Timeline (Ascendancy Of Man)

Here is the timeline of events in **Ascendancy Of Man**. Do note: the following is an overview and will only detail events that have occurred throughout human history.

## Timeline

### 1914

* **Point of Divergence:** Yuri Andropov is born without kidney problems, allowing him to live longer into the 20th Century.

### 1982

* General Secretary Andropov takes power in the Soviet Union following the death of Leonid Brezhnev.

### 1985

* **Point of Divergence:**Andropov begins a series of economic reforms on the style of the People's Republic of China, after his initial rule was seen with tensions with the West.

### 1986

* The Chernobyl Disaster occurs as it becomes the biggest nuclear disaster in human history prior to the Two-Hour War.
* The Iran-Contra affair: The Reagan administration publicly announces that it has been selling arms to Iran in exchange for hostages and illegally transferring the profits to the Contra rebels in Nicaragua.
* The Challenger Disaster occurs.

### 1988

* The Soviet Shuttle Buran is launched.
* The USSR decides to negotiate a way to reduce its military campaign in Afghanistan.
* Space Shuttle Discovery is launched.
* Gamma Cephei Ab becomes the first discovered extrasolar planet, although this is not confirmed until 2002.
* The Iran-Iraq War comes to an inconclusive end.

### 1989

* George H.W. Bush becomes the 41st President of America.
* Tiananmen Square Massacre: Student protests for the installation of a democratic state in China are brutally crushed by the PLA.
* The Exxon Valdez Disaster occurs.
* Tim Berners-Lee proposes the creation of the World Wide Web.
* American forces invade Panama, overthrowing Manuel Noriega by early 1990.

### 1990

* The Gulf War begins as Iraq invades Kuwait.
* Tim Berners-Lee begins the process of creating the World Wide Web.
* The Human Genome Project begins.
* Windows 3.0 is released.
* Ceaucescu is found dead in his office, and the resulting power struggle ignites the Romanian Civil War, which the Warsaw Pact quickly intervenes in.

### 1991

* Operation: Desert Storm is launched, and within 4 days, Kuwait is liberated. The Gulf War comes to an end.
* Apartheid officially comes to an end in South Africa, although it would not technically end until 1994.

### 1992

* 2 extrasolar planets are discovered around the pulsar PSR B1257+12. These become the first confirmed extrasolar planets.
* The Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched.
* Windows 3.1 is released.

### 1993

* The Buran II is launched, with the first Soviet crew to the Mir space station.
* The Hubble Space Telescope's mirror is repaired.
* The Romanian Civil War comes to an end, with a temporary military government coming into power.

### 1994

* The North American Free Trade Agreement is established.
* Shoemaker-Levy 9 crashes with Jupiter.
* The African National Congress is elected in South Africa, with Nelson Mandela as its candidate.

### 1995

* The World Wide Web is made available to the public for the first time. However, the Warsaw Pact attempts to control Internet usage, with access in these nations being limited to sites belonging to their respective nation-states.
* 51 Pegasi b is discovered. This planet becomes the first planet discovered orbiting around a main sequence star.
* Windows 95 is released by Microsoft.

### 1996

* Dolly the sheep is becomes the first cloned being in human history.

### 1997

* Mars Pathfinder lands on the Mars.
* The Cassini-Huygens Space Probe is launched.

### 1998

* The Freedom Space Station begins construction.
* The First Congolese War begins a succession crisis splits the government into 3 with an additional pro-Soviet faction arising a month into the war, lead by Laurent-Désiré Kabila.

### 1999

* Upsilon Andromedae becomes the first main sequence star to be discovered hosting multiple planets.
* Earth's population officially reaches the 6 billion mark.
* Yuri Andropov dies of old age, as General Secretary Vitaly Vorotnikov takes power.

### 2001

* Windows XP is released.
* After a period of insurgencies across Romania, the Romanian military government collapses, and is replaced by a social democracy, much to the dismay of the Soviet Union.
* Terrorism begins to arise in the Arabian Peninsula.

### 2003

* The Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates in the atmosphere.
* The First Congolese War comes to an end, with a victory for Kabila's faction.
* NASA launches the Mars Rovers: Spirit and Opportunity.
* The Human Genome Project is completed.

### 2004

* Spirit and Opportunity land on Mars.
* SpaceShip One is launched and becomes the first private spacecraft.
* The Soviet is finally completely out of Afghanistan.
* The 2nd Congo War begins, and begins to spill over to the rest of Central Africa.
* Cassini enters the orbit around Saturn.
* The USSR stops exporting food to many nations across the Middle East, particularly the non-Communist nation-states.
* The short-lived Eastern Renaissance begins.
* Hurricane Katrina hits the Gulf Coast. Many attribute this as a sign of ongoing climate change.

