Flag of the Dominion of Manchukuo

This is the flag of the Dominion of Manchukuo. It comes from a world where the World Wars never happened. There were still tension between the major colonial powers, and occasional flare-ups, but no major wars ever occurred. Thought, it wasn’t all fun and games. The Austro -Hungarian Empire suffered a rather nasty collapse. Russia still suffered a civil war, and the royal family were executed, but the Whites came out on top. Still, a major worldwide war thankfully remains only a hypothetical scenario.

Japan sought to expand its empire much as it did in our world. Korea still became a Japanese colony, as in our world, but Japan didn’t try to suppress Korean culture to the extent that it did in our world. In fact, forced assignation programs were officially ended by the late 1920s. As in our timeline, the Qing Dynasty of China was overthrown and replaced by a republic. However, Japan acted as a peacekeeping force to ensure stability within the fledgling Republic of China. Japan also invested money into joint economic ventures within China. However, in return, Japan requested preferential treatment in all trade agreements with China. Japan also requested that Manchuria be ceded to them, which China readily agreed to. Thus, the province of Manchukuo was born.

Manchukuo provided raw materials for Japan’s growth and expansion, as well as new living space for Japanese citizens. Manchukuo provided a launch pad for the next phase of Japan’s expansion. Japan would not just expand outwards across East Asia, but also upwards into space itself. However, this could not be a task that Japan could accomplish on its own. Japan courted the United States of America as a partner by appealing to the economic opportunities a space program would create. Manchukuo served as the heart of Japan’s rocket production and launch facilities. The other major colonial powers initially didn’t pay the Japanese-American space program much mind. Then the first artificial satellite was launched, and then the first manned space flight. The nations of Europe really sat-up when Japan and America made major advances towards the Moon. Japan and American intended to set-up settlements to mine resources from the Moon. Britain, France, and Germany soon established their own joint space program to compete with Japan and America.

The 20th Century was marked not by wars and totalitarianism, but by progress and optimism. The major powers of the world achieved major advances in spaceflight and technological innovation. America and Japan added other nations to their space alliance. China was first, but Mexico and Cuba followed soon as well. Mexico and Cuba enjoy a standard of living equal to that of America, and are largely free of corruption. The Philippines, upon receiving their independence, also joined the alliance, and enjoys economic prosperity equal to that of Japan and America.

By the present day, numerous permeant colonies have been established across the solar system. The nations of the Pan-Pacific Co-Prosperity Sphere are particularly well represented. Still, the members of the London-Berlin-Paris-Rome Axis are certainly no slouches when it comes to space colonization. Nuclear fusion reactors, running on helium-3 from the lunar mines, provides clean and cheap power for much of the world. Advances have also been made in the efficiency of solar panels, and floating wind turbine balloons capture the strong breezes of the upper atmosphere. Artificial intelligence and the Internet are even more advanced than in our own timeline. Decolonization still occurred, but the former colonial powers made sure to invest in the economies and infrastructure of their former colonies. Most former colonies still have strong ties to their former rulers. Some colonies opted to become incorporated into their parent nations. For example, Gabon opted to become part of the French metropole.

Japan allowed Manchukuo to receive increased autonomy over the years. Eventually, Manchukuo became a self-governing dominion of the Japanese Empire. Manchukuo even has its own royal family, via a cadet branch of the Qing royal family. Manchukuo is reasonably happy with its relationship to Japan. Recently, however, several revelations have shaken this good will. It has come to light the Japan used slave labor from Manchukuo and Korea at several of its rocket facilities during the early days of the space program. These slave laborers were typically poltical dissidents, and those deemed undesirable by the Japanese government. The 21st Century has a general feeling of optimism. And yet, many wonder what other skeletons Japan is hiding in its closet.

The flag features the color gold, a traditional symbol of Manchuria. It features the imperial seal of Manchukuo in the center. The white is to offset the gold bands, and pairs well with the gold. The flag ratio is a Canadian Pale, though in the world of the flag, the term is instead known as the Manchukuo Pale.

Red, White and Blue, But Mostly Red

A new maps I've created, because hey, it's been more than long enough. Among other things in this world:


The American Labor movement got strangled in its cradle. There were many reasons for this, but one of the biggest reasons was the assassination of Theodore Roosevelt shortly fairly early into his presidency. As a result progressive reforms never came about and class tents ion continued to strain. Things finally came to a head follow the 1929 stock market crash. Communist and socialist movements had been growing for years, and revolution soon engulfed the nation like wild fire. Eventually, the capitalist government was overthrown and the United States of America ceased to exist. From the ashes rose a new nation: the United American Workers Republic. The first few years of the new nation's existence with a tumultuous and trying time, but eventually law and order were reestablished. Reforms were put into places to make the lives of workers fairer and equality was guaranteed regardless of race, gender or (in time) sexuality.

