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The White House on March 25th, 2015.

The Fall of the United States were a series of culminating events, beginning from March 25th 2015 to present day, that resulted in the collapse of Federal order on the Continental US and its replacement by the Republic of Gilead. Early on the morning of March 25th, at approximately 7 A.M., the provisional government of the United States had voted (in secret) in D.C. to disband the United States of America, and one hour later, proclaimed the independence of the Republic of Gilead.

The independence of the Republic would set off a series of domino effects (later known by most as The Transition), igniting the Second American Civil War. The Transition would ultimately last two months, and would result in Gilead's total domination of the continental United States. Despite armed rebellion, Gilead would later take control of most areas of the US, with many notable exceptions, however.

The Fall of the United States is considered by most to be the most defining event in centuries (or, in some cases, a millenia). The rise of Gilead would later result in the worst economic crisis the world would ever come to experience. The ongoing Rise of ISIS, the Chinese conflict of Taiwan, the Central American Unification Wars and the Korean Border Crisis can all be traced back to the fall of the US and its influence worldwide.

Prelude: decline of democracy

Later analyzed by various political groups and government organizations, many pinpoint the reason as to the fall of the US due to its "decline in democracy". When the US began this decline is debated, with some stating it began in the early 2000s, while others arguing that it began with Reagan's presidency, however by the 2010s before 2014, most scholars agree that the United States was in visible decline, socially, politically and economically.

A pro-abortion protest in 2013. Many states began tightening abortion restrictions due to the Infertility Crisis.

The precursor to the Republic of Gilead, the Sons of Jacob, had used this decline in order to build power for themselves, taking advantage of a rise of religious Christian fundamentalism within the country. This rise was seemingly precipitated by a stark decline of fertility worldwide (known as the Fertility Crisis), as well as a growing panic nationwide over various issues involving the #MeToo Movement, abortion, gun rights, LGBT rights, etc.

In 2017, the University of Hawaiʻi conducted a study together with the University of Toronto, tracking the movement of the Sons of Jacob from its inception to its total control over the US government. In their study, they concluded that "The overall social environment in the US, from the 1990s onward, was a perfect breeding ground for this kind of religious panic. The group had a long history of spreading misinformation about the Fertility Crisis online, and linked the Fertility Crisis to the idea that civilization had become morally decreped. They incited what can be described as a massive movement of hysteria, promoting the idea of returning to a 'morale and traditional' way of life, while also supporting whenever the Federal (or state) government took away social rights.

President's Day Massacre & rise of Sons of Jacob

See also: America after the President's Day Massacre

A recovered article by the Boston Globe detailing the attack.

When the President's Day Massacre took place, the entire US was placed under martial law, and civil servants had replaced the government, forming what they called the 'Provisional Government of the United States of America'. However, as it would later show, many of these civil servants had sympathies towards the Sons of Jacob, and their ideals to overthrow what remained of American aligned leaders/loyalists.

Before New Years

The first laws cemented in place after the President's Day Massacre were the First Consolidation Laws, validated on September 15th. It would keep martial law in place, and keep a suspension of the US constitution, bill of rights, and any upcoming elections for a vague period of time. The government would slowly but surely take control of the Internet, frequently erasing and controlling American news/media, while erasing any possibility of receiving news from foreign sources. 'Rolling blackouts' as they were called, became the norm in the US around November, and frequently, entire cities would go without use of the Internet, sometimes for weeks on end.

As the government clamped down on the Internet, it began to use its power to silence the media. On October 29th, the first "News Laws" were passed, heavily fining major news outlets that were deemed of creating news that "destabilizes American public life through misinformation." By around December, it had been reported by various foreign organizations like the Guardian, that "non-government run news is practically non-existent", and that "many radio stations only play music, because running headlines has become all too expensive".

Pride in New York City, four years before its ban. In the Republic of Gilead's constitution, it explicitly outlaws all LGBT activity, including marches and the teaching of LGBT history. It regards the LGBT community as a "extremist movement".

A small protest shortly after the decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.

Through using already existing state laws, such as Massachusetts' law that banned vasectomies and another which forced married couples to obtain a husband's signature for birth control, these laws became nationwide throughout December. Roe v. Wade would be overturned on December 20th, with little fanfare or public reaction.

