1979: Gorbachev Dead

Cold War Allies

Mikhail Gorbachev is considered by many to be one of the main reasons Communism eventually collapsed. But what if he had died before he came to power? What if instead of Soviet - United States relations getting better in the late 80's, they got worse? What if without Gorbachev, a hardliner came to be Premier? Most importantly, what if that hardliner, wanted to liberate the West from Capitalism? There are several PODs, most notably is Gorbachev's death, Soviet War in Afghanistan canceled, Falkland Wars ends up being a standoff between the superpowers and a Chinese Coup.

1979

• Mikhail Gorbachev is hit by a car while visiting Odessa. His last words were reportedly: "Make the Union proud."
• Without public support, the USSR never enters Afghanistan.
• Soviet relations with the United States begin to deteriorate.
• China has a Marxist-Leninist coup d'etat, thus replacing its government with one far more similar to the Soviet Union.

1980

• Leonid Brezhnev names Yegor Ligachev his future successor.
• Brezhnev adopts the "Open Fire Policy" meaning immediate nuclear response if American ICBM's are detected.
• Sino-Soviet relations hit an all time high, talks begin about adding China to the Warsaw Pact.

1981

• What became known as "The Warsaw Pact Addition" occurred as Cuba, the People's Republic of China, and North Korea joined the Warsaw Pact.
• To counter the additions made to the Warsaw Pact, the United States invites Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand to join the NATO. South Korea and New Zealand turn down the invite.

1982

• The Falkland Islands are invaded and occupied by Argentina. The United Kingdom votes to peacefully agree on giving up control of the Falkland Islands. Margaret Thatcher is outraged.
• Argentina invades Chile.
• Brazil aids Chile.
• Argentina announces that a state of war now exists between Brazil and Argentina.
• South America is engulfed in a massive war.

1983

• The United States and United Kingdom support Brazil with supplies.
• The Soviet Union supports Argentina with 300,000 Soviet soldiers.
• With Russian support Argentina is able to quickly overrun the south of Brazil.
• The Brazil-Argentina War causes tensions to rise across the Iron Curtain.
• A Korean Airlines Flight is shot down by Russian AA.
• Able Archer 83 causes Soviet-American relations to reach a record low.
• The UN authorizes NATO involvement in South America.
• The Soviet's veto NATO's involvement in the war.
• Both Soviet and American intervention in the Brazil-Argentina War becomes an illegal action.
• The plan to "Liberate" The west from Capitalism begins to be developed.

1984

• Leonid Brezhnev dies.
• Yegor Ligachev succeeds him. Yuri Andropov never comes to power.
• NATO sends roughly 240,000 soldiers to fight in South America.
• Ligachev, fearing direct fighting with NATO, pulls all forces from Argentina.
• Without Russian support, Argentina falls.
• The Brazil-Argentina War ends in unconditional surrender of Argentina.

1985

• With the Warsaw Pact and NATO both fearing the other will attack, the US goes to DEFCON 3.
• The Ukrainian SSR has the worst winter in Ukraine history.
• Diplomatic ties between Russia and America are severed.
• December 4th: A brief shootout occurs at the Berlin Wall between East German and American soldiers.
• December 9th: The United States goes to DEFCON 2
• December 11th: The final number of casualties of the Berlin shootout are in: fifteen Americans dead, two West Berliners injured, and ten East Germans dead.

1986

• January 6th: A Japanese warship is sunk, China is blamed.
• January 11th: Ronald Reagan makes a speech in Tokyo claiming "We will not stand for anymore! Soviet Russia and Communist China have gone to far! We will not stand down in the face of the great bear! The eagle will strike!"
• January 19th: Reagan and Ligachev hold a meeting in Zürich. Diplomatic talks break down, Ligachev storms out saying "The calm is done, here comes the storm."
• January 30th: The plan to "liberate" Western Europe is finalized.
• February 19th: A Soviet Spetsnaz task force of roughly 14 men places explosive in West Berlin.
• February 20th: The explosives detonate, destroying several installations.
• Three Minutes Later: BTR 80's, T 72's, and T 80's break through the Berlin Wall.
• Precise time Unknown: Roughly 110 Divisions of paratroopers land all over the western United States. The jets carrying the paratroopers were never detected by Japanese Command or the Hawaiian Command. This is known as Operation: Fallen Eagle.
• Later That Day: The US, British, Canadian, and French embassies in Moscow receive letters, the letters are the Soviet Union's formal Declaration of War.
• Two Hours Later: Reagan receives word of the Invasion of West Berlin. His advisers tell him to sit down. They then tell him that most of the west coast of the US was overrun by the Soviets. Reagan apparently had a fit, demanding whoever let them sneak through be killed.
• Same Day: The United States loses almost all contact with the Japanese home islands. Scattered reports come in that Japan was hit by a massive EMP that wiped out nearly all electronics.
• Same Day: South Korea, North Korea and small parts of China and The Soviet Union are also effected by the EMP.
• February 21st: West Germany is invaded by the Soviet Armed Forces.
• February 22nd: The Battle of Las Vegas begins when Soviet troops enter the city.
• February 23rd: Seemingly out of nowhere, massive amounts of Soviet Soldiers begin to land on the American East Coast.
• March 1st: The Battle of Las Vegas ends with much of the city destroyed. The battle is a Decisive Soviet Victory. The American's had planned to use the city as a last stand. The loss of Vegas seals the fate of the midwest.
• March 11th: NATO leaders from: The United States, The United Kingdom, West Germany, Canada, and France all evacuate to a classified location.
• March 14th: Soviet forces attacking the east coast reach New York City. The battle lasts just several hours. The American garrison in New York is totally annihilated.
• March 17th: The Japanese Home Islands Command finally makes communication with the Mainland United States. Much of Japan and South Korea had been swiftly taken by Chinese forces supported by North Koreans.
• Around March 19th: The Communist Party of Mexico stages a Coup to take control of Mexico. An almost equal amount of people support and defy the Coup. The situation becomes the Loyalist-Communist Mexican Civil War.
• Around March 23rd: Brazil collapses into Civil War after a fascist is seizes power. There are three primary factions fighting for control, there is "Free Brazil" which is democratic and capitalist. There is "Brazil First" which is a Fascist regime similar to Mussolini's Italy. There is also "The Socialist Brazilian People's" which is a socialist regime.
• March 27th: Free Brazil and Mexican Loyalists sign an official treaty of mutual support. This is basically just to scare the other factions. On this day the Japanese High Command tells American forces of some sort of EMP device. Also on this day, Russian, Polish and Bulgarian forces had invaded southern Italy.