Timeline (1983: Doomsday)

‘’‘Version 3.0 of the General Timeline of 1983: Doomsday’’’ ‘’heavily extended, corrected with more events, better organized and more.’’ --Xi&#39;Reney 16:15, 22 August 2008 (UTC)

Please see also

For a detailed report of Sept 26, 1983 Doomsday

For the simplified overview timetable see here

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1980: A brewing storm
Tensions between the Untied States and the Soviet Union begin to heat up as the Cold War escalates as the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1983: Doomsday)|Soviets launch an invasion against Afghanistan]], and as the two superpowers and there allies enter a renewed period of mutually assured destruction. Also in the Middle East the First Gulf War (called the Iran-Iraq War at the time) begins.

January 14, 1982 Paris
President Miterrand signs non aggresion pact with Soviet premier Victor Chermenko

September 19, 1983 P.O.D.

 * Colonel Gennady Akrimov replaces Col. Stanislav Petrov as watch officer at the Serpukhov-15 bunker near Moscow, which monitors for a US missile attack on the Soviet Union. Colonel Petrov is re-assigned to a bunker near Odessa.

Sept. 26, 1983 – 00:40 GMT+3 (Moscow Time), USSR
The Serpukhov-15 bunker's computers indicate that a US missile is heading toward the Soviet Union. Akrimov, at first, reasons that a computer error has occurred, since it is only one missile and it doesn't make sense that the US would launch one single missile in an attack. Questions about the reliability of the satellite detection system have also been raised in the past, so he dismisses the warning as a false alarm, concluding that there was no actual missile. Very shortly though, the computers indicate that a second missile has been launched, then a third, a fourth and a fifth. Akrimov, a faithful reader of "Pravda" where he had read much of the "warmongering of the American President Reagan" now feels as if the attack was real. He telephones the headquarters of the Strategic Rocket Forces and tells them that his computers show that a massive US attack is underway.

General Secretary Andropov is awakened by his staff and rushed to an evacuation helicopter standing by. On the way he is informed by the generals that they have "reliable information" that the Americans are launching a first-strike. They recommend a full retaliatory strike. Andropov, frail and stunned by the news, nods and gives the launch codes to the SRF commanders.

Four and a half minutes later, at over 300 missile bunkers, the order is given....launch. Nearly 1100 Soviet ICBMs in staggered order are launched at the United States, American bases in Europe and Great Britain, and in a plan never publicly revealed at another fifty sites in the People's Republic of China.

Sept. 26, 1983 – U.S.A, 04.45 GMT-5 (EST)

 * At NORAD launch detection satellites detect the launch from the Soviet Union. It is apparently a Soviet FIRST-strike and President Reagan is immediately awoken and rushed to "Marine-1", to be evacuated to the Boeing E-4B Nightwatch called NECAP(National Emergency Airborne Command Post).  He arrives twenty minutes later and the aircraft takes off at about 05:09. En route, the President is informed by Secretary of Defense Weinberger and the NORAD generals that the launch is confirmed and that it was total.  Reagan gives the launch codes and orders a full retaliatory strike, including "city-buster" missile attacks from the American submarine fleet.

Sept. 26, 1983 – 05:11 GMT-3 (Moscow Time)

 * Meanwhile as Andropov's helicopter is approaching the Kremlin's evacuation bunker forty miles outside of Moscow, he receives a chilling report. The first "projected" missile has reached its target in Murmansk....but no detonation has occurred.  Quickly checking, Soviet generals discover that the first targets that were supposed to have been destroyed minutes earlier, showed NO incoming warheads and no detonation. Andropov suffers a massive stroke as he realized he has just started World War-III on a false alarm. A minute later the first Soviet missile detonates in Beijing China, followed quickly by one at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska.  Minutes after that, a second, REAL report of incoming American missiles is reported.

Sept 26, 1983 Doomsday Clock Strikes
Doomsday ‘’’The moment mankind has feared since the 1945 drops of the nuclear bombs over Hiroshima & Nagasaki’’’

Over a period of two hours, from approximately 1:15am until 3:10am GMT – 3 (Moscow time), estimated 3000 nuclear weapons detonate all across the Northern Hemisphere. NATO commanders are ordered to immediately launch tactical Pershing-I missiles at Soviet tank yards, and Warsaw Pact commanders respond with the launch of their Pioneer missiles.

Chinese forces, woefully caught by surprise by the Soviet attack, were only able to launch 30% of their weapons at the USSR. Most hit cities and military bases that have already been destroyed by American missiles and bombers.

Neither American nor Soviet nor any other citizen was given much warning of the attack. Some cities did receive alerts and while local mayors and fire chiefs were scrambling to remember where the air-raid siren was, they were either destroyed or missed in the attack.

EMP (electro-magnetic pulses) from airbursted weapons destroy some 70% of the electronics across the Northern Hemisphere. Radios, televisions, etc. all rendered useless.

Final death toll on that first day is 1.53 billion people...from the United States and Canada, to Cuba, across the Atlantic to the United Kingdom, Western and Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, China, Japan, the Philippines , and three cities in Australia.

And a black pall of smoke, dust, and radioactive ash covering half the world.

