soviet and the British patchwork of peacekeepers left the also patchwork Cambodian government of democratic supporters, revisionary socialists, moderates, royalists and conservatives to fight against the pox marks along the Thai border that are the Khmer Rouge holdouts. With one situation quiet for now, another bubbles up. Iran explodes in open civil war in March, after a long and tumultuous time in the nation, the Shah had attempted to loosen his grip on the nation, by some time for him.

It was of course not enough and riots in the capitol and in majors cities broke out across the middle eastern nation. Support for a creation of an Islamic republic swells as the civil war plays out over the months, cultivating into the return of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and crowning the "Council of the Islamic Revolution". As islamics swelled in the rural areas, the "Shahites" as they are called, hold on to most of the cities and the surrounding areas. Only after purges did the Iranian army hold themselves to the Shah.

"Guns and men, oh my! Well that's what I thought when I came to do my usual work, the United States Embassy in little old Tehran. Things may be falling apart around, there was still work to do. Besides they were already beginning to withdraw from the city, in a hope to stop any hostage taking, have something like Saigon or some of the islamics to outright attack the embassy.

That didn't pan out if you know. Hey you probably know already. "Pop!, pop...pop,pop". Those bullets flew into the windows, spraying people with shards of the stuff, one guy was grazed in the shoulder. That went on for some time till we got out of that hell...."
- Exert from Iran on Fire, Chapter 7 "When we left Tehran"

With the Shah pleaded for help, President Kennedy had supplies sent to support the Shahites. This while parallel did quietly Chinese funds fed the islamics to continue the revolution against the Shah. President Kennedy would fiercely condemn any ideas of military intervention in Iran, as the Kennedy administration was still dealing with the literal and figurative fallout from the Three Mile Island accident. With his country collapsing, the Shah fled Iran to Cairo for exile. This did not end the civil war as the military was still locked in combat with the islamics and now marxists.

Two events that rattled the world occurred in July. First, the People's Republic had finally succeeded in sending two men into space aboard the Shuguang. Some soon said that the PRC was on it's way to the moon. Second was the shock when Iraqi general Saddam Hussein led troops in attacks across the border and had friendly troops to him, march on Baghdad.

Hussein's actions sparked increased worry over Iran. When his actions were condemned by Syria and the head Iraqi government, the Hussein coup was ended when Syrian forces help hold Baghdad. When Hussein was captured and his forces smashed, he was tried and executed by hanging. With Syria's help, the planned union between Iraq and Syria went through, joining the two Ba'athist nations together in the Iraqi-Syrian Friendship Union(ISFU).

()
Public execution of General Saddam Hussein

In August, the KGB and the Soviet Union supported a coup against the increasingly unpopular Afghan government of Mohammad Daoud Khan. It is a success, but Daoud calls for support from his allies in Pakistan and the People's Republic of China. Hoping to cement a power base, China waves the flag of peacekeeping and sends troops along with Pakistan into Afghanistan.

The first actions of this Sino-Pakistani peacekeeping is to bring a crashing hammer down on the military forces pledged to the opposition. Mainly the Chinese will overwhelm the Afghan opposition army in early victories but this grind to a halt as these forces begin to disperse and fight a guerrilla war against the Chinese and Pakistani's. Soon things would get much harder as the quietly Soviet funded Mujaheddin raise hell against the peacekeepers. With only this war a few months old, it becomes a slow slugfest and battles to keep Kabul and the borderlands between Afghanistan, China and Pakistan.

()
An early Chinese victory over Afghan tank forces

Things happened quickly over the world. Sandinista forces won in Nicaragua against the US supported government there. False reports by the Ayatollah Khomeini that Americans had occupied the Grand Mosque in Mecca sets off a firestorm in Iran, Pakistan and Iraq-Syria, leading to the attempted and successful destruction and deaths of Americans at the embassies in said countries. With this false reports, President Kennedy imposed sanctions against the new Islamic Republic of Iran and used the spector of foreign oil dependence to push through more alternate energy incentives.

()
Enraged Pakistani's burn an US flag in Islamabad

The year wound down. The United States led their European allies while the Soviets did the same to push for embargoes against the People's Republic and several of their allies. 1980 was moving along, a year that would be a besieged one at that.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Vazdul (Formerly Chairman of the Communist Party of Ontario) on July 21, 2010, 11:49:07 AM
This is a great timeline. Keep it coming!


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on July 25, 2010, 11:27:54 PM
For now, this TL will be on a short hiatus since I'm in the middle of moving.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on September 06, 2010, 02:27:57 PM
Part 10: The Chronicles of Triumph

Two events occurred in the early days of January. To the pleasure of President Kennedy, Israel and Egypt formally established diplomatic relations. This although led to growing displeasure from the rest of the Arab world against Egypt. The second was the ingenuity escape of the remaining US diplomats from the embassy in Islamabad using a ruse. The ruse was coined as the "Canadian Caper", as the diplomats posed as Canadians to escape from the city to Zurich, Switzerland.

Another terrible moment of January is when guerrilla's took over the Spanish embassy in Guatemala City. In the ensuing battle for control of the embassy, a fire was started. The fire spread, destroying much of the embassy and killing nearly forty people in the process. Spain would react by severing ties with Guatemala for the time being.

February gave a wide birth to hope with the opening of the 1980 Winter Olympics. The famous victory of the United States over the Soviet Union in the "Miracle on Ice" gave many Americans a big bright spot in their days. The victory over the favored Soviets and winners of the past years, brought a unifying moment not only for America, bu the world. That was until China announced they would be boycotting the Olympics that year.

()
"Folks, do you believe in miracles?"

The success of Voyager 1 had President Kennedy push to expand the space budget even more. This gave rise to Ronald Reagan's quote that "President Kennedy had expanded the size of government so large, whole satellites can orbit it". Republicans and Democrats pushed and pulled for sometime until moderates relented and supported the budget increase. Shortly into March, President Kennedy gave a inspirational and highly determined speech to the nation.

()
President Kennedy announcing a "Mars Shot"

"...it is with every fiber that I should announce that by the dawn of a new millennium, that we as humanity will put a person on the red planet. This Mars shot will be a hard and long battle uphill, but we have done the impossible before. It is now our time to prove the determination of this generation and the generations to come, that we looked to the heavens and explored the vast expanse known as the universe..." - Exert from President Kennedy's Address to Congress

The death of Yugoslavian leader Josip Tito leads to one of the largest gatherings of diplomats from around the world. Brezhnev, Kennedy, Qing, Thatcher and numerous others gathered for the highly televised funeral. The meeting was one of few to show the three power bloc leaders in some show of unity. Something that was in short supply.

At the city of Gwangju flares with student demonstrations. The students call for democratic reforms to the military government. President Kennedy tells the US ambassador to South Korea that a peaceful compromise must be reached. The South Korean military is unrelenting and shrugs off the peace proposals from the United States, ordering troops to march on the students.

The Gwangju students are labled a communist uprising and are quashed in what will be the "Gwangju Massacre". President Kennedy scorns the South Korean government and Chun Doo-hwan. The swinging hammer came down on the students heads in a literal sense, with the brutal breakup of what was labled a "communist attempted coup" in the South Korean's eyes. With the failure of President Kennedy and State Secretary Brzezinski to come to a compromise and peace, the two men tarnished themselves and quickly the polarizing Brzezinski was attacked from the left and right.

()
Picture of the Gwangju Massacre

More upbeat bipartisan news came with the announced push from SEE Carter and Agriculture Secretary Fred Harris for the creation of a farmers corps. This "farm corps" was framed similarly to the peace corps, but would have farmers apply for two years to be sent to developing nations to help with agricultural improvement. The creation gained the backing of Democrats, but a substantial number of moderate republicans led by Robert "Bob" Dole. The creation bill passed easily, also some republicans would label that Dole had made a "deal with the devil", leading to the harsh nickname "Devil Dole".

()
"Devil Dole" speaking about the Farmer Corps

As 1980 creeped to it's end, the famously lampooned "People's Olympics" were held in Shanghai for all the boycotting nations to attend. Many in the west named the people's olympics the "Paper Dragon Classics", for it was a paper thin reasoning for the eastern Dragon. In nearly all of the games in the People's Olympics, China won against Pakistan, Laos, Sudan, Burma, North Korea, Afghanistan, Kenya, Bangladesh and the Central African Republic.

()
Signing of the Gdansk Agreement

Through out August, Lech Walesa led a strike in Gdansk Shipyard. The demands were for labor reforms, increased civil rights and the release of political prisoners. In a suprise, the strikers won their fight and the Gdansk Agreement was signed. Thus this agreement would fundamentally change Poland as it asserted the civil rights of people and help ferment what would become known as the Solidarity movement in the years to come.

In the last days of 1980, a shock came to the world. After a long spiral downward in economic stagnation, Leonid Brezhnev had been forced from office. Some will label the attempts to reform the USSR his undoing, loosening it enough so the Soviet people could see the excess waist and corruption. With it a reformer would take over, 49 year old Mikhail Gorbachev.

()
New Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev

The year was over. Now a roaring and up and down era was about to being. It was the dawn of indulgence, damnation and declaration. It was the dawn of the 80's.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Vazdul (Formerly Chairman of the Communist Party of Ontario) on September 06, 2010, 02:52:06 PM
It's back! :D

Keep it coming!


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on September 07, 2010, 02:55:44 PM
Presidential Election of 1980

The Democrats: The campaign for renomination was a tough fight for President Kennedy. Senator Henry "Scoop" Jackson was running against Kennedy on a pro Israel, tough foreign policy platform. Jackson's campaign caught fire in the beginning but fizzled out in the end. Another challenger to Kennedy was Mississippi Governor Finch, who easily was trounced. At the Convention, Jackson backed Kennedy and with it a possible situation was averted.

The Republicans: The republicans had their favorite man Ronald Reagan run. Reagan trounced many other smaller candidates, narrowing the field down to him and John Anderson. Much of the campaign spiralled around Anderson's VP campaign in 1976 and the perceived ruination of the Republicans in '76. Still Anderson picked up his homestate, the northeast and Hawaii. Reagan would win in a close first ballot. Anderson, angered by the divisive campaign and the nomination of Reagan, jumped ship and announced the formation of the Moderate Party. Reagan meanwhile would choose Congressman Phil Crane as his runningmate.

The American-Independents: The American Independent Party was now facing a race without their leader George Wallace. The race came down to Governor Meldrim Thomson and Lt. Governor Lester Maddox. The powers of the south in the party won out and Maddox won. In a slap to the northern independents, Maddox would select Congressman John Rarick as his runningmate, creating an all south ticket.

The General: The general was a fierce battle. Anderson's entry into the race had him at 18%, but that number had deteriorated over the campaign. The economy was the major issue, as it had began a decline. Taxes, foreign policy and health care took a back seat. Kennedy made the case that his implemented programs was holding back a tidal wave of economic recession. Reagan said that things would get worse if his economic policies or "Reaganomics" were not in place. Kennedy attacked "Reaganomics" as "Voodoo Economics". In a close and divisive race with Maddox and Anderson tearing votes from Reagan, Kennedy pulled off a close reelection with tight victories in Ohio, Missouri and Florida. Though this reelection was bittersweet, as Republicans would take both the House and Senate.

(
)

(D)-Pres. Edward "Ted" M. Kennedy, MA/VP. Nick Galifianakis, NC: 278 EV
(R)-Fmr Gov. Ronald W. Reagan, CA/Rep. Philip "Phil" M. Crane, IL: 224 EV
(AI)-Fmr Lt Gov. Lester G. Maddox, GA/Fmr Rep. John R. Rarick, LA: 36 EV
(M)-Fmr Rep. John B. Anderson, IL/Sen. Charles M. "Mac" Mathias, Jr., MD: 0 EV


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on September 09, 2010, 03:14:05 PM
Part 11: The Chronicles of Tragedy

Edward Moore Kennedy took the oath of office once again. President Kennedy would outline his strategy for his second term. Ranging from a economic plan based on reforming the tax system, cutting taxes for the lower and middle class and increasing taxes on the rich. Many more of his plans was to reform both education and immigration.

In February a shock came to the public, President Kennedy and First Lady Joan Kennedy were divorcing. The proceedings would be civil and courteous between the two camps. New southern Republicans, hoping to prove themselves, raised hell against Kennedy. The "Southicans" would call Kennedy someone who was degrading the fabric of family values.

These were trivial but hampered the Economic Aid Package of 1981. After defeat in the House, Kennedy would be forced to submit the parts of the bill separately. The Tax Code Reorganization Act, the Tax Cuts for the Middle Class Act passed with wide support. The tax cuts for the lower class passed in a closer vote and the tax increase for the wealthy was fought to the death, barley passing. The tax code, tax cuts for the middle class and lower passed in the Senate but the tax increase for the wealthy failed.

In Spain, late February had a attempted coup by Colonel Antonio Tejero. Rushing into the Spanish Congress of Deputies, men with guns were at the ready for a "competent, military authority". The military authority would never come and Manuel Gutierrez Mellado would continue to order to desist. In anger and frustration, Tejero fired point blank at Mellado. The situation would be resolved in a bloody fashion but Democracy would live on, forever though tainted in blood.

()
President Kennedy with Mikhail Gorbachev

In March, President Kennedy met with new Soviet leader Gorbachev. The two would forge a more open dialogue between the USSR and the US. Both leaders would use their press to open up dialogue, with Gorbachev "talking" through the US news media to the American people and Kennedy through the Soviet news media. This approach would become common place for Russian and American leaders in the years to come.

"Things were changing. With the Soviet Union in a good way and the economy in a bad way. Still there was work to be done. Sargent walked in with news.

'We have some new news, we have to move around your scheduling but theirs now an opening to speak to the AFL-CIO at the Hilton' Sargent said. 'What happened to Kirkland?' Ted asked. 'Lane has caught a nasty case of the flu, Mr. President'. With that Ted fiddled with his pen in his hand for a few seconds, let out a 'hmm' and looked to meet Shriver's gaze.

'A President beats Labor Secretary anyday. Alright do what you have to do get me to the Hilton'. Ted said. With that, Sargent smiled and turned to exit the door."


 In late March, President Kennedy would attend a luncheon at the Hilton Hotel. When it ended at 2:30, Kennedy would walk out and six shots would ring out. Two would hit a police officer, one would hit a secret service agent, one would hit Kennedy's press secretary and the last two would impact into the President himself. One would impact in his shoulder and another would lodge itself in Kennedy's lung.

As the President fell to the ground, secret service tackled the assassin. With that, Kennedy was rushed to the nearest hospital George Washington University. In great pain, Kennedy was rushed into the ER. There the surgery to remove the bullet in Kennedy's lung went wrong.

"I'll remember it like it was only a few yours ago instead of years. We went in, tried to remove the bullet from the lung. Little did we know it was a 'devastator', a bullet that should have exploded on impact. Well that's when everything became a bloodbath.

That loud pop rang out and blood spurted everywhere. The bullet had exploded in his lung. There's was nothing we could do, blood flew and the few that stood up immediately saw a horrible sight. I was the unlucky one, I saw the life drain from the eyes of a President, I saw the life drain from the country itself.
" - Dr. Giordano, Exert from Death of a Dream: The Assassination of Edward M. Kennedy

()
New President Galifianakis

"Today a national tragedy has occurred. A beloved man has perished in a cruel and sinister assassination. Today we must march on, to aspire to the dreams that Edward Kennedy hoped for our nation to reach. We shall reach for the stars and for our economic hopes. We cannot let the hope perish or the dream die." - Exert from President Galifianakis Address to the Nation

The nation marched on. In April, the Space Shuttle Columbia was launched on STS-1 mission or "Dream Mission". In May, the Kennedy Act is passed by Congress, prompting more checks for gaining a gun. Some conservatives will object, but the assassination of Ted Kennedy will push enough Republicans to support. In June, President Galifianakis expanded funding for disease research after the appearance of a growing immune system disorder.

President Galifianakis, wishing to fill the empty vice presidential position, chose Sargent Shriver. Many are surprised by this choice, including the Congress. Using Kennedy's death and the hope to carry on Kennedy's legacy in some form, Congress confirms Shriver in bipartisan fashion. With that done, a cordial but somber Shriver will take his place as Vice President by May.

()
Supreme Court Justice Robert N.C. Nix, Jr.

President Galifianakis made his first choice for the Supreme Court, nominating Robert N. C. Nix, Jr. to replace Eisenhower appointee Potter Stewart. After a fight over controversies in the 1960's and battles for reelection, Nix was confirmed by the Congress to become the second African American justice. Israel, under the new leadership of Menachem Begin, began bombing campaigns in Beirut to attempt to handicap the PLO. These attacks would lead to a worldwide condemnation and the US would embargo the flow of aircraft to Israel.

The later months of the year are up and down. In October, the US economy began it's decline quickly. The same month, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat escapes assassination from members of the Islamic Jihad organization. November had the Sandinista War grow and begin to expand to Mexico and Soviet and American diplomats meet in Geneva to discuss intermediate range nuclear weapons reduction.

