American Caesar: An United States AAR in Kaiserreich

[Chac1]

Thanks for the new chapter and a look at the intrigues going on.

I must say, the entire atmosphere of the story makes me shudder. Too many parallels to what is going on in the U.S. right now. That discussion between Prescott and the soldier certainly was along those lines.

It appears Herbert Hoover is as inept in this AAR as he was in the original timeline, especially when it comes to thinking about his own coup (after he already helped MacArthur become a dictator). If he doesn't have any military might, his coup will end before it gets started.

 

[Bloodfelt]

Chapter 11: The Final Offensive.

"When the land belongs to the peasants, and the factories to the workers, and the power to the Soviets, then we'll know we have something to fight for, and we'll fight for it!"
- Jack Reed, Ten Days That Shook the World. Cap 1, pag 19.

After the 2nd Corps, the so-called heroes of Paris were saved, the opportunity was seized by the federal forces. The CSA had spent all its resources on the offensive. This allowed MacArthur and his generals to advance and break the front in many places. For example, on May 17, just a month after the siege, the forces of McNair's 4th Army arrived in Milwaukee, on the shores of Lake Michigan. The CSA had now cut off the entire northern flank of the syndicalists into small pockets.

Furthermore, the troops of the 4th Army were only 130 km from the capital of Chicago. This caused the government to begin evacuating towards the East. They knew that if the federal forces entered the city and found them there, there would be no mercy.

The arrival at the gates of Chicago caused an international uproar, and the syndicalist government tried to take advantage of this. For example, Gus Hall, leader of the Red Guards, made a powerful speech saying that in Chicago, the battle between the bourgeoisie and the world proletariat was decided. In addition, barricades were built, and the population mobilized along the lines of the syndicalist forces in Washington.

But Chicago wasn't Washington. No matter how much there was talk in the former capital of popular militias, the reality is that the men who defended Washington were not citizens of them. They did not care about destroying the city, as it symbolized to them the elites' oppression of them. However, the citizens of Chicago were unwilling to defend and destroy their city while its rulers fled to the East. Riots broke out in the capital, which were brutally repressed by units of Red Guards taken from the Front. These disorganized protests, known as the March 20 massacre, left more than 150 dead and nearly a thousand injured. Shortly after, a state of emergency was proclaimed in the capital.

This brutality destroyed much of the international image of the Chicago Government. These attacks on the population itself led governments and more liberal socialist figures to denounce these attacks as unnecessary brutality. For example, the journalist Ernest Hemingway, initially very supportive of President Reed, denounced this massacre in a pamphlet. Shortly afterward, after a failed detection attempt, he fled the country on a cargo ship bound for Spain.

Ernest Hemingway outside Chicago in 1938. Although he was a great admirer of Reed and the SPA , the war and the oppression of the Chicago government discouraged him. This eventually led to his fleeing to Spain, where he wrote his most famous political book: "The Death of the Tall Man."

On the part of Europe's totalist governments, the massacre of March 20 made them realize that intervention in the civil war was a lost cause. Although foreign units remained on the ground, the International stopped sending supplies and focused more on other wars, such as the Italian or Chilean-Argentine wars. And for their part, commanders on the ground like David Stirling began to act independently from the joint command of the 2nd Continental Army. For example, the 2nd People's Marines withdrew from the outskirts of Columbus when they found themselves outnumbered. Now, the expeditionary forces' priority was to save everything they could: materials, weapons, men, and scientists.

On the same day McNair's forces took Milwaukauke, a proposal reached the Government in Denver. The new, more moderate German government had decided to reorient its foreign policy. Not only did they request that MacArthur lift restrictions on German companies, but they also offered to send a corps of volunteers and supplies to help the fight against the CSA. Although it was not necessary, MacArthur did not object. All help was welcomed. With this opening of relations, J.P. Morgan, Secretary of State, began negotiating in Havana with German authorities to strengthen ties.

On the 19th, a directive came out of Denver: Operation Rubicon. Now, MacArthur advocated an all-out attack along the entire front, until the CSA was crushed. So after a 24-hour rest, 11 divisions of the 4th Army stormed a rioting Chicago. On May 22, the last red militia units surrendered.

In the east, units of the 1st Army were locked in brutal fighting in Washington, D.C. But that did not prevent units of the 2nd and 1st Armies from beginning an advance northward after the fall of Cincinnati. The defenses in the area were in the city of Columbus, which dominated the highway to the north.

The fall of the city on the 17th was the beginning of a relentless advance northward. Bradley's forces traveled along the railroad line, often on civilian trains. On the 24th, federal soldiers got off the trains in Cleveland and occupied the empty city

With the front in complete chaos, it was not difficult for the federal forces to redeem themselves. Taking advantage of the fall of Chicago, units of Leonard T. Gerow's Third Army surrounded the syndicalist units north of Springfield. Less than a month later, more than 150,000 men surrendered at Greenfield to Commander Douglas MacArthur II. The same thing happened in the North, where more than 60,000 Syndicalist soldiers escaped to Canada, creating unrest in the country.

This created an international crisis in which Edward VIII finally allowed these Syndicalist soldiers to cross all of Canada to reach New England. With all of its forces bleeding out in the War of Indian Unification, Ottawa was unable to stop the soldiers, who looted and traveled by stolen trains to the New England border, where they were stopped and defeated. Many of them were interned in prison camps. This "march across the ice" demonstrated the weakness of the quasi-dictatorial Government of Canada, in addition to creating great instability in the country.

Returning to Bradley's First Army, it continued to expand the corridor in Cleveland. On June 18, federal forces took Pittsburgh. However, although the offensive to the east continued, headquarters in Denver gave priority to finishing off the troops surrounded south of Chicago. On June 26, another 15 divisions (5 of which were foreign volunteers) surrendered to the troops of the Second Army. More than 110,000 soldiers marched into captivity.

Now, with all federal forces concentrated on the narrow front line, it was easier for the Second Continental Army to resist the push of the various federal armies. But on June 23, Bradley's forces, taking advantage of air superiority, began an offensive on the ruins of Washington D.C. More than 200,000 men, veterans of more than years of hard fighting and familiar with urban warfare assaults, slowly recaptured the city, trying to suffer as few casualties as possible. Although the syndicalist troops resisted fiercely in certain parts of the city, the use of artillery and aircraft tipped the balance. On July 1, President MacArthur, standing at the ruins of the Capitol, gave a speech:

- "I made the promise and I kept it. I have returned, fulfilling my duty as President. Now, standing at the ruins of this building, which is the symbol of our democracy, I promise you: never again. I repeat: never again."

Now, the socialist government fled to New York. But Jack Reed was not among them. At some point in the flight from Chicago to New York, the socialist president's car and escort disappeared. Although the FBI was given the blame, some more recent historians believe that the RED, the secret organization of the Third International, was to blame. Once defeated, it was useless to them. Chaos was rampant in the shrinking syndicalist zone.

