Third Chryse War

Third Chryse War
Syaran cavalry and infantry marching in Chryse.
Date 14 March - 12 November 1905 Location Chryse, Sanguine and Sundering Seas Result Treaty of Chryse
Belligerents
Górska	Republic of Syara
Commanders and leaders
Kacper Wilkosz Tadeusz Madej Gabriel Płonka	Penko Todorov Deliivanov Lucio Kochanova Ljudevit Mikulčić
Units involved
Górska Federal Defense Forces	Armed Forces of the Syaran Republic
Strength
133,000 troops 1,122 guns 43 warships	179,000 troops 1,850 guns 78 warships
Casualties and losses
12,588 killed 32,689 wounded 21 warships sunk	15,031 killed 37,804 wounded 13 warships sunk

The Third Chryse War, also known as the Górskan-Syaran War, (Syaran: Горска војна, Gorska vojna, "Górskan War") (Górskan : Wojna Syarańska, "Syaran War") was fought between the Republic of Syara and the Republic of Górska in 1904 over control of the island of Chryse. The war is usually divided into two theaters; the land war fought on the island itself, and the naval campaign fought in the Sundering and Sanguine Seas between the two nations.

The Second Chryse War had ended in 1859 with the Kingdom of Makedon controlling roughly 70% of the island and a non-aggression pact between the Makedonians and the Górskan Republic to last for 25 years, after which the political division of the island would be revisited. The Ruvelkan-Makedonian War however had spurned the Unification of Syara, resulting in the creation of the Republic of Syara which claimed ownership over Chryse. While Górska had been a peer opponent of the Makedonians, the combined Syaran Republic outstripped Górska in economic, industrial, and military terms, leading to fears among the Górskan government that the Syarans would seize control over the entire island. Such concerns were elevated to national priority by the election of Councilor Kacper Wilkosz who began preparing to settle the "Chryse Question" by entering negotiations with the Syaran Republic over the future of the island.

With Syara now in a position of power between the two nations, Zovahr insisted on terms that would solidify Syaran dominion of the island, including the establishment of a Syaran controlled transportation network, and port facilities to be manned and guarded by Syaran troops. Wilkosz broke off negotiations and convinced the rest of the Federal Council to pursue military action to try to seize Chryse by force, hoping that a rapid victory would stun Zovahr and force the Syarans to accept Górskan control of the island. The Górskan Federal Navy began hostilities with a surprise attack on the Syaran fleet at Sena on 14 March 1904. The next day the Górskan Federal Army invaded Syaran controlled Chryse, advancing as far south as Svajec.

After recovering from the initial shock, Syara dispatched Syaran army reinforcements to Chryse while the Navy of the Syaran Republic engaged the Górskan Federal Navy in battle around the island and in the waters of the Sundering Sea. The Syarans successfully pushed the Górskans back to the center of Chryse, but were unable to advance beyond what became known as the Tihomir Line. While Górska was able to maintain a stalemate on land, at sea the Górskan Federal Navy was unable to match the Syaran Navy, which began striking targets along the Górskan coast, culminating in the raid on the Górskan Naval Headquarters at Kalikie. Facing defeat at sea and a stalemate in Chryse, Górska requested a ceasefire. Although President Penko Todorov Deliivanov wanted to continue the conflict and reclaim all of Chryse, civil unrest in Syara convinced him to accept the offer. The fighting ended on 2 November and the Treaty of Chryse was signed 10 days later, settling the borders of the island where the front lines had ended.

The outcome has been in dispute since it ended. Górska gained 4,527 square kilometers of Chryse, but had fallen short of the pre-war desire to completely control the island. The destruction of much of the Górskan navy also weakened Górska's strategic power, leaving it in poor position to contest Syaran control of Chryse and the surrounding waters. While many foreign observers expected a "Fourth Chryse War" in a few years it never occurred; the outbreak of the Syaran-Ruvelkan War would permanently fixate Syaran strategic focus towards Ruvelka, where it would largely remain until the dissolution of the Republic in the Refusal War. The Treaty of Chryse remains in place, and was reaffirmed by the Syaran Commonality in 1989.

