Eitoan

The Republic of Eitoan Dienstadi: Respublica Eitarska
Flag Eitoan National Seal
Motto: No Man a Slave
Capital	Vladarsik
Largest city	Kelso
Official languages	Díenstadi
Ethnic groups	Gemesht (Mestizo), Ralkoviak, Indigene
Demonym(s)	Eitoan, Eitoman
Government	Unitary presidential constitutional republic
• Presiden	Ephraim Shrdlu
• Vice-President	Paula Koubek
• Attorney General	Dan Venkempen
• Secretary of Foreign Affairs	Andrew Falkowski
Legislature	Legislature
• Upper house	Ghastak
• Lower house	Dashez
Independence from Ralkovia
• War of Independence	1901
Currency	Quada
Date format	mm/dd/yy
Driving side	right

Overview

Eitoan is a republic in northwest continental Greater Dienstad. It is a unitary presidential democracy. The Kingdom of Eitoan emerged as an independent sovereign state in the late Middle Ages and continued to exist until 1425, devolving into a Ralkovian colony, ruled by an Imperial Viceroy. During the colonial era the legal, educational, and religious system for the colonists was patterned on that of Ralkovia, while native Eitoan traditions remained present in the hinterland.

Following the 1901 Declaration of Independence, Ralkovian forces were expelled from Eitoan by 1904. After three years of military rule, a constitution took effect in 1907, the year of the first elections for the legislature and president. Amendments to the constitution have expanded individual liberties and restricted government interference since the late 1930s.

With the increase in literacy and improvements to public health following independence, the mestizo majority steadily took the reins of influence in Eitoan society from a shrinking Ralkoviak aristocracy. Eitoans view themselves as a continental Vanguatine people, and have adopted elements of Merican and Macabbean jurisprudence, business practices, and mores. This has been accompanied by a widespread secularization of society. In recent days the influence of The Golden Throne has become more prevalent, that nation being widely admired among the upper strata for it's military prowess and business influence.

History

Prehistory

Early Eitoan tribes, practicing a variety of religions inhabit the area. Most numerous are the Eitoan-ra, ethnically and religiously related to the Ralkovians, followed by a variety of Celtic and Slavic tribes.

Pre Unification

After 600 AD the Eitoan-ra exercise dominance over neighboring tribes, seizing captives, livestock and the best grazing lands. They are ruled by a council of tribal chiefs. By 900 AD most chieftanships were established on a semi-hereditary basis. The conclusion of the Revolt of Semo (1001-1049) with the Slaughter of the Zaboroshte saw an end to the independence of all not Eitoan-ra tribes

Kingdom of Eitoan

1174 - 1302: First Eitoan Kingdom. With the dominance and expansion of Eitoan-ra power over other tribes, the territorial expanse of the tribes' holdings demanded an increasingly formalized means of governance. The chief of the Blue Cord Eitoans, Zachariah of Malin, as the most powerful Eitoan-ra chief, asserted his authority over other chief's in a series of battles from 1165 - 1174. With the defeat of his last remaining rival, Lustig of the Upper River Reaches in 1174, Zachariah forced all subservient chiefs to recognize him as King of the Eitoans on July 9, 1174.

1174 - 1182: Zachariah I crowned as first king, raising the Eitoan chiefs to noble status, and subject chiefs as minor nobles. All military put under command of the King. Royal mint established in Wakegan.

1182 - 1186: Regency by Zachariah I's wife, Zipporah, continued weak state as major and minor nobility erode the regal authority. Massive corruption at the royal Court and among provincial mandarins.

1186 - 1201: Reign of Queen Zahava I, continued decline of regal authority, as outlying tribes refues to recognize a female ruler.

1201 - 1228: Reign of Queen Sara I: After early Court reforms, a stronger military exerts control of the kingdom. Centralization throughout the kingdom is enhanced by construction of a rudimentary road system and establishment of the first University in Eitoan, now the Territorial University of Kelso. Jewish religious practice is standardized under the Council of the Wise.

1228 - 1239: Reign of King Eliazar I (Eliazar The Great and Just): Issuance of First Regal Ukase, establishing magistrates throughout the kingdom and codifing rules of evidence and sentencing during trials. Dredging at the mouth of the Ruzika opens harbor at Berwyn.

