[Krononauts] new timeline help wanted.

[Lev Lafayette]

On Tue, 2010-07-20 at 13:14 -0700, Carl Brown wrote:
> 
> >Not really. Just the Soviets don't really have Eastern Europe, the
> USA
> >doesn't really have Western Europe; and although there would be no
> >massive end-of-war destruction, likewise there would be no COMECON or
> >Marshall Plan.
> Right, errr what's a Marshall Plan.? COMECON? You can see why I tend
> to prehistory adventures. To Google...
> 

Or to Wikipedia :)

Basically the Marshall Plan was the United States giving Western Europe
a bucket load of money to rebuild the economies, which worked but it
also meant that these economies had to pay the money back - with
interest (Germany paid back its debt by 1971). So it provided the United
States a great deal of political and economic leverage. Without it the
US wouldn't be as strong... 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Plan

As for COMECON it was sort of a Soviet equivalent. Under Stalin it was
more about keeping the satellite nations out of the Marshall Plan. Under
Brezhnev is was more about co-ordination of 5-year plans in an
integrated manner.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COMECON

> Is the threat of a super weapon considered here? Do we have to invent
> the A-bomb and use it?

I actually don't know whether it would be needed. Japan would be feeling
very lonely if Nazi Germany surrendered.

> >> What about culture and technology?
> >
> >Interestingly I think Eastern Europe would more influential than
> Western
> >Europe in this regard because of their stronger independence and
> mutual
> >aid among each other.
> 
> Latest fashions from Warsaw?

And Prague, Budapest, Bucharest etc.

> He was a pragmatic fanatic willing to kow-tow to anyone who had the
> resourses to pursue his dream of flights to the Moon and planets. He
> may not have been able to lure as many other scientists to come with
> him.

Hmmm.. Very tricky. I don't know whether there would be much impetus for
a space race as the political balance would be geared away from two
large superpowers, into several smaller blocs (Anglophone, West Europe,
East Europe, Soviet Union, China). 

> >Either Franco and Salazar would reform (as suggested) or there very
> well
> >may be a war between various western European countries and the
> United
> >States!
> 
> Which is more likely?

I think the reform would be more likely.

> So this Salazar he's a wizard right?

A very strong Catholic and semi-fascist dictator of Portugal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant%C3%B3nio_de_Oliveira_Salazar

But yeah it's a cool roleplaying name. But so is King Zog!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zog_of_Albania