United Earth Directorate

The United Earth Directorate (UED) is the primary Terran power, based on Earth. The UED succeeded the United Powers League (UPL) after the undeniable confirmation of the existence of intelligent extraterrestrial life.

The End of the United Powers League
Although the Terran settlers of the Koprulu Sector were unaware of it, they were monitored by those who had exiled them through deep space probes. At first the UPL were disinterested observers. They had little interest or incentive in involving themselves with the backwater colonials.

This state of affairs changed when the Koprulu Sector was invaded by the Protoss and the Zerg. The UPL had never encountered intelligent extraterrestrial life before and the result was widespread panic.

Formation of the Directorate
As before, the UPL could hardly have cared less about the fate of the Koprulu Sector or the colonials fighting and dying there. However the new alien species did pose a threat to the UPL, to Earth, and this required a response. Numerous polities that had resisted domination by the UPL now joined in the interests of protection. The resulting changes resulted in the reformation of the UPL as the United Earth Directorate.

The Galactic War for Domination
The UED began adopting a more proactive, militaristic policy to "ensure the continued safety of the United Earth Directorate and all mankind." Considerable resources were devoted to researching the Protoss and Zerg.

Koprulu Sector Campaign
Within months forces were assembled to take the offensive and secure the Koprulu Sector. The expeditionary force, commanded by Admiral Gerard DuGalle, would bring the Terran colonies under UED control, assume control of the Zerg Swarm by subjugating the newborn Zerg Overmind with psychics and powerful drugs, and finally (using the Zerg) suppress Protoss activity within the sector.

The fleet journeyed to the Koprulu Sector with its cargo of troops in cold sleep, and arrived without incident. Early on a colony was sacrificed to the Zerg so that the UED could observe live Zerg in action. The invaders met with early successes with the routing of the Terran Dominion. The Zerg Swarm too was enslaved, but only after the Psi Disruptor was secured through the sacrifice of Vice Admiral Alexei Stukov.

The UED occupation provoked resentment and mistrust from the sector's traditional occupants, and it was only a matter of time before the initial shock wore off and the displaced banded together to resist the newcomers. Under Infested Kerrigan's direction, the UED hold on the sector was critically weakened by the liberation of Korhal and then the destruction of the Psi Disruptor, transferring control of the Zerg Swarm to Kerrigan. A final attempt by DuGalle to retrieve the situation at Char failed and the remnants of the UED fleet were forced to flee the sector. None of the fleeing fleet managed to elude their Zerg pursuers and return to the UED.

The UED presence in or near the sector was not completely extinguished. Some isolated outposts, such as on Abaddon remained.

The failure of the offensive and the loss of the expeditionary fleet was a temporary set back for the UED.

Territories
In addition to Earth, the UED controlled (or at least controlled at some point) the Sol System, the Centauri colonies and Tau Ceti.

Battle Order
The UED Expedionary Fleet itself was organized into two distinct wings:
 * Atlas Wing - ground forces, main color brown
 * Cronus Wing - space forces, main color white

The Cronus Wing was by far the largest force; usually the UED forces opposed by the player focused on aerial combat rather than ground combat (which was favored by the Terran Dominion).

There were also several specialized organizations within the whole Fleet:
 * UED Blockade
 * UED Strike Team
 * UED Commando Force
 * UED Science Corps
 * UED Defense Garrison
 * Stukov's Elite Guard

The UED Blockade was formed to blockade newly conquered worlds or help prevent outside interference and escapes with ongoing planetary battles. The UED Strike Team and UED Commando Force were elite ground forces that played a role in some of the Directorate missions during the campaign. The Science Corps controlled the second Overmind. The Defense Garrison defended Braxis.

Vice Admiral Stukov himself had an Elite Guard, which used blue as its color. Stukov would actually defy the Directorate orders, although he did so in the Directorate's best interests. But disinformation by Samir Duran, a former member of Alpha Squadron, would lead to the death of Stukov.

Known Members

 * Admiral DuGalle (see main article)
 * Vice Admiral Stukov (see main article)
 * Commandant Miloshek: Devised the 'Multiplication' deep space combat simulation exercise in order to train UED commanders to think on their feet.
 * Major Kilbourne: Aided Miloshek in devising the simulation.
 * Unnamed Captain: The player character in Episode V.
 * Lieutenant Thomas Dufay: Ordered to take a company into the city of Graschek and destroy an enemy logistics base. Given the city's labyrinth-like nature, they lost their bearings en route and lost half of their men. Dufay resolved that, after his tour of duty was over, he'd find the city's planners and kill them all with his bare hands. 2
 * Lieutenant Samir Duran (albeit temporarily)
 * Marine 384DTA47631: Experienced post-traumatic stress disorder after serving on Char.3

Background

 * The size of the UED Expeditionary Fleet was reported by Andy Chambers as being small.
 * Chris Metzen speculates that the reason the UED and the Colonials used such similar equipment is because the UED relied heavily on local production and technology, such as the Dylarian Shipyards. That would also allow the initial UED invasion force to be smaller.

Trivia

 * The United Earth Directorate appears to be loosely based on the United Citizen Federation of the movie Starship Troopers. Similarities can be seen at the end of Episode V, during the UED Victory movie.