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Description
A more conventional War of the Worlds scenario, nothing like Scarlet Storm. Inspired a bit by Scarlet Traces but taking a slightly different path. Thanks to B_Munro/QuantumBranching for suggesting a few things!
---
No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's and yet as mortal as his own. Yet across the gulf of space, minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of the beasts that perish, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us. And early in the twentieth century came the great disillusionment. The Martian invasion devastated the United Kingdom. Although the Martians were ultimately brought down by the humblest creatures on the planet, bacteria, before they could they had managed to strike a massive blow against the Earth's dominant power. This was the plan of the Martians all along, to show the humans that resistance would be futile by humbling their most powerful society, but they underestimated their opponents. A League of Nations was formed, composed of every great power on Earth, and through this forum the human powers attempted to resolve their disputes peacefully, and with some success.
The British Empire rose again, and when it did, it was stronger than ever. The technology the Martians left behind was studied intensely, and while some secrets remained beyond human understanding, others were pried from the decaying hulks of the Martian machines. The synthesis of energy from the surrounding aether in space gradually replaced steam, allowing for much of the other Martian technologies to find use. The Martians' cannons, powered by electromagnetic forces, was used first, and the first British man landed on the Moon in 1908. The heat-ray, the aetheric engine, even counter-gravity were perfected through by the 1910s, paired with developments such as the machine gun and synthesis of new chemicals, and allowed the British to become an even greater superpower than they were before. Artificial intelligences, no smarter than a dog, were developed in the 1920s, and gradually replaced both the conscript on the field of battle and the worker in the factory. Automation alienated the industry-reliant Scottish and northerners, whose poverty was ignored by a government focused more on unlocking more secrets. The British guarded these secrets jealously, but they inevitably found their way into the outside world.
As the British rebuilt their country, they turned away from the affairs on the European continent. What gain would the British people get in meddling in the affairs of Earth, when the Martian threat still existed? And what did the British owe the Germans, French or Russians, all of them potential rivals for the Empire no matter how a European war turned out? With the British steadfastly against interfering in Europe, the great alliances began to fear their chances of actually winning a war. True, the immediate enemy may be defeated in short order, but what if the British - or worse, the Martians - take advantage of the victor's exhaustion? And the destruction of England showed all of Europe the possible fate of the continent should such weapons be unleashed in a great war. Thus, the great powers of Europe went through extraordinary lengths to prevent war. As the Ottoman Empire decayed, there was fear of war between the Russians and Germans, but eventually the gradual breakdown of the Ottoman Empire was settled through negotiation. Serbia's dreams for a Yugoslavia were crushed by a St. Petersburg unwilling to risk war with Germany, even though the French promised to join any Russian war against Germany. The Austrian Empire itself fell in the 1930s, and was gobbled up by the German Empire. This almost caused a Europe-wide, but luckily it was averted. Another potential cause for war was the colonization of the Moon, which led to friction between the British and the other great powers of the world.
Elsewhere in the world, the great powers prepared for a potential war with Mars in their own way. By using captured Martian technology and applying it to their growing industrial economy, the United States quickly became the behemoth of the New World. American influence spread throughout Latin America, and smaller tripods proved useful in chasing down Mexican revolutionaries during the Second Mexican-American War. Although traditionally having a small military, the Americans armed themselves to the teeth right after the first Martian invasion, expecting to be the next target of the hostile aliens.
In the East, the Japanese attempted to expand their empire. Desperate for resources to power their growing economy, and with a massive military made in response to the Martian invasion, the Japanese quickly got into conflicts with its neighbors. A war with Russia was averted via treaty, and Russian and Japanese spheres of influence were carved out of China. After the 1915 Revolution toppled the Chinese Empire, the Japanese attempted further expansion into China, first by imposing unequal treaties upon China, then by using local warlords as proxies for their interests. While the European powers paid little heed to this activity, the Japanese continued on their path to expansion. A Second Sino-Japanese War started in the 1920s, and the Republic found itself a ready ally in the United States. For nearly a decade, the Japanese attempted to crush the Chinese, but fears of starting a war with the European powers prevented them from bringing all of their firepower to bear against the Chinese. In 1928, the Japanese finally withdrew from China after the pro-war factions were thrown out of power in the Diet.
On the Moon, the human powers gradually established colonies, as they had in Africa and Asia. The native Selenites, an ant-like species, lived underground and, apart from momentary contact with the humans, largely kept to themselves. The human powers instead focused on turning the Moon into a fortress against a possible Martian attack, and the far side quickly became dotted with military bases. Controversy arose as the British attempted to build military bases on the near side of the Moon, as that could be used to target other human powers. Eventually, the great powers agreed that no military bases would be built on the near side.
