Hail to the Kingfish: An American Union State Post-Civil War Kaiserreich Quest

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Prologue - Down with the Traitors, Up with the Stars!
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In the twilight hours, President Long chose to bravely save the lives of numerous political allies and trustworthy politicians. Federal agents alongside Minutemen escorts raced across Washington, DC to alert politicians to the oncoming coup and help them reach safety in the train station or habour. Generals considered loyal to Long were warned of their colleague's coup and told to leave with Long too. There were some within the America First Party that questioned the decision to evacuate Farmer-Labour, Democrat, and even a handful of Republican politicians, much less officers. They represented the hated establishment after all! They answered to MacArthur! The liars, thieves, and whoresons that had bled America dry and fought tooth and nail to stop Huey Long's policies! They were marching on the capital at that moment!

Well President Long tolerated no such talk! Every man, woman, and staff member saved was an ally to the presidency, whether they agreed with that notion or not before that night. They were true blooded American patriots that'd reject Hoover's illegal seizure of power, and would have paid the ultimate price for such dedication to their oaths of office. Such high minded rhetoric aside, Long understood the importance of maintaining the legitimacy of his office and a cadre of skilled officers. While many non-AFP politicians may have been critical of him days prior, their tune was sure to change in the coming days.

Indeed it had, once on the trains and boats fleeing the country's capital the most powerful men in the country held their heads in their hands, despairing that a military coup had taken place. The terrible, dreadful reality of the situation sunk in further still as for the Democrats and few Republicans in Long's convoy they heard their former colleagues swear in Hoover as president. Hoover's supporters among the Democrats and Republicans had so readily turned their back on democracy simply because the outcome of the election had not been to their choosing. That crisis of faith had shaken many. By removing them from Washington, Long had prevented the execution of many, but also the conversion of even more into supporting the coup. By separating them from Hoover's supporters, they could not be pressured into backing the coup.

MacArthur's bold faced threats to wayward politicians helped drive them further into Huey Long's arms. It made them read converts to Long's way of thought, so by the time Congress had reassembled in New Orleans, even ardent Republicans gave Huey Long their full support to handle the crisis wracking the country. The Democrats among Congress declared their northern brethren a lost cause and officially split the party, refusing to recognize the authority of the federal Democrats entirely. The assembled Congress called upon their allies in state governments to come to New Orleans, further strengthening the American Union State's legitimacy among many would-be neutral states. In turn it put pressure on the undecided fence sitters, working to convince several states in the Great Plains that fighting against Long would be like pissing in the wind.

Once in New Orleans, President Long exercised his wise leadership capabilities by refusing to stuff the house with AFP members. He instead maintained continuity with the relocated Congress by allowing non-AFP Congressmen and Senators to retain their seats. Long invoked the memory of the great President Lincoln in his handling of the American Civil War by declaring the seats in traitorous territory vogue and putting forth appointees to stand for office until the conflict was over and regular elections could resume. Every man put forward by the president was graciously accepted by Congress. It was a show of solidarity and simple politicking by Long as he rewarded the turncoats that sided with him, showering the FLP, Dems, and GOP with nearly as much praise as he did for his own party. The dread so many had felt during their trip from Washington had been replaced with jubilation and grim determination.

The other man that helped make that turnaround possible was General George Marshall. The evacuation of loyal general staff members and supporting officers helped give the American Union State a leg up against its competitors. It preserved a great deal of institutional knowledge while denying MacArthur near full control over the officer corp. It further reduced his legitimacy within undecided soldiers as officers received orders from rival Chiefs of Staff. General Marshall accepted the promotion to Chief of Staff in New Orleans to much applause from Congress and President Long. He promised to whip their forces into shape to put down the rebellious states and bring the country back together.

The man was a natural chief of staff. The other options for the post quickly fell in line behind Marshall, with Conner himself happy to serve a supporting role to his own student. It allowed him to put his skills to work without driving him into an early grave building an army from scratch. General Conner considered it his duty to verbally browbeat dissenting officers back into line, not least of which was General Moseley who complained about the lack of promotion behind closed doors. He learned quickly to shut his mouth if he was within earshot of Marshall, Conner, or Patton. Patton, the bulldog of a general, barked louder than the rest of them, helping the nascent AUS military get up and running. It'd still be a tedious process to turn the disorganized assembly of militias, paramilitaries, national guards, and regular forces into a cohesive army, but the general felt he was up to the task.