Along with government centralization of the Internet came crackdowns on public schools and universities. The "Don't Say Gay" laws, in practice, made discrimination against those of the LGBT community legal in public life. The Guardian on November 20th had reported that "public schools in the US have become a ground for hatred and bigotry like never before. Measured across 400 public schools across the nation, those who report the bullying are often outed by faculty", and that "The country is experiencing a record high number of firing and discrimination against the queer community, as many, now without legal protection, are unable to fight the legal battle that would entail in such cases".

After New Years

Going into 2015, the provisional government, seeing its success in passing such laws into action in 2014, became more bold in their attempts of total control of the country. In January, after confidential reports were made that "terrorist networks use American airlines to leave and enter the country" and that "the numerous cartels that inhabit Mexico and parts of the US are aiding in the terrorist cells", the provisional government moved to partially ban commercial flights, land and sea travel out of the country. However, 7 days after the report had been made public, a series of anonymous hackers released documents in the White House that revealed a much bigger plan than only a partial banning on movement out of the country.

A scene from Logan International Airport during the White Flight Scandal.

In what became known as the "White Flight Scandal", these hackers revealed that D.C. had fully created plans to ban commercial travel out of the country for any reason. The White Flight Scandal would be the most successful case of hackers usurping Federal authority on the media, and in its aftermath it significantly destabilized the US, and would be the first sign of the country's destruction.

In the immediate weeks after the Scandal, it was reported that "hordes" of people began showing up to international airports, harbors and border checkpoints, hoping to flee out of the country permanently, but the government was swift to react. Two weeks after the scandal, it only became possible to leave the country if one was either a dual citizen or a non-US citizen, prompting most without proper citizenship to flee the country en masse, leading to protests across 20 different cities, while the border with Mexico and Canada became tense as people desperately tried to flee into the neighboring states.

Canada and Mexico in February, as a response to these new waves of refugees beginning to flee declared states of emergencies, while the UN, by vote, placed sanctions on the government, demanding them to allow free travel in and out of the country.

These transformations of the US would radically change the rest of the world, even before the D.C. coup. Due to the fact that the US had limited free press and usage of the Internet, many companies quietly pulled themselves and their assets from the country, with many billionaries and millionaries based in the US leaving the country, mainly for Canada. But as the US closed the borders down, many of international companies remained stranded with assets remaining in the US. Because of this, many of the world's top companies, including Apple, Microsoft and Google had tanked in their value, starting the 2015 Spring Recession. It would serve to be the precursor to the economic collapse that would follow America's demise.

The first of many UN meetings concerning the turmoil on the continental US.

In early February, as protests began to diminish due to the government's brute force of the national guard and police, these forces would be quietly dismantled by government officials, merging police and national guard units into what would later be referred to as "Guardians". On paper, before the independence of Gilead however, "Guardians" existed in all but name. Many units across the US would be given new uniforms and new tasks aimed at overseeing the "stability of the country". Reports indicate these new units already began to act as secret police even before its formal establishment.

On February 25th, one month before the declaration of Gilead's independence, the infamous "Reformed Women Bill" would pass unanimously in D.C., ordering for "the immediate removal of women from positions of authority and work...Any assets owned and operated by females must be either nationalized or given to the individuals' male next of kin." Using the new paramilitary units, city after city witnessed a systemic clear out of all working women. By day's end, it was estimated that over one million working women around the country were forcibly fired, with many millions in assets moved around the nation to the husbands, brothers, or relatives of said women.

In the following days, this number would triple, while governments around the world began to condemn the "increasingly totalitarian measures enacted by this 'government'". The 2015 Spring Recession would plunge the world economy as working women were dismissed from their jobs. Importantly however, this new law would bring on the first days of conflict that would later spill into a war.

Riot police present during a demonstration against the Reformed Women's bill.

On February 28th, the mayors of San Francisco, New York City, Houston, Dallas and Detroit all denounced this bill and forbid anyone from following them. Protests would erupt on the 25th due to the law, and in these aformentioned areas, protests would swelter, while for others, like in Boston or D.C., the protests would fizzle out.

This last law brought on by D.C. would further trigger waves of refugees trying to flee. It was estimated that in the 3 weeks before Gilead's creation, Mexico absorbed 10,000 refugees while Canada would absorb over 30,000. During this time, government control over various areas of the country became increasingly hollow as the public became more agitated in hopes of getting these laws overturned.

The D.C. Coup

A frequent sight before America's collapse, newly created Guardian units were present in every US city.

