Johkan War

Johkan War
<imgur w="320">nGlBfMK.png</imgur> Clockwise from top left: Midrasian armoured divisions advance in Unari; Sagitean air campaign; Aquido-Newreyan forces hold their positions at Nautsi; Smoke rises from the capital of Bockjaur following the surrender of the city.
Date 14 April - 2 June 2017 Location Johka, Frestovenia Result Decisive Coalition Victory
Belligerents
Frestovenia Midrasia Template:Country data Sagite Template:Country data Aquidneck Newrey Template:Country data Ohen Supported by Template:Country data The Community of Pan-Slavic Nations CPSN Template:Country data Vrnallia	Template:Country data Johka Supported by Torrosan volunteers
Commanders and leaders
Charles Vauban Mattieu Mittelrand Template:Country data Sagite Julian Ulrics Template:Country data Sagite Sir Richard Spence Template:Country data Aquidneck Woon-Taek Choo Template:Country data Aquidneck Ruperto Petrillo Template:Country data Ohen Jørik Bernovik	Template:Country data Johka Mihkkal Ealjá Template:Country data Johka Great Noadi
Strength
450,000 75,000 Template:Country data Sagite 35,000 Template:Country data Aquidneck 30,000 10,000 Template:Country data Ohen 10,000	Template:Country data Johka 2,000,000

The Johkan war otherwise known as the intervention in Johka and officially codenamed Operation Snowstorm was a conflict between the Joint-nation coalition of Frestovenia, Midrasia, Sagite, Aquidneck, Newrey and Ohen and the nation of Johka. The war began as a result of an ultimatum issued to the Johkan government to end its persecution and alleged genocide of the Johkk peoples. Upon the expiration of this ultimatum, coalition forces officially declared war against the Johkan state. The war took place from April 14, 2017 until the cessation of hostilities on June 2, 2017.

The coalition campaign began with a naval buildup around the Unari peninsula, which had been designated as one of the two landing zones for coalition forces. The allied Navy quickly repelled any Johkan naval forces within the region and set about implementing its air strategy by targeting military installations on the Johkan coast. Meanwhile, Frestovenian forces advanced across the border into western Johka, securing border towns within the region. In late April coalition forces officially made landfall in Unari and Nautsi, aided by the coalition's decisive air campaign. Whilst Coalition forces were able to take considerable ground in the conflict, they were ultimately unable to prevent the arrival of private Torrosan volunteers who had come to the aid of the Johkan government.

In mid May confirmation was made that the Johkan government in fear of the advancing coalition had collapsed, with key figures in the military ordering a purge of senior officers and political figures. The fate of the Johkan supreme leader Mihkkal Ealjá and the Great Noadi remain unknown to the public, although speculation suggests both figures were killed in the power struggle. Upon the collapse of the Johkan government, most civilian conscripted soldiers abandoned their posts or were disarmed by the advancing coalition armies. Whilst several cities remained under Johkan control, many were quickly taken, with the capital of Bockjaur surrendering in late May following a brief siege.

Whilst the war was a major success for coalition forces, the war played a large role in the recent escalation of tensions across Aeia, with many states denouncing the invasion as 'resurgent Asuran Imperialism'. The outcome of the war and the resurgence of interventionism in Asuran democracies directly led to the formation of an alliance between the states of Torroso, Tarasanovia and Volgaria. It has been suggested by many that the war should be seen as the catalyst for a future cold war between the authoritarian west and the democratic east. Furthermore, rebuilding efforts remain underway in Johka with a number of coalition nations offering funds for the rebuilding of the country and its transition to democracy. Despite this, calls for wider international involvement were met with little response, many coalition nations refused to contribute significant funds to the project and Johkan insurgents remain active in many parts of the country.

Invasion of Johka

Coalition air campaign

During the early stages of the Johkan War the air campaign was principally undertaken by the Sagitean Air Force under the Air Marshal, Syr Richard Spence, and eventually the Air Marshal would be appointed to lead the coalition air forces in general. Sagitean operations began a day earlier than the official Coalition declaration of war due to the Sagitean government having issued its own ultimatum which expired a day before that of the Coalition. The initial targets of the air campaign were Johkan military support facilities, such as communications centres, radar posts, listening post, and other infrastructure.

Using a strategy of rapid deployment Sagitean jets were able to launch medium and long range rockets with great precision against a largely unprepared defence force; the result was that within the first week of the war Sagitean planes had largely crippled the military intelligence and communications networks in the north of Johka, while suffering no casualties. This initial stage, referred to by the military as Phase One was split into three distinct parts; the initial bombardment of military bases, coastal defences, and early warning systems, followed by strikes against armouries, radar stations, militia training grounds, and communications centres further inland, the final stage of the Phase was to strike at Johkan repair and maintenance crews as they attempted to mitigate and repair the damage. Spence described the strategy behind Phase One as one of "Relentless assault".

