Europe Post 1918

[chris N]

With the economic situation improving in the US President Smith sent clear signals that he would seek re-election in 1932. Unemployment had dropped from 20% to 15 %. It appeared that unemployment would drop some more before the election but it would be at least another 4 + years before one might see unemployment down to the 6+ %.

[chris N]

Spain's King decided to leave Spain as things did not look at all friendly for him. He decided to move to France or Belgium , where things were becoming calmer. The incoming government seemed to be tilted to the left and wanted to call for the establishment of a Republic. The moderate elements wanted to live things as they were. It was a beginning of a clash between not only the Conservate elements in Spain and the Left but a move that would alienate the moderates in Spain.
In Portugal leftist elements attempted to stage a Revolution against the Portuguese dictator but were crushed by the Army. The Dictator decided that it might be a good idea to seek to restore the monarchy and give Portugal a new face. The failed coup in Portugal created a government that would be sympathetic to any effort to crush a leftist government of Spain.

[chris N]

The Ukraine had also suffered some of the effects of the recession or in some cases depression. The government had seen some violence and demonstrations but the Ukrainian Army and police were able to handle it so far. The Ambassador to Italy called upon the Italian leader to plea that Italy not remove the remaining troops from his nation. Those 24,000 troops had helped to strengthen the resole of the military and the government. Also Italy was importing coal from the Ukraine and this helped to make sure that it still came.
The Italian leader was not at all happy with the way that Spain seemed to be tilting toward a possible socialist government and France also seemed to be leaning in the same direction.

So Duce Balbo would not let it be said that he would let his country suffer do to a distrust of a neighbor. He traveled to Vienna and met with the Union's Chancellor and the Emperor and Crown Prince. There he was pleased to find that an agreement could be reached on economic and other matters. He expressed strong concern about Serbia and found the ACCU to be somewhat sympathetic. There was also a shared opinion concerning Spain, Spain's King was related to the Royal family.

[chris N]

Sweden was holding discussions with Norway and Denmark regarding the establishment of a trade and defensive alliance. The Swedish government did not want to get involved in any possible future war. While this was the opinin of the Social Democrat Government it was not the opinion of everyone in the nation. The entrance of Sweden into the central Europe Common Market had helped to save the country from a possible depression instead of a mild recession.

[chris N]

1932 Things are about to happen. In Spain the new government proclaims itself the Republic of Spain. This starts conservative elements in Spain to wonder. It become more troublesome when Spain and the Soviet Union establish diplomatic Relations.
In Portugal a decision has been made to restore the Monarch. Portugal's leader begins to establish a relationship with Spain's conservative Generals and politicians.
In Britain there are demonstrations over continued high unemployment.
Labor comes to power.
German the recession appears to be weakening in Germany and the ACCU.
Duce Balbo sends more troops to the Ukraine hoping that this will send a clear signal to the Soviets to stay out of the Ukraine.

President Smith is running for re-election. Unemployment has continued to drop and is now 14 % down from a high of 20%. It appears that it will be anothe rematch of the previous election as Herbert Hover is seeking the GOP nomination.
Smith continues to rearm the country and denounces Japanese Agression in China. Orders are to begin the fortification of Guam and Wake Islands. A new class of destroyer is begun.

[chris N]

There was rising tensions between the Portuguese Government and the Leftist Government of the Republic of Spain. Portugal broke Diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union and closed its Embassy in the Soviet Union.Duarto Nuno was acknowleged as the new king of Portugal by that nation's dictator.

[chris N]

Portugal's new King brought the nation something that had been lacking friendly relations with many of the nations of Europe. Germany, the Austro-Czech-Croatian Union, Polish Lithuanian Union, Italy all became more friendly.. Italian Arms began to arrive in the country and were stored in warehouses for use by the conservative element in Spain.

[chris N]

The United States was beginning to fortify the Following islands in the Pacific: Wake Island. Midway and Guam. On Guam the first of 12 5" /51 caliber guns was emplaced for coastal defense. The Guam National Guard was also formed and the First of 5 Marine defense Battalions was formed. The President asked for money for the further fortification of Manila Bay.
All in all the US was clearly showing that it did not trust Japan and was preparing itself should their be a war.

[chris N]

The War in Manchuria was escalating The troops of the Chinese Warlord were even now battling the Japanese but Japan's army was better equipped and had the support of a strong Air Force and Navy. The Chinese Army was still busy wipping out the last traces of the Communist threat and at the same time beginning to disarm the various private armies that had plagued China. Still Chang had begun to respond to the threat by sending 4 divisions north of the old Imperial Capital.
Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt was urging the President to take a strong stance against the Japanese. He also seemed to believe that it was time to establish diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union.

[chris N]

A number of nations were trying to calm things down in the Pacific and stamp out the possibility of a full scale war between Japan and China over Manchuria. The one nation not on that list was the Soviet Union. It was offering the Chinese what assistance it could.
President Smith had no desire to involve his nation in another war. He was determined to attempt to give diplomacy a chance. Still he continued on with the rebuilding of the Military.
Britain was also attempting to discourage its one time ally from causing the out break of another major conflict that was sure to eventually bring in all of the other powers.
Below the new Brooklyn class light cruiser was a major improvement over the old Omaha class and would strengthen the US Navy's cruiser forces.

