The Second Reconstruction-A Post-Civil War Kaiserreich USA Quest

[X] Midwest

[X] Border States (ie: Virginia, Kentucky, etc)
 
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Seems this is the vote result. Didn't have time to work on the update today but I plan to do so tomorrow. Hopefully shorter than the last one!
 
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Red Summer

A Bloody Summer



The Other Hoover

"Help is finally on its way for the American people," these were the triumphant words of Senator Quinten Roosevelt following his announcement in New York as being the Coalition's pick for Vice President. While perhaps less aid than many on the left had hoped for, the 1936 relief acts were at the time by far the greatest social spending in American history. The Hoover Administration would move swiftly to prioritize the spending of funds in the Midwest and Northeast. Both were major sites of economic activity in the United States and were as hard hit by the Depression as anywhere else. Some cynics did point out that these regions were likely to be crucial in November as Olson and Reed campaigned for their votes. Still, for perhaps truly the first time since the Crash in '25 hope was back in the air. It wouldn't last the month.

After a decade of economic crisis, Americans had been increasingly forced into a life of crime in order to survive. Many criminals had turned into gangsters who became known across the nation. While the FBI was able to fairly swiftly bring down many of these gangsters, the publicity created by the likes of Bonnie & Clyde created an increasing perception of lawlessness and of ineffectiveness by the Federal Government.

Far more concerning to FBI Director J Edger Hoover was the rise of paramilitary militias. With increasing violence and crime, many groups began to feel the Federal Government couldn't, or wouldn't, protect them. Most prominent among these militias were the 'Minutemen' and the 'Red Guards'. The Minutemen were aligned with Long's America First Party and traced their existence back to the organizations formed during Reconstruction, such as the first KKK. In fact Socialist politicians alleged that many of the leaders of the Minutemen were former members of the modern iteration of that organization. Somewhat in response to the Minutemen, and to provide protection to unions from armed men hired by companies during strikes, various Red Guard cells began to rise up in Sociaist strongholds across the country. Initially rather ad hoc, starting as groups of party members organizing gun clubs, by the Spring of 1936 they were a known arm of the CSA.

Attempts by the FBI to cut off the supply of weapons to these groups were unsuccessful as it was rather easy for Americans to get their hands on civilian firearms, as well as friendly international groups shipping in weapons. With violence between the various militias reasonably uncommon, the FBI was content to avoid direct confrontation and focus on cutting their supply. This would all change on May Day.

The First of May had long been a celebrated day among the International labor movement and considering it was an American born event, its popularity had reached new highs with the rise of the CSA. The past few years, celebrations that day had tended to be peaceful as people walked off their jobs and took to marching in the streets. Yet in 1936 that would change. The AFP and Minutemen also concentrated within socialist strongholds on that day and provided backup, whether asked or not, to the various local police. The first incidents would occur that morning in Chicago as CSA picketers attempted to prevent non-unionized workers from entering the worksites. It is unclear who fired the first shot but soon Red Guards and Police had opened fire on each other, with the Minutemen soon to join in on the side of the Police. Scenes like this were soon repeated across the country and most major cities ended up shutting down for the day as their streets turned into sporadic and bloody firefights. While fighting would die down within a few days, it was the start of a wave of political violence that would intensify through the summer.

Adding to the tension and death was the hottest heat wave on record, with temperature often being above 100 degrees F across the nation. This caused further economic hardship when harvests failed, further tanking rural economies. Over 3000 people would die directly from the heat wave and it is no surprise that tensions rose exponentially across the Summer. Things would tragically get worse when in Charleston, South Carolina whites attacked and burned any successful African-American owned stores and murdered their occupants in a scene similar to the 1921 Massacre in Tulsa. A wave of racial violence would then sweep the nation, especially in the South as there were record lynchings. The African Blood Brotherhood and allied Red Guard units would start arming themselves and fighting back.

This new wave of violence would be enough for Director Hoover, who would request that the Attorney General approach the President for permission for the FBI to start going after the Minutemen and Red Guards for violations of the Militia Act of 1903 and other Federal laws. Other officials within the Department of Justice warned that such actions would likely only lead to further violence, this time directed at the Federal Government and that the FBI wasn't suited for taking on armed militias.

