The Roosevelt Effect: A Custom Modded US AAR

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Hello all. First of, I'm a little nervous, this is the first time of done a AAR since maybe a year ago that just faded away. few things: I modded this to fit the general story line I came up with. Also, I am playing with DAIM and SKIFF. I'm hoping the DAIM will provide me with a nice challenge. So, enough of me, on with it......

In 1854, Commodore Mathew C. Perry sailed into Tokyo Bay a year after he had departed the first time to formally open Japan ports. Following this, he sailed south, arriving at Formosa. Following a survey discovering good harbors and coal deposits Perry made a note of the island. In 1855 when he returned home he informed the President of this perfect island to be annexed as a part of the glorious United States of America. Franklin Pierce did not go after the opportunity. What of if he did?

Now, things go normal for 50 years until the arrival of the man who make this time line what it is..... Theodore Roosevelt.

The Roosevelt Effect​

Following the Spanish American War in 1898, the US gained control of Cuba, the Philippines, Guam, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. The president of the United States, William McKinley, then runs for reelection in 1900 with a young, charismatic war hero, Theodore Roosevelt. The ticket easily wins reelection , and all seems well. Thats is until September 6th, 1901 in Buffalo New York.....

A insane anarchists gunmen named Leon Czolgosz shoots McKinley while he is shaking hands at the Pan-American Exposition. After a painful battle he dies on September 14th. Roosevelt take office. He is young, the youngest ever, and is ready to act. And he uses his big stick. He builds up the navy and modernizes the army, controls trusts, conserves wilderness, and battles unsafe food and drug packaging methods. He is reelected in 1904, and serves until 1908. He believes that friend William Howard Taft will keep up his ideas, and endorses him for President. He doe snot meet his expectations. So in the 1912 election, Roosevelt returns to try for his 3rd term as the Progressive party's candidate. The polls are close, but Roosevelt speaking skills, his reputation, and his rhetoric manage to pull through. He wins by a tight margin over Woodrow Wilson. (And so begins where things get REALLY different)

On March 3rd, 1913, Roosevelt take the oath of office, becoming the first 3 term president.

All is normal until the June 28th, 1914. Archduke Ferdinand of Austria Hungary is assassinated by Serbian radical Gavrilo Princep. Austria-Hungary threatens Serbia. Russia growls at Austria-Hungary. Germany barks at Russia. And soon over one man a whole war breaks out in Europe. Roosevelt declares neutrality. On May 7th 1915 everything changes.

The sinking of the RMS Lusitania and the death of 120 Americans outrages Roosevelt. The last straw is drawn when a German spy is caught placing explosives on a supply depot in New York harbor on June 16th. Roosevelt severs relations the next day, and asks Congress for a declaration of war. The vote passes in both the House and Congress by a slim margin. On June 19th, Roosvelt gives a speech to congress, rallying the American people to war against "Those who threaten the peace and stability of te free, democratic people of the world" The Yanks are going over there.....

 

[Kurt_Steiner]

The Lost Batallion, uh?

Count me in!

 

[Enewald]

Noh, please no, save Germania!

 

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With America in the War, Roosevelt realized he would need a bigger army. The draft commenced, while the battle ready units, making up about 90,000 men, were sent under General Pershing. They would arrive for service by fall of 1915. The US Army contingent was positioned with there Anglo allies along the Somme in northern France. By July of 1916, the US Numbered 200,000 men. So when France backed out of its commitment from the Somme offensive because of Verdun, the forces took there place.....

(Ignore the paint edit, that's all I have)
On July 1st, 1916, a whistle was heard as silence swept across the land after 3 days of bombardment. Then, Nearly 100,000 men scrambled out of teh trenches and moved out. Many British soldiers were encumbered with there gear, but Pershing had ordered all US soldiers to keep there gear off. The US advanced up the right flank, pushing hard. Leading the way was the 1st Marine Brigade, commanded by Major General Lejunue. They charged the German positions, taking no chances, and captured Montauban. With this the whole right flank crumbled as the rest of the US 1st Army advanced, moving fast. British forces meanwhile, moving at walking pace, gave the German time to get ready to fight back. With the British getting cut to pieces, US forces swung north and launched a flanking assault on the defense, rolling them up. More and More troops broke through as the German defenses crumbled, and the soon the Germans were routed. After 2 years of deadlock, the line was one the move. The line was in disarray. the 1st Cavalry, having requisitioned a few horses form the Germans, began to move forward on raids to bring distractions.

