Smash Every Last One of Them! A Buisness Plot Timeline

[TheMasterAltHistorian]

Smash Every Last One of Them!
The Development of the USA
By TheMasterAltHistorian

Authors note: This is my first Alternate History TL. After lurking for quite a bit and getting inspired by many great authors,
I thought it was time to put in my share for what I have in my mind. I hope you enjoy this TL and will stick around till the end!



​

Chapter 1: Boiling Tensions under the Helmet

America’s soul had been shattered into millions of pieces. Prosperity and joy had been the status quo for the nation thanks to the Roaring 20’s economic prosperity that it shared with the nation. It was not meant to last as in 1932, the Stock Market crashed taking the 20’s optimism with it. A ray of hope and optimism did break through the thick fog of pessimism as FDR was elected president with the promise to end the Great Depression and reform America’s system to ensure prosperity for the working class and that the Great Depression wouldn’t be repeated. Not everyone shared this sentiment however and that group were veterans.

After thousands of battalions were sent over to their deaths in French trenches mangled by machine gun fire and barbed wire, many surviving soldiers expected to return home with benefits and a warm welcome from the government for their sacrifice. They would get some benefits with the Bonus Act of 1924 and they did bask in the prosperity of the Roaring 20’s. But once that imploded in ‘32, the Veterans were left with nothing as the Bonus Act had a catch as certificates allowing the said benefits were only to be granted in 1945 while many veterans were suffering right now. They would be extra cynical and bitter among America’s populace as not only were most in extreme poverty, but now they fully realized that they had watched their comrades die in gnarly ways and suffered extreme injuries, just to be mostly left for dead by the government and
only given crumbs of aid that was about to be given in a decade. Veterans would protest for more treatment from the government in the form of the Bonus Army which was at first crushed by Hoover and MacArthur. The veterans looked longingly at FDR for at least a promise of aid to appease the vets, but they were meant with a swift condemnation from FDR along with an opposition to aid. This would be met with plans for a 2nd Bonus Army from the veterans of the first Bonus Army to protest FDR. FDR, however, already knew this probably would happen, so in response to these plans, he would sic one BOI leader J. Edgar Hoover to spy on veterans who potentially would have participated in the planned second Bonus Army and arrest anyone who aided or is an accomplice in any Bonus Army, in order to ensure that the planned 2nd Bonus Army would be nullified from the start.

J Edgar Hoover
Former Leader of BOI and FBI
1924-1972

Operation Eagle’s Nest would begin on February 23th, 1933. Hoover would use the same wiretapping method he infamously used for bootleggers and gangsters during Prohibition, this time by spying on suspected original Bonus Army veterans and veterans who may have wanted to join the 2nd Bonus Army. This would lead to multiple innocent people getting spied on and arrested as Hoover feared that they would form another Bonus Army and he wanted to arrest the original members of the Bonus Army. Over 602 people were arrested in Operation Eagle’s Nest, with a decent chunk of said arrests being those against innocent people who had no connection to the First or Second Bonus Army, but were either way suspected to be aids and accomplices. The Operation was declared a success by J. Edgar Hoover and he claimed he stopped a 2nd Bonus Army from happening. This has faced scrutiny from modern historians however, as after Eagle’s Nest was commenced, FDR decided to extend an olive branch to the veterans through offering the remaining Bonus Army veterans jobs from the Civilian Conservation Corps which modern historians say is the reason why the Bonus Army died off.

The 2nd Bonus Army was effectively aborted before it could happen and most veterans were happy with the opportunity of jobs in the CCC, but a few radical veterans became more disillusioned with American society and government after Eagle’s Nest. One of those radicals was Marine Smedley Butler. Butler was nominally left wing on economic and foreign positions and was already disillusioned with the government due to what he saw a mal treatment at Camp Pontanezen during WW1, and then being despised by President Hoover during the twilight of his career. This would lead him to a cynical view of America through seeing America’s adventures as imperialistic wars based on greed. But thanks to the other Hoover not only acting like the last Hoover he knew, but now arresting his fellow comrades, he believed that God had abandoned America’s soldiers and that now was the time to do revolution.

Smedley Butler
1881-1933



New York City, New York: August 1st, 1933

“No! I have repeatedly made my damn point clear!”

