A Riot in Birmingham and the Death of David Lloyd George: A Timeline from December 1901

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The Sinn Fein/Labour coalition government made the following amendments to the proposed Constitution of Ireland. It no longer claimed that the island of Ireland was a single national territory. It affirmed the importance of the Catholic Church as having the allegiance of most Irish people, but recognised the value of other Christian churches and Jewish congregations which play a significant part in public life. It affirmed that married women should not be forced by economic necessity to work outside the home, but stated that women should have the same career choices and opportunities as men.

In this timeline the counties of Fermanagh and Tyrone, and the city of Derry/Londonderry remained part of the United Kingdom.

 

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The amended Irish Constitution was approved in a referendum in April 1938 by 84.3% to 15.7%. The Irish Free State became Eire. It was still a member of the British Commonwealth and Edward VIII was still head of state.

1940 was a presidential election year in the United States. With Franklin Roosevelt not seeking re-election as President for a third term, the Democratic Party nomination was wide open. The Democratic National Convention took place in Chicago from 15 to 18 July. The candidates for the presidential nomination were James Farley, Postmaster-General; James Garner, Vice-President; Cordell Hull, Secretary of State; and Millard Tydings, Senator from Maryland. After eight ballots, Hull was nominated as the party's candidate for President. Paul McNutt, Administrator of the Federal Security Agency, was nominated for Vice President on the fourth ballot.

 

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The Republican National Convention was held in Philadelphia from 24 to 28 June 1940. The front runners for the presidential nomination were Thomas Dewey, Manhattan District Attorney; Robert Taft, Senator from Ohio; and Arthur Vandenburg, Senator from Michigan. Dewey was the favourite going into the convention, having won the primary elections. But in the voting for the presidential nomination he lost support, and Robert Taft was nominated on the fifth ballot, Charles McNary, Senator from Oregon, was nominated as candidate for Vice President on the first ballot.

Election day was 5 November 1940. When all the votes had been counted, the number of electoral votes for each candidate were as follows:
Robert Taft/ Charles McNary (Republican): 306
Cordell Hull/Paul McNutt (Democratic): 225
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Total: 531
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So Robert Taft and Charles McNary were elected President and Vice President of the United States.

Taft/McNary won the following states: Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin, Wyoming. Total = 22.

States won by Hull/McNutt were: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia. Total = 26,

The percentage votes for each candidate were:
Cordell Hull/Paul McNutt (Democratic): 50.8
Robert Taft/Charles McNary (Republican) 48,7
Others: 0.5
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Total: 100.0
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Among the appointments Robert Taft made to his cabinet were the following:
Secretary of State: Arthur Vandenberg, Senator from Michigan,
Secretary of the Treasury : George Aiken, Governor of Vermont,
Attorney-General: Thomas D. Thacker. He was Solicitor-General from 22 March 1930 to 4 May 1933.

 

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In the Greco-Italian War, Greek troops with the help of Albanian resistance fighters and British air support, liberated Albania from Italian occupation by 2 February 1941. King Zog returned to Albania later that month.
In Thrace, after four months of stalemate, Greek armed forces drove Bulgarian troops back across the border by 7 March 1941, and Bulgaria surrendered. By the Treaty of Athens in June 1941, Italy ceded the Dodecanese to Greece.

British troops drove the Italians out of British Somaliland by 19 April 1941, and liberated Ethiopia with the help of the Ethiopian resistance by 20 August 1941. Haile Selassie returned to his kingdom towards the end of that month.

 

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After two years of stalemate, the Spanish Civil War ended on 9 April 1941 with the Treaty of Bordeaux, brokered by the League of Nations. This divided Spain into Republican East Spain with its capital in Madrid, and Nationalist West Spain with Seville as its capital. The boundary between the two nations was as follows: From the Portuguese border north west of Zamora, it went north of Zamora and Vallodolid (those two cities were in West Spain) then south going east of Segovia and west ot Madrid and east of Toledo and Granada, to the Mediterranean Sea about halfway between Almeria and Malaga. East Spain was larger in area and population than West Spain

A reconstruction fund was set up, financed and administered by the League of Nations. Both sides solemnly agreed not to take reprisals against their opponents, and East Spain guaranteed freedom of worship for all religions.

