George Ossoff

  

George Ossoff
Ossoff during the Continental Revolutionary War
Birth name	George Charles Ossoff
Nickname(s)	The Benedict Arnold of the 20th century
Born	(1885-05-03)May 3, 1885 Savannah, Georgia, United Commonwealth of America
Died	November 1, 1952(1952-11-01) (aged 67) Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Antilles
Allegiance	United Commonwealth of America (to 1921) Antilles (to 1950)
Service/branch	Antillean Army
Years of service	1902–1952
Rank	General of the Armies
Battles/wars	Continental Revolutionary War June 16 incident
Awards	Distinguished Service Cross

George Charles Ossoff (May 3, 1885 – November 1, 1952) was a American-Antillean military officer and soldier who served as the second General of the Armies from 1921 to 1950. Serving in the United Commonwealth Army, Ossoff participated in a number of conflicts, most notably the Continental Revolutionary War, where he would be made the second General of the Armies, the de facto supreme commander of the United Commonwealth Army, by acting President Amelia Abarough. Ossoff would serve in the position until his removal in 1950 following his failed coup attempt, for which he would be executed for two years later.

Born in Savannah, Georgia, Ossoff would grow up in rural Georgia. At the age of 17, Ossoff would attend West Point Academy and would be enlisted into the United Commonwealth Army. Ossoff would be promoted to Major General in 1915. With the start of the Continental Revolutionary War, Ossoff would be assigned to defend the Southern United Commonwealth and would become a major military figure of the Federalist side of the war. With the death of Gregory Warren and the shift of the war to the Continentalists, Ossoff would play a more direct role in the defense of Federalist territory, and would be a major figure the Federalist Exodus. He would receive the rank of General of the Armies for his continued defense of the mainland Federalist territory, but he would also flee to the Antilles by the end of the war.

Ossoff played a large role in the Antilles during the martial period, stablizing the islands through martial law. A white supremacist and friend of the Ku Klux Klan, Ossoff would periodically come into conflict with President Abarough, who was staunchly opposed to his views. Their conflict would eventually boil down to the June 16 incident, Ossoff, his loyal section of the United Commonwealth Army, and the Ku Klux Klan attempted to overthrow President Abarough. This would fail, resulting in Ossoff being injured and imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay and a nationwide purge against pro-Ossoff and Klan influence. After two years of imprisonment, Ossoff would be founded guilty of treason and executed through hanging.

In the contemporary era, Ossoff is viewed in a very negative light, mainly for his role in the attempted coup against popular president Abarough and for his racist, segregationist, and discriminatory views towards African-Antilleans and the islands' native populations. His voluntary inaction to prevent violence against these groups, along with his close relationship with the Ku Klux Klan and promotion of their views, are viewed with great disdain among the Antillean population. He has been described as the "villain" of the post-Great Retreat Antilles and is viewed by historians as a major reason for the islands' slow start to modernization.

Early life and education

George Charles Ossoff was born on May 5, 1885 in Savannah, Georgia in the United Commonwealth of America. His father, William, was a local farmer, while his mother Isabelle, remained unemployed throughout her life. William Ossoff was a veteran of both the American Civil War and the War of Contingency, serving in the Confederate States Army. Ossoff would the first son and third child of the Ossoffs, having two older sisters. Although born in Savannah, Ossoff would spend most of his childhood in rural Georgia, mainly on his father's farm. Early into his youth, Ossoff would develop the racist and discriminatory views of his father, blaming African-Americans for many of the family's financial misfortunes during his early childhood. Ossoff would not attend any educational institution before his military career. However, he would learn how to read and write with the assistance of his mother.

Military career

In 1900, Ossoff, who had develop a strong interest in the military, would attend West Point Academy and would graduate in 1903 as a second lieutenant. He would be assigned to the 3rd Hawkeye regiment, which he would gain the command of in 1915. Because of his military expertise, Ossoff would see a rapid rise through the ranks, obtaining the rank of Colonel in 1910 and the rank of Major General the following year. Despite this, a number of sources claim that Ossoff's promotions were the result of a number of favors promised by Ossoff, being known as a "army fixer" by many of his superiors, a reputation that would strain his relationship with his fellow soldiers.

Continental Revolutionary War

Ossoff arriving in Baltimore shortly after Federalist forces successfully routed advancing Continental militias (1918).

In 1917, Ossoff, along with General and Spanish–American War hero Gregory Warren, would lead federal forces into the Appalachia to crush the growing presence and influence of pro-Landonist militias in the economically-important region. The conflict in Appalachia would kick off the greater Continental Revolutionary War, with a federal defeat at the Battle of Black Mountain inspiring greater far left resistance to the business-oriented Federalist government. Following continued defeats in Appalachia, Ossoff would be reassigned to command the Federalist forces in the United Commonwealth's southern states, while Warren was sent to deal with the forces in the north loyal to his nephew's newly-formed Continentalist Party. Ossoff would be in command of a large number of forces, as the United Commonwealth Army already had a strong military presence in the historically rebellious region.

Although accepting his southern command with a public face of pride, Ossoff privately despised his assignment, with his private writings describing his anger towards the government for "sidelining him". Ossoff would see a number of victories against Continentalist forces in the south, particularly at the 1st Battle of Baltimore, which saw him successfully protect the important port city. As the situation deteriorated for the Federalist side in the north, Ossoff's position within the affairs of the United Commonwealth government would become more important. In 1918, with the death of Gregory Warren, Ossoff would become the central military figure in the United Commonwealth, being promoted to the rank of General in 1919 and later General of the Armies in 1920. By 1921, both Ossoff and acting president Amelia Abarough would recognize the Federalist position, and would organize a general retreat to the American Antilles territories in 1921.

The "Great Retreat", as it has been called in modern times, would be the largest military and civilian retreat at that point in military history. Over three million civilians and soldiers would evacuate from the mainland United Commonwealth. Using his extremist connections, Ossoff would be the main, and largely only, Federalist backer of the temporary cooperation agreement with extremist and white supremacist groups in the South, like the Ku Klux Klan. With these groups agreeing to protect the fleeing Federalist citizens and military personnel, Ossoff would solely direct his attention to holding off advancing Continental forces from the north. Although seeing some victories, most notably at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Federalist forces would be effectively split in half following the Continental victory at Nashville, with Ossoff leading Federalist forces in the west and Major General Douglas MacArthur leading forces in the east. Ossoff himself would leave the mainland in late April of 1921, arriving in New Charleston, then known as Havana, shortly afterwards.

See also

• June 16 incident
• Unholy Alliance (Antilles)