In His Own Right

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The Balkan Peace Conference - 27 to 30 November, 1908

The warring nations of the Balkans, having sustained a ceasefire for weeks on end, finally met in London under the careful watch of the British and German foreign ministers. Present were representatives from Greece, Montenegro, Serbia, Bulgaria and Turkey, as well as observers from Italy, Austria-Hungary, Romania and Russia.

The Greeks were the most disappointed out of the meeting. With the need for Constantinople to save face, she was ordered to surrender Adrianople, Rhodes and Smyrna back to the Ottoman Empire, but would be permitted to keep all of Macedonia and Thessaly. The Russians and Austrians were most insistent that Serbia be permitted to keep all her gains and, given that no contiguous border with the Ottoman Empire now existed, this was opposed by few. The Bulgarians got Thrace, a particular disappointment to Sofia who wanted part of Macedonia, but given the decimated state of their military, no more than they could expect.

In return for the cities under Greek control, the Ottomans would be required to give up all her Aegean islands, excepting Rhodes, and was required to agree to open the Dardenelles and the Bosporus to ships of all nations. It would be declared a neutral zone and Britain and Germany would jointly administer the straits, in return for a payment to the Turkish government of an indexed leasing payment. For 1909, that figure would be 6.4 million pounds sterling (Editors Note: about 430 million pounds today).
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OK, I have changed my mind. We are going to go out with not one bombshell, but two. One relates to the United States, the other relates to Italy. At that stage, I will declare this Chapter concluded. Thanks to everyone who has supported me in my first effort at a timeline. It has been a steep learning curve. I look forward to returning to you in 1909. By the way, hope you like the map, which includes the new Balkan borders and shows the rate of advance into Italian territory by her enemies at year's end.

End of 1908.jpg
 
Great map- I was thinking - that agreement was a bombshell - but then I realized that it wasn't. Silly me.
 
Sweet v South Carolina (1908)

Growth of job opportunities for African Americans in the South had opened up a greater social mobility for persons of colour. One family, the Sweets, found themselves with sufficient equity to move out of their home into a predominantly white district. They were the first black family in their part of Charleston, which raised the hackles of their neighbours somewhat. But what caused their greatest concern was when, in late 1907, their son, Robert Sweet, applied to attend the only local school - a school that had no other African American students. Robert was declined entry.

The Sweets immediately took action in their local court, stating through their lawyer that Sakamoto meant that he had to be granted access. The segregation was unreasonable, they said. And there existed no alternative facility for Robert to attend school. The school stated that there would be an alternative facility and sought a writ of mandamus, continuing the case for six months, during which time it would build segregated but equal facilities. An appeal was made against the writ to the Court of Appeals, then the South Carolina Supreme Court, both of whom upheld it.

The Supreme Court chose to grant certiorari before the resignation of Justice White, but the case was heard by the full bench shortly thereafter. The school argued that they had been founded as a whites-only school and thus could be protected under Sakamoto. However, on 2 December, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that not only had the refusal to admit been unreasonable, the building of alternate facilities still did not address the criteria of reasonability. By being forced into isolation, Robert would have an education that was quantitatively and qualitatively inferior to that being provided to the white students. It then built on Sakamoto, by stating that segregation in education could not be permitted where it produced any disadvantage, tangible or intangible, for students. "Separate but equal", as prescribed by Plessy, would no longer apply.

Justice Harlan stated that "the concepts of equal protection and due process are not mutually exclusive. While equal facilities may be an explicit safeguard against discrimination, the resulting discrimination can be so unjustifiable as to be violative of due process." He then stated that as segregation in state schools was prohibited by the Constitution, it would be "most unreasonable" for the Federal Government to apply segregation in the provision of its services. Within six weeks, the White American Citizens Movement (WACM) was born in Mississippi.
 
The Battle Of the Sicilian Sea

The Spanish had endured a terrible landing in southern Sicily. After consultation with their French allies, it was decided late in November, 1908, to attempt an assault on the north of the island, particular Messina. The fall of the city would cut off supply to the island from the mainland and would ensure that its fall was not as costly and horrific as the Sardinian campaign.

The Regent was desperately in need of a strong victory. Already, there was considerable complaint against his leadership in Madrid, and in the regions, there was growing anger over being pressed into another war against their wills. It was decided that the landing would take place just after Christmas, on 27 and 28 December. It would involve virtually the entire Spanish navy, as well as a considerable number of French vessels. With the Italian fleet almost entirely concentrated around Rome, there was minimal chance of naval intervention.

The vessels approached the shoreline as the sun broke on 27 December and put ashore shortly thereafter. The French flotilla include a battleship, two cruisers, four destroyers and six other vessels. The Spanish could only provide two destroyers and three other vessels, but combined, they were a fleet of eighteen. More than enough of a match for the Italians. Embarking from the ships were close to forty thousand soldiers. They immediately proceeded to set up a base camp and to prepare for mobilisation the following day. However, the next day didn't dawn for any of those involved.

