All hail Liberia, hail!

Share your stories of conquests and leadership successes.

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Ater
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Re: All hail Liberia, hail!

Post by Ater »

Ricent1 wrote:Hello all,

It was Gottfried Leibniz who proposed in his work, Theodicy, that of all the possible universes, this one we live in is the best possible one that God chose for His creation. Since the 17th century, alternate universes have been a subject of discussion and fantasy. How many of you remember evil Spock with a goatee in episode 39, "Mirror, Mirror"?

As Liberia in the 1936 sandbox, the world has run out of evil nations. I set my diplomatic setting to very hard, but no one will declare war on me. Nations peg at 50% provocation.

I have decided to reload as President Barclay of Liberia in SRU Cold War. The NATO and Warsaw Pact sides seem relatively even in strength which should allow for plenty of distraction in the world as lowly Liberia builds to a military machine in the obscurity of the African continent.

I have changed volatility to very high. I must rebuild everything as even my rubber plantations are gone. I will work this into my story.

I am in the process of running 5 or 6 years in Cold War to get to the same date as my AAR. I will no longer have territories in Tunisia and elsewhere, so please forgive the incongruity. With Christmas being this week, I should have some late nights to catch up and continue my story.

Just pretend Marty McFly took his DeLorean back to 1949 instead of 1955 and caused a butterfly effect that changed the course of Liberia's future somehow.

Battlegoat, thanks for the newest update. Hats off to all of you as this has been the most captivating game I have ever played. Just playing it causes me to daydream the "what-ifs" of being a nation's leader in an unsure and dangerous world. This AAR has been a result of staring at my monitor and watching time tick by as I struggle to balance my economy, military, the happiness of the citizenry, and diplomacy abroad. As I await a barracks to be built, or offer a trade with a foreign leader, I find myself thinking, "What if something behind the scenes happened while a president was trying to complete this objective?."

Thanks to those who have made comments encouraging me to continue. I hope to give you some more to read soon...
Cant wait to read more :)
I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones. -Albert Einstein
Ricent1
Captain
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Re: All hail Liberia, hail!

Post by Ricent1 »

July, 1955:

Chaos.

The country is in complete disarray. Rubber, the economic lifeblood of Liberia, is in very short supply. All of our plantations except one have been set afire. Arson from an unknown source. The populace believes it's the work of communists. McCarthyism is spreading from the U.S. to all her allies. Paranoia aside, it may be the work of the Ruskies. I remember what Maria told me in our lunch meeting a few months back. Like most 3rd world countries these days, communist sympathizers are growing in influence. They feed off the discontent of the poor.

That's not all. Our naval fabrication plant was destroyed in a suspicious explosion. All of our navy was in dock at the time and several ships are lying on the floor of the bay off Port Monrovia. All our other maritime vessels are damaged or crippled. I am no admiral, but ships docked in port shouldn't all be damaged because of a chain of explosions in the shipyards, right? Twisted steel and crumbling concrete are all that's left of our shipyards. We must start from scratch... when we can afford it.

The land fabrication plant is still operational, but the ranger training facility had an "accident" when a full tanker truck crashed into the headquarters. The intense heat melted the steel in the walls. A complete loss. We are temporarily training "Elite Guard" as a substitute training course. General Nbote is currently overseeing this and is trying to work his way out of a job. He jokingly tells my son, Edwin Jr., that when he is old enough, he can lead the Guard.

The UN put pressure on us to return our lands in Tunisia back as their government has returned from exile. The same with the Dodecanese and Eritrea. We are back to having no oil of our own.

Maria tells me that Tnarg is in hiding as Krucshchev has made it his personal mission to hunt him down. I find myself doubting everything Maria tells me, though. Life was fine before she arrived. Now all this is happening and I never feel like I am getting the whole story from her. Jefferson has been dating her now for a month. I have asked him to inform me of her "pillow talk". Does she ask him questions about dealings I have or juicy bits of information that she could use against me? I can tell Jefferson feels torn between work and relationship. He says that so far she has kept her talk to just them. I believe he is still loyal to me, but women have a way of changing things.

