Language! @CELTICEMPIRE is a good boy from Kentucky, and does not permit this kind of language on his thread.
America's Silver Era, The Story of William Jennings Bryan
- Thread starter CELTICEMPIRE
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Language! @CELTICEMPIRE is a good boy from Kentucky, and does not permit this kind of language on his thread.
Language! @CELTICEMPIRE is a good boy from Kentucky, and does not permit this kind of language on his thread.
Lol! In all seriousness I don't cuss IRL but I'm not offended by it.
Irvine Lenroot (Theodore Roosevelt-1909)
Hiram Johnson (Theodore Roosevelt-1910)
Clarence Darrow (William Jennings Bryan-1921)
Alben Barkely (William Jennings Bryan-1921)
George Remus (David Walsh-1924)
Franklin Roosevelt (David Walsh-1924)
John Davis (William Randolph Hearst-1925)
James Watson (Frank Hanly-1930)
Hugo Black (Charles Bryan-1936)
Giraud a Communist France general? Wasn't he a Conservative Catholic? Or is he a Zhukov-like technician?
Since Germany attacked France, a lot of people who don't like the government are fighting against what they see as German aggression. Cartier didn't do much purging of the military because he knew he'd need good generals.
Chapter LXVI, Home Front
The home front was vital for both sides in the Second Great War. The situation on the home front varied drastically depending on the country in question. A German had a very different experience than someone in France, Britain, or the United States. But some commonalities were present. Each country became gripped by fear that fifth columnists were trying to undermine the war effort. There was also rationing, which was applied to every major nation involved in the war. The citizenry of each nation was subjected to an overwhelming amount of propaganda. Sometimes propaganda encouraged the citizen to support the war effort while at other times enemy propaganda was disseminated.
-Excerpt from The Second Great War, Ludwig Faerber, Globe Books, 2016.
In Germany, things were bleak for most of the war. Prewar German military leadership watched the earlier war in Asia with interest. When they saw Japan, which had air superiority and used motor-guns in large numbers, lose to Russia and China they concluded that air power and motor-guns were less important than a strong infantry. They turned out to be very wrong and Germany had to go through the embarrassment of having to go on the defensive despite having numerical superiority over France. Much of Germany was occupied. In the parts that were still unoccupied, there was a crackdown on people suspected of being pro-French. In total, 1,552 Germans were arrested on suspicions of aiding France or otherwise undermining the war effort. A few were actually French agents but the rest were released shortly after the war ended.
Much of German industry was in ruins by the end of 1937 due to French bombings. The situation would have been hopeless if it wasn’t for Austria-Hungary. Austro-Hungarian industry was mostly intact and thus the country was able to supply Germany with weapons and supplies. Austria-Hungary didn’t use conscription until 1938, meaning that there were more people to work in the factories. The empire did suffer from problems back home, however. The different nationalities in the empire were subject to French propaganda encouraging them to revolt. And the Poles and Czech did revolt in September 1938. The rebellion had less popular support than anticipated and was put down with few casualties. Austria-Hungary was subject to censorship. Writer Adolph Hitler was jailed after accusing Franz-Ferdinand of being weak and criticizing the Austro-Hungarian general staff.
(Austro-Hungarian industry helped Germany stay in the war)
Britain joined the war over two years after it began. The British economy was affected by the war, but its industry and infrastructure was still intact. This changed somewhat with French air raids, but Britain was never nearly as damaged by enemy bombs as Germany was. There were many British people who were unhappy to see their government join the war. Many were thrilled to see France wreck Germany and some even joined the Robin Hood Battalion, a French Army unit made up of volunteers from the English-speaking world. Britain, despite being in the war shorter than Germany, made more politically-motivated arrests, cracking down on the British Communist Party and other far-left groups. Cartier was compared to Napoleon in the media and the public was led to believe that Britain was going to save Europe from French aggression once more. Within a few months of the declaration of war, most people were in favor of the war effort.
French agents working across the British Empire stirred up trouble. Though the local authorities cracked down on the Indian Student Socialist Alliance in 1932, members of the group had gone underground. Shortly after Britain declared war on France they attacked British officials and took over areas of New Delhi, declaring a revolution on June 12th. The revolution spread to other cities and many, including Kaiser Wilhelm, were worried that India would break away from Britain, severely hampering the war effort. But the majority of Indians opposed the ISSA and helped the British put down the rebellion. Within a few weeks it was clear that the revolution had failed. Communists in Canada, Australia, and South Africa attempted to inspire revolution in their respective countries, but were even less successful.
