January 1st, 1960
The United States of America and the Greater Germanic Reich are engaged in a conflict for the future of mankind. In Germania, Führer Adolf Hitler rules with an iron fist the European Continent, now integrated into the European Economic Community, an organization that promotes "European Unity" but in reality enforces Germanic dominance over the continent. Only the Kingdom of Italy is powerful enough to stand truly independent from the Reich, but still acts as the inferior partner in the Germano-Italian alliance. West of the Ural Mountains, in the inhospitable lands of Northern Asia, various Warlords lord over what once was the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Anarchy, violence, terror, and famines are commonplace in these cursed lands. The Republic of China stands as the new Giant of Asia with the defeat of Imperial Japan. Chinese influence has crept into Southern Asia, challenging European colonialism. The State of Japan, having been defeated in a brutal Pacific War and having suffered the loss of its colonial Empire, is reliant on America and still trying to find its place in this new world. Across the Pacific, America stands as the beacon of freedom and democracy in a dark world. President Douglas MacArthur, hero of the Pacific War, is unlikely to seek a third term and Presidential hopefuls are preparing for the 1960 President Elections. Challenging the Nazi dominance of Europe has become the most prominent issue of the day as a Brown Scare has overtaken the country and people whisper of Nazi plots to overthrow the Federal government. Across the Atlantic lies the British Empire. Having had to come to a painful peace treaty with Germany in 1943, the British have to contend with the fact that they are no longer the dominant power in the World. India, the Jewel of the Empire, has gained independence. In British colonies in Africa, Marxist and Fascist guerilla groups wage wars for independence. The Free France, led by Charles De Gaulle, maintains a fragile hold over what once was French Africa. In the Middle East and North Africa, the Great Powers (Germany, United States, Britain, and Italy) compete for influence as Pan-Arab Nationalism is becoming more popular. South America has become a fertile ground for communist and fascist ideologues.
The question of the day is: Will National Socialism or Liberal Democracy stand triumphant in the Cold War for the fate of the Globe?
Notes on Map: Malaysia is represented as a British colony on the map but players are free to app as them. Greece, Cyprus, Albania, and Egypt are puppet states of Italy, but players are free to app as them. Spain, Bulgaria, Argentina, Iran, Iraq, Gran Colombia, and Vichy France appear on the map but they are still unclaimed.
Be sure to check the country roster below to see which nations are claimed, since the map is not always 100% up to date
Welcome to The Coldest War (TCW for short). TCW is an alternative history geopolitical/nation RP. In this timeline, while the United States intervened against Imperial Japan and defeated the Japanese as in RL, they did not intervene against Nazi Germany. This, combined with a more effective campaign against the USSR that avoided fateful mistakes, led to a victory of Germany in the Western theater of WWII. Now, in 1960, America and Germany are locked in a Cold War analogous to the real one.
TCW aims to combine player freedom with scripted events and a defined setting. The hope is to strike the right balance between allowing players to define their countries and offering interesting events and situations to ensure that the RP does not become stale or players run out of ideas.
The Point of Divergence (PoD - the date from which things can change in the history of your nation) is 1936. While players have the freedom to define their nations, their histories should not contradict the prologue and the following stated events:
- 1. Francisco Franco emerged victorious in the Spanish Civil War.
2. The Second Sino-Japanese War started on 7 July 1937 and the Second World War started on 1 September 1939, just as in RL.
3. After the Attack on Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941), the United States and the Empire of Japan are in a state of war. However, Germany did not declare war on the US and America does not intervene in the Western Theater of WWII.
4. The German invasion of the USSR is widely more successful and by 1942, Moscow is captured. The Soviet government retreats past the Ural Mountains and despite pledges to fight on, it collapses into chaos and warlordism.
5. In 1943, the United Kingdom and the German Reich sign a peace agreement that recognizes German conquests in Europe. Britain does not suffer any territorial losses, but the loss in prestige is great.
6. Japan formally surrenders on September 2, 1945. It had suffered two atomic bombs. The Treaty of San Francisco (1951) ended the legal state of war between Japan and the Allied Powers and it came into force on 28 April 1952.
