October 1944 to April 1945 - Dewey takes the reins
12 October 1944
Admiral Ross McIntyre inwardly sighed. What was it about reporters that was so annoying? He looked at the man from “The Times”, taking in his slight paunch and noting the coffee stain on his shirt lapel and the slight yellowing of his teeth, a sure sign of heavy smoking.
"The President's health is perfectly OK. There are absolutely no organic difficulties at all." McIntyre knew that this was not the full truth. Roosevelt was suffering from a range of complaints including congestive heart failure, but this was not information that the general public needed to know, not in the middle of a war and not when in the middle of an election campaign either. The President would win, he was certain of that, even with a new face like Truman on the ticket and the unpopularity the dumping of Wallace created in the labour unions. Even with Dewey backed by the war hero Douglas MacArthur on the Republican ticket.
14 October 1944
“We announce with the deepest regret that President Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States since 1933, was found dead this morning in his bed. A White House announcement stated that the President died suddenly from a cerebral haemorrhage. Mr. Henry Wallace, the Vice-President, has already been sworn in as the 33rd President.”
After indicating that an immediate meeting of the Cabinet had been called the White House statement said that the four Roosevelt sons in the Services had been sent a message by their mother which said that "the President passed last night. He did his job to the end as he would want to do. Bless you all and all our love."
"The funeral services will be held on in the east room of the White House," the statement added. "The interment will be at Hyde Park - the President's New York estate - on Saturday."
“In Britain, news of the President's death was conveyed to the King at midnight and he received it with profound regret. Mr. Churchill was greatly shocked when given the news. It is expected that he will pay tribute to the late President in the Commons to-day, and that the House will then adjourn.”
The German radio gave the news of Mr. Roosevelt's death, under an Amsterdam dateline, without comment.
Mr. Wallace, the Vice-President, was working at his office when the news came and he went immediately to the White House. Members of the Cabinet soon began assembling for an emergency session. First to arrive were Miss Perkins, Secretary of Labour, and Mr. Harold Ickes, Secretary of the Interior.
Later Mr. Wallace was sworn in as the 33rd President of the United States. Within ten seconds of the White House announcement, the news was flashed all over the United States by radio and over newspaper wires. Hundreds of people gathered at the White House. The news was given to Mr. Wallace by Mrs. Roosevelt in one of her private rooms in the White House.
The effect of the news on the American public was stunning. Not knowing how to express their grief, people wandered out of their homes and began talking with neighbours, in bars a sudden silence fell, and men and women were unable to adjust their minds quickly to the loss.
For the Democratic Party, this created a conundrum. New President Wallace was not on the ticket for the 1944 Presidential election, now only some 24 days away and this will presumably be now headed by Harry Truman as the Vice-Presidential nominee.
13 April 1945
“The question now Mr President is whether we continue on to Berlin by exploiting our two bridgeheads over the Elbe? Now that the Ruhr pocket is in the final stages of reduction and the 9th has reverted to Bradley’s 12th Army Group, there is the political question not only of Berlin but also of driving for the Baltic to remove access to the Jutland peninsula to the Soviets.
To this point we have given the Supreme Commander authority to make all such decisions, however, some commanders on the spot are keen to continue on and, of course, you are aware of the opinions of the British and indeed Churchill himself.”
Dewey looked over at MacArthur. There was no doubt he could be an annoying personality and that the best thing he saw all day was when he looked in the mirror, but he did know more about military matters; there was no question on that.
MacArthur waited, building the tension in the room, waiting until all eyes were upon him. “We don’t owe the Russians anything. Hell, Stalin accused you point blank of lying to you about our ongoing negotiations with Wolff in regards Italy. Then they would not agree to meet face to face for a conference outside of Russia.
I say we continue on, that way we not only move in lock step with the British but we improve our own post war negotiating position simply be virtue of the real estate we occupy.”
Dewey pondered the situation. Yes, it would mean more lives expended but did he want America to be drawn back into Europe a third time post war, this time facing a Soviet threat? This way, if the allies dominated Western and Central Europe, the Russians would be able to do little without allies to formant Communist agitation within. It would lessen the need to garrison Europe post war against what may be yet another threat. As far as the Pacific was concerned, the Japanese were beaten in any case and that without the Russians, their last super battleship sunk less than a week ago.
It was not like there was an agreed position, after all, hell the Russians had not allowed that to occur by their own intransience. Dewey turned back to George Marshall. “Very well General, signal the Supreme Commander that Berlin is to be a priority objective if, and only if, he deems it militarily possible.”
