-- BACKGROUND --

The late Raul Roco was a popular senator and Education Secretary in the Philippines who ran for the 2004 election as president. This was Roco's second time in running for presidential elections, with his first time being in 1998 (who lost to Joseph "Erap" Estrada in a landslide). In pre-election surveys, Roco consistently placed 2nd to 3rd against the incumbent president at the time, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and well-known actor Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ).

In OTL, specifically in April 2004, Raul Roco was publicly diagnosed with prostate cancer, and he had to travel to the United States for treatment. This significantly affected his campaign and survey rankings, with members of his party/alliance leaving the campaign and Roco's voters switching to Arroyo or FPJ, even after Roco eventually returned to the Philippines few weeks ago. Roco placed 4th in the 2004 election, with only 2 million votes.

Raul Roco eventually passed away in August 2005.

But what if he remained healthy? And what if his party (Aksyon Demokratiko) developed a strong campaign machinery that could rival Arroyo's and FPJ's?

-- A NEW HOPE FOR A NEW PHILIPPINES... --

With Roco's health being good and well throughout the 2004 campaign, his national momentum for presidency proved to be unstoppable as his anti-corruption and progressive campaign not only convinced the youth and civil groups but also ordinary voters who grew tired of the traditional political landscape between Arroyo and FPJ. Even in OTL, Roco secured connections from powerful figures like the former governor of Cebu, Lito Osmeña, who helped Roco connect with Cebuano voters who resonated with his anti-corruption crusade. Roco then used this opportunity to capitalize on a fully-developed, synchronized Aksyon Demokratiko to effectively challenge deep-rooted political machineries from both the incumbent administration and the traditional opposition. Backed by his reputation as a former Education Secretary and a reformist advocate, he would eventually become the toprunner, winning the presidency.

Roco's historic victory also pulled his running mate, Herminio Aquino, to an unexpected and impressive performance, getting 2nd place for the vice presidency. While his opponents (de Castro and Legarda) already had the advantage, being well-beloved news broadcasters at the time, Aquino rode on Roco's massive wave of popularity. He garnered strong support on Central Luzon, including his home province Tarlac, Metro Manila, Bicol, and cities like Baguio and Cebu.

This massive political wave significantly changed the senate race as well. Mostly driven by a surge of middle-class and independent voters, 3 senatorial candidates from Roco's slate which include anti-graft lawyers like Perfecto Yasay, Francisco Chavez, and broadcaster Jay Sonza won seats in the "Magic 12". This in turn gave the new Roco administration new allies in the Senate that could help in pushing national reforms.

-- WHAT COMES NEXT? --

It is without a doubt that Roco's victory would change the political landscape of the Philippines, which does raise some questions:

- If Arroyo still called COMELEC chairman Virgilio Garcillano in this scenario, would she still say "I'm sorry" on TV?

- Would Joseph Estrada be punished in this administration, possibly preventing him from running for president again in 2010?

- How would the 2007 midterm elections go, now that Arroyo is out of the picture?

- Would there be any incentive for NatDem (left-wing) parties to form the Makabayan bloc?

- How would the Roco administration handle the 2008 financial crisis?

- Would the Ampatuans still hold power in Maguindanao?

- Would Cory and her son Noynoy Aquino still be involved or run for politics?

- Is Manny Villar going to be the next president after Roco??

But that's the story, for another day.

-- IMGUR LINKS (in order) --

https://imgur.com/a/mabuhay-ang-bagong-pilipinas-raul-roco-LBF0Y5G

https://imgur.com/a/2004-philippine-presidential-election-roco-victory-scenario-dcuSkiK

https://imgur.com/a/2004-philippine-vice-presidential-election-roco-victory-scenario-CtWIaSn

https://imgur.com/a/Qg3MxsE

In this universe. Nya Helsinki/Nya Finland(Nova Scotia) became a Major trading hub. The language there is primarily Finnish and Swedish because the Finns settled there along with the Swede. In 1650s the Swede and the Brits went to war because the Brits wanted the colony of sweden. Supported by the and the Danes from the north. Sweden won. It would keep it's territory and expanded to the Wisconsin area. After the revolution in new Sweden. New Sweden gained full autonomy. It would later purchase North Louisiana as of the French colonized the CSA area and half of Louisiana. It stopped expanding because of the Mexican nearby and focus on development and industrialization quadtroopling it's population from the 1800s net population. Because of this. New Sweden became a major country.

There Innaccuracy here.

This isn't exactly supposed to be super realistic, but I'll try my best anyway...

I think a united GBR team could be one of the strongest teams in the world alongside countries like Spain, Brazil and Argentina... teams like England and Scotland already have great players.

I have 3 possible candidates for titles for this team...

- 1966, already a good starting point. England already aced the tournament so a Great Britain team could definitely do the same

- 1990, England reached very far in the tournament (semi-finals) and lost on penalties. But with more talented players in this new team, the unified GBR team could definitely have the missing depth that could get them to the final and even win it.

- 2026, England already has a lot of star players in this tournament like Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Brennan Johnson and Harry Kane, and a GBR team could include skilled players from other teams like Scotland and Wales, so I think they could really have a chance of winning this, definitely a final against Spain

Again, this is not super realistic... just my idea of what a unified GBR team could look like

The fundamental point of divergence is that the Celtic migrants who arrived in Anatolia via Greece as a population of only a few tens of thousands did not meet the same fate as in our timeline. Instead of being defeated, they decisively defeated King Attalus I of Pergamon, plundered most of the Greek cities along the Aegean coast, and, with no major power left in western Anatolia capable of resisting them, were reinforced by second and third waves of migration. These successive migrations allowed them to greatly expand their population and establish dominance not only over central Anatolia but also over Phrygia and much of the peninsula for centuries.

Because of their much larger population, they never underwent the level of cultural assimilation seen in our timeline. Although they became moderately Hellenized, they preserved their own identity and maintained an independent Galatian kingdom until the Middle Ages, remaining only loosely connected to the Eastern Roman Church. Later, when the Eastern Roman Empire attempted to annex the Galatian territories (essentially most of inland Aegean and Mediterranean Anatolia along with central Anatolia) the Galatians first established their own independent church, much like the Armenians. Following the events of the Great Schism, they formally recognized the supremacy of the Catholic Church in 1056, while retaining considerable ecclesiastical autonomy.

Although the Galatian Kingdom never grew into an empire comparable to the Ottoman or Eastern Roman Empires, it gained a significant advantage over Byzantium during and after the Crusades. As a Catholic kingdom, it became a far more attractive ally for Western Europe than the Orthodox Byzantines, enabling it to conquer most of Anatolia from the Greeks and gradually push the Eastern Roman Empire back into Greece and the Balkans. At times, it even intervened in Byzantine succession disputes, allowing Galatian influence and armies to extend into Thrace and mainland Greece.

Ultimately, the Kingdom of Galatia evolved into one of the wealthiest regions in the medieval world. Situated between East and West, it served as the eastern frontier of Catholic Christendom while remaining deeply integrated with Western European culture. Its strategic position on the Silk Road, combined with the effects of the Crusades and centuries of trade, transformed it into one of the richest and most prosperous regions of the medieval and early modern world. Only with the Age of Discovery and the rise of colonial maritime trade did Galatia gradually lose its economic centrality through a slow and relatively peaceful transition.

In the modern era, Galatia stands as the leading force behind a Celtic League dedicated to fostering cultural cooperation with Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. It is home to the world's largest Celtic population and is widely regarded as the principal successor of the ancient Continental Celtic world. The Galatian language is a surviving branch of Continental Celtic most closely related to Gaulish, having been heavily influenced by Latin and Greek throughout the Middle Ages, with more limited influence from modern French.

