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Anjwalker: Just wait. It'll get worse. Before it'll get better. If it gets better at all.
Vaya con Queso: We've got one more update. No one said it'll be the same as RL.
TKFS: Ahistroical? Heh. Just you wait.
Prince of Savoy: It won't be pretty. At all.
Jape: The Japanese don't think, they just attack. And Attack. Then attack. And finish with some attacking.
Omen: Indeed it is.
Mech610: Isolation is splendid.
Aliasing: Yeah, Russia decided to stomp Georgia for no reason. Well, they had cores there but still.
Vaya con Queso: We've got one more update. No one said it'll be the same as RL.
TKFS: Ahistroical? Heh. Just you wait.
Prince of Savoy: It won't be pretty. At all.
Jape: The Japanese don't think, they just attack. And Attack. Then attack. And finish with some attacking.
Omen: Indeed it is.
Mech610: Isolation is splendid.
Aliasing: Yeah, Russia decided to stomp Georgia for no reason. Well, they had cores there but still.
A great read as usual. I wasn't prepared for this story continuing beyond the 1936 mark, but it seems only logical that we'll be able to see how California takes part in shaping the modern world post WWII...
Carr: 1941 - 1946
With Europe slowly descending into organized chaos, President Carr met with President Knox in San Diego to try and sort out the problems in Europe. It was with no doubt that both the Empire of Greater Japan and Hitler's German Reich posed a great threat to the freedom of the world, as well as the livelihoods of the Californian Republic and United States of America. The only problem is, with France fallen and Great Britain not willing to help the allies, they were forced with a daunting decision. They had to find a way to somehow support the liberation of Europe, while at the same time protecting both of their shores, mostly California's from the expansionist Japanese.
In Europe, trade between the German Reich and Great Britain flourishes, with Germany purchasing aircraft, engines, and machinery needed to help the German War effort. Although little fighting was going on at this time, one could only speculate at what Hitler was thinking next. Many thought an invasion of Sweden or Yugoslavia would be next.
1. German Soldiers in France using British-made Aircraft.
What no one thought was that Germany would try such a daring attempt at attacking the American mainland. By having the British turn a blind eye, the Germans moved large amounts of aircraft to the French Caribbean, which placed them in striking distance of Florida and other American possessions on the Atlantic Seaboard. A three-pronged surprise attack took place in America. With bombers and fighters coming out of the Caribbean, they attacked Miami, targeting the city itself as well as military targets. To the North, Bermuda was used by German bombers and planes to launch strikes on the Norfolk Naval Yard, and bombers over New York City. All of this, without a declaration of war, shocked the nation. An attack on the mainland, from a European Power, was inconceivable. Yet Germany had nearly leveled the Norfolk Shipyard, and wrought massive civilian damage on New York City and Miami. It was on November 18th, 1941 that the United States of America declared War upon the German Reich. The Kingdom of Italy and Empire of Greater Japan soon followed with their own declarations of War against the United States.
2. German fighters flying over the Atlantic Ocean, towards Norfolk Naval Yards, Virginia.
In the Californian Republic, the Congress met in a joint-session with the President to discuss what could be done at this point. While debating on their next move, the Congress closed on December 6th, 1941 without much of an idea as to what would be done regarding the Fascist Powers. On December 7th, however, all of that changed. What started as a quiet morning at the Pearl Harbour Naval Base in Hawai'i, soon turned into a devastating event. Japanese Fighters and Bombers appeared over the horizon, intent on striking and sinking the Californian Navy, who was fully stationed in Pear Harbour at the time. Unable to muster the needed planes fast enough, the Japanese quickly overwhelmed the Californians, outright sinking 75% of their Pacific Fleet, and damaging the rest of it. This massive blow to the Californian Republic was worsened when news of Japanese hostilities against the outer islands of the Californian Republic sparked an instant burning outrage in the Californian Congress, and the country. That night, on December 7th, the Californian Republic declared War upon the Empire of Greater Japan, followed suit with Germany and Italy declaring War upon California.
3. CRS Triumph after being hit by Japanese bombers.
A massive effort by the Californian Republic was soon underway. They had to be fast too, as the Japanese were already starting assaults on nearly every single Californian island. Thousands of soldiers died trying to defend Californian land, but the fast Japanese soldiers were relentless. Without a Navy, California had to rely on the Home Fleet to steam out from San Diego and San Francisco to even try to defend some of their islands. Garrisons surrendered and were slaughtered by the Japanese. In Californian New Guinea, the larger force was able to hold out against the Japanese onslaught for about two months, before they were forced to retreat into the jungles of the Australian-owned territory. To help combat the Japanese, a huge propaganda campaign was enacted, in a bid to try and shore up donations and recruitment.
