The Iron Eagle: An Adolf Hitler Presidency

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France, January 1918:

"The Somme is a bitter place in this day and age. It resides in Picardy, which hosted the plague that swept across France just under two centuries ago, and whose name means "Dagger". The Dagger of Picardy has sliced through the hearts of all men who roam in this godforsaken entity, now in the form of bullets and poison gas" - Hitler in his diary during the war, on a tour across northern France.


Hitler found his time in France during the Great War as one of great patriotism, for not only could he be part and parcel of the "patriotic war effort", but he also could enjoy the drums of war without suffering it's consequences. He wrote of the great damage, with impeccable rhetoric and verbiage, yet he never truly processed it. No President would ever entertain war in such a manner in the future without being ignorant of it's dark soul. One of the pleasures he enjoyed in France was his meetings with Patton." -Adolph Hitler: An Impactful Legacy, by David McCullough, American Historian and author.

Captain Patton found the young scholar reading books on French History. Intrigued, he asked him:

"What's the book you're reading about?"

The mustached scholar responded,

"The books I have with me are about French History."

"So you're into History I gather."

"Ah yes. Very much so."

"Why, if I may ask?"

"It's wonderful examining all the intricacies of the past and understanding what various peoples did in the past and also understanding how and why are we where we are today."

"Interesting. You've certainly thought about this for a while now, haven't you?"

"Well I have had to. I have a doctorate in History."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"Well, on the battlefield you're one of the useless doctors who can't heal for crap".

Both men laughed, forgetting the gunfire that was only miles away from them.

"So where are you from?"

"San Antonio, Texas. And you?"

"San Gabriel, California."

"Ah yes. San Gabriel is famous for it's mission!"

"You sir, are very correct. I am half alarmed that you even knew that, but the other have is in complete awe."

Hitler smirked.​

"On the battlefield, they must call you, "the man with a mission."

It was now the Captain's turn to smirk.

"That's a good title. I'll keep it!."

A little pause went by, overturned by,

"So what captured your interest about my academic pursuits?"

"Well, I saw French on one of your books, and I'm very interested in the language."

"Oh you are! That's wonderful. Would you mind translating this paragraph for me? It's all in French, and I can't understand the chapter without it."

"I'll try my best."

And so Patton, the captain from San Gabriel, befriended the Iron Eagle.

(General Patton, pictured in his later years. He was the President's closest confidante in the military, and whose friendship with Hitler lasted for numerous decades.)

Romania during the Great War:


"The Romanian front was one of great importance for the country, even though it was probably not highly impactful on a global scale. Led by the reforms of Minister of War Ion Antonescu, the Romanian military became the best in the Balkans. With just 30% of it's forces (it was necessary to defend the crucial border against the much more powerful Austro-Hungarian empire), it captured the whole northern frontier of Bulgaria, forcing it's Southern neighbor to focus heavily on keeping the Romanian army out.

Romania still did not have the military might of Vienna, as while the old empire was a former shadow of itself, it still boasted massive armies and with a militant Magyar leadership in it's east, was committed to the destruction of Romania. Yet, what took the Hapsburg armies by surprise was not only were their forces repelled out of the Romanian country side with relative ease, corners of Transylvania were in fact liberated from Hapsburg and Magyar tyranny by the end of the war." - Iuliu Maniu.

(Romania and it's neighbors, January 1918.)

 

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Italy:

With the Allied powers victorious in the Great War, Italy envisioned a glorious future. Talks of a resurrected Roman Empire were frequent in markets across the Peninsula, and the dampened national mood caused by the defeat in Ethiopia just twenty two years prior transformed into intense national and ethnic pride.

Yet matters abroad quickly soured the national mood. Italy had not been given the platform it desired in the peace talks, and while Trentino and South Tyrol were granted to the Italians, other territories claimed by Italy such as Dalmatia were not. Italy felt snubbed by the Allied powers and entered a state of social and political turmoil, resembling more the mood of a defeated nation than a victorious.

(Mussolini and the black shirts on the "March to Rome", October 1922. The March was a turning point for Italy, signaling the rise of Authoritarianism in the European Continent.)

“Mussolini’s rise in Europe marks the beggining of Bolshevism’s glorious end in the Civilized World” - Adolph Hitler.


Benito Mussolini, a socialist turned fascist, gained massive clout amongst much of the Italian working class. He appealed to the nationalistic and irredentist sentiments of the Italian working class, and offered them friendship with the Italian elites, bonding over ethnic and national ties. Mussolini's message was much more appealing to Italy's established elites than the communists and anarchists, and when he and his PNF* followers conducted the March on Rome in 1922, in which more than 30,000 militiamen marched in support for a Fascist government lead by Mussolini, King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy appointed Mussolini President of the Council of Ministers*. Over the years, Mussolini and the PNF consolidated power, and by 1928 declared the PNF the only legal party of Italy. The era of vibrant democracy in the framework of a constitutional monarchy came to a bitter end, and in the new era a Fascist Italy was born.

 

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Hungary:


After the disastrous defeat of the Central Powers in 1918, the fate of the nations that comprised the defeated alliance depended solely on the sympathy and sanity of the victors. Unfortunately for them, sympathy was not a popular emotion in succession to a brutal and bloody war.

In the chaos that ensued defeat, Communists in the Kingdom of Hungary staged a revolution in 1919, controlling majority of the Hungarian plain, under the de facto rule of Bela Kun, the de jure head of foreign affairs.

In response, Admiral Miklos Horthy and the Hungarian Conservatives fought back against the Communist Dictatorship. Horthy and his forces captured Budapest in 1919, welcomed by many as a hero. Yet replacing the Red Terror (1919), filled with violent revolutionary zeal came the White Terror, filled with violent reactionary zeal. The White Terror lasted two years till 1921, when Horthy stabilized the political situation and restored normalcy to the social atmosphere, yet in the process signaled an authoritarian shift.

(Admiral Horthy enters Hungary, 1919.)

"Facing perpetually shrinking national borders and a expanding crisis following the Communist coup, Admiral Horthy found himself in a desperate situation. Either he acted right at the moment and liberate his nation from the shackles of Marxism, or forever he witness the degradation of his nation. Thus, Admiral Horthy acted in decisiveness, waging a holy crusade against the Communist vermin. When his army of saviors finally reached Budapest, he was welcomed with open arms by his people. His valiant efforts saved the soul of the Magyars and their nation, and I pray for the Russian nationalists and their glorious white army in their own crusade against the nefarious red army." - Adolph Hitler

In 1920, the Kingdom of Hungary was forced to sign the Treaty of Trianon, in which the Kingdom of Hungary lost 72% of it's territorial holdings, majority of it containing territories with non-Magyar majorities but also including 30% of ethnic Magyars in the Kingdom of Hungary. The treaty utterly infuriated the Hungarian public, leading to the popular slogan "Nem Nem Soha" or "No No Never".

(Map demonstrating the territorial changes instituted by the Treaty of Trianon.)

Horthy's regime accepted the territorial changes to ensure the situation did not worsen, but privately the regime never accepted the territorial changes. The Kingdom of Hungary's underground policy was the restoration of Hungary rule in the Carpathian Basin, representing Admiral Horthy's legacy to come.

 

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Japan:

Since the end of the Boshin War, where the British-backed Imperial side was victorious and Japan witnessed the Meiji restoration, Japan was a loyal ally of the British. And so when Britain entered their greatest conflict yet, Japan readily supported their ally in the conflict of arms and reaffirmed its reputation as a steadfast and loyal ally.

The Boxer Rebellion turned China into a shared colony of the Western world, in which Japan was just recently integrated into. Japan, the U.S., and the Great Powers of Europe each had their own port leased to them (however the lease was based more upon gunpowder capabilities rather than the willingness to loan). Now, with the West divided, Japan had the ability to capture more settlements and increase it's influence in China. In close succession to the war's advent, in 1914 Japan captured the German possession in China of Tsingtao. Not only that, but in the treaty concession Germany's islands in the Northern Pacific were granted to Japan, labeled by the Imperial government as the South Pacific Mandate.

(Map of the South Pacific Mandate.)