A Council of Spain with 44 members, 22 from each Spanish nation, was established. One of the Council would serve as Chairman for two years which would alternate between each nation. It would meet in Segovia, just inside West Spain. The Council would be responsible for matters affecting all of Spain, and the administration of mutually agreed services. The Treaty of Bordeaux expressed the hope that one day Spain would be reunited as one nation.

 

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Japan invaded French indochina in September 1940, In December 1940, an agreement between the French and Japanese governments allowed Japanese troops to occupy northern Indochina (Tonkin and northern Laos) while France kept its sovereignty over the colonial government and army. This was as in OTL. However unlike in OTL, Japan did not invade central and southern Indochina (Annam and Cochin China), because Germany did not invade Russia. (1)

In July 1941 the United States government imposed trade sanctions on Japan. In November 1941 there were negotiations between the Japanese and United States governments.

(1) See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_invasion_of_French_Indochina.

 

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On 26 November 1941 the Vandenberg note, named for the US Secretary of State, Arthur Vandenberg, was delivered to the Japanese government. It was similar to the Hull note in OTL. (1) However it recognised Japanese occupation of Chinese territory. (2) It was rejected by the Japanese government. On 1 December 1941 Emperor Hirohito approved military attacks against the United States, the British Empire and Dutch East Indies.

The Japanese attack on 7 December 1941 was as in OTL. On the same day there were coordinated Japanese attacks on the Philippines, Guam, and Wake Island, and on Hong Kong, Malaya, and Singapore. Later that day, Japan declared war on the United States and the British Empire. Immediately on learning that the British Empire had been attacked, the British Empire declared war on Japan. The next day (8 December), the United States government declared war on Japan. (3)

(1) See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hull_note.

(2) See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Vandenberg, section headed 'American foreign policy', third paragraph.

(3) See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor.

 

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Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the Netherlands declared war on Japan on 8 December 1941. On 10 December, Japanese troops invaded central Vietnam (Annam), and France declared war on Japan. They advanced south and by 24 December had taken the coastal city of Quang Ngai. (1) French troops under the command of General Georges Catroux counter-attacked and re-captured Quang Ngai.

Because Japanese armed forces did not occupy Cambodia, they did not invade southern and eastern Thailand, and that nation stayed neutral. Hong Kong was attacked on 8 December, and fell to Japanese troops on 25 December 1941.

(1) See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quang_Ngai.

 

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On 27 December 1941, the British general, Archbald Wavell, hecame commander-in-chief of American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDACom).

On 8 December, Japanese bombers attacked American airfields on Luzon, the most northerly island of the Philippines. They destroyed 103 aircraft, more than half the United States air strength. Two days later, the Cavitie naval yard was destroyed. By 13 December, Japanese attacks had destroyed every major airfield and pretty well ended American air power. The main Japanese landings on Luzon were on 22 and 24 December 1941. (1)

(1) All this paragraph was as in OTL. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_War.

 

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Japanese forces captured Manila on 2 January 1942. They advanced slowly in the Philippines against heavy American and Filipino opposition. On 25 May 1942, American-Filipino forces surrendered and all the Philippines was under Japanese control.

In the Dutch East Indies campaign, by the end of February 1942 Japanese troops had captured Dutch Borneo, Celebes, and southern Sumatra, the British colony of North Borneo and the British Protectorate of Brunei, also Sarawak. The Battle of the Java Sea on 9 March 1942 was a victory for the allies (Australia. Netherlands, UK and USA). The Japanese invasions of Java, Dutch Timor and Portuguese Timor in March 1942 were repulsed.

President Robert Taft did not authorise the imprisonment of Japanese Americans in interment camps. This was strongly opposed by the Democrats, who accused him of endangering the security of the United States. On 9 May 1942, he ordered the desegregation of American armed forces, and ended discrimination in them on the basis of race, colour, religion or national origin. This was strongly opposed by conservative Democrats.

 

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Japanese troops made an amphibious landing on the northern coast of Malaya at Kota Bharu on 8 December 1941, The battle of Kota Bharu was a Japanese victory over British, Indian, Australian and New Zealand forces. The Japanese then advanced south. The battle of Kampar on 30 December 1941 to 2 January 1942 halted the Japanese advance for four days, but because of a shortage of troops, Allied forces withdrew to the Slim River. The battle of Slim River on 5 to 7 January was a Japanese victory. The Japanese army captured Kuala Lumpur on 11 January 1942.

