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SibCDC

Emperor of Gallispania
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Nov 4, 2015
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Hello and welcome to my third AAR. This time, I take on the challenge to tell a story in Hearts of Iron 4, but with a major twist. Instead of covering the 1930s and 40s, this AAR will follow Cuba during the 1960s, at the height of the Cold War. In addition, this AAR is part of my Kaiserreich Connected Universe, checking out my other AARs part of that universe might help in understanding this one. But for those who don't have the time, here's a quick summary:
In the Second Weltkrieg (1939-1941) the Entente and the Reichspakt defeated syndicalism in Europe. In the following conflict, known as the Second Great War or the Tripartite War (1942-1945), Germany, Japan and Austria were defeated by NATO (a reformed Entente) and Russia. What followed was a new international situation in which Europe was divided between NATO countries and Russian puppets. The world had found itself in a Cold War between the US and Russia.​

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SibCDC's Kaiserreich Connected Universe (KCU):
Phase One:
"In Flanders Fields" - Belgium
"Pigs treat us as equals" - Canada & US
"The Golden Circle" - Cuba
"The Path of Peace" - India
Phase Two:
"Gott mit Uns" - Prussia

You can recognize chapters which are relevant to other AARs in my Canon, by the little flag icons underneath each chapter's title. The same goes for chapters in my other AARs relevant for this story. To recognize them, look out for this icon:
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To make this AAR possible, I used the Cold War: Iron Curtain mod, but with some changes to the world map and the exclusion of certain event chains. If you have any questions about other stuff I changed, feel free to ask. For the story's sake, I do not fear the use of the console or custom events. The game mechanics have the most influence on the industrial and military aspect of the game. Anything in the field of politics won't be represented in game.

With that out of the way, I hope you all enjoy this AAR and I hope the 'twist' plays out nicely.

Table of Contents:
Prologue: Caribbean Sunrise (25th of March 1938)
Chapter I: Americano (20th of January 1961)
Chapter II: Old Cuban (21st of January 1961)
Chapter III: Blood and Sand (22nd of January - 19th of August 1961)
Chapter IV: Dark 'n Stormy (20th of August - 5th of October 1961)
Chapter V: Smith and Kearns (6th of October - 27th of December 1961)
Chapter VI: Churchill (28th of December 1961 - 2nd of January 1962)
Chapter VII: Agent Orange (5th of January - 26th of May 1962)
Chapter VIII: Moscow Mule (27th of May – 30th of November 1962)
Chapter IX: Cuban Missile Crisis (1st of October - 31st of December 1962)
Chapter X: Apocalypse Now (1st of January - 14th of December 1963)
Chapter XI: Cuba Libre (15th of December 1963 - 2nd of July 1964)
Chapter XII: El Presidente (3rd of July 1964 - 24th of January 1965)
Epilogue: Cuban Breeze

Chapters relevant to Cuba in my other AARs, in chronological order:

Pigs treat us as equals Episode VII: End of the Beginning (1st of January - 3rd of June 1938)​
 
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Hooray, looking forward to another great story! :)
 
Will follow
 
So the South will rise again?o_O
 
Hooray, looking forward to another great story! :)
Will follow
From what I've been spoiled already I'm curious to see how this one will go. Subbed.
Thank you all for being with me again.
So the South will rise again?o_O
Who knows what will happen? Don't forget the 1960s is the period of the Civil Rights Movement in the US, in this AAR, it will play a very important role.
 
