Updated Saturday 10 May, 2008 12:19 PM | Headlines | Discussion Forum | International Edition
|
Updated Saturday 10 May, 2008 12:19 PM | Headlines | Discussion Forum | International Edition |
|
Join Writer Development Section Writer Development Member Section
Thanks To Our Friends @
|
ISOT American 2002 Written by Dave Knudson, ------------ Time to jump on the ISOT bandwagon... On March 13, 2002, the continental (i.e. lower 48 states) USA of that day is switched with the USA from March 13, 1942. The continental USA of 2002 ends up in 1942, the continental USA of 1942 ends up here. I'm not interested in the 1942 world - presumably the 2002 USA crushes (in no particular order) the Nazis, Japanese, Italians, Soviets, Communist Chinese, Rumanians, Bulgarians, etc ad nauseum, and makes the world into pseudos-America (kinda cool actually, if you happen to be like me, maybe not so cool if you're not). However, 2002 is an interesting case. Alaska, Hawaii, and (here's the kicker) all overseas US military forces are still of the 2002 variety. The 1942 USA would find itself in an unbelievable situation, but already gearing for war. What happens now? The US still has considerable striking power, given our overseas bases, subs, carriers, etc, as well as several active-duty divisions in Europe and Asia. There are also significant military assets and infrastructure in Alaska and Hawaii. What happens next? Does the Middle East explode (even more than it already is)? Does China strike at Taiwan? Does North Korea invade South Korea? Does India hit Pakistan? How do Roosevelt, Marshall, et. al react to all this? Can the overseas US forces get back "home" to an America 60 years out of place? What does NATO do? Dave Knudson CONUS USA 2002 in 1942 Note: This is the “other side” of the USA ISOT issue I raised a few days ago. I’ve been working on what happens to the 1942 USA in 2002; I thought it might be fun to look at what happens to the 2002 USA in 1942. This is just pure fantasy fun, so please don’t be offended… At 4:00 EST AM March 13, 2002, the lower 48 states of the United States of America is surrounded by a wall of white light, which lasts approximately 3 minutes. The wall of light vanishes at 4:03 EST AM, without doing any apparent damage. The wall of light is visible to all coastal and land border residents of the US, but due to the hour, very few people actually see it. The event is captured on numerous cameras, and US satellites that happened to be over CONUS at the time also record the event. As reports filter in, NORAD contacts the Pentagon, informs them of the “wall of light”, and the subsequent lack of contact with any US or allied military assets outside the continental United States. For the duration of the event, no US scanners, radar, or other detection means within CONUS can detect anything at all outside CONUS. As soon as the event clears, NORAD is able to monitor outside of CONUS again – however no US assets seem to exist beyond the range of CONUS. At 4:10 AM EST, President George Bush is wakened by the Secret Service, and hustled off to Marine 1, which takes him to Andrews. He is briefed by phone by the duty officers at the Pentagon and Cheyenne Mountain. Though no damage to the United States has occurred, and there is no indication of an attack, there is no contact with anything outside of CONUS, including Air Force 2, with Vice-President Cheney on board. Additionally, there is no explanation for the “wall of light” many people are reporting. Both duty officers recommend an upgrade of the nation’s defence posture to DEFCON 2. Bush agrees, and all continental US military forces are placed on alert. By 4:29 AM, Bush is boarding Air Force 1, and the situation is even more confused. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin Powell, as well as other cabinet and military leaders, who are gathering in, or en-route to the Situation Room at the White House, join the Pentagon and NORAD duty officers in contact with Bush. The NSA is reporting that all overseas, Alaskan and Hawaiian stations are down, but that signal intercepts are being gathered. Unfortunately, these intercepts make little sense. NASA reports that between 4:00 AM EST and 4:03 AM EST “something” happened, but they are unable to provide any data on what that “something” might be. They do report that 90% of US satellites are unresponsive, and that they have no contact with any of their global tracking stations outside CONUS. The only satellites they do have contact with were those that happened to be over CONUS between 4:00 and 4:03. Bush, with memories of 9/11, orders all planes (except for military planes) grounded, and all ships to remain in port. Five US CVN carrier groups are in port; 2 are ordered from Norfolk to put to sea in the Atlantic; 1 is ordered into the Pacific from San Diego. The Air Force is ordered to CAP major US cities. Meanwhile, Chester Nimitz in Hawaii is alerted. US Naval Intelligence at Pearl Harbor has lost all contact with the mainland. Fearing sabotage as a prelude to a Japanese invasion, the two US infantry divisions on Oahu are alerted. Contact with the British in Australia, the remaining US forces besieged in the Philippines, and the Canadians at Vancouver is fine, so the technicians at Pearl are confused. If sabotage cut off the islands, then they should be unable to contact anyone; yet only the links to CONUS are down. Similarly, Dwight D. Eisenhower (note: I don’t know if Ike was even in Britain at the time. I don’t think he commander of anything until TORCH, but I’m not sure) who is enjoying breakfast with his British counterparts in London, is informed both by US Army Intelligence and the British that all contact with CONUS has been lost. Additionally, very strange reports have been heard from Canadians living near the US border – something about a wall of light. Alarmed, Churchill orders a Royal Navy squadron from Halifax to investigate, while Eisenhower contacts the US Naval attaché. By 5:45 AM EST, the situation is even more confused for Bush on Air Force 1, by this time over Indiana. Two F-15s are escorting the President’s plane. NSA signal intercepts are clearer, after frantic technicians retuned their equipment to the AM band. Strange reports of fighting in the Philippines, and the “Soviet Union” are heard, as well as broadcast from the BBC, and, amazingly, the US Armed Forced radio, reporting from Britain. Bush orders the Air Force to over fly Canada, Mexico, and Cuba. At 5:56 AM EST, on board U-431, Captain Gunter von Seechkt can’t believe his eyes. An enormous merchant ships, ablaze with navigational lights is just sitting outside of New York harbor. U-431 was just arriving, and although von Seechkt had heard reports that the Americans had lousy convoying – this was too much to believe. He orders an attack. The freighter, the Panamian-registered Star of Colon is halted due to Bush’s orders. Carrying fruits and coffee from South America, it never sees the three torpedoes that hit it. Damage control functions reasonably well, and the captain is able to contact the US Coast Guard. When the next two torpedoes from U-431 hit, they are seen coming in. Before abandoning his sinking vessel, the captain does report that he’s been attacked by a submarine. By 6:10 AM, reports from the Star of Colon are coupled with those from Detroit, Buffalo, Sarnia, El Paso, and other border locations. Mexico and Canada have changed. Bridges in Detroit going over to Windsor, Ontario end abruptly mid-river. The cities themselves have changed – Windsor is unrecognisable, as are cities border towns and cities in Mexico. US Customs agents on the border report roads that just end at the border. Bush is isolated aboard Air Force 1 – the Secret Service hustled him there with little ceremony. Contact with the Situation Room is maintained, however. Bush orders the borders sealed, and all air contacts warned off from US airspace. Satellite links are largely down, and an awakening America is finding its cell phones and direct TV not working. CNN and other major news organizations are cut off from their non-CONUS subsidiaries, and Americans are becoming aware that something is really, really wrong. Two more merchantmen are torpedoed by U-Boats almost within sight of the US East Coast, and the Coast Guard scrambled to respond. By 7:23 AM EST, the USS Eisenhower battle group has put to sea from Norfolk. With reports of sub attacks from three points along the US East coast, the group starts active ASW measures, along with a CAP. Almost immediately sonar and other means detect unknown submarines up and down the coast. The ASW personnel note that these subs are very slow and very noisy. One of the subs is within five miles of the group. Contacting the CNO at the Pentagon, who contacts Bush, the group is authorized to defend itself. ASROC missiles from an escorting destroyer are fired, acquire the German submarine almost immediately and sink it at 7:32 AM EST. By 8:00 AM EST, four hours after the event, the world is very confused. In the United States, there is a sense of unreality, similar to 9/11. Most people can’t tell anything has happened, but almost unbelievable reports from CNN, and stony silence from the White House is lending a sense of panic to the air. Rumours of military manoeuvres, aliens, and nuclear war abound. Local TV from places like Detroit and Buffalo are broadcasting simply unbelievable pictures from Canada, and late-run pictures of the Wall of Light lend to wild speculation. Political pundits are speechless, and only a small group of people – mainly kooks who hang out on the ‘net on weird places like alternate history lists begin to suggest time-travel. The rest of the world is also confused, but not with the same sense of urgency. Only in Canada are stunned residents really aware of the change, and frantic attempts from Windsor to explain Detroit’s Renaissance center are met with disbelief in Ottawa and London. At 8:15 AM, a small cabin on Air Force 1, Bush addresses the nation. He is clear, concise, and calm. Something has happened, and the situation is confusing. A “Wall of Light” surrounded the continental United States, and the world seems to have changed. The government is investigating, and has no clear answers yet. There are confused reports of fighting from around the world, but the government can confirm nothing, and urges all Americans to remain calm. Bush announces that all banks are closed, and all wages and prices are frozen until further notice. He urges all Americans to remain in their homes, and stay attentive to news reports. Bush signs off, and orders Air Force 1 to return to Washington. At 9:30 AM EST, two Canadian spitfires are detected by radar approaching the Quebec-Vermont border. Two F-16s are scrambled from Logan AFB, and intercept them short of the border. No voice contact is made, but the spitfires quickly retreat from the mysterious rocket planes. One of the F-16 pilots is a history buff, and he recognizes the Spitfire, which is reported to Bush. At 9:45 AM, the Mayor of Buffalo, New York crosses over to Canada. He is met by stunned Canadians. He gets a newspaper, which reports the date as March 13, 1942, and is filled with war news. He crosses back to Buffalo, where he shows the paper to stunned reporters. By 11:30 AM, Bush is back in the situation room. Thousands of incidents of people crossing the border have been reported. In a hurried conference with his science advisors, Powell, Rumsfled, National Security Advisor Rice, and NASA, Bush concludes that the continental United States has been transported back to 1942. He arrives at this conclusion much more quickly than does the rest of the world. The US forces overseas, mainly in the Pacific and Britain have no real idea of what’s happening. The Germans and Japanese are, by this time, aware something is going on, but they’re not sure what. Stalin is informed that all contact has been lost with Soviet agents in America. Churchill, who informs him of the fantastic reports coming from Canada, contacts Stalin. The nominal allies agree that more information is needed, and Eisenhower contacts Nimitz, in Hawaii, who agrees to send a task force built around the USS Hornet to the West Coast. A Royal Navy taskforce, built around the battleships King George V and Renown, formerly on convoy duty, is already en route to the US from Halifax. More to Come. USA 2002 in 1942 Part 2 (say that three times fast…) By 12:00 noon EST March 13, eight hours after the wall of light, the government of the 2002 United States of America is aware that something unbelievable has happened – that the continental 48 states of the union have been somehow transported back to the year 1942. The stunned government can barely respond – and when it does, its automatic responses only. Bush federalizes the National Guard, and orders the borders sealed – for real this time. No one in, no one out. Both Rumsfeld and Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge say that this is virtually impossible, but they can try. Colin Powell points out that in 1942, the United States was at war with a great many countries - Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and Fascist Italy being the big three enemies. However, the 2002 United States is not at