President Robert A. Taft: 1952

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What if…

In May of 1952, Dwight D. Eisenhower suffers a heart attack and dies.

Now, with the Republican Convention only two months away, two candidates emerge from the pack:

The first is “Mr. Republican,” Robert A. Taft. Taft has dominated the Republican Party for nearly ten years, now. An ultra-conservative, Taft wants the Presidency badly with Eisenhower out of the running.

The second is Earl Warren, a newcomer in the Presidential race. A liberal and a friend of Eisenhower, Warren had declined to run until Eisenhower died in May. He has experienced a surge in popularity in the months since Eisenhower’s death. However, Taft still holds a decisive lead over him.​
Now, Convention time rolls around. Personally, I think Taft will squeak by with both the Republican nomination and the Presidency. Now, Some questions: Who will be his Vice President? (This is important as Taft will die in 1953.) What will his foreign policy stance be? Domestic policies? What will he do in Korea? What about Europe and the Soviet Union? What will happen with the Civil Rights movement? Will we begin to move towards war in Vietnam, or will Taft give the French the bombers and support personnel they wanted at Dien Bien Phu, and, thus, possibly avoid US involvement in Vietnam? What will the next half century look like?

My picks for Taft’s Cabinet:

President: Robert Taft
Vice President: William Knowland / Thomas Werdel / Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. / John Davis Lodge / Richard Nixon
Secretary of State: John Foster Dulles
Secretary of Defense: Douglas MacArthur
Secretary of the Treasury: Harry F. Byrd (Taft said this was who he wanted.)
 
Taft was an isolationist...he opposed WWII (he would have been the 1940 nominee, I think, if not for some shenanigans by Wilkie) and NATO too. I think, though, NATO is a done deal.

Therefore, I think he might follow the "smart" containment (what Kennan really meant)...let the Russians have the marginal areas and fight ONLY for Europe, the oil fields, Cuba, etc.
 
Actually Taft, Herbert Hoover & paleocons backed "stupid containment"

In the 1948-1950 era, they disliked aiding industrial and democratic Europe, and believed the US should base its power on island or peniinsular bastions, their specific favorite allies were the non-industrial and non-democratic Francisco Franco and Chiang Kai-shek.

No, I don't think Taft will be sending troops to help Chiang help the mainland, but if William Knowand is his veep, when Taft dies in 1954 who knows?

Taft will certainly support Taiwan, and I think he would be stuck with all the alliances Truman already made if elected in 1952. He won't throw away South Korea either.

If John Foster Dulles is his Secstate, they may have a falling out over the alliances JFD wants to set up in the Middle East.

Taft would probably be inclined to not get involved in Indochina, but his probable veep, William Knowland, could have quite a different attitude.
 

CalBear

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mumble

Return to the grave Zombie. With Iron, Salt, and Blood I fix thee to the Earth to rise no longer!
 

CalBear

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A big point of consideration if Taft wins is who will be Vice-President, as Taft will die in July of '53.
Seriously?

TEN YEARS? TEN?

In a thread that only had 3 total posts while it was active?

Don't do this again!
 
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