Great War (Pacifica)
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The Great War was a series of interconnected wars and spin-off wars in the South Pacific that lasted from 1949 to 1955. It involved two opposing alliances: the Allies and the Imperialists and their respective allies. The major participants engaged their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities in the war effort. It was the deadliest conflict in human history with over xx military and civilian casualties.
The Great War begun on 27 August 1949 when Karnetvor under Stjepan Masić invaded the TCC from Tasternine. Subsequently, Sedunn, Ryccia and Stoina - dubbed the Allies, including the TCC - declared war on Karnetvor. Tekarai honoured its alliance with Karnetvor, and were collectively called the Imperialists.
Background
Sub-Capricorn
In the 1940s the political situation in the southern half of the South Pacific Ocean (i.e. the Sub-Capricorn) had been relatively stable since the collapse of the expansionist Karnetvorian Confederacy in 1928, which had been replaced by a unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy. However, the Kingdom of Karnetvor was becoming overpopulated and the new welfare system struggled. In 1944 Stjepan Masić of the Social-Democratic Party was elected on a platform of social reforms, an expanded welfare system and a revanchist foreign policy. To solve Karnetvor's problems, he argued for securing control over the southern half of the South Pacific Ocean to provide the necessary goods and raw materials to his population and land for repopulation.
On 24 October 1944, Karnetvor and Tekarai signed a non-aggression pact. Tekarai was a colonial empire and had recently annexed Ubesii on the southeastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, where Tekarai wished to expand further.
The Tasternine Archipelago was a main hub for trans-Pacific trade as well as for Karnetvorian power projection in the region. It was considered to be in a vulnerable position due to its proximity to Termina, located to its south. Since the Karnetvorian Confederacy had annexed Tasternine there had been calls to control the Terminan city states (TCC) along the Crabrian coast, and several proposals had been made to the TCC to let Karnetvor rent ports and build bases there, which had all been turned down, but not unanimously. Some city states favoured Karnetvorian control for the business opportunities it provided. Karnetvorian authorities sought to exploit the divide. By 1949, tensions were high.
On 23 August 1949, the Karnetvorian crown prince and his wife travelled to Clocktown, Termina, for trade negotiations. During a tour of the city, an immigrant called Alexandro Petro got on top of the car's hood and shot the Crown Prince in the chest three times before moving onto his wife, which he also shot three times, killing the couple. Petro was apprehended and taken to a prison where he would be executed. The TCC chancellor sincerely apologised for murder. The following day, Karnetvor started mobilising in secret.
Supra-Capricorn
In the Ikaranarean Region, the Father States took control over the Ikaranarean region and Pastrala in 1880. Upset about the failures of the Triangular Empire, they had overthrown the governments of Ikarn, Narus and Ranaras, forcing the royals to flee to Reizen in the Frost Empire. In the Father States, expansionism was a means of acquiring new populations to increase production- eventually, the Father States would be able to lift the burden of production off of the Indavral populations and instead on to other populations-Indavra was already rich in resources, but the labor of production could be pushed onto less resource rich areas. However, their first course of action was to "Restore their natural borders." This culminated in the annexation of Constadia (Tarnese: Constadea) and Tzardas (Tarnese: Țardaș), two Stoinian exclaves in 1932 and a full scale invasion of Losavra in 1945, leading to the capitulation and annexation of the country of more than 100 million in just 2 weeks. In 19XX, they signed a nonaggression pact with the Frankists and started militarizing more and more, building up all branches of the military for what they assumed would be a major war as they prepared for an invasion of Nea-gy.
Stegăroian Deterrence
The Kingdom of Stoinia, saw a period of rapid military modernisation between the 1930s & 1940s under General Andrei Stegăroiu who was appointed Chief of Staff of the Defence Staff in late 1932. The modernisation was motivated in large part because of heightened tensions with neighbouring states following the Marsh Wars with Ezervulge and annexation of Constadea and Țardaș by the Father States following skirmishes in 1932. Stoinia under the King Mihai III saw the centralisation of leadership in both King and Prime Minister with the appointment of General Andrei Stegăroiu in 1941 as Prime Minister. Prioritising a deterrent foreign policy under military expertise, a renewed focus was given to protecting Stoinian overseas territories in Cordilia and the Central Islands in addition to modernising overseas forces up to the standard on Metropolitan Stoinia. This policy was intended as a deterrent to neighbouring nations who might have dreams of claiming Stoinian overseas territories. Though it was also partly framed as revanchism by the opposition for the Giurescu Concessions in 1932.
