The Rise of Progressivism: A TL

[Dean501]

Okay here goes nothing, my rough draft of the first part of my Rise of Progressivism TL. Im very welcoming to comments and yes, the chapter will be fattened and expanded in due time.

Part 1: A cold day in Buffalo
　
September 6, 1901 Temple of Music, Buffalo NY.

It was a cold day in Buffalo when a Secret Servicemen for President William McKinley named George Foster notices a man acting suspicious, in line to shake President William McKinley’s hand, with his arm wrapped in a white handkerchief. The agent detains the man to find that he is Leon Czolgosz, an unemployed anarchist from Detroit, and that in his hand he had a gun that he planned to assassinate the President McKinley.

William McKinley safely makes it through the rest of his term leaving office with a 64% approval rating.

1904:
July 1-July 4 Republican National Convention

William McKinley declines to run for a third consecutive term but instead endorses his former Vice President Teddy Roosevelt. Roosevelt was the predicted favorite for nomination coming into the Republican National Convention, in Chicago, Illinois. Although just days before the convention veteran of politics and New York Senator, Thomas Collier Plat throws his hat in the race as only the third candidate along with Mark Hanna of Ohio. At the convention Platt turns the tide when he gives his "Experience speech"

"There is no time for indecision within the Republican party, it is not time for inexperience but progress. This is a crucial time when we cannot lose any seat in the house, or senate to the Democrats and especially not the Presidential Election. We cannot unravel the years of progress put in by President McKinley and nomination a politician of 8 years experience will do just that. We cannot fall back to the conservative ways of old but must fight for the ways of new. These years will create American society for years to come and mold the futures of my children, and your children. It is time to nominate another strong willed experienced Republican that can fight for American workers. I believe Im the best candidate for that job. Now is the time to make the decision for the nomination of not just the Republican party but nomination for America's next leader, the leader of the next generation. So make your choice, experience and true leadership or cartful words and false promises."

So the Republicans, afraid of Teddy’s lack of experience and stirred by Thomas's speech, unwittingly nominate veteran of the Senate Thomas Collier Plat narrowly 507 - 490 votes.Teddy declines the invitation to run as Thomas Plats Vice President and instead decides to run for Senate in New York where he easily wins over Democrat Rumsfeild Johnson in a landslide taking Plats place.
Historians later say that the blunder of the nomination costed the Republicans the election.

July 9-July 12th Democrat National Convention
William Jennings Bryan again receives the Democratic nomination, this time with his best hopes yet. Adlai Stevenson is selected as his running mate. At the nomination there is a stir when Conservatives rile up there side of the party. They call for a conservative for the Democratic Nomination, and almost recieve there wish, but it turns out to be to little to late.

Campaign

Thomas Collier Plats poor personality, and un-inspirational campaigning puts him quickly behind veteran William Jennings Bryan. Bryan campaigned on a progressive platform attacking "government by privilege". His campaign slogan, "Shall the People Rule?", was featured on numerous posters and campaign memorabilia. Bryan undercut Plats’ liberal support by accepting some of his reformist ideas and pointing to the shady past of Platt in the New York Political arena.But Bryans consecutive losses in 1896, and 1900 made him seem un-accountable to Moderate voters and through most of the election cycle Bryan was trailing Plat 60% to 40%. Although the debates proved to be a tide changer.

When asked about his comments calling himself the "Godfather of the New York Political world" Platt responded:

"I have been in the world of politics as long as any of the other candidates, including Repersentative Bryan.I have proven that I can lead a political state, and that I am the founder of modern NY progressive politics."

But Bryans famous response was

"America doesnt need a mafia ruler, they need a leader."

That phrase quickly turned into one of Bryans caimpaign slogans and after the debate Bryan shrunk the gap to 45%-55% and kept shrinking it, with barnstorm caimpaigning across the nation.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/WmJBryan-speech.jpg
Bryan at the debates

Platt went into the election leading 52% to 48% but a slight win in Wisconsin and Indiana led to Bryan winning in a upset, taking the electoral college 243-233 and winning the popular vote 48%-47%

1904 Election Map
Blue-Platt
Red- Bryan

http://uselectionatlas.org/TOOLS/genusmap.php?year=1904&pv_p=0&ev_p=1&AL=1;11;7&AR=1;9;5&CA=2;10;6&CO=1;5;5&CT=2;7;5&DE=2;3;5&FL=1;5;6&GA=1;13;6&ID=1;3;6&IL=2;27;5&IN=1;15;5&IA=1;13;6&KS=1;10;6&KY=1;13;4&LA=1;9;8&ME=1;6;6&MD=1;8;4&MA=2;16;5&MI=2;14;6&MN=2;11;7&MS=1;10;9&MO=1;18;4&MT=1;3;5&NE=1;8;6&NV=1;3;5&NH=1;4;6&NJ=2;12;5&NY=2;39;5&NC=1;12;5&ND=1;4;7&OH=2;23;5&OR=1;4;6&PA=2;34;6&RI=2;4;6&SC=1;9;9&SD=1;4;7&TN=1;12;5&TX=1;18;7&UT=1;3;6&VT=2;4;7&VA=1;12;6&WA=2;5;6&WV=1;7;5&WI=1;13;6&WY=1;3;6

[Technocrat]

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread.

[imperialaquila]

Nitpick: when you talk about Bryan's nomination, I assume that you meant that he got the Democratic nomination at the Democratic National Convention. ;)

I'm interested, please continue this.

[Dean501]

Nitpick: when you talk about Bryan's nomination, I assume that you meant that he got the Democratic nomination at the Democratic National Convention. ;)

I'm interested, please continue this.

Bump

Gracias, I edited it and added a small part to it.

[Dean501]

Part 2 :The Calm before the Storm

1905

In the first year of William Jennings Bryans presidency much was asked of him. WJB was the first populist Democrat elected to the highest office in the land. But the 4 party system cut him off from reaching to all the Democrats in the party, and many progressive Republicans didn’t vote with Bryan almost out of spite.

On September 27th 1907 President William Jennings Bryan had a problem.
One of his stepping stone policies on the campaign trail of WJB had been that more power should be given to the courts, and he followed those policies during the first year of his presidency passing the “Power Realignment“ bill in 1905 by cooaperating with the Republican congress.The bill secured that trials that make it to the state supreme court can be trial by jury if the supreme court rules in favor of it.

So when liberal Justice Henry Billings Brown retired at the ripe old age of 76 William Jennings Bryan panicked on who to give the position to with pressure from both ends of the party to put there respective candidates in the position. The experienced Attorney General from California, William H. Beatty was the 15th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of California. Previously, he was Chief Justice of the Nevada Supreme Court from 1879-1880. He was popular among the populist side of the Democratic party and was supposed to be the front runner to receive the job.

But as a surprise to most Americans William Jennings Bryan picked a more Conservative Democrat to appease the side of the party that did not totally support him. Thomas Walter Bicket, the Attorney General of North Carolina, was selected for the job. But this pick posed a problem for Progressives, with this pick of a social conservative the Supreme Court shifts to the right 5-4.This would prove to be a larger problem in the future…

But the most irritating dilemma for President Bryan was the rise of the “Prohibition Party”.The party was originally established in the 1876 election by James Black, as a party of “Temperance in the eyes of god, and prohibition in the eyes of our children”. Many found the party to be to extreme, even by the most conservative of Democrats, but with the election of progressive WJB many conservatives fled to the party in search of a right wing alternative. The Democratic Party had betrayed them in there minds and the Prohibitionists provided a safe conservative alternative. With the midterms of 1906 approaching, and the Democrats already a large minority in congress and growing unpopular, many southern areas could slip Prohibitionist.

These prohibitionists riled up thousands of voters across the country, with there first real chance to make a stand in the elections. They proved popular over both Democrats and Republicans all across the south. Eugene. W. Chafin continued to rile up support for the party. Eugene was an ex-Democrat that left the party as the prohibitionist candidate for President in 1904 and had been the face of the party ever since. At 35 he was young, attractive, and evangelical; the perfect man for the job.


http://www.havelshouseofhistory.com/Prohibition%20Chafin%206.jpg
1906- The Midterms

The 1906 midterms for the Democrats proved worse then expected. 135 seats were held by Democrats, and 251 were Republican seats, along with 59 Senate seats held by Republicans and 31 held by Democrats. At the end of that, the Democratic split between themselves and the prohibitionists allowed for Republicans to pick up 4 Senate Seats, and the prohibitionists to get 4, with over 38 Democratic representative seats going to either Republicans or Prohibitionists.
　
http://uselectionatlas.org/TOOLS/genusmap.php?year=1904&pv_p=1&ev_p=0&type=calc&AL=1;11;3&AR=1;9;3&CA=2;10;9&CO=1;5;9&CT=2;7;9&DE=2;3;9&FL=1;5;3&GA=1;13;9&ID=2;3;9&IL=2;27;9&IN=2;15;9&IA=2;13;9&KS=1;10;9&KY=1;13;9&LA=1;9;9&ME=2;6;9&MD=2;8;5&MA=2;16;9&MI=2;14;9&MN=2;11;9&MS=1;10;3&MO=2;18;5&MT=2;3;5&NE=2;8;9&NV=2;3;5&NH=2;4;9&NJ=2;12;9&NY=2;39;9&NC=1;12;9&ND=2;4;9&OH=2;23;9&OR=2;4;9&PA=2;34;9&RI=2;4;9&SC=1;9;9&SD=2;4;9&TN=1;12;9&TX=1;18;9&UT=2;3;9&VT=2;4;9&VA=1;12;9&WA=2;5;9&WV=2;7;9&WI=2;13;9&WY=2;3;9

Senate Map
Pink= Prohibition pick up (1),
Dark Red=Democrat Holds
Dark Blue= Republican Hold
Blue= Republican Pick up (1)


President Bryan would call the midterm losses “An embarrassment, not just for the Democrats, but for progress.”


Part 3: A rough rider, an old guy, and lost Democrat
(Were about to get to Teddy!)

[Van555]

interesting

[Dean501]

Bump...Comments Questions Concerns?

[glenn67]

Keep it coming!

[Whanztastic]

No Teddy? You better explain yourself!

[Dean501]

No Teddy? You better explain yourself!


He's not here yet, but he will be...Heres a preview:

*hint hint, the elephants the Republican party*

http://thegreatwhitehunter.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/nationa_geographic_theodore_roosevelt_safari_eleph ant_africa.jpg

[Whanztastic]

He's not here yet, but he will be...Heres a preview:

*hint hint, the elephants the Republican party*



Hahah, fair enough! Keep him out of South America and he should have a longer and healthier life.

[Archangel]

He's not here yet, but he will be...Heres a preview:

*hint hint, the elephants the Republican party*


Teddy (along with all his fellow ideological companions) will prefer a Moose.:cool:

[CCA]

This is still wish-fulfillment albeit one I agree with

[Cylon_Number_14]

Wow, I did Not see the Prohibitionists making their mark, albeit likely a very brief mark. That was a good episode for your TL to keep it fresh and entertaining!

[Dean501]

Part 3: A rough rider, an old guy, and a lost Democrat.
Mid May 1908

Teddy Roosevelt
　
　
Teddy was predicted to come back and win the Republican nomination, as he was rejected just four years before. But Roosevelt was busy with other matters. From his Senators Home in Albany, New York he was sending telegrams and organizing matters. His first message was to his friend Thomas Kearns , another progressive that started the American Party in Utah, in opposition to Mormon Leadership. With a close lost in the Utah Senate race Kearns proved that progressives could do well anywhere and inspired Roosevelt. Roosevelt knew that he was the first person he should tell about his plan

The message went:

THOMAS-stop-I INVITE YOU TO ALBANY-stop-WE SHOULD SPEAK-stop-REPUBLICANS WANT TO NOMINATE ME-stop-START PROGRESSIVE PARTY?- stop- CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP-stop-
　
It was the same message that went out to one William Howard Taft of Ohio, Hiram Johnson of California , and Robert Lafollette of Wisconsin, all close friends of Teddy and fellow progressives. They all came to his house in Albany where he told them of his plan for a new party for America. A Progressive Party. He told them that they should leave the disillusioned Republican Party that betrayed him just four years ago and call all there Progressive colleagues and friends to the Party. With anyone else telling them this they would of simply laughed at him but Roosevelt had a certain way with him, an inspirational swagger that drew everyone too him. They agreed and started networking to build the party before it became official.
Later that week Roosevelt, Johnson, and Taft were invited to the Republican National Convention in Chicago next month. They all, to the GOP’s surprise, turned down the offer.

It was early June when Teddy Roosevelt announced the establishment of the new Progressive Party. He called for all Progressives to swarm to the Burken Convention Hall in Los Angeles, California on July 12. The announcement was made later that day that over 20 Republicans and Populist Democrats in the House, Senate, and the Governors Mansions were asked to leave the Republican Party for the Progressive Party and had accepted. The outcome of the day would end in terrible losses for the Republican Party, not just in there numbers but in there chances in 1908 Election.

June 12-June 15 Republican National Convention; Chicago Arena,
Chicago, Illinois.

The arena had a certain emptiness to it. Many faces that would normally be seen at any Republican Function had disappeared, swept away by the Progressive Party.No Taft, no Roosevelt, no Knox, no Faribanks, no Hughes. But Joseph Gurney Cannon stood strong, and devoted to the GOP. With 40 years of Republican Leadership in the house he was the longest serving Congressmen in U.S history and extremely popular amongst the elders of the Republican party. But he was not without his critics, many said that he was to old, and that he couldn’t efficiently run a nation.

But with only 566 delegates present he was able to receive 355 votes by the 5th ballot and took the GOP nomination, later Frank T. O’ Hair of Michigan was nominated as his VP.
　
　
　
　
　
　
July 7-July 10 Democratic National Convention; Denver Auditorium, Denver, Colorado.

William Jennings Bryan was a President that had great promise for a new era when he came into office. His populist agenda seemed to beckon a new century for America, where the Republicans had failed to reach progressivism many thoughts the Democrats had. But as WJB proved to fold under pressure many saw that he lacked the essential politicking skills to be an effective President.

As his term came near an end many still thought he would take the Democratic Nomination unopposed as his main opposition ,from the Conservative base of the party, had left to the Prohibition Party.
But there was still one Champ Clark-
Political Bio of Champ Clark
Born: September 24, 1850, Lawrenceburg Kentucky
Party: Democrat
Offices Held:
Representative from Missouri’s 9th District, 1893-1903
41st Minority Speaker of the House of Representatives 1903-19--


Clark was born in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky to John Hampton Clark and Aletha Beauchamp. Through his mother he was the first cousin twice removed of the famous lawyer turned murderer Jereboam O. Beauchamp. He graduated from Bethany College (Bethany, West Virginia) and Cincinnati Law School and moved to Missouri in 1875, and opened a law practice the following year. He eventually settled in Bowling Green, Missouri, the county seat of Pike County, from where he was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1892. After a surprise loss in 1894 to William M. Treloar, he regained the seat in 1896, and remained in the House until shortly before his death.
Clark ran for House Minority Leader in 1903, and defeated John Sharp Williams of Mississippi.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/ChampClark.jpg/225px-ChampClark.jpg

　
In the first ballot, only John W. Kern was opposition to William Jennings Bryan. The usual speeches were made, and the Convention proved to be nothing exciting. The delegates yawned at the normal processions and begrudgingly predicted that WJB would be re-nominated, because John Kern was no better, and would lose to some “Progressive” Republican candidate in the election. By the 2nd Ballot Kern was about to step down, to let Bryan get the necessary 2/3rds of the vote and let him take his place. But a creaky old man stepped on to the stage and walked over to the podium. He was Champ Clark, the Democratic Minority leader in the house. A staunch Conservative. All eyes were on him when he begun to speak.

“It is time for a change back to the days of hold for the Democratic Party if we are going to win the white house again. The Democratic Party is divided and a house divided can NOT stand. We’ve seen failed Populist Politics for four years and stood by. We’ve seen failed progressive promises not come through, and the American People and the Democratic Party has suffered for it. The Democratic Party was not a party created to be liberal. It was a party designed by Americas Christian founders; It was a party created by Andrew Jackson; It was a party created by true Americans that wanted to receive the rights that they fought so hard to get.

If we are going to fight for this we cannot re-nominate William Jennings Bryan, we cannot nominate John W. Kern, we cannot nominate a Wolf in sheep’s clothing like we have in the past. We MUST nominate a Conservative . A Conservative that will return our party to Fiscal Responsibility, Social Conservativism , and small government. A Conservative that has years of service for his party In the U.S House of Repersentatives and has fought for these grass roots policies. A Conservative that can call back our friends from the Prohibitionist Party that has called for a good Conservative.That Conservative is me.
Before you vote on your 2nd ballot consider what is best for the American People, and the Democratic Party. Failed populism, or the Conservative values that have worked for the American people since the start of the United States. Think of the world that you want your children to live in, and your children’s children.
Thank you and God Bless America”

The speech was followed by Massive applause. The 2nd ballot was followed by a massive following for Champ Clark. Kern stepped down immediately leaving only Clark and Bryan to vote for. Champ received 88% of the vote and Arthur J. Davis as his running mate.

With the nomination of Clark thousands of Ex-Democrats that went to the Prohibition party came back to the Democrats. Later the Prohibition party would also nominate Clark, making that there last move as a major political party.
　
　
July 13-July 16 Progressive Party Convention; Burken Convention Hall, Los Angeles, California.

The Progressive Party Convention was the most exciting convention, or place to be, in 1904. The hustling, bustling exciting Progressive Party thrilled people across the nation and the Burken Convention Hall was filled with hundreds of young Californians, and delegates from across the nation. It was widely expected that party founder Teddy Roosevelt would be named Progressive nominee but it was still up in the air about his VP nomination, that would expectedly be unanimously nominated there after. After a unanimous nomination of Teddy Roosevelt he thanked everyone for coming, and nominated William Howard Taft as his VP.
　
http://www.corbisimages.com/images/67/D2D0F0E5-0EB6-46FE-901D-B33A17F763F8/IH024207.jpg


The election was going to be very interesting…


Coming soon!
Part 4: A new type of politics: The campaign and first term of President Theodore Roosevelt
　
　
　

[Whanztastic]

This seems like a very unstable time, with both major parties deteriorating.

[Dean501]

This seems like a very unstable time, with both major parties deteriorating.

It is.
Just a hint, the Progressive Party isnt the last 3rd party to rise.

[Room 101]

This timeline excites me. I shall be keeping an eye on it :D

[Ariosto]

Just a heads up, there were no Presidential debates until 1960.

[Dean501]

Just a heads up, there were no Presidential debates until 1960.


