History of the World XI - 11 o'clock, one hour before doomsday! [Story Thread]

[condor223]

After much international discussion, The Byzantine Emperor was able to launch a working meeting with the world leaders after several weeks of frustrating attempts to gather.

[Robert]

Rabbi Akiva and the stolen Shrine

Rabbi Akiva was born in Ethiopia.
He was raised in a Jewish family and became very interested in the Torah.
He studied Judaism from his early days and became a well known Rabbi in Ethiopia, and later on all over the world.



He soon became known as one of the great jewish prophets.
He heard of the Islamitic massacres and problems in America and decided to travel to the United Towns of America to spread the news of Judaism among the muslims. He hoped to bring peace to the home nation of Islam and bring peace to the rest of the world as well.

Eventhough Islam was over it's peak, there were still high numbers of so called fundamentalists who were hoping for the return of Martin van Buren, to continue their Jihad. "The last battle", as they believe, would happen at the end of time, when Martin van Buren would descent from heaven, like he ascended just before of the end of the first Jihad. Martin van Buren would lead the forces of Islam and spread it all over the world, and all nations would obey Allah for all eternity, and those who would not would perish in the fires of hell. Martin van Buren would burn down their cities and their children would be murdered before they could walk the wrong paths of anti-Islamism.

Rabbi Akiva was worried about these teachings, and hoped to bring rest and peace to the world, by spreading the message of Judaism to America.

When he arrived in America, he settled in the city of New Boston. (New Boston was relocated in the ancient times, after the dispute between America and Germany over the location of (old) Boston.)
Rabbi Akiva started to preach the message of Judaism, and many people listened to him.
Soon many followers of Islam turned their back to the old faith of the holy city of New Boston, and turned towards Judaism.

Rabbi Akiva decided to build a place for worship and collected money from the new followers of Judaism.
Many people volunteered, and under the direction of Rabbi Akiva, an beatyfull building, unchallenged by any building anywhere on Earth, was erected in New Boston.

The number of followers of Rabbi Akiva was growing, and after the followers of Saladin were scatered and Saladin was murdered, the movement of Rabbi Akiva became even bigger.

Then the day came on which Rabbi Akiva would open the 2nd Shrine of Judaism (the first shrine is the Temple of Solomon) in New boston. It would be named The Temple of Herod.
The Temple was filled by thousands of believers, and Rabbi Akiva was just about to start his speach to open the temple, when suddenly hundreds fully armed Islamitic Jihadists entered the building.
The murdered all people who were present in the Temple, including Rabbi Akiva. Thereby they destroyed the entire judaistic community in New Boston.

They claimed the Temple of Herod for Islam, and renamed it into Masjid al-Haram.
A place of prayer for all Muslims.

The authorities dared not to intervene and since there were no jews around to lay claim on the temple, formerly known as the Temple of Herod, the Shrine became the largest and most important Shrine for Islam, attrackting hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every month.

The pilgrims payed much money to the American governament and made the american economy flourish like never before.

[Beta]

Originally posted by condor223
After much international discussion, The Byzantine Emperor was able to launch a working meeting with the world leaders after several weeks of frustrating attempts to gather.

Rome acknowledges and applauds the efforts of the Byzantine Government in this regard.

[The_Aussie_Lurker]

The Industrial Revolution-Miracle or Menace? by Geordo M'banga

"Let me start this story by saying 'I like the good things in life, & I thank President Zenawi for making it possible to have these things at rock-bottom prices but-does the air really have to be so dirty?'

In the 2 years since Zenawi implemented his Mass Industrialisation Bill, poverty levels have fallen by almost 25%, & life expectancy outside the major cities has risen by an average of 10 years. However, this progress has come at a price. The skies over the cities of Gondar, Aksum & Abbis Adaba frequently range in colour from a murky Greenish-brown to a yellowy black. Factories in the major cities are burning vast quantities of coal to generate our consumer goods in a process which leaves thick black dust on the surface of every street & building in the major cities. Worst still, incidence of lung disease amongst children living in the inner cities has risen three-fold. The question I ask is: President, when are you going to clean up this mess?....."

