(Closed) This Land Was Our Land: The American Crisis and the Second Great War Between the States

TURN 5: 1 MAY-31 AUGUST 1941





WORLD EVENTS

-The war enters a dangerous phase for the Federalists as repeated counter offensives against the Confederates are brutally crushed by near-perfectly placed defenses, forcing them to be called off for fear of greater casualties as soldiers, expeditionaries, and militias alike realize they are being fed into the meat grinder that is Operation Oglethorpe. With the counterattacks repulsed, the Confederates renew their drive north over determined resistance. Operation Mosely takes heavy casualties in its own right, but manages to secure the most important Confederate victory yet and break the Federalist stand at the Battle of Syracuse and cut off the Pennsylvania oil fields, forcing them to rely on imports and dangerous shipments from Erie via Canada

-During the enemy’s counteroffensive, the Federalists receive unlikely support from two divisions of West Coast Protectorate forces under Major General Walton Greene. Though these men are technically servants of a foreign power claiming American soil for their own, the Karufornia soldiers nevertheless are ordered to fight ferociously against the incoming Confederates and indeed do so, losing thousands of their number at the Battle of Ithaca during the second advance on the Finger Lakes. Though their action delays the enemy substantially, the Karufornian troops take the brunt of the advance in this sector and are completely overrun, Greene’s headquarters and staff evacuating but most of the men are listed Missing in Action and presumed prisoners

-Two tactical operations by the Federalists see some success. The first is a raid by Piranha midget submarines on the Potomac targeted at the hastily-built Anacostia Internment Center, where dozens of high-profile political prisoners are broken out by special forces. With no means of extracting them in the tiny vessels, they are given false identity papers and put on the Silver Meteor to Miami, then on a boat to Havana where a BOAC plane takes them to New York. From there, these VIPs are revealed to include Harry F Byrd Jr., who will now be one of several powerful anti-Confederate voices broadcasting into Virginia

-Raids aimed at dropping in the “Vampire” force with supplies to train and equip the numerous pockets of resistance are conducted as resistance to the Confederates continues to grow despite Confederate efforts. Beyond this task, the Vampires also carry flares, satchel charges, and radios to act as forward air controllers for bombing raids, which helps to diminish the Confederate advance substantially as marshalling yards and highway junctions find themselves being hit with surprising precision day and night

-The Vampires are frequently accompanied by the new Overland GPW, or “Jeep.” This vehicle is lightweight but able to grant high mobility to several men and a squad’s worth of equipment, and is small enough to join a glider assault team. Jeeps quickly take over as the favored staff car for officers and can function as scouting vehicles, beasts of burden, or even as a machine gun platform

-Confederate soldiers advancing in Operation Mosely find them opposed by one of the most advanced new tanks of the era, the M4 Sherman. Largely based on the Grant, the Sherman has a lower profile and puts its 75mm Gun M3 in a fully rotating turret. Simple to produce and better than any other design on the continent, the Sherman is intended to be “the tank the Federalists will win the war with” though as chronic fuel shortages begin to take a greater toll, all that now seems in doubt

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-Across the Badlands and Oklahoma, the Occidental League and American Liberation Army dig their forces in and prepare for a meat grinder battle, expecting the other to strike but instead trading bombs and artillery as the conflict stabilizes on these fronts. Far to the north, the League intentionally makes a fighting retreat against a limited ALA offensive, falling back to more defensible lines around the Missouri River. The offensive captures the primary objective of Bismarck, and Browder declares a North Dakotan Socialist Republic. Operation Meade, the retreat by the Occidental League, was designed as a defense-in-depth, and once again inflicts heavy enough casualties to deplete offensive capability on this front for some time

-The most significant fighting of the “Summer Stage” begins with a strike on OL forces massing in eastern Colorado preparing their own counterassault to the east. The two sides have both been preparing offensives in this sector, but Army Group Kansas under General Raven is forced to start the battle on equal terms in order to preempt the enemy attack with the knowledge that more reinforcements will arrive during the course of the battle. The Battle of Pueblo sees a massive combined arms fight, with both sides bringing major tank and aerial arms to bear in a pitched battle where neither side has significantly fortified the immediate battlefield

-Superior American Liberation Army infantry numbers once again push back the enemy, but the Occidental League is fighting on equal terms in armor and aircraft for the first time, a product of the supply lines continuing to lengthen for the reds and shorten for the Free States. The enemy is once again savaged, but able to keep the line of retreat up into the well-defended mountains open through tenacious fighting and use of the new anti-tank lance against light tank charges. Several brigades needed to close the right flank fail to carry out their orders, instead inciting a Trotskyist mutiny which political officers and nearby loyal units struggle to put down, delaying the attack and aiding the escape

-Making his first official visit to occupied territory in Lincoln, Nebraska, General Secretary Browder is filmed a propaganda reel which is required viewing for all residents on the first anniversary of the war’s beginning. The film shows him giving a speech about the liberation of American soil and honoring the soldiers of the American Liberation Armed Forces who have given their lives in the brutal fighting to reach this stage, presenting gifts and medals to the mothers of several soldiers who performed particularly heroic deeds. This helps to build Browder’s image as a unifying and caring figure rather than just the man who ordered their sons to their deaths, improving his position among the populace, though divisions in the Party continue to grow regardless

-The film also emphasizes the need to wage “Total War” claiming that “Total War is the Shortest War.” To do so, more civilian factories building appliances and other home goods are stripped down and retooled for military production. Production of nonessential goods is put on hold, and Party members are made to temporarily forfeit their privileged items such as washing machines and household refrigerators for the duration of the war effort

-Production of aircraft is the main focus of this initiative, as the USRA finds itself locked in a duel with the Occidental League for control of the skies and bombing raids begin to find major cities briefly including Chicago. The bombings of Wichita, Kansas City, and Marxville are particularly devastating and shake the morale of the populace. In response, more F1 Thunderflash night fighters are constructed to counter the night raids, as are the Yak-1 for interception of less common daylight raids and air superiority over the front. The IL-2 ground-attack aircraft is also prioritized, as increasing numbers of OL tanks must be countered

-The beginning of the war between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany puts the USRA in a difficult position. The knowledge that Leon Trotsky resides in Detroit and that both nations are essentially in the World War together divides the politics of the Party between those who want Trotsky to be fully dealt with to appease Stalin and those who wish to keep him protected on principle. Rumors of a Trotskyist coup or anti-Trotsky purge swirl and Samizdat supporting Trotsky’s ideas for reform and conduct begin to spread, particularly across Michigan and Illinois. The police suppress this wherever possible, but it is certain that the Browder and the Presidium will have to take a clear position before any of his subordinates take a drastic action

-Much of this Samizdat deals with the rumor that a high-profile Lincoln Division veteran by the name of Col. Jacob Eppstain was murdered by political officers during the million-man offensives for his objections to the mass tactics used. In his Party obituary, the newspapers insist that he committed suicide due to war-related stress, but many in the ranks are coming to believe that Eppstain didn’t kill himself

-The conflict with Germany challenges the USRA’s international relations in other ways. A potential oil deal with the Soviets falls through as a result of the Nazi invasion, as do any arms deals for the immediate future. The Soviets instead propose a new rapprochement with the Franco-British Union and specifically Canada, which has agreed to stop enabling agitation against the USRA and reopen trade if Browder is able to secure a renewed non-aggression deal with the Soviets. The Trotskyists view this with suspicion and urge the Presidium to reject the deal, but if Browder were to do so, it might be seen as a triumph for their political power

-With current rifle grenades underwhelming, the Republic Developmental Institute experiments with several different solutions to increase infantry firepower and lob explosives farther and faster. The winner of the design competition is the M23 “Jack in the Box,” an over the shoulder grenade launcher that combines a rifle grenade cartridge with a large spring in a tube to lob a two-pound projectile at an accurate range of 110 yards. An anti-tank grenade can also be launched from this contraption, though it requires the user to get dangerously close to a tank

-With the gateway to the Rockies held, the Institute is also tasked with preparing for intense mountain fighting where hillside bunkers, caves, and tunnels will abound. Engineers devise a clever but terrifying new bomb to respond to this challenge. Filled primarily with ammonium nitrate and aluminum powder with a small charge at the center, the “Daisy Cutter” has little fragmentation but instead produces a large and continuous blast wave. Field testing on a bunker near Pueblo shows that most of its victims die of suffocation as the high fuel ratio of the bomb consumes all the oxygen in the vicinity