General Overview
In contrary, later in the Summer of 1984, predictions of a "nuclear summer" do come true, as nitrogen oxides and a reduced ozone layer raise temperatures to an average high 10-25 F. over normal.
 * Predictions of the results of a nuclear exchange from the late 70s and early 80s prove fairly accurate. In addition to the initial deaths, subsequent deaths due to fall-out, out-of-control fires, starvation, dehydration, diseases, etc. adds another 700 million, mostly in the Northern Hemisphere. The predictions of a "nuclear winter" however comes up short.  Only a 10 F. drop is noted, and as the attack occurs going into the late fall, it had no major effect on typical weather patterns. The dust cover does block out the sun for several days, but within a week, it dissipates and cloud patterns return to normal by mid-October.


 * Vast areas of North America, most of Europe, much of the Soviet Union, and many parts of China are uninhabitable. Radiation levels drop with the predicted two weeks fall-out pattern, but irradiated areas and areas where toxic chemicals have been split are deadly to humans contacting them.  Several nuclear reactors in the US, Europe, and in the Soviet Union go critical and explode releasing further radiation into the atmosphere.


 * Population: Death tolls keep rising. By March 1984, the population of the United States has dropped to 28 million people, almost 1/10 the pre-Doomsday level. The story is similar in the rest of the Northern Hemisphere, with Great Britain knocked down a level of population unseen since the Norman Conquest.

U.S.

 * After a week in the National Airborne Command Post jet, President Reagan is transferred to the still-surviving Mount Weather command bunker. (Oddly, though known to the Soviets for years, no attack on the facility was made.) Vice-President George Bush is relocated to the Greenbrier Hotel facility (this was to have been the Congressional relocation center, but no evacuation of Congress was possible).

Subsequent attempts of coordination of remaining police, fire, and especially National Guard units in the United States prove only marginally successful. With the widespread death, starvation, and fall-out, few National Guardsmen report for duty. Most couldn't, but many (with no safe zones for their families) refused. Chaos reigned.


 * By Christmas, Hawaii is the only US state with a functioning government, but shortages of food and medicine cause violence between various factions. Hawaii's main union of farm laborers has won control through its control of the food and the consent of the now-powerless local officials.  The union's leader Louis Goldblatt has taken the title of Governor and imposes Marxist-style labor quotas and rations.  His restrictions - just barely - hold the conflict in check.  The remote island state, however, is still completely isolated from the Mainland US.

Cuba
Cuba was the only survivor of the Warsaw Pact nations, although Havanna and Santiago were hit by nuclear devices, strategic plans in the USA did not target massive destruction on the island, partly because they did not wish to set off nuclear devices so close to their border, and partly because Cuba did not harbor nukes of their own. However because Miami was a major target for the USSR, Cuba was expecting major effects from fallout.

Fidel Castro was assumed dead, as well as Raul and other top officials, but the Cuba communist system was build from the bases of society important military personnel were overseas, particularly in Angola, so the chain of command could soon be established once communications could be set up again. However, they expected some massive fallout so the government decreed that any Cuban was free to leave the island, suggesting people to migrate to Central or South America but did not provide any means of evacuation.

Oceania

 * Australia has – along with New Zealand - weathered the war the best. Though it has lost Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth, the capital at Canberra has survived and much of the population has taken shelter and have had provisions.  Australian agriculture remained relatively intact and in the years after the war has maintained a sufficient production.  Rationing of food has been enacted, but it is not burdensome.  Prime Minister Bob Hawke had been in office only for a few months, but has proved an able leader.

South America

 * Most South American countries were also struck. Though they had been spared any nuclear attacks, breakdowns in trade and civil unrest had taken their toll.  Some fallout, mainly brought by trade winds, affected South America, mainly Colombia, Venezuela and the Guianas; and more was expected to come in the following years.

Argentina
Argentina suspended the presidential elections, programmed by late October.

Colombia

 * main article: Colombia (1983: Doomsday)

Fallout effects begun to be evident, mainly in the Northern Shore and in San Andres, however the most notorious effect was the disruption of international trade. Some civil unrest was capitalized by the guerrillas to achieve a better standing in the peace negotiations.

Venezuela
Almost completely dominated by oil exports to the US, Venezuela's economy collapsed. Some regions also begin to feel the effects from radioactive clouds brought by trade winds.

Asia

 * Several regions in Indonesia are shaken by separatist uprisings which force the central government to withdraw the bulk of his army from the outer regions back to Java and Southern Sumatra to at least keep order in the economical and political heart of the Archipelago. At first caught by surprise by the sudden retreat, GAM then-in-command Hosein di Tiro, a cousin of the exiled Hasan di Tiro, quickly regrouped the loyal GAM units (supposedly around 3.000 men) and led them to the provincial capital of Banda Aceh, where they started to fight for control of the city.

Portugal
Portugal


 * Emergency plans were enacted, but proved largely ineffective, even with quickly combined Portuguese and Spanish local security forces. All mid - or even long-term plans appeared senseless as the massive fallout spread over Continental Europe. The only remaining mainland governmental body was a small parliamentary delegation which at the time of the detonations was aboard the Portuguese frigate "Álvares Cabral" (F-331) to observe a demonstration of amphibious landing operation. Upon incoming news of the attacks and no contact to Lisbon was possible the maneuver was canceled and an emergency session of the few surviving parliament members (headed by a Vice Parliament President) along with a handful of navy generals took place.
 * In order to maintain a functioning government, it was immediately decided to set course for the Portuguese Islands of Madeira and Azores as no hits were reported from local authorities. So the Álvares Cabral and the small accompanying convoy - namely the Submarine Albacora and a small supply ship- headed first for Funchal, Madeira then to Punta Delgada on the Azores Islands. En route, all naval and air force units that could be reached were ordered to relocate to Madeira and Azores. A few aircrafts and several navy ships -mainly a second submarine- arrived later in Funchal. After consultations with the local authorities and governments it was decided to officially relocate the capital and instate a  Portugal Interim Government in Punta Delgada. The Vice Parliament President was named provisional head of state.