This stance of military deterrence saw heightened tensions with Huawanese political factions who wished to reclaim the territories in southern Corinia inhabited by Paeonisian and Garanian. This saw several skirmishes in the Shai Kong region which was a strategic port in the northern area of the Gulf of Kringalia. The Stoinian Royal Navy saw a massive expansion of 340 warships from 1935 to 1947, one of Pacifica's most well-known naval build-ups in history. Furthermore, Stoinia dedicated large amounts of resources to the modernisation of the Stoinian Royal Navy, being amongst the first to introduce naval aircraft carriers, its shipbuilding infrastructure and modernisation of army equipment. It also saw wide recruitment campaigns of native overseas soldiers through the creation of the Garāori, Islander and Pētean Army Corps (GIPAC) in 1934 to bolster the ranks in overseas territories.
With the outbreak of the Weissersteiner Civil War, Prime Minister Stegăroiu committed to support the monarchist faction in the civil war. The Cordilian conflict served as proving grounds of new Stoinian military equipment, tactics and doctrine. Mechanised and armoured units evolved to a more fast-paced form of warfare which was in stark contrast to the attrition tactics of the Marsh Wars. Instead, the Stoinian Armed Forces adopted a doctrine named Bellica Incesante pioneered by the Catanian General Giovanni Sirano favouring combined arms and battering enemy forces without giving them a chance to rest. When there wasn't an offensive, the Stoinians resorted to large-scale artillery fire or air strikes to never allow their enemies to rest. To sustain this type of warfare, the Stoinian arms manufacturing industry boomed and tripled in size from the early 1930s by the end of the Weissersteiner Civil War.
Although Stoinia has always claimed to have switched from a reactive stance to a proactive one since the Giurescu Concessions, at the time other nations and even internal political opposition have claimed that this form of 'Stegăroian Deterrence' has led to further polarisation of neighbouring states. Nonetheless, Prime Minister Stegăroiu has always remained adamant in his belief stating that it was a necessary step for Stoinia to pursue if it was to preserve its place in the South Pacific. Calling Stoinia one of the last true democracies as the world succumbed to imperialist influences. Nowadays, this belief is hailed by many as the truth and seen as a golden era of Stoinia's prominence as a democracy.
"Gentlemen, it has come to my attention that some of you disfavour me for my recent policies. While I won't try to convince you otherwise as in our society we all have the right to our own opinion. However, His Majesty Mihai has invested His trust in me to lead our people through these quarrelsome times. The Father States have proven the will to encroach on our ideals. Our fellow Stoinians, those brave enough to stay to preserve beacons of civilisations out there in the face of monsoons, are now seen as nothing more than an instrument to create wealth in a state that does not recognise the Enlightenment. 724 years ago, we vowed to never let anyone harm our people. We were the children of Tolosa then, and we shall remain so today. I've been entrusted by His Majesty to protect our people and I will do so with every ounce of my being. While I understand some of the political class are more than happy to commend imperialist states' expansions, the soldier in me cannot allow that to happen to Stoinia again. It's my duty to serve this nation. To serve it with the same spirit it was destined with. Anything less would be downright disrespectful to my own conscience as a Stoinian soldier. So if I have to hear you squabble on how my policies are severing international ties while Stoinians overseas are threatened to fall into the maws of iniquity by imperialist scoundrels, then please God grant me stronger shoulders. I refuse to let the beacons of democracy be consumed by the darkness of our times. As such, I shan't depart this Kingdom and beacon of liberty and democracy from the course it was destined to depart on on God's green Terra."