By March 25th, 2015, the American state was already on the verge of collapse. While in some cities, order was restored and remained as tightly controlled, in many other places, Federal authority waned completely. All over the West and South coast, protests had forced the National Guard and military units out of various cities or areas of control, but there weren't any official battles to speak of. Said mayors who controlled unruly areas had not officially broken away from D.C., but skirmishes on the outskirts became a frequent occurrence.

Approximately at 7 A.M., the provisional government of the US silently dissolved the authority of the United States of America, and thereafter created the Republic of Gilead. The former's independence was broadcasted all over the country, while US flags were replaced, and the Federal military was turned to align itself with the new D.C. government, aiding greatly to the establishment of the new Republic.

The declaration of independence heralded the greatest massive panic worldwide, aided by general confusion seen externally and within the continental US. Governments around the world refused to recognize Gilead's independence, especially as it would not strike down the laws created by the provisional government that greatly limited political, economic and social freedoms.

Immediately however, fights all over the US broke out over this declaration. By March 26th, any opponents to Gilead were eliminated in D.C., while the following week the states of Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and over a dozen states on the Eastern US were secured by Gilead. Boosted by this victory, a Constitutional Assembly was created within Gilead, outlining the country political and economic structure, as well as its new constitution.

Estonians in 2017, protesting the record high unemployment and inflation rate.

The world watched closely with these new developments, somewhat distracted by the catastrophic economic collapse brought on by the complete end of Federal authority. The 2015 Spring Recession morphed into the D.C. Depression as governments around the world struggled to keep life afloat amidst these rapidly changing developments. By early April, the economies of the EU, Russia, Brazil, China and Japan all plummeted to never before seen lows as the US dollar became a useless currency. Companies all over the world were forced to shut down, and unemployment worldwide skyrocketed to over 15%.

Meanwhile, the end of the Constitutional Assembly in late April only solidified the unrecognition of Gilead, and its immediate embargo by Canada and the EU. The Gilead Constitution outlined its nation as a Christian theocracy, strictly adhering to the Old Testament, and as such, its laws would be absolute and unforgiving.

D.C. four years after Gileadean occupation.

While Gilead seemingly had an upper hand in the month of April, with over 30 states succumbing to the new country, war would only be inevitable, as the Republic's hopes of establishing control over the entire continental US would be dashed.

Eruption of war

Unofficial conflict before Gilead

The first areas of 'unofficial conflict' could be seen after the borders with Canada and Mexico were indefinitely closed and the Reformed Women Bill was passed. In areas where protests strengthened, low-intensity battles were reported all over the West Coast, Texas and in New York City, with crime rates tripling and the death rate from gun violence rapidly increasing, but it would be the Republic's declaration of independence that would escalate this conflict into a war.

Unofficial conflict after Gilead

After resisting Gilead, D.C. began routine bombings that continue even after nine years of war.

While most states originally succumbed to Gilead without much fanfare, originally, war and conflict was only limited to a few cities. While New York state was quickly taken under Gilead, New York City, now entering its second month, completely escalated. Many policemen and nation guard units in the city defected to the side of the protestors, securing Brooklyn and Staten Island against Gilead, while irregular militias would eventually push out Gilead forces in Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan. The mayor of the city, still alive and being one of those which denounced the new laws passed by the old American government, declared New York City to be the 'birth of a new United States' on April 10th, and opened the once closed port to heavily needed international aid.

War begins

Alaska & Hawaii

The official flag of the US, adopted in 2017.

After the uproar in New York City and the international condemnation that was brought on by the new republic, anti-Gilead rebellions began forming across the country, especially within the West Coast and in Honolulu and Juneau. A major reason for this came to be Gilead's unsuccessful efforts to pacify and absorb the large, continental US navy, which, while it was mostly absorbed on the east coast, the navy on the West Coast was undoubtedly tied to US rebellions.

Strengthened by scenes in New York, the mayors of Anchorage, Juneau and Honolulu declared their intention to be absorbed into the defunct US 'government' in New York City. With the help of what remained of the National Guard and the navy, the states of Alaska and Hawaii were fully secured by April 18th, while a de-facto capital was declared in Anchorage the following day, due to New York's proximity to conflict zones and because of the amount of military commanders that resided in the city after the re-establishment of the US. Immediately, Anchorage surpassed and was recognized beyond New York's declaration of the 'real' United States government, and quickly passed an official declaration of war to the 'rump state that occupies our capital', starting the Second American Civil War on April 25th.

Vermont

Flag of the current Vermont Republic.

