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The Presidents: 1836-1936 - An Interactive US AAR

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((I'm going to start writing again, not as Sam Davis, but as a charachter I'll adopt sometime in the next decade. I haven't named him yet but he will be married into the Davis Family and will be a Lost Cause Author))

The Last Battle of the General Davis
James Forrest


fort_sumter.jpg


In Eighteen-Sixty-One they fell at last
A handful of men clinging to the Past
They, the last cavaliers of a lost cause
Thirteen-thousand men fed to the hordes Jaws

The Cannons of Fort Sumter fired fast
Though they knew this battle would be thier last
Because the Yankee Horde would never end
Tom Davis would not live to fight again

They fought for Chivalry, Land, and Honour
Davis' men stayed to die as donors
Thier lives were sacrificed to the future
The Southerns together they would suture

On the First of May the Horde breached the fort
The last Colonels to Davis did report
For Victory there was a naught hope left
No hope but for an honourable death

Davis held the flag and gritted his teeth
Against the horde his sword was drawn from sheath
Twelve lead bullets blew him against a wall
and the gallant Davis began to fall

But for the yankee horde this was not enough
The sixteen Bayonets made his death rough
Mutilated his body now had fell
But he let out one final rebel yell

As Davis lay dying against the wall
He knew not in vain was his heroic fall
Without his stand the South might've forgot
the nation for which thier boys all had fought

By his death the South would be remembered
Because his army had not surrendered
His legacy would preserve his nation
and preserve it for all generations

So as the en'my northern flags waved
Davis' spirit knew the South was saved​
 
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((Oh wow, quick replies.
-1 Awh, and I'm a Californian... Oh well
-2 Yeah, looked on the last ten pages, couldnt find it...
-3 Well, this shouldn't exist, now should it. :p))

Character: Bradley Smith
Occupation: Senator of Michigan
Bio: Son of a Britsh lawyer and his Canadian immigrant wife, Bradley was raised in rural Michigan. After receiving a university degree in business and economics, and aimless travels, Bradley went on to invest what was left of his savings in many successful enterprises, and then into a certain Detroit automobile company, named founded by someone named Ford... Highly successful, he later ran for senatorial office with his modest fortune at the age of 46.
Ideology/Party: Interventionist forign policy, Free market economic policy, Ultra-nationalistic/Probably Federal party, though if Nationalist Party appears, will join that. (Maybe even found it?)
 
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I must confess my bemusement to claims that the German war machine, having trampled over France and Great Britain, will inexplicably halt at the Pyrenees and sue for peace. Once the Triple Alliance has conquered its enemies on the continent, who remains to challenge it? The United States of America. Have we already forgotten the very impetus for the foundation of the Tripartite Pact - the collective desire to resist and reduce American influence? If German mastery of Europe is achieved, then European trade - which previously flowed freely into our coffers - will be subjected to a stranglehold. We are right not to allocate too much importance to Europe, the decaying continent of an old world. But it is still one of our largest markets. The continental system of Napoleon almost bankrupted the United Kingdom in the 19th century; it is as much a threat to American prosperity today as it was to British prosperity then.

And it is not just in Europe that we are threatened. Once the Triple Alliance has neutralised the passive powers, they shall be free to turn their gaze outwards - to Africa and Asia. As per the Commonwealth, we enjoy free trade with the British colonies in both continents. If these were annexed by the avaricious Alliance, that trade would disappear immediately. Without France or Great Britain to hold her in check, Russia would pour into China and India. Nation after nation would fall into their hands and be forced to close their doors on us. The markets of the world would be barred to the United States, one by one, until we were left isolated and impoverished on our fortress continent.

We cannot afford a Eurasian superpower, as would emerge should the Triple Alliance prevail in a general war. There is not a single prize that the Triad of Tyranny can proffer us that would compensate for their aggrandisement. Canada, the Caribbean, even South America in toto - all would be nothing more than table scraps if the Alliance feasts on Europe. We need not intervene in Europe as a party to the Liberal Entente. But we must never chain ourselves to the mast of the Alliance warship, that expertly evades the atolls of peace and prosperity and drives straight on to the maelstrom of conflict.

- Marinus van Mayer
 
Sorry. I dropped off the radar for a moment due to outside influences. The update is forthcoming.
 