No, but there were ocassional Congressional and Senate Debates and it is plausible that the Presidential debate tradition could of started earlier when the two candidates were in such a dead heat.

[mowque]

Not bad, although I'd have liked more on the Bryan Presidency.

[peasandcarrots84]

:D GO WJB!!!

[Dean501]

Part 4: A new Type of Politics

Teddy Roosevelt changed the way a third party campaign ran, by being the first 3rd party candidate with a good shot at winning an election in American Political History. The Progressive Party wasn’t a one issue party, It was a united coalition of Liberals from both the Democratic and Republican Parties.

The people that voted for Roosevelt were tired of politics as usual, and saw the Progressive Party as the eventual end of the parties that had angered them so much over the years. Republicans and Democrats were tired terms, but Progressivism was new and offered hope for the next century. These people knew they were becoming part of history and loved it.

Roosevelt’s rambunctious speeches and swaying rhetoric inspired so many. So many were swoon from one party to the Progressives because they truly believed that change was around the corner. They truly believed that this century would be different, and that Roosevelt was making that happened. This excited millions of Americans across the country.

“ The great fundamental issue now before the Republican party and before our people can be stated briefly. It is: Are the American people fit to govern themselves, to rule themselves, to control themselves? I believe they are. My opponents do not. I believe in the right of the people to rule. I believe the majority of the plain people of the United States will, day in and day out, make fewer mistakes in governing themselves than any smaller class or body of men, no matter what their training, will make in trying to govern them. I believe, again, that the American people are, as a whole, capable of self-control and of learning by their mistakes. Our opponents pay lip-loyalty to this doctrine; but they show their real beliefs by the way in which they champion every device to make the nominal rule of the people a sham. I have scant patience with this talk of the tyranny of the majority. Wherever there is tyranny of the majority, I shall protest against it with all my heart and soul. But we are today suffering from the tyranny of minorities. It is a small minority that is grabbing our coal-deposits, our water-powers, and our harbor fronts. A small minority is battening on the sale of adulterated foods and drugs. It is a small minority that lies behind monopolies and trusts. It is a small minority that stands behind the present law of master and servant, the sweat-shops, and the whole calendar of social and industrial injustice. It is a small minority that is today using our convention system to defeat the will of a majority of the people in the polls, and the 1908 Presidential Election.
The only tyrannies from which men, women, and children are suffering in real life are the tyrannies of minorities. If the majority of the American people were in fact tyrannous over the minority, if democracy had no greater self-control than empire, then indeed no written words which our forefathers put into the Constitution could stay that tyranny.”

-Excerpt from Right of the People to Rule Speech

http://legalcitizen.us/legalcitizen/images/teddy_roosevelt_pointing.jpg
Roosevelts speech

In the eyes of America Champ Clark was the picture of politics as usual. His stern demeanor, and angry personality scared away many of the youngest in the Democratic party and invited only the most die hard and older Conservatives that had left the Prohibitionist for him. But Populists in the solid south stuck with this Conservative and swayed away from there true Ideologies. They held more loyalty to the Democratic Party and even William Jennings Bryan himself supported the Bourbon Democrat that was Champ Clark. They thought they would give the Conservatives there chance, and stuck with them, one more time.

On the Republican side many thought it was too little to late. Joseph Gurney Cannon was beloved by many die hard Republicans but looked like a settle-for candidate when Roosevelt and Taft weren’t available. His strong opposition to the Progressive Party and lack of campaigning due to his health made him seem weak and the worst of the candidates in the field. But what worried many was that he might still split the vote with Roosevelt, and Cannon may take the role as spoiler candidate. To avoid this Roosevelt made strong points to distance himself from Cannon and make the vote easier.

http://baggyparagraphs.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/joe-cannon1.jpg
Picture of Joseph Gurney Cannon on the campaign trail

1908 Presidential Election Results


http://uselectionatlas.org/TOOLS/genusmap.php?year=1912&pv_p=0&ev_p=1&AL=1;12;6&AZ=1;3;4&AR=1;9;5&CA=3;13;4&CO=1;6;4&CT=3;7;3&DE=3;3;4&FL=1;6;6&GA=1;14;7&ID=2;4;3&IL=3;29;3&IN=2;15;4&IA=3;13;3&KS=1;10;3&KY=1;13;4&LA=1;10;7&ME=2;6;3&MD=1;8;4&MA=3;18;3&MI=3;15;3&MN=3;12;3&MS=1;10;8&MO=2;18;4&MT=3;4;3&NE=1;8;4&NV=2;3;3&NH=3;4;3&NJ=3;14;4&NM=1;3;4&NY=3;45;4&NC=1;12;5&ND=2;5;3&OH=3;24;4&OK=1;10;4&OR=3;5;3&PA=3;38;3&RI=2;5;3&SC=1;9;9&SD=3;5;5&TN=1;12;5&TX=1;20;7&UT=2;4;3&VT=2;4;3&VA=1;12;6&WA=3;7;3&WV=1;8;4&WI=2;13;4&WY=1;3;3

Progressive: Teddy Roosevelt/ William Howard Taft- 256 EV 39% PV
Democrat: Champ Clark/ Arthur James Davis- 198 EV 35% PV
Republican: Joseph Gurney Cannon/ Frank T. O’Hair- 77 EV 18% PV
Socialist: Eugene Victor Debs/ Emel Seidel- 0 EV 6% PV

So, as many had expected, the Progressive Party easily wins the election and Teddy Roosevelt would have at least four years in the white house.

“It is a great day for Progressivism; A great day for America; and A great day for the world! I am no longer a political accident, as the Republicans portrayed me just 4 years ago.”

-Roosevelt at his inauguration speech the day after the election.
　
Teddy brought new excitement and power to the Presidency. He vigorously led Congress and the American public toward new reforms and a strong foreign policy. As President, he considered himself a "steward of the people." He felt it was his duty to take whatever actions necessary for the public good , unless expressly forbidden by law or the Constitution.
"I did not usurp power," he wrote. "But I did greatly broaden the use of executive power."
　
During his first term, Roosevelt solved many international problems. He had a firm hand on domestic affairs and became known for his famous "walk softly and carry a big stick" attitude of running the country. He increased his public popularity, and instilled a new wave of Liberal Patriotism in all Americans, whether they supported him or not.

While in office, Roosevelt became a "trust buster" by forcing the great railroad combination in the Northwest to break apart. As President, Roosevelt saw himself a representative of all the people, including farmers, laborers, white collar workers, and businessmen, this mantra forced the support of many Populists . Roosevelt therefore was focused on bringing big business under stronger regulation so that he could effectively serve all the people he represented. He sought to regulate, rather than dissolve, most trusts. Efforts continued over the next several years, to reduce the control of "big business" over the U.S. economy and workers. Earlier Congress passed the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1890 to maintain economic liberty, and to eliminate restraints on trade and competition. This act came into play during Roosevelt's trust busting activities.

During his time as President, Roosevelt steered the United States more actively into world politics. He was aware of the need for a shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as a means of connecting the world. As a result, in 1910 , construction of the Panama Canal began.
Roosevelt also had a very imperialistic attitude. His involvement in the 3rd Banana Wars in Latin America resulted in the occupation of Honduras, Haiti, and Nicaragua, along with the whole of Panama by 1911. Other Latin American nations were influenced or dominated by American economic policies and commercial interests to the point of becoming Sattelite States. Teddy Roosevelt declared the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctorine in 1908 asserting the right of the United States to intervene to “stabilize” the economic affairs of states in the Caribbean and Central America if they were unable to pay their international debts.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/CaptureofFtRiviere.jpg/300px-CaptureofFtRiviere.jpg
Painting of the Banana Wars

Populist Party

Before the 1908 Presidential election the Progressives had been simply a loud group of Republicans that only organized enough to vote for another Republican candidate. Before the 1912 election the Populists were much the same. They had supported William Jennings Bryan and had helped elect him but became quiet again, and voted for another Conservative in 1908. They had organized in the 1800’s for a few elections but had never put together an election changing force, or won a state. But in 1912 they were angry. They had hated the fall of there champion WJB and limped to the voting booth for Champ Clark and they were against Roosevelt’s interventionism in Latin America. They had been outcasts in the
Democratic Party, and wanted the role as 2nd best no more.

If anyone would reorganize the party it would be Thomas Edward Watson:

Political Bio of Thomas Edward Watson:
Name: Thomas Edward Watson
Age in 1912: 56
Positions Held: Representative from Georgia (1892-1908), Senator from Georgia (1908-1912), Vice Presidential Candidate (1896)
Short Bio:

Watson was born in Thomson, Georgia in 1856. After attending Mercer University (he did not graduate; family finances forced withdrawal after two years), he became a school teacher. Watson later studied law and was admitted to the Georgia bar in 1875. He joined the Democrats , and in 1882 was elected to the Georgia Legislature.

As a state legislator, Watson struggled unsuccessfully to curb the abuses of the powerful railroad corporations. A bill subjecting railroads to county property taxes was voted down after U.S. Senator Joseph Brown offered to provide the legislators with round-trip train fares to the Louisville Expedition of 1883. In disgust, Watson resigned his seat and returned to the practice of law before his term expired.

Watson began to support the Farmers Alliance platform, and was elected to the House of Repersentatives as an Alliance Democrat in 1890. In Congress, he was the only Southern Alliance Democrat to abandon the Democratic caucus, instead attending the first Populist Party congressional caucus. Watson was instrumental in the founding of the Georgia Populist Party in early 1892. The Populist Party advocated the public ownership of the railroads, steamship lines and telephone and telegraph systems. It also supported the free and unlimited coinage of silver, the abolition of national banks, a system of graduated income tax and the direct election of Senate. As a Populist, Watson tried to unite the agrarians across class lines, overcoming racial divides. He also supported the right of African American men to vote. Unfortunately, the failures of the Populist Party's attempt to make political progress through fusion tickets with the Democrats in 1896 and 1898 deeply affected Watson.
Watson served in the House of Representatives from 1891 until March 1893. After being defeated he returned to work as a lawyer in Thomson, Georgia. He also served as editor of the People's Party Paper.
In 1908 he was elected to the U.S Senate in Georgia.

http://en.academic.ru/pictures/enwiki/84/Tom_E_Watson.jpg

Thomas Edward Watson wanted to re-organize the Populist Party of old, and with how Roosevelt organized the Progressives as his model, he called upon fellow Populist Colleagues, and asked for Bryans endorsement.
On July 4, 1911 Thomas Edward Watson made an announcement that would change the Democratic Party forever.

“Americans, I believe it is time for change. I believe that there are 3 American Parties that fit three groups of voters. Populists fit into none of them. We are the dark horse of the Democratic Party and the scape-goat for when an opposition defeats them. This excuse is no longer valid. We have to stand strong as a people, as a Populist Alliance. Gather under the Liberty Bell America, for Populism!”

-Excerpt from Watson’s speech

Watson united those left behind by the Progressive Revolution, and although they were a small minority, they were a loud one and planned the Populist Party Convention on June 28, 1912 at the Scenic Convention Hall in Detroit, Michigan.
　
　

[Cylon_Number_14]

Very good to see this one back! Are you working on getting the Populists to replace the Democrats just as the Progressives replace the Republicans?

[Wendell]

Progressive: Teddy Roosevelt/ William Howard Taft- 256 EV 39% PV
Democrat: Champ Clark/ Arthur James Davis- 198 EV 35% PV
Republican: Joseph Gurney Cannon/ Frank Terry O’Knox- 77 EV 18% PV
Socialist: Eugene Victor Debs/ Emel Seidel- 0 EV 6% PV

[/B]So, as many had expected, the Progressive Party easily wins the election and Teddy Roosevelt would have at least four years in the white house.


Who's that?:confused:

[Cylon_Number_14]

I wonder if Roosevelt will pull off a primordial health care plan in this TL? In 1912 OTL he flirted with a prototype UHC, but I don't know the details. I think just health insurance guaranteed for nearly all citizens. Perhaps something like Medicare and Medicaid rolled into one package (but I really don't know). Perhaps if by 1912 or 1914 if the Progressives and Populists win enough 3-way and 4-way races against the Reps and Dems, they could have 2/3 of congress despite a substantially lower overall vote total and then create a bully National Health Service...:D

But it's your TL and you have obviously done some excellent research, so go wherever you want, just give us some solid details... but try not to get hung up on The Great War when it breaks out in 1914 :eek:

[Mikestone8]

Beg pardon, but TR's 256 votes leave him ten short of a majority.

He would have to get elected in the HoR, where his chances are essentially nil, since both Democrats and "regular" Republicans would unite against him.

Or is the 256 a misprint?

[Cylon_Number_14]

Beg pardon, but TR's 256 votes leave him ten short of a majority.

He would have to get elected in the HoR, where his chances are essentially nil, since both Democrats and "regular" Republicans would unite against him.

Or is the 256 a misprint?

I notice he used the 1912 Leip's Atlas Map instead of the 1908 one and accidently titled it "1912". I think he got a little distracted when creating the map and forgot to modify it for 1908. :rolleyes:

Well, I took the liberty of creating a 1908 map based on this TL. I had to change up some of the states' results in order to ensure a majority EV victory for Roosevelt, and to suit my tastes a bit, so it's definitely preliminary and unauthorized :p

Arizon & New Mexico aren't states yet, so they are just gray. Oklahoma just became a state (as OTL). I had to use the Leip's 1912 map for the colors, but then add my own numbers in MSPaint in order to match them to the electoral map of 1908.

Also, this map does Not indicate the percentages of popular votes since Deano101 doesn't show them for 1904.


Election of 1908

Roosevelt(P) 245 EVs (242 needed to win in 1908)
Clark(D) 184 EVs
Cannon (R) 54 EVs

127537

[Cylon_Number_14]

And here is my estimate for the Percentage of Popular Votes map. I promise to stop hijacking the thread now :D

127538

[terrellk]

This may seem small and nitpicky, and so I apologize for that upfront. I just can't see McKinley ever endorsing Teddy Roosevelt for the Republican nomination, especially if Mark Hanna, who has not died in the early part of that year ITTL I presume, were running as his opposition. TR and McKinley were not on very good terms to put it mildly. To put it frankly, neither man had very much use for the other. McKinley disliked Roosevelt for his part in starting the Spanish-American War which the president had tried to avoid. It's just hard to imagine that McKinley would back a political rival over his most trusted advisor and campaign manager from his home state of Ohio.

Not that this changes much. It could be a surviving Mark Hanna who, with McKinley's support, "steals" the nomination from Roosevelt and kicks off this whole timeline. Or if he still dies, then it could be anyone from McKinley's cabinet. Maybe John Hay or Philander Knox, both of whom were favorites of the establishment, could win the nomination and, for whatever reason, lose to WJB in the general.

Like I said, nitpicky stuff, but still an interesting TL.

[Dean501]

Snip
Ya, I didnt use the PV percentages because the colors are REALLY ugly. But your map is pretty much right.

Beg pardon, but TR's 256 votes leave him ten short of a majority.

He would have to get elected in the HoR, where his chances are essentially nil, since both Democrats and "regular" Republicans would unite against him.

Or is the 256 a misprint?
It wasnt 270 to win in 1908

I wonder if Roosevelt will pull off a primordial health care plan in this TL? In 1912 OTL he flirted with a prototype UHC, but I don't know the details. I think just health insurance guaranteed for nearly all citizens. Perhaps something like Medicare and Medicaid rolled into one package (but I really don't know). Perhaps if by 1912 or 1914 if the Progressives and Populists win enough 3-way and 4-way races against the Reps and Dems, they could have 2/3 of congress despite a substantially lower overall vote total and then create a bully National Health Service...:D

But it's your TL and you have obviously done some excellent research, so go wherever you want, just give us some solid details... but try not to get hung up on The Great War when it breaks out in 1914 :eek:

Ill try not to, and the 2nd term is gonna be the more imaginative one. I tried to stick to his accomplishments in the regular 1904-1908 term, that got taken up by WJB in this TL, just a little more imperalistic in the Banana Wars.

Who's that?:confused:

Haha, thanks for pointing that out. That is also a typo. Its supposed to be Frank T. O' Hair (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_T._O'Hair)

This may seem small and nitpicky, and so I apologize for that upfront. I just can't see McKinley ever endorsing Teddy Roosevelt for the Republican nomination, especially if Mark Hanna, who has not died in the early part of that year ITTL I presume, were running as his opposition. TR and McKinley were not on very good terms to put it mildly. To put it frankly, neither man had very much use for the other. McKinley disliked Roosevelt for his part in starting the Spanish-American War which the president had tried to avoid. It's just hard to imagine that McKinley would back a political rival over his most trusted advisor and campaign manager from his home state of Ohio.

Not that this changes much. It could be a surviving Mark Hanna who, with McKinley's support, "steals" the nomination from Roosevelt and kicks off this whole timeline. Or if he still dies, then it could be anyone from McKinley's cabinet. Maybe John Hay or Philander Knox, both of whom were favorites of the establishment, could win the nomination and, for whatever reason, lose to WJB in the general.

Like I said, nitpicky stuff, but still an interesting TL.

Thanks for the input. Maybe I can have Mark Hanna winning the 1904 Republican nomination just with the same outcome as Platt for the next draft.

And thanks for all the comments guys, Im happy youve enjoyed it.Ill try to update ASAP.

[Wendell]

I notice he used the 1912 Leip's Atlas Map instead of the 1908 one and accidently titled it "1912". I think he got a little distracted when creating the map and forgot to modify it for 1908. :rolleyes:

Well, I took the liberty of creating a 1908 map based on this TL. I had to change up some of the states' results in order to ensure a majority EV victory for Roosevelt, and to suit my tastes a bit, so it's definitely preliminary and unauthorized :p

Arizon & New Mexico aren't states yet, so they are just gray. Oklahoma just became a state (as OTL). I had to use the Leip's 1912 map for the colors, but then add my own numbers in MSPaint in order to match them to the electoral map of 1908.

Also, this map does Not indicate the percentages of popular votes since Deano101 doesn't show them for 1904.


Election of 1908

Roosevelt(P) 245 EVs (242 needed to win in 1908)
Clark(D) 184 EVs
Cannon (R) 54 EVs

127537

That map is ASB. Oklahoma was too solidly Democratic in those days.

[Cylon_Number_14]

That map is ASB. Oklahoma was too solidly Democratic in those days.

Well.... not really. In 1908 Oklahomans in their first election gave Bryan only 48% to Taft's 43% and gave Debs the Socialist a solid 8.52% of votes according to Leip's atlas. Yes, in 1912 Wilson got 47% of votes, but Roosevelt wasn't allowed on the ballot :eek: and Debs got over 16% of votes that time! There was a solid streak of "prairie socialism" in those first few years it seems, before the state went solidly Democratic. Perhaps a wave of Texans and other southernors in the 1910s changed the demographics?