Vermont, like many states, were suffering from varying levels of insurgencies since February that same year. But unlike other states, insurgency in Vermont was especially high due to the amount of refugees trying to get across the border to Canada. Many refugees simply fled the cities or the interstate out of the country to avoid being seen by the Guardians and Eyes after the Women's Reform Bill. But after the Republic of Gilead was declared, a 'war on desertion' was started in the state, hunting down anyone who was suspected of fleeing the country. But this, in practice, drove Vermont into independence.

Most refugees began fighting back in the rural lands of the state. Gilead's military, underestimating those close to the border, were forced to flee all of northern Vermont, including the cities of Stowe and Newport, de-facto becoming no-man's-land without any force controlling the region. Due to this, refugees in the hundreds flooded through the Canadian border, overwhelming state security forces.

But, emboldened by Gilead's losses, a practically unheard of group rose to fight against Gilead in Montpelier and Burlington. On May 13, this secret group engaged in coordinated attacks against Gilead troops, stretched thin at the time due to the shipment of soldiers elsewhere in the country. After a 4 day battle in both cities however, Gilead retreated, and this group emerged and called itself the Vermont Freedom Fighters, shocking Gilead and Canada due to its neutrality with the United States. With both cities seized however, the Republic of Vermont was declared on May 20th, and with civilian help, northern Vermont was effectively secured and the state remained independent.

Meeting between Canadian and Vermont officials in 2020.

Vermont managed to out-maneuver its neighbor through a defensive war policy with Gilead. Through this, Vermont has made sizeable gains in land, mainly in New York, Maine and New Hampshire, while currently contesting the city of Concord. Some attribute Vermont's success through unseen aid from Ottawa, especially as Canada decided to partially open its border with the Republic in 2020, but Canadian officials deny such action.

Michigan & Chicago

Following April 18th, a large-scale rebellion broke out in Chicago and Detroit, who for a few months then had been experiencing small scale insurgencies since the White Flight Scandal, but the insurgencies became bolder after the swift takeover of Alaska and Hawaii (and shortly after Puerto Rico).

The Chicago skyline after nearly five years of war in 2019.

In Chicago, on April 27th, the I-90 and Bishop Highways leading out of the city were bombed by anti-Gilead forces, temporarily forestalling an invasion by D.C. Due to this, a popular uprising took control of most of the city, while Gilead would slowly begin to retake the city, only succeeding in its efforts in 2019.

A protest in Detroit during the first roundups in Black and Brown neighborhoods in 2015.

In Michigan, the war became more complicated than most in D.C. would rather hope for. The initial rebellion in Detroit was provoked by racial massacres and widespread lynchings in Downtown and Southwest Detroit. Like Chicago, the city was hit with a massive uprising that temporarily overwhelmed Gilead's military, causing them to pull out of the city on April 25th. About two weeks later however, Gilead initiated in Operation Moses, a largescale bombing raid on May 4th, of which after 2 days, it was estimated that 30% of the city's population was wiped out, with over 60% needing emergency medical aid. This bombing effort has been frequently compared to the Nuking of Japan during World War Two, or the leveling of Tokyo during the War. After Operation Moses however, Gilead's position on the international world stage would be cemented as a rump, illegal country.

But the city's bombing did little to stop rebellion in Michigan. Even after Detroit was effectively leveled, the news of its destruction provoked widespread terror attacks in Northern Michigan, as many soldiers in Lansing, Rogers City and Union City, to name a few would "disappear" without a trace, with the death rate of Guardians and Eyes being especially high in the state, de-facto suffering from a small-scale insurgency. It would slowly grow as time would go on however, and losses in the Southern Seaboard forced Gilead to pull out its soldiers from the state, allowing for armed insurgencies to take over most of Northern Michigan as well as part of Wyoming in the summer of 2016.

Northwest border skirmishes

Blackfeet Indian territory, one of the first tribes to engage in war against Gilead.

Gilead's incursions into the western United States has been shaky at best, and to this day it has been unable to pacify the Northwest like it has in the East. With ongoing insurgencies in Montana, Idaho and Cascadia, many Native American tribes along the Canadian border declared their autonomy in May of 2015. After Gilead refused to recognize Native American tribes, the Native American Church, or their soverignity, most outright declared independence, with the 'attempt to fully pacify the so-called Republic of Gilead from tribe land'. Currently, about 13 reservations have kept their independence, organizing with rural resistance movements, effectively capturing most border lands between them and Canada.

