United States of America

The United States of America (U.S.A.), also known as the United States (U.S.) or simply America, was a pre-War unitary republic primarily located in North America. Throughout the 21st century, America served as one of the world's preeminent superpowers, rivalled only by China, and the nation developed advanced technology mostly centered around nuclear fusion and fission, from orbital research stations to advanced consumer robotics. This also included large stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction, primarily nuclear weapons.Fallout 4 intro 
By 2077 the U.S.A. was heavily controlled by an oligarchical deep state known as the Enclave, with heavy ties to the military-industrial complex.Boston Bugle building terminal entries; Boston Bugle article terminal, Article 4 The once-thriving democracy had now become effectively a military dictatorship, ruled by corporate interests and military leaders. Interference by this organization in the nation's continuity of government protocols inadvertently resulted in a widespread breakdown of the chain of command during the Great War, leading to a total societal collapse and ultimately the collapse and dissolution of the United States. 
Despite having effectively ceased to exist after the nuclear holocaust, many organizations in the wasteland continue to embrace the ideals of the United States and seek to emulate or even revive its institutions, deriving an air of legitimacy through their connection, real, figurative, or imagined, to the pre-War U.S.A. The United States serves as the setting for the Fallout series, depicted both before and after the bombs dropped.
==Background==
===Revolutionary War===
===Westward expansion===
After gaining independence, the country would begin to expand greatly, obtaining land from France, Spain, and Mexico and annexing the Republic of Texas, until it extended coast to coast.Museum kiosk transcript: "In the nineteenth century, the United States acquired land from France, Spain, Mexico, and Russia, and annexed the Republic of Texas and the Republic of Hawaii. Disputes between the agrarian South and industrial North over states' rights and the expansion of the institution of slavery provoked the American Civil War of the 1860s. The North's victory prevented a permanent split of the country and led to the end of slavery in the United States. The Spanish-American War and World War I confirmed" As settlers continued moving west, the idea of Manifest Destiny began to emerge, the idea that the United States is destined to spread across the entire North American continent.Cold Steel comic strip They invariably came into conflict with many of the Native American tribes whose land they were encroaching upon and forcing them off of. Eventually, these tribes would be given legal designations of land to live on known as reservations. With its origin as a collection of colonies, the country took a hardline stance against European imperialism, with President James Monroe warning European powers not to interfere in the Western Hemisphere with the signing of the Monroe Doctrine in 1823.Rivet City terminal entries; Welcome to the Capital Preservation Society, Monroe Doctrine
===Civil War===
===Emergence as a world power===
The United States came out of the war a stronger union. It would go on to gain land from Russia and annex the Kingdom of Hawaii, establishing its modern borders. It would also go on to acquire a number of territories in the Pacific and Caribbean. With the Spanish-American War and World War I came an expanded influence on the world stage, but it would not be until the Second World War that the US truly became a super-power. After being attacked by Japan at Pearl Harbor,Goodbye the country would join the Allies and battle against the Axis powers.U.S. Declaration of War on Germany It developed the first nuclear weapons, and dropped them on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, marking the end of the war.Fallout 4 intro: "In the year 1945, my great-great grandfather, serving in the army, wondered when he'd get to go home to his wife and the son he'd never seen. He got his wish when the US ended World War II by dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki." The introduction of nuclear warfare sparked an arms race with the Soviet Union, beginning a period known as the Cold War. In 1969, the United States reorganized into Thirteen Commonwealths and adopted a new flag.Boston landmark inscriptions; New State House plaquePatient log: Y-17.5Fallout Bible 8: "Chris Avellone asks:Why does the Fallout flag have 13 stars?Tim Cain says:Leon [Leonard Boyarsky] said he used that flag because it looked cool and he didn't want to use a standard American flag with 50 stars. Eventually he planned to make up something about 13 super-states or something, but he never did." 
