Headlines From California
- The Hollywood Reporter - June 20th, 1853
Ottoman Empire, Bavaria, and Russia to Open Embassies in CaliforniaHospital Ship CNS Mercy Arrives In Edo Bay For Six Month Visit to Downtime JapanWashington Embassy Standoff Continues Into 21st Day, Cass Administration Refuses Overture of PeaceCamp Springs Now Under Siege, US Army Refuses to Allow Civilians and Foreign Dignitaries to Leave - San Jose Mercury News - July 11, 1853
- PolitiFact - July 22nd, 1853
- Buzzfeed - July 24th, 1853
Headlines From Around the World
Washington Embassy Standoff Continues as Cass Refuses To Acknowledge California as a Sovereign StatePort of Southampton to Undergo Massive Overhaul to Handle Containerization, Constructs Dock CraneEmperor Cass Creates a Disaster
Excerpt From The Downfall of Emperor Cass (1870), by Armando Iannucci
CASS
Both of you had better tell me what the HELL you just did.
BRECKINRIDGE
ANDERSON
I was following the directives that Secretary Breckinridge gave me.
CASS
ANDERSON
We, uh, laid siege to the embassy, but those heathen Californians used-
BRECKINRIDGE
Anderson puts a sock in the mouth of Breckinridge
ANDERSON
-used a pair of flying machines to get around our siege and retreat to that zit of a fortress they refer to as Camp Springs.
CASS
BRECKINRIDGE
Yes sir Mr. President
ANDERSON
Crystal clear sir.
CASS
Good. Because both of your careers are on the line here.
Anderson and Breckenridge make their way out of the office as fast as they could. As soon as they leave, Cass stands up and grips his desk. In a bout of anger, Cass flips his desk, throwing everything on it to the floor.
Former Marine 1st Lieutenant Dennis Cho was still reeling from the fact that he was assigned to be the official California envoy to the Kingdom of Joseon. He understood the reasoning behind his appointment; he was one of the most senior officials present in the Korean consulate in San Francisco and spoke fluent Korean. Despite this, he felt out of place as he was escorted by a court official through the beautiful Gyeongbokgung Palace, a palace that was a mere museum exhibit in the future Republic of Korea. Not only was Joseon... different than the Korea he was used to, but he hardly felt qualified to represent his home state as an ambassador despite his experience in the consulate and in the military.
Thankfully he wasn't alone, as he was accompanied by two members of the delegation. One of them was a fellow worker from the Korean consulate, a tall Korean-American man by the name of Park Min-ho. His eyes glanced at different objects and buildings as he studied the "restored" palace with great interest. The other individual was a Korean girl named Lee Young-joo, an international student that was studying at UCLA before the transition. Despite her young face, she had already received a history degree from Seoul University and studied history extensively, thus her role as an advisor to the Californian delegation to Korea. While she was behaving herself, her stares and looks toward various "historical" objects of significance were much more noticeable than Park's occasional glances.
"Remember, Mr. Cho. You don't need to be too stiff or nervous about meeting the current king. The current Joseon king was born a peasant and was forced to become the king due to his bloodline. He will act and look much less formal than the other members of the court. Of course, we'll all act formally, but he won't punish you for slipping up." Lee whispered to him in English.
Cho nodded, "Thank you, Young-joo. Let's hope that this meeting is a success."
The court official guiding them looked intrigued when they both spoke English but remained composed as he took them up the stairs to the throne room, "This way, Ambassador Cho. His Majesty awaits."
When the doors of the throne room opened, Cho came face to face with a very familiar scene that he witnessed in every historical Korean drama he had watched in the past. Court officials were lined up onto the side of the aisle while the King of Joseon, King Cheoljong sat on his throne above his subjects. The king wore royal clothes, but they were much simpler than the ones he had seen in museums and pictures. He smiled warmly as the Californian delegation walked in and waved his hand after the delegation bowed before him, "All of you, please rise."
The former marine raised his head but avoided directly staring into the king's eyes unless he was spoken to. His eyes darted around the throne room and saw that many of the court officials were looking at him with suspicion and fascination. When the king spoke directly to him, Cho raised his head to look at the Korean ruler, "Now, I have heard much about this "California", a land from the future that is filled with marvels that are beyond anyone's comprehension. Tell me then, do you know the future of Joseon?"