North Cordilia
Mainly through trade with the Austral Empire, the industrialisation was introduced in the Gianlucian Empire. The economy, which was formerly based on the exploitation and selling of natural resources globally, transitioned towards an economy processing said goods to higher-quality products in larger quantities than before. The newly achieved scientific progress and wealth led to philosophers like Karl Friedberg and Friedrich Teufel to formulate theses on the future development of capitalism and colonialism and the calling of the proletariat to rise up globally against the old structures to demand a fairer organisation and distribution of work and profits gained through work.
In many colonies of the Gianlucian Empire workers started to organise based on that and similar manifestos, often combining their wishes to receive "a fair share" with nationalist demands for independence from the Empire. From the mid-1800s forward, the Gianlucian Empire has lost all of its colonies except for Hazelia until the 1910s. This created several economical problems for the Empire. Firstly global trade routes of the Empire were mostly severed, which meant that it had to refocus its economic strategy mainly on the extended Frastinian area, in which most countries had imposed protectionist policies against it. Secondly the decolonisation meant worse access and thus a lack of resources to continue to produce products in the desired quality and quantity for the world market. By the start of the 1920s the Gianlucian Empire has gotten into an economic recession because of this, which meant rising costs of living and high unemployment rates. At the same time, the democratic parties in the 'Reichstag' and the reigning Emperor Gianluca III were seen as weak and not keeping their promises to curb the recession anytime soon.
After publishing the bestseller book 'Für die Ehre' ("For Honour") in 1923 and using militant extremist groups to spread terror throughout the country, Meinhard Frank took advantage of the situation and rose to power with his 'National and Socialist Party of Frankist Progressivism' (NSPFP). In 1935, backed by military leaders and thousands of militant and civilian supporters, he demanded successfully from the Emperor to transfer all powers to him, manifesting himself as the 'Führer' ("Leader") of the Gianlucian Empire through the "Enabling Act".
Course of the war
War breaks out (1949)
05:00 hours, August 27th 1949 the Karnetvorian navy and air force launched strikes against TCC ports and airfields (Operation Raven). Airborne and marine troops were deployed to secure airfields, ports and other strategic infrastructure to create beach and airheads for the bulk of the invasion forces. Some TCC city states openly sided with Karnetvor, offering favourable concessions to the detriment to the city state where the assassination happened. A formal state of war was declared, citing the assassination of the heir to the throne of Karnetvor as casus belli.
On the same day, Sedunn, Ryccia, both being important naval powers in the South Pacific Ocean and liberal democracies, and Stoinia, declared war on Karnetvor, wanting to preserve the balance of power in the region and save Termina from annexation. Johnathan Fletcher, supreme leader of the Dominion of Tekarai, honoured the alliance with Karnetvor and joined the war, seeking to dominate the Mediterranean Sea and cripple its rival Sedunn.
On August 28, Sedunn pulled back naval forces from the Remetull Islands to concentrate them in the Mediterranean Sea to take on the Tekarian navy in order to prevent it from joining the Karnetvorian forces in the ocean, despite knowing about the Karnetvorian plans to invade the strategically important islands. <--Sedunn started evacuating the military from Piel, the main island, to save its cities from destruction in a potential battle, to the smaller islands.--> The main harbours were destroyed to prevent Karnetvor from making strategic usage of the islands, which also reduced Sedunn's capacity to supply its naval forces in the region. Ezervulge mobilised its military to potentially take advantage of the situation and avenge its defeat in Peter I's War.
Karnetvor made rapid gains against the TCC and was able to transfer several hundreds of thousands troops by ship and air, having supremacy at sea.
<North Cordilia here...>
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In October, the Sedunnic navy engaged and thoroughly defeated the Tekarian navy in the Second Naval Battle of the Strait of Saint Michael, dealing a crippling blow to the Tekarian war effort in the Mediterranean Sea and the Sub-Capricorn. Ezervulge demobilised and declared strict neutrality which meant that Sedunn and Stoinia could redeploy units that had been intended for the defence of the homelands. Karnetvor invited Techganet to join the war on its side, offering territory in Crabry. Techganet accepted.