4. A popular propaganda poster issued by the Californian Government to rally support for the War.
In Europe, the United States was desperately trying to find an entrance into the fighting, with the minimum amount of casualties. A cross-ocean amphibious assault was out of the question, and now that the German Army had run out of enemies to shoot, there entire focus would be on the United States. That was all until March 7th, 1942. It was on this day, that the normally peaceful Soviet-German Border had erupted into chaos. The Soviet Union launched a surprise attack into the German Reich, quickly overrunning some of their positions. The Germans, who had large numbers stationed in France, quickly reacted by shifting soldiers to the East. The Soviets, on the other hand, had the upper hand. With the Germans retreating, the Soviets were able to push deep into Poland, overrunning East Prussia by the Summer of 1942. As German reinforcements finally got to the field, Soviet Soldiers marched through Budapest, shattering the countries resistance to the surprise attack.
5. German Soldiers in Poznan as Soviet Soldiers close in.
Reactions from the United States were of great relief, they had a new front open, making it possible for them to win the War. However, when a message was sent to Joseph Stalin for the possibility of an alliance, it was rejected on all accounts, saying it did not need the help of the Capitalist United States to subdue the German Reich, and spread the revolution to Europe as a whole. It was these words that troubled the United States. It seemed as though the Soviet Union was using the invasion of Germany as a justification to shackle the entire continent under it's heel. Great Britain, so far neutral, offered a secret alliance to the United States. Should the German Reich fall, and the Soviet Union take over Europe, both nations would agree to declare war upon the Soviet Union, to liberate Europe from Communist rule.
The Californian Republic, only interested in Japan at this point, paid no attention to the events in Europe, and instead used its newly mobalised army to being a campaign of "Island Hopping" where only strategic islands were targeted to be invaded and put back under Californian control, in a bid to try and restore order to New Guinea and eventually try and make their way to the invasion of mainland Japan. This in itself was daunting, but even more so was the Island Hopping. Every island they passed knew had some Californians on it, yet still it was forced to be under the jurisdiction of the brutal Japanese. Every island they went to, they heard the horrors of the Japanese Soldiers and what brutal methods of torture and information extraction they had. Near the end of 1942, only a few islands had been regained in the conquest to winning back New Guinea.
6. Californian Marines fighting in the jungles of the Pacific.
As 1943 opened, fighting became even more fierce, as after a year at war, the Californian Republic had turned its economy over to the war effort, churning out planes, bombs, ships, guns, ammunition, supplies, and anything that could be used for the war effort. It was working too. The influx of supplies started to slowly turn the tide. Australian Marines in New Guinea forced the surrender of the last Japanese regiments, officially taking control of New Guinea once again. The Japanese East Indies, however, remained a problem. The Australian Military, strong as it was, decided that the only thing they could do to help the war effort was to invade the Japanese East Indies. The Californians, however, surged Northwards, trying to reclaim as much lost land as possible, to protect the sizable populations the Pacific Islands had. Still as more and more islands were recovered, more and more the brutality of the Japanese was seen. Some island's populations were cut in half, or even completely gone. Still, the Californians were slowly turning the tide, making the Japanese more and more brutal, but more and more on the defensive and retreat.
7. An areal view of an explosion on Truk Islands, being liberated by the Californian Marines.
In Europe, 1943 signaled the death kneel of the German Reich. Soviet soldiers had been able to break through on all fronts, using their numerical superiority to overcome the Germans. A three-week long siege of Berlin reduced the city to rubble and ashes, which was the scene of frantic street to street fighting. Adolf Hitler, already run out of two of his lairs, was captured by the Soviet Army and quickly arrested and put on a mock trial, where he was sent to a Soviet prison on false charges. With Berlin fallen, all operations of the German Reich were moved to Hannover, to be governed by the new Chancellor of Germany, Joseph Goebbels. French Partisans had wrecked havoc on his supply lines and Vichy France had already declared War upon the German Reich, with the intent of liberating the rest of France. Goebbels agreed to sit down with the Soviets to agree to a ceasefire. An agreement was supposedly reached, and while the Germans laid down their arms, the Soviets charged even more fiercely, forcing the absolute surrender of the German Government, as well as all of their possessions. Only moments before the official surrender was signed, Stalin issued a statement recognizing German control over France, the Low Countries, Austria, Bohemia, Denmark, and Norway. When the treaty was signed, the Soviet Union was legally granted those territories.
8. A Soviet soldier raising the Communist Flag over the Reichstag in Berlin.
This startling turn of events caused the secret treaty between the United States and Great Britain to go into effect. Before any public declaration was issues, the two countries asked if the Soviet Union, now having defeated the German Reich, would offer freedom to the countries that had previously been annexed. The short answer was a no, and this was enough to get the American and British diplomats to leave the room and walk out on the meeting. Several days later, on November 18th, 1943, the United States of America and Great Britain declared War upon the Soviet Union. The Californian Republic, however, still sat on the sidelines and pounded away at the Japanese forces, managing to turn the tide in the Pacific. Californian and Australian soldiers finally made a breakthrough on Borneo, capturing several divisions of Japanese soldiers, before they were able to commit suicide. After years of not controlling Californian Borneo, the Californian Republic finally claimed ownership of the island once again.
