Pretty much what it says. What kind of POD could cause the red summer of 1919 to spill over into an actual revolution into a socialist state?
Boston Police Strike gains national supportive strike action from all other US cities' Police Forces?
Not directly part of the same issue, I know, but if they coincided?
And that's why I doubt it happens. You need too many changes to make it happen. Kinda like the Unmentionable Sea Mammal.Add in a few spices.
1. Debs is beaten to death by prison guards and the cover-up bungled.
2. The Boston telephone operators strike drags on and is suppressed by force.
3. Galleani's followers are more successful in their bombing campaign, which inspires further, and indiscriminate, use of the "proletarian artillery".
4. In response to the obvious wave of Communist violence Palmer acts even more stupidly than OTL.
5. The May Day riots in Cleveland become far worse with score killed and parts of the city fired.
6. The May Day race riots in Charleston are far worse; scores of blacks are killed, shot, beaten, hanged and burned to death. The black community arms itself for self-defense and running battles with state militia ensue.
7. The suppression of the Seattle General Strike is more violent, with numerous casualties.
8. When US forces pursue Pancho Villa, after the attacks on Ciudad Juáre, they're ambushed after crossing the Mexican border and suffer significant casualties.
9. During the First Transcontinental Motor Convoy troops are pelted with rocks and fire on supposed attackers, killing several. The convoy suffers several attacks by supposed anarchist and communist elements.
10. When the race riots begin in Chicago the black community is prepared for violence. six days of violence leave more than two hundred dead.
11. The Socialist Part of America doesn't split; instead militant elements gain control of a more-or-less united party.
12. The nationwide Steel Strike sees initially low-level by extensive violence. This will grow worse.
13. The Omaha race riot sees initially white mobs running amok, until an unofficial black militia fights back. In the fighting that ensues more than one hundred people die, including Major General Leonard Wood.
14. The first wave of Palmer raids go badly; warned by sources within the DoJ several arrest parties are ambushed, others face spontaneous armed resistance.
15. An American legion march in Centralia degenerates into a six-day running battle between reactionary/patriotic forces and socialists. More than a hundred die and the city is devastated.
16. The Coal Strike begins with the strikers having stockpiled weapons, ammunition, supplies, money and dynamite from a series of organised thefts.
By November the USA in in a state of low level chaos with "official" governments having effectively lost control of parts of the country, several organised private militias stockpiling weapons in preparation for the seemingly inevitable Civil War II and most of the populace fearing the worst.
Hmmm, probably. Though I suspect a few changes (Deb's death, May Day violence in a few cities and the race riots being worse) could cascade.And that's why I doubt it happens. You need too many changes to make it happen. Kinda like the Unmentionable Sea Mammal.
Yeah. I mean, I wouldn't go so far as to call it ASB, but without an absolutely perfect storm of events, it won't happen. It's something that, if put into a computer simulation, probably happens no more than one time out of a hundred.Hmmm, probably. Though I suspect a few changes (Deb's death, May Day violence in a few cities and the race riots being worse) could cascade.
However it's an idea I'll keep for a RPG scenario; it's ripe for a Time Meddler.