Glory: an alternate War of 1812
- Thread starter Odinson
- Start date
America: 1905-1906
Liberty For All: 1905-1906
While Europe burned, President White continued to support neutrality in the conflict, though he personally favored the Entente. America after all did lots of trade with the German Union (mostly because they had neighboring colonies).
But White had other matters he wished to attend to: the plight of the African American population in Rubrum and Creek. Despite the end of chattel slavery, these two states, and even Cherokee, had skirted the law by using poll taxes, literacy tests, and other actions to disenfranchise the vote. The issue was unknown to most of the country until 1903, when activists started protesting the laws. While at first regional news, it became national when some of the leading voices for equality were found hanging from trees.
(Now, I'm sure you're thinking "wouldn't this have been fixed during reconstruction, or resolved by the Civil War?" Well, States rights as a concept hasn't been entirely thrown out. States rights was used as an argument against slavery for decades in this timeline, helping to prevent passage of the fugitive slave law).
White went before Congress and asked for anti lynching legislation, and to make lynching a federal crime. White also attempted to pass an act to make the anti black laws illegal. Elected officials from these three states fought this and declared it federal overreach. But most of the nation supported the President.
As the Great War (or the European War to Americans) heated up, America began selling ammunition and weapons to the Entente forces, as well as providing loans. The United States had a stake in Entente victory: if England was too busy fighting with the rest of the continent, then perhaps it would halt perfidious Albion's colonial ventures. For the last twenty years, British South Africa has been probing the southern borders of the Congo.
While Europe burned, President White continued to support neutrality in the conflict, though he personally favored the Entente. America after all did lots of trade with the German Union (mostly because they had neighboring colonies).
But White had other matters he wished to attend to: the plight of the African American population in Rubrum and Creek. Despite the end of chattel slavery, these two states, and even Cherokee, had skirted the law by using poll taxes, literacy tests, and other actions to disenfranchise the vote. The issue was unknown to most of the country until 1903, when activists started protesting the laws. While at first regional news, it became national when some of the leading voices for equality were found hanging from trees.
(Now, I'm sure you're thinking "wouldn't this have been fixed during reconstruction, or resolved by the Civil War?" Well, States rights as a concept hasn't been entirely thrown out. States rights was used as an argument against slavery for decades in this timeline, helping to prevent passage of the fugitive slave law).
White went before Congress and asked for anti lynching legislation, and to make lynching a federal crime. White also attempted to pass an act to make the anti black laws illegal. Elected officials from these three states fought this and declared it federal overreach. But most of the nation supported the President.
As the Great War (or the European War to Americans) heated up, America began selling ammunition and weapons to the Entente forces, as well as providing loans. The United States had a stake in Entente victory: if England was too busy fighting with the rest of the continent, then perhaps it would halt perfidious Albion's colonial ventures. For the last twenty years, British South Africa has been probing the southern borders of the Congo.
Introduction of the helmet: May to June, 1905
The french army was slow to modernize with its uniform, waiting until the summer of 1905 to abandon the high visibility red pants. But that was not the only part of the uniform to modernize.
With casualties mounting due to indirect fire from shrapnel during the brutal trench warfare, the french military introduced the Adrian helmet.
Its introduction saved countless lives from shrapnel, though it couldn't halt a bullet.
With the short time span between the second Anglo Boer War and the Great War, the British empire found itself using the same uniforms from southern Africa in Belgium. While the pith helmet granted limited protection, the British military introduced a new helmet based off the Lobster tailed pot helmet from the English Civil War.
The forerunner of the Great War helmet.
Providing protection of the neck, its wearers were granted the now common nickname for Englishmen: Lobster-tails.
German Union, Imperial Germany, & Denmark
With a shared history (and the Danes copying their Bavarian led allies), the pickelhaube was used amongst all three nations.
The french army was slow to modernize with its uniform, waiting until the summer of 1905 to abandon the high visibility red pants. But that was not the only part of the uniform to modernize.
With casualties mounting due to indirect fire from shrapnel during the brutal trench warfare, the french military introduced the Adrian helmet.
Its introduction saved countless lives from shrapnel, though it couldn't halt a bullet.
With the short time span between the second Anglo Boer War and the Great War, the British empire found itself using the same uniforms from southern Africa in Belgium. While the pith helmet granted limited protection, the British military introduced a new helmet based off the Lobster tailed pot helmet from the English Civil War.
Providing protection of the neck, its wearers were granted the now common nickname for Englishmen: Lobster-tails.
German Union, Imperial Germany, & Denmark
With a shared history (and the Danes copying their Bavarian led allies), the pickelhaube was used amongst all three nations.
Carter Barrow
The Stories of Carter Barrow: 1905
Carter Barrow smiled and waved at the dolphins swimming in the wake of the USS Robert E Lee. The wind blew through his close cropped brown hair. This was the life. He had graduated from boot camp only a month ago, and here he was, serving on a torpedo destroyer ship.
USS Robert E. Lee
Carter had been assigned to man one of the Hotchkiss 6 pounder Rapid Fire guns on the port side. The other members of his gun crew were Roger Kimball and Sam Carsten. Both were strapping young men, though Kimball was much more arrogant. It was early august when Carter became curious about his ship's name.
"Who was Robert E Lee anyway?"
"He was an officer in the Anglo American War back in 1857. He was aggressive as all get out," replied Kimball.
"More importantly," started Carsten. "He was President Scott's Secretary of War, as well as for President Colfax and the first year for President Tilden until he died in 1870. I had to write a paper on him back in high school."
Carter nodded. "Ah. I'm not going to lie, I think I dozed off during that part in history class."
"What exactly did you stay awake for then?" Joked Sam.
"Lunch!" The roused a laugh from his mates.
"In all honesty, I liked the military history parts. The political parts?" He held his hand flat and twisted it back and forth. "Not so much. Where did you go to school anyway?"
"David Crockett High in Tennessee," said Kimball.