My own discussions with her have been intriguing. She gets intel from various sources and tells me none of these events were accidents. The plantations fires may have been home-grown, but she is convinced the other episodes were Moscow directives.

The good news is coal and oil are still dirt cheap. Inflation has priced us out of industrial goods and it is easier on our economy to import cheap industrial goods and mothball our manufacturing. The electricity savings will allow us to expand consumer goods production a bit to help generate revenue. The unemployment has caused me to lose a little in approval ratings, but inflation is back down in single digits and hopefully we can stay ahead of the curve with rubber and consumer goods.

Edwin Jr. turns 14 this week and we plan to get away as a family for awhile. As security chief, Colonel Williams thinks it's a good idea to get away from the capital with all these "accidents". Only a handful of people will know where we are going. Maria has asked for the location. Since her whole reason for being here is to presumably protect me, I have told her it is a log cabin deep in the jungle near Takpoima. With Jefferson with us, I feel safe, but I have asked the remaining members of the "Hotel 4" to join us as well. I happened to keep that bit of information from Maria. Williams promised not to tell her as well.

Major Jennings, Captain Knibonu and a small, select squad of rangers will drive up before us, and stay in a cabin on a hill above us with a view of the surrounding area. Any incoming vehicles would be seen well in advance and they have a direct phone line to our cabin. The children know we are stressed and afraid. Kids pick up on that. This will be a chance to unwind.

World conquest goes back on the shelf as defense is the order of business. Jefferson thinks we should build an intelligence center, like the Pentagon in the US. I looked at the price tag and it just simply isn't possible for now. Conventional forces rolling off the assembly lines again will bring me more peace of mind than all this counter-intelligence hogwash. I've had my fill and don't have any idea who to trust anymore. I long for the days when it was just me, Yousef, and his envelope of Polaroids.
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Ricent1
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Re: All hail Liberia, hail!

Post by Ricent1 »

July 22, 1955:

After driving through the night over very rough terrain, we reach the cabin in Takpoima around 5am. The sun is coming up, but sleep is impossible driving through jungle growth in a Land Rover with off road suspension. We are all going to bed.

As I enter the cabin, the phone rings. It's Philip Jennings. The major says he and Knibonu watched us arrive and that we were not followed. His view from the bluff a kilometer north of us is perfect for surveillance. He wishes us a good day's rest and says his team is on high alert. The phone line is working fine, but he says if he is unable to reach us, or vice versa, there are flare guns. Ours is in the master bedroom. I give him my thanks as I unpack some clothes more suitable for sleep. Aya and Edwin Jr are already asleep in their rooms. Asatu is nearly out as well. 7 days to forget about recent events and do nothing but breathe. The town is some 4 or 5 km away. Hardly a town, at 10000 people, it's barely more than a village. Monrovia is almost like a European city in its planning and amenities. Takpoima is not. It does have electricity and running water, though. I have focused on raising living conditions for Liberians, at least in towns that size and larger.

Williams insists on sleeping on the couch in the living area. There are plenty of bedrooms, but he wants to sleep light so he can be ready for any security issue. I figure after a couple nights of peace and quiet he will relax and sleep on a real bed. I won't argue with him about it.

As I head to my room, I look in the kitchen as Agnetha puts the final touches on Eddie's birthday cake. She is a Norwegian au pair working her way through university. Aya loves her accent and wants to go back to Oslo with her. Ed Jr. loves her too, but in a different way. A 14 year old boy living with a 19 year old Scandinavian college girl is the closest thing to paradise in Eddie's mind. Asatu watches him like a hawk. Mothers know their sons. Fathers do too. I told him he shouldn't be in too big of a hurry to grow up. He laughs and says he's practically a man. I opened my mouth to respond, then closed it again when I remembered saying the same thing to my dad when I was his age. Agnetha finishes the cake and hides it with the silver cake knife in a cupboard above the pot belly stove in the corner. I smile and tell her to grab some shut eye. She nods and heads to her room. I slip a quick glance into Eddie's room to be sure he is asleep in his own bed. You know, just in case.

