Byrne it All : An Alternate 1940s and 1950s

[Huey Long is a Republican]

James F. Byrnes cph.3c32232
Harris & Ewing [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

COMING SOON

[Huey Long is a Republican]

The 1944 Election was one of the most predictable elections in United States History with the outcome already being well known to many at the outset of the election. Popular then three term incumbent President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was leading the nation in perhaps the most destructive conflict in human history : World War II. For the three years prior to the election, his leadership had been crucial in given aid to the Allied Powers and it was under his guidance America had transferred out of the Great Depression thanks to his New Deal program that gave jobs to millions of Americans abroad.

The Republicans, in the meantime, were in a mess due to them having not one a single election in 3 cycles. In 1932, Former President Herbert Hoover had been crushed in a landslide election against Roosevelt and in 1936, Kansas Governor Alf Landon, who many considered as a conservative or moderate conservative, was defeated, only winning two states. Following that victory, President Roosevelt would then go on to defeat his former personal friend and New York Businessman Wendell Willkie.

For the 1944 Republican Convention, the Party was split between the Conservative Robert A. taft of Ohio, an Isolationist at heart, and the Internationalist and moderate Governor Thomas Dewey of New York. While Taft was staunchly anti-labor and against the idea of allowing the United States to involve itself in the affairs of other nations, Dewey was anti-New Deal and believed that America needed to have a firm presence on the World Stage. It was a true battle of ideas, but in the end, Dewey would win and select a Taft Ally, the Conservative Ohio Governor John W. Bricker, as his running mate.

However, for the Democratic Party, things were somewhat more complicated. There had been an obvious decline in President Roosevelt's health and physical appearance throughout his third term and there were many doubts if he would even survive his fourth term should he receive it. This caused a crisis, as many conservative and moderate leaders from within the party field the Incumbent Vice President, Henry Wallace, was too progressive and too far to the left to be the next Presidency should the worst come to pass.

A group of insiders from within the party suggested that Missouri Senator Harry Truman, a relative unknown, become the next Vice President while President Roosevelt insisted the Nominee be Associate Justice William O'Douglass. Both groups were in a deadlock, with the Democrats were unwilling to let go of a Court Seat to appease Roosevelt while Roosevelt wanted a personal friend as his next Vice President and potential successor. This continued for sometime until news arrived that, in an interview, Truman stated that "Any Republican against the war might be as bad as the Fascists in Germany and Japan.", which almost instantly killed his support for the Vice Presidential Nomination. The reason for this was, despite their political or foreign policy disagreements, no one in either party would dare equate their opponent to being akin to one of the Axis Powers. Hours later, when asked if he would accept if offered, O'Douglas insisted that he rather preferred his job on the Court and wasn't one for the entanglements of Politics.

With both major choices now eliminated due to one reason or another and Wallace still unable to get any support by the Convention, a third man rose. This man was the Director of the Office of War Mobilization and a close personal friend of the President, having been among one of his earliest supporters in 1932, James F. Byrnes of South Carolina. Despite his conservative beliefs, Byrnes was an ardent believer in the New Deal and even supported Roosevelt's 1937 Court Packing Scheme in order to have the New Deal happen much more easily. As a reward for these efforts, Byrnes was granted the position of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States in 1941 only to be convinced to join the executive branch a year later.

However, despite these feats, Byrnes was regarded as an unpopular pick due to his prior dis-interest in supporting anti-lynching legislation during his time in Congress as a Representative and later Senator. He was also regarded as too conservative for organized labor to accept, had opposition from big city bosses due to him being an ex-catholic, and was generally disliked by many elements within the Democratic Party. In short, the man known as "Assistant President". However, FDR gave a threat to the insiders that had opposed Wallace and O'Douglas, stating that he would give up the Presidential Nomination for someone else if Byrnes was not accepting.

This was, for all intents and purposes, most likely a bluff on behalf of the President, who wouldn't want to step down for any reason. However, the insiders, wary of the chaos such an action could cause for the Party, decided it would be best to not call him out on the bluff and instead agreed to rally support for Byrnes. By the end of the convention, Byrnes would come out as the new Vice Presidential Running Mate for Roosevelt and many Democrats were rightfully skeptical about him being the potential successor to Roosevelt, but still many felt it best to support the President and he still enjoyed high approvals among many in America.

Despite Governor's Dewey's best attempts, the Roosevelt/Byrnes ticket easily defeated him in November. Days later, General Douglas MacArthur, Dewey, Taft, California Governor Earl Warren, and former Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen all announced they wouldn't be interested in running for the Republican Nomination in 1948 and Dwight D. Eisenhower expressed that he had no love of politics, meaning 1948 would be potentially left to a whole new breed of candidates for the Republican Party to choose from.

Meanwhile, the Democrats, satisfied at another easy victory, still couldn't get rid of a lingering feeling. Throughout the 1944 campaign, there had been rumors and questions of Roosevelt's Health, though many of that was put to the wayside. However, soon, these rumors were proven to be a correct fear among many, as less than three months into his term, President Roosevelt passed away and was almost succeeded by Byrnes to be the next President of the United States. And while Byrnes pledged to follow many of the plans for the war that Roosevelt had laid out, his post-war plans were far more different.
Prologue part 1 is finished. Part 2 will be up soon and will deal with Byrnes Presidency from 1945-1947 and what his administration does. In the meantime, leave suggestions as to who you would think would be a good potential 1948 running mate for Byrnes should he run and who his potential GoP challengers should be, as well as a potential Northern Liberal Candidate to challenge him. Ciao for now!

[Huey Long is a Republican]

The first Months of the Byrnes Administration was fully dedicated to the War Effort, mainly on the Pacific Theatre. With Nazi Germany all but destroyed and the Battle of Berlin between the remaining Nazi Forces and the forces of the Soviet Union, The United States believed it was best to focus their full attention on Imperial Japan. There were many plans to defeat the Japanese, who were all but defeated and forced back into their homeland. Few Islands remained in their control, with much of their remaining power now fighting a losing power against the Communists, Kuomintang, and Soviets in China, Manchuria, and Korea. The biggest plan, however, was Operation Downfall : An Invasion of the Japanese Home Islands. However, there were many problems with the idea, with the biggest being shown in Operation Iceberg, or the Battle of Okinawa.

The Battle of Okinawa began on the 1st of April and ended on the 22nd of June and was one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific Theatre. With 160,000 causalities combined for both sides, the battle was a victory for the Allies, but at a steep cost. With the capture of the island's critical airbase, bombing runs on the Japanese Homeland could be done more efficiently, but it also showed the Allies how determined the Japanese was to defend their homeland. Surrender was not a word in their language and they would rather die than accept such a thing.

With this in mind, President Byrnes was forced to realize how bloody the invasion of Japan itself would be. The smallest estimate was from Admiral Leahy, who believed that the Allies would suffer 268,000 Causalities while the largest and most likely accurate estimate being given by Personnel at the Navy Department, who believed there would 1.7-4 Million Causalities with 400,000-800,000 Deaths. The most horrifying was the predicted causalities was for the Japanese, however, as both groups agreed that, combining civillian and military deaths, the Japanese would suffer around 10,000,000 causalities, a cost that would see 14.08 % of Japan's population gone. So, the President decided that a different solution was necessary. One that he had been working on with Roosevelt throughout the war. And, on August 6th and August 9th, he would use it.

