Let's all go down the Strand - Images of 1984 reboot
- Thread starter Will Ritson
- Start date
Hopefully this isn't dead yet, because it's been at least a week now and no activity on here.
Yes, thank you.
I went to Milton Keynes... well, a cottage in a village nearby. Lovely weather. Head like a beetroot...
I went to Milton Keynes... well, a cottage in a village nearby. Lovely weather. Head like a beetroot...
Wow. The great Will Ritson is paying attention to an idea I broached? I am deeply honored,sir.
VII :: We'll meet again
Keep smiling through / just like you always do / 'til the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away
-----
A Setting Sun: Britain 1945 - 1964
Britain on the eve of 1945 was a land desperate for hope and optimism. The people were told that the war in Europe was all but over, but the delay of the invasion, despite the Americans making up time in the south of Normandy, had caused problems for the British, whose burden of heavy casualties had taken it's toll on the overall plans and confidence of the population. There was colossal pressure on Montgomery to play his ace; pressure from both the Conservative and Labour factions in government eager to win the war, but also to rule the peace that whose only uncertainty was "when".
Despite success in Upper Normany, the Western Allies had failed in the opportunity to seal a pocket near the spa town of Bagnoles-de-l'Orne rapidly enough to prevent significant Nazi forces retreating in an organised fashion to the east of the Seine and the western suburbs of Paris.
Experience in Caen and Saint-Lô suggested that the Allies would not relish an urban war in Paris, and a bolstering of a Seine front would prevent access to the Channel Ports from Le Havre to Antwerp, effectively causing a stalemate in the west. This reorganisation on the Seine was coupled by redeployment's to the east to meet the increasing danger of the Soviets reaching the homeland, slowing their advance towards Poland.
Whilst this was, at least by the Nazi propaganda machine, deemed a success, it was merely a temporary measure. The Soviets outnumbered Nazi forces in the East by as much as 4:1 in places and were not willing to show the same restraint and caution that had been seen in France.
For the Western Allies there was frustration - not just at the stalemate, but increasingly a fear that the Soviets could sweep into and dominate Germany proper...
Western Allied advance continued to be slow, encircling Paris after a bloody battle at Rouen in October, leading to a general uprising and a German withdraw to the Somme. In the East there was greater success, but at a high price for both Axis and Soviet armies. As 1945 dawned with the allied frontlines on the Rhine and on the edge of Poland, it was the start of the end game for Nazi Germany.
-----
Senate House, London. January 1945
He really didn't like to firewatch, especially on these cold winter nights. The wind was light, but it still caused a shiver that penetrated his overcoat and ran down his spine, chilling him to the bone.
The raids were fewer, and with increased numbers of rocket bombs, or Steamers, as the cockney's called them, more unpredictable. It was almost dawn. The sun was beginning to rise and the Thames shone like a silver lace between the buildings to the east.
Then the noise. The unforgettable sound of the engine.
As long as you can hear it...
He thought he could see it, the sun reflecting on it's belly as it shot in from the south east, over Southwark, the Embankment then nothing. It cut out. He thought he saw it fall. It all happened in seconds. Somewhere near Green Park he reckoned. The dust was the giveaway. It had hit a building.
Not just any building either.
-----
The King spoke to his people the following afternoon, his voice sounding noticeably less confident. He'd been lucky, if you could call it that. Minor cuts from glass to his upper body and face.
Damned cigarettes. First fag of the day as well.
-----
18th June 1945. Washington
Truman had only been in office since the end of March and there had been so much to discover. This morning, though, he was expecting a call.
The 'phone rang. He glanced at Stimpson. He looked at the 'phone and held off a second, before picking up the receiver.
Yes? [pause] How big? [pause] When can we have more ready?
He looked at Stimpson and gave a thumbs up. The United States had exploded the first atomic weapon.
-----
7th July 1945. Stettin, Germany
Breakfast in the shelter was the same as always, Claudia thought. In silence. Stale bread. Some watery soup.
The Soviets were getting closer, yet no-one ever spoke about it. Everyone knew the rumours of what had happened to any Germans left in Warschau. Especially the women.
It had been a quiet few weeks, for some reason. There had seemed to be fewer raids over the past month, but all the same, the shelter was the safest place.
Outside, the sirens sparked into life.
Typical, just as vatti has to leave for work
Despite the darkness of the shelter there was no escaping the hot white light that penetrated it seconds later.
-----
7th July 1985. Stettin, Germany
Their were five wreaths to lay at the monument. Two from Japan. One from Germany and two others. Their respective heads of state stepped forward in turn and placed them down, before each bowing and stepping backwards.
The Queen placed her two last, the protocol being to lay the wreaths in the order that the bombs were dropped.
She bowed her head and stepped back.
Five used in anger. Never again.
