The year was 1938, and Vladimir Putin was the undisputed leader of the
Soviet Union. He had risen to power after the death of Joseph Stalin,
who had been assassinated by a disgruntled NKVD agent. Putin had
inherited a vast empire, but also a host of enemies, both internal and
external. He was determined to make the Soviet Union the most powerful
and prosperous nation in the world, by any means necessary.

He had a vision of a new world order, where communism would prevail
over capitalism, and where the Soviet Union would be the leader of a
global alliance of socialist states. He had a secret weapon, a project
that he had initiated soon after taking power: the development of
nuclear weapons. He had recruited the best scientists and engineers
from across the country, and had spared no expense or effort in
pursuing his goal. He had also infiltrated and sabotaged the efforts
of his rivals, especially Nazi Germany and the United States, who were
also working on their own atomic bombs.

He was confident that he would be the first to achieve the ultimate
weapon, and that he would use it to end the Second World War, which
had been raging for three years. He had already made plans to launch a
surprise attack on Berlin, and then on London and Washington, to force
them to surrender and accept his terms. He had also prepared a
propaganda campaign, to convince the masses of the world that he was
their liberator, not their oppressor. He had a charismatic
personality, and a knack for manipulating the media. He had a loyal
and fanatical following, who believed that he was the chosen one, the
savior of the Soviet people and the world.

He was ready to make history, and to change the course of humanity. He
was unaware, however, that there was a traitor in his midst, a man who
had access to his most secret and sensitive information, and who had a
different vision for the future. He was Leon Trotsky, the exiled
leader of the opposition, who had been living in Mexico for the past
decade. He had managed to infiltrate Putin's inner circle, using a
false identity and a network of contacts. He had learned of Putin's
nuclear project, and had secretly contacted the British and the
Americans, offering them his help. He had a plan to stop Putin, and to
prevent the nuclear holocaust that he feared would destroy the world.
He had a plan to assassinate Putin, and to expose his crimes to the
world. He had a plan to spark a revolution, and to restore democracy
and freedom to the Soviet Union and the world.

He was ready to act, and to risk his life for his cause. He was
unaware, however, that Putin had suspected him for a long time, and
that he had set a trap for him. He was unaware that Putin had a backup
plan, and that he had a secret ally, a man who had been waiting for
his moment to strike. He was Adolf Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany,
who had been pretending to be at war with the Soviet Union, but who
had actually been collaborating with Putin for years. He had a plan to
betray Putin, and to seize his nuclear weapons. He had a plan to use
them against the Soviet Union, and then against the rest of the world.
He had a plan to establish his own world order, where fascism would
reign supreme, and where he would be the master of a thousand-year
Reich.

He was ready to unleash his fury, and to unleash the apocalypse. He
was unaware, however, that there was a third force, a force that had
been watching and waiting, a force that had a different agenda, and a
different destiny. He was unaware that there was a hidden hand, a hand
that had guided and influenced the events of the past and the present,
and that had a vision for the future. He was unaware that there was an
alien presence, a presence that had been observing and experimenting
with humanity for millennia, and that had a plan for its evolution. He
was unaware that there was a cosmic intervention, an intervention that
would change everything, and that would reveal the true nature and
purpose of life on Earth.

He was unaware that the end was near, and that the beginning was about
to start.

Who is this "Vladimir Putin"?

The man you have rising to power in 1938
has the same name as the OTL man born in 1952,
but can not have the same history unless he is
a time-traveller who would have arrived in the
past with no connections.
What history are you positing him as having
had,and what similarities to the modern man
would that history actually give him?
If they both took power at the same age the
1938 leader would be an adult before World
War I.

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> on Sat, 30 Dec 2023 05:17:53 -0000
(UTC) typed in alt.history.what-if the following:
>Who is this "Vladimir Putin"?
>
>The man you have rising to power in 1938
>has the same name as the OTL man born in 1952,
>but can not have the same history unless he is
>a time-traveller who would have arrived in the
>past with no connections.
>What history are you positing him as having
>had,and what similarities to the modern man
>would that history actually give him?
>If they both took power at the same age the
>1938 leader would be an adult before World
>War I.

All excellent points.
--
pyotr filipivich
"History rarely repeats herself" is the cliche. In reality she just
lets fly with a frying pan yelling "Why weren't you listening the first time!?"

On Sat, 30 Dec 2023 09:04:04 -0800, pyotr filipivich
<phamp@mindspring.com> wrote:

>Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> on Sat, 30 Dec 2023 05:17:53 -0000
>(UTC) typed in alt.history.what-if the following:
>>Who is this "Vladimir Putin"?
>>
>>The man you have rising to power in 1938
>>has the same name as the OTL man born in 1952,
>>but can not have the same history unless he is
>>a time-traveller who would have arrived in the
>>past with no connections.
>>What history are you positing him as having
>>had,and what similarities to the modern man
>>would that history actually give him?
>>If they both took power at the same age the
>>1938 leader would be an adult before World
>>War I.
>
>
> All excellent points.

Not to mention that anybody with knowledge of post-1991 Russia
transplanted into Soviet Russia of 1938 (or even 1948) would either
quickly disappear into one of Solzhenitsyn's 'sharaskas' (prison based
technical research institute) or quickly receive "9 grams of lead"
since avoiding saying something that would get him in trouble would be
almost inevitable.

