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This Day in Alternate History Blog
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Italy 1936 - An alternate Italian history of World War II
Part 29
By Vincent Longobardi
November 5th 1956 British and French paratroopers conduct drops in positions throughout Egypt, this is followed by an amphibious invasion of Port Said. Turkish troops mobilize against the tiny strip of Italian land on the eastern bank of the Bosporus. While most nations have already taken sides on this matter, neither the United States or the Soviet Union has announced an official position. The American government is likely waiting for the polls to close tomorrow so that a position one way or the other could influence the Presidential election. The Soviet Union has most likely remained silent since by not taking sides the west will likely tear itself apart possibly even leading to the dissolution of NATO. November 6th 1956 At 8:12 AM a British Vicker’s Vulcan bomber is shot down 30 miles off the coast of Sicily, 20 minutes later another bomber is knocked out of the sky somewhere over the Adriatic. The remaining British bombers in the air are put on emergency alert and break from their assigned flight patterns. Both the British and Italians rush salvage crews to the estimated locations of the downings trying to secure the aircrafts’ nuclear payloads. At noon, Britain retaliates against the Italian attack by launching a bombing raid against an Italian air base in Crete causing heavy damage and disabling flight operations. Turkish troops open fire on Italian border positions. The border defenses hold as the Italians bring the large naval guns protecting the strait to bear against the advancing forces. Dwight D. Eisenhower easily wins his reelection campaign despite the current ongoing crisis. The Doomsday Clock is moved once again, for the first time in its existence it is moved by 30 seconds, it is now 30 seconds to Midnight following the opening of hostilities between the New Roman Empire and the British Empire. November 7th 1956 After being prompted by the United States, the United Nations calls for an emergency session of the General Assembly. The United Nations adopts a resolution seeking the end of all hostilities in the Mideast and the withdrawal of all troops from Egypt. The United States informs its allies it will not tolerate a nuclear war breaking out over Egypt and that the U.S. will use force if necessary to prevent this. The Imperial Ambassador to Washington announces that while Italy is not a member of the United Nations it will honor the resolution so long as Britain does not continue the offensive. November 8th 1956 Grudgingly, Britain and France announce that they will order a halt to their offensives and seek a negotiated peace through the United Nations. Turkey also is forced to backdown on their own border dispute. Israel initially vows to fight on alone but by midday it becomes quite clear that Israel will not survive a war against the combined Arab world backed by Italy and like its allies also orders a stop all actions. British search teams recover the payload of the aircraft lost near Sicily. Searchers are still combing the Adriatic for the second crash site. November 10th 1956 British and French troops begin withdrawals from Egyptian land in accordance with the wishes of the United Nations. All troops will be withdrawn from the theater by December. Anglo-American relations reach an all-time low as many Britons believe that the United States has sold out to the Fascists. The Doomsday clock is moved back to two minutes to midnight following the end of the crisis. November 11th 1956 British divers manage to secure to and remove the second nuclear payload putting an end to the search for the downed weapons. The military of the New Roman Empire begins to stand down as the Suez Crisis appears to be resolved. November 13th 1956 Britain, France and Israel all begin development on their own assault rifles to counter the Italian made AR45. France and Israel also step up their own nuclear programs while seeking aid from Britain. November 16th 1956 The United Nations denounces Israel for their preemptive and illegal invasion of Egypt.
December 8th 1956 British and French troops pull out of Egypt and the Sinai area. December 27th 1956 The Hellenic Council begins emptying out the prisons and insane asylums in Greece allowing them to emigrate overseas to Turkey, Cyprus and any other country willing to take them. January 5th 1957 The first barrels of oil are pumped out of the Libyan desert. Finally, after 3 years after its discovery, Italy has its own large scale oil drilling operation. The fields should be running at close to full capacity by 1959 or 1960. January 9th 1957 Following the events of the Suez Crisis, Prime Minister Eden resigns. January 10th 1957 Sir Anthony Macmillan is named Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. February 4th 1957 France refuses help from the United Nations in regards to the Algerian uprising. In other news, France with the help of England is getting close to developing a nuclear bomb. It is expected that France will be a nuclear power by 1958 if not slightly earlier. February 15th 1957 The New Roman Empire begins seeking membership in the United Nations. Mussolini believes that after the Suez Crisis, the Empire has enough political recognition to force the rest of the world to officially recognize the Empire in the world body. March 6th 1957 Ghana gains independence from England. March 8th 1957 Egypt reopens the Suez Canal to shipping. The Imperator is the first the ship to pass through the canal for a brief cruise through the Red Sea off the coast of British Somaliland. March 25th 1957 The Treaty of Brussels establishes the European Economic Community. They seek to establish an economic union between the signing nations and an eventual political union. The initial members are Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany. Supporters of the EEC tout it as an Anti-Lira Block and a counter to that body for democratic nations. Critics of the EEC claim that it is just like the Lira Block and will just lead to the larger nations within the EEC to exercising unfair control over the smaller nations. April 10th 1957 The Italian aircraft carrier Constantine begins sea trials. April 20th 1957 Greek rebels organize themselves and begin preparing for a major offensive in 1958. They agree to slow down or put an end to most attacks so they can gather equipment and train their forces. May 10th 1957 Mussolini arrives in New York to speak before the U.N. Thousands of protesters and some supporters are there to greet him. The supporters are a mix of some Italians, Eastern Europeans from communists countries who view the Italian Empire as a sanctuary and hope for their relatives stuck in communist lands. Finally, there are a small number of a radical group that has been dubbed the Young Fascist Movement. *Note: There isn’t one group known as the "Young Fascists," it is just a term applied to many different groups which are Pro Mussolini(and sometimes Pro Hitler.) The Young Fascist Movement would be similar to OTL’s Neo Nazi movement. The difference being that most of the Young Fascists’ are more pro Mussolini than Hitler. After all why venerate a failed dead man when a living and thriving example can be followed. In some ways the Young Fascists are slightly more moderate(and also more popular) by following the ideas of Mussolini not Hitler, but there are still groups which are Nazi in ideology.* May 11th 1957 While leaving Lombardi’s Pizzeria, the oldest Pizzeria in the United States a gunman pushes his way through the crowd and fires two shots at the departing Mussolini. One of Mussolini’s guards sees the man approaching and throws himself in front of the pistol absorbing both shots and falling to the ground dead. Before the assassin can readjust his aim he is assailed by Blackshirts who take to beating him with clubs. Arriving at the U.N. in time Mussolini gives an impassioned plea to the General Assembly on the state of Italian affairs in the world and the undue violence and prejudice given to the Italian people. May 12th 1957 The gunman, identified as one Pasquel Monte is currently listed in critical condition from the beating received by the Blackshirts before Police could come to his rescue. While extremely hurt, he is able to speak and informs police that his father was a victim of Mussolini’s Mafia Purge. The killed Blackshirt, Giorgio Bonino is declared a Martyr to the Empire by Mussolini. May 13th 1957 France, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom all veto Italy’s application to the U.N. May 15th 1957 Mussolini returns to Italy and after meeting with the widow of Giorgio Bonino and expresses his condolences he delivers a speech about the United Nation’s decision. Attacking the three permanent members of the Security Council for their corruption and wickedness. He announces that he will create his own international body by expanding the Lira Block with the admittance of junior nations who will enjoy all the trade, economic and diplomatic rights of membership but not be part of the military alliance. End of Part 29.
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