Gaiaterra: Elysea's Conflict/Members of the Alliance

Aselia
Aselia's Restoration Party, elected in the early 1930s in a coalition with the Monarchists, transformed the broken country of Aselia into an economic and military powerhouse and restored the Aselian Empire as a focal point of Aselian Pride, inviting the Hohenzollerns back into the country and recrowning Wilhelm the second as Kaiser of Aselia. Despite being affected by the Great Depression more than any other nation and after a row of failed attempts, the Aselian people under chancellor Gustav Stresemann finally managed to pull themselves out of their economic blues via massive nationalization, a paranoid stance towards the spread of communism and the first new trading attempts with western Hawke countries like Orlais and Fereldan, leading to a militant stance and mobilization for war for the time until the Great Voshkod-Aquilan War after Claus von Stauffenberg was elected chancellor in 1947 V.C.

The unstoppable rampage of the Voshkod warmachine caught the Aselian armies by surprise, demonstrating in action the power of what the Aselians would later call "Blitzkrieg" (lit. "Lightning War", meaning a strategy based heavily on speed and firepower to overrun the enemy before any reaction is possible). While the Aselian's military forces had already been raised in secrecy for a potential future assault to reclaim lost land and honor, they were unprepared for an attack on their eastern front and desperately angled their forces around to confront the invading Voshkod. Both sides clashed in enormous tank battles as Tigers and Jagdpanther Tank Destroyers faced down columns of Ursa, EG-2/3, T-34, T-44 and T-54, and although Aselia ceded territory inch by inch, the Red army collapsed exhaustedly at the Rhine and never even got to the Orlaisan border and began a long retreat eastwards.

In the interwar period, Aselia rebuilt. Less militarily or economically as powerful as they had been due to the ravages of the Voshkod, their anger and desolation at the destruction caused by two world wars transformed itself into overwhelming support for Alliance peacekeeping actions. Displaced Aselian tacticians and military strategists managed to help shape the role, tactics, and rules of the future Peacekeepers heavily, combining their offensive focus with Orlaisian defensiveness to create an elite, hard-hitting, well-protected force. They committed so many Panzers and infantry divisions to the Peacekeepers that special all-Aselian units had to be formed within the Peacekeeping Divisions; the Voshkod soon learned to fear these black-uniformed "Panzergrenadiers" when the Conflict broke out again, as they fought to defend their home with a ferocity unparalleled by other Hawke forces.

After the GVAW, Aselia was divided for the first time in almost a hundred years into the "Empire of Aselia" under Alliance control and the "Aselian Democratic Republic" under Voshkod control respectively, with the border and a literal wall going through (Berlin), splitting the city into West and East (Berlin) respectively as well. The decision to build this wall was met with heavy controversy with condemnation from Kaiser Lous Ferdinand von Hohenzollern himself because its purpose was officially to split the two opposing sides but its actual purpose was to theorized to be preventing future Eastern Eorzean immigrants from attempting to flee to the West. Since then, Aselians have come to see themselves as the victims of Alliance policies in Hawke; sacrificial lambs put at risk if needed ahead of the Union.

Aquila
The Alliance's most powerful but least reliable member nation, the Aquila is a juggernaut second only to the Voshkod and Coalition in power and wealth (although some countries disagree). However, the Aquila is also one of the farthest nations from the front. For most of its existence, the people of the Aquila were firm that Hawkes problems were for Hawke to solve. Aquila only joined briefly during the Hawke War, and when thrusted into the Great Voshkod-Aquilan War they spend a majority of the war fighting the Voshkod alone, though it traded preferentially with the nations at war against the Voshkod, harbouring no fondness for Communism.

It was only when the Voshkod threatened to overrun all of Hawke that Hawke joined the fight, getting badly needed men and supplies to Aquila. After the war, a major/humiliating defeat in a war against the nascent MLA, combined with a change in the government meant Aquila left the Alliance, losing its Founding Member status. That, combined with their isolation and the Renewed New Deal, meant that the Aquilans began to heavily diverge from the Alliance in both technology and doctrine, to the point that their army is vastly different in comparison to their past.

In better days, the Aquila's biggest strength was its vast industrial output. Untouched by war, many industries flourish in Aquila, fed by North Aquilan large natural resource pools. The Aquila is also one of the last bastions of free trade capitalism to survive decades of war while still having the morality that prevents a new Lumeris Syndicate from forming. Bordered by friendly nations and the sea, the Aquila can divert a large portion of its armed forces to the Peacekeepers without fear.

