A Destiny Made Manifest - Part 22: A Modern Age of War

With the election of William Randolph Hearst, America has found herself with perhaps the strangest man she's ever made Commander in Chief. A flamboyant man who thrived on personality and rhetoric, he championed policies that often contradicted. He sold newspapers for most of his adult life; he knew how to play the media like a fiddle to get what he wanted.

The very day after Hearst is elected, Senate declares war on the Confederate States of America. The FSA, clinging to the notion that they were heirs of the Second Republic, claimed the territories of Arkansas and Tennessee were "seized illegally from the Union" in the chaos following the Second Confederacy's declaration of independence, and claimed West Virginia to be rightfully American as it had stayed loyal to the Union in the Southern Rebellions more than forty years ago.

Alright guys, breaking the 4th wall here to explain what I'm gonna do here. Indulge me for a second, will you?

Alright. As we can see here, I do not have cores on Arkansas and Tennessee, and I think (?) that I can only take them because they are majority Yankee states, falling under my "Cultural Union" CB I can use. That's why I can still take states from the USA for no infamy as well - I have no more cores on their stuff, but I can claim to be the true "Yankee" nation and use Cultural CBs. When it comes to New England, which I do have cores on, I don't have to deal with this backwards ass thing.

Why do I have a claim on Texas? Early on I planned on naval invading them using the Cultural Union CB, but then realized that that only works on Yankee nations.

Also, California has joined the Confederates against us. They flop sides a lot.

The decision is made by lame duck President Pattison to mobilize reserves as Hearst begins to transition in. The new president fully supports the idea. The propaganda machine is cranked up, villainizing the Confederates as godless heathen communists.

(I love this universe where the FSA is conservative and the South is socialist, by the way, really makes me laugh.)

While the Confederates have decent manpower, it isn't believed that they can keep up with the Third Republic. The army that was attempting to capture Hagerstown, Maryland retreats to the Washington area.

While Washington no longer is our capital, allowing the Confederates to capture it would be just *wrong*. General Hayes and General Ford are sent to chase them away.

In Missouri, where much of the conflict in the first phase of the Southern Rebellion took place, accomplished General Matthew Sheridan clashes with the upstart Charles French.

Early on, attempts at advancing into Confederate positions is successful. However, the people of Dixieland are nothing if not resilient and stubborn; fighting them will not be easy, and they will not concede defeat without bloodying our people a good deal.

A resounding victory is won on the outskirts of the former capital city! In a smashing victory, the Confederates led by Benjamin Loring quickly submit, thanks to the CSA government's poor job of equipping their men. Nearly 15,000 soldiers are killed, while the remaining 40,000 are to be held prisoner on Third Republic soil.

I missed the screenshot of it, but we beat the hell out of the Southerners at Malden. Sheridan decides to counterattack into Arkansas, pressing his advantage.

On December 12th, just a month after the outbreak of the war, the Empire of Japan officially declares war on the Free States for violating Confederate sovereignty. It's unknown exactly what they would do to strike at us, considering we have no Pacific possessions. This will likely just end up being an annoying headache.

As Hearst waits to be sworn in, he delivers a fiery speech admonishing Japanese intervention, famously stating:

"The Japs are treacherous, nothing but trouble. In the time of President Scott, may his soul rest, they were uplifted by American intervention, introducing onto their poor islands modernity and civilization. And they repay us with lead."

General Sheridan manages to force another retreat from Charles French in the Battle of Little Rock, but he suffers double the casualties that his rival does. The Confederates know the territory well.

Shocking news from the West is received. The Iowans have elected Richard Warner, a former military officer and Populist politician, as one of their senators. Warner became the first Silver Legionary Congressmen, and he assured the rest of the Congress that he fully supported democratic government, stating that the Silver Legion merely intended to serve as a bulwark against Communism.

The tie in Congress between Progressive and Conservative forces led to legislative deadlock.

The Confederates, mobilizing many of their young men, begin to attempt to retake towns. Efforts are made to ensure this won't happen.

We send them packing, beating General French in a town outside of Knoxville.