With Japan's footprint in Asia and the Pacific expanded, the Imperial government in Tokyo witnessed their prestige on the global stage greatly increased. Coupled with an easy victory and a weakening economy, forces supporting militarism were on the rise. Indeed, the Rising Sun would continue to beat it's rays across Asia and the Pacific, much to the dismay of those with competing interests in the region.

 

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France:

France arose from the ashes of the Great War as the strongest power in the continent. It's sphere of influence stretched all the way to the Black Sea and
Baltic, and it's longstanding rival, Germany, in utter tatters. Alsace-Lorraine, whose German ownership produced a long-term national shame, belonged to France once again, and in 1923, when the Germans could not repay their post-war debt, in 1923, the French occupied the Ruhr, a center of German industry and mining before. In post-war Europe, the French had the potential to rebrand Europe in their name.

However, in the outer shell was a confident and victorious nation, on the intimate inside was a nation that had lost 67.9% of it's mobilized or up to 1.396 million deaths. Political chaos was afoot with the rise of the radicals and socialists, angered by decrepit labor conditions and conservative administration indifference. With veterans from West Africa and Indochina witnessing the decrepit state France was in during the war, their faith in the French model of prosperity had fallen rapidly. Combined with the continuing second class status they received from Paris, these veterans from the colonies served as the nucleus of the independence movements back home. Furthermore, the French occupation of the Ruhr and other militant actions only turned it's ally the British further away from them, and with the loss of Russia to the Bolsheviks in 1923, France faced increasing isolation in global stage, only furthering their fanatic fears of a German rising.

(French troops occupying the Ruhr, 1923. Marshall Ferdinand Foch endorsed further border changes, such as turning the Rhine into the Franco-German border.)


If France was going to succeed in the new era, it would have to embrace modern and decisive ideas. Fortunately and Unfortunately for the land of Voltaire and Monet, France was always a land of cultural and political struggle and debate, and how France was going to end up in the now Modern World had limitless possibilities.

(French ruins just after the Great War. The standing ruins represented a nation shaken to it's core by war and bloodshed, yet still standing, filled with great potential and a bright hope for the future.)​

 

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Austria:

The House of Hapsburg had dominated the affairs of Austria for seven centuries, and the surrounding territories for at least the past four. And so when the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye in 1919 dissolved not only the Austrian Empire but also put the final nail in the abdication of the House of Hapsburg, Austria lost it's key to it's ancient unitary heritage. Austria on it's own was a Southern German province. It was the majesty and grandeur of the House of Hapsburg that ruled most of Central Europe that kept the glue of common purpose together. Now, the German-speaking state south of the Weimar Republic faced not only the trauma of lost territories and shrunken prestige, but also a dissonant national identity. Austria, the former center of European tradition and stability transitioned into the new era as a center of political chaos and volatility. The only thing for certain was that Austria's fate would vastly differ that of which it maintained for few centuries under a millennium.

(Coat of Arms of the House of Hapsburg. One of most important families in Europe's history, it's stunning departure from the political scene sent social and political shockwaves across the continent. The fate of Europe and the world hung in the balance as the ancient ruler's of Europe's center vanquished into thin air.)

 

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Russia:

The land of Mendeleev and Suvorov was facing an era of tremendous political turmoil. Just nine years before the Great War began, a revolution began, ending in 1907. Anger over the dramatic defeat in the Far East in the Russo-Japanese war, coupled with the Czar's ineptitude and unwillingness to pursue meaningful reform generated a fragile environment, one easily broke down by the War.

Compared to the German military, the Imperial Russian military was backward beyond doubt. The level of preparations and modernization for the conflict were horribly unmet, and the guns were not as advanced as their Teutonic enemy. The Russian army was big, yet varied and could not hold back the German onslaught throughout the war.

In 1917, Communist leader Vladimir Lenin went on a German Train from Switzerland to Russia. At the time Lenin arrived in Russia, the national mood turned against the Czar and the February Revolution broke out (from March 8-16), thus the Czar had to abdicate control of Russia, ending the long-standing era of Czardom in Russia. By the end of the February Revolution the Russian Provisional Government was established.

Soaring debt in the Russian economy and mass discontent with the ruling system by Russia's workers planted the soil fertile for another revolution to take place in the land of Rus; this time a Communist revolution.

With the success of the October Revolution and Lenin in St. Petersburg declaring the Revolution victorious, mass chaos ensued and the nation entered bitter civil war, between the whites, the Russian nationalists, and the Reds, the Russian Communists. The white movement was largely a loose coalition of anti Communists, ranging from nationalists and liberals to monarchists (though most historians largely tied the movement to political conservatism).

(White propaganda poster, stating "For United Russia". It was one of the many propaganda posters used by both sides during the brutal six year civil war.)

Hitler's reaction to the civil war was on of great shock and desperation. He wrote in an editorial for the New York Times in 1920 that "I deeply hope that a Suvorov exists amongst the ranks of the white army". He recorded in his journal that "for months I prayed for the white movement's victory in Russia's internal war". In one write up in 1918, Hitler stated:

"If the degenerate and dangerous forces of Marx take over Russia, then all sense of culture and civilization will disappear from the realm of Peter the Great, and if it spreads to the rest of the world, eternal damnation will ensue until the Red menace is crushed out of existence."


After six long years of violent and destructive civil war, the Red army was victorious and the Soviet Union was formally established in 1923. Marx's revolution finally manifested itself in a national entity, and was very much prepared to attempt shaping the new era.

 

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Romania:

Entering the war on the side of the victorious Entente, Romania also enjoyed the spoils of war. Transylvania from Austria-Hungary and Dobruja from Bulgaria were rewarded to Romania through heavily coerced treaties, and with the Russian state falling into anarchy through the civil war, in 1918 the Romanian majority province of Bessarabia was ripe for the taking, with the Romanian majority wishing to join their national brethren in political unity.

(County map of Romania, 1938. Romania at this point achieved it's dreams of it's national borders.)


In the new era, oil was rapidly increasing in it's importance as a source of fuel, and many global investors saw Romania's large oil reserves as a relatively untapped potential waiting to be exploited. Several oil fields were established across the country, especially in the South, such as Dambovita county. The oil boom created many "oil towns", with not only oil jobs being created but also businesses being created to serve those that worked in the oil fields. Large-scale international investment lead to economic prosperity in much of Romania, and coupled with the swelling mood of national pride and euphoria over the nation's further increase in size post-war gave the popularity boost to the already influential PSA (Agrarian Socialist Party) to dominate politics post war, even defeating the PNL (the party of the middle class) in affluent Transylvania (Hungarian and German minorities in fact helped swing the region to PSA with the government's call to end ethnic tension and certain autonomy measures in local communities.). Confident, strong and rising, Romania was on the route of much greater prestige in the new era.

(Petroleum field in Moreni, Romania, 1920.)

(Literacy rates by county, 1930. The wide gap between and inside certain regions would play a pivotal role in Romanian politics to come.)

 

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The British Empire entering the war was smaller than it's post-war successor. With the capture of German East Africa (Tanzania), Cecil Rhodes dream of a land path from Cairo to Cape town had been finally accomplished. The defeat of the mightiest industrial power on the planet, the German Empire, reaffirmed the Pax Britannica, similar to its establishment on the defeat of Europe's former might titan in Napoleon's France.

(British Africa in Red, 1919.)


Yet the mood for celebration was quickly lost for many. Veterans of Somme and Verdun brought back memories of wanton death and destruction, the loss of brothers, and a sense of deep mourning and malaise. What they experienced was called Shell Shock, or as later historians would refer to it, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Great victory had also demanded great spoils. While spoils in the form of financial and territorial reparations were delightful promoted by the British establishment, demands for greater share of the spoils from those below the totem pole was less warmly received. Support for the Labor party and other socialist parties was at an all time high from war veterans, who demanded more rights as commoners who fought for the nation. Socialist anger and frustration was at an all time high, largely channeled through the Labor party, lead by the ambitious Ramsay MacDonald since 1922. The growing veterans demand's back home enforced the reassertion of One-nation Conservatism into the forefront of the Conservative Party's ideology, epitomized by Conservative Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin.

