An Eternal New Deal: A 1948 Election TL

[King_Arthur]

Chapter Six: Stoking the Fire (August-October 1950)


​

Ike lands at Inchon
‘General of the Armies Dwight D Eisenhower has landed, with US, British and other allied forces, at Inchon. The city is close to Seoul, capital of South Korea until its capture by the DPRK in June. It is believed that Seoul is indeed the target of this military expedition. General of the Army Douglas MacArthur and Field Marshal John Harding of Britain are still surrounded in the city of Pusan according to reports.

The Washington Post, September 1950


‘MacArthur was not Mr Happy after our success in Inchon. In the telephone call I made all he said was “So you live to fight another day Eisenhower” before putting the phone down. Secretly I think that he wanted me to fail so he could break out of Pusan and claim all the glory for him. Shortly after, we captured Seoul, throwing the North Koreans into chaos allowing MacArthur and Harding to break out. It wasn’t long after that we crossed the 38th parallel and into North Korea.’

A Soldier Man (1964)


Tibet invaded by the PRC
‘The communist People’s Republic of China has annexed the Himalayan nation of Tibet. The PRC was proclaimed by the Chinese Communist Party’s leader Mao Zedong last year after his victory in the 22 year long Chinese Civil War. The PRC has heralded their military action at the Battle of Chamdo a ‘peaceful liberation of the Proletariat from the Tibetan Bourgeois.’

The Chicago Daily Tribune, October 1950

200,000 Chinese troops cross the Yalu River
'Yesterday, General Bradley announced that spy planes had spotted approximately 200,000 Chinese troops crossing the Yalu River, the border between North Korea and the PRC. China and North Korea are both Communist countries and are believed to be allied. It is unknown as of yet how this will affect the war.

The Washington Post, October 1950

 

[historybuff]

Love the format of headlines and excerpts

 

[King_Arthur]

Love the format of headlines and excerpts

Thanks historybuff. I saw it on a timeline about the Great Depression (can't remember its name) and thought it was a good format because i am not very good at the narrative style President_Lincoln uses in Blue Skies in Camelot.

 

[historybuff]

Cool. Maybe, for the USSR, after Stalin dies, have someone less well known become his successor.

 

[King_Arthur]

Chapter Seven: New Deal Coalition on Trial (August-December 1950)​

Dulles: Usage of Nuclear Weapons aren’t ruled out in Korea
‘Secretary of State John Dulles has announced in a speech outside the White House that the US Government will not rule out anything in orer to bring peace to Korea. When asked whether this includes Nuclear Weapons by Chicago Daily Tribune reporter Alan Kurtz, he repeated the previous statement.’

The Washington Post, August 1950


Ronald Reagan says ‘The Usage of Nuclear Weaponry should never be considered’
Actor Ronald Reagan (39) has said in a radio interview that “Secretary Dulles should not have said that. I have been against Nuclear Weaponry since August 9 1945 and I believe the usage of Nuclear Weaponry should never be considered. I voted for President Roosevelt all 4 times, but when President Truman used those bombs in Japan he lost my vote, but I still believe in the core values of the Democratic Party and I still consider myself to be a Democrat.

The Washington Post, August 1950


‘After that interview it seemed like every reporter and photographer in the whole of California came to my house. They camped there day and night and just wouldn’t budge. Then Senator McCarthy was going on endless rants about my patriotism and it was all too much to bear. I called a press conference and when asked about the Senator, I replied “Perhaps the good Senator should refrain from questioning my patriotism while he is advocating locking up fellow Americans with no reason whatsoever. This violates the constitution, so maybe his patriotism should be questioned!” There was a very good reception, and I had drunk a bit too much the night before, so I said “One more thing. I announce my candidacy for the Democratic Party in the California Gubernatorial election.’