### 2006

* The 2nd Iran-Iraq War begins over a border incident.

### 2007

* Gliese 581 d is discovered to be the first extrasolar planet in the Goldilocks Zone, although later analysis in 2014 would prove the existance of the planet in dispute, along with Gliese 581 g.
* The American housing market bubble explodes, starting the Great Recession.
* Windows Vista is released to the public.

### 2008

* The Eastern Renaissance comes to an end, as the Soviet Union enters a permanently declining economic status.
* A major terrorist attack hits World Trade Center, the Pentagon, the Kremlin and an oil refinery in Siberia, killing Volotnikov, most of the members of the Politburo, and an estimated 5,000 civilians on January 12. This becomes the biggest terrorist strike in human history. Shortly after the attack, Alexander Lukashenko takes power and becomes the new General Secretary of the Soviet Union.
* The 2nd Iran-Iraq War comes to yet again, inconclusive end.

### 2009

* The Kepler mission is launched into space, and begins cataloguing discoveries of possible exoplanets.
* John McCain becomes the 43rd President of America.
* Windows 7 is released to the public.
* The 2009 flu pandemic occurs.
* General Secretary Alexander Lukashenko announces the return of military forces to Afghanistan, while America decides to invade Iran, blaming them for the attack. Later events would prove the claim of Iranian responsibility as false, and would later turn out to be a scapegoat.
* Apple Inc. released the iPhone.

### 2010

* The Deepwater Horizon incident occurs.
* A 7.0 Earthquake hits Haiti.
* The Arab Spring begins after Mohamed Bouazizi's self-immolation in protest of police corruption and ill treatment. Other factors could be the rapidly rising gap between rich and poor, human rights violations, etc.
* SAC-NORAD is born as President McCain integrates the American Strategic Air Command (SAC) and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) into a single nuclear chain of command.
* Iran is completely occupied by American forces, as a new pro-American government is installed in the region. This is not met without opposition, as the Iran War begins to turn into an insurgency.

### 2011

* The Arab Spring intensifies as protests break out across the Arab World.
* NATO intervenes in the Libyan conflict, much to the dismay of the Soviets, starting a proxy war between the two superpowers.
* The most habitable exoplanet thus far at the time is found: Gliese 667C c.
* A tsunami and earthquake hit Japan, damaging the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, making it the worst nuclear disaster in the history of Japan.

### 2012

* The Syrian Civil War begins between the government, assisted by the USSR and the rebels, assisted by the US.
* Windows 8 is released by Microsoft.
* The Iraqi Civil War begins between the Hussein government and the Iraqi Shi'ite rebels.

### 2014

* South Sudan declares independence from Sudan, following 4 repeated attempts at securing a referendum from the Sudanese government, thus starting the South Sudanese War for Independence.
* The American government reveals evidence to the UN that the Soviets had been funding the Iranian rebels for some time in an attemt to place the theocracy back into power.
* NASA announces the Artemis Project, which is due to send humans to Mars in 2025 CE.
* The Freedom Space Station finishes construction.
* The K2 Space Telescope is launched to replace a damaged Kepler Space Telescope as the exoplanet count reaches 2,600, confirmed and candidates alike.

### 2015

* Speculation arises over the detection of unusual light dips in orbit around KIC 8462852, over the discovery of a Type II society. Eventually, later studies find no signs of any technological signals arising from the system, thinking that these could either be ruins or exocomets.
* Kepler 438 b is discovered as the most habitable exoplanet to date, with an ESI of 0.88.

### 2016

* Darfur declares independence from Sudan, inspired by the South Sudanese declaration of independence, followed by Somaliland. The former is forced to be recognized as an independent state due to the fighting in South Sudan, while the latter ignites the Somalilander War for Independence.
* The USSR begins to face an economic, social and political crisis.
* The Libyan Civil War comes to an end with a victory for rebels and NATO.
* Windows 10 is released, a year behind schedule.
* Alpha Centauri B c and Alpha Centauri A b are discovered, making the latter the closest habitable exoplanet known to man.

### 2017

* The Syrian Civil War comes to an end with a government victory.
* Al-Gore becomes the 44th President of America. He is the first Democratic president in over 37 years.
* The Iraqi Civil War ends with the ousting of Hussein from power, and with the rise of a new democratic state in Iraq, led by a new Shi'ite government.
* Upsilon Andromedae d is discovered to have 4 moons, 1 of which is considered a habitable exomoon. However, later discoveries would raise the number of moons to 14, and the number of habitable exomoons to 3.

