Louisiana

### **Full Name**

République socialiste américaine de Louisiane (Français)Socialist American Republic of Louisiana (English)

República Americana Socialista de Luisiana (Español)

Socialisma Amerikano Respubliko de Luiziano (Esperanto)

### **Population (excluding colonies)**

5,400,700 (2015 est)

**Louisiana**, officially the **Socialist American Republic of Louisiana** (French: *République socialiste américaine de Louisiane*) is a constitutent state of the Union of Socialist American Republics.

## History

The revolution in Louisiana began with Pierre Babineaux's WRML. It drew its initial recruits from young dispossessed Cajuns, but soon picked up recruits of widely varying background. The WRML joined a wave of anti-war protests which in 1968 rocked Louisiana. These protests turned violent after conflict with police, and after the National Guard broke up the demonstrations, the Louisiana state government outlawed the WRML and similar groups. The WRML retreated to Babineaux's home town, Breaux Bridge, and continued agitating in secret.

The 1969 Worcester Revolution inspired Babineaux to action. On April 12th, 1970, the WRML attacked Breaux Bridge with around 300 fighters. They quickly captured the small city, raising the WRML flag over the town center.

After a week-long stalemate, American troops attacked Breaux Bridge. The WRML successfully defended the city and began to expand.

On August 1st, 1970, the WRML attacked Lafayette, quickly capturing the city.

On May 14th, 1971. Worker Militas in Baton Rouge assaulted the Capitol building. The militias held Congress hostage and arrested Governor John McKeithen.

On May 15th, 1971, Peter Babineaux's WRML along with the Baton Rouge Worker's Militia proclaim the Socialist People's Republic of Louisiana (SPRL), declaring independence from the United States. Babineaux is elected President.

4 days later, Socialist Louisiana armies attacked New Orleans. After a week-long siege of the city, the American troops in the city were forced to Mississippi. New Orleans is renamed to Pontchartrain. 2 days later, Alexandria is captured by the SPRL. American Troops retreat to Shreveport.

On September 29th, 1971, the Battle of Shreveport begins. It became one of the largest battles in the Louisiana Revolution. Counter-revolutionary militia and the National Guard successfully repel and push back the Revolutionaries. 12 days later, the SPRL army returns, this time successfully capturing Shreveport and forcing the remaining Loyalist forces north into Arkansas.

On March 28th, 1972, an incursion of American troops from Mississippi was fought off by the Louisiana Army.

On May 1st, 1972, A parade was held in Baton Rouge to celebrate the revolution. President Babineaux gave a speech, declaring that. "Louisiana will finally see the light of Freedom and Equality!" This speech became incredibly famous, and would become one of Babineaux's most-recited speeches.

On April 5th, 1972, a referendum on the subject of joining the USAR was held throughout Louisiana. With 80% approval, Louisiana became the 3rd Republic of the USAR on April 12th, 1972, on the 160th anniversary of Louisiana's admission to the USA.

Finding itself in a 3 front war against loyalist National Guard units in Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas, the leadership of Louisiana recognized the need for a breakthrough on one of these fronts. The Sabine Expedition, the brainchild of Babineaux, was launched on the same day as accession to the USAR in 1972, in an effort to destabilize Texas. The WRML managed to secure a foothold on the west bank of the Sabine River, on the border between Louisiana and Texas, and continued to advance westward. By June, the WRML had captured Beaumont, but was unable to make further gains as trench warfare developed along the front. The stalemate would last over a year.

At home, dissatisfied with the radical racial equality enforced by Babineaux and the WRML, Klu Klux Klan branches throughout Louisiana began organizing into terrorist cells. On May 1st, 1972, 50 KKK fighters attacked a May Day Celebration in Alexandria. 79 civilians were killed before WRML militiamen subdued the KKK.

In response, 348 KKK members across Louisiana were apprehended, including leader and mastermind of the Alexandria Massacre, David Duke. 203 of the captured, including Duke, would be executed.

By July 1973, Aztlani attacks on West Texas had spread Texan resistance thin enough that a breakthrough was possible, and on July 12, 1973 the Battle of Galveston began. Almost 2 weeks later, the WRML achieved victory and captured the important strategic port.