TLIAPOT: America in the Century of Blood

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1952
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    Clare Hoffman

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    Photo taken of Clare Hoffman while working in the Governor General's office. Having secured his control over the state, Hoffman envisioned it as an industrial powerhouse in the region, at the expense of its people as companies began to abuse their workers to get more products out.    ​

    In 1952, Clare Hoffman used Michigan's industrial might to crush Socialist growth in neighbouring Ohio. The attempt to hammer down the discontent in industrial cities was part of an ongoing campaign to prevent socialism from spreading further than New York and its allies. An ardent right-wing nationalist, Hoffman would do his best to quash the threat of spreading socialism as well as turn Michigan into an industrial powerhouse.

    Hoffman was born in Pennsylvania, moving to Michigan when he was admitted to the bar. He began getting involved in local politics, especially as the persecution of Anarchists ramped up through the 1920's. He had risen to the top of the political heap in the 1930's as the country collapsed, taking the title of Governor-General much like Huey Long had done in Louisiana. Believing that the federal government had collapsed due to an 'infestation' of anarchists, communists and Jews, Hoffman sought to keep his government as ideologically pure in order to eliminate the threats he perceived to be around it.

    Michigan had been one of the states to have an advantage over the others during the collapse of America. With a strong industrial base, it was able to manufacture such things as weapons as Hoffman had a vision for a Michigan that would destroy those who had been responsible for the downfall of America. It was Hoffman who had secured the selling of the weaponry to Texas, using Canadian companies to ship it.

    Hoffman envisioned a time when he could strike at the socialists states, using Michigan's industry to create a modernised military. Using the plants that had been built by Henry Ford, the defence building began in earnest in the mid-1940's as the effects of the weapons were seen in full. However, conditions in the factories and plants were notoriously bad, worker's rights being non-existent and any form of dissent being seen as socialism that had to be crushed.

    Claiming to uphold the ideals of the former America and restoring it to greatness, Hoffman exemplified the rejection and embrace of the former republic. While the states aimed for independence or to carve out their own empire in the ruins of the United States, they still clung to the legitimacy that it provided. The title that many took, 'Governor-General', was both a way to try and stick to the old titles many had held, while changing slightly to reflect their new power and circumstances.

    The wish for America to reunify still lingered for many, but the way it which it was done was impossible to agree upon. Geography, ideology and bad blood all played their parts in keeping their nation divided, yet the hope for the country to rise from the ashes was still there. Officially, many claimed that as well, even as the country was being divided between the various factions, the idea of an America under one banner once more was still divisive among many people. At least, for the time being.

    Hoffman shared the vision of a true America, but it would be a nation free of the menaces of anarchism, socialism, foreigners, Jews and whatever else he believed had earned his ire. He alienated potential allies in Canada with his conspiracy-laden beliefs and anyone who didn't instantly line up with his thoughts was an enemy. Because of this, Michigan soon found itself rather isolated and had little in the way of allies, especially as the socialist triumvirate began to spread its own brand of socialism throughout the region.

    Indiana had fallen under Michigan's influence with its own brand of conservative politics agreeing with Hoffman's. Ohio, on the other hand, saw its more progressive politics standing against the state with its more leftist opinions standing out among the Great Lakes states. As socialists grew in power in the state's government, it began to make more moves towards a partnership with New York, New Jersey and Vermont.

    Believing this to be the first stage in a socialist attack on Michigan itself, Hoffman decided to cut off any threat by ordering the Michigan military to overrun Ohio. The attack came as a surprise to many, as it was a hurried affair designed to use surprise to cover the flaws of the campaign and it actually managed to work. Although the Michigan assault was piecemeal and overstretched in places, Ohio was caught so off-guard that many of its defences fell. By the end of 1952, the state was under Michigan's military occupation and a wholesale purge was being undertaken that saw anyone suspected of socialist sympathies being imprisoned or, in some cases, executed.

    The invasion and occupation of Ohio saw immense backlash against Michigan as it was seen as an unjust war and the act of a paranoid dictator. Canada distanced itself from Hoffman's state, seeing it as a destabilising factor in the region. The Midwest had slowly started to recover from the economic and environmental disaster of the 1930's and was looking to confederate with its governments, but no backlash was given from them as they were too weak to make such a move. The eastern states all condemned it in varying degrees of rhetoric, the Socialists most of all.

