Void-Wolf on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/void-wolf/art/World-War-Without-655762351Void-Wolf

Deviation Actions

Void-Wolf's avatar

World War Without

By
Published:
9.3K Views

Description

Happy New Year! As many of us hope for a better year (while preparing for the worst), I start us off with a somewhat optimistic scenario here. Inspired by the map Crisis Averted by RvBOMally , it's a world where the World Wars and the Cold War did not happen. Meanwhile, some mild modifications to the format to bring in the new year.

Please remember to comment, leave constructive criticism and feel free to ask questions

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Historical Background

Many feared that the La Belle Époque would end in warfare because of the power dynamic set up in Europe. A Great War to end all wars and that would divide the land forever. However, it seemed no ill fate occurred. Archduke Franz Ferdinand ascended to the throne within a few years, becoming Emperor of Austria-Hungary.  The world did not the horror of wide-scale war and the 20th century was an era of progress. As old European powers fell, new powers rose from around the world. It was time of great change. A change for a better tomorrow.

Yet, like all eras, it maintained its positives and negatives. Imperialism still died, albeit a gradual one though a more thorough one as well. Furthermore, some events remained inevitable, if prolonged. Tsar Nicholas II’s reign would come to an abrupt end as rebellion grew more fervently with rising cries of nationalism and democracy. The Tsar’s actions would be his undoing as the Russian Revolution and ultimately, he and his family would be captured and exiled, leaving a Provisional Government along with another group known as the Petrograd Council of Soviets to maintain power in a balance, with members of the latter eventually being voted into power and transitioning Russia into a social republic. The sudden change set shockwaves across Europe. Hungary, long reluctant against Emperor Ferdinand’s United States of Greater Austria plan, became much more compliant after realizing the same could happen to them. And so Austria-Hungary transitioned into a different state. After some mild adjustments and input, they rechristened themselves the Danubian Union.

An opportunistic Germany benefitted from this shift of power. Going to Russia, they offered hefty sums of money and protection in exchange for influence. From the Russian Revolution, the nations of Poland, Belarus, Ukraine and the Baltic states were born. These new countries fell under the influence of the German Empire. Despite this, the recent shift of Austrian politics meant that some form of balance would be kept between them along with Italy and the alliance between the British and the French. Furthermore, the incentives for war died down following the Russian Revolution and after the transition of the Austrian-Hungarian state into the Danubian Union, the other Great Powers decided that they needed to stick to problems closer at home and worked toward improving relations with one another. The British Crown ended up parting ways with France and taking in Portugal along with the Nordic nations and thus France and her allies increased peace ties with Germany, including a marriage between a German noble and French upper class. Ultimately, the 20th century in Europe was the German Age.

However, warfare did not die out regardless. Italy’s growing antagonistic relationship with Ethiopia over land ended up leading to open conflict. Germany wanted no part in Italy’s colonial affairs and so Italy fought the African nation in the Italian-Ethiopian wars. For various reasons, Italy ended up losing these wars before the new leader decided to let them have the land and focus on maintaining stability in Libya. Ethiopia’s triumph was a boost in morale for the African nation and the ambitious new leader decided to go further out and headed to the Arabian Peninsula. Thus began the Ottoman-Ethiopian Wars. The Ottoman Empire was in its twilight years and already took a beating during the Arab Revolutions so it was an opportune time for Ethiopia to come in and finish the job. Consolidating deals with various kingdoms and tribes, the early 20th century marked the rise of Ethiopia and the downfall of the Ottomans, further symbolized when many Ottoman scholars headed to Ethiopia and became essential in bolstering the cultural and educational influence.

Ethiopia’s rise also symbolized a shift in cultural thought. African-descended people across the globe were filled with awe and inspiration on how this nation not only defied becoming a colony, but defeated two Great Powers and proceeded to start the path to becoming one on their own. This planted the seeds for the Civil Rights movement which slowly began to gradually gain more rights around the globe. Nowhere else was this important than in the United States. The 1910s and 1920s were marked as the Gilded Age for the United States. After all, business was going well for them and they had restored order to the South American nations, even gaining two new protectorate states in the process and it seems that good fortune would continue.

The Gilded Age was shattered during the American Depression however. The result of several economic factor led to the Panic of 1929, which saw stocks crash and the economy shaken. This Panic became a full-blow depression when a drought out in the Midwest occurred, leading to the Dust Bowl and greater communities out of jobs. Hard times had fallen on the American people. The trying times forced new ideas, such as the women of the households trying for jobs when their husbands were not able to or the funds were insufficient. Others had people of different races live together to survive the trying times. Interestingly enough, one surprising factor was Russian influence. By now, Russia retired into its internal affairs and remained a large but quiet nation balancing out liberal and socialist ideologies and more than a few desperate families would head there, in promise of a simpler life and not starving. The subtle influences also allowed for the lower classes gaining a more vested in interest in socialist ideology.

