Duquesne War of Independence

Duquesne War of Independence
The Duquesne National Army marches into Marquette during Operation Marquette Freedom
Date 1 January 1925 (1925-01-01) – 5 May 1925 (1925-05-05) (6 years, 218 days) Location Duquesne, The Auvernian Federation Result Duquesne Gains Independence from the Auvernian Federation Many Auvernian troops defect to Duquesne to earn citizenship following 5 years of military service Auvernian Government Collapses due to Civil War
Belligerents
Duquesne	The Auvernian Federation
Commanders and leaders
General Thomas Dubois Admiral Johannes Christopsen	General Henrique Shasuel Admiral David Aquesta
Strength
100,000	90,000
Casualties and losses
14,000	15,000
Civilian 7,000

Timeline

Timeline of the Duquesne War of Independence:

January 1st, 1925: President Jacques Dufour, in his New Year’s address, announces a list of demands to the Auvernian Federation, launches an independence campaign

January 2nd-March 4th: Mass influx of volunteers and new recruits to military recruitment centers and batteries. Training begins, and troops are organized into units. The Auvernian Federation responds to the list of demands refusing to back down, and promising retaliation to any “futile acts”

March 5th: General Thomas Dubois of the (Duquesne National Army) orders an attack on a Auvernian operated coastal battery and naval base in southern Envale. The surprise attack is a success for Duquesne, who suffer limited casualties, and successfully capture the military installation in a matter of hours and the Auvernian garrison is forced to rout into south-western Envale.

March 6th: The Auvernian Government learns of the attack and formally declares war on Duquesne, sending the 4th Army Corps consisting of 60,000 men to Isle d’ Auguste

March 10th: 60,000 Auvernian troops arrive at Isle d’ Auguste, take the island with little resistance

March 13th: Gen. Jean M. Lavale oversees an operation in which the !Carribean Fleet bolstered by a detachment of the Home Fleet escorts transport ships carrying the 4th Army Corps to Marquette harbor, the Auvernian mainland sends the 6th Army core with its 40,000 men to bolster the defenses of Isle d’ Auguste

March 14th: The !Caribbean Fleet begins bombarding the coast of Duquesne, met with no return fire as Duquesne lacked functional coastal batteries. Due to this, the President, his cabinet, the Duquesne National Assembly, and other government officials were evacuated from Marquette into Northern Aureliana. Shortly thereafter, Auvernian forces land in Marquette.

March 15th: The Auvernian Revolution begins with an uprising in Marcay and quickly spreads to major cities and rural areas in the next few days.

March 19th: After about a week of fighting off small partisan groups consisting of a mixture of Duquesne troops and civilian militiamen, the Auvernian flag is raised above the Duquesne National Assembly building and the city is captured.

March 20th: The Auvernian Revolution picks up speed as several military units either refuse to fight the revolutionary force of mostly Great War veterans and workers. Other units defect and pledge loyalty to the revolution.

March 21st: Admiral Johannes Christopsen (Duquesne National Navy), Brigadier General Samuel Yohannesy (Duquesne Provincial Guard), and General Thomas Dubois (Duquesne National Army) meet with President Dufour and other military officials, as well as with civilian militia leaders, to develop the battle plan for “Operation Marquette Freedom”

March 28th: Operation Marquette Freedom Takes effect 3am, Duquesne Provincial Guard begin artillery bombardment of the Auvernian armada on the coast of Marquette

6am, Duquesne National Navy engages the !Caribbean Fleet from the rear in a surprise attack

7:30 am, Duquesne National Army, numbering around 100,000, begin to attack Auvernian defenses along the outskirts of Marquette from all sides rushing the city and utilizing guerilla style warfare. Partisans in the city receive messages to resume militant activities disrupting public order and attacking Auvernian supplies within the city.

8:15 am, 54th and 68th infantry divisions of the Duquesne National Army are the first to breach the eastern defenses, and begin rushing into Marquette in order to hit the central defenses

9am, Auvernian troops on the central outskirt defenses are forced to retreat into the city, allowing military vehicles and tens of thousands of troops to pour into Marquette.