"Running Stream in New York."
"I take it you're both farm boys then?"
"Aye. I knew I would spend my whole life stuck behind a horse's behind if I didn't join the military, and the navy seemed to have the best sights. Hell, we're on our way to Havana now. Of course, everything out here gives me sunburn like no tomorrow, but it's worth it." Carsten smeared ointment on his pale nose. "What about You? Where do you hail from?"
"New Bern North Carolina originally. I'm currently living in Virginia. My family has a history of military service going back to the Disaster of 1812 at least. I figured I could join and keep the tradition going." The other two shrugged. "Makes sense."
The rest of the time was passed by talking about a random assortment of things, like girls, boats, hunting, girls, guns, girls, and of course the war. Barrow mentioned the Australian and New Zealander troops who were landing in the kingdom of Venetia to reinforce Allied positions. "One of the boys in the signal room told me it was close to 15,000 guys. Here's hoping Napoleon IV's boys can hold them back."
"Not that it really matters," said Roger. "We ain't in the war."
"The Congo is on the border of both Union Kamerun and Imperial East Africa. And British colonies in the south. And French colonies in the north. And British Sudan. We're smack dab in the center of this sh#t storm. And if we get pulled it, the navy is going to be doing the heavy lifting." Sam pointed out. "And then there's the British colony north of Clark."
"If President White can't keep us out, then America's gonna run red with blood. Even if we win, it's gonna hurt." Carter finished. His words were ominous, but no less true.
On August 7th, the USS Robert E Lee sailed into Havana harbor. When leaving the ship, he went straight to the nearest bar. The atmosphere felt a bit tense. The only thing that anyone want to talk about was either the war in Europe, or the monopolies in America. President McKinley and President White had failed to address the issue. Carter thought it odd that very few even mentioned anything about president Diaz. Especially since Cuba had been a Mexican state since the early 1900s. Then he spotted one of the Mexican secret policemen in the corner smoking an obnoxiously pungent cigar. Ah, that's why. It's ok for us cause we're American sailors. One of your guys though... Carter may not like the monopolies, but at least America was free. People like him ensured that. If any officer deposed the president and made himself dictator, we'd lynch him that same week. Which brought him to the conclusion that Mexico probably wouldn't stand for this much longer. And when the revolution comes, I'll fight along them for a democratic future.
The interesting thing about Carter Barrow was that he was by no means a Marxist. Yet, he saw the ideas of a citizen revolt against dictators and monopolies as a similarity to the American Revolution and the 2nd amendment. And he saw Mexico as a place to experiment with those ideas.
When the man on the platform put down the guitar, Carter asked to play it. Picking it up, he ran a calloused hand along the wood. He started tapping his foot.
"Hm hm mh, Stand tall for the beast of America.
Lay down like a naked dead body,
keep it real for the people workin' overtime,
they can't stay living off the governments dime." The patrons turned and looked at Carter Barrow on the stage.
"Stand tall for the people of America.
Stand tall for the man next door,
we are free in the land of America,
we ain't goin' down like this." His voice rose in volume, and the sailors in the bar hummed along.
"Stand tall for the beast of America.
Lay down like a naked dead body,
keep it real for the people workin' overtime,
they can't stay living off the governments dime.
Stand tall for the people of America.
Stand tall for the man next door,
we are free in the land of America,
we ain't goin' down like this!" By the end, Carter and the rest of the bar was screaming the song instead of singing it.
Carter Barrow would remember this as his political beginning.
(Note: I did not write the song, instead it is by Nico Vega and was primarily used in the soundtrack for Bioshock Infinite, which I thought would be an appropriate allusion both the time period and the emergence of this new revolutionary. Also, @Michael J Caboose , when you read this, tell me what you think.
Also, go listen to the song Beast by NicoVega. It's really awesome. )
Carter Barrow smiled and waved at the dolphins swimming in the wake of the USS Robert E Lee. The wind blew through his close cropped brown hair. This was the life. He had graduated from boot camp only a month ago, and here he was, serving on a torpedo destroyer ship.
USS Robert E. Lee
Carter had been assigned to man one of the Hotchkiss 6 pounder Rapid Fire guns on the port side. The other members of his gun crew were Roger Kimball and Sam Carsten. Both were strapping young men, though Kimball was much more arrogant. It was early august when Carter became curious about his ship's name.
"Who was Robert E Lee anyway?"
"He was an officer in the Anglo American War back in 1857. He was aggressive as all get out," replied Kimball.
"More importantly," started Carsten. "He was President Scott's Secretary of War, as well as for President Colfax and the first year for President Tilden until he died in 1870. I had to write a paper on him back in high school."
Carter nodded. "Ah. I'm not going to lie, I think I dozed off during that part in history class."
"What exactly did you stay awake for then?" Joked Sam.
"Lunch!" The roused a laugh from his mates.
"In all honesty, I liked the military history parts. The political parts?" He held his hand flat and twisted it back and forth. "Not so much. Where did you go to school anyway?"
"David Crockett High in Tennessee," said Kimball.
"Running Stream in New York."
"I take it you're both farm boys then?"
"Aye. I knew I would spend my whole life stuck behind a horse's behind if I didn't join the military, and the navy seemed to have the best sights. Hell, we're on our way to Havana now. Of course, everything out here gives me sunburn like no tomorrow, but it's worth it." Carsten smeared ointment on his pale nose. "What about You? Where do you hail from?"
"New Bern North Carolina originally. I'm currently living in Virginia. My family has a history of military service going back to the Disaster of 1812 at least. I figured I could join and keep the tradition going." The other two shrugged. "Makes sense."
The rest of the time was passed by talking about a random assortment of things, like girls, boats, hunting, girls, guns, girls, and of course the war. Barrow mentioned the Australian and New Zealander troops who were landing in the kingdom of Venetia to reinforce Allied positions. "One of the boys in the signal room told me it was close to 15,000 guys. Here's hoping Napoleon IV's boys can hold them back."
