The Gathering Storm, Redux - Gameplay Thread (WW2 - Early 1940)

[NewYorkExpress]

President Roosevelt has announced that all banks will be temporarily closed to prevent further runs on the banks. He expects the banks to reopen by Mid-June 1933, following a thorough inspection of all bank finances by the Treasury Department.

He has asked Congress to pass the following legislation at this time:

Legislation to establish the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, to insure all money secured in banks.

Legislation to establish a works program, which will employ any individuals out of work on Government Projects.

Legislation to establish a Federal Minimum Wage, at $1.00 per hour.

Legislation to regulate the stock market

Legislation to provide benefits (food stamps) for the poor, and retirement income for the elderly.

Legislation to legalize collective bargaining between employees and employers.

[NewYorkExpress]

President Roosevelt announced that United States troops would be withdrawn from Haiti, effective as of July 31, 1933.

President Roosevelt has also announced his intention to enter into negotiations with Fillipino leaders about Independence in exchange for naval and air bases on Luzon.

[NewYorkExpress]

President Roosevelt met with Italian Secretary of State for Air Italo Babo and presented him with the Distinguished Flying Cross.

[NewYorkExpress]

Mr. Stalin, we did not award Italo Babo the Distinguished Flying Cross based on a membership in a fascist government. We awarded Mr. Babo this award based on his services to aviation. If the Soviet Union has any pilots that we deem worthy of such an award, we would confer that award on them too.     

[NewYorkExpress]

President Roosevelt has formally requested that Congress earmark $25 million in foreign aid to Yugoslavia, as well as $5 million in earthquake relief for Japan.

[NewYorkExpress]

President Roosevelt has asked Congress to pass new legislation at this time as part of his New Deal.

This legislation consists of the following:

A Government Health insurance program to cover all Americans, with tax incentives for private insurers to participate.

Legislation that would return tariff levels to what they were in 1914.

[NewYorkExpress]

American-Japanese Joint Trade Treaty

With the power vested in our duly appointed representatives, the United States of America and the Empire of Japan agree to the following:

Trade

A. The Empire of Japan shall lower tariffs on the following imports sourced from the United States:

1. To zero base percentage points, processed and cleaned coal.
2. To three base percentage points, electronic components, miscellaneous
3. To zero base percentage points, manufactured aircraft components
4. To five base percentage points, electronic components, radio or automotive
5. To zero base percentage points, whole cow and goat cheese, including parmesan, mozzarella, and pecorino romano
6. To five base percentage points, beef, pork, and chicken products
7. To zero base percentage points, grapes and fermented grape products, including wine and champagne.
8. To zero base percentage points, all unprocessed metal ores.
9. To zero base percentage points, pig iron ingots.
10. To zero base percentage points, finished steel, bessemer process or otherwise
11. To zero base percentage points, mechanical and machine parts for use in the production of manufactured goods.
12. To zero base percentage points, processed aluminium
13. To zero base percentage points, vulcanized rubber and other derivatives
14. To zero base percentage points, processed and unprocessed crude oil
15. To zero base percentage points, gasoline and other such gas derivatives
16. To zero base percentage points, automobile and other such industrial components


B. The United States shall lower tariffs on the following imports sourced from the Empire of Japan:

1. To zero base percentage points, rice.
2. To zero base percentage points, barley, millet, and sorghum.
3. To five base percentage points, all other whole corn or grain
4. To zero base percentage points, fish and marine animal products
5. To five base percentage points, milled flour.
6. To five base percentage points, baked or preserved foodstuffs, including bread, hardtack, and biscuits.
7. To zero base percentage points, soybeans and oilseed.
8. To zero base percentage points, processed textiles of cotton and silk.
9. To zero base percentage points, teas.
10. To zero base percentage points, porcelain and ceramics.
11. To five base percentage points, finished steel.
12. To zero base percentage points, all other clothing and fitted goods.
13. To five base percentage points, electronic and manufacturing components, miscellaneous
14. To five base percentage points, all unprocessed metal ores.
15. To zero base percentage points, finished automobiles and such similar goods
16. To zero base percentage points, merchant vessels
17. To zero base percentage points, manufactured goods for use in fishing and other marine commercial enterprises

C. The United States and the Empire of Japan agree to share technical expertise through mutual industrial assistance and collaboration.

D. The United States and the Empire of Japan agree to coordinate on the construction of infrastructure designed to facilitate trade and economic cooperation.

E. The United States and The Empire of Japan shall establish a joint investment bank for purposes of allocating capital investment and industrial development. Each nation shall contribute national investments into this institution for mutual development.

F. The United States of America recognizes Manchukuo as a sovereign, independent state.

G. This agreement shall take effect on June 1, 1933.

x Franklin Delano Roosevelt, President of the United States of America

[NewYorkExpress]

President Roosevelt announces that the United States will extend diplomatic recognition to the new government in Manchukuo, and will nominate to the United States Senate, Senator William Borah as the first United States Ambassador in Manchukuo.

[NewYorkExpress]

Franklin Roosevelt, speaking in Philadelphia

Frankly, Governor, half your proposals are Communist in nature, and the other half are fascist in nature.

We are a Republic. For us to do what you are suggesting would defy the characteristics of the Republican form of our Government, and lead to a fascist dictatorship, not unlike what Mr. Mussolini has in Italy.

Shame on you.

[NewYorkExpress]

We reiterate the United States's neutrality in the current conflict between Hungary, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia at this time.

We also wish to offer the United States as a neutral venue for any peace negotiations that may take place, and encourage all parties to seek a negotiated solution.

xFranklin Delano Roosevelt, President of the United States
x Cordell Hull, Secretary of State of the United States

[NewYorkExpress]

The United States demands a cease-fire in the war between Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and Hungary immediately, and for all belligerents to agree to peace negotiations forthwith.

