New Union



Did you know that the Soviet Union was only days away from being reformed? That's right, on August 20, 1991, the first of 9 republics of the Soviet Union would sign the "New Union Treaty", in which to preserve the federation of the Soviet Union and allowing the republics greater sovereignty. However, this was shattered. On August 19 (a day prior to the signing of the the New Union Treaty, a coup was held by Vice President Gennady Yanayev and seven others. Despite the coup being fought back by the people, it would ruin any attempt to preserve the Soviet Union. Months later, the world's largest nation becomes 15 new nations, and the world's largest super power collapses.

But as history shows, coups are very fickle, and are prone to failure. What if something it the plan didn't go according to plan? What if something happened that caused the coup to fail before even happening. What if the coup never happened, and the world witnessed the formation of a New Union?

Point of Divergence
On August 18, 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev was on vacation in Foros, Ukraine. On that morning, Gorbachev awoke with a sore throat, a stuffy nose, and a little light headed. Feeling that he has gotten ill, Gorbachev decides to travel to Simferopol to get checked out. Unknown to him and his family was that Vice President Gennady Yanayev and the State Committee of the State of Emergency were planning a coup to overthrow Gorbachev's democratic reforms and bring back the former Soviet ways. When the men who were to place Gorbachev under house arrest arrive at Gorbachev's dacha, they are shocked to find that he is not at home. Fearing that he has found out and has either left or is hiding, the men search the house and question neighbors and others in Foros.

When Gorbachev finds out that his closest aids were acting destructive on his ducha and neighbors, he orders the arrest of the three men. Being interrogated, the men reveal that they were part of a coup lead by Yanayev. Gorbachev orders Yanayev and others of the coup plot.

On August 20, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Uzbekistan would become the first of nine republics to reform the Soviet Union into a federation of sovereign states. In September, feeling betrayed by those of his own cabinet, Gorbachev requests Boris Yeltsin to become his new Vice President of the new Soviet Union. Though having mixed emotions on Gorbachev, Yeltsin accepts the offer. Prior to the reformation in December, all hardliner communist leaders and office holders were replaced with more liberal ones.

Nations

 * Soviet Union: The new USSR has evolved into a loose federation, currently made up of 17 republics which contain their own sovereignty. In comparison, the new federation would act much like the European Union and her member states, but with more control from the central government in Moscow. At its formation, the former republics of Armenia, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Moldova would leave the Soviet Union. For years after, the republics would feel awkward in defining their position within a federation of sovereign states. The Soviet Union would also grow over time. Abkhazia, Mongolia, South Ossetia, and Transnistria would become become part of the USSR.
 * Chechnya: Did you know that the actually sought not to make Chechnya an independent nation, but rather to gain the Chechen sovereignty as their own republic of the Soviet Union. That's right, the Islamic congress which would lead Chechnya into a bitter war with Russia wanted to become a "Chechen SSR." But after the coup and the last days of the Soviet Union, Chechnya moved to gain independence. But in TTL, the old USSR is successful reformed into a new USSR. With that, Chechnya would continue to push for full republican status. Gorbachev and Yeltsin would see no real trouble with Chechnya leaving Russia to remain in the Soviet Union, and both the wars in Chechnya are avoided.


 * Eastern Europe: The reformed USSR continues to allow independence in Eastern Europe. All but Yugoslavia would begin to move towards NATO and the European Union.
 * Czechoslovakia: The ideals of the Soviet Union and continuing to remain a united nation would also have its toll on Czechoslovakia. Despite the Czechs and Slovaks seeming to move in different directions politically, the thoughts of dissolving Czechoslovakia would seem out of the question. Today, Czechoslovakia is a strong and prosperous nation in Europe. They adopt the euro in 2009.
 * Yugoslavia and Balkania: The reforms of the Soviet Union was too late to prevent war in Yugoslavia. But with growing NATO assistance on behalf of Croatia, the USSR would assist the Serbs. In 1994, the would be annexed into Serbia, which would anger the Croats to the point of doing the same for the . Bosnia would become two separate enclaves from the vast region it held onto for a century. Yugoslavia remained a nation in Europe until 2003, when Yugoslavia reformed into the.
 * Kosovo: Despite Yugoslavia remaining a nation, the sovereignty ideals of the Soviet Union would reach Yugoslavia and Kosovo. The proposed "Balkania" idea would be supported by Soviet leader Yeltsin, and would be taken seriously in Yugoslavia. Yeltsin would visit Yugoslavia in 1997, and travels through Kosovo to support peace. With the USSR seeming to support Kosovo, Milošević would feel overpowered to go into war over Kosovo. In 2000, Koštunica beats Milošević as President of Yugoslavia. Kosovo would become its own republic of Yugoslavia in 2002, leading to a wave of reforms in Yugoslavia.

Cold War

 * Superpowers: The Soviet Union retained its superpower status after the reformation. Though not divided by communism, the world continues to be divided between the the United States, the Soviet Union, and their respected allies.
 * KGB: The KGB continues to exist in this timeline, and would act like the current FSB in OTL.
 * Red Army: The term "Red Army" has changed, now referring to a communist army. However, the Soviet military is still considered the Red Army by both the Soviet Union and the United States.
 * East vs. West: The term "Cold War" has also changed. Culturally, the Cold War ended after the reformation of the Soviet Union, and the growing friendship between the USA and the USSR. Politically and militarily, the Cold War still exists, with the USA and the USSR continuing to fight for world dominance.
 * Communism: The Soviet Union is no longer a communist state. The is still a major political party in the USSR. The USSR still holds strong alliances with the remaining communist states (i.e., China and Cuba).

Space

 * Soviet space program: In 1993, the space program of the USSR was organized into a NASA-like entity known as the (or Soyuzcosmos). The Baikonur Cosmodrome continues to act as the primary spaceport for the USSR. The city of Baikonur has become a major tourist destination for those interested in space.


 * Buran Program: Instead of canceling the program, the USSR showed more interest in the Buran shuttle program, and would refund the program. By 1995, the US and the USSR had shuttle programs.


 * International Space Station: With two shuttle programs, the ISS would be completed much sooner, and with a greater design.


 * Soviet Moonshot: Despite the Soviet Union still not reaching the Moon any earlier than now, it is believed that the USSR shows interest in getting to the Moon before the United States, maybe as early as 2012.

Content

 * Flag of the Soviet Union (New Union).svg
 * Flag of the Soviet Union (New Union).svg
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 * Flag of the Soviet Union (New Union).svg
 * Flag of the Soviet Union (New Union).svg

News Headlines

 * November 26, 2010: The declares  and other officials of the Soviet Union to have been responsible for the 1940 .
 * September 24, 2010: Former Soviet Vice President dies at the age of 73.
 * August 7, 2010: The death rate in Moscow doubles to 700 people per day due to poisonous smog from wildfires and a heat wave in western Russia.

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