Samantha – Alternate History

This post continues Samantha’s visit to the Alternate Earth. She sent it to me the night before she stepped into a teleportal to return to this Earth. I realize she has only given a digest of her visit, but she has promised me to answer any reasonable questions we receive. You can direct your questions to me at Gordon@gordonsavage.com or Samantha  at Samantha@gordonsavage.com .

Here’s what she had to say.

Are you curious about Alternate Earth? I know I was. Still am, as a matter of fact. I’ll have to visit again. Of course, that will be easy once teleportals are wide spread … unless we from this Earth behave so badly they shut off access.

One of my objectives for this visit was to look into how our histories differ. Most of the big changes took place as a result of World War I, or as the Alternates call it, the Great War. It all started with the Christmas Truce of 1914, where in many places along the front, like on our Earth, both sides put down their weapons and celebrated Christmas together.

Unlike on our Earth, the British Prime Minister, Herbert Henry Asquith, took the initiative and contacted General Falkenheim during the “truce.” Together they worked out a way to sustain the truce and approached the German General staff with a proposal to end the war by deposing Kaiser Wilhelm. Although Falkenheim was disliked by most of the staff, the British offer to provide most favored status to Germany was a strong enough incentive to win the Germans over. Wilhelm didn’t go quietly, but when threatened with public execution, he retired to Ludwig II’s estate on an island in the Chiemsee where he lived until he died in 1941.

The essential stalemate end to the war apparently robbed Hitler of his motivation. He was heard but basically ignored afterward. It also took away the opportunity for the revolution in Russia. Nicholas II saw the writing on the wall and turned the country over to a representative government. The communists took over the country but without World War II couldn’t later justify military action to take over other countries.

Once the war was over, the United States and Canada started exploring the possibility of unifying. At the same time Britain adopted policies similar to the Statute of Westminster making Canada an “equal.” After much heated debate about recognizing the British monarchy, in 1921 Canada and the United States voted to become the North American Federation, independent of but with strong ties to the United Kingdom.

More recently adoption of teleportal transportation resulted in economic dislocation and homogenization. Apparently the peace that lasted from 1915 to the present must have mellowed that world, making international cooperation easier when teleportals were introduced. I only hope we can follow their example.

My visit here is over tomorrow. I’m looking forward to getting home and starting wedding planning.

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