But despite this, the federal troops stopped Washington's forces and remained there for a month, until July 27. Some believe that it was a strategy. Citizens who lived in anarchy would be more willing to cooperate with the feds. But the reality was that the federal army was exhausted. In less than two months they had covered thousands of kilometers and defeated the entire 2nd Continental Army. In addition, behind the front hundreds of soldiers could have become guerrillas. To prevent this, Hoover deployed the FBI, which hunted the insurgents behind enemy lines. With the help of federal soldiers, the FBI hunt cleared the conquered areas of possible uprisings. Another factor was the fear that traps had been prepared, following the orders of Order 227. But Gus Hall's plan was too ambitious, just as Hoover said. When the federal troops entered the territory they found hundreds of bunkers and quite a few lines of fortifications. They were ready to resist the enemy for months. The problem was the shortage of soldiers. Although some bunkers resisted in some places, they were surrounded and ended up falling apart.

The most famous was Bunker 648, which managed to resist assaults by federal soldiers for more than a month. Finally, the federal forces used gas and killed the guerrillas. Dissidence would not be tolerated. Finally, on July 26, MacArthur gave the order to begin Operation Apple. It was time to finish off the syndicalists.

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Gus Hall sat quietly smoking on the banks of the Hudson River, sitting on the hood of an abandoned car. He had moved away from his soldiers, who were looking at him worriedly from a distance. Although he tried to keep a calm face, Hall was shattered inside. The socialist dream had failed. At least in America. His bunkers had failed. But not because of his buildings, no. But because of the cowardice of some soldiers. The Revolution had failed because of betrayal and internal weakness. That would be useful to know for the future.

On the other side, Manhattan remained dark, without light. With the city without light, the city remained under curfew. It was one of the few places in the CSA where there was still order. But if the rumors coming from the other side were true, the order in the city had ceased to be socialist.

A wet, muddy man appeared in front of Hall. His soldiers, alarmed by a possible attack on their boss, pointed at him. But a nonchalant Hall made a gesture. He had recognized the tattered insignia.

- What's wrong, soldier?" Hall asked him.
- Comrade, the city has fallen into anarchy. The garrison has risen up.
- We know that already.

The soldier looked at him without understanding,

- Comrade. Why are you not helping? With your 200 men we can take back the city!

One of Hall's soldiers, a veteran Red Guard, spat on the ground contemptuously.

- What unit are you from, soldier?- the veteran asked.
- I'm from the Navy, comrade
- And what the hell has the Navy done for the cause? We are the Red Guard, led by General Gus Hall. We have fought throughout America. What have you done?”

The sailor tried to respond, but he began to see himself surrounded by the Red Guards.

- Us...
- You have not been able to throw Hasley out of the sea, useless. So we're not going to help take back the city. We have failed because of men like you...

The frightened sailor took out his revolver and pointed it at one of the Red Guards.

- If you come close I'll kill you!

Before he could say anything else, a bullet hit his head. The sailor fell to the ground, his head blown open. The red guards turned back. Gus Hall, standing on the hood, kept his service revolver. Climbing into the car, he spoke to his men.

- Comrades, we failed. But it's not our fault, brothers. We have bled and killed for our country, as we were told. But we failed. Why?
- Because they are weak! - shouted one of the soldiers.
- Exactly, comrades. We have attempted to build a proud socialist nation. But to do it, we allied ourselves with people who didn't think like us. People with bourgeois influence And that infected us. But now, although it seems that everything is over, brothers, it has only just begun. We are few and defeated. Now is when we should strengthen our ideological purity.
- Long live the revolution! - shouted another soldier.
- We'll hide. In forests, barns. Or in plain sight. But we will fight and we will wait until America can be saved from capitalist oppression.

His soldiers cheered him, but the enthusiasm was not very high either. They had lost. But now they had hope. Gus Hall looked at New York City, which was intact despite the war. To the east he could distinguish the first federal ships approaching, to support the rebellious garrison of the city. The fight had not ended. Not at all.

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Thanks for the new chapter and a look at the intrigues going on.

I must say, the entire atmosphere of the story makes me shudder. Too many parallels to what is going on in the U.S. right now. That discussion between Prescott and the soldier certainly was along those lines.

It appears Herbert Hoover is as inept in this AAR as he was in the original timeline, especially when it comes to thinking about his own coup (after he already helped MacArthur become a dictator). If he doesn't have any military might, his coup will end before it gets started.

I wanted to show the story of how America must be careful. Now, after a civil war, it must offer its citizens new alternatives. Otherwise, they will fall back into radicalism. Losing the war does not mean that these ideas are dead. If the establishment parties do not offer alternatives other than those of 1936, we will be back to square one soon... I don't want to get ahead of ourselves, but if democracy does not offer solutions, it must be solved in another way. And poor Hoover doesn't realize it. We will see if his coup succeeds.

I loved the two interludes. The perspective on the ground with William was great! D.C. will be rebuilt into the new Rome after the war. A new capital for a new America.

Now, Washington D.C. must be rebuilt. And as you said, I think these interludes help a lot to understand how this world is moving.

There's a storm brewing within the MacArthur administration, and the Second Weltkrieg approaches...

We will see…

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

So the International has taken out Reed, have they? Who takes over the Syndicalists then?

 

[Bloodfelt]

So the International has taken out Reed, have they? Who takes over the Syndicalists then?

I forgot to put the last screenshot, look at it again.

I think it doesn't matter too much anymore

 

[Nikolai]

So then the civil war is over? Hawaii is yet to be retaken, I guess? Some house cleaning is needed, me thinks.

 

[Chac1]

Would like to see a postmortem that covers the losses of this war. Although I was surprised at how many factions formed, the numbers of them led to their downfall. Too weak and not coordinated.

But the bigger question now is will MacArthur stay on as dictator as it looks now?

I do wonder why the Red Guard or others didn't really follow guerrilla methods. Bunkers might be part of those methods but you have to be willing to abandon them. Guerrillas move away from forces they can't beat, to live to fight another day. Seems there was too much infighting among the internationals on the left and no plan to provide real support for a guerilla cause. To do so, they would have needed a base in the Americas to provide support for such hit and run attacks.

 

[Bloodfelt]

Chapter 12: The World Here and Beyond (Part 1)

"There's no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war. Except its ending."
- Abraham Lincoln

On August 1, 1938, a delegation of members of the Syndicalist government traveled to Denver on a transport plane, under the guard of FBI agents. They were not a notable figure. Most of them had found themselves in power after the rapid fall of Chicago and Washington D.C. and were unprepared for the task of leading a regime that was staggering and collapsing alone. They also knew that their power was often limited to the city where they were located. The North lived in anarchy, with warlords and gangs running the cities. What had been the CSA was now an area of lawlessness.

At 11:36 on August 1, 1938, Vice President Norman Thomas signed the surrender of all Syndicalist forces in the North. The 2nd American Civil War had ended after one year and 6 months of conflict. The news was greeted with joy in most of the country. Even in the Syndicalist zone, some breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that despite having lost they could now return home.

Norman Thomas, vice president of the CSA. Although more moderate than Reed, he joined his administration as vice president as a counterweight. What was notable about his ideas was that he was not completely anti-establishment, but that he believed that America could be transformed into a socialist republic in a peaceful way. He was tried at the Denver trials along with a large number of rebel leaders.

