The Presidency of James F. Byrnes

[Carpetbagger]

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The Breaking of Peace: The James Byrnes Presidency​

The 1944 Democratic National Convention was being held in Chicago, Illinois. It is regarded where President Franklin Delano Roosevelt made his last great decision. The bosses of the Democratic Party told FDR, that his Vice President Henry Wallace was too controversial, and would have to be replaced. Roosevelt reluctantly agreed, and chose his good friend, and Secretary of State James F. Byrnes of South Carolina as his running mate. The bosses were appalled. Byrnes was well know for occasional rants against Labor Unions, and every once in a while, anti-Catholicism. Instead, the Party pushed for Roosevelt to choose Harry Truman, a moderate from Missouri. But FDR was wary, he knew he was in ailing health, and he would rather trust a good friend than a Senator he had barely ever heard of.

On the first ballot, Byrnes would win a plurality of the delegates, winning support from the South and many of FDR's allies. Truman finished in a close second, drawing the support of labor and many in the party's leadership. Senator John Bankhead of Alabama finished in a distant third, drawing support from Southerners. On the second ballot, Truman narrowed the gap with increased support from southerners, though Wallace still barely held on. On the Third ballot, Bankhead dropped out, and his delegates chose Byrnes, giving him the narrow Majority over Truman.

FDR warned Byrnes to give a unifying VP speech at the Convention. Byrnes chose one thing that most Democrats could agree on: Big Business. Even though he had his anti-union tirades, Byrnes loathed nothing more than Big Business, and his 10 minute speech against it unified the Party.

Vice President Byrnes meeting with President Roosevelt

Franklin Roosevelt/ James F. Byrnes: 435 53% (Democratic)
Thomas Dewey/ John Brickner: 99 45% (Republican)

President Roosevelt would easily, if not less easily, defeat the Republican ticket of Thomas Dewey and John Brickner. It was clear to Democratic leaders though that the GOP was beginning to bounce back after twelve years of Democratic Domination. Republican leaders set sights on the 1946 midterms.

On April 12th, 1945, just a few months after being inaugurated for a record Fourth Term as President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt would suffer a cerebral hommege in Warm Springs Georgia. President Roosevelt died that day. Vice President Byrnes was urgently called into the White House, which he learned of the death of his friend. Former Supreme Court Justice, Secretary of State, Governor, and Vice President James F. Byrnes would be sworn in as the nation's Thirty Third President.

Questions, Comments Concerns?

 

[Historico]

Nice Start off, I wonder if Jimmy will be in favor in using the A-Bomb to end the war in Japan or wilol he call for an full out invasion of the land of the rising sun? The 1948 ticket should keep the Dixiecrats in stauch support of Jimmy, but Wallace should do better picking up Left to Center Democrats and might win a couple of states in the midwest. Other than that, I hope you will be able to balance both timelines, Keep it comming

 

[Carpetbagger]

Yes, hopefully it will get interesting. And dont worry, HHH will not be forgotten.

 

[Carpetbagger]

The Presidency of James F. Byrnes

James Byrnes was inaugurated swiftly hours after Franklin Roosevelt's death. FDR's death had hit the nation like a ton of bricks, His declining health had not been known to the general public. Roosevelt had been president for more than 12 years, longer than any other person, and had led the country through some of its greatest crises to the impending defeat of Nazi Germany and to within sight of the defeat of Japan as well. Byrnes' first action was to declare three days of mourning for the late President.

After mourning, President Byrnes' most important crisis was to end the War with Japan. The President had three options, invasion, embargo or the Atomic Bomb- when he was Roosevelt's Secretary of State, had been one of the few people to know of its existence. It had begun when Roosevelt was President, and not even then Vice President Wallace or Vice President Garner before him had ever known. The President personally preferred the Embargo, because it would be less costly in lives, but the American public wanted an end to the War, and so Byrnes gave it to them.

President Byrnes chose Kyoto as an appropriate target for the Atomic Bomb Code Named "Little Boy". Although Secretary of War Stimson disagreed urging a target such as Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Byrnes argued that Kyoto was the "religious and intellectual" symbol of Japan, and would wipe out any sympathy for the War. Little Boy was dropped on Kyoto on August 6th, 1945. President Byrnes than demanded an unconditional surrender after the bombing, when no answer was given, another one was dropped on Hiroshima. Japan still refused to surrender, although the Emperor was more prone to surrender, Military fanatics and zealots who were enraged over Kyoto's destruction refused to give up. Two weeks later, another bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. Japan accepted surrender the next day.