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-Making the most of intelligence reports about a Federalist counteroffensive, General Patton lays an elaborate trap for the incoming Yankees designed to exact as heavy a toll as possible. Operation Oglethorpe, as most aspects of the incoming attack are planned for with great precision. Static defenses and mobile encirclement forces rout most of the offensives, at times with over 60% casualties from the forces committed. The most successful of the enemy strikes, which comes from West Virginia and has a large armored force, is not as easily contained, but becomes encircled near Harrisonburg and is forced to make a fighting retreat out of the pocket and is constantly harried by concentrated aerial attack

-Operation Mosley, the Confederate counteroffensive, concentrates its forces into a single push where the Federalists have been battered the hardest in an effort to separate the Federalists from the valuable Pennsylvania oil fields by taking Syracuse, something they are able to narrowly manage as Federalist troops use their massive numbers and local air superiority to reorganize and recover from the strategic disasters of the last few months. This initiative not only seizes a slice of the oil for the Confederates, but has greatly impacted Federal supply lines to lessen the impact of Federalist airpower. Patton is promoted to Field Marshal by President Russell for the success of the attack, which he sees as putting southern victory within reach

-A secondary attack within Operation Mosley focuses on reaching the port city of Wilmington. Instead of waging another fierce street by street battle to retake Baltimore, control of Wilmington cuts off Federalist forces in the area as well as on the Delmarva Peninsula from all but sea and airborne resupply, an important tactical operation within the overall strategy of dicing the enemy into manageable pieces

-The war on the frontlines has so far been a success against all odds, but well behind the front the counterinsurgency campaign has proven to be much more challenging. Federalist infiltrators are virtually indistinguishable from the rest of the civilian populace, and they wage a powerful campaign of sabotage that makes many of the more ambitious parts of Operation Mosley impossible. Branding the Patriot Cookbook “The Anarchists’ Cookbook”, its ingredients are restricted to the full extent possible. Agriculture in the Virginias and Kentucky is hampered as fertilizer purchases require jumping through bureaucratic red tape, while gasoline ration cards now include the name of their rightful user who must present identification and state their purpose to receive their fuel. A black market flourishes, but this also gives the SD plenty of chances to set up honeypot operations which net hundreds of partisans. Heavy-handed methods are not strictly necessary, however, as many areas are pacified simply by doling out increased rations to buy the trust of the locals

-In order to prepare for an escalated campaign against this partisan rabble, advisors from the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi arrive to teach the Confederates what they know about insurgent warfare, having gained much experience in this type of fighting. In exchange, they receive large caches of weapons seized from Opposition armories, including tanks, which will serve them well in the campaign against Synarchist Mexico. The forces they train also receive the Desert Eagle rifle and Camel Back water packs, which are ideal for high-endurance missions

-These “Bushmen” are sent on a campaign deep into the mountains of West Virginia to root out the partisans and will wage this campaign with all the brutality necessary to ensure this menace is silenced. Coal Country proves exceptionally challenging, as the difficult terrain and endless hills and forests prove to be hell on earth for any attacker. Many of the partisans are experienced coal miners with stashes of digging equipment, and much of the campaign now and to come will be spent rooting them out of endless tunnels and mines. Typical of the early stage of this campaign is the Battle of Elbert, where a small insurgent force is dislodged from the hamlet only for larger forces to overrun a Confederate battalion after emerging from the surrounding hills with rifles and mortars. Many more lives will be spent before this campaign is finally settled

-Collaboration with the Republic of the Gulf continues in the development of the Air Force and Navy, the latter being particularly crucial as the Confederacy seeks to bounce back from defeat at the Battle of the North Atlantic and resume commerce raiding against the Franco-British Union. New Arkansas-class battlecruisers are laid down as the Admiralty hopes it can replicate the relative success of the Scharnhorst against the Union Navy, as are the large oceangoing American Diver-class submarines. A collaborative radar system with the Gulf under the auspices of “Project Blue” is also a major contributor to the pushback against the Federalist air forces, though the largest blow on that front is the increasing deprivation of its fuel supply

-Though two-way radios have existed for some time, designers at Southern Bell develop the first handheld version that can be used by any soldier in the field and not just a specialist in a large backpack. The “Handie-Talkie” packs five vacuum tubes into a waterproof case, and is an instant hit, especially among mechanized infantry who can use it to communicate with the tanks and counter-insurgency Bushmen who use it to coordinate with aircraft to great effect

-Toying with imported Gulf radar sets, a Confederate Air Force colonel manages to successfully miniaturize the set in a small insulated container that reflects microwave radiation to agitate the particles within food, cooking it with incredible speed. This “Radar Range” is far less expensive than a regular radar set, but will still be out of reach for consumers for some time. It is excellent for cooking for large groups however, which can be nifty when feeding an army that craves hot chow

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-As the shock of the initial communist incursion onto Gulf home soil subsides, the Oklahoma Front becomes static over the summer months. This provides a critical reprieve for the Gulf to reorganize its forces and build defensive positions in the inner sectors of the Alamo Line. During this frozen conflict, the reds sit back on the other side of the Cimarron River as the Gulf troops lay mines and build fortifications, save for the occasional artillery shell and constant aerial dueling. In Operation Crake, Oklahoma City is slowly turned into a fortress as the civilian populace is evacuated and various defensive positions are constructed, the streets being made impassable to tanks save for a few controlled checkpoints that can be demolished at a moment’s notice

-These initiatives are overseen by the newly formed Strategic War Office (SWO), which is organized solely as a homeland defense command and housed at Fort Hood, south of Dallas. This command theatre exists solely to ensure the reds do not get further into home soil, or at least without crippling themselves in the process. The Gulf Expeditionary Force, now commanded by General Bradley of the Free States, remain an independent command, as does any naval aviation not immediately needed for homeland defense

-These fortification and organizational efforts are paired with a mass transfer of troops from the Mexican border. Mexico has been largely dealt with from the Gulf perspective, even as naval intervention continues far to the south. The Mexican government is incensed by the Gulf’s refusal to do anything about the All American League’s invasion, but with Mexican revolutionists in the mix the Gulf ambassador brushes this off as an internal affair knowing that Mexico has a long way to go before it can ever be a threat to the Gulf once more

-Since one existential threat still remains, Allred exercises an abundance of caution and forms the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to ensure an emergency supply of oil far from the front where it can be resupplied in any eventuality. Ships loaded with drums of oil sail for Pensacola with the precious stockpile, knowing it can easily be shipped back by rail as needed. An even more precious cargo tags along, the children of Oklahoma families displaced by the fighting and the evacuation of Oklahoma City, shipped off to Floridian foster families as a humanitarian gesture

-The humanitarian toll of the war is indeed increasing, but some relief comes from the Gulf’s Confederate allies in the form of a food aid program, sending powdered milk, mixed agricultural products, and seafood to war refugees from Oklahoma and elsewhere. All this comes as Allred continues his public relations campaign to keep rallying the people against the red menace through public speeches and appearances at war industry site. The pause by the enemy in Oklahoma and news of dissension in the enemy ranks both go a long way to rebuild confidence, even as bombs continue to fall across several cities

-Despite the increasing prevalence of television for the upper crust and radio for the masses, the pre-recorded record remains an important part of the propaganda machine, able to store patriotic music for events and distribute speeches for education or, if necessary, re-education. Jazz music from the Free States is also becoming popular, and Breeze Records of Orlando makes a breakthrough in their quest to distribute more of this popular music in a clearer format. The vinyl “Long Play” record can not only store more audio per side, but is more capable of playing modern popular music in a high quality by ditching abrasive shellac compounds

-Ties with the Confederates are also leveraged for military rebuilding. Knowing that many Opposition soldiers are still under arms and defying the Confederacy, President Allred brokers a ceasefire with the Opposition soldiers to give them the chance for safe passage with their families to the Gulf to join the fight against Bolshevism. A paltry few hundred battered men in some Opposition holdouts take up the offer and are shipped west, but the vast majority are “true believers” in Byrd’s vision for the USA and are willing to meet their end as the ceasefire ends in a hail of Confederate artillery

-While little manpower can be acquired with Confederate help, the flow of arms from the east helps keep the Gulf soldier the best equipped of any successor nation as manufacturing is often outsourced to Confederate factories in exchange for expertise in building the valuable designs such as the Buccaneer fighter and “Tamer” Tank Lance. Using the Confederate factories to gain economies of scale with Gulf raw materials, these machines are built in greater numbers than ever, combining with the Free States aircraft initiative to begin out-producing the reds and take control of the skies in the daytime. New weapons also come from the west, chiefly the new self-loading rifle which has now become standard issue, but also the Bear of California infantry tank which is used in a complementary role to the cavalry-oriented Mustang. The Theimer M01 is also produced in WCP factories, as Allred famously refers to this device as more important to the Gulf Army than water