During the following week, army units and FBI agents entered the Syndicalist zone, where they disarmed the armed groups, arrested local leaders, and destroyed any place where they were resisted. The first thing President MacArthur (who visited New York after the city's liberation) did was Executive Order 7002, which established military districts in the liberated territories. These would be placed under the command of a General (Bradley, Eisenhower, Gerow, and McNair) and established until ordered by the President. Then, referenda would be held in each state to rejoin the union. Generally, they would follow the guidelines already made during the Civil War reconstruction period.

In addition, the Supreme Court, led by Judge Felix Frankfurter, would begin the well-known Denver trials, where the political and military leaders of the rebel factions would be tried. Thanks to the FBI and information captured during the conquests, federal investigations began immediately. Meanwhile, the judges would be held in Alcatraz prison, under permanent supervision of federal troops.

Denver trials, 1939. Although some leaders such as Douglas MacArthur II or Hearst advocated very harsh sentences, Felix Frankfurter followed his own criteria and tried to make his trials as fair and open to the people as possible. What the Supreme Court sought to avoid was the Kangaroo court.

The economic losses of the war were difficult to calculate. Thanks to the rapid conquest of the south, the areas of the AUS, together with the federal territories, were the ones that suffered the least destruction. In addition, under the German-American friendship agreement in Havana, German companies were allowed to start investing and relocate to America, where, thanks to the destruction of jobs, it was easier for them to obtain cheap labor. This, combined with investments from the German state itself, was called the Prittwitz Plan. This led to the South having an economic prosperity that it had not had since before the First Civil War.

The West, which was controlled by the Pacific States, did not fare so well. Cities such as Los Angeles or Sacramento were badly damaged during urban fighting. It would take years of reconstruction for the West to return to its former prosperity. However, its natural resources and economic elites began the work even before the fighting ended in the East.

The Syndicalist Zone (corresponding to the 3rd and 4th military districts) had suffered the most. Although Chicago itself was almost intact, the border cities, that is, the cities that were between the CSA and the federal government, were devastated by urban fighting, with the cities changing hands several times. But without a doubt, the most damaged city was Washington D.C., which was devastated during the 4-month siege carried out by the First Army.
With the city in ruins, MacArthur appointed Brehon B. Somervell, responsible for logistics for the First Army, as commissioner of the Washington D.C. Reconstruction Zone. His task, with federal funds, was to rebuild the city as before. However, with the arrival of a team of architects, Somervell's orders changed. His orders were to rebuild the city while maintaining original buildings such as the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial. But at the same time, MacArthur stressed that the capital should be magnificent as if it were ancient Rome. This led to a problem, the lack of manpower. But Hoover, in a good piece of advice, suggested using prisoners of war to rebuild the city. The city that came out best was New York, which had remained intact and which was thanks to the uprising of the city garrison and the arrival of the federal fleet. This served as a claim and hope. Although from it one could see New England controlled by Canada.

Painting by Edward Hopper, based on a photograph by William J. Prescott. Painted in 1948 to commemorate the anniversary of the battle, the painting shows the city on the night of March 3, when torrential rain flooded the destroyed city. In the background we can see the Capitol, which will not be captured until the end of June.

Another problem was the management of the prisoners. Finally, they were interned in prison camps in the interior of the country, unless they served in the reconstruction of the capital. But not everyone agreed with this measure.

Finally, one of the most controversial issues is the number of casualties. On the one hand, the Federal Army suffered about 180,000 casualties in combat, with almost 100,000 of these against the CSA. However, its citizens hardly suffered in the fighting, as it occurred in territories controlled by other governments.The AUS also did not suffer great casualties. The easy surrender of its officers and the clemency of the First Army with civilians made the war in its area not too hard. The Pacific States is another different case. Although there were areas that were not touched by the war, the battle for the Sacramento corridor and the battle of Los Angeles left many dead and wounded. Its Army suffered about 250,000 casualties, either in the encirclements or in urban battles. Finally, the CSA suffered more than 1,000,000 military casualties and about 500,000 civilian casualties. Here, it is difficult to discern the civilian and military casualties. However, adding up all the casualties from urban battles, fields, and encirclements, it can be estimated that more than one and a half million people were killed or incapacitated in the syndicalist zone.

Table taken from Antony Beevor's book, The Fight for Freedom. Military casualties in orange, civilian casualties in black. It should be noted that some historians consider that some of the CSA casualties are exaggerated by MacArthur's propaganda.

In total, just over two million people were victims of the civil war. Included in these estimates are also those killed by the political police of the various governments, although the victims of the subsequent federal repression are not included. With a population of just over 130 million people, these victims are not too many, only 0.7% of the total population, somewhat far from the 3% killed during the first civil war.

Politically, the Federalist government fell into chaos after the end of the war. On the one hand, the conquered territories remained under military control, an area where the civil power was initially unable to act. For example, Congressman James K. Brons was arrested when he tried to enter the 3rd Military District, specifically in his house. His mansion had been used as a supply warehouse by the Federals and he was unable to expel them, at least while President MacArthur had emergency powers. Although it was an isolated case, it showed the Denver Congress that the power of the Army had not ended.

President MacArthur himself was missing. This filled the government with concern, which feared everything from a kidnapping to a military coup. Therefore, at the first meeting of the Committee of National Salvation after the war, Landon suggested that if the president did not appear, he should be appointed President temporarily. This resolution did not pass. Finally, an angry Herbert Hoover suggested that the President did not want to appear before them to avoid giving up his powers. With tensions escalating, Edgar Hoover finally announced that the President was resting at his home outside Washington and did not wish to be disturbed.

Of all this, the public knew nothing, although the lack of mention or action by the President led some to suspect that he had been assassinated. Finally, after the news leaked, President MacArthur appeared at the opening of the Hoover Dam, explaining that he wanted to get some rest after the end of the conflict and that he would appear at what seemed to be the last session of Congress in Denver.

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While America was looking inward, the world had evolved.

Canada remained under the rule of Edward VIII, who became increasingly autocratic over time. For example, in 1937, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King had been forced to resign after strong pressure from the King, who considered the Indian War a waste of time. Although this was not illegal, the King was supposed to be the mere arbiter of political disputes. But now, with the Tory party in power, Edward devoted his military forces to defeating India. However, this distracted him from other scenarios such as Africa or the United States itself. Although there were voices in favor of supporting the different sides or simply destroying the syndicalists, Edward decided only to occupy territories such as Alaska and New England. Here, American political figures went into exile, thinking that they could convince Edward to create a rival government to the American one or simply create a New England republic.

But to no avail. New England remained under Canadian military occupation. Thus, the "Yankee" resistance movement was formed and dedicated to fighting the Canadians. Within this movement there were men of all colors, such as syndicalists or even some Longists. But in February John J. Pershing was appointed leader of the movement. He, now collaborating with Hoover's FBI, began to clean up extremist elements within his movement. This collaboration also increased the pressure of the Canadians in the occupied territories, which needed more troops to garrison them.

In mid-1937, black soldiers of the South African army began a revolt against their colonial oppressors, being surprisingly supported by some white officers. Finally David Ivon Jones was proclaimed leader of the Socialist Republic of South Africa. Although the Entente tried to resist and thought of declaring war on them, the Indian War prevented all this. Therefore, South Africa left the Entente and allied itself with the Third International. This in turn led to a massive immigration of white settlers to the north, who feared being punished.