It is my great pleasure to relay to you that all primary and secondary objectives have been fully completed. This occasion, which may have won us the war, calls for celebrations, but I am afraid we are sinking. No time for anything elaborate.—Paksarr Vosallu, captain of the Sedunnic flagship the cruiser SNS Tapparad (lost), reporting to the naval headquarters
Meanwhile, The Sedunnic army and rapidly raised militias repulsed several Karnetvorian landing attempts on Piel Island. In what was to be known as the Gentlemen's War, the Karnetvorian and Sedunnic commanders avoided excessive force and informed each other when they were about to destroy equipment or buildings so that they could evacuate their personnel. This was due the old friendship between high ranking officers in the nations.
<--Meanwhile, Karnetvor landed troops unopposed on Piel Island, occupying it. In what was to be known as the Gentlemen's War, the Karnetvorian and Sedunnic commanders avoided excessive force and informed each other when they were about to destroy equipment or buildings so that they could evacuate their personnel. This was due the old friendship between high ranking officers in the nations.-->
(??, ??: Gianlucaland joins the war. Sedunn and Stoinia incapacitates its small naval forces in Sallodesia...)
In January 1950, Karnetvor invaded and annexed Government Island after having repulsed the Allied naval taskforce dispatched to protect the island. The entirety of the population was deported. The island had great strategic value and was to be used as a stepping stone for the planned invasion of the Siculites later. Sedunn's navy was strained from the previous battles and patrolling and needed to recover. Additional ships were ordered on a massive scale. Stoinia helped building ships.
In February 1950, the situation stabilised in Termina, but Karnetvor was not in full control yet as the capital was not in their hands yet. Imperialist forces (Karnetvor, Techganet and Tekarai) landed on the Siculite Islands. In a month, they defeated the Ryccian defenders, but the Ryccians and the natives fought a guerrilla campaign, that was not fully defeated until April. The islands were annexed by Karnetvor.
Sedunn, being largely unopposed in the Mediterranean Sea, supplied Ubesian rebels with weapons. Ryccia managed to send naval reinforcements through Imperialist blockades (either Gianlucan if north or Tekarian if south) which arrived in Stoinia and Sedunn.
By May 1950, Sedunn was ready to resume large-scale naval operations. Sedunn, supported by Stoinia and Ryccia defeated the Karnetvorian navy in the Battle of the Sea of Sedunn and the Battle for Bravero Sea, cutting off the Siculites and Government Island from Karnetvorian supply lines. With the eastern half of the Sub-Capricorn mostly secured, the Allies (Sedunn, Ryccia and Stoinia) started sending reinforcements to Termina, and the Karnetvorian advance was stalled.
Corinian Theatre (1949-1951)
<--Stoinian Commodore defends Corinia multiple times from Imperialists-->
Supra-Capricorn Theatre
<--Fight against the Father States-->
Central Bailtemmic front (1950-1953)
<--Sallodesian annexation of Neu Katzberg & Neu Faburg, Fauderland puppet Detroxia -> Sallodesian front with Detroxian & Regan resistance help-->
Stagnation and rise of rebellions (1951-1952)
The frontlines in Termina were stable in 1951 thanks to both sides being able to send reinforcements. Imperialist air forces launched an unsuccessful bombing campaign of the Sedunnic west coast from Government Island and the Siculites. On March 5 1952 the Sedunnic King Hevv died and Queen Yemms Sperallu replaced him. It is not known if the cause was natural.
Sedunn and Ryccia launched a top-secret plan to develop nuclear weapons.
Rebellion in Ubesii
By June, it was becoming evident that Tekarai was struggling to maintain order in Ubesii and a new law was passed, which deprived Ubesians of their citizenship and forced many of them to live in closed-off ghettos. This sparked an armed rebellion, which slowly gained momentum.
Rebellion in Huawan
During the first two years of the war, the Peocracy had been strictly neutral. Then through the agitation of Mikhail Aerinn, the country started questioning the role of The Peony and its decisions, plunging the country into a civil war in August 1951. Three sides rose: one faction supported the Imperialists, being sympathetic towards the Karnetvorians avenging the crown prince and harbouring anti-Sedunnic sentiments, one that supported the Allies, and one that supported the status quo (which was the stance of the Royal Palace).