    The occupation only served to isolate Michigan, leaving it without allies as many worried what would happen should it turn its attentions elsewhere. The invasion, having been on the flimsiest of causes, made many turn to others for protection and with Michigan persecuting socialists, conflict with New York and its allies was slowly becoming inevitable as the two ideologically opposed states began to clash along the Great Lake region.

    Hoffman would die in 1957, having set the stage for the conflict that would follow in later years. Although having secured Michigan as an economic powerhouse, his actions would only serve to aid sympathy for the socialist cause in the north-east. Even New England, a rival to to the socialist states that had seen numerous clashes with them, saw Michigan as a bigger threat to stability in the former United States. It would lead to the later conflict that would see Hoffman's vision collapse and actual peace settle over the north-east.

    Hoffman's legacy is inevitably a negative one. Bigoted, paranoid and somewhat delusional, he turned his state into an industrial force but left it hollow of all else. Whenever history deigns to remember him, it is with scorn. The only positive impact he had was in bringing disparate forces together to oppose him, eventually laying the groundwork for the first steps in a reunified America.
     
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    • 1956
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    Walter Elias Disney

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    Picture taken of Walter 'Walt' Elias Disney during a Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation feature on the man and his work. A man who was fascinated with the media, Disney used it to great effect during his life with the founding of Disney Studios. A visionary of sorts, Disney dreamed of a reunited America, something he would help come to pass, but he would not live to see it.    ​

    In 1956, Walt Disney would release the first movie of The War Between The States series, a film trilogy designed to act as a propaganda tool so the people of a once great nation could be educated and entertained about the history of America. From the very beginning, Disney would look to bring back the America of his childhood, that which promised prosperity to all its citizens, great and small. In looking to bring back something that had never really lived, he found something that had never quite died.

    Being born in Chicago, Disney's family moved to Missouri where he fell in love with the art of the movies. He took up art and worked his way up into adulthood to become an animator, looking to one day start his own studio. However, the late 1920's ended these hopes when the American economy started a huge downturn and political unrest spread to California. The collapse of the country saw the end to Disney's dreams as there was no market for the animations he made. He stayed in the relative safety of California until the military coup and subsequent political purges inside the country made him decide to move back to his native Illinois.

    Having taken the long route via Canada, Disney made his way down via Michigan to the relative safety and peace of Illinois as the country's divisions grew wider. Although the temptation had been to remain in Canada like many other refugees, Disney's almost childlike belief in what America could be compelled him to return, arriving in Chicago in 1942. From that point on, he worked on rebuilding some of what he left behind in California, using what funds he could to make a relatively cheap movie studio, using a few contacts he had made in Canada to help ship to that country via Wisconsin.

    Illinois had seen the collapse of America while maintaining a strong industrial base that allowed it to maintain its independence from Michigan. Chicago also served as a major economic hub that looked to things other than industry to help make its mark with Disney getting noticed for his film and animation know-how. It could certainly never reach the heights of Hollywood, but Disney's efforts to start making films did not go unnoticed. Cheap and whimsical, the films managed to nevertheless strike a chord with people as they aimed for a sense of nostalgia about America. Some rudimentary animation shorts were also shown, often detailing famous American myths.

    Throughout the 40's, Disney would focus on making his films and managed to build up a distribution network in the Great Lakes Region, some of his films also making it to the Confederacy. He became one of the major success stories of American cinema at this time, even if critics would dismiss his efforts as sentimental fluff. He managed to make consistent, if relatively thin, profits as his distribution into Canada translated into further Commonwealth access through Britain and Oceania.

    For all this though, Disney remained unsatisfied with the state of the country, especially in the wake of the Michigan invasion of Ohio. He saw disunity around him, believing that this wasn't the America he had seen during his youth and that he had to work harder to bring it back. With this, he looked to finally complete his long standing ambition, an epic trilogy of movies that were meant to remind people of what they had lost.