Although Edward VIII could not afford a war, his navy did not think so. Two months after the coup in South Africa, the HMS Victoria arrived in Hawaii, along with half a dozen other ships. There, with internal help and marines, they staged a coup and installed the Republican Party, in coalition with the natives, as rulers. Although the Third International considered declaring war, its internal conflicts and the distance from any base meant that they could only issue a formal complaint. Finally, MI6 also supported another coup in Australia, where an extremist organization staged a coup in favor of the monarchy. There, Edward installed his brother George as Governor-General. Soon, the king's brother began an internal war with this organization to return to a democratic government.

Regarding the Indian conflict, this will be discussed in depth later. However, by the end of the Second Civil War, the territories occupied by the Entente were limited to a road that ran from Karachi to the north, along the Indus. On August 3, Lahore, the capital of the Raj, fell. With many Indians in rebellion, the Entente upped the ante and introduced the enlistment of Quebecers. This, added to the discrimination they suffered, for example, from the English elites, caused many to take up arms. With rebellions in New England and Quebec, added to the march of American syndicalists through Canadian territory, the situation of the Canadian population was not the best. But despite this, it was decided to continue with the war.

South of the United States remained Mexico. Now a member of the Third International, Mexico felt ready to begin what had devastated the previous government: land reform. Soon Mexican military units entered the abandoned haciendas of southern Mexico, distributing the land. This met with opposition from the naturally more conservative people of Yucatan. So, with the support of the newly formed Central American Republic, they attempted to proclaim themselves an independent republic. But the Mexican Army quickly destroyed the opposition on the peninsula and put the area under martial law. This seriously affected the newly created, right-wing authoritarian Central American republic. Surrounded and with much of the country opposed to the government of El Salvador, Sandino's guerrillas continued to attack throughout the country, now supported by Mexico.

Further south, Panama and Costa Rica continued their border conflicts. However, on March 17, the first German lend-lease planes arrived in Costa Rica. These quickly settled the conflict in the jungle and kept Panama quiet, at least for the moment. The Panamanian dictatorship in turn began to talk to the Central American government. Could they form an alliance against Costa Rica and the socialist powers of the region?

But without a doubt, the other great dictatorship in America was that of Getulio Vargas in Brazil. With an economic crisis after the crash of 1936 and great political instability, Vargas had come to power as a guarantor of stability in the nation. But to do so, he increased presidential powers, destroyed socialist dissent. At the same time, however, he imposed socialist measures such as price controls and the beginning of a new law on land distribution. This angered the landowners. But the president was already ready. On June 14, he announced the creation of the New State.

Soon, army units rose up in Sao Paulo, a place with a strong democratic presence. Nevertheless, less than a month later their leaders were tried for treason and executed. However, after this insurrection, calm returned to Brazil. Soon Vargas also initiated his foreign policy: three Brazilian divisions entered Uruguay during an attempted military coup. The most prosperous democracy in South America was now protected by Brazil.

Further south, the Argentine War continued. Following the coup d'état of Manuel Cartes and his clique of reactionary officers, instability had spread throughout the country. Chile, Patagonia and Paraguay took advantage of this and jointly declared war on Argentina. However, German aid and the experience of Argentine officers made it possible to conquer Paraguay and establish a stable front against the Chilean and Patagonian syndicalists, who received socialist aid. Only time will tell who will win this conflict.

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Frankfurter, the chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, couldn't concentrate. He should have been happy. They had won. The horror of the civil war should have ended. But it seemed to be starting again. Because there was a letter with no return address on his desk. He got up to lower the blinds in his office.It was not wise to do anything illegal in plain sight. Edgar Hoover had his people everywhere. And soldiers were not to be trusted either. Or so he thought. They did not shout "God bless America." Now, officers greeted each other with a secret slogan: "Hail to the Chief."

In front of his desk were two objects, poetically symbolizing his duties. On the one hand, he had dozens of files on traitorous politicians and military men. It was his duty to judge them fairly. He also had to warn of those who were still to be captured, people like Browder, who was on his way to France. Or Gus Hall, who had been missing for weeks. But all this did not matter in front of the letter. Letter Frankfurter had read two dozen times. He looked at it again. In small, dark handwriting, written in a hurry, it read as follows:

"August 12, New Capitol. Prepare yourself. Once the tool is useless, it must be withdrawn. We do not have the FBI on our side, but they can do nothing in the face of a fait accompli. The Army will support us. Now or never. Don't answer me, I am under surveillance.

We will have our own Ides of March.

H. Hoover."

Felix Frankfurter sat down in the chair. He had to make a decision.

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Here we are! I've decided to cover the end of the Civil War in several chapters, along with several interludes. At the very least, I want a conversation between MacArthur and William before the Congressional session. In turn, we'll be looking at what's been going on in this world. It's quite interesting...

On Civil War casualties. I may be wrong. They may seem exaggerated. But it's hard to account for over a million casualties in the CSA, that happend in the game. I prefer to think that they are militias, so they are like the red army in 1941? I dont know. We can think they play with mass asault doctrine .

. So, well, since this is the first time I've estimated casualties, I trust you. I know others use a 3:1 ratio of military to civilian casualties. But considering the quality of the armies, the battles, and so on, I think this might be close to reality.

Probably I will finish writing the next interlude on Thursday or Friday. And the next part of the Chapter by Sunday. I prefer to write everything I can before the Xmas, becouse i will not have to much time then.

So then the civil war is over? Hawaii is yet to be retaken, I guess? Some house cleaning is needed, me thinks.

Well, Hawaii belongs to the Entente. And for now, we must look inward before going outward. Or not... It all depends on the President.

Would like to see a postmortem that covers the losses of this war. Although I was surprised at how many factions formed, the numbers of them led to their downfall. Too weak and not coordinated.

But the bigger question now is will MacArthur stay on as dictator as it looks now?

I do wonder why the Red Guard or others didn't really follow guerrilla methods. Bunkers might be part of those methods but you have to be willing to abandon them. Guerrillas move away from forces they can't beat, to live to fight another day. Seems there was too much infighting among the internationals on the left and no plan to provide real support for a guerilla cause. To do so, they would have needed a base in the Americas to provide support for such hit and run attacks.

Wish granted. Here we have a breakdown of the civil war.

Well, at the moment we don't know if MacArthur will go or stay (lie, I know). But it is worrying. I hope that William J. Prescott's Interlude will help us to see what MacArthur himself thinks.

On guerrilla tactics: what was lacking was will. If it had wanted, the CSA could have resisted for months. But the lack of will and the lack of internal cohesion caused the fall. Now, Gus Hall seems to be leading a socialist guerrilla in the north of the country. We will see if he and his Red Guards are capable of fighting against the FBI and the feds (I doubt it). But without a doubt, there is still much to rebuild.

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

But all this did not matter in front of the letter. Letter Frankfurter had read two dozen times. He looked at it again. In small, dark handwriting, written in a hurry, it read as follows:

"August 12, New Capitol. Prepare yourself. Once the tool is useless, it must be withdrawn. We do not have the FBI on our side, but they can do nothing in the face of a fait accompli. The Army will support us. Now or never. Don't answer me, I am under surveillance.

