Commonwealth of Virginia (Great Nuclear War)

The Commonwealth of Virginia is a surviving nation on the East Coast of the Former United States of America. Virginia serves as a major power among the East Coast nations, using its control of the railroads and the Chesapeake Bay to keep a handle over travel and trade. Virginia was one of the first of the post war nations in America to be contacted by Europe and since has tried its best to keep a positive relationship with its neighbors across the Atlantic.

Governor Harrison and WWIII
October 30, 1962. 9:16pm (EST) With Richmond and the major population centers of the state of Virginia feeling the effects of riots as word of the events in Cuba spread over the media, Virginia Governor Albertis Harrison Jr calls for the mobilizing of the Virginia National Guard to attempt to keep order, while also trying to assist with the evacuation of Washington DC. 9: 39PM (EST) Virginia’s First Lady Lacey Barkley Harrison convinces her husband to order the evacuation of the city of Richmond in fear it would be a possible target of the Soviets.

10:14PM (EST) Governor Albertis Harrison Jr. and his wife flee the city of Richmond traveling south to Petersburg VA. Harrison has his staff contact Lt. General John S Upham Jr, commander of Second Army currently posted at Fort Lee VA, requesting the General to send a unit to Petersburg to be posted at the City’s Courthouse for which the Governor was headed. The Governor feared that the rioters in Petersburg may target him, his staff, and his family. General Upham, busy preparing his troops to be ready to be moved at the order of President, is unable to take the call. A minor officer who was a member of the General’s staff takes it upon himself to organize a platoon of men to be sent to the Petersburg Courthouse to meet the Governor. Even with all the chaos at Fort Lee, the Platoon does arrive at the Courthouse before Governor and is able to secure the location.

11:02PM (EST) Governor Harrison and his convoy arrive at the Court House. He turns the building into a temporary Capital.

October 31st 12:26AM (EST) Governor Harrison sends his wife and his secretary with a Petersburg City Council Member to stay at their home for the night. The Governor sleeps on a coach in one of the offices in the Courthouse. 7:17AM (EST) Reports are sent to Governor Harrison that Richmond has been destroyed. This would be the first of five reports to be given to the Governor telling him of the destruction of Virginian Cities. Governor Harrison now faces the state’s greatest disaster since the American Civil War.

November 1 1962 Governor Harrison meets with General Upham at Fort Lee. The troops stationed at the Fort were having a memorial ceremony for the 5000+ military personnel from 2nd Army who died in Cuba days before. Some troops had been sent off base to secure the Navy Weapon Station in Yorktown and the ammunition and supplies located there. General Upham tells the Governor that he and his forces will assist with stabilizing Virginia until orders from President Kennedy are given to him saying otherwise. Governor Harrison orders the use of the Center Hill Mansion to serve as his and his wife’s residence for their stay in Petersburg. The State Government claims the surrounding houses to be used by the governor’s staff.

November 2 1962 General Upham sends platoons of infantry into major Virginian population centers to remind the population that America, thou damaged, is not yet broken.

November 4 1962 US Senator Absalom Willis Robertson and 3 Congressmen from Washington DC’s Virginian Delegation arrive in Petersburg. Six days later, US Senator Harry F Byrd arrives in Petersburg.

November 12 1962 Governor Harrison, Senator Byrd, Senator Robertson and other leaders from the DC survivors and local government that had arrived in the city meet to discuss the State of the Commonwealth and too plan for the coming year. The Byrd Organization control the meeting, voting on the use of the Petersburg High School to serve as the New Capital building during the 1963 session which they start planning several bills to be steamrolled during the January session.

December 25, 1962. Governor Harrison, General Upham, and most of the rest of the political leadership that were still in Petersburg spend Christmas at the Center Hill Governor’s Mansion. At the Christmas dinner Senator Byrd announces that he would not be at the state session, and would be heading home to Rosemont within the week. The Senator gives a small speech. In it he says “…that this upcoming session is the most important since 1860, and that I know that the Virginians here dinning with me would be able to make the right choices for our people, and for the future of our beloved Virginia”

January 9, 1963. The beginning of the Virginian legislative session in Petersburg opens with the first act of the legislation as a moment of silence for the victims of WWIII. During the session, the legislation would pass several bills which would lead to the opening of several communal farms (one replacing 3-year-old college of Richard Bland), the creation of the state military made up of the national guard and the 2nd Army, the activating of the James River Reserve Fleet to be used to patrols of the Virginia Coast and the rivers of the state, and to have the state reopen the railroads system with the use of steam locomotives. (Before the war the steam engines were on the edge of being replaced by their diesel counterparts. This program is run by Washington DC survivor, Harry A DeButts Virginian and President of Southern Railway.) Survival is difficult for the Virginians, but they get through hardship.

