United States of America

America

The **United States of America**, or simply the **United States**, **USA** or **America**, is a country in North America. It is a federal presidential constitutional republic, headed by a President. The current incumbent President is Herbert Hoover, as part of the Republican Party. The politics of the United States is heavily dominated by the Republicans and their rival, the Democratic Party, however two third parties, the Socialist Party and the Corporate Party, have emerged as a reaction to the economic problems and the United States' long-lasting policy of Prohibition.

The United States is a major player in the world, despite holding strong isolationist views, cemented since the events of the Great War. The United States abstained from the Great War following the election of Charles Evans Hughes in 1916, a price that their allies in the United Kingdom and France felt against Germany.

## History

### Don't Wake the Giant

The key difference between the United States of our timeline and the Roterkrieg timeline is the undisturbed isolation they pursued during the Great War. While in our timeline, President Woodrow Wilson won the 1916 Presidential election and led America into the Great War, in the Roterkrieg timeline, Charles Evans Hughes won 1916 and held a strong commitment to keep the United States out of the war. For his Presidency, President Hughes' commitment to isolationism meant that the United States maintained neutrality in the European conflict, despite selling ammunitions and supplies to the Entente forces, as well as keeping out of the Russian Civil War, leading the White Movement further into disarray and disorganisation.

The extent of the United States' foreign policy was the Mexican Revolution, in which the country held a strong part in ensuring the safe transition of Mexico into a democratic state. President Hughes offered supplies to the revolutionaries, as well as military and political advice for moving Mexico into the modern age.

Hughes, however, did face contempt in Congress over his inability to intervene in the war; with German boats attacking American supply ships, some in Congress believed it was America's 'moral duty' to get involved, but President Hughes held firm that the United States had no position in the war. The most notable critic of Hughes' handling of American foreign policy was the former President, Woodrow Wilson himself, who in 1918 became an international figure and criticised Hughes' leadership, stating that America was failing in its role of being a bastion of democracy and peace by not intervening. President Hughes, however, held firm, stating that supplying the Entente was enough, and that America had to be more focused on what was going on along its own borders, rather than in Europe.

When the war ended in 1919 and Germany transitioned into a socialist republic in 1920, President Hughes was relaxed on the subject, stating that "Germany has chosen her path, and we should leave her to it". The careless attitude to the rise in socialism and German Spartacism left President Hughes largely unpopular, and he announced he would not run for a second term, being replaced in 1920 with Warren G. Harding as the nomination for the Republican Party, who went on to become President.

### Prohibition

Entering the Roaring 20s, the United States was entering a period of economic isolationism and superiority, specifically enhanced by the prohibition on alcohol - with workers and companies now operating sober, American enterprise skyrocketed above most international businesses, but also resulted in a skyrocketing of organised crime, the most notable of which being the Chicago Outfit and the ruthless Alphonse Capone. While prohibition rocked on, organised crime rings began forming speakeasies all over America to illegally distribute alcohol to those opposed to the prohibition law, using loopholes in the Volstead Act that the Federal government did not know how to control.

Nevertheless, American isolationism boosted the economy beyond all parallels. The incumbent Republicans of the decade, including the early Harding, to Calvin Coolidge and eventually the incumbent President Herbert Hoover, maintained American neutrality and isolationism in the period, but continued to uphold alliances with the Entente powers. The United States became one of the first countries to hold relations with the German Socialist Republic but also held strong anti-Socialist and anti-Communist ideals within their borders.

### Economic Crash and Election Time

Entering the late 1920s, the United States' undisturbed isolationism resulted in its economic downfall. When organised crime took a toll and prohibition resulted in less economic advantage from alcohol, the United States began looking for alternatives. Many blamed the new President, Herbert Hoover, for the economic downfall, and his inability to save the country from economic crash turned some to look at the Democrats for help.

In particular, the Democrats began listening to the economic promises of its candidates, believing 1932 to be the time when the Republicans could finally be toppled. Specifically, they listened to the reformist ideas of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the radicalist ideas of Huey Long and the liberal and smooth-sailing ideas of Al Smith. FDR was largely seen as too reformist and too soft on socialism, Long too radical in his ideas bordering Fascism and Smith not enough being done to fix the economy; but as the main fighters in the election, the nominations came down to them. On the side, John Nance Garner and Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. also tossed their hats into the ring, in case the ideas of the 'big three' were not seen as fruitful enough.