By the end of year, following more minor offensives, the Germans had been pushed back to around the Belgian border.
With the trenches being left behind, warfare on the Somme Front, as it was known for the decisive battle, was fluid. The Tank, developed to brake the trenches, was used first by English troops at Ypres in a failed assault trying to emulate the Somme. The tank showed hope though, especially to two young cavalry officers: Adna Chaffee and George S. Patton.
Meanwhile in the 1916 election, following the victory at the Somme and the public support for teh war, Roosevelt is in a another close race elected to his 4th term. Woodrow Wilson, opposing him, remarks snidely that "Its seems King Roosevelt has won another term"
By Early 1917 the Americans had been reinforced on the Somme Front, with strength now at 310,000 men. But intelligence reports showed a massing of German troops in great secret across from the line. Both Pershing and Haig received the the intelligence, but think Germany beaten. Only Chaffee and Patton believe such a offensive could still happen. And on March 23rd, 1917, all hell brakes loose.

 

[Enewald]

Woot, germany shall be victorious!

 

[TheMaleRei]

I like any AAR that has Teddy having a 3rd term as POTUS.

Subscribed. I look forward to seeing just what you have in mind for the AAR once the game begins.

 

[unmerged(73469)]

ahhh...I have too much time on my hands.....so another update, even if nobody is really reading this! :rofl:

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On March 23rd, German forces, having been massed for just the occasion, launched a massive assault on the Somme front. Though intelligence indicated this, Pershing and Haig did not believe it. Following a massive bombardment German forces lead by Stormtroopers broke through the lines. The line was in disarray. Only one unit was prepared. The US Armored Brigade, led in a joint command by Majors Adna Chaffee and George Patton had heard teh reports and believed them. When the attack began, the tanks were already warming up, under the guise of a training exercise. The force, armed with a mix bag of armored cars, British Mark V, and 3 gifts from France in the form of 3 experimental FT-17's. The motley force immediately pulled of one of the first examples of a mobile defense, engaging Stormtrooper spearheads and blunting them. This action, and a few other heroic defense, such as that of the 1st Marine Brigade, the French Canadian 22nd Regiment, and the Black Watch, blunted teh advance long enough for plans to be drawn



By March 27th, the Germans had moved 50 miles forward, but a quick counterattack on April 25th, lead by fresh American units and the Armored Brigade pushed the exhausted Germans back. This was followed by a well panned combined arms offensive in the Ypres area by British Field Marshall Rawlinson, which pushed the Germans far back. By the mid July, the relentless pushing had the German northern flank crumbling, with the French forces launching a push into the Alsace Lorraine, reinforced by Americans. German was collapsing. On the 3rd anniversary of the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, a British Armored Car squadron crossed the German border. French forces had also capture, after a bloody battle Metz. Ludendorff and Hindenburg stuck to the hope of using reserve form the East to launch a counter attack, but the Reichstag would hear none of it. They wanted no fighting on German soil. Both Austria-Hungary and Ottomans, hurting from the arrival of waves of American troops mobilized my Roosevelt, surrendered as well. On August 14th, 1917 the anniversary of the 3rd invasion of Belgium, the war ended.

So Maybe a little tacky with America being savior, but its just to set up everything.
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*ok, if someone could help me out with this. I don't now how to script events, so if someone could make them for me or show me how, I need a event for the fate of Hispaniola. I can either choice to liberate the Dominican and Haiti, or keep them for longer, but then i get 70% partisan activity in Hispaniola.*

 

[Teep]

Nice work, when I had Roosevelt get a 3rd term (in WWI mod) he retired.

 

[Enewald]

Evil German parliament. The true backstabber's of the German people.

 

[Myth]

Looks like the Germans got beat fair and square, and to within an inch of their life. Or would have, if they hadn't chickened out of the fight. So how does Formosa fit into this? USA gonna steal it somehow?

 

[unmerged(73469)]

Looks like the Germans got beat fair and square, and to within an inch of their life. Or would have, if they hadn't chickened out of the fight. So how does Formosa fit into this? USA gonna steal it somehow?

Formosa is just there as a extra base in the far east for when the Pacific War breaks out. I hope using DAIM the AI will try and capture it. I LOVE the Pacific War, and I'm hoping it will be a fun one. Also, as you will see, there's no Washington Naval Armament treaty.....

 

[Faeelin]

Evil German parliament. The true backstabber's of the German people.

RAAAGH.

Anyway, this is looking interesting.

 

[Faeelin]

Also, as you will see, there's no Washington Naval Armament treaty.....

Oh, boy. This is a cool idea.

 

[unmerged(73469)]

Oh, boy. This is a cool idea.

Yes. I have always hated the Washington Naval Treaty. Robbed us of too many good ship designs that would have led to one hell of a naval war.

