Any thoughts on what South Africa should look like in the TL? The last we talked about them the British had won the Boer War and the Boer republics were annexed into the Dominion of South Africa. Any thoughts?
The Union Forever: A TL
- Thread starter Mac Gregor
- Start date
No idea about South Africa. I'm quite ignorant of the history or politics of that area, but anxious to see what you do with it.
Glad to see a peaceful transition of Egypt to local control. Hopefully we won't see a Suez Crisis here; I have a friend who's grandfather was one of the few killed in that action.
Glad to see a peaceful transition of Egypt to local control. Hopefully we won't see a Suez Crisis here; I have a friend who's grandfather was one of the few killed in that action.
Good update
Thanks!
What is the next country ya'll would like to see a profile on?
I'm hoping to see Canada or Australia personally. With a Japanese Empire to be worried about I'm expecting them to be a little more militant then thay are OTL.
Depends on the transition. Without the first and second world wars to keep the Boers or have a positive effect on the population through fighting together you may see some sort of terrorist groups pop up amongst a population who are only grudgingly under British control.
I'm sorta expecting whichever successor state that emerges to be like OTL sadly
without a major change in attitudes things won't change.
Just thought I would let you know that I've started reading this. Seems interesting so far, though I know next to nothing about the US Civil War.
I hope you like it. Feel free to post any questions. Cheers!
Becuase ya'll have been so patient here is the flag of the Empire of Persia, who will start to have a bigger impact on world events in the coming decades. A new update including the 1948 elections will be coming soon.
I am very glad to see France get out in decent shape. They seem to have suffered so often in threads I've read recently.
1948 Presidential Election
The 1948 Presidential Election
In the final days of 1947, Vernon Kirkman announced his decision to run for a third term as President of the United States. According to Kirkman’s memoirs this unorthodox move was prompted in part by his relative youth with him claiming that at the age of 50 he “couldn’t bear the thought of spending the next 30 years out of public life.” While the American economy had grown steadily during his eight years in office, tensions in the ongoing civil rights movement were reaching their zenith leading to an extremely devise election year.
Having lost five out of the last six presidential elections the Republican Party was adamant about regaining the White House. Starting in the Republican primaries and culminating at the Republican convention in Atlanta, the reform minded branch of the GOP waged an insurgency of sorts against the more traditional party elements. At the forefront of these Republicans was Leroy R. Connor then serving his second term as governor of Georgia.
Leroy R. Connor
Leroy R. Connor
1948
Born near Savannah, Georgia in 1891, Leroy was one of seven children and spent most of his early childhood assisting his father and brothers on the family farm. Connor was an extremely intelligent child and despite speaking with an impenetrable Southern drawl managed to distinguish himself on his high school debate team. When America entered the Great War in 1909, Connor joined the army after completing his senior year of high school. In Germany, Connor would serve with distinction and rise to the rank of sergeant before the end of the war. Upon returning to the United States, Connor enrolled in the inaugural class of Georgia State College in Atlanta where he studied business and played on the school’s baseball team. After graduating, Connor was employed at a number of local businesses including as a salesmen for the
Coca-Cola Bottling Company[1].
In 1930, Connor bought the struggling Atlanta Newspaper the Daily Intelligencer. Although not a newspaperman, Connor was, in a mere six years time, able to turn the nearly bankrupt Daily Intelligencer into one of the premier newspapers in the Southeast. In 1937, Connor sold ownership of the Daily Intelligencer and bought the city’s baseball team the Atlanta Goobers. In much the same way he had with his newspaper company, Connor’s hands on management style reaped impressive dividends reviving the Goobers from a slump that had lasted most of the decade. Furthermore, Connor went out of his way to hire the best players and staff regardless of race, something that his predecessors had been reluctant to do.
In 1940, Connor surprised many by throwing his hat into the ring in the state’s gubernatorial elections. With no political experience and running against the incumbent Howard Bates many viewed Connor’s candidacy as a long shot. Connor easily secured the Republican nomination, but was forced into one of the most heated electoral contests the state had seen in decades. The bespectacled cigar smoking Connor crisscrossed the state and used his fiery oratory skills to great effect. To the astonishment of many, Connor managed to capture 50.7% of the popular vote becoming the first Republican governor in Georgia’s history. Connor’s first term in office was characterized by several well publicized fights with the Democrat controlled General Assembly. Despite these tensions, Connor was able to pass several important bills including a statewide tuition plan, dredging of the Savannah harbor, and the construction of several new roads and railways. Reelected for 4 more years in 1944, Connor was aided by a Republican dominated lower house another first in Georgia history. During his second term, Connor’s two most significant accomplishments were the expansion of the Atlanta airport, later renamed the Leroy R. Connor International Airport, and the integration of Georgia’s public universities despite considerable protests from segregationists. Throughout his tenure as governor Connor never shied away from the growing racial tensions in the state. Connor appeared with several prominent civil rights leaders and publicly endorsing the tenants of the 1943 Atlanta Declaration which called for the phasing out of segregation. Connor’s bold stance on civil rights catapulted him into the national spotlight making him the darling of reformers and progressives.
The Campaign
Demonstrators outside the Democratic National Convention in Havana, Cuba
July, 1948
The 1948 elections were arguably the most contentious presidential elections since 1860. The Democrats’ plan to hold their convention in Havana, Cuba, reportedly to shake their white-centric image, backfired terribly as riots in the predominately Republican state appeared on television sets across the nation. Also, the Democrats decision to drop Vice President Buchholz and replace him with Jonathan Broussard a representative from Lousisana and the first Catholic vice presidential nominee did little to improve Kirkman’s polling numbers. The fact that the Republican convention was held in Connor’s home turf of Atlanta only helped him secure the party’s nomination which he did after beating out Senator Luther T. Vanderbilt Sr. of New York, the traditionalist favorite. Vanderbilt was in turn selected to be Conner’s running mate in order to balance the ticket. During his acceptance speech, Connor railed against President Kirkman stating that his 8 years of “maintaining the harmony of the status quo” was leading the country to ruin. Connor swore that if elected he would take “swift and decisive action” on civil rights and “heal the tears” that were appearing in American society. Foreign policy planks on the Republican platform included strengthening hemispherical unity and promoting decolonization abroad. Television played an important role in the 1948 elections with both candidates making extensive use of it for campaigning. One of the more heated moments occurred during a televised debate when Connor, using one of his characteristic baseball analogies, stated that “when being president, unlike being up to bat, one cannot wait for three strikes to throw the bum out”.
Results
Leroy R. Conner
Republican from Georgia
30th President of the United States
On election night, Kirkman’s bid to be the second president in American history to serve more than two terms failed to materialize. The Republicans’ Conner-Vanderbilt ticket captured around 51% of popular vote. Kirkman only managed to garner a measly 45% with the remaining votes being split between the Socialists and the newly formed segregationist American Conservative Party. In Congress the Republicans captured the House of Representatives while the Democrats retained a slim majority in the Senate. Excitement over the Republican victory was tempered by the news that on November 3 the Republic of Chile was invaded by the right wing governments of neighboring Bolivia and Peru. The fact that President Kirkman, now a lame duck, would remain in office until March 4, 1949 left America’s response to the invasion much in doubt.
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Good stuff MacGregor. A very interesting figure you've created there.
And I agree. Even though I've given up soda a world without Coke would be a sad place.
I suppose this is a revanchist movement in the Atacama? And nlucasm, I think you mean Peru.
All that aside, loved the update. Very real election, and can't wait to see what the us does in the 2nd Pacific War. How different are Peru/Bolivia from otl? Are we going to see something from the Bolivian Navy?