“Do you want that tyrant to stay in the White House!?!”

8 o'clock in the morning, and the pleasant sound of manic arguing rang around a hotel room 15 floors up. The silencer that was the pale blue door was unable to contain the roaring argument and keep it to a muffle. Thankfully for the 2 men in the room, there wasn’t anyone in the rooms beside them or any staff nearing. Before the ruckus, 2 men gain contact with Butler with the names of Gerald C. Macguire and Bill Doyle. Doyle was affiliated with the Connecticut section of the American Legion and MacGuire was affiliated with Wall Street Company Grayston Murphy and Co. The 3 had 2 meetings with each other, and both Doyle and Macguire had discussion of planning retributions for veterans after Eagle’s Nest and how to make the government pay. They tried that through persuading Butler to join the American Legion through giving a speech and becoming a national leader of the organization. Butler didn’t bite however, so MacGuire invited Butler to a one on one chat with him about the Legion and the plan for veteran payback.

After a quick breakfast at the hotel restaurant, The 2 returned to the luxurious hotel room that was adorned with spotless paintings and dishes along with decorative furniture. The discussion started out as Butler imagined it would. Full of talks about how veteran’s weren’t respected enough by the government, how veterans deserve some form of pension for their physical and mental sacrifice in past wars, and plenty of cursing against FDR for his “tyranny”. Butler was even willing at first to be a leader in a supposed revolution against the government. However, things turned south when they started discussing which groups to get for this revolution and about the American legion.

“Not all socialists hate veterans.” Butler lamented. “I have seen a few youngling socialists who have revealed to America how veterans and soldiers were poorly treated. They can-”

MacGuire cut him off with a hearty chuckle. “And I’ve seen a million more of them younglings call all you good folk nothing more than greedy bloodthirsty sadists”, he spat back with. “I keep trying to hammer it into your thick skull that fascism is the only ideology and movement that respects veteran rights! I have plenty of powerful friends and comrades in the American Legion who could easily aid us to stop FDR. The Legion has members across the nation 500,000 strong, all ready to take down the federal and state governments”, Macguire pleaded. “Remember Mussolini-”

“Fuck Mussolini!” Butler roared back, disgusted by the mere mention of his name. “The bastard’s an authoritarian tyrant like Roosevelt.” Butler sat down on one of the cushioned velvet armchairs after he explained his feelings on Mussolini.

MacGuire shook his head in frustration, seeing no progress being made in recruiting Butler. “I wasn’t going to completely kiss his boots.” Macguire retorted. “I know how he's another stooge of the king. I was pointing to him as an example as his revolution was led by veterans who were just like you and your Bonus Army friends.” Butler only raised an eye in response, but MacGuire continued, circling near Butler as the wooden floor creaked. “The American Legion empowers veterans and gives them freedom along with the common man. Look at how Mussolini had given nothing but respect to veterans in his movement. The Legion has to follow his example and you are the best contender for that position I ever knew”

Butler’s unconvinced look was still stapled onto his face. “I don’t have good feelings about Mussolini.” Butler replied blankly. “From what I’ve seen, he's someone who has spat on American values and has little regard for others.” Butler crossed his arms as he continued, “And I sure as hell don’t want to act as an American Carbon Copy of Mussolini.”

“How many times do I have to tell you, we don’t have to act like Mussolini is someone we should completely act like,” Macguire groaned, “ I’m saying we should just follow their tactics on how to overthrow and manage a government!”. Butler made a face as if he were about to reply to MacGuire, but Macguire retorted as he stood in front of Butler, “Hell, I’d argue your socialist friends and FDR are also tyrants as they like and want to trample on American business rights and private property of many good men just like ,my friends at Grayston Murphy.” MacGuire stepped towards Butler as he finished, feet clopping at the floor. “If you could just agree to this, my bosses would gladly help fund the movement needed to put FDR’s head on a mantle.” MacGuire finished his stroll and was now towering over the sitting Butler. “They already helped found the New York section of the American Legion and could easily establish one that can overthrow the government in DC.”

