USA, 2022-2045

Even before 2022, the USA was a country balancing on the edge, both economically and
socially, and the DataCrash was the pin that burst the balloon.
● Abroad, despite the clandestine efforts and economic blackmail to make them accept the
dollar, the Federated States of Russia took on the Euro as their currency, partially because of
the stability of the new currency and partially in recognition of the friendship and the aid
received from Europe (despite American interference and embargos) during the years coming
out of the USSR.
● At home, years of corporate exploitation and shortsighted policies had degraded
environmental conditions within the country. Acid rain and changing climates made it harder to
grow crops, keep soil fertile, and irrigate effectively.

The Crash left millions of citizens homeless (some say as much as 1 in 4). Those who relied on
pensions and investments had nothing. Many died from either violence or exposure from living
on the streets. Some families pulled together or were forced into clan-like styles of living. Even
homeless, some managed to make it, but the death toll numbered in the millions.

Any government outside of Washington, D.C. found functioning effectively very difficult. The
United States Military Forces were ordered to return to home soil any way they could to maintain
order during this chaotic time, and Martial Law was declared. A shoot-on-sight curfew was
declared in many major cities such as New York, Chicago, and San Francisco to deter looters, a
policy which, in one notable violation of rights among many, led to the "Houston Incident," where
over 2000 citizens were slaughtered by artillery bombardments executed by the military under
order of the “Gang of Four”, a secret cabal embedded deep in the United States government,
comprised of elements of the United States intelligence community and wealthy industrialists,
which included the Vice-President.

The World Bank and other countries around the world had collapsed, which meant the United
States government had no-one from whom to borrow money. Federal bonds were cashed in at a
rate so high, the government could barely print money fast enough. This made the dollar
plummet in value and accelerated the process which ultimately led to the currency’s collapse.

Military reserves were committed in growing numbers in a struggle to control the violence
spreading like wildfire across America. However, the struggle was futile, as the unrest was not
limited to "less fortunate" areas and neighbourhoods, and could not be isolated. Let it not be
said that the men and women who tried to save America did not fight valiantly. They may have
saved millions of lives, but in the end, it just wasn't enough.

In 2024, the USA planned to hold a national election. Although still technically under Martial
Law, civic government still held enough sway “to stop the flame of American democracy being
snuffed out,” as one presidential hopeful put it. This ideal met its end soon after, however.

In the afternoon of Saturday, August 17, president James Richard Allen was assassinated
during a campaign stop in California. Vice President Harold Harrison Hunt subsequently
became the next president of the United States, giving free reign to advance the plans of the
“Gang of Four”.

The USA was on a downward spiral, and the incompetent or criminal actions of the Executive
went a long way to push it further. The streets of many cities across the United States were
covertly regulated by federal forces drawn from a variety of organisations such as the Drug
Enforcement Agency (DEA), Homeland Security, the Federal Prison system, and paramilitary
services secretly provided by several Megacorporations. Unidentifiable due to their lack of
uniforms or badges, they contributed heavily to the thought that the United States government
had turned into a gang of thugs, causing local governments and their allies to first protest
against, then actively resist federal invasions with counterattacks that used State Militias and
National Guard details to face the paramilitary groups.

The situation in the country was further exacerbated by a series of ecological disasters.
● 2027; a toxic spill wipes out salmon and most fishing in the Pacific Northwest. This has a
knock-on effect throughout the region, heavily impacting many aspects of the local economy.
● 2028; dustbowls across the Midwest destroy a large amount of crops. Many of the remaining
small or family farms go out of business.
● 2025-2030; environmental degradation causes the previously profitable fruit-growing areas of
California, Texas, and Florida to become economic wastelands.

