World War III

"It doesn't take the most powerful nations on Earth to create the next global conflict. Just the will of a single man."

- Vladimir Makarov

World War III was a fictional conflict between Ultranationalist Russia and countries including the United States of America, United Kingdom, France and Germany. This conflict began when Russian forces invaded the United States, in response to the Massacre at Zakhaev International Airport. The United States was initially caught off guard by the attack, but were able to hold several key positions. The initial invasion is the basis for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, whilst the events of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 revolve around the international conflict sparked by the Russian invasion of Western Europe and the battles that occur in New York, London, Paris, and Berlin.

International tension and buildup
After winning the Second Russian Civil War, the new Ultranationalist regime in Russia adopted an aggressively hostile foreign policy towards the United States. A new Cold War emerged as the two powers looked again at each other with suspicion. One of the main intelligence operations during this period was the recovery of a downed ACS module in Ultranationlist-controlled Kazakhstan by Task Force 141 members John "Soap" MacTavish and Gary "Roach" Sanderson.

Massacre at Zakhaev International Airport -- Day 3, 2016
"The Russians ain't gonna let this massacre go unanswered. It's gonna get bloody."

- Lt. Simon "Ghost" Riley.

Vladimir Makarov, a known terrorist since 2001 and Russian Ultranationalist, personally leads the attack at Zakhaev International Airport. Makarov, Alexei Borodin (who is actually PFC Joseph Allen, a U.S. Army Ranger chosen to participate in a C.I.A. deep cover mission by General Shepherd) and 3 other Ultranationalists (known only as Kiril,Lev, and Viktor ) assault Zakhaev International Airport and slaughter civilians, Russian airport security guards, and internal troops. Makarov, eventually found out the true identity of Borodin. When they were preparing to escape, he killed him and then left his body behind in order to give the appearance that the operation was planned and carried out by the United States. The Russian government, upon seeing the use of American made weapons (such as the M240 and M4A1 ), English speaking terrorists (Makarov instructed the group to speak "No Russian"), and the body of an American, were lead to believe that the massacre was supported, armed, and carried out with the approval of the United States government. The President of the Russian Federation, Boris Vorshevsky, claimed those who committed the attack would be held responsible.

"Following the Shell" -- Day 4, 2016
Resolved to clear the Americans of the massacre, Task Force 141 discovered that the ammunition had come from Alejandro Rojas. Captain MacTavish and his team tracked the arms dealer to Rio De Janeiro. After capturing and interrogating Rojas' right hand man, TF 141 traced him to the Favela, where after a furious footchase, Rojas was captured. Unable to get extraction due to the Russian invasion (Brazil having denied the US access to its airspace), MacTavish called Nikolai to provide transportation out of the city. The team barely escaped as the militia gangs converged upon them.

Invasion of Virginia -- Day 4, 2016
Following the assault at Zakhaev International Airport, Russia launched a surprise attack on the eastern seaboard of the United States. Russian aircraft were able to penetrate American radar defenses because of a recently retrieved module. Upon duplicating the module, Russian forces were able to hack the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) system to give the illusion that an attack was happening on the West Coast, while concealing the real attack against the East Coast.

During the initial stages of the attack, US Army Rangers and Marines were scattered as Russian aircraft managed to drop many paratroopers and significant ground support. The 1st Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment, the closest regiment to Washington D.C., headed to secure a crashed High-Value Individual codenamed Raptor in Northern Virginia. The squad encountered heavy resistance including BTR-80's, Mi-28 Havocs, and many Russian troops. The Rangers were able to extract Raptor and inflict heavy casualties on the Russian attackers in the process.

Most targets by the invading Russian Forces included other East Coast cities such as Jacksonville, Florida and all the way up to New York City. Some areas and buildings on the East Coast that were attacked by the Russians included the C.I.A. Headquarters in Langley, Virginia; Camp David; and the Pentagon.