An American Life (1990)


‘Despite the Korean War going well, the Dewey administration had had to neglect domestic policy to get to that point. They lost big in the House, losing 32 seats, with the SRP gaining 5 seats (2 in South Carolina, 1 each in Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas). In the Senate they lost 3 seats, but Richard Nixon managed to win in California for them. Meanwhile in South Carolina, Governor Thurmond managed to win a Senate seat for the SRP. The Gubernatorial elections were uneventful, bar one. In California Ronald Reagan managed to gain the Democratic nomination and promoted a fiscally conservative, socially liberal platform against the current Governor and former Lieutenant-Governor of popular Governor and current Vice-President Earl Warren, Goodwin Knight. The race was extremely close and the counting went on long into the night, but at 7am EST, Ronald Reagan was announced to have won by 49.8% to 49.1%.

The Sixth Party System: US Politics 1932 to 1956

​

Ronald Reagan later in life

 

[King_Arthur]

Cool. Maybe, for the USSR, after Stalin dies, have someone less well known become his successor.

That could be interesting. However, the US is also going to get its fair share of political turmoil in '53.

 

[historybuff]

Great twist with an earlier Reagan as governor of California.

 

[King_Arthur]

Great twist with an earlier Reagan as governor of California.

Also a this point he was a FDR Democrat, which will definitely have butterflies later on.

 

[President_Lincoln]

Just had a chance to read through this, @King_Arthur! It's a great start to what is shaping up to be a promising Timeline! You've earned a reader in me. Keep up the good work!

 

[King_Arthur]

The 82nd Congress
​

The House of Representatives

Democrats: 278

Republicans: 152

States’ Rights: 5

Speaker of the House: Sam Rayburn (D TX-4)


The Senate

Democrats: 56

Republicans: 39

States’ Rights: 1

President Pro Tempore: Kenneth McKellar (D-TN)

President of the Senate: Earl Warren (R-CA)


Main Governors

California: Ronald Reagan (D) 1951-

New York: Joe R. Hanley (R) 1948-

Illinois: Adlai Stevenson II (D) 1949-

Texas: Allan Shivers (D) 1949-

 

[King_Arthur]

Chapter 8 is on its way today (hopefully). It will focus on the Red Scare and the Rosenbergs, as well as the dynamic between Eisenhower and MacArthur.

 

[King_Arthur]

Chapter Eight: Fifty Shades of Red (January-July 1951)​

Seoul recaptured by the Communists

‘Two days ago, General Eisenhower and the United Nation forces in Korea had a nasty New Year’s surprise when Seoul was recaptured by the Chinese and North Koreans in what is being called the Third Battle of Seoul. It is presently unclear how much of a setback to the allied forces in Korea this is.’

The Chicago Daily Tribune, January 1951


22nd Amendment fails ratification

‘The 22nd Amendment has failed ratification. The proposed amendment, which limited Presidents to two terms each, has failed to reach the required number of states needed for ratification. it was passed by the Republican controlled 79th Congress in 1947, but since then it has been vehemently opposed by the Democratic party, who made it a campaign issue n November's Midterm elections. Many states in the South refused to ratify it, with notable southern democrats such as Senator Estes Kefauver of Tennessee opposing it. recently elected California Governor Reagan, who has been making waves in state politics, also opposed it. Massachusetts, Georgia, Texas, Tennessee and Alabama all refused to ratify the amendment, states with powerful Democratic parties. Governor Reagan rescinded California's ratification from 4 years ago, meaning the amendment has been smothered at birth.'

The Washington Post, February 1951

UN forces recapture Seoul
'Forces under the command of Lieutenant-General Matthew Ridgway have liberated Seoul in the Fourth of a series of battles fought over the city. North Korean and Chinese forces are retreating and UN forces are getting closer to the 38th Parallel. General Bradley has commended Ridgway, calling him "a valiant and capable commander, whom the United States Army is lucky to have".'