war with them. Additionally, the United States has commitments to wage war in concert with allies – most importantly the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union. At this Condoleelzza Rice points out that the USSR is currently led by one Joseph Stalin, a man many consider to be on par with Hitler for pure evil. Before Bush can comment on this, Rumsfeld breaks in again. The navy has reported sinking 2 submarines – suspected Nazi U-Boats at this point, and that three merchant vessels have been torpedoed. Rice again speaks – saying that early 1942 were a “happy time” for German U-Boats off the US East Coast. Bush asks about the vulnerability of both civilian and military shipping. No one speaks for a minute, and Rumsfeld sends for an expert on World War II. CIA chief George Tenet breaks in. Signal intercepts from the NSA indicate heavy fighting around the world – as one would expect in early 1942. There is some indication that Britain and 1942 US military forces outside CONUS know something is wrong, and a large force of surface ships is approaching the Northeast coast. The ships are believed to be British. Bush asked about contacting Winston Churchill, or even 1942 US military forces in Hawaii and the UK, and is informed that technicians are working on it. Press Secretary Ari Flieschman points out that speculation in the press is rampant, and it won’t take people long to figure out what’s going on. Bush tells him to schedule an address to the nation for 2:30 that afternoon. It’s late in the day in London, and Churchill has called an emergency session of his war council, and asked the US Ambassador Joe Kennedy and Eisenhower to sit it on it, along with the Soviet ambassador. Churchill informs them that all contact with the United States has been lost, but that contact with US territories, like Alaska, Hawaii, and the Philippines is available. No reports of natural disasters have been delivered, but that frankly insane reports are coming from the US-Canadian border of huge buildings and strange people. Additionally, strange planes and even auto-rotors (helicopters) have been seen. A Royal Navy task force is steaming south from Halifax, and should know something by tomorrow. Churchill also reports that the US Navy has dispatched a task force from Pearl Harbor to the West Coast. It will be at least three days before anything is known from it. Before that, however, news is expected. Admiral Nimitz has dispatched long-range flying boats – Catalinas – with the range to reach the west coast. They should arrive within a few hours, and issue a report. Air Marshall Dowding reports that two Canadian spitfires already sent to reconnoitre the US were turned back by fantastic rocket planes. They did report the mysterious planes as having US markings – but were also marked as belonging to the “US Air Force”. Churchill turns to Ike, but Eisenhower can give no explanation – all land-based US military aircraft are a part of the US Army Air Corps, and he’s never heard of the “US Air Force”. For now, Churchill decides, the war will continue as normal. There is extreme concern about the battle of the Atlantic, and that the Germans and Italians under Rommel will continue a major push towards Cairo. In Russia, the winter is clearing, and both Soviet and British intelligence believe the Germans will continue their push on Moscow. The news from the Far East continues to be depressing in the extreme – the American in the Philippines are now hopelessly cut off with the destruction of the ABDA naval assets in the NEI. In Berlin, Hitler meets with his military advisors. Canaris advises him “something” has happened regarding the United States. German agents in the UK report that the British have been going bananas all day trying to figure out what’s going on. German intelligence also reports that all US radio stations that they could monitor have gone off the air – except for those outside the United States. Hitler is genuinely confused. He grows more so when Grand Admiral Raeder advises him that a strong British naval taskforce has been ordered off convoy duty from Halifax to “investigate” the US northeast. Hitler is surprised by this, and sends for his astrologer. At 2:30 PM EST, George Bush goes on TV from the Oval Office. He advises Americans that the government is still investigating what happened, but that some preliminary facts are in. One, that the “Wall of Light” remains unidentified. Two, that reports of nuclear war are false. Three, that as far as the US government can tell, the Continental United States has been transported back in time to 1942. He says that the government is unable to explain this, but that the transport did not cause any damage. Four, that World War II is raging with Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. He confirms the reports of the three merchantmen sunk that morning off the east coast, and advises Americans to avoid the water – for now. He also advises Americans that significant military assets were also transported with the US, and that he is extremely confident that the military can keep the country safe while the government continues its investigation. Five, that the stock market will remained closed until further notice. The emergency wage and price controls remain in place, and Americans in vital jobs are to report to work. Six, that he is declaring a national state of emergency, and that all military reservists are to report for duty. Reaction across the country is mixed. Riots break out in some supermarkets, as people rush to hoard food. There is a run on banks, and disorder when people can’t get to their money. Several governors request that Bush let them retain control of some units of the National Guard to contain civil disorder, and Bush agrees. Major military units are ordered to be deployed to some cities. Bush is in the situation room again by 3:00 PM. Several experts on World War II have been located, and join the Cabinets, Majority Leader Daschle, and the rest of the National Security Council, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff and several scientists. Bush speaks to the NASA chief first. The chief says he can offer no explanation for what has happened, and that he has no way of telling if it will happen again. None of the scientists can offer an explanation either. It was clearly the work of an intelligence, however, one of the scientists says. How so, asks Bush. The event transported back only the United States. The national boundaries are arbitrary lines – drawn by humans. There is no natural boundary between North Dakota and Manitoba – it’s just an imaginary line. Therefore, it must have been a deliberate act. Bush ponders this, and then dismisses it. There’s no way we can address this now, he says, and anything with the power to transport an entire country back in time is far beyond our capabilities to impact anyway. What he wants is a plan of action for right now. Several people speak at once. Bush holds up his hand to quiet them, and then points at Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham. Abraham is as confused as anyone else, but points out that the biggest problem facing the nation is oil. Bush is an oilman, so he listens intently. The United States imports oil – it has to, there’s not enough domestic production to meet demand. Domestic production can be increased, but eventually more will have to be found. The SPR – Strategic Petroleum reserve can be tapped, but several military people look unhappy with that. Luckily, Abraham points out, we know where to find oil. Several fields in the western hemisphere – tapped out by 2002 – are available, and the Middle East has oil as well. Enough tankers are in port to transport the oil. Through the German Navy, asks Rumsfeld. Bush turns to his military people. After consulting with the JCS and his commanders, Rumsfeld lists assets. Six regular army divisions are available, and five complete carrier battle groups. Several thousand aircraft are also available, as are the ICBMs and several squadrons of B-52, B-1, B-2 and other bombers. With the activation of reserves, another 14 divisions can be brought on-line in the next two months. As far as intel, most of the US Satellite network is mostly unavailable, but some birds do remain. The NSA is collating Intel from them. It is evident that heavy fighting is occurring in the USSR and North Africa, as well as the Philippines and China. The Eisenhower and Constellation carrier battle groups off the East coast report contact with 52 unidentified submarines, presumably Nazi U-Boats. There are also contacts from the Stennis off the West Coast, these are presumably 1942 US boats. Additionally, the Truman remains in Norfolk and the Theodore Roosevelt is in San Francisco. The venerable Nimitz is undergoing an overhaul at Newport News. The Ronald Reagan is scheduled for completion is the next few months. All other US carriers were deployed, mostly in support of Enduring Freedom. Bush nods. What to do then? An immediate babble starts up, and COS Andrew Card motions for silence. Bush nods at Powell. The US, said Powell, has an obligation to fight Hitler. Technically, by waging war, both Germany and Japan are in violation of their 1945 surrender terms. Someone points out that they haven’t surrendered, so aren’t those documents invalid. Powell starts to reply, but Bush cuts him off. The United States will fight, he says. He looks to Daschle, and asks him to call a joint session of Congress, which Bush will address tomorrow. Meanwhile, Bush orders official contact made with Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom (Churchill is a personal hero of his) and all overseas 1942 US military forces, primarily Pearl Harbor. For the rest of the day the country settles down. With no evident immediate threat to life and limb, people for the most part enjoy a day off. Not so at the National Training Center in California. Two battalions of the Israeli 5th Armored division had just had their butts handed to them (again) by the aggressor force – US troops specially trained on Russian equipment. Like everyone else, the Wall of Light had shocked the Israelis. They too had listened in stunned disbelief to Bush’s press conferences. They heard 1942, and they heard “Nazis”… More to come if there’s interest… Dave Knudson USA 2002 in 1942 – Part 3 I haven’t forgotten USA 1942 in 2002 – but this is more fun right now… Canadian, Mexican, Cuban, and British radio stations were able to detect US AM transmissions. Local listeners weren’t able to make much sense of them, until Bush’s 2:30 press conference, carried live by several AM stations. Even with the reports coming from places like Windsor and Niagara, the situation was too “War of the Worlds” for most people – they remembered Orson Wells, and weren’t going to be fooled again. However, by 4:00 PM EST (10:00 PM in the UK), transcripts of the press conference “President Bush” had held were in London, Rome, Berlin, Tokyo, and Moscow. Both Allied and Axis intelligence services were going bananas trying to figure out what was going on. Churchill, who’d been in an emergency meeting all day, was going over the transcript (for the 9th time) with various people, when a call came in. Using some powerful transmitter, President Bush of the United States of America was on the wireless. There’s a moment of collective shock at #10 Downing street, and then Churchill indicated the set be brought it. After some static, George Bush is talking to Winston Churchill. Though warned that this was open line by the British, the Americans don’t seem concerned. Sir Christopher Meyer, British ambassador to the US was with Bush, and Ike and Joe Kennedy were with Churchill. There were some confused words, and an agreement that a face-to-face meeting was imperative. Churchill invites Bush to Britain, which Bush is agreeable to, but others convince them that it would be better for Churchill to come to Washington. Churchill can use available British transport to get to the US, but Colin Powell recommends using a US jet. An older Boeing 727 (it is feared no runway in 1942 Britain could land a 747) that the State Department used for ferrying important diplomats around is readied at Andrews. The 727 has enough range to get to Britain and back (since there’s no jet fuel in the UK). Air Marshall Dowding is worried about escorting the plane, as the Germans were undoubtedly listening. A US admiral with Bush shrugs. No big deal. The 727 can out run anything the Germans have, and the Ike carrier group will be in range to provide air cover in a day or so. Churchill agrees – over the objections of his security people. The plane will leave in 24 hours, to give the Ike time to get into position. The US Secretary of State will ride the plane as well. In Berlin, the Germans were listening to that, and a multitude of other conversations from America. Most are completely bewildering, but almost all are scathingly anti-Nazi. Many of the radio stations are call-in stations, and the condemnations heaped down on the head of Hitler and others in the Nazi hierarchy are – strong – to say the least. In particular, the Germans note many Americans talking about “death camps” – and – worse – naming them. Many Americans, both Jews and others, are