Finnish Twilight 2000 sourcebook: the World situation in 2000

[John Farson]

Europe

Europe suffered immensely from the war, and most of the battles that were fought with conventional weapons were fought on the soil of the Old World.

The United Kingdom: The British suffered much during the war due to the country being one of the most important members of NATO. The goverment controls the southeastern part of the country south of the Thames and east of Southampton. This area is organized with regards to encounters, although its border regions are military cantonments. The populations centers (i.e. those that are still intact) outside this area are independent. The government of these various local communities ranges from municipal councils (like those before the war) to military dictatorships. The area between Folkstone and Hastings is the subject of constant disputes between the government and various independent communities. The government has managed to maintain control of a few oil rigs in the North Atlantic, and therefore is able to acquire at least some oil products.

France: Despite her neutrality, France suffered from nuclear strikes directed at her ports and oil industry in order to deny them to NATO. The destruction was mostly limited to the coasts, but the number of deaths was great. Riots and instability caused by the war and ensuing refugee crisis led first to the closing of the borders and then to the occupation of the entire west bank of the Rhine. Because of this the Army has created a freefire Dead Zone (La Zone Morte), where anyone who is caught moving can be freely killed. The border is officially closed to all but French citizens, although in practice one can bribe one's way in, provided that you have a useful profession that you can support yourself with.

The Franco-Spanish border is also closed, but smuggling is rife. The black market is run by the Union Corse (a Corsican organised crime syndicate). With the worsening of the situation the French government has had to take tougher measures, and as a result life in most areas is hard but bearable.

In some areas (particularly mountainous ones) there is open rebellion against the government and martial law is in place almost everywhere. The governments of the southern French departments are unbelievably corrupt because they are controlled by the Union Corse. Marseille is the largest undamaged city, though it is in bad shape compared to the pre-war era. It represents the remains of trade between the merchants of Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean and is completely under the control of the Corsicans.

Most of France is organized (mostly due to the French government/Army though the Union Corse functions similarly in southern France). A few mountainous areas are disputed or independent. Terrorised and isolated areas as well as military cantonments are to be found in the west bank of the Rhine. La Zone Morte is destroyed.

Scandinavia: Although no Scandinavian country suffered from strategic nuclear attacks, they suffered significantly in the 1997-98 Lapland war between NATO and the Warsaw Pact. The cessation of world trade has made life ever harder. Most of Scandinavia's cities are independent or isolated, although the southern areas are mostly organized. In the northern areas which suffered from the Lapland war there are military cantonments, destroyed or anarchy -riven territory. (Although Scandinavia does have the only intact oil refineries in Europe besides Ploesti, such as the Neste refinery in Porvoo, they are so far away from crude oil production areas as to be useless. -editor.)

The Iberian peninsula: Despite their neutrality Spain and Portugal shared France's fate due to their oil industry and ports. The governments of both nations have collapsed and been replaced by the Guardia Civil and the former armies, whose forces are bandits and extortionists. Gibraltar and everything around it in a 20 km radius are in anarchy. The rest of the peninsula is isolated, terrorized, destroyed or independent.

Italy: Italy's oil refineries and industrial centers were targeted both by conventional as well as nuclear attacks. Contiuous fighting destroyed the Alpine region, but otherwise the country is (more or less) intact. Although the government is nominally in control, in practice the army runs most of the country (based on the martial law declaration of 1998). Italy has many guerrilla movements, including a monarchist one.

In the north the industrial cities are destroyed or in anarchy. Cities that are further away are isolated. Central and southern Italy has military cantonments or independent cities.

Western Mediterranean Islands: Corsica is still nominally under French control, although the Union Corse is the de facto authority on the island. Corsica is organized. Sardinia and Sicily are nominally under the authortiy of the government in Rome, although in practice they are on their own. Sardinia's and Sicily's communities are isolated or independent.

The smaller islands have been left to fend for themselves (are independent). The meagre trade with the continent is continuously endangered due to the pirates that have infested the coasts of North Africa, which is almost in anarchy.