Prologue: Caribbean Sunrise
Prologue: Caribbean Sunrise

25th of March 1938

5 a.m., 25th of March 1938, Bahia de Cardenas, Cuba. A small boat enters the bay under the cloak of darkness. On board is Huey Long, once the leader of the American Union State, now a wanted war criminal. He is accompanied by his most loyal followers, the elite of his own militia, the Minute Men. Most of them are the sons of Long’s associates in the secret organization called the Knights of the Golden Circle. The Knights supported the Confederates in the First American Civil War and went into hiding after the North won. Since then, they had secretly gathered resources to start a second American Civil War in the former Confederacy. They had tried, but they did not succeed in reviving the dream of an independent South. Now, Long has fled to Cuba with his tail between his legs. He has some friends in the Caribbean country, some very influential friends. They will help him in trying to achieve his dream of a Golden Circle.​

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On the beach, Huey is received by a man wearing a military uniform. It is Señor Fulgencio Batista, the man who is pulling the strings in Cuba. Batista leads Long to his beach side property, where he pours a drink for his old friend. The two discuss politics in the US and in the Americas in general. Long tells his friend that he is hopeful about the future, although he hasn’t been able to win the civil war, the syndicalists probably won’t win either, now that McArthur can focus entirely on the Combined Syndicates. Batista argues that the US would now probably make sure syndicalism ends not only in the US of A, but also in Europe and that together with the French and the Canadians, they will fight the Internationale. That means that the US will be distracted and that Huey and Batista can do whatever they want in Cuba, but for now, Huey has to lay low. The two talk for the rest of the night, until finally the sun pokes it head just above the horizon. “This is what we call a Caribbean Sunrise, mi amigo,” Batista says while looking out onto the Gulf of Mexico, “but Huey, my friend, I have prepared a bed for you in my beachside villa. Take some sleep and when you wake up, we will give you your new Cuban identity.” Hearing this, Huey’s trademark smile appears on his face and he follows Batista into the house.

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When Huey wakes up, it’s already noon and the Cuban sun is heating the beach. Huey leaves his room, but forgets to put on his shoes. When his feet touch the sand, he burns them and screams out. “Ai ai ai, I’ll have to get used to this heat!” A soldier comes up to the American refugee and says with a thick Spanish accent: “Follow me, I get you papers, you sign, you become Cuban.” Huey follows him into a wooden building and sits down on the chair in front of the desk after the soldier goes to sit behind the desk. “Your new identity, not very original, Hu Wei Long, son of Chinese business man from Legation Cities and famous American actress. You came to Cuba after Japan invaded, you seek asylum”, the soldier says. “But I do not even look Chinese!” Huey shouts in response. “We have simple solution, Sanchez will take care of you.” Just after he says that, a fat man wearing no shirt enters the room with a pair of scissors in his hands. “What are you going to do?” Huey says somewhat frightened by the sharp tool in the clumsy looking man’s hands. “You need cover against nosy Americans, we give it” the soldier answers with a grin on his face. Before Huey has the chance to say something, the fat man starts cutting Huey’s hair.
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ONE HOUR LATER
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Long looks in the small mirror on the desk and sees that his beautiful hair has been reduced to a crappy short hairstyle. The soldier takes out a camera and a hat from one of the drawers and instructs Huey to put on the hat. Huey does so, and the soldier takes his picture with the wall as background. “Picture is for passport, Señor.” With stubbles starting to poke out of his chin, he surely looks rough on the picture. “I can see Chinese traits on your face now”, the soldier says, as he’s signing the new passport. He hands it over to Long and leaves the room with the fat man. Suddenly, Long hears two gun shots from outside of the building and after a few minutes, the soldier returns. “Man was too dangerous with information about you. I will be your guard from now on, I will live next to you and make sure no one finds you”, the soldier says while rubbing his hands in a towel.

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And so we meet Huey Long in his attempt to start again in a new country with new opportunities. The question is how long his disguise will last.
 
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Chinese? Haha ok. :D
 
Oh I am going to like this - Huey Long in Cuba
 
Wo Ho Ho Ho... :p:D Who knew that was ever coming to begin with?
 
