USA 2002 in 1942 section 1

__TOC__
While ISOT American 2002 is the 2002 US transported to 1942 it can serve as a rough template on how the Infopunk and Dieselpunk Earths interact. The formatting at the source archive has issues and so the piece is provided here. Due to its size it is broken up into chapters as it originally was when it appeared on usenet.
Written by Dave Knudson
*USA 2002 in 1942 section 1
*USA 2002 in 1942 section 2
*USA 2002 in 1942 section 3
*USA 2002 in 1942 section 4
*USA 2002 in 1942 section 5
*USA 2002 in 1942 section 6
*USA 2002 in 1942 section 7
*USA 2002 in 1942 section 8
==USA 2002 in 1942 Part 1==
At 4:00 EST AM March 13, 2002, the lower 48 states of the United States of America is surrounded by a wall of white light, which lasts approximately 3 minutes. The wall of light vanishes at 4:03 EST AM, without doing any apparent damage. The wall of light is visible to all coastal and land border residents of the US, but due to the hour,
very few people actually see it. The event is captured on numerous cameras, and US satellites that happened to be over CONUS at the time also record the event.
As reports filter in, NORAD contacts the Pentagon, informs them of the "wall of light", and the subsequent lack of contact with any US or allied military assets outside the continental United States. For the duration of the event, no US scanners, radar, or other detection means within CONUS can detect anything at all outside CONUS. As soon as the event clears, NORAD is able to monitor outside of CONUS again - however no US assets seem to exist beyond the range of CONUS.
At 4:10 AM EST, President George Bush is wakened by the Secret Service, and hustled off to Marine 1, which takes him to Andrews. He is briefed by phone by the duty officers at the Pentagon and Cheyenne Mountain. Though no damage to the United States has occurred, and there is no indication of an attack, there is no contact with anything
outside of CONUS, including Air Force 2, with Vice-President Cheney on board. Additionally, there is no explanation for the "wall of light" many people are reporting. Both duty officers recommend an upgrade of the nation's defence posture to DEFCON 2. Bush agrees, and all continental US military forces are placed on alert.
By 4:29 AM, Bush is boarding Air Force 1, and the situation is even more confused. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin Powell, as well as other cabinet and military leaders, who are gathering in, or en-route to the Situation Room at the White House, join the Pentagon and NORAD duty officers in contact with Bush.
The NSA is reporting that all overseas, Alaskan and Hawaiian stations are down, but that signal intercepts are being gathered. Unfortunately, these intercepts make little sense.
NASA reports that between 4:00 AM EST and 4:03 AM EST "something" happened, but they are unable to provide any data on what that "something" might be. They do report that 90% of US satellites are unresponsive, and that they have no contact with any of their global tracking stations outside CONUS. The only satellites they do have contact with were those that happened to be over CONUS between 4:00 and 4:03.
Bush, with memories of 9/11, orders all planes (except for military planes) grounded, and all ships to remain in port. Five US CVN carrier groups are in port; 2 are ordered from Norfolk to put to sea in the Atlantic; 1 is ordered into the Pacific from San Diego. The Air Force is ordered to CAP major US cities.
Meanwhile, Chester Nimitz in Hawaii is alerted. US Naval Intelligence at Pearl Harbor has lost all contact with the mainland. Fearing sabotage as a prelude to a Japanese invasion, the two US infantry divisions on Oahu are alerted. Contact with the British in Australia, the remaining US forces besieged in the Philippines, and the Canadians at Vancouver is fine, so the technicians at Pearl are confused. If sabotage cut off the islands, then they should be unable to contact anyone; yet only the links to CONUS are down.
Similarly, Dwight D. EisenhowerI don't know if Ike was even in Britain at the time. I don't think he commander of anything until TORCH, but I'm not sure. who is enjoying breakfast with his British counterparts in London, is informed both by US Army Intelligence and the British that all contact with CONUS has been lost. Additionally, very strange reports have been heard from Canadians living near the US border - something about a wall of light. Alarmed, Churchill orders a Royal Navy squadron from Halifax to investigate, while Eisenhower contacts the US Naval attaché.
