I don't feel like giving away what happens, but I determined how long he would serve several weeks ago.
None of the Justices in 1896 were still alive with the exception of Harlan. The majority of the eight others died in from 1908-1912.
The Rising (And Setting) Suns.
- Thread starter CELTICEMPIRE
- Start date
I don't feel like giving away what happens, but I determined how long he would serve several weeks ago.
None of the Justices in 1896 were still alive with the exception of Harlan. The majority of the eight others died in from 1908-1912.
It will, and that will be discussed in the near future. Its also important to remember that a lot of the justices by this point in OTL were progressives appointed by Roosevelt, so the change won't be completely radical.
katchen
Banned
Alaska's first nonvoting congressional delegate
I don't know about 1900, but in 1908, Alaska elected it's first non-voting delegate to Congress. James Wickersham. A Republican District Judge who had been appointed in 1900 by President Mc Kinley.It is true that a German or French buyout of the Philippines would be more likely, but I've already chosen this path where Italy claims control over the Islands.
IIRC the Hawaiian oligarchy at the time was Republican. They also represent business interests (Dole Pineapple for instance), and WJB isn't very business friendly. Yeah, the Western States are being admitted for a reason.
Alaska is going to be more important than OTL. More investment, more military (especially Naval). I have some interesting things planned for Alaska.
About the political affiliations of Alaskans in 1900, I'm not able to find good sources and all the governors were appointed, not elected. I do know that they are reliably Republican today (and have been for decades), however.
They'll probably realize that eventually, but for now Italy is excited about its new Pacific territories, the Philippines being the most valuable.
Many Italians aren't going to be happy, but that will be covered in another update.
Spain won't be attempting to expand its empire at the moment. Their army is weak, and the people of Spain aren't very interested after what happened in Cuba and the Philippines. They'll be content with Puerto Rico and a few African colonies for a while.
I've already decided what will happen with The Philippines (and the whole Asia-Pacific Region) up to 1945. Some of the things you mentioned might be part of the plan, but don't want to specify.
International Update II, Part 1 The Chinese Civil War
(Flags of the Chinese Civil War, Left to Right: Qing Dynasty, Righteous Harmony Society, Yuan Dynasty)
As the year 1902 came upon China, the nation was in the middle of a bloody Civil War. On one side was the Qing Dynasty, which had ruled over China since 1644. The Righteous Harmony Society, or Boxers as they were called in the West, fought alongside the Qing forces, but were more irregular in their style of fighting, often using guerrilla tactics. The Qing controlled the Chinese interior and much of the rural lands in Southern and Eastern China. The other side was the supporters of Yuan Shikai, who established himself as Emperor of China in a new Dynasty the previous year. His soldiers, though numerically inferior, made up for numbers in technology. Yuan's forces were equipped with the newest weapons from Europe. There was also some direct intervention from Western nations and Japan. Most Notable of the interventions after the capture of Peking was the Russian invasion and occupation of Manchuria and Outer Mongolia. British, French, and German forces intervened near their respective spheres of influence. Japanese soldiers were committed to seeing Yuan victorious as well, securing China’s coastal areas early on.
(Japanese Soldiers in Southern China)
After the fall of Peking (now Beijing) in late 1900, the Dowager Cixi moved the Qing Imperial Court to Xian, into the Chinese interior. Foreign and pro-Yuan armies immediately pursued a plan of capturing the city. The push to Xian was halted in 1901 by a determined force of Qing soldiers and Boxer partisans in. Guerilla tactics took a toll on the Western soldiers and Yuan supporters while pacifying the Shanxi countryside. Cixi began fortifying the city of Xian and ordered the Qing soldiers on the defensive. As she said in an address to her army “We will fight to the last man to keep the foreigners out of land, ours is a noble and righteous cause, and we shall be victorious.” Yuan turned his focus on the south for 1902. Aided by Japanese marines, his armies took control of China’s southern coast. The decisive battle in this theater was the battle of Fuzhou. The Southern Qing army threw their largest contingent at the city, which had been captured by Yuan and Japanese forces a month earlier. On July 5, 1903, 120,000 Qing and Boxer combatants attacked the city's garrison pf 35,000 Yuan and 15,000 Japanese soldiers. What resulted was a five-day bloodbath. Technologically superior Yuan and Japanese defenders held off the numerically superior Qing forces, mowing them down with machine guns, but not without high casualties. 3,000 Japanese soldiers were killed or wounded, Yuan forces sustained over 14,000 casualties. The Qing and Boxer forces lost over 70,000 men by the end of the battle. After the battler of Fuzhou, In the meantime, Russia put down the remaining Qing resistance in Manchuria and its military effectively ran the region. Yuan Shikai had allowed Russia to annex Manchuria in exchange for military aid. Russian armies fought and defeated Qing forces in Mongolia and Western China in 1902 and 1903, which was a great help to Yuan. After the War, however, there would be tensions between the two nations when Russia occupied and annexed Outer Mongolia into its empire.