Ireland, Scotland, Manx and the Channel Islands
Celtic Alliance(1983: Doomsday)


 * The Irish government implements full martial law awaiting for an attack from the Soviet Union, it never happens though Belfast suffers a direct hit. 100.000 refugees head west and south to the Republic. Plans are put in motion to contain civil disorder, with conscription enacted in an emergency sitting of Parliament in Dublin. The Northern Irish counties are overcome by desperation and work with the Republic to assist the dying and injured, British army units in Northern Ireland accept the Irish President as their acting Commander In Chief till contrary information is received from the UK High Command.


 * 4 weeks after DD contact is received via morse code from the Isle of Lewis in western Scotland 5 UK MP's (all Scottish Nationalists) have survived and are officially as one is a Privy Councilor the de-facto UK government. They are brought to Dublin which lays the foundations for the Celtic Alliance which was formally declared in 1986. British army units in Northern Ireland ask the UK MP's to clarify their position, Gordon Wilson MP Privy Councillor(SNP) as de-facto head of State formally amalgamates the regiments in Northern Ireland into the Irish Armed Forces

Soviet Union

 * After doomsday most of the Soviet Union has been utterly destroyed. The number of people killed is staggering high, with initial estimates in the 300 million range. Very few of the Soviet officials in Europe and Central Asia have survived the attack, leaving its small remaining populous essentially in anarchism. Siberia and the Russian Far East however have surived the blunt of doomsday much better and several of its leaders along with most of it population are still alive.

US
President Reagan and his staff at Mt. Weather were facing a dire situation. The facility was only established with a limited food supply and it was slowly running out. Abandoned farms and orchards in neighbouring Virginia were producing contaminated fruit or in most cases none at all. Salvage teams from his Secret Service had been sent out to get more, but had little luck as the few surviving locals had picked stores and restaurants clean. Contact with Vice-President Bush at The Greenbrier indicated the same situation was affecting them. On May 23rd 1984 the decision was made to evacuate the President and Vice-President from North America and fly them to Australia. Reagan and Bush leave the US on May 5th, 1984. But the American Government leaving the devastated country will not be the worst thing to happen on one of the worst days in U.S. History. Reagan makes it safely to Hawaii.

But then destiny strikes: Thanks to electro-magnetic interference and residual radiation left over from Doomsday the president's plane becomes unresponsive to the pilots controls and is horribly off course a few hours after leaving Hawaii. Running out of fuel and unable to land the Boeing E-4 loses altitude and crashes into the South Pacific. Though the President and First Lady survive the crash, the life-raft they and their Secret Service team escape on sinks in a squall a day later.

Nominally, George Bush becomes President on May 6th, 1986. He reaches Brisbane, after stops in Hawaii and Auckland, New Zealand. Prime Minister Hawke welcomes Bush, but informs him that the RAAF had lost contact with the NEACP. They wait a few days for any reports, but with none coming, Bush has a local Australian judge swear him in as President on May 8th. An American Provisional Administration is then established in Canberra, mostly attempted to garner intelligence on the situation, both in the US and across the world.

Oceania
The main task is defined as to secure the survival of as many citizens of the two countries - and to a certain degree- all survivors in the rest of the world as possible.
 * In the face of the catastrophic situation the long-lasting friendship and intense cooperation between the neighbours Australia and New Zealand proves enormously precious. By November the two Commonwealth members have intensified their relationship aligning and combining key branches of government, especially military and other security forces, civil protection, agriculture/industry and transportation capacities up to a degree of practically unified government.

South America

 * Argentina quickly absorbs Uruguay and proclaims the Republica Americana Unida (United American Republic).
 * The FARC, M-19 and EPL reach an agreement with the Colombian government, which would include the cease of hostilities and a plan from demobilized guerrillas to enter either politics, military or other forms of civil life. Government would concentrate to prosecute groups like MAS and other paramilitaries.  ELN does not endorse the agreement.

Asia

 * Siberia and its surrounding areas are left the last remaining governed area in the Soviet Union. With no central government in Moscow to help them, Siberia along with the rest of the Russian Far East declare themselves the successor state to the Soviet Union and form the Union of Soviet Socialist Siberia. This newly formed country soon embarks on a massive reconstruction project.

Europe

 * Most of the RAF which was on manoevures in the Falkland Islands, return to the UK, to pick up as many survivors as they can along with the remainder of the Royal Family who were in the East of England apart from Princess Anne who stays behind and forms the Kingdom of Cleveland.

General Overview

 * Two years after Doomsday, little has improved, in fact much has worsened, especially in the Northern Hemisphere. Food shortages are absolute.  Starvation has killed another 200 million people. Cannibalism of the dead is not un-common, and some roving gangs of former military units even kill people for food.  In wide parts of the world, anarchy is predominant and most tries to reinstate order or even local authority fail. Self-justice, clan fights and warlordships are common.
 * But nonetheless the first signs of a will to withstand the immanent threat of total extinction manifest. In a few regions, surviving nations and remaining governing bodies reluctantly start cooperating with similarly devastated neighbours.