A refugee, fleeing from his enemies... recognisable indeed if I may say so ;).
They're both aliens in a brave new world/universe.
Chinese? Haha ok. :D
It's mainly a pun on Huey Long's name being so similar to Hu Wei Long.
Oh I am going to like this - Huey Long in Cuba
I think there's a chance of him fleeing to Paraguay in the actual Kaiserreich mod.
Wo Ho Ho Ho... :p:D Who knew that was ever coming to begin with?
There have been things hinting towards his presence in the Caribbean.
 
Wonder if Huey will spark a crisis. OTL Cuba had tens of thousands of Soviet troops packed with tactical nukes that they could (due to intrigues) use against a US invasion. The Americans didn't know of this when they almost invaded them.

Wonder if something similar happen here and if the saber rattling develop into a war. Can't imagine USA just accepting Huey right next to them, especially if things are still shaky down south. Throw in Cuban nationalism and Russian interference and you got yourself quite the cocktail in this Carribean pearl.
 
Wonder if Huey will spark a crisis. OTL Cuba had tens of thousands of Soviet troops packed with tactical nukes that they could (due to intrigues) use against a US invasion. The Americans didn't know of this when they almost invaded them.

Wonder if something similar happen here and if the saber rattling develop into a war. Can't imagine USA just accepting Huey right next to them, especially if things are still shaky down south. Throw in Cuban nationalism and Russian interference and you got yourself quite the cocktail in this Carribean pearl.
Indeed all of these things will play out. Next chapter will have a time jump into the 1960s and we'll see how Huey managed to 'integrate' into Cuban society, along with the situation in Cuba and the US at the time.
 
Chapter I: Americano
Before giving you today's chapter, here's a quick call to vote in the 2018 Yearly AARland Year-end AwAARds. If you want to show your appreciation of an AAR that passed by this year, then this is the best way to do that. Voting is easy if you follow the instructions on this page. With that said, let's get back into the 1960s.​

Chapter I: Americano

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20th of January 1961
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STATUS OF THE AMERICAN SOCIAL DEMOCRACY
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During Q. Roosevelt’s three terms as President of the US, he transformed the US from a night-waking state to the beginnings of a welfare state. He introduced the 8 hour work day, subsidized health insurance, work health and safety regulations and much more. Roosevelt also founded NASA, the National Aeronautical and Space Administration, as an answer to the already successful Russian space program. Although there were still conservative members in the Republican Party who opposed all these reforms, the majority of the party accepted the much needed changes and saw the benefit they brought to the stability of the war torn country. The Democrats however were left with a lot of problems, how would they deal with all these reforms? Many of them initially welcomed them with open arms, because of the need to have basic social legislation. But after three Republican presidential terms, the Democrats had grown sceptic of social democracy. They thought that a good economy was the result of individual freedom and as much freedom as possible for companies. They would create wealth, not the government. In November 1952, Dwight D. Eisenhower won the presidential elections for the Republicans. He was more moderate than Roosevelt, but did not touch any of his predecessor’s legislation. Instead he, as a military man, focused on housing for army veterans and their reintegration into society. He also set up the Department of Health, Education and Welfare and made an effort to improve American infrastructure by constructing an interstate highway system. During his presidency, the Old Guard right wings of the Republican Party became a bigger problem, but by the end of his term, he had effectively dealt with them, in the words of Eisenhower himself: “I have just one purpose ... and that is to build up a strong progressive Republican Party in this country. If the right wing wants a fight, they are going to get it ... before I end up, either this Republican Party will reflect progressivism or I won't be with them anymore.” Eisenhower managed to get re-elected and continued his program. America’s first steps into space were also happening during this time. But after five terms of Republican rule, it became clear that they didn’t have an answer to everything. The Civil Rights movement became a bigger and bigger factor in politics, with a African-American even securing the Democrat nomination for Vice-President. Also, the growing conflict in Indochina was draining more and more attention of the US Military.
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NOW BACK TO HUEY
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After twenty years of living in exile in Cuba, Huey had developed a daily routine. The first ten years he had to cope with the Cuban soldier waking him up during his security checks. But Huey had gotten rid of him and had replaced him by one of his own trusted men. Now he can have a relaxed morning, reading the newspapers from Cuba and the US. The 68-year old man was disgusted by reading today’s newspaper. On the front page, everything about the new American president was covered. Ever since Quentin Roosevelt’s third term as President of the US, the exiled Huey Long had developed a real hatred for American politics. But things like a new president were not avoidable. Long still respected Eisenhower’s presidency from 1953 until 1961, because he proved himself an honourable man during the Second Great War. But now, on the 20th of January 1961, a young democrat from Massachusetts was inaugurated as the 35th President of the United States. And that young democrat was called Robert F. Kennedy. But that was not what was bothering Long. It was the name of the Vice-President which stood out more: Martin Luther King, a black dominee from Atlanta, his Atlanta, the Atlanta which once was the capital of the American Union State. In recent years the rights of Afro-Americans became a real issue in American politics. People like King advocated for equal rights with the Civil Rights Movement. Kennedy, a 35-year old Roman Catholic, was known to support the case and in a bold move, he announced his candidacy for the presidency with King at his side. King got inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s effort of unifying India in a peaceful way and decided to participate in politics. Many political analysers were baffled with the results, but what got Kennedy and King into the White House was more complex than any election before. Their electoral base was mainly the already existing Democrat electorate, this time combined with the black minority, along with American Catholics including the Hispanic minorities. It was a really close call in the end, but what drew many last minute voters to Kennedy was his more pacifist stand on the Indochinese War. His older brother had died in the struggle against Japan, and Robert wasn’t willing to send many more soldiers to die in another country’s war. Nixon was known for his willingness to keep US Forces in South Indochina for as long as the Germans were an active threat.