(Russian officers in Manchuria)
Qing propaganda referred to Yuan Shikai as a puppet of foreign leaders. Yuan supporters dismissed that claim and pointed out that the Qing rulers were originally from Manchuria. Yuan promised that he would modernize the country and lead it to greatness. His supporters pointed out the corruption of the Qing officials, especially the royal family. Pro-Yuan propaganda claimed that the Qing's decadence was holding the nation back from its potential. The Yuan message proved to be more receptive among the people of China. The Chinese were tired of the Qing's extravagance while they themselves lived in poverty. Many were convinced that the Mandate of Heaven had passed from Dowager Empress Cixi to the Yuan Emperor. As the war dragged on, resistance to Yuan's forces waned, with more and more of the common people seeing him as a better alternative to the status quo.
By the end of 1903, Yuan forces had defeated most of the Qing and Boxer resistance in the Eastern part of the country. With the East secured, Yuan Shikai ordered a push West. On March 5, 1904, Yuan armies surrounded the Qing capital at Xian and began bombarding the Qing positions. An attempt to relieve the defenders was made the next day, with the relieving force being decimated. The siege continued, and on March 11, the Yuan armies assaulted the city. Qing soldiers fought courageously, and held the Yuan attackers off for three days before finally surrendering. On March 14, 1904, the city of Xian fell. The Battle of Xian marked the official defeat of Qing forces and ensured Yuan's victory. Dowager Empress Cixi was dethroned, and along with her court advisers, imprisoned and sentenced to death. Cixi, already in poor health, died before the sentence was carried out. It did not end the fighting, however. Prince Duan, who commanded an army in Chengdu, Sichuan Province to the Southwest. Tens of thousands of Boxer Insurgents still terrorized the countryside. Prince Duan declared himself the Qing Emperor a few weeks after the fall of Xian. By this point, however, his supporters were few, and throughout the year 1904, Yuan Shikai inflicted crushing defeats on Duan's Qing soldiers, as he retreated South. On January 29, 1905, he took his final stand at Kunming in Yunnan Province. Completely outnumbered and with his men deserting him, knowing victory was impossible, he and 10,000 of his loyal soldiers were annihilated by over 75,000 Yuan soldiers. After the Battle of Kunming the Qing Empire ceased to exist. Boxer insurgents continued to be a thorn in the side of the Yuan Dynasty. Their attacks began to decline in frequency after 1905, however. In 1910, the last recorded act committed by Boxer Rebels took place. A low-ranking officer in Gansu Province was assassinated and the perpetrators were given a public execution. The last battles between Boxer Rebels and Yuan soldiers took place in Western China in 1906, effectively ending the Civil War.
(Prince Duan, last man to claim the title of Qing Emperor)
Starting in 1904, with Qing power collapsing, a program of modernization began. Emperor Yuan did his best to carry out his promise of bringing China into the 20th century. He ordered the construction of railroads, schools, and hospitals throughout the country. He imported new Western technologies into China. The standard of living in China increased during his reign, though poverty was still widespread. During his reign, he brought China and Japan closer together, trying to recover from the wounds inflicted from the Sino-Japanese War the decade earlier. Yuan was seen well by most foreign nations, and foreigners invested even more in China than before the Civil War. A war that had its origins in a reaction to foreign influence turned out to have the exact opposite effects.
(Yuan Shikai as Emperor)
Coming Soon: Empires and Alliances
(Flags of the Chinese Civil War, Left to Right: Qing Dynasty, Righteous Harmony Society, Yuan Dynasty)
As the year 1902 came upon China, the nation was in the middle of a bloody Civil War. On one side was the Qing Dynasty, which had ruled over China since 1644. The Righteous Harmony Society, or Boxers as they were called in the West, fought alongside the Qing forces, but were more irregular in their style of fighting, often using guerrilla tactics. The Qing controlled the Chinese interior and much of the rural lands in Southern and Eastern China. The other side was the supporters of Yuan Shikai, who established himself as Emperor of China in a new Dynasty the previous year. His soldiers, though numerically inferior, made up for numbers in technology. Yuan's forces were equipped with the newest weapons from Europe. There was also some direct intervention from Western nations and Japan. Most Notable of the interventions after the capture of Peking was the Russian invasion and occupation of Manchuria and Outer Mongolia. British, French, and German forces intervened near their respective spheres of influence. Japanese soldiers were committed to seeing Yuan victorious as well, securing China’s coastal areas early on.
(Japanese Soldiers in Southern China)
After the fall of Peking (now Beijing) in late 1900, the Dowager Cixi moved the Qing Imperial Court to Xian, into the Chinese interior. Foreign and pro-Yuan armies immediately pursued a plan of capturing the city. The push to Xian was halted in 1901 by a determined force of Qing soldiers and Boxer partisans in. Guerilla tactics took a toll on the Western soldiers and Yuan supporters while pacifying the Shanxi countryside. Cixi began fortifying the city of Xian and ordered the Qing soldiers on the defensive. As she said in an address to her army “We will fight to the last man to keep the foreigners out of land, ours is a noble and righteous cause, and we shall be victorious.” Yuan turned his focus on the south for 1902. Aided by Japanese marines, his armies took control of China’s southern coast. The decisive battle in this theater was the battle of Fuzhou. The Southern Qing army threw their largest contingent at the city, which had been captured by Yuan and Japanese forces a month earlier. On July 5, 1903, 120,000 Qing and Boxer combatants attacked the city's garrison pf 35,000 Yuan and 15,000 Japanese soldiers. What resulted was a five-day bloodbath. Technologically superior Yuan and Japanese defenders held off the numerically superior Qing forces, mowing them down with machine guns, but not without high casualties. 3,000 Japanese soldiers were killed or wounded, Yuan forces sustained over 14,000 casualties. The Qing and Boxer forces lost over 70,000 men by the end of the battle. After the battler of Fuzhou, In the meantime, Russia put down the remaining Qing resistance in Manchuria and its military effectively ran the region. Yuan Shikai had allowed Russia to annex Manchuria in exchange for military aid. Russian armies fought and defeated Qing forces in Mongolia and Western China in 1902 and 1903, which was a great help to Yuan. After the War, however, there would be tensions between the two nations when Russia occupied and annexed Outer Mongolia into its empire.