demanding immediate action to liberate those camps. There are many calls for the use of nuclear weapons. Most German listeners have no idea what a “nuclear” weapon is – except that it can’t be good. In Moscow, the NKVD isn’t much happier. The vast majority of the transmissions from America seem to be strongly anti-Nazi, which is good, but a small, very vocal minority is anti-Stalin. Several stations carry history discussions, and note that Soviet repression grew after the 1945 surrender of the Germans. Several people recommend crushing the Soviet Union as soon as Germany is defeated. Beria, who is personally monitoring the situation for Stalin, calls for immediate emergency session of the Politburo. In Tokyo, the Japanese are still very confused. They aren’t getting all the same information. The Americans are talking about the Bataan Death March, and Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Japanese have no idea why those particular cities would interest the Americans. The Imperial Japanese Navy was preparing for a strike against the British in Ceylon. New orders are sent – the Combined Fleet is to gather at Truk for possible future operations against Hawaii. Bush has another meeting – this time with his economic advisors. A growing sense of urgency has gripped them. The US economy could be a shambles very quickly, they warn. The US economy was tightly integrated with the global economy. Many US firms, and, therefore US jobs were dependent on overseas trade. That trade is gone. Furthermore, US dependency on gasoline to run the economy is also high. Gas rationing is probably necessary. Fed chairman Alan Greenspan, and others recommend that several steps be taken: One, that all US reservists be called up – thus removing a large number of people from the employment pool. Two, that the stock market remain closed until the US economy stabilizes. Three, that the government freeze all prices. Four, that banks limit what cash they give their borrowers. Five, that the US federal government embark on an immediate program of public works, and military expansion to employ America’s labor force. Bush is concerned. This smacks of socialism in his mind, and he fears that military expansion coupled with massive public works will bankrupt the government. Not to worry, says Greenspan. In the long term, the prospects for the US economy are golden. The whole world will be dependent on US tech, US business practices, and US expertise. The US is poised to be even wealthier than it was – after some short and medium term pain. At 4:15 AM EST, March 14, 1942, Convoy PQ-17 en-route from Halifax to Liverpool is attacked by a German u-boat wolfpack. Frantic calls from the convoy to the British navy for help are intercepted by the NSA. They inform the JCS, who informs the President. Bush doesn’t hesitate – the Ike is on a few hundred miles away. The US Navy is ordered to render assistance. By 5:15, two merchantmen have been sunk, and another is ablaze as the dawn sky begins to brighten. Two F-18s from the Ike overfly the convoy – stunning the crews of the remaining ships with their appearance. They report the situation, and several Sea Stallions are dispatched to the area. Additionally, P-3c Orions are on the way. SACLANT in Norfolk is on the wireless with the Admiralty. After a call from Churchill, the admiralty orders PQ-17 to turn south, towards the Ike. Other German wolfpacks are converging, and the sonar from the US ships should be able to track them. By 7:30 EST, Navy helicopters are conducting S&R for the convoy victims, and others are hunting the subs. 1942 German subs prove ridiculously easy to find, and the Orions and helos are able to kill several. The crews of the merchant ships and escorts are unable to believe the sights they are seeing. One of the escorts is the 1942 US destroyer Campbell. Aggressively hunting the subs, it is contacted by the Ike. It is ordered to proceed at high speed to link up with the carrier group. The admiral in charge needs a “local” expert to help him with this crazy situation, and the Campbell just got elected. Bush is informed of the “battle” in the Atlantic, and calls another military conference. He wants to know the situation. The briefing is more like a history lesson than anything else. In the USSR, the Germans are preparing to launch an offensive against the Caucasus oil. In Egypt, the British and Rommel’s Afrika Corps are locked in a death struggle for Cairo. In the Far East, the Japanese are over-running what would become Indonesia, and have 20,000 US and Phillipino troops isolated in Bataan. Bush wants to know if anything can be done in the Philippines. Not quickly, is the answer. With no bases capable of supporting them, no assets can be staged from CONUS. The Army has been in contact with MacArthur, in Australia, and wants to know what to do. An Air Force general recommends having them surrender – if they’ll even accept orders from Bush. They gain the US nothing by continuing to fight, and it’s unlikely that the US can get help to them in time to make a difference. Bush ponders that. Meanwhile, he orders all reserves activated, and a recruitment drive to raise more troops. The generals blanche at this – if it really is 1942, then existing US troops should be enough to win. Bush orders them to recruit more troops anyway – his concern is economic, not military. Colin Powell and George Bush have brief meeting with the 2002 ambassadors from Japan, Germany and Italy. They are friendly, as 48 hours ago all three nations were staunch US allies. The ambassadors, who’d talked to each other before this meeting present a united front to Bush and Powell. They understand that the situation is insane, and that the US has an obligation to affect “regime changes” in their countries. Their concerns are for civilian casualties, and, in particular, about the use of nuclear weapons. Bush and Powell are sympathetic. Yes, the regime change will take place. Yes, the US will minimize casualties as much as it can. No, no use of nuclear weapons is planned, but it remains an option to the United States should a conventional military operation go sour. Furthermore, the US government is counting on the ambassadors and staffs of the embassies to provide guidance and advice in the tough days ahead. The ambassadors thank the President, and leave. On the way out, the German ambassador asks what the US is planning to do about Stalin. Not Russia, but Stalin. Powell and Bush look at each other. This is another question to be answered. Bush’s address to Congress is full of the kind of high-minded language and oratory typical of historic moments. Bush is unable to offer any explanation for what has happened, but states that reality can not be ignored. Adolph Hitler is alive, and killing millions. The US has a historic and moral obligation to stop him, and the US will. Already, Bush informs them, the US Navy is engaged against German submarines in the Atlantic. Bush outlines his plan. With America’s ally Britain, the US will defeat the true “Axis of Evil” as quickly as possible. America’s vast technological lead assures victory, Bush said, and this time the war won’t last until 1945. Severe economic shocks will hit the country, and Bush assures Congress and the American people that the administration has a plan to deal with this. However, for now, banks will remain closed, and gas rationing will be implemented. In closing, Bush asks for formal declarations of war against the Axis powers. He closes on a religious note: Might this event have been the work of the almighty, who has given America the chance to right the terrible wrongs of the last sixty years? Can we turn our backs, asks Bush, on a world where this is so much more injustice than anyone can remember? With America’s leadership, humanity can face a new dawn of hope, and a future of promise. In Berlin, German intelligence hears this. Hitler and his advisors meet. In Moscow, the NKVD can not help but notice the only ally mentioned was Britain. The anti-Stalin rhetoric from US radio stations has not abetted. At the NTC in California, the officers of the two Israeli battalions have a brief meeting. They would not wait, it was decided. The Nazis were killing Jews now. They would leave California now. Too bad they couldn’t take their tanks… USA 2002 in 1942 Part IV "Orientation" At 4:30 AM PST March 15, 1942, 77 year-old Miquel Jimenez got up in his home, located just south of Tuscon, Arizona. He got into his 4x4 SUV, and drove south along Interstate 19 to within 5 miles of the Mexican border. He turned off on a service road along the interstate that led to a small, unmarked dirt road. His SUV bumped along that road until it ended abruptly at the Mexican Border. Miquel stopped his SUV off the side of the road. The Border patrol, never more than a token presence here in the wastes west of Nogales, had repaired the fence since Miquel's last journey a few months ago, but that didn't matter to Miquel. He took a pair of bolt cutters from the back seat of the SUV, and grabbed a backpack and canteen. Spry for his age, Miquel wielded the cutter like the mechanic he'd been for decades. The bolt cutter made short work of the fence, and Miguel slipped through and walked south into Mexico. After a walk of six miles, with several stops and turns to orient himself and his decades-old memories of the place, Miquel stopped before a small farmhouse. A few minutes after that, he was shaking hands with his 17 year-old self. Miquel's experience was repeated by dozens of people over the next few days. For some it was joyful, some terrible, and some just terribly confusing. The government was unable to offer any explanation for how this could be, and churches saw a surge in membership. On March 15, the "Battle of the Atlantic" is in full swing. The CAMPBELL had met up with the EISENHOWER group. The captain of the CAMPBELL came on board the huge CVN, and could only gape. An explanation was offered, but the poor man could not understand what was happening. Finally, he gives a stuttering interview to a CNN camera team on the boat, and is struck speechless by the roar of an F-18 taking off. The captain is escorted down to CIC, where seemingly magical sensors, relaying information from helicopters and escort ships, display every German submarine within 200 miles of the group. Even the submerged ones. The EISENHOWER was under orders to clear the shipping lanes of German submarines and aircraft. One of the techs on the IKE had an idea. Why not give the Germans a chance to surrender by letting them know how out-classed they were? Some sonar equipment on two sea stallion helicopters and a destroyer was reconfigured, and a sub selected. The lucky German sub promptly submerged at the sight of the approaching helicopters. A torpedo with a dummy warhead was launched, which struck the German sub, caused relatively little damage, but got the Germans' attention. The helicopters and destroyer then used their sonar to communicate. Rather than the "ping-ping" of normal sonar, they put out a series of pings and longer tones that emulated Morse Code - "Surface or Die" - repeated several times. Then, just to show they were serious, the US sailors launched another torpedo with a dummy warhead. The sub surfaced, and the crew interned. Over the next few days this procedure was repeated, with varying degrees of success, as some German subs did flee or try to fight. They were destroyed. The procedure worked even better after someone had the bright idea of tran-sonaring the messages in German rather than English. As German submariners were experiencing Darwinism in person, the EISENHOWER group was approaching Europe. Several German long-range FW390C CONDOR four-engine naval scout/bombers met F-18s. The results were fairly predictable, though the IKE's S&R teams did manage to fish some German pilots from the sea. On March 16, Winston Churchill was standing with Ike, Joe Kennedy and
Anthony Eden watching an impossible plane land. They were at a bomber
base near Manchester, England, and the 727 coming towards them with
"United States of America" emblazoned on the side was impossible not
to see. The propeller-less aircraft lined up, and did a perfect
landing on the tarmac.
Overhead, equally impossible planes circled the field. Though none
of the men on ground recognized them, all knew military planes when
they saw some. They had the lean, sharp look of killers. The RAF had
a squadron of Spitfire Vs up providing CAP as well, but it was clear
the fighter jets were far more capable.
The plane taxied for a bit, and then a ladder was pushed up to the
door. It wasn't the right size of course, but some quick adjustments
fixed that. With much less pomp than befitted the Prime Minister of
the United Kingdom, a couple of men in blue uniforms descended the
stairs. The saluted Churchill, and Eisenhower, and introduced
themselves as members of the United States Air Force.
An African-American also descended the stairs. He was in a suit, and
smiled at Churchill. Shaking hands, he introduced himself as Colin
Powell, Secretary of State of the United States. As he was doing so,
the F-18s suddenly roared off to the East.
One of Air Force men touched an earpiece, and nodded at
Powell. The Germans were coming.