[ ] The Director is right, we need to end this violence.

[ ] As long as they are only killing each other, it is too risky to get involved.




State, War, and Navy Building

The need to be seen doing something would lead Congress to revisit the current state of affairs of the US military. The Department of War had been suffering under austerity measures since the crash and most of its stockpiles of equipment dated back to preparedness efforts during the Weltkrieg. Secretary of War Patrick J. Hurley also warned that with growing tensions in Asia following the collapse of the League of Eight Provinces and an increasingly aggressive Japan, the US Navy was in far from ideal shape. To try to rectify these issues, Congress would pass the National Military Preparedness Act of 1936 which would end the austerity the War Department had been operating under. Efforts were made to improve one branch of the military in particular.

[ ] Focus on the Army, updating equipment and running drills with the armored units.

[ ] Put in a new order of aircraft in order to expand the US Army Air Corps along with its pool of pilots.

[ ] Our greatest strength is the Navy, let us increase wages, stockpile oil reserves, and engage in long delayed wargames.
 
[X] As long as they are only killing each other, it is too risky to get involved.

Fuck off Hoover

[X] Focus on the Army, updating equipment and running drills with the armored units.

The obvious choice
 
[X] As long as they are only killing each other, it is too risky to get involved.

[X] Put in a new order of aircraft in order to expand the US Army Air Corps along with its pool of pilots.
 
[X] As long as they are only killing each other, it is too risky to get involved.

[X] Focus on the Army, updating equipment and running drills with the armored units.
 
[X] As long as they are only killing each other, it is too risky to get involved.

[X] Put in a new order of aircraft in order to expand the US Army Air Corps along with its pool of pilots.

Off we go into the wild blue yonder!
Climbing High into the Sun!


Lets blast some traitor scum from the SKY!
 
[X] As long as they are only killing each other, it is too risky to get involved.

Let them bleed each other dry and reap the corresponding horror in the public imagination: no need to make this paramilitary slugfest have a federal seal of approval.

[X] Put in a new order of aircraft in order to expand the US Army Air Corps along with its pool of pilots.

We have a great corps of pilots, and the potential to have a world-beating airforce.
 
[X] As long as they are only killing each other, it is too risky to get involved.

[X] Put in a new order of aircraft in order to expand the US Army Air Corps along with its pool of pilots.
 
We have a great corps of pilots, and the potential to have a world-beating airforce.
I just want to be able to make the Army Air Corp into the Air Force. Hap Arnold deserves his stars and the Air Force deserves to be the greatest instrument of War in Human History.
 
[X] As long as they are only killing each other, it is too risky to get involved.
[X] Focus on the Army, updating equipment and running drills with the armored units.
 
[X] The Director is right, we need to end this violence.

[X] Focus on the Army, updating equipment and running drills with the armored units.


treason is a weed and must be rooted out stem and branch
 
[X] The Director is right, we need to end this violence.

I think people should take a second look at this one. Letting the syndies and longists get into running gun battles without federal action looks like the government doesn't care enough to bother stopping it - or worse, that the government can't do anything about it. Hoover isn't a good person, it's true, but I don't think he's an idiot either. He wouldn't be suggesting this if he thought the FBI was just gonna get bodied.

[X] Put in a new order of aircraft in order to expand the US Army Air Corps along with its pool of pilots.
 
[X] The Director is right, we need to end this violence.
[X] Put in a new order of aircraft in order to expand the US Army Air Corps along with its pool of pilots.


We know that the Air is the wave of the Future of combat in near future, so putting emphasis on it now will always do good.
 
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[X] As long as they are only killing each other, it is too risky to get involved.

[X] Put in a new order of aircraft in order to expand the US Army Air Corps along with its pool of pilots.
 
[X] As long as they are only killing each other, it is too risky to get involved.

[X] Put in a new order of aircraft in order to expand the US Army Air Corps along with its pool of pilots.
 
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