Alkahest
Banned
I'm currently writing an ASB TL where the Trinity test has the unwelcome side-effect of giving anyone who happens to be within 200 miles of Rice, California (where the Trinity test happened ITTL) initially uncontrollable psionic powers. This includes Los Angeles, Phoenix and Las Vegas.
For this reason the bomb is not used in the war with Japan, and my assumption (which is likely to be wrong) is that Operation Downfall then takes place. This leads to possibly hundreds of thousands of American deaths, and millions of dead Japanese. (The propaganda claiming that America is being punished by higher powers by the chaos in California makes the Japanese even more fanatical, if possible.) Japan eventually surrenders after a long and bloody war.
My question is, how would this influence the 1948 presidential election? My guess is that Truman will be far less popular, but who will replace him? I was initially thinking about Robert Taft, but while his non-interventionism might seem like what America wants after a horrible war, the Red Scare is scarier than ever (a more strained US and no bomb would likely result in a more bold Soviet Union) and the supernatural disaster-struck Southwest is likely in need of some major economic help, which would clash with his fiscal restraint. So, who?
I'd be thankful for your thoughts.
(I didn't put this in ASB wince the basic question has little to do with the ASB premise, but if someone thinks it should be moved I have no objections.)
For this reason the bomb is not used in the war with Japan, and my assumption (which is likely to be wrong) is that Operation Downfall then takes place. This leads to possibly hundreds of thousands of American deaths, and millions of dead Japanese. (The propaganda claiming that America is being punished by higher powers by the chaos in California makes the Japanese even more fanatical, if possible.) Japan eventually surrenders after a long and bloody war.
My question is, how would this influence the 1948 presidential election? My guess is that Truman will be far less popular, but who will replace him? I was initially thinking about Robert Taft, but while his non-interventionism might seem like what America wants after a horrible war, the Red Scare is scarier than ever (a more strained US and no bomb would likely result in a more bold Soviet Union) and the supernatural disaster-struck Southwest is likely in need of some major economic help, which would clash with his fiscal restraint. So, who?
I'd be thankful for your thoughts.
(I didn't put this in ASB wince the basic question has little to do with the ASB premise, but if someone thinks it should be moved I have no objections.)
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