Unification War

The Unification War, also known as the Metal Wars , was a conflict between the New United States and the Free States that occurred between 2069 and 2070.

History
The Unification War was a war between the New United States and an alliance of seceded states known as the Free States. At the end of 2069, the newly elected NUSA President, Rosalind Myers, presented a unification program to extend federal rule over the rogue Free States under the pretense of strengthening the nation. Most of the independent states opposed unification. Conflict became inevitable. The NUSA backed by nationalized Militech forces declared war on the Free States: Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, and Northern California. Washington, Oregon, and Idaho remained neutral in the conflict at the price of making some concessions to the federal government and formed the semi-autonomous Western Corporate States. Despite weapons and "security advisers" being given to the Free States by Arasaka and the Soviet Union, they were pressed hard by NUSA forces who were supported by states that supported federal intervention. By 2070, the NUSA had occupied every Free State except Texas and Northern California.

Night City avoided the fighting but only barely. Northern California, where Night City was located, allied with the Free States while the South allied with the NUSA. Night City civilians held their breath as they waited for a federal invasion from the south, and fears of such an attack caused corporations to pull all of their funding from the ongoing development of the Pacifica District. In early 2070, a NUS Army division was prevented on the outskirts of Night City from invading it thanks to the actions of Councilman Lucius Rhyne. Rhyne had used his decade worth of contacts on the Night City Council and begged the long-shunned Arasaka for protection. Within days, an Arasaka supercarrier showed up in Coronado Bay. The NUS Army retreated hours later.

Following Arasaka's intervention, the NUSA and the Free States signed the Treaty of Unification, ending the Unification War. The treaty ensured the Free States would remain autonomous but would have to participate in the new federal government and hostilities among themselves would have to cease. President Myers agreed to this treaty because she feared Arasaka's increasing involvement could escalate the conflict into one the New United States could not afford. The peace treaty was unsatisfactory to all parties but was considered preferable to continuing the war and risking another global crisis.

Night City was declared an international free city, free from the laws and governance of the NUSA and the Free State of Northern California. Night City paid for this liberty with an increase in megacorporation influence, the corpos pumped money into the revitalization of the city so they could have a foothold in the West Coast of the NUSA. Lucius Rhyne was celebrated as a hero and elected mayor, and he rewarded Arasaka with a seat on the city council and permission to rebuild its American headquarters downtown on the site where the previous one was destroyed in 2023. The new prosperity in Night City was not enjoyed by all.

Trivia

 * During a community podcast, it was revealed by RTalsorian's JGray, that the United States Armed Forces are still the most powerful military force on Earth, and would have no problem wiping out a majority of threats, including that of the corporations like Arasaka or Militech. However the cost would be too high and in the end would not be worth the struggle that would damage the country as a whole.