On the domestic Front, Byrnes was less successful, Byrnes was perceived as more Conservative as Roosevelt, and it was true for the most part, but Byrnes did put his support behind a GI bill, which passed narrowly through Congress, who was being increasingly controlled by a "Conservative Coalition". The end of World War II was followed in the United States by uneasy and contentious conversion back to a peacetime economy. The president was faced with a sudden renewal of labor-management conflicts that had lain dormant during the war years, severe shortages in housing and consumer products, and widespread dissatisfaction with inflation, which at one point hit six percent in a single month. In this polarized environment, there was a wave of destabilizing strikes in major industries, and Byrnes's response to them was brutal. Byrnes had never been a good friend of Labor, and he showed the colors he had hid at the 1944 DNC when he sent troops to break up a Nation Wide Railroad strike, enraging most the Democratic Party's Labor constituents.

1946 Congressional Elections​

Due to a sour Economy, an angry Labor base, and general unsatisfaction with the Byrnes administration, It was pretty obvious who would be the winners of the 1946 midterms, but everybody was surprised of the strength the GOP showed, and gained 55 House seats, and 13 Senate seats:

Dark Blue- GOP pickup
Light Blue- GOP hold
Light Red- Dem hold
House:
Republicans: 246 (+55)
Democrats: 188 (-55)
Senate:
Republicans: 51 (+13)
Democrats: 45 (-12)

 

[Cylon_Number_14]

I notice that the results of the 1946 elections were actually the same as OTL. Did Truman smack down on the Strikes OTL?

A common trope in this era for AH is whether or not Presidential term limits will proceed on schedule. I'm a fan of three terms myself, but the point is would it take a more popular president or a less popular one to change the Amendment?

 

[Carpetbagger]

I notice that the results of the 1946 elections were actually the same as OTL. Did Truman smack down on the Strikes OTL?

A common trope in this era for AH is whether or not Presidential term limits will proceed on schedule. I'm a fan of three terms myself, but the point is would it take a more popular president or a less popular one to change the Amendment?

Yeah, Byrnes is just as unpopular as Truman, so I didnt see any need to change it.

Truman did try to break up the Strikes, but he did it differently than Byrnes. Byrnes simply sent in the army to break it up, Truman threatened to draft all the strikers into the army, and have the Govt. take over the Railroads.

 

[Historico]

Come on Wallace!!!

 

[Old Crank 67]

I think Dewey would do significantly better in the northern industrial states in this scenario, because Byrnes was a segregationist with zero appeal to black voters. Dewey was outspokenly in favor of equal rights.

So while FDR could still pull it out, I imagine Dewey getting New York and PA at least.

 

[black angel]

I think Dewey would do significantly better in the northern industrial states in this scenario, because Byrnes was a segregationist with zero appeal to black voters. Dewey was outspokenly in favor of equal rights.

So while FDR could still pull it out, I imagine Dewey getting New York and PA at least.

and

so thats OTL's 1948 election, so in TTL's election those southern States are Byrnes', though as said New York and PA may be Deweyland, however Wallace may be more main line, the Labor Unions could turn to him, or he could pull a coup on Byrnes at the 48 DNC

 

[Historico]

I have the feeling that unless Jimmy is overtaken at the Convention by Scott Lucas or even better Eleanor Roosevelt. A Byrnes v. Dewey v. Wallace General Election would proabaly turn out like this.

Thomas E. Dewey/Earl Warren: 285 Electoral Votes
James F. Byrnes/Scott W. Lucas: 209 Electoral Votes
Henry A. Wallace/Glen Taylor: 37 Electoral Votes

 

[black angel]

I have the feeling that unless Jimmy is overtaken at the Convention by Scott Lucas or even better Eleanor Roosevelt. A Byrnes v. Dewey v. Wallace General Election would proabaly turn out like this.


Thomas E. Dewey/Earl Warren: 285 Electoral Votes
James F. Byrnes/Scott W. Lucas: 209 Electoral Votes
Henry A. Wallace/Glen Taylor: 37 Electoral Votes

ASB, cool as hell, but ASB.

 

[Old Crank 67]

I was referring to the 1944 election. I think Dewey would have done far better than 99 electoral votes. If you add NY and PA to his total that puts him close to 170 doesn't it?

 

[black angel]

I was referring to the 1944 election. I think Dewey would have done far better than 99 electoral votes. If you add NY and PA to his total that puts him close to 170 doesn't it?

that election was all FDR, he did it with Truman-who in OTL so Byrnes shouldn't hurt or help

 

[Emperor Norton I]

I have the feeling that unless Jimmy is overtaken at the Convention by Scott Lucas or even better Eleanor Roosevelt. A Byrnes v. Dewey v. Wallace General Election would proabaly turn out like this.