1239 - 1280: Reign of Queen Sara II: Agricultural improvements through irrigation and drainage projects increase life expectancy and expand land under cultivation. Taxation reform relieves the burden of indentured servitude, leading to a class of agricultural smallholders and independent artisans. Royal patents rationalize the mining and refining of tin, making it an important export commodity.

1280 - 1286: Reign of King Zachariah II: Widespread court corruption causes peasant revolts. The Beth-Din of Vladarsik condemns the worst cases of corruption in the countryside, establishing the first independent judiciary in Eitoan.

1286 - 1302: Reign of Queen Eileen I (Eileen the Stupid): Queen's mental retardation and King's greed cause further decline of the state.

1302 - 1394: First Kingdom devolves into warring states:

1302: Death of Queen Elieen causes outbreak of conflicting claims on the throne and dominance in major provinces as all 7 of her children raise armies in support of their claims.

1342: Truce in the civil war hands over control of most of Eitoan to a Council of Princes. Parts of Istlypu fall to Aurensia.

1352: Death of the last surviving child of Queen Eileen: Eitoan consolidates into four competing principalities: hostilities continue.

1375 Marriage of Princess Rivka (Evil Rivka) of Ralkovia to Prince Samuel Elgin, one of the competitors establishes Ralkovian interest in the Eitoan crown.

1394 - 1488: Second Eitoan Kingdom, established by Prince Louis Halvak after defeating combined opposition forces. Central authority reestablished under Louis I.

1394 - 1406: Reign of Louis I: Military control extended throughout all Eitoan. Istlypu recovered from Aurensia.

1406 - 1425: Reign of King Zachariah III: Nation descends into religious fanaticism.

1425 - 1429: Louis II, crowned at 4 years old; serves as figurehead under a regency council of nobles. Ralkovian colonization begins with the Lease of the Port of Dolton.

1429 - 1434: Reign of Joshua I. Relative stalemate with Ralkovia

1434 - 1468: Reign of Eliazar II (Eliazar the Old): Ralkovian advance continues and kingdom wracked by frequent famine.

1468 - 1471: Reign of Joshua II. Kingdom in vassalage to Ralkovia.

1471 - 1488: Reign of Jonah I. Continuing war and resistance. Jonah killed at the battle of Harvel, marking the end of the Kingdom of Eitoan.

Ralkovian Colony

From 1488 to 1901 Eitoan was ruled as an Imperial Ralkovian colony. Weak overlordship in remote areas lead to a rise in Gemesht (mestizo) rebellions and de-facto local autonomy. Native unrest in the early 1600's and religious turmoil lead to the Defenstration of Holon in 1619 on the part of the remote Eitoan estates, followed by a brutal period of massacre against colonists which was then followed by bloody reprisals, depopulating much of the northeast of the country into the early 1700's. The religious revival of the early 1700's among the Gemesht Mestizos, by contrast, was viewed favorably by the viceroy at the time, as a means of returning the ruined lands to productivity, and harsh rule in the outlying areas was relaxed. The spread of literacy among the fledgling Gemesht artisan and merchant class, and vigorous illegal trade with neighboring states in the late 1700's and early 1800's inspired the spread of liberal ideals among the townspeople in the provinces, culminating in the Revolution of 1849, which was put down with great bloodshed. Nevertheless, as early industrialization demanded a minimally educated workforce, an Eitoan nationalist movement grew in the late 1800's, initially among exiles, and then in the mostly mestizo inland towns and cities.

War of Independence

1901: Declaration of Eitoan State, subsequent War of Independence against Ralkovia. Military and police in mountainous rural regions, usually Gemesht, led by non-commissioned officers withstand initial imperial attack, with many native troops deserting to the Eitoan side. Rebel activity spreads to other rural areas. Harsh response to suspected rebel activity by colonial police in major cities. Riots in major cities throughout the summer of 1902. Rebel capture of second largest city, Kelso, in January, 1903, establishing it as the capital of the Republic of Eitoan. Bloody Ralkovian campaign in the north in 1903. Bloody reprisals follow in 1903 as Eitoan patriots reclaim territory lost to Ralkovia. Major gains by rebels in the coastal plain in early 1904.

