-
We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
Roosevelt has to win if we want to see some action in Europe. So he better go to Boston and give his speech 
Roosevelt has to win if we want to see some action in Europe. So he better go to Boston and give his speech
Ah, yes. The infamous "Your boys are not going to be sent into any foreign wars" speech.
Enewald/Kurt_Steiner: So you two will be voting for McNary, I presume?
Viden: I checked. The Spanish have about a dozen warships in total (including three transports), whereas the Germans have a stack of 30 warships in the Meditteranean.
In other words, the Spanish utterly bamboozled the Imperial Navy and have trapped their Meditteranean Fleet over ten thousand miles from home.
Nathan Madien: American politics is a rather unstable thing these days, so you may very well be right.
BipBapBop: Roosevelt probably gave a speech in Boston, but probably not the one you were hoping for.
The Presidential Election - Part II
Like in 1936, the presidential election of 1940 was a unique moment in the United States' electoral history. In 1936, Americans flooded the polls in unprecedented numbers, their votes contributing to the most divisive and important election since 1860. In 1940, millions of Americans stayed home, either out of apathy, or protest, or because their state had yet to be reincorporated into the Union; whereas the 1936 election was defined by how many voters cast their ballot, the 1940 election was defined by how many were denied that right.
Because of this, it did not take long for the results to start coming in. Initial returns seemed to favor McNary; Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire all went Republican by comfortable margins, overturning Roosevelt's gains from '36. The rest of New England, however, remained true to the incumbent, with Boston's substantial bloc of syndicalists turning out in support of the Democrats: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut were Roosevelt's.
Few were surprised to see New York once more went to its native son, this time without the razor-thin margins. But the outcome of the remainder of the East Coast had been anyone's guess; the former-National voting bloc had always been unpredictable, and it remained to be seen if the syndicalists of New Jersey and Pennsylvania had been won over by the 'New Deal' and the President's policy of reconciliation. The outcome was noteworthy in its unanimity: all the remaining East Coast states gave Roosevelt a majority, save for Georgia, which had yet to readmitted into the Union owing it the devastation of the Federal army's march on Atlanta.
Proceeding further west, what states of the Old Northwest thta could vote went Democrat by wide margins: Ohio, Indiana, and Wisconsin. The remaining Southern states were far more uncertain. Roosevelt succeeded in gaining Kentucky's electoral votes, as well as Tennessee's by the slimmest of margins; the TVA no doubt provided Roosevelt the boost he needed to clinch victory. But the old 'Solid South' seemed to be dead forever: Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana all returned Republican majorities. Texas, of course, voted overwhelmingly for Roosevelt, with Oklahoma following its example.
In the Midwest, McNary's accusations of Roosevelt's syndicalism won few ears. Bolstered by the successes of the 'New Deal' and rising food prices caused by the war in Europe, the farm vote swept the region for Roosevelt; even Kansas, the only Midwestern state to boast a Republican majority in '36, went over. The Rocky Mountain states, however, split; McNary gained Idaho, Montana, and Nevada, while Roosevelt carried Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. On the West Coast, the outcome was never in doubt: boasting sizable Republican majorities, McNary carried all three with ease. Before midnight, America had its president.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt - Henry Wallace (Democratic Party), 22,459,818 votes (59.7%), 374 electoral
Charles McNary - Frank E. Gannet (Republican Party), 15,125,512 votes (40.3%), 97 electoral
Unreconstituted States, 0 votes, 0 electoral
TOTAL: 37,585,330 votes (100%), 471 electoral
The 1940 election was a decisive victory for Roosevelt and the Democratic Party as a whole. Though the Republican Party had indeed made substantial progress in recovering from its 1936 nadir, it had yet to find a way to convince voters to repudiate Roosevelt's reforms, or to offer itself as a viable alternative for many Americans who still looked upon the President was the enemy.
Though the electoral results told a different story, McNary was not the feeble push-over Curtis had been in 1936, nor was the pall of the apocalyptic Hoover administration hovering over his head. McNary had campaigned vigorously and attacked Roosevelt on multiple fronts, his gains in the South and Rockies proof of this. Rather, McNary was in many respects a victim of circumstances, forced to be the standard-bearer of a party riven with disunity and haunted by the specter of secession and the failed policies of the '20s and '30s. Had a new Syndicalist party emerged to challenge Roosevelt for the loyalty of left-wing voters, the outcome may have been dramatically different.
