For Which it Falls - An Authoritarian America TL

[BenDaCoolGuy]

"The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment." - Robert M. Hutchins ​

For Which it Falls - An Authoritarian America TL

May 7th was a quiet day. World War One raged on in the trenches of the Western and Eastern fronts, but the seas of Britain were oddly peaceful. The English Lusitania commandeered by William Turner rode swiftly on coast of Munster, heading towards Liverpool. Yet unbeknownst to the crew of the British, a German U-Boat (more specifically U-20) led by popular commander Walter Schwieger was chasing them down, searching for the perfect moment to strike. Whether the Lusitania would sink or survive to see another day, it would forever change the course of history.

-----

Welcome to my second (and hopefully better) timeline! This TL will take place from the end of WWI, through a radically different interwar, and a unique WW2. We will be witnessing a neutral USA throughout World War I, yet still an Entente victory. Because of this though, America will never attain anti-German sentiments, and much of the political landscape in America will be totally different from OTL. Through a series of events, America's republic "for which it stands", will slowly begin to fall. ​

 

[BenDaCoolGuy]

Ol' Turner, the Father of the 20th Century

Some say that 20th century was shaped by the decisions of maniacs and people plunged into perilous times. But in reality the 20th century was shaped by the quick actions of one man on a normal day in 1915. A man by the name of William Thomas Turner, captain of the renown Lusitania, a British merchant ship which regularly transported cargo and passengers from Liverpool to New York. On May 7th, his whole crew was put to risk after a German U-Boat was in miles range of firing at them. His years of experience not only averted the crisis but saved 1,962 lives on the ship, 128 of which were Americans. And not only did he save those Americans but the countless thousands who would've died in the Western Front if the U.S. government decided to intervene into the war after the sinking that could've happened. Turner's decision to make a risky turn to Queenstown, Ireland changed the world for years to come.

It might've seemed insignificant at the moment, but the RMS Lusitania arrived in Liverpool in May 9th, 2 days after the close call. Turner reported his narrow escape to Arthur Mather the mayor of Liverpool, as the message slowly went up through the ranks until notifying the Prime Minister, Herbert Asquith. The British government were shocked and worried that the Lusitania, one of their best merchant ships, was put at risk because of lousy safety instructions. In a month the Ministry of Defense and Admiralty were able to team up with Parliament to create a whole new set of mandatory instructions when out to sea in the war zone. Though the British were skeptical that this would possibly make it harder for the U.S. to join, they got it passed, making harsh restrictions on the freedom of sailors sailing to neutral countries.

1915 continued with astounding victories for the Germans on land but not at sea. While the Western Front resulted in a continued stalemate, the Eastern Front experienced extreme pushes into Russian land as cities such as Warsaw and Grodno. Bulgaria also joins the Central Powers and finally creates a decisive victory in Serbia with Austria. Italy aligns with the Entente in late May and help Allied naval gains in both the Mediterranean and North Seas. Unfortunately for Germany though, the U-Boat campaign started turning sour due to the failure to find and sink cargo ships, and British ships starting pushing towards the German coast, threatening a strong blockade. Yet the Central powers stayed strong. Many countries around the world kept their neutrality, not even coming out on who they support. Woodrow Wilson in fact stayed mostly quiet on Germany, even complimenting German-Americans' patriotism to their ancestral country.

"I think a curse should rest on me — because I love this war. I know it's smashing and shattering the lives of thousands every moment — and yet — I can't help it — I enjoy every second of it."
- Winston Churchill, 1916​

1916 was the year of bloodshed. The war became grimmer as each day passed. The British blockade had officially started, creating a sudden shortage of German imports from other countries. The Battles of the Somme and Verdun had birthed some of the bloodiest military confrontations in human history, and introduced the tank into warfare. And the Ottomans were slowly being pushed back in the Middle East by the British. Slowly but surely, the Germans were starting to be pushed a bit too hard. ​

​

In the next year, tides had finally begun to turn. Though the Russian Revolution started, which ended the Tsar's rule over Russia and created a democratic provisional government. Germany had a little bit of breathing space on the Eastern Front. But on the Western Front the Entente had finally been able to push back German lines a bit, but with a cost. The French army had started mutinying because of what seemed to be never ending indecisive battles. The Brits had the whole weight of the Western Front on their shoulders. But it wasn't as bleak as many suggest, the German navy had been on full retreat ever since their lost at the battle of Jutland and unrestricted submarine warfare had ended in a waste of German resources. But everything got worse in October. October was the month that kept the war running for another 2 gruesome years. October was the last streak of luck for the Central Powers.

