Characters / Kaiserreich USA

Character Index | Africa | America (USA) | Asia & Oceania (China) | Europe (Italy | Balkans | Germany | Eastern Europe | Russia)

A long time ago, the United States was a land of vast opportunity and promise.

— Various characters in the American World of Kaiserreich trailers

United States of America

Official Name: United States of America

Ruling Party: Republican Party

Ideology: Market Liberalism

Though American isolationism shielded the country from the horrible Weltkrieg, the post-war political upheaval still shook the country to its core. The Great Depression, set off by the 1925 British Revolution, crippled American economy for the next decade, and significantly radicalized American population. As left-wing and right-wing populism challenged the political establishment, the America of 1936 is more divided than ever. With radical groups arming themselves in the face of rising tension, the land of the free is on the cusp of another crisis, a Second American Civil War...

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• Arc Words: All five of the World In Kaiserreich videos focusing on the post-collapse American nations start with a variation on the sentence "A long time ago, the United States was a land of vast opportunity and promise." making it the arc words for the second civil war in a way.
• Awakening the Sleeping Giant: Regardless of who wins the Civil War, a reunified America has the potential to quickly emerge as a major world power. Given enough time and effort, this can even lead to the nation becoming a superpower.
• Civil War: The inevitable Second American Civil War is the key event in the USA's story in Kaiserreich, and one of the most famous elements of the mod.
• Divided States of America: As the Civil War breaks out, the US can be divided into the Combined Syndicates of America in the Midwest, the American Union State in the South, the Pacific States of America on the West Coast, and the federal government holding the rest. While the USA, CSA and AUS will always fight to the death, America might still end up in a semi-stable division—the Pacific States can declare independence, New England can become a Canada-backed independent country or directly occupied by Canada, Hawaii can go independent, Alaska can get occupied by Canada, Puerto Rico can join the West Indies Federation or start a nationalist uprising, and a National Populist Mexico can invade the United States from the south, splitting off more territories.
• From Bad to Worse: The USA was already wading through seven years of Great Depression caused by the Wall Street Crash. When the German Black Monday hits, it only makes the Great Depression worse.
• Know When to Fold 'Em: During the Nicaraguan Revolution, America opted to retreat from the country entirely as they knew it would fall to the Sandinists anyway.
• Morton's Fork: There is no way to prevent the Second American Civil War in Kaiserreich. No matter who becomes President (the three old party moderate options Floyd Olson, Alf Landon, and John Nance Garner, or the two radicals Jack Reed and Huey Long) or what they do, the Civil War will happen and the choices made instead affect how exactly it starts and which states start under whose control and can make victory easier or harder for certain sides.
  • President Olson can negotiate with Reed and compromise with him to create governmental organizations supervised by the SPA that would act as liaison between unions and the government. If the compromise is made, the CSA will not rebel, but the AUS will instantly rebel. If the negotiation fails, either both the CSA and AUS will rise up while Olson remains in power, or MacArthur removes Olson, leading to the CSA, AUS, and PSA all rebelling. In a minor example of this, trying to invite Long to make his AFP part of the process just leads to Long sabotaging said process and the failure of negotiations, while cutting them out leads to Long in turn complaining about autocratic federal government making shady backroom deals with socialists.
  • President Garner can try to pass an Emergency Austerity Measures bill, for which he requires votes from the Congress. Garner can launch a big meeting between all the parties on the bill, during which he can make some compromises with Long to support his Share Our Wealth Society in the bill through tax breaks, as well as making him the leader of a new Unamerican Activities Committee. If the compromise is made, the AUS will not rebel, but the CSA will rebel instead. Like Olson, failures can result in the CSA and AUS both rising up or MacArthur's coup.
  • President Landon can accommodate neither Reed nor Long, leading to both the CSA and AUS rebelling (and one path also allows MacArthur to overthrow Landon). However, his route weakens both of them, possibly allowing for an easier Federal victory. Note that both routes that compromise to prevent the CSA or AUS from rising up will cause every state that can possibly join the other to do so automatically, regardless of prior leanings.
  • Alternatively, President Olson, Garner, or Landon can adopt hardline positions against the radicals, launching police crackdowns on both the Socialist Party of America and the America First Party. The crackdowns eventually turn bloody, with strikers and Minutemen clashing with the police, National Guard, and each other. With chaos breaking out, J. Edgar Hoover, director of the FBI, proposes to the President to assassinate Long or Reed (the FBI only has enough time to enact one of them), which will collapse their faction. Several things can happen from here:
    • Reed or Long is assassinated. Their side collapses and does not rise up. However, the surviving radical leader accuses the federal government of being murderers and rebels soon after. The public (rightfully) believes that the government is behind the murder, and the federal government starts the civil war with massive debuffs, which can possibly cause them to lose the war.
    • The assassination attempt fails, and the plan is exposed to the public. Reed and Long both condemn the federal government and rebel.
    • No assassination is attempted. Reed and Long both rebel, citing the violence perpetrated by the government.
  • President Reed and President Long both have two choices of actions: they can either address the crisis by starting to pushing out drastic reforms, which will strengthen their own base, or crack down on the other side in order to weaken it. In either case, the new President will start liberally using presidential Executive Orders to achieve his agendas, which both his opponents and moderate parties will see as an abuse of power and a subversion of the Constitution and fear that it is only his first steps towards becoming a full-on dictator. MacArthur eventually launches a coup, starting the USA-CSA-AUS-PSA standoff.
  • Any President who does nothing to address the crisis for too long will be overthrown by MacArthur to impose order, leading to the USA-CSA-AUS-PSA standoff.
• Multiple Endings: Aside from the obvious matter of the Second American Civil War, the United States and its various successor states, when taken together, is one of the relatively few countries able to potentially wind up following any of the ten ideologies present in the mod and join any major faction. America only lacks a monarchist option given the nation's extreme republican leanings, but otherwise has every form of republican government possible^note Hawaii can restore its old monarchy, but unlike the other factions, Hawaii does not claim to be the legitimate or rightful government of the US and cannot establish itself as such.
• Oppressive States of America: America in 1936 is an Apartheid state with rampant inequality and racism in general, and actively enforced segregation in particular. If MacArthur comes to power, it usually doesn't bode well for the American Constitution and Bill of Rights, both of which are suspended under martial law. The situation only gets worse if MacArthur refuses to step down after the war and maintains military dictatorship, marking the end of American democracy.
• Plot-Triggering Death: The second civil war can start with the assassination of either Long or Reed with the survivor rising up. And as an interesting twist on this trope, the death of a united America enables certain plots for Latin America once America is distracted.
• Second American Civil War: The Second American Civil War is the primary event around which a game as the United States revolves, with the differences between the Socialist Party of America, Huey Long's America First Party, and the mainstream Democrats, Republicans, and Progressives being irreconcilable and inevitably leading to a civil war with anywhere from two to four belligerents, depending on how the lead-up goes. Compared to the Second American Civil War, possibly participating in the Second Weltkrieg later is almost a sideshow.

Herbert Clark Hoover

Role: President^note Country Leader

Party: Republican Party

Ideology: Market Liberalism

The President of the United States since 1929. Deeply unpopular due to his failure to address the Great Depression, Hoover struggles to mend the deep divides within America, and is increasingly relying on help from the military to maintain stability against militant radicalism.

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• 0% Approval Rating: Absolutely no one in US politics likes Hoover anymore, not even his own party.
• Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: It is implied that Hoover is not as dilatory or ignorant about the deteriorating political situation as he appears. He is shown to have at least some knowledge or participation in helping MacArthur with his coup long before 1937 rolls around, notably in one event Hoover and MacArthur meet before the 1936 election to discuss War Plan White. He is responsible for bringing MacArthur home from the Phillipines in 1930 and utilizes the general as a tool for maintaining order. Several generals are noted for having been promoted during Hoover's term in preparation for the possibility of violence, and war plans have been drawn up to deal with civil unrest. Moreover, the quickness for nearly a majority of state governors to declare for MacArthur's government, for Congress to approve of MacArthur's actions, and (in the case of moderate presidents being overthrown) Presidents' own cabinets to endorse the coup suggest someone with major political connections and sway has been helping coordinate the desperate action.
• Head-in-the-Sand Management: Hoover's opposition to government economic relief causes America to completely fail at recovering from the Wall Street Crash, leading to the rise of the Socialist Party of America and the America First Party, and the national division that ensues. By 1936, Hoover publicly announces that he is willing to seek a compromise, in that he will not veto or otherwise actively fight any economic relief bills passed by Congress, but by then it is effectively too little, too late.