(Russian officers in Manchuria)
Qing propaganda referred to Yuan Shikai as a puppet of foreign leaders. Yuan supporters dismissed that claim and pointed out that the Qing rulers were originally from Manchuria. Yuan promised that he would modernize the country and lead it to greatness. His supporters pointed out the corruption of the Qing officials, especially the royal family. Pro-Yuan propaganda claimed that the Qing's decadence was holding the nation back from its potential. The Yuan message proved to be more receptive among the people of China. The Chinese were tired of the Qing's extravagance while they themselves lived in poverty. Many were convinced that the Mandate of Heaven had passed from Dowager Empress Cixi to the Yuan Emperor. As the war dragged on, resistance to Yuan's forces waned, with more and more of the common people seeing him as a better alternative to the status quo.
By the end of 1903, Yuan forces had defeated most of the Qing and Boxer resistance in the Eastern part of the country. With the East secured, Yuan Shikai ordered a push West. On March 5, 1904, Yuan armies surrounded the Qing capital at Xian and began bombarding the Qing positions. An attempt to relieve the defenders was made the next day, with the relieving force being decimated. The siege continued, and on March 11, the Yuan armies assaulted the city. Qing soldiers fought courageously, and held the Yuan attackers off for three days before finally surrendering. On March 14, 1904, the city of Xian fell. The Battle of Xian marked the official defeat of Qing forces and ensured Yuan's victory. Dowager Empress Cixi was dethroned, and along with her court advisers, imprisoned and sentenced to death. Cixi, already in poor health, died before the sentence was carried out. It did not end the fighting, however. Prince Duan, who commanded an army in Chengdu, Sichuan Province to the Southwest. Tens of thousands of Boxer Insurgents still terrorized the countryside. Prince Duan declared himself the Qing Emperor a few weeks after the fall of Xian. By this point, however, his supporters were few, and throughout the year 1904, Yuan Shikai inflicted crushing defeats on Duan's Qing soldiers, as he retreated South. On January 29, 1905, he took his final stand at Kunming in Yunnan Province. Completely outnumbered and with his men deserting him, knowing victory was impossible, he and 10,000 of his loyal soldiers were annihilated by over 75,000 Yuan soldiers. After the Battle of Kunming the Qing Empire ceased to exist. Boxer insurgents continued to be a thorn in the side of the Yuan Dynasty. Their attacks began to decline in frequency after 1905, however. In 1910, the last recorded act committed by Boxer Rebels took place. A low-ranking officer in Gansu Province was assassinated and the perpetrators were given a public execution. The last battles between Boxer Rebels and Yuan soldiers took place in Western China in 1906, effectively ending the Civil War.
(Prince Duan, last man to claim the title of Qing Emperor)
Starting in 1904, with Qing power collapsing, a program of modernization began. Emperor Yuan did his best to carry out his promise of bringing China into the 20th century. He ordered the construction of railroads, schools, and hospitals throughout the country. He imported new Western technologies into China. The standard of living in China increased during his reign, though poverty was still widespread. During his reign, he brought China and Japan closer together, trying to recover from the wounds inflicted from the Sino-Japanese War the decade earlier. Yuan was seen well by most foreign nations, and foreigners invested even more in China than before the Civil War. A war that had its origins in a reaction to foreign influence turned out to have the exact opposite effects.
(Yuan Shikai as Emperor)
Coming Soon: Empires and Alliances
So Alaska is one of the few states that's political affiliation hasn't changed much in the last century. Alaskans have been able to vote in Presidential elections since 1960 and they've only gone blue in 1964 (but then again, who didn't vote Democrat in 1964)?
In case anyone's still interested, I made a UCS map for the year 1905, not the best quality, but it gives you a picture of the world.
Worth noting is the independent Hawaii, Spanish Puerto Rico, Italian Philippines (with Rebels in white), and a larger Japanese sphere of influence in China.
Worth noting is the independent Hawaii, Spanish Puerto Rico, Italian Philippines (with Rebels in white), and a larger Japanese sphere of influence in China.
Regarding Italian Philippines...well honestly is a strech, really but can be explained.