"Not that it really matters," said Roger. "We ain't in the war."
"The Congo is on the border of both Union Kamerun and Imperial East Africa. And British colonies in the south. And French colonies in the north. And British Sudan. We're smack dab in the center of this sh#t storm. And if we get pulled it, the navy is going to be doing the heavy lifting." Sam pointed out. "And then there's the British colony north of Clark."
"If President White can't keep us out, then America's gonna run red with blood. Even if we win, it's gonna hurt." Carter finished. His words were ominous, but no less true.
On August 7th, the USS Robert E Lee sailed into Havana harbor. When leaving the ship, he went straight to the nearest bar. The atmosphere felt a bit tense. The only thing that anyone want to talk about was either the war in Europe, or the monopolies in America. President McKinley and President White had failed to address the issue. Carter thought it odd that very few even mentioned anything about president Diaz. Especially since Cuba had been a Mexican state since the early 1900s. Then he spotted one of the Mexican secret policemen in the corner smoking an obnoxiously pungent cigar. Ah, that's why. It's ok for us cause we're American sailors. One of your guys though... Carter may not like the monopolies, but at least America was free. People like him ensured that. If any officer deposed the president and made himself dictator, we'd lynch him that same week. Which brought him to the conclusion that Mexico probably wouldn't stand for this much longer. And when the revolution comes, I'll fight along them for a democratic future.
The interesting thing about Carter Barrow was that he was by no means a Marxist. Yet, he saw the ideas of a citizen revolt against dictators and monopolies as a similarity to the American Revolution and the 2nd amendment. And he saw Mexico as a place to experiment with those ideas.
When the man on the platform put down the guitar, Carter asked to play it. Picking it up, he ran a calloused hand along the wood. He started tapping his foot.
"Hm hm mh, Stand tall for the beast of America.
Lay down like a naked dead body,
keep it real for the people workin' overtime,
they can't stay living off the governments dime." The patrons turned and looked at Carter Barrow on the stage.
"Stand tall for the people of America.
Stand tall for the man next door,
we are free in the land of America,
we ain't goin' down like this." His voice rose in volume, and the sailors in the bar hummed along.
"Stand tall for the beast of America.
Lay down like a naked dead body,
keep it real for the people workin' overtime,
they can't stay living off the governments dime.
Stand tall for the people of America.
Stand tall for the man next door,
we are free in the land of America,
we ain't goin' down like this!" By the end, Carter and the rest of the bar was screaming the song instead of singing it.
Carter Barrow would remember this as his political beginning.
(Note: I did not write the song, instead it is by Nico Vega and was primarily used in the soundtrack for Bioshock Infinite, which I thought would be an appropriate allusion both the time period and the emergence of this new revolutionary. Also, @Michael J Caboose , when you read this, tell me what you think.
Also, go listen to the song Beast by NicoVega. It's really awesome. )
Other North American Nations: 1904-1906
Effects on the Interior: 1904-1906
The Confederacy, founded by Tecumseh in the early 1800s, was neutral in the Great War. The Prime Minister Lalawethika had declined to support for either side.
Flag of the Confederacy
Because of his neutrality, Confederate ships were allowed to navigate through the interlocking channels that connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. Textiles and grains were shipped to France and Britain, the nations who were buying the most. Canadians bought a good stock of meats from the Native dominated nation, most of the work force having been drafted.
The Republic of Freedonia was also trading with overseas powers, but because of the landlocked nature of the nation, was forced to send the grain through the Confederacy. The official position of the war in Freedonia was to support France and Canada. After all, the United States hated Britain, and nobody wants to tick off the Americans. The F.I.S.S. was ordered to root out pro British officials and business owners. A work camp was set up in the Freedonian/Canadian border for "spies" to be sent to. Conditions were dismal. These men were forced to plow fields and and forge nails and horseshoes. These were then sold to earn revenue for the government.
Kansas didn't even bother sending their goods through the confederacy. Instead, Kansas sent its goods by rail through Texas to the gulf or east to Boston. Kansas was certainly anti British, remembering the Anglo American War of 1857-1858.
Kansas was the railroad hub that help united the Midwest, with lines going from Valentine, Hanover to San Francisco, California, to Veracruz, Mexico. The little interior republic helped connect North America from one end to another. Until the war broke out, there was even plans for a rail line to stretch from Kansas City to Des Moines to Tippecanoe to Ottawa.
Libertalia, on the other hand, was the interior republic that had closer ties with the UK, having a rail line that went from Libertalia to Clark and the British Dominion of Columbia. The United States looked at Libertalia with caution, not wanting to fight a war like the British did with the Boers.
Map by @The Professor
The Confederacy, founded by Tecumseh in the early 1800s, was neutral in the Great War. The Prime Minister Lalawethika had declined to support for either side.
Flag of the Confederacy
Because of his neutrality, Confederate ships were allowed to navigate through the interlocking channels that connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. Textiles and grains were shipped to France and Britain, the nations who were buying the most. Canadians bought a good stock of meats from the Native dominated nation, most of the work force having been drafted.
The Republic of Freedonia was also trading with overseas powers, but because of the landlocked nature of the nation, was forced to send the grain through the Confederacy. The official position of the war in Freedonia was to support France and Canada. After all, the United States hated Britain, and nobody wants to tick off the Americans. The F.I.S.S. was ordered to root out pro British officials and business owners. A work camp was set up in the Freedonian/Canadian border for "spies" to be sent to. Conditions were dismal. These men were forced to plow fields and and forge nails and horseshoes. These were then sold to earn revenue for the government.
Kansas didn't even bother sending their goods through the confederacy. Instead, Kansas sent its goods by rail through Texas to the gulf or east to Boston. Kansas was certainly anti British, remembering the Anglo American War of 1857-1858.