X Franklin Delano Roosevelt, President of the United States
X Cordell Hull, Secretary of State, United States

[NewYorkExpress]

Secretary of War George Dern responds to the Soviet Union at West Point

Need we remind the Soviets that our Senate never ratified the Treaty of Versailles. Technically we already disavowed it, when the Senate refused to ratify it in 1919.

If we wanted to call up a million troops, send them across the Atlantic and North Sea, and land them in Germany, we could, because our Senate never agreed to Versailles, and in my opinion, we should have sided with Clemenceau and been harsher on Germany than Versailles was in the first place!

So, no we don't feel bound by Versailles at all. What we are bound by, is the fact that we are an ocean away, in the middle of an economic depression, unable to intervene without causing great harm to ourselves. If America could step in and break this conflict up, rest assured we would.

[NewYorkExpress]

Roosevelt responds to Secretary of War Dern's comments, Baltimore, Maryland

Secretary Dern made a pretty huge mistake in his speech last month at West Point. He said we could land troops in Germany right now. Germany is not currently a power that is at war with anyone, and as such, we will be doing no such thing. As such, I have requested Secretary Dern's resignation from office.

Should Dern agree to resign, I have offered to appoint aviator Charles Lindbergh as Secretary of War in his place, and that nomination will be submitted to the Senate.

[NewYorkExpress]

President Roosevelt has asked Congress to pass a raise in the income tax, to 50% of total income for all individuals making more than $500,000 per year and 75% of total income of all individuals making more than $750,000 per year.

[NewYorkExpress]

American-Japanese Industrial Development and Investment Treaty

With the power vested in our duly appointed representatives, the United States of America and the Empire of Japan agree to the following:

Development

A. The United States of America, through public and private channels, shall invest $100 million in capital equipment for Japanese industrial development.

B. The Empire of Japan agrees to prioritize the importation of American finished goods, including but not limited to cars, radios, aircraft components, and other such similar goods.

C. The Empire of Japan shall make similar investments in American port facilities in Los Angeles, Long Beach, and San Francisco.

D. The United States agrees to prioritize the importation of Japanese cloth, soybeans, and rice.

E. This agreement shall take effect on February 1st, 1934.

xFranklin Delano Roosevelt, President of the United States of America
x Cordell Hull, Secretary of State, United States of America

[NewYorkExpress]

The United States government reiterates their willingness to host armistice and peace negotiations here in the United States.

At this time, we are introducing formal economic sanctions on all items of war, all fuel, and U.S made goods and services to Romania, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Yugoslavia, as well as freezing the bank accounts of all nationals of the aforementioned individuals in the United States.

All Ambassadors to these countries have been recalled at the present time, and diplomatic relations with all of the belligerent parties will be severed until a peace deal is reached.

x Franklin Delano Roosevelt

[NewYorkExpress]

Japanese-American Non-Aggression Pact

Article 1

--The High Contracting Parties recognise each other's special interest in international affairs and agree to preserve mutual respect for current territorial holdings.

Article 2

--Neither Party is required to join in an armed conflict if the conflict is initiated by a Party of this agreement.

Article 3

--Signatories promise not to enter into separate, secret agreements with other Powers to the that would compromise the mission of this treaty or provoke an attack on the other Power.

Article 4

--The signatories promise to communicate frankly and fully with each other when any of the interests affected by this treaty are in jeopardy.

Article 5

--Treaty to remain in force for five years and then at one years' notice, unless notice was given at the end of the fourth year.

x Franklin Delano Roosevelt, President of the United States of America
x Cordell Hull, Secretary of State, United States of America

[NewYorkExpress]

The Roosevelt Administration wishes Upton Sinclair luck in the California Governor's race and will provide aid in the form of stump speeches from the First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt.

[NewYorkExpress]

Following Charles Lindbergh's decision not to take the vacant position of Secretary of War, President Roosevelt has offered the position to businessman Joseph P. Kennedy.

[NewYorkExpress]

President Roosevelt asks Congress to pass legislation that would replace the current quota system for immigration with an open immigration system, with the following restrictions.

-The immigrant must not be carrying any contagious illnesses.
- The immigrant must not be a wanted criminal in their country of origin.
- The immigrant must not be trying to evade military service in their country of origin
- Children cannot immigrate unaccompanied by adults

[NewYorkExpress]

The United States will recall it's Ambassador and diplomatic staff from Turkey, and will extend the sanctions currently in effect against Yugoslavia, Hungary, Romaina and Czechoslovakia to include Turkey following the signing of the Balkan Mutual Defense Treaty.

x President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

[NewYorkExpress]

Has Mister Stalin ever heard of the concept of making a mistake? We made an error in providing an aid package to Yugoslavia, and by introducing sanctions, we intend to fix the mistake we made.

Your meddling is only going to make the war worse, not better.

xPresident of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt

[NewYorkExpress]

Noting that the Secretary of the Treasury position has been vacant for several months following the death of William Woodin back in May, President Roosevelt has offered the position to Senator Walter George (D-GA).

[NewYorkExpress]

Following complaints from other members of the Administration, President Roosevelt has rescinded the offer of Secretary of the Treasury to Walter George and will instead offer the position to Secretary of Agriculture Henry Wallace.

George will instead be offered the position of Secretary of Agriculture.

[NewYorkExpress]

President Roosevelt will formally nominate Henry Wallace to the position of Treasury Secretary and Walter George to the position of Secretary of Agriculture for consideration during the lame duck session of Congress, and will renominate them if not considered before the new Congress meets.