SCENARIO: WW3: Allies vs Shanghai Powers

== Revision as of 15:12, May 6 2016 ==
* ￼￼The Third World War was a global conflict fought between the Shanghai Powers, a bloc of nations determined to use military force to secure territory, resources, and strategic interests in violation of international law, and the Allied Powers, a military alliance of Liberal Democracies and US-Aligned Nations with a UN mandate to defeat the Shanghai Powers, from 2018 to 2023.
Major Allied Nations: United States of America, Canada, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Turkey, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, The Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam, South Korea, Australia, Argentina.
Shanghai Nations: China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Palestinian Territories, Armenia, Serbia, Syria, Cuba, Venezuela.
What the Shanghai Powers want:
Russia: Force the West to recognize Ukraine and Belarus as Russian territory. Build a "buffer" of states surrounding Russia which are not aligned with NATO, the EU, or the USA. Rebuild its traditional sphere of influence.
China: Expand China's available resources and economic clout. Kick the US out of East Asia through the First Island Chain Strategy. Help defeat the United States so that China can rise to become the world's sole superpower (Later): expand Chinese territory as part of the idea of Chinese Lebensraum (China is an overcrowded country, the numerous Chinese people require and deserve more land for further growth).
Iran: Become the great power of the Muslim world. Defeat its arch-enemy Saudi Arabia. De-Arabise the Muslim world. Reverse the trend of growing secularization and immorality in the Muslim world, mainly by kicking western influences out of the region. Destroy Israel.
North Korea: Conquer South Korea. Help the Shanghai Powers overturn the US-led Western hegemony over the world.
Syria: Destroy Israel. Help Russia in payment for its Syrian Civil War intervention.
Serbia: Reconstruct the nation of Yugoslavia.
Armenia: Help out Russia, help restore godliness to the Eastern Orthodox world by kicking out immoral western influences.
Cuba: Help overturn the US-led capitalist world order. It hopes that China's replacement of the U.S. as superpower will bring about a resurgence of communism.
Venezuela: Help overturn the US-led capitalist world order. It hopes that China's replacement of the U.S. as superpower will bring about a resurgence of communism.
Palestinian Territories: Destroy Israel, kick all Jews out of Palestine.
Basically it's these countries against the world (not counting Palestinian Territories):
http://map1.maploco.com/visited-countries/mine.php?c1=m6z4rqzm2o-cgzh6phq80-b67s59c4qo-b33j9yz1fk-2y0lg7gxds
Timeline:
: July 31, 2006:
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1696 is passed, demanding that Iran halt its uranium enrichment programme. Iran refuses to comply and heavy sanctions are placed on Iran as a result.
: October 9, 2006:
North Korea conducts its first nuclear weapons test.
: 2009:
China submits 9-dash line claim to the UN, laying claim to most of the South China Sea.
: Early 2014: 
China begins large-scale island reclamation activities in the South China Sea, increasing tensions with neighboring countries such as the Philippines and Vietnam significantly. Filipino fishermen are now barred access to fishing areas in the South China Sea where they had prior to this been fishing for perhaps centuries, as China lays claim to the seas several miles out from each reclaimed island.
: February 18-23 2014
Ukrainian Revolution; Pro-Russia President Victor Yanukovych ousted and replaced with Pro-West leader Petro Poroshenko
: February 20-March 19, 2014:
The Russian Federation under President Vladimir Putin responds to the Ukrainian Revolution by seizing the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine and later annexing it under the pretense of a Crimean desire to join Russia and the establishment of a "neo-nazi" Ukrainian regime which is supposedly committing genocide against Ukraine's ethnic Russian population. This sparks Western sanctions against Russia and a revitalisation of Western fears of an imperialist Russia that had largely subsided since the dissolution of the U.S.S.R. A relatively small NATO military buildup in Eastern Europe begins.
: April 6, 2014:
Beginning of the War in Donbass; ethnic Russians in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts declare their intentions to secede from Ukraine. Russian troops who lack any form of identification or Russian army insignia cross the border into Eastern Ukraine to assist the rebels.
: April 28, 2014:
The Philippines and the United States sign the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which allows the U.S. to send rotating troop deployments to the Philippines and gives it permission to build and operate facilities on Philippine bases.
: February 15, 2015:
In accordance with the Minsk II agreement a ceasefire between Ukraine and the pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk goes into effect, bringing an end to the existing state of full-scale war. However, ceasefire violations continue on a daily basis, perpetrated mostly by the separatists.
: March 26, 2015:
Saudi Arabia begins its military intervention in the Yemeni Civil War, mainly to fight against the Shi'ite militant group called the Houthis.
: July 7, 2015:
Hearings begin for the "Philippines v. China" court case, a lawsuit by the Philippines against China in the Permanent Court of Arbitration to challenge the legality of its 9-dash line.
: July 14, 2015:
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is announced. Better known as the "Iran Deal", under the arrangement Iran agrees to what is effectively a decade-long halt to its nuclear programme in exchange for the international sanctions against Iran being dropped.
: September 30, 2015:
Russia begins its military intervention in the Syrian Civil War to assist the regime of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in suppressing the pro-democracy rebellion, though it does so under the pretense of targeting the Islamic State terrorist organization which is operating inside of Syria and has seized large swaths of territory.
: October 27, 2015:
The USS Lassen performs a "freedom of navigation operation" in the South China Sea, sailing in waters claimed by China. The United States makes it clear that it will not recognize Chinese claims in the South China Sea.
: October 29, 2015:
The Permanent Court of Arbitration rules that it has jurisdiction to hear the Philippines v. China court case.
: November 24, 2015:
The Turkish Air Force shoots down a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer aircraft near the Syria-Turkey border. According to Turkey, the aircraft had violated Turkish airspace. Relations between Turkey and Russia worsen.
: January 6, 2016:
North Korea conducts another nuclear weapons test; this time, however, the nuclear bomb used is believed to have been a hydrogen bomb, the most powerful class of nuclear weapon. In response to this test, South Korea and the United States begin negotiations to deploy a THAAD missile battery in the Korean Peninsula to shoot down any nuclear missile that North Korea might fire at its neighbor. China expresses its strong opposition to such a deployment, fearing that its advanced radar systems could be used as a tool by the United States to effectively spy on Eastern China.
: January 16, 2016:
Presidential candidate Tsai Ing-Wen of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party wins the Taiwanese election; China has made it clear in the past that it considers Taiwan to be a breakaway province and that it will not tolerate any Taiwanese formal declaration of independence.
: February 27, 2016:
A ceasefire goes into effect in Syria.
: March 12, 2016:
The Russian government confirms that the UN's Human Rights Office in Russia will be closing.
: March 28, 2016:
The U.S. Navy operating in the Arabian Sea seizes an Iranian vessel carrying a shipment of weapons headed for Yemen. The stash included 1500 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 200 rocket-propelled grenade launchers, and 21 .50 caliber guns. The weapons were most likely intended for the Houthi Shi'ite rebels who had been attempting to conquer all of Yemen.
: March 29, 2016:
A new law goes into effect in Japan which amends its pacifist constitution to allow the Japanese military to fight in wars overseas instead of being limited to only defending Japan against invasion.
: April 2, 2016:
Heavy fighting breaks out between Azerbaijani forces on one side and the ethnic Armenian breakaway territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia on the other. Armenia has strong ties with Russia (largely due to the fact that both are Christian-majority nations) and hates Turkey because of the Armenian Genocide; Azerbaijan and Turkey, both being Muslim and ethnic Turkic nations, have been aligned for a long time as well. However, in this particular instance Putin doesn't back Armenia over Azerbaijan but rather just calls for peace. On April 5 a ceasefire is agreed to, though by this time over 60 soldiers and several civilians have been killed.