Floyd Olson

Role: President^note Country Leader (1936 election)

Party: Farmer-Labor Party

Ideology: Social Democracy

Leading member of the progressive Farmer-Labor Party. If the Republicans and Democrats form the National Unity Party and preserve the coalition, the Farmer-Labor Party will also join the coalition, with Olson as their Presidential candidate. Once elected, Olson intends to address the divisions within the United States by offering the radical leaders a chance to negotiate.

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• Allohistorical Allusion: Floyd Olson can ultimately try to prevent the looming Second Civil War by seeking a compromise with the socialist workers' movement through a social program that resembles Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal of the OTL. It can even succeed, to a degree. If the player gets it right, neither the CSA or the PSA will come into play, and only the AUS will rebel against the government.
• Artistic License – History: In real life, Olson died of stomach cancer in August 1936. Here, he can run for President in the 1936 election, and live long enough to make a compromise with the SPA before dying in office.
• No Party Given: Downplayed — While Olson starts as a member of the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party, as he historically was, this party is so insignificant to national politics that it is not represented on the ten-ideology party display. However, as a relatively high-profile politician unaffiliated with any major party, the Progressive Party (itself floundering due to the Socialist Party siphoning voters away from them) can mediate a proposal that would bring him on as unifying compromise candidate between themselves, the Democratic Party, and the Republican Party to form a Coalition ticket against the Socialist Party and America First Party without overly favoring any of them.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: Olson tries to listen to other sides and seeks to make compromise with his rivals to improve America's situation and try to prevent the bloody Civil War. More specifically, his path allows him to reach a peaceful political compromise with Jack Reed about improving the salary and conditions for industrial workers, which prevents the CSA from rising up in rebellion, and since he is seen as a overall "reasonable" and "centrist" candidate, the PSA won't rise against him either. However, his sympathies for the socialist cause and the AFP's complete unwillingness to negotiate in good faith if the SPA also gets a seat at the table ultimately lead Long and the AUS to reject him out of hand and rise against his government.

John Nance Garner

Role: President^note Country Leader (1936 election)

Party: Democratic Party - Conservative

Ideology: Social Conservatism

The Democratic Party's candidate in the 1936 elections, Garner had sworn to refuse to cave into radicalist demands, and intends to address the Great Depression through austerity measures.

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• Irony: His description notes that he's a Southern Democrat, the group that made up the majority of the Confederates in the first American Civil War, as America is about to face a second one.
• Realpolitik: Unlike Olson, whose compromise with Reed is more driven by his beliefs, Garner's compromise with Long is more him taking advantage of an opportunity that Long presents. But it still involves giving in to some extent on his convictions that only austerity measures can get America out of the Depression as he begins implementing some of Long's distributionist ideas.
• Red Baron: His real life nickname was Cactus Jack.

Alf Landon

Role: President^note Country Leader (1936 election)

Party: Republican Party

Ideology: Market Liberalism

The Republican Party's candidate in the 1936 elections, Landon intends to address the Great Depression through government bailout of big corporations.

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• Allohistorical Allusion: Alf Landon's bill is nicknamed "New Deal" bill.
• Boring, but Practical: While his fellow politically moderate presidents can potentially knock entire sides out of the Second American Civil War before it begins, doing so gives whichever side then rises up in rebellion a huge power boost, automatically causing every state that could potentially flip to their side and join them to do so automatically, regardless of prior alignments. The results of a successful Landon's reforms aren't nearly as impressive on paper, since he'll have to fight both the CSA and the AUS, but both are weakened in the process and the PSA isn't a thing without MacArthur's coup; paired with wise choices under the administration of fellow Republican Herber Hoover this can actually make the civil war even easier for the federals as potentially powerful population and industrial centers that could enrich their enemies stick with the legitimate government.
• Category Traitor: Reed and the CSA considers Landon to be a "class traitor" due to him being a self-made entrepreneur and a member of the capitalist establishment despite having came from a working class background. And hence, unlike with Olson, the SPA will not be willing to negotiate with him in good faith.
• Heart Is an Awesome Power: While unable to prevent either the CSA or AUS from rising up in rebellion at the cost of utterly alienating the supporters of other the same way that Olson or Garner could, Landon's moderate approach in attempting yet failing towards seeking comprises with Reed and Long in his New Deal could potentially greatly tarnishing the public image of the radicals as unreasonable obstructionists. So that when the Second Civil War does break out, the Federal government would be put into a much stronger position with loyalist managing to retain control over many of the key swing states such as Southern Texas, Tennessee, and New York.
• Only Sane Man: Besides Olson, Landon was noted as being a rare voice calling for moderation in a United States in which the political consensus have long since collapsed, and the voices of radicalism on both the left and the right having entered into the mainstream.
• Self-Made Man: Landon's election material paints him as a self-made man, an entrepreneur who made his wealth starting from a small petroleum company.

Douglas MacArthur

Role: Field Marshal, President^note Country Leader (Military coup)

Party: Military Junta, Republican Party (Civilian)

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy, Market Liberalism (Civilian)

The Chief of Staff of the US Army under President Hoover. A patriot and an opponent of radical politics, Hoover has increasingly empowered MacArthur to quell instability. However, MacArthur himself is displeased at the politicians' failure to preserve order; should he believe that the President had failed the country, few can stop him from marching into Washington to restore order by force.

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• Allohistorical Allusion: MacArthur's coup against President Jack Reed closely mirrors Augusto Pinochet's coup — amid fears that a democratically elected socialist president is overstepping legal bounds, a high-ranking general forcibly removes them from office and establishes a military dictatorship that ignores any legal bounds. If MacArthur is arrested at the end of the Civil War (following a ceasefire with the Pacific States), he will deliver a variation of his famous 'Old Soldiers Never Die' speech
• Became Their Own Antithesis: Should MacArthur fail to relinquish his powers, he's set up a precedent of the military removing elected presidents for the sake of "democratic-republican" values even though he's turned the nation into an overt military dictatorship under the US Army. The open, freewheeling place the USA used to be is no more.
• Cincinnatus: One of the possible outcomes of his dictatorial rule over the USA after the Civil War is to give up his emergency powers completely in favor of the civilian government and let democratic elections happen. In doing so, MacArthur becomes known as the American Cincinnatus.
• Emergency Authority: As the result of military coup, MacArthur receives emergency powers in order to crush the Syndicalist and Firster insurgencies. If he stays in power after the civil war, he will keep martial law in place, possibly permanently.
• The Generalissimo: Should he remain in power after the Civil War, he'll become the first example of this in the history of the United States, continuing to wear his fatigues and gold-braided cap, and creating a military dictatorship.
• Heteronormative Crusader: If MacArthur remains President after the Civil War, he will begin firing government workers on suspicion of them being homosexual in a Lavender scare.
• Military Coup: Leads one against Reed or Long if they get elected to office, or against Garner, Landon, or Olson if they don't take action to deal with Reed and Long, kickstarting the Second American Civil War and resulting in the secession of the Pacific States. Taken even further in that this is his modus operandi before the civil war, and if he succeeds, he commits the first military coup in the history of the United States, changing American politics forever.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: MacArthur's coup always results in a four-way civil war between the USA, CSA, AUS, and PSA, resulting in what is arguably the worst-case scenario for the USA. Even if MacArthur becomes the American Cincinnatus and restores the civilian government after the civil war, the precedent set by his coup (namely planting the idea that the US Military should and will topple a civil, democratically-elected government with force if they happen to ideologically disagree with it) would do irrepairable damage to American democracy and the relationship between the government, the people, and the military.
• Police State: Imposes martial law throughout the entire country after his coup to deal with the radical threats in America. If he chooses to stay in power, this Police State becomes permanent, and American democracy remains dead. He even bans protesting!
• President for Life: After the Civil War, he can establish himself as the permanent military dictator of the USA without any intention to leave the White House.
• The Purge: Overlaps with Red Scare. As the American Caesar, MacArthur will launch an extremely wide-ranging purge of all elements deemed radical; not just Longists and socialists, but supporters of Prohibition, Grangers (farmers affiliated with the Farmer-Labor Party), Holy Rollers, and even foreigners. He goes as far to reinstate parts of the notorious Alien and Sedition Acts from 1798.
• Red Baron: MacArthur becomes known as the American Caesar or the American Cincinnatus, depedending on his decisions after winning the civil war.
• Shout-Out: MacArthur's title of "American Caesar" is also the name of a real-life classic biography of MacArthur.
• State Sec: Can turn the FBI into one through the COINTELPRO program directed to keep order throughout America if he stays in power, suppressing radical activities whenever it's possible. On the local level, he encourages ordinary citizens to report any dissent to the Federal Government via the 'Second American Protective League'.
• Suddenly Significant City: If MacArthur comes to power and does not follow War Plan White: Yorktown, he moves the capital to Denver in order to ensure the safety of the central government.
• To Be Lawful or Good: Utterly committed to preserving American values and way of life from all enemies foreign and domestic, even if he has to run roughshod over the laws (up to suspending the Constitution and the Bill of Rights) to do it. Of course, in this scenario, "good" is in the eye of the beholder...
• Tyrant Takes the Helm: MacArthur can step in and install a military junta and declare martial law after the 1936 elections, if either a radical President is elected or if a moderate President bungles their attempts to address the national crisis. It's possible for him to restore civilian rule after the civil war, but it's at least as likely that he'll declare himself President for Life and maintain a new military dictatorship indefinitely.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: He assumes dictatorial power with the purpose of the maintaining the integrity of America and saving it from the dangers of radicalism, eradicating domestic and foreign threat where an ordinary civilian government is helpless. Should he give up his powers, he will be an example of this trope - if not, he'll be just as bad as the radicals he fought against.

