Grand Domain of Sonora

## **Today**

Sonora as the locals call it the Crown of the Desert. Their capital is currently Hermosillo which is in fact their 6th biggest city behind cities more up north such as Tucson and Phoenix and which Phoenix being the biggest city in the Sonoran region with a whooping 850,000 residents while the second closest city Salt Lake City is only 450,000 and the third being Tucson would be 350,000. Phoenix would be the largest growing city as immigrants from all over North America would find home there. Phoenix's population would increase by over 10,000 a year and rapidly growing, attracting more investors and jobs. The total population of Sonora is 5 million with most of its residents up north in the high population areas. Grand Canyon ridge as it is called is right on the Grand Canyon facing Californian Nevada ready to go if needed and it is a major tourist  attraction as well. The Navajo left alone by the Spanish would currently help the Spanish alot and in turn the Spanish would set up Native reserves for them. Tijuana would not exist anymore due General Forrest’s rampage of Baja California. With most of the north being military country it’s because of the recent 3rd Anglo-Spanish war which in turn halted the British from coming and with increasing tensions it seems another war might break out. Governor Jose Sanjujo is the current leader of the Domain of Sonora as he seeks to reclaim lost land in California but the Californian election would put Jose at a halt since if Richard Nixon wins in California they might just side with the British ruining all his plans.

## **History**

### **Early 1800s**

Sonora being a part of New Spain is inhibited by the Apache and Navajo Indians who do bother them and Spain leaves them alone for now and immigrants from British colonies folk to California.

### **Mid 1800’s**

When gold was discovered in California immigration from New Spain required them to go through Sonora which established bigger population centers in Tijuana and Hermosillo. When the 2cd Anglo-Spanish war broke out Sonora played a huge part as Santa Anna’s army would march through Sonora on their way to California. Baja California and the Gulf of California was destroyed by ongoing naval bombardments by the British and Sonora won’t recover from this in a long time. When General Sherman swiftly conquered Arizona and Utah he set his eyes on Sonora. Sherman with his desert Calvary and his fellow General near Baja General Forrest began wreaking Havoc. Santa Anna panicking after the Battle of Los Angeles would quickly destroy everything all the way till Hermosillo where he reorganized his divisions into a desperate defense. Forrest would burn Tijuana to the ground as the entire city would be up in flames and over 10,000 citizens of the city would suffer under Forrest then the rest of Baja would fall to the British. Lucky for Santa Anna, General Sherman got recalled to Texas where the Spanish still held firm and Californian General Joseph Hooker would replace General Sherman. Forrest for the most part carried Hooker as his divisions would overwhelm Santa Anna as Santa Anna fled all the way back to Mexico City. Chihuahua and Navojoa would hold firm as the bulk of the British and Californian forces did not make any further advancements due to the pressure in Texas. In 1864 a counter attack by Santa Anna did get close to Guyamas but eventually it held firm. The two sides eventually made peace with Spain being allowed to keep Utah, Arizonia and parts of Colorado. Spain decided to make the new Domain of Sonora and incorporate these territories as a buffer state between New Spain and the British and Californians. Ever since the Military stood its ground in California.

### **Late 1800’s**

Guaymas is finally made into a major port as more modernization of Sonora would begin and Tijuana would be never rebuilt due to the city being burned to the ground and it is too close to California. With Sonora being founded in 1874 and government is ruled by Lord Anna de Calvar for 30 years as he was the right hand man of the Spanish Crown. When Calvar died Sonora was finally granted a right to pick its own leader as before the Spanish were afraid that Sonora could go into revolution like California but atlast it remains neutral.

### **Early 1900’s**

The third Anglo-Spanish war would occur in 1913 over a conflict in Asia as the British backed the Japanese conquest of the Philippines. Unlike the 2cd war this did not go as smoothly for one reason. California decided to remain neutral and not involved itself in the British and Spanish squabbles. The British Stronghold of Denver was attacked 2 times during the war and both attacks were repulsed by General Lincoln Clark Andrews. As the British seemed to focus their bulk of their North American forces on Texas would hold firm with Mountain Artillery and the Spanish would lose 40,000 men to these attacks due to the British position. Ogden would fall to the British and the Brits seemed to pose to attack Salt Lake city but that was halted by 100,000 Spanish troops in the way as after that Sonora seemed to sit in this back and forth war with any counter attack or advance failing besides the successful British landing in Baja California where they laid there for a year till Sonora muster up some forces to kick them out of La Paz. Like the 1860’s the British laid waste to the Sonorans ports and by the time the war was over the Sonorans learned from their mistakes and decided to get a grant from Spain to start a bigger Pacific Fleet. Guaymas, La Paz, and Cabo San Lucas would begin massive renovation as shipbuilding would be increased in the 1920’s. Tourism to Baja California would increase as Sonora seems to begin to pull itself into the Modern World and out of the ashes of General Forrest’s shadow.

