1945 (Gingrich and Forstchen novel): Difference between revisions
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{{dablink|Not to be confused with the [[1945 (Conroy novel)|novel of the same title]] by [[Robert Conroy]]}} |
{{dablink|Not to be confused with the [[1945 (Conroy novel)|novel of the same title]] by [[Robert Conroy]]}} |
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'''''1945''''' is an [[alternate history (fiction)|alternate history]] co-authored by [[Newt Gingrich]] and [[William R. Forstchen]] in [[1995]], describing the period immediately after |
'''''1945''''' is an [[alternate history (fiction)|alternate history]] co-authored by [[Newt Gingrich]] and [[William R. Forstchen]] in [[1995]], describing the period immediately after [[World War II]] wherein the [[United States]] had fought only against [[Empire of Japan|Japan]], allowing [[Nazi Germany]] to defeat the [[Soviet Union]], after which the two victors confront each other in a [[cold war]] which swiftly turns hot. |
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The book is unique in having been written by a well-known politician and published when the author was at the peak of a quite controversial career, with criticism of the book for its merits (or lack thereof) and criticism of the author for his political stance being almost inextricably mixed. |
The book is unique {{fact}} in having been written by a well-known politician and published when the author was at the peak of a quite controversial career, with criticism of the book for its merits (or lack thereof) and criticism of the author for his political stance being almost inextricably mixed. {{POV-statement}} Almost invariably, {{fact}} reviews mentioned the "pouting sex kitten," a character who appeared only in the prologue. |
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Almost invariably, reviews mentioned the "pouting sex kitten," a character who appeared only in the prologue. |
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==Plot== |
==Plot== |
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==Critical response== |
==Critical response== |
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The book drew many negative reviews which Gingrich supporters claimed were biased and politically-motivated (see [http://www.sff.net/people/doylemacdonald/r_1945.htm]). A key criticism of the book is the conceit that the USSR would have lost the war without U.S. assistance. Historical scholars agree that the Soviet Union could probably have defeated Nazi Germany without U.S. or British aid.{{Fact|date=August 2008}} |
The book drew many negative reviews which Gingrich supporters claimed were biased and politically-motivated (see [http://www.sff.net/people/doylemacdonald/r_1945.htm]). A key criticism of the book is the conceit {{Dubious}} that the USSR would have lost the war without U.S. assistance. Historical scholars agree {{fact}} that the Soviet Union could probably have defeated Nazi Germany without U.S. or British aid.{{Fact|date=August 2008}} |
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It has been described as being a disguised tract against [[gun control]]<ref>[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_n20_v47/ai_17443676/ Book Review of 1945]</ref> as a key scene depicts an armed [[Tennessee]] civilian militia, led by [[Alvin York]], defeating [[Otto Skorzeny]]'s commandos who raid [[Oak Ridge, Tennessee|Oak Ridge]]. |
It has been described as being a disguised tract against [[gun control]]<ref>[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_n20_v47/ai_17443676/ Book Review of 1945]</ref> as a key scene depicts an armed [[Tennessee]] civilian militia, led by [[Alvin York]], defeating [[Otto Skorzeny]]'s commandos who raid [[Oak Ridge, Tennessee|Oak Ridge]]. |
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Revision as of 13:01, 1 October 2008
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| File:1945.jpg | |
| Author | Newt Gingrich William R. Forstchen |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Alternate history |
| Publisher | Baen Books |
Publication date | August 1, 1995 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover & Paperback) |
| Pages | 400 pp |
| ISBN | ISBN 978-0671877392 Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character |
1945 is an alternate history co-authored by Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen in 1995, describing the period immediately after World War II wherein the United States had fought only against Japan, allowing Nazi Germany to defeat the Soviet Union, after which the two victors confront each other in a cold war which swiftly turns hot.
The book is unique [citation needed] in having been written by a well-known politician and published when the author was at the peak of a quite controversial career, with criticism of the book for its merits (or lack thereof) and criticism of the author for his political stance being almost inextricably mixed. [neutrality is disputed] Almost invariably, [citation needed] reviews mentioned the "pouting sex kitten," a character who appeared only in the prologue.
Plot
At the start of the novel, the United States, having won over Japan, is in no mood to enter a new war, and Americans accept the fait accompli of German domination over Europe. A kind of alternate Cold War seems in the offing; even the British, with a German-dominated Europe at their doorstep, squander much of their resources on a colonial war in formerly French Indochina.
US President Andrew Harrison (the writers chose to have a fictional character in this role rather than Harry Truman or some other historical character who might have succeeded Roosevelt on this timeline) has a summit with Hitler at Reykjavik, Iceland. However the meeting goes badly, the two leaders sharply confront each other and Hitler secretly decides to accelerate preparations for a surprise attack on both the US and Britain. As part of these preparations, a beautiful German spy manages to seduce and suborn the White House Chief of Staff and make him a key German spy.
The book's protagonist, Lieutenant Commander James Martel - at the inception Head of Naval Intelligence at the American Embassy in Berlin - is one of the few who suspects the gathering storm, watching the new weapons displayed at the parade commemorating Germany's victory over the Soviet Union and encountering the well-known commando Otto Skorzeny who would be his main opponent throughout the book.
Skorzeny makes meticulous secret preparations for raids to destroy the US atomic bomb programs in Oak Ridge and Los Alamos. (During the war with Japan, the Manhattan Project was put on the backburner, so that in 1945 the US is far from already possessing a nuclear bomb.) The bulk of the book is devoted to Martel, back in the US, getting a glimmering of the threatened attack and unsuccessfully trying to sound a warning.
The German raid does take place, and though eventually beaten back it has succeeded in causing great damage, killing key scientists and setting the US nuclear program back to the point where Germany is ahead in the nuclear race; moreover, the Germans seize the Uranium mines in the Congo, while launching all-out war against Britain.
The book ends with a cliffhanger — Rommel invading Scotland, the British facing a desperate fight, and Churchill imploring the Americans "come quickly, this is much worse than 1940" — but a promised sequel, provisionally called Fortress Europa, has yet to be written, though many years have passed and the writers had meanwhile completed a different alternate history trilogy (beginning with Gettysburg: A Novel of the Civil War).
In our history, "Fortress Europe" was the Nazi concept of making German-occupied Europe impregnable to the invasion which was clearly coming since the US started massing its forces in Britain in 1943. In D-Day this "fortress" was decisively breached. The projected book's name seems to suggest that the same would happen in this history, some years behind schedule (and without a Soviet army simultaneously coming in from the east).
Critical response
The book drew many negative reviews which Gingrich supporters claimed were biased and politically-motivated (see [1]). A key criticism of the book is the conceit [dubious – discuss] that the USSR would have lost the war without U.S. assistance. Historical scholars agree [citation needed] that the Soviet Union could probably have defeated Nazi Germany without U.S. or British aid.[citation needed]
It has been described as being a disguised tract against gun control[1] as a key scene depicts an armed Tennessee civilian militia, led by Alvin York, defeating Otto Skorzeny's commandos who raid Oak Ridge.
References
See also
- Fatherland
- It Happened Here
- The Man in the High Castle
- The Ultimate Solution
- SS-GB
- In the Presence of Mine Enemies
- Collaborator (novel)
- The Sound of His Horn
- Making History (novel)
- Swastika Night
- The Plot Against America
- The Iron Dream
- The Children's War