The Airship Legacy - Part 13

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PART XIII: PEACE ON THE HORIZON

            Terrorism would play a big role in bringing an end to the Iran War. The first terror attacks in Britain occurred in December of 1989. By June of 1990, there’d been 15 terrorist attacks in Britain, half of them in London, and nearly 500 civilians had been killed. America was first attacked on March 7, 1990, when Pakistani terrorists blew up an airliner at the Washington D.C., airport, killing 204 people. By August, there had been terror attacks in Washington, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, Houston, and Miami, with nearly 700 people having been killed. The Liberty Party and the American People’s Party seized on these tragic turn of events and campaigned on ending the war. In Britain, and anti-War faction was starting to form within the BUF, though very secretively, since Prime Minister Michael Mosley openly supported the war and had declared any opposition to be treason.

            When the United States went to the polls for the mid-term 1990 elections, a giant wave of pent-up frustrations rose up at the polling booths. After the dust settled, the Republicans were left with only 24% of the seats in the House of Representatives, and only 23 seats in the Senate. The Liberty Party had 35% of the seats in the House, and 34 seats in the Senate. The biggest shock of the election was that the American People’s Party had 41% of the House seats, and 43 seats in the Senate. For the first time in history, the largest party in both houses of Congress was the socialists. When the new Congress met for the first time in January of 1991, William Clinton of Arkansas became the first socialist Speaker of the House.

-Lewis, Samuel. How Iran Changed the West. New York: 21^st Century Publishers. 2006.

CLINTON TO BUSH: START PULL OUT OR LOOSE FUNDS

WASHINGTON, FEB 14- Fulfilling the campaign promises from November, Speaker of the House William Clinton and his fellow socialists have declared that they will seek to block vital funding bills unless President Bush agrees to start the withdrawal of American forces from Iran. “The President needs to understand something. The American people do not want this war. He started it, and now he needs to end it. It’s been over 6 years since he committed our troops to Iran, and it’s time they came home. And until he does so, I and my fellow legislators will block all funding to projects deemed vital by the administration.” This announcement came two days after it was reported that nearly 4,000 American soldiers have been killed since U.S. troops arrived in Iran in 1985.

            The Liberty Party also campaigned on ending the war, and it appears that they too support the socialist’s plan to cut Bush’s funding wherever possible. At this point in time, the White House has not released any sort of statement as to the president’s reaction to the demands by Clinton and the socialists.

-“Clinton to Bush: Start Pull Out or Loose Funds,” Washington Post, February 14^th, 1991.

SOCIALISTS HAVE TEETH: FIRST FUNDING BILL FAILS TO PASS

WASHINGTON, MAR 11- Socialists and the Liberty Party have killed the first administration-backed funding bill to be brought before Congress since last year’s elections. The bill would have allocated money for 4 new battleships and an aircraft carrier to be built, and also had a provision providing funds for naval personnel in Iran. After the vote in the House of Representatives, Speaker Clinton told reporters that “I love this country, and I support our men and women that wear the uniform. But this war must end, and I will not vote to spend one more penny towards the military until President Bush orders the troops to be recalled. Mr. President, today we are telling you to bring the troops home!”

-“Socialists Have Teeth: First Funding Bill Fails to Pass,” The New York Times, March 11, 1991.

CLINTON TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT

WASHINGTON, MAR 20- The White House announced today that the President, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and leaders from the Socialist, Liberty, and Republican Parties would be meeting at the White House on march 27 to discuss possible withdrawal of troops and a way to break the impasse that currently exists between the White House and Capitol Hill. Though no official statement has been released by the speaker’s office, those close to Mr. Clinton say that he seems to be in a very optimistic mood now that news of the pending meeting with the president has gone public, and there are many socialist members of Congress that believe that the war in Iran may soon be over.

-“Clinton to Meet with President,” The Washington Post, March 21, 1991.

            When then-Speaker of the House William Clinton met with President George Bush at the White House on March 27, 1991, it was the beginning of the end for the Iran War. Socialists and Liberty Party members were unwavering in their demands to the President: if you continue the war, you do so without funding. After about 14 hours of negotiations, a deal was struck. The President would announce a gradual withdrawal of all U.S. troops to take a total of about 1 year, and Congress would then agree to give funding to the administrations projects. Although some in Congress wanted an immediate pull out, the president insisted that the United States could not just cut and run and leave the British in the lurch without facing serious negative consequences.

            On March 28, President Bush made a public address to the nation announcing the beginning of American withdrawal from the conflict. Britain was outraged, and threatened to reinstate the embargo on oil to the United States. However, the Commonwealth Executive Council rejected the plan. The American public was thrilled by this announcement, and there were spontaneous celebrations in many cities. The first troops to come home arrived on April 25^th, and were given a hero’s welcome and were greeted by the President, and interestingly enough by Speaker Clinton. On September 30, 1991, Speaker Clinton announced his intention to run for the Presidency, and resigned the position of speaker, which was taken up by Texan Representative Liam Gates.

-Lewis, Samuel. How Iran Changed the West. New York: 21^st Century Publishers. 2006

CLINTON PICKS ROSENBERG FOR VP

NEW YORK, JUNE 22- Having now secured the Socialist nomination via the primaries, Presidential Candidate William Clinton, formerly Speaker of the House, announced today in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty that Liberty Party Senator Jacob Rosenberg of New York would be his running mate in this year’s election.  This will be the first time in a modern presidential election that the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates running on one ticket that are from different parties. In the announcement, Clinton said, “Americans are not all of the same party, they are not all from the same creed, from the same faith. And as such, a government headed by me will consist of people from all parties, and that starts at the very top.”

            Republican candidate Senator Lionel Wood of Colorado, who will formally accept his party’s nomination, has yet to respond to this potentially game changing announcement. There is still speculation as to who Senator Wood will select as his running mate. Some think he will pick Representative Harrison Mayes of Wisconsin, while others believe it will be Governor Matthew Bush of Massachusetts. The Republicans seem to be facing a hard sell in this election, following the rather rough presidency of George Bush. After nearly seven years of being at war, Americans are seeking a change.

-“Clinton Picks Rosenberg for VP,” The New York Times, June 23, 1992.

THE KAISER IS DEAD

BERLIN, OCT 7- Imperial authorities have confirmed that Kaiser Louis Ferdinand I, who became Kaiser of Germany on December 1, 1939, has passed away from what doctors are calling natural causes. His Royal Majesty lived nearly 85 years, and has been a guiding force behind the modern German Empire since it’s recreation 52 years ago. The Kaiser’s 52 year old son Kronprinz Frederick Wilhelm stated to the national and international press at the Royal Palace in Berlin that, “My Father was a great man, and has been an inspiring leader to all Germans since his coronation in 1939. His shoes will be hard to fill. I thank you for your heartfelt thoughts and wishes for our family. May God bless our nation.”

            Chancellor Simon Jaeger (M) has announced a state of mourning throughout the country for the next 60 days. The funeral will be within the next few days, though the Royal Family has yet to set a date for the funeral. Berlin city officials expect hundreds of thousands of people to descend on the capital to pay there respects to the departed leader.

-“The Kaiser is Dead,” Frankfurter Zeitung, October 8, 1992.

CLINTON WINS!