Butler’s face soured like a grape when his ears digested the last sentences of MacGuire’s speech. His mind had churned out a meaning behind the last sentence. The pro-business undertone along with MacGuire’s job had painted a disgusting explanation for why MacGuire and Doyle wanted so badly to recruit Butler. “So…” Butler hissed and stood up, facing MacGuire’s tired expression. “That's what all of this is for? You and your so-called powerful friends didn’t give a shit about veterans and only wanted to protect rich people and their property?” Butler grabbed a firm hold onto MacGuire’s shoulders, shaking him like a pepper grinder. “THOSE SAME BASTARDS WHO THROUGH MY MEN OVER THE LINES TO THEIR DEATHS IN FRANCE!” Butler roared as spit was shot at MacGuire’s face. Butler shoved MacGuire to another velvet couch that stood in front of Butler’s armchair, rattling the trinket plates and paintings adorning the wall.

“I shoulda known you American Legion Boys were no good with being affiliated with Wall Street itself. Ya nothing but a Strikebreakers outfit.” Butler turned with only his face facing MacGuire.“Fuck this, and fuck you.” Butler hissed once again, “I’m out… You hear me?” Butler turned to walk out the door in a calm yet angry march, boots hitting the floor with a thump each.

“So this is how you're gonna act!”, MacGuire shouted back as he stood back up. “Going to throw this whole opportunity away because of some tensions!?!” Butler stopped and only replied solemnly, “My interest is, my one hobby is, maintaining a democracy. If you get these 500,000 soldiers advocating anything smelling of Fascism, I am going to get 500,000 more and lick the hell out of you, and we will have a real war right at home.” ​

MacGuire froze, then hollered in laughter as he only replied, “Not if those 500,000 Men are stuck in chains. Your men got thrown into prisons and had been kicked to the pavement for you to get cold feet and get mopey at me it seems!?!”

The final sentence became concrete for Butler as his legs came to a screeching halt. The words MacGuire uttered last had stung his heart strings as memories began to flashback. Arguments with Hoover, him learning of the dreadful news of the cracking down of both the first and planned second Bonus Armies, and the horrid thought in his head when he had the vision that his own men may have been arrested and treated horridly after Eagle’s Nest.

“I get that you’re more idealistic than pragmatic,” MacGuire resumed, approaching Butler ever so slightly as the sound of the floor revealed “... but please be pragmatic for a second would ya?” He needled. Butler’s emotions flipped from anger at what he saw as ludicrous proposals from MacGuire, to genuinely considering his words as he spat them out. “As Machiavelli said, “Politics and Morals have no relations with each other””. MacGuire finally managed to fully romp his way to the frozen Butler, shoes clunking making echoes across the room as he gripped Butler’s left shoulder.

“Right now, your socialist friends don’t give two shits about veterans and only care about their own inflated egos.” MacGuire stared deeply into Butler’s eyes and gave out an ultimatum from his blank face. “You have one shot to end FDR’s tyranny and give respect to your comrades. I’m not asking for a lot, just for you to be pragmatic and work together so we could get both of our interests.” MacGuire extends his hand coldly. “Will you accept this and be the leader of our revolution?”

Butler tepidly started to think harder than he did ever before in his life to the point where it could give him a headache. He had been given an offer to lead a putsch against FDR. The offer did seem tempting with Butler detesting FDR. But he knew that the inclusion of fascists and rich businessmen in it conflicted with his own political views. He wondered if this putsch was just to consolidate the bourgeois power and not liberate the common veterans and people. However, this was the first time he had someone at least pretend to care about veterans and attempt a plan for enacting revenge on the government. Memories of his fellow comrades getting curb stomped once again flooded his head filling him with emotions of sorrow and rage. The memories of his comrades told him to accept MacGuire’s offer in order in honor of his comrades. Butler had made up his mind, and he felt MacGuire’s eyes demanding an answer.

“I’ll do it.” Butler blurted out. “But after Roosevelt’s dead, I don’t want to be associated with the new government in any way. Got that?”
A smile carved its way to both sides of MacGuire’s face, creating a toothy yet sinister grin as he replied. “You got yourself a deal. Glad you got your head on ya shoulder.” MacGuire extended a hand to Butler, in which Butler tepidly shook his hand up and down as a form of friendliness.

