Let The Eagle Scream!

[Murica1776]

Chapter 52: The Lion Rampant

The flag of Iran
​

The aftermath of the Collapse of the UOCS was a great time to be Iranian. The nation reclaimed the province of Azerbaijan, long held by Russia from the 19th century after several wars between Russia and Iran had concluded in favor of the former. While some Azerbaijanis were unhappy to be shuffled from one empire to another, the majority of people were happy enough to escape Russian oppression to be ambivalent or pro-Tehran. The influx of Iranian capital to the region was also helpful, as investment created jobs and stabilized living standards. Of course, the reclamation of this old province did much to bolster morale at home, and the 1970's saw a wave of optimistic patriotism across Iran.

Meanwhile, in Central Asia, the Iranians had gained an honest to God sphere of influence. The Iranian Royal Army occupied the region for 4 years before allowing free and fair elections to be held. The results were wide and varied, from moderate Islamist parties in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, to liberal democrats in Tajikistan, and even socialists in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Regardless of where the parties fell on the ideological spectrum, all of them embraced Tehran as a benefactor. In return for economic aid and a continued commitment to democracy, the Iranians would get first dibs on the various nations' oilfields, and would be allowed to build air bases. The military bases were part of an Americo-Iranian stratagem to contain an increasingly bellicose China. This suited the peoples of Central Asia just fine. If China managed to gain sway, there was a strong chance that they would essentially be reduced to vassal status. Iran generally left her sphere alone as long as certain limited conditions were met. This arrangement was infinitely preferable for the Central Asian nations, who did not wish to be tyrannized by another massive nation.

While Iran was busy extending its grip abroad, the Shah was also at work loosening America's grip on his own nation. Iran had long been somewhere between a client state and an ally. In view of Iran's growing power and confidence, it seemed like the right time to push for a move towards true ally status. The Iranian and American governments entreated for months, and the Shah met Nixon in his court in Tehran. To his surprise, Nixon was rather open to the idea, and the two worked in tandem with their legislatures and governments to loosen the American grip on Iran so the nation could be embraced as a full ally, no longer a client state of sorts. This might seem unusual, given what we know of Nixon's character and beliefs; he was a Unionist, an imperialist, and frankly something of a control freak. The loss of any major kind of control over an ally, especially one as important as Iran, might seem antithetical to these traits. However, Nixon might have been a bit dogmatic and paranoid, but he wasn't an idiot. By loosening the American grip on Iran, he was saving the nation's position in the Middle East. More importantly, it gave America an excellent way to contain China, who's ambitions had become a paranoid, vindictive obsession of Nixon's. Also part of the equation was Nixon's admiration for the Iranians as a people, which can be seen in his diary entries;

"The Persians are what I wish the Chinese could be. They're an old imperial race. Look at their history, and you'll see glories and empires that are some of the most epic in human history. The Chinese are the same. However, the Persian lacks the national or racial narcissism of the Chinese. He still strives for greatness, but does not feel entitled to domination. By contrast, the Chinese clearly feel that it is their right to dominate Asia, maybe even the world. If we are to contain that huge, aggressive mass that is China, we need all the help we can get."

Aside from these political developments, the Iranian nation was peaceful and continuing to prosper. Some Shiite clerics still wished to drag Iran towards fundamentalism, but their numbers were thinner than ever. However, Iran was still a conservative nation. Even as the US and others moved on into a more "funky" and liberal future, Iran was quite content with its unique take on the culture of the American 1950's. People just preferred to grill things other than hot dogs, although hamburgers became quite popular. Backing up this traditionalist view was the wave of imperial patriotism sweeping the nation, complete with a cultural outlook not dissimilar to the American conservative movement. Conservative Democrats for years to come would say that Iran was a cultural role model.

A "model Iranian family" circa 1975

Iranian troops at a base in Uzbekistan​

 

[Murica1776]

Just a quick Iran update. Hope y'all enjoy!

 

[Goldwind2]

Chapter 52: The Lion Rampant

The flag of Iran
​

The aftermath of the Collapse of the UOCS was a great time to be Iranian. The nation reclaimed the province of Azerbaijan, long held by Russia from the 19th century after several wars between Russia and Iran had concluded in favor of the former. While some Azerbaijanis were unhappy to be shuffled from one empire to another, the majority of people were happy enough to escape Russian oppression to be ambivalent or pro-Tehran. The influx of Iranian capital to the region was also helpful, as investment created jobs and stabilized living standards. Of course, the reclamation of this old province did much to bolster morale at home, and the 1970's saw a wave of optimistic patriotism across Iran.

