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Chapter 4 - The Election that Changed the World
Issues such as entry into the Committee of International Affairs, isolationism, growing progressivism, and foreign policy dominated the 1920 election. In the Republican primaries, two front runners dominated. Inexperienced Leonard Wood and progressive Harim Johnson, others like moderate Warren Harding and conservative Frank Lowden did pose threats but ultimately couldn't make a mark as Leonard Wood garnered massive support. Despite the party's best efforts to find a compromise candidate, Leonard was too popular and no deadlock was achieved in the party to have a reason for a compromise. He was elected on June 8th along with Henry Allen as his Vice President, who only barely won against Irvine Lenroot.
The democrats had a much harder battle to the presidency as Wilson had tarnished much of their name by cracking down on progressives during his second term. Candidates McAdoo and Palmer were in the lead at first but over time James Cox was able to grab the election from them and was made the democratic candidate on July 6th with Franklin Roosevelt as his Vice President. The election was the first to include the votes of women, but due to low turnout, their vote was not strong. Leonard Wood focused on his competition a lot, using smears such as "Communist appeasers" and "symbols for the party of communists". Cox fired back with Wood's inexperience and his party's fundraising. Though this back and forth brought some attention to Cox and the Democrats, Wood was able to win the election by 212 electoral votes due to anger with the democratic administration and the opposition to the Committee of International Affairs.
Leonard Wood was made president on January 20th, 1921. His election was greeted with the rise of the extremely popular socialism of Eugene Debs who had reached more than 1,000,000 votes (and 4.01% of the vote). It was greeted with a stagnant economy and the beginning of prohibition. And it was greeted by the Soviet aggression in Eastern Europe and the failed reclamation of Turkish lands by Ali Mustafa. Wood's election spelled a new age in American politics. One beset on the Red Scare, a rise of far right wing ideology, and the slow but ever approaching fall of American democracy.
Note: I am late once again! This is a short chapter but will change a lot. Debs was never imprisoned for being against the war in 1918, the large riots in Chicago and Boston never happened and in turn never made Coolidge and Lowden popular enough to slow down Leonard from winning, and a small note that will be expanded upon next chapter, Ataturk has been failing in Turkey. Also I've decided that Alsace-Lorraine is French annexed despite the map. I will try to get back on track with the schedule but overall this TL is still ongoing. As always leave any praise or criticism you find valid and have great day!
- BenDaCoolGuy
The Election that Changed the World
"The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime." And with the treaty signed, the lamps had all been out. The period between the 2 World Wars is arguably one of the most important in human history, and the treaty of Versailles was just the beginning of it. The Russian civil war raged on in the East as the communists gobbled up White Russian territory and posed direct threats to the young nations bordering them. While in Western Europe a new wave of social order was arriving, men faced by the terrors of war had their say in who they wanted to lead them, and they would never pick one to lead them into such a deadly war like the last. Asia was beginning to see the toppling of the Qing dynasty and the rise of a Japanese Empire. And in America, the elections were coming up.
Issues such as entry into the Committee of International Affairs, isolationism, growing progressivism, and foreign policy dominated the 1920 election. In the Republican primaries, two front runners dominated. Inexperienced Leonard Wood and progressive Harim Johnson, others like moderate Warren Harding and conservative Frank Lowden did pose threats but ultimately couldn't make a mark as Leonard Wood garnered massive support. Despite the party's best efforts to find a compromise candidate, Leonard was too popular and no deadlock was achieved in the party to have a reason for a compromise. He was elected on June 8th along with Henry Allen as his Vice President, who only barely won against Irvine Lenroot.
Leonard Wood was made president on January 20th, 1921. His election was greeted with the rise of the extremely popular socialism of Eugene Debs who had reached more than 1,000,000 votes (and 4.01% of the vote). It was greeted with a stagnant economy and the beginning of prohibition. And it was greeted by the Soviet aggression in Eastern Europe and the failed reclamation of Turkish lands by Ali Mustafa. Wood's election spelled a new age in American politics. One beset on the Red Scare, a rise of far right wing ideology, and the slow but ever approaching fall of American democracy.
"Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There was never a democracy yet that did not commit suicide."
- John Adams
------ John Adams
Note: I am late once again! This is a short chapter but will change a lot. Debs was never imprisoned for being against the war in 1918, the large riots in Chicago and Boston never happened and in turn never made Coolidge and Lowden popular enough to slow down Leonard from winning, and a small note that will be expanded upon next chapter, Ataturk has been failing in Turkey. Also I've decided that Alsace-Lorraine is French annexed despite the map. I will try to get back on track with the schedule but overall this TL is still ongoing. As always leave any praise or criticism you find valid and have great day!
- BenDaCoolGuy
- BenDaCoolGuy
- Word Count: 670