As I walk down the hall, I notice the heat this drafty cabin lets in. We are researching a technology that will allow our power plants increase output by up to 50%. In exchange, the privately-owned electric companies are going to install air conditioners in 100,000 homes in Liberia over the next 5 years. It was Asatu's idea. We were visiting a family that won our nation's civic award and ate dinner in their humble home. The heat was oppressive and Asatu decided from that day forward, she would not rest as long as the rich were the only people in Liberia to enjoy a cool house. She's amazing.

As I step into our room, the ceiling fan makes it a bit more bearable. Asatu, for some reason, is asleep UNDER the sheets. Why is it that women can be cold anywhere? I strip down to my skivvies and lie on top of the covers. Sleep comes so quickly that I remember thinking I should set an alarm. That's the last thing I remember.
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Ricent1
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Re: All hail Liberia, hail!

Post by Ricent1 »

11am.

I am jolted awake by a noise, like cats fighting or something. As I shake myself awake, Asatu sits up and says, "What was that Edwin?" I tell her I'm not sure. I head down the hall and into the living area. The couch is empty and Jefferson is gone. I look out the front window and notice a new car outside.

It's too quiet. I quickly go into the kitchen and pick up the phone. The line is dead.

Asatu enters the kitchen in time to see the fear on my face. She steps close to me and whispers, "The phone doesn't work, does it? What do we do?" I set the phone down softly. I motion to the kids' rooms.

Thank God! Aya is still there, asleep. Asatu covers her mouth and carries her to the closet and hides with her in there. I whisper that I will get Eddie and come back.

I make my way to Eddie's room and slowly open the squeaky door. The bed is empty. I close it again and head toward the kitchen and Agnetha's room on the far side of it. I find myself hoping to find Eddie in there. Under any other circumstances...

She is there. Alone. I step towards her and she opens her eyes, startled. I quickly put my finger to my lips and whisper, "We have trouble, come with me." As we head back to Asatu and Aya, I glance out the kitchen window and see a woman's body. It's Maria.

I send Agnetha down the hall as I go to check on Tnarg's female counterpart. There is a wound to her head. I put two fingers on her throat and feel a pulse. She's alive. I look up to see a red flare coming from the bluff above us and a military vehicle racing down the switch back trail that leads to us. Then I hear Agnetha scream.

I turn to see Jefferson holding Agnetha with a gun to her head. She is staring at me in mortal fear, her lips quivering and tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Jefferson, just what the..." I stop mid-sentence when he points the gun at me.

"Edwin, (he has never been so informal) Maria was never the one to be worried about." He laughs at his double-cross with a self-important, whimsical musing. "But she has suspected me since the first day she got here. That's why I am going to make this look like her doing. I have 5 minutes before the cavalry arrives. When Major Jennings gets down that hill and walks in, Maria will be dead with this gun in her hand. I need her to bleed right here in the room where all of you die. You see, she killed you all before I was able to stop her. An international spy posing as a decorator. A "decorator" that follows the Liberian president out to a remote vacation spot to murder him and his family. For the Kremlin, of course. Her connection with Tnarg will be the icing on the cake. I will be a hero. Perhaps the next president! The Kremlin has agreed to bankroll my campaign. Now Edwin, if you would be so kind. Call Asatu and the kids out here."

"Why should I?" The gun cocks and is thrust back into Agnetha's temple. The girl whimpers in terror.

"Get them out here without a fuss and I promise I will make it quick and merciful."

"Merciful? MERCIFUL? Jefferson, I trusted you. I made you everything you are. And this is how you repay me? By "mercifully" slaughtering my family and two women? What brought you to this? What have I done to deserve this from you?"