Background

The end of the Second Chryse War in 1859 resulted in the Kingdom of Makedon exercising control of 70% the island of Chryse, leaving Górska with the remaining northern portion of the island. Per the terms of the treaty, the Górskans and Makedonians were supposed to revisit the issue of the island's domain after period of 25 years during which a non-aggression pact would remain in place. This period of peace was largely kept to by both sides despite occasional flare ups of tension. Makedonian focus on the island began to dissipate amid rising tensions with the Ruvelkan Socialist Republic in the mid-1860s. The outbreak of the Ruvelkan-Makedonian War had originally offered Górska the opportunity to retake the island while the Makedonian military was distracted, but Ostrołęka opted to adhere to the terms of the peace treaty, a decision that seemed validated when the Makedonians rapidly inflicted a decisive defeat on the Ruvelkan Red Army and reclaimed the territories of Zemplen and Imerti.

Chryse as it was divided in 1903.

Among the ramifications of the war was the galvanization of Syaran nationalism and an increased push among the Syaran Successor States for the Unification of Syara. This was eventually accomplished in 1875 with the Conference of Parilla, which officially established the Republic of Syara. With it, ownership of Makedonian Chryse passed from the Makedonian Kingdom to the Syaran Republic. News of Syaran unification was unwelcome in Górska, especially among those who desired Górskan control of Chryse. Whereas Górska had been able to maintain rough parity with the Makedonians, unified Syara considerably outstripped Górska in numerous categories. The combined population of Syara was 76 million compared to Górska's 18 million, Syaran steel production was 11 times higher, and in 1895 alone Syara laid more kilometers of railroad than Górska had done since 1885. It became a common fear among Górskan political and military circles that Syara would employ its superior position to seize Chryse in its entirety.

Such fears did not materialize, but following the lapse of the non-aggression pact in 1884 negotiations intended to firmly settle the question of Chryse began. Zovahr, recognizing it was in the position of power between the two, insisted on compromises that favored Syara. Both sides had expressed a desire for a unified rail network that connected all the major urban settlements, but Syara insisted that the railway tracks be on gauge of 1,520mm, the same as the rest of Syara but different from Górska's 1,435mm. This would mean most of the rolling stock and locomotives would have to come from Syara, meaning Syaran rail firms and businesses would benefit from the project and subsequent traffic. While the Syarans agreed that the Górskan navy would be free to port at the island and the Górskan army would maintain a garrison, Syara insisted that port control authority would rest with the Syaran armed forces, and inspections be carried out by Syaran officers.

The Górskan government recognized that agreeing to Syaran terms would effectively place transportation both within Chryse and between Chryse and the rest of Tyran under Syaran control and refused to agree to them. Although negotiations were restarted in 1889, 1894, and 1901, no major agreements could be reached. Continued concern within the Górskan government that Syara would simply abandon negotiations and employ her larger armed forces to seize Chryse led to a substantial military buildup among the Górskan Federal Defense Forces. Despite the rising tensions the Syaran government did not consider a military confrontation likely due to the disparity in power between the two states, with Zovahr remaining convinced that Ostrołęka would eventually concede as Syara's economic and political influence continued to grow.

Prelude and preparations

The Górskan battleship Zuzanna in 1904.

In 1903 Kacper Wilkosz was elected to the Federal Council, Górska's Executive body. Wilkosz, a native of Chryse who's father had perished during the Second Chryse War, was heavily focused on resolving the Chryse Question which he saw as the key to Górska's geopolitical future. With the support of fellow Councilors Leokadiusz Kołodziejczyk, Narcyz Graczyk, and Ryszard Kułak, Wilkosz opened negotiations once more with Zovahr and Syaran President Penko Todorov Deliivanov. Deliivanov, fresh off and election and still dealing with the aftermath of a socialist-inspired uprising among Galanian peasants, was largely unfocused on the Chryse issue and reiterated Syaran demands. Wilkosz attempted to agree to Syaran demands for rail construction in exchange for leaving Górska's ports on Chryse in Górskan hands, but Deliivanov refused the compromise. Wilkosz continued to press the issue repeatedly with Deliivanon, and during a meeting in Zovahr in September 1904 Deliivanon allegedly grew so frustrated with the Councilors repetitions that he threatened "take the whole damn island and toss your lot off the closest beach". While said in a moment of frustration, the remark left Wilkosz speechless and he departed the negotiations to return to Górska.

