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Alternate Obituary: General Andrew Victor Braddock

It is with heavy heart that I must write about the death of one of Britain’s foremost heroes, General Sir Andrew Braddock.  As we know, General Braddock was born in Edinburgh in 1870, and joined the British army in 1890.  His talents, however, evidently did not lie with the field and, after a battle with Pathens, on the northwest frontier of India (now the dominion of Pakistan) he was transferred to the army’s administration department as a young secititary.  Despite some notable successes in sweeping out corruption in the army ranks, an affair with an Indian woman saw him removed from India in 1900, just in time to take part in the exhibition to relive the siege of Peking, during the Boxer rebellion. 

While forbidden any combat action, he displayed personal heroism when a small boxer force attacked, grabbing a rifle from a dead German trooper and firing indiscriminately on the boxers with it.  After the fight became hand-to-hand, he stew a boxer with his baronet, before the other army units returned to drive off the rest of the raiders.  After taking part in the victory parade, Braddock returned to Britain, where he was awarded the Victoria Cross from a grateful monarch and a choice of assignments.  Having observed the multi-national force in action, and having written a report on the foreign armies that was leaked to the press (the article was supposed to have been written by Winston Churchill, but no one in the army doubted the authorship, they blamed it (correctly) on Braddock), he chose to be assigned to the Japanese army as an observer.  Learning Japanese, he was assigned to the command of the Japanese General Kuroki as Captain Braddock, just in time for the Russo-Japanese war to begin in 1904.  What he saw, as modern warfare was displayed for the first time, appalled him.  After the war had finished, he attended the peace talks in the USA and observed both how the military skills of the Japanese had been dissolved by the cunning diplomatic actions of the Russian negotiator Witte and the potential power of the American giant.  

Returning to Britain, he took a leave from the army after receiving a promotion to Major, and threw his efforts into writing a book about his experiences.  Despite opposition from senior members of the establishment, his book was a bestseller and – however inadvertily – guided the course of British politics and her relations to her empire and the rest of the world. 

Splendid Isolation, as the book was called, promoted the following points.  Britain has a small population; therefore it must not be wasted in futile wars on the continent.  Despite claiming that Britain would win any continental war, Braddock was convinced that the ‘victory’ would not be worth the candle – or even the huge casualty lists.  He therefore urged that Britain should rely on her navy to defend her shores, while building a small, professional army to handle the business of destroying the overseas processions of any European power that decided to challenge Britain.  Furthermore, Britain should establish a web of alliances, preferably with France and Japan, to help provide a ‘continental sword’ for the British Empire if needed. 

He also urged the careful review of any guarantees given by Britain in this new light to see if they would involve Britain in a war that she could not win.  The offer to Belgium was quietly forgotten about by the foreign office, to reflect the changing public mood. 

Unusually for someone writing in those times, he proposed the establishment of political structures in India and a change in attitudes so that Indians would be regarded as equals.  This was probably a reflection of his affair with Sumrita Manjour, who gave birth to a son not long after Braddock left India.  In 1907, Braddock finally acknowledged the child, Salim Manjour Braddock as his own and brought him to London to live with him.  Sumrita, while she came with her child, did not agree with the English weather and passed away in 1908.  Heartbroken, Braddock arranged for a proper funeral, in line with the customs of her people, and never spoke of her again. 

Unsure what to do with him, the army promoted him to major general and assigned him to the military review board, where he spent his time organising the British army.  His expenditures on shells, which were regarded as extravagant, were a reflection of his time in China, when the Japanese army had nearly used up its shells on more than one occasion.  Braddock also insisted on proper quarters to the men and had a tendency to remove or sack officers that he felt to be too aristocratic or incompetent.  When he heard a man called Douglas Haig propose a charge at the enemies guns, he fired him from the army on the spot.  All this, of course, led to him making enemies of his own, and he was sent to the foreign office in 1910.  The matter of his army standing – he had acquired the rank of general – was carefully forgotten about. 

