There Is No Other Way: The Anti-Party Group succeeds

sorry for the slow amount of posts as i have been more busy irl, but don't worry, work will resume at a much faster pace soon. While you guys wait, here is a mini teaser of what's to come
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Eagles of the Whirlwind
Eagles of The Whirlwind
"Man’s greatest works always spring from the national soil even when they are not actually directed to national ends." - Antoun Saadeh
In the following months of Bokassa's coup, several other coups in Africa would take place. Sangoulé Lamizana would launch a coup in Upper Volta 3 days later and Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi on the 15th of January. Johnson would thwart a coup six months later, solidifying his power for many years to come. Ghana would suffer a coup in February, unlike the others however, this coup would be thwarted, continuing Kwame Nkrumah's brutal rule. A Civil War would also break out in Chad during the following months, starting a brutal war that would last 12 years.
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Later that month, Indira Gandhi would be elected President of India, succeeding Gulzarilal Nanda and becoming it's 3rd Prime Minister. Indira, who would be characterized by her domineering style of government, would begin centralizing power at a rapid pace, elevating the position of Prime Minister greatly. Indira's strong-arming would also come into effect in her foreign policy, leading to an extremely warhawkish policy when it came to Tibet or Pakistan.
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In February, the Australian Dollar would be introduced by the Federal Government, replacing the Australian Pound. The dollar's rate would be 2 dollars per pound, or 10 shillings per dollar.
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Syria would fall to revolution the same month, originally a coup attempt by Salah Jadid against Michel Alfaq, the chaos would quickly spiral out of control. In the chaos engulfing the nation, the nominally disorganized SSNP would begin to break out their imprisoned political leaders and rally many militias to their side. Salah Jadid would be killed in the chaos, leaving the Ba'athist Military Committee and Regional Command to Major General Hafez al-Assad. Assad, sensing that the SSNP would be a useful ally, would request their support in the takeover, leading to their formal alliance. By the morning of February 24th, the SSNP and Hafez's forces had successfully deposed Alfaq, leading to the creation of the Syrian Social Arab Republic (SSAR) by March.
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First Secretary Shepilov would denounce American involvement in Vietnam, calling on Nixon to remove troops from the nation, to which Nixon would refuse. Shepilov would also blame China for their relationship issues, basically denouncing them. This move would infuriate Mao and the CPC, leading to a back and forth in denouncements. Shepilov would also surprisingly politically rehabilitate Gregory Zhukov, making him a member of the Presidium and giving him the position of Defense Minister the following year. Zhukov, who had fallen out of favor with Khrushchev and removed from all positions of power just before the Anti-Party group takeover, was not rehabilitated by Bulganin. Zhukov, who was now back in the saddle, was reportedly delighted at the idea.

On the other side of the Planet, President Nixon would sign the Uniform Time Act, finally dealing with daylight saving time. The Act would not come into effect in several states, such as Hawaii and Arizona however, who would remain as non-observers. Several Native American tribes would also decline to use DST, even if they are surrounded by DST areas.
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On the fateful day of May 16, the Chinese Communist Party would hold a politburo meeting. What began as an average party meeting would quickly descend into a frenzy of Maoist rhetoric, leading to the now fateful declaration by Mao.
"Those representatives of the bourgeoisie who have sneaked into the Party, the government, the army, and various spheres of culture are a bunch of counter-revolutionary revisionists. Once conditions are ripe, they will seize political power and turn the dictatorship of the proletariat into a dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. Some of them we have already seen through; others we have not. Some are still trusted by us and are being trained as our successors, persons like Shepilov for example, who are still nestling beside us."
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This declaration, which would become known as the 'May 16 Notification', would create the catalyst that would change the course of Chinese history forever. Red Guard groups would begin to pop up, swearing undying fealty to Mao, would begin to organize mass rallies across the major cities, attacking those who Mao denounced or publicly disliked. This 'Cultural Revolution' as many would coin it, would last until 1971, leaving chaos in it's wake.
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On July 21st, Arthur Calwell would be shot after giving a speech during an anti-conscription rally. The gunman approached Calwell as he was in his car and shot through the window, causing lacerations to his face and a bullet to the shoulder. The shooter was then quickly apprehended while Calwell was taken to hospital, spending the next day in surgery to get the bullet removed. Once apprehended, the shooter would be identified as Peter Kocan, who targeted Calwell due to his politics and the fact that Kocan wanted to receive national attention for his action, a wish he was granted. Kocan would be sentenced to life in Prison, later being sent to an Asylum for the criminally insane. Many would wonder if Calwell was fit to serve afterward, not only due to the assassination attempt but because of his age, being seventy at the time. And so, Arthur Calwell would announce his resignation from the post of Prime Minister, giving way to Gough Whitlam to succeed him.
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Whitlam would be a stark contrast from Calwell, appearing full of vigor upon accepting the role of Prime Minister. Whitlam would seem much more humble in comparison to the ideological firebrand that was Calwell, as well as much more charismatic. All of this would combine into a new jubilance washing over the Labor Party as despite losing their leader, they had found their prophet.