### 2019

* The Iran War comes to an end, as the last of the American military departs from Iran, leaving the new Iranian government to fight the insurgents.
* The 2nd Congo War officially ends, although fighting in the region would continue for years to come.
* Barnard b and Barnard c are discovered in the Barnard's Star System.
* The Artemis I spacecraft makes a successful unmanned test flight.

### 2021

* Donald Trump becomes the 45th POTUS.
* Protests explode across Eastern Europe, calling for democracy, inspired by the events of the Arab Spring, in order to bring change to the Warsaw Pact member nation-states. The USSR deploys troops to crush the uprisings.
* Epsilon Eridani d is discovered as an Earth-like exoplanet within the Epsilon Eridani system.
* The South Sudanese War for Independence ends with the recognition of South Sudan as an independent state, while the Somaliland War for Independence ends with the reintegration of Somaliland back into Somalia.

### 2023

* As a major radar malfunction occurs in the USSR, General Secretary Lukashenko is informed of it, unlike the 1983 Semperfol 15 Incident, thus resulting in him ordering a nuclear strike against key targets in American soil on September 5 around 1:56 PM Moscow Time. The US is quick to retaliate, as the major nuclear powers, including China, Israel, the UK and France, unleash a fireball of death and destruction. Over the course of 2 hours, the Northern Hemisphere and parts of the Southern Hemisphere are levelled and the Earth is plunged into an abyss of nuclear hellfire and radiation.
* During the war, India and Pakistan taking advantage of the destruction, begin a final confrontation over the Indus Valley and Kashimir, which results in another nuclear exchange which historians would call the Indus War.
* Due to the nuclear attacks, the Earth is sent into a state of nuclear winter. This event would be later called "The Long Winter" by the survivors.
* The Provisional Government of the United States of America is established following the escape of a small portion of the US government from the destruction of Washington DC, although during the escape, President Trump is killed, and Vice President Marco Rubio takes power as the 46th and final President of the United States and its first Hispanic president.

### 2024

* Global political restructuring begins, as various nations in unaffected areas in Central America, the Middle East and much of Africa collapse.
* Warlords begin to rise up in anarchic zones, along with new nations and tribes in North America, Europe and much of Asia.
* As global temperatures drop and radioactive fallout spreads worldwide, millions of people are killed.

### 2028

* The Guianas War begins between Brazil and Venezuela for dominance in the region.
* The Neo-Timurid Empire emerges in the former USSR's Caucasian SSR's with the potential for an Islamic Enlightenment in the region.
* Uyghurstan begins the Han Genocide,

### 2031

* Australia, New Zealand, and various islands in the South Pacific form the Commonwealth of Oceania.
* The South African Civil War begins between the minority white population and the majority black population.
* The Republic of Balochistan is formed in the area south of the former Pakistan.
* The Mongolian Khanate emerges and quickly begins a conquest of the former PRC and parts of the former USSR, much to Uyghurstan, the PRC remnant and Siberia's dismay.
* The South African Civil War ends with the Afrikaners being crushed by the black majority in the country. As a result, they are exiled to Nambia, where the Orange Free State is born.

### 2035

* The People's Republic of Alyaska is established in the former US state of Alaska with help from neighbouring Siberia.
* The Florida War begins between Cuba, the Republic of Florida and the Republic of Pirates as a result of both the Pirates' and Florida's expansion into the region.
* The Northern War begins between the Independent State of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
* The Guianas War ends with the annexation of the former French Guiana by Brazil, which becomes an autonomous region of the country.
* The Deseret War begins between Provisional America and Deseret.

### 2038

* The "Long Winter" finally comes to an end, as the nuclear summer begins and global temperatures fluctuate again.
* The Gaian Republic of Cascadia is established as the world's first "green" nation-state.
* Alyaska, with the ice beginning to melt, begins to annex the Yukon territory of the former Canada, and begins making grabs to the depopulated north of Alyaska.
* Most of the islands in the Pacific have thus far joined the Oceanian Commonwealth.
* Nations worldwide begin attempts to restore long range communications and infrastructure.

### 2043

* The Deseret War ends with the end of Provisional America, as the Cheyenne Mountain Complex is destroyed by the advancing Deseret forces. The remains of the US Armed Forces are forced to fend for themselves. While most go out to form the Bald Eagles, a group of disillusioned US military commanders form the American Patriotic Union.
* Shortly after the destruction of Provisional America, the non-Mormon population of Colorado rises up in revolt against Deseret, which soon becomes the Colorado Revolution, led by the American Patriotic Union against Deseret.
* Global communications have been restored in the Southern Hemisphere of the planet.
* The War of St. Laurence begins between the New English Union and the Quebecois Empire.
* The Chilean evolution overthrows the pro-Brazil government and replaces it with a pro-Oceania government.