Colonial demands were also growing. Colonies such as Nigeria and the British Raj, whose support for the success of British war effort, demanded more and more autonomy from London. Veterans from the colonies became the nucleus for independence movements back home, just as in the case of the French. Even colonies such as Australia and New Zealand demanded more autonomy, with battles in the Great War such as Gallipoli, filled with great British Oceania participation, instilled a greater sense of pride in the settlers of Australia and New Zealand.

Not only were colonies from afar in issue with Britain over autonomy struggles, but also just across the Irish Sea. Ireland, frustrated with the perpetually postponing resolution on Irish Home Rule, combined with the brutal crackdown on Irish rebels in the Easter Rising, stimulated further support for Irish separatism. Just under a year after the Great War's end, the Irish War of Independence occurred, ending in 1921 with the partition of Ireland amongst ethnoreligious lines and establishment of the Irish Free State, belonging to the British Dominion.

(Political Map of Ireland, 1922.)


"Great Britain has positioned itself once again as a mighty nation state. Once again, Britannia rules the waves. This splendid victory will surely reinforce the dominance of the English language throughout the globe, and promote the greater Anglosphere. I see great benefit for the United States' in Britain's outcome." - Adolph Hitler, the New York Times, December 1918.

The British empire entered the new era mighty and powerful, yet less confident of it's renewed might. For success in the new era to occur, Britain's leadership had to understand the cards they had left, as well as the one's they had lost.

 

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Facing grave defeat at the hands of a vengeful and bitter Entente, Germany was forced to pay mammoth sized financial reparations. The treaty of Versailles demanded harsh reparations, both monetary and territorial, with the French going so far as to annex the coal-rich industrial province of the Ruhr, and 132 billion gold marks (or 32.5 billion dollars) were demanded for reparations. While only 50 billion gold marks had to be paid, the mandatory minimum in reparations still immensely harmed the health of the German economy. The treaty also required limiting the German army to a population of 100,00, and also, all tanks, the whole U-boat fleet, and air force had to be scrapped. Territorial concessions such as West Prussia to Poland caused tremendous outrage and anger amongst the German people.

The harsh reparations greatly deflated Germany's prestige. Gone was the lively industries that powered the German economy. Gone was the far flung colonies ever so required to boost both the state and public morale in both times of normalcy and crisis. Gone was even the Kaiser himself, whose ancestors founded the modern German state. Gone was the German spirit.

(German territorial losses, 1919.)

Mass discontent from the war produced social chaos. Revolutionary zeal flung into action at the very end of the war, with communist revolts including the Spartacus uprising, where KPD co-founder Rosa Luxemburg was killed. In it's end, the Communist revolution was crushed, and the free market democratic Weimar Republic was established.

(Spartacus Uprising in Berlin, 1919.)

In times of crisis soothsayers rise to the occasion. In Germany, there was no difference. In 1921, former aviator during the war Hermann Goering joined with fellow veterans of the Great War Strasser and Rohm in a bar in Berlin to discuss political issues in the country, former the NRP, or Nationalist Revolutionary Party, an anti-capitalist, anti-communist (and accused of being anti-Semitic) party that appealed to the discontent and the angry. The disgruntled voter did not only have one party to vote for. The DNVP, a culturally right-wing and economically centrist party (appealing largely to farmers at the start) under Krupp associate Alfred Hugenburg cornered a significant chunk of the same angry voter (an ever growing percentage by year), and was tremendously aided by the organizational skills of party secretary Heinrich Himmler and the rhetoric of head propagandist Joseph Goebbels (Krupp money didn't hurt either). Alfred Rosenberg, a German theorist and author, peddled racist and anti-Semitic theories, from blaming the Jews for Germany's defeat in the "Stab in the Back" Theory to stating that the allied troops of African descent were put in Germany to "mongrelize the white race in Deutschland". Racism and anti-Semitism ran high amongst much of the German public (as well as most nations), and during times of great distress it provided a comforting narrative to an angry and vengeful public. Amongst radical left-wing circles, there was also an attempt to appeal to the disgruntled populace. The KPD (Communist Party) under Ernst Thalmann and Paul Levi also greatly appealed to the angry and desperate German worker.

More moderate parties still maintained popularity. One was the SPD, or the social democratic party, representing the workers in the industrial cities and towns of Germany, and increasingly, the Protestant middle class in the North. Lead by Friedrich Ebert, who was President of the Weimar Republic from 1919-1925, the SPD was the de facto ruling party of Weimar during the Republic's first half of existence. SPD was not the only moderate party however. Zentrum, the Catholic party of Germany, appealed to primarily the Catholic middle class and even a segment of the working class of Southern and Western Germany, performing especially well in the Rhineland and rural Bavaria. Zentrum was greatly aided by not only the reliable base and network providing by the Church in Germany, but also from successful leaders, especial mayor of Cologne Konrad Adenauer. Mayor Adenauer was famous for his economic reforms, championing traditional values of public decency and family, and honesty in governance.

Germany might have entered the new era bitter and dismayed, however, there was still hope for Bismarck's creation. Germany's choices would not only impact itself in the new era, but also the whole word.

(DNVP poster, 1920. It showed an aggressive Polish soldier attacking a Teutonic knight and read; "Save the East!".)

 

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Reeling from the damages of an unwanted war, United States veterans returned to a home full of distraught. Farmers, who had invested heavily into their lands for the war effort, upon the rapid economic contraction following the war's end, had lost their savings and more. Industrial workers in urban centers, primarily of immigrant descent, felt their pockets pinched by growing economic competition with African American workers escaping the lynching and brutalization's of Jim Crow Dixie. And veterans themselves felt resentful in their economic marginalization occurring from a failed demobilization plan. One of these veterans from across the shore was Adolph Hitler.

Resuming work with the New York Times, Hitler travelled across the country, finding source material for his editorials on the "state of the nation" as he quipped. He found it in the Windy City, just outside the porch of a small city house of a friend of his (through his veteran days).

The end of the 1910's was not a pleasant time for African Americans. The Birth of a Nation had grown into a national hit, portraying African Americans as "savage animals" and "serial rapists", feeding off of the myth of African-American male's lack of control and lustful violent desires. In May of 1919, Madame C. J. Walker, the first self-made female millionaire (of any race) died of natural causes at the age of fifty-one. Her demise meant the departure of a great community leader, both in African-American and woman’s causes. Along with pitiful economic conditions and a growing anger amongst their new neighbors northern whites, the black community had much to fear for.

Unfortunately, those fears found their realizations in July of 1919 in Chicago. Rising racial animosity and growing jobs insecurity exploded into five days of violence, in which 38 deaths occurred. The riot shocked the nation, causing many in the political sphere to reflect on how to improve race relations in Chicago and the country, including Illinois Governor Frank Lowden, who received praise for the reorganization of the city's government following the riots. However, not everyone was filled with feelings of hope for reconciliation and improved race relations.

"The events in Chicago have proven that the races cannot comingle in peace. A nation, victorious in war, has greeted the following year with savage chaos and has demonstrated the folly of Marxism throughout." Hitler wrote many more damning pieces about the riot and race relations in general.

"Hitler often connected racial tension with "Marxist meddling", indicative of a time when Bolshevik radicalism had toppled the Czar and Europe witnessed during the same year as the Chicago riot numerous Communist uprisings. The Red Scare was vibrant even at that time, and Hitler knew how to fan those flames; an ability that took him far." - The Great Men of American History, by Eric Foner, American Historian and author.


"It was the Chicago riots that convinced Hitler to enter the political arena as an avowed white supremacist. Beforehand, he merely maintained these views in intellectual circles and in writings for purposes of information. Never before did he intend to personally carry these ideas across to Washington." - Adolph Hitler: An Impactful Legacy, by David McCullough, American Historian and author.

(A soldier with five policemen in the Douglas neighborhood during the Chicago riots, 1919.)

(Madame C. J. Walker, an African-American entrepreneur famed for her success in producing beauty products primarily for African American women. Her legacy was frequently used by Libertarian Positivism and in general anti-Hitlerian ideologies as proof of Hitlerism's unsound positions on race.)

 

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Adolph was always intrigued by politics. This was of no surprise, for America's democratic tradition comprised a core aspect of it's history and would continue to do so. It was under no less President Woodrow Wilson in which he reached new heights; politics had blessed him.