10am, Civilian partisans within the city harass the Auvernian troops as they pull back towards the city center, followed by the Duquesne National Army.

12pm, The Duquesne National Army with Civilian Militias retake half of Marquette, begin moving on the government and shipping districts.

3pm, Duquesne Special Forces commanded by General Marques Nelson push heavily on Auvernian forces in the central government district. Due to miscommunication, Auvernian forces conduct a tactical retreat to the harbour, cutting off all supply lines to the 38th Division in Western Marquette leading to them becoming encircled.

4pm, About 2,000 Auvernian troops in the Western encirclement surrender and are captured by the Duquesne National Army, others hold out for relief, however news of the surrenders reaches the 4th Army Corps leading to their commander believing they had all surrendered.

March 29th-March 30th: The Duquesne National Army sweeps through controlled zones of Marquette and the battle slows down as Auvernian forces begin a slow tactical withdrawal from the city with heavy air and naval support.

March 31st: News of the Auvernian Revolution reaches the 4th Army Corps and General Lavale receives orders from the new revolutionary government to immediately desist from engaging the forces of Duquesne any further, however General Lavale disregards the order as being from an illegitimate government and orders the Army Corps to disband. The 98th division complies and totally disbands laying down arms and surrendering to the Republic of Duquesne, however other division commanders manage to secure permission from the government to return to Auvernia and are allowed temporary stay quartered at the harbor. As the news reaches Augustin Isle, the 6th Army Corps commander Marc Olivier and Admiral Ernest LaRoche are split on the issue of surrendering as high command back in Auvernia had by now surrendered to the revolutionaries. The two establish a temporary military junta over the island.

President Jacques Dufour and heroes from the “Operation Marquette Freedom” fly the Duquesne flag once again above the National Assembly building and the Presidential Mansion

May 1st: Casualties are counted numbering: Auvernian Federation: 15,000 killed, 20,000 injured, 10,000 captured or missing Duquesne Combined Forces: Duquesne National Navy: 399 killed, 438 injured, 48 missing Duquesne National Army: 9,784 killed, 25,320 injured, 68 missing [[Duquesne Provincial Guard: 30 killed, 4 injured, no missing Duquesne Civilian Militias: 3,000 killed, 5,328 injured, 39 missing Duquesne Special Forces: 604 killed, 395 injured, 10 missing

May 10th: The Duquesne National Assembly meets to write an official declaration of independence

May 12th: News of the Auvernian revolution devolving into a civil war arrives leading to confusion over the fate of the 4th Army Corps. As the news reaches Isle d’ Auguste, Admiral Ernest LaRoche and Commander Olivier become split over how to proceed. Both are unwilling to return the 6th Army Corps to a dysfunctional failed state, but while Admiral Ernest LaRoche wishes to submit to Duquesne authorities, Commander Olivier wishes to declare the Island an independent state that is loyal to the old government of Auvernia.

May 15th: Admiral Ernest LaRoche along with Commander Vincent Masson depart from Isle d’ Auguste during the night and surrenders the entire !Caribbean Fleet to the Duquesne National Navy the following morning.

May 16th: Commander Olivier proclaims the “State of Augistinia” and forms a more permanent junta with several trusted commanders. They begin fortifying naval batteries and preparing for a prolonged blockade. Civilians on the island have mixed reactions, many wishing to stay out of a conflict but some becoming supporters of an independent state.

May 17th: Civilian governing bodies that existed on the island prior to the Duquesne War of Independence are integrated into the new State of Augistinia.

May 21st, 1925: President Jacques Dufour signs the Duquesne Declaration of Independence, officially making The Republic of Duquesne an Independent nation.

Overview

Origins of the Revolution

The Auvernian Federation chose to stay out of the internal conflicts in Duquesne during the Civil War. However, relations with the home country became tense during the 1925 New Year’s address from President Jacques Dufour. President Dufour called for the people to remain as one, and put behind their differences. He called for this unity to announce his plans for a final exit of the Auvernian Federation’s control. When he first announced this, there were gasps in the full chamber of the Duquesne Legislature, but it was quickly met with a standing ovation. President Dufour began to list the demands of the people of Duquesne.