In the 1930s, a nationalist British government attempted what was largely considered a radical wish: a counter-attack against the Martians. The British constructed massive rockets to transport their invasion force, and even asked if the rest of the world wished to participate in the invasion, but the global community ultimately declined. Initially, the attack went well, as the Martians were ill-prepared for defending their homeworld, even with several months' warning as the British spacecraft made their way to Mars. There, they found evidence that Martian society was highly dependent on their technology, to the point that civilians could not even flee because of the heavy machinery they were attached to. The Martian government appeared to be decentralized, as the British attacked and successfully captured the largest settlements, but could not find any clear signs of government buildings from which officials may be found and forced to agree to surrender terms.
It was also revealed that the Martians encountered during their invasion of Earth were merely at the top of a hierarchy. Corpses of previously-unknown Martians were encountered in areas the Martian military abandoned, drained of blood, and eventually these Martians were captured. These Martians were humanoid, but tall, and had green skin and six limbs. Most interesting was an ancient carving which revealed that the octopoid Martians that most people were familiar with were not the original inhabitants of Mars, but rather came from a destroyed world that once orbited between Mars and Jupiter.
Far from home and incapable of supplying themselves, the British were eventually defeated. The Martians succeeded in using what remained of their cylinder launchers to destroy the orbiting British invasion fleet. The stranded troops on Mars were given orders to stand their ground until reinforcements and supplies could be sent, but before the British could reinforce their troops, the entire force was destroyed by the Martians. As news of this defeat spread, the government attempted to stamp it out, but it was not enough. It became clear to many families that their fathers, brothers and sons would not be returning, and that their government had led them to a pointless war. The Empire broke down, as the various dominions of the Empire refused to give up their troops for a counter-attack. The stratification of society led to Scotland and northern England being full of resentful workers, and with the assistance of a population that had no faith in the nationalist government after the Martian defeat, brought down the British government after a series of strikes and riots. Scotland itself became independent, but still shared the English monarchy, and the Empire was reformed into a more decentralized Commonwealth of Nations.
The 1940s saw the decline of the British Empire as the dominant power, and the heating up of tensions on Earth. With the Martians and British bloodied, and the technological gap between the British and the rest of the world all but closed, the great powers became bolder. Russia and Britain faced off in Central Asia, China and Japan threatened a renewal of hostilities, as did the Germans and the Franco-Russian Entente. The French and British gradually reduced their colonial empires by spinning off friendly states, in an attempt to decrease spending there and prepare for war. The League of Nations became more fractured, as the great powers were less willing to bend to their rivals' desires in the name of peace. The great powers also constructed mass drivers throughout their territory, both to defend themselves against the Martians and against a possible orbital attack from their rivals. However, there were joint human expeditions to Venus, where the native Venusians were fighting their Martian overlords. The League of Nations supported the Venusians, and by 1948, the Martian forces on the planet were starting to lose.
By 1950, the British Empire has well and truly seen the zenith of its power. While it still has a major military, particularly in space, the British are no longer the masters of the world. Their military has been humbled, and the idea of foreign adventures is no longer palatable to most British citizens. Skepticism of government has risen since the fall of the nationalist government, although the major political parties - the Conservatives and the Liberals - cannot seem to get their act together. The rising Labour Party is starting to become more popular, particularly as they have taken credit for bringing down the nationalists. The Commonwealth is a very decentralized organization, one that is breaking down further as its members demand more autonomy.
In Europe, the German-led Central Alliance and the Russo-French Entente stare each other down, as war seems to be on the horizon. The German Empire is now a multi-ethnic empire, with the Germans above everyone, and many non-Germans are unhappy about it. The Kaiser, Wilhelm III, is an aging man who is frequently manipulated by his General Staff, who themselves are eager to gain glory through a quick war against the French. The Reichstag is dominated by conservative parties, although no one party can maintain a coalition given the myriad interests represented in German politics. Germany's allies, Italy and Spain, are even more politically volatile, and militarily inept. The Spanish had to put down a communist revolt in Barcelona in 1949, and the Italians have jailed an entire mob of nationalists who attempted to overthrow the government in Rome.
