Please feel free to correct any historical errors you see.
William Howard Taft wins the 1912 election
Chapter 1: 1909-1914
From America the Great ( 2005, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River) William Howard Taft's first term was a mixed one. On the one hand, he was well known for his successful foreign policy. On the other hand, Taft was known for his poor relations with progressives, which eventually led to the disaster that was the 1920 election. Progressives accused Taft of coddling up with corporations and violating the spirit of Teddy Roosevelt(particularly after the latter's death[1]). By 1912, the Progressives felt thoroughly unrepresented, justifiably or not, by the White house and the Taft administration. In that year, Senator Robert LaFolette declared his candidacy for president, running as a member of the Progressive party, a political party that he founded. He would only win South Dakota and his home state of Wisconsin in the 1912 elections.
The election of 1912 was a success for the Republicans. Although it was not a victory the size of 1908, Taft still had a respectable victory over Wilson and his Vice presidential Nominee Thomas Marshall. Taft and his new vice president Butler [2] were inaugurated on March 4, and that was that.
Taft was instantly confronted by a crisis. The various nations of the Balkans had ganged up on the Ottoman empire and split its former lands up amongst themselves[3]. Bulgaria, however, felt as if it had not gotten enough land, and declared war on its former allies on June 2nd. President Taft tried his best to negotiate a peace treaty, but to no avail. The war would end on June 30th, in an Bulgarian defeat. The treaty of Belgrade forced Bulgaria give up East Thrace,to the Ottomans, The port of Dedeagatch, to Greece, and southern Dobruduja, and parts of Macedonia to Serbia[4].
At home, 1913 had something else in store for him. On August 7th, a hurricane (later known as the Great Florida Hurricane), went over southern Florida, severely displacing the people of the region. After entering the gulf of Mexico, the Hurricane turned around and struck Northern Florida, causing the deaths of many[5]. Taft was almost instantaneously criticized for his mismanagement of the disaster.
The 1914 congressional elections saw slim gains for the democrats, although they still didn't have control of any of the houses.
From Powder keg on the Danube: A history of Austro-Hungary, 1867-1920 (1967, Johnson Publishing, Fort Worth) The Zrenjanin incident, as every schoolchild knows, was the spark that started the Zrenjanin War. The facts are simple: Archduke Franz Ferdinand was on a brief visit to the town of Zrenjanin on July 4th, 1914. Gavrilo Princip, a member of the secret organization known as the Black Hand, attempted to assassinate the Archduke while he was making a speech. However, Franz Ferdinand dodged the bullet. Nevertheless, Austro-Hungary was in an uproar. When members of the Serbian military were implicated in the assassination, Austro-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Almost instantly, Russia and Germany began to intervene on the Serbian and Austro-Hungarian sides, respectively. Belgium, France, Montenegro, Rumania, Portugal, The United Kingdom and Greece would intervene on the side of Serbia, while Bulgaria would intervene on Austro-Hungary's side. The Zrenjanin war[6] had begun.
[1]. This is the POD.
[2]. Like OTL, James Sherman dies.
[3]. this war goes like OTL.
[4]. The seizure of Dedeagatch( Alexandroupoli) did not happen in the Second Balkan war. It occurred in the ATL due to less Russian support of Bulgaria.
[5]. This has some pretty large effects. For example, Miami doesn't become a major city.
[6]. This is the ATL name for WWI.
William Howard Taft wins the 1912 election
Chapter 1: 1909-1914
From America the Great ( 2005, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River) William Howard Taft's first term was a mixed one. On the one hand, he was well known for his successful foreign policy. On the other hand, Taft was known for his poor relations with progressives, which eventually led to the disaster that was the 1920 election. Progressives accused Taft of coddling up with corporations and violating the spirit of Teddy Roosevelt(particularly after the latter's death[1]). By 1912, the Progressives felt thoroughly unrepresented, justifiably or not, by the White house and the Taft administration. In that year, Senator Robert LaFolette declared his candidacy for president, running as a member of the Progressive party, a political party that he founded. He would only win South Dakota and his home state of Wisconsin in the 1912 elections.
The election of 1912 was a success for the Republicans. Although it was not a victory the size of 1908, Taft still had a respectable victory over Wilson and his Vice presidential Nominee Thomas Marshall. Taft and his new vice president Butler [2] were inaugurated on March 4, and that was that.
Taft was instantly confronted by a crisis. The various nations of the Balkans had ganged up on the Ottoman empire and split its former lands up amongst themselves[3]. Bulgaria, however, felt as if it had not gotten enough land, and declared war on its former allies on June 2nd. President Taft tried his best to negotiate a peace treaty, but to no avail. The war would end on June 30th, in an Bulgarian defeat. The treaty of Belgrade forced Bulgaria give up East Thrace,to the Ottomans, The port of Dedeagatch, to Greece, and southern Dobruduja, and parts of Macedonia to Serbia[4].
At home, 1913 had something else in store for him. On August 7th, a hurricane (later known as the Great Florida Hurricane), went over southern Florida, severely displacing the people of the region. After entering the gulf of Mexico, the Hurricane turned around and struck Northern Florida, causing the deaths of many[5]. Taft was almost instantaneously criticized for his mismanagement of the disaster.
The 1914 congressional elections saw slim gains for the democrats, although they still didn't have control of any of the houses.
From Powder keg on the Danube: A history of Austro-Hungary, 1867-1920 (1967, Johnson Publishing, Fort Worth) The Zrenjanin incident, as every schoolchild knows, was the spark that started the Zrenjanin War. The facts are simple: Archduke Franz Ferdinand was on a brief visit to the town of Zrenjanin on July 4th, 1914. Gavrilo Princip, a member of the secret organization known as the Black Hand, attempted to assassinate the Archduke while he was making a speech. However, Franz Ferdinand dodged the bullet. Nevertheless, Austro-Hungary was in an uproar. When members of the Serbian military were implicated in the assassination, Austro-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Almost instantly, Russia and Germany began to intervene on the Serbian and Austro-Hungarian sides, respectively. Belgium, France, Montenegro, Rumania, Portugal, The United Kingdom and Greece would intervene on the side of Serbia, while Bulgaria would intervene on Austro-Hungary's side. The Zrenjanin war[6] had begun.
[1]. This is the POD.
[2]. Like OTL, James Sherman dies.
[3]. this war goes like OTL.
[4]. The seizure of Dedeagatch( Alexandroupoli) did not happen in the Second Balkan war. It occurred in the ATL due to less Russian support of Bulgaria.
[5]. This has some pretty large effects. For example, Miami doesn't become a major city.
[6]. This is the ATL name for WWI.
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