Moving Northwards with their eventual goal being Japan itself, California launched an attack into the Japanese Philippines, which was still heavily defended, and suffered severe casualties. Even the first beech landings were wrought with dead Californians, cut down by Japanese machine guns. They continued to push though, finally gaining a foothold in the Southern islands. Once supplies and air cover began to arrive, all of Mindanao soon feel under Californian control. The next big push was dislodging the Japanese Navy from the Philippines. The Californian fleet steamed into the Leyte Gulf, their Aircraft Carriers far behind, to engage the Japanese forces. Two battleships had been able to close the gap between the two fleets, and was able to put one of their aircraft carriers out of commission, leaving only two more against California's three. Wave after wave of bombers and fighters were sent out, with the express concern of destroying the Japanese carriers. The capital ships dealt with each other, exchanging salvos of fire, until a Japanese plane slammed into the flagships, the CRS James Harrison. Many thought this was just a mistake, until yet another plane, not even hit, was aimed directly at the Harrison's bridge. The captain and most of the senior staff were killed in these attacks, even though the other two Japanese Carriers were sunk by Californian planes. This marked the beginning of the Kamikaze Missions by the Japanese.
9. The Californian Fleet making its way towards Leyte Gulf.
With the Japanese fleet retreating to the home islands, capturing the rest of the Philippines was easier than expected, as the Japanese soldiers were cut out of supplies. The fighting was still brutal though, and very few prisoners were taken, as the Japanese would either fight to the death or commit suicide than be captured by the Californians. News of the horrible treatment of the Filipinos quickly spread, especially after the Californians entered into Manilla. The city itself was leveled, destroyed by Japanese brutality. The civilian population wasn't treated much better. But, by the end of January, 1944, all of the Philippines had been captured from the Californians, cutting off all supply to Japan's other colonies and occupied territories to the South.
In conjunction with this, Australian Marines began to clean out some of the other islands previously ignored. This was to ensure that a full Japanese rout was done of the Pacific Islands. With the Philippines in allied hands, more islands began to fall, and faster. The Battle of Guam took place in early May of 1944, where the Japanese were swamped off that island, and removing the last significant base of operations the Japanese held outside their home islands. An attack on the Japanese Mainland was soon eminent.
10. A Californian Marine rescuing a Filipino girl who had been injured.
In Europe, the United States of America had shipped over thousands and thousands of men and machinery to Britain for the invasion of Europe. Word came that the German resistance was willing to work with the United States and Britain. The French resistance said the same thing, and a loose coalition of Americans, British, Germans, and French united to try and help defeat the Soviet menace. For the Americans, the Supreme Commander of all American Forces in Europe was General Dwight D. Eisenhower. The British had Bernard Montgomery, the Germans had Erwin Rommel, and the French were led by Charles de Gaul. A formal Treaty of Peace was signed between the allied powers, and Germany. They accepted Post-World War I borders, with the exception of the Rhineland, as the official territory of the German Reich, and agreed to drop all claims of land elsewhere. General Rommel had an idea of how to break the Soviet defenses in France, having inside knowledge of the Atlantic Sea Wall, that the Germans built, he was able to pinpoint the exact locations that would be the weakest, and easiest to break through. The final location chosen was Normandy, opposed to the much easier, but better defended, Pas de Calais. Rommel admitted that Hitler thought any American attack would be from Britain somehow, and through the Pas de Calais, so that area was the most secured.
Operations started on May 18th, 1944. Bombers from England had pummeled away at the Pas de Calais, in an attempt to distract the Soviets into thinking that was where the real attack was coming. On May 20th, several thousand ships, carrying several hundred thousand, near a million soldiers, in the first wave to the invasion of France. The first wave was undertaken by American and German soldiers. Soviets, not too surprised by the invasion, used German-build bunkers and guns to defend the assault. News of the invasion spread quickly. Causing the Free French Resistance to break out into open rebellion against the Soviets. The Germans, now supplied from the Free French Resistance, also broke out, terrorizing Soviet supply lines, and making the passage from Germany into France nearly impossible. A small pocket of German control began to form, as shaky communications between Rommel and these soldiers was made.
The Invasion of Normandy continued, slowly establishing a beachhead against tremendous costs in lives. Wave after wave entered France, pushing the Soviets back. As the days dragged on, more and more of France was liberated by the Allied forces. Only a few weeks later, Paris was liberated, causing Charles de Gaul to proclaim the new French Republic, with himself as President.