The Japanese continued their advance south. The battle of Muar on 16 to 22 January was a decisive Allied victory and stopped the Japanese advance in Malaya, (1) From then Japanese troops made a slow fighting retreat north up the Malay peninsula against the Allied advance. Kuala Lumpur was re-taken on 27 January. By 6 March 1942, there were no Japanese troops in Malaya, except prisoners of war.

(1) For these battles in OTL see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_campaign.

 

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When Britain declared war on Japan on 7 December 1941, the Conservative, Labour and Liberal parties declared an electoral truce under which they would not contest by-elections held by the held by their opponents. Also the life of the parliament which was elected in the general election on 3 October 1940, was extended until the end of the war with Japan if that was more than five years after parliament assembled on 22 October 1940 after the general election. Also it was agreed that local elections would not be contested by them.

Sir Samuel Hoare and Arthur Cecil Murray, the leaders of the Conservative and Liberal parties respectively, proposed that the Labour government should be expanded to become a coalition government of the three main parties, which would stay in office until the end of the war. This was agreed by the Prime Minister, John Clynes. It took office on 10 December 1941.

 

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The members of the coalition government cabinet appointed by John Clynes on 10 December 1941 were as follows (party allegiance):
Prime Minister and Minister of Defence: John Clynes (Labour)
Lord Chancellor: Lord Pethick-Lawrence (Labour)
Lord President of the Council and leader of the House of Commons: Sir Samuel Hoare (Conservative)
Lord Privy Seal: Earl de la Warr (Labour)
Chancellor of the Exchequer: Thomas Johnston (Labour)
Foreign Secretary: Hugh Dalton (Labour)
Home Secretary: Arthur Cecil Murray (Liberal)
First Lord of the Admiralty: Albert Victor Alexander (Labour)
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: William Morrison (Conservative)
Air Secretary: Leslie Hore-Belisha (Liberal)
Colonial Secretary: Philip Noel-Baker (Labour)
Dominions Secretary: Anthony Eden (Conservative)
President Board of Education: James Chuter Ede (Labour)
Minister of Fuel and Power: Oliver Stanley (Conservative)
Minister of Health : Ernest Simon (Liberal)
Minister of Labour: Ellen Wilkinson (Labour)
Minister without Portfolio: Viscount Portfolio (Conservative) He was an MP, not a Peer.
Minister of Production: Sir Kingsley Wood (Conservative)
Scotland Secretary: Joseph Westwood (Labour)
Minister of Supply; Aneurin Bevan (Labour)
Minister of Transport: Walter Elliot (Conservative)
President of Board of Trade: Clement Attlee (Labour)
War Secretary: Alfred Duff Cooper (Conservative).
There were 12 Labour ministers, 8 Conservative ministers and 3 Liberal ministers.

 

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Ministers not in cabinet appointed by John Clynes on 11 December 1941:
Attorney-General: Sir Terence Donovan (Labour)
Solicitor-General: Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe (Conservative)
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster: Leopold Amery (Conservative)
Minister of Information: Herbert Morrison (Labour)
Paymaster-General: Wilfrid Paling (Labour)
Minister of Pensions: Ernest Thurtle (Labour)
Postmaster-General: Oliver Lyttleton (Conservative)
Minister of Works: Harcourt Johnstone (Liberal).

Selected junior ministers appointed on 12 December.
Financial Secretary to the Treasury: Sir Andrew Duncan (Conservative)
Joint Parliamentary Secretaries to the Treasury (Chief Whips): James Stuart (Conservative), William Whiteley (Labour), Sir Percy Harris (Liberal)
Under-Secretary Foreign Office: Sir Hugh Seely (Liberal).
Jennie Lee (Labour) was moved from Parliamentary Secretary Board of Education to Parliamentary Secretary Ministry of Health. Florence Horsbrugh (Conservative) was appointed Parliamentary Secretary Board of Education. About half of the MPs and Peers in paid government posts were Labour, about one-third were Conservatives, and about one-sixth were Liberals. The under-secretaries and parliamentary secretaries in a department were a different party than the minister.

Also on 11 December, Clynes appointed Sir Stafford Cripps British High Commissioner in India. He had been Dominions Secretary.