The last three days had been confusing to Germans. Strange reports from America, loss of contact with Atlantic U-boats, and reports of rocket planes from Condors. Then the call from "President Bush" to Churchill. A chance to get the British PM was too good to miss. Three squadrons of FW190 fighters were tasked. They had the range to make Manchester from Calais. The AWACs from IKE saw them almost immediately. The two F-18s circling Manchester were joined by two more from the IKE. At twenty miles separation the four US planes started launching missiles. 8 FW190s blew up before they knew anything was coming. The remaining FW190s went to evasive, and tried to see what was killing them. 6 more died from more missiles before they did. Impossible planes flashed by, guns blazing. Two more German planes died. However, the FW190 was one of the premier propeller fighters in the world, and they were piloted by combat veterans. They looped and rolled, and fled back to France, all thought of engaging these monster planes gone. The US jets made another pass, and two more FW190s exploded. The remaining 5 sped off to France. Remarkably they made it - as the US jets broke off, under orders to let them escape. At Manchester, Powell and Churchill boarded the plane. Churchill's security men did a sweep of the plane, and took up positions within. Churchill expressed concern about leaving when the Germans were coming, but Powell assured him the attack had already been turned back. As they boarded the plane, one of Churchill's security team curled his lips slightly in a sneer at the idea of a black man speaking to the Prime Minister of Great Britain as if they were equals. Inside the impossible plane were luxurious accommodations, a full communications suite, and a copy of the TIME-LIFE Atlas of World War II. In the Pacific, the USS STENNIS battle group is sailing for Hawaii, full speed. The group is at battle stations, pinging away at submarines. Approaching them is a 1942 carrier group built around the HORNET. Nimitz in Pearl is in contact with Eisenhower and MacArthur. Eisenhower reports from the 727 that yes indeed, these people are from future, and, yes indeed they have some amazing military equipment. Nimitz is ordered to prepare for the arrival of US Defence Secretary Rumsfeld from Washington. When Nimitz asks about the Secretary of the Navy, he informed that position no longer exists. In America, a rash of panic buying is on. People flood supermarkets and gas stations. Bush doesn't hesitate - the National Guard is deployed. Riots break out in some cities, but are quickly suppressed. By the 17th, something like calm is coming over the nation. There is no immediate shortage of food or electricity, and no identifiable threat. Millions of people, American and foreign must come to terms with something, however. Loved ones overseas on March 13 are gone - not necessarily dead - but gone. Parents have lost children, people have lost relatives fighting in Afghanistan, the State Department has been decimated. The government responds ineptly at best. The scope of the problem is so huge that no one organization can cope. Some places deal better then others. There are isolated outbreaks of violence as grief-stricken people decide the government is responsible for this. These are quelled by local police, but the seeds of doubt are planted. NASA is ordered to repair the satellite network - at once. NASA does have considerable launch capacity, and does have some satellites available. However, to repair the network will require the manufacture of more satellites. Although "mostly" constructed in the United States, some components were manufactured elsewhere. US firms can make up the difference, but it will take time. Still, both Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg start preparing rockets for launch. In Berlin, the reports from the Condors are supplemented with those from the surviving FW190s. The news is not good, as the FW190s - the best Germany has - were obliterated with ease. A panic situation grips Zossen and Berlin. The future Americans are calling for the eradication of Nazism, and right now, there is not enough information to stop them. In Moscow, the mood is not much better. The radio reports from America are confusing, but conclusions seem inescapable. Soviet spies report the defeat of the U-boats and that Churchill was met by a fantastic aircraft in Britain. Most concerning, however, is the near fanatical hatred of Stalin in the American media. Most are openly calling for him to be crushed. The only good thing is that the hatred of Hitler seems even greater. However, it is clear that most Americans don't seem to differentiate much between Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. They seem to think both systems are pure evil. Something the USSR and Nazi Germany suddenly have in common, it would seem. The Israeli commander at the NTC is in touch with his embassy in Washington. The city is in chaos, which is understandable. Both the Ambassador and the Israeli commander had family members die in the camps - from the Holocaust. Both want it stopped - and do not want to wait for the Americans to do it. The Ambassador tells the commander to sit tight - for now. Transportation is being arranged by the Mossad. USA 2002 in 1942 Part V – “Assessing Options” When Winston Churchill stepped off the 727 at Andrews AFB, he was shaken. Not by the plane ride – smoother than any he’d ever known – or even by the almost preternatural speed of its transatlantic crossing. No, he was shaken by what Secretary of State Colin Powell had shown him in the Atlas of World War II. He’d understood - on an intellectual level at least – that remarkable as it was, time travel of a whole country had occurred. The atlas, however, had brought that home on an emotional level as well. More than the 727, a black US Secretary of State, the F-18s or anything else, the atlas brought home to him that this was REAL – there was no denying it. The pictures of him with Franklin and Uncle Joe at Tehran, and then later Yalta – they felt right. But that wasn’t what shook him Churchill took comfort from the Allied victory the atlas had set forth. Even without the magic of the 21st century, he and Franklin had put the rabid dog Hitler down. The battles of in North Africa and Italy, operation Overlord, the bulge, all had happened. The Atlas spelled out the immense pain that victory had cost though – for Britain more than America, and for Europe in general the most of all. Colin Powell had explained that none of this would happen, assuming the time event didn’t whisk them back to the 21st century. America’s weapons were vastly better. The atlas revealed pictures of some of those weapons – and their effects. That wasn’t what shook Churchill either. The thing that really shook Churchill – more than anything else – was the small section of the atlas devoted to biographies of the major actors of World War II. Nothing more than sidebars, really, a man’s entire life reduced to a few paragraphs in a coffee-table book. All men die – the mystery is in when. But not for Churchill, for the small biography in the atlas revealed that history had decided that Winston Churchill was to die on January 24, 1965. At the civic center in Atlanta, Georgia, the crowd was swelling. Atlanta PD estimated 120,000 people showed up for what had been an impromptu, non-denominational gathering of the Christian faithful. Southern Baptists predominated, of course, but the Methodists were also represented, along with some Episcopalians and even the odd Catholic or two. Of course, most of the “fringe” Christian groups were there as well, along with the usual assortment of UFO and Scientologists and Lyndon Larouchies. A man could do well here, thought Jeremiah Jesus Jones – Triple-J to his friends. Triple-J had started his adult life as a small-time scam artist and con man. Like most con artists, he got nailed, eventually. After doing 2 years in the Texas State penitentiary, Triple-J had decided that prison wasn’t for him. In prison, he’d met a man simply called the Reverend. The Reverend had made millions as head of a Church. Triple-J couldn’t believe the stories the Reverend told – just make up some BS about God, and people give you money. And best of all – the law couldn’t touch you, since it was a church and all. The Reverend would still be out there making money if one of his accountants hadn’t found religion (real religion) and sold him out. Upon his release, Triple-J founded the Church of Everlasting Mercy (CEM). He became an accredited priest of the cloth from some Internet site, and he was bright enough to craft a message that attracted some followers. With his southern accent, striking appearance, and fluent Spanish, JJJ had made millions. But he dreamed of bigger things. The problem was, he was hardly the first person to come up with this idea, and the big slots were all full already. The Big Boys - as Triple-J thought of them – Falwell, Robertson, Swaggert, and the rest were rolling in loot. Triple-J wanted a piece of that pie – but he needed a way to break in. Triple-J was patient, though, his day would come. The crowd was hungry for answers – and the government wasn’t providing any. Either were any of the talking-head reporters, or even the Big Boys – Falwell wasn’t even here and Swaggert didn’t seem to know what to say. The crowd was angry, confused, and most of all, scared. Yes sirree, thought Triple-J, it looks like today's could be my day. In the embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Washington, DC, the mood was tense, frightened, and bewildered. The fantastic reports on the American media were unbelievable, but also undeniable. A stormy meeting was underway in a secure conference room – what to do. The Great Chairman, Mao, was alive again. There was official joy over this, and unofficial panic. The people in that room were old enough to remember the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, the Gang of Four, and the dark days before Deng. On the surface, their choice of action seemed obvious – assist the Great Mao in his holy task of defeating the Nationalists. But all was not well. China – the Middle Kingdom – faced years of threats – both from within and without – and the Chairman might not have all the answers. And there was the question of the Americans. They’d supported Chiang, and kept his puppet Taiwan from the fold even into the 21wst Century. Despite their knowledge, there was little the Chinese embassy could do to impact the whole United States. The people in the meeting had much to think on. In the Situation Room, Winston Churchill and Dwight D. Eisenhower were greeted with a standing ovation. Military men, members of Congress, some Cabinet people, the British ambassador, and President George Bush all rose. Churchill smiled, gave a “V” sign, and lit up a cigar. Despite the “No Smoking” sign, someone got the PM an ashtray. George Bush introduced himself, the 2002 British ambassador Sir Christopher Meyer, and selected members of the 2002 US government in the Situation Room to both 1942 men. Winston beamed, while Ike was studying the various monitors about the room. The monitors showed satellite images of the Earth, and computer-generated schematics of US naval assets and deployments. In particular, Ike, and the other 1942 military men, were drawn to a large monitor that displayed the position of every remaining German submarine in the Atlantic shipping lanes, as reported by 2002 US naval forces. Also, some intelligence was coming in on German field deployments in Western Europe. After a few minutes of welcome, Churchill sat down at the table. He’d been stunned and amazed by his short ride from Andrews, through the DC suburbs. So much change had taken place. The 2002 Americans obviously had wealth and technology beyond the dreams of avarice, and Winston looked forward to this meeting. George Bush opened the meeting. He started by saying despite the strangeness of the situation, he was happy to report to Churchill that the United States and Great Britain were as close in 2002 as in 1942, and that the United Kingdom could continue to count on the full support of the United States. Meyer echoed this, and reported that the Embassy staff had been in contact with the year 2002 British citizens in the United States, and that, while stunned by the event, Britain’s citizens would help during the time ahead. The Americans had identified three main problems facing the Allies. The first was the war against the Axis; the second was the maintenance of the 2002 US economy, and finally there was the post-war world – in particular China, the Soviet Union and finally the European colonies around the world. Churchill furrowed his brow, and indicated he didn’t know why the colonies were an issue. After all, it was the burden of Christian civilization to minister to those less fortunate under God then they. There was dead silence in the room, broken by Bush, who smiled, and indicated that they should deal with that when the time came. First – the war. Bush spoke. He wanted it clear to the 1942 people that the war could be over in hour. At the surprised looks from Churchill and Ike, an aide started a DVD player. On it was a copy of a PBS broadcast of nuclear weapons. The program included a quick description of a hydrogen bomb, the basic principles behind it, footage of test blasts from Nevada and Bimini, and finally some graphics showing destruction projections for various US cities if they were hit. Bush indicated that less than a hundred of these weapons – and the US had thousands – would eliminate both Germany and Japan as powers and cultures for the next few thousand years. Churchill and Ike were stunned, and Churchill actually looked eager. We should use this now – to destroy the Nazi beast in its lair. Bush looked uncomfortable. There was considerable debate, he said, about using these weapons at all. They were so dangerous and destructive that it was difficult, in good conscious, to use them against any enemy, even Hitler. They remained an asset, of course, but Bush had decided, and made it clear it was his decision, not to use them in combat at this point. There was also considerable debate, Bush said, about a demonstration blast, perhaps at a remote island. It was thought by some in the US government that a demonstration of the power at America’s command would convince the Axis to simply surrender. Others thought the Axis’ historical response to overwhelming odds – sending children out to die in hopeless battles – indicated a degree of fanaticism that no demonstration could move. Bush wanted Churchill’s opinion. Churchill shrugged – the weapons were impressive enough – why not try it? Environmental impacts were not something he thought of. As for the conventional war, then the JCS had a plan for that. First of all, naval and air assets of the United States would absolutely secure naval air dominance over and around the British Isles. No more bombers would hit British cities – guaranteed. A build-up of US supplies and forces would take place in the UK. This would necessitate the conversion of some British facilities to support them, but no one thought that was issue. The first thing would be the neutralization of all EuroAxis air and naval assets. It was thought that that two US CVNs and several squadrons of fighters based from the UK, Gibraltar and Egypt could accomplish this. The Germans had no defence against the US Air Force, and their subs were being swept from the Atlantic. After a period of build up, the invasion of Europe would take place. Tentatively, this was scheduled for mid-September, at a site to be determined. Churchill seemed aghast at this – too soon! What about North Africa, Italy, and Norway? Bush shrugged. His military people had convinced him the best way to win was to land and take Berlin. As for the German Army? A tour of Fort Hood, Texas, home of the US 1st Armored Division was arranged. For the Pacific, 2 CVNs would eliminate the Imperial Japanese Navy by June 1. Once that was accomplished, US SSNs would strangle Japanese trade. The marines would grab some islands, and US air assets staged out of them. Japan was not expected to present a problem. All in all, the war was expected to be largely over before November of 1942. Isolated Axis military units were expected to fight on, particularly in the Pacific, but German and Japanese ability to impact global trade or threaten other nations should be eliminated by then. Churchill was flabbergasted. That’s it? The war over in a few months? That smacked of over-optimism. Bush agreed that it was optimistic, but asked that the Prime Minister reserve judgment until he became more conversant with 2002 US military capabilities. Besides, said Bush, a criticism of the military is that the generals are always fighting the last war. This time, they actually get to. On to the US economy. The US economy is hugely dependant on oil. Foreign oil. Luckily, US petrochemical companies knew where that oil was. Once the Axis military threat was dealt with, the oilmen would go out. A strong US presence in the Gulf was anticipated – to whit, the US would be focusing on Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Churchill pointed out the UK’s own need for oil, and Sir Meyer indicated a display showing North Sea oil deposits. After that, a massive retooling of not only the US economy, but also the global one. Churchill is shocked to learn that in 2002, Germany, Japan, and the Republic of Russia are all US allies. Capitalism had swept the globe, and Churchill felt the first stirring of fear. The world in 2002 seemed to be an American one, where American ideals, culture and politics dominated. While vastly preferable to Nazism or Communism, Churchill wasn’t sure how he felt about that. At this point, Bush broke up the meeting. He was sure Churchill was tired, and offered the hospitality of the White House. Churchill thanked him, and asked to stay at the British Embassy. Sir Meyer agreed, and they left. Sir Meyer was in for a long night, because Churchill had questions. As the meeting broke, and various military leaders left to give orders to US units, John Ashcroft drew Bush aside, and reminded him that he needed a vice president. In Germany, a growing sense of panic reigned. German radios continued to pickup the bizarre stories from America, and the ease with which the FW190s had been smashed to ground was frightening to contemplate. Hitler, at Zossen with OHW and OKH, was in a quandary. The USSR would be finished this summer – he was sure of it. Only the damnable mud and cowardice of his generals had enabled to Bolsheviks to survive this long as it was. The threat from the West, thought manageable until the war against Russia was complete seemed far greater now. Canaris was able to provide little data, other that German U-boats were surrendering in large numbers to the American Navy. The few reports they did have indicated magical military machines. All of this was backed by implacable hatred coming over the radio from America. In particular, a seemingly endless numbers of Jews talking about something called the Holocaust. To Hitler, America was a mongrel, Jew-infested place that would be better ignored, if not for its insane meddling. The only good note that German intelligence was able to report was that almost as many broadcasts were anti-Stalin as anti-German (Canaris was careful not to say ‘anti-Hitler’ though in truth they were). Most Americans seemed to want him dead as well. Hitler fumed and Hitler fidgeted and Hitler sat. The option open to him was abhorrent, but his generals recommended it. Hitler hated the option – it went against everything he believed in. His crusade was working – Europe and Germany were being cleansed, and the Bear was on the ropes. But this new America – this threatened the very soul of the Nazi state, and could not be allowed to exist. Sighing to himself, Hitler called for Joachim Ribbentrop. He wanted the German Foreign minister to make a call. In Moscow, Stalin was stony-faced as the Politburo met. Each member gave a carefully crafted opinion – either about the strange messages from America, or the evidence from Soviet spies in German-occupied Europe. The Luftwaffe had been stung by mystery planes, but the U-Boats were reporting impossibilities. The possibility that this was some fascist-capitalist trick could not be ignored. What to do? The Nazi animal occupied much of the USSR. The victories of the winter must be expanded – but Soviet arms were still weak. This new America seemed as much a threat to the USSR as the Germans. An aide entered. It seemed the Swedish ambassador had called. A message was waiting for Comrade Molotov. From Berlin. At the NTC, the Israeli commander met with his unit commanders. A change was coming. Transport would be arriving. It was time to get ready. Time to kill Nazis. USA 2002 in 1942 Part VI - "Reactions" Winston Churchill gazed out of the limo's windows at the Cherry
Blossoms on the Mall. So much had changed, and yet these were the
same as he remembered them. He remembered his last trip to
Washington, right after Pearl Harbor. Franklin and the Americans had
been so shocked. They had seen the world collapsing around them as
the Japanese overran Asia. Churchill and the British had seen
salvation - with America's strength, who cared about the Philippines
or Malaya (though Churchill still winced at the thought of Singapore).
