Exactly what it says, Rhodesia is teleported to to the southern Pacific south of Hawaii.
Where Rhodesia was in Africa is displaced by a new inland ocean...
Where Rhodesia was in Africa is displaced by a new inland ocean...
ISOT WI 1975 Rhodesia Isot to the middle of the Pacific ocean?
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People would take it as a sign that something or someone clearly favours Rhodesia and wants its continued existence...or wanted to give it a fighting chance.
Africa would get more water,and Rhodesia fighting chance.I would say win-win.And no matter who would get power,at least Mugabe and his band would not made problems.
Althought - if they somehow win,would they still hire North-Korean "advisers" ?
MuddyAristocrat
Active member
Those are rather frightful. Also, trade? They were landlocked and now need to develop shipping ex nihilo. I don’t know the standard ISOT conditions for cables that cross borders, but what happens to any line crossing a border?
Not to mention they will have a drastic change in climate. Subsaharan Africa is way different than the middle of the Pacific. It is going to up end a lot of crops. Things that grow well in Africa don't automatically do so in the middle of the pacific.
gral
Well-known member
OTOH, they don't depend on anyone else now(Mozambique's independence was a big blow for Rhodesia because almost everything that went to Rhodesia and what was exported by them went through the port of Lourenço Marques). Sanctions on Rhodesia just became more difficult to enforce.
Ignoring climate changes for the most part, because I find those lame to discuss unless the OP specifies it, Rhodesia would kinda thrive I feel. The support for the Black guerrilla forces in Rhodesia was from neighboring countries, especially Mozambique when Portuguese lost control of their colony and starved from that and ant sort of external support I feel would allow the Rhodesians to crush the insurgency rather decisively in a span of years.
The main challenge would be in shipbuilding yes, but Rhodesia can at the very least feed itself and if there's one location in the world that has lots of shipping and shipbuilding, its countries bordering the Pacific. There's certain countries that won't really give a damn about African Liberation and politics and be willing to do business with Rhodesia. Foremost among them would likely be Taiwan which diplomatically is in a rough patch of history as the Peoples Republic rises in being recognized.
Keep in mind this is the same year that South Vietnam fell, generating millions of refugees. To replace the disaffected portions of their Black population in the ongoing Bush War, they might be prone to taking in large numbers of South Vietnamese and Indochinese refugees just like France and the United States did historically. For better or worse, they'd probably have good relations with other anti-Marxist states in the region like Marcos' Philippines and Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore etc. Also a lot of Rhodesians did eventually emigrate to Australia in the wake of the Bush War so depending on the Australian government in question, might enjoy good relations with them.
A lot of the ASEAN countries are net food importers of many crops so Rhodesia, again handwaving climate issues, would be well placed to trading with them.
As for a giant inland sea in Southern Africa... the fact it's not freshwater might be frown inducing, but an inland sea would be economically beneficial as well. It's another source of fishing at the very least and beach front property for tourism. It'd be interesting to see how the wildlife adapt as coastal areas, lagoons and wetlands tend to create interesting biomes and a southern inland sea one would be no exception.
Botswana especially would probably benefit the most as it would have one of its unstable neighbors replaced by far more stable saltwater and since it practices responsible government, could take better advantage of their new coastline for economic benefit.
The main challenge would be in shipbuilding yes, but Rhodesia can at the very least feed itself and if there's one location in the world that has lots of shipping and shipbuilding, its countries bordering the Pacific. There's certain countries that won't really give a damn about African Liberation and politics and be willing to do business with Rhodesia. Foremost among them would likely be Taiwan which diplomatically is in a rough patch of history as the Peoples Republic rises in being recognized.
Keep in mind this is the same year that South Vietnam fell, generating millions of refugees. To replace the disaffected portions of their Black population in the ongoing Bush War, they might be prone to taking in large numbers of South Vietnamese and Indochinese refugees just like France and the United States did historically. For better or worse, they'd probably have good relations with other anti-Marxist states in the region like Marcos' Philippines and Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore etc. Also a lot of Rhodesians did eventually emigrate to Australia in the wake of the Bush War so depending on the Australian government in question, might enjoy good relations with them.
A lot of the ASEAN countries are net food importers of many crops so Rhodesia, again handwaving climate issues, would be well placed to trading with them.
As for a giant inland sea in Southern Africa... the fact it's not freshwater might be frown inducing, but an inland sea would be economically beneficial as well. It's another source of fishing at the very least and beach front property for tourism. It'd be interesting to see how the wildlife adapt as coastal areas, lagoons and wetlands tend to create interesting biomes and a southern inland sea one would be no exception.
Botswana especially would probably benefit the most as it would have one of its unstable neighbors replaced by far more stable saltwater and since it practices responsible government, could take better advantage of their new coastline for economic benefit.
Buba
A total creep
The Zimbabwean Sea could probably gradualy turn into a freshwater lake, at 165 m asl, the salt water replaced by inflow of the Zambezi and Limpopo. Neither reaches the Indian Ocean, their joint outlet being the Mega-Save:
en.wikipedia.org
Unless the Safies overthrow Mobuto and his gang (Frelimo), no canal.