-----
Note:

And there is my first chapter! Not much was changed, only how the German navy was flipped on its back after this TL's early failed U-Boat campaign, and the obvious non involvement of the U.S. But this whole chapter is to explain the POD into detail (which is Turner's decision to seek haven in Queenstown, which was actually suggested but abandoned because of Turner's early confidence) and set up the rest of World War I for the extended and more bloody version of what's going to happen. Europe will be forever changed by this even bloodier war. Besides, if you have any quarrels, all critiques are appreciated. I hope this was a decent first chapter and have a good day!

- BenDaCoolGuy

​

 

[BenDaCoolGuy]

A War to End All Wars, and a War to End All Lives

​

Death is one of the few things humans hold in common. Through all differences, all men unfortunately die. Though all hope it's peaceful, the men that fought in the never ending trenches got anything but peaceful. In October of 1917, death tolls started to steadily increase as the days went on. Luckily enough for the Germans, Russian communists (Bolsheviks/Soviets) under the leadership of Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky had risen up in Leningrad and all around Russia. Bolsheviks started to capture towns and industrial centers throughout the country before anti-communist forces started rising to compete against them. Though disorganized and splintered up into multiple different groups, the anti communists had created a steady foothold to oppose the Soviets. In the span of 3 weeks, the Russian Civil War had started.

Meanwhile on the Western Front, the war had reached a stalemate. As the French mutinies grew, the British became the backbone for the Entente. The Western Front was not a war of traditional warfare, but a war of attrition. German supplies would start to dwindle as a result of the strong British blockade and it became apparent to German high command that if Germany were to win this, Paris would have to be captured. General Ludendorf constructed a quick strategy that would attempt Germany's occupation of Paris, either winning or losing the war for the Central Powers. Germany's last hope to become Europe's dominant power laid in the hands of Ludendorf. And so became the Spring Offensive. Historians estimate that almost 760,000 German casualties were gained in the Spring Offensive. Ludendorf started the Offensive off strong with direct attacks on the British army. German infantry pushed through multiple points of the Allied line, reaching the town of Compiegne before being halted. Though these offensives were months long and through out the other fronts, the Central Powers were cracking under the pressure of the Allies. The Ottomans faced a crushing blow in the Middle East as Jerusalem and Baghdad were captured. And the Austrians found themselves in a stalemate with the seemingly unbreakable Italian soldiers. Not until the dawn of 1918 did the Central Powers finally get their much needed relief. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, signed by the Soviets and the Central Powers, granted the the Central Powers client states in the rich Eastern lands of Russia and ratified an official armistice on the Eastern Front. The Germans were given Poland, Belarus, and the Baltic states as satellites, while Ukraine was made an independent realm. Not only this but the Ottomans gained multiple lands lost from the Russians 40 years prior. The armistice brought the war back into the unbeknownst, but despite this victory, the Germans were to confront their shrinking supplies in the ever increasing decisive Western Front.

​

Ludendorf's Offensive had continued for many months, being reinforced by late April. This helped German troops push further to Paris but again were stopped by a strong resistance army in Chantilly. The Offensive would go on for 7 months, from January to August. By the time the German assaults had come to a standstill, the German army only outnumbered the British and French by 200,000 men. Unluckily for the Germans, who were 31 miles away from Paris, became exhausted after the months long attacks. With Ludendorf's halt the French and British who were now reorganizing and resupplying, were planning to launch a new thrust into the weakened German lines. August passed with minimal offensives into German-Occupied land. But during Fall, the fall of the Central Power's presented itself as inevitable. A major Italian victory at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto and Piave River (2nd) marked the route of the Austrian army and the collapse of it's forces as an effective army. Bulgaria's defeat in the Vardar Offensive put the Central Power's Balkans holdings at severe risk. And the Ottoman army had been in full retreat by the time of the Battle of Megiddo.

1919 emerged with grave loses to Germany and her allies. Bulgaria had found Skopje occupied and Sofia in danger of artillery fire, and as a result, Bulgaria had sued for peace on the 2nd of February, 1919. And with it's fall came their past allies. After half a year of preparations, the British and French had charged into German territory, slowly taking German-gained land piece by piece. Ludendorf and Hindenburg fought furiously using their best troops to hold the German positions. But with limited supplies and disorganized lines, the Germans began to lose ground as each day passed. The Austrians found themselves on withdrawal as they retreated to the Alps and Istria for a last stand. The Ottomans too had been pushed back to their homeland, watching Syria and Northern Iraq fall to the Entente. With Bulgaria's exit from the war, the Ottomans found Istanbul immediately in the sights of the colonial powers. And with the Middle East and the Balkans looking increasingly dangerous for the Ottomans, the Ottoman Empire sued for peace with the Entente in late May. Germany and Austria were the last to stay fighting in the war. Austria continued to lose in their defensive positions and as the Allied forces moved north to fight them, Emperor Karl grew extremely worried for the stability of his Empire. Allied forces marched almost unopposed through Romania and the Balkans. With the recapture of Belgrade and the invasion of Ukraine, Emperor Karl of Austria Hungary had been the second to last to sue for peace with the Entente. Then stood Germany. Retreating to the Rhine and facing massive casualties, the Germans had lost. Almost 3,000,000 Germans dead, Germany had lost the war. The Treaty of Versailles (which will be detailed in the next chapter) was signed on the eve of November to avoid a bloody Winter campaign, and with that World War One, the War to End All Wars, had ended.