Now it was Churchill's turn to see the world collapse. The days he'd
spent with Ambassador Meyer had been - interesting, to say the least.
Devastating in their own way. The next decades, Churchill now knew,
would see the dissolution of the British Empire - despite the victory
over the Nazis. That was very bad, in Churchill's mind. What was
truly incomprehensible though, was that Sir Christopher, a Peer of the
Realm, (and, evidently a good one to be awarded the plum
Ambassadorship to the United States) actually viewed this a good
thing. He had prattled on to Churchill about the rights of people (as
if the British Empire could be better ruled by the small brown
people who lived in parts of it rather than good Europeans), and how
the British were better off without the Empire, and even how the
Commonwealth survived in a form. But all Churchill saw was the
retreat from Empire - the retreat of Christian civilization. After
two world wars, centuries of exploration and discovery - it was all
for naught. The retreat of the Empire, matched by a subdued fury from
those it had ruled was the rule of the 21st century, it seemed.
The limo pulled up in front of the TV people in front of the Capitol.
Sir Christopher had assured Churchill that the Americans of 2002
viewed him as a hero. Churchill wondered how his own would view him
after tonight. He was to address the US Congress - a joint session of
it. In it, Churchill, who considered himself a great writer and
orator, would read a speech written by others. A speech written by
the Embassy staff, actually. Churchill had written his own speech, of
course, but had magnamoniously submitted it to Sir Christopher for
review. A few hours later, Sir Christopher had returned, and politely
and deferentially suggested a few "minor" changes. The changes hadn't
been "minor" at all - Sir Christopher had had the whole speech
re-written. The parts about Allied solidarity and shared heritage in
the face of Nazi brutality had stayed the same, but the rest was gone.
In its place was a "politically correct" version that ignored many of
the points Churchill had wanted to make. Gone was the talk of the
benefits of Empire, gone was the idea that the British, Dutch and
French Empires brought civilization to Asia, gone were the
points extolling Christian civilization. An enraged Churchill had
been calmed down by Sir Christopher. Remember the audience, he'd
said. The audience was the Americans, but also the Germans. No
breach between this new America and Britain may be allowed to show.
As much as to Churchill's speech, the Germans would listen to the
American comments about it. Churchill, in the end, had acquiesced to
their suggestions.
Churchill lit a cigar (something he had most assuredly NOT
acquiesced on) and flashed his "V" sign as he rose from the limo. His
bowler hat firmly in place, he moved like an elemental force through
the crowd, smiling throughout, to the US capitol. He would give his
speech, and then embark upon his tour of this new America, and, in the
end, to see what kind of place Britain - his Britain, not Sir
Christopher's, might have in this new world.
Vyacheslav Molotov watched Britney Spears explain that she "was not
that innocent". More to the point, he was watching two NKVD security
men who had accompanied him to the United States watch the young
American woman on "Television". Both men were considered utterly
reliable - else they would not be with Molotov - but the effect of Ms.
Spears on them was electric. They'd never seen anything remotely
similar, and both had slack-jawed expressions of befuddlement and
lust. Neither was doing their jobs, and after a few moments of
watching the "MTV Music Video", neither was Molotov.
Molotov was on his was to the "Situation Room" at the White
House. The Imperialist Churchill had just given a rousing speech to
the American Congress, and it had been well-received. Molotov had
stopped off after a brief introduction to President Bush in the Oval
Office to check on his men. They were supposed to be carefully and
unobtrusively gathering information. Instead, they were watching MTV.
When he arrived at the Situation Room, Molotov sat at one end of the
long conference table. With him were most of the senior military,
diplomatic, and political leadership of the United States. They did
not have friendly expressions on their faces.
The 1942 US Embassy in Moscow had received word, from the 1942
US Embassy in London, of the startling events of the past days. Yes,
somehow the USA from 2002 had been transported back to 1942. Yes, the
rumors were true, and no, the scientists in America from 2002 had no
idea how this happened.
Through the US Embassy, a meeting had been arranged. The
United States and the Soviet Union, were, after all, Allies against
Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy (among others), and consultations were
necessary. A "jet airplane" would fly to Moscow to pick up whatever
representatives the USSR deemed appropriate for a meeting in
Washington DC with President Bush. This response had, of course,
triggered the institutionalised paranoia of the Soviet Union, but
Molotov and a few others were hastily sent on their way. The magical
American plane appeared, and only Molotov's rank in the Politburo had
prevented the NKVD at the airport from seizing it immediately - surely
the great Stalin would reward such a rich technological prize! Molotov
had talked the NKVD Colonel in charge into forgoing any abrupt action
- much richer prizes awaited the USSR if a little patience could be
shown. After all, the dialectic demanded it.
20 hours later, Molotov wasn't so sure about the infallibility of the
dialectic. He'd seen things that had shaken him to his very roots.
The Americans had on the plane the Ambassador from the "Republic of
Russia" - clearly a Russian, but one whose hatred of Communism in
general - and Stalin in particular - could not be hidden. The plane
had 2 movies on it - something called "CNN's History of the Cold War"
- which wasn't about a war at all, but about a post-war ideological
struggle between the US and the USSR. The other had been a "recent
release" called "Enemy at the Gates" about a battle in Stalingrad. It
had been chilling as well.
The upshot of the information Molotov received on the plane ride
(straight across the Atlantic - no stops) was that the Soviet Union
was doomed. Not from the Nazis - the Americans admitted that the
Soviets had crushed them (Molotov cherished the memory of the picture
of Soviet soldiers raising the Hammer-and-Sickle above the ruins of
the Reichstag in Berlin). But in the long term, and if the Americans
were not lying, then Marx and Lenin were wrong. Molotov couldn't quite
bring himself to believe that, but the amazing sights that he'd seen
did shake him.
He didn't show it, of course. His face wore the same bland
expression of polite interest it always did. Molotov was a man raised
to political maturity in Stalin's Russia. One did not survive - to
say nothing of prosper - in such an environment without learning
emotional control. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for
Georgi Zhukov, currently staring wide-eyed at "satellite" photos of
the Russo-German Front. Zhukov (who apparently had some reputation
among the American military people) had been shown something called
the "Battlefield" series from the "History Channel". Zhukov's eyes
had been round after that.
The African Secretary of State (an African as Secretary of State?
Ludicrous.) named Colin Powell was addressing Molotov through a
translator. He welcomed the Soviet ambassador to the United States,
and told him that despite the strange circumstances, the United States
had every intention - and the means - to honor its commitments and
prosecute the war against Nazi Germany. Furthermore, the United
States would also do its best to honor its economic commitments to the
USSR. Unfortunately, the industrial base of 1942 had been replaced
with one sixty years more advanced. The spare parts, locomotives, and
other military and industrial products that had been part of the
lend-lease program to the USSR could not be shipped because they
simply did not exist
in a form the USSR could use. However, on a brighter note, the
complete defeat of the U-boats meant that "humanitarian" (whatever
that was) aid could get through.
Molotov took all of this equaminously enough. He hardly expected the
Americans to just give away their marvellous technology. He looked
somewhat abashed, and said that while the USSR would greatly
appreciate any assistance the United States could give, the lack of
spare parts might hamper the efforts of the glorious workers and
peasants of the USSR in conducting warfare against the Germans.
No problem, said the Americans. The German military would be crushed
utterly in the next few months. The Soviets would be well-advised to
wait it out. The Red Army, said an American general, need not suffer
any more. The sons of Russia need not die in its defence. Molotov,
who cared not one whit about the sons of Russia, said this is fine,
but he hardly expected the Germans to be crushed that quickly. The
same US general said he'd been happy to take Marshall Zhukov to
someplace in Texas (Fort Hood) which should dispel any lingering
concerns the Soviets might have.
Molotov said this was all sounding very good, but that specific
concerns had developed in the Soviet Union regarding some radio
broadcasts that had been heard. In particular, these broadcasts
seemed to portray Comrade Stalin in much the same light as Adolph
Hitler. This was confusing to the USSR, why would an Ally portray the
leader as the enemy? After all, Comrade Stalin was the saviour of the
USSR.
A dead silence Winston Churchill would have recognized from his time
in the Situation Room ensued. This time, it lasted for several
moments, and again, President Bush was the one to break it. Bush was
comfortable here; things worked best for him when he could classify
people as either good or evil, and he had no uncertainty about where
Stalin fell. He growled at Molotov, although the translator was more
polite. Premier Stalin, said Bush, had no friends here. Unlike many,
the United States would not operate under the assumption that Stalin
was nice or even rational. At this, Molotov's demeanour broke a little.
What do you mean? Comrade Stalin is the
leader of the workers and peasants of the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics. He is a visionary who -
Comrade Stalin, broke in yet another African (even more unbelievably
- a woman - with the title of "National Security Advisor"), is a
lunatic. Molotov's translator blanched at translating this, but the
one from the 2002 Russian Embassy did not. Molotov was actually
speechless. The same woman continued. Comrade Stalin killed millions
of innocents in his forced collectivisations of the 1920s. Comrade
Stalin destroyed ethnic groups he viewed as unreliable or disloyal.
Comrade Stalin gutted the Soviet military leadership in paranoid
delusions, effectively destroying the ability of the
Red Army to resist the Nazis, and thereby condemning more millions to
death (Molotov carefully did not look at Zhukov).
Powell spoke again. The United States would honor its commitments.
The aid would come to Murmansk and other ports. The United States
Armed Forces would defeat the Germans. The Soviet Union - while it
was led by Josef Stalin - was not a friend though. At the conclusion
of the conflict, the United States would recognize - and enforce - the
boundaries of the USSR as they were on January 1, 1939. In short, the
United States did not recognize the forcible Soviet annexation of
Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Bessarabia, Eastern Poland, or the lands
seized from Finland in 1939-1940.
Molotov looked at Bush, but there was no give there. His Secretary
of State had spoken, and Bush supported him. Molotov was very pale,
but managed a smile. He said the USSR would welcome any aid the USA
could provide, and, that after conveying this message to Comrade
Stalin and the rest of the Central Committee, would like to establish
a dialogue to prevent any misunderstandings between the two countries.