It is possible that certain areas on the West coast were also attacked. Despite the invasion, neither the US or Russia have resorted to the use of nuclear weapons. Following the extraction of Raptor, the Rangers continued to push through Northern Virginia en route to Washington D.C. Heavy fighting ensued in a community named Arcadia, where the Rangers, along with a Stryker ICV (callsign: Honey Badger), were buying valuable time for any remaining civilians to evacuate.

The regiment was also tasked with extracting another High Value Individual from a house on Brookmere Road. The HVI was found dead upon their arrival, apparently killed by Ultranationalist terrorists disguised as his guards. Upon investigating the safe-house, no evidence of struggle is found. One of the HVI's guards was found to have Russian prison tattoos on his chest. Shortly after, the soldiers continued their trek to Washington D.C.

Counter-Strike in Pacific Russia -- Day 5, 2016
After escaping South America, Task Force 141 had found out that Makarov hated a prisoner named 627 held in a gulag. The team took out a line of oil rigs that were being used as SAM sites and rescued the oil workers. Phase two of the operation was assaulting the gulag itself. After fighting their way into solitary confinement, MacTavish was surprised to find out that 627, was Captain John Price. The team barely escaped the prison before the US Navy bombarded it into an oblivion.

The Battle of Washington D.C. -- Day 5, 2016
The massive Russian military force managed to take control much of the eastern seaboard of the United States including it's capital, Washington D.C. After bombing several monuments, destroying many buildings, and setting up firing positions, U.S. forces in the capital proceeded to evacuate as many civilians as they can. However, numerous Russian soldiers and vehicles delayed their evacuation.

Sgt. Foley and his squad-mates entered the Department of Commerce to provide sniper support for the Washington Monument evacuation site. Private James Ramirez, using an M82 50. Caliber Sniper Rifle with a Thermal scope, assisted the team by sniping Russians armed with Javelin missile launchers.

Later, he used the Javelins to destroy any opposing helicopters and BTR 's. The Ranger team was eventually evacuated by a Navy SEAL team with Black Hawk helicopters. After taking off they began to destroy enemy forces at the WWII Memorial. During the process, the SEAL's Black Hawk was shot down by SAM's atop the Department of Justice. The Rangers crashed just southwest of the White House. The Russian forces had also commenced attacks on other strategic buildings near the U.S Capital, inflicting heavy casualties.

Nuclear Detonation: EMP Strike
At the same time the squad's helicopter crashed, Task Force 141 operators assaulted a Russian submarine base with the intent of destroying a nuclear submarine. Captain John Price, however, commandeers the sub and launches a nuclear missile. Price intended to detonate the missile in orbit, creating a desperately needed EMP over the entire Eastern seaboard of the United States, disabling all electronics.

At the crash site, Pvt. Ramirez, Cpl. Dunn, and Sgt. Foley continued to fight against Russian ground forces who severely outnumbered them. Meanwhile, in orbit, an astronaut, referred to as Sat1, stationed in the International Space Station, observes a fast-moving object in the sky. As both Houston and the ISS try to figure out what the bogey is, the missile exploded, creating an EMP.

The explosion also creates a shock-wave in orbit which destroys the ISS and Sat1. On the ground, as the situation for the American forces look hopeless, the pulse reaches nearly all of America, disabling all Russian and American vehicles. Now with their advantage removed, their forces scattered in the ensuing chaos and relief of new combat vehicles thousands of miles away, the Russian forces began losing territory. As Russian forces began closing in on the crash site, they were thrown into disarray when their own fighter planes and attack choppers began falling to the ground, an intended result of the EMP.

In the ensuing chaos, Foley's squad managed to escape. They soon learned that Colonel Marshall was assembling a task force at the Whiskey Hotel, intended to recapture the White House.

The regiment decided to join the other American soldiers to secure the White House. During the assault, an emergency broadcast is heard declaring that Washington DC is assumed lost to the Russians, and the United States Air Force is commencing a carpet bomb of the city. Hearing this message, the team desperately fought their way to the roof of the White House and deployed green flares to indicate the White House has been retaken.

This signaled the Americans have regained control of the city. Corporal Dunn claims that he would like to burn Moscow down to the ground after the devastation in Washington, foreshadowing a possible counter-attack by the Americans.

