TR wins in 1912

[Hash]

Yes, and do make the Zentrum or whatever you call it here a Catholic party like IRL.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Yes, and do make the Zentrum or whatever you call it here a Catholic party like IRL.

It was the German word for Centrist, and I will.

[Хahar 🤔]

Yes, and do make the Zentrum or whatever you call it here a Catholic party like IRL.

It was the German word for Centrist, and I will.

Next time, don't use a machine translator. I know just about every political term in the German language, so I can help you with that if you need.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

The Second Term on Franklin Roosevelt

In his first Inaugural Address, President Roosevelt discusses in great detail his view of America in the world.  He defends the continued occupation of Austria and Hungary, although he says that he intends to return them to self government by 1940.  He says that he is proud of the progress made in other countries, and notes that Germany will hold its first free elections in early July.

The Roosevelt Cabinet is unchanged from the Tydings Cabinet, and intentional move on Roosevelt’s part, as he wanted for continuity.

On July 1, 1937, Justice Willis Van Devanter retires from the Court.  FDR appoints Senator Hugo Black (D-AL) to replace him.

The German Elections of 1937:
On July 14, 1937, the country of Germany holds its first entirely unsupervised elections.  The results are a resounding victory for the German Nationalists, and Hermann Göring is elected Prime Minister.

Partisan Divide in 1937 (647 seats, members of coalition in bold)
DNVP (Nationalists): 155
Centre Party (Catholics): 123
SPD (Social Democrats): 91
DVP (Peoples Party): 78
USPD (Independent Socialists): 78
KPD (Communists): 52
DDP (Democrats): 44
BVP (Bavarian People's Party): 26

On August 9, 1937, former President Roosevelt, the First Lady’s uncle, dies at the age of 79, of a heart attack in his sleep.  President Roosevelt, speaking at TR’s funeral, comments, “Death had to take Cousin Theodore sleeping, for if he had been awake, there would have been a fight.”

On September 29, 1937, speaking in Vienna, President Roosevelt announces that the US occupation of Austria and Hungary will cease on June 1, 1938, on the condition that free elections are held by January 31, 1938.  The news brings joy throughout both countries, especially in Vienna, where Adolf Hitler and Engelbert Dollfuß, Co-Chairman of the National Socialist Austrian Worker’s Party, sense an opportunity to seize control of the government in the coming elections.

The Austria Elections of 1938:

As expected privately by both Hitler and Dollfuß, their Party wins a majority in the first Austrian Congress, winning almost 60% of the seats, in the elections held on January 4, 1938.  Following the elections, Hitler and Dollfuß are elected Co-Prime Ministers of Austria, to share power equally.  However, on April 30, Dollfuß is found dead in his hotel room, of an apparent suicide.  In a note penned in his handwriting, Dollfuß states that he was unable to deal with the pressure of the Presidency; the Party quickly reconvenes, and elects Hitler as Prime Minister of Austria.  Within hours, he makes private overtures to Prime Minister Göring, speaking of a possible co-leadership of a joined country of German-Austria.

The Hungarian Elections of 1938:

In the first free elections in Hungary, the non-partisan National Assembly of Hungary re-established the Kingdom of Hungary, and made Miklós Horthy regent, and gave him all the prerogatives of the King, with the exception of the right to name titles of nobility and of the patronage of the Church.  Those prerogatives included the power to appoint and dismiss prime ministers, to convene and dissolve parliament, and to command the armed forces.  Despite some misgivings of FDR’s part, after meeting with Horthy, he officially ends the US occupation of Hungary, on May 28, 1938, after 19 years of occupation.

The 1938 Congressional Elections

With President Roosevelt’s approval ratings at almost record levels, following his reestablishment of peace with Austria and Hungary, the Democrats make massive gains in both houses.

