The End of the World as we Know it: What if the Cold War Went Nuclear?

Introduction
A/N: I made the first two parts of this timeline a while age, now I am posting them to this site with some rewriting (and a changed POD). I will be posting the next two parts over the next few days, then I a going to finish writing part three and make even more of them. Anyways I hope you enjoy!

Introduction:


In 1983 the world ended by accident. The Soviet Union detected a false alarm for a nuclear first strike from the USA. In our timeline Stanislav Petrov was cautious enough to not strike back, however in this timeline he takes no such caution. Nobody ever knew that it was an accident, everyone just blamed it on the other side. But time marches on, the war became a distant memory, and hundreds of years later humanity rebuilds. New countries pop up. technologies are reinvented. But this all comes with a dark side, the ever present forces of nationalism and imperialism are coming back in full force. Will humanity build a better world on their second try or will they end up destroying themselves again?
 
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Maryland my Maryland!
Maryland my Maryland!

Maryland in 2260 is standing at a precipice. The two great powers of the region, Maryland and Baltimore, are at the brink of war. The rest of the region waits with bated breath, waiting for one country to make a false move and for war to start, a war that will inevitably decide the fate of Maryland, and maybe the whole east coast.

Maryland

The great Maryland republic claims to be a beacon of democracy, though in reality it is little more than a monarchy with the title president and faux elections. Capitaled in the old city of Annapolis, it is wealthier than most other nations and has reintroduced several technologies to the world. In 2260 President Theodore (named for US president Theodore Roosevelt, a common practice in post-nuclear nations) has just taken office, appointing a congress of his political allies and friends, removing all who disagree with him. President Theodore intends to conquer Baltimore and put the generations-old rivalry between Baltimore and Maryland to an end.

Baltimore

The illustrious Kingdom of Baltimore is the oldest nation in what was the US state of Maryland, supposedly being founded by a band of survivors only decades after the great war. With tensions between Maryland and Baltimore rising, the smaller and poorer kingdom hopes that in case of war its allies in Washington will aid in the war effort.

Washington

The prestigious Empire of Washington was founded over 100 years ago when Emperor Washington I (who claimed descent from George Washington) took a band of followers from Kentucky to the nearly uninhabited area in and around D.C (growing largely in size along the way) and conquering it. All emperors of Washington claim also to be The President of the United States of America and each of them hopes to be the one to finally reunite the country. Emperor Washington VI (all emperors are named Washington) not only wants to reunite America, but plans to act on it. Hoping for a war between Baltimore and Maryland he wants to take this opportunity to annex Maryland and vastly increase the size and wealth of his empire.

Montgomery

The united kingdom of Montgomery is a political union between the kingdoms of Rockville and Bethesda. It gains its name from the county the two nations were a part of before the great war. Though it is neutral in the inevitable Baltimore-Maryland war it hopes to become wealthier through the sale of their high quality weapons to both parties.

War comes...

Now the old state of Maryland stands at the brink of a decisive war, whoever wins this war will dominate Maryland, and potentially the whole east coast for decades to come. Both sides want war, but they still need a spark to start it, and that spark comes when king Lincoln of Baltimore calls President Theodore of Maryland “A corrupt bumbling fool who will destroy his whole nation.”
 
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It's quite good so far. I'm in as well. Suggestion: mix narrative parts with textbook parts like the two parts you've posted so far.
 
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It's quite good so far. I'm in as well. Suggestion: mix narrative parts with textbook parts like the two parts you've posted so far.
I am planning on doing that. I'm currently working on a drawing related to the next part. Plus I have a map that I forgot to post, so I'll post that later.
 
Maryland my Maryland!
Map that I forgot to post.

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I wish I weren’t in Dixie!
I wish I weren’t in Dixie!

Industry, to no one's shock, took a massive hit after the nuclear war. Technology was pushed back hundreds of years. Only now in the 2490s is it recovering even a little thanks to the help of another industrial revolution. Of course not all is perfect, the second industrial era contains the first sins as the first. Poor working conditions, low pay, slums, etc. And plus the big bad of the south, Dixie’s land, the massive totalitarian slave state. Everyone is fighting to stop Dixie, even the typically neutral Floridians. Will the south finally be liberated or will everywhere from Florida to New England be crushed under Dixie’s heel?