Hendrik Verwoerd would avoid assassination in September, almost being stabbed to death by radical Dmitri Tsafendas. While sitting in Parliament, Tsafendas would approach Verwoerd and stab him twice before being pulled away by members of parliament. Verwoerd would survive despite major blood losses, going on to recover within a few months. Tsafendas would be executed the following week, creating a Martyr out of the would be assassin.

On a cool October day, Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale would form the Black Panther Party, a Black Nationalist group. The Party's main goals would be open firearm carry, self defense and prevention of police brutality. Though they would start out aligned on the left, they would soon drift further to the right, aligning with Malcom X, the Nation of Islam and the New Afrika Movements.
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In November, Actor and Republican Party member Ronald Reagan would be elected to the position of Governor of California, winning a landslide victory against former Vice Presidential nominee Pat Brown. Brown, who was originally quite popular, even being one of the reasons for winning California in the 1964 Presidential election, would receive a sudden spike in unpopularity after several riots would break out across the state. As well as his choice to seek a third term, despite originally declaring he would not. Reagan would campaign on law and order, winning over many with his Charisma and promises to end the protests, which were a major issue to many voters during the election. Reagan would suffer a small amount in the polls, after an apparent affair with Marilyn Monroe, who seemed to be taking more of an active role in politics during the election, even endorsing Reagan at a rally. Brown's campaign would receive a major blow after he compared Ronald Reagan to Lincoln's Assassin John Wilkes Booth due to their actor background, this gaffe would lead to a major decline in Brown's campaign.
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The election would be a landslide victory for Reagan, with him winning a million more votes than Brown, shocking even his most ardent supporters. Reagan's victory would also win him over in the eyes of the Republican Party, with Nixon giving a toast during his televised victory speech. From day one, Reagan would work to enact his policies and campaign promises, endearing him as a sort of Republican Folk Hero in the process.

After months of infighting, the governing CDU/CSU-FDP Coalition would split apart, in an act of desperation, the CDU would form a coalition with the SPD. Erhard also announced his resignation during this time, with Kurt Georg Kiesinger being elected to serve as Chancellor and his successor. Kiesinger would be considered a phenomenal orator and public speaker, restoring faith in the government after the collapse of the original coalition the month prior. Though Kiesinger would be pulled into controversy due to his membership of the Nazi Party, even working in the Foreign Ministry. Kiesinger would denounce these controversies however, stating that he was an inactive member of the Party and later recounted that he worked in the Ministry to avoid conscription. No matter what people's opinions were, one thing was now for certain. Kurt Georg Kiesinger was now the new Chancellor of Germany, just in time for the new year.
 
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Indira Ghandi is PM till 1990? Oh boy. What about her being PM in the 60s and 70s or did that change?
Ghandi's time as PM diverges from OTL as she secures power around herself and her family, allowing her to stay in charge for longer. Her rule will still end shockingly though, but i won't spoil too much.
 
Runaway Horses
Runaway Horses
"We must fight our way to victory on a sea of blood and a horizon of fire." - Gamal Abdel Nasser
As Reagan was inaugurated and Canada celebrated their 100th year centennial, Nixon would give the go ahead for several operations to be carried out in Vietnam, the biggest one being Operation Deckhouse Five.
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Operation Deckhouse Five would begin on the 6th of January, with US Marines landing by Helicopter and being backed up by ARVN forces from the rear. The Marines then headed north from the Mekong Delta, finding several key Vietcong positions, capturing most of them before the Vietcong retreat could take place. The Operation would continue for a few more months, with US forces pushing further up the Mekong, securing a strategic foothold in the area.