After the awkward exchange of pleasantries, Butler went to sit back down on the velvet armchair, mind having been rattled hard by the argument, almost as if he were back in the trenches during an artillery bombardment.

Meanwhile, MacGuire snickered to himself as he finally achieved his goal. The American Legion had gained a major national leader. He imagined how the fascist government would operate after the Putsch. How many of the New Deal provisions that went after his bosses would be repealed to please his friends. And most importantly, how glorious it would be to see many fascists and veterans storm the capitol and strangle FDR to death.

All of these thoughts made MacGuire smile even bigger as he knew one thing for certain. America would never be the same after.

Waldorf Astoria.
The hotel where the Plot against Democracy was conceived​

​

 

[TheMasterAltHistorian]

Chapter 2: Birth of the Putsch

After the agreement, MacGuire managed to gain enough money to build up a mini bootcamp placed in the outskirts of Alexandria, Virginia, just out of reach near the political capital DC. The bosses from Grayston Murphy were generous with the money for Doyle and MacGuire which helped them start up a decent camp of 250 acres. The camp and its ruins are now known as Camp MacGuire. This was enough to include areas of discipline and training in what Butler would have seen in the beginning of his military career. Mud, dummies, bullseyes, and wood walls dotted the camp, all with a desire to prepare veterans to be a strong soldier once more.

This camp would end up housing a group of around 2,000 disillusioned veterans from all walks of life, struggle, and pain along with being from individual states in a mother Union that they felt unloved by, except when she needed them to be snarled up by war. The active veterans of the American Legion willingly joined after a promise of gaining back freedom through getting trained back into conflict, this time to drain blood from their own nation. The call to action was relayed across radios and telegraphs that dotted every corner of the nation by MacGuire, with funding from his bosses to make the message drill into the skulls of veterans. The tactic worked and even managed to rope in non American Legion veterans too through giving them an ember of hope for them, even if it came at a cost.

With men in the barracks, training began over a course of 4 months, starting on August 16th, 1933. Men were marched over rocks, made to climb walls, and made their arms and legs clash against dummies, all a mimic of DC’s fortresses. Firearms were handed out to each man ranging from standard and sniper Springfields, to rapidfire Chicago Typewriters, to powerful point blank revolvers, and even high power mortors that could flattened a whole battalion. These weapons were bought in bulk with money from MacGuire’s bank along with his boss's friends helping the Legion take mass stocks of rifles from regular gun stores that dot rural roads to underground gang members ranging from Irish to Italians and even Russians.

Captured example of a Gangster’s Typewriter

All the way throughout the training, Butler stood as the command of the whole camp. His charisma and charm carried his men more than their bodies could do at times, even if his speeches and pep talks were coated by sprinkles of uncertainty and anxiety. Butler whipped these men back into shape as if it were their first time in boot camp again. Marches were practiced regularly around the camp, Butler gave soaring speeches about their enemy that was the BOI and Federal Government, and the men were filling the barracks with their own songs from the war like Johnny Come’s Marching Home.

Recently uncovered image showing a cavalry soldier training in Camp MacGuire

As the veterans were hounded back to shape for the Putsch Preparation, MacGuire and Doyle were talking to the bosses at Grayston Murphy via telegraph in Alexandria. The bosses were pleased at the progress being made at Camp MacGuire which only became a brief mention thanks to that. The main focus of the discussions was to figure out what would the new Fascist government do away with the liberal democratic government.

What MacGuire’s bosses at Grayston Murphy reviled more than anything else were the restrictions on business as outlined in Roosevelt's New Deal. For big businesses and multimillionaires, they were now no longer allowed to go out of control as FDR thought that led to the economy imploding in ‘29. The playboys and fat cats of the 20’s wailed accusations of tyranny as these laws were getting implemented, but it went through the public's ears leading to a divide and mistrust between the rich and the workers and former middle class of the 20’s.

