Central America

The Mexican Invasion of Guatemala caught everyone off guard. With no responses abroad and a half hearted attempt from the West Indies, the Guatemalan Revolution caught the Orellana regime off guard, and the Guatemalan Commune was founded. Belize itself voted to join the Union of Britain at 55% in the following referendum. Following this, continued Mexican invasion in El Salvador installed a democratic coalition government deposing the previous regime, with United Fruit Company assets nationalised. The Mexican Army however is thoroughly battered, its ammunition stock depleted, its fighting strength division essentially reduced to understrength light units. At home there’s tremendous pressure to withdraw the Army from any continued involvement in Central America, recognising that 12,000 Mexicans have already died to “support” the revolution in Central America.

American Civil War

Hostilities broke out come January as the self declared Chicago Government face off against MacArthur’s Military Government, with a sideshow coming from the government in New England. Facing a far better trained and equipped army, the Socialists fought bravely, however their strategic situation has become dire.

Midwest

Most of the socialist militias in this area was crushed, aside from a tiny holdout in Wichita. The Missouri salient is wiped out and Iowa is exposed.

Steel Belt

The steel belt was subjected to an intense bombing campaign by the military, as Chicago became the largest amount of American deaths in a single event ever, and the Chicago Government’s industrial capabilities hampered by the bombing severely.

Ohio River

Around this area of the front was where the main Socialist effort was placed. 120,000 socialists managing to retake all of their core states, while pushing slightly into Kentucky.

Eastern Front

In the Appalachians, the front lay silent as the Socialists made marginal gains. In Pennsylvania though is where the real battle occured, as clashes between New Englander and Military forces with Socialists ones resulted in the Socialists losing all of New Jersey and Philadelphia almost encircled. New York City still stands as the only Socialist bastion in New England.

Aftermath

In its aftermath, a mass refugee crisis began in the North, as nearly 4 million displaced people seek new homes. Around 2 million crossed the border to Canada, 300,000 to New England, while the other 2 began the process of migrating outside of the still porous borders out west, trying to find a new life in the peaceful west untouched by the war.

While started out well, the Military Government are running into certain supplies issues, with combat only sustainable until around June, before shortages starts to kick in. New England finds itself with the same shortage in heavy equipment and ammunition, while in the Chicago Government, despite ample industry, a lack of materials and technical expertise have severely hampered their ability to retool their factories to manufacture military supplies. Both sides however are increasingly mobilising more and more troops (with questionable amount of equipment for them), and by around July America may see a million troops or more fighting on its lands.

In New York City, the siege is starting to get desperate as 7 million people lack food and water. Many have flee in all manners of boats. Mostly arriving in Canada for other parts of the US not seen fighting yet, like Virginia, these so called Boat People are a dilemma for the blockading New Englander forces, as supplies could be sneak in this way, however stopping or shooting down these boats are both impossible due to numbers, or politically infeasible.

Out west, the APL becomes the favoured destination for civilians out in the east who are trying to flee away from the civil war. While housing them will be difficult, the state governments of the West are just about managing it, with refugees immediately employed in work camps or in the National Guard forces. Life goes on almost as normal, as if the civil war never happened.

Battle off Bermuda

The Syndicalist invasion of Bermuda went off spectacularly badly as the entire British carrier fleet was sunk. Canada and the US went off not much better, having half of each’s battleline essentially disintegrated due to dedicated Socialist suicide charges. The radio exchange between the 2 fleets was soon published, and the battle became a national embarrassment in the Union of Britain. In Canada, the victory became a propaganda victory, however the significant loss of life was criticised by some.

The battle did not change much to the Republican Navy’s power from an outsider point of view, as their main battleline did not participate. It however, did send half of Canada’s battlecruisers down under, which severely weakens the Royal Navy even more and most certainly relegates it to a second class naval power. In Canada, the Royal Navy, unable to replace their losses, has to face a doctrinal challenge. Night battle against a superior force was seen to be effective, and so has mass torpedo charges. The success of the ambush submarine forces also proved to the Royal Navy that an asymmetric approach when it comes to the sea could be adopted. Thus, priority for the Royal Navy became the modernisation of its submarine and cruiser forces.

In the Union of Britain, the battle did help contributed to refining naval aviation doctrine, despite the fact that most of Britain’s most experienced naval aviators have gone under the waves. A desperate need for a modern battleship escort alongside the carrier forces is identified, as well as a desperate need to develop better night fighting capability. To this extent, RADAR research is further focused upon. Better scouting method would also be needed which prompted the development of scout cruisers with heavy seaplane loadout. And finally, this battle convinced the Republican Navy that the Royal Navy is still a threat, and thus immediate modernisation for the Peterloo-class was ordered to be underway.

Abroad sees the loss in popularity amongst naval aviation advocates, as the carrier had lost to the capital ship in a fight, while not proving its ability to be able to sink the capital ship. Construction of the pair of carriers in Germany and New England is immediately halted for further review.