United States of America

"One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

-US Pledge of Allegiance

The United States of America (abbreviated to USA) is a federal republic currently comprising of 58 states (48 contiguous), four major self-governing possessions, and various other territories. As previously stated, 48 of the 58 states are contiguous, between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is on the northwestern border of Canada and stretches across the north Pacific to Russia. Hawaii and Guam are in the central and west Pacific Ocean, respectively. The states of Puerto Rico and Cuba are islands in the Caribbean Sea, the Solomon Islands, Luzon, Mindanao, and Visayas are in the southwest Pacific Ocean, and Liberia is in west Africa.

A Brief History before 2016
The United States entered existence in 1776, when it declared independence against its mother country, Great Britain. After a war of independence that lasted until 1783, the United States was victorious with the help of its allies France, Spain and the Netherlands.

Shortly after independence the Constitution was ratified and the coming decades were filled with expansion. Under the ideology of Manifest Destiny, Americans expanded westward. In their wake Native American settlements and peoples were displaced, and the United States became rich.

While traditionally isolationist before the world wars, the United States did partake in Imperialism like it's European counterparts. In the 1840's it invaded and triumphed over Mexico, establishing the new border at the Rio Grande. Furthermore, later in the century the United States established an Open Doors policy with Japan and fought on the European side in the Boxer Rebellion. The United States also took on the Spanish in 1898 and won over Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, three of which are states today.

In 1917, the United States broke its shell and entered the First World War on the side of the Entente, and with refreshed morale and a surplus of troops the Entente pushed Germany and the Central Powers to an armistice.

During the interwar years the United States developed further. However, it faced another hardship as the Great Depression ravaged the country. Millions were unemployed as businesses and banks collapsed. Under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the New Deal economic policy remedied the Depression. Ultimately what saved the United States was its entry into the Second World War. After three years of war, from the tail end of 1941 until September 1945, the United States played a major role in defeating the Axis powers.

After WWII, the United States became one of two superpowers in the world, spreading democracy against the ravaging Communist expansion in the Cold War. The United States and NATO would go on to win multiple wars, such as Korea, Panama and the war in Afghanistan, but would loose some big ones as well, such as in Vietnam. The war was never direct however, and NATO and the Warsaw Pact were at relative peace. It was time and a failing economy that brought the Soviet Union to its knees and the US rose as the single strongest nation in the world. Two more wars in Iraq and another in Afghanistan would define the Pre-Underwood United States as expansionist and would paint it a bad picture. However, things would go on to change as Francis J. Underwood assumed the Presidency in 2016, after former President Barack H. Obama suffered a heart attack and died...

America: The Underwood Picture: 2016
Some may say it was convenient. Others say it was a tragedy. On January 2nd, 2016, Barack Obama suffered from a heart attack and died in the Oval Office. What most will always say about it, however, was that this was one of the most influential moments in 21st Century American History. Later that week, Vice President Francis J. Underwood was sworn in as President, with Senator Donald Blythe sworn in has his VP.

Underwood sat in the Oval Office and immediately got to work. He set up meetings with Russia to undo the damage the Obama Administration had done on relations. He also put America's research to work, creating a Department of Technological Advancement and placing them in the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. Immediately the United States finished its design for an M1A3 Abrams and set out to work on more advanced weapons designs.

To put millions of Americans back to work, Underwood established the AmWorks program. It passed unanimously through Congress and immediately it did wonders. Underwood also established a budget to repay American debt. His goals for the first few months of his Presidency was to eliminate US debt. Furthermore he was busy campaigning for the Democratic Nomination to secure the presidency for the 2017-2020 term. American forces in June worked with their newfound friends in Russia and their old foes in Iran and Syria, now democratic thanks to a coup that overthrew Bashar al-Assad, to eliminate ISIS once and for all. The three-month campaign saw the end to the Islamic State.

Underwood pushed many more laws through ending the NSA's watch on US civilians, expanding the military, and denying businesses the ability to outsource jobs to other nations.

In October 2016, after Underwood outright bashed Black Lives Matter for their recent riots in NYC, several members of the domestic terrorist organization bombed the White House gates during a protest, killing several dozen and wounding around 100 people. In response, a majority of BLM's members left the group, causing it to dissipate.

By the end of 2016 Underwood won the Presidency again with a similar cabinet and was ready for further operations in Syria and Somalia.

The Image that Paid Off: 2017
“The great shameless, audacious bawler. He will be elected governor of the army: The boldness of his contention. The bridge broken, the city faint from fear.”