Jo Grimond, the so-called 'Liberal Lion' would retire later that month, citing the idea that someone younger should take the reigns of the Party. After a brief intermission, Jeremy Thorpe, a highly charismatic individual and Liberal ideologue, would succeed Grimond. Thorpe would make his intentions clear, that being to bring the Liberal Party ideals to Britain and lead it into a new age.
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On January 27th, 1967, Presidents Nixon, Defferre, Prime Minister Home, First Secretary Shepilov and several other nations would sign the Outer Space Treaty. Officially the "Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies", the Treaty outlined several rules for Space Exploration. The most important of those being that Weapons of Mass Destructions (WMDs) would not be allowed to be used in Space, no nations could claim or nationally appropriate land for their own gains and the rule that Space will remain peaceful, no matter what happens on Earth.
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Jimmy Hoffa would be acquitted of all charges of corruption, returning to the role of President of Teamsters. Though many would decry that Hoffa lied and people had died, the court had already ruled in his favor, letting him walk free with no repercussions. The same month, Apollo One would launch, though some failures were detected at the last minute, the rocket launched without issue and the young men spent 12 days in Orbit before returning to Earth. Upon returning from Orbit, Nixon would congratulate them after a massive parade in the capital. Nixon would then triumphantly declare the now famous line that "America shall, god willing, place a man on the surface of another celestial body, by the end of the decade.". Overall, the mission would be a massive boost to Nixon's image, with many seeing him as one of the pioneers of the exploration into the New Frontier. Behind closed doors and with the success of Apollo One, Nixon would expand NASA massively across the board in an effort to fulfill his promise before the end of his Presidency.
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In a shocking turn of events, Yukio Mishima and the LDP would win the Governorship of Tokyo from the Communist and Socialist Party candidate Ryokichi Minobe, cementing his influence in the Party. The election would be close but a surprising win for Mishima, with Mishima's public speeches and rallies being deciding factor of the election. The right wing ideologues would also put their full support behind Mishima, giving him a voting loyal base for future prospects. Upon his electoral victory, Mishima would triumphantly give a speech to a massive crowd of onlookers, party members and supporters, decrying that "There's a huge seal called 'impossibility' pasted all over this world, And don't ever forget that we're the only ones who can tear it off once and for all."