Kansas was the railroad hub that help united the Midwest, with lines going from Valentine, Hanover to San Francisco, California, to Veracruz, Mexico. The little interior republic helped connect North America from one end to another. Until the war broke out, there was even plans for a rail line to stretch from Kansas City to Des Moines to Tippecanoe to Ottawa.
Libertalia, on the other hand, was the interior republic that had closer ties with the UK, having a rail line that went from Libertalia to Clark and the British Dominion of Columbia. The United States looked at Libertalia with caution, not wanting to fight a war like the British did with the Boers.
Map by @The Professor
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Great War 3
Great War: 1905-1907
Tensions between The United States and the United Kingdom: 1905-1907
During the Great War, the United Kingdom sought to strangle France. With it taking until 1905 for the ANZAC troops to arrive in the Italian peninsula, Britain resorted to submarine warfare to starve the French. Civilian ships were sunk, including foreign ones.
A British sub: early 1905
America, though neutral, traded primarily with the Entente powers, favoring France and the German Union over Great Britain. These ships found themselves targeted by Allied subs. President White protested this, a promised retribution if it did not stop. This worked for a time. But when Irish rebellion began in March 1906, the British became more desperate. Coupled with the losses in Belgium and the wrecking of significant portions of Royal Navy, they felt they had no choice and resumed submarine warfare. Ships from America and the Confederacy were sunk by British torpedoes. Public opinion was turning against the Empire quickly, just like in the late 1850s. "Perfidious Albion is at it again!" Said newspaper headlines. Angry with the British for their actions at sea and the probing of Southern Congo, America declared war on the UK on September 7th, 1906. America's Atlantic fleet left port and began shelling the Bahamas. Lightly defended, the marines took the port of Nassau and the island of Great Inagua. Jamaica, however, proved to be a tougher nut to crack. Artillery kept the American ships away from Kingston, and the army harassed Yankee forces on the north side of the island.
In the Congo, colonial governor William Howard Taft ordered the mobilization of the army. The 15,000 soldiers were to march south and invade the former Boer States and reestablish a government some time in the future after defeating the southern British colonies. Well, in layman's terms anyway. When the American Colonial Army, who numbers were swelled with colonial recruits, crossed into the former Orange Free State, they found little love for the English overlords. The boers were resentful of the Englishmen after the war in 1902 that saw horrific misdeeds done to them. The colonists put up a stiff resistance and halted the American army and even drove them back. But even a defeat took away precious resources from the British Empire. The Imperial German Empire wisely chose not to engage the Americans, knowing that it would have been too big a strain on the nation. A rift began growing between Britain and it's continental ally.
Eastern Front: 1907
While Russia was fighting a civil war, Austria Hungary became distracted by the entrance of Romania to the conflict. The smaller nation desired the area of Transylvania from the empire, which despite victories in the war, was suffering from a poor economy due to lack of trade and several years of bitter fighting with the Russians and the French. Being the biggest of the continental allies, Austria Hungary was feeling the tensions of nationalism in the multi ethnic empire. The emperor, Franz Joseph, had ruled the empire for decades and did not wish to see his empire unravel. Supporting the puppet kingdom of Venetia had proven to be a bad move, and Austria Hungary had nothing to show for all the lives it lost besides the destabilization of its rival Russia. Austria Hungary's
Minister-president of Cisleithania Paul Gautsch von Frankenthurn suggested that they find a way out.
Emperor Franz Joseph
As much as he loathed the idea, Franz Joseph was pressured by his younger brother Maximilian, members of parliament, and high ranking officers into seeking a separate peace and allowing the Imperial German Empire and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland to fight on without their assistance. The Empire, in return for an end to hostilities, was to surrender the region of Transylvania to Romania and surrender the crown of Venetia to Lombardy's royal, the nation who had arguably suffered the most in the Italian Theater of War. The emperor grudgingly signed the treaty and Austria Hungary dropped out of the war, leaving only two members of the Allies still in the fight; the Imperial German Empire and the British Empire.
Holy crud, today is the one year anniversary of the beginning of this timeline!
Tensions between The United States and the United Kingdom: 1905-1907
During the Great War, the United Kingdom sought to strangle France. With it taking until 1905 for the ANZAC troops to arrive in the Italian peninsula, Britain resorted to submarine warfare to starve the French. Civilian ships were sunk, including foreign ones.
A British sub: early 1905
America, though neutral, traded primarily with the Entente powers, favoring France and the German Union over Great Britain. These ships found themselves targeted by Allied subs. President White protested this, a promised retribution if it did not stop. This worked for a time. But when Irish rebellion began in March 1906, the British became more desperate. Coupled with the losses in Belgium and the wrecking of significant portions of Royal Navy, they felt they had no choice and resumed submarine warfare. Ships from America and the Confederacy were sunk by British torpedoes. Public opinion was turning against the Empire quickly, just like in the late 1850s. "Perfidious Albion is at it again!" Said newspaper headlines. Angry with the British for their actions at sea and the probing of Southern Congo, America declared war on the UK on September 7th, 1906. America's Atlantic fleet left port and began shelling the Bahamas. Lightly defended, the marines took the port of Nassau and the island of Great Inagua. Jamaica, however, proved to be a tougher nut to crack. Artillery kept the American ships away from Kingston, and the army harassed Yankee forces on the north side of the island.
In the Congo, colonial governor William Howard Taft ordered the mobilization of the army. The 15,000 soldiers were to march south and invade the former Boer States and reestablish a government some time in the future after defeating the southern British colonies. Well, in layman's terms anyway. When the American Colonial Army, who numbers were swelled with colonial recruits, crossed into the former Orange Free State, they found little love for the English overlords. The boers were resentful of the Englishmen after the war in 1902 that saw horrific misdeeds done to them. The colonists put up a stiff resistance and halted the American army and even drove them back. But even a defeat took away precious resources from the British Empire. The Imperial German Empire wisely chose not to engage the Americans, knowing that it would have been too big a strain on the nation. A rift began growing between Britain and it's continental ally.
