We, the People -- A USA Interactive FTM AAR

[son of liberty]

Senator Dawson; while I agree that we should not seek to join this war, it would seem as though war may be seeking us. Let us hope that this is not the case. However, while we hope we should not bury our collective heads in the sand. It is now very possible that Hitler may declare war on us. It would behoove us to prepare for this possibility now and by being prepared we may possibly convince herr Hitler that war with us is undesirable. Let it be known that I will not support a declaration of war unless we are first attacked. Preparing for that possibility may forestall it.
Senator Newman, (R) Georgia

 

[Vrael_1492]

I cast my vote for Aye on both thers matters. I believe that a war with the despicable Germans is inevitable, and therefore we have to gradually prepare against this inevitable conflict to come.

- Senator Charles Beckendorf, D-MA

 

[Sethanon]

I am glad atleast some common sense has remained in the Senate, the two acts signed into law are the first steps we had to make.

It is obvious that we have to come to Britain's help. The fall of France and a despicable regime in the south are bad enough as they are.
I vote Aye on both matters. Once again I say, we cannot wait until we are hit. We have to act first.

- Senator John Linton, D-FL

 

[Sakura_F]

I vote Aye on both matters.

- Senator Mary Philipps, D-CA

 

[unmerged(201582)]

Aye on both matters.

Senator Gordon Sinclair

 

[Avindian]

Thanks to Senator Dawson's negative vote, EVA does not go into effect for Destroyers for Bases.

Destroyers for Bases
Aye: 4
Nay: 1

Basic Economic Mobilization
Aye: 4
Nay: 1

 

[son of liberty]

Once again I say, we cannot wait until we are hit. We have to act first.

- Senator John Linton, D-FL

No my friend and no again. We shall not attack first. We are a peaceful people. We will not start a war with anyone. We will FINISH it if we are attacked though. That is why we prepare. Partially in the hope that in being prepared, warlike nations will cast their covetous glances elsewhere. The other part is in order to resist an initial attack long enough to call our people to destroy the fools who decided to challenge our mighty nation.

 

[Saithis]

I have decided to vote AYE for both motions. It is important to continue pressure on Germany so that they are willing to make an easier peace.

~Senator Sarah Quentin O'Hanahan, D-OR

 

[Caezaire]

I vote Aye on the destroyers for bases.

 

[SovietAmerika]

I vote Aye for both current bills.

- Senator Elexis Sinclaire (R - MA)

 

[Avindian]

Destroyers for Bases
Aye: 7
Nay: 1

Basic Economic Mobilization
Aye: 6
Nay: 1

So this AAR doesn't go down in flames from lack of interest, I'm going to go ahead and call this election; with only one negative vote, it's highly unlikely either will be defeated. We've averaged about 10 to 12 votes in each poll, so I feel confident nobody's truly getting excluded. Both bills are signed into law.

Barring any other major votes, I hope to have an update tonight or tomorrow afternoon at the latest.

 

[Greek HOI3]

General MacArthur,
Did you see my request

General John Sarigis

((The word request is a link to, well my request which is at the bottom of the post))

 

[unmerged(96326)]

Once again this Senate votes into law acts which not only provoke Germany, but actively drag us towards a war like we have never seen before, when will the Senate and this government stop this madness of openly supporting the Allies, do we want to give Germany justification for a declaration of war?

Senator Peter Dawson, MD

 

[Avindian]

I finished playing and... we've got some major alt-history stuff in this timeline.

Of course, with that cryptic remark, I am unfortunately forced to make you wait until tomorrow for the update, as I'm pretty tired and I'm fairly sure anything I wrote now would be gibberish.

 

[Sethanon]

My faith in the Senate is restored, we have shown again that we do not intend to abandon Europe! I am very pleased.
Senator Dawson, we both know that Germany does not care about justifications. They only want our cities to burn. Their grip in Europe is almost complete with the fall of France and it is going to take someone powerful to turn the tides. That be us.

- Senator John Linton, D-FL

((You always do make us wait Avindian! I'm very curious to find out))

 

[son of liberty]

Once again this Senate votes into law acts which not only provoke Germany, but actively drag us towards a war like we have never seen before, when will the Senate and this government stop this madness of openly supporting the Allies, do we want to give Germany justification for a declaration of war?

