1936 - Armed resistance to Collectivist rule grows throughout America.  Eisenhower and his forces rule much of the south and midwest of the continent.  Joseph Stone's secret police are now in the open fighting the democratic forces of Gen. Eisenhower.  In the spring, Mexican backup arrives at the bequest of GS Stone, giving the Collectivist government a desperately needed assist.  Many poltical prisoners freed by the Liberation forces are evacuated to Cuba, where they form a government in exile.  Britain and France begin to funnel monetary support for the Liberation in the summer. Eisenhower's forces strike from the South into the Middle Atlantic republics; General Bradley leads a force into the Western nations on behalf of the governments of Texas, California, and New Mexico.  By the end of the year, the Liberation force has completed their conquest of California.  The year of fighting, however, claims nearly a million lives on both sides; Stone begins to set up concentration camps to do away with his opponents.
1937 - Continued Civil War begins to devastate much of America, especially along the battle lines.  Stone's forces mass in Southern Pennsylvania.to strike against the Liberation in March.  On 7 March Eisenhower's army meets the Collectivist forces in battle at the town of Sharpsburg, Maryland; the battle rages on for seven hours when backup from General James Nelson arrive to assist the Liberation; by nightfall Collectivist forces have withdrawn with only 1/4 of their forces left.  The battle of Sharpsburg becomes the turning point of the Civil War; the total losses (military and civilian) going beyond 100,000.  Within weeks resistance forces in Collectivist-held territory begin rising up and making headway.  By June, Franklin City is in Liberation hands and the new provisional government begins to set up shop.  By November, GS Stone holes himself up in Nova Scotia and begins to systematically order his men to destroy everything and everyone in sight; this is too much for his generals, most of whom surrender to the Liberation because of this order.
1938 - Liberation forces enter Stone's compound on February 8 and find him freshly dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.  This finally ends the Civil War in fact, as the last Collectivist generals surrender to the provisional government.  Eishenhower is hailed as hero and liberator of America, and embarks on a nationwide goodwill tour to promote rebuilding.  The results of the war are horrendous; billions of dollars of damage, 3 million dead, and much of the infrastructure destroyed.  The South of the nation has damage, but came out without too many scars due to its early support of the liberation.  The PG outlaws the Socialist and Collectivist parties and liquidates their holdings.  The Mexican collectivist government falls on July 3 due to lack of assistance from America.  On August 21 General Eisenhower is named provisional President of America by the reconvened Continental Congress.  In his inaugural address, the new President declares that democracy is important, but there must be limits on "mob rule"; Elections must be reformed to prevent underhanded takeovers; privatization of industries must commence soon, but after the nation is back on its feet; the Imperial Senate must be reconvened as representatvies of the governments of the various republics; and what some consider a shocker - the Imperial throne must be filled as soon as possible, with the emperor chosen in a procedure which will place the best man on the throne rather than a bloodline inheritance or a popularity contest.  He also disavows any desire for the throne whenever it is established.
1939 - The Imperial Senate reconvenes in Franklin City.  Government rebuilding programs begin to bear fruit as more people begin to go to work and numerous buildings, railroads, and roads begin to reappear.  Eisenhower governs the nation with a strong but fair hand.  All Socialists and Collectivsts who pledge their loyalty to the new government are granted amnesty.  Even now, the Democratic, National, Republican, and Labour parties begin planning out the 1940 campaign, which the President promises will proceed as normal.  The National Party officially endorses Eisenhower's plan for restoration of the Empire; the Republicans oppose much of it; the Labour party surprises everyone and supports it, while the Democrats split over their endorsement.
1940 - Elections for the new Popular Assembly are held.  The right rallies around the National and Democratic parties, who in many districts co-nominate candidates.  It is assumed that the two sides will form a coalition if they are able to get a combined 50% of the seats.  The left raises its support for the Labour party and the Republican party in their efforts.  The National-Democratic coalition wins 60% of the seats in the PA (the voters still wary of leftist economic and political ideas), and elect President Eisenhower as Prime Minister to keep him in charge of the rebuilding. The libertarian wing of the Democratic party does not join in the coalition, desiring a number of immediate reductions in state programs and refusing to accept their temporary existence.
1942 - President Eisenhower is offered the Imperial throne by representatives of the Continental Congress, but refuses.
