1939: A Naming of Parts
Today we have naming of parts. Yesterday,
We had daily cleaning. And tomorrow morning,
We shall have what to do after firing. But today,
Today we have naming of parts. Japonica
Glistens like coral in all of the neighbouring gardens,
And today we have naming of parts.
This is the lower sling swivel. And this
Is the upper sling swivel, whose use you will see,
When you are given your slings. And this is the piling swivel,
Which in your case you have not got. The branches
Hold in the gardens their silent, eloquent gestures,
Which in our case we have not got.
This is the safety-catch, which is always released
With an easy flick of the thumb. And please do not let me
See anyone using his finger. You can do it quite easy
If you have any strength in your thumb. The blossoms
Are fragile and motionless, never letting anyone see
Any of them using their finger.
And this you can see is the bolt. The purpose of this
Is to open the breech, as you see. We can slide it
Rapidly backwards and forwards: we call this
Easing the spring. And rapidly backwards and forwards
The early bees are assaulting and fumbling the flowers:
They call it easing the Spring.
They call it easing the Spring: it is perfectly easy
If you have any strength in your thumb: like the bolt,
And the breech, and the cocking-piece,
and the point of balance,
Which in our case we have not got; and the almond-blossom
Silent in all of the gardens
and the bees going backwards and forwards,
For today we have naming of parts.
- by Henry Reed
Throughout the peace era, America enjoyed both relative tranquility, stability, and hope for the future. They had no need to bother with trivial aspects of politics such as elections or decisions; life was running smoothly and fairly. Nobody said an unkind word towards the government; nobody wanted to. Earl Browder was a cultural icon around the world, mobilizing communist youth groups and sharply dividing foreign political scientists. His oration, his enthusiasm, and his boldness electrified the world and moved armies.
In top American universities, fiber optics was the field to jump into. Thin and strong, the cables could power machines previously thought impossible due to size. Factories became cleaner -- cities became more modern. Many American politicians began feeling that there was no more left to discover. We have the most powerful weapon in the world, the fastest and more durable tanks, and the stealthiest bombers. In fact, by early 1939, if you saw a science academy it was probably out of tenure and hobby. Science funding was almost completely cut from the national budget, and the funds were relocated to re-expanding the spy network. Bugging houses and paying off key politicians in foreign countries, the Communist Party had eyes on the world.
Chancellor Browder had aspirations of recreating the American Empire. His first plan, to make America's army the most powerful in the world again, had already succeeded. Troops were stationed in Hawaii, and secessionists on the islands fled to such remote places that many of them died of diseases. Second on his agenda was to recreate the Comintern. This was a difficult feat, as the communist world was now divided between Browderists and Trotskyists (and a few Stalinists in Russia and a few Fosterists in northern New York).
Chancellor Browder made the trip to Tehran on a sunny afternoon. As the Glorious Chancellor reached in for a handshake, the Ayatollah promptly kissed his cheeks. "WHAT THE-... Oh. How do you do. Please become communist." The ayatollah was so overwhelmed by his eloquence and charisma that the nation instantly collapsed. "Well... we'll do better next time."
Next the Magnificent Chancellor flew to Cairo, but this time avoided directly meeting with the leader. In a relatively cool, shaded conference room the Communist Party discussed political matters with the Egyptian representatives. After a long negotation, Egypt agreed to rejoin the Communist World and articles were drafted to curb capitalist activities and bring Egypt to a communsit state once again. "Shukran sayyid, umak al-bakharah." The Chancellor, not knowing what the Egyptian had said, acknowledged it as a compliment and went on his way. Non-Browderist communist nations, such as Thailand, were also given incentive to align themselves with the forming Second Comintern.
The Stupendous Chancellor also visited Arabia, where a similar incident (but in a much harsher dialect) occurred. After also cancelling trade agreements with the rest of the capitalist nations, the world had clearly seen that Browder was intentionally dividing the world into halves. But for what? It is so unclear.
The Bombing of Cairns
Two weeks before the Five Year Peace treaty was to officially come to an end, Chancellor Browder ordered the thorough bombing of Cairns; the chief economic port and weakest defended Australian major city. Australia, having their navy near Turkey and lacking a defense after the Polly War, was left defenseless as thousands of unarmed civilians died in the mass bombings. Within days the city was captured by a surprise army of nearly a hundred thousands soldiers stationed off a remote island -- waiting for the orders to attack Australia. Cairns was lost, and the few American sympathizers in Cairns waved their communist flag from their burning apartments as a form of surrender. Browder, being a humane fellow, naturally helped them out and drafted them into the war.
Prime Minister Robert Menzies, having only received office a two months before the attack due to the death of Joseph Lyons, spoke to his nation through the radio, solemnly, that Cairns had been attacked by American forces. "Fellow Australians. It is my melancholy duty to inform you officially that in consequence of a persistence by America in her invasion of Cairns, Australia and her Commonwealths have declared war upon her and that, as a result, the Five Years of Peace are over." The Republic of China, having troops stationed near Cairns as a sign of alliance with Australia, joined Australia in the war effort.
Chancellor Browder, with the largest army in the world in his absolute power, with the largest economy in the world under his Party's management, with the most advanced technology in human history, with the happiest, most content, most free, most liberated, most united citizens in the world, spoke to his nation through the television and on the radio. America is a nation of opportunity, and the opportunity to end the corruption and treason of Australia has been brought before us by a divine mandate. A war has been begun, a war to end the treachery and back-stabbing done by our previous fellow Americans. A war has been begun, to liberate the workers who make only enough to feed themselves and to bring a communist utopia upon the isles. A war has been begun, my fellow Americans, for the glory of the hammer and sickle and our founding fathers who fought against England in the American Revolution. This war, OUR war, will be our proudest moment!
. After the revolution happens there will be LOTS of instability and LOTS of riots from communists forcing the new government to take emergency measures. Democracy would become impossible I predict
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