[USA] Trials and Tribulations

Day 3,807, 00:37 • Published in USA USA • by Derphoof




“Full frontal on Serbia? Yes or No.” - Artela

The day was the 25th of May, 2013.

Free Area had assumed the presidency of the AMP on the 15th, and revealed himself as a Serbian agent on the 25th by running Serbian accounts for congress, giving the AFA its largest congressional share in months.

The United States shared a border with Serbia in Aquitane, France. Serbia stretched from the Balkans, through Italy, and into France to get its desired resources.

The American people were outraged, and the world knew it. However, the world did not truly believe the US would engage in open conflict with Serbia. The Circle of Trust alliance had historically been on relatively friendly terms with its counterpart, TWO, which held the majority of the world’s firepower.

Still, The United States responded with an NE of Serbia on May 27th.

We attacked Serbia on May 28th in Aquitane. Although we lost the battle, we were able to eventually push into France, and had our border RW’d away as Serbia was pressured from multiple sides.

Then, as now, came the counter-punch.

Seven nations aligned with Serbia airstrike the USA, and occupy it until a final treaty with Poland and Spain was signed on October 16th, 2013.

It was a long and bruising war, started in good faith, but ended in predictably tragic failure. It was a war that damaged our esteem, and our community.





The USA was not a nation used to being wiped or conquered, as many nations around the world had grown accustomed to. The longest we had ever been wiped before was for about a few minutes. So, the USA took it especially harshly. Players left in droves, seeing no reason to come back.

So, a new phase began

Serving in the State Department and as Vice President in the latter half of 2013, Wild Owl began to shape American foreign policy anew.

Shaped by the prior events, WO embraced a new insulated foreign policy vision. The USA would not project its power as it did before, but only throw its weight around in supporting roles. It did so when allies were in dire need, and when US intervention would almost assuredly amount in victory.

If there’s one thing I learned about WO after all these years, its that he’s adverse to risk, and anything that would threaten our cores. He saw the events of 2013, and sought to avoid it at all costs.

As such, we made few enemies of those around us. Our borders were secured primarily by good relations. Our only “enemies” for a time were Spain, the UK and Indonesia, frequent targets of RWs and the occasional “real” war.

We used our strength and coordination to amass economic power, enriching the reserve and securing almost every resource within our borders. Following WO's efforts in the First Resource Wars, and Yui's efforts in the Second Resource Wars, we had no reason to expand borders for bonuses.

We could sit content within our borders, striking with precision and backing away quickly. We could defend our borders.

We could be safe.

While this was not the most exciting strategy, it was effective in its function. It became the modus operandi of American foreign affairs for years to come.

The USA was looked down upon for “being a bad ally,” “not helping enough,” and for embracing friendly nations that sat on opposing sides of larger conflicts.

Although we were criticized for these things, we took solace in our safety.





With our very secure situation in February of 2017, I wasn’t concerned about our safety. I wanted to take chances.

Wild Owl never actually wanted me to be president; let alone for six consecutive months. Letting me shape policy for that long would be yet another risk.

Like some others that came before me, he saw me as a threat to his vision. I wanted a clearer definition of which “side” we were on. Yui joined me in that idea. I wanted to go to war, and I wanted to bring the alliance along with me.

It invited risk, and it invited danger. Alienating a whole side does not come without risk of later retaliation.

With my goals in mind, I decided to coalesce our nation and alliance against the forces of Syndicate. Organizing the war, a fractured Pacifica came together to put an end to Syndicate, by airstriking Ukraine and Turkey.

America was more firmly on the side of Asteria, save one or two MPPs. Just as well, I began a detente with Bulgaria, via their CP at the time. Still allied to Greece, detente with MKD wasn’t an option without looking like a total d***.

By August, when I left office, we were making progress.

By December, it was gone.





”@Pfeiffer Wanna attack cro in thailand?” - Wild Owl - 01/29/2018


Later administrations did not take such an eager stance on befriending more Asterian nations. Nor did I stick around to actively shape foreign policy after the six months in office.

With a mix of backroom deals, shifting attitudes in government, and developments on the battlefield, the USA came to shift away from its Asterian focus. Eventually, the USA lost all of it’s Asteria MPPs, though not by design. While we maintained friendly relations with countries, MPPs were not welcome.

It was around this time that USA officials caught wind of conversations wherein Croatians were trying to organize a campaign against the eUSA. As most of the people in government already harbored a distaste of Croatia and desire to attack them, it only fanned the flames.

However, unlike our major war against Serbia, this was more out of the blue. No specific reason was given. No casus belli to rally the troops.

Croatia was a larger and more well-prepared target. Just as well, we had pissed off their allies by taking out Syndicate, our Asterian support was lukewarm, and BG-MKD largely didn’t like us after years of back and forth.

We lacked support and planning for such a war, and it showed.

Seeing our lack of support, I threw some sarcastic media at it from the standpoint of “arrogant American” going on “drunken rants.”

While I tried to make the most of it, much of America got upset.

“Why did we do this? Why spend so much money? WHY?”

Honestly, I think Congress was just misinformed. They voted for it, near unanimously. They didn’t see such a loss coming, and they didn’t see what would happen next.





With our AS struck down, and our friends having saved us in the Croatian response, the question lingere😛

“When will the Croats try it again? Who will they bring?”

It was a repeat of the situation we experienced in 2013.

As it turns out, hatred can be a powerful motivator.

And so, Croatia organized the Coalition of the Hating. Croatia, Bulgaria, MKD, Lithuania, Egypt, Thailand, and (to a lesser extent) Ireland, got in on the action.

The rest is obvious to anyone who’s been paying attention and can read a map.

While we’ve restored friendly relations with Ireland, we have a long way to go with the other nations that currently occupy our territories.

Yet, we’ve been here before.

Just because we’re occupied, it doesn’t mean that this is the end of the world. We went through about 4 months of occupation in 2014, and we came out alive. Balkan nations and small nations have had to deal with this since the beginning of eTime.

Just like in 2013, our war has predictably ended in failure. It’s okay to acknowledge that.

We failed.

But failure is not the end. It can lead to new beginnings. New outlooks.

Last time, we came out with a different outlook and obtained 4.5 years of security and strength.

That’s a hell of a run. You can thank the Owl for that.

But, this war stings. There are hard times ahead. We will be bruised and beaten for a while.

Even still, chin up. Keep up the fight on the battlefield. Fight smart. (Even my paltry account contributes sometimes) Reach out, and build bridges in the larger community, nationally and internationally. Get to know our allies and our occupiers.

Maybe throw out some fun articles or a troll piece. Make the most of the situation.

So, brothers, don’t get weary. This too will pass, so long as we don’t give up.

This isn’t the end of the journey.