The Washington Post, March 1951

'One of my first jobs in '51 was to report the Rosenberg trial. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were on trial for giving Atomic secrets to the Soviet Union. The charge was Conspiracy to commit Espionage, and the couple were found guilty and sentenced to death. many reporters believed that this sentence was too harsh and the publicity of the trial as well as the Cold War hysteria going on at the time, most likely swayed the Judge's opinion. One good thing about the trial was that public opinion began to turn against the myths propagated by Senator McCarthy as well as J. Edgar Hoover and his goons.
Alan Kurtz: A Life in Print (1987)

'Using Nuclear Weapons are the only way' - MacArthur
'General of the Army Douglas MacArthur has told reporters in the South Korean city of Busan that "the only way to win in Korea is to bomb the hell out of the North Koreans and the Chinese. And when I say 'bombs' I don't mean the tin cans that Germany were lobbing at England back in 1940, I mean Nuclear Bombs". To date he has been censured by Generals Bradley and Eisenhower, Secretary of Defence George Marshall, President Dewey and Vice President Warren, as well as 9 Senator and 23 Representatives. However other figures such as Senator Thurmond and Secretary Dulles have praised the General, with Dulles calling the comments "A comment that champions democracy, from the Champion of Democracy". There have also been calls for the General to be relieved of his duties.
The Washington Post, June 1951

 

[King_Arthur]

Chapter Nine – Push to Pyongyang (August-December 1951
​

France has new Prime Minister ​

'The domestic situation in France has rapidly been deteriorating the past year. Violent turmoil has erupted in the North African colony of Algeria and a succession of weak governments since the institution of the 4th French Republic after liberation in 1945 have threatened the security of France. Communist activists have protested in Paris, Lille and Marseille, with the Communist Party winning 167 seats in June's legislative election. There have also been rumblings of a Military Coup, which has failed to materialise so far, with World War 2 hero Charles de Gaulle disavowing such rumours. Guy Mollet has been appointed Prime Minister by the ruling Socialist-Communist coalition.'

The Washington Post, August 1951



Peace Treaty signed with Japan
'48 nations have signed a Treaty in San Francisco ended the state of war between their countries and the Empire of Japan. The USA is also one of those 48 signatories. Secretary Dulles has stated that he hopes America will end its occupation of Japan at some point next year.'

The Washington Post, September 1951


'On October 2 1951 troops under the command of General Dwight Eisenhower marched into Pyongyang. This was the culmination of the much-storied offensive known as the Push to Pyongyang. No less than 6 movies bearing that name have been filmed (1959, 1967, 1976, 1988, 2004 and 2017) and it is one of the best-known battles in American history. This gave President Dewey, who was seeking re-election, a boost in the polls, improving his approval rating from 42% to 50%.

War in American Popular Culture (2018)



Atlee re-elected with increased majority
'Labour Party leader and incumbent Prime Minister, Clement Atlee has been re-elected against wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill, leader of the Conservative Party. Labour won 14 seats, bringing their total to 329, the Conservatives won 284 seats, while the Liberal Party held onto their 9 seats. 313 seats are needed for a majority. Mr Churchill has declared his intention to resign as leader of the Conservative Party.'

The Daily Telegraph, October 1951



Thousands of troops transferred from Japan to Korea
'General Omar Bradley has announced a significant transfer of troops from Japan to Korea. An estimated 57% of soldiers have been moved to support General Eisenhower's main offensive. Power will be transferred from America to Japan in April next year.'

The Chicago Daily Tribune, December 1951

 

[King_Arthur]

Chapter Ten – The Eye of the Storm (January– July 1952)​

Emperor Hirohito of Japan killed in failed coup
'Hirohito, the Japanese Emperor, has been shot dead in an attempted military coup. The coup was believed to have been carried out by a minority of Nationalist Hardliners in the Japanese military. The perpetrators committed suicide after the coup failed. Hirohito's son, Akihito (18) was the heir apparent and is most likely to become the next Emperor of Japan. American military forces have re-established control, with the handover of power still to happen on schedule in April. Some believe this coup was made possible by the transfer of over half of the American troops to Korea, which happened last month.'

The Washington Post, January 1952



King George VI dies of Lung Cancer
'Last night, King George died aged 56 after a long illness. It was announced by a spokesman for Buckingham Palace this morning and messages of condolences have come from Prime Minister Atlee, ex-Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Leader of the Conservative Party Anthony Eden, as well as President Dewey of America and Prime Minister Mollet of France. Princess Elizabeth, currently on a trip to Kenya, is expected to become Queen.