By 5:45 AM EST, the situation is even more confused for Bush on Air Force 1, by this time over Indiana. Two F-15s are escorting the President's plane. NSA signal intercepts are clearer, after frantic technicians retuned their equipment to the AM band. Strange reports of fighting in the Philippines, and the "Soviet Union" are heard, as well as broadcast from the BBC, and, amazingly, the US Armed Forced radio, reporting from Britain. Bush orders the Air Force to over fly Canada, Mexico, and Cuba.
At 5:56 AM EST, on board U-431, Captain Gunter von Seechkt can't believe his eyes. An enormous merchant ships, ablaze with navigational lights is just sitting outside of New York harbor. U-431 was just arriving, and although von Seechkt had heard reports that the Americans had lousy convoying - this was too much to believe. He orders an attack.
The freighter, the Panamian-registered Star of Colon is halted due to Bush's orders. Carrying fruits and coffee from South America, it never sees the three torpedoes that hit it. Damage control functions reasonably well, and the captain is able to contact the US Coast Guard. When the next two torpedoes from U-431 hit, they are seen coming in. Before abandoning his sinking vessel, the captain does report that he's been attacked by a submarine.
By 6:10 AM, reports from the Star of Colon are coupled with those from Detroit, Buffalo, Sarnia, El Paso, and other border locations. Mexico and Canada have changed. Bridges in Detroit going over to Windsor, Ontario end abruptly mid-river. The cities themselves have changed - Windsor is unrecognisable, as are cities border towns and cities in Mexico. US Customs agents on the border report roads that just end at the border.
Bush is isolated aboard Air Force 1 - the Secret Service hustled him there with little ceremony. Contact with the Situation Room is maintained, however. Bush orders the borders sealed, and all air contacts warned off from US airspace. Satellite links are largely down, and an awakening America is finding its cell phones and direct TV not working. CNN and other major news organizations are cut off from their non-CONUS subsidiaries, and Americans are becoming aware that something is really, really wrong. Two more merchantmen are torpedoed by U-Boats almost within sight of the US East Coast, and the Coast Guard scrambled to respond.
By 7:23 AM EST, the USS Eisenhower battle group has put to sea from Norfolk. With reports of sub attacks from three points along the US East coast, the group starts active ASW measures, along with a CAP. Almost immediately sonar and other means detect unknown submarines up and down the coast. The ASW personnel note that these subs are very slow and very noisy.
One of the subs is within five miles of the group. Contacting the CNO at the Pentagon, who contacts Bush, the group is authorized to defend itself. ASROC missiles from an escorting destroyer are fired, acquire the German submarine almost immediately and sink it at 7:32 AM EST.
By 8:00 AM EST, four hours after the event, the world is very confused. In the United States, there is a sense of unreality, similar to 9/11. Most people can't tell anything has happened, but almost unbelievable reports from CNN, and stony silence from the White House is lending a sense of panic to the air. Rumours of military manoeuvres, aliens, and nuclear war abound. Local TV from places like Detroit and Buffalo are broadcasting simply unbelievable
pictures from Canada, and late-run pictures of the Wall of Light lend to wild speculation. Political pundits are speechless, and only a small group of people - mainly kooks who hang out on the 'net on weird places like alternate history lists begin to suggest time-travel.
The rest of the world is also confused, but not with the same sense of urgency. Only in Canada are stunned residents really aware of the change, and frantic attempts from Windsor to explain Detroit's Renaissance center are met with disbelief in Ottawa and London.
At 8:15 AM, a small cabin on Air Force 1, Bush addresses the nation. He is clear, concise, and calm. Something has happened, and the situation is confusing. A "Wall of Light" surrounded the continental United States, and the world seems to have changed. The government is investigating, and has no clear answers yet. There are confused reports of fighting from around the world, but the government can confirm nothing, and urges all Americans to remain calm. Bush announces that all banks are closed, and all wages and prices are frozen until further notice. He urges all Americans to remain in their homes, and stay attentive to news reports. Bush signs off, and orders Air Force 1 to return to Washington.