Austria: The government has completely vanished. Some parts of the country are occupied by foreign forces, and the occupiers are mostly German and American. The rest of the country is ruled by local village leaders (isolated) or in anarchy.

Switzerland: Switzerland has declared a national state of emergency and closed its borders to refugees, though some black market trading of industrial products for food is allowed (unofficially). To be born in Switzerland is to win the lottery. Life is hard but not intolerable. Industry is functioning, albeit inefficiently (due to the raw material shortage). EMP damaged most of the country's hydropower production. Because of this electricity distribution is rationed. At least you can get electricity there, unlike the rest of the world. The entire country is organized.

Germany: The federal government has ceased to exist. Large swaths of the country are in chaos, while others are ruled by foreign soldiers or local strongmen. Even despite this, numerous communities occupied by German soldiers (military cantonments) exist all around the countryside, particularly on the Polish-German border.

The British military cantonments are around Hannover and Braunscheig, while the Americans are mostly in the south. The industrial areas of Augsburg and Nurenberg are destroyed. The swath of area 50 km east of the Rhine is either destroyed or in anarchy. Most communities are independent or isolated and it is especially so in the forests of the Schwarzwald (the Black Forest), in the areas of the Hartz and Jura mountains as well as in Rheinpfalz. The Polish and Czech border regions are disputed.

Poland: The government has practically disappeared, and it nowadays only controls Lublin and the surrounding area. Part of the country is occupied by foreign forces, another part is in anarchy and the rest has declared independence. The area around these relatively stable regions is terrorized or destroyed. The Gliwice/Katowice/Bytom corridor is destroyed. Downtown Warsaw is destroyed, but its suburbs are isolated. Cracow is independent, as are some cities in Silesia and Pomerania. Pomerania itself is a Polish military cantonment. These units no longer answer to the government in Lublin. The strength and situation of the military units in Poland are described in a separate chapter.

Czech Republic & Slovakia: The central government of the reunited Czechoslovakia has declared martial law and nowadays runs the country via local military commanders. Said commanders do not really follow the government's orders anymore. The area has military cantonments as well as a few independent population centers. The industry of the Czech Republic was hit hard in the war, and part of the border regions are occupied by foreign forces (disputed). Prague, Ostrava and all industrial areas are destroyed.
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Next, the Balkan peninsula

[John Farson]

Hello, sorry for the long hiatus. I had RL stuff going on as well as connection problems.

But that's sorted out now, so without further delay, the Balkans
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The Balkan Peninsula

Yugoslavia: The lands of the Balkans are almost in a complete state of anarchy. The confusing mishmash of cultures, languages, religions and other differences has blown up in everyone's face and there are no signs of the situation improving. Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Slovenia are independent states and are mostly comprised of independent, isolated or occupied communities.

Those communities on the Adriatic coast that have somehow survived the fighting are isolated, and there are disputed areas around numerous military cantonments. Macedonia is entirely destroyed, isolated or disputed territory (largely thanks to the Greeks, Bulgarians and Albanians).

Romania: The area around the Ploesti oil-fields contains one of the few remaining oil refineries as well as the world's last major tank force: the Russian 3rd Guards Tank Army. The organized area is surrounded by military cantonments, outside is disputed territory.

The rest of the country is held by local thugs, resistance movements or bandit forces (independent, isolated, terrorized or destroyed area).

Bulgaria: The Bulgarian government rules with an iron fist with the help of the army (military cantonments as well as organized territory). Despite this, however, large parts of the country are in anarchy.

Hungary: The government has declared martial law and local military commanders are now in charge. The nation's borders are at least officially closed to foreigners, but a small black market functions with a friendly nod from a few military commanders. There are military cantonments and organized population centers surrounded by destroyed and terrorized territory.

Eastern Mediterranean Islands: Crete (Greek Army) and Cyprus (Turkish Army) contain military cantonments, though there exists strong anti-Turkish sentiment in Cyprus.