"Edwin, I wish I could rattle off some long discourse of political discontent. That I was doing this as a freedom fighter for Liberians without a voice. Or for the proletariat uprising against the oppressive Liberian bourgeoisie. But alas, it was the money. You see, Kruschchev promised more than just campaign financing. It seems the Swiss do banking for anyone, including the First Secretary of the Soviet communist party. Once the press publishes the story of your deaths, an account will be set up in Zurich with my name. I won't bore you with the amount."

"Williams you are a disgrace. Nbote landed in Tunisia and risked his life for this country. Yousef GAVE his life for this country. And you are selling it out for personal gain. You're not a man. You're a thief and a coward who threatens women and children." What else could I say? If I'm going to die, I want those to be the words that ring in his ears for the rest of his miserable life.

"Well then, let me do something more manly by starting with you." The muzzle of the gun swings back in my direction. "Goodbye Mr. President. It was nice knowing..." A short yelp escapes his throat as I see a knife thrust through his chest from behind. A silver, cake knife. As Jefferson gasps and sinks to the ground, I see Eddie standing behind him, with blood on his hand and sleeve from the entry wound. Agnetha screams and jumps into Eddie's arms, shaking and hysterical. In shock, Eddie is unable to hug her back and is trying to figure out how to comfort her without dripping Colonel Williams' blood onto her clothing. All the while, staring blankly at me.

Asatu steps out of the hallway with Aya hiding behind her legs. She glances at me, then at Eddie. "Junior? Junior, are you okay?" Eddie turns to his mother and the glaze over his eyes vanish. It begins to sink in.

"You saved my life Eddie, thank you, thank you." Agnetha kisses him on the cheek and goes back to hugging him, twice as hard this time. I watch him as he closes his eyes and begins to shudder in grief and pain for killing another human being. Shock gives way to his wrenching sobs. Agnetha holds on.

I walk over and put my hand on my son's shoulder. His eyes open and meet mine. "Son," I say, "today you have entered adulthood, complete with all its pain and troubles. You have become a man. Not because of what you did, but because you were willing to do it for the lives of others. I'm proud of you."

About that time, Maria staggers in through the back door. The gash on her head will need stitches. "Edwin, I knew Jefferson was bad. He called me to come here and help him. Apparently, he was under the impression that I was looking to destroy you. I wonder where he would get an idea like that?" I look down. "Anyway, I told him not to do anything until I got here. He must have known I would try to stop him because he attacked me out back as he pretended to lay out his plan. He pointed to the flare from the hill and said we only had a few minutes. When I turned to see Major Jennings's jeep driving like a bat out of hell down the switchbacks, he hit me with a wood plank or something."

Apparently, it wasn't fighting cats that woke me up.

I look over at Asatu who must be catching on by now. How do I word this? "Dear, I need to tell you about Maria. Uh, she's not really an interior decorator, she's..."

"Edwin, I'm not an idiot. I knew from our first meeting she was connected to Tnarg or someone like him. I figured you went to all the trouble of keeping her identity from me because there was a real danger and she was here to help. Maria, thank you for protecting us and coming out here. This one was a lot closer than the other two times!"

"What?" Now I feel like the one who doesn't know what's going on. "Maria, what is she talking about? What has happened that I am not aware of?"

"I'll fill you in later, Mr. President. Your wife is very astute. We have diffused several security situations without your knowledge."

Asatu jumps in, "Oh sweetheart, don't bother. I'll catch Edwin up on the kitchen incident and the thing at the theater."

"The what and the what? Hey, I'm the President here. I should know exactly what is going on when it comes to my safety! Asatu, what were you thinking? Why would you risk yourself in all this?"

"Empowered women need to face the challenges that come with the territory. Remember that Ronald Reagan movie?"

Still incredulous, I ask, "How were these incidents dealt with? Did people die?"

Asatu smiles. "Plausible deniability, dear. Maria and I feel you should be informed on a need-to-know basis. Now let's get Aya out of here. I don't want her seeing all this blood."

Jennings and Knibonu bust into the room with guns drawn, quickly assess the situation, and stand down. They help us pack up and follow us back to Monrovia in their vehicle.