Hensdale: The Gathering Storm​

David Hensdale won the election with relative ease. The prosperity of the previous four years won most Americans over as Hensdale distanced himself from Peru with Jarvis and anti-war rhetoric. However, in response, the interventionist wing of the party essentially disowned him, setting up a divide in the party that would be impossible to heal.
The Federal Party on the other hand, seemed to pull itself together slightly. Terrance’s campaign lost its “victory-seeking” direction in January, and more became a campaign to undermine the interventionist wing of the ACP in the eyes of voters, hoping to set them up for a fall in the mid-term elections and hasten the oncoming rift in the majority party. Whether or not Terrance’s campaign played a part, the interventionist wing would be divorced from the ACP by the end of Hensdale’s term. Nevertheless, in January 1909, the party seemed to be enjoying unchallenged supremacy.

election1909.jpg

1. Results for the Election of 1909.​

The first two years of Hensdale’s time in office were defined by simmering tension. In the ACP, the interventionist and isolationist wings of the party threw more thinly veiled insults at each other than at any of the other parties. In Europe, the Triple Alliance and the Entente drifted ever closer to war as minor diplomatic crises, like the Bismarck Incident in the French Suez, stretched the fabric of European diplomacy to the limit [1].
In June 1911 however, circumstances forced Hensdale’s hand when Russia and Japan both declared war on China, citing Chinese infringement of trade agreements and other “diplomatic insults” as their casus belli. To the British and the French, the “China War” was a clear sign of Russian ambitions to conquer an Asian empire, yet both deferred from declaring war unless Russia expanded its war goals beyond a slight redrawing of the eastern borders and reinstatement of trade. Japan on the other hand, was dismissed by all involved.
In the United States, the China War served to expand anti-European, and especially anti-Russian, sentiment. Hensdale volunteered himself as a mediator, hoping to do for Europe what George Walsh had done for Britain in the “Revolution of 1850”. The British humored Hensdale, accepting his offer for mediation, although Prime Minister Asquith warned the President that mediation would stop at the Germans, and, if not them, the Russians. Asquith proved to be correct.
The French ambassador accepted since the negotiations could only end in the curbing of Russian ambitions. The German ambassador however, reportedly laughed out the President’s representative, as did the Russian ambassador. Three days later, the Kaiser denounced the American proposal as “a despicable attempt by the Americans to tell us what to do”. In private, the Kaiser said that “the Yankees have no idea of how international politics work”.

wilhelmnicolas.jpg

2. Kaiser Wilhelm II and Czar Nicholas III, c. 1911.​

The result of the denial of Hensdale’s proposal was a rebranding by the American people of the Kaiser’s denouncement. The general public developed an even harder opposition to foreign involvement, embodied in the statement by Henry Jarvis that Europe should be allowed to “drown itself if it doesn’t want to take out hand”. On the flipside of the strengthening of isolationism was also a strengthening of American partisanship in Europe.
Before China, Americans had favored the Entente, but had seen the Triple Alliance as either somewhat justified or were indifferent toward it. After China, public opinion could be summarized with the statement of a Chicago Millworker “Let Europe drown itself for its sins, but I hope the Germans and Russians drown first for theirs”. The mid-term elections of 1911 proved to be the best gauge of American opinion on the two alliances though.
In 1911 the two wings of the ACP finally broke ranks with each other. The interventionist wing broke off after the vote in December 1910 to rename the ACP the Republican Party. They cited it as the final proof that the ACP had “lost its way”. In response, they formed the “American Interests Party”, or “Entente Party”, as it would soon become known. Advocating intervention and expansion, the party saw itself gain about two thirds of the seats held by the interventionist wing.

jerrynightmore.jpg

3. Bradley Smith, head of the “Entente Party”.​

Bradley Smith, a senator from Michigan, became the de facto leader of the party after the mid-term elections, when he noticed that out of the 94 House seats the party had won, 91 were pro-Entente and the other three came for Russian-American constituencies. In the Senate, the situation was 12 out of 12. Smith thus directed the party toward advocating an alliance with the Entente. When he was challenged by Jerry Nightmore, one of the three pro-Tripartite politicians, he said “the American people voted, and they have shown that if they are going to go into Europe, it is going to be on the side of Britain and France, not the despots” [2].
The Entente Party’s victory startled the Republicans and Federals, who had both directed their campaigns on isolationism. Yet 94 interventionist House Seats meant there were 341 representatives who were either indifferent or opposed to intervention. The American people were heading deeper and deeper into isolation.
That is not to say it was a detriment to American interests. The UPCA, its status as a great power effectively dashed by the rise of Italy and Japan, realigned itself to the United States with the Second Nicaragua Treaty, which promised lower tariffs for American goods and increased autonomy for UPCA provinces. It was another victory for an economy that grew 25.5% between 1909 and 1913, becoming about three quarters of the size of the entire European economy.

