When the Red crushes the White and there is no Kingdom of Russia, that post will mean even less 
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The LeRoulle Expedition: Assembling a Team
After ensuring the safe passage of almost two million tons of ammunition, rifles, including at least ten-thousand Springfield 1907 rifles and almost one million dollars in cash to Rostov, nearly half of which had arrived by the Fourth of February, LeRoulle asked Denikin for a favor. He needed letters of safe conduct for a mission that he was planning, one which was extremely hazardous but which he promised would “… sink the Bolsheviks faster than an iceberg.” Having seen the speed and efficiency with which LeRoulle delivered his promised, and badly needed, supplies, Denikin assented. With the letters acquired, LeRoulle set about assembling a team, starting with his second-in-command, a twenty-three year old Jew who had lost an eye at the age of nineteen when he had been attacked by a Cossack who was burning his village during one of the pogroms, Avraham “Machine Gun” Goldstein. Goldstein and LeRoulle had recruited the rest of their seventeen man team by the sixth of February and by that night they had set off to reach Tobolsk, almost 2300 kilometers away. So began the most daring rescue mission of the Russian Civil War. 
I'm not going to be able to get another update in until I mod in a few events to the Russian Civil War.
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Darn it. If LeRoulle manages to achieve what 'Yakovlev' failed, it would be amazing...
Just discovered this and I must say I am looking forward to seeing your invasions happen. I wish you luck in the war and hope you kick some but and take some names.
So, sorry guys, but I won't be able to update until Monday at least, mainly because I have finals and other things coming due soon and to make any more updates I will need to learn how to mod and then make new, modded events.
EDIT: Do you remember when I said I wouldn't update until Monday? I LIED!
EDIT: Do you remember when I said I wouldn't update until Monday? I LIED!
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The American Crisis
As LeRoulle and his forces traveled through the tumultuous anarchy of the steppes, secret maneuverings were also occurring in the Congress. Since 1915, Wilson had been using intermediaries including House, Robert Lansing the head of Legal Affairs at the State Department and in Wheeler’s opinion “… an unprincipled bastard and most likely a British agent.”, Henry L. Stimson former Secretary of War under Taft and a bloc of influential Republican Senators including Henry Cabot Lodge and Eliahu Root. Since the fall of Kerensky’s government and the rise of the avowedly anti-war Soviet Union, Wilson and his intermediaries had stepped up the pressure on wavering isolationist democrats. By February 6th, Wilson felt ready to go to Congress; he announced that a special joint session would be convened on February 12th, ostensibly for the State of the Union Address, which he had deliberately postponed in order to buy more time to lobby legislators. At six pm, Wilson ascended to the Rostrum in the House Chamber and delivered what would come to be known as his most famous speech.
Wilson delivering what would come to be called his "War Message"
He began gravely ”I have called the Congress into extraordinary session because there are serious, very serious, choices of policy to be made, and made immediately, which it was neither right nor constitutionally permissible that I should assume the responsibility of making. I do not speak of any domestic initiative or policy, but rather of the momentous choice now facing us.
The German Empire and her allies have pursued their aim of dominating the continent of Europe through ruthless and inhuman means and now having transported their war to the seas through their unlawful and unethical submarine warfare, the German Empire is waging war on the United States. The present German submarine warfare against commerce is a warfare against mankind. It is a war against all nations.
I am not now thinking of the loss of property involved, immense and serious as that is, but only of the wanton and wholesale destruction of the lives of non-combatants, men, women, and children, engaged in pursuits which have always, even in the darkest periods of modern history, been deemed innocent and legitimate. Property can be paid for; the lives of peaceful and innocent people cannot be. .
…..
We are at the beginning of an age in which it will be insisted that the same standards of conduct and of responsibility for wrong done shall be observed among nations and their governments that are observed among the individual citizens of civilized states.
….
The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish ends to serve. We desire no conquest, no dominion. We seek no indemnities for ourselves, no material compensation for the sacrifices we shall freely make. We are but one of the champions of the rights of mankind. We shall be satisfied when those rights have been made as secure as the faith and the freedom of nations can make them.
….
It is a distressing and oppressive duty, Gentlemen of the Congress, which I have performed in thus addressing you. There are, it may be, many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us. It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance.
But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts - for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own Governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free.
To such a task we can dedicate our lives and our fortunes, everything that we are and everything that we have, with the pride of those who know that the day has come when America is privileged to spend her blood and her might for the principles that gave her birth and happiness and the peace which she has treasured. God helping her, she can do no other.”
The Congress immediately passed a resolution declaring war on the Central Powers ; the House passing the bill with 352 to 71, with a senior Democratic official, Claude Kitchin crossing the floor to vote against the declaration with the progressive Republicans. In the Senate only seven of the eighty-eight members voted against the declaration; Thomas P. Gore, Harry Lane, William J. Stone, James Vardaman, Asle Gronna, Robert M. La Follette, Sr., and George W. Norris.