If Spain want sell her colonies both France and Germany will jump at the possibility in this manner a kind of diplomatic crisis will be created. Italy is the safer political option as she is technically allied with Germany...but recently has tried to mend things with France and she is much less than a menace for British interest in the zone than Germany (or an expanded France). The big problem is the money but one can image that the price has been reduced due to the need to pacify the islands, nevertheless for now Italy is too occupied (and spent enough money) to occupy Libya...worst case scenario for the Ottoman Rome try a diplomatic bluff and accept the OTL last minute proposal of the Porte for administrate Libya in her name. In any case the first balkan war as we know it is gone.
Italian counterinsurgery will be brutal as the OTL american both for the attitude of the time and for the man involved (Cadorna was not very nice) and Regia Marina will use Luzon as target practice.
Big butterfly for Italy in general due to no war for Libya (who stressed even more the relationships with A-H so here will be marginally better) and with Cadorna finally getting a field command well...his luck of success on totally squash the rebellion added at his caustic personality can close any possibility to any promotion (in OTL he get the job of Chief of Army because he was not involved in the problems of the Libyan campaign)
If Spain want sell her colonies both France and Germany will jump at the possibility in this manner a kind of diplomatic crisis will be created. Italy is the safer political option as she is technically allied with Germany...but recently has tried to mend things with France and she is much less than a menace for British interest in the zone than Germany (or an expanded France). The big problem is the money but one can image that the price has been reduced due to the need to pacify the islands, nevertheless for now Italy is too occupied (and spent enough money) to occupy Libya...worst case scenario for the Ottoman Rome try a diplomatic bluff and accept the OTL last minute proposal of the Porte for administrate Libya in her name. In any case the first balkan war as we know it is gone.
Italian counterinsurgery will be brutal as the OTL american both for the attitude of the time and for the man involved (Cadorna was not very nice) and Regia Marina will use Luzon as target practice.
Big butterfly for Italy in general due to no war for Libya (who stressed even more the relationships with A-H so here will be marginally better) and with Cadorna finally getting a field command well...his luck of success on totally squash the rebellion added at his caustic personality can close any possibility to any promotion (in OTL he get the job of Chief of Army because he was not involved in the problems of the Libyan campaign)
Hopefully I can get an update in by the end of the week.
I'm bringing it back, thanks for your appreciation.
The Ottoman Empire is larger than OTL, but they are also more spread out.
Italy will figure prominently in this TL, and I've got some plans for the Ottomans as well.
I'm bringing it back, thanks for your appreciation
.The Ottoman Empire is larger than OTL, but they are also more spread out.
Italy will figure prominently in this TL, and I've got some plans for the Ottomans as well.
International Update II, Part 2 Alliances and Empires (1900-1910)
At the turn of the century, the world's most powerful empires were Britain, France, Germany, and Russia. Other nations who were expanding their power included Italy with the purchase of the Philippines, and Japan with it's defeat of Russia in the Russo-Japanese War. Then there were the old empires, shrinking in both size and relevance, but who continued to think of themselves as very important on the world stage. These nations included Spain, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. One powerful nation, the United States of America, could have become an empire, but instead decided to pursue a policy of non-interventionism after the Boxer Rebellion.
The Triple Alliance
The Triple Alliance was formed in 1882 and consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. Germany was by far the most powerful, on land and sea, of all three nations. It also had several colonies in Africa and the Pacific and increased it's influence in China during the Boxer Rebellion. Germany also had strong ties with the Boer Republics in Southern Africa, which were hostile to Britain. Austria-Hungary was large, but divided. It was home to many nationalities and keeping them under one banner was a difficult task. Italy was a rising power, with a growing navy along with colonies including the Philippines which were not completely under it's control, but Italy's authority was being strengthened over the islands with the rebels losing ground. These three nations agreed to an alliance in which if one member was attacked the others would come to their aid. The two major concerns of the alliance's strongest member, Germany, were the nations of France and Russia.
Franco-Russian Alliance
The other main Alliance in Europe was that between France and Russia. In 1894 the two nations formed an alliance. The two nations shared a mutual distrust of Germany. France had a large army and navy along with colonies all over the globe. Russia was still industrializing, and it had made great progress over the last few decades. However, it was still reeling from its defeat in the Russo Japanese war in which it lost Sakhalin and its sphere of Influence in Manchuria. Russia may not have accepted such peace conditions if there had not been a revolution at home. The result of this Revolution was that Tsar Nicholas II was forced to cede some of his his powers to a legislative body called the Duma. Nevertheless, Russia was beginning to rebuild both its army and its fleets.
The United Kingdom
The UK saw the death of the beloved Queen Victoria in 1901 and the ascension of King Edward VII. The Conservatives were the ruling party until 1905 when the Liberals under Campbell-Bannerman were voted in. Britain obtained an Alliance with Japan in the late 1890's and pursued non-aggression pacts with France and Russia. Britain was primarily concerned about the threat Germany posed to its interests and wished to see them contained. Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman desired to see a balance of power in Europe, and because of this he was wary of Germany, especially its growing Navy. However, Bannerman-Campbell and his successor, H. H. Asquith, kept Britain out of major wars during this time, including with the Boer Republics, a group that the earlier Conservative government came close to conflict with. But whether Britain would stay at peace was a difficult question to answer.