We will have our own Ides of March.

H. Hoover."

Felix Frankfurter sat down in the chair. He had to make a decision.

But will they just go for the elder MacArthur or will they go for Eisenhower and young Douglas too?

 

[Chac1]

Thanks for this chapter. This gives us a good view of the Americas along with a few other parts of the world.

Thanks for the good roundup of war deaths too. Just looking to see what the situation might be for further conflict. So the U.S. takes four times the casualties of WWII and a lot of economic damage too. Still, given the performance of the federal armies and the overextended nature of Canada and the Entente, it seems the U.S. should be able to wrest back New England. (From the map it seems it is more than New England but also most of New York State. New York City must be a border city now.)

I find South America to be quite interesting in this chapter. First, yes, Mexico, it might be possible for it to go truly left, as it has gone now. Would be interesting to see real land reform there, although yes it was attempted.

The attempted revolution in southern Mexico looks interesting too. I'd believe it if it was a leftist/indigenous revolution but then wouldn't such a government align with the central government? The makers of this mod have some interesting ideas about how the world would change if WWI went in a different direction.

Then an independent Patagonia! How did that happen? Leftist civil war?

Also, I find the Central American confederation (minus Costa Rica and Panama) to be an interesting conservative structure. Although something like this existed in the 19th Century, there are too many factions in those countries to want union again. Interesting to see Sandino still fighting. Also, Costa Rica did go in a socialist direction post-WWII, so this is somewhat believable. However, in the 1930s, the landed conservative elite might have thrown in with the Central American confederation. All in all, an interesting universe and I can see why you play this mod.

 

[jak7139]

Herbert Hoover shouldn't sign his letters discussing his coup attempt. Doesn't he know the FBI could read his mail? They probably already know anyway, but still.

He also believes the army supports the coup, which I doubt. He really hasn't thought this through. Which, considering the previous coup led to a civil war, is telling.

 

[Bloodfelt]

Interlude 3: MacArthur´s house.

The car drove through the ranch fence. A fence manned by the FBI and soldiers. So William felt safe. At least the President was safe. William had heard the news of the surrender of the CSA outside Philadelphia, along with the First Armored Division. Obviously, that night they celebrated like crazy and had fun. They had won the war. But reality soon returned a few days later, when Vice President Landon called him directly asking if he knew where the President was.

If the Vice President himself did not know where the President was, something seemed to be wrong. In addition, rumors of a possible self-coup reached William. He, as a biographer, believed he knew the President. He was a remarkable man, proud and very intelligent. But he was also paranoid and ambitious. He had interviewed him for the last time that day in Washington D.C., before the war. Could a person change so much?

So, needing information and suggesting that he needed one last interview to finish his biography, he spoke to Hoover. The FBI Director just smiled at him. That very morning, four dark cars had parked in front of his house and some friendly men in trench coats and sunglasses had invited them to accompany him. William accompanied them willingly. That must have been hours ago. They had headed south of Washington D.C., where William was doing a report for Hearst. Now, William found himself on a farm lost in the woods, surrounded by military personnel and barbed wire.

William followed his companions when they got out of the car. They went straight to the back porch and shortly after left. In front of William was President MacArthur, dressed in civilian clothes and smoking his pipe. Lying in a hammock, he seemed to be sleeping under his sunglasses. But despite this tranquility, he was not sleeping. He motioned for William to sit down on a chair. They sat together in silence, admiring the garden.

-It's beautiful, isn't it? - said the President. - I've been fighting this war for almost two years and it's been impossible for me to rest even for a moment. Now I'm beginning to appreciate these moments of peace.
- Is that why you've secluded yourself from the world?
- Yes. One needs to rest from time to time.

An orderly brought a lemonade, which William gladly accepted.

- Have you come to our last interview, William?
- I was planning to end my book with your resignation on the 12th, sir. I think that would be a very good ending to your story.
- And what is my story?
- That of a general, a leader, who unites his country in a time of crisis. He seeks to save the democracy with which he has grown up and which he believes is just. However, once his herculean task is finished, the man, the leader, decides to take a step back. Because he is a new Cincinnatus, rather than a Caesar.
- Better a Cincinnatus than a Caesar?
- Always, sir.

MacArthur spoke very calmly, as if he were asleep.

- And is our nation ready to go back to the way things were?
- I don't know, Mr. President. But is there another option?
- Hearst and my nephew... they believe that America is not ready. That we should continue with the state of emergency until things are sorted out.

So the MacArthurists wanted to continue with the state of emergency. This, in itself, could be considered criminal conspiracy. But William decided not to accuse anyone.

- And what do you think?
- It is... tempting. I don't deny it. Not for me. But are we ready to go back to the way things were? There are still thousands of traitors hiding, ready to fight.
- Who said we should go back to the way things were?
- And who told you there was going to be a change? Those who will succeed me will be Democrats and Republicans. Who lost the last election. - - Although I suppose that doesn't matter anymore. 2 million. That's what Edgar Hoover has confirmed to me. It's an approximation, but it seems that more than two million men have died in this war, William.

William didn't know what to say and preferred to remain silent.

- Our cities are still in ruins. Washington D.C itself is destroyed. Are we ready to go back to normal?

William adopted a hard tone, different from the friendly one he used with MacArthur.

- President, I hope you are not suggesting a coup.
MacArthur stood up in disbelief.

- What are you talking about, William?
- You promised almost two years ago that you would be appointed President only temporarily. And the emergency is over.
- Is it over? I don't see our nation ready!
- It is not for you to determine that.
- I am the President!
- Even the President is not above Congress! George Washington gave up power and was remembered as a hero by his people. Julius Caesar kept it after the end of the civil war!
- You are threatening to kill me, William. You are in my house, surrounded by my loyal soldiers. Do you think you can threaten me?
- I am not threatening you, Mr. President, far from it. I am reminding you that the people rose up in arms against Reed and Long because they felt they were tyrants. And we Americans have a tradition of rising up in arms against tyrants.
- I am not a tyrant!
- If you do not resign on the 12th at that session of Congress, Mr. MacArthur, I am glad that the people and the Army will rise up against you.
- Who would dare, Mr. Prescott? I am your president.
- Look at other examples from history, Mr. President. You have no choice but to resign.

Even through his glasses, William could see the President's hateful look.

- Don't you dare tell me what to do, Mr. Prescott. You should leave.

William nodded and one of the soldiers approached him to escort him. Before leaving, he shouted to the president.

- I am finishing your biography, Mr. President. You will see if you want me to end with a gesture worthy of a general or with your judgment.

With that, the journalist left, leaving MacArthur confused. The President, on whom an entire nation in reconstruction depended, stayed there for hours, thinking. Finally, it was the hand on the shoulder of General Eisenhower that woke him up.

- Ike? What are you doing here?

But what caught his attention was not the general, far away from the Western Military District. It was Supreme Court Judge Felix Frankfurter, with papers in his hand. Ike spoke to him.

- We need to talk, Mr. President.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

But will they just go for the elder MacArthur or will they go for Eisenhower and young Douglas too?

Who knows?

