AH Challenge: Foreign Presidents

We all like to ask "What if Hitler/Stalin/whoever's parents moved to America just before he/she was born and they become President?" Well, why is is talways the evil dictators? In this challenge, pick one of the below and make them president. They have to be born the same year they were, but in the US, of course. They also have to be elected President. Otherwise, they can be whatever party you want, elected in whatever year you want, and die whenever you want (within reason). Basically, everythinh is up to you. Bonus points if they are considered great presidents.

Otto von Bismarck
Benjamin Disraeli
Charles de Gaulle
Winston Churchill
Margaret Thatcher
Benito Mussolini
Ruhollah Khomeini
Karol Wojtyla
Vladimir Putin
Yitzhak Rabin
Paul Kruger

If you think of any other interesting people, feel free to suggest.
 
The easiest one might be V I Lenin, since there was a remote chance for the US to buy some sort of Siberian territory around the time of the Alaskan Purchase. Say, Lenin's family decides to become enthusiastic Americans and encourage their son to pursue academics where he is free to express himself. Without the extreme reprecussions of Imperial Russia, Lenin becomes a Eugene Debs-like figure who eventually wins governorship of Kamtchatka or whatever state he moves to. He then retires to academics and becomes a patriotic progressive who dies of a stroke in the 1920s or early 1930s.
 
The easiest one might be V I Lenin, since there was a remote chance for the US to buy some sort of Siberian territory around the time of the Alaskan Purchase. Say, Lenin's family decides to become enthusiastic Americans and encourage their son to pursue academics where he is free to express himself. Without the extreme reprecussions of Imperial Russia, Lenin becomes a Eugene Debs-like figure who eventually wins governorship of Kamtchatka or whatever state he moves to. He then retires to academics and becomes a patriotic progressive who dies of a stroke in the 1920s or early 1930s.

Good thing Lenin was born in eastern Siberia, right?
Oh, wait.
 
Some of these men need to change their names before they can become President. Von Bismark (despite we had Van Buren) would probably not do well in a Nativist climate. Which is around the time he'd become President.

Wojtyla CERTAINLY wouldn't become President. Especially in an era where "Polack" was a regularly-used term. Ellis Island miscalculations could change that. Or even his father changing his name just because it's easier to find work.

Mussolini and Khomeini, I can't really see becoming President with such names either.

Well, why is is talways the evil dictators?

... Putin, Mussolini, and Khomeini don't count?
 
Some of these men need to change their names before they can become President. Von Bismark (despite we had Van Buren) would probably not do well in a Nativist climate. Which is around the time he'd become President.

Wojtyla CERTAINLY wouldn't become President. Especially in an era where "Polack" was a regularly-used term. Ellis Island miscalculations could change that. Or even his father changing his name just because it's easier to find work.

Mussolini and Khomeini, I can't really see becoming President with such names either.



... Putin, Mussolini, and Khomeini don't count?
Well, if Benito anglicizes his name to Benjamin, he might stand a better chance. I know most of these guys will have to anglicize their names. I just don't know how to do it.:rolleyes:
 
I have a feeling that they would probably be a completely different person. If you change that much about a person's life, then they will not end up being the same Mussolini, Khomeini or Disraeli that we all know.

So unless you ignore this, its really hard to say.
 
I have a feeling that they would probably be a completely different person. If you change that much about a person's life, then they will not end up being the same Mussolini, Khomeini or Disraeli that we all know.

So unless you ignore this, its really hard to say.
Basically, I'm setting up these scenarios to ask the question:
"How would they run America?"
Yes, it requires some suspension of disbelief, but a lot of AH requires that.
 
We all like to ask "What if Hitler/Stalin/whoever's parents moved to America just before he/she was born and they become President?" Well, why is is talways the evil dictators? In this challenge, pick one of the below and make them president. They have to be born the same year they were, but in the US, of course. They also have to be elected President. Otherwise, they can be whatever party you want, elected in whatever year you want, and die whenever you want (within reason). Basically, everythinh is up to you. Bonus points if they are considered great presidents.