December had the US increase embargoes against South Africa while the Communist system in Poland were being broken by Solidarity. War clouds grew as a car bomb destroyed the Iraqi-Syrian embassy in Beirut. Blame fell on Israel and forces were garrisoned. As military posturing overtook the Middle East and economic recession hit the United States, the year ended.

The year 1981 may be over but the 80's were just beginning.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Vazdul (Formerly Chairman of the Communist Party of Ontario) on September 09, 2010, 03:57:22 PM
This is great. Keep it coming!


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Cassius Dio on September 09, 2010, 09:00:06 PM
Great story! I realy enjoy this.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on September 14, 2010, 07:55:35 PM
Part 12: The Chronicles of Recess

With the economy going downhill, President Galifianakis began to push for a revised budget early in the year. Galifianakis hoped to cut spending in a number of areas, while putting more funding towards job training and welfare programs. Republicans, in charge of Congress, vowed to fight to the death. The first proposed budget was exactly what Galifianakis wanted.

The military budget was slashed, welfare and job programs were expanded, the NASA budget remained the same. Republicans tore apart the budget, pushing one that lowered taxes, cut education, welfare and NASA. After two months battling, President Galifianakis found an unexpected supported in freshmen Senator Jim Lovell. Lovell led the fight to keep NASA's budget, while pushing for moderate changes.

()
Senator Lovell speaking for a moderate budget

After a fight, the Lovell supported moderate budget passed both the House and the Senate. Even though Lovell did not write a majority of the moderated budget, pundits will label it "Lovell's level headed Masterpiece". President Galifianakis signed off on the budget. A compromise, still a victory though for the Galifianakis Administration.

Israel, reeling from the embargoes on them, launched Operation: Peace for Galilee in March. The operation will send IDF into southern Lebanon. Syria and Iraq and appalled and garrison their forces to ready. Soon after, Galilee is the spark for the two Arab nations to declare war.

Both sides hoped to limit the conflict to Lebanon itself. This "82 Lebanon War" would be devastating to the Cedar nation for years to come. As Syrio-Iraqi and Israeli forced fought in Beirut and beyond, the Muslim Brotherhood rose up in Syria and Iraq and began a grueling guerrilla warfare. In response, Syrians will brutally suppress towns possibly harboring brotherhood supporters.

As Hama and Harran are massacred, Argentina leader Leopoldo Galtieri wanted to return a fervency to his nation and to his support. He decided to send forces in April to invade the Falklands Islands or the Malvinas. The world community came out in fervent opposition to Argentina and an "Empire Strikes Back". British forces would engage Argentine, but would not come to bear on account of discourse in Spain.

()
First British ground forces in Falklands

Argentine commando's snuck through Spanish defenses and enacted Operation: Algeciras. Scuba commando's planted timed mines on several British boats and swam back. Several hours later, a handful of British boats exploded in balls of fire. Britain played right into the Argentine hand's and restricted send some of their naval forces.

With this, the war would be slightly leaning towards Britain but the Grand Empire could very well handicap themselves. Meanwhile, the United Nations votes to demand that Israel and Syrio-Iraqi forces be removed from Lebanon and a UN peacekeeping force be sent in. Israel would not heed this as Begin felt that the US had sold them out to "Islamo-Fascist" alliances.

()
New Israeli Prime Minister Shamir

The battle over the Lebanon war came to a head in September when a demanding population in Israel forces the hand of Menachem Begin. With Begin resigning, a new worry appears with hardliner Yitzhak Shamir succeeding Begin. Shamir would try and work with the United Nations to bring about a peaceful transition, coming at the eleventh hour in December after conceding to public outcry. The Christman Protocols would sign a weary peace treaty between Iraq, Syria and Israel as UN peacekeepers were deployed in Lebanon.

The United States meanwhile, had suffered with gas prices skyrocketing because of the Lebanon War. Because of this, President Galifianakis had to deal with the pill to swallow in November. The Republicans increased their leads in both the House and Senate. Democrats gained several seats in the south of all places, but these were conservative democrats running on a "Good Ol' Boys" campaign.

President Galifianakis faced another slap to his face as Speaker Michel is taken down by his deputy Trent Lott in a brawl for the speakership. With a southern conservative in charge, Galifianakis only hope rested in the hands of the new moderate deputy George H.W. Bush.

"The President picked up the phone and dialed, it was late, but he knew the man on the other would be awake and lively. "Hello, George Herbert Walker Bush". "George, it's me" Galifianakis said mildly. "I know sir, everyone knows the North Carolina accent. What is it you need sir?". "Well George, I need to ask you something. Do you like Trent Lott?". "Sir if I may be blunt, I dislike him more than a bucket of lukewarm piss". Galifianakis smiled at what Bush said. He knew that a possibility was about to become reality. "George, you know there are things to be done for the nation. I've been working with the likes of you moderates for some time, now all that is in jeopardy. With Lott, things are about to grind to a halt. In this economy, that can't happen". "What are you proposing sir?" Bush enquired. "How do I put this...., a coalition of the willing"....

The year somberly ended. Gorbachev had just unveiled his plans to reform the USSR in the forms of "Glasnost" and "Perestroika". Poland was about to break from an increasingly weakening communist Eastern Europe. Wars waged and blood was spilled over two plots of land, one an island and the other the land of the cedar tree.

()
Richard M. Nixon 10th Anniversary Half Dollar

China was being beaten by upstart insurgents in Afghanistan and had much more blows to receive. For the United States, the economy was sour and conservatism was finally taking hold. For the end days of 1982, the United States held the 10th Anniversary of the assassination of Richard M. Nixon. A commemorative half dollar would be released for the occasion.

The year of ruckus and recession was over. Now the new year of 1983 dawned.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Vazdul (Formerly Chairman of the Communist Party of Ontario) on September 14, 2010, 10:50:15 PM


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on October 13, 2010, 12:35:48 AM
Part 13: The Chronicles of Victories and Setbacks

"Things were always hell on my uncle. People simplify things into either good or bad and since the victor writes the history books, the Democrats of today consider him something of a traitor. His only damn cardinal sin was working with Republicans, moderates at the time. Now those former RINO's are everywhere, so all I can say is that the Historians should really SHUT IT! Ow and President Perry can suck my you know what...." - Representative Zach Galifianakis, interview with 60 Minutes, 2007

The year opened with the huge shake up in the Soviet bloc. The nation of Poland have effectively broken off from the Soviet bloc with it's independent stance, now they only put their independence in writting. Hardliners in the Soviet Union called for Soviet forces to storm Warsaw and Krakow and reinstate the hardliners. Gorbachev, ever in step with the international world, accepted this, saying that if "An independent Yugoslavia can coexist with us, so can Poland".

In June, President Galifianakis declared a "War on Environmental Decay". The Galifianakis Administration helped craft the Clear Air Act of 1983 for the Congress. Republicans led by Speaker Trent Lott declared "a solemn declaration of war" on the White House. As debate raged, the ringing endorsement of the bill by George H.W. Bush pierced the noise.

()
Deputy Speaker George H.W. Bush

Bushes endorsement of the Clear Air Act caused chaos and anarchy in the ranks of the Republicans. Moderates rallied behind Bush, hoping to stick it to the Conservatives and especially Lott. Once again the wounds of 1976 were open again and the Grand Olde Party was in civil war. With support from the "Coalition of the Willing" and support from the American public, the Clear Air Act would pass the House and then the Senate.

()
Speaker Lott stating his disapproval of Bush

In the aftermath, Conservatives raised hell against Bush, calling for his "coup" from the deputyship. Moderate were deeply opposed to this and held Bush as a crusader for the "legacy of Roosevelt and Nixon". With the partisan gridlock and bickering, Bush was forced from the deputy position, but gained the title of de facto leader of the moderates and a possible presidential contender.

"We don't need a dang war against that kind of hot air. What we need to declare some war on is the hot air from President Galifianakis mouth!" - Quote from Jesse Helms, Host of the radio show The Right Direction

Also for June, the United Kingdoms went through it's cycle of elections for the year 1983. With a wounded economy and a weary war environment in the Falklands War, the Tories hold on to power after a intense campaign against Labour and Michael Foot. The SDP-Liberal Alliance also plays well and gains seats in the fights between the Tories and Labour. Another note of the election is several British papers printing headlines stating that "Foot Defeats Thatcher".

October became a month that filled headlines. In early October, South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan was killed in the bombing attack in Rangoon. Many South Korean delegates were in attendance for the laying of a wreath at the Martyr's Mausoleum in Myanmar. President Doo-hwan's death would be succeeded by Prime Minister Kim Sang-hyeop to become acting President.

In mid October, Prime Minister Maurice Bishop of Grenada was killed by firing squad after being release from house arrest by demonstrators. Instability grew in the tiny island nation as an alliance of Carribean nations made a plea to the United States. Led by Dominica, the "Carribean Alliance" made their case on the instability of Grenada and worries it posed on the stability of the whole region. With President Galifianakis worried about Cuba's attempts to shape itself into a regional power, the President signed onto a plan.

The plan was to work through the United Nations. In a lopsided vote, the UN General Assembly voted against the actions on the island of Grenada, but talk about sending in peacekeepers were slow because of the situation of Lebanon. Carribean nations weren't pleased by this and called it "inaction". Cuba would be the one to act and sent in peacekeepers into Grenada.

()
Cuban Soldiers in Grenada

In several months, they would overcome the Grenadian military rule and implement the Marxist Government once again. With Cuba's intervention, Republicans took it as a chance to jump on President Galifianakis inaction. In a bloody brawl that spanned from Congress to the headlines, the President's polls took a dent that he didn't need. With a victory for Cuba, the President had been delivered a black eye because of the situation.

In a more light and somber moment, President Galifianakis signed into law an act that made Martin Luther King's birthday a federal holiday. While many conservatives, both Republican and Democrats, voted against the bill the northern representatives and moderates helped carry the bill through. The closeness was something that scarred the President, saying that "if things have become that partisan, we're sunk in '84".

In November, The Soviet Union was rocked by hardliners in a different form. Militant communist hardliners hijacked an airplane on the runway and held the passengers hostage. With several children of the intellectual elite, the hijackers called for money from these families and passage to the PRC, a safe haven for several hardline groups. The Soviets refused and an operation to storm the plane was put into action.

In the wee hours of the second day, Soviet special forces took the plane, killing all of the hijackers. The civilian body count was high, for so many were killed by the hijackers or wounded in the firefight. The Soviet Union would gain criticism abroad as some called the operation by the Alpha team "heavy handed".

"We arrived early on boarding Aeroflot flight 6833. It seemed simple, get on the plane, fly back to Georgia and god bless Gorbachev for loosening flight travel in the then Soviet Union. We sat ourselves down in our seats, middle of the plane. I got a window seat, 'unlucky me' I thought at the time. I was chatting it up with Davit about Gorbachev's 'Perestroika'.

How couldn't I, it was exciting, hope for prosperity and a free USSR under Premier Gorbachev, full of life in comparison to Brezhnev. Funny how everything changes with men with guns. Funny life can change that quick
" - Quote from Gega Kobakhidze - A Flight of Friends

The year war over. After a year of setbacks and victories for all sides, the roaring '80's kept on going. Wars around the world, ideological battles and a spirit of renewal was moving right along. The new year dawned, one full of fight and fury.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Vazdul (Formerly Chairman of the Communist Party of Ontario) on October 13, 2010, 02:05:18 AM
This is one of my favorite timelines on this site. Keep it coming!


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on October 13, 2010, 08:06:59 PM
1) Good timeline
2) What about your Ross Perot timeline?
3) What's the point of having both "Election What-Ifs" and "Alternate History"?


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자) on October 13, 2010, 08:39:56 PM
3) What's the point of having both "Election What-Ifs" and "Alternate History"?

Good question.  The two sub-boards do have a different focus.  As a general rule topics that focus on a specific election go in "Election What-Ifs" while topics that cover a broader span of time, or don't have anything to do with elections go here.  "Election What-Ifs" also tends to get topics that go past a single election but have as their point of departure (POD) an event that happens during an election campaign.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on October 14, 2010, 02:56:26 PM
This is really interesting. To me, the seventies, with all that went on with the Cold War, Nixon, detente, stagflation, and all the rest, can seem like a really interesting decade, especially in this timeline (Three Republican Presidents in only two terms!). Anyway, too bad Reagan lost twice. I'm hoping for a Jack Kemp or Barry Goldwater Jr. Revolution soon ;)


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on October 15, 2010, 02:51:49 PM
This is a great time line, but I've noticed an inconsistency. In the "Chronicles of Hate" which takes place roughly around 1973, you have George Bush being a Senator, while much later, between 1980 and 1984, George Bush is the Deputy Speaker of the House. This was probably an oversight on your part.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on October 17, 2010, 10:43:22 PM
This is a great time line, but I've noticed an inconsistency. In the "Chronicles of Hate" which takes place roughly around 1973, you have George Bush being a Senator, while much later, between 1980 and 1984, George Bush is the Deputy Speaker of the House. This was probably an oversight on your part.

Thank you for the heads up, that was an easy little change. Still, I'm happy that you like the TL so much and I hope to entertain.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on October 18, 2010, 01:44:26 PM
Will this be updated soon? And what about the Ross Perot timeline, which I bumped two weeks ago?


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on October 24, 2010, 07:37:22 PM
Bump...Update soon?


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on October 24, 2010, 09:46:44 PM
I'm working on it right now. It'll be up shortly.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on October 24, 2010, 10:00:23 PM
Part 14: The Chronicles of Prelude

The first months of 1984 were dominated by Lebanon. United Nations peacekeepers were being attacked by christian and muslim militants, Beirut was a wreck and the people were crying for working government or for the UN to leave. President Galifianakis wanted the peacekeepers to stay and do their job. Republicans seized on the growing worry and called for the United States attention to be focused on China, not Lebanon.

From three months, the United Nations Transitional Authority in Lebanon(UNTAL) attempted to stamp down a leave date. Riots occurred against and for the peacekeepers to stay. Finally August was set as the leave date and a weary populace would be exposed to civilian government once again.

In April, in response to the upcoming Tax Day, Senator Ronald Reagan and Representative Ron Paul introduced the Reagan-Paul Gold Standard Act. The act would return the national monetary to being backed by gold. Liberals on both sides of the aisle tore into the act as a "lovely piece of 19th Century legislation". Congressman Paul found it a hard time to pull together a fighting change for the bill to pass.

()
Senator Reagan with Congressman Paul

Aid came in the form of Jack Kemp. Kemp. a Congressman from New York, would lead a group of economic conservative Northerners into supporting the Gold Standard Act. Soon, conservative Democrats from the South and American Independents headed into the fold. The bill was divisive and passed in the House.

For the Senate, a weary many voted against the bill and defeated it. With the Reagan-Paul Act slain, it had increased Jack Kemp's appeal for the 1984 Republican Nomination and raised the issue of hard currency again. It had also help blur the line between moderate and conservative Republicans in the House. This was a good sign and a hope for the upcoming election that unity could be achieved.

"We said we wanted to make money honest. I'm not going to give a speech on my views of monetary policy, but see this little piece of paper? This is an I.O.U. It says Federal Reserve on here, but there is absolutely nothing guaranteeing that the purchasing power of this piece of paper will not collapse tomorrow other than our faith, and our hard work, and our muscle, and our might, and our capital and labor.

I am a radical believer in the idea that the dollar should be so honest, so sound, so trustworthy, so good, so predictable, so lasting in value, that it's as good as gold."
- Exert, Jack Kemp campaign speech, 1984

August claimed more Chinese peacekeepers than any other month in the term of occupation. Because of this the term "August Blood Harvest" came into meaning in the Chinese mindset. Their former allies, Pakistan, had pulled out troops and now were guarded along their border against mujaheddin fighters. China was alone in their fight.

Unrest against the occupation grew internally and in Afghanistan. Riots broke out casually in the Chinese controlled zones. To deal with this, harsh crackdowns were ordered and any leaders against the Chinese occupation were labled "mujaheddin fighters" and imprisoned. Chinese forces grew more sloppily over time and with the strain of internal order, mujaheddin fighters pierced deep.

With the ever advancing encroachment of mujaheddin fighters, China began a massive pullout of it's soldiers from the country. Hotel Kabul would become a symbolic statue to the defeat of the Chinese. The hotel would be the center of control for the Chinese in Kabul. With the draw down, a van loaded with explosives rammed into it and took out several dozen Chinese higher ups, soldiers and civilians.

()
Chinese tanks pullout of Afghanistan

"All hope had already been lost in the Chinese adventurism into Afghanistan, the destruction of Hotel Kabul was only one of many sparks to ignite the Chinese Revolution for Democracy. Death after death, sons were heading home to Beijing in body bags. People could no longer yearn under the oppressive yoke, naturally dissent bubbled. In the Chinese society, the regime would not allow dissent even to bubble, keeping every pressured over a decade.

