The Rise of Progressivism

I'd rather get some kind of ending to this, it was one of the first stories I read on the site, and I'll take what I can get.

Thanks. I'll admit I jumped into waters way over my head in choosing to write about TR, WWI, and so on. Glad to see people enjoyed it nonetheless.
 
I plan on finishing this off once and for all with a few long summary posts and closing the book. Sorry about all this, but I bit off more than I could chew, scope and research-wise.
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1940
It had been four years since Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. had first been elected President. That one term had been transformative for America, and the commander in chief had been the most forceful presence in the White House since his father had occupied it twenty years ago. In domestic legislation, a strong jolt to the economy had been induced in 1937 thanks to greatly increased government spending. The real improvement was seen in agriculture with new farm programs pioneered by Agriculture Secretary Henry Wallace. Later, his legacy would come into question thanks to controversial actions such as the forced burning of crops to inflate prices. However, at the moment, it seemed to be what was needed and despite complaints from a number of farmers, on the whole the Western states had seen vast improvements since 1936. With the beginning of World War II in 1938 as a response to German revanchism, the new wartime economy was booming. Having united Wall Street, workers, and farmers into a near unassailable coalition based on domestic policy, "TR II" looked forward to re-election. The immense feeling of national pride and fervor that swept the nation thanks to the war was another factor in the President's favor. That didn't mean he didn't face his share of challengers, however. His own Vice President, Huey Long, who, it was hoped, would help bring the South into the fold of the Progressive Party, had rebelled from within. Long lambasted "Rooseveltian corporatism and war mongering", acting as Thomas Jefferson had during Adams' term and heading political resistance as the second-in-command. Come 1940, he fully denounced the Progressives and was nominated by the Democrats as the last hope of a dying party. The Conservatives were in little better shape. While Ford had put up a valiant fight in '36, it didn't look like they'd have a champion of his electoral strength that year. Instead, after infighting between Robert Taft, Richard Russell, and a draft of General Douglas MacArthur, nominated Senator Josiah Bailey of North Carolina for President. To add a firebrand to the ticket and one that was a vehement personal and political enemy of the Roosevelts', Senator H. Styles Bridges of New Hampshire was given the Vice Presidential nod. Despite enthusiastic campaigns by both Long and Bailey, they were no match for the Roosevelt juggernaut, who became the first President to receive a popular majority since William Howard Taft in 1808. It is of note that, despite three major candidates, it was essentially a two-way race. Throughout the vast majority of the country, it was Roosevelt facing Bailey while in the South, the incumbent President of all people was almost entirely shut out as it was between Bailey and Long. The only states that were really three-way races were Texas, Oklahoma, and West Virginia.
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President Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. (Progressive-New York)/Secretary of Agriculture Henry A. Wallace (Progressive-Iowa) 390 electoral votes, 53.4% of the popular vote
Senator Joseph William Bailey (Conservative-North Carolina)/Senator H. Styles Bridges (Conservative-New Hampshire) 34.6% of the popular vote
Vice President Huey Pierce "Kingfish" Long (Democrat-Louisiana)/Former Congressman Sheridan Downey (Democrat-California) 11.4% of the popular vote
Others: .6% of the popular vote

Riding into a second term, things could only look good to Roosevelt and the Progressive Party. They were at the head of a successful domestic policy, they'd led a war against fascism in Europe that looked to be favoring America and her allies, and politically they had crushed their rivals. After Long's run, the Democrats had officially collapsed. While Richard Russell of the Conservatives were enthusiastically fielding several Southern right-wing voters, the Progressives had managed to get their foot in the door as well, albeit narrowly. Throughout the South and Appalachia, party operatives were attempting to gain the votes of miners, small farmers, the impoverished, and African-Americans to forge what they hoped would be a winning coalition in the years to come. Despite this, there were still a few hangers-on in the form of regional parties, typically named things such as "Jacksonian" that held sway in a few areas that wouldn't be broken from their old ways for the next few decades.

With foreign policy occupying much of Roosevelt's time, domestic policy would be put on the back-burner. With the nation experiencing an economic boom due to the war-time economy, increased government spending, and a more business-friendly administration (which had come in place in order to bring business on board with the war effort), there was little to concentrate on. Throughout 1941 and 1942, the Allies would continue their push to take Europe. In the Pacific, meanwhile, Russia would at last receive American assistance in their war with Japan. By June, 1942, it seemed America was on the brink of victory. That was when President Roosevelt decided to visit troops on the front-lines of what he was sure would be seen as his greatest triumph. In a July 4th celebration taking place near the fighting in Germany, the President gave an enthusiastic speech amidst a fireworks display. Surveying the crowd full of young GI's that were ready to plant the American flag in the heart of Europe, later that night Roosevelt admitted that his mind was even then on the idea of a third term. Tragedy struck the next day, however, when the assumedly secure camp the President had been staying at was hit by a German artillery company. While he was immediately escorted away from the fighting, the ensuing chaos and the last-ditch craftiness that came with having nothing to lose allowed the Germans to dangerously flank the camp and President Roosevelt--the enemy unaware of who he was--was shot in the stomach. While the Americans fended off the Germans who were easily outgunned, Roosevelt lingered for a week in the camp with doctors being rushed in until his death on July 12th, 1942. It would be only two weeks later that President Henry Wallace presided over VE-day.

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President Roosevelt during his fateful trip to Europe in July, 1942
 
Its a shame TR Jr. didn't grab a gun and take a few of the Germans with him!

Because, honestly, he was, by far, a better soldier than his Father, and his exploits in OTL WW2 are pretty damn amazing.
 
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