Atomic Bombing of Japan.jpg
George R. Caron & Carl Levy [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons

"Now I am become death, the destroyer of Worlds." - J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the Atomic Bomb

On August 15th, Emperor Hirohito announced that Japan would surrender in a broadcast going to all official and all civilians within the Empire and on September 2nd, the unconditional surrender of Japan had been recognized. World War II had ended, but only to introduce the Nuclear Age.

Following the end of the Second World War, America was ready for an end of hostilities and President Byrnes believed America was ready for such an action as well but he also realized the threat that Communism would pose. Already, all of Eastern Europe, except Greece, had fallen to Communism and, as Winston Churchill said, "From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an "iron curtain" has descended across the continent." and the President was determined to not allow the same to happen within Asia.

For years, the Nation of China had been embroiled in a Civil War between the Nationalist Kuomintang, who had the true title of successor to the Republic of Sun-Yat Sen, and the Communist Party of China, led by Chairman Mao Zedong. A temporary truce had happened between both factions in order to fight against the greater Japanese menace that saw the destruction of most if not all warlords within China and the rape of Nanking and Genocides to many Chinese civilians. Mao held back his forces, however, forcing the Nationalists to commit almost entirely against the Japanese, weakening their manpower and forces enough that when the Civil War resumed, it would be difficult for them to win.

President Byrnes feared what would come if the largest nation in the world, which China was at the time with a population of a little over 530 million, fell to Communism. Knowing full well that it would be a blow to Democracy and the Forces of Freedom everywhere, The President created an expeditionary force to be led by General Albert Coady Wedemeyer and would consist of the Tenth Army, which participated at Okinawa, V Amphibious Corps, which participated at Iwo Jima, and the US Forces that participated at Guadalcanal, the Phillippines, and Peleliu and sent them to help train up the Nationalist Army and give them more support for the coming return of hostilities between them and the Communists. He would also send the Fifth Fleet to support and was able to convince the French and British to give an additional 10,000 and 25,000 men to aid as well.

Many were enraged and confused at what the President was doing, believing that the Communists were all but a footnote in history and would fall to the Nationalists in a quick manner if war ever broke out again. The President insisted that he was right and all his critics were wrong and, despite overwhelming unpopularity and many demanding he allow the troops to return home after being at war for nearly 4 years, he ordered the AEF to remain.

In Late 1945, the Soviets would withdraw from Manchuria, a Province that had no Kuomintang presence and Mao, sensing opportunity, seized the province for the Communist Party. Chiang Kai-Shek, leader of the nationalist forces, realized he lacked the resources required to prevent such a thing from happening and initially considered asking the Soviets to delay their withdrawal for as long as possible until his best men had arrived, but thanks to advice given by General Wedemeyer, who stated that such a thing wouldn't be beneficial to the Nationalist Cause, decided instead to keep his best forces in the Huanghe valley, which would prove critical in the months to come. President Byrnes would follow this up by signing a lend-lease deal with the Nationalists to give them supplies and resources they normally wouldn't have so they could probably rebuild China once the war was over.

Chiang, realizing that he would also need to reform and with the Allies backing him up to do these reforms as quickly as possible, began to purge many of the corrupt officials that he had been forced to listen and give commands to during the Civil War and Japanese Invasion and instead replaced them with honest and competent men who he believed could help the Nationalists regain the support of the people of China and to stop any Communist advance cold. With him holding nearly limitless power in the government and with the full backing of the Pacific Allies, he instituted various reforms that saw him gain support from many within the army as well, such as a single payroll for the army, key financial reform that ceased inflation that hurt the chinese economy vastly, replacing the fabi with the Gold Yuan, and instituting proper land reform that allowed the peasantry of China more control of their lands.

All of this happened from the time of the Expeditionary Force's Arrival in November of 1945 and the restart of Communist-Nationalist Hostilities in July of 1946, when Chiang ordered some of his best forces and a quarter of the Expeditionary Force to assault Communist Territory in North China. However, the Communists, knowing Full well the disadvantage in manpower and resources they had as opposed to their more numerous opponents, held back, leaving cities behind to preserve their forces in the countryside, which had once been loyal to the communists but had bean to slowly return their loyalties to the National Government thanks to Shek's various reforms. General Wedemeyer, realizing what they were doing, requested that Shek halt the offensive, stating in a letter "Generalissimo, it is in my opinion that, should we continue onward with this offensive, the Communists will eventually encircle and overwhelm us all." and Shek, having become reliant on US Support and appreciative of the General's advice throughout the years, acknowledged and ordered a withdrawal back to the Huange He Valley, a key decision as the Communists had been slowly building up their forces for a counter-offensive.

To prepare for this eventual outcome, both Wedemeyer and Shek ordered the construction of various fortifications and trench works in the Valley and Dabie Mountains, complete with barbed wire, dugouts, fields of fire, and artillery positions, with their being several air force detachments from the United States to assist in the fighting, which proved effective against the Communists due to them having little to no air force themselves. On June 30th, 1947, what Mao called the Operation to Liberate All of China, began with him ordered all his forces to assault the Nationalist positions.

Almost immediately however, their forces were bogged down, marching through various moats, no man lands, and barbed wire to get in range of the Nationalist forces, who simply held back and defended their positions with great success. From June 30th-September 14th, the Central China Campaign waged as a massive trench warfare battle took place. The allied forces, some of whom having participated in the First World War and saw the horrors of Trench Warfare themselves, were able to properly train the Nationalists how to handle such an operation while the Communists themselves had no such fortune and thus did various decisions similar to General Haig during the Battle of the Somme River in 1916.

On September 14th, sensing weakness from the depleted Communist Forces as he continued to restore the Peasant's faith in the government by restoring the central plains, Chiang sent out one simple message to all his forces "Shènglì! Shènglì! Shènglì!", which is Chinese for "Victory!" and Wedemeyer would follow up by giving his men the order to attack as the Air Force and Artillery peppered Communist Lines. Almost immediately, the Communist forces fell back into full retreat and by Early November, they were almost entirely forced into Manchuria. On November 12th, Secretary of State George Marshall was sent to Moscow to negotiate with the Soviets about how to cease the Chinese Civil War and on November 28th, both sides came out with an agreement to end the War. Joseph Stalin announced that if Mao Zedong did not announce an official end to hostilities by the end of the year, then the Soviet Union would invade Manchuria.

Mao, realizing his operation to liberate mainland China from the Nationalists had failed, ordered all his remaining forces to halt their campaigns on December 9th and met with Chiang to discuss terms two days later. On December 22nd. both sides came out with an official treaty. Manchuria was to be recognized as Communist Territory and be declared the "People's Republic of Manchuria" wand would receive all Communist PoWs back while the PRM would give up any and all claims to the rest of China and would return Nationalist PoWs. The final Piece of the Agreement was that in 15 years and every 15 years after that, the PRM was to hold a national referendum on whether to remain an Independent state or join the rest of China.