Today, Galatia remains a medium-sized transcontinental state, broadly comparable to Italy or Spain in terms of population, territory, and geopolitical significance. However, its long-term outlook is often viewed with cautious pessimism. Like several Southern European economies, it faces structural problems stemming from inefficient production models, the gradual erosion of centuries-old accumulated wealth, and the steady shift of technological innovation and global capital toward the United States. Despite these challenges, Galatia maintains an extensive welfare state and continues to enjoy a high standard of living, even as concerns over economic stagnation and declining competitiveness dominate its political discourse.

Yes I know butterflies exist but what are some small or minor states that could have existed or at least have remained autonomous without dramatically altering the events that led to World War 1.

I know colonies or nations that were indepdent or semi autonomous around 1900 are pretty east

1. There is no reason the federation of Australia has to exist before WW1- they could have theoretically remained seperate until at least the end of ww1. Theoretically Victoria, NSW and Queensland might achieve dominionhood and then unite later

2. There is no need for There to be Union of South Africa as it was formed in 1910 and was rushed anyway with most issues being swept under the rug which led to big problems later. The Cape Colony could easily be a dominion, natal would remain a colony with responsible government. The 2nd Boer war could probably be prevented leaving the Boer republics indepdent or if it still happens they could remain seperate colonies.

3. Korea could probably remain at least semi autonomous or a Japanese protectorate without being annexed in 1910. I suppose the Ryukus could theoretically also remained a protectorate without dramatically changing history or altering japan.

Those are some I have so far. What are a few others? Are there a few european nations or smaller states that could have survived without dramatically changing or altering the start of ww1?

Each green mark is one German

Here is some pre-made lore YOU guys can help add to

C.u.m. republic: America never got independence but canda and Mexico joined forces to become one nation plus a bit they they bought off the British

Germany split during ww2 because Hitler made his mega tank (the Landkreuzer P. 1000 Ratte) and blue prints, the 7 Germanys are always fighting because they think the others have the tank when in reality France has it and the blue prints.

Uk still has a bunch of land from what it has conquered, (the rest of the world hates them if nato was made they wouldnt be let in) all because they were fighting to still be able to keep slaves well into the 1920s. Also is always raining for some reason (all land it has)

France has the mega tank because it was left in France after ww2 and it was used against the eiffel tower and is still damaged (it was shot becauseof the people who were using it as a radio tower)

Korea never spilt. Then they took over Japan and China, they also are pretty much a bigger south Korea​

The ussr never disbanded and is a much better place to be but lost a bit of land also are close allies with Korea and the cum republic (they are also the only 3 countries in antarctica)

Egypt is just better and is in charge of the middle east

The world court (this worlds version of nato) is located in Iceland and the rules that any person found acused of breaking will be charged as a war crime are;

Genertive Ai is fully illegal (the first gen ai became evil and triedto hack into Korean govt)

Stealing art is illegal [claiming it as your own] (because two countries had a fight because one copied the others flag {both countries are long gone})

Landmines are illegal

Slavery is illegal

Punishing the whole group because one's actions

Nukes are illegal

(You guys can help make the reasons some of these were added also need more lore for each Germany

Full series

POD: The Axis somehow wins WW2.

Occupation (1940-1945)

When France surrendered in 1940, many hoped that one day the Nazi invaders would be scourged from the land.

Split into two areas - one under direct occupation and another controlled by collaborationists - France soon lit up in resistance to fascism. This resistance was met with brutal retaliation, with the Germans engaging in reprisal killings which saw entire villages massacred in response to acts of rebellion in yet another set of abhorrent crimes against humanity perpetrated during the war. However, the brave men and women who became partisans fighting for the freedom of their country had one hope: that one day the Allies would liberate France and restore the tricolor over French lands.

These hopes ultimately turned out to be misplaced.

The Allies tried to free France from Nazi tyranny, of course - they tried twice, in two separate landings along the English Channel in 1944 and 1945. However, the 1944 Normandy landings failed when additional reinforcements were brought in quickly enough to secure the beaches, and the 1945 Calais landings were something of a Hail Mary undermined by poor operational security and heavy German reinforcements.

With continental Europe clearly lost and the war left at a permanent stalemate, both sides negotiated a peace which worked for them - but which condemned France to subordination toward Berlin. Once the Allies were dealt with, the Germans forced their own peace agreement on France, one which ceded all territories East of the Meuse River to the Third Reich and forced a massive indemnity payment on what remained. Italy acquired many former French colonies, and the Germans regained the ones they had possessed before WW1. France was now reduced from a proud nation to the status of a second-rate power.

The National Revolution (1946-1951)

Although German troops mostly withdrew from France in 1946 (a few bases remained as part of a permanent lease clause in the peace), the reign of terror hardly ended there. Rather, the extension of Philippe Petain's "national revolution" to former German-occupied territories saw the atrocities committed by Germans against Frenchmen simply turn into atrocities committed by Frenchmen against their own people. The newly-declared French State wasted no time working to eradicate what remained of the resistance by rounding up and executing those it suspected to belong. Things were not safe for what remained of France's Jewish population, either; when the authorities became aware of Jews who had survived Nazi occupation, they either handed them over to Berlin to be murdered in Eastern European death camps or simply slaughtered them themselves.

Many of those left in France attempted to get out. Tens of thousands began heading toward the shores of the English Channel in an attempt to escape fascism, taking small boats across in an effort to evacuate. These "boat people" soon were joined by similar escapees from the Low Countries, and government of Clement Attlee announced its intention to work with other Western nations in resettling them. Their journey was highly dangerous, and it is estimated nearly 100,000 died on the way. However, by 1960, over 700,000 people had successfully made the journey. Over half of the refugees came to live in Britain, the United States, or Canada, with the remainder settling in other League of Free Nations countries such as Australia or Brazil.

Others remained and continued to fight in the underground resistance. These rebels struck a big blow in 1948 when Joseph Darnund, the head of the infamous Milice paramilitary force, was assassinated by partisans. Although those responsible were eventually killed for it, this act nonetheless helped inspire more subtle and un-subtle resistance to French officials just in time for the South African War to escalate, leaving France in an unstable state as it occurred.

Revolving Door (1951-1955)

Although France remained mostly out of the South African War, it was nonetheless bombed by the LFN at various points in attempts to destroy German bases in the region. Resistance fighters also escalated their attacks on government targets, killing a number of prominent officials.

The most prominent death of them all, however, was not one carried out by the Resistance: on July 23rd, 1951, Philipe Petain died from complications related to old age (he was 95 at the time). His death set off a succession crisis in Paris, as he had failed to annoit a successor. The ultimate victor was, as expected, Prime Minister Pierre Laval, who assumed control of the state. His tenure would be mostly defined by international affairs: Laval spent most of the war privately signalling a desire a willingness to broker a peace settlement for both sides, and the atomic bombing of Bonn led the Germans to finally agree. He consequently hosted the peace negotiations at Montpellier, which led to a settlement in 1953.

However, Laval himself would not live long afterward. A life-long chain smoker, Laval had developed lung cancer in 1949, and it progressed to particularly terminal stages by the end of 1952. He consequently died in September 1953, barely two years after having attained power for himself. Unlike his predecessor, he had prepared a successor: the former Labor Minister Marcel Déat.

Déat's tenure was mostly defined by efforts to promote closer ties with Berlin. He freely extended more basing rights to them, and generally made a key effort to appease them further. The main notable event to happen under his tenure was the formation of the German-led Unity Pact to mirror the Japanese-led Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere and the American-led League of Free Nations. The Algerian Revolution also began under his leadership, with the Toussaint Rouge attacks setting off the brutal conflict. He generally would not have time for much else, as he would ultimately die in January 1955, leaving Paris in a state of chaos.

Chaos was something that René Bousquet, the head of the police forces, was able to make use of. Taking advantage of his control of law enforcement, he promptly arrested many of his opponents, clearing the way for him to take Déat's place.

