January 1, 1936. The United States of America entered the new year in an even worse situation than they were in before. The economy was doing as bad as ever, stocks plummeting to a market low. The United States was largely unable to produce much, largely focused on trying to keep their population content and producing goods for the small avenues of trade they had left. Due to this, military production was practically halted besides the work on the USS Ranger which was due to be finished and in port by September of this year, if all went according to plan. The United States standing army was rather small, with only a total of five small divisions spread throughout the country. Although the chances of war was slim, the nation of Mexico largely pre-occupied with its own problems and Canada was viewed as a non-issue due to the good relations and promises from King George V to cooperate with the U.S.
State of the U.S. industry.Along with economic issues, the U.S. was deeply trenched in political turmoil. Two new movements quickly sprung up in the past few years quickly gathering support and challenging the traditional Republicans and Democrats. The first of these parties was the Combined Syndicates of America. At first, the CSA was just an organization founded at a Chicago convention of over two hundred anarchists, socialists, and communist in June 1905. The new organization the International Workers of the World, largely focused on establishing trade unions across the country and protesting for workers rights. It largely remained rather unimportant on a national scale, and worked mainly in the regions surrounding Chicago slowly gaining support over the years. In the 1920’s, former political journalist John “Jack” Reed advocated the creation of a coallition of the various trade unions across the United States, as they’d be much stronger when united together. The Internation Workers of the World accepted this challenge, and over the years united a multitude of trade unions into one strong entity, and the Combined Syndicates of America was born. With influences from the multiple shades of socialist, anarchist, and communist opinion the CSA has inspired the workers of america’s heartland, their headquarters resided in Chicago. In the upcoming 1936 election, the CSA plans on supporting John Reed as he runs for president.
John "Jack" Reed, high-ranking member of the CSA.Generally percieved as the ideological opposite of the Combined Syndicates of America, the America First Union was a fairly recent political party formed in 1934 by Huey Long, Senator candidate for Lousiana. The America First Union got its roots in the southern parts of america, and generally believed in Populist ideologies along with Neo-Capitalist economic polices. They demand a re-distribution of wealth and social welfare, but under a strong central government supported by the military and politcal elite. The leader of the America First Union Huey Long is a very charismatic man, with pleny of experience as a Lawyer. First elected as governor of Lousiana in 1928, Huey Long brought about sweeping changes in the form of unpreceded social work programs. The people of Lousiana adored him, as the economy in the state slowly started getting better. In 1932, Huey Long ran for Senate easily being elected by the people of Louisiana, giving the role of governor to his childhood friend Oscar Kelly Allen. With a loyal friend in the position of governor, Huey attempted to gain support in Senate but was largely ignored by the democrats and republicans. Now, with the presidential election of 1936 on its way Huey Long is being put forth as the candidate for the America First Union with a large backing by the south-eastern states.
Huey Long, leader of the America First Union.With the anticipation of the upcoming election along with the general dissent between all parties in the U.S., meanwhile in the eastern hemisphere an anouncement is made that will change the world. On January 12, 1936 Oswald Mosley a major political player of the Union of Britain and veteran of the Weltkrieg announced along with multiple other leftist leaders announced a new ideology they planned to back. This ideology strongly supported the basic principle of a state-controlled economy, the involvement of the state in all internal affairs, along with providing the state with the duty of preserving socialism no matter the cost. Dubbed Totalitarian Socialism, or “Totalism” quickly gained support in various socialist nations, practically changing the political situation in those countries overnight.
Oswald Mosley, giving a fiery speech denouncing foreign economic interests in the Union of Britain.Eight days afterwards, January 20 1936 George the V leader of Canada died due to his poor health caused by the extreme stress he experienced following the Weltkrieg. He was quickly succeeded by his son Edward the VIII, who was coronated a few days after his death. Edward the VIII's goal for his nation was rather unclear. The U.S. was largely unsure if Canada would maintain her promises to keep out of the United States business, and America’s future became even more unclear.
Edward the VIII, pictured shortly before the death of his father King George the V.Things became even worse for the U.S. as a large general strike broke out in Detroit, Michigan on February 11 1936. The United Auto Workers trade union organized the strike, having multiple factories shut down as the workers protested for an increase in pay and less hours and began what they called “Unionism, not Fordism.” The next day, at approximately 2:00 PM a reporter from the Detroit Free Press association asked the leaders of the strike if he could take a picture of them standing on the overpass overlooking a Ford Automotives sign. They agreed, and as soon as they lined up to take the picture fourty men associated with Ford’s internal security department attacked the men beating them with batons, the afterwards beating up groups of women handing out pro-socialist pamphlets nearby. Small-scale rioting later broke out in Detroit, but was quickly calmed down by the local guard with threats of violence. The CSA was outraged by this decision, and they garnered further support from the workers of America. Clearly, it seemed that the political tension in the U.S. was going to continue to escalated even further and many worried for the potential future of the United States of America.
A group of women factory workers, protesting during the Detroit General Strike of 1936.
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Topic: The Disunited States of America (Darkest Hour: Kaiserreich) (Read 40947 times)