Second Ice Civil War

Second Ice Civil War
1418 War
Southport City during an invasion by the Communist Freedom Army.
Date	24 June 1418 - 7 October 1418 (3 months, 1 week and 6 days)
Location	The Ice States
Caused by	Leak of Operation Diamond Dog, laissez-faire economic policy, death of Wayne Scottington
Goals	The destruction of the Empire of the Ice States
Resulted in	Destruction of the Empire; establishment of the Communal Union of the Ice States under CFA occupation.
Parties to the civil conflict
The Empire of the Ice States Communist Freedom Army Holy Marsh The Golden Throne The People's United Federation
Lead figures
Sotolo II Lionel Burkes Antony Black Courtney Hazelbush Arsi'Elkons Luboski Fedor I Ben Rodriguez

The Second Ice Civil War, also known as the 1418 War, was a civil war in The Ice States which officially took place from 24 June - 7 October 1418. The war resulted in the destruction of the Empire of the Ice States, and the formation of the Communal Union, the incumbent regime of the Ice States. The war was incited by the Saverchenko-Colleti leaks, which inter alia revealed "Operation Diamond Dog", a covert mission by the Empire to persecute Czaslyudians and descendants thereof living in the nation.

Background

Around 1414, the Imperial regime had been involved in a war with the Federal Republic of Czaslyudian Peoples (FRCP), a nation in Greater Dienstad, vis-a-vis the Imperial practice of slavery. The FRCP had joined in a blockade by the Ordenite Reich and Holy Marsh in response to the Ice practice of slavery. However, the FRCP had also been harassing Macabean vessels in international waters, as the Golden Throne had recently signed the "Treaty Of Cooperation Along The Ice Frontier" (Tocaif), a border security agreement between the Ice States and the Macabean province of Nicaro. This resulted in Ice vessels firing upon Czaslyudian vessels which arrived near Ice waters to participate in the blockade, and a mutual defense agreement, the "Treaty of Liberation", being signed between the Ice States and the Golden Throne wherein the Ice States would cease its practice of slavery in exchange for funds to be loaned to the Ice States, and an agreement for mutual defense both against ad hoc and general threats.

However, at this time the Ice States, without the knowledge of the Golden Throne or any other nation, commenced an operation to purge Czaslyudians from the Ice States. This operation involved the transportation of known Czaslyudian immigrants and descendants thereof to military black sites, where they would be subject to automated execution by machines known as "Diamond Dogs". Once this phase was complete, the Ice States then launched a long-term operation to locate undocumented Czaslyudian immigrants and descendants thereof, wherein they would be located by a secret police and then transported to black sites for execution when definitely discovered, such as by admission.

Protests in Stonegrad against the Imperial Ice regime following the revelation of Operation Diamond Dog.

This operation had been ongoing by the time that Alexander Nicholas Saverchenko-Colleti, then-World Assembly ambassador of the Ice States, submitted a proposal to the World Assembly which is opposed by the Ice States writ large, despite having been explicitly instructed not to submit the proposal. After being sentenced for this act, which is viewed as treason, he escapes Ice custody to enter Motokata (a member nation of the People's United Federation/PUF). An ultimatum would therefore be sent to Motokata demanding prompt extradition, or the Ice States would close all relations with the PUF. Yet, while Saverchenko-Colleti is in Motokata, he publishes various government documents from the Ice States; most significantly one exposing Operation Diamond Dog. As the PUF responded to the ultimatum by seeking to perform an investigation of the circumstances before proceeding wtih extradition, as opposed to immediately delivering Saverchenko-Colleti to Ice soil, the ultimatum would be reiterated with a demand that extradition occur within 24 hours. This ultimatum would fail to be met, resulting in relations being unilaterally closed with the PUF. In addition, news of Operation Diamond Dog results in Holy Marsh terminating its embassy with the Ice States, and the Golden Throne proscribing further relations with the Ice States. Further, mass, albeit peaceful, rebellion erupts within the Ice States, concentrated in population centres, most notably Stonegrad, the then-capital city of the Ice States.

Civil war

Beginnings

The Ice States responds to the civil rebellion with violence, breaking up smaller-scale protests throughout the Ice States. Meanwhile, the Ice Air Force engages in a chemical attack of its capital city, Stonegrad, to remove the protests in the city, who had at that point covered most of the city. Next, the Ice States delivers an ultimatum threatening firebombing of Cruxhampton, another city in the Ice States, due to similar protests therein, demanding that protests cease within one hour or a firebombing would be enacted. The Communist Freedom Army (CFA), a then-secret military organisation based in Southport City, then organises a mission to destroy the Ice forces before they could bomb Cruxhampton, which is backed by Holy Marsh. This results in Cruxhampton being seized by the CFA and coming in the domain of the Communal Union, while the firebombing still causes damage in some parts of the city.

March of July

A CFA soldier during the Battle of Valenpool.