WASHINGTON, NOV 4- Senator William Clinton of Arkansas has been elected as the nation’s first socialist president. What is largely being called an “anti-Republican” election wave, Liberty and Socialist party members have swept into power in both houses of Congress. President-elect Clinton told supporters in Little Rock that “tonight, America has chosen a brighter tomorrow. We shall put the violence of the previous administration behind us, and look to a new future, full of peace and prosperity for all Americans.”

            Last night’s election results are historic for many reasons. The most obvious is that this is America’s first president from the American People’s Party, which was formed by Upton Sinclair in 1949. Secondly, this is the first time in modern history that the presidential and vice presidential candidates from one ticket were not members of the same party. Vice President-elect Jacob Rosenberg has brought a great sense of cooperation and unity between the two left-leaning parties in the United States. Some pundits in the capital do not believe that this “political wedding” will last long. For starters, the Liberty Party confirmed their commitment to restoring some sort of affirmative action law at this summer’s convention, something that the socialists remain opposed to.

-“Clinton Wins!” The New York Times, November 5, 1992.

BOMB AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE!

LONDON, APR 14- Early this morning, while Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was reviewing the Royal Guard at Buckingham Palace, a large bomb exploded near the reviewing stand. Her Majesty, along with Prince Phillip and several members of the Royal staff were seriously injured and are being tended to at various local hospitals around London. Prime Minister Michael Mosley has declared a state of emergency in the greater London area, and the CSP has been deployed throughout the city. Although no party has claimed responsibility for the attack, most government officials believe that the Pakistani Solidarity Coalition is responsible for this dastardly act of terrorism. The Queen’s son, Prince William, has been put in protective custody of the CSP to protect the heir to the throne.

- “Bomb at Buckingham Palace!”, The Daily Mail, April 14, 1993.

THE QUEEN IS DEAD

LONDON, APR 16- The Royal Palace announced this morning that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has died from injuries received from a bomb blast at Buckingham Palace two days ago. This comes a day after Prince Phillip, the Queen’s husband, passed away. The nation is in shock. However, many are calling for the government to end the terrorism by ending the war in Iran and Pakistan. Prime Minister Mosley has stated that “this country will not bow to terrorism. Our country has been stabbed near the heart, but we will pull through and survive. And to those who think they can dictate how this country is run by blowing up buildings and murdering the innocent, they had better think again.” The CSP has been ordered to begin mass roundups of suspected terrorist and terrorist sympathizers.

-“The Queen is Dead,” The Times (London), April 16, 1993.

INSTABILITY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

LONDON, AUG 1- It has been months since the death of Queen Elizabeth II, and unrest in the United Kingdom has been steadily increasing. The Mosley government has used the attack as an excuse to round up thousands upon thousands of Muslims in the United Kingdom. In addition, Mosley has increased the number of troops to be deployed to the Iran-Pakistan War, which has taken a turn for the worse in recent months since the United States has withdrawn from the conflict. Three weeks ago, Tehran was seized by the Iranian rebels, and unrest in both Iran and Pakistan is at an all time high. There are rumors that a large anti-war protest against the Mosley government is planned, but this cannot be confirmed. Despite continued support of the war by the Prime Minister and the BUF, King William has continued to speak out against the conflict, calling it a “bloody stain” upon the United Kingdom.

-“Instability in the United Kingdom,” The Frankfurter Zeitung, August 1, 1993.

            The instability that caused the collapse of the British Union of Fascists and their rule of Great Britain was twofold. First, after the Queen’s death in April of 1993 at the hands of terrorist greatly affected the moral of the British public, and their willingness to support the war in Iran and Pakistan. Public protests of the war became more common and more intense, despite attempts by the CSP to suppress such events. People also began to protest the growing number of arrests of Muslims that the security police carried out, under the pretext that they had ties to Pakistani terrorists. This excuse was believed at first, but by the end of the summer of 1993 it became obvious that the government was punishing an entire community for the actions of a few.

            The second, and more corrosive crisis that would ultimately be the straw that broke the camels back was an article released on March 3, 1994 by the London Times that stated that the War Ministry had  been grossly underreporting the number of war deaths that the country had experienced. While the official number at the time of the article was around 3,500 dead, the number that was reported to be the real number was closer to 7,500. The day after the article shocked the British public, the CSP arrested the writer and editorial staff of the London Times and closed down the paper all together, which was loudly celebrated by The Daily Mail. Prime Minister Mosley went on the television on March 5 and stated that the Times’ article was totally false, and that the war dead count was around 3,500. Despite these attempts to suppress the information, a major rally was planned to protest the war on March 10. On that day, nearly 150,000 protestors rallied outside the War Ministry. The CSP showed up in force, and a riot soon broke out. In the end, 788 people were arrested, and 230 were killed, along with over 2,000 that were injured. The next day, the King held a primetime news conference carried on the BNN and the BBC, where he decried the murder of “230 brave patriots”. Furthermore, he announced that he new for certain that the death count was above 8,000, and he called on Prime Minister Mosley to resign his post as prime minister. What happened next would stir up the unrest of the British populace into action. As the King finished his broadcast, the CSP stormed the palace and arrested the King on live television. The feed then went to Number 10 Downing Street, where Mosley declared that the man on the television had been an imposter who had hijacked the television signal.

            No one in the country believed what Mosley said. Unrest exploded into revolt, and violence ruled the streets of many parts of London. The CSP surrounded the Prime Minister’s residence to protect him from the mayhem. Director Horace Williams, head of the security police, declared martial law in London, and decreed that any protestor could be shot on sight. This did not sit well with the army. On March 12, 1994, the army declared that the Prime Minister and the CSP had committed treason by arresting the King, and launched an attack on several key locations in London. The so called “Royal Revolution” had begun. Army intelligence learned that the CSP were keeping the King in the prison operated under their main headquarters in central London, and sent nearly 300 soldiers to storm the building, after the RAF made a small raid that damaged the building. Another 600 men were deployed to take 10 Downing Street, along with 600 sent to Parliament, 350 deployed to Buckingham Palace, and 300 to the BUF headquarters. By 4:00 that afternoon, MP Robert Prince, head of the informal “Reform Wing” of the BUF, declared that he was forming a new government and would serve as Prime Minister. Prince quickly declared his loyalty to the King and the Army, and would eventually be recognized by the army leaders later that night as the “legitimate” prime minister.

            At 6:30 on March 12, the CSP headquarters fell to the army after hours of fighting. The King was found, unconscious, in his cell bellow the headquarters, and was whisked away to the safety of a military hospital outside the city. The BBC, which had declared loyalty to the army from the start, happily announced this news. At 7:30 the following morning, Michael Mosley surrendered to the army, and normalcy slowly began to return. King William formally confirmed Robert Prince as the new Prime Minister on March 15, after having regained consciousness on the 13^th and had a few days to recover. On March 20^th, Prince announced that all members of Mosley’s government were to be dismissed from power, and were forced out of the Party. The CSP was shut down by order of the military, and the military police took control of the security police’s many prisons.

            It was then that one of the worst acts of the 2^nd Mosley regime was discovered. Two prisons, described by the army as death labor camps, where nearly 200,000 Pakistanis had been interned after being arrested by the CSP. It was later discovered that nearly 140,000 people had already died at these camps, in addition to nearly 75,000 people that had been murdered immediately after being arrested by the security forces. The public, and international community, was appalled, and may called on the government to execute Mosley, Williams, and other leaders of the old regime. Trials were announced to start in the fall of 1994, and all the death camps were closed and those imprisoned there were given compensation and a heap of apologies from the new leadership in London.