But one cannot easily discount Roosevelt's talents, of which he had many. A master politician, Roosevelt managed to entrench himself in a strategic central position, from which he could pull votes from both sides of the political spectrum. Campaigning on his record, Roosevelt exploited his oratorical strengths to their greatest extent, garnering votes from the men and women who had sought to overthrow him, emphasizing his record as a proven reformer to coat the bitter pill of defeat.
The 1940 presidential election gave Roosevelt a clear mandate in domestic politics, regardless of the fact he actually received over four million fewer votes this time around. The reform program that had heralded the return of economic prosperity would continue, and the lenient treatment of rebels could go unchanged, the Navy would be rebuilt, and so on. What the election did not give Roosevelt was a mandate in the realm of foreign policy. Since Roosevelt had campaigned on his record, and the United States had no foreign policy, voters were hardly being asked to take a vote of confidence. So long as the conflict in Europe remained locked in stalemate, Roosevelt could avoid commitment indefinitely; the aid packages were stalling tactics, meant to control and limit the extent of American involvement while stimulating the economy.
The United States had come a long way since the chaos and discord of the 1936 election. The forces of moderation had been upheld and revalidated, but the trying times were far from over.
Viden: I checked. The Spanish have about a dozen warships in total (including three transports), whereas the Germans have a stack of 30 warships in the Meditteranean.
In other words, the Spanish utterly bamboozled the Imperial Navy and have trapped their Meditteranean Fleet over ten thousand miles from home.
Nathan Madien: American politics is a rather unstable thing these days, so you may very well be right.
BipBapBop: Roosevelt probably gave a speech in Boston, but probably not the one you were hoping for.
-----
The Presidential Election - Part II
Like in 1936, the presidential election of 1940 was a unique moment in the United States' electoral history. In 1936, Americans flooded the polls in unprecedented numbers, their votes contributing to the most divisive and important election since 1860. In 1940, millions of Americans stayed home, either out of apathy, or protest, or because their state had yet to be reincorporated into the Union; whereas the 1936 election was defined by how many voters cast their ballot, the 1940 election was defined by how many were denied that right.
Because of this, it did not take long for the results to start coming in. Initial returns seemed to favor McNary; Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire all went Republican by comfortable margins, overturning Roosevelt's gains from '36. The rest of New England, however, remained true to the incumbent, with Boston's substantial bloc of syndicalists turning out in support of the Democrats: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut were Roosevelt's.
Few were surprised to see New York once more went to its native son, this time without the razor-thin margins. But the outcome of the remainder of the East Coast had been anyone's guess; the former-National voting bloc had always been unpredictable, and it remained to be seen if the syndicalists of New Jersey and Pennsylvania had been won over by the 'New Deal' and the President's policy of reconciliation. The outcome was noteworthy in its unanimity: all the remaining East Coast states gave Roosevelt a majority, save for Georgia, which had yet to readmitted into the Union owing it the devastation of the Federal army's march on Atlanta.
Proceeding further west, what states of the Old Northwest thta could vote went Democrat by wide margins: Ohio, Indiana, and Wisconsin. The remaining Southern states were far more uncertain. Roosevelt succeeded in gaining Kentucky's electoral votes, as well as Tennessee's by the slimmest of margins; the TVA no doubt provided Roosevelt the boost he needed to clinch victory. But the old 'Solid South' seemed to be dead forever: Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana all returned Republican majorities. Texas, of course, voted overwhelmingly for Roosevelt, with Oklahoma following its example.
In the Midwest, McNary's accusations of Roosevelt's syndicalism won few ears. Bolstered by the successes of the 'New Deal' and rising food prices caused by the war in Europe, the farm vote swept the region for Roosevelt; even Kansas, the only Midwestern state to boast a Republican majority in '36, went over. The Rocky Mountain states, however, split; McNary gained Idaho, Montana, and Nevada, while Roosevelt carried Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. On the West Coast, the outcome was never in doubt: boasting sizable Republican majorities, McNary carried all three with ease. Before midnight, America had its president.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt - Henry Wallace (Democratic Party), 22,459,818 votes (59.7%), 374 electoral
Charles McNary - Frank E. Gannet (Republican Party), 15,125,512 votes (40.3%), 97 electoral
Unreconstituted States, 0 votes, 0 electoral
TOTAL: 37,585,330 votes (100%), 471 electoral
The 1940 election was a decisive victory for Roosevelt and the Democratic Party as a whole. Though the Republican Party had indeed made substantial progress in recovering from its 1936 nadir, it had yet to find a way to convince voters to repudiate Roosevelt's reforms, or to offer itself as a viable alternative for many Americans who still looked upon the President was the enemy.