Still my days as a soldier, fighting for the simple banner of Communism was to be spit on by the future days. We may have stripped the bonds from the workers, but with freedom comes the insanity."
-Former Colonel Deng Wan-Shoo, current Military Teacher in Beijing, quote from Adventurism of the Dragon

The remainder of the year was a mosaic of varying scale. September brought a healthy competion of sorts between the United States and the USSR in space. Both the newly inaugurated Soviet Space Shuttle Korolyov was launched shortly before the US Space Shuttle Discovery own launch. Both shuttles would of course aid in the continual construction of the World Space Station(WSS).

October brought about the "Hong Kong Spat" between Great Britain and the PRC. China demanded a return of Hong Kong in "due speed", Britain would have nothing to do with the nation that invaded Afghanistan and abused it's people. With America united behind Britain against the Chinese and the Soviets claiming neutrality over the issue, China would back off fearing that the strain could exacerbate the internal issues. For now, Hong Kong would remain under British authority.

November had Cuba flexing it's muscles again, supporting the victors of the elections in Nicaragua, the Sandinista Front. Cuba would send supplies in the form of weapons to the new leaders to help put down insurgents against the leftist government. With Nicaragua coming into it's sphere of influence, Cuba is now becoming a regional power, although a minor one.

The year was over, with it the next would be one of ups and downs and victories for the opposition on all sides.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on October 25, 2010, 08:39:59 AM
Finally! YEAH! An update! Kemp/Paul 1984!


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on October 25, 2010, 04:26:28 PM
Presidential Election of 1984

The Democrats: Although President Galifianakis was battered goods, no major opponent appeared to challenge him for the nomination. Vice President Shriver had been speculated to retire and not seek nomination as Vice President, but that wasn't true. Their was a small but pushy "Drop Sarge" movement. Still Sargent was nominated and the Galifianakis/Shriver ticket began their underdog campaign.

One bright highlight of the convention was the song sung by John Lennon from his new album, Paraiyar.

The Republicans: As peaceful as the Democratic nomination was, the Republicans was the exact opposite. Two major candidates appeared, Representative Jack Kemp and Governor Dick Thornburgh. Kemp was the "Man with the Golden Vote", while Thornburgh was the "Hero of Three-Mile Island". The primaries became a bitter hit and run battle, with Kemp and Thornburgh trading blows between each other.

The Reverend Jerry Falwell also ran, titled the "Christian Conservative" in contrast to the more Libertarian Kemp. Falwell's run helped siphon off votes that would otherwise have went to Kemp. Because of this and his blend of conservatism and moderation, Dick Thornburgh won the nomination. To appeal to the more conservative Republicans, Thornburgh chose Barry Goldwater, Jr as his runningmate.

In another overture to conservatives, support of a gold standard was added to the party plank and Thornburgh pledged to bring in conservatives into his cabinet.

The American-Independents: Former South Carolina Gubernatorial candidate William Westmoreland won the nomination because of a strong draft over Meldrim Thomson. To appease and extend to the northern conservatives, Thomson was carried over to the vice presidential position. The Westmoreland/Thomson ticket will expouse a strong conservative and military mantra, but Westmoreland will make a strong case for education reforms.

The General: The general election had the unlikely pairing of Thornburgh/Goldwater run easily in front. Championing a Reaganesque "Thornomics" to solve the economy, nearly ran away with the election. Westmoreland did the dirty work that Galifianakis didn't want to do, as he attacked Thornburgh over support from Jesse Jackson. In the end the Republicans gained a landslide victory over President Galifianakis.

(
)

(R)-Gov. Richard "Dick" L. Thornburgh,PA/Rep. Barry M. Goldwater Jr,CA: 373 EV
(D)-Pres. Nick Galifianakis,NC/VP. R. Sargent Shriver Jr,MD: 119 EV
(AI)-Fmr Gen. William C. Westmoreland,SC/Gov. Meldrim Thomson Jr,NH: 46 EV


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on October 25, 2010, 04:48:12 PM
Barry Jr! :D


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on November 07, 2010, 04:59:35 PM
Sorry about the long delay but Part 15 will be up on either Monday or Tuesday. It has a pillar of the whole plot(The Chinese Democratic Revolution) and I'm wondering of splitting it into a 15.0 and a 15.5 parts to cover foreign affairs and domestic affairs in detail.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on November 07, 2010, 05:40:59 PM
Sorry about the long delay but Part 15 will be up on either Monday or Tuesday. It has a pillar of the whole plot(The Chinese Democratic Revolution) and I'm wondering of splitting it into a 15.0 and a 15.5 parts to cover foreign affairs and domestic affairs in detail.

Yeah!

By the way, why is this called "Forever Mankind"? Does it have something to do with what you mentioned about China? And, sorry for bugging you like this, but what's the status of you Ross Perot TL?


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on November 08, 2010, 12:06:21 AM
Sorry about the long delay but Part 15 will be up on either Monday or Tuesday. It has a pillar of the whole plot(The Chinese Democratic Revolution) and I'm wondering of splitting it into a 15.0 and a 15.5 parts to cover foreign affairs and domestic affairs in detail.

Yeah!

By the way, why is this called "Forever Mankind"? Does it have something to do with what you mentioned about China? And, sorry for bugging you like this, but what's the status of you Ross Perot TL?

Thanks! The reason behind the title "Forever Mankind" is it is a quote from the Nixon speech that began this TL about the "Moon Landing Disaster". As for my Perot TL, it's sadly on hiatus, because I'll be trying to focus my energy on this TL for now.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on November 09, 2010, 10:40:40 PM
Quote
Well I decided to try and cram everything into one unified post. Hopefully it came out well enough. Enjoy!

Part 15: The Chronicles of Hectic Matters

()
President Richard L. Thornburgh
"After my time of numerous positions of dignity and power, they cannot ever equate to the position I now preside. This Presidency I hope is to be one of dignity and compassion. To show to the world that this nation is still a city upon a hill.." - Exert from President Thornburgh's Inaugural Speech

President Thornburgh quickly went to business. He would hold his promise and would appoint conservatives to high up cabinet positions. Professor Jeane Kirkpatrick for State, Ronald Reagan for Defense, Alan Greenspan for Treasury and Jack Kemp for Commerce. Several other nominations won't be so pleasing. The nominations for Energy and the Environment, Housing and Urban Development, Education and Agriculture would be the major battles.

()
TIME, 1985, Jackson's Nomination

For Housing and Urban Development, Thornburgh named Democrat Jesse Jackson as the nominee. Conservatives tore into Jackson, so did Jewish Congressmen. Thornburgh came out to support Jackson, calling him "the best man that knows the urban environment, from the inner city to the ghetto's". After intense debate and armtwisting, Jesse Jackson is confirmed as HUD Secretary.

Agriculture nominee Bob "Devil" Dole would face some scrutiny by the more partisan conservatives, but was confirmed. The nominee for SEE, former President Mark Hatfield, was forcefully rebuked by Congress by the sword of the conservatives. William Westmoreland's nomination as Education secretary has the opposite results, conservatives are fine with but liberals are angered at this choice. In the end, Westmoreland is confirmed.

In the House, things were transpiring against the Conservative Republicans. The vote for the Republican Majority leadership is a drag down contest. Speaker Lott is challenged by Congressman George H.W. Bush. Bush, being backed by freshman moderate Republicans, is able to peel off a tight victory over his nemesis.

With his victory, Bush will ascend to the Speakership and to show his gratefullness to the ever stronger Libertarian Republicans, rising star Ron Paul is made Deputy Speaker. Trent Lott, nearly ostracized because of the growing influence of Libertarian and Moderates, does a shocking thing. Lott will break from the Republican Party after being offered the position of American Independent House Minority Leader. Weighing his options and his local alliance with the American Independents, Lott made the stomach turning decision.

"I hope to lead this ragtag cavalry against the man in charge, new Speaker George H.W. Bush. Someone who only wants to turn his back on all that the moral majority has done for the Republican Party! That is why I today change my allegiance to the American-Independent Party!" - Trent Lott, 1985

"Well it's nice to see the true colors of Mr. Lott. Not Red like Republicans, but green like those American-Indy whackos." - George H.W. Bush, 1985

Even with the highly polarized Congress, President Thornburgh would begin to implement his "Thornomics". Without a major unifying opposition leader to rally behind, Republicans march forward and pass tax cuts and deep deregulating laws. Other effects is to streamline welfare and to pass one of Thornburgh's pet projects, disabled rights, in the form of the "Americans with Disabilities Act" of 1985.

()
NERVA Schematics

Two events occur in the area of space exploration. President Thornburgh orders NASA to scrap the usage of Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application(NERVA) in the planned Mars mission. This will quiet the worries of the use of nuclear engines in space and the heavy cost of NERVA use. Instead more effective and safe measures will be used, still though the Mars date will stand at 1995.

While troubled in politics, the Soviet Union announce their hopes of a manned Venus flyby by 1990. To spearhead this, the newly designed Heavy Interplanetary Spacecraft(HIS) will be used, borrowing design elements from the NASA "Red Tomorrow" designs. These two events show the stark differences in the two powers space dominance, with the Soviets of Venus and the US of Mars.

China had been bubbling and stewing over the withdrawl from Afghanistan. Now on the mark of the 10th Anniversary of the Tienanmen clampdown in the 70's, the Chinese youth pour into Beijing to protest. Suspicious already over their defeat in Afghanistan, the Chinese government would use harsh tactics to suppress the protesters. Many were imprisoned, some were killed.

Instead of quieting the troublemakers, it endeared many to the protesters and spontaneous protest broke out in major Chinese cities. As the imposing threat loomed over the regime, they once again made threats of use of military force against the protesters. The protesters wouldn't head this and would grow instead of shrinking in fear. The Beijing regime would order the use of force against the protesters across the country.

This message would never make it to many of the military forces poised to take the many cities, as Reformers in the military would make their move. Ever since the "Regime of Four" solidified their rule in the 70's, reformers have been working quietly through out the government, waiting for the moment to overthrow the corrupt regime. Soldiers began their revolt, turning on their fellow soldiers in violent means by bloodshed or peaceful means as joining the demonstrators. Still, near spontaneous warfare began to break out across China.

()
Scene of the Battle in Beijing

As street to street warfare broke out and the military seemed to crumble, a fierce and bloody battle began in the capitol of Beijing between the head forces of the reformist coup and the current regime. Protesters, soldiers and civilians would be engulfed in the bloody and long maw of combat in the capitol. In an audacious move, three of the regime leaders are captured, one will be shot while attempting to flee. Though victory has been declared in the wreck of Beijing, still numerous battalions and soldiers are pledged to the Communist dream.

With the populous in a majority of support of the reformers and the military fractured, the reformers had the upperhand in the conflict, still a Civil War had erupted in China.

"Tanks rolled by left and right. Flying blazen flags of the red and yellow or the defaced reformer flags of red and blue. Some idiotic people stood in the way of several barreling regime tanks. Sweet, stupid, heroic people they were. If the situation was different, if the ideals of democratic revolution had not burst into the use of the bullet, I may have done something similar in heroics. Still I did not, I lived through the carnage of the shining city of the Eastern coast. They, they were simply crushed under the weight of the regimes tyranny and the tanks treads. That is what I remember of the Battle of Beijing..." - Quote of Wang Weilin, from A People Amass: The New Revolution

()
Defense Secretary Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev at the Geneva Conference

President Thornburgh and Soviet Leader Gorbachev met in a meeting with their advisors in the neutral city of Geneva to discuss the new Chinese Civil War. Both Gorbachev and Thornburgh agreed to neutrality in the situation militarily in China, letting Thornburgh to give a Hatfieldesque China statement to the press. With the Geneva Conference on the Chinese Affair(GCCA) done, President Thornburgh arrived in Washington to address the nation. In his address, Thornburgh stated that though not military aid would come, that solidarity must be shown with the demonstrators and the struggling masses in China.

As the world's most populated nation bubbled with revolution and civil war, America sat in a peaceful time internally. The Soviet Union was shaking and heaving back and forth because of Gorbachev's reforms and independence movements were growing in it's borders. The world was in the stages of changing and the remainder of the 80's would parallel this same temperament. The new year dawned and an era of uncertainty was coming forth.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on November 12, 2010, 11:56:31 AM
Awesome update! I'm a big fan of Thornburough's cabinet. Do you have an entire list of the cabinet?


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on November 17, 2010, 06:06:57 PM
Awesome update! I'm a big fan of Thornburough's cabinet. Do you have an entire list of the cabinet?
Sorry it took so long. Here is the possible working cabinet for Thornburgh.

State: Jeane Kirkpatrick (R-NY)
Treasury: Alan Greenspan (R-NY)
Defense: Ronald Reagan (R-CA)
Attorney General: Sandra Day O'Connor (R-AZ)
Interior: Walter Hickel (R-AK)
Agriculture: Bob Dole (R-KS)
Commerce: Jack Kemp (R-NY)
Labor: Ann McLaughlin (R-NY)
Health and Human Services: Gerald Ford (R-MI)
Housing and Urban Development: Jesse Jackson Sr (D-IL)
Transportation: Neil Goldschmidt (D-OR)
Environment and Energy: James Schlesinger (R-NY)
Education: William Westmoreland (AI-SC)
Chief of Staff: Howard Baker (R-TN)
UN Ambassador: John Eisenhower (R-PA)


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on November 17, 2010, 09:17:28 PM
Awesome update! I'm a big fan of Thornburough's cabinet. Do you have an entire list of the cabinet?
Sorry it took so long. Here is the possible working cabinet for Thornburgh.

State: Jeane Kirkpatrick (R-NY)
Treasury: Alan Greenspan (R-NY)
Defense: Ronald Reagan (R-CA)
Attorney General: Sandra Day O'Connor (R-AZ)
Interior: Walter Hickel (R-AK)
Agriculture: Bob Dole (R-KS)
Commerce: Jack Kemp (R-NY)
Labor: Ann McLaughlin (R-NY)
Health and Human Services: Gerald Ford (R-MI)
Housing and Urban Development: Jesse Jackson Sr (D-IL)
Transportation: Neil Goldschmidt (D-OR)
Environment and Energy: James Schlesinger (R-NY)
Education: William Westmoreland (AI-SC)
Chief of Staff: Howard Baker (R-TN)
UN Ambassador: John Eisenhower (R-PA)

Thanks. It looks like a pretty good cabinet all around, at least for the main positions. Hoping for an update soon!


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on November 22, 2010, 08:41:10 PM
While waiting for an update, I have a couple questions:

How long was Agnew actually President?

How is the country handling three Presidential assassinations in less than twenty years?


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on November 22, 2010, 09:14:30 PM
While waiting for an update, I have a couple questions:

How long was Agnew actually President?

How is the country handling three Presidential assassinations in less than twenty years?

I'm still working on the next update, be patient. If I remember correctly, Agnew took office in December of 1972 and resigned halfway through 1973, so less than a year. As for how the nation is handling the number of assassinations of Presidents(1963-JFK, 1972-Nixon, 1981-Teddy), quite well infact. Politicians see it as a sad part of the job of executive leader and civilians mourn the loss of a leader, things like this are all apart of the mosaic of political discord that enveloped the 70's and 80's of TTL(Vietnam, Counterculture, "Tea Bag", Partisan gridlock, etc, etc).


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on November 25, 2010, 09:07:17 PM
Just a small nitpick, but...
Since Barry Jr. was a Congressman in 1984, I'm guessing he didn't run for Senate in 1982, right?


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on November 26, 2010, 03:06:10 PM
Just a small nitpick, but...
Since Barry Jr. was a Congressman in 1984, I'm guessing he didn't run for Senate in 1982, right?
Right, good old Ronnie ran for the Senate seat in '82, with Barry Jr's backing.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on November 29, 2010, 11:35:09 AM
Part 16: The Chronicles of War

With China up in flames, tension began to rise in Eastern Europe and the USSR. Would it be known that the Soviet space program would forward the tension between reformers and hardliners in the USSR. In mid January, a routine trek to the World Space Station by the Soviet space shuttle Buran became a tragedy. On it's return trip to Mother Russia, the Buran would erupt into a horrifying fireball in the sky.

()
Destruction of the Buran

Quickly what should have been a unifying effect upon the USSR, was in fact the opposite. Hardliners called the disaster a proving point that the reformers were splurging the Soviet nation into the ground. Quickly a bloody war of words enveloped the Soviet newspapers. Also talk began to funnel in Estonia of secession from the USSR, because of long resentment and the crazed air in the USSR over such a terrible disaster that should bring unification for a short time.

After all, Estonia did loose their first Cosmonaut in the destruction of the Buran. Soon though some "Sovie-ophile" sentiment would bubble up, offering any aid to the Soviet space program and the loss of one of their shuttles. Gorbachev would politely rebuff these sincere moves, stating that they had many Soyuz capsules and the Korolyov space shuttle still to use to supply the WSS. For now, greater safety checks would be implaced and the Soviet space program would suffer a loss in their budget.