Oh, Maria will be my new security chief and will take Jennings office.

I can't wait to return to the traffic, crime, and big city mayhem of the capital. Somehow, it feels safer there.
chainsawdaz
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Re: All hail Liberia, hail!

Post by chainsawdaz »

This AAR keeps getting better and better, good work!
Ricent1
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Re: All hail Liberia, hail!

Post by Ricent1 »

August 1958:

3 years have passed since the death of Jefferson Williams. Everyone in the family still has nightmares about it. I forced everyone to go back to the cabin last year as I hoped it would stop being a place of evil in our minds. A place we avoid to mention. It was awkward and we didn't stay long. It did seem, however, to change our ability to talk about it more easily.

Eddie graduated and is attending West Point. The whole family has dual citizenship and he will have 8 years between the academy and active duty. This Vietnam thing has been heating up but should be over by the time he graduates in '63. How long can a bunch of peasants keep fighting anyway? The French underestimated and underemployed forces, but the US hasn't lost a fight yet, and I don't think Ho Chi Minh is the guy to break the streak.

An interesting development nearby has occurred. Recently-independent Gold Coast invaded and annexed Togoland. Europe is upset. Perhaps they need a friendly African nation to right this injustice. I have one in mind. Oh, and they have offshore oil reserves as well. Did I mention that?

General Nbote is drawing up battle plans as I write this. Maria is sending Tnarg aerial photos and all the Intel we have. Of course I am sure it is far less than the Major already has. It's like a 4 year old explaining algebra to a professor.

Agnetha is going to travel to the US and get her Master's in Applied Psychological Methods at Fordham University, a mere 35 km from West Point. It appears she really likes Eddie despite his being five years her junior. At first we all thought it was just the drama of the... well, you know. But they have become interested in each other beyond infatuation. She is a good woman and Asatu approves. (90% of the battle right there.) She changed her field of study to psychology after the incident in Takpoima. She is bent on understanding the violent mind. She certainly doesn't lack for motivation.

Aya is now 14 and boys are beginning to notice her. Girls marry very young in Liberia. If she was the daughter of a farmer, she would probably be married with a child on the way. Maria escorts her to all teen functions at school. I told Aya it was Maria or me. No contest. Maria is as "cool as Elvis". Elvis Presley. Great voice, but I sure don't like all that gyrating on stage. Well, American musicians flaunting their bodies on stage for attention will never become the norm. People can't see that on the radio. Besides, who wants to? Music is to be heard, not seen. That's what I say. Wiser minds will prevail. Music producers would certainly never stoop to using sex as a draw to make up for their lack of musical creativity. This provocative behavior will slither its way back to the seedy underworld of nightclubs of ill repute. I can still remember my father pointing out a burlesque club to me back in the 20s.

We finally had the power tech breakthrough and the standard of living has risen greatly here. The economy is doing well as my Secretary of Commerce, Aswar Zuma, now has free reign to pursue all profitability options, foreign and domestic. I decided to give him more autonomy after listening to a group of world leaders that met recently: http://www.bgforums.com/forums/viewtopi ... 78&t=24403.

My Secretary of State, Essop Sanjika, has traded techs and has leveraged techs to get free trade agreements with several nations. Our GDP is up, inflation is down, an unemployment is hovering around 3.1%. A golden era, if I do say so myself.

At great cost and spiked inflation, we rebuilt our naval fabrication facility and are in process of building troop carriers and their escorts. West Africa lies between us and Gold Coast by land. Just waves of the mid-Atlantic by sea. The only infantry unit we can find to research training for that has amphibious landing ability is the "sea-bee" engineer. We've reached out to other nations with no luck so far. We will continue to look, but we are beginning the sea-bee training. Major Jennings was promoted to Colonel so that he could take over the base that will facilitate the training.

I have increased salary to all armed forces personnel in order to draw more recruits. The down side of a great economy is there are few hungry mouths willing to carry a rifle for 3 square meals a day.