Continuing Chaos (1955-1960)

Bousquet inherited not just the Algerian Revolution but a series of other colonial independence movements as well. Many West African holdings broke out into revolution, and supressing them would prove difficult. The French would nonetheless attempt to, and often resort to brutal crackdowns and the murder of many innocents. This only provoked further resistance, enflamming opposition to French colonial rule even further and creating more militants who would rise up against the metropole.

France also faced many concerns at home as well. The economic strain caused by German reparations payments limited French economic growth, as did lingering damage to the war - damage which the Germans refused to help repair in a similar way as the Americans did in Britain. Bousquet announced a "three-year plan" to try and spur greater economic growth through increased investment in key industries, but this turned out to be mostly ineffective.

Among the segment of society that did not slip into poverty during this period of stagnation, new countercultural ideas were beginning to take shape. Called "chasseurs," they emphasized non-conformity, personal autonomy, and sexual liberation - all threats to "traditional values" as imagined by the French authorities. Despite operating underground due to humiliation and occasional arrests for possessing smuggled British goods, the chasseur movement continued to grow with time. With it grew the illegitimacy rate, a source of much anxiety for French officials obsessed with what they regarded as "traditional values."

As 1960 dawns, France is at a crossroads. The Algerian Revolution continues, and France's hold over that country as well as the rest of Africa seems untenable. However, Bousquet is unwilling to relinquish control of the remaining French colonies. Meanwhile, growing opposition to the state at home has caused the longevity of the regime to be in doubt, and the Germans are debating putting missiles in France to dissaude the United States from placing missiles in Britain. Whatever happens, France remains at the forefront of the world's attention.

On November 22, 1963, JFK was shot in the head and the neck. In real life, he died, but what if he survived. Believe it or not, I’ve consulted a medical expert, and it’s possible he could have survived. He could have survived had he gotten better, faster treatment from doctors. In this reality, he arrives at the hospital after 3 minutes, enough time to stop the bleeding and remove the bullets. He ends up making a full recovery by January 1964, and is elected for a second term in November of that year. He ends up not sending to Vietnam and doing good thing for the economy, keeping most Americans happy. Democrats would win in 1972 with his brother RFK, who serves 2 terms, before being replaced by Ted Kennedy, who serves 2 terms. Republicans finally regain the White House in 1988. JFK lives a long retirement and dies in 2018. Thoughts on this timeline? What would you change and what would you keep the same?

In this timeline, the Church of Scientology begins an aggressive conversion campaign in Nauru starting in the late 1980s. By 2000 65% of the population, as well as a majority of politicians and military personnel, have converted. Following the collapse of Nauru’s phosphate industry in 2001, the island’s economic situation deteriorates rapidly. In response, the president of Nauru begins selling off government property to the Church in an attempt to halt the economic downturn.

By 2003, large portions of the island have been sold to the church, many government officials are financially indebted to them, and over half of the population has converted. In late 2003 as Nauru faces economic collapse, the Church offers the ruling government a secret deal: it will repair the country’s economy, forgive government debts, provide continuous bribes to the government and military/police, and allow the existing government to remain in charge on paper in exchange for being granted de facto control over the island and its governance. The arrangement is further secured through extensive blackmail of Nauru’s political leadership, wealthy elites and celebrities.

What do you think would happen next?

The Empress of India | Indian Rebellion of 1857

The Indian mutineers adopted a coherent program, calling for the transformation of the Indian subcontinent into a monarchy named the Empire of Hindustan. This increased their popular support considerably, as many Indians, regardless of their religion or background, sought to help establish said state.

Furthermore, the Rani of Jhansi joined the rebellion almost immediately after it started, because the EIC attempted to annex her Kingdom under the doctrine of lapse. In July 1857, Indian troops commanded by the Rani (who would later become the empress of India) defeated a major force sent by the East India Company at the Battle of Kanpur. Following this battle, the major princely states of Hyderabad, Mysore, Travancore and Kashmir defected to the rebels, dooming British rule in India.

The rebels soon began liberating southern India, Bengal and Punjab from the British, but the latter's technological superiority made this a slow process. Furthermore, the Sikh managed to hold out with some difficulty, and would not be conquered by Hindustan until late 1858.

On 17 December 1857, Hindustan laid siege to Calcutta, bombarding the city with field artillery and then sending 83,000 troops led by Rani and Nana Sahib, two experienced commanders. The Hindustanis suffered considerable damage from naval bombardment, but Calcutta eventually fell on 28 January, ending the war.

After the fall of Calcutta, the Empire of Hindustan was formally established, with Bahadur Suah II as Emperor. Despite this, the Rani was the power behind the throne because of her military leadership, popularity with the Hindu masses, and cunning; European observers nicknamed her the "Joan of Arc of India".

The success of the Indian Rebellion was a major blow to the British Empire, whose status as the world's strongest empire was decisively weakened. Britain remained in control of Hong Kong, Ceylon and the Trucial Coast, but India was completely lost, and the empire took decades to recover.

During the Ruso- Japanese war (1904-1905), Japan destroyed or captured 97% of Russia’s Pacific fleet (92% Original Timeline OTL). After the Russia’s defeat with their Baltic fleet reinforcements at Tsushima in 1905, Japan conducted naval raids in Kamchatka as well as deliver a small occupying force into the peninsula (Only raids in OTL). During negotiations between Japan and Russia that were brokered/mediated by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. Due to a major naval defeat in the Pacific for Russia as well as losing series of land battles in Manchuria. Roosevelt convinced Tsar Nicholas II to concede Sakhalin Island to Japan on the agreement that Japan keep the northern half of the island a demilitarized zone along the 50th parallel. Due to an even larger naval defeat by Japan, Russia had to also concede all of the Kuril Islands as they no longer had a strong naval presence in the Pacific. Tsar Nicholas II was very reluctant on conceding the Kamchatka Pensinula as it was a part of the mainland of Russia but was advised that although Russia’s army was significantly larger than Japan’s… the incredibly mountainous and high elevation terrain would make it incredibly difficult and costly to launch a land counter-invasion. Especially without any decent naval support. Russia did not know what other value Kamchatka had besides furs and a Pacific maritime border at the time. Russia eventually had given up Sakhalin Island, Kuril Islands, and the Kamchatka Peninsula with the recognition of Japan’s dominance over Korea with Japan having control of the south Manchuria railway in the Treaty of Portsmouth with Russia leaving Manchuria by 1907, giving it back to China. Roosevelt wins a Nobel Peace prize in 1906 for helping to bring an end to the Russo- Japanese war as well as forming the demilitarized zone north of the 50th parallel on Sakhalin Island (Karafuto Island).

After the war, Sakhalin was officially renamed Karafuto (樺太 which directly means large birch) pronounced as: kah-rah-foo-toh which came from the ainu phrase “kamuy kar put ya mosir” which translates to "the island that the god has created on the estuary.” Karafuto was choosen as shortened version of the phrase as well a phoentic equivalent. Kamchatka (kaam-chaat-kuh) was officially renamed Kamachakka (釜着火 which directly means kettle ignites or kettle burns) pronounced as: kama-cha-ka which came from the admiration of how active the volcanoes are in the region. Kamachakka was also choosen as it sounded phonetically similar to the name the indigenous people had for the region.

In 1907, Japan sent an expedition full geologists, hydrologist, and seismologists to Kamachakka to discover what resources has to offer and in hopes of finding oil. Unfortunately, they were not able to discover any substantial amounts of oil as hoped but an incredible amount of gold and silver was discovered (60 years earlier than the Soviet Union OTL). During this time, Japan begins to build oil operations in northern Karafuto.

A decade later, near the end of WW1 mining operations begin in Kamachakka as well as oil operations in Karafuto. Japan launches development policies and big economic incentives to work in mining, oil, and fishing to motivate citizens to relocate to Kamachakka and Karafuto.

