Clarence M. Kelley

**Clarence M. Kelley** (1911 - 1997), was an American Enforcement Officer and Politician. He served as Imperial President of the Atlantic Imperium from 1977 to 1980. Kelley was considered as a very competent leader of the Atlantic Imperium Bureau of Investigation but was not a competent politician or military leader. As such he was voted out of office in 1980 after his failure in The War in Mexico and a decline in the Economy.

## Biography

### Early Life and Career

Clarence Kelley was born in Kansas City, Missouri on October 24, 1911. Kelley would join the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1940 as a Special Agent and worked throughout the War of Liberation in the FBI, specifically monitoring the American Soviet Bloc who were gaining some support since the Battle of Central Park in 1937. The FBI's worry was that the ASB would attempt to start an uprising during the War.

He would follow the FBI in it's transition into the Atlantean Bureau of Investigation in 1942 with the formation of the Free Atlantic States. He would rise to Inspector of the Training and Inspection Division at ABI Headquarters in Washington D.C. Here he would be involved in a lot of the Government's work in quelling the Civil unrest at the time.

Kelley would lead the ABI Operatives who located the leader of the NUF in Washington and would lead the raid to kill him, allowing John Smith to gain power of the NUF. Kelley would continue his service in the ABI throughout the 50s and would be a stern supporter of Eisenhower. He was very supportive of the War of the Pacific. His most famous case was the Assassination of President Eisenhower in 1960 by ASB Fighters. Kelley would find out who assassinated the President and would be promoted by President John F. Kennedy to Director of the ABI.

### Chief of the Atlantic Imperium Bureau of Investigation

In 1963, a UEAS Spy plane that was shot down over West, Imperial controlled, Russia. This would spark the Last Great War between the Imperium and the Union of East Asian Soviets. Kelley ,a Patriot, would clash with the Social Democrat, President Kennedy, over Atlantean Involvement in the war. He was joined in this by Richard Nixon who was the former Secretary of Foreign Affairs under Eisenhower and Lyndon B. Johnson ,the Secretary of Defence under both Eisenhower and Kennedy. Eventually in August 1964, the Free Atlantic States would join the war. A year later, Kennedy would be assassinated by a member of the NUF. In the power struggle, The Imperial Army intervenes and forms a Pro-Imperian Government under Erwin Rommel in order to keep the Free Atlantic States in the War. As Rommel was known Conservative, he was eventually accepted as a temporary leader.

Kelley was initially a sceptical of the Rommel Government and he saw it as a plot of the Imperium to gain power over North America. Rommel however would take a shine to Kelley and allow Kelley to form the new "Atlantic Imperium Bureau of Investigation". Kelley did so and Rommel ordered him to bring the culprits to Justice. Rommel's leadership in the war and as a Political Leader surprised Kelley and in 1967 as the war ended, Kelley would join the Party of Atlantic Imperiumists under Rommel. Kelley's Position as Chief of A.I.B.I would be included in Rommel's Presidential constitution.

Throughout Rommel's Presidency, Kelley would be in the forefront of the Atlantic Imperiumist effort against the ADP-P uprisings ,his former party. These uprisings were crushed by military and diplomatic efforts, the Atlantic Imperium entered a Golden Age and the Economy roared under Rommel. The Atlantic Imperium worked as less of an Imperial Puppet but more as an Allied Nation. Kelley would sit comfortably as a well respected member of the Inner Party.

In March 1977 Rommel became very weak and it was unlikely that he'd see the New Year. As a way of showing his appreciation to Kelley for his work in the ADP-P Uprisings and his continued loyalty, Rommel named Kelley as his successor. His Last Act as Imperial President in October 1977 was to request that the country stay united in his death and to trust in his faith in Kelley. Rommel would die in New York City on November 9th 1977 of Old Age. Kelley would become the 2nd Imperial President of The Atlantic Imperium. Kelley would assist in organising his predecessors' state funeral.

### Imperial Presidency

Kelley's Presidency was not nearly successful as his Law Enforcement Career. Kelley found it hard to keep the level of prosperity that the Atlantic Imperium saw under Rommel. He initially cut spending to several sectors which caused a dip in the economy. National Unity was at a low with the Patriots of America beginning a rise and was involved in various raids. However, with his skill in Law Enforcement, he was able to manage this issue quite effectively. But he had little experience in economics and struggled to live up to Rommel's standards.

In 1979, Kelley would start the War in Mexico which would consume most of his presidency. The Mexican National State had reunified the country in 1971 and it's military had been building up around Atlantean Controlled Chihuahua. In 1978, General Sergio Elvira ordered an Atlantean withdrawal from Chihuahua or there would be a Mexican Invasion. Kelley opted to attack first and declared war in 1979.

The War in Mexico was a large failure. He failed to listen to Generals and people on the ground and managed the war ineffectively. Late in 1979, Atlantean Forces reached Mexico City after suffering heavy loss due to Kelley ordering forces to attack unnecessary targets that could have instead be dealt with by air power. His lack of utilisation of the Atlantean Air Force put the Army heavily behind. The Bulk of the Atlantean Army began to siege Mexico City, however Kelley ordered a break in the siege and moved many veteran units away from Mexico City in order to take less significant targets and surround the city. His Secretary of Defence and Security, Ronald Reagan, was furious as Kelley continued to undermine him with the war effort.

This manoeuvre was a tactical disaster and spread the Atlantean Line thin. This allowed a Mexican Breakout in early 1980 and then a full scale counter attack which pushed the Atlanteans back North. After heavy Atlantean Losses, Kelley ordered a ceasefire and then agrees with the MNS Leader , General Sergio Elvira, to withdraw and white peace. Chihuahua remained in Atlantean Hands but at a very very high cost to Atlantean Life.

Due to his failure in the war, Kelley was then voted out in a referendum called by the 5 Atlantean Ministers in May 1980 and the Public vote him out. Ronald Reagan ,the then State Secretary of Defence and Security, was elected as Imperial President in September 1980.

### Post-Presidency

Kelley would retire from Political Service in 1980 at the age of 69. President Reagan did not offer Kelley the position of Chief of A.I.BI and instead placed William H. Webster as the new Chief. Kelley was bitter about Reagan's Presidency and the successes of his administration, especially his victory in the Second Mexican War in 1987. Kelley saw Reagan as too headstrong but it was this fact that made Reagan the better President.

In 1992 with Reagans' resignation and Bill Clinton's Election, Kelley would once again attempt to jump back into the political scene. He approached Clinton and asked for a position, hoping for either his former position as Chief of A.I.BI or Vice President. However after 12 Years of inactivity and Kelley's Age, Clinton declined his application and gave the Vice President position to Ross Perot.

### Death

Kelley died on August 5, 1997 in his sleep from natural causes in his Kansas City home, at age 85. Kelley received a small state funeral held by President Clinton. His funeral was not extravagant like Rommel's and he instead wished for a police escort across Kansas City to New York. This would take place on the 8th and on the 10th, he would lie in state at the Atlantean Assembly Building.

## Legacy

Kelley was a very controversial President. He was considered as a poor man for the job and that he couldn't manage the economy. Critics claimed he was too inexperienced to lead the nation as evident in the War in Mexico. He was not a military leader like Rommel and struggled to live up to Rommel's Legacy and the standard he set. Although, Kelley's Presidency was successful in subduing a Patriots of America rise which was credited to him.

Kelley couldn't live up to his predecessor and his successor outshone him by a great margin. He was largely forgotten.