1904: Ralkovian evacuation of Eitoan; military rule follows. Evacuation of Ralkovian military, police and administrators completed by September 4. Slaughter and reprisal ensue against loyalists as Eitoan military assumes control of the largest city, Berwyn.

General Edward Anjek declared provisional president by national council. Military governors and mayors appointed to restore services and maintain order, which was completed by May, 1905. All schools and universities re-opened, with admission for all classes of citizens in November, 1905. Slavery abolished on December 31, 1905. National Reserve Bank of Eitoan established in 1906. All ports, railroads, and highways repaired to pre-war conditions by end of year 1906.

1907: Constitution drafted and approved. Elections for President and both houses of the Council of State, October 12, 1907.

Modern History

Following radical victory in the 1912 Presidential election, sweeping reforms in education, industry and transportation, under state planning usher in the "First Great Period" of growth, as the Mestizo majority move into positions previously reserved for the Ralkoviak miniority. Pushback from the Ralkoviak minority led to "The Unpleasantness" of 1918-1919, with widespread rioting in cities and towns. This was also the first great period of industrialization, lasting from 1915 - 1933, ending when crop failures due to overplanting in unsuitable soil caused widespread unemployment in rural areas and villages. The crop failures led to a series of bank failures, which the government attempted to remedy through inflationary policies. This was known as the Great Time of Troubles, lasting until 1939. More capitalist oriented governments, encouraging private development restored the Eitoan economy to robust health, leading to the population and industrial boom of the 1950s. Falling commodity prices from 1962 to 1966 ushered in a series of leftist governments from 1967 to 1992, again imposing the heavy hand of central planning on business. Bad planning and overproduction in heavy industries caused the 1991 - 1994 recession, ending leftist rule and central planning.

Since 1992 Eitoan has been wary of extremist politics, government intervention in business and personal matters, and generally dedicated to civic nationalism and to steering a neutral course in foreign policy.

Annexation of Istlypu

In the chaotic days during and after the 1901 Eitoan Declaration of Independence from the Ralkovian Empire, the Istlypu transmontane province of the Empire, always restive, descended into further lawlessness. Ethnically Eitoan, yet isolated from the newly independent Republic, the territory languished under the administration of weak-willed colonial administrators, with imperial edicts sporadically enforced by a motley contingent of second-rate garrison forces. The main commercial activity was trading and basic foodstuff processing at Lva’ad, site of the railyard of the Imperial Ralkovian State Railroad (IRSRR). In the hinterland of the great Aurensian Plateau, life had not changed much in the last 200 years.

Even in it’s isolation, the winds of change blew harshly across the border in the early years of the Republic, as ethnic rioting blighted Eitoan in 1918-1920. A rumored invasion by the Empire along the IRSRR route in February, 1920 caused closure and reinforcement of the border, and an Eitoan railroad strike paralyzing to business on both sides of the border. As law and order broke down in Lva’ad, the Throne prepared to abandon the troublesome area to it’s own devices. Finally, in August, 1921, with a hastily prepared ceremony, the Imperial governor handed over control of Istlypu to an ad-hoc Directorate, consisting of representatives of the Lva’ad Advisory Council and several prominent landowners.

Istlypu was hardly ready for independence. While conditions improved in Lva’ad with a realtively open border with Eitoan, the new nation struggled with the basics of statecraft. Law enforcement was lax, tax revenue uncertain, and the Directorate swung wildly between exuberant spending on basic improvements and severe austerity. Imperial troops returned in 1925 to protect Ralkovian interests, and Istlypu was the beneficiary of Eitoan police actions in 1928-1930, 1943-1946, and briefly, in 1950, to collect debts, protect Eitoan interests, and collect debts respectively.

Meanwhile, relations between Ralkovia and Eitoan, strained for years after Eitoan independence, thawed somewhat after leftists lost the 1937 Eitoan presidential election. There was further rapprochement between the two states following the 1956 “Bloody Yom Kippur” incident, where mutineers from the Empire’s northern colonies commandeered two squadrons and headed out on the Northern Vanguat Sea. The Eitoan Navy, under Presidential order fired on the mutineers, sinking one cruiser and two destroyers. All mutineers captured by the Eitoan Navy were summarily extradited to Ralkovia. This, and further warming of ties led to the 1959 Ralkovia-Eitoan Non Aggression Treaty.