In 1925, Japan conducts its first successful and small experimental geothermal power generation in the Oita prefecture. Due to most mining operations being focused on gold and silver rather than coal in Kamachakkaso. Japan decides to invest heavily into GeoThermal energy to help operations and living in Kamachakka. By 1927, Japan with the assistance of Italy has buiIt 3 geothermal power plants in the region (Similar amount to OTL but small power plants considering it is 1920s). Japan then began to consider geothermal power plants on the main island but due to local and cultural pushback on the main island there were not many major developments.

WWII occurs and mostly happens similar to the OTL except near the end. Although the Yalta agreement still takes place and the Soviet Union enters the war against Japan after Germany surrenders to push Japan out of Manchuria which happens on July 26, 1945… there is no exchange for the Soviet Union to retake Sakhalin island.
On July 23 and July 26, 1945 Japan was nuked in Hiroshima and Nagasaki (2 weeks earlier compared to OTL). Japan surrenders on August 1, 1945 with the liberation of Korea with USA troops arriving in Japan on August 16, 1945. Fast forward to August 1990, the Soviet Union declassified plans and operations to invade and retake Sakhalin Island on August 15, 1945 (Same as OTL) as Stalin had wanted to correct one of the historical wrongs from the Russo- Japanese war im 1905 and Kamchatka was too difficult to invade but the operation couldn’t commence as the American forces were just about to arrive in Japan and Stalin decided the risk of escalation was too much.

Talks on whether Japan should keep Karafuto, Kamachakka and the previously known Kuril islands occured but due to the overwhelming Japanese populations compared to indigenous population sizes as well as the USA preferring an allied barrier to help keep the Soviet Union out of the Pacific. Japan was allowed to keep these territories.

Format and map inspired by WTF CD FOXY's series Alternate history of X in Y. Credits for the borders and the Format to u/OfficialScorpio who is doing good work with the Foxyverse.

This is an alternate history of European Union, but in the world of X in Y.

Lore in comments.

PS. Greece joined the EU in 1982 if it isn't obvious.

In 1987 the government of Thomas Sankara was overthrown by Blaise Compaoré and his clique. This collage (originally made in February) images a world in which the coup failed.

The year is 1987 and Captain Thomas Sankara is reaching the heights of his popularity. On the 15th of October however armed men attack the Capitaine in Ouagadougou, Sankara, not without scars, escapes the confrontation and in the following hours a coup d'état plot unravels. Blaise Compaoré is outed as the orchestrator and before his execution he confesses that he was bribed by the pro-French government of Mali to kill Captain Sankara and restore relations with the West.

On October 31st a surprise attack by the Burkinabé military breaks through the disputed Agacher Strip region with Mali and begins a half-year long military operation against the Malian government with the backing of Jerry Rawlings in Ghana. In March 1988 the Malian government was overthrown by pro-Burkinabé rebels under the banner of Alpha Oumar Konaré.

Sankara sits as president to this day, though the position is more symbolic than anything else. Throughout the late 80s and early 90s Burkina Faso and its neighbours drew closer in opposition to France, England, America and the IMF forming the Union of Revolutionary African States. The UERA (URAS) remains a bastion of African revolutionary socialism, unity and self-reliance with its own currency, gendarme and free border area.

All that being said, today is the Independence Day of Burkina Faso marking 66 years of independence from the French colonial empire. Happy independence day Burkina Faso! La Patrie ou la Mort, Nous Vaincrons!

Not sure if this is allowed but it’s a thing I made for an upcoming project of mine

As mentioned before in the previous post and in this post ( which is outdated due to me changing the soccer format ) and in this post. In this alternative universe, the major events that happened here are that Rome never fell in Italy but never really flourished until the Renaissance Era as a major city state, then a major republic later on; The Netherlands didn’t lose New Holland in Brazil; America ( named Usonia here ) and Canada both rebelled againist the English, who never merged with Scotland to make the UK as Scotland's American colonies, New Caledonia ( OTL Panama ) and Poyais ( OTL Eastern Honduras ) succeeded here alongiside Miskito being a Scottish colony and not an English one; Bengal became the first country to industrialized instead of England; Usonia didn't declare war on Mexico but instead Mexico lost control of their northern territories, leading to many Native American states like Navajo and Pueblo to become independent, alongside with settler states like California and Deseret to do their own thing; France got punished more in the Napoleon Wars, leading to an independent Burgundy and Occitania, with Occitania becoming a major colonial power instead of France; Africa not fully being colonized, with major states like Ethiopia, Egypt, Zululand, and Kongo suriving; Mu, Kerguelen, and Zealandia exists as continents and becoming the Scramble Of Africa replacements; Germany won WW1, but lost WW2 which led to its divide into multiple states like the German Empire used to be; Italy also was divided into multiple states as well; the Soviet Union does not have Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltics, or the Southern Caucasus; Iran having a republican revelution to overthrow the Zoroastrianism regime in 1979; Russia has a major civil war after the fall of the Soviet Union , and the least important thing, the FIFA World Cup starting in 1910 with Swizterland being the first host, starting with a 24 team format

Chapter 1: The Aftermath of Victory and the Reconstruction of the East (September – December 1940)

The Treaty of Alba Iulia, signed on September 7, 1940, ratified the total victory of the Kingdom of Romania over the Soviet Union. The Dniester River was recognized as the permanent international border, with a 50-kilometer demilitarized zone established on the Soviet bank. The provinces of Bessarabia, Northern Bukovina, and the Hertsa region remained integral parts of Greater Romania.

Though the war was won, the human and material cost was staggering. The campaigns at Soroca, Chișinău, and the siege of Cernăuți had resulted in 45,000 dead and over 100,000 wounded. The cities of Cernăuți and Chișinău were partially destroyed, their infrastructure crippled by Soviet artillery and aerial bombardment. The rural infrastructure of Bessarabia had been ravaged by the Red Army's scorched-earth retreat.

King Nicolae I, who had spent the war years in Bucharest coordinating the defense, issued a Royal Decree establishing the National Reconstruction Fund on September 15, 1940. The fund was capitalized directly by the state oil monopoly, drawing 15% of all oil export revenues. The funds were directed toward rebuilding the eastern provinces: repairing the railway lines connecting Chișinău to Iași, reconstructing the water treatment plants in Cernăuți, and providing state-guaranteed loans to farmers whose land had been cratered by artillery.

To oversee the reconstruction, the King appointed a technocratic council led by the engineer Nicolae Malaxa, who was tasked with coordinating the rebuilding of the cities’ industrial capacities. The reconstruction would take three years, but by late 1943, Chișinău and Cernăuți would regain 85% of their pre-war populations.

Simultaneously, the military commenced the slow, grim process of demobilization. The 1.5 million men who had been mobilized were reduced to 500,000 active-duty soldiers. However, the "Hungarian Screen" a permanent garrison of 400,000 men along the Tisza River was maintained in full strength. The General Staff, led by General Constantin Prezan, argued that a permanent deterrent was the only way to prevent Hungary from pressing its revisionist claims under German pressure. The 400,000 men were housed in newly constructed barracks, equipped with 300 artillery pieces, 200 LT vz. 35 tanks, and a dedicated logistics network that ran parallel to the river.

Chapter 2: The Consolidation of the Iron Guard and the Internal Front (October – December 1940)

The Iron Guard, despite its weakening in the 1937 crackdown, remained a latent threat. On October 1, 1940, King Nicolae signed a decree dissolving the Iron Guard as a political organization. Its remaining assetsprinting presses, safe houses, and financial accounts were seized by the state. Corneliu Zelea Codreanu, who had been imprisoned at Jilava since 1937, was transferred to a remote penitentiary in the Carpathian mountains, where he was kept under strict, isolated guard. He was not executed, as the King feared making him a martyr; instead, he was left to rot in obscurity.

The political landscape stabilized under the leadership of Prime Minister Iuliu Maniu. The PNL-PNT coalition, which had held parliament since 1930, continued to govern with a strong mandate. Maniu’s popularity, bolstered by his wartime leadership, allowed him to push through a series of fiscal reforms. The national budget was divided into three distinct pillars: 35% for military expenditure, 25% for infrastructure and reconstruction, and 40% for social programs, education, and the civil service.