House Results:
Democrats: 260 (+34)
Progressives: 53 (-17)
Republicans: 89 (-21)
Farmer-Labor: 33 (+4)

Senate Results:
Democrats: 66 (+6)
Progressives: 21 (-5)
Republicans: 5 (-2)
Populist: 4 (+1)

[Хahar 🤔]

Cool. Two quibbles, though:

• Chancellor, not Prime Minister
• Socialist-Nationalist coalition?

[Robespierre's Jaw]

An interesting update. Glad to see this update mainly focused on foreign events, not just events that took place in the United States during the first months of the Roosevelt Administration. Not to mention, I'm looking forward to the 1940 Presidential Election, should be an interesting race.

I sense Chancellor Hitler of Austria will do something very suss in the upcoming update of the timeline. Any ideas as to what Hitler will do?

[Hash]

• Socialist-Nationalist coalition?

Quite fishy, especially if the DNVP is still a fascist-lite party.

[War on Want]

• Socialist-Nationalist coalition?

Quite fishy, especially if the DNVP is still a fascist-lite party.

Well the DNVP was never really fascist-lite, just Nationalists. They were the closest thing to Monarchists the Weimar Republic ever had.[/list]

[Хahar 🤔]

• Socialist-Nationalist coalition?

Quite fishy, especially if the DNVP is still a fascist-lite party.

Well the DNVP was never really fascist-lite, just Nationalists. They were the closest thing to Monarchists the Weimar Republic ever had.

They were the respectable counterpart to the Nazis by the '30s.[/list]

[War on Want]

• Socialist-Nationalist coalition?

Quite fishy, especially if the DNVP is still a fascist-lite party.

Well the DNVP was never really fascist-lite, just Nationalists. They were the closest thing to Monarchists the Weimar Republic ever had.

They were the respectable counterpart to the Nazis by the '30s.[/list]

Of course but it took them a while to get to that point.

[Хahar 🤔]

• Socialist-Nationalist coalition?

Quite fishy, especially if the DNVP is still a fascist-lite party.

Well the DNVP was never really fascist-lite, just Nationalists. They were the closest thing to Monarchists the Weimar Republic ever had.

They were the respectable counterpart to the Nazis by the '30s.[/list]

Of course but it took them a while to get to that point.

Even before, they were sort of the anti-SPD.

[AltWorlder]

1. Why is there a Farmer-Labor Party?  Shouldn't they be incorporated in the Progressives/Populists?

2. What did the Progressives stand for in the 1930s?  It seems like FDR's policies are largely things that they would have championed for, not the Democrats.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

1. Why is there a Farmer-Labor Party?  Shouldn't they be incorporated in the Progressives/Populists?

It's true that these parties are very much alike, but the Farmer-Labor Party is a regional party in the Midwest, while the Populists are in the South, and the Progressives are more national, although they focus less on agriculture, a void that is filled by the other parties.

2. What did the Progressives stand for in the 1930s?  It seems like FDR's policies are largely things that they would have championed for, not the Democrats.

Overall, the Progressives are the liberal party: smaller military, more domestic spending, civil rights, etc.  FDR is very popular with Progressives.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

As FDR enters the last two years of his term, speculation is abound as to whether or not he will seek a third term.  He will have served for just six years, and since TR was reelected two more times in the 1910’s, the two term rule does not seem as sacrosanct as it had been previously.

However, FDR pays no attention to the rumors, and begins a phase of legislating that is almost unheard of in US history.  He begins by sending Congress the National Labor Relations Act of 1939, which protected the rights of most workers in the private sector to organize labor unions, to engage in collective bargaining, and to take part in strikes and other forms of concerted activity in support of their demands.  Despite strong opposition from senior Southern barons, the Bill passes both Houses with combined Democratic and Progressive support.

Shortly following the NLRA, he sends Congress the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1939, which established the first minimum wage in US history.  Again, this Bill had the support of liberal Democrats and Progressives.

On July 1, 1939, Justice Louis Brandies retires from the Court.  Roosevelt appoints former Brandeis clerk Calvert Magruder to replace him.