    Doing such a task was hard, even for one of Disney's resources in comparison to the rest of America. Filming took place throughout Illinois and Wisconsin over a three year period and pushed Disney Studios to the edge of bankruptcy with the expense involved. Despite that though, Disney continued to push forward with the movies, managing to wrap up filming in early 1955, then moving onto post-production and advertising.

    In the aftermath of the Michigan occupation of Ohio, tensions were high in the north-east, but the former country enjoyed a period of peace and recovery that allowed people to breath. Texas had secured its dominance over the south-west, its alliance with Louisiana and Mississippi acting as a counter to the Confederacy. Mississippi had itself started to undergo a flourishing of political thought and culture as it remained the largest concentration of black Americans that were given freedom of expression. California was remaining isolated from issues east as the military government was coming under fire as time went by.

    The Midwest had started to recover at this point, the skeleton governments of the region having started discussion to start their own Confederation in the region looking forward to the future on a basis of self-reliance and mutual co-operation. The tensions between New York, its allies and New England had fallen to a mere simmer at this point as both were more concerned over Michigan than anything else. The Confederacy looked to its own borders and securing its influence over the east coast, steadily coming into conflict with the Socialist states further north as well.

    Although tensions remained high, this is still regarded as a time of peace, or less charitably, the calm before the storm that was the 60's and 70's. It allowed Disney greater distribution of his movies at least, allowing them to be seen by a wide variety of audiences throughout the continent. It was this background which also helped assure the success of The War Between The States trilogy. It was able to be seen throughout the former United States at a time of relative peace, something that wasn't available to Disney Studios in later decades with even the Midwest providing a small market that they could access.

    The trilogy was a hugely ambitious project, charting the cause, events and end to the American Civil War through the eyes of several of its major figures and a common soldier on either side. The films were released in 1956, 1957 and 1958 respectively, gaining success and acclaim throughout the American nations, although less so in the Commonwealth nations that saw them. The movies all had the same point to them, that although America might be divided, coming together and overcoming their differences made them a great nation. The divisions could be overcome and that fighting was pointless.

    Although coming under heavy criticism years later for accepting many myths of the Civil War and original Confederacy (It was about States Rights and slavery seen more a factor in that rather than the root cause), at the time, many Americans saw it as a call back to their united heritage and the movies were effective propaganda in that respect. Disney hoped to remind people of why America had attracted so many to it, the American Dream being the one thing that had united so many people from such different backgrounds.

    The film's direction and cast played a great hand in the film's success in getting across its message, but Disney had been the instigator behind all of it. His romanticism of the past helped to bring back the question of a reunited America back to the forefront. As the trilogy itself would say, it should be one on brotherhood and ideals, rather than military conquest, a notable dig at California and Michigan at the time.

    Such a sentiment had been expressed before, but Disney Studios allowed it to be broadcast all throughout the former nation, serving as a romantic ideal in which to aim for. The market access would be the first time it could be available and would be something Disney Studios would take advantage of until the chaos of later decades. In doing so, Disney managed to become one of the studios that turned into a household name throughout the region and a connection that the American states had.

    Having managed to succeed in his hopes of making successful movies that made people think once more about unification, Disney hoped to capitalise on this distribution network further, turning his studio into a cornerstone of American media. Such ambitions weren't went to be however, at least, not until the political situation had calmed down after the final war in North America. Despite that though, Disney had accomplished a great deal and made Disney Studios a major media presence throughout North America.

    When Disney passed away in 1965, Disney Studios would carry on making their movies and began investing their efforts into the slowly increasing medium of television, although movies remained its bread and butter. It would become one of the major television networks as well, delivering entertainment to millions and a slowly growing audience, although not finding similar success outside of America itself.

    Walt Disney was an icon to many in the years after his death, seen as the man who still believed in America and was able to express it in ways that made people believe in it as well. His work, while easy to poke holes in today, managed to remind the people of the disunited states of what they had been and what America had meant to be. Even with the flaws in his work on display, there are those that perhaps owe him a debt of gratitude. As sentimental and saccharine as his work could be, Disney had nevertheless tapped into a part of America that many longed for, even if it had never truly been real in the first place.
     