Eastern Front: 1907
While Russia was fighting a civil war, Austria Hungary became distracted by the entrance of Romania to the conflict. The smaller nation desired the area of Transylvania from the empire, which despite victories in the war, was suffering from a poor economy due to lack of trade and several years of bitter fighting with the Russians and the French. Being the biggest of the continental allies, Austria Hungary was feeling the tensions of nationalism in the multi ethnic empire. The emperor, Franz Joseph, had ruled the empire for decades and did not wish to see his empire unravel. Supporting the puppet kingdom of Venetia had proven to be a bad move, and Austria Hungary had nothing to show for all the lives it lost besides the destabilization of its rival Russia. Austria Hungary's
Minister-president of Cisleithania Paul Gautsch von Frankenthurn suggested that they find a way out.
Emperor Franz Joseph
As much as he loathed the idea, Franz Joseph was pressured by his younger brother Maximilian, members of parliament, and high ranking officers into seeking a separate peace and allowing the Imperial German Empire and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland to fight on without their assistance. The Empire, in return for an end to hostilities, was to surrender the region of Transylvania to Romania and surrender the crown of Venetia to Lombardy's royal, the nation who had arguably suffered the most in the Italian Theater of War. The emperor grudgingly signed the treaty and Austria Hungary dropped out of the war, leaving only two members of the Allies still in the fight; the Imperial German Empire and the British Empire.
Holy crud, today is the one year anniversary of the beginning of this timeline!
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As a heads up: I'm not entirely happy with the layout/events of the timeline, so over the next few days I will be making some edits to posts and merging chapters that are simply too short for my liking, as well as fixing some errors I had made. Some of the original chapters shall remain, but I will post newer chapters that will be a bit out of order, so use the thread marks.
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Great War 4
Great War: September 1907- August 1908
Europe had been at war since 1904, and it suffered. Cities were shelled. Cities were bombed from high flying airships from overhead. Men died in the thousands just to take five extra feet of mud and decaying bodies left half buried like they were hoodlums placed in a shallow grave. Children cried, people starved. The Entente blockaded the coast. The British launched unrestricted warfare. The Republic of Canada unveiled the world's first war areoplane. Russia was forced to drop out of the war, as was Austria-Hungary. The two sides seemed to be locked into a stalemate.
And the entrance of the United States of America looked like it might help tip the balance.
The British navy, once seen as the best the world had to offer in addition to being the biggest, was mostly at the bottom of the ocean. While large and impressive, most of the ships were outdated. The war had broken out before sweeping reforms and refittings could be instituted. While the United States Navy was no more advanced, it was newer and larger from avoiding war for the last three years. America had its own problems, symptoms of the Gilded Age. Monopolies and robber barons crushed the working man under the boot, and President White wasn't signing any legislation to stop it. But when the nation was threatened, even the most Marxist coal miner from Kanawah was signing up to fight for America. The United States war plans against Great Britain had three main components; the destruction of the Royal Navy, the elimination of British power in Africa, and an invasion of British Columbia. George Dewey, commander of the Atlantic Squadron, led the United States to victory in the Battle of Kingston shortly after the 1907 Kingston Earthquake. The United States understood perhaps just as well as the main European powers that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was a dangerous foe, and did not expect to beat them in a toe to toe match, instead they focused on crippling it in the Caribbean and preventing a proper projection of naval power in southern Africa. Former Secretary of the Navy under Presidents Tilden and Blaine Ulysses Grant had believed that if America could control the Cape of Good Hope, the UK's supply lines to Asia and Australia could be severed, depriving them of troops while the Pacific Squadron would shell any British ships sailing for or past Honolulu. This theory was put to the test and worked greatly.
George Dewey
In Africa, the United States Army under John J. Pershing was facing unexpected push backs from the British soldiers. Under orders of Colonial Governor William Howard Taft, aid such as medicine and food was to be provided for the Boer population in the former Orange Free State and the South African Republic. Afrikaners were employed as auxiliary troops and scouts during the conflict. The United States worked alongside the Boers and planned on reestablishing the Boer republics into a federation to serve as both a satellite nation and a buffer state. A provisional government under American supervision was formed under Christiaan Rudolf de Wet (the former President of the Orange Free State), Christiaan Frederik Beyers, and Manie Maritz (a prominent Boer) in the city of Bloemfontein.
Christiaan Rudolf de Wet.
Manie Maritz
Christiaan Frederik Beyers
In North America, American troops under Frederick Funston invaded British Columbia. The city of Vancouver was shelled to rubble. British Columbia was vulnerable to the Americans, and the militias and colonial troops understood that a one on one fight would be a massacre, and instead opted to fade into the wilderness and harass the Yankee occupiers. It was not a perfect plan, but British reinforcements were not going to come. The dominion fell to the American army.
Frederick Funston
In Europe, the Allies were forced into an even more dire situation. With Austria Hungary dropping out, the thousands of ANZACs were given 48 hours to leave the Austro Hungarian Empire and the Kingdom of Venetia. Lacking anyway to reliably transport the men via the Mediterranean, the ANZACs instead marched north into the Imperial German Empire. The introduction of man power was a boon and gave the Kaiser a boost to moral. The British soldiers bolstered the dwindling numbers of the Imperials. However, France launched the now famous (or infamous) Spring Offensive which saw the British expelled from all but the coast of Belgium. The war had led to the near collapse of the British economy, and the call for peace was at its strongest. French armies were sent to assist the German Union and the Danish army against the Imperial German Empire, which was now on the verge of revolt against the Kaiser.
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.
After years of bloody fighting, the Allies (Imperial Germany and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland) sought an armistice with the Entente in early August, 1908.