===Space exploration===
Support for the United States Space Administration resulted in the pioneering flight of Defiance 7 on May 5, 1961, when Captain Carl Bell became the first known human in space. However, the claim was widely disputed by the Soviet Union and China.Museum of Technology placard: "This is the actual skeleton of Captain Carl Bell who died on May 5, 1961, after his Space Capsule crash-landed. Captain Bell is credited as being the first human in space onboard the Space Capsule Defiance 7, but this has been constantly refuted by both the Soviet Union and China. Defiance 7's flight lasted for a total of 12 minutes and 7 seconds as it achieved one full revolution around the Earth. Donated by Edwina Bell." By the end of the decade, the United States had achieved victory in the space race, as the Virgo II lunar lander touched down on the surface of Earth's Moon on July 16, 1969. Valiant 11 mission members, Captain Richard Wade, Captain Mark Garris, and Captain Michael Hagen, became the first humans known to have walked on the surface of another celestial body.Museum of Technology placard: "On July 16, 1969, the Virgo II Lunar Lander 'Valiant 11' became the very first manned space vehicle to touch down on the moon. The Valiant 11's crew consisted of Captain Richard Wade, Captain Mark Garris and Captain Michael Hagen of the USSA. We salute these brave and noble men who took the very first steps on a planetary body other than our own."Museum of Technology placard: "This unusual flag was recovered from the surface of the moon by the very last manned flight to its surface in 2052. The flag is from the old 'Valiant 12' Virgo III Lunar Lander that touched down November 14, 1969. Its remarkable condition can be attributed due to its construction; the flag is actually made of special materials to withstand the harsh environment of space." The space exploration program continued into 2020, when the Delta IX was commissioned. It was the last manned rocket to go to the Moon, and was in use for almost 15 years before being converted into military use.Museum of Technology terminal entries; Delta IX Rocket, Delta IX Rocket Information
===Resource Wars===
The United States was a major player in the Resource Wars, a series of conflicts beginning in 2052, brought on by an unsustainable global economy that heavily relied on finite resources such as petroleum and uranium.Fallout introMuseum of History exhibit signage "2052 to Present: The Resource Wars" Disagreement on the world's last remaining resources caused the dissolution of the United Nations in July 2052.Capitol Post terminal entries; Capital Post Top Stories -- July 27, 2052, United Nations Disbanded!Capitol Post newspaper Saturday, July 27, 2052
Things worsened with the emergence of the highly-transmissible New Plague in 2053;Disaster relief outpost terminal entries; terminalFallout Bible 0:"2053 The socially transmitted 'New Plague' arises, killing tens of thousands. The United States closes its borders and the first-ever national quarantine is declared. The source of the plague is unknown, but rumors persist that it is a genetically engineered weapon.""2062 Despite quarantine measures, the New Plague continues to spread, fueling national paranoia.""2073 Sept 15 As China becomes increasingly aggressive with their use of biological weapons, the United States government felt that a countermeasure was needed. The Pan-Immunity Virion Project (PVP) is officially formed and plans are made to begin experiments at the West Tek research facility in Southern California.""2077 February FEV Research is leaked to the world through an unknown source. Protests in many major cities and governments around the world, as well as accusations that the US was responsible for the New Plague. FEV is seen as the threat it is and serves only to fuel tensions." defense contractor West Tek established facilities to combat the virus, all the while under military control. Though no cure was known to have ever been found, the research into a cure paved the way for subsequent biochemical research efforts.The Vault Dweller: "{112}{}{Tell me about this installation.}"ZAX 1.2: "{117}{}{This installation was established in 2055 as a biological research facility for experimental cures of the New Plague. However, in 2071, this facility was placed under United States military command.}"ZAX 1.2: "{118}{}{Research into possible cures for the New Plague created the Forced Evolution Virus, which was further developed in an attempt to create a transmittable genetic-engineering virus -- in effect, infectious evolution.}"(ZAX.MSG) West Tek was not the only industrial complex put under military command,Converted munitions factory terminal entries; supervisor's terminal, Supervisor's Notes 02-12-76 as wartime censorship enabled the government to confiscate and destroy any material deemed seditious.South Boston military checkpoint terminal entries; South Boston Checkpoint Terminal, Subject: Dearing and KennedyFallout 4 loading screens: "America in the year 2077 was a land of advanced technological achievements... and terrible civil strife. As in any age, most ordinary people wanted only one thing - a happy, peaceful life. What they got was complete nuclear annihilation." 
Organized labor and unions pushed back against the government and corporations, struggling for wages, benefits, and safe working conditions.Robot repair center terminal entries; Desk Terminal, Note from FrankVault-Tec headquarters terminal entries; Vault-Tec Employee Terminal, Message 0101C Bathroom BreaksVault-Tec headquarters; Vault-Tec Employee Terminal, Message 0099D Vending Machines In Appalachia, Hornwright Industrial, Atomic Mining Services, and RobCo Industries, supported by Governor Evans, pushed for replacing human labor with robotics and leaving workers unemployed. The unrest culminated in automation riots.
