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@LoneStar Prussian
I'd think the Syndies would have a MASSIVE propaganda coup from the New York raid, even from the non-red powers.
Firebombing the cities of an enemy (who most in your society see as subhuman anyway) is one thing, but your own people? That's a bit different, I'd think.
I'd think the Syndies would have a MASSIVE propaganda coup from the New York raid, even from the non-red powers.
Firebombing the cities of an enemy (who most in your society see as subhuman anyway) is one thing, but your own people? That's a bit different, I'd think.
"Actually I think it's more immoral to use less force than necessary, than it is to use more. if you use less force, you kill off more of humanity in the long run, because you are merely protracting the struggle." -Curtis Lemay
Curtis Lemay becomes the Sherman of the Second American Civil War. No doubt, his name will be cursed by New Yorkers by generations to come. However, the syndicalists have indeed been hit hard and the war may end sooner. With three of their major cities captured or ruined, their potential is greatly reduced.
Washington D.C. turns into Leningrad besieged on all fronts. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh becomes Stalingrad complete with sewer fighting. I wonder if the deal with the devil might happen later or is Reed's position too weak for Long to accept?
Curtis Lemay becomes the Sherman of the Second American Civil War. No doubt, his name will be cursed by New Yorkers by generations to come. However, the syndicalists have indeed been hit hard and the war may end sooner. With three of their major cities captured or ruined, their potential is greatly reduced.
Washington D.C. turns into Leningrad besieged on all fronts. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh becomes Stalingrad complete with sewer fighting. I wonder if the deal with the devil might happen later or is Reed's position too weak for Long to accept?
Episode 5: Four Americas and their Jagged Claws
I would assume so too, same with the AUS. Both sides would be horrified and use the New York Raid to find more recruits and international support against the USA. And to the USA Military, the civilians of the Syndies are not Americans anymore, so they're fair game when it comes to Total War.
The only CS Cities that aren't in ruins and viable industrial sites are Detroit, Cleveland, and Philadelphia. Chicago (Captured), New York (Firebombed), and Pittsburgh (Destroyed) will no longer be useful to Reed.
From a military perspective it would be more beneficial for the AUS and CSA to work together (CS Industry, or what remains of it, combined with Southern Doctrines) as they could perhaps go on a counter offensive in Alabama. However, AUS and CSA war crimes against each other and the visceral hate both Long and Reed personally have each other, a deal with the devil will not happen. Reed's position is weak but not weak enough to wear it gains from an alliance with Long. As you read onward, the CSA wins the Battle of Pittsburgh and like the Soviets are ready to counterattack.
Surprisingly so. In my test run for this AAR, I took me a lot longer to destroy the CSA and AUS.
Note: This is more of a filler update, just something I can get out now so I can focus on other things while not holding you all over. The next chapter will cover most of the war against the PSA and that is taking a long time to write. Also in this universe Hawaii never seceded because I personally thought that was dumb, so I just annexed them after they revolted in game.
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This is Novus Ordo Seclorum (New Order of the Ages) - The Tale of America in the 20th Century.
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Episode 5: Four Americas and Their Jagged Claws
(1937/2007)
Narrated by Cyril Grosscastle
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On the last episode of Novus Ordo Seclorum, the Second American Civil War started in earnest. US Forces clumsily fought there way through the American South and managed to capture Chicago, former capital of the Combined Syndicates of America. The US Army, battle-unborn, proved to be the most capable out of the four American armies, winning most major battles on its respective fronts. The CS Army, battered and poorly led, was barely clinging on to dear life. Ohio had nearly been taken by the American Union State and they'd been humiliated during the Battle of Chicago. Only a miracle could save the CSA. The AUS Army, the best led yet the worst equipped, embodied the spirit of a lion leading sheep and not the other way around. Long's Army was bolstered by Minuetmen divisions, militiamen who could take the fight to the Union State's enemies at a minute's notice. To make things even better, the AUS was the only faction in the civil war that by Summer 1937 could field tanks on the battlefield. That left the PS Army, a fair fighting force, however it was hampered by abysmal moral. To many in the PSA, there wasn't really a real reason to secede from the United States, much less fight it. Regardless, these four armies, baptized by fire, would fight on against each other, from one side of North America to the other.(1937/2007)
Narrated by Cyril Grosscastle
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Modern Day site of the Battle of Lexington, the only battle where US, AUS, and CSA forces participated in the same battle besides the Siege of Washington D.C.
