President Willkie

What would it take to make Willkie win the Presidency in 1940? Also,let's say he didn't die,would he have been able to win in 1944?

Also,what would his Presidency be like? From what i've read,he was Pro-Desegregation,would he have tried to get the Civil Rights Bill passed earlier?

Also,let's say he won in 1940,who wound run against him in 1944? and if he won in 1944,who would win against him in 1948?

Sorry if too complex/if topic doesn't make sense.
 
What would it take to make Willkie win the Presidency in 1940? Also,let's say he didn't die,would he have been able to win in 1944?

Also,what would his Presidency be like? From what i've read,he was Pro-Desegregation,would he have tried to get the Civil Rights Bill passed earlier?

Also,let's say he won in 1940,who wound run against him in 1944? and if he won in 1944,who would win against him in 1948?

Sorry if too complex/if topic doesn't make sense.
Well, I think the number one thing to help him win would be to have FDR decide not to run for a third term. If he is still alive in 1944, I think he should win easily, he's the incumbent president during WWII.

His presidency would probably not be tremendously different from Roosevelt's, as they were both internationalist and the war dwarfed domestic policy during this time. His second term would probably be very different from Truman's though. For one, the Republicans wouldn't win control of the House in 1946.

He could try to pass Civil Rights, but I think it would be too early for him to do anything more than Truman. Maybe get a weak civil rights bill like the 1957 or 1960 bills through, but anything like the 1964 or 1965 acts is off the table.

A Democrat will probably win in 1948, except for maybe if Willkie dies in his second term and the new president runs in 1948. Although if he chooses Bricker to be his Vice President like Dewey did in 1944, the GOP has no hope. As for who that Democrat would be, I don't really know, there are lots of options.
 
Well, I think the number one thing to help him win would be to have FDR decide not to run for a third term. If he is still alive in 1944, I think he should win easily, he's the incumbent president during WWII.

His presidency would probably not be tremendously different from Roosevelt's, as they were both internationalist and the war dwarfed domestic policy during this time. His second term would probably be very different from Truman's though. For one, the Republicans wouldn't win control of the House in 1946.

He could try to pass Civil Rights, but I think it would be too early for him to do anything more than Truman. Maybe get a weak civil rights bill like the 1957 or 1960 bills through, but anything like the 1964 or 1965 acts is off the table.

A Democrat will probably win in 1948, except for maybe if Willkie dies in his second term and the new president runs in 1948. Although if he chooses Bricker to be his Vice President like Dewey did in 1944, the GOP has no hope. As for who that Democrat would be, I don't really know, there are lots of options.

Do you think he'd still appoint George Marshall?

Also,would he even go into Korea?
 
I think Willkie could have won if FDR hadn't run in 1940, he was a quite popular candidate with a good chance of breaking the New Deal coalition. Even with FDR in the race he came close in the polls.

Willkie was fundamentally an internationalist, and it's likely Pearl Harbour would occur anyway. However if he's elected he might have coattails, which could make it too risky to pass a Lend-Lease program and it could fail. If that happens WWII would be altered, though somebody else can specify exactly how.

IOTL Willkie died in 1944, and as his VP died earlier in the year that would leave his Secretary of State as President. However he died IOTL because he'd been careless about his health and ignored multiple heart attacks and warning signs. So while he'd be under far more stress as President his health would also be cared for more.

I'm not sure about civil rights. The Democrats controlled Congress in this period so they would probably obstruct any civil rights bill. While Willkie could do Truman's military segregation he would not be able to really combat Jim Crow, only until the 1960s could it fall and the civil rights movement was pretty lucky IOTL. Truman and FDR did a lot for civil rights IOTL, so Willkie would probably be similar.

I think he might try to reform the New Deal and make it more pro-business. When Republicans won in 1952 IOTL, they didn't do so, but that's because they'd been out of power for 22 years and FDR's policies were so entrenched. TTL they have only been out of power for 8 years. I think they would be less afraid to tinker with the New Deal a bit and it would be les entrenched. But the fundamental programs, such as Social Security, would survive.

Can we find Willkie's 1940 platform for a better idea?
 
Do you think he'd still appoint George Marshall?

Also,would he even go into Korea?
Marshall would remain Army Chief of Staff no doubt, so it's possible he'd get Secretary of State if he got along well with Willkie.

I don't think Willkie, even if he survived his entire second term, would run for a third, so it would be whoever his successor was who'd decide what to do with Korea.

Willkie was fundamentally an internationalist, and it's likely Pearl Harbour would occur anyway. However if he's elected he might have coattails, which could make it too risky to pass a Lend-Lease program and it could fail. If that happens WWII would be altered, though somebody else can specify exactly how.
On the other hand, Republicans might be more willing to back the plan if one of their own was suggesting it rather than a Democrat, so that might even out.
 
ITTL you have increased the job stress of someone who has a very serious heart condition.

I agree, but his main condition was being an alcoholic. In office, he may stop using it, but if he doesn't, I give him until 1942. Be aware that he was a very young man, so he may live longer.
 
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