Quentin Roosevelt

Role: Vice-President (President Olson), President^note Country Leader (Olson succession or 1940 election), President^note Country Leader (PSA, MacArthur deposed Olson)

Party: Democratic Party - Progressive

Ideology: Social Liberalism

The youngest and most beloved son of former President Theodore Roosevelt, Quentin has followed his father's footsteps and became a popular politician, and currently serves as Senator from New York.

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• Like Father, Like Son: Like his father, Theodore Roosevelt, he's a progressive with military history.

Al Smith

Role: Vice President (Garner), President ^note  Country Leader (1940 Election, Landon is President or Olson, Reed and Long deposed by MacArthur, Cincinnatus path), President^note Country Leader (PSA, MacArthur deposed Garner)

Party: Democratic Party - Progressive

Ideology: Social Liberalism

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• Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Smith was the first Catholic to nominated for a major party back in 1932, and can become the first Catholic president a full 20 years before JFK.
• Succession Crisis: In the event of an Olson overthrow, a Federal-Pacific ceasefire, and a Cincinnatus MacArthur getting arrested, the title for rightful President is torn between the legitimate VP Roosevelt and MacArthur's successor Smith by the Presidental Sucession act created at the start of the civil war. It's up to the player to decide whether the act is constitutional (keeping Smith) or not (restoring Roosevelt).

Franklin D. Roosevelt

A rising politican of the Democratic Party who served as a Secretary of Navy during Wilson's presidency, Franklin Delano Roosevelt abruptly died of polio in 1921. One can wonder what would be his place in the American history if it wasn't for his premature death...

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• All There in the Manual: FDR's fate is not mentioned in-game and can only be found by looking up the Kaiserreich timeline.
• Butterfly of Doom: The German victory in the Weltkrieg somehow affects his polio, making it fatal and turning him into little more than a historical footnote, only even mentioned in a single sentence of the official 1917-1936 timeline. This makes less sense if you look into it, as it's now believed that he got something other than polio, likely an auto-immune condition called Guillain–Barré syndrome, which was in turn likely triggered by some other infection.
• Posthumous Character: FDR died of Guillain–Barré syndrome in 1921, and without him, the American political situation has gotten much worse as it has wallowed through four more years of The Great Depression without relief in the form of the New Deal.

Combined Syndicates of America

^{Flag of the Socialist Republic of America/Commonwealth of America}

^{Flag of the Union of Socialist American States}

Official Name: Combined Syndicates of America, Socialist Republic of America (Post-war, Radical Socialist), Commonwealth of America (Post-war, Syndicalist), Union of Socialist American States (Post-war, Totalist)

Ruling Party: Socialist Party of America

Ideology: Syndicalism

A coalition of labor unions and socialist parties led by Socialist senator Jack Reed, who may rebel against the government and initiate the Second American Civil War. It is politically based in the Steel Belt, whose working-class was devastated by the Great Depression and alienated by Hoover's laissez-faire policies. Though Reed's electoral successes has temporarily tempered its militancy, the CSA remains centrally a Europe-inspired revolutionary group founded upon Revolutionary Syndicalism.