Before continuing on with America's tale, the RBC decided it would be best to give you, the viewer, more of an insight on the going ons of this war. After all, this was the bloodiest conflict in American History, with more Americans dying in this war than any other. I thought the best way to do just that would be to visit the United States itself. I left the bustling streets of London to the American State of Kentucky. This seemingly quiet rural area of the American Mid-West was once the site of one of the most terrifying battles fought in the Second American Civil War. And as with most battles with a ferocity on this scale, it happened to be one of the most decisive. Here, a trilateral battle would take place between the United States, the American Union State, and the Combined Syndicates. This battle saw the largest bombing raid the United States Army Air Force would conduct in the whole war. The battle started when US Forces under the command of General Omar Bradley launched a gutsy and mettlesome attack on the CS and AUS Armies fighting for control of Kentucky. Swinging up from a seized Nashville, both the CS Commander Theodore Roosevelt Jr. and AUS General Audie Murphy were surprised at the suddenness of the attack. Fighting soon engulfed Lexington, and, as you can probably tell, the battle spread to this very forest. US Marines and Soldiers fought both sides indiscriminately. Do you see those small puddles? Well, they weren't always there. US Artillery barrages devastated this area a whole week before any ground troops entered the scene. With seemingly no cover, Southern and Syndicalist Troops were torn to shreds by Federalist Firepower. It didn't help the Federalists though that these craters would soon serve as cover for the defenders. Although, seven decades into the future, it really gives this place a sense of relief and history. One of these trees was said to have been struck directly by an artillery shell, yet somehow still stood. In the ensuing land battle, it also managed to not be destroyed by bullets and field artillery. I'd show you where it is but I can't seem to find it. It's mostly a local legend anyway.
Lasting for nearly three weeks, this battle would decide the fate of America and the wider world. Although, you must be wandering: How did the US win this battle, and with what? Well, to answer that question, I paid the US Army a visit at Fort Campbell. Here, the successors of the men who fought and died in this battle showed me everything on the Battle of Lexington. It was like opening a time capsule, a time capsule that encapsulated the exact history of this terrible war. First, I met with Sgt. Adam van Haumann, a wounded soldier back from Egypt. He'd been shot twice in the leg during a firefight between US and Royal Egyptian Soldiers in Alexandria. He's expected to make a full recovery, but until then, he was staying here. He agreed to show me around the base the best he could. When I questioned him about the Battle of Lexington, Sgt. van Haumann led me to the bases's local firing range. And that was when I got a good look at the firearms used by American Soldiers during the battle and the entire war.
"This is the American Machine Pistol, more commonly known as the AMP-37. US Weapon Manufacturers borrowed the design from the German Army's MP series, adding a distinctively American feel to the gun. It was a common weapon for more higher ranking soldiers in the field, such as officers or squad leaders. For a gun this old, its got a fair grip, a nice ammo capacity, and from what I've heard, it didn't even jam that much. It also fired pretty well. Here, let me fire off a few shots for you guys.
Woah, I can see why the AMP became such a favorite in the US Arsenal. Now over here we have probably the most recognizable weapon of the war: The M1 Garand Rifle. This beauty did most of the US Army's talking in both the Second American Civil War and Weltkrieg Two. It would only be until the 1950s that American Troops would be outfitted with something new and more modern. Make no mistake, the Greatest Generation didn't have it bad with this thing. The M1 Garand had an effective firing range of 500 yards (457 meters), a rate of fire of 40-50 bullets per minute, and a muzzle velocity of around 850 meters per second. This thing was f***ing awesome.
A Federalist Soldier test firing a M1 Garand, 1936.
US Soldier smoking a cigarette next to his assigned M1918 BAR during the Battle of Honolulu, 1937.
In the most grand part of the museum, James showed us the only tanks used in the Second American Civil War. These tanks came from the Russian State before the United States's blockade of itself came to fruition. They were earlier models of what the Russians would later use against the Communal Armies in the Second Weltkrieg, and most were operated by a mix of Russian and American crewman. Russian advisers did their best to teach the soldiers of the American Union State to use these armored beasts effectively against their enemies, but often more times than not, AUS ignorance and arrogance would get in the way. These tanks were first used during Operation Blackbeard, the American Union State's ambitious plan to capture Ohio and take Pittsburgh, thus cutting the CSA in two and taking one of its most valuable cities. Before their debut, tanks at no point played a direct role in the war. Unlike the Trench Warfare of the First Weltkrieg, the Second American Civil War was relatively mobile. Tanks thus weren't even thought of for military use in the war, well, that was until the AUS demonstrated to the world that Tanks could be used in a radically different.
