Lake Majatra War

Lake Majatra War (3494-3499)
From top left to right: Zardic blockading ship attacked by Deltaria; bombing of Riyadha; Battle of Harji; Davostagi troops leaving for Deltaria
Date August 1 3494 - September 22 3499 Location Majatra Result Deltarian Victory; unofficial ceasefire
Belligerents
Deltarian Alliance: Holy Alliance Deltarian Empire Deltaria Jakania Indrala Davostag Badara Wantuni Supported by: Lourenne Trigunia	Zardic Alliance: Terran Republican Alliance Zardugal Cobura Solentia Saridan Supported by: Mordusia Rutania
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Lake Majatra War (3507-3509)
From top left to right: Portsmouth bombed by Deltaria; Cossacks invading Cobura; Zardic bombardment of Tsargrad; Jelbanian troops invading Deltaria
Date January 1 3507 - September 15 3509 Location Majatra Result Deltarian Victory; Treaty of Haldor
Belligerents
Deltarian Alliance: Holy Alliance Deltarian Empire Deltaria Jakania Indrala Lourenne Davostag Egelion Rildanor New Endralon Cildania Wantuni Trigunia Legio Fascista Crimson Crusade Supported by: Barmenia	Zardic Alliance: Zardugal Cobura Jelbania Selucia Bathory rebels
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The Lake Majatra War, also known as the Second Great Majatran War, the War of Deltarian Aggression and the Zardic-Deltarian Conflict, was a war between the Deltarian Empire and her allies, and the Federation of Zardugal and Zardic allies. It was mainly fought in Majatra with a few sea battles between Zardugal and Indrala being fought in Southern Dovani. The result was a stinging Zardic defeat as the international community abandonded them and a resounding Deltarian victory that continues to echo to today.

Background

The roots of the Lake Majatra conflict can be found in two parallel political developments taking place in Deltaria and Zardugal throughout the mid-3400's. In Deltaria, the old Federal Republic of Deltaria found itself in crisis as the Czarist movement reemerged as a powerful political force. The 3455 elections returned a large majority for the Czarist movement, further polarizing the Deltarian political scene, which eventually resulted in the Deltarian Czarist War (3457-3466). In spite of Zardugal's and Cobura's attempts to prevent Czarist victory in the war, the republican forces were defeated and the Deltarian Czardom, an authoritarian and neo-feudal regime, was formed.

In Zardugal another major political trend was emerging with the old Conservative Republican Party (Zardugal) making a comeback into Zardugal to end the republic there. Soon after the CRP pulled support for the republicans in Deltaria and they capitulated soon after. Through the 3470's and 3480's the CRP' successor, the United Federalist Party (Zardugal) was in a coalition with the left-wing New Liberal Party which worked to slowly push the foreign policy to left and make it more human rights based. By the 3480's the deteroriation of human rights in Deltaria led to Zardugal and Cobura attempting to get an internaitonal coalition to blockade Deltaria and push for political reforms. Deltaria reacted with increasing belligerence, determining Zardugal to militarize Lake Majatra, the only body of water to connect the two nations.

As relations continued to decline into the 3490's Deltaria threatened military action, but just as a peace seemed in reach they attacked the Zardic blockading forces in Lake Majatra causing the first phase of the conflict.

Invasion of Jakania

Soon thereafter military action swiftly commenced as both sides had been readying for war for months. Zardic and Coburan troops invaded western Jakania after a failed attempt by their armed forces to invade Cobura. Zardic and Coburan troops drove them far into their province and captured many cities and towns intially. Only the presence of an Indralan contingent of troops and Indralan trained troops prevented a total collapse of Jakania.

In this part of the campaign Zardic and Coburan forces battled for control of the heavily fortified city of Harji in western Jakania. This campaign took the better part of 2 months allowing for Holy Alliance forces to reorganize and reinforce as Zardic Allied troops fought to secure the strategic centre. This battle cost 2,456 ZArdic lives, 1,298 Coburans and 12,897 Jakanian troops. It was a hard fought battle that destoryed much of the city and displaced most of the cities residents.