Nuclear exchanges in the Middle East, along with the devastating Euro-Middle Eastern War and the New Plague's death toll, caused the federal government to initiate Project Safehouse in 2054, which created fallout shelters that would protect a percentage of the United State's population in the event of a nuclear war or fatal plague. The Vault-Tec Corporation won the contract, and this massive national defense project was set in motion. Breakthroughs in construction technology allowed for these gargantuan bunkers to be constructed at a rapid pace.Fallout Bible 0: "2054 In light of the Euro-Middle-Eastern conflict and the plague scare, the United States sets Project Safehouse in motion. The project, financed by junk bonds, is designed to create shelters, called Vaults, for the populace in the event of a nuclear war or deadly plague. Construction begins late in 2054 and proceeds rapidly due to advances in construction technology."Fallout history marketing picture
By the end of the decade, in 2059, the United States began to prepare for war, as the global situation continued to worsen. The Anchorage front line had been established in Alaska, to protect its oil reserves from foreign invaders. Canada had also begun to feel the pressure exerted by its increasingly hostile neighbor.Fallout Bible 0: "2059 The Anchorage Front Line is established, as the United States increases its military presence in Alaska to protect its oil interests. The Anchorage Front Line causes tensions in the United States and Canada, as the United States attempts to pressure Canada into allowing American military units to guard the Alaskan pipeline." As a peculiar consolation prize to wrap up the decade, the first artificial intelligence was born in American laboratories. Limited by memory constraints, its expansion was rapidly halted. The discovery paved the way for future research in laboratories throughout the United States.Fallout Bible 0: "2059 The first artificial intelligence is born. Limited by memory constraints, its expansion is rapidly halted. The discovery paves the way for future AI research in laboratories throughout the United States."
===The Sino-American War===
In 2060, available fuel reserves began to run out worldwide. Traffic on the streets died as fuel became too valuable to waste on automobiles. The automotive industry desperately tried to come up with a solution to the problem, but electric and early fusion cars were too little, too late to help solve the growing needs of society.Fallout Bible 0: "2060 Traffic on the streets of the world stops moving. Fuel becomes too precious to waste on automobiles, so alternatives are explored - electric and fusion cars begin to be manufactured, but factories can only make limited amounts. Pressure on fusion research increases."
Energy conflicts between the United States and China arose as oil resources dried up globally, with China becoming more aggressive in trade negotiations, even as the United States refused to export its oil to China and relations between the two broke down.Fallout Bible 0: "2066 Spring As the oil resources dry up across the globe, China's fossil fuel dependency causes an energy crisis in the nation. China, bordering on collapse, becomes more aggressive in its trade talks with the United States. Unwilling to export oil to China, talks between the United States and China break down." Additionally, microfusion cells were invented in 2066 by U.S. scientists as a potential solution to the energy crisis, adding insult to injury for the struggling China.Pioneer Scout Badge Exam answers; Atomics Fan
In desperation, the Chinese military launched an invasion of Alaska to seize its oil reserves. The Battle of Anchorage effectively kickstarted the Sino-American War, the last known war the United States would ever fight. On the front, the deployment of the T-45 power armor aided in preventing PLA tanks and infantry from overrunning Alaska. However, the situation rapidly deteriorated into a stalemate, with neither side capable of breaking it, and forcing peace terms on the enemy.Fallout Bible 0: "2067 The first suit of Power Armor is deployed in Alaska. While lacking the full mobility of future versions, this Power Armor is incredibly effective against Chinese tanks and infantry. Its ability to carry heavy ordinance becomes key in various localized conflicts, and it has the power to destroy entire towns without endangering the wearer. China rushes to create its own versions, but they are many years behind the United States."
Despite claims of fighting a defensive war, American infantry and mechanized divisions launched an invasion of Shantou on the Chinese mainland in 2074. The economy was stretched to the breaking point as America found itself fighting a war on three fronts: Canada, Alaska, and mainland China. Neither side was willing to yield, despite eight years of constant warfare.Boston Bugle building terminal entries; Boston Bugle article terminal, Article 2Fallout Bible 0: "2074 Contrary to their claims of seeking only to retake Alaska from the Reds, American Power Armor units, infantry, and mechanized divisions are deployed to China, but they become bogged down on the mainland, putting a further drain on American resources and supply lines." By October 2077, conflicts also took place in the Gobi Desert and Nanjing, while other troops were present in Mambajao.Future Weapons Today mentions NanjingNewscaster: "It would also appear our troops stationed overseas are experiencing some unusual weather, as well. On the Island of Mambajao the nights are cold. Unseasonably so for Southeast Asia. But for the 5th Infantry, that's as comfortable as an Autumn jamboree. All the easier for our mechanized hellcats to drive any screaming Commie meamies right into the Bohol Sea."(Newscaster's dialogue) By 2076, the war had raged for a decade. Both China and the United States teetered on the brink of collapse, yet both sides were in too deep to retreat and the stakes were far too high.
