There's a good chance TR would run in 1916 if he didn't in 1912. He ran because he was pissed at Taft. Since Taft will not be running for a third term most likely, there is nothing keeping TR from running again. He'd have a better shot than in 1912, since he will likely be the Republican nominee, thus not splitting his own party.
TR in 1916 could be interesting. He'd be champing at the bit to get into the European war at the first opportunity. This will likely mean larger and earlier US aid to the Entente, and the US will likely be better prepared for the war when it comes.
Taft from everything that I know about him would probably follow a similar course to Wilson.
There's a good chance TR would run in 1916 if he didn't in 1912. He ran because he was pissed at Taft. Since Taft will not be running for a third term most likely, there is nothing keeping TR from running again. He'd have a better shot than in 1912, since he will likely be the Republican nominee, thus not splitting his own party.
TR in 1916 could be interesting. He'd be champing at the bit to get into the European war at the first opportunity. This will likely mean larger and earlier US aid to the Entente, and the US will likely be better prepared for the war when it comes.
Uh, what? If TR was elected in 1916 he wouldn't be President until March 4th, 1917. That only gives him eight months, tops, to 'better prepare' the US for war and get America involved in the European affair to begin with.
Now, given my comment above to JoeMulk, if Taft does institute a peace-time draft to prepare the US for war, it'd still be in a better position of preparedness than IOTL, and TR's job is much easier.
Yeah, I forgot about the late inauguration. I agree with you about Taft. Maybe Roosevelt pushed for Taft to institute a draft after Roosevelt campaigned hard for him in 1912?
Somewhat. During the pre-war and war-years he was an advocate of peace and a 'League of Nations'-esque idea. However during the actual war itself Taft founded the League to Enforce Peace. He was a co-chairman of the powerful National War Labor Board between 1917 and 1918. Although he continually advocated peace, he strongly favored conscription once the United States entered the War, pleading publicly that the United States not fight a "finicky" war. He feared the war would be long, but was for fighting it out to a finish, given what he viewed as "Germany's brutality."
Uh, what? If TR was elected in 1916 he wouldn't be President until March 4th, 1917. That only gives him eight months, tops, to 'better prepare' the US for war and get America involved in the European affair to begin with.
Now, given my comment above to JoeMulk, if Taft does institute a peace-time draft to prepare the US for war, it'd still be in a better position of preparedness than IOTL, and TR's job is much easier.
So perhaps the US remains neutral and gets a peace time draft short term which is ended when the war ends on it's own.
Taft gets a second term, obviously.
Good luck selling that to the American people. It isn't a good indication that America intends to stay neutral. It would be like having a draft now for no reason other than the potential that North Korea might invade the South. The American people won't stand for it.
Wouldn't it just be like FDR's peacetime draft in 1940? The difference would be that this one would be ended before the US gets involved in a war.