As relations between Eitoan and Ralkovia improved, Istlypu’s isolation and relative poverty led to serious doubts among the better educated about the viability of an independent state. Within Istlypu, the major Eitoan Irridentist and Ralkovian Restorationist parties gradually found themselves more and more in agreement about the day to day operations of the Directorate, and resistance to annexation by Eitoan faded. Once again though, faced with massive tax resistance by livestock owners, the Directorate responded with inflationary policies, leading to the June,1959 collapse of the Istlypu Quada. In the face of this crisis, the Directorate appealed to Eitoan for annexation. After approval by the Legislature, Eitoan President Eric Nissan set out terms for annexation: The Directorate was to submit a Note of Acceptance of Terms to the Eitoan Department of Foreign Affairs, and a Plebiscite for Annexation was to be held no later than July 9, 1961. The Directorate voted unimously on August 12, 1960 to set a Plebiscite for Annexation on May 15, 1961. The result of the vote was 85% for annexation and 15% against. Following a transition planning period, Itlypu was absorbed into Eitoan on November 10, 1961.

The First Ralkovian War

Although not an initial party to the belligerency between the Ralkovian Empire and the Allies that saw the end of the Raskov reign, economic factors, historical resentments, and a rash decision on the part of the Ralkovian high command led to Eitoan joining the allied cause.

With the election of Ephriam Shrdlu to the Presidency, Eitoan foreign policy began to edge away from it's position of tiptoeing around the demands of it's former colonial master, and toward greater neutrality and regional cooperation with the continental democracies. The intelligence apparatus, long rumored to be rife with Ralkovian sympathizers came under early scrutiny, with a vigorous purge of The Office of the National Intelligence Organization (ONIO). Concurrent with that purge, a similar review and reorganization of many parts of the Department of Foreign Affairs was launched, so as to prepare for closer regional integration. The Ralkovian reaction was swift and severe. The launch of Ralkovia's Zolofan Armada served as the occasion for the empire's diplomats and military to warn the Shrdlu administration against distancing itself from Ralkovia. In response to threats from Oskar Skara, the empire's High Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Eitoan ambassador to Ralkovia, Nathan Kransky worked diligently and tirelessly to appease the imperial wrath. His service to Eitoan was richly rewarded by scorn and derision, many leftist and centrist Dashez members awarding him the title "Dean of Kransky's Cowardly College of Criminal Coddling". A broken man, ransomed from the Ralkovian capitol after Eitoan entry into the war, Kransky fell into alcoholism and mental instability, dying alone in a Kelso insane asylum a year after his return to Eitoan.

The boldest step toward armed neutrality taken in the early days of the Shrdlu administration was the formation of the Northwest Mutual Assistance Agreement with neighboring Relica. Under Golden Throne sponsorship, the alliance eventually expanded to include Palmyiron and The Timocratic Republic. Although stoking the ire of the Ralkovian regime, Triumvirate backing of the NMAA in the face of confrontation at sea forced the Zolofan Armada to back down. This is believed to have exposed Ralkovian weakness, and may have been a factor in the formation of the allied decision to move against the large continental slave power. Eitoan relations with Ralkovia regained stability, commerce between the two nations continuing at a steady pace. Nevertheless, the showdown cooled diplomatic ties between the two continental countries, noted by both Skara and his Eitoan counterpart, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Randall Field. Relations with the countries about to comprise the Alliance were generally positive, and The Timocratic Republic was already a major trading partner. Military ties with the Alliance moved forward into the initial planning of joint NMAA naval exercises that included Palmyiron and The Timocratic Republic.

