The Liberty Defense Line (Federation War)

"This wall we have, whether physically or imaginary, has been standing for years. And unfortunately, we have been on the wrong side for far too long. People have been having to decide whether to be locked in here where it is safe, or risk being killed out there beyond the wall. Reports come in from people who have ventured outside the wall. According to them, there are pits, trenches, that the Federation fills with civilians. Mostly scavengers or drifters that the Federation uses as simply an anima. The Federation is attempting to look for any weakness they can exploit to bring this "thing" that we call our protector, down upon us. I only hope that whatever the future holds for this "war" we are fighting, we are ready for it."
- A US Soldier recounting his time at the wall in a letter to his mother
The hope that the Federation of the Americas and the United States of America could come to a peaceful negotiation to end the war between there two nations was one of the many desperate gambles during the early years of the Federation-American War. It reflected the increasing paranoia and delusional attitude of the Perry Blake Administration, which increasingly was being seen as unable to fight against the Federation in Central America, as country after could fell. It was only when the Federation made the first strike, and 42 Million people, including 38 Million Americans were killed on Judgement Day, that the absurdity of American Foreign Policy was revealed, and replaced with a last ditch effort to prevent the extinction of the American people as a whole. This simply became known, as the Liberty Defense Line, or its more common names, the Liberty Wall or simply The Wall.
== History ==
Although the United States Government was unwilling to take anymore operations on its home soil, the United States hadn't prepared for an invasion of its home soil by the Federation of the Americas in the years of tension between the two countries. After war had already broken out in July of 2075, the failed invasion of the Federation of the Americas, and the rapid success of Federation forces in Central America, the United States Government was forced to consider the possibility of a Federation Invasion. The Joint Chiefs began meeting in earnest to discuss a hypothetical invasion, with three hypothetical scenarios discussed about how such an invasion would play out. 
Through various war games and scenarios, the United States developed three contingencies. The first was the Orbital Defense Initiative, an orbital weapons system that could be used to successfully destroy Federation forces coming through Mexico. The Second was the Capital Protocol, a pre-planned evacuation of American Civilians along the US-Mexico Border, to allow the US Military unrestricted access to fight off the Federation. The third, and the final, was the Liberty Defense Line, a massive wall of defenses lines up along the US-Mexico Border, to repulse a Federation Invasion. 
=== Judgement Day ===
On July 10th, 2077, the Federation of the Americas managed to hijack the Americans Orbital Defense Initiative. A series of kinetic energy missiles were launched at American cities, turning parts of Southern California, Southern Nevada, Southern Louisiana, and large parts of Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico into what would become No Mans Land. The day would forever live on in the minds of Americans as "Judgement Day" when an estimated 42 Million people, including 38 Million Americans, were killed on just the first day. 
=== Invasion of the United States ===
Judgement Day was quickly followed up by Operation: Homecoming, a full scale land, air, and amphibious invasion of the United States through Federation Occupied Mexico. Although the Federation was able to make significant gains on the North American continent, there gains were quickly frustrated by counterattacks from the United Nations Security Command and American Resistance, turning what was supposed to be a swift and glorious crusade, into a stalemate among ruined American cities. By 2084, the UNSC had driven the Federation back to a roughly defined line across No Mans Land, before eventual Federation counterattacks stopped the advance. 
Rather than going all out and attempting to liberate Central America from Federation Occupation, the United States of America and the rest of the United Nations Security Command members decided to focus on Southeast Asia instead to force the Peoples Republic of China out of the war. Thus, the Liberty Defense Line was once again envisioned, to create a boundary between United States territory, and Federation Territory, with No Mans Land dividing them. 
== Construction ==
=== The Wall ===
The Liberty Defense Line began construction in the year 2084, in Slidell, Louisiana and Torrance, California. The construction initially began as a 5 story high steel reinforced concrete wall, that was 4 meters thick. The project was undertaken by multiple American Construction firms, as well as resources from allies in the UNSC. It was envisioned to stretch from Torrance, California, North by Northeast to Riverside, California. Then it would cross the Desert to Kingman Arizona, then across to what was once Flagstaff, Arizona. From Flagstaff, Arizona, it would cross through Gallup New Mexico, before crossing through South of Santa Fe and Las Vegas, New Mexico. From New Mexico, the wall would pass above Amarillo, Texas, before passing through Norman, Oklahoma. From there, it would move South by Southeast through Texarkana, Texas, before it would pass through Monroe, Louisiana, before finally reaching Slidell, Louisiana. 
The path the wall took was roughly the outlined borders of No Mans Land. It was specifically chosen to be this way to protect the American Populace from the dangers of No Mans Land. No Mans Land constant Earthquakes, electromagnetic storms, acid rain, and dust storms. The Wall was also deliberately set back from the coast and Federation Occupied Mexico as much as possible. Americans who lived on the other side of the wall were encouraged to evacuate within the borders of the wall. All in all the border stretch a grand total of almost 2,000 miles across the Southwestern United States. 
=== Defenses ===
==== Platforms ====
The Liberty Wall also came equipped with multiple defensive measures to secure the wall. The biggest of these were a network of artillery platforms, that were two stories tall, were equipped with a 16 inch gun capable of firing 2500 pound shells. Surrounding these platforms were for 120 MM Anti-Aircraft Gatling Guns ready to sweep the skies of any intruder. These platforms could be placed on the ground, or in the air on large towers. These came with state of the art radar, and often laser guides that were standing by when ready. The towers were were to be placed every 6 miles, as local terrain allowed, with over 290 Anti Aircraft Guns. 