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    • 1960
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    Francis Albert Sinatra

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    A photograph taken of Francis 'Frank' Albert Sinatra during his negotiations with the New England government in regards to the military campaign against Michigan during the Pennsylvanian state collapse. Note Sinatra's fine suit, his taste for the richer things in life when outside New York being quite at odds with his supposed Socialist leanings.    ​

    In 1960, Frank Sinatra would help secure New England's neutrality as the three states known commonly as the triumvirate geared up for war against Michigan. The bankruptcy of Pennsylvania had caused unrest to break out, a lot of it tinged with socialist supporters. The threat of military action by Michigan had caused tensions to raise as New York, New Jersey and Vermont geared up its armies for war and it was up to Sinatra, as the socialist state's councillor on foreign affairs, to make sure New England would stay neutral. In doing so, he would help set the stage for a greater reconciliation between the states of the north-east and bring an end to the Michigan threat.

    Sinatra had been raised during the early years of the Bryan Administration, having a stable, if rough and tumble childhood in New Jersey. A teenager when the country began to fall apart, Sinatra had been sympathetic to the Socialist cause, seeing the oppression of the Glass years, especially as prejudice against immigrants, Italians especially, went unchecked. When the economy floundered, it wasn't too difficult to get someone of Sinatra's background and youth invested in revolutionary politics.

    Events culminated in early 1932, when Carter Glass was rumoured to be looking to suspend elections once again. New York erupted into riots at the news with revolutionary groups making their presence known. New York City itself fell to socialist revolutionaries and New Jersey wasn't far behind. Sinatra was among those who had travelled to Jersey City to help overthrow the government there to proclaim a Socialist Republic. In this, they were successful and Vermont followed soon after, giving birth to the socialist triumvirate that would act as America's major left-wing block.

    The next two years were dedicated to forming a working government while fighting off the increasingly weak attempts by the forces under Douglas McArthur to put down the uprising. In both, they were successful. Sinatra himself didn't fight in the war, but his charisma was noted at this point and he saw his first serious forays into politics by attending rallies and meetings meant to educate people about socialism, trying to integrate the movement into the Italian immigrant community.

    His work in this area didn't go unnoticed and Sinatra would use it to get elected in the first elections in the new socialist states, returning his native Hoboken and becoming a council member in 1938. Two attributes became noticed during this time, more than ever. The first being his charisma, which saw him attract a large following in and out of the party structure, particularly from female voters. His ability to rouse crowds and schmooze in the back-rooms of politics made him a name to be reckoned with. The second was his volatile temper, particularly in dealing with people deemed as who would use his Roman Catholic background as a way to cast doubt over his socialist credentials.

    Sinatra himself soon found himself a major figure of the moderate factions of the New Jersey Socialist party. He had leftwards leanings towards issues on race and the economy, but also didn't want to cast away its American past either. Sinatra was one of the few politicians in the socialist states at this time who argued for eventual reunification, albeit on socialist lines of course. This was a break from the government standing itself, which saw the old America as dead and socialism had been the one to bury it completely.

    Despite going against the orthodox beliefs in that major respect, Sinatra saw his political fortunes slowly blossom throughout the 1940's and 50's. He was first attached to one of the many diplomatic groups sent to New England, where he acted as the stick to the other figure's carrots. He did this quite successfully and soon saw himself drawn more and more into foreign affairs. In 1957, he would lead a mission to Canada in order to explore further trade options between the triumvirate and the Commonwealth. He was once again successful and New York City began to benefit as it saw greater trade start to come in from the deal.

    Although New Jersey and Vermont were theoretically equals in the socialist alliance, New York's sheer size and the importance of the named city overshadowed them considerably. So when Sinatra came back with a deal directly benefiting New York itself, his stock in the socialist government radically improved. In 1959, he was given as the State Councillor on Foreign Affairs, helping direct the foreign policy of the entire triumvirate.

    It could not have come at a more crucial time as the Pennsylvanian crisis had begun. The state was a crucial buffer between Michigan's sphere of influence and the socialists. When its government fell into bankruptcy, the socialists began to grow in power, although there was also heavy resistance. The Michigan military began to build up on the border and the socialists armies also mobilised in Vermont. With such a tense situation, Sinatra was given the job to make sure New England would remain neutral.

