The Decade Crusade
- Ship class names have been changed for aesthetic purposes.
Chapter 1 - Through the Pond
In 1940, the world stood at a crossroads. An uncertain future lay on the road and Canada was among the many world drivers. Certainly after the intervention in the American Civil War and the defeat of the CSA her path was set and with the American Union at her side, the Entente was out producing Germany and the International by 2-1 in all areas. Specifically, the Canadian War Industry was prepared for the task of defeating the Union of Britain. Much of the industry was spent on arming local militias along the coast, dissolving any fears of invasion by the Union or producing an entirely new fleet for the Atlantic.
When France invaded Germany in 1940, Canada was prepared to continue her preparations for the Liberation of Britain for another 4 years before mounting an invasion - but the prospect of Germany distracting even some of the British Navy was enough to draw the Prime Minister and the King into declaring war on the Union. The Canadian Navy was soon dispatched to patrol around the Isles and a fleet of transports larger than most war fleets was assembled and brought to Iceland where it would wait for the invasion of Britain. With 180 000 men waiting in Iceland, the Canadian Army was more than ready to tackle the 40 000 man shorter British Army. All that was needed, was for the Navy to clear the seas.
The Battle of the Irish Sea.
In early February, the Navy launched an attack in the Irish Sea, hoping to catch a Union fleet off guard and open a hole in the Union’s Naval defences. Unfortunately, the Fleet had stumbled upon the larger of two Union Fleets, containing 9 Labour-class Battleships and 4 Aircraft Carriers among other vessels. The much smaller Canadian Fleet would fight for the next six hours with Submarine fleets arriving to strike at the Union from below the waves. By the end of the day, the worn and damaged Canadian Navy retreated, a pair of submarines covering their escape.
Having lost only several destroyers, the Canadian Press claimed a major victory - in many cases exaggerating the action, bravery and number of enemy losses. Officially however, 2 Battleships and a pair of Cruisers were sunk with an Aircraft Carrier heavily damaged. Both fleets would soon recover, and the Union forces were bolstered with Australasian aircraft and naval vessels, having just made the voyage from the Pacific.
A second attempt to destroy much of the Union Navy in a single fight ended similarly. After 2 years of a Cat and Mouse around the Atlantic, Canadian Commanders cracked Union codes and attempted an ambush on one of their fleets - the code breakers had not been able to decipher which fleet was which - near Scapa Flow.
The Fleet which was preparing the ambush would later meet the Union 'Red' Fleet, the more dreaded of the two famous fleets ('Red' and 'Union'). At the same time, Union code breakers had found the Canadian reserve fleet, patrolling the Atlantic and the Bermuda Task Force, also on patrol. Sending the 'Union' Fleet to inflict a heavy blow, both sides were set to ambush the other.
Sinking of the UNS Republica.
The Canadian Atlantic Fleet sprung a successful ambush with the recently constructed HMCS Warrior sinking the Pride of the Union Navy, UNS Republica. However, besides the sinking of the Republica only a pair of cruisers and numerous destroyers were sunk while the Battleships escaped.
Meanwhile, the 'Union' Fleet sprung their own ambush near the Grand Banks. The modern carriers of the fleet met with the World War I era Bermuda and Reserve fleets, decimating the Bermuda Task Force and completely sinking the Reserve Fleet - essentially exposing the entire Atlantic Ocean to one of the Union fleets. Before the Atlantic Fleet sent word back to the Canadian HQ of it's success, it was being recalled to Boston for repairs and preparations to take on the whole Atlantic war by itself.
For another year, the Atlantic slugging match between Canada and the Union of Britain dragged on. In Europe, France had committed itself to too many fronts and was being pushed back on all sides by Germany, North Italy and Carlist Spain. The reason for their defeat is a matter of intensive debate between military scholars. Some believe that it was sheer genius on the German Commanders, baiting French forces into Flander-Wallonien and then smashing them into the coast while others believe that the terrain in Italy and Spain halted French actions - keeping them from bringing possible reinforcements to the German Front. Regardless of the reason, France had another year before her armies collapsed and she was defeated by Germany.
In 1943, Canada launched its most well concealed weapon throughout the war. An entirely new fleet armed with 6 Super-Heavy Royalist-class Battleships, 5 Victoria-class Aircraft Carriers and a great host of top of the line destroyers with light and heavy cruisers in tow. The fleet, called the 'Liberator' Task Force was dispatched to the Atlantic and made short work of Union Submarines scouting the Atlantic for easy prey. Lead by the famous HMCS Warrior, the fleet was instantly made a top target by the Union Navy who sent out the 'Union' Fleet to meet this new force.