For the planned fascist government, MacGuire’s bosses told both MacGuire and Doyle the terms for this new regime. The first was that the New Deal would be repealed immediately leading to a “Breaking of the chains”, for the Captains of Industry and a “Return to the Roaring 20s”. Second was that this New America would be ruled by oligarchs and generals to “guide the nation to fortitude and prosperity” as since the common man was more in favor of the New Deal, they were viewed as by the Legion and the Oligarchs as “Men who are willing to trade prosperity for a short term solutions.”, and thus needs someone to guide them away from the evils of “socialism”, (This part of the plan was kept secret from Butler in case he would get offended by it). Finally, there would be a compensation program for the veterans which was a requirement made by MacGuire and Doyle to placate Butler to the slight eye rolls of Grayston Murphy. In the program, veterans would be given a monthly pay of 10$ like Social Security, and a housing program along with a healthcare program for veterans.

By the time the 4 months ran their course, the men in the barracks were fully trained for a march and combatting anyone who would stand against them. The MacGuire’s bosses were satisfied with the news and initiated the next plan of the Putsch. On the early morning of December 16th, 1933, a convoy of 250 trucks rumbled its way next to the camps with fabric covering the truck's steel frame backs, all bought by Wall Street. Each Truck allowed for 8 men to come aboard. Each truck picked up its men and were set in different destinations to a single lonely warehouse in DC, painted teal and mostly barren of materials in its stomach.

Discovered photo of one of these trucks en route to DC
​

Each soldier would wait from morning till 12 pm, fingers wrapped tightly around their rifles, waiting for orders. By 12:30, the personal car for Smedley Butler rolled next to the warehouse. Before addressing the men and arriving in the car, Butler would get called by MacGuire and Doyle for a final brief rundown of the plans for the Putsch, capped off by a good luck from Doyle and MacGuire before the call ended. Butler shouted out a resounding speech to the veterans about being a part of a great crusade to liberate America from tyrannical forces. He proclaimed, “War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives.”, and that “Since our nation's “Democracy” had put us in this racket and gave no compensation, we're going have to take compensation by force!”. While the men cheered on for Butler’s well spoken speech, Butler had inner doubts in his head and didn’t fully believe his own words that he was liberating anything from anyone. Butler felt slimy, a pig, and even a mirror of the capitalist tyrants in Wall Street that he despised due to him becoming the face of the American Fascist Movement and his betrayal of leftist values. But regardless, Butler had a job to do that he couldn’t walk back on, and his speech would be the final hoorah before all the veterans would be set on a march to change America’s destiny, forever.

 

[LNSS]

It's... Interesting... to have Butler go with it.

 

[nbcman]

Some anachronistic word choices such as clone and I don’t see US generals using putsch to describe a violent revolt-2nd revolution or something similar would be used.

 

[TheMasterAltHistorian]

Some anachronistic word choices such as clone and I don’t see US generals using putsch to describe a violent revolt-2nd revolution or something similar would be used.

Should I change the language of it?

 

[TheMasterAltHistorian]

It's... Interesting... to have Butler go with it.

It's partially thanks to FDR and Hoover ala Eagle's Nest

 

[TheMasterAltHistorian]

Slightly edited Chapters 1 and 2 to fit the suggestions of a few commentators on discord, who told me to throw in a few Butler quotes.

 

[TheMasterAltHistorian]

Chapter 3 is coming today this night

 

[nbcman]

Should I change the language of it?

I think so if you want the dialogue to sound more genuine. Carbon copy would be something that a person from the early 1900s would say, not carbon clone.

 

[TheMasterAltHistorian]

Sorry it took so long to post. Hope you enjoy the Business Plot finally beginning!

Chapter 3: Battle at America’s Lowest Point

“Ladies and gentlemen of our nation’s Capital and its surrounding area, currently a mild frost has blanketed the area. Snow has not come falling out of the skies as of lately. Residents are still advised to stay in-. Wait, what is this? Oh my! It seems a firefight has broken out at the Capitol Building and- Oh deer god! Folks, there seems to be gunfire being exchanged around the Capitol Building! People are fleeing the scene and- Oh good god! I can see bodies falling down dead! Oh the humanity! This might be the greatest pain our dear nation has experienced in decades!”