At 9:30 AM EST, two Canadian spitfires are detected by radar approaching the Quebec-Vermont border. Two F-16s are scrambled from Logan AFB, and intercept them short of the border. No voice contact is made, but the spitfires quickly retreat from the mysterious rocket planes. One of the F-16 pilots is a history buff, and he recognizes the Spitfire, which is reported to Bush.
At 9:45 AM, the Mayor of Buffalo, New York crosses over to Canada. He is met by stunned Canadians. He gets a newspaper, which reports the date as March 13, 1942, and is filled with war news. He crosses back to Buffalo, where he shows the paper to stunned reporters.
By 11:30 AM, Bush is back in the situation room. Thousands of incidents of people crossing the border have been reported. In a hurried conference with his science advisors, Powell, Rumsfled, National Security Advisor Rice, and NASA, Bush concludes that the continental United States has been transported back to 1942.
He arrives at this conclusion much more quickly than does the rest of the world. The US forces overseas, mainly in the Pacific and Britain have no real idea of what's happening. The Germans and Japanese are, by this time, aware something is going on, but they're not sure what. Stalin is informed that all contact has been lost with Soviet agents in America.
Churchill, who informs him of the fantastic reports coming from Canada, contacts Stalin. The nominal allies agree that more information is needed, and Eisenhower contacts Nimitz, in Hawaii, who agrees to send a task force built around the USS Hornet to the West Coast. A Royal Navy taskforce, built around the battleships King George V and Renown, formerly on convoy duty, is already en route to the US from Halifax.
==USA 2002 in 1942 Part 2==
By 12:00 noon EST March 13, eight hours after the wall of light, the government of the 2002 United States of America is aware that something unbelievable has happened - that the continental 48 states of the union have been somehow transported back to the year 1942.
The stunned government can barely respond - and when it does, its automatic responses only. Bush federalizes the National Guard, and orders the borders sealed - for real this time. No one in, no one out. Both Rumsfeld and Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge say that this is virtually impossible, but they can try.
Colin Powell points out that in 1942, the United States was at war with a great many countries - Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and Fascist Italy being the big three enemies. However, the 2002 United States is not at war with them. Additionally, the United States has commitments to wage war in concert with allies - most importantly the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union. At this Condoleelzza Rice points out that the USSR is currently led by one
Joseph Stalin, a man many consider to be on par with Hitler for pure evil.
Before Bush can comment on this, Rumsfeld breaks in again. The navy has reported sinking 2 submarines - suspected Nazi U-Boats at this point, and that three merchant vessels have been torpedoed. Rice again speaks - saying that early 1942 were a "happy time" for German U-Boats off the US East Coast. Bush asks about the vulnerability of both civilian and military shipping. No one speaks for a minute, and Rumsfeld sends for an expert on World War II.
CIA chief George Tenet breaks in. Signal intercepts from the NSA indicate heavy fighting around the world - as one would expect in early 1942. There is some indication that Britain and 1942 US military forces outside CONUS know something is wrong, and a large force of surface ships is approaching the Northeast coast. The ships are believed to be British.
Bush asked about contacting Winston Churchill, or even 1942 US military forces in Hawaii and the UK, and is informed that technicians are working on it. Press Secretary Ari Flieschman points out that speculation in the press is rampant, and it won't take people long to figure out what's going on. Bush tells him to schedule an address to the nation for 2:30 that afternoon.
It's late in the day in London, and Churchill has called an emergency session of his war council, and asked the US Ambassador Joe Kennedy and Eisenhower to sit it on it, along with the Soviet ambassador. Churchill informs them that all contact with the United States has been lost, but that contact with US territories, like Alaska, Hawaii, and the Philippines is available. No reports of natural disasters have been delivered, but that frankly insane reports
are coming from the US-Canadian border of huge buildings and strange people. Additionally, strange planes and even auto-rotors (helicopters) have been seen. A Royal Navy task force is steaming south from Halifax, and should know something by tomorrow. Churchill also reports that the US Navy has dispatched a task force from Pearl Harbor to the West Coast. It will be at least three days before anything is known from it.
