North American Union (1983: Doomsday)
From Alternative History
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| Capital: | Billings | ||||
| Largest city: | Saskatoon | ||||
| Language: | English, Lakota | ||||
| President: | Ronald Tussing | ||||
| Population: | 3,000,000 inh. | ||||
| Independence: | 1997 | ||||
| Currency: | Buffalo Dollar | ||||
The North American Union (NAU) is an economic and political alliance made up of local survivor communities, provisional governments, and a few nomadic clans scattered across the Great Plains region of the United States of America and Canada.
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[edit] History
[edit] Doomsday and after
Due to the concentration of nuclear missile silos around the Great Plains area, Doomsday caused large devastation to the area. Nuclear strikes happened in North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado. The strikes on the silos forced the following cities in the area to be abandoned:
- Great Falls, MT
- Helena, MT
- Lewistown, MT
- Minot, ND
- Cheyenne, WY
- Sterling, CO
Other targets included the Francis E. Warren AFB in Wyoming, the Malmstrom AFB in Montana, the Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota and the Minot AFB in North Dakota.
Like most places in the continental United States, Doomsday caused the collapse of state governments, except for Wyoming. The remnants of the state government, rallying around Governor Edgar Herschler, were able to reestablish control at Torrington, Wyoming. Fort Laramie was also recommissioned as a fort to be used for the training of the new state militia. The state government of Wyoming had sporadic contact with the remnants of the federal government at Mount Weather until the facility was abandoned in May 1984. Afterward, the Wyoming state legislature voted to give Governor Herschler expanded emergency powers to get the state through the crisis. One of his first acts was the Strategic Hamlet Initiative. The initiative called for the creation of walled settlements to protect farmers and ranchers from the increasing number of hungry refugees. The communities of southern Montana also adopted such a system as they looked toward Wyoming for advice and aide.
One of the unique phenomenon of the area was the creation of "nomadic clans." As the effects of Doomsday became apparent with the loss of plant life and a horrible harvest, many farmers and their families and close friends took to the road with their horses, cattle and other livestock to seek better pastures for their animals. Feeding themselves "off the hoof", these clans grew as they took in refugees who had certain skills that would be needed. The emergence of this new lifestyle was most apparent among the Sioux/Lakota of North and South Dakota. Only a few months after Doomsday, the Sioux returned to their old nomadic lifestyle, with a twist. Almost immediately they began raiding communities in the Dakotas demanding tribute for Sioux "protection." As the Sioux empire grew it became necessary for a central government to better organize the various Sioux tribes activities. Thus in 1984 at North Eagle Butte, South Dakota, the Republic of Lakotah was declared. Following the creation of the Republic, in act of radical nationalissm, a group of Lakotah used dynamite to deface Mount Rushmore.
Meanwhile in the Great Plans Canadian provinces, nuclear strikes on Calgary, Regina, and Winnipeg caused similar chaos that was being seen elsewhere in the United States and Canada. As local communities struggled to survive, populations of expatriate Americans reached across the border to seek help from American communities. Doomsday had brought a spirit of cooperation between the surviving communities along the US/Canada border.
[edit] The Lakotah War
As Lakotah consolidated its control in the Dakotas, there were continued calls by Lakota leaders to expand into old Lakota territory in Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana. Russell Means, an important leader in Lakotah, was particularly adamant about this. The only obstacle, however, was the growing power of the State of Wyoming which had managed to remain relatively united after Doomsday and was now begining to expand its influence into fractured Montana. Some Wyoming organized expeditions father north to find out what happened to Canada even came into contact with the various Canadian survivor communities on the Great Plains. Lakotah analysts all agreed that unless Lakotah struck soon they would be unable to defeat Wyoming.
In 1986, Wyoming was dealt a harsh blow by the death of Governor Edgar Herschler. The death of the man who had taken the state, however, would signal even worse times for Wyoming. In 1987, increased raids by nomads coming out of Lakotah territory rocked the communities of Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska. Distracted by the raids, Wyoming and the other communities were unprepared when in May 23, 1987, Lakotah "war bands" attacked neighboring towns signaling the official start of the Lakotah War.
Through 1987-1988, the Lakotah won early victories and eventually beseiged the city-state of Billings, Montana. The tide, however, began to turn against the Lakotah. First, Wyoming was successful in convincing the scattered survivor communities and the non-involved nomad clans in the threat that the Lakotah posed to the Great Plains. Volunteers and supplies reached Wyoming from as far north as Canada and as far south as Kansas. Second, Raymond Breedlove "Ray" Hunkins took over command of the allied forces. A Marine veteran, rancher and law enforcement officer, Hunkins soon proved to be an effective leader and was able to organize the ragtag army into what was eventually called the "Continental Army."
