The Eagle and the Lion: A History of the United States

[volksmarschall]

As the world was descending into turmoil, with war clouds gathering over Europe, the United States sat comfortably across the Atlantic Ocean. The League of Nations looked hopelessly onward as Benito Mussolini and Fascist Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935, and China bled herself dry in a morbid war between Nationalists and Communists, all the while Japan’s invasion of Manchuria or Manchukuo went virtually unnoticed in the world’s eye; all while the United States was coping with the “Great Depression.” Meanwhile, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was in fully behind his Second New Deal, which included the Wagner Act in hopes to bring relief, recovery and reform to the United States in battling the depression.

The Great Depression rocked the US like a major hurricane, sending shockwaves, dustbowls, and unemployment across the country. The lack of confidence of Hoover’s “rugged individualism” led to a slaughter in the ballot boxes come November of 1932, however, 1936 is an election year, and none more crucial for FDR and his New Deal supporters. The upstart Senator Huey Long of Louisiana, having survived his assassination attempt, appeared to be launching his “Share our Wealth” program and making a viable run for the Democratic Party, or possibly launching his own party if he should fail to gain the Democratic nomination. To make things worse, Father Charles Coughlin, arguably the most influential and powerful man on radio, was campaigning for Long with every broadcast and speech he gave to the country. Among other things, the progressive-minded Republican Governor of Kansas, Alfred M. Landon looked to have the complete backing of the Republican Party as there appeared to be no real challenge to him, a party behind one candidate, especially one in favor of most New Deal programs could entice many moderates and centrists to turn to Landon over Roosevelt come November as the economy was still in shambles, with only government sector jobs increasing since 1932.

And with Hitler ready to reclaim the Rhineland, the industrial heartland of Germany, an unstable Iberian Peninsula, one can wonder how much longer the world has before a small ignition sparks a major storm. For America, safe across the ocean, facing domestic issues above the troubles of the world, to the average American, war seems far from possible; especially with the isolationist-wing keeping a careful eye on the troubling factors brewing in Europe and abroad, well-knowing that the United States won’t be able to ignore the cries of the world for long.

As for Roosevelt, his plate was full of problems: the Great Depression, an upcoming election, and growing fascist imperialists in Rome, Tokyo and Berlin.

From left to right, FDR's three biggest concerns: The Great Depression, Senator Huey Long of Louisiana, and Governor Alfred M. Landon of Kansas. Since 1933, FDR was hard at work combating the depression with his "New Deal," but as 1936 came rolling around, his projects have only caused minor improvement. Out of the two politicians, Roosevelt was more concerned with Long and his 'populist' "Share our Wealth Program" than with Landon, a Progressive-Republican who supported a majority of New Deal programs.

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Note: Sorry Yogi, the title is somewhat similar to one of your AAR's that was instrumental in bringing me to finally register on these forums.

 

[unmerged(169228)]

Looks interesting. Roosevelt should be worried indeed, the popular Long could take the 'Solid South' from him with ease. Perhaps an alliance between Roosevelts northern supporters and Landons progressive republicans to raise Teddie Roosevelts progressives from the grave?

 

[Andreios II]

Interesting indeed! The threat from Long and Landon seems to be more emphasised here, so maybe he'll face tougher opposition than in TTL...
The title interests me too, does the 'Lion' mean Britain will have a bigger role in American affairs perhaps?

 

[volksmarschall]

Looks interesting. Roosevelt should be worried indeed, the popular Long could take the 'Solid South' from him with ease. Perhaps an alliance between Roosevelts northern supporters and Landons progressive republicans to raise Teddie Roosevelts progressives from the grave?

The Solid South would easily vote for a man like Long or another Southern Democrat who has different liberal ideas, mainly on the count that the South is one of the hardest hit regions of the depression, and there has been little progress since. And Teddy Roosevelt might just be smiling in his grave if Landon becomes President...

