The Man and the Hour

[stnylan]

After all, who remembers the little losers?

Sorry, that line cracked me up.

I agree that McClellan is full of interesting contradictions. Ultimately a man found wanting, and though the war may have been won without him, there is no doubt the army he created played a vital part in that victory. I mean if you look at its achievements in the hands of others ...

 

[El Pip]

I've never had a massive interest in the US Civil War, so I cant' comment on the parallels and veracity of the characters.

What I can say is that it is interesting and an enjoyable read. I am looking forward to seeing if the northern states will continue to fracture and what will happen in the victorious but unstable Confederacy. I'm sure the temptation is for the south to support the new breakaway states, but will they accept the help? If it were a democracy I doubt the new Union of Socialists States would be able to rouse people for war, but I suspect the Directorate will not care that much what the people think. Many possibilities.

 

[stnylan]

One cannot blame Lee for wishing to seek peace and quiet in times that remain forever turbulent.

A bold move by Longstreet.

 

[El Pip]

Bold move indeed, particularly endorsing a Governor-Prophet which does just sounds ominous. I'm guessing Longstreet is not expecting a war, a tired 60 year old Lee was not a 'fighting' appointment but a deterrent, putting the famous war hero on the border to discourage anyone from getting ideas.

Due to your crazy fast update pace I missed the deadline for suggestions, if you are still taking submissions then aside from the obvious USSA/USA one I'd be interested in a British perspective. How is Maine integrating (or not) into Canada and as San Diego and San Fransisco are supposed to be 'Free Cities' what is their view on the Californian Republic?

 

[El Pip]

Don't worry about the update speed, I'm notoriously slow on such things. Lord of Slower-than-real-time is a very accurate description. I think most normal speed writers aim for two a week, it keeps them in the groove of writing and isn't too much to overload the readers.

I had noticed the Patton connection, interesting to see where that leads. Any kid with those relatives is going to be under a bit of pressure to go down a military path, hopefully they are either that way inclined or strong willed enough to forge their own way.

 

[stnylan]

I think the little biographies, as it were. Touch choice for Fremont - I wonder if he will yet learn that to sup with the devil he will need a long spoon.

 

[El Pip]

Slightly surprised by the British reaction. I can understand not recognising the breakaway states, London isn't going to know if the rebels will succeed or fail or even how supported they are. Relations with the rump US/USSA aren't great, no need to make them worse supporting a breakaway that might fail.

But the threat baffles me, strikes me at trying to have it both ways. Not recognising California but also demanding it behaves as a successor state. I could imagine something along the lines of;

"Her most Britannic Majesty's government regrets that, having fully considered the conditions as we are currently cognizant of the, it is not in a position to recommend that her majesty recognise any further changes to the membership of the former United States at this juncture. Her Majesty's government wishes to make clear that they consider any and all states or nations that cede or succeed the United States to be bound by the commitments made in the Treaty of Washington and, should it appear that those right and obligations would not be respected, her Majesty's Government would regretfully be forced to take steps to ensure that they are enforced."

I may have watched a bit too much Yes Minster recently.

 

[El Pip]

I was actually thinking about writing an AAR like this about a split in OTL around 1944, maybe the 20 July Plot, somewhere around there involving the deposition of Adolf Hitler. This thread would, of course, involve the Holocaust. Thought other alt-hist writers have broached this subject, I'd like an opinion as to whether I'd better not do such a thing?

If you do such a thing, it better not be here. Forum rules are no discussion or mention of that particular subject. Not really to my taste I'll admit, but I can see some may enjoy it, sort of a non-faked Hitler Diaries.

Conversely an alt-Wild West does sound very intriguing and something I do hope you can work in when the correct time comes around.

 

[stnylan]

No worries. Whenever will be fine

 

[El Pip]

No worries. Whenever will be fine

Indeed, despite what some may say there are more important things than keeping to an update schedule.

 

[stnylan]

No worries.

 

[El Pip]

I always thought your proposed update schedule was terrifyingly quick.

No need to rush back, take your time. We'll all still be here when things in real life are more conductive to writing.

 

[guillec87]

no need to rush... keep at your own pace

 

[BlackCrown]

Love the story and wish you the best of times on your vacation. If you ever feel that you are burning yourself out, don’t feel so worried about churning out chapters. An AAR is meant to be fun for all parties involved, not an obligation.

 

[stnylan]

No worries. Take your time.

 

[stnylan]

Well now that was a tense moment or two for Longstreet. Very tense indeed.

 

[stnylan]

Was it up to par? I almost fell asleep at the keyboard finishing it. I had been working on it for a while. Don't expect an update til Wednesday. I will try for Saturday. I hope it was okay in all honesty.

It was. Very engaging post.

 

[El Pip]

That update does have a feel that the Confederacy may have won the war but is going to lose the peace. (OK the US/USSA is going even worse, but hopefully you know what I mean). Rich slave owners running the place is certainly a problem, but if the CSA isn't a slave state then what was the point of the civil war?

It reads like Longstreet is looking at some reform to stop the slaveocracy while keeping the slaves (he would surely be impeached if he stopped that). I suppose there is the classical Greek approach of being a slave-owning democracy, there is something of a precedent that could appeal to those with no morality but classical pretensions.

If you hadn't said I wouldn't have guessed that was written by an exhausted man, so don't worry about the quality.

 

[stnylan]

Sometimes the bravest things are among the most humdrum: parenthood definitely among them.

 

[El Pip]

Do you remember the old argument that slavery would be outmoded by the 1880s because of the industrial revolution taking hold? I think I'm going to use it extensively.

I'm unconvinced by that one, I don't think life is that neat or the universe that moral. There is no reason you couldn't put slaves in a factory, particularly after mass production comes around and you need lots of simple, repetitive and catastrophically dull work done. Maybe each worker isn't quite as efficient as a free man, and you do have the costs of stopping them escaping, but you don't get the staff turnover and all the costs of constantly training up new staff. It's evil and immoral but I can see it being profitable, or at least profitable enough.

A nice change of pace in the last update, but Lionel and Daisy are definitely taking a dangerous path. The CSA leadership has to make a choice, does it become the sort of state that puts agents into organisations like the Society of Free Workers or does it allow freedom of assembly and free speech to carry on, even though such movements may end up remaking the entire state given time. To us the answer is obvious, it probably is not as obvious to the southern congress.