By February, Virginia is captured, with the Confederate government fleeing to Birmingham. While the Third Republic's advance seems inexorable, the Confederates do not intend to give up. Additionally, a handful of Californian reinforcements turn up.

In Iowa, an offshoot of the Silver Legion, calling itself America's Guard of Steel, is formed. The group consists largely of former soldiers upset with the weakness of the Third Republic to decisively and effectively restore order to the Continental 48.

In Paducah, Kentucky, a Confederate expedition to capture the city is crushed by General Sheridan.

In Asheville, NC, several Free State armies attempt to force a Confederate retreat to great disaster. While the enemies, led by Benjamin Loring, were dislodged by our boys, they suffered insanely heavy casualties thanks to the rough terrain.

The armies of the Third Republic continue to smash through Confederate defenses and occupy the South, despite suffering heavy losses. Thanks to our far greater manpower, we can sustain such things.

*shrugs*

The state of the war, April 15th, 1905. As Hearst is sworn in, he declares that he will accept nothing less than the annexation of West Virginia, Tennessee, and Arkansas, as they belong to the Union by right.

While the Free State advance continues, incredible losses are suffered. In the Battle of Nashville alone, nearly 95,000 fighting men are killed or wounded. This war needed to end, sooner or later.

Hoooo boy. Not good!

A Confederate army deep behind enemy lines is swept away by Matthew Bradley.

News of victory continue to arrive back home, but nothing substantive. Rather then surrender, the Confederate government continues to flee to the west, now escaping all the way to Arizona in the face of the Third Republic's onslaught.

Nine months into the war, and nearly all of the Confederacy is occupied. Hearst, on the advice of his top military advisers, decides to push his men all the way into California in order to get the Japanese to agree to a peace.

As the war continues to be fought, new army doctrines are developed - chiefly, the philosophy of infiltration, led by General Matthew Sheridan. The idea was to use lighter enemy troops to attack enemy flanks and rear positions, and then to follow up these attacks by bringing heavier weaponry in afterwards.

Free State troops cross into Californian troops for the second time in five years - however, this time, they are invaders. While Hearst has nothing particular against the Californians, they had thrown in their lot with the wrong side, simple as that.

A Free State naval expedition into the Gulf of Mexico is handed with a humiliating defeat, with more than half of the entire navy being destroyed by superior Confederate gunships. We relinquish control of the seas to our enemies; we hold the land, and that's good enough for us.

In less than a year, all of the South is occupied. Repeated attempts at peace are made by diplomats of the Third Republic, but Japan, propping up the broken state, refuses them.

As 1906 rolls around, the prosperous city of San Francisco is captured and looted by FSA troops, reminding many of the local people of what the Dutch had done just twenty years prior.

On April 21st, 1906, Sacramento is occupied, and both the Californian and Confederate governments are seized by General Hayes. Six days later, a Japanese peace delegation arrives in San Francisco.

The Treaty of San Francisco is agreed to in principle on April 27th, 1906. In exchange for a five year period of peace, the Free States would take Arkansas, Tennessee, and West Virginia, as they had initially demanded.

Across the nation, people celebrate. The war was over, and the Third Republic had once again proven its supremacy.

Humorously, Communists rise in Texas as our troops return back to our homeland.

In California, a nation already brought to its knees by the war, further disaster strikes in the form of the Earthquake of 1906, which registered as a 7.8 on the Richtor Scale by modern measurements. The earthquake was an absolute killer, with almost all of the city being leveled and nearly 5,000 deaths.

Social alienation? sure

Interesting news! It seems as though Europe has erupted into war. The French and their Russian allies are invading the German Empire and the Italians attempted once again to take Lombardia, you can guess how well that goes for them.

now THAT smells like successfully restoration of American democracy to me.

In the hot summer of 1906, the hottest topic in the Third Republic is the upcoming referendum in New England. Would our fellow Yankees in Boston decide to join the new Union peacefully? The states of the Northeast would certainly be a boon to our industry, which is already stronger than most of the powers of Europe on its own, trailing just the British and the industrious Second Reich.

Across the Midwest, soup kitchens funded by the Silver Legion begin to operate, distributing food to poor workers and farmers. It's a shameless attempt to essentially buy votes from the Workingmen's Party, and all three major political parties are generally against the action, but given that the work is not illegal, nothing is done about the institution.