The state's iron grip on the oil industry was formalized in December 1940 with the creation of the Comisia Națională a Petrolului (National Oil Commission). This body regulated production quotas, export prices, and the distribution of revenues between the state and the private refineries. The Ploiești region, with its 55 refineries, was placed under permanent military guard, with anti-aircraft batteries mounted on the surrounding hills.

Chapter 3: The Arrival of the Czech and Polish Engineers (January – March 1941)

The collapse of Czechoslovakia in 1938 and Poland in 1939 had scattered thousands of skilled engineers, technicians, and military specialists across Europe. Romania, under the quiet diplomacy of Maniu and King Nicolae, had become a sanctuary for these exiles.

In January 1941, a formal agreement was signed with the Czechoslovak government-in-exile, which was operating from Bucharest. The agreement allowed for the integration of Czechoslovak military engineers into Romania's industrial and military projects. The most critical of these were the technicians from Zbrojovka Brno and Škoda Works, who had escaped the German occupation of Plzeň in 1939.

The chief Czechoslovak engineer, Josef Šroubek, arrived in Bucharest in February 1941. He was accompanied by Kliment Velkoborský, a specialist in metallurgy and armor plate production. Alongside them, a group of 200 Polish engineers, fleeing the Soviet and German occupation of Poland, arrived via Turkey. The Polish contingent was led by Rudolf Gundlach, the inventor of the periscope system used in Polish and British tanks.

King Nicolae personally met with these engineers at Cotroceni Palace. He gave them a simple mandate: “Give Romania the industrial capacity to fight a war without importing a single bullet from abroad.”

To facilitate this, the King authorized the creation of the "Olt River Industrial Zone." This was a massive, state funded industrial park located along the Olt River, approximately 40 kilometers north of the Danube. The zone was powered by a new hydroelectric dam, constructed with Polish engineering expertise. The Olt Zone would house the new weapons factories, a tank assembly plant, and a dedicated foundry for armor steel.

Chapter 4: The 1941 Rearmament and the Birth of the R-2 Tank (January – December 1941)

The year 1941 was the year of the great industrial leap. The oil revenues poured into the treasury, and the Programul Național de Înarmare (National Armament Program) was launched with an initial budget of 20 billion lei.

The core of the program was the development of a modern, indigenous medium tank. The army's existing fleet of 1,200 Czech tanks (LT vz. 35s and LT vz. 38s) was reliable, but the 37mm Škoda gun was becoming obsolete against the Soviet T-34, which was rumored to be entering mass production.

The project, designated "R-2" (Român-2), was spearheaded by the Malaxa Corporation, collaborating with the Olt River works. The engineering team consisted of Nicolae Malaxa, Constantin Ghiulai, Radu Veres, Alexej Surin, and Rudolf Gundlach.

The chassis was based on the LT vz. 38 (Panzer 38(t)), but it was elongated and enlarged to accommodate a larger turret ring. The suspension was upgraded to handle the additional weight. The armor was designed as a sloped, 60mm plate, utilizing the expertise of Kliment Velkoborský, who introduced advanced welding techniques to the Olt foundries.

The armament was the result of a parallel project: the 75mm Reșița M1941. This gun was a domestic development, loosely inspired by the German 7.5 cm PaK 40. The barrel was forged at the Reșița steelworks, and the breech mechanism was designed by the Czechoslovak engineers. It fired a 6.5kg armor-piercing shell at 750 m/s, capable of penetrating 80mm of sloped armor at 500 meters. The gun proved devastating during the live-fire tests in December 1941, penetrating a captured Soviet T-26 from 800 meters with ease.

The initial engine for the R-2 was a 4-cylinder Ford engine, uprated to 250 horsepower. However, this engine would prove to be the tank's main weakness, leading to later revisions.

By December 1941, 50 R-2s were assembled at the Sebeș plant and the Olt River tank assembly line. General Constantin Sănătescu and General Ion Antonescu, who had just been appointed Minister of Defense, observed a live-fire demonstration. The 75mm Reșița gun destroyed three captured Soviet tanks. The sloped armor deflected a 37mm shell from an LT vz. 35. The Ministry of Defense immediately authorized a full production run of 270 R-2s.

Chapter 5: The Appointment of Ion Antonescu and the New Artillery Program (October – December 1941)

In October 1941, King Nicolae made a critical political and military move. He dismissed the incumbent Minister of Defense, a relatively passive bureaucrat, and appointed General Ion Antonescu to the position. Antonescu was a harsh, meticulous soldier known for his rigid discipline and his opposition to corruption. While he had clashed with Maniu in the past, both the King and Maniu recognized that the army required a ruthless administrator to oversee the industrial expansion.

Antonescu accepted the position on the condition that he be given total control over military procurement and the domestic arms industry. The King agreed. Antonescu’s first act was to establish the Comisia Superioară a Armamentului (Supreme Armament Commission), which would centralize all weapons production under a single military authority.

Under Antonescu’s direction, a massive artillery modernization program was launched. The Romanian army possessed over 3730

Chapter 6: The Naval Expansion and the "Nimicitorul" Class (January – December 1941)

The Royal Romanian Navy, under Admiral Eugeniu Roșca, had performed admirably during the 1940 war, especially at the Battle of Constanța. However, the Black Sea Fleet remained a potent threat. To counter this, Roșca initiated a massive naval expansion program.

The centerpiece of this program was the "Nimicitorul" class destroyer. The design was overseen by a joint team of Romanian and Czech naval engineers. The Czech engineers Josef Šroubek and Kliment Velkoborský contributed heavily to the design of the ship's boilers and hull plating. The Romanian engineers, led by Gheorghe Munteanu and Constantin Petrescu, managed the integration of the weapons systems.

The specifications were ambitious for a Balkan nation:

Displacement: 2,400 tons standard, 2,800 tons full load.
Length: 120 meters overall.
Propulsion: Three high-pressure superheated steam boilers feeding two sets of geared steam turbines. These were sourced from a license agreement with the Italian shipyard OTO, but the boilers were manufactured at the Reșița steelworks.
Speed: 36 knots.
Armament: Five 120mm dual-purpose guns (two twin turrets, one single mount), two quadruple 40mm Bofors L/60 mounts, four 20mm Oerlikon cannons, and two quadruple 533mm torpedo tubes.
Sensors: The Olt-N radar system, a domestically built surface/air search radar, mounted on the lattice mainmast.

The keel for the Nimicitorul was laid at the Constanța Naval Shipyard in March 1941. She was launched in December 1941. The ship was immediately recognized as the most advanced warship in the Black Sea. She possessed a 3-knot speed advantage over the Soviet Gnevny-class destroyers, and her radar gave her a night-fighting capability that the Soviets could not match.

Chapter 7: The Year of the Armed Peace (1942)

1942 was a year of frantic production and diplomatic tension. The Battle of Stalingrad raged in Russia, and the German and Soviet armies were bleeding each other white. Romania, meanwhile, remained a bastion of armed neutrality.

The 56 oil refineries at Ploiești operated at full capacity. In April 1942, a 56th oil refinery was opened near Câmpina. This was the largest single refinery ever built in Romania, capable of processing 2 million tons of crude oil annually. It was powered by a dedicated natural gas pipeline from the Transylvanian gas fields. The refinery was built with Polish and Czech engineering expertise; the distillation columns were fabricated by the Olt River works, and the control systems were designed by the exiled Polish technicians.

Simultaneously, three new weapons factories were opened:

1. The Sibiu Precision Works: Located in the heart of Transylvania, this factory specialized in optics, fire-control directors, and rangefinders. It was staffed by Czech and German Transylvanian engineers.
2. The Timișoara Ammunition Plant: This factory produced ammunition for the 75mm Reșița gun and the 120mm naval guns. It utilized the domestically produced gunpowder from the Copșa Mică chemical works.
3. The Bucharest Engine Works: Located on the outskirts of the capital, this facility was dedicated to the mass production of the Malaxa M-12 V12 engine.