One of the reasons I put that in the map (other than for flavor) was that I remembered in the Reds TL (which also pivots on McKinley not being assassinated) was a discussion in the forum on how Oklahoma was an early bastion of the Socialist party before shifting more conservatively. In any event, Oklahoma given a solid three-way (or four with Debs) race, it is pretty reasonable to see the state split narrowly to Roosevelt.

[Dean501]

Part 5: Imperial America

“It is a sad day in American Politics when the longest lasting, most thriving political party in the history of the United States of America must announce that it will not host a candidate in the 1912 Presidential Election. The GOP has been savagely killed by rambunctious Progressives. When one organizes a party they should remember what there predecessors did for them, and in that the Progressives and there Roosevelt have failed.”
-Joseph Gurney Cannon declaring the non-candidacy of the Republican Party in 1912.

The Republican Party quickly found in 1912 that they had no decisive candidate to run for President in 1912. Those that were influential in the party had left for the Progressive Party, those that were the ancestors of the party in the 19th century were dying, as in Joseph Cannons case. But It was not just the Republican party in turmoil.

“In no case have I seen such insolence inside the Democratic Party. The party was founded not on the values of the rebel farmer, but that of the American and those are who we serve. I have never seen such a split where those forget who built this country, and disrespect them. Today is the day where I’m ashamed in what this country has come to, but I pledge to continue to fight for it. Conservatives that believed in small government, wholesome values, and America were our foundation and will continue to be it. That is why today I officially announce that with the split of the Democratic Party, we will take a stand. As a coalition of Conservatives there officially is an American Conservative Party, of the true Democrats. Conservatives will continue to shape this country. Conservatives now, Conservatives forever!”
-James Handly, the Chairman of the new Conservative Party

Populist Party Nomination

June 28, 1912 Scenic Convention Hall, Detroit Michigan.
　
“Do not declare that one cannot change the world before one tries. This is the time for change when others have failed. This is the world in which we live in, in which your children will live in. Build it well my sir, because together America will rise! Gather under the Liberty Bell! For Populism!”
-An excerpt from Thomas Edward Watsons speech, at the Populist Parties first nomination.

Although the parties founder, Thomas Edward Watson, was secured a nomination the first Populist Party Nomination was mainly a calling point to gather support. Marion Butler was selected as his running mate. Although many called for William Jennings Bryan to make a run, he simply gave his endorsement but did join the party in 1912 and won a Populist Seat in the U.S Congress in Nebraska, along with help Watson campaign in the state probably being the driving force behind his victory in Nebraska.

Conservative Party Nomination
Arkansas State House- Little Rock, Arkansas. June 17, 1912
The new Conservative Party was the only newly created party that was divided in its leadership. Although, many say that the Conservative Party wasn’t a new party but what was left of the Democratic Party and so the strong Conservative Base was as divided as it had been for years before. Its last “Champion” Champ Clark was nearly 80, so Lee Cruce the 2nd Governor of Oklahoma and strong Prohibitionist was barely nominated. John A. Greer was his running mate.

1912 Presidential Election
http://uselectionatlas.org/TOOLS/genusmap.php?year=1912&pv_p=0&ev_p=1&AL=1;12;6&AZ=1;3;4&AR=2;9;5&CA=3;13;4&CO=2;6;4&CT=3;7;3&DE=3;3;4&FL=1;6;6&GA=2;14;7&ID=2;4;3&IL=3;29;3&IN=2;15;4&IA=3;13;3&KS=2;10;3&KY=2;13;4&LA=1;10;7&ME=3;6;3&MD=3;8;4&MA=3;18;3&MI=3;15;3&MN=3;12;3&MS=1;10;8&MO=2;18;4&MT=2;4;3&NE=2;8;4&NV=3;3;3&NH=3;4;3&NJ=3;14;4&NM=2;3;4&NY=3;45;4&NC=2;12;5&ND=3;5;3&OH=3;24;4&OK=2;10;4&OR=3;5;3&PA=3;38;3&RI=3;5;3&SC=2;9;9&SD=3;5;5&TN=1;12;5&TX=2;20;7&UT=1;4;3&VT=3;4;3&VA=1;12;6&WA=3;7;3&WV=2;8;4&WI=3;13;4&WY=1;3;3[/IMG]
　
　
Progressive Party: Teddy Roosevelt/ William Howard Taft 54% PV, 296 EV
Populist Party: Thomas Edward Watson/ Marion Butler 26% PV, 163 EV
Conservative Party: Lee Cruce/ John A. Greer 16% PV, 72 EV
And for another election cycle, the Conservatives failed to gain while the Populist Party had a surprisingly good showing, without many people excepting them to defeat the popular Incumbent President.

Theodore Roosevelt’s 2nd Term
Roosevelt entered his 2nd term with a majority in Senate, and a 71% Approval Rating. He rode a wave of Progressive morale, and cooperation within the party. Trust busting, legalization, and a booming economy was making America the rising star of the world. And with that came great responsibility…

Mexican Revolution
Under the rule of the Dictator of Mexico, Porifio Diaz, the Americans held strong influence over the country through the railroads, and investments. In 1911 sporadic groups, going against the downed agrarian promises of there dictator, uprose in Mexico. In 1912 President Roosevelt ordered a 25% Increase of the military budget and personally pushed it through Congress.


“The question is not why we need to increase our military budget, but to what use. Our Military power is without question, far superior to many around the world, but must trained with the up most skill. America will not be put in a predicament and must be able to defend themselves from an enemy to the south.”
-Theodore Roosevelt speaking to Congress, 1912

In 1913 America began funding the Agrarian Rebels in the Northern Mexico with funds and weaponry, and boosted there army on the Rio Grande. In response to Germanys public support of the Mexican Dictatorship, TR boosted Naval Forces in the Gulf of Mexico, and publicly warned Germany not to interfere with the Mexican Revolution.

“Germany has put themselves one foot in the door that leads to a long road. It is not time to quietly ask Germany to back away but to bring back our shoulders and tell them to. We are not a small ex-colony to be pushed around, but a western power house to be reckoned with. Tell me if this is not our time, stop me if we cannot push forward and fight for America, win for America. Mexico cannot become a rival, and we must make sure Germany doesn’t interfere within the process.”
- House Minority Leader William Uren (P-OR)

Tensions rose to a near boiling point, in Mexico in early February, 1914 when the MS Maltena was taken over by American Marines in the Gulf of Mexico, on its way to Veracruz, Mexico. Subsequently Teddy Roosevelt ordered a full occupation of the Port of Veracruz where Imperial Mexicans, using German Weaponry, killed over 21 Marines. Although the port was occupied by American forces with ease, the world held its breath as a declaration of war was seemingly imminent from one of the two nations.

ABC Conference, 1914
On February 12, 1914, the ABC Powers of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, met to sign a formal treaty, designed to develop cooperation,and the arbitraiton of disputes. It was formulated to resist United States influence in the region, specifically in Mexico, and to establish a mechanisms for consultation among the three signatory countries. They were an alliance that wanted to block U.S influence in the Mexican American War, stop an Intervention, a War with Germany, and possibly a World War. After the Maltena Affair of 1914 war was seemingly around the corner and the emergency meeting was held, where both diplomats from Germany and the United States met to discuss the matters at hand. When German diplomats failed to show, the And Secretary of State, Hiram Johnson, left in disgust. The ABC Conference fell apart and the main three powers set on just sending an informal warning to both the U.S and Germany that they would declare war on the belligerent in any formal intervention in the Mexican Revolution. But, with the Maltena Incident still fresh on everyone’s minds, and America now disgusted more so by Germanys actions, war seemed around the corner.

The Germany Telegram

With German support still flowing in publicly, and being armed by the German forces secretly Germany was ready and willing to fully support a “Constitutionalist” war against the rebels and secure there influence and assets in the region, so in July 1914 Germany sent a proposal to Mexico.
"We intend to begin in July, full support of the you, Profirio Diaz, and your constitutionalist armies. We shall endeavor in spite of this to keep the United States of America neutral. In the event of this not succeeding, we make Mexico proposal on the following basis: make war together, make peace together, generous financial support and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The settlement in detail is left to you. You will inform the President of the above most secretly as soon as the outbreak of war with the United States of America is certain and add the suggestion that he should, on his own initiative, invite Japan to immediate adherence and at the same time mediate between Japan and ourselves. ." Signed, the Kaiser
Timeline of Events: 1914
June 12- Germany Telegram Sent

June 15- Germany Telegram Received in Mexico City
June 16-To test the waters of the proposal, Mexico asks if Japan would even be interested in a military alliance
June 28- Arch Duke Ferdinand assassinated. In Japan, after much discussion, returns with a no.
July 1- Mexico sends back its revisions, with the acceptance of the proposal.

July 4- Germany accepts the revisions.
On the day of American Independence, when people in the states are watching fire works and celebrating there freedom, Germany gives full support to the Dictatorship of Mexico.

July 8- America sinks 7 German ships in the Gulf of Mexico.
A dozen German ships are sent into the Gulf of Mexico to deliver troops and supplies, although Germany waited to officially declare war on the Mexican Rebels. The ships are aided by cruisers and submarines. When they go towards the Port Heroca Metamoris near the U.S Mexican border. The ships are attacked by an American fleet that highly outnumbered the German ships. After hours of fighting the German ships were either sunk or retreated.

July 9- Teddy Roosevelt asks Congress to declare war on Germany, and Mexico.
After the battle and the lost of near hundreds of American Sailors, Teddy Roosevelt officially requested that the U.S declares full war on Mexico.

July 21-Decleration of War Passed
After much arguing, the declaration of war is passed through the U.S Congress by two votes. The army is mobilized and begins on an invasion of Mexico and a Naval War with Germany. The U.S Sends a request for aid from Britain. With the declaration of war coming from the U.S first, the ABC Alliance is now obligated to declare war on the U.S, although they wait to issue an official response.

July 26- Britain begins naval hostilities against Germany.
The British navy begins a full naval war against Germany, with there declaration of war. They begin to block the Atlantic Sea Lanes, and stop Germany from supplying Weaponry, Goods, and Money. Without these German supplies, the U.S and Britain hope to put a strangle hold on the Constitutionalist Army of Profario Diaz.

July 28- Austria-Hungary invades Serbia.
After much deliberation, Austria Hungary declares war on the rebellious nation of Serbia.

July 29- Russia declares war on Austria Hungary
To protect there ally, Serbia, and hold onto there influence and assets in the Balkan region, Russia declares war on Austria Hungary and therefore Germany. They begin to mobilize and attack.

August 1- WW1 Ensues.
Germany is forced, by its alliance with AH, to declare war on Russia. France declares war on Germany, WW1 begins as a seemingly over lapping war with the Mexican front.

August 3- Alliances realign.
Mexico joins the Central Powers alongside Germany and AH. The U.S joins the Entente alongside Britain, France, Belgium, and Russia. The war comes from overlapping, to a two front war.

August 6- The ABC Alliance Decides
The ABC alliance splits on whether they interfere in Mexico, as they claimed they would. Argentina and Chile support Germany while Brazil keeps neutrality. Argentina had already been supported by Germany and sent troops and supplies to Mexico to aid the Germans. Brazil felt that the war was not the place to settle these disputes, and therefore dropped out of the Alliance. The Alliance became the South American Defense Alliance.

August 12- Both the U.S and Germany begin pursuing Brazil to help them in Mexico.
With the war in Mexico turning fierce, both nations turned to Brazil for aid. When they officially dropped out of the ABC Alliance the U.S jumped to ask for there aid. Germany hoped to pull them from there neutrality and gain full control over the nations of South America.

October 10- Japan decides
AlthoughJapan said they would join Mexico and Germany via the Zimmerman telegram, they have yet to actually join in on the war. Germany requests again, with Hawaii and Manchuria as a reward, but again the Japanese leadership refuses. This infuriates Germany as they had promised they would aid the Germans, and hurts German-Japanese relations. America is able to breath a sigh of relief.

Mexican Front: 1914-1916
On the Mexican Front the American Armies were led by General Leonard Wood. Leonard Wood, the prominent general in the Spanish-American war and friend of President Theodore Roosevelt, was promoted to the rank of General of the Armies, making him not only the highest ranking American General of the war, but the highest ranking American military officer ever, being equivalent to a six star general. He was authorized to design is own rank insignia, but never wore more than four stars.

He personally led the 2nd American Army Group during Operation Khanate which went south to pierce through the Eastern Border of Baja, and take the city of San Luis, cutting it off from the mainland. Then moving west to Tijuana and down south eliminating Baja and the Mexican threat to the South West. Baja was occupied by February 1915.

The 2nd Army Group, led by 4 Star General John “Black” Jack Pershing took his army through Sonora, and Chihuahua into Coahuila and Nueva Leon taking there northern borders in a pincher movement. Eliminating the main Mexican threat to the U.S mainland. In early May 1915 the army was bogged down in Mid Chihuahua, and trench warfare ensued around the major cities.

The Germans mainly fought against the U.S in the trenches, as the fighting against the Mexicans, Chileans, and Argentineans came into long harsh battles. On June 14, 1915 the U.S suffered something that hadn’t happened since 1812. An expeditionary group of 3,000 Mexican, and Chilean forces attacked and burned down the city of Brownsville, Texas. This was the first invasion by an enemy of the U.S on American Soil in more then 5 Generations. The army was repulsed, but still pulled many people against the war and proved that this war couldn’t solely be fought on Mexican soil, making the Khanate Offensive, to secure Northern Mexico, kicked into high gear.

In October, 1915 1.5 Million U.S Soldiers stormed across enemy lines and busted the 6 month stale mate between the two countries. This would be the last of the trench warfare in the Mexican front of the war. By August the Northern border of Mexico was secured by U.S forces. By September, as both the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Army Groups were moved south, towards the eventual goal of Mexico City. The fighting became fierce, house to house, city to city. But as the rebels helped secure the railroads, the Mexican Army was unable to secure goods and weaponry, and only about half of the total supplies were making it to Mexican Ports as many were being sunk in the harbor.

By early 1916 Germany was near out of troops, and began sending only supplies and money to fight the Americans. On February 17th, 1916 16,000 U.S Soldiers led by General Leonard wood, marched into Mexico City, alongside some 5,000 Rebels. After a few weeks of house keeping in the southern half of the country, Profirio Diaz was found to of escaped to Chile and the last of the major Generals were captured or killed. On March 17th 1916 the treaty of Austin was signed, marking the official end of the Mexican Front in the Mexican American War.
　
Naval War

“If the American Army can secure that no goods, no weaponry, no monetary gains, and no troops can be brought from the Kaisers Empire to that of Mexico then we can secure that American interests in the region are kept. It is of the upmost importance that the British Empire aids us in the task of vanquishing the German Naval beast.”

-Teddy Roosevelt on the importance of holding Naval Superiority in the Gulf of Mexico.

Many historians suggest that if the British had not blocked the Atlantic Water ways into the Gulf of Mexico, months before the official out break of World War 1, Germany would have been able to establish a large enough presence to start a total war invasion of southern United States. The fact that Britain intervened can namely be accredited to the fact that Japan remained neutral prior to there intervention, and, respecting the Anglo-Japanese Alliance of 1902.

The German intervention was also a proverbial shot in the foot, as they, until 1916 already 2 years into the war, devoted almost a quarter of there resources and equipment to the Mexican Front, almost half of that being sunk in the Gulf of Mexico by 1915. Although the occupation of Veracruz by German forces helped for a reliable port, the revamped U.S Submarine armies were able to reek havoc on the German cargo ships.

http://ahoy.tk-jk.net/Images8/AusMerchantShips/MVMacdhui.jpg
　
Mexican Rebels
The Farming and Working Class Rebels were funded and supported by the U.S to create barn storming attacks on major cities. They raided supply lines, and destroyed train tracks, causing havoc to German and Imperial Mexican forces. In mid March, 1915 the “Mexican Liberation Army” fought in the battle of Durango. Over 1,500 MLA forces surprise attacked a German base killing over 6,000 men and burning down much of the regions capitol. Small attacks like this greatly benefited the bogged American Army to the North.
The MLA proved to be the “side arm” of the U.S Army. Some were trained and equipped by U.S forces, but most used weapons from there own homes.
As the Imperial Mexicans had the Argentineans, Chileans, and Germans, the U.S had the MLA.

https://files.pbworks.com/download/5takO2sJKu/bashapedia/13963035/mex.rev.jpg

Treaty of Austin
The treaty of Austin was signed on March 17, 1916 in Austin, Texas between the leaders of the U.S, the Mexican Liberation Front (establishing the Republic of Mexico) and the Mexican Imperial Army, Chile, and Argentina. In the terms of the treaty Mexico was pulled from the Central Powers and although Germany was still at war with the U.S and not present at the meeting, they had no troops left in the country as they had all been pulled back to Europe.
The Treaty had several main points:

- Mexico was to become the Republic of Mexico. A Democratic-Republic with elections held every 4 years for President.
(The first Provisional President Plutarco Elias Calles, was American Appointed)

-The States of Veracruz was to be re-annexed, along with Chihuahua, Sonora, and Baja to secure Americas borders
(the real reason was to secure Americas railroad assets and the water trade to the west, but with Mexico becoming a Satellite state of the U.S, there were no up roars over this)

-Chile, and Argentina are to never interfere with the actions of Mexico, or the U.S and are to reimburse the U.S for a total of $150,000,000 over the next 10 years, 1917-1927

These, among many other points, secured Mexico and the United States as the main power in the West. Teddy Roosevelt road the war through a 91% Approval Rating. But it wasn’t all about war…
　
DoMESStic issues(see what I did there?) 1912-1916

Theodore Roosevelt’s second term, although continuing the goals of his first, resulted in further wide-reaching progressive legislation and stricter regulation of business practices. Roosevelt, the “moral policeman,” was at his best, advocating for the 1914 Meat Inspection Act, the Pure Food and Drug Act. In a ploy to grab votes support from the Populists in the house of Representatives Roosevelt's “Square Deal” called for shorter labor hours, railroad legislation, primary elections, and the regulation of insurance and financial markets.

Reform Legislation
In a period of investigative journalism, writers exposed the evils in American society, detailing corruption and unethical business practices. Roosevelt dubbed these men and women “muckrakers,” a term taken from Pilgrim’s Progress. It was one of these writers, Upton Sinclair, whose book The Jungle graphically illustrated conditions in Chicago’s meat packing industry. Roosevelt, who had read the book, pushed for passage of the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act, both in 1914. The nation’s food supply had to be safeguarded.