11. The invasion of Normandy, using French, British, American, and German Soldiers.
With the invasion of France a success, and a clear path for the allies to fight on, they turned their eyes towards Germany, hoping to surge in and liberate that country. A second invasion of Southern France was underway, along with an invasion of Italy, which had fallen to the Communists. On all fronts, the Soviets were being beaten back, mostly because of the leadership of General Rommel, who used lighting tactics, and always trying to push the enemy. Allied commanders, seeing him command American and French soldiers, now knew why Germany was able to rush through France and force their capitulation. In Northeastern France, Rommel was faced with an ironic twist. He was fighting on the same ground he fought 4 years ago, only this time he was pushing in the opposite direction. The next challenge was to overcome the German Siegfried line, built to try and protect against a French invasion, but now used by Soviet forces to try and slow down allied troop movements.
12. Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel after Operation Overlord.
With fighting in Europe intensifying, the Californian Marines announced that Iwo Jima and Formosa were fully under Californian control. Marking an end to Japanese domination of the Pacific. The only problem now was the Japanese mainland. While supplies and manpower were gathered for the invasion of Japan, American scientists made a break through in bomb-making technology. A massive bomb, capable of leveling hundreds of buildings and killing thousands, was secretly announced to the Californian government. In all interests of time, the Empire of Greater Japan was doomed to fail. Their forces in China were being beaten back, and the Australians and Californians were able to remove their Pacific Empire. President Carr met with President Knox for discussions over the usage of this new "Atomic Weapon".
While the weapon had not been tested properly, President Carr made the tough decision to accept the bomb from the United States, and use it against the Japanese, in hopes it would be powerful enough to force their surrender. On August 19th, 1944, when the Emperor was giving a speech about how the War must continue, Californian planes loomed on the horizon. The Japanese felt that, them being so high up, were just recon planes, and didn't bother using their limited resources to chase after them. At 11:39 A.M., the Californian bombers released a single bomb, the Nuclear Weapon, over downtown Tokyo. It was in flight for just under a minute, before slamming into the ground and creating a magnificent and devastating explosion. The city of Tokyo was completely destroyed, as well as some of the surrounding areas. Millions around the world were shocked by this nuclear technology.
An intern Japanese government, headed by cabinet ministers who were not in Tokyo at that moment, decided to sign an instrument of unconditional surrender to the Californian and Australian forces. All Japanese forces in China and Korea laid down their arms, the absolute might of the Californian Republic was finally left, unchallenged, in the Pacific Ocean. Not keen to deal with the division of territory now, the President Carr ordered that until there was peace in Europe, all territorial boundaries would remain as is.
13. The Mushroom Cloud from the explosion over Tokyo.
Following the capitulation of Japan, the Californian Republic announced its Declaration of War against the Soviet Union. Although mostly symbolic in nature, the Californian Republic was able to shell some of the Soviet Union's Pacific Ports, and even launch an invasion of Vladivostok. Soviet forces were spread out and not concentrated in the Far East, allowing the Californian Republic to have a good hold on the area. With Californian involvement in the war almost done, the United States called her ally to send soldiers over to Europe, to participate in the invasion of Germany.
President Carr naturally obliged by such a request, and Californian veterans and recruits were shipped over from the mainland, over the US transcontinental railroad, to be loaded on a ship and sent off to France by November of 1944. The Californians soldiers, used to working year round, were surprised in the winter months when the snow bogged down the entire military effort. As the spring of 1945 finally appeared, the Californians were the first to push into Germany, taking heavy casualties, but nevertheless took control of the Rhineland, and the important Rhur area. General Rommel was welcomed as a liberating hero, along with the other supreme commanders. General Frank Walsh, the commanding General of all Californian forces, was welcomed into the "Big 4" of commanding Generals, and helped to coordinate allied liberation efforts.
14. Californian Soldiers crossing the Siegfried Line into Soviet Occupied Germany.
The Soviet Soldiers, however, decided to put up a defensive at the Rhine River, trying to block all Allied advanced possible. But now that the Allies had breached Germany, the Free German Army was starting to re-form, along with more French divisions, giving the allies a numerical advantage. The Soviets were able to hold out on the Rhine for a week until German engineers set up pontoon boats and fixed one of the bridges leading over the river. A massive surge of allies forces then started to spread out, the Californians and the Americans took the centre, the French and British took the South, while the Germans focused on liberating the North, all for an eventual convergence on Berlin to liberate it, then start to move east towards the Soviet heartland.
15. British Commandos assaulting the Soviet Soldiers on the opposite bank of the Rhine.
The Germans reached Hannover, where they were able to recruit more people for their new army, now de-Nazified under the leadership of General Rommel. A government for Germany was needed, so the Federal Republic of Germany was founded, with the official capitol in Berlin, but the temporary capitol was in Hannover. General Rommel was elected to be the fist President of the new Germany, which he accepted, but maintained that the military must keep a good control over the country until the rest of it is liberated from the Soviet occupiers.
