1940

Cascading Divergence, Book 1

De: Ron Wood

Narrado por: Peter McGiffen

Historians describe great wars as the clash of armies, the strategies of generals, the choices of leaders. But history is also shaped by the smallest moments—the flick of a wrist, the turn of a head, a slight hesitation. A single moment, barely noticed, that cascades into something far greater. And the world changes forever.

As in Real History: It’s October 1940. Nazi Germany’s might has swept over Europe. The British Army retreated across the Channel in a humiliating defeat. Though the Battle of Britain prevented total German control of the sky, the nation still endures relentless bombing raids and crippling U-boat attacks. Britain clings to hope, upheld by its iconic leader, Winston Churchill—whose stirring words and steadfast defiance had rallied the nation against the Axis onslaught.

The Divergence Point: As in our timeline, London endured persistent air raids — one such raid saw Winston Churchill narrowly escape death. But in this alternate history, that raid becomes fate's turning point. Churchill pauses to relight his extinguished cigar—a brief, almost trivial act that became the harbinger of doom. In that fleeting second, a bomb blast claimed his life and, with it, the nation's will to fight.

In the wake of Churchill’s death, Britain stands at a perilous crossroads. As the nation struggles against increasing devastation, voices in power begin to weigh the possibility of negotiating peace with Germany—an idea that might offer an end to the bloodshed but could also unleash far-reaching consequences.

A Very Different Reality Begins: The choice to continue fighting or make peace has an immediate effect on Britain. But the timeline will continue to diverge from real history, and ultimately transform the entire world into something far different from what we know today.

©2025 Ronald Wood (P)2025 Ronald Wood