WI: United States Armed Forces Adopts the Prussian Stechschritt?

OOC: Hi everyone, I've not been writing on here since like early November. I guess I don't really have the motivation to write a creative alternate history thread. I'll try to get the courage to continue my thread someday. And also Happy Holidays everyone!:)

IC: What if the United States Armed Forces in the 1800s, adopted the Prussian stechschritt and adopted Prussian military traditions like some countries in Latin America? I guess a POD would have to occur in the mid 1800s where say the U.S wanted a more European type of military and perhaps they look to the Prussians for influence.
 
It very likely could. The early US Army was small and underfunded, but not really lax or poorly disciplined. Prussian traditions would suit the idea of a frugal, professional army that needed to 'be more than it seemed' nicely.

By the mid-1800s, the USA already had an established military tradition, and I don't see them giving it up to remodel their forces in the image of an army whose best time, by all accounts, lay a century in the past. I think the chance for adopting the 'Prussian' model is earlier, following the Revolution or maybe under the impression of 1812. By 1850, Prussia was widely thought of as a mid-tier power hanging on Russia's coattails, with an inordinate pride in its military past and little hope of amounting to much politically. The wars of 1864, 1866 and 1870-71 were what gave its armies their reputation as invincible military automata.

Of course, by 1800 the stechschritt was a novelty in Prussia. I'm not sure any American officer would have felt it to be particularly Prussian, and while it might have gained some favour, its association with Russia (where it probably originated and definitely was practiced assiduously) might be a political problem. But I could see it adopted as a form of display, the way that Marine guards on parade today do that twirly-tossy-thing with their rifles.
 
Of course, by 1800 the stechschritt was a novelty in Prussia. I'm not sure any American officer would have felt it to be particularly Prussian, and while it might have gained some favour, its association with Russia (where it probably originated and definitely was practiced assiduously) might be a political problem. But I could see it adopted as a form of display, the way that Marine guards on parade today do that twirly-tossy-thing with their rifles.

Doubt that association with Russia would've been a political problem, as prior to the October Revolution the US and Russia had always gotten along rather well.
 

TFSmith121

Banned
After the German wars of consolidation, there was

some superficial "Prussianization" of US dress uniforms in the 1880s (imagine how useful a pickelhaube would be in New Mexico or Arizona chasing various and sundry along the border); see:

1880-i.jpg


The arms and branch schools were formalized (as the School of Application for Infantry and Cavalry in 1881) which eventually became the Command & General Staff College; the War College followed in 1901. The first as much a reaction to the Civil War experience as it was to the German wars (WT Sherman was the founder, but influences came from Emory Upton's European tour as detailed in The Armies of Asia and Europe, published in 1878.); the second was more in response to the growth of the US as a world power (TR was the moving force there), plus Newport (Naval War College) had been founded in 1884.

After the Civil War, there was some discussion of a professional army and militia vis vis a reserve army (look up the varying writings of John A. Logan, Upton, and John McAuley Palmer if you really want to get into the weeds) but the "American way of war", as practiced in the Ciivl War and the world wars was pretty much a "native" evolution of how to harness the realities of American politics to create armed forces that could win on the battlefield and (presumably) win the peace, as well.

Korea, Vietnam, and the Southwest Asia conflicts show the result of ignoring the historical precedents.

In the modern era, Americans, after all, "fight to go home..."

Best,
 
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TFSmith121

Banned
Yeah, I like the African-American troopers in the background

I like that picture; very AH-looking. A Germanized U.S. Army? Who'd a thunk it? :eek:

Not something you'd likely see in Potsdam, despite the schutztruppe...

The AA troopers give it away, the unit is either the 9th or 10th cavalry regiments or (less likely) a mounted element of the 24th and 25th infantry.

So guess who the tall officer on horseback with the impressive mustache may be?

Best,
 
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The trick here is to connect the state militias to this idea. While the US Federal Army is a unsuitable vehicle to start the Prussian Stechschritt system the state militias were 'of the people' and in theory large. Better development vs the haphazard neglect and amateur bungling might have approached a semblance to the Prussian Stechschritt.
 
Not something you'd likely see in Potsdam, despite the schutztruppe...

The AA troopers give it away, the unit is either the 9th or 10th cavalry regiments or (less likely) a mounted element of the 24th and 25th infantry.

So guess who the tall officer on horseback with the impressive mustache may be?

Best,

In the press and history books & polite society he was know as "Blackjack Pershing". The closely related but now unacceptable epithet his peers bestowed upon him during 6+ years service with the 10th Cavalry Regiment seldom appears in print these days.
 
Doubt that association with Russia would've been a political problem, as prior to the October Revolution the US and Russia had always gotten along rather well.

"We want to make this country more like Russia." is not going to go over well, regardless of relations in foreign affairs.
 

TFSmith121

Banned
You are correct, sir

In the press and history books & polite society he was know as "Blackjack Pershing". The closely related but now unacceptable epithet his peers bestowed upon him during 6+ years service with the 10th Cavalry Regiment seldom appears in print these days.

JJP was one of those US Army originals, like GSP.

Points for the state militia idea, but I think the fashion for "european" drills (goose stepping,for example) went out with the zoauves, circa 1862. March step is simpler.

Now, historically one might have found a "drill team" type unit somewhere that would have thought such a drill was the height of fashion, but I doubt it ever would have received official sanction, and it certainly would have been dropped in 1917, along with German shepherds, frankfurters, and sauerkraut...

Best,
 
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