Garuda: Operation Tea Party
Planning the Coup:
Following the Communist Revolution, several key American politicians either evacuated the States or were exiled -- or worse. Michael Linz, former New York Governor, first began developing Operation Tea Party while conversing with political scientists and activists which would develop into the United Front. By mid-1936, the United Front convened in Paris and unanimously agreed on the Tea Party coup. The United Front agreed that Browder must be assassinated, so that a democracy could once again prevail and the USSA could be disbanded. Political prisoners, such as Norman Thomas, were also seen as key objectives to rescue during the plot. Young lieutenant Kenneth Galesburg of the military was a key informant and participant.
Coûte Que Coûte
By late 1939, the SESTAP were believed to be closing in on Garuda, the team formed to carry out the operation. The conspirators managed to gain a huge victory when Henry Arnold, General of the USSA Air Force, agreed to help the United Front. Arnold, Linz, and Galesburg had no intention of assassinating Browder to only have him replaced by another dictator; thus the plan of coordinating with the Italian, South Africa, British, and Australian armies was attempted. Unfortunately, as the World War progressed, these seemed unreasonable.
Countdown
September 17th, 1939
Leon Trotsky was found assassinated in Switzerland by an undercover SESTAP agent that had infiltrated the United Front. With trust deteriorating within the Front, several aspects of the plan had to be aborted and a shuffling of officials within the Front occured.
October 14th
Kenneth Galesburg appointed control of a local reserve off of Browderville. This disabled immediate military reinforcements along with better scouting of Browderville.
October 20th
The plan was now fully prepared. Confessed Dixie rebels met outside Browderville and awaited the order. 250 Garuda soldiers disguised themselves as civilians in the Browderville mall, with another 500 joining the Dixie rebel ranks. Helicopters and planes were organized to fly in by Arnold. The Union Station was infiltrated and the rails were in control of Garuda operatives. However, as scouts reported that the Chancellor had left his estate and headed for the rail, the operation was called off as the USSA navy sailed in for fleet repair; the fleet in the docks could intercept rebel planes and destroy the entire rebel army.
October 25th
Once again the armies met, but were surprised to learn that the Chancellor had taken an alternate route to New York City. The armies were called off and Arnold once again apologized for keeping the air force idle.
October 27th
Henry Arnold was detained and captured by SESTAP officials for accusations of treason. The General was sentenced to the Appalachians and his family successfuly escaped to rural Mexico. Without air control, the plan was to then detonate the northbound train holding the Chancellor while escaping on a southbound train to Virginia where forces would split up and follow through with several exit strategies.
October 30th
At around 7:30 AM, Lieutenant Galesburg had disabled radio contact within the local military reserve to prevent immediate reinforcements. An explosion was then implemented killing nearly a quarter of the garrison and injuring nearly the rest. Several Browderville SESTAP and military officials had then left the capital to investigate. Lieutenant Galesburg, traveling to Browderville with supposed orders to speak directly to the Chancellor, arrived early and remained idle outside the station. Kneeling in the yellow grass among the dandelions, he viewed a picture of his family and clenched it tightly before lightly burying it under some gravel.
By noon, Dixie rebels and Garuda operatives had arrived in their places. With false identities and arrival in the States over the previous months, the diversity of identity, means, and time reduced possible SESTAP interception. Garuda spies had taken over shift for the station, and began delaying travel while implementing the explosives and organizing the escape train. The mall was infiltrated and abandoned rooms were used as headquarters for communication. As soldiers readied themselves for ambush, the fire alarm was pulled with civilians being escorted by undercover policemen to the fire department where the men were informed of the coup and gladly agreed to help the cause. Artillery were prepared on the outskirts of the city, with support from local residents. A short-ranged nuclear weapon, seized during the communist Revolution and stored in South Africa, was also readied in case of an emergency.
When all was in place, the orders were given and confirmed, with Michael Linz operating communication headquarters, to proceed with
Operation Tea Party. USSA military soldiers were ambushed within the mall, and artillery began bombarding Browderville defenses and communication towers. With the USSA army firing back and orders being sent to local ships to fight the rebels, the Chancellor was put in one of several unidentified cars and rushed to the station. Out of the several cars, the two that were intercepted did not contain Browder.
As the air force came flying in and bombing the rebels, the artillery tried its hardest to shoot down the planes but to little success. Browderville became a warzone, and the grounds were torched with fire and metal and covered in bodies and weapons. With the Chancellor arriving to the station, Lieutenant Galesburg saw the chance to openly pull out his gun and assassinate the Chancellor before his very eyes, but at the last second relented seeing as the death of Browder would not succeed in bringing down the Regime; it would take the assassination of all his officials.
As the train took off, northbound, for New York, Garuda watched carefully and readied themselves to detonate the explosives. Initial explosives failed to detonate, and a brave and bold member of Garuda then sprinted to the tracks to detonate the backup explosives. With the train fast approaching, the man waited until the last second to blow the bombs -- annihilating both himself and the front of the train. The explosive, being far away from the Chancellor near the back of the train, failed to kill any major political figure and managed only to injure about a quarter.
The plot had failed.
Escape from Browderville
With rebel and Garuda forces dwindling, communication headquarters broadcasted for retreat and Michael Linz himself rushed outside the mall. With a personal car collecting him, he managed to allude pursuit and later sailed back to Europe under disguise of a Maine merchant. One hundred and seventeen rebel and Garuda forces managed to successful escape to the station where they held off for an extra hour against USSA forces while the southbound train was prepared. Lieutenant Galesburg, refusing to accept defeat and filled with guilt over not taking the opportunity to shoot the Chancellor, broke off with the forces and ran northbound up the tracks. Seeing the Communist Party in the distance, he began sneaking and hiding behind objects to avoid detection. Feeling a gun to his back, he turned around to see a man as he was shot through the stomach.
With the troops fleeing southbound, orders were then given for the nuclear weapon to be shot. Taking heavy fire from forces, the men failed to launch the weapon correctly and it was quickly intercepted in the air. The consequential fallout of the weapon, rendering the entire city of Bethesda a nuclear wasteland, became a symbol for the fight against the Communist Party.
Failure
By 8PM, the Chancellor had arrived in a major city and began coordinating with both the media and the army to take care of the situation. Virginia troops were quickly dispatched and the media and SESTAP worked vigilantly to downplay the event and prevent the situation from sparking further riots.
As troops closed in on the escaping rebels, the less dedicated members began turning sides. Shooting broke out within the train, with most of the forces being critically injured before the train was even intercepted. An impromptu court martial of key USSA officials were commenced, with dozens of soldiers being sentenced to firing squad or the Appalachians.
Legacy
(The above is an image of the wrecked Communist Party headquarters in Bethesda)
Bethesda, Maryland
A nuclear wasteland and a symbol for the resistance. Roads closed off, and military personnel and SESTAP officials worked tirelessly to prevent the true story from spreading to the public and prevent civilians from discovering the site. Rumors would develop that ghosts and spirits would continue to haunt the city.
Garuda
Still operating and active in resistance against the USSA. Michael Linz continued to organize missions and work with other organizations.
The United Front
Gaining worldwide recognition, the United Front became a popular culture hit, and anti-USSA sentiment grew.
Lieutenant Kenneth Galesburg
As a martyr, he would become a worldwide hero. Future generations would hardly believe that a man of such valor, bravery, and tragedy had truly ever walked the earth.