[chris N]

It appeared that Germany and its Central European Common Market Partners were beginning to see some economic growth. There had been some growth in the Right wing and left wing parties in Germany and some of the other countries during the recession but it now appeared that the economic recession which had allowed them to grow was now causing them to lose strength with its recovery. The National Social Workers Party had called for a strong Germany and had started to mutter about Germany having been stabbed in the back during the last war . Kaiser Rupprecht had dealt with them before during the 1920's and he did not like them and demanded that the government take steps . In 1932 the Party leadership was rounded up by elements of the police. They were brought up on a variety of charges. One of which was racial Hatred.

[chris N]

In the Us the election was heating up as a rematch of Hoover vs Smith . The last election had seen Smith rescued from defeat by the depression that had hit the nation before the election. Smith had been able to use that to score a victory but now the fact that the nation still had not totally recovered from the depression was a point against his winning re-election. Smith had reduced the unemployment from 20% to now 14% but that was still high and the rate was going down slowly. Still the country was in better shape than it had been 4 years ago. Smith had also proved to the American People that while he was a Roman Catholic he was America's President and not the Vatican's.
The US Attorney for New York City John Gleason had been bring cases against organized crime figures in New York's Federal Court. He had been appointed to the post by Smith, who was a close friend of the family. John's Brother Edward was a Presidential aide.
Still Herbert Hoover looked that he might once again carry the west and possibly recapture more of the Midwest.

[chris N]

Below the electoral Map of 1928. Polling indicated a possible shift. Hoover might be gaining as a result of continued high unemployment.

[chris N]

Stalin was reading the reports at what was happening in the Far East.
He was concern at the aggression of the Japanese Empire. He was sure that if the Japanese were ever to control Manchuria they would eventually be a threat to the Soviet Union.
Also Stalin was not at all unhappy that the Nationalist had eliminated Mao and the Communist Party in his country. Stalin was of the belief that the Nationalist would better serve the Soviet Union's interest. Thus he was proposing to the Central Committee of the Communist Party that the Soviet Union offer to seel arms to China, such as its new tanks and planes.

[chris N]

The election of 1932 saw Herbert Hoover do a lot better than he had 4 years earlier. Unemployment had continued to fall 10 11 %. Many experts said that if the election had been just a week latter Hoover would have closed the gap and have won the states of California, Ohio, Wisconsin and Washington and Missouri. But that was not to be Smith won the election in the Electoral College.

[chris N]

Below the Electoral College Map of the Smith- Hoover rematch.

[chris N]

The Republican loss did have a silver lining the Republicans made gains in the Congressional side recovering some of the lost seats

President Smith prepared to make some changes to some of the programs and he asked his former Republican rival chair a commission on getting the most effective use of Public Spending and a Secret Commision on China.

[chris N]

Things were slowly improving in Europe. The economic situation appeared to be getting slowly better. In the Ukraine there had been some clashes between Ukrainian Fascist and those on the left. due to the effects of the recession. Stalin decided to make the most of it by smuggling in arms and supplies to those who opposed the government. The King declared Martial Law and used he Military to calm things down.

The had been some border clashes between Italian and Serbian forces along th Montenegrin -Albanian Border. relations between Italy and Serbia had been getting worse in recent weeks.

[chris N]

Duce Balbo sat at his desk reading reports that were arriving from the Ukraine, Albania, Spain , North Africa and Italian East Africa. He was very concern. So far he had managed to shore up the Italian Economy and avoided triggering another war. In East Africa the situation appeared to be calm. Italian forces were in control and the Viceroy reported that things were improving.
Exploration for oil in Libya had been going on but despite hope there had been no discovery yet. There were Four companies exploring-One Italian, an Italo-Deutsch Oil company. Esso (Americans) and an Italo-American Company. Still some hope.
Spain- the new Spanish Republic appeared to be slidding toward the left and Balbo did not want to see the Communist gain bases in the Western Med. Serbia and Italy also appeared to be on a collision course. Unlike Mussolini Balbo had no desire to trigger a major conflict in the Balkans. That conflict was bound to draw Greece into it, thus causing problems getting Ukrainian coal through the Bosporus Straits and the Agean to Italy.
The Ukraine appeared to be stablized and Balbo would like to be able to recall most of the Italian troops stationed in there.

[Enigmajones]

Originally Posted by chris N

An Irish Millionaire provided money for Ireland to purchase the battleship Erin.
The Irish Navy was wondering as to what it could do with such a large vessel as the entire Irish Navy would be needed to man the vessel. It was decided that for Now it could be used as a training vessel. Money had also been given to pay a great deal of the cost of modernizing the ship. This would include conversion from coal to oil and removal of casement guns and there replacement with dual purpose ones.

Which Irish millionaire?