Senator Peter Dawson, MD

Senator. Herr Hitler has shown on multiple occasions that he needs no provocation. What he needs is someone stronger than he to draw a line in the sand. With his MR pact with the USSR, that leaves only us and the UK. The UK is obviously outgunned alone. The route of appeasement has already been tried. So senator, I ask you. Where would you have us draw the line?

 

[Avindian]

Timeline of events: July 1, 1940 to January 1, 1941​

July

July 4, 1940: Supply Org. 3 finished; Civil Defense 2 begun.
July 8, 1940: BB AA 4 finished; begin research on BB Armor 4.
July 9, 1940: Remaining infrastructure completed. We now have a connection of level 10 infrastructure between the East Coast and West Coast. Begin construction of 2 serial runs of 10 air bases. ((Fun fact: you can't place air bases like radar station, so this was a waste of time. ))
July 10, 1940: Strategic Bombardment Tactics 3 completed; research begun on Medium Air Search Radar 1. Italy joins the war; we fire "Stab in the Back" decision. Pass One-Year Draft. Italy fires "It's Our Time."
July 11, 1940: Divert 2.62 leadership to officers.
July 16, 1940: Supply Trans. 3 finished; begin research on Naval Air Targeting. ((son of liberty devoted quite a few of his SecWar tech spots to non-SecWar stuff.))
July 17, 1940: Heavy AA Guns 2 finished; begin research on Port Strike Tactics 2.
July 23, 1940: Small Warship Radar 1 finished; begin research on RADAR Training 1.
July 30, 1940: Fall of France. We pass Destroyers for Bases and Basic Economic Mobilization. UK fires "Our Finest Hour" and blows up a bunch of French ships in Morocco. Japan demands -- and receives -- Indochina.

August
August 1, 1940: Siam joins Japanese alliance. Start 1 run of 10 radar stations, targeted for Pacific Islands and West Coast (if needed). By executive order, I pass Two-Year Draft and Full Mobilization. ((More on this in the State of the Union.))
August 2, 1940: With a huge surplus in IC, I divert them to upgrades as there's not a whole lot left to build.
August 3, 1940: Logistical Strike Tactics 2 finished; research continues.
August 5, 1940: CL AA 5 finished; begin research on Cruiser Crew Training 2.
August 9, 1940: Arty Barrel and Ammo 5 finished; research continues.
August 10, 1940: Arty Carriage and Sights 5 finished; research continues.
August 12, 1940: Siam joins the war.
August 16, 1940: German DOW on Yugoslavia and Greece.
August 17, 1940: NAV tactics 2 finished; start Naval Strike Tactics 3. ((I misread Tom's tech sheet; it should have been Naval Strike Tactics the whole time. Oops!)) BB North Carolina completed and deployed to LA. Begin construction of two CV.
August 18, 1940: Small Warship ASW 1 finished; begin research on Battlefleet Concentration Doctrine 2. BB Washington and SHBB Montana commissioned and deployed to LA. Begin construction of two CL.
August 29, 1940: Another Parliamentary Scandal ((you cads!)). Westover gets the boot. Henry "Hap" Arnold is interim replacement.
August 30, 1940: Twin Engine Aircraft Armament 1 finished; begin Large Air Search Radar 1.

September
September 2, 1940: Bulgaria claims Dobrudja. Romania joins the Axis.
September 5, 1940: Supply Production 6 finished; begin Mountain Warfare Equipment 1.
September 9, 1940: CL Main Armament 5 finished; begin CV AA 5.
September 11, 1940: Installation Strike Tactics 2 finished; research continues. 1st Marine Division deployed to DC.
September 13, 1940: ARM Engine 3 finished; begin Special Forces 2. 2nd and 3rd Marine Division and 1st Ranger Division deployed to DC. ((Tom called Mountain Divisions "Rangers" in his build queue; I like it, it makes sense, so that's what we'll call them.))
September 14, 1940: Persia joins the Axis.
September 23, 1940: ARM Armor 3 finished; begin Assault Concentration 4.
September 28, 1940: 2nd Ranger Division deployed to DC.
September 30, 1940: ARM Reliability 3 finished; begin Jungle Warfare Equipment 1.

