Great Midwest Commonwealth

The Great Midwest Commonwealth or Midwest Commonwealth was one of the thirteen commonwealths of the pre-War United States of America.

Background
Created in 1969, it was comprised of the former states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The commonwealth bordered the Northern Commonwealth, the Plains Commonwealth, the East Central Commonwealth, and the country of Canada.

Former Midwest
John Cassidy mentions that there are miles-wide twisters in the Midwest and this region is one big radioactive dustbowl. He mentions that he regrets not exploring the area in his youth.

Former Illinois
After the fall of the Master in the far west, a great migration of super mutants began. They traveled east to find themselves a new home until they found a crashed Brotherhood of Steel zeppelin, which was a part of an air convoy that was meant to find and destroy the remains of Master's Army. Brotherhood Paladin Latham dueled mutant leader Gammorin and won. As unlikely it may seem, Latham took his opponent's name and became the new leader of the mutant army, setting up the base known as Osceolla near the airship crash site. Corporal Armstrong is mentioned as serving in either the 4th or 13th Great Midwest Commonwealth Armored Infantry Division.

Following the defeat of the Master, the Brotherhood of Steel suffered an internal conflict between reformists and traditionalists. Ultimately those that wished for reforms were sent east on an expedition to survey the extent of the remaining super mutant threat. A small fleet of airships was used in this task, with all but one being taken down by a storm as they crossed the Rocky Mountains. The surviving members of the expedition landed just outside of Chicago. The technology-worshipping Reaver cult, based in Newton is also an organization located here.

Far from the elders in Lost Hills, a new Midwestern Brotherhood chapter was formed. It diverged heavily from Brotherhood orthodoxy, incorporating many small towns, protecting the locals from raiders and other threats, and distributing advanced technology. They also began openly recruiting not just wastelanders, but ghouls, super mutants, and even talking deathclaws. By 2197, they had firmly established a neo-feudal society around Chicago.

The Brotherhood would expand outwards into the state as threats presented themselves. The local raider bands would try to take over Rock Falls, while Beastlords would threaten the city of Quincy. Some of the other major towns include the Junktown-like Junction City, Cold Water, famous for its casino; and Great Bend, a major pre-War industry center. The dying town of Macomb, as well as numerous small settlements and tribes (like Peoria, Brahmin Wood, and Dirt Haven), are located here as well.

Another expedition would be sent east by the Brotherhood of Steel in 2254, this time with the destination being Washington D.C. As part of this expedition, contact was to be made with chapters of the Brotherhood in the region. The Midwestern Brotherhood was contacted and confirmed they were still operating out of Chicago, after a recently waged war against a band of super mutants.

Elizabeth Jameson mentions Chicago when explaining to the Lone Wanderer the ongoing super mutant conflict the Brotherhood of Steel has been embroiled in over the last few decades.

The Enclave maintained an outpost in Chicago. In the message Whitley recorded and stored before sending ED-E to Navarro, he requests anyone at the Chicago outpost to give the unit any repairs it needs. When ED-E made it to Chicago, it was a young boy named Tommy, his father and mother that helped with the repairs.

Before the Great War, Detective Nick Valentine together with his fiance Jennifer Lands transferred from the Chicago Police to Boston to assist the Boston Police Department in Operation Winter's End.

An Appalachian resident named Shawn Aaronholt wrote a note that mentions Chicago, and that he disagreed with his brother Lowell about moving there, wanting to head south to settle instead. A note titled Last will and testament written by Lowell also mentions Chicago, in that he wishes he would have gone there.

Former Michigan
Detroit is mentioned in the Eden Meadows Cinemas terminal entries as having manufactured Roborilla, a fictional American-made robot featured in an upcoming movie Manzilloid vs. Roborilla.

In Appalachia, a man named Johnny Weston mentions to the player character that he may or may not be from Detroit and refuses to tell them his origins.

Major factions

 * Midwestern Brotherhood
 * The Enclave

Appearances
The Great Midwest Commonwealth appears in Fallout Tactics, and is mentioned in Fallout, Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas and its add-on Lonesome Road, Fallout 4, Van Buren, its tech demo, and in the Fallout 76 Wastelanders update.