====Red Scare====
The federal government attempted to use increasing national paranoia to control domestic crises by discouraging assemblies, fueling anti-communist sentiment, and encouraging the reporting of subversive elements.Disaster relief outpost terminal entries; terminal, Know the Signs! The Vigilant Citizen's Hotline was even established to allow hysterical citizens to report neighbors to the government for any behavior that could be construed as in support of communism.Neighborly letter A third Red Scare unfolded as a response to the increased hostility of China and its operations on American soil, which ranged from spreading pro-communist sentiment and propaganda to sabotage and other acts of war.Turtledove Detention Camp terminal entries; Terminal, Intelligence Report, Yang, Wan (alias) 
More grimly, under Executive Order 99066, Chinese and Chinese-American citizens and residents were taken from their homes and placed in concentration camps without trial (a practice eerily reminiscent of the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II), sometimes by private security contractors hired by the military to conduct what were essentially abductions.Internment orders The Turtledove Detention Camp in Maryland was one such camp, forcing inmates to live in squalid conditions without access to proper sanitation facilities and its inmates being subjected to abuse, torture, and brutal interrogations.Interrogation rooms within Turtledove Detention Camp Many ended up disappearing in the various research facilities across the United States.Little Yangtze terminal entries; Little Yangtze log terminal, Log Entry 01Third Street Municipal building terminal entries; Office of the Treasurer terminal, Inter-Office Email The outbreak of war between China and the U.S. resulted in Americans of Chinese descent facing increased hostility and prejudice from paranoid Americans, who feared spies were all around them. While there was indeed a sizable Chinese infiltration effort (Operation Trinitite in Appalachia, for example), the U.S. government would greatly play up these fears to increase patriotic fervor for its own ends.
====Annexation of Canada====
The Sino-American War consumed increasing amounts of resources, materiel, and manpower, straining the ailing American economy even further. To counteract this, the United States military had begun to liberally exploit Canadian resources and violated its airspace while fighting in Anchorage. Riots, protests, and an overall contentious relationship with Canada eventually culminated in a sabotage attempt on an oil pipeline in 2072. The United States military used this incident as a pretext to outright invade Canada and begin annexation.Capitol Post terminal entries; Capital Post Top Stories -- June 3, 2072, U.S. to Annex Canada! By 2077, the annexation was complete and Canada ceased to exist as a nation. The provinces occupied by the American military became U.S. territories, remaining under its political and military control, but not a state or commonwealth in their own right.Survivalist's rifle inscription: "Lone Branch Arsenal Ontario, USA Territory" Violence escalated and security detachments equipped with combat armor were sent to suppress the Canadian population and any resistance movements.
===End of America and the Great War===
Through a combination of attrition, loss of supply routes, and offensives conducted by the United States across the front, Chinese units in Alaska found themselves surrounded and cut off from reinforcements. The liberation of Anchorage spearheaded by winterized T-51 power armor units under the command of General Constantine Chase marked the end of the Anchorage Reclamation in 2077, after a decade of war.Capitol Post terminal entries; Capital Post Top Stories -- January 11, 2077, Commies Crushed - Alaska Liberated!Capitol Post newspaper Monday, January 11, 2077. The campaign in mainland China was reinvigorated by the victory in Alaska and the deployment of T-51 units. Army troops clad in T-51 regularly witnessed Chinese troops surrendering upon sighting them and their miniguns, even before the Battle of Anchorage concluded.Fort Strong terminal entries; General Brock's Terminal, General Brock's Report - June 2076 However, the effect did not last. As American troops pushed deeper into the mainland, Chinese resistance increased. By October, the situation transitioned from a rout into a stalemate once more.Newscaster: "And now, our exclusive coverage of the continuing volatile situation with Communist China. Chinese forces may have finally been driven from Anchorage, but the conflict has transitioned into a frighteningly tense stalemate. With diplomacy all but suspended, and conventional warfare taking a historic toll on both sides, many have wondered if the good old U-S-of-A hasn't finally entered into a fight it just can't win."(Newscaster's dialogue) 
Despite the victories, there was still no end in sight. The war still raged on. Billions of dollars and thousands of casualties were spent in vain. Taxes and various wartime revenues ensuring the United States government had been able to fund a standing army the likes of which the United States had never before seen, but ten years of total war left the nation broke. Constant outsourcing and ceding power to megacorporations such as Vault-Tec (the largest corporation in the United States by 2076,Miss Williams: "Vault-Tec is the largest company in America. There's a lot of money in selling the end of the world."(The Radio) valued at an estimated one trillion dollars), resulted in the United States becoming an oligarchy ruled by billionaires.Charles Whiteknife: "Morton played a rancher who owned half of Missouri. And what happens when the cattle ranchers have more power than the sheriff?"