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Ever since the 1956 invasion and subsequent Suez Crisis, tensions between the Arab states and Israel have been high, especially Egypt. Secretary General Hammarskjöld's patience with Israel was also wearing ever increasingly thin, with their blatant refusal to even allow UNEF (United Nations Emergency Force) troops into the nation. Conflict would almost break out in 1960 and though no weapons would be fired, it would create the catalyst for what would become the Six-Day War. In May, President Nasser would announce that the straits of Tiran would be closed to Israeli vessels, bringing tensions to a fever pitch. Nasser would also request the ejection of the UNEF forces from Egypt and would quickly order a massive mobilization of the Egyptian Army, he would also ask all Arab states surrounding Israel to put their armies on full combat readiness. Nasser's fears of an Israeli response would come to pass, with the Israeli Air Force launching Operation Focus, a surprise Airstrike attack that would severely hinder the Egyptian Air Force. This victory would be short-lived however, as Nasser would clap back hard, wiping out Israeli defenses across the border and ordering an advance to take place. Jordan and Syria would also contribute some, albeit dated aircraft, which would struggle against the new and slick Israeli fighters. Syrian Forces, receiving the go-ahead from Nasser, would begin an advance into Israel the following day, winning small air victories as most of the Israeli military would be stuck in the south, fighting a losing battle against the Egyptians and Jordanians. After six days of conflict, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Israel would sign a ceasefire as Nasser did not want to push his luck, knowing that the chance for an Israeli counterattack to foil his chances to be high. After the papers had been signed and the fake smiles had been photographed, Nasser would return back to Cairo as if it was his Triumph, holding a massive parade to signify his victory. While crowds cheered in Cairo and Damascus, praising Allah for guiding the faithful to victory in the face of overwhelming odds, Levi Eshkol would announce his resignation out of disgrace. This act would cause a constitutional crisis and cause the National Unity Government to fall apart, in the political chaos afterward, Moshe Dayan would be appointed to the post and formed an emergency government. Despite being the Minister of Defense during the conflict, he enjoyed a large wave of support from much of the population and most in government, also having many ties to Ben Gurion and the party bosses of the Rafi. As a result of the conflict, Foreign Minister Kosygin would meet with President Nixon in Glassboro, leading to warmer relations for both sides and an easing of tensions globally.
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After leaving a laundromat on August 25th, 1967, George Lincoln Rockwell, leader of the American Nazi Party, would be shot 2 times by John Patler, a former supporter who fell out with Rockwell. The bullets would strike him in the spine and chest, causing him to fall to the ground in agony. Rockwell would crawl to safety afterward and would be treated at a local hospital for his wounds. Rockwell would survive, though left in a wheelchair and later a life-long limp. The attack would have a profound effect on Rockwell, causing him to disband the ANP and preferring to stay in his home and old headquarters. This would cause a massive outcry from the most radical members of the party, with most members defecting to Matthias Koehl, who would join James Madole's National Renaissance Party once again. This would have a profound effect on radical fringe white nationalist movements, causing them to begin to follow more occultist and esoteric ideologies as opposed to Rockwell's Hitlerism.
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Earlier in the year, Prime Minister Whitlam would call a federal election in a last ditch effort to break out of the parliamentary rut they found themselves in. Ever since 1963, the ALP had been in a minority government, blocking several policies and bills. Easily the most important act of the last 6 years of Labor rule being the New Guinea Territorial Admission Act, which after several deals with the Opposition, would see the entry of Papua New Guinea integrated into the Commonwealth as the 'Territory of New Guinea', keeping it as a dependency of Queensland. Calwell's victory in keeping New Guinea as a territory of Australia would go into effect two months before his resignation, causing Whitlam to be left with the fallout of the Act. Despite whatever opinion's people held, both parties supported the Act, effectively stomping any attempts at repealing the act. Prime Minister Whitlam, sensing that his chances of winning were waning by the day and the newest poll release, would quickly rush to get as many bills through parliament as possible. Though most would fail, causing the ALP to fracture in the months to the upcoming election, some would barely pass, such as the 'Medibank Act' though with some concessions of course.
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Despite the best efforts of Whitlam and Labor, Paul Hasluck would would triumph and bring the Coalition back into leading Australia. The Liberals would win 7 seats from Labor, with 2 going to the Democratic Labor Party splitters, bringing Labor's seats down to a low of 52, getting absolutely creamed in Parliament. The popular vote would be extremely close however, as even with Calwell's legacy haunting the party, Whitlam's charisma and likeability would endear him to many, especially against the cold and distant Hasluck. Hasluck would campaign on the ills of Calwell's leadership, the ALP's internal issues and nostalgia for the Menzies years, which many looked back on with envy. Hasluck would also have a united voting bloc, which Whitlam struggled in, especially with several defections to the DLP in the weeks near the elections. Many pondered where the Workingman's Party would go from there, but as a young Labor Party member by the name of Paul Keating would put it, "you can't keep a good man down.".


The guns would finally go silent in Algeria, a land scarred by decades of conflict and chaos, with a white peace being signed by the Algerian Socialist Republic and the Algerian National Republic, leaving both as technically independent states. The NLF and PCA, who had originally had an uneasy alliance in the beginning of the conflict, drifted into conflict during the later stages of the war, with both declaring rival governments in the process. The terms of the deal were simple, that there would be no more conflict and they would go their separate ways for now. Both sides also pledged to crush the OAS, who had still been wrecking havoc in across Algeria, though the influx of defectors was beginning to slow down by the mid 1960s. The ASR would begin to receive an influx of aid from the Warsaw Pact, pledging to rebuild the war-torn regions they now administrated. After a socialist convention, the new government would elect Sadek Hadjeres to serve as their leader, who had originally served as a member of the Secreteriat and a veteran of the Algerian war. The ANR would remain under the control of a military council for the time being, pledging to support the people and rebuild Algeria for a stronger tomorrow, though these would be questioned over time especially as the ASR's quality of life improved.

