Colerican Civil War

To fully understand what is considered the darkest moment in the United Empire of Colerica's history -- the Colerican Civil War -- you must read and comprehend a long history of devisive actions and events that slowly built up and boiled over to the point of civil strife.

Causes

For an overview of the Colerican Civil War, we must examine what the causes of the war were to begin with. What would provoke everyday citizens of the United Empire to turn on their own nation’s banner and strike down their own countrymen? The Confederate States of New Colerica’s motto was “Liberty. Freedom. Enfranchisement.” This slogan was a direct counter to what the United Empire was. In the eyes of the CSNC, there was no liberty, no freedom, and no enfranchisement in the United Empire.

The United Empire of Colerica had long given into the temptation of oppression of its people. Colericans were used to such treatment by their government. Years of oppressive rule had left a burning desire in a certain section of the population; a quest for total freedom. A small minority of these freedom-dreaming citizens became radical dissenters; terrorizing and attacking targets in the name of their cause. The United Empire treated these minorities as terrorists; arresting and killing all they could find. However, that didn’t crush the cause for which this minority fought and died for. As famed freedom fighter, DeLayn Sacro later said, “No army can defeat a people’s will for freedom.”

A common belief is that the two sections of Colerica were simply too different to coincide with one another. This theory doesn’t make mention of why such division would result in a civil war after two hundred years of peace amongst the countrymen. When the Colericans overthrew the Colerisarians and took control of the island, the people -- no matter what state they were from -- recognized themselves as Colericans. These people put aside whatever petty regional differences they had and focused their attention to forming a new nation from the ashes of Imperial rule. Ironically enough, the Founding Fathers of the Colerican Independence, after fighting a war with the Empire of Colerisar and winning their freedom, turned around and established an empire of their own.

Getting back to where we were prior, it is imperative to state that the United Empire had always had a certain level of division amongst itself. This anxiety for change, albeit located in a small minority of the citizens, had manifested itself into a far-reaching cry for freedom and an end to Imperial rule. To review the calls for secession is to look back into the rich collection of Colerican history.

Four Days of Danger

We begin with the Four Days of Danger. On June 9th, 1956, Emperor Kydel Thra commended an upstart young man in the Colerican Imperial Army, General Quiden Serec, at an Imperial ceremony in Serec’s honor. Quiden had been an experienced commander in the First Balder Conflict and had proved his worth as a fine military leader. He was awarded the position of General-in-Command, the third highest position in the United Empire. This wasn’t enough for the hotheaded young commander, though, and rumors flew that Serec had requested more power and even higher position: Lieutenant Emperor Pro Tempor. Kydel refused to grant the position to him and Quiden stated, quote, “Then I shall take it from you.”

Quiden launched a coup d'état, in an attempt to overthrow Kydel Thra. With over twenty thousand Imperial soldiers loyal to him and his cause for rebellion, Quiden Serec laid siege to the Imperial Palace. Troops who had remained loyal to the Emperor defended the palace and their Emperor, fighting off Quiden’s besieging force. Quiden was defeated on the fourth night of fighting and his men surrendered.

Kydel Thra was sick with rage. He ordered the immediate execution of all of Quiden’s soldiers; some nine thousand men were hung. Quiden Serec, however, was given a much worse punishment. He had his eyes removed, his tongue, fingers, and toes were all cut off. He was then crucified on a large pole suspended from a five-story building overlooking Keystone Bay. General Serec died a slow, painful death two days later. Quiden’s rotting body remained there for one year until it finally was removed as a symbol to all those who dare defy the United Empire and the Emperor.

Quiden Serec’s attempted coup, while a failure, laid the brick path for the future movements to usurp the power of the United Empire. People like Ruraq Kylaer, the leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colerica, looked into the past to people like General Serec for guidance and motivation.

Crushed Secession

In the mid-winter of 1976, more problems hit the United Empire. A strong secessionist movement struck the island state of Isla Larga. Emperor Kydel Thra was quick to end the movement by invading the island with a large military force that swept through and arrested the dissenters who were calling for secession. This was the only call -- up to the time -- for secession in the United Empire. While most looked the other way and, seemingly, didn’t care about the event, those who had an expanded view of potential future problems saw that secession wouldn’t die so easily.

Fifteen Days War

From August 14th to August 29th, 1980, the United Empire of Colerica waged war in the Colerican state of Isla Montaro to suppress a violent slave revolt. Isla Montaro’s economy had been dependant on slavery for over two hundred years and the slaves had finally arisen in a brutal revolution. Hundreds of people, on both sides, were killed prior to Kalor Thra intervening. Kalor dispatched two hundred thousand soldiers to quell the slave rebellion and it was over within fifteen days.

One major issue resulted from the Fifteen Days War: the abolition of slavery in the United Empire. A clause in the Colerican Constitution had allowed slavery throughout the UEC ever since its foundation. Despite the fact that it was 1980, aristocratic slavers in Isla Montaro had refused to relinquish their dwindling number of slaves. Kalor Thra abolished slavery throughout the United Empire.

