AHC: Make America Into a Dictatorship or Monarchy After the US Civil War

Instead of the Union being reunited peacefully as a restored democratic government after the American Civil War, have it reunite under a dictatorship or a monarchy instead.
 
The only person in the Union high command who thought a dictatorship was a good thing was Joe Hooker; put him in a position where he is both popular and where the military situation has deteriorated to the point where he can get away with it.
 
I don't see any reasonable chances to make USA dictatorship during Civil War. Perhaps if the war lasts much longer and is much worse. Democracy was probably too strong on this point. Some military coup might be possible but it wouldn't last long and probably very unlikely.

Monarchy is totally impossible. Republicanism was already very strong. Even if you get someone crazy enough as president, him will be overthrown soon after he declades himself as king/emperor.
 
I don't see any reasonable chances to make USA dictatorship during Civil War. Perhaps if the war lasts much longer and is much worse. Democracy was probably too strong on this point. Some military coup might be possible but it wouldn't last long and probably very unlikely.
Yeah, even if Joe Hooker seizes power I suspect he would relinquish it upon conclusion of hostilities. Fighting Joe was many things, power-hungry was not one of them.
 
I don't think any sort of coup d'état is plausible. What might be plausible is having a President flout the precedent set by Washington and repeatedly run, and win, election, augmenting power along the way until he is a de facto dictator. (This is before the 22nd Amendment existed.) But that might require a serious external crisis.
 
Instead of the Union being reunited peacefully as a restored democratic government after the American Civil War, have it reunite under a dictatorship or a monarchy instead.

I'll go first. I can do this for at least much of America in one form or another. The secessionist crisis begins as OT in 1860. The Confederate States of America still forms in 1861. In early 1861 Abraham Lincoln and Vice President Hannibal Hamlin are is successfully assassinated by Confederate sympathizers while touring Washington. Speaker of the House Galusha Grow becomes President shortly after.

This period of weakness allows the Confederate army to attack and seize Washington D.C. and most of Maryland in late 1861. The ramifications of this in turn exposes other major cities to be exposed to attack. The US Congress relocates to Philadelphia with the humiliated President Grow taking up residence in a hotel during the occupation.

Victories such as this are able to convince delegations with France under Napoleon the III in 1862 to intervene on behalf of the Confederacy in exchange for support in its invasion of Mexico after the war. The French war fleet breaks the Union blockade. French training and resources helps to continue Southern advances along the border states. Cities such as Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and others are captured, sacked, or raided. A French blockade of northern states is bleeding the Union's economy and ability to make war.

With the circumstances, many in Congress increasingly discuss seeking peace talks with the Southern states. A few states such as Kentucky and Delaware secede officially adding to the pressure brought by the blockade. With offensive operations of the Union unable to pierce the South because of French weapons and resources, this is close to becoming a reality. Southern independence is secured in 1863. Peace talks with the French and United States also secure an accord ending the war as well.

As promised in the late 1860's Confederate support helps French forces invade and intervene in Mexico. By the early 1870's it is secure as a colony of the French Empire. Parts of the United States' western territory such as California have sought independence at this time. French forces see this as opportunity for more colonization and send an expeditionary force to effectively conquer the independent republic of California. It seeks the support of Southern forces and receives it. California is part of France by the 1880's. Other territories of the United States west of the Mississippi form and do the same with there own independent governments. The former borders of the United States have broken into at least four separate nations.

Economic infighting between the states which make up the Confederacy causes stagflation which causes several states to secede from this government as well. Fearing instability, the Confederate army attempts to prevent the rebellion of several states result in its own civil war. The conflict eventually decimates the resources of the Southern states to the point of near bankruptcy. By the early 1890's, the instability of the government causes a cou led by military forces to seize power in the form of military dictatorship. There is further armed resistance which is quelled by the armed forces trying to keep stability. The Confederate States of America effectively becomes a constitutional monarchy with a royal family. Several states seek annexation by the former United States. This is granted in the 1890's.
 
Several presidents tried in various degrees for a third term. I believe the list is Grant, Cleveland (a third term after his second non-consecutive term), Teddy Roosevelt, Wilson, and of course FDR. I doubt any would want to have become dictator, though one could claim that FDR with his 4 election wins, war powers, a compliant Congress, and his threat to stack SCOTUS if they didn't play nice, that he did come closest to being a dictator and even he was far from being one.