Burton K. Wheeler, now ex-Secretary of State
Wheeler had been cooling his heels in a waiting room in the White House since 6:15 as Wilson had ordered him to wait for him there. Wilson intended for Wheeler to deliver the declaration of war to the Germany Embassy. A few minutes before the speech ended, Wheeler received a call from his Chief of Staff at the State Department John Walters*, who he had sent to observe the speech. Wheeler was furious, both at being cut out of the loop on whatever deliberations had been held on declaring war, as he had been continually assured that there were no plans to go to war, and at Wilson’s betrayal of his own promises to keep America out of the war. Wilson arrived at the White House, with House and Lansing in tow and had Wheeler sent into the Oval Office. Wheeler slammed the door open, almost causing a bust of George Washington to fall off a shelf. He walked up to the President’s Desk, ignoring House, Lansing and Lippmann, who had helped write Wilson’s speech, leaned over it and began a profanity laced tirade against Wilson, calling him a “backstabbing son-of-a-bitch”, a “duplicitous bastard” and a “cowardly, craven, lying rat bastard with the ethical standards of a back alley abortionist.” He then slammed a hastily written note reading “I QUIT YOU LYING SON OF A BITCH - BW” on to Wilson’s desk and stormed out, flipping both House and Lansing the bird as he exited. Wilson not only needed a new Secretary of State, he also needed a way to keep Wheeler from torpedoing the war effort.
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@Kurty: And the word s**tstorm
@Nathan: Thanks! I was excited about writing Wheeler's resignation.
I'm not updating until I get more comments or I can get my event chain for the Wheeler Resignation to work. Whichever comes first.
@Nathan: Thanks! I was excited about writing Wheeler's resignation.
I'm not updating until I get more comments or I can get my event chain for the Wheeler Resignation to work. Whichever comes first.
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Found this and read it, thoroughly. That is to say, I'm subscribed.
Also, Wheeler's resignation, what a way to go!
Also, Wheeler's resignation, what a way to go!
An excellent AAR, subscribing, or rather adding it to my Firefox bookmarks folder. Whats your policy on nukes? I know its not really relevant now, unless you do your research way ahead of time, but I'm just wondering what the future might hold in store.
Ah, yes. The Crazy Guy Riding A Nuclear Bomb Tech. Quite the tech if you ask me.
Update tonight y'all
EDIT: UPDATE IS WRITTEN BUT I AM TOO TIRED TO FIND IMAGES
EDIT: UPDATE IS WRITTEN BUT I AM TOO TIRED TO FIND IMAGES
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Loose Cannon
Wilson now found himself in an awkward position. Although he had achieved his goal of a war with the Central Powers, Wheeler’s resignation threatened to catalyze isolationism and lead to a massive backlash against both Wilson and the Congress. Wheeler was popular in the progressive West and Midwest and he might well leverage that to convince the mostly progressive delegations from those states to stonewall Wilson. Moreover, Wilson now had to contend with a headless and partially hostile cabinet department. In order to shore up his position politically he needed to replace Wheeler as quickly as possible. House and Wilson spent the night of the 12th discussing the possible candidates for the post. They eventually settled on two candidates, the Head of Legal Affairs at the State Department and Wilson crony Robert Lansing and Senator Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachusetts. While both House and Wheeler preferred Lansing, whom Wilson had originally planned to replace William Jennings Bryant, Lodge’s appointment also held distinct political advantages for the tottering administration. Lodge was a moderate and ardently interventionist Republican and he was seen as one of the most clever and able men in Congress, or at least he seemed to think of himself as an able senator. Both were able diplomats, but Lodge’s appointment might be used to inaugurate a “unity government” which might help marginalize Wheeler and boost the nation’s morale. But Lodge was also ambitious and had designs on the Presidency and allowing him this high profile post might advance his ambitions.
Robert Lansing, Head of Legal Affairs at the State Department
Wheeler was featured on the cover of Time on December 21st
Three days after his resignation Wheeler made a speech to a crowd of reporters and citizens in his hometown. He began gravely, stating “Three days ago, our Republic was overthrown. In her place, we now have a plutocracy. We do not now face a conspiracy, silently manipulating events, but rather a full-fledged overthrow of our Constitution by Big Business, Big Banks and the self-appointed American aristocracy who wish to bind us to the exploitative empire of Britain.
…
Our President claims that it is necessary to make the world safe for democracy, when our nation has not faced external attack since 1812. This is not a war for principles; this is a war for lucre. The men behind our policy of intervention are not the pious crusaders of Republican virtue who they wish to be seen as. They are the bosses, the robber barons, the Fricks, Rockefellers, Vanderbilts and Goulds. They will profit from this war, from the sweat and blood of the working man. We are not fighting for Belgium and Serbia and the peoples therein, we are fighting to secure our loans to Britain and France and to ensure that they will continue purchasing our arms and food.
…
...and what does America care whether Russia and Britain or Austria and Germany dominate Europe? The powers of old Europe do not become more virtuous simply by possessing a common tongue with America. The interests of America lie in perpetual peace, not in licking the boots of our former masters. …”
New Secretary of State Henry Cabot Lodge, former Senator from Massachusetts
Wheeler’s speech electrified the isolationist movement, giving them a touchstone and a voice which they had as of yet not had. Moreover, the popularity of Wheeler’s speech caused Wilson’s coalition in Congress to begin to crumble. Wilson needed an experienced parliamentarian and coalition builder. On February 18th, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge was confirmed as Secretary of State. Lansing was once again shunned by the man he considered his ally and he began to plot Wilson's destruction, but at this moment, he was focused on purging the department of Wheeler's partisans. The first to go were the members of the American Committee for Arbitration, as Clarence Manion recalled in his memoir, "I was at my desk in the basement when the door flew open, and there stood eight or nine policemen. The other researchers looked up and for a moment the cops paused at the top of the stairs. Then they barreled down and each man grabbed one of us. We were dragged up the stairs and thrown, quite literally; into the street." But the inner workings of the state department were soon to be overshadowed by events occurring inside Russia.