Hearing about his plight, the Prime Minister of that time gave him his full backing to construct a foreign policy that would keep Britain out of any wars, while ensuring that the British Empire would stay together.  He built trade bridges with America and, while he failed to get an alliance, he ensured American investment in parts of the Empire, most notably Canada and Australia.  He promoted better relations with the Ottoman Empire, forming British investment and ensuring that British interests would be paramount in the region.  He also strengthened the alliance with Japan, although at a cost – which remains controversial to this day- of allowing the Japanese a free hand in China. 

Possibly his most noted achievement was the forming of the Indian parliament, which would slowly become the government of the dominion of India.  While Hindu/Muslin scrabbling continued, most of the delegates were desperate to show the British what they could do and the parliament achieved wonders in its first twenty years of existence. 

Braddock’s Career was threatened by the aftermath of the second Franco-Prussian war, when both the French and the Germans blamed ‘perfidious Albion’ for the war that had laid waste most of Europe.  The war, which had begun over the shooting of an obscure Austrian Nobleman, saw German forces advance against France and Russia.  The French, after the loss of their main industrial area, were supplied by Britain, which probably allowed the war to continue until 1917, when the Russians collapsed and allowed the Germans to take much of their land.  On the German-French side, however, three years of bloodshed had achieved precisely nothing. 

Braddock left the foreign office after pressure from France and Germany demanded his extradition.  While this was refused, the population, suffering from an excess of war guilt, demanded his removal.  He moved to India with his son, and died there in 1945.  His last act, after the king knighted him in 1930, was to grant the backing of the Braddock estate to a young Austrian painter, one Adolf Hitler, for an art show in Britain. 

Braddock remains a controversial figure to this day.  To the Indians, the Africans, and even the Jewish and Arabic peoples he is a hero.  His son, who served as India’s prime minister 1950-1954, was one of the greatest prime ministers India, or even any other country in the commonwealth, has ever had.  The outbreak of violence between Hindu’s and Muslims that led to the separation between the dominions of India and Pakistan, while it lost him his job, are now seen as the act of a great statesman. 

In France, Germany and China, however, Braddock is regarded as the villain who put British interests first and shamelessly manipulated the conflict so that it would cripple the development of the nations involved.  While there is some truth in this claim, many Britons were relived to have no part in the conflict, and they would not have allowed Braddock to be penalised unduly. 

Braddock’s greatest achievements, ironically, was realised after his death, when Prime Minister Churchill brought the United Empire into being.  Consisting of over seventy states, the United Empire is a trade and defence block spanning the world.  Meanwhile, the European states united, at first under German guidance, and then as a fully democratic group, while continuing the development of Africa.  Almost as if guided by a divine hand – or perhaps Braddock’s last book, Unity – The United States of America slowly expanded until it covered the whole of the American continent, aside from Canada.  Perhaps because of this, the USA and the UE have an unspoken agreement that they will not fight each other, regardless of the circumstances

The four power blocks, The United Empire, the European Union, The United States and the Japanese Empire, between them dominate the world.  All four have presences in outer space and trade between them flows freely.  Let that be Braddock’s legacy.

OK, hands up all those who thought that was real?  I saw that hand, write out fifty times “I must never believe anything I read until I see it somewhere else as well.”  This is an idea I thought up to inspire anyone who’s not sure what to write. 

I belong to the faction that believes that while economic factors are important, people can and do matter.  This outcome is by no means the most unlikely one; the lesions of the Russo-Japanese war were there for all to see.  I suspect a second round between Germany and France was inevitable anyway, Britain, however, need not have become involved. 

Comments, anyone?

Chris

Braddock Timeline

 

As was obvious, the alternate obituary in CTT10 was deliberately very British-based and centred.  This is the timeline for the world during those times.

 

1870

Andrew Braddock born in Edinburgh.  Note: Braddock was named for the officer in the seven years war. 

1890

Braddock joins the British Army and is sent to India

1892

Braddock wounded in a Battle with Parthans, north west frontier

1893

After recovery, Braddock is sent to the administrative centre for the army.

1894

Braddock begins an affair with Sumrita Manjour, an Indian lady.