"Only the dead have seen the end of war."
- George Santayana, 1922
​

-----
Note: Ah, the end of World War One. Many things went different in this TL, from the more successful (yet still failed) German Spring offensive, the larger pushes into Central Powers territory, and the overall length and death toll of the war. Yet the Treaty of Versailles, arguably the most important part of this TL, has yet to be signed. The support I have gotten so far for this TL has inspired me to do the best research and writing I can do for the viewers. Thank you for reading, remember that all criticism is very appreciated, and have a nice day!

- BenDaCoolGuy

 

[BenDaCoolGuy]

The Three Men at Versailles

As the war came to an end, revolutions spread through Germany like a wildfire, seeking for only the total destruction of their oppressors. German democrats rose everywhere throughout the Empire, eventually over throwing Kaiser Wilhelm II himself. Poles took up arms in their ethnic cities declaring themselves independent from the Germans. The fires of revolution had met Europe and only the Treaty of Versailles could cool them down. For now.

Known in history as the Big Three, Italy, France, and Great Britain were the main superpowers that had held the peace conference. All of their leaders, Vittorio Orlando of Italy, Georges Clemenceau from France, and David Lloyd of Britain had their own agendas. France never wanted never wanted another German war again. Britain wanted to end the wars but keep Germany stable. And Italy simply wanted their war goals of the Adriatic. And as a result none of the Central Powers were invited as they were deemed a threat for a decisive treaty. The negotiations had gone off to a good start in early January, 1920. Japan had been invited to the Council of Powers that would discuss terms and agreed, but soon dropped out from the Council after believing there was "no interest for Japan." Besides this small step back the Allies continued to negotiate terms such as the division of Germany and the establishment of a world-wide peace keeping force. The Supreme Council also discussed economic issues. Affairs like reparations, railroads, infrastructure, rebuilding, and even responsibility for the war were all placed in the hands of the Supreme Council. But arguably the most important part of the war, the territorial changes, were yet to be made.
​

​

Woodrow Wilson from the U.S. looked upon Versailles with caution. He had sent the Secretary of State (Robert Lansing) to monitor the treaty and to attempt to push American rhetoric. But surprisingly to no avail. Wilson could do nothing but watch a new Europe unfold in front of his eyes. A good result or not, Woodrow Wilson had to deal with the fact that he left Europe in the hands of two colonial powers. Talks when on throughout the year, each power being divided in their own treaty. Versailles was signed first as it decided the fate of Germany. It was agreed upon the three powers that Germany would pay 37.4 billion dollars in marks, which would be used to rebuild Europe and her armies. Germany was also humiliated, admitting that they started the war and were at fault for it. The Monarchy was to never be restored and a democratic republic by the name of the Weimar republic was instituted. Germany had lost Danzig and her land in Poland, losing it to a brand new independent Polish state. One of the biggest German industrial centers had been lost too, being annexed by a Rhineland buffer state (which was in the French sphere of influence). Their army was also cut down to 100,000 men and their colonies annexed by the Brits ans the French. Germany was disgraced, the government weak, and the populace mad.
​

"This is not a peace. This is an armistice for twenty years."
- Ferdinand Foch, 1919

​

Austria was next. They were partitioned harshly, losing all of the non-Austrian land. Istria, South Tyrol, and Dalmatia to Italy. Bohemia to a new Czech state. Slovakia to a new Slovak state. Galicia split between Poland and Ukraine. 3/4's of Transylvania to Romania and the other quarter to Hungary. And last not but not least, their Bosnian, Croatian, and Montenegrin holdings all annexed by a unified Kingdom with Serbia, called Yugoslavia. The Allies found Austria-Hungary one of their least threats but still partitioned it, splitting it up by large nationality groups. Austria could never unite with Germany (which was the hope of some politicians after the end of the war) and they too had pay reparations and recognize the independence of their daughter nations. Bulgaria followed suit with the loss of Thrace to Greece and Macedonia to Yugoslavia. Hungary was next as the Treaties passed into 1921. They too would experience harsh reparations and a lost of Ethnic lands. Yet due to some Hungarian sympathies in the council, Hungary was able to keep hold of some of Transylvania, southern Slovakia, and Vojvodina.