Before that, however, news is expected. Admiral Nimitz has dispatched long-range flying boats - Catalinas - with the
range to reach the west coast. They should arrive within a few hours, and issue a report.
Air Marshall Dowding reports that two Canadian spitfires already sent to reconnoitre the US were turned back by fantastic rocket planes. They did report the mysterious planes as having US markings - but were also marked as belonging to the "US Air Force". Churchill turns to Ike, but Eisenhower can give no explanation - all land-based US military aircraft are a part of the US Army Air Corps, and he's never heard of the "US Air Force".
For now, Churchill decides, the war will continue as normal. There is extreme concern about the battle of the Atlantic, and that the Germans and Italians under Rommel will continue a major push towards Cairo. In Russia, the winter is clearing, and both Soviet and British intelligence believe the Germans will continue their push on Moscow. The news from the Far East continues to be depressing in the extreme - the American in the Philippines are now hopelessly cut off with the destruction of the ABDA naval assets in the NEI.
In Berlin, Hitler meets with his military advisors. Canaris advises him "something" has happened regarding the United States. German agents in the UK report that the British have been going bananas all day trying to figure out what's going on. German intelligence also reports that all US radio stations that they could monitor have gone off the air - except for those outside the United States.
Hitler is genuinely confused. He grows more so when Grand Admiral Raeder advises him that a strong British naval taskforce has been ordered off convoy duty from Halifax to "investigate" the US northeast. Hitler is surprised by this, and sends for his astrologer.	
At 2:30 PM EST, George Bush goes on TV from the Oval Office. He advises Americans that the government is still investigating what happened, but that some preliminary facts are in.
* One, that the "Wall of Light" remains unidentified.
* Two, that reports of nuclear war are false.
* Three, that as far as the US government can tell, the Continental United States has been transported back in time to 1942. He says that the government is unable to explain this, but that the transport did not cause any damage.
* Four, that World War II is raging with Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. He confirms the reports of the three merchantmen sunk that morning off the east coast, and advises Americans to avoid the water - for now. He also advises Americans that significant military assets were also transported with the US, and that he is extremely confident that the military can keep the country safe while the government continues its investigation.
* Five, that the stock market will remained closed until further notice. The emergency wage and price controls remain in place, and Americans in vital jobs are to report to work.
* Six, that he is declaring a national state of emergency, and that all military reservists are to report for duty.
Reaction across the country is mixed. Riots break out in some supermarkets, as people rush to hoard food. There is a run on banks, and disorder when people can't get to their money. Several governors request that Bush let them retain control of some units of the National Guard to contain civil disorder, and Bush agrees. Major military units are ordered to be deployed to some cities.
Bush is in the situation room again by 3:00 PM. Several experts on World War II have been located, and join the Cabinets, Majority Leader Daschle, and the rest of the National Security Council, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff and several scientists.
Bush speaks to the NASA chief first. The chief says he can offer no explanation for what has happened, and that he has no way of telling if it will happen again. None of the scientists can offer an explanation either. It was clearly the work of an intelligence, however, one of the scientists says. How so, asks Bush. The event transported back only the United States. The national boundaries are arbitrary lines - drawn by humans. There is no natural boundary between North Dakota and Manitoba - it's just an imaginary line. Therefore, it must have been a deliberate act.
Bush ponders this, and then dismisses it. There's no way we can address this now, he says, and anything with the power to transport an entire country back in time is far beyond our capabilities to impact anyway. What he wants is a plan of action for right now.
Several people speak at once. Bush holds up his hand to quiet them, and then points at Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham. Abraham is as confused as anyone else, but points out that the biggest problem facing the nation is oil. Bush is an oilman, so he listens intently. The United States imports oil - it has to, there's not enough domestic production to meet demand. Domestic production can be increased, but eventually more will have to be found. The SPR - Strategic Petroleum reserve can be tapped, but several military people
look unhappy with that.
