Home Trending Latest threads New posts Developer diaries

The Road to Liberty - a U.S.A. PDM AAR

Jump to latest Follow Reply
  • We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
Show only dev responses
Nathan Madien said:
I am very much enjoying your approach to writing this AAR. :)
Click to expand...

I've read through a couple of other U.S.A. AARs and wanted to set mine apart - by focusing on the US going from a minor economy to the world's economic superpower. I'm glad others are enjoying this approach :D

Zorro said:
This is a thoroughly entertaining AAR. Your graphics are superb! Keep up the good work.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I was inspired by others that came before me - some of whom I've had the pleasure of working with in Vic2 multiplayer, such as philly_boy.

GreatUberGeek said:
Great AAR, especially for someone new to AARland! :)

A piece of advice: when using quotes, I find it adds to the realism of an AAR for game terms to be replaced. For example, when you had WH Harrison say "If we have room in the budget to commit half our forces to a conflict outside our own borders, we have more than enough for a tax break for our struggling middle class artisans.", the middle class artisans and tax breaks could be edited out for something like 'we have room for less taxes for the people, on whose backs America is built!' or something like that. Just my two cents. :)

Overall, a great AAR, can't wait for more!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion - exactly what I was looking for. Quotes are something I naturally have trouble with, as I rarely quote verbal speech in the writing I've done to this point. Thanks for the warm welcome!


Next update will arrive momentarily.
 

Click above to see a larger map.​

Notable Conflicts:

Anglo-Sikh War:
Belligerents:
united_kingdom_flag.jpg
vs.
CRVbQMM.png

Casualties: 14,388 UK (31%); 32,473 (69%) Sikh
Mix of costly Sikh victories and decisive UK victories.

This war is about to enter into year four. During the first two years of the conflict, the Sikhs won every single battle against the British redcoats and occupied nearly the entirety of northern India. Since then, the United Kingdom has sent its main European army and three quarters of its Canadian garrison into the fray, and have fought the Sikhs back to the Indian-Sikh border. It appears the UK will soon be the victors as the Sikhs have not won a battle in over a year.

tumblr_n2t9drcifZ1qe087co2_1280.png

Pictured: Battle of Aliwal; Costly Sikh victory; 1,547 UK casualties, 3,111 Sikh casualties.

Peru-Bolivian Liberation of Alto Paraguay:
Belligerents:
q2SDv2k.png
vs.
par.gif
and
50px-Uruguay.svg.png

Casualties: 2,430 Peru-Bolivia (47%); 2,762 Paraguay (53%)
Indecisive Paraguayan victories; Indecisive Peru-Bolivian occupation.

Chilean Liberation of Antofagasta:
Belligerents:
flag-chile.gif
vs.
q2SDv2k.png

No reports of troop engagements.

Argentinian Liberation of Jujuy:
Belligerents:
argentina_flag.gif
vs.
q2SDv2k.png

Casualties: 1,746 Argentina (33%); 3,514 Peru-Bolivia (77%)
Decisive Argentinian victories.

Canadian Rebellion:
Belligerents:
united_kingdom_flag.jpg
vs.
jbGgxG3.png

No reports of troop engagements.

tumblr_n2t9drcifZ1qe087co5_1280.png

Pictured: A sizeable force of Canadian nationalists have taken arms against their colonial masters while British troops were called to India for the Anglo-Sikh war.
60,000 U.S. troops were called upon to patrol the US-Canadian border to prevent the violence from spilling across U.S. borders.

Notable Inventions:

tumblr_n2t9drcifZ1qe087co6_1280.png

Pictured, from left to right: Pitts Threshing Machine, Iron Bowstring Arch Bridge, Muzzle-Loaded Rifle Armament




tumblr_n2t9drcifZ1qe087co1_1280.png
tumblr_n2t9drcifZ1qe087co3_500.png

The economic boom in the States seems to be subsiding as a Chinese depression sends shockwaves throughout global markets. China, having the world's greatest export-based economy, now grapples with opium addictions spreading throughout its southern provinces. In just one year, its economy shrank nearly 17%, causing worldwide silk and tea shortages, among other things. An economic recession is said to have spread all over Europe, with Russia's economy being among the hardest hit - likely due to major reductions in the traffic of Chinese goods to Europe. The Americas have not yet been significantly affected by this recession, though it is expected to in the coming year. In positive news, the U.S. unemployment rate fell to 12.2%, down from over 18%.

Denmark was forced to declare bankruptcy in August after defaulting on a number of loans. The United States government, being the senior creditor to Denmark, is currently negotiating sale of the Danish West Indies - particularly, the island of St. Thomas, in exchange for forgiving the debt. It is unlikely, however, that the Danes will agree to this proposal, and both sides have put their navies on alert in case the U.S. presses its claim. The U.S. sent a delegation to France last month to apply for naval access in Dunkirk and will likely station the First, Second, and Third Squadrons in Europe to pressure the small Scandinavian nation into ceding its holdings in the Caribbean. Europe watches eagerly as the situation unfolds.
 
