THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
The 20th Century
1905 Albert Einstein introduces his special theory of relativity
and quantum theory, and introduces the idea of space-time.
Einstein also predicts that the speed of light is the
absolute velocity in the universe and that mass and energy
are equivalent and transposable. (Enterprise
exploration timeline ) 1914 World War One
begins on Earth. It is a savage conflict, and of such impact that it
becomes known at the time as the War to End All Wars. On the Mirror
Earth, the conflict also rages. (historical
accounts, opening sequence for "In a Mirror Darkly, parts one and
two") July 16, 1916 In a famous
speech, Lenin states his belief that imperialism is caused by capitalism.
(historical accounts) 1916
Lenin is assassinated by an unknown participant in the temporal war. This
is the point of divergence for the "Storm Front" alternate
history. At this time, Lenin was living in Finland, for security
reasons. This assassination prevented his role in helping organize the
Bolsheviks, and he never returned to Russia in the alternate timeline. No
one took his place, and the Bolshevik Revolution did not occur.
("Storm Front - Part II) October 1917 The
Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. (historical accounts). This
event did not occur in the "Storm Front" timeline, and Russia never
became communist. As a result, Russia never grew to become a serious
threat to Germany. ("Storm Front, Part II") 1918 World War One ends
(historical accounts) 1925 The Cardassians achieve warp
capability. (Star Trek Star Charts, p. 35) March 17, 1926 The
historic first flight of a liquid-fuel rocket when Robert Goddard's ungainly
assemblage lifts itself 41 feet at Pakachoag Hill near Auburn,
Massachusetts. (historical accounts - Robert Goddard is shown
writing on a blackboard in the ) Goddard is also influential in the Mirror
Universe (taken from opening sequence for "In a Mirror Darkly,
parts one and two") 1927 Aviator Charles Lindbergh makes the first nonstop solo
transatlantic airplane flight in his plane, the Spirit of St. Louis, and galvanizes world interest
in avionics. ( Enterprise exploration timeline. Lindbergh's plane
is shown in the opening credits of Enterprise. ) Also in 1930, famed aviator Charles Lindbergh
manages to secure money from the Guggenheim Foundation to fund Robert Goddard's
rocket research. (historical accounts, mentioned in article on
StarTrek.com about Goddard footage in opening sequence of Enterprise) November 21, 1931 The motion picture
"Frankenstein," starring Boris Karloff, is released.
(this movie is watched by the Enterprise crew in "Horizon") 1933 Adolf
Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany. He and the Nazi Party would lead
Germany into World War Two. (historical
accounts) In
the "Storm Front" timeline, Russia is not considered much of a threat
to Nazi Germany, and Hitler was able to concentrate on the west. (Nazis are depicted in "Patterns of
Force," "The Killing Game, Part I," "The Killing Game, Part
II, " "Zero Hour," "Storm Front," and "Storm
Front, Part II") Also in 1933 In the Delphic Expanse, on the
Xindi Homeworld a war that would last 100 years begins between the six species
of the Xindi. (100 years before destruction of Xindi Homeworld -
"The Shipment") October 3, 1936 The
U.S.S. Enterprise (CV-6), a United States aircraft carrier which served in
World War Two, and that was one of the most successful warships in history,
was launched in Newport News, Virginia. (contemporary
accounts.) 1937
Aviator Amelia Earhart, who captured the world's attention as
the first woman to match Lindbergh's transatlantic flight,
vanishes somewhere over the Pacific Ocean while
circumnavigating the globe. ( Enterprise
exploration timeline ) Earhart is
later discovered to have been one of three hundred humans
taken from Earth to the Briori Homeworld, some 70,000 light
years away in the Delta Quadrant. ( "The
37's" (VGR)., Earhart is seen in the opening
credits of Enterprise. ) Earhart was a role
model to Kathryn Janeway. ("The 3t's") 1939 World War Two
begins as Nazi Germany invades Poland. In the Mirror Universe, this
conflict may have begun the series of events that resulted in the formation of
the Earth Empire. (taken from opening sequence for "In a Mirror
Darkly, parts one and two" - in the sequence, an Imperial Earth logo in
shown over top of a clip showing what appear to be 1940's era German
stormtroopers marching in formation.) 1940 The North American
Mustang aircraft, designed initially to meet a British requirement for fighter
service in Europe, became the leading US fighter in the European Theater of
Operation during the final months of the war. The Mustang was designed and
rolled out in 117 days. It was first flown on October 26, 1940.
