Watching From San Diego - A Two for One July 20th 1944 TL

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(I began this TL on AH.com and will try to post it here after writing the posts there first.)

Democratic National Convention - Chicago, July 20th 1944

President Roosevelt's nomination to the Presidency was never in doubt. The two term tradition had been shattered. WWII was being won slowly but surely, at least in Europe. The New Deal was cemented as an economic reality. The only reason Roosevelt was unable to bask in glory at the Convention was because of his visit to San Diego, related to the Pacific Front. Unfortunate, but an incumbent war time President has his duties. Roosevelt won the ballot practically unopposed, with only a few dozen delegates supporting the not-running Senator Harry F. Byrd.

The Presidential candidate was easy, but however, the Vice Presidential candidate was not. Henry Wallace was popular with voters, but not so much with party bosses. Roosevelt's already frail health began to deteriorate further. While the public did not mind Wallace, the conservative elements of the Democratic Party found him too left wing. If Roosevelt died, that makes Wallace President. The conservatives loathed the idea. Popular sentiment be damned, they had to find a way to free themselves of that concern. Wallace had to go.

Democratic Chairman Robert Hannegan was preparing to enter negotiations with the other leaders of the party. He revealed that Roosevelt would be fine with either Senator Harry Truman or Associate Justice William O. Douglas. The lack of a single replacement for Wallace as Vice President allowed his supporters to filibuster during the Convention. They flooded the delegation floor and let their voices be heard. They even began playing the Iowa song, fitting given Wallace's home state was Iowa. Deep down, it proved that the common man did not share their concerns. "We Want Wallace!" the people shouted. Maybe if the song stopped, the momentum would stop too. The bosses prepared to stop, until a friendly man approached them.

It was Hubert Humphrey, the man responsible for the merger of the Democratic and Farmer-Labor parties in his home state of Minnesota. He was also an ardent supporter of Roosevelt's reelection campaign. These credentials, the leaders thought, could turn the convention around and secure some replacement for Wallace. However, Humphrey refused to budge. He politely explained why keeping Wallace was the right choice. According to Humphrey, not only was it right to retain Wallace as his popular support was so overwhelming, keeping the Vice President set a tone of consistency to America. If Roosevelt replaced Wallace with Truman or Douglas, it would incite concern of indecisiveness about the wartime President. Of course, the leaders asked why Roosevelt did not keep John Nance Garner in 1940, in that case. Humphrey highlighted America had not entered the war, and also that Garner opposed Roosevelt's third term; Wallace did not. "Wallace has been loyal to the President these past four years. Do you really want to betray loyalty?" Humphrey asks.

That question pierced the minds of the Democratic party bosses. Maybe Humphrey had a point. None of them wanted Roosevelt to lose the support of the people. Maybe, just maybe, the answer was cave and pray for the best. At the conclusion of the conversation, Hannegan sighed, nodded, and shook Humphrey's hand. "Fine, you convinced me, son. Come hell or high water, we must keep the Democratic Party consisted and united." When the bosses revealed the compromise to the Convention public, the protesting turned into applause. Though a large segment of the Convention bosses and delegates became enraged, the common man won at the end of the day. It seemed like Wallace would be a shoe in the next day, come the official nomination for Vice President.​

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Wolf's Lair, Germany - July 20th, 1944

The plan was set in motion: to kill Adolf Hitler. Klaus von Stauffenberg and his fellow conspirators decided that Hitler's guidance had destroyed Germany and its chances for victory in the war. The Soviets were marching into Poland and Romania from liberated Belarus and Ukraine, the western Allies succeeded in a Normandy landing, and the Italians failed to march back southwards. Objectively speaking, Germany was in danger of losing. This could not happen. Maybe with new leadership, preferably leadership dominated by military men, the Wehrmacht could turn the war around. The Reds would not surrender, but maybe the Allies would negotiate a peace. That had to wait. Right now, killing Hitler was the first step.