In July 1952 the civil war in Huawan was resolved with the infiltration of the shogunates of Huawan, and the Peony regained complete control. Evidence of Sedunnic agitation, and private calls for alliance with the imperialists were uncovered. But The Peony maintained the court, and assured that "no further blood was to be spilled", and that she would not join the war.
Rebellion in Arnchow
Invasion of Huawan and entry of Izaakia (1952)
Fearing that the Peonic Navy could still enter the war on the Allies' side, the Imperialists took pre-emptive action to ensure that the ships would not enter the ocean. After a rejected ultimatum to join the Imperialist side, Imperialist forces landed on Hai Men Island in August 1952 and airborne troops landed in the Shogunate of Minnan that was trying to secede from Huawan. By controlling the the island of Hai Men, the goal was to close the straits between the island and Huawan Seaside and block vessels from leaving Huawan. The Imperialists rapidly gained ground, but never completely controlled the island due to the fierce guerilla fighting and support from the Izaakian garrison in Hai Men City. However, the Imperialists established control over the straits for a time and managed to damage some of the Peonic ships at dock.
Izaakia declared war on Karnetvor and invaded the Karnetvorian Antarctic to reclaim territories lost in 1883-1885 and 1915. In October 1952 Izaakia had initial successes against the Karnetvorians in Keyli, liberating Manta City, but their advance was halted by Techganet reinforcements.
Allies gain momentum (1953–54)
In August 1953, Imperialist forces finally laid siege to the TCC capital, having pushed a costly advance for almost six months. The battle was brutal, as it quickly degenerated into house to house fighting. In October, the Imperialists had taken half of the city, but could not replace their losses as easily as the Allies. On December 3, the Allies counterattacked, destroying the Imperialist divisions that defended the outskirts of the city. The Allies then surrounded the Karnetvorian forces. The situation became dire, as they were left without food, water, or ammunition, and supplying the besieged Karnetvorians became impossible. They were annihilated. The Battle of Clocktown, the most bloody battle of the war, ended on February 4th, 1954, when the remaining Karnetvorians surrendered to the Allies and the devastated city was liberated. The Imperialist survivors were captured and sent to POW camps. They only returned home after the end of the war. The battle proved to be the turning point of the war, the Imperialists could never resupply their forces properly. Remaining Imperialist forces started retreating towards Tasternine, fighting a successful delay campaign against the Allied forces, implementing a scorched earth policy; the Imperialist soldiers burned villages, destroyed railways and roads, killed civilians, and looted or destroyed anything that could help the enemy. In Karnetvor, Prime Minister Masić was given emergency powers, allowing him to take decisions without parliamentary oversight. In Tekarai, the government started the "Final Solution" to the "Ubesiian problem", deporting Ubesians to concentration camps, and killing them by shootings or gas.
As the battle for Clocktown dragged on, the Allies ramped up their naval campaigns. During the Battle of the Tasterninian Sea, July 19 1953, the Sedunnic, Ryccian, and Stoinian navies destroyed Karnetvor's Tasterninian Fleet, cutting off the Imperialists in Termina from Tasternine. The Allies landed in Tasternine, which fell a month later, on August 25th. Tasternine was the first core Imperialist territory to be captured by Allied forces.
In August, combined Peonic-Izaakian forces were also successful against the Imperialists. The Imperialist forces on Hai Men Island surrendered after a series of battles. Meanwhile in southern Huawan, the Imperialists were defeated in the largest battle of the war in southern Cordilia. The Peonic Navy could finally leave its ports. Huawan officially joined the war on the Allies' side.
On December 14 1953, Allied forces landed on the Siculite Islands, liberating them almost without resistance, as the demoralised Karnetvorians had run out of supplies due to the fall of Tasternine. The Karnetvorians surrendered three days after the landings. The same month, Ubesii declared its independence from Tekarai following the advance of the rebels. <--In January 1954 the Karnetvorian forces on Piel Island surrendered without a fight, being totally cut off and outgunned.-->
Operation Sovereign - Stoinian invasion of the Father States (1951-1954)
Allies close in (1954)
On February 10, 1954, the new Republic of Ubesii had defeated the Tekaraian Army and stopped the Ubesiian Genocide. Tekarai, faced by a possible Allied invasion, informed the Allies of their decision to surrender. Karnetvorian Prime Minister Masić took the news as a betrayal, and severed relations with Tekarai. Ubesii, now enjoying international recognition, declared war against Karnetvor. Ubesii sent its own units to fight with the Allies.