However now, Hitler had grown up. One of his mentors was dead, the second dying, and the third could not carry him upwards by himself. The only way for Hitler to truly stand out for himself in the long run was through politicking. But through which party?

The Republican Party made much sense. Hitler was after all born into a German-speaking family from Texas Hill country, a Republican staple since the days the Deutsch of Dixie opposed secession and proudly supported the Union cause. And the Republicans were reasserting themselves as the nation's dominant party in the wake of increasing isolationism as a backlash towards Wilson's betrayal of his core reelection promise. As an isolationist himself, Hitler gravitated to such language espoused by Republican leaders coast to coast.

However, the Democratic Party also appealed to Hitler. He may have been born in a Republican region of Texas, but his state was part of the Democratic bastion of the Solid South. Hitler knew that the best way for him to rise in national politics was to first conquer local politics, as done by the greats, suck as Jefferson in Virginia, Lincoln in Illinois, Cleveland in New York and McKinley in Ohio. Texas would elect a yellow dog over a Republican, and Hitler never wanted to be a Canine's lesser.

It was also the party of Wilson, his third mentor. While his first two were Yankee Republicans (and that made staying a Republican greatly appeal to him), perhaps no mentor did more for him in the political realm than Wilson did. Also, while he disagreed with his mentor on international affairs, he very much agreed with the Virginian born Commander in Chief on issues regarding, perhaps to the right of him. He saw the Democratic party as "the greatest champion of the white race" and feared that "one day the Radical Republicans will come back to power with the help of the Negro and the Scalawag" and would "destroy the honorable treaty of '77 that has done much to preserve the integrity and soul of the American nation".

"Hitler was not much into the Confederacy. He was glad that Lincoln and the Union won, cherishing "the sanctity of the Union", however he believed and advocated that America was a "white man's country", and that Reconstruction was "a dangerous and radical experiment designed to destroy the social fabric of the nation". He was a man who saw the Union's victory in the Civil War as the proper result, and found the Compromise of 1877 as "the fitting ending". His white nationalism transcended regionalism; it was obsessed with racial purity throughout." - The Great Men of American History, by Eric Foner, American Historian and author.


While the decision was tough, one final thing turned Hitler forever into the direction of Jacksonian Democracy. William Jennings Bryan, President Wilson's first Secretary of State (and someone who Hitler had the privilege of spending an evening dinner with, along with President Wilson) was a committed populist and also opposed the war. In his journal in 1920, Hitler stated that "the Democratic party is not the party of internationalist intellectuals, and it will learn this after a few successive defeats." And thus, after much deliberation, Hitler joined the party of Jefferson, of Polk, of Jackson. Hitler was now a Democrat.

(Bryan, along with other populist mass leaders such as Roosevelt and Jackson, greatly appealed to Hitler. It was his legacy that finally convinced Hitler to join the party of Jackson and Buren.)

 

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Having official switched parties in the Summer of 1919, Hitler quickly rose through the ranks of the San Antonio Democratic party. His organizational skills, charisma and German roots appealed to grass root workers and party bosses alike, along with his fame through his editorials. "I love your work, Dr. Hitler" was a frequent compliment flown Hitler's way, further increasing his stature in the party framework.

Not all was well with the San Antonio Democratic party. Hitler's ill mentor had caused the Democratic party much political pain, even piercing through the underbellies of the Solid South. San Antonio was dominated by a Democratic machine, yet the nearby localities were filled with Republican-leaning Germans, who all had fresh memories of their persecution and of who was responsible for their misery. The Democrat's prospects were miserable; a feeling tangible amongst all ranks.

The congressional county in San Antonio was located was the one Republicans looked to make headway in. The German communities who had been there since '48 gave the Republicans great hope, and the San Antonio Democrats lacked tall German leaders who could counter the political headway.

Except that they did: in Adolph Hitler. Hitler, a new Democrat, was generally seen as an outsiders even by allies, and his refusal to accept bribes on the basis of principal did not improve relations with the party bosses. However, in times of peril, being the party face was not necessarily a reward. Adolph knew he had a chance to get the party nomination for Congress, as to many he would be the sacrifice. However, being a seat in Texas, it was still competitive, and convincing the party leadership to nominate him was of great difficulty. Hitler knew that the best way to get their backing was through his newfound skill: speeches.


Reaching the podium on a hot summer day, Adolph gulped as stealthily as possible. "It's now or never."

Most of the party workers did not plan to be recipients of a speech, and thus there was no eager audience in the background waiting to be rallied. Hitler would have to muster a crowd.

"My friends, gentlemen of the party"

A hundred heads jerked varying degrees, with astounded expressions plastered on their usually dreary faces.

"I come to you as a friend; a fellow Jacksonian and proud American who prays for the country's glorious tomorrow."

Many astounded faces turned into intrigue, some into mild annoyance.

"At times of distraught, honesty is necessary to correct problems. I will be frank with all of you."

More faces transitioned into worry, fearing for upcoming chaos.

"This party needs a German face. We cannot afford a defeat in November, otherwise we will be the laughingstock of the Lone Star Democratic party."

Certain faces transitioned into scowls. One angry party worker rebuked;

"So we should make a German like you the candidate, huh, Doctor!"

"Well, now that you have raised the idea, I think it is quite a smart strategy. I am humbled by your faith."

The crowd turned into laughter. Hitler had won them over, and potential disdain turned into utter jubilation.

"Will we win?"

The crowd chanted, "We shall! We shall!"

The party bosses were astonished. "I never dreamed that this election cycle there would be confidence, never mind jubilation."

Adolph spoke for another forty five-minutes, following a standing ovation of two full minutes. Cheers and whistles were mixed in, along with the occasional shout-out. When it ended, the bosses smiled at each other, knowing who their candidate for Congress was. But there would be one caveat.

(From Texas' freedom cries to Hitler's political journey, it all started in San Antonio.)

 

[IntellectuallyHonestRhino]

Presidential Election of 1920:


The Presidential Election of 1920 was contested on one major basis; could voters forgive President Wilson for not holding his promise for peace?

The answer was a decisive no. German Americans, who voted for Wilson against a halfway bellicose Hughes, experienced harsh repressions throughout the war. Their revenge was fulfilled through the ballet box, costing the Democrats states from the Upper Midwest to Wyoming and even down in Missouri. Italian Americans, angry at Wilson's opposition to Italy's claims for spoils in Versailles, voted en masse for the GOP, a first for the community. Even Irish Americans, the bedrock of the Northern Democratic infrastructure, were frustrated with Wilson's seemingly apathetic stance towards Ireland's situation during the Versailles conference. Versailles had not only dethroned a Kaiser, it decimated a President.

The Democratic ticket was popular governor of Ohio James Middleton Cox, who was known for his reforms regarding business and labor, along with constructing Ohio's unified highway system. He was enthusiastically endorsed by the New York Times. Cox's vice presidential candidate was Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Roosevelt had not developed his polio yet, and was a popular campaigner throughout the election cycle; building a name for himself.

"Roosevelt has certainly demonstrated his first-rate abilities as a charismatic campaigner. I expect a great political future for him, and wonder if he can live up to his namesake." - Adolph Hitler in his diary, 1920.

The Republican ticket was Senator Warren G Harding of Ohio and Governor Calvin "Silent Cal" Coolidge of Massachussets. Harding was well known in the Buckeye state for his business success, and Coolidge was famed for his firing of the Boston Police during their strike in 1919, earning him praise from Conservatives and laissez-faire supporters and scorn from pro-labor voices. In general, he was viewed as a competent governor and perhaps the better of the two men on the ticket.

The Republican ticket chose instead of conducting a campaign trail across the nation, they would a traditional front porch campaign, while being the recipient of generous donations from big business. This differing campaign style (besides the fact that Democrats had donations from big business as well) was reminiscent of the 1896 election, which was also won by the a Republican from Ohio:

Harding/Coolidge (R) - 404 (60.3%)

Cox/Roosevelt (D) - 127 (34.1%)

Except in scale. Bryan very much lost 24 years prior, however his results were respectable. He had won over the Southern and Western farmer, and largely kept the party afloat with more than 46.7% of the vote. Not only had Cox obtained barely more than 34% of the vote, he had not even won the entire former Confederacy, a first during the Jim Crow era as a Democrat. The vote margin was the largest for a Presidential race in American history since a century prior in 1820, where President James Monroe ran unopposed.