Cyprus has military cantonments from one corner of the island to another, otherwise the territory is destroyed, terrorized or disputed. Crete exists on a subsistence economy. The smaller islands are on their own.

Turkey: The government has utterly collapsed and local military units run the country. Military cantonments, isolated and independent communities are common but anarchy and destroyed areas are in provinces that have seen fighting.
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Next, North America

[John Farson]

North America

USA: The United States suffered significant damage in nuclear and conventional attacks, and it has been invaded by two countries.

The casualties of the nuclear attack amounted to 135,2 million people or 52% of the U.S's 1997 population. This includes those who have died of injuries, epidemics, famine and unrest by June 2000.

The main effect of the attack was the over 60% destruction rate of the nation's oil refinery industry. This, combined with the rest of the destruction, practically ended electricity generation and destroyed the country's industry. The food shortage, disease and unrest which followed the nuclear strikes destroyed the pre-war American society.

The Federal Government has been split into a military government (Milgov) and a civilian one (Civgov). Milgov controls the organized communities in the northwest parts of the West Coast, the central and southern parts of California, Colorado, Oklahoma, the Mississippi delta and western Massachusetts. Milgov's capital is in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Around these areas are military cantonments and disputed territory. The places that were hit by nuclear weapons are surrounded by destroyed areas.

Civgov controls the organized areas of southern Georgia, both Carolinas, Iowa, both Dakotas and northern Virginia. Omaha, Nebraska serves as the temporary capital.

Numerous independence movements have arisen, particularly in the West. Large swaths of territory are controlled by no one. Therefore most of the country is independent, isolated, organized or even in anarchy. Russian military cantonments are in parts of Alaska (south of Anchorage and islands southeast of Juneau) and in San Antonio, Texas. Mexican forces are in military cantonments in California and Texas in the midst of American military cantonments. The area between the Mexican and American zones is disputed.

Canada: Canada lost 13,1 million people or 45% of its 1997 population in the nuclear war. Besides those killed in the attack itself, the figure also includes those killed in various accidents, disasters and widespread epidemics by October 2000.

Most of Canada's oil industry was wiped out in the attacks. This, together with the large exodus of refugees, practically destroyed electricity and food production and distribution. Famine, disease and anarchy caused by the attack nearly destroyed Canadian society entirely. Martial law is in place in most of the country, though upholding it is impossible in practice. Numerous warlords and "governments" control vast areas.

Quebec has officially announced its secession from the Ottawa government after the nuclear strikes and has since moved its own capital to Sherbrook. A little after this it relocated to Quebec City.

Most of southern Quebec consists of military cantonments or isolated areas, and small parts of the area around Quebec City is organized. Northern Quebec is controlled by no government and the villages have been left to fend for themselves (independent, isolated). The Quebec-Ontario border is disputed.

The Canadian Army controls most of Ontario and numerous military cantonments have been spread around the country since the declaration of martial law. Alberta is effectively independent. Saskatchewan is teeming with marauders and is divided into isolated communities. Russian forces occupy the Queen Charlotte Islands to the chagrin of the locals (area is terrorized).

Mexico: The Pemex oil refineries were among the first to be destroyed as part of the destruction of neutral states' oil industries. In order to distract popular attention from the nation's internal problems the ruling PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional) and PPS (Partido Popular Socialista) coalition used the poor treatment of Mexican refugees as an excuse to start a war with the gringos. The plan backfired, and as the war stalemated the army and the opposition rebelled.

Mexico is now divided into numerous areas, with each area loyal to one of the participants in the 1999 Mexican Civil War. The largest cities, mountain regions and jungles are in anarchy. The army has set itself up in military cantonments in Mexico and the U.S. These are surrounded by disputed territory. Isolated communities are located on the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, where they try to survive by agriculture or fishing.
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Next: Asia.