These guns were appropriately named "Platforms" due to there weight and size. They were manned by a company of at least three to five soldiers from all ranges of the UNSC Barracks. They came equipped with an automatic warning system, telling UNSC Command which guns were firing so that way they could consolidate a counterattack against a Federation Incursion. Most of the guns were placed on the no mans land side of the wall, however some were placed on the outside to hit any Federation Aircraft that might break through. However, these guns are not the only thing that the wall has available to guard it. 
==== Bases ====
Strategic Reserve Forces were stationed all along the Wall. These forces were to be deployed on bases that were to be built where local terrain allowed, but also where it could allow rapid deployment to the Wall in the fastest way possible. These bases came with an array of weapons and vehicles, and were often used by each branch of the United Nations Security Command to Coordinate the assault. These weapons varied from heat sinking missiles, to surface to air missiles, to tanks, and other weapons of war. The bases were placed roughly every 25-50 miles along the border wall, along with local reserve "Barracks" located in communities along the wall. 
==== Other Defenses ====
Among the deadly array of weapons that the Liberty Defense Line had come to posses, there were many other defensive items that wall came equipped with many other defensive measures. All along the wall, watch towers built into the wall stood with a 360 degree view of the surrounding area. Each tower was manned by at least 5 or 6 UNSC soldiers. These soldiers were equipped with an array of weapons, including RPG's, rifles, EMP Launchers, and many other weapons. These towers are also equipped with sophisticated radar systems, that have the ability to see Federation threats coming from outside and inside the wall. 
In addition to the watch towers, the Wall came equipped with multiple surface to air missile launchers on both the ground and in the air to hit Federation vehicles coming to attack the wall. These surface to air missile launchers were supplemented by Laser Defense systems to shoot down Federation aircraft attacking the wall. These laser defense systems were some of the most powerful to date, and were able to take out Federation fast movers with ease. 
In addition to this arsenal of weapons, the wall wasn't entirely seals off. Throughout the wall there were large airlock doors that had the ability to open and close, and allow UNSC forces to move into and out of no mans land. These airlock doors were sealed tight, and were reinforced to prevent the Federation from breaching through the wall. These doors were large enough to allow for AST and C12 Mech Suits to make there way through and out into the battlefield. 
=== Delays ===
From the moment the wall saw construction, the Federation tried multiple times to delay construction of the defense line. The Federation regularly made attacks from No Mans Land, including bombing runs, and sometimes outright ground assaults with the goal of breaching the American defensive lines and allow the way for another invasion route. These attacks definitely caused construction delays, as each attack by the Federation against the wall slowed its construction. However ultimately, the attacks against the wall didn't hinder its construction much, and by mid 2086, the Liberty Defense Line was finally finished. 
=== Criticism ===
Once the Liberty Defense Line was fully constructed by 2087, many critics of the United States Government and some within the United Nations Security Command criticized the construction of the wall. Billions of dollars were put into relocated the wall, building infrastructure, and resifting demographics, that it took away necessary resources in what could have been a potential military victory over the Federation. Many of its critics stated that it was simply a Berlin Wall on American Soil, and some even called it Donald Trump influenced invention. Nonetheless, the critics were mostly ignored by the UNSC as the wall was put in place. 
== Combat ==
The Liberty Defense Line began seeing active combat almost the moment after the final pieces were laid down. Federation units attacked the Liberty Defense Line regularly, with Federation recon teams scoping out the wall in hopes of finding weaknesses to breach. The Federation using classic World War I style tactics through waves after waves at the UNSC defensive lines, only to have a good majority of them gunned down by UNSC emplacements along the Wall. Federation forces also tried firing heatseeking missiles directly at the wall itself, which did some damage to it. These constant offensives made maintaining the wall one of the deadliest jobs in America, as keeping it up to specs often lead directly into combat. These civilian casualties lead many to further criticize the walls construction. 
=== Atrocities ===
As the Americans continued to strengthen there hold on the wall, the Federation of the Americas resorted to what appeared to be bag and dump techniques. The Federation began interrogating civilians living among the urban ruins of No Mans Land for intel about routes through or around American defenses behind or outside the wall. The Federation often interrogated civilians for information, before executing them, then dumping there bodies in pits for the United States to simply look at. Undoubtably this caused even more resentment to the Federation from outside, and even more volunteers to join the armed forces. 
=== Breaches ===
==== Los Angeles ====
The Federation of the Americas managed to breach the Liberty Defense Line on multiple occasions. However the biggest of these came in June of 2087. On June 8th, 2077, Federation Forces ran a large amphibious landing against the Greater Los Angeles area, leading to what would become known as the Third Battle of Los Angeles. Despite heavy resistance from UNSC personnel dispatched to defend the city, the Federation of the Americas successfully managed to breach the UNSC defensive lines at Santa Monica, leading to a very cruel and brutal invasion of the city, in which over 400,000 American Civilians were pillaged, burnt, and massacred by Federation Forces. Luckily, if it were not for the trenches that the United Nations Security Command had dug surrounding the city, it is very possible the entire state of California could have fallen to the Federation once again. 
==== Kingman Arizona ====
The second and undoubtably the largest of these breaches came on June 28th, 2087, when Federation personnel attacked the checkpoint outside of Kingman Arizona after simply hitting it with multiple guided missiles. These missile strikes successfully caused the wall to collapse, and Federation vehicles successfully managed to reach the other side and cross into US Territory. This breach against the Liberty Wall lead to what would become the Final Battle of Las Vegas Nevada, which ended in a stunning conclusion, but that is a story for another time.