The Hunt for Makarov and Shepherd
After the Battle of Washington. General Shepherd sent TF 141 to the last places Makarov and his terrorists could hide. A team lead by Simon "Ghost" Riley and Gary "Roach" Sanderson attacked a safehouse on the Georgian-Russian border, while Captains Price and MacTavish infiltrated an arms deal at U.S. Vehicle Disposal Yard 437 in Afghanistan. The Safehouse proved to be a goldmine, where the plans for the airport massacre had been drawn up. The team held out until a DSM transfer on Makarov's computer could be completed. Ghost and Roach fled with the DSM against the counter-attacking Ultranationalists, where Shepherd was waiting for them. After getting the DSM, Shepherd had both men killed to cover his own tracks.

Meanwhile Soap and Price escaping an ambush set up by Shepherd took advantage of infighting between Shepherd's Shadow Company and Makarov's men and escaped the Boneyard.

Having learned from Makarov where Shepherd was, Soap and Price (now labeled war criminals) infiltrated the general's headquarters at Hotel Site Bravo. Fighting their way through the base they eventually chased Shepherd by boat. When Price took down the helicopter that Shepherd tried to escaped in the boat fell from a waterfall to the ground below. In the ensuing fight, Soap heavily wounded killed Shepherd with the same throwing knife the general had stabbed him with. The two then escaped with Nikolai to a safehouse in Northern India. Hours later, Makarov's forces assault the compound. A Loyalist named Yuri holds them off while Price and Nikolai evacuate Soap. The group decides to continue to go after the terrorist leader.

Post Washington
There were mixed responses by the international community. During the invasion of Northeastern Virginia, the Brazilian Government refused to allow US forces access through their airspace. It is unclear how America's traditional European allies initially responded to the invasion until their own countries were attacked in Russia's European offensive days later.

It eventually became apparent that General Shepherd was the architect of the war. He had hoodwinked everyone: the Russian government, the American government, and even Makarov himself. General Shepherd sent Allen to participate in Makarov's massacre knowing that Makarov would set America up. He even deliberately downed the satellite with the ACS so the Russians could get through American’s perimeter defenses.

He did all of this to test America's true military might. The only person who caught on was Captain Price. He observed Shepherd's unwillingness to let Task Force 141 set off an EMP, despite the fact that Shepherd was well known for doing what was always necessary to win.

The Battle of New York- August 2016
After the US victory of the Battle of Washington D.C., US forces have reclaimed much of the eastern seaboard of the United States and pushed the remaining Russian forces onto coastal cities all along the eastern US. For the Battle of New York, Russian forces are dug in and have the advantage with the Russian Navy only a few miles from the New York shoreline, the arrival of new vehicles and aircraft, and a radar jamming system on top of the New York Stock Exchange rendering US aircrafts to be unable to locate and destroy vital enemy positions. Delta Force unit Metal is ordered to assault the fortified stock exchange and destroy the radar jamming system. After fighting fierce Russian resistance on Wall Street and the stock exchange, Metal successfully destroys the jamming system and then extracted by a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. Manning the Black Hawk’s mini-gun Delta Operator Sgt. Derek “Frost” Westbrook shoots down a number of Russian Mi-24 attack helicopters who were in pursuit. With the jamming system destroyed, US F-15s are able to destroy a number of key enemy positions all throughout the city, giving US ground forces the momentum they need to push the remaining Russian ground troops back all the way to the shoreline of New York.

Following their next orders, Metal is to intercept a Russian Oscar-II class attack submarine which is armed with a number of ballistic missiles. The submarine is ordered to level the entire eastern seaboard of the United States if the Russian ground forces are forced back into the sea. With much of their naval fleet destroyed or scattered all around the world, the US cannot be able to engage the Russian Naval fleet directly. With this in mind Metal is ordered to intercept the submarine along with a detachment of Navy SEALs, force the submarine up to the surface, board and eliminate its crew, then use its missiles to destroy the enemy fleet.