With the Chinese affair weighing on the consciouses of many, President Thornburgh had to look back to America to fulfill a campaign pledge and to satisfy the Libertarian Republicans. Once against Ron Paul introduced the Gold Standard Act(GSA) of 1986. Paul was joyous about the position he was in, it was very likely to pass. The Democrats though had become a solid block to the issue in both the House and Senate.

()
Deputy Paul stressing the passage of the GSA

After arm twisting, conservative Republicans voted along with most moderates and fiscal conservative Democrats from the west and south, the bill was passed in the House of Representatives. In the Senate chambers, Democrats organized a strong push to kill the bill as they had done so before. This all the pushing on their part and the leadership of Senator Robert Byrd cannot end the assault from conservatives about the issue that they were promised. In a close battle over votes, the Senate passes the Paul Gold Standard Act of 1986 with several modifications.

As President Thornburgh signs the act into law, the economy fluctuates as the verbal battle in Congress has sent the stock market down a wounded path. Thus this hurts an economy that is just getting on track out of it's slump. In response to this wounding to the economy, Treasury Secretary Greenspan came to President Thornburgh and addressed to him the need to allow tax cuts for the wealthy. Thornburgh, weary of these, was trying to not do such a thing and anger lower class Americans with this "pander to the 2%".

"'No..hell..way!' is what I remember as Secretary Jesse blurted out. The air in the oval office was tense. No kinds words had ever been exchanged between Jackson and Greenspan during the entire tenure of my administration. This spat over the 2% tax cuts were what started it and I thought I could moderate these two men to find a common ground. That was the problem, moderation cannot be found on this mountain, if you get to the peak, you fall off either one side or another. Jesse bluntly said to me that it would be my face in the history books and that it was up to me to label myself. 'Do you wanna be Robin Hood or some damn Robber Baron'. A baron or a merry man of the hood was what I could be, the only thing I did know for a fact was that my cabinet was not the merriest of men". - Exert from A Time to Decide: the Biography of Richard Thornburgh

Across the Atlantic in a bar in West Berlin, American soldiers were carousing and having the best of times. From their point of view the Soviets were friendly and especially grand, the drinks were half off because of so many American soldiers that night. Things were usual, even the scurrying man that left the briefcase didn't send shivers for what was to come. Quickly as things were simple in comparison, things went to horrifyingly terrible.

An explosion erupted in the discotheque, killing 10 people in the process and wounding several hundred. As the sorting through the devastation occurred after by the West Berliner aid, it was discovered that out of the ten dead, six were American soldiers. Things happened quickly through out the month of April, President Thornburgh worked with his West German counterpart to uncover who was behind the attack. What came to light linked back to Libyan East Berlin embassy and the congratulatory telex messages from Libya on the attack.

Congress, controlled by Republicans, called for retribution against Libya. Enough internationalist Democrats joined in to hound President Thornburgh that he began to form a "Coalition of the United". Britain, West Germany, Egypt, France, Greece, Chad and a number of other allies united behind America after the April 5th bombing. In mid April, Congress voted for a declaration of war against Libya.

()
American fighters prepare for action

Forces were garrisoned in the Mediterranean to do battle and begin bombing of Libyan cities and military installations in a "High Tech War" against Qaddafi's government. President Thornburgh had decided not to commit ground forces as of yet and hoped to use air forces to overpower and force the hand of the Libyan government. International criticism came in different shades, Italy was the most forceful while the USSR attacked the US verbally but also made scathing remarks about the Libyan government also. Things even became more complicated when Italian Prime Minister Craxi secretly informed Muammar Qadaffi of planned bombings on his compound, lengthened what was thought to be a quick week long war or so. Still the Libyan War had started with mixed beginnings.

In September, DC Comics began the limited series "Who Killed the Peacemaker". In years to come, Peacemaker will be hailed as an excellent and shocking comic dealing with serious problems and asking "What If?". Peacemaker involves a world where superheroes are real, Nixon never was assassinated and served three terms, Apollo 11 was saved and the Cold War continues between the US and the USSR, with the PRC playing devils advocate to either side. The simple story involves the murder of one of the former superheroes, "Vishnu" as he was known, by an unknown assailant, setting off a mad dash to discover who and why.

The year moved to the next, 1987. The years of the hectic 80's were coming closer to an end. Still there was much fuss to come to the world in the three years left in the clock. China was in civil war, the United States and it's fractured allies had involved themselves in a war with Libya and the Soviet Union was swaying back in forth from the strain of all these long years. The world watches as 1987 dawns.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on November 29, 2010, 02:47:43 PM
I love your reference to Watchmen! Awesome! As a former comic book geek, I'm wondering the name of "Rorschach" in the series. From what I know, I think "Who killed the peacemaker was slated to become the original title of Watchmen.

I hope Thorn gets re-elected. It'll be interesting to see a primary battle between, most likely, Goldwater, Kemp, and an establishment candidate, most likely Bush or Dole.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on December 07, 2010, 08:53:34 PM
Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I've been terribly sick and sadly still am. To this degree, I sadly will not be updating until I get to feeling better.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on December 07, 2010, 09:10:31 PM
Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I've been terribly sick and sadly still am. To this degree, I sadly will not be updating until I get to feeling better.

Well I hope you get better soon and it's not too bad. This is one of my favorite timelines on the forum. :)


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Goldwater on December 08, 2010, 12:10:50 AM
This is a great TL! :D


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on December 17, 2010, 11:06:34 PM
Bump. The last update was a little less than 20 days ago, I think.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on December 18, 2010, 01:38:39 AM
Bump. The last update was a little less than 20 days ago, I think.
Yeah sorry about that. I was sick, now I have a major case of writer's block. I have all these idea's for the TL, but when I sit down to type them out they just don't flow.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on December 18, 2010, 04:08:40 PM
Bump. The last update was a little less than 20 days ago, I think.
Yeah sorry about that. I was sick, now I have a major case of writer's block. I have all these idea's for the TL, but when I sit down to type them out they just don't flow.

Yeah, I've had that.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on December 18, 2010, 09:09:40 PM
Bump. The last update was a little less than 20 days ago, I think.
Yeah sorry about that. I was sick, now I have a major case of writer's block. I have all these idea's for the TL, but when I sit down to type them out they just don't flow.

Yeah, I've had that.
Oh isn't it a pain.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on December 26, 2010, 03:36:04 PM
Bump/ Still got writer's block?


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on December 26, 2010, 07:11:00 PM
Big time. I could use some help, but I don't know how or from who though.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on December 26, 2010, 10:25:55 PM
Big time. I could use some help, but I don't know how or from who though.

I dont' know if it's worth anything, but I'd be willing to help.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on January 13, 2011, 06:00:26 PM
Part 17: The Chronicles of Criticism

The internationalist motifs that had painted the Kennedy administration with the usage of the United Nations, had now come back in the form of a spearheaded US retaliatory attack on Libya. From the beginning, Libya was outmanned and outgunned as forces in the Mediterranean swarmed the coast, launching fighters to bombard the cities that stretched the beaches of the nation. Libyan and Egyptian forces sparred in a proxy war with Egyptians gaining the backing of the US and it's handful of supporting European allies. For the most part, the Libyan War would be more so a several month long bombing tactics against Gaddafi.

()
Newsweek's take on the Libyan War

Several battles took place between American and Libyan naval forces, usually leading to American victories. Still the technological superior US felt the sting of victory, having lost more fighters than expected. In February, after the death of one of Gaddafi's sons in a bombing raid, Gaddafi called for a truce. President Thornburgh moved on this and a treaty was signed.

The treaty would include Libya taking responsibility for the Gulf of Sidra and the April Berlin bombing and would pay for reparations to the American and West German families of the dead in the April bomb attack. There was also a call for the Libyan government to crack down on terrorist elements internally and to halt occupation of the Aouzou Strip and allow UN peacekeepers in. Even though a victory had been achieved, the world and the American public had begun to grow sour of the internationalist qualities of the Stars and Stripes.

After the blunt disaster from the Lebanon War in the early 80's, the Iraqi-Syrian Friendship Union had dissolved. Now without strength or solidarity in government, Iraq had fallen into religious infighting. It was kept "underwraps" to say, but in 1987 the violence consumed Iraq in civil war. Sunni and Shiite Iraqi's warred against each other in the nation as gun runners from Iran supplied the fast growing support of a "Islamic Republic of Iraq".

The government in Baghdad was weak and with it's simplistic and strained diplomatic ties with Syria, they plead for some type of support to help quell the infighting. Syria, already seeing the uptick in violence from the Islamic Brotherhood, decided to send forces to aid the Baghdad government. The Syrians attempt to make an example to their own people in their home country and attach Iraq ever so snugly in their sphere of influence would turn into a nightmare. The Syrians and friendly Iraqis would become bogged down in religious civil war that seemed caked over the whole surface of the country.

()
Car bomb attacks by insurgents in Ramadi

Places like Ramadi, Baghdad and Fallujah will become hotspots for the Syrian forces and open sores will prevail in Iraq. As the taxed Syrians will try and deal with their growing quagmire, America would do little to rally against the Syrian endeavour in the middle east. For the reasoning being is that the Libyan War had strained the tastebuds of Americans for international endeavours. The United Nations, without it's major leader in military adventurism, would be led by the USSR to tackle only a few damning resolutions attacking the tactics of the Syrian occupants.

"The Syrian Occupation of Iraq, lasting from 1987 to 1991, was one of the bloodiest attempts to expand Syrian influence in the Middle East. From the beginning, Syrian forces were ill prepared and quickly were overcome by Sunni and Shiite religious fighters and Kurdish independence forces. In their attempts to quell opposition to the occupation of Iraq, Syria gained the ire of the international community for it's gruesome shows of authority. One of the bloodiest measures was the usage of chemical weapons against Sunni and Shiite insurgent combatants, with the majority help from Iraqi military leader Ali 'Genocide Ali' Hassan al-Majid on chemical warfare..." -Exert from Wars of Occupation: Syria in Conflict

Back at home, President Thornburgh had finished his mullover on what to do with upper class tax cuts. Thornburgh decided to reluctantly support the position in the form of a bill in the senate. Secretary Jesse Jackson bombastically attacked the President and resigned in a forceful manner because of Thornburgh's move. Liberal Republicans came out in force against the bill, led by Senator Lowell Weicker.

Democrats were split, the conservative factions that had gained the moniker "Goldbugs" for their support of a return to the gold standard, were to be the prevalent bipartisan support. Northern and Midwestern Democrats otherwise were against the tax cuts on liberal or local grounds. With enough armtwisting, the Tax cuts passed after some bargaining to back affirmative action laws by the Thornburgh administration. After the battle in Congress, the gap between the Thornburgh administration and liberal Republicans were widening.

"All this president has done is lie into office that he would be "Mr. Moderate", bring about a 'politics of tomorrow'. No he has done no such thing, he has endorsed more partisan gridlock with support of tax cuts for the rich and wars oversea's. I for one cannot stand this any longer. That is why I officially declare my candidacy against President Thornburgh for the Republican nomination. For the good of the Republican Party I take up this challenge" - Senator Lowell Weiker, Announcement of Candidacy

China had finally began to coalesce again around a central government. The reformists had rounded up the Gang of four and their cohorts, while consolidating support in the military to it's full extent. Still their were the handful of loyal communist generals and the many loyal colonels and soldiers pledged to live and die by the word of the revolution. Many began to disperse into the background and begin what would become a bloody attrition of a guerrilla war.

"Citizens, we came to late for Beijing. So many lives lost for the sake of order, for that I am sorry. Talk of us, criticism of us, it is all necessary. The reason I speak today is not to ask forgiveness from the Chinese people, but to ask to lend us support. China hangs upon a simple rope, but that rope is frayed. I ask support to this government, this movement, to this Chinese people. We do this not for ourselves, but for our future, for our children. They are to be the future of this nation, they are the ones to fight our fathomless conflicts and troubles to come. For my generation, we do not care, it is over for us, are lives are coming to their end. The young still have their youth, near seventy years to live and die. My one simple wish is to see the China state to live on as a unified presence, one that shall respect the will of the law and the will of the people all of the same. Thank you..." - Speech by Ambassador Zhao Ziyang, Interim Leader of the Beijing Reformist Government

The Soviet Union had it's fair share of problems, one was the continual harassment of Gorbachev's reform policies from hardliners. Many of the remaining hardliners in the government were anchored in the military, where it was very touchy to remove a man from the position of that power. A Western German by the name of Mathias Rust would inadvertently allow Gorbachev to solve one of his problems. Rust would pilot a Cessna aircraft in a hopping fashion from Iceland to Sweden and then directly into Soviet airspace.

()
Rust's plane in Moscow

Rust would, as Russians would say, be "born with a shirt" or born lucky, for his endeavor would be filled with luck. He would make through what had been thought of as one of the most aerial protected areas in the world. Rust would then land his plane in Red square and would wait non shalantly for the KGB or local police to rush to the scene. Instead, people crowded around and gawked at the West German, marveling at his endeavor.

Soon enough, Rust was arrested and brought into custody. Although Rust had been jailed, the damage had already occurred to Soviet military prestige. Mikhail Gorbachev publically chewed out the Soviet military for their sloppy response to the Rust affair and to previous events. Gorbachev used this to dismiss military officers directly linked to the Soviet aerial command and began to branch out, weeding out a number of political dissenters in a bloodless purge of the military.

With the Soviet purge, the year of 1987 came to a final and exhaustive end. The Chinese were locked in a civil war, Syria was bathing it's hands in gore in Iraq, President Thornburgh was being scorned by many sides of the aisle and Gorbachev was mapping out a new road for the Soviet Union. After the year of criticism, 1988 dawned, bringing more fathomless fights to come.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on January 13, 2011, 06:35:41 PM
An update! Hopefully more will come soon.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on January 28, 2011, 02:04:27 AM
Well I've just really started to hunker down to write part 18 since my dog Bear has been sick for the past two weeks and I've been the one to care for him. Sadly he died several days ago from problems because of heartworms. Needless to say my mind has been preoccupied by other things. Fingers crossed for me to finish part 18.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on February 12, 2011, 06:02:45 PM
Part 18: The Chronicles of Protest

The 1988 Winter Olympics convened in Calgary, Alberta, Canada to a motto "Can You Feel It?". What can be felt through out the Olympics is tension between the two nations that takeaway the most victories in the games, the Soviet Union and East Germany. It is very known that the hardline East German government had not been at all excited by the fracturing of the Warsaw Pact and the Soviet Union itself. So what the media calls the "Ultimate Showdown" between reformer Communism and hardline beliefs, is hyped to it's full for ratings.

()
Attorney General O'Connor during the Senate Confirmation
With Nixon appointed Justice Lewis Powell leaving the court, President Thornburgh decided to nominate Attorney General Sandra Day O'Connor for the supreme court vacancy. O'Connor, a center right moderate, would become the first woman on the Supreme Court after much fighting with Democrats and Liberal Republicans in the confirmation stage. Much of the verbal combat was because of the wedge between conservative and moderate factions in the Republican Party, with the moderate/liberal leader Lowell Weicker being a verbose attacker of the administration. Still O'Connor would be confirmed by the Senate and took her place on the highest court in the land.

The religious right, the kingmakers in the southern United States, were becoming unnerved by events in the Country. In the high profile move by Hustler magazine to parody Jerry Falwell about "his first time" drinking Campari alcohol. Falwell will sue Hustler for libel. In the high profile event, the court case would go all the way to the Supreme Court, where in the case of Hustler Magazine v. Falwell the court would rule in favor of Hustler Magazine. The basis was that reasonable people wouldn't believe the parody to be factual, overturning a lower court ruling in favor of Falwell in the process.

What had started as a trickle was soon becoming a flood in the Soviet Union. Regional support was growing everywhich way in the Baltic areas of the USSR for independence. In places like the Soviet's Eastern Europe soviet republics and Central Asian, sympathy was shown as they themselves had hopes for independence. Gorbachev, the mastermind behind the transformation of the Soviet Union in the 80's now was facing a tide of popular unrest.

()
One of the many demonstrations in the USSR
Military officials called to send armed forces into the inflared sectors to calm the areas. Other proposals were to allow regional referendums to gage popular support, others called to simply let the the Soviet Union dissolve. Gorbachev, wishing not to let the Soviet Union to not simply collapse, decided to allow referendums to gage support on the ground in the Baltic states, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
The referendums were set for October, the United States meanwhile applauded Gorbachev's moves as a step towards greater freedom in the Soviet Union.