Meanwhile, in Central Asia, the Iranians had gained an honest to God sphere of influence. The Iranian Royal Army occupied the region for 4 years before allowing free and fair elections to be held. The results were wide and varied, from moderate Islamist parties in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, to liberal democrats in Tajikistan, and even socialists in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Regardless of where the parties fell on the ideological spectrum, all of them embraced Tehran as a benefactor. In return for economic aid and a continued commitment to democracy, the Iranians would get first dibs on the various nations' oilfields, and would be allowed to build air bases. The military bases were part of an Americo-Iranian stratagem to contain an increasingly bellicose China. This suited the peoples of Central Asia just fine. If China managed to gain sway, there was a strong chance that they would essentially be reduced to vassal status. Iran generally left her sphere alone as long as certain limited conditions were met. This arrangement was infinitely preferable for the Central Asian nations, who did not wish to be tyrannized by another massive nation.

While Iran was busy extending its grip abroad, the Shah was also at work loosening America's grip on his own nation. Iran had long been somewhere between a client state and an ally. In view of Iran's growing power and confidence, it seemed like the right time to push for a move towards true ally status. The Iranian and American governments entreated for months, and the Shah met Nixon in his court in Tehran. To his surprise, Nixon was rather open to the idea, and the two worked in tandem with their legislatures and governments to loosen the American grip on Iran so the nation could be embraced as a full ally, no longer a client state of sorts. This might seem unusual, given what we know of Nixon's character and beliefs; he was a Unionist, an imperialist, and frankly something of a control freak. The loss of any major kind of control over an ally, especially one as important as Iran, might seem antithetical to these traits. However, Nixon might have been a bit dogmatic and paranoid, but he wasn't an idiot. By loosening the American grip on Iran, he was saving the nation's position in the Middle East. More importantly, it gave America an excellent way to contain China, who's ambitions had become a paranoid, vindictive obsession of Nixon's. Also part of the equation was Nixon's admiration for the Iranians as a people, which can be seen in his diary entries;

"The Persians are what I wish the Chinese could be. They're an old imperial race. Look at their history, and you'll see glories and empires that are some of the most epic in human history. The Chinese are the same. However, the Persian lacks the national or racial narcissism of the Chinese. He still strives for greatness, but does not feel entitled to domination. By contrast, the Chinese clearly feel that it is their right to dominate Asia, maybe even the world. If we are to contain that huge, aggressive mass that is China, we need all the help we can get."

Aside from these political developments, the Iranian nation was peaceful and continuing to prosper. Some Shiite clerics still wished to drag Iran towards fundamentalism, but their numbers were thinner than ever. However, Iran was still a conservative nation. Even as the US and others moved on into a more "funky" and liberal future, Iran was quite content with its unique take on the culture of the American 1950's. People just preferred to grill things other than hot dogs, although hamburgers became quite popular. Backing up this traditionalist view was the wave of imperial patriotism sweeping the nation, complete with a cultural outlook not dissimilar to the American conservative movement. Conservative Democrats for years to come would say that Iran was a cultural role model.

A "model Iranian family" circa 1975

Iranian troops at a base in Uzbekistan​

Will Iran ever liberlize

 

[traveller76]

Will Iran ever liberlize

It will have to eventually but it will do so slowly.

 

[Murica1776]

Called it. I knew Russia would go Nazbol.

To be fair, this isn't really NazBol per se. Russia is actually fairly democratic, if a bit corrupt, and indulges more in cultural racism than any kind of blood based nationalism. Also, I can see some limited private business as well.

In other news, I have an ultimate scheme for when TTL is going to end. 2010, roughly. However...

I've mentioned before doing a redux version that's more in depth and has some differences. I'm already planning this out now. I also intend to at some point so a third LTES TL. For those unaware, TTL was loosely inspired by Ad Astra Per Aspera by rvbomally, before diverging significantly. For starters, TTL isn't terribly dystopic I don't think. However, the third part of the series would be closer in spirit to that and would basically be a dark reflection of TTL.

 

[starwarlord]

For starters, TTL isn't terribly dystopic I don't think. However, the third part of the series would be closer in spirit to that and would basically be a dark reflection of TTL.

Oh poop.