: Early April 2016:
The Russian Government announces the creation of a National Guard, which shall have the power to suppress riots.
April 13, 2016:
The Mejlis, which is the representative body of the Crimean Tatars, is ordered by the Russian government to halt all activities.
: May 31, 2016:
Pro-government forces liberate the Yemeni capital of Sana'a from Houthi rule. This is the decisive victory in the battle to overthrow the Houthi regime; by the end of the year the Houthis have lost virtually all of their formerly held territory and the government of Mansur Hadi is restored to power. After this the Houthis revert to an insurgent role.
: June 1, 2016:
According to Philippines, China has now occupied the Scarborough Shoal, a hotly contested atoll only 140 miles from Manila, and has begun island building and construction of facilities there.
: June 12, 2016:
The Permanent Court of Arbitration rules that the 9-Dash Line is illegitimate. The next day, Xi Jinping, president of the People's Republic of China, declares that "Meddling outsiders who have no understanding of history have no right to deny China rule over a sea which has been our sovereign territory for centuries." In short, China intends on defying the ruling.
: June 16, 2016:
The United Nations Security Council passes resolution 2299, calling on China to abide by the Philippines v. China ruling as a party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The next day, China announces that it is withdrawing from the UNCLOS treaty.
: June 19, 2016:
Officials from The Philippines and Vietnam, the two nations which feel the most threatened by Chinese illegal activities in the South China Sea, hold a secret meeting to discuss bilateral action against China. They agree to take strong military action within days.
: June 20, 2016:
Philippine President Grace Poe calls Tsai Ing-Wen on the phone discussing the Philippine-Vietnamese agreement and asking if Taiwan will join them. Tsai Ing-Wen promises that Taiwan will provide support but also warns that Taiwan will "proceed with caution". Malaysia and Brunei are also informed secretly of what is about to happen.
: June 22, 2016:
Early in the morning The Philippines sends Special Action Force units to seize control over the Spratly Islands and the Scarborough Shoal. Vietnam sends its naval commandos to seize the Paracel Islands. Eight hours later, Chinese President Xi Jinping says that "By invading sovereign Chinese territory the Philippines and Vietnam are asking for war. If they do not withdraw their illegal troops the People's Liberation Army will take all necessary steps to fight the invaders." By the end of the day these islands, reefs, and atolls are under Philippine and Vietnamese control.
The Philippines and Vietnam hope to force China and all other parties involved to participate in an eventual UN-brokered convention which will fairly distribute territory and natural resources in the South China Sea.
June 25, 2016:
A People's Liberation Army Navy fleet of 120 ships is launched from Hainan. The fleet divides into two groups; one sails into Manila Bay and the other sails within 10 miles of Ho Chi Minh City (Hanoi is landlocked). It is a show of force designed to intimidate the two countries into backing down.
June 27, 2016:
A force of 70 ships from the Vietnamese and Philippine navies arrives at Hong Kong, sending a message to the Chinese Government that they won't back down so easily. Later that day, Secretary of State John Kerry warns all parties involved to avoid escalation and to settle this dispute without resorting to violence.
June 28, 2016:
At 6:50 AM it is announced that all forces have agreed to withdraw their navies from each other's shores. At this point, however, the question of the islands remains unsettled.
June 30, 2016:
It is reported by Xinhua News Agency that the Philippines and Vietnam have deployed anti-ship and anti-aircraft weaponry to the occupied islands. Likewise, a large number of troops are being transported to these islands. Later that day, the Vietnamese government issues a statement saying that its soldiers deployed in the Paracel Islands "will repel any Chinese invasion and defend the Paracels with their dying breaths."
July 3, 2016:
A Chinese marine brigade of 6,000 men lands in the Spratlys. Another marine brigade of the same size lands in the Paracels. Philippine defenders consist of 3500 men. Vietnamese defenders consist of 4000 men.
July 7, 2016:
After 4 days of fighting the Spratly Islands have been captured by China. No prisoners are taken, all 3500 Philippine soldiers are killed. 2200 Chinese soldiers are killed.
July 8, 2016:
After 5 days of fighting, the Paracel Islands have been captured by China. No prisoners are taken, all 4,000 Vietnamese soldiers are killed. 3100 Chinese soldiers are killed. The 2016 Battle for the Spratly Islands and the 2016 Battle for the Paracel Islands are the two largest battles between nation states since the 2003 Invasion of Iraq.
July 12, 2016:
The Philippines and Vietnam announce heavy sanctions against China which effectively end all trade between China and its two smaller neighbors. The next day Tsai Ing-Wen announces that Taiwan will be joining The Philippines and Vietnam in imposing sanctions on China. On July 15 Malaysia and Brunei also impose sanctions against China.
: August 10, 2016:
A revolt breaks out in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, which is inhabited primarily by Shia Muslims. They are disgruntled over discrimination against Shi'ites in Saudi Arabia but the two straws that broke the camel's back were the execution of Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr on January 2 2016 and the Saudi Intervention in Yemen which deposed the "government" of the Shi'ite Houthis. Shipments of weapons from Iran flow into the Eastern Province and Iranian propaganda broadcasts fuel the spirit of rebellion. Shi'ites from all over Saudi Arabia flock to the Eastern Province to take part in the rebellion; also, it is reported that Iran's Revolutionary Guards have been spotted fighting alongside the rebels. The Eastern Province contains most of Saudi Arabia's oil; as such, the war has a huge effect on oil prices. By October 1 the price of oil is $95. The oil-dependent Russian economy makes a comeback almost overnight.
: September 4, 2016:
THAAD battery in South Korea is now active.
September 6, 2016:
In response to the THAAD deployment in South Korea, China announces that it will be selling to North Korea a billion dollars worth of aviation fuel, which is a vital component of rockets. Also, China announces that it will continue the purchase of natural resources like coal from North Korea, providing the cash-strapped hermit kingdom with a source of income. These two announcements come in violation of UN-imposed sanctions against North Korea implemented back in early 2016. On this same day the Shi'ite insurgent force which is the opponent of Saudi Arabia during the Eastern Province War, the Army of Nimr, seizes the Eastern Province capital of Dammam, a city of 1 million people. They declare the Islamic Republic of Arabia, a state whose territory comprises the former Eastern Province. The next day U.S. President Barack Obama denounces the Army of Nimr, which brings heavy criticism from democracy activists around the world who see the Shia rebels as fighting for Independence against a repressive Saudi regime.
September 9, 2016:
In retaliation for China's announcements made 3 days earlier, South Korea and Japan join The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan in imposing sanctions against China, banning all imports from and exports to the PRC.
September 11, 2016:
Australia, in order to protest China's September 6 announcements, joins South Korea and Japan in sanctioning China. The next day, so does Singapore.
September 17, 2016:
The United States imposes limited sanctions on China, which only mildly block trade between the two countries. The United Kingdom and New Zealand follow suit the next day.
October 12, 2016:
The IMF releases a report estimating that Chinese GDP growth in 2017 will, provided that existing sanctions against the country persist all year long, amount to less than 4%. For China, a country which has become accustomed to enormous economic growth, this news is a quite a blow.
October 15, 2016:
Nine Chinese heavy bombers enter Philippine airspace. They are successfully turned back by the Philippine Air Force, but this incident succeeds in striking fear into the hearts of the peoples of East Asia. After this incident China begins a campaign of random violations of the airspace of hostile countries in its vicinity as well as fairly small, random cyber attacks on these countries which temporarily disrupt power in cities, government websites, etc. Their objective is to intimidate the countries of East Asia into dropping sanctions against China. All the while their island reclamation activities in the South China Sea and business dealings with North Korea continue.