The French and the British had great success, liberating Austria and placing it under military occupation for the time being, until driving into Hungary, where they were met with fierce resistance by Soviet soldiers. A general stalemate developed around Budapest, that lasted well into the summer months, until finally the Soviets needed to break away and retreat to the east, because the constant flow of supplies and manpower from the Allies simply could not be matched by the Soviets.
In the centre, the Americans, Californians, and now the Germans all converged for an assault on Berlin. This was a several week affair, reducing the city to even more rubble than it was before, until the Soviet flag was ripped down from the Reichstag, and replaced with a flag of the old German Empire, signalling that Germany, in some form, was back in control. With the news that Berlin fell, Soviet soldiers were told to do a General Retreat, pulling out of Germany proper, and into Poland. The allies felt they had the Soviets on the run, and it was necessary to push them further, until they agreed to an Unconditional Surrender.
16. German soldiers fighting in the ruins of Berlin against the Soviets.
On the home-front, Elections in the Californian Republic were around, and President Carr, weary after all these years of War, finally capitulated and agreed not to run for President again. In a dangerous move, he tossed up the Presidency to be fought over, although only two candidates signed up for it, Alexander Smith of the Californian Conservative Party, and Nicholas Trimble of the Progressives, both agreed to carry on the war effort, but differed slightly on their ideals for a post-war world and the management of the economy.
With the Soviets on the defensive, and Germany mostly liberated, and President Carr being from the Californian Conservatives, Alexander Smith was elected by a wide margin over Trimble, after President Carr had wearily endorsed him. As the fall months closed around the soldiers in Europe, Warsaw fell to the Allies, with a General Rommel triumphantly proclaiming the independence of Poland, now and forever. A new Polish government was founded, and a treaty of friendship and the cession of war between Germany and Poland was signed.
17. New Polish recruits walk by a house in the newly liberated Warsaw.
With the Soviets still looming large on the horizon, and the allies just now reaching towards the edge of Soviet territory, the Californian Republic must go into this with a new President, untested in war, but a Senator on the Armed Services Committee. The United States still had Frank Knox, and President Knox met with President-elect Smith to hammer out some last minute details of the war and the continuation of some allied agreements. As President Carr slept in the President's House for the last time in December of 1945, he knew he was handing off the reins of government to some inexperienced in war, but still someone who understood what he was doing. It was up to the new President now, to finish this war, and bring a lasting peace to the world.
Previous Update: Carr: 1936 - 1941
Next Update: Smith: 1946 - 1951
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Author's Note(s)
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[*] - Stay tuned folks, this is just the first part of a two-part update, all in the same day! Here we went through the bulk of WWII, but there is still more ahead! Stay tuned!
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Well, you've skilfully compressed a number of events that usually take an AAR into a single update... I surelly look forward to the second half of this
Fantastic alternate history. I'm interested in seeing how the aftermath plays out as well.
Smith: 1946 - 1951
On January 1st, 1946 a monumental event took place, the transfer of power and authority in the Californian Republic during a war. While much of the country was geared towards defeating the Soviets, an ugly issue was starting to rear its head, one that President Smith needed to address. That was with the Pacific Islands, and the final regard to Japan. In his inauguration speech, he reaffirmed California's commitment to the War in Europe, and stated that he would be hosting diplomats from Japan, for final regards to the situation of their territorial integrity and their new form of Government. An intern despotism had formed, and that needed to be changed.
1. Alexander Smith, Seventeenth President of the Californian Republic.
Meeting with the Australian Prime Minister, Robert Blightly, the Californian Republic issued a declaration, of the new makeup of the South Pacific. The island of New Guinea would remain split, with the northern half going to California and the southern half going to Australia. The former Japanese East Indies were to be split between three powers, California, Australia, and the new independent nation of Indonesia. With regards to the Philippines, it was to be placed under Californian occupation as the semi-autonomous Philippine Republic. California would only collect some taxes and provide for the general defense of the nation. Representatives of the Philippines agreed to this, and the only thing left was the home islands and earlier conquests. Formosa was given back to the Chinese, along with Manchuria and all other Japanese conquests. Iwo Jima and the rest of the Japanese Pacific Islands were split between Japan and California, while Korea became a new country in itself, the Republic of Korea. The only thing left was Japan itself. Using California's military occupation of the country, they drafted a new constitution, and set up a system similar to California's. On February 17th, 1946, the Republic of Japan was officially signed into existence by President Smith's signature on the new Japanese Constitution.