- Nostradamus, Century III Quatrain 81

2017 began just as stressful as 2016. Several banks lost funds from thin air on New Years Day, but was remedied almost immediately by the Federal Reserve. Underwood needed a way to make more cash in case this occurred again. He ordered the selling of old military hardware to nations abroad, granting much money to the Federal Treasury.

Underwood used the relative peacetime to invest in America's 51st and 52nd states, Puerto Rico and Liberia, respectively. Both were admitted to the union on the same day, February 4th, 2017, and that month was filled with modernizing both.

By March, Underwood pushed anti-GMO and pro-gun laws. He had passed more laws in favor of American-borne business. The Military, in celebration of Underwood's great works, held a parade in DC. Millions of citizens gathered in patriotic joy.

The next few months saw American economic growth and growing partnerships between NATO members. America also spearheaded the next NATO expansion, covering Scandinavia, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Ireland. All expansions saw resounding successes.

New threats began to appear, however, as the Islamic Caliphate Organization (ICO) appeared in Syria. In a matter of a month ICO gained serious ground, as the Third Syrian Civil War kicked off. Civilians were slaughtered in its wake and the entire eastern portion of Syria was occupied by jihadist forces. The war had been going well until two home-grown ICO terrorists beheaded an American family on camera. America put its foot down and sent the USS Ronald Reagan, the most highly upgraded and first Gerald R. Ford class aircraft carrier, to sail towards Syria with a load of forces. As Underwood made his chilling speech, American forces were deployed en-mass to Syria. With shock-and-awe tactics, the US military surged against ICO with the help of the Italian Hand of God and what was left of the Syrian military. The battle of Raqqa saw the surrender of ICO's council and subsequent execution. The US swept away what was left of ICO and left Syria with funds to repair its battered territories. The United States looked towards Somalia for some action in September. The country had collapsed to civil war and the government only controlled Mogadishu. Therefore, a joint NATO-CSTO operation pinned American, Russian, Koryo, and Italian forces against the warring factions. The United States would push the front in central Somalia, recapturing Mogadishu within the first week. Day after day American forces annihilated their foes. In the end the central front saw very few US casualties in what was a victory. The people of Somalia voted to establish an Islamic Republic, and so American forces went home and would not be redeployed until 2018.

The last of major 2017 news was astonishing. Underwood heard a report that all US debt had been repaid. He, along with millions of Americans, took to the streets in celebrations. Not only was the US debt free and it's economy stable, but Underwood could finally relax knowing that he ended a year with a surplus; the first time in over a decade and a half. His new economic policy worked and set America on a path of unchallenged success.

Turbulent Times: 2018
America finally saw a decent year ahead. Or, so they'd thought. The Caliphate in the Middle East collapsed two months after starting a crisis against Israel, which left an unfilled power-vacuum in the region. The UAE had demanded goods from the Falklands and stationed several Lupo's in the area, causing intervention by the United States and the United Kingdom in January that resulted in the UAE backing down.

The United States at this time finally developed Power Armor, the first of its kind, and was near done testing it. Funds were also allocated to the Prometheus program that was scheduled to launch in early 2020. The US navy was expanded. The military had done much training and expansions and sped ahead with recruitment campaigns. The Vaults, which were under construction since 2016 by Vault-Tec were also complete.

Finally, the US started the year with over 1 trillion dollars in its surplus. It had little to do after January until June, when things began to change in its foreign policy. This change came in the form of Tiberium, a mineral that absorbed whatever material it grew over. It was extremely dangerous and would eventually be able to kill carbon-based life. No one would know the severity of the mineral, which appeared near the Tiber river in Italy, until it was already too late to contain. It quickly spread in Italy, causing structural damage through its crystalline structures and destroying life in its afflicted area. The US evacuated Italian citizens to south Italy while the Pope was in the prayer room. It however began to mine Tiberium and would gain a decent living off of Tiberium alone, adding up to the US treasury and GDP.

Out of the initial stages of the Tiberium crisis, which was quickly swallowing Italy and Slovenia, the NATO nations came out aware that they were in danger. Research went immediately into towers with sonic booms capable of stopping Tiberium growth. This is what would save the US trouble in the future from Tiberium expansion. By the time American made towers could be produced, it was too late for Italy, who in the present must deal with the land it has left.

This wasn't all on Underwood's plate, however. He had a fresh side of an international terrorist organization that was next on 2018's menu.