President Zenawi threw down "The Aksum Chronicle" in disgust. Though he never once regretted giving the people a Bill of Rights which protected freedom of speech, he sometimes-guiltily-wished he had banned criticism of the Government.
"No," thought Zenawi to himself "I'm just angry because I know Mr M'banga has a point". As if to confirm it, he looked out the window of the Presidential Palace to see a thick soupy fog blanketing the city. Something did have to be done to clean up this mess &-with a little "foreign ingenuity", he thought he could come up with a way. His main concern was-could he do it in time for the presidential elections in only 2 years time.

A knock came at the door, & Zenawi said "enter" in his most commanding voice. In came his Chief of Staff with two foreign dignitaries in tow. These were no ordinary dignitaries, however, as the woman on the right was the Chief Scientist of Byzantia &-next to her-was Byzantia's Chief Financial Officer. Behind them, a minor functionary wheeled in a large contraption underneath a thick white sheet.

"Welcome my friends from Byzantia, how is your Prime Minister doing lately? I hear her party won its 7th consecutive term in office." "They did indeed," said the Finance officer. "The PM is clearly very well-and she sends her greetings to the Ethiopian President."

"OK, enough of the pleasantries," said Zenawi "your queen wrote telling me that she had a means of reducing my pollution problems."

"She does indeed" said the Science officer. "I present to you this," & with a flourish she whipped aside the sheet to reveal a strange circular device connected to two wires assembled in a V-shape.

"What in the name of the All-Mother is that? " said Zenawi.

"Allow me to demostrate", said the scientist-& she proceeded to set a fire underneath a large pot of water. In about 15 minutes, the water generated a strong head of steam which-in turn-caused the round device to start spinning. After about 3-4 minutes of this, large continuous sparks started to emanate from between the 2 V-shaped wires.

"All-Mother preserve me," said Zenawi "if I weren't an educated man I would probably call it witch-craft."

"I have a better name for it Mr President" said the Finance Officer "we call it E-lect-ricity."

"and what does this E-lect-ricity do?" asked the president.

"It can do work " said the finance officer. "Anything you do now by burning coal can be done instead using electricity. Even if you burn coal to generate that electricity, it is about 20 times cleaner than using the coal directly."

"Amazing!" said the President "but can anything else be used to generate this electricity?"

"Hmmm," mused the Science Officer "if you have any bodies of large, flowing water, you could achieve the same effect easily enough."

"I cannot thank you enough for this technology" said the President "but what do you require in return?"

"Hmmm," said the finance officer "our Empress desires only one thing-monopoly access to your Beef & Fish Supplies."

"So little?" said the President "Well obviously I will need to discuss it with my Cabinet & the two Houses of Representatives, but I think you can consider it a deal "

As it happened, it was a deal. Congress & the Senate voted almost unanimously to accept the deal from Byzantia, & the equipment required was quickly mass-produced in Ethiopia's factories. All of the nation's many water-mills were gutted & massively enlarged-then filled with all the turbines & electrical generating equipment. Within under 18 months, the bulk of the country was hooked up to the new Electricity Grid, & the rail network was also quickly electrified. Smog levels in the major cities dropped by more than 1/3rd in a period of 3 months, & the people of Ethiopia seemed truly happy & healthy once more-& all in time for the upcoming Presidential Elections....

[The_Aussie_Lurker]

A stranger in the night....

The man & his family stumbled through the dark forested hills which marked the border between Portugal & Ethiopia. Although they had long ago escaped the jaws of Islamic persecution in their homeland of the UTA, they knew that the Portuguese government was sympathetic to the American Islamists, & might turn them over simply to retain that government's good graces. However, by choosing to hide during the day & run throughout the night-as well as staying to the countryside & backroads-they had managed to get out of America & right across the length of Portugal, towards a land they had been told would accept them no matter their religion.

As the Chief Scientist working on America's attempts to develop nuclear fission, Elijah Ben-Gurion had become close friends with a number of Government Officials. This proved life-saving, as he received an early warning about the impending purge of the Temple of Herod by so-called "extremists", & the Jewish Pogrom that he knew would not be far behind. Thus, as soon as he received word, he informed his superiors of his desire to visit the city Jefferson in order to obtain more fissile material. In reality, he used the time he was "away" to gather up his family, & all the research material he had come up with so far, & flee whilst the Islamic authorities were busy elsewhere.