October
October 4, 1940: Fighter Pilot Training and Interception Tactics 4 finished; begin research on Fighter Ground Crew Training 4 and Small Air Search Radar 1.
October 11, 1940: ARM Gun 3 finished; begin Desert Warfare Equipment 1.
October 18, 1940: Yugoslavia conquered and annexed. No GIE. President declares State of National Emergency. Passes Three Year Draft and War Economy.
October 19, 1940: Upgrades are fully funded, so I build another run of 10 radar stations. Also devote still excess IC to reinforcement. Construction of four more CVs. ((I'm pretty sure I've gone mad with power at this point. ))
October 26, 1940: BB Armor 4 finished; begin SS Hull 3. Start run of 10 air bases. ((I still have yet to realize you can't build them this way.))
October 29, 1940: IC built and deployed to Atlanta.

November
November 3, 1940: UK conquers Ethiopia; they go GIE.
November 5, 1940: Education 3 finished; begin Amphibious Warfare Equipment 1.
November 8, 1940: Elections. Nothing to see here.
November 18, 1940: Germany annexes Greece. No GIE.
November 21, 1940: Mass Assault 4 and Infantry Warfare 4 finished. Research on Infantry Warfare continues; begin research of Integrated Support 2.
November 26, 1940: Economic Boost. Yay! Because the one thing we desperately need is even more IC!
November 27, 1940: CAS Pilot Training 4 and Civil Defense 2 finished; begin Combat Medicine 3 and CAS Ground Crew Training 3. 5 more RADAR stations begin construction.
November 30, 1940: First Aid 3 finished; begin Industrial Production 7. 10 more RADAR stations.

December
December 8, 1940: Superior Firepower finished. Begin Operational Level Organization 3.
December 12, 1940: First round of Air Bases finished. NOW I realize how stupid this was. Still, every Pacific Island has an air base now, as well as part of Alaska, so that's something. Begin construction of three Strategic Bombers and 10 AA gun emplacements.
December 17, 1940: Norway conquered, goes GIE.
December 20, 1940: Finish Air-Launched Torpedo 2; begin Cargo Hold 2.
December 28, 1940: SS Engine 3 finished; research continues.
December 30, 1940: Soviets mobilize.

January
January 1, 1941: Arty Barrel and Ammo 6 finished; research continues.

State of the Union coming up.

 

[Avindian]

State of the Union Address; January 1, 1941​

My fellow Americans,

As 1940 drew to a close, I am sorry to say that President Franklin D. Roosevelt became, for a lack of a better word, entirely too alarmist. He declared a State of National Emergency and enacted, by Executive Order, an extended draft and fully mobilized our economy. While I do not -- and did not -- disagree with the substance of his decisions, I do object to his unilaterally forcing these measures on the American people without going through proper channels. Mr. Hitler may be a serious threat to world peace, but if we abandon our democratic processes to combat him, are we truly any better?

He also spent recklessly, ordering the construction of -- and later cancellation of -- numerous new airbases instead of upgrading the existing ones and ordered six -- SIX! -- new carriers for our navy, a technology which has yet to be fully tested in combat, apart from some data we've gained from our British friends. The American people decided that he had become too powerful, and so I am your new President.

After consulting with Admiral Leahy, President Roosevelt's Chief of Staff, I decided to retain the Chiefs as they were under Roosevelt, to maintain the maximum level of continuity for our armed services.

As you all are no doubt aware, General Westover was fired by President Roosevelt for complaining, in public, about the increase in naval funding without a similar increase in air force funding. He also repeatedly insisted that carriers properly belonged to the Air Force, which was absolutely absurd, as we all know.

One thing that President Roosevelt and I fully agree upon is civilian control of the military. General Arnold indicated that he preferred to remain in the field, and so I have granted his wish. My close friend, Leroy Grumman, is currently serving as Chief of the Air Force and interim Secretary of War. Former Secretary Wagner, as a Democrat, felt he could not continue with a Republican administration. I have decided to nominate Henry M. Cox as my new Secretary of War; his knowledge of supply and logistics should prove invaluable if we enter this European War.

We should not, however, bow to partisan politics. I respect and greatly admire President Roosevelt, no matter how misguided I feel his domestic policies were, for not leaping into this war without careful consideration, and I can assure you I will do the same. I do find it very difficult to justify sitting on the sidelines when a nation like Germany continues to conquer and absorb her neighbors without regard for international law.

Greece and Yugoslavia were conquered and annexed into the Greater German Reich, as Mr. Hitler calls it. Norway also surrender, although her government escaped to London to continue the fight. General Charles de Gaulle and the Free French have also relocated to London and they continue to fight from their colonies in Africa. They have, unfortunately, ceded Indochina to the Japanese.

