Willkie's World (1940 to Present)

Wendell Willkie's Cabinet:
Secretary of State: Arthur Vandenburg (Republican)
Secretary of the Treasury: Sidney Weinberg (Non-Affiliated)
Secretary of War: Henry L. Stimson (Republican) (retained)
Postmaster General: Walter Folger Brown (Republican)
Secretary of the Interior: Harold Ickes (Republican) (retained)
Secretary of Agriculture: Alf Landon (Republican)
Secretary of Commerce: Arthur James (Republican)
Secretary of Labor: John L. Lewis (Republican)

Just a few pointers.
In 1940 I feel that William E. Borah would have been best nominated as Sec. of State, than Arthur Vandenberg, who flip flopped with his idea.
I know he’ll be dead within the month.

Other for state:
Robert A. Taft
Hamilton Fish III
Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.

Treasury
- Governor of Connecticut: Raymond E. Baldwin
- Governor of Maine: Lewis O. Barrows

You could even elevate Stimson, to State, having served as such in 1929 to 1933 under Herbert Hoover.

If Stimson is elevated then their are ample candidates for War:
- Republican Conference Chairman: Roy O. Woodruff
- Representative James W. Wadsworth
- Oregon Senator Frederick Steiwer
- Delaware Governor C. Douglass Buck
- Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.

For labour, I would go with House Minority Leader Joseph W. Martin, supported the conservative coalition of Republicans and southern Democrats, especially on opposing labor unions.
Also because i doubt that Lewis would leave his job as President of the United Miners Union.
 
Just a few pointers.
In 1940 I feel that William E. Borah would have been best nominated as Sec. of State, than Arthur Vandenberg, who flip flopped with his idea.
I know he’ll be dead within the month.

Other for state:
Robert A. Taft
Hamilton Fish III
Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.

Treasury
- Governor of Connecticut: Raymond E. Baldwin
- Governor of Maine: Lewis O. Barrows

You could even elevate Stimson, to State, having served as such in 1929 to 1933 under Herbert Hoover.

If Stimson is elevated then their are ample candidates for War:
- Republican Conference Chairman: Roy O. Woodruff
- Representative James W. Wadsworth
- Oregon Senator Frederick Steiwer
- Delaware Governor C. Douglass Buck
- Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.

For labour, I would go with House Minority Leader Joseph W. Martin, supported the conservative coalition of Republicans and southern Democrats, especially on opposing labor unions.
Also because i doubt that Lewis would leave his job as President of the United Miners Union.

I agree with many of your picks. To be fair to myself though, I made that initial TL almost a year ago and I was a lot less experienced back then, and much more generic too. Going over it now though, all of those picks are great in my view, but im not too sure about Joseph Martin being made Labor Secretary, as he was needed in the House of Representatives.
 
UPDATE: This TL is not going to be a continuation of my old TL, but a revamp. I've edited the title and description too.
 
February 24, 1940

President Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) Forgoes a third term

"Despite the pressing matters that face the world today, I make this decision by the interests of my family. I shall not break the tradition set in place by our founder, George Washington, and run for a third term. It is simply not in me to do so" - Roosevelt, in a press conference regarding the matter

Many individuals, from the Vice President to minor representatives, hop into the race. The key front-runners were Vice President John Nance Garner and Secretary of State Cordell Hull. Hull entered as a compromise candidate, As the only other frontrunner, Vice-President Garner, was not liked by the Democratic Establishment. Unsurprisingly, Hull grabbed the nomination


1940 Democratic Convention (July 15 - 18, 1940)

The Democratic Convention would be a fairly easy one. Hull would be nominated on the first ballot quite swiftly. For his running mate, he went with a close ally of FDR, Governor Herbert Lehman of New York.