The Hepburn Act of 1915 increased the power of the Interstate Commerce Commission to regulate railroad rates. The act also imposed penalties on railroads if they sought to fight the regulation in the courts. Pro railroad senators questioned this, charging that the Hepburn Act indirectly gave the federal government the power to set freight rates.

In June 1914, Congress passed the Employer Liability Act to address workplace related injuries in the railroad industry. Job related injuries were rampant in all industries and Roosevelt’s Square Deal had called for a system of workmen’s compensation. According to Page Smith, in 1912 27,000 workers died in job related accidents and in one year 50,000 job-related accidents were reported in New York factories alone. The Employer Liability Act was declared unconstitutional on the basis that the original act failed to limit the injury liability to interstate commerce in terms of railroads crossing state lines. Congress corrected the errors and a revised bill was passed in 1912.

The passage of reform legislation was much indebted to new faces in the Congress that included progressives anxious to fix the nation’s ills. Men like Wisconsin’s “Fighting Bob” La Follette entered the Senate in 1914, supporting the initiatives of the Roosevelt administration.

http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/archivesmonth/2005/VHS/img/VHS_6.jpg

Conservation and the Great White Fleet
Theodore Roosevelt was keenly interested in conservation and established the first national wildlife refuge in Florida. 125 million acres were set aside throughout the nation, paving the way for the National Parks Service.
Toward the end of his presidency, Roosevelt sent the “Great White Fleet” on a world tour in demonstration of American Power. Opposed by Senator Nelson Aldrich whose stalwart colleagues refused to fund the endeavor, Roosevelt sent the fleet anyway, advising Aldrich that when the fleet became stranded in Japan, it would be the fault of the Senate. The naval demonstration was grudgingly approved.

Plurality Act of 1915
By 1915 the main three parties were all new, none of which older then 4 years. With a 3 way split in the Presidential Election possibly forcing one of the candidates to gain less then 50% of the Vote, the Plurality Act of 1915 was pushed through Congress. This appointed a President if he gained a Plurality of the vote, or a majority of the minorities. Although the electoral college was not disestablished, it was now not necessary to get to that 258 Electoral Votes (258 by 1916).

1914 Mid Terms
The main threat to the Progressive Party was the newly created Populist Party, but with the disbandendment of the Republican Party nothing was to stop the Progressive Party from full control of the North, with only the most die hard of Republicans holding onto there party name.
　
62nd U.S Congress

Senate
Progressives- 40
Democrat- 33
Republicans- 18

Congress
Democrats- 144
Progressives- 142
Republican- 105

64th U.S Congress

Senate
Progressives: 57 +17
Conservatives: 21 +21
Populists: 12 +12
“Republican“: 1 -17

Congress
Progressive: 240 +98
Populists: 87 +87
Conservatives: 71 +71
Independent/ “Republican”: 3 +3

With the majority now in both Senate and Congress, it was much easier for TR to pass many of the bills in his 2nd term, and many of the military spending bills of the 2nd Mexican-American War.

Trust Bustin’

“William Howard Taft is a great man, but does not know the difference between a good trust and a trust that needs to be redistributed. That is his main fault and our main disagreement.”

-Roosevelt regarding his VP, William Howard Taft.

By 1915 Taft and Roosevelt were tired of each other. Taft felt that the U.S had become too imperialistic, and Roosevelt was to blame. That he was to laicizes-faire and needed to continue on harsher trust busting. When Roosevelt threatened to kick Taft from the Cabinet and the Party, Taft threatened a split in the party as a growing minority supported his more isolationist side of the party.

The Party was internally split between the “Roosevites” and the “Taft’s” , but both sides realized that a split in an election would probably end the party, and force the Progressives from the White House.

“It is of the up most importance that we come to an agreement soon, and keep the party intact as a house divided cannot stand.”
-Robert Lafollette on the standing of his party.


In 1916 the Roosevelt and Taft came to a decision. Roosevelt knew he was getting old and, although he would gladly serve as President for 4 more years, he requested to become Secretary of State in a Taft Administration if he were to win. This would eventually give Roosevelt a vantage point to influence Taft’s decisions, and subsequently serve for another 4 years as he had wished.

OOC:Map to come
　

[Dean501]

Questions, Comments, Concerns?

[Dean501]

A map of Operations and major points in the Mexican Front

[Cathcon1]

Awesome timeline! I've only read bits and pieces of it, but I like how Roosevelt's Revolution takes place in 1908 rather than 1912, and how in all irony, Taft is on the Progressive ticket! I wonder how that will play out with Robert Taft...

In all honesty, when I saw the thread I originally thought someone had bumped my timeline.

[Cylon_Number_14]

Your intertwining of the Mexican Revolution and Great War as unrelated events that crash together was unexpected and fun to read.

I'm not sure if I entirely bought the part where the Republicans give up without a fight in 1912; I think someone would run for president even if they weren't likely to win any Electoral Votes. But that's just my opinion.

I'm also not so sure on the annexation of Veracruz, since it's an awful geographic salient.

Lastly, the Plurality Act would have to be a full Constitutional amendment since it redefines victory in the Electoral College.

But all in all, it's a fun TL to read and I look forward to more :)

[Dean501]

Your intertwining of the Mexican Revolution and Great War as unrelated events that crash together was unexpected and fun to read.

I'm not sure if I entirely bought the part where the Republicans give up without a fight in 1912; I think someone would run for president even if they weren't likely to win any Electoral Votes. But that's just my opinion.

I'm also not so sure on the annexation of Veracruz, since it's an awful geographic salient.

Lastly, the Plurality Act would have to be a full Constitutional amendment since it redefines victory in the Electoral College.

But all in all, it's a fun TL to read and I look forward to more :)

Well, like I said, everyone was leaving to the Progressive Party; But theres always a 2nd draft! And the annexation of Veracruz was OTL, because the Germans were sending weapons for the Mexican Federalists (as in OTL, just with a different outcome).

And about the Plurality Act, your right, I didnt even think about it, Ill edit it out.

Thanks for the tips.

[Cylon_Number_14]

Wow, thanks for considering my comments :D

And I just realized you probably just mean annexation of the city of Veracruz, like the OTL Tampico Affair (thanks wikipedia) not the whole damn state :rolleyes:. That's my bad.

[Dean501]

Part 6
The Greatest of Oxymorons


June 2, 1916- Progressive Party Nomination, Temple Music Hall: Buffalo, New York


In another exchange of excepted events at the Progressive Party Nomination William Howard Taft, in the agreement with President Teddy Roosevelt, was nominated as the Progressive Party nominee for the 1916 Presidential Election. Although he stated he was not going to run the first ballot went solidly Roosevelt, due to his stirring key note speech, that was ironically in support of Taft. It wasn’t until the 7th ballot that Taft was able to grab the 3/4th majority votes and win the nomination officially.
Elihu Root was selected as his running mate.

“Let us continue this era, past my time…It is in good faith that I pass the torch on to my friend, my colleague William Howard Taft. And although many of you have your doubts, you may look me in the eye and with confidence trust in my words:
“Taft is a good man, Taft is a strong willed man, Taft is a PROGRESSIVE man.”
-Excerpt from Roosevelt’s key note speech on Taft

July 4, 1916: Conservative National Convention, Time Square: New York, New York

The Conservative National Convention took slightly longer and was considerably less organized then its Progressive Counterparts. The Mayor of Houston, Texas,Joseph Chappell Hutcheson Jr. entered the Convention as the apparent front runner but during the 3rd day of the convention Hutcheson’s son was killed in a train accident in Newark, New Jersey and he was forced to leave the convention.

When the same happened to the Denver S. Dickerson, the Governor of Nevada, when his wife suffered a heart attack and died. So, after the 46th ballot and 14th day, John W. Davis, the U.S ambassador to France, was selected as the Conservative Party Nominee for 1916.
He selected the ex-Prohibitionist Congressman from Ohio, Aaron S. Watkins, as his running mate.

July 8, 1916: Populist National Convention, University of Georgia Convention Hall: Athens, Georgia.

As in fashion of four years ago, the last Populist nominee, Thomas Edward Watson was nominated. As par Watson’s request, Robert Latham Owen was selected as his running mate.
　
http://uselectionatlas.org/TOOLS/genusmap.php?year=1912&pv_p=0&ev_p=1&AL=1;12;6&AZ=1;3;4&AR=1;9;5&CA=3;13;4&CO=2;6;4&CT=3;7;3&DE=3;3;4&FL=1;6;6&GA=2;14;7&ID=2;4;3&IL=3;29;3&IN=3;15;4&IA=2;13;3&KS=2;10;3&KY=1;13;4&LA=2;10;7&ME=3;6;3&MD=3;8;4&MA=3;18;3&MI=3;15;3&MN=3;12;3&MS=2;10;8&MO=1;18;4&MT=3;4;3&NE=2;8;4&NV=3;3;3&NH=3;4;3&NJ=3;14;4&NM=2;3;4&NY=3;45;4&NC=1;12;5&ND=2;5;3&OH=3;24;4&OK=2;10;4&OR=2;5;3&PA=3;38;3&RI=3;5;3&SC=1;9;9&SD=2;5;5&TN=2;12;5&TX=1;20;7&UT=2;4;3&VT=3;4;3&VA=1;12;6&WA=3;7;3&WV=2;8;4&WI=3;13;4&WY=2;3;3[/IMG]
　
Progressive Party: William Howard Taft/ Elihu Root 46% PV, 287 EV
Populist Party: Thomas Edward Watson/ Robert Latham Owen 30% PV, 130 EV
Conservative Party: John William Davis/ Aaron Sherman Watkins 22% PV, 114 EV
　
“4 more years of Progressivism, for more years to push forward. This is not a time to look back, but only to continue forward. We have come out of a war, as a victor, we have a surplus in the coffers and its time to use it for a cause.”

-Taft during his inauguration speech

A Growing Minority

The Republican Party previously had a northern Conservative Minority, and during its fall into the Progressive Party that Conservative Minority had no where to go, and many were forced to join the Progressive Party. Although the Conservative Party rose, it rose with an anti Northern protest and the Conservative Party was unwilling to invite the Northerners. But under the Progressive leadership of Teddy Roosevelt the Conservatives had stayed quiet, and were forced to stay out of the way. Now that Teddy had gone the Northern Conservatives looked for leadership. They still held only a small voice in the party, but the growing minority was able to slowly influence Taft’s leadership. This would contribute to him making many decisions down the road that later became famous…
　
Influence on WW1

With Roosevelt as Secretary of State, Taft was influenced to continue troop deployments in Europe and with Germanys armies almost cut in half by the war in Mexico, the war was ended by 1917 with the Treaty of Philadelphia. The Treaty of Philadelphia made major changes to the dynamic in Europe.

Terms of the Treaty of Philadelphia

General Clauses

The establishment of the League of Nations:
Most notable France, U.S.A, Belgium, Netherlands, Britain, Spain, and Greece.

War Guilt clause - Germany to accept blame for starting the war.

Financial Clauses

Reparations - Germany was to pay for the damage caused by the war. The figure of £6,600 million was set, along with $100,000,000 to the U.S and Mexico.
Military Clauses
Army - was to be reduced to .5% of the population
Navy - Germany was only allowed 6 ships and no submarines
Airforce - Germany was not allowed an airforce
Rhineland - The Rhineland area was to be kept free of German military personnel and weapons

Clauses
Anschluss - Germany was not allowed to unite with Austria.
Land - Germany lost land to a number of other countries. Alsace-Lorraine was made a buffer state, without influence by any European nations and guarded by the Leauge of Nations. Eupen and Malmedy were given to Belgium, North Schleswig was given to Denmark. Land was also taken from Germany and given to Czechoslovakia and Poland. The League of Nations took control of Germany's colonies

The Other Defeated Nations
The Treaty of Versailles determined the punishment that Germany should face. Other treaties determined the fate of those countries that had fought with Germany - Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey. Austria and Hungary were divided and therefore signed separate treaties
Austria - The Treaty of St Germain 10th September 1919
Land - Austria lost land to Italy, Czechoslovakia and Serbia (Yugoslavia).
Army - To be reduced to 30,000 men.
Anschluss - Union with Germany was forbidden
Reparations - Austria was to pay reparations but went bankrupt before the rate could be set.
Hungary - The Treaty of Trianon 4th June 1920
Land - Hungary lost land to Austria, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Serbia (Yugoslavia) reducing its size from 283,000 sq km to less than 93,000 sq km. Population was reduced from 18.2 million to 7.6 million.
Army - To be reduced to 35,000 men
Reparations - Hungary was to pay reparations but the amount was never set
Bulgaria - The Treaty of Neuilly 27th November 1919
Land - Bulgaria lost land to Greece, Romania and Serbia (Yugoslavia).
Reparations - Bulgaria had to pay £90 million in reparations
Army - restrictions were made on the size of Bulgaria's army
Turkey - The Treaty of Sevres 20th August 1920
Land - Turkey lost land to Greece. The League of Nations took control of Turkey's colonies.

Communist Russia
During the October Revolution in 1917, Communist Revolutionaries in Russia overthrew the Czar and his government, establishing the United Russian Socialist Republic (URSR). Immediately, the nation faced the issue of Communism. The Conservative Party quickly jumped to oppose it as defacing freedom, the Populists soon opposed it as well. Although the Progressives faced a split. The more Liberal side of the Progressive Party, led by Robert Lafollette, hoped to encourage the U.S into diplomatic relations with the URSR and to keep a lasting relationship with the eastern European power.

Although Taft held a more centrist position on the issue. Being less imperial then his predecessor Roosevelt, Taft wanted to tensely keep relations with the nation.

American Equality in Labor Act of 1917

In 1917 the industrial revolution was on its tail edge but workers were still taken advantage of more then any other group. Labor organizers like Eugene V. Debs had been asking for years for tighter labor legislation , but WW1 preoccupied Roosevelt’s term. So, Howard Taft proposed the American Equality in Labor Act of 1917.

American Equality in Labor Act of 1917

1. The U.S Department of Labor is established to do the following:
- Help set a minimum wage of $0.75 per hour
- Set a maximum of 10 hour work before the worker must be paid one-and-a-half- times there regular pay an hour
- Requires employers to pay covered employees who are not otherwise exempt, at least the federal minimum wage for at least 5 days a year, when they are exempt from work for sickness.
-Workers on strike cannot be assaulted by “Strike Breakers”, and workers cannot be fired for being part of a labor union
2. The Child Protection Agency is established to do the following:
- Set a minimum age of 14 for a child to legally work
- Protect children’s workers rights
- Stop children from being exempt from labor unions.
Although many the AELA was controversial, its had huge support amongst workers and Progressives. Conservatives called it irresponsible spending, claiming that it payed workers who didn’t work hard enough and whom didn’t deserve the money. Although the Populists and Progressives worked together to passed the law easily 302-133.

16th Amendment (1917)
The 16th Amendment to the Constitution allows the Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among thestates or basing it on census results. This amendment exempted income taxes from the constitutional requirements regarding direct taxes, after income taxes on rents, dividends, and interest were ruled to be direct taxes.
It was easily passed between the Progressives and Populists
　
From Left of Center to Left the Center

“William Howard Taft, entering his first term, truly believed that he could make America a better place. He truly believed that he was more level headed then Teddy Roosevelt. Although Roosevelt wanted to accomplish much more, he was able to pursue these things as the Secretary of State in Taft’s cabinet. Things like the labor law were inspired by Roosevelt originally. When Taft left Roosevelt’s influence, he left Roosevelt’s endorsement and the Progressive endorsement.”

- Taft: The Forgotten President

Taft began moving to the right going toward the end of his term. The right side of the Progressive party began influencing to the right, threatening to withdraw there support if he didn’t pull back on the reins with his very liberal agenda.

Prohibition

Spear headed by the Conservatives and the Women’s Temperance Movement, the prohibitionist movement wanted to ban the “devils drink” nationally. The Volstead Act was brought to Congress on July 23, 1918 and passed by Congress. Although the President did support it, it was called unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
“It is Un-Constitutional for the Federal Government to restrict what beverages the people of the United States can drink. I do not speak of drugs, of Opium, of things that really cause harm. I speak of Alcohol.”

- William H. Beatty, on why he voted that the Volstead Act was unconstitutional.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~npmelton/st26.jpg
Chief Justice William H. Beatty


Women’s Rights Movement

"The right of citizens of the United States to vote are not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex. It is the Presidents duty to uphold this right!"

- Pro-Tempore of the Senate, Robert Lafollette (PR-Wisconsin)

“ The right to vote for Women will make the home a much more volatile place for the women. Women already enjoy a great level of freedom in this country that they do not enjoy in other nations. It is not for the betterment of the nation that the Women’s Voting Act is passed.”

- Minority Speaker Oscar Lee Gray (C-Alabama)

In 1919 the Women’s rights movement had hit an all time high. Most of the Progressive Party supported the legislation. Although the Populists were split on the issue, the Conservatives deeply opposed it. The right side of the Progressive party was fighting for Taft to veto the bill if it would come to his desk, although Teddy Roosevelt and the left side of the party threatened to pull there support if he was to Veto it. On August 15, 1919 the bill came to the Presidents desk.

“ It is not time for stuttering, I tell you Mr. President VETO THIS AMMENDMENT!”

- “Conservative Progressive” Charles Evan Hughes

“I’ve spent many a night awake, thinking of what decision I shall make. The fate of America may rest in my decision. In that, I believe, I will veto this ammendment.”

-William Howard Taft

http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00114/william-howard-taft_114088t.jpg
Taft, days before his assasination

Time Square- New York, New York

It was a cold day on September 2, 1919 when President Taft was shaking hands in Time Square, New York. A line of hundreds was ready to touch the hand of the President. A woman approached named Mary Katherine. She was a hard-line suffragette from Maine, one of the states with the least rights for women. In her hand she held a Smith and Wesson Military Police Pistol, taken from her husband George Katherine. The next man moved, she was first in line. She pulls the pistol from the handkerchief concealing it. She placed it towards his chest and fired off one round. Secret Serviceman Henry Yeary took down Katherine before she fired off another shot.

President Taft died in the hospital ,from the fatal shot to the lung, the very next day, and Vice President Elihu Root was sworn in as President, while thousands of women rallied around the capitol in opposition to Taft’s policies.
http://lockkeeper.com/short/otero/otero.JPG
Mary Katherine

Progressive Party NominationAlbany Convention Center- Albany, New York

The only way the Progressives could salvage the 1920 Presidential Election, would be to win back the womens support. Unless a Conservative won the next election, the women would be given the vote soon, and with there support behind the Populists, it was sure to break the party in the Progressives. The proclaimed “Godfather of the Progressive Party” Teddy Roosevelt, was to hand out the faithful endorsement that would let someone win the nomination.