(Herbert Henry Asquith, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom)
Note: This isn't too different from OTL, this Chapter is here just as an update of what's going on in Europe.
Up Next: The Fifth term of President William Jennings Bryan.
At the turn of the century, the world's most powerful empires were Britain, France, Germany, and Russia. Other nations who were expanding their power included Italy with the purchase of the Philippines, and Japan with it's defeat of Russia in the Russo-Japanese War. Then there were the old empires, shrinking in both size and relevance, but who continued to think of themselves as very important on the world stage. These nations included Spain, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. One powerful nation, the United States of America, could have become an empire, but instead decided to pursue a policy of non-interventionism after the Boxer Rebellion.
The Triple Alliance
The Triple Alliance was formed in 1882 and consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. Germany was by far the most powerful, on land and sea, of all three nations. It also had several colonies in Africa and the Pacific and increased it's influence in China during the Boxer Rebellion. Germany also had strong ties with the Boer Republics in Southern Africa, which were hostile to Britain. Austria-Hungary was large, but divided. It was home to many nationalities and keeping them under one banner was a difficult task. Italy was a rising power, with a growing navy along with colonies including the Philippines which were not completely under it's control, but Italy's authority was being strengthened over the islands with the rebels losing ground. These three nations agreed to an alliance in which if one member was attacked the others would come to their aid. The two major concerns of the alliance's strongest member, Germany, were the nations of France and Russia.
Franco-Russian Alliance
The other main Alliance in Europe was that between France and Russia. In 1894 the two nations formed an alliance. The two nations shared a mutual distrust of Germany. France had a large army and navy along with colonies all over the globe. Russia was still industrializing, and it had made great progress over the last few decades. However, it was still reeling from its defeat in the Russo Japanese war in which it lost Sakhalin and its sphere of Influence in Manchuria. Russia may not have accepted such peace conditions if there had not been a revolution at home. The result of this Revolution was that Tsar Nicholas II was forced to cede some of his his powers to a legislative body called the Duma. Nevertheless, Russia was beginning to rebuild both its army and its fleets.
The United Kingdom
The UK saw the death of the beloved Queen Victoria in 1901 and the ascension of King Edward VII. The Conservatives were the ruling party until 1905 when the Liberals under Campbell-Bannerman were voted in. Britain obtained an Alliance with Japan in the late 1890's and pursued non-aggression pacts with France and Russia. Britain was primarily concerned about the threat Germany posed to its interests and wished to see them contained. Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman desired to see a balance of power in Europe, and because of this he was wary of Germany, especially its growing Navy. However, Bannerman-Campbell and his successor, H. H. Asquith, kept Britain out of major wars during this time, including with the Boer Republics, a group that the earlier Conservative government came close to conflict with. But whether Britain would stay at peace was a difficult question to answer.
(Herbert Henry Asquith, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom)
Note: This isn't too different from OTL, this Chapter is here just as an update of what's going on in Europe.
Up Next: The Fifth term of President William Jennings Bryan.
Bryan's Fifth Term (1913-1917)
President Bryan's fifth and final term would perhaps be his most eventful. Domestic problems during his last four years led to Bryan's increasing unpopularity. The President found it hard to accomplish much of anything as many Democrats tried to distance themselves from Bryan's record. Nevertheless, Bryan was determined to be a strong leader during this time of uncertainty.
-Excerpt from The Guide to the Executive Mansion, an in Depth Look at America's Presidents by Benjamin Buckley, Harvard Press, 1999.
(An aging William Jennings Bryan near the end of his Presidency)
Inflation had been steadily increasing since the end of 1912, but the American people did not notice a significant increase in prices until the summer of 1913. The effects of inflation were the worst in major urban areas. The working poor blamed William Jennings Bryan and his silver coinage policies for this. The Socialist Labor Party began to grow in popularity, using the economic downturn as a recruitment tool. Supporters of the Gold Standard, which was considered by many to be a lost cause only 5 years earlier, were out in full force. William McKinley, Bryan's opponent in 1896, used the situation to claim that he was right about free silver policies hurting the industrial worker.
In 1914, the era of Prohibition began. Though alcohol was banned, people seemed to find ways to get it anyway. It also increased the power of organized crime in the United States, including that of the Italian Mafia. Many Americans saw the growth of organized crime and blamed it not on prohibition, but on foreigners. From 1914 onward, the Nativist movement in America gained strength.
(Policeman dumping alcohol during Prohibition)
Along with the growth of Nativism, race relations became worse during this time. From 1912 to 1920 race riots erupted in most major cities in America. In some parts of the South, people tried to resurrect the Ku Klux Klan. Fortunately, the Klan never became a powerful force outside of a handful of states. Nevertheless, during hard economic times people are inclined to blame those who are different for their problems, and the 1910s were no exception.
In the Northeast, which was never a bastion of Bryan sympathizers, was hit hard by the rising costs of food, clothing, and many other items. The Northeast strongly supported the Gold Standard and the people who lived there wanted to bring it back. Most people in the Northeast also opposed Prohibition, which was supported in the Southern and Western States. Some very vocal opponents of Bryan's policies began to call for secession. Though pro-secession organizations existed in every state in New England, only Vermont had one that was significant. Several politicians in the Green Mountain State supported severing ties with the union. While secession never achieved majority support, it continues to have a substantial number of supporters to this day.