Stauffenberg placed the bomb inside of a briefcase, and placed the bomb strategically near Hitler. No one knew Stauffenberg's dirty secret. Hitler, Stauffenberg, and the twenty officers present talked for a while. Eventually, Stauffenberg left the room to answer a phone call. During Stauffenberg's absence, Colonel Heinz Brandt noticed the briefcase and blinked. He thought to himself "why did Klaus leave his belongings? I don't want to interrupt the Fuhrer, so I will just kick it away and remind myself to return it to Klaus after the meeting." He lunged down to grab the briefcase, but Hitler stopped him.

"Colonel, is something the matter?" Hitler asked sternly to Brandt. The Colonel stuttered as he talked, standing back up. "No, my Fuhrer. I just noticed Colonel von Stauffenberg left his briefcase and I went to-" "How kind of you, but leave it. If von Stauffenberg wants his briefcase that badly, he will return to pick it back up. I require your undivided attention on this matter. We need to turn this war around so Germany can reclaim her rightful place as Europe's hegemon." "But sir, Kl-" Hitler sighed and stared. "Do I need to repeat myself?" "No, my Fuhrer. I apologize." Hitler grinned at the submission and resumed his speech. "Well, gentlemen, the Americans and British have mounted into Normandy after tricking us with a false Calais assault. We must repel these troops back across the Channel to prevent the Judeo-Bolsheviks from using this as-"

Hitler was interrupted by an explosion, coincidentally coming from the discussed briefcase. The Fuhrer was incinerated near instantly, thanks to his positioning in the blast. The same went for Brandt, Hitler's would-be savior and one who never truly realized it. The only person who was relatively uninjured was SS representative Heinrich Fegelein, who immediately began trying to clear the rubble. "My Fuhrer? Alfred? Heinz? Anyone?" The man shouted. Fegelein saw someone driving away from the scene, and it looked like Stauffenberg. "Klaus? Klaus?!" He shouted out. Stauffenberg refused to answer, and Fegelein began to suspect the worst: that Stauffenberg set the Fuhrer up.

"Take me to the airport so we can fly back to Berlin. I have an important announcement to make to Germany." Stauffenberg said with a grin to his driver. The Colonel gazed back at the destroyed Lair, seeing little, if any, sign of life. Did he pull it off? Was the Fuhrer actually dead?" Klaus prayed that it was so, because if Hitler lived, the whole plot will fall apart. Stauffenberg wrestled with this internally the entire time, repeatedly assuring himself. The Colonel eventually returned to the Benderblock, where his fellow conspirators holed up for their operations. The self-doubt Stauffenberg was dealing with faded entirely as he walked in.

"Colonel, it seems you pulled it off. Fegelein and the other survivors have reported that Hitler is dead. The Fuhrer is dead, long live Germany!" General Erich Fellgiebel yelled with glee. Stauffenberg sighed in utter relief, hugging the General. "Fantastic, then that means we are on the right track! Quickly, gentlemen, we have plenty to still accomplish." The General nodded, and executed the next steps of the plan. German officials were notified nationwide. Arrest warrants were to be carried about against all SS officers, disobedient Wehrmacht officers who remained loyal to the deceased Hitler, all major government officials in Hitler's Cabinet, and the compliance of military governors to keep the war fronts stable. Operation Valkyrie was a success.​

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San Diego, July 20th, 1944

President Roosevelt was concluding some late night business with military staff regarding the Pacific Front. The President forced himself to be detached from the Democratic Convention, hoping that all is well. He also had no idea about the current ordeal with von Stauffenberg's plot in Germany. While he was eating dinner with family, friends, and military men, the President felt uneasy. Today felt like a big day in history, but he was absent from it. What could ease this tension Roosevelt felt inside? Well, it soon went away thanks to a conversation with an aide.

"Mr. President, I hate to interrupt, but we need to talk. I have good news and ... uncertain news." Roosevelt continued to eat, but he paid full attention to the aide. "Go ahead, son. Tell me the good news first." "Vice President Wallace will be chosen tomorrow as the Vice Presidential nominee for this year's ticket, by popular demand. Apparently one of the convention attendees convinced the party bosses to keep him based on his loyalty and a desire to not the boat during the war. Plus your health concerns were pushed to the side." Roosevelt could not help but grin. "Of course. I know I'm not the pinnacle of youth or health, but trust me, I don't plan on going anywhere this time soon. I am glad to hear it, and so will Henry. What else do you have for me?"