The United States was in a unique situation. The closest the war came to home was off the coast of Florida in late 1936 through early 1937. There were also less than 20 people arrested on espionage charges. The Communist Party did not face any restrictions (though it was closely monitored and many leaders in the party had their phones tapped). America did not use conscription, though there was some public shaming involved in getting young men to join the army. The war made President Hoover extremely popular. The Republican Party made large gains in the midterms, which was unusual for an incumbent party. The Socialist Labor Party saw many of its elected officials defect to the Democrats. Communist candidates lost every election they participated in. The Senate would have 60 Republicans, 35 Democrats, 4 Socialists, and 1 Communist. The House of Representatives would have 301 Republicans, 198 Democrats, and 3 Socialists. It looked like the two party system was reestablishing itself.
In Spain, everyone was either fighting or involved in the production of weapons and other materials for the war. Tens of thousands of rural Spaniards went to the cities to work in the factories. That was until 1937 when Spain had another food shortage and sent people back to the farms. Lerroux had a rocky relationship with Cartier. Cartier always accused Lerroux of not doing enough for the war effort and for dragging the United States into the war through Puerto Rico. As the war dragged on, Lerroux thought that Cartier was too extreme, possibly even insane. When the French President publically endorsed the actions of the Red Vanguard, his suspicions were confirmed. The Spanish populace supported the war effort, but not enthusiastically, seeing it as a French war.
In France, the war was used an excuse for a further crackdown on dissent. Tens of thousands of French citizens had become political prisoners by the time the war ended. Many of them were used as forced labor, especially in building ships, planes, and coastal defenses. Prisoners of war were used for the same purpose. Over one hundred thousand German POWs built fortifications in Portugal, Spain, and Normandy. Portuguese POWs were sent to Germany to help in the construction of defenses during the winter of 1938 and 1939 in anticipation of an upcoming Anglo-German offensive. Common domestic targets included conservatives, liberals, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim (when France still controlled North Africa) clergy, and intellectuals. The military was spared from ideological purges, meaning that there were quite a few leaders in the Army and Navy that had no love for Cartier. The higher ranking generals and admirals were well aware that they were being monitored for possible disloyalty.
(German POWs)
Nowhere did propaganda permeate daily life more than in France. While Cartier was compared to Napoleon in a negative light in Britain, the comparison was welcomed and embraced across the channel from the outset of the war. As soon as the war began, production began on the film, Jena. It followed the historical battle of Jena in 1806, in which France defeated Prussia. The movie was funded mostly through taxes, and cost over six million USD. It was significant for being one of the first ten movies filmed in full color. When it was released on October 14, 1937 (the 131st anniversary of the battle) all schools and universities were ordered to close so as many people could watch the movie as possible. There was no shortage of anti-German (and later anti-American and anti-British films during the war. But as the war dragged on, they were increasingly low budget.
French propaganda implicated Jews in controlling the German and American governments. Later in the war, the Roman Catholic Church was said to control the various world governments. Adolphe Cartier, who had spent time in the US, sought to educate his countrymen on America’s ways. He mocked the notion of America as the “land of the free.” He claimed that “Every four years America is given a choice between two capitalist factions, the Republicans and the Democrats. The Republicans have the support of the big corporations while the Democrats have the support of the smaller corporations. Americans are so brainwashed that they believe this is freedom. They believe that the freedom to choose between two masters is true liberation. The people of France, Spain, and Argentina see through their lies.”
-Excerpt from The Second Great War, Ludwig Faerber, Globe Books, 2016.
In Germany, things were bleak for most of the war. Prewar German military leadership watched the earlier war in Asia with interest. When they saw Japan, which had air superiority and used motor-guns in large numbers, lose to Russia and China they concluded that air power and motor-guns were less important than a strong infantry. They turned out to be very wrong and Germany had to go through the embarrassment of having to go on the defensive despite having numerical superiority over France. Much of Germany was occupied. In the parts that were still unoccupied, there was a crackdown on people suspected of being pro-French. In total, 1,552 Germans were arrested on suspicions of aiding France or otherwise undermining the war effort. A few were actually French agents but the rest were released shortly after the war ended.