Though the electoral results told a different story, McNary was not the feeble push-over Curtis had been in 1936, nor was the pall of the apocalyptic Hoover administration hovering over his head. McNary had campaigned vigorously and attacked Roosevelt on multiple fronts, his gains in the South and Rockies proof of this. Rather, McNary was in many respects a victim of circumstances, forced to be the standard-bearer of a party riven with disunity and haunted by the specter of secession and the failed policies of the '20s and '30s. Had a new Syndicalist party emerged to challenge Roosevelt for the loyalty of left-wing voters, the outcome may have been dramatically different.
But one cannot easily discount Roosevelt's talents, of which he had many. A master politician, Roosevelt managed to entrench himself in a strategic central position, from which he could pull votes from both sides of the political spectrum. Campaigning on his record, Roosevelt exploited his oratorical strengths to their greatest extent, garnering votes from the men and women who had sought to overthrow him, emphasizing his record as a proven reformer to coat the bitter pill of defeat.
The 1940 presidential election gave Roosevelt a clear mandate in domestic politics, regardless of the fact he actually received over four million fewer votes this time around. The reform program that had heralded the return of economic prosperity would continue, and the lenient treatment of rebels could go unchanged, the Navy would be rebuilt, and so on. What the election did not give Roosevelt was a mandate in the realm of foreign policy. Since Roosevelt had campaigned on his record, and the United States had no foreign policy, voters were hardly being asked to take a vote of confidence. So long as the conflict in Europe remained locked in stalemate, Roosevelt could avoid commitment indefinitely; the aid packages were stalling tactics, meant to control and limit the extent of American involvement while stimulating the economy.
The United States had come a long way since the chaos and discord of the 1936 election. The forces of moderation had been upheld and revalidated, but the trying times were far from over.
Last edited:
So, FDR is going to sit down, eat popcorn and do nothing about the Syndies in Europe?
Good that Roosevelt won another term. I like that guy. However, I'm curious as to how the Canadian Royalists are taking the US aid to the Syndicalists in Europe.
Well, interesting couple of days: my laptop that I have my save games on died yesterday. Whether it's a hardware or software problem, I'll be losing all my files. Fortunately, I managed to back up the saves beforehand, so the AAR will continue. It's just on hold for the next couple days.
I'll eagerly be waiting. I must say that alongside with "China for the Chinese" and "Revolution Rises in the East" (and even with those yours seems to be the longest running and continuously updated), this is the finest Kaiserreich AARS
Well, good news is, my computer problems are now solved (new laptop). Unfortunately, other RL matters must take precedence, so there will be some delay before the next update's out. Assuming everything goes well with reinstalling Kaiserreich and my save games etc., I should have another update up in about a week.
jmberry: Some social democrat whose name escapes me at the moment. Russia apparently went democratic after Karensky's assassination.
jmberry: Some social democrat whose name escapes me at the moment. Russia apparently went democratic after Karensky's assassination.
Ah yes, the safe option. No where near as fun as the others though.
Hmmm, with the democratic forces in control of Russia, I think that might prove the beginning of a beautiful friendship...
I see Kaiserreich has undergone a rather noticeable change since I last downloaded the mod. Fortunately, my saves work without problems.
jmberry: Viktor Chernov is the man's name, in case you're still curious.
The Storm Over Europe - Part IV
The months immediately following Roosevelt's electoral victory were some of the calmest the President had yet experienced. McNary did not contest the election results, nor did riots or rebellions erupt across the nation, nor did states secede. In this leisurely atmosphere, Roosevelt delivered his second Inaugural Address. Not surprisingly, it was far different from the one the President had delivered four years earlier:
The President spent little time dwelling on the war, only referring to it once as 'the great conflict that so nearly brought about our ruin.' Instead, Roosevelt concentrated on the success of the New Deal in bringing about a return of domestic prosperity. Having accomplished so much of his reform agenda in the last two years, there was very little Roosevelt could do but promise to continue and maintain what he had already started. Yet one section of his address stood out:
But this new military planning was interrupted on March 3 by unexpected news. After more than a year in hiding with FBI agents in hot pursuit, Fritz Kuhn reappeared in Cuba, having snuck aboard a Mexican freighter in Biloxi. Eager to apprehend the Nationalist demagogue, Roosevelt dispatched Secretary of State Cordell Hull to Havana to negotiate with the Cuban President Miguel Gomez. Hull immediately ran into obstacles. Kuhn had apparently given the corrupt Cuban government a massive bribe, most of it in hard currency, to ensure they would not immediately betray him to Roosevelt.