Europe

 * Similar to Portugal on the Azores Islands, the provincial government of the Spanish Canary Islands together with the POLISARIO rebels in the former colony Western Sahara declare a government set up as País del Oro(The golden Land). This later becomes widely known as the first post-Doomsday country gaining sovereignty.


 * The Irish government maintains martial law and initiates the fuel laws to maintain supplies to agriculture and food production, formal discussions at government level begin lay the principle agreements for the Celtic Alliance. Mass starvation is still a great worry even though vast swathes of land have been turned over to food production even public parks and areas on the seashore. The Scottish Islands come under further stress by the influx of refugees from the greater Glasgow area especially from the north of the city. The refugees tell of mass death and destruction with marauding hordes across what is left. There are reports of cannibalism and clan feuds as well as mutated births. Radiation sickness is the main killer *Celtic Alliance

Oceania

 * It quickly becomes vital for Australia/ NZ and the U.S. that beside the top priority of food and medical supply to the population, national security should be the main focus. In order to avoid future threats by third parties utilizing the superior US military technology, the already existing ANZUS defence pact between the United States, Australia and New Zealand is modified and extended. The most important part of the new agreement is that all remains of the American and -as far as possible- NATO Army, Navy and Air Force are immediately placed under corporate ANZUS command. So, on June 1st, the ANZUS Order 001/1984 is given by the joint ANZUS Head Command set up in Brisbane. This order – today famous as “The Gathering” Order- is to be sent to all reachable U.S. (and NATO) units. It orders all units capable to do so to set course for Australian, New Zealand and Hawaiian territory. If this can not be realized, all surviving units in defined geographical area are routed to the nearest suiting gathering point to which ANZUS supply convoys are sent. Response of forces scattered around the globes are few, but steadily increasing. The first units to report are several nuclear submarines. They set course for ports in ANZUS territory. Due to satellite communication proving impossible only slowly several scattered naval units report from the Pacific and Indian Ocean. They are ordered to assemble at several points considered suitable, mainly not-destroyed British, French and U.S. naval bases on remote islands. The bulk of the regrouping flotillas consist of submarines, frigates and destroyers from NATO countries and remains of American Carrier Groups. Civilian freighter convoys are heading to the specified destinations.


 * On November 6th, the USS "Benjamin Franklin" (SSBN-640) becomes the already fifth American nuclear submarine to arrive in ANZUS territory so far. Nearly running out of food, the “Franklin” enters the harbour of Cairns.
 * On November 18th, a great relief brings the response of the American carrier USS “Nimitz” and a small accompanying fleet from the harbour of Papeete, Tahiti. It was feared that all carrier groups had been destroyed by direct nuclear attacks. But –apparently- due to malfunctioning ICBM’s the Nimitz carrier group was not destroyed and was able to set course south to escape the radiation in the Northern Hemisphere. On December 8th the Nimitz Group arrives in Brisbane.

Rest of the World

 * After a few months of de facto civil war, GAM gains control over the city of Aceh and quickly gathers support -and more soldiers- among the Acehnese. In October 1985, they reestablish a Sultanate Government - headed by then-monarch Hosein di Tiro- maintaining order on harsh enforcement of the Islamic law, the Sharia'h.


 * In the Southern Hemisphere, radioactivity has spread to Brazil, southern Africa, and northern Australia. There is no "On The Beach" scenario; these areas suffered little permanent damage, but the destruction of trade and violent weather patterns causes them much hardships.


 * Sub-Saharan Africa is worse. The loss of American, European and Soviet aid has plunged most of the African nations into chaos and starvation.  The economy of the Union of South Africa collapses, even under martial law, rioting runs rampant as it becomes apparent that the white minority is shunting food and fuel rations to primarily whites, while black South Africans starve.  When guards abandon the Robben Island prison, members of the ANC rescue (August 17th) Nelson Mandela, but the joy is short-lived as Mandela dies in a bombing raid by the South African Air Force on a Pretorian black neighbourhood.


 * In November, Ruiz volcano erupts in Colombia causing landslides that erase a whole town from the map. Rescue services are completely unprepared raising the death toll.

1986: the Celts emerge from the radioactive mist

 * The Celtic Alliance is formally constituted during the spring equinox of 1986 on the 20th March (Using traditional timings the government hope to maintain some notion of history for the new nation) bringing to an end the UK founded in 1707 and the Irish Republic declared in 1922, yet strangely it brings back under one nation the Isle of Ireland and Scotland as was under the old Celtic Kingdom of Dalriada. Nevertheless, the new Alliance also claims sovereignty over the UK and dependencies with legitimation from the former UK MP's, and it is hoped to re-establish some form of legitimate government in the future on the rest of the British Islands. The last two years have seen profound change in the Isle of Ireland, Scottish Islands, Isle of Manx and Channel Islands with starvation and death on a biblical scale. Nevertheless, in a interesting twist just like the Celts of the dark ages, they have used their celtic ingenuity and a their ability to invent to develop structures which have maintained the structure of government and ensuring that entire communities work to restore some vestige of civilisation to the European fringe. The onset of the nuclear winter is not as bad as many predicted but the nuclear summer is a profound awakening for the usually cloudy nation. The population work the fields either in the early morning or late evening and if needed cover completely to work during the day. A major boost to the population is the maintenance of the primary education system, enabling parents and carers to work in the production of food as well as maintaining an educated workforce for the future.