-Infamous radio report from DC radio journalist Fred Edwards describing the Business Putsch against DC​

The DC Legion convoy that led the charge against DC of 1,000 strong were divided into groups of 250, all with designated places to attack. These locations would include the Department of Justice Building, the Supreme Court, the Capitol Complex, and the White House. Each group was armed with Springfield Rifles, Chichago Typewriters, Ammo, frag grenades, and Molotov Cocktails. The groups that would lead the charge against the Capitol would be led by individual leaders, while the remaining 1,000 American Legion fascists would hold in individual warehouses and buildings as reserve and defensive groups lead by Smedley Butler himself. Some of these defensive groups would even house mortar guns in case tanks were involved.

12:47 PM. The silent DC skies were killed by gun fire, explosions, and screams as they shredded the air. The Battle of DC had begun as the Business Putsch finally was launched. The first target was the DOJ building which to the Veterans in the Legion was a symbolic act of justice. The DOJ building became a roman candle as molotov cocktails and .30-06 Springfield rounds were ejected at the building’s face. The fascist Legion men then stormed the building, spraying bullets at anyone who was moving and clubbing police along the way. The National Guardsmen protecting the DOJ Building were all pummeled with bullets as the Legion quickly stormed inside, killing the federal employees. All of this ended up culminating in a massacre at the DOJ Building in which the veterans only reacted with child-like smiles as memories of the crushed 2nd Bonus Army surfaced in their brains while committing this massacre. By the end of their massacre, a whopping 247 employees were killed but by god’s luck and willpower, Attorney General Homer Cummings and a few surviving employees armed themselves and held out until the National Guard and more police came.

While the DOJ bled, the Second Target would come in the form of the Capitol Complex as another Legion group 250 strong marched on to it. By then FDR had been notified of the attack on the DOJ to which in a horrified reflex, he would call for immediate National Guard assistance. However the Capitol Complex was under defended as reinforcements hadn’t come yet as the DOJ was top priority first and the National Guard was frantic in defending DC due to the sudden attack. This left the American Legion enough time to attack the Congress Building as the Representatives and Senators tried to frantically hide. While a few police and bodyguards managed to arrive and fended off a decent chunk of the Legion men, a few managed to break into congress. They would begin to open fire on the congressmen, mainly Republicans and conservative Democrats, but many New Deal Democrats were also caught in the crossfire. In total, 12 representatives, 14 Senators, and 20 federal workers were killed in the crossfires. However National Guard and Police came to the aid and had managed to drive out the Legion from the building. The Legion responded by setting fire to the congress building with their Molotov Cocktails as a last ditch attempt to damage Congress.

Capitol Building during the Battle of DC/Business Putsch


Meanwhile, the Supreme Court also went under siege as the Legion attacked it. However the siege just so happened to coincide with the National Guard finally arriving at the Capitol Complex. This would make matters difficult for the Legion as they faced armored trucks and soldiers barraging them with bullets and grenades. This would save the Supreme Court Justices as they all hid inside the SCOTUS while the battle outside raged on. After intense firefights outside the courts and despite Legion reinforcements arriving to counter the National Guardsman's attacks, the Guardsmen power was too much and resulted in 34 Legion men getting killed. With this, the Legion decided to retreat and regroup to the main target, but not without throwing a few frag grenades at the SCOTUS guardsmen.

Having been notified of the intense firefights around the city, FDR and his family were preparing to evacuate the White House and get far from DC as it descended further into madness. However they were not granted that luxury as not just 1 but all 4 of the Legion groups surrounded the White House like a pack of sharks as a last ditch attempt to destabilize the federal government. This was the final push to take DC to the Legion. If they were to kill FDR, they could cut off the main head of the government causing mass destabilization in the government. With that, the 4 groups attacked the White House from all sides, firing at the guards dotting the White House, managing to snag a few. With fewer men launching bullets and grenades at them, the Legion was prepared to barge into the White House. However, the Guardsman already called in for reinforcements and this time, the National Guard had time to arrive quickly to the siege of the White House before the Legion stormed in.This time, they had more than just rifles, trucks, and grenades and instead were equipped with full tanks to drive out the Legion completely.

Tanks on their way to the White House

The tanks rumbled their way on the outskirts of the White House, being joined side by side with armed Doughboys to add on for reinforcements for the White House. The Battle became more fierce as the Legion began to fire on the Doughboys as they poured across the White House. Unfortunately for the Legion, the balances were tipped in favor of the Legion when the tanks rolled in as when they did, they immediately made their machine guns launch out their bullets at the Legion men, strafing many men. Eventually, after the legion bled out 67 men across the area of the White House and with tanks rolling in closer, they decided to make a retreat back to Alexandria. Reinforcements were sent by Butler to cover the men including motors which pummeled the streets and took out a few tanks along the way along with Doughboys and civilians.