            On April 1, Prime Minister Prince announced a unilateral cease fire in Pakistan and Iran, and stated that there would be formal peace talks in Cairo over the summer, following the annual meeting of the Commonwealth Congress and Executive Committee. On April 3, the army announced that all political prisoners being held in the former CSP prisons were to be released, as long as they had no “regular” crimes attached to their files, such as murder, theft, or rape. By the end of the month, all but 347 political prisoners were free. Prince announced later that month that he would soon be presenting a series of reform bills aimed at “cutting back the excesses” of the Michael Mosley era. The first of these bills, known as the Political Speech and Association Act, decriminalized public opposition and protest to government leaders and government policy, and allowed for the formation of new political parties. This act passed 53-47 in parliament on May 14, 1994. By the end of May, the Labour, Communist, and Democratic-Republican Parties had all been formed, and were putting pressure on the Prime Minister to call for a new election, especially the outspoken leader of the “New Labour Party”, Ms. Margret Roberts, who called on Prince to have open elections as soon as possible so the people could express their new found political freedoms. BUF record from May, June, and July of 1994 show huge drops in membership, as the party card was no longer required for a number of places of employment.

            At the Commonwealth Congress in June of 1994, Prime Minister Prince backed a bid by South Africa to give that country the Commonwealth Presidency for the next two years, a move that shocked many, since the United Kingdom had held the presidency solidly since the end of the 1960s after the rise of Sir Oswald. On August 1^st, Prime Minister Prince and others from the British government headed to Cairo to meet with members of the Canadian, South African, Australian, Indian, Pakistani and Iranian governments to discuss a final peace in the Middle East. The talks went on for weeks, and there sere several times that it looks as though the Cairo Talks would fall apart, but fortunately they did not. On August 19, 1994,the Cairo Treaty was signed, officially ending the Iran-Pakistan War.

-Samuels, Dr. Frank. The Fall of the Blackshirts. New British Press, London: 2005.

PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

CAIRO, AUG 19- His Majesty’s government has announced that the Imperial Commonwealth, Iran and Pakistan have signed the Cairo Treaty. The war in the Middle East is now officially over. After 16 years of conflict and the loss of 8,400 soldiers, the silent stillness of peace can finally reign over the British Isles. The treaty, which took over two weeks to draft, has done the following:

-       Guarantees the independence of the Iranian Islamic Republic.

-       Releases the Dominion of Pakistan from the Imperial Commonwealth, and recognizes the country as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

-       Guaranteed at least 3 billion pounds of reconstruction aide to Iran and Pakistan each, to be paid by Imperial Commonwealth.

Prime Minister Prince stated that “this war has been a leech on the vitality of the British people, and upon the whole of the Imperial Commonwealth. We should have pulled out of those countries many years ago. We have harmed the lives of millions, and now we must look to the future and repair the damage we’ve done.”

-“Peace in the Middle East,” The Times (London), August 20, 1994.

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The Airship Legacy - Part 12

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PART XII: REBIRTH IN THE SKIES, GROWTH ON THE MOON, ARRIVAL ON MARS, AND OTHER MARVELS

            At the close of the 1970s, it was becoming obvious to those in charge of ZGI, BAW and CAW that the jetliner would eventually become more practical form of passenger air travel, simply due to the increased speed of the jetliners. At a special industry meeting in Friedrichshafen in 1979, they all agreed that they should start pushing cargo shipping via airship, along with tourism and research, and move away from relying solely on passenger carrying like they had in the past.

            One of the biggest saviors of the British airship industry was the outbreak of the Iran War, and the expansion of the powers of the Central Security Police. Prior to this, the fascist government in the United Kingdom had been less than supportive of the airship industry, and had made repeated cuts to the research budget for BAW, and had been downsizing the British Naval Airship Corps. When Mosley and the BUF first took power, there had been serious discussion by the government of closing down the BAW. Mosley considered the airship an “un-British” invention, and supported early research into jet engines for civilian and military use. However, in 1969, as the powers of the Central Security Police began to expand, it was pointed out that the airship could be used to monitor the populace from the air, so Mosley and his cohorts let up on their anti-airship agenda, and ordered a whole new class of airship be built by the BAW for the Central Security Police.

By 1978, there had been serious talk of disbanding the Naval Airship Corps altogether, but these ideas were swept aside after war broke out in Iran. The military soon realized that the naval airships made ideal scouts for the army, as well as for launching fighter aircraft close to the enemy. And since the Iranians had no real air force to speak of, the airships were almost immune to enemy attack, except when landing and taking off. In 1981, the British government actually ordered the expansion of the airship corps, and the Royal Army also began use of airships to haul cargo and personnel to the battle zones.

The American airship program also benefited from the Iran War, with an expansion of the US Naval Airship Fleets, and 40 new cargo airships for the Army. This exposed a whole new generation to the importance of the Airship program for the military, and boosted the interests of many young boys who saw the airships flying overhead, just like it had in the 1930s. It also helped that President Bush was a big supporter of the airship program, and refused to fly by jet plane. The completion of the USS Eagle II in 1986 helped boost the image of the airship even further. The Eagle II was the most sophisticated airship when it was launched. The president could literally run the country from the air, thanks to satellite communication technology that had never made it’s way to the ship’s predecessor, which became a museum in 1987. The ship had modern radar, computers that could communicate with the nation’s budding military computer network, along with the ability for reporters to broadcast live from the ship. PanAm quickly converted this new model, called the Golden Eagle Class, for civilian use on the major transatlantic routes, replacing several older classes of Goodyear-Zeppelin airships.

-Anderson, Dr. Alexander. The Modern Zeppelin. New York: Colombia University Press: 2009.

GERMANS LAUNCH MARS ROCKET!

BERLIN, APRIL 1- The Imperial Government has confirmed that the Imperial Rocket Force’s Warner von Braun A-21 Rocket launched this morning from Peenemunde and has started it’s 7 month journey from Earth to Mars. On board the rocket are cosmonauts Heinrich Frank (brother to German actress Anne Frank), Otto Reichmann, Adolf Mueller, and Rudolph Schultz. This first mission, if successful will be followed up within a year or so with a larger mission to establish a more permanent presence on the Red Planet.

            The 77-year-old Kaiser Louis Ferdinand I declared in a televised address this morning that “The sacrifices of the past decade, and all the misfortunes the IRF have suffered, have today been set to rights. Today our brave cosmonauts are headed towards Mars, and will become the first human beings to set foot on another planet. We should all feel proud that our Empire has been able to bring about the technical and scientific expertise to make this expedition possible. To the men and women of the IRF, know that the entire German nation salutes you this day.” Germans from all walks of life seem very interested in this feat of science. In schools across the nation, teachers have left behind their normal lessons and are talking about space exploration, and many class rooms have set up bulletin boards to monitor the progress of the Warner von Braun rocket, which will be reporting in regularly with the IRF Control Center in Peenemunde.

            In Washington, President King congratulated the Germans in an official statement released by the White House. “Germany has embarked on a brave and impressive journey today, the likes of which have not truly been seen since Christopher Columbus set out to cross the Atlantic. The United States congratulates the German people and especially the scientists at Peenemunde, and I can honestly say that I will be closely following all developments concerning mankind’s first expedition to another world with much interest, and I look forward to seeing images coming from the Red Planet in November when the Warner von Braun reaches it’s destination, and also look forward to the day when our own cosmonauts will make the same journey.”

