The Cold War (Russian Commonwealth)

After the onset of the Cold War in 1950, the USSSWA began sponsoring coups in the countries of Italy, Denmark, Austria, Norway and Sweden and turned them into socialist republics, San Marino and Liechtenstein were also absorbed into the DRI (Democratic Republic of Italy) and the DFA (Democratic Federation of Austria) but the Vatican was left alone through fear of a Catholic backlash.

Throughout the world, the two power blocs competed for influence in Latin America, Asia and the newly independant African countries, the Empire of Ethiopia became a pawn in their game. Until 1974 Ethiopia was ruled by Emperor Haile Selassi and was alligned to the Russians, but when he was overthrown in 1974 and replaced by the Derg, a Communist military junta headed by Mengistu Haile Mariam which was supported by the Soviets, but when the brutality of the Mengistu regime emerged, Soviet support fell away and the Derg was overthrown by monarchists and the Empire of Ethiopia was reestablished and came back into the Russian fold but the Soviets continued to support Eritrean rebels until 1999.

In North America, a socialist government was elected in Mexico in 1963 and alligned Mexico to the Soviets, while further north the California Freestate maintained friendly relations towards both Power Blocs. .Both the Confederacy & the US became isolationist and agrarian. Canada had sheltered aristocrats and royals escaping from the revolutions in 1926, when George V's sister Louise arrived in Canada, she was crowned Queen of the Realms of the Commonwealth, which by now only comprised Australia, New Zealand and Canada. When she died in 1931, after only 4 years reign she was suceeded by her daughter Princess Alexandra, who became Queen Alexandra I and was suceeded in 1959 by her son Alastair. King Alastair I still reigns and has now reigned for 48 years, despite now being 93.

After Nicholas II died in 1941, the throne passed to his 37 year old son, Alexei who ruled for 38 years until 1979, but produced no male heir, so the anti female sucession law was repealed and Tsar Alexei was suceeded by his daughter Alexandra who has ruled since 1979 and is now 73. She never married and in 1998 she decided her sucessor would be her sister Elena's granddaughter, Grand Duchess Natasha, at the time 8 years old.

During the Cold War, Russia slowly granted it's territories independance, after Armenia in 1923, Georgia and Finland became independant in 1933, the Baltic provinces and Poland in 1941, Moldova and Ukraine in 1968, Turkestan in 1980 (Persian speaking Tajikistan seceeded from Turkic dominated Turkestan in 1981) and Azerbaijan in 1993. Belarussian independance is planned for 2009, after a referendum in which 61.8% of Belarussians were shown to be in favour of independance. On 31 December Prime Minister Boris Yeltsin of the Russian Empire and Premier George Galloway of the USSSWA signed the Millenium Accord, commiting both states to dismantle 2/3rds of their nuclear weapons and to work together to combat the growing threat of terrorism and the genocide in Darfur. The accord also stated that an international organisation promoting unity - The United Nations.

In Africa, Portugal had been fighting a war in it's colonies since the 1960's and was in the process of evacuation. On the 1st July, 1980, 54 years after the begining of dec-colonisation the last Portuguese plane left Luanda airbase in Angola.