Interesting indeed! The threat from Long and Landon seems to be more emphasised here, so maybe he'll face tougher opposition than in TTL...
The title interests me too, doest the 'Lion' mean Britain will have a bigger role in American affairs perhaps?

Thanks! The threat of Long and Landon is emphasized more, and is something I've always liked to wonder about. There's are some fantastic books about Huey Long, the best is by T. Harry Williams, "Huey Long" and I'm going to be using a lot of his work to implement into this AAR. I'll say FDR will face a lot tougher opposition this go around.

As for Britain, the British will have/will try to have a more active affair, perhaps not in US affairs but certainly world affairs. The title, I hope, will come out as the AAR comes along.

 

[volksmarschall]

The Home Front

THE HOME FRONT
(January-April, 1936)​

An all too common sight during the Great Depression. Since being sworn in as President, Roosevelt has put every moment of his Presidency to try and solve the depression to no avail. New Deal critics argue that the economy was resolved because it didn’t do enough (from the left), and that it was nothing more than a socialist program to derail capitalism (from the right).

The Second New Deal

President Roosevelt was battling the Great Depression with full force and with as much manpower as he was able to do so with. Roosevelt, a keen liberal and popular gentlemen, pushed his first “New Deal” to bring major relief to the people of the United States, especially those who were hit the hardest with the Stock Market Crash in 1929. The Works Progress Administration, the WPA, was a major program and the largest federal agency to send people back to work, was the relief and jobs creating arm of the New Deal Programs. The WPA sent millions of unemployed or underemployed Americans back to work on public works projects. Although these jobs, like constructing roads, bridges, modernizing infrastructure and adult education weren’t permanent solutions to ending the depression, the fact that people had jobs, and that the government was doing something made most Americans feel confident in the abilities of President Roosevelt.

Roosevelt’s long awaited “Second New Deal” would focus on the remaining two R’s of the FDR’s New Deal: Recovery and Reform. FDR would strangle the banks to ensure Wall Street bankers wouldn’t make the same mistakes and have all the power and money in the New York Stock Exchange, thus hoping that another crash wouldn’t occur. The most glaring reform item passed by Roosevelt and his majority controlled Congress was the Wagner Act, or the National Labor Relations Act, capping the private sector businessmen in their own power. The Act allowed for collective bargaining and the creation and formations of worker’s unions across the country for any business, and allowed for union workers to organize and rally strikes. Despite heavy controversy, the act made a positive impact where it targeted, to keep businessmen, particularly laissez-faire capitalists from looking over the workers and keep a lack of capital from reaching the hands of the working-class of America. The most prominent supporter of this act was the American Federation of Labor, the largest and most powerful labor union in the country. In all, the act gave allocated a capital increase in many working-class families, at least for those who still had jobs.

Despite of this, Roosevelt looked to bring up the industry of the country, which was failing miserably. On January 1, 1936 he signed the Industrial Reconstruction Acts into law. Initially organized by Secretary of the Interior, Harold L. Ickes, the I.R.A., aimed at launching two four-year industrialization programs, the first effective immediately, and the second to appear later in 1936, presumably around November. Chicago, Detroit, and Cleveland, major industrialized centers that were rocked by the depression, would soon see a major industrial program set forth to bring the cities back into “prosperity.” The second run would target the cities of San Antonio, New York and Philadelphia; cities where the depression hit home the worse, none more so than the slums of New York and Philadelphia.

The first moments of the industrial recovery act begin in Cleveland, Ohio. Soon after the first foundations for new factories were laid in Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia and San Antonio quickly followed suit.

The Election of 1936, Part I

By early January, the outlook of the election come November was quickly becoming situated. As Presidential Primaries were in their infancy, and few states actually holding them, it came to no surprise that Kansas Governor Alf Landon was behind Idaho Senator, and prominent isolationist William Borah, and Illinois Publisher Frank Knox. Even as Landon finished fourth, behind Borah, Knox, and Earl Warren of California, outside of Borah, the rest of the Republican nominees were “Favorite Son Candidates,” candidates that were popular within their own state or regions, but weren’t nationally recognizable figures.