“Germans Launch Mars Rocket!” The New York Times, April 2, 1984.

            The entire world tuned in on November 2, 1984, when German cosmonaut Heinrich Frank became the first human being to set foot on the surface of Mars. The grainy image, suffering about a 10-minute delay, showed Frank and his other space explorers walk off the Mars Lander and make the first human footprints on Martian soil. As Frank walked forth from the craft and planted the German flag in the red soil of this new planet, he said “Like the countless explorers from centuries past, myself and my crewmates have come to Mars in search of it’s mysteries and secrets, its riches and resources, and above all, the chance to start a new way of life and enhance our understanding of this universe.” Millions of people from all over the planet watched as the cosmonauts explored the planet, and sent back daily video broadcasts that were carried on the air by not only the KDF in Germany, but by television stations in nearly every nation on Earth. Even in the United Kingdom, which was doing it’s best to play down the German’s achievement, had daily coverage. And just like when Rudolph Nollert stepped onto the surface of the moon twenty years before, a “space fever” swept through the West. In Germany, Britain, and the United States, every little boy (and many little girls) wanted to be a cosmonaut when they grew up.  When the three space explorers returned in early July 1985, they were greeted by their countrymen as heroes, and would tour Germany talking about Mars. The IRF would return to Mars in 1987 with a 35-person crew with the mission to set up a permanent settlement, which was named Von Braun Base.

            In 1989, the Germans would also join the United States on the moon with a permanent base called New Peenemunde. When the British launched the E-18 rocket and landed their first “astronauts” on the moon on June 11, 1990, it was decided that a formal agreement was needed to regulate moon exploration and territorial claims. In October of 1990, officials and scientists from the Untied States, Germany, and the United Kingdom met in Frankfurt to hammer out an agreement. On October 22, 1990, the Treaty of Frankfurt was signed, which divided up portions of the moon’s surface between the three countries, and left the rest under joint jurisdiction for the time being, with the option to give the remaining territory to one of the three countries or a new country in the future. At that point in time, there were nearly 2,000 Americans living on the moon, and nearly 450 Germans. The British would set up a permanent settlement in 1991.

            America would join the Germans on Mars in May of 1990, taking only 6 months to travel from Earth. The first American mission consisted of 50 cosmonauts, with orders to set up a permanent settlement on Mars. It had been six years since Germany had first traveled to the Red Planet, and there were nearly 500 Germans living on the surface when the 50 Americans arrived and founded New Philadelphia Base. Though the British would start a Mars Exploration Program, the unstable political climate of the 1990s would derail any attempt at placing the Union Jack on Mars, and when the BUF lost power at the end of that decade, funding for the British Space Agency was cut nearly in half, and it is unclear at this point whether or not the British will go to Mars anytime in the near future.

-Williams, Dr. Andrew, Space Exploration in the 21^st Century. New York: Random House Publishing. 2003.

           

            In 1983, in the midst of soaring gas prices that seemed to have no end in sight, Ford Motor Company announced that they would have a viable non-gasoline powered car ready for production by 1985. And they delivered. In 1985, FMC released the Ford Independence, a hydrogen/electric powered car. And working investors, Ford sponsored the creation of  Hydron Fuel Company, to set up hydrogen fuel stations throughout the United States. Within 5 years, GMC would release it’s own hydrogen powered car, and HFC had stations nearly coast to coast.

            Most environmentalists agree that the development of alternative fuel cars was the single good by-product of the Iran War. And it’s hard to argue with them. Today, nearly half of all cars on the road in the United States are hydrogen powered, and the trend is catching on worldwide. Several experts believe that, barring any unforeseen events, hydrogen-powered vehicles will completely replace their gas-powered counterparts by 2030, or 2050 at the latest.

-“The Power of the Sun under the Hood,” American Automotive, May 2005

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The Airship Legacy - Part 11

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PART XI: THE ACHY EIGHTIES

            In our review of the last century, the 1980s come in as the worst decade of the Twentieth Century. Granted, the economic situation wasn’t quite as bad as in other decades, but the Iran War coupled with the so-called “Second Depression”, makes the 1980s worse than even the depths of the Great Depression of the 1930s. Starting with the murder of the First Lady-elect Coretta King in December 1980 was a bad omen for the rest of the decade. In 1981, the British government began to increase costs on oil exported to all non-commonwealth nations or nations that weren’t allied with them in the conflict in Iran. And since BNP was the largest controller of Middle Eastern oil, it meant that nation’s like the United States were at the mercy of the new “Non-Empire Oil Tariff”. By 1983, the price of a gallon of gasoline in the United States was nearing $5,  and there were frequent shortages in many cities. These shortages would lead to a growing sense of unrest that would ultimately spell the end of the King administration in the 1984 election.

-“The Century In Review,” Time Magazine, February 21, 2000.

THE LEADER HAS DIED!

LONDON, JUNE 24- The Ministry of Information has announced that Our Leader Sir Oswald passed away late last night of a heart attack. Her Majesty the Queen has declared that the next 100 days shall be a time of mourning for the nation. It is reported that, even less than 12 hours since the death occurred, mourners have already started laying flowers in front of Number 10 Downing Street, and the London police believe that by noon today there will be thousands upon thousands of flower in front of the Prime Minister’s residence.

            The Prime Minister’s spokesperson stated that the funeral will be within one week, and that an election to replace Leader Mosley will occur two days after that. Although there is no official word as to who may replace Sir. Oswald, many expect that his youngest son Michael Mosley will likely fill his father’s shoes. In the last five years, the younger Mosley has been increasingly included in the affairs of state by his father.

            The funeral will be held at St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Central Security officials believe that nearly 1 million people will descend on the capital to pay their final respects to what many in the BUF are calling one of Britain’s greatest leaders.

-“The Leader Has Died,” The Daily Mail, June 24, 1980.

            Sir Oswald Mosley’s funeral was one of the largest funerals ever held in London, only dwarfed by the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 1993. On June 30, 1980, Britons from all over the United Kingdom poured into the city to pay their respects to the Leader. It was estimated by the Central Security Police that approximately 1.2 million people were in London for the event, lining every street that the funeral procession would go down, filling every park where large television screens where erected, and filling every public stadium that was also set up for people to view the funeral that was being broadcast live via the BBC and the BNN. There wasn’t an empty hotel room in London, and the transit systems of the British capital were taxed to their max.

            In attendance at St. Paul’s cathedral was the Queen and her family, every member of Parliament, the Prime Minister of Russia, the Chancellor of Germany, the Vice President of the United States, the President of France, the Prime Minister of Canada, the Chancellor of South Africa, and Premier of Australia, and Prime Minister of India, and many other heads of state and government. Notably absent, however, was the Premier of Pakistan, who refused to attend in protest to the Iran War.

            The Queen praised the departed Prime Minister for his wise leadership and his ability to pull Great Britain out of the economic depression that had set in after the London Treaty. “He put the ‘Great’ back in Great Britain.” Sir Oswald’s son Michael reminisced about how good of a father the Leader had been, and how he’d taught him to use good judgment and humility in anything he did.

            Two days following the funeral, the 100 members of the House of Commons met to elect Sir Oswald’s successor. As predicted, Michael Mosley won the majority vote (79), and was sworn in as Prime Minister.

-Hayes, Dr. Thomas. Rise of Fascism in Britain. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2001.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IS LAW!