: November 8, 2016:
Hillary Rodham Clinton wins the U.S. Presidential Election. Shortly after the announcement of her victory she is called by Taiwan president Tsai Ing-Wen, who offers her congratulations and expresses her wish for greater US-Taiwan cooperation.
December 3, 2016:
Syrian rebel forces sign a peace treaty with the Syrian government ending the civil war. According to the treaty, the rebels end all hostilities in exchange for amnesty for rebel fighters. The Syrian government had earlier in the year embarked on a fresh offensive against the rebels, backed by Russia. This spells a government victory in the System Civil War. Assad has won. Grateful, he will back Putin in any of his future military adventures.
December 11, 2016:
A group of armed men hijack a Russian TV Station in Crimea and broadcast a message from a group calling itself the "Crimean Liberation Army", which declares that it will fight to free the Crimean Peninsula from Russian rule.
: December 22, 2016:
Demonstrations break out in the streets of Minsk with over 100,000 protesters demanding that Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko step down. The economy of Belarus is in very poor condition, basic freedoms are severely restricted, and to top this it has been leaked that Alexander Lukashenko has for two decades been embezzling tens of billions of dollars from the government. The new grassroots movement is called the "Tractor Revolution" by the media (tractors are a famous export of Belarus).
January 11, 2017:
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is ousted from power; he flees to Russia. A new Belarusian Government is declared, one led by pro-freedom and pro-west reformers.
January 14, 2017:
Russia invades Belarus. There are several reasons for this: first of all, Russia is reacting against another "colour revolution" on Russia's border. Such a revolution in Belarus could remove yet another country from the traditional Russian sphere of influence. Not only that but post-revolution Belarus could eventually join NATO and allow the US-led alliance to further encircle Russia. Second, taking Belarus would mean that Russia can use it with unrestricted access as a launch pad for military endeavors in other Eastern European countries which would otherwise not border Russia. For instance, in taking Belarus Putin would now have the ability to threaten Poland as well as close the "Suwalki Gap", creating a land bridge from Russia to its exclave of Kaliningrad and cutting off the Baltic States from NATO. Third, the move serves to issue an unspoken but very strong warning to Ukraine: if you seek closer ties with the West then what happened to Belarus will happen to you. Fourth, it would "unite two of the three Russias", as will be explained later, and thus cause a surge in Putin's popularity.
January 16, 2017:
In protest against the Russian invasion of Belarus, Kazakhstan announces that it is leaving the Collective Security Treaty Organization as well as the Eurasian Economic Union.
January 17, 2017:
A United Nations Security Council Resolution is passed which condemns the Russian invasion of Belarus.
On this same day, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan join Kazakhstan in announcing their intentions to leave the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Also, Kyrgyzstan is going to leave the Eurasian Economic Union.
January 21, 2017:
Russian forces capture Minsk. The Belarusian Government surrenders to Russia. Two hours after this announcement, Vladimir Putin addresses the Russian people on live TV. He states that Belarus will be annexed into Russia as the Byelorussian Oblast, Russia having taken "decisive action" against yet another "CIA-backed coup" which are designed to "strip Russia of its allies". He reiterates the doctrine of the All-Russian Nation, which is the idea that the peoples of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus are all one people who should be united as one country. Considering that the people of these three countries descend from the Eastern Slavs and all three claim the Rus people as their ancestors, this idea may not be so farfetched. Putin declares that January 21 is hereby a national holiday known as Reunification With Belarus Day. This public announcement is met with wild cheering all across Russia. Putin's approval rating in Russia is now at over 90%, not counting Belarus. The 2016 Russian Invasion of Belarus resulted in 56,000 Belarusian deaths and 36,000 Russian deaths.
Now that the nation of Belarus no longer exists, Armenia and Russia are the only two remaining members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Eurasian Economic Union.
January 22, 2017:
The new US President Hillary Rodham Clinton declares that Russia's invasion and occupation of Belarus, the first time since 2003 that one country has invaded and conquered another, is illegal and that "there will be severe consequences for Russia".
January 24, 2017:
Japan becomes the first country to totally ban all trade with Russia in response to its invasion of Belarus.
January 27, 2017:
The European Union announces the "EU Russian Non-Association Agreement", under which all member states of the European Union are required to cease all forms of trade with Russia or risk expulsion from the organisation. The United States, though not a member of the European Union, on this same day ends all trade with Russia in a show of solidarity with Europe.
February 3, 2017:
Footage is presented at a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council showing a Zulfiqar Tank being operated by fighters from the Army of Nimr. The Zulfiqar Tank is an indigenous Iranian tank, which proves that Iran is providing support for the rebels in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Also during the Summit Saudi Arabia reveals that it has captured 3 combatants in the Eastern Province who were positively identified as being with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
February 5, 2017:
The Gulf Cooperation Council agrees to Operation Tempest Shield, which is a total naval blockade of Iranian vessels operating in the Persian Gulf. The purpose of this operation is to prevent Iran from giving further aid to the rebels in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province.
February 16, 2017:
A Turko-Egypto-Israeli combined force of 8,000 soldiers begins deployment to Saudi Arabia to assist in defeating the Army of Nimr.
February 19, 2017:
Three U.S. Navy ships arrive in the Persian Gulf to assist in Operation Tempest Shield.
February 21, 2017:
Power goes out in the Saudi capital of Riyadh for 8 hours. The next day Saudi Arabia announces that it has traced the cyberattack back to Iran.
March 1, 2017:
The Cairo Treaty, establishing the Arab League Defense Cooperation Organization (ALDCO) is signed into effect. According to the Cairo Treaty all member states of the Arab League are member states of ALDCO. All member states of ALDCO are bound by the treaty to come to the aid of any member state which is the victim of foreign aggression.
March 2, 2017:
Iraq, not wanting to be a part of what is effectively a Pro-Sunni and Anti-Iran military alliance, announces its intentions to leave the Arab League.
March 14, 2017:
China announces that Taiwanese vessels will no longer be granted access to the South China Sea.
March 17, 2017:
A ship filled with 75 Taiwanese college students protesting the new rule imposed by China defies the ban on Taiwanese ships and sails 10 miles into waters controlled by China. The vessel is then confronted by a People's Liberation Army Navy vessel, which orders them to turn back. They refuse and the ship is fired upon, sinking it and killing all 75 people aboard.
March 19, 2017:
Outraged by the barring of Taiwanese ships in the South China Sea (which is legally recognized as being international waters) as well as the recent sinking of the Taiwanese civilian vessel, the governments of The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, and Australia simultaneously switch their stance on the China-Taiwan issue so as to recognize the Republic of China as the legitimate government of mainland China.
March 20, 2017:
In response to the March 14 and March 17 moves by China, the U.S. announces that it will begin negotiations with Taiwan for the island nation's procurement of F-35s. Reportedly Taiwan may be able to buy as many as 100 F-35 jets from the United States. Also on the agenda is the possible Taiwanese purchase of four Virginia-class submarines.
April 4, 2017:
Emboldened by recent events, the Legislative Yuan (which is the Taiwanese congress) signs a bill formally declaring Taiwanese independence from China. Forty five minutes later Tsai Ing-Wen signs the bill into law.
April 5, 2017:
In a move to finally eliminate the rival Chinese government, which now has large-scale diplomatic recognition, may soon have state-of-the-art American weapons, and now has formally declared its independence from the mainland, China declares war on Taiwan.
Immediately after this declaration the Republic of China Navy proceeds to plant naval mines in the waters surrounding Taiwan. Privately owned speedboats are commandeered by the Republic of China Navy for kamikaze attacks on the invading fleet.  Commercial and recreational aircraft alike are commandeered by the Republic of China Air Force for kamikaze attacks on the invading fleet.