Meanwhile, in Europe the allied forces make another push against the entire Soviet line, dislodging them from East Prussia, and into the Baltic states. The liberation of Poland was still well underway, with the allies making rapid progress, despite the cold winter. The Soviets, although well supplies from their factories, could not keep up with the constant supplies being poured into Europe from the United States and California. Being outproduced, and out manned, caused the Soviets to be pushed further and further Eastwards.
2. American engineers in Poland, during the last few months of Winter 1946.
The long slog into the Soviet Union finally eased up after the spring melt had gone away. Now the Soviets were on the full defensive and retreating from the allies. Germany and France had now fully functioning Governments once again, while Poland was just starting to get off the ground. The combined arms of Germany, France, the United States, and the Californian Republic were just too much for the Soviet Union. The idea of a Communist Europe, and a Communist World Revolution, look increasingly far-fetched for all the powers involved.
On May 19th, 1946, the first step into truly Soviet territory was made by the German IV Corps, with little fighting, and just a sense of relief from the local population, the indication that Stalin wasn't telling the truth about life in the glorious Soviet Union became evident. As they advanced further and further into the country, talks of Liberation and new Regime were in the air. From behind enemy lines, and showing up in Californian-occupied Vladivostok was Alexei Nikolaevich, their heir to the Russian throne, and son of the long-dead Tsar Nicholas II. The Californian Republic learned that the Tsarevich had escaped from a prison camp in Siberia, as reports had flowed East of the allies liberation. He was looking for the possibility of a return of the Russian Monarchy.
3. A German soldier about to go fight on the frontlines in the Soviet Union.
When the Californian Republic proposed this to the other allied powers, a slight weariness was expected, it was the Monarchy, after all, that breed the Soviet Union. They did agree though, that a Monarchy in Russia, with a constitution and still a democracy of sorts, would be acceptable. Holding off on any proclamation until the Soviet Union was sure to be defeated, the allies kept up their fighting, while the Soviets kept retreating.
In the Ukraine, French and British soldiers broke through the lines, and advanced deeply into the heart of the Soviet Union. Aided by new German divisions, an attack on Stalingrad was proposed, to try and cut off all oil supplies to the Soviet Union. The Germans attacked the centre, while the French and the British attacked from the sides. The Soviets were able to hold out for two months, until they finally capitulated and retreated, leaving the valuable city under control of the allies. Oil supplies were soon cut off, and send westwards to aid the allied powers. The Soviet Union was now without oil, and her war machine seemed to finally be winding down.
4. German soldiers during the Battle of Stalingrad.
In the North, a joint German-Finnish assault on Leningrad causes the age-old city, the seat of the Tsarist Government, to fall to the allied forces. Removing the Soviet Flags from the city, and replacing them with flags of the old Russian Empire, seemed to signal that something was happening, and this was relayed back to Moscow, where Stalin ordered the murder of all remaining members of the Russian nobility, especially the Tsarevich. When he was not found, the Soviet leader was said to be in a fit of rage, and ordered that he be found under all costs. He maintained that the Soviet Union would never fall, and he would never allow a Russian Monarchy to return.
Even as Leningrad fell, the former German leader Adolf Hitler was found in one of the cells. He was stripped of all his powers and sent westward, to be dealt with in Germany. The war was not popular, and everyone was pointing to him as the entire cause of it. While he was hailed as a man who pulled Germany out of the brink of despair, he was castigated for his actions in Warfare. Thus, he retired to his home in Bavaria, holding little to no influence in Germany anymore.
5. Soviet soldiers during the capture of Leningrad, seen retreating from the city.
The allied invasion drew closer and closer to Moscow, to the point where artillery from the allies could hit buildings inside the city. With supplies now getting low, and oil completely gone to run their tanks, the Soviets hunkered down in Moscow, hoping that an assault in the South could free up the oil fields and bring the army back to victory. Stalin still held his hopes high that another counter-attack could be pulled off, and the momentum could shift to the Soviet Union.
Everyone but Stalin knew that this had no chance of happening. The allied soldiers in the south had been pushing Northwards, towards Moscow, all the while capturing and killing many of the Soviet forces. The only hope the Soviets had now was to somehow make sure the allies did not capture Moscow, as it was the last fortress remaining, and it's capture would lead to the capitulation of the Soviet Union as a whole.
6. The women of Moscow building tank traps to slow the allies down.
As the winter approached, the snow fell early. This was bad for the Soviets, as they no longer had the fuel needed to heat the homes of the people, as well the soldiers. All remaining fuel was sent to the Soviet tanks, in a desperate hope that they could be used to break out of the allied encirclement. It was to no avail, however, as allied soldiers simply brought their own tanks online and destroyed the Soviet's hopes of a new tank war to bring them out of this mess. The Soviet Union had one big counter-offensive left in them, it was dubbed the "Battle of the Bulge" as thousands of Soviet soldiers and tanks streamed out of Moscow and created a bugle into the Allied lines. The Soviets were low on fuel and supplies, and could not capture anymore. A reinforcement by Californian soldiers pushed the bulge back in, and started the final siege of Moscow.