-Another major form of cooperation with the Confederacy is unification with its radar network, codenamed “Project Blue.” Powerful cavity magnetron radars are distributed to the Confederacy to help them push back against the Federalist aerial offensive, and span the entire border between the two nations and the communists to the north. The initiative drives up tensions between the communists and the Confederacy, mortal enemies who have managed to hold onto a truce despite their most significant foreign sponsors going to war

-After toying for years with the primitive motorjet concept, engineers at Piper Aircraft refine the design to overcome the extremely rapid fuel consumption by interrupting the fuel supply at intervals rapid enough to keep sustaining combustion. This “pulsejet” engine is quickly dubbed the “Bumblebee” for its distinctive sputtering sound, and a testbed plane with two of these engines is able to achieve an astonishing 503 miles per hour. Though incredibly cheap compared to intricate piston engines, these engines wear themselves and the airframe out in less than two hours. More refinement is clearly needed, though this is a massive leap and opens the door to incredibly fast disposable aircraft

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-The pacing of the war begins to slow as enemy manpower is reduced and his supply lines continue to grow in length, while the Free States exploits its massive land spaces to continue wearing down the enemy as while falling back into more favorable defensive terrain. The struggle of this phase of the war is more focused on the skies, as both sides carry out bombing raids on industry and logistics to wear the other down

-For the Free States, the aerial offensive is titled Operation Dehousing for its attempts to demolish industry and morale alike as civilians are displaced and factories wrecked. With a greater focus on construction of bombers, escorted bomber wings make several large raids on Wichita, Kansas City, and Marxville and cause extensive damage. One night raid even reaches Chicago, causing lesser damage but shaking confidence among a civilian populace who believed they would be safe so far from the front

-To carry out this initiative, the newly-relocated factories across the Rockies are retooled to crank out aircraft with the assistance of the recent robotic arm design. Working with Occidental League allies, fighter forces are topped off with Buccaneer aircraft before the production focus switches to greater and greater numbers of bombers. Ironically, the Free States finds itself pairing B-24 Liberators built under Federalist license with Heinkel He-111 bombers purchased from the Confederacy, the latter re-engined to accept the more available Wright Cyclone over the German design. In part as a result of this initiative, as well as less frequent diversions for battlefield support during this phase of the conflict, the Occidental League as a whole is able to muster enough aircraft to regularly send raids deep into enemy airspace and manage to wrest air superiority from the enemy at the Battle of Pueblo

-On the ground, a limited red advance in the north is met by Operation Meade, a Free States initiative to deny the enemy resources in upper Minnesota and settle into a more defensible line. Though it gives up territory by design, the operation is a classic example of defense in depth and inflicts substantial casualties on two large communist pincers that had intended to encircle them, forcing it to halt before reaching its final goals and the main Free States fallback lines, though much of North Dakota is sacrificed in the process

-The most significant fighting of the summer offensive begins with a communist strike on OL forces massing in eastern Colorado preparing their own counterassault to the east, codenamed Operation Sherman. Both sides plan a major offensive, but instead fight an encounter battle in the foothills of the Rockies. With few preparations to fight defensively, both sides bring major tank and aerial arms to bear in an attempt to surround the other. Superior red infantry numbers once again decide the battle and force the cancellation of Operation Sherman, but the Occidental League is fighting on equal terms in armor and aircraft for the first time, a product of the supply lines continuing to lengthen for the reds and shorten for the Free States

-The Free States have more reason for increased confidence in their aerial warfare after a breakthrough in the development of Proximity fuzes. Further developing the potential to miniaturize the type of magnetron recently developed by the Gulf, these shells broadcast a small radio signal that travels only a few feet at a time but are reflected back by nearby objects, increasing the effectiveness per shell as much as ten times over. These shells can only fit in the larger anti-aircraft guns such as the five-inch design for now, but further miniaturization could see them deployed on aircraft autocannon for use against other aircraft

-Another breakthrough comes on the economic front as prospectors seek ways to access the oil deposits of Carbon, Utah, which are right at the surface but locked in a mixture of sand and water. Using cheap natural gas burners, the prospectors pump huge amounts of steam into the earth near a deposit to make the heavy oil more viscous and flow upwards at an extraction point. Though this generally only extracts around 30-40% of the oil in a given deposit, it nevertheless opens up more opportunities to keep oil-thirsty forces supplied and opens up opportunities for foreign sale

-Numerous political developments occur as the Free States not under enemy occupation hold their first elections since their states seceded from the union. All eight states able to hold elections elect new governors and legislative bodies swept over by the “Bull Moose Party,” which rides to victory on the population’s frustration with the inability of the decentralized government to fully repel the reds. As it promises a sort of “New Libertarianism” that upholds the main principles of the Free States while taking greater measures to collectively defend its people, the next meeting of the Governor’s Committee could see bold new initiatives that change the constitutions of this individualist paradise

-Several reforms are seen across the states in the near term, firstly the desegregation of the armed forces due to black contributions to the war effort, a step not taken by its allies in the Occidental League but one that helps to increase African-American enthusiasm for the war effort against an enemy that itself promises them better rights. Reforms for women are also introduced to reward the female contributions to industry and society, allowing them to keep their jobs after the war and preventing them from being fired on the basis of sex alone, including the pretext of pregnancy

-Looking for unconventional means to motivate the populace, Mr. House provides WPB commissions to dozens of jazz artists across the Free States to produce new works that glorify the war effort, some of the latest hits being “Rocky Mountain Breakdown” and “No No Mr. Marx.” These commissions show that while disjointed, the Free States government is with the times and will help the free people of America emerge victorious against the odds with help from a superior jive

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-An indespensible player in the Occidental League, President Taylor again drives for more recruits to keep the red menace as far from Karufornia as possible. With plenty of cash from growing sales of oil and other raw materials to Japan, the Protectorate Army is able to offer an enlistment bonus of five strong Protectorate Dollars for every referral a soldier brings into the force. While not exactly swelling the ranks, this does bring in enough soldiers for six new divisions to defend the home front, freeing six more to head west

-Two of these divisions are equipped for urban combat and head off to Oklahoma to participate in Operation Crake, the defense of Oklahoma city. Though the enemy offensive here does not materialize, they help to build up local defenses and provide conversion kits that allow heavy machine guns to fire shotgun shells in close range combat, further locking down the city and providing some peace of mind to those further south. Another two divisions arrive in the Free States in time to participate in the Battle of Pueblo, participating in maneuvers to try and encircle the enemy as the Operation Sherman offensive turns into a defensive effort instead. Here they hold off several waves of enemy assault before being pulled back once again due to the insurmountable numbers of enemies. They will now take up positions in the Rocky Mountains proper and wait for the enemy to come

-The final two head via Canada to Pennsylvania, where they arrive to shore up Federalist defences after a series of disastrous offensives leave them short of manpower. Tragically, these divisions are almost entirely wiped out, taking at least 40% casualties in a valiant stand against Operation Mosely. The remainder are believed to be overrun and taken prisoner, a certain strain on relations with the Confederates who likely were not expecting their entry into this war as well

-All the forces sent east to either conflict are given extensive training in close quarters combat with assistance from the Protectorate Special Gendarmerie as military planners anticipate close-quarters combat in the near future. Though seemingly dated, proficiency with a bayonet is expected, as is hand-to-hand combat and room clearing tactics, with an emphasis on sheer brutality that can strike fear into the enemy. Should the fighting come to a street brawl, the soldiers of the Protectorate Army will certainly be ready

-Specialist weapons for this type of conflict are produced and requisitioned in large numbers, particularly shotguns such as the Winchester Model 1897 Trench Gun, which hit the production lines again after many years. The Theimer M01 AT Lance is also produced domestically for the first time, as this revolutionary design is particularly effective against tanks at close range and can also be used as a means of projecting explosives against an enemy position or simply terrorizing them with their loud explosions

-Seeing success with its innovations in tank designs so far, the President personally organizes a “Brain Trust” of weapons designers that analyze available and captured tanks to look for ways to bring the best components together. The immediate result of this initiative is the enhanced Type 100 “Grizzly” tank, which scales up the Type 99 chassis and adds additional armor and the 75mm Gun M3 that has proven so effective on the Grant tank. Powering this is a V12 engine reverse engineered from that of the fast BT tanks that have been captured in significant numbers both in China and the Great Plains

-Throwing their weight behind the Free State’s initiative to wrest air superiority from the communists, 150 new A6M fighters are sent to the front to bolster the Occidental League’s air forces. Dozens of Bear and Grant tanks manufactured under license are sent to the Gulf and Free States as well for incorporation into their armored forces while factories retool to produce the Grizzly, and these machines see combat at Pueblo as some of the few effective machines that can repel the infamous People’s Colossus