Painting of the HMCS Canada and the HMCS King, two famous Battleships in the Liberation Fleet.
Despite the Superior Canadian presence and technology, the Battle of the Azores lasted several hours. Here, the Canadian forces proved their willingness to liberate Britain and they gradually smashed the 'Union' Fleet, knocking it's number of 8 Aircraft Carriers dozens of ships, to a mere 4 Aircraft Carriers - 3 of which were heavily damaged. At the Azores, the Battle of the Atlantic was effectively won by the Canadian Navy who now faced limited Union resistance in the Atlantic - further limited with the launch of German U-Boats from occupied France.
The Liberation Fleet returned home following their victory, resupplying and repairing the damage suffered by a Cruiser and the HMCS Quebec - sending the Atlantic Fleet into the fight once more. An unanticipated consequence of the focus on the Liberation Fleet was that the Atlantic Fleet had become outdated, something which the Canadian Naval Command failed to recognize when sending out the Fleet. While on patrol in the Irish Sea, the Atlantic Fleet met with the 'Red' Fleet of the Union.
Over a period of mere minutes, the Union Battleships decimated the Atlantic Fleet, sending all but a pair of outdated destroyers to the bottom of the ocean. The destroyers fled and before they reached safe waters, they were attacked an destroyed by Union submarines near Iceland.
An artist's depiction of the destroyers leaving the Battle.
For nearly a week, Canadian High Command debated what action to take. If it sent the Liberator Fleet after the Unions then it risked losing its entire Atlantic force. Eventually, at the behest of Admiral Nelles, the Liberator Fleet was ordered after the Union. After a month of chasing the 'Reds' Fleet and waiting for it to leave Port, the Liberator Fleet found its target. Lead by the HMCS Warrior, the famous flag ship of the Canadian Navy, the Fleet's hammered one another for a period of two days. As the fighting ended, the Canadian Fleet emerged victorious, chasing the 'Reds' Fleet to Dover before enacting a final revenge.
The Airplanes on board the Liberator Carriers struck at the Port of Dover, decimating the docked ships and obliterating everything in its path while the Battleships fired rounds to plummet into the harbour itself, destroying ammunition bays, fuel dumps and naval barracks. The victory over the Union Navy would be lasting - and the Canadian Navy would have command of the seas for the remainder of the war.
The Attack on Dover was highly successful and is known as the action which essentially ended the War against the Union. From 1944 onwards, the Union was living on borrowed time, waiting for the Canadian Invasion.
Chapter 2 - On the Road to Freedom ...
After 1944, the Union of Britain was merely waiting for the Canadian Invasion. With support for an entry into the war by Norway having collapsed, the Union stood alone - still Canada did not regard Norway as separate from the Union as others did. Many in Canada argued that the first step to Britain was Norway.
Preparations began in late 1944 and by the summer of 1945, the Army was prepare for their first invasion. Unlike an invasion of the Union of Britain, the Canadian Army was able to land at a major port which was undefended. Similarly for the Navy, Norway had an in tact Navy which was all harbored at a single port - allowing the Liberation fleet to blockade the harbour and destroy anything attempting to leave.
As the Army landed, it was found that many soldiers in the Norwegian Army were less than willing to fight and simply surrendered - something which would prove in great contrast with the Union troops.
With a successful landing in Southern Norway, forces quickly spread out using Armour to sieze Oslo before the Norwegians could react. Before the week was over, Canadian forces landed at Narvik, capturing a vital supply line from Norway to Britain and effectively paralyzing the country. The King signed papers of unconditional surrender and the Canadian Government invited the King to set up a democratic government for his country. The King accepted and Canada had little business in Norway besides housing its troops and awaiting the Invasion of the Union.
Back in Canada, developments were underway for the ultimate fire support in the Invasion of Britain. In the event that Canadian forces failed to gain a beachhead, the Country would receive a massive bombardment like none given on earth. While the King was skeptical of the idea, he no less supported it after some persuasion by the Prime Minister.
In 1946, an attempt at landing on the Union coast was made - once at Glasgow and another at Sunderland. Both landings failed and it was decided that Operation Zeus would be launched. In 1947, the full scale invasion of Britain with American Union support would begin.
