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NOTE: This is my first ever independent thread, so I'll try to make it short.


Of the end of the War and following collapse of Mexico


WORLD WAR
After seven long years of continous fighting in South America, North America, Asia, Europe and Africa, the Allied Powers signed a peace with the Imperial Powers (which nations on which side will not be stated here, other than what is relevant for North America), ending in a bitter stalemate with no direct border changes. The war had lead to nothing for the Kingdom of Cortéz (Mexico), who had hoped to gain significant land in Oregon and Louisiana. The kindom joined the Imperial Powers in June 1916, in response to Quebéc's decision of joining the allies one month earlier. After a rapid advance in lower Lousisiana and Oregon, British and Quebecan forces quickly marshalled a counter-offensive, pushing Mexican forces back almost to their starting point. When the allied counter-offensive lost its momentum, both sides dug themselves into trenches, something neither participant preferred (they had already seen the trench massacres in France 1914-15).


A NATION IN DISARRAY
For four years, no change happened. After several unsuccessful advances in Oregon, costing five million Mexican lives and half a decade's full dedicaton of all the resources of the Kingdom of Cortéz to the war effort, the fragility of the kingdom became apparent. Although the kingdom of Cortéz' population was over 100 million people, their cultural and national feeling was very diffirent from region to region. Now that no resources were available to appease the masses, massive rebellions broke out in 1920, plunging the country into an unorganized and confusing civil war, where dozens of diffirent ethnic and political groups fought for their own power. In August of 1921, the kingdom of Cortéz signed a desperate but forced peace treaty with the Allies, ceding the province of Costa Mobile (Louisiana) to Quebec and Western Georgia to the United States. Even though a peace treaty was signed and the country could divert its resources to domestic purposes, it was now too late. The pressured country was now in full collapse as a result of famine, poverty, ethnic, religious, political and philosophical purposes, just about everything which has been rebelled agaisnt. The already war-crippled government in the Kingdom of Cortéz, with seat in Mexico, could do nothing to eradicate two dozen problems at once.


COLLAPSE AND BREAK-UP
The power-holding political figures, mostly governors and ministers, could easily see that rebuilding and stabilizing the kingdom was a lost cause. This caused the political elite to lose its final grasp of power, and become a part of the rebellion as they tried grabbed what they could find. The royal Cortézian family escaped to New Granada, their traditional ally, but their royalty and prestige as descended from Cortéz, the conqueror of Mexico, had become meaningless because of the rebellion. Following the abdication of the government and king, the former kingdom of Cortéz had now totally and decisivly collapsed, after having stood as an independent state ever since 1717. The most powerful country on the western hemisphere had imploded on itself, destroying the country's tradition of being one of the world's leading powers. The former country had absolutely no organization; several dozen rebel factions had taken power in cities, there was no economy or industry, and no law. Over a period of six years, the stability within the kingdom's former borders had stabilized remarkably after a bloody civil war, and only 10-15 rebel factions remained within the former kingdom as significant power-holders, and neither of these looked to re-unite the entire country. Instead, they broke into new independent states. In 1927-1928, thirteen new independent states emerged from the rubble of the kingdom of Cortéz, each with its own type of government, own set of laws, own currency and its own language.


SUCCESSOR STATES
The chief of these successor states was the relatively mighty Republic of Mexico, which composed of the city itself to the very south, and a good chunk of the former core lands of the Kingdom. This mighty "republic" was despotic, with a socialist dictator wielding power. The republic of Mexico held two-fifths of the former population, the best natural resources and most of the political elite. It was therefore considered to be the daughter-state of the Kingdom.

To the north, another powerful successor state was the Republic of California, which lasted only three months from April 1927 to July 1927. In July, it split in two, a northern and southern republic. Both republics held significant populations, but they had little infrastructure or economy and most of the population was poor. The more powerful south possessed a good shipping industry, while half of the northern state was composed of barren desert. A small elite lived in the north, and their wealth was mostly in gold, tracing their wealth to the great gold rush sixty years earlier.

To the east of California was the large Duchy of New Mexico. The power-holders in this despotic state were former nobles in the court of the Kingdom, and they had managed to hold on to their land throughout the civil war, and had even gained some territory to the south. Despite a meagre population, the economy was flourishing from its vast mineral reserves and because it possessed most of the surviving industry of the former kingdom.

East of New Mexico was the poorest but potentially richest of the successor states, the republic of Texas. Massive natural resources, minerals, energy, oil, forests, wildlife and cattle which were still unexploited could turn the nation into a power-house on the shore of the Gulf. Although pressured and heavily influenced by Quebec to the north, the Texans developed a strong sense of nationalism. Wether this potential nation becomes powerful, is up to a later thread.

Bordering the southern part of the Republic of Mexico were the duchys of Guadajara and Vera Cruz, two cities with large popualtion and a wealthy elite. Although they were small, they possessed a powerful military and in later years the great powers would try to gain as much influence in these cities as possible.

On the Yucatán peninsula emerged a republic bearing the same name. Although republic only in name, the state had a large middle-class, a decent fishing industry and an enormous logging industry. The state sold its timber to neighbouring states, making them economically dependant on the Republic. It also possessed significant oil and gas reserves.

South of Yucatán were five other small nations, which all were dictatorships fighting long guerilla wars agaisnt one another. The situation here was much like in OTL Africa after its independence, with poverty and little chance of recovery.

On the very tip of Central America was of course the Central American Confederacy, or CAC. This nation was by far the most stable of the successor states, and had a relatively large but ethnically diverse population, and was the most democratic and liberal of the new states. Although it was in the poorer range of the spectrum, foreign investments and good farmland made this nation potentially great.

YER MAPZ
And finally: The map of North America, anno 1928:


Comment on this thread and tell me what you think, offer new ideas as to how I can continue this timeline!!!!!!1111one1!!11!1!eleven!!!1
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