Later, Mustangs served in nearly every combat zone, including the Pacific.
(P-51 Mustangs were featured in "Zero Hour", and in "Storm
Front") June 22, 1940 France
falls to Nazi Germany. (historical accounts) In
the "Storm Front" timeline, after France, Beglium and the Netherlands
fell, and Hitler quickly took England. He then moved on to the
Eastern United States. ("Storm Front - Part II")
Star
Trek Timeline
1903
The Wright Brothers build and fly the first motorized
airplane in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, proving that man does
not need wings to fly. ( Enterprise exploration
timeline, historical accounts, "North Star" )
1930
Dr. Leonard McCoy is sent back through time to New York City of this era by the
Guardian of Forever and is ultimately taken in by Dr. Edith Keeler. Kirk
and Spock come back to this time in search of McCoy, and Kirk discovers that in
order to prevent changing history, he must prevent Bones from saving Edith
Keeler's life. ("City on the Edge of Forever")
June 22, 1941 German forces invaded the Soviet Union. (historical accounts)
September - December, 1941 The Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union continues. German forces reach the gates of Leningrad in the north. By this point, they had taken Smolensk in the center and Dnepropetrovsk in the south. German units reached the outskirts of Moscow in early December. However, the Russians are able to stave off the Nazi advance and Moscow remains in Soviet hands. (historical accounts) However, in the alternate timeline influenced by Vosk, Moscow ultimately falls to the Germans. ("Storm Front")
December 7, 1941 The bombing of Pearl Harbor brings the United States into World War Two. (historical accounts)
c. Summer 1942 Vosk and his group from the 29th century arrive in 1944, and are trapped in the past. They begin working to build a temporal conduit that can return them home, and forge an alliance with the Nazi Government of Germany to give them access to much needed resources and materials for the construction of this time travel machine. ("Storm Front," "Storm Front, Part II") Note: Although clearly effected by ripples in history from prior interventions by other factions in the temporal war, this event - the arrival of Vosk in 1944 - actually marks the beginning of the Temporal Cold War.
November
1942 In mid-November 1942, the Soviet army launched a massive
counteroffensive against the German Sixth Army, some 250,000 soldiers trying to
conquer Stalingrad in bitter hand-to-hand fighting. German forces fail,
and this marks the peak of Germany's expansion and the beginning of it's
decline. (historical accounts) In the alternate timeline
influenced by Vosk, this turnaround does not occur, and German maintains a
strong foothold in Russia. ("Storm
Front")
September 6, 1943. Winston Churchill gives his famous speech on Anglo-American brotherhood at Harvard University. In the alternate future that is effected by Vosk's intervention in Earth history, the Enterprise picks up this speech being broadcast in the year 1944. ("Storm Front") It is possible that Churchill had to make this speech in a completely different time and place, as England fell to the Nazis shortly after France in 1940. Harvard would also have likely been in an area under Nazi control by this time.
early 1944
In the alternate history, German launches a successful invasion of the United States and New York City is invaded by the Nazis. ("Storm Front")
c.
Spring 1944
Washington, DC falls to the Nazis and the U.S. President and the federal
government flee the capital. U.S forces make what is called an
"orderly withdrawal" from New England. ("Storm
Front")
early Summer 1944
Just prior to the arrival of the Enterprise in the "Storm Front" timeline, Adolph Hitler visits New York City for the first time, and his visit is recorded by the media.
Summer 1944
The Enterprise, on it's way back from Xindi space, is diverted to Earth in the year 1944 by Daniels, in an attempt to stop the Temporal Cold War at it's most vulnerable point.
The front lines of the war in America at the time the Enterprise arrives are in Virginia and Ohio. At this point, there is serious concerns in the Nazi military that Germany has advanced too far. There have been setbacks in America and in Africa, and Moscow is on the verge of being retaken by the Russians.