The level begins with Frost, Sandman and their team of Deltas, swimming through the flooded, submerged Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and into New York Harbor. There they rendezvous with a team of SEALs and continue toward their objective. The depths of the harbor are filled with mines and the player is instructed to navigate around them using a mine imaging sonar device.

After successfully passing through the minefield, the team then plant charges on an enemy submarine. The charges detonate and the submarine is forced to surface, allowing the team to board. Frost and Sandman enter through the sub's access hatch and fight their way up to the bridge. The two of them breach the room, killing all the sailors within and their captain. From the bridge, Frost and Sandman are able to launch the Russian's missiles against their own fleet. Metal board Zodiac watercraft that the SEALs have put in place, and make their escape as the battle for New York Harbor rages around them. They are then extracted by a CH-46 Sea Knight and flown away from Manhattan.

American Victory
With their fleet destroyed, the Russian forces retreated from the whole of East coast of the US, heading back towards Russia, thus ending the long Russian invasion of the United States.

Makarov's Plan
During the 2 months after the Russian military invasion of the United States fails, Makarov plans a massive terrorist/military bliztkrieg attack on the cities and capitals of Europe with the goal of Russia being the supreme ruler of the continent. To achieve this goal Makarov secretly procures a large arsenal of deadly chemical weapons, aided by African Militia in Somalia and Sierra Leone, to be used as a first strike weapon on many key military and government instillations throughout Western Europe. Makarov also persuades large numbers of top Russian generals and politicians to take part in his massive military campaign and coup d'état against Russian President Boris Vorshevsky. Using the Russian peoples’ belief that their war against the US is still justified, and viewing Vorshevsky’s peace agreement as an act against the Russian people a large majority of the Russian military side with Makarov.

Picking Up the Trail
Yuri told Price and Soap about Makarov's interest in shipping weapons from Africa to Europe. The group (still retaining the title Task Force 141), infiltrates a factory in Sierra Leone. Fighting their way to the factory they arrived too late to stop the package from leaving.

Surprise Attack
An anonymous tip reaches British Intelligence. The head of MI-5 asks SAS to find out what the Russians are up to. Bravo Team attacks the assembly area on the docks in London where the trucks were seen leaving from. SAS soldier pursued fleeing Ultranationalist terrorists through the London Underground, emerging outside Parliament and stopped one suspected truck. However another explodes blanketing the city with a deadly chemical agent.

Using his Ultranationalist terrorist cell Inner Circle to secretly smuggle and transport the chemical weapons to their targets, Makarov's men detonate the bombs simultaneously attacking many military bases and intelligence headquarters such as Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany, GIGN Headquarters in France, and etc. After the bombs detonate Russian military forces under Makarov swiftly takes the advantage and attacks the confused and scattered NATO forces, nearly overwhelming many of the defenders in certain European cities. Most of Eastern Europe and Germany is in Russian hands within hours. Advance Russian armored units even reached Paris.

NATO Response
Realizing the NATO delegation was trapped in Hamburg, Delta Force was sent to retrieve the US Vice President. They joined the assault to counter the Russians in the city, coming under heavy fire as the Russians had moved tanks to the river. fighting their way through the streets, Delta Force, protected by tanks, was able to reach the convoy, which was empty. Team Metal then, went inside a nearby building and breached and cleared the room where the Vice President was taken hostage, and secured transportation out of the city. NATO forces were able to hold onto Spain, Italy and most of France by the end of the day, however most of Europe ends up in Russian hands.

Finding Waraabe
After getting intel from his former mentor, MacMillan, Price and Task Force 141, assault a Somalian shipping company under a man named Waraabe. The assault goes well especially given air cover by Nikolai, and remote chopper gunner. Waarabe was found and interrogated, revealing he never dealt with Makarov but with a man named Volk. Satisfied, Price kills him. The team flees from the African Milita, and a sandstorm, on their heels. Nikolai's helicopter is shot down and the team races to save him from the Milita. The team finally flees from the area on jeeps.