The 1940 Presidential Election

On January 9, 1940, Roosevelt ends all speculation when he announces that he will seek a third term as President, saying that “I still have a lot to do.”  He also announces that Vice President Bankhead will run again as well.

The 1940 Progressive National Convention

Due to the popularity of President Roosevelt, there appears to be only one candidate willing to challenge him: 1936 Vice President nominee Wallace H. White of Maine.  However, the results of the first Primary, in Wisconsin, is shocking: President Roosevelt wins as a write in.

1940 Progressive Primaries:

March 10th (Wisconsin)
Wisconsin: Roosevelt 52%, White 48%

Despite the shocking upset, White vows to continue, and hopes to solidify his nomination in the upcoming primaries.

March 17th (Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Oklahoma)
Alabama: Roosevelt 53%, White 47%
Arkansas: Roosevelt 67%, White 33%
Iowa: Roosevelt 54%, White 46%
Maine: White 57%, Roosevelt 43%
New Hampshire: Roosevelt 51%, White 49%
New Jersey: Roosevelt 57%, White 43%
Oklahoma: Roosevelt 60%, White 40%


In a shocking turn of events, the Progressives decide to nominate President Roosevelt on their ticket, or, rather, decides not to run a candidate at all, focusing their resources on the Congressional races, where they have been doing poorly.

The 1940 Democratic National Convention

There is no opposition to Roosevelt and Bankhead, and they are renominated unanimously, with Roosevelt joking about his Progressives nomination as well.

The 1940 Republican National Convention

With no major Republicans interested in running, the nomination 1936 VP William Barbour, who selects Senator Warren Austin of Vermont as his running mate.

The 1940 Presidential Election

In the first two man race since 1908, President Roosevelt appears set for a massive landslide.  The fact that he is also running on the Progressive ticket helps matters greatly, and he is reelected in the greatest landslide in US history, winning all but two states.

Franklin Roosevelt/William Bankhead: 63% PV, 512 EV
William Barbour/Warren Austin: 37% PV, 19 EV

The 1940 Congressional Elections

Given the already impressive size of the Democratic majority, it had been unrealistic to assume any Democratic gains.  However, the Democrats pick up seats in both Houses, although they gain more in the House than Senate.

House Results:
Democrats: 277 (+17)
Republicans: 84 (-5)
Progressives: 44 (-9)
Farmer-Labor: 30 (-3)

Senate Results:
Democrats: 70 (+4)
Progressives: 17 (-4)
Populist: 5 (+1)
Republicans: 4 (-1)

[Hash]

Progressives.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Progressives.

Don't worry; the Progressives will find their issue in 1941.

[War on Want]

Interesting that we also both have Roosevelt as a leftist in both of our TL's.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Interesting that we also both have Roosevelt as a leftist in both of our TL's.

Not particularly hard to imagine that, actually.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Progressives.

Don't worry; the Progressives will find their issue in 1941.

A possible War maybe?

[War on Want]

Progressives.

Don't worry; the Progressives will find their issue in 1941.

A possible War maybe?

What war would be fought though if Hitler is in Austria? Possibly the Soviets I guess...

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Progressives.

Don't worry; the Progressives will find their issue in 1941.

A possible War maybe?

What war would be fought though if Hitler is in Austria? Possibly the Soviets I guess...

Well I wasn't thinking along the lines of Hitler, but then again I doubt a possible war with the Soviets. Who knows

[Хahar 🤔]

I have something in mind, but I seriously doubt Ben is looking at the socioeconomic trends the same way I am, and I want to see what he does.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I have something in mind, but I seriously doubt Ben is looking at the socioeconomic trends the same way I am, and I want to see what he does.

What are you thinking?

[War on Want]

My guess is that by 1980, the Democrats are a Southern-Populist party, the Republicans are more Goldwater-ish and the Progressives are the equivalent of a latte liberal party or the DLC.

[Хahar 🤔]

I have something in mind, but I seriously doubt Ben is looking at the socioeconomic trends the same way I am, and I want to see what he does.

What are you thinking?

It's a secret.