The Enterprise intervenes in history and destroys Vosk's temporal conduit device before he has a chance to use it. As a result, they are able to stop the Temporal Cold War before it begins.
1945 World War Two ends (historical accounts)
1947 Quark and Rom accompany Nog on his way to Starfleet Academy, when their shuttle "Quark's Treasure" is thrown back to the year 1947 and crashes near Roswell, New Mexico. The three Ferengi are responsible for the so-called Roswell Incident. Officials keep the incident a secret, and claim the object was a weather balloon. People begin to believe beings from outer space are visiting Earth. ( "Little Green Men", ; Enterprise exploration timeline )
October
14, 1947 Test pilot Chuck Yeager travels faster than the
speed of sound in a new rocket-powered plane, the Bell X-1 Glamorous Glennis. Yeager's
supersonic flight begins the Jet Age. ( Enterprise
exploration timeline , this event is
shown during the opening credits of Enterprise.)
1949 Dr. Henry Starling is born in the United States. (speculation based on age on actor).
April 4, 1949 NATO is formed as an alliance of western powers, in large part to deter Soviet expansionism. This is one of the formative events of the 40 year Cold War between the Communist and western powers. (historical accounts) The Cold War also appears to occur in the Mirror Universe, with such developments as missile systems, the B1-bomber, the H-bomb and the F-14 fighter plane all put into use on Mirror Earth. (taken from opening sequence for "In a Mirror Darkly, parts one and two")
c. 1950 The Vulcans begin to expand outward in their exploration of space, and soon encounter the Andorians and the primitive people of Earth.
1953 The Andorians and Vulcans first encounter each other, leading to two centuries of border conflict. The initial contact is promising, but the Andorians prove to be duplicitous. (200 years before "Proving Ground")
1954 Denoblia first begins its generally successful use of genetic engineering. (200 years before "Borderland')
October 4, 1957 The Space Age, and the so-called space race, begins when the USSR puts an artificial satellite, Sputnik-1, into orbit around the Earth. ( contemporary accounts, Enterprise exploration timeline )
October
1957 Shortly
after the launch of Sputnik, a Vulcan survey vessel was dispatched to study the vehicle,
and to do surveys of the planet. (Carbon Creek, Enterprise exploration
timeline)
November 1957
Three weeks after having arrived in Earth orbit the Vulcan survey vessel had a serious systems failure, and the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing on the Earth. (Carbon Creek, Enterprise exploration timeline)
The Captain of the four person vessel was killed during the crash landing, and the ship rendered inoperable. The remainder of the crew, T'Mir (great grandmother of T'Pol), Mestral and Stron survived on rations, determined to avoid the Earth humans and prevent contamination of their culture. It was there hope that the Vulcan High Command would soon respond to their distress signal.
However, five days after the rations ran out, T'Mir and Mestral decided to walk to the nearby town of Carbon Creek, Pennsylvania, where they assumed disguises and were able to obtain food. Although their identities remained secret, this was the first contact between Vulcans and the people of Earth.
After a time, the Vulcans came to believe that rescue would not ever come, as so they took jobs in Carbon Creek, and began to interact with the townsfolk, who remained unaware of the true identities of their alien neighbors.
The three Vulcans became cherished members of the community, particularly Mestral who saved a number of miners from a cave-in, and who took to dating one of the local women.
February 1958
Three months after their first having entered town, the Vulcans were contacted by a rescue vessel. In order to help fund the college fund of a young student named Jack, T'Mir apparently sold a patent for a Velcro like material. Mestral decided to not return to Vulcan, and instead remained on Earth.
T'Mir and Stron returned to Vulcan, and indicated to the Vulcan authorities that Mestral had died in the crash. T'Mir took along with her a purse from Earth which ultimately was passed down to her great-granddaughter, T'Pol.
