How this Alternate World Faces Total Tragic Destruction with 2 Reality Lessons?

Herein, there may be parts and pieces that fit into our current world reality with relativity to manage our societies better. It’s a tale of 3 basic functions with intrinsic potential but possible disastrous misalignment known as geography, government and politics as a separate double-edged force with peaceful affinity as well as vengeful awful powers.

Therein, in its basic simplicity, there may be questions and lessons that may apply to understanding our complex reality to make sure Caldronia never happens again.

But, first, let’s imagine Caldronia as an alternate world comprised of 6 countries: Noud (Noudians), Sobe (Sobians), Moost (Moostian) Wati (Watians), Meto (Metoians) and Sturch (Sturchians).

These countries were populated with self-sufficient inhabitants with adaptations to their geographies and natural resources for best survival opportunities. Throughout history regional tribes consolidated evolving from monarchies to each establishment of their unique nationhood with language, laws, cultural traditions and national pride. Trade routes exchanged commodities, commerce flowed, the arts and scientific enquiry were shared.

Through these historical cycles, governments as institutions developed with circumstantial variations. Some inhabitants fell under the control of charismatic elocutionary leaders who maintained strict civil order with penalties for infractions on their terms. Other inhabitants preferred the openness of public debate with a chance to speak and elect a leader that best considered their concerns; although, for a period, gender inequality ruled.

Not unexpectedly, struggles broke out about the differences of government and geographical interests. The smartest thinkers sat down to figure out how civilization could work with logical decisions to respect common allowances for governments to protect geopolitical borders and rights for inhabitants with tolerance and cooperation.

In the process, politics became an integral manifestation of government via political parties and leaderships. Political systems offered two basic formats … autocratic ruled by a dictator’s agenda or democratic based on fair elections to mandate agendas voted by the majority of inhabitants.

Naturally, as may be expected, an autocrat had more opportunities to manage resources and suppress individual interests by disinformation and propaganda. “I can fix your grievances…trust me to make your lives more glorious.”

With a turn of events in the country of Noud, a fascist autocrat took over the ruling presidency of his government, describing his fascist meaning as a Purist Party originator who manpowered his edict that some Noudian inhabitants were superior than others and therefore deserved more territorial acquisitions.

Defacing concessions, he invaded the neighboring countries with greater military strength that soon involved the rest of the world in defense of their territories. Thus, this terrible Total War unleashed a conflict resulting in tens of millions killed, heritage cities demolished and the infamy of concentration camps for mass executions who did not fit into his Purist definition.

Near the end, atomic bombs as weapons of war were developed as a menacing cloud able to blow up the world several times over with the best stated deterrent as a means to avoid mutual annihilation.

In the horror, rubble and disbelief of the senseless carnage the leaders of the countries came together and said, “Never again. Never again will Purist fascism rule.”

They drew up conditions to sign a PACT (Peaceful Acts Cooperate Treaty) with articles as:

National governments will be respected.

An attack on one country will be an attack against all countries.

It is a war crime to kill civilians in the act of war.

Everyone signed except one country, Sturch, with the rationale that the Sturchians were struggling under another autocratic regime that lacked civil rights with territorial ambitions. Perhaps that was the first mistake not to seek common reparations and alliances among all countries for a lifetime secured peace for all.

After the Total War, a small neighbouring country, Meto, wanted greater separation from Sturch. “Our unique culture and language are suitable for a more independent democratic government. If you allow us to become members of PACT you can help guarantee our sovereignty because what happens to us may happen to the whole world.”

Their elected leader called upon the democratic superpower, Moost, to help with military defense but was refused because a private favor was requested by the Moostian president to disown his opposition. It would seem that incompetent leaders with authoritarian predilections could form roots anywhere.

But the PACT diplomats wanted more consideration to validate the evidence that democratic values were practiced in Meto; a criteria proved difficult to achieve as long as the Sturchian regime destabilized the region again and again. After all, the Metoians had resources they wanted to control.

Then, in this strange arc of history, appeared a ferocious Sturchian demagogue who controlled his government through lies, propaganda and threats of imprisonment or death to anyone who dared to oppose him. He was a small man with a reptilian head exuding resentments who visualized his glorious self as an imperial ruler embracing the fascism of the Purist party treating his inhabitants as either patriots or pathetic scum worthy of eradication. For decades his many actions went unopposed as he exposed his vicious vindictiveness.

He decried any independence for Meto, crying out that they could not join or be protected by PACT saying,

“I see my imaginary red line on my border against any PACT country as a threat to my country and open to attack for anyone who dares to cross it… including atomic arsenals.”

Unbelievable as it was, this sociopath didn’t care to face the whole world’s condemnation as he prepared an unprovoked invasion of Meto flagrantly lying, “This is only a military exercise to excise the fascist Purists from Meto and protect my red line.” And no country dared to defy his lies.

And so it was that monolithic Sturchian tanks demolished buildings including nonmilitary apartments. The sky opened to missiles and cluster bombs showering down on schools, hospitals and sanctuaries reducing cities to rubble. Thousands of civilians were killed, millions became homeless refugees with only the clothes on their backs to hope for shelter in other countries.

The terror of the “never again Total War” had returned with a savagery never seen to a modern generation. Only the odd clown-faced inhabitants said this was a brilliant land development strategy at the cost of a few sanctions. Why not continue to ask for personal favors from a war criminal?

The whole world applied economic sanctions to close banks and downsize business and trade. Modern technology brought the war images of horror into individual homes. How could this be happening again?

There were limited restrictions from the rest of the world with powerless PACT unable to act to close the skies without engaging all the countries with the threat of atomic annihilation by a madman who had constructed an underground bunker city for survival of his chosen.

Then, in the blink of a second, the unfathomable happened. A tiny imperfection in the satellite system caused one of the atomic bombs to activate and veer 15 degrees east to launch its fiery strike on Wati, a small Pact country. According to Pact articles retaliation meant all countries were now involved in an Armageddon that destroyed their world of Caldronia.

The only survivors were the Sturchian madman and his favorites who upon emerging into the contamination found themselves with reptilian lizard skin, large gills to clean the air and using heavy back spikes when marauding for meager food.

Two Reality Lessons Learned to Prevent another Caldronia

The Earth and humanity are infinitely more complex; but, undeniably, history has taught us the norms of civilization. However, one fact is undeniable…we are all connected on one beautiful planet. We are all on one cosmic operating table to fix our wounds and extend our longevity. The world stage is now the pivot for collective responsibility and sustainability.

One: Any operation includes preventative before-and-after care to supervise governments and their politics to control the rising power of demagogues and their propaganda disinformation. No one politician can run his regime for more than 5 years without due accountability by civilized standards on the world stage. An autocrat can exist but within boundaries of discipline, truth and rights within a given time range.

Never again can one madman’s repeated aggravations prevail without consequences that untamed can lead to threatening to blow up the world.

Two: People are now massively interconnected to media and influencers, some conspiratorial to create their own alternative reality. Their criteria and motivation to act as adjudicators of human values must be also examined on the world stage to expose their lies and validate evidenced facts. Human ignorance is not an excuse to be manipulated. Greed, power and rise to huge fortunes should also be on the operating table.

Final Word

Humbly, I think, the world stage is the only huge enough platform to best handle disagreements at whatever level in a timely manner. This actual or alternative reality has shown how people around the world in real time have come together to condemn evil, comfort the war-worn survivors and assert the right to independence. Civilization must rule...respect the final world unity.

We have only one world to better reach our highest standards and survive to fulfill our hopes of freedom and peace.

Annemarie Berukoff