With the Civil War now over and finished with, Chiang was declared President of the Republic of China and began the slow path of reform to Democracy that his old friend, Sun Yat-Sen, had set China upon decades prior and President Byrnes would begin to withdraw the vast majority of US forces from China and return them home, stating "China is safe from Communism now and forever. That was my only goal from the outset.", though he would sign an agreement with Chiang that for the next 5-10 years, around 7,500-15,000 US Troops would remain in China to keep the peace, fearing the potential of a potential Communist Resurgence in the mainland. Byrnes agreed and signed the agreement on March 2nd, 1948 with his only term being that the RoC was to allow Tibet to remain independent. With the crisis now averted, President Byrnes now prepared himself for the remainder of his Presidency.

By 1948, the President's Approval Ratings were in the low 20s due to his involvement in China, but he slowly began to repair his relationship with the American people by attempting to enact the reforms that FDR had not achieved in doing when he died. However, things were difficult due to the 1946 Midterm elections, which saw the Republicans sweep the Governor Seats of many states and Congress as a whole.

1945 Governor Election

Frank R. Angell (R-VA) [R Gain]

Democrats : 24 Governors (-1)
Republicans : 24 Governors (+1)

1946 Governor Elections

James E. Folsom Sr. (D-AL)
Bruce Brockett (R-AZ)
Leon E. Lavington (R-CO)
James L. McConaughty (R-CT)
James V. Carmicheal (D-GA)
C.A. Robins (R-ID)
Frank Carlson (R-KS)
Theodore Roosevelt Mckeldin (R-MD)
Robert F. Bradford (R-MA)
Kim Sigler (R-MI)
Luther Wallace Youngdahl (R-MN)
Val Peterson (R-NE)
Melvin E. Jepson (R-NV)
Alfred E. Driscoll (R-NJ)
Edward L. Safford (R-NM)
Thomas J. Herbet (R-OH)
Olney F. Flynn (R-OK)
James H. Duff (R-PA)
John G. Murphy (R-RI)
Strom Thurmond (D-SC)
George T. Mickelson (R-SD)
Beauford Jester (D-TX)
Ernest WIlliam Gibson Jr (R-VT)
Earl Wright (R-WY)

Republicans : 33 Governors (+9)
Democrats : 15 Governors (-9)

1947 Gubernatorial Elections

Eldon S. Dummit (R-KY)
Earl K. Long (D-LA)
Fielding L. Wright (D-MS)

Republicans : 33 Governors (+-0)
Democrats : 15 Governors (+-0)

1946 Senate Elections

John Sparkman (D-AL)
Raymond E. Baldwin (R-CT)
John J. Williams (R-DE)
Henry C. Dworshak (R-ID)
William E. Jenner (R-IN)
John Sherman Cooper (R-KY)
David J. Markey (R-MD)
Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. (R-MA)
Edward John Thye (R-MN)
John C. Stennis (D-MS)
James P. Kem (R-MO)
Zales N. Ecton (R-MT)
George W. Malone (R-NV)
Patrick J. Hurley (R-NM)
Irving M. Ives (R-NY)
John W. Bricker (R-OH)
Edward Martin (R-PA)
W. Gurnee Dwyer (R-RI)
Arthur V. Watkins (R-UT)
A. Willis Robertson (D-VA)
Harry P. Cain (R-WA)
Thomas Sweeney (R-WV)
Rpbert M. La Follette Jr. (R-WI) [Changing parties from progressive to Republican after defeating McCarthy in the Republican Primary]
Harry B. Henderson (R-WY)

Republicans : 55 Seats (+16)
Democrats : 41 Seats (-16)

1946 House Flips from OTL

(Most will be Republican)

Arizona at-large (Gain)
Arizona at-large (Gain)
CA-04 (Gain)
CA-14 (Gain)
CA-21 (Gain)
CO-01 (Hold)
FL-05 (Gain)
GA-05 (Ind Gain)
IL-01 (Gain)
IL-06 (Gain)
IL-22 (Gain)
IN-01 (Gain)
IN-11 (Gain)
KY-02 (Gain)
KY-04 (Gain)
KY-05 (Gain)
KY-06 (Gain)
KY-08 (Gain)
MD-03 (Gain)
MD-04 (Gain)
MD-05 (Gain)
MA-03 (Gain)
MA-04 (Hold)
MA-07 (Gain)
MI-15 (Gain)
MI-16 (Gain)
MN-08 (Hold)
MO-04 (Gain)
MO-09 (Gain)
MO-10 (Gain)
MO-13 (Gain)
MT-01 (Gain)
NJ-14 (Gain)
New Mexico at-large (Gain)
New Mexico at-large (Gain)
NY-07 (Gain)
NY-08 (Gain)
NY-11 (Gain)
NY-12 (Gain)
NY-13 (Gain)
NY-18 (Gain)
NY-20 (Gain)
NY-22 (Gain)
NY-25 (Gain)
NY-32 (Gain)
NC-05 (Gain)
NC-06 (Gain)
NC-08 (Gain)
NC-09 (Gain)
NC-10 (Gain)
NC-11 (Gain)
NC-12 (Gain)
OH-14 (Gain)
OH-19 (Gain)
OH-21 (Gain)
OK-02 (Gain)
OK-05 (Gain)
PA-20 (Gain)
PA-24 (Gain)
PA-27 (Gain)
PA-32 (Gain)
PA-33 (Gain)
RI-01 (Gain)
RI-02 (Gain)
UT-01 (Gain)
VA-02 (Gain)
VA-07 (Gain)
VA-08 (Gain)
VA-09 (Gain)
WA-02 (Gain)
WV-05 (Gain)
WV-06 (Gain)

Republicans : 317 Seats (+126)
Democrats : 115 Seats (-127)
Independents : 1 Seat (+1)

With the 1946 Midterms finished, the Republicans now had the Majority in Congress, with 372 (70.06 %) of the entire congressional delegation under their control to the Democrats' 159 (29.94 %) entire congressional delegation (The Independent in Georgia Caucused with the Democrats), they were determined to block any and all reforms President Byrnes tried to push through and instead pushed their own reforms, including the addition of term limits of the President to Two Terms.

By Mid 1947, many realized the 1948 Presidential Election was under way and, as President Byrnes continued to focus on China, the Republicans had eight candidates running while President Byrnes himself would have his own primary opponent : Former U.S. Representative from Washington Henry M. Jackson, who was determined to make his voice heard and potentially grab the Nomination from the Incumbent President. On January 13th 1948, President Byrnes announced his intent to run for re-election. The race had officially began.
And Prologue Part 2 is finished. 1946 was a really bad year for Democrats for various factors, but the main reason was, of course, Byrnes involvement in China. Don't worry, the Party will rebound in the 50s. In the meantime, feel free to guess who the eight Republican candidates are in the replies and also give suggestions as to who the running mates of the candidates will be. I'll be honored to read any and all thoughts below.

Ciao!

[OSR stands with Israel]

Looking forward to this

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Looking forward to this

Thanks! Wdyt of the Timeline so far and who do you think are the eight Republican Candidates running this time around (Remember, Taft, Dewey, Warren, MacArthur, and Stassen aren't running)? You might even get a few right (I already have a list written out.)

On a sidenote, I've been trying to look for details for the 1948 Democratic primaries, as that will be a major point in this timeline, but I can't find what states held a primary and how they voted. Does anyone have any ideas?