After the battle Zardic troops attemtped to swing northward to take the Jakanian part of the Lake Majatra coast, and move to threaten the southern border of Deltaria. Coburan troops pushed east to take out the port of Miamo, where they linked up with a sea invaison conducted by Solentia. 

Invasion of Solentia

With Solentian forces now engaging in the war the nearby Wantuni Hegemony (aka Kalopia) which was allied with the Deltarians saw a chance to strike. After the successful invaison of Miamo the Wantuni declared war on Solentia hoping to drive them out of the war. Solentia quickly redistributed troops it had planned to send to Jakania to protect its northern border while pulling out the few they already had sent. After a series of fierce border skirmishes Kafuristan, an ally of the Wantuni along with their ally Al'Badara sided with them and Solentia was now faced with a double invaison. Though it didnt take place, some 600,000 Solentian troops were successfully kept out of the war.

Sint Pietereiland Front

As the situtation steadily worsened Saridan, a nation in western Seleya and close to Majatra hoped to intervene on the Zardic side. They intially established a successful front against Al'Badara however with rushed help from other Deltarian allies they quickly were pushed back into Saridan were there was coastal fighting till after the war.

Cobura Surrenders

With the collapsing war effort, international abondonment and economic strife Cobura was increasingly in a hard situation. A previously quelled Fascist uprising and regime had begun stirring again while the Communist Party had rose to fight them. The situation grew perilous and soon Zardic and Coburan forces were routed from Jakania and with Deltarian invasion imminent the Coburans sued for peace which they got in late 3498. Cobura was soon immersed in domestic problems and troubles which lasted until 3504 when the Fascists were put down and the Communists collapsed

Unofficial ceasefire

With their allies knocked out and none other to rally Zardic leaders intially tried to prepare a fortress Zardugal whereby any invaision would be suicidal. However with a host of powers now arrayed against them (Indrala, Deltaria, Jakania, Wantuni, Kafuristan, Al'Badara, Davostag) and with a worsening international situation President George Pompendreaiu called for peace. Negotiations were tense and in the end after many weeks a tentative peace agreement was reached, the Peace of Portsmouth.

However it was not formally ratified. Before a vote could be held on it by Zardugal elections were held and the New Liberal Party was swept to power and wholly rejected the Peace of Portsmouth. This created a new legal limbo where many scholars disagree over the war. In Zardugal and other countries, the people and intellectuals there regard the end of the Second Great Majatra War to be here in 3499 while in Deltaria they only see it as a break in the fighting.

Regardless a calm prevailed over the situation even as countries dealt with internal issues. Jakania, Wantuni and Cobura entered into a period of heavy instability and civil strife, especially in Jakania. The war had taken a large toll on these nations and it was hard to recover. Zardugal entered a period of civil strife which ended when President Willard Romnick assumed office and began expanding Zardic contacts around Terra.

Resumption of hostilities

By 3504 the Deltarians and allies had grown increasingly impatient and aggressive that no formal peace had been signed. As such war was threatened again until a peace was in reach. Here Zardugal and Deltaria and Indrala negotiated fiercely and according to Zardic officials when peace was almost achievable Deltaria simply attacked anyways.

Regardless Deltarian air strikes hit Portsmouth, Zardugal in 3507 and the war swiftly resumed. Jakania, Indrala quickly joined the Deltarian side while Cobura allied with Zardugal again.

Invasion of Cobura

Advance Deltarian units attempted to invade Cobura but were met with a more untied and determinied Coburan resistance that when backed up with Zardic troops pushed the Deltarians out. Soon Zardic and Coburan troops began a rapid and relentless push into Jakania completely overwhelming the Jakanian forces and making major gains as Deltarian troops retreated with a worsening domestic situation. With a lack of international support many thought Zardugal would beat Deltaria to a draw.

Uprisings in Deltaria

With nearly all of Deltaria's armed forces focused on the Coburan-Jakanian front, several of the noble families in Deltaria took advantage of this in an attempt to expand their power. Ordered to march their household army to join the Coburan front, the Bátory family refused; instead, the Bátorys launched raids on the holdings of the Premyslid, Mojmír and Čestibor Dynasties. Several Premyslid estates were taken by force, and the highborn lords and ladies inside them murdered by Bátory soldiers. A spate of retaliatory attacks in the nation's capital then followed, with several Bátory and Mojmír ministers killed. At the same time, the Bátory-Premyslid war ended with the Bátorys occupying Alazinder.