September 2, 1963. Virginia is able to activate around 250 ships to be used from the James River Reserve Fleet. Many of these old steel-hulled ships are Pre-Second World War yet are able to give the Virginia State Navy the numbers it needs to patrol the Chesapeake Bay, and the Atlantic Coast.

September 1, 1964. The first hurricane to hit Virginia since WWIII results in minimal damage.

November 2, 1965 The Virginia gubernatorial election of 1964 takes place. Democratic Candidate US Senator Absalom Willis Robertson wins the election beating Republican Attorney Linwood Holton, and independent George Lincoln Rockwell.

January 14, 1966. Albertis Harrison final day as Governor before the end of his term. Under his leadership Virginia had survived nuclear war and was on the road to recovery. Its train system, State navy and military was now up and running. Contact had been made with population of West Virginia, the Carolinas, and Maryland. Harrison proudest achievement thou was that he and the his administration was able to feed the majority of his population.

Robertson’s Administration (1966-1970)
January 15, 1966 US Senator Absalom Willis Robertson becomes Governor. It was expected that Robertson’s senior senator Byrd would be the democratic candidate in 65, but Senator Byrd declined for health reasons.

October 20, 1966 US Senator Harry Byrd dies. A national week of mourning is scheduled. March 14, 1967 A Virginia State Navy ship arrives in the port of Savannah. The captain and crew meets with the City’s government.

January 16, 1968 During the Legislative Session. Democratic Lt. Governor Harry Byrd Jr. and State Senator William Spong Jr broke into a violent argument over the issues of civil rights. The argument would lead the split of the Democratic Party between Byrd Party and the Liberal Party.

April 14, 1968 Governor Robertson orders Virginia State Army to post troops at different Coal Mines to make sure they don’t fall victim to possible raids. Governor Robertson made sure that he keeps a good relationship with the coal miners, to keep the materiel foaling throughout the rest of the state.

August 20, 1969: A Hurricane makes landfall as a Category 5 hurricane, smashing into the Mississippi coast with 200 mph winds on August 17. It was the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the United States this century. She maintained hurricane force winds for 10 hours as she moved 150 miles inland. It entered Virginia on Aug. 19 as a tropical depression, and though not a hurricane or tropical storm, she had picked up enough moisture from the warm Gulf Stream that when she slowed over the Commonwealth, one thunderstorm followed the other for 12 hours. Nearly 31 inches of rain fell with devastating results. The ensuing flash flood and mudslide killed 153 people, mostly in Nelson County where 113 bridges washed out. The major flooding that occurred downstream cut off all communications between Petersburg and the Shenandoah Valley which would lead to it becoming a independent state. Waynesboro on the South River saw eight feet of water downtown and Buena Vista had more than five feet. Damage was estimated at $115 million.

November 4, 1969 Virginia gubernatorial election of 1969. The splint of the Democratic Party between the Byrds and the Liberals would lead to the election of 1969 being won by the Republican Linwood Holton because the Byrd and Liberal candidates split their voting base.

Linwood Holton Administration (1970-1974)
January 17, 1970 Linwood Holton takes the office of Governor. His first session was forced on repairs from the August Hurricane. His Holton a supporter of civil rights He supported two separate bills calling for (neither were to passing)

1971 The Virginia State Navy encounter a cruiser from France named the Jeanne d'Arc it was investigated the survivors of the East Coast. Governor Holton, retired General John S Upham Jr, and officers from the State Navy are given a tour of the ship. Holton expresses his hopes of future relations between the Virginia and France.

Aug. 27, 1971, A Hurricane hit’s Virginia fastest wind speed was reported at 71 mph at ruins of Norfolk. It made landfall in North Carolina near Atlantic Beach and moved up the Delmarva coast. Three inches of rain, flooding and a tornado caused $375,000 in damage. Only one person had reportly drowned in Virginia.

January 12, 1972 The Legislative Session of 1972 begins, one of the newly elected Virginian Senators is Korean War veteran Douglas Wilder of the Liberal Party. Wilder is the first African American to serve in the Virginia senate since reconstruction. Governor Holton a supporter of Civil Rights who had publicly condemned the Klan. The Governor would try two pass two Civil Rights bills that session. One for the desegregation in Virginia Schools, the second to prohibited unequal application of voter registration requirements. Neither would pass.