Many Nationals fled to Cuba after the war, Fritz Kuhn most notable of all.
This prompted Hoover to investigate the matter more deeply. Kuhn could not possibly have carried such large sums with him as he evaded FBI agents. Following a trail of clues, by the end of the month the FBI had conclusively linked the gold and silver used for the bribe with Mexico. Roosevelt did not act immediately on this new information, both hoping that Hull might negotiate a breakthrough, and aware that Mexican involvement in Kuhn's escape and bribe made little sense. Finally, Hull returned to Washington in frustration on April 4.
Events in Europe were rapidly overshadowing the developing crisis in Cuba. In early March, French forces under the command of General Blanc broke through the German defenses at the southernmost edge of the front, capturing in the city of Mulhouse. The German lines began to collapse almost immediately after. Field Marshall von Reichenau could only delay the French offensive as it pressed on toward Strasbourg, which fell on March 22. The French followed up these stirring successes with an all-out assault on Metz; the city fell to General Pretalet's army on March 29, and though von Leeb temporarily drove the French back and retook the city for nearly a week, the allied Syndicalist forces had finally driven Germany from Alsace-Lorraine. Not content even with this, Blanc's forces pushed across the Rhine and swept northeast, capturing Freiburg and moving well into Black Forest.
Syndicalist gains, March-April 1941.
Though forced from the strong defenses positions in Alsace-Lorraine and fighting on the east bank of the Rhine, the German Army was still far from defeated. The French successes had not been without a heavy price in lives lost, and every attempt to cross the Meuse had been stopped cold. Moreover, many worried that the French war machine was slowly running out of steam. Resources had always needed to be strictly administered to avoid shortages, and some worried that the developing crisis in the Caribbean might cut in to the United States' military aid.
The crisis deepened when Kuhn began to speak again. Having lost none of his fiery vitriol, Kuhn blasted the Roosevelt Administration from afar, condemning them as closet Syndicalists. This was all standard rhetoric that most erstwhile Nationals had been immune to. But then Kuhn accused Roosevelt of having ordered the assassination of Huey Long, citing evidence that would later prove to be complete forgeries. But in 1941, many Americans, particularly those in the Deep South that venerated Long as a fallen martyr, were provoked. Protests over Hull's return to Havana on April 19 erupted in several cities between New Orleans and Atlanta, some degenerating into violence.
Roosevelt had finally lost patience with the Cuban government. The Atlantic Fleet was ordered from Norfolk to Miami , and Hull was instructed to give the Cubans and ultimatum if negotiations had not produced results by April 23. Provoked by the show of force, Mexico came to Cuba's aid in defense against 'Yankee imperialism.' President Vincente Lombardo, the successor to Emeliano Zapata, threatened that if the United States decided to attack Cuba, the vast American oil interests in northern Mexico would be nationalized. At last, Mexico's motive for aiding Kuhn was becoming apparent to Roosevelt.
jmberry: Viktor Chernov is the man's name, in case you're still curious.
-----
The Storm Over Europe - Part IV
The months immediately following Roosevelt's electoral victory were some of the calmest the President had yet experienced. McNary did not contest the election results, nor did riots or rebellions erupt across the nation, nor did states secede. In this leisurely atmosphere, Roosevelt delivered his second Inaugural Address. Not surprisingly, it was far different from the one the President had delivered four years earlier:
'When four years ago we met to inaugurate a President, the Republic, single-minded in anxiety, stood in spirit here. We dedicated ourselves to the fulfillment of a vision, to restore for all the people the peace and security essential to the integrity of these United States. We pledged ourselves to drive out the forces of discord and restore America to its people.'
The President spent little time dwelling on the war, only referring to it once as 'the great conflict that so nearly brought about our ruin.' Instead, Roosevelt concentrated on the success of the New Deal in bringing about a return of domestic prosperity. Having accomplished so much of his reform agenda in the last two years, there was very little Roosevelt could do but promise to continue and maintain what he had already started. Yet one section of his address stood out:
'We can at last look inward upon ourselves confident in our renewed strength and unity. But when we turn our gaze outward, we are met with the sight of the consequences of the failed policies of the past and the reckless drive to reshape the world. A strong defense is needed now more than ever to navigate the storm of war that has griped the European continent. We cannot long maintain prosperity at home by forsaking our neighbors.'