The brain child of Field Marshal Patton, he devised a strategy to use tanks against enemy armies that didn't involve them being used a mobile cover for infantry. Instead, he used the Russian Tanks's speed, mobility, and firepower to his advantage. This plan of his held merit, and was the reason the AUS broke through Syndicalist Lines during the battles in Ohio and the Battle of the Pit. However, even Patton couldn't use tanks effectively in an urban environment. Anti-Tank guns from Totalist Britain and France allowed the CSA to destroy multitudes of tanks inside Pittsburgh, causing Long to remove them from the battle and move them south to fight against the unsuspecting Federalist Troops. Once Atlanta fell to the United States later in 1937, the AUS's tank corps were destroyed and their tanks captured by the US.
Destroyed AUS Tanks in Pittsburgh, Battle of the Pit 1937.
During the Battle of Florida Coast, Federalist Aircraft tore the AUS Navy to shreds from the USS Ranger (CV). This battle spelled the end of Battleship production within the United States as it became more clear that the new Queens of the Ocean were the Aircraft Carriers and their planes. Later on during the war against the Pacific States of America, the US and PS Navies engaged in the third major naval battle of the Second American Civil War. Off the coast of Hawaii, Californian Troops aided by Japanese Volunteers stormed the Hawaiian Island Chain. The PS Navy took Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, and Lanal before finally being confronted by the United States's Pacific Fleet. There, the Battle of Hawaii was fought on land at Honolulu and Pearl Harbor, in the skies above the Pacific Ocean, and on the dangerous seas surrounding Hawaii. Both the USN and USAAF distinguished themselves during the battle, obliterating the PSS Jefferson (CV) by way of the USS Charles Curtis (CV) and much of the PS Air Force.
PSS Jefferson sinking due to a direct hit to its core via a US Bomber, Battle of Hawaii 1937.
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On the next episode of Novus Ordo Seclorum, tune in with us once more as we unravel the second phase of the Second American Civil War, the most bloody war a land like this ever faced. As I look all around me, I finally understand how important this war was. Had just one battle changed, we could be living in a very different world. I feel the ghosts of the countless amount of Americans who fought and died to keep their land free. In their eyes, not a single ounce of regret is to be seen. Now, it seems ghastly weather has a knack for following Englishmen wherever they go, and so, this is where we'll end our broadcast. I have been your host, Cyril Grosscastle, and on behalf of the Royal Broadcasting Corporation, we thank you for taking the time out of your day to see what we have in store. Winter is ending and I've been told that England and Wales should expect a large sum of storms, as always. The next episode of this series shall be dubbed Episode 6: Manifesting Destiny. Once more, we must leave you hoping you'll come again. Now, since Britain is a whole six-eight hours ahead of America, its strange for me to say goodnight, but...
Goodnight.
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This episode seems inspired by the various soldier's experience segments hosted by Dan Snow in various BBC docs such as Battlefield Britain and 20th Century Battlefields.
Giving the US Army an Americanized German submachine gun instead of the more usual Thompson submachine is an unusual choice but it is alternate history.
Being a Darkest Hour Kaiserreich AAR, the DH game versions has not caught up with the plans to make the SACW a little more realistic and there are a few oddies. The PSA here is a Pacific Coast nationalist military dictatorship rebelling against the true democratic Federal government. As you mentioned, the morale would be abysmal and there would be no popular support for such as a thing. In the current HOI4, the PSA can only be democratic. In the future versions, the Pacific Coast nationalism elements will be removed, the West Coast will only rebel if the federal government is undemocratic and the rebellious Pacific states will declare themselves to be the true USA. There are weird things like a 12 year old in 1937 Audie Murphy (born 1925) commanding AUS troops and the staunchly Republican Theodore Roosevelt Jr. fighting for the CSA instead of for the federals which will be hopefully changed in Darkest Hour soon. Nothing you can do about for now.
Giving the US Army an Americanized German submachine gun instead of the more usual Thompson submachine is an unusual choice but it is alternate history.
Being a Darkest Hour Kaiserreich AAR, the DH game versions has not caught up with the plans to make the SACW a little more realistic and there are a few oddies. The PSA here is a Pacific Coast nationalist military dictatorship rebelling against the true democratic Federal government. As you mentioned, the morale would be abysmal and there would be no popular support for such as a thing. In the current HOI4, the PSA can only be democratic. In the future versions, the Pacific Coast nationalism elements will be removed, the West Coast will only rebel if the federal government is undemocratic and the rebellious Pacific states will declare themselves to be the true USA. There are weird things like a 12 year old in 1937 Audie Murphy (born 1925) commanding AUS troops and the staunchly Republican Theodore Roosevelt Jr. fighting for the CSA instead of for the federals which will be hopefully changed in Darkest Hour soon. Nothing you can do about for now.