You'd have to have a POD that Washington falls under the spell of the Society of Cincinnati and the idea of hereditary and all. Perhaps instead of Mr President, he accepts the honorific "Your Highness" without being called a king. You'd also have to keep Jefferson and Jackson from being presidents to keep the populist ideology out of power. Easy to do for Jefferson- 3/5 compromise never happens, therefore the election of 1800 Adams wins the electoral college because the South does not have the electoral votes to give Jefferson a win.
 
I'll go first. I can do this for at least much of America in one form or another. The secessionist crisis begins as OT in 1860. The Confederate States of America still forms in 1861. In early 1861 Abraham Lincoln and Vice President Hannibal Hamlin are is successfully assassinated by Confederate sympathizers while touring Washington. Speaker of the House Galusha Grow becomes President shortly after.

Senate pro tempore Lafayette Foster would have become president, not the Speaker of the House. And he'd be Acting President until an election can be held the December of that year. That's per the original Constitution and Presidential Succession Act of 1792 which was in effect in 1861.
 

Asami

Banned
Instead of the Union being reunited peacefully as a restored democratic government after the American Civil War, have it reunite under a dictatorship or a monarchy instead.

I'll go first. I can do this for at least much of America in one form or another. The secessionist crisis begins as OT in 1860. The Confederate States of America still forms in 1861. In early 1861 Abraham Lincoln and Vice President Hannibal Hamlin are is successfully assassinated by Confederate sympathizers while touring Washington. Speaker of the House Galusha Grow becomes President shortly after.

This period of weakness allows the Confederate army to attack and seize Washington D.C. and most of Maryland in late 1861. The ramifications of this in turn exposes other major cities to be exposed to attack. The US Congress relocates to Philadelphia with the humiliated President Grow taking up residence in a hotel during the occupation.

Victories such as this are able to convince delegations with France under Napoleon the III in 1862 to intervene on behalf of the Confederacy in exchange for support in its invasion of Mexico after the war. The French war fleet breaks the Union blockade. French training and resources helps to continue Southern advances along the border states. Cities such as Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and others are captured, sacked, or raided. A French blockade of northern states is bleeding the Union's economy and ability to make war.

With the circumstances, many in Congress increasingly discuss seeking peace talks with the Southern states. A few states such as Kentucky and Delaware secede officially adding to the pressure brought by the blockade. With offensive operations of the Union unable to pierce the South because of French weapons and resources, this is close to becoming a reality. Southern independence is secured in 1863. Peace talks with the French and United States also secure an accord ending the war as well.

As promised in the late 1860's Confederate support helps French forces invade and intervene in Mexico. By the early 1870's it is secure as a colony of the French Empire. Parts of the United States' western territory such as California have sought independence at this time. French forces see this as opportunity for more colonization and send an expeditionary force to effectively conquer the independent republic of California. It seeks the support of Southern forces and receives it. California is part of France by the 1880's. Other territories of the United States west of the Mississippi form and do the same with there own independent governments. The former borders of the United States have broken into at least four separate nations.

Economic infighting between the states which make up the Confederacy causes stagflation which causes several states to secede from this government as well. Fearing instability, the Confederate army attempts to prevent the rebellion of several states result in its own civil war. The conflict eventually decimates the resources of the Southern states to the point of near bankruptcy. By the early 1890's, the instability of the government causes a cou led by military forces to seize power in the form of military dictatorship. There is further armed resistance which is quelled by the armed forces trying to keep stability. The Confederate States of America effectively becomes a constitutional monarchy with a royal family. Several states seek annexation by the former United States. This is granted in the 1890's.

...You had me up until you had the Confederate Army run on Marysuium and the French annex California.
 
What if Ulysses S. Grant, declared that during his second term, he was going to postpone the 1876 election, to keep the "peace".

List of Supreme Commander-in-chiefs
March 4, 1869 - July 23, 1885: Ulysses S. Grant
July 23, 1885 - February 9, 1886: Winfield Scott Hancock
February 9, 1886 - June 24, 1908: Grover Cleveland
June 24, 1908 - January 6, 1919: Theodore Roosevelt
January 6, 1919 - July 15, 1948: John J. Pershing
July 15, 1948 - March 28, 1969: Dwight D. Eisenhower
March 28, 1969 - April 22, 1994: Richard Nixon
April 22, 1994 - Present: Colin Powell
 
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