Mestral presumably lived the remainder of his life span on Earth, perhaps some 150 years. ("Carbon Creek")
1960 Earth's first radio telescopes devoted solely to the search for extraterrestrial life go online. ( Enterprise exploration timeline )
1961 Yuri Gagarin is the first human to achieve orbital space flight. His craft, Vostok I, circles the Earth once. The craft is ground controlled because there is doubt that the human body can withstand such a journey. Enterprise exploration timeline )
May 5, 1961 A Mercury Redstone 3 (MR-3) rocket carries Commander Alan B. Shepard, Jr., on his historic sub-orbital flight. Alan Shepherd became the first American in space. (A sequence of Alan Shepherd boarding this rocket, as well as a mechanical drawing of a Mercury Redstone features in the opening credits of Enterprise)
1961 John
Glenn becomes the first American to orbit the Earth.
(depicted in the opening of Enterprise)
1967 Captain Braxton's 29th century timeship, Aeon, crash lands on Earth, 30km north east of Phoenix, Arizona. The crash is witnessed by the young Henry Starling who steals the ship, and appropriates the technology. Over the next 29 years, Starling would build a huge multinational corporation by gradually introducing future technologies into the marketplace, and profiting from its sale. Braxton ended up living as a homeless person, whose tales of time travel were dismissed as lunatic ravings. Future's End, Parts I & II (VOY)
Note: It is unclear how much of these events were wiped out when the Voyager crew "restored" the timeline. Some technologies clearly remained in the resorted timeline, such as the Doctor's mobile emitter. It is also interesting to note that these events happened before Gary Seven's return to Earth, and he was unable to effect them.
1968 Note: Star Trek History's Point of Divergence. This is the point where the Star Trek timeline and the actual events of history begin to most clearly diverge. Although some events have been shown to be slightly different in the Star Trek universe in years prior to 1968, it is with the episode "Assignment: Earth" featuring Gary Seven that we first see a clearly divergent history, that is not "fixed" at the end of the episode. Indeed, Spock determines that the U.S.S. Enterprise intervention in 1968 was, in fact, an established and important part of history.
In that episode, 1968 is shown to
be a year of such critical importance that aliens have sent
an emissary, Gary Seven, to help guide the Earth. In addition, Starfleet
actually
sends the Enterprise back in time to do historical research (likely one
of the first such temporal research missions attempted by the Federation).
It could of course be argued that 1968 was a critical year in many ways in our own history. However, the key reason for the initial involvement of both Gary Seven and the Enterprise crew is the destabilizing effect of the deployment of space based nuclear missile platforms by the United States, something which did not happen in actual history, and is a significant departure from real events.
March 29, 1968
Having arrived in the 20th century, the Enterprise crew and the mysterious Gary Seven both try to prevent an nuclear conflict, however, they hinder each other in doing so. Ultimately, the two groups join forces and are able to destroy a nuclear weapon in the atmosphere about 100 miles above the surface. (date based on airing of episode)
July 1969 After nearly colliding with a black hole, The U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701) is accidentally sent into Earth's past and accidentally captures a U.S. Air Force pilot. ( "Tomorrow is Yesterday" (TOS).)
July 1969 First manned lunar landing. The crew of Apollo 11, Neil A. Armstrong, Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., and Michael Collins, set down in the Sea of Tranquility, collect moon rocks, and return to earth. ( Enterprise exploration timeline on Star Trek.com, several images from the Apollo missions are shown during the opening of Enterprise.)
The Apollo program also took place in the Mirror Universe. (there is a picture of the Apollo program in the opening sequence for "In a Mirror Darkly, parts one and two." This appears to be the US space program - you can see United States on the side of the Saturn V rocket if you look closely - but it is unclear if this Apollo program was for the intention of reaching the moon. Another image shows a landing on the Moon and an Imperial Earth flag being planted, but the astronaut appears to be in a circa 2250 spacesuit.)
Also in 1969.. Khan Noonien Singh, one of the first of the genetic supermen, is born - a product of genetic engineering. ("Space Seed." Assumes Khan was put in suspended animation at age 27. Note: Richardo Montalban was 46 at the time Space Seed was filmed.)
Later that same year, Dr. Stravos Keniculus, the first cloned human, is born. (Speculation from "The Infinite Vulcan" - animated.)