[OSR stands with Israel]

Looking forward to this

Thanks! Wdyt of the Timeline so far and who do you think are the eight Republican Candidates running this time around (Remember, Taft, Dewey, Warren, MacArthur, and Stassen aren't running)? You might even get a few right (I already have a list written out.)

On a sidenote, I've been trying to look for details for the 1948 Democratic primaries, as that will be a major point in this timeline, but I can't find what states held a primary and how they voted. Does anyone have any ideas?

I would say: Vandenburg, Bricker, Knowland, Angell, Roosevelt, Dirksen, Halleck and Green

[Huey Long is a Republican]

CBS Special Report with Howard K. Smith : Previewing the 1948 Battle for the Republican Democratic Nominations

Source : https://www.discogs.com/artist/635336-Howard-K-Smith

Smith : "Greetings everyone, I'm your anchor, Howard K. Smith, and tonight, on February 9th, one month out from the Party Primaries in New Hampshire, we have a special report on the state of the Presidential Primaries. For the Republican Party, Massachusetts Senator and World War 2 Veteran, as well as the son of the late Senator Henry Cabot Lodge Sr, Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. leads the pack by 10 %, followed by fellow Massachusetts Congressman, Speaker of the House of Representative James Martin, Vermont Senator George Aiken, Iowa Governor Robert D. Blue, President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate Arthur Vandenberg of Michigan, North Dakota Senator William Langer, Maine Governor Gorace Hildreth, and Kansas Governor Frank Carlson, a pack field but only a few are expected to win the nomination.

Meanwhile, the Democrats have accepted to have the same schedule as the Republicans, but have also added in Florida, South Carolina, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and Texas for April 13th (Florida and South Carolina), April 27th (Mississippi and Arkansas), May 4th (Louisiana), May 21st (Alabama), and June 1st (Georgia and Texas) respectfully, giving them 20 states to fight for. Currently, President James F. Byrnes of South Carolina leads Former US Representative Henry M. Jackson of Washington State by just 3 % according to recent Gallup polling, which isn't surprising due to his Disapproval being far higher than his Approval right now. The President is unpopular with labor organizations, African Americans, and catholics, which make up a decent portion of the coalition the late President Roosevelt had spent 13 years building.

This is the current Primary and general match-up polling. Please note that only the top 4 Republican candidates are in the general election match-ups because we believe that only four have a chance at winning the Nomination."

Republican Primary

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. : 25 % (+10)
Joseph Martin : 15 %
George Aiken : 13 %
Robert D. Blue : 13 %
Arthur Vandenberg : 8 %
William Langer : 6 %
Horace Hildreth : 4 %
Frank Carlson : 3 %
Undecided : 13 %

Democratic Primary

James F. Byrnes* : 42 % (+3)
Henry M. Jackson : 39 %
Undecided : 19 %

General Election

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. : 66 % (+44)
President Byrnes* : 22 %
Undecided/Others : 12 %

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. : 60 % (+28)
Henry M. Jackson : 32 %
Undecided/Others : 18 %

Joseph Martin : 62 % (+33)
President Byrnes* : 29 %
Undecided/Others : 9 %

Joseph Martin : 58 % (+20)
Henry M. Jackson : 38 %
Undecided/Others : 4 %

George Aiken : 53 % (+16)
President Byrnes* : 37 %
Undecided/Others : 10 %

George Aiken : 50 % (+9)
Henry M. Jackson : 41 %
Undecided/Others : 9 %

Robert D. Blue : 48 % (+9)
President Byrnes* : 39 %
Undecided/Others : 13 %

Henry M. Jackson : 46 (+3)
Robert D. Blue : 43 %
Undecided/Others : 11 %

President Byrnes Approval/Disapproval Rating

Disapprove : 68 % (-47)
Approve : 21 %
Unsure/No Opinion : 11 %

Smith : "This is very bad news for the Incumbent President indeed, with his challenger so close and consistently doing better in polling than the Incumbent president himself, there have been talks of replacing him at the convention with Jackson. But the thing is, a lot can change between now and November and President Byrnes is negotiating an agreement to bring in end to the situation in China, which could mean a return of troops and a slight bounce in his approval ratings. Further more, the President has promised to institute more of the economic policies that President Roosevelt had planned to initiate at the wars end. The question now is, was this too little too late? With the Republican now holding 70.06 % of Congress, they will not allow any of the President's Agenda to pass while they themselves institute their own agenda."

[OSR stands with Israel]

This looks like 1948 will basically be like 1997 UK where the opposition party after a very long tenure in the wilderness wins a landslide victory and has record majorities in both houses as well

[Huey Long is a Republican]

This looks like 1948 will basically be like 1997 UK where the opposition party after a very long tenure in the wilderness wins a landslide victory and has record majorities in both houses as well

Anything is indeed possible. Also, I took some inspiration from your TL, so I hope you don't mind. The way you format is brilliant for the 1940s-Present era in a timeline.

Who do you think wins both party's nominations in the end and who do you think is picked as their running mates? (I already have them planned out, but you can feel free to guess).

[OSR stands with Israel]

This looks like 1948 will basically be like 1997 UK where the opposition party after a very long tenure in the wilderness wins a landslide victory and has record majorities in both houses as well

Anything is indeed possible. Also, I took some inspiration from your TL, so I hope you don't mind. The way you format is brilliant for the 1940s-Present era in a timeline.

Who do you think wins both party's nominations in the end and who do you think is picked as their running mates? (I already have them planned out, but you can feel free to guess).

No I dont mind about the format and I think the format is pretty good for this:

I think the election will be Vandenburg vs Byrne

[Huey Long is a Republican]

This looks like 1948 will basically be like 1997 UK where the opposition party after a very long tenure in the wilderness wins a landslide victory and has record majorities in both houses as well

Anything is indeed possible. Also, I took some inspiration from your TL, so I hope you don't mind. The way you format is brilliant for the 1940s-Present era in a timeline.

Who do you think wins both party's nominations in the end and who do you think is picked as their running mates? (I already have them planned out, but you can feel free to guess).

No I dont mind about the format and I think the format is pretty good for this:

I think the election will be Vandenburg vs Byrne

Interesting. I can understand Byrne, but why Vandenburg?

[OSR stands with Israel]

This looks like 1948 will basically be like 1997 UK where the opposition party after a very long tenure in the wilderness wins a landslide victory and has record majorities in both houses as well

Anything is indeed possible. Also, I took some inspiration from your TL, so I hope you don't mind. The way you format is brilliant for the 1940s-Present era in a timeline.

Who do you think wins both party's nominations in the end and who do you think is picked as their running mates? (I already have them planned out, but you can feel free to guess).

No I dont mind about the format and I think the format is pretty good for this:

I think the election will be Vandenburg vs Byrne

Interesting. I can understand Byrne, but why Vandenburg?

He was one of the most influential Republicans senators

[Huey Long is a Republican]

This looks like 1948 will basically be like 1997 UK where the opposition party after a very long tenure in the wilderness wins a landslide victory and has record majorities in both houses as well

Anything is indeed possible. Also, I took some inspiration from your TL, so I hope you don't mind. The way you format is brilliant for the 1940s-Present era in a timeline.

Who do you think wins both party's nominations in the end and who do you think is picked as their running mates? (I already have them planned out, but you can feel free to guess).