Luckily, Abraham points out, we know where to find oil. Several fields in the western hemisphere - tapped out by 2002 - are available, and the Middle East has oil as well. Enough tankers are in port to transport the oil.
Through the German Navy, asks Rumsfeld. Bush turns to his military people. After consulting with the JCS and his commanders, Rumsfeld lists assets. Six regular army divisions are available, and five complete carrier battle groups. Several thousand aircraft are also available, as are the ICBMs and several squadrons of B-52, B-1, B-2 and other bombers. With the activation of reserves, another 14 divisions can be brought on-line in the next two months.
As far as intel, most of the US Satellite network is mostly unavailable, but some birds do remain. The NSA is collating Intel from them. It is evident that heavy fighting is occurring in the USSR and North Africa, as well as the Philippines and China. The Eisenhower and Constellation carrier battle groups off the East coast report contact with 52 unidentified submarines, presumably Nazi U-Boats. There are also contacts from the Stennis off the West Coast, these are presumably 1942 US boats. Additionally, the Truman remains in Norfolk and the Theodore Roosevelt is in San Francisco. The venerable Nimitz is undergoing an overhaul at Newport News. The Ronald Reagan is scheduled for completion is the next few months. All other US carriers were deployed, mostly in support of Enduring Freedom.
Bush nods. What to do then? An immediate babble starts up, and COS Andrew Card motions for silence. Bush nods at Powell. The US, said Powell, has an obligation to fight Hitler. Technically, by waging war, both Germany and Japan are in violation of their 1945 surrender terms. Someone points out that they haven't surrendered, so aren't those documents invalid.
Powell starts to reply, but Bush cuts him off. The United States will fight, he says. He looks to Daschle, and asks him to call a joint session of Congress, which Bush will address tomorrow. Meanwhile, Bush orders official contact made with Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom (Churchill is a personal hero of his) and all overseas 1942 US military forces, primarily Pearl Harbor.
For the rest of the day the country settles down. With no evident immediate threat to life and limb, people for the most part enjoy a day off. Not so at the National Training Center in California. Two battalions of the Israeli 5th Armored division had just had their butts handed to them (again) by the aggressor force - US troops specially trained on Russian equipment. Like everyone else, the Wall of Light had shocked the Israelis. They too had listened in stunned disbelief to Bush's press conferences.
They heard 1942, and they heard "Nazis"...
==USA 2002 in 1942 Part 3==
Canadian, Mexican, Cuban, and British radio stations were able to detect US AM transmissions. Local listeners weren't able to make much sense of them, until Bush's 2:30 press conference, carried live by several AM stations. Even with the reports coming from places like Windsor and Niagara, the situation was too "War of the Worlds" for most people - they remembered Orson Wells, and weren't going to be fooled again.
However, by 4:00 PM EST (10:00 PM in the UK), transcripts of the press conference "President Bush" had held were in London, Rome, Berlin, Tokyo, and Moscow. Both Allied and Axis intelligence services were going bananas trying to figure out what was going on.
Churchill, who'd been in an emergency meeting all day, was going over the transcript (for the 9th time) with various people, when a call came in. Using some powerful transmitter, President Bush of the United States of America was on the wireless. There's a moment of collective shock at #10 Downing street, and then Churchill indicated the set be brought it.
After some static, George Bush is talking to Winston Churchill. Though warned that this was open line by the British, the Americans don't seem concerned. Sir Christopher Meyer, British ambassador to the US was with Bush, and Ike and Joe Kennedy were with Churchill.