Romania also conceded a small portion of her territory to Bulgaria; Romania quickly joined the Axis shortly afterwards, meaning that only Switzerland, Finland, and Sweden remain truly neutral. Secretary of State Alfred E. Smith believes, as do I, that Bulgaria, Vichy France, and Spain remain neutral only in theory and that they may eventually join the Axis. Britain remains the sole threat to Germany at this stage, although the Soviet Union seems unusually nervous.

Even a British victory in Ethiopia cannot repair the grave threat that Germany presents in Europe, and the difficult decision to sink the French fleet in Morocco weighs very heavily on everybody's mind. The new Prime Minister, Mr. Churchill, assures me it was no easy decision to make, and I believe him.

Here is the new Europe, as of earlier this morning.

However, even though things in Europe seem dark, Asia continues to confound even the most brilliant experts with the continued success of Nationalist China.

Even Siam's entry into the war on the Japanese side constitutes no real threat; Admiral Leahy thinks that, before 1941 is out, Japan may have lost all of her continental possessions.

While Asia and Europe are consumed by the flames of war, it is business as usual for the United States. That means we must pass a new budget for Fiscal Year 1941. You will find the particulars, as always, in your mailboxes at the beginning of business tomorrow. However, we have two additional matters to discuss.

1) President Roosevelt's changes to draft law and economic policy. You must vote to either Approve or Disapprove of the package. If you disapprove, please indicate which parts you do disapprove of. I am prepared to accept a repeal of any and all measures up to July of 1940 that were not previously voted upon by the Senate.

2) The "Lend-Lease" Act, in which we will give economic aid to the Chinese, British, French, and if need be, the Soviet Union, in exchange for payment in the future.

I would also like everybody to review my cabinet appointments; if anybody has any questions, please let me know. Secretary of War Cox's name is not in the most recent memo, so please remember that he will be the Secretary of War if his appointment is confirmed.

Finally, we must decide whether or not to join this war. Many of my fellow Republicans remain unconvinced about the threat Germany poses, so we cannot declare war upon Germany, even if we wished to, without joining the Allies. Please indicate which faction you would like to join, if any.

Thank you for your time, and God bless the United States of America!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IC and build queue (not pictured: roughly eleventy billion radar stations):

Leadership and techs:

Save game: Click here.

Son of liberty and Chimina have not been replaced as Secretary of War and Chief of the Air Force, respectively; just the in-game characters have been. I replaced Wagner with Cox because of Cox's supply bonus (+20%), which will be far more useful than more IC at this stage. We have zero manpower at the moment; Saithis may wish to restrain some of my more exorbitant navy spending When we get to planning, you may wish to consider this in your build queues.

Here are the votes that must be made at present.

1. Aye or Nay on Lend-Lease.
2. Approve or Repeal the new draft and mobilization laws.
3. Faction to join: Allies, Axis, Comintern, or None.
4. If anybody objects to a specific cabinet member, say so and we'll hold "hearings"; otherwise, I will treat them as confirmed.
5. The normal budget stuff for 1941.

Also, I didn't make this clear, but I did figure out my mistake and order upgrades in the airbases of Guam, Wake Island, Sunset Beach, and Midway.

Voting deadline is Wednesday at 10 PM CST (-6 GMT). We have a lot to discuss!

 

[Vrael_1492]

I vote Aye to the Lend-Lease Act, and I also approve of the new draft and mobilization laws. I believe by now it is clear what monster Hitler has become, and so we have to act now. Let us join the Allies.

- Senator Charles Beckendorf, D-MA

((As a theatre commander I want to choose a character, but I don't know who is taken. Can anyone fill me in??))

 

[son of liberty]

I would like to congratulate the new president on his successful campaign. However, I notice that you and the new VP are wasting huge amounts of taxpayer funding(-10% ic between the two of them). This wasteful spending must cease immediately. ((With a republican victory, am I now speaker of the house?))

1. Aye or Nay on Lend-Lease. NAY
2. Approve or Repeal the new draft and mobilization laws. AYE
3. Faction to join: Allies, Axis, Comintern, or None. NONE
4. If anybody objects to a specific cabinet member, say so and we'll hold "hearings"; otherwise, I will treat them as confirmed. OK
5. The normal budget stuff for 1941. Awaiting other congressmen to submit budgets.