### 2045

* The New American Republic is established as a nation in the aftermath of the Colorado Revolution and declares itself the official successor of the United States of America.
* The Internet begins to be restored in the Northern Hemisphere.
* Chile officially joins the Oceanian Commonwealth, much to Brazil's dismay.
* The Gaming Renaissance begins, as the gaming industry is revived by companies such as Geared Gaming, Negative North, Flames Interactive, and various other companies.

### 2050

* The NAR begins to expand to the north, hoping to grab territory, resources and population.
* Tensions begin to rise between Siberia and the Oceanian Commonwealth as a result of competing spheres of influence in the Far East.
* The First Mongol-Siberian War begins over the disputed region of Manchuria.

### 2052

* The State of Korea and the Holy Empire of Confucius begin fighting in the Yellow Sea.
* Deseret and the NAR commence fighting in their borders, as the latter becomes increasingly aggressive in their expansion.
* Peru falls into a civil war, after a failed coup attempt on the pro-Brazil government.

### 2053

* The Andes War begins following intervention by Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia in the Peruvian Civil War, which later prompts Chile and the Commonwealth of Oceania to join the war.
* Avigon takes a visit to the ruins of the ITER facilities in Southern France and recovers lost research and technology during the escape the former ITER scientists had after they recovered most of the knowledge.
* The Collective of Nations is born following the Nairbi Conference, with its HQ being established in Nairobi.
* The CoN formally adapts the old UN Declaration of Human Rights, with some additions, and lays out the "Integrated Reconstruction Plan for the post-War World".

### 2057

* The Coalition of the Nile River is formed in order to protect each member's interests in the Nile.
* Western War begins following a series of skirmishes by the NAR and Deseret in their borders. The war quickly escalates as the expansionist nation begins grabbing bits of habitable territory.
* The Collective of Nations sends various peacekeeping missions into the Northern Hemisphere.

### 2062

* The Museum of Humanity opens in Nairobi.
* The Restored States of America begins restoration of several US Navy assets in Southern New Jersey, rapidly becoming a dominant naval power on the East Coast.
* The Ontario War begins along the disputed region of Eastern Ontario, with most of the region covered in radiation and constantly bombarded with the radioactive fallout from the Death Plains, between New England, Quebec and Superior.
* Brazil begins clearing up the Guianan Space Center, as they begin to restore pre-War equipment and technology. Shortly after the National Institute of Aerospace Development is born, effectively replacing the Brazilian Space Agency.

### 2063

* Oceania begins using the Woomera Test Range as part of their new development of the Oceanian Aerospace Research Organisation, a renaming of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.
* Construction begins of the Mandela Space Launch Facility, named after pre-War president Nelson Mandela, as SANSA is replaced by the South African Aerospace Organisation.

### 2067

* The Western War comes to an end with the belligerents (except for Jefferson) declaring victory. Southern Idaho and parts of Deseret are annexed by the NAR, with Jefferson being a puppet state of Cascadia and a bloody, brutal stalemate ensuing in Montana and Idaho.
* Reconstruction on the West Coast begins from one of the bloodiest wars in the history of post-War America.
* The Caucasus War begins between the Neo-Timurid Empire and the Empire of the Volga, both seeking control over the Caucasus.

### 2070

* The Japanese join Oceania's sphere of influence in order to keep Siberia out of the Pacific, with Brazil seeking to expand its influence into to Western Africa.
* South Africa begins to emerge as a potential 3rd Superpower, with the perceived threat of African Socialism becoming increasingly apparent in parts of South America as most of Africa aligns itself with South Africa.
* The *Vargas I* satellite is launched into space, becoming the first-man made object in space since the Two-Hour War.
* Shortly after, the *Vargas II*satellite carries the first living beings in space since the War.

### 2071

* Shortly after, the Oceanian government launches the *Janzoon I* satellite, a weather satellite designed to obtain climatic data from across the globe, bringing in the first bits of information on the planet's climate since the War.
* Rapid discontent begins emerge in various northern states in the NAR, eventually which the NAR attempts to brutally supress using its Patriot Squads.

### 2076

* The California Republic begins to expand beyond its borders in Baja California into the former US.
* The Border War begins between the Republic of Rio Grande and West Texas near the Rio Grande, now covered in radioactive fallout from the Austin Strip.

### 2077

* The CoN begins to send forces over to the ruins of various major cities to recover artifacts the Museum of Humanity.
* The Indonesian Civil War begins following an attempted military coup against the current government, whom believe the coup was sponsored by Oceania.