One of the most important events of the century was the arrival of Humanity on Equus. Four human factions from two separate realities. The first three (the Soviet Union, United European Nations, and United States of America) were the survivors of an apocalypse of their own making.Â
On June 17th, 1984 of the Earth-1 Calendar a war erupted between the United States of America and its NATO allies against the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. Information on what exactly started the war is scarce but the most commonly accepted cause is that it was an accident. Soviet missile defense systems had experienced a severe error that caused them to depict a large-scale American first strike headed their direction. Due to the attitude of America's then president who had referred to the Soviet Union as an 'evil empire' many believed this first strike was in fact real. By the time the Soviets realized their mistake they had already 'retaliated' with their own barrage of missiles. The Soviets resigned themselves to fighting this war they had unknowingly started. No way to go back now.
New York City, Boston, Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington DC were destroyed in the Soviet First Strike. Almost immediately Soviet and Warsaw Pact forces in Europe began pushing west. European members of NATO called for assistance from their American allies but their cries fell on deaf ears. The Soviet Strike, while accidental, was far more effective than anyone realized.
Sitting US President Ronald Reagan, his cabinet, and most of the US Congress were now radioactive ash in the ruins of Washington DC. A 'Provisional Military Council' was established by the highest ranking Generals that weren't at the now destroyed Pentagon. The United States was put under martial law until 'further notice' with all major industries now nationalized and a draft being started. Several State Governors cried foul but they all fell silent when the most vocal were executed for treason. The Junta, as many started to call them, were intent on winning the Third World War and they did not care what they had to do in order to achieve victory.
An immediate nuclear retaliation in Soviet and Warsaw Pact cities was ordered while the Junta prepared for an invasion of the USSR. Factories that once made consumer goods were now churning out military equipment to the US military which was fighting it out in Canada. The USA's northern neighbor had suffered a nuclear attack by the Soviets as well so they were unable to lend the support, both militarily and resource wise, that the Junta had wanted. The Junta had responded to Canada's refusal with invasion. US troops poured across the border quickly seizing Canadian mines, farms, factories, oil wells, and several military bases. The Canadian military attempted to fight back but was forced to reluctantly surrender. The surviving elements of the Canadian military were put under American command.
The international response to the Invasion of Canada was fairly lackluster due in part to the war. Western Europe who was fighting off the Soviet invasion had mostly negative opinions towards America's aggression towards Canada. The Europeans justifiably felt abandoned by the US who left them to face the soviet onslaught alone. The Junta was both shocked and furious when their European allies stopped all shipments of resources to the US citing that they were needed for the euro war effort.
Now without the european resources and suffering another smaller wave of soviet nukes the Junta could only watch as the US's war machine started to grind to a halt. Not wanting to make peace with the USSR or deal with 'traitorous' Europeans the Junta decided to go south. South America was filled to the brim with resources and 'cannon fodder' for the Junta to exploit. The Third World War was about to get darker…
Excerpt from the Third World War by Jane Goodwell. New Washington Printing Company, 1026 ALB