[John Farson]

Hello everyone and Merry Christmas! Sorry it's taken me so long to update. There were RL reasons as well as just plain lazyness. For that I beg forgiveness. Here is the rest of the world situation, followed by a sample of the Nordic Sourcebook in its own thread.
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Asia

China: China was subjected to conventional and nuclear attack by Russia. As a result the central government has ceased to exist. Local administration is entirely in the hands of various warlords, some of whom are former military commanders (most of them Chinese). Russian forces have numerous semi-independent military cantonments stretching from western Manchuria to the Gobi Desert. Tibet is essentially independent and under the command of local warlords. Almost all eastern industrial centers and port cities are destroyed or in anarchy. The fertile regions of the major rivers are organized. The western mountainous regions and the nomadic people who inhabit them are independent or isolated.

Japan: Fighting over the Kuriles and Sakhalin brought nuclear strikes on Japan in 1997. Japanese industry suffered significant damage and Tokyo is almost destroyed. Martial law hasn't been officially declared, but many areas are ruled de facto by JSDF officers who also possess civilian government posts. All communities are either isolated or independent, though nominally controlled by the government. The major cities have been destroyed, mostly due to social unrest caused by the cessation of world trade and imports.

India/Pakistan: The 4th Indo-Pakistani War ended in a nuclear war that destroyed the governments of both nations. Heavy civilian casualties and the complete collapse of organized government have created what is perhaps the most destroyed region on Earth. Local dictators rule the remaining agricultural areas. Life is brutal and short and does not even exist in the warzone.

Korea: A reunited Korea came to China’s aid and was subjected to a limited nuclear strike by the Russians. Although the capital, Seoul, was destroyed and many ports were damaged (destroyed areas), most of the country is under martial law (organized area). The peninsula is a true bedrock of stability in the middle of a world gone mad. The Koreans are particularly suspicious towards strangers. Therefore their moniker as the “Hermit Kingdom” is more than apt.

Southeast Asia: China invaded Indochina when they learned that the Russians intended to use the naval base of Cam Ranh Bay against them. The Vietnamese People’s Army (VPA) stopped this invasion (albeit with severe losses). Cam Ranh Bay and Haiphong were destroyed by nuclear weapons. Most communities are independent or isolated and ruled by local warlords. The reinvigorated Khmer Rouge fight a guerrilla war in Cambodia against the VPA. Cambodia consists of military cantonments and disputed areas, while the areas controlled by the Khmer Rouge are terrorized. Thailand survived the war almost intact and is militarily very powerful, but it is also plagued by massive corruption (organized area).

Afghanistan: No central government exists in the chaos that is Afghanistan. Local gunmen rule the land from their military cantonments with brute force. The countryside is mostly a few isolated communities in the midst of all the death and chaos.

[John Farson]

Russia and the CIS: The war accelerated the disintegration of the Russian Federation, a process that had already begun with the fall of the Soviet Union. The nuclear strikes of 1997, coupled with the enormous geographical distances, have made it almost impossible for the government to function properly.

The entire Caucasus region is effectively independent, as are the Central Asian republics and the Baltic states. Government above that of the local level no longer exists apart from a region extending a couple of hundred kilometers east of the Urals. Local industrial areas in Siberia, such as Novosibirsk, are still organized. The rest of Siberia is mostly wilderness. In Ukraine the Kiev puppet government is still loyal to Moscow, as are many small districts that consist of military cantonments, but they are surrounded by a sea of anti-government areas. The rest of Ukraine is mostly terrorized or disputed.

[John Farson]

The Middle East

Iran: The Kurds, Baloch and Armenians are effectively independent. The rest of the country is in anarchy due to the US-Russia war. Both countries have military cantonments and small, organized areas in the south and north.

Israel: The pre-war government is still in power (organized, military cantonment), but the peace between the various sectarian and political groups is slowly eroding.

Arabian Peninsula: Most of the oil industry in the Peninsula has been destroyed and production is less than 10% of pre-war levels. The coastal cities are organized, but the desert in the interior is in anarchy. The grip of the various nations in the region has begun to slip and only extremely tough measures can keep the powers-that-be in control.

