History Lesson 01

Anime 2030    Events everyone knows:

This is a summary of the major events from 2010 to 2030.  

"Pay attention class there will be a quiz"

 

But to understand them, one must keep in mind the economic crisis of 2008, in which millions of average Europeans and Americans lost their savings and often their homes, while the corporations that were “to big to fail” were bailed out by the governments. Public tax money was used to save the companies who were responsible for the crash.

By 2010 we had passed through the “crisis of financial capital” which was all about the toxic sub-prime mortgage backed security investments and we had entered the age of “the sovereign debt crisis” which was concerned with the huge amounts of debt many nations were floating. In some cases the numbers were so large as to be impossible to ever pay.

North America           

During 2010 to 2012 there were increasing tides of popular anger against both governments and corporations. The best knows is the 99% movement, which was concerned with the ever increasing gap between rich and poor. At first these protest groups were peaceful, calling on government to make changes to the unjust system. But they were ignored and new austerity measures followed by new security measures were put in place (especially in USA). The protests started to turn more violent in 2012. 

 The beginning of WW3 was the collapse of the USA in late 2012. Social unrest in the summer turned into all out civil war in the fall. As police put down protests and National Guard units lay siege to Militia camps, a sizable section of law enforcement and regular military personnel staged a revolt. They declared themselves to be Constitutionalists in favor of a return to “proper government”. They accused the Federalists of abusing power and turning the land of the free into a fascist state. 

At the same time that US troops were being used to squash riots in LA, China launched an assault on Taiwan. They approved of US actions to settle a domestic problem and they claimed that the situation in Taiwan was exactly the same. ( China had always said that Taiwan was a rouge province – never admitting it was independent. ) Of course this lead to high tension between Washington and Beijing.

The US suspended its debts held by China, until they withdrew from Taiwan. China responded by suspending all shipments of goods to North America. This was seen by many as a declaration of economic war. However the boiling point between the two nations was never quite reached because civil war broke out in America.

The economic disaster accelerated as the fighting in America escalated. The entire world started to panic as the global trade network fell to pieces in a matter of weeks.

In late September 2012 several high altitude nuclear devices were detonated over the USA, effectively blanketing the continent with and EMP that destroyed power and communications infrastructures. It plunged most of Canada and Mexico into chaos too. Federalists and Constitutionalists each blamed the other side for the attack. At the same time each side had a sizable strike force EMP-proof and ready to go as soon as the lights went out.

Unfortunately neither side was able to win a quick victory in the civil war, and so for the next several years the continental USA plays almost no role in world history. But Americans are not absent from the unfolding events, rather they are critical catalysts.

Hawaii and Alaska were unaffected by the EMP, America also had some 32 full-sized military bases in 13 countries outside the USA with more than 1,000 personnel. They are: Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Japan, Bahrain, Djibouti, South Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait. Add to this the 5 naval task forces that were out to sea, who also avoided the EMP.

Critical to the unfolding events is the fact that Hawaii is a Federalist state (regardless of what some Hawaiians think). It becomes the acting capital of the USA. Alaska on the other hand is a Constitutionalist state, while not declaring independence all its actions right from the start of the civil war were clearly those of a sovereign state. 

Of some interest it should be noted that the northern territories of Canada were also unaffected by the EPM. That is to say the direct blast did no real harm to them. The sudden cutting of ties with the rest of the country did have some serious impact. In the long term there was a strengthening of the bond between the four northern neighbours; Alaska, Yukon, NWT and Nunavut, so that by 2015 they declared themselves a nation.   

Canada 2012 to 2015

The EMP disrupts infrastructure so that the population suffers serious hardship through the winter. There is no civil war, although there are some isolated fights over resources and some troubles with the Americans. The government although intact is unable to have much effect and so communities are left to survive on their own.

By 2015 most of the provinces have re-established some sort of order. However the federal government is a shadow of its former self. The often voiced “Things will be back to normal soon.” Is not accepted by many regions, who what a new deal. In many ways Canada will become more like a union of self governing states than the USA ever was.

Mexico 2012 to 2015

The EMP disrupts the northern half of the country. Anarchy is the main result. Although for many of the poor there is little noticeable change in living conditions. Mexico City and the south are not directly affected but they do suffer spin off effects.

There is a great deal of fighting along the boarder with the USA, as Mexicans take the opportunity to go north and Americans flee south. The entire north becomes something of a no-man’s land during these years as the government is slow to rebuild infrastructure.

Continental USA 2012 to 2015

After the EMP the civil war sets down into an unorganized grind of fighting. Both sides try to maintain a nationwide fighting force of loyal bases, but find it difficult. The civilian population is devastated by the destruction of infrastructure and their main concern becomes one of simple survival, especially during that first year.

Of special note is the abandonment of the New York area. Almost immediately after the EMP, hurricane Sandy hit; a nearly perfect disaster. Many survivors quickly abandon the city, reasoning that no help would be coming. Millions were on the move in the winter of 2013, looking for a safe place. Although they were the victims of one tragedy, they caused a great deal of more destruction.

The new official US government, formed by the constitutionalists is centered in Chicago. It counts most of the Great Lacks states as loyal members. Although by its very nature it is a week centralized governing force. 

The old official US government, controlled by the federalists moved to Hawaii. It continued to hold some scattered states loyalty and controlled some key installations. But more important it has a solid grasp on all the major West coast port cities.

By 2015 some order has been restored to sections of America, but the war is not over, and very few repairs had been done to infrastructure, except on purely local levels. A lot of the mid-west look more like the old-west, while the Main, Vermont, Massachusetts area has reverted to a very colonial style. The urban sprawl around New York was an abandoned concrete jungle. Washington was a ruined battle ground. 

End of Section 1.