-With its neighbors fighting off communist infiltration on top of the usual petty crime, the PSG receives funding to create special informant rings, members of which have special legal protections and are inserted within suspected crime or spying rings to gather intelligence. As the communists do not hold any of its home soil, Karufornia has a better time than most of avoiding the waves of infiltrators in turncoats than its partners in the Occidental League

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-With news of unspeakable horrors being perpetrated against the Mayan peoples of Central America, Yiska feels that he has no choice but to leave the war against the communist enemy in the hands of his allies and launch an all-out campaign against Mexico, taking advantage of perceived enemy unpreparedness to put an end to the Sinarquista regime and raise a revolution in favor of the old Mexican Revolutionary Party. Leaving only a small force of advisors to teach scouting tactics to the Occidental League, the remainder are pulled from Canada and the Plains battlefields as the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi and its All American League Allies go all-in on a campaign against the Abascal regime, which is announced to great shock in a rousing speech at Window Rock. The coming campaign is risky in multiple respects as it is not only a gamble against the Mexicans, but the advancing communists who could threaten the homeland in the very near future

-Though the League is already armed to the teeth, gunsmiths go to work cranking out thousands of new Desert Eagle rifles to cheaply arm the warriors of the All American League as well as any Mexican revolutionaries they manage to recruit along the way. These rifles are cheap and capable, the perfect riflemen’s weapon. With an abundance of 9mm parabellum rounds and some urban combat anticipated, copies of the Sten submachine gun that have made their way west are also produced from stamped metal, giving a degree of flexibility in the upcoming battles

-The war against Mexico begins in earnest with the Battle of Nogales, as Niʼ Ałníiʼgi warriors infiltrate trenches and fortifications abandoned by the Free States after peace with Mexico seemed assured. This allows them to get close and launch a surprise attack on the modest border contingent, subduing them after hours of confused Mexican resistance. Warnings are sent south to Mexico City over the telegraph, but are ignored for some time as the attack is so improbable and audacious the Jefe believes his border guards are simply jumping at shadows

-With the gates open, the All American League marches south in an assault with two major prongs. The first, under the Hopi Chief Ayawamat, heads west and secures Sonora State and the coast, putting pressure on Sinaloa and dividing the Mexican response while establishing a base of operations for the resurrected PRM in Hermosillo. Yiska himself strikes in Chihuahua State, meeting sporadic resistance from Synarchist diehards but rallying local people against their government. The strongest resistance comes in the former mining town of Parral, where a brigade of Greenshirts makes the first significant stand of the war so far but are overrun after brutal house to house fighting

-The speed of the advance over the vast spaces of Mexico is enabled by the use of large numbers of horses for all transportation needs. Equine mobility is bought up or requisitioned wherever possible, and this mobility allows the All American League to carry out such feats as taking the entirety of Baja California with a single brigade in a matter of weeks before turning it over to local anti-government authorities

-More modern forms of mobility are also employed, in particular the new “Armadillo” armored van, another improvised vehicle which adds several millimeters of protection to the sides of a civilian van as well as critical parts of the driver’s cab. Though not as consistently protected against small arms as the Kangaroo or Half-Track, the fully wheeled Armadillo is faster and cheaper, well employed against an enemy who fights across wide spaces with little artillery

-As the attack moves into its more serious phase by late summer and the enemy is met in a pitched battle for the first time, the first reinforcements from the Cherokee Nation arrive and form two brigades, one from Oklahoma and another from Appalachia. Recruiting in Oklahoma produces underwhelming results as most here are more concerned with the immediate threat to the homeland, but the Confederacy provides extensive recruiting opportunities in exchange for valuable military wares produced by the League

-More important is recruitment in Mexico and beyond as scouts are sent ahead of the All American League’s advance to proclaim the arrival of the Second Mexican Revolution and encourage locals to rise up against their local party officials. Most are incredulous at these reports, speaking instead of the “crazy red horsemen,” but change their tune as more numerous forces arrive. Local authorities change sides simply to keep their seats, but slowly and surely, tens of thousands of former PRM members and anti-government civilians begin to join the march southwards. These “New Revolutionaries” rally around Miguel Alemán Valdés, a young PRM holdout who sets up shop in Hermosillo and begins requesting further collaboration with the All American League to show that their efforts are more than just an outside invasion. His assistance will be vital as the war moves into the Mexican heartland, and the Mexican Army begins diverting its more organized armies northward

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-General Arnold’s broadcasts become less and less cryptic about how he plans to retake America. Long speculated to be an anti-Japanese force, AAEA posters now appear decrying the aggressions of communism across the American West, targeting innocent Americans who would rather be left to their plowshares. With the enemy now defined, the Alaskan Expeditionary Army begins to choose its allies for what it calls a coming “Storm of Steel.” With its ideological closeness to the Federalists and Canada, these are the obvious choices, and several arms deals are drawn up

-With little manufacturing base of its own, the Expeditionaries make an arrangement with the Federalists to keep their outsized forces armed with M2 auto-carbines and amphibious M2 Medium tanks, the backbone of its small armored force. Underwater Demolition Team advisors are also provided to train the AAEA’s own units. In exchange, tankers roll out of Alaska's modest oil fields to deliver the valuable juice via Maine.With the Federalists now mostly cut off from their domestic oil supply, the tiny Alaskan force now finds itself one of the most important allies of the Wallace government in its darkest hour

-During the late spring and early summer, Canada also supports the AAEA with trucks and a few light armored vehicles. As the Expeditionaries prepare for their first offensive into the homeland proper, their most important support remains use of the railways, which constantly shuttle soldiers from Alaska to their launching-off points on the northern Great Lakes

-In working with Canadian tank manufacturers and Montreal Locomotive Works, a delegation from the AAEA reviews several Ram tank hulls, without turrets and set aside as Canada begins to copy the new Sherman tank. The turretless tanks are taken in and navalised by the AAEA as armored personnel carriers, some of the first of their kind, and gain the “Kangaroo” moniker as infantry are seen piling out the sides after arriving at the frontlines with armor protection. Further examples of the M2 Medium are also converted to Kangaroos, though these feature a hatch at the back instead

-Relations with Canada become increasingly complex as a result of the Soviet Union's entry into the war on the side of the Franco-British Union in late June. The FBU and USSR now put their energy into convincing the Federalists and United Socialist Republics to find some kind of rapprochement in hopes of defeating the Confederates together, as was originally envisioned by their non-aggression pact a year ago. As such, the Canadians will not provide any further assistance to an anti-communist offensive, and the AAEA risks becoming isolated far from home if it proceeds. Of course, bad blood remains between the Federalists and USRA, and if the deal falls through, anything goes

-Nevertheless, the Expeditionaries set a July date for the first stage of their assault, training men further in beach assaults and combined arms, with an emphasis on the individual soldier’s ability to take the initiative. Precisely where they will strike is a closely guarded secret, but a pair of small submarines are seen being shipped east by train

-As news of the coming Alaskan intervention becomes more and more widespread, Arnold is able to recruit several hundred new soldiers who defect primarily from the Opposition or cross the border into Canada from Communist-held zones, which are quickly pressed into service alongside refugees from the Confederate advances who are eager to fight any enemy of the America they used to know. These are formed into a new “Exiles Battalion” which is highly motivated, though questions about their individual reliability are consistently raised by its commanders

-This and other units finally ship off for their first limited incursion onto USRA soil at the end of July, making a covert infiltration onto a remote island somewhere on the Great Lakes by moving in unmarked ships over the course of several nights. The assault results in no casualties on either side, as the island has only a minor civilian presence, and the locals become isolated from the mainland. The small Alaskan Expeditionary Army for America has made a silent entrance into the war, and prepares to use its specialist soldiers to tip the balance

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And now ladies and gentlemen, a speech from President Aaron Kimball.

The events of the past year have been, unfortunately, not the greatest in the history of America. As you all know, on the Fourth of July 1940, Nebraska and Kansas were invaded by the Communist forces of America under the leadership of Earl Browder, a man who was once imprisoned for refusing to become an enlisted soldier himself in the last war. What was suspected to be an easy and quick victory was frustrated by his underestimation of our desire to live freely as any man ought to under the constitution of America. We have been joined by the states of Texas, of Oklahoma and Florida, California, and even the native tribes who lost so much in the last century. All have bet on us, because they believe in our noble cause.

We do not stand alone, and the world is watching us here. There is a very good reason for that, and that is because the tyrants of this world hate nothing more than to see a free nation unconquered. Existence of such a country in itself is threatening to them. It is like a poison to them. Browder, Hitler, Stalin, these are all men who cannot sup of freedom, for it would kill them and their empires.

