The painting that symbolizes the union between north america and the united kingdom is stolen by the terrorist group known as the sons of liberty, who want independence from. Alternate history by setting world war ii fiction world war ii in popular culture. Black, a distinguished military historian, bucks the current trend to demilitarise and gives due weight to the campaigns and battles that made up the war. Because world war ii played out differently, the cold war is very different. Two world war i alternate history questions history forum.
The best alternate history stories of the 20th century explore fascinating, often chilling what if accounts of the world that could have existedand still might yet. Our community welcomes everyone from around the world to discuss world history, historical periods, and themes in history military history, archaeology, arts and culture, and history in books and movies. Dick you cant discuss alternate history without bringing up the man in the high castle. It gets lumped in with run of the mill historical fiction, or it gets shelved in the scifi section. World war ii alternate histories are one of the two most popular point of divergences to create an. Hitler is rendered comatose and doesnt oversee the invasion of russia which is why the german army moves straight for moscow instead of dividing in two, attacking cities in the north and south, and then moving to moscow. Set in a version of america that is ruled by japan and germany, with a neutral zone in between, this book is gets a little loopy, but its a classic of. Dec 11, 2017 this is my alternate history of world war 2. Probably the first booklength alternate history, napoleon and the conquest of the world. Alternate history may be divided into two subgenres.
His southern victory or timeline191 series has the confederates beating the union. Dominion is the first of many world war ii alternate histories you will see on this list and is an example of the range of. Twentyeight years earlier, roosevelt was assassinated during his first term. Okay, so this series doesnt technically take place during or around world war ii as we know it but, like the front lines series, its alternate history take on events give us much to think about. Please add suggestions on the talk page world war ii alternate histories are fiction wherein events during world war ii occurred differently to those in history. Caroline tung richmond weaves an intense story of prejudice, racism, love and freedom in the context of a notentirely unrealistic alternate history. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the second world war. With his new book on the second world war, british historian andrew roberts has not. The worldwar series is the fan name given to a series of eight alternate history science fiction novels by harry turtledove. Feb 26, 2018 in search of world war ii books, by any chance. This vibrant fiction genre could be renamed what if books. The number of world war ii books available is vast. It lasted from 1938 to 1945, though some related conflicts in asia began before 1938. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
Written in 1962, its set in a fictional 1962 where nazi germany, fascist italy and imperial japan have won the war and more or less divided the world between themselves see map above. Best alternate history novels and stories 619 books. Napoleon and the conquest of the world by louis geoffroy, napoleon s first french empire emerging. People love to read about one of the worst events in history. The books are opening atlantisdiscovery, colonization, and alternate version of frenchindian war, the united states of atlantisrevolutionary war, and liberating atlantiscivil war. Thats good, or else the man in the high castle by philip k. Meanwhile with fascism still a legitimate ideology it becomes popular in europe with zealous desire to not get involved in another world war. The undisputed king of alternative histories is the prolific harry turtledove, who has helped guide the genre into mainstream reading.
Alternate endings ten hypothetical events that would have. Jan 08, 2014 alternate history may be divided into two subgenres. Set in nazi berlin, this is one of the best books of this subgenre. So, germany and japan won the second world war, carved up america, and the world of course is all shades of awful as a result. The best historical fiction books about world war ii you. World war ii alternate histories are one of the two most popular point of divergences to create an alternate history in the english language the other being the american civil war. It was in the third world that the ambitions and fears of the two cold war superpowers were played out v korea, vietnam, egypt and syria, afghanistan. For an easily readable book covering the most basic stuff about the war which took place over 6 continents and all of the worlds oceans, by the way you can start with 1001 things everyone should know about wwii.
What are some good books involving an alternate history of. Providing a crucial counterweight to previous histories, jeremy blacks world war two offers fresh insights into operations at the eastern front and during the war against japan. The guns of the south has the confederates equipped with ak47s by. The most common variant of these detail the victory and survival of the axis powers. Set in a version of america that is ruled by japan and germany, with a neutral zone in between, this book is gets a little loopy, but its a classic of the. Alternate history fiction continues to thrive in the twentyfirst century, particularly as film and television adaptations are. This is a list of alternate history fiction, sorted by type.
Jan 24, 2020 this was not the first counterfactual book ever written, but it is with all certainty one of the finest. Dicks brainwarping story is set in a world where the axis powers won world war ii, and america has been divided between japan and nazi germany the brain twisting bit. World war three 1946 book one the red tide stalin strikes first an almost total rewrite, including end notes that assist the reader down the path of a convincing, alternate history. We have made a list of our favourite alternate history books which we think you will enjoy.
Many, many alternate history ask how the world would be different if germany had won world war ii. Below, ive compiled a list of fiction, ya, memoir, biography, and history for you to check out. Jul 01, 2016 however, this is a profascism narrative written by an alternatehistory adolf hitler, who in this timeline emigrated from germany to the united states in 1919 after the great war, and used his modest artistic skills to become first a pulpscience fiction illustrator and later a successful science fiction writer, telling lurid, purpleprosed. Im guessing the op would want a book with a timeline on the nazis winning the war, more like turtledoves early tl191 books. Europe 1914 1918 by nicolson buy on amazon although not enough for a study in itself, this quality book will accompany any discussion of the first world war, whether you want a few extra figures for an essay or a readyreference for your novel. Small means playing in the margins, subtly twisting known history, or exploring. Robert conroys red inferno, for example, is a novel in form but addresses primarily a war between the soviet union and the western allies in 1945. What if the confederates won the american civil war. The most popular theme for alternative histories by far is world war ii it would have been possible to populate the entire list with books where the nazis won or the conflicts outcome is drastically different. Snodgrass, also a contributor to the series there is a secret history of the worlda history in which an alien virus struck the earth in the aftermath of world war ii, endowing a handful of. The only thing to fear is another alternate history of the outcome of world war ii, set 80 years after the allies apparently lost the war to hitlers genetically modified supersoldiers. If you are interested in alternate histories from time periods other than world war ii, please feel free to visit my other alternate history page. The modern alternate history genre may not exist without the man in the high castle.
