I'm on the second book of the Great War series, Walk In Hell, by Harry Turtledove. We're in the WW1 period in US History right now, and it surprises about how different things could have been if Lee's Battle-plan wrapped cigars had arrived where they were supposed to instead of getting lost.

BTW, how accurate do you think Turtledove has portrayed this? Do you think Communism would have spread through the South like it has in the books?

Turtledove is pulling all this bs straight out of his ass. It just would not have happened the way Turtledove imagined it would. And before WWI socialism was the third largest political party pulling in 5 to 12% of the vote. If we would have lost or Woodrow not have won the election we could be having a two party system between democrats and socialist.

I have read most of the Great War books and found very enjoyable and thought provoking. To Art of War if you liked the Great War Books read How Few Remain. it's about a second war bewtween The C.S.A and the U.S. set in 1880

I started with HFR, then read American Front and am now in Walk in Hell.

I'm reading HFR and am so far enjoying it. I don't think it's all bs, Demetrias. Consider the fact that socialism was never a major party in American politics, and the fact that "socialist" reform regulations did not emerge until TR's presidency.
Of course, I haven't read the Great War series, but remember that as split between reality and the "what if?" scenario gets further and further distant in time, things can become weirder and weirder.
Granted, I do think it a little non-sensical that the CSA would feel the need to gain Pacific ports when it really had no need for them.

?????

I am struggling to follow this, having never seen the books. But if parts of the US were to go socialist, wouldn't those parts have been places like Washington State, Yonkers, West Virginia and Pittsburgh? Seems a little unlikely that the indendent slave-holding South (!) could give way to communal tendencies...

R.III

Originally posted by Richard III
?????

I am struggling to follow this, having never seen the books. But if parts of the US were to go socialist, wouldn't those parts have been places like Washington State, Yonkers, West Virginia and Pittsburgh? Seems a little unlikely that the indendent slave-holding South (!) could give way to communal tendencies...

R.III

If im not mistaken, it's the slaves that become commies in the book. Someone correct me if i'm wrong.

During the war fought between the CSA and The USA the nergos rise up in a communist rebellion aganist the CSA. The Slaves were freed in an earlier book in the 1880's

During the war fought between the CSA and The USA the nergos rise up in a communist rebellion aganist the CSA. The Slaves were freed in an earlier book in the 1880's

sorry bout the double post

Constantine, thanks of ther clafication. I thought that was what had happened.

THe slaves are commies, and the USA, angry with France and Britain, join the Central Powers and are stomping both the Canadians and the CSA. It's really like this:

USA
GERMANY
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY
CHILE
PARAGUAY

VS.

ENGLAND
FRANCE
RUSSIA
JAPAN
CHINA
ARGENTINA

NEUTRALS:
OTTOMAN EMPIRE
ITALY
BRAZIL

Later on, the EMPIRE OF BRAZIL joins with the Central Powers, cutting off the food supply route from Argentina to England.

I think it's a clever job, but entirely unrealistic, i reccomend his Ruled Britannia, it's more realistic and better written.

Originally posted by Constantine
I have read most of the Great War books and found very enjoyable and thought provoking. To Art of War if you liked the Great War Books read How Few Remain. it's about a second war bewtween The C.S.A and the U.S. set in 1880

ow few remain is part of the series

I don't think it is unrealistic. The Socialist thing could definitely have happened. Although he was disenfranchised by his fellow politicians, Lincoln still held much respect with the working class, and it is true that he had socialist leanings. It's also possible that the negros would have risen up, especially with the society that they live in in these books.

I can see that, but the south coming back to whip the North several times after the Civil War?

Originally posted by SKILORD
I can see that, but the south coming back to whip the North several times after the Civil War?

Very true.

I understand why he did it, he is paralelling European history, and the battles between France and Germany, in his alternative post civil war history. I understand that he does such and i have fun finding things that do this, i don't support this though, i would rather he kept us guessing.

It would also be more realistic otherwise.