June 21, 1972 A weak hurricane when it developed over the Gulf of Mexico and struck the Florida panhandle, entering Virginia as a depression. It produced devastating floods in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. Sixteen inches of rain was recorded in Chantilly in Fairfax County, and both the Potomac and James rivers experienced major flooding. The ruins of Richmond were hard hit with flooding. The water supply, sewage treatment, electric and gas plants were inundated. Only one of the five bridges crossing the James survived. More than 60 counties and 23 cities in the Commonwealth required the Government to send relief. Sixteen people died in Virginia and damage was estimated at $182 million. Until this day most of the Richmond ruins are under the James River.

November 6, 1973 former Lt Governor Harry F Byrd Jr wins for his family’s party. Beating Henry Howell of the Liberal Party, and Republican William L. Scott.

Harry F Byrd Jr.’s Administration
Byrd’s tenure as Governor. He focused his policies on keeping Virginia’s government out of the way of its people believing that “We have too many bills, too much legislation that we just don’t need”. Under the Byrd administration the Department of Railroads were able to repair tracks all the way into Denmark South Carolina giving Virginia the ability to trade into both the former states of North and South Carolina. The railroads begin giving Virginia major influence among their neighbors.

July 4, 1976 at the Independence Day Party, Governor Byrd presented to the public his newly formed Order of Virtus. The Order of Virtus membership is award by the Virginian Governor, to those individuals who have shown noteworthy accomplishments in the service to the Commonwealth. The inaugural first 12 members of the Order of Virtus included (Governor Albertis Harrison Jr, Governor Linwood Holton, Pre-war Governor James Lindsey Almond Jr., Pre-war Governor William M Tuck, General John S Upham Jr, and Former Secretary of Railroads Harry A. DeButts)

November 8, 1977 Though Byrd was a popular Governor his party suffered a major upset in The Election of 1977. When State Senator George Lincoln Rockwell pulled a large number of the Byrd base to his Nazi party, giving the Republicans back the Governorship with John Dalton. (Henry Howell of the Liberals was less than 4000 votes from beating Dalton)

John Dalton Administration (1978-1982)
John Dalton a strong conservative governor who focused his term on transportation and education improvements and trying to keep consistent with the state's fiscally conservative traditions.

September 18, 1978 the first of the Tim Reid Show episodes airs. The comedian would start as a normal Disk Jock, which would evolve into a top comedy show. Which becomes one of the most listened to programs in Virginia.

January 10, 1979 The State Session of 1979 begins. It is best remembered for the signing of the Virginian Civil Rights bill of 1979. Designed by Governor Linwood Holton after his administration. Governor Dalton and his Republicans allied with Douglas Wilder and his Liberals. Together they were able to pass the bill into law. This would be a very controversial bill, leading to future sabotaging of the Virginian railroads which in turn harmed the Virginian economy.

September 5, 1979 A Hurricane that pawned eight tornadoes across Virginia. Two cities and five counties were hit, it range was from Virginia Beach in the southeast to Leesburg in the north. There was one death and 19 injuries; damages reached $3 million.

July 2, 1980 The Conflict in Maryland leads to Maryland forces to cross the board and fight Virginian Law Enforcement. It is now known as the Battle of Leesburg. November 3, 1981 Virginia gubernatorial election, 1981 is won by Byrd Candidate Virginia State Army Captain Chuck Robb. His victory is often credited to the unpopular This Civil Rights Bill, and the Sabotaging of the Railroads which allowed his to win by a landslide.

Chuck Robb Administration (1982-1986)
Governor Robb had campaigned on the ending the attacks on the railroads, and giving Virginia’s influence over the East Coast. These Promises were going to be difficult to accomplish. He increased security of the Railways with the creation of a Branch of the State Army to Railroad Security. (Which would become VA Railroads Marshals)

September 25, 1983 With the Maryland State falling into anarchy between the State Government under Marvin Mandel and that of the Free State of Baltimore under Spiro T. Agnew. Governor Robb orders the VA State Navy to take control of the Chesapeake Bay, and the State Army expand and claim several boarder counties of Maryland, to give a buffer zone between the north-east boarder and the current conflict.

July 25, 1985 A Hurricane would hit Virginia. This hurricane brought large bands of thunderstorms over central Virginia and produced strong winds and three tornadoes. Near Manakin in Goochland County, an F0 tornado briefly touched down. A second, short-lived F0 tornado was reported in Hanover County near Holly Hills. A funnel cloud appeared in Albemarle County, becoming a strong F3 tornado that struck the West Lee Subdivision in Greene County and uprooted trees, completely destroying two houses by blowing off the roofs and caving in the sides.

