Civil War Movie's America Map & State Alliances Explained

Civil War is a haunting take speculative war film, splintering the United States into four distinct factions. The film doesn't dive too deeply into the origins or specifics of the conflict that eventually overtook the country, instead keeping the focus grounded on four reporters who make their way through what remains of the United States. This means the setting isn't fully explored, allowing different opposing forces to rally against one another. Much of the film takes place in the Loyalist States, which have remained in the union. There's no major visit to the other three major factions and their territory.

This allows Civil War Writer/Director Alex Garland to focus on the moments of humanity and inhumanity on both sides of the conflict, underscoring Civil War's themes of war and human nature beyond the modern political divide in the United States. However, it's worth looking at the breakdown of the conflict and how it has expanded across North America. Beyond the remaining Loyalist States, several independent republics have found common ground to form Civil War's most important alliances. This highlights the severity of the situation, with several unexpected partnerships forming in light of the President's increasing atrocities in Civil War.

California & Texas Are The Western Forces

The Biggest States Have A Big Prescene In Civil War

Two of the largest states in the Union, California and Texas, are depicted in Civil War as the Western Forces. In the universe of Civil War, these two states seceded from the union to form their own individual republics, the Second Republic of Texas and the Republic of California respectively. Despite their wildly different politics in real life, the two have become steadfast allies in Civil War due to their shared enemy. As explained by the writer/director after a screening of the film, Garland's Civil War united California and Texas specifically to avoid any themes of specific political strife.

Instead, the two radically different governments have united in the goal to bring down the Loyalist United States due to the expanded powers of Nick Offerman's President, who is depicted as a fascist leader within the film. This fits alongside the Western Forces as depicted in the film. They are portrayed as willing to work alongside the independent press, helping to keep them alive. This Alliance also proves to be the film's ultimate victor, winning the titular war. Civil War's third act takes place during the Western Forces' successful advance into Washington D.C. and features the execution of the President. Some Loyalist generals have already surrendered by the time the Western Forces move on Washington. Lee, Joel and Jessie join the Western Forces as they make their way in to storm the White House. The President is executed, and Jessie captures it on camera, and it isn't a moment she misses.

Most North States Are Part Of The New People's Army Alliance

The New People's Army Alliance Has A Massive Amount Of Land

Hinted throughout the film, the New People's Army Alliance has a relatively minor role in Civil War. It's established that many northern states, such as Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming followed Texas and California in seceding. While the population of these states may not match California and Texas, together this army quietly controls a large portion of the North American continent. With much of A24's Civil War taking place on the East Coast as Lee, Joel, Jessie, and Sammy head towards Washington D.C., there's no time spent elsewhere in the continent.

The New People's Army Alliance is suggested to be among the forces closing in on D.C. by the end of the film. This plays into the underlying hints towards the nature of Civil War's central conflict. The film's intent was to showcase how even when the country is tearing itself apart, much of the United States would remain united in the face of a fascist regime taking over the government. Despite the numerous political differences that likely exist between them, the New People's Army Alliance seems more than willing to join the Western Forces in bringing down the Loyalist States.

The Florida Alliance Has Most South States Included

The Florida Alliance's Proximity To The Loyalist States Makes It Quietly Important

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee are among the confirmed southern states that are counted among the Florida Alliance. They are depicted as having seceded from the United States and seem to be encroaching onto the Loyalist territory, given their direct proximity to the borders of the remaining Loyalist states. This suggests the Florida Alliance eventually allied with the Western Forces to fight the Loyalists.

Civil War Main Characters	Cast
Lee	Kirsten Dunst
Joel	Wagner Moura
Jessie	Cailee Spaeny
Sammy	Stephen McKinley Henderson
Tony	Nelson Lee
The President	Nick Offerman

The Florida Alliance is likely a more consistent threat to the Loyalist States in Civil War, given how close their territory is to the remaining United States. The Western Forces by contrast are forced to march through multiple states to reach Washington D.C. This makes the Florida Alliance a quietly vital element of Civil War's world, even as the setting itself isn't seen much. There are some though that still consider the Florida Alliance to be 'real America," such as the murderous soldier that the four reporters encounter during their journey. He spares Joel when he says he's from Florida.

Every Other State Is A Loyalist To The Government (Including Alaska & Hawaii)

Things Aren't Going Great For The United States In Civil War

Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia & Wisconsin remain in Civil War's United States. The government has been taken over by a three-term President, who has dismantled departments like the FBI and used drones on American citizens. The Loyalist Army is particularly dangerous around the press compared to the Western Forces. Lee and Joel's journey to Washington D.C. is labeled a suicide mission due to Loyalist Soldiers' tendency to kill reporters.

However, things aren't going well for the remaining United States. There are water shortages in New York City, while citizens take personal justice into their own hands. By the end of Civil War, most Loyalist States forces either surrendered or died. It's also mentioned that Alaska is now "neutral territory," suggesting it has defected from the Loyalist States while Western Forces overrun the White House in Civil War's harrowing finale.

Why California, Texas, & Florida Are Allies In Civil War

Three Unlikely Allies Are Pitted Against The President Of The United States

Custom Image by Yeider Chacon.

Despite their differing politics and cultures in the real world, California, Texas, and Florida have become dedicated allies in the world of Civil War. The tensions that exist among people have only become more pronounced in the United States of Civil War, and yet these vastly different states have united, seemingly out of desperation to combat the President of the United States. The film repeatedly draws attention to his tyrannical rule of the nation, suggesting his attempts to further cement his power are the primary motivation uniting the various states against him.

That's not to say the Western Forces and the Florida Alliance particularly like one another. Various scenes in Civil War underscore the tensions that exist in the setting by subverting expectations of united forces in uniform. Instead, Civil War's soldiers are snarky, bitter, and exhausted. This tension suggests a grim future for the United States of Civil War where-in the various pockets of the country remain opposed to unification, especially following the titular conflict.

The President's record is the film's own explanation for the odd pairing. He's serving a third term, he's disbanded the FBI, and he treats journalists as "enemy combatants." Garland has said that when it comes to why Texas and California might be allied, putting aside their political differences, "the answer would be implicit in that."

What Happens To The Loyalist States After The Western Forces Win?

The United States Of Civil War May Remain Divided Forever

It's unclear what fate awaits the Loyalist States following the conclusion of Civil War, but it's unlikely to be a positive one. The Loyalist States stood by the President even as he waged war on their countrymen, leading to countless deaths across the course of the film. At best, the Loyalist States may be saddled with the reconstruction efforts, leading to the spedature of their entire remaining monetary reserves. The fact that the US dollar is now worthless makes this possibility an even more harrowing one following the conflict.

Given the brutality of the conflict and the harsh tactics both sides have utilized against one another, it's entirely possible that the Loyalist States may be in for a far rougher time than that. The Loyalist States may even be broken up and distributed to the other alliances, cementing the end of the United States and the beginning of something new. Although Civil War's ending leaves those elements of the future ambiguous, thinks don't look good for the states that aligned with the President.

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  Kirsten Dunst

  Lee

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  Wagner Moura

  Joel

Civil War is a 2024 action thriller from writer and director Alex Garland. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, and Stephen McKinley Henderson, Civil War takes place in the near future and shows the United States entering a new Civil War after California and Texas attempt to separate from the country.