Dixie’s Land

Dixie’s Land, or just Dixie for short, is a mysterious terrifying force that no one knows the inner workings of. It is supposedly run by a god-like immortal known only as "Dixie". Or at least that’s what the higher ups in Dixie would like you to believe, however many people outside of Dixie’s Land believe that a person called Dixie doesn’t exist and consider him a myth made up to keep the population in line. In the late 2300’s out of the deep south (the most reliable sources say somewhere in Alabama, but nobody knows for sure) came a new power dedicated to restoring the Antebellum south of the 1800’s. They brought back slavery, (though not based on race due to the low black population in the former USA) plantaions were opened and the cotton gin was reinvented. Dixie began repressing his citizens, slave or free, with an iron fist. No one had any freedom of thought or speech. Dixie appears to have taken George Orwell’s 1984 as an instruction manual rather than a warning. Quickly the massive Dixie hordes conquered all of the deep south. But now with them being at war with their much more industrially capable neighbors Dixie might have finally picked a fight it can’t win against the alliance of Maryland, Virginia and Carolina. Will Dixie’s Land conquer all or will their tyranny finally be defeated and their subjects liberated?

The United States of the Mississippi

The United States of the Mississippi is a crumbling empire. It was formed from a group of cities along the Mississippi River that started working together closely. Over time it formed into the most prosperous trading empire in this hemisphere. Based on a modified version of the USA’s constitution it was well known for its old world style democracy and freedoms. All was looking up for the USM. Then Dixie came. Rumors of a new power in the little organized, sparsely populated deep south region began circulating. Supposedly it was a highly militarized country taking over vast swaths of land very quickly. Most, including the USM government scoffed at this notion, but in secret the USM government was preparing for war should the rumors prove to be true. And the rumors were, but all the preparations the USM had made were not enough. The Dixie hordes overwhelmed the USM and sent the government fleeing north to Saint Louis, leaving New Orleans, the old capital, to fend for itself. The rump USM is preparing now, preparing to strike back at Dixie’s Land and regain the prosperity and prestige it once held. With the new industrial age trade on the Mississippi could be made incredibly profitable once again, that is, if the Mississippi reains united.

New Orleans

New Orleans inhabits an odd in between somewhere in the middle of anarchy and a military dictatorship. The only thing holding them together is their hatred of Dixie. The former capital of the USM is only barely holding out against Dixie, everyday they lie in wait hoping the USM armies will overwhelm Dixie and return home.

Maryland

Maryland is a powerhouse (I swear I’m not biased). With powerful industry and a large population they can punch far above their weight. Ever since the Maryland unification war in the 2260’s against Baltimore, Maryland has democratized and expanded. In the early 2300’s the Kingdom of Montgomery agreed to join Maryland if they retained autonomy, it remained this way until President Theodore II, the last fully monarchical president and a major reformer, made them a region of Maryland like any other. Over time it met several other countries, such as the Republic of Virginia, which grew out of the Kingdom of Richmond, and the Appalachian Confederacy. Currently Maryland is straining its resources to help Virginia and Carolina defeat Dixie. A few in Maryland see no point in aiding their allies if Dixie poses no direct threat to them, but the government keeps sending men and supplies to the front.

Delmarva

Delmarvans have a reputation for being stubborn. No fact reflects this better than their refusal to join Maryland. Maryland has offered to annex Delmarva several times, Delmarva has refused every time despite the major benefits this would bring to their economy, which is mostly fishing based (as well as a big tourism industry in their capital of Ocean City, which is a favorite vacation spot of the rich who can afford to travel.)

The Appalachian Confederacy

The Appalachian Confederacy is more an alliance than a country. It consists of several practically independent city states that work together closely. The only reason it is portrayed as one country in most maps is because it’s more convenient for the cartographers to do so. Appalachia is hostile towards Dixie, though they have never engaged in anything more than skirmishes with them. This is mostly because Dixie has left them alone because the mountainous region would be hard to conquer and secure.

Toledo Zone

Vaguely resembles a country. Only exists because Detroit and Ohio want nothing to do with it.

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh has always been a steel producing city. From before the bombs until now Pittsburgh has been an industrial city. But after the bombs it was never at its prewar level, Until recently. Due to the massive new industrial revolution Pittsburgh has greatly increased its steel output. They export it all over, everywhere from Toronto to New Orleans to Florida uses Pittsburgher steel. This makes Pittsburgh an incredibly wealthy country and one of the main beneficiaries of the industrial revolution. Of course this wealth and benefits are mostly reserved for the upper class and political elite of Pittsburgh. This makes the workers who toil in the factories angry. Recently tales of workers unions from the old days have been circulating amongst the workers. As the divide between the working man and the upper class gets bigger, class war gets closer to occuring. As for now, Pittsburgh's future remains uncertain.

Philadelphia

Philadelphia is not like Pittsburgh. It’s not an industrial power, it’s not rich, it doesn’t have a massive population. In every way Philadelphia is a "lesser" country to Pittsburgh, or at least that's how Pittsburghers see it. This leads to lots of resentment by Philadelphians towards Pittsburgh. Overall the city of brotherly love feels little love for it's Pennsylvanian brother.