The United States Navy was busy. Deployed on the first day of the event to protect the US East Coast, the 2002 Navy carrier battle groups had picked up bits and pieces of the 1942 US and Royal Navies as well. The North and Central Atlantic had been swept clean of German U-Boats, and the EISENHOWER group had reached the English Channel. The pilots on board had savaged two hastily assembled German air attacks on the group, and were itching to hit Europe. However, it was not to be. Orders from the Pentagon were clear: Establish air and sea supremacy around the British Isles, and wait for the AEF being prepared in the United States. Britain was completely lacking in any logistical support capability, and that needed to be created in order to support extended combat operations. The crews of the ships would have to wait. The Captain of the EISENHOWER was a bit of a history buff. His pilots were frustrated by inactivity, but he knew a nice, juicy naval target for them. It didn't even mean breaking his orders. Well, not that much anyway. The CONSTELLATION battle group had reached and transited Gibraltar into the Western Mediterranean. One German and two rather desultory Italian air attacks had been beaten off with ease. The CONSTELLATION's orders were different from IKE; clear the Med of Italian and German shipping to choke off Rommel in North Africa. The Italian Navy was another concern. It had numerous battleships and cruisers, and a not insignificant sub component. The men and women of the CONSTELLATION and her escorts had a plan to deal with this. In the Pacific, the STENNIS group had reached Hawaii. Chester Nimitz, after a tour of the NIMITZ-class ship, knew the war was over. On his own initiative, and in consultation with Douglas MacArthur in Australia, Nimitz was putting together a relief force for the beleaguered men of the Philippines garrison. Two divisions of 1942 troops in Hawaii were available. One of these, plus a 2002 marine contingent built around the TARAWA were to sail to the Philippines with the STENNIS, and the TRUMAN hastily sailing from the US. Bush had initially opposed this plan, but the enthusiasm of the military people, both 2002 and 1942, had swayed him. It was shoestring, and might not work, but the Japanese would be obligated to try and stop it. The STENNIS and TRUMAN would be enough to crush the IJN, and meanwhile, a 2002 Navy force from San Diego was on its way to Hawaii, to build up a logistical base there. Triple-J had come up with a plan. The Reverend had taught him the basics - make 'em afraid of it, and tell 'em who to blame for it, and then they'll flock to you. Well, they were already afraid of "it". "It" being the event that sent them to 1942. Who to blame - well, that was tougher. Triple-J initially wanted to blame Bush, but a quick call to the Reverend in his Texas prison cell changed that. Bush was too popular with Triple-J's core constituency - the South - to blame. No, people wanted to rally round the good Christian Texan President, and blaming him was not the answer. Triple-J had to admit that the Reverend made damn good sense there. But there were plenty of other targets. Triple-J's ambition was money, and to get money meant people. Who to blame to attract the most people, and therefore, the most money? Triple-J hemmed and hawed about this for a couple of days, and then, as if by divine providence, an inspiration hit him. With a smile, Triple-J began to write the sermon of his future. Winston Churchill was a place called Cape Canaveral in Florida. His tour of the 2002 United States was leaving him breathless, and today promised to be the best of all. NASA was launching the Space Shuttle Discovery, mission STS-110. The original spec for STS-110 was to convey and assemble a large piece of the ISS (International Space Station). The ISS didn't make it to 1942, so STS-110 had been reconfigured. Two MILSTARs were going up instead, to help rebuild the tattered US Satellite network. On time (for once), and on a plume of fire, the Discovery lifted off. In all his life, Churchill had never seen anything like it. The plume of fire, the rumble felt in the bones, the exhaust light too bright to look at, and the speed of the machine left Churchill breathless. (Author's Note: I actually got to see the real STS-110 launch from the Cape during my honeymoon, and decided to include it here. It is amazing to see a shuttle launch in person, and I knew - more or less - what to expect. For someone from 1942 I imagine it would be even more impressive). The Israelis boarded a series of Greyhound buses. They didn't have their weapons with them, but they would be provided later, the man from the Embassy said. The buses left the NTC under eye of the US commander there. He had no orders regarding the Israelis, but a pretty good idea of what they were off to do. He supposed he should have stopped them - after all, military action, to be coordinated should have a centralized command structure. With the absence of an Israeli high command (not to mention the absence of the State of Israel), the Israelis probably should have demobilized themselves, or submitted to US command. On the other hand, the US Commander had no love of Nazis. The same magical US Jet returned Molotov and Zhukov to Moscow. Zhukov's tour of Fort Hood would have to wait. The flight back had been difficult for Molotov. He'd seen enough during his brief visit to America to convince him that resistance was futile. The Soviet Union had not the means, not could it acquire the means, to fight these people. Instead, Molotov focused on what the Secretary of State had said - the US would have difficulty dealing with the USSR. While Stalin was in charge, that is. Molotov considered this carefully. The Americans would be the power to deal with in the future, and - appeasing for lack of a better word - them would be critical to the survival of the revolution - not to mention Molotov's own skin. He was not so foolish as to allow his mind to even begin to plan a plot against the man who ruled Russia. Instead, Molotov spoke with Zhukov about what they'd seen and done. They went over each and every detail of the trip. This was more than simple preparation to report to a superior - Stalin would quiz each separately, and any inconsistencies would set his paranoid mind awhirl - no, for both Molotov and Zhukov, this was simple survival in the Soviet state. Molotov nodded politely to American cabin crew as he left - politeness cost nothing and could be useful later. The US translator wished Molotov a safe trip to the Kremlin, and Molotov nodded politely. Of course, Molotov wasn't going to the Kremlin - yet. He had another appointment Stalin had made for him. In the much less comfortable Soviet plane that left an hour after the American one did, Molotov mused on what was said. It wasn't until he was over Pskov and winging west that he recalled that Zhukov hadn't mentioned the American statement about the USSR being better off without Stalin either. Yes, much to consider. More to come. Dave Knudson USA 2002 in 1942 Part VII - "Perspectives" Mildred Myers returned home from her vigorous three-mile walk at about 8:00 AM. The air in Los Angeles had not acquired the ferocious heat it would later, and sixty-two year-old Mildred appreciated it. It looked to be another hot one, and Mildred liked to get her daily walk in before it got too hot. The paper had arrived, and Mildred, almost without breaking stride scooped it up. The front page was full of news about either the war or the event, and a full-color picture of Winston Churchill giving his famous "V" sign from an M1 Abrams tank dominated. Mildred put the paper on her kitchen table, and checked her ovens. An apple pie, and two pans of her brownies were almost done cooking, and should be removed before she showered. Ever since her beloved husband Wally had died three years ago of cancer, Mildred had done her best to keep busy. Wally's career as an aerospace engineer provided enough money, and they'd never had children. Mildred, after the grief of his death, had devoted herself to her church; not in any real religious sense - though she dutifully attended Haverford Methodist every Sunday - but rather through its community outreach programs, and social events. Mildred liked to keep busy, and the church provided a way to do that. Ever since the Event, Mildred had been busier than ever. People had turned to the church for comfort, even if the Methodist church she attended was a close to secular as one could get in mainstream Christian worship, it was still a spiritual place, and people wanted that. Later, as ships (both civilian and military) from 1942 came home to an America they couldn't recognize; the church provided a place of comfort to mariners as well. Comfort, both spiritual and physical are important to well-being, and since Reverend Phillips had once before the Event described Mildred's brownies as "sinfully delicious", she'd been delighted when he'd first asked her to make up a batch, and drive it down to the navy base at San Diego. That's where the Navy had the ships returning; so that the year 1942 sailors could be processed. This was the third time Mildred had done this. The troops from 1942 appreciated her cooking and good nature, and Mildred, with no family, delighted in giving them brownies. They were so lost that Mildred's heart went out to them. Today would be no different. Mildred retrieved the brownies, and the pie (not her specialty, but Mildred had been toying with a new recipe, and hey, variety is the spice of life), and covered them with tin foil before showering. After she dressed, Mildred glanced through the paper. It always listed the returning ships and where they'd been based, in case anyone with a personal connection to the men was available. Mildred ran her eyes down the list, not really expecting anything. Her eyes stopped on one ship's name for a moment, and then continued. She'd known this might happen, but hadn't really expected it. Mildred stopped off in her bedroom to retrieve something, and the hauled the pans of brownies (with the apple pie balanced precariously on top) to her car. She navigated herself through southern California's tortuous system of interstates to the docks in San Diego. Some ships had already come in; their crews going through what the government called "orientation", an attempt to drill sixty years of history, cultural change, and technology into befuddled men in a few hours. Mildred thought it a waste of time, but in the face of its utter inability to explain the Event, the government had to be seen as Doing Something, and an "orientation" was the answer. The docks were a madhouse of returning sailors, reporters, police, and civilians. Mildred located Reverend Phillips, and he directed her to a large table, with a cluster of volunteers serving welcoming sailors home. Leaving her brownies with some friends, Mildred walked through the crowd, scanning faces. She doubted she'd find what was looking for, but she tried anyway. Thus she was stunned when she saw him. He looked vastly different of course, but there was no hiding those striking blue eyes. Mildred sighed to herself, and walked right up to him. Might as well get it over with. He wouldn't know of the special history they shared, so it was up to her to let him know. He was looking around, as befuddled as anyone else. He saw her bright smile, and looked with confusion at her; not recognizing her of course. She was still smiling when she pulled out her deceased husbands' .38, and shot him four times at close range before the gun jammed. He was dead before he hit the ground. Mildred then put the gun down, and stepped away from it and the corpse. A moment of stunned silence ensued before pandemonium erupted. Later, it was determined that the man Mildred shot was Seaman Morris Jones. In 1954, when Mildred had been 14, Morris Jones had raped her so severely that she'd never been able to give her beloved Wally children. 14-year old Mildred had never had the courage to act against him, and he'd raped four more teenaged girls before dying of a drug overdose in 1963. Over the years, Mildred had found a little more out about him, including the merchant ship he'd served on during World War II. It had been more morbid curiosity on her part than anything else at the time; she'd never thought she'd have a practical application for the knowledge of his life she'd obtained. The case caused a sensation. Not an OJ-level sensation, but a media event none-the-less. Mildred had never committed a crime in her life, and that a nice, church-going lady could commit murder was bad enough. Feminist groups supported her; after all, Mildred had stopped a demonstrated serial rapist. On the other hand, Morris's sexual deviancy didn't start until 1954; the man Mildred shot had committed no crimes. Despite a groundswell of support for Mildred, the courts ruled against her. Individuals "duplicated" by the Event were still separate individuals. Whatever a person's potential crimes in the future, they were innocent until proven guilty. By separating people, legal tangle was avoided. Still, Mildred was not alone. Two more 1942 people were killed by victims of crimes that had not yet committed before the government (getting to Do Something again) set up a screening process to warn "future criminals" of potential assassins. By and large, it wasn't really necessary; the members of the "Greatest Generation" were not, as a whole, inclined to be criminals. But in some cases they were. The fishing boat was a medium-sized, not too new, not too old, and entirely non-descript. It could have been any one of a hundred Swedish boats plying the Baltic Sea in search of fish. Nets were deployed from the mast into the water, and the ship trawled slowly to the north, no different from other fishing ships on the water. The ship flew the Swedish flag, but had not a single Swede on board. Instead, an elite crew of the Kriegsmarine ran the ship, while SS guards kept careful watch in civilian clothes. Exactly on time, a Soviet submarine surfaced next to the ship. The SS guards tensed, but no treachery was offered. Instead, the Soviet sub deployed a small raft, and two men rowed a third over to the Nazi-crewed fishing boat. Upon reaching the boat, two SS crewman assisted the two NKVD rowers up, and they in turn helped the middle-aged Soviet diplomat up. The diplomat was led below, while the NKVD and SS men contemplated each other with varying degrees of sullen hostility. Vyacheslav Molotov and Joachim von Ribbentrop eyed each other across a rough wooden table. The men had met many times before; most recently in December of 1940, when the "partners" had discussed dividing up the British Empire. If Molotov felt a personal sense of betrayal