The American Eagle and the Fasces: A Fascist American Doomsday AAR
For about 2 months I had been considering writing a Fascist USA AAR, but didn’t have enough time on my hands. However, since my German AAR requires all three players and it’s a three-day weekend, I figured I’d take a shot at it. Unfortunately, it seems that Dogma beat me to the punch . I personally enjoy Dogma’s work and have no criticism of it, and I hope that you, the reader, will not consider this AAR to be merely a copy of an already- used idea because these AARs were started within a day of each other. I do intend to use a different style and have a different storyline, and my only hope is that all who read will enjoy this Fascist, non-axis USA After Action Report.
Beginnings
Fritz Kuhn (center) with party supporters
Fritz Kuhn, a naturalized American citizen from Germany, had managed to become the most powerful man in the Western Hemisphere. As former president Roosevelt was being escorted to the location at which he would be under essential house arrest for the rest of his life, as the American “Grey Shirts”, the fascist storm troopers of the National American Fascist Citizen’s Party paraded the streets in triumph, celebrating new year’s, 1936, as the day socialist anarchy finally gave way to order, Kuhn stood at the head. The road to power behind him was long, but the road into the future was even longer.
The failure of the New Deal
After the failure of FDR’s new deal due to congressional squabbling, the Great Depression reached its apex in 1934. US citizens lost faith in the power of Democracy and saw the success of Fascist nations like Italy as a sign to act. Kuhn wasn’t the leader of the Fascist movement because he had the most manpower backing him or because he possessed the greatest qualities of a statesman among all the Fascist leaders, because he certainly didn’t meet either of those criteria, but because he was the one that everyone trusted not to harm one particular side. Although he had initially pledged unswerving loyalty to Adolf Hitler, he changed his political outlook to become the one that Nationalists, Fascists, and outright National Socialists could agree upon. Thus, the NAFCP was founded with Kuhn as Chairman. As his power grew, he distanced himself from Hitler to ensure that everyone saw that, even if a German immigrant held power, this would not be an America for Germans and not an America under Hitler’s thumb. Of course, the NAFCP rejected democracy outright from the start- after all, if they trusted the democratic process, how could their beloved leader ever become president without violating the constitution?
In the streets, Socialist rallies and union strikes were broken apart by the Grey Shirts, wearing paramilitary grey-green uniforms similar to those of the SA in Germany. Public protests against the growing power of the NAFCP were silenced forcefully. In a desperate effort to save the economy in 1935, FDR attempted to have pensions for veterans and wages for servicemen cut, but this only furthered his unpopularity and swelled the NAFCP’s ranks. “I may have fought Americans during the Great War,” spoke Kuhn, “But I’ve never seen a government in Europe or the Americas that hated it’s greatest and most loyal sons with such passion!” Though the NAFCP never achieved a majority in either house of congress, in late 1935 it held almost 30 percent of the Senate and nearly 40 percent of the House of Representatives. The worst of the depression was already over, but speedy recovery did not come to America, and so even more faith was lost in Roosevelt’s ability to keep the nation afloat.
NAFCP storm troopers
Finally, on Christmas Eve, 1935, all hell broke loose. NAFCP agents paid off workers in all government-run soup kitchens in DC to close down for the night and refuse to serve the unemployed. The angry and Hungry jobless mass set off a riot of hungry which, with the help of the Grey Shirts, became a rebellion. Police in the capitol were either paid off, defeated, or backed down, refusing to fight the armed Grey Shirts, who had received military training from veterans in the party. The White house was surrounded and FDR refusing to continue the bloodshed, ordered the security staff of the White house to stand down on New Year's Eve.
The Christmas uprising on the outskirts of Washington
The New Regime
Kuhn as the "First Citizen" of the United States
Kuhn proclaimed his new regime to be “The American Rome”, and installed himself with the title of First Citizen. This impressed Mussolini, who sent money and resources as well as a compiled report of the revitalization of the Italian economy to aid America’s struggle out of the depression. Khun took steps to bring the economy under government control while allowing capitalism to thrive, a policy which was supported by American business leaders because, even though it decreased their freedom, it was less restrictive than the New Deal system.