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In the following weeks as MacArthur's deadline loomed, neutral states began declaring allegiances or reaffirming their non-commitment to either side in the immediate civil war. News spread from across the country that fighting had broken out in New York and New Jersey as Red Guards made pushes to reach the recently declared New York Commune in Manhattan. Wisconsin became another frontline between Minutemen and Red Gaurds duking it out, backed by hastily mobilized national guards. The industrial cores of cities became hotspots for syndicalists and socialists, while outlying municipalities and farmland were loosely under the control of AUS aligned forces. Washington itself saw fighting in its outskirts when the KKK and Virginia National Guard attempted to launch an attack on the city, only to be repelled by MacArthur's forces. Their numbers included marines recalled from overseas, bolstering his experienced forces. The state's triumphant march against MacArthur soon collapsed as the marines and navy established control over Virgina. They were stymied by resistance to their presence, especially as syndicalist militias began crossing the state border.

The Great Plains eventually folded, agreeing to join the American Union State. While New England fell firmly under the Federalists control. The uprisings in Boston, New York, and Buffalo continued raging, but otherwise their local governments sided with Hoover's administration. The West Coast however refused to publicly pick a side, worse they were joined by Rocky Mountain states in a pledging neutrality in the brewing conflict. While Governor Merriam refused to heed President Long's calls, he could not turn away the communications of his fellow party members in New Orleans. He agreed to see delegates from the American Union State and in terse negotiations in California agreed to maintain neutrality in the conflict. It was in effect a pre-emptive ceasefire, though it still meant that he was ignoring the commands of the rightful federal government.

The chaos was not contained to merely America. Canada too suffered increasing unrest and protests that spiralled into open firefights in city streets. The snap election devolved into fights between rival political parties and militia groups, itching to shed blood for its own sake. Liberal establishment was rattled to its core as the Social Credit Party and Co-operative Commonwealth Federation made serious gains in numerous ridings. The King himself feared another revolution taking place, and pressed the Mackenzie King to declare a state of emergency. If not, the King would dissolve parliament himself and cut out the middle man. So, Prime Minister Mackenzie King resigned to deny the crown legitimacy and was subsequently replaced by Henry Page Croft. The British exile did as he was told, ordering a state of emergency.

That did little to temper the literal and figurative fires raging across Canada. Its own industrial districts, so close to the American border, had been heavily influenced by the Socialist Party of America. The declaration of a revolutionary government in the Steel Belt had inspired many Canadian workers to take up arms against a state run by British exiles. Crackdowns by the RCMP on unions and the government announcing the mobilization of the military only added more fuel to the fire. Workers would not make weapons to murder their comrades across the border! No, they declared communes and fought police, royalist militias, and reservists! The Workers Unity League and Communist Party of Canada worked hand in hand to organize a genuine revolutionary government in the factory halls of Toronto and Kingston. The Socialist Commonwealth of Canada was born!

The CSA was not blind to their comrades' struggles across the border either. As Ottawa's authority in Southern Ontario began to collapse in slow motion, Red Guards backed by mobilized soldiers marched across the border. The revolution would not be constrained by the borders of imperial nations! The Canadian government only existed on paper in its most populated province, while in Quebec, Maritimes, Prairies, and BC it had a better handle on the situation. In its hour of need, Ottawa was forced to call upon its ally and patron to dig it out of the mess it found itself in: Japan.

The Japanese flotilla in Vancouver offloaded scores of marines, ready and willing to put down the worker's uprisings. They were greeted with outrage from British Columbians, who loathed the sight of Japanese soldiers on Canadian soil. Riots would ensue in the weeks following their arrival, even as marines put down protests at the behest of the provincial government. After the Japanese marines were loaded onto trains heading east, Vancouver's Chinatown and Little Tokyo were burnt to the ground in pogroms against the city's Asian inhabitants. The incident marked international outrage in Japan itself and embarrassment for the Canadian government, another wound upon the body of the country as it neared its final revolutionary death.

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Foreign Support

In the frantic period of time before conflict 'officially' began, several foreign states approached New Orleans with an offer of support and recognition. It was known that the Third Internationale had declared support for the CSA. Its ships had set sail for New York, eager to deploy armoured divisions and hardened soldiers to take the city and rail lines to the Steel Belt. It wasn't so much an open secret as it was a known fact that America was another front in their unending goal to spread the revolution.

