Choose what TL I should write next

Which one?


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Rush Tarquin

Gone Fishin'
Figurehead Al Smith?

Some conspiracy types think Smith was one of the plotters. Even though he became against a lot of the New Deal, I don't really take him for a fascist. The other problem is that he's a politician and therefore makes a poor puppet for the plotters as he's liable to have his own ideas.

The plotters wanted a man in uniform who was popular with other soldiers so that:

1. Other soldiers/veterans would actually participate in the coup out of loyalty to the popular man.
2. It's harder to question the motivations of a soldier than it is a politician with the whole 'they risked their life for their country' mystique.
3. As stated previously, they're less likely to get their own ideas, which would kinda defeat the purpose of a puppet for business interests.

Smedley Butler was just about the most popular man among vets, so him being a socialist was very inconvenient for the Plotters. An anti-New Deal war hero could be flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker.
 
Smedley Butler was just about the most popular man among vets, so him being a socialist was very inconvenient for the Plotters. An anti-New Deal war hero could be flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker.

Charles Lindbergh comes to mind, as well, as does Leonard Wood, who was quite conservative himself.
 
Well if your looking for a former military commander with Fascist tendacies why not go with NRA Director Hugh S. Johnson of Kansas. Although he's an Roosevelt apointee, he was immensly popular during 1933 and probably could be coherced into leading the Revolution.
 

Wolfpaw

Banned
You promised when I was just beginning Tail-Gunner that you'd do the Henry Ford TL, remember?;)

Beside, a Henry Ford presidency may not actually be too different than whatever outcomes might spawn from the Business Plot. Think about it, man!:D
 
Okay, I'm calling it for President Henry Ford, in a narrow victory. Prepare for dystopia, and Theodore Bilbo slithering into executive office.
 
Okay, I'm calling it for President Henry Ford, in a narrow victory. Prepare for dystopia, and Theodore Bilbo slithering into executive office.

oakvale

Just ploughing through the backlog after holidays and catching up,. Looking forward to this.:)

If you have doubts, as some posters have about Ford himself taking the US all the way to a recognised fascism, one option might be him being the 1st step on the line. In one TL I've played about with Ford gets elected in 24 in the depths of a serious depression, partly relying on support from a hard line group, the Campaign for American Purity. [Think KKK and related 'minded' bodies]. He and his supporters later get purged by the CAP and that descends into full blooded popularist dictatorship.

One other thing to consider. Fascism covers a much broader range than its most famous example of Nazi insanity. It would be far more likely to see something similar to Italy or Spain. Of course with its own special attributes. If nothing else too many Americans would reject accepting any ideas from outside and probably especially Europe, so you would have it having a different name and attributes. A lot depends on what you define as fascism.

Steve
 
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