LoneSar Prussian basically admitted it and gave a rough outline of the timeline a few posts ago. This AAR is in the style of a British documentary made in the 2000s of his KR timeline on 20th century America designed for an audience who already knows basic 20th century American and world history. Everybody knows already the Federalists will win the SACW and the Internationale went totalist, defeated Germany, and was in turn defeated by the Entente and the NatPop Russian State. The in-universe audience is here to learn how and why the things they already know happened and not what happened in the first place.
I gave the US an Americanized German submachine gun because its Kaiserreich and I assumed most nations have variants of German firearms.
That makes a lot of sense, I don't know when or if they will update DH Kaiserreich.
Yeah, but however the Entente will not become this super huge NATO alliance. The Entente will remain a formal alliance between France and England. When Germany joins the Entente, the Entente will become the Allies, and the Allies will eventually become this universe's version of NATO. If there's a way to mod the end date for Kaiserreich I will continue the story in game up until 2000, if not then after 1963 (right now I have paused at 1949 to work on custom event chains) the rest will have to be purely narrative updates (this will also decide whether or not Weltkrieg 3 happens in the 20th century).
Yes (minus the mega Entente being called something else), I confirmed this on the Episode 4: Battle of America post (and the beginning bit that reads: and finally, when every man, woman, and child was at the mercy of the atom). Don't fret though, there won't be a Korean, Afghanistan, or Vietnam war, or really any other conflicts that happened in our timeline. There'll be a different Africa, Americas, and Asia to deal with, and once I reach the 1940s, it'll become more clear where the future conflicts will occur.
As you write your alternate Cold War event chains, remember it is a common cliché and mistake to assume that the alternate Cold War would be similar to the historical cold war if the democratic USA's archrival is fascist/NatPop Russia instead of the Russians being communists. Fascists and communists think differently. Communists are internationalists and spreading their control and ideology over the world can be and is an end in of itself. Fsacists/NatPops are nationalists and spreading their control and ideology is a means to serve their nationalistic reasons. Communists can be openly aggressive but often prefer more subtle means of spreading their beliefs. It is often the reverse for fascists. The Russian State may be more willing to feed another generation into the meatgrinder than the USSR. Also it is hard to simulate proxy wars in DH without it turning into WW3.
In this alternate Cold War, the American led block represents left wing thought instead of right wing thought. We may see the USA back syndicalist forces against NatPop forces. We would be less likely to see the USA overthrow weak democracies because syndicalism is offensive to American capitalism and the distance between generic right wing paternal autocrats and national populism is much thinner than the line between paternal autocrats and communists. That said, the USA may still ally with useful autocrats like Middle Eastern Monarchs for oil. Still this being Kaiserreich, the field will look much different. Different wars, different outcomes. The familiar proxy wars will never happen or be altered to unrecognizability. New and different proxy wars may take their place or perhaps great armies and alliances will clash in Europe for the third time in a century. Good luck with the custom events.
In this alternate Cold War, the American led block represents left wing thought instead of right wing thought. We may see the USA back syndicalist forces against NatPop forces. We would be less likely to see the USA overthrow weak democracies because syndicalism is offensive to American capitalism and the distance between generic right wing paternal autocrats and national populism is much thinner than the line between paternal autocrats and communists. That said, the USA may still ally with useful autocrats like Middle Eastern Monarchs for oil. Still this being Kaiserreich, the field will look much different. Different wars, different outcomes. The familiar proxy wars will never happen or be altered to unrecognizability. New and different proxy wars may take their place or perhaps great armies and alliances will clash in Europe for the third time in a century. Good luck with the custom events.
WHY DO I KEEP MISSING YOUR AAR'S?
With that out of the way: one of the most interesting parts of any SACW AAR is the descent into chaos. And this one is somewhat of a tragedy. The willingness of Curtis to compromise eventually caused the downfall of the nation. Reed thanking him for trying really makes it even worse
With that out of the way: one of the most interesting parts of any SACW AAR is the descent into chaos. And this one is somewhat of a tragedy. The willingness of Curtis to compromise eventually caused the downfall of the nation. Reed thanking him for trying really makes it even worse
I hope this isn't another one of those dead AARs. How is it going? Writer's block? Work? Messy Event chain coding. Lost files? I hope it returns because it is promising.
I'm actually working on the next update now. This isn't dead. I've just been busy. Although, it seems now all aar writers are experiencing similar struggles.
@Bored Student1414
It really isn't as easy as we make it seem, especially if you have other time-consuming commitments, so keep that in mind.
It really isn't as easy as we make it seem, especially if you have other time-consuming commitments, so keep that in mind.