By early 1989 the Lakotah had been driven back to their pre-war borders. Meanwhile the coalition that Russell Means had managed to create to start the war had collapsed as the war turned against the Lakotah. Rodney Bordeaux established a new coalition government that presented the Wyoming led alliance with a peace offering. At the border town of Breach, North Dakota, General Hunkins and Chief Facilitator Bordeaux signed a peace treaty ending the Lakotah War. The allied survivors communities agreed to recognize the independence of the Lakotah territory in return for Lakotah recognizing their independence as well. That a demand to improve human rights for non-Lakotah was refused during negotiations, the Lakotah did agree to allow anyone in their territory to leave for the western states.
Furthermore the Lakotah agreed to stop arming the nomad clans who had sided with them in the war. These clans were driven west by allied forces, some even reaching the Pacific coast were they challenged the powerful Hells Angels of the soon to be Municipal States of the Pacific.
[edit] Reestablishment of the USA
Fresh from their victory against the Lakotah, serious talks soon began about reforming the United States of America. With little to no knowledge of the outside world and without any contact from the federal government in years, it was assumed by all that the United States had ceased to exist. Various proposals were thus introduced by the various survivor communities to form a new nation. In 1991 a convention of delegates from the various communities met in Torrington, Wyoming and on July 4 presented a new Constitution for the "Provisional Government of the United States of America." It was similar to the old US Constitution, however, it specifically stated that this government was only provisional and it would disband upon the reestablishment of the true federal government. Other changes also included the removal of the electoral college and a revised second amendment. Following the approval of the represented communities, the new US had their first election for the President and the Congress. Ray Hunkins, following in the footsteps of George Washington, ran unopposed and was elected the first president of the Provisional US in 1992.
Upon the formation of the Provisional United States, the various communities were divided into new states which included Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado. Due to the difficulties in communication, President Hunkins in 1993 was able to push through Congress the creation of two new states: Kootenai (western Montana) and Absaroka (made up of parts of Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska). It was hope that these new state governments would be more efficient at providing serivces to their respective populaces.
Soon the Provisional United States began expanding into Idaho. Several communities in southern Idaho petitioned for admission into the PUS as a state and evetually formed the state of Idaho in 1995. The panhandle of Idaho was organized as the state of Lincoln after a PUS expedition has defeated the Neo-Nazi warlord who had taken control of the area. In the 1996 election President Hunkins won a second term as president of the PUS.
[edit] The Treaty of Morgan
In 1997, President Hunkins offically extended an invitation to the Canadian communities of the Great Plains to join the PUS. Though the communities had yet to be organized into a central government, they continued to maintain close ties and acted as a confederation in all but name. Hunkins invitation touched off a renewed wave of Canadian nationalism and thus his invitation was rejected. Momentarily take aback, Hunkins nevertheless invited represenatives to meet with him in the town of Morgan, Montana to discuss the future relationship between the PUS and the Canadian survivor communities.
What came out of these talks was the Treaty of Morgan. On the condition that the Canadian communities organize themselves under a democratic central government, the Americans and Canadians would be united under a political and economic alliance known as the North American Union. The Union would integrate the two government and yet allow them both to keep their soveriegnty. The Union would establish a common market, a common currency and seek to encourage common policies on various domestic issues. Borders would also remain open between the two nations, neither requiring its citizens to obtain a passport before entering either nation. The treaty was singed in 1997 and is considered the start of the North American Union, despite the fact that it was not until 1998 when the PUS Senate approved the Treaty and 1999 when the newly created Proivisional Government of Canada did likewise.
[edit] Lakotah joins the NAU
The years following the Lakotah War had not been good for the Republic. Infighting among the different Lakota tribes, rebellions by non-Lakotah demanding civil rights and harrasment from the east by Assiniboia had stretched the Republic to the limit. Furthermore, it was obvious to even the dimmest Lakotah chief that the NAU was prospering. When the NAU cut off trade with Lakotah in 2002 in response to a particulary gruesome massacre of non-Lakota rebels, what little economy Lakotah had collapsed.
In the midst of this crisis a new Chief Facilitator, Charmaine White Face, was chosen. Immediately she instituted reforms granting equal rights to non-Lakota in the Republic's territory and sent a delegation to end the border dispute with Assiniboia. Her most controversial decision was to apply for membership in the NAU in 2003.