    New England and the socialist states had a rivalry dating back to when New York City had been overtaken by the revolution. Representing the old ways of America, wrapping itself in the traditions of the United States, New England was opposed to everything about the triumvirate. There had ben border clashes and war scares for the last two decades, but Sinatra realised that something had to be done and was determined to hammer out a deal. Arriving in Boston in October of 1960, he sat down with New England leadership to hammer out a deal and, if possible, an actual long term peace.

    Much to everyone's surprise, Sinatra succeeded on the former and made headway on the latter. New England agreed to remaining neutral on the basis that it would get a say on what is done with Pennsylvania, having provided the state with much of the loans that had kept it afloat. New England also got the concession of New York following a strict border for its naval forces to abide to, previous clashes having been a major contributor to rising tensions and, until that point, nothing neither side was willing to concede on.

    Sinatra, with his charisma, ability to talk and hammer a point incessantly, made himself stand out to other socialists by also not demanding an adherence to dogma on minor points. His willingness (Even enthusiasm) to wear the kind of clothes more traditional governments demanded and his appreciation for the finer things in life marked him out. While he would push for New York's interests, he did so in a manner and a sort of familiarity that put New England's diplomats at ease, believing they were dealing with someone similar to them, even if he was a red.

    Sinatra returned to New York in December, although not without grumbling from some of his fellow government figures, saying that Sinatra had conceded too much. Despite that though, the deal was voted through by Christmas and not a moment too soon. In February of 1961, Michigan attempted a surprise occupation of Pennsylvania, similar to the one they had done with Ohio. However, the winter they had hoped to prevent the triumvirate from interfering only impeded their attack, giving them time to respond.

    With Michigan having invaded, they had lost the claim to moral high ground and given the socialists the excuse to move forward with their counter-attack. Unlike Ohio, the socialist states had been prepared for the invasion and began to move forward, clashing with Michigan's forces and managing to drive them back. The triumvirate had also made plans for a great spring offensive. Having sent agents into Ohio, they then used the chance to call for a socialist uprising there to overthrow the military occupation and oppressive government. Having timed the uprising along with a spring offensive westwards, the plan worked perfectly. Not only were the supply lines of the Michigan forces sent into disarray, but the military forces were overran by the socialists and forced into a rout.

    The sheer scale of the defeat shocked Michigan's leadership and sent emboldened the socialist forces enough to then launch an assault into Ohio itself. Several hasty and desperate counter-attacks were attempted throughout the year, but September of 1961 saw the first probes into Michigan itself take place. Although on the end of very long supply lines, the socialists were greatly aided by a friendly populace and using what shipping they could to aid with the situation, also probing Michigan's shore defences itself.

    For many in Michigan, it was their worst nightmare come true. Had they managed to keep their nerve though, it would have been possible to shore up their defences and prevent any further attacks into their territory. Deciding that was too risky, the majority of Michigan's leadership took what wealth they good and then got onto ships to flee to the northern peninsula of the state, allowing the socialists to essentially walk in and take control.

    The sheer scale of the victory was something that many were unprepared for and there were rumblings in Canada about what to do should this carry on. Quick to take action, Sinatra met with the cabinet of the Socialist government and was one of those who immediately pressed for the war to end. They had succeeded far beyond what they had initially planned for and any further attempts to press on threatened to isolate them from the one true major power left in North America.

    Sinatra was also one of those involved who pushed for the idea of elections in the overrun states. He felt that any socialist government in Pennsylvania, Ohio and South Michigan would need legitimacy in the eyes of the world and so an election would give them just that. The points were agreed to and New England would help oversee the elections which took place in July of 1962. The results came in as Pennsylvania having a strong Socialist Party, but the new Farmers Union Party held true power. While a set back for the Socialists, the elections in Ohio and Southern Michigan saw great turn outs for their own Socialist Parties, the former Michigan government having greatly discredited the opposition.