WASHINGTON, OCT 1- President King’s broad ranging Affirmative Action Bill was signed into law this morning by the President at a special ceremony at the White House. The law, known also as the 1 to 4 Law, will require all employers to hire 1 person of non-Caucasian descent for ever 4 persons of Caucasian descent. This also applies to university enrollment. Leaders from the Republican Party, along with the newly formed States Rights Party and even the American People’s Party, state that this is a step in the wrong direction.

            Republican Senator George Bush stated that, “While I support efforts to bring about greater equality in this nation, I fear that the 1 to 4 Law will only bring about greater racial tensions and hostility across the country.” APP Congressmen William Clinton echoed these sentiments, saying “the American People’s Party is committed to full equality for all Americans, but we believe this law will do more harm than good, creating more rifts between the races instead of healing the ones that already exist.”

-“Affirmative Action is Law!” The Washington Post, October 2, 1981.

GAS RIOTS STRIKE ACROSS THE COUNTRY

ST. LOUIS, AUG 1- From coast to coast, people have taken to the streets to protest the high prices of gas, and demanding that President King and Congress fix the situation. Republicans are calling for the United States to enter the Iran War so that Britain will drop the oil tariff. Here in St. Louis, there were numerous drive offs at city gas stations, and impromptu riots at several others. One gas station was actually set on fire.

            In California, there were multiple reports of people with weapons taking control of gas stations and allowing people to fill up without paying. At the moment, the highest gas in the country is over $4 a gallon, and even in places like Oklahoma and Texas, where there are gas production facilities, fuel prices are hovering around $3. President King is urging the American people to be patient and that fuel prices will come down soon. Protestors have been picketing in front of the White House for weeks, chanting “Fix the Gas Crisis!” “Invade Iran!” “Help out the Brits!” and “Lets Join Mosley!”.

            This year’s mid-term elections are expected to bring numerous victories to Republicans across the country, and it is likely that the Republicans could gain control of both houses of Congress. And if the gas crisis keeps up, King’s chances for reelection in 1984 do not look good.

-“Gas Riots Strike Across the Country,” The New York Times, August 1, 1982.

PROJECT LUNA TEAM LANDS ON MOON!

CAPE CANAVRERAL, SEP 2-  The ASEA has confirmed that the team that launched from Cape Canaveral last week has successfully landed on the surface of the Moon. In a statement issued soon after the ASEA confirmed the landing, President King said, “Today is a great day in the history of not only our nation, but in the history of all mankind. For today, for the first time since Adam and Eve first walked this Earth, there is a permanent settlement of man that is not on the surface of our beloved home planet. I congratulate the ASEA and it’s engineers, scientists, and our brave cosmonauts for this great feat, and wish them luck and wisdom in their future expansion of this base on the Moon.”

            Project Luna’s 27 cosmonauts will be setting up a small 3,000 square foot base facility that is to be expanded over the coming years and decades. The facility has been named Liberty Base by the ASEA.

-“Project Luna Team Lands on Moon!” The New York Times, September 2, 1982.

            In the mid-term election of 1982, the Liberty Party lost it’s control of both houses of Congress, resulting in Republican control of the Senate and a plurality in the House of Representatives where the Republicans had the largest number of seats. This resulted in one of the worst political deadlocks in U.S. History, with President King blocking much of the Republican’s legislation while they blocked his agenda. For two whole years, very little got done in Washington. Senator George HW Bush of Massachusetts announced his intent to run in late 1983, and immediately began campaigning. Voter frustration at the skyrocketing gas prices and the worsening economy ultimately doomed the King campaign, and with it the Liberty and APP congressional elections, since the APP again backed King for the presidency.

            George H.W. Bush received nearly 60% of the vote in November of 1984, bringing to a close 12 years of Democrat/Liberty rule from the White House. Having won their first Presidential election since 1968 and only the second Presidential election since the 1930s, the Republicans were exuberant, and the Liberty Party was in shock. Party leaders immediately began asking themselves, “How did we get so disconnected from the people of this country?”

-Johnson, Dr. Kyle. The King Presidency, 1981-1985. New York, American Press Company: 2000.

BUSH: WE ARE AT WAR

WASHINGTON, FEB 1- President Bush, in a special address this evening before both houses of Congress, called on the legislators to declare a state of war to exist between the United States and the so-called Islamic Republic of Iran. Congress has since approved this request, and now the US finds itself at war. President Bush said he would be going to London within the next month to visit with Prime Minister Michael Mosley to “heal wounds caused by past administrations and to work with Premier Mosley to plan America and Britain’s join war effort to put down the rebels in Iran and to secure the oil fields in that country for the West.”

            Many across the country have started to celebrate the long-awaited declaration of war, burning flags of the Islamic Republic, and effigies of the Ayatollah. A rally is planned for tomorrow night on the steps of the capital to show support for the decision. At the same time, opposition protests have also started to break out, and there are several protest rallies planned for tomorrow night. The most fervent opposition is coming from the West Coast, where the American People’s Party enjoys a majority in all three states. In a dramatic scene of protest, the California Congressional Delegation got up and walked out of the joint session after war was officially declared.

            Mobilization of the Armed Forces will begin soon, and it is expected that U.S. troops will be in Iran before the end of March.

-“Bush: We Are At War,” The Washington Post, February 2, 1985.

1 TO 4 LAW REPEALED

WASHINGTON, APR 9- The Republican-controlled Congress has repealed the highly unpopular “1 to 4 Law”, officially known as the “Affirmative Action Law”. Passed under the King Administration, the law forced all employers to higher one non-white citizen for ever four whites they had employed, and required all universities to enroll one non-white student for every four white students. The high rate of unemployment, which peaked at 12.5% in 1985, is blamed on the law.

            President Bush promised during the 1984 campaign that if elected, he and his party would do all they could to repeal the law as part of their efforts to pull America out of the “Second Depression”. The president told reporters this afternoon that, “Today is a great victory for the American people, and for the cause of true racial equality. It is my hope, and the hope of millions of Americans, that someday our society will truly be color-blind, and it will not matter whether your skin is white, black, red, yellow or brown. We are all Americans, and it is time the law represented this future we hope to build.”

            It is expected that tougher anti-discrimination laws will be passed in the next few months, to replace the 1 to 4 Law.

-“1 To 4 Law Repealed,” The Washington Post, April 10, 1986

            President Bush went to London aboard the newly launched GZ-305, the USS Eagle II, which replaced the largely antiquated GZ-9 that had sat in it’s hangar for nearly a decade, unofficially retired following the assassination of President Humphrey. The plans for the Eagle II had been on the drawing board for several years, but Presidents Kennedy and King would not give them the go ahead. When Bush was elected, he had the ship put under construction the day after the inauguration, and it was launched in July of 1986, and President Bush took the craft on it’s maiden voyage to a conference in London with Prime Minister Michael Mosley and several leaders of the Commonwealth. By this time, American forces had already been deployed to Iran for over a year, and were fighting side-by-side with Commonwealth troops. The republican capital of Tehran was still in enemy hands, but was being bombarded daily by US and UK forces. Many experts figured that most of Iran would by under US-UK control by the end of 1987, and so Prime Minister Mosley wanted to try and nail down a preliminary post-war plan for Iran. There were two main plans that were put forth, the Division Plan and the Dominion Plan. The first, suggested by Mosley and supported by Bush and the Australians, called for the division of Iran between Iraq and the Dominion of Pakistan. Pakistan, which didn’t support the war and did not want the extra territory once it finished, was against this plan. Britain’s ally, Iraq, supported the idea, however. Pakistan and the Dominion of South Africa both supported the idea of making Iran a dominion of the Empire, which they believed would be the best way to avoid post war violence. In the end, the Division Plan was chosen, but was to be kept secret until the end of the war.