“If the results of the Presidential Election of 1920 have proven anything, it’s that the Democratic Party must dominate the ethnic vote in the north to win the White House and control Congress, and also that the Upper South is not quite as Solid as the Deep South. If the Democratic leadership is not careful, then in a generation it will transition into merely the party of Carolina low country and the Mississippi marshes.” - Adolph Hitler, 1923

1920 was also the year of the firs presidential election where women in al 48 states of America could vote. While women's suffrage was achieved in other states prior to the 19th Amendment, now both sexes could participate in the electoral process nationwide.

"Hitler was very supportive of the 19th amendment, but was radically opposed to the idea of women running for office. It is a discordant conundrum for many in the historical community to study, for it defied traditional norms of Progressive and Conservative. However, when it came to Hitler, Progressivism and Conservativism do not apply, so this conundrum does not come as a surprise." - Adolph Hitler: An Impactful Legacy, by David McCullough, American Historian and author.

(Governor Cox and Assisstant Secretary Roosevelt on the campaign trail in Ohio, 1920. FDR's uncanny abilities as a campaigner connected him to the masses, a trait he carried with himself for the rest of his political career.)



Texas 14th Congressional Seat Race of 1920:

Texas' 14th district, where San Antonio was located, along with other parts of Texas Hill Country, was open for debate as for which party would win. The San Antonio Democratic machine was well-oiled and skilled at wresting the seat from rival political factions, and Democrats generally expected to carry this seat way down in the Solid South. However, its location in Texas Hill Country gave it access to numerous German voters, who generally leaned Republican and especially in 1920 were enthused to vote for the Grand Old Party. The Republican candidate was Harry McLeary Wurzbach, born in San Antonio to an ethnic German family and had great appeal to the German constituents.

The Democrats also had a German candidate in Dr. Adolph Hitler. Adolph expected a hard fought match, and knew the only way to win was to cultivate the support of ethnic Germans. He could best do this by stressing their German connection through his rousing speeches, which he conducted throughout the constituency.

His German speeches however made many non-Germans uncomfortable, for they associated the Teutonic tongue with the Kaiser and those who opposed America. Hitler might have costed himself the race, however, he appealed to those traditional Southern Democrats through race baiting.

"I come not as a champion of the German community but of the white race." Hitler frequently stated through the speech. "Anglos and Germans of the district, I beg of you to examine your commonalities. You all oppose the integration of the races. Do not be swayed by those who wish to change this pivotal topic at hand!"

Hitler frequently referred to the riots in 1919 and the socialist anarchy, stressing unity amongst "all white Americans during a time of great national peril." His combination of fear mongering and humorous rhetoric appealed to many, and by the end of the race he was the expected winner.

(Hitler campaigning at a German-American community center in San Antonio, 1920.)

However, the machine, while wanting Hitler to win the race, wanted a slim victory. If Hitler scored a decisive mandate, he would not have to depend on the machine. No, for the machines sake, a slim victory would prove that it was not any candidate's charisma that won the day, but municipal mucking that achieved victory.

The results came in that November, with Hitler achieving a slight lead:

Adolph Hitler (D) - 50.5%

Harry Wurzbach (R) - 49.5 %

Cheers were in the air. "You did it Doctor! I know you could!" was shouted at his face numerous times by enthralled party workers. There was fear of a defeat, however by the race's end jubilation was at sight for the close victory. Jubilation except on Hitler's face.

"Something's amiss here", the Doctor thought to himself. "Something is definitely amiss."

 

[IntellectuallyHonestRhino]

Hitler went to Congress knowing he was a cheated man. He had won his race, no doubt, but there was something amiss. "Those crowds were just too large" Adolph thought to himself. His gut told him he had to make a stand; and the rest was enshrined in the annals of history.

Right away, Hitler stood out in Congress when he became one of the first in history to contest the elections results as the winner.

"Excuse me?" cried the judge. This seems quite silly, the winning candida-

"I know that I was cheated out of a major victory. Please let there be a recount."

The Republican Party, eager to see where this went (and an opportunity to gain another seat) readily agreed to support the Mustached congressman fulfill his quest. Thus, the recount began, with supervision to make sure fraudulent ballots were disqualified. Sure enough, there was plenty of rigged votes, much to the interest of the press, who were engrossed with the "scandal on hill".

Sure enough, at the end of the day, when the fraudulent votes were removed, the margins were entirely different:

Adolph Hitler (D) - 58.1%

Harry Wurzbach (R) - 41.9%

The machine had tilted the race much closer to Wurzbach than had actually occurred. Hitler had proven his critics wrong, confirmed his strength in his constituency, and most of all, already established a national portfolio for himself. Hitler became a minor folk hero, a freshman Congressman who already combatted corruption in his home state. Many Texans states that Hitler was the "Bull Balls Doctor from San Antonio".

"The recount decision was just the first of many grand and gutsy moves played by Hitler, and it was his success in pulling them off that gained him notoriety quickly and turned him into the legendary figure he needed to be to create a cult-of-personality." - Eric Foner.

The Dr. from Hancock gained the attention of many, including veteran Democratic Senator from Texas Charles Allen Culberson. Culberson found in Hitler a figure who could take the party forward in it's most desperate time since the Civil War. Approaching the new Congressman with a friendly smile, he said:

"Hello there, Hitler is it?"

"Yes, Congressman Hitler from Texas' 14th district"

Culberson chuckled.

"Well you don't have to have to be formal about it."

"I'm a Doctor. I can't help myself."

Both men chuckled.

"Would you be free for dinner this Thursday? My wife makes some of the best pork in D.C."

"Of course. I'm neither a Mohammedan nor a Jew!"

"You're quite the humorous one, Congressman Hitler."

"Thank you so much for both your gracious invite and kind words."


What Hitler did not know was that Senator Culberson was for the longest time an aloof Senator, having only recently becoming more colorful months ago. Only through decades experience did the Texan Senator shed his political drawbacks. Senator Culberson admired Hitler's conviction, and unbeknownst to Hitler he was also a fan of his editorials during the Pancho Villa expedition. And finally, the silent hand of Wilson was at hand. Republicans wanted to humiliate the Democratic party, thinking that this freshman congressman was just braggadocios. It was Wilson who not only convinced Senator Culberson to mentor Adolph, but also have the Democratic leadership not object to Hitler's probe. Even sick in bed he protected his protégé.

(Senator Charles Culberson was Hitler's greatest mentor in the halls of Congress. He helped the freshman Congressman meet some of the most powerful Democrats in both the House and the Senate, and helped elevate him in Lone Star politics. As President, Hitler honored Senator Culberson, and had a statue of him built in his honor.)

 

[IntellectuallyHonestRhino]

Dear Adolph,

First of all, congratulations on your most esteemed success! My pupil, now a Congressman!

I am so pleased with your trajectory. First, a syndicated editorial writer, then a Doctor in Philosophy, and now
a representative from his home district! My only gripe is that you have chosen the wrong party, but we all make
make mistakes, now don't we?

I so very much wanted to see you as soon as you returned to Europe, but unfortunately I was swamped with more
assignments than ever. The Historical Societies wanted me to write my analysis on WW1 and its social and cultural
effects on America, in context to the frontier thesis. I have with me the book, and of course with a signature.

Now that all of that is wrapped up, I would love to take the train from Newark to D.C. Would you be able to meet
with your old Professor? Hope those Washington seniors aren't picking on the freshman.


Sincerely,

Professor Turner


Adolph was enthused as ever. "Professor Turner is coming to see me! I must fit this in my schedule somehow!

But, Hitler also planned on meeting his other surviving mentor, now just Dr. Wilson. The former President, now terribly ill,
wanted to see his pupil once more at least before he went (the plan was multiple occasions, but missing just one was already
scary).

His reply was of long length, touching many subjects and memories, so here is a snippet:

Professor Turner, would you be alright having that meeting be a dinner with Dr. Wilson and I?

I think it would be a wonderful get together, filled with mentors and mentee.



