A Destiny Made Manifest - Part 24: American Blood, American Hands

Judson Harmon, a conservative former governor from Ohio, is elected as the 25th President. Being old and a general unknown, the American people chose him largely because of his ties to the former President Pattison. Despite President Hearst's alignment with the Moderates, he and Harmon got along like best friends when it came to foreign policy.

Just a day after the election, Hearst contacts the president-elect and asks him a question. Harmon's answer, sent in a telegram, was a simple "Yes."

On November 8th, 1912, Congress declared war on the Confederacy citing a minor diplomatic incident in Richmond in which a drunken Confederate Congressman made some frankly disgusting statements to the Free State Ambassador's wife. The cause was a crock; the war was fought in order to contain the South and keep it weak, no more.

Quickly, Free State armies advance into Confederate positions.

In Manassas, where countless battles between the North and the South had been fought, both sides use chlorine gas. They say blood feuds are the most vicious; while the Northerner and the Southerner had taken very different paths, they were still brothers.

Despite taking heavy losses, the 2nd Army breaks through at Manassas. Wary of the war turning into a bloody affair of trench warfare as it had in New England, Free State generals were eager to stay on the offensive and keep the Confederates on the run.

In Tyler, Texas, that old bastard Charles French is forced to retreat at the hand of Chester Franklin.

The combined force of the 7th and 8th Armies push against Richmond, a heavily-fortified city. The Confederates, anticipating future Northern aggression, had a vast system of trenches and machine gun positions set up. While American troops are able to push through, the Free State armies lose over 60,000 men combined while the Confederates lose about half of that before finally retreating.

The Battle of Ashland (named for the town around which much of the conflict took place) ended up becoming a rallying cry for Southern nationalists. The extreme bravery of the defenders was a symbol of resistance and resilience.

Despite massive losses, the Battle of Ashland achieved Free State goals; it kept the South on the run, and prevented them from further entrenchment.

The 8th Army, badly bloodied, retreats. Alexander Sedgwick, a descendant of Union General Jeffrey Sedgwick himself from the first Southern Rebellions, knew that his men were in no condition to fight.

Despite heavy losses in Greenville and Houston, the tide of the Free States continued southwards. The Empire of Japan formally announces that it will protect Confederate sovereignty, but Hearst believes that to be a hollow threat as it had been eight years earlier.

On December 11th, 1912, Hearst declares in a speech to Congress that "President-elect Harmon and his administration wisely intend to insist upon the annexation of Texas. Despite that state's streak of rebellion, it is my personal belief that the Texans already desire to leave that false socialist union."

He was largely right. Texas, a state clinging to its own identity rather than Southern nationalism, was far more conservative than the rest of the South. Governor Oscar Colquitt himself, a Democrat, considered that Texas might fit better in the Third Republic than it did in the Confederacy.

The 2nd Army under Sheridan finishes capturing Richmond and surrounding towns before Christmas. The Confederate Congress, ever a bunch of cowards, flees to Birmingham.

As the Harmon administration finalizes its transition into power, Congress is assembled. In a shocking sweep, the Workingmen's Party seizes a sizable plurality of both the Senate and the House. The Republicans, badly wounded by the Sherman Scandal, hold only five more seats than the Silver Legion.

Resistance to Free State occupation is crushed in New Orleans and Montgomery. While Harmon was fine with war, he wished for the conflict to end as soon as possible. He had bigger fish to fry on his agenda.

The small Confederate force that had been sent to strike out against Maryland is forced to retreat by the 2nd.

As most of the Deep South is in Free State hands by February, the 6th and the 1st move on Texas. Harmon's administration hoped that the armies would be seen as liberators.

Rather annoyingly, the Colombians have allowed the Japanese to use the Panama Canal (shakes fist in the general direction of Bogotá), and a small expeditionary fleet is sent to blockade Philadelphia and New York.

Despite this, the ground forces of the Third Republic continue to score victory after victory.

In the Battle of Augusta, the 3rd Army under Randolph Sickles leads the Free States to an incredible victory. The Confederates, commanded by Raphael Armistead, surrender after a weak defense. Almost the entire army surrenders. Confederate manpower can't afford to suffer losses like this.

Distressing news arrives from the West. A group of fascists calling themselves the "True California Movement" have risen in Los Angeles, striking out against Mexican-Americans and Jews living in the city. While the Californian Army quickly crushes the militant group, the damage is done. Mexican-Americans questioned if the government could effectively protect them.

More worryingly, the Red Vanguard has risen in the Western Republic. Unwillingly to accept the idea of another Commune being established, President Harmon plans an intervention.

The state of the war, April 5th, 1913. The Confederate Army has been destroyed yet again; all that was required now was a surrender.