The attempted revolution in southern Mexico looks interesting too. I'd believe it if it was a leftist/indigenous revolution but then wouldn't such a government align with the central government? The makers of this mod have some interesting ideas about how the world would change if WWI went in a different direction.

The revolution in Yucatan is an event in the game, but it has not happened yet. Therefore, I have assumed that the Mexican army has managed to suppress the insurrection. Going deeper into the issue, the problem in Yucatan is not a racial issue, as totalists use the same indigenous laws that were passed by Zapata. However, the movement in Yucatan was not so much an indigenous movement as an ideological one. With the government centralizing power, the people of Yucatan feel upset. But precisely because it is not a movement that fights for their rights (since they are not discriminated against), not all of Yucatan supports them. That is why they fail.

Then an independent Patagonia! How did that happen? Leftist civil war?

I don't know if the lore is old, but if you look up kaisereich on Wikipedia, you'll find this:

"Established during the Patagonian Rebellion of 1920-22, which led to the expulsion of government authority south of the Rio Negro, Patagonia is regarded as the spearhead of South American anarcho-syndicalism, having proclaimed a socialist state in the Americas years before the Chilean Revolution of 1927."

Wiki article

Also, I find the Central American confederation (minus Costa Rica and Panama) to be an interesting conservative structure. Although something like this existed in the 19th Century, there are too many factions in those countries to want union again. Interesting to see Sandino still fighting. Also, Costa Rica did go in a socialist direction post-WWII, so this is somewhat believable. However, in the 1930s, the landed conservative elite might have thrown in with the Central American confederation. All in all, an interesting universe and I can see why you play this mod.

Must have explained myself badly. Costa Rica is a conservative government. However, it is opposed to joining the Central American Republic for reasons of alliances. Costa Rica is a government aligned with the Germans, with many German investments. Among them is the German fruit company, which iwas fighting with the American one for the central american market. However, with the civil war in the United States, German companies have a monopoly on the country. At the same time, the military government of Central America is more aligned with the Entente and America. That is why they are opposed. Also, the Central American Republic is not as good as it seems. It has a military government and major internal problems. We will see if they survive.

Herbert Hoover shouldn't sign his letters discussing his coup attempt. Doesn't he know the FBI could read his mail? They probably already know anyway, but still.

He also believes the army supports the coup, which I doubt. He really hasn't thought this through. Which, considering the previous coup led to a civil war, is telling.

A desperate man... Perhaps he was able to deliver the letter through someone he trusted. Let's hope it's not Wisner, who has managed to gain old Hoover's trust. And I honestly believe that Hoover himself knows that the military will not support him. But if he can get other conspirators to believe him... Everything now depends on five factors: Frankfurter, the FBI, the Army, Congress/the democratic opposition and President MacArthur himself.

 

[Nikolai]

Ah, so it seems the conspiracy is falling apart. Not surprising, seeing how clumsy it has been done.

 

[son of liberty]

Great update! Doesn't your title already tell us what his choice will be?

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

But what caught his attention was not the general, far away from the Western Military District. It was Supreme Court Judge Felix Frankfurter, with papers in his hand. Ike spoke to him.

- We need to talk, Mr. President.

Even the Supreme Court thinks MacArthur should step down, he really will be inviting an uprising by clinging on to power.

 

[Bullfilter]

I had lots of catching up to do after RL diversions, but have made it through. Some selected comments along the way:

On January 18, after fierce fighting between Japanese volunteer forces and the forces of the 4th Army, Los Angeles fell to the federal army. With it, a large part of the generals and politicians of the Pacific government were captured. Shortly afterward, the surrender was signed. Now federal forces headed east to end the war once and for all.

The end came quickly after that snafu by Ike. I know you did the force assignment, but a better ai would at least provide a warning of too few troops assigned to a front.

I think adding little written excerpts, like the ones I'm doing with William Prescott, are important to understand the world of the AAR.

Agree. Prescott is a great sub-story, and we see he has a nuanced view of things and retains some ambivalence about the subject of his bio.

I've learned how to add links! You can now jump directly to chapters from the prologue.

Excellent. Even more convenient is using threadmarks to essentially index as you go, without having to create one manually. You can do it retrospectively if you can be bothered.

"Our Caesar has two problems: his pride and his nephew."

Nice comment.

When I came back, I had those 4 divisions surrounded. That's when I got the idea. What better founding myth for New America than a battle against the syndies, and in a city called Paris?

Good idea. Building your own lore.

At 11:36 on August 1, 1938, Vice President Norman Thomas signed the surrender of all Syndicalist forces in the North.

And so it comes - the warfare ends, but conflicts remain not for from the surface. And New England in Canadian hands is unacceptable.

Finally, MI6 also supported another coup in Australia, where an extremist organization staged a coup in favor of the monarchy. There, Edward installed his brother George as Governor-General. Soon, the king's brother began an internal war with this organization to return to a democratic government.

Who was in charge there before the coup?

Felix Frankfurter sat down in the chair. He had to make a decision.

Supreme Court Judge Felix Frankfurter, with papers in his hand. Ike spoke to him.

- We need to talk, Mr. President.

It seems he has made his decision. Fireworks coming!

Even through his glasses, William could see the President's hateful look.

- Don't you dare tell me what to do, Mr. Prescott. You should leave.

Is this break final? Or will the Ides of March plot (however it plays out) change Prescott’s perspective? Either way, the Big Mac has too many Hoovers spoiling the broth!

 

[Chac1]

Thanks for this chapter. Yes, it seems MacArthur has grown too accustomed to absolute power. Completely believable that he doesn't want to step down.

I did not see the military siding against him, but that closing scene with Ike and Frankfurter tells me something different is happening.

This is the problem with dictators. They always see themselves as the sole answer to a crisis. Funny though, the end of the crisis never seems to happen. There's always another chapter and more fires to tamp out.

 

[jak7139]

And I honestly believe that Hoover himself knows that the military will not support him. But if he can get other conspirators to believe him...

So it's all one big bluff then? Former President Hoover is bold, I'll give him that. But with already poor odds and these kinds of stakes, it still feels like he hasn't though this through. But maybe he doesn't have time to? Maybe it's now or never.

I see Ike/Frankfurter showing up going one of two ways: one, they're here to diplomatically make MacArthur step down. Or two, they're here to warn him.

 

[Bloodfelt]

Chapter 13: The World Here and Beyond (Part 2).

November 9

Yegorov's house was burned down and his son was killed. Wrede's father was killed. Fedya's mother was killed. I understand why they hate the Reds. But why do I hate them?

I have no home and no family. I have no losses because I have no property. I am indifferent to many things. I don't care who frequents the Yar: a drunken grand prince or a drunken sailor with an earring. I don't care who "gets rich" - that is, steals - a Tsarist official or a "class-conscious" Communist: after all, man does not live by bread alone. I don't care who holds power in the country: the Bolshevik Cheka or the Tsarist Okhrana. After all, you reap what you sow. What has changed? Nothing, except the names. Should we swing the sword for such vanity?