-Flemmings, Dr. Samuel. The Black Hole that was Iran. British Press House, London: 2002.

PAKISTANI’S REVEAL SECRET OF LONDON CONFERENCE

ISLAMABAD, DEC 11-  Several anti-war members of the Pakistani government that were recently dismissed for their strong opinions against the Iran War have released information to the world press that reveals the post-war plans decided upon by the British Commonwealth and the United States. It appears that the hopeful victors plan on dividing Iran between the Dominion of Pakistan and Iraq, essentially dissolving the Iranian state. This news has been met with wide-spread protests throughout the Dominion of Pakistan, where protesters gathered outside Parliament and chanted “Down with the Queen,” “Islamic Solidarity for Iran,” “Say No to London!” and even a few “Islamic Revolution Now.”

            British Prime Minister Michael Mosley has denied these allegations, saying that “Iran will not be divided after the war. The London Conference decided we’d give the Iranians a few choices to vote on once the Islamic Republic has been defeated in the north.” However, the Pakistani’s who released the information have distributed official papers with Mosley’s signature that seem to indicate otherwise. These documents very clearly state that Mosley, along with President Bush, approved of the so-called “Division Plan,” and that it was approved at the London Conference this past summer. So far, the White House has yet to make any sort of statement about the validity of these allegations.

            In Iran, the British Military announced this morning a ban on all large public gatherings, seemingly to stem the chance of any major rioting like what has occurred in Pakistan, although the British commanders in Iran say that the order is unrelated.

-“Pakistani’s Reveal Secret of London Conference,” The New York Times, December 11, 1986.

            The “Division Plan Crisis” during the winter of 1986-1987 led to a lot of anti-war support in the United States and in several of the Dominions that put increasing pressure on all the Coalition governments to bring an end to the war. And, it forced the British to abandon the Division Plan, when President Bush announced that he was in full support of “any plan that left pro-Western Iranian independence intact.” In April of 1987, all the allied nations agreed to the Dominion Plan, including the rump Iranian government that had been largely a puppet since the British invasion in 1979. This seemed to settle things down considerably in the United States, where support for the war increased.

            Things in Pakistan, however, were not as peaceful. In October of 1987, the “Pakistani Islamic Party” was formed, calling for a thorough “Islamification” of the country. The more radical PIP members called for an end of Dominion, since it was improper for Pakistan to have a Christian Queen. In February of 1988, the British Central Security Police “discovered” a link between the PIP and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and forced the Dominion’s government to ban the party. This led to major unrest in that country that would sow the seeds of future revolt.

-Flemmings, Dr. Samuel. The Black Hole that was Iran. British Press House, London: 2002.

TEHRAN FALLS!!

TEHRAN, OCT 1- Her Majesty’s Armed Forces have confirmed that the rebel forces in Tehran have fled to the countryside, and that the nation’s former capital has been mostly secured. There have still been sporadic firefights in some parts of the city where random clusters of holdouts evaded the initial British and American troops that stormed the city yesterday morning. Coalition commanders believe that these pockets of resistance will be  routed out in due course.

            Prime Minister Mosley declared tomorrow, October 2, as a national holiday in celebration of this great victory. “We have been fighting the good fight for 9 long years now, and our determination and perseverance has been rewarded. Great Britain, the Commonwealth, and our allies are triumphant. It is my promise to the British people that our troops will begin to come home within a year! This war shall be over soon!”

            Iran’s former capital lies in ruins, a sign of nearly a decade of fighting. For more than a year, the city has been under nearly constant siege by Coalition forces, and thousands of  rebel non-combatants are believed to have been killed in the run-up to the final push on the city. Initial estimates by commonwealth engineers is that it will take up to ten years to get the city to about where it was before the war, and at the costs of close to a billion pounds.

-“Tehran Falls!” The Daily Mail, October 1, 1988.

BUSH WINS REELECTION!

WASHINGTON, NOV 5- President George HW Bush has been reelected as President of the United States, beating out Socialist candidate William Clinton and Liberty Party candidate Joseph Lieberman. Many political analysts believe that the Socialists and the Liberty Party hurt their chances of getting their candidate into office since they decided to field separate candidates instead of both backing the same person. This divided their support base and gave the Republicans the chance to keep Bush in office for four more years. However, this might still be optimistic, since the President received 56% of last night’s vote.

            Bush has been given a lot of credit for pulling the United States out of the “Second Depression” that started during the King Presidency, caused mostly by high oil tariffs imposed by the United Kingdom. Since Bush was elected and the United States entered the Iran War, oil prices have plummeted down to their lowest in over 15 years, and there has been a flood of new jobs on the market that have put the economy on a high note.

            Also giving a boost to President Bush’s reelection was the recent fall of Tehran to Coalition forces, and the prospect of the successful end to the Iran War within the next year.

-“Bush Wins Reelection!” The Washington Post, November 6, 1988.

REBELS SIEZE PAKISTANI CAPITAL

ISLAMABAD, JAN 12- Her Majesty’s Government has confirmed that rebels belonging to the anti-Commonwealth “Pakistani Islamic Party” have seized control over the government sector of the Pakistani capital. Radio reports coming from the rebels state that they have executed the leaders of the Dominion government. This cannot be independently confirmed. The rebels have apparently proclaimed the birth of the “Islamic Republic of Pakistan”, and are calling on all “good Muslims” to overthrow the British regime that has “oppressed” the Pakistanis.

            So far, there has been no official response from the Royal Government as to what sort of action will be taken against the rebels, if any. The Dominion of India has placed their military on high alert, fearing that the violence could spread into it’s territory. There are reports of violence in every major city in Pakistan, and the British Foreign Office is urging all British citizens in Pakistan to evacuate as soon as possible, and has suspended all civilian travel to the country until further notice.

-“Rebels Seize Pakistani Capital,” The London Times, January 13, 1989.

            The Islamic Revolution in Pakistan in 1989 was a game changer for the whole Iran War. On January 20, the British government announced that they would be invading Pakistan to “put down the anti-Commonwealth, anti-Western” rebellion that had engulfed the Dominion of Pakistan. British troops stationed in Pakistan rolled out to secure the areas near their bases, and troops in Iran rolled across the boarder into Pakistan on January 31^st. The Dominion of India ordered in troops on February 2.

            Initially, the British Government stated publically that their invasion would crush the rebellion in just a few short months. Most of their armed forces remained in Iran, to mop up the resistance there. This turned out to be a hopeful fantasy, however. A vast majority of the Pakistani population supported the rebellion, and guerrilla fighting was much more fierce than it had been in Iran. The United Kingdom began to drain more and more troops from the first theater of war and into the new one, leaving the United States with an increasing burden in Iran, where the rebels renewed their efforts to drive out the invaders.