 

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Peace​

With peace in Europe, now it was time to dictate terms. Theodore Roosevelt, David Lloyd George, Vittorio Orlando, and Alexandre Ribot, the representatives of there respected nations, met in Berne for the treaty along with representatives of the Central Powers. Terms were simple and devastating: heavy reparations, dismantling of armed forces to extreme levels, loss of colonies and the set of up free governments in many areas, including Poland, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. Also, the Alsace-Lorraine was given back to France, and South Tyrol along with the Northern sections of the Dalmatian coast to Italy. In all of this, both the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires split, Creating Austria, Turkey, and Hungary.

In Eastern Europe, the Russian Communist revolution goes of right as peace accords are beginning. A hastily organized force of Anglo-American Marines is organized to land in Arkhangelsk to keep it open to weapons supplies, but they mostly spend there time getting frost bite. The only notable action was a assault on a encampment of 1,500 Russians by the 2nd Marine Regiment. After 6 months they are pulled out. The American People are to tired of war after the loss of 120,000 men in the war, even if the numbers pail in comparison to European casualties.

In Poland, the Polish managed to hold of a drive by the Red Army just barely in the Polish Soviet War, through the use of motorized forces to flank the enemy at the Battle of Warsaw. Colonel Chaffee is present, and reports back that the US needs to prepare its own peace time armored force.

A stop gap republic is set up in Germany, the Weimar Republic, and Germany is now governed, though very unstably. That is of course, after ever cent of reparation money is squeezed out of it.....

Finally in 1922, even though the Whites had been pumped full of Western Money and Guns, the Reds win, bringing the first communist government into power....

The democracies look on this, not caring the mess they made. So we now have a world waiting to go bad....

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Ok. I think I can get through everything else in 2 more updates, then actual HOI.

Also, PLEASE can anyone make me a event for the independence of Haiti and the Dominican? One choice, they get independence, the other they don't but I get 75 partisan activity there.

 

[Myth]

I like that last line: a world waiting to go bad. It's so true of the interwar period.

 

[KiMaSa]

Well it's a cinch that without the Washington treaty, the British and Japanese are more apt to align with each other. The Japanese will strain to build their 8-8 plan and will lose two hulls because of the Kanto Earthquake of 1923. Maybe they can achieve a 6-6 with two of those being carriers. The Nagatos and Tosa... Kaga probably still a battleship even after the Amagi is wrecked.

The British will build the G-3 class and possibly the N-3s but Nelson and Rodney never get built. The KGV class also gets shelved. Possibly the Lion arrives sooner.

The US still likely gets two big carriers because even by Washington it was being contemplated to build two 40,000 ton carriers and there were concerns the Lexington class Battle Cruisers might be too thin on the protection. So USS Washington lives as does IJN Tosa. The South Dakotas (1921) almost certainly get built and something instead of the Lexingtons.... Taylor 1918 D? Also like the KGV, North Carolina and South Dakota (BB 55 and 57 classes) never happen with possibly Iowa and Montana coming early.

Then there is the French and Italian dispositions and what older units remain in service among the major navies? If Revenge is still in service, I can hardly see where Iron Duke is all that much less capable?

You've opened an interesting can of worms here!

 

[unmerged(73469)]

Well it's a cinch that without the Washington treaty, the British and Japanese are more apt to align with each other. The Japanese will strain to build their 8-8 plan and will lose two hulls because of the Kanto Earthquake of 1923. Maybe they can achieve a 6-6 with two of those being carriers. The Nagatos and Tosa... Kaga probably still a battleship even after the Amagi is wrecked.

The British will build the G-3 class and possibly the N-3s but Nelson and Rodney never get built. The KGV class also gets shelved. Possibly the Lion arrives sooner.

The US still likely gets two big carriers because even by Washington it was being contemplated to build two 40,000 ton carriers and there were concerns the Lexington class Battle Cruisers might be too thin on the protection. So USS Washington lives as does IJN Tosa. The South Dakotas (1921) almost certainly get built and something instead of the Lexingtons.... Taylor 1918 D? Also like the KGV, North Carolina and South Dakota (BB 55 and 57 classes) never happen with possibly Iowa and Montana coming early.

Then there is the French and Italian dispositions and what older units remain in service among the major navies? If Revenge is still in service, I can hardly see where Iron Duke is all that much less capable?

You've opened an interesting can of worms here!

Hmmm...you have about what happens....just a few different things...

 

[cloneof]

Very nice and original AAR, I will keep reading.

 

[Kurt_Steiner]

On March 23rd, German forces, having been massed for just the occasion, launched a massive assault on the Somme front. [...] The force, armed with a mix bag of armored cars, British Mark V, and 3 gifts from France in the form of 3 experimental FT-17's.

A minor nitpick. You set that action in 1917. The Mark V tank only became available in July 1918 and the FT-17 after March 1918.

Interesting thing, the Berna Treaty...