Sima Qian
太史令
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2006
- Messages
- 732
Chapter 33: The Eleventh Hour
With twilight shadows in my heart
I have driven up among the ancient plain
To see the sun, for all its glory,
All but swallowed in the yellow dusk.
"A Pleasure Ride on the Plains," Li Shangyin (A.D. 813-858)
After the Treaty of Jaipur, Mao feared that India and Japan would revert to democratic governments and begin to catch up on their technology. They were now almost out of the industrial age, with only radio left to research. Tokugawa, in the meantime, had also learned of a method of attacking from the sea, amphibious warfare, but it was not particularly interesting to Mao. It would take much more than just marines to overwhelm the mechanized infantry defending Kaohsiung, and any landings on the mainland were sure to be wiped out quickly by Chinese tanks.
Instead, Chinese scientists sought to distance themselves further from their rivals through the discovery of more modern technology. First came the results of an experiment, conducted at a research lab in Newton's University of Shanghai, that an incredible amount of energy could be released from the splitting of an atom.
The scientists were still not sure how to keep it under control, and they were in dire need of uranium resources to continue their research. After some searching around, deposits were found in a mountain by Qingdao, and some more were located in the grassland by Nanjing.
Then in 1995 AD, while the uranium was still being carefully extracted and transported back to research labs, another wonderful discovery was made by biochemists and geneticists at Newton's University. Ever since the early industrial age, when medicine first became widely available, the leading cause of death in China had been cancer, and after a long period of intensive research, a cure had finally been found.
Meanwhile, by 1997 AD the electronics revolution brought on by the radio had reached both India and Japan, propelling them into the modern age as well. In addition, the Indians had completely repaired the damage done by the Japanese to their railway network during the war. Mahatma Gandhi suddenly found himself with no further need of iron imports from China. He decided to exploit this advantage, calling for an end to the oil exports to China, but after some negotiation Mao found that the Indians would be satisfied if some addition gold were paid as part of the deal.
Much to the surprise of both parties in that agreement, the very next year the Jaipur oilfields ran dry, and a new source of oil was found inside Chinese territory in the plains near Hangzhou. The long defunct refineries were suddenly resurrected, and an embarrassed Gandhi had no choice but to honor his agreement to continue oil shipments or risk war.
"I'm glad that Gandhi values his long friendship with us," remarked foreign minister Zhou Enlai. "If Tokugawa were in his place, he'd be sending his troops right over to Hangzhou immediately."
"Like he can," sneered defense minister Zhu De. "It would be a miracle if he could even set foot on Chinese territory, with all the tanks and mechanized infantry we have waiting for him."
Whether Japan and India feared the might of the Chinese military, or if they were too busy preparing for the millennial celebration of 2000 AD, neither of them made a move during this time. Soon the tension in the air gave way to fireworks, and at the same time, a grand new building opened in Beijing.
But given the history of conflict between the three countries in the past, it was no surprise that nobody was interested in holding elections for the Secretary-General of the United Nations. "United my arse," Tokugawa had muttered under his breath. "This is just a fancy place for doing nothing."
Indeed, the United Nations would never play any role in international affairs. But it was at the first meeting that Mao revealed that Chinese environmentalists were working to reduce the effects of pollution by using cleaner fuels and renewable energy sources, while encouraging citizens to use mass transit. Although he did not share the details with Gandhi or Tokugawa, he urged them to work harder at keeping pollution under control.
The two foreign leaders made some verbal commitments, but the United Nations, lacking any teeth to enforce its policies, could not even oversee whether or not they were carrying them out. Tokugawa left the meeting no less furious than he had been before, and Gandhi was so thoroughly bored with the proceedings that he left the meeting early, citing "personal matters" to attend.
Indeed, the United Nations convened only once that year, and both Gandhi and Tokugawa declined to come the next year. Mao wasn't sure if they were being secretive or simply uninterested, but he figured that they might be up to something. While in the next few years Chinese cities went ahead and built mass transit systems for the citizens to use in their everyday travel, the railroads still broght newly mined uranium to be studied in nuclear research labs.
