Gibraltarland
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| Flag of Gibraltarland | |
| Motto: Exposing All of Democracies Flaws | |
| [Map URL], or No Map Available | |
| Region | Angry Pedestrians |
|---|---|
| Capital | Gibraltar |
| Official Language(s) | English, Spanish (outlawed except in Cortez, but widely used) |
| Leader | Henry Blairio |
| Population | 3.918 billion |
| Currency | New Gibraltarland Pound |
| NS Sunset XML | |
Gibraltarland is a large European nation consisting of the former nation of Spain and the former British territory Gibraltar. The nation is infamous for its attempts to destroy Spanish culture by renaming almost every Spanish city, outlawing the Spanish language in most areas, the delibrate destruction of Spanish historical items, and the execution of anyone convicted of "acting Spanish". Gibraltarland's brutal treatment of the Spanish people during and after Spain's conquest has led many to classify Gibraltarland as using an apartheid system.
Contents
History
The seeds of Gibraltarland
The rock of Gibraltar was captured from Spain by the Anglo-Dutch alliance in 1704. Spain ceded Gibraltar to the British at the conclusion of the war. For centuries, the rock was an important British possession, taking on strategic importance during the Napoleonic Wars and First World War. Spain tried in vain several times to capture Gibraltar, its final attempt in 1778.
In 1936 the First Spanish Civil War began, an event that would have major long term consequences for Gibraltar. Republican forces, aided by the Soviet Union, win a shocking victory at Madrid in late November against the Fascist backed Nationalists. By August of 1937 Republican forces had accepted the surrender of their foes and executed Francisco Franco. The new Spanish government established close ties to its ally the Soviet Union.
When World War II began, Gibraltar took on a vital importance especially now that it bordered a communist nation. Early in the war the city was evacuated of all civilians and turned into a military installation. In 1941 German troops attacked both the Soviet Union and Spain, and the United Kingdom reluctantly aided their new allies by sending weapons through Gibraltar. German forces managed to cut through Spain and come within sight of Gibraltar, but a combined Spanish-Western Allied force defeated them on December 21, 1941. Axis forces were driven back and, except for bombing raids, Gibraltar was never seriously threatened for the rest of the war.
On June 5, 1944 Allied troops launched Operation Overlord from Gibraltar. The Allies reached the French boarder in August and began liberating France. On July 12, 1945, Germany surrendered, ending the war in Europe.
After fighting ceased, Allied troops withdrew from communist Spain. In the ensuing Cold War, Spain became a major ally of the Soviet Union, and Gibraltar became a flash point for the war.
From the Cold War to Gibraltarland
In January of 1950 the British commander in Gibraltar was contacted by Francis G'lopis, a Spanish dissident. G'lopis offered NATO a deal: he would use his large force to try to overthrow the Spanish communist regime and set up a more favorable government in exchange for military support. The British and Americans agreed to implicant the plan: in March of that year a large insurrection broke out in Madrid. Declaring a police action, NATO forces crossed the Spanish border and began laying siege to Cadiz. The United Nations attempted to condemn this invasion but America vetoed the Security Council's ruling.
While the Soviets supplied weapons to the Spanish government, they were unable to ship a large quantity of soldiers to Spain due to the distance and the US-UK blockade. Despite threats of nuclear weapons use from both superpowers, no one was willing to risk annihilation yet. Meanwhile, C'lopis' forces were defeated in Madrid in a repeat of the First Spanish Civil War fourteen years ago.
The communist troops fought NATO at every turn, but lost the cities south of Valencia. Later that year, North Korea invaded its Southern neighbor, and NATO was forced to divert troops to Asia. The result was the large buffer of land captured from the communists would be defended by the remaining NATO soldiers. Communist troops tried in vain to retake what they had lost and an insurgency raged in the occupied region, but the Battle of Murcia crippled the communists power. From then on a new status quo was established: the south of Spain would be First World, while the north was Second World.
Unlike in Korea and Vietnam, southern Spain had no long-term puppet government. While the insurgency was not as strong as it was before the Battle of Murcia it was able to effectively assassinate any collaborators. Worse, local Spaniards were still loyal to the communist northern government. Still worse, a fascist rebel group operated in both Spains, a group that resented both sides of the Cold War equally. Britain and America's solution to its inability to use local leaders was to import a loyal group of citizens: its own.
Britons and Americans were given the chance to live in Southern Spain and work to stabilize it. The risks were great and France's struggle to colonize Algeria were in the minds of many prospective colonists. But to many, especially the poor and downtrodden, the rewards were greater. The money offered for staying and working was high, and colonists would receive protection from soldiers. In 1954 10,000 colonist arrived in Gibraltar to embark on their new mission: many were African Americans who were attracted to the promise of equality in Spain. In 1955 NATO gave a new name to the region they occupied: Gibraltarland.