"Referendum Question: Do you wish for the independence of your said Soviet Republic, free and completely independent, from the Soviet Union or do you wish to have greater autonomy and/or greater continuation as apart of the Soviet Union?
-Results-
Armenian SSR
Independence: 55%
Autonomy/Continuation: 45%
Azerbaijan SSR
Autonomy/Continuation: 53%
Independence: 47%
Byelorussian SSR
Autonomy/Continuation: 65%
Independence: 35%
Estonian SSR
Independence: 68%
Autonomy/Continuation: 32%
Georgian SSR
Autonomy/Continuation: 58%
Independence: 42%
Kazakh SSR
Autonomy/Continuation: 56%
Independence: 44%
Kirghiz SSR
Independence: 54%
Autonomy/Continuation: 46%
Latvian SSR
Independence: 66%
Autonomy/Continuation: 34%
Lithuanian SSR
Independence: 63%
Autonomy/Continuation: 37%
Moldavian SSR
Independence: 56%
Autonomy/Continuation: 44%
Russian SFSR
Autonomy/Continuation: 71%
Independence: 29%
Tajik SSR
Independence: 56%
Autonomy/Continuation: 44%
Turkmen SSR
Independence: 57%
Autonomy/Continuation: 43%
Ukrainian SSR
Autonomy/Continuation: 55%
Independence: 45%
Uzbek SSR
Independence: 56%
Autonomy/Continuation: 44%

The situation in the Middle East meanwhile was deepening. Iranian vessels, loaded with supplies for Iraqi Islamists, was attacked by Iraqi government assault crafts. The attack turned away the Iranian cargo ships for a time and it soon led to tension in the Persian Gulf. The Iranian government soon drew up plans to mine the common sea routes of Iraqi government ships in the Gulf.

For a month, the Iranian operation mined the sea lanes of Iraq in response to it's rebuffing of it's vessels. The situation expanded when an innocent Kuwaiti vessel was sunk because one of these mines, forcing the tiny gulf nation of Kuwait into the mess. Meanwhile in the United States, the DOW fluctuated because of fears of crippling the oil lanes due to the Iranian-Iraqi power struggle. President Thornburgh would do what he could, calling for calm economically at home and militarily between Iran and Iraq.

As things were spinning out of control in the Middle East, things were transpiring in East Europe. With the growing calls for autonomy and independence in the Soviet Union and the independent streak of the Communists in Poland, popular demonstrations began in Czechoslovakia and Hungary. The demonstrators called for expanded rights, more open political, religious and labor processes and reforms in the Communists regimes to rid them of corruption and cronyism. These were tall orders, but the leaders of Czechoslovakia and Hungary were facing a flood as their opposition.

()
Czechoslovakians protesting for greater rights
Czechoslovakia was the first nation to relent and announce reforms in their government. They followed Poland's example and began to let slack for the labor movement, while they bowed to allowing greater personal and religious freedoms. These were major steps in the right direction, the last major announcement was historic. The Czechoslovakian government announced that by the end of 1989, the nation would hold democratic elections.

Hungary would be much more trying for the demonstrators. Although new leadership in the form of Bruno Ferenc Straub was open to the demands of the demonstrators, it was the military that was the roadblock. Hardliners and traditionalists had been the majority in a number of Hungarian leadership ever since the reforms in the USSR. Chairman Straub, hoping to appease both sides, moved to implement a number of the political reforms while being quite liberal in clearing out cronyism in the government, effectively looking the other way for the traditionalists sake.

In other events around the world, in a near bloodless coup the corrupt Pakistani government is overthrown by authoritarian General Rahimuddin Khan. Khan would pledge a government of integrity and that would produce results for the Pakistani people. In China the provisional reformist government was having a hard time tamping down communism insurgency in the central provinces, which at the time sliced off the provinces of Tibet and Sinkiang. Because of this, the unrecognized Republic's of Tibet and Sinkiang had been proclaimed to face the roving bands of communists insurgents that also threatened them.

Although the Chinese reformist government would work with these separatist nations for now, they still claimed them ultimately as apart of China proper. The year of 1988 was over. What had been a year propagated by protest and demands for greater freedoms across the globe was at it's end. The United States had went through another turbulent series of elections, the Communist block and the USSR itself was collapsing, China was in the midst of a bloody war of attrition and also so was Syria in Iraq. Though turbulence in the year make moments seem to stand still, the world still revolves and so a new year dawns.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on February 12, 2011, 08:10:44 PM
Glad it's back. :) Hoping for the 1988 election next.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on February 12, 2011, 08:37:35 PM
Glad it's back. :) Hoping for the 1988 election next.
It'll be up shortly.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on February 12, 2011, 09:03:28 PM
Presidential Election of 1988

The Republicans: The Republicans were deeply divided in stark partisan lines. Moderates, Libertarians, Conservatives and Liberals were battling for the soul of the Grande Old Party and in the middle of it was President Thornburgh. Although his major opposition was from liberal Senator Lowell Weicker and western Conservative Senator Larry Pressler, Thornburgh was able to quickly outpace them both by "Super Tuesday" and soon captured the nomination again. Thornburgh, bruised and tarnished by a tough campaign, chose to keep Vice President Goldwater on the ticket.

The Democrats: The Democrats had to choose between three candidates, Governor Mario Cuomo representing the liberal factions, Governor Bill Baxley representing the moderates and conservatives and Senator Gary Hart representing the progressives. Due to a fierce battle between all three candidates and Cuomo and Hart, with similar voting blocs, tore at each other as Baxley rose to the surface with stressing moderation, internal and health care reforms. Baxley, not that interested in appeasing western progressives, chose northeastern Governor Michael Dukakis as his runningmate. Jesse Jackson, after his defeat, his worry over Baxley's "liberalness" and disdain at the Thornburgh administration, kicked off an African-American friendly independent bid.

The American-Indepents: With the party declining in Congressional returns, many called this the "last hurrah" of the American-Independent Party. The candidates for it's nomination were Televangelist Pat Robertson of Virginia and Buffalo Mayor James D. Griffin. Robertson, although controversial, pushed himself to the nomination. Robertson shunned attempts to place Griffin on the ticket and instead chose Trent Lott. Robertson would base his campaign on a return to a "Christian nation" and defeating the "Godless Thornburgh".

The General: The campaign revolved around the economy. Although it had recovered, international affairs had shaken the economy numerous times and that worried the American people. The populace was also turning more on internationalist feelings, instead embracing a more isolationary foreign policy. Baxley took this up and campaigned on an isolationary foreign policy, while pushing to kickstart internal reforms in health care, the economy and infrastructure. Thornburgh ran on an international foreign policy appeal, calling for simply "Four more years, It's getting better". With four candidates pulling in the election and a fractured Republican Party, the Democrats retook the White House after four years of Republican governing.

(
)
(D)-Fmr Gov. William "Bill" J. Baxley II,AL/Gov. Michael S. Dukakis,MA: 315 EV
(R)-Pres. Richard "Dick" L. Thornburgh,PA/VP. Barry M. Goldwater Jr,CA: 193 EV
(AI)-Televangelist M. Gordon "Pat" Robertson,VA/Rep. C. Trent Lott Sr,MS: 27 EV
(I)-Fmr HUD Sec. Jesse L. Jackson Sr,IL/Fmr Rep. Shirley A. St. Hill Chisholm,NY: 3 EV


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on February 13, 2011, 12:01:50 AM
NOOOOO!!!!! :( Well, hopefully Republicans will be back in four years with former Commerce Secretary Jack Kemp.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on March 05, 2011, 09:13:41 PM
Part 19: The Chronicles of Revolution

With solemn eyes, outgoing President Thornburgh would watch his successor take centerstage to deliver his inaugural speech. With baited breath, the nation watched.

()
William "Bill" J. Baxley II, the 43rd POTUS

"Today fellow Americans, the tumultuous chronicles of the city on a hill continue on. What has occurred to this nation is the dawn of a new chapter, a new chapter that will reflect true fiscal responsibility, a humble foreign policy and internal repair. Today America, is the dawn of Democratic action...."-Exert from President Baxley's Inaugural Speech

Because of a split Republican Party, the Democrats had taken control of the House and come close to victory in the Senate. With Republicans still taking pot shots at one another, the Democrats the upperhand and began to push through their agenda in Congress. The military budget was slashed, social programs were expanded, taxes were raised on the rich and the NASA budget was gutted beyond belief. Because of the NASA cuts a surprisingly quiet Senator would rise to challenge President Baxley.

Senator James "Jim" Lovell of Illinois rose to challenge the NASA cuts, calling them "atrocious" and that "President Baxley has went at the budget with a chainsaw with glee". The major point that Lovell attacked was the massive cuts in Tomorrow program to put a man on Mars by 2000. With this in hand, even some Democrats spurred President Baxley's NASA cuts, including Defense Secretary John Glenn. Evermore, the Democratic house pushed the Baxley budget through and after rangling the Senate passed it as well.

"As of now the spirit of American exploration, which so many men and women through our short history on this Earth, is under an atrocious barrage of attacks by men who do not know a scalpel from a hatchet. As President Edward Kennedy stated 'that the dream shall never die', we cannot allow the monumental achievement that this nation endeavors towards placing a person on another planet to die. Nor shall I allow this to occur.." - Exert from Senator Lovell's speech on the Senate floor

In Moscow, representatives from the newly independent Soviet republics met to sign the official proclamation of independence from the USSR. A ceremonial session of the Duma would be held with delegates from the newly independent nations sitting in, thus it became known as the "Last Duma". In several strokes of the pen, nine new nations were officially born from the Soviet Union. What would become known as the 1989 Moscow Proclamation would also enshrine the creation of the Communal Alliance of Republic, an alliance of sorts that resembled the likes of NATO.

()
Ceremonial Meeting of the Duma, the "Last Duma"

Although with the partition of the Soviet Union and the creation of the Communal Republic, their were still major issues in the USSR. First, Gorbachev announced that similar referendums would be held in key Soviet Republics to still already existing Republics into separate ones. This issue was raised because of the anger boiling in places like Chechnya, which was one of the few places that voted for independence in the Russian SFSR, sections of the Caucus regions like Dagestan and the ethnic tension ongoing in the Kazakh SSR between ethic Kazakhs and Russian Kazakhs. Second, the quickly democratizing USSR government would announce that general elections would be held in 1990, so that opposition parties can take their time to coalesce and form from early 1989 to late 1990.

In Egypt, protests were born from the successes of Hungary, Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union. These protesters would call for President Anwar Sadat to loosen restrictions, allow fair and democratic elections and reforms of government. President Sadat, facing a restless public and wishing not to be a blood stain on history, announced reforms and that there would be democratic elections, going so far to announce he would not run in these elections. With the protesters satisfied, most people suspected long time Vice President Hosni Mubarak would succeed Sadat in the newly scheduled general election.

Secretary of State Robert Strauss would make a historic visit to China, becoming the first American diplomat to visit the nation since Richard Nixon. Strauss would meet with Provisional Premier Zhao Ziyang in the capitol of Beijing. With the capitol far away from the battlefront in the central provinces, it will be a quiet and ceremonial discussion between the two leaders. Strauss will reiterate that the United States supported the new provisional government in China over the old hardliner one, that the Cold War was coming to an end and that the Baxley Administration was cutting back funds and aid to China to focus on internal issues on the United States.

Ziyang is displeased by these turn of events, but does not raise his voice or anger over the decision. Instead Ziyang will consider moving closer to the Soviet Union for aid in the fight against Communist insurgents, much to the irony of such a thing to ask a communist nation to help defeat communist rebels. With Ziyang let down lightly about cuts to international aid from the United States, another international moment that the Baxley Administration had to face, rose. The issue was Panama and it's ever growing desperate despot Manuel Noriega.

General Noriega, a former US ally, had become more paranoid under the Galifianakis Administration and the detente and unlikely friendship between the US and the USSR. Because of this peace, Sandinista rebels had spread through out Nicaragua and set off leftist rebels in surrounding countries. This already regional instability, coupled with the revolutions in the USSR, China, Eastern Europe and now Egypt, Noriega was in no hurry to let democracy flower in Panama. When marchers protested the harsh military rule, Noriega ordered Panamanian Defense forces to advance on the protesters.

()
Picture of PDF crackdown in Balboa

With haste and unflinching allegiance, the PDF forces would pummel and drive the Panamanian democracy movement underground in one feld swoop. President Baxley would release a strongly worded condemnation of Noriega's actions, but had no intention of doing something drastic. Afterall, the use of Panama Canal as blackmail to the United States was a ripe idea to use if the Baxley Administration were to push for anything bigger than a condemnation. The Soviet Union instead would head a stronger condemnation of Noriega, pushing for UN sanctions against Panama and the Noriega dictatorship.

As cities all along the tiny strip of land known as Panama ignited into outpourings of dissent, the revolutionary spirit was spreading even further. Relatively peaceful movements sprung up in Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan and Mongolia calling for greater democratic concessions, with most being successful. In South Africa, protests helped lead to the destruction of the system of apartheid in the nation and eventual free elections and total voting rights to all South Africans. The most pinnacle of nations affected by the revolutions of 1989 were to be East Germany.

The East German government under Erich Honecker had been one of the strongest critics of Gorbachev's reforms and "soft communism" as a whole, which would lead the East Berlin government to sign the Eastern Pact with Bulgaria and Albania against soft communism. Honecker, aged and withering away, was determined to preserve his nation from what had occurred to the USSR and the eastern bloc and when the revolutions of 1989 spread to East Germany, Honecker would take a "Chinese solution" towards the situation. With demands ranging from free elections, greater liberties, free labor unions and reunification, the protests would be brutally repressed with thousands jailed and tried as subversives. This move will only inflame the strong and growing movement in East Germany for reform.

To further deal with dissent and arguing for party purity, moderate members and especially ones that had sympathy with Gorbachev were cleansed from the East German government. Still, as flashpoints occur in places like Leipzig between East German forces and protesters, nothing could prepare the East German government for what would come in late November. Massive demonstrations sprung up in East Berlin near the Berlin Wall, along with similar demonstrations in the west, calling for the reunification of Germany. As West Germans by the hundreds crawl up on the wall, heavily armed East German border guards position themselves between the two sides.

()
The first East Germans reach the wall, before the "Shots Heard Round the World"

Soon though desperate East Germans, wishing to escape their countrywide prison, crash through the borders guards and make a mad dash towards the wall by the hundreds. With outstretched hands, West Germans begin to help the East Germans over the wall, but then the sound of gun rounds are heard. East and West Germans begin to fall as panicked and angered East border guards begin to open fire on the protesters. As the protesters disperse in fear and terror, some of the devilishly smart border guards bring a ladder to the wall and fire indiscriminately into the west, killing nearly two dozen in the process.

After the horrid and terrifying event is over in a heartbeat, the morning after is tense and filed with tension between the west and east. Because of Western media, the East German government puts on a blackout of foreign communications in an attempt to halt the negative world opinion of East Germany. In the coming month, NATO forces will pour into West Berlin and West Germany itself to reinforce the country. US and European diplomats will try their best to pry words from the Honecker government, usually receiving the that their is no crisis and the whole mess is an internal matter.

As the month of December drags on, Red Army militants carry out terrorist attacks in West Germany, heightening the tension started with the Berlin Crisis. With the month of December over, so was the year and 1989 ended with an unsavory taste in many mouths. For now many would hope that 1990 would bring much, much better days and a hope for a resolution to the conflict...


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on March 05, 2011, 09:37:44 PM
What I like is how that people you might have never had of have a chance at being President in this timeline, and you make it seem completely plausible.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on March 05, 2011, 09:57:26 PM
What I like is how that people you might have never had of have a chance at being President in this timeline, and you make it seem completely plausible.
Thanks! Well when you think about it, people probably wouldn't have suspected someone like Jimmy Carter or Ronald Reagan of becoming President at a time in history. I just do the same thing to different people, different circumstances mean different presidents afterall and I can tell you there will be some suprises in the presidents to come.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on March 05, 2011, 10:37:10 PM
What I like is how that people you might have never had of have a chance at being President in this timeline, and you make it seem completely plausible.
Thanks! Well when you think about it, people probably wouldn't have suspected someone like Jimmy Carter or Ronald Reagan of becoming President at a time in history. I just do the same thing to different people, different circumstances mean different presidents afterall and I can tell you there will be some suprises in the presidents to come.

Well, I have my own personal hopes for certain Presidents, but I'll see where you lead.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on March 06, 2011, 11:58:23 AM
Part 5: The Chronicles of Division
 Hatfield would reopen dialogue at the Paris Peace Accords, booting the Agnewite Secretary of State and replacing him with Henry Kissinger.

This is from a while back, but who was Agnew's Secretary of State?


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on March 09, 2011, 08:37:16 PM
Part 5: The Chronicles of Division
 Hatfield would reopen dialogue at the Paris Peace Accords, booting the Agnewite Secretary of State and replacing him with Henry Kissinger.

This is from a while back, but who was Agnew's Secretary of State?
I didn't have an idea for a specific person at the time since I tried to allude that Agnew was shaking up Nixon's cabinet. If I did have to name a specific person, I guess Ellsworth Bunker would be Agnew's State Secretary. Bunker was experienced in diplomatic matters and was a supporter of the Vietnam War afterall.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on March 13, 2011, 08:28:32 PM
I love the new advertisement!


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on March 13, 2011, 10:03:54 PM
Thanks!


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on March 14, 2011, 03:42:41 PM
Here's something I couldn't find a way to stuff into Part 19. Think of it as a "deleted scene".