Spies in Washington heard that MacArthur was meeting with foreign diplomats recently, no doubt looking to find a backer of his own. President Long too had agreed to send feelers out to America's allies to see who'd answer the call in helping him retake the country. In a word, very few. The Entente lacked the resources to help out the American Union State, save for Japan, and its support wouldn't come cheap. Other offers emerged from the woodwork as Berlin and Moscow offered their own bargains with New Orleans. The sharks smelt blood in the water and they circled the dying America, eager to take their pound of flesh from the drowning beast before someone else had a turn. Why not after all? The country was shattered between three competing governments. Spain was suffering a similar fate as its rival states tore each other apart across the Atlantic Ocean. It was a meager prize compared to what could be extracted from the United States.

There was little stomach to accept foreign support, especially with strings attached, but many in Long's circle feared the consequences of rejecting all offers. MacArthur maintained control over a significant portion of the military, while Reed had rallied most of America's industries to his flag. The odds were certainly not in Long's favour, even if on paper he controlled the largest section of the country.

There is no limit on options you can pick.
You must pick at least one.

[ ][FOR] Japan

Tokyo had made it clear that it was getting involved, one way or another. Its actions alone communicated its intentions to help guide the outcome of the Second American Civil War to an outcome in its favour. At the moment, it was feeling out both the Pacific States and Federalists as possible buyers for its poisoned pills. Given MacArthur's own affections for Japan and connections to many Imperial officers, there was serious concern that he'd take any deal they offered in a heartbeat. They'd yet to seal the deal though if Tokyo was approaching Long.

Their conditions were simple: America leases Hawaii and the Panama Canal to Japan for a period of 50 years, permanently cedes its Pacific Islands to Japan, and transfers custodianship of the Philippines to Japan. In exchange, the AUS receives airplanes, tanks, and divisions of marines and riflemen.

If Long bit the bullet, Tokyo even promised to pressure the Pacific States into remaining neutral so Japan could use its railways to supply the AUS. If refused there was no doubt they'd take their deal to someone else more willing.

[ ][FOR] Germany

Kaiser Wilhelm II hated America. He gleefully boasted about the death of the nation of farmers and shopkeepers across the Atlantic Ocean. It was extremely unlikely for his government to offer any support, but Chancellor Schleicher understood long term consequences better than his monarch. If the CSA won with the help of the Internationale then Germany had yet another foe to deal with, one which would no doubt throw its considerable weight behind France and Britain in any future war. Therefore, Schleicher authorized the offer of military aid to President Long's government in exile, deeming it the most capable of putting down the reds. And likely because MacArthur wanted nothing to do with the kraut bastards, which made sense given their deal was even more cut throat than Japan's.

America would agree to sell Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Panama Canal, its Pacific Islands, Hawaii, Liberia, and the Philippines to Germany. This sale would be permanent, Germany would become owner and custodian of all territory, and all American assets sold to German corporations. America would officially cede its seat in the Legation Cities to Germany. Germany would gain access to America's oil, both in drilling rights and guaranteed sales at fixed rates. In exchange, Germany will use its navy to cripple New York's harbours to slow Syndintern aid to the CSA, deploy divisions to America, and sell America weapons on credit so Long can repay it later. The sale of oil would not count towards paying off that debt either.

There was a fear that if a deal wasn't struck then Germany might seize American territory anyway. Though nobody wanted to approve the sale of American territory, perhaps it was better to get something out of it than helplessly watch Berlin take whatever they liked. It would however put America on the hook for a lot of money and open its economy up to German exploitation.

[ ][FOR] Russia

Vozhd Savinkov, in his infinite wisdom and hatred for socialism, extended an offer of military and industrial aid to President Long. Though seemingly far removed from American politics, Russia was eager to regain its position as a great power equal to any of its peers. Russia didn't want to see America go red, fearing the long term effects of a major socialist power in North America. A victorious CSA would be a unique position to threaten the Russian Far East in a way France and Britain never could.

Russia's offer was perhaps the most fair: America will join the Green International and sign a trade agreement with Russia. America will allow Russian military police to train its forces in anti-partisan tactics. A secret component of the agreement is if, or rather when, another war breaks out in Europe, America agrees to cease trade with Germany to starve it out. In exchange, Russia sends air force volunteers, industrial aid, and veteran infantry divisions.