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• Allohistorical Allusion: During the Civil War, the CSA can enact the War Syndicalism policy (state control of all foreign trade, nationalisation of all factories, strict labour discipline, outlawing of wildcat strikes, obligatory labour-duty for those not working or in the military, strict food rationing, and military control over railroads), similar to the Russian SFSR's war communism system, implemented during the Russian Civil War in real life.
• Amazon Brigade: Gender equality has long been a major ideological component of socialist thought, and many units in the CSA military are entirely made of women.
• Became Their Own Antithesis: Foster and Browder threatening the power of the common worker via insane social reforms or a command economy defeats the purpose of the CSA's reasons for revolt.
• Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Israel Amter and Asa Philip Randolph, two of the Socialist Party's candidates in 1948 and 1952, can become the first Jewish and African leaders of America, the latter several decades before Barack Obama did the same thing in OTL.
• Chummy Commies:
  • At least as their proclamations go, the Federalists and Unionists are actually trying to build a democratic America with worker's control of economy and racial and sexual equality. The Centralists led by Browder and Foster, however, are another issue altogether.
  • There is also that many in the CSA — including Reed himself — are willing to compromise, only gaining some or partial agreement of their demands in fair negotiations with a capitalist president and still de-escalating if the situation doesn't turn chaotic for other reasons. It is just that only Olson can pull that off (Landon doesn't have a broad enough coalition behind him to negotiate with as much strength and lacks Olson's progressive credentials^note Olson's own support base is close enough to the SPA that if the Coalition isn't established or falls apart, a good chunk of it joins the SPA as the political situation worsens, Long doesn't want to negotiate, and Garner has both Landon and Long's issues).
• Deadly Euphemism: If Foster or Browder comes to power, an event can fire where the followers of the other leader in the Congress are noted to have gone missing. The official reason for the disappearance is "taking a vacation".
• Dirty Communists: William Z. Foster and Earl Browder, Totalist options for the CSA. Earl Browder is the classical Bolshevist dictator with Stalinist economic policies, while Foster is socially insane, and wants to implement government child labor programs and legalize suicide^note the last of which may not sound that bad... except the event announcing it implies the real reason Foster does it is so his government has an easier time covering up disappearing dissidents by claiming they committed suicide.
• Divided States of America: They take most of the Mid-West and pars of the Mid Atlantic as well. In game, the Radical Socialist calls for autonomy are accused as promoting this by the Syndicalist and Totalist factions.
• Evil Versus Evil: Browder and Foster are both evil totalists, but they're also bitter rivals. If one comes to power, the other will vocally protest against the person in power. Naturally, this is followed by the person in power purging the other and his associates from the government.
• Fantastic Ship Prefix: The CSA's navy uses the prefix PLN, almost certainly standing for "People's Liberation Navy"
• Full-Circle Revolution:
  • If the player takes the Totalist path for the economy and government (especially Browder's path), then the rights of the Syndicalist workers will go to squat and they'll find themselves on square one.
  • In a Downplayed example, most of the In-Universe critics of the Federalist path (from the Unionists and Centralists, for different reasons) claim that said government is almost EXACTLY like the USA that they just finished overthrowing. However, it may also count as a Subversion, as, while the Federalist government is very similar in design to the USA's government with a limited, but moderately powerful executive and legislature based on geographic representation by way of the existing states rather than labor union representation and a government based on checks and balances between branches with clearly separated powers and an economy that maintains market principles, it is able to pass widespread worker's rights laws, institute an economy wherein most or all businesses are restructured as worker's co-ops (thereby bringing about workplace democracy and worker-ownership of their workplaces), as well as progressive racial and national policies, ensuring the stated goals of the revolution are met.
• It's Personal: It's clear that quite a few of the CSA's generals are siding with the CSA to get back at the bigotry they had to endure in America, such as anti-black racism or anti-semitism.
• Kangaroo Court: A Totalist CSA will hold show trials for reactionaries, sentencing many of them to death.
• Multinational Team: Far more so than the other sides in the Second American Civil War, the CSA receives foreign aid, with most other existing Syndicalist nations sending equipment and volunteers, both as free divisions for the CSA, and as foreign military forces fighting on the same side as the CSA.
• Oppressive States of America: What the Totalists can create, albeit not to the extent of Totalists in Britain for example.
• Patriotic Fervor: The leadership of the Syndicates claim to be a continuation of the American revolution, from forming a Second Continental Army, Second Continental Navy, and Continental Air Force, the USAS flag having the Statue of Liberty front and center, to outright calling the 2ACW the Second American Revolution. Ironically, they share this fervor with the AUS.
• Plot Armor: In the event Garner successfully negotiates with Long and the AFP to integrate their nationalist and populist ideals into his government, every state that can possibly start the Second American Civil War as part of the CSA will do so regardless of prior leanings, ensuring even a two-sided war is as close as possible the monumental struggle the war's supposed to be.
• Police State: During the Civil War, many militias, communes and syndicates adopted Political Commissars, who kept a close eye on any potential counterrevolutionaries. The Totalists can put these commissars under direct state control, and expand the system nationwide.
• The Political Officer: The political officers in the Second Continental Army educates soldiers on the finer points of socialist theory in order to keep morale up and ensure that their men see the benefits of the revolution.
• The Purge: Regardless of who comes to power, the final focus tree for totalist CSA is "Purge Reactionaries," and there are also tons of events in the USAS where the leader purges their unfortunate enemies. Browder is generally more purge-happy than Foster however, and gets a few more events where he purges the party newspaper, Father Divine's International Peace Mission movement, and other people who he consider to be reactionaries.
• Removing the Rival: Both Foster and Browder will attempt to purge the other after they come to power, by either sentencing the other to death in a Kangaroo Court, or assassinating them with the newly-founded CIA after they went into exile.
• Revolving Door Revolution: Putting the Totalists in power may lead to yet another revolution, as Smedley Butler may take a page from Douglas MacArthur (who may well have kicked off the previous revolution by staging a coup against Jack Reed) and stage a coup against Browder or Foster.
• Secret Police: Totalist CSA can create the Combined Intelligence Agency, managed directly by the ruling committee, which works to root out dissidents and reactionaries. One of the CIA's first acts is to purge the other Totalist candidate when one comes to power.
• Suddenly Significant City: Chicago becomes the residence of the CSA leadership. After the CSA wins the Civil War, the capital can remain Chicago, return to Washington, D.C., or be moved to another city.
• Working-Class Hero: Their armies consist of well-trained and armed industrial workers (in addition to defecting soldiers).

John Silas 'Jack' Reed

Role: President^note Country Leader (1936 US election or CSA starting leader)

Party: Socialist Party of America

Ideology: Syndicalism

The Socialist senior Senator for New York, expected to run as the SPA's 1936 presidential candidate. A long-time socialist who is instrumental in organizing American revolutionary syndicalism, Reed has currently been convinced by moderate socialists to partake in America's existing political system. However, should his current approach fail, Reed is fully prepared to use revolutionary methods to topple the corrupt system and bring socialism to America.

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• Cincinnatus: Reed steps down after the CSA wins the Second American Civil War, saying his job here is done and that the new government should be made without his presence looming large over the proceedings, as well as that he'd like to retire to a more peaceful life with his wife and daughter.
• Decapitated Army: Like Long's AFP, Reed unites two factions of the Socialist Party of America, the American Federation of Labor and the Industrial Workers of the World. If the President assassinates Reed, the power struggles between the AFL and IWW cripple the SPA as a whole, preventing the CSA from rising up.
• Determinator: In spite of his illness, Reed still accepts the position of the leader of the CSA and fights for the Syndicalist cause.
• Earn Your Happy Ending: If the CSA wins the Second American Civil War and the Second Constitutional Convention is completed, a content Reed, happy to see a transformed America in safe hands, announces his retirement in favor of a new president as he reveals his illness, saying that he wants to live out his last years, of which he suspect he doesn't have many left, in the company of his family.
• Enemy Mine: If the Second American Civil War is going poorly for the CSA and AUS, Reed and Long can set aside their mutual loathing and team up against the USA, only to immediately resume hostilities as soon as the USA has been defeated.
• Intrepid Reporter: Before becoming leader of the Socialist Party of America, Reed gained fame as a reporter, especially for his coverage of the Russian Revolution.
• King on His Deathbed: Reed has seen better days and his poor health will usually claim him by the mid-1940s. Should the CSA emerge victorious from the Civil War while he is still alive, he chooses to immediately and quietly retire from the leadership of the CSA and public life at the first ripe opportunity and let a healthier leader take his place.
• Mirror Character: In the event CSA rises in rebellion due to Huey Long's assassination, Reed himself will notice this in his speech declaring the revolution; pointing out that while he did not agree with Long on very much, in the end, both of them wanted a government that stood for the people and a better life for the average American.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: Unlike Long, Reed is willing to reach a compromise with the USA to achieve many of the Socialists' goals without bloodshed, provided that he feels that the president can be trusted (which in practice means that he can only reach such an accommodation with Floyd Olson).

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

Role: President^note Country Leader (Post-war elections or Anti-Totalist coup)

Party: Workers' Party of America

Ideology: Syndicalism

An outspoken labor activist and feminist, Flynn is a leading member of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) union under the CSA. She becomes a presidential candidate if the CSA wins the Second American Civil War, representing the progressive revolutionary syndicalists.

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• Breaking the Glass Ceiling: After Jack Reed resigns following the CSA's victory in the Civil War, Flynn begins a national campaign to excite voters for a possible female president — namely herself. If she wins, some will find it absurd that a woman would stand at the forefront of the revolution.

Norman Mattoon Thomas

Role: President^note Country Leader (Post-war elections or Anti-Totalist coup or President Cannon 1952 election)

Party: Socialist Party of America

Ideology: Radical Socialism

Veteran socialist and close friend of Jack Reed, Thomas previously served as Mayor of New York City, and currently serves as the SPA's vice presidential candidate. He becomes a presidential candidate if the CSA wins the Second American Civil War, representing the moderate democratic socialists.

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• Allohistorical Allusion:
  • Thomas' backstory establishes that at some point he successfully was elected Mayor of New York City (perhaps due to Socialism/Syndicalism being a more generally accepted ideology in the United States in the Kaiserriech universe), something his real life counterpart attempted several times, but was never able to achieve. Depending on player choices, he can take it even further, and ascend to the presidency, which his real life counterpart also unsuccessfully campaigned for several times.
  • In order to transition from capitalism to syndicalism, Thomas follows the approach from the less radical wing of the CSA to implement the idea of "syndicalism with American characteristics", named after "socialism with Chinese characteristics", a term used by Deng Xiaoping in real life.
• The Bus Came Back: Norman Thomas is a post-civil war election candidate and at his re-election in 1940 but no further. Except for the 1952 election in the specific case of Cannon being president, where he will be a candidate again.
• Chummy Commies: Thomas is perhaps the Chummiest of all possible post-Civil War candidates, so much so that the most radical elements of the party sees him as being too soft and compromising towards the old American democracy.
• Good Ol' Boy: Despite the crisis that has bogged down the United States for decades and caused the Second Civil War, Thomas still firmly believes in quite a few of the old American values and institutions and will seek to reform them rather than transforming and rebuilding them from the ground up.

