World War III (Atlantic Resolve)



World War III (often abbreviated to WWIII or WW3), also known as the Third World War, is an ongoing global war which began in 2015. The initial opposing military alliances were the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The war started on December 23, 2015 when Russia began a military invasion of the U.S. and Canadian Pacific Northwest and quickly spread to Europe. The Russians took the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and the surrounding areas in North America while reoccupying all former Warsaw Pact territory (minus eastern Germany) within two months. Serbia sided with Russia and reconquered the former Yugoslavia around this time. North Korea invaded South Korea; upon failure to take Seoul, Kim Jong-un attempted a nuclear strike only to be overthrown in a Chinese sponsored coup. The armistice was restored on the Korean Peninsula afterwards. Russia began a six month campaign in Central Europe which was the largest of the war and ended with Russian troops reaching the River Rhine after overpowering NATO defenses in the region. As Russian victory over NATO seemed very likely, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) took a more active role in the war. As such, China began a series of attacks against Taiwan, Okinawa, and the disputed Spratly Islands. The fighting ended with Russian victory following the signing of the Armistice of August 18, 2016.

Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics broke apart by the end of 1991 which marked the end of the First Cold War. The Russian Federation and other former Soviet republics entered into economic turmoil that lasted throughout the 1990's. Under Boris Yeltin, the Russian Federation gradually had become friendlier with the West with some exceptions. The most notable one was the Incident at Priština Airport which was a short but tense standoff that occurred between Russian and NATO troops in the aftermath of the Cold War. The standoff was resolved peacefully.

Once Vladimir Putin, a former KGB officer, assumed the presidency following the retirement of Boris Yeltsin, the Russian Federation had slowly begun its recovery from economic turmoil the 1990's. Putin himself had stated that the collapse of the Soviet Union was a mistake.

South Ossetia War (2008)
In August 2008, the Russian military invaded the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. The war ended a few weeks later with South Ossetia and Abkhazia achieving de facto independence.

Euromaiden and the Ukrainian Revolution (2013-14)
The Euromaiden was a wave of demonstrations and civil unrest which began on November 21, 2013 when Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych choose to suspend the signing of the Ukraine–European Union Association Agreement in favor of maintaining closer ties with the Russian Federation. The movement was initially limited to minor protests until a police crackdown led to a full-scale riot.

The increasing unrest eventually led to the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution which ended with the ouster of President Yanukovych from power. Masked Russian soldiers without insignias took over the Supreme Council of Crimea and occupied strategic sites across Crimea. The Russian Federation annexed Crimea a few weeks later. In July 17, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down after flying over separatist airspace in eastern Ukraine. It was alleged that Russian forces or pro-Russian separatists were responsible. In August 2014, Russian intervention in the War in Donbass became more visibly apparent due to numerous border crossings by Russian military forces into eastern Ukraine without permission from the Ukrainian government.

Operation Atlantic Resolve
Operation Atlantic Resolve was initiated by the United States in response to Russian intervention in the internal affairs of Ukraine, mainly the War in Donbass as well as the annexation of Crimea. Additional U.S troops and equipment were deployed to the Baltic States and Poland, both to demonstrate solidarity with all members of NATO and as a message to the Russian Federation that attempting any military action to reclaim the Baltic region can only result in a far wider war.

2015 Military Exercises
On March 16, 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the military to go on full readiness alert in snap drills throughout Russia and the Arctic. This order was given just one day after Putin revealed in a Russian television documentary that he was prepared to order a full nuclear alert in the event of NATO intervention in response to Russia's annexation of Crimea the previous year. The Russian military snap drills including the deployment of bombers and ballistic missiles to Kaliningrad and Crimea.

Starting on May 4th, NATO commenced Operation Lightning Strike, a four-day military training mission designed to test troop readiness to react to a clandestine military incursion similar to the one the Russians used in Crimea in 2014. When the 2015 Moscow Victory Parade was held on May 9th to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the capitulation of Nazi Germany, the United States and the European Union refused to take part in the parade due to Russian intervention in the Ukrainian Revolution over the past year as well as the annexation of Crimea in 2014. On May 26th, NATO launched massive Arctic military drills in the Nordic countries; Russia responded by commencing its own Arctic war games.

Ukraine attacks Russian forces in Crimea (Point of Divergence)
Russia Day celebrations were held in Sevastopol, Crimea on June 12th, 2015. When Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko learned of this the following day, he saw it as Russia further asserting dominance over Ukrainian territory. Angered by this, Poroshenko ordered an immediate air strike against Russian positions in the Crimea. Less then an hour later, Ukrainian warplanes bombed Russian military bases throughout Crimea, with the naval base at Sevastopol being hit hardest. The Novorossiya War had begun.

Novorossiya War (2015)
As a result of the Ukrainian air strikes against the Russians in the Crimea on June 13th, tensions throughout the region intensified greatly with Russian President Vladimir Putin declaring that the Ukraine had just committed an act of war against the Russian Federation and promised retaliation. This happened the following day with Russia invading Ukraine with thousands of Russian troops backed by armored vehicles, gunships, and fighter aircraft. The invasion forces quickly linked up with pro-Russian separatists already fighting government troops. While NATO and the EU didn't outright go to war with Russia, additional material support was sent to the Ukrainian government. The Novorossiya War lasted over two months with Russian military forces occupying all of "Novorossiya" which consisted of Ukraine's eastern and southern oblasts in July; Russian forces also took Kiev in August. The war finally ended in late August with Ukraine's unconditional surrender. All of Ukraine was under Russian military occupation and was eventually reorganized as the Novorossiyan Confederation.