            In Great Britain, many British-born Pakistani’s, along with those who were citizens of the Dominion, began to protest the invasion, saying that this was a popular revolution that the British had no right to interfere in. On May 1, 1989, 100,000 people gathered in front of Parliament to protest the war. The Central Security Police was called in to disperse the protest, which soon after devolved into a riot. 300 people were arrested, and several hundred more were wounded, with 2 being killed. A far larger rally was held in November of that year, in front of Buckingham Palace. This became known as the Buckingham Palace Riots, where the nearly 250,000 people turned to violence after the CSP showed up and began beating the protestors. When one CSP officer opened fire and killed three people, all hell broke loose, and in the end, the CSP arrested nearly 700 people, and it was estimated that 5,000 were injured. Nearly 200 rioters were killed, along with 90 CSP officers.

            On November 15^th, the Queen made an address from the Palace, condemning the rioters use of violence and called on the nation to remain calm. This would turn those who had been out in protest more radical, and did nothing more than add fuel to the fire.  A mere ten days later, the Pakistani Solidarity Coalition was formed, and quickly become one of the most feared terror organizations in the UK throughout the 1990s. On December 1^st, the PSC bombed three Tube stations in London, killing 340 people. The violence would only get worse from there.

            In the United States, there was a very mixed reaction from the public about the early stages of the operations in Pakistan. The United States was not formally involved, but their responsibilities in Iran (and with them, casualties) began to increase, and the population began to get extremely war-weary. A major anti-war rally was held in Washington with around 150,000 people on July 1, 1989, calling for an end to hostilities and calling on the US to pressure the British into pulling out of Pakistan. It wouldn’t be until the 1990s that the situation in America would become more violent, and this would lead to a major political shift in Washington.

-Gordman, Dr. Jacob. Pakistan: A revolution that changed the world. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. 2009.

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PART X: EVOLVING POLITICS IN AMERICA, WAR IN IRAN AND MARS

            After the Equal Rights Movement and the dark episode of the “Alabama War”, the landscape of American politics shifted drastically. Almost immediately after the crisis in Alabama, the Democratic Party began to disintegrate. By the end of 1974, the Democratic Conventions of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, and South Carolina voted to leave the Democratic National Convention. On February 3, 1975, delegates from these seceding state conventions met in Atlanta for the formation of the Southern Democratic Party of the United States. By July of that year, the state democratic conventions in North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Texas voted to leave the DNC and Join the new Southern Democrats.

            The 1976 presidential elections were the most tense and interesting elections the USA had had in years, with three parties having candidates in the running for the first time since the 1936 elections. The Democratic Party at their convention in Philadelphia nominated President Kennedy on July 26. The Republicans nominated Barry Goldwater in Chicago on July 30.  The Southern Democrats nominated Orval Faubus, the party’s chairman and founder, at their convention in Little Rock on August 3. Kennedy’s high approval rating and the large support from African American’s across the country led to Kennedy’s close win over Goldwater. Kennedy ended up with 51% of the votes, with Goldwater having 32% and Faubus having 28%.

- Hallis, Dr. Robert. The Great Political Earthquake: 1974 and the End of the Two-Party System. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press: 1999

SPACE STATION IN ORBIT

CAPE CANAVRIL, AUG 4-  The American Space Exploration Agency (ASEA) announced today that their first space station is in orbit, and that 4 American cosmonauts are aboard. President Kennedy hailed today’s event as “another positive step in the history of space exploration”.

            ASEA also announced today that they plan on having three more space stations up in orbit by the end of 1978, and that they are eyeing some sort of permanent structure on the Moon by the end of either this decade or the early part of the next. If this is so,  America would pull ahead of the German space program, which is lagging behind on its attempt to have a manned mission to Mars.

            When asked about a possible Mars mission, ASEA officials said that one was not currently planned, but that it wasn’t “off the table”. Germany had been ahead of the American’s in space up until 1974, when the A-19 test rocket exploded violently, followed later that year by the death of Warner von Braun, Germany’s leading rocket scientist. The Imperial Rocket Force hopes that their new A-20 rocket will be ready for testing sometime later this year. The purpose of the A-20 is for an eventual manned mission to Mars.

“Space Station in Orbit,” Washington Post, August 4, 1976.

FAMED GERMAN ACTRESS TO STAR IN FIRST AMERICAN FILM

HOLLYWOOD, MAY 9- One of the most famous and beloved actress of the Babelsberg Studios, Anne Frank, will be the star of the upcoming film Western Front, which will be set during the Great War.

            Frank, 48, began acting in 1950 with a small role in Neue Liebe. Her first staring role came in 1954 in Berliner Sommer. To date, what is considered her best film is the 1970 film Ostland, a gripping drama telling the story of a young woman caught in the upheaval of the Polish War.  Ostland won the 1971 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, and Frank’s acting is what made that award possible.

            Filming on Western Front is expected to begin next week, and producers hope to have the film ready by next summer.

“Famed German Actress to Star in First American Film,” The Los Angeles Times, May 9, 1977.

A-20 ROCKET EXPLODES, KILLS 58

PEENAMUNDE, MAY 23- In the worst disaster to plague the beleaguered IRF to date, the new A-20 rocket exploded on the launch pad in a fiery blast that claimed the lives of 58 scientists and engineers, including all of the rocket’s principle design team.

            Emperor Louis Ferdinand I declared a state of mourning in honor of the lives lost in the disaster. Senior IRF officials say that despite disaster, their plan of going to Mars will not be scrapped. Many Germans are loosing their faith in the IRF’s ability to get past the loss of the A-19 and A-20 rockets, and have serious doubts as to whether or not the mission to Mars will ever occur.  Recent gains by the Americans in the so-called “Space Race” have made many people doubt the leadership of the IRF. One politician in the Reichstag stated that he thought that the IRF should be “reorganized and given completely new leadership, and should focus on goals closer to home, like lunar colonization.” Placing a permanent settlement on the Moon has been the subject of much debate by scientists throughout the Empire, some arguing that for the American’s to do so first would be a disgrace to the memory of von Braun, while other’s say the Moon isn’t as important as going to Mars.

-“A-20 Rocket Explodes, Kills 58,” Berliner Morgenpost, May 23, 1977.

REVOLT IN IRAN

TEHRAN, APRIL 12- The strikes and riots that began earlier this year have exploded into full-scale revolt against the British and American-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Rebels have been pushed out of the capital by loyal troops. There are several areas, however, that are totally in the hands of the rebels.

            The Shah’s government has requested British and American aid. Prime Minister Mosley has pledged that Great Britain and the Commonwealth will fully support the Shah’s government and help it crush the rebellious religious fanatics that are calling for the creation of an Islamic Republic in Iran.  So far, much to the disappointment of the United Kingdom and the Shah, the United States has not pledged any support, and our sources in Washington say that it is unlikely to come, that President Kennedy and the Liberty Party do not support the war nor it’s goals and intend to stay neutral.

-“Revolt in Iran,” The Times (London), April 12, 1978.

TROOPS TO IRAN!

LONDON, MAY 1- Prime Minister Mosley announced today that Her Majesty’s Armed Forces will begin to invade Iran this morning, arriving in the Ports of Bushehr and Chabahar. It is expected that the armed forces of Australia, Canada, South Africa, and India will soon join British troops in the region. The Dominion of Pakistan has yet to pledge troops. The Iranian Shah has moved his seat of government from Tehran to Bushehr, due to increased activity of the Iranian rebels. Tehran has since fallen to the so-called “Islamic Republic of Iran.” In general, the rebels have occupied the northern part of Iran, and the south has stayed loyal to the Shah.

-“Troops to Iran,” The Daily Mail, May 1, 1978.