Thomas E. Dewey/Earl Warren: 285 Electoral Votes
James F. Byrnes/Scott W. Lucas: 209 Electoral Votes
Henry A. Wallace/Glen Taylor: 37 Electoral Votes

Didn't Wallace only run on a separate ticket because Truman was seen as too pro-Civil rights? That doesn't seem an issue with this guy.

 

[black angel]

Didn't Wallace only run on a separate ticket because Truman was seen as too pro-Civil rights? That doesn't seem an issue with this guy.

um no, his party in the next election run the first African-American woman to run for national office, (Charlotta Bass, their VP)

 

[Old Crank 67]

Didn't Wallace only run on a separate ticket because Truman was seen as too pro-Civil rights? That doesn't seem an issue with this guy.

No, Wallace ran against Truman from the Left ... especially regarding America's response to the Soviet Union.

Strom Thurmond ran against Truman because of civil rights.

 

[Emperor Norton I]

Oh, I'm sorry. I mixed up George Wallace and Henry Wallace. Throw in some mental gobbledygook with Strom Thurmond, and you got that.

 

[Carpetbagger]

The 1948 Election​

The Republican Party thought they had the chance to win back the White House for the first time in Twenty Years, James Byrnes was an unpopular President, and the 1946 midterms proved it. Many Republicans stormed into the race to unseat the unpopular incumbent. Meanwhile President Byrnes was not mutually assured his Party's renomination as well, Labor distrusted him, and former Vice President Wallace was openly stumping against him.

1948 Republican Nomination​

Many Republican Leaders joined the race for the nomination for what they were as an easy walk to the presidency. Although all Republicans were eager and confident of victory, they were still divided as to who should be the nominee. From the Liberal, Northeastern Establishment wing of the Republican Party came Governor Thomas Dewey of New York, who supported the New Deal, but had criticized President Byrnes for not being aggressive enough on the Soviets. From the Republican Conservative "Old Guard" wing came Senator Robert Taft of Ohio, son of President William Taft. Taft had gained fame for being the leading Republican against the New Deal, and advocating a more isolationist foreign policy.

The GOP was split, Taft's people didn’t want Dewey, and likewise for Dewey's people. But one surprise changed the Nomination. General Douglass MacArthur openly campaigned for President as a Republican, which took away countless delegates and votes from Taft. Due to a split Conservative vote, Thomas Dewey would narrowly be given the nomination on the first ballot.

1948 Democratic Nomination​

Labor did not trust the President, and would not support him, but the one advantage President Byrnes had was his lack of opponents, the only person to openly challenge him for the nomination was former Vice President Henry Wallace, who Democratic Bosses were convinced could not defeat Dewey in a General Election. President Byrnes tried to appear as the "electable" candidate, who could defeat Dewey. The South and the Democratic "Old Guard" supported Byrnes, while Wallace got the farmers, and leftists. Labor Unions refused to support either. Democratic Bosses were forced to choose between keeping the South, or moving in Wallace's direction, reluctantly, they chose the former, and Byrnes narrowly got the nomination on the fourth ballot.

To make sure the Party was fully behind him, Byrnes chose the late President's son James Roosevelt as his running mate. Roosevelt Jr. would shore up some support among Labor and Liberals, but it would not Stop Former Vice President Henry Wallace from announcing his intention to run for president as a "Progressive" candidate. He made a call to Labor and liberals to support "the true heir to Roosevelt".

1948 General Election​

Dewey led in the polls throughout the November Election. With Henry Wallace running a third Party campaign and splitting the Democratic Vote, all seemed to be lost for President Byrnes and James Roosevelt. Thomas Dewey advocated he would continue New Deal Policies while "cleaning them up" as well. He also advocated a interventionist foreign Policy. Ironically, Dewey and Byrnes had similar platforms, except for one crucial thing: Civil Rights. Dewey had had a strong record on supporting Civil Rights for Blacks, and polls would show the Republican Party regaining the African American voters that had left between 1936 and 1945.

The election would turn out to be a defeat for the Democrats, except for Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, the Democratic ticket did not take one state above the Mason Dixon Line. Henry Wallace would take Minnesota, Iowa, Montana, and South Dakota. Thomas Dewey cleaned up everywhere else.

Thomas Dewey/ Earl Warren: 318 Electoral Votes 53% (Republican)
James Byrnes/ James Roosevelt: 184 Electoral Votes 39% (Democratic)
Henry Wallace/ Glen Taylor: 21 Electoral Votes 8% (Progressive)

 

[President Al Bundy]

"Dewey, Dewey, Dewey..."

Once again, Homer Simpson doesn't have to build houses with Lisa

Nice style BTW, short but good. Keep doing it like this

 

[freivolk]

This was an fast end to Byrnes presidency.