Europe had been at war since 1904, and it suffered. Cities were shelled. Cities were bombed from high flying airships from overhead. Men died in the thousands just to take five extra feet of mud and decaying bodies left half buried like they were hoodlums placed in a shallow grave. Children cried, people starved. The Entente blockaded the coast. The British launched unrestricted warfare. The Republic of Canada unveiled the world's first war areoplane. Russia was forced to drop out of the war, as was Austria-Hungary. The two sides seemed to be locked into a stalemate.
And the entrance of the United States of America looked like it might help tip the balance.
The British navy, once seen as the best the world had to offer in addition to being the biggest, was mostly at the bottom of the ocean. While large and impressive, most of the ships were outdated. The war had broken out before sweeping reforms and refittings could be instituted. While the United States Navy was no more advanced, it was newer and larger from avoiding war for the last three years. America had its own problems, symptoms of the Gilded Age. Monopolies and robber barons crushed the working man under the boot, and President White wasn't signing any legislation to stop it. But when the nation was threatened, even the most Marxist coal miner from Kanawah was signing up to fight for America. The United States war plans against Great Britain had three main components; the destruction of the Royal Navy, the elimination of British power in Africa, and an invasion of British Columbia. George Dewey, commander of the Atlantic Squadron, led the United States to victory in the Battle of Kingston shortly after the 1907 Kingston Earthquake. The United States understood perhaps just as well as the main European powers that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was a dangerous foe, and did not expect to beat them in a toe to toe match, instead they focused on crippling it in the Caribbean and preventing a proper projection of naval power in southern Africa. Former Secretary of the Navy under Presidents Tilden and Blaine Ulysses Grant had believed that if America could control the Cape of Good Hope, the UK's supply lines to Asia and Australia could be severed, depriving them of troops while the Pacific Squadron would shell any British ships sailing for or past Honolulu. This theory was put to the test and worked greatly.
George Dewey
In Africa, the United States Army under John J. Pershing was facing unexpected push backs from the British soldiers. Under orders of Colonial Governor William Howard Taft, aid such as medicine and food was to be provided for the Boer population in the former Orange Free State and the South African Republic. Afrikaners were employed as auxiliary troops and scouts during the conflict. The United States worked alongside the Boers and planned on reestablishing the Boer republics into a federation to serve as both a satellite nation and a buffer state. A provisional government under American supervision was formed under Christiaan Rudolf de Wet (the former President of the Orange Free State), Christiaan Frederik Beyers, and Manie Maritz (a prominent Boer) in the city of Bloemfontein.
Christiaan Rudolf de Wet.
Manie Maritz
Christiaan Frederik Beyers
In North America, American troops under Frederick Funston invaded British Columbia. The city of Vancouver was shelled to rubble. British Columbia was vulnerable to the Americans, and the militias and colonial troops understood that a one on one fight would be a massacre, and instead opted to fade into the wilderness and harass the Yankee occupiers. It was not a perfect plan, but British reinforcements were not going to come. The dominion fell to the American army.
Frederick Funston
In Europe, the Allies were forced into an even more dire situation. With Austria Hungary dropping out, the thousands of ANZACs were given 48 hours to leave the Austro Hungarian Empire and the Kingdom of Venetia. Lacking anyway to reliably transport the men via the Mediterranean, the ANZACs instead marched north into the Imperial German Empire. The introduction of man power was a boon and gave the Kaiser a boost to moral. The British soldiers bolstered the dwindling numbers of the Imperials. However, France launched the now famous (or infamous) Spring Offensive which saw the British expelled from all but the coast of Belgium. The war had led to the near collapse of the British economy, and the call for peace was at its strongest. French armies were sent to assist the German Union and the Danish army against the Imperial German Empire, which was now on the verge of revolt against the Kaiser.
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.
After years of bloody fighting, the Allies (Imperial Germany and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland) sought an armistice with the Entente in early August, 1908.
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Clinton/King was an oversight, my bad. As for Adams/Webster, I had a paragraph mentioning how Adams moved to DC under President Clinton to serve as his Secretary of State and simply remained in Maryland prior to the 1840 election, but by the looks of it I think I accidentally deleted it.
As for maps, I lack the ability to make them on the device, and I thought requesting a map like it would be too complicated to ask for.
It's okay. Maybe it just got thrown to the house. And I understand your hesitance to make a map. I mostly just use mapchart.net.
Well, (aside from those mistakes) glad you enjoyed the timeline so far.
Just caught up on the timeline and I have enjoyed it. A little harsh on perfidious Albion and I think you hand waved the Royal Navy too much. Especially with how the West Germany/Danish navies destroyed the Imperial Germans. But that aside I look forward to how things will go now that the War is getting close to the end.
In regards to the Royal Navy, in the previous wars, Great Britain beat the USA at sea aside from a few instances.
But as to why they did rather poorly against the German Union, there was a "window of weakness" so to speak. In OTL 1904-1905 the Royal Navy underwent massive refitting which saw it dominate in OTL world war one.
Here, the Great War begins just before the British naval upgrade, leaving them at a grave disadvantage when facing German Union. When America enters the war, it's like attacking a man on crutches.
Election of 1908
Conventions and Election: June 16 - November 3
The Liberty Party National Convention was held on June 16th, 1908 in the city of Chicago, Illinois. Incumbent George Henry White had declared he wouldn't run for a second term, which frustrated much of the party seeing as the United States had been pulled into the Great War/Separate Concurrent War. However, the party worked with what it had. Seeing as the war was still going on and nobody knew when it was going to end, the convention delegates began throwing their support behind soldiers and war heroes. Though not present, Colonial Governor William Howard Taft received a good showing on the first ballot, as did Frederick Funston. The Vice President, Henry Cabot Lodge also had a fair share of supporters. The convention deadlocked over Funston and Lodge. Charles Evans Hughes of New York nominated the Secretary of the Navy, Alfred Thayer Mahan. Before his appointment, Mahan had been a a naval officer from the short American Civil War to the late 1890s and was the author of the influential book The Influence of Sea power Upon History. With war between Great Britain and the United States of America once again, it seemed fitting to nominate him. He had graduated from Annapolis in 1859, too late to fight in the Anglo American War of 1857-1858. For running mate, the convention chose Charles W. Fairbanks of Indiana.