## **Military**

### **Navy**

The Sonora navy is not the strongest but certainly it does have to keep a strong navy due to the giantaic californian navy next to them. They keep their naval standers up with 2 battleships, 4 destroyers, 7 frigates, and finally 3 submarines to finish it off. Their navy is mainly based in Guyamas being the Sonora’s biggest commercial and military port with also a minor fleet in the mouth of the Gulf of California as other minor naval bases include, La Paz, and Cabo San Lucas as they are tasked with protecting the waters around. The Sonoran navy is mainly based in the Gulf of California and venturing out into the Pacific for Spain. The islands of Revillaagigedo is a forward base for Sonroan operations in the Pacific with 500 men constantly on the island and the islands are constantly surrounded by 1 frigate at all times. The naval trade routes between Spanish Philippines have been always guarded by naval escorts due to the last Japanese attack on them and fearing raids by the British or Californians. The Sonorans though in charge of the Pacific navy they still dock their ships in New Spanish ports.

### **Air Force**

Sonora is not known for its great air force. In Fact that there are only 2 major airfields in Sonora despite that Sonora is heavily Militarized and they rely more heavily on New Spain for their Air Support. The two air force bases are Mesa right outside of Phoenix and the biggest airfield which is in Caborca in the middle of the Mexican Desert. The Sonorans have a rather small air force relying on mostly outdated 1920’s fighter planes and they in fact only have 3 bombers which is as well not very good. New Spanish Alfonso-Capwith M.S.310  fighters are supposed to arrive by 1938 which is similar to the French Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 Fighter as they were gifted and modified by the French Air Force. Their radar is underdeveloped in their area and not very good at receiving and tracking planes relying on scouts and crappy radar.

### **Army**

Ever since the 2cd Anglo-Spanish war the Sonorians have been on high alert as the northern parts of Sonora in modern day Utah, Arizona and Colorado have over 135,000 men in it as the bulk of the Sonora’s forces which is a measly 35k since the bulk of Sonora’s citizens are not military and that Sonora’s military in the North mostly consists of people from New Spain and the South American colonies. There are over a dozen military bases in Sonora and a few notable ones are; Ensenada, Yuma, Odgen, Grand Junction, and Ticaboo. The headquarters of these bases and the biggest one is based in Winslow with the chain of command setting bases there. California seeming a bigger threat if Richard Nixion gets elected he might firmly join the British Alliance against Spain and could easily overrun Sonora’s defenses with it’s great generals and military.

## **Politics**

When Calvar died it opened political opportunities for the people of Sonora. Sonora’s current Governor would be Governor Jose Sanjujo and he would have very far right ideas about respecting the Monarchy and the military. He would be a retired general from the 3rd Spanish-American war and he moved to Sonora in 1923 after the war and began a political career. There are not any political parties in Sonora besides the Mayoria party which means majority in Spanish. California would also encourage illegal immigration to Utah and parts of Colorado to spark up conflict between the two ethic groups as part of it’s intellgencie program.

## **Relations**

### **New Spain**

New Spain is Sonora’s best friend as they are still both colonies and infact Sonora was a part of Spain till the 2cd Anglo-Spanish War. New Spain offers military support and economic help as they are both colonies. On the most part the two are friends and peaceful to each other because of their relationships with Spain

### **Texas**

Texas is stuck in a similar situation as Sonora also has a good relationship for the most part.

### **California**

The relations in California are tense and if Richard Nixon is elected the relations could worse and rapidly break down due to the British-Californian Friendship. The Californians also have defenses along the Sonoran border as both nervously await the future of the region.

### **Canada**

Canada is a British Domain and was at war with them two times which has caused bad relations and the Canaidan Rocky Mountains are a huge problem between the two as both sides are limited to the Utah playing field if they ever went to war. Canada does have over 100,000 troops on the border because all of Canada’s neighbors are either peaceful or a British colony which allows them to focus on the Sonoran border.

### **Spain**

The motherland for Sonora overall has good relations as older military and political figures come to Sonora to retire or continue on in lesser politics. Spain currently has Sonora on high alert as trade between the two continues to go on and Spanish and Sonoran ships accopying trade ships to the spanish philippines incase of British, Californian or even Japanese attack not wanting to mess up like last war.

### **Great Britain**

The biggest threat to Sonora ia Great Britain as the British have invaded Sonora two times and infact one of the times lead that Sonora’s biggest city at the time, Tijuana was burned down to the ground by British forces, Britain would have a bigger pacific fleet then Spain which causes the Spanish to place more ground troops. Trade between the two are rare as neither side likes each other. Texas is also threatened by the British as relations between Spain and Britain are collapsing and a war could possibly happen.