Creation of the All-Russian Federation
On September 15, 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an "All-Russia Speech" in the Kremlin, stating that the Russian Federation isn't just for Great Russia (Russia) but for Little Russia (Novorossiya) and White Russia (Belarus) as well. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Novorossiyan President Viktor Yanukovych, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed the Treaty on the Creation of the All-Russian Federation which unified all three countries in a new union.

Initial consequences
As a result of the Novorossiya War and the subsequent creation of the All-Russian Federation, relations between Russia and the West greatly deteriorated. Russia was expelled from the G-20 and would not be invited to take part in the upcoming summit in November. This expulsion further isolated Russia diplomatically and the country was threatened with a possible economic recession. The United States and other NATO countries leveled a new series of trade embargoes and economic sanctions against the Russian Federation

Since the outbreak of the Novorossiya War, NATO aircraft and ships increased their patrols of the Baltic and Black Seas while the U.S deployed additional troops to Europe. The Russians also stepped up construction of their base in the Arctic as well as increased aerial and submarine patrols throughout the region. Russia's Airborne Troops and Spetsnaz ran additional series of drills. Russian bomber interceptions off the coasts of NATO countries became more frequent then ever.

Bosnian Civil War (2015)
After the outbreak of the Novorossiya War, the ethnic tensions in the Balkans which had been presumably resolved following the conclusion of the Yugoslav Wars had begun to resurface over the following months mainly in the form of peaceful demonstration. The situation intensified in the first week of November however when the Bosnian Serb Republika Srpska declared independence from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Bosnian government responded by declaring martial law and sending in the military to reestablish control of Republika Srpska. The Bosnian Serbs fought back and the country quickly descended into civil war. The Battle of Sarajevo begun almost immediately with Bosnian Serb insurgents attacking Bosnian government forces.

While the Republic of Serbia was initially neutral in the Bosnia Civil War, they did supply Bosnian Serbs with weapons and offered statements of support for their cause. The conflict was eventually locked down in a nationwide stalemate through November and most of December with neither side gaining much ground.

2015 G19 Summit
The G19 (formally G20 prior to Russia's expulsion) held its tenth annual summit in Antalya, Turkey on November 15-16, 2015. Included in the discussion was the world's biggest political and security crisis including Russian aggression, the Syrian Civil War, the renewed ethnic conflict in the Balkans, and the mass migration of refugees. While political issues seemed priority, economic issues were also discussed to determine how the world economy could adapt to hypothetical economic embargo against Russia. That discussion while seemingly insignificant did lead to the United States, the European Union, Japan, etc., leveling a total economic embargo against the All-Russian Federation. These new sanctions were equal to the U.S sanctions against Cuba during the Cold War with relations between Russia and the West having now being reminiscent of the early 1980's. While China, Brazil, India, and South Africa did not actively support Russian expansionist activities, they all declined to embargo Russia out of fear that doing so could lead to war. Unfortunately the general mindset throughout the West was that war with Russia could very well be inevitable regardless. And the refusal of all BRICS/SCO countries to embargo Russia had many observers wondering if what was now commonly known as the Second Cold War was about to expand.

War breaks out in North America (2015)
During the evening of December 23rd, 2015, armed gunmen initially believed to be domestic militia seized control of airports, seaports, and national guard armories in several cities throughout the Pacific Northwest including Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, etc. The FBI, ATF, and RCMP were sent in to deal with the problem. Shortly after, numerous cyber attacks disrupted communications throughout the West Coast and a number of widespread power outages were reported.

The situation spiraled out of control as the Russian military had begun a combined amphibious and airborne invasion of Seattle and the surrounding area. Additional troops and equipment arrived in the city through the airports and seaports; there was no doubt by this point that the "domestic militia" involved in the takeovers were in fact Russian Spetsnaz GRU. Russian warships simultaneously launched dozens of conventional Cruise Missiles at military installations throughout the Pacific Northwest as well as Alaska and northern California. Less then one-half hour following initial attacks, additional Russian forces landed in several coastal cities in British Columbia (Victoria, Vancouver, etc.), Washington State (Olympia, Port Townsend, Raymond, etc.), and Oregon (Portland, Astoria, Coos Bay, etc.). Additionally, Russian paratroopers were dropped into several inland cities and towns in British Columbia (Surrey, etc.), Washington State (Fork, Centrailia, Aberdeen, etc.), and Oregon (Eugene, Salem, Medford, etc.).

The U.S President Barack Obama condemned the Russian invasion as a blatant act of war against the United States of America; Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a similar statement. In an emergency session, the United States Congress had declared a state of war with the All-Russian Federation in response to the invasion and President Obama had immediately signed said declaration. Canada quickly followed suit since their country too was under attack. Both countries also jointly invoked Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty which stated an attack on one or more members of NATO was an attack on all. The invocation was almost immediately confirmed by NATO and the Third World War had officially begun. A few days later, the War Powers Act of 2015 was passed overwhelmingly in both houses of Congress and took effect immediately. The powers of the Executive Branch were greatly increased and the military draft was returned. A war tax was also implemented.