But I hate them. Shirtless, with a mouthpiece on their lips, they betrayed Russia at the front. And shirtless, with a mouthpiece on their lips, they now desecrate it. They desecrate everyday life. They desecrate the language. They desecrate even the word "Russian." They boast of having no lineage. For them, the homeland is a prejudice. In the name of their well-being, they sell for a few kopecks an inheritance that does not belong to them, that is not theirs, but our fathers'. And it is these beasts who dictate the laws in Moscow…!
If a louse on your shirt
screams at you that you are a flea
go out into the street and kill it!

- Boris Savinkov. The Black Horse (Spanish Edition)

Europe, the centre of the world for centuries, had undergone great changes since the end of the war. On the one hand, a conflict was brewing in the Iberian Peninsula. Spain, after half a year of civil war, was devastated. There, thanks to socialist aid, the CNT government in Barcelona had conquered all of Spain, except for some Carlist remnants in the north. At the end of June, General Durruti began an offensive in the north, conquering Asturias in the process. It was only a matter of time before the rest of Spain fell into the hands of the International.

The remaining members of the Carlist government and some Alfonsine generals met in Ferrol, in Galicia. Although they did not share an ideology or a king, they agreed that if they wanted to save Spain they needed help. And given the inability of the great powers, they asked for help from the nationalist government of Portugal. This, a member of the Entente and with a national-populist government, invaded Galicia and annexed it as a Portuguese province. Although it created problems over cultural issues and political loyalties, Spanish citizens remained loyal to the regime for fear of the syndicalists. In the south, Moroccan troops invaded the protectorate, leaving the Spanish without African territory.

For their part, the Spanish, exhausted after a civil war, decided to leave things as they were. Once the conflict was over, they joined the International and prepared to elect the government that would govern the country. The delegates met in Madrid, in the former Royal Palace. There, there were two main factions. On the one hand, Durruti's anarcho-syndicalists, who had the support of the Catalan communes and the CNT union. And on the other, there was a sector more inclined to French socialism, more authoritarian. Although it did not have as much influence, it had the support of foreign countries, foreign volunteer units and some party leaders. However, after two days of debate, the Regional Government Council was unable to elect a head of government. So, after the 22nd vote, Francisco Largo Caballero of the Socialist Party was unexpectedly elected. Much more bourgeois than the rest and simply Radical Socialist, the PSOE government began to negotiate aid from France and to close agreements with other governments in the area, including Morocco. This made the Spanish Socialist Republic the black sheep of the Third International.

Further north and across the Pyrenees, was the French Commune, leader of the International. Under the government of President Valois, it underwent a momentous change. The first were the purges of political dissidents by the neo-socialist militia of Marcet Deat, which became part of the oppressive apparatus of the government. At the same time, the army was also purged, seeking more discipline. If the leaders of the French revolutionary army had been based on the armies of the French Revolution of 1789, those of the new government were based on those of Napoleon. Before, French doctrine was based on the use of militias to contain the enemy, using numbers and guerrillas to win, especially in defensive wars. Once the totalists came to power, they favoured the doctrines of the former Russian Bolshevik, Mikhail Tukhachevsky and his clique of Russian officers. The new French doctrine was based on two concepts: "technologie et sang" (Technology and blood). On the one hand, they sought to professionalize the soldiers. Militias were demobilized and regular military units were created, with hard training. And on the other hand, they sought to invest in new concepts and inventions such as aviation or tanks. Thanks to this, France would seek to surround and destroy the enemy in a decisive battle and thus win despite numerical inferiority. This was also brought about by the creation of the National Industrial Committee, which began to govern the production of military goods with an iron fist. On an international level, it sent volunteers to all the conflicts it could and supported syndicalist factions in the different countries. However, the greatest event was when a general strike in Switzerland led to a socialist revolution, supported by French troops. This opened up the entire southern flank of Germany. Although some members of the new German government wanted to invade the country, the fall of Kurt von Schleicher's government allowed Switzerland to fall under a totalist government.

French troops in Genoa, supported by an old Swiss tank. The presence of French units in Switzerland raised eyebrows in Germany, which feared an advance from the south if war ever broke out.
Further north, Oswald Mosley ruled with an iron fist. But although his social and economic policies were the same as in France, his military policy was different. Mosley's approach was to strengthen the fleet and the navy, innovating and seeking superiority. But for the defence of his island he decided to continue the creation of popular militias by districts. However, determined to have international projection, he created the People's Marines and armoured units, the vanguard of the forces of the International. But without a doubt, the greatest weapon of the Union of Great Britain was RED, the intelligence agency of the Third International. Although it officially belonged to France, the reality is that 80% of its commanders were English. And this, directed by Oswald Mosley himself, acted unilaterally. And this caused the first great crisis between the Reichspact and the Third International.

In mid-1938, the Dutch elections took place. The main parties were the CNA, social conservative, and the SDAP - VDB coalition, which were the social democratic and social liberal parties. The Netherlands, although neutral, was within the German sphere of influence, with the ANC ruling the country for the last few years. However, in late 1937, the East Indies colony had suffered an armed rebellion, where the state of Insuland was formed. This state was a grouping of military organisations that wished to expel the colonisers. Although there were left-wing groups among them, the most influential were those supported by the Japanese. Unable to defend themselves, the ANC government ordered the mobilisation of young men to serve in the conflict. This was unpopular and ended up causing the SDAP-VDB coalition to win the election.

Although this in itself might not have changed anything, it did. Just two weeks after the change of government, the German press leaked that the new government was negotiating peace with the Indonesian insurgency, promising that they would withdraw peacefully. This greatly agitated Dutch politics, with radicalization rising throughout the Netherlands. Finally, the Dutch Parliament burned on the night of January 1, 1938, supposedly set on fire by socialist agitators. This was the last straw and the next day the Army carried out a coup d'état, with the covert support of members of the royal family and the German intelligence services.

But this blow was counterproductive. A week later, the Patriotten syndicalist association started a general uprising in Rotterdam, which quickly spread throughout the country. Within three days, all of Holland fell under its power and the royal family fled first to Germany and then to its domain in Batavia. Now, the northern flank of Germany had fallen to syndicalism. Shortly afterwards, the German press leaked that the coup had been supported by RED and People's Marine units. Although this would have been a casus belli and Germany could have allied itself with the monarchist remnants to invade Holland, the German political paralysis prevented this. Now, David Wijnkoop and his totalist group would lead a harsh repression in the country, supported by British units. Shortly afterwards, they were incorporated into the International as full members.

In southern Europe, the War of Italian Unification continued, somewhat stagnant. Although Mussolini's Italy continued to fight and inflict heavy casualties on its enemies, the Coalition for Unification between Venice, the Two Sicilies, the Papal States and Sardinia managed to advance into socialist territory. However, without further organisation between them it was likely that Mussolini could continue to resist.

To the east, there was a tense calm in the southern Balkans. After the 4th Balkan War, the pro-German Bugaria had imposed itself on the Belgrade Pact of Serbia, Greece and Romania. Although Bulgarian hegemony had been achieved, it had been at a terrible cost and had to cede part of the country to the Turks, who had taken advantage of a moment of weakness. And now, Savinkov's Russia began to rearm the defeated countries, in the hope of being able to ally with them against German hegemony.