Subsequent efforts were made in October and November but likewise failed to achieve an agreement. Meanwhile tensions between Syara and the Ruvelkan Socialist Republic flared up over Syaran accusations of Ruvelkan subterfuge, leading to the mobilization of the Armed Forces of the Syaran Republic. While they were stood down in a few weeks, the event alarmed Ostrołęka and Wilkosz in particular, believing the event showed that Syara could and would resort to military might to achieve its strategic goals. Further announcements in December 1904 that the Navy of the Syaran Republic would pursue the creation of additional Republic-class battleships convinced Wilkosz that the Syarans would eventually reach the point of insurmountable military advantage over Górska and would simply sieze Chryse at their leisure. Faced with that Wilkosz saw as a "do or die" situation, he pressed the Federal Council to seek war.

Syaran soldiers during an inspection in 1905.

While Councilors Ryszard Włodarczyk and Waldemar Słowiński initially opposed the idea, Wilkosz was able to leverage support from Kołodziejczyk, Graczyk, and Kułak to bring the Federal Council around to the idea. Wilkosz painted the war as a necessary measure given Syara's rapid growth as an industrial power; if Górska did not strike now, Syara would eventually simply overpower them and take Chryse without any real challenge. Fearing the fate of the Górskan inhabitants of Chryse and the loss of its historic territory and commerce, the Federal Council agreed to order military action to seize Chryse.

Following the decision, General of the Armed Force Tadeusz Madej was summoned and ordered to begin preparations for a conflict with Syara. While initially reluctant to the idea of war, Madej eventually acquiesced and began drawing up plans of attack. Madej eventually settled on a two stroke move; first, an attack against the Syaran fleet anchored at Sena, with a concurrent drive on Chryse to seize control of the island. The strike at Sena was seen as necessary to balance out the superior numbers of the Syaran navy, giving Górska free reign in the Sundering Sea and around Chryse.

The Górskan Federal Defense Forces in January 1905 amounted to 300,000 men in uniform, around 210,000 in the army and 90,000 in the navy. The army was divided into six divisions, three cavalry brigades, and four independent artillery regiments. An additional three infantry brigades could be called up as needed, with additional reserves capable of manning three more divisions. The navy was composed of 43 warships, including 4 battleships, 8cruisers, 7 ironclads, 14 frigates, and 10 corvettes. While the Górskan military was smaller than the Syaran armed forces, it was considered well armed and well trained, having been drilled and instructed by foreign advisors following the Second Chryse War.

The Armed Forces of the Syaran Republic consisted of the Army of the Syaran Republic and the Navy of the Syaran Republic. The Army was composed of 650,000 men organized into four corps of three divisions each, with an additional five cavalry brigades. An additional eight divisions of reserves were available while Syaran artillery was plentiful; the Syarans possessed over 4,000 field guns and had already invested heavily in machine guns and mortars. However, most of the Army had to be stationed along Syara's extensive border with Ruvelka owing to the two nations' hostile relations with one another. The Syaran navy consisted of 78 warships, including 10 battleships, 23 cruisers, 25 torpedo-boats, 15 frigates, and 10 corvettes. While the Syarans were not counted among Tyran's leading naval power, they enjoyed a substantial numerical advantage over Górska, making a pre-emptive strike on the Syaran fleet to cripple its long term abilities essential to a Górskan victory.

Beginning in January 1905 and continuing until March the Górskan army began secretly moving troops into Górskan Chryse, raising the garrison from 15,000 troops to over 60,000. By March Górska had amassed 65,000 troops on the island in addition to more than 1,000 field guns, over 70% of all field guns in the Górskan arsenal. Syaran forces on Chryse remained at 25,000 troops supported by 300 guns, and missed early warnings about the Górskan buildup.