[ ][FOR] Noone (Exclusive Option)

We go it alone, damn the consequences.

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Opening Strikes

The fight had already started in earnest when the deadline to demobilize came and went. It was clear that nobody was going to stand down in the face of military threats. The outcome of the Second American Civil War would be decided by bullet and bayonet alone. It was fortunate for President Long that the Federalists and Socialists to his north appeared to be facing off against each other first, rather than diving upon the much more vulnerable American Union State. MacArthur clearly understood the long term threat that the CSA posed if it was allowed to muster its immense industrial resources and population into an actual army. Meanwhile, Reed no doubt knew that MacArthur's command over the coast threatened to cut off the revolution from foreign aid and that his professional forces were a serious threat to the Red Guards.

The Pacific States appeared timid and unwilling to commit to fighting President Long. They found themselves boxed in on the Rocky Mountains, though news coming from Utah, Arizona, and Idaho suggested they were pressuring neighbouring states into falling under its umbrella. Regardless, they'd yet to make any moves against the American Union State, reducing the amount of troops needed to be stationed on the border. Longist control over the eastern roads and railways into the Rockies gave the AUS a good defensive position too.

That left President Long with a somewhat free hand on where to strike first. The bulk of their opponents forces are focused against each other, granting the AUS leeway it was unlikely to have again. The border skirmishes and insurgencies it currently fought paled in comparison to the clashes in Harrisburg and New York. It could strike a weak underbelly before getting into a battle with a 'peer' army.

The General Staff under General Marshall assembled a list of potential targets and the rationale behind striking them for the president to decide between. The general stressed that the AUS's forces as they were could only seize one, maybe two of the targets before it risked spreading its experienced professional forces too thin. The various organizations under its umbrella were still being whipped into shape after all. It beehoved command to limit itself to a few strategic locations, lest it lose control of the militias and paramilitaries.

There is no limit on options you can pick.
You must pick at least one.

[ ][ATK] Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois

The arsenal supplied the army munitions, vehicles, infantry gear, and even tanks in the twilight years of the Great War. Its machinery would be vital for outfitting the army with a supply of weapons and deny the CSA control over the arsenal. Its position on Rock Island, near Davenport, Iowa places it close to the AUS's border. An attack on it would secure AUS's border in the region, give it an arsenal, and put a dagger in the CSA's back, given the clear path to Chicago from the island.

[ ][ATK] St. Louis, Missouri

The city was a major rail junction that sat on the Mississippi River. While nominally under AUS control, the reality of the situation was far more complicated as workers organized protests and road blocks across the river. There were reports of Red Guard activity in the city to seize control over it for the CSA. If the city fell then the path to the south would be open and threaten to split the AUS in two. Sending our forces to put down the revolting workers will secure control over the city and its valuable bridges.

[ ][ATK] Norfolk, Virginia

The naval base was under Federalist control, but that was a tenuous thing. The navy had split between Hoover and Long supporters after all. It was close to the North Carolina-Virginia border, making it a more enticing target than charging Richmond. Seizing control of the naval yard and facilities would deny MacArthur a major port and force him to fight to retake it or relocate his fleet further north. It was only possible because his attention was turned towards New York, meaning a coordinated attack by land and sea would secure it for the AUS.

[ ][ATK] Santa Fe, New Mexico

New Mexico stubbornly refused to declare allegiance to either Long or the emerging bloc of Pacific States. It was clearly playing for time hoping for a better deal from either party. It thought that it could remain invisible by standing still in a conflict, but in a civil war there is no such thing as a neutral party. Though a less important target, seizing the city would secure the AUS's southern flank and open the route to Southern California. While such a move would no doubt be seen as threatening by Governor Merriam, it'd also allow us to put pressure on him in the future.

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Counter Partisan Operations

Control in a civil war is a tenuous thing, especially so in such an ideologically driven one. On paper, Long controlled nearly half of the country, if not more. In reality it was far more complicated than that. The same went for the CSA and Federalists, who battled uprisings and insurgencies across their territories.