While small, this did cause a rift in certain aspects of the Colerican society. What this established was more Imperial control over the states. Dyanne Rithros, a member of the Imperial Court at the time, stated, “The name of our great nation is the United Empire of Colerica. Our many states united to create the nation we live in today. If the heart of the Empire continues to suppress the will of the states, I foresee grave danger in the years ahead.”

Her prediction would fulfill itself. One of the contributing factors that the Confederates listed as their grounds for secession was the Imperial government over-powering the limited power of the states.

Maderic’s Rise to Power

When Kalor Thra, Maderic’s older brother, was assassinated on the night of June 5th, 1994, the United Empire trembled in a shockwave of paranoia and the fear of the unknown. Maderic, as Lieutenant Emperor Pro Tempor, was crowned the fill-in Emperor until the Imperial elections could be held that November. This was a controversial move in on its own; Maderic had proved to be a divisive figure even during his short tenure as the second highest figure in the United Empire.

After Maderic captured ninety-eight percent of the vote for Emperor, he was officially granted his own ten-year term as the head of the nation. Maderic’s first legislative move would prove to be a landmark one. He announced early in 1995 that he was revising the Colerican Constitution, a power granted to him by that very same document. He abolished the Imperial elections and term-limits with a single stroke of a pen. He declared that the Emperor ruled for life. The Imperial Court had a mixed reaction to his actions, as did the nation.

War on GLA/Eric Ledger Riots

From 1995 to the 1999, Maderic’s reign as Emperor was rather uneventful. However, in 1999, the United Empire was struck by a wave of terrorist attacks carried out by the Global Liberation Army, a wide-spread terror group. An assassin, sent by the GLA to kill Maderic, was captured in the Imperial Palace. After his thorough interrogation, the assassin was executed. On January 4th, 2000, Magistrate of Justice, Jackson Ridge, was murdered by GLA gunmen. Maderic announced a war on the GLA.

The United Empire proceeded to hunt down and eliminate thousands of GLA terrorists, who had been in hidden terrorist cells, scattered throughout Colerica. The big catch finally happened when the UEC arrested Eric Ledger, the leader of the GLA cells within the United Empire. Following his capture, mass riots broke out within the United Empire. GLA terrorists and GLA sympathizers rose up in arms against the UEC and Maderic called out the UEC military to crush the riots. The riots finally came to a close when Eric Ledger was put on trial, found guilty, and hung. This period is commonly known as the Eric Ledger Riots.

Such decisive action by Emperor Thra made him a national hero and crowned him the most popular Emperor in Colerican history; even exceeding the vast popularity of Emperor Pax Nevelle. However, his actions also helped to further draw the upcoming battle lines.

Liberating Isla De Plata

When the United Empire of Colerica, under Emperor Thra’s orders, responded to the sinking of the IMS Montaro by waging war on the Island ‘Republic’ of Isla De Plata, many Colericans were left asking questions. These questions went unanswered and further divided the citizens. While Colerican soldiers were fighting and dying overseas to liberate the beleaguered people of Isla De Plata, the war drums were already sounding in Kally, the hotbed of secession. By making the decision -- or, perhaps, the mistake -- of overthrowing the Ma’dah regime on Isla De Plata, Maderic had angered a growing portion of the United Empire’s citizens.

The Approaching Storm

The War in Isla De Plata was still waging when Maderic authorized his younger sister, Magistrate of State Kressi Thra, to use the Imperial Army’s 8th Infantry Division, which was awaiting deployment to Isla De Plata, to sweep the state of Kally. Their mission was simple: arrest the known conspirators and backers of secession in the state. Small clashes broke out between the soldiers and the Kally citizens, but the Eighth ID did accomplish their mission, temporarily, at least.

People credit this -- the Emperor using soldiers to quell free speech -- as the death-blow to any chance of avoiding a civil war. By doing so, Maderic radicalized a whole portion of the population and formed those people to become enemies of himself and of the United Empire because of his actions in March of 2004.

Secession!

On June 11th, 2004, Kally’s Viceroy, Dem Chema, announced that the state had seceded from the United Empire. The final nail in the casket, the secession announcement meant that decades of tension were finally overflowing. Viceroy Chema’s action sent shockwaves throughout the UEC. Imperial officials scrambled about, barking at each other while the core leadership of the nation tried to hammer-out a sound plan of action. This was dubbed, by the Colerica Imperial News network, the Kally Secession Crisis.

The Kally Secession Crisis lasted through June. Citizens everywhere didn’t know what to expect. This drew attention from throughout the international community with various nations stating their beliefs about the situation. Then, it got worse.

The state of Deviso, which borders Kally to the southeast, declared its secession. As if it couldn’t get any worse for the United Empire, the states of Jaxuum and Loros declared their secessions, as well. They split from the United Empire and joined their two neighbors in independence. The CIN and Imperial officials branded them as “traitors,” “cowards,” “snakes,” and, to quote senior Imperial Court member, Astaron Tyranus: “devious monsters whose only intent is to destroy the nation.”

