America aciremA

I bought and have started to read through America by Jean Baudrillard (1) in order to support opinions of my own as well as offer up a more in depth critique of the subject I am studying. 
When Baudrillard arrived in San Diego in 1975 he was there to keep with and update Robert Frank's mission statement, 'that California was a testing ground of simulation'(2) the experimental side of which was found in the desert. From previous research and posts, this becomes self evident of the American psyche, which better place to test or simulate man's ideas of destruction, creation and replenishment of natural resource? 
Baudrillard found on his travels that the vast, arid desert was becoming his heartland, as an absolution from 'historical or cultural comparison' thus renunciating the idea of American culture which in The Americans (Robert Frank 1958) is apparently 'born here and spreading everywhere', the New World - as America used to be called - held a view of their country being the New Europe. 
As Donald Rumsfeld famously referred to the UK and Europe as Old Europe (3), a stance of bad attitude inherited from the second World War that Americans occupy the highest moral ground in every aspect of cultural endeavour, whereas in the earlier years of the country's birth, America often gazed at the supremacy of culture and sophistication that was Europe.
This is highlighted in almost every film ever made, the increasing or pent up paranoia of persons in authority as well as the conditioned masses.


After much research into both timelines, comparing what events link to other events, I have opened up an even bloodier side to the US that I was ignorant of until I found out about it all. Mainly looking at the birth of the free market, shock economy, Tesla experiments, and the progression of military projects, its hard not to find something that is referenced to on Fallout: New Vegas, especially in some of the chapters in America. 
I had a choice between Fallout 3 which was set in Washington DC or Vegas, however seeing that Vegas was more of a 'utopia' of greed and the by-product of the 'American way of life' I thought that it would be the more appropriate option this as well as the abundance of quotes and opinions shared by Baudrillard it became apparent that this was the logical choice.


Mormons play a huge part in the Fallout universe, as the founding fathers of the Legion were Mormons, as well as a section of the faith branching off to form the Followers of the Apocalypse, a humanitarian faction who "don't worship so much as follow a set of principles. We want to bring peace back to this wasteland. The world tends toward destruction, so we try to make a difference.' which fundamentally follows the original christian values without the extreme action of a fundamentalist religious sect. They often offer their services to stranded wastelanders or roamers regardless of creed, colour or belief which as Baudrillard so eloquently put 'It is the capitalist, transsexual pride of a people of mutants that gives the city its magic, equal and opposite to that of Las Vegas, that great whore on the other side of the desert.'

Followers of the Apocalypse Logo

Legion Logo

( I will touch upon Desert for Ever as I have yet to read its entirety )

Baudrillard begins to explain the genealogy of the desert in all its primal forms, stating that 'meaning is born out of the erosion of words, significations are born out of the erosion of signs', this in essence refers to the denaturalisation of sites/areas that were once ancient sedimentations but repressed by humans to cultivate meaning: Natural Parks (Grand Canyon) 

Funnily enough, Baudrillard has written paragraphs on some of the places that are intrinsic to the Fallout story.

Salt Lake City:

The Mormon's Makkah, a heartland of wealth, rich-living, puritanical conquistadors that have their own law, constitutions and an archive of desert tunnels that predate the American acquisition of land.

Alamogordo:

Is the site of the first atomic bomb testing, miles of White Sands composed against the pale blue skyline of mountains, peace only disrupted with a trigger that 'the blinding artificial light of the bomb against the blinding light of the ground'.

Torrey Canyon:

Is home to the Salk Institute, home of all of the Nobel Prize winners for biology as well as the  'Minos... Palace...' for future biological breakthroughs that is constantly redefining the commandments of contemporary biology.

Baudrillard then goes on to comment on these sites as 'capitals of fiction become reality' as the sublime and extraterritoriality along with the earth's geological grandeur combine together with man's nuclear, orbital, high grade computer technology. This gives footing to the constant changing, yet unyielding nature of the desert, the inhumanity of mankinds ulterior, superficial world suddenly finds its aesthetic form: the ecstatic form of disappearance.

I leave you with a fantastic quote from America, and the trailer that fits perfectly and could have been composed by the man himself:


"There is nothing more mysterious than a TV set left on in an empty room... Suddenly the TV reveals itself for what it really is: a video of another world, ultimately addressed to no one at all, delivering its images indifferently, indifferent to its own messages (you can easily imagine it still functioning after humanity has disappeared)"

(1) J. Baudrillard (1988) Verso publications, British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data


(2)

Nikola Tesla: Godfather of Modern Physics

“The spread of civilization may be likened to a fire; First, a feeble spark, next a flickering flame, then a mighty blaze, ever increasing in speed and power.” - Nikola Tesla


Nikola Tesla was an incredibly influential physicist who was born in the wrong time period, viewed as an eccentric in his later years for his seemingly controversial inventions and experiments such as the Death Ray (which influenced generations of sci-fi fans)


Tesla's importance to both worlds is huge to say the least, starting out as Edison's apprentice then rapidly overtaking him in the field of physics, for example the war between AC and DC (Alternating Current and Direct Current, Tesla's was AC) which inevitably sparked off Tesla's career and the start of a new era for motor and electrical systems worldwide.


