Anchises
Banned
This is my attempt to reboot my old timeline A Fractured World.
I am not happy with some of the decisions I made when i started AFW but I still like the core concept of a multipolar CW.
In this reboot I will change some PODs and my updates will be covering longer periods of time with a broader focus.
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The World in 1934
Europe: The sclerotic Weimar Republic ended when Reichspräsident Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler as his Reichskanzler. Still plagued by the effects of the Great Depression the Weimar Republic ceased to be a Democracy in 1930. A series of authoritarian Presidential Cabinets were unable to end the economic depression or to restore order. So in 1933 Hindenburg decided, influenced by his circle of reactionary advisors the so called "Kamarilla", to use the NSDAP as a basis for a new Right Wing Cabinet. Hindenburg's advisors were convinced that the NSDAP could be utilized and tamed through the necessities of actually governing the country. This so called "Zähmungskonzept" (taming concept) spectacularly failed. Hitler and his Paladins quickly outmaneuvered their DNVP coalition partners effectively sidelining or integrating everyone who could have opposed them in the early days of National Socialist rule.
Hitler and his NSDAP were able to quickly outlaw other political parties and to abolish Civil Liberties effectively creating a Dictatorship. Reichspräsident Hindenburg rubber stamped the necessary edicts and tolerated the numerous violations of the law that Hitler and the NSDAP committed. When Hindenburg died in 1934 Hitler assumed the title of Führer monopolizing the powers of the Executive and the Legislative in his hands.
In 1934 Germany is a totalitarian Dictatorship. The "Gleichschaltung" introduced the NS ideology into all areas of life in Germany and organized opposition is virtually non-existent. Hitler already laid down the ultimate goals of the NSDAP in a secret speech in 1933:
A massive rearmament and a war to reverse the Treaty of Versailles and to establish a German Hegemony in Europe.
France and Great Britain the prominent powers in Europe after winning WW1 are nervous. The German Reich left the League of Nations in 1933 ending talks about disarmament. Hitler constantly reassures the world that he is only interested in peace and self determination for Germany but his ethnic policies are creating unrest in countries with substantial German minorities.
The political order that the Treaty of Versailles created is slowly eroding but neither France nor Great Britain have the political will to subjugate Germany again.
America: America is still in the claws of the Great Depression. The stock market crash in 1929 was followed by a massive economic crisis. President Lowden*, a firm believer into the Laissez-faire Capitalism of the roaring 20s, was convinced that the most important priority of his Government should be a balanced budget. When tax revenues decreased Lowden decreased spending and started selling off government assets.
Without state intervention and popular relief the situation got worse and worse.* Poverty and crime increased on a previously unprecedented scale and Lowden quickly became the most hated President in the history of the United States.
It is no surprise that he was defeated in a landslide in the 1932 Presidential Election. His successor is Newton D. Baker*, a progressive Democrat. The National Democratic Convention was deadlocked between Al Smith and John Nance Garner. Baker emerged as compromise candidate and easily won the election.
With Garner as his Vice President he is in a tough spot in 1934.
The Congress is overwhelmingly Leftist and is pushing for large scale nationwide popular relief program.
Baker himself rejects this idea. He is in favor of a program that provides money to state or municipal governments to fund localized popular relief efforts. He rejects federal measures as wasteful and heavy handed whereas state and municipal government measures are more focused and efficient.
Balancing these interests is an ongoing and delicate process. Neither side is too happy with the results so far but the laws enacted so far are a mix of funding for municipal governments and federal efforts.
The Popular Relief measures enacted under President Baker are eventually summarized under the name "Baker Programs"*.
The United States in 1934 are looking inward trying to combat the crisis so foreign policy takes a back seat.
* 1: Hoover is killed during the Boxer Rebellion in China.
* 2: Under Lowden (a "ruthless Laissez-faire capitalist) the crisis is even worse. The Hoover Administration actually intervened in the economy fairly often.
* 3: Roosevelt didn't survive his illness.
* 4: A weaker New Deal. There is less money available and due to a focus on working with state and municipal governments it is not distributed as fast and efficiently as OTL. And it is more about immediate relief. The reform part is somewhat neglected.
