Guinea Campaign

Guinea Campaign
Part of the Asianna and the Pacific Campaign of the Second Europan War
Zanarkian troops in Guinea
Date 21 May 1938 - 15 February 1939 Location Quenminese Colony of Guinea Territory of Papoa Result ZANAC Victory
Belligerents
Zanarkand New Akiba	Quen Minh Archadia-Archedes Guadosalam Federation
Commanders and leaders
Klankain Auchinleck Katakuriko Furuichi Henry Pattenson Yamazaki Toshigawa	Kiều Hữu Dương Phạm Hanh Chi Triệu Bình Thắng Vương Thị Bích Phượng Sulo Harmaajärvi Konradio Palumbo Umberto Cavallera Luigi Faraldo
Strength
75,000	120,000

The Guinea Campaign (21 May 1938 - 15 February 1939) was a campaign that took in Quenminese Guinea and the small part of the island under Zanarkian administration called the Territory of Papoa. Primarily a land battle, the main focus of the campaign was for the Quenminese to seize control of Port Ponsonby in order to isolate Zanarkand and New Akiba from Concordia, Rubrum and Great Lucis, thereby giving the Quenminese the opportunity to invade Zanarkand or force the entire Oceanian continent into surrender.

The Quenminese simultaneously invaded Papoa but was met with resistance from the local tribesmen and the Papoan Infantry Battalion. Despite it, they were able to capture Kakoda, Bunia, Gona, and Verna Bay. The victories gave the Quenminese the advantage in supplies and reinforcements. However, the perilous terrain that lied before Port Ponsonby became the most significant obstacle to Quenminese plans. The solution was the lay out heavy artillery guns on Maison Ridge, erupting into the Battle of Maison Ridge on 6 - 8 Septeber, which halted and delayed Quenminese plans. However, the Zanarkians were forced to withdraw and on the 15 September, the Quenminese got as far as the base of the Imita Ridge. The Quenminese attacked Zanarkian positions on 20 September but were forced to withdraw in order to avoid loss of supplies. The Quenminese started to experience supply withdrawal and that they had outrun their supply lines, which promoted Quenminese generals to try attacking the Zanarkians on 1 October.

On 29 September, fresh troops, supplies, and equipment arrived at Port Ponsonby, including forces from New Akiba. On 11 October, Zanarkian and New Akibander forces attacked the Quenminese forces at the Battle of Tempelhome Ridge but encountered strong opposition, including the knowledge that the Archadians and Guadonian troops had reinforced the Quenminese. Despite it, the ZANAC forces managed to retake Tempelhome Ridge and became the first time that the Quenminese withdrew from the battlefield. The ZANAC forces engaged the Imperial forces once again on the Battle of Orari-Govavi, where they managed to retake the area near Kakoda and were able to retake the city unopposed. Zanarkian forces then swung to the west and engaged with the Quenminese at the Battle of Verna Bay, retaking the Eastern section of the island.

By 10 November, the New Akibander troops successfully crossed the Kamusi River and defeated the Quenminese forces at Wairohi, clearing the way for the ZANAC Forces to attack Bunia and Gona. The Imperials held on at Bunia and Gona until 27 January. Clearing operations began on the 5 February and ended on 15 February.

The battle marked the crucial turning point in the Asianna and the Pacific Campaign. Historians had also called it as The Battle that saved Zanarkand and New Akiba. ZANAC reinforcements were hampered by the perilous terrain that the mountainous and jungle terrain posed. It also granted the awareness in the ZANAC High Command that most of their troops were not prepared to conduct jungle warfare. The lessons learned from the campaign granted a significant change in infantry doctrine, training, equipment, and structure, which would eventually contribute to the successful reputation of the ZANACs throughout the war. The campaign also marked the first time that the Imperial Quenminese Army was defeated on land since the First Europan War and breaking the myth of Imperial Invincibility, the second defeat for the Quenminese being the Battle of Sania.