February 7, 1920:


Dr. Wilson moved into Embassy Road in Washington D.C. with his wife post his presidency, with a wonderful home to live his last years in. D.C. in February was snowing, and thus the front courtyard was covered in more snow than the soldiers who crossed the Delaware.

With slight hesitation (nostalgia has a decelerating effect), Adolph knocked on the door. A few long seconds later, a mustached Butler opened the door:

"Dr. Hitler, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Come right this way."


Waiting in tense deliberation, Hitler feared for what he would see. "Only eight years ago my mentor was a champion; on top of the world. I hope God has given him mercy even in his ache."

"Adolph."

"Is that -"

"Of course its me!"

"Professor Turner!"

"It's been so long, Adolph, or should I say Congressman."

"No need for such formalities, Professor Turner. You're a father to me."

"Well don't be so mad if I slip in Doctor once or twice."

"Okay (laughing), I won't"

"Come. Let's not keep our former head of state waiting."

Hitler and Turner walked a few steps, before another Butler opened the door to the dining room.

"Hello Hitler!"

"Dr. Wilson!"

"I would have greeted you near the door, however my health forbids me. I constantly depend on my dear wife. These days, she's practically my pale mammy."

Hitler and Wilson chuckled; Turner less sincerely. The Professor from Wisconsin was a good Republican Yankee, and allusions to the slavery days were not received comfortably by him. However, he was with family, and as always, family makes one uncomfortable at times.

Now, sitting at the dinner table, the three men ravished at the feast. Pork chitterlings, mashed potatoes and best of all, Texas-style Steak were all served at the dinner table. The vegetable soup at the beginning was a warm welcome, however the largely carnivorous men could not wait to stick their forks into the slowly-roasted meat.

"Oh delicious!" and "Scrumptious" were commonly used terms at the feast. The trio discussed numerous topics, from art and the sciences to fond memories and politics:

"Now that you're a Congressman, and for the right party"

"Hey"

"Dr. Hitler knows what he's doing. A Republican can't get elected in Texas!"

Adolph blushed at the compliments from his mentors:

"I thank you all for your kinds words. I could have never gotten this far without all of your help."

"Thank you." both mentors said.

"So many people accept help, and then never even reply with a thank you." stated Doctor Turner.

Dr. Wilson agreed, commenting "As a politician who was involved in the patronage business, I can definitely concur".

Hitler began to tear a little:

"What wrong?" asked Dr. Wilson.

"I miss Professor Sumner."

Silence was in the air. It was getting close to the tenth anniversary of his mentor from New Jersey past away.

"I do to." stated Professor Turner.

The silence continued.

"Let's pray" Hitler sobbed out.

A little prayer was conducted in Professor Sumner's name. After that, Hitler wiped his eyes and the mood transitioned back to the peaceful bliss. Adolph continued to meet Dr. Wilson for the weekends, which not only let them rekindle old memories and "the good ole days", but also helped with Hitler's portfolio in the Democratic party.

"There is no legitimate proof that Hitler maintained his relationship with President Wilson out of any strategic gain. Wilson was a father figure to Hitler, and Hitler, who missed his biological father Alois so much, needed that father figure in his life" - Adolph Hitler: An Impactful Legacy, by David McCullough, American Historian and author.

Hitler also continued to meet with Turner whenever the Princeton Professor and the Congressman could make time. The memories Hitler had with both Wilson and Turner throughout the next few years (and with Turner for the next seven years after Wilson's expected yet tragic death) continued to give Adolph the strength to continue his life journey till his own eyes laid in permanent rest.

"Hitler's life was as much about relationships as it was ideological. For an intellectual who carved out a path of ideas and values, his political rise was mostly based upon his mentors and friendships. One cannot understand Hitler's rise without understanding the nebula of people around him."- The Great Men of American History, by Eric Foner, American Historian and author.

(Embassy Road, Washington D.C.; the home of President Wilson post his presidency. Hitler had many fond memories there from 1920 to Wilson's death in 1923.)

 

[IntellectuallyHonestRhino]

A future snippet:

(President Hitler at a rally, 19XX)


"The naysayers said that we could not accomplish anything! They said we were fools! That we broke tradition! I say to them, no! It is they who oppose tradition, they who oppose America's roots, they who oppose the American people's interests!

They say I reject the Constitution. But I have not even touched it, let alone defiled it as they insinuate! The Constitution is a treasured document; one that touches the hearts of all proud Americans! Normally, I am a tolerant person. But these allegations go too far. They cross the limits of American decency and civility."

 

[IntellectuallyHonestRhino]

"Dr. Hitler and Senator Harding entered their respective roles as Congressman and President during March 4, 1921. Their respective destinies collided more than once throughout Harding's Presidency, ending only in the Ohioan's unfortunate demise in August 23, 1923." - Adolph Hitler: An Impactful Legacy, by David McCullough, American Historian and author.


Great Railroad Strike of 1922:

The Great Railroad Strike of 1922 was caused by business and governmental indifference to the railroad workers. In 1917, President Wilson via executive order nationalized the railroads, cultivating an attitude of business-labor harmony. Harmony was disrupted with the Transportation Act of 1920, which returned railroad control to private hands. Now, worker's wages and working conditions were determined by a nine-member panel known as the Railroad Labor Board, which decided to cut the worker's wages. Boilermakers, electricians & other blue-collar railroad workers saw their wages cut by an average of 12%,). Thus, a General strike was organized.

The corporate and governmental response was unrelenting, with the railroad companies enacting measures such as hiring strikebreakers and removing seniority protections (privileges for veteran employees). RL Board head and former Republican Governor of Tennessee Ben Walter Hooper asserted an "outlaw resolution" that declared that the workers had "violated their arbitration rights under the Transportation Act of 1920". Attorney General Henry Micajah Daugherty declared the strike as dangerous and compared it to "the works of Lenin", using even violence to quell the strike. The national Guard was called by various state governors, and when Harding suggested a compromise that highly favored the railroad companies, the companies rejected the compromise.

The violent response to the strike enabled large amounts of sympathy for the strikers, with even local businesses supporting the strikers wherever they were. The whole situation was an enormous embarrassment for the Harding administration.

"Congressman Hitler was a fervent critic of the government reaction to the strike. His tireless tirades on the matter earned him endless praise from railroad workers across the nation; further building his national portfolio." - The Great Men of American History, by Eric Foner, American Historian and author.

"Has not government and business gone too far in this instance! Is the violent reactions demonstrated by the company men not a sign of visionless and heartless thinking! The hardworking railroad workers do not ask much; they merely desire a wage that can put food on the table. I say I agree to that demand, that cry for justice!" - Congressman Adolph Hitler, speaking about the railroad strike in Congress, 1922.

(Three members of the Railroad Labor Board, with Hooper on the right. Hitler used figures like Hooper and the board as examples for those who "trampled on the common man".)


The Bonus Act:

The World War Adjustment Act, known as the "Bonus Act", was a bill which was for compensating WW1 veterans. The measure was popular, and was seen as a smooth sailing. However, problems arose politically when President Harding vetoed the bill on financial grounds. Harsh condemnation came from all corners, especially from San Antonio Congressman Adolph Hitler.

"Did our men in uniform follow financial discretion when they died on the soils of Ypres-Lys and St. Mihiel? Did they consider monetary cost when they sacrificed their lives for the nation! If one is not willing to even pinch his pocketbook for the man who risked everything to save for the nation, which includes the purse bearer, then there is no place suitable for said man."

"Hitler's emotional speech on the floor of the House was instrumental in the house's overriding of President Harding's veto, however the Senate failed to override the veto. Even still, Congressman Hitler earned the praise of veterans coast to coast, further building his national portfolio." - Adolph Hitler: An Impactful Legacy, by David McCullough, American Historian and author.


Furthermore, there was tremendous corruption in Hardin's veteran's bureau, led by Charles Robert Forbes. Forbes sold medical supplies for veterans to hospitals at ridiculously low prices, and rumors arose that he was receiving kickbacks in exchange for the low prices. Forbes also embezzled approximately 2 million from the veteran's bureau, in which during his trial Senator Hitler labelled him as "Sulfur's engager."

"As Senator, Hitler was instrumental in the forcing of the resignation of Charles Forbes from the Veterans Bureau. His famed anti-corruption stance throughout the Harding Presidency earned him national fame and praise, arguably no better demonstrated than in the Teapot Dome Scandal." - Eric Foner.