No I dont mind about the format and I think the format is pretty good for this:

I think the election will be Vandenburg vs Byrne

Interesting. I can understand Byrne, but why Vandenburg?

He was one of the most influential Republicans senators

Understandable, but the thing was he was a tad bit conservative for the time (He opposed the New Deal while Moderates like Dewey didn't so much oppose the New Deal as much as they wanted to limit it and fix it up). At this point in time, following the crushing blow the Conservatives were dealt in the 30s, the Republican Party was dominated mostly by Moderates and pseudo Liberals before Rockefeller became a house hold name, so expect one of the more moderate candidates to get the nom. No spoilers as to who though.

[OSR stands with Israel]

This looks like 1948 will basically be like 1997 UK where the opposition party after a very long tenure in the wilderness wins a landslide victory and has record majorities in both houses as well

Anything is indeed possible. Also, I took some inspiration from your TL, so I hope you don't mind. The way you format is brilliant for the 1940s-Present era in a timeline.

Who do you think wins both party's nominations in the end and who do you think is picked as their running mates? (I already have them planned out, but you can feel free to guess).

No I dont mind about the format and I think the format is pretty good for this:

I think the election will be Vandenburg vs Byrne

Interesting. I can understand Byrne, but why Vandenburg?

He was one of the most influential Republicans senators

Understandable, but the thing was he was a tad bit conservative for the time (He opposed the New Deal while Moderates like Dewey didn't so much oppose the New Deal as much as they wanted to limit it and fix it up). At this point in time, following the crushing blow the Conservatives were dealt in the 30s, the Republican Party was dominated mostly by Moderates and pseudo Liberals before Rockefeller became a house hold name, so expect one of the more moderate candidates to get the nom. No spoilers as to who though.

Oh I thought he was conservative but not as conservative as someone like Taft. Anyways looking forward to the results of this election

[Huey Long is a Republican]

This looks like 1948 will basically be like 1997 UK where the opposition party after a very long tenure in the wilderness wins a landslide victory and has record majorities in both houses as well

Anything is indeed possible. Also, I took some inspiration from your TL, so I hope you don't mind. The way you format is brilliant for the 1940s-Present era in a timeline.

Who do you think wins both party's nominations in the end and who do you think is picked as their running mates? (I already have them planned out, but you can feel free to guess).

No I dont mind about the format and I think the format is pretty good for this:

I think the election will be Vandenburg vs Byrne

Interesting. I can understand Byrne, but why Vandenburg?

He was one of the most influential Republicans senators

Understandable, but the thing was he was a tad bit conservative for the time (He opposed the New Deal while Moderates like Dewey didn't so much oppose the New Deal as much as they wanted to limit it and fix it up). At this point in time, following the crushing blow the Conservatives were dealt in the 30s, the Republican Party was dominated mostly by Moderates and pseudo Liberals before Rockefeller became a house hold name, so expect one of the more moderate candidates to get the nom. No spoilers as to who though.

Oh I thought he was conservative but not as conservative as someone like Taft. Anyways looking forward to the results of this election

Thanks. I might actually post the next update after I eat supper and it'll detail a certain agreement President Byrnes makes with a certain European country about a specific part of that country before we go to the March and later, April primaries. Hope you'll have fun watching those unfold

[Huey Long is a Republican]

February 19th - BREAKING NEWS : United States to Purchase Greenland from Denmark for $36,000,000

Flag of Greenland
Jeffrey Connell [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Smith : "We have just recieved Breaking news today at 1:24 PM on the East Coast...The United States of America has just purchased the Island of Greenland from the Kingdom of Denmark for a total of $36,000,000. We're just now receiving reports that these meetings have been happening since before the Danish Folketing Elections last year, but was kept quiet out of fear that the Danmarks Kommunistiske Parti (DKP) or Communist Party of Denmark would use the meetings as a rallying cry and possibly win the election.

Despite a huge amount of cash given to the Kingdom from the United States for the Purchase, many Danes in Europe feel enraged at the Kingdom for giving the United States what they felt was their rightful land. We're also receiving reports that President Byrnes has apparently forced Denmark to sell the Island, not allowing them to join the UN until they did so, though the President denies these accusations. It is unknown what effect, if any, this purchase will hold on the Presidential Election this year or the Folketing Elections for 1951, though there are many reports that the Danes will now demand an election by next year at the latest."
March-April : Lodgementum sweeps New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania while Langer wins Nebraska for the Republican Primaries; Jackson wins New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania while Byrnes wins Nebraska, Florida, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Arkansas; Aiken, Hildreth, Vandenberg , Blue, and Martin drops out, Endorses Lodge; Carlson drops out, endorses Langer; Dewey, Stassen, and Taft endorses Lodge; Lodge likely nominee for Republican Party, Democrats face long battle

New Hampshire Republican Primary

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. : 57 % (+43) ✔
Joseph Martin : 14 %
George Aiken : 10 %
Horace Hildreth : 7 %
Arthur Vandenberg : 4 %
William Langer : 4 %
Robert D. Blue : 3 %
Frank Carlson : 1 %

New Hampshire Democratic Primary

Henry M. Jackson : 83 % (+66) ✔
James F. Byrnes* : 17 %

Wisconsin Republican Primary

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. : 47 % (+21) ✔
Arthur Vandenberg : 26 %
Robert D. Blue : 15 %
Joseph Martin : 5 %
Frank Carlson : 4 %
William Langer : 3 %

Wisconsin Democratic Primary

Henry M. Jackson : 78 % (+56) ✔
James F. Byrnes* : 22 %

Illinois Republican Primary

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. : 36 % (+11) ✔
Robert D. Blue : 25 %
William Langer : 16 %
Joseph Martin : 12 %
Frank Carlson : 11 %

Nebraska Republican Primary

William Langer : 31 % (+4) ✔
Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. : 27 %
Frank Carlson : 20 %
Robert D. Blue : 18 %
Joseph Martin : 4 %

Illinois Democratic Primary

Henry M. Jackson : 65 % (+30) ✔
James F. Byrnes* : 35 %

Nebraska Democratic Primary

James F. Byrnes* : 61 % (+38) ✔
Henry M. Jackson : 39 %

Florida Democratic Primary

James F. Byrnes* : 84 % (+68) ✔
Henry M. Jackson : 16 %

South Carolina Primary

James F. Byrnes* : 95 % (+90) ✔
Henry M. Jackson : 5 %

New Jersey Republican Primary

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. : 67 % (+48) ✔
Joseph Martin : 19 %
William Langer : 14 %

New Jersey Democratic Primary

Henry M. Jackson : 52 % (+4) ✔
James F. Byrnes* : 48 %

Massachusetts Republican Primary

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. : 48 % (+3) ✔
Joseph Martin : 45 %
William Langer : 7 %

Pennsylvania Republican Primary

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. : 57 % (+19) ✔
William Langer : 38 %
Joseph Martin : 5 %

Arkansas Democratic Primary

James F. Byrnes* : 77 % (+44) ✔
Henry M. Jackson : 33 %

Massachusetts Democratic Primary

Henry M. Jackson : 79 % (+58) ✔
James F. Byrnes* : 21 %

Mississippi Democratic Primary

James F. Byrnes* : 86 % (+74) ✔
Henry M. Jackson : 14 %

Pennsylvania Democratic Primary

Henry M. Jackson : 62 % (+24) ✔
James F. Byrnes* : 38 %

Republican :

Color Code

Massachusetts Senator Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.
North Dakota Senator William Langer

Democrats :

Color Code

Former Washington Congressman Henry M. Jackson
President James F. Byrnes of South Carolina*

Smith : "With the First primaries of March and April now over with, we can now more accurately look at this race. Early on in the Republican Primary, many believed that Martin was the most likely candidate to win the Nomination at the Convention but after his bare loss to Lodge in their shared home state, he dropped out. With every potential pick for the Conservatives except Langer, who is a staunch isolationist.