 

[Murica1776]

Chapter 53: The Italian-German Split and the Greater Mideast War

Prime Minister Mario Esposito​

1975 would mark the end of the 6 decade long alliance between Italy and Germany. The alliance had been under strain for decades. Even as Italy continued to rise to true Great Power status, indeed bordering on superpower status, the Germans continued to treat the Italians as subordinates. This constantly grated both on Italian politicians, and the Italian people. By the 1970's, tensions were at an all-time high. When the relationship snapped, it snapped hard.

In March of 1975, German High Command sent a request to their Italian counterparts. They wanted to requisition 50 million barrels of spare oil to compensate for the deficit they had run to wage their Drive East during the Fall of the UOCS. The Italians offered to sell the oil at slightly below market value. The Germans were offended. In the past, High Command had been easily able to requisition resources they needed from their allies, in return for the benefits of German protection. They said as much in their response to the Italian counteroffer, and chided the Italians for their resistance. This was the final straw. Prime Minister Mario Esposito, a somewhat nationalistic character, openly denounced the German demand in a TV broadcast. The Italian people were furious, resulting in a wave of anti-German protests. As the war of words escalated, German troops were expelled from Italy and vice versa. The various clients of the two European behemoths began to follow suit. Many of the expelled troops were sent to Africa to fortify borders, or suppress bubbling revolts as nationalists tried to take advantage of the confusion. However, the worst was yet to come.

After German troops provoked Italian guards in Libya, the Italian government cut off all oil exports to Germany in August. This was devastating to the German economy. Italian North Africa had always been a consistent source of cheap oil. Now, they were left out to dry. The German stock market plummeted. The Italians also felt some negative economic consequences, but these were easier to weather than the damage inflicted on Germany. Oil reserves were getting dangerously low in Germany by February 1976. Berlin instituted harsh rationing to keep supplies stable, which in turn sparked huge consumer shortages, hoarding, and fuel riots. It would be up to newly elected Chancellor Willi Stoph to figure out how to stop the bleeding. The decision he came to would spark the last great land grab of the German Empire.

It was plain to the Chancellor that there was no hope for getting the oil Germany needed from within her sphere. Trading with the American sphere was impractical given the distances involved, not to mention against German interests in the Shadow War. Trading with the new India-aligned Russian government was out of the question. Going groveling to the Italians would also not work. However, there was one region of the world up for grabs; the Middle East. The region was currently experiencing massive turmoil as the collapse of the UOCS and a generational changing of the guard meant that the old alliance structure, never terribly stable to begin with, had broken down. Even worse, the collapse of UOCS military support had made some factions of the population restless. And within this relatively poor, unmilitarized, and chaotic region were the richest oil reserves on Earth. Siphoning excess fuel from Scandinavia, and appropriating fuel from other parts of the military, German High Command drew up plans for a Blitzkrieg across the Arab world.

Using German Egypt and German aligned Israel as launching points, tanks, aircraft, and motorized infantry would sweep across the desert. The ultimate goal was the annexation of Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf monarchies, with concessions to be made to keep Mecca and Medina under Muslim rule. This was a hugely risky gamble. Nonetheless, on August 4th, 1976, the green light was given. Israeli and German forces steamrolled their way across Jordan in a week, and the 500,000 man strong force then started bearing down on Saudi Arabia. The Saudis put up a fierce fight, but their inferior weapons and training doomed them. Of course, the vicious aerial bombardment from the German Air Force didn't help either. By November, an all-Turkish volunteer continent was marching into Mecca and an Egyptian one into Medina.

The swiftness of the German advance startled the world. There were fears that the Germans were going to try and take the whole region. So, those powers that could act, did. Iran, paranoid about being sandwiched between Germany, India, and China, invaded Iraq on November 12th with American help. The goal was not to conquer Iraq per se, but to install a client regime. The Iraqis, who had shifted their forces to the border with Germany, were caught completely off guard. Thanks to overwhelming air superiority, and a lack of support for the regime, Iraq crumbled in 7 months. Iran also preemptively invaded Kuwait for similar reasons. In Turkey, the Italians and their allies stirred up the Kurds, with the idea being that a revolt there would distract them and the Germans. Instead, all it did was incite ethnic riots that pissed everyone off. Nonetheless, the Turks had to be restrained from behaving more... aggressively by their German allies. When it was revealed that the Italians had been the ones to incite the Kurds to violence, the Germans and Turks threatened to invade Greece, still clinging to the spoils from the World War Era that the old Unitist government had expelled Turks from. The Italians shot back that a declaration of war on Greece was a declaration of war on Italy. Anxiety skyrocketed across the globe as people feared a Third World War, one that European civilization might not survive.