In February 1882, Tesla discovered the rotating magnetic field which led onto the A.C. induction motor then his polyphase alternating current system used to light the world today and started the industrial revolution at the turn of the century.


Amongst a host of other inventions and breakthroughs Tesla is the father of tv, radio, flourescent lights, laser beam, remote control, wireless transmission of electricity, robotics and vertical take off aircraft as well as foreseeing interplanetary communications and satellites. Fallout is based around Tesla's inventions all working as expected and his physical theories were correct, these include the Vertibird, Laser Rifle, Power Armor, HELIOS 1 and Mr Handy, to name a few.

Vertibird

Laser Rifle

HELIOS 1 

Helios 1 is a good example of Tesla's great vision for the world to have a sustainable, renewable energy source that has no negative impact on the environment except during its construction. Tesla had visions not only to utilise the sun, but was the first to propose wind and hydroelectrical power as a versatile means to end/cut down on fossil fuels, being a man dedicated to inventing for the better of mankind his view was that.. 'Science is but a perversion of itself unless it has as its ultimate goal the betterment of humanity.'(1) 

This state of mind is constantly referred to within the entirety of the Fallout series, many of the characters talk of him as some sort of god whereas all the ex-US government affiliated personnel disregard him as a fraud, yet hail Hertz and Marconi as the true pioneers of physics.

However, there is truth in HELIOS 1, because in spain there is a fully operational solar power station in Andalucia, which is more or less exactly the same as the one in Fallout...'With a power capacity of 20 megawatts, double that of PS10, PS20 should produce enough clean energy to supply 10,000 homes.' This power alone would be sufficient enough to power a bleak New Vegas strip and even a half cocked military base in the desert, which can transmit vast amounts of electrical energy wirelessly over vast distances, not too dissimilar from Tesla


Although it is most probably Nevada Solar One a huge sprawling solar power station situated east of Barstow, CA, USA which was the first test of a large-scale thermal solar power tower designed by the Department of Energy and proposed for construction by Southern California Edison, but doubles up as a relay to orbiting satellites such as Europe's first military optical recon satellite, Helios 1A. 


This is referenced in Fallout when the player first finds HELIOS 1, the atmospheric phenomenon created by dust particles and the light are clearly visible, leading the player to a series of access terminals allowing the player to take control of the power station, giving access to its unique orbital death ray and to channel the energy to various areas of the Mojave Wasteland.

References:

http://www.solaripedia.com/13/31/solar_one_and_two_(now_defunct).html

http://aboutfreeenergy.com/

http://www.teslaenergy.org/intro5.html

Timelines

In order to see if there are similarities within Fallout and our reality I have to have a good long look at the Fallout timeline and ours respectively. 


1942 - Sierra Army Depot begins construction. Situated in Herlong, California, it is a United States Army post that offers '36,000 acres of high desert terrain we are able to provide distinct storage advantages of ample space, low humidity and low precipitation; excellent for the long term storage of mechanized vehicles located here.'  as well as the safe disposal of depleted uranium and in their own words they 'have a highly dedicated staff of expert and skilled machinists, craftsmen, equipment operators and support personnel that are vital to the current and future Army needs. This type of expertise allows us to receive store, maintain, and ship material anywhere or anytime in the world - ON TIME.' The people who run this place have been living on site for quite a few generations (1950s when the housing scheme started) and is run entirely by the US Army and overseen by the US government (part of the TOCOM LCMC branch) it also offers a variety of services, these include:

• Inland Petroleum Distribution Systems
• Water Support Systems
• Force Provider 
• Army Field Feeding Systems 
• Large Area Maintenance Shelters
• Landing Mat Sets
• Bridging 
• Reserve Component Hospital 
• Decrement Associated Support Items of Equipment - (non-medical)
• Receive, store, issue, renovate, and demilitarize (disassemble) depleted uranium rounds

Besides this long list of services, the depot was and still is a huge military storage facility, during the 1970s and 1980s, SIAD was also used for the storage of unarmed nuclear weapons. These weapons and their storage and maintenance areas were protected by the 980th Military Police Company as a part of DARCOM.

Leading us nicely into the Fallout timeline, in 1945 3 years after the SIAD was created, the Los Alamos Nuclear research Facility opened, as well as the Manhattan Project.