Much of German industry was in ruins by the end of 1937 due to French bombings. The situation would have been hopeless if it wasn’t for Austria-Hungary. Austro-Hungarian industry was mostly intact and thus the country was able to supply Germany with weapons and supplies. Austria-Hungary didn’t use conscription until 1938, meaning that there were more people to work in the factories. The empire did suffer from problems back home, however. The different nationalities in the empire were subject to French propaganda encouraging them to revolt. And the Poles and Czech did revolt in September 1938. The rebellion had less popular support than anticipated and was put down with few casualties. Austria-Hungary was subject to censorship. Writer Adolph Hitler was jailed after accusing Franz-Ferdinand of being weak and criticizing the Austro-Hungarian general staff.
(Austro-Hungarian industry helped Germany stay in the war)
Britain joined the war over two years after it began. The British economy was affected by the war, but its industry and infrastructure was still intact. This changed somewhat with French air raids, but Britain was never nearly as damaged by enemy bombs as Germany was. There were many British people who were unhappy to see their government join the war. Many were thrilled to see France wreck Germany and some even joined the Robin Hood Battalion, a French Army unit made up of volunteers from the English-speaking world. Britain, despite being in the war shorter than Germany, made more politically-motivated arrests, cracking down on the British Communist Party and other far-left groups. Cartier was compared to Napoleon in the media and the public was led to believe that Britain was going to save Europe from French aggression once more. Within a few months of the declaration of war, most people were in favor of the war effort.
French agents working across the British Empire stirred up trouble. Though the local authorities cracked down on the Indian Student Socialist Alliance in 1932, members of the group had gone underground. Shortly after Britain declared war on France they attacked British officials and took over areas of New Delhi, declaring a revolution on June 12th. The revolution spread to other cities and many, including Kaiser Wilhelm, were worried that India would break away from Britain, severely hampering the war effort. But the majority of Indians opposed the ISSA and helped the British put down the rebellion. Within a few weeks it was clear that the revolution had failed. Communists in Canada, Australia, and South Africa attempted to inspire revolution in their respective countries, but were even less successful.
The United States was in a unique situation. The closest the war came to home was off the coast of Florida in late 1936 through early 1937. There were also less than 20 people arrested on espionage charges. The Communist Party did not face any restrictions (though it was closely monitored and many leaders in the party had their phones tapped). America did not use conscription, though there was some public shaming involved in getting young men to join the army. The war made President Hoover extremely popular. The Republican Party made large gains in the midterms, which was unusual for an incumbent party. The Socialist Labor Party saw many of its elected officials defect to the Democrats. Communist candidates lost every election they participated in. The Senate would have 60 Republicans, 35 Democrats, 4 Socialists, and 1 Communist. The House of Representatives would have 301 Republicans, 198 Democrats, and 3 Socialists. It looked like the two party system was reestablishing itself.
In Spain, everyone was either fighting or involved in the production of weapons and other materials for the war. Tens of thousands of rural Spaniards went to the cities to work in the factories. That was until 1937 when Spain had another food shortage and sent people back to the farms. Lerroux had a rocky relationship with Cartier. Cartier always accused Lerroux of not doing enough for the war effort and for dragging the United States into the war through Puerto Rico. As the war dragged on, Lerroux thought that Cartier was too extreme, possibly even insane. When the French President publically endorsed the actions of the Red Vanguard, his suspicions were confirmed. The Spanish populace supported the war effort, but not enthusiastically, seeing it as a French war.
In France, the war was used an excuse for a further crackdown on dissent. Tens of thousands of French citizens had become political prisoners by the time the war ended. Many of them were used as forced labor, especially in building ships, planes, and coastal defenses. Prisoners of war were used for the same purpose. Over one hundred thousand German POWs built fortifications in Portugal, Spain, and Normandy. Portuguese POWs were sent to Germany to help in the construction of defenses during the winter of 1938 and 1939 in anticipation of an upcoming Anglo-German offensive. Common domestic targets included conservatives, liberals, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim (when France still controlled North Africa) clergy, and intellectuals. The military was spared from ideological purges, meaning that there were quite a few leaders in the Army and Navy that had no love for Cartier. The higher ranking generals and admirals were well aware that they were being monitored for possible disloyalty.
(German POWs)
Nowhere did propaganda permeate daily life more than in France. While Cartier was compared to Napoleon in a negative light in Britain, the comparison was welcomed and embraced across the channel from the outset of the war. As soon as the war began, production began on the film, Jena. It followed the historical battle of Jena in 1806, in which France defeated Prussia. The movie was funded mostly through taxes, and cost over six million USD. It was significant for being one of the first ten movies filmed in full color. When it was released on October 14, 1937 (the 131st anniversary of the battle) all schools and universities were ordered to close so as many people could watch the movie as possible. There was no shortage of anti-German (and later anti-American and anti-British films during the war. But as the war dragged on, they were increasingly low budget.
