Sixteen Minute War

The Sixteen Minute War, as it is known in the Federal Republic of New York and Jersey, was the nations first, and only, nuclear strike against an established nation. It was also the first in a series of conflicts with Abu-Dhabi Khristatata which are known as the Relocation Wars. The direct cause of the Sixteen Minute War has always been publicly stated by the NYNJ government as being for the benefit of mankind.

The motives of the attack can be traced to several reasons. In the nation of Abu-Dhabi Khristatata, a bloody civil war had raged for nearly a week claiming millions of lives on both sides and caused two orbital colonies to fall toward the direction of the Earth. These two impacts had a detrimental affect on the planet and led to slight shifts in the global weather pattern. In New York City, rather than risk the planet reaching the point of another ice age, the order was given to the recently acquired Federal Stellar Navy to put an end to conflict by any and all means.

On the early morning of January 15th, 2152, the combined Federal Stellar Navy (comprised then of only three fleets) sent a clear message to both parties in the ADK War. "You are to cease any and all hostilities or we will be forced to take action." The ultimatum however went unanswered and sixteen minutes later a sustained orbital strike commenced. A total of 1,600 one-kiloton nuclear weapons were fired from orbiting warships upon the nation of Abu-Dhabi Khristatata. The tactic employed by the New York and Jersey fleet was called a Nuclear Decapitation strike.

Four waves had been fired, the first targeting radar, military and ground based ABM facilities. The second had targeted power lines, power plants, substations, rail yards, and road junctures. The third targeted industrial centers and storage yards, while the final wave went after the major cities. An unconfirmed report stated that two 20-megaton missiles had been fired at the capital in an attempt to wipe out the entire population and ensure the government would not survive. These claims cannot be substantiated due to the removal of the native ADK population and even the removal of the entire ADK nation itself by the Sentient Peoples.

From the time of the first missile launch to the very last, a total of sixteen minutes had gone by. Losses on the side of Abu-Dhabi Khristatata are unknown but estimated to be in the millions, while losses on the Federal Republic side are reported, and confirmed, to be none.

Though any neutral observer would probably say this is the greatest tragedy of the time. An act of greater villainy than the holocaust.