“In spite of the fact that religion, psychology and politics (and seemingly, the rest of life) have operated for the last few thousand years on the assumption that the perspective and experience of men enable them to effectively speak for all human beings, that is simply not the case. Men and women offer a valuable, but different perspective, wisdom and experience. Still today, women's voices are often considered inferior and even insignificant.

I say to this sad assumption, NO! I say that the late William Howard Taft made his last decision in spite of this fact, and it was what brought his him untimely and tragic death. This is the reason of one group, the somber Oxymoron “Conservative- Progressive”. I say there influence pushed us to the wrong direction and may have lost us support to the Progressive Party…”

-General Leonard Wood, giving the key note speech at the 1920 Nomination

The speech, that called for kicking the Conservative side of the Progressives out, was met with roaring applause from the “Roosevelt Progressives”, while the Northern Conservatives booed on. By the 3rd ballot 4 fights had broken out, one man was hospitalized, and the Conservative Candidate of Choice, Charles Evan Hughes, had left.
On the 2nd day of the Convention almost 140 of the Northern Conservatives didn’t show up at the balloting, and another 50 walked out during it.

Teddy Roosevelt waited to the 2nd day to give his endorsement, and it was for the man who roared off the convention with his anti-conservative key note speech, and his friend during the Spanish-American War and leader of the American Front in WW1, General Leonard Wood.
Wood roared onto the ballot ahead of Elihu Root, and William Cameron Sproul.By the 5th ballot he was able to take the necessary 3/4ths of the voting and won the nomination.
Burton K. Wheeler, the “Plains Progressive” and Governor of Montana, was named his VP.

http://www.nhcommentary.com/LeonardWood.jpg
General Leonard Wood

Conservative Party Nomination
Pleasant Valley Auditorium- Denver, Colorado

The Conservative Party Nomination saw 7 ballots until Aaron S. Watkins became there nominee. James Edward Ferguson was named his VP.

Populist Party Nomination
Boorsehead Coliseum- Cinncinati, Ohio.

The Populist Party Nomination saw another fight over the women’s vote, although with much less drama. A split Pro/Against ticket was nominated with Joseph Moore Dixon/ Charles C. Moore (Senators from Montana and Idaho respectively)

Campaign

The campaign was relatively intresting. Aaron S. Watkins tried to get the Northern Vote that felt kicked out of the Progressive Party, but failed to connect to voters. Many decided just not to vote. Populism was able to connect to voters in the North, with the win in New Hampshire proving this, but most Northern three way contests in the North pushed Progressive.

General Leonard Wood was able to keep the women supportive of the Progressive Party, promising that if elected, he would give them the vote and many male suffragette supporters were swayed back to the Progressive Party because of his message. The Progressives fell behind the populists in the polls early, but on election day, showed to be the dominant party for another 4 years despite Populist’s northern Pickups
.
http://uselectionatlas.org/TOOLS/genusmap.php?year=1924&pv_p=0&ev_p=1&AL=1;12;6&AZ=1;3;4&AR=1;9;6&CA=3;13;5&CO=2;6;5&CT=3;7;6&DE=1;3;5&FL=1;6;5&GA=2;14;7&ID=2;4;4&IL=3;29;5&IN=2;15;5&IA=3;13;5&KS=2;10;6&KY=1;13;4&LA=1;10;7&ME=2;6;7&MD=1;8;4&MA=3;18;6&MI=3;15;7&MN=3;12;5&MS=1;10;8&MO=2;18;4&MT=3;4;4&NE=2;8;4&NV=3;3;4&NH=2;4;5&NJ=3;14;6&NM=1;3;4&NY=3;45;5&NC=1;12;5&ND=3;5;4&OH=3;24;5&OK=1;10;4&OR=2;5;5&PA=3;38;6&RI=3;5;5&SC=1;9;9&SD=3;5;4&TN=1;12;5&TX=1;20;7&UT=2;4;4&VT=3;4;7&VA=1;12;6&WA=3;7;5&WV=2;8;4&WI=3;13;5&WY=2;3;5
Progressive Party: General Leonard Wood/ Burton Kendall Wheeler 274 EV, 33% PV
Conservative Party: Aaron S. Watkins/ James Edward Ferguson 152 EV, 30% PV
Populist Party: Joseph Moore Dixon/ Charles C. Moore 105 EV, 32% PV

Map of the world 1919

[seancdaug]

I know it's a couple of months late to be responding to the first post in the thread, but a couple of small anachronisms caught my eye...


It was a cold day in Buffalo when a Secret Servicemen for President William McKinley named George Foster notices a man acting suspicious, in line to shake President William McKinley’s hand, with his arm wrapped in a white handkerchief. The agent detains the man to find that he is Leon Czolgosz, an unemployed anarchist from Detroit, and that in his hand he had a gun that he planned to assassinate the President McKinley.
While the U.S. Secret Service did exist in 1901, they had not yet been given the task of protecting the president. Congress informally requested that the Secret Service take over this responsibility as a response to McKinley's assassination, actually. If McKinley doesn't die, it's entirely possible that job would have been assigned to some other agency.

William McKinley safely makes it through the rest of his term leaving office with a 64% approval rating.Approval ratings, in the modern sense, didn't exist at this time. They were first conducted by Gallup in the 1930s, with FDR as the first president for which such numbers exist. Generally speaking, prior to FDR presidential polls were relatively rare

So the Republicans, afraid of Teddy’s lack of experience and stirred by Thomas's speech, unwittingly nominate veteran of the Senate Thomas Collier Plat narrowly 507 - 490 votes.Teddy declines the invitation to run as Thomas Plats Vice President and instead decides to run for Senate in New York where he easily wins over Democrat Rumsfeild Johnson in a landslide taking Plats place.So did Platt resign in the lead-up to the presidential election? He had just been re-elected as Senator in 1903, and he would not have been up for reelection for another five years barring a special election.

Also, not really a mistake, but I feel it bears mentioning that New York didn't do direct election of Senators until the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913. Any Senator would have been elected by combined vote of the NY Assembly and Senate, and those votes usually fell along party lines. In the aforementioned 1903 election, the makeup of the Assembly was 89R/60D, and the Senate was 28R/22D. Platt got all but three of the votes from the Republican assemblymen, and all but three of the Republican Senators. Assuming he makes it through the caucus, and barring a massive upheaval thereafter, TR is a pretty safe bet, but a landslide, which would require a decent amount of Democratic defectors, is unlikely.

[Dean501]

I know it's a couple of months late to be responding to the first post in the thread, but a couple of small anachronisms caught my eye...


While the U.S. Secret Service did exist in 1901, they had not yet been given the task of protecting the president. Congress informally requested that the Secret Service take over this responsibility as a response to McKinley's assassination, actually. If McKinley doesn't die, it's entirely possible that job would have been assigned to some other agency.

Approval ratings, in the modern sense, didn't exist at this time. They were first conducted by Gallup in the 1930s, with FDR as the first president for which such numbers exist. Generally speaking, prior to FDR presidential polls were relatively rare

So did Platt resign in the lead-up to the presidential election? He had just been re-elected as Senator in 1903, and he would not have been up for reelection for another five years barring a special election.

Also, not really a mistake, but I feel it bears mentioning that New York didn't do direct election of Senators until the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913. Any Senator would have been elected by combined vote of the NY Assembly and Senate, and those votes usually fell along party lines. In the aforementioned 1903 election, the makeup of the Assembly was 89R/60D, and the Senate was 28R/22D. Platt got all but three of the votes from the Republican assemblymen, and all but three of the Republican Senators. Assuming he makes it through the caucus, and barring a massive upheaval thereafter, TR is a pretty safe bet, but a landslide, which would require a decent amount of Democratic defectors, is unlikely.'

Wow...sir you do know your unecessary New York State political trivia.
Then who did protect the President?Just special security, or FBI agents?

I might add that Congress assigned the Secret Service to the President after the failed assasination attempt on McKinley, which would explain how they were there to defend Taft when he was assasinated

And I would assume, if Platt won the nomination, he would step down from his position as Senator and the special election would of been to take his place.There Teddy probably could of won all the Republican votes in a (sorta) landslide.Although Ill adress all this in the next draft.

Thanks for the tips!

[seancdaug]

Then who did protect the President?Just special security, or FBI agents?

The FBI (or rather its predecessor organization, the Bureau of Investigation) didn't exist at the time of McKinley's assassination, so they couldn't have provided security. That said, I have to apologize: while the Secret Service wasn't specifically assigned to safeguard the president in 1901, it wasn't unheard of for them to informally provide security for public officials in special circumstances. As it happens, McKinley's speech at the Pan-American Exposition was one of those instances. Wikipedia even names George Foster, who you cite in your TL. So, well, mea culpa. I should have done my research before sticking my foot in it :o.

I'm disappointed in myself, frankly, because I've always been a little morbidly fascinated by various aspects of McKinley's assasination. Like the presence of an early x-ray machine at the Pan-American Exposition which might have located the bullet and allowed its removal. As it was, the doctor operating on McKinley (a gynecologist by training!) couldn't locate the bullet and sewed the wound up without removing it, which probably contributed to his death by gangrene after several days of apparent recovery.

Back to the point: as a rule, there really wasn't a distinct organization responsible for overseeing the security of the president at this point. It was really just a matter of what security was available for any given event. From what I can tell, it was just as likely to be an army detail as the Secret Service, and McKinley appears to have had representatives from both with him at the Exposition.

As a side note, and perhaps even relevant, the FBI/BOI wasn't organized until 1908. It was formed to fulfill the obligation of the federal government to regulate interstate commerce. Following the 1887 (I think...) Interstate Commerce Act, interstate law enforcement was explicitly assigned to the feds, but no agency was set up to explicitly handle that responsibility. In practice, it fell to the Department of Justice, but they were chronically underfunded and understaffed for that kind of work. During the OTL TR administration, the DOJ attempted to deal with its staffing problems by reaching out to the U.S. Secret Service and using its agents as investigators. Congress objected to this and forbade the DOJ from employing Treasury Department (of which the Secret Service was part), and in response set up the Bureau of Investigation as a separate agency and hired 12 Secret Servicemen as its first special agents.

And I would assume, if Platt won the nomination, he would step down from his position as Senator and the special election would of been to take his place.There Teddy probably could of won all the Republican votes in a (sorta) landslide.Although Ill adress all this in the next draft.That's totally plausible. I was just curious, since while its not unheard of for a sitting Senator to resign while seeking a different office, its not a requirement either (and is, at least in modern American politics, actually pretty rare, though I'm not positive what the trends were in the early 20th century). Since you didn't mention it one way or the other, I just thought I'd ask.

[Don Lardo]

Wow...sir you do know your unecessary New York State political trivia.

Unnecessary political trivia? Because he knew that US senators weren't always popularly elected? Because he knew something you should have known before writing this time line?

Then who did protect the President?Just special security, or FBI agents?

The FBI? Sure, why not? After all they protected Washington at Valley Forge too and even ran along the side of his automobile while he reviewed the Continental Tank Corps.

[Dean501]

Unnecessary political trivia? Because he knew that US senators weren't always popularly elected? Because he knew something you should have known before writing this time line?


The FBI? Sure, why not? After all they protected Washington at Valley Forge too and even ran along the side of his automobile while he reviewed the Continental Tank Corps.

Uuuh... Well Sorry, I was kidding. Theres no reason for that unneccessarily angry comment. And if you hate my TL so much then you dont have to read it.
But I digress, @seancdaug you super intelligent, and I applaude your help. That comment was more informative then the whole Wiki page on the McKinley assasination.I'd be sure to read a TL with a POD in the assasination if you were to write one.

[Cathcon1]

Good timeline. What offices has Leonard Wood held that would differ from real life? In my timeline (the one that has the same title as yours), I made him Secretary of War.

[Dean501]

Good timeline. What offices has Leonard Wood held that would differ from real life? In my timeline (the one that has the same title as yours), I made him Secretary of War.

General, as in OTL when he ran for the Republican nomination. He was one of the heroes of the 2nd Mexican-American war and road an Eisenhoweresque train into the white house.
In the army he held the position as "General of the Armies" as I state in the TL. This position was held by General John J. Pershing in OTL WW1, but Pershing served as 4 Star General (As Par OTL as well), and Field Commander of the 2nd Army Group instead ITTL

[Dean501]

Part 7: It's going be a long night.


“ This is of the up most importance to me, that if I do nothing, I do these things: Fight Communism, the scorn of the world, give women the vote, a right that was stolen away from them, and expand this new age of manifest destiny that has become to America, extending the ways of the great President Theodore Roosevelt. I say this is just the beginning of the rise of America, of the Rise of Progressivism!”

- President Leonard Wood during his innaguration speech.

The 49th state

From 1912-1920 Mario Menacal served as the first Cuban Elected Governor of Territorial Cuba. In his 8 years he promoted big business in Cuba and the infrastructure thrived. In the 8 years the economy tripled, 17 new corporations entered the country, and the size of Havanah nearly doubled along with a national population of 3,667,900.Cuba had been under U.S. sovereignty for over 30 years, and Cubans had been U.S. citizens since 1917; but the island’s ultimate status has not been determined as of 1920 and, as with any non-state territory of the United States, its residents do not have voting representation in the United States government.
　
So in 1920 General Leonard Wood encouraged Menacal’s sucessor, Alfredo Zayas, to hold a national referendum on Cuban statehood. So, in June of 1921, a referendum was held to see if the Cuban people wanted statehood.

“I believe it is for the betterment of Cuba, the betterment of the Cuban people, and the betterment of our next generation and future that Cuba become an American State. They have protected us, served us, and been one with us since our freedom after the Spanish American War.Let us continue to prosper, for CUBA!”

-Alfredo Zayas, endorsing Cuban statehood.

With millions more of government funding excepted to flow into the country if it would become a state, Zayas would try anything in his power to do so. Going into the election about 52% of the nation supported staying a territory, mainly being the working class. The other 48% supported state hood, and were mainly upper class. The wealth that would flow in through increased American trade and tourism made the Cuban wealthy very excited.

Exit polling showed that anti-statehood voters were winning with almost 55% of the vote, although after the election statehood apparently passed by over 1,700 votes. Many accused the government of intimidation, voter fraud, and overall cheating. The next day protests opened in the streets, and the constitutional convention, held the next day, was broken out in more protests (that were taken down by the Police).
　
　
“We, the people of Cuba, in order to organize ourselves politically on a fully democratic basis, to promote the general welfare, and to secure for ourselves and our posterity the complete enjoyment of human rights, placing our trust in Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the commonwealth which, in the exercise of our natural rights, we now create within our union with the United States of America.
In so doing, we declare:
The democratic system is fundamental to the life of the Cuban community;
We understand that the democratic system of government is one in which the will of the people is the source of public power, the political order is subordinate to the rights of man, and the free participation of the citizen in collective decisions is assured;
We consider as determining factors in our life our citizenship of the United States of America and our aspiration continually to enrich our democratic heritage in the individual and collective enjoyment of its rights and privileges; our loyalty to the principles of the Federal Constitution; the co-existence in Cuba of the two great cultures of the American Hemisphere; our fervor for education; our faith in justice; our devotion to the courageous, industrious, and peaceful way of life; our fidelity to individual human values above and beyond social position, racial differences, and economic interests; and our hope for a better world based on these principles. “

-Preamble to Cuban Constitution

Statehood was then rushed through Congress by Speaker John Elston (P) in September of 1920. In 2 days of arguing, Cuban Statehood was passed by a united Progressive Vote 201- 197.And so, Cuba, on September 21, 1922, became the 49th state in the U.S.

http://www.archives.nysed.gov/projects/legacies/images/buflatinodoc1.jpeg

Civil rights
Wood spoke out in favor of the civil rights of African Americans and Catholics. He appointed no known members of the KKK to office; indeed the Klan lost most of its influence during his term.
On June 2, 1923, Wood signed the Indian Citizenship Act, which granted full U.S. citizenship to all American Indians, while permitting them to retain tribal land and cultural rights. In 1923, Wood passed the anti-lynching act, which made the lynching of any person, of any color, a Federal offense. He also was able to pass the Anti-Hate Crime Act of 1923 that made a crime against someone of another race or sex, due to racism or sexism, also a Federal Offense. This bills were taken as extremely liberal at the time and the South was very much opposed to it.
Wood appointed some African Americans to federal office. He gave Oscar Stanton Priest, a Progressive Representative from Illinois, the title of ambassador to Liberia, and Walter L. Cohen became the U.S ambassador to France.

“I served in the military for nearly 30 years, and in that time I served with Blacks, Whites, Mexicans, and Cubans. None of which ever disrespected me, none of which served as less of a soldier then the other, due to there race or creed. Each one was an American Hero and should be treated as so. I don’t believe that the black man, or the Indian, or the Cuban, or the Catholic for that matter, is any less of a man then the white man. I do believe that the some white men treat them as so, and I believe this is wrong.
500,000 Blacks were drafted in World War 1, and not one of them dodged the draft. They are some of the bravest soldiers I’ve ever seen, and how a man acts as a soldier is a great guide to how they act as a man. Our Constitution guarantees equal rights to all our citizens, without discrimination on account of race or color. I have taken my oath to support that Constitution…”

- President Wood on why he supported civil rights legislation.

Although Wood supported more civil rights legislation, many socially conservative Populists and Conservatives threatened a Coalition government. By 1923 Wood tuned down his legislation, by focusing on more economic matters.

Economy
The war boom of the MAW 2 (the slang term for the 2nd Mexican American War), led to 2% unemployment, but when these one million U.S troops came home, many of them were crippled, and unable to work, forcing there wives to go to work themselves, hurting there families and sending them on the streets in many occasions. In 1924 President Wood co-sponsored and personally helped write the Veterans Disability Act of 1924.


“The Veterans Disability Act of 1924 could very well be one of the most significant pieces of veterans’ affairs legislation to go before Congress in many, many decades. The fundamental principles used in the development of the VDA are well documented and deeply rooted within our history as a nation. Passage of this legislation will strengthen and reinforce Congress’s continued legal, moral and ethical obligations to provide absolute and total protection of military disability benefits – with no strings attached.”
-President Pro-Tempore of the Senate, Robert Lafollette (P-WI)

The Act sponsored 4 main points:

- All Veterans, with war related injuries, will be given monthly payments to compensate for there injuries they attained honorably during combat

- Disability compensation is a benefit paid to a veteran because of injuries or diseases that happened while on active duty, or were made worse by active military service.

-The amount of basic benefit paid ranges, depending on how disabled you are, and the number of people in your family that you support.

-You may be eligible for disability compensation if you have a service-related disability and you were discharged under other than dishonorable conditions.