The consequences of this new policy were clear; the days when the United States got by with a tiny and unprepared military were gone. Though nearly every state had been reincorporated into the Union and the threat of new rebellions and guerilla warfare was minimal at best, the Army would remain at its present strength, much to the relief of millions of young American men who relied on it for their income. As with the Navy, plans were made by Henry Arnold to rebuild the Air Corps, severely depleted by the war and long-neglected by the Federal government. Two wings of P-51 'Mustangs' were ordered. A new Armored Corps was also created, encouraged by the successful performance of the French tanks against Germany. General Hodges was placed in overall command of this new corps, with Omar Bradley as field commander.But this new military planning was interrupted on March 3 by unexpected news. After more than a year in hiding with FBI agents in hot pursuit, Fritz Kuhn reappeared in Cuba, having snuck aboard a Mexican freighter in Biloxi. Eager to apprehend the Nationalist demagogue, Roosevelt dispatched Secretary of State Cordell Hull to Havana to negotiate with the Cuban President Miguel Gomez. Hull immediately ran into obstacles. Kuhn had apparently given the corrupt Cuban government a massive bribe, most of it in hard currency, to ensure they would not immediately betray him to Roosevelt.
Many Nationals fled to Cuba after the war, Fritz Kuhn most notable of all.
This prompted Hoover to investigate the matter more deeply. Kuhn could not possibly have carried such large sums with him as he evaded FBI agents. Following a trail of clues, by the end of the month the FBI had conclusively linked the gold and silver used for the bribe with Mexico. Roosevelt did not act immediately on this new information, both hoping that Hull might negotiate a breakthrough, and aware that Mexican involvement in Kuhn's escape and bribe made little sense. Finally, Hull returned to Washington in frustration on April 4.
Events in Europe were rapidly overshadowing the developing crisis in Cuba. In early March, French forces under the command of General Blanc broke through the German defenses at the southernmost edge of the front, capturing in the city of Mulhouse. The German lines began to collapse almost immediately after. Field Marshall von Reichenau could only delay the French offensive as it pressed on toward Strasbourg, which fell on March 22. The French followed up these stirring successes with an all-out assault on Metz; the city fell to General Pretalet's army on March 29, and though von Leeb temporarily drove the French back and retook the city for nearly a week, the allied Syndicalist forces had finally driven Germany from Alsace-Lorraine. Not content even with this, Blanc's forces pushed across the Rhine and swept northeast, capturing Freiburg and moving well into Black Forest.
Syndicalist gains, March-April 1941.
Though forced from the strong defenses positions in Alsace-Lorraine and fighting on the east bank of the Rhine, the German Army was still far from defeated. The French successes had not been without a heavy price in lives lost, and every attempt to cross the Meuse had been stopped cold. Moreover, many worried that the French war machine was slowly running out of steam. Resources had always needed to be strictly administered to avoid shortages, and some worried that the developing crisis in the Caribbean might cut in to the United States' military aid.
The crisis deepened when Kuhn began to speak again. Having lost none of his fiery vitriol, Kuhn blasted the Roosevelt Administration from afar, condemning them as closet Syndicalists. This was all standard rhetoric that most erstwhile Nationals had been immune to. But then Kuhn accused Roosevelt of having ordered the assassination of Huey Long, citing evidence that would later prove to be complete forgeries. But in 1941, many Americans, particularly those in the Deep South that venerated Long as a fallen martyr, were provoked. Protests over Hull's return to Havana on April 19 erupted in several cities between New Orleans and Atlanta, some degenerating into violence.
Roosevelt had finally lost patience with the Cuban government. The Atlantic Fleet was ordered from Norfolk to Miami , and Hull was instructed to give the Cubans and ultimatum if negotiations had not produced results by April 23. Provoked by the show of force, Mexico came to Cuba's aid in defense against 'Yankee imperialism.' President Vincente Lombardo, the successor to Emeliano Zapata, threatened that if the United States decided to attack Cuba, the vast American oil interests in northern Mexico would be nationalized. At last, Mexico's motive for aiding Kuhn was becoming apparent to Roosevelt.
To provide Mexico a bargaining chip to use against the United States?
It's the other way round: dont' trust the Mexicans, they nationalize you.:rofl:
Frey will love this line.
Frey will love this line.
Conquer!!!
The Mexicans are pretty much Syndicalist sympathizer anyway. The US should relieve those barbarous nations from the burden of government.
The Mexicans are pretty much Syndicalist sympathizer anyway. The US should relieve those barbarous nations from the burden of government.