New England

New Enlgand rules the waves. They have a large navy, and a massive fishing and trading economy. They even control New York City. New York was hit especially hard by the bombs, there was naught left but rubble. NYC and its immediate surroundings remained largely unpopulated for a long time afterwards. Until some New England sailors came and settled it. Today New York City is one of New England's biggest and most thriving cities, bringing immigrants from all over the Americas, and even some from as far away as Europe (which is going through its own problems, or so the immigrants would have you believe). Overall New England is doing well, and there definitely isn't an impending economic crisis on the horizon (very obvious foreshadowing).

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I wish I weren’t in Dixie!

Industry, to no one's shock, took a massive hit after the nuclear war. Technology was pushed back hundreds of years. Only now in the 2490s is it recovering even a little thanks to the help of another industrial revolution.
The southern hemisphere that would probably have avoided the bulk of a nuclear war in the 80s says hi.
 
The southern hemisphere that would probably have avoided the bulk of a nuclear war in the 80s says hi.
I'm not entirely sure about what to do with the southern hemisphere. They will be better less directly affected by the war so some old world governments still survive, but they still get fucked up by nuclear winter.
 
I'm not entirely sure about what to do with the southern hemisphere. They will be better less directly affected by the war so some old world governments still survive, but they still get fucked up by nuclear winter.
I mean still, even with a nuclear winter I think things literally reverting back to the Middle Ages would be kind of ridiculous.

I think it would be far more interesting to explore a world where the southern hemisphere is where the dominant world powers are and the northern hemisphere is the third world.
 
I mean still, even with a nuclear winter I think things literally reverting back to the Middle Ages would be kind of ridiculous.

I think it would be far more interesting to explore a world where the southern hemisphere is where the dominant world powers are and the northern hemisphere is the third world.
I agree, but I'm more interested in making an interesting scenario than anything realistic. I also think a world where the dominant power is South America and Africa would be interesting, but alas, that is not this timeline.
 
I mean still, even with a nuclear winter I think things literally reverting back to the Middle Ages would be kind of ridiculous.
The Southern Hemisphere nations wouldn't necessarily revert to a medieval standard of living, but they would suffer a massive economic crisis-if not a total collapse-from the loss of their biggest trading partners and the ecological effects of the nuclear war.
 
For all its inaccuracy about radiation, I think On The Beach was a very accurate portrayal of what most countries in the Southern Hemisphere would end up looking like after a nuclear war. Lack of oil imports in countries with few or no domestic reserves makes most private cars unable to run (and so bicycles explode in popularity), intercity travel is rare, and nearly all remaining transport is requisitioned to carry vital resources. Shortages of food, goods, and electricity would be the norm for the first few years, with governments taking far-reaching approaches to distribute and grow available resources and production to alleviate it. Brazil may be able to keep more of its cars running with its large ethanol industry (although I don't know how developed it was in the 80s), New Zealand is self-sufficient in food production and gets the vast majority of its electricity from renewable sources, and Argentina in fact scores highest in the world on the Food and Agriculture Organization's self-sufficiency ratio. It would take a while to regrow industrial bases, but I think most of these countries could remain functional states. Technology wouldn't necessarily regress, but its development would likely be slowed down for a while, and as it starts developing again would diverge in ways unfamiliar to OTL, likely with a focus on efficiency, self-sufficiency, and simplicity.
 
For all its inaccuracy about radiation, I think On The Beach was a very accurate portrayal of what most countries in the Southern Hemisphere would end up looking like after a nuclear war.
IIRC, the reason that the radiation was creeping south instead of dissipating was that the Northern Hemisphere countries used "cobalt bombs", a hypothetical nuclear weapon that's designed to render an area uninhabitable for an extremely long time (about 130 years).
 
Thank you all for your criticism and suggestions, I now have a much clearer vision for South America. I will be staying in North America for a good while though because I know almost exactly what I want to do for the whole continent. New part will be out soon.
 
USA! USA! USA!
USA! USA! USA!

With the defeat of Dixie came the question of what to do with the territories formerly part of it. There were many proposals, such as, breaking the territory up into individual countries allied to Maryland, Virginia and Carolina, or simply letting the territory fend for itself, leaving it to whatever petty warlords could take power there. But ultimately one idea rose above all others, and that was a proposed return of the United States of America. Initially the idea was an obscure one, but it rapidly became popular after the governor of Virginia came out in support of the idea. On July 4th 2500 the leaders of Maryland, Virginia, and Carolina, as well as several representatives from the former Dixie territories came together in Washington D.C to announce the creation of the new United States of America. The day was filled with speeches and parades and at the end of the day, all the representatives signed a copy of the constitution, signifying that this was a return of the old United States in its exact form as it was over 500 years ago.