The Progressives, with Populist and large public support. It was passed by over 44 votes days after it was brought to the floor.
In other ways, Wood was unpopular. In his first 2 years he made several social programs, but was unable to pass many tax hikes on the rich (of which he attempted 3), and spent the surplus President Roosevelt built up. By 1924 the national debt was 1.5 Million and growing, and his approval rate showed at
50%.

*Philippines

On July 19, 1925 President Wood was approached by the Empire of Japan...

Dear President Wood,

The Japanese Emperor Taisho… On Behalf of Japan would like to purchase… the American Territory of the Philippines in the Pacific… for the total of $12,500,000 U.S Dollars…

Sincerely,

The Empire of Japan

Dear Emperor Taisho

…Im regretful to tell you that the United States is not in a position to sell the Territory of the Philippines… The U.S Pacific Fleet is located in the territory, and it would put the United States in an awkward position if we were to sell the territory…

Regretfully,
President Leonard Wood, and the U.S.A

“Reds”

“ The Progressives have passed money grubbing legislation, hiked the taxes on America, and hurt American business. They remind me of nothing more then Socialists. I tell you that we need to remember the largest proponent America is the three C’s! Coons! Carpetbaggers! And Communists! We are forgetting our American values and letting into the hands of Russia. Our President says he’s a general but I call him a pansy!”

- Minority Speaker Robert Latham Owen (C-FL)

http://bioguide.congress.gov/bioguide/photo/O/O000153.jpg
Robert Latham Owen


Although many in the Conservative party ousted President Wood for his soft touch on domestic “threats”, such as Socialism and Immigrants, he actually had a very Hawkish approach to the U.R.S.R, cutting off trade with them, and encouraging others to do the same.
In 1924 he encouraged the prosecution of Vito DiBiscgliea and Bettino Craxi, two Italian-American Immigrants and anarchists, who were charged with plotting an attack on the Conservative Party Building in Rochester, New York. The two pleaded that they were framed and innocent. The argument broke out between Pro-Immigrants and Anti- Immigrants, and protests broke out to “Free Vito and Bettino”. In June of 1924 they were ruled guilty, and executed. This alienated many immigrant voters from President Wood and contributed to his dropping approval rating.

1922 Midterms

The 1922 Midterms marked what historians now call “The big shift”. In this election many Northern Conservatives, who had been alienated from the Progressive Party by Wood and other Liberals. Conservatives in the north then shifted from the Progressive Party, to the Conservative Party, whom saw this chance to welcome many northern votes. Although many in the Conservative Party were opposed to it, they welcomed there northern allies.

Some of the most influential politicians to enter the party were:
1. Charles Evan Hughes, Governor of New York
2. Warren G. Harding, Senator from Ohio
3. Calvin Coolidge, Governor of Massachusetts
4. Nathan Lewis Miller, Senator from New York

All in all over 45 major politicians left the Progressive Party, leading to many defeats in the 1922 Midterms. This election also saw Cuba elect its first two senators and its first two Representatives.
　
　
　
67th U.S Congress

Senate
Progressives- 34 -7
Conservative- 33 +5
Populist- 22 +3

Congress
Conservative- 160 +18
Progressives- 151 -20
Populist- 120 +2

Governors
Conservative- 17 + 5
Progressive- 16 -7
Populist- 16 +2

The Progressives huge losses in the Congress and Senate, to Northern Conservatives mainly, lost them the majority that they had in the Congress and Senate since the 1910 midterms. The Conservatives gained a 9 seat majority in Congress, but still was unable to take the necessary 218 seats to out vote the Progressives and Populists on economic issues.
　
　
Conservative Party Nomination
June 15-18. Park Theater, New York, New York

The Conservatives had two options, go with a northern Conservative (against the wishes of many of the elders of the party), or go with one of the Southern Conservatives that had lost 4 elections to the Progressives. After about 11 ballots the small Government Conservative, “Silent Cal” Calvin Coolidge, was nominated with John Kendrick, the “Original Conservative” from Wyoming as his running mate.

Populist Party Nomination
July 4-11. Mackey Convention Center, Dayton, South Carolina

At the convention William Jennings Bryan nominate his own younger brother , Charles W. Bryan, and the Populist hero received his wish in 8 ballots. Thomas McRae, the quick witted Governor of Arkansas, as his
running mate.

The Campaign

“ Mr. President, your people spoke and they said NO to Cuba, but we did it any way. They said NO, to higher taxes, but you did it anyway. Mr. President, read my lips, you are WRONG.”

-Populist nominee Charles W. Bryan

“We make no concealment of the fact that we want wealth, but there are many other things that we want very much more. We want peace and honor, and that charity which is so strong an element of all civilization. The chief ideal of the American people is idealism. I cannot repeat too often that America is a nation of idealists. That is the only motive to which they ever give any strong and lasting reaction. I do not stutter when I say America‘s business can only prosper with a small government, less regulation, and a larger industry. Protectionism over taxes, and prosperity over poverty. I have the support in America that are people can pull themselves up from there boot straps and with that, together, we can prosper!”

-Conservative nominee Calvin Coolidge

“In the days when all governmental power existed exclusively in the king or in the baronage and when the people had no shred of that power in their own hands, then it undoubtedly was true that the history of liberty was the history of the limitation of the governmental power of the outsiders who possessed that power. But today, the people have, actually or potentially, the entire governmental power. It is theirs to use and to exercise, if they choose to use and to exercise it. It offers the only adequate instrument with which they can work for the betterment, for the uplifting of the masses of our people. The government cannot be cut back, without the back lash from the populace. That’s what my competitors stand for, small government, less regulation, and the fall of our better interests as a conglomerate, as a people, as an America.”

-President Wood

Coolidge ran a masterful campaign against Wood, portraying him as a Socialist and making small government look more romantic. He was able to undermine the accomplishments of President Wood with the smaller mistakes he made. He focused on the Northern Swing states that held more electoral votes, while letting his VP John Kendrick campaign in the Plain States and Deep South which have less voting power, and the west coast, of which was strong Progressive, he almost ignored. President Wood used his large support with the minorities and women to his advantage in large cities, but assumed that the labor unions of the Midwest would assure him victories there, although he was proven wrong. The Populists were able to take estranged economic Conservative votes and many swing voters in the south, with there best showing in the region, while surprisingly leading in California exit polls until late.

1924 Presidential Election

http://uselectionatlas.org/TOOLS/genusmap.php?year=1924&pv_p=0&ev_p=1&AL=2;12;6&AZ=1;3;4&AR=1;9;6&CA=3;13;5&CO=1;6;5&CT=3;7;6&DE=1;3;5&FL=1;6;5&GA=2;14;7&ID=2;4;4&IL=3;29;5&IN=1;15;5&IA=1;13;5&KS=2;10;6&KY=1;13;4&LA=1;10;7&ME=1;6;7&MD=1;8;4&MA=1;18;6&MI=1;15;7&MN=3;12;5&MS=2;10;8&MO=1;18;4&MT=3;4;4&NE=2;8;4&NV=3;3;4&NH=3;4;5&NJ=3;14;6&NM=2;3;4&NY=1;45;5&NC=1;12;5&ND=1;5;4&OH=1;24;5&OK=2;10;4&OR=3;5;5&PA=3;38;6&RI=3;5;5&SC=2;9;9&SD=3;5;4&TN=2;12;5&TX=2;20;7&UT=1;4;4&VT=3;4;7&VA=1;12;6&WA=3;7;5&WV=2;8;4&WI=3;13;5&WY=2;3;5

Conservative: Calvin Coolidge/ John B. Kendrick, 245 EV, 35.6% PV
Progressive: Leonard Wood/ Burton K. Wheeler, 163 EV, 35.3% PV
Populist: Charles W. Bryan/ Thomas McRae 123 EV, 28% PV

http://calvincoolidgefacts.com/images/calvin_coolidge.jpg
President Coolidge


Many predicted Wood, with his 50% approval rating and relatively high popularity in the swing states, to take the election and it was an upset when Coolidge won the election with less then 150,000 votes.

“The General feeling of the American populace going into 1924 was that the economy was great with President Wood, but would be even better with President Coolidge. They though he had done what he could, and there wasn’t much more people needed him for. He had passed as much civil rights legislation as one could at the time, and had increased government to a point where people wanted a shrink. Against any other candidate Wood would of won, but Coolidge ran a masterful campaign and stole the election right out from under Woods feet.”

- Dr. Joe Montana The Conservative Shuffle

“The business of America is business, and I will hold this truth throughout my coming years as President of the United States. You should except, in these next four years, less taxes and less people that have to pay them. Except a smaller government in your lives, and your business to prosper.”

-Calvin Coolidge’s inauguration speech

President Calvin Coolidge’s first term

Economic Matters

During Coolidge's presidency he focused mainly on economic matters, agreeing with many of the social bills passed by President Wood. He left the administration's industrial policy in the hands of his activist Secretary of Commerce, Nathan Lewis Miller, who energetically used government subsidies to promote business efficiency and develop airlines and radio. With the exception of favoring increased tariffs, Coolidge dispised regulation, and carried about this belief by appointing commissioners to the Federal Trade Commission who did little to restrict the activities of businesses under their jurisdiction.

"The regulatory state under Coolidge was thin to the point of invisibility, compared to the former President Wood and other Progressive Presidents, who looked over the shoulder of big business and shivered at the word monopoly.”

-Dr. Joe Montana The Conservative Shuffle

"As Governor of Massachusetts, Coolidge supported wages and hours legislation, opposed child labor, imposed economic controls during World War 1, favored safety measures in factories, and even worker representation on corporate boards. Did he support these measures while president? No, because in the 1920s, such matters were considered the responsibilities of state and local governments.”

- Historian Walter Mondale

Taxation

Secretary of the Treasury Andrew W. Mellon worked with Coolidge to reduce taxes while retiring government debt.
Coolidge's taxation policy was that of his Secretary of the Treasury, Andrew Mellon: taxes should be lower and fewer people should have to pay them. Congress agreed, and the taxes were reduced in Coolidge's term. In addition to these tax cuts, Coolidge proposed reductions in federal expenditures and retiring some of the federal debt. Coolidge's ideas were shared by the Conservatives in Congress, and in 1925 Congress passed the Revenue Act of 1925, which reduced income tax rates and eliminated all income taxation for some two million people, all the while continuing to keep spending down so as to reduce the overall federal debt. By 1927, only the richest 2% of taxpayers paid any federal income tax and half of the government debt was retired by 1928 and the government flourished.

Populist Nomination
July 9-19th. Rogers Hall, Topeka, Kansas

The Populist Convention was the fight between the social Conservatives and social Liberals of the party. The Liberals supported the candidate Theodore Christianson, the Populist Governor of Minnesota. While the Conservatives supported Merritt C. Mechem, the Senator from New Mexico.
After 107 ballots, the longest nomination in U.S history, the compromise candidate of Bibb Graves from Alabama, a moderate, was made. Gilbert Hitchcock was made his VP, the Senator from Nebraska.

Progressive Nomination
August 19th - 21st. Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts.

The Progressive Nomination showed former Vice President Burton K. Wheeler be nominated with the popular Senator Robert Lafollette in only 12 ballots.

1928 Presidential Election

http://uselectionatlas.org/TOOLS/genusmap.php?year=1924&pv_p=1&ev_p=1&type=calc&AL=1;12;6&AZ=2;3;4&AR=1;9;6&CA=3;13;5&CO=2;6;5&CT=3;7;6&DE=1;3;5&FL=1;6;5&GA=1;14;7&ID=2;4;4&IL=3;29;5&IN=1;15;5&IA=1;13;5&KS=2;10;6&KY=1;13;4&LA=1;10;7&ME=1;6;7&MD=1;8;4&MA=1;18;6&MI=3;15;7&MN=1;12;5&MS=1;10;8&MO=1;18;4&MT=3;4;4&NE=2;8;4&NV=1;3;4&NH=1;4;5&NJ=3;14;6&NM=1;3;4&NY=1;45;5&NC=1;12;5&ND=1;5;4&OH=3;24;5&OK=1;10;4&OR=3;5;5&PA=1;38;6&RI=3;5;5&SC=1;9;9&SD=2;5;4&TN=1;12;5&TX=1;20;7&UT=1;4;4&VT=3;4;7&VA=1;12;6&WA=2;7;5&WV=2;8;4&WI=3;13;5&WY=2;3;5

Conservative: Calvin Coolidge/ John Kendrick 344 EV, 39% PV
Progressive: Burton K. Wheeler/ Robert Lafollette 135 EV, 34% PV
Populist: Bibb Graves/ Gilbert Hitchcock 54 EV, 25% PV


With the economy strong and Coolidge’s popularity high, Coolidge easily won reelection. The Progressives made there first trip to last place out of the three major parties, as Coolidge’s northern appeal took up much of there support. The Populists weren’t able to beat the Progressives in the Popular Vote, but were able to gain more EV with there 2nd best outing as a party.

2nd Term of Calvin Coolidge

“ I told President Coolidge that the economy was to high. Today we warned the President that theres an economic bubble that’s unsustainable and unless taxes are raised there will be a recession but the President remains diligent that the U.S economy will continue to rise.”

-From the journal of economist John Tillman, advisor to President Coolidge

Coolidge continued to run a balanced budget through the first 8 months of his 2nd term. The economy hit an all time high by November 25, 1929 but tragedy struck just weeks later. On October 28, 1929 the Stock Market crashed, causing a 24% down turn in 3 days.
From before his entry to the presidency, Coolidge was a proponent of the concept that private industry powered the economy. Coolidge feared that too much intervention or coercion by the government would destroy the citizens self-reliance, which he considered to be the most important of American values. Both his ideals and the economy were put to the test with the onset of the Great Depression. At the outset of the Depression, Coolidge accepted Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon’s suggested "leave-it-alone" approach, and called many business leaders to Washington to urge them not to lay off workers or cut wages.

http://www.listzblog.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/Black_Tuesday_2.jpg

Newspaper Article

Calls for greater government assistance increased as the US economy continued to decline. Coolidge rejected direct federal relief payments to individuals, as he believed that a welfare program would be addictive, and reduce the incentive to work. He was also held onto his firm believer in balanced budgets, and was unwilling to run a budget deficit to fund welfare programs. However, Coolidge did pursue many policies in an attempt to pull the country out of depression. In 1929, Coolidge authorized the Mexican Repatriation Act program to combat rampant unemployment from Mexicans in Texas and Baja. The program was largely a deportation of about 500,000 Mexicans and MexicanAmericans to Mexico, and continued through to 1937. In June 1930, over the objection of many economists, Congress approved and Coolidge signed into law the Smoot Hawley Act of 1931 that raised tariffs on thousands of imported items. The intent of the Act was to encourage the purchase of American-made products by increasing the cost of imported goods, while raising revenue for the federal government and protecting farmers. However, economic depression now spread through much of the world, and other nations increased tariffs on American-made goods in retaliation, reducing international trade, and worsening the Depression around the world.

http://adamsmith.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/smoot-hawley.jpg
Smoot and Hawley



“We start from the bottom. That the 25 or more million American families shall have a homestead. Up to $5,000....a home and the comforts of a home, including an automobile and a radio, the things it takes in that house to live on...
These ideals, that all people are created equal. That every man, woman and child deserve there own slice of the American dream, that’s why I’m a candidate for the Populist Party Nomination for President.”

-Huey Long

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Authors Note: Please read the astricked section if havent already. Ive added it to the chapter recently, as Ive changed my plans for the future of this TL and its a very important point.

[Cylon_Number_14]

I'm enjoying your TL and really liked the Wood administration.

But... as a teacher this last update really irked me with its writing errors :o:rolleyes:. What kind of English program are our schools running when history buffs, who by definition are intellectual, constantly make the basic mistakes with it's/its, less/fewer, and "would of"? Combined with the spelling errors it drove me nuts.

Sorry about the rant, I guess I need my coffee this morning...:p

[Cathcon1]

Whoa! I've been away too long! Too bad President Coolidge had to have the Great Depression. I was hoping that it could have been butterflied away or something.

Anyway, I'll have to rewrite my own story in my head to make sure it doesn't line up with yours. Great work!

[Dean501]

I'm enjoying your TL and really liked the Wood administration.

But... as a teacher this last update really irked me with its writing errors :o:rolleyes:. What kind of English program are our schools running when history buffs, who by definition are intellectual, constantly make the basic mistakes with it's/its, less/fewer, and "would of"? Combined with the spelling errors it drove me nuts.


Sorry about the rant, I guess I need my coffee this morning...:p

Errr. Sorry, thats never been my strong point, and when Im just writing I dont usually catch my errors unless Word points them out.

[Archangel]

TTL Cuba will avoid dictatorship and communism.:)
Keep it up!

[King Nazar]

Awesome TL. Subscribed:)

[Dean501]

Awesome TL. Subscribed:)
Merci :D

TTL Cuba will avoid dictatorship and communism.:)
Keep it up!

Well... Just keep reading and you'll see what I have in store. ;)

[Dean501]

Part 8 is coming soon... I've been out of town so I haven't had access to my personal computer, that has most of Part 8 on it. But in my absence I've done part 9 so they should come in very soon. :)

[Dean501]

Part 8: A President In Peril


“Huey Long was to bring a new kind of politics to the table. The Populist Party, until the 1932 Presidential election, was perennially last out of the three major parties but the Conservatives and Progressives had run their course in the last 20 years and, much like the Republicans and Democrats before them, people had grown tired of the speeches and gerrymandering. Huey Long reinvented the Populist approach to politics. He revamped there image from a Southern and Plains farmer party to a national “peoples party””


-Dr. Kathreyn Hudson Every Man a King

“Is that a right of life, when the young children of this country are being reared into a sphere which is more owned by 12 men that is by 120 million people? I contend, my friends, that we have no difficult problem to solve in America, and that is the view of nearly everyone with whom I have discussed the matter here in Washington and elsewhere throughout the United States -- that we have no very difficult problem to solve.

It is not the difficulty of the problem which we have; it is the fact that the rich people of this country -- and by rich people I mean the super-rich -- will not allow us to solve the problems, or rather the one little problem that is afflicting this country, because in order to cure all of our woes it is necessary to scale down the big fortunes, that we may scatter the wealth to be shared by all of the people.”