William Z. Foster

Role: President^note Country Leader (Post-war elections)

Party: Trade Union Unity League

Ideology: Totalism

A pioneer of American syndicalism, Foster is an influential figure in the CSA currently belonging to its "Vanguardists" faction. He becomes a presidential candidate if the CSA wins the Second American Civil War, representing the socially ambitious Vanguardist syndicalists.

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• Even Evil Has Standards: Choosing not to implement Foster's batshit social reforms turns him into A Lighter Shade of Black as he just becomes an authoritarian syndicalist since his economic focus tree doesn't call for a banning of trade unions and total control.
• From Nobody to Nightmare: Foster, like many of his peers in the Syndicalist movement, comes from a very humble background. He was born the son of poor Irish immigrants, never completed formal education, and worked a string of hard, dangerous and ill-paying industrial jobs for much of his young life. Should he manage to rise as the authoritarian dictator of the CSA, and even successfully implement of the some most outrageous and crazy social reforms in history, even for a Syndicalist state, it a safe bet nobody ever saw it coming.
• Insane Troll Logic: Once in power, Foster makes an attempt to legalize suicide. His insane argument says that the ethics of a syndicalist nation must be remade to accommodate the wishes of Americans with hard lives, and how they must phase out the old traditions. Protesters and conspiracy theorists point out that it is far more likely that Foster legalized suicide because he wanted to excuse mysterious deaths and legalize murders that look like suicides.
• Tyrant Takes the Helm: Once Foster takes power, he'll start removing his enemies (though not even close to the massive purges that Browder launches) and propose some truly insane social reforms. He can be talked down from implementing his insane ideas however.
• We Used to Be Friends: Foster and Browder used to be friends during the early days of American leftism, but has since become enemies over their economic ideas. Foster took a liking to Totalism, while Browder rejected it as flawed, believing instead in a new economic policy inspired by Bolshevism and Maximism (which ends up looking just like Stalinism).
• Would Hurt a Child: One of Foster's events involves him trying to institute a program of government-organized child labor on farmland and ranches. He even proposes to forcibly take the children from "stubborn" worker families for their own good.

Earl Browder

Role: President^note Country Leader (Post-war elections)

Party: Trade Union Unity League

Ideology: Totalism

A leading member of the SPA somewhat affiliated with the CSA's Vanguardists. Browder sees limits with revolutionary syndicalism and believes in a different kind of American socialism, partially inspired by Bolshevism and Maximism. He becomes a presidential candidate if the CSA wins the Second American Civil War, representing his own faction of authoritarian socialists.

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• From Nobody to Nightmare: Browder does notably not come from quite as humble a background as Foster, in fact, he has been swinging back and forth between being a career politician and a low-level office worker for most of his youth, but he is probably still not the kind of guy most people would expect having the potential to be a dictator.
• Pet the Dog: Comparatively, Browder is more socially sane compared to Foster's insanity.
• Reassigned to Antarctica: If Foster comes to power, Browder will get reassigned to the newly-created "illustrious post" of overseeing "vital" furniture and candlemaking unions in Europe, which just so happens to have poor communications with America.
• Repressive, but Efficient: Browder's centralized economy and apparatus of state allows for very little economic freedom and no political freedom at all, but it very quickly and effectively rerails America after the catastrophe of the civil war.
• Tyrant Takes the Helm: If Browder takes power, he'll start centralizing the economy and start purging his enemies left and right.
• We Used to Be Friends: Browder and Foster used to be friends, but has since drifted apart over their economic ideologies (though both remained authoritarian), and in the end became bitter rivals wanting to purge the other.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: Browder is a shameless Totalist who begins purging America of his political rivals practically the instant he's handed the keys to power, but it's still clear that he believes in his cause as a force for good and the America he creates is still far tamer than the blistering lunacy inflicted upon it by Foster.
• You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: The Industrial Workers of the World, the union that CSA is built upon, is unceremoniously banned after Browder comes to power to consolidate the rule of his faction.

Smedley Butler

Role: Field Marshal, President^note Country Leader (Anti-Totalist coup)

Party: Socialist Party of America

Ideology: Radical Socialism

Marine and General Smedley Darlington Butler is the highest ranking military official to join the Socialist Party of America. Should the CSA rebel, Butler will serve as the Commander-in-Chief of the CSA's military forces. Loyal to democratic socialism, Butler is willing to march on his leaders to restore democracy should the CSA descend into authoritarianism.

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• Allohistorical Allusion: In real life, a cabal of wealthy American businessmen were hatching the so-called "The Business Plot" conspiracy in 1933, where they wanted to overthrow President Franklin D. Roosevelt's government and install a fascist dictatorship. As a part of the plan they wanted a large detachment of military veterans to march on the US Capitol to do the physical part of the overthrowing, and for this part they tried to convince Butler to join the conspiracy, knowing that as a legendary member of the Marine Corps Leadership and outspoken proponent of veteran rights, he was possibly the only person broadly popular enough amongst the different veterans organisations to convince them that overthrowing the government was a good idea. Butler, however, being staunchly loyal to the American state and very serious about the oath he had sworn to protect democracy, wanted nothing to do with the plan and blew the whistle on the conspiracy as soon as he felt he had enough evidence to take it before Congress. In this timeline, if the CSA ends up slipping towards totalism, Butler can potentially march on the Capitol with a group of soldiers loyal to him, because he wants to save democracy from a dictatorship.
• Anti-Mutiny: Butler launches a coup against William Z. Foster or Earl Browder because he believes that the USAS's new leader has corrupted and tainted the revolution by installing a socialist dictatorship.
• Beware the Honest Ones: Butler is a steadfast socialist and will always stay true to the egalitarian and democratic ideals of the syndicalist revolution, even if its government won't, and will try to stage a military coup if he sees it slipping too far towards totalism and dictatorship.
• Defector from Decadence: Like his real life counterpart, Butler has grown increasingly disillusioned with the US military and government throughout his career, seeing the government as using the country's military might as a blunt instrument to force poorer countries to kowtow to the interests of wealthy American businessmen, and always at the expense of said countries' own people, and the military itself as little better than a bunch of gangsters and racketeers that happens to be sanctioned by a government. The Syndicalist revolution finally gives him an opportunity to fight for a cause he sees as more worthy. And he is willing to defect again if that cause should betray its ideals.
• History Repeats: Butler's coup against the post-war Totalist government ironically mirrors the same thing MacArthur, Butler's greatest opponent amongst the Federal forces in the Second American Civil War, may well have done to start the civil war in the first place.
• Military Coup: If either Earl Browder or William Z. Foster turns the postwar CSA into a totalist dictatorship, and they don't trust the army, Butler can march on the capital with his army to end the regime.
• Red Baron: He has worn the nickname "Old Gimlet Eye" ever since he, despite being extremely sick and weakened from malaria-induced fever, continued to lead his troops in an assault on the city of Granada in Nicaragua.

Upton Beall Sinclair Jr.

Role: President^note Country Leader (President Flynn 1940 election or President Allison 1952 election)

Party: Socialist Party of America

Ideology: Radical Socialism

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• The Bus Came Back: Upton Sinclair is an election candidate for 1940 if Flynn is president and at his re-election in 1944 but no further. Except for the 1952 election in the specific case of Allison being president, where he will be a candidate again.

American Union State

Official Name: American Union State, United States of America (Civil War victory or Robert Wood coup), American Republic (Business Plot)

Ruling Party: America First Party

Ideology: National Populism

The opposition government declared by America First Party leader Huey Long in the Second American Civil War, in the possible event that Long rebels. Founded by Long based on his beliefs in distributist economics, anti-Syndicalism, and American nationalism, the AFP has a strong political base in the Southeast, and is backed by a loyal party paramilitary. With Long increasingly losing faith in the federal government's loyalty to American values, he might just find it necessary to declare his own true American governent to safeguard true Americanism.