7. On 29 August 1949, Germany conducted its first successful test of an atomic bomb.
8. The Chinese Civil War ended in 1947, with the victory of the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang). Since then, the Republic of China has become the new big power in Asia with the decline of Britain, the collapse of the USSR, and the end of the Japanese Empire.
9. India was granted independence in 1947.
10. The French territories in West Africa are still under the control of Free France, led by Charles De Gaulle, but there is growing unrest amongst the colonial subjects of Free France.
11. British colonies in Africa suffer from low-level insurgencies against colonial rule. Independence leaders have been influenced both by Marxism and Fascism.
12. On 12 July 1950, the European Economic Community was founded. It aims to create a common European market and to harmonize financial and trade regulations. While so far it acts as a way for Germany to dominate the continent, genuine Europeanists do exist, both within Germany and outside of it.
13. Douglas MacArthur served two terms as President of the United States and is the current President. He does not plan on running for a third term though.
14. The United States and Germany are engaged in a space race. In 1957, Germany achieved the first successful satellite launch.
As long as those events are not contradicted, players are free to shape their histories.
Some examples: Players can have someone other than Chiang-Kai Sheng leading the Republic of China, but cannot have the CPC win the Chinese Civil War. Players in continental Europe can decide who the leader of their nation is, as long as that leader is right-leaning since Germany dominates the continent.
For players who seek greater liberty in shaping their countries, I recommend Siberia, Latin America, the Middle East, and South Asia since those regions have the least pre-determined history.
The TCW aims to create a dynamic and living world. At the same time, it realizes that often geopolitical RPs stale due to a lack of activity and ideas. As such, Events aim to make the world come true. Events Post will detail various events: both in player countries and in NPC countries. Some of the events will be the result of actions undertaken by the players themselves. Other events, however, will create new challenges which the players will have to address. Sometimes, failure to address those challenges will have severe negative effects on a nation.
- 1. Each RL month will be four months in-game.
2. Be realistic in your sign-ups. Applications should respect both the timeline and common sense. As such, a Napoleonic France or a Babylonian Empire will not be accepted. If you are in the mood for something a bit more crazy, Russian Warlords states are being given more leeway with regard to realism, but even then I expect you to have a serious concept.
3. This RP gives a lot of leeway to players to pursue domestic and foreign agendas of their liking. However, they must be within reason. You cannot dismantle American democracy, not at least without months of quality posting showing the process. You cannot join as France and start invading North Africa on day one, much less so without German and Italian permission. You cannot join as Japan and declare war on Korea. Be realistic.
4. This is a geopolitical RP, not a war RP. Invading a country, even assuming you have a legit casus belli, will be a difficult affair and if it lasts longer than expected, it will create backlash at home. This is especially true if you are intervening in a faraway region. Stupid wars (Japan invading Korea on day one or the United States invading Brazil for no reason) will be blocked. However, you can start proxy wars by sending financial and military help to countries (or armed groups) that are in conflict.
5. No powergaming. This means that your nation will not be perfect. It will have problems and flaws. This will actually make your roleplaying experience more fun since you will have those problems to tackle.
6. I expect posts to be at least two paragraphs long (with the exception of diplomatic statements - such as condemnations of an action, replying to a diplomatic offer, etch). But generally speaking, with those exceptions aside, I expect you to put in at least some effort. Last but not least, I prefer quality over quantity. I much prefer if you make one big, good post once a week than if you post a paragraph-long post of bad quality every day.
7. Be polite, do not be rude, and keep disputes outside the IC. Even in the OOC thread, you will have to be polite when discussing disputes. As OP, I reserve the right to tell you to stop an argument if it gets heated; if you want to continue, you can do so through telegrams. I expect the threads to be friendly to players.
8. Do not glorify Nazism or Fascism. If you RP as a Nazi or Fascist government, I also expect you to hint (at the very least) in your posts about the oppression of those regimes. I am not asking you to RP as a mustache-twirling evil maniac (because that would be stupid), but I do ask you not to whitewash those regimes.
9. While racist rhetoric is allowed in the context of IC posts, it will not be tolerated in the OOC thread.