I know AAR writing is a challenge. Even a basic AAR like the one I did can be time consuming to make and it is easy to be sidetracked or be forced to deal with new things like school or work. So much the harder when one are working on custom events to extend the story. It is always disappointing to see a promising AAR left hanging a few posts in and I am glad to see this one continue.
Episode 6: Manifesting Destiny
This is very helpful. I can confirm that there will be three separate proxy wars in post-war pacific-asia, one of which being a civil war and another that will mirror the Korean War to an extent. Maybe a bit more surprising, there will be a proxy war on mainland Europe.
Truly. Reed's thanks left a bittersweet feeling.
Note: I am sorry for the month long absence, I just wasn't feeling it.
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Welcome to the RBC's Novus Ordo Seclorum, the Tale of America in the 20th Century. I am Cyril Grosscastle, narrator of this production. This program aims to tell the incredible story of the United States in the 20th Century, one filled with highs and lows, an electrifying climax, and characters whose choices impact us all even to this very day. We will cover America's rise from start to finish. We will see America at its finest, and at its lowest. From the second time brother fought brother, to when an entire planet was threatened by Totalist tyranny, and finally, when every man, woman, and child was at the mercy of the atom.
This is Novus Ordo Seclorum (New Order of the Ages) - The Tale of America in the 20th Century.
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Episode 6: Manifesting Destiny
(May-June 1937)
Narrated by Cyril Grosscastle
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Episode 6: Manifesting Destiny
(May-June 1937)
Narrated by Cyril Grosscastle
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Summer 1937. Everything east of the Mississippi River was being hammered into annihilation by the violent fighting between the rebellious states of the Combined Syndicates of America and the American Union State. Along the northeast portion of the front, Federalist Forces seized the lightly defended former capital of the CSA, Chicago, thus taking America's most industrial city. The rest of the northern advance came ground to a stunning halt when the US Army was defeated in a series of small scale battles along the River Wabash and the Illinois-Indiana State Borders. In the south of the country, the Federalist Armies, after taking Louisiana, Southern Mississippi, and half of Alabama, were forced to dig-in after their blitz across the American Union State was stopped outside of Gadsden. At Gadsden, Dixie Troops, reinforced by Patton's Tank Corps and foreign fighters, successfully repelled the Federal Government's attempt to take Atlanta. Along the River Alabama, AUS Soldiers denied any attempt by the United States to cross into the rest of Alabama and Florida, subsequently keeping Mobile in AUS Hands. In the heart of Eastern America, Ohio and Pennsylvania, the most ferocious battle ever fought on North America was still raging on. Pittsburgh, despite the onslaught of the Patton's army, held. The city on the other hand was falling apart. What was hoped to be a quick victory over disorganized forces had now become a nightmare for the AUS Generals. Their only hope now was to take Cleveland in order to split the Syndicalists in half. All the while, the United States Capital, Washington D.C., remained under siege and in danger of falling to either the CSA or the AUS.
Across the Rocky Mountains, another threat to the United States of America loomed. After the first two weeks of fighting, the states of California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho seceded from the Federal Government. The ruling oligarchs of the West Coast were not keen on having their resources spent on quelling the barbarous Eastern Seaboard, nor were they happy with the very structure of the United States of Government. As a result, they formed the rebellious Pacific States of America, an oligarchy bent on the Federal Government's subversion. The first two months of their war against the Federal Government saw little to no fighting as both sides rushed to secure defensive positions across America's center-west. This all culminated in the First Battle of Las Vegas, where Federal forces secured the city and routed the outnumbering Californian Troops. For the rest of April, the Pacific States did little but organize itself for a proper war against the now Denver based United States.
The United States regarded the Pacific States as a smaller threat compared to the CSA and AUS, but that attitude toward the west radically changed when Federalist Troops were routed from Las Vegas and the Mojave Desert in early May. The Second Battle of Las Vegas started in the dead of night while the US Army was unprepared for any defensive operations. Ill met by moonlight, the US Garrison in Las Vegas was suddenly and deliberately attacked by PS Ground Forces. Californian Troops fought their way through Las Vegas with ease, slaughtering exactly eight-hundred disorganized US Soldiers. The US Army in the region, commanded by General Gustav J. Braun Jr., was forced to retreat into neighboring Arizona and Southern Utah. This defeat staggered the US High Command, convincing them to send three divisions from east to the western theater of combat. In spite of these defeat, it would not be the spark that would make the federal government exclusively target the PSA during May and June. That honor would go to another battle, one not fought on the ground, but on the coast of South Carolina and the air above it.
PS Troops cross the River Virgin, the morning after the Second Battle of Las Vegas.