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• Allohistorical Allusion: The leadership of Long after his triumph is very similar to the Brazilian populist president-dictator Getúlio Vargas. Thy are both authoritarian populists who allied with far-right elements against socialists and moderates in a multilateral power struggle for control of their country. Like Vargas, Long will purge the far-right as soon as their mutual enemy is defeated.
• Benevolent Conspiracy: Robert Wood and the American Legion can depose Long if he appears or is actually trying to become a dictator. After their success they will appoint a new government and empower the non-executive branches of government.
• Captain Ersatz: With Minutemen paramilitaries and corporatist policies, the American Union State is a dead ringer for the Windrip Administration of It Can't Happen Here.
• The Coup: If Robert Wood and the American Legion decide to organize a coup against the Kingfish, they will launch a night assault on the president's residence disguised as members of his bodyguards and kill him, then they will appoint as new president Martin Dies Jr., a notable critic of Long.
• Day of the Jackboot: Two versions of this happen after the AUS wins the Civil War — either Long enforces his economically and racially progressive policies... by being President for Life, and having the Minutemen crush any enemies of the state. Or a business plot, led by General George Van Horn Moseley and his corporate allies, take over to restore the republic... by empowering the FBI to be even stronger than the Minutemen, having corporate leaders control the government AND armed forces, and creating a new, fiercely nationalist culture through youth programs and mass media.
• Deep South: Downplayed. While the America First Party is most popular in the South, the American Union State is a unitary state which seeks to encompass the entire territory of the US, contrary to the separatist sentiment of their Southern predecessors. Similarly, Long's faction promotes (relatively) racially progressive policies, which would be unusual for Southern politicians during 30s.
• Enemy Mine: Both in real life and in the mod, Huey hates the large corporations, and they hate Huey in return. The only thing keeping them united is the fact that they hate syndicalism even more, and are all extremely patriotic.
• Ironic Name: The American secessionist state in the South during the American Civil War is called the American Union State. For added irony, their main rival is the Combined Syndicates of America.
• Irony: Since the first American Civil War, the Southern nationalists were strong advocates of states' rights. Here, the state based in the South is a unitary state.
• MegaCorp: If Huey Long makes an alliance with them, the corporatists can assemble huge political influence in the AUS after the Civil War, in spite of Huey Long's populist rhetoric. Their cooperation on based on mutual hatred for syndicalism, love of patriotism, and a supposed willingness of said corporations to abide by Long's reforms. If Moseley and his allies take over, the AUS becomes One Nation Under Copyright.
• Oppressive States of America: Out of all factions in the American Civil War, it's the easiest for the AUS to become this, since it starts off as the least democratic side (albeit Long's dictatorship can be viewed as quite benevolent depending on your point of view). It gets even worse if the alliance of wealthy businessmen under Moseley that also supports the AUS manages to rise to power, they will establish exactly the oppressive plutocracy that Long wanted to avoid coming into being.
• Patriotic Fervor: The AUS, throughout all possible leader paths, strongly encourages citizens to be patriotic about their country and proud of their American heritage. In particular, the AUS are very fond of the Founding Fathers and the ideals of 1776. Ironically, they share this fevor with the CSA.
• Plot Armor: In the event Olson successfully negotiates with Reed and the SPA to integrate their socialist and progressive ideals into his government, every state that can possibly start the Second American Civil War as part of the AUS will do so regardless of prior leanings, ensuring even a two-sided war is as close as possible the monumental struggle the war's supposed to be.
• Revolving Door Revolution: Huey Long's America First Party leads a distributist revolution against the corrupt federal United States government. After Long's victory, Long may find himself being deposed by the Business Plot.
• Shout-Out: The Business Plot ends with the quote "I love the Republic, I hate Democracy.", referencing Emperor Palpatine's "I love democracy" quote.
• State Sec: For each of three paths, you have different flavors of it, be it the Minutemen (Long) or the FBI (Moseley) who ensure the new American order at the expense of some civil liberties.
• Suddenly Significant City: New Orleans is the capital of the American Union State during the Civil War. It can become the permanent capital after the Civil War, replacing Washington, D.C.
• Take a Third Option: Long's frames his populist economics as a third way between socialism and laissez-faire capitalism. Ironically, it's implied they would have been enough to placate the Syndicalists if he didn't scare the worker unions with his authoritarianism and vehement anti-socialist rhetoric.
• Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: While everyone under the AUS banner is loosely united behind Long's "Share Our Wealth" program, there are two distinct wings to the coalition: A progressive, egalitarian wing that wants to improve the lot of all Americans regardless of race, color, or creed, and a reactionary, ethno-nationalist wing that would limit the benefits to whites only and restrict minorities to second-class citizenship at best. Only Long's own charisma is enough to keep the two wings from petty infighting, and his public statements on the matter leave it ambiguous as to where his own personal sentiments lie.
• You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Long's assassination allows corporations to exercise as much power as possible without syndicalist threats or Long's populist reforms. On the other hand, if Long catches the Business Plot before it can happen and imprisons its participants, he is far freer to implement his radical reforms.

Huey Pierce Long

Role: President^note Country Leader (USA 1936 election or AUS, starting leader)

Party: America First Party

Ideology: National Populism, Authoritarian Democracy (Establishment compromise Path)

The AFP Senator of Louisiana, also the AFP's founder, leader, and presidential candidate. A former Democratic senator known for his populism and dictatorialism, Long's failures in party primaries and anti-establishmentism made him break away to found the AFP. Though still working within the system, should the federal government utterly fail America, Long is willing to declare America a dead nation and lead his followers to found a truer America.

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• Assassin Outclassin': Huey Long can survive up to two assassination attempts. First, before the game begins, Huey Long survived his historical assassination. Second, President Olson, Garner, or Landon can have Long assassinated, but this too can fail (the success or failure is determined by random chance — and it can only succeed if the USA is player-run).
• Bodyguard Betrayal: During their coup, the War Powers Committee gets rid of Long by ordering his own bodyguards to kill him.
• Decapitated Army: The America First Party is a loose coalition of widely-divergent interests all united by the personal charisma of Huey Long. As such, if the President has Long assassinated, the AFP dissolves, preventing the AUS from rising up.
• Defector from Decadence:
  • In the backstory, Long left the Democratic Party after he was denied nomination in the 1932 presidential elections and because of his disappointment with the state of the party.
  • If elected, Long finds himself unable to promote his agenda within the federal government and, as such, declares the US a dead nation and announces the creation of the American Union State.
• Democracy Is Bad: Absolutely disregards democratic institutions and believes that his dictatorship is justified if he does the right thing for the common people. Huey Long has often been described as a social democrat... without the democrat part.
• Emergency Authority: As president of the USA, Long will try to claim emergency authority and suspend the Constitution to put down the syndicalist strikes. This ultimately fails when MacArthur launches his own coup in response, causing Long to wash his hands of the Federal system entirely.
• Enemy Mine:
  • In the backstory, Long formed political alliances of necessity with racists he holds little common ideological ground with, such as Henry Ford and other corporations that hate syndicalism and espouse extreme nationalism. If he isn't cautious enough, this can easily backfire on him.
  • Second, if the Second American Civil War is going poorly for both him and the Combined Syndicates, they can form an Enemy Mine alliance against the United States despite his mutual loathing with Jack Reed, only to resume fighting each other as soon as the United States capitulates.
  • If the US government has fallen, and the Combined Syndicates has the lead in the war, Long is willing to temporarily cease hostilties with the Pacific States, because despite their differences, neither of them like the idea of the Syndicalists winning the war.
• Hereditary Republic: If the AUS wins the Civil War and Huey remains in power, after he dies, the Presidency transitions directly to his brother Earl Long.
• The Horseshoe Effect: Despite being vociferously opposed to syndicalism, Long promotes extremely distributist policies, which fall well to the left of the prevailing economic policies of the time. Because of that, he is often accused of being a Syndie himself.
• The Moral Substitute: Believes that his distributist policies is the only possible alternative to the Syndicalist rule.
  Huey Long: My Share Our Wealth program is the only defense this country's got against Syndicalism.
• Nepotism: Much as in Real Life, Long can and does appoint family members to high offices in the AUS.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Despite his good intentions, Huey Long's dictatorial tendencies and his collaboration with far-right anti-Syndicalist elements can come back to bite him and all of America. The Business Plot highlights a dangerous weakness in the AUS's dictatorship: namely, that when someone without Huey Long's benevolence gets all the powers Long accrued, things start going bad very quickly.
• President for Life: In the American Union State, Long rules for life, even if lower offices face election.
• Red Baron: Long is still known by his historical nickname "the Kingfish".
• Run for the Border: If Long loses the 2ACW, he may try to escape America and take refuge in Paraguay. It is unknown if he succeeds.
• Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Long's philosophy on governance is that the rules are more or less guidelines and he refuses to let them get in the way of his populist progressive agenda, though it becomes more like Screw the Rules, I Make Them! once the American Union State is formed.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: Much as in real life, he's not above doing questionable deeds in the name of helping his countrymen and his take on the American Dream. That said efforts would solidify his reputation, especially should he weather through his myriad enemies and rivals, also help.

