G4e Tech Levels for Merlin, Homeline

[maximara]

Originally Posted by DaltonS

I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with the roots of Japanese military fanaticism but I assume there was a hierarchy involved, and if one of the observers was sufficiently trusted and of high rank wouldn't their advice be heeded? Maybe a close encounter with a demon proved convincing.

Actually the real situation in Japan was a real mess. Those that wanted out of the War were trying to make peace with and through the USSR and there in is lies the problem. Keep in mind in OTL we now know that Stalin had an agent at Trinity so he knows how the test went. With no atomic bomb to get him to move Stalin can putter around as long as it takes the US get tired of the situation and go ahead with Operation Downfall.

Originally Posted by DaltonS

Except empowering the masses was not really high on his agenda. Besides, the electromagnetic effects could leave his country open to attack. (A remote chance I admit, but with his documented paranoia would he be willing to take the risk?)

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In OTL he was willing to detonate an Plutonium atomic bomb in OTL near Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstani (USSR) which surprisingly is not in Siberia but in Turan.

Siberia would ahve been remote enough that Stalin would have risked it as he controled who could get near the place and therefore near the thing. Also what spells were know in 1949? Also remember the USSR had a psychic program invovled in remote viewing at least back into the 1950's (as well as Stalin's supposed test of Wolf Messing which if real creates all kind of problems for Stalin not want to use magic.)

Originally Posted by DaltonS

First, think work gang (chains would be unnecessary). Second, the law might pass if the period of undeath was strictly limited, after which the zombie would be put to rest. Third, the sentence would have to be reserved for truly heinous crimes, such as child molestion and murder.

The problem is the Southern states were notorious about their abuses with these systems which is how they got eliminated in the first place. In fact when Alabama tried to revive the practice in 1995 they got a lawsuit on their front door step (Austin v. James) as the abuses occured again. Given its 8th admendment problems is is very doubtful than anything like the Lousiania Zombie Chain Gang would exist; it is just too much political dynamite for anyone to want to touch it.