-Huey Long “Every Man a King” Radio Speech

Populist National Convention July 16- July 19.
Chicago Stadium. Chicago, Illinois

Huey Long swept into the convention with a rack of support from the liberal side of the Populist Party. Social Conservatives vying for the nomination called out his lack of inexperience, one term as Governor of Louisiana, but his skillful orating and large support helped him pull a dead lock with conservative Governor of Maryland, Joseph Irwin France.
After three ballots, Long had not secured the two-thirds majority necessary for the nomination. At this point, France believed the delegates were anxious about a deadlocked convention, and attempted to stampede all the delegates' votes toward his friend and surrogate, Dallas Mayor, Chas E. Turner. The stalemate lingered for several days however, until John Pollard, then the Governor of Virginia, decided to pull his endorsement from France to Long, breaking the stalemate as the other South Eastern delegates followed.
John Nance Garner was then convinced to run as Long’s VP by Long himself, and nominated shortly after.

Conservative National Convention June 14- June 16
Hartley Arena. Denver, Colorado

Herbert Hoover, the endorsed candidate by President Coolidge, was unopposed for the nomination; due to a lack luster line up of possible other candidates. Nonetheless, the convention praised Hoover and pledged itself to maintain a balanced budget. George F. Shafer, the governor of North Dakota, was selected as his running mate.

Progressive National Convention June 3-5
Worlds Fairgrounds. St.Louis, Missouri

Going into the nomination California Senator Hiram Johnson and New York Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt seemed to be the two major candidates for the nomination. Due to neither candidates having much difference in political views, the joint Johnson/Roosevelt ticket was agreed upon by the 2nd ballot.


Campaign


The campaign was dominated by the master orating of the Populist Candidate, Huey Long. Long utilized his quick wittedness and orating ability by inviting Herbert Hoover and Hiram Johnson to three radio broadcasted debates in Chicago, New York, and Dallas (major cities in some of the biggest swing states of the election) for the first ever Presidential Debates. In the three debates Long was able to run circles around the two candidates, taking advantage of Hoover’s support of President Coolidge’s failed economic policies (although Hoover, during the 2nd debate, did admit that he would raise the income tax if elected President) and Hiram Johnson’s flip flops on many issues throughout his political career.

On income equality before the stock market crash, at the 3rd debate

Long: The economy was not as much as a power house before the depression as Hoover would like you to think. No, the economy was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, with the richest, the kings of America, owning 90% of the wealth. They were the economy, and they were prosperous while the middle class, the working class piddled in the other world of America that Hoover and the fat cat Conservatives don’t want you to see. These were the faults of the Coolidge administration, which lowered income taxes to their lowest point since they’re creation during the Taft administration.

Hoover: No Mr. Long, you were wrong. Lower taxes helps boost the economy for everyone. When they don’t have to give their money to the government they give it the nickelodeons and the shops, who recycle the wealth. The upper class makes jobs and the wealth trickles down.

Long: The rich do, and they continue to until the bubble bursts, the stock market crashes and the nickelodeons and shops close. Is this not what happened Senator Hoover, because I believe this trickledown effect is a myth, a fairy tale, a lie!

*applause from crowd*

Long continued to run a masterful campaign, making speeches everywhere he went. While letting Garner focus on the south, he went the ghettos and inner cities of the swing states in the north, trying to reach out to the minorities who never had been campaigned directly to before. He was attacked as being a “socialist” and “radical”, but many welcomed a wave of social democracy if it would help them get back there job. Long promised to fight for working class rights and put labor unions and workers ahead of the corporations. His campaign slogan “Every Man a King” intensified this mantra and America supported it.

“I believe that the fate of the country is going into the wrong hands if this Henry Long is elected President. Higher taxes, and a larger government cannot help ease peoples pain, but the opposite.”

-Herbert Hoover

Although Hoover had a hard time campaigning against Long as many were openly hostile to the Coolidge-light. When out on the streets Hoover would have rotten vegetables and bottles thrown at him. By Election Day, Hoover had slim to none chance at winning the election. Hiram Johnson had a much easier time campaigning then Hoover, and many moderates hoped he would be the eventual winner. Although he was relatively dull compared to the eccentric Long and many distraught Progressives turned away from him. Although the point of Long’s mere four years of experience as Governor held little weight amongst the American people, and both Hoover and Johnson weren’t able to benefit from it.

1932 Presidential Election

http://uselectionatlas.org/TOOLS/genusmap.php?year=1932&pv_p=0&ev_p=1&AL=1;11;8&AZ=1;3;6&AR=2;9;8&CA=3;22;5&CO=2;6;5&CT=3;8;4&DE=3;3;5&FL=2;7;7&GA=2;12;9&ID=2;4;5&IL=3;29;5&IN=2;14;5&IA=2;11;5&KS=2;9;5&KY=2;11;5&LA=2;10;9&ME=3;5;5&MD=2;8;6&MA=3;17;5&MI=3;19;5&MN=2;11;5&MS=2;9;9&MO=2;15;6&MT=3;4;5&NE=2;7;6&NV=2;3;6&NH=3;4;5&NJ=3;16;4&NM=2;3;6&NY=3;47;5&NC=2;13;6&ND=2;4;6&OH=2;26;4&OK=1;11;7&OR=3;5;5&PA=3;36;5&RI=3;4;5&SC=1;8;9&SD=2;4;6&TN=2;11;6&TX=2;23;8&UT=1;4;5&VT=3;3;5&VA=2;11;6&WA=3;8;5&WV=2;8;5&WI=3;12;6&WY=1;3;5


Populist: Huey Long/ John Nance Garner 249 EV, 43% PV
Progressive: Hiram Johnson/ Franklin Roosevelt 242 EV, 35% PV
Conservative: Herbert Hoover/ George F. Shafer 40 EV, 22% PV

1932 German Presidential Election

The 1932 German Presidential Election saw the Communist Party gain large support behind there strong candidate Ernst Thalman. Just 2 months before incumbent Paul Von Hindenberg had suffered a heart attack and died in office, and Heinrich Bruning, the Chancellor took power.
Adolf Hitler, the Nazi party candidate for President, ran on a Facist-Socialist platform and excited many Germans. On the first ballot 8 candidates took votes, with Adolf Hitler gaining the plurality.During the Weimar Republic the law provided that if no candidate received an absolute majority of votes (i.e. more than half) in the first round of a presidential election then a second ballot would occur in which the candidate with a plurality of votes would be deemed elected. It was permitted for a group to nominate an alternative candidate in the second round
For the 2nd ballot the Communists created a coalition with the Social Democratic Party, German Democratic Party, and German Peoples Party under the condition that the coalition shares equal power amongst the supporting parties, and in that the German Peoples Socialist Coalition was created. The Nazis were able to gain the support of the German Freedom Party and Bavarian Peoples Party. Although the Centrists, led by Henrich Bruning, who garnered 15% of the vote on the first ballot, were unwilling to join either sides coalition.
The 2nd ballot showed the Centrists, Communists, and Nazis all appear on the ballot. Henrich Bruning seemed to have a good chance at winning the election, representing the Fiscal Right.
Although Wilhelm Marx, who represented the left side of the Centrist Party, decided at the last second to throw his support behind the GPSC for Ernst Thalmann.

German 1932 Election, 2nd ballot

43% Ernst Thalmann (German Peoples Socialist Coalition)
39% Adolf Hitler (Nazi Party)
18% Henrich Bruning (Centrist Party)
Ernst Thalmann was able to win the election by 4% of the vote. But just days later Adolf Hitler and the Nazi’s attempted a full military coup of the Communist Government. The coup was nearly successful, as fighting began in the streets began the militaristic Nazi Supporters and the Socialist supporters of the government.

German Civil War
…

“There is no option on whether or not we need to protect the French people. The Republic of Alsace-Loraine stands as a strong buffer state between us and the Germans, both Facist and Communist. The actions that erupt between the two nations, as long as they do not further effect the peace full tranquility of the allied nations of Europe, does not involve the French people, and if I may speak for our allies, the British people, or the American people.”

-French Prime Minister Edourd Herriot, addressing the League of Nations

The major players in European affairs, including the United States, were still recovering from World War One and quite frankly supported neither side in the war and hoped Vichy Germany would remain a democracy, where a more Centrist party could soon come to power. It wasn't until June of 1934 that they began noticing how serious the war very well could become.

Engelbert Dolfuss ascended to Federal Chancellor in 1932 in the midst of a crisis for the conservative government. In early 1933 he shut down parliament, banned theAustrian Nazi Party and assumed dictatorial powers.In his time as dictator he killed over 5,000 non-supporters to cement his rule. As anti-government sentiment grew the banned Nazi party greatly grew in popularity, leading to a German backed Nazi coup in Vienna on June 2, 1934.

Days later cries throughout the nation roared for Nazi Germany to fully annex Austria, although the treaty of Philadelphia clearly stated that the Germans couldn't join in a union with Austria until 1936. Fearing invasion from France, Germany did all but officially annex the country, setting them up as a total puppet state, using the same currency, and having Adolf Hitler personally appoint Arthur Seyss-Inquart as Chancellor. Although Nazi Germany claimed not to be part of the Wiemar Republic, rather the National Socialist Republic of Germany, and therefore not bound by its limitations, and it fully annexed it in October of 1934.

But this drew problems.
The Austrofacist dictatorship of Engelbert Dolfuss was strongly backed by the Italians. Bennito Mussolini, the Italian dictator, set up a strong regime in Dolfuss and planned on using Austria as a stepping point to invade various nations in central Europe. When the regime fell, so did his hopes for European domination (although scholars suggest the chance was never really there) and tensions between the NSRG and Italy came to a boiling point in mid 1934.

As sentiment for Nazi Germany grew in the dictatorships of central Germany, and byCommunist Germany’s declaration of its intention to build up anair force, to increase the size of its army to 36 divisions (550,000 men - much more than the amount prescribed by the Treaty of Philadelphia to fight the the original figure set was 100, 000 men) and to introduce conscription, as to battle the NSRG (who had previously increased there army to near 700,000 Austrian and German troops and had already established an Airforce), and Italian-National Socialist tensions rose, in March 1934 the Stockholm Convention was held in Stockholm, Sweden, to discuss the ramifications of the German civil war. Present at the conventions was an ambassador from both Wiemar Germany and the National Socialist Republic of Germany.

“The National Socialist Republic of Germany is a free German Republic. We hold full rights to Independence, freedom, and liberty, as set out in the treaty of Philadelphia to mark the end of World War One. Our leader, Adolf Hitler, is extremely popular amongst the people of Germany, Austria, and around the world. He is not tyranical, but quite the opposite. The invasions opposed on us by Wiemar Germany is unethical and wrong and I hope you, the nations of the Stockholm Convention, take note.”

-NSRG Ambassador to the Convention, Wilhelm Miklas.

The Stockholm convention concluded two weeks later on several notes, widely in the NSRG’s favor.

-The National Socialist Republic of Germany is not part of Wiemar Germany and is not held by the treaty of Philadelphia.

-Adolf Hitler is popular amongst the people, and the people of lower Germany genuinely want to be free, and deserve Independence to stop Germany from being ripped into a bloody, long war.

-We encourage Wiemar Germany to slowly let the NSRG transition into full diplomatic freedom, and encourage a referendum amongst the southern German states, to be overseen by the nations of the Stockholm Convention.

-The treaty of Philadelphia will be revised to expire on January 1, 1935, and Northern and Southern Germany, due to the circumstances, will not be penalized by the treaty.

-A cease fire will begin from now until after the referendum is held on January 2, 1935.
-The Germans spread aggression to any of the countries protected by the treaty of Versailles (Weimar Germany, Poland, and the Republic of Alsace-Loraine)

Although the nations of the world didn't genuinely agree with the policy of the National Socialist Republic, they did understand there case would hold up in a court of law, and the people genuinely supported the Nazi regime. After the January 2 referendum, which passed with 76% approval in the southern states, on January 5-7 1935 the Treaty of London was held to discuss terms to end the war. The terms basically stated that the two nations would not battle each other again, and that Weimar Germany and the rest of the League of Nations will recognize the National Socialist Republic of Germany as an independent nation on the terms that the NSRG holds general elections every five years.

This set the stage for Nazi Germany to continue expansion in central Europe. Weimar Germany would elect a Centrist in 1936 elections, but the NSRG would continue to be ruled by Adolf Hitler. The influence of Nazism spread across eastern Europe, and in 1936 both Hungary and Yugoslavia elected Nazi rulers who, through help from the NSRG, became rulers for life. In mid may of 1937 Nazi Germany annexed the Rhineland zone, and months later, the rest of Czechoslovakia, as they tried to pull away from Nazi rule. In Spring of 1937 Yugoslavia was ripped into bloody civil war between supporters of the Nazi government and the rebels in the south. The NSRG equipped the Northern Nazis who were able to split the country between the Republic of Yugoslavia, and Democratic Republic of Serbia. As the world community put there eyes back on the NSRG, another tragedy ensued…
　
　
First Term of President Huey Long
“Remember, in 1916 there was a middle class -- 33 percent of the people -- who owned 35 percent of the wealth. That middle class is practically gone today. It no longer exists. They have dropped into the ranks of the poor. The thriving man of independent business standing is fast fading. The corner grocery store is becoming a thing of the past. Concentrated chain-merchandise and banking systems have laid waste to all middle opportunity. That "thin margin of merely well-to-do in between" which the Saturday Evening Post mentioned on September 23, 1916, has dwindled to practically no margin of well-to-do in between. Those suffering on the bottom and the few lords of finance on the top are nearly all that are left.”
- Inaugural Speech of Huey Long
“Today I plan to propose to Congress, an immediate solution and citizens help program to pull America out of the Great Depression. I call it the American Share our Wealth Program. It will, in five steps, become the Alphabet Soup for this sick nation. I have called a special session in Congress to debate, and propose these matters.
1. We will take the burden off the most needy of Americans. The lower class of the United States should not be the one carrying the burden of a nation. In the ASWP as I have come to call it, the year 1933 will be a tax holiday for the lowest 15% of the U.S. I also have proposed to Congress an Income Tax hike on the richest 2% of Americans from 20% to 70%.
2. I also have proposed what I call the Welfare Act of 1933. It will provide temporary Government relief for the unemployed and poor ,tt will help the unemployed find work, and it will aid you to get back on your feet.
3. The Government- Public Employment Act. This will create over 5,000,000 new jobs in the U.S through working for the government to create infrastructure, extend our national parks, and work in new innovative fields giving the employees of the Employment Act a pay roll, a way to support a family, and training in the field in Mechanical and Engineering Jobs.
4. I have also proposed a Collegiate support act. This will open up over $ 25,000,000 over the next 10 years in scholarships, paid for through State and Federal taxes on Wine and Spirits.
5. FederalReserve Act establishing the Federal Emergency Relief Administration to distribute $500 million to states and localities for relief over the next 5 years. It will re-stabilize your local Governments and help create more State sponsored Jobs.
6. We will enact a national Bank Holiday, to allow the national banks to reorganize, and to give them a break from the constant withdrawals. In the event that your bank closes, I’m proposing that the U.S government backs your deposit for up to $300,000. I will also be implementing the Monetary Reform Act that will put in place reforms and regulations to the banks, insurance, and mortgage companies to stop another failure on the part of the people handling your money, from ever happening again.
These bills together are to create over 2,000,00 New Jobs in the U.S in the next 5 years.
7. We will be slowly giving the entire nation of Mexico full independance by 1936, as to save up to $5 Billion in national support. Along with giving national independance to the people of Mexico, we will be selling the colony of Nicaragua to Great Britain, and giving Guatemala, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic full indepedance in the same year.
Chihuahua, Sonora, and Baja will remain U.S Colonies as local governed territories.This legislation should save the U.S as much as $25 Billion in the next 10 years.
More legislation will be needed, and will be passed. Now I must get back to my job serving you, the American People.
Thank you, and have a great day.”
-Huey Long on a televised speech delivered just days after his inauguration.
The nation needed immediate relief, recovery from economic collapse, and reform to avoid future depressions, so relief, recovery and reform became Huey Long's goals when he took the helm as president. At his side stood a Populist/ Progressive Congress, prepared to enact the measures carved out by a group of his closest advisors — dubbed the “Brain Trust” by reporters. One recurring theme in the recovery plan was Long’s pledge to help the “forgotten man at the bottom of the economic pyramid.”
Long personally spoke to both houses of Congress to get the bills passed and, under the saying “With haste for America.” the bills were passed by the strong Progressive and Populist dominated Congress.
Over the next 5 months the U.S economy stopped decreasing. People began to question whether or not the ASWP would actually work, but in June of 1933 when part work relief program of his plan came into place, the economy soared. By 1934 unemployment fell back to 19% as further economic recovery programs came into place including Retirement Financial Security, although Long did few non-economic achievements in his first term.

1936 Midterms
Huey Long personally campaigned for many Senators and Governors in close states in the south and Midwest. He helped Populists like William Bouck win election the Governorship in North Dakota, and Populist Pat McCarran win the governorship in Nevada.
　
　
72nd U.S Congress
Senate
Progressives- 18 -2
Populist- 18 +5
Conservative- 12 -6
Congress
Populist- 177 +67
Progressive- 142 +12
Conservative- 125 -79
Governors
Progressive- 20 +5
Populist - 15 +2
Conservative- 11 -7
　
Fighting the Bosses

“With the 1936 Presidential Election around the corner mutual war was declared between the big city bosses, that strongly supported the Progressives and could sway Labor Union vote despite Long’s strong backing of the Unions, and Huey Long.”

-Historian Walter Mondale

Long attempted to break up the big city bosses power structures prior to the 1936 election by personally campaigning for Populist Mayoral and City Counsel Members in New York, Chicago, Detroit, and Boston. When Populist Henry LaGuardia defeated the Tammany Hall Political Machine Candidate Christopher Sullivan, a Progressive it marked the first time the Populists were able to gain footing in the big cities, and pushed them closer to victory in those recently “strong Progressive” states. Although Chicago and Detroit remained strongly backed by Progressive values, Long was able to further crack there hold.

Progressive Party Nomination
June 14-June 19.New York University, New York, New York
The Progressive Party nomination saw Franklin Roosevelt, there vice President nominee in 1932, win the first national primaries for the party. He won 10 of 12 Primaries and picked his VP John Wadsworth Jr.

Conservative Party Nomination
July 8-10. Harding Hall, Atlanta, Georgia.
A lack luster field of Conservative Candidates came to the nomination. The Conservative Primary’s in 10 states had Richard Russell Jr., the U.S Senator from Georgia, selected as its parties Nominee. Richard Kirkman Sr., the Governor of Nevada, was selected as his VP candidate.

Campaign

Debates

“The Long - Roosevelt - Russell debates
The Campaign saw another series of debates in Atlanta, Georgia, Detroit, Michigan, and New York, New York. The series of debates mainly pitted Populist Huey Long against Franklin Roosevelt, the Progressive. This set the stage for the debates between the two that would occur in 1940, with much larger issues on the line.”
The Debates set the stage for the election as Roosevelt proved much more of a contender then Hiram Johnson did. Outspoken, strong willed, and very intelligent. Roosevelt supposedly defeated Long in the 2nd debate in Detroit, calling him out on weak foreign policy. But the President was able to cut down on Roosevelt’s “pro-business” New Deal plan that differed from the President.”