The last were the Ottomans. The Empire was faced with the most territorial loss, losing more than half of the land they entered the war with. Iraq, Jordan and Palestine were annexed by the Brits and Syria and Lebanon by the French. Armenia was made a new state while the Caucuses countries annexed slivers of land south them. When Allies reached Anatolia, the heartland of the Turks, they reached a problem. Though there was an extremely large risk of low stability in the Ottoman Empire, the Colonial Empire were hungry for land. And land was what they got. 91% of the Turkish coast of the Mediterranean were now in the hands of Italy, Britain, France, and Greece. The land bordering the Sea of Marmara was also now placed under an international committee.This International Committee was the biggest wish of Woodrow Wilson, and for the Europeans to avoid social unrest, they created the Committee of International Affairs. With this, in the Summer of 1921, the Central Powers had officially been dealt with, and Europe had been forever changed.

​

-----
Note: The Official Treaty of Versailles. Again many differences from OTL, Turkish land which was in spheres of influence now actually annexed, a larger Hungary, an independent Armenia and Rhineland (and don't forget Slovakia), and harsher reparations. If there are any questions or suggestions about the TL or this Treaty, feel free to ask and I will begin to answer. Also this ws supposed to be published yesterday, but because of setbacks I had to today, these will still be published weekly on Friday though despite today. Anyway thank you for reading, and have a good day!

- BenDaCoolGuy

 

[BenDaCoolGuy]

The Election that Changed the World

​

"The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime." And with the treaty signed, the lamps had all been out. The period between the 2 World Wars is arguably one of the most important in human history, and the treaty of Versailles was just the beginning of it. The Russian civil war raged on in the East as the communists gobbled up White Russian territory and posed direct threats to the young nations bordering them. While in Western Europe a new wave of social order was arriving, men faced by the terrors of war had their say in who they wanted to lead them, and they would never pick one to lead them into such a deadly war like the last. Asia was beginning to see the toppling of the Qing dynasty and the rise of a Japanese Empire. And in America, the elections were coming up.

Issues such as entry into the Committee of International Affairs, isolationism, growing progressivism, and foreign policy dominated the 1920 election. In the Republican primaries, two front runners dominated. Inexperienced Leonard Wood and progressive Harim Johnson, others like moderate Warren Harding and conservative Frank Lowden did pose threats but ultimately couldn't make a mark as Leonard Wood garnered massive support. Despite the party's best efforts to find a compromise candidate, Leonard was too popular and no deadlock was achieved in the party to have a reason for a compromise. He was elected on June 8th along with Henry Allen as his Vice President, who only barely won against Irvine Lenroot.

​

The democrats had a much harder battle to the presidency as Wilson had tarnished much of their name by cracking down on progressives during his second term. Candidates McAdoo and Palmer were in the lead at first but over time James Cox was able to grab the election from them and was made the democratic candidate on July 6th with Franklin Roosevelt as his Vice President. The election was the first to include the votes of women, but due to low turnout, their vote was not strong. Leonard Wood focused on his competition a lot, using smears such as "Communist appeasers" and "symbols for the party of communists". Cox fired back with Wood's inexperience and his party's fundraising. Though this back and forth brought some attention to Cox and the Democrats, Wood was able to win the election by 212 electoral votes due to anger with the democratic administration and the opposition to the Committee of International Affairs.

Leonard Wood was made president on January 20th, 1921. His election was greeted with the rise of the extremely popular socialism of Eugene Debs who had reached more than 1,000,000 votes (and 4.01% of the vote). It was greeted with a stagnant economy and the beginning of prohibition. And it was greeted by the Soviet aggression in Eastern Europe and the failed reclamation of Turkish lands by Ali Mustafa. Wood's election spelled a new age in American politics. One beset on the Red Scare, a rise of far right wing ideology, and the slow but ever approaching fall of American democracy.

"Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There was never a democracy yet that did not commit suicide."
- John Adams
​

-----
Note: I am late once again! This is a short chapter but will change a lot. Debs was never imprisoned for being against the war in 1918, the large riots in Chicago and Boston never happened and in turn never made Coolidge and Lowden popular enough to slow down Leonard from winning, and a small note that will be expanded upon next chapter, Ataturk has been failing in Turkey. Also I've decided that Alsace-Lorraine is French annexed despite the map. I will try to get back on track with the schedule but overall this TL is still ongoing. As always leave any praise or criticism you find valid and have great day!

- BenDaCoolGuy