During the midday of May 3rd, 1937, the US 13th Destroyer Fleet continued as it always did in maintaining the Federal Blockade of the East Coast. The Atlantic Ocean was unseasonably calm and no storm clouds gathered above them. It seemed for the Federal Sailors that this day would go along as any other, consisting of the usual naval bombardment of enemy military formations and the destroying of the occasional AUS attempts to raid a ship. Operation Anaconda was one-hundred percent fulfilled, the plan never deviating nor failing. It had accounted for all variables, even detailing plans of action should the Republican Navy of Syndicalist Britain show up and confront the Americans. All variables except one: The Pacific States's Navy. It had never occurred to US Naval Commanders that the PS Fleet would operate outside of the West Coast, doubly so for it to appear out of the Pacific Ocean an in the Atlantic. And that was what exactly happened. As soon as the clock struck noon, the US 13th Destroyer Fleet, consisting of thirteen destroyers (1-13th US Atlantic Destroyer Divisions), four battle-cruisers (USS Chicago, USS Chester, USS Norfolk, and USS Tampa), and one battleship (USS Texas), came under savage assault from planes of PSAAF.
Understandably, the US 13th Destroyer Fleet was launched into a state of utter disarray. No one could have expected the Pacific States Navy to operate so far away from home, especially considering that the United States, with major United Provinces assistance, still controlled the Panama Canal. Nevertheless, the surprise attack was one that would devastate the US Navy. Captured military reports from the PSA after the war would reveal that the PSN's main task force, the PS Carrier Fleet, sailed all along the west coast of the Americas, passed through the Drake Passage, and continued all the way to the North Atlantic. They did this by securing two deals with two foreign powers who had a lot to gain from an authoritarian United States. They were La Plata, who allowed the Pacific States Navy to refuel in Puerto Stanley (Falkand Islands/Las Malvinas), and the Dominican Republic, who gave basing rights to the PSN. Neither countries were a fan of the United States establishment, yet neither would openly battle America. With these bases, the Pacific States was able to operate its fleet in unsuspecting waters. This was all apart of a larger operation to cripple the Federalist Navy in order for the PS Military to pursue more ambitious plans. Before any of those could be launched however, the PSN needed to take out all three US Carriers, all of which were on the 'Anaconda Line'. This trans-oceanic operation the PSN fulfilled was codenamed Operation Carolina Crown, the calculated aerial and naval assault on the North-South Carolina Sector of the US's Naval Blockade.
On what would become the Day of Infamy, naval and air forces of the Pacific States launched a surprise attack on the US 13th Destroyer Fleet. The first wave of the assault came from the PS Fighters that were stationed on the PSS Jefferson, the capital ship of the PS Carrier Fleet, which as well consisted of four destroyers (1-4th PS Destroyer Division), five battle-cruisers (PSS Hawthorne, PSS Fresno, PSS Sacramento, PSS Anaheim, and PSS Portland), and three battleships (PSS Washington, PSS Idaho, PSS California). After the aircraft destroyed the USS Texas, the PS Carrier Fleet moved in for the kill. A one-sided naval battle soon ensnared on the Blake Plateau between the US Defenders and PS Attackers. While the attack was underway, the PSN retreated after stubborn resistance from the three surviving ships (USS Norfolk, USS Tampa, and 4th US Destroyer Division).
While the attack was successful, the operation was a failure. Earlier before the battle, Californian Intelligence had been duped by the usual fake transmissions, messages that were meant to be intercepted. By a stroke of divine luck, the Californians intercepted one of these transmissions, of which detailed the fake location of all three US Carriers (USS Ranger, USS Charles Curtis, USS Saratoga) being off the coast of South Carolina. All three were missing from the battle. The USS Ranger was located on the New York Sector of the Anaconda Line, the USS Charles Curtis on the Gulf Florida Sector, and the USS Saratoga was docked in a Texan port. The disastrous assault killed more than 8,500 US Sailors, 1,000 US Marines, and saw the United States Navy lose forty-eight ships in one foul swoop. Public outrage was enormous. Thousands upon thousands of Federal Citizens flocked to the streets to curse California's name. Equally, the US Navy and US Marine Corps were furious. This left President Charles Curtis with a difficult decision to make: Continue to try and advance eastward or to unleash hell upon the Pacific States. In the end, the President went with the latter solution. The Pacific States would now be the Federal Government's first priority. It seemed as though the Pacific States had only accomplished one thing, and that was awakening a sleeping giant.