americanindustry.jpg

4. Ford-Davis Motor Factory, began in 1912, was the symbol of American industrial might to most people before the Great War [3].​

This growth was accompanied by a relaxation of federal standards and regulations. In 1910, the United States Industrial Board, founded by Hayden during his first term, experienced an unprecedented budget cut of 50%. The USIB was only the very worst example of a downsized national agency, as federal spending dropped by 35% between 1905 and 1914. Only the military lost less than 10% of its budget, having suffered a cut of 5% in 1911 at the hands of the isolationists.
As the National Conventions of 1912 drew near, the China War wound down to its conclusion. With the collapse of the Emperor’s military in February 1912, the Japanese and Russians had made great strides toward Beijing. As Chinese generals began to take advantage of the confusion by using the scraps of their armies to effectively become warlords, the Emperor sued for peace. The Japanese gained Manchuria, and the Russians took over Mongolia, Tuva and the Chinese possessions north of Japan’s new territories.
In November 1912, Britain called for a Conference to determine what should be done about the deteriorating internal situation in China, as the emperor was close to being overthrown. By Tripartite request, the United States was not included at the Geneva Conference of 1913. Most Americans either didn’t mind or thought that they shouldn’t have joined anyway. Yet this conference would eventually prove to be the lynchpin on which the history of the early 20th Century turned from foreboding to horrific.

[1] – The Bismarck Incident in June 1910 was the standoff between the French Suez Commandant and the Captain of the KMS Bismarck. The Bismarck was refused entry through the Suez Canal by a technicality concerning its status as a warship. The Captain of the German ship however, refused to back down, and was close to starting a war by attempting to force his way through the Suez when the French decided to let him through on another technicality.

[2] – Nightmore himself had only just won his seat after a vitriolic campaign against his views that were described as “imperialistic, opportunistic and un-American”.

[3] – The factory was co-owned by Ford and Davis motors, who built it as a “prestige project” to show the supremacy of American Industry. Davis Motor Co. bought Ford’s share of the factory in 1923.

------------------------------

Exceptional Situation(s):

Primary Time.

Parties are: Republican, Federal and Entente.

Interventionists, I’ll just forewarn you that I won’t be listening to accusations of an anti-German bias. Our alignment’s been heading this way since at least the Buffalo Conference. Part of the role-play is adapting to what the story throws at you.
 
As Julius Caesar once said, Alea iacta est -- the die is cast. What my former countrymen did was unforgivable, and I can no longer support the clearly aggressionist policies of the Tripartite Pact. That said, the only thing that can contain their aggression is the United States. If Germany chooses not to respect us, they, at the very least, must fear us.

I am declaring my candidacy for the Entente party. I propose non-interventionism at home in the economy, but a very clear message to the tyrants of Europe!
 
I, President Hensdale, hereby announce I shall be running for President of the United States of America under the banner of the Republican Party. I refuse to accept the idea that we must intervene in European Affairs. I shall continue forth with a policy of nonintervention, and keeping America secluded from the interests of the Europeans, who may drown in their own blood.
 
I Jerry Nightmore declare my candidacy for the Entente Party. My stances are neutrality in the European question, but a great war for glory against Chile and the USCA to solidify the position of America Victorious in the Western Hemisphere.
 
((Great half the ACP steals my position.))

The war in China shows what I have been saying for a long time; the Despot Alliance seeks to establish an unopposable empire. We cannot allow it to dominate Europe. That is the position of the Federal Party under me and has been for a long time. That's why I shall stand for their nomination once again.
 
This great country has grown at a truly amazing rate, something i have witnessed first hand from my vantage point in Detroit. Let us, the great American people, continue prosperity by granting them the freedom they need to continue the American Dream. Let us not intervene in the lives of our citizens, where we do not belong.

However, where we do need to intervene, is beyond our own borders. The Santiago and Tripartite Pacts both threaten American business interests abroad. Is it not the government's duty to provide security and opportunity for one's citizens? We must create and maintain favorable economic conditions for the American people! First, we must focus in our "backyard" and show the impoverished and faltering South American continent who truly is great. As for Europe, a Great war in which we are not participating would weaken the already fading European continent, which wouldn't be too horrible for us. Also, who says we can't intervene when insolent Germany and her allies are weak, when the time is ripe? Action would be justified as we need to defend out Commonwealth brothers in the United Kingdom. China, however, needs an immediate helping hand. She is a lucrative market, one that we cannot, will not, allow to be unfairly dominated by foreign powers. The USA is the leader of this world in practically every way, we have the means, what we need now is the ambition. One does not buy an automobile and just let it rust in one's garage, so neither should we. Do not let American greatness go to waste!