The Americans stepped in to prevent a war from spiraling throughout the globe. Nixon sat down with the Iranians, Italians, Germans, Kurds, Israelis, and Turks at Camp David to try and hash out a deal in 1977. The end result carved up the Middle East. Iran and the US took joint suzerainty of Iraq and Kuwait. Germany nabbed Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Mecca and Medina were declared self-governing Free Holy Cities. Israel established a puppet government in Jordan. The Italians and their allies made Syria and the UAE client states. Oman and Yemen were left free and independent, although they began to drift towards India.

The Italian-German split fundamentally altered global geopolitics. One of the great power blocs of the world was broken, never to be repaired. The Balkans, and indeed most of the Mediterranean, became a purely Italian project. It really was Mare Nostrum again. The Germans were agitated by the departure of their former partner, but the relative ease with which they gobbled up such a huge portion of the Middle East restored German faith in Kaiser, Empire, and Military. However, the war in the Middle East would, in many ways, never end. The Germans waged a counterinsurgency for decades, as the native population was understandably infuriated by German domination of the peninsula. However, the territory was too valuable economically and psychologically for the Germans to quit. Plus, Arabia was no India; the population was much smaller and still fairly easy to divide. Germanization would also begin, making things even messier. Israel also showed its strength to the world, getting its very own puppet state (with the help of German largesse). Jordan would become a dumping ground for Israeli Arabs in the coming years. Italian aligned Syria and the UAE became wedge states that would be under constant pressure from the Germans and their allies on one side, and the Iranians and Americans on the other. They would become increasingly militarized as the years went on. India's allies in Oman and Yemen were poor, but India committed to building them up, and would open several military bases in the region in the 1980's. Finally, Iran's creation of puppet states in Iraq and Kuwait made it the pre-eminent power in the Islamic world. Between its domination of Central Asia, Iraq, and Kuwait, the Iranians had an informal empire that would have impressed their imperial ancestors. Technically the US also had rights over Iraq and Kuwait, but in practice these were seldom exercised in favor of allowing Iran a reasonable berth. While still weaker than the US of A, Iran was no longer treated like an out and out subordinate; she was acknowledged as essentially an equal. In the coming decades, the Middle East would be one of the most important and incendiary fronts of the Shadow War.

Iranian troops photographed 50 miles outside of Baghdad

IDF troops rejoice after a swift victory in Jordan

President Nixon and Shah Pahlavi (1978)​

 

[Murica1776]

There's going to also be a Sino-American split of sorts. It's definitely not going to be as total as the Italy-Germany split, but the two won't be full blooded allies like they were ever again.

Another thing I'm thinking; Germany and China form a loose alliance against an equally loose alliance of Italy and India. They're more friends of convenience than full on allies, but still work together

 

[Born in the USSA]

Way to go Iran! You made yourself an equal to the US without coming to blows, unlike the Italians to the Germans

 

[Wolttaire]

interesting and good update

 

[Murica1776]

Way to go Iran! You made yourself an equal to the US without coming to blows, unlike the Italians to the Germans

It really comes down to differences in culture and the geopolitical situation between the two. The Germany that won the World Wars, that still dominates much of the globe, was Imperial Germany. They sure as hell weren't Nazis, but Imperial Germany was very hierarchical and chauvinistic. Subordinates should obey superiors without question, and Germany is deserving of power and respect. This Germany has de facto dominated Europe for 60 some odd years by this point. They felt that Europe was naturally "theirs" and that the various peoples ought to obey Germany. The US ITTL is aggressive, but they don't have quite that same mix of supremacism and hierarchial thinking that the Germans do, so they're more flexible. Geopolitically, it's very possible for Germany to try and undermine Italian influence in Europe, though I don't think it'll happen. By contrast, the US needs Iran to have any significant power in the Middle East, especially now. As a result, they get treated like an equal. There will be a similar dynamic with Liberia, who is about to go on another neo-imperialist adventure as well.