(The Drake Hotel in Chicago, where Forbes accepted bribes. During certain speeches Hitler waived a postcard of the Hotel, shouting "Remember the Drake!, a reference to both Republican corruption and the Alamo.)


Of Teapot & Dome:

The Teapot Dome Scandal was arguably the greatest blow for the Harding Presidency. It fully epitomized the crux of the issues; that President Harding's commitment to non-interference as Commander and Chief enabled profound corruption at the highest levels of Washington.

Beginning in the early 20th century, the U.S. navy transitioned their primary fuel source from coal to oil. Thus, under President Taft, several areas were designated as special-oil producing areas, and were monitored for reserve use for the navy.

In 1921, due to Secretary of the Interior Albert Bacon Fall's convincing, President Harding issued an executive order which transferred control of the Teapot Dome oil field in Natrona County, Wyoming, as well as Elk Hills and Buena Vista oil fields in Kern County. President Harding trusted Secretary Fall, saying that "If Albert Fall isn't an honest man, I'm not fit to be President of the United States".

Secretary Fall took advantage of his position and privileges, leasing the oil to oil companies such as Sinclair Oil Company. He received "gifts" totaling $404,000, or about 5.54 million by modern standards. The scandal broke out in 1923, causing Secretary Fall's resignation.

"Congressman Hitler spoke out about the issue heavily, stating that "the corruption witnessed under this administration has not been seen since the corrupt bargain almost a century ago". Teapot Dome further discredited the Harding administration, and further increased Hitler's political prowess." - Adolph Hitler: An Impactful Legacy, by David McCullough, American Historian and author.

(A postcard of Teapot Dome in Wyoming. During rallies Hitler sometimes drank from a teacup, in reference to the scandal.)



Mellon Tax Cuts:

Arguably the most noteworthy administrator in the Executive Branch during the 1920's to never become President was Secretary of the Treasury Andrew Mellon. Born to a prominent family from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Secretary Mellon already ran a vast business empire before joining public service. His first major initiative were enormous tax cuts, which were justified under the pretense that the wealthy were much more efficient and productive with their wealth than others.

The tax cuts received major opposite from both Democrats and farm-state Republicans. Congressman Hitler was famous for his speech on the House floor, lamenting "the legal theft performed today".

"America's farmers and workers are the most hardworking people in the world. Thy toil in our fields, smelt in our factories, mine in our mines. Government policy should support these men who sweat 12 hours a day, especially for unlike the workers of Europe they are not demanding, greedy, selfish. They do not demand anything more than what is fair and just, and as someone who is pro healthy business-labor relations I severely reject the notion that this policy makes any sense." - Adolph Hitler on the floor of Congress, 1921.

"Hitler's opposition to Mellon's economic policies earned him high favorability from farmers and worker's across the 48 states. He was increasingly being seen as the "common man's champion", and former Presidential candidate and secretary of State William Jennings Bryan half-jokingly commented that he had found "his successor in the mustached Texan"." - Adolph Hitler: An Impactful Legacy, by David McCullough, American Historian and author.

(Secretary Andrew Mellon; one of Hitler's greatest opponents. Mellon often referred to Adolph as "a pig both inside and out".)


"Hitler's reputation as an anti-corruption crusader and champion of the common man began during the Harding years." - The Great Men of American History, by Eric Foner, American Historian and author.

"Throughout the Harding Presidency were scandals of corruption and sentiments of elitism. Hitler as both Representative and Senator was Harding's chief foe, who the Ohioan labelled him as "the German who got away". Harding and Hitler were practically foils of each other; the former a quiet, reserved Northerner who under his nose intense corruption was perpetrated, the latter charismatic, towering Southerner who did not even let the smallest whiff go unnoticed. It is no surprise that they found conflict and enmity in each other." - Adolph Hitler: An Impactful Legacy, by David McCullough, American Historian and author.

In San Francisco in the Palace Hotel in March 23rd, 1923, President Warren Gamaliel Harding died of a heart attack.

(The Palace Hotel, San Francisco. As the place where President Harding died, Adolph joked that "here lies the serial philander".)

"In San Francisco my rival lay in permanent rest. Now I must confront my new rival, the Yank from Vermont, Silent Cal Coolidge!." - Adolph Hitler.

 

[IntellectuallyHonestRhino]

Adolph "white man's champ" Hitler":

"Throughout Harding's presidency, Hitler fervently and passionately expatiated on a broad range of issues, from railroad worker's rights to federal corruption. However, it would be unwise to study his political rise in the Harding era without mentioning his ravings regarding race." - Eric Foner

"President Hitler first proved himself as the Negro's greatest enemy with his abominable filibuster of the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill" - Walter Francis White at an NAACP meeting, 1951.

"Congressman Hitler earned his reputation as the "white man's champ" the same way he earned the title common man's champ"; his passionate congressional speeches. For instance, in 1922, when Missouri Republican Representative Leonidas C. Dyer introduced a bill for the purposes of punishing lynching and mob violence, he faced not only the general filibuster from Southern Democrats, but also the famed "Adolphian Answer". The exact Congressional recording here as it follows:


"How dare you! I bellow again, how dare you! How dare you afflict the Southern people with this travesty! Why are you giving savages the key to our homes! Do not ever trample on the natural order! Understand one thing, hon'rable representative; white men and negroes can never mingle. Never! It is unnatural! It is in direct opposition to the will of God! God made the races separate and different. I know I will hear groans when I say this, but just as the supporters of the bill hopeful condemn sodomy as a mortal sin in regards to sexual conduct, they should also know that the Lord also denounced bestiality!

(Representative Adolph took a twenty-second pause due to the mass applause and shouts of affirmation coming primarily from the Southern Democratic representatives, alongside jeers from primarily Northern Republican representatives.)

Are those in support of this atrocious bill truly ignorant of reality! Do they not know that the Negro, if allowed to roam free, will rape and rob all in his path! The legal indifference to lynching is to maintain the order in the South, and mind you this is only due to one fact; the Negro until very recently has not lived in the North in large numbers. Southern society cannot be trampled over, not only for the good of Dixie but also all of the United States of America! I ask the northern representatives who support this bill; how would you feel if your neighborhood was filled with men of Congo! Would you feel comfortable with them in your schools, in your churches, near your spouse! Unless one is consumed by insanity or masochistic tendencies, the answer would be dread and anger. So good men from the North; join your respectable associates of your own race in solidarity and do not for this bill."

The bill did not pass, and Hitler gained the attention of not only the whole house but even some Senators, especially Senators Ellison D Smith and Byron Patton "Pat" Harrison.

(Representative Adolph Hitler given his famous "Adolphian Answer" in response to the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill, January 1922.)

Of Petru & Politics:


With the achievement of Greater Romania and rapid economic growth (especially in the oil sector), Romania was filled with ambitions. And with ambition comes progress combined with frustration with lack of progress.

For most of Romania's history, the masses were impoverished farmers and shepherds, trying to scrape though life mouth to mouth. Unlike Western Europe with its centuries of vast colonial networks and bustling factories, Romania only began its modernization process rather recently. Now, with Romania ascendant, its people demanded to rise with the nation.

Born to a wealthy family in Bacia, then Austro-Hungarian Transylvania, Petru Groza was born well connected. Studying law in Budapest, the aspirant Romanian desired to make a name for himself, and not just confine himself to the legal profession. It was thus when the war ended that Groza joined politics.

Originally a member of the nationalist Romanian National Party, Groza realized that while the party cadre, mostly from the new territories of Romania, were enthused as can be, the lack of patronage and promotion was apparent. The PSA was highly commended for it's presiding over Romania's victory, and was rewarded with massive electoral margins throughout the 20's. Sensing the political climate, Groza joined the PSA, a party that his family and he once scoffed at as "rebellious and peasant-like".

Groza made a name for himself in Bucharest politics, not just a nationalist populist but also a voice for conservative elements of the Orthodox Christian community in Romania, already disturbed with the rapid social and cultural changes rippling across the Western world. A famous example of his populist frenzy was his tirades against "capitalist exploitation" along with his anti semitic rantings, shocking Romania's intelligentsia with his filibuster of the eventually successful 1923 Jewish emancipation bill. When the bill finally passed, Groza commented that "as long as the Jew shows his loyalty to the Romanian nation, then I will not regret the bill's passing".