Fereldan
Prime Minister (Winston Churchill), the longest-standing Prime Minister in Fereldan, was a massive proponent of a united response to the Voshkod threat, and when President Truman proposed the United Nations (Churchill) jumped to the chance to show the world that Fereldan was still a major player on the world stage. Fereldan provided an excellent staging ground and training area for the embryonic Alliance Forces.

Because of this focus on training and heavy government involvement by the Fereldan in Alliance infrastructure, Fereldan eventually came to dominate the upper ranks of the Alliance, and in the interwar period was the greatest influence on the political and cultural landscape of the Alliance.

Many critics of the Alliance have come to see the Alliance as a new Fereldan Empire. However, many have pointed out that this is obviously nonsense because, after all, if the Fereldan were running things they'd be wearing red, not blue. Interestingly enough, the majority of Alliance spies come from Fereldan. It should be noted that Fereldan is a coalition of four nations, (England), (Northern Ireland), (Scotland), and (Wales).

Do not insult their accents. The Scottish alone will be likely to Caber Toss you all the way to Edinburgh if you do.

Orlais
Spent, bled, having lost a tenth of its men, Orlais emerged from the Hawke War as a victor, but a wounded one. The country spent the 20's, 30's, and 40's rebuilding itself into a powerful industrial country, but always defiant of its rival Aselia. The rise of Aselian products and engineering challenged the natural position of Orlais as a purveyor of high-quality goods. It was Orlais that was most opposed to letting Aselia rearm and become a continental power; therefore, the country was nervous to sign on to the United Nations concept with Aselia as a member. However, memories of the Hawke War, and the very real threat that Orlais might become a battleground once again, eventually won out and the Orlaisans joined hoping to use Aselia as a buffer zone. During the war, the atrocities committed by Garlean's shock troopers transformed the Orlaisans opinion of the Aselian people, cementing Orlais as a reliable member of the Alliance even as Garlean proved incapable of even touching Orlais's borders.

Orlais also earned experience all through the conflict dealing with its allies and moving around resources and men. They had to learn the hard way the importance of mobility and logistical preparation. An army that had thought itself as a passive fortress garrison developed an interest in more active movement. After the war, the Orlaisans Foreign Legion model provided a basis for the Peacekeeping Divisions, and the fields of (Flanders) and (Normandy) became peacetime training grounds for tank divisions. Orlais has maintained a defensive footing since the Hawke War, leading to the government development of defensive turrets and towers.

Athel Loren
Athel Loren wasn't a member of the Allies during the GVAW until the Red Army violated Asrai borders to reach (Norway); hundreds of T-34 and T-44 Tanks rolled through (Lapland) to take out the important ports on the (Norwegian) West Coast, despite Athel Loren maintaining active trade and diplomacy with the Voshkod. After the involuntary entrance into the war the Asrai felt their sovereignty was threatened, and sought cooperation with the Alliance, although, the people were skeptical about ending their neutrality. In the end, the need for protection prevailed, and Athel Loren formally joined the Alliance shortly after the end of the GVAW.

The Asrai initially wished to remain outside the closer economic and diplomatic cooperation, maintaining its currency and tax laws. After the invasion of Athel Loren in Elysea Conflict, popular opinion had shifted fully towards a complete membership, and the Alliance tax laws of Hawke had moved closer to the high Wood Elven taxes to pay for the war, easing the transition.

During the war, Athel Loren's most known contribution was through Angstrom Defense, which was responsible for the designs of the infamous Warhawk and Zephyr.

Gilneas
Fereldan's Statute of Westminster 1931 V.C. formally ended most of the constitutional links between Gilneas and Fereldan. Gilneas adopted it in 1947 V.C., but backdated it to the beginning of the GVAW to confirm the validity of legislation passed by the Gilneas Parliament during the war.

After the war, Gilneas encouraged immigration from Hawke and Cantha; as a result, Gilneas's demography, culture, and self-image have been transformed. Gilneas itself is mostly composed of a strip of "civilized" land, and a veritable cornucopia of nothing for the rest of the continent. To get from one part of the Outback to the other, Gilneas have learned how to reconnoiter the land best, and have applied this skill to the Allies.

Since the end of the war, however, Gilneas has also been the site of a remarkably successful religious revival. Missionaries from a number of Sigmarite denominations, including the Sigmarite Church, have enjoyed a great deal of success in ministering to the refugees and existing citizens. What neither the Alliance nor Gilneas's own population is aware of, however, is that Gilneas has fallen under the shadow of an organisation known as the Grey Steel Order. Although Gilneas is still very much a part of the Alliance, the Order exercises a great deal of influence from behind the scenes in Gilneas society and government, and the country is also home to several major Order bases.