There are those who believe that we cannot possibly win a war against such tyrants. They possess far more arms and soldiers, and control vast swathes of territory with millions of teeming slaves yoked to machines that produce ever more horrible instruments of war. We have lost a great deal of territory, having been pushed back into the rockies by the Chicago war machine. Yet we still have reason to keep fighting with the utmost strength. In the last war (in which I fought unlike Mr Browder), the experience of the allied forces was that of years of continual disappointment and disaster, one after the other. And yet the soldiers did not despair or panic, they merely asked themselves ”How are we going to win this?” This was a question not one man could answer until at the end when rather suddenly and to my own great surprise when I was in Flanders, I saw the terrible German army collapse before me.

The Red army has seized the plains and now makes ready to battle for the rockies. Upon this battle depends the very survival of our America civilization. Upon it depends the city on the hilll, and that is why the enemy will bring his greatest might and most terrible weapons and fury to bear. Mr Browder knows that he must break us here and now or else lose the war. If we can stand up to him then soon Kansas and Nebraska will be free once again. Soon enough the struggle against tyranny will manifest itself in the rest of America and the world as people currently unfree cast off their chains and declare that they wish to be treated not as brutes, but as brothers. If we fail here, then the last flame will be extinguished and we shall plunge into a dark age made longer and darker by sciences twisted for evil ends. Let us engage the challenge, so that even when the last gleaming twilight of America is but a distant memory, the dawn of the next light will reveal what we once so proudly hailed.

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-The entry of the Soviet Union into the world war has turned the many political considerations of the CPUSA on their head. In keeping with the notion of global communist solidarity, Browder follows Stalin by turning over a new leaf with the imperialist Franco-British Union and the “pre-revolutionary” order in the American east, shifting his primary focus to the battle against the fascist Confederacy and its Gulf ally. At a conference in Ottawa, the General Secretary signs a comprehensive agreement alongside President Wallace, foreign minister Molotov, and Lord Halifax. The full terms of the agreement are not known, only that the USRA will now join the war against the Axis and come to the aid of the beleaguered Federalists

-This does not stop the public at home and abroad from speculating as to what else might be contained within this agreement. One thing that is clear is that the long-frozen trade in goods between the USRA, Federalists, and Canada has been reopened, as shares in Canadian oil and rare materials from the vast Franco-British Empire give the war economy a shot in the arm. Technology exchanges also resume in earnest, as the new allies evaluate each other’s designs. Many observers expect that some backdoor dealing on the future of the postwar Confederacy and Gulf may be in the works, assuming victory is achieved

-The new agreement means that the USRA is now once again following directly in line with its communist brothers in the Soviet Union. Between this and the beginning of the long-sought war with the fascists, Browder now has the political capital needed to exercise “The Great Repression” and bury the factionalism that has plagued the Party. Two members of the Presidium who are known Trotsky sympathizers are demoted and moved to the new North Dakotan People’s Republics as “political consultants.” Trotsky himself is moved from house arrest to prison, with police symbolically taking sledgehammers to his printing press. Thousands of Trotsky supporters in several urban areas hold illegal demonstrations for which they are rounded up and shot for counter-revolutionary activity. In the rural areas of Illinois and Wisconsin, still more Trotsky supporters begin an open revolt. This is quickly crushed by police and civil defence forces, but survivors go underground and continue to wage sporadic attacks. Responding to Party concerns, Browder acknowledges the difficulty of his decision and insists this will soon pass as the public focuses on the popular war against fascism

-The other great struggle on the home front at this time is a required tightening of rations. While the balance of agricultural land has gone to the communists, the harvest has struggled to meet goals to feed its massive population, as most workers who would do so are under arms or fully committed to other war related work. Food can be traded with the Canadians, but most of its grain is going to the desperate Federalists. Public dissatisfaction is largely contained due to fanaticism for the fight against fascism, but even the most dogmatic party members hint at a need for greater agricultural action

-Much of this is a result of emergency orders for a million and a half men from the reserves to cover defenses along the Rocky Mountains. These orders greatly stretch the manpower of the USRA, but the Party is confident that by doing so, it will leverage its massive human resources to bring about victory and ensure that the Free States have little chance of mounting a counter-offensive while attention shifts from the west to the south

-Fearing the Confederates will strike first, more extensive measures are taken along the already heavily-fortified border in Kentucky. Though limited movements between the territory of the USRA and the Opposition were once allowed for practical reasons, these have long since ended with the Confederate takeover. Bridges, tunnels, and passes are rigged for demolition. While the Confederates do not strike on home soil as they are still reeling from the tactical surprise of the offensive in the east, the preparations will certainly buy the ALA time to respond if a counteroffensive does come in this region

-Not all portions of the red offensive achieve the same tactical surprise, and the eastern portion of Operation Heartpiercer faces scorched earth tactics on a massive scale as Confederate forces are slowly pushed back in Arkansas. The graycoats and their Gulf allies have completely anticipated an attack here, and have planned their defenses accordingly, inflicting significant casualties for every country mile seized. True to its name, one of the initiatives of the American Liberation Army in this assault was to liberate as many slaves from these territories as they went as a source of new manpower and recruitment to the cause. However, the Confederacy has clearly made contingencies for this as well, as its Marshalls forcibly march tens of thousands of slaves at gunpoint to the south and east, netting the reds only a few thousand that manage to break loose in the chaos. Thousands more die during the marches, either collapsing due to their maltreatment or shot for perceived intransigence. Hellish scenes are reported as forested areas and plantations are burned in the wake of these death marches

-One of the motivations for these mass burnings is mass defoliation, intended to make the reds more exposed to aerial attack as they advance. Having dealt with Confederate bushmen in the trees of West Virginia, the ALA has become keenly aware of the value of forest cover through these experiences. As such, the American Liberation Air Force develops another new type of bomb to add to its arsenal of thermobaric and conventional explosives. Having already completed revolutionary research in synthetic rubbers, Republic Developmental Institute designers in Chicago come up with a rubber compound that becomes incredibly sticky when mixed with gasoline. This “Napalm” can not only spread itself from one bomb over a large area to burn, but will stick and persist far longer than plain gasoline, and is used to hideous effect in the late stages of the Battle of the Monongahela Forest

-Despite its advance being anticipated in eastern Oklahoma, Operation Heartpiercer still manages to pull off a major advance on the western flank, bringing it into Texas proper for the first time. Exploiting the Free States pullback to the more defensible mountain ranges, armored divisions break across the dry Canadian River and seize Amarillo before Gulf units can be reallocated to respond and create new burn lines, after which the advance slows somewhat. By Christmas, the reds have the fortress of Oklahoma City nearly surrounded, save for a corridor tenuously held open by Gulf tanks

-Rumors of an imminent incursion by Alaskan forces persist to the point of several divisions being put into action along the Great Lakes to counter any such initiative while also seeking out Trotskyist supporters. Several members of The Sorrows, the Free States raiding force, are captured and executed along with the Trotskyists, but the Alaskans are nowhere to be found. On rural Washington Island, a purge of the Trotskyists reveals hundreds of articles of suspicious waste, such as ammunition boxes, that are believed to be left by a small Alaskan force. Locals insist they were forced to cooperate with the Alaskans, but they have since cleared out

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-What was intended to be a mopping-up of the Federalists has turned into a desperate fight for the Confederacy as the Federalists and Franco-British Union shockingly reverse their policy on the communists in America and Europe as a result of the Nazi invasion of the USSR. The Confederates find themselves not only directly tied into the conflict to the west, but facing both of the two most populous nations of America at once

-Bushmen operating in the restive hills of West Virginia quickly find themselves on the back foot as Confederate defenses on the Ohio River Valley are paved over by waves of massed artillery and bombing before being borne down upon by three communist field armies under their most veteran leadership, as well as the few remaining Federalist mechanized divisions able to push south from the Pennsylvania oil fields. A scratch field army peeled off from the fight in the north attempts to halt this advance but finds itself surrounded and fights to the death, inflicting huge casualties and setting the forest ablaze, but ultimately being destroyed under the sheer numbers of enemy

-On the way out, the Bushmen give one last middle finger to the rebels who have fought them for months and greatly undermined their defense against the red advance. Fake Patriot Cookbooks are distributed to the masses via air drops or simply left in mailboxes, ostensibly giving the recipe to a powerful crystalline explosive. The user simply mixes [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] and blows into the mixture with a straw. Those who fall for this find themselves inhaling toxic mustard gas. Another faulty design for murder-slinkies simply springs at its creator as he or she attempts to calibrate the spring