"You can probably predict this as uncertain news when I tell you why. Mr. President, Hitler's dead. He died in an explosion along with several Wehrmacht officers at a bunker, but no one knows who instigated this." Roosevelt grinned wider. "What's the uncertain part?" "Sir, no one knows who is in charge in Germany. Goerring and Himmler are both declaring themselves Fuhrer, while Field Marshall Ludwig Beck is declaring himself President and the legitimate new government of Germany. Allied Staff and the OSS are confused as to whom to believe. Right now, Germany is without concrete leadership." "Let me finish dinner and I am doing a Fireside Chat. I know how to deal with this." Roosevelt dropped his grin, obviously in deep thought. "Thank you, son. You did right by telling me right away."

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Roosevelt now knew why he had the weird feeling in his gut. The retention of Wallace on the Democratic ticket was unexpected, but definitely welcome. Henry Wallace was a trusted friend, and letting him go felt wrong to Roosevelt. This issue with Germany, though? Hitler's death may be a curse in disguise rather than a blessing. This was especially so as Dulles in the OSS informed the President that Beck and his Cabinet are willing to enter a conditional surrender to the Western Allies. What was the right call? Roosevelt would let his words answer that question for the American people.

"My fellow Americans, I join you in San Diego tonight with fantastic news. I have received news that Vice President Henry Wallace, a close friend of mine, a wonderful Vice President that I would not trade for anything in the world, and a man who has fought tirelessly for the working man, has been nominated for a second term as Vice President by the Democratic Party." Roosevelt sighs happily, re-posturing himself in his chair. "I have also been informed that I have been chosen overwhelmingly by the Democratic Party for a fourth term. I accept the nomination, and intend on returning to office in 1945 with a finished war and the forces of evil vanquished. Once this war ends, we will begin a new chapter in American history. The Great Depression will be behind us, America will never see another Depression once we pass the Second Bill of Rights, and the madmen who plunged the world into a second world war will face justice. On that note...."

Roosevelt coughed to clear his throat, sounding rather uneasy. "Adolf Hitler, the leader of Germany and the man responsible for destroying world peace as knew it, has died. The German Reich has fallen into apparent disarray, with the survivors of the government fighting each other for scraps. Some voices in Germany demand peace with the United States and Britain, to focus on the Russians. I will state my position frankly, America. Whomever leads Germany now, listen up. Under no circumstances will the United States accept a conditional surrender from Germany or any other Axis power. We will only accept peace when the Allies have defeated you totally, and you agree to abdicate entirely. Until then, this war will continue. Americans do not want a job done half-cocked like over twenty-five years ago. The Arsenal of Democracy finishes what it starts. Thank you, and go get 'em, boys!"

The response of the American people was overwhelmingly positive. While some were concerned that no one truly knew who was ruling Germany at this time, President Roosevelt made it clear that this does not matter. What mattered was that the job would be finished in its entirety. America would not stop until Germany agreed to surrender completely, without any strings attached. November 11th, 1918 would not be repeated. Upon hearing this address, General Secretary Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union was especially pleased. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill echoed President Roosevelt's words, and the Russians could breathe easily that their western friends would not betray them to the Germans... for now, at least. The Allies would remain unified, and also remain unified in their goal to crush the Axis entirely.​

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European Front, July 21st - 31st, 1944


The Status of the European Theatre Before the Valkyrie Plot, July 20th

The German war machine was already suffering before the Valkyrie conspirators succeeded in killing Hitler. The Soviets began Operation Bagration, a project to push into the Baltics and Poland. It was a resounding success, and the Reds were within ear shot of Kaunus, Brest, and Lwow. Operation Overlord in the West saw Allied troops storming Normandy successfully. Although Rommel kept the Allies bunkered down, his chances were wearing thin. In Italy, the Allies were progressing further into the peninsula proper. Unfortunately for Germany, it turns out that killing the leadership has disastrous consequences for a nation at war.