The CFA commences the "March of July", a mission to occupy much of Southport, from Southport City up to Cruxhampton. This begins with a surprise attack on Southport City, which results in the city being occupied by the CFA. The CFA then occupies various other locations, up until the Battle of Valenpool, which results in the CFA seizing the East of Valenpool, while the West of Valenpool remains in Ice hands. The Battle of Valenpool remains exceedingly bloody, such that the Valenpool military base would be successfully destroyed, although air defenses in Valenpool prevented the CFA from occupying Western Valenpool. At this point, the CFA and Communal Union has widespread support from Holy Marsh (which provides the CFA access to relevant intelligence and weaponry) and the PUF (which directly delivers weaponry to the CFA). Yet, the March of July continues, finishing with the occupation of all areas between Southport City and Cruxhampton.

Multinational Invasion

While the March of July is ongoing, the Golden Throne launches "Northern Freeze", an occupation of most of Ormont (the northernmost Ice member state), with the occupied zone being known as the "Green Zone". This is viewed by the Ice States as an act of war and a violation of the Treaty of Liberation, resulting in the Ice States closing its relations with the Golden Throne and launching a military attack to reclaim the Green Zone. The Ice States would further release the "Blackseat" computer virus, which would infect various civilian and military devices in Nicaro, and to a lesser extent throughout the Golden Throne.

Holy Marsh and the PUF would also both launch respective invasions on territories in the Ice States, both of which are successful; in the case of the PUF attack, the Ice forces surrender after a relatively short border confrontation, allowing for the Mokan forces to advance Eastward; while the Marshite forces promptly seize the seas in the North and East of the Ice States. The Marshite forces in particular fought aggressively, almost entirely seizing Ice airspace.

The Marshite attack results in the Empire launching "Operation Sinboro Pony", involving the chemical and fire bombing of both civilian and military targets in Ixana, a Marshite island. This is done with the goals of facilitating an eventual invasion of the island, as well as weakening Marshite forces. However, Operation Sinboro Pony ultimately proves to be in vain, as Marshite forces in both the Ice States and Ixana could promptly repel the attack. Meanwhile, the CFA advances result in the full seizure of Redwell, which also administers the nation's treasury and finances. The CFA also holds a conference with Marshite generals vis-a-vis an imminent coup of the Imperial regime, as to end the civil war.

Coup d'etat

The royal castle of the Empire of the Ice States, shortly before the October 7 coup by the Communist Freedom Army.

As the advances by the PUF, Holy Marsh, and the Golden Throne all become more aggressive, the CFA and Marshite forces advance into Stonegrad. While the Marshite forces are engaging in a general occupation of the city, CFA forces specifically raid the Stonegrad Castle on October 17. The CFA soldiers would enter Stonegrad disguised as civilians, before revealing themselves as CFA agents and changing into military uniforms. The door to the castle would be shot down by CFA soldiers firing a total of 21 bullets at the door. CFA forces would thus clear a path to the residence of the Emperor, despite being obstructed by guards, and would then shoot down the door to the room in which Emperor Sotolo II was present. The Emperor would then be arrested, along with the Divine Scribe Theodore Lowney, and the Prince of the Ice States, Pedro Sotolo. The arrested individuals would then be transported to a military base in Cruxhampton, marking the official end of the civil war.

Aftermath

Following the coup d'etat of Stonegrad, Ice forces throughout the nation promptly gave up their arms and surrendered as the news of the coup spread. This allowed the CFA, as well as Holy Marsh and the PUF, to complete their occupations of the nation within a few days, while the Golden Throne intensified Northern Freeze, also resulting in its swift conclusion. Two rounds of negotiations would occur between the Ice States and the Golden Throne regarding the continued Green Zone occupation. The first round of negotiations would fail to reach an agreement other than for the Golden Throne to eventually provide to the Ice States potential terms for Macabean withdrawal from the Green Zone. However, the second, regarding these terms, was successful, with the Ice States agreeing to renew most of Tocaif and to meet a quota of R,175 billion for annual purchases of Macabean goods, in exchange for the Golden Throne withdrawing from the Green Zone.

The reception of the Communal Union, abroad, was also mixed. The Ordenite Reich promptly issued a statement declaring the Ice States to be "a rogue entity whose lands have and are essentially in the process of going into anarchy", and threatening that "all Ice States vessels and aircraft will be considered rogue". This resulted in a counter-statement by the Ice States, announcing that all Ordenite vessels would be barred from Ice waters and airspace, as well as increased security around Ice coasts.

An international tribunal, consisting of the FRCP, Ahsca, Tangatarehua and Agar-na would be formed to adjudicate trials of various figures of the Imperial regime of the Ice States for crimes against humanity, including Sotolo II, as well as the General of the Ice Military during the civil war, Lionel Burkes. Sotolo II was notably sentenced to death, a move resulting in Tangatarehua resigning from the adjudicative panel in protest.

Later that year, in December 1418, the appointed General-President of the Communal Union, Courtney Hazelbush, would draft a national constitution which inter alia would mandate a communist system of government, elections for the Presidency every eight years, and allow the President to appoint Ministers. Further amendments would then be effected during the drafting process, including reducing the term for Presidency to five years. A binding national referendum would then be run to approve the constitution, such that the constitution would receive support from 65% of voting citizens. Merely a week later, a Presidential election would then be held, in which Hazelbush would be confirmed as President by a landslide.