In Russia, Czar Alexander II survived his assassination attempt and managed to bring democratic reforms to Russia. Czar Alexander also increased Russia's ties with its fellow Orthodox nation Ethiopia, and in time the royal families would go on to intermarry and unite the two nations. Thanks to Alexander's reforms Russia was set on a path toward becoming a great nation and never fell to communism.

America's fall to communism shocked more than a few nations in Europe, but all the same, they were more than happy to receive American support when World War II broke out. Following the war the world became dominated by three great powers: the United American Workers Republic, the Russian Empire and the Franco-British Union. Following the end of the war the British and French combined their empires and governments to form an stronger nation than they could be individually. America was the first nation to develop atomic bombs, but it wasn't long before Russia and the Franco-British developed their own bombs as well.

During the war America allowed millions of European Jews to temporarily settle in Alaska. As a result only two million Jews were killed in the Holocaust. What to do now is a bit of a hotly debated topic. Resettlement in Franco-British Palestine and Trans-Jordan has been suggested by some, but it isn't considered a serious option. More feasible options include accepting the settlements as their own state, incorporating the settlements into Alaska or turning the settlements into something akin to Native Reservations.

The United American Workers Republic had maintained good relationships with its Latin American and Caribbean neighbors since its founding. Said good relations also include funding more than a few socialist and communist movements. The nations of Latin America have seen quite a bit of prosperity, are all rather fond of their Tio Samuel and are among America's closest allies. Iran is also a close ally of America due to America's support of the 1954 Revolution. Thanks to the success of the revolution Iran is a successful secular social democracy that never fell to Islamic fundamentalism. Turkey has traditionally been Russia's ally, but lately it has been warming up to America. This is partially due to how, even though they claimed they'd give it back, Russia has been occupying Istanbul, or rather Constantinople, since the end of the war.

Following the war America reformed Japan along socialist lines. The imperial family abdicated the throne, and the Workers Republic of Japan was born. The Korean peninsula was divided America and Russia; America helped set up socialist government in the south, while Russia established a constitutional monarchy in the north. Russia also established a constitutional monarchy in Manchuria, and America established a socialist government on the island of Taiwan. Mainland China, despite Russia's best efforts, ultimately decided to become a representative democracy; though the two nations remain close allies.

Things also changed in Europe after the war. Germany and Italy were divided with the hopes of preventing another war, new nations were born and existing nations had their boarders redrawn. Russia, with the hope of preventing another world war, established an economic union of European nations. The founding members included Russia, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and East Germany. Over the years Greece, Austria, South Italy, the Nordic Nations and even Turkey joined the Union of European Nations. The Franco-British established their own union, know as the Western European Alliance, to counter the UEN. The Alliance includes Spain, Portugal, North Italy, the Benelux nations and of course the Franco-British.

All three of the major powers have space programs and have gotten involved in a space race. America dominated the first half of the race launching the first satellite, animal, man, woman, person of color and eventually landing on the Moon. The second half, featuring atomic powered crafts constructed in orbit, was a bit more evenly matched. America still made it to Mars first, but it wasn't quite the landslide victory the Moon Race was. The next step is a mission to the Jovian Moons, with Europa being a prime candidate. However, finding a way to deal with Jupiter's radiation belts is proving a bit of an issue, but many are still convinced that solutions will be found.


Tensions between the three great powers are beginning to ease as of lately. America and Russia have historically been fairly liberal, and the Franco-British have started to loosen up as well. Speaking of the Franco-British, their empire is increasingly becoming more of a federation and citizens of all races are enjoying greater rights. Granted this is mostly as a means of preventing socialist uprisings, but everyone agrees it's a step in the right direction. America and its allies are frequently stereotyped as being communist, but in reality their a lot closer to democratic socialists. Korea has been peacefully reunited as a representative democracy. Germany and Italy remain divided, their halves beginning to develop destructive identities; however, this might not necessarily be a bad thing.

The three great powers still have something of a competition, but they've become frenemies rather than outright rivals. Even at their worst the competition was never really that bad. On the whole this world isn't exactly better or worse than ours, though it is rather different