TRIUMPH IN PEENAMUNDE!

PEENAMUNDE, OCT 11- The scientists, engineers, and soldiers at the Peenemunde Rocket Facility are jubilant today, after the A-21 rocket successfully made it into Earth’s orbit. IRF spokesperson Joachim Frank told reporters that “the success of the A-21 rocket means that the Imperial Rocket Force is now back on track to launching a successful mission to the planet Mars within the next three to five years. Despite the past rocketry failures, our cosmonauts have been diligently training for the coming mission to Mars. Germany will win the race to Mars. There is no question of that in our minds.”

            One reporter from the KDF asked Frank if the IRF was going to consider Moon settlement in the near future. Frank replied that “at the moment, our focus remains Mars. However, now that this goal is within reach, discussions are moving forwards on an eventual Moon settlement, but this will probably be more than a decade away from now.”

-“Triumph in Peenemunde!” Frankfurter Zeitung, October 12,  1978.

BRITS IN SPACE!

LONDON, FEB 11- The newly formed Ministry of Information has released a press release today announcing that the British Space Agency has successfully launched Britain’s first satellite into space. “Her Majesty’s Government is pleased to inform her public and the world at large that yesterday morning at approximately 7:30 a.m. the E-1 rocket made a successful launch from the BSA Launch Center near Liverpool carrying Great Britain’s first satellite. A celebratory rally is planned for February 14^th to honor the scientific and engineering success of the British people.”

            Prime Minister Oswald Mosley declared in a short speech on the BBC this evening that “Germany and America are no longer alone in Space. British astronauts (the Fascist government’s term for cosmonaut) WILL be on the Moon no later than 1985. We WILL catch up to our rivals in the Space Race!”

-“Brits in Space!” The Washington Post, February 12, 1979.

            The early part of the Iran war went very poorly for the British. By the start of 1979, as the nation celebrated it’s foray into the Space Race, Britain had only been able to secure the costal region of Iran. The rest of the country was up for grabs, and the north was fully under the control of the Islamic Republic. At the request of the Shah’s government, the British were not allowed to bomb Tehran, which greatly hindered the British ability to weaken the Republic’s government. In addition to these problems, Commonwealth assistance was slow to get off the ground. By March of 1979, only the South Africans and Australians had sent troops. Canada and India’s governments were having a change of heart, and Pakistan stood openly opposed to the war, and had declared it’s neutrality, much to the chagrin of Prime Minister Mosley.

-Hammon, Dr. Samuel. Iran: Twenty Years of War, Revolt and Chaos. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1999.

            In 1972, the American People’s Party met in Seattle, Washington, for their first-ever national convention.  The Chairman, California Assembly Speaker Ronald Greer stated that, “at this early point in our movement, we will seek to organize party groups in every state, and to place our members in Congress. The Presidency shall come later.” This attitude angered some, but it was officially adopted as the party policy and would guide the party throughout the 1970s and 80s, and it would not be until the 1988 election that an APP candidate would even appear on the national presidential ballot.

            By 1975, both California and Oregon had Socialist majorities in their state legislatures, and socialist Thomas Camden had recently been sworn in as Governor of Oregon. Washington also had a large contingent of socialists in their legislature. Outside the Pacific Coast region, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas were becoming major socialist centers. In 1976, both Texas and Oklahoma had APP majorities in their legislatures, and in Oklahoma socialist candidate Greg Sampson had narrowly been defeated in the gubernatorial elections. By this time, there were 5 APP members in the House of Representatives, and the APP had an operating party in 47 states, in all but Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana.

            In 1978, California sent it’s first APP senator, Ronald Greer, to Washington, and Arkansas elected future President William Clinton to the House of Representatives. In total, there were 45 Congressmen and 2 Senators that belonged to the APP in 1978. 7 states now boasted to have socialist majorities in their legislatures, including Florida, Arkansas, and New York.

            It was during the 1970s that the APP membership among African American’s really began to grow. After the split of the Democratic Party, the Southern Democrats intimidated the reestablishment of the National Democrats in their states, so many former Democrats who disagreed with the Southern Democratic Party began to join the APP. Although the African Americans tended to vote for the National Democrats in the Federal elections, they began to more and more identify with the socialist organizations in their states, and in the 1980s and 1990s would help catapult the APP into become one of the largest parties in the nation.

-Jennings, Dr. Karl. The Rebirth of American Socialism: The Growth and Success of the APP. Los Angeles: UCLA Academic Press, 2009.

KING WILL RUN IN 1980

WASHINGTON, NOV 12- Secretary of the Interior Martin L. King has announced that he intends to run for the Presidency in next year’s election. King has become a popular leader among the National Democrats and a favorite among President Kennedy’s advisors. This announcement comes a week after Republican Barry Goldwater announced his intention to run in the election as well. Although it has not yet been announced, it is widely expected that the Southern Democrats will again nominate Orval Faubus as their presidential candidate. Some political analysts for the National Democrats fear that this may detract votes away from King and give Goldwater the chance he would need to win the Presidency.

            There is talk amongst National Democratic leaders to possibly change the party name to distance themselves from the Southern Democrats, but as of yet there has been no action on this issue.

-“King Will Run in 1980,” The New York Times, November 13, 1979.

            The Election of 1980, although technically consisting of three candidates, was really just between Republican Barry Goldwater and Liberty Party candidate Martin L. King, Jr. The Republican’s were supporting an entry into the Iran War to help lower fuel prices that had begun to skyrocket in 1978.  King and the Liberty Party countered that getting involved in Iran would not be in the best interest of the American people, and that they should not support the “imperialistic war of the Fascist regime in Great Britain.”

            At the summer National Democratic Convention, the party officially voted to change it’s name to the American Liberty Party, on August 2, 1980. Also that month, the American People’s Party officially endorsed King as their choice for the Presidency, since they were not nominating a candidate of their own to run. King promised keeping the peace with Iran, increased integration efforts, and more funding to the ASEA. In the end, King received 58% of the popular vote, with Goldwater getting 32% and Faubus getting 10%.

            However, before the January inauguration, tragedy struck the President-elect. Armed men stormed his home in Atlanta while he was at a meeting in Washington. The men overwhelmed the secret service guards present and then killed King’s wife Coretta King and 18-year-old daughter Bernice on December 3, 1980.  The nation was shocked and appalled, and there was a great backlash against the Southern Democrats and white supremacy. Barry Goldwater was quoted in the Washington Post saying, “This dark and dirty dead is not the work of civilized men but of monsters who, for some unknown reason, seem to think that they are better than everyone else simply because their skin is a little lighter than other people on this planet. Racism is the single most lethal cancer known to mankind, and this tragedy proves it. My thoughts and prayers are going out to our President-elect and his children.” The funeral service was held at King’s church in Atlanta on December 9, 1980, and was nationally televised.

            SD leader Orval Faubus positioned himself at the center of a very nasty firestorm two days after the funeral when he remarked to a fellow member of Congress that, “it is too bad that Martin wasn’t home on the 3^rd as well.” These comments ultimately led to Faubus being ejected from Congress before the start of the 1981 session, and destroyed whatever credibility the Southern Democrats had outside the South.

            Martin Luther King, Jr. was sworn in as President of the United States on January 20, 1981, becoming the United State’s first African American president.

-Johnson, Dr. Kyle. The King Presidency, 1981-1985. New York, American Press Company: 2000.

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