1969 - After WWII the US Government turns the 50 states in 13 commonwealths  to ensure economic stability after the War. But due to backlash from the commonwealth the tensions rise in the nation when the commonwealth puts their own ambition before the economic stability of the country. The national flag is changed to reflect this and depicts fourteen stars - thirteen in a circle to represent the commonwealths and one in the middle to represent the federal government and the nation as a whole. This was the year (in our world) that Richard Nixon becomes president of the USA.

2042 - Mr House (in the real world Howard Hughes) founds Robco which are a US based company specialising in domesticated products, whereas in game they develop robots to aid 
humans in domestic chores.
Howard Hughes was a man


2051-2052 - This is where it starts to get juicy. USA begins putting pressure on Mexico to protects its investments in their oil supply, citing the political instability and pollution as a threat to nationality. The United States government enter Mexico to oversee all of Mexico's oil refineries. They also cite the political instability and pollution as a threat to nationality creating huge costs to Mexico's economy.


This however, is not a rare occurrence, the USA have in the past put pressure on Mexico concerning their natural gas and crude oil resources considering that the Mexican government rely on the industry for 35% of total government revenues, including taxes and direct payments from Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) as well as Mexico being the third largest foreign crude oil supplier to the US.
On May 8th 2003, a group of American Republican congressmen approve a bilateral accord with Mexico, American invested into the opening of Pemex, the Mexican oil company as well as an agreement on migration.
The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a permanent intergovernmental Organisation created at the Baghdad Conference on Sept-10-14 1960 they meet to regulate and observe crude oil prices in order to keep prices fair worldwide.
In 1982 though, there was one country that stood independently against OPEC, yet kept its prices close to the OPEC regulations that of course was Mexico, in the New York Times it stated, 


"Government critics have argued that membership in OPEC would be desirable because it would decrease the nation's economic dependence on the United States, which buys about half of the 1.4 million barrels of oil that Mexico exports daily." November 30 1982


To combat this, in La Jornada (left-wing publication) Mexico City, Mexico, May 12, 2003,they went on to say that one of the reasons that Mexico did not join OPEC was because of the American pressure exerted by OPEC officials as well as investors in the oil companies of the North. On an economical note, if Mexico had of joined OPEC they would have sold oil to the USA on a preferential basis, this allowed the USA to purchase Mexican oil at a good price and increases reserves. On a long-term basis, and in due time would of allowed it to bring down the price of oil on a global level, which just goes to show that the American republicans (who are known for their hate for Mexicans) are trading oil for migration despite the fact over 4.5 million undocumented workers play a part of the USA's huge food trade, not too far away from Spain being the main exporter/manufacturer of the UK's food.




2052 - The tension in the world in the past century causes most of the worlds petroleum reserves to dry up thus starting a war between the European nations and the Middle East when the ME decided to drastically increase oil prices. This in turn causes the USA to forcefully annex Canada. 
OPEC's history covers the 'war' (debate) between the EU and neighbouring Middle East nations over oil prices, Canada on the other hand is a whole new bag. 
A brief internet search shows many plans, ideas, websites, forums, blogs all about or in favour to annex Canada, except after a CNN poll it was revealed only 4 out of 10 Americans wanted to actually annex their peaceful Northern neighbours, whereas out of 6.7 million Canadians 19.9% of the populace were for the proposition.
There is a whole heap of information for this argument that I dont have time to read through, reading the analyses I can conclude that there has always been a shaky relationship between Canada and the USA that tends to go back to nationality, resource, public policy, legalisation issues, firearm control and a multitude of private sector issues including various ideas to privatise public services. The Fraser Institute is a conservative and libertarian think tank based in Canada (yet privately invested by Americans) that promotes free market principles. This is one of many examples that show the permeation of American ideas, values and ideals that have been shaping Canada for since October 10, 1849. Sir Wilfred Laurier said from his speech in Boston in 1891 - "I am a subject of the British Crown, but whenever I have to choose between the interests of England and Canada it is manifest to me that the interests of my country are identical with those of the United States of America. " 



2066 - China invades USA from Alaska for resources and thus starts a war with the US. This is also the time when the Vaults were built, to the public they were bomb shelters that could hold 1000 people in each, but little did they know that they were actually social experiments by Vault-Tec (in collaboration with the US government).

2077 - The war reached it's climax when the US and China dropped nukes on each other, this is also the time when the Vaults locked up completely. The war, although called the "Great War" only lasted 2 hours before both nations were reduced to nothing.

Whichever game you play let it be Fallout, Fallout 2 or Fallout 3 or New Vegas, they all follow this timeline.








References:

Mexico's oil industry - James A. Baker Institute  for Public Policy


Mexico's 1982 Economic Crisis - University of Texas at Austin


Canada's Trade Laws - NAFTA, World Trade Laws