Canadian vehicles beached on Sunderland in the 1946 attempted invasion of Britain. While the plan had been thought out well - the mission was originally conceived as a raid and not a full scale invasion. Regardless, traits of the mission would be used in the 1947 invasion.
Operation Zeus had been planned by both Canadian and American Union Army officials, most notably by Harold Alexandar and George S. Patton who both took part in the invasion. The plan was simple. Supported by the Ottawa Project, Allied forces would land on the beaches of Glasgow, Liverpool and Plymouth - Canadians would land at Glasgow before the Americans landed in Liverpool and Plymouth. After the initial landing, the Canadians would drive north and liberate Scotland before turning back to England and driving south while the Americans landed on the beaches.
In reality, the Ottawa Project would be used numerous times throughout the invasion of Britain - something which would later drive the Prime Minister to suicide and the King to an overwhelming sense of guilt. In 1947, the Liberation Fleet awaited in the North Sea for the order to invade Britain in Operation Zeus. On June 6 1947, the order was given to begin Operation Zeus.
Using the full force of the Ottawa Project, Canadian forces detonated nuclear devices over Scapa Flow, Liverpool, Birmingham, London, Plymouth, Norwich, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dover. The bombardment occurred early June 6, throwing Union forces across the Island into disarray with destroyed communications, radar and a total lack of government presence. Such a bombardment affirmed to the populace that the war was truly lost and convinced the Welsh and Scottish to insight uprisings awaiting Canadian Arrival.
As planned, Canadian forces landed successfully at Glasgow before driving North and capturing Scotland. Even as Scotland fell, American Union forces launched their invasion, capturing Liverpool and Plymouth with ease against the weakened, demoralized and out gunned Union defenders.
Despite this early progress, Union forces and extremist militia fought to the death on almost every occasion. This proved to be a major problem for Allied forces as they attempted to Liberate England. The Battle of London itself was not officially declared over until a year after it began when the last Communist command bunker was discovered underneath the city.
As news of final victory spread, the American Union and Canada agreed to territorial agreements - handing over parts of territory Captured by Canada in the American Civil War. Amongst them Chicago, a major political victory for Huey Long who extorted the city as a trophy of Allied victory and co-operation against Communism.
Even so, all was not well. When the King returned to Britain, massive public work programs needed creation and the inevitable reconstruction efforts would take years to complete. Due to that, and rampant crime rates, 200 000 Canadian troops remained on British soil to keep order and another 10 000 remained in the newly created Commonwealth state of Wales. The original plan for the United Kingdom was set to be 4 separate governing states of Ireland, Wales, England and Scotland who would come together in a Commonwealth Parliament in London alongside Canadian, Indian, Caribbean and South African officials - along with Australian Officials when the eventual Liberation of Australia occurred.
However the state of England and Scotland was such that they needed one another to function - at least until they had recovered from the effects of the Ottawa Project. Wales however was ready to follow it's original plan and became independent - vowing to stand by Canada for it's role in the creation of the independent Welsh State and Britain as a thanks to the King for agreeing to such an action.
Ireland however, was less willing to co-operate. Believing it had made empty promises, Ireland declared that the United Kingdom was dead and that the nuclear detonations by Canada only fueled the nation's blood lust. Ireland cut ties to both nations and demanded that Canada withdraw from the United Kingdom or face war.
Believing their President to be mad, the Irish people rose against him - out of respect for the promises of the Crown or fear of the Canadian Army and he was replaced by a man who would go on to bring Ireland into a Golden Age of prosperity, earning the thanks of the United Kingdom for his efforts of reconstruction.
In the Pacific, the war against Australia came to an abrupt and unexpected close. Seeing the destructive capabilities Canada possessed and the fall of the Union of Britain, the President of Australia signed an Unconditional surrender to the Allies before heavy fighting in the Pacific occurred. In an act of kindness not shown to those who lead the Union of Britain to ruin, the King of England and the Commonwealth pardoned the President of Australia on the condition that he refrain from entering politics and reside on Tasmania. Doing as asked, Allied forces never reached the shores of Australia before it surrendered in 1949.
The Second World War had ended with an Allied Victory. In America, Canada was the dominant power - able to out produce even the American Union. It would go on to be a major player in the world for the next several decades, promoting peace and intervening in conflicts between the Ottomans and Egyptians over the Suez, even brokering deals with the Republic of Russia and the Empire of Japan over the reintegration of Transamur into the Russian State.