The French and the Russians aren't doing much better. The Third French Empire, the product of another constitutional crisis in the 1920s, is starting to lose the support of the people. Emperor Napoleon V[1], like Wilhelm III, is no longer the man he once was, and the French generals who make up his inner circle are just as eager for a victory as their German rivals. In Russia, Tsar Alexander IV just narrowly averted an anarchist assassination attempt, and is busy crushing the perpetrators. In Russia, the Tsar is still the absolute ruler, and the Revolutions of 1903 and 1924 ultimately amounted to nothing. Alexander IV is also considering the possibility of a short victory against Germany as a possible way of rallying the people around him.
The United States continues on as the giant in the West, but internally its society is starting to crumble. The Republicans and the Progressives move further and further away from one another, and as money is essential to winning elections, some of the former's more radical members are breaking away and demanding revolution. America's industrialists do not have to listen to all but the most powerful unions, as automation has kept up with demand, and a growing underclass of unemployed is starting to demand opportunities from the government. The welfare system, implemented by the Progressives in their early years, does not go far enough, say the Progressives of the 1950s, and goes too far, say the Republicans; what is important is that nobody is happy with it, and nobody can agree on how to reform it. America's Latin American adventures are also taking their toll, as broadcast pictures allow footage of the war in Mexico to reach homes across the country. The younger generations are starting to question the status quo, and demand more changes that neither party are willing to make.
In Japan, a new wave of militarism is starting to rise. Believing that the Japanese were cheated of their divine right during the Second Sino-Japanese War, the new militarists are demanding that the Japanese government take a harder stance against the West and to expand its military, which they argue is woefully ill-prepared for a Martian war. On the other side of the East China Sea, the Republic of China's government has become a corrupt democracy, dominated by President Chung Zhensheng. Chung was once a general in the Chinese Army, and won the presidency by criticizing the continued presence of Russian, Japanese and other foreign troops on "rightful Chinese soil."
Furthermore, there are concerns about an energy crisis. An aetheric generator can only generate so much electrical power at a time, and as machines become more power-hungry and populations soar, the new generators cannot keep up. Alternatives in the form of atomic fission are being considered, but the theory on nuclear science is still being debated. On Mars itself, telescopes revealed signs of major fighting on the planet. Most believe that it is a civil war or a slave revolt instigated by the British invasion. However, others theorize that Mars itself may be under attack, from an even greater alien force. Will there be a new war of the worlds? Only time will tell.
[1] Napoleon IV didn't die in the Anglo-Zulu War. He was killed by the Martians in London, but not before fathering a son.
---
No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's and yet as mortal as his own. Yet across the gulf of space, minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of the beasts that perish, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us. And early in the twentieth century came the great disillusionment. The Martian invasion devastated the United Kingdom. Although the Martians were ultimately brought down by the humblest creatures on the planet, bacteria, before they could they had managed to strike a massive blow against the Earth's dominant power. This was the plan of the Martians all along, to show the humans that resistance would be futile by humbling their most powerful society, but they underestimated their opponents. A League of Nations was formed, composed of every great power on Earth, and through this forum the human powers attempted to resolve their disputes peacefully, and with some success.
The British Empire rose again, and when it did, it was stronger than ever. The technology the Martians left behind was studied intensely, and while some secrets remained beyond human understanding, others were pried from the decaying hulks of the Martian machines. The synthesis of energy from the surrounding aether in space gradually replaced steam, allowing for much of the other Martian technologies to find use. The Martians' cannons, powered by electromagnetic forces, was used first, and the first British man landed on the Moon in 1908. The heat-ray, the aetheric engine, even counter-gravity were perfected through by the 1910s, paired with developments such as the machine gun and synthesis of new chemicals, and allowed the British to become an even greater superpower than they were before. Artificial intelligences, no smarter than a dog, were developed in the 1920s, and gradually replaced both the conscript on the field of battle and the worker in the factory. Automation alienated the industry-reliant Scottish and northerners, whose poverty was ignored by a government focused more on unlocking more secrets. The British guarded these secrets jealously, but they inevitably found their way into the outside world.
As the British rebuilt their country, they turned away from the affairs on the European continent. What gain would the British people get in meddling in the affairs of Earth, when the Martian threat still existed? And what did the British owe the Germans, French or Russians, all of them potential rivals for the Empire no matter how a European war turned out? With the British steadfastly against interfering in Europe, the great alliances began to fear their chances of actually winning a war. True, the immediate enemy may be defeated in short order, but what if the British - or worse, the Martians - take advantage of the victor's exhaustion? And the destruction of England showed all of Europe the possible fate of the continent should such weapons be unleashed in a great war. Thus, the great powers of Europe went through extraordinary lengths to prevent war. As the Ottoman Empire decayed, there was fear of war between the Russians and Germans, but eventually the gradual breakdown of the Ottoman Empire was settled through negotiation. Serbia's dreams for a Yugoslavia were crushed by a St. Petersburg unwilling to risk war with Germany, even though the French promised to join any Russian war against Germany. The Austrian Empire itself fell in the 1930s, and was gobbled up by the German Empire. This almost caused a Europe-wide, but luckily it was averted. Another potential cause for war was the colonization of the Moon, which led to friction between the British and the other great powers of the world.