With General Nbote leading the Liberian army, I need an admiral to commandeer the Navy. Knibonu has no experience with naval vessels and would be an unwise choice. (He also confided in me that he can't swim.) I have asked Maria to find me candidates abroad that she would trust. She is in contact with a young senator in America who served valiantly on a PT boat in WW2. She calls him Jack. She thinks he has enough connections to find us a suitable admiral. I asked her if he would be interested. She thinks he has "bigger" plans. What could be bigger than Admiral of the Liberian Navy, 5 vessels strong and counting?

These Americans and their delusions of grandeur!
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Ricent1
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Re: All hail Liberia, hail!

Post by Ricent1 »

May 27th, 1960:

I am told kings, prime ministers, and presidents agonize during the hours before they begin war. Agony is an understatement.

Sitting in my office for three days, barely sleeping, I contemplated the invasion of Gold Coast which is being launched as I write this. Minister Banda has been a guest of the Presidential estate for several months. Kwasi is the ousted leader of Togo. Well, leader of the colony, that is. Or was, I should say. He has asked me to help him liberate Togo from Gabriel Cofie.

Cofie's grip on Togo has been ruthless. Banda says it's as if the slavers have returned to Africa. He shares stories, pictures. Unspeakable things are happening in his homeland. I believe he is a good man. His concerns are for the people of his land. He has no desire to be rich or regain power. This is a man I can trust. I have told him I will restore his nation's autonomy once we conquer Gold Coast. He will again be their leader, if they will still have him.

I will not colonize Gold Coast land. I need the oil deposits off shore. We must annex to build the oil platforms. We are researching them now. I also want to draw out those loyal to Cofie. Partisans will form. They will lead me to the organizers and Cofie sympathizers.

Rebellion will have to be stopped. I can't get those images out of my mind. Atrocities like this can never happen again. I have to root them all out. But it will take time.

First things first, though. Nbote will lead the amphibious assault in 4 days.
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Ricent1
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Re: All hail Liberia, hail!

Post by Ricent1 »

June 6th:

With Major Tnarg's intel, it has taken only 7 days to secure the coastline and southern half of Gold Coast. We landed west of Accra, Gold Coast's capital and chief port city. After meeting minimal resistance, we took the capital and the engineers began repair of the port. In case we meet heavier resistance up north, we will need to land fresh reinforcements.

Nbote says our troops in the east are meeting Togo citizens and are being treated as liberators. Prime Minister Banda is already about to land at the air strip in Accra. from their he will be escorted across the border to Togo. I sent the photos and stories of the atrocities to Britain's Churchill. He has persuaded Parliament to allow Togo independence once the Cofie regime is out of power. Churchill and I have grown close because of this ordeal and we share all treaties except formal alliance. I am not sure why he refuses, but perhaps he will come around. To date, only Luxembourg has agreed to be a formal ally.

Cofie has regrouped in Tamale, to the north. Our infantry slugs through jungle paths en route to the stronghold. We don't know what awaits us there. We should know in a day or two. General Nbote has resupplied his force and are closing in on what we hope is Cofie's last stand.
invasion of Gold Coast.jpg
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medic911
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Re: All hail Liberia, hail!

Post by medic911 »

Finally started following this, and it has been a good read. i should really put the time/effort into creating more narrative, but ive been getting too wrapped up in actually playing the game since its about the only recreation time i've got right now. taking on another 6 class semester w/ internship, and now its all 3-400 level stuff.

i loved the Kennedy joke by the way, nice touch.

On a game note..... how useful do you find the navy? In most of my older sr2020 games i pretty much went out of my way to not use it. right now im only building navy forces to launch my nukes from (because i figured out that the Ukraine has 62 nuclear weapons i didnt know about the first time around! i also 'borrowed' 4 ICBMs from the Russians). but other than launching nukes and subs poaching merchant ships, what good is it? or am i just doing it wrong?
Ricent1
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Re: All hail Liberia, hail!