    The increase of socialist states in the Great Lakes region was a major success for the triumvirate and a huge boost to Sinatra's own prestige. He would help negotiate the new states into the informally named 'Socialist Union', strengthening the position of all of them with their common interests. This increased power block would greatly enhance Socialism as a cause in North America and would itself propel Sinatra to the role of General Secretary in 1964.

    Sinatra's role in guaranteeing New England's neutrality during the Pennsylvanian War would be the catalyst in seeing socialism dominate the Great Lakes and helping put the region under one bloc. It would also provide the groundwork for later reconciliation between New England and its neighbours, leading to the Harrisburg Accords by the end of the decade. He would also allow Disney Studios to begin production within the Socialist Union, seeing their movies as a way to popularise the idea of reunification.

    Sinatra would play a key role in the eventual reunification of America with his diplomatic work and General Secretary of New York. Even when he was later voted out of the position in 1972, Sinatra retained a great deal of influence in the socialist government, as well as serving as an informal diplomat to Canada and other nations. He would continue to serve in this capacity until his death in 1991, having lived long enough to see the northern and western states start the first talks about reunification.

    Sinatra was not without controversy, particularly in his own government. His infamous temper would be what cost him his position as it served to alienate many elected officials who preferred someone who was less likely to get riled up over setbacks. His ability to schmooze with traditional class enemies also saw some claim he was nothing more than a champagne socialist, willing to use the state to fund his own private luxury trips to other nations.

    Whatever his flaws, Sinatra stands as a giant figure in American politics. His charisma, willingness to make deals and ability to play hardball made him stand out even in a time when similar people were rising amid a chaotic situation. He helped forge a new power within the US and would set it on the course for eventual reunification. His work would help reforge a new America, with a more leftist leaning bent. It would take time to do that though and Sinatra's vision would not come to fruition without bloodshed.
     
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    • Johannes Parisiensis

    So the Triumvirate looks like the ones to reunify America.

    Speaking of which, diven the division and the lack of the majors projects which helped America to grow, how is the economy and the standards of living across America?
     

    DAv

    Johannes Parisiensis said:
    So the Triumvirate looks like the ones to reunify America.

    Speaking of which, diven the division and the lack of the majors projects which helped America to grow, how is the economy and the standards of living across America?
    Click to expand...

    Well, they'll be a major factor in it, but there'll be others about who take an interest in doing so as well.

    The economy is poorer, as are the standards of living, although it varies from state to state a fair amount. The Triumvirate and New England have probably the highest standards of living due to avoiding a lot of the conflict and chaos, Texas also doing relatively well. There is high military spending across North America due to the constant tensions, which limits the amount that governments can spend on their economies. At 1960, I'd say standard of living is still comparable to the 1930's in many areas, with the Midwest looking more like the turn of the century.
     
    Last edited:

    Jack Brisco

    Banned
    DAv said:
    Thanks for the kind words. Is there anything in particular you feel could be improved, or particular aspects you enjoyed?
    Click to expand...

    It's been interesting to see the new roles some people play, and how they played them. One thing I might have done differently would be to delete the famine in the Midwest. Most of the Midwest didn't turn into the Dust Bowl. You might want to discuss commerce and communications at different times throughout this America, at least in general terms.
     

    DAv

    Jack Brisco said:
    It's been interesting to see the new roles some people play, and how they played them. One thing I might have done differently would be to delete the famine in the Midwest. Most of the Midwest didn't turn into the Dust Bowl. You might want to discuss commerce and communications at different times throughout this America, at least in general terms.
    Click to expand...

    While true about the Midwest, the Dust Bowl mixed with a lack of government aid to stop its spread and a complete collapse of the US as it devolved into several nations and civil war. Basically, the dominoes all fell in the wrong ways to turn it into a complete disaster even beyond what was faced IOTL. Refugees fled west as the east was a warzone during the first few years, which put further strain on local governments that only hastened the collapse and made it worse. I've already written some parts ahead, but I'll see what I can do about the commerce and communications part at some point.
     