By the end of the year, several candidates would announce their bid for the White House, including incumbent Vice President Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., Nelson Rockefeller and George Romney for the Republicans, seeking to keep the GOP flying high like they had for the last 16 years. The Democratic bloc would be much more divided with characters like Jack Kennedy, who had returned to seek the nomination once again, Progressive Champion Eugene McCarthy, Son of the South George Wallace and others such as George Smathers. Though they all wanted to be the one to topple the Republican's grip on power, internal polls showed a dead heat. It was going to be difficult primary going into November.
 
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Sending a Message
Sending a Message
"Let us rise to the call of freedom-loving blood that is in us, and send our answer to the tyranny that clanks its chains upon the South." - George Wallace
"We are launched on a course from which there is no turning back." - Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.

"There is only one thing to do — take it to the country!" - Eugene McCarthy
Nixon's second term as President was coming to an end, after serving valiantly under Eisenhower and then himself serving the role of President. It was not hard to see that after 16 years of arguably two of the most tumultuous jobs on the Planet, Nixon wanted to rest. His hair was greying and his trademark smile became withered with age. Going into 1968, it was apparent to all that worked with him, that he would have enjoyed nothing more than to get this final year over and done with. But what Nixon didn't know was that this election would shake American society to it's core.

The Republicans had thrown their weight behind incumbent Vice President Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., who had declared his intention to run last the previous year. Though he had faced a heated back-and-forth from opposition such as George Romney, Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan, Lodge was able to triumph over all of them, riding on the wave of Nixon's popularity. In an attempt to unite the GOP as a united force, Lodge would end up choosing Nelson Rockefeller as his Vice Presidential nominee, who was seen as the head of the rising 'Rockefeller Republicans' who were seen as much more Liberal as compared to the base GOP. Overall, Lodge tried to walk an increasingly finer line between the Conservative and Liberal wings of the Republican Party. Goldwater, despite giving it a good attempt, graciously accepted defeat for a position in Cabot's cabinet, throwing his supporters behind the Lodge/Rockefeller ticket.
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The Democratic race however, was much less cleaner than the one across the aisle, especially with Humphrey declaring his intention to not run, obviously still feeling the sores from his failed '64 bid. All in all, with the divisions in the party and no clear figure to rally behind, it was going to be a very crowded field for the Democrats. Despite the clogging for the nomination, no one could have expected that George Wallace would once again seek the position.

Wallace, who had run against Humphrey's bid in '64 was able to win two primaries before being forced out in the final primary in favor of Hubert. Learning from the failures of his '64 bid, Wallace would move away from the issue of segregation quietly, not being as much of a supporter as other southerner politicians like Maddox or Connor. On the advice of campaign supporter Jimmy Hoffa, he would remove every single outward reference to Segregation from his campaign. Instead focusing on the rise of the Vietcong, the working-class and his policy of 'law-and-order'.

On the other side of the political spectrum sat Eugene McCarthy, who in many ways was the opposite of George Wallace. While Wallace campaigned stopping the Vietcong, McCarthy declared his intentions to pull out troops from Vietnam and when Wallace declared he would bring 'law and order!" in response to riots, McCarthy would plead for peace. McCarthy would form a grassroots movement within the Democratic Party, campaigning on an expansion of the Civil Rights bill signed into law by Nixon and the previously mentioned withdrawal from Vietnam.

Jack Kennedy, who had originally been the democratic nominee 8 years prior once again entered into the race for the Democratic Nomination, becoming the favorite to win by a landslide majority. Kennedy would focus on the failures of Nixon especially, which had turned off some from his campaign, seeing it as dogmatic in nature and Kennedy having a grudge against Nixon. Kennedy would have the support of many famous people and politicians however, giving him an early one-up in comparison to the other Candidates. This lead would not last however, as details of Kennedy's Addison's Disease began to spread and both McCarthy and Wallace fired up their bases.

Originally beginning as a 'favorite son', George Smathers would be convinced by Humphrey to run for the nomination, though his candidacy would struggle to find support or coverage, especially between the other candidates like Wallace, Kennedy or McCarthy. Despite being dealt a bad hand, Smathers would keep his head-hung high, trudging on into the primaries with jubilance.