 * Election year in Colombia. Liberal Party dissident candidate Galán endorsed official candidate Barco after polls do not favor him.  Conservatives choose Alvaro Gómez, and the leftist Patriotic Union endorse Jaime Pardo Leal.  Barco wins by landslide replacing conservative Belisario Betancur.  Despite this electoral normality, the country's economy is still in bad shape.  Barco continues Betancur's intention to build a South American economic block, to replace the first world markets.


 * The few people evacuated from Britain by the RAF and Navy, gather around Port Elizabeth and found the new Anglo-African state of Rhodesia.

1987

 * In Hawaii, the assassination of Governor Goldblatt sparks a new round of intense civil war.
 * Facing major economic hardship, most Caribbean islands join together and become the East Caribbean Federation

1988

 * US and Australian troops arrive in Hawaii, accompanied by Bush himself. They manage to restore order and transfer power to a military committee answerable to the Provisional American Administration in Canberra.

1989

 * August 17th, the remaining loyal provinces of Indonesia declare the foundation of the Islamic Indonesian Islands League - I.I.I.L.
 * On Tuesday, November 7, The military supervises elections to bring a democratically elected government back to Hawaii, although the strict quotas and rations remain a fact of life.

1990: From Chaos Comes Order

 * In January, Harry Kim is peacefully sworn in as Hawaii's new governor, its first elected leader since Doomsday. Kim actively seeks cooperation with the former leaders in the civil war, including royal claimant Andrew Pi'ikoi Kawananakoa, whom he appoints as his Lieutenant Governor.
 * On February 21st, the Sultanate of Brunei- Sarawak comprising of East Malaysia, Brundai and Northern Borneo (Kalimantan) Provinces of Indonesia declares itself Independent.

Europe

 * The former Portuguese Cape Verde Islands decide to become associated to Portuguese Interim Government controlled territory.
 * In June, a first small aid convoy arrives on Azores Islands from Brazil.


 * On September 26th, the surviving Icelandic and Norwegian governments, along with the Norwegian Royal Family under King Harald V declare the foundation of the Nordic Union comprising Iceland, parts of Norway, Faroer Islands, Svalbard and Bouvet. The Swedish and Danish royal families, which are connected to the Norwegian royal family, are also invited to live in the union, which they accept.

South America

 * The Andean Nations Pact (PAN) becomes the Andean Union (UA), a free market agreement between Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. All these nations are poor but all of them had had some sort of functional democracy for at least 9 years, in contrast to other South American countries.
 * With a stronger Andean Union as his legacy, president Barco in Colombia is succeeded by president Luis Carlos Galán, who had previously won the primaries as Liberal candidate. Galán won easily against Patriotic Union candidate Carlos Pizarro and conservative Rodrigo Lloreda.
 * Mario Vargas Lleras is elected president in Peru, succeeding Alan García.

1991

 * The USS "Benjamin Franklin" is re-fitted by the Royal Australian Navy and sent on a worldwide intelligence gathering mission. Her empty missile silos are filled with food, enough to last sixteen-to-eighteen months. Besides, the captain receives full diplomatic mandate to contact any remaining nation-like governments, except “apparent illegitimate dictatorship”. She heads out, returning to Cairns in August 1992.
 * First destination is the old U.S. from where she confirms the regular reports from the U.S. bases on Hawaii: The situation in the continental United States is "medieval". A few towns and villages have formed themselves into barricaded sanctions, fighting off marauding ex-Army and ex-police units, scavenging for food, water and ammunition.  The estimated population of the contiguous US is guessed at less than 10 million.  A Royal Australian Air Force pilot who volunteered to join the "Franklin" crew, found an intact Beechcraft airplane near Tillamook, Oregon and flew several hundred miles inland. He reports reaching a vast desert as he approached the old Idaho/Nevada border.  Radiation levels were minimal, but the area seemed devoid of plant and animal life.  He returned and reboarded the "Franklin" as it headed down along the West Coast.
 * Second destination: After a hard passage to a bombed and nearly unusable Panama Channel the Franklin approaches Continental Europe. A big surprise to the crew is received radio messages from Azores, Celtic Alliance, Pais del Oro, the Nordic Union and Canada Remainder Provinces. They respond and contact the respective governments which have been equally surprised as news from the Southern Hemisphere have not been reached except from a few amateur radio messages from Brazil and South America. The Franklin crew makes official visits to both governments. The Portuguese Submarine “Albacora” is assigned to accompany the “Franklin” until the Suez Canal is reached.
 * The third destination, Continental Europe and the Soviet Union seems as worse as the U.S.  Dust and windstorms prevent aerial reconnaissance but the land seems devastated. Ice cap measurements in the Arctic are unusually thin, and apparently global warming (due to the drop in plant life and rise in CO2) is occurring.
 * Afterwards – the “Albacora” leaving upon arrival at the Suez Channel- a visit to China, Japan, and much of Asia shows everything to be as "medieval" as the United States. The "Franklin" crew narrowly escapes when it is attacked in Okinawa by islanders who (from observation) have become cannibals.
 * It has become apparently, even before the "Franklin" left, that the ozone layer had suffered tremendous damage due to the effects of the nuclear explosions. Sunburns begin in southern Australia after only a few minutes exposure. Ultimately many Australians (as well as other Southern Hemispherans) have to fully cover themselves (even on the hottest days) and apply generous amounts of sunscreen. (Sunscreen now is a top priority, after food, for production in the surviving nations.) A general rise in temperatures, and an increase in UV-radiation is also reported.