 

[Murica1776]

A Grand and Sunny Empire

An Italianized part of Tripoli (1979)
​

Italy after the split with Germany was a wild, prosperous, and contradictory place. Having thrown off their Teutonic shackles, the Italians truly spread their wings. They had taken with them a vast domain of colonies, allies, and client states. In Africa, they remained one of the dominant powers thanks to their huge empire, as well as the empires of their Portuguese and Spanish allies. In the Middle East, Syria and the UAE provided them with a foothold in that strategic region, and the UAE had plentiful oil supplies. In South America, Argentina and Chile remained steadfast allies, and gave Italy the only significant foothold in the Americas of any European power, something which infuriated Washington to no end. Italy had no real power in Asia, but would soon make friends with a power that did. And in the European heartland, Italy had sway over Spain, Portugal, and with the lone exception of Romania, utterly dominated the Balkans. Georgia and much of the Caucasian region was an Italian playground as well. It was, as King Victor Emmanuel IV put it "A grand and sunny Empire."

Italy proper underwent a revolutionary cultural shift, although many who led this shift stated that it was more of a reversion to type. During the decades of alliance with Germany, the Italian government tried to make the culture more strict, severe, and disciplined. This was in fact at the behest of the Germans, who believed that the Latin cultures of Southern Europe and the Balkans were "unforgivably decadent, and more concerned with pleasure and art as opposed to the practical and moral matters of life." The government hadn't been terribly successful in changing the Italian way of life, but the fact that they had been compelled to try irked the populace to no end. In fact, Neo-Romanism partially evolved out of this desire, although it remained the de facto governing ideology of the Empire long after Germany was kicked out. Nonetheless, with Rome no longer trying to appease Berlin, Italian culture exploded overnight. Censorship was drastically reduced, and government morality laws were often repealed or began to fall out of enforcement. A new school of hip artists began exploring "the glory of the human form" via nude sculpture, painting, and photography, which had heavy Roman and Renaissance influences. New music taking influence from American genres like Jazz and Americo-Latin took off. A new generation of arthouse films exploring cultural and psychological themes, as well as once taboo subjects like extramarital affairs became popular. The fashion industry, always a staple in Italy, became much more risque and also took materials and influences from Africa and North Africa. The Italian people reveled in this newfound freedom in cafes, bars, and new nightclubs where hooking up, while not necessarily smiled upon, also wasn't frowned upon. After decades of repression, the Italians reclaimed what they viewed as their cultural birthright to sophistication and pleasure. This attitude spread throughout their global sphere, which combined with religiosity to form something that other nations (mainly the Americans and Germans) viewed as hypocritical, but the Italians viewed as traditional.

In Italy's European sphere, similar cultural revolutions occurred. In Greece, a neo-Athenian movement sought to recreate that old city state's legendary sense of freedom and power in the nation. The rest of the Balkans played with similar tropes, but also flat-out imported Italian culture. The French also began importing Italian culture, but Paris still obeyed Berlin, and imports were banned indefinitely. In Spain and Portugal, this earthy, pleasure loving culture was mixed with more overt nationalism and even nihilism, as the old Unitist regimes and their empires started to decay. Chile and Argentina also imported Italian and Spanish culture, but blended them with their own native influences. However, more importantly, this culture was aggressively exported to the Italian colonial empire and their Middle Eastern clients.

If this cultural revolution had been derived from the people, the foisting of it on the colonies was a government invention. Prime Minister Esposito recognized the utility of a populist mass culture, and compared what his government was doing with the Romans: "The German foolishly thinks he can cram his culture down his subjects throats like a school headmaster dealing with unruly children. Our ancestors knew better. It is much easier to seduce the native with sophistication and pleasure than to lash him." The Italian government would invest billions into giving natives free TV's, free radios, and building hotels, theaters, and other cultural sites to both encourage Italians to vacation, as well as to increase cultural penetration into the colonies. Similar efforts were undertaken in Syria and the UAE with local cooperation. The idea was to use tourism and mass media to standardize culture, and keep money within the Empire and its clients. It was actually rather successful, as mass media and the money to be made in tourism incentivized many to learn Italian and more fully embrace the imperial culture. To make this process even easier within the colonies, natives who were fluent in Italian, passed a cultural exam, and served the empire in some fashion for 5 years could become full citizens. The phrase "Service Guarantees Citizenship!" became ubiquitous in imperial propaganda. This process would take time to catch on, but the results couldn't be denied.