[John Farson]

Africa

Apart from oil-producing regions the continent avoided nuclear attack, but events preceding the war combined with the international chaos have exacted a toll. The artificial borders created by the colonial powers have vanished and Sub-Saharan Africa has disintegrated into countless small, squabbling tribes. These regions vary between organized, independent, isolated and anarchic areas. The areas that lie between are in turn disputed, terrorized or destroyed.

The coastal states of North Africa have descended into almost complete destruction and anarchy. Small urban communities clustering around ports are the closest thing to a government. They also function as military cantonments for the sea traders/pirates that have started to plague the western Mediterranean. The few oil wells in North Africa still produce a trickle of oil, but no one is able to properly utilize it due to the fact that the nearest functional refinery is in Romania.

[John Farson]

Central and South America

The oil-producing states of the Caribbean suffered greatly in the war as they were attacked in order to deny their resources to the enemy. The war and global depression have removed almost all foreign influences, resulting in civil war nearly all the time. Guerrilla groups like Peru’s Shining Path have taken advantage of the opportunity provided to them – and some have even succeeded.

Cuba: Upon his retirement in the mid-1990s, Fidel Castro was replaced by the more moderate Miguel Hernandez. As the Sino-Russian War began Hernandez sided publicly with Russia. When Germany invaded Poland he became ever more nervous and began to fear the wrath of the US due to the presence of Russian troops on the island. In 1998 the partially Marxist PRI/PPS coalition came to power in Mexico, providing the Cubans an opportunity to be rid of their unwanted guests in the form of the Russian “Division Cuba”. The PPS offered Division Cuba a chance to get home in return for a small favor, which the Cubans eagerly supported.

Cuba’s harbors and oil industry suffered in the fighting of 1998-99, but the worst internal problems arose as a result of the mass exodus from the cities in 1998. After a short period of chaos Cuba transformed into an oppressive but functioning system in the name of national survival. The country is organized apart from the cities, which are in anarchy or destroyed. The US base at Guantanamo Bay was evacuated in 1999 and the Cuban Army occupied it in a couple of days. Nowadays it is a large military cantonment.

Nicaragua: Nicaragua survived the war intact, but the economic chaos has taken its toll. Although the government remains a western-oriented democracy, it has been forced to rely upon ever more draconian measures in order to preserve public order. The country is organized, but there are disputed or anarchic areas in the mountains.

Argentina/Brazil: The Argentines tried to seize the Falklands from its nominal British garrison in 1996. Argentina withdrew upon the outbreak of war with Brazil in 1998. After a small-scale nuclear exchange both nations were well on their way towards chaos. The national governments have dissolved and both countries are semi-feudal areas ruled by military juntas or local government representatives.

Other nations: The Amazon region is in anarchy and the coastal communities are usually isolated, while industrial cities are destroyed. Peru is under martial law (military cantonments, isolated and terrorized areas) or under the control of the Shining Path (military cantonments, disputed and terrorized). Colombia, Ecuador, Chile and other countries are organized, isolated, terrorized, disputed or in anarchy.

[John Farson]

Australia

Australia survived the nuclear exchange almost intact, but the resulting global panic left its mark in the cities and the countryside. A large part of the countryside is currently in anarchy, terrorized or isolated, but the major cities are organized and controlled by the government. Australia fought a short war with Indonesia after the latter had invaded Papua New Guinea, Australia’s ally. The Indonesian offensive quickly halted largely due to logistical problems, but before that happened most of Australia and Indonesia’s modern naval vessels and planes were either destroyed or severely damaged in several naval battles.

The Pacific

The Pacific islands were hardly touched by the war apart from nuclear strikes on Hawaii and a couple of strategically important islands. Conditions on the islands are generally tolerable, but some islands are facing problems due to overpopulation and insufficient food production. In practice, the population will decrease significantly, though taking into account the global war the numbers involved are small. Most islands are organized (The Caroline Islands, the Marshall Islands), terrorized (Hawaii, Tahiti) or in anarchy (Oahu), depending on the pre-war population levels.

[John Farson]

And that's the world situation in 2000 according to the Finnish sourcebook.