Trials and Tribulations in early Gibraltarland
From the start it was obvious that the colonists would need to put aside their differences if they were to survive in Gibraltarland. American, British, and Portuguese soldiers could be deployed in large numbers now that the Korean War was over but the insurgency was still strong and illusive. Also, Spain was working to rebuild its army and was receiving Soviet assistance. But many prejudices were hard to put aside, especially racial ones. A race riot hit Malaga in 1955, killing twelve colonists. For a time segregation was enforced, but the many Gibraltarland blacks complained they were not receiving equal protection, especially after a fascist raid killed seven black colonists in Sevilla. Seeing that future immigration from African Americans was in danger Gibraltarland's American commander Matthew Ridgeway began enforcing integration and arresting any colonist who jeopardized it. After a shaky start colonists of all backgrounds began to cooperate. In 1958 Time Magazine called Gibraltarland the most integrated area of the world, ignoring the marginalization of the Spaniards by the colonists.
In 1956 Spain launched a renewed offensive to test NATO's troop strength. While it did not have the ability to capture and hold any more of Spain, NATO forces were numerous enough to defeat their foes at Alicante. But bombing raids from both sides continued, with Soviet pilots flying many of the successful missions. But this did not discourage immigration to Gibraltarland: whole families began to arrive. In 1957 the first colonial school was opened, an integrated institution at a time when in America there were very few.
In 1960 50,000 colonists lived in Gibraltarland. In that year Spanish civilians living in the colony rose up. They had long resented the colonists, being denied well paying jobs and forced to buy exclusively from colonists. Worse,the military often terrorized their homes in search of insurgents. The Spaniards not been happy when they were under the communists but at least they were well cared for. The rebellion was launched in March of 1960. However, it was largly ineffective in practical terms. The rebels were put down quickly and stunned by NATO's air power especially now that it was employed primarily against them, not military targets. What the rebellion did accomplish was deepen the hate between the colonists and the Spanish.
Civil Rights to the end of Spain
In 1964 Gibraltarland had reached 500,000 colonists and approximately 60 babies had been born in the colony. About 40% of the colonists are black. American Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. spoke positively of Gibraltarland but discouraged a massive exodus to it, stating that African Americans must win freedom at home to ensure the world remains free. King is critical of the treatment of the Spaniards in the colony but criticizes them for their violent tactics. Other black leaders such as Malcolm X prefer African Americans establish a homeland in Gibraltarland. W.E.B. Du Bois spends his last years in the colony but shares Kings insistence that African Americans fight for freedom at home. Many African Americans living in Gibraltarland as well as their white neighbors return home to participate in freedom marches.
In 1964 the Gulf of Tonkin incident off Vietnam gives President Lyndon Johnson the support he needs to wage a large ground war in Vietnam. However, Johnson realizes that this will take critically needed troops from Gibraltarland. With top military officials he formulates a plan: in a lightning strike NATO will conquer Spain, inflicting a heavy blow on communist moral and freeing troops from Gibraltarland. The greatest risk to the plan is the Soviet Union, who may step in to defend their ally and start a Third World War.
The solution comes from Spain itself: another build up of forces has begun. Johnson launches a preemptive air strike, crippling Spain's aircraft. An invasion of Spain begins and without air power, Spain is severely weakened. The Soviet Union is persuaded to stay out of the war as they see how quickly their allies are being overwhelmed and decide they aren't worth the time, money, and materials a war would cost.
In two months Spain's government surrenders though the insurgency continues. More colonists from NATO countries arrive in the areas now controlled by Gibraltarland. Spanish civilians are brutally repressed in favor of the colonists. Monuments to Spanish cultural history are desecrated by colonists further widing the gulf between the conquered and conquerors.
The Two Month War has varying repercussions for the Cold War. In Vietnam troops battle hardened from the war in Spain serve valiently but face a more elusive enemy than they previously fought. By 1973 America withdraws its soldiers from that country though troop levels were never as high as they mioght have been due to the need for soldiers in Gibraltarland. Meanwhile in 1967 Israel uses similar tactics as NATO did in the Two Month War to defeat several armies from Arab nations that were committed to Israel's destruction. Israel is able to increase its territory and defeat its enemies in only six days, though unlike Gibraltarland Israel does not desecrate cultural sights and for does seek to return much of the conquered land. But that thought never crosses Gibraltarlanders minds: they are proud of their victory over Spain and will keep all that was Spain.