Dr. Henry Starling introduces a new computer chip in 1969 and his company, Chronowerx, starts the late twentieth century computer revolution and comes to dominate the new industry. (Future's End, Parts I and II)
1970 Captain Shaun Geoffrey Christopher is born in the United States. conjecture from "Tomorrow is Yesterday." (TOS))
1972 The Pioneer 10 Jupiter flyby space probe sends 500 images of this enormous planet, and amazing technical data, back to Earth. ( Enterprise exploration timeline )
Also this year, Henry Starling meets President Richard Nixon. (speculation of date. picture of their meeting is briefly shown in Future's End (VOY)) President Nixon is the most recent President of the United States to be mentioned in Star Trek.
July 17, 1975 The US-USSR Apollo-Soyuz test project achieves its goal of docking the two spacecraft safely in orbit. (contemporary accounts)
1976
Viking 2 lands on Mars at Utopia Planitia and sends images
from the planet's red surface to Earth. Viking conducts
experiments to discover the presence of microorganisms. The
test results are debated. ( Enterprise exploration
timeline )
1976 NASA unveils its first reusable orbiting craft, or shuttle, named Enterprise (Space Shuttle OV-101). Flight testing begins the following year. ( Enterprise exploration timeline , footage of the shuttle Enterprise being unveiled is used in the opening credits of Enterprise. The shuttle was given this name in 1976 after Star Trek fans sent over 400,000 letters to NASA. )
1977 The
first spaceship Enterprise undergoes flight testing.
(depicted in opening of Enterprise.)
July 11, 1979 The American space station Skylab burns up in the Earth’s atmosphere. (contemporary accounts)
April 12, 1981 - The Space Shuttle Columbia lift off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, beginning the historic first shuttle flight into space. (the ignited engines of the shuttle are shown just before launch and the shuttle and fuel tank lifting off are both shown in the opening sequence of Enterprise)
April 14, 1981 - Columbia landed on Rogers Dry Lake at Edwards AFB at the conclusion of its first mission. (the Space Shuttle's desert landing strip is briefly depicted in the opening sequence of Enterprise)
1983 Pioneer 10 passes Pluto's orbit boundary and becomes the first man-made object to exit Earth's solar system. The probe carries an engraved plaque with a message of greetings from the people of Earth. ( Enterprise exploration timeline )
January 28, 1986 NASA's space shuttle Challenger explodes shortly after lift-off, killing all seven on board including the first civilian in space. The tragedy brings the space program to a temporary halt, pending an investigation. ( Enterprise exploration timeline )
1986
The first human habitat to permanently orbit Earth, the Mir
space station, begins construction. Mir becomes a shared
resource and training ground for future space stations. (
Enterprise exploration timeline , Star Trek
Chronology)
July 1986 A Klingon Bird of Prey piloted by Kirk and his crew lands in San Francisco to take two humpback whales back to the future. (sources: Star Trek Chronology, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.)
1992 Khan Noonien Singh rises to power, assuming dictatorial control over one quarter of the planet Earth, from South Asia to the Middle East. Khan is the product of genetic engineering and eugenics experiments. (sources: Star Trek Chronology, Space Seed (TOS).) This event, and the subsequent Eugenics Wars, are thus far the most divergent elements of Star Trek's "future history.") Note: Khan is not depicted in the sequence of events shown in the reordering of time at the end of "Storm Front - Part II"
1992 The book, Chicago Mobs of the Twenties, is published. ("Piece of the Action")
1993
A group of eugenically bred "superior" humans or Augments simultaneously seize control in some forty of the Earth's
nations. ("Space Seed" (TOS))
Spock indicates that the situation degenerated when the Augments turned against each other. ("Space Seed"). Arik Soong indicates that some believe the war started when the humans attacked the Augments, while other believed they turned against each other. ("Cold Station 12") Whichever is the case, the Eugencis Wars began at this point, a war that would cost some 30,000,000 lives in the official count, but unofficially is thought by some to have reached as high as 35,000,000. ("Cold Station 12")
The Eugenics Wars begin.