"...Birth control, Ho Chi Minh, Richard Nixon back again,
Alliance 1, Woodstock, Arthur Bremer, Spiro Agnew, punk rock,

Health Care, Bonn, Valentina on the Moon, Camp David, Teddy Kennedy,
ERA, Hinckley, Palestine, Terror on the airline, Ayatollah's in Iran, Chinese in Afghanistan,

Perestroika, John and Yoko, Wheel of Fortune, heavy metal suicide, China's in civl war,
AIDS, Crack, Bernie Goetz, Dick Thornburgh, Fort Knox, Libya,

Syrian occupation, East Germay's under marshall law
Rock and Roller cola wars, I can't take it anymore

We didn't start the fire
It was always burning since the world's been turning.
We didn't start the fire
But when we are gone
It will still burn on, and on, and on, and on...

We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No, we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it

We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No, we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it

We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire..."


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on March 14, 2011, 07:16:40 PM
That reminds me of a song I intended to have played around 1973 called "Here's to the state of Spiro Agnew" (based on "here's to the state of Richard Nixon"). However, I forgot up until recently.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on April 06, 2011, 05:21:41 PM
Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I'll try and start working on Part 20 again. Main reason behind my work-stoppage was me being in the hospital because of pancreatitis and gallstones.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Teddy (IDS Legislator) on April 11, 2011, 10:17:02 PM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13041326


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on April 11, 2011, 11:22:50 PM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13041326
Interesting. Thanks for bringing this to my attention, it could really help spice up the TL down the road. After the US lands a man on Mars sometime in the 90's, a newly reformed Soviet Union could really pick up the pace on space exploration and maybe a new space race may ensue between the USSR and the US down the road to place a base on the Moon or explore Venus or any number of area's of the solar system, the skys the limits.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on April 21, 2011, 02:28:12 PM
As I continue to work on my Perot TL and this one, I came across this interesting gem. A little gem called "Moon Graffiti".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/audio/2011/feb/08/the-truth-podcast-moon-graffiti


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on April 21, 2011, 03:50:16 PM
As I continue to work on my Perot TL and this one, I came across this interesting gem. A little gem called "Moon Graffiti".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/audio/2011/feb/08/the-truth-podcast-moon-graffiti

Damn. I thought this was going to be an update.

Is this what you based Forever Mankind on, or did you the article after you'd started this?


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on April 21, 2011, 04:02:48 PM
As I continue to work on my Perot TL and this one, I came across this interesting gem. A little gem called "Moon Graffiti".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/audio/2011/feb/08/the-truth-podcast-moon-graffiti

Damn. I thought this was going to be an update.

Is this what you based Forever Mankind on, or did you the article after you'd started this?
I actually started this whole TL because of William Safire's "Moon Disaster Speech". It just so happens that I stumbled upon this and it's also based on the "Moon Disaster Speech".


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Elyski on May 01, 2011, 07:43:06 PM
Bump. Great Alternate History.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on May 02, 2011, 07:13:51 PM


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: MAINEiac4434 on May 07, 2011, 11:53:52 AM
This is really phenomenal, and I've enjoyed reading it.

I have a humble request, however: could there please be posted a list of presidents and vice president's in this TL? With party and time in office please. I hope that isn't too much of an imposition.

Anyway, keep up the good work.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on May 08, 2011, 05:51:44 PM
This is really phenomenal, and I've enjoyed reading it.

I have a humble request, however: could there please be posted a list of presidents and vice president's in this TL? With party and time in office please. I hope that isn't too much of an imposition.

Anyway, keep up the good work.
Thank you for such praise! :) And hopefully this will satisfy that humble request.

Presidential List
37. Richard M. Nixon (Republican-New York) January 20, 1969 - December 18, 1972
38. Spiro T. Agnew (Republican-Maryland) December 18, 1972 - November 12, 1973
39. Mark O. Hatfield (Republican-Oregon) November 12, 1973 - January 20, 1977
40. Edward "Ted" M. Kennedy (Democratic-Massachusetts) January 20, 1977 - March 30, 1981
41. Nick Galifianakis (Democratic-North Carolina) March 30, 1981 - January 20, 1985
42. Richard "Dick" L. Thornburgh (Republican-Pennsylvania) January 20, 1985 - January 20, 1989
43. William "Bill" J. Baxley II (Democratic-Alabama) January 20, 1989 - January 20, 1993
44. James "Jim" A. Lovell, Jr. (Republican-Illinois) January 20, 1993 - ??
Vice Presidential List
39. Spiro T. Agnew (Republican-Maryland) January 20, 1969 - December 18, 1972
40. Mark O. Hatfield (Republican-Oregon) March 7, 1973 - November 12, 1973
41. Gerald R. Ford, Jr. (Republican-Michigan) January 5, 1974 - January 20, 1977
42. Nick Galifianakis (Democratic-North Carolina) January 20, 1977 - March 30, 1981
43. R. Sargent Shriver, Jr. (Democratic-Maryland) April 23, 1981 - January 20, 1985
44. Barry M. Goldwater, Jr. (Republican-California) January 20, 1985 - January 20, 1989
45. Michael S. Dukakis (Democratic-Massachusetts) January 20, 1989 - January 20, 1993
46. Nancy L. Kassebaum (Republican-Kansas) January 20, 1993 - ??


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: MAINEiac4434 on May 08, 2011, 09:31:51 PM
This is really phenomenal, and I've enjoyed reading it.

I have a humble request, however: could there please be posted a list of presidents and vice president's in this TL? With party and time in office please. I hope that isn't too much of an imposition.

Anyway, keep up the good work.
Thank you for such praise! :) And hopefully this will satisfy that humble request.

Presidential List
37. Richard M. Nixon (Republican-New York) January 20, 1969 - December 18, 1972
38. Spiro T. Agnew (Republican-Maryland) December 18, 1972 - November 12, 1973
39. Mark O. Hatfield (Republican-Oregon) November 12, 1973 - January 20, 1977
40. Edward "Ted" M. Kennedy (Democratic-Massachusetts) January 20, 1977 - March 30, 1981
41. Nick Galifianakis (Democratic-North Carolina) March 30, 1981 - January 20, 1985
42. Richard "Dick" L. Thornburgh (Republican-Pennsylvania) January 20, 1985 - January 20, 1989
43. William "Bill" J. Baxley II (Democratic-Alabama) January 20, 1989 - ??
Vice Presidential List
39. Spiro T. Agnew (Republican-Maryland) January 20, 1969 - December 18, 1972
40. Mark O. Hatfield (Republican-Oregon) March 7, 1973 - November 12, 1973
41. Gerald R. Ford, Jr. (Republican-Michigan) January 5, 1974 - January 20, 1977
42. Nick Galifianakis (Democratic-North Carolina) January 20, 1977 - March 30, 1981
43. R. Sargent Shriver, Jr. (Democratic-Maryland) April 23, 1981 - January 20, 1985
44. Barry M. Goldwater, Jr. (Republican-California) January 20, 1985 - January 20, 1989
45. Michael S. Dukakis (Democratic-Massachusetts) January 20, 1989 - ??

Thanks buddy! I hope to see another list of presidents once the timeline is finished, from Nixon to whoever you have in mind to be in office in 2011.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: MAINEiac4434 on May 19, 2011, 01:09:55 PM
I was just thinking about how much more awesome this TL would be if Edmund Muskie was elected in 1972. It's too bad he lost in this.

*sigh*
Well, it's still pretty awesome, even Muskie-less.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on May 19, 2011, 03:05:28 PM
Update please!


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on May 19, 2011, 07:48:30 PM
Sorry it's taking so long. I've been terribly busy, but need not fear! Part 20 shall be here! Yeah Part 20 is continually growing and it should be ready I hope by the end of the week. With that said, I'm going to really try and buckle down to finish up Part 20 in those days of the remaining week.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on May 23, 2011, 01:16:46 AM
Sorry it took so long, I've split Part 20 into a 20.1 and a 20.2 since 20 is so large of a post. Enjoy!

Part 20.1: The Chronicles of Purgatory

The year 1990 quickly opened with the Berlin Crisis still in the minds of many. Central Europe was decommunizing, but now the threat of war between the German nations was threatening to tear apart Europe. After continual bombardment from diplomatic channels and the realization by Erich Honecker that pleading ignorance in the Berlin massacres would not resolve the issue, did a plan formulate. Delegates from West and East Germany were to meet in Reykjavik, along with American and Soviet officials to delegate, to discuss the prospects of peace, restitution and a resolution to the situation.

The situation grew evermore tense when hundreds of East Germans attacked the headquarters of the Ministry of National Security, the Stasi, in an attempt to damage and burn the building to the ground. Because of the Berlin shootings, a new forceful revolutionary sentiment was gripping the minds of many East Germans. In the end, the attack on the Stasi headquarters is repulsed and dozens would be dead and even more are wounded. The attack on the Stasi headquarters disrupts the Reykjavik meeting, allowing the East Germans to announce that they are only defending themselves and threatened to walk out of the meeting.

()
East Germans clamor to gain entrance to the Stasi's headquarters

To keep the East Germans at the table, State Secretary Strauss announced that NATO would halts it's buildup in West Germany and West Berlin. Believing such a thing was a fallacy, the East Germans sat on their hands, that was until a press release from Brussels. At a televised press conference from Brussels, Secretary General Manfred Worner announced that the NATO military buildup would be put on effective hold to help ease tensions between West and East Germany. With this gesture, the East Germans completely returned to the diplomatic table.

Working tirelessly to find a common ground, did the quartet of foreign diplomats strike the presice balance. In the Reykjavik Compromise, the wests sovereignty over West Berlin was fully realized, East Germany would quietly pay the families of West Germans killed in the Berlin massacre, the East would have to pass reforms for the new year, the Western forces were to turn away any fleeing East Germans from their embassies and shun illegal escape from the East. The compromise would be accepted by both sides, though both sides were angered by what they were given from it.

"'Bullsh**t' stated GFR Corporal Herschel von Heck. That was the corporals response to what him and several of his brothers of the uniform were watching on the small sized television. What was playing on it's eight by six inch screen was the live address from Chancellor Helmut Kohl, on the "successes" and "failures" of the Reykjavik Compromise. 'More failures than successes' thought Herschel.

'You think so? Sh**t's a strong statement' said Otto, Herschel's small, squat friend through any situation. Otto was the guy that would analyze situations, try and get people to think about the situation. Herschel was much more a man without a censor. 'Hell yeah, still can't believe you can stand this garbage getting forced down the German people's throats'.

Otto sighed at Herschel's comments and looked straight at Herschel, 'And yet you proudly voted for Helmut Kohl?' Herschel shot Otto a glance and easily stated 'shut up', Otto in response just rolled his eyes. Herschel glanced back at the television, Chancellor Kohl was in the middle of stating the 'compromise' was not 'an overture to the whims of appeasement'. Herschel simply stated once again "Bullsh**t" to Kohl's new statements.

Herschel spoke aloud to the gaggle of soldiers, those who were listening to Herschel or honestly trying to listen to Chancellor Kohl, "Tell our brothers in Berlin that they are not trapped in the mad house known as the east! This is sh**t! Plain and simple. Even with the peace with the Soviets, a new iron curtain is shrouding continental Europe!". Herschel was so sure in what he said, it almost seemed so clear that the age of appeasement was back and so was the tension of possible war in the future...


Back at home, President Baxley would have a score of issues to settle after the compromise at Reykjavik between East and West. The first issue was brought to President Baxley's attention by Treasury Secretary Felix Rohatyn, that the infrastructual reforms were pushing things over budget and that new revenue's needed to be opened. President Baxley would find extra revenue in the form of extra taxation against the higher monetary brackets, something he had already partially tackled by closing a number of loopholes catering to the upper class. Now President Baxley had decided to put some of the burden on the rich, something that Congress would have to decide upon.

When the Baxley Administration's child of the Upper Tax Bracket Reform and Renewal Act, the Republican minority ripped into it. Republicans called the tax hikes unnecessary, extravagant and something to cover the President's colloquial but on infrastructual reform costs. Republican Senate Majority leader Alan K. Simpson and new House Minority leader Ron Paul rallied support against the bill as best they could. Because of Democratic dominance, the Tax Bracket Reform-Renewal Act passed, the senate would be evermore partisan.

()
Senate Majority Leader Simpson holding the GOP Line on the Senate floor

By means of underhanded wrangling, threats made about ridding GOP support for select undecided senators who had to reelection bids in the coming months, were enough to coax coherent Republican opposition. Because of this, the Tax Bracket Reform and Renewal Act failed by the narrowest of margins in the Senate. President Baxley was defeated in his bid to pay for infrastructure reforms, now it was set in stone that the 1991 fiscal year budget would not be balanced and a fight between the Republicans was sure to occur soon. In the meantime a bipartisan supported bill passed through congress, thus allowing greater powers to the Attorney General and the Secretary of Energy and Environment to oversee prosecution of industrial polluters and companies that break the clean air and water acts.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on May 23, 2011, 02:02:16 PM
Are Republicans in the majority or minority? You say the Republican minority, but there's Majority Leader Simpson.

Aisde from that, great update and glad it finally got here.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on May 23, 2011, 02:26:41 PM
Are Republicans in the majority or minority? You say the Republican minority, but there's Majority Leader Simpson.

Aisde from that, great update and glad it finally got here.
Sorry if I fudged the wording, but the Republicans have a slight majority in the Senate and are the minority in the House. Hopefully that resolves that question.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on May 23, 2011, 02:27:48 PM
Part 20.2: The Chronicles of Purgatory

As events cooled in Europe militarily and heated up politically in America, things were transpiring quickly in Africa. South African state President F. W. de Klerk would reverse the ban implaced on the African National Congress and announced that ANC leader Nelson Mandela would be released from prison. In mid February, de Klerk held up his pledge and a solemn Mandela made a powerful speech to the nation, straining for reconciliation between black and white South Africans. President Baxley of the United States praised de Klerk and South Africa for Mandela's release and hoped for more, but would do no more than praise.

()
Nelson Mandela upon being released from prison

Meanwhile, it would be longtime Cuban head of state Fidel Castro to praise Mandela and call for immediate power to be bestowed upon the black majority. Castro's push was by no means noble. Castro wished to fester dissent in his longtime rival for control in the Angolan Civil War, wishing for Communism to spread and infect South Africa and hopefully attach the nation someday to Cuba's sphere of influence. As foreign powers fought over to take advantage or gain something from Mandela's release, the South African government and ANC would enter intense talks to bring about the suspension of armed conflict from the military wing of the ANC, the Umkhonto we Sizwe, and to hopefully strive for the end of apartheid once and for all.

Back in the United States, two massive political fights were set to begin. President Baxley's federal budget for 1990 was ready to begin debate, while Justice of the Supreme Court William J. Brennan, Jr. was retiring from the highest court in the land and thus leaving a vacany to fill. President Baxley quickly chose Alabama Justice Frank M. Johnson as his choice for the nomination for the Supreme Court vacancy. Democrats quickly enamel themselves Johnson, who is a moderate with good credentials on civil rights, and quickly gains support from from both chambers.

Pugnacious Republicans in the Senate quickly attempt to stall debate using parliamentary procedure, much to the chargin of Majority Leader Simpson's appeals. In the end, Frank M. Johnson is confirmed by a strong supported bipartisan vote in the senate. Now the budget battle loomed. President Baxley was pushing hard once again for higher taxes on the rich, cuts in defense spending and NASA to attempt to balance the budget. Republicans moved with their own bill, supporting cuts in education and infrastructure, while expanding defense and NASA budgets.

The Congress quickly fell into bickering as worrisome moderates on both sides, turned to a compromiser. Senator Jim Lovell, an ardent opponent of President Baxley's cuts to NASA, quickly became the leader of moderation and the appeals for civility in the Senate chambers. With this odd interworking between Senator Lovell and the Baxley Administration, would the budget pass both chambers of Congress with several prominent changes. The defense budget was slashed, but nothing like what the Baxley budget asked for. NASA took only a small paycut, while education and social programs would take hits to help pay for infrastructure reforms and to balance the budget overall. Liberals tore President Baxley for compromising his core values because of this mutt budget plan and pledged to dog the President from now on.

With things fluctuating internally, international issues would be raised by a stunning terrorist attack. On a flight from Geneva to New York City, a delegation of high up United Nations observers over Libya, were headed to the United Nations in New York City to report their findings on Muammar Qaddafi. Instead of reaching their destination, members of the extremist group Pan Arab Socialist Jammahiriya detonated several hidden explosives on the plane. The flight broke apart and the remains crashed onto the ground outside the Belgian city of Oostende. International horror was quick as the PASJ quickly took credit for the attack and death of over two hundred lives.

()
Wreckage of the Geneva-to-New York flight

Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi stated he knew nothing or supported the PASJ publically, though his rhetoric about enlarging Libya again would be in step with the PASJ ideals of a "Greater Libya". In the United States, President Baxley's approvals faltered once again as Republicans went of the attack for the administration's "blind eye" isolationist policy. Nearly all Republicans joined in the beatdown of President Baxley, save House leader Ron Paul. Still the damage had been done and Americans were questioning President Baxley's policies on all fronts.