With the full attention of the Federal Government turning to them, the Pacific States of America needed to strike fast across the Rocky Mountains and capture Denver. If they didn't the war would be lost. Attacking from the Great Salt Lake Desert, the PS Army began an assault on the Federalist-held Salt Lake City. The defending US Garrison, the Utah National Guard, was barely even prepared for such a daring attack. The Federalists, armed with outdated equipment and not ready for such an assault, were beaten from the lake in a matter of only two days. On the 9th of May, 1937, Californian Troops began their ruthless assault on Salt Lake City. During the day, soldiers of the 4th 'Bear' Division moved in against the Utah National Guard. Once the night came, the PSAAF's Bomber Wing bombarded the city and the troops within. For two nights the Federalists were forced on the defensive everywhere, being cornered like rats. This was until the USAAF's Fighter Wing arrived in Salt Lake City from the besieged Washington D.C. When the terrors of night came, the United States Army Air Force went on the offensive against the Californian Bombers, wiping out 30 Flying Fortress Bombers and killing 182 Pilots over the city. Victory in the skies however did not ensure victory on land. The Utah National Guard was forced to abdicate from Salt Lake City once their losses became too severe to bear. They retreated to the small town of Evanston to link up with the approaching US Army and the Wyoming National Guard. Meanwhile, the Pacific States Army entered Salt Lake City unopposed and ready to defend their newly captured territory against any Federal Counterattack.
US Engineers survey damage to a destroyed bridge, First Battle of Salt Lake City 1937 (Left), USAAF P-39 Airacobra in the process of shooting down an enemy pilot over Great Salt Lake (Right)
On the 15th of May, 1937, the United States of America launched Operation Red Ring, thus starting the Second Battle of Salt Lake City. The battle was started by a storm of artillery fire upon the Pacific States's troops before both the United States Army and United States Marine Corps entered the fray. Above them, the USAAF took control of the skies from enemy fighters, paving the way for Federal Bombers to rain hell upon the distraught Californian defenders. Two hours into the battle, the 3rd 'Veracruz' Marine Division took the Promontory Moutains and Dolphin and Gunnison Islands in the Gunnison Bay. In the east, the US Army pushed their way through the interior of Salt Lake City. The Marines and Army finally linked up with each other once Antelope Island was secured from the Pacific States Army. The PS Troops had unknowingly been surrounded in the city. With no hope for survival or aid, the PS 4th 'Bear' Division surrendered to the fores of the Federal Government. Salt Lake City was fully liberated on the 22nd of May, 1937. 2,300 Californian Soldiers were killed or captured along with 36 artillery guns and 28 military trucks. With this victory, the United States could now muster a sizable grand offensive against the rebel government in Sacramento. But before America could finally go on the offensive, the US Navy and Marine Corps would first fight their most daring battle in all of the Second American Civil War: The Battle of Hawaii.
Hawaii at the start of the Second American Civil War fell into anarchy, as did the entire country. In spite of that, the United States Marine Corps were able to put down any Syndicalist, America First, or Nationalist dissidents. The United States Marine Corps's 1st US Marine Division were to remain in Hawaii should the Pacific States or the Japanese Empire make any moves on the island. The Japanese threat was a real one, almost as equal as to that of the Pacific States. In 1937, the United States was willing to go to war with Japan over the Pacific Ocean. After the seizure of Guam by the Imperial Japanese Navy, the United States engaged in a small scale naval skirmish off the coast of the island. Surprisingly, the untested American Fleet smashed the IJN and for a brief two days retook the island. However, due to pressure from Germany and Canada for America not to start a war in the pacific while fighting a war against itself, the United States reluctantly ceded Guam to the Japanese. As history would show, there would come a day when American and Japanese Arms would be raised against each other, but that day would not come on the 30th of May, 1937. Instead, the troops that would storm the Hawaiian Islands would be that of the Pacific States of America.
On the 30th of May, 1937, the US Marine Garrison in Hawaii came under an unexpected and savage assault from a large Pacific States Fleet. Out of supply, the United States Marines were forced to defend the Hawaiian Islands from their counterparts in the PSMC. US Forces were first attacked on the island of Maui on the beaches near Keanae. There they engaged the Pacific States Marines for control over the northeastern portion of the island. Alas, due to Pacific Battleships providing aid to the PSMC through Coastal Bombardments forced the United States Marines to retreat to Pukalani and Ulupalakua. Another Californian Landing soon occured on the nearby Moloka'i Island. Here, the United States Marines successfully held their ground against their foes. Although, much of the island's coasts were destroyed in the brutal fighting, and the sands were painted with the collective blood of the Americans on both sides. Finally, the Pacific States Marine Corps landed once more, this time on O'ahu, the main island of the Hawaiian Island Chain and home to both Honolulu, the territorial capital, and Pearl Harbor, the best harbor America held in the Pacific. Unlike Moloka'i, the US Marines were unable to fend off the larger Pacific landing force. Without much fighting, the United States Marines were forced to retreat to Honolulu and Pearl Harbor. Besieged like their brothers in Washington D.C., their only hope for survival was for the United States Navy to take control of the seas allowing the PSMC to operate so efficiently. It was at this moment that Denver finally got wind of what was happening Hawaii. A Californian seizure of Hawaii would allow access to both the entire pacific and their eager friends in Japan. If the PSA could gain control of Hawaii and hand over the American Pacific to Japan, it could've dragged Japan into the Second American Civil War. The United States could not allow this to happen and immediately the US Navy was scrambled to voyage into the Pacific Ocean. This force of twenty-eight ships, including the USS Saratoga and led by Grand Admiral Chester Nimitz, quickly left the Anaconda Line and ventured through the Panama Canal into hostile waters.