 * India, though lightly damaged from the war, has suffered mass starvation and disentegrated into numerous warlordships. No official contacts are made at this point.

Northern Atlantic

 * January: the Portuguese Interim Government re-establishes official diplomatic contact with País del Oro,  The Nordic Union,  Celtic Alliance and  Brazil and the Canada Remainder Provinces. Military and supply operations are intensified on the basis of old NATO structure and cooperation.

Asia

 * The Sultanate of Aceh proclaims the whole Island of Sumatra as Acehnese territory and let his troops head south. After reaching the middle of the Sumatra Island, the troops are surprised by the attack of a contingent of Indonesian soldiers which have been sent by the I.I.I.L. government to halt the invasion. Defectors had spread the word to the Indosians. An intense and fiercely battle erupts with the 8.000 GAM troops being successfully halted, though not defeated by the IIIL army. Effectively reaching a stalemate after about 2 weeks, the Aceh troops retreat to a position near the city of Padang and declares a cease-fire. The quasi-demarcation line is declared provisional border both by IIIL and Aceh.


 * Taking advantage of the political and economic situation in India, Pakistan invades and assumes control over the formally Indian and Chinese administrated areas of Kashmir.

Oceania

 * A joint US/Australian team restores the LORAN radio navigation station on Marcus Island that had been left intact by the US Coast Guard, who had fled to Hawaii shortly after Doomsday. It is hoped that the Marcus station can provide modern navigation for reconnaissance voyages to Japan and East Asia.

Europe

 * On September 26, 1993, the remnants of Denmark and Sweden accept to join the Nordic Union as sovereign areas with the status of Greenland and the Faroer Islands, with the government and royal families consent.


 * On October 1st, 1993 the new Celtic Alliance government formally welcomes the Nimitz to Galway the port city of the Alliance. Bringing much relief to the belagered government and hard pressed population. Discussions begin in Canberra about the legal right of British dependencies and former colonies with the New Celtic Alliance. The Alliance though in no way wishing to become a global power asks for time to deliberate on the impact of giving up sovereignty on the populations so socially and historically connected to the old UK especially the Falkland Islands, the remainder of the U.K. navel operations in the Island are transferred back to Galway with several navel ships noteably HMS Invincible making its way to the Alliance after spending time under ANZC command . The Alliance asks for plebisites in each area and seeks to maintain a neutral role hoping most colonies will choose new alliances or strike out on their own. Former U.K. diplomats in ANZC become the offical voice of the new Alliance at the League of nations discussions, nevertheless, the Alliance feels compelled to repalce the Ambassador who dies in the initial attacks as soon as possible with a new appointment, a prominent former Scottish Nationalist Alex Salmond is appointed

US/ Oceania

 * The Provisional American Administration formally ends on May 1st, 1995. President Bush in consultation with Prime Minister John Howard issues a short statement to the American expatriates and forces in Australia, stating that it is best if they "become part of the Australian life and culture". He acts as an adviser to Howard, primarily on development of Australian oil production in Indonesia. This de facto – though not nominally- marks the end of the 219 – year long history of the United States of America that started in 1776. But the door for a legitimate successor to take up the former superpower's mantle remains open as the famous “Continuity Act” declares the United States Sovereignty and Constitution “temporarily suspended until a legitimate successor –continuing the US traditions of Freedom and Democracy- is elected by the American people”.


 * On August 15th, Australia and New Zealand declare their formal unification as the Commonwealth of Australia and New Zealand" (commonly known as ANZC or ANZ).


 * On the basis of a third ANZUS-Treaty between Australia, New Zealand and the United States, all military forces and material (ships, submarines, bases, personnel) that have reported to “the Gathering” are formally integrated into the ANZC military. The Nimitz is rechristened as ANZS "Commonwealth" (ANZ-01) and becomes the new Flagship of the combined ANZ Navy.


 * The surviving U.S. territories or mandatory territories hold a popular vote over their future status. American Samoa, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands decide to become incorporated into the ANZC while Hawaii votes to become an independent but associated territory to the ANZC, similar to like Puerto Rico has been to the US. When Hawaiians draft a new Constitution, they restore the old monarchy under King Andrew I.


 * As for the other US territories, Guam has been destroyed by Soviet attack, and the Northern Marianas' population and institutions have deteriorated away to practically nothing. Hawaii and the ANZC both claim the uninhabited US islands of the Pacific.

1996
On January 20, the traditional swearing-in date of the old US government, Andrew is crowned King of Hawaii and opens the First Congress of the Free State.

1997

 * An experimental plant is opened on Hawaii's Big Island that converts sugarcane into fuel. Since Doomsday, access to many sources of petroleum has been cut off.  The new plant is to be a first step in alleviating the fuel shortages that stil grip the industrialized world.


 * In mid 1997 Scottish sailors discover that parts of the east coast of England have survived DD practically intact, trade routes are set up between the Celtic Alliance and the Kingdom of Cleveland.

1999
The surviving French territories (New Caledonia, French Polynesia, French Guyana, Reunion & Mauritius, Crozet & Kerguelen Islands) declare the formal restoration of the French Republic as the "Republic of the French Southern Territories " (R.T.A.)

2000
The new Millennium begins without any greater festivals as apparently no one could enjoy firing rockets to the sky. Still a vast majority of the survivors are simply said struggling for survival.