With a bomb burst, the year moved onwards to it's eventual end. Through hurt, scorn and hate on so numerous sides, with battles raging across the world, a year of hell certainly ended. Only now 1991 began, with hope in the hearts of many.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on June 06, 2011, 08:09:28 PM
As I mull over the next chronicle in the timeline, I'd thought I would make an little off posting about minor third parties in this TL. I've been thinking of having one actual TL post, along with several small snippets in the gaps between posted chronicles. Hope this catches on. Enjoy!

American 'Minor' Third Parties, 1972 and Onwards

1972 was the year that President Richard Nixon was reelected to the Presidency, it was also the year that he made vows under pressure from the public to deal with Vietnam in a more conciliatory manner and the sad year that Arthur Bremmer assassinated 'Tricky Dick'. 1972 also brought as mentioned, the 1972 Presidential Election and the reinvigoration of one of the more lasting third parties in the United States, the American Independent Party. Yet there was in fact other political parties that began their rise from obscurity or were birthed into the political world of the United States, in 1972. One of these new poitical parties was the New Liberty Party. Conceived in 1971 based on the principles of libertarianism, small government, low taxes and maximum liberties for the citizen, the party started out what could only be called a 'pipsqueek' in political sway. Yet it, like any political party, would grow to fill a niche in the political spectrum and voting bloc. In 1988, the New Liberty Party nearly fractured over the nomination of Russell Means and social issues.

New Liberty Party Tickets (1972-?)
1972: John Hospers,CA/Theodora Nathan,OR: 0EV, 0.00%
1976: Theodora Nathan,OR/Jerry Tuccille,NY: 0EV, 0.18%
1980: Ed Clark,CA/Dick Randolph,AK: 0EV, 0.93%
1984: Earl Ravenal,MO/Larry Dodge,MT: 0EV, 0.34%
1988: Russell Means,SD/Andre Marrou,AK: 0EV, 0.38%
1992: ?,??/?,??: ?EV, ?%

Also in the 1972 Presidential election, the 1971 created People's Party contested their first election. This People's Party was more a coalition of various individual, state and local political parties, who hoped to unite the anti-war supporters into one political party. In 1972, long time pediatrician and psychoanalysis Benjamin Spock was nominated as their nominee after Ralph Nader turned the nomination down. Quickly though the People's Party began to fizzle, 'Dr. Spock' as he was known, was not the best campaigner and the fervor around Vietnam had cooled, thanks to President Nixon's concilitary moves towards the issue. To cope with this, the People's Party invited the Socialist Workers Party to create a joint ticket for the 1972 election. After much debate, the more regal Benjamin Spock would be kept as Presidential canididate, while Socialist Workers vice presidential nominee Andrew Pulley would be given the vice presidential spot.. Though the joint ticket would be defeated, the stage would quickly be set for the Socialist Workers and People's Party to officially fuse into the People's Socialist Party in 1975. In 1990, the People's Socialist Party officially split broke apart due to sagging support and party infighting amongst eco-liberals, socialists, more mainstream leftists, marxists and communists.

People's Socialist Party Tickets (1972-?)
1972(Joint Ticket): Benjamin Spock,CA/Andrew Pulley,IL: 0EV, 0.20%
1976: Linda Jenness,GA/Benjamin Spock,CA: 0EV, 0.15%
1980: Peter Camejo,CA/Barry Commoner,MO: 0EV, 0.30%
1984: LaDonna Harris,OK/Clifton DeBerry,NY: 0EV, 0.14%
1988: Sonia Johnson,NM/Richard Congress,OH: 0EV, 0.09%

In the 1972 elections, the long established and shuned Communist Party contested the election with little support. They would as usual, loose the election but because of the new conciliatory moods growing in the United States and in the international community between the Soviet Union. It would not be for some time that the Communist Party seized on any of this softened views on Communism and the Soviet Union, for the Communist Party was nearly always in the midst of political infighting and expulsions by the orthodox leadership of Gus Hall. In the 1980's, the USSR was rocked by scandal that several KGB leaders were milking money and contributions from the Communist Party USA to fatten their wallets, thus leading to Mikhail Gorbachev to remove several members of the KGB and install reformers, thus casting a shadow on things to come in the USSR. For the Communist Party USA was greatly shaken by this and reformers and 'Gorbachevists' quickly took to attacking longtime leader Gus Hall, eventually leading to the marginalization of Hall in the parties leadership. By the late 80's, the democratic "Communalists" had filled the gap of leadership, with 'Castroistas' supporting Cubano ideals and militant Maoists nipping at the Communist Party leadership.

Communist Party USA Tickets (1972-?)
1972: Gus Hall,MN/Jarvis Tyner,NY: 0EV, 0.03%
1976: Gus Hall,MN/Jarvis Tyner,NY: 0EV, 0.07%
1980: Guss Hall,MN/Angela Davis,CA: 0EV, 0.04%
1984: Jarvis Tyner,NY/Sam Webb,MI: 0EV, 0.06%
1988: Sam Webb,MI/Angela Davis,CA: 0EV, 0.08%
1992: ?,??/?,??: ?EV, ?%


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on June 06, 2011, 08:24:04 PM
Go New Liberty Party! (just for the heck of it)


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on June 06, 2011, 08:24:33 PM
By the way, how does the American Independent Party survive?


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on June 06, 2011, 09:10:09 PM
By the way, how does the American Independent Party survive?
Actually it's not. Look at the results, it's slowly crumbling after building support really from those southern voters that had just voted Democrat year after year in elections. You will see them break apart and similar parties to the likes of the Taxpayers and Constitution to arise to fill the conservative third party space, while the 'New Liberty' Party and the movement to create a coherent leftist third party begin to arise.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: MAINEiac4434 on June 13, 2011, 11:56:03 AM
Please update! It's so good.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on July 17, 2011, 07:04:03 PM
Sorry it's taken so long, but on every front I've just had a massive case of writers block. Enjoy!

Part 21: The Chronicles of Blood 

A new year dawned with Republicans in charge of both chambers of Congress. House Leader Ron Paul had been deposed in a coup maneuver from moderate and interventionist Republicans, thus crowning Benjamin Gilman the new Republican House leader and also thus Speaker. Internationalist Republican quickly rallied with their triumphs in the midterms to slug the Baxley Administration right in the proverbial jaw. Republicans, after their battles on the budget, joyfully revelled in the isolationary Baxley's blowback over the Oostende bombing and his perceived soft touch with Libya and terrorism as a whole.

In January, struggling communist rebels in China were dealt another blow to their crusade to take back the nation and instill the teachings of Mao once again in one of the oldest nations on Earth. In a coup orchestrated by frustrated politicians, moderate factions in the military and democratic supporters, Siad Barre is ousted from his position as President of Somalia. Ali Mahdi Muhammad of the Somali National Congress, succeeds Barre as President but he soon comes to the realization that not all shall support his government. Supported secretly by East Germany, Cuba and Chinese Communists, civil war boils and grips Somalia as 'Barreistas' take to the streets in what will become bloody street warfare that will forever mar the nation. Others, especially in the military that see weakness in the interim government, attempt to overthrow or rise up against the government for their own purposes.

Meanwhile, Britain suffered a great shock to their spirits in the form of an attack perpetrated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army. The IRA launches a mortar attack on 10 Downing Street, launching three mortars at what was a usual finance meeting. One of the mortars doesn't detonate, while the other two do. One of them goes wildly past their target and does little damage, the other hits close to it's mark and damages 10 Downing Street. The explosion kills one person and maims many more in varied cuts, scrapes, burns and numerous other wounds. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, frazzled, is fine except for several nicks and makes a response over British television to show the resolve of the British nation and her government. In two months after the February 13 attacks, or the 02-13-1991 attacks, the Thatcher supported 'Terrorism Preparedness Act of 1991 would be passed by parliament. the act expanded the overall powers for the Home Secretary and the government in a whole, allows the ability to suspend habeus corpus on suspected Irish terrorists if need be. Overall the 02-13 attacks brought about the official end of the eighties and 'The Troubles' and usher in the 90's and the coming 'Dark Days'.

()
Scene of 10 Downing Street after the 02-13 Attacks

"By god we had struggled all this time, now all of our appeals were in the garbage heap. 'All and any trials by suspected IRA members' were postponed, a ruling from the empowered Home Secretary and the hag known as Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. William Power, one of the 'Birmingham Six', rested his head in sorrow against the cool wall as he pondered what to do now. "'Nothing" is what slipped out of his lips, nothing could be done. He was in a state of purgatory, to wait for these times of terror to subside, for the Home Secretary to rummage through all of the pending cases involving the IRA or suspected IRA members. Doctor Frank Skuse was happy about this, his name wasn't going to be dragged through the mud because of his, well big, screw-up that landed William in this small, cold prison cell. Now William could do nothing but wait and he knew, that would be it's own hell".

Afghanistan continued on it's merry way of self-destruction. After the coalition formed between the opposition government and the mujaheddin, all was completely lost after the PRC left the nation in disgrace. With it, the two former allies of convenience turned on one another. The government in opposition quickly found itself between a rock and a hard place. Russia or America wasn't warm to the idea of supporting the opposition government, while Iran continued to funnel support towards the mujaheddin. Now by March, all hope had disintegrated and a 'Islamic Republic of Afghanistan' had been proclaimed like what had occurred in Iraq. Quickly these two new Islamic Republic's that bordered Iran, moved to purge itself of all nonbelievers, dissidents and opponents to it's governments. Hundreds would be killed in the slaughter in Iraq and Afghanistan, sending thousands more flooding over the borders into all neighboring nations, setting off a massive refugee crisis.

As Cuban supported revolutions gained steam and rampaged through Central America, Mexico suffered under the strain of the bordering and encroaching warfare. Southern Mexico was greatly being inflicted by the close civil war that was being raged in Guatemala between the national government and anguished agrarians and the disheveled indigenous. Angered and long under-represented indigenous populations in Chiapas, a umbrella group was formed to fight and demonstrate for the continuation of Chiapas from buisness interests. The 'Zapatista Army', as it was called after Mexican agrarian reformer Emiliano Zapata, began a successful hit and run campaign against business contractors and staffers. At first the Zapatista Army would only delve into sabotaging bulldozers and machinery to put a stop to encroachment on indigenous land, but soon Cubano agents began to whip up the bottled anger in Chiapas.

()
Chiapan Zapatista Army Forces

Due to their meddling, several publicized attacks occured on business offcials in Southern Mexico by the more radical Zapatista Army members, which left several dead. The United States and President Baxley responded to the troubles in Chiapas with straining a non-interventionary policy. With the United States and the Soviet Union opting out to meddle, Mexico was left to it's own devices and to deal with the "Chiapas Problem". Mexicano President Carlos Salinas reacted towards the crisis by using diplomacy, quickly dispatching advisors to hammer out some kind of proposal between the Mexican government and the Zapatista's. After several months of back and forth, an agreement was reached in the accords that guaranteed Chiapas and indigenous the right of self-determination, respect and diversity towards the indigenous and the right to control their own development plans.

In the United States, the issue of immigration was raised by the rush of Central American immigrants escaping the savage civil wars of their home region. Democrats took a central stage on supporting civil minded immigration reform legislation, while Republicans were a bit less excited to focus on domestic programs over foreign policy. Both sides did show considerable openess and support on the issue, while southern Democrats were taken somewhat aback by President Baxley's support for immigration reform and guest worker programs. In the house, would a legislative plan be created in the form of the McCain-Mazzoli Immigration Reform and Quota Act. Much of the bill's idea's was from Alan K. Simpson's legislative hopes in 1986 to propose bipartisan immigration reform, though the '86 chances were defeated by the divisive beginning of the Libyan War.

Because of Simpson's leadership position and support for the McCain-Mazzoli bill, the Republicans quickly became split on the issue. With a fractured voting bloc entailing southern Democrat opposition, northeastern Republican support and western Republicans and midwestern Democrats split, the votes in both houses were deeply divided. In a close vote, the McCain-Mazzoli bill passed the house by a small number of votes. The Senate, also in the hands of Republicans after the 1990 midterm elections, was just as divided as the House of Representatives. With the Democratic National Committee voices it's support towards the Baxley Administration and southern Democrats in clear opposition, Republicans are able to hit home their message and push the McCain-Mazzoli Immigration Reform Act through. President Baxley signs the legislation into law, but gains suprisingly low approvals from Democrats and troublesome polls that show support for a primary challenge to Baxley in 1992.

Abroad, the Soviet Union found itself facing a burgoining challenge. Yugoslavia, ruled for many years by Josep Tito, was deteriorating into ethnic violence and struggles for independence from the individual republics. With the United States continuing it's more unsavory non-interventionalism, the Soviet's began to aid the reform spirited governments in Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro. East Germany, defaced by it's foreign policy suicide with the debacle over Berlin, began to funnel support towards the hardline Serbians in hopes of creating a hardline Communist bloc against the amassed reformist-democratic "Communalism".

The year 1991 came to a close. 1992 arose and so did much to be expected. The 1992 election in the United State, the spiral of Yugoslavia, the continuing tide of revolution, the fermentation of breakthroughs in space and so much more. All as a new year dawned.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on July 17, 2011, 10:02:46 PM
It's back! It's hard for me to follow international events, but it seems like the world's falling apart. In Latin America, Afghanistan, and the UK, terrorism and other forces are causing a huge stir.

Any hints on possible candidates in 1992? Also, I notice you don't do primary maps for nominations. If you don't feel like doing them, I'd be glad to volunteer (I like making maps), and hand them over to you to insert into the election posts.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on July 17, 2011, 11:42:01 PM
It's back! It's hard for me to follow international events, but it seems like the world's falling apart. In Latin America, Afghanistan, and the UK, terrorism and other forces are causing a huge stir.

Any hints on possible candidates in 1992? Also, I notice you don't do primary maps for nominations. If you don't feel like doing them, I'd be glad to volunteer (I like making maps), and hand them over to you to insert into the election posts.
Quite so, international events are crazy. The major reasoning behind it is because of a very different end to this cold war(if you could call it that). With a friendly US and USSR, numerous regional powers are filling the gaps in places like Latin America and the Middle East. Cuba is expanding it's support, as is Iran. It's a very fractal world in many ways. As for Britain, that's just a take on a worse "the troubles" because of Thatcher still being in office(thanks to Labour's better showing in '83 and close victory and fragile colition government in '87 that broke apart with snap elections were held, with the tories winning on a "strong government" plaform). As for primary maps, I think I can do them and I just might put those in to complement the election posts. Still, thanks for the offer.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on July 18, 2011, 11:15:45 PM
Can you order the Presidents in this timeline from greatest to worst? I'm wondering how they stack up against each other.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on July 19, 2011, 12:15:16 AM
Can you order the Presidents in this timeline from greatest to worst? I'm wondering how they stack up against each other.
Alright, using the Presidents that are present in the TL here is how things come out:

1. Richard Nixon (R-NY), a 'good' president by many, more so an interesting man based on much political survival that led to some bipartisanship, cooling of tensions between the USSR and the "allied" landing on the Moon.
2. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), more so because of name status and his slaying, Kennedy is remembered for his push for health care and reaching for Mars.
3. Mark Hatfield (R-OR), though a liberal president, Hatfield healed wounds after Agnew and ended the entanglement in Vietnam.
4. Richard Thornburgh (R-PA), an average president marked by a return to the gold standard and the Libyan War.
5. Nick Galifianakis (D-NC), not a terrible president but just below average in many eyes, isn't remembered for much.
6. Spiro Agnew (R-MD), known for his hardnosed attitude and corruption scandal, general remembered for extending Vietnam and damaging the presidency.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on July 30, 2011, 09:27:24 PM
As I clank away on Part 22, I'm just curious to post this. It's a little wikibox for the timeline's US 1972 Presidential election. I'm just flirting with the idea of posting little sniplets in the intermission between parts. I may post other things like several presidential campaign logo's I've come up with and maybe other wikibox elections. In another greater possibility, I have the idea of posts like "Forever War" and "Forever Cinema" to expand on the semi fractal/fractured timeline that Forever Mankind is. I may do this, for I can tye up some of those loose ends and fill in the gaps to get a better picture of things and reign in some confusion, as I originally wanted Forever Mankind to be a snapshot like TL with a portion of the world shown in each part as much more occured "offscreen" so to speak. Just some idea's but nevertheless, here is the wikibox '72 election. Enjoy!

()


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on August 01, 2011, 11:13:19 AM
Cool. Those are always fun to make.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on October 25, 2011, 07:47:07 PM
Well Part 22 is ready, it took so long because I tried and tried to sand it down to fit in the max character limit but finally I decided to split it into Parts 22.1/22.2. Enjoy!