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The results of the presidential vote in the Electoral College. Fourteen electors refused to vote for Kennedy due to his support for the Civil Rights Movement (voting for Byrd instead), but Kennedy still had a majority of 300 against 216. The difference in the popular vote was closer, with Kennedy having 113 856 votes more than Nixon.

Now Huey turned to the pages that interested him more: news from the Russian sphere of influence. Joseph Goebbels, head of state of Prussia, had made another of his famous cabinet reshuffles. It was his way of thinning out political opponents and eventually finding a suitable successor. It was peculiar how national populist dictatorships destabilized after a transition of power. In democracies, the process of an election usually assured the smooth transition, but in a dictatorship, elections were out of the question. Even an internal election in the party could be seen as weak. Goebbels finally got rid of that brute Heinrich Heydrich and replaced him with a women called Leni Riefenstahl. Riefenstahl was an ambitious woman. She was a famous movie director before the war and Goebbels even wrote some reviews about her production back when he was a movie critique. But after Germany’s defeat in the Tripartite War, she became determined to rebuilt the country and one day restore Germany to its former glory, just like Goebbels wanted to. However, for some reason, she ended up in Prussia and started her political career there. As a typical example of a Prussian woman, she was able to sway any man into doing her bidding. Huey hoped he would have the honour to meet her one day. He was sure the connections of the Golden Circle reached all the way into the Russian sphere of influence, and maybe all the way to Moscow and Konigsberg.