Outbreak of War in the North, January 5, 2028

The Department of Foreign Affairs had been aware of Timocratic charter membership in The Alliance, the coalition of anti-slave powers assembled across Greater Dienstad in 2025, and was wary of identification with the group. Abolition was one of the cornerstones of Eitoan independence, and penalties for foreign dealings with slaver businesses were harsh under Eitoan law. Still, Ralkovia was the leading power on the continent, and non-slaver trade between the two countries was important to both economies. With Timocratic accession to the NMAA, Eitoan military became somewhat more privy to the war plans of the Alliance, although the nature and timing of the first moves of the war were closely guarded. And the military, a prime force in moving Eitoan away from Ralkovia was sympathetic to Alliance goals, but mindful of any overt show of support causing a reaction in the business community, and public opinion at large. So it was no surprise to the military when the powers of The Alliance declared war on the Ralkovian Empire on January 5, 2028.

The announcement caused shock across the nation and among the continental democracies. Within three days the leading stock market index lost 23% of it's value in Kelso, Eitoan's major exchange. Similar losses were experience in Relica and Aurensia. Demand for accererated payment of accounts on the part of Ralkovian firms doing business in Eitoan telegraphed into a credit crunch on Ralkovian financial markets. The National Reserve Bank of Eitoan ratcheted up cash reserve requirements on banks, per established regulations. As concerns about financial instability spread to smaller enterprises, hiring plans trenched back and hours were cut. In both the Ghastak and Dashez demands were made for the Shrdlu administration to alleviate the uncertainty at home, and to guard cautiously Eitoan neutrality.

The Department of Foreign Affairs was nonplussed by the open declaration of war. Observing the growing hostilities at sea, Secretary Field took the outbreak of hostilities in stride. His department issued a pro-forma note to all belligerent states, and to neighboring continental republics on January 9th, stating Eitoan neutrality in the conflict, continuation of commerce, and offering his offices to broker any moves toward a cessation of hostilities. The note was sent through normal diplomatic channels, and also personally, countersigned by President Shrdlu to Emperor Raskov in Raskovia, Timocratic President General Marai Overhill in Statesboro, Relican Prime Minister Michael Francis, and the Aurensian Chancellor Harold Franklin Faire in Concord. Vigorous discussion continued in both houses of the Legislature. Under pressure from all parties, Secretary Field presented a formal Declaration of Neutrality in front of the Ghastak on January 14, 2028, stipulating the terms under which Eitoan diplomatic, military, business and legal policy would be conducted for the duration of the war. Unchallenged in the Ghastak, the Declaration passed into stated policy for the Republic.

Within two months business jitters had qualmed, and life in Eitoan returned to normal. Some impact was felt in trade oriented sectors as Ralkovian fortunes ebbed throughout 2028 and into 2029, but adjustments were made and replacement suppliers and customers were found, mostly domestically and in coastwise trade. Ralkovian oriented ethnic and fraternal organizations increased soft propaganda activities, largely met with derision on campus and in the press. The Ralkovian embassy in Vladarsik assumed an air of mystery and intrigue, watched closely by both Eitoan intelligence and foreign agents. Non-slaver Ralkovian businesses redoubled sales efforts in Eitoan. The Alliance cause was not so subtle. Each victory at sea trumpeted loudly to an admiring Eitoan press corps. Cultural exchange programs with The Timocratic Republic ratcheted up. The leading orchestra from The Holy Marsh conducted a five city tour of Eitoan. And throughout the period, coordination between Alliance militaries and the Eitoan Armed Forces moved forward quietly for contingency planning in the event of Eitoan entry into the war.

Public opinion at the time, while heavily pro-Alliance, was largely indifferent to the war up north. An end of year poll found 58% of Eitoans favoring continued neutrality, 25% opting for joining the Alliance cause, 4% leaning toward Ralkovia with 13% undecided.

The events of 2029 were about to change all that.

Eitoan Joins the Alliance

The continent watched with rapt attention as the Alliance rolled forward to the heady victories of early 2028, grinding the Ralkovian Empire down, steadily making progress in the Battle of Slaver Bay and on land through eastern Ralkovia. The Alliance advance brought long sought freedom to the people of Balkovia, suffering for eternity under the Raskov bootheel. Supply problems festered for the forces of The Alliance as the front moved deeper into the rugged landscape. As the fighting ground ahead, effective command of the Ralkovian forces fell to "The Penada Clique", junior officers, with a more contemporary viewpoint, unbound to obsolete military doctrine. The Ralkovian forces rallied in 2029. Barskav, Victory, Kalemba, Glory, Kranzov, and Orav, all fell to the resurgent Ralkovians within three months. The situation for the Balkovian separatists at Balkov without support from the Allied Forces became desperate. This was seen as a point of contention in post-war Balkovia for a great period of time. Ralkovian forces fought a campaign to retake their land while the Alliance, with political and military confusion in their homelands, adopted a defensive stance. By mid-summer, 2029, The Penada Clique had regained all of southeastern Ralkovia, gateway to the great Inland Sea, and beyond to the democracies of the continental northwest.