On Christmas Day, Russia had begun an invasion of the U.S State of Alaska with naval infantry launching amphibious assaults on the Aleutian Islands, Bering Islands, Nome, and Anchorage. Airborne forces were also dropped in Barrow, Fairbanks, and Anchorage.

The U.S Pacific Fleet quickly moved to prevent further Russian reinforcements but by the time a blockade was established, the enemy had already brought in the necessary manpower and equipment to maintain the invasion. And with the majority of U.S active duty personnel in the region currently deployed overseas, the National Guard was practically the only military opposition that the invaders initially encountered.

Heavy fighting took place throughout the Pacific Northwest coast over the following week, especially in the urban areas with National Guardsmen, law enforcement officers, and some armed civilians defending against the overwhelming Russian onslaught. Evacuations were attempted during the opening days of the war though most were stopped by roadblocks established by Russian paratroopers around the affected cities. By the end of the year, the Russians were able to secure all beachheads and airborne landing zones as well as occupy the cities and towns within them. The Russians made similar progress in Alaska as well.

War breaks out in Europe (2015)
Less then 24 hours following the outbreak of hostilities in the Pacific Northwest, the Russians launched numerous air and missile strikes against NATO military installations throughout Eastern Europe as well as Denmark and Germany. While the Russians thus far refrained from the use of nuclear weapons, the devastation the attacks inflicted could not be denied.

The Russians coordinated the air and missile strikes with a full-scale invasion of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova. Russian paratroopers were dropped into key areas throughout Poland while naval infantry staged an amphibious landing near the Polish city of Gdansk. Additionally, a second naval infantry amphibious landing was made near the Romanian city of Constanta. Several hundred thousand Russian troops, backed by aircraft and armor support, were involved in this new offensive. The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) also took part in the invasion.

The Battles of Tallinn and Riga both began within 48 hours from the start of the invasion and ended less then a day later with Russian forces being victorious in both cases. The Battle of Vilnius had begun within the same time period but lasted longer then a day and was seen as the deadliest battle of the war so far. Less then a week following the outbreak of hostilities, the Baltic States were overrun which marked a major blow to NATO. Slovakia also fell around the same time following Russian victory in the Battle of Bratislava. The Battle of Chișinău didn't last even in hour before the Moldovan government surrendered on Christmas Day. A significant amount of border territory within Poland, Hungary, and Romania was also overrun. The Polish city of Gdansk and Romanian city of Constanta were taken. Russian paratroopers occupied the Polish cities of Ludz, Torun, and Lublin.

From the start of the offensive, the Russians made their ground push toward the Polish capital city of Warsaw. The Russians also employed the dreaded Iskander tactical ballistic missile system, targeting NATO positions in and around Warsaw with conventional warheads. The Battle of Warsaw began only a few days into the conflict as Russian-led CSTO troops reached the city. Intense urban warfare was fought through the remaining days of the year with considerable losses on both sides and several buildings destroyed.

To the north, Russian forces positioned in Murmansk Oblast staged a limited invasion of Norway following the outbreak of hostilities. Within one week, the Russians had taken most of the Norwegian county of Finnmark and had begun fortifying their position. With this victory, the possibility of a NATO ground incursion in the north greatly diminished.

Pacific Northwest foothold (2016)
The Russians maintained a firm foothold in the Pacific Northwest despite an increasing number of U.S and Canadian air strikes as well as the naval blockade virtually cutting off all support. Once their position was consolidated and the population centers within occupied zones secured, Russian troops and armored vehicles backed by gunships staged a series of offensives along the coast in order to further secure their foothold as well as inland to reinforce the airborne forces holding several cities. By the end of January, the Russians had successfully occupied the entire Pacific Northwest coast and merged the initial invasion zones.

The Russians secured much of Alaska throughout January. After eliminating pockets of resistance in Anchorage and Fairbanks by the second week of January, Russian ground forces began an offensive toward the east. The Battle of Juneau begun as Russian paratroopers were dropped just outside the Alaskan state capital; the city fell within 72 hours which resulted in the Russians gaining de facto control over Alaska by the end of the third week of January. The Russians linked both primary occupation zones in North America by the end of January.

With Russia's primary foothold along the Pacific Northwest coast linked, Russian Army General Vyacheslav Borisov - the Commander of Russian Forces in the United States and Canada - ordered the installation of the Russo-Northwest Occupational Government (RNOG) to govern the local population. Lana Lokteff - a member of the Alt-Right Movement in the United States - was appointed President of the Russo-Northwest Occupational Government. However, her job was mostly ceremonial and symbolic; the true executive power belonged to the Prefect of the Russo-Northwest Occupational Government, who in this case was Russian Army General Vyacheslav Borisov.

Due to the war going very badly in Europe, U.S President Barack Obama ordered the Joint Chiefs to deploy the III Armored Corps (United States) and most other active duty units to Germany by mid-January despite the Russian foothold in North America. The recently reactivated II Corps (United States) - consisting primarily of National Guard and Reservists - was deployed to Idaho, northern Nevada, and northern California in preparation for combat duty against the Russians. Intense naval combat was fought as Russian warships were engaged by U.S and Canadian warships as well as aircraft.