Elsewhere in the world, the great powers prepared for a potential war with Mars in their own way. By using captured Martian technology and applying it to their growing industrial economy, the United States quickly became the behemoth of the New World. American influence spread throughout Latin America, and smaller tripods proved useful in chasing down Mexican revolutionaries during the Second Mexican-American War. Although traditionally having a small military, the Americans armed themselves to the teeth right after the first Martian invasion, expecting to be the next target of the hostile aliens.
In the East, the Japanese attempted to expand their empire. Desperate for resources to power their growing economy, and with a massive military made in response to the Martian invasion, the Japanese quickly got into conflicts with its neighbors. A war with Russia was averted via treaty, and Russian and Japanese spheres of influence were carved out of China. After the 1915 Revolution toppled the Chinese Empire, the Japanese attempted further expansion into China, first by imposing unequal treaties upon China, then by using local warlords as proxies for their interests. While the European powers paid little heed to this activity, the Japanese continued on their path to expansion. A Second Sino-Japanese War started in the 1920s, and the Republic found itself a ready ally in the United States. For nearly a decade, the Japanese attempted to crush the Chinese, but fears of starting a war with the European powers prevented them from bringing all of their firepower to bear against the Chinese. In 1928, the Japanese finally withdrew from China after the pro-war factions were thrown out of power in the Diet.
On the Moon, the human powers gradually established colonies, as they had in Africa and Asia. The native Selenites, an ant-like species, lived underground and, apart from momentary contact with the humans, largely kept to themselves. The human powers instead focused on turning the Moon into a fortress against a possible Martian attack, and the far side quickly became dotted with military bases. Controversy arose as the British attempted to build military bases on the near side of the Moon, as that could be used to target other human powers. Eventually, the great powers agreed that no military bases would be built on the near side.
In the 1930s, a nationalist British government attempted what was largely considered a radical wish: a counter-attack against the Martians. The British constructed massive rockets to transport their invasion force, and even asked if the rest of the world wished to participate in the invasion, but the global community ultimately declined. Initially, the attack went well, as the Martians were ill-prepared for defending their homeworld, even with several months' warning as the British spacecraft made their way to Mars. There, they found evidence that Martian society was highly dependent on their technology, to the point that civilians could not even flee because of the heavy machinery they were attached to. The Martian government appeared to be decentralized, as the British attacked and successfully captured the largest settlements, but could not find any clear signs of government buildings from which officials may be found and forced to agree to surrender terms.
It was also revealed that the Martians encountered during their invasion of Earth were merely at the top of a hierarchy. Corpses of previously-unknown Martians were encountered in areas the Martian military abandoned, drained of blood, and eventually these Martians were captured. These Martians were humanoid, but tall, and had green skin and six limbs. Most interesting was an ancient carving which revealed that the octopoid Martians that most people were familiar with were not the original inhabitants of Mars, but rather came from a destroyed world that once orbited between Mars and Jupiter.
Far from home and incapable of supplying themselves, the British were eventually defeated. The Martians succeeded in using what remained of their cylinder launchers to destroy the orbiting British invasion fleet. The stranded troops on Mars were given orders to stand their ground until reinforcements and supplies could be sent, but before the British could reinforce their troops, the entire force was destroyed by the Martians. As news of this defeat spread, the government attempted to stamp it out, but it was not enough. It became clear to many families that their fathers, brothers and sons would not be returning, and that their government had led them to a pointless war. The Empire broke down, as the various dominions of the Empire refused to give up their troops for a counter-attack. The stratification of society led to Scotland and northern England being full of resentful workers, and with the assistance of a population that had no faith in the nationalist government after the Martian defeat, brought down the British government after a series of strikes and riots. Scotland itself became independent, but still shared the English monarchy, and the Empire was reformed into a more decentralized Commonwealth of Nations.