As it stands however, with Gilead's main encroachments in Texas and California, the war is only limited to small-scale skirmishes in the northwest.

Texas

When the borders closed nationwide as a result of the White Flight Scandal, Texas remained extremely destabilized. Many cities suffered from indefinite traffic jams as many tried to flee down south, to Mexico, but as Mexican authorities closed the border in March 2015, many remained stranded down south, while others began targeting each other because they couldn't cross the border. As crime rates skyrocketed in the state, the Women's Reform Bill was passed, igniting statewide hysteria over D.C.'s encroachment of civil rights. Many began assaulting national guard or police units, and after the Republic was declared, unrest was at an all-time high in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth.

National capitol of Texas in Austin.

But with the beginning of the Second American Civil War and the independence of Vermont, many rebels saw an opportunity to remain neutral to the Anchorage government. But as Gilead sought to control the state, it only fostered violent rebellion that culminated in the state pulling out its troops of Houston and Corpus Christi. In Houston, a small delegation of rebel forces declared an independent Second Republic of Texas, while unrest was growing in most major cities in the state, while Corpus Christi was taken over by Anchorage sympathizers. But as the Republic of Texas made gains outside of Texas, many flocked to the movement.

In 2016, Gilead's incursion into southern Texas turned into a failure as the Republic made historic gains into San Antonio and Austin, driving south to the border of Mexico. In 2018, Gilead would yet again lose to the Republic, capturing southern Louisiana and New Orleans from its grasp. Today, the Republic of Texas has fought Gilead to a standstill, yet it hasn't been able to recover El Paso or Dallas. The Republic's relations with the outside world remained strained, especially with Anchorage and Mexico especially, as many still try to flee down south out of the country.

Southern Seaboard

Political and social unrest would hit the Southern Seaboard as women were unanimously dismissed from their jobs, with their assets frozen or nationalized. Widespread protests formed all over Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina, but they managed to be contained to degree until the D.C. Coup. With Gilead's unrepenting laws on Christianity and not recognizing the Baptist and Catholic sects would be the backbone to the eruption of war in the region. Rebellions broke out in Atlanta, Miami, Jacksonville and Mobile. While rebellion was snuffed out on the mainland by January of 2016, guerrilla fighting persisted in said cities until a breakthrough the following month. An anti-Gilead organization, known as the Baptist Alliance for Freedom would amass thousands of members since its formation in June of 2015, and they would become by far the most powerful organization in the southern seaboard.

An early scene of fighting in Phoenix between Texan and Gilead troops.

Its members would be directly responsible for liberating Miami, Orlando and Tampa in what was called the 'Florida Breakout' in February of 2016. Subsequent victories saw the liberation of Tallahassee, Mobile and Biloxi by this group, determined to preserve the rights of Baptists in the US. Presently, the group has effective control over all of the Southern Seaboard, even driving up north to contest Montgomery from D.C. In spite of these gains, the group has major controversies. Due to the organization's expressed interest in Baptist rights, many human rights groups accuse the BAF of perpetuating anti-Catholic, Islamophobic and antisemetic sentiments. Furthermore, the group is the only anti-Gilead organization that is expressly xenophobic to American refugees, and often forces any refugee that flees Gilead to go back up north.

West Coast

Main article: The Meltdown Disaster of 2015

California became an anti-government stronghold as the Provisional government gradually became more and more authoritarian in the final months of 2014. When the southern border had closed, protests erupted in most major Californian cities. Even with martial law in place, the provisional government struggled with maintaining control over the state, which became worse as similar movements followed in Seattle and Phoenix.

Phoenix shortly before the Palo Verde plant collapsed, rendering the city uninhabitable.

With the independence of the Republic of Gilead, state lines were erased, and California was officially split into two districts. Initial fighting was only concentrated in New York, LA and San Francisco, but with after the official declaration of war from Anchorage, the West Coast experienced the largest uprising the war had seen. In what's been called the Great Pacific Mutiny, the entire pacific fleet of the US declared their allegiance to the Anchorage government, capturing 6 cities on the West Coast (concentrated in Southern California and Washington State) between May 4th-May 21st. On May 25th Las Angeles was captured followed by San Fransisco the following day. Throughout the month of June, Portland, Seattle, Salem and Sacramento fell against Gilead forces, however worse was yet to come, for both Gilead and the rebellions on the West Coast.