Currently, Lodge is ahead by all meanings of the term, with 6 states to Langer's 1. However, a state that could change that is West Virginia. The Langer campaign has abandoned Ohio, Oregon, and California, where Lodge leads by massive double digits, in favor of West Virginia and South Dakota. If he can win both of these states, he could potentially bring the first ballot to a brokered convention and prevent Lodge from getting the Nomination outright. The North Dakota Senator has challenged Lodge to a Debate on May 8th and Lodge has accepted the invitation, so we'll cover that round.

Meanwhile, for the Democrats, it's a neck and neck race as President Byrnes faces stiff opposition from Jackson, with the president having won 5 states to Jackson's 6. What makes this more interesting is that the president's wins are mostly based in the South, meaning the Party's decision to allow several primaries to be held in the South is a major disadvantage for Jackson, who knows he will lose all the states in the South to the President. For the Democrats, West Virginia is critical once again as the President has abandoned every state above the Ohio except for South Dakota and Jackson has abanonded every state below the Ohio except West Virginia.

The state has a strong history of supporting Southerners, like Byrnes, but it also has a strong labor presence, which is a good thing for Jackson. A win here will show both candidates what middle of the road democrat strongly desires himself. Byrnes and Jackson have agreed for a Debate to be held on May 6th, and so, CBS News can predict that no matter what, the state of West Virginia will likely be the deciding state for both Presidential Primaries."

[Huey Long is a Republican]

May 4 : Lodge, Jackson cruises to victory in Ohio; Byrnes sweeps Louisiana. Next stop, West Virginia!

Ohio Republican Primary

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. : 89 % (+78) ✔
William Langer : 11 %

Ohio Democratic Primary

Henry M. Jackson : 74 % (+48) ✔
James F. Byrnes* : 26 %

Louisiana Democratic Primary

James F. Byrnes* : 97 % (+94) ✔
Henry M. Jackson : 3 %

Republicans :

Color Code

Massachusetts Senator Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.
North Dakota Senator William Langer

Democrats :

Color Code

Former Washington Congressman Henry M. Jackson
President James F. Byrnes of South Carolina*

Smith : "Now with the Ohio Primary over, the campaigns can put a majority of their efforts into West Virginia. With Jackson having the momentum with 7 states to Byrnes' 5 States for the Democrats and Lodge's 7 states to Langer's 1 for the Republicans, it could all come down to who the decisive winner of the debate is on May 6th for the Democrats and 8th for the Republicans. See you then."

[UWS]

Lodge '48

[Huey Long is a Republican]

May 9th : Summary of the Republican and Democratic Debate

Smith : "In just two days, the citizens of West Virginia will vote for the candidate their state's delegates will support at the convention this year. Both Parties were running for the state and it seems to be a decisive and key state for the victory on the First Ballot for both parties this year. In order to give more ideas of where the candidates stand, the parties agreed to separate debates, with the Democrats holding their debate on the 6th and the Republicans holding theirs yesterday. Today, CBS news will what many consider to be the highlight moment of both debates."

May 6th - Democratic Debate Highlight

Question : "President Byrnes, Representative Jackson, while both of you agree that the plans of the late President Roosevelt's New Deal should be expanded and worked upon, the issue of labor seems to be what most split you two. The President himself is opposed to labor while you, Representative Jackson, have given vocal support for said labor unions. Why are you two so diametrically opposed?"

Jackson : "Now, it is without a doubt that me and President Byrnes do agree on some issues. For example, I believe his intervention in China, while not looking strategically sound at all, was smart. We must prevent the spread of Communism outside of Manchuria, the Soviet Union, and Eastern Europe, and preventing the Communists from taking the most populous country on Earth is the best way to do this. However, the President believes that Labor Unions are, to put it lightly, a plague, as shown when he voted against Roosevelt's Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. Since the passing of the act, an eight hour work day and forty two hour work week has been put in place for businesses, as well as workers being able to earn wage for an extra four hours of overtime as well.

However, when he was in congress, President Byrnes opposed this bill. It might have something to do with his Southern Background, or it might have something to do with his conservative beliefs, I'm not certain, but the President has made no such further push for more labor benefits. From 1945-1947, he actively vetoed and repeatedly put aside legislation that would help benefit labor unions within this country and when the Republicans took Congress, he refused to take the fight to them on labor. He eagerly signed the Portal to Portal Act introduced by the Republicans instead and began to enforce the Taft-Hartley Act and the Portal to Portal Act.

Under my administration, I will fight the Republicans tooth and nail on the labor issue. I will constantly fight for the rights of labor unions and workers everywhere and I will battle to increase the minimum wage that all workers will have a steady income to live off on. This is how me and the President are different on the labor issue."

Byrnes : "Representative, thank you for saying that you supported my intervention in China. Despite it being extremely necessary to prevent the spread of communism in the Asian continent, many within the media and many citizens feel like it was a foolish decision and that the Nationalists were going to win with or without the support of the US. I say to those people to look at the so-called Operation to Liberate All of China, in which the Communists would've likely overwhelmed the Nationalist forces and taken over the country had it not been for Allied support. But this is not the topic of this debate, Labor is, so I guess I must answer and respond to Representative Jackson's attacks for my support for anti-union measures.

I'll make this very clear : My support for Labor Unions is due to the fact that I believe them to be communist in nature. One of the most pro-labor countries in the world is said to be the soviet union, but when we look at a so called labor union utopia that it's said to be, all we see is suppressed rights of civilians so the powerful can benefit. Labor Unions are nigh authoritarian forces across the country, with them deciding how certain members should vote, them being the ones to do the discussions for the workers, and not allowing any individuality at all. I am from South Carolina and I have seen first hand how badly labor unions have affected my home state so severely. The less power labor unions have within this country, the better off we'll be.

As for the minimum wage, I admit for opposition to it may seem arbitrary at first glance. After all, I served in the administration that saw the first real increase of it in years and him the successor of the President who led the charge. However, if we are to increase the minimum wage every time something happens, when will it end? Inflation is a near constant in our lives and what is $20 today could be a few pennies tomorrow. That is what many don't take into account when it comes to raising the minimum wage. When we consistently force businesses to raise the minimum income of their workers, then we risk more and more chances of those businesses not being able to afford the cost and laying off workers. If that happens, we could very well be in the same mess we were in before my Predecessor came along. I cannot and will not allow that to happen."
May 8th - Republican Debate Highlight

Question : "Senator Lodge, Senator Langer, perhaps the most divisive issue in this campaign is your belief of how America should be in the world. Senator Langer, you believe that America should become isolationist and retreat from the world stage, as it's none of our business. Senator Lodge, you believe that America should remain open and ready to take on conflict abroad and intervene in the name of freedom. The best way to have this argument is to speak about perhaps the most divisive issue throughout the Byrnes Presidency : The United States' intervention in the Chinese Civil War. Senator Langer, you'll go first. Do you believe it was wise to intervene in China or do you believe it was none of our business?"