Alf Landon, a Progressive-Republican, sought an expansion and reduction of FDR’s new deal programs. He supported the Social Security Act of 1935. However, Landon attacked the New Deal for not helping Midwesterns enough, an area which included Landon’s home state of Kansas which was hit hard by the famous dust bowls, resulting in a mass migration to California and Oregon to find jobs and homes. Landon also took his Republican stances on regulations and fiscal conservatism. Landon, although supporting restrictions on Wall Street, the Stock Market, and the banks, he didn’t support the restriction of money found in Long’s “Share our Wealth Program,” and attacked certain New Deal Programs for taking money away from the wealthy to be spent on the poor in programs found in the WPA. Landon, heading into the Republican National Convention, was confident in securing the nomination and was already outlining his campaign strategy: “The Square Deal” (Landon’s vision of the New Deal, and named in homage to Progressive Republican Teddy Roosevelt), and isolationism.

As the Republicans seemed set to nominate Alf Landon as their candidate, the Democrats were riding heavy waves. Senator Huey Long, with the backing of Father Charles Coughlin, Iowa Agrarian radical Milo Reno, and North Dakota politician William Lemke; Long sat posed to challenge Roosevelt for the Democratic nomination. Senator Long hit the trails hard, and seemed to have the support of many Southern Democratic delegates, and mountain west delegates. However, the lack of support in the West and Northeast would be a major obstacle for the upstart and populist-minded Senator. Regardless, Long came into the Democratic National Convention with a strong force of delegates from the Solid South, and had a lot of support form Progressives that felt that the New Deal didn’t go far enough, the most prominent leader of this disenfranchised group was Father Charles Coughlin, once a supporter of FDR and the New Deal, now one of the harshest critics, and a vocal supporter of Huey Long and the “Share our Wealth Program.” Just how much support could America’s Radio Priest give Huey Long?

The “Big Three” as dubbed by Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes, Secretary of the Interior for Roosevelt. From left to right, the three men that could cost FDR possible reelection despite high popularity: Senator Huey Long of Louisiana, Father Charles Coughlin of Michigan, and North Dakota Congressman William Lemke, a popular non-partisan Republican, all of whom were former champions of the New Deal.

 

[unmerged(169228)]

Well, that will be a very interesting round of congresses. I can see Landon striking a deal with Knox to broaden his support, but the isolationists can still stirr up trouble.

The democratic congress will probably be total chaos, probably with Long running on a third-party ticket. However, a political genius as Roosevelt might just pull of a surprise at the congress.

Eagerly awaiting how things will continue...

 

[unmerged(123447)]

Excellent stuff! The possibility of Long running a thrid-party campaign is interesting to see, especially with Father Coughlin behind him and Coughlin's wave of listeners too! I can't wait to see the election play out. And with Landon trying a new Square Deal in homage of Roosevelt is certainly going to win over many Progressives I think. Looking forward for more!

 

[Asalto]

That's one interesting presidental race. I think Long has great chance to win. That would make interesting scenario, but what could this mean for United States and the world? I think Long is very isolationist in foreign politics and USA will probably stay out of war if he becomes the president.

 

[unmerged(118324)]

Huey Long, President? A man who might actually combat the depression! Oh man, I can't wait to see what November brings.

 

[Kurt_Steiner]

Yummy, yummy, yummy! Here I join!

 

[unmerged(86922)]

Will follow. Souds like a follow up to the Presidents?

 

[Viden]

Huey Long for President!

 

[volksmarschall]

@ FlyingDuthcie: The Democratic National Convention is in for some... well, fun, if you know what I mean. With the populist Long looking to dethrone the popular Roosevelt, everything is up in arms. For the GOP, will the isolationists or the interventionists win out and get a candidate of their liking on the party ticket with Landon.