In Asia, the Italians spread their wings by doing the most anti-German thing imaginable; allying with India. India was not so much anti-imperialist as it was anti-German. In fact, there was a powerful faction in India calling for the creation of a sort of "Nationalist Socialist empire" in which the Indian people guided various other nations towards a more equal and just society, and perhaps spread Indian culture as well. Thus, allying with the Italians wasn't an ideological conundrum. Plus, pissing off Germany was always fun. The two signed several treaties, but never became "buddy buddy." They still competed in certain arenas, but would align against Germany and China, who they viewed as authoritarian bullies who wanted nothing more than to bend the globe to their will (which isn't entirely inaccurate). The two would conduct joint drills with their clients in the Middle East, which kept German Arabia on even higher alert than normal. Trade between India and Italy benefitted both parties, and cultural ties were created as well. This alliance of convenience alarmed China, Germany, and to a lesser extent, the US. The Germans and Chinese would come to a similar arrangement, while the US started stationing more troops in Iraq, and engaged in further cooperation with Iran. The Shadow War was getting more complicated and high stakes than ever, and all parties involved were in it to win it...

Still from La Dolce Vita (1978)

Indian troops in a joint exercise with the Italians (1980)

Fashionable women in Algeria (1979)​

 

[Born in the USSA]

"Service Guarantees Citizenship!"

I for one would like to know more!

 

[Murica1776]

Chapter 54: The Wars of Angolan and Mozambican Independence

Liberian funded rebels in Angola (1977)
​

In the late 1970's, Portugal was in serious decline. The nation's inefficient Unitist regime had caused the Portuguese economy to decline. When Portugal followed Italy out of the German structure of control, Germany cut off all aid to the country. Portugal had long been dependent on both German and Italian aid to keep its empire afloat. In fact, German military aid had arguably more important given the proximity of German Africa to Portugal's colonies, but Italy gave more in the way of cash and economic help, forcing Lisbon to swing towards Rome to keep people at home happy. The result was immediate cracks in Portugal's African empire.

As the Germans pulled the plug, nationalist forces arose in the vacuum, overwhelming the smaller Portuguese colonial forces. The Portuguese sent thousands of regular troops to try and plug the gap. The Italians, Greeks, and Yugoslavs also sent forces to try and suppress the rebels. They were bolstered by local Portuguese elites who formed a 15% minority thanks to decades of intermarriage. However, the various groups rebelling against Portuguese rule found their own foreign sponsors. Some groups latched onto Nationalist Socialist ideology and got aid from India. Others latched onto traditional nationalism and received funding from the Nixon Administration and their Liberian counterparts in the Washington Administration. Liberia took point on funding the rebels, and even sent in several thousand troops to supplement native rebels. The Liberians also compelled their allies in Madagascar to send 10,000 soldiers to Mozambique. Another interesting component were African American filibusters, who found ads in various "soldier of fortune" magazines and charged into Angola to spread what many Liberian and African-American thinkers termed "Protestant, English Speaking, African Civilization." This view was an offshoot of the American and Liberian conservative movements, and will be discussed separately. These filibusters, numbering some 20,000, had a huge impact on the fighting.

The fighting was ugly and brutal. Atrocities were committed on all sides in an effort to try and gain the advantage. What the Portuguese had optimistically predicted would be a quick victory had become a quagmire, and Portuguese Africa wasn't a huge area of interest for their Italian overseers. Their power had always been concentrated in the northern part of the continent, and they could make do without Portugal's crumbling colonial empire. After two years of fighting, Portugal quit the colonies on August 9th, 1978. However, the fighting didn't stop. The native Portuguese elites brought in South Africans to stem the bleeding, with the understanding that they would become South African client states after the fact. India continued to supply advisors and material, but was starting to be more concerned with events closer to home, as the rivalry with China intensified. Support largely dried up by January of 1979, and their once favored rebel groups fell apart. In April, the Liberians decided to pull out the big guns to finally end the conflict. Two new Roberts-class aircraft carriers, the LNS Republic of Maryland and the LNS Abe Lincoln were deployed with a full retinue of American fighters and bombers, which proceeded to napalm Angola and Mozambique on a scale not seen since Germany's use of firebombs in India. The war was becoming too costly for South Africa to tolerate, especially as it seemed that the Liberians, who had been going strong for 3 years, were ready to intensify the pressure even more. By New Years Day, 1980, the South Africans gave up too. Fighting would continue for three more months, but by March 10th the Liberians and their filibuster allies had taken former Portuguese Africa. Provisional republics were established in the nations under joint supervision. The Portuguese elite were forcibly evacuated back to Portugal, and their farms and businesses were taken by Liberians or African American filibusters "as a temporary measure until the natives learn how to run them." While in some ways this was a good decision, as the natives were legitimately untrained and would have likely mismanaged the national economy in a horrific fashion, the fact remains that Angola and Mozambique joined Madagascar in being Liberian dominated. In many regards the two countries just traded masters, as the foreign elite would continue to govern and control the economy for decades, although natives enjoyed many more rights than they had under Portuguese rule.