Science advisor Deng Xiaoping informed Mao that scientists at Newton's University were on the verge of making an earthshattering discovery, and Mao patiently waited. 2002 AD came and went, then 2003, and then 2004, each year with Deng promising that the results would be available soon. Finally, on a cold evening in 2005 AD, the science advisor asked Mao to come with him on a "cruise" to a "spectacular event" off the coast of Shanghai.
They caught up with a flotilla of battleships which they boarded, and Mao noticed that the bridge was full of scientists and engineers. They were clustered around some computer equipment, and some of them were busily reading the consoles for vital information. "All is clear," said one of them. "Prepare for countdown."
A loudspeaker boomed, "Ten... nine... eight... seven... six..."
Mao, sensing something was about to happen, turned and looked in the same direction as everyone else on the bridge.
"... five... four... three..."
He twitched briefly.
"... two... one..."
And then there was silence. A tremendous flash, brighter than a thousand suns, illuminated the entire sky, and for several seconds the entire scene looked as though it was during midday. The crowd gasped in horror as a huge mushroom cloud burst into the sky, exploding in a dazzling ring of fire. Nearly a whole minute later, the shock wave of the explosion reached them, and the ship lurched dangerously in the water.
"What you see here is the power of the atom," said Deng. "The tiniest thing known to mankind."
Mao was stunned. "If there ever were an end to this world," he said grimly, "something like this would be last thing I would ever see."
Even though Chinese researchers still did not know of a safe and reliable method to deliver the deadly payload to possible foreign targets, the explosion of an atomic bomb was a source of tremendous pride to the scientific community. By the end of 2005 AD, a sculpture of the bomb was erected in Shanghai to celebrate the successful results.
This is it, thought Mao. The last and most terrible of all the Great Wonders. The real story shall begin from here.
With twilight shadows in my heart
I have driven up among the ancient plain
To see the sun, for all its glory,
All but swallowed in the yellow dusk.
"A Pleasure Ride on the Plains," Li Shangyin (A.D. 813-858)
After the Treaty of Jaipur, Mao feared that India and Japan would revert to democratic governments and begin to catch up on their technology. They were now almost out of the industrial age, with only radio left to research. Tokugawa, in the meantime, had also learned of a method of attacking from the sea, amphibious warfare, but it was not particularly interesting to Mao. It would take much more than just marines to overwhelm the mechanized infantry defending Kaohsiung, and any landings on the mainland were sure to be wiped out quickly by Chinese tanks.
Instead, Chinese scientists sought to distance themselves further from their rivals through the discovery of more modern technology. First came the results of an experiment, conducted at a research lab in Newton's University of Shanghai, that an incredible amount of energy could be released from the splitting of an atom.
The scientists were still not sure how to keep it under control, and they were in dire need of uranium resources to continue their research. After some searching around, deposits were found in a mountain by Qingdao, and some more were located in the grassland by Nanjing.
Then in 1995 AD, while the uranium was still being carefully extracted and transported back to research labs, another wonderful discovery was made by biochemists and geneticists at Newton's University. Ever since the early industrial age, when medicine first became widely available, the leading cause of death in China had been cancer, and after a long period of intensive research, a cure had finally been found.
Meanwhile, by 1997 AD the electronics revolution brought on by the radio had reached both India and Japan, propelling them into the modern age as well. In addition, the Indians had completely repaired the damage done by the Japanese to their railway network during the war. Mahatma Gandhi suddenly found himself with no further need of iron imports from China. He decided to exploit this advantage, calling for an end to the oil exports to China, but after some negotiation Mao found that the Indians would be satisfied if some addition gold were paid as part of the deal.
Much to the surprise of both parties in that agreement, the very next year the Jaipur oilfields ran dry, and a new source of oil was found inside Chinese territory in the plains near Hangzhou. The long defunct refineries were suddenly resurrected, and an embarrassed Gandhi had no choice but to honor his agreement to continue oil shipments or risk war.