Going into the campaign season, Willkie showed great strength in the Midwest, a key area of the country that he desperately needed to win over to have a chance in the general election. Hull was a relatively unexciting campaigner, but he held his ground. He campaigned predominantly on experience, but lack of name recognition, uninspiring character, and Willkie's unapologetic demeanor, Hull lost ground. Despite the race being close throughout, Willkie still held the lead in most polls


1940 United States Presidential Election:
1940 Election (Willkie vs. Hull).PNG

Wendell Willkie/Charles McNary (Republican)
318 Electoral Votes (51.3%)

Cordell Hull/Herbert Lehman (Democratic)
213 Electoral Votes (48.2%)
 
Last edited:
Just a few pointers... [regarding Willkie's cabinet]

It should be noted that the Senate will have a Democrat majority. OTL the 1941-1942 Senate was 66-30 Democrat (counting Norris and LaFollette as Republicans). In 1940, there were only seven Senate races in which the Republican lost by less than 10.4% (not counting Wisconsin, where the winner was LaFollette); only three of those were within 6%. ITTL, the Senate would be about 66-33 Democrats.

In general, a President's cabinet picks are routinely approved, even by an opposition Senate. But this would be a very lopsided opposition majority; Willkie could have serious trouble with confirmation of any one controversial (Lewis, perhaps?).
 
February 24, 1940

President Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) Forgoes a third term

"Despite the pressing matters that face the world today, I make this decision by the interests of my family. I shall not break the tradition set in place by our founder, George Washington, and run for a third term. It is simply not in me to do so" - Roosevelt, in a press conference regarding the matter

Many individuals, from the Vice President to minor representatives, hop into the race. The key front-runners were Vice President John Nance Garner, Secretary of State Cordell Hull, and Secretary of Agriculture Henry A. Wallace.
Wallace?????

Not in a million years. He was a Republican who had never run for any office. When Roosevelt tabbed him for Vice President, the convention balked hard. Roosevelt had to threaten to withdraw as nominee to get Wallace nominated with him. Wallace had no organization, and AFAIK no Presidential ambitions.

The lacking campaigning skills of Hull, paired with him being at odds on occasion with Wallace, and the true strength of Willkie and his campaigning skills...
Hull was a political veteran: two terms in the Tennessee legislature, 11 terms as US Representative, and election as US Senator in 1930.

Willkie was a political novice. As to his campaigning skills, I will cite the opinion of SF writer Robert Heinlein, who was very active in politics in the 1930s and 1940s. He distilled his experience into a handbook of practical politics, written in 1946 but not published till 1992. Heinlein especially warned against running a first-time candidate in an important race, and cited Willkie's performance in 1940 in support. According to Heinlein, the reporters who covered Willkie's big campaign tour agreed that Willkie hurt himself on almost every occasion.

...Willkie winning a landslide...

Willkie might have won - but this shows a 20% swing in the vote. Granted, Hull is not Roosevelt - but he also is not running for a third term. This might be possible if the Democrats nominated Wallace (but see above), and the Republicans hit him with the "Dear Guru" letters (and something stops the Democrats from exposing Willkie's adultery with Irita Van Doren in reprisal).

Even so... The map shows Willkie winning CA, WA, NV, AR, UT, MT, KY, and MD - all states which Willkie lost OTL by at least 15%.
 
Wallace?????

Not in a million years. He was a Republican who had never run for any office. When Roosevelt tabbed him for Vice President, the convention balked hard. Roosevelt had to threaten to withdraw as nominee to get Wallace nominated with him. Wallace had no organization, and AFAIK no Presidential ambitions.


Hull was a political veteran: two terms in the Tennessee legislature, 11 terms as US Representative, and election as US Senator in 1930.

Willkie was a political novice. As to his campaigning skills, I will cite the opinion of SF writer Robert Heinlein, who was very active in politics in the 1930s and 1940s. He distilled his experience into a handbook of practical politics, written in 1946 but not published till 1992. Heinlein especially warned against running a first-time candidate in an important race, and cited Willkie's performance in 1940 in support. According to Heinlein, the reporters who covered Willkie's big campaign tour agreed that Willkie hurt himself on almost every occasion.



Willkie might have won - but this shows a 20% swing in the vote. Granted, Hull is not Roosevelt - but he also is not running for a third term. This might be possible if the Democrats nominated Wallace (but see above), and the Republicans hit him with the "Dear Guru" letters (and something stops the Democrats from exposing Willkie's adultery with Irita Van Doren in reprisal).

Even so... The map shows Willkie winning CA, WA, NV, AR, UT, MT, KY, and MD - all states which Willkie lost OTL by at least 15%.
Despite my hesitance, Ill edit things slightly, as I dont want this whole page to be littered with criticisms.
 
Top