I am not happy with some of the decisions I made when i started AFW but I still like the core concept of a multipolar CW.
In this reboot I will change some PODs and my updates will be covering longer periods of time with a broader focus.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The World in 1934
Europe: The sclerotic Weimar Republic ended when Reichspräsident Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler as his Reichskanzler. Still plagued by the effects of the Great Depression the Weimar Republic ceased to be a Democracy in 1930. A series of authoritarian Presidential Cabinets were unable to end the economic depression or to restore order. So in 1933 Hindenburg decided, influenced by his circle of reactionary advisors the so called "Kamarilla", to use the NSDAP as a basis for a new Right Wing Cabinet. Hindenburg's advisors were convinced that the NSDAP could be utilized and tamed through the necessities of actually governing the country. This so called "Zähmungskonzept" (taming concept) spectacularly failed. Hitler and his Paladins quickly outmaneuvered their DNVP coalition partners effectively sidelining or integrating everyone who could have opposed them in the early days of National Socialist rule.
Hitler and his NSDAP were able to quickly outlaw other political parties and to abolish Civil Liberties effectively creating a Dictatorship. Reichspräsident Hindenburg rubber stamped the necessary edicts and tolerated the numerous violations of the law that Hitler and the NSDAP committed. When Hindenburg died in 1934 Hitler assumed the title of Führer monopolizing the powers of the Executive and the Legislative in his hands.
In 1934 Germany is a totalitarian Dictatorship. The "Gleichschaltung" introduced the NS ideology into all areas of life in Germany and organized opposition is virtually non-existent. Hitler already laid down the ultimate goals of the NSDAP in a secret speech in 1933:
A massive rearmament and a war to reverse the Treaty of Versailles and to establish a German Hegemony in Europe.
France and Great Britain the prominent powers in Europe after winning WW1 are nervous. The German Reich left the League of Nations in 1933 ending talks about disarmament. Hitler constantly reassures the world that he is only interested in peace and self determination for Germany but his ethnic policies are creating unrest in countries with substantial German minorities.
The political order that the Treaty of Versailles created is slowly eroding but neither France nor Great Britain have the political will to subjugate Germany again.
America: America is still in the claws of the Great Depression. The stock market crash in 1929 was followed by a massive economic crisis. President Lowden*, a firm believer into the Laissez-faire Capitalism of the roaring 20s, was convinced that the most important priority of his Government should be a balanced budget. When tax revenues decreased Lowden decreased spending and started selling off government assets.
Without state intervention and popular relief the situation got worse and worse.* Poverty and crime increased on a previously unprecedented scale and Lowden quickly became the most hated President in the history of the United States.
It is no surprise that he was defeated in a landslide in the 1932 Presidential Election. His successor is Newton D. Baker*, a progressive Democrat. The National Democratic Convention was deadlocked between Al Smith and John Nance Garner. Baker emerged as compromise candidate and easily won the election.
With Garner as his Vice President he is in a tough spot in 1934.
The Congress is overwhelmingly Leftist and is pushing for large scale nationwide popular relief program.
Baker himself rejects this idea. He is in favor of a program that provides money to state or municipal governments to fund localized popular relief efforts. He rejects federal measures as wasteful and heavy handed whereas state and municipal government measures are more focused and efficient.
Balancing these interests is an ongoing and delicate process. Neither side is too happy with the results so far but the laws enacted so far are a mix of funding for municipal governments and federal efforts.
The Popular Relief measures enacted under President Baker are eventually summarized under the name "Baker Programs"*.
The United States in 1934 are looking inward trying to combat the crisis so foreign policy takes a back seat.
* 1: Hoover is killed during the Boxer Rebellion in China.
* 2: Under Lowden (a "ruthless Laissez-faire capitalist) the crisis is even worse. The Hoover Administration actually intervened in the economy fairly often.
* 3: Roosevelt didn't survive his illness.
* 4: A weaker New Deal. There is less money available and due to a focus on working with state and municipal governments it is not distributed as fast and efficiently as OTL. And it is more about immediate relief. The reform part is somewhat neglected.
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