7. The Soviet Counter-attack during the Battle of the Bulge.
Fighting in Moscow was a horrible affair. It was brutal, street to street fighting that simply never ended. The Soviets were making the allies bleed for every step they took. Ambushes were common, but the constant drive of manpower from the allied side beat back the Soviets over and over again. Around December, half of the city was in the hands of the allies, but the Kremlin still stood as a fortress to which the allies need to capture. Inside was Stalin, and the Soviet Government. The allies pushed even more, against the snow-covered backdrop, to try and win the final push, and the final victory. Stalin was seen giving a small speech to those gathered in the Kremlin. He had finally admitted that the war itself was lost, and it was only a matter of time before the allies would push into the Kremlin.
8. A Polish soldier fights in the siege of Moscow.
A few days later, word had gotten out that Joseph Stalin, Dictator of the Soviet Union, had committed suicide in his Kremlin office. The intern leader of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev, announced that he was surrendering all remaining Soviet Soldiers to the allied powers. He agreed to sign an unconditional surrender of the Soviet Union, leaving it up to the allied powers of what to do with the land, and her government. The final treaty was signed on the 18th of September, 1947. Finally ending the eight year long war, now being called "World War II". Meeting in Stalingrad, now renamed to it's old name of Tsaritsyn, the allied powers issued the Tsaritsyn Declaration, stating that all areas now owned by the Soviet Union were now owned by the renewed Russian Monarchy. The state was renamed to the Tsardom of Russia, with Tsar Alexander IV as Tsar of all the Russians. The world autocrat was removed, and the allied powered announced that Russia would hereby be a constitutional monarchy, with a Parliament and working system of government. Also in this, were provisions for the freedom of the Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan and the Baltic states of Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia.
To celebrate their victory over the Soviet Union, and the end of the war, the allied powered held a victory parade in the Red Square, attended by the new Tsar himself, as well as the "Big 5" Generals. Millions cheered for these soldiers, now treated like liberators, as they parade captured Soviet flags and emblems through the streets. The world finally seemed to be settling down, after years of hardened wars.
9. Allied Parade in Red Square in Moscow in early November of 1947.
In Germany, General Rommel stepped down as the intern President and Chancellor, allowing the first free elections to take place since 1933. The Reichstag elections were held, resulting in the Centre Party gaining a majority, and electing Konrad Adenauer as the new Chancellor of Germany. He pledged that no longer Germany would treat France and the United States as evil powers, but as freinds in a mutual relationship. While France was still weary of a strong Germany, Chancellor Adenauer responded with an alliance, which France accepted. The only problems now was the fact that from Normandy to Moscow, Europe laid in ruins. A devastating war that cost the lives of over 80,000,000 people, civilians and soldiers, Europe needed a plan to recover, before the ideals of radicalism and communism could take root in these shaky Democracies.
10. Chancellor Adenauer announcing the Franco-German Alliance in the summer of 1948.
To respond to these calls, the outgoing President Knox assigned his Secretary of State to devise a plan with the Californian Republic to try and figure out a method of returning Europe to prosperity. He came up with the idea of simply sending supplies overseas to try and get people back to work, producing the needed materials needed to run a functioning Government. President Smith agreed to such an idea, and he undertook the project as the Marshall-Smith Plan, where handouts were given to workers and citizens so they could spend money in the marketplace again, to give people an incentive to go back to work, hoping to jump start the European economy. From France to Russia, all nations received money from California and the United States. This was only the first stage of the plan, however, it soon turned into needing more than just money, some places needed food and other supplies they could no longer obtain.
11. American Secretary of State George Marshall, founder of the Marshall-Smith Plan.
By the summer of 1949, the Marshall-Smith Plan was finally involved in handing out materials and food to people who could not get it themselves. This was done in the form of airlifts in some places, like Moscow, which had many of the connections to the city cut off still from the War, and little ability to repair it. Building supplies, food, coal, oil, and other essentials were airlifted into Moscow, hoping that this would ensure the survival of the new monarchy, and that the everyday people would be able to get back to work, and flourish in this new environment.
Political stability was the general feeling all over Europe. With Russia and Germany having new governments, much of the old fear in Europe was gone. There was no longer any appeasement, there were no more ethnic claims of other provinces, as all of the Polish citizens in Germany were moved to Poland, and all of the Polish were moved to Germany, as well as countless other population exchanges. Everyone had their own plots of land where they lived, and many cultures were now fully represented under their national flag.