Langer : "Thanks for the question. I'm from the state of North Dakota. There we have no big harbors, no big industries, like Senator Lodge's Massachusetts does. Instead, my home state is filled with many ranchers and farmers who could care less about the world at large. My state has many German Americans and Scandinavian Americans within it and they all have horrific memories of the First World War and have an understandable distrust of the United Nations and the British because of their propaganda during that war.

I, along with former Senator Henrik Shipstead of Minnesota, voted against the United Nations Charter when it came to a Senate vote in 1945. I supported non-interventionism and wanted little US involvement in the Second World War. What we should've done instead was put focus at home, concentrating instead on making the lives easier for the farmers of this country, a group the Roosevelt Administration left behind and the Byrnes Administration is seemingly ignoring. We should've been raising wheat prices and granting government relief to those who need it. We should've been focusing on how to implement affordable healthcare for this nation. Instead, now we're stuck in the quagmire of world politics.

Nothing reflects that quagmire more than the United States intervention in China. Instead of focusing on the country and domestically improving it, the Byrnes Administration sent the proud men and women who fought against the Japanese in the Pacific and should've went home afterwards to China and forced them to fight for another two to three years against a practical non entity in the Communist Party of China. As President, I will rip up any and all ideas of America being involved in the world stage and instead focus once more on what really matters, those that matter in the United States."

Lodge : "I believe it is now my time to speak, am I correct? Well, the honorable Senator from North Dakota is correct in that North Dakota doesn't have the industries and harbor of my own home state. He's also right in stating that his state is more opposed to intervention due to the two major ethnic groups in his state. For North Dakota, it is German American and Scandinavian American while for Massachusetts, it is Anglo-American and Irish-American. However, there is one thing that makes none of us different.

We are all American. No matter if you're light skinned or dark skinned, northern or southern, if you have a hyphen in your ethnicity or not, we all share one thing in common. We love these United States, a land filled with freedom and opportunity that can allow any man to succeed if given enough time and patience. And when these freedoms are threatened, we all join in and work as one to defeat any force threatening these freedoms. I had never seen America more united than the day after Pearl Harbor. Before the bombing, American citizens were split, with some in favor of joining the war while most were against it. After the bombing, however, the attitude shifted and we were all in on the war. Production skyrocketed, our Economy boomed massively and Millions of Americans signed up to fight against the dark forces of Fascism abroad.

I was one of those Americans. When America joined the war, I joined the service and did it with distinction, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. I had seen two distinct tours of duty myself during the war against Fascism. I first served as a major in the 1st Armored Division, leading a squad of tankers of Gazala in Libya. We were the first Americans to ever engage the Germans on land in the war. My first tour was sadly forced to end in July of 1942 when President Roosevelt ordered congressmen serving in the military to resign one of the two positions, and I, realizing I still had to serve my country in legislature no matter how hard I wanted to be on the frontlines and serve with those brave enough to fight, chose to remain in the Senate. I was then ordered by Secretary of War Henry Stimson to return to Washington no matter me never feeling like I should've left the war.

That didn't stop me, however. While in the Senate, I continued to observe the war and upon winning my re-election later that year, I returned to the front to observe allied forces fighting in Libya and Egypt and from that position, I witnessed the unfortunate British retreat from Tobruk. It took me a full year to realize the mistake I had made and on February 3rd, 1944, I resigned from the Senate and returned to active duty, being the first Senator to do so since the Civil War. Upon my return to action, I saw the campaigns in Italy and I saw the campaigns in France. In the fall of that very same year, I captured a four man German patrol on my own and for that, I was given a small piece in the Time Magazine of that year.

However, I am not one to brag and boast about my own abilities, for I just, just like all other soldiers in the war, were just doing our patriotic duty for this great land. Upon the end of the war, I used my extensive knowledge of the French Language and culture from which I had gained due to attending school in Paris to help the Commander of the Sixth United States Army Group Jacob L. Devers to coordinate with the French First Army Commander, Jean de Lattre de Tassigny before we worked together and carried out the surrender negotiations with German forces in western Austria. Due to my service, I was awarded the French legion of Honor and Croix de Guerre with palm as well as the American Decorations Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star Medal.

Once the War officially ended with Japan's surrender, I returned home and resumed by political career, glad that I was offered the chance to serve my country. To this day, I am still continuing my status as an Army Reserve Officer and am currently at the Rank of Major General. I speak of my actions during the war because I believe that many Americans went through the same hell I did. As Senator Langer sat back at home, safe in the Washington D.C., I risked my lives to protect the freedom that this country grants us all. As he was advocating for America to be isolationist and not care about the world at large, I opened my eyes and realized that the days that America could simply sit back and leave the world alone was forever gone.

I personally believe that the War was in part caused by American isolationism and so, I came to support internationalism upon my victory against Senator Walsh in 1946 to gain my Father's old seat, saying "The ideal of a provincial nation has given way to the realization that we have become the world's greatest power...World War II first taught us the value of collective security.".

It is for this reason that I supported President Byrnes' intervention in China. We as a nation have the potential to increase the freedoms of all nations across the globe and it is to our benefit and the world's benefit that we make sure freedom is the right of all citizens. With the end of Fascism, we have found a new enemy, one who could be much worse and even more effective against us if we can't contain it quickly enough. That threat, ladies and gentlemen, is Communism and at it's head is the Soviet Union and Joseph Stalin. In just the last decade alone, Communism has spread it's ugly influence, domination Eastern Europe, the Korean Peninsula, and Manchuria.

President Byrnes' intervention in China ensured that over 500 Million citizens did not fall to the tyranny that Chairman Mao would've introduced and just recently, several communist spies were found and hanged by the Republic of China for treason. While I do not agree with what the government did, it shows how deeply the infestation of Communism has become across the world.

It was our isolationism in the 20s and 30s that brought us into the situation we are in today and we can no longer afford to hold the same position that Senator Langer does. I find Langer as a great acquaintance of mine and I even voted to allow him to be in the Senate despite the trial against him because it is my belief the trial was a set up against him, but I respectfully disagree with him on this issue. I rest my case."

May 11th - Byrnes squeaks by in West Virginia; Lodge sweeps Langer in West Virginia

West Virginia Republican Primary

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. : 91 % (+82) ✔
William Langer : 9 %

West Virginia Democratic Primary

James F. Byrnes* : 51 % (+2) ✔
Henry M. Jackson : 49 %

Republicans :

Color Code

Massachusetts Senator Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.
North Dakota Senator William Langer

Democrats :

Color Code

President James F. Byrnes of South Carolina*
Former Washington Congressman Henry M. Jackson

Smith : "It certainly seems like the debates helped out President Byrnes, who was tied in polling with Former Representative Jackson before the Debate, and allowed him to barely win the Primary. Despite the loss, however, Former Representative Jackson is determined to remain in this race. He is now tied with President Byrnes in the Democratic Primaries, both having seven states. His campaign has stated that they're looking to win Oregon and California and decisively block President Byrnes from the Nomination with those two states, but more and more state delegates have agreed to support Byrnes at the Convention. Meanwhile, Senator's Lodge's rather excellent Debate performance a few days ago certainly helped him against Senator Langer in West Virginia, seeing as he has won a landslide victory against him. While the Senator will continue to campaign in South Dakota and has gotten support from the delegations of his home state, Kansas, Wyoming, and Montana, Lodge pretty much has this victory locked up."