-A more organized retreat must ultimately be called in New York as well, as several million Federal troops carry out a counteroffensive that utilizes their sheer weight of numbers to force the Confederates back on a significant scale for the first time, though their casualties number nearly half a million in the effort. Many of the Federal reservists are seen armed with the M3 submachine gun, a hideous and inaccurate but effective gun meant to overcome the increasing difficulty in supplying their forces

-Many of the casualties in the Federalist advance are the result of rather treacherous activities carried out by the Confederates, who have no qualms about using the huge numbers of captured Federalist uniforms in their possession to send soldiers behind the lines and wreak havoc. Operation Cornflower is undoubtedly a war crime, but anything goes in a war where hardly any of the factions recognize the other as a legitimate government and all leaders know they will hang for treason if captured either way

-Knowing that he will likely not be able to replicate the intelligence coup of capturing the entire Federalist battle plan yet again, Russell orders a redoubling of code breaking efforts to try and intercept enemy communications through more conventional means. Though little success can be found without computing machines to rival those of the Federalists, lack of discipline among the Federal reservists still allows fake orders drafted by the Confederates to be circulated among low-level officers on several occasions

-As their joint invasion of the Carribean is undoubtedly going to trigger a greater response from the massive Union Navy and its Federalist ally, the Gulf and Confederacy collaborate more closely than ever to build ships and prepare for the onslaught. Two new escort carriers of the John Paul Jones class, join the three fleet carriers and a revitalized force of heavy cruisers and battleships to secure the Carribean gains against retaliation. Intelligence reports that this retaliation will indeed come soon, setting the stage for another decisive battle for the Atlantic

-On the coast, Confederate paratroopers make their first significant jump of the war, surprising and nearly destroying two divisions on the Delmarva peninsula and threatening to cut off Baltimore once again, whilst controlling even more of the eastern seaboard. This attack is preceded by a massive bombing campaign for this small strip of land, which makes the jump itself more of a mopping-up operation. In response, Royal Marines land in Wilmington, Delaware to liberate the city and keep a corridor open, the first major amphibious operation on this front

-One major lesson of the Siege of Baltimore and continued counter-insurgent campaign across Appalachia has been the need for more mobile firepower against fortifications and buildings. With nothing but ancient siege howitzers for this task, a new weapon is devised from the ground up, looking to rocketry after the success of the Theimer M01. A massive 8 inch rocket launcher is fitted into a casemate atop the chassis of a ubiquitous Panzer IV, with exhaust routed out the front of the gun. The “Grouch” is a whole new breed of heavily armored vehicle, classed as an assault mortar, and can operate in tight urban environments, though it is primarily designed for offensive operations due to the several minutes it needs to reload after each devastating rocket it fired

-Ever since the introduction of railways, the South has lagged far behind the northeast in railway mileage and technology, a major factor in its defeat in the last civil war. Having made the first significant expansions to the railway network since the second dissolution of the union, the Confederacy now seeks a modern beast of burden to ply the rails. In the basement of Washington Union Station, several Pennsylvania Railroad GG-1 electric locomotives are studied extensively and eventually hauled south as Southern Railway decides to invest in electrification of its link with the Gulf States, greatly improving speed and efficiency of the route. So long as it can be kept out of enemy hands, that is

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-No longer is the Republic of the Gulf an observer in the World War. With the communists joining the Allies and the invasion of the Franco-British and Dutch Carribean, Allred’s government now finds itself firmly in the New Order declared by Hitler’s Axis. Defense of the fatherland from the Bolshevik horde and evicting the European powers from its realm are now the business of the day as the war enters one of the most decisive phases for the Gulf

-In the defense of Oklahoma, the Gulf finds itself bearing the brunt of the communist assault as millions of hostile troops, no longer constrained by their neutrality against the Confederacy, surge through Texarkana into eastern Oklahoma like a tornado of steel. Having observed the rapid decline in USRA-Confederate relations since Operation Barbarossa, Allred realizes that the value of the Alamo Line as a bulwark against communism has declined rapidly and quickly withdraws most of his armor to cover this gap, undeterred by red feints against the line itself. Here they are able to greatly slow the communist attack with the assistance of the Confederacy’s own contingency plans in this area as the tanks fight in a burning landscape as dry forests are set alight. For a time, it appears that the attack will be contained beyond Gulf soil in the Confederate parts of Oklahoma as inexperienced red reservists take huge casualties against massively outnumbered Gulf units

-It all seems to come undone as the reds now unleash their secondary offensive, including most of their tank units and experienced troops from the west instead. The first major Texan city to be lost in the war to date is Amarillo, where a scratch defense is swiftly overcome by the massed tank formations before troops can be allocated to its defense. The reformed Gulf Armored Corps now finds itself struggling to keep a tightening vise from closing as both sides of the enemy offensive bear down on Oklahoma City. By the end of the year, the only open route into the fortress city is Route 77, where supplies and reinforcements face a gauntlet of long-range artillery and aerial strafing to relieve the defence as the dark clouds of burning oil wells often turn day to night

-The direction of troops between the defense of Confederate and Gulf territory is aided by a new joint Signal Corps. Sharing in the communication advances of the Confederacy, advanced two-way radios prove vital to battlefield efforts but potentially vulnerable to interception. Jointly-used cryptography and codebooks ensure interoperability of the two forces as the chaos of battle often means joint formations between the two nations

-Equally vital to the defense is the increased mechanization of Gulf forces. Often travelling across plains where proper roads may not be available or where enemy fire is sporadic, the half-track becomes an important focus as it offers good protection and towing capacity in combat situations. Automotive executives captured from the reds prove vital in the mechanization initiative, increasing factory output of these machines as well as more common trucks and tanks, which form the backbone of the defense keeping Route 77 open

-Stories of treason by refugees swirl on the home front as a wave of assassinations against Gulf army officers and soldiers rages behind the frontlines. The Gulf takes the most extreme measures of retaliation, directing most of its fury at former Opposition refugees, their names and places of dwelling all well accounted. Former Opposition men are dragged out and shot at night, often with their families as witness before these families are rounded up and shipped in trucks to “internment camps” in remote locations of Florida

-Despite the raucous situation in the defense of the homeland, Allred still spares significant resources for enforcing the Gulf’s foreign policy, planning long-term out of his confidence in the final victory. A major policy reversal on Mexico is first on the table as he tries to save face before his more important allies, the All American League. The Gulf quickly changes sides in this war, knowing that while a friendly Mexico will be difficult to achieve, a weakened and harmless Mexico is essentially a done deal. The 4th Mechanized roll south to assist the natives in their campaign, making short work of the campaign to take Monterrey before being loaded onto trains and shipped back north to defend Oklahoma City

-A far more drastic measure is the campaign to take the Carribean. Both Allred and Russell base this campaign on fears by military planner Lyndon B. Johnson that significant Franco-British holdings there are a major threat to their flanks. Under the Johnson doctrine, all nations not of the Americas are to be expelled from the Americas outright, putting the Gulf plainly in the Axis field and setting up a lengthy island-hopping campaign by Gulf and Confederate marines

-This campaign begins by proxy as Dominican strongman Rafael Trujillo is unleashed and given advisory support to take Haiti and gain lordship over the entirety of Hispaniola. This leads to a short and brutal campaign as the technologically superior Dominicans roll through the country and massacre any resistance. They will still be quite busy as a voodoo-based insurgency rages in the rural areas, with the machete being the main tool of this trade

-From there, the Gulf and Confederacy act more directly, launching an island-hopping campaign between the many tiny colonies of the Franco-British Union, encountering heavier than expected resistance as the largely black and hispanic populations have been told many stories by their current colonial masters of what to expect, and would much rather keep the old boss. The independent island of Puerto Rico, aligned with the Federalists but technically not subject to the Johnson Doctrine, puts up the fiercest resistance of all, as the Gulf Marines are allowed ashore with ease and then subjected to a hurricane of resistance in the remote hills of the island. Disappointed with the cost in casualties that could be used to defend the homeland, Gulf warships now take to simply bombarding the smaller island capitals into submission, and often the mere threat of this is able to force the enemy to surrender

-Much of this is done in the name of drawing out the Union and Federalist Navies for the purpose of a decisive battle that could see them crushed once and for all. However, aside from a few warships such as the HMAS Sydney and a few destroyers and submarines, not much is encountered. It is feared that the Union Navy is holding out to deploy some sort of ace card, such as a new class of warship

-The minor skirmishes and shore bombardments do provide ample opportunity to test the Gulf’s latest technical innovation, one that is an ace card in and of itself, the Mark II Fire Director. This fully radar-based system uses the latest computers available to the southern states to provide trigonometric firing solutions at a rapid pace. Its prowess shines greatest against aircraft, as Gulf destroyers pair the systems with their 5-inch guns to take down several attacks by Bristol Blenheims based at Nassau