There were some confused words, and an agreement that a face-to-face meeting was imperative. Churchill invites Bush to Britain, which Bush is agreeable to, but others convince them that it would be better for Churchill to come to Washington. Churchill can use available British transport to get to the US, but Colin Powell recommends using a US jet. An older Boeing 727 (it is feared no runway in 1942 Britain could land a 747) that the State Department used for ferrying important diplomats around is readied at Andrews. The 727 has enough range to get to Britain and back (since there's no jet fuel in the UK). Air Marshall Dowding is worried about escorting the plane, as the Germans were undoubtedly listening. A US admiral with Bush shrugs. No big deal. The 727 can out run anything the Germans have, and the Ike carrier group will be in range to provide air cover in a day or so.
Churchill agrees - over the objections of his security people. The plane will leave in 24 hours, to give the Ike time to get into position. The US Secretary of State will ride the plane as well.
In Berlin, the Germans were listening to that, and a multitude of other conversations from America. Most are completely bewildering, but almost all are scathingly anti-Nazi. Many of the radio stations are call-in stations, and the condemnations heaped down on the head of Hitler and others in the Nazi hierarchy are - strong - to say the least.
In particular, the Germans note many Americans talking about "death camps" - and - worse - naming them. Many Americans, both Jews and others, are demanding immediate action to liberate those camps. There are many calls for the use of nuclear weapons. Most German listeners have no idea what a "nuclear" weapon is - except that it can't be good.
In Moscow, the NKVD isn't much happier. The vast majority of the transmissions from America seem to be strongly anti-Nazi, which is good, but a small, very vocal minority is anti-Stalin. Several stations carry history discussions, and note that Soviet repression grew after the 1945 surrender of the Germans. Several people recommend crushing the Soviet Union as soon as Germany is defeated. Beria, who is personally monitoring the situation for Stalin, calls for immediate emergency session of the Politburo.
In Tokyo, the Japanese are still very confused. They aren't getting all the same information. The Americans are talking about the Bataan Death March, and Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Japanese have no idea why those particular cities would interest the Americans.
The Imperial Japanese Navy was preparing for a strike against the British in Ceylon. New orders are sent - the Combined Fleet is to gather at Truk for possible future operations against Hawaii.
Bush has another meeting - this time with his economic advisors. A growing sense of urgency has gripped them. The US economy could be a shambles very quickly, they warn. The US economy was tightly integrated with the global economy. Many US firms, and, therefore US jobs were dependent on overseas trade. That trade is gone. Furthermore, US dependency on gasoline to run the economy is also high. Gas rationing is probably necessary.
Fed chairman Alan Greenspan, and others recommend that several steps be taken: One, that all US reservists be called up - thus removing a large number of people from the employment pool. Two, that the stock market remain closed until the US economy stabilizes. Three, that the government freeze all prices. Four, that banks limit what cash they give their borrowers. Five, that the US federal government embark on an immediate program of public works, and military expansion to employ America's labor force.
Bush is concerned. This smacks of socialism in his mind, and he fears that military expansion coupled with massive public works will bankrupt the government. Not to worry, says Greenspan. In the long term, the prospects for the US economy are golden. The whole world will be dependent on US tech, US business practices, and US expertise.
The US is poised to be even wealthier than it was - after some short and medium term pain.
At 4:15 AM EST, March 14, 1942, Convoy PQ-17 en-route from Halifax to Liverpool is attacked by a German u-boat wolfpack. Frantic calls from the convoy to the British navy for help are intercepted by the NSA. They inform the JCS, who informs the President. Bush doesn't hesitate - the Ike is on a few hundred miles away. The US Navy is ordered to render assistance.
By 5:15, two merchantmen have been sunk, and another is ablaze as the dawn sky begins to brighten. Two F-18s from the Ike overfly the convoy - stunning the crews of the remaining ships with their appearance. They report the situation, and several Sea Stallions are dispatched to the area. Additionally, P-3c Orions are on the way.
SACLANT in Norfolk is on the wireless with the Admiralty. After a call from Churchill, the admiralty orders PQ-17 to turn south, towards the Ike. Other German wolfpacks are converging, and the sonar from the US ships should be able to track them.