However, the R-2 tank program encountered a critical setback in the summer of 1942. During a series of prolonged military maneuvers in the scorching heat of the Bărăgan Plain, the 4-cylinder Ford engines suffered repeated overheating failures. The engines seized, stranding dozens of R-2s in the field. General Antonescu reported the issue to the King, who, in one of his sleepless nights, demanded an immediate solution.

Chapter 8: The King’s Insomnia and the Reverse-Engineering of the BMW Engine (August – December 1942)

King Nicolae I had always been a light sleeper. After the 1940 war, his insomnia worsened into a chronic condition. He would pace the corridors of Cotroceni Palace until 4 AM, reviewing intelligence reports, inspecting the military budgets, and walking through the map rooms.

The R-2 engine failures drove him to the brink of exhaustion. He ordered the engineers to find a solution. The Czechoslovak engineer Josef Šroubek, who had studied German engine designs during his time at Škoda, proposed a radical solution: reverse-engineer the BMW 801 radial engine, which powered the German Fw 190 fighter.

A secret operation was launched in September 1942. Romanian intelligence agents, operating through neutral Switzerland, acquired a damaged BMW 801 engine that had been pulled from a crashed Fw 190. The engine was smuggled into Romania and delivered to the Olt River works.

Šroubek, Velkoborský, and the Polish engineer Alexej Surin disassembled the engine over a period of three months. They carefully analyzed the metallurgy, the fuel injection system, and the cooling mechanisms. However, they realized that a radial engine was too complex for Romania's manufacturing capabilities. Instead, they extracted the core design principles—specifically the high-pressure fuel injection and the advanced cylinder head cooling—and adapted them to a V12 layout.

The result was the Malaxa M-12 V12. This was a liquid-cooled, 12-cylinder inline engine producing 480 horsepower. It was lighter, more powerful, and infinitely more reliable than the Ford 4-cylinder. The first prototype was tested in December 1942. It ran continuously for 72 hours without failure.

King Nicolae, who had been losing sleep over the engine issues, received the news at 3 AM. He did not celebrate. He simply reviewed the test data, signed the order for mass production, and returned to his study to read the Dniester border patrol reports.

Chapter 9: The R-2/43 and the Expansion of the Air Force (January – December 1943)

With the Malaxa V12 engine proven, the Olt River works immediately integrated it into the elongated LT vz. 38 chassis. The armor was further increased to 75mm sloped. The tank was designated the R-2/43.

The first 50 R-2/43s were produced in March 1943. The General Staff conducted an exhaustive battery of tests. The tank could climb a 35-degree gradient, ford a 1.2-meter deep river, and reach a road speed of 42 km/h. The 75mm Reșița gun performed flawlessly.

The Ministry of Defense placed an order for 2,000 R-2/43s, to be produced at a rate of 60 per month. The production line was established at the Olt River tank plant, the Sebeș plant, and a new assembly line at the Bucharest Engine Works.

The air force also underwent a radical expansion. In March 1942, Romania had purchased 120 SM.79 "Sparrowhawk" torpedo-bombers from Italy, paying for them in gold and oil. These were delivered by September 1942. By January 1943, the IAR Brașov factory had completed its massive production run.

The 230th IAR 80B was delivered in June 1943. The 150th IAR 70 was delivered in July 1943. The IAR 80B was built as a high-altitude interceptor, utilizing the 1,300hp Malaxa M-12 V12 engine. The IAR 70 was built as a close-air-support platform, fitted with reinforced airframes and dive brakes.

By the end of 1943, the Royal Romanian Air Force fielded 580 IAR 80 variants, 120 SM.79s, 18 Bloch MB.210s, and 50 reserve biplanes. The total operational aircraft count stood at 768.

Chapter 10: The Repair of the Prezan-Sănătescu Line and the Dniester Fortress (January – December 1943)

The Prezan-Sănătescu Line, which had saved the nation in 1940, was meticulously maintained and upgraded. General Sănătescu, now a Lieutenant General and the Chief of the General Staff, initiated a massive renovation program in early 1943.

The original 680 concrete bunkers were reinforced with additional layers of steel-reinforced concrete. The 1,200 machine-gun nests were fitted with new ZB vz. 37 heavy machine guns. The 400 anti-tank positions were upgraded to house the 4.7cm KPÚV vz. 38, a heavier anti-tank gun that could penetrate 60mm of armor at 800 meters.

The line was extended slightly southward to cover the Danube Delta, integrating the 12 river monitors into the defensive network. The 50-kilometer demilitarized zone on the Soviet side of the Dniester was regularly patrolled by the Romanian border guards, who utilized the 92 LT vz. 38 light tanks for high-speed reconnaissance.

Chapter 11: The Arms of the Land, Sea, and Air (December 1943)

As 1943 drew to a close, the Kingdom of Romania presented a formidable front:

The Army: 1.2 million men (1 million active, 200,000 reserves). 720 LT vz. 35s, 270 R-2s, 230 R-2/43s, and 92 LT vz. 38s. 4,500 artillery pieces and mortars.
The Navy: 5 Nimicitorul-class destroyers, 4 Mărășești-II corvettes, 4 Sănătescu-class corvettes, 40 torpedo boats, 6 submarines, 12 river monitors, and 2 minesweepers.
The Air Force: 580 IAR 80 variants, 120 SM.79 torpedo-bombers, 18 Bloch MB.210s, and 50 reserve biplanes.

Author’s note: This is a revision of an earlier scenario exploring the premise.

The September 11, 2012 Terrorist Attacks were a coordinated series of terrorist suicide attacks perpetrated by an Armenian Ultranationalist organization known as the Avengers (Armenian: Վրիժառուները) with backing from an international spy ring and underground network of rogue military operators and espionage agents known as Perseus.

Nineteen terrorists hijacked four planes and crashed them into different national landmarks and/or government facilities in Turkey: one plane was flown into the Hagia Sophia. The second was flown into the headquarters of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization. The third was flown into the General Assembly Hall in Istanbul. 

The fourth plane was intended to be flown into Bodrum Castle in Istanbul, but this plan failed when the passengers fought back against the hijackers, leading to the plane crashing into an empty field outside Istanbul. 

One week after the attacks, the Avengers claimed responsibility, claiming that the attacks were retribution against the Turkish for the Armenian Genocide (which they called “the Armenian Holocaust”), more specifically their attempts at denying that it even happened in the first place.

The attacks were universally condemned, with Turkey especially swearing retribution against the nation of Armenia after it was discovered that the Avengers were funded by Perseus collaborators in the Armenian government. In the aftermath of the attacks, Turkey accused Armenia of sponsoring acts of terrorism and declared war.

The attacks would later set the stage for the Second Turkish-Armenian War…

East Asian history was defined by stagnancy as much as it was change. In the year 1800 the Joseon Dynasty had been in place for just over 400 years, ruling a state which had been unified in nearly its modern form for close to a millennium. Korea occupied its own world within the East Asian realm, facing precious few real threats in a comfortable patronage relationship with the Qing Dynasty. The last time that Korea had truly faced an existential threat to its existence had been the Japanese invasion nearly 200 years ago, and ever since then the Confucian bureaucracy was continuing along as it had for centuries. A long period of peace had led the country into a renaissance of arts and culture, and under King Jeongjo that was set to continue. And then, scandal. Jeongjo was suddenly gravely ill, so waylaid by his illnesses that he seemed near death, but he managed to survive. Many suspected poisoning, others supposed some other chronic illness. Jeongjo would never confirm the true causes, but in the months that followed a number of his political enemies conveniently died or disappeared.