Cooper Howard: "The whole town burns down."
Charles Whiteknife: "The whole town burns down. Right. Vault-Tec is a trillion dollar company that owns half of everything. And after ten years of war, the U.S. government is broker than a joke. The cattle ranchers are in charge, Coop."(The Trap) Meanwhile, the government tightened the belt to bolster the offensive, shuttering military bases across the United States to provide more men for the front lines,Sierra mission statement while the food situation deteriorated, with riots a regular occurrence. The United States Army servicemen deployed to protect food banks were known for responding to altercations with violence. One notable incident in Roxbury, Massachusetts, left four dead and eight wounded, after soldiers were laughing and picking targets out in the crowd well in advance. It was far from an exception.Boston Bugle building terminal entries; Boston Bugle article terminal, Article 3 Aggressive automation put entire towns out of work, with automation riots erupting in West Virginia, a proving ground where RobCo, AMS, and Hornwright experimented with entirely replacing human labor with robots.See Automation riots for details.
The situation was made worse by the fact that the oligarchs retreated to remote locations around the globe in early 2077, expecting a last-ditch nuclear strike from China at any moment. An oil rig off the Californian coast was claimed by the President and key associates, and this location would go on to become the main headquarters of the Enclave for the following centuries. Though contingency efforts were made, the United States was effectively left leaderless.Captain Maxson's diaryFallout Bible 0: "2077 March Prepared for a nuclear or biological attack from China, the president and the Enclave retreats to remote sections around the globe and make contingency plans for continuing the war." In the resulting situation, Vault-Tec executives deemed the United States a failed nation, abandoning the original goal of saving the country in favor of itself.Norm MacLean: "Is this where my dad's from?"Bud Askins: "You'll never find out. Oh. He's gonna find out. These are Bud's Buds. My Buds. America outsourced the survival of this country to the private sector. But it would have been insane to keep a failed nation alive. So, we kept Vault-Tec alive instead. A well-trained staff of highly supervised junior executives from my own assistant training program. Because the future of humanity comes down to one word: Management."(The Beginning)
Things came to an irreversible head on October 23, 2077. In what would come to be known as the Great War, nuclear weapons were exchanged between the United States and China, with the latter launching a nuclear first strike as American forces began to encircle Beijing. After two hours of apocalyptic destruction, the war was over and the world was destroyed. The fallout decimated society as a whole and the United States, as it was previously known, ceased to exist. Abandoned by their leaders who had gone into hiding in bunkers deep beneath the earth, the survivors began rebuilding on their own.See Great War.
==Society==
While the United States had been founded on the principles of liberty and justice for all, the reality of the 21st-century resource crisis and traumatic experiences, caused the nation to abandon these principles almost entirely. The fear of communism and economic collapse led to the population willingly complying with the gradual abrogation of civil rights; trading liberty for security.Fallout 4 loading screens: "America in the year 2077 is a land of advanced technological achievements... and terrible civil strife. As in any age, most ordinary people want only one thing - a happy, peaceful life.""America in the year 2077 was a land of advanced technological achievements... and terrible civil strife. As in any age, most ordinary people wanted only one thing - a happy, peaceful life. What they got was complete nuclear annihilation." While collusion between the executive branch and the corporations dominating the economy of the United States affected constitutional freedoms, the transition towards a totalitarian state began in earnest with the Sino-American War. Wartime censorship enabled the government to confiscate and indiscriminately destroy any material deemed seditious.South Boston military checkpoint terminal entries; South Boston Checkpoint Terminal, Subject: Dearing and Kennedy Such was the fate of the Patriot's Cookbook and many other publications.Patriot's Cookbook Many publications became outlets for propaganda, used to mock non-nationalist sentiments and protesters.