April 6, 2017:
In response to the Chinese declaration of war against Taiwan, the U.S. diplomatically recognizes the Republic of China as the legitimate government of the Chinese mainland.
The People's Liberation Army Navy sends an armada of 200 ships into the Taiwan Strait to land in Taiwan and begin the invasion. All available ships in the Republic of China Navy are sent to fight the enemy armada. The battle begins at 5:00 AM local time. One U.S. Navy missile destroyer operating in the region is sent to assist Taiwan in fighting. It is sunk, though not until after it sinks 5 Chinese ships.
The Battle of Taiwan Strait lasts 15 hours. The entire Taiwanese navy is sunk. 145 Chinese ships are sunk, including the Chinese aircraft carrier "Liaoning".
April 7, 2017:
The first Chinese forces land on the beaches of Taiwan. They are bogged down by Taiwanese defenders.
The Taiwanese strategy involves the use of aircraft to sink Chinese transport ships so that the landing of troops on Taiwan is slowed due to a shortage of ships. Recognizing this, China seeks air superiority through the bombing of Taiwanese runways and filling the skies of the Taiwan Strait with air superiority fighter jets. To counter the first measure, civilians are drafted to construct makeshift, smoothened out runways of dirt and cut grass (for lighter civilian planes used for kamikaze purposes); also, public roads are completely closed off and cleared of vehicles so that military aircraft may take off and land on them. Taiwan uses the entirety of its air force against the PLAAF so that a few planes can get through to successfully sink the Chinese fleet. Finally, some of its aircraft are sent to bomb Chinese runways, limiting the amount of planes that China can air at any given time.
Throughout this day a large number of Chinese transport ships are sunk. As a result, the Chinese landings of troops in Taiwan are slowed significantly. Taiwan is buying time so that its allies are able to send supplies and soldiers.
The Taiwanese government requests a very large number of guns and ammunition from its backers.
April 8, 2017:
To speed up its landings of soldiers in Taiwan, China commandeers hundreds of civilian Chinese ships for transport purposes. Shipments of surplus guns begin coming in from countries around the world to Taiwan. Three day mandatory firearm courses begin across Taiwan so that Taiwanese citizens may learn how to use guns to defend their country.
April 9, 2017:
Operation Desperate Crusade is agreed upon; 5 Southeast Asian countries will send 40,000 soldiers to Taiwan to help defend against China.
May 3, 2017:
After years of moving towards independence yet not being allowed to secede by the Spanish government, the Catalan government led by Carles Puigdemont issues a formal Declaration of Catalan Independence. The Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy states that the Spanish government will use armed force to prevent Catalonia from seceding. Beginning of the War in Catalonia.
July 1, 2017:
Taiwan finally falls to China. 350,000 Chinese soldiers have died. Nearly 1 million Taiwanese people, soldiers and civilians alike, have died. 3 million Taiwanese people flee the island and become refugees overseas within 5 months, the largest migrant crisis in the post-Cold War history of East Asia. 2000 Taiwanese people commit suicide within 10 hours of the announcement that the Taiwanese government is fleeing the island and going into exile into the United States, a country which no longer has any diplomatic or economic ties to China. President-in-Exile Tsai Ing-Wen moves to Washington D.C. where she lobbies for America to take action against China. During the war there were an estimated 10,000 incidents of PLA soldiers sexually assaulting local women. By this time over 60 countries have diplomatically recognized the Republic of China as the legitimate government of mainland China and as a result have cut off diplomatic and economic ties with the PRC. Taiwan is designated "Taiwan Province" and all Taiwanese people are hereby Chinese citizens.
July 4, 2017:
The IMF releases a new report predicting that the Chinese economy will shrink 2% in 2017 and 3% in 2018.
July 20, 2017:
The Army of Nimr is expelled from the city of Dammam. By the end of the year they have been more or less defeated. The Eastern Province War cost 140,000 lives.
July 21, 2017:
The Iranian Government says now that the Army of Nimr has been expelled from Dammam and will likely collapse within months, Operation Tempest Shield must end by 2018.
July 28, 2017:
The Kerch Strait Bridge, which connects Crimea with Russia, is bombed. Damage to the bridge is so extensive that it would take at least six months of repair for the bridge to be reopened. Because Ukraine has blocked off Crimean access to the Ukrainian mainland, the bridge was Crimea's only method of land-based trade and travel between Crimea and the rest of the world. The Crimean Liberation Army claims responsibility for the bombing.
August 10, 2017:
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy admits that Spain is losing the War in Catalonia.
August 16, 2017:
Beginning of negotiations between Spain and Russia for a Russian military intervention in the conflict.
August 21, 2017:
Vladimir Putin announces that Spain and Russia have come to an agreement.
August 22, 2017:
Russian air strikes in Catalonia begin. Russian soldiers and military equipment begin flooding into Spain, apparently with the consent of the Spanish government.
November 9, 2017:
The Catalan Revolutionary Government surrenders. By this time nearly 25% of the city of Barcelona has been reduced to rubble, the worst damage to any Spanish city since the Spanish Civil War.
November 11, 2017:
The world finally discovers what exactly Putin wanted in exchange for helping Spain. Mariana Rajoy announces that Russia will be granted 3 military bases near the Spanish-French border. According to the Spanish-Russian agreement Russia is allowed to keep the bases open and use them for any purpose which does not threaten Spanish national security until January 1, 2023. The bases will officially open on January 1, 2018.
December 25, 2017:
Several apartment blocks in Moscow are bombed, killing 268 people and injuring 314. This is the largest terror attack on Russian soil since September 1999. Remembered as the "Christmas Bombings", the people of Russia are enraged. Decades later it is revealed that the FSB was behind the bombings.
December 27, 2017:
Putin announces that the Crimean Liberation Army was behind the attack. He says the following words: "We Russians have known about the depravity of the Kiev Neo-Nazi regime for 3 years now. But yesterday's attacks have made it abundantly clear to the entire world that the Kiev Regime butchers women and children using terrorist proxies (the Ukrainian government had been backing the Crimean Liberation Army since its inception). The Russian Federation, after three years of tolerating the regime's atrocities against Russians in the hope that lasting peace could be achieved through diplomacy, will at long last defend itself and the Russian people against these monsters. So that there is no confusion, this is a declaration of war."
As he is speaking, Russian soldiers, tanks and planes are crossing the border into Ukraine from the East and from Crimea. The conventional invasion is coupled by an electronic and cyber warfare campaign which disables Ukrainian communications.
January 1, 2018:
Iran, expressing its outrage that Operation Tempest Shield is still ongoing despite the defeat of the Army of Nimr, carries out a nuclear test. After this test, which shocks the world, Iran announces that the destruction of its nuclear stockpile under the "Iran Deal" was an elaborate deception.
January 3, 2018:
Ukraine surrenders to Russia after a single week of fighting. Russian soldiers parade in Kiev; Putin addresses the Russian people on television and States that "This is a historic day. At long last the three Russian peoples are united under one country."
January 7, 2018:
China invades the Senkaku Islands, which are Japanese controlled. China has claimed these islands as its own for quite some time. Within 48 hours the islands are firmly under Chinese control.
January 10, 2018:
By a 2/3s vote China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are expelled from the UN. The next day, a resolution is passed which bans any country on the face of the planet from trading with China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea. They are officially declared "rogue states".