Post by Ricent1 »

Medic911,

I see you're just on the other side of the valley from me. We're practically neighbors!

Glad you caught the JFK reference. Not sure if PT-109 is mandatory reading in schools anymore.

I have found the naval experience difficult. I know some folks on this forum use their vessels well. They will park battleships off the coast and flatten incoming counter attacks by ground troops whenever possible. I am trying to learn this. Mostly, I use naval forces to deliver troops to combat sites. I guess I see the Navy like Keifer Sutherland did in "A Few Good Men".

I play at night before I go to bed, and daydream about the story while I am at work. Employee of the year, huh?
Ricent1
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Re: All hail Liberia, hail!

Post by Ricent1 »

June 10th:

Cofie capitulates and Gold Coast is no more. General Nbote is met in Tamale by the despot and he has the gall to make demands. He tells my Field Marshall that he wants first class plane tickets to Morocco, with a brief stop in Monte Carlo. Nbote tells him in front of the Gold Coast military that Cofie's ticket is on the end of his boot and that he would be willing to deliver it himself!

Actually, Cofie and his assistants will be on a flight. But it is a one way ticket to the Hague. War crime charges and crimes against humanity will be the dealer's hand he has to beat. Nbote has him put in handcuffs just to humiliate him on his way to the Accra Airport. A crowd outside the tarmac fence throws lettuce and other rotten vegetables at the outgoing leader. Cheers of victory and "Down with Cofie" chants are drowned out only by the engines of the military aircraft taking the war criminal to the Netherlands.

An American news personality has contacted me and wishes to interview me. He is a pleasant fellow that goes by the name, Cronkite. I tell him that I am not the reason Togo is free, but that the Liberian special forces and Kwasi Banda are the real heroes. He asks me if there is anything he could do for me. I tell him no, but that perhaps he could use his influence to arrange a meeting between General Sekou Nbote and his idol.
Cofie.jpg
Annexation date.jpg
Gold Coast mop-up.jpg
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medic911
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Re: All hail Liberia, hail!

Post by medic911 »

I don't recall it ever coming up in school. Luckily I am going to be a history teacher, so that will change somewhere at least.

Hadn't even noticed the az connection, sweet. You wouldn't happen to be into sci fi / military type books would you? I've got a screenplay adaptation that needs some beta readers. More info can be found in the off topic forum. It would be cool to get someone local and out of my usual circle of opinions.
Ricent1
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Location: Sebastian, Florida

Re: All hail Liberia, hail!

Post by Ricent1 »

July 1st:

In 3 short weeks, 3 African colonies have gained independence. Apparently, Togo's liberation is causing a ripple effect across the continent. Belgium released the Congo, the UK granted autonomy to Somalia, and the French relinquished control of Mali.

We are 3 to 5 months from having the capability of constructing off shore oil platforms. Our Army Corps of Engineers are ready to rush headlong into building as soon as we have the blueprints and fabrication docks finished. In the meantime, we are building a supply depot, airbase, and barracks just west of Accra, on some ground we purchased from locals.

On June 22nd, we welcomed back Sekou Nbote and the brave special forces divisions that defeated Cofie's Gold Coast. In a march from the US embassy at the far west of the city, the General and his men were treated to a ticker tape heroes' welcome down the newly-named "Sekou Toure Drive", named after our most illustrious general. They proceeded all the way to the capital building where none other than J.R.R. Tolkien presented an awestruck Nbote with our highest military honor, the Order of the Star of Africa Grand Cross. Sekou also received an autographed copy of "The Return of the King" (which privately he admits was the greater of the two gifts).