Sept. 27, 1985 Still repairing from the Hurricane that hit in July a second one would hit Virginia. The fastest wind was 94 mph with gusts reported to be 104 mph at the unfinished South Island Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Rainfall totaled 5 to 6 inches across the Eastern Shore. A fishing pier at Virginia Beach was heavily damaged. Numerous branches and trees blew down with some damage to roofs, signs and trim on buildings. Total damage in Virginia totaled around $6 million.

November 5, 1985 Virginia gubernatorial election, 1985 take place. Governor Robb’s popularity allowed the Byrd party to win reelection with their Candidate Dan Daniel beating Liberal Attorney General of Virginia Gerald Baliles, and Republican Delegate Wyatt Durrette. Unexpectedly Liberal Douglas Wilder.

Dan Daniel Administration (1986-1988)
Governor Daniel would keep many of his Predecessors policies in place. He’s expansion of the Northern Railroads would allow Virginia to enter trade with the nations of Great Lakes and New England.

August 17, 1986. A Hurricane reach Virginia. Its center passed over southeast Virginia Beach. The fastest wind blew from the northeast at 94 mph. Many trees were blown down, including 250 in Hampton Roads. Tidewater area was without power for weeks.

February 9 1987 Marylanders resistance to the Virginian Troops were small, but a group of the Free Maryland supporters did attack one of the Virginia Trains February the 9th. The train was supported by VA Train Marshals who were able to send back the attackers. January 23, 1988 Governor Dan Daniel dies of a Heart Attack. Lt. Governor Douglas Wilder take office.

Douglas Wilder Administration (1988-1990)
Governor Wilder, worked on crime and gun control initiatives, and keeping the Virginia's Railroads running at their top standers. Yet for the Wilder Administration success was small, he suffered from most Senators and Delegates refused to work with him, by request of Former Governor Chuck Robb who dislike for the First Black Governor was well documented.

November 8, 1989 Virginia gubernatorial election, 1989. The Election was won by Republican Marshall Colman.

Marshall Colman Administration (1990-1994)
Governor Marshall Coleman a moderate would take Virginia in a more liberal direction then his predecessors. July 4, 1991 Governor Coleman, North Carolina President Jim Hunt, and several over leaders would form the American Atlantic League a union of American Nations, design to assist in the common defense and support of their members. August 6, 1993. A tornado hit the City Petersburg destroying several buildings in the Virginian Capital. Repairs of Petersburg began to be made by Virginia and the newly formed AAL. November 2, 1993. Virginia gubernatorial election of 1993 is won by Liberal Don Beyer.

Don Beyer Administration (1994-1998)
Governor Beyer would focus his administration on building positive relations with Europe. His believe was that only through Europe will he be able to bring Virginia on to the world stage.

February 8, 1995 Governor Beyer becomes the First Virginian Governor since the War to leave North America when he visited France.

July 12-13, 1996, A Hurricane made landfall near Cape Fear and moved north, passing over Suffolk and Newport News then northeast toward Atlantic City, New Jersey. The fastest wind speed was 35 mph. the storm knocked out power to 115,000 customers in the eastern part of the state. It would spawned four tornadoes in east central Virginia. The strongest was an F1 that moved over Northumberland County, injuring nine people and causing several million dollars in damages. Other tornadoes moved over Smithfield, Gloucester and Hampton.

Sept. 5-6, 1996, Another Hurricane made landfall at Cape Fear, North Carolina and moved north, entering Virginia near Danville and dropping 8 inches of rain over the mountains and the Shenandoah Valley. In just one hour, some areas saw 3.5 inches of rain. Rainfall for the week totaled 20 inches at Big Meadows in Page County. Six people died and damages totaled $350 million. Agricultural damage included destroyed crops and was estimated in excess of $50 million. All rivers in the central part of the state experienced major flooding. Record-level flooding occurred on the Dan River at South Boston and on the Shenandoah River, requiring the rescue of 100 people. A record number of people (560,000) in Virginia lost power. State agencies tried to get food and water into these areas. Hundreds of people were stranded and 75 homes reported major damage in Page County. Rockingham County reported 40 homes destroyed and 105 homes with major damage. In Warren County, 250 homes were flooded with 50 sustaining major damage. Waynesboro saw major damage to its downtown area. Ruins of the City of Alexandria also suffered extensive tidal flooding from the Potomac River.