The Legion men got back into the trucks and made a strategic retreat back to Alexandria. It was clear to the National Guardsmen. The Business Putsch and Battle of DC had been handed in favor of the federal government. Over 890 people died in the Battle of DC including 135 Legion men, 293 aid workers, 406 Doughboys, and 50 civilians who had perished during the crossfires. The government couldn’t celebrate just yet as Butler had not been captured. And even if he were, MacGuire and Doyle also sent out morse telegrams to other Legion offices across the Nation, ordering them to do putsches in major cities including state capitals with one simple command.

“LONGIUS!”

The Business Putsch was far from over. It only devolved into what is now known as the American Troubles.

American Doughboys and Tanks pursuing the American Legion after the Battle of DC

 

[Sarufiyyun]

Bruh. Good stuff.

 

[Ymo]

I will make a big guess that smedly died and the plot fail. I am coming through this by how that single image of butler has the year he died be in 1933 and not otl 1940. Also, historians writing about the plot give off the many secrets, plans and images of the event,which has plot go into failure. They wouldn't be allow to publish any of this if the plot hadn't failed.

 

[TheMasterAltHistorian]

I will make a big guess that smedly died and the plot fail. I am coming through this by how that single image of butler has the year he died be in 1933 and not otl 1940. Also, historians writing about the plot give off the many secrets, plans and images of the event,which has plot go into failure. They wouldn't be allow to publish any of this if the plot hadn't failed.

I may have given a few hints to that, but remember America is still not in the clear as you saw at the end of chapter 3

 

[TheMasterAltHistorian]

Chapter 4 is now here!

Chapter 4: Operation Longinius

“Hello!?! Hello, can anyone hear me!?! This is Corporal Arnold Jackson of the 185th Infantry Regiment! My men and I are pinned down under fire near the San Francisco City Hall! There was an attack in the early morning by some unknown militia and now it’s descended into full out warfare! We’re running low on ammo and these guys just keep on coming one after the other! Send any aid you can, men, tanks, ammo, whatever, just get the hell over to Polk Street!”
- Distress Call from a National Guardsman defending the Californian City Hall during the Battle of San Francisco


Just as the Battle of DC unwinded, new fresh battles shook up the nation. For MacGuire and Doyle, the Attack on DC wasn’t the only part of the Business Putsch. In the battle plans for the Putsch, it called out for a full taking over of all the capital cities and major commerce cities in order to establish Control of not just America’s National Capital, but also all states in the Union, which also could act as a last ditch plan for them to establish a fascist separatist state incase the nationwide Business Putsch failed. After the failed Battle of DC, MacGuire sent out a telegram telling all American Legion Departments to carry on the attacks on the state capitals and major cities in what is known as, Operation Longius.

Even as the Battle of DC was raging, cities across America continued to do buisness as usual, thinking this was just a battle contained in DC. Commerce bustled throughout the cities, dampered by the Depression as men and women tried to find work. In other cities, the sun had already set and the cities began to sleep as did the civlillians. This would change however when many citezens saw and heard a bunch of heavily armed men march down the streets. This march would cave into a full riot as when police came to break up the march, the armed men opened fire on the police, beggining a great deal of pain for the cities as the American Troubles intensified.

Within minutes, cities across all of America exploded into violence as Legion started riots turned into battles in the streets between Police and National Guardsmen against the American Legion. Bullets and explosions lit up the skies, both sunny and dark, as the battles only grew more and more violent like a burning fire. The tactics used by the Legion in these cities was similar to the ones used during the Battle of DC with Courthouses, Congress buildings, and Governors Mansions being attacked or even burned to the ground at times. Firefights became a regular occurrence across days as the Guardsman and Legion men duked it out in the streets to prove who was capable of ruling America.