The flag of the Republic of Mozambique

The flag of the Republic of Angola (Liberian troops repurposed the flag of the old Republic of Maryland)

African-American filibusters in Angola (1979)​

 

[Born in the USSA]

Neat! I wouldn't mind a map with handy color-coded factions if you're feeling generous

 

[Murica1776]

Neat! I wouldn't mind a map with handy color-coded factions if you're feeling generous

I've actually been making some maps for that exact purpose!

 

[traveller76]

I am imagining some Indian culture mixed with Mediterranean fashion and film style. I predict that the government censors in India are going to be busy.

 

[Goldwind2]

Since thier has been a full German italain split is total instead of partial like you were originally hinting Would you consider American German detante / reconciliation in the late 80 90's or 2000's. also do you like the idea of the inian itlaina allaince breakig in the 90's or 2000'If so I got just the guy to be challor of German who would lead to Germany making friends with America again. His name is Alexander Sturat Houston. He was the son of Adolf hitter half Irish nephew will patkrick hitter. William patrick and adolf didn't get along. OTL William ended up join the American army and changed his last name. I feel that atl William would have a better relation with his uncle.

 

[Goldwind2]

Do you think the revoulations in malta may lead to cyprus fighting for inpeence from greece or is that to farfetched

 

[Murica1776]

Chapter 55: "Put the Hammer Down:" Nixon's Second Term, the Sino-American Chill, and the War on Opioids

President Nixon at a press conference concerning the Tibet Crisis
​

In 1972, Dick Nixon won re-election by a massive margin. It was a predictable result. The President's handling of Indochina and other popular programs had made him the most popular president since Quentin Roosevelt. The biggest issue he faced immediately after re-election was dealing with the collapse of the UOCS, which he handled very well by cooperating with America's European rivals and forming a strong coalition for the purpose of ridding the world of that horrific evil. However, the events of the intervention in Russia also set in motion a split between China and America, albeit one not as vitriolic or total as the Italian-German Split.

Tensions had been boiling for a while. China felt hemmed in by America's ring of allies and colonies, the UOCS, and India. After the UOCS fell, China hoped to break off pieces of Central Asia and Siberia, either as client states or flat out provinces. Their ambitions were thwarted. Nixon was afraid that breaking up Russia proper could cause problems down the line. Iran swooped into Central Asia before China had a chance to. Even Korea remained beyond Beijing's grasp, as Chinese arrogance in Pyongyang reaffirmed the ROK's alignment to Washington. Manchuria had been reclaimed, but this was hardly enough to satisfy China. They were powerful, increasingly wealthy, and still democratic. Why couldn't the world give them their due, and butt out of Asia? All this anger needed an outlet somewhere. In the end, the victim was Tibet.

Tibet was a province in China, but had a long and storied history of its own, as well as a rich and sophisticated culture. The Tibetans were overwhelmingly Buddhist, spoke their own language, and in general wished to keep it that way. Unfortunately for them, China's Han majority was having none of that. They wished to impose their culture and the Mandarin language on the region. In the aftermath of the intervention in Russia, the Chinese government began devoting massive resources to Sinicizing Tibet. The backlash was ferocious. Riots broke out across Tibet, and even a few small rebellions. The Chinese were having none of it. The Republican Army marched in with thousands of soldiers and tanks, while the Air Force began aerially deploying tear gas over Lhasa. However, the true extent of Chinese actions had yet to be revealed.

