United States of America

The New America Flag, adopted on January 5, 2033, only two months after the bombs dropped.

## Overview

### Government

Federal presidential constitutional republic

### Capital

Washington, D.C.

The **United States of America** (commonly abbreviated as **U.S.A.**) is an old world constitutional republic located in the center of the North American continent, spanning from the Atlantic Ocean in the east of the country to the Pacific Ocean in the west and situated between Canada in the north and Mexico in the south. It is surveyed to have both the largest population and military in the post-war world.

## History

### Interlude (2032 - 2033)

*"America is down, but it's not defeated" - President Valentine's closing statement on all radio channels, January 1, 2033.*

The immediate period following the end of World War Three could only be described as total and ultimate chaos; major cities were obliterated in a matter of hours, the federal government was in disarray with many either dead or missing, and tens of millions of people had ceased to exist. Supply lines had come to a screeching halt, and any remaining urban centers were quickly consumed by destruction and looting.

The immediate concern of the federal government was reorganize itself into a manner that was suited to the crisis America found itself in after the bombs dropped. This included the passage of the American Preservation Act by the remains of Congress in a unanimous vote. Notably, the American Preservation Act created the United States Recovery and Reconstruction Agency (USRRA). The various branches of the U.S. Armed Forces would all be unified into a single entity under USRRA. All reservists were called up for immediate deployment and the U.S. was placed into martial law. The immediate goal of the USRRA was to clear supply routes from major hubs and distribute aid, though their much larger goal would be to rebuild America from the ground up.

Due to satellite communications being knocked out following the conclusion of World War Three, communication between the eastern government remnants and the western remnants was anything but frequent. The eastern remnants would operate from a series of classified bases outside of the D.C. metropolitan area (eventually moving government operations into Washington D.C. itself in 2055) while the western remnants would be headquartered in Cheyenne, Wyoming. While the eastern government was connected to many major population centers, the western government would remain isolated for years, the effects of which would lead to a vastly different development between the eastern and western halves of America.

### Nuclear Winter (2033 - 2042)

*"Winter has arrived, and I fear many of us will not see spring" - Boston Reconstruction Authority Head Robert Collins, January 3, 2034).*

The nuclear winter years have left a scar on the American psyche. Estimates vary, though most say that 20% to 50% of the post-war population was wiped out during this period. The years of 2033 and 2034 were remarked to be the deadliest on record. During this time period, many settlements and reconstruction efforts started since the finale of the World War Three would fall into abandonment as supplies dwindled as the nuclear winter dragged on. Theory would quickly become reality as the incredible amounts of dust and smoke kicked up into the atmosphere would blot out the sun, making the skies overcast for the next decade. Mass crop failures would be reported beginning in the summer and temperatures would begin to plunge worldwide.

The nuclear winter as a time of crisis and rapid change for the federal government. The populace in many settlements grew restless as riots and uprisings became ever more common. During this period, the federal government and its extension, the USRRA, would become much more heavy-handed in how they approached controlling their citizens. Prominent dissident leaders in large settlements were cracked down upon either by threats or having them "disappeared." Strict rationing would be put into place in urban centers and any protests or riots were quickly dispersed with their members arrested and sent to do hard labor which typically consisted of clearing major transport routes of hazards and getting them operational. These laborers would be known as the Corrective Labor Battalion for the Betterment of America (CLBBA) to the government. During projects, CLBBA laborers were known to take heavy casualties due to malnutrition, overexertion, on-site accidents, and a variety of other factors. Despite this, the CLBBA is accredited with completing major projects such as the Interstate 95 Renewal Initiative (completed 2046) and the Northeast Corridor Reclamation Project (completed 2050). Those who back the governments actions during the early years of the post-apocalypse argue that the steps were necessary to quell dissent, restore order, and get the nation's infrastructure up and running, while those opposed argue against the use of forced labor, and that more humane means could have been used to achieve the same goals.

In the eastern United States, the majority of starvation-related deaths would come from the rural areas of the country. The cities and settlements with an established USRRA presence would often get the lion's share of the rations, while the countryside was left to fend for itself. As a result, a mass influx of refugees from the countryside would flow into USRRA-controlled cities, putting strain on the already fragile supply. Because of this, a number of cities would begin turning away refugees, holding onto their fragile food supply but making doom all but certain for thousands of Americans. The nuclear winter is known to many citizens as a dark time for America, though it was also a time of great change in all workings and mannerisms of the American government on the east coast. The government remnants in the West, however, paint a different picture.

The federal remnants operating out of Cheyenne were always bound to be low on manpower and influence. To add on, the lack of communication with each other and the East was an ever-present problem. In order to sol