With a power struggle in Southern California and in the city of Phoenix, worrying reports were leaked that, if peace is not found in California and Arizona, the conflict may hit the three nuclear reactors in the region, which would create an unprecedented environmental disaster. It was reported that Gilead forces were not told to avoid the reactors in the region, and in July of 2015 Gilead forces were forced to pull out of Phoenix, but not before the Palo Verde plant unexpectedly collapsed. To this day, it is not known who or what triggered the plant to meltdown, but its effects would kickstart the Meltdown Disaster of 2015, the worst environmental and humanitarian disaster in human history.

Refugees fleeing down south to Mexico in April of 2015.

Gilead remained unrepenting in the area, even as hordes of civilians desperately fled south to Mexico when the plant collapsed on July 12th, with little warning. Two weeks later with Phoenix uninhabitable, Gilead unexpectedly pushed into Southern California once again, but this offensive was ill thought through, because the United States successfully surrounded their forces and trapped them on the coast. On August 2nd, with fighting at its highest point yet, it suddenly halted as yet two more reports of complete meltdowns were found in San Onofre and Diablo Canyon, triggering a massive migration of civilians further north to California or south to Mexico.

The Meltdown Disaster is heavily thought of to be created or partially orchestrated by Gilead forces, and further east, conflicts in Missouri and Arkansas would eventually trigger a fourth meltdown, creating areas that Gilead would refer to as The Colonies.

Internal consequences

Main article: The Cultural Revolution of Gilead

Boston during the Cultural Revolution.

The independence of the Republic of Gilead ushered in a cultural revolution that is ongoing to this day. After the Republic's establishment, its constitution created specific social classes that divided men and women. Most notably, it became legal for women to be used as slaves under Handmaids and Marthas. In the first months of the Republic's establishment, women became Handmaids often through initial purges, being tried for various crimes under the constitution.

After social classes were established, a "fashion cleanse" of sorts began. Those who witnessed the event described it as a "purge of vanity", as fur coats, makeup, lingerie, jewelry and the like were burned en masse, while known manufacturers and salesmen were publicly humiliated, forced to repent in public while wearing hats with the word "SHAME" on them.

Street signs in Gilead.

In the Midwest and Eastern Seaboard, where Gilead's grip remains the tightest, women were forbidden to read or write, with severe consequences, a decision which was condemned by the UN and by over 70 countries worldwide. Throughout 2015, street signs were taken down, writings on storefronts and buildings were chipped off, and of the few journalists that have ventured into Gilead, they report "there are no letters or any messages in sight, it's completely erased".

In practice, Gilead prides itself on "healing issues on race" the previous governments in the US couldn't address, but in practice many old wounds regarding race have been reopened. Specifically in the southern US, many white supremacist organizations were absorbed into the Eyes and Guardians. It was reported that, in the initial hysteria that took over the Southern US after Gilead establishment, racist attacks, church burnings and lynchings increased by over 100% before 2017. Detroit, for example, was annihilated by Gilead's air-force, in what most humanitarian organizations have called a "deliberate act of hatred".

A vital aspect of the Cultural Revolution was a purge of non-Christian religions. As increasing reports of mosques, synagogues, temples and cathedrals were being attacked, burned and ransacked, this drew condemnation from many religious countries in Asia and in the Middle East. In the first days of the Revolution, it was reported that hundreds of non-Christians were being hanged, while religious leaders were put through sham trials, some of which didn't even last a day.

In regards to the large Jewish community of the US, their numbers have dwindled severely, especially with the ongoing Siege of New York. Many Jews have escaped through humanitarian routes from Brooklyn, and have ended up in Canada. Israel, for its part, has absorbed over 200,000 Americans, with many preferring to settle in Israel over its lax policies regarding citizenship.

Foreign consequences

The sudden collapse of Federal authority has had arguably the most influence in world politics to date.

Europe

With the exile of its largest ally, the EU would go to replace the US in being the world's number one currency, while the EU would go on to absorb thousands of refugees, with the continent being the largest for settling American refugees.

Stein Lillevolden in front of Norwegian Parliament protesting against deportation of American refugees.

The economic collapse brought with it the largest opposition to pro-EU movements, as well as the democratic governments of Western Europe. Across France, Germany, the UK and Italy, far-right and far-left populism have divided their individual governments, while anti-refugee sentiments have grown, making most countries in the EU shut their doors to integrating more refugees.