January 29, 2018:
After 26 days of indecision, the NATO alliance issues the Marseilles Declaration. It issues a list of countries which are eligible to join NATO; former requirements such as a strong human rights record are dropped to make the list more inclusive. According to the declaration, if any one of these countries applies for NATO membership, representatives from NATO member states will simply take a vote on the matter, each vote being equal. A simple majority vote is enough to immediately incorporate the applicant country into the alliance.
Within 96 hours of this declaration Azerbaijan, Bosnia, Croatia, Georgia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, and Sweden are welcomed into NATO.
February 4, 2018:
A meeting is held in Shanghai. Attending are delegates from Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Armenia, Serbia, Syria, Cuba, and Venezuela. All countries which aren't already members agree to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, and Pakistan are kicked out of the organization. The members of this reformed SCO are, collectively, the "Shanghai Powers". As for their objectives, see the beginning of this article. They will ally in the coming war so that in the aftermath they may establish a "New World Order". February 19 is the scheduled "Day of Action".
January 7, 2018:
Understanding that war is imminent, NATO agrees to extend membership to applicant countries in all corners of the globe, renaming itself the Allied Powers Treaty Organization (APTO).
February 11, 2018:
The State Duma and Federation Council pass a resolution dissolving the Federal Assembly (that is, the Legislative branch of the Russian government) as well as the Russian Supreme Court. All powers are vested in the Russian President, Vladimir Putin. The Russian Federation is renamed the Russian Union, a name which appeals to the themes of national unity, the three Eastern Slavic peoples being one nation, and nostalgia for the U.S.S.R.
February 13, 2018:
Russia implements the draft and begins gearing its entire industrial capacity towards building a war machine of the likes not seen in the country since WWII. The next day Serbia and Venezuela follow suit.
February 19, 2018:
By this time South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey have joined APTO.
At 1:00 PM Russian forces striking from Kaliningrad seize the Suwalki Gap, linking Occupied Belarus with Kaliningrad and cutting off Lithuania from Poland. Russian forces striking from Belarus then proceed to invade Poland. Russian forces in Kaliningrad invade Lithuania. Russian forces stationed in Abkhazia and South Ossetia invade Georgia. Upon hearing news of the Russian invasion of Georgia, Iran and Armenia invade Azerbaijan; Iran invades Iraq. Turkey sends 9,000 soldiers to the Azerbaijani enclave of Nakhchivan to help repel the Iranian invaders. China invades Japan, a move which will allow it to engage in its "First Island Chain" strategy. North Korea invades South Korea. Cuba and Venezuela send troops into the Gulf of Mexico to shut down all U.S. oil production in that region. Russia invades Alaska to forcibly shut down American oil production in the region. Iran invades the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia to shut down its oil production. Syria invades Israel. Serbia invades Kosovo.
February 20, 2018:
The UN by 2/3ds vote passes a resolution declaring that the Shanghai Powers are hereby at war against the entire planet and that the Allied Powers have a UN mandate to defeat them, all other countries being obliged to assist the Allies however they can.
WORLD WAR THREE BEGINS
The War, 2018:
At this point there are approximately 28,500 American soldiers stationed in South Korea and approximately 52,000 American soldiers stationed in Japan. President Clinton orders all soldiers stationed in these two countries to "fight to the to the last man or woman" against the Chinese and North Korean invaders. By this time South Korean THAAD and PATRIOT batteries have successfully shot down 6 DPRK nuclear missiles, expending the North Korean nuclear arsenal and making the battle for Korea a conventional one. Seoul is shelled by artillery. Nearly 50% of American soldiers stationed in South Korea are killed within one week; thousands of northern sleeper agents in South Korea sabotage the country's infrastructure and ability to fight back. Over 200,000 Seoul residents are killed within one week's time by the heavy shelling. 
Tokyo, the world's most densely populated metropolitan area, is bombed by Chinese planes. Most of the country's infrastructure is shut down through cyberattacks. Tokyo is evacuated, but the massive effort which this entails proves too much for the Japanese government. Subways going out of the city carry more people at a time than they were designed to do, roads are subjected to unprecedented traffic jams, and ethnic Chinese people are murdered in the streets by angry Japanese mobs.
The Japanese Self-Defense Forces defend themselves through the use of landmines, anti-ship attacks using planes, and a flurry of submarine attacks on the Chinese navy. 
By the end of February Azerbaijan falls to Iran and Armenia, which then formally annexes Nagorno-Karabakh. Turkey sends 9,000 soldiers to defend Nakhchivan, an exclave of Azerbaijan, from the Iranian and Armenian invading force. Georgia and Lithuania fall to Russia, which then begins an invasion of Latvia and Estonia. Kosovo falls to Serbia, and then Serbia invades Montenegro. Israeli forces are expelled from the Golan Heights by the invading Syrian Army. On February 27 the Palestinian people, recognizing that the Israeli military is under incredible strain at this moment, declares a Third Intifada. 
The United States sends a force of 65,000 soldiers to defend Alaska. Thousands of local Alaskan partisans armed with rifles and shotguns fight against the Russian invaders. 120,000 American soldiers are sent to Western Europe to meet its APTO obligations to defend the continent. An additional 50,000 are sent to Japan. Saudi Arabia begins aerial bombings of Iran. Russia reinforces its three bases in Spain with thousands of troops and dozens of aircraft. Per the stipulations of the earlier agreement, Spain would officially consider any outside attack on these bases to be an attack on Spain. Also, at this point the bases are not used against any NATO member so NATO lets them stay for the time being.
At the beginning of the war APTO sends a meager force of 30,000 soldiers to help defend Poland, not wanting to get into a full-fledged war with Russia while at the same time not wanting to be seen as ineffective (a lack of faith in the alliance's protective abilities by its member states could sink it). On March 23 the Polish government surrenders. Russian forces enter Warsaw. By this time Latvia and Estonia have fallen to Russia. On March 26 Russia invades Norway and Moldova. 
By late March the Chinese Invasion of Japan has stalled, though China has taken control over most of Kyushu. By this time South Korea and American forces have halted the North Korean advance and seized control of the skies over the Korean Peninsula. North Korean communications and organized military structure have collapsed, turning the war more or less into a chaotic mess across the northern part of South Korea. Despite its close proximity to the border Seoul has not been captured by the north. Allied bombing raids into North Korea are occurring. 
Israeli forces have been expelled from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. From Lebanon, Hezbollah has begun a mass bombardment of northern Israel. Iraqi soldiers, battle-hardened from the recent war against the ISIL, do not flee in the face of the Iranian invaders, contrary to what Iranian military experts had predicted and were counting on for an easy victory. Turkey, Jordan, and Kuwait send forces to Iraq to help repel the Iranian invasion. Armenia sends 5,000 soldiers to Iraq to assist Iran in the invasion. Iran's advances in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia have halted; Saudi forces, assisted by numerous regional allies (including 300 Israeli soldiers) and 10,000 American soldiers, resist the Iranians fiercely. 
Montenegro falls to Serbia; Serbia then invades Macedonia. Greece sends 25,000 troops into southern Macedonia to defend the country and keep Serbia from marching upon Greece's border. Albania declares war on Serbia and sends troops into Macedonia to repel the Serbian advance. At the beginning of the war Cuba and Venezuela shut down all oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico using military force. On March 3 the United States begins its Caribbean Campaign to destroy the Cuban and Venezuelan Navies. It is assisted by the Mexican Navy.
