A Destiny Made Manifest - Epilogue

After a century of intrigue, excitement, ineptitude, and memes, the American people are once again united under the star-spangled banner. However, all is not well in the world. With the great Asian empires on the verge of superpower-status, the nations of Europe must hope that they can continue to cling to their colonial holdings. Already, Britain has lost significant ground in Africa and India, while the paper tiger that is the Ottoman Empire is on the verge of collapse.

America, now ready to face the world again, has a variety of ways it can proceed. As 1936 is officially upon the world, it stands at a crossroads.

(THANK YOU TO u/Jurkus1000 WHO MADE THIS VERY GOOD MAP)

In celebration of the Union, the venerable American Historical Association decides to hold a general meeting at its headquarters in New York and hold a great convention. AHA President Roslin Scott (very progressive for them to have a female president, I know. Even more impressive that she's just 18!) constructed a survey for the good members of the association to answer.

One of her colleagues PMed her and asked why she bothered to go to so much trouble with this survey backstory, to which she responded, "Because I need a gimmick to keep this epilogue vaguely in-universe while also allowing for audience interaction. Keep it kayfabe, brother."

The first question, "Who's the greatest president of the last century?" was answered overwhelmingly in favor of Augustus Beatty, our 15th president. Notable for both his deeds on the battlefield and for his successful three terms in office, he was the obvious selection here. President Roslin voted for him as well. *Clears throat*.

On another note, people have asked me if I meant for us to lose the Maritime War in order to cause the Klan Rebellions. The answer is... no, not directly. The Democrats won that election, so I decided to honor Buchanan's platform. I knew the war was probably futile, but hey, maybe the AI would be completely inept and I could win! No matter what, I figured it would be entertaining.

Also receiving votes for best president that are worthy of mention are Eugene V. Debs, John Nance Garner, Winfield Scott, Robert La Follette, and William Randolph Hearst.

Listen, guys. I like Debs as much as the next DemSoc. But in this timeline, he was kind of an objectively bad president. But I will respect the opinions of my readers - I mean the opinions of the AHA - and kept everything as you guys voted for.

The notable snub here, I think, is Robert Pattison. He doesn't have a particularly memorable name, but I would've probably put him on here if it were up to me.

And now for Worst President! Unsurprisingly, it's taken easily by Robert Todd Lincoln. Really not much of a contest here.

I have a soft spot for Grover Cleveland, I'm disappointed you heartless, meme-loving fucks put him on this list.

ALSO. I voted for Burton K. Wheeler, who was just an entire fuck-up from top to bottom imo.

Onward to Best Time Period! Alright, I need to address the elephant in the room about the Red Revolutions.

People have speculated whether or not I *meant* to dissolve the Union, and whether or not it was through my ineptitude. There's not exactly a simple answer I can give you. Going into this AAR, I wanted to do something, *anything*, weird with it. This was never going to be a standard AAR. I was content with going in whatever direction I could - fascist, communist, uber-imperialist, etc. So when Lincoln's deal was intense expansion, and I justified war on Mexico, I knew what the consequences would be if I was discovered early. At that point, I let the random number generator decide whether the AAR would be a tale of insane imperialism or a tale of the Disunited States. I'm quite happy with how it turned out.

Now for Best Political Movement. Given the general leaning of r/paradoxplaza - I mean the AHA - I'm not surprised that the Progressive Age won. That's what I voted for.

And now for Best/Most Successful Party. Very disappointed in y'all for shitting on the GOP so hard in this one. Behind the CPUSA? That's just an insult. They're the clear third-placer here, in my book.

Most Surprising/Upsetting Occurrence.

I'm kind of surprised that I barely caught shit for switching to the Free States. I'm not complaining, because it's less internet fuckers I have to deal with, but it was a bit surprising to see that.

And, finally, we come to the presidential election. John Nance Garner v. Franklin Delano Roosevelt. JNG v. FDR! Impassioned and logical arguments were made by both sides here, arguments that I could easily buy.

For what it's worth, my SJW-lookin ass voted for Garner.

In one of the more surprising electoral upsets of the century, John Nance Garner is defeated by Roosevelt after a highly successful term. Roosevelt managed to capitalize on the heavily socialist South being added to the Union, which is truly the reason he won.

Some might wonder why the South wouldn't side with Garner, who's from Texas. These people have never been to the South; Texans and Southerners kind of hate each other to all hell.

With Franklin Delano Roosevelt taking office on January 20th, 1937, only he knows what direction the nation is to head in. Whether is be continued isolationism, militant expansionism, or perhaps consolidation and nationalization of industries, the nation waits with bated breath.

I'm totally not going to tell y'all what happens with this timeline, because *I* don't know what happens, and I never will.

Thank you guys so much. It's been incredible to see the reception to this AAR around r/paradoxplaza, even though I'll never understand why so many people read this thing. Y'all rad as hell, and I appreciate every one of you.

Many people have asked me if I'm ever gonna do another AAR, and I'm just going to say now that it's probably never gonna happen. Unless I'm grabbed by a serious and insane desire to tell a particular story, it almost certainly will not happen. I can't balance this with real life stuff anymore. Indeed, I can't even balance it with my own personal fiction. I love this AAR to death, but I'm glad it's behind me now.

So yeah! Stay cool. Thanks again.