at the very real geopolitical betrayal the USSR had experienced, his face did not betray it. George Bush would have recognized the bland sense of polite interest he displayed to Ribbentrop. Of course, his country was not at war with the United States from the year 2002, so his position of the rough wooden chair was considerably more comfortable. Ribbentrop couldn't keep the contempt from his face, and made no real effort to do so. Everyone knew (well, everyone of importance anyway) that the Wehrmacht would've crushed the Soviets in the summer - had not the Fuhrer assured them of this? And now this - this incomprehensible event that had put demons of technology and power in the United States - had forced the Aryan Reich to deal with the Slavs as something other than a Master to his slaves. The Germans were not here willingly, and Molotov allowed for a small, inner smile at Ribbentrop's obvious discomfiture. Ribbentrop opened the meeting. He began by thanking the Soviet Foreign minister for coming, and then launched into a carefully prepared statement. He expressed dismay over the current state of Soviet-Nazi relations, and related how the war had not been the true desire of the Fuhrer. Rather, an Anglo-Jewish plot to turn the friends - the USSR and Germany - against each other had deceived certain members of the Nazi inner circle, in particular Rudolf Hess. Hess's duplicity could not be understated - had not his British masters called him back home on the eve of the invasion? Indeed, even more than the Nazi Party, the German Army had been deceived. A Soviet "attack" on June 20, 1941 on German units pacifying Poland - which had precipitated the attack of June 22 (ordered by local Army commanders, of course, not Hitler) - was revealed, through the brilliance of Adolph Hitler, to have been the work of British and Jewish agents. The "morally bankrupt capitalists" had been desperate, and only by turning the visionaries of Hitler and Stalin against each other could they hope to prolong their own craven lives and societies. And, of course, once the war had started, the Germans had no choice but to wage it, lest the British-Jewish conspirators within the German Army be alerted that the Fuhrer knew of their duplicity. Even now, Ribbentrop emoted, security elements of the German government were moving to eliminate the conspiracy. Molotov sat in silence, and wondered if Ribbentrop actually thought that any sane human being above the age of four would buy that story. Hitler's whole political career had been based on the elimination of Slavs and Communism, and the fact that the USSR embodied both had made it the most vilified target of his mind. The German attack (which surprised Stalin far more than Molotov) had been a deliberate, predicated, carefully planned affair, and the pack of lies Ribbentrop spewed was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard - up to and including Dr. Rice calling Stalin a "lunatic". Still, he had his orders. Molotov managed (somehow) a smile, and nodded at Ribbentrop. He acknowledged the German's words, and said that Comrade Stalin and the Central Committee would be relieved that the current unpleasantness between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union could be resolved. There were a number of issues to be resolved, however. Not everyone in the peace-loving Soviet Union had access to the information that was revealed here, nor could they be given it for "security concerns". Some Soviet citizens might still feel a sense of distrust of their German neighbours, and, Comrade Stalin, as their chosen leader, must acknowledge those who did so. Ribbentrop looked thoughtful (difficult, given that thought was not something that came often to Herr Ribbentrop) for a moment, and nodded slowly. Yes, Germany could acknowledge that some Soviet citizens might have those fears - though they hoped that Stalin and the Soviet government would act quickly to dispel them. Molotov nodded. Of course they would. Still, that would take time, and Comrade Stalin thought that that they way to proceed was carefully and thoughtfully, lest any undetected elements of the conspiracy "confuse" things again. Actually, Comrade Stalin and the Central Committee had already had some thoughts along these lines that Molotov was prepared to share with Ribbentrop, if he was interested. Ribbentrop glared at Molotov's bland smile, knowing full well that the Soviets had the advantage, and knew it. He managed a smile, and said he'd be simply delighted to see what was prepared. Molotov withdrew a series of maps from his briefcase, and laid them on the table. They showed a staged German fall-back to Warsaw, followed by a Soviet advance to the old pact line of 1939. The German foreign minister scowled at the maps, and mentioned that they seemed to call for the retreat of the Germans to Warsaw, while the Soviets were at Brest-Litovsk. Molotov smiled, and said that while the territory between Warsaw and Brest-Litovsk was to be German, Comrade Stalin and the Central Committee felt that a demilitarized "buffer" zone between the Soviets and Germans might do quite a bit to allay the (justified) fears of those uninformed Soviet citizens. It would be only temporary, of course, until the "new situation" in the west had been addressed. Ribbentrop asked why a buffer zone in the east wasn't maintained, and Molotov simply smiled and said that until the situation with the United States was "clarified", it was felt that it would unduly strain the Germans to maintain a military presence that far east. Ribbentrop pointed at Lithuania. It directly abutted East Prussia, and, lamely, Ribbentrop wanted to know what could be done to allay the equally justifiable fears of the Prussians. Molotov pretended to go into deep thought at this, and then mentioned that he might be able to talk Comrade Stalin into "demilitarizing" Lithuania. If the Germans could accept "non-military security forces" in Lithuania to suppress "counter-revolutionary, British-inspired terrorists", then he thought Comrade Stalin would agree. Ribbentrop scowled again. He knew Molotov meant NKVD, and he knew Hitler wouldn't like it. But overall, he was surprised at the generosity of the Soviet minister - he'd expected worse. He looked up, and said, that in principle Germany could abide by these terms. Molotov smiled, and said that another meeting - of lower-level functionaries should be set up soon to work out the details - perhaps in Sweden next week? Ribbentrop agreed, and rose from the table with hand extended to shake Molotov's. Molotov did not. Just one more issue, said Molotov. Ribbentrop froze, half out his seat. Molotov continued that Comrade Stalin was glad the Germans had detected the conspiracy that led to the tragic conflict between them. Ribbentrop, still crouched, looked confused for a moment, and then remembered the story he'd spun. Molotov said that elements of that conspiracy had been tracked by Soviet security to another place. Ribbentrop stared. It turns out that the duplicitous Finns were involved, Molotov said. Seeking to overturn the glorious victory of the workers and peasants of the Soviet Union in 1940, the Finns had aided and abetted the conspiracy. Ribbentrop sat back down, but even he knew what was coming. Molotov pressed on. The NKVD had recovered proof - which the Soviet Union would be happy to share with the Germans - that Helsinki had provided funding and logistical support for the British-Jewish conspiracy. Molotov said that the Soviets could hardly blame the Germans for being duped, but that no excuse could exist for the Finns. With this new information, Molotov and Comrade Stalin were sure that the Germans would understand that the legitimate rage of the Soviet people could not be forestalled, and the situation in Finland must be addressed. The hate coming from Ribbentrop was a visceral thing. Molotov could almost see it, and a small part of him delighted in it. With a visible effort, Ribbentrop controlled himself, and surrendered Finland to the USSR. As Molotov left the smouldering Ribbentrop on the boat, he smiled at the NKVD men. As he recalled, both had been assigned to the new NKVD armored divisions, marked for special deployment to Lithuania. The early Norwegian morning was broken by the scream of jet engines. Four F/A-18s from the IKE screamed up the fjord at near supersonic speeds. Each Hornet carried four AGM-84 Harpoon missiles, and the target had no way of jammed their electronic brains. The flight screamed over the target, which had been located and identified from satellite photos. The TIRPITZ - though to be secure - came to life as the American jets flew overhead. The crew rushed out, and while some rushed to their duty stations, some simply stared at the planes. They'd all heard stories of the new US Navy - now they got to see it. The lead jet broke off, and then swooped down to just above the water. The convoluted topology of the fjord meant that a close and low attack was necessary, but the pilot wasn't worried. Neither the TIRPITZ of the land-bases AA crews were reacting, and no German pilot still alive was dumb enough to face F/A-18s. The HUD displayed lock-on, and the flight leader pressed a button. Two AGM-84's detached, and raced at the TIRPITZ. Both hit just above the waterline, and the whole ship bucked. The blasts rocked the German battleship, but didn't sink it, as was expected. Much slower than they needed to, the next Hornets lined up. The German crew was scrambling off the ship, as had been hoped. The plans were dashed when some idiot on the ground started shooting at the US planes. There wasn't much hope of actually hitting one, but no chances were taken. In quick succession, 6 more harpoons hit the TIRPITZ. The fifth one penetrated to an ammo bunker on the ship, and the resulting explosion lifted the ship clear of the water, and flipped it over, breaking the keel. All caught on the lead plane's gun camera for broadcast on CNN. A similar mission was undertaken in Italy. Several squadrons of US jets overflew the Italian base at Taranto. The AA of the base was suppressed, and then the Italian Navy was, for all intents and purposes, destroyed. The pilots did manage to minimize damage to the city itself, and most of the Italian crews got off their ships before they were destroyed. All in all, a pretty good day for the US Navy. More to come if there's interest. USA 2002 in 1942 Part VIII - "Deployments" It has been said that the best alliances are those of convenience.
When all parties concerned understand that their affiliation is based
not on insubstantial concepts like friendship, common viewpoint, or
mutual respect, but on the fact that both need something only the
others can provide, an alliance can work. All others, it is said, are
doomed to failure.
Whether or not that saying was true, it most certainly described the
situation between the two men sitting on the deck of the on the yacht.
Florida's Biscayne Bay spread in sun-dappled glory before them, and
the water seemed almost covered with boats. Yachts, pleasure-craft,
small trawlers, fishing boats and even large sailboats moved in loose
formation. They were there - could be there - because of the two men
on the yacht. One of them gloried in the sight that a conquistador
from fourteenth or fifteenth century Spain would have recognized - a
people going to reclaim their homeland. The other looked merely in
the satisfaction of a job well done. His shot at his own homeland
would come later - though this was an important first step.
One of the men on the boat was Julio Merrenda, and his heart was
ready to burst with joy. Over two hundred boats - full of the elite
of Miami's Cuban-American community (and their "guests") - were making
the journey they'd dreamed of since 1961. They were going back to
Cuba. For many, it would be their first time in the almost legendary
homeland - forty years had seen the passing of generations - and they
came more out a spirit of adventure (and potential profit) then
nostalgia.
Marrenda was a leader of the Cuban-American expatriate community,
though few people even in that community would have recognized him as
such. He was quietly in charge of one of the largest political action
committees in Washington. His PAC was one reason the US government
had maintained its strangling embargo on Cuba for so long.
Congressional members from Florida, in both the Senate and the House,
knew that a word from Marrenda could make or break their long-term
prospects in Floridian politics. As for those members not from
Florida, well, Marrenda was dedicated, personally and professionally,
to a free Cuba, and he wouldn't let little things like blackmail and
bribery stop him.
As the flotilla had gathered in Biscayne Bay from Miami and its
suburbs, the stunned Coast Guard had reacted with two cutters and the
Dade County Sheriffs Department had added a helicopter, but the US
authorities couldn't really interfere with the Cuban-Americans. After
all, they weren't really breaking any laws. If they approached Cuba,
they would be breaking the official US embargo on the island-nation
(though it could be argued that in court that the embargo wasn't "yet"
in force). But that was the domain of the US Navy. Apart from some
anti-sub planes in Key West, and two destroyers escorting small oil
tankers to Venezuela, the navy had few local assets - and fewer
reasons - to interfere with the Cuban-Americans. The U-boats had been
cleared from the Caribbean, and Cuba just didn't rate next to either
the Nazis or the Imperial Japanese Navy.
The questions that baffled the few state and federal officials
concerned with the flotilla were fuel and weapons. It was clear
enough what the Cubans were doing - going to Cuba. However, ever
since the Event, fuel had been tightly rationed. There was no way
(theoretically) that over 200 non-essential pleasure craft could have
purchased fuel under the new regulations - let alone enough gas to get
them all to Cuba. Cuban-Americans had the highest per-capita income
of any immigrant group in the United States, and a fair degree of
political clout as well, but even that shouldn't have been enough.
Regardless of the fuel, there remained the question of just what they
planned to do when they got to Cuba. Fulgencio Batista was a ruthless
man, and whatever their political and technological skills, the Cubans
possessed neither the trained men nor the weapons to displace him.
Batista wasn't the official President of Cuba, but he was the real
power there. Some officials wondered what they would do; the
Cuban-American "fleet" had no military vessels, and no evident
weapons. It was though they would offer some kind of deal - but
Batista was not a man that one could deal with from a position of
anything other than power.