Rise of the Confederacy

The four states banded together and on July 2nd, 2004, a new nation, the Confederate States of New Colerica, was born. It elected infamous RAFC terrorist, Ruraq Kylaer, as its Principle Director and pressed for international recognition. The states of Belser, Kardu, and Jicarr also followed suit, seceded, and joined the fledgling Confederacy.

The Confederacy was quick to build up its military, buying whatever she could from whoever would sell to her. The United Empire of Colerica proceeded to call back large numbers of forces from Isla De Plata to reinforce the nation The UEC’s two closest allies, Zoogiedom and Tomzilla, pledged military aid incase of war.

The Confederates gave many reasons for their formation of the new nation. Among them, the most popular was “Liberty. Freedom. Enfranchisement.” Liberty, they claimed, was something that did not exist in the United Empire. “Freedom in Colerica is a myth,” Ruraq Kylaer declared in one of his many speeches. “The Imperials continue to destroy the fragile remains of freedom we have and now they, under Maderic Thra’s guidance, have eliminated what remnants of freedom we once had.”

The Birth of War

By mid-July, the outlook for peace was bleak. On July 24th, 2004,a strong force of Confederate soldiers attacked a small United Empire outpost, Fort Rith, in the Colerican state of Gyzen and seized it, lowering the Bent N flag of the UEC and raising the Colerican Cross. This single event was the birth of the Colerican Civil War.

Confederates and secessionist sympathizers around Colerica cheered the event. Parades of people throughout the Confederate States celebrated and called for the death of the United Empire. The United Empire struck back quickly, as if they were anticipating such a move by the Confederates. Magistrate of State, Kressi Thra, said, quote, "The Confederate States of New Colerica foolishly rejected the ultimatum with this cowardly attack on the United Empire's forces. There will be hell to pay. The United Empire will never tolerate this outrage. You've made your grave, New Colerica; now prepare to lie in it."

Emperor Maderic Thra spoke that night in a stirring speech. Among the most famous passages of the speech was this:

“As per my orders, the military forces of the United Empire of Colerica have mobilized. My Magistrate of War, Xevven Jericho, has written a declaration of war which I have signed. The United Empire of Colerica is officially at war with the Confederate States of New Colerica. No longer will there be any appeasement through absurd ultimatums. No longer will there be any dancing around the issue at hand. This fight will be fought on the battlefield, not on the negotiating table. With the sword, not the pen. With blood, not ink. The United Empire calls upon its allies, Zoogiedom and Tomzilla, to draft declarations of their own and join us in this most noble of struggles. To preserve the United Empire, I pledge my life, my fortune, and my sacred honor. May this bitter storm pass us quickly and may the Colerican citizens always remember to Believe. Obey. Fight."

The United Empire of Colerica saw its first ever Civil War. Famed UEC General Kayne Tetarinn resigned from the Imperial Army and took the reins of the newly-founded Confederate Army, saying, quote, “....I can't fight my own people. Kally is my home and I have no greater duty than to my home." His absconding shocked many in the United Empire and left one of his best friends, General Rax Hamle, in a torn decision to either fight against his close friend or defect from his nation. General Hamle remained within the Imperial Army and kept his command of the First Corps.

Civil Blood Makes Civil Hands Unclean

The following is a list of the major conflicts in the Colerican Civil War:

The Siege of Forth Rith

The Sinking of the NCSS Valor

The First Battle of Mexall

The Battle of Montag's Ridge

The Battle of Deviso's Sky

The Battle of Grant City

The Battle of Manori

The Second Battle of Mexall

The Battle of Ridium

The Battle of Blue Falls

The Battle of Keyd Junction

Breaking the Imperial Blockade

The Battle of Villis Points

The Battle of Desare

The Battle of Horacio

The Battle of Rallen

The Battle of Kys

The Battle of Quellis

The Battle of Teracon

The Battle of Sizlacc

The Battle of Mool

The Battle of Tyliss

The Battle of Corrigan's Point

The Battle for Deviso

The Destruction of Medaak

The Defeated Dream

Following the destruction of Medaak, the Rebel capital, remaining members of the shattered Confederate government signed an official notice of unconditional surrender, ending the Colerican Civil War on October 12th, 2005. The date was officially recognized as Re-Unification Day. After a year of bitter fighting, the Colerican Civil War was finally over. An exhausted nation began the steps towards reconstruction.

With the United Empire victorious, most ex-Confederate government officials ran into hiding, hoping they would evade capture. Some did, but most were either found or turned in. The biggest catch came four days after the surrender when Ruraq Kylaer was arrested. At the time of this writing, he currently awaits trial.

Emperor Thra surprised many by awarding ex-Confederate General Kayne Tetarinn an Imperial pardon. Tetarinn would have been trialed for treason and executed, but Maderic spared him for reasons that remain his own.

(This is a work in progress and will be fully completed over time.)