Otto von Bismarck
Benjamin Disraeli
Charles de Gaulle
Winston Churchill
Margaret Thatcher
Benito Mussolini
Ruhollah Khomeini
Karol Wojtyla
Vladimir Putin
Yitzhak Rabin
Paul Kruger

If you think of any other interesting people, feel free to suggest.
Chuchill was half-American, so....
Have Churchill's mother decide to give him a chance in America. He grows up tio be a great speech writer, and joins the Republican party. He narrowly beats out Herbert Hoover for the nom. He manages to run a close race with FDR, but wins by a couple electoral votes, but loses popular by 3,000.
Churchill goes to begin helping the Great Depression by basically OTL Rossevelt ways. He finds Neville's sellout to Germany disgusting, and asks England to stop any trade with them. Neville agrees.
The Germany-Soviet pact worries Churchill too, so he begins talking with Stalin, to prevent any true alliances with Germany. Stalin reveals that he never trusted Hitler, and Chuchill shares a laugh and a cigar.
Germany, blissfully unaware of all this, invades Poland.
America and Englad declare war with France, and Germany is flebbergasted. Hitler ages much faster while Rommel and Goering commit suicide in fear.
Stalin declares war in 1941, and begins an even BETTER sweep than OTL.
Japan declares war by attacking the Phillipenes in 1942.
POTUS Churchill responds by getting the Soviet Union and England to declare war, resulting in Japan being GREATLY slowed down.
Germany acepts a surrender in 1944, and they are divdied up as many different zones, like the South after the ACW in OTL.
Japan is shrunk back slowly, and by 1945, they are on thier last legs.
The U.S. has devloped the A-Bomb as in OTL, but Churchill starts to lose his cool considering the death toll.
Churchill finally decides by 1945 that what must be done, must be done. He drops the bomb.
Japan surrenders, but after learning of the death total, Churchill suffers a heart attack. He just barley surrvives, and declines another nomination.
He is regarded as a great POTUS, and dies in 1954.
 
Chuchill was half-American, so....
Have Churchill's mother decide to give him a chance in America. He grows up tio be a great speech writer, and joins the Republican party. He narrowly beats out Herbert Hoover for the nom. He manages to run a close race with FDR, but wins by a couple electoral votes, but loses popular by 3,000.
Churchill goes to begin helping the Great Depression by basically OTL Rossevelt ways. He finds Neville's sellout to Germany disgusting, and asks England to stop any trade with them. Neville agrees.
The Germany-Soviet pact worries Churchill too, so he begins talking with Stalin, to prevent any true alliances with Germany. Stalin reveals that he never trusted Hitler, and Chuchill shares a laugh and a cigar.
Germany, blissfully unaware of all this, invades Poland.
America and Englad declare war with France, and Germany is flebbergasted. Hitler ages much faster while Rommel and Goering commit suicide in fear.
Stalin declares war in 1941, and begins an even BETTER sweep than OTL.
Japan declares war by attacking the Phillipenes in 1942.
POTUS Churchill responds by getting the Soviet Union and England to declare war, resulting in Japan being GREATLY slowed down.
Germany acepts a surrender in 1944, and they are divdied up as many different zones, like the South after the ACW in OTL.
Japan is shrunk back slowly, and by 1945, they are on thier last legs.
The U.S. has devloped the A-Bomb as in OTL, but Churchill starts to lose his cool considering the death toll.
Churchill finally decides by 1945 that what must be done, must be done. He drops the bomb.
Japan surrenders, but after learning of the death total, Churchill suffers a heart attack. He just barley surrvives, and declines another nomination.
He is regarded as a great POTUS, and dies in 1954.
Very good job, my Ameriwanker friend.:cool:
 
Very good job, my Ameriwanker friend.:cool:
You're welcome. Now for Otto.