French propaganda implicated Jews in controlling the German and American governments. Later in the war, the Roman Catholic Church was said to control the various world governments. Adolphe Cartier, who had spent time in the US, sought to educate his countrymen on America’s ways. He mocked the notion of America as the “land of the free.” He claimed that “Every four years America is given a choice between two capitalist factions, the Republicans and the Democrats. The Republicans have the support of the big corporations while the Democrats have the support of the smaller corporations. Americans are so brainwashed that they believe this is freedom. They believe that the freedom to choose between two masters is true liberation. The people of France, Spain, and Argentina see through their lies.”
Liking this look at the home fronts. And pretty clever propaganda by Cartier; obviously it's all commie BS, but still, cleverly worded as far as such things go.
- I presume that the Austro-Hungarians reduced the chance of future rebellions further by going only after ringleaders and not making bitter reprisals against the "disloyal" ethnicities.
- I eagerly await hearing about the rest of Ol' Adolph's career.
- The Robin Hood Brigade is going to poison the name "Robin Hood" in the rest of Europe for the rest of the Twentieth Century. I can see a future German film "reimagining" the Robin Hood mythos by reversing the roles. Namely by having Robin and the Merry Men be violent thuggish outlaws only taking from the rich to enrich themselves.
John Reed of Oregon, elected in 1928 and 1934. Up for reelection in 1940.
That's correct, Austria-Hungary is extremely careful to avoid causing ethnic tension as much as possible.
Well, the Latin People's Union in Hakko Ichiu also has a similar view on Jews.
Correct, as did almost all American Communist politicians TTL.
Chapter LXVII, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN
-The Bible, Daniel 5:25-31
Adolphe Cartier was an avid reader, and continued to read regularly during the war. And though the French government was quite fond of banning books that opposed the ruling ideology, Cartier read whatever he wanted. His personal library contained the Wealth of Nations, If Christ Came to Congress (Milford Howard’s book), the works of John Locke, and even the Bible and the Quran. He did this, ostensibly, to understand his enemies better. On March 1, 1939, his secretary reported that he was reading the Bible, the book of Daniel in particular. The president was visibly shaken while reading the account of the Feast of Belshazzar. The secretary heard Cartier whispering the words “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.” The next day, Dwight Eisenhower’s troops invaded Europe.
-Excerpt from The Second Great War, Ludwig Faerber, Globe Books, 2016.
The winter of 1938 and 1939 saw little action on land. During this time, however, the American, British, Royal Spanish, German, Portuguese, Danish, and Brazilian navies were busy sinking French and Spanish ships and paving the way for an invasion of Spain and Portugal. A mile from Porto, a French battleship was sunk on January 4. Another battleship was destroyed at Gibraltar on February 3. Meanwhile, on January 30, Juan Peron led a coup against the Argentine government, and made peace with the allies the next day. Then, in a move that was at the time inexplicable, Admiral François Darlan removed all French ships from the area around the Strait of Gibraltar. This opened the path for an invasion of Southern Spain. On March 2, 1939, the invasion began.
(François Darlan_
Over 100,000 American, British African, Indian, ANZAC, German, Moroccan, Liberian, and Malian troops overran Spanish positions at Tarifa. Over the next few weeks, more troops would be transported from Africa to Spain. Eisenhower was concerned about a possible counterattack, but other than a few Spanish bombers, no one attacked. That was because American, British, Royal Spanish, Danish, and Portuguese African troops landed in Portugal on the 23rd. Of the 125,000 soldiers that landed on the beaches near Póvoa de Varzim, less than 5,000 were killed by the defending Spanish forces. Though German POWs had been building defenses, they had relatively little time to complete them. For the next few weeks they advanced south, aided by the Portuguese resistance along the way. As towns were liberated, the citizens cheered the allied soldiers and hung the hated collaborators.
(The Americans and their allies were a welcome presence in Portugal)
In late April, Spain began a counteroffensive in Northern and Central Portugal designed to push the invaders back to the sea. French troops would play a very minor role. About half of Spanish aircraft and 90% of Spanish motor-guns, along with a good portion of Spanish artillery were used in the offensive. The allied forces controlled the coast (as well as some inland territory) from Póvoa de Varzim to Ovar. On April 20, the Spanish took Penafiel. The real goal, Porto, was within reach. Though reinforcements had been pouring in, the Spanish still outnumbered the allies. But the city’s American defenders held strong. Another Spanish force sought to cut the allied line in half by taking Espinho. There, the defenders were mostly Portuguese and Royal Spanish. They were heavily outnumbered but held for two days until American and British motor-gun divisions came to their rescue on the 24th.