The anti-Bryan sentiment among the general public was reflected in the 1914 midterms. The Republicans gained a majority in both houses and the Socialists toppled several Democratic incumbents as well. America's first Socialist Senator, Emil Seidel of Wisconsin, was elected with just 36% of the vote.
House of Representatives (396)
Republicans: 210
Democrats: 171
Socialists: 15
Senate (96)
Republicans: 50
Democrats: 45
Socialists: 1
The new Republican majority was hostile to Bryan's policies, and he was unable to accomplish much. However, one significant decision of the Bryan administration came in February of 1916. A territorial dispute between Germany and France in Africa led to war when German settlers opened fire on French settlers on the border of Kamerun and French Equatorial Africa. The war involved every major power by March due to the alliances in Europe. William Randolph Hearst, who helped Bryan get elected and helped convince him to declare war on Spain, encouraged the President to declare war on the Triple Alliance. The argument for entering the war was that America could gain the Italian and German colonies in the Pacific. Bryan was unmoved, however, and refused to have Americans fight on either side of the War. The anti-war position was popular among the American public, and support for entering the war in Europe was mostly confined to the wealthy.
(William Randolph Hearst, strong advocate of American Imperialism)
William Jennings Bryan, advised to do so by Democrat leaders, declined to seek a sixth term. The reason he gave for doing so was that his five terms have been enough, and it was time for someone new to take office and continue his reforms. Most historians realize that his reason for not seeking reelection was that he knew he would not win. So the Democrats were uncertain of who would lead them for the first time in 20 years. Vice President Milford W. Howard of Alabama ran on continuing Bryan's populist policies and was popular in the South and West. Publisher William Randolph Hearst of New York ran on a platform of Populism but supported war against Germany and her allies. Senator Ben Tillman of South Carolina ran on a segregationist platform but also supported progressive measures such as campaign finance reform. Representative Champ Clark of Missouri ran on a more Conservative platform in general, which contrasted him with his opponents.
In the end, after several ballots, Milford Howard was the nominee. He ended up choosing Progressive Indiana Governor Thomas R. Marshall as his Running mate.
(Left: Milford Howard, Right: Thomas Marshall)
The Republican Party's contest was between 1912 nominee Henry Ford and Senator Elihu Root of New York. The main disagreement between the two was foreign policy, with Henry Ford being opposed to war and Root being in favor of war. Henry Ford won, and was confident that this time he would win. He chose Senator Lawrence Y. Sherman of Illinois as his running mate.
(Left: Henry Ford, Right: Lawrence Sherman)
The Socialist Party renominated Debs who chose Representative James H. Mauer of Pennsylvania as his running mate.
(Left: Eugene V. Debs, Right James H. Mauer)
The campaign was easy for Ford and Sherman. The public was weary of the Bryan Administration, and many were concerned about the possibility that Hearst could lead Howard into joining the war. In the end, the Republicans won a landslide.
Ford/Sherman, 51.1% of popular vote, 361 electoral votes
Howard/Hearst, 42.5% of popular vote, 164 electoral votes
Debs/Mauer, 6.4% of popular vote, 2 electoral votes
House of Representatives (396):
Republicans: 213
Democrats: 162
Socialists: 21
Senate:
Republicans: 53
Democrats: 42
Socialists: 1
President Bryan's fifth and final term would perhaps be his most eventful. Domestic problems during his last four years led to Bryan's increasing unpopularity. The President found it hard to accomplish much of anything as many Democrats tried to distance themselves from Bryan's record. Nevertheless, Bryan was determined to be a strong leader during this time of uncertainty.
-Excerpt from The Guide to the Executive Mansion, an in Depth Look at America's Presidents by Benjamin Buckley, Harvard Press, 1999.
(An aging William Jennings Bryan near the end of his Presidency)
Inflation had been steadily increasing since the end of 1912, but the American people did not notice a significant increase in prices until the summer of 1913. The effects of inflation were the worst in major urban areas. The working poor blamed William Jennings Bryan and his silver coinage policies for this. The Socialist Labor Party began to grow in popularity, using the economic downturn as a recruitment tool. Supporters of the Gold Standard, which was considered by many to be a lost cause only 5 years earlier, were out in full force. William McKinley, Bryan's opponent in 1896, used the situation to claim that he was right about free silver policies hurting the industrial worker.
In 1914, the era of Prohibition began. Though alcohol was banned, people seemed to find ways to get it anyway. It also increased the power of organized crime in the United States, including that of the Italian Mafia. Many Americans saw the growth of organized crime and blamed it not on prohibition, but on foreigners. From 1914 onward, the Nativist movement in America gained strength.
(Policeman dumping alcohol during Prohibition)
Along with the growth of Nativism, race relations became worse during this time. From 1912 to 1920 race riots erupted in most major cities in America. In some parts of the South, people tried to resurrect the Ku Klux Klan. Fortunately, the Klan never became a powerful force outside of a handful of states. Nevertheless, during hard economic times people are inclined to blame those who are different for their problems, and the 1910s were no exception.