During the conflict, Captain Jonathan Archer's Great-Grandfather is involved in a campaign in North Africa. During that conflict, he contacts enemy forces in a successful effort to allow some non-combatant civilians time to get to safety. (Archer relates the tale in "Hatchery" - quote: "My great-grandfather was in North Africa during the Eugenics Wars. His battalion was evacuating civilians from a war zone when they came under attack. There was a school full of children directly between them and the enemy. If his men had returned fire, they might have hit it. So he called the commander on the other side, got him to agree to hold his fire long enough to evacuate the school." )
Whether the Eugenics Wars happened in the Mirror Universe is unknown.
1994 An organization that places dead loved ones into cryogenic capsules orbiting Earth receives a brief surge of popularity. The hope is that future generations will revive the departed. Among those frozen are Ralph Offenhouse and Claire Raymond. ( Enterprise exploration timeline , "The Neutral Zone" (TNG))
1996 Earth scientists announce the discovery of life on Mars based on a Mars meteorite containing fossilized evidence of primitive bacterial life. Other scientists do not draw the same conclusions from this evidence. (sources: contemporary accounts, Enterprise exploration timeline)
1996
Earth's Eugenics Wars end.
Khan Noonien Singh is overthrown.
Khan escapes his home world on the DY-100 class sleeper ship S.S. Botany Bay along with 96 of his fellow "supermen." (sources: Star Trek Chronology, Space Seed (TOS), Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan) This event is considered by many to have been a myth. All records of the launch were not available to the public in the mid 22nd century. ("The Augments")
Embryos that Khan planned to develop into genetically augmented humans are recovered and placed in a secret facility known as Cold Station 12. (Borderland)
At the end of the Eugenics Wars, Dr. Stavos
Keniclius, Earth's first cloned human, is banned from the
community. The tyrants' altered Humans are declared wards of
the United Nations and are sent to live in a series of camps
in isolated areas. Gene engineering of Humans is banned,
although certain groups will pass on the forbidden knowledge.
(Sources: "The Infinite Vulcan" (TAS), "Space
Seed" (TOS), Curt Danhauser's Animated Star Trek Timeline )
Also in 1996 The crew of the U.S.S. Voyager arrives in Los Angeles, and Janeway searches for a Henry Starling, a megalomaniac businessman who has stolen a 29th century timeship. ("Future's End, Parts I & II" (VGR)) It is clear from this episode that Los Angeles has been spared the ravages of the Eugenics War.
1996 'Nightingale Woman,' a love sonnet, is written by Phineas Tarbolde on Canopus. ("Where No Man Has Gone Before")
September 1996 Deep Flight One, a new personal submarine, is launched. Sponsored in part by Television New Zealand, IMAX, National Geographic Television and Rolex, DFI was launched in September 1996 from the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California. (A personal sub that looks very much like DFI is depicted in the opening sequence of Enterprise) see http://www.deepflight.com/subs/df1.htm
1997 Laws governing, and severely restricting, genetic enhancement are passed throughout the Earth. Genetically enhanced embryos, captured at the end of the Eugenics War are preserved since none of the political powers at the time could figure out what to do with them.
July
4, 1997 The Pathfinder Mars Probe lands on Mars and dispatches
the six-wheeled rover Sojourner. (Contemporary Accounts.
Sojourner is shown during the opening credits of Enterprise.)
October 29, 1998 The launch of space shuttle mission STS-95, otherwise known as the "John Glenn shuttle mission" (Contemporary accounts. A shot of the mission crew during launch is shown during the opening credits of Enterprise.)
November 1998. The International Space Station begins construction. (Contemporary Accounts. The International Space Station assembly is shown during the opening credits of Enterprise.)
1999
The sixth space probe in the Voyager series is launched and
continues studying the planets in Earth's solar system. (sources:
Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Enterprise exploration
timeline )
1999 Astronomers witness the first extra solar planet passing in front of a star, confirming that solar systems may be a common phenomena in other parts of the galaxy and boosting the odds that intelligent life exists elsewhere. (contemporary accounts, Enterprise exploration timeline )
1999 The Millennium Gate is completed. (VGR)
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