With their initial hold on the Pacific Northwest coast fully secured, the Russians launched multiple ground offensives to the east and south through February mainly to further secure their foothold to better withstand a counterattack. Despite the valiant efforts of the U.S Army and Air National Guard to halt the enemy advance, the Russians took everything west of the Columbia River in Washington State and British Columbia by the end of the month. The western one-half of Oregon as well as the Californian cities of Crescent City and Yreka were also overrun.

Russian blitzkrieg of Eastern Europe (2016)
The Battle of Warsaw continued through January with intense urban warfare being fought between Russian and NATO forces throughout the Polish capital. The situation seemed hopeless by the second week of January as Russian-led CSTO forces had occupied more then one-half of Warsaw and completely encircled the city. Military death toll had exceeded well over 1,000 on each side. Furthermore, thousands of Warsaw residents were also killed in the fighting and over 100,000 more lost their homes. Much of the city had also been devastated and many important historical structures were destroyed. By the fourth week of January, the Battle of Warsaw was virtually reduced to major guerrilla warfare with surviving NATO defenders and Polish militia holding out from isolated pockets of resistance. However the Russian military had achieved de facto control of the Polish capital.

Even as the Battle of Warsaw continued, additional Russian-led CSTO forces continued their ground push into central and southern Poland. By the second week of January, Russian ground forced linked up with the paratroopers holding Ludz, Torun, and Lublin. NATO commanders believed at this point that Russia's primary strategic objective was to push all the way to the Oder-Neisse line and deployed additional forces to western Poland. Russian advanced units reached Poznan, Wroclaw, and Rzeszow by the third week of January. The Battles of Poznan and Wroclaw were fought for the remainder of January with French, German, and other NATO forces attempting to hold back Russia's advance toward the Oder-Neisse line. The Polish garrison defending Rzeszow didn't last as long with the city falling within 48 hours and marking the fall of southeastern Poland. Additionally, Russian marines from the Baltic Sea Fleet had staged amphibious landings along the coast of Poland throughout late-January. Several Polish seaport cities had fallen including Szczecin.

Farther south, the Russian military had taken the Romanian coastline and was now moving west toward Bucharest. Additionally smaller Russian units were also staging incursions into Bulgaria in order to attempt to disrupt NATO support for the defense of the Romanian capital. The Battle of Bucharest began as Russian-led CSTO troops invaded the city. By the third week of January, the Battle of Bucharest clearly favored the Russians with the Romanian capital completely surrounded and nearly taken. On top of that, Serbia surprised NATO by declaring war on Romania and invading from the west. Less then a day later, what was left of the Romanian government declared a state of surrender. Hungary also surrendered around the same time after losing the Battle of Budapest. The Battle of Sofia began during the final days of January as Russian and Serbian troops reached the Bulgarian capital city.

Heavy fighting throughout western Poland continued into the first week of February. NATO began to lose ground in the Battles of Poznan and Wroclaw as more and more Russian-led CSTO reinforcements continued to arrive. While NATO was able to move some additional forces to the front, they weren't enough to halt the Russian onslaught. American reinforcements weren't even able to arrive in Poland directly due to the Russians taking the Polish seaports. Eventually Poznan and Wroclaw fell - along with much of western Poland. Furthermore, Russian forces also begun a ground invasion of the Czech Republic. During the second week of February, the situation had become grimmer as the governments of both Poland and the Czech Republic surrendered to the All-Russian Federation. In addition to this, NATO defenses throughout western Poland had begun to crumble. With these latest developments, NATO Command ordered all remaining forces to begin a withdrawal to Germany and establish a defensive line west of the Oder-Neisse Line. By the third week of February, the Russians had overrun nearly all of Poland save for scattered pockets of resistance. While some Polish militia and NATO holdouts continued to elude capture in Warsaw, it was clear by this point that the Russians were firmly in control. Due to the surrender of Poland and the Battle of Sofia going very badly, Bulgaria had surrendered to Russia and Serbia to avoid further destruction to the capital city. The month of February ended with Russian military having re-occupied the entirety of the former Warsaw Pact minus eastern Germany.

Serbian reconquest of Yugoslavia (2016)
Following the outbreak of World War III, the Republic of Serbia had become increasingly more supportive of the Republika Srpska in the ongoing Bosnian Civil War. With the attention of NATO now focused on the global conflict with Russia, the Republic of Serbia took advantage of this distraction by launching a ground invasion of Bosnia and Herzegovina in support of the Republika Srpska rebellion. Serbian troops reached Sarajevo by the second week of the invasion, resulting in the Bosnian government forces losing their advantage. The Battle of Sarajevo continued throughout the throughout the remainder of January with Bosnian government troops locked in a bloody stalemate with combined Serbian and Republika Srpska forces. The fighting escalated in late January when the Russian military joined on the side of Serbia. It was at this time that the Bosnian Civil War had officially become a part of the Third World War.

The Serbs and Russians eventually overwhelmed Bosnian defences in early February and were gradually advancing throughout the city. By this point, the devastation from the Siege of Sarajevo in the 1990's had already been dwarfed by the current fighting throughout the Bosnian capital city and one-half of the city was occupied by Serbian, Republika Srpska, and Russian forces. The Battle of Sarajevo continued for the duration of first two weeks of February with Serbian, Republika Srpska, and Russian troops still gaining ground throughout the city. Sarajevo had fallen by mid-February with the Serbs and Russians in control of the Bosnian capital city. Bosnia and Herzegovina surrendered unconditionally the following week.

