MotF 73: Off the Map

I was planning on doing a map similar to this for MotF 72, but it seems that this idea suited this round too! The map's set in the same world as the Afghanistan map I did for a previous challenge, as is hinted at in the description. I hope you fellows like it!

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The break up of the USSR in the late eighties was a messy and often confusing affair. As the SSRs broke away to form new states and federations, the much-reduced Russian Republic held desperately onto a dream of territorial integrity. Independence movements quickly broke out in the Caucasus - long-oppressed Muslims sought national self-determination, and so seized the opportunity.

Though their success varied from year to year as the tide of the war flowed back and forth, the Islamic rebels became increasingly radical. Funding and support from extremist regimes in Iran and Turkestan shifted the rebels ever further from the ideals of universal peace. The introduction of NATO troops following several high-profile tourist kidnappings didn't help matters.

Despite the chaos in the Caucasus, Turkic and Islamic minorities further to the east remained surprisingly cordial. Jadidism - a brand of Islam supporting tolerance of other religions - had flourished in the area in the early 20th century. When the USSR's policy on Islam shifted towards intolerance many Jadidist leaders fled to countries where they could be free, not least of all the enlightened and democratic Afghanistan. After the Soviet's fall, these intellectuals and free-thinkers returned to their homelands, once again encouraging their fellows to tolerate other religions and cultures. Unfortunately the Russian government did not share their ideals.

Protests against the Russian treatment of Muslims in the War in the Caucasus went unheeded. Non-violent marches were the subject of police violence. Finally the Turks of the Volga region could stand it no more, and revolt broke out independently in Chuvashia and Tatarstan, with the Tatars later spreading the rebellion to Bashkortostan. After initial clashes it looked like the Russians intended to negotiate a peace, rather than risk another war, but the negotiations were a distraction; a ruse to permit the Russians time to prepare.

Unsuspecting and unprepared, Chuvashia fell within a month. The Tatars and Bashkirs - who had been planning to gain independence together as the United Republic of Tatarstan and Bashkortostan - accepted the fleeing Chuvash militia and government with open arms. The leaders of the three nations spoke at length; they all knew of the abortive attempts at regional independence during the last great chaos of Russian history, and the similarities were undeniable. Despite their differing religions, the Chuvash, the Tatars, and the Bashkirs were able to agree on an equal union of their countries - the Idel-Ural Federation.

The agreement was the easy part; they had yet to win their independence. They fought long and hard - though the Russians were determined to regain the natural resources and industry of the region, the Turkic rebels stalwartly fought back.

Disgusted by the news of human rights abuses coming out of Russia, politically active people from across the world sought to support the freedom fighters in any way they could. They protested. They marched across cities; they chanted slogans; they blocked up streets; they stood off against police; and they called and shouted. Finally, they were heard. The USA and other NATO countries put pressure on Russia to resolve the situation in the Volga region peacefully, lest they withdraw their support in the Caucasus and use trade sanctions to assault Russia's already beleaguered economy. The Russian leadership assured them that they were doing *everything* in their power to resolve the situation, and they'd reached out to the rebels but they're just so *unreasonable* - I mean you know how it is with *Muslims*, am I right? Eh?

The West did not find Russia's response adequate. It was a quiet, almost friendly slap in the face - a dare from their so-called allies. It was Russia's way of saying "You need us too, and don't you forget it". What the Russians failed to realise, however, was that they needed the West more, and that they - not Russia - held all the cards.

A no-fly zone was declared - Turkish, Turkestani, and Afghanistani planes enforced it whilst the US brought its significant air force to bear. Without control of the skies, the Russian advance faltered, and the Idel-Ural armed forces began pushing back.

At long last the Russians got the hint - there was no way they were going to win this, so they might as well cut their loses. A hasty ceasefire was negotiated, with sizable demilitarised zones protecting the Idel-Ural rebels from further Russian depredations. The Glorious 24th of May would go down in history as the day the Chuvash, the Tatars, and the Bashkirs won their independence.

It would be years before the full extent of Russia's human rights abuses in Chuvashia would become known, but if you asked the people of the Idel-Ural Federation if they could go back knowing what they know now, they'd say they wouldn't've done it any other way.


DeviantArt link

Denmark and Germany. Two superpowers, two enemies. Two desires, one state:
Schleswig. Both wanted it, though the people longed for independence. And they got it.
After the separate Conference of Flensburg, independence was provided...

By the way, this map includes only few cities since it otherwise gets too crowded. Also, I hope it's not a problem that the focus is not only on Schleswig, but also on Germany as a whole. Additionally, don't only look at the map, but also think of the whole lot of ideas behind it. I spent hours on this, so I hope you like it, and only vote for me if you want to (though I wouldn't mind winning ).

Click on this image for the real map; this is only sort of a joke.



Full size
Or here (better quality)

It is the year 2022. The United States have just landed a man on Mars, marking the biggest leap of mankind’s technological prowess; the Soviet Union is nearing its one-hundredth anniversary and in Africa the Kenyan president fights a grueling war against the Islamic Insurgents in the coastal and eastern provinces of his country. Supported by the US, Kenyan forces are beginning to make inroads into rebel held areas, after nearly two decades of stalemate.

Now the tide turns and the Islamists are getting desperate. Suicide attacks on civil and governmental institution are increasing, as the Kenyan army brutally retaliates against suspected and real terrorists. The President and his people are on the verge of total victory though how high the cost…

This is part of an Alternate World, a world which is still locked in a Cold war between the United States of America and the Soviet Union, a world where man didn’t retreated from space with moon bases dotting the lunar landscape and where man walks on Mars. An alternate timeline were beside the Cold War there rages numerous conflicts, a bloody War on Drugs in Mexico, Islamists insurgency on the Arabian Peninsula, ethnic cleansing in Africa and others. And China, a China where the third “Gang of Four” lives to the dogma of Chairman Mao.

A world just like our timeline, but different still; where technological advances walk side-by-side with the misery of a Nigerian slum child and where capitalism rules, bolshevism stagnates and Mao bloodies.

A grim world, an advanced world, a corrupt, a naïve, an ideological, a multicultural, a religious, a militaristic, a communist, a democratic World. Watch out for the differences…


First the smaller version:


And the larger version:

While most of the explanation is on the map, it might be worth clarifying that only the coloured countries recognise the SSA's independence.

Also, Albania got partitioned, while Serbia was absolutely hammered in the Third Balkan War and lost Macedonia and Kosovo.

Albania's not too happy about giving up Pristina, but they get Shkoder back and Pec to boot, so they're not going to protest to the Italians to much this time.

EDIT: Updated with better Serbian.