I declare my candidancy for the Entente Party.

((Hi everyone! :happy: This looks really fun, and i hope i enjoy it. Haha, please go easy on me, as you can see from my post count, im pretty new here. Good hunting everyone.))
 
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Name: John T. Sherman
Age: 43 (born 1870)
Occupation: Senator for Oklahoma
Political party: Independent
Bio: Sherman was born in Oklahoma, to a white American father and a mother of mixed Indian heritage. He was raised primarily around Cherokee people, many of which were the children or grandchildren of those who had been forcefully moved on the Trail of Tears during Andrew Jackson's second term in office. Thus, he appreciated his Indian heritage strongly. Despite this, however, Sherman would also grow to appreciate American civilization as well. He would later advocate for Indians to, "assimilate to the greater American culture...but never forget your roots."
Sherman was eventually granted a degree in political science, and would go on to serve in the Oklahoma legislature before becoming a Senator. His political views are rather mixed: he enjoyed the Federal Party's centrism and its ability to bend and shift depending on the times but was alienated by its deifying of James Harrison, a renowned Indian fighter. He admired the ACP as well, but felt alienated by Calvin Carr's intervention in Peru.

IndianAct2.jpg

Sherman, Carr, and three other Indians. Sherman is the farthest on the right.​
 
I, Marinus van Mayer, departing Secretary of State, announce my intention to run for the presidency on the Entente Party platform.

We have witnessed the first skirmish of the conflict, and its outcome was decisive: victory for the powers of aggression; defeat for the powers of peace; a nation carved up and divided between the victors, its people enslaved to foreign regimes without consultation or consideration, while the liberal societies and nation-states stood by and did nothing. China has fallen without a shot being fired in her defence. Neutrality has failed. Indeed, it has merely encouraged the aggressors to act with impudence; facing no united opposition, Russia was given a free hand to commit a campaign of reckless imperialism against an innocent nation. The United States offered friendship to all the nations of the world - the Entente accepted it gladly, but the Alliance batted it away with a sneer. We did not choose our enemies - they chose us.

We can no longer coast by on inertia. We can no longer pretend that if we simply do nothing, the world will remain in a vacuum. The status quo has been violated beyond hope of recovery. Our efforts at peaceful mediation were dismissed without hesitation, because the Alliance knew that there was no force behind them. Far from becoming first among nations, the United States has been reduced to an international joke. We are feared by no one, and disregarded by all. The passive foreign policy can no longer protect us. Indeed, it weakens us, leaving us nothing to offer our allies but empty words and reassurances. We must have a proactive foreign policy if we are to restore our lost prestige, counter efforts to undermine our influence and preserve peace in the world.

I suggest a renaming of the party, either to the National Republicans or the Patriot Party. We are not fighting for the sake of the Entente; we are fighting for the sake of the United States of America, whose prosperity and influence will be irreparably jeopardised should our enemies prevail in their campaign of conquest.

- Marinus van Mayer
 
-After becoming embroiled in the politic's of the republic Freemen saw his career take off being promoted from Captain to rear-admiral in the short time of 4 year's-
I am joining the Entente party it is the party that respect's the military and admires America's strength.
 
I will join the Republican Party and I endorse President Hensdale in his bid for a second term.
 
In the post ACP political scene, I will become a political Independent voting on a election by election basis.
 
The Primary of 1912
​
Republican Candidate(s)

David Hensdale (b. 1857), Incumbent President of the Republic ((Frymonmon)). The President continues to be adamant in his rejection of a European War that involves the United States.

Federal Candidate(s)

T. H. Terrance (b. 1871), Mayor of Philadelphia ((Mikeboy)). Terrance has long believed that the United States should act to prevent a Europe dominated by the “Despot Alliance”.

Entente Candidate(s)

Simon von Ritter (b. 1870), Entente Politician ((Avindian)). Laissez faire on economic matters, Ritter is the polar opposite in foreign policy, believing that “a strong message” must be sent to the Tripartite.

Jerry Nightmore (b. 1875), Political Activist ((yourworstnightm)). Nightmore has lost his taste for European intervention, but dreams of a great American crusade against Chile in South America.

Bradley Smith (b. 1866), Senator for Michigan ((ilikesushi)). The spiritual leader of the Entente Party, Smith holds no love for Chile or the Tripartite.

----------------------

Exceptional Situation(s):

Unfortunately I was forced to leave Syriana out as he announced his Entente candidacy fourth.

Also, I will be on a ski vacation up till Sunday, so the Election update probably won’t be up till then.

Other than that, vote.
 
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