Hitler goes after moscow in summer 42 3 parts turkey joins the allies in sept 1939 3. World war ii books often focus on the events that unfolded in europe, but this story provides an important portrait of the life of a young girl in japaneseoccupied korea. World war ii alternate histories alternative history fandom. It starts with the age of colonization, but the east coast of north america was separated from the rest before the europeans discovered it. Hitler goes after moscow in summer 42 3 parts turkey joins the allies in sept 1939 3 parts dday landing delayed two weeks, 1197.
Set in the year 1995 in a world where the american revolution was peacefully avoided. The most intriguing alternate history weve heard of in ages. And if any of the plans below had been used, our history would have changed entirely. Alternate history is one of those subgenres that tends to fly a bit under the radar. Sunhee and her brother are forced to learn japanese in school and give up traces of their korean heritage and culture. Founded in 2006, historum is a history forum dedicated to history discussions and historical events. These were the real people, they took a science fiction alternate history and elevated it to a new level. In our list of ten great novels that rewrite history, youll also find a jewish. Aug 29, 2018 the only thing to fear is another alternate history of the outcome of world war ii, set 80 years after the allies apparently lost the war to hitlers genetically modified supersoldiers. Ww2 an alternate history kindle edition by brandt, ralph. The focus is always operational, but social, cultural and political aspects are also included.
How would that have changed the ways that people justified their. The best alternate history stories of the 20th century by harry turtledove hitler victorious. Plus it is one of the first alternate history books to reach mass appeal where the alternate history wasnt created by supernatural means time travel, parallel universes, magic, etc. Beyond turtledove and fatherland, i only know of the moscow option, but its not really so much an alternate history as an altered history. World war ii wwii or ww2, also known as the second world war, was a global war. The two georges 1995 alternate history mystery, coauthored with richard dreyfuss. I read a book series a while back that is au ww1 and it might not be for everyone, but i would definitely recommend it. Oct 24, 2017 world war ii books often focus on the events that unfolded in europe, but this story provides an important portrait of the life of a young girl in japaneseoccupied korea. Listen to 122112 to enjoy an alternative history science fiction story. The wild cards story collections were created by a group of new mexico science fiction authors, pulled together and edited by game of thrones author george r. Bring the jubilee as one of the best novels because its length makes it more a short story and i believe one or two critics i pulled from called it a.
But for every plan put into action, an alternative one is scrapped or kept hidden for future use. In 1942, a series of meetings took place between the war planners of the imperial. Now its 1964, one week before hitlers 75th birthday. It was the most widespread war in history, and directly. Shop history military world war ii books at alibris. Cutting through over half a century of historical buildup, this new and convincing account of world war ii uses a global perspective to explain the complicated course in military terms. What if the history of the transatlantic slave trade had been reversed and africans had enslaved europeans. Its a natural question given the axis winning world war ii is a standard alternate history plot line and even if we know it is unlikely its interesting to. But they both concentrate on the aftermath and how messed up a nazi world would be.
The best alternate history stories of the 20th century 2001 has fourteen stories and an introduction by harry turtledove. In doing so he challenges common interpretations and. Dick is one of the first alternate history novels to look at an axis victory in world war two. Alternate endings ten hypothetical events that would have changed the outcome of world war two by 11 april, 2014 8 comments how might world war two have unfolded differently had the nazis captured moscow, had the japanese not struck pearl harbor or had hitler developed an atom bomb first. Listen to 122112 to enjoy an alternativehistory science fiction story.
The 17 best books on world war i of 2020 thoughtco. The big switch by harry turtledove, north reich by robert conroy, hold back the sun by warren bell, democracys m. Apr 10, 2019 okay, so this series doesnt technically take place during or around world war ii as we know it but, like the front lines series, its alternate history take on events give us much to think about. The alternate events subgenre focuses on the changing events themselves. The hardsf book won a sidewise award for alternate history, and was nominated for the.
It involved the vast majority of the worlds nationsincluding all of the great powerseventually forming two opposing military alliances. World war ii alternate histories are texts wherein events during world war ii occurred differently to those in history. Its premise is an alien invasion of earth during world war ii, and includes turtledoves worldwar tetralogy. Agent of byzantium has the byzantine empire surviving. During world war ii, everyone had a planor at least thought they did. Apr 11, 2014 alternate endings ten hypothetical events that would have changed the outcome of world war two by 11 april, 2014 8 comments how might world war two have unfolded differently had the nazis captured moscow, had the japanese not struck pearl harbor or had hitler developed an atom bomb first. From 1941 to 1951 the us is bogged down in the pacific war, initially war with japan it became an extension of the chinese civil war and included cooperation with the third reich against communists in. Aug 23, 2018 alternate history is one of those subgenres that tends to fly a bit under the radar. And the man in the high castle is among the most wellknown books that tackle that question. In an alternative world war ii that lasts ten years, japan becomes a stronger naval power thanks to admiral isoroku yamamoto who appears. Alternate endings ten hypothetical events that would. Eleven stories of the german victory in world war ii by gregory benford east of the sun the prometheus saga by jade kerrion. The two georges 1995 alternate historymystery, coauthored with richard dreyfuss. His days of infamy books have japan occupying hawaii.