Eddie and Agnetha are in town from America until they start back to school in the fall. Their mood is somber and I can tell there is something wrong. One afternoon, I take Eddie fishing in the little spot we have on Balli island, where the Mesurado River cuts through the capital city. Finally, after a couple American beers I had flown in especially for him, Eddie begins to open up. His relationship with Agnetha is not received well by many in the States. There have even been threats against them. Not subtle ones, either. Eddie says Agnetha has been ostracized in school. She is miserable and wants to leave the US and finish university in Europe. Her Swedish is good and she is looking at transferring to the University of Uppsala in September. Eddie says his treatment is far better. Jokingly, he says all the underclassmen are treated like lowlifes, regardless of their color. Hazing and initiations do not discriminate. His fellow academy mates have told him they don't think of him as black, but as just another member of their unit. Their training and schooling is extremely demanding and it has caused them to all gel as a team. Desperation doesn't allow for bigotry.

He tells me of a reverend that has begun peaceful marches to bring ill treatment of blacks in the South to the national forefront. Eddie admires his courage as well as his stage presence and ability to capture the attention of large crowds. I tell him to be careful. Get through the academy, become an officer in the US Army, and then he will have the protection of the US military behind him.

Speaking of the military, I have promoted Alford Russ from rear admiral to Admiral of the Liberian Navy and commander of Liberian naval forces. Alford has traveled with me in the past and even visited a US military base in Virginia with me back in '43. He is a strong and diplomatic man. Even-keeled, no pun intended.
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Ricent1
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Posts: 110
Joined: Jan 15 2014
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Location: Sebastian, Florida

Re: All hail Liberia, hail!

Post by Ricent1 »

August, 1960:

Things have settled down in our newly acquired lands. Popularity is dropping and I have convinced Congress to pass measures drastically lowering taxes and raising social services. Our treasury will take a hit, but we have over $1.6 billion in the treasury after selling techs to nations all over the world.

In addition, we have broken ground on a research center northwest of Monrovia. I have 4 engineer battalions working round-the clock shifts to get it completed as soon as humanly possible. We have met a wall technologically and there are breakthroughs we can only discover ourselves. Most of them military. I know both NATO and the Warsaw Pact have jet fighters and aircraft carriers, but the most advanced fighter planes I can get specs on are Supermarine Spitfires from the UK. 15 year old technology is not going to win us a war with any serious contender outside this continent.

Speaking of such, the Warsaw Pact has united against us and provocation alerts are in the high probability column with each and every one. Even non-communist nations with leftist leanings, like Venezuela, have obstinately abandoned their once hospitable positions with us. We could be looking at a declaration of war, though none of these nations are near to us, and we may not be worth their trouble.

I would sleep better, but Maria foiled an attempt by a small band of communists from South America to detonate an explosive near the capital building. The target was the football stadium on Sekou Toure Drive not more than a few kilometers from the Presidential mansion and Congress. During a packed "soccer" exhibition between the US and our own national team, a group of 5 men placed a rather sophisticated incendiary device in the corner tunnel leading to the main parking lot. Maria disarmed each one as they fanned out into different parts of the stadium. They carried grenades and Russian-made semi-automatic pistols. Well-financed, well-armed, and tactically skilled, these were no backwoods, Liberian amateurs. They are being held in a secure location near the barracks northeast of Monrovia. Rumors are spreading among the populace. Maria was seen "disarming" one of the insurgents by a fan at the stadium who was using the restroom. The urban legend is growing, with several very colorful versions, of a beautiful Hispanic woman and her military-style beatdown inflicted on an armed assailant twice her size. Her methods of weapon extraction vary from version to version of the tale. Maria's only comment is that she distracted each of them first. I'll bet.

An oil platform is being constructed off the coast of Accra. A second will be built once this first is completed. This will make us fully self-sufficient on petroleum over the short term. Though expensive to produce, hydroelectric plants can be constructed at many dam sites in our newly-acquired territory. I will wait until the oil rigs are completed before I further strain industrial goods supplies to create hydroelectric dams. Nearly free electricity would be a welcome asset as no sources of coal lie in Liberian boundaries as of yet.

Eddie leaves for West Point next week. We plan to fish one last time before he heads back.
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duffers5
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Re: All hail Liberia, hail!

Post by duffers5 »

Great AAR. Been following it since the beginning but had to make an account to congratulate you on your writing skills.
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