The Battle of Paris
Delta Force was told of Volk's whereabouts in Paris and told to aid the much depleted GIGN in finding the bombmaker. Team Metal lands on Montmartre Hill in the city, which is still "dirty" from the gas attack. The team fights its way to GIGN's position who are down to only seven men. The combined team fights its way to Paris' sewers and makes it to the catacombs. Moving onward the team finally reaches Volk who flees to a gray sedan. Borrowing a GIGN van, Team Metal gives chase, avoiding T-72's, UAZ-469's, and Mi-24 Hind's. Finally Volk's car is disabled and the man is dragged out and put in custody.

Unfortunately, their intended LZ was overwhelmed by Russian armor. They were supported by an AC-130 which paved a corridor for Team Metal to escape. The Delta Force unit takes a short cut by the US embassy. Eventually the team reaches a secondary LZ, on a bridge near the Effiel Tower on the Seine River. The Team holds out, until an air strike by A-10's destroys the oncoming Russian armor allowing their escape. Unfortunately the strike topples the Eiffel Tower. As the team escapes, other air strikes eliminated Russian positions North of the bridge as American helicopters fly to other hot spots in the city.

Infiltration in Prague
Getting valuable information from Volk, Sandman tells Price that Makarov will be at the Hotel Lustig in Prague. Price and his team slowly infiltrate the city. The Czech Resistance helps the team by attacking Russian forces as a diversion. The team fights it's way to a church overlooking the hotel. The next day, Soap and Yuri set up for sniping. Makarov knows about the intended assassination, and rigged both places to blow up. Price and Yuri escape their intended fate, Soap MacTavish is mortally wounded. Price vainly takes Soap to a Resistance safehouse, where he dies.

Yuri tells Price of an old Czech castle where Makarov used in the past. They slip past the patrols and get inside the castle where they learn that Makarov's men know that Alena Vorshevsky is in Berlin. Price and Yuri are forced to fight their way out of the castle, using placed C4 they are able to create enough confusion to escape alive, by parachuting of the hill.

The Battle of Berlin
Delta Force pinpointed Alena Vorshevshy's location in the city at a hotel. Team Metal flew into the war-torn city. Team Onyx's helicopter was shot down before touching down. Team Metal fought it's way to the roof to provide overwatch as Team Granite attempted to find Alena. A-10's were used to provide ground support aganist Russian armor. Team Granite however was killed, forcing Team Metal to go after Alena themselves. German Leopard 2 tanks provided the American support down the street. The Russians fell back only to cause and entire building to implode crashing down on the American-German column. The German tanks were destroyed, Team Metal was able to escape the kill zone. Delta Force rushed to save Alena from Makarov's men, but arrived too late. The city itself was on the verge of falling in Russian hands.

Saving the Vorshevshys
Tracking the helicopter to a diamond mine in Eastern Siberia. Team Metal and Task Force 141 assaulted the Ultranationlist outpost. They battled their way down the mine, supported by a UAV and A-10's. Alena was found in a torture room and was taken for medical evac. The team continued and found the president and rescued him. The force fought its way out, as the mine began to collapse. Team Metal stayed behind to by time for the chopper to escape at the cost of their own lives.

Peace
President Vorshevshy arrived back in Moscow and made immediate plans for peace with NATO. Sometime after October, peace was finally signed between Russia and NATO, effectively ending World War III.

Notable military operations

 * Invasion of Virginia
 * Russian victory
 * Outbreak of World War III
 * Russians seize control over Northeastern Virginia
 * Battle of Washington D.C.
 * US victory
 * US regain control of D.C.
 * Battle of New York City, United States
 * US Victory
 * US regains control of New York City
 * Russian forces are forced to evacuate the US East Coast, ending the invasion.
 * Battle of London, United Kingdom
 * Russian victory
 * Though SAS was able to stop one of the rigged trucks, the remaining trucks successfully make it to their targets killing scores of civilians from the initial explosions, and killing hundreds more from the cloud of chemical weapons consuming London.
 * Battle of Paris, France
 * Battle of Berlin, Germany

Radio Traffic during the invasion of America
Russo-American War Radio Chatter