The Great Powers continued building and innovating, each one trying to create the next great invention which would bring prestige to them. The American Depression influenced them to focus more on agricultural and biological sciences, with fiction writings inspiring future scientists with dreams of weather control devices or “biodomes” in which crops could be grown at any time. This would led to the discovery of new medical advancements. Meanwhile, the president managed to bolster the economy somewhat through the construction of new factories of new devices such as radios and aeroplanes along with public projects such as dams or windmills. However, the quiet development of progress become disrupted when the Pacific War broke out.

Imperialism until this time was considered a valid ideology, albeit one that was growing increasingly challenged by new thinkers along with the population. One of these Empires was none other than Japan who had been growing more prevalent on the world stage. Seeking to expand their Empire, they began a series of wars over with China, who was a fragmented and divided Republic by this point in time. Starting with Manchuria, the Japanese carefully began taking more and more land and putting out the Japanese way of living. While their careful sensibilities meant they couldn’t take any of the holdings belong to other Great Powers, the growing demand became harder to contain and the situation crossed a threshold during invasion of the Philippines during the United States’ depression. This spurred some form of anger among the American populace, but the Depression and isolationism meant they weren’t fully keen on going to war just yet… until the Bombing of Pearl Harbor.

The Bombing of Pearl Harbor was the first usage of aeroplanes used in warfare between larger powers. The Japanese believed that the Americans would declare war on them so they attempted to cripple their fleets with their militarized planes. Unfortunately, this awoke the sleeping giant. A day of infamy, the United States declared war on Japan in what would be the Pacific War. Quickly allying with China, the United States entered into overdrive as factories began producing ship parts and plane parts for the battle in the Pacific. An arms race was held to develop faster, stronger and better airplanes, spurred by scientific developments. Over the next decade, the United States along with China fought against the Japanese occupation and whatever Chinese warlords sided with Japan. This solidified and strengthened Chinese-American relationships, especially with US aid in solidifying China’s infrastructure for better stability. Chinese and American soldiers marched in step to free the lands. However, a few other nations became involved. The Russians had sent aid in the form of food and doctors in order to improve relations while also having forces remained alert in the event Japan will try and start another war with them while the Dutch provided hospitality where they could.

 However, this was the first usage of modern warfare as chemical weapons, aeroplane weapons and even proto-tanks were used in the Chinese mainland and on islands, changing how war was viewed. Even outsiders such as Europe were surprised and horrified by what seemed to be the new face of war. The truth of war was solidified during the lengthy and tedious invasion of the Japanese homelands as the growing fervor of Japanese forces lead to society growing increasingly divisive despite the cultural rules. In fact, a rebel faction developed between citizens and dissenting soldiers to form Heaven’s Army of Redemption in a desperate attempt to stop the war. Having practiced guerilla tactics, they even sided with the Ainu people and ultimately managed to help the war effort by taking the island of Hokkaido before making peace with the Americans

Past attempts at surrender failed and the Japanese lost all chance of anything but a complete and total surrender when the Americans saw the horrific nature of the Rape of Nanking along with the various experiments conducted. But what truly made this horrifying was the explanation by one of the Emperor’s aides. In his final hours in US captivity, he drew comparisons between the Japanese’s practices and those of the West. After all, according to him, they were nothing more but the logical conclusion to ideas such as eugenics and the conquest of war. In essence, the Empire of Japan became a mirror to many of the imperial systems. Ultimately, this train of thought became solidified when the Emperor himself proclaimed similar thoughts and after months of fighting, Japan finally surrendered. The Kyoto Trials proved to be the nail in the coffin of the former thoughts of imperialism as the military heads and the Emperor were tried for war crimes, overseen by the United States and China, with the rest of the world watching. Everyone wanted to make sure this would not happen again, doing several actions to do this. On the new television, people saw the trails and papers reported on it like no tomorrow, with even military regiments forcing loyal and neutral civilians to look at the horror done.

With the end of the Pacific War came the end of the Japanese Empire and indeed, the era of imperialism in it of itself.

Japan became divided up between a shaky new republic helped formed by the Heaven’s Army of Redemption and the Ainu along with some members of HAoR. However, with this came the birth of the United Provinces of China, the new Great Power. The end of the war also brought new ramifications, the first signs of what would be PTSD. Many broken men returned home and life had been forever changed. After all, the women and the minorities tasted new and true work and they were not willing to lose it. The former soldiers ended up finding solace when some went to trials for the usage of marijuana and the success in helping to bring solace helped make the plant popular and its new properties within the scientific community further increased its popularity, usage and growth in the nation.