    1964
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    Stephen Gaskin​

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    Photo taken of Stephen Gaskin during a political rally against the Californian government. Gaskin would be a major figure in the protests that would eventually bring the down the military dictatorship. His political philosophies of commune-based living would also game fame at this time, becoming influential in the Midwest especially once the region began its recovery in the early 90's.    ​

    In 1964, Stephen Gaskin was part of the crowd that took over the California State Capitol building. The young man had made a name for himself in the last few years standing against the military dictatorship, using non-violent protest as a way to put pressure on it to reform internally and externally. The tactics themselves proved to be successful as many rank-and-file soldiers proved unwilling to fire on their fellow Californians and the government lost all will to continue. It was a turning point for the west coast of North America and usher in a new wave of political thought.

    Gaskin's childhood had been rather fraught as his family had been among the refugees that went west during the collapse of American authority in the Midwest. He spent his first years in a refugee camp before his family was allocated living space in San Francisco. Gaskin would be noted in his youth for asking the wrong kind of questions about the government. When it was time for him to serve his lawfully mandated time as a conscript, he was quick to go underground and fled to Oregon rather than serve a dictatorship.

    Having become a wanted man in his native state, Gaskin would remain underground in Oregon, which was still under heavy Californian influence at this time. During this period, lasting throughout the late 1950's and early 1960's, Gaskin would study philosophy and history, taking an interest in the past of native tribes in the area. He also became involved in the underground resistance against the dictatorship in California, which was rather widespread up and down the West Coast.

    The initial success of the military dictatorship had in shifting the blame for the failure of the Western Offensive had stalled over the years as the military remained in power, but had done little with it. More focused on maintaining their control rather than seeing to the well being of California itself, leading to an increasingly poor economic situation as no one in power knew exactly how to handle the situation. By the 1960's, outright discontent was rife and people freely complained about the government.

    It was during this time period that saw the slow growth of television as media throughout America. The Pennsylvanian War was the first conflict on the continent to be broadcast to homes across the world. Although what was seen was relatively brief, it did show that public opinion could effect how war was fought as the Socialist army had public opinion on their side throughout the conflict. Although he was not the only one, Gaskin was one of the loudest proponents for using the media to their advantage by gaining sympathy from foreign nations to put pressure on California itself.

    As a result, the underground movement began to experiment with peaceful, non-violent protests, including sit-ins and blocking roads. Focusing on non-violence while making sure that their actions took place in a public a setting as possible, the media of other countries picked it up, especially in Canada. At first, the Californian government attempted a harsh crackdown on the protestors, using brutal means to break up their demonstrations. The tactics used by the demonstrators proved to be highly successful though, as the Californian government came under heavy scrutiny and criticism from other nations, especially the Commonwealth.

    Needing to tone it down, the Californian tried to ignoring the problem, only for it to embolden the protestors and their message soon spread up and down the state, gaining them greater numbers of supporters. This turned into greater instability for the state as the protests grew and the dictatorship feared what would happen if they reverted back to their original tactics. This would culminate in 1964, where a march of 100,000 people converged on Sacramento with a list of demands for free and open government.

    Gaskin was one of those who had toured up and down California, organising protests and helping put pressure on the government. He had made a name for himself and attracted some followers as he began to publish his own political philosophy. Although he wasn't among the leadership, he was still a major name in the anti-government movement and commanded a lot of respect. He was among those who had pushed for the Sacramento protests, believing that it would be the tipping point against the dictatorship.

    In September of 1964, the protestors filled the city while being watched by troops. The route the protestors had selected saw them head right towards the State Capitol building, a direct challenge to whether or not the dictatorship would fight the protests. Gaskin was at the forefront of the protestors, a tense stand off taking place between the crowds and the soldiers guarding the building. For an hour, no real movement was made by either side, each hoping that the other would blink first.

    It would be Gaskin who pushed forward, him and several followers making the first move towards the building. The soldiers around it all tensed, as if waiting for an order to fire, but it never came. The protestors rushed passed the soldiers and pushed open the doors of the State Capitol building, serving as a signal for the mass crowd behind them to follow. With that, the Californian military dictatorship had been struck a fatal blow. As the protestors flooded the building, it became obvious that the dictatorship didn't have the will to fight back and its leaders fled the state soon after, allowing the Californian Revolution to come into being.