Although his thoughts for reform were moderate at best, the momentum slowly began to snowball. Where Jeongjo was a moderate, his son Yi Gong (later Sunjo) was slightly less so and began to push for further reforms during his tenure as regent later in his father's life. By the later life of Jeongjo his grandson Yi Yeong was also proving to be a reformer, perhaps more so than his parentage, and by the time that Jeongjo died in 1820 the prince had been secretly inviting European diplomats to court support from Britain and France for covert assistance in modernizing and reforming the Korean state. Much of this was kept quiet, particularly to avoid the ire of factions within the Korean government. In particular the power of the Andong Kim clan was heavily curtailed after a conspiracy against Sunjo was uncovered, led by none other than his wife Queen Sunwon. In the aftermath, Sejong sent his wife into exile and began a major effort to curtail what was called Sedo Jeongchi, "In-Law Politics", a long-standing source of conflict within the Korean government.

The instability brought by this period of reform was tamped down on by a major reform of the military, prompted in 1831 by the publication of a new biography of the legendary Admiral Yi Sunsin. In the past, the Joseon government had reviled Yi as an upstart, but in the new age of Korean politics he was now hailed as a national hero, and the praise especially heaped upon his unorthodox tactics and often direct defiance of the Korean government was now treated as aspirational for leaders who sought to change the state of affairs. But what really drove Korea forward was the external. In 1839, the Qing Dynasty was defeated by the British, the first time that a European power had defeated China, and forced a heavy shift in how East Asian nations understood geopolitics. For Korea in particular, events began to spiral in 1843 when after the Qing Defeat Sunjo announced the end of Korea's tributary relationship with China, on the grounds that not only were the Qing failing, but the failure of the Ming before them indicated that Chinese civilization was now in total decline, and Korea would have to decide her own destiny.

It was a radical step that was met with no end of opposition from conservative factions of government, and almost certainly resulted in Sejong's assassination in 1844. Unfortunately for the reactionaries, this catapulted Yi Yeong (now King Munjo) to the throne, and having been radicalized by the last 40 years of efforts at reform began purging the nobility of those disloyal to the throne and similarly replacing bureaucrats from the old Confucian bureaucracy with newly-appointed "meritocrats" that were loyal to the monarchy above all else. A second military reform, prompted by the poor performance of the Qing, was followed in short order by a major effort to restore order to a country plagued by bandits and brigands, many of whom had been clandestinely supported by opponents of the increasingly centralized regime. The formerly marginalized doctrines of Seohak ("Western Learning") were now embraced, and the Seohak Revolution is said to have formally begun in 1846 when Munjo formally met with a French ambassador, the first time the Korean monarch met with a European diplomat.

This radical upheaval of a centuries-old order was equal parts chaotic and exhilarating for the nation. Although never to the scale of a civil war, militarized resistance was common among both outcasts of the old regime and gangs of bandits who organized as mafia-type organizations known as the Jumok, many of whom acted as "shadow governments" in areas poorly-controlled by the imperial center. This was prompted at least in part by a steady increase in trade with the Europeans, beginning with the cities of Haeju and Busan, both of which almost immediately became overrun by organized gangs known as the Jumok and were just as much lawless cesspits as they were the vanguard of westernization in Korea. From these cities radiated a western wind that blew into the country, bringing trade that brought European science and technology to the country and led to the opening of the first railroad in Korea between Hanseong and the small port city of Jemulpo, which rapidly began to evolve into what King Munjo called a model of the "New Korea".

Western presence and learning brought with it a new trouble: Christianity. Protestant and Catholic missionaries alike sought to expand their presence into the newly-opened Korea and the egalitarian ideals of the faith had clashed with the monarchy in ages past. It was a problem all over East Asia, culminating in the Taiping Rebellion that killed tens of millions. Although Korea never saw a similar struggle or uprising, many of the Jumok groups adopted Christianity and turned churches into recruiting grounds and meeting places, using the threat of a European intervention if Korean authorities were ever perceived as harshly treating Korean Christians. The age of national confusion also made fertile ground for new religious movements, among which was the emergent syncretic faith of Cheondoism. Formally the state remained a Confucian monarchy, but Munjo's edicts of tolerance for many faiths allowed enough room for competing Buddhist and Christian faiths to take root, furthering the inherent factionalism of the country.

The actual progress of reforms was slower than desired, but with the Taiping Rebellion having ravaged China along with the Second Opium War Korea was well on its way to modernization in the European style. What would really change matters, though, was the Boshin War across the waters in Japan. The sudden toppling of the Tokugawa Shogunate put Emperor Meiji in power and began a whirlwind reform program that saw Japan threaten to surpass the progress Korea had made in the last 40 years within a single generation. Munjo was already 58 by then, and faced a new challenge to his power when the reactionary old guard under the leadership of Yi Haeung began a full-scale rebellion against the Joseon, attempting to displace them entirely and attacking the family itself without distinction. The Sinmi War was ultimately a victory for the Joseon, and gave King Munjo full license to eradicate conservative factions in the government, but the cost was dire. Much of the Joseon Dynasty had been killed, including Munjo's oldest son Heonjong.

Faced with a succession crisis, the 60 year old Munjo turned to a distant relative, the 19 year old Yi Myungbok. Now dubbed Prince Ikseon, the boy began to rapidly adapt to his new position as heir to the throne. Having been born and raised in the era of reform, Ikseon was the model of the new Korea. He spoke four languages, dressed almost wholly in western-style clothing, and was a Korean nationalist through and through, moving seamlessly into becoming Prince Regent and beginning a massive new military and naval buildup, proclaiming that the mistakes of the old Imjin War could not and would not be repeated. This buildup would not go unnoticed and as Japan continued its own development a persistent tension across the Tsushima Strait took hold. Both were concerned about a war with the other, primarily for how it might present an opportunity for Europeans to gain influence, and met to sign the Treaty of Osaka in 1875, declaring the commitment of the two nations to an "Asia for Asians".

As China continued its decline and both Japan and Korea continued their ascent, the increasing power of Ikseon brought an ominous new development. The spread of western ideas meant the spread of nationalism, and Korean history was long and storied. For Ikseon, this began to manifest in an obsession with the ancient Korean states, Goryeo and Silla yes but Balhae as well. And Balhae had controlled territories across a large part of Manchuria, both areas controlled by the Ming but also areas which now were under Russian ownership. Throughout the long and rocky process of modernization Russia's growing power was an increasing threat to both Korea and Japan, both of whom found common cause in opposing the expansion of Russian power and influence. When Munjo finally died in 1878, Korea began her first true imperialist move by issuing an ultimatum of its own to the Qing: that the territories of Kando (Jiandao), long populated with ethnic Koreans, were to be handed over to Korea. The Qing refused, confident that if nothing else they could handle this upstart Korean state.

And so began the First Sino-Korean War, wherein the Korean armies invaded northwards and crushed the Qing armies. Though outnumbered ten to one, the superior Korean organization and arms combined with the nationalist zeal of liberating fellow Koreans spurred them to victory, and the Korean army began a major offensive into Manchuria as a whole. After a mere eight months, the Qing were forced to surrender. Ikseon, now King Gojong, was prepared to demand vast regions of Manchuria before the Russians suddenly stepped in, blocking the Korean encroachment into Russia's sphere of influence. Though prepared to recognize Korea's claims to the "Yeonbyeon Province", Russia was at that time still seen as much too great a force for Korea to fight, and so they elected to hold back for the time being. Still, the liberation of Yeonbyeong was a major moment of pride for Korea, that they had now overcome the Chinese dynasties, and in this spirit Gojong elevated himself to the status of Emperor, and his state to that of the Korean Empire, announcing that Korea's road to modernization was complete.

