alternatehistory.com

Alright, so I asked a few weeks ago about what Theodore Roosevelt would have done had he lived past 1919. Most seemed to agree that he would seek the GOP nomination to be POTUS. Anyway, it was also a given that in order for TR to make it, he would have probably needed to be healthier, and in order to do that, he would have had to not go to South America on the Rondon Expedition in 1913-4 due to the trip causing him to suffer with affects from Malaria, as well as infections and the like.

So here it goes


May1910. After no reports from any of the members of the Rondon Expedition that went up the Madeira River in May of 1909. It is presumed that Rondon and his party ran out of supplies and died of either starvation or disease. While some in the Brazilian Government have proposed sending another expedition, few people seem up to the job. There have even been rumors former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt has been considered, though he dismissed the rumors saying "It would be a bully adventure, but no one in Brazil has even talked to me, It also seems foolish to go out into a jungle full of such vicious savages".

1912- Theodore Roosevelt, after being dissatisfied with President Taft and the Republicans, runs on his own as part of the Progressive "Bull Moose" Party. Roosevelt ended up finishing 2nd, but almost didn't even live to make a run. After an assassination attempt in Milwaukee, Roosevelt still appeared to possess his trademark energy, and it was later found the bullet hit his eyeglass case. protecting him from more serious injury. Roosevelt finished 2nd, winning the states of California, Washington, South Dakota, Michigan, Minnesota and Pennsylvania, and also got 2nd in the popular vote.

1913. Roosevelt goes to South America on a speaking tour, and a steamboat trip on the Amazon. The trip is a relative success with Roosevelt speaking in Rio De Janiero, Sao Paolo, Belem, as well as Buenos Aires and Santiago Chile. During his trip, Roosevelt not only talked about his Presidency, but also about the need for Pan American Unity and the importance of the new canal in Panama, as well as other regional and world issues. The former president was well received at each of his stops and praised his hosts. He returns to the US towards the end of 1913

August 1914- A month after the assasination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the Germans, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire are at war with Serbia, Russia, France, and Britain. Many of the elites in the U.S think the U.S. should join on the side of Britain, but the U.S. Stays neutral.

May 1915The Lusitania is sunk by a German Uboat. Since it carried American Citizens, a number of whom were killed, the U.S. becomes more convinced it should join the war but stays out.

1916- Roosevelt stays out of the election against Wilson that year. Endorsing GOP candidate Charles Evans Hughes. Wilson is reelected, pledging to keep the U.S. out of war

April 1917- The U.S. enters World War One. Former president Roosevelt, then 8 years old, volunteers to lead a unit in the war. However, due to problems with weight (in spite of being otherwise healthy) he is used to train troops in the U.S. He also does do inspections in Europe but doesn't fight. His sons however do, including the daring Quentin. Quentin is a pilot and is shot down over France , but survives somehow.

Novemeber 1918- The War ends with an allied victory.

January 1919- The Versailles Conference begins. During the conference, the 4 allied powers, Britain, France, USA, and Italy, seek to punish Germany, and use Wilson's 14 points to ensure a peace. Roosevelt, always the critic, feels the conference is not hard enough on Germany and says it was their fault for "turning a spat between the Austrians and Serbians into an international incident. He also blames Germany for toppling the Russian regime over to the "godless communists".

1920- Roosevelt is considered a frontrunner for the Republican nomination. While conservatives in the party try to keep him out of consideration, his personal support is still strong. The 61 year old Roosevelt eventually wins the nomination, but is saddled with Warren Harding as his VP, in spite of Roosevelt's disdain for him. The Democrats decide to run James Cox of Ohio, and William G.McAdoo of California. While some thought Cox might be a Dark Horse, Roosevelt and Harding ran a campaign based on keeping the U.S. strong and making it a leader in International Diplomacy. He also was against Wilson's "weak peace" and wanted to punish the Germans more for their role.

On election night, Roosevelt would win. He would win most of the northeast, midwest and west, though he lost every southern state except West Virginia and Maryland. Roosevelt in his victory speech declared "We must keep a Progressive Spirit in America going. We cannot retreat from the World Stage. Rather we must spread the idea of Democracy and freedom throughout the World, or else we will find that soon, we are all that is left for freedom in the world. Now is not the time to retreat, but to advance a new age for America and the world."
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