Serbian and Russian troops invaded Kosovo and retook the disputed territory within days. The reestablished Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) backed by NATO begun an underground resistance against the Russians and Serbs following the takeover. Russian and Serbian forces invaded Croatia, Macedonia, and Slovenia in mid-February with all three countries surrendering within 72 hours. Montenegro surrendered to the Republic of Serbia even before Russian and Serbian troops crossed the border. Albania's northern territory was also invaded by Serbian and Russian troops; Albania surrendered the following day.

The Republic of Serbia accepted an invite from the All-Russian Federation to become a full-fledged member of both the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Commonwealth of Independent States, the first state outside the former Soviet Union to do so.

Greco-Turkish abandonment of NATO
Faced with the threat of a Russian invasion and an increasingly unpopular war by mid-February, the Hellenic Parliament demanded that Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos immediately seek a separate peace with Russia. However, the president refused to comply, stating that Greece must remain committed to NATO more then ever. The following day, he was deposed in a coup d'état led by the Hellenic Parliament and supported by the Greek military. The new Greek government under President Danae Magdalini Koumanakou signed a separate peace agreement with the Russian Federation that evening and formally withdrew from NATO. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also signed a separate peace agreement with Russia and demanded that all NATO personnel leave Turkish soil within a week. Erdoğan would later be deposed in a coup on July 15th, 2016 and was replaced by a more pro-CSTO Turkish government headed by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu of the CHP Party.

War on the Korean Peninsula (2016)
The war reached East Asia on March 15th when North Korea launched a full-scale attack on South Korea. Heavy artillery and ground-to-ground missiles rained down on ROK fortifications along the southern side of the DMZ. The Korean People's Army Special Operation Force (NKSOF) attacked key military and civilian targets throughout South Korea. The Joint Security Area within the Demilitarized Zone was rapidly transformed into a battleground as the ROK garrison was attacked by KPA and NKSOF forces. Less then an hour after the initial attacks had begun, North Korean armored units crossed the DMZ into South Korea. ROK defenses were overrun in less then 48 hours and KPA forces began their push south toward Seoul. The Eighth United States Army and the I Marine Expeditionary Force were moving as quickly as possible to fortify Seoul as well as staging hit-and-run attacks to delay the KPA advance toward the capital.

By the end of the first week of April, the North Koreans had begun to move into the northern suburbs of Seoul. By mid-April, much of the City of Seoul was rapidly transformed into a major urban battlefield as North Korean troops had begun pouring into the South Korean capital and U.S/ROK forces were fighting back. The Battle of Seoul lasted throughout the second one-half of April with much of the city being severely decimated. The invading KPA troops were indiscriminate and showed no distinction between military and civilian personnel. As a result, the Battle of Seoul had quickly become one of the most deadliest battles of the Third World War.

The Battle of Seoul continued through all of May and the first two weeks of June. Despite numerical superiority of the Korean People's Army, their advancements into the South Korean capital had stalled thanks to the technological might of the Republic of Korea military, the Eighth United States Army, and the I Marine Expeditionary Force. As the KPA was beginning to lose ground in Seoul, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un was becoming increasingly desperate and ordered all surviving artillery and missile batteries to commence full-scale bombardment of Seoul. Attempts were also made to encircle the South Korean capital by pushing through the suburbs. Despite these attacks, U.S/ROK combined forces won the Battle of Seoul by the end of the second week of June and Allied air forces took out most remaining KPA artillery and missile batteries while U.S/ROK troops halted KPA attempts to surround Seoul. By the end of June, the entire North Korean offensive throughout South Korea had been halted and Allied forces were gradually driving the invaders back toward the DMZ.

On July 4th, 2016, Kim Jong-Un ordered a full-scale nuclear assault against South Korea, Japan, and Guam in response to his defeat at the Battle of Seoul. However, the nuclear launch order was countermanded at the last moment when the Kim Dynasty came to an abrupt end as the result of a coup d'état sponsored by the People's Republic of China. The following day, hundreds of thousands of troops of the newly re-established Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) invaded North Korea and rapidly advanced throughout the country with minimal opposition. Ri Yong-Gil, the new North Korean leader ordered the immediate withdrawal of all remaining KPA forces south of the 38th Parallel and to not interfere with Chinese forces operating within the country. The following week, a new armistice was negotiated between North and South Korea with status quo ante bellum.

North American offensives (2016)
After spending the first week of March to consolidate their territorial gains throughout the Pacific Northwest, the Russians launched a new series of ground offensives farther inland through the mountains and south along the West Coast. By now they were facing increasing levels of resistance as the II Corps (United States) had begun to reinforce the front lines.

Furthermore, the Russian soldiers currently behind the lines were facing guerrilla attacks in several occupied cities with Seattle and Portland being among the worst. Several soldiers on patrol near a shopping mall in Portland were killed when an IED was detonated near their vehicle. An insurgent armed with a shoulder-fired missile took out a Russian Mil Mi-8 transport helicopter over Downtown Seattle, killing over a dozen soldiers on board. RNOG President Lana Lokteff, at the direction of the Russian Prefect, ordered the creation of a militia force consisting solely of Alt-Right members to help the Russians battle the insurgents.