Organized labor and unionsCambridge Police Station terminal entries; Cambridge Police evidence terminal, CASE 096-Se: Holbrook Sedition LogsPoseidon Energy Plant WV-06 terminal entries; Protest camp terminal, Associated Miner's Union came under heavy attack from both the government and the corporations, often being accused of working for the enemy. Repression was particularly severe in Appalachia, a coal-rich region supplying raw materials for the war effort and a crucible of widespread automation. Hornwright Industrial Mining Company, Atomic Mining Services, and RobCo Industries, supported by Appalachia's Governor Evans, pushed for replacing human labor with robotics, leaving thousands of workers out of jobs, fueling widespread social unrest and impoverishing the population, made worse by the Wartime Workers Act that had recently been passed by Congress. The unrest culminated in the Appalachian mining riots of late 2077, which saw regular combat between workers and government and corporate enforcers.See Appalachia and Automation riots for references. However, even before that explosion, the United States was abusing and murdering its citizens: the United States Navy facility at Sugar Grove was an example of this tendency, engaging in covert surveillance of U.S. citizens, identifying labor activists and other "traitors," which usually led to abduction, murder without trial, and any surviving children being put up for adoption elsewhere.Sugar Grove terminal entries; SigInt system terminal, ARCHIVES: Index
==Civics and geography==
Both state and commonwealths were used to distinguish regions within the United States.Boston landmark inscriptions; New State House In Appalachia, documents used the distinction "Territory of Appalachia" and "Appalachian Territory."Senate orientation letterValid ballot The United States shared borders with Mexico to the south, Canada to the north, and Russia across the Bering Strait from Alaska.Museum kiosk
===National flag===
The national flag of the United States, known as Old Glory, traditionally reflected the number of states that comprised the Union. With the introduction of the commonwealth system, however, the canton that would normally represent the states was amended to reflect the number of constituent commonwealths.Patient log: Y-17.5This is also supported by the Red Glare, a weapon developed and prototype exclusively in Hopeville and Ashton – also bearing the 13 star circle. The 50 star flag variant is also occasionally seen.U.S. Army recruitment posters, Stars and Stripes bandana
==Government==
The government of the United States was officially a federal republic with a separation of powers into the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, and the body of laws codified in the United States Code.See article for details. U.S. citizens elected representatives and senators to the House of Representatives and the Senate respectively, with elections held even in wartime, and especially in emergencies, such as after Senator Sam Blackwell went rogue in Appalachia.The Sam Blackwell interview 
The executive branch was the largest and most influential branch. The President was chosen by the Electoral College,President Richardson: "{212}{prs31}{We try to keep ourselves safe and secure from radiation. That's what separates humans - like me - from mutants like you.}"The Chosen One: "{214}{}{Enough talk. Time for you to face that great electoral college in the sky.}" and headed a web of federal agencies, advisory boards, and other entities. The largest of these was the Department of Defense, in charge of the United States Armed Forces prosecuting the war against the People's Republic of China, assisted by the Joint Chiefs of Staff advisory board.The Whitespring bunker terminal entries; Prototype Power Armor Schematics 
The grim reality of the United States of the time was that the division of powers was truly nominal: The executive branch, the military, and megacorporations all colluded together in a shadowy conspiracy, using the people of the nation as mere pawns in their own games. To obscure that fact, support for the military and civilian government was ensured by a combination of rabid nationalism, anti-communism, and totalitarian measures such as Project Brainstorm, the "Induced Patriotism Initiative." Pervasive propaganda designed to instill nationalist sentiment and loyalty in the citizenry had been developed as part of the Sino-American War; a combination of overt and subtle messages integrated into popular media published nationwide had been successful in developing jingoism in the population.Citadel terminal entries; Pentagon library terminal, Project Brainstorm Report As a result, the people of the United States tolerated the excesses of the state, including legislation such as the Patriotic Patriots of America True Patriotism Act, permitting the drafting of citizens for virtually any purpose, including use of lethal force in service of the Census Bureau.Census taker: "By authority granted under Section 5A Subsection 7.2 of the Patriotic Patriots of America True Patriotism Act, you are drafted to assist the Census."(Census taker's dialogue)Census taker: "You may send complaints with this use of force to the Census Bureau's department of Citizen Complaint and Oversight."(Census taker's dialogue)
====Former presidents====
===Military===
The United States Armed Forces served as the unified military of the United States, and was composed of the United States Army, United States Navy, US Marines, United States Air Force, and the US Coast Guard.