It was an enormous gamble, but one he felt was worth taking. Along the road Ben-Gurion and his family were given shelter & basic goods by numerous "Jewish Sympathisers" within the country. After almost a month on the road, though, his goal was in sight. Off in the distance he could see it-the enormous Statue of Liberty, that beacon to the hopeless & downtrodden everywhere. He knew that there was an refugee registration centre close by the statue itself & so travelled through New Gondar & Addis Ababa without even pausing for breath.

Once Ben-Gurion arrived at the centre, he knew he had done the right thing. The desk was populated with smiling & helpful men & women who immediately asked what they could do to make their transition easier.

"I am Elijah Ben-Gurion," said the scientist "& I seek refuge in your country because I fear persecution on the basis of my religious beliefs."
The lady at the desk was busily taking down the details of Ben-Gurion & his family when, on perusal of a list on her desk, she suddenly gasped & called for her supervisor.

Ben-Gurion watched as the woman spoke in a hurried whispers to her supervisor, & for the first time he started to wonder if he had made a mistake. Would they hand him back? If they did, it would mean his death & the death of his family. He couldn't tell what they were saying, because they had lapsed into a local dialect which he didn't know.

The supervisor left via a back door, & the lady asked Ben-Gurion & his family to take a seat. He started to sweat-should he run again? Should he flee to The Netherlands maybe? That's where his religion was practiced, & the government was certainly no friend of the Americans. Perhaps he was misreading the situation, & should just sit down as asked.

In the end he trusted his initial instincts & sat down with his family. About 85 minutes later a very important looking man came out to speak with them.

"Mr Ben-Gurion, it is an absolute pleasure to meet you" beamed the official. "Could you come this way please? There are people who very much want to meet you."

Again, Ben-Gurion felt a mixture of trepidation & excitement. Though part of him wanted to run, his curiosity & gut instincts once again won the day. The official took him into a room at the back of the centre, where an even MORE important man was sitting behind a desk-surrounded by functionaries & men with white coats.

"Greetings, Mr. Ben-Gurion," said the man behind the desk. "My name is President Zenawi, & these people are my cabinet, my advisors & my most eminent scientists." The president then held out his hand & pumped Ben-Gurion's hand vigorously.

"Needless to say" continued the President "in this land you would have been granted freedom & citizenship irrespective of your title or position back home." "In your case, however, I am doubly glad to extend you those privileges."

Ben-Gurion beamed as the President added "oh yes, your reputation as a scientist precedes you, as do tales of your incredibly heroic escape from the Jewish Pogrom. I take it that you didn't leave home empty handed?"

With that, Ben-Gurion pulled out a satchel full of documents, & so a beautiful friendship was begun.

The work smuggled out by Ben-Gurion greatly advanced Ethiopia's fledgling nuclear fission program, & the coup of getting the defecting scientist ensured that Zenawi & his party were both returned with increased majorities.

All Zenawi could hope for, though, was that it wouldn't have diplomatic ramifications with America down the track-for that was one group of people he really couldn't afford to upset!

[Mr.Lincoln]

Hello Comrades! As you know, this is russias first time visiting the story threads. Russia plans to attend as often as possible, maybe 3-4 times a week Russia shall check in. I shall read the incan documents dont worry, and everyone elses comments. Peace!

[Mr.Lincoln]

RUSSIA'S TRUE FREINDS?
The debate continues in Russia over who to truly follow and who to decieve. Russia has had reliations with the Islam civs and the independant civs to the east(Byz,Dutch,Eth.)The debate continues in Russia in which religon to follow and in which party to follow. Russia's citizens are restless. Many Islamic citizens march in the capital city screaming"Islam is the way! Islam is the way!" While Christains Priests from the holy Church in Moscow at the same time scream at the Islams"(leader)who is the one who saved russia during its dark times!?(all)The Netherlands, Ehtopia, and byzintium!(leader) who are the ones who insisted this foolish religon onto our beutiful lands?!?!(all)The Islam Extremists!(leader)who do we owe our life to?!?!(all)The Netherlands, Ethopia, and Byzintium!(leader) Who must we stand agianst?!(all)THE ISLAM EXTREMISTS!