On March 31 Russia declares victory in Moldova and on April 19 Russia declares victory in Norway. Russian soldiers parade through Oslo. On April 4 Russia invades Romania. On April 21 Russia invades Sweden. On this same day Putin phones the Finnish leadership and offers his assurances that as long as the country stays out of APTO it will not be invaded. By early May it has become clear that the Serbian advance into Macedonia has come to a halt. On May 3 Bosnia and Herzegovina invades Serbia, having built up its military since the war's start and recognizing that Serbian forces are stretched thin. On May 11 Italy does an amphibious landing of 15,000 soldiers on the beaches of Montenegro to liberate the country from Serbia. On June 13 President Clinton on live television vows that all countries conquered by the Shanghai Powers will be liberated, including Taiwan. At this point the United States has not moved to increase military spending because the split U.S. Congress is in a state of gridlock. Republican congressmen refuse to raise taxes while Democratic congressmen insist that the military budget will not be raised without such a measure and that other programs of the United States Federal Government will not be cut to provide the military with more funding.
By May Chinese advances into Japan have not only halted but are now being pushed back slightly. On May 10 China threatens Japan with nuclear annihilation of it does not surrender and it gives Japan 24 hours to comply. In response, the U.S. immediately hands over control of two submarines equipped with nuclear missiles to Japan, creating a nuclear stalemate and causing the war to progress conventionally. President Clinton assures the Japanese people that even if China conquers the island country, the Allied will eventually liberate it. By this time Japan has transitioned fully to a wartime economy, allowing it to produce huge numbers of tanks and aircraft. 2 million Japanese people are drafted into the Self-Defense Forces, the single largest Japanese mobilisation since WWII. On May 13, realising the improbability of victory without this measure, China also begins transitioning to a full wartime economy, devoting as much of its resources towards the war effort as possible and drafting millions of people. 
By late August China has broken through the Japanese positions at southern Honshu and now is storming the Japanese Chugoku region as well as Shikoku Island. After having suffered from a ferocious bombing campaign, Japanese industrial capacity has deteriorated significantly whereas China has experienced little Japanese bombing. By mid-September South Korean forces with US assistance have actually broken through through the Korean Demilitarised Zone and have launched an invasion of North Korea. The North has been and is being bombed very heavily whereas Northern artillery bombardments and air strikes on the South have largely halted. The tide of the Second Korean War has largely shifted in the South's favor. 
On October 12 Kim Jong Un calls Xi Jinping requesting urgent military assistance from the PRC. Now having gained the upper hand in the Invasion of Japan, China agrees to send 75,000 soldiers to North Korea and promises to send more once Japan is conquered. On October 23 Chinese forces enter Kobe. On October 24 President Clinton orders 40,000 additional U.S. troops to be deployed to Japan. By November Iranian forces have pushed to the very edge of Iraq, near the Saudi-Iraqi border. On November 1 Iran renames Iraq the "Islamic Republic of Babylon". On this same day Iran announces that it will spend billions of dollars and conscript the locals as a labour force to rebuild the ancient city of Babylon. Akkadian, an indigenous pre-Arab language of Iraq, becomes the official language of Iraq and begins being taught in Iraqi schools instead of Arabic. Iran's objective here is the total "de-arabification" of Iraq. Meanwhile, Iran works to restore religiosity in largely secular Azerbaijan.
By Christmas of 2018 Russia has conquered Romania, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. On December 10 Russia began aerial bombing raids and missile strikes on England, France (from the bases in Spain), and Germany. Turkey has invaded and conquered Bulgaria so that it may serve a buffer between Russia and Turkey in Europe. Turkey has also invaded Georgia, Armenia, and Nakhchivan (after it was captured by Iranian-Armenian forces) with the sole objective of creating a buffer in the Caucasus from Russia. Preoccupied with Iraq and the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, Iran has not invaded Turkey. 
By the end of 2018 Syrian forces have been expelled from Israel (and Israel captures 100% of the Golan Heights), though the Third Intifada is ongoing. Israel has staged a military intervention in southern Lebanon to stop Hezbollah's relentless missile attacks. Israel, long suspected to be a nuclear state, confirms these rumours when it announces a nuclear weapons sharing programme to Middle Eastern countries fighting Iran. The objective of this is to deter an Iranian nuclear strike on any of these countries, though there is an understanding that all parties will return the nuclear weapons to Israel once the war is over. 
On December 26 Japan surrenders to China, allowing the PRC to complete its First Island Chain Strategy; the People's Republic of Japan is established, being under the leadership of the new Chinese-installed Prime Minister Kazuo Shii. US Forces and equipment are quickly evacuated from the island country. At this point The Philippines and Vietnam have only gotten involved in the war so far as to assist Japan in defending itself. On December 29 China begins the deployment of 400,000 soldiers to North Korea. By the end of the year Russian forces have pushed back to the westernmost edge of Alaska. By the end of the year the Iranian Invasion of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia has reached a stalemate; in Iraq, Iran has conquered all but a few pockets of land at the country's edge. 
In the November 6, 2018 US Congressional Elections the Democratic Party gains a majority in both houses because the American people blamed the GOP for the gridlock (as always). A week prior to this John McCain brokers secret party talks between the Democrats and the GOP offering a moderate increase in taxes accompanied by a moderate cut in welfare spending (including Social Security). The Democrats reject this offer, and there were some indications that many of the more radical GOP congressmen would refuse to abide by such an agreement anyway. By the end of the year Serbian forces have been expelled from Montenegro and Macedonia; Bosnian forces have been repelled from Serbia and yet the Serbians are now on the defensive. By the end of 2018 the Cuban and Venezuelan navies have been completely destroyed. Cuba and Venezuela have completely lost control over their own airspaces; also, their runways and air forces have been destroyed. Bombing raids have degraded the industrial capabilities of both countries. Cuba and Venezuela are placed under naval blockade. Oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico have resumed operations.
The War, 2019:
In early January China and North Korea launch a fresh offensive to conquer the South. Russia has by this point conquered Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, Norway, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, and Georgia. Russia is bombing the UK, France, Germany and Denmark. On January 6 Russia seizes the Faroe Islands. On January 7 Russia invades Iceland. Seeing as how Iceland doesn't have ay military whatsoever, it immediately surrenders. On January 10 Russia invades Greenland. Like Iceland, Greenland (with its population of roughly 60,000-70,000 people) surrenders immediately. 
By February the United States has re-assumed full control of the Alaskan Peninsula. Oil production in Alaska resumes.
On January 26 Iranian forces invade Saudi Arabia from Iraq to the north, creating a second front in its invasion of Saudi Arabia. They make significant gains in the first few weeks but then it draws to a stalemate, just like with the first front in the Eastern Province. In fact, by this point Iran is slowly losing ground in the Eastern Province.
On January 3 the 116th Congress meets for the first time. A new bill is quickly passed significantly raising taxes on the wealthy and on corporations to levels not seen in a very long time. As a result of this the US military will operate on a FY2019 budget of 2 trillion dollars. Shortly after this announcement Hillary Clinton promises that later in the year Allied forces will go on the offensive to liberate countries which have been conquered by the Shanghai Powers. 
On January 6 Russia invades Bulgaria (at this time occupied by Turkey).
On February 6, at the US's request, Brazil invades Venezuela. On February 7 the United States and Mexico launch a joint invasion of Cuba. On February 20 Bulgaria surrenders. Russia then begins an offensive to seize East Thrace (the European part of Turkey). On March 27 Russian forces enter Istanbul, forcing the Turkish government to flee the city and granting Russia control over the Bosphorus Strait. However, there is another reason why Putin wants Istanbul. Up to this point, of the 2.7 million people who have served in the Russian military since the war's start the mast majority have either been ethnic Russians or Pro-Russia ethnic Ukrainians and Belarusians. 
Putin wants to draw in recruits from the conquered countries. On April 1, in a televised ceremony watched live by 500 million people, the city of Istanbul is officially renamed Constantinople and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, crowns Vladimir Putin as Byzantine Emperor Justinian III (despite the Byzantine Empire having fallen to the Ottoman Turks in 1453). Overnight this causes a surge in recruits to the Russian military by Eastern Orthodox Christians throughout Putin's empire.