Further north, the Ausgleich of 1937 ended in complete failure. Although some members hoped to convince Hungary to join Austria in a Danubian Federation, this was impossible. For the time being, the members of the Austro-Hungarian Empire remained separate at least until the Ausgleich of 1947, where the Hungarians promised to discuss the issue of joining a Danubian Federation again. However, Hungary's power over the other non-German members of the Empire continued to cause tensions.

Further east, Savinkov's Russia continued its "National Revolution." After changing the Constitution and granting himself all executive power, Savinkov began by purging the Russian Senate and bureaucracy. With this, Savinkov and his supporters created the "Union for Defence of Motherland and Freedom" (SZRS) uniting several far-right parties. Now, the SZRS was the only party allowed in Russia. And with all the power, he began a rapid re-industrialization of the country, using political dissidents as slave labor. However, Savinkov was too quick. Thus in May 1937 he declared war on the Central Asian republics, using the excuse that this would stop the attacks of the nomadic tribes on the border villages.

Despite the great numerical superiority of the Russians, this was a real disaster for the Russian National Revolutionary Army. The lack of young officers, poor air support and lack of supplies made the Russian troops unable to take all the territory that was planned, finally, a ceasefire was signed in July 1938, whereby the occupied Russian territories would remain under their control. The rest remained independent.

Although this failure was notorious, it was a perfect political tool for the Russian Government. Now, it was able to purge the army and turn it directly into a tool of the Regime. The old generals of the regime, with Kornilov at the head, were removed so that a new generation of young officers could rise to power. However, this purge did not stop internal conflicts within the party. Everyone was clear that Russia must redeem its humiliation against Germany and free its "brothers" from German oppression. However, they did not agree on the role of the Russian state once Germany was defeated.

The first faction within the SZRS were the "Old Svobodniks" like Aleksandr Digkof-Derental, Karol Vendzyagolsky and Flegont Klepikov - men who fought with Savinkov since 1917 and continue to form the inner, trusted circle of the party. Their main goal was the eradication of socialism on an international level, although they could be quite pragmatic. Their main problem was that being a very closed faction (since its members were members of Savinkov's troops during the civil war) it was not easy for them to expand. Thus, the other factions were gaining ground.

Secondly, there were the "National Solidarists" around Mikhail Georgievsky. These were the most moderate group within the party, with many members having belonged to other conservative parties until the founding of the SZRS. Their politics were more economically moderate, which earned them the support of the Church. And their aim was not only to defeat syndicalism, but also to de-radicalize the party. Their motto: "governance, not terror." And so, they believed that once the conflict with Germany was over, they should present themselves as anti-socialist champions and form a shield against socialism.

Finally, there was the more radical faction, the Ideocrats, led by Eurasianist Pyotr Savistky. These sought to create a totalitarian and technocratic state, led by the party. And they believed that once the war was over, their forces should be directed to the East, where hundreds of thousands of square kilometers of territory were being wasted by inferior races. Inferior races that the Russians would civilize to form "Eurasia." Unlike the National Solidarists, the Ideocrats were anti-church and revolutionaries. Many were pagans and believed that their great ideological ancestor was Genghis Khan himself.

Returning to central Europe, Germany was still in crisis. After the fall of the quasi-dictatorial government of Kurt von Schleicher, Carl Friedrich Goerdeler was appointed as his successor. He attempted to moderate the policies of the previous government and reach a middle ground. This was a failure. On the one hand, although the syndicalist parties remained banned, the same was not true of the unions. And this, added to the fact that the SPD had been contaminated by von Schleicher's influence, meant that the political struggle against the regime was carried out by the unions, which were increasingly inclined towards the Third International. Regarding economic policy, Goerdeler tried to reach a middle ground. Unlike Schleicher's corporatism, Goerderler reopened the economy to the outside and allowed more free markets, although some companies remained public. This meant a complete redo of all the economic policies of the old government, and it brought about a second Black Monday, to which the Goerderler government responded by cutting the army budget. Without a doubt, the first year of Goerderler's government had been a tremendous failure. The only good point of the government was the end of the occupation of Belgium, which was placed under a monarchy supported by the army.

In the south, the Ottomans continued to withstand the pressure of their independence movements. However, the pressure from Iraq and the Arabs seemed to be about to trigger a serious conflict...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Merry Christmas! We're back to the outside world. While I would have liked to include a bit more history about our "Ides of March," I think it's best to leave that for the next chapter. In the next one, we'll talk about the Far East and delve into the last session of Congress in Denver. Obviously, I'll probably have less time to write over Christmas. Although I think I might be able to publish a final chapter before 2025. Who knows? I wish you all a happy holiday season and enjoy it as much as you can.

Ah, so it seems the conspiracy is falling apart. Not surprising, seeing how clumsy it has been done.

So it's all one big bluff then? Former President Hoover is bold, I'll give him that. But with already poor odds and these kinds of stakes, it still feels like he hasn't though this through. But maybe he doesn't have time to? Maybe it's now or never.

Well, it seems so. Certainly, there are few men willing to kill/stop America's new hero. But the original Ides of March conspirators didn't have that much initial support either. And as you say, it's now or never. We'll see what our Herbert Hoover does in the next chapter.

Even the Supreme Court thinks MacArthur should step down, he really will be inviting an uprising by clinging on to power.

I see Ike/Frankfurter showing up going one of two ways: one, they're here to diplomatically make MacArthur step down. Or two, they're here to warn him.

We still don't know what Frankfurter said to him. But he must have said something. The curious thing is that Eisenhower is there...

Great update! Doesn't your title already tell us what his choice will be?

Excellent. Even more convenient is using threadmarks to essentially index as you go, without having to create one manually. You can do it retrospectively if you can be bothered.

I'll see if I have time this Christmas to see how it's done.

Who was in charge there before the coup?

The Labour Party, although its syndicalist part, was about to join the Third International, something unacceptable to MI6.

Is this break final? Or will the Ides of March plot (however it plays out) change Prescott’s perspective? Either way, the Big Mac has too many Hoovers spoiling the broth!

The Congress session will certainly not leave anyone indifferent.

Thanks for this chapter. Yes, it seems MacArthur has grown too accustomed to absolute power. Completely believable that he doesn't want to step down.

I did not see the military siding against him, but that closing scene with Ike and Frankfurter tells me something different is happening.

This is the problem with dictators. They always see themselves as the sole answer to a crisis. Funny though, the end of the crisis never seems to happen. There's always another chapter and more fires to tamp out.

Very interesting reflection. It is completely true. Without a doubt, the fact that they have just finished a civil war and need a strong government is a perfectly valid argument. But it is nothing more than another excuse to remain in power.

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

Unlike Schleicher's corporatism, Goerderler reopened the economy to the outside and allowed more free markets, although some companies remained public. This meant a complete redo of all the economic policies of the old government, and it brought about a second Black Monday, to which the Goerderler government responded by cutting the army budget. Without a doubt, the first year of Goerderler's government had been a tremendous failure. The only good point of the government was the end of the occupation of Belgium, which was placed under a monarchy supported by the army.

This will surely have repercussions when the Second Weltkrieg starts...

 

[Bullfilter]

A wide ranging sweep through some of the major hot spots around the world. And a merry Christmas to you.