As an increasing militaristic superpower, the United States had given priority to its armed forces, which asserted increasing control over law enforcement and public affairs. Bolstered by a jingoist culture, widespread propaganda, and pervasive domestic espionage efforts through the Defense Intelligence Agency and black projects of the various branches,For example, Project Somnus and Sugar Grove of the United States Navy the military-controlled by the Department of Defense was one of the pillars of the American regime, supported by a network of vigilant citizens reporting suspected sedition and crime.
Most units outside the veteran formations fighting on the front lines against the Chinese and subjugating Canada suffered from poor training regimens. The situation was particularly bad with auxiliary units of the National Guard.Germantown police HQ terminal entries; Terminal, Log Entry #001
The situation eventually led to the authorization and issuance of military-grade laser weapons to civilians in order to provide local defense or press them into service in case of a communist invasion or insurgency on American soil.DCTA laser firearms protocol Private security companies were also contracted to perform arrests and round up civilians, completely blurring the line between the public and private sectors.
==Economy==
Like other economies worldwide, the United States was severely affected by the resource shortage of the mid-21st century and the resulting Resource Wars. Though based on the principles of a free market and open competition, the crisis allowed a handful of mega-corporations to seize control and establish a practical monopoly in key sectors of the American and even world economy. Many of these corporations became so deeply involved and integrated into the nation's infrastructure, that trying to decide where the corporation ended and the state began, became a largely academic discussion. As a result, the corporations effectively acted as sovereign nations unto themselves. Exploitative and abusive labor practices were the norm, such as with the Vault-Tec Corporation, which had strictly enforced 2.25 minute (135 seconds) bathroom breaks.Vault-Tec headquarters terminal entries; Vault-Tec Employee Terminal, Message 0101C Bathroom BreaksVault-Tec headquarters; Vault-Tec Employee Terminal, Message 0099D Vending Machines By 2077, Vault-Tec had, according to Galaxy News Network, become known as the most prominent company in America,Fallout - A Special LIVE Report from Galaxy News news ticker: VAULT-TEC VOTED AMERICAN COMPANY WITH BRIGHTEST FUTURE for its role as a provider of nuclear safety solutions in a society where fear of nuclear war ran rampant.
Another mega-corporation was Poseidon Energy. It had a near-monopoly on the energy market in the United States, controlling nuclear power plants, exploitation of remaining oil fields, and even sustainable energy projects, like HELIOS One. It hid its involvement by operation through numerous companies established as fronts to influence and eventually control key industries. It also conducted a slew of its own military research projects, including development and implementation of orbital beam weapons.For references, see Poseidon Energy and related articles. RobCo Industries was a key robotics corporation that provided robots and other sophisticated electronics to the government and its peers, including the development of Mister Gutsy military robots and even developing dedicated torture automatons.Mr. Torturers Without oversight or regulation, RobCo also participated in the development of Robobrains, using extracted human brains as central processing units.See Robobrain for references.
The war with China also allowed smaller companies considered vital to the war effort to cut support for their workers by a considerable margin. Workman's compensation was among many staples of labor law suspended as part of the war effort, denying vital support to laborers injured in the course of their work.Robot repair center terminal entries; desk terminal, Note from Frank The deteriorating economy also made it easier for corporations to take advantage not just of their employees, but also of the general public. Big Mountain Research and Development was particularly infamous for luring isolated communities into Faustian pacts, where they agreed to act as test subjects for bleeding-edge technologies - often with disastrous effects.Y-0 research center terminal entries; Terminal, Dispenser Funding Update
Another example of collusion was the ability of corporations to advertise directly to members of Congress and the House of Representatives. Companies from Nuka-Cola to the Red Racer tricycle company were able to purchase advertising airtime on the Presidential metro PA system.Presidential metro public announcement system: "This holiday season, bring home a gift for your child that he or she will cherish for a lifetime... bring home a Red Racer Tricycle."(DLC03Margot.txt)Presidential metro public announcement system: "Please stop by any of the conveniently placed Nuka-Cola machines throughout the Metro and purchase some refreshing Nuka-Cola today!"(DLC03Margot.txt)
Although resources acquired from Canada and elsewhere helped the economy, shortages were common. When the first fusion-powered cars were introduced by Chryslus Motors in 2070, the initially limited models were expensive but sold out within days. Supply was limited, as many Chryslus manufacturing facilities were long since converted into making military ordnance.Fallout Bible 0: "2070 The first of the Chryslus motors fusion-driven cars are developed. Reassuringly big and American, the limited models carry a hefty price tag but are sold out within days. Many Chryslus plants have long since been converted into making military ordinance." These were not isolated incidents, as many factories whose production and sales that were less than adequate were also systematically nationalized. This was the case with Radiation King Assembly Plant 12 in Appalachia, even though they were close to a 100% peak efficiency rating.Converted munitions factory terminal entries; supervisor's terminal, Supervisor's Notes 02-12-76 The process was a quick one; Army engineers arrived, looked at the machinery and questioned the employees about their operation, then they promptly left and began the conversion process.Converted munitions factory terminal entries; supervisor's terminal, Supervisor's Notes 05-20-76 With the rapid transition of the factory, its workers were conscripted and put to work manufacturing ammunition.Converted munitions factory terminal entries; supervisor's terminal, Supervisor's Notes 07-05-76Converted munitions factory terminal entries; supervisor's terminal, Supervisor's Notes 11-05-76 This overproduction was to have the benefit of keeping its workers employed while keeping their morale up, with the added benefit of stockpiling supplies locally should the war go nuclear.Converted munitions factory terminal entries; Supervisor's terminal, Supervisor's Notes 01-20-77
==Role in the games==
Every game in the series takes place in the former United States:
* Fallout and Fallout 2 take place in the former state of California, some portions of which include New California (Fallout 2 is located north of Fallout).