A group of Confederate fascists, calling themselves the Red Legion, rises up against the Free State occupation. They're quickly disposed of.

With the advent of electrical power generation, more power than ever could be created, and for less. The advancement leads to increased industrial output.

On June 3rd, 1913, a very annoyed Japanese delegation arrives in New Orleans. Quickly, a peace is hammered out.

The Treaty of New Orleans granted the Free States control of the state of Texas in exchange for promising not to annex another foot of Confederate foot of territory. While being a bit of jingoist, Harmon recognized that too may men had been lost in the various wars with the South; wars fought for just a state or two were no longer practical. Over a hundred thousand men had fallen for Texas; the price was too high.

As the war comes to an end, construction begins on a naval base and formal fortifications in Hawaii. Harmon, more than anything, hungrily eyed the Pacific.

The Workingmen's Party, working in alliance with other Progressive congressmen, forces through the American Health Care Act of 1913. It provided for the creation of the Department of Health, and gave a baseline level of coverage to every American. While the service was far from its full potential, it was a step in the right direction.

After just a few months of peace, the situation in the West concerns Harmon enough to act. Using the justification of the Guano Islands Act in order to avoid international intervention, Congress declares war on the Western Republic on August 20th, 1913. The decision was universally condemned by the Workingmen's Party, but managed to pass through the Senate by a vote of 36 to 24. The Third Republic was at war again.

The anti-military movement grows.

Western defense of their own territory is meager and under-supplied; most of the manpower of the republic hid in Alaska in order to protect the government. The Empire of Mexico, however, once again intervenes. Which I forgot about for a long time.

By late 1913, enough study had gone into the effects of chlorine gas that gas masks were manufactured and handed out to troops.

While the masks were crude and occasionally unreliable, they saved many a soldier's life. While chlorine gas continued to be used in warfare for decades, the masks helped to neutralize the effects of the attacks.

The Red Vanguard is quickly scattered, as many expected.

President Harmon, a proponent of a strong navy and the acquisition of a mainland Pacific port, was thrown into a rage when he heard that the Western Republic had effectively blockaded Hawaii.

Advancement into the West was slow but steady. As most of the Red Vanguard were destroyed, it became clear that the Third Republic once again desired to annex more territory from the fledgling Western Republic.

On October 22nd, 1913, Harmon, backed by Democrats in the Senate, declared his intention to annex Montana.

Scattered Western resistance resulted mostly in disaster for the Sitka government.

In Las Vegas, a large Western army led by Mark Asboth put up a brave defense in Las Vegas. With both sides deploying gas masks, it became a largely "clean" battle.

Despite General Ford withholding his gas, the low-quality Western conscripts were devastated in Nevada.

Oh crap, that's right, Mexico is in this war. shit shit shit shit

GET IN THERE, SHERIDAN

The Workingmen's Party, leaning on the moderate Republicans for support, passed the Voting District Act of 1913 in an effort to combat gerrymandering. The program was largely successful.

Just before Christmas of 1913, Harmon declares his intention to annex Idaho as well. While nothing was officially said, it became plain to all the president was aiming for another Pacific port.

While the Third Republic had withheld gas against the Westerners, the Mexicans, still not using chlorine gas, were prime targets for the weapon. This lead to intense anti-American sentiment in the Empire.

The Battle of Laredo, while a smashing Free State victory, was a terrible PR disaster for the FSA. The Workingmen's Party, already anti-war, pointed to American atrocities committed against Mexico as proof that the nation needed peace.

The last shreds of resistance on the continent are smashed.

On February 6th, 1914, Harmon declares his intention to annex Washington. This is a step too far for the government in Sitka; President Richard V. Slaughter refuses to allow the Third Republic to annex his most valuable state.

General Sheridan follows up his victory in Laredo with another one in Matamoros, completely wiping out the army commanded by Mejia.

Another has appeared, and it's finally reported by scouts that Canada had been allowing the Westerners to march through their territory! Unacceptable!

The People's Republic of Austria is short-lived, replaced by the Austrian Federal Republic, which is quickly brought under Germany's wing. In order to keep the guns of the rest of Europe pointed away from them, Kaiser Wilhelm II's government refuses to annex the ethnically German state.

Also, it appears as if Norwegian troops trekked all across Russia to occupy the British Raj, and with smashing success. *shrugs* that's video games for you.

The invention of the airplane leads many in the Free State military interested in their military capabilties, both in terms of reconnaissance and combat. Research and development begins in the field.

Offers between the sides stall out completely. The Free States are entirely unwilling to give up Washington. Peace talks continue, as many in the Free State government are worried that the anti-war sentiment sweeping the nation could be disastrous for national stability.

HEY EMPEROR. LET'S KEEP THIS SHIT MOVING.