"Yes, your highness," Cho answered.
"Then enlighten me and the court about Joseon's future. I'm sure that our country is prosperous and thriving in the future like it is today?" King Cheoljong stated as he stood up from his chair and paced eagerly before the delegation.
No, it got conquered by Japan because the government became complacent and corrupt and various high ranking officials willingly surrendered Korea to Japan to keep their fortunes and positions. Cho mused silently as he formed his words carefully, "Joseon will cease to exist within 55 years, your highness."
Every downtimer within the room turned their eyes to the ambassador, their faces mixed with shock and disbelief. The king especially looked troubled as he slumped into his chair and stared at Ambassador Cho, "What becomes of Joseon then?"
"It becomes a conquered nation, a territory of Japan after the government willingly surrendered its own independence and sovereignty. Joseon will be occupied by four decades, and then occupied by the Americans and Russians after Japan is defeated in a war against the United States and Russia. In the future that I come from, Korea is divided into two nations, a North Korea that follows closely to the ideals of Russia at the time and a South Korea that follows closely to the ideals of the United States. Both Koreas are hostile to one another, as they went to war with one another, a war that left a million Koreans dead."
"Your majesty, this man is lying. There is no way our proud and powerful nation would willingly submit to those barbarous Japanese and be divided so easily!" One of the court officials cried out as he bowed to the king.
King Cheoljong glared at the official that spoke out with fury, "Silence! While I have my doubts about his tale, he hails from the future and if his stories are true, then we must ensure that history is not repeated once again."
Ambassador Cho bowed his head, "I do have several books in my possession back at my lodging that will verify my claims, your highness. It will explain the history behind Joseon's fall and the fate of Korea."
The king nodded as he looked at the Californian ambassador directly in the eye, "Tell me, ambassador, who was the ruler of Joseon when Joseon fell. Was it me?"
"No, your highness. The ruler of Joseon at the time was King Gojong, the son of Daewongun and the last king of Joseon," Cho hesitated but continued, "In the world that I come from, you passed away at the age of 32."
"At the age of 32? But I am perfectly healthy!" King Cheoljong stood up and moved around to prove his point, "What was the reason for my early death?"
"I believe that should be a private matter, your highness," Cho stated simply, feeling some perspiration roll down his back. He had studied up extensively on this time period for the meeting and knew that if the king discovered the knowledge he knew, it could potentially lead to a civil war or worse.
Muttering began to break out between the court officials as they speculated on the new revelation, but the King of Joseon silenced them and looked at Cho steely, "I insist, ambassador."
Cho gulped and glanced at some of the officials nervously, "You were assassinated, your highness. There was no official proof, but..."
"Who dared?" King Cheoljong glowered as he swept his eyes across the room. Suddenly, all the court officials cowered under the king's gaze and tensions began to rise in the room as the officials realized that it was possible that they planned the assassination that would happen in the future.
"The Andong Kim clan."
Immediately, the king yelled for his guards to enter the room. When the guards heeded his call, he pointed accusingly at several of the officials, "Arrest all members of the Andong Kim clan and throw them into prison! All of them are to be jailed for plotting to assassinate the rightful King of Joseon! I hereby declare the Andong Kim clan to be national traitors!"
The guards moved rapidly and arrested several members of the court in quick succession. Nearly a dozen individuals were escorted away as Cho looked at the king in shock.
King Cheoljong gave an apologetic smile to the ambassador, "I'm sorry, ambassador. I do not know what your history book says about me, but I will not be a forgotten king that was assassinated early in his reign and the predecessor to the last king. I will listen to what you have to say and change Joseon with my own hands if I must. Now please, continue"
Kropotkin House - Moscow, Russian EmpireOutside the California Embassy, Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC - July 24th, 1853, 4:30 AMPacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1312, Camp Springs Airport - July 24th, 1853 - 8:32 PMMilitia Encampment Outside of Camp SpringsCNN Broadcast via Ursa-2 July 24th, 1853 - 8:30 PM Presidential Address July 24th, 1853 - 10:30 PM