The latter half of the 20th century was filled with change and growth. Many Great Powers changed their approach to the nations under their care and after witnessing the Pacific War, it was a time of soul-searching and making amends while building infrastructure. Smaller nations were able to grow while tribes became cities. The idea of science and progress making a new tomorrow did die out and instead continued on into the 21st century. New problems became opportunities and it seemed like humanity’s history of violence and war will die out.

 

The World Today

The world today is a relatively peaceful place. War is a thing of the past and the 21st century is one of progress like the 20th, but also one of growing global communications.  Technology is also advancing as the Space Race between the various countries help advance technologies. Home computers have become a popular thing to work at while the various nations are developing computer networks, with some ambitious dreamers believing in combining these networks in some world-wide web. People listen to music on portable tape players. Nuclear weaponry has never been used in warfare, but was briefly tested in the deserts of North America as part of a join American-German experiment back in the 1950s. Nuclear power has been rising as a form of power along with fossil fuels and green powers, the latter has become the big financial goal in science.  

 

The European Community

Affectionately labeled as the “old guard,” the European Community has managed to maintain peace for several decades and have been focusing namely on managing their former colonies and helping them become states in their own right, while also undergoing their own civil rights movements. German hegemony over the continental Europe remains though namely an economic sense and to a lesser extent, culturally. Being tied with the Americans in the pursuit of invention and scientific discoveries, they are a dominant force in the intellectual world though have contributed to the arts as well. The Kaiser’s grandchild decades ago helped the transition into a constitutional federal monarchy.  Meanwhile, the Danubian Union resembles a confederation more than anything else. Despite the initial strife, wise leadership reinforced by German power helped the various groups get along and by now, ethnic tensions have died down. Despite the odd mishmash of republic states with constitutional monarchies, Emperor Ferdinand’s goal paid off. The various German allies have also been able to do well for themselves while maintaining positive relations with the Germans.  Poland in particular has been gaining more prestige with how they exercise cultural influence in their “Commonwealth.”

Making up the other half of the European Community is France and her allies. France has maintained cultural prominence in the world and having ‘made up’ with Germany, focused on cultural progress, the evolution of art and the growing infrastructure of La Francophonie. While it took several decades and not all of their endeavors succeeded (i.e. the nations would go on to form the Tamazghan Union), they still managed to help their colonies become their own states with growing to decent standards of living. They also still maintain some ties with the British, but their rivalry is more well-known. This has also been reflective in how they’ve been considering of whether letting Canada into La Francophonie or see invite Quebec should they vote to leave. Meanwhile, Italy has been recovering from their various conflicts down in Africa and have been focused on dealing with domestic problems such as Sicilian mobs and abroad like their complicated relationship with Libya. Spain meanwhile has been balancing secular practices and the Catholic populace, though the latter are more subdued since the failed uprising of Catholic nationalists decades ago made them more reflective of their past decisions and thoughts.

 

The Pacific Community

On the other side of the world lies the Pacific Community, consisting of the long and close alliance between the Americans and the Chinese, along with their allies. The Americans are a fair bit worldly, but they leave world affairs namely to the European Community and the British, getting only involved when the matter has escalated beyond that or if it is one of their allies. For the most part, they lead the world in the race for computer technologies and a large player in the Space Race. The latter half of the 20th century was marked by the Civil Rights Movement, which led to equal voting rights and representation in the 60s and 70s. The economy has keep chugging along, having its ups and downs. Currently, the United States has been transitioning its economy while experimenting with some new organizations to maintain their good standards of living. They also maintain eyes on their allies. The Mexican Federation managed to recover from their Revolution with intervention and assistance from their neighbors up north. Currently, they’ve been experiencing an economic boon from their oil deposits, but they’ve also invested money into solar energy, especially as part of larger plans to encourage more people moving into the northern states due to potential worries on crowded cities, namely Mexico City. Meanwhile, the Tagalog Confederacy has been trading more frequently with British Malaysia and the black markets are popular if not an occasional problem for the governments.

The United Provinces of China tends to serve as a counterpart to their western ally. While they maintain their own culture and methodology, they do admit the positive influence they had on them and do see what effect American solutions have and what they can learn from them. A Great Power, they have still been growing in prestige and strength. Chinese culture has become a prominent influence in the Americas, especially in entertainment such as literature and animation and vice versa. Chinese animation is the new big thing out in the West. Chinese politics are a balanced bunch, but they have been focusing on dealing with the Gobi Desert along with Mongolia. Abroad, they have been influencing the members of the Nanyang Pact. The Pact was formed by the various Southeast nations with funding from China as an economic support group, but has seen grown as a greater alliance. China does secretly hope that the Thai Republic convinces their fellow Pact members to ally with China, to the annoyance of France and Britain. The Pact has been beneficial in growing the infrastructure and standard of living for the nations, so neither the French nor British can complain about it. Meanwhile, Korea has been doing some positive business with Russia while also receiving plenty of products from Japan, though their relations with the island nation remain somewhat aloof. However, Korean society has stopped frowning on Koreans marrying Japanese due to outside pressure from the Chinese and the Americans to a lesser extent.