Representative government was scaled back and, in the Federal Government, abolished almost completely. The bi-cameral legislation system was replaced by the American Fascist Senate, which consisted of members of the NAFCP elected by party members. This legislating system took over the role of the old congress, but Kuhn could veto any law passed by the AFS as well as make laws of his own. There was no balance of power, but an executive supremacy for which the legislation existed only to support.
The cabinet was not comprised entirely of the men best-suited to the job, but instead those from the party who had contributed the most and were the most prominent figures. The only non-party member of the cabinet was Douglas Macarthur, the chief of staff, appointed because Kuhn saw his potential in a wartime situation. This appointment upset many party members who felt they were the prime candidates, but in the end they were convinced that the First Citizen’s word was always just and always absolute.
Kuhn meeting with Hitler
In Germany, Hitler was pleased that the United States had finally come around to what he considered a better system, but he was disappointed that the Americans preferred the Fasces to the Swastika. Kuhn traveled to Europe to meet with friendly governments, explaining to Hitler that, although he personally would always wear his Iron Cross, America could not be National Socialist because the people needed a slightly more moderate system. Though displeased, Hitler had no choice but to accept this decision of his former subordinate.
At first, Britain and France refused to recognize the NAFCP as the legitimate government of the United States, but in a meeting in Paris, Foreign minister Ezra Pound assured the Allies that, despite its antidemocratic rise to power, the NAFCP was the desired government of the American People and should be accepted by all those who claimed to rule in the name of their own people. When the Allied representatives still balked at recognizing the Fascists, Pound assured them that if they did not, recognize the NAFCP, Roosevelt would be shot. Not wanting to lose the only chance of their former ally recovering its rightful leader, the Allies officially recognized Kuhn as the legitimate leader of the USA.
In the USA, American Nationalism implied American Isolationism to Europe's affiars and so the NAFCP politely declined an invitation to join a secret German-Italian alliance, but promised supplies and arms to either nation should they go to war against a European power.
All party members unanimously agreed that expansion southward into Latin America was needed to win the fear and respect of the world, but the US military wasn’t in the shape to carry out an offensive war. Although the navy was powerful, the army consisted of only 4 divisions. Arming was essential, and by building a large land force, Unemployment would drop drastically and the economic stimulus would boost growth.
Fortune had favored the Americans, but, as this new nation set out on a mission of conquest, how long could its luck hold?
For about 2 months I had been considering writing a Fascist USA AAR, but didn’t have enough time on my hands. However, since my German AAR requires all three players and it’s a three-day weekend, I figured I’d take a shot at it. Unfortunately, it seems that Dogma beat me to the punch . I personally enjoy Dogma’s work and have no criticism of it, and I hope that you, the reader, will not consider this AAR to be merely a copy of an already- used idea because these AARs were started within a day of each other. I do intend to use a different style and have a different storyline, and my only hope is that all who read will enjoy this Fascist, non-axis USA After Action Report.
Beginnings
Fritz Kuhn (center) with party supporters
Fritz Kuhn, a naturalized American citizen from Germany, had managed to become the most powerful man in the Western Hemisphere. As former president Roosevelt was being escorted to the location at which he would be under essential house arrest for the rest of his life, as the American “Grey Shirts”, the fascist storm troopers of the National American Fascist Citizen’s Party paraded the streets in triumph, celebrating new year’s, 1936, as the day socialist anarchy finally gave way to order, Kuhn stood at the head. The road to power behind him was long, but the road into the future was even longer.
The failure of the New Deal
After the failure of FDR’s new deal due to congressional squabbling, the Great Depression reached its apex in 1934. US citizens lost faith in the power of Democracy and saw the success of Fascist nations like Italy as a sign to act. Kuhn wasn’t the leader of the Fascist movement because he had the most manpower backing him or because he possessed the greatest qualities of a statesman among all the Fascist leaders, because he certainly didn’t meet either of those criteria, but because he was the one that everyone trusted not to harm one particular side. Although he had initially pledged unswerving loyalty to Adolf Hitler, he changed his political outlook to become the one that Nationalists, Fascists, and outright National Socialists could agree upon. Thus, the NAFCP was founded with Kuhn as Chairman. As his power grew, he distanced himself from Hitler to ensure that everyone saw that, even if a German immigrant held power, this would not be an America for Germans and not an America under Hitler’s thumb. Of course, the NAFCP rejected democracy outright from the start- after all, if they trusted the democratic process, how could their beloved leader ever become president without violating the constitution?