The 1940s saw the decline of the British Empire as the dominant power, and the heating up of tensions on Earth. With the Martians and British bloodied, and the technological gap between the British and the rest of the world all but closed, the great powers became bolder. Russia and Britain faced off in Central Asia, China and Japan threatened a renewal of hostilities, as did the Germans and the Franco-Russian Entente. The French and British gradually reduced their colonial empires by spinning off friendly states, in an attempt to decrease spending there and prepare for war. The League of Nations became more fractured, as the great powers were less willing to bend to their rivals' desires in the name of peace. The great powers also constructed mass drivers throughout their territory, both to defend themselves against the Martians and against a possible orbital attack from their rivals. However, there were joint human expeditions to Venus, where the native Venusians were fighting their Martian overlords. The League of Nations supported the Venusians, and by 1948, the Martian forces on the planet were starting to lose.
By 1950, the British Empire has well and truly seen the zenith of its power. While it still has a major military, particularly in space, the British are no longer the masters of the world. Their military has been humbled, and the idea of foreign adventures is no longer palatable to most British citizens. Skepticism of government has risen since the fall of the nationalist government, although the major political parties - the Conservatives and the Liberals - cannot seem to get their act together. The rising Labour Party is starting to become more popular, particularly as they have taken credit for bringing down the nationalists. The Commonwealth is a very decentralized organization, one that is breaking down further as its members demand more autonomy.
In Europe, the German-led Central Alliance and the Russo-French Entente stare each other down, as war seems to be on the horizon. The German Empire is now a multi-ethnic empire, with the Germans above everyone, and many non-Germans are unhappy about it. The Kaiser, Wilhelm III, is an aging man who is frequently manipulated by his General Staff, who themselves are eager to gain glory through a quick war against the French. The Reichstag is dominated by conservative parties, although no one party can maintain a coalition given the myriad interests represented in German politics. Germany's allies, Italy and Spain, are even more politically volatile, and militarily inept. The Spanish had to put down a communist revolt in Barcelona in 1949, and the Italians have jailed an entire mob of nationalists who attempted to overthrow the government in Rome.
The French and the Russians aren't doing much better. The Third French Empire, the product of another constitutional crisis in the 1920s, is starting to lose the support of the people. Emperor Napoleon V[1], like Wilhelm III, is no longer the man he once was, and the French generals who make up his inner circle are just as eager for a victory as their German rivals. In Russia, Tsar Alexander IV just narrowly averted an anarchist assassination attempt, and is busy crushing the perpetrators. In Russia, the Tsar is still the absolute ruler, and the Revolutions of 1903 and 1924 ultimately amounted to nothing. Alexander IV is also considering the possibility of a short victory against Germany as a possible way of rallying the people around him.
The United States continues on as the giant in the West, but internally its society is starting to crumble. The Republicans and the Progressives move further and further away from one another, and as money is essential to winning elections, some of the former's more radical members are breaking away and demanding revolution. America's industrialists do not have to listen to all but the most powerful unions, as automation has kept up with demand, and a growing underclass of unemployed is starting to demand opportunities from the government. The welfare system, implemented by the Progressives in their early years, does not go far enough, say the Progressives of the 1950s, and goes too far, say the Republicans; what is important is that nobody is happy with it, and nobody can agree on how to reform it. America's Latin American adventures are also taking their toll, as broadcast pictures allow footage of the war in Mexico to reach homes across the country. The younger generations are starting to question the status quo, and demand more changes that neither party are willing to make.
In Japan, a new wave of militarism is starting to rise. Believing that the Japanese were cheated of their divine right during the Second Sino-Japanese War, the new militarists are demanding that the Japanese government take a harder stance against the West and to expand its military, which they argue is woefully ill-prepared for a Martian war. On the other side of the East China Sea, the Republic of China's government has become a corrupt democracy, dominated by President Chung Zhensheng. Chung was once a general in the Chinese Army, and won the presidency by criticizing the continued presence of Russian, Japanese and other foreign troops on "rightful Chinese soil."
Furthermore, there are concerns about an energy crisis. An aetheric generator can only generate so much electrical power at a time, and as machines become more power-hungry and populations soar, the new generators cannot keep up. Alternatives in the form of atomic fission are being considered, but the theory on nuclear science is still being debated. On Mars itself, telescopes revealed signs of major fighting on the planet. Most believe that it is a civil war or a slave revolt instigated by the British invasion. However, others theorize that Mars itself may be under attack, from an even greater alien force. Will there be a new war of the worlds? Only time will tell.
[1] Napoleon IV didn't die in the Anglo-Zulu War. He was killed by the Martians in London, but not before fathering a son.
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Nice musical reference!