Instead of staying in Germany, Otto's parents move to New York City to flee the turmoils of Europe. Otto ITTL is instead named Paul Von Beck. He takes an intrest in politics at a young age, advancing a grade ahead in school.
In college, he takes a major in Political Sciences and History. By 25, he graduates and at the rop of his class. He immeaditly joins the Army at West Point.
He does very well, and is one of the troops at Jon Brown's raid. He himslef kills brown, and makes national headlines.
By 1860 and the ACW, Paul has become an Officer, and by 1862, a Major General. He soon aspires to OTL Grant level, which ITTL, died a drunk.
He soon commands forces at Gettysburg, forcing the Confederates to pull back harder then OTL, giving them less morale. He gains a promotion to General, and pushes to Virginia.
In 1864, during the election, Beck supports Lincoln. Lincoln, in return, lets him command the Army. Paul is estactic.
Paul Beck uses his power to lead a daring charge at Richmond, using near all of the available troops not at other fronts.
After a long, bloody, costly battle, Paul Beck triumphs and the Confedaerates retreat from the city, burning it along the way.
The Cicil War ends at this, and most Confedaerte offiacals hanged.
In 1865, Lincoln is killed as in OTL, and Paul keads the hunt for Booth. He himself shoots him.
The election of 1868 is a strange one, as the Republicans plan to nominate Beck, but don't know his politics. He eventually accepts.
He wins in a landslide against Jonshon.
His presidency sees the purchase of Alaska, which POTUS Beck sees a great advance in Russian-American relations. He does, however open relations with Canada with a sour note by calling them "dumb lousy British puppydogs."
Beck also sends many ambassadors to Germany to help his native homeland. By his second term, he has made good friends with Prussia, while really annoying Canada. He retires quitely instead of a third term, and passes in his sleep peacefully in 1884. He is regarded as a great diplomat, strategist, and President.
 
I'm surprised that in this thread no one's seriously considered the figure who on the surface would probably be the best suited figure for American politics, i.e., the most charismatic, Karol Wojtyla. Of course, so much of his life story before becoming John Paul II is bound up with the German occupation of Poland and the Soviet domination of Poland post-war that it's hard to know how he would turn out in a radically different context. Really, we're talking same genetic material, but a totally different set of experiences, and hence a different person.

I could nonetheless see him as a U.S. Congressman from a working class district in Chicago, maybe having defeated Dan Rostenkowski in a Democratic primary sometime in the sixties. He builds his influence and popularity slowly because there are certain political games he doesn't play that others in Chicago do. Then, in 1978 he shocks the political world by defeating incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Charles Percy partly by running aggressively to the right on social issues and foreign policy.

This makes "Chuck" Wojtyla a huge star among the centrists in the Democratic Party, and it's he not Sam Nunn who leads the party's centrist wing in the 1980s. In a ferocious primary competition, he defeats Gary Hart, Michael Dukakis and Al Gore in 1988 by racking up impressive victories among northern blue collar constituencies and southern social conservatives. A pro-choice independent campaign by Patricia Schroeder fails to gather enough support because people are aware that it will only result in the election of George Bush any way.

So on Election Day the "Wo-Go" (Wojtyla-Gore) ticket wins a landslide victory, sweeping the midwestern swing states and weakening the GOP in the South. Wojylta develops an impressive foreign policy record for his handling of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, but his Supreme Court appointments lead in 1992 to the reversal of Roe v. Wade, spoiling what would have otherwise been a triumphal Democratic convention with a "women's walkout." He nonetheless defeated the hapless ticket of Robert Dole and Jack Kemp on the Republican side in a very large landslide, shearing off the Reagan Democrats from the Republican Party completely. Of course his second term performance was weakened by advancing age, but an improving economy helped, and "Chuck Wo" (as the New York Post always called him) nevertheless left office dearly loved by many Americans, even those who disagreed with him passionately, as a father figure.

It wouldn't make a bad timeline, but I'm a bit preoccupied.
 
As a Frenchman, here is my try on Charles de Gaulle.

Henri de Gaulle, from a conservative and monarchist family from Northern France, is much outraged by the Commune of Paris and the following establishement of the French Third Republic and decides to go into exile, first in Britain, and later in Louisiana, where he becomes a prominent citizen among the French community. He gives birth to Charles Madison DeGaulle in New Orleans on November, 22 1890. Having studied at the Centenary College of Louisiana, DeGaulle enters West Point, from which he graduated in 1913. While participating in the 1916 Mexican Expedition, he befriends George S. Patton, which he follows during the First World War, managing to be assigned to the United States Tank Corps. Narrowly escaping the destruction of his personal armored car, and distinguishing himself, he ends the war as Major. Continuing his career in the cavalry, such as participating to the occupation of Nicaragua by US troops, a strong mechanization proponent, he misses his chances of promotion by openly criticizing President Roosevelt during his handling of the Depression, and his career is at dead point when WWII begins in 1941.