"I'm glad that Gandhi values his long friendship with us," remarked foreign minister Zhou Enlai. "If Tokugawa were in his place, he'd be sending his troops right over to Hangzhou immediately."
"Like he can," sneered defense minister Zhu De. "It would be a miracle if he could even set foot on Chinese territory, with all the tanks and mechanized infantry we have waiting for him."
Whether Japan and India feared the might of the Chinese military, or if they were too busy preparing for the millennial celebration of 2000 AD, neither of them made a move during this time. Soon the tension in the air gave way to fireworks, and at the same time, a grand new building opened in Beijing.
But given the history of conflict between the three countries in the past, it was no surprise that nobody was interested in holding elections for the Secretary-General of the United Nations. "United my arse," Tokugawa had muttered under his breath. "This is just a fancy place for doing nothing."
Indeed, the United Nations would never play any role in international affairs. But it was at the first meeting that Mao revealed that Chinese environmentalists were working to reduce the effects of pollution by using cleaner fuels and renewable energy sources, while encouraging citizens to use mass transit. Although he did not share the details with Gandhi or Tokugawa, he urged them to work harder at keeping pollution under control.
The two foreign leaders made some verbal commitments, but the United Nations, lacking any teeth to enforce its policies, could not even oversee whether or not they were carrying them out. Tokugawa left the meeting no less furious than he had been before, and Gandhi was so thoroughly bored with the proceedings that he left the meeting early, citing "personal matters" to attend.
Indeed, the United Nations convened only once that year, and both Gandhi and Tokugawa declined to come the next year. Mao wasn't sure if they were being secretive or simply uninterested, but he figured that they might be up to something. While in the next few years Chinese cities went ahead and built mass transit systems for the citizens to use in their everyday travel, the railroads still broght newly mined uranium to be studied in nuclear research labs.
Science advisor Deng Xiaoping informed Mao that scientists at Newton's University were on the verge of making an earthshattering discovery, and Mao patiently waited. 2002 AD came and went, then 2003, and then 2004, each year with Deng promising that the results would be available soon. Finally, on a cold evening in 2005 AD, the science advisor asked Mao to come with him on a "cruise" to a "spectacular event" off the coast of Shanghai.
They caught up with a flotilla of battleships which they boarded, and Mao noticed that the bridge was full of scientists and engineers. They were clustered around some computer equipment, and some of them were busily reading the consoles for vital information. "All is clear," said one of them. "Prepare for countdown."
A loudspeaker boomed, "Ten... nine... eight... seven... six..."
Mao, sensing something was about to happen, turned and looked in the same direction as everyone else on the bridge.
"... five... four... three..."
He twitched briefly.
"... two... one..."
And then there was silence. A tremendous flash, brighter than a thousand suns, illuminated the entire sky, and for several seconds the entire scene looked as though it was during midday. The crowd gasped in horror as a huge mushroom cloud burst into the sky, exploding in a dazzling ring of fire. Nearly a whole minute later, the shock wave of the explosion reached them, and the ship lurched dangerously in the water.
"What you see here is the power of the atom," said Deng. "The tiniest thing known to mankind."
Mao was stunned. "If there ever were an end to this world," he said grimly, "something like this would be last thing I would ever see."
Even though Chinese researchers still did not know of a safe and reliable method to deliver the deadly payload to possible foreign targets, the explosion of an atomic bomb was a source of tremendous pride to the scientific community. By the end of 2005 AD, a sculpture of the bomb was erected in Shanghai to celebrate the successful results.
This is it, thought Mao. The last and most terrible of all the Great Wonders. The real story shall begin from here.
... to be continued
Sorry I didnt notice this story before 
, looks awesome!
NUKE! NUKE! NUKE! NUKE! I wanna some radioacivity! 
Eager to find out whats gonna happen.