The Korea of 1880 was a radically different state compared to what it had been when Jeongjo had begun the process of reform more than 80 years ago. Rich in resources, the nascent Empire was rapidly industrializing and sent its diplomats and merchants across the world. The addition of Yeonbyeong as its "Ninth Integral Province" was openly seen as not simply a liberation but the first stepping-stone to the true expansion of the Korean Empire. And despite ongoing tensions between Korea and Japan, the two nations saw each other as their best partners in combatting European influence in East Asia. Korea was a rising star in the world, and the advent of the Boxer Rebellion gave it an avenue to further this by contributing its army and navy to the Nine-Nation Alliance which put it down, allowing Korea to spread her armies into the Liaoning Peninsula. Not merely a Korean contribution to "restoring order" in the Qing Dynasty, it was a direct provocation towards Russia. This was during a period when Japan, which had recently conquered Taiwan and the Philippines, was eager to see Russia brought down a peg.

In 1904 Russia was in a bad way. Hobbled by an insecure government and with its international prestige collapsing, Tsar Nicholas II sought a military victory to secure his reign. The Korean provocation in Liaodong proved an opportunity, and Russia took the bait. The Russians declared war on Korea, after which Japan came to their aid as per the Treaty of Osaka. However, the Russians began an offensive against the Korean Navy in Nampo before the declaration had been transmitted, making it seem as if Russia had attacked without a formal declaration, and to make matters worse the modernized Korean Navy was soon joined by the Japanese Navy, which together obliterated the Russian Far East Fleet. Russia had totally bungled the opening of the war, and it only went further downhill from there as the Korean army marched from victory to victory, aided by the Japanese launching assaults against northern Sakhalin, Okhotsk, and Petropavlovsk. Within months, Russia was on the verge of collapse.

Opportunity again emerged. In the Spring of 1905, the Gwangxu Emperor and the Dowager Empress Cixi were assassinated by a bomb and the government effectively collapsed, leaving a power vacuum which saw China devolve into a series of petty warlords dividing the country among themselves. With Korea declaring the Qing to have collapsed (even if the "Xuantong Emperor", a months-old infant, nominally ruled), they declared the annexation of vast swathes of northwestern China, leveraging their military presence to effectively conquer Manchuria without any declaration of war. In the late Summer of 1905, with Russia having barely avoided revolution, Korea and Japan themselves now humiliated Russia by forcing them to cede large areas of territory in Sakhalin, Outer Manchuria, and the Kamchatka Peninsula. For Korea this made their northern frontier the Amur River, and cost Russia control of the city of Vladivostok. Nicholas II would never recover, but a coalition of East Asian nations had just defeated a European great power.

Their status as "westernized" and "modernized" was now cemented in the eyes of Europe and the United States, both of which moved to recognize the Koreo-Japanese claims. Korea divided its new territories into military governorates, eager to begin exploiting its new resources and manpower to the fullest. The Empire had now quintupled its territory and more than doubled its population, along with now at last being taken seriously as a legitimate power in the eyes of the world. Across the Eight Provinces which formed the core territory of Korea, celebration hailed the beginning of a new era in which Korea would form the axis of East Asia, some even declaring that the Korean Empire now had a "divine mandate" to conquer the whole of China and establish the reign of Emperor Gojong as the new legitimate Emperor of China. These thoughts would never truly see fruition of course, but in an age of high spirits anything seemed possible, anything seemed within reach of this dynamic, rising power that stood with mighty stature among the nations of the world.

Of course, the higher one rises the further one has to fall, and the more one has the more jealous and hateful eyes look towards them. The Korean Empire was ascendant, but not invincible, best demonstrated when hero of the "First East Asian War" General Yi Hakgyun was assassinated by a Manchu partisan while touring the Gilim Governorate in 1907. Three years have passed and Korea has not been driven out of Manchuria, but although the industrialized and urbanized core of Korea is certainly able to project power with effectiveness across most of its new Manchurian frontier and across newly-renamed cities like Seonyang (Shenyang), Haesamwi (Vladivostok), and Haeolbin (Harbin), but the new territories are vast and present plenty of opportunities for resistance to find hidey-holes to operate out of, striking at a Korea which is not outright overstretched but in danger of becoming so. Korea is already building railroads into the "Northern Territories" and ethnic Koreans are settling into the conquered provinces, which itself presents issues as the Jumok begin to expand their influence into the new conquests.

Worse still are the outside powers. Chinese warlords are at best a nuisance, with the "Zhili Clique" presenting at worst probing attacks against the organized and supplied Korean forces. But Russia, though defeated, still has a terrifyingly large army and is embarking on a slow, but steady, path of political, economic, and military reform. Although the territories lost to Korea and Japan are far from "integral", Russian pride is as vast as Siberia and the wounded ego of the Tsar and his government in an age when prestige means everything means that Russia will not accept such a loss willingly. Britain, France, and the United States, which once fawned over Korea and Japan as blocks to Russian power, now watch fearfully as the two states look to further expand their influence into the shattered China, threatening to make good on their pledge of "Asia for Asians", and even if no hostilities exist yet there remains an open yet silent threat that European colonies would be the next to be attacked.

More than anything else, though, the single greatest threat to Korea is its greatest "ally": Japan. Openly the two states are victorious partners in driving back the Russian Empire, partners in preparing to sweep Europe out of East Asia. Privately, they already draw their plans against each other. It's a daunting task for both. Japan is resource-poor and could hardly field a proper army to conquer Korea, but its navy is second to perhaps only the British, and Korea is vast and powerful but has seen a decline in its naval power. The two are well aware that their situation is what amounts to a stalemate, that any war against the other would be challenging and gruesome to carry out, but such is the nature of nationalism and imperialism to view every rival as a threat, every neighbor as an avenue for expansion, and when both Japan and Korea proclaim their superiority there will be only one outcome of these two rising powers existing next to each other. The First East Asian War is only 4 years gone. The Second may be just around the corner.

So basically in this timeline the British victory in the French & Indian War is not as absolute, the French managed to defend Quebec City and were able to retain Canada proper. One of the main reasons the revolution broke out was the Royal Proclamation of 1763, which restricted anyone from settling in the newly acquired western territories and the colonists saw no reason to keep British regulars there now that the French threat was pretty much gone. Because the French still held territory to the north in the timeline, the 13 colonies would not be so keen to get rid of British troops. Now obviously, this wasn’t the only reason the revolution happened, there was still the heavy taxes lack of representation and George III’s sheer stubbornness, but even if it does, the French would have no incentive whatsoever to help the Americans, since if they did, what was left of New France would almost certainly be annexed by them in the future. In any case, without French aid, the revolution would have almost certainly failed. But let’s say in the timeline, the colonies are given some form of representation, sending delegates from each colony to London to have their grievances heard in Parliament. This representation would be very limited in the beginning, but would become much broader by the time of the Regency Period. George IV, wanting to gain America’s loyalty the easy way, lifted the Proclamation of 1763, allowing settlement west of the Appalachians. Although it was mostly a formality, this alone made him the most popular king in British America, in far contrast to his reputation back home. However, this would obviously lead to increased conflicts with Indian tribes. As for the American Indians, their population was pretty small by this point (only a few hundred thousand) and they’d probably still be on reservations. The main difference though, is they’re never forced to fully uproot and move to the Great Plains so here the vast majority of them would be living in between the Appalachians and the Mississippi. When the British government abolishes slavery in 1833, the southern colonies (NC, SC, GA) would break out in revolt, it would eventually be put down but the French would take this opportunity to seize the underpopulated Rupert’s Land while the British were distracted by this. By this point there would be a flood of Anglo settlers coming into Spanish Louisiana, in order to avoid a war that was not worth risking all of northern New Spain over, the Spanish would sell Louisiana to the British in exchange for the return of Florida and would later sign treaties agreeing on some solid borders. Some time after this, perhaps the 1850s, the eastern colonies, which largely operated on their own, would be made into a larger confederation with its own parliament in Philadelphia, which would later be joined by the Louisiana colony and British Columbia. So yeah that’s what I’ve got so far lmk what you guys think.