Winter of 1996 Was a hard one for Virginia. With the Agricultural damage was hard for the State government who were unable to supply the citizens with food to eat.

July 24, 1997, Another, hurricane would challenge the Beyer administration. Tropical moisture from it interacted with a stationary front across the central Shenandoah Valley and central Piedmont. More than six inches of rain fell in some locations, causing flash flooding of creeks and streams. Orange County received the most rain and 10 roads were closed from high water. It spawned three small tornadoes in the Norfolk-Chesapeake area; each was on the ground for about a mile.

November 4, 1997 Governor Don Beyer inefficacy in helping the citizens after the natural disasters. The Republicans take back the Governorship in a landslide victory, with their candidate Attorney General Jim Gilmore.

Jim Gilmore Administration (1998-2002)
More to Come…

Mark Earley Administration (2002-2006)
More to Come…

Tim Reid Administration
(2006-2010)=== More to Come…

Bob McDonnel Administration (2010-2014)
More to Come…

Ralph Northam Administration (2014-Now)
More to Come…

Government
The government of Virginia combines the three branches of authority in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Virginia currently functions under the 1979 Constitution of Virginia. It is the Commonwealth's seventh constitution if you add it to those used pre-war. Under the Constitution, the government is composed of three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.

Executive
The statewide elected officials are governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general.

All three officers are separately elected to four-year terms and take office in January of the following year. The last gubernatorial election was in 2013, and the next will occur in 2017.

The governor serves as chief executive officer of the Commonwealth and as commander-in-chief of the State Military. The Constitution does not allow a governor to succeed himself in office (though a governor is allowed to serve multiple non-consecutive terms). The Lieutenant Governor, who is not elected on the same ticket as the governor, serves as president of the Senate of Virginia and is first in the line of succession to the governor. The Lieutenant Governor is allowed to run for reelection. The Attorney General is chief legal advisor to the governor and the General Assembly, chief lawyer of the Commonwealth and the head of the Department of Law. The attorney general is second in the line of succession to the governor. Whenever there is a vacancy in all three executive offices of governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general, then the Speaker of the House of the Virginia House of Delegates becomes governor List of Governors Governors
 * Albertis Harrison Jr. 1962-1966 (Democratic)
 * Absalom Willis Robertson 1966-1970 (Democratic)
 * Linwood Holton 1970-1974 (Republican)
 * Harry F Byrd Jr. 1974-1978 (Byrd)
 * John Dalton 1978-1982 (Republican)
 * Chuck Robb 1982-1986 (Byrd)
 * Dan Daniel 1986-1988* (Byrd)
 * Douglas Wilder 1988-1990 (Liberal)
 * Marshall Colman 1990-1994 (Republican)
 * Don Beyer 1994-1998 (Liberal)
 * Jim Gilmore 1998-2002 (Republican)
 * Mark Earley 2002-2006 (Byrd)
 * Tim Reid 2006-2010 (Commonwealth)
 * Bob McDonnel 2010-2014 (Republican)
 * Ralph Northom 2014-2018 (Liberal)

Legislative
The legislative branch or state legislature is the General Assembly. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members, and an upper house, the Senate of Virginia, with 40 members. The General Assembly holds sessions in the Virginia Capital of Petersburg.

The House of Delegates is presided over by the Speaker of the House, while the Senate is presided over by the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. The House and Senate each elect a clerk and sergeant-at-arms. The Senate of Virginia's clerk is known as the "Clerk of the Senate. The General Assembly also selects the Commonwealth's Auditor of Public Accounts. The statutory law enacted by the General Assembly is codified in the Code of Virginia.

Judicial
The judiciary of Virginia is defined under the Constitution and law of Virginia and is composed of the Supreme Court of Virginia and subordinate courts, including the Court of Appeals, the Circuit Courts, and the General District Courts. Its administration is headed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Judicial Council, the Committee on District Courts, the Judicial Conferences, and various other officers.

Political Parties of Virginia
Virginia currently have 5 political parties, Liberalism, and Social liberalism Fiscal conservatism, Social Moderate. Centrism, American Nazism, Neo-fascism Conservatism, Fiscal conservatism, Social Conservatism,
 * Liberal Party of Virginia (Founded 1968)
 * Republican Party of Virginia (Founded 1854)
 * Commonwealth Party of Virginia (Founded 1999)
 * Nazi Party of Virginia (Founded 1967)
 * Byrd Party of Virginia (Founded 1968)

Military
The Military of Virginia is split between two branches the State Army, and State Navy.

State Army
More to Come...

State Navy
More to Come...