The world's population by 1975 was 4,071,020,434.

Remove 27% of the world's population, and make 40% of the survivors as refugees.

That was what I did.

:P

I don't think you can say that so precisely

Where did you get that number for 1975?

The Wikipedia article, specifically, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs estimate.

@Secespitus Well it's the year after 1974, and the year before 1976

@NexTerren I don't understand what you mean. How is that an explanation for saying that there were 4,071,020,434 people in 1975?

@Secespitus My comment was a joke intentionally misconstruing your comment for humorous effect.

Actually, it is a UN estimate at the time, @Secespitus.

No harm meant. Go ahead with your discussion!

@NexTerren 9gag.com/gag/aqZzBZ7/…

@FutureHistorian That estimate is oddly precise. Do you have a source? I'd like to know how they arrived at that number.

This here should be useful: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/….

NOTE: I linked to one of the references on the Wikipedia article.

@Secespitus Link doesn't work for me.

@FutureHistorian Okay, they used that number. No idea why, but it's odd to read anyway. In most countries you can't say how many people there are at any time: someone can die at any moment, there may be people that haven't registered anywhere, new people are born, ... This is especially true in Third-World-Countries where they have bigger problems than tracking how many people there are exactly. Using a precise number like that is odd for a reader.

I know.

But it is just for reference.

At least that's my take on this. I would round the numbers to make it easier to read them and easier to calculate stuff.

Alright, so........4.1 billion people. That good?

@Secespitus I'm guessing they used some sort of formula to calculate it (based on regions, density, various estimates and census data...), and the end result was something without a strictly defined rounding point (since the aggregate sources had varying levels of margins of error). So they just recorded the end number.

@FutureHistorian Sounds good to me.

Well, 4.1 billion people before the Invasion. We have 2.97 billion survivors, and 1.2 billion refugees. Oh and 1.1 billion dead.

How much time would reconstruction take?

@FutureHistorian Of everything up to a 1975 standard or just of basic stuff?

Well, of everything up to a 1975 standard, on top of the new advances they could possibly reverse-engineer.

@FutureHistorian Ages.

Specifically?

@FutureHistorian How much damage to infrastructure?

I reckon at least a few decades.

As in: many major cities are completely destroyed, some of them nuked into oblivion from orbit, most military bases destroyed, and most governments are either reduced to rump states or completely gone. On top of that, there are new governments emerging.

My bet would be a few hundred years.

I'm upping my estimate to at least 100 years to rebuild everything.

What about getting to 21st Century technology?

And possibly, late 22nd Century technology?

Well, probably however long it takes to rebuild + 225 years - a little bit.

A few hundred years + 100 to 200 more years

So around 400 years total.

~400 sounds reasonable, yeah

400 years before we get a chance to start spamming the rest of the Solar System before the ETs come back (even though the Army of the Chosen at this point is defeated)?

Well, then.

I just hope next time they return, the Gdarje are friendlier.

@FutureHistorian Probably.

It could be less if you weren't bothered about rebuilding and just got a decent quality of life going then worked on improving the technology.

Oh.

Well, to get the basics back up to speed, how long would it take, compared to rebuilding to 1975 standards first?

Maybe saves ~150 years?

I reckon 50-100 years for a functional society.

So, 150 years to get the basics back up, and an extra 75 years to get 1975 standards back, along with 225 to reach 22nd Century technology.

Oh, bloody hell.

Oops.

Accidentally clicked "x" on the tab.

@FutureHistorian No, 50 years to get basics then another 150 to 1975 standards.

Oh......

Well, that makes sense.

So, 50 years to get to basics, 150 extra years to 1975 standards, and I suppose 225 extra years to get to the 22nd Century, correct?

Yep.

So, assuming the remaining military forces of Earth, the various guerrilla groups and UNERU retake Earth by 1995, by 2420, Earth is ready to fight back?

Probably.

Hmmmmm.

I wonder how historians will remember this alternate 20th Century, though.

Say, someone in 2075 was telling people about the situation 100 years earlier, what would they say?

@FutureHistorian A time of terror and ever escalating Great Wars.

The time of fear that unites humanity

So, basically, the 20th Century, despite all the advances in technological progress, is one giant tragedy.

Correct?

Well, before the ETs show up.

In our history? Depends who you ask. Once the ETs show up then definitely.

Well, how would someone in that era remember the events from 1900 to 1975?

At least on average?

A golden age? A smaller tragedy compared to the late 20th Century? What?

Probably a golden age given how far they rose then fell.

But with some bad events although the World Wars may be forgotten in the wake of 1975.

So, basically, WWI and WWII are thrown out the window, and overshadowed by the First Contact War/the Great War/the Second Patriotic War/the Survival War/whatever?

I don't know. Long term history they would probably be treated as smaller events possibly lead ups to the Survival War rather than the main event as they are know considered.

That could work.

Wait, wait, wait. How would you name the conflict? The Survival War? The First Gdajre War (implying a Second Gdarje War is possible)? The Second Patriotic War? The First Contact War? The Dark War? What?

The Great War?

We are talking about aliens, right? "The First Intergalactic War" sounds reasonable

What was the First Patriotic War?

Terms like "Great" and "New" tend to be problematic in the long run.

Would they call it "First" though?

I think someone told me that the oldest bridge in Paris is named "The new bridge" or something like that

I seem to remember the First World War was only named that once there was a second.

@Bellerophon Good point. Probably not because "Great War" sounds more impressive and if you say "First" there has to be a "Second", which is not a good thing to have in mind for the people

Meh. The First Patriotic War already happened.

It is called The Eastern Front.

The Russians call it the Great Patriotic War for some reason.

I would be careful renaming WW2.

I know, Bellephoron.

Everyone still calls it WWII, but the Russians refer to the Eastern Front as the Great Patriotic War for some reason.

@FutureHistorian They did lose a lot more in that than the Allies lost in the West.

I know, but still.

For our purposes, whatever is left of the USSR likely calls it the Second Patriotic War.

So, what would be useful of the other names?

Possibly First Contact War for historians.

Great War according to those who fought in it.

*fought

@FutureHistorian Nah, I meant the combat philosophers.

Oh.

You mean veterans of the conflict? Or more the military strategists?

Veterans.

Oh. I am going to guess the majority will be gone by 2075, correct?

So, the First Contact War seems fitting for a post-War generation.

Indeed.

Well, it is official: historians will name this conflict the First Contact War (though it may be called the Great War at the time of the conflict).

hey there @Bellerophon

Hello @Shalvenay

how're things going?

Pretty well here. How are things across the sea with you.

alright here

Hello y'all! So, what exactly are y'all up to today? And yes, I used the word y'all. :)

not a lot -- looked at the rest of your gov't links

helpful -- but what also would be useful is something to help me frame laws, rights, etal in different ways, not just structures of government

Take for example, the idea of healthcare. In Verrisiran society, healthcare is free, which the liberals of here would jump up and down in praise....until they find out that the Verrisiran priesthood runs the healthcare. Insurance companies help offset some costs, but healthcare insurance companies are run by religion, and with an iron fist...errr...paw if you will. No one is turned away, but they usually require a tithe, which to a Verrisir is okay.

Let's take also for example, the 2016 election. To the Verrisirs, they would think they were watching an Earthling parody comedy, until they found out that it was real. To the Verrisirs, the only people allowed to run for office are soldiers (either active duty or retired veterans) and or religious officials. There is a Verrisiran nobility, but a great deal of them have served in the military or have connections with the priesthood.

@SCPilot That sounds exactly like modern taxation, just with religion in the place of government.