The Daily Telegraph, February 1952



'On February 26 1952, the United Kingdom became the third country to possess Nuclear Bombs. It was hardly a surprise, as Britain had conducted much research on the matter, research shared with the USA. The announcement by Prime Minister Atlee was met with congratulations from Dewey, and condemnation from Stalin.'

The Cold War 1945-1957 (1990)



European Coal and Steel Community officially formed
'West Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands have officially formed the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). First proposed by French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman in 1950, the founding treaty was signed last year and will come into effect today. It creates a Common Market for Coal and Steel among those six countries and it is hoped the Common Market will prevent competition over the industrial regions of the Ruhr and Saar. Minister Schuman says that its aim is "to make further war between France and Germany both strategically and materially impossible". However, with the crumbling French government, it is unknown whether this will work.'

The Washington Post, July 1952



'In the lead up to the 1952 RNC, DNC and SRPNC, it was very unclear who the President would be on January 20 1953. The expected challenge by conservative Senator Robert A. Taft of Ohio, son of former President and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court William Howard Taft, did very well against incumbent President Dewey, with several favourite sons winning their home states. It was still uncertain who the eventual nominee wold be, but many expected Dewey would win at the convention. The main Democratic candidates were Senator and 1948 Vice-Presidential Candidate Alben W. Barkley of Kentucky and Governor Adlai Stevenson II of Illinois. Barkley and Stevenson were neck and neck, with Tennessee Senator Estes Kefauver in 3rd Place. Governor Benjamin Laney of Arkansas was the presumptive nominee for the States' Rights Party, with primary rival and 1948 Vice-Presidential Candidate Governor Fielding Wright of Mississippi expected to be the Vice-Presidential nominee.'

The Sixth Party System: US Politics from 1932 to 1956

 

[historybuff]

Chapter Ten – The Eye of the Storm (January– July 1952 ​

Emperor Hirohito of Japan killed in failed coup
'Hirohito, the Japanese Emperor, has been shot dead in an attempted military coup. The coup was believed to have been carried out by a minority of Nationalist Hardliners in the Japanese military. The perpetrators committed suicide after the coup failed. Hirohito's son, Akihito (18) was the heir apparent and is most likely to become the next Emperor of Japan. American military forces have re-established control, with the handover of power still to happen on schedule in April. Some believe this coup was made possible by the transfer of over half of the American troops to Korea, which happened last month.'

The Washington Post, January 1952



King George VI dies of Lung Cancer
'Last night, King George died aged 56 after a long illness. It was announced by a spokesman for Buckingham Palace this morning and messages of condolences have come from Prime Minister Atlee, ex-Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Leader of the Conservative Party Anthony Eden, as well as President Dewey of America and Prime Minister Mollet of France. Princess Elizabeth, currently on a trip to Kenya, is expected to become Queen.

The Daily Telegraph, February 1952



'On February 26 1952, the United Kingdom became the third country to possess Nuclear Bombs. It was hardly a surprise, as Britain had conducted much research on the matter, research shared with the USA. The announcement by Prime Minister Atlee was met with congratulations from Dewey, and condemnation from Stalin.'

The Cold War 1945-1957 (1990)



European Coal and Steel Community officially formed
'West Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands have officially formed the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). First proposed by French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman in 1950, the founding treaty was signed last year and will come into effect today. It creates a Common Market for Coal and Steel among those six countries and it is hoped the Common Market will prevent competition over the industrial regions of the Ruhr and Saar. Minister Schuman says that its aim is "to make further war between France and Germany both strategically and materially impossible". However, with the crumbling French government, it is unknown whether this will work.'

The Washington Post, July 1952



'In the lead up to the 1952 RNC, DNC and SRPNC, it was very unclear who the President would be on January 20 1953. The expected challenge by conservative Senator Robert A. Taft of Ohio, son of former President and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court William Howard Taft, did very well against incumbent President Dewey, with several favourite sons winning their home states. It was still uncertain who the eventual nominee wold be, but many expected Dewey would win at the convention. The main Democratic candidates were Senator an d 1948 Vice-Presidential Candidate Alben W. Barkley of Kentucky and Governor Adlai Stevenson II of Illinois. Barkley and Stevenson were neck and neck, with Tennessee Senator Estes Kefauver in 3rd Place. Governor Benjamin Laney of Arkansas was the presumptive nominee for the States' Rights Party, with primary rival 1948 Vice-Presidential Candidate Governor Fielding Wright of Mississippi expected to be the Vice-Presidential nominee.'