She hoped to go home one day.
-----
But I know we'll meet again some sunny day
Keep smiling through / just like you always do / 'til the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away
-----
A Setting Sun: Britain 1945 - 1964
Britain on the eve of 1945 was a land desperate for hope and optimism. The people were told that the war in Europe was all but over, but the delay of the invasion, despite the Americans making up time in the south of Normandy, had caused problems for the British, whose burden of heavy casualties had taken it's toll on the overall plans and confidence of the population. There was colossal pressure on Montgomery to play his ace; pressure from both the Conservative and Labour factions in government eager to win the war, but also to rule the peace that whose only uncertainty was "when".
Despite success in Upper Normany, the Western Allies had failed in the opportunity to seal a pocket near the spa town of Bagnoles-de-l'Orne rapidly enough to prevent significant Nazi forces retreating in an organised fashion to the east of the Seine and the western suburbs of Paris.
Experience in Caen and Saint-Lô suggested that the Allies would not relish an urban war in Paris, and a bolstering of a Seine front would prevent access to the Channel Ports from Le Havre to Antwerp, effectively causing a stalemate in the west. This reorganisation on the Seine was coupled by redeployment's to the east to meet the increasing danger of the Soviets reaching the homeland, slowing their advance towards Poland.
Whilst this was, at least by the Nazi propaganda machine, deemed a success, it was merely a temporary measure. The Soviets outnumbered Nazi forces in the East by as much as 4:1 in places and were not willing to show the same restraint and caution that had been seen in France.
For the Western Allies there was frustration - not just at the stalemate, but increasingly a fear that the Soviets could sweep into and dominate Germany proper...
Western Allied advance continued to be slow, encircling Paris after a bloody battle at Rouen in October, leading to a general uprising and a German withdraw to the Somme. In the East there was greater success, but at a high price for both Axis and Soviet armies. As 1945 dawned with the allied frontlines on the Rhine and on the edge of Poland, it was the start of the end game for Nazi Germany.
-----
Senate House, London. January 1945
He really didn't like to firewatch, especially on these cold winter nights. The wind was light, but it still caused a shiver that penetrated his overcoat and ran down his spine, chilling him to the bone.
The raids were fewer, and with increased numbers of rocket bombs, or Steamers, as the cockney's called them, more unpredictable. It was almost dawn. The sun was beginning to rise and the Thames shone like a silver lace between the buildings to the east.
Then the noise. The unforgettable sound of the engine.
As long as you can hear it...
He thought he could see it, the sun reflecting on it's belly as it shot in from the south east, over Southwark, the Embankment then nothing. It cut out. He thought he saw it fall. It all happened in seconds. Somewhere near Green Park he reckoned. The dust was the giveaway. It had hit a building.
Not just any building either.
-----
The King spoke to his people the following afternoon, his voice sounding noticeably less confident. He'd been lucky, if you could call it that. Minor cuts from glass to his upper body and face.
Damned cigarettes. First fag of the day as well.
-----
18th June 1945. Washington
Truman had only been in office since the end of March and there had been so much to discover. This morning, though, he was expecting a call.
The 'phone rang. He glanced at Stimpson. He looked at the 'phone and held off a second, before picking up the receiver.
Yes? [pause] How big? [pause] When can we have more ready?
He looked at Stimpson and gave a thumbs up. The United States had exploded the first atomic weapon.
-----
7th July 1945. Stettin, Germany
Breakfast in the shelter was the same as always, Claudia thought. In silence. Stale bread. Some watery soup.
The Soviets were getting closer, yet no-one ever spoke about it. Everyone knew the rumours of what had happened to any Germans left in Warschau. Especially the women.
It had been a quiet few weeks, for some reason. There had seemed to be fewer raids over the past month, but all the same, the shelter was the safest place.
Outside, the sirens sparked into life.
Typical, just as vatti has to leave for work
Despite the darkness of the shelter there was no escaping the hot white light that penetrated it seconds later.
-----
7th July 1985. Stettin, Germany
Their were five wreaths to lay at the monument. Two from Japan. One from Germany and two others. Their respective heads of state stepped forward in turn and placed them down, before each bowing and stepping backwards.
The Queen placed her two last, the protocol being to lay the wreaths in the order that the bombs were dropped.
She bowed her head and stepped back.
Five used in anger. Never again.
She hoped to go home one day.
-----
But I know we'll meet again some sunny day
Oh dear - that's how bad Germany had it ITTL towards the end of the war? 
Also, George VI getting injured from a V-2? Didn't see that one coming - perhaps that's how he died earlier.
Plus, which country/ies were the other two bombs between Germany and the UK used on? The Soviets?
And then two bombs used on Britain - does that mean another place and not just Colchester during the chaos of the fifties?
So many questions unanswered, so much more to look forward to.