Finally, the Treaty of Eugene is signed. In order to ensure peace, Harmon agrees to annex Oregon instead. The awkward borders that result in the decision give people who love great borders headaches.

Immediately, fortifications are built near Portland.

Ah, at last! Sea to shining sea (kind of).

With the frequent warfare leaving many in the Free States on the poorer side of things, the Workingmen's Party forces through more social reform with the Unemployment Welfare Act of 1914, giving a small pittance to the unemployed.

North of our border, we can't help but notice the extraordinary growth of Canada. Thanks to the frequent wars fought by the Free States, the massive amount of immigrants that the Republic brought in before Red Revolution now come in smaller numbers. Many of these immigrants instead moved to the Dominion of Canada, which grew so sufficiently in terms of military and industry that Britain was forced to sign the Canadian Bi-lateral Agreement, officially freeing Canada from British rule. While King George V remained the official Head of State and the two powers enjoyed a military alliance, Canada was now simply too big (and Britain too pre-occupied by war) to be a dominion. With the signing of the agreement in 1914, our northern neighbors are now effectively an independent nation.

Despite the strong anti-war sentiment brewing in the country, Harmon did have one more small move that he wished to execute that he believed would involve few losses. California, enjoying its own independence, ought to be brought down a peg.

In Wisconsin, a state dominated by socialist politician, a group of American Free Corps (organized by the Silver Legion) are forced to leave barrack grounds. This does nothing but rile up the small fascist movement in the nation.

On September 23rd, 1914, Congress declares war on the Californian Republic over FSA claims to New Mexico, which Congress claimed stemmed from the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. While the claim is... *dubious*, it is clear to all that this is another Free State land grab.

The Workingmen's Party condemns the war as illegal in both houses of legislature. Meyer London, the Speaker of the House, declares that the constant warfare was anti-ethical to the entire ethos of the Republic.

As Third Republic troops cross into California, 300,000 professional soldiers wait near the Canadian border, as if daring the Conservative Party government to intervene.

By November, Sacramento is captured. While warhawks had hoped that this would end the conflict, it seemed as though the specter of war would hang for longer.

In the Battle of the Sierra Nevada, attacking Free State troops used chlorine gas against the Californians, who had not yet developed the weapon. This is, once again, a massive PR disaster; using gas against Americans would never be popular in the newspapers back in the East.

The Californians, smartly, gathered up their forces and hit the invaders in Sacramento. While General Franklin had gas at his disposal, the Californians had managed to improvise defenses to the weapon by discovering that urinating on a rag and holding it up to one's face mostly negated the effects of the weapon.

The Midterms of 1914 hold the Workingmen plurality in the House and the Senate.

In the Battle of Sacramento, General Chester Franklin is humiliated by Ambrose Doubleday. Despite this defeat, the Third Republic's push is unstoppable.

Just a week after this massive victory in Sacramento, California agrees to cede New Mexico. The shockingly high losses suffered in the main battle of the Californian War are enough to firmly sway public opinion away from Harmon.

Another land army is commissioned.

Perhaps the second biggest legacy of the Harmon administration (other than the three wars he fought) was the naval buildup seen during his time. For the first time in many years, the Republic wished to project itself as a naval force. Modern battleships and cruisers were commissioned on both coasts.

Despite the recent communist revolution in Cuba, democracy(ish) was reinstated in late 1914, with the Realista group seizing control of Havana.

In the interest of further modernizing the FSA Navy and bringing it on par with European standards, the Department of the Navy (led by an ambitious young politician by the name of Franklin Delano Roosevelt) begins to research steam turbine ships.

As socialist ideals began to take root in Congress, the concept of "priming the pump" in order to stimulate the economy is proposed by Workingmen. While both the Republicans and Democrats pushed against the ideal, Senator Debs and Senator La Follette began to push the idea into the American consciousness.

While America had mostly stayed isolated from European affairs since the very beginning, President Harmon begins to consider the possibility of reach out to the Kaiser. While Germany does have an Emperor, it is in practicality a liberal democracy that also seems interested in remaining isolated from the wars erupting on the continent. A summit is planned between the two nations, to be held in Philadelphia.

The American-German Summit of 1915 was ultimately neither a total success nor a total failure; while relations with the German Empire were marginally improved, nothing real could be agreed upon. Still, it was nice to know that the Free States might have a friend in the Old World.

More Red Vanguard have risen in the West. While planning another intervention would be incredible unpopular, to the Democrats, stopping the threat of communism from spreading was considered to be their most sacred duty.

The 1st Fleet begins to gather in New Jersey. A strong and modern fleet ought to be able to finally keep our shores secure.

As economic theory advances, new forms of management are put into practice, improving efficiency.