In the early hours of 28 December, an earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale shifted the tectonic plates in the strait between Calabria and Messina. A massive tsunami struck the coast of Messina only eight minutes later, wiping out not only the city and nearby villages, but also nearly 10% of the Spanish army. The bulk of its navy and a sizable portion of the French fleet either ended up in part of the city ruins or disappeared forever to the floor of the Mediterranean.
 

balom

Banned
I don't see the idea of a civil rights movement in 1910's as realistic . The 1900-1923 was the most ferociously racist period in American history. No way the republican party would try to get the black votes. Not only would they lose massive votes from the whites but a population segment that is basically disfranchised from voting is not much of a voter base. And remember in the 1950's-60's you could have the Civil Rights movement since most of the worst violence had died down but 1900-1923 was the apogee of lynchings and race riots.

They were the first black family in their part of Charleston, which raised the hackles of their neighbours somewhat.

If by hackles you mean swinging in the breeze by sunset I think you are right. Maybe this could happen in the North but in the South such an act would be an automatic death sentence
Remember that in those days the most outrageous racial attacks were widely accepted by the population.
 
USN dreadnought construction in TR's presidential terms

28 February, 1906

President Roosevelt sat going over the specifications in the Oval Office. Capable of 21 knots, ten 12-inch guns - the Dreadnought would certainly moves the arms race in Europe up a few notches.

The French Ambassador had advised him informally that France might be interested in an alliance, "given the long history of friendship between the American and French people". More likely, it was given the short history of the collapse of the Russian Empire. They were undoubtedly desperate for a friend and the United States might give them one, at the right price. He knew from friends in London that the British were being pushed toward a more comprehensive alliance.

However, troubling the President's mind today was his own hemisphere. What the hell was wrong with the Cubans? They finally got independence and what do they do? Start a bloody civil war. Anyone with half a brain could see that President Palma had won the right to extend his term and thus re-election; what did Jose Miguel Gomez think he was doing, especially with all his anti-American rhetoric? No doubt, Alfredo Zayas was behind it all. That snobby aristocratic intellectual had actually voted AGAINST their own constitution.

Well, Root is in Latin America, promoting the Hague Peace Conference, he thought. And if we can't use diplomacy.....

The secretary advised the arrival of his guest. Having to make time for these Senators was becoming a tiresome bore. It wasn't like they were elected by anyone; they were party hacks and donors who now monopolised him time. The sooner the Senate was subjected to direct democratic elections, the sooner the unrepresentative swill could be replaced by people who had to respond to the same demands he did. Maybe it was time to push harder on direct elections.

Albert Beveridge marched into the Oval Office. "Mr President."

"Senator, please take a seat. You wish to discuss...?"

"Well, Cuba, of course. I think I have a solution." And, unfortunately, I'm going to have to hear it, thought Roosevelt. The man's gift of oratory meant he couldn't be ignored.

"We should not support Palma for a second term."

The President was stunned. Here was the foremost imperialist in the Senate arguing that the Administration should support...what....an anti-American zealot? "I don't understand, Senator. I thought you were supporting Palma."

"I do support Palma," came the reply. "But he doesn't need to be President of Cuba to continue ruling the country."

Roosevelt wished the man would stop speaking in riddles and make his point. "How on earth could he rule the country without being President? Come now, Albert, you helped write their constitution. You should know it's impossible!"

"Their constitution has been drafted with all due care, Mr President. The Platt Amendment allows us to intervene. I think we should do so. And I think that Tomas Estrada Palma should be the first Governor of the United States Territory of Cuba."

"And Palma will back this?"

"In his own words, Mr President. He states, and I quote, there is little advantage and no future for an independent Cuba. However, he won't serve as caretaker while we exercise real power. He also insists we can't take over the government jobs. However, if we want Cuba, it is ours for the taking.

Beveridge's assistance on the Philippines and Santo Domingo had given the man extra status which now could not be denied. Intervention was inevitable and it would have the approval of the business sector. "How many troops, Beveridge?"

"3,000 marines, sir."

The President paused, but only briefly, before picking up the phone. "Get me Secretary Taft." There was a silence for about half a minute. "Hi, Bill, I've got Albert Beveridge here and he thinks it might be a good day for a war.....That's right. How long before we can dispatch troops to Cuba?"


As for the South Caroline and Delware BB classes, did the tonnage restrictions of the US Congress on battleship construction was lifted in this TL or was still in place as IOTL? If so, I think that the US Navy should have been allowed to have dual propulsion units for long-range cruising and high speed capabilities, because the South Caroline shouldn't not have been classified as a pre-dreadnought BB due to its reciprocal engines in its construction(and not for its real big gun configuration), thanks to a conservative US Admiralty cared for coal stations and not realizing the use of Texas Black tea that battleships truly gulp up for high performance and turbo-electric propulsion and not willing buy more coal colliers or oil tankers that can fulfill the patrol sectors' ranges of the Pacific. :rolleyes:
 
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