On May 19 the Communist Party of China publishes a paper called "Relief Valve Plan for the Chinese Torrent of People". It declares that the China is too densely populated and that the country needs more land, especially vast yet sparsely populated land. This paper lays out a new primary Chinese objective of the war: expand China's territory to provide living space for its people (more specifically, Han Chinese people).
On June 1 Venezuela surrenders to Brazil. On June 11 Cuba surrenders and the country begins a transition to democracy and capitalism. On July 14 South Korea surrenders to North Korea after the PRC-DPRK joint force had pushed deep into South Korea and forced the South Korean government to abandon Seoul. On July 18 the People's Liberation Army Navy invades Guam; capturing Guam will permit China to complete the "Second Island Chain" and create a second naval barrier against the US in East Asia as well as cut off The Philippines from the US. 
On July 31, China invades Kazakhstan. One hour after the beginning of the Chinese Invasion of Kazakhstan, Vladimir Putin issues a very angry complaint to Xi Jinping. Kazakhstan was traditionally part of Russia' sphere of influence, and Putin feared that such an invasion would cause the rest of Central Asia to join APTO. On August 1, after China has refused to withdraw its forces from Kazakhstan, Russia severs all diplomatic, economic, and military ties with China. Russia sends a force of 20,000 soldiers (that's all that it can afford to redirect from the front lines) to help Kazakhstan defend itself against the Chinese invasion. 
On August 5 Guam surrenders to China. On August 7 Kazakhstan surrenders to China. On August 9 the Philippines signs a " non-aggression"pact with China. According to this agreement, The Philippines recognises all of China's claims to the South China Sea, drops all trade embargoes with China, and agrees not to host any allied troops or provide assistance to the allies in any way. In exchange, of course, China won't invade The Philippines. On August 11 Vietnam signs an identical agreement with China. 
On August 12 China issues an ultimatum to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan: surrender or you'll be conquered the hard way. The next day Kyrgyzstan surrenders, but the other three countries sign the Tashkent Pact, a three-way military alliance against China. The Tajik ambassador to Iran requests Iranian assistance. Iran donates 6,000 troops to the Tashkent Pact. Pakistan donates 40,000 troops to the Tashkent Pact. On August 14 China launches its invasion of Central Asia.
On June 25 the Allies, after months of planning, launch Operation Overlord II, the military campaign to liberate Eastern Europe from Russian control. The offensive involves over 2 million soldiers from the United States, Canada, Turkey, South Africa, India, Brazil, and the European members of APTO which haven't been conquered by Russia (excluding Spain). For comparison, by this point there are 4.9 million soldiers in the Russian Union Armed Forces (the vast majority of them serving in the army). The war against Serbia waged by Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Italy (only to a minor extent), and Macedonia is at a stalemate, though most of Kosovo has been liberated.
By June Israel has largely subdued Hezbollah. That is, Hezbollah has lost the ability to fire missiles and artillery into Israel and 8,000 Hezbollah fighters have been killed during the war so far. On June 13 Iran sends 10,000 soldiers to southern Lebanon to prop up the greatly weakened Hezbollah. On July 4 the "Islamic Republic of Phoenicia" is declared, with the southern half of Lebanon breaking off from the rest of Lebanon and being under Shi'ite rule. The Phoenician Language is brought back as the official language of southern Lebanon and begins being taught in schools of southern Lebanon instead of Arabic. The Arab Nationalist government of Syria, which is not pleased about the de-arabification of Iraq, considers this to be the final straw. 
On July 7 Syria officially makes peace with Israel and the two countries team up to wage war on Iran.
On September 2 Turkmenistan, the last remaining unconquered member of the Tashkent Pact, surrenders to China. China now rules over Central Asia (which as defined here does not include Afghanistan or Pakistan).
As part of Operation Overlord II, a force of 300,000 Allied soldiers positioned in Turkey moves to recapture Constantinople. On July 7 Constantinople is recaptured and it goes back to being called Istanbul. 
This move succeeds in severely demoralising the Russian military; within the next few months hundreds of thousands of its soldiers become deserters. From here, Allied forces move to recapture East Thrace, granting the Allies access to the Black Sea. On June 26 Spain, under tremendous diplomatic pressure, moves to forcibly shut down the three Russian bases in its territory. By August they have succeeded. On June 25 Allied forces invade Norway. However, due to the country's strategic importance Russia has stationed 700,000 soldiers in occupied Norway to defend it against the Allies. As such, the liberation of Norway turns out to be a difficult fight for the Allies. On June 25 the Allies invade Poland.
On November the CIA has begun receiving reports of concentration camps opening in Central Asia, with the local populations being detained there. By December Kosovo has been completely liberated. Georgia has been mostly liberated and Armenia is losing ground to the Allied invasion force. Bombing raids and missile strikes on strategic Russian locations in the Caucasus have begun. The Allies have regained access to the Black Sea and the Allied liberation of Bulgaria is making progress; this allows them to perform strikes behind Russian lines in placed like Ukraine, Romania, etcetera. The Allies have made some gains in liberating southern Norway. 
Earlier in the year Israel and Syria have invaded southern Lebanon and Iraq. This has forced Iran to redirect forces from the invasion of Saudi Arabia and as such Saudi Arabia is making rapid gains in regaining territory. Ever since conquering East Asia China has been busy growing its military might and fortifying captured territories. The Third Intifada is ongoing; the Palestinian Territories (the Gaza Strip and the West Bank) have been completely blockaded by Israel and a brutal airstrike campaign against these territories has been ongoing since the war's start. 
On Christmas Eve of 2019 the Israeli government offers the Palestinian Territories the chance to surrender conditionally, under which both sides will revert to the pre-war status quo. On December 26 Hamas (which more or less runs the Palestinian Territories) and the Israeli government agree to a ceasefire, though Hamas wants certain concessions from Israel in exchange for peace. By December most of Poland has been liberated by the Allies.
The War, 2020:
At the beginning of the year negotiations between Hamas and Israel break down as Israel refuses to provide the Palestinians with any concessions in exchange for peace. Fighting breaks out again on January 5. On January 22 Bulgaria is liberated by the Allies. On February 24 Armenia surrenders. On February 26 occupied Azerbaijan is invaded by the Allies. On March 10 Serbia surrenders, leaving only 4 members of the Shanghai Powers (the Palestinian Territories were never considered part of the alliance and Syria was expelled from the Alliance as soon as it began waging war on Iran; subsequently, Syria was readmitted into the UN and sanctions against the country were dropped). By April most of Saudi Arabia has been liberated; southern Lebanon and parts of western Iraq have been captured by Israel and Syria. Experts predict that by the end of the year the Allies will be in a position to invade Iran. In January the Allies launch an invasion of the Czech Republic.
In February China invades and quickly conquers Mongolia.
By July Allied forces have finally liberated most of Norway. In this month, with Finnish military assistance the Allies invade Sweden. Thanks to the Liberation of Norway, Iceland and Greenland are also liberated quickly. On August 3 occupied Romania surrenders to the Allies. On August 5 the occupied Czech Republic surrenders to the Allies. On August 7 the Allies launch an invasion of occupied Slovakia. On August 18 occupied Hungary does the same. On August 20 Finland formally joins APTO and it is used as a Launchpad for bombing raids and missile strikes as deep into Russian territory as Saint Petersburg and even Moscow. On August 23 Moldova is invaded by the Allies. On September 11 Moldova is liberated. 