Alfred Thayer Mahan: Libertarian presidential nominee
Charles W. Fairbanks: Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee
The Democratic National Convention met in July from the 7th to the 13th in the city of New Echota in the state of Cherokee. Support for the war was a foregone conclusion, but the Democratic platform decided to focus on primarily on the Post War world. The Great War was destructive and featured fighting across the globe. In the words of delegate Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey, "The World must be made safe for democracy." Wilson was the president of Princeton University since 1902, but was nonetheless an active campaigner for Democratic candidates in his adopted state. Wilson presented his plan at the convention as a peace plan for the post war world, which called for
Woodrow Wilson: Democratic presidential nominee
George Gray: Democratic vice presidential nominee
The Socialist Party met on July 11th to July 13th. The Socialist party initially outright opposed the war, even while many of their voters enlisted. Instead, the Socialist Party of America (SPA) made its platform on breaking up monopolies and defending workers rights. The only reason President McKinley had even sided with the strikers during the Mine War was because of the shear size of the scandal. Labor had been fighting with companies for years with little help from the political establishment, and the formation of Kanawah was a huge victory and had even went for the SPA in the 1904 election. A surprise delegate arrived at the convention however, a long time Libertarian; Theodore Roosevelt.
Roosevelt had battled corruption in New York for several years and had campaigned for the 1904 election, advocating for the breaking of trusts and monopolies such as Standard Oil and U.S. Steel, only to be defeated by party bosses who tossed their support to White. While he did not agree with everything the SPA stood for, he decided that attending he could make a powerful political statement. The SPA in turn, knowing how popular he could be for the party, nominated him as Eugene V. Debs's running mate.
Eugene V. Debs: Socialist presidential nominee
Theodore Roosevelt: Socialist vice presidential nominee
All three parties campaigned actively until November, when Mahan won the election. However, it was anything but a landslide. Wilson had carried the deep south, and Texas, and Mahan won Clark, Oregon, the Midwest, Virginia, and New England. Debs, however.
Debs took the state of New York, New Jersey, Kanawah, and barely lost the popular vote in Pennsylvania, earning them 58 electoral votes.
The socialist party appeared to be on the rise. And that scared some people.
The Liberty Party National Convention was held on June 16th, 1908 in the city of Chicago, Illinois. Incumbent George Henry White had declared he wouldn't run for a second term, which frustrated much of the party seeing as the United States had been pulled into the Great War/Separate Concurrent War. However, the party worked with what it had. Seeing as the war was still going on and nobody knew when it was going to end, the convention delegates began throwing their support behind soldiers and war heroes. Though not present, Colonial Governor William Howard Taft received a good showing on the first ballot, as did Frederick Funston. The Vice President, Henry Cabot Lodge also had a fair share of supporters. The convention deadlocked over Funston and Lodge. Charles Evans Hughes of New York nominated the Secretary of the Navy, Alfred Thayer Mahan. Before his appointment, Mahan had been a a naval officer from the short American Civil War to the late 1890s and was the author of the influential book The Influence of Sea power Upon History. With war between Great Britain and the United States of America once again, it seemed fitting to nominate him. He had graduated from Annapolis in 1859, too late to fight in the Anglo American War of 1857-1858. For running mate, the convention chose Charles W. Fairbanks of Indiana.
Alfred Thayer Mahan: Libertarian presidential nominee
Charles W. Fairbanks: Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee
The Democratic National Convention met in July from the 7th to the 13th in the city of New Echota in the state of Cherokee. Support for the war was a foregone conclusion, but the Democratic platform decided to focus on primarily on the Post War world. The Great War was destructive and featured fighting across the globe. In the words of delegate Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey, "The World must be made safe for democracy." Wilson was the president of Princeton University since 1902, but was nonetheless an active campaigner for Democratic candidates in his adopted state. Wilson presented his plan at the convention as a peace plan for the post war world, which called for
- Open covenants of peace, openly arrived at, after which there shall be no private international understandings of any kind but diplomacy shall proceed always frankly and in the public view.
- Absolute freedom of navigation upon the seas, outside territorial waters, alike in peace and in war, except as the seas may be closed in whole or in part by international action for the enforcement of international covenants.
- French Withdrawal from Belgium and the payment of restitution for damages inflicted upon the nation.
- The creation of an independent Irish state freed from British domination.
- The creation of a general association of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike.
Woodrow Wilson: Democratic presidential nominee
George Gray: Democratic vice presidential nominee
The Socialist Party met on July 11th to July 13th. The Socialist party initially outright opposed the war, even while many of their voters enlisted. Instead, the Socialist Party of America (SPA) made its platform on breaking up monopolies and defending workers rights. The only reason President McKinley had even sided with the strikers during the Mine War was because of the shear size of the scandal. Labor had been fighting with companies for years with little help from the political establishment, and the formation of Kanawah was a huge victory and had even went for the SPA in the 1904 election. A surprise delegate arrived at the convention however, a long time Libertarian; Theodore Roosevelt.
Roosevelt had battled corruption in New York for several years and had campaigned for the 1904 election, advocating for the breaking of trusts and monopolies such as Standard Oil and U.S. Steel, only to be defeated by party bosses who tossed their support to White. While he did not agree with everything the SPA stood for, he decided that attending he could make a powerful political statement. The SPA in turn, knowing how popular he could be for the party, nominated him as Eugene V. Debs's running mate.
Eugene V. Debs: Socialist presidential nominee
Theodore Roosevelt: Socialist vice presidential nominee
All three parties campaigned actively until November, when Mahan won the election. However, it was anything but a landslide. Wilson had carried the deep south, and Texas, and Mahan won Clark, Oregon, the Midwest, Virginia, and New England. Debs, however.