Last edited:
So many pretty charts and graphs.
 
Let's see where this goes.
 
Vol. II, Chapter 4: The Danish-American War
Gunboat Diplomacy at its Finest
November 11, 1842

tumblr_n8q1aaFxtx1qe087co1_1280.png


tumblr_n2uy89uhXj1qe087co1_1280.png
tumblr_n2v3j5Qsx01qe087co1_1280.png

Pictured left: the event that started it all. Pictured right: the USS Congress sailing across the Atlantic.​

Unable to cope with the recession gripping Europe, the Danish government declared bankruptcy last year. The United States government, being the senior creditor to Denmark, pressured the small European nation to cede its colonial territory in the Caribbean in exchange for forgiving the debt owed. Perhaps it was arrogance, or maybe it was disbelief that the U.S. could enforce any such demand, that led the Danish government to refuse the release of St. Thomas. To the Danes, St. Thomas symbolized their glorious pursuit of exploration and capacity to bring civilization to savages populating new lands. To the Americans, the island was seen to be a forward port in their ambition to be viewed not as a former colony, but as a new empire, just as capable as the great powers of Europe to "take up the White Man's burden."


tumblr_n2uy89uhXj1qe087co6_1280.png
. . . .
tumblr_n2uy89uhXj1qe087co3_400.png
In assessing its capacity to wage war against the Danes, the U.S. found the possibility of the United Kingdom defending the small Scandinavian kingdom somewhat troubling. The U.S. had a superb relationship with the island kingdom, especially after endorsement of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty earlier in the year. For this reason, and for the fact that should the UK defend Denmark, it would set a precedent that senior creditors are not entitled to recover from their debtors, eased the Americans' fears of the British joining the conflict. The UK, after all, was a senior creditor to a large number of nations across the globe.


tumblr_n2uy89uhXj1qe087co4_1280.png
Next, the U.S. had to secure naval access with a European nation, preferably one located in northern Europe, so that its naval squadrons could be resupplied before embarking to the shores of Denmark. Here, the U.S. took a gamble. It sent three squadrons, a total of 23 warships - about half its navy - to Europe before finalizing an access agreement. Months earlier, the U.S. sent a diplomatic envoy to France with the hopes of securing naval access in the port of Dunkirk. Unfortunately, when the 3rd Squadron first arrived off the Coast of Brittany, Junior Admiral Coburn was informed the diplomatic mission had failed. The young admiral, fearing what may happen if crews under his command ran out of rum, sent an envoy to officials in England, who were more than welcoming in allowing the Americans access. Alas, once the Americans had spent their dollars in the Port of Ipswich, they would be ready for the short journey to the straits between the North and Baltic Seas. On April 3, after receiving Congressional authorization, the U.S. formally declared war on Denmark.


tumblr_n2uy89uhXj1qe087co7_1280.png

War Secretary Poinsett and Naval Secretary Paulding devised a plan to blockade Denmark as well as occupy St. Thomas, in the remote chance that the British would jump to the defense of Denmark.

tumblr_n2uy89uhXj1qe087co2_1280.png
tumblr_n2v17h873M1qe087co1_500.png

On the morning of April 27, after the American navy successfully blockaded all of Denmark, Senior Admiral Samuel Lyon sighted the Danish fleet in the strait of Øresund. Ordering his men to take battle positions, and eager to show off the might of the U.S. Navy, his flagship led the charge to engage the enemy fleet. As he neared, he heard the ringing of bells in the distance. Raising his spyglass, he knew what had happened - the Danes had surrendered. Looking through, he could see white flags atop the masts of the enemy fleet he was so eager to engage.

Admiral Lyon arrived in Copenhagen the next day and successfully negotiated the Treaty of Copenhagen, giving the U.S. complete and immediate ownership over Denmark's Caribbean holdings. Gunboat diplomacy had won the day, and not a single shot was fired. The following month, to commemorate the showing of naval superiority over a European colonial power, Secretary Paulding signed an order granting the establishment of a naval academy sixty miles outside of Boston, in New Bedford, Massachusetts.


((OOC update on the Canadian rebellion: The Canadian rebels occupied ~10 provinces, but for some reason all of them stopped occupying territory and just started marching toward the Pacific Coast, receiving major attritional losses along the way. One division of 3,000 UK soldiers started to re-occupy a section of Canada while the AI Rebels decided to party in British Colombia. Too bad the AI is stupid. I'd really like to see Canada independent from the UK this early on.))
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the congratulatory remarks! I started my new job today so I'll be updating two to three times per week instead of daily. I'll try and get an update out by Wednesday. I don't anticipate any coming wars, so it will probably concern the next election and maybe an immigration report, but you never know.
 