The Campaigns of all four would begin to form along region lines, with much of Kennedy's support coming from the cities, the Midwest throwing their support behind McCarthy and Wallace, who would whip up the south into a blazing fury not seen since the days of the Confederacy. The Primaries of Florida, Nebraska, Indiana and Pennsylvania would go to Wallace, shocking even the most diehard Wallace supporters. Kennedy would take much of the Western Primaries, taking California, Oregon and on the east coast, Ohio, Massachusetts and New Jersey. McCarthy would take the Dakotas, Wisconsin, Montana and key Great Lakes states. The confusion of the Primaries would begin to soil the hopes of a clean convention and the worst fears of many were looking ever more closer to happening.

Though Kennedy originally looked to be able to pull off an upset at the Convention, he would be rocked with several internal issues, the most glaring one being his much more rowdy brother Ted Kennedy, who would be accused of sexual deviancy leading up to the convention. Though the accusations would be dropped after no substantial evidence had turned up, the damage was done. Wallace and McCarthy would begin to surge in the polls afterward, using the scandal to their advantage. Just as Kennedy began to get back on his feet, another shocking blow was dealt to him, his Addison's disease had kicked in. This event, leaving Kennedy hospitalized for 2 weeks, would lead to the so-called 'Kennedy Curse' Myth to gain traction, which is the idea that the Kennedy Family, moreover JFK, are cursed. Even more shockingly, Kennedy refused to quit and after his tenure in the hospital was up, he stormed across the country, trying to rally what support he could in the weeks before the convention. Though it endeared him to some, most were now concerned about Kennedy's capabilities to lead the nation, one of those people being John Connally.
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While supporters decked out in political slogans such as "Stand Up For America!, "Kennedy's the One!" and "Gene!" wandered through the potent cigarette smoke almost aimlessly across the convention floor, backroom deals would be made at the last minute. In a moment forever infamous, George C. Wallace would win the Democratic Nomination for the Presidency. This win could mostly be attributed to John Connally, who would, along with Samuel Yorty, split the nomination in favor of Wallace. Connally would split the nomination under one condition however, being that Connally is given the Vice Presidential nomination and is put on Wallace's ticket. Connally would actually end up being a boon to Wallace's bid, giving him the appeal of moderation to northern voters.
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As Kennedy, Smathers and the others would begrudgingly congratulate and announce their support for Wallace, McCarthy and his delegates would stage a massive walkout upon hearing that Wallace had secured the bid. 3 days later, McCarthy would announce his candidacy under the Progressive-Labor Party, which would be molded out of the old Farmer-Labor Party and the 'Anti-Wallace' Camp. McCarthy would choose George McGovern to serve as his vice president, who also staged a walkout of the convention and joined the P-Ls.
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Going into November, Wallace would lag behind Lodge, with the first few Gallup Polls showing Lodge at 53% while Wallace sat at 46%, giving McCarthy 7%. Slowly but surely however, like how he did with the Nomination, clawed his way back into prominence, whipping up the south into a frenzy and deploying Hoffa to speak on his behalf for Unions. Lodge would campaign on his last 8 years as Vice President, though his ability to continually fall back on his experience began to wane with the Vietcong issue and the beginning of economic stagnation. McCarthy would win over those who were disillusioned with the two parties, becoming seen as a political outsider when it came to national politics. For the first time, 3 candidates would be on the debate stage, talking directly to the American People, warts and all.

Wallace: "Mr. Lodge, is it not apparent that the Communists are going to gain the upper hand in Vietnam?"
Lodge:" The Communists are on the backfoot, Mr. Wallace-"
McCarthy: "American boys do not deserve to die in a foreign jungle! We shouldn't be over-"
Wallace: "Need I remind you 'Gene, that if the Reds win, we could very well see a domino effect across Asia!"
Lodge: "Gentlem-"
Wallace: "We need to defend South Vietnam at all costs!"

The debates would be a political maelstrom for those watching at home, with the first 3 having no clear winner when it came to any of the questions given, though Wallace did triumph when it came to Union Policies and the War in Vietnam, with the 'Domino Effect' becoming a major talking point of his campaign. Wallace would struggle when it came to Segregation however, as McCarthy would grill him on it any time he received the chance. Overall, despite Wallace and Connally's best efforts, it looked like the Republicans were going to get their 5th consecutive win.
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On November 6th, 1968, sleep-deprived Americans would listen to a gobsmacked Walter Cronkite detail one of the most shocking victories in American political history. George Curley Wallace would be elevated to the office of the Presidency of the United States with a razor thin electoral majority of 271. Wallace, who would be in Ohio at the time (which he had won by only 5,000 votes) would be televised screaming to the heavens with a jubilant energy not seen since his nomination.
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Lodge would announce his concession at around the same time, thanking his supporters for the chance to lead them and congratulating Wallace on his victory. McCarthy would use his concession speech to announce that this is not the end of the Progressive Movement and that he will continue to fight on.