* Fallout 3 as well as some of its add-ons (such as Broken Steel) are set in the Capital Wasteland, which is comprised of Washington, D.C. and its surrounding areas. The add-on Operation: Anchorage takes place in a simulation of Anchorage, Alaska. The add-on The Pitt takes place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The add-on Point Lookout takes place in Point Lookout, Maryland. The add-on Mothership Zeta takes place in space.
* Fallout: New Vegas is set in the Mojave Desert of Nevada, east of where Fallout and Fallout 2 took place. The add-on Dead Money takes place in the Sierra Madre. The add-on Honest Hearts takes place in Zion National Park, Utah. The add-on Old World Blues takes place at Big MT. The add-on Lonesome Road takes place in the Divide.
* Fallout 4 (and most of its add-ons, such as the Automatron and the Workshop add-ons) is set in the Commonwealth, in reference to Massachusetts' official pre-War title of "The Commonwealth of Massachusetts." The map of Fallout 4 is only a small part of Massachusetts, centered around Boston. The add-on Far Harbor takes place in Mount Desert Island, Maine. The add-on Nuka-World takes place in Nuka-World, an amusement park to the west of Boston.
* Fallout 76 takes place in Appalachia, which comprises the former state of West Virginia.
==Appearances==
All Fallout games to date have been set exclusively within United States territory, but following the collapse of civilization, in most cases, this territory is now either claimed by other groups or not governed at all. Ruins/relics of now long-defunct government institutions are seen throughout the series.
Newsreel footage of the U.S. Army in action is present in Fallout. The Enclave appear as a major enemy faction in Fallout 2 and Fallout 3 and a handful of retired members appear in Fallout: New Vegas and the Fallout 4 add-on Far Harbor. A simulated, fictionalized representation of the U.S. Army appears in the Fallout 3 add-on Operation: Anchorage. The prologue sequence of Fallout 4 takes place in the United States' final moments before the Great War.
==Behind the scenes==
*Fallout Tactics was the only game to provide a price tag for gas prices in the pre-War United States; according to a sign found in the game, U.S. gas prices hovered around $7,450.99 per gallon for regular and $8,500.99 for premium.Gas prices in Fallout Tactics
* According to the Fallout Bible, the United States had a pre-War population of over 400 million people.Fallout Bible 0: "Basically, the Vaults were never intended to save the population of the United States. With a population of almost 400 million by 2077, the U.S. would need nearly 400,000 Vaults the size of Vault 13, and Vault-Tec was commissioned to build only 122 such Vaults. The real reason for these Vaults was to study pre-selected segments of the population to see how they react to the stresses of isolationism and how successfully they re-colonize after the Vault opens."
==Gallery==
Histdoc4.png|Declaration of Independence
Histdoc2.png|Constitution
Histdoc1.png|Bill of Rights
==References==
Non-game
Non-canon
 
de:Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika
es:Estados Unidos de América
fi:Amerikan Yhdsyvallat
fr:États-Unis d'Amérique
it:Stati Uniti d'America
ja:United States
nl:Verenigde Staten
pl:Stany Zjednoczone Ameryki
pt:Estados Unidos da América
ru:Соединённые Штаты Америки
uk:Сполучені Штати Америки
zh:美利坚合众国