@ Red Eagle: Thanks! And yes, Huey Long and Charles Coughlin, the election and the "Share our Wealth" Program may be heading for a better and brighter future than it went down with historically.

@ Asalto: Huey Long is/was a major isolationist, so a victory in 1936 and 1940, or in 1940 could cause for a much different war. (Oh wait, did I just hint to what might be coming in the future with this response! I think not )

@ White_Knight: Looks like Huey Long is creating quite a stir with all of the responses.

@ Kurt_Steiner: Welcome, and I'm glad you've liked it so far. Thanks!

@ mad general: Glad to have you on board. As for a follow up, well, not really. I'm not sure if I'll ever continue my Vicky game into HoI, as for this, I'm bored with just one AAR, and bored with Vicky as I'm waiting for Vicky 2. Plus, I've always wanted to get involved in WWII and the HoI forums.

@ Viden: Another Huey Long patron are we? Well, if you all voted for the election, looks like Long would win in a landslide!

 

[volksmarschall]

Foreign Affairs

FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND THE ROOSEVELT DOCTRINE
(January-July, 1936)​

The Abyssinian Crisis

In 1935, Benito Mussolini and his fascist government launched an invasion of Abyssinia, or Ethiopia. By January of 1936, the Italian armies were far from the results of the First Italo-Abyssinian War (1895-1896) where Italy was humiliated in defeat when fighting the Ethiopians. This time around, the Italians were advancing steadily across the deserts. The League of Nations rejected King Haile Selassie when he spoke out against Italian Aggression in late 1935.

Italian soldiers fighting Ethiopian soldiers during the early moments of the war in 1935. The war was left unnoticed by the rest of the world, including the United States and by President Roosevelt who was concentrated on his “good neighbor policy.”

Through early 1936, Italian forces slugged their way towards Addis Ababa. The southern front was commanded by General Rodolfo Graziani, commander of the Italian Somaliland Militia, who marched north virtually unopposed, to the north was Field Marshal Pietro Badoglio, a politician and top-ranking field commander for the Italian Expeditionary Army in Eritrea. Badoglio and his forces, totaling over 150,000 strong marched south and engaged the Ethiopians during the Christmas Offensive, effectively destroying the Ethiopians northern command. This prompted a swift campaign south.

This led to a rivalry between Graziani and Badoglio to see who could reach Addis Ababa first, and gain national recognition and fame back in Rome. The “Race for Addis Ababa” was left unattended to by the rest of the world, and the Ethiopians put up their last defenses inside their capital city, where the King's Imperial Guards sat ready to defend the city as Haile Selassie and the royal court fled to Switzerland. On March 14, the Italian forces of Field Marshal Badoglio marched into the city, one day later, Graziani engaged and defeated the remnants of the Ethiopian Army outside of the city. Hours later, March 15, 1936, the Kingdom of Italy officially annexed the Kingdom of Ethiopia. One day later, the news of the Italian victory broke on the last page of the New York Times, the only newspaper to report of the Italian victory. It wasn’t until a week or two later that the rest of the world was informed of the Italian conquest and capitulation of the last independent African nation (outside of US-supported Liberia and British-supported South Africa).

News of the Italian victory reaches the shores of the United States, March 16, 1936. With the conquest of Ethiopia, Italy became a major African power behind the United Kingdom and France.

The Good Neighbor Policy

Back at home, FDR was concerned with his “good neighbor” policy, directed towards Latin America. Roosevelt reorganized the Atlantic Fleet to include the US Cuba Squadron, and opened an extensive import/export policy with the Latin American nations. To open the door to trade with America’s neighbors, Vice President Garner went on a four country tour: Cuba, Venezuela, Brazil, and Argentina; the four countries that FDR wanted to conduct trade with the most. The whirlwind tour of Vice President Garner opened up the floodgates to, not only the four aforementioned nations, but the entire Central/South American region as a whole.