The allied advance in Portugal resumed as more reinforcements arrived. Throughout the country, the Portuguese resistance was liberating towns on its own. The Vanguarda Vermelha continued to terrorize the Portuguese and on April 30 carried out 60 public executions, hoping to strike fear into the hearts of those who opposed the puppet government. Julio Gaspar came to city after receiving the Order of Robespierre medal in Paris. He had just been installed as President of Portugal by France. Spain was not consulted. Many Spanish soldiers, after witnessing the cruelty of the VV, wondered if they were fighting on the wrong side of the war. By April, the VV’s reign of terror was known to the whole world, destroying the last remnants of sympathy any nation felt towards France. Ireland (which once was friendly to France), Ukraine, Serbia, Sweden, Mexico, Nicaragua, Honduras, Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, Uruguay, Hejaz, Japan, and China (Mukden government) declared war on France between January and the beginning of April. On April 2, Russia shocked the world by declaring war on France. It was followed by Italy, Norway, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, the Ottoman Empire, Persia, the Orange Free State, Transvaal, Haiti, and Xinjiang.
In late March, France faced offensives from the east as well as the west. Germany was on the attack for the first time in over two years. General Erwin Rommel had advocated a German and Austro-Hungarian offensive since late 1938. His plan was approved by early 1939. In March Rommel would lead German troops in an attack on French positions in Southern Germany. Austria-Hungary had begun conscription the year before, so over 100,000 Austro-Hungarian troops would aid in the offensive. French positions in the region were weaker than in 1938 as troops had been diverted to the north. There was fierce fighting at Ulm, with 150,000 casualties on both sides in one week. The city fell on April 4. Germany had now broken through the French defenses and was moving rapidly through Württemberg.
(Erwin Rommel in a picture from the first Great War)
The French and Spanish governments were in a state of panic. Even if it was possible to defend against the might of Europe, Africa, and the Americas, it would now have to contend with the might of Asia as well. Now, Chinese and Japanese troops could be transported relatively quickly on the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Most of the French military leadership believed that the war would be over within a year. The more optimistic generals believed that France might last until 1942. Meanwhile, Cartier learned that Admiral Darlan had defected to the British on the 29th and that the movement of ships from the Strait of Gibraltar was intentional. Cartier became increasingly paranoid. Generals de Gaulle and Giraud would soon give him a good reason for paranoia.
On May 2, a bomb was placed in Cartier’s car. However, it did not detonate. On the 3rd, an assassin narrowly missed the president, killing one of his bodyguards instead. The assassin was detained and tortured into revealing who had hired him, Commander Henri Giraud. A lower-ranking general, Charles de Gaulle, was also involved in the plot. The two generals were soon arrested. Giraud had long been suspected of anti-government views, and the agents assigned to him were executed for failing to prevent his betrayal. At his trial, Giraud claimed that he did what he had to save France from destruction. His only regret is that he was unsuccessful in his mission. De Gaulle took the stand and said “I know the outcome of this trial is predetermined. I have accepted that I shall die as a patriot who gave his life for France. I also know the day is soon approaching that the president shall die. But his death will not be that of a man who brought his own country to ruin.” The two men were publically executed in Paris on May 9, 1939.
(Left: Henri Giraud, Right: Charles de Gaulle)
Dozens of other French generals were purged during the month of May. Cartier took full control over the French Army and Navy. On May 10 he announced through the radio that “The work of purging counter-revolutionary elements in French society is finally complete. Now France shall fight unencumbered by reactionary forces from within. The combined power of six continents cannot and shall not prevail over those who fight for a noble and just cause. The soldiers of our enemy are fed lies about our great nation. Once they see the worker’s paradise that we have constructed, they will turn their weapons on their own generals. The red flag of revolution will be raised not only in Paris and Madrid, but in Berlin, in London, in Moscow, and in New York City. It is inevitable!”
Highly reminiscent of the July 20 bombing attempts on Hitler when Von Stauffenberg and the other German generals became convinced the war was lost.
In fact, France itself in this TL is becoming a mirror of Germany circa 1945 OTL, with Cartier purging everyone deemed disloyal and vowing victory even as French troops are being pushed back steadily.
In fact, France itself in this TL is becoming a mirror of Germany circa 1945 OTL, with Cartier purging everyone deemed disloyal and vowing victory even as French troops are being pushed back steadily.