WI: Truman assassinated

[Cuāuhtemōc]

So on the first of November, 1950, Griselio Torresola and Oscar Collazo attempted to KO President Truman who was staying at the Blair House. They only managed to wound a White House policeman. But if the assassins were lucky enough to kill Truman?

 

[Hipsterredneck556]

So on the first of November, 1950, Griselio Torresola and Oscar Collazo attempted to KO President Truman who was staying at the Blair House. They only managed to wound a White House policeman. But if the assassins were lucky enough to kill Truman?

They killed the White House cop. Also, the nationalists would have had to get past the final secret service agent covering the door with a Thompson SMG.

 

[Plumber]

Barkeley dies in about three months. He might fire MacArthur during that time. For the rest, Rayburn is President, which is interesting because that guy had LBJ-style pull in Congress.

The Democrats are also going to gain seats in 1950 here, even if MacArthur pulls his "oh god the Chinese are invading we're doomed!" schtick right before the election day.

 

[JRScott]

Well first off Alben W. Barkley would become President. He'd probably serve out the remainder of Truman's sentence, but just like OTL the labor unions would probably consider him to old to run in 1952 and pull support for him, so it would create an open race.

Barkley probably would not have pardoned Oscar Collazo, who would most likely have been executed as he got the death sentence for assassinating Truman.

Not sure how he would have handled the Steel Strike of 52 or if he would have created the CGCC in 1951. The one difference between Barkley and previous VPs, is that he was the first VP that was considered a part of the President's Cabinet, so he would have been more prepared than say Johnson was when he took over for Lincoln. He was a staunch supporter of Israel, even more so than Truman.

 

[JRScott]

Barkeley dies in about three months. He might fire MacArthur during that time. For the rest, Rayburn is President, which is interesting because that guy had LBJ-style pull in Congress.

The Democrats are also going to gain seats in 1950 here, even if MacArthur pulls his "oh god the Chinese are invading we're doomed!" schtick right before the election day.

Barkley doesn't die until 1956....from heart failure.

 

[wietze]

They killed the White House cop. Also, the nationalists would have had to get past the final secret service agent covering the door with a Thompson SMG.

if the wiki articles are correct, truman looked out of the window to see what was happening. The pod would be that one of the attackers actually sees truman, and manages to kill him with a lucky shot.

 

[Hipsterredneck556]

if the wiki articles are correct, truman looked out of the window to see what was happening. The pod would be that one of the attackers actually sees truman, and manages to kill him with a lucky shot.

They were out of ammo. The one attacker was reloading his mag when truman came to the window.

 

[JRScott]

They were out of ammo. The one attacker was reloading his mag when truman came to the window.

Apparently in the OP they didn't run out of ammo, and got Truman through the window would be the most likely scenario.

 

[Paul V McNutt]

I think 1952 is still a Republican year. Not only does the GOP have a war hero candidate but Korea is still a stalemate. I assume that Barkley runs and gets the nomination.

 

[Paul V McNutt]

Truman is still remembered as great president.The only thing missing from his record ITTL is firing MacArthur and the Korea stalemate.

 

[Plumber]

Barkley doesn't die until 1956....from heart failure.

Truman and other Washington people commented that he would last around three months due to the stress.

 

[John Fredrick Parker]

Barkeley... might fire MacArthur... The Democrats are also going to gain seats in 1950 here, even if MacArthur pulls his "oh god the Chinese are invading we're doomed!" schtick right before the election day.

My guess is Barkeley doesn't stand up to MacArthur, and can see a plausible scenario where we get escalation that leads to nuclear weapons being deployed. I can even see, after all this happening, MacArthur getting elected President in 1952.

Most terrifying of all, in this scenario, is thinking of the kinds of precedents this would set...

 

[JRScott]

I think 1952 is still a Republican year. Not only does the GOP have a war hero candidate but Korea is still a stalemate. I assume that Barkley runs and gets the nomination.

Barkley did run in 1952, however the labor unions wouldn't support him so he withdrew from the election before the first primaries, or maybe after the first.

 

[Plumber]

My guess is Barkeley doesn't stand up to MacArthur, and can see a plausible scenario where we get escalation that leads to nuclear weapons being deployed. I can even see, after all this happening, MacArthur getting elected President in 1952.

Most terrifying of all, in this scenario, is thinking of the kinds of precedents this would set...

No. Barkley could and would fire MacArthur, but he might die before he takes action. And neither Barkley or Rayburn will use the bomb. They aren't that kind of person.

MacArthur will be destroyed by Russell. Hell, MacArthur's insubordination could be seen as what killed Barkley.

The death of both Truman and Barkley in such a short time could have some interesting side-effects on Stalin's paranoia, which could lead to an earlier death of either Stalin or Beria. The Korean War could very well be over in 1952. If that is so, then Ike probably sits the election out and the Democrats have a fighting chance against Bob Taft.

Perhaps the most interesting thing that would happen here is the influence LBJ would have under President Rayburn, and what legislation the two could accomplish together. Truman could be used like JFK was to further the cause of civil rights. A Voting Rights Act of 1951 could be in the cards.

 

[Cook]

Truman is still remembered as great president.The only thing missing from his record ITTL is firing MacArthur and the Korea stalemate.

Had he died in 1950 he’d not have suffered ignominy of the steel and coal strikes and the Supreme Court defeat associated with them either. I would think that Truman would be remembered as a great president far sooner. As it was he was extremely unpopular when he left office and it wasn’t until well afterwards that his performance was reassessed.