Roosevelt elected in 1912, how long till America goes to war?

Whilst tension arose, I do not see Roosevelt marching straight into Mexico unless Carranza officially accepted the alliance. Maybe a troop build up along the border to remind him of all the reasons he declined, but I very much doubt the Mexican-American War 2: Electric Boogalo, will be declared.

Let's go back a bit. Would TR recognize the presidency of Victoriano Huerta ? How would he handle something like the Tampico Affair - would he do more than just occupy Veracruz, or would he be more diplomatic than Wilson and not invade at all.


Cheers,
Nigel.
 
If Roosevelt had been President, could in those times in a war with Mexico in 1916 ,commenced by the incident with Pancho Villa's Forces attack to the US. border town of Columbus, New Mexico.
It was on this day, March 9, 1916 that Francisco 'Pancho' Villa was made his famous border raid.
It was an event that would later almost lead the United States and Mexico to war with each other.

I think it's likely that Roosevelt reaction, could have been more radical and forceful than that of Wilson; of course this event could eventually change his reactions to European events.
 
It has been suggested in some alternate histories that World War I might've been avoided altogether or at least the scale of conflict it became. Serbia would've still been lit up by Austria Hungary of course.

But given TR had negotiated an end to the Russo/Japanese War reportedly in order to keep the Japanese from winning even bigger over the Russians if it had gone longer, then I see it as possible for TR to manage to keep the Russians and thus the Germans out of the Austrian/Serbian dust up.

If that is the case it becomes just another Balkans conflict that everyone else tut tuts over but sees no reason to waste blood and treasure over.
 
If Roosevelt had been President, could in those times in a war with Mexico in 1916 ,commenced by the incident with Pancho Villa's Forces attack to the US. border town of Columbus, New Mexico.
It was on this day, March 9, 1916 that Francisco 'Pancho' Villa was made his famous border raid.
It was an event that would later almost lead the United States and Mexico to war with each other.

I think it's likely that Roosevelt reaction, could have been more radical and forceful than that of Wilson; of course this event could eventually change his reactions to European events.

It's an interesting scenario. If the US is involved in a war with Mexico, they won't have the forces to spare for the conflict in Europe. Also, there would be no need for Zimmerman to send his telegram to encourage Mexico to attack the US.

So the answer to the OP might be that the US goes to war sooner than OTL, but not against Germany.

Cheers,
Nigel.
 
the point is, would roosevelt even declare war over lusitania, considering he has far more knowledge about rules during war. (technically speaking lusitania was an auxiliary cruiser,even listed as such in Jane's all the world's fighting ships , and thus a legal target)

but agree with the others, with roosevelt as president, the germans very likely would have walked more cautious.
 
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the point is, would roosevelt even declare war over lusitania, considering he has far more knowledge about rules during war. (technically speaking lusitania was an auxiliary cruiser,even listed as such in Jane's all the world's fighting ships , and thus a legal target)

Germanys shooting Nurse Edith Cavell was also 'Legal' according to the Geneva Convention - however this didn't stop the world from being utterly appalled at this act which a US Diplomat in Belgium who tried to intercede described as Murder.
 
the point is, would roosevelt even declare war over lusitania.



Roosevelt has no power to declare war - over the Lusitania or anything else

Only Congress is empowered to do that (the Constitution still counted for something in those days, as Wilson was to discover in 1919) and they weren't even remotely likely to do so until America, or at least her ships, came under direct attack.

Obviously it wouldn't be the same Congress as OTL, but the Republican Party had at least as high a proportion of isolationists as the Democratic - maybe higher - so the change isn't likely to make a DoW any more of a realistic possibility.
 

TinyTartar

Banned
I can see him going to war after the Lusitania sinking. He was very pro-Allied.

The problem he might find however is Congressional hostility. Teddy might have gotten elected, but the Bull Moose Party in Congress was virtually non existent. The Republicans at the time might have had issues backing him considering Taft's factions existence, and the Democrats were opposed to any sort of intervention. Hammering through a DoW would be a challenge.
 
I can see him going to war after the Lusitania sinking. He was very pro-Allied.

The problem he might find however is Congressional hostility. Teddy might have gotten elected, but the Bull Moose Party in Congress was virtually non existent. The Republicans at the time might have had issues backing him considering Taft's factions existence, and the Democrats were opposed to any sort of intervention. Hammering through a DoW would be a challenge.


He couldn’t have won as a Bull Mooser. He’d need the Republican nomination to stand the remotest chance, and even then, given the deep divisions in the GOP, it would have been the longest of long shots. See David T’s remarks on this point.

However, as far as a DoW goes, it’s not very relevant. Neither Democrats nor Republicans were in any mood for one prior to 1917, and nothing TR (or any other POTUS) says or does is likely to alter that.
 
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