By the end of March, Russian armored units were moving into Redding, California which was defended by the California National Guard. The Washington National Guard directed a mechanized infantry division to Spokane to reinforce the guardsmen already there; unfortunately a Russian airborne unit was dropped into the city before they could arrive and armored units intent reinforcing the paratroopers were on their way. The Battles of Spokane and Redding had quickly become the most worst battles on the North American Front. The fighting lasted through April and the first weeks of May with urban warfare greatly devastating both cities as well as inflicting thousands of casualties on both sides. Eventually, the Russians were able to take the City of Redding and therefore achieved a major victory in California. The Battle of Spokane also ended badly for the defenders with Russian tank guards and motorised rifle units reinforcing the paratroopers and ultimately taking the city by mid-May.

As the Russians continued to push farther into the United States and Canada, President Barack Obama met with the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs in an all night meeting on May 22nd to discuss their options. The following morning, Obama fired the II Corps (United States) commander and replaced him with General Stanley McChrystal who had recently been recalled back to active duty from retirement.

Meanwhile, Russian ground forces continued their offensives along the North American Front. The Battle of Chico began in early June and lasted just over two weeks with the National Guard putting up more of a fight then they did in Redding due to the leadership of General Stanley McChrystal. The Russians were eventually able to take the city though their California offensive was now more then a week behind schedule. The Battle of Yuba City had begun in the last week of June and the resistance the National Guard showed was just as fierce. The Russians faced similar problems in the Battles of Healdsburg, Carson City, and Boise as the National Guard continued to fight back with growing determination to prevent further Russian takeover of their country. Not only that, the Korean Front had now closed due to China taking over North Korea and forcing them to end the fighting. General McChrystal immediately requested that the 2nd Infantry Division and the I Marine Expeditionary Force be returned to the States. While the 2nd Infantry Division was to remain in South Korea for the time being to watch the DMZ, McChrystal's request for the I Marine Expeditionary Force was granted. Through the remainder of July and early August, the Marines deployed to the cities of San Francisco and Sacramento while II Corps (United States) adjusted their position to concentrate on defending against the Russian advancement into the Rockies. The Russians managed to secure Grand Prairie, Boise, Carson City, Yuba City, Colfax, and Healdsburg by August. The Battle of Sacramento lasted nearly a week as the Russians attempted to take the California state capital. The Marines however were able to push back the Russian attack. Further advancement into California was halted and the Rocky Mountain offensive significantly slowed as a result. Despite the failure to take Sacramento, however, Russia successfully took Fort Ross, California which was the historical settlement of the former Russian Empire in the early 1800's thereby winning a major propaganda victory.

By mid-August, the Russians controlled a significant portion of the North American continent including all of Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia, Washington State, and Oregon as well as half of Northwest Territories, parts of Alberta, parts of Montana, most of Idaho, northern Nevada, and nearly half of northern California.

The Siege of Berlin/Brandenburg (2016)
During the first week of March, Russian forces in Poland and Czech Republic moved into their staging areas east of the German border. During this time, the Russians launched numerous conventional air, artillery, and missile strikes against NATO positions throughout Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Once they were ready, Russian ground forces crossed Oder-Neisse line into Germany; Airborne Troops were dropped throughout eastern Germany, securing key territory as well as taking several bridges along the River Elbe in order to disrupt NATO efforts to reinforce the defense of Berlin. In addition, Russian Spetsnaz GRU Operators disguised as NATO soldiers were dropped behind the lines in what could be described as nothing less then a modern-day version of Operation: Greif. 48 hours into the attack, additional Russian forces invaded Germany from the occupied Czech Republic. About ten days following the start of the invasion, the Battle of Berlin had begun with Russian-led CSTO troops pouring into the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. The V Corps (United States) and the Franco-German Brigade led the NATO defense of Berlin and was able to push back Russia's initial attempt to take the German capital. The Russians quickly switched tactics and moved to completely surround the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region which was done within a week. Russian forces then divided into two separate groups; while one was to maintain the Siege of Berlin, the other was to push farther into Germany. By the last week of March, the Russians had taken most of Germany east of the River Elbe and the front lines on a map now virtually represented the Iron Curtain of the Cold War. The III Armored Corps (United States) launched a counterattack attack into eastern Germany in order to relieve NATO forces trapped in Berlin. While the Americans made it as far as Elfurt before they were ambushed by Russian-led CSTO forces. The Battle of Elfurt lasted only a few days before the overwhelmingly outnumbered Americans were forced to retreat back into western Germany.

The Battle of Berlin lasted through all of April and May with Russian-led CSTO forces waging a brutal urban battle against American, French, German, and NATO forces defending the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. Much of the besieged German capital city was devastated in the fighting with many government buildings destroyed, infrastructure completely in shambles, and hundreds of thousands of civilians displaced from their homes. While NATO inflicted considerable losses against the enemy, they were gradually losing ground throughout the city. By the end of April, the Russians had taken roughly one-half of the German capital. The remaining one-half of Berlin still held by NATO was frequently hit with air and artillery strikes.