Phase Two of the air campaign began on 28th April 2017 with a change in strategy. Instead of targeting purely military installations for the first time Sagitean air units and long range missile strikes started to target key infrastructure, including rail lines and bridges, as well as factories believed to be supplying the Johkan military. The full target list also included a number of power plants and warehouses. Concurrently anti-tank drones and aircraft were deployed in support of Coalition troops to engage and destroy the increasing number of enemy tanks being employed by the Johkan military in the hopes that by targeting both the tanks and the factories the rate of attrition would be exponentially increased.

A sudden shift in Johkan defence policy at the end of April and beginning of May prompted Spence to re-evaluate the air campaign's priorities, particularly in the western theatre where Frestovenian forces continued to fight their way into Johkan territory. Johkan air defences and air defence strategies seemed to be becoming more sophisticated raising serious concerns about the vulnerability of Sagitean aircraft; in response Spence ordered Coalition air units to start directly targeting at long range Johkan anti-air defences and increased the number of high altitude bombing runs so as to keep his manned craft out of range of the Johkan missiles. As part of this strategic shift artillery positions and missile silos were also identified and targeted along with the large concentrations of support vehicles needed by Johka to keep its conscript army supplied and mobile.

Ground campaign

Invasion of Nautsi

Initially planned as a diversionary attack to fool the Johkans into believing the main attack from there, it quickly spiralled into a bloody slugging match between the Coalition and Johkan forces. The Johkan port city of Nautsi was the first obstacle faced by the coalition. A joint Aquid-Newreyan force ran into unexpectedly stiff resistance, and it took several days to clear the Johkan forces out. Farther north, the Newreyan 2nd Shipyæger Brigade , fought their way into the second objective, the city of Unari, on 28 April, coming under constant attack by Johkan regulars and militia, while 3rd Battalion, Cynigburgh Rifle cleared the 'old quarter' of the city that was inaccessible to vehicles. Entering Unari was achieved after two weeks of fierce fighting, which included the biggest bayonet charge by Newreyan forces since the Colonial War when 1st Battalion, Cyningburgh Rifles charged a heavily fortified Johkan defensive bunker, seizing it after hours of fighting. A few members of D Squadron, Aqudish Special Forces, were deployed to southern Johka to support the coalition advance on Nautsi, the team conducted forward route reconnaissance and infiltrated the city and brought in strikes on the commanding forces of the Johkan resistance

Elements of 1 (Newrey) Mixed Division began to advance south towards Allied positions around Nautsi on 9 May. Pre-existing electrical and water shortages continued throughout the conflict and looting began as Johkan forces collapsed. While Coalition forces began working with local Johkan Police to enforce order, a joint team composed of Royal Engineers and the Royal Logistic Corps of the Newreyan Landmight rapidly set up and repaired dockyard facilities to allow humanitarian aid to begin to arrive from ships arriving in the port city of Nautsi.

Aftermath

The response to the war by the Aquidish public was mixed. Senate election campaigns were to be held in May and June, however the government is constitutionally limited in what it can do militarily when the Senate is not in session. The King on the advice of the government and opposition party leaders decided did not dissolve the Senate until the last possible day, May 3rd. The election was scheduled for May 15th. This shortened campaign season is thought by some to have led to confusion among voters, a lower turnout, and the hung Senate that resulted. A coalition government was formed by the Progressive and Liberal Parties who then carried out the war that was once spearheaded by the conservative Royalist Party.

The increased tensions across Aeia after the war lead directly to the expansion of the Aquidish-Newreyan Treaty into the Drago Entente. The Entente is a political and military alliance designed as a counterbalance to other alliances, most notably the Catisura Economic and Military Pact and the alliance formed between Volgaria, Torroso, and Tarasanovia.

International reaction

• Template:Country data Bihanhi: The Bihanhian Government condemned the invasion, with the foreign ministry calling it a "blatant violation of the sovereignty of the Johkan peoples, and simply more Asuran Imperialism". The Government has also supported anti war propaganda through its state owned media outlets, both domestic and international, and think tanks. Many foreign policy scholars believe the reaction to be based upon "post colonial PTSD, as well as a desire to tap into Johka's natural resources". Quickly after the coalition victory Bihanhi dropped the anti war propaganda and is sending proposals to the new Johkan Government for oil exploration licenses.
• Template:Country data Ternca: The Terncan Government stayed mostly uninvolved, however did embargo Johka for the genocide, and condemned it. However no armed action was pursed, most likely because the Terncan Government didn't see the value in Johka, and would rather focus on domestic affairs. Terncan states owned media outlets were anti Johka, however did devote airtime to coalition atrocities as well. Due to the close relationship between Ternca and the CPSN the blockage of CPSN humanitarian planes was heavily condemned. Ternca has stated it plans to remain uninvolved since the coalition victory.