With the invention of the vacuum tube in late 1915, products like telephones, radios, and televisions could be more easily produced and commercialized.

In reaction to the Red Vanguard, an even stronger group of Black Legion rises up in Utah and Nevada. Designed to implement a strict fascist regime, these rebels managed to find a large amount of support across the sickly Western Republic.

Britain, whose economy was in shambles following the lengthy (and eventually fruitless) war with France, faced massive rebellions in both Africa and India. Talks of independence for the Subcontinent begin to spread.

Just before the election cycle can begin in earnest, the Workingmen's Party manages to secure more founding for the Department of Health.

(Fuck. I forgot to hit the button at the right time.)

As 1916 is already here, the election is nearly upon the nation once again. Serious debate takes place at the Democratic National Convention over whether it was wise to renominate Harmon, who was now 70 years old and not particularly popular. As another suitable candidate could not be found, the party decided to punt and stick with Harmon, hoping that the Northeast would remain a Democratic haven.

The Workingmen's Party, hoping that this would finally be their grand push, nominated the famous Eugene V. Debs. While the 60 year-old senator was no longer the spring chicken that he had been in 1896, he was still very popular amongst the common man.

While a significant amount of the party had pushed for Robert La Follette to take the nomination, Fightin' Bob refused, choosing instead to remain in the Senate. As the Speaker of the House, Meyer London, was Lithuanian-born, the party scrambled for a running mate, eventually settling on Jim Maurer, a representative from Pennsylvania.

Debs's campaign pushed for a simple goal: no more war. Internal development would be the way forward.

The Republicans, knowing that their national reputation had been thoroughly smeared by the Sherman Scandal, settled for Idaho Senator James Brady. Brady only appeared on the ticket in a few states.

A movement away from impressionism and towards expressionism began around this time as well. The most well-known peace of expressionist art of that time, "The Scream" by Edvard Munch, largely influenced the movement both in Europe and in America.

The anti-war movement in Ohio was such that a large quantity of the popularity supported total pacifism. Ohio, the home state of Harmon, was pretty much already decided, so this movement was quickly smothered in its crib.

New York, a state that had previously been staunchly Democrat, began to turn in the mid-1910s. As class consciousness grew more during the Harmon presidency and voting reform allowed the common man to work in peace, the Workingmen's Party stood a decent chance of capturing the most important state in the Third Republic.

The Hungarian people have overthrown the monarchy created upon the fall of Austria and created the People's Republic of Hungary, modelling itself after the government that had taken control of Austria in 1908. The other powers on the continent could only hope that the movement would not spread.

A lockout in West Virginia is broken up by state militia under the guidance of the Workingmen's Party in control of the state. This leads to many rich across the country fearing a socialist regime in Philadelphia more than they already did.

In Tennessee, a state that had become more and more conservative in recent years, a bit of a nativist revival leads to the Democrats enjoying a comfortable lead there.

that's a text wall

In the months leading up to the election, Congress approves an American Trading Exposition to be held in our capital, Philadelphia. While the breakaway states are to be ignored, we offer invitations to most of Latin America and Canada.

Speaking of Canada, a trade agreement is signed between Ottawa and Sacramento, bringing them close with California. Canada's slimy fingers are gonna be all over the rest of this game, guys, be ready.

Horrible news arrives on our shores from Sitka. In the 1916 Elections, the Silver Legion has been elected into office for the Western Republic. While public opinion had largely been against further conflict with our Western cousins, the idea that the rump state that claimed to the sons of Washington might soon be military dictatorship instead frightened many people.

Debs stayed mute on the issue of going to war against a fascist Western Republic.

The American Trading Exposition turns out to be a great success. Hurrah!

Just a month before Election Day, Congress passes a law mandated secret ballots. This so-called "Australian ballot" would ensure that voters would not face harassment from the people conducting the election, helping to cut down on voter fraud.

Just days before Election Day, Harmon can feel the walls closing in. He rallies Congress for war against the Western Republic, believing that a fascist state on American soil was a grave danger.

On December 19th, 1916, Congress does declare war, citing the Oregon Treaty as a sign that the Free States deserved Washington. While the Workingmen had publicly declared themselves to be anti-war, several of their senators voted in favor of the war, believing that the threat of the fascists was too great to ignore based on principle.

Debs wisely said nothing on the subject.

As the Electoral College counts up the votes, it becomes clear that history has been. Bolstered by winning New York, Massachusetts, and Illinois, Eugene V. Debs becomes the first socialist president in Free State history. After more than fifty years of trying, the Workingmen's Party finally captures the ultimate prize.

However, the nation is still at war. Debs promised the people peace; how would he proceed forward?

Thanks for reading! Next time, we'll examine the presidency of Eugene V. Debs!