12. An American C-54 lands in Moscow, bringing much needed supplies.
For the remainder of 1949, and the beginning of 1950, a sense of freedom came to California. Most of the soldiers from overseas had returned back home, more and more immigrants were arriving each and ever day, and more land was being opened up for more citizens to settle in there. Californians spread their homes from the Mainland to Borneo, as the jungles were tamed and towns put up, becoming as Californians as the Mainland itself. While some natives did not like the Californian occupation, many accepted it as the new way of life. The Californians respected their culture and way of life, and gave them the freedom to do what they have normally done for years, only it had to confirm to Californian Law. The Philippines turned out to be great allies, with their President being made a member of the Californian Cabinet, and many of their local Senators rising up to serve in San Diego as national Senators.
As the election of 1950 turned the corner, President Smith graciously bowed down, allowing the Californian Conservative Party's candidate Walter Cummings and the newly formed Freedom and Democracy Party's candidate John Sardinskas battle it out for the Presidency. President Smith campaigned for Senator Cummings, but felt that his time in politics was done. He had seen over the end of World War II, the deadliest war in Human History, and had to live with the fact that California, in more ways than one, was one of the Strongest nations on Earth, topped only by the United States of America. However, the United States abandoned its Nuclear Program, while President Smith signed to keep it, making California the only Atomic-Weapon equipped nation in the world, essentially meaning it was the most powerful.
Governor Sardinskas eventually won the Presidential election, ending the Conservatives long grip on Presidential Power. President Smith congratulated the President-elect and finally sat down in his office one last time and watched as workers put his own portrait up on the wall, commemorating him as the seventeenth President. He gazed around at the portraits, John Walsh, the leader of the Rebellion and first President of the Republic. John Wagner, the man who took California and set her off on the right path, acting as an independent nation. Joseph Stephens, the man who presided over the Gold Rush, and met an untimely end. Walter Giddings, the first believer in the Empire of the Pacific, and a strict Imperialist. Johnathon Hensdale, who oversaw industrialization and the rise of California's industrial might, while at the same time forgoing expansion. Jeremiah Williams, who saw territorial expansion and industrial might as necessary for the countries future. Wade Baxton, a misguided politician who in his heart believed in the glory of California. James Harrison, the infamous trust-buster and most well known imperialist, expanding California's land by huge swaths. Andrew Jamous, the kind-hearted philanthropist who brought morality and kindness to the national office. Richard Orleans, a child of Harrison's ideals, and ardent supporter of industry and commerce. Seymour Wilcox, the nation's first and only Socialist President, who brought sweeping reforms, many of which are still in effect today. Woodrow Wilson, the man who was able to bring the Californian Republic through the first World War, and keep the country together. Richard Dawes, forever known as the man who created the current constitution, and created a better California. William Arthur, the man who was able to pull the country out of the Great Depression and establish themselves as stable before any other nation in the world. Calvin Carr, the previous President and the man who had overlook the bulk of the Second World War. Then finally, he starred into his own eyes, enshrined on the walls of the Presidential Office. He was the one who finally helped to end the War in Europe, and return the Californian Republic back to safety and peace. Knowing he shared the same chair as the men in front of him, he could not help, as to feel humbled, of this nation, born of small beginnings, had stretched out further, went faster, and achieved more than any other nation on Earth. He was proud to be a citizen, and a servant, of the Mighty Californian Republic.
13. Map of the World in 1951.
Previous Update: Carr: 1941 - 1946
Next AAR: The Rise of a Giant - A Lithuania AAR
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Author's Note(s)
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[*] - Well, here it is! The end of this AAR. It has been a long way since the very beginning, having only about 14k pops. But here we have California emerging as one of the most powerful countries on the Earth, and being the only one to use a Nuclear Warhead. While WWII was not at all in game, and just a figment of my imagination, one could argue that this was entirely made up. But, I disregard the naysayers and sit back and hope all of you enjoyed the 126 years we traveled with the Californian Republic, from Wagner to Smith, it has been a journey. I wouldn't have been able to do it without my faithful readers, and I thank you. It has been a joy writing this AAR, and I hope you all will look out for my next ones in the future.
- Frymonmon
This was such a great AAR, I enjoyed reading it and keep up the good work on the next one. 
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It's not often we get to see such good writing come to a tiding ending. Thanks for the great ride!
Although WW2 wasn't a part of your actual gameplay, I for one am glad you incorporated that titanic struggle in your top-notch story, bringing it to a great close.
Now for that Lithuanian AAR...
Now for that Lithuanian AAR...
Congrats on managing to finish such a great AAR so well. I had a lot of fun along the way. Gonna read your new AAR right.
I don't think I have enjoyed or stayed with as great an ARR as this one. You have given us a history-story that I feel stands as a perfect example of why we all love this game. Well done.
An epic story with a fantastic end, loved how WWII was different yet recognizable to the 'real one'. A lot of detail in your AAR, meaning you spend countless hours reflecting on the world you created. Most impressive.
Thank you
Thank you