-With the Carribean largely secured by the Gulf and its Carribean allies, Allred finally shifts his attention back to the home front. Even as the battles in the sea are still ongoing, he hosts a conference in Havana to form a Gulf-Carribean collective, which is joined by Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Panama as they formalize their alliance on the basis of anti-imperialism and anti-communism. This quickly turns to Allred asking for military assistance from these allies to repay his naval assistance to them, a request received rather nervously by the heads of state as the Dominicans deal with continued insurgency and Panama sees the left-wing PDP’s reversing fortunes as cause for alarm. Batista, on the other hand, is rather enthusiastic about crushing communism and volunteers what Gulf propaganda calls “The Cuban Division” to fight for the security of Texas

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-News of the USRA’s alliance with the remainder of the Allied Powers is met with great despair as the Free States of America finds itself isolated from its closest ideological companions. Though this leads to an increase in defeatism for a time, the complete absence of an offensive by the reds against the Free States for the remainder of the year imparts hope that perhaps Browder has bored of fighting them in favor of the more popular war against fascism. Many hope this is the beginning of an extended reprieve from the brunt of the enemy forces. Nevertheless, both sides continue to trade bombs as Free States aircraft attack communist supply lines and the ALAF responds by chipping away at fortifications in the Rocky Mountains

-Newly elected President Aaron Kimball of Nevada takes advantage of the relative calm to begin enacting his vision for the Bull Moose Party’s version of America. Secretary of Banks Elias Drudge releases the radical “Drudge Report”, which takes significant steps to increase the scale of government welfare and involvement in society far beyond what the libertarian government originally designed. School children receive free milk and school meals to aid their growth and development. Most controversially, collaboration between the union shop and factory bosses on benefits is encouraged, a move which helps to eliminate strike and improve productivity slightly, while driving some of the most hardcore libertarians across the border to Cascadia

- Realizing that the vast lands of the Free States have a tiny population in comparison to its neighbors, a conscious effort to increase the birth rate is put forward. Based on ideas from the thousands of Finnish migrants, expectant mothers are sent a “Maternity Package” which can be used as a crib and contains nappies, formula, and other infant essentials

-Tying these reforms together, and with the state governments in hand under the single banner of the Bull Moose Party, the Coalition of the Free States is officially rebranded as the Free States of America, news that is remarked upon dryly in areas still under Federal control

-With the war now largely up against the Rockies, the only area that sees any movement in the war of attrition is North Dakota, where the fall sees probing attacks launched by the Free States against the now defensively-postured communists. Not designed to change the lines of battle in any significant way, these attacks instead keep the reds alert and exhausted, sometimes being as simple as a single sniper taking potshots at an enemy command post

-More significant is the campaign in the air, Operation Dehousing. Continued from the summer, this new phase introduces an awe-inspiring new weapon, the Cruise Missile Version 1. This autonomous aircraft uses the pulsejet engine invented by the Gulf in conjunction with a basic gyroscope and a carefully measured amount of fuel to guide the missile to a target within a 175 mile range and plunge a 1,500 pound bomb which airbursts via proximity fuze. Hundreds are produced, and while one of the most unreliable weapons in the Free States arsenal, they are impossible to intercept and devastating when they strike their targets. Dubbed the “Maybug” due to its loud buzzing noise while in flight, they kill hundreds in occupied cities such as Fargo and Wichita

-With fewer aircraft committed to this front by the communists, the campaign as a whole focuses on bombing raids against airfields to force air superiority and open corridors for raids on industry. With this largely accomplished, partially escorted raids are carried out against major industrial targets. From bases in North Dakota, B-24s are able to raze Minneapolis, Duluth, Des Moines, and Kansas City in the daytime. At night, the bombers strike Chicago and as far west as Indiannapolis. Though effective, these raids are incredibly hazardous due to communist radar capabilities, and the furthest raids consume more bombers from shootdowns or crashes than can be built with the current capacity of the Free States aviation industry

-The missiles and bombers are aided significantly by The Sorrows, the ever-persisting insurgents of Joshua Graham. In addition to sending smuggled messages about bomb targets and Battle Damage Assessments from their safehouses, the insurgents go so far as to carry out a sort of hearts-and-minds campaign deep in enemy territory. Food destined for military rations factories is often hijacked by The Sorrows after derailing trains or holding up trucks on the highway. Seizing a bit for their own sustenance, the remainder is given out to any members of the populace who will risk being seen taking it, which is not hard to do in the rural areas. On rare occasion they even manage to tar and feather members of the civilian police who they kill, melting away before backup can arrive. Despite these small successes, they are dwindling in numbers from the length of their campaign and bounties on their heads

-The Combination Record Analyst imported from the Federalists a year ago is produced in significant numbers for use in factory management and government accounting. An electrician at the Phoenix manufacturing plant where these bulky devices are made finds that the most time and space consuming aspect of these machines is their point-to-point circuitry. He proposes instead pre-printing these circuits on ceramic boards using conductive materials. The result is a much smaller and cheaper version, surely a boon to all the various aspects of the war effort that require effective use of gathered data

-A less nuanced technological advance comes as Moose Armories of Cheyenne successfully mates the .30 short cartridge with a revised BAR M1940. Their “BAR-42” is much more controllable than the battle rifles that have preceded it and sticks to existing designs for many of its parts or simply scales them down. Much more portable to the average soldier than even some bolt-action rifles, this is a truly revolutionary design and the cream of the crop in infantry weapons, as is demonstrated during probing attacks taking place not far from the Cheyenne workshop itself

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-For the interests of the West Coast Protectorate, the shift of the war eastward presents a development that is equal parts convenient and possibly problematic. President Taylor is now able to proclaim to his nation that the fatherland is safer than it was at the start of the year, safe behind the bulwark of the Rockies and with the reds taking on more and larger opponents. On the other hand, this means his nation is now a co-belligerent of the Axis, sending Japanese machines to war against nations that maintain neutral relations with Japan, something that must be explained away with mention of the Protectorate’s total independence from Japan, at least on paper

-Hoping to underscore this and appease the Japanese, Taylor makes a journey of several months across the Pacific to the other major nations of the Pacific Co-Prosperity Sphere. He comes bearing gifts, namely the advanced Grizzly medium tank. Several of these are doled out to the Siamese and the dual Chinese regimes under Wang Jingwei and Puyi. More importantly, they are cautiously granted to both the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy to avoid the appearance of favoritism

-With the war eating up resources, President Taylor takes the opportunity to negotiate several trade deals, in particular with Manchukuo and Siam. In exchange for light industrial aid, valuable morphine is offered up by Puyi, while Siam trades natural rubber from seized French plantations for gold bonds. Though the most distant part of the Co-Prosperity sphere, Karufornia has much to offer to its partners, and so long as Japanese toes are not stepped on, it can continue to diversify its portfolio of natural resources

-In the absence of the President, the Public Order Agency uses this stable period to draw the public’s attention to what it considers to be the activities of the model citizen, participation in the arts and sciences. The latter is emphasized with particular zeal, with none other than the great Nikola Tesla dragged out for a televised lecture on electricity. Many gather to watch his presentation, but Tesla is essentially senile and spends most of his time ranting about blasting communist planes out of the sky with a death ray before he is quietly escorted off stage and replaced with a more conventional talk about atomic theory by one Mr. Oppenheimer

-Diversions and foreign affairs aside, the war to the east continues for the men of the WCP and their allies fighting in the field. Attempting to be an arsenal for these allies, tanks and artillery are shipped to foes of the communists, though the Confederates are for the moment absent from this list until Taylor can return to define their relationship in the conflict. The Type 99 machine gun, complete with its bayonet, becomes a focal point of arming its own forces, as the Californian expeditions are highly mobile and essentially brought wherever the enemy is in the absence of an immediate threat to the fatherland

-The prolific A6M is also distributed in great numbers as licensed production ramps up. Though well-armed and maneuverable, the unarmored Rei-sen begins to show its age against the communist Thunderflash and MiG-3. Still, they are capable in ground-attack and patrol bombing roles, taking this weight off of other forces in the area

-Arms are also distributed in great numbers to Yiska’s forces fighting the fascist Synarchists to the south, throwing a bone to neighbor that is known to fight with great ferocity and building ties with the budding Provisional Republic. Most of these are machines that have been phased out by the WCP but still greatly outclass anything brought to bear by the Mexicans, and these arms are a game changer for the All American League in its determined assault. Tanks are painted to resemble various predators of the desert by the indigenious soldiers of the AAL for operation in an environment where psychological warfare does more damage than camouflage, with eagles and coyotes among the creatures adorning their sides