The application came as a surprise to both the NAU and White Face's opposition. While White Face dealt with dissent back in Lakotah, the NAU debated about what to do about Lakotah's application for membership. Up till now the NAU had never considered expanding its members as the NAU had only been meant to act as an organization to promote free trade and common policy between the American and Canadian survivor communities. Despite not having an official set of membership criteria for which to judge Lakotah's application, it was eventually decided that for the stability of the region it was better to accept Lakotah into the NAU or else the NAU may be forced to invade the country if things continued to get worse. Thus in 2004, representatives from the NAU and Lakotah met once again in Beach, North Dakota to sign the official documents that made Lakotah a full member of the NAU.
Lakotah's entrance into the NAU was not without opposition. Russel Means created the Lakotah Liberation Armyy with the stated goal of using whatever means necessary of overthrowing the White Face government and removing Lakotah from the Union. For several years he conducted with his followers a guerilla war against the NAU, until he was captured in 2007. After being tried he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
[edit] Contact
In August of 2009 contact was made with an expedition sent from the Municipal States of the Pacific with Utah. News of the contact with the outside world was greeted with happiness by the NAU. The NAU quickly sent their own expedition back to the MSP. Talks have already begun with the MSP about future trade between the two regions, including a joint project to build a new railway to make trade easier.
Contact with the outside world has also encouraged the NAU to think more seriously about expanding its members now that so many American survivor states have been discovered across North America. Already there are several proposals for an official membership criteria.
[edit] Economy
The economy of the NAU is primarily agricultural. Many towns and cities had to relocate most of their populations to local farms and ranches. These farms and ranches have been transformed with defensive walls built to protect against Lakotah raids during the Lakotah War. Today these farm and ranches are the center of life in the NAU. Only recently have the towns and cities began to grow again and light industry has increased.
Technological progress has been slow, as the country concentrates more on building up former prosperity. Due to the lack of oil, all three members of the Union ration its use among civilians. There has been some advancement in bio-deisel and steam powered trains have becoming more common again. Despite this the primary mode of transportation for the common man in the Union has once again become the horse.
Trade has picked up ever since contact in 2009. Guarded convoys are already begun to move between the Municipal States of the Pacific and the Republic of West Texas.
[edit] Currency
Shortly after Doomsday, the collapse of the world market made paper currency useless among the member states of the NAU and the economy devolved into a barter system. Following the establishment of the Provisional Government of the United States, the new nation attempted to reintroduce a new currency to replace the dominant barter system. Called the "New Dollar", for its similarity to the old US dollar, it was somewhat successful in replacing the barter system, at least in the more developed parts of the country. With the establishment of the NAU in 1997, the member states created a new common currency called the "Buffalo Dollar" was created to replace the New Dollar and the old Canadian currency the Canadian communities were using. Lakota also adopted the Buffalo Dollar when it joined the NAU.
[edit] Foreign Relations
The NAU has only recently established contact with the rest of the world thanks to the arrival of a WCRB sponsored expedition from the Municipal States of the Pacific. There are already plans among the NAU leadership to build a safe trade route to reach the MSP. Some plans include reopening old railroad lines between the two areas.
Territory disputes between Utah and the NAU over the former territories of Idaho and Wyoming has kept things tense between the two nations but so far it has remained short of all out war. The NAU has also opened talks with Superior, however, due to the 2009 Saguenay War the Provisional Government of Canada is hostile to Superior.
All three member states have decided to apply as one nation to the League of Nations.
[edit] Expansion
Since contact the NAU has thought harder about expanding the membership of the union. Overtures have been made to the Republic of West Texas, Assiniboia and the Republic of Lincoln. Though West Texas rejected the initial offer, the other states have been more receptive and negotiations are continuing. Analysts see Utah as another potential candidate for membership but the current border dispute has made an official invitation unlikely. The Committee to Restore the United States of America applauds the efforts of the NAU to increase membership and sees the union as the perfect vehicle to reestablish the USA.
[edit] Law Enforcement
Each City/Town in the NAU maintains its own Police/Sherrif's Department. The national Law Enforcement Agency is the NAU Mounted Police (NAUMP) which serves as a FBI/RCMP style unit. Because of this, most of the higher ranking officers of the NAUMP were formerly agents of the FBI or officers of the RCMP.