The deterioration of trade relations on continent provided a dilemma to the Ralkovians, now in a position to reassert superiority on land. Confusion reigned among the Alliance powers. Maintenance of normal relations with Eitoan, and her sister republics of Relica and Aurensia offered Ralkovia an opportunity to rebuild shattered industry and obtain needed food supplies. Yet, Alliance diplomatic pressure on Relica and Eitoan through the NMAA had proved to be an increasing impediment on Ralkovian business activity. The alternative to using this leverage for long term planning was a military option: a strike at the most vulnerable of states, Aurensia could at the least cow the republics back into a mindful neutrality. Expansion of the fighting to an occupation or partial occupation of the democracies would diffuse Alliance resources, possibly causing a general collapse of the invasion. After much analysis and deliberation, the Ralkovian command structure reached a decision: a sudden, swift blow to the south.

On the morning of August 20, 2029, at 0314, Relican Aerospace and Aviation Monitoring picked up indications of several groups of aircraft in military formation crossing the Ralkovian border, due south of Orav. The indication was brief, but duly relayed up the chain of command of the Relican Air force, and from there to counterparts at the Eitoan Air Force. Threat Level Algorithms, after judging the event significant, increased the threat level by 1 measure. Air Force Chief of Staff General Lyall Zeleny was awakened from a deep sleep, dressed, and hurried to his post. Communication delays with Aurensian counterparts slowed the warning to it's systems, scantily manned in the best of times. A perfectly timed, coordinated warning raid was unleashed on the unsuspecting Aurensians, the target being the border city of Manchester. At 0640, a barrage of powerful ballistic missiles, called in from low orbit found their mark: residential neighborhoods, hospitals, factories, the major airport and rail marshalling yards burned, thousands died in their sleep, unaware of the onslaught. minutes later, stealth Ralkovian bombers, culled from the front, accompanied by stealth fighters crossed the Aurensian frontier, decimating airfields and communication centers across the hapless republic. A sortie of fighters sadistically surveyed the damage at Manchester, and added many dazed civilians and first responders to the carnage. Two fighter wings from nearby Rockbridge Air Base in Southern Eitoan had been airborne for a half hour. Eitoan satellite reconnaissance confirmed Ralkovian aircraft straying across the border near Springfield, Eitoan, Manchester's sister city, on return from the raid. General Zeleny relayed the confirmation to Rockbridge. "Give pursuit".

Throughout the day news poured out of Springfield to an eager nation. President Shrdlu ordered all border crossings in the Manchester-Springfield vicinity open to emergency traffic in both directions. At 1045 Springfield Mayor Eileen Benson met her counterpart at the Tower Road border crossing, amidst bedraggled rescue workers and dazed survivors, the image of her being saluted by the uniformed Eitoan sentry standing as an icon for the spirit of the nation in the early days of the war. Tensions grew across the nation. Crowds besieged Embassy Row in Vladarsik. A mob broke into the clubhouse of the exclusive Harbormaster's Club in Berwyn, long viewed as the bastion of ancient Ralkoviak privilege in a nation seething for action, trashing the lobby before police restored order. At 1913, in the Assembly Hall of the Dashez, before a hastily summoned joint meeting of both houses of the Legislature, President Shrdlu implored for a Declaration of War, telling the nation "Guided by the holy light of freedom, wielding the sword of liberty, this nation shall not only defend our lives and our land, but go forth with the forces of The Alliance to total victory."

On August 24, after short debates and by overwhelming majorities, both the Ghastak and Dashez delivered the Declaration of War to the President.