-Having observed the success of the Free States forces in the field after desegregation, commanders of the Protectorate Army decide to follow their lead and integrate their forces. Though the Japanese observers view blacks as some of the lowest of the low, the brass are still able to set their own rules for this, and it once again presents a chance to show the independence of WCP policy. This decision is one of many that are targeted at ending the aristocratic hierarchy the Protectorate’s military was more or less founded upon and encourage merit-based order as more and more young officers are able to distinguish themselves in the field. Of course, experience is still not the only dimension, as political reliability still goes a long way in a satellite nation

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-What began as a rather brazen incursion into Mexico by an enraged chieftain has now escalated into a full-blown civil war. With assistance from the AAL and surprisingly the Gulf, the AAL is able to engineer a popular uprising against the Synarchist government over much of the north through a training program and direct assistance that continues to preoccupy most of the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi’s small but potent force

-As the Valdes government in the north continues to grow and strength and organize, the AAL throws its full weight behind his new Provisional Mexican Republic, which aims to restore the center-left government that not long ago was ascendant. Though relations with this government are very good for the League and the AAL, Yiska’s longtime Gulf ally finds itself having icy relations with the provisional government, and he spends many a long night worrying if these tensions may have an impact on the League’s efforts in the near future

-In western Mexico, where local revolutionaries and AAL fighters continue to slog south, the scale of the battle snowballs as they continue to gain recruits but encounter larger and more organized Synarchist forces. These are most troublesome in the rural parts of western Mexico, where the Jefe’s base of support lies. This is embodied by a bloody street fight in Durango, where the natives take many scalps at the cost of hundreds of their own. Much the same can be said for the rest of the drive south at this point. The advance is nearly out of steam as it reaches the ultimate objective at Guadalajara, where it expects it will have to fight a bloody siege. They are surprised to instead find the city already under siege, the urban residents and police having defected to the side of the PRM. Arriving behind the enemy assault, Provisional Republic and AAL forces are able to relieve the siege and secure a major waypoint on the road to Mexico City

-The expected counterattack fails to materialize, as the Synarchists realize they can inflict the most casualties by attempting to rely on this base of fanatical support to hold the south and make the pro-Republic forces fight town by town, in some respects using the enemy’s tactics against him. The ferocity of the struggle leads to two new battalions being called south to assist the thinning forces and replace casualties. In many cases, sniper and machine-gun fire scatters the less disciplined revolutionaries and the AAL soldiers are made to carry some tough battles. Seeking to prevent repeats, many Mexican units end up having an NCO directly appointed by the AAL, which the provisional government must begrudgingly accept. Yiska remains confident that he will soon be able to fully entrust the Mexican people with their own liberation

-In addition to raising and training forces loyal to the new Provisional Republic, the AAL uses local vehicles and materials to instruct these forces in the creation of improvised armored vehicles, which prove handy in the fast-paced tactics of the rebel forces. The latest addition to this arsenal, created in response to increased use of improvised bombers by the Synarchists, is the Rattlesnake anti-aircraft platform. A less armored vehicle designed to provide protection behind the immediate front, the Rattlesnake takes a flatbed pickup and adds a mount capable of carrying four M1917 machine guns on a joint swivel, which is more than capable of taking out most of the stick-and-string biplanes they might encounter through sheer volume of fire

-Some thought is spared for the home front as Yiska must assuage his people of their fears and preserve confidence in their leadership, which he does through radio broadcasts that sends his voice and those of other Great Council leaders over the airwaves. This helps assure the tribes back home that victory is on the horizon for their sons and brothers, though much more significant relief comes from the United Socialist Republic’s decision to focus their war on the Gulf and Confederacy rather than drive into their undermanned homeland

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-Alaskan oil continues to be a lifeline to the Federalists and a boon to Canada, no matter how little can be extracted, and in return both continue to ship arms westward. Unable to fuel its entire Army Air Force, the Federalists spare several dozen P-40 fighters and a variety of infantry weapons for the Alaskans, as well as sought after landing craft for the specialist operations. Not all of the oil reaches the final destination, however, as several of the oil trains are unexpectedly derailed deep in the Canadian wilderness, leading to the loss of several tanker cars worth of oil

-Having received both the M2 automatic carbine and M1 Garand from the Federalists in the past, a tool shop in Anchorage is tasked with finding a way to combine the automatic fire of the M2 with the devastating punch of the Garand’s .30-06 round. After some finagling, the result is the M10, one of the first of a new breed of “battle rifles” capable of select-fire. Though it is not remotely as controllable as the M2 during automatic fire, the M10 has a 20-round magazine and no significant downsides over the M1 Garand, and provides the automatic fire option for suppression or close quarters engagements

-Seeing the success that the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi has had with encryption, Inuit are recruited in the dozens to serve as code-talkers for all sorts of operations. As the AEAA operates primarily in secret, these are invaluable and used on the most covert missions. In many ways these code talkers are even more difficult to beat, as their language is equally impenetrable but isolated to the remote north thousands of miles away

-Alaska’s population continues to take up immigration from disaffected people in the United States and the world over with its promise of freedom from the wave of authoritarianism that has swept much of the earth. The main source of immigration continues to be Californians opposed to the Protectorate, but the crackdown on former Opposition families in the Gulf leads to hundreds of new arrivals evading the authorities and making for Alaska due to fears of extradition by the Free States. Holdouts from Hawaii and the Philippines also continue to arrive, but most surprising is a ship of Frenchmen from Japanese-controlled Indochina, who have heard of the shipments of oil coming from Alaska and choose to seek permits to prospect here rather than in the deserts of Africa

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SOCIAL SECURITY AND SOCIAL REFORM IN AMERICA

BY ELIAS DRUDGE
(page 84)
…therefore as per the preceding chapters laid out in extensive detail, we make the following recommendations to tackle the great evils that plagued America prior to its dissolution and played one of, if not the biggest role in the events that led up to the brutal civil war now afflicting us. These five evils are as follows:

WANT: Rates of poverty worsened considerably post 1930 and most Americans have seen living standards decline since. Low living standards and the decline of most of the industrial working classes into penury were directly to blame for the collapse of law and order in America and the rise of extremist political movements. If we are to prevent a repeat of this, it is key to eliminate poverty postwar, a power that is within our capabilities technologically and perhaps now politically. This will require an extensive reworking of social insurance and its expansion to prevent the unemployed being thrown into poverty by poor luck and to make possible those on the bottom rungs to begin their climb into the middle class necessary for the bedrock of a stable republic.

IGNORANCE: Racial animiosity has little improved in the past 15 years, and in some instances has gone into major reversal since the re-enslavement of the negro population of the south in large numbers. Rural populations in particular lack access to modern facilities such as telephones and radios, while the comprehensive education offered to city dwellers is not universal. We propose universal education provided freely til the age of 15 and highschool education for all. Rather than a focus on general skills as under Roosevelt last decade, postsecondary education should be catered by states and businesses to cultivate a skilled workforce focused to their particular needs.

DISEASE: Extensive outbreaks have returned to America with the war as large populations move about and soldiers are in close proximity for extended periods. Expanding vaccine development and national efforts to tackle diseases are a priority. Although smallpox has been largely eradicated, there is still room to eliminate diphteria and malaria from our borders with little additional effort. Measles, mumps, rubella, polio, and a multitude of others are presently incurable and no vaccines exist, but it is hoped that in the future this could change. We advocate an expansion of medical research and vaccination programmes. We may yet need to visit health insurance, as universal coverage in one form or another will be necessary in the coming future.

SQUALOR: Most of the American population has moved to urban environs in recent years, and growing populations put strain on existing infrastructure. Efforts to promote the growth of suburbs are impractical due to fuel and automobile shortages and the need to retain people close to their places of work for the immediate future, and so the cities must be made cleaner in the interim. As clean water became widespread in the 19th century, so too must clean air be made a priority. Most homes and cities still burn coal and wood to heat water and homes and provide energy. Recommendations include installation of solar heating units, a ban on ”smokey” fuel burning within urban areas, new furnace and stove regulations, etc. Also key is to improve public access to parklands and establishment of urban allotments for the growing of vegetables.

IDLENESS: After wars there are traditionally major economic recessions due to the redundancy of workers employed in wartime industries and lack of goods to buy. To this end we propose to maintain high levels of employment to manage a transition from wartime to peacetime industry and to pay out bond dividends in steady installments to maintain economic activity. Should this be successfully made there will be considerable resources available for reconstruction efforts and the latent skills and talents of so many Americans now employed in war may be utilized to far greater and noble causes. There is time yet to see every man in America made a king.

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