 

The British Sphere

While no longer an Empire, the British Commonwealth serves as a successor to its hegemonic power, albeit now tempered with compassion and sensibilities of the modern world. Still the same as ever, the British has been competing in the pop culture sphere with the Americans and the Chinese, namely by adapting British folklore and literature into film and television. Regarding their former dominions, they do their best to maintain a balance of relationships with them, especially after some of their African dominions forcefully left before joining up with Ethiopia. They have such granted them levels of autonomy and they became their own nations though some not in expected ways, especially what happened to British India. While the Crown is a bit clingy of them, the nations are free to leave the Commonwealth if they wish and rejoin. Portugal remains by the British side despite some initial worries over on how they kept kowtowing to the Crown. However, they’ve been doing all right and have decent relations with their former colonies. The Nordic Union meanwhile has been enjoying plenty of peace and seems to have a fair approach to socialist policies for other nations to observe.

 

The Ethiopian Sphere

Ethiopia and her allies serve as the religious center for most of the world. Having risen to stardom in the 20th century, the various republics and kingdoms that make them up have been doing very well for themselves and some predict that the 21st century could become the African century with Ethiopia leading the way. The Ethiopian Federation grew as they annexed their neighbors, former colonies that wanted to be treated as equals. They were also integral to the civil rights movements and for the freedom and sovereignty of African-descended peoples everywhere. Beyond that, they also been a beacon for the hope of different religious groups living in peace, a success thanks to Ethiopia’s influence and rule. Beyond an unofficial homeland for Jews, Ethiopia is also a sacred place for Christians. Ethiopia is currently influencing various African nations around them to create a whole Free Africa, including the Tamazghan Union. Besides funding solar power, they’ve also been working on agricultural technologies to help their Arab neighbors. The Kingdom of Nejd has been doing the same, thanks to wise investment coming from their large amount of wealth from their oil deposits. While be the most traditionally conservative, they are still a secular monarchy and Hejaz usually steps in to help reforms. Iran likewise is the same though they are a fair bit more cosmopolitan and have been longer for a while. They’re also surprisingly close to the Americans, namely for the support they have Iran after they left the British.

 

Neutral States

Beyond the various global communities, some other nations hold prominent influence. The Russian Federation remains a quiet giant of a nation, usually minding their own business. Ever since their minor involvement in the Pacific War, they have gradually modernized while also inviting various people to move out to Russia, namely in the more rural areas to help develop the infrastructure there and subtly promote socialism. They are undergoing a Russian Renaissance to promote and inspire Russian culture in old mediums and new. They’ve even been teamed up with Disney to create Russian fairytales with Disney animation. Meanwhile, the Tamazghan Union is a relatively new nation formed from the failed French-Africa states of northern Africa. Trying to form a pan-Berber nation, they are somewhat cautious with most other Great Powers and keep to themselves though they have been inviting various scientists and teachers to come in to help develop more of the nation.

The Brazilian Sphere is a rival to the Americans, namely due to the Americans’ involvement in South America. While initially on negative terms, things have improved greatly in modern times. However, they still seek to try and match the Americans’ influences, but haven’t as much due to some cultural bickering every now and then. Brazil has also been getting closer to Portugal’s former colonies based on their shared history. They also are the closest thing to an ally to the Republic of Japan. Japan has since remained a quiet neutral republic due to the events of the Pacific War. While some aspects of Japanese culture remain popular abroad, it is still a tense subject. The Japanese have kept working to redeem themselves for the events of the war while keeping up technologically.

 

 

Image size
1204x1113px 130.34 KB
© 2017 - 2024 Void-Wolf
Comments10
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In

Awesome scenario! I created an account just to comment here! :)


Some questions;


  1. How are popular music and culture ITTL? What is the Internet like?

2. When did the Italo-Ethiopian and Ethiopian-Ottoman Wars happen? The 30s?

3. How long did the Pacific War last? I persume it begun on December 7th, 1941?

4. What were the fates of Hitler, Mussolini, Lennin, Stalin, Trotsky, and Mao ITTL?

5. What country is the most "well off" or "best to live ine" ITTL? In the terms of Human development and the Peace index?


Thank you for your work!