In the South, socialists had spent years agitating and organizing about black communities. They found ready converts to socialism and syndicalism, needing little rhetorical skill to convince the poorest, most abused people in the country that America was rotten to its core. Long's Share Our Wealth platform made few provisions for black people and in his many speeches across the Black Belt, he assured his white voters that he'd maintain segregation. It was and will always remain a state's issue that the federal government had no business in. The AFP's ties to the KKK and Democrats earned Long little goodwill too.

In the coming months, the insurgency across the Black Belt proved to be a worryingly effective one. What it lacked in arms, it more than had in courage, skill, and ability to disappear. The KKK resorted to haphazard reprisal killings in response to attacks on patrols and railways, driving only more men into the socialists' arms. It made it difficult for agriculture in the region when foreman on farms and plantations got attacked by roving cadres of revolutionaries. It was felt that the situation needed a handle on it before it devolved into an outright uprising.

There is no limit on options you can pick.
You must pick at least one.

[ ][SOU] Let the Klan sort it out

The KKK can be given a free hand to handle the issue itself. The haphazard killings will continue, terrorizing the black communities across the South. It saves Long manpower that's better spent elsewhere and keeps the Klan busy mucking about in their own backyard. It's extremely likely that it will only exacerbate tensions in the region, causing further unrest.

[ ][SOU] Mobilize the Minutemen

Perhaps a softer hand is needed to keep the situation under control. The Klan will be redirected elsewhere, while the Minutemen will take over hunting down partisans across the region. It will require transferring manpower from other states into the South to oversee the operations and begin recruiting locals to boost their numbers. The Minutemen will likely be able to keep tensions to a hostile simmer, and will probably be better at tracking down partisans than the Klan is.

[ ][SOU] Send in the preachers

A novel approach is to stress the Christianity of the American Union State versus the atheism of the Combined Syndicates of America. Christian Nationalists aligned with Father Coughlin will make it their mission to preach to black communities warning them of the dangers of syndicalism. That their churches will be razed to the ground, priests burnt at the stake, and women collectivized by blood thirsty reds. While many black churches have little love for Coughlin's teachings, they nonetheless fear the unknown threat more than they do the known threat.

[ ][SOU] SZRS Training (Requires Russian Foreign Support)

Russia sent its best officers to train America's reservists to put down socialist revolts. It only makes sense to put them through their paces right away. SZRS Military Police will train Minutemen and KKK officers in counter partisan operations. The results will be effective, if brutal.

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Worker Unrest

The few industrial cities across the American Union State faced unrest from workers too. While many had been appeased by Long's Share Our Wealth promises, it didn't not buy the support of every factory worker. Those few radical red holdouts agitated among their coworkers to seize control of the factory floor and declare support for Reed's government in Chicago. In the Midwest these efforts were predominantly white, while in the south it was a mix of black and white labourers, sometimes in uneasy agreements to strengthen their hands.

Deploying the Pinkertons to crack heads had indeed broken more than a few eggs on the pavement. It'd also emboldened a number of striking workers into full blown revolutionaries. They attempted to sabotage machinery in AUS factories to destroy Long's war effort. Sometimes they succeeded, but sometimes they were sold out by scabs and union bosses that answered to the party bosses in New Orleans, not the ones in Chicago. It was a messy situation that had to be handled to keep the civilian and war industries up and running. The proposal has the support of General Wood.

Enter Henry Ford. He proposed the creation of an industrial committee to manage war related industries, much like one America had implemented during the Great War. It'd be headed by major industrialists, economists, military officers, and bureaucrats with the twin goals of controlling unions and increasing production. The proposal was backed by several other figures that had fled to New Orleans. This War Powers Committee would coordinate the disparate industries of the American Union State to whip it into fighting shape. Labour will be brought in line by hook and crook, breaking the back of the radical unions and replacing them with open shops.

The more progressive members of the AFP felt such a committee had to provide workers with an alternative to syndicalism. They needed buy-in into the system and deserved better pay and representation. This was not simply proposed out of the goodness of some Congressmen's hearts, of course. They had ties to AFP, FLP, or Democratic unions, who acted as organizers for the party on the ground. These men didn't appreciate getting iced out of industrial policy, especially when it was their men picking up the slack left by rebelling workers. If given a seat at the table the union bosses promise to fire any reds they find and keep the factories running smoothly.

You can only pick one option.

[ ][WPC] Give Ford the green light

[ ][WPC] Give unions a seat at the table

[ ][WPC] Refuse the idea outright

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Please vote by plan. There is a moratorium.

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