In the Northeast, which was never a bastion of Bryan sympathizers, was hit hard by the rising costs of food, clothing, and many other items. The Northeast strongly supported the Gold Standard and the people who lived there wanted to bring it back. Most people in the Northeast also opposed Prohibition, which was supported in the Southern and Western States. Some very vocal opponents of Bryan's policies began to call for secession. Though pro-secession organizations existed in every state in New England, only Vermont had one that was significant. Several politicians in the Green Mountain State supported severing ties with the union. While secession never achieved majority support, it continues to have a substantial number of supporters to this day.
The anti-Bryan sentiment among the general public was reflected in the 1914 midterms. The Republicans gained a majority in both houses and the Socialists toppled several Democratic incumbents as well. America's first Socialist Senator, Emil Seidel of Wisconsin, was elected with just 36% of the vote.
House of Representatives (396)
Republicans: 210
Democrats: 171
Socialists: 15
Senate (96)
Republicans: 50
Democrats: 45
Socialists: 1
The new Republican majority was hostile to Bryan's policies, and he was unable to accomplish much. However, one significant decision of the Bryan administration came in February of 1916. A territorial dispute between Germany and France in Africa led to war when German settlers opened fire on French settlers on the border of Kamerun and French Equatorial Africa. The war involved every major power by March due to the alliances in Europe. William Randolph Hearst, who helped Bryan get elected and helped convince him to declare war on Spain, encouraged the President to declare war on the Triple Alliance. The argument for entering the war was that America could gain the Italian and German colonies in the Pacific. Bryan was unmoved, however, and refused to have Americans fight on either side of the War. The anti-war position was popular among the American public, and support for entering the war in Europe was mostly confined to the wealthy.
(William Randolph Hearst, strong advocate of American Imperialism)
William Jennings Bryan, advised to do so by Democrat leaders, declined to seek a sixth term. The reason he gave for doing so was that his five terms have been enough, and it was time for someone new to take office and continue his reforms. Most historians realize that his reason for not seeking reelection was that he knew he would not win. So the Democrats were uncertain of who would lead them for the first time in 20 years. Vice President Milford W. Howard of Alabama ran on continuing Bryan's populist policies and was popular in the South and West. Publisher William Randolph Hearst of New York ran on a platform of Populism but supported war against Germany and her allies. Senator Ben Tillman of South Carolina ran on a segregationist platform but also supported progressive measures such as campaign finance reform. Representative Champ Clark of Missouri ran on a more Conservative platform in general, which contrasted him with his opponents.
In the end, after several ballots, Milford Howard was the nominee. He ended up choosing Progressive Indiana Governor Thomas R. Marshall as his Running mate.
(Left: Milford Howard, Right: Thomas Marshall)
The Republican Party's contest was between 1912 nominee Henry Ford and Senator Elihu Root of New York. The main disagreement between the two was foreign policy, with Henry Ford being opposed to war and Root being in favor of war. Henry Ford won, and was confident that this time he would win. He chose Senator Lawrence Y. Sherman of Illinois as his running mate.
(Left: Henry Ford, Right: Lawrence Sherman)
The Socialist Party renominated Debs who chose Representative James H. Mauer of Pennsylvania as his running mate.
(Left: Eugene V. Debs, Right James H. Mauer)
The campaign was easy for Ford and Sherman. The public was weary of the Bryan Administration, and many were concerned about the possibility that Hearst could lead Howard into joining the war. In the end, the Republicans won a landslide.
Ford/Sherman, 51.1% of popular vote, 361 electoral votes
Howard/Hearst, 42.5% of popular vote, 164 electoral votes
Debs/Mauer, 6.4% of popular vote, 2 electoral votes
House of Representatives (396):
Republicans: 213
Democrats: 162
Socialists: 21
Senate:
Republicans: 53
Democrats: 42
Socialists: 1
The Great War, Part I, The First Shots Fired
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the great powers of Europe ruched to carve up the Continent of Africa. The Germans were late to the game, and did not have nearly the number of colonies as Britain or France. The people of France still hated Germany 45 years after the Franco-Prussian war in 1871, and old rivalries would not soon be forgotten. On February 10, 1916, a group of German Settlers opened fired on a group of French Settlers on the border of Kamerun and French Equatorial Africa, killing 6 and wounding several others. This incident caused outrage in France and increased anti-German sentiment throughout the country. On February 14, France declared war on Germany. On February 16, Italy and Austria-Hungary declared war on France per their alliance with Germany. Russia began to mobilize its troops and declared war on the Triple Alliance on the 20th.
The French believed that the defenses they had built along the border with Germany would keep the Germans at bay. However, Germany had already planned this scenario years earlier in the "Schlieffen Plan." The German army would bypass the French fortifications by invading neutral Belgium. Minister of War Erich von Falkenhayn followed through on this plan, hoping to defeat France quickly enough to reach Paris and negotiate a surrender. After this was achieved, Germany could focus its attention on defeating the Russian forces. In addition, Italy would invade Southern France, which could only hasten France's eventual defeat. Of course, reality does not always go according to plan.
