1986: Red Push

As the Cold War heats up between NATO and the Warsaw Pact, attempts to keep the peace breakdown as the fight between the West and the East begin soon spreading across the globe.

1945-1986
1967 - Israel defeats its Arab neighbors in a failed attempt to wipe the small nation off the map. As a result the Israelis gain control over the west bank, Golan Heights and Sinai Peninsula.

1970 - Reformist members of the South African government supported by a regiment of troops from the South African Defense Force overthrow the apartheid government. Apartheid and the infamous "petty apartheid" are abolished and the new President Jan Van Zyl rules over the newly democratic South Africa. As a result the Nixon Administration facilitates closer relations with South Africa, a close alliance forms between the two nations. With the support of the US and Great Britain South Africa along with Egypt, Kenya, and Morocco from the African Union, a military alliance between the aforementioned nations and NATO.

1977 - SEATO breaks up and dissolves the massive alliance of nations. Several nations like Chad and Algeria become members of the African Union.

1978 - With the help of American support the Israeli Defense Force beats back the combined arms of Syria, Jordan, Iraq and the PLO in an abortive attempt to crush the nation. At the request of the United States the African Union deploys troops in support of Israel, including Egypt, one of Israel's former enemies.

1979 - Three Soviet MiG-25s enter Japanese airspace and are promptly shot down by Japanese F-15s of the Air Self-Defense Force. Tensions run high between Japan and the USSR for several weeks.

1980 - China and the USSR hold the first joint training exercise in years, signaling an improvement in Sino-Soviet relations.

1982 - Through a long and tedious peace process the UK and Ireland co-operate in crushing the attacks from the Provisional IRA. Ireland joins NATO and opens Shannon International Airport to NATO military flights as a squadron of American F-15s and French maritime patrol aircraft are based there. The newly reactivated 26th Marine Regiment is posted to former British army barracks in Derry.

1983 - The United States increase its troop levels in the Korean Peninsula, supplementing the 2nd Infantry Division with the 85th Armored Regiment, along with deployment of a tactical nuclear weapons unit.

1985 - The worst grain harvest hits the Soviet Union, food riots occur in Moscow, Leningrad and Minsk. The Soviets are forced to buy grain from the United States. In late 1985, anger over this supposed groveling to the west triggers a swift coup from party hardliners, unseating Mikhail Gorbachev and replacing him with hardline Communist Lev Shilko, tensions with the west begin to rise as a result.

May 3-10, 1986
After a breakdown of negotiations between the US and the USSR over grain prices the USSR determined to gain some leverage against the US invades Iran and Iraq in hopes of gaining control of the vast oil fields. The US Central Command jumps into action and President Reagan gives the order for offensive operations to commence on the attacking Soviet formations. In the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean US submarines fire dozens on non-nuclear ballistic missiles at various targets in Southern Russia. The strike destroys or damages dozens of Soviet military bases, crippling the Soviet supply network. To add the US 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions land in Iran, supported by 1st Marine Division, these formations push inland and quickly setup defensive positions protecting the vital oil refineries and fields.

In Europe, NATO forces are on high alert and soon Soviet aircraft cross the inter-German border. what follows is a bloody and fast air battle over the skies of West Germany as the various NATO air units in the area scramble to defend their air space, After the Soviet fighters are beaten off the NATO aircraft launch a counterattack, quickly fighting their way through Warsaw Pact air defenses and strike air bases and installations across East Germany. The air battle ends with both sides badly blooded and several air bases on both sides damaged. Within three hours Soviet ground forces attack into West Germany as a fresh air battle commences. As to plan NATO aircraft are able to a limited extent, fly into Soviet territory and bomb Soviet troop formations, bridges, supply dumps and other targets hampering the Soviet advance. In the Northern sector of German, Warsaw Pact's initial gains are substantial as the combined forces of NORTHAG are pushed backwards from the border as fighting spreads across the Northern German plain. In the south the Soviet gains are far less impressive as SOUTHAG forces, manage to hold back Soviet forces for the most part in their sectors, even managing a few minor counter attacks.

In the United States the Federal Government nationalizes 120,000 National Guardsmen and Reservists. The Air Force with the support of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet begin to fly troop re-inforcements and supplies to Europe. While equipment and vehicles are loaded onto merchant ships and start for Europe.

In the North Atlantic the US 2nd Fleet, supported by the Royal, and Norwegian navies battle against singular Soviet subs and fend off air attacks by Soviet Naval Aviation. Unlike what was predicted the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom communication line isn't broken. on the 7th of May the NATO air base at Keflavik is struck by ballistic missiles from three Soviet submarines, damaging the base. Despite the damage to the base, NATO officials say that the damage is repairable.