Vol. II, Chapter 5: The 1844 Presidential Election
Trail of Tears, Immigration Report
March 16, 1845​


tumblr_n37p6hlxE81qe087co8_1280.png


tumblr_n37p6hlxE81qe087co5_1280.png
What first appeared to be an orderly election in 1844 soon became fraught with confusion and disorganization - at least among the Democratic Party. The incumbent, Martin Van Buren, decided earlier in the year to pursue a third term as President, and this time to take a stronger stance against slavery. He initially campaigned on a platform to forbid slavery in all U.S. territories as well as new states wishing to enter the Union. His campaign was short lived, however, as the conservatives decided to support Tennessee Congressman James K. Polk, who promised to maintain the status quo regarding the slavery issue. Upon realizing his loss of support, Van Buren dropped out of the race one month into election season, and soon after endorsed Polk for the next President of the United States.

Polk's opponent, Henry Clay, a Senator from Kentucky and head of the Whig Party, campaigned on a pro-slavery, anti-immigration/anti-catholic, and pacifist platform. As illustrated by the immigration report, below, the United States was gaining a large number of Catholic and Orthodox Christian immigrants, which Clay believed would dilute America's Protestant identity. Furthermore, there has been much debate in the House and Senate as to U.S. territorial expansionism, commonly referred to as "Manifest Destiny." Polk supported Van Buren's negotiations with the UK to gain several ports along the Pacific, and expressed intentions to accept Texas's petition for statehood. Clay thought this would lead to Mexico declaring war on the U.S., and wished to respect Mexico's territorial integrity. He believed a strong precedent must be established to respect borders in North America such that the U.S. could gain respect in the international community.

tumblr_n37p6hlxE81qe087co7_500.png
The conservatives, despite facing an internal quarrel, beat the Whig party by a strong lead. On February 2, 1845, James K. Polk was declared the victor. He was inaugurated on March 4 in Washington, D.C. In his inaugural address, Polk promised to accept Texas's application for statehood within his first year of office. He also renewed his commitment to allow popular sovereignty to decide the issue of slavery for new states entering the Union.

tumblr_n37p6hlxE81qe087co3_1280.png

The Trail of Tears​

Under Jackson's and Van Buren's administrations, over 50,000 Native Americans were forced off their lands east of the Mississippi, and were relocated to the Indian Territory (modern day Oklahoma). This opened up new lands for white settlers in Southern States. It is estimated that between 4,000 and 15,000 Native Americans died over a period of ten years, in various journeys from east to west. By 1845, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida effectively dissolved all sovereign Indian nations within their borders.

1845 U.S. Immigration Report​
​

tumblr_n37p6hlxE81qe087co2_500.png
tumblr_n37p6hlxE81qe087co1_1280.png

tumblr_n37p6hlxE81qe087co4_1280.png

Please note: The first chart contains errors. These numbers reflect immigration of adult males per month. Also, "Turkish" could represent Turkish, Bulgarian, Greek, and/or Albanian.​
The United States is growing rapidly, gaining around half a million people per year. Of this, immigrants make up over one-third of total population growth. About half of all immigrants are Catholic, and nearly one-third are Orthodox Christian. Communities of Germans, Russians, Italians, and other culture groups are settling all over the United States, but New York and Pennsylvania appear to be favored destinations, likely due to vast employment opportunities in their urban areas. Right now, the majority of adult males are employed as farmers and laborers, though as individual states organize their governments at state and local levels, employment opportunities for the middle class will expand. Also notable is that 1% of African Americans reside in northern "free states," while 10% of African Americans make up the slave labor force in the southern states.
 
Last edited:
Your AAR is incredibly awesome! The Charts and your writing style made it unique, keep the good work!

I hope that in your game happen that California and Deseret go independent before you activate manifest destiny and they help you on the war. Good Luck on spreading the freedom to the world!

Also, what program do you use for get this info that you put on your charts?
 
500px-US_flag_26_stars.svg.png


Vol. III, Chapter 1: Shadow of War
Tensions with Mexico, Scott v. Sandford
April 12, 1846

tumblr_n39g4wVAzn1qe087co5_400.png
tumblr_n39g4wVAzn1qe087co4_400.png
tumblr_n39g4wVAzn1qe087co9_400.png
tumblr_n39g4wVAzn1qe087co6_400.png

Pictured, from left to right: James K. Polk (President), James Buchanan (Secretary of State), William L. Marcy (War Secretary), John Y. Mason (Navy Secretary)

tumblr_n39g4wVAzn1qe087co8_1280.png
​

Statement from the Administration: Our sister state, the Lone Star Republic, joins us now as brothers-in-arms against an emerging threat to our sovereignty here on this American continent. Last August, Texas was officially granted statehood status. This act of incorporating the Texan Republic went without blessing from our southern neighbor. Charles Ferdinand, an Italian prince and Emperor of Mexico, closed our embassy in Mexico City after receiving notice of the annexation. We have since uncovered a plot by the emperor to gain allies in Spain, Portugal, Colombia, the Italian Peninsula, and Austria in an effort to take back the Texan frontier.