The Sixth Party System: US Politics from 1932 to 1956

Not bad, but, OTL, were there really coup attempts on Hirohito?

 

[King_Arthur]

Not bad, but, OTL, were there really coup attempts on Hirohito?

Not that I'm aware of, but most of the US troops in Japan were moved to Korea, so the remaining Ultra-Nationalist Faction in the military (a very small one at this point in time) tried an opportunistic coup attempt.

 

[King_Arthur]

Chapter Eleven – Race to the White House (August - December 1952) ​

'Once again, the GOP Convention in Sacramento was contested. President Dewey had slightly more delegates than Senator Taft, with several favourite sons also holding delegates. After the 1st Round of voting produced no results, Dewey, according to reports, was in a state of panic. Barely minutes before the 2nd Round was due to begin, the President visited former Governor Stassen of Minnesota. The Governor withdrew, and handed his delegates over to Dewey, in exchange for being nominated as running mate. This allowed Dewey to win the vote, and Stassen handily won the Vice-Presidential nomination vote against incumbent Earl Warren. Warren was furious with Dewey and threatened to jump ship to the Democrats and win them a senate seat in his native California. In the end, he was calmed down with the promise of the next Supreme Court seat to become vacant.'

The Republican Party (2009)



'The Democratic convention was similar to the Republican version. In New York City, Senator Barkley and Governor Stevenson were neck and neck, with Stevenson ahead by 7 delegates. The numerous favourite sons did not have another delegate, bar one. Senator Estes Kefauver of Tennessee was in 3rd place and could put either candidate over the top. Party bosses tried to make him choose Stevenson, an Illinoisan, as Barkley was from Kentucky, another solid Democratic state in the south. Defying their wishes, the Senator endorsed Barkley and promptly withdrew, even refusing a Vice-Presidential nomination. Instead Barkley agreed to endorse him if he ran in 1956 or 1960 depending on the election result. This put the senator over the top. Senator Hubert H Humphrey of Minnesota was chosen as Vice-Presidential nominee in an uneventful vote.

As expected, he States' Rights Party chose Governor Laney of Arkansas, and Governor Wright of Mississippi as their candidates in Athens, Georgia.'

The Sixth Party System: US Politics 1932 to 1956



'Senator Barkley and President Dewey were neck and neck in every poll conducted by Gallup and The Pew Research Center. The main Toss-up states were California, Nevada, Washington, the entire Great Lakes region except Indiana, Pennsylvania and New York, as well as Florida. Laney was predicted to win all of the Deep South, as well as Arkansas. The economy, which had previously been struggling, roared back into life in the Summer, which boosted Dewey's campaign. His campaign promise to end the Korean War, while America were winning, and to clamp down on Communism won him much support. On Election Day, he won in an unexpected landslide, winning by 371-103-57. He won all of the swing states except for Minnesota. In the House, the Republicans gained 35 seats from the Democrats, with the SRP winning 11 seats, putting the total at 232-187-16. In the Senate, the Republicans won a seat in Rhode Island, while Democratic Senator John Stennis of Mississippi defected to the SRP, putting the total at 54-40-2.'

The Sixth Party System: US Politics 1932 to 1956

 

[historybuff]

Love it. So, the States Rights Party doesn't last that long, sounds like.

 

[King_Arthur]

Love it. So, the States Rights Party doesn't last that long, sounds like.

Sorry but can you be more clear please? Also 83rd Congress coming today or tomorrow

 

[historybuff]

Sorry but can you be more clear please? Also 83rd Congress coming today or tomorrow

It appears based on the fictional document that the States Right Party last to 1956 or so, unless I'm wrong.