The Bátory rebels later managed to occupy Tsargrad, and the Mojmír and Čestibor nobles were executed. Countess Anna Bátoriovská, the head of the Dynasty, proclaimed herself Queen of the Deltarias and Imperatrix of the Ríša, and began negotiations to ally with Zardugal and Jelbania. Deltaria was thus forced to return a number of troops from the Coburan-Jakanian front in an attempt to retake the capital.

In the meantime, due to the ongoing war, lack of a central government, and an illegitimate monarch in the capital, the traditionally separatist peoples of Doron Akigo were determined to take arms against Deltaria. What followed was a three-way civil war between the Dorons, who desired an independent Doron Akigan Kingdom under a Doron King and democratic parliament, Akigans, fighting for an independent Akigan Republic, and Deltarian loyalists, supporting the return of the Czar.

The Bátory rebellion was only quelled in September 3509, when the besieging Deltarian forces retook Tsargrad. Anna Bátoriovská and several Bátory nobles committed suicide, while the others were executed. This conflict resulted in the extinction of the Bátory, Premyslid, and Mojmír dynasties.

Selucian Civil War

Selucia declared war on Deltaria in the midst of the Zardic campaign in Jakania when the war seemed to be going well. However a fascist front in Selucia quickly organized and with Deltarian assistance tied down any Selucian support for Zardugal in a decades long civil war. Thousands died in the horrific struggle as the nation teared itself apart.

End of fighting

Just when the Zardics thought they could press for a peace on their terms all came undone. In early 3508 Indrala began an invaison of western Cobura forcing Zardic intervention there. Meanwhile in Deltaria overwhelming pro-Czarist aid from Indrala, Trigunia, Davostag, Lourenne and Rildanor quickly stablized the Deltarian front allowing them to concentrate on the war effort once more. Wantuni under went a revolt which saw the pro-Zardic Kalopian National Party run from office and the international situation once again collapsed. Holy Alliance forces quickly routed the Zardic troops from Jakania and fierce fighting went on in Cobura proper.

When all hope seemed lost Jelbania surpisingly entered the war on Zardugal's side threatening Deltaria. However it was too little too late. The war was lost and Zardic will was broken, and in 3509 Dorvik brokered a peace agreement between the parties to end the war.

Aftermath

These wars were nothing short of disasterous for Zardugal. They inflicted nearly 100,000 total casulties and saw the collapse of the Zardic economy. Political infighting took over Zardugal and it was many years before they could begin to rebuild in the political arena.

Deltaria too suffered from the war. The second round of fighting seriously destabilized the rule of the Czar and an alliance of peasants and clergy swept to power in the aftermath. Deltaria was soon marked as a volatile place with an ever changing political scene. Ultimately the religious-peasant alliance proved to unworkable and the Czar restored his reign, however uneasy to the country. Nonetheless, the Deltarian victory in the war established Deltaria as a new Great Power and the hegemon of Majatra, and Deltarian influence greatly expanded. The Deltarian Empire, which consisted of only three nations during the war, later grew to encompass more than ten nations, establishing Deltarian rule on almost every continent.

There is no scholarly consensus on whether the two conflicts should be counted as separate wars, as they are in Zardic historiography, where they are named the Second and Third Great Majatran Wars respectively, or as a single war, interrupted by a period of undeclared ceasefire, as is the case in Deltarian historiography. However, despite the classification there is no doubt that these two wars produced results that can be felt even today.

Human rights abuses

These conflicts were notorious for their human rights abuses. Deltaria and the Holy Alliance were the worst offenders regularly enslaving POW's, shooting medically injured and engaging in ethnic cleansing. Order was restored in Deltaria during the Third Great Majatran War only after untold brutality was unleashed on the people. Mass executions, arbirtary detentions and silencing of free speech and press were common place. Religious intolerance and sectarian violence spread throughout Majatra, and espcially hit Wantuni hard.