    While the revolutionaries quickly moved to work out a new government, Gaskin found himself being sidelined as his own philosophies were quite at odds with what the others wanted. The imaged a state based on the progressive values that America had long neglected with many seeing the deposed Hiram Johnson as a figure to emulate. Johnson being overthrown by the military had led many to seeing him as a sort of martyr figure and it was his politics that had formed the philosophy of the majority of revolutionaries.

    Gaskin himself was not without supporters however and he stayed in Sacramento, working on advocating a return to simpler living. His philosophy had some influences from Anarchy, but seemed also to have a more environmental note, focusing on people living in communes in harmony with nature, looking for alternative methods of energy while banding together to help each other live. Gaskin also spoke out against a lust for material wealth and power, reasoning that those had caused the disintegration of the United States in the first place.

    By 1966, the Californian government had been properly formed while Chinese officials had helped form its first major trade deal, something Gaskin himself had urged for, looking for greater relations with other states. However, Gaskin's approval for the Californian government ended there, as he saw the progressive politics they pursued as a mere band aid to America's problems, at best. He left Sacremento that year, going north as he started to set up communes across the West Coast. While some would fail, the next few years saw some real success stories among these communes and would go onto become a noted feature of the political and social landscape of the three states.

    For over a decade, Gaskin would help set up the communes with several of them flourishing. It was the collapse of the Midwestern states in the early 1970's that caught his attention however and he decided to travel to help people in that region. While he was welcomed in at first, with his philosophies seemingly coming close to the ones professed by those who took control in the power vacuum. However, Gaskin would soon be horrified by the radical measures taken by those he worked with and would denounce them, an action that led to him being one of the many victims of the Reallocation Committee, being buried in a mass grave after his execution in 1975.

    Gaskin's death would go unreported for some time and only really confirmed in 1989, once records were found confirming it. The loss was felt throughout the West Coast where he remained a popular figure, one who had struggled to fight against oppression and find a new, better way of life for people. California is especially fond of the man and his legacy, even if the government had initially rejected it and he is seen as something of a second Founding Father to the state.

    During the Century of Blood, numerous political philosophies sprang up to counter the loss of the central power structure that had existed for over 150 years. The look towards nature that came from the West Coast, the Socialism of New York or the black nationalism of Mississippi all flourished throughout the mid-20th century and Gaskin's political beliefs became a major aspect in parts of the former nation. His influence was felt in how the environment became a focus and the hope that the government itself could wither away as communities instead focused on mutual co-operation and self-sustainment.

    Gaskin would be an influential figures who philosophies would be read by a wide audience. His ideology became very popular on the West Coast and quite dominant in the sections of the Midwest that began their recovery in the late 80's. A focus on a community coming together to help each other out of mutual respect and aid rather than the government mandated kind of the Socialist New York. In helping end a dictatorship, Gaskin would also help make the region better for everyone. That he died opposing another one only helped his stature go and his works are a major part of American philosophical classes to this day. When one speaks of Gaskin in America, it is inevitably reflecting on his positive legacy.
     
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    • Arthur Marston

    DAv said:
    For over a decade, Gaskin would help set up the communes with several of them flourishing. It was the collapse of the Midwestern states in the early 1970's that caught his attention however and he decided to travel to help people in that region. While he was welcomed in at first, with his philosophies seemingly coming close to the ones professed by those who took control in the power vacuum. However, Gaskin would soon be horrified by the radical measures taken by those he worked with and would denounce them, an action that led to him being one of the many victims of the Reallocation Committee, being buried in a mass grave after his execution in 1975.
    Click to expand...
    Uh-oh, that doesn't sound good.
     

    DAv

    LoneStarCowboy said:
    Also, if you need a map, you can use mapchart.net to make a better-looking map. It may not be entirely accurate, but it makes good-looking maps
    Click to expand...

    Might look into that when I have more time, thanks.

    Johannes Parisiensis said:
    Yeah, it sounds bad. Like, Democratic Kampuchea bad.



    Jim Jones?
    Click to expand...

    It gets bad alright and that did partly serve as the inspiration for what's to follow. However, you're way off on the person in question.
     
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