The Battle of Berlin continued into June and was now considered to be the deadliest and most destructive battle of the Third World War. Military casualties were now in the tens of thousands on each side while the civilian death toll exceeded 100,000. Furthermore, most of the German capital was severely devastated in the fighting and an estimated one-half the city's population of over three million people had lost their homes. The Russian had taken most of the city by mid-June and NATO defenders were in disarray. In an effort to bring an end to the destruction and bloodshed, the Commanding General of the V Corps (United States), the commander of the Franco-German Brigade, several other NATO military officers, and the Governing Mayor of Berlin met with Russian and CSTO commanders under a flag of truce. Within hours, a ceasefire was agreed upon and all surviving NATO soldiers were ordered to surrender. The Battle of Berlin - and by extension the Siege of Berlin/Brandenburg - was declared over on June 18th, 2016 with the German capital city of Berlin now under the control of the Russian military. Despite this outcome, the war was not yet over. The German federal government had relocated to Bonn prior to the siege with Chancellor Angela Merkel vowing that Germany was not defeated and that the Russian occupation of Berlin was destined to fail. With Berlin secured, the Russians were now able to send additional reinforcements to forces currently fighting in western Germany.

From the Fulda Gap to the River Rhine (2016)
In the second week of April, the Russians began the next phase of their invasion of Germany. To the north, Russian ground forces crossed the River Elbe as they advanced toward Hamburg and Hannover while additional Russian forces moved toward Munich in the south. Russia's primary offensive involved multiple tank guards and motorized rifle divisions pushing through the Fulda Gap toward Frankfurt and Darmstadt where the III Armored Corps (United States) and the 1st Panzer Division (Bundeswehr) were preparing for the upcoming battle. It was clear to most observers that the outcome of the imminent Battles of Frankfurt and Darmstadt would decide the outcome of the war much like Stalingrad during the Second World War. Advanced units of the III Armored Corps (United States) took part in the Battle of Fulda to buy the Americans and Germans additional time to prepare. The Battles of Hamburg, Hannover, Fulda, Munich, and Nuremberg had begun by mid-April and lasted for the remainder of the month with U.S-led NATO defenders fighting back against the Russian invaders.

Simultaneous to the Russian invasion of western Germany, Russian forces had begun an invasion of Austria despite the fact they weren't a member of the NATO alliance. Impossibly outnumbered, most Austrian soldiers the Russians met had surrendered without a fight. Only a few scattered firefights took place so the Russians advanced with little opposition. By the time the Russians reached Vienna a few weeks later, the Republic of Austria had surrendered. Russian and Serbian troops also launched a limited invasion of northeastern Italy with the primary goal being to create a buffer to prevent NATO from threatening Serbian control of Slovenia or Russian operations in Austria. This goal was achieved by the end of April with the Italian regions of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Veneto, and Trentino-Atlo Adige being occupied. With the majority of the Russian war effort in Europe being focused on the Invasion of Germany, the Russians and Serbians had halted further advancement and had begun to fortify their position in northeastern Italy.

The Russian-led CSTO invasion of western Germany continued into May. The Battles of Hamburg, Hannover, Fulda, Munich, and Nuremberg were still being fought with mounting losses on both sides as well as the destruction of many buildings and displacement of civilians. The Russians had completely encircled Hamburg, Hannover, Fulda, Munich, and Nuremberg, effectively cutting off nearly all support for NATO defenders fighting to hold those cities. Several additional urban battles erupted as Russian forces moved into several additional German cities including Bremen, Kiel, and Augsburg. While NATO forces held a technological advantage, the Russians made up for that in manpower. Even though U.S-led NATO forces had inflicted heavy losses against the enemy, the Russians had overrun most of western Germany east of the River Rhine including Hamburg, Hannover, Kiel, Munich, and Nuremberg by the end of May.

In early June, Russian forces had begun an invasion of Denmark from two directions: a ground from Germany in the south and an amphibious assault from the Baltic Sea in the east. Within a matter of days, most of eastern Denmark had fallen and Copenhagen was surrounded. The Battle of Copenhagen lasted several more days with the Danish military fighting back against the invading Russian forces though it was clearly a losing battle for the defenders. Not wishing a repeat of the Battle of Berlin, Denmark surrendered to Russia just one week after the start of the invasion. Less then a week after Denmark surrendered, Russia launched an amphibious and airborne invasion of southern Norway while ground forces attacked in the north from the occupied Norwegian county of Finnmark. The Battle of Oslo begun almost immediately as Russian paratroopers attacked the Norwegian capital city. Norwegian and NATO military installations throughout the country were hit by Russian aircraft and naval bombardment over the course of the invasion. Over half of southern Norway had fallen a week into the invasion while Russian ground forces in the north advanced into Nordland county after having overrun Troms county. The Russians eventually secured Oslo and captured the Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg since she was unable to leave the capital due to the swiftness of the Russian paratroopers surrounding the city. Norway surrendered less then 24 hours later and the Russians secured the remainder of the country by the end of June.

Russian-led CSTO forces continued their push into western Germany along the entire front with three major offensives. In the north, the Battle of Bremen continued through most of June with Russia's northern invasion force surrounding the German city and gradually advancing further into the German city despite efforts from American, British, and German troops to stop them. By the end of June, Bremen had fallen and all surviving NATO defenders were forced to surrender. After leaving a garrison behind to administer the occupied city, the Russians had resumed their western advancement toward the Netherlands. In the south, the Battle of Augsburg continued through the first week of June with German-led NATO forces defending against Russia's southern invasion force. The Germans were eventually overpowered and the city was taken. Russian forces advanced farther west and reached Stuttgart by the end of June. Russia's primary invasion force in western Germany took Fulda before even the first week of June had gone by once U.S. advanced units of the III Armored Corps (United States) were forced to perform a tactical withdrawal due to the certainty of being overrun by the numerical superiority of the Russian invasion forces. Russian motorized rifle and tank guards divisions pushed through the center of western Germany through most of June. The Battles of Frankfurt and Darmstadt had begun by the start of the fourth week of June and had quickly become the largest battles taking place in western Germany with Russia's primary invasion force fighting against the multiple divisions of the III Armored Corps (United States) as well as the 1st Panzer Division (Bundeswehr). Since NATO had time to prepare, the Russians made little progress in Darmstadt and Frankfurt and Darmstadt the end of the month.