The German homeland split itself open into a three way civil war. Ludwig Beck declared himself President of Germany, but the Nazi leadership refused to acknowledge him. Instead, Deputy Fuhrer Martin Bormann proclaimed Hermann Goering as the next Fuhrer. Unsatisfied, Himmler led an SS countercoup to ensure the Final Solution was realized and the Fuhrer's death would not undo the triumph of the Aryan race. The already bombed-to-hell, war torn inner Germany became even more war torn as the three major factions fought.

No one knew who to believe was in charge. Himmler was the least likely, given his strange views and the erosion of the SS. When the Military Governor of France, Carl-Heinrich Rudolf Wilhelm von Stülpnagel, successfully disarmed the SS in the French region. Stulpnagel aligned with the Valkyrie conspirators and demanded a safer withdrawal to the more defensible Seine River. In the East, the SS held on better, but their conscripts surrended en masse. By the time Himmler was able to execute as many Untermensch as he could for a Lost Hurrah, Goerring and Beck disposed of him quickly, and the atrocities of the Holocaust ended, but the spies of the Allies now had free reign to broadcast them to the world. Himmler was found dead from a cyanide capsule by July 23rd. Beck fared somewhat better, but his reputation was also suspect. The Western Generals were largely aligned with him, and the rapid withdrawal from France irritated several neutral and opposing officers. While Beck had little influence in the Eastern Front, his influence proved successful in the Baltics. General Staff was enraged to find the Baltics north of Memel and Kaunus abandoned. These defensive positions proved to be more beneficial, but they damaged the Valkyrie plotters' legitimacy by painting them as collaborators with the Allies.

Fighting between Beck and Goerring commenced for several days until Marshall Heinz Guderian got sick of the infighting and intervened. During a phone call with Goering, Guderian was promised more devotion to the Eastern Front and position of Deputy Fuhrer once the war ended. He agreed to Goering's terms and used an attachment of Panzers and mechanized infantry to deal with Beck. On July 29th, 1944, Marshall Ludwig Beck was located in Potsdam and quickly executed along with several other Valkyrie plotters. Goering was enshrined as Fuhrer of Germany and infighting largely ceased apart from the occasional pocket of resistance by renegade SS officers and Valkyrie conspirators. The frontlines stabilized, and Goering began plans to push back.

The effects of a week and half's civil war proved apocalyptic to Germany, however. Several Allied plans to amphibiously invade were expedited. Marseilles and Toulon were captured on the 21st, and these troops quickly linked with the rapidly expanding troops in Normandy. Additional, though smaller, landings were made in Aquitaine, and the three forces quickly encircled several retreating German divisions trying to reach the Seine and Paris. Prussia and Finland held, as well as much of Poland, but the minor Axis Powers on the Eastern Front got cold feet and abandoned ship. Miklos Horthy in Hungary succeeded in his second attempt to leave the Axis, couping the German loyalist regime installed in March and offering unconditional surrender to the Soviets. Romania followed suit as King Michael couped the Iron Guard government with the aid of democratic socialists and communists. Romania devolved into infighting, but this quickly stopped. Bulgaria was rumored to begin opening discussions with the Western Allies as to not fall to the Red wave. Thanks to the Hungarian and Romanian defections, Lwow and Brest were captured by the Soviets at the month's end.

In the West, the front stabilized as well. For now, the Wehrmacht ensured the safety of Paris from the oncoming Allied onslaught. However, all pockets of resistance in France were gone. The Allies completely controlled everything south of Paris and to the mountainous Italian-French border. The Italian advance slowed, with only minimal Allied incursions reaching further north. Given the collapse of the Hungarian and Romanian war efforts, the Germans suspected an Allied landing somewhere in the Balkans and diverted resources and manpower to stop such invasions. This allowed them to retain much of Slovakia and take back Hungary to the Danube River.

The change in the frontlines by August 1st, changes in bright red lines.​