After a fortnight of fighting on the island, the defending United States Marines were nearly spent. Pearl City along with Honolulu were on their last legs, the ferocity of the Pacific States being unmatched by the Marines. On Maui, the Pacific States launched an audacious assault on Federal Positions in the middle of the island at Pukalani. The light of freedom dimmed in the face of these events. The Marines's only objective was to hold against the night and to await relief from the USN. Despite fifteen days of siege and being outgunned, the Marines did their duty. Twas a desperate race against time, and then, the United States Navy arrived. Swooping in from the Eastern Pacific and into Hawaiian Waters, they turned the tide against the surprised PSN. Hailstorms of naval battery payloads and aerial bombs came crashing down upon the Pacific States Navy, the same fleet that destroyed the 13th US Destroyer Division. The world's first aerial naval battle took place above the skies of Hawaii, two fleets scarcely even seeing each other. However, the US Navy dealt a finishing blow to the PSN when the PSS Jefferson was destroyed by a lucky shot from a Federalist Bomber. In minutes, the rest of the PSN was utterly destroyed along with their transports and battleships. As the seas fell back into the hands of Federal Government, so too would Hawaii. The US Marines stood their ground at Pukalani, routing the PS Marines and saving the island. The Battle of Pukalani would be one of the US Marine Corps's finest hours, and to this day a memorial stands tall where the battle was fought. On O'ahu, the Marines found similar success in saving both Honolulu and Pearl Harbor/City. Without the PSN, the PSMC crumbled, the entirerty of the branch surrendering to Federal Government on the 17th of June, 1937. And with this final victory in the pacific, the United States could now launch Operation Manifest Destiny, the liberation of the West Coast.
Alas, the United States began Operation Manifest Destiny hours after Hawaii had been secured. The first target of the new Federal Offensive in the west was Great Falls Montana, home to an unsuspecting garrison of Pacific States Troops nestled by the Canadian Border. From Bozeman and Lewiston, the United States Army attacked Californian Positions after a hail fire of artillery pieces. This practice of a wide artillery barrage before the infantry would move in was dubbed the Katherine Bombardment, the sight of which would spell fear into the minds of all non-Federalist Soldiers. After the Katherine Bombardment was over, the US Army crossed the Missouri and Shelby Rivers. As the Federalist Soldiers fought their way across Montana, a strange phenomenon occurred. Somehow, US Soldiers had managed to attack the Californians from behind. Unbeknownst to them, these weren't actually Federalist Soldiers, nor were they even American (nationality). They were, in fact, Canadian Soldiers dressed as Americans, their supply given to them by the US Government. After the battle was over, this strange unit disappeared, never to be seen again. It was only until 1956 would these brave Canadian Soldiers be commemorated once their actions during the battle were made public. Speaking of the battle, Federal Forces were able to secure the position in less than three days, killing 1,300 PS Troops in the process.
US Soldiers of the 77th 'Greenwood' Division march through trotted road nestled in between a forest, Battle of Great Falls 1937.
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Random unit bug? Pretty awesome incorporating this into the story!
“Remember the Blake Plateau!”
Even sounds like a sensationalist naval war cry! Great update
A very visceral and dramatic presentation of the SACW capturing massive twists and odd incidents like the war docs you were inspired by. There is a lot more drama on the West Coast in this AAR than most other KR AARs. Normally, the PSA is a small mere afterthought in the Civil War, but with that daring raid and the failed invasion of Hawaii, it is most certainly a major combatant in this fratricidal conflict. I didn't expect that raid. The PSA navy is usually a non-factor. The defense of Hawaii by the USMC seems a mere preview for a Pacific War with Japan. Great work.
I don't recall what path they took but they did pass the National Security Act. Hirohito was assassinated and someone else took over (forgot who) and Japan ended up National Populist.