Many political leaders kept a close eye on Groza, including former party Colleague Iuliu Maniu, commenting with associates that "beware of Groza".

​

(Petru Groza, pictured in his later years. He was one of the six men who shaped modern Romania to this day.)




Ascendance to the Senate:

From the minorly famed newcomer to a prominent representative, Hitler achieved much recognition in a quick time. From "Villa's slayer" to the "Common man's champ", the mustached man from Comal County was already willing to throw his hat into the ring for Senator of Texas. Retiring from the Senate was veteran politician and one of Hitler's political mentors was Senator Charles Culberson, who in private encouraged Hitler to replace him.

Senate Chambers, 1922:

Culberson: Representative Hitler, you have gained my absolute endorsement for my Senate position when I retire this year.

Hitler: Why thank you, Senator Culberson.

Culberson: I want to retire for the sake of my health, and am so pleased to find such a worthy successor.

Hitler: Your words touch me deeply, Senator.

Culberson: However, there is one issue.

Hitler: And that would be?

Culberson: Actually, two. Mayfield & Ferguson. Mayfield is backed by the Klan, and thus the dries, and Ferguson, oddly a teetotaler, is supported by the wet faction due to his anti-prohibition stance. Mayfield has the good graces of my colleague Senator Morris Sheppard.

Hitler: Senator Sheppard; the father of national prohibition.

Culberson: Indeed. And furthermore, your Catholic creed prohibits you further from the Klan's backing. However, your refusal to address the issue has alienated the wet faction from you, meaning that the only on the ground factions backing you are the German community, not dominant in Democratic circles, and various non-Klan oriented white nationalistic circles. They will help, for they see you as "the white man's champ", a title I believe you very much deserve.

Hitler: Thank you very much, Senator.

Culberson: Oh, not just me, but also my other colleagues. Senators Smith and Harrison have frequently praised your name, and madly desire your company in the Senate.

Hitler: I am honored by their praise.

Culberson: Furthermore, I was able to arrange a meeting between Shephard and honorable President Wilson.

Adolph tried his best to maintain his serious posture when addressing his mentor, but the sound of the word Wilson made the corners of lips turn, forcing a smile no formality could budge.

Culberson: I informed Wilson of the situation, and he has agreed to convince my colleague to endorse you, -

Hitler: Oh that is so kind of him! I visited him four days prior. He was not in the best of health, but his mind is as sharp as ever. I am so honored that even in his current physical state he decides to do this. And also, thank you so much for discussing with him this.

Culberson: My pleasure, and yes, Wilson adores you. He speaks so fondly of you.

Adolph this time could not resist a smile

Culberson: I had a feeling that you would be pleased.

Hitler: A correct assumption, Senator.

Culberson: I hope you also find this helpful, for I also have discussed this with Senator Sheppard.

Hitler: Thank you so very much, Senator. Your mentorship has done so good for me. I truly appreciate our dinner discussion and the advice you impart there for me. I could not be the Congressman I am today without your help.

Culberson: The pleasure is indeed mine. I hope you will visit me for dinner from time to time once I have retired?

Hitler: Of course. It is the least I could do.


In a few days, Hitler received the news that Senator Shepard would endorse him for the Senate. Already coalescing behind the Catholic and protege of anti-Klan and wet Senator Charles Culberson were various dry organizations, due to the Shepard network. When asked by skeptical voters why Hitler was their man, the churches responded that "he will surely defeat Furgeson, our great enemy, and he has served the white man's cause well". From factionless to the proper and establishment-backed compromise candidate, Hitler was elected Senator of Texas, beginning his term in 1923. And once again, the hand of Wilson pushed Hitler to higher rises again.

(Seal of the United State Senate. Historians document Hitler's Senatorial career as a watershed moment in his political rise.)

 

[IntellectuallyHonestRhino]

Dry, tough earth lay at Adolph's feet. The freshman representative was already engaging in the arduous task in becoming Senator of the nation's largest state; the state that not even Santa Anna could conquer. However, Hitler was a political crusader: he prepared himself for the long journey that awaited him.

The Lone Star state was bitterly divided between the wet and dry factions of the Democratic Party. Unlike the Deep South, Texas was not dominated by moralist politicians. The saloon keepers of the west frequently clashed with the preachers of the east, and the conflict was tearing the Texas (and national) Democratic party apart. How could a party be both of hard liquor consuming pioneers since the days of Jackson and also the party of the father of prohibition?

"The Texas Senate Election of 1922 helped Hitler's political career dramatically. Already he had institutional support from both Senators and local white nationalist circles, however Earle Mayfield's support from much of the dry faction along with former governor James Ferguson's support from much of the wet faction. Hitler embraced neutrality in the prohibition debate, being officially a wet yet stating that he would "champion morality in governance". Hitler was officially a wet, but sent many feelers to the dry camp." - Adolph Hitler: An Impactful Legacy, by David McCullough, American Historian and author.

Entering the difficult terrain of 20's Texan politics, Hitler campaigned purely on his congressional record. "I have stood up to the evil Dyer bill!" and "let the President know that the workers of Texas will not serve him and his Yankee fat cats!" were popular phrases from rally to rally, earning Adolph larger and larger crowds. He also discussed how he "sent the dago Villa to the grave without firing a single bullet himself", yet commenting that "if given a Winchester, he would have happily pulled the trigger".

Mayfield and Ferguson, while outfoxed and outgunned by Hitler during the nomination process*, knew that at the end of the day the votes of Two Senators doesn't decide the election. Mayfield reportedly chuckled to staff members "How can I lose to a Germanic Catholic!" and Ferguson barely focused on the freshman representative, instead focusing on Mayfield in an attempt to unify the wet vote behind him while Hitler and Mayfield split up the dry bastion of East Texas.

(Representative Adolph campaigning in Austin, Texas, 1922.)

The campaign's pivotal moment came when Adolph entered his famous rally at his home town of Hancock. Discussing numerous matters from race to economics, the rally stood out when Hitler stated "and now I'm home!". Reporters immediately caught this phrase, and it spread like wildfire. Notorious in the Mayfield and even Ferguson campaigns was Hitler's German ancestry and his Catholic faith. Hitler was an outsider to the British Protestant roots of Texas, and thus he cannot be trusted. Hitler emphasizing his Texas roots greatly appealed to many Texan commoners, who felt sidelined by aloof Austin politics and desired a champion right besides them. And all of Hitler's most famous Congressional speeches appealed to vast swaths of voters; from farmers to workers, Anglos to Germans. Already a coalition was being developed around the descendant of Austrian immigrants.

On the Republican side, no candidate was fielded. Many professional sources stated that if there was an official Republican candidate, Democrats would just unify behind the Democratic candidate. And the Democratic candidate was none other than Harding's most hated rival, who the President so wished to see humiliated. No Republican was fielded.

In the end, the result was not that much of a surprise. Hitler won the race, appealing primarily to workers, impoverished farmers & Germans. Rank and file democratic party workers respected his nomination. White nationalists voraciously campaigned for Hitler, garnering him much of the anglo-supremacist bloc. German Republicans, seeking an ally in the Senate, voted en masse for Hitler, which all together secured Hitler to score a slim majority of 51.7%. Mayfield came in second with 27.2% and Ferguson 20.9%.

"Although slim, a majority sent strong winds behind Hitler's back. Thus far, Hitler never got less than a majority, a pattern he intended to maintain." - The Great Men of American History, by Eric Foner, American Historian and author.​

"The race, while important, and filled with some memorable moments, was not nearly the most colorful. Hitler already established himself as a fire brander. He also had to establish himself as a traditional politician who could play ball, and not just an oddball at odds with the elite." - Adolph Hitler: An Impactful Legacy, by David McCullough, American Historian and author.



Notes:

*"The convention was unusually quick for the times. Already with the endorsement of both Senators, all it took the then San Antonio representative was to charm the delegates, and with his vibrant and colorful personality, it was child's play" - A History of Texas, by Lyndon Baines Johnson.