In cities like New York, skyscrapers were set ablazed by bullets, glass shattering as bullets flew through them, trying to snatch either a American Legion Man, or a National Gaurdsman. Iconic monuments in major cities were damaged as the firefights continued to roar across cities. Boston Harbor, once filled with water and formerly tea was now being filled with crimson blood as the battles raged on, the case being the exact same in Baltimore. Citesens were running around the streets frantically, trying to escape the crossfires, with a few poor individuals getting killed themselves through bullets hiting them in the firefights. The American Dream in the cities howled with pain and agony, but relief was coming for them from Uncle Sam himelf.

Tanks being prepared into conflict during the Battle of San Francisco


In major cities in major states, the tide slowly began to turn in favor of the Guardsmen. Despite heavy casualties and massive damage brought to the cities, the National Guard had one major advantage over the legion. That advantage was tanks and planes. New from the First World War, they unleashed hell onto the Legion as machine gun bullets, shells, and bombs. Bodies were pouring blood from freshly ripped holes while limbs flew as did fragments from explosions. The Legion did know of these vehicles and had motors and some AA trucks to counteract them, but the planes and tanks kept on coming, outnumbering the Legions defenses. In major cities such as Boston, NYC, and Sacramento, the American Legion slowly were expelled from the urban areas and sent on the retreat to more rural areas. The battle continued to rage on in the rural areas as the Legion still gave hell to the National Guard, this time through Guerilla Warfare in the natural areas.

Even as the National Guard made victories in the big economically and strategic cities, cities in the inner parts of America were less fortunate. Due to being so far from major populous areas nearby and being in small states, the inner Plains of America was more vulnerable to the American Legion. Cities like Des Moines, Omaha, Oklahoma City, Reno, and Wichita were captured by the Legion in a matter of days after violent clashes between National Guardsmen and Police.

Newspaper detailing a bombing from the Battle of Omaha

In these occupied cities, a brutal dictatorship was established in all. Individual leaders of American Legion departments made themselves dictators of these cities. For citizens, all their constitutional rights were ripped away from them as freedom of speech was blocked to deter criticism against the Legion, all citizens had to give their food to American Legion Soldiers, and all media and information were to come from the Legion only. All of this was hastily put together in a matter of days into the occupation and while it did face some resistance, it was quickly snuffed out. Jewish Americans were a prime target for the Legion as the Legion bought into the antisemitic theory that Jews controlled the governments of the world, which meant they had a hand in Operation Eagle’s Nest and sending the soldiers off to war. So as revenge, the Legion went around the occupied cities, evicting Jews, destroying their businesses, and even executing innocent ones who were trialed at the accusation of “Collaborating with the government”.

The National Guard in these states who had retreated had called for reinforcements to aid out in retaking these cities. The pleas were answered as FDR nationalized the National Guard and sent them to the plains to take care of the occupied cities. The men were arriving on railroads, which the Legion knew about. With that knowledge, the Legion embarked on a mass campaign of bombing railroads across the Inner Plains, slowing down the movement of the National Guard. The American Legion also used up the time to properly barricade their newly occupied cities with whatever material they could gather, turning cities into mini fortresses.

The Federal Government knew that this new phase of the Troubles was going to be a bloody one as the Legion had already dug themselves into the smaller cities and towns. But the Federal Government was ready to embark on an operation to completely annihilate the American Legion. Meanwhile down South, the American Legion were cultivating an alliance with unique allies who also detested the National Government, but for different reasons.

More hateful and bitter hearted reasons…

Army train somewhere in Kansas after a terrorist attack from the American Legion.

 

[Ymo]

You forgot to threadmark.

 

[TheMasterAltHistorian]

You forgot to threadmark.

Sorry about that. Little tired so didn’t do it. It’s has now been changed

 

[RanulfC]

Cthulhu Train

Randy

 

[xxtraction]

Sorry about that. Little tired so didn’t do it. It’s has now been changed

Just found this timeline. I really like it and am very exited for the next chapters!

 

[saman bey]

It's... Interesting... to have Butler go with it.

I'm pretty sure i saw a tl somewhere where he goes along with it, then purges the business owners.

 

[TheMasterAltHistorian]

Just found this timeline. I really like it and am very exited for the next chapters!

Thanks! I try to be consistent with a chapter a day and will post a new chapter every evening so that you guys can wake up to the morning with a new chapter to read