1900

Braddock ‘criminal affair’ is discovered and he is dispatched to China

Braddock takes part in the relief column during the Boxer Rebellion in China.

Sumrita gives birth to Braddock’s child.  Pressure from the Army convinces Braddock to acknowledge the child. 

1903

Braddock becomes a British observer to the Japanese army

1904

Russo-Japanese war breaks out.

1905

RJ war ends.  Braddock observes the peace negotiations and draws lesions from them. 

1906

Braddock writes Splendid Isolation. 

The British Foreign office quietly forgets about guaranteeing Belgium’s safety. 

1907

Braddock courts scandal by acknowledging his son and bringing him to England. 

1908

Sumrita passes away. 

Braddock becomes the army’s inspector-general.  His actions to strengthen and improve the army are met with strong opposition. 

1909

Douglas Haig is fired by Braddock for lack of imagination and little concern for his men’s lives

1910

Braddock becomes Foreign minister.  Burdened with the governmental crises over finance and the house of lords, the PM tells him to clear Britain’s decks as much as possible.  

France forms an alliance with Belgium and Russia.

1911

Britain’s alliance with Japan is modified to allow the Japanese more freedom in china.

Trade links are developed with the ottoman empire, slowly bringing the empire under British control. 

A nasty conflict almost breaks out with Russia, but a trade deal is negotiated to avoid this.   

1913

Links with America and mutual investment are developed further. 

Braddock launches the Indian Parliament to take over the day to day running of India. 

1914

Second Franco-Prussia war breaks out.  German forces advanced though Belgium, but fast French action stops them from a decisive victory. 

1915

Germany turns its attention to the eastern front and manages to defect the Russians decisiity in the battle of the Ukraine.  The Tsar puts out an offer of a truce, but….

1916

German forces take Moscow and depose the Tsar.  Installing a German prince as ruler. 

France mortgages its colonies to Britain in exchange for supplies and help. 

1917

Treaty of Paris ends second Franco-Prussian war.  Both sides are shattered by the war. 

1918

Both France and Germany blame Braddock for the conflict, public opinion demands his removal. 

1920

Braddock appointed Viceroy of India with a mandate to have India as a dominion by 1940

Salim Braddock becomes involved in the Indian political action.  . 

1925

Japan invades China, the conflict, which is brutal and bloody, continues until 1945

1929

The French admit they can’t pay back their loans and Britain takes over their colonies. 

The Kingdom of Thailand joins the Japanese Empire. 

1930

Germany and France forge the European alliance and compel other European nations to join.  Britain stays out. 

1932

Anti-German riots in Russia lead to Germany giving them more autonomy. 

1937

Publication of Braddock: Greatest Villain in modern times, in Germany

Braddock sues for libel

1939

A German court rejects Braddock’s case. 

1940

India becomes a dominion of the British Empire. 

1942

A serious row over representation in the Indian parliament leads to Hindu-Muslim conflict and Martial Law. 

1943

Braddock manages to paper over the cracks in the Indian parliament, with help from Gandhi, who is determined to hold India together.  

1944

Braddock Publishes his last book, Unity, about the need for humanity to unite into one nation. 

1945

The Sino-Japanese war ends with the pan-Asian treaty. 

Braddock arranges to fund a young painter – Adolf Hitler

Andrew Braddock dies.

1947

The European Union is born. 

1948

Prime Minister Winston Churchill announces the formation of the Imperial parliament and the United Empire. 

Gandhi, recognised as the empire’s spiritual leader, dies peacefully in his bed. 

1949

Disputes in Mexico and Latin America lead to a US takeover. 

1950

Salim Braddock become Prime Minister of India

1951

More Hindu-Muslim violence appears in India

1954

Salim Braddock is forced to leave office after creating the dominion of Pakistan. 

1960

A democratic movement appears in Latin America and South America. 

1965

A British Spaceman is the first man in space

1970

Argentina and Brazil join the US. 

1972

Britain and America construct a joint moon base.

1975

The Japanese empire becomes democratic.  It includes most of china and the Kamchata region.