WI: Joseph Kennedy dead in Wall Street Bombing: Sept. 16th, 1920

Joseph Kennedy's wikipedia page says this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street_bombing

...knocked him down as he was relatively near the blast site.

So, what if Joseph Patrick Kennedy is closer to the explosion and is killed? He's already a pretty high profile fellow, and he and Rose have their four oldest children (the fifth is on the way, barring a miscarriage from the stress of the news).

What if Joe Kennedy was killed in the Wall Street Bombing?
 
Just off the top of my head, with no research whatsoever, I'd guess:

• His wife remains the grieving widow for a rather extended time
• As such, she is determined that one of her sons will enter holy orders (likely young Jack)
• She is further determined that none of her sons will be involved in the same general field as her late husband, pushing the rest toward relatively safe occupations (e.g., university professor; physician; lawyer)
• When finally she does re-marry, it'll be too late for any other offspring

And thus we have:

• no Kennedy "dynasty"
• no Kennedy political involvement
• the vision of Archbishop / later Cardinal John F. Kennedy
• the vision of Joseph Kennedy Jr. as the head of the law department at Boston College
 
There won't be nearly as much success. Also keep in mind that with JPK Sr. dead in '20, the Kennedys will be upper-middle-class (he didn't turn his first million till '26 IOTL) until one of the boys goes into business. It's necessary merely to maintain and improve the family's social status, forget career ambition. If she remarries (which is near ASB for Rose) the ATL younger children will obviously be different from OTL's. Most likely Joe Jr. becomes a businessman.

Another thing: a lot of the raunchiness probably won't happen, because without Joe that sort of influence won't be present. Not necessarilly that Jack, Joe and whichever ATL brothers they might have all turn out like OTL's Bobby, but it will be significantly toned down and more discrete. Rosemary won't have a lobotomy ITTL, but she'll still require institutionalization (retardation was a birth defect, and she's born in 1918).

The family's Democratic allegiance is also up for grabs, because while Rose came from a prominent Democratic family she was essentially apolitical. IOTL Joe flirted with the MA GOP through the '20s and even wrote a letter to C.F. Adams in 1929 hinting that he'd voted for Hoover in November. I could definitely see Joe Jr. heading that way, Jack's more hazy.
 
Why wouldn't FDR pick Garner as per OTL? Kennedy had nothing to do with Garner's selection, but he did play a crucial role in securing Hearst's backing for FDR.
 
Why wouldn't FDR pick Garner as per OTL? Kennedy had nothing to do with Garner's selection, but he did play a crucial role in securing Hearst's backing for FDR.

Fair point. Is the Hearst backing actually important though?

Also, what would the Irish ports butterfly mean, if anything at all, for World War II.
 
Fair point. Is the Hearst backing actually important though?

Also, what would the Irish ports butterfly mean, if anything at all, for World War II.

Wendell

It would make defending the eastern end of the Atlantic supply line markedly easier, which is especially important in the early part of the war. U boats had less range then and also it helps intercepting the Condors.

Steve
 
Wendell

It would make defending the eastern end of the Atlantic supply line markedly easier, which is especially important in the early part of the war. U boats had less range then and also it helps intercepting the Condors.

Steve

Does it end the war earlier and have any impact on Anglo-Irish relations or participation by Eire in the war?
 
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