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In other news, this time from Asia, Louis Ferdinand von Hohenzollern, son of the deceased Kaiser Wilhelm III and pretender to the German throne, was captured by the Viet Cong in the ongoing conflict in German Indochina. With Louis Ferdinand’s capture, it became clear that the German colonials were losing the war. US involvement in the conflict was limited, but still substantial. The US, under Eisenhower, had sent a small army to aid the Vietnamese Democratic Forces (VDF) and to capture German war criminals. And then there was also the Viet Cong, the syndicalists who were opposed to both the Germans and the VDF. Huey finds this whole Indochinese War an overcomplicated thing, but it is a distraction for the US and that means that soon, his plans can go into motion. Soon, Long would get the opportunity to take a spot in the Cuban House of Representatives in local elections. Batista’s coup in 1952 had halted the presidential elections, but parliamentary elections still continued as usual. Batista’s coup was in fact a result of Long’s scheme for power. Starting from 1944, Cuba had had some presidents who increasingly became corrupt. Batista used his popularity and his influence to take control and to promise a Cuba without corruption. The Cuban populace was easily convinced of his good intentions, but Long knew that this was the beginning of a dictatorship in the Caribbean. The future smiled upon Huey, it was time to step out of the shadows and once again enter the stage of politics in the Americas. And tomorrow, his friends of the Golden Circle would come to discuss their next move.
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LATER THAT DAY
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Agent Jameson had followed the rumours all the way to this remote village on the Cuban coast. People here spoke of an ‘Americano’, an American living amongst them, rarely showing his face. It was amazing how much you could get out of people, simply by posing as a traveling salesman in the latest American commodities. He quickly found the remote beach mansion the locals described. He took out his binoculars and looked for any movement, while lying on the ground. As he spotted a man through one of the windows, he immediately recognized his target. The rumours were true, Long was alive and well, right here in Cuba, right under the nose of the United States. He had to inform his superiors as quickly as possible. But before he even had the chance to stand up, he felt a foot pressing on his back. “Game’s over, who sent ya?” a man with a Southern accent said. A moment later, everything went black.

On the other side of the world, in Indochina, German High Command was in a state of complete chaos. Their leader had just been captured by syndicalist scum and they had not received any news from him yet. It was unclear whether they would use the Kaiser to force peace on the Germans or if they would just outright kill him. Anyway, they couldn’t afford waiting, as the syndicalists began a new offensive. A young diplomat called Ernest von Gibbenstein took the initiative as he sent a telegram to the Chinese Emperor, begging him for support against the anti-monarchist anarchists just south of the Chinese border. Playing into his fear for being overthrown, von Gibbenstein managed to convince Emperor Puyi that anarchists in Indochina could easily cross into China and rally the Chinese population against their Emperor. Emperor Puyi agreed to providing ‘volunteers’ for the Germans to fight against the syndicalists.

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Indochina is embroiled in a three way war between the syndicalist DRI (north), the democratic RI (south) and the remnants of the German Empire in the middle.

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Initially, I didn't plan to include the conflict in Indochina into this AAR, but because in OTL the Vietnam War was so important for the Cold War, I had to include it. This means however that I'll have to figure out how US involvement would be in this timeline and if the same dynamics would still play as in OTL. What do you think the position of Russia and the US are on this conflict? Keep in mind that the German remnant is essentially an enemy to both of the superpowers.

As for the US presidential elections of 1960, I decided to spice things a little bit up. I kept the outcome in votes (for example, the map I used is the map of the actual 1960 presidential elections). In this timeline however, JFK died in the war in the Pacific, and his much younger brother, Robert Kennedy, has taken up his role. Martin Luther King was inspired by the great Gandhi, who in this timeline was much more politically active than in OTL. I don't think a black Vice-President is unimaginable in the 1960s, certainly not in this timeline, as a Second American Civil War came with some very progressive ideas on the victor's side. All in all, I'd say this timeline's Kennedy has as much of a chance to become President as our JFK.
 
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I like the twist on the 1960 election.
 
I love that King became VP. If things go as historical(ish), he'll end up as the first black President too...
 
I like the twist on the 1960 election.
I love that King became VP. If things go as historical(ish), he'll end up as the first black President too...
The idea initially popped up when I saw the picture of RFK and MLK together. From there on, things started alligning perfectly and the RFK-MLK presidency was born.

I certainly have something special in store for MLK. Without spoiling too much, let me say that Lee Harvey Oswald will have a hand in it.
 
Will be interesting to see how Long will take control of Cuba, definitely now that he has just been detected by American spies.
 
International crisis in the making. Can also be interesting as it was only really post Cuban crisis that Robert Kennedy became the anti-war voice, during the early days he was actually not so peaceful as he later claimed.