[Huey Long is a Republican]

May 21st-June 1st : Lodge, Jackson wins Oregon and California; Byrnes and Langer carries South Dakota; Byrnes sweeps Alabama, Georgia, and Texas

Oregon Republican Primary

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. : 79 % (+58) ✔
William Langer : 21 %

Oregon Democratic Primary

Henry M. Jackson : 86 % (+74) ✔
James F. Byrnes* : 14 %

Alabama Democratic Primary

James F. Byrnes* : 90 % (+80) ✔
Henry M. Jackson : 10 %

California Republican Primary

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. : 63 % (+26) ✔
William Langer : 37 %

California Democratic Primary

Henry M. Jackson : 62 % (+24) ✔
James F. Byrnes* : 38 %

South Dakota Republican Primary

William Langer : 58 % (+16) ✔
Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. : 42 %

South Dakota Democratic Primary

James F. Byrnes* : 74 % (+48) ✔
Henry M. Jackson : 26 %

Georgia Democratic Primary

James F. Byrnes* : 84 % (+69) ✔
Henry M. Jackson : 16 %

Texas Democratic Primary

James F. Byrnes* : 75 % (+50) ✔
Henry M. Jackson : 25 %

Republicans :

Color Code

Massachusetts Senator Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.
North Dakota Senator William Langer

Democrats :

Color Code

President James F. Byrnes of South Carolina*
Former Washington Congressman Henry M. Jackson

Smith : "And with that the 1948 Presidential Primaries are at an end. For the Republicans, the score is Senator Lodge at 10 States to Langer's 2, giving the Massachusetts Senator a huge advantage when the convention comes about. Meanwhile, for the Democrats, the President leads Jackson by two states, with his 11 States to Jackson's 9, meaning it could all come down to the convention folks. We all can only wait and see what happens next."
June 7th : Langer drops out, Jackson to make Democratic Convention contested

Smith : "Today, we have rather interesting news regarding this year's Presidential Race. North Dakota Senator William Langer, who has little to no chance of gaining the Republican Nomination after a poor showing across the Nation in the Primaries in all but two states, has dropped out of the race, making Lodge the presumptive Republican Nominee, though Langer has stated he will think on if he will or will not endorse Lodge for President at the Convention.

Meanwhile, for the Democrats, Henry Jackson has announced that he will go all the way to the Democratic Convention and will contest the first ballot against the President. Mind you, no sitting President has lost their Party's Nomination at the Convention since 1884 when President Arthur was defeated by James G. Blaine and it didn't work out so well for the Republican Party that year.

Does Jackson have a chance? He may of getting the Dem Nomination, but the Party would rather have a Devil that we know than a risk that could do horribly in the General Election. If neither Jackson or Byrnes are Nominated by the Democratic Party at the convention, both will walk out and run Third Party Campaigns.

In other news, Lodge, Byrnes, and Jackson are all expected to open up their Running Mate options before the Republican Convention, sometime within the next week or so and when all three lists come out, we at CBS News will be here to notify you."
Thoughts so far/in general?

[mianfei]

My initial thought is that Henry Wallace would likely have run a third-party campaign as he actually did. Jackson would have been as far as I know too internationalist to support such a campaign as Henry Wallace actually launched in December 1947.

If Lodge had won the GOP nomination, it is not implausible then that Jackson would have actually endorsed him against Byrnes. With the threats of mass anti-Americanism amongst the socialistic lower classes of Europe and Asia and deep Democratic Party divisions ever present, it might have been pragmatic to do such against Byrnes and Wallace. It is certainly possible that Lodge would have been aware of these facts, and would have incorporated a civil rights platform as strong or stronger than Truman did. The consequences of this would be interesting, especially as the North and Border had their own severe racial inequalties via cloistered sundown counties and suburbs alongside extremely concentrated and then-exploding black populations in inner cities.

[UWS]

How do the general election polls look like?

[Huey Long is a Republican]

June 8th-20th : Lodge selects his running mate; President Byrnes and Former Congressman Jackson to choose running mates after Republican National Convention

Smith : "After a long and brutal primary season, all three candidates that remain in the race for either of the two major parties are now expected to choose their running mates and today, we at CBS have received news about who Senator Lodge will select to be his Vice President should he win the Nomination. Coming from a list of Illinois Governor Dwight H. Green, California Senator William Knowland, Minnesota Congressman Walter Judd, Missouri Senator Forrest C. Donnell, North Dakota Senator and Lodge's former opponent William Langer, Wisconsin Senator Robert La Follete Jr., Michigan Senator, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and Lodge's former opponent Arthur Vandenburg, and California Governor Earl Warren, Senator Lodge has chosen...

Forrest C. Donnell
Lacks Authors [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons

MISSOURI SENATOR FORREST C. DONNEL

Smith : "and this will mean the 1948 Presidential ticket will be Lodge/Donnell. During the announcement, Lodge stated that his ticket "...is the most experienced and the best for the job, with Senator Donnell's experience as Governor and Senator and my own experiences in the senate twice as well as my ventures in the military. Together, we will curtail communist expansion, undo the damages left by the Second World War, and end the racial divide in this great country..." This indicates how the 1948 Republican Convention will likely go, with President Byrnes stating that while he agrees with Senator Lodge about curtailing Communism's spread and a program to aid our allies in the reconstruction following the aftermath of the Second World War and Chinese Civil War, he disavows any plans the Massachusetts Senator has to heal the racial divide and insists that there isn't one in the United States. Former Congressman Jackson has come out in full support in all accounts of the Republican Ticket's plans, leaving many to speculate that should he not get the nomination at the convention, then he will endorse the Republican ticket instead.

The Republican Convention will be held from June 21st-25th in Philadelphia and the Democratic Convention will be held  from July 12th-14th in the same city. Both Byrnes and Jackson have released their running mate lists and will announce who they choose shortly after the Republican Convention. For Jackson, he is considering Illinois Senator Scott W. Lucas, House Minority Whip John W. McCormack of Massachusetts, Former High Commissioner to the Philippians Paul V. McNutt of Indiana, Former Wyoming Senator Joseph C. O’Mahoney, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court Robert H. Jackson of New York, Pennsylvania Senator Francis J. Myers, and Former Rhode Island Governor J. Howard McGrath. For Byrnes. the choices are Alabama Senator John Sparkman, Former Oklahoma Governor Robert S. Kerr, Georgia Senator Richard Russell Jr., Texas Congressman Lyndon Baines Johnson, Former Maryland Governor Herbet O’Conor, Florida Senator Spessard Holland, Former Texas Governor Coke R. Stevenson, and Former Tennessee Governor Prentice Cooper. All of these choices look to be very interesting but only one can become the Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee. Until the Republican Convention, goodbye and goodnight."

[OSR stands with Israel]

Go Lodge

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Go Lodge

Who do you think Byrne and Jackson should pick and who do you think will win the Dem Nomination?