In 1975, an American spy plane captured photos of burning temples in Tibet. President Nixon had ordered constant spy flights over Chinese territory since the conclusion of the Indochina Crisis, as he grew increasingly mistrustful of the Chinese. The photos were leaked to the press, and sparked international furor. The Chinese accused the Nixon Administration of lying, and began attacking the President as a paranoid lunatic once the scale of the spy flight operations were revealed. Nixon in turn fired back, saying "China has proven itself nothing short of a rogue state. In the past six years they have supplied dangerous terrorists operating on our soil with weapons, attempted to annex former North Korea, attempted to break apart Russia so they could snap up Siberia, regardless of the consequences, poured resources into subverting the lawful governments of Central Asia, and are now burning down peaceful places of worship in an attempt to impose Unitist style rule in Tibet. It's not paranoia if their actually out to get you." Most of the globe sided with Nixon. India condemned China's actions, and installed a friendly regime in Nepal as a buffer/tripwire. Russia once more fortified its borders with China, although relations would eventually thaw slightly in the interest of trade. The increasingly independent Italians denounced China as well, and after the Split, would align with India against China. China's fellow GCL members ardently condemned China, especially Quebec, who compared Chinese actions with Canadian attacks on Catholic priest during the War. The only major power to side with China was Germany, who stated that China appeared to have been acting "solely in the interest of counter-insurgency."

This was too much for China to bear. Tired of feeling entrapped and disrespected, the Chinese left the GCL in November of 1975. The Nixon administration cancelled the mutual defense pact between the two, and incentivized American manufacturers who had moved some operations to China to instead move them to Burma or the Philippines, or perhaps Japan and/or Korea. Other members of the GCL did the same, although they tended to favor Korea. China in turn cancelled some trade treaties, and raised tariffs. For all intents and purposes, the Sino-American alliance was over. China began to align more closely with Germany, as the two powers respected one another as ancient and noble peoples with vast empires. It was also incredibly efficient from an economic perspective, with German oil, food, and consumer goods flowing into China, while the Chinese became a new workshop for Berlin to manufacture some consumer products and large numbers of industrial ones. Joint military exercises would follow, and as a gesture of goodwill, Germany relinquished its control over the puppet Kingdom of Thailand and allowed the Chinese to establish their own client state. Thailand was surrounded by Yankees and expensive for far away Germany to maintain, but handing it over to China allowed Germany to maintain limited influence as well as shore up Dutch Indonesia. A new order had been born from the collapse of Russia, and the world was more competitive than ever.

Domestically, Nixon faced a rising tide of drug addiction. Opiates had become especially prevalent in poor communities due to their highly addictive nature and the numbing effects they provided. The reasons for the epidemic are myriad. Part of the issue came from a rough economic transition, as quite a few American manufacturing jobs moved to Asia, especially the American Philippines and American Burma, which lacked unions of the same strength as the ones in the Homeland, but also couldn't be subjected to punitive tariffs. The Nixon Administration took steps to stop or slow this process, but only so much could be done. Another factor was the large numbers of Asian migrant workers in America proper, who were often employed as maids, dry cleaners, and farm laborers. Opium and associated products had a long history in Asia, and some bad apples inevitably brought some of the problem with them. Finally, the 1970's had a wild party culture which glamorized drug-fueled debauchery, prompting some to experiment. Nixon's reaction was to crack down, hard. In 1974 he opened up the Bureau of Drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BDATF) which was granted wide ranging powers across the Homeland and especially the Colonies to crush the drug trade. The BDATF would later on also engage in operations in Latin America alongside local governments and the OSS to crush the cocaine trade. Harsh new sentencing laws were enacted. However, the so-called War on Opiates (soon just the War on Drugs) was incredibly controversial for what many deemed unfair enforcement. Local police and BDATF agents seemed to go out of their way to target Indochinese migrants, and devoted large amounts of resources to work in Indochina. Sentencing for Indochinese offenders was harsher than sentencing for others. Some wondered if the whole thing was an elaborate scheme to punish Indochina and tighten control over the Territory. In 1975, a 15 year old Vietnamese boy from Los Angeles named Danh Vu was sentenced to life in prison for dealing heroin. Many viewed the sentence as an outrage, while others felt it should serve as a lesson to the Indochinese which sparked the Danh Vu Race Riots in LA. The riots were the first major use of militarized police on American soil, who successfully crushed the riot. Nonetheless, the War on Opiates would remain contentious for decades. Despite this, Nixon would win one final term of office in 1976, as he remained an extremely popular President.

White and Black rioters prepare to clash with Indochinese migrants and police in LA (1975)

Chancellor Stoph announces the signing of treaties with China (1974)

Tibetan militants in old colonial surplus uniforms (1973)​