Imperialists in occupied territory were low on supplies and morale, which the Allies took advantage of. Government Island was liberated by the Allies in March. Large-scale bombing campaigns of Mainland Karnetvor were initiated, targetting the industry and naval and air bases. In may 13, the surviving Imperialists in Termina surrendered. In September 1954, Allied naval forces defeated a joint Imperialist navy in the Battle of Foreseas. The joint navy was the last time the Imperialists managed to deploy a larger naval force. Protests and strikes against the government happened in Karnetvor.
Collapse of the Imperialists (1954-1955)
As conditions had worsened for the Techanerean economy and due a lack of battlefield success and the loss of most of its naval forces, Techganet decided to negotiate a separate peace with the Allies on new years eve, 31 December 1954. All territories gained in Crabry were ceded to the Allies, and the Techanerean king was required to broadcast a formal apology for Techganet's involvement in the war. This significantly weakened Karnetvor's ability to defend its home waters and the Allies gained total supremacy at sea.
Due to the timely surrender of Techganet, the Allies were confident enough to land troops on Mainland Karnetvor on February 1, significantly bolstered by Peonic land and air forces. The invasion shocked the Karnetvoiran government as well as the population. Prime Minister Masić tried to convince the Karnetvorian people to fight to the death for their country, but they had had enough. Behind the scenes, General Dragov, King Peter II, and the opposition had started plotting to overthrow Masić and end the war. In an emergency session on February 5, the Parliament adopted a motion of no confidence in Masić's government, with most members of his own party voting in favour. Masić contacted the army to evaluate his options, but Dragov had convinced the Armed Forces to remove Masić by force if the plan failed. King Peter officially deposed Masić on February 6th, and ordered his arrest on charges of abuse of power, violating the Constitution, and war crimes, which was carried out the same day. Dragov was appointed Interim Prime Minister by the King. Due to his earlier support for both the war and Masić's government, the King's position became untenable, and, to avoid a general uprising, he abdicated in favour of his daughter, Princess Zelda. The next day, February 7, 1955, Karnetvor surrendered to the Allies, ending the war. The Arnchow Rebellion would continue to drag on violently for another year after the capitulation of Karnetvor until the weakened Republic of Arnchow capitulated to the Allies through the signing of the Treaty of Jalan Mulut Timur on July 11, 1956 during the Siege of Hsi'an.
Aftermath
More than xx million people died on the war. It is the deadliest war in South Pacifican history.
Karnetvor was under Allied occupation for ten years. Karnetvor was declared to be the main perpetrator of the war. As such, it lost all of its colonies (Karnetvorian West Keylian Territories to Izaakia, Marresa to Ryccia), with the exception of Tasternine; half of the Tasterninian population was (and still is) of Karnetian (Karnetvorian native) descent. Karnetvor also renounced all claims on Termina, and lost its status as a major power. Princess Zelda was officially crowned Queen on January 1st, 1956, and elections were held two weeks later, resulting in an Opposition victory. The Imperialists were also forced to pay war reparations to the Allies, which were completed in the 1970s. In 1989, after the fall of the monarchy, the new republican government in Karnetvor announced it would not respond to any more reparations claims, due to the debt being already paid.
In Sedunn the policy of combatting expansionism in the South Pacific was questioned, and in the 1960 elections the Moderate Party promised to pursue a less "extraverted" foreign policy and refrain from policing abroad and to reduce military expenses. However, with its infrastructure and industry largely intact, the Sedunnic economy entered the post-war era in a strong position.
To this day, the war is a controversial topic in Karnetvor, and Prime Minister Masić (who was released in 1969, dying three years later) is a controversial figure, with some praising him for defending the country's interests, and others condemning him for bringing it to ruin.