Earl Kemp Long

Role: President^note Country Leader (Long succession)

Party: America First Party

Ideology: National Populism, Authoritarian Democracy (Establishment compromise Path)

Huey Long's brother, and also a politician. He's the designated successor to Huey in the AFP when Huey dies, and supports many of the same progressive reformist policies as Huey.

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• Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: Playing off how Earl, while also a fairly competent politician in his own right, also had a reputation as a slightly eccentric, hard-drinking womanizer in real life, there is a touch of this to him and Huey's relationship, with Earl being the Foolish sibling and Huey being the Responsible one.
• Meet the New Boss: Earl will continue his late brother's reforms and generally holds similar views.
• Nepotism: The American Union State under Huey Long favors Earl, making him immune to prosecution and promoting him to very high positions (though Earl himself is at least somewhat competent in spite of his corruption). When a violent incident occurs where a group of protestors were allegedly shot by Earl during their protest to remove Earl for mismanaging income redistribution, Huey can cover the whole thing up completely.

George Van Horn Moseley

Role: America Legion Commander (Appointed by Long), President^note Country Leader (Business Plot)

Party: War Powers Committee

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

An experienced Army General who joins Huey Long's government if Long rebels, a choice motivated by Moseley's intense opposition to "Jewish socialism". Under Long, Moseley also serves as the spokesman of the War Powers Committee, a group of business leaders who funds Long's anti-Syndicalist war. Post-war however, if Long's populist antics would undermine his loyalty to American capitalism, the Committee may find it necessary to "intervene" with Moseley's military support.

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• Allohistorical Allusion: The Business Plot in which Moseley assumes (nominal) power was actually a (allegedly) real plot where many right-wing business owners plotted to have the 'communistic' FDR removed from office in a Military Coup that would install a far-right, staunchly capitalist regime. However, in the real alleged plot (evidence as to the actual existence of the plot is spotty), the businessmen tapped General Smedley Butler as their chosen war hero/puppet ruler, apparently unaware of his shift to the political left after having a My God, What Have I Done? realization about his actions overthrowing governments throughout Latin America, and Butler promptly revealed the plot to Congress.
• Became Their Own Antithesis: Moseley's One Nation Under Copyright crushes Long's dream of an America free from corrupt fatcats exploiting the common man. While the two sides shared an Enemy Mine due to their American nationalism and anti-syndicalism, powerful corporations have no intention of abiding by Long's Share the Wealth program.
• Capitalism Is Bad: Under the Business Plot, the US becomes One Nation Under Copyright with its democracy gone, and everything subjected to the will of corporations whose greed drove them to coup in the first place, and to keep themselves in power.
• Democracy Is Bad: Under Moseley, America stays as a Republic, but a Republic without Democracy (akin to The Roman Republic), ruled not by the masses but corporate America from the shadows.
• Evil Counterpart: Can be seen as this to Butler and his coup given that the game makes it clear that Butler's coup is designed to save the CSA from Totalist tyranny whereas Moseley acts as a puppet to despotic corporations. In fact, his coup is noted to be similar to the Business Plot Butler was asked to lead in Real Life as per Allohistorical Allusion above.
• Just the First Citizen: Moseley is technically the "interim president" following the "disappearance" of Huey Long. Once he dies and Lindbergh takes over, Lindbergh officially becomes the 33rd President of the United States, though that doesn't mean much since the War Powers Committee holds all the real power anyways.
• One Nation Under Copyright: Business Plot America becomes a nation ruled by a group of right-wing CEOs, like Ford and Koch.
• Politically Incorrect Villain: Just like in real life, he is virulently anti-Semitic. He also supported the admission of refugees fleeing Nazi Germany... so long as they were sterilized before embarking. In the mod, Moseley can introduce new Alien and Sedition Acts against immigrants.
• President for Life: While Huey weakens American democracy for an all-powerful executive, the Business Plot does away with democracy completely. Moseley rules completely unchallenged, though as merely a figurehead for the War Powers Committee who hold the actual power, with successor Presidents being designated by them after Moseley dies.
• Puppet King: While Moseley is a Chairman of the War Powers Committee and Commander-in-Chief of the nation after Long's "disappearance", he is a little more than a figurehead for the committee.
• The Starscream: If corporate interests gain too much influence, they may decide that Huey Long has outlived his usefulness and launch the Business Plot, declaring Moseley the new interim President after Long's 'disappearance'.

Charles Augustus Lindbergh

Role: President^note Country Leader (Moseley succession)

Party: War Powers Committee

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

A famous American aviator and an AFP associate. Under Long's government, Lindbergh was chosen by the War Powers Committee as a successor to George Van Horn Moseley.

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• 0% Approval Rating: His inaguration is met with condemnation from Americans across the country.
• Historical Villain Upgrade: Lindbergh will rule America as a dictator and will pursue Moseley's racialist positions.

Martin Dies Jr.

Role: Chairman of the HUAC^note Political Advisor, President^note Country Leader (Robert Wood coup or WPC fail to cover up Long's death)

Party: America First Party

Ideology: Authoritarian Democracy

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• Corrupt Politician: Dies revives the old Citizen's Alliance, a secret society of patriots in Ohio that allows capitalists to directly bribe community leaders to combat syndicalism.
• A Lighter Shade of Black: Dies does many of the IRL McCarthyist actions such as COINTELPRO, busting trade unions, organizing the HUAC against leftists, and anti-immigrationist rhetoric, but his coup does prevent Long from establishing himself as dictator of America.
• Secret Police: Following a suggestion from Myron Fagan, Dies provides the Cinema Education Guild equipment to spy on Hollyood figures. Agents and police to be allocated to follow movie stars, listen into executive conversations, and ensure that rumours of widespread syndicalisation are untrue.

Pacific States of America

Official Name: Pacific States of America, United States of America (Civil war victory)

Ruling Party: Republican Party

Ideology: Market Liberalism

Should MacArthur coup the elected President, the shocked leaders of California, Oregon, and Washington will declare their own opposition government and join the Second American Civil War as a fourth faction. The Pacific States government denounces MacArthur, Reed, and Long simultaneously as anti-democratic tyrants, and proclaims itself to be the last bastion of American Democracy, the true United States of America.