1946 - The new procedure for electing an Emperor is set in stone; upon the death or abdication of the previous monarch, an Electoral College is convened; all current Senators, Assemblymen, and Governors of the component Republics will gather to choose the right candidate. The candidates will be nominated by the members of the college may not run for the post. Each imperial candidate will face a rigorous test of their integrity and intelligence to have their nomination confirmed. The Electoral College will then vote on candidates until they can agree on one candidate with a majority vote. This Imperial Designee will then be brought before the people of the Empire for confirmation on the first Saturday of the month two months after the Designee has been named (or it will go into the next year); he must get a vote of at least two-thirds in favor to be confirmed, at which time the candidate is declared Emperor-Elect and assumes the throne the next January 1. Again, President Eisenhower refuses any talk of him taking the throne.
1952 - The inevitable happens as the Democratic and Nationalist National Committees ratify a merger of the two conservative parties into the united National Democratic Party of the American Empire; the libertarian Democrats form the People's Party and shortly thereafter join the Republicans to form the Republican People's Party, which is centrist. (One of the most famous Republican-People's leaders is Assemblyman Joseph McCarthy of the Republic of Wisconsin, who tries to bring charges against "those damned monarchist autocrats in the Nationalist Party" and the "Collectivists-in-sheeps'-clothing" in the Labour Alliance, which represents interests on the left by encouraging nationalization of certain industries but refutes Collectivism and is ambivalent toward the existence of the Empire.
1956 - President Eisenhower in his Christmas message announces that it is time for him to retire and hand over the headship of state to a new Emperor. At this, the Electoral College is convened in early March 1957. Several quality candidates arise, but after a session of six weeks the man chosen is Governor John F. Kennedy of the Republic of Massachusetts. He is chosen due to his record as a fighter in the civil war, his strong representation for and leadership of his state, and because of his relative youth. The young designee and his glamorous wife Norma are easily confirmed as the new Imperial family in June.
1958 - 1 January sees a transision of power from the beloved David Eisenhower (The Liberator) to the young Emperor John II. The new monarch announces his intention to lead and represent the Empire with charisma and strength. "Ask not what your Empire can do for you, but what you can do for your Empire!"

Epilogue
1971 - A gunman assassinates Emperor John on a visit to his home in Boston, causing shock and rage throughout the Empire. Civil liberties are suspended for a time until the conspiracy is uncovered and revealed to be the work of McCarthyist radical Lee Harvey Oswald, a member of the legislature of his home republic. He is executed and a good number of the more radical Republican-Populists are arrested. The Electoral College chooses Governor Ronald Reagan of Indiana to be the new monarch; he is confirmed and becomes Emperor Henry III on New Years' Day 1972.
1973 - The Empire celebrates as man lands on the moon via the Imperial Space Agency's spaceship Washington. Within a few years, the European alliance, the Russian Empire, and the East Asian Confederation have also entered space.
1993 - Emperor Henry III abdicates due to his diagnosis of Creighton's Disease (Alzheimer's in OTL). The Electoral College chooses former diplomat and Senator Colin L. Powell to be the new monarch - something of a surprise because his parents were immigrants and he himself is black. Though a few racists are turned off by the idea of a black Emperor, he still is confirmed with a 68% vote.
1994 - Senator Colin Luther Powell becomes Emperor Charles III at the imperial palace in Franklin City. Charles III is hailed by almost all because of his fairness, his previous nonpartisanship, and his reputation as a peacemaker. This is the most grand coronation of America's history. Among the attendees are King of England and Scotland/Emperor of Britain Edward IX/IV/III; French King Charles XI and Crown Prince Francois (V); Russian Tsar Nikolai IV; Holy Roman Emperor Maximillian IV; East Asian Confederation leader Akihito Tenno (despite the growing tension between east and west); Saladin II, Sultan of Turkey and Arabia (ally of the Asians); all despite political, cultural and religious differences.

What Next?
As the twenty first century gets underway, the United Empire of the Americas is a great power in the world. Stretching from the Arctic ocean to the Caribbean and containing Anglos, Africans, Amerindians, Creoles, Hispanics, and Islanders united under the title of Americans. The 115th Continental Congress rules wisely with its President (currently one N.J. Zimmerman) running the government. The Senate represents the constituent republics, and the Emperor is revered and respected by all.