Debs took the state of New York, New Jersey, Kanawah, and barely lost the popular vote in Pennsylvania, earning them 58 electoral votes.
The socialist party appeared to be on the rise. And that scared some people.
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Great War 5
End of the War to End All Wars: August 1908- June 1909
The Great War paused in much of the world, the soldiers finally having a rest from the killing. On August 8th, 1908 an armistice was proclaimed between the Entente and the Allies. This did not end the fighting in Africa between the United States and Great Britain. The United States Navy had begun to target all British shipping, wishing to starve them into submission. Despite failing to make major progress, the American Army continuously to push southward to take the cape. The United States wasn't bound to the armistice, they were not part of the Entente, so they felt no need to stop. These pro war leanings led to the election of Mahan over the Democratic Wilson and the Socialist Debbs in November, 1908. Unfortunately, for the American public that is, the former naval officer's war ended before it really started. Under President White, the United States of America agreed to a cease fire and, under Congressional approval, lobbied for a spot at the upcoming Paris Peace Conference, which was slated to begin in January, 1909. President White declared at a press conference that the United States had shed enough blood and had achieved its war time goals, including eliminating the threat of Great Britain on the North American continent (aside from the Maritimes).
The Paris Peace Conference began on January 18th, 1909 and ended in June, 1909. At the conference, the blame of the war was placed upon Great Britain for its part in the Dogger Bank Incident and the escalation from there and would be forced to pay reparations to the United States, France, the German Union, and Denmark for damages inflicted through unrestricted submarine warfare. In addition, Great Britain would also relinquish control over the Dominion of British Columbia to the United States, New Brunswick to the Republic of Canada, and allow the the Boer republics of Transvaal, the Orange Free State, and Natalia to released into the American sphere of influence.
Jamaica and the Bahamas were to be given to the United States.
Belgium would be divided into two nations, the french speaking Wallonia would be spun off as a French protectorate while Flanders would become an independent nation with its capital in the city of Antwerp. British Nigeria was to be given to the German Union, which had fought Britain at sea, and joined to the Union colony of Kamerun. The Gold Coast was to be added to the French colonial empire. The remaining South African colonies were to remain in British hands. Former Imperial German East Africa had been governed by the local inhabitants as a "Free Republic" and had no inclination to go back to becoming a colony. However, the European powers did not care for this or really pay attention, instead declaring that OstAfrika should be given to a neutral power. This was because the none of the Entente powers wanted it, but were reluctant to see a colony gain independence through the overthrowing of its overlords. Spain, who had been neutral throughout the war, was given the colony because they were sympathetic to France. The other powers agreed. While fighting had spanned the glob, not all of it was conclusive. Britain failed to lose any colonies in the Pacific, and aside from New Brunswick, the Maritimes were to be kept in British orbit, as was Trinidad and Tobago.
With the end of the Great War in 1909, peace was declared in Europe and North America. The "War to End All Wars" was over.
This peace would not be permanent, as revolution was on the horizon in the United States, and by the end of the decade, America would be forever changed.
The Great War paused in much of the world, the soldiers finally having a rest from the killing. On August 8th, 1908 an armistice was proclaimed between the Entente and the Allies. This did not end the fighting in Africa between the United States and Great Britain. The United States Navy had begun to target all British shipping, wishing to starve them into submission. Despite failing to make major progress, the American Army continuously to push southward to take the cape. The United States wasn't bound to the armistice, they were not part of the Entente, so they felt no need to stop. These pro war leanings led to the election of Mahan over the Democratic Wilson and the Socialist Debbs in November, 1908. Unfortunately, for the American public that is, the former naval officer's war ended before it really started. Under President White, the United States of America agreed to a cease fire and, under Congressional approval, lobbied for a spot at the upcoming Paris Peace Conference, which was slated to begin in January, 1909. President White declared at a press conference that the United States had shed enough blood and had achieved its war time goals, including eliminating the threat of Great Britain on the North American continent (aside from the Maritimes).
"We have bled and starved Britain and her people. Now it is time to end this dreadful conflict."
- George Henry White.
- George Henry White.
The Paris Peace Conference began on January 18th, 1909 and ended in June, 1909. At the conference, the blame of the war was placed upon Great Britain for its part in the Dogger Bank Incident and the escalation from there and would be forced to pay reparations to the United States, France, the German Union, and Denmark for damages inflicted through unrestricted submarine warfare. In addition, Great Britain would also relinquish control over the Dominion of British Columbia to the United States, New Brunswick to the Republic of Canada, and allow the the Boer republics of Transvaal, the Orange Free State, and Natalia to released into the American sphere of influence.
Jamaica and the Bahamas were to be given to the United States.
Belgium would be divided into two nations, the french speaking Wallonia would be spun off as a French protectorate while Flanders would become an independent nation with its capital in the city of Antwerp. British Nigeria was to be given to the German Union, which had fought Britain at sea, and joined to the Union colony of Kamerun. The Gold Coast was to be added to the French colonial empire. The remaining South African colonies were to remain in British hands. Former Imperial German East Africa had been governed by the local inhabitants as a "Free Republic" and had no inclination to go back to becoming a colony. However, the European powers did not care for this or really pay attention, instead declaring that OstAfrika should be given to a neutral power. This was because the none of the Entente powers wanted it, but were reluctant to see a colony gain independence through the overthrowing of its overlords. Spain, who had been neutral throughout the war, was given the colony because they were sympathetic to France. The other powers agreed. While fighting had spanned the glob, not all of it was conclusive. Britain failed to lose any colonies in the Pacific, and aside from New Brunswick, the Maritimes were to be kept in British orbit, as was Trinidad and Tobago.
With the end of the Great War in 1909, peace was declared in Europe and North America. The "War to End All Wars" was over.
This peace would not be permanent, as revolution was on the horizon in the United States, and by the end of the decade, America would be forever changed.