Russia's government is also torn. Many of the leaders support Islam, and at the same time many suort Cristianity. Our great leader, Stalin the Grand, does not know what to do. In order to try and sway islamic leaders in Russia to forsake America, the governer of Rostov(christian) read the diary of a soldier in the colony city of yektinburg, a small city connecting to Germany that is split from russia by germany. The diary reads as follows:

I am a Sergent of the Russian Rifle Defense Unit(RRDU) stationed in Yektenburg.
These words which i am writing are words from my experiance in what is called the "Yektinburg Massacre" when riflemen from The Islamic American Towns marched into our city. A force of about 2,500 invaded, all armed with rifles far advanced than what we had. Only about 100 of the troops defending our city had riffles, the other 350 had longbows. Swiftly they came threw the main gates, which were left open. We did not expect this attack and the gaurds on the gate were switching posts, leaving it open froa window of about 2 minutes. The soldiers were instructed not to kill any citizens or soldiers unless fired upon and to march into the city scuare and declare the Terms of Islam. At the time, I was walking towards the gaurd station of the gate with 25 other men. In the confusion, one of the soldiers from Russia fired at the troops. Choas broke out. Rifle shots flew all around. We were immediatly pushed backwards. Alot of longbows, hiding in the houses and roofs, returned fire, but were quickly gunned down. The army of Amercia spread out into 3 divisions, one going east, one west, and one north. All told to capture as many soldiers as possible adn if fired upon to return fire and to meet up in town square. After about 1 hour, there was only about 200 survivors, a third of them badly injured. I wasn't ready to let them win. None of us were. We formed a circle around the walls of the town fountain in the cnter square, preparing for soldiers ot arrive from the 3 main streets. They came. Suddenly, all the soldiers dropped their weopens and a man came out of the crowd holdiong a scroll that declared the only way there was to be peace was that Russia accepted teh following terms:Russia imeaditly became an islamic nation and joined teh Extremists. Russia ctipultisimed with America, and russia made peace with portigul and germany. The scrol was sent to officals in Moscow, and Russia's leader in the dark times, named Peter(now called Peter the Dimwitted) accepted all terms except catipulism. The war has now ended, and i have resumed my post as a gaurd in Yektenburg.

[Mr.Lincoln]

Many Russian officals doubt if this diary entrance was truly the words of an even tthat occured 100 years ago or if it was a fake made by teh Christians. It did have the papaer and handwriting and ink of the time, but thats not convincing to the Islams. The debate still continues. We all know it will. The only thing not known is who our glorius leader, Stalin, supports and what his actions will be. A meeting is sscheduled a week from now with officals all over russia, fromgoverners, to congress men, to Lords of the land.

[deity]

Old man Joao relaxed.

World affairs had stabilised and he was feeling in the mood for a holiday.

At last the "Trans Romanic Ocean Trade Agreement" had been signed in Rome. The Americans were ready to sign it seems.

Portugal began trading immediately with Rome and plans were afoot.

The Russians, clearly under the influence of Holland, softened their stance toward Portugal and trade ensued. Further military technolgies were not traded by the Dutch during this period and this eased many tensions. The Incans likwise declined and Joao sends his thanks to those two nations.

However Russia still has a mighty military force near the Portuguese border and national vigilance is requred, particularly with this new Uranium resource dicovered south of Portugal. Rumours of illegal travellers moving from Amerca to Ethiopia sparked, perhaps, some cause for alarm.

Further intelligence from nations possessing knowledge of the whereabouts of Uranium was NOT forth coming despite offers of gold; but the Inca did provide some general data, ie that it was very rare and NOT possessed by all nations. Hyuna did not say whether Portugal had it.

It seems that technological development was the only way to procure knowledge of it.

The beligerant Native Indians continue to refuse to sell Communism to Portugal unless we convert; which we will not, thought Joao to himself. Well, not for now...

The erratic regime in England continued to be moderately helpful and the Ethiopians continued to remain vigilant on the border; as did Portugal. But historic friendship suggests confrontation was not likely - particularly now that the Russians are a little friendlier.

