Alaskan Pipeline

The Alaskan Pipeline was an important oil pipeline cutting through Alaska down into the continental United States.

Background
As part of the Resource Wars, the United States established the Anchorage Front Line to prevent any invasion across the Bering Strait. Strained international relations between China and the United States forced the hand of the Chinese, and they invaded Alaska in the winter of 2066. Led by General Jingwei, the Chinese military pushed back American forces and assumed control of the Alaska Pipeline and other reserves. An 11-year conflict ensued, ultimately resulting in an American victory in January 2077 after its military wheeled out the newest addition to its arsenal: power armor.Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.43: "Operation: Anchorage Factions" "Chinese Army (Simulated)" "U.S. Army (Simulated)" ''"With conditions deteriorating between the United States and China, a military presence in Alaska was established to prevent a possible invasion across the Bering Strait. With increasingly scarce oil reserves, a last deep-sea deposit below the Pacific Ocean was claimed by China before allegedly being sabotaged by American special operatives. Strained relationships spiraled downward into conflict as China marched on Alaska, and the Sino-American War of 2066—2077 erupted. Under the command of General Jingwei, the Chinese Army usurped control of Alaska's oil pipeline and reserves. In response, the Americans began what came to be called "The Alaskan Reclamation Operation" (2067—2077). Under the leadership of General Constantine Chase, the U.S. Army battled fiercely to the front lines of the conflict before Chase began deploying specialized Power Armor units that began pushing the Chinese back. Future Power Armor suits were further refined as the conflict dragged on, and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline was reclaimed. With resources flowing through Canada, strained diplomatic tensions between Canada and the United States becoming problematic, and Canadian forces attacking the pipeline, the country was annexed. A combination of inclement weather, constant American bombardment and trench warfare, and U.S. Powered Armor unit attacks sweeping through mainline China, the Chinese supply lines weakened and finally broke down completely. By the beginning of 2077, the city of Anchorage was finally liberated, the Chinese eradicated, and the operation deemed a success. A commemorative memorial was erected in Washington, D.C., in honor of the soldiers who fought and perished for the greater American good. Violence between America and pockets of Canadian freedom fighters continued throughout 2077, until the Great War obliterated almost all infrastructure, commerce, and human life."'' (Fallout 3 Official Game Guide faction profiles)

In addition to the Chinese threat, the Alaskan Pipeline was endangered by forces closer to home; the Canadian government was opposed to the United States mobilizing troops through Canada and its airspace and attempted to sabotage the pipeline. In response, the United States annexed Canada in 2072. Tensions between American forces and Canadian rebels stretched on until the Great War of 2077.

Behind the scenes

 * In Fallout Extreme, a portion of the Alaskan Pipeline was adapted by the Brotherhood of Steel for use as a prison. The Cause would destroy the Alaskan operation in the course of the story.

Appearances
The Alaskan Pipeline appears only in the Fallout 3 add-on Operation: Anchorage, but was going to appear in the cancelled Fallout Extreme, and was mentioned in Fallout, Fallout 2, and Fallout 3.