Admiral Ross McIntyre inwardly sighed. What was it about reporters that was so annoying? He looked at the man from “The Times”, taking in his slight paunch and noting the coffee stain on his shirt lapel and the slight yellowing of his teeth, a sure sign of heavy smoking.
"The President's health is perfectly OK. There are absolutely no organic difficulties at all." McIntyre knew that this was not the full truth. Roosevelt was suffering from a range of complaints including congestive heart failure, but this was not information that the general public needed to know, not in the middle of a war and not when in the middle of an election campaign either. The President would win, he was certain of that, even with a new face like Truman on the ticket and the unpopularity the dumping of Wallace created in the labour unions. Even with Dewey backed by the war hero Douglas MacArthur on the Republican ticket.
14 October 1944
“We announce with the deepest regret that President Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States since 1933, was found dead this morning in his bed. A White House announcement stated that the President died suddenly from a cerebral haemorrhage. Mr. Henry Wallace, the Vice-President, has already been sworn in as the 33rd President.”
After indicating that an immediate meeting of the Cabinet had been called the White House statement said that the four Roosevelt sons in the Services had been sent a message by their mother which said that "the President passed last night. He did his job to the end as he would want to do. Bless you all and all our love."
"The funeral services will be held on in the east room of the White House," the statement added. "The interment will be at Hyde Park - the President's New York estate - on Saturday."
“In Britain, news of the President's death was conveyed to the King at midnight and he received it with profound regret. Mr. Churchill was greatly shocked when given the news. It is expected that he will pay tribute to the late President in the Commons to-day, and that the House will then adjourn.”
The German radio gave the news of Mr. Roosevelt's death, under an Amsterdam dateline, without comment.
Mr. Wallace, the Vice-President, was working at his office when the news came and he went immediately to the White House. Members of the Cabinet soon began assembling for an emergency session. First to arrive were Miss Perkins, Secretary of Labour, and Mr. Harold Ickes, Secretary of the Interior.
Later Mr. Wallace was sworn in as the 33rd President of the United States. Within ten seconds of the White House announcement, the news was flashed all over the United States by radio and over newspaper wires. Hundreds of people gathered at the White House. The news was given to Mr. Wallace by Mrs. Roosevelt in one of her private rooms in the White House.
The effect of the news on the American public was stunning. Not knowing how to express their grief, people wandered out of their homes and began talking with neighbours, in bars a sudden silence fell, and men and women were unable to adjust their minds quickly to the loss.
For the Democratic Party, this created a conundrum. New President Wallace was not on the ticket for the 1944 Presidential election, now only some 24 days away and this will presumably be now headed by Harry Truman as the Vice-Presidential nominee.
13 April 1945
“The question now Mr President is whether we continue on to Berlin by exploiting our two bridgeheads over the Elbe? Now that the Ruhr pocket is in the final stages of reduction and the 9th has reverted to Bradley’s 12th Army Group, there is the political question not only of Berlin but also of driving for the Baltic to remove access to the Jutland peninsula to the Soviets.
To this point we have given the Supreme Commander authority to make all such decisions, however, some commanders on the spot are keen to continue on and, of course, you are aware of the opinions of the British and indeed Churchill himself.”
Dewey looked over at MacArthur. There was no doubt he could be an annoying personality and that the best thing he saw all day was when he looked in the mirror, but he did know more about military matters; there was no question on that.
MacArthur waited, building the tension in the room, waiting until all eyes were upon him. “We don’t owe the Russians anything. Hell, Stalin accused you point blank of lying to you about our ongoing negotiations with Wolff in regards Italy. Then they would not agree to meet face to face for a conference outside of Russia.
I say we continue on, that way we not only move in lock step with the British but we improve our own post war negotiating position simply be virtue of the real estate we occupy.”
Dewey pondered the situation. Yes, it would mean more lives expended but did he want America to be drawn back into Europe a third time post war, this time facing a Soviet threat? This way, if the allies dominated Western and Central Europe, the Russians would be able to do little without allies to formant Communist agitation within. It would lessen the need to garrison Europe post war against what may be yet another threat. As far as the Pacific was concerned, the Japanese were beaten in any case and that without the Russians, their last super battleship sunk less than a week ago.
It was not like there was an agreed position, after all, hell the Russians had not allowed that to occur by their own intransience. Dewey turned back to George Marshall. “Very well General, signal the Supreme Commander that Berlin is to be a priority objective if, and only if, he deems it militarily possible.”
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