[Mr.Lincoln]

Politics in Russia today have become sick of hearing about how disturbed that Portigul is by teh army near Kursk, the gem city of Russia. Malin Kusain, Russia's military tactics General, spoke to the media today to try and explain why Russia's army is placed in that exact spot.
"Kursk is the central city of Russia, the city that lies between Ethopia and Portigul. It is at an angle so that if any war was made agianst Russia from Germany, Portigul or Ehtoipia, it could quickly arrive at all of Russia's border cities. And has not Portigul forgotton the huge army on Russia's borders? has it forgotton that that army was there BEFORE Russia stationed her army in Kursk? Russia does not plan to move her army away. If there is any treaty to be spoken of, let Joao speak first."

[Mr.Lincoln]

Politics in Russia today have become sick of hearing about how disturbed that Portigul is by teh army near Kursk, the gem city of Russia. Malin Kusain, Russia's military tactics General, spoke to the media today to try and explain why Russia's army is placed in that exact spot.
"Kursk is the central city of Russia, the city that lies between Ethopia and Portigul. It is at an angle so that if any war was made agianst Russia from Germany, Portigul or Ehtoipia, it could quickly arrive at all of Russia's border cities. And has not Portigul forgotton the huge army on Russia's borders? has it forgotton that that army was there BEFORE Russia stationed her army in Kursk? Russia does not plan to move her army away. If there is any treaty to be spoken of, let Joao speak first."

[Mr.Lincoln]

sorry i double clicked..seemed that post went twice

[LzPrst]

Russia was a land rife with poverty, starvation and oppression. The Czars who had ruled for centuries had become decadent and weak. They mismanaged the land and brought great pains upon those who would seek to right the wrongs. Therefore, returning from Exile in the lands of the Natives, Vladimir Lenin spoke to the people, he rallied the masses. History was no longer to be a story of kings and princes, but of the people, united in effort!

The revolution began, the old ways were rejected. The workers began the rebellion. Refusing to put hammer to anvil, to heat the ovens, to work the factories they demanded their rights to organize and the right to vote. The response was harsh. Czarist troops marched outside Moscow and burned a watermill to the ground and shot many workers and their families. This unleashed a spiralling riot. The peasants went on strike, demanding education, rights and freedoms like held by the aristocracy. The soldiers, no longer fed or supplied demanded that the Czar solve the situation or abdicate. The intelligentsia longed for the freedom held in other lands and supported the protesters.

Under Lenin, the protesters, the people of Russia, became united beneath a Red banner. The color of hard sacrifices made for the motherland. The color of fiery passion. The color of freedom. Organizing in turn the workers, peasants and soldiers into a great people's army took time. Loyal Czarist military commanders ordered massacres and destruction, believing that the flame of freedom could be extinguished by terror. For many years the revolution raged, at a time, with support by American corporations making money on Russian labor, the Whites as the Czarists called themselves came within grasp of crushing the rebellion. Lenin was captured, his closest advisers killed or disappeared. But the revolution had grown to have a life of its own, and the Red Peoples Army retook what was theirs and defeated the Czarist oppressors. The royal family was publicly executed in Kursk while trying to flee the border to Portugal. Only a young child was spared according to rumour.

Having established a government, Lenin ordered the reconstruction of the nation. No longer would the people be mainly farmers, they would work towards the glory of industry. Factories and Workshops were commissioned across the nation. By the people's prowess and perserverence would the nation rebirth itself. The capitalists of other nations derided the people's revolution, dismissing it as "economically unsound", and "barbaric foolishness". But Lenin was unconcerned. When the nation had reconstructed its lands, it would emerge as the nr.1 industrial power in the world.

[Mr.Lincoln]

A huge roit broke out today in Rostov as a milita of about 75 Russian Islam Extremists took to the streets with AK-47s in hand and began shooting. In the massacre, about 29 citizens were killed and another 37 are injured. Among the dead was Mayor Me'kleen Hale.Russian Infantry defending Petersburg opened fire on the militia, killing about 30 of them in 3 minutes. The 35 other survivors took to the allys. Of those 35, 16 of them were captured, and about 20 escaped. No word on who orginized the militia yet. The captured milita are now under interigation.

[Mr.Lincoln]