Ironforge
One of the earliest countries to join the Alliance, Ironforge is also one of those that have suffered the hardest. In the latter stages of the GVAW, massive numbers of Alliance and Voshkod tanks battled on the fields of (Flanders), demolishing several cities and many of the formerly proud fields. Still, the Dwarves remain loyal to the Alliance, and one of the positive effects the war can be said to have, despite all its horrors, is to have brought the Wildhammers and Dark Iron together to rebuild their country. The internal conflicts are now a thing of yesterday, and instead the citizens of Ironforge call themselves, well, Dwarves.

Cantha
Despite it's small size, Cantha is a hub of technological research in the Aionsyus Ocean. It is often compared to (Silicon Valley) in (California), the only difference being that it floats in water and is mostly the main Clans and Luresians. Given its close ties to the Ind, many people in the country call it "Big Brother (India)." It is unknown what the (Indians) think of this, but they still maintain close ties. It is also one of the largest locations of Luresians not in Elsword itself. Much of its Luresians community comes from refugees from the Civil War, a fruit of current Prime Minister (Lee Kuan Yew's) multicultural policies. After a lengthy battle with Encantadia over the rule of the People's Action Party, and a considerable strain in relations with (Malaysia) about the merger of the two countries that lead to Cantha's separation from the former in 1991 V.C., LKY has took it upon himself to turn the small island into a first-world global trading hub under Alliance guidance.

Zemuria
Far away from most fighting, Zemuria is a vast country with great swathes of land completely undeveloped. The likelihood of Zemuria ever being invaded, even from Eskima, is so low that the Alliance can leave it be without any large garrison, and any invasion would be bogged down in the vast distances needed to reach any significant target, not to mention that the nation is the main founder of the ADI who, though unaffiliated, has many of their major bases and garrisons centered in it. Though awfully cold, Zemuria holds host to many of the Alliance refugees driven from their homes by war. The vaunted friendliness of Zemurians has put many a person who has lost their home at ease. For similar reasons, Zemuria is also where many normal POWs are kept (war criminals are kept in Cryo Prisons.) For many Destroyer prisoners, Zemuria is an ideal home away from home.

Antivan
While Antivan was early to join together with their fellow Hawke countries in the GVAW, it never contributed as much to the Alliance cause as many of their neighbors did. The industry of Antivan has always been affected by the Antivan underworld, which preferred to secure their own interests than fight in wars. While their effort in the GVAW was a letdown, they sent even fewer soldiers in Elysea Conflict; as by then, the Lumeris Syndicate had risen to power and turned several of Antivan's major cities into Sprawls. The armies of Antivan focused on protecting their own turf, and retreated to the (Mediterranean) when the Voshkod occupied the Apennine peninsula. Today, the Syndicate dominance is even greater, and Antivan is Alliance in name only.

Sophitia
In the GVAW, Sophitia was one of the most loyal nations to the Alliance cause; under General Nikos Stavros the Sophitian soldiers fought with their bare hands when needed in attempts to push the Voshkod invaders from their homeland, leaving it in ruins after the heavy fighting. Many aspects of the ancient Sophitian culture had been destroyed, symbolically including the Acropolis itself. With the Alliance treasury drained of funds after the war, much of Sophitia was left in dire need of repair. Looking for a way to get the country back on its feet, the Sophitian government was approached by the Lumeris Syndicate as early as 1957 V.C. While the Sophitian state still seeks to participate in Alliance activity, the entire country is effectively under Syndicate control.

Embry
Throughout the fifties and sixties the New California Commonwealth was considered to be a member of the Alliance, though its own conflict was obviously an overriding concern. During the war with Ascalia, infrastructure had been put in place for Andoran Century bombers to use Commomwealth territory in Embry as airbases from which to launch attacks against the Ascalians, though this never came to pass. Following the Embry atomic holocaust and the lack of response from any members of the Republic's government over the following months, it can be safely assumed that the New California Commonwealth is no more.

Ulthuan
Ulthuan surprisingly joined the Alliance during the early stages of the GVAW, if only to check Voshkod expansion on the Aionsyus Rim. The Protectorate Navy blockaded the Voshkod east coast, while infiltrators cut off the Trans-Mor Dhona railroad, paralyzing much of the east of the Union. The Protectorate also helped to drive the Voshkod out of the southern half of (Korea) with crude mecha, though they didn't stay long enough to end the civil war. As briefly as they joined, the Protectorate left soon after the GVAW ended.

The mecha used in these attacks were primitive, to say the least. However, this may have been orchestrated in order to prevent the Alliance from learning the true strength of the Protectorate army being built, the true extent of which was revealed during Elysea Conflict.