The Middle East

See also: Gilead/ISIS relations, the Middle East post-2015

Destroyed neighborhood in Aleppo, 2015.

Without foreign troops from the US, Islamic extremist groups were able to flourish in D.C.'s absence starting from 2015. With the rise of ISIS beginning in 2014, the group was able to expand like never before, capturing Aleppo in 2015 as well as Baghdad and Damascus in 2016. With the Fall of Damascus, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared ISIS' victory in the Levant and the region, but de-facto fighting still exists in what remains of Iraq and Syria. Since their growth in 2016, ISIS has strengthened itself through its relationship with Gilead, the only country that outwardly supports such a group. Even with their growth, some have predicted ISIS' fall to be imminent, pointing to pushback in the recent war in Iraqi Kurdistan, as well as several successful uprisings by Kurds in the Rojava region.

Israel

See also: Israeli-Gilead relations, the Israeli Political Crisis

With the sudden absence of its most powerful ally, the Israeli government scrambled towards a solution as the full brunt of the American economic crisis hit all corners of Israeli society. As various sources indicate, Benjamin Netanyahu, as early as April of 2015, had been planning various attempts to normalize relations with the new Republic of Gilead. Citing growing turmoil, unrest and paranoia within Gaza and the Palestinian West Bank, Israel invited Gileadean officials to Tel Aviv in February of 2016.

A rally in the West Bank against the resettlement of American refugees.

Netanyahu secured Gilead's economic and political support, a decision that was hit with harsh backlash and it would grow to rally Netanyahu's opposition like never before in Israel's history. A few months later, the first American refugees began touching down in Israel, many of which fled the Eastern Seaboard and New York City. While all in Israel supported the return of American Jews, they were unknowingly resettled in the West Bank, in what some sources describe as a "deliberate use of human shields, a barrier between Palestinians and mainstream Israelis". Notably, during this time, attacks and vandalism against Israeli settlers grew by over 200% due to the fall of the US and the suffering of the Israeli economy. Many Palestinian groups felt confident that the Israeli state might crumble without the US, and from 2015 to 2017 over 3,000 acts of murder, vandalism, arson and the like were reported across the West Bank.

But in lieu of Americans being unknowingly relocated to dangerous areas in the West Bank, many came forward in what became known as the "Resettlement Crisis", igniting the Israeli Political Crisis, something which continues to this day.

Latin America

The US withdrawing from all facets of life, from Mexico to Argentina, would have huge ramifications for the region.

Mexico

Since 2015, Mexican authorities have constructed a large wall on the border with the Republic of Texas, hoping to stop the flow of refugees coming to Mexico.

Mexico's economy would take a sudden plunge as the borders to America would close permanently, leaving thousands of undocumented immigrants stranded in the US as many would desperately try to flee back across the border. But the situation would become complex overnight as many Americans, sensing the incoming violence, forged travel documents and papers that might have allowed them to cross the border. As regulations tightened and as Gilead was declared, swarms of Americans would try to cross the Rio Grande, or flee from Arizona and California down south. Enrique Peña Nieto would subsequently declare a state of emergency in early April of 2015, and by August, as the various Meltdown Disasters were in full swing, all provinces that bordered the US/Gilead would be put under martial law. But due to the threat of the colonies, and being pressured by the UN, the Mexican government would open humanitarian routes for a limited time, allowing unrestricted migration to Mexico for an indefinite amount of time. All routes into Mexico were subsequently closed by October as radiation began spilling across the border, forcing an evacuation of Tijuana in what would be known as the Mexican Evacuation Disaster.

Without the US, with over 200,000 refugees and radiation that forced Mexican authorities to hastily evacuate certain areas of Mexico proper, the government of Enrique Peña Nieto would collapse in September, igniting over 7 snap elections as of 2024, as no Mexican president or their cabinet has managed to stabilize Mexican society thus far, and threats of civil war have loomed ever since 2019.

But with America's collapse came an unexpected opportunity for the southern Zapatista movement. With a weakened Mexican state, a growing infertility problem mixed with the effects of global warming, the Zapatista movement has grown considerably in its influence, being seen by many impoverished and Indigenous Mexicans as a viable solution to the problems of modern state hood. As a result, Mexican and Zapatistas have been contesting each other more and more, while Mexican authorities have theorized the Zapatistas to have created new militias and cells all throughout southern Mexico, making the area quite unsafe for civilians.

Central America

Sandinista demonstrators in Honduras, 2016.