Now transplanting a Russian from 2023 to 1991-92 would probably get
him rich in fairly short order if he posessed a level of intelligence
that Putin demonstrated in his KGB and Leningrad days (not to mention
his fluency in German being VERY useful post-1991 in assembling
personal wealth)

Me - I'd probably sink at sea if you put me in 1948 (my maternal
grandfather was a fishing captain while my paternal grandfather was
impoverished being a school teacher who had contracted an illness that
prevented him continuing in teaching - and with 6 kids) and if I was
very very lucky an early science fiction writer given what I know
about how both science and SF has progressed since then. (And probably
"butterfly away" several promising careers as I wrote from my memory
of various Hugo and Nebula award winners.....)

On 12/26/23 11:14, MummyChunk wrote:
> The year was 1938, and Vladimir Putin was the undisputed leader of the
> Soviet Union. He had risen to power after the death of Joseph Stalin,
> who had been assassinated by a disgruntled NKVD agent. Putin had
> inherited a vast empire, but also a host of enemies, both internal and
> external. He was determined to make the Soviet Union the most powerful
> and prosperous nation in the world, by any means necessary.

Who would have what specific powers after the death of Stalin
at different times is one question.

But how Putin would get into one of them to make him considered
to be an 'undisputed leader' at least somewhat later is not trivial.

Is Putin going to go back to 1908 and have another pen name
like 'man from the river Lena' or 'man of Steel'?

But when did he actually arrive? Is his mind transferred
into someone else? If so who? Does he get transferred with
his current age and health? Maybe younger?

Predicting the course of the time line is not obvious due to unspecified
parameters.

> He had a vision of a new world order, where communism would prevail
> over capitalism, and where the Soviet Union would be the leader of a
> global alliance of socialist states. He had a secret weapon, a project
> that he had initiated soon after taking power: the development of
> nuclear weapons. He had recruited the best scientists and engineers
> from across the country, and had spared no expense or effort in
> pursuing his goal. He had also infiltrated and sabotaged the efforts
> of his rivals, especially Nazi Germany and the United States, who were
> also working on their own atomic bombs.
>
> He was confident that he would be the first to achieve the ultimate
> weapon, and that he would use it to end the Second World War, which
> had been raging for three years.

This part here is confusing. So is this time line a different
WW2 started in 1935? Or is this a fast forward to 1942? If you
remember if this is in 1938 it is before the invasion of Poland,
and also before our time line's start of Operation Barbarossa
or the invasion of the USSR by NAZI German forces. Both of them
were before the bombing of Pearl Harbor in our time line.

> He had already made plans to launch a
> surprise attack on Berlin, and then on London and Washington, to force
> them to surrender and accept his terms. He had also prepared a
> propaganda campaign, to convince the masses of the world that he was
> their liberator, not their oppressor. He had a charismatic
> personality, and a knack for manipulating the media. He had a loyal
> and fanatical following, who believed that he was the chosen one, the
> savior of the Soviet people and the world.
>
> He was ready to make history, and to change the course of humanity. He
> was unaware, however, that there was a traitor in his midst, a man who
> had access to his most secret and sensitive information, and who had a
> different vision for the future. He was Leon Trotsky, the exiled
> leader of the opposition, who had been living in Mexico for the past
> decade. He had managed to infiltrate Putin's inner circle, using a
> false identity and a network of contacts. He had learned of Putin's
> nuclear project, and had secretly contacted the British and the
> Americans, offering them his help. He had a plan to stop Putin, and to
> prevent the nuclear holocaust that he feared would destroy the world.
> He had a plan to assassinate Putin, and to expose his crimes to the
> world. He had a plan to spark a revolution, and to restore democracy
> and freedom to the Soviet Union and the world.
>
> He was ready to act, and to risk his life for his cause. He was
> unaware, however, that Putin had suspected him for a long time, and
> that he had set a trap for him. He was unaware that Putin had a backup
> plan, and that he had a secret ally, a man who had been waiting for
> his moment to strike. He was Adolf Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany,
> who had been pretending to be at war with the Soviet Union, but who
> had actually been collaborating with Putin for years. He had a plan to
> betray Putin, and to seize his nuclear weapons. He had a plan to use
> them against the Soviet Union, and then against the rest of the world.
> He had a plan to establish his own world order, where fascism would
> reign supreme, and where he would be the master of a thousand-year
> Reich.
>
> He was ready to unleash his fury, and to unleash the apocalypse. He
> was unaware, however, that there was a third force, a force that had
> been watching and waiting, a force that had a different agenda, and a
> different destiny. He was unaware that there was a hidden hand, a hand
> that had guided and influenced the events of the past and the present,
> and that had a vision for the future. He was unaware that there was an
> alien presence, a presence that had been observing and experimenting
> with humanity for millennia, and that had a plan for its evolution. He
> was unaware that there was a cosmic intervention, an intervention that
> would change everything, and that would reveal the true nature and
> purpose of life on Earth.
>
> He was unaware that the end was near, and that the beginning was about
> to start.

A lot of this would depend upon the nature of his arrival
to - how far back? 1928? 1918? Again, predicting the
course of the time line is not obvious due to unspecified
parameters.