1917 - Emperor Theodore, dies in Franklin City of stress-related
heart failure. His son assumes the crown as Theodore II. The
succession for Supreme Governor is in dispute, though, since the post is
not hereditary. Theodore II decides to call for elections for SG.
Franklin Roosevelt, husband of TR's neice and a distant relative himself,
is tapped by Theodore II as his choice. Roosevelt, who is a Democrat
(who have a large republican wing), runs against Socialist Eugene Debs
and Nationalist Richard Anderson. The young FDR wins without difficulty,
keeping the SG post in the family.
1920 - Emperor Theodore II is assassinated. Questions
about as to how it oculd happen with so much security. With no legitimate
heirs, the crown goes to his first cousin - Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, the
First Lady. She is crowned Empress of the Americas as Anna-Eleanor.
Power is firmly still in the hands of the Roosevelt family as talk of a
new dynasty abounds, and both are popular with the masses. FDR is
reelected Supreme Governor.
1921 - A third of the Democratic Party breaks from the main
body after they refuse to espouse Republicanism. The new Republican
party, with a somewhat leftist bent, decides to caucus with the Socialists
in the Continental Congress, threatening to give them a plurality.
This leads to the unthinkable - the Democrats extend a hand to their old
enemies the Nationalists, who form a coalition government.
1925 - FDR is reelected once again. His wife begins maneuvers
to give him some kind of royal title.
1926 - SG FDR is proclaimed "King of New Columbia" by a bare
majority of the
1928 - Worldwide economic downturn occurs. Socialists
and Republicans call for new elections and help from the crown in assisting
the needy and poor. The decidedly laissez-faire King and Empress
do little. A few defectors from the Democratic-Nationalist coalition
vote with their opposition to call early elections. In these elections,
the Socialists and Republicans, promising government help to prop up the
economy, win a majority in Congress. The Senate, still in DNC
hands, refuses to go along with their recommendations.
1929 - As the economy worsens and neither side able to reach
compromise on what to do, King Franklin dissolves the Popular Assembly
and hands power to the Senate. Protests begin to flare up, and martial
law is declared. A number of members of the Popular Assemby meet
illegally. The DNC members of the PA, more youthful and less reactionary
than their Senate cousins, join the SRC members in calling for popular
uprising to restore the PA. A large demonstration in Montgomery,
MS is fired upon by troops, causing revolt to spontaneously break out all
over the nation. It is too late for the monarchy - Empress Eleanor
and King Franklin are shot with much of the Senate. The monarchy
is once again abolished in favor of a Second Republic. Herbert Hoover,
moderate Republican, is named provisional Supreme Governor. The Senate
is abolished along with all titles of nobility. Nobles are given
a short time to leave the country.
1930 - Elections to the Congress of the Second Republic result
in a strong Socialist plurality. Collectivists, (followers of Engels
and Vladimir Ulyanov) also gain a number of seats as the depression deepens.
Socialists and Collectivists are able to form an alliance to govern the
country without the Democrats, Republicans, or Nationalists. They
take a decidedly Engelian (from Frederick Engels) approach to nationalizing
the economy. Joseph (Dzhugashvili) Stone, a Russian-born immigrant
who come to America as a student, moves up in power in the new government
as a Collectivist. SG Hoover, a moderatley conservative Republican,
attempts to veto a number of these proposals, but to no avail.
1931 - The Socialist-Collectivist Congress is able to impeach
SG Hoover for not adhering to the "needs of the proletariat". Rumors
about the Governor's "corruption" are spread through Collectivist propaganda.
When the votes are counted on August 29, the impeachment motion fails to
gain the 2/3 majority needed, but the Socialist-Collectivist majority declares
no-confidence and calls for new elections early the next year.
1932 - New elections are held January 20. Worsening conditions
due to the depression feed Collectivist propaganda machines, but even this
is not enough for them as they also conduct a campaign of intimidation
against the "reactionary forces" of Nationalists, Democrats, and Republicans.
When the votes are counted, and after extensive vote fraud by the left,
the Collectivist/Socialist coalition gains control of 75 percent of the
Congress. While they did little to hide their fraud, the people don't
care as long as they do something to help out with the depression. Joseph
Stone is named President by the new Congress, and continues to propagandize
the nation. Many businesses and operations begin to be socialized,
and vocal critics of the new government begin to disappear quietly.
1933 - January 20, a year after the election of the left coalition,
is celebrated as an official government holiday. Later in the year,
the Republican, Democratic, and Nationalist parties join in several meetings
to see how the economy and national morale can be restored and how to defeat
the Left. They agree to form the United American Coalition to oppose
the Left in a joint front. The left, however, has now taken total
control of print media, and pours out vigorous amounts of propaganda. Collectivists in Mexico take control of that nation as well and establish the Social Collective of Mexico as Emperor Jose III and his family escape to exile
1934 - The
Republic of New Mexico secedes from Mexico and allies with Texas and California against the Collectivist powers, though their crusade is quixotic at best. Mexico and America, claiming counterrevolutionary "anti-worker activity" send elite forces seize power and form Socialist governments.
1935 - The depression has not let up, and the people begin grumbling
about new elections. Protests begin calling for the ouster of the
Leftist Coalition. In February, a raid on the UAC headquarters kills
seven. President Stone "reveals" the treason of many UAC members
and uses the occasion to outlaw the three "reactionary" parties.
Repression by the secret police begins to grow. On 13 July, Stone
declares the abolition of the United Republic of America and the formation
of the new Social Collective of America, with himself as combined SG and
President under the title of General Secretary (his title as leader of the Collectivist
Party). He has firm control of the country, and his repression will
seemingly have nothing to stand against it. Or will it? In
September, a large majority of the old Socialist Party withdraws to form
the Labor Party of America, which shocks the nation by supporting the UAC.
Massive protests begin to break out across the nation, and "Uncle Joe"
decides to call in the military. Problem is, he has made significant
military cuts to fund his own secret police.
31 October - Stone orders a platoon in New York to fire on protestors.
The commander, General David Eisenhower, goes on national radio and makes
the announcement: "It would interest all of you to know that I have just
received an order by the General Secretary to fire upon this crowd to disperse
it. My answer: No Sir, I will not." The crowd goes wild at
this, and Eisenhower's troops pass through the crowd with weapons they
had earlier raided from a stockpile. Within a day they seize control
of NYC and begin raising the "New Continental Army".
3 November - In what is now seen to be an elaborate plan which
has been worked on for a long time, numerous military units across the
nation mobilize and prepre to retake the nation. The secret police, however,
is ready to fight as well, and is heavily armed in its own right.
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