On September 15 occupied Sweden surrenders, ending the Russian bombing raids and missile strikes on Germany; by this point all of Norway and Poland have been liberated. On September 20 Slovakia is liberated. On September 21 the Allies launch an invasion of Estonia and Lithuania. By October 10 Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia have all been liberated by the Allies. Now, Russia only occupies Belarus and Ukraine.
By June Azerbaijan has been liberated. By September Iraq has been liberated and Saudi Arabia has regained all of its territory. 
On July 27 ALDCO, Israel, and 40,000 soldiers from the United States launch Operation Overwhelming Surge, which is an invasion of Iran. On this same day, a desperate and enraged Iranian government fires 15 nuclear missiles at Israel. 13 are shot down and the remaining two are duds which are then successfully disarmed. Israel does not fire nukes back. 
On October 9 the Palestinian Territories surrender, though because they did not accept Israel's earlier offer of conditional surrender harsh terms are levied on the Palestinians (one such term is that Hamas is banned as a political party).
On October 11 China shocks the world by launching Operation Victorious Dragon, which is an invasion of Russia. As the invasion is being launched, on live television Chinese president Xi Jinping declares that "We will push the westernmost boundaries of China to the Ural Mountains."
Panicky, Putin immediately heads to the negotiating table with the Allies. They quickly come to an agreement: Russia will withdraw from all occupied territories (Russia at this point still has 2.4 million soldiers to defend Belarus and Ukraine with), exit the SCO, and be at peace with the West; no post-war concessions will be demanded of or imposed upon Russia. Russia will then join APTO and assist in the war against China. After this agreement is signed Russia immediately withdraws all forces from Belarus and Ukraine.
During its period of supposed inactivity from the beginning of 2020 until now China has, with a military budget from 2020 equivalent to 5 trillion US Dollars, built up a military of nearly 20 million well-trained and well-equipped soldiers, easily the most powerful military force on the planet at this time.
By the end of the year China has successfully advanced to the edge of the Ural mountains, robbing Russia of over half its land area.
The War, 2021:
On New Year's Day the Allies launch Operation Winter Thunder, which is a military campaign involving 4.5 million soldiers to liberate central and eastern Russia from Chinese occupation. 
On January 3 the United Nations unanimously passes a resolution demanding that China surrender, and that if it does it will not suffer any forced concessions other than a full withdrawal from territories illegally seized prior to and during the war as well as consenting to the restoration of democratic governments in Japan and South Korea. Or in other words, "This is your last chance to back down and not be held accountable for your actions." 2 hours later Xi Jinping issues a one word response: "No."
Realising that 2 trillion dollars is insufficient, U.S. congress passes a FY2121 budget that allocates 5 trillion dollars to the military. The United States begins a massive mobilisation and industrialisation effort not seen since WW2. The average citizen is put to work in factories producing war goods. Millions of job opportunities are opened in the military and millions of young Americans (mostly in their early to mid twenties) enlist. The rich and corporations are taxed to levels which are not sustainable over the long term, though in the short term a massive exodus of businesses and rich people from the United States does not occur. For the United States, winning WW3 is now more important than anything else.
On January 15 China declares that all the waters of Tibet belong to the Chinese people. Almost overnight after this announcement the flow of rivers into South and Southeast Asia from Tibet comes to a halt, which could cause tens of millions of people to die. On January 18 India and Pakistan both declare war on China. On January 19 Bangladesh, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia declare war on China. For these people, China's defeat has literally become a matter of life and death.
On November 19 Tehran is captured. The Iranian Government, having lost of 75% of its remaining military force in resisting the Allied invasion, surrenders. On December 13 the Iranian Government signs the Beirut Accords. According to this agreement, the Iranian military is hereby dissolved until the year 2030. The country will be under military occupation until 2035 and this occupying force will oversee the total nuclear, chemical, and biological disarmament of Iran. A new, secular Iranian government is established. All Iranians are guaranteed not only the freedom of religion but also the freedom to join or leave any religion/irreligion they choose. Homosexual activity and same-sex marriage are legalised in Iran. Iran is permanently barred from possessing WMDs and limits are placed on the percentage of GDP that can be spent on military (as soon as the military is reestablished, anyway).
By the end of the year the entirety of the Ural Federal District has been liberated and Allied forces are now beginning their push into the Siberian Federal District as well as Kazakhstan. The Allies are aided in Operation Winter Thunder by soldiers from over 100 countries outside of APTO. By this time the United States has almost fully assembled a force of 10 million soldiers. By the end of the year China has reached a stalemate in its war against most of Southern and Southeast Asia.
The War, 2022:
On January 28 the United States launches Operation Pacific Freedom, which is the expulsion of Chinese forces from the Pacific. American forces stationed in Indonesia first move to liberate Guam, which is accomplished by early March. This reconnects the Allies with The Philippines. On March 19 American forces stationed in the northern Philippines invade Taiwan. By early September all of Taiwan has been liberated. The ROC government is reinstalled there. On September 30 America moves to seize the islands in between Taiwan and Japan. On October 5 the U.S. launches an invasion of Japan. To their surprise, the communist government of Japan immediately surrenders and Chinese forces are expelled from the island nation. A democratic government is reinstalled in Japan. On November 4 America launches an invasion of the Korean Peninsula.
Meanwhile, on March 21 American forces invade the South China Sea to regain access to Southeast Asia. By late July this has been accomplished. By mid-August Chinese forces have even been expelled from Hainan.
By December, most of the Siberian Federal District has been liberated. All of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan have also been liberated. The Allies are at this point beginning their push to liberate Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The Allies plan to invade Mongolia in early 2023. The liberation of Central Asian territories has revealed a Chinese campaign of genocide in the region. Half of the population of Kazakhstan alone has been exterminated in concentration camps. Russian territories liberated from China reveal that the same thing is happening in occupied Russia. By the end of the year the Allies have begun bombing China from several directions.
The War, 2023:
Sure enough, on January 1 the Allies launch an invasion of Mongolia. By early March all of the Siberian Federal District has been liberated and the Allies have made gains in the Far Eastern Federal District. By mid-June Mongolia has been liberated. By late April Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have been liberated. On July 17 North Korean leader  Kim Jong Un, having lost most of his territory to the Allies who are only getting closer and closer, commits suicide. The next day North Korea surrenders. By August 1 all of Russia has been liberated.
On August 6, Allied forces, which have totally surrounded China, demand that the Chinese surrender or else face invasion. On August 9, in a shocking turn of events, the communist government of China is suddenly overthrown. On August 11, China surrenders.
END OF WAR
January 7, 2024:
At the Sydney Conference, the global community decides on the nature of the post-war world. A global government is NOT established, but all countries join a UN collective defense alliance called the International Defense Cooperation Organization (IDCO), which replaces APTO and all regional military alliances. This is the gist of IDCO: an attack on any one country is an attack on them all. A democratic government is established in mainland China and the Communist Party of China is banned. Taiwan is to reunify with mainland China if and only if the people of both countries want this. China forfeits its claims to the South China Sea and the Senkaku Islands. 
Tibet and Xinjiang achieve their independence. Also, the Chinese people are to "forever remember the deliberate Chinese genocide against the peoples of Asia" and pay up to 6 trillion dollars in reparations over the course of 30 years. Russia and Syria, having defected from the SCO, are not punished. The terms for Iran were already established in the Beirut Accords. North and South Korea are reunified under the southern government. Chinese and North Korean officials are put on trial in the Hague for crimes against humanity. Other than the establishment of a democratic capitalist government and the banning of the Communist Party, Cuba is let off the hook, as is Venezuela.
October 29, 2088:
The United Nations Commission on the Third World War issues it's final report: the war killed roughly 200,000,000 people.
THE END
Category:Scenario