By 7:30 EST, Navy helicopters are conducting S&R for the convoy victims, and others are hunting the subs. 1942 German subs prove ridiculously easy to find, and the Orions and helos are able to kill several. The crews of the merchant ships and escorts are unable to believe the sights they are seeing.
One of the escorts is the 1942 US destroyer Campbell. Aggressively hunting the subs, it is contacted by the Ike. It is ordered to proceed at high speed to link up with the carrier group. The admiral in charge needs a "local" expert to help him with this crazy situation, and the Campbell just got elected.
Bush is informed of the "battle" in the Atlantic, and calls another military conference. He wants to know the situation. The briefing is more like a history lesson than anything else. In the USSR, the Germans are preparing to launch an offensive against the Caucasus oil. In Egypt, the British and Rommel's Afrika Corps are locked in a death struggle for Cairo. In the Far East, the Japanese are over-running what would become Indonesia, and have 20,000 US and Phillipino troops isolated in Bataan.
Bush wants to know if anything can be done in the Philippines. Not quickly, is the answer. With no bases capable of supporting them, no assets can be staged from CONUS. The Army has been in contact with MacArthur, in Australia, and wants to know what to do.
An Air Force general recommends having them surrender - if they'll even accept orders from Bush. They gain the US nothing by continuing to fight, and it's unlikely that the US can get help to them in time to make a difference. Bush ponders that. Meanwhile, he orders all reserves activated, and a recruitment drive to raise more troops. The generals blanche at this - if it really is 1942, then existing US troops should be enough to win. Bush orders them to recruit more troops anyway - his concern is economic, not military.
Colin Powell and George Bush have brief meeting with the 2002 ambassadors from Japan, Germany and Italy. They are friendly, as 48 hours ago all three nations were staunch US allies. The ambassadors, who'd talked to each other before this meeting present a united front to Bush and Powell.
They understand that the situation is insane, and that the US has an obligation to affect "regime changes" in their countries. Their concerns are for civilian casualties, and, in particular, about the use of nuclear weapons.
Bush and Powell are sympathetic. Yes, the regime change will take place. Yes, the US will minimize casualties as much as it can. No, no use of nuclear weapons is planned, but it remains an option to the United States should a conventional military operation go sour. Furthermore, the US government is counting on the ambassadors and staffs of the embassies to provide guidance and advice in the tough days ahead.
The ambassadors thank the President, and leave. On the way out, the German ambassador asks what the US is planning to do about Stalin. Not Russia, but Stalin. Powell and Bush look at each other. This is another question to be answered.
Bush's address to Congress is full of the kind of high-minded language and oratory typical of historic moments. Bush is unable to offer any explanation for what has happened, but states that reality can not be ignored. Adolph Hitler is alive, and killing millions. The US has a historic and moral obligation to stop him, and the US will. Already, Bush informs them, the US Navy is engaged against German submarines in the Atlantic.
Bush outlines his plan. With America's ally Britain, the US will defeat the true "Axis of Evil" as quickly as possible. America's vast technological lead assures victory, Bush said, and this time the war won't last until 1945. Severe economic shocks will hit the country, and Bush assures Congress and the American people that the administration has a plan to deal with this. However, for now, banks will remain closed, and gas rationing will be implemented.
In closing, Bush asks for formal declarations of war against the Axis powers. He closes on a religious note: Might this event have been the work of the almighty, who has given America the chance to right the terrible wrongs of the last sixty years? Can we turn our backs, asks Bush, on a world where this is so much more injustice than anyone can remember? With America's leadership, humanity can face a new dawn of hope, and a future of promise.
In Berlin, German intelligence hears this. Hitler and his advisors meet. In Moscow, the NKVD can not help but notice the only ally mentioned was Britain. The anti-Stalin rhetoric from US radio stations has not abetted.
At the NTC in California, the officers of the two Israeli battalions have a brief meeting. They would not wait, it was decided. The Nazis were killing Jews now. They would leave California now. Too bad they couldn't take their tanks...
==Notes==
Category:ISOT American 2002
Category:Timelines