Marrenda knew this better then the confused officials, of course. At
the age of seven, he'd fled Cuba on a rickety boat in 1962, and knew
the realities of politics there. After the stunned confusion of the
Event, he and his PAC had argued long and hard in Washington for a
small force of marines or soldiers to take the island. The US
military had no time for him, though. With Adolph Hitler, Joseph
Stalin, and their ilk to deal with, one more minor dictator just
didn't matter.
Then, a little more than two weeks ago, Marrenda had met the other
man who was on the deck of the yacht with him. The man's name was
Joshua Isaacs, and he was officially an assistant counsel at the
Israeli Embassy in Washington. Marrenda had been having dinner in a
small Washington bistro when Isaacs had approached his table, and sat
down uninvited. Marrenda had a career where such things happened, so,
even though he didn't recognize Issacs, he'd merely put down his fork
and waited for the man to speak.
Isaacs smiled, and introduced himself. He did not offer to shake
hands. He'd been listening to Marrenda in various Congressional
meetings over the last few days, and believed he could help the
Cuban-Americans with their problems.
Marrenda had stared. As toughened by Washington politics as
he was, Marrenda had to wonder for a moment why the Israeli gave a
damn about Cuba one way or the other. Then he noted two younger men
enter the bistro and sit at a table close to Marrenda's. Neither
looked at all interested in food, and both had a tough, observant, and
angry look about them. Marrenda had been around for far too long to
not to recognize bodyguards when he saw them, and he doubted an
"assistant counsel" rated such protection. From that, he concluded
(correctly) that Isaacs was Mossad, and that confused Marrenda even
more - why would the Mossad care about Cuba - as did why Mossad
bodyguards would be angry with him.
Isaacs pressed on. The Cubans had a problem. They wanted to go to
Cuba and replace Batista. To do that they needed fuel for their
boats, and, most importantly, an armed force to back up whatever they
did. Marrenda stared. He considered denying that he wanted Batista
deposed, but doubted the Mossad man would believe him - after all, he
did want to depose the Cuban dictator. Marrenda managed a small
smile, and asked why the Israeli Embassy was interested in this issue.
Joshua Isaacs looked grim. He said that the Event had thrown
everything off - and he didn't even have a country any more.
Furthermore, there were - things - happening in Europe that he was
sure Mr. Marrenda could understand that the Israelis - what was left
of them - were very concerned about. Marrenda had never devoted much
thought to the Holocaust, but he nodded in understanding. That
explained why the bodyguards were so angry - not at him, but at the
Germans. He said, quite honestly, that he sympathized with the Israeli
problem, but he didn't know what he could do about it.
The Israeli smiled, and pulled a folder out of his attaché case. In
it was a series of aerial photographs. Marrenda recognized Havana
harbor, and noted two freighters had been circled in red. Isaacs
spoke. In June of 1940, Mussolini had surprised the world by
declaring war on the Allies, just as Germany was crushing France. In
addition to taking the Allies by surprise, he had surprised the
Italian merchant marine, much of which was seized in Allied or neutral
ports. Batista had leaped at the chance to acquire a little wealth,
and, under questionable legal circumstances, seized two Italian
freighters in Havana, the FANO and the TIBER, which had been loading
sugar and bananas in June of 1940.
Marrenda stared at the pictures, then at Isaacs, more confused then
ever. He apologized, and said he didn't understand what the Israeli
was driving at. Isaacs then dropped the bombshell. In addition to
the Embassy staff and other Israeli citizens in the United States
during the event were two battalions of the Israeli Army training with
the Americans at the NTC in California. These Israelis wanted to
fight the Nazis now, and they didn't want to wait. Despite the
entreaties of a political lobby far more powerful than Marrenda's, the
US government had not leased shipping to the Israelis to get to
Europe.
That's where the FANO and TIBER came in. Isaacs offered Marrenda a
deal. The Israelis would provide fuel for Cuban boats, and an armed
strike force of 1500 Israeli troops to address the Batista issue.
Once that happened, and assuming the US Government either noticed or
cared, the Israeli lobby in Washington would thro support behind
whatever government Marrenda put into place in Havana. In return,
once the new Cuban government was in place, Marrenda would release
both ships to the Israelis, stuffed with as many supplies as they
could carry. They would do this provided they could leave within two
weeks.
Marrenda was shocked. In one fell swoop, he'd been offered
everything he'd wanted - in return for a relative pittance. And so
quickly - that was just scary. Things like this never moved fast -
and then he remembered the Holocaust, and realized why the Israelis
felt the need to move so quickly. He was a canny political operator
though - he'd learned long ago that when it seemed too good to be
true, it probably was, and this was no exception.
His mind awhirl, he temporized to buy time to think. Why go through
Cuba? Surely if the US government denies them shipping, the Israelis
can find ships in either Canada and Mexico to use, and without the
need to fight a battle against someone they don't care that much
about. True, Isaacs said, but the ships and supplies aren't all that
we want.
The Israeli went on. In addition to the ships, the Cubans would
provide five hundred million dollars' worth of gold, jewels, silver,
and other precious metals - seed money for future "operations" in
Europe, and to contribute to the foundation of a new Israeli currency.
Additionally, once the situation in Europe was settled, the new Cuban
government would provide extremely preferential trading rights to
State of Israel, once it was reconstituted. Finally, a small group of
Israelis would stay behind in Cuba to "coordinate" things outside of
the reach of US laws - and the Cubans would protect them. Marrenda
stared again. He tried to wrap his mind around the idea. He could
imagine why the Israelis would want portable wealth. The trade rights
were ludicrous - he doubted Cuba could provide anything the US
couldn't. Finally, the idea of an Israeli presence in Cuba concerned
him - even if it was small.
He started to ask Isaacs another question, but the man rose from the
table. Isaacs said that he hoped the Cuban could keep this discussion
discrete, and that they would speak again tomorrow. Then he and the
two bodyguards left the stunned Cuban in the bistro.
Marrenda had spent the night and the next day closeted with his
closest - and most discrete - advisors. They agreed that the Israeli
offer was bizarre; clearly the Cubans stood to gain much more than
Isaacs did from the deal. The Holocaust was a horror to the Israelis
though; perhaps that was impacting their thinking. All suspected the
Israelis were hiding something, but none could imagine what. They
agreed that the "coordination" group was more than it seemed, but a
small group of Israelis now was far better then a large group of
Americans later.
Despite their concerns, the Cubans recognized that the
Israelis offered the best chance that existed to take advantage of the
Event before the war ended. The fear was that once the war was over,
the Americans would then be able to focus on other areas - like Cuba.
That would be bad - there were fortunes to be made, and even though
the Cubans looked forward to friendly relations with their adopted
home, they didn't want to become an adjunct to it like Canada or
Mexico. The Cuban-Americans had the were the best-organized and
wealthiest political group from Latin America in the United States.
In addition to the chance to reclaim their homeland, if they could get
there soon enough, they would be able to reorganize Cuba to make it a
dominant player in Latin politics. And make themselves rich, as well.
It was too good to pass up. The deal was a go.
The Israeli hadn't specified a time to meet, but Marrenda
wasn't surprised when Isaacs arrived at the PAC's business
headquarters. Marrenda still had questions - like weapons and
ammunition for the Israelis, which the Cubans couldn't provide.
Isaacs waved a hand - that was no problem. Marrenda wanted to know
where the fuel was coming from. Isaacs arched an eyebrow -
Spock-like, and asked if Marrenda really wanted know that. Marrenda
quickly demurred, and the men shook hands.
Now they were sitting together on Marrenda's yacht. As
promised, the fuel had arrived. As had the Israeli soldiers, fully
armed with the latest in US infantry weapons, body armor, and with
plenty of ammunition. The small craft, in addition to the
Cuban-Americans, held the Israelis, and their guns and ammunition.
Marrenda really wished he'd asked about where the Israelis got
the fuel and weapons. Despite the sense of joy at the sight of the
fleet, Marrenda's political instincts told him he might be unhappy if
he knew where Isaacs had gotten everything.
Marrenda's political instincts were right, though the reason wouldn't
be apparent for awhile.
And even though Marrenda couldn't fathom how, and wouldn't know for a
while, the Israelis had gotten, by far, the better deal.
The smoke had finally stopped rising. It had taken months, but the last of the oil fires from that horrible day in December had burned themselves out, and a sense of calm had returned to Pearl Harbor. The activity in the harbor was still frantic, of course, as recovery operations continued. Two battleships had already been raised, and industrious crews worked to clear debris, both in the harbor and on land. From his current vantage point on board a Sea Stallion helicopter loaned from the STENNIS, Chester Nimitz had a clear view of the whole harbor. Crews from the mainland had brought seemingly magical equipment with them, and that equipment had speeded up the clean up considerably. They had experience from someplace called the "World Trade Center" in New York, and seemed to have a grimness about them that Nimitz recognized all to well from his time in Pearl right after December 7. The survivors of battleship row had the same look, and a small part of Nimitz (not completely overwhelmed by the fantastic events of late) despaired that humanity hadn't gotten any saner, even 60 years into the future. Few operational ships dotted the harbor - most were off on Operation Damocles, the relief mission to the Philippines. At Hickam, Nimitz knew were some long-range bombers. Nimitz had once thought that the B-17 was a triumph of American engineering and ingenuity. At it was - apparently, in the old history, it had proved quite an effective weapon. Nimitz had heard that aviation enthusiasts from the mainland were offering extravagant sums of money for them - evidently collecting obsolete military aircraft was a hobby in 2002. No B-17s had been sold - they were still military aircraft, and despite their technology the people from 2002 had uses for them. At Hickam, though, were planes that seemed almost - well, alien, to Nimitz. The B-52s were understandable enough. They were just bigger, better B-17s. It was the B-2s that frightened Nimitz. Sleek, black, featureless, and with the range to hit Manila from Pearl. A few weeks ago, the US had sent in "Green Berets" to join with Wainwright's beleaguered troops. Their purpose, in conjunction with a "satellite" was to direct the bombers to their targets. From what Nimitz had gleaned, they were doing so very well; the troops on Bataan had actually stabilized the line due to air support. But airpower couldn't fully address the situation on the ground, nor provide food or ammunition to the troops already there. Hence, Operation Damocles, the military relief of the Bataan garrison. A force built around the STENNIS battle group, and including the 1942 carriers ENTERPRISE and SARATOGA, and the 1942 Army's 25th Infantry Divisions was to relieve the garrison. Additionally, the assault ship TARAWA and its support ships carried a regiment of US Marines from 2002. Nimitz had had concerns - one carrier against the Imperial Japanese Navy? After his tour of the STENNIS, and having watched the footage from Norway and Taranto, he had no worries about the naval capability of the force going to the Philippines. He did have other concerns, though. The force was nominally commanded by Admiral Michael Herzog, from 2002, who seemed capable enough. However, as Herzog had no experience withy 1942 technology, an admiral from 1942 served as his second-in-command. William "Bull" Halsey had plenty of experience, and had the respect of the navy from 2002 as well. Of course, as Halsey had pointed out to Nimitz, however much they respected him in the future, it wasn't Halsey who got a whole class of super carriers named after him. Nimitz had to chuckle internally at that. Nimitz's concern was the spilt command. However great the new technological advances of the United States, the fundamental military maxims remained as true in 2002 as in 1942, or, for that matter, 1002. One of these was that a split command was a recipe for disaster. As for the "Nimitz class", well, Nimitz still didn't know what to think of that. He'd read the history, and knew he'd done well in the original war. But the STENNIS had been - well, awe-inspiring, and he'd have been more than human not to feel some kind of pride. He imagined Dwight Eisenhower felt the same way - he'd been (or was? Or would be? It was so hard to tell with this crazy time-travel stuff) President. Nimitz also faced a morale nightmare. The men in Hawaii from 1942 were almost entirely from the mainland - and despite the frantic work of recovery and war - most now knew they'd never see their families again - at least not in a form they'd recognize. So far, the situation had been crazy and remote enough to be kept under control. But that wouldn't last for long. And Nimitz wasn't sure what to do about that. As Operation Damocles proceeded, and the build-up of US forces in Britain continued, the CIA and NSA started an operation of their own. The US intended to use every tool it had that wasn't a wea |