In light of the Tiberium crisis, the Brotherhood of Nod emerged and began to spread in Colombia, Somalia, and Kenya with influence all over Africa and the Middle East. Their debut came in a bright flash of light, as they launched nuclear weapons that devastated Aleppo, Damascus, and Baghdad. In Nod's wake, the United States rearmed the Arsenal of Democracy with her Vertibirds and Power Armor for all out war. While the new Global Defense Initiative (that received American military donations) combated Nod in Colombia, America took to Somalia again with her allies in the UK and the UBS. They all staged a massive offensive on Nod, which completely all of Somalia. The Secretary of Defense James Mattis led US forces in north Somalia, liberating Somaliland as a free nation and trampling Nod forces. American soldiers (still in Kevlar; Power armor would be introduced on the field in 2019). In north Somalia, a line of M1A3 Abrams tanks, Bradleys, MLRS' and soldiers dug in to hold against a horde of Nod soldiers and tanks while the UK and UBS fought in south Somalia. The prowess of the American military proved too strong and the Nod forces were slaughtered, leaving few living to tell the tale. Somalia was left to its own fate after Nod was wiped, with the United States planning to fund the reconstruction of Mogadishu and the rest of the nation in early 2020.

The GDI, the US, and NATO would continue to fight off Nod on a global scale for the rest of the year. It ended off with the US acquiring Quantum Computing, setting it ahead of all other nations in terms of technology.

The Twilight: 2019
The year started off with another surplus, with the Underwood administration preparing for all out war on a global scale. Chinese ships were spotted off the coast of Alaska, forcing the US into DEFCON 3 for the first time in a decade.

The US had a normal couple of months until May, when Nod appeared in Colombia and planted Tiberium fields in Mexico, Panama and Cuba. Nod soldiers ravaged the Cuban countryside while the US was forced to set up sonic towers around the new fields, stopping Tiberium growth in North America.

As Cuba was dying due to the Nod invasion and Tiberium, the United States was forced into overdrive. Power Armor-clad American soldiers dropped into Cuba and slaughtered Nod forces there. Those who weren't killed fled back to Colombia. Almost immediately after, Cuba and Guam were admitted as the 53rd and 54th states.

As supposed vengeance for America's constant defeating of terrorism, Penn Station was bombed, killing and wounding many American citizens. The American people, infuriated by the attack, began to enter the military arms industry en-mass, seeking vengeance themselves.

In August, America went to DEFCON 3 again when the Russian Imperial Navy blockaded the Union of Baltic States. The blockade ended when the UBS refunded their purchase of Kaliningrad.

American forces were deployed again in September. A group of pilots located the Nod headquarters in Kenya. Named "Temple Prime", the location housed a Liquid Tiberium bomb that could set of a chain reaction in Tiberium causing the target to explode. In order to save the most obvious target, Italy, the United States headed what was initially a lone, last ditch operation to assault the Temple. James Mattis, donning a suit of Power Armor, led the assault. The GDI appeared afterwards and the Balts after them, and after a combined rocket artillery assault and destruction of Nod's jammers and shields, the Allies charged. Hundreds of Balts fell victim to Nod's machine guns while the power-armor clad American soldiers (including Mattis himself) led a heroic charge through an open chunk of wall. Nod forces were utterly slaughtered by the combined forces. CIA agent Miyagi sacrificed his life to destroy the Liquid Tiberium Bomb, and the Nod Commander was killed by President Underwood himself. In the end, Nod's rebellious mutants joined the US army and Temple Prime was destroyed.

Ad Astra Per Aspera: 2020
January was surely fulfilling for the Underwood Administration. Not only had they picked up a Stargate, but they succeeded in sending the ship Prometheus to build a permanent colony and mining site on the Moon.

However, just as great as the year started, it became to go for a downturn as the Falklands illegally left Crown control and rebelled against the United Kingdom. America intended to remain neutral during the conflict.

It is in this time that Italy let NATO for the CSTO, causing Underwood to doubt his abilities as a leader. This would shortly be amended in the next month of April.

In April, the Shanghai Pact and China issued an ultimatum to Cambodia demanding they submit themselves to the Pact and return to Communist rule. The United States would have none of it, and quickly invited the remaining ASEAN members to NATO. The US also hastily worked an alliance with Russia and Sino-American relations would deteriorate. America, with the backing of both NATO and the CSTO, threatened China into releasing Taiwan, who was recently annexed into the Chinese nation. The move was successful and sparked American nationalism as the US proved itself able to handle global issues and act as the superpower that it is.

It is also in April that the Philippines held a referendum to join the United States. The referendum passed in favor of America and the states of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao were forged in the region. The Department of Health began immediate operations to wipe disease in the three states just as it did previously in Liberia.