Under Patton's command as Colonel, DeGaulle distinguishes himself during Operation Torch, and later Operation Dragoon, ending the war as Lt. General. After Patton's death in a car accident in 1945, DeGaulle quickly rises as his political follower, highly criticizing President Wallace's attitude towards the Soviet Union and advocating for a rapprochment with the Allies in West Europe and helping the Nationalists in China. The "Draft DeGaulle" movement within the Democratic Party during the 1948 Primairies gains much attention, and the Party quickly split between the Pros- and Cons-Wallace; a splinter group of the Democratic Party, known as the True Democrats, nominates DeGaulle as its presidential candidate with Strom Thurmond as his running mate. Wallace's Progressives loses much support, and despite the strength of Dewey's Republicans, the DeGaulle-Thurmond narrowly wins the 1948 election, winning the popular vote and with only a gap of seven electors between them and Dewey.

Sworn in as President of the United States on January, 20 1949, "Charlie" DeGaulle inaugurates the Containment doctrine, supporting West Germany and Turkey against Soviet pressure, and sending the US Army in Korea the same year with the UN's approval. The fact the US intervention in Korea ended with the nuclear destruction of Pyongyang is among the few unethical achievements of DeGaulle, who himself drafts a new Constitution for Japan, establishing it as a democratic republic recognizing its past war crimes, establishing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization with his Allies in Western Europe and America, taking a full role in resolving the Arab-Israeli Crisis by forcing Israel to recognize a Palestinian State or supporting the country of his fathers, France, in Indochina (ending with the establishment of the Indochinese Union by 1952). Managing to reunificate the Democratic Party by picking Adlai Stevenson as his running mate in 1952, he won re-election by a landslide victory over the Taft-Warren ticket. His second term was less glorious than the previous, most likely due to the freezing of his relations with United Kingdom, due to his famous cry: "Long live free Quebec!" during his state visit in Montreal. His lack of decision concerning the Civil Rights was also deeply accused, and was determinant in Stevenson's failure at the 1956 elections.

Succeeded on January, 20 1957 by Republican Earl Warren, DeGaulle retired to his native Louisiana, only quitting his retirement by becoming Secretary of Defense under President Lyndon B. Johnson from 1964 to 1967. After his highly criticized statements during the Civil Rights Movement, he died on November, 9 1970 in Alexandria, Louisiana. He was given state funerals, his eulogy being pronounced by then President Nelson Rockefeller. The DeGaulle family still holds a great role in US politics: his eldest son George was Senator for Louisiana from 1968 to 1984, whilst his other son Phillip served in the US Navy, participated in the Vietnam War and was Secretary of Defence of President Gary Hart.
 
Oh, okay, I misread. I thought it was Charles that moved from France to London to Louisiana.
 
Putin is unlikely to become POTUS, but Yeltsin (likely populist Democrat) and Milosevic (Republican) could, would their parents chose to immigrate.
 
http://www.soravij.com/rama9.html
King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America, on 5 December 1927
And...

http://www.bkkapt.com/find-apartmen...long-live-king-all-thai-people-love-king.html

Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the only Thai king born in the United States but he has been raised in Switzerland and ascended the throne as a teenager after the death of his older brother, King Ananda Mahidol.

So one of his parents has to become a citizen, he gets born, his older brother survives and remains king...
:D:rolleyes:

His family is very wealthy and might get involved in the television industry after WW II, he gets his own talk show and runs for president in 2008?

Yes, Bhumibol *might* keep Bhumibol but change his last name. Or he'd just go by one name, like Cher and Prince.

(Seems like I read another member of the Thai royal family was born in the U.S. about 30 years ago?)

Sally Morgan's parents get disgusted with Australian racism and move to the United States, not realizing the amount of racism in the U.S.

She becomes an artist, raconteur, popular on the talk show circuit, (especially on The Bhumibol Adulyadej Show :D ). She runs for president in 2008.
 
Top