 * In April, another ANZC recon mission of the world is undertaken. The ANZC dispatches a flotilla consisting of the refurbished Nimitz, several freighter/first aid ships and 3 former US submarines. Loaded with fuel and supplies and equipped with helicopters, the flotilla returns once again to the Northern Hemisphere and surveys the west coast of the United States, visits to the European Governments, Japan, and China.


 * New contact is made with Sri Lanka, Cyprus and Sicily.


 * The remains of the United States (at least to the Rocky Mountains) have melted down to a scattered group of heavily fortified villages (less than 50 from Washington State to southern California), with nearly double that number abandoned or burned. Fired upon by some inhabitants, the Australian pilots make safe landings only at two.  Once in Bay City, Oregon and another at Crescent City, California. Both towns are walled and had feudal warlords, one called "the Mayor" in Bay City, the other called "Boss Jones" in Crescent City.  Starvation-level food production barely keeps the villagers alive, while the warlords and their guards reap most of the benefits of the food and fresh water.  Plagues of typhus, cholera, and diphtheria had depleted their numbers and neither town had a population larger than 1100 people. It is assumed this situation has repeated in much of the old United States. Fly-overs of the land east of the Rocky Mountains reveal that grass and some trees have started to grow again in much of the formerly desert areas.  Nomads are seen scavenging through ruins, but no contact was made with them. Radiation "hot zones" are detected near old nuclear power plants, but generally the radiation has dropped to low levels.

2001
A new Space Age dawned on January 1 as a joint European-South American team launched a new Odessey-class rocket from the Guiana Space Centre in Kouru, French Guiana. The world watched with fascination as man once again took to the stars, praying that in this new era, the powerful missiles would be used for knowledge and discovery, not war.

2003

 * Twenty years after the war, some improvements in the climate and environment are noted. With few internal combustion engines, almost no coal-fired power plants, and little cattle farming, CO2 levels and accompanying temperatures have apparently dropped.  Ozone levels over the Antarctic show a slight rise, though dangerous levels of UV radiation still existed in much of the Southern Hemisphere. People have grown accustomed to fully covering themselves.

Asia/Oceania:

 * India: in a short period of cease fire, a “Union Constitutional Council” is set up by most warlords. But just within weeks after the ceremony in Bombay, fighting starts again.
 * March 3rd Bougainville & Solomon Islands territory declares itself independent but due to a Bougainville invasion which occupated the Solomon Islands their pledge is not recognized and they remain isolated.
 * April 4th The whole Island of Papua consisting of Papua New Guinea and the western Papuan Provinces of Indonesia becomes an associated territory of the ANZC, mainly in order to gain assistance against Bougainville.

Europe & Africa

 * The Celtic Alliance supports the Falkland Islands plebecite based on the high levels of indigenous Islanders left. The Island votes in favour of joining with Rhodesia as a dependency territory and will send 2 representatives to the Parliament in Salibury.

2004
South America
 * Along with increasing stability in fulfilling basic needs, especially food supply, most South American states agree to form a loose, mainly economical, federation modeled after the former European Community. This Confederación de America del Sur(CAS, SAC) - led by Argentinian President and his Brazil Counterpart, sets out to unify the South and Central American Continent, in order to keep pace with the successful anglophonic ANZ Commonwealth.

General
 * Prime Minister Paul Keating and the ANZC Parliament create a "World Census and Reclamation Bureau" with the consensus of the remaining nation-state governments.

The Recon Mission led by the "Nimitz" heads to  Punta Delgada, Azores Islands to officially open the WCRB North Atlantic command. Temporary bases are set-up in Nairobi, Bangalore, Hanoi, Nueva Laredo, Mexico, and Cartagena, Spain. Teams are sent out and, while encountering some hostiles, try to take a census of the world's population.
 * The first act of the WCRB is tally the population of the Earth. More reconnaissance missions are conducted consisting of diverse flotillas by the ANZC Navy and Air Force.


 * Their findings: Total World Population: a 800 million. Slightly more than estimates for the year 1750 AD. Primarily in the Southern Hemisphere. Chief causes of death: communicable disease, cancer, and starvation. Infant mortality rates: about 40% or 2 of 5 die before reaching the age of one year.  60% or 3 of 5 die before reaching age five.  Average life-span: 32 years.  Literacy rates of those under 20 years of age: 2% (outside of ANZ, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Celtic Alliance).

2005

 * Hawaii and the ANZC finally agree on how to divide the former American islands of the Pacific. Hawaii gets Wake, Johnston, and Midway; The ANZC gets the rest.

U.S.

 * The fortified cities along the U.S. Pacific coast, facing desperate food supply and no real perspective for anyone, finally agreed to accept the conditions set up by both the ANZ and SAC for delivering humanitary aid: the symbolic foundation of the MSP - Municipal States of the Pacific with its main task of coordinating the distribution of the humanitarian aid. The second condition to form a "Pacific Coast Police Unit" unifying the cities' security forces in order to secure the humanitarian transports and infrastructure is fulfilled as well.

South America

 * The SAC with its Headquarters in Montevideo, Uruguay now consists of 8 South American States. A policy change insists on formally introducing democracy as a condition to accept new memberstates, though the so-called "democracies" are obviously more similar to oligarchies/dictatorships.