Not sure if SA would have the money, anyway.
Maybe Botswana and north South Africa see more rainfall?
With no Black Rule in Zimbabwe, Apartheid lives for longer?
Save River (Africa) - Wikipedia
Not sure if SA would have the money, anyway.
Maybe Botswana and north South Africa see more rainfall?
With no Black Rule in Zimbabwe, Apartheid lives for longer?
Buba
A total creep
Continuing the river angle - the world loses the Victoria Falls.
Probably more importantly, Mozambique (doubtlessly) is so fucked that it isn't funny. Zambia to some extent as well. Both the Cahora Bassa and Karriba dams - which supplied most of their electricity - stop working.
Mozambique could buy from SA (but pay with what?) or set up coal mines (Tete Province) and use the output for power (among other things).
Zambia expands hydro capacity, expands its one and only thermal power plant on top of its one and only coal mine, or both
Either needs time and money.
The loss of electricity from the two big dams also affects the ISOTed Rhodesia. Rhodesia also has a port problem, i.e. it has none, and its lowest point is 165 m asl. For some time it is stranded and limited to air access ...
Probably more importantly, Mozambique (doubtlessly) is so fucked that it isn't funny. Zambia to some extent as well. Both the Cahora Bassa and Karriba dams - which supplied most of their electricity - stop working.
Mozambique could buy from SA (but pay with what?) or set up coal mines (Tete Province) and use the output for power (among other things).
Zambia expands hydro capacity, expands its one and only thermal power plant on top of its one and only coal mine, or both
Either needs time and money.
The loss of electricity from the two big dams also affects the ISOTed Rhodesia. Rhodesia also has a port problem, i.e. it has none, and its lowest point is 165 m asl. For some time it is stranded and limited to air access ...
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Continuing the river angle - the world loses the Victoria Falls.
Probably more importantly, Mozambique (doubtlessly) is so fucked that it isn't funny. Zambia to some extent as well. Both the Cahora Bassa and Karriba dams - which supplied most of their electricity - stop working.
Mozambique could buy from SA (but pay with what?) or set up coal mines (Tete Province) and use the output for power (among other things).
Zambia expands hydro capacity, expands its one and only thermal power plant on top of its one and only coal mine, or both
Either needs time and money.
When were those dams constructed?
Also I wonder if new dams could eventually be constructed, especially since I'm assuming there is a change in height between Southern Africa and the new Inland Sea. Glancing at Wikipedia, it looks like ZImbabwe on average was 960 meters or 3100 feet above sea level.
Now... like with climate... I don't really want to explore the Island of Rhodesia with thousand meter tall cliffsides and seeing the inverse in the Inland Sea but there is a chance for cool new geological features including epic waterfalls and potential damming projects to destroy them.
Plus I feel with ISOT's like this, elevation of arbitrary. Did Eric Flint check the elevations of medieval Germany with the United States prior to writing 1632? If he did, there might not be much of a story...
Yeah, unless there are rivers that are sourced within Rhodesia, the rivers passing through the country might dry up fairly quickly or maybe become really long serpentine lakes/wetlands. If we assume the rivers don't piss off a cliff into the Pacific, there might be a possibility of river ports being established or already existing.
A village of five thousand people doesn't seem to have much hope of housing a major port terminal.
en.wikipedia.org
Karbia where your dam is located seems to have a bit more foundational potential.
en.wikipedia.org
Gweru is one of the bigger towns/cities located deep in Rhodesia but I somehow doubt the Gweru River is navigable by large ships all the way up there. Have to establish port facilities farther down the river towards its new mouth/delta.
en.wikipedia.org
A village of five thousand people doesn't seem to have much hope of housing a major port terminal.
Binga village - Wikipedia
Karbia where your dam is located seems to have a bit more foundational potential.
Kariba, Zimbabwe - Wikipedia
Gweru is one of the bigger towns/cities located deep in Rhodesia but I somehow doubt the Gweru River is navigable by large ships all the way up there. Have to establish port facilities farther down the river towards its new mouth/delta.
Gweru - Wikipedia
Threadban: Rule 2F and 2C This isn't politics and is a clear derail into Israeli politics and by virtue of inflammatory comment an attempt to bait others to further derail the thread.
Apartheid still lives - in Izrael.The Zimbabwean Sea could probably gradualy turn into a freshwater lake, at 165 m asl, the salt water replaced by inflow of the Zambezi and Limpopo. Neither reaches the Indian Ocean, their joint outlet being the Mega-Save:
Unless the Safies overthrow Mobuto and his gang (Frelimo), no canal.Save River (Africa) - Wikipedia
Not sure if SA would have the money, anyway.
Maybe Botswana and north South Africa see more rainfall?
With no Black Rule in Zimbabwe, Apartheid lives for longer?
But,since USA after 1990 fucked not only SA,but also Japan,Poland and Zair, i think that black soviets would still take over SA.
Becouse USA would be the same.
What about Rhodesia? USA would want to destroy them,too.Since they would be on Pacyfic ,and soviet help there is not possible,USA probably would sent "peacekeepers" there after soviet fall.
Maybe Clinton would do that instead of giving Kosovo to drug dealers ?