The day after the referendum is held, the New English government reports the following data to Philadelphia:

"Should the Republic of New England petition for American annexation?"

Yes: 48.4%

No: 51.6%

Voter turnout: 63.7%

It's a complete shock to the American people, who had assumed that the New English would vote overwhelmingly to rejoin the Union. It's perhaps even more shocking to President Hearst, who had been assured of the success of the referendum by certain members of the Boston Congress.

The very next day, Hearst gives a speech to the American people, and ensures that it's published in newspapers across the country. He denounces the referendum as a fraud, claiming that the power-mad politicians in Boston have rigged the vote and suppressed the actual voice of the people of New England, who are true American patriots.

The drums of war are beat once more.

Just two weeks after the referendum, Congress declares war on New England.

While the Third Republic has the overwhelming advantage in terms of raw numbers, the New English are fighting like cornered rats. They will not give in easily, it is certain.

American forces smash through New England's defenses in the Battle of Arkham, forcing the rebels to retreat out of the western part of Massachusetts.

As the Free States marches on Boston, both sides unveil their shiny new weapons of war: poison gas. This horrible weapon leads to great civillian causalities in and around Boston. In an incredibly bloody war fought between brothers, hundred of thousands die in the span of a week,

In the Battle of the Gas, named so for the emergence of the terrible weapon, over 100,000 men die, while 50,000 are badly wounded. The New English, led by Benjamin Butler, are forced to retreat, along with the government.

In an attempt to disrupt the Third Republic's offense, an army of 30,000 marches on New York. We quickly send men to deal with the situation.

Unfortunately, in their rush to invade New York, the New English did not bring any gas with them. The armies led by Matthew Sheridan, however, used gas extensively in the Battle of the Hudson, assaulting hastily-built trenches along the Hudson River. The New English take massive losses, and a scattershot retreat takes place amongst the few troops that remain.

The last remnants of the army that defended Boston are smashed by Augustus Ford, who held his ground against a furious last-ditch assault by the New English on Concord, New Hampshire. The horror of this new form of warfare - practically unseen in the recent war with the South - shocks many Americans, including the press, who begin to turn against the war for its human cost.

More New English forces are destroyed in Vermont, essentially pushing all remaining resistance up into Maine.

War was modernizing at an alarming rate. While younger generals like Augustus Ford championed this new method of conflict, Matthew Sheridan and other "old guard" generals found the new tactics to be disgraceful.

The state of the war as winter begins to truly worsen. Within just four months, the large New English Army is obliterated, and hundreds of thousands lie dead on both sides.

In a shocker, the state legislatures of Arkansas and Tennessee each elect a Silver Legion member to the Senate. Both of the state governments were largely moralist conservatives and believed that sending legionary politicians to the Senate might show the politicians there that concessions to progressivism would not be tolerated.

While Theodore Roosevelt and Eugene V. Debs continued to lead the Progressive Bloc in the Senate, they were outgunned by the forces of conservatism. Led by Missouri senators William J. Stone (former preside of the New American Alliance) and James Beauchamp "Champ" Clark, as well as incredibly divisive New York Republican Chauncey Depew, the conservative bloc in the Senate held things down.

As the new and devastating costs of war are seen, it becomes clear to many people that the new massive scale of the conflicts being fought allowed for much more spoilers to the victor. This is duly noted by American high command.

Germany appears ascendant in Europe as it singlehandedly smashes France and the sickly Russian Federation, even annexing Lithuania from the republic as part of the peace deal.

On March 29th, 1907, the New English government finally submits to annexation. While many in the region are upset that the Free States took control by force, reaction in the international community is muted, as many of the European powers saw the FSA as simply taking what was rightfully theirs.

As the nation continues to hurtle into a modern age, the railroad system becomes even more effeicient. The zenith of the American rail system is quickly approaching.

While many in New England resent out rule, thousands of young people from across the new states flock to join our armed forces.