(Prussian Minister of War, Erich von Falkenhayn)
When German forces invaded Belgium on February 23, Britain declared war on Germany to honor the 1839 Treaty of London in which Britain was committed to guard the neutrality of Belgium. Britain was also eager to stop what Prime Minister Asquith saw as German expansionism. This meant that by the time Germany was finished with the invasion of Belgium (March 11), Britain had already had time to deploy troops in France.
On February 27, Italian forces crossed the border into Southern France. Only a fraction of Italy's army was present for the invasion because the bulk of its army was fighting rebels in the Philippines. Nevertheless, Italy was able to spare over 100,000 troops who took Nice by March 2 but advanced no further for the time being. Italy also landed a smaller force on Corsica.
After the fall of Belgium, German forces defeated the French at Calais on March 13, Arras on the 14, and Amiens on the 18th. The Germans continued their push towards Paris, hoping to defeat France quickly. But French and British forces slowed their advance. Germany won victory after victory until they were stalemated at Beauvais on March 28, and their advance began to slow. At this point Germany had to divert troops from the Western front to defend itself and Austria-Hungary against Russia, which was starting a new offensive in the East.
(French troops at the beggining of the war)
The war originated in Africa, and fighting occurred there as well. Germany and Italy both had colonies, and so did Britain, France and Belgium. There were no organized campaigns on the Continent, but sporadic fighting along borders occurred. The Orange Free State and the South African Republic (Transvaal), overestimating Germany's military power in Africa, fought on the side of the Triple Alliance. Abyssinia, desiring nearby Italian colonies, declared war on Italy on April 10.
In Asia, Japan entered the war against Germany and Italy in the Pacific theater. On April 21 A Japanese force landed in Northern Luzon where they were aided by local resistance to Italian rule. Most action in the Pacific theater at this early stage in the war was naval, with German and Italian navies putting up a good fight against numerically superior forces of Britain, France, Russia, and Japan.
Map of the Entente and the Triple Alliance.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the great powers of Europe ruched to carve up the Continent of Africa. The Germans were late to the game, and did not have nearly the number of colonies as Britain or France. The people of France still hated Germany 45 years after the Franco-Prussian war in 1871, and old rivalries would not soon be forgotten. On February 10, 1916, a group of German Settlers opened fired on a group of French Settlers on the border of Kamerun and French Equatorial Africa, killing 6 and wounding several others. This incident caused outrage in France and increased anti-German sentiment throughout the country. On February 14, France declared war on Germany. On February 16, Italy and Austria-Hungary declared war on France per their alliance with Germany. Russia began to mobilize its troops and declared war on the Triple Alliance on the 20th.
The French believed that the defenses they had built along the border with Germany would keep the Germans at bay. However, Germany had already planned this scenario years earlier in the "Schlieffen Plan." The German army would bypass the French fortifications by invading neutral Belgium. Minister of War Erich von Falkenhayn followed through on this plan, hoping to defeat France quickly enough to reach Paris and negotiate a surrender. After this was achieved, Germany could focus its attention on defeating the Russian forces. In addition, Italy would invade Southern France, which could only hasten France's eventual defeat. Of course, reality does not always go according to plan.
(Prussian Minister of War, Erich von Falkenhayn)
When German forces invaded Belgium on February 23, Britain declared war on Germany to honor the 1839 Treaty of London in which Britain was committed to guard the neutrality of Belgium. Britain was also eager to stop what Prime Minister Asquith saw as German expansionism. This meant that by the time Germany was finished with the invasion of Belgium (March 11), Britain had already had time to deploy troops in France.
On February 27, Italian forces crossed the border into Southern France. Only a fraction of Italy's army was present for the invasion because the bulk of its army was fighting rebels in the Philippines. Nevertheless, Italy was able to spare over 100,000 troops who took Nice by March 2 but advanced no further for the time being. Italy also landed a smaller force on Corsica.
After the fall of Belgium, German forces defeated the French at Calais on March 13, Arras on the 14, and Amiens on the 18th. The Germans continued their push towards Paris, hoping to defeat France quickly. But French and British forces slowed their advance. Germany won victory after victory until they were stalemated at Beauvais on March 28, and their advance began to slow. At this point Germany had to divert troops from the Western front to defend itself and Austria-Hungary against Russia, which was starting a new offensive in the East.
(French troops at the beggining of the war)
The war originated in Africa, and fighting occurred there as well. Germany and Italy both had colonies, and so did Britain, France and Belgium. There were no organized campaigns on the Continent, but sporadic fighting along borders occurred. The Orange Free State and the South African Republic (Transvaal), overestimating Germany's military power in Africa, fought on the side of the Triple Alliance. Abyssinia, desiring nearby Italian colonies, declared war on Italy on April 10.
In Asia, Japan entered the war against Germany and Italy in the Pacific theater. On April 21 A Japanese force landed in Northern Luzon where they were aided by local resistance to Italian rule. Most action in the Pacific theater at this early stage in the war was naval, with German and Italian navies putting up a good fight against numerically superior forces of Britain, France, Russia, and Japan.
Map of the Entente and the Triple Alliance.
Anyone have any thoughts on the direction of this TL? I'd like some feedback please.
That is a distinct possibility. But Russia is stronger and better prepared for war in this TL. I won't give anything away though.