“First, The Republic of Duquesne will become its own entity, autonomous and fully independent from the Auvernian Federation. The Auvernian Federation will cease to control the courts of Duquesne, and a new constitution will be drafted by the legislature of Duquesne proclaiming the rights of the people of Duquesne. Second, The Auvernian Military Forces, both on land and those who patrol our seas, will depart immediately to avoid conflict with the brave patriots of Duquesne, and the great force from the Duquesne armed services. Finally, the Republic of Duquesne will be removed from all economic relationships and tariffs imposed upon it by the Auvernian Federation, and it will develop new economic relationships with foreign nations”

-President Jacques Dufour, New Year’s Address 1925

Military organization and the Battle of the Battery

Following the New Year’s Address, the people of Duquesne became energized with the idea of independence. Within days, there were lines building for miles outside Duquesne Military recruiting stations with men eager to fight for their independence. When the news reached Auvernia, however, the response was not friendly. The Auvernian Federation ordered the Republic of Duquesne to stand down any revolutionary behavior, further adding that any act of violence against members of the Auvernian military would be met with grave consequence. The Auvernian Congress began slapping new tariffs and economic restrictions on Duquesnian goods in an effort to cripple the economy of Duquesne. This included banning the import of Duquesne agricultural products and Duquesne resources such as coal and lumber. However, this plan backfired, and it led many more Duquesnians to take up arms and enlist in the Duquesne armed services. President Dufour sent the existing Duquesne military, including the Provincial Guard, the Duquesne National Army, and the Duquesne Special Forces, to military installations in northern Envale to begin mass training and organization of forces. This move was a secret endeavor in order to prepare forces without the knowledge of the Auvernian forces. Finally, on March 5th, 1925, General Thomas Dubois ordered the attack of an Auvernian military battery in southern Envale. This military battery was on the coast of southern Envale, and it was a major hub for Auvernian military ships, and the transport of weapons and additional troops from the mainland. This became known as the Battle of the Battery, being the first attack of Auvernian interests in the Duquesne War of Independence.

Aftermath of the Battle of the Battery and the Capture of Marquette

The attack caught the Auvernian troops completely by surprise, and after just 6 hours of battle, the Auvernians were forced into a retreat into western Envale. This allowed the Duquesne military to take over the barracks and armories at this military battery, giving them large amounts of guns, ammunition, medical supplies, cannons, and fuel for military vehicles. When the Auvernian mainland learned of the attack and defeat, the 4th Army corp, numbering 60,000 troops were immediately sent by ship to launch a counter attack. It took 4 days for the ships to arrive on the East coast of Hibernia, and soon, the ships began to arrive and set up at the Isle de Auguste. The troops arrived under the command of Auvernian General Henrique Shasuel and they quickly set up the troops. The island was quickly taken over with little resistance, and the Auvernian armada was positioned to defend all sides of the island by Admiral David Aquesta. On March 13th, the Auvernian army boarded ships and were sent right to Marquette Harbor. The Auvernian armada began bombarding Marquette with heavy cannonfire, striking several civilian buildings, as well as the Duquesne Department of Defense building, killing 240 civilians and 135 government workers and soldiers, while injuring over 500 other people. The Marquette military batteries responded with cannonfire that sunk 3 Auvernian ships and damaged nearly a dozen others, yet the long range gunfire allowed for ships to arrive in the harbor, giving way for thousands of troops to arrive in the harbor and begin taking control of the outskirts of Marquette. The President, his cabinet, and members of the Duquesne National Assembly were evacuated from the city escorted by the district’s Provincial Guard, as well as several civilian militias that had joined the cause. Within a week, after fighting several resistance groups and small parties of soldiers, the Auvernian flag was raised above the Duquesne National Assembly building. The Auvernian military was able to take the city with such ease due to the absence of the Duquesne Revolutionary Forces, however, their control did not last long.