Roosevelt formerly withdrew the Monroe Doctrine, promising to not get involved in Latin American affairs, whereas the age old Monroe Doctrine (1820) stated that the US would intervene in Latin American affairs when outside powers sought to expand in this troubled region of the world. Roosevelt’s sudden reverse of policy was seen as a check to Landon’s isolationist views, but others saw it as a form of “appeasement” as most Latin American held a negative view of the American Navy and Army which had intervened in South American affairs on several occasions, most notably under the Theodore Roosevelt Administration. This move saw an rapid increase in US-South American relations, and a new economic market for the struggling United States and the economically unstable Latin America.

Cash for Guns

Roosevelt, witnessing the effects the French and British were taking upon the German re-occupation of the Rhineland, decided to get involved in the Iberian Peninsula and back the Liberal Democratic government in Spain over the Fascist insurgents. President Roosevelt would sell over 20,000 arms and munitions to the Spanish Republic before the outbreak of the civil war, but once the civil war started, Roosevelt fully implemented the “Cash for Guns” Treaty with Spain. With the full blessing of the Senate, FDR would sell over 50,000 weapons, and some 2,000 military vehicles, most of them outdated trucks, to the Spanish Republicans or Loyalists. This transfer came at a hefty price of $5,500,000 to which the Spanish paid for in full. The most interesting choice to aid the troubled Iberian nation was to prevent the spread of Communism from entering Spain. The Soviets had backed the Republicans, while the Germans and Italians backed the Fascist Nationalists. With France and the UK overlooking the civil war and not sending actual government aid, President Roosevelt felt that the fall of Spain to either the Fascists, or to the Communists would be a disaster.

The opening moments of the Spanish Civil War. It wasn’t long afterwards the Roosevelt supported the Republicans, who were also backed by the Communists in the Kremlin.

However, this move was perceived differently on the home front. The quick willingness to aid the Spanish Republicans was picked up by the isolationists who were backing Republican Governor Alf Landon and Senator William Borah, the top two Republicans vying for their party’s nomination; both of whom were making isolationism a integrated part of their possible campaigns. Huey Long would also attack FDR for getting the US tangled into European affairs during a time when “Roosevelt should be concentrated on Americans, not Spaniards.”

This move was popular within the internationalists and the interventionists, but the lack of media and press attention worked in the favor of FDR, who still held a major coalition of anti-war and isolationist liberals who wouldn’t jump ship to an isolationist Republican like Alf Landon. The main battle lines were drawn in terms of the foreign policy between the candidates were set after Roosevelt’s support of the Republicans: Alf Landon would be a isolationist in its fullest, Long looked to be a isolationist comparable to the Republicans, and Roosevelt would be an isolationist who was active in world affairs, if there could ever be someone as such.

 

[Kurt_Steiner]

Let's hope that the Republicans manage to do something useful with that help...

 

[unmerged(169228)]

Always found it funny that a man like Landon, who supported the Progressive Party and wanted a thougher stance against Nazi Germany, was the isolationist candidate.

Looking forward to that democratic congress...

 

[Nathan Madien]

Very awesome, volksmarschall.

Keeping Huey Long alive and letting him wreck havoc in 1936...I went down that road once.

Always found it funny that a man like Landon, who supported the Progressive Party and wanted a thougher stance against Nazi Germany, was the isolationist candidate.

I don't think Landon would have remained an isolationist once World War Two broke out and the Germans overran Western Europe. I think we would have had some form of the Destroyers-For-Bases deal (Frank Knox was a prominent supporter of it) and given Britain some aide. How Landon would have dealt with Churchill personally is an interesting question.

 

[jpj1421]

Is this in your "The Presidents" universe, or is this a whole new beast? Either way, I'll be reading.

 

[unmerged(123447)]

Helping the Spanish Republicans, I wonder how the isolationists will view Roosevelt and his policies to get invovled in the Spanish Civil War? More importantly, will Long and or Landon take advantage and press a more isolationist campaign?

 

[serutan]

So how did it come to pass that Huey Long is still alive? In OTL he was slightly dead
in 1936...