Escalation (Morgen die ganze Welt spinoff)

January 20 1969 Washington D.C.

Donald Rumsfeld swore to uphold the constitution today as the 36th President of the United States. Several key states included Zacatecas, sonora and Ontario, with Rumsfeld and his running mate Ronald Reagan barely clinching Ontario against Noam Chomsky (who was very hawkish ATL) and his running mate Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia. Rumsfeld vowed in his inaugural adress to "ensure that the United States will gain every advantage possible against the Third Reich."

January 21 1969 Washington D.C.

True to his word, Rumsfeld begins by increasing DoD spending as well as encouraging the space programme. Rumsfeld also got the CIA to offer incentives for scientists to defect. On Sergei Koryolev's advice, the Pentagon sets up a space research facility in the Northwest territories.

January 29 1969 Washington D.C.