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• Allohistorical Allusion:
  • The PSA's plan for a fast war with the objective of knocking out the CSA or AUS before they get bogged down on the West behind the Rockies is called the Marshall Plan, after Chief of Staff of the Western Defense Command George C. Marshall. In real life, the Marshall Plan was an American initiative for foreign aid to Western Europe in the aftermath of World War II, and was also named after Marshall, who had become Secretary of State by that time (The man did a lot of different jobs throughout his life).
  • The PSA's code of conduct that ensures 'morality' and prevents actors and producers from spreading syndicalist messaging in films is called The Hays Code.
• Anti-Mutiny: The entire reason the Pacific States of America break away is because, after MacArthur's coup, they feel that they're the only believers left in America's founding Constitutional values of limited government under a liberal democracy after the federal government has betrayed those values as badly as the Combined Syndicates and Union State did. If MacArthur never stages a coup, they will remain loyal to the United States; if they win the civil war, they'll reform the United States.
• Multiple Endings: While they carry forward America's values, they do not carry forward its strongly established two-party system and have political routes for all four liberal democratic ideologies, allowing the new Pacific States to swing further left or right than the United States normally could.
• New Old West: The general motif of the PSA, especially in the "World of Kaiserreich" trailers, reflecting its Hispanic, Frontier and Democratic American heritage.
• Realpolitik: The PSA can establish a close working relationship with Japan to secure both military and economic support. Though this comes at the risk of becoming a Japanese satellite state if it gets too cozy.
• Red Scare: The PSA seeks to ensure that Syndicalism will never take root in the last bastion of freedom in America, though it is possible for them to agree to peacefully reunify with the CSA if the PSA elects a social democratic President while the CSA doesn't become totalist after both have signed a ceasefire during the war.
• The Remnant: The PSA considers itself as the last Constitutionalist and civilian-run holdout of the United States.
• Rightful King Returns: If General MacArthur overthrows a moderate democratically elected President, the former Vice President (who had been logrolling in the West trying to calm down agitation) will step up and lead the PSA as interim President. Given the President's incapacitation by MacArthur, the Vice President arguably is the Constitutional President of the USA. However, without the 25th Amendment, this is not entirely set in stone and with the AUS and CSA challenging the results of the election, the legal point is moot unless the PSA wins. Moreover, with the elected President in house arrest, the lines are further blurred.
• Take a Third Option: Instead of being forced to choose between the key players of the conflict, the PSA's people and leadership decide to stand alone, declaring themselves the last true heir to the United States.

Frank Finley Merriam

Role: President^note Country Leader

Party: Republican Party

Ideology: Market Liberalism

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• Cincinnatus: Merriam is responsible for declaring the PSA's secession from Douglas MacArthur's junta, but unlike his rival in D.C., Merriam doesn't hold the office of Provisional President for too long in the event that PSA comes out as the eventual victors of the Civil War, and will soon call for an election to elect a legitimate President.

Hiram Warren Johnson

Role: President^note Country Leader (Elections)

Party: Democratic Party - Progressive

Ideology: Social Liberalism

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• Artistic License – History: Hiram Johnson in OTL was never a Democrat. Outside of being Teddy Roosevelt's running mate in 1912, he stayed as a Republican until the day he died.

Quentin Roosevelt

Role: President^note Country Leader (MacArthur deposed Olson)

Party: Democratic Party - Progressive

Ideology: Social Liberalism

See his entry in the United States of America folder.

Al Smith

Role: President^note Country Leader (MacArthur deposed Garner)

Party: Democratic Party - Progressive

Ideology: Social Liberalism

See his entry in the United States of America folder.

Warren Grant Magnuson

Role: President^note Country Leader (Non-Democrat or Two-terms Democrat President 1952 election)

Party: Democratic Party - Progressive

Ideology: Social Liberalism

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• Action Politician: Warren Magnuson serves in the Navy during the Second American Civil War before entering politics after its conclusion.
• War Hero: He is elected to the Senate partly on his war record.

New England

Official Name: New England, United States of America (Civil war victory)

Ruling Party: Democratic Party

Ideology: Social Liberalism

With the Second American Civil War in full swing, the US northeast, isolated from the federal government and morally opposed to warfare and radicalism, may choose to seek Canadian protection. Politically subordinated to Canada and the Entente, the Provisional Government of New England may choose to align with Canada's civil war preferences, offer themselves as a better alternative for American reunification, or reach out to the Pacific States should Canada also fall into despotism.

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• Breaking the Glass Ceiling: If New England emerges victorious in the civil war, Maurice Tobin can potentially become America's first Catholic president in 1944, 16 years before John F. Kennedy in OTL.
• Martial Pacifist: The general motif. While New England would rather be left alone and let the other players of the Civil War kill themselves off, it's not afraid to defend itself from anyone trying to drag them into the conflict.
• Non-Indicative Name: As a nation, New England also includes the territory of Upstate New York, which while culturally similar to New England has never been considered part of the region. In-game, Upstate joins with New England primarily because it would be otherwise vulnerable to the CSA.
• Puppet State: New England is a Canadian puppet, created from a Canadian occupation zone, but can develop beyond this, becoming a truly independent nation.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here: New Englanders would rather not have anything to do with the Civil War, and just want to be left alone.
• We ARE Struggling Together: New England's status as an Entente Puppet State isn't lost on the locals. They're generally content with Canadian arms and reinforcements, but only to a point. Depending on how the focus tree plays out, they could either set off on their own path independent of their benefactors, or even return to the British Crown.

Wilbur Lucius Cross

Role: Interim President^note Country Leader

Party: Democratic Party

Ideology: Social Liberalism

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• Cincinnatus: Wilbur Cross is only the interim leader of New England until a new president can be elected.

Hawaii

^{Flag of the Kingdom of Hawaii}

^{Flag of the Commune of Hawaii}

Official Name: Republic of Hawaii, Kingdom of Hawaii (Monarchy restored), Commune of Hawaii (Socialist)

Ruling Party: Emergency Directorate

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

The state of Hawaii sometimes leaves both the Union and the Pacific States, leaving it to fend for itself as either a monarchy, republic or even Syndicalist state.

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• Aquatic Mook: Hawaii has multiple focuses dedicated on bonuses to marines and warfare on wet terrains plus amphibious invasions, turning their special divisions into this. Given that Hawaii is divided into many individual islands and that they will have to hop from one to another in a defensive war, this is pretty much a justified (And very useful) example.
• Chummy Commies: The Hawaiian socialists, if they take power, seek to build a truly egalitarian state, reforming the education, implementing universal suffrage, allowing unions to operate independently, and ensuring that everyone's interests and complaints are taken into account.
• Summon Bigger Fish: If the victor of the civil war decides to conquer Hawaii or Japan has its eyes on the island, Hawaii's main hope of victory is being backed by whatever faction it joined.
• Team Switzerland: Hawaii can break away from America and the Pacific States, in which case it will proclaim neutrality in the Second American Civil War.

James Dole

Role: Country Leader

Party: Emergency Directorate

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

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• Emergency Authority: James Dole is the leader of an "Emergency Directorate" taking control of Hawaii after the beginning of the Civil War.

Lili'uokalani II

Role: Monarch^note Country Leader (Monarchy restored)

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• Rightful King Returns: Hawaii can restore the old monarchy that was in place before it became a US territory, and as such is the only part of the former United States that can have a king, albeit one with no claims of being a successor to the US, unlike the other breakaways that all see themselves as the real United States.

Puerto Rico

^{Flag of the Puerto Rican Republic (National Populist)}

^{Grito de Lares Flag (National Populist)}

Official Name: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rican Republic (Independence), Puerto Rican Commune (Socialist)

Party: Gobernación Americana^note American Governorship

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

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Blanton C. Winship

Role: Governor^note Country Leader

Party: Gobernación Americana^note American Governorship

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

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• Emergency Authority: When riots break out in Puerto Rico following the start of the second American Civil War, Governor Winship will ask for some much needed executive authority to handle the situation as he sees fit. The USA might choose to grant him his request or ignore his demands and keep the island as is.

Pedro Albizu Campos

Role: President^note Country Leader (Nationalist Revolt or Elections)

Party: Partido Nacionalista de Puerto Rico^note Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico

Ideology: National Populism

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• Occupiers Out of Our Country: If Puerto Rico is kept by the Americans, annexed by Canada or given to the West Indies Federation, the Nationalists will start an armed struggle against the Anglo occupiers. If the Nationalists aren't contained, Campos and his men will march into San Juan and declare unilateral independence.

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