Africa

 * Conditions are mostly horrifying. A RZA Provisional Government is set up but is merely able to secure a small region around Capetown with the support of a small joint SAC-ANZ Garrison - the first multilateral peacekeeping mission since doomsday. Everything north of the city is de facto lawless warlord-ruled territory.

Africa

 * The twin cities of Kinshasa and Brazzaville in former Zaire form a “Self – Defense Council” to at least try to re-establish control over a potentially hospitable region. The second peacekeeping mission is realized

Asia/Oceania

 * East Timor and Vanuatu are fully integrated into the ANZC.

Europe and North America
What remains of the old NATO powers commit to cooperating militarily in the present and future. The Atlantic Defense Community is established. It includes País del Oro, Portugal, the Celts, the Nordic Union, and Canada.

2008 – Dawn of a New Hope --- and a new, dark threat in Europe

 * In the face of increasing formation of new blocs and alliances and rising tensions in some corners of the world, the ANZC Prime Minister in 2007 presents his concept of a revived worldwide UN- like organization to a secret handful of parliament members. The idea was treated as highly secret as a spontaneous proclamation of such an idea might have led to distrust and tensions - especially between the rivaling ANZC and SAC. Further disagreements between SAC & the Celtic Alliance are eventually overcome, notably ownership of South Georgia and Saint Helena Islands. It was instead decided to secretly invite the SAC leaders to personally discuss this matter and carefully prepare an agreement acceptable to both sides. Through diverse diplomatic channels, especially with the discrete help of the Portuguese Interim Government on the Azores Islands, an acceptable path to a public proclamation is found by May 2007. The arrangement is that the ANZC Head of State, general governor Sir Aaron Tusking, and the SAC President would publicly proclaim the invitation of the founding of a new UN-like organization in their new year addresses to the respective nations. Until then, the plan is to be kept top secret.
 * In the dawn of the year 25 after doomsday the ANZC Head of State on January 1 2008 calls for the leaders of most acknowledged countries to come together for the Foundation of a new UN- like organisation. Keating's impressing speech on the Australian National Memorial Site in Canberra is the first post-war television broadcast seen by nearly the entire world population. And his call is answered. On September 26th, 2008, exactly 25 years after the devastating Doomsday bringing humanity at the edge of total extinction, Keating, along with representatives of the other  acknowledged nations, are expected in Canberra to sign the Foundation Charter of the League of Nations.


 * On November 8th, the expanding mafia state of Sicily officially declares the long-awaited blockade of  all Mediterranean Sea territories under its control. The Palermo Government reasoned it with the ongoing pressure from the ADC to "influence and isolate sovereign Sicilian Territory".

And in a mere sidenote -the last sentence of the declaration, the Mafia State declares all former Italian territories, Slowenia, Monaco and Malta as its territory.

Immediately that day, all ADC, LoN, Aegean Federation and Suez Channel Zone troops are set in near-war mobilization as an attack is likely to erupt at the slightest provocacion.


 * November 9th: ANZC High Command orders the Nimitz Battle Group heading for Brazil on immediate return course to Malta as to secure the garrison there.


 * November 10th: the war-mongering reaches a new height as Sicilian Naval ships gather around the small Lampedusa Island, ready to blockade the Mediterranean Sea. ADC Submarine "Albacora" tails the fleet at a 10 mile distance.


 * November 11th: League of Nations SEcGen orders an immediate emergency session to resolve the conflict.


 * December 9th with now sign of a backdown the Lon asks the Celtic Alliance to intervene and the C.A.N Scimitar is dispatched to the region followed by the Aircraft carrier C.A.N Leeming...

2009 - Troubles Multiply
The League of Nations continued to expand its scope in January, when it took over operation of the Guiana Space Centre from the joint European-South American security force that had run the facility since the 1980s. In March, the new Red Cross was founded in Geneva, even while the Sicilian crisis dragged on with no quick solution in sight.

North America
Australian aircraft cease to report after flying over the east coast of the old United States. Investigation soon to follow

Mexico's Good Friday Riots caused most members of the Mexico Primero-led government to flee the country. The Constitution was quickly amended to give the country's other two parties, the PAN and the PRD, a total monopoly on national power. The parties changed their names to the Partido Conservatívo and the Partido Democrático, respectively.

Southeast Asia
In March, Indonesia held a referendum on a new constitution. It was accepted by landslide 64,5% vote. The new constitution replaced the various emergency laws enacted since Doomsday and re-established stble political ground within the league's territory. Importantly, the constitution did not exppressly count Aceh and ANZC-associated territories of Papua and Timor as part of Indonesia; therefore, these important neighbors supported the new constitution.

Oceania
On February 12, Hawaii's Governor Lingle resigned due to skin cancer.

War in South Africa
On 14th April 2009, the Kingdom of Rhodesia attacked South Africa. The ferocity of the attack overwhelmed South African defences. On midday of the 15th, Rhodesia had reached Capetown and forced South Africa into an unconditional surrender and claimed up to three quarters of the country's territory. At the same time, the small states of Lesotho and Swaziland were annexed. Other countries have been watching the goings on with much alarm.

War in Central Africa
Mere hours after the surrender in South Africa, the Rhodesian military opened up two fronts, one in Botswana and one in Mozambique. The people fought fiercely but were overwhelmed by the blitzkrieg tactics and mechanised infantry employed by Rhodesia. These two countries have been added to Rhodesia which is now commonly referred to as the Third British Empire. War with the traditional enemy of the British, France, now seems likely.