Thanks mostly to Hoffa, Wallace would claim most of the Great Lakes vote, even getting the reluctant support of the AFL-CIO President, who saw him as a better alternative to Lodge or McCarthy. Wallace would also win Texas, which would have been less possible without Connally on the ticket. The Republicans would keep much of the west, mostly in part due to Goldwater and Reagan's constant campaigning for Lodge, save for the Dakotas due to McCarthy's victory there. California, who went blue (only by around 60 thousand votes) in the '64 election thanks to Pat Brown, returned to the Republicans once again by a large majority, solidifying their grip there.

Earlier that year in April, Lester B. Pearson would retire from the position of Prime Minister of Canada, calling a leadership election to go ahead just before the national one. The leadership election would be hotly contested by Pierre Trudeau, MP for Mount Royal and Justice Minister, Paul Hellyer, Transport Minister under Pearson and Robert Winters, a Canadian businessman and Minister of Trade. In an attempt to mediate all sides and keep the Liberal-CCF 'Orange Coalition' intact, a mediation candidate would be chosen, that being of John Turner. Turner, who was only 38 at the time, was Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs and an MP for St. Lawrence-St. George since 1962, would be elevated to the highest position in Canada.
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Turner would go on to triumph over the PGs, using his extreme popularity which coalesced into a fever pitch known as 'Turnermania', bringing the Liberals to a majority of 149 in Parliament. The Progressive-Conservatives, who rallied behind Robert Stanfield after a heated resignation by Diefenbaker, would struggle to make gains in Parliament with Stanfield coming off as out of touch compared to Turner. Ironically, the CCF/New Democratic Party would neither win nor lose any seats in the election, keeping their share of 22 in Parliament. Turner would remain as Prime Minister of Canada, becoming seen as a stark contrast to the President to be down south. This would be shown in a famous comic called the 'Duality of North America', which depicted Turner as a smiling charming and well groomed individual standing over a highly detailed map of Canada, which included mountains, forests and wildlife. While Wallace was depicted as a shambling ranting mess which was frothing at the mouth, standing over a map of the continental US covered in flames.

Just as the so-called 'Election Year of the Century' ended, Prime Minister Douglas-Home would call an election for 1969, citing his retirement as the reason. Home would lead the Tories until January 1969, to which there would then be a Party Election for the next leader. Several Tory members have thrown their hat in the ring for Prime Minister, chief among them being Edward Heath, Quintin Hogg, Enoch Powell and Reginald Maudling. Labor would throw their weight behind George Brown once again, despite him failing to win Labour a victory in the previous elections.

President-elect Wallace would make his plans known for the War in Vietnam following his close victory, announcing to a speech of his most diehard supporters in Alabama that "For too long we have let the scum in 'nam get the drop on us, now it's time for them to face the full might of the U-S of A!"
 
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Wallace - no way. Can't see Lodge picking a fellow Brahmin as his running mate.
Despite being a fellow brahmin republican, Lodge picks Rockefeller because not only agrees with him on several policies, but because of the fact that Rockefeller is now leading a rising wing within the GOP. The reason why he didn't pick someone like Romney or Goldwater is because he's trying to appeal as a moderate, something someone like Goldwater is definitely not seen as. The whole New England/New York upper-class liberal thing certainly doesn't help his ticket though.
 
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marktaha

Banned
Despite being a fellow brahmin republican, Lodge picks Rockefeller because not only agrees with him on several policies, but because of the fact that Rockefeller is now leading a rising wing within the GOP. The reason why he didn't pick someone like Romney or Goldwater is because he's trying to appeal as a moderate, something someone like Goldwater is definitely not seen as. The whole New England/New York upper-class liberal thing certainly doesn't help his ticket though.
Romney was seen as moderate.
 
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