[edit] Military
The NAU requires all member nations to maintain a strong, professional militia force. The militias are equipped with old American and Canadian weapons from National Guard stockpiles and bases that survived Doomsday, along with some new weapons built since Doomsday including the NAU Standard Automatic Rifle (NAUSAR). The NAU Reconnaissance Commandos (NAURC or "Reconndos"), made up of volunteers from the national militias, are the elite force of the NAU and keeps peace along the member nations border while also keeping brigands in check. They are also trained as counter-terrorists and in the event of war, would act in the reconnaissance and commando roles (hence their official name and their nickname). The NAU nations also maintain various pre-Doomsday military vehicles and aircraft.
[edit] National symbols
For most of its history, the NAU had no need for a flag of its own. Union buildings flew the US, Canadian, and, after 2004, the Lakotah flag side by side. As the NAU evolved into a supranational government with more of its own institutions and activities, there was a need for its own identifying symbol. The NAU government authorized the creation of a new flag in 2006. It was first unfurled in 2007 in time for the tenth anniversary of the Treaty of Morgan.
The flag shows three mountain peaks for the three member nations. The NAU's terrain is mostly flat prairie, but all three nations include some mountains: the peaks are said to represent the American Rockies, Canadian Rockies, and the Black Hills, as well as "the lofty goals of our Union". The colors combine the red and white of Canada with the red, white, and blue of the USA; the specific dark shade of red comes from the Lakotah flag. The flag also represents a landscape with red earth and a blue sky, symbolizing commitment to the land of North America. The white stripe on the flag represents peace, both within the NAU and throughout the world.
[edit] Member nations
[edit] Associated Nomadic clans
Some survivors in this part of North America adopted a nomadic lifestyle in an effort to survive the aftermath of Doomsday. They have evolved into clans made up of several large extended families. Their wealth comes from their large herds of animals who they take to different pastures during the years, following them in the few remaining motorized transports or horse-drawn wheeled tents based off the yurt design used by Central Asian nomads (this became popular thanks to a history professor who joined a nomadic clan after Doomsday).
During the Lakotah War several clans fought as mercenaries on both sides of the war. Afterward, a few clans moved west and challenged the Hells Angels of the MSP for control of the area. Those few who remained eventually all became associated members of the NAU.
Member clans (named after their patriarch/matriarch):
- Johnson
- Balis
- Carmichael
- Williams
- Holt
[edit] Sports
Within the states that comprise the provisional United States government, the traditional American sports - american football, baseball, basketball and, in the northern states, ice hockey, along with tennis and golf - retained their interest and popularity among the public.
In Alberta and Saskatchewan, people are interested in the same sports as their U.S. counterparts, with a few notable distinctions. Ice hockey is the most popular team sport. The Canadian version of American football is the preferred code in the two states. And, the Canadian sport of curling has retained some interest and popularity.
In the nation of Lakotah, sports meshed well with Lakotahian life, particularly basketball and American football. Basketball is very popular in Lakotah, and former high school and college coach Larry Brown has worked for years helping build up the sport in Lakotah and elsewhere in the NAU. Lately, as news of the outside world has come to Lakotah, some in the country have proposed that association football (aka soccer) be considered as a national priority, with the idea that as the world's preeminent sport, it would help raise Lakotah's awareness and status in the eyes of the outside world. Many tribal leaders have failed to understand this, but nevertheless preliminary work on establishing a Lakotah Football Association has begun.
The oldest existing gridiron football club in North America, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, are based in Saskatoon and play in the North American Football League, under American football rules. There is currently no professional league for Canadian football.
[edit] Professional leagues
There are professional leagues for American football and ice hockey. The key here is they are 'professional' in the sense that players do get paid for their services, but not enough for them to give up their day jobs. Thus, games are played on the weekends, which has the added effect of easing travel expenses.
The North American Football League teams are:
- Assiniboia Blue Bombers
- Billings Cowboys
- Dodge City Chiefs
- Lakotah Warriors
- Nebraska Cornhuskers
- Saskatchewan Roughriders
- Wyoming Broncos
The Northern Hockey League teams are:
- Assiniboia Jets
- Billings Rangers
- Lakotah Thunderbirds
- Lethbridge Oilers
- Medicine Hat Maple Leafs
- Red Deer Canucks
- Saskatoon Riders
- Swift Current Flames
[edit] External links
- "Republic of Lakotah" article on Wikipedia
- Nukewatch has maps showing the locations of nuclear missile silos in the states that now make up the NAU.
[edit] See also
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