Part 22.1: The Chronicles of Tears

The new year began with a hope filled event. After UN Secretary General Adebayo Adedeji was elected to another term as sec-gen, Adedeji commemorated 1992 as the "International Year of Space" in remembrance of the five-hundredth anniversary of Columbus landing in the New World. American politicians, especially Republicans, used this to pressure the Baxley administration to not cut the already bled NASA budget. President Baxley, with a shaky federal budget and a slowly but surely climbing economic market, decided to begin the road to Mars once again. This would not be without it's challenges and tribulations.

The first issue would be curtailing space shuttle missions to the World Space Station, instead relying more on Soviet shuttles and Europeans to resupply the WSS. Working in tandem with NASA Acting Administrator T. Jack Lee, President Baxley layed out plans to significantly reduced space shuttle missions. This in effect would save millions that would be re-budgeted to the Mars research and development program. Republicans decried this as a plan that placed too much of the burden on their space faring allies and that President Baxley's plans were without clarity on the Mars mission blueprints. Still with much of the powers of NASA's budget relying on Administrator Lee, most if not all of the cuts and budgetary changes would be implemented.

Republicans attacked this as well, saying that Administrator Lee could not issue the budget cuts since he was in fact only acting administrator. President Baxley, cast this off while loosing political points and also cast off any chance of nominating Lee for a full term as NASA Administrator. Instead, Lee would remain controversially as Acting Administrator for the duration.

"The battle over NASA put my presidency into clarity. I had struck the need to balance the budget, cut certain expenditures while keeping up the work to Mars. The dismal successes of immigration reform, infrastructual works and environmental law prosecution only clouded things and arose questions. The economy may had been in recovery, but the American people never received a clear picture of the man I would be in office. I supported the environment and ecology, thus I was classified a liberal. I supported lower taxes, thus I was classified a conservative. I supported meaningful infrastructure programs and some affirmative action measures, thus I was classified a moderate. This was the vein that ran all the way from the 1988 election with Secretary Jackson's quintoxic bid as a independent, his question as whether I was "too conservative", to what was I? 1992 was when I cemented a moderate approach to things more clearly, As Senator Heflin had put it 'At least he's no Galifianakis, I'll tell you!'. Well I only wish voters had taken that much rosier view of myself before election day and that the American Independents implosion and the 'cabinet crisis' hadn't complicated things further.." - Exert of Kiss My Ass: The Unabashed Biography by Bill Baxley

The former Yugoslavia was in death throws as nationalism shattered the frictional ethnic nation into numerous nations. Serbia quickly rose to it's feet first under the leadership of Slobodan Milosevic and asserted that they were the continuation of Yugoslavia and the differing republics were in a state of rebellion, declaring military action unless reunification under Serbian leadership. Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Macedonia and Slovenia all broke from the crumbling Yugoslavia to declare their independence with mixed blessings. The Serbian led remainder of Yugoslavia, still claimed Slovenia to an extent but would do little to exert this. Instead most of the focus of Milosevic and his government would be put on the remaining splinter republics.

()
Ethnic breakdown of the Former Yugoslavia

Quickly things began to loose cohesion, Serbian dominant areas of Bosnia & Herzegovina declared their allegiance to Serbia. Milosevic and the Serb military quickly reacted, invading Bosnia & Herzegovina to liberate the Serb dominant regions. With Bosnian/Herzegovinan forces ill equipped, the Serb forces easily marched all the way to Sarajevo, surrounding the city and laying a siege that would accumulate in years. The Soviet Union, going through turbulent unemployment and a growing free market, was quickly forced into an uneasy corner. The USSR and Yugoslavia, known for their rocky relations during the years that followed the Second World War, had sowed the seeds of diplomacy under Brezhnev's term and Gorbachev's.

Because of this, Yugoslavia did not only receive food aid and monetary aid, but military surplus. With this, the USSR was quickly put into the position of viewing their weapons of war aid ethnic instability and conflict in the Balkans. With enough pressure, the United Nations, acting with the Baxley Administration, gave the go ahead on supporting a UN Resolution that would send peacekeepers into the former Yugoslavia to create buffer zones, multi-ethnic protected zones and secure international sensitive areas to push the combatants on both sides to the peace table. The first peacekeepers of the United Nations Protection Force for the Former Yugoslavia(UNPROFORYU) would arrive in Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina by late June, setting up protection zones and demilitarized buffer zones in sensitive areas. Special attention was quickly brought to bare for Sarajevo, suffering under continuous attack in the city's siege, with aid relief routes being secured to the city by UNPROFORYU peacekeepers all the while as diplomatics attempted to wrestle peace from the jaws of war.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on October 25, 2011, 07:53:19 PM
Here is the second part of Part 22. After this, up comes next the 1992 Presidential Election and either keeping Baxley or booting him from office. Well once again, enjoy!

Part 22.2: The Chronicles of Tears

In East Germany, long cut off from aid from most major organizations and indeed cut off from the outside world, was burdened with devastating food shortages and political strife. Quickly, with popular support, new protests sprung up from East Berlin to Leipzig with it's leadership under former East German Olympian Till Lindemann. Lindemann's leadership was brash and blunt, but he organized a massive march on the capital to demand for government transition to something either democratic or soviet-like communalism. In this "final march", would heckling demonstrators ignite several crude flash bombs and set off a bloody riot that split the East German security forces over firing on their own people. With the Berlin Crisis of 1989 and 1990 still fresh, mutinies abounded as revolution swept through the southern portion of East Germany.

In special sessions and meetings, NATO and Communal Alliance of Republics(CAR) officials issued the creation of a United Nations backed no-fly-zone over much of East Germany. With "Operation Unified Defender/Popular Protector", in several months, the Krenz government collapsed under international pressure, military defections and popular support for the rebels. When things finally come to their end with the jailing of Egon Krenz and most of the regime's leaders, East Germany is in tatters. It's economy is laid for the world to see and it is a bleak picture. Poverty and unemployment rocket into the significant double digits as the communist programs of continued work come to a close, making the country the number one poorer nations of Europe near overnight after the removal of the economic facade that had blanketed East Germany for so many years. To respond to this economic crisis, both East and West Germany would hold summits, headed by West German Chancellor Oskar Lafontaine and leaders of the East German transitionary council government.

Chancellor Lafontaine announcing negotiations with East Germany

With successful operations by NATO and CAR, President Baxley saw significant gains and transferals to his polling in the upcoming election. As Baxley's campaign went along, the successes in East Germany generated serious possibilities of reelection, though quickly scandal would rock the President's cabinet and bring concern and pressure on the President himself. HHS Secretary Hillary Clinton was charged with improper use of her powers by the wonder attorney Ken Starr. These charges ranged from dolling out handouts and medical grants to select special interest groups that were alleged to help pave the way for a possible run for a senate seat in Arkansas for either Secretary Clinton or her husband, Bill. The nightmarish circus quickly became even more public as it was brought to court, where Starr would allege that the Secretary had also chauffeured prostitutes to "Bill's hearts delight".

These allegations would force the case to be thrown out, though almost in no time a new scandal erupted. Allegations forced out Interior Secretary Gary Hart that he had been carrying on a sexual relationship with his personal secretary, Donna Rice. Hart would resign only to ask for renomination to the position, stressing that the scandal would not impair his work as Secretary. President Baxley flatly refused and nominated Governor of Wyoming Michael "Mike" Sullivan, who after partisan debate, was confirmed by bipartisan support after rangling from Senator Alan Simpson. Even with the "cabinet crisis" over, the events brought more extensive light on President Baxley's bachelor life during a general election and helped give rise to the exploitation of the dissolved American Independent Party members and their effects on the Democratic Party in the 1992 elections.

Across the globe, events transpired out of the grand spectacle that was East Germany and the crisis in the former Yugoslavia. Great Britain, under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, rebuked new Labour leader Robin Cook in a general election dominated by Northern Ireland and national safety. The hopes to create a "European Union" were dashed by euroscepticism from governments in West Germany and France. Riots occurred in Vietnam because of the trial of former South Vietnamese soldiers, while a torn down 16th century mosque led to to furry between muslims and hindus. For the United States, the acquittal of four LAPD police officers in the beating of Rodney King sparked outrage in the African-American community.

Major riots sprung up in Los Angeles, but wouldn't stop there. With unease between President Baxley and the African-American community, riots swept in a domino effect as San Francisco, Las Vegas, Tampa, Atlanta, New York City, Charleston, New Orleans and Chicago experienced riots to certain degrees. President Baxley's open sympathy to Rodney King and disdain for the court ruling, along with King's appearance calling for calm on television and the threat of national guardsmen, the riots that would become known as the "Race Riots of 1992" ended six days in. With a fair hand in the events, President Baxley saw success with voters but a zeal by former American Independent members, who clamored that a deterioration of family values and general apathy by both political parties had led to a "culture war" in the streets.

With a raucous period at the end, the year of tears of joy for new horizons and tears for blood spilt came to it's end. Yet now 1993 dawned and with it, dawned a year of hope.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on October 26, 2011, 07:16:51 PM
Yay! It's back! What experience did Hillary have before being appointed to HHS? Also, what'd bill do after his stint as AG?


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on October 27, 2011, 08:27:17 PM
Yay! It's back! What experience did Hillary have before being appointed to HHS? Also, what'd bill do after his stint as AG?
After a short stint in the justice department and the Ted Kennedy administration, Bill returned to Arkansas and won the governorship in 1978. With the early 80's seeing an upswing in support for Republicans nationally and in the upper south, Bill failed to be re-elected as Governor and failed in several political comebacks. Because of this though, his wife Hillary became a prominent activist, ranging from education reform to health care insurance. Because of this, Hillary was appointed to a position on a state advisory board on health affairs by Governor Jim Guy Tucker in 1986, which was parlayed into a cabinet position in the southern friendly Baxley Administration by 1989.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on October 27, 2011, 08:50:16 PM
Can't wait for the '92 race! Will you be including primary map(s) in this one?


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on October 27, 2011, 09:34:14 PM
Can't wait for the '92 race! Will you be including primary map(s) in this one?
I just might, I finally came across a solid calender of the 1992 primaries and thats got me excited.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on October 28, 2011, 02:21:32 PM
Search "frontloading 1992 presidential primary calendar". It's a bit excessive, including every single primary, but it's reliable (to a point-there are some conflicts between its 2000 schedule and wikipedia's 2000 schedule).


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on November 08, 2011, 04:45:56 PM
Presidential Election of 1992

The Republicans: The Republican Party field was packed to the gills by candidates. Senator Jim Lovell, Former Vice President Barry Goldwater JR, Representative Ron Paul, Former Governor Lamar Alexander, Former Governor Pete du Pont, Former Agriculture Secretary Bob Dole, Senator Pete Wilson, Businessman Steve Forbes, Former HUD Secretary Arthur Fletcher and Political Commentator Pat Buchanan. The race began with heated betrayal between Goldwater and Paul, who pouted that Goldwater was not a real libertarian after his service under the internationalist Thornburgh Administration. With victories in Iowa and moderate states, Lovell quickly became the frontrunner, picking up on the American middle-ground and a Nixonian tone. Goldwater lagged as Paul bled votes from him and handed states to Lovell and surprisingly Alexander, who had exploded in the south thanks to lower income whites and restless African-American voters. With the last primaries casting their votes, Goldwater fell far short and scored only several hundred delegate votes at the convention. Because of this, Senator James "Jim" Lovell had won the Republican nomination for President. To reach out to women, the social issue planks for the GOP were moved to the center and Senator Nancy Kassebaum was chosen as Lovell's runningmate.

(
)

The Democrats: With a sense of hope, did envelope President Bill Baxley's campaign for reelection. With victories in foreign affairs and a growing economy thanks to private investments in China, the "Wild East", reelection seemed to be a cakewalk. Token opposition appeared in the forms of Representative Joe Simonetta, Representative Louis Stokes, Former Senator Eugene McCarthy and Mayor Larry Agran. After easily winning the nomination, Vice President Dukakis was kept on the ticket. Quickly the prevailing high hopes were dashed as the true campaign became the Democratic Party's platform. States like Mississippi and Alabama became representations of former American Independents forcing themselves to become delegates at the convention. Quickly with fear and the ides of a "culture war" brought on by the Race Riots of 1992, helped push the social issues planks to the right in a close vote. African-Americans, somewhat endeared to the new way President Baxley was portraying himself, saw their spirits drop because of the decision at the convention. Women were also turned off by the subtle but unmistakable pro-life undertones that the new social planks took. With a wounding convention, both President Baxley and Vice President Dukakis began their fateful march to November.

The General: After the scaring events of the Democratic platform fight, a new flaw appeared in the Baxley/Dukakis '92 campaign. Both men, although having no animosity against one another, had minimal conversations between the two due to Baxley's focus on internal matters and Dukakis's aspirations and differing beliefs. Because of this, three campaigns took shape, the Lovell/Kassebaum ticket and the separate Baxley and Dukakis campaigns. President Baxley used a fiery populist campaign, journeying across the country and holding both formal and informal campaign rallies, even attending a football game of the WLAF Birmingham Fire in his homestate of Alabama. Vice President Dukakis, instead kept to the north and used the more formal and dry campaign style that many candidates before had used. Senator Lovell moved across the nation, campaigning on his senate credentials, his moderate positions and his hero status as the leader of the Alliance 1 joint mission with the Soviets in 1969. The debates were significantly tiring for both Dukakis and Baxley. Vice President Dukakis flopped in the first and only vice presidential debate after stumbling on answering a hypothetical question involving corporal punishment and rape. President Baxley did better and won the first two debates surprisingly, but the last one was a deathblow for Baxley's momentum. In the last debate, President Baxley attempted to paint himself in the image of John Kennedy and attacked Senator Lovell's "nixonian" attitudes. Lovell simply stated "Mr. President, I may not be Richard Nixon but you sir aren't John Kennedy". After that Lovell won the last debate and hit the campaign trail hard, campaigning on positive change for the future and defeating the "Birmingham-Boston Axis". On election day, the separate campaigns of Baxley and Dukakis payed off in the south and north, as New York and Pennsylvania was carried by several points. In places like Illinois, California, Florida and Michigan, states that were necessary for President Baxley's reelection, fell to Senator Lovell because of regional appeal, lower Democratic turnout and animosity from several key Democratic bases. Because of this, Senator James "Jim" Lovell defeated President "Bill" Baxley for the presidency, marking Baxley's presidency as being another that failed to be reelected. The election of 1992 also marked a realignment in the electorate as the Republican Party moved towards the center of the political spectrum as the Democratic Party began to take on a more Christian Democratic tone.

(
)
(R)-Sen. James "Jim" A. Lovell Jr,IL/Sen. Nancy L. Kassebaum,KS: 326 EV
(D)-Pres. William "Bill" J. Baxley II,AL/VP. Michael S. Dukakis,MA: 212 EV


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on November 08, 2011, 07:01:26 PM
Yes! I love how you had the joint moon mission have consequence reaching as far as the Presidency! Wondering how social issues will end up. With both Libertarians and socially moderate, well, moderates dominating the Republican party, it'll, as was hinted, move into a much more Northern position. Too bad Goldwater couldn't seal the deal, but oh well, we got an astronaut President! Wonder who'll be in his cabinet.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on November 08, 2011, 07:43:18 PM
Also, might Barry Jr. try for a Senate seat at some point to maybe set himself up for a possible 2000 run or at least get back into politics? Also, I wonder what the fate of Paul will be in the future, and where OTL's "Neo-Conservatives" might end up.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Jerseyrules on March 31, 2012, 11:05:59 AM
Breath dammit!  Dont you quit on me!


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on April 02, 2012, 08:19:59 PM
Not sure what it is, probably the story-telling style, but this is one of the most epic timelines I've ever read. So sad to discover it again and remember that it died.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Jerseyrules on April 10, 2012, 09:04:05 PM
Not sure what it is, probably the story-telling style, but this is one of the most epic timelines I've ever read. So sad to discover it again and remember that it died.

CLEAR!  zzzz KSSHHH


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on March 07, 2016, 05:25:54 PM
I apologize for digging this up but I'm genuinely interested in some input. I've been tinkering with revisiting this TL idea for some time, the current incarnation was written in a spur of the moment by myself and I don't want to continue it. Instead I was just curious if anyone would be interested in a reboot of this.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on March 07, 2016, 05:34:40 PM
Loved it, but I got no time, bruh.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on November 05, 2019, 08:40:43 AM
Glad to see they finally adapted this to TV (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_All_Mankind_(TV_series)).


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Kingpoleon on November 05, 2019, 10:22:33 AM
Glad to see they finally adapted this to TV (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_All_Mankind_(TV_series)).
Atlas has a proud history of predicting the future, including the time I suggested Elaine Chao as Transportation Secretary, KingSweden and I proposed Neil Gorsuch as the best candidate for SCOTUS of the 30-40 names on Trump’s list, and the ASOIAF game that predicted GOT’s finale. Just a touch of magic and reality altering substance on the forums, in my opinion.


Title: Re: "Forever Mankind"
Post by: Historia Crux on November 20, 2019, 07:48:13 PM
Glad to see they finally adapted this to TV (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_All_Mankind_(TV_series)).
It is sorta similar, it's neat to see some new media mix alternate history and the space race