Mobilization had been underway since the beginning of 2029, the term of service for conscripts extending from 18 to 24 months, and notification of likely recall to service was transmitted to all mustering out of their required commitment in the last three years. Orders for munitions and equipment were cut too, now well into the supply chain. From the point of the Declaration of War onward emergency legal stipulations went into effect at all levels, and courts and the financial system operated under increased wartime supervision.

At a summit with Alliance leaders in Statesboro, Timocratic Republic on October 1, 2029, President Shrdlu signed the agreement signaling formal accession to The Alliance. Prior to October 1 coordination with Alliance militaries intensified. From this point on, Eitoan would become more deeply involved with strategy in what became known at home as The Great Continental War.

Military Operations

Defensive plans for the homeland, and, per bilateral agreement for the other continental democracies rolled out as scheduled in arrangements honed by carefully executed simulations and exercise conducted in since 2026. With the increase in men and women under arms, retirees, teenagers, and wives found new employment, filling the demands of the High Command. Make-work assignments vanished in the Militia, their new purpose to provide security for transportation facilities, power generation plants, and highly sensitive government buildings, always armed. The National Guard was recalled to active duty, fully equipped, and deployed throughout the nation. The Air Force was the hero of those first days of the war. Highly efficient, equipped, and trained, they quickly swept the skies over Eitoan of enemy raiders, and over most of Aurensia too. Yet, the early defense did little to quell the fears, both within Eitoan and it's coastwise allies. Daily, sneering demands by Oskar Skara for surrender to all three were taken seriously, particularly in Aurensia. President Shrdlu was on the line almost daily with Aurensian Chancellor Harold Franklin Faire, reassuring him that Eitoan and Relica could handle anything the Empire could throw at him. But Faire was hard to convince. As Ralkovian troops crossed the Inland Sea, establishing bases on the northeastern shore, the Eitoan Army advanced westward, through the border mountain ranges, crossing dessert, and taking up positions facing them. The Great Continental War, long expected and dreaded even by the world powers, had arrived.

Fighting over the next two months was intense. Twice the Eitoans threw the Ralkovians out of their major base, near the port of Agar, and twice they were pushed back. But with ever increasing air cover, and with the advantage of shorter supply lines, the Ralkovians abandoned Agar on October 14th. This was hailed by the Alliance powers, both as a badly needed victory in that dark year, and proof that Eitoan could show offensive capability beyond homeland defense. More was to come.

For the Eitoans to advance on Ralkovia itself, passage of men and material across the Inland Sea from east to west needed to be secured. The Ralkovian Armada, out of commission in the north, still presented a threat in the Inland Sea, and the Passage of Aman through which it was linked to the Bay of Chains. Given Ralkovian naval assets in the Inland Sea, the Eitoan Navy itself was too weak a tool to dislodge enemy dominance of the waterway. Here too, the Air Force proved to be a strong asset, harassing Ralkovian shipping in the Passage, scoring heavy damage on Ralkovian vessels, and decimating Ralkovian naval aviation. As early as late October 2029, and on through March 2030, air raids ground down Ralkovian capability on the water. With the dawn of the new year, 2030, the High Command decided to press on to Ralkovia. From bases captured on the Inland Sea, Eitoan amphibious forces launched a series of operations capturing a bridgehead on the Gulf of Volsk, the westerly protrusion of the Inland Sea, a position finally within striking distance of the Ralkovian homeland.

The Eitoan Army, now at 85% of ultimate end-of-war strength, built up at the Volsk bridgehead for the first two months of 2030, under the protective canopy of the Eitoan Air Force. This was now a force to be reckoned with. In the bitter cold months of February, March, and April, Eitoan armor rumbled across the vast plains and intermittent broken hills of the midlands separating Ralkovia from the Inland Sea. The Republic of Volsk, occupied by the Ralkovians in their buildup to the August attack, was cleared of imperial forces, the capital of Kramfors spared major damage. The Ralkovian garrisons, lightly armed, expecting an easy victory in the east, reeled under the number and mobility of the Eitoan advance. Surprised by the durability, firepower, and agility of the Eitoan armor, and the size of the army they now faced, the Ralkovians put up a spirited defense in isolated cases. But for the most part, wisely evaluating the early performance of the Eitoan drive west, it was an orderly retreat to the newly regained lands of southeast Ralkovia. In the prelude to Eitoan forces entering Ralkovia proper, eastern Fedravka was the scene of some bloody fighting. A spirited defense was set up there, manned by battle hardened troops, many Death Guard. Here would be the real test.