-Historian Walter Mondale

1936 Presidential Election
http://uselectionatlas.org/TOOLS/genusmap.php?year=1932&pv_p=0&ev_p=1&AL=2;11;8&AZ=1;3;6&AR=2;9;8&CA=3;22;5&CO=2;6;5&CT=3;8;4&DE=3;3;5&FL=2;7;7&GA=1;12;9&ID=2;4;5&IL=3;29;5&IN=2;14;5&IA=2;11;5&KS=2;9;5&KY=2;11;5&LA=2;10;9&ME=3;5;5&MD=3;8;6&MA=3;17;5&MI=3;19;5&MN=3;11;5&MS=2;9;9&MO=2;15;6&MT=2;4;5&NE=1;7;6&NV=2;3;6&NH=3;4;5&NJ=2;16;4&NM=3;3;6&NY=3;47;5&NC=1;13;6&ND=2;4;6&OH=2;26;4&OK=2;11;7&OR=3;5;5&PA=3;36;5&RI=3;4;5&SC=1;8;9&SD=2;4;6&TN=1;11;6&TX=2;23;8&UT=1;4;5&VT=3;3;5&VA=2;11;6&WA=3;8;5&WV=2;8;5&WI=2;12;6&WY=1;3;5
Populist: Huey Long/ John Nance Garner 238 EV, 41% PV
Progressive: Franklin Roosevelt/ John Wadsworth Jr. 232 EV,37% PV
Conservative: Richard Russel Jr./ Richard Kirkman 61 EV, 20% PV

2nd Term of Huey Long
The 2nd term of Huey Long began slowly. Conservatives began a push to decrease Government, as the economy recovered, but a strong hold Progressive-Populist economic coalition on the Senate stopped them from reforming much legislation and it was left up to the supreme court to do there work by striking down laws as unconstitutional. This included the Collective Bargaining act of 1931 that guaranteed organized Unions collective Bargaining in the work place.

July 8, 1937
“The United States has been attacked. I repeat, the United States has been attacked. Reports show that just 17 minutes ago who we believe is the Japanese Air force began an attack on the quarter of the U.S Pacific fleet based in Tuguegarao, Philippines. Reports of upwards of 300 men dead or missing.
Reports say that the attack is in progress as we speak.
Dear God…Bless those boys.”

-11:52 AM Eastern Time, New York, New York. CBS NEWS

“I’m very sorry to tell you, the American people, that the other half of the U.S Pacific fleet has been attacked in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii just minutes ago. Reports say the Navy was on high alert, and is currently able to hold its own against the Japanese, unlike in Tuguegarao.
We wish you best boys.”
-11:54 AM Eastern Time, New York, New York. CBS NEWS

“Today, July 5, 1937, the Japanese Air force attacked the U.S Naval bases in Tuguegarao, Philippines, and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii this morning at 11:35 AM Eastern Time. We believe they did so as a defensive menuver for a full attack on the Republic of China A declaration of War on Japan was passed at 12:05 AM Eastern Time by a unanimous vote in both Houses. I have deployed the first and second Marine divisions to Philippines, as well as a large amount of the U.S Pacific Fleet.
More troops will be needed later, and they will be sent.
Thank you,
And God Bless America.”
-12:07 AM, Washington D.C, President Huey Long

“The Third and final Wave of Japanese attacks on Tuguegarao, Philippines is believed to be done. Yes, I repeat the Japanese attack is over. Reports suggest almost 2000 U.S and Fillipino soldiers dead or wounded. 16 ships in the harbor either sunken or destroyed.
In Hawaii, the fleet faired much better. Reports show of 150 U.S casualties and 3 sunken ships.
Over 400 Japanese are believed to be dead or missing.”
-12:45 AM, New York, New York. CBS NEWS.

“…These attacks were unprovoked, immoral, and wrong. We believe the attack was a defensive maneuver, to deter American intervention in the Japanese full scale invasion of China, and European Territories in the far east. The U.S has always been a close ally of the nations of Europe and the Republic of China. That is why we will give full military support to the Republic of China, and any other nations unlawfully attacked by the Empire of Japan…”
-Head of the War Department, George Marshall, 1:05 PM Eastern Time

July 9, 1937
“Our country is at war with the nation of Japan. We have been attacked on British soil by a foreign emmirate, and we will not take that sitting down. We will support China, the United States, and any other nations attacked by the evil empire of Japan.”

-Prime Minister William Sanders, 9:33 AM, London, England.

“Japan has struck again. The Japanese army has began further assaults into China, deploying over 100,000 new troops into the barraged nation. Just overnight the Japanese attack the British owned city of Hong Kong. The British have declared war on Japan just minutes ago. France and Holland are excepted to do the same within the hour, as there territories are vulnerable. Russia signed a Non-Agression pact with the Japanese in 1934, and are not expected to declare war. We will keep you in on the latest news from the Pacific.”

-9:45 AM, New York, New York. CBS NEWS.
　
The Pacific War

Quickly names began popping up for the war with Japan. War with in the East, War on the Rising Sun, War with Japan, 2nd Great War, but the New York times writter James Haifald famously coined the term The Pacific War .The name quickly stuck when Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, on the news that he was commanding the U.S Pacific Fleet,
“I do believe it is of the utmost importance that the Americans crush the Japanese in this war in the Pacific...this Pacific War.”

“…On that note we should wonder…would the Japanese force had gone farther, survived longer, extended there empire across the Pacific, had they not pulled the Western World into there invasions…
By attacking these foreign superpowers and there colonies, the Japanese signed there own fate off. That’s was possibley the worst decision they could of made…having not attacked the Americans or British they would not of attacked, and the Americans slow response to the attack was proof that they were not prepared to defend China.”
-Hideki Kashiwa The Pacific

The American-British-Australian forces deployed in the Pacific struck down first on Taiwan. The battle of Kaohsiung was showed 10,000 Australian-American troops work with Taiwanese rebels to free the city from 15,000 dug in Japanese troops. As the Japanese moved farther North on the island the British deployed Paratroopers to the Northern Half of the island, and the U.S Pacific Fleet began a series of battles against the Japanese Navy.
The American leader of the Pacific Forces, Douglas MacArthur, lead the troos through the south of China, and backed Chinese troops by the Vietnamese-Chinese border. But, the U.S plan back fired, as there troops were bogged down in the rainy spring of 1938 and the armor was unable to travel very far in the gruff terrain, as MacArthur had planned. The vehicles and troops soon became bogged down, and was shellacked at several points on the Yellow River.
The Allies soon learned that the Japanese were going to fight hard for every inch of land, as the troops inched forward. The British, after months of siege, were unable to take Hong Kong, North Taiwan was still in Japanese Control, and American and British casualties were piling up.
In early 1939 the Allies made a huge victory, by taking full control of the island of Taiwan. The Japanese had held onto Taiwan fiercely, and over 34,000 Japanese, and 13,000 Americans and British were killed before the island fell. The victory set a turn around for allied forces in the Pacific, and began a string of new victories in China, and took several islands in the deep Pacific. The U.S Navy, after suffering a huge lost at Marshall to the Japanese navy, was able to make a string of key victories in Palau.
In June of 1940 General Douglas McArthur led the charge, as the U.S army attacked the Japanese island of Okinawa. 55,000 marines attacked the 25,000 dug in Japanese on the island. Okinawa was considered part of the Japanese mainland and each of those 25,000 Japanese were protecting there homeland.

“We outnumbered them two to one but they were dug in. We could never see more then one of them at any time, they were so dug in… I saw at least three dozen men fall into the hundreds of traps on the island… Terrible things they were. Giant holes filled of spikes and covered in grass, you would never of seen them until you fell into one… The Japanese were in no position to lose the island, and they knew it. They acted as if every inch was there capitol city, and they fought like it to.”

-Stories from our war, by Sergeant Andrew Street

“I had to keep our men on the island. We had lost so many, so fast, it was futile to leave. We had to take the island to win the war, it was as easy as that, and I would have been doing a disservice to my men to make them leave the island.”

-Three months in Hell, by General Douglas McArthur



After four months of fighting the most brutal battle in the history of the war, U.S troops took the airfield in the northern half of the island, destroying the last hope for the remaining few Japanese troops. The battle was won and, with over 23,000 U.S casualties (half of the fighting force) it became the bloodiest single battle since the Civil War.
On June 3, 1940, after the victory in Okinawa, the U.S offered the Japanese an armistice. They wouldn’t be declared losers but they would be forced to pull there troops from every where except the island of Japan. Emperor Hirohito, although pressured by his generals to accept the offer and ease the burden on the Japanese people, pledged to continue the war until the Americans were on his doorstep.
The Americans knew that this could effectively mean the extermination of almost every Japanese man of fighting age, and thousands more American and British dead. Plan 191, proposed by Secretary of Defense Frank Knox, proposed a military coup putting Iwan Matsui as a U.S Supported Military Leader until Democratic elections could be arranged in the 1940’s.

“Frank (Knox) laid the manila folder on my desk. It was inches thick, and Knox spent no time waiting for me to read the document. He quickly explained to the plan that he had, one that had good intentions in the long run but worried me about the short term oligarchy that would come into place…No amount of convincing could make me put a dictator in power, because one does not just simply abdicate power… We had to find a way that benefited both those against the Japanese regime in the mainland, the poor the taken advantage of, but not lose the massive amount of U.S and British troops that would be lost in a war effort. Then the reformed plan, plan 150, came to my desk. I approved it with great haste.”

-Memoirs from the Kingfish: An autobiography by Huey Long

Plan 150 was the plan for a massive bombing run of the Japanese Capitol of Kyoto, the cities of Yokohama, Nagasaki, Hiroshima, and Nara. The plan was to level the largest cities in Japan, mainly the Army and Political bases and bring the Japanese Government to its knees. This would let the U.S force the Japanese Government to officially surrender to the Americans and allow it to set up there own Pro-U.S government without losing a crippling amount of forces. The bombing was to be labeled “Operation Chaos”. After days of bombing it was to destroy the main sources, power, bases, water. The Japanese government was to be so worn down emotionally, physically, and mentally that the burden was to disorganize the government and force it to surrender. Huey Long signed off on Operation Chaos on August 6, 1940 and it went into effect on August 15, 1940. The bombing run took five weeks, and devastated the cities with around the clock bombing of the major areas, while leaving the poorer rural areas untouched. Long remained diligent on his opinion that the goal of the bombings was not to kill the people of Japan, but to cripple the Government and by the end of the five week run, it did just that. On September 7, 1940 under extreme pressure from his generals, Emperor Hirohito surrendered to the U.S and Britain.
The Manila Meetings, based in Manila, Philippines, put the U.S with full protectorate control over the nation of Japan. The U.S organized democratic elections in Japan set for the year 1942. A Prime Minister would be elected, and a constitutional convention would be held. Emperor Hirohito was sentenced to life in prison for war crimes in a Japanese court, along with dozens of his generals. The poorer people of Japan, starved and looted from by the Japanese army, rejoiced over the news. Over 200,000 U.S Soldiers were killed or wounded in the Pacific War, along with 75,000 British and French, 1.5 Million Chinese soldiers and citizens, and 2 Million Japanese Soldiers and citizens.

“Today, September 7, 1940, we will remember. Today the U.S has prevailed in a victory against a great evil, and the U.S has won the Pacific War.”
-Huey Long

1940 Presidential Election

The only opposition against Huey Long running for a third term was those against a three term President. Franklin Roosevelt for the Progressives refused to run, citing that no one truly had a chance against the President.
The decision to run for a third term was difficult for Huey Long to make. He knew running would be unprecedented. The previous eight long years in office made the thought of retreating to his lifelong home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana , and his new presidential library quite attractive.
On the other hand, he was profoundly concerned about worldwide events. Germany's Hitler was relentlessly overrunning the Balkans, and the Conservatives had declared war on his Share Our Wealth programs.
In the end, Roosevelt felt he owed it to the country to serve the best way he could, and the best thing for the country then was a vigorous, seasoned leader.
　
　
“The economy is coming back around, the war is won, its time to consolidate these things in one last push, one last term. I feel that I’m still necessary to continue this time of prosper.”
-Huey Long

1940 Presidential Election



http://uselectionatlas.org/TOOLS/genusmap.php?year=1940&pv_p=0&ev_p=1&AL=1;11;8&AZ=2;3;6&AR=2;9;7&CA=3;22;5&CO=2;6;5&CT=3;8;5&DE=2;3;5&FL=2;7;7&GA=2;12;8&ID=2;4;5&IL=3;29;5&IN=2;14;5&IA=2;11;5&KS=2;9;5&KY=2;11;5&LA=2;10;8&ME=3;5;5&MD=2;8;5&MA=3;17;5&MI=3;19;4&MN=2;11;5&MS=1;9;9&MO=2;15;5&MT=2;4;5&NE=2;7;5&NV=2;3;6&NH=2;4;5&NJ=3;16;5&NM=2;3;5&NY=3;47;5&NC=2;13;7&ND=3;4;5&OH=3;26;5&OK=2;11;5&OR=2;5;5&PA=2;36;5&RI=2;4;5&SC=2;8;9&SD=2;4;5&TN=2;11;6&TX=2;23;8&UT=1;4;6&VT=2;3;5&VA=2;11;6&WA=2;8;5&WV=2;8;5&WI=2;12;5&WY=1;3;5
Populist: Huey Long/ John Nance Garner 364 EV, 53% PV
Progressive: Charles F. Hurley/ Thomas A. Bulkley 136 EV, 27% PV
Conservative: Hugh L. White/ Charles O. Andrews 31 EV, 18% PV

3rd Term of President Huey Long




Long won with a landslide, and a very happy populace. A 79% approval rating and a budding economy made almost anything he wanted to pass, possible. During his first state of the Union Address on January 7, 1941 to the American people Huey Long announced the creation of the New Bill of Rights. The Second Bill of Rights was a list of rights suggested that the nation had come to recognize, and should now implement, a second "bill of rights". Longs's argument was that the "political rights" guaranteed by the constitution and the Bill of Rights had "proved inadequate to assure us equality in the pursuit of happiness." Longs’ remedy was to declare an "economic bill of rights" which would guarantee:

Employment, with a living wage



Freedom from unfair competition and monopolies,
Housing,
Medical care,
Education, and,
Social Security
The bill would go to the house floor in 6 different packages. The first one, labeled “Americare” was a national Universal Health Care Program that guaranteed free Health Care for every American. The Protectionism side of the bill was similar to those of the Roosevelt administration, that had been repealed in the 1920’s. It provided protectionism in trade for American business, and tax penalties for the outsourcing of jobs, and continued to go after predator monopolies and multinationals. The Livable Wage Act was to assign 7 neutral economists from the University of Harvard Economic School, Stanford School of Economics, and the University of Princeton Political Science Department to set what a stable livable wage was. The wage was to be the minimum for all Americans, and to grow depending on the number of dependants. The package also included the right of all workers to collective bargaining, and a union. The Housing Act of 1941 gave free public housing for every American in need in communes. The only requirements were that the residents took care of there homes, and communes. The Social Security bill increased that of the bill from the 1930’s, but added in a sort of security for all poor Americans.


"It is our duty now to begin to lay the plans and determine the strategy for the winning of a lasting peace and the establishment of an American standard of living higher than ever before known. We cannot be content, no matter how high that general standard of living may be, if some fraction of our people—whether it be one-third or one-fifth or one-tenth—is ill-fed, ill-clothed, ill-housed, and insecure.
This Republic had its beginning, and grew to its present strength, under the protection of certain inalienable political rights—among them the right of free speech, free press, free worship, trial by jury, freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. They were our rights to life and liberty.
As our nation has grown in size and stature, however—as our industrial economy expanded—these political rights proved inadequate to assure us equality in the pursuit of happiness.
We have come to a clear realization of the fact that true individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. “Necessitous men are not free men.” People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.
In our day these economic truths have become accepted as self-evident. We have accepted, so to speak, a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be established for all—regardless of station, race, or creed.
Among these are:
The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;
The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;
The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;
The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;
The right of every family to a decent home;
The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;
The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;
The right to a good education.
All of these rights spell security. And after this war is won we must be prepared to move forward, in the implementation of these rights, to new goals of human happiness and well-being.
Americas own rightful place in the world depends in large part upon how fully these and similar rights have been carried into practice for all our citizens.
For unless there is security here at home there cannot be lasting peace in the world.”
-Huey Long

Long personally went to the Congressional buildings to argue for this bill. He truly believed it was the most important piece of legislation since the emancipation proclamation. The Conservatives, vehemently opposed to the bill, were far outnumbered by the Progressives and Populists. This bill excited more people then anything since the Progressive revolution of the 1900’s. In unprecedented fashion all 6 parts of the bill were passed by wide margins…

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_of9ue2vob2g/SFw8Q8GQsaI/AAAAAAAADoE/cnW4VOJdGKw/s400/Huey-Long.jpg
Long toured the country explaining this bill.

Map of the World: 1941
　

[Cathcon1]

I'll have to read through everything later, but I just noticed you had the Conservative Cactus Jack on the Populist ticket. While he might have been a more Populist Conservative, I'd think he'd be with the Conservative party.

[Dean501]

I'll have to read through everything later, but I just noticed you had the Conservative Cactus Jack on the Populist ticket. While he might have been a more Populist Conservative, I'd think he'd be with the Conservative party.

Cactus Jack? Is that John Nance Garner or...

[Wendell]

I am unfamiliar with John Wadsworth, Jr., the Profressive VP nominee in 1936.

[zeppelin247]

very interesting timeline I really like it any chance of an update soon

[Dean501]

I am unfamiliar with John Wadsworth, Jr., the Profressive VP nominee in 1936.

Oh excuse me, thats a typo...Its supposed to be James Wadsworth Jr. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Wolcott_Wadsworth_Jr.)

[Wendell]

Oh excuse me, thats a typo...Its supposed to be James Wadsworth Jr. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Wolcott_Wadsworth_Jr.)

From the same state as his running mate:confused:

[Dean501]

From the same state as his running mate:confused:

Well he was a very popular Senate Majority Whip ITTL and OTL.

[Wendell]

Well he was a very popular Senate Majority Whip ITTL and OTL.

Still ASB if he's from the same state as his running mate.

[Dean501]

Still ASB if he's from the same state as his running mate.

I would edit it to Michigan Governor Frank Fitzgerald, but it's now too late... :o:p