In January, I called upon our reserves to bolster our lines along the U.S.-Mexican border. We significantly outmatch our southern neighbor in military might, with a much larger standing army and an unmatched naval force. I spoke with USCA's President Mariano Rivera Paz, and their army, together with our forces stationed in La Cieba, have been alerted to patrol the Mexican border. We will not take this threat from Mexico lightly, and are prepared to invade should its emperor take any further hostile action against our nation.

P/I/M Score: 54/94/60, Ranked Nos. 6/4/6, respectively
Current Party: Democrat (Conservative) with a majority in the house and senate.
Estimated Population: 22.15 million, ~5.55 million males of working age
Average Literacy Rate: 43.3%
Navy: 71 Warships, 12 Transports, 2 Warships under construction
Army: 210,000 Soldiers

Current Diplomatic Missions:
argentina_flag.gif
USCA [Sphered]
flag-chile.gif
Chile [Sphered]
f_Ecuador.gif
Ecuador [Sphered]
co.png
Colombia [Ongoing]

Budget for 1846:
tumblr_n39g4wVAzn1qe087co1_1280.png

Domestic Plans and Policy:
  • Encourage states to enact comprehensive school systems. [Ongoing]
  • Encourage immigration to southern states. [Ongoing]
  • Continue financing colonial expeditions to our western territories [Ongoing]

Foreign Policy:
  • Avoid entangling European alliances [Ongoing]
  • Increase relations with France, Russia, the Netherlands, and Belgium [Ongoing]
  • Assert the Monroe Doctrine in the Americas [Ongoing]
  • Encourage rail and industrial investment in the Americas [Ongoing]

tumblr_n39g4wVAzn1qe087co3_1280.png
tumblr_n39g4wVAzn1qe087co2_1280.png

tumblr_n39g4wVAzn1qe087co7_1280.png
Dred Scott was born a slave in Virginia. From 1833 to 1843, he resided in Illinois, a free state, and in an area of the Louisiana Territory, where slavery was forbidden by the Missouri Compromise of 1820. After returning to Missouri, Scott sued unsuccessfully in the Missouri courts for his freedom, claiming that his residence in free territory made him a free man. Scott then brought a new suit in federal court. Scott's master, John Sandford, maintained that no pure-blooded Negro of African descent and the descendant of slaves could be a citizen in the sense of Article III of the Constitution.

The Supreme Court ultimately held that Dred Scott was a slave. Under Articles III and IV of the Constitution, no one but a citizen of the United States could be a citizen of a state, and only Congress could confer national citizenship. The Court concluded that no person descended from an American slave had ever been a citizen for purposes of Article III. The Court then held the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, hoping to end the slavery question once and for all.
 
Last edited:
Nice to see how you are going very historical! Nice touch, with the Dred Scott decision and Texan annexation. It'll be interesting to see your civil war.
 
GreatUberGeek said:
Nice to see how you are going very historical! Nice touch, with the Dred Scott decision and Texan annexation. It'll be interesting to see your civil war.
Click to expand...

We'll see some ahistorical results soon enough - I'm a little bit surprised it has followed history (for the most part) thus far. The last time I played as USA, the liberals took power almost immediately and held it for a long time. The civil war will be very interesting. Last time, I made the southern armies all irregulars so I could quickly kill them off. This time I'm making full Dixie stacks stationed in the South.

SotV said:
Dotted. :)

How do you intend to deal with the slavery issue going forward?
Click to expand...

I'm leaving it to popular sovereignty for the most part - meaning, I'll try to stick to history. Unfortunately, Texas abolished slavery before I annexed it, which I've never seen, but I made it a slave state anyway. I may look into swiping a decision from the Freedom & Chains mod that allows me to make all "free" African Americans slaves in slave states.

LordLoko said:
Your AAR is incredibly awesome! The Charts and your writing style made it unique, keep the good work!

I hope that in your game happen that California and Deseret go independent before you activate manifest destiny and they help you on the war. Good Luck on spreading the freedom to the world!

Also, what program do you use for get this info that you put on your charts?
Click to expand...

Thanks! I plan on spreading freedom ALL OVER THE PLACE. For the data, I use the savegame analyzer (I think there's a link in my very first post). And I just enter the data into Excel and make charts that way.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back