The Republicans began to see Hoover himself as a detriment. Despite the President running for the Republican seat, other contenders began to realise their moment to potentially save the Republican Party from ending its streak: John J. Blaine and Joseph I. France were the most obvious. Unlikelier was James Wolcott Wadsworth Jr. as a potential candidate, and the most surprising choice, albeit a possible underdog one, was the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Douglas MacArthur, who was on a spur of popularity as America's rising military star, who stated that if push came to shove, he would throw his hat into the ring of the Republican nomination.

With the Soviet Union and the Germans on the rise, Socialism has also been on the rise in the United States as well. After several unsuccessful runs, the Socialist Party have seen the potential to finally take the reins amidst a wave of desperation. Looking for sturdy candidates, the Party chose four nominees: Floyd B. Olson, the Populist Progressivist; William Z. Foster, the Staunch Union Boss; Jay Lovestone, the Compromising Communist; and finally Norman Thomas, the Benevolent Pacifist.

### Capone's Fourth Way

However, the Democrat and Republican ideas to some were not held favourably; Long's ideas, for example, were seen as overly populist and potentially socialist or even Fascist. In particular, untouchable crime boss Al Capone believed that Long's ideas would jeopardise the American economy, and believed that the two parties together did not have a suitable plan to beat back the economic problems. But specifically, Capone's attention to fixing the economy turned to one major enemy: Prohibition. Capone believed alleviating the ban on prohibition and returning alcohol into a corporate investment would highly bolster the American economy once again. Furthermore, Capone's ideas stemmed further. With organised crimes and underground enterprises flourishing in a time of economic downfall, he believed that corporations were benefitting greatly over the Federal government. As a result, Capone began to realise that an institutionalised form of corporate government would be a necessary evil for saving the economy. He called this new form of government Corporatism.

Capone's ideas spread like wildfire amongst those disapproving of Prohibition. Specifically, he garnered the support of some Republicans and Democrats who were fed up with the Prohibition laws and believed they were more counterproductive than helping the economy. With them, Capone founded the Corporate Party, and opted to run for President in 1932 as another third party. Despite his criminal history, the lack of evidence to convict Capone made him practically untouchable, and some were seeing him as a white knight for the American enterprise dream.

By 1932, the heat is on. Hoover battles for re-election, and the Democrats set their eyes on the Presidency, but it is possible, although unlikely, that Capone may just swoop in at the last second, for a surprising third party win.

## Way Forward

The player's decision for the outcome of the 1932 Presidential election can determine America's future, by choosing the appropriate nominations.

### Republican Nominations

The Republicans are looking to resecure victory in their long streak since 1916. Some of them are doubtful that the current President has the power to fight it.

* Herbert Hoover
* John J. Blaine
* Joseph I. France
* James Wolcott Wadsworth Jr.
* Douglas MacArthur (Unofficial nomination)

### Democratic Nominations

The Democrats are seeking a way to finally pull the Republicans off the high chair and out of the Oval Office. Their main focus: fix the economy.

* Franklin D. Roosevelt
* Huey Long
* Al Smith
* John Nance Garner
* Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.

### Socialist Nominations

The Socialists believe the economic conditions are just desperate enough to warrant a drastic change of pace. The Democrats and the Republicans can no longer be trusted to save America, and neither can Capone's alternative. The best way forward is to amalgamate America in Germany's successful model.

* Floyd B. Olson
* William Z. Foster
* Jay Lovestone
* Norman Thomas

### Alphonse Capone

If Alphonse Capone manages to snatch a victory, America will become a corporatist state. This means prohibition can be removed, but also America could seek corporate expansion in the Americas, specifically in the Banana Republics. However, this also means that the United States will become unstable, with areas of mafia control as a result of Capone's Presidency.

As a gangster, Capone can be assassinated as President, and his Vice President take control, whoever you choose that to be. Capone is still highly regarded by some as a criminal, which means his victory will likely be a fluke.