Also, George VI getting injured from a V-2? Didn't see that one coming - perhaps that's how he died earlier.
Plus, which country/ies were the other two bombs between Germany and the UK used on? The Soviets?
And then two bombs used on Britain - does that mean another place and not just Colchester during the chaos of the fifties?
So many questions unanswered, so much more to look forward to.
Oh dear - that's how bad Germany had it ITTL towards the end of the war?
Also, George VI getting injured from a V-2? Didn't see that one coming - perhaps that's how he died earlier.
Plus, which country/ies were the other two bombs between Germany and the UK used on? The Soviets?
And then two bombs used on Britain - does that mean another place and not just Colchester during the chaos of the fifties?
So many questions unanswered, so much more to look forward to.
Its implied they are used on the Japanese.
teg
To be honest, not **as bad** for Germany as OTL, unless you live in Stettin. It's July 1945. The Soviets have only reached the eastern fringes of Germany proper. The WAllies are in the Rhineland.
The Stettin bomb can be seen from Berlin and, more importantly, the Soviets laying siege to Danzig will have seen something too.
The King was OK. Bit of first aid from [wife] Elizabeth and Margaret soon saw him through. Doesn't help with his nerves and chain smoking though...
The Stettin bomb can be seen from Berlin and, more importantly, the Soviets laying siege to Danzig will have seen something too.
The King was OK. Bit of first aid from [wife] Elizabeth and Margaret soon saw him through. Doesn't help with his nerves and chain smoking though...
Fair enough. But a lot of this remains a mystery - it is implied that another country got the bomb on its head before Colchester and the other attack, which one would that be? Was it a result of a proxy war somewhere?
And what about the Hamburg bombing? Did that get retconned in favor of Stettin?
1 on Germany (Stettin, was Hamburg in the original; wanted somewhere closer to both the Soviet frontline and Berlin)
2 on Japan (end-July 1945)
2 on Britain (1957ish)
I think in my original four bombs were used. Japan gets an extra one this time.
Seems reasonable. Glad there's more to come, and it feels good for this TL to be back. Hope you enjoyed your vacation!
Thanks for the feedback. The last entry was quite challenging, and I think the one I've posted is about the third version. In an earlier one I went into a lot of detail about the Wallies push from the Seine to the Somme, but my knowledge of all things military is limited to an extent, so this was stripped out of the final version.
Yes, I did enjoy the break, thank you. I stayed in a cottage in Buckinghamshire that was stocked with a fantastic collection of books, so gathering plenty of leads for this story.
Had a good couple of day trips into London. Even went for a walk "down the Strand". And last but not least, went to a rugby league match in Hemel Hempstead. Just nice to fall off the work radar for ten days.
Vera Lynn, right ?
In October ?! The war only ends before Christmas ?! Man, this timeline's WWII really started getting much more depressing.
Is this also an OTL term for the V-2s ?
Poor George.
This, plus the other little divergences from the 1930s and 1940s, really foreshadows that the ATL UK will be in quite a pickle once the ATL 1950s start.As soon as I reached this line, I knew what would be referenced in the following sentences.
Five ?! Five...
(Huh... Oddly reminds me of one of my own timelines, The Fox and the Lillies, where five nuclear bombs were used in their global war equivalent. The Black Five, as they are referred to in that TL.)
Is this Elizabeth ? Or one of her sisters ?
Poor Claudia... Also: Nice ironic juxtaposition of the lyrics with the Stettin events.
Yep. Noel Coward making his third and final appearance in the titles next.
October 1944, with the war ending in July 1945 in Europe and at the start of August 1945 with Japan.In October ?! The war only ends before Christmas ?! Man, this timeline's WWII really started getting much more depressing.
In "1984" the term "Steamer" is used for a rocket bomb. It's rhyming slang. Doodlebug = Steam tug = Steamer
Yes, a 23 year old Queen that isn't married to Philip will be interesting.Poor George.
Unfortunately it had to happen. Five and no more to the present day.As soon as I reached this line, I knew what would be referenced in the following sentences.
...
Five ?! Five...
...
(Huh... Oddly reminds me of one of my own timelines, The Fox and the Lillies, where five nuclear bombs were used in their global war equivalent. The Black Five, as they are referred to in that TL.)
Queen Elizabeth II, exiled head of state of the United Kingdom and head of the Commonwealth.
Yes, poor Claudia. At least it was quick. In OTL a drunken Russian conscript would have reached her first...
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Hopefully I'll cover the start of this in the next 6 - 12 updates, but Chiang is a good analogy. I need to address the comment in a children's book mentioned in "1984" that:
"The leader of the capitalists was the King and..."
which intimates that the monarchy has disappeared. I didn't tackle this particularly well in the original version and ended up contradicting myself.