May 10-20, 1986
In Europe the Soviet armies near the city of Bremen as one Soviet army: the 1st Shock Army comes within three km of the outer limits of the city. Denmark becomes increasingly isolated as the Soviet 1st Guards Tank Army roles through the region of Schleswig-Holstein. Danish forces along with the West German and American units trapped on the Peninsula harden their defenses as the East German 9th Panzer division along with the 1st and 8th Motor Rifle Divisions are tasked with the taking of the entire peninsula. However the East German advance up the peninsula quickly stalls as determined Danish, West German and American defenders hold the line. Frustrated by this delay the Polish 1st, 2nd and 3rd Airborne Divisions land on the Jutland peninsula. However, their LZs are quickly isolated by the quick actions of the Danish Home Guard soon re-inforced by units of the regular Danish army.

However in Southern Europe the war went against NATO quickly as Greece was invaded by the combined armies of Hungary, Rumania and Albania driving the brave Greek defenders to a defensive line just 13 km north of Sparta within the first week of the war. In Turkey the Turkish army was far more successful in holding the line against the Pact offensive along with keeping the Soviet Black Sea fleet bottled up in the Black Sea. However the Soviet were able to slip a few subs through to meet up with the subs already in the Mediterranean. The US 6th Fleet supported by the British Royal squadron in the region began to hunt down the Soviet subs, sinking several.

On the far Northern front in Scandinavia the Soviet Union's Frontal Aviation air forces fought day and night over the skies of Norway and the North Atlantic. Their main competitor was the now badly blooded Royal Norwegian Air Force, the Royal Air Force (currently fighting in two directions), the small but determined Irish Air Corps and the squadrons of the US Navy. However the Soviets, not wanting to create another enemy, had their pilots fly over the ocean in order to strike Norwegian and NATO airbases throughout Norway. Frustrated over their losses due to the distance and vigilance of the Norwegian air force the Soviet high command ordered its pilots to take the shorter, overland route to hit targets within Norway. This decision was done in an attempt by the USSR to finish off the Norwegian Air force and create a clear path for Tu-22M Backfires to attack Britian itself, along with the massive and heavily populated shipping lanes criss-crossing the Northern Atlantic. However as the operations began and the Norwegian air force fought its last stand the fly-over nations began to make their presence in the air known, especially Finland. The Finns a long time enemy of the Soviets began to mobilise its air force in an effort to enforce its air space. As an added percaution the calling up of the reserves came into effect as the Finnish army prepared for possible hostilites with the Soviets. On May 15th, the Soviets had just launched a fresh series of attacks over Norway and the returning aircraft, conserving fuel flew slowly over Finland feeling safe that no harm would come to them. The group, made up of 4 MiG-31s and 12 Tu-16s, were soon joined in the sky by three Finnish Saab Draken fighters. The pilots of the Drakens ordered the Soviet pilots to land at a nearby airfield. When the Soviets didn't comply the lead pilot fired a burst from his Draken's gun. This only served to send the MiG-31 escorts into action as they quickly swung back to engage the Drakens, the result was a quick but vicious air battle that sent two Drakens spiraling into the ground along with one MiG-31. The final Draken having flown off radioed for support and soon a flight of six Drakens and even two Finnish MiG-21s were in pursuit of the Soviet flight, the Soviets were intercepted and the fighters shot down along with all but three of the Tu-16s. This was the initiation of one of the many sideshows of the Third World War, the Second Northern War. Meanwhile, seeing how her neighbors were now at war with the Soviets the Swedes, summoning their old dislike for the Russians sided with NATO and declared war on the Soviet Union.

On the international stage the Soviet Union's ambassadors were hard at work garnering support for their war on the West. Soon the Soviets had Cuba, China and North Korea voicing their support for USSR and the Warsaw Pact. Thus on the 18th of May, North Korean troops supported by Chinese air forces invaded the South. Using Chemical weapons and massive human wave attacks the North Koreans were soon able to wear dwon the South Korean and American defenders. However the line held as the South Korean and American troops stood firm, supported by the 85th Armored Regiment. Elsehwere the PLA invaded the British mandate of Hong Kong, however since the wars start the British government had transported a full regiment of mechanized infantry to the city and a regiment of Canadian infantry on call in their homeland. The PLA attacks cover little ground as British defenders hold the line against the PLA armored and mechanized advances, causing large amounts of casualties among the Chinese troops. In Australia the age old allegiance to Britain and the Commonwealth the famous ANZAC corp was reformed and soon being deployed to Hong Kong to help bolster the defenses and give the defenders some counter attack capability. To add more Australian and new Zeland units were deployed to the Korean peninsula in support of the US and South Korean defenders there.

May 20-31, 1986
In one of the most well knwon air offensives of the war, whose name has been immortalized with those like Rolling Thunder and Linbacker I and II, operation Hail Mary was the United States' near insane idea for bombing the Soviet heartland. Created as a response to the increased air attacks of the Soviet Frontal Aviation on Norway and the various US naval forces in the region the operation called for a squadron of B-52Gs based at Keflavik to fly around the Scandanavian peninsula and down on Archangel and the Soviet depots and bases on the Kola Peninsula.