In an attempt to patch up things with California once more, we agree to a military pact against that rump state out west we continue to pretend doesn't exist unless we're invading them.

we out here modernizing agriculture n shit

*whistles in an unassuming way*

War breaks out in Europe again, pitting the Austro-Hungarians and the British against the Germans. President Hearst, a bit of an isolationist when it came to interacting with Europe, is forced to do something in order to ensure that we won't become ensnared in the affairs of the Old Continent.

In order to possibly find an ally on the continent, the cabinet advises Hearst to get in contact with France, who should be interested (as the Free States are) in a mutually beneficial "declaration of neutrality" in regards to the war.

President Hearst texts King Philip VIII of France at 2:34 AM:

"you up?"

The King of France reads the text immediately, but does not respond. President Hearst has just been curved so badly that his nation as a whole is embarrassed of him.

A meteor strikes in Siberia, perhaps God's way of showing that Russia being a republic is absolutely disgusting and it must therefore be full communism or full tsarism.

Leo Baekeland, a Belgian-American chemist, earns the Nobel Prize in chemistry for his invention of Bakelite, an early plastic. A great accomplishment!

Oh, an economics thing? y'all can google that

President Hearst attempts to improve relations with Mexican Emperor Maximilian, but the French, eager to see their man stay on the throne, block his administration's efforts whenever they can.

Unrelated note: Africa's real fucked up, guys.

A mob of pro-independence New English rebels rise up in Boston, probably after one too many beers. We send in the boys.

Also, a fleet of nine New English ships are chilling off the coast. They continue to do so all game.

Another Nobel prize for our scientists! Good stuff, guys!

Bowing to pressure from the Progressives, Congress raises minimum wage juuuust a bit.

Europe: literally incapable of chilling the fuck out.

Sicily, the poor republic suffering from fighting in Austria's wars, has thrown off Austria's shackles as well as democracy. A military junta led by the Fascisti Party seizes control of the state, becoming the first fascist nation in the world.

A small riot in Prague is enough for the topic of Czech independence to be brought to world attention. The Austro-Hungarian Empire, in the process of being smashed to bits by the Germans, is on the verge of collapse. Vultures begin to circle.

Ah shit, guys. I forgot to hit the "Hold Election" button until just now, and I wasn't gonna load that save. So election day is in January now I guess.

The Democrats, finding great success in their policies under Hearst, make the easy decision to renominate him.

The Republicans, managing to not fracture as an institution this time, nominate war hero Matthew Sheridan as their candidate, who positioned himself as a moderate candidate in between the progressive and conservative movement. Chauncey Depew is to be his running mate.

The Workingmen, finding themselves without allies, nominate Debs once more.

In Pennsylvania, a staunching Democratic state and the seat of our capital, loyalty to Hearst is strong.

Given our success in exploration of the Arctic, that good old boy Frederick Cook is sent once again on an expedition, this time to the South Pole. Being the first man to reach *both poles* would be a hell of an accomplishment.

A small contingent of Red Vanguard have resurfaced in Tennessee, claiming to be acting fairly in response to the Tennessee government's approval of fascism.

The pinko bastards are quickly crushed.

Things are heating up. While the Austro-Hungarians receive token support from the Dutch (a "Great Power"), the Russians are backed by the French, with the Brits soon to join as well.

Shocking news on December 16th, 1908. The December Revolution has occured in Vienna, with Austrian Communists overthrowing the Hapsburg Dual-Monarchy. The People's Republic of Austria is declared.

This does nothing but escalate European tensions. Hearst delivers a speech to the House admonishing the communist revolt, giving tacit support to the Brits, French, and the Russians, calling themselves the "Triple Entente."

As the election draws nearer and nearer, Hearst's reelection seems inevitable. His fantastic oratory skills make him a magnet for attention.

On January 2nd, 1909, the Great War begins in earnest. While using the exccuse of Bohemian independence as justification to invade, the Entente were mostly acting in order to squash the spread of communism before it began. The full dismantling of the large People's Republic of Austria into seperate ethnic states is planned.

Good luck, Austria! At least you have 4 military score and the powerhouse Netherlands at your side!

While Hearst was projected to win by almost all polls, he absolutely smashes both Debs and Sheridan to decisively win a second term in office.

Thanks for reading! Check back in next time as we examine the second term of William Randolph Hearst!