Nova D.C

In the democratic tradition of not agreeing on anything as soon as the US was reformed there were many debates on what to do with the country. One of the biggest debates (though probably not the most urgent) was the question of where to put the capital. Washington D.C was suggested, but that was shot down almost instantly as people complained that it would give Maryland too much power to have the capital in their territory. Eventually after many days of heated debate it was decided that a new capital would be built from the ground up like the founding fathers did so many years ago. And thus, Nova DC was born. Despite being less than half a century old Nova DC is already a bustling city and an important connecting point between the more industrialized north and the more agrarian south.

American colonies


When Florida joined the United States as the 7th state shortly after the formation of the Union there was the question of what to do with the Floridian colonies. Were they to be part of the state of Florida? Were they to be made independent? Eventually it was decided that they would be made into two territories, The American Caribbean (The Bahamas and about half of Cuba) and American Mexico (various towns, cities, and outposts along Mexico’s east coast). These territories are just like states, except of course without the right to vote in national elections, or representation in congress. So pretty much nothing like states at all.

Delmarva


Delmarva is not very happy about being a state. The only reason it joined is because the king of Delmarva was pro-US and decided to join the US when it offered to annex Delmarva, in the process pissing off every citizen of his country. He was made the first governor of Delmarva, but after his term he was voted out in favor of the Delmarva independence party. Most Delmarvans want peaceful separation from the United States, but there is a small group called the FDA (Free Delmarva Army) dedicated to independence by any means, especially violence. However, the federal government has been encouraging lots of immigration to Delmarva in order to get a much more loyal population there. Delmarva needs to act soon or their individual identity and dream of independence will be gone forever. Will the stars and stripes fly over Delmarva forever, or will the FDA march in the streets of Ocean City singing their songs of liberty?

Former Dixie states


Stunted by years of enforced agrarianism, Dixie is getting a late start to industrializing. However, in the nearly 50 years since the formation of the United States some progress has been made. Of course you won't find massive factory filled cities like in Maryland or Pittsburg, but there is some industry. And plenty of railroads, enough that you’ll find people making jokes about how much the government loves to build railroads. Recently the government sanctioned the building of the TUSRR (Trans United States RailRoad), a big network of railroads that will go all over the US and even into its neighbors.

Appalachia

While the US is a successful example of a nation centralizing, Appalachia is the opposite. Shortly after the United States formed there was a push for centralization in Appalachia so they could continue to compete with the new power, this was met with instant backlash from many people. The issue quickly became incredibly heated and divisive. Shortly towns and cities began breaking away, and on June, 15, 2515 the last few remaining members of the confederacy agreed to go their separate ways. What’s left is not much different from before, only with the occasional war, as there is no longer the alliance to keep everyone from attacking each other. Some towns joined neighboring nations, but most are content being on their own.

USM

In 2499 the army of the USM marched into New Orleans, reclaiming their capital and reuniting the Mississippi. Even with the defeat of Dixie there was still much work to do. The USM has spent the last decades fixing the mess Dixie put their country in, as well as getting trade going again. Previously the USM policed most of the piracy in the Gulf of Mexico, but that becomes surprisingly hard to do when you’re a rump state separated from the gulf by hundreds of miles, so they need to stop piracy too. There is also the issue of relations with the new United States, everyone agrees that trade with the United States will be a boon to the economy, but many look at how imperialistic the United States are and worry that the United States could target them for influence and their national sovereignty might be infringed upon.

New England

Imagine the Great Depression but worse and a lot longer and you have New England for the past 40 years. After the defeat of Dixie they couldn’t compete with either of the United States. Couple that with an already declining economy and an completely incompitent and corrupt administration and you have the perfect recipe for a massive and long lasting depression.

New York


New York is a new country. It was founded less than 50 years ago over fears of New England ambitions. Of course now that New England is too focused on internal and economic affairs there comes the question of whether New York should break up with the removal of the New England threat or should New York become the new regional power in New England’s absence. Little did they know however though that the real threat would come not from the east, but from the west.

Pittsburgh


Revolution is messy, and dealing with a country that has just had a revolution is messy. As anti communist as almost all countries in America are, they still try to maintain at least neutral relations with the communists in Pittsburg after their revolution. Though there is still a sense of animosity between communists and capitalists the steel trade must flow. There is also animosity between communists and other communists, somehow the communists seem to disagree even more than democracies. While the democracies have their disagreements and squabbles, it is nothing compared to Pittsburgh. It is pretty much a (non-violent) free for all between authoritarians, libertarians, extremists, moderates, not to mention some other more obscure groups (foreshadowing once again).

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