In the first week of April, 2030, advance elements of the light infantry crossed the Ralkovian frontier. Almost immediately the fighting became a bloodbath, in small engagements at first, then in the massive formations as both sides threw division after division into the confligration. What attack fighters the Ralkovians could muster from the northerly front provided early air superiority, making the advance slower for the Eitoans. The advance was slow, but it was still steady. Gradually occupying strong points and strategic positions across the devastated landscape and cities of the southeast, the Eitoan army, at great cost in lives continued northward across a narrow swath of territory for the next three months. On June 6th, patrols from the Eitoan 59th Infantry Divison linked up with counterparts from the Morridane 17th Infantry. The Alliance now had a solid, continuous front, north to south, across Ralkovia.

Behind the front lines, Eitoan forces poured into Ralkovia, forming the second largest Alliance army, after the Marshites. These were fresh troops, well rested, well equipped. Alliance planning had been underway to roll back the Empire ever since the Gulf of Volsk was secured. The Alliance unleashed Operation Endless Summer that June. Ten days after the Alliance linkup, the Eitoan 6th Army, newly arrived and unblooded, broke across enemy lines, striking deep into Balkovia. The early involvement of the Eitoans, although a feint, was enough to hold Ralkovian commitment to the battle with the Marshites, a contributing factor to Alliance success. Minimizing losses, the 6th Army withdrew to near the original point of departure in an orderly fashion starting July 15th.

But they returned soon. The Alliance unleashed Operation Warhorse on August 20th. The Eitoan Expeditionary Force consisting of the 6th, 8th, 9th and bloodied 2nd armies returned to Balkovia, rapidly advancing past dazed and hungry Balkovians, freed slaves, and Ralkovian commoners alike. With the best the Ralkovians had to offer fighting the Marshites in the north, the Eitoan advance swept past undermanned and undergunned defenders. Balkov fell on August 22 amidst a firefight between Balkovian partisans and Imperial holdouts on square before City Hall. Orav captiulated a week later. This marked the maximum extent of Alliance victory in Ralkovia.

Aftermath

Throughout September and October Alliance military planning bogged down amidst dissention between the Marshites and other Alliance members over a proposed push to finally eliminate The Penada Clique. The Marshites, in dominant position, planned to continue westward while other members, facing mounting pressure at home to wrap up involvement on the continent declined to participate and in some cases actively blocked Marshite forward operations. Eitoan commanders on the ground pressed for a renewed offensive, code names Operation Wildcat. This had strong support from the High Command and by some in President Shrdlu's cabinet, notably Treasurer Jonothan Shore. The war had placed Eitoan in a position heretofore unthinkable, that of military parity with Regime Ralkova. This unexpected development left many at the Department of Foreign Affairs at loose ends, and caused others in the Cabinet such as Attorney General Dan Vankempen to advocate for a pause in the offensive in favor of a wider review of options. In the face of uncertainty among Alliance members, Eitoan declined to proceed with Operation Wildcat. The war for all intents and purposes had ground to an end.

Prior to the final push into Balkovia civil authority in occupied territory under Eitoan control fell to local commanders on the ground. But with the advance to Balkov and Orav, the responsibilities for a destitue civilian population riven by ancient ethnic rivalries proved to be too big a problem for hard pressed MPs and hastily trained judges advocate general. The 6th Army's Executive Officer, General Gates was chosen as Commandant, Eitoan Occupation Forces Ralkovia, reporting directly to Defense Secretary Eugene Maska. With wide authority over civil law, economic activity, and inter-allied relations, General Gates served as virtual emperor of the Eitoan Occupation Zone, settling disputes, overseeing deraskovization, controlling immigration and emigration, securing the border, and quelling a low level civil war between Balkovian communists and nationalists. His position neatly sidestepped the responsibility for occupied Ralkovia's foreign affairs, a task for which the Department of Foreign Affairs, now scrambling to adjust to the new reality on continent was ill-equipped.

As an uneasy peace settled across the various occupation zones