Through the first week of July, the Russian northern invasion force overran the remainder of northern-western Germany. In the second week of the month, the Russians crossed the border into the Netherlands and reached Amsterdam just over a week later. The Battle of Amsterdam lasted through the remainder of July with British and Dutch troops defending the Dutch capital city from the Russians. Within two weeks, both sides sustained heavy losses in the battle as much of Amsterdam was completely encircled and suffered increasing destruction. On the first day of August, the Russians overpowered the NATO defenders and the city had fallen. Over the following week, Russian forces in the Netherlands were rapidly advancing across the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta; ahead of the primary ground push, numerous bridges were taken by Russian Airborne Troops in what could be described as a modern-day reverse of Operation Market Garden. Rotterdam, Nijmegem, and Grave fell during the offensive. By the start of the second week of August, the Russians had secured the entire Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta. The Russians spent the following week primarily consolidating their gains, fortifying their positions, and staging limited incursions further south.

In the south, the Battle of Stuttgart continued through most of July with French and German troops leading the NATO defense against Russia's southern invasion force. By the end of the second week of the July, the Russians had taken over one-half of Stuttgart and completely encircled the remainder of the German city. Following another week of urban combat, the Russians had finally taken Stuttgart and the acting commander of the surviving NATO forces in the city surrendered - the actual commander was killed in combat days earlier. With Stuttgart secured, Russia's southern invasion forces resumed the advancement towards the west. By the first week of August, the Russians had finally reached the River Rhine and the French-German Border. With their southern objectives achieved, the Russians began fortifying their positions east of the River Rhine with limited incursions into France in order to secure as many bridgeheads on the western side of the River Rhine as possible.

The Battles of Frankfurt and Darmstadt continued through all of July and the first two weeks of August with the Americans and Germans locked in heavy urban warfare with Russia's primary invasion force. By this point, NATO casualties had exceeded 10,000 while the Russians lost at least twice as many soldiers. Civilian death toll was also at least 50,000. Most of Frankfurt was now in ruins with most of the German city's population having lost their homes. Darmstadt also suffered similar damage. The Russian forces continued their advancement deeper into the city with losses continuing to increase on both sides. Meanwhile, Russian paratroopers were dropped just outside the German cities of Wiesbaden and Mainz at the River Rhine. The Battles of Wiesbaden and Mainz lasted nearly three weeks and ended with Russian forces in control of both cities as well as a major River Rhine crossing. By the end of July, Darmstadt had fallen and more then 80% of Frankfurt was in Russian hands. Now surrounded and cut from support, the Americans and Germans made a final stand, holding out for just over two weeks. On August 15th, the Commanding General of III Armored Corps (United States) along with the commander of the 1st Panzer Division (Bundeswehr) met with Russian commanders in the middle of the Altstadt city district of Frankfurt am Main where they surrendered themselves and their troops to the Russian military thereby ending one of the most brutal battles of the war. With this decisive victory, the Russians had dealt NATO a crippling blow and all of Germany east of the River Rhine was now in under CSTO control.

War in the East and South China Seas (2016)
With the likelihood of Russian victory over NATO forces as well as the withdrawal of the I Marine Expeditionary Force from the area, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) officially joined the war on the side of Russia and CSTO in the fourth week of July. At that time, People's Republic of China had begun a series of attacks throughout the East and South China Seas which included a full-scale invasion of Taiwan (aka Republic of China) as well as the Ryukyu Islands and the disputed Spratly Islands. Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam - neutral until this point - were drawn into the war on the side of NATO by default. The Ryukyu Islands and Spratly Islands both fell within 72 hours while the Chinese invasion of Taiwan continued over the following weeks. The Taiwanese capital city of Taipei had fallen by the end of the second week of August with most of the government officials there being taken prisoner including President Tsai Ing-wen. Taiwan unconditionally surrendered to China days later. Despite the entry to the Third World War, there was no renewed conflict on the Korean Peninsula since neither Korea wanted yet another war not even one month after the armistice was reinstated there.

Armistice of August 18, 2016
Following Russia's decisive victory over NATO forces in Germany and their successful push to the River Rhine, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U.S. President Barack Obama and the other NATO heads-of-state in Iceland. After days of tense negotiations, NATO agreed to the terms presented to them by the Russian president. The Armistice of August 18, 2016 was signed which ended all combat operations of World War III on land, air, and sea. As per armistice demands, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization dissolved and the United States was to evacuate all remaining forces from Europe. President Barack Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden were both required to resign from office; Paul Ryan - Speaker of the United States House of Representatives - was sworn in as the new President of the United States of America. The All-Russian Federation would maintain all current military occupations in Europe and North America at least until a permanent peace treaty can be signed to end the official state of war.