| abstract
| - Pennsylvania was one of the founding states of the United States of America. The former British colony joined the union in 1787 as the second colony to ratify the U.S. Constitution. On Doomsday its two largest cities - Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, along with towns and suburbs in their vicinity - were destroyed by Soviet nuclear strikes. Also destroyed by direct hits were the state capital of Harrisburg, and the cities of Bethlehem, Erie, Scranton, and Wilkes-Barre. Allentown was severely damaged by the strike on Bethlehem and abandoned by survivors who fled west and southwest toward Reading. Waynesboro was also damaged due to the strikes on Camp David and the Raven Rock Mountain Complex. Willow Grove had to be abandoned due to the strike on Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove. The towns and communities south of Wilkes-Barre and Scranton were evacuated by the few survivors to escape the fallout and radiation. Few survived to see the new year. It has been believed for years that no life survived in the state, as it was located in the heavily-targeted northeastern section of the U.S. However, civilian explorers from Vermont and Delmarva, and a military expedition from the Virginian Republic, have independently confirmed the existence of survivors in the following regions:
* in the eastern part of the state, centered in and around the city of Reading, with survivors stretching as far east as the remains of Allentown
* in the central part of the state, centered in the town of State College , home of Penn State University, and other survivors in the towns of Altoona, Punxutawney and Franklin,
* large groups of survivors centered in the Allegheny National Forest and Elk State and Susquehannock State Forests located in the northern portions of Pennsylvania
* in the southern part of the state, centered in the town of Gettysburg, a small republic holding territories that reach into former Maryland state
* a group of surviving communities in the northeast part of the former state based around the Susquehanna River and the communities of Bloomsburg and Hazleton Conversations with leaders in Reading and State College indicated two provisional state governments having been established in the 1980s in both locales, that evolved into two separate governments. Though no formal movement toward a unified government for all of Pennsylvania has been made in years, both locales do have a governor and legislature and a large degree of self-autonomy. There is also debate as to which city is the de facto state capital. Virginia and Vermont explorers initially confirmed the existence of State College as the new state capitol with leaders of the communities based in and around the forests. However, the explorers were told that the forest communities consider State College to have only the "barest" authority over their affairs and hold St. Mary's - halfway between Allegheny National Forest and the two state forests - as their capital. And, explorers were told Reading was the state capital. Explorers reported all three regions as having a "steady, functioning, early 20th-century society" with people eager to hear what had happened to the rest of the country, and of the world. Delmarvan and Virginian explorers found a stable government in the Reading area as well as a "lawless" situation in the Allentown region, which became the destination for gang members and criminals wanting autonomy especially from the Reading government. For years there was no real single government over eastern Pennsylvania, as numerous gangs and warlords fought for control with surviving police and civic leaders and leaders of the remnants of Pennsylvania National Guard and U.S. Army units. Reading's government controlled the city and surrounding suburbs and towns, and gradually grew its control over the region; it was the largest, and most powerful, government in an area of that had become Balkanized into several dozen regions divided by town, farm, suburb, city block, even railroad track. The "law-abiding" groups led by police and National Guardsmen finally gained a measure of control over the region by 2002, consolidating power in Reading. The Reading government still has to deal with gang leaders who operate out of the remains of Allentown as well as warlords who make ongoing trade and contact with State College next to impossible. Susquehanna has recently formed after stabilizing the region, and the local communities ended squabbling over supplies and agreed to collaborate in order to survive. They have recently defeated the remaining groups of raiders and gangs that Reading had driven out of Allentown, who took refuge in White Haven. Due to transportation breakdown, and the lack of fuel, contact with State College and Reading has been sporadic and sketchy. Trade is low, but there have been attempts to increase this and secure the interstates between them. In September of 2011, Reading forces attacked Allentown in an attempt to oust the raider gangs based there. After 34 days of intense urban warfare, the Reading National Guard successfully removed the raiders and absorbed Allentown by installing the pro-Reading Allentown Transitional Council.
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