In March of 2015, as war erupted on the continental US, so too would it erupt in Central America. With no one to oppose Chinese, Russian and Korean influence, Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega, long since ideologically opposed to the US, sensed an opportunity. As all Central American countries were plunged into poverty, Ortega from April to September had moved to replace American investment with investment from Moscow and Beijing. That year, Nicaragua, despite seeing a deep plunge in its economy, had managed to build itself up like no other state was able to. As a result, Ortega had begun sponsoring anti-government riots, demonstrations and even political movements across the region, in hopes of uniting Central America under his influence and the influence of the Sandinistas.

In neighboring Honduras, the swift crushing of anti-government demonstrators near the Nicaraguan borders ignited a civil war in January of 2016, and in a broader sense, it kickstarted the Era of Liberation. Fully backed by Nicaragua, the Sandinistas would win their first major victory after seizing Tegucigalpa after 2 months of low-intensity battles. Both Nicaragua and the new Honduran government would begin talks of unification due to "the extreme after shocks that the previous year had brought to the region." At the same time, Sandinista cells across Central America became more emboldened by this victory, and as a result, El Salvador and Costa Rica would be pushed to civil war. By contrast, Panama and Guatemala would see non-stop pro-Sandinista demonstrations and terrorist attacks, forcing both governments to step down before June of 2016.

By early 2017, with all of Central America under the thumb of the Sandinistas, they would eventually unite throughout the region to form the Libertheos movement, a radical anti-US Marxist group, and shortly after all of Central America would unite into the Libertheo State of Central America. At the same time, anti-Libertheo groups, especially those who opposed unification would form in opposition, launching a guerrilla war across the country that still continues to this day.

Despite its allies constantly wavering in its support between Anchorage and D.C., Central America would be the only country under Russian/Chinese influence that fully opposes the Republic of Gilead, while at the same time giving nothing to the Anchorage government.

South America

A clash in Brasilia during the controversial 2023 elections in Brazil, a flashpoint to the political unrest the country faces.

South America would be the continent most unchanged by the events of 2015, but instability would permanently change the continent. This can be most seen by the decline in democracy of the region, especially by Brazil. Since the 2018 election in which opposition leader Jair Bolsonaro won by 70% of the popular vote, many civil and political freedoms have been stripped in the country. A massive flashpoint for the country however was the 2023 presidential election, in which while Bolsonaro won yet again, his opposition was far more organized, while violent, nationalist insurgencies sponsored by many in Bolsonaro's cabinet lead many to fear that Brazil is on the same path as Gilead.

The economic collapse worldwide would later become a major reason for the 2018 Guyana War, in which Venezuela would go to war with, and later annex Western Guyana, indefinitely ending the Venezuela-Guyana border dispute. For countries affected by the collapse, mainly that of Colombia, Chile and Argentina, the ripple would have different effects in different countries.

ELN fighters near Medellin, 2019.

In Colombia, the country would fracture into a de-facto warlord country as the government's influence would shrink dramatically. The various paramilitary groups that inhabit the nation have grown dramatically in power, especially that of the Marxist ELN, slowly pushing for more territory since 2018.

Controversially, various countries, including Venezuela and Bolivia have adopted policies modeled on Gilead or historic patriarchal regimes, like that of Romania's Nicolae Ceaușescu, while Chile, Argentina and Peru have expanded their relations with the Republic in order to lessen the almost decade long economic depression felt within the region.

Africa

The fallout of the United States left several repercussions on the African continent, and was the precursor to many of the violent conflicts the area still witnesses. With the rise of ISIS in the Middle East, Islamic fundamentalist groups grew in power and influence in Mali, Nigeria and Niger. Since 2019, all three nations have declared a total war against fighting ISIS insurgents. ISIS groups in Egypt and Libya have become more powerful as the governments of North Africa, post Arab Spring, have devolved into totalitarian dictatorships.

Nigerien patrols during the rapid expansion of ISIS units in Africa, 2020.

Ethiopia for its part has become more decentralized as, like Colombia before it, many groups have usurped governmental influence, and the country remains in a de-facto civil war.

Controversially, South Africa, with Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia and Eritrea have all normalized relations, to some degree, with the Republic of Gilead. As for countries in opposition to Gilead, Liberia and Ghana have both imposed sanctions to the regime, while also inheriting a few thousand Black refugees that fled to Canada and applied for asylum on the grounds of racial persecution within Gilead.