In the streets, Socialist rallies and union strikes were broken apart by the Grey Shirts, wearing paramilitary grey-green uniforms similar to those of the SA in Germany. Public protests against the growing power of the NAFCP were silenced forcefully. In a desperate effort to save the economy in 1935, FDR attempted to have pensions for veterans and wages for servicemen cut, but this only furthered his unpopularity and swelled the NAFCP’s ranks. “I may have fought Americans during the Great War,” spoke Kuhn, “But I’ve never seen a government in Europe or the Americas that hated it’s greatest and most loyal sons with such passion!” Though the NAFCP never achieved a majority in either house of congress, in late 1935 it held almost 30 percent of the Senate and nearly 40 percent of the House of Representatives. The worst of the depression was already over, but speedy recovery did not come to America, and so even more faith was lost in Roosevelt’s ability to keep the nation afloat.
NAFCP storm troopers
Finally, on Christmas Eve, 1935, all hell broke loose. NAFCP agents paid off workers in all government-run soup kitchens in DC to close down for the night and refuse to serve the unemployed. The angry and Hungry jobless mass set off a riot of hungry which, with the help of the Grey Shirts, became a rebellion. Police in the capitol were either paid off, defeated, or backed down, refusing to fight the armed Grey Shirts, who had received military training from veterans in the party. The White house was surrounded and FDR refusing to continue the bloodshed, ordered the security staff of the White house to stand down on New Year's Eve.
The Christmas uprising on the outskirts of Washington
The New Regime
Kuhn as the "First Citizen" of the United States
Kuhn proclaimed his new regime to be “The American Rome”, and installed himself with the title of First Citizen. This impressed Mussolini, who sent money and resources as well as a compiled report of the revitalization of the Italian economy to aid America’s struggle out of the depression. Khun took steps to bring the economy under government control while allowing capitalism to thrive, a policy which was supported by American business leaders because, even though it decreased their freedom, it was less restrictive than the New Deal system.
Representative government was scaled back and, in the Federal Government, abolished almost completely. The bi-cameral legislation system was replaced by the American Fascist Senate, which consisted of members of the NAFCP elected by party members. This legislating system took over the role of the old congress, but Kuhn could veto any law passed by the AFS as well as make laws of his own. There was no balance of power, but an executive supremacy for which the legislation existed only to support.
The cabinet was not comprised entirely of the men best-suited to the job, but instead those from the party who had contributed the most and were the most prominent figures. The only non-party member of the cabinet was Douglas Macarthur, the chief of staff, appointed because Kuhn saw his potential in a wartime situation. This appointment upset many party members who felt they were the prime candidates, but in the end they were convinced that the First Citizen’s word was always just and always absolute.
Kuhn meeting with Hitler
In Germany, Hitler was pleased that the United States had finally come around to what he considered a better system, but he was disappointed that the Americans preferred the Fasces to the Swastika. Kuhn traveled to Europe to meet with friendly governments, explaining to Hitler that, although he personally would always wear his Iron Cross, America could not be National Socialist because the people needed a slightly more moderate system. Though displeased, Hitler had no choice but to accept this decision of his former subordinate.
At first, Britain and France refused to recognize the NAFCP as the legitimate government of the United States, but in a meeting in Paris, Foreign minister Ezra Pound assured the Allies that, despite its antidemocratic rise to power, the NAFCP was the desired government of the American People and should be accepted by all those who claimed to rule in the name of their own people. When the Allied representatives still balked at recognizing the Fascists, Pound assured them that if they did not, recognize the NAFCP, Roosevelt would be shot. Not wanting to lose the only chance of their former ally recovering its rightful leader, the Allies officially recognized Kuhn as the legitimate leader of the USA.
In the USA, American Nationalism implied American Isolationism to Europe's affiars and so the NAFCP politely declined an invitation to join a secret German-Italian alliance, but promised supplies and arms to either nation should they go to war against a European power.
All party members unanimously agreed that expansion southward into Latin America was needed to win the fear and respect of the world, but the US military wasn’t in the shape to carry out an offensive war. Although the navy was powerful, the army consisted of only 4 divisions. Arming was essential, and by building a large land force, Unemployment would drop drastically and the economic stimulus would boost growth.
Fortune had favored the Americans, but, as this new nation set out on a mission of conquest, how long could its luck hold?