Operation Marquette Freedom

The Revolutionary forces mobilized quickly, and moved to regain control of Marquette. The operation became known as Operation Marquette Freedom. The Chief Duquesne Naval officer, Admiral Johannes Christopsen, ordered the Duquesne Navy, numbering about 50 ships, to attack the rear of the Auvernian armada. In addition, Duquesne Provincial Guard members from Envale, Aureliana, and Terrebonne would fire artillery from the coastline just outside of Marquette in order to distract and weaken their weapons capabilities. Finally, the Duquesne Special Forces, the Duquesne National Army, and several citizen militias, would make a frontal assault on all ends of Marquette. The plan was to take effect on March 28th, 1925. However, it became more difficult for the Duquesne resistance, as the Auvernian Navy was able to transport in about 10,000 more troops into the ports of Marquette before the artillery positions were made. This pinned about 25,000 Auvernian troops guarding the outskirts of the city, against about 100,000 Duquesne ground troops. In the early hours of the morning of March 28th, the Duquesne Provincial Guard began firing artillery at the Auvernian Armada positioned in Marquette Harbor. This caught the armada by complete surprise, and it resulted in the sinking of several ships. Then, the surprise attack came from the Duquesne Navy and, despite the small number of the Duquesne National Navy ships, they were able to catch these ships already pinned in a fight against the mainland artillery, which led to many of the ships surrendering, or being sunk. The Duquesne ground troops began their ground assault over the hills surrounding Marquette, again surprising the ground troops in Marquette. The Auvernian Army began firing at the Duquesne ground troops, and successfully took out large numbers of troops in the first wave of attack running at the center of Marquette. However, the defenses were much lighter along the sides of the city, which allowed about 30,000 Duquesne National Armymen to break into Marquette, and hit the central defenses from the back, which caused about 6,000 Auvernians to surrender at the central defenses. The citizen militias then were able to enter Marquette, and quickly swept the neighborhoods along the outside, giving the Duquesne ground forces control over half of Marquette by mid-day. The remaining 14,000 troops were pinned down in the remaining government district of Marquette, as well as the docks and trade district. The Duquesne Special Forces were sent in by Brigadier General Marques Nelson, and they began to engage the remaining forces of the Auvernian Army. Setting up on the tops of buildings, as well as in alleyways, the Special Forces moved block by block engaging the Auvernian troops, followed by support and cover fire from members of the Duquesne National Army.

Aftermath of Operation Marquette Freedom

The Auvernian troops continued to retreat, and many were killed running through the streets attempting to find cover. Finally, at 4pm, the remaining 45,000 Auvernian Army Men surrendered and were taken prisoner. Meanwhile, the Auvernian government at home fell apart, and was flung into crisis. The new government ordered the military stationed at Isle d’Auguste to immediately cease all military action against Duquesne. This led many of the soldiers from the 4th Army corps, about 35,000, to defect to Duquesne instead of traveling home to their broken nation. However, the forces occupying the island, led by Commander Marc Oliver defied the orders, and began to set up a military junta over the island. However, this was met with much disagreement from Admiral Ernest LaRoche, commander of the combined Auvernian fleet stationed at Isle d’Auguste. After completing a full sweep of the city, on March 31st, President Jacques Dufour was escorted by the Duquesne Provincial Guard and led a group of heroes from Operation Marquette Freedom to fly the Flag of Duquesne again above the National Assembly building, and the Presidential Mansion. With the government in place in Marquette again, a mass cleanup and rebuilding effort began. The Duquesne National Army began working to treat the wounded and to bury the dead in a military cemetery outside Marquette. The Duquesne Provincial Guard began working with local construction companies to begin repair to the residential districts that were left with extreme damage from the warfare that had taken place. Many civilians were taken to Duquesne Red Cross camps to live in security while Marquette was rebuilt. The Duquesne National Assembly began meeting to draft an official declaration of independence. The Declaration took several weeks to write, but it was finally signed by President Jacques Dufour amidst nationwide patriotic celebrations on May 21st, 1925.