 

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Sir Stafford Cripps did not resign as Labour MP for Leeds South when he was appointed British High Commissioner in India. When India became independent as a dominion in the British Empire in 1940, Jawaharlal Nehru became Prime Minister. He committed India to full support for the allies in the war against Japan.

On 26 January 1942, the British government introduced conscription for all men between the ages of 18 and 40. Because there was no war against Germany and Italy, the UK and USA committed more men and resources to the war against Japan than in OTL. The allied counter-offensive began in January with the British advance in Malaya.

When the Japanese refused the request by the Russian government to withdraw from Manchuria, Russia declared war on Japan on 10 February 1942. and invaded Manchuria. Because Russia was allied to China. Though Japanese troops made slow progress against heavy Japanese opposition.

 

[sarahz]

Sir Stafford Cripps did not resign as Labour MP for Leeds South when he was appointed British High Commissioner in India. When India became independent as a dominion in the British Empire in 1940, Jawaharlal Nehru became Prime Minister. He committed India to full support for the allies in the war against Japan.

On 26 January 1942, the British government introduced conscription for all men between the ages of 18 and 40. Because there was no war against Germany and Italy, the UK and USA committed more men and resources to the war against Japan than in OTL. The allied counter-offensive began in January with the British advance in Malaya.

When the Japanese refused the request by the Russian government to withdraw from Manchuria, Russia declared war on Japan on 10 February 1942. and invaded Manchuria. Because Russia was allied to China. Though Japanese troops made slow progress against heavy Japanese opposition.

Well i know the IJA would rather have fought the IJN but i don't think it came to actual combat even ittl

 

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Well i know the IJA would rather have fought the IJN but i don't think it came to actual combat even ittl

My previous post should be Russian troops made slow progress against heavy Japanese opposition. Thanks for pointing out my mistake.

 

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Burma did not continue to be part of India under the Government of India Act 1940. Instead it continued to be a British colony, but with limited self government.

Thailand was initially neutral after the Japanese air force attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, and Japanese subsequent declaration of war on the USA and UK. However after Japanese military successes, the Prime Minister of Thailand, Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhrum (commonly known as Phibun), signed a military alliance with Japan on 14 December 1941. Under the terms of this alliance, Japan gave Thailand north-east Laos, north of the River Nam Ou, and including that river (1) Thailand now had a land border with China. Thailand declared war on the UK and France, and those countries declared war on Thailand. But there were not declarations of war between Thailand and the USA.

Japanese troops invaded Burma from Thailand on 19 December 1941. They advanced quickly west and reached the River Salween and Moulmein on 23 December 1941. (2) From there they advanced steadily north west and after intense fighting, and heavy air raids, captured Rangoon, the capital of Burma, on 4 January 1942.

Meanwhile the Burmese Independence Army, led by Aung San. was founded in Bangkok on 28 December 1941.

(1) See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nam_Ou and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mekong_River where it is shown as the Ou.

For River Salween and Moulmein see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Salween, and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moulmein.

 

[sarahz]

Burma did not continue to be part of India under the Government of India Act 1940. Instead it continued to be a British colony, but with limited self government.

Thailand was initially neutral after the Japanese air force attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, and Japanese subsequent declaration of war on the USA and UK. However after Japanese military successes, the Prime Minister of Thailand, Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhrum (commonly known as Phibun), signed a military alliance with Japan on 14 December 1941. Under the terms of this alliance, Japan gave Thailand north-east Laos, north of the River Nam Ou, and including that river (1) Thailand now had a land border with China. Thailand declared war on the UK and France, and those countries declared war on Thailand. But there were not declarations of war between Thailand and the USA.

Japanese troops invaded Burma from Thailand on 19 December 1941. They advanced quickly west and reached the River Salween and Moulmein on 23 December 1941. (2) From there they advanced steadily north west and after intense fighting, and heavy air raids, captured Rangoon, the capital of Burma, on 4 January 1942.

Meanwhile the Burmese Independence Army, led by Aung San. was founded in Bangkok on 28 December 1941.

(1) See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nam_Ou and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mekong_River where it is shown as the Ou.

For River Salween and Moulmein see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Salween, and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moulmein.

Hopefully the UK wont screw over all the non Burmese ethnic minorities this time to please the opportunist BLA when they oh so conveniently changed sides. ;