Europe

Europe is dominated by the Europa Bund, but not every European country is a member.

The **United Kingdom** is the most significant European power outside the Europa Bund and a significant power itself, although it is ultimately a junior partner to the USA in much the same way France is to Germany. The UK is a parliamentary democracy that continues to hold elections that are mostly free and fair, although its position as the first frontier in any future hot war means it has something of the character of a garrison state. The UK has its own small nuclear force and a respectable military. It plays host to significant American conventional forces.

**Iceland** declared independence from Denmark in 1944, concerned about Denmark being increasingly pulled into Germany's orbit. Although Iceland's original intention was to be neutral and demilitarised, in the 1950s it accepted American forces. The Icelandic Missile Crisis in 1963 shocked Icelanders and had the effect of drawing them deeper into the USA's orbit.

**Ireland** is officially neutral. It was offered a chance to join the bund in the 1940s but declined, not wanting to be involved in a future conflict with the UK and USA, but has also resisted attempts by the USA to draw it into a formal alliance. It has strong cultural and economic ties with the USA and UK, but an ongoing low key conflict with the UK over Northern Ireland - the bund officially supports a united Ireland, which Ireland greatly appreciates.

**Switzerland** is also officially neutral but is surrounded by bund states, and shares deep cultural and financial ties with France and Germany. It is still a banking centre and many German elites keep their money in Switzerland to avoid wearisome bund banking regulations. Switzerland often goes out of its way to stress its neutrality, maintaining high profile relations with the USA to demonstrate it is not a de facto bund state. It is also the home of the League of Nations.

**Lichtenstein** is effectively part of Switzerland, although it maintains nominal independence.

**Monaco** was absorbed by France in the 1940s.

**San Marino** was absorbed by Italy in the 1950s.

**Vatican City** still exists and is officially outside the bund, but the Church is very close to the bund and often endorses its policies. Germany lobbied hard behind the scenes in 1958 to ensure Pius XII was replaced by Gregory XVII, aka Giuseppe Siri, the Archbishop of Genoa, and has been handsomely repaid for its effort with a Pope whose preachings are in lock-step with the bund's philosophy.

**Andorra** still exists as a pico-Switzerland between France and Spain.

**Gibraltar** is still held by the UK, to the constant frustration of Spain. Over the years Gibraltar has become more and more militarised, although the British privately conede they cannot hold it in the event of a war.

**Malta** is also part of the UK, and similarly militarised. Unlike Gibraltar the British and Americans believe they can hold it if a war breaks out. The presence of British and American warships in Malta is a strategic embarassment to the bund, and German bombers often "buzz" the island.

**Cyprus** is the third British Mediterranean possession. It has seen significant ethnic conflict between Greeks and Turks, but the UK has cracked down on both sides. It is also highly militarised.