As hardship and conflict escalated, more and more states began to consider leaving the union.
The process began with New York and Texas, who refused to pay taxes to Washington as part
of economic strikes. The rebellion then took the form of economic blockades, with the states,
protesting against the federal government, blocking the two-way flow of goods at their borders.
The impasse was violently broken when a paramilitary police force subordinate to the “Gang of
Four” took control of San Francisco, leading to regular battles in the streets between residents
and federal forces. The governor called on the National Guard for help, which sided with the city
in the dispute. In response, paramilitary forces, operating under the auspices of the federal
government, tried to capture the state capital, Sacramento. California then announced that the
Washington administration henceforth no longer had authority over the state and officially
withdrew from the union.

The United States Armed Forces, which had long regretted supporting the actions of the “Gang
of Four”, refused to participate in the wars of secession, even as California authorities blew up
the passes connecting the state with northern Nevada and Arizona. At this stage, more states
rejected the authority of the federal government and declared themselves "Free States." The
armed forces also refused the order of taking back the country given by the “Gang of Four”, and
the Free States remained free.

The “Gang of Four”, struggling to maintain popularity with and power over the American people,
had settled on a successful war as the best and quickest plan to bolster their sagging control.
On January 15th, 2028, the Second Central American War took place. The US invaded
Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. The conflict was a complete disaster which cost
thousands of American lives.

In 2030 WNS Media Tesla Johanneson exposed secret NSA transcripts of the First Central
American War, revealing involvement of “The Gang of Four". In response to this heavily armed
mobs stormed the Capitol, supported by units of the military who had had enough and mercs
from both U.S. and EuroTheatre megacorps. Members of "The Gang of Four" fled, but they
were hunted down. Some managed to escape but others were killed. Such was the fate of
President Hunt, who was run to ground at the edge of the Florida swamps and strung up from a
tree by a cheering mob. With the Speaker of the House in the hospital and the three nearest in
succession refusing the job, the position of President fell to Secretary of Defense, John Seward.
The fall of "The Gang of Four" paved the way for the introduction of much-needed reforms.

The End of Martial Law

Tesla Johanneson was assassinated in Cairo, Egypt by NSA operatives in 2034, causing the
U.S. to forego a planned return to civilian government and extend martial law for another four
years.

Efforts at restoring democratic rule were further halted when on November 5 2039, presidential
appointee Henry Jacobi was assassinated. Evidence strongly pointed to Mantoga, Inc.
involvement and instigation. On November 17 2039, the corporation was given four hours to
completely leave the United States, and was ultimately destroyed by the United States military
in Operation Big Stick after they refused.

Despite the ongoing effects on the country and the world from the Fourth Corporate War
(Arasaka v. Militech) from 2041, the Collapse ended for some in 2043 after the first election
brought former Militech President, Elizabeth Kress, to power. In one of her first actions as
POTUS, she moved to end the global corporate conflict, reactivating the commission of Militech
CEO Donald Lundee to work with the government. Under General Lundee's command, Militech
forces ceased all active offensive operations, a decision Lundee made no pretence that he was
happy with. With Arasaka assets in Japanese territory also nationalised, the global war was
effectively over; all that remained was the conflict between Arasaka and Militech in Night City. At
President Kress’s urging, Militech began to withdraw from the city.

The Bombing of Night City

On August 20, 2043, a small nuclear device was detonated somewhere in the Arasaka Towers
Complex. The explosion destroyed the buildings, and debris from Arasaka Tower crashed into
nearby structures, setting off a series of chain reactions, gas line explosions, transformer
explosions, and intense fires. By the end, the Corporate Centre of Night City was a radioactive
hot zone, and over half a million people were dead.

After a lengthy investigation, the President placed the blame for the Night City Holocaust on
Arasaka. The official story held that Arasaka had kept a fail-safe nuclear device in the Tower
and had detonated it when it was clear they couldn't win against superior Militech forces.
● 2045. Militech and the national armies of the US finally quell all the pockets of fighting across
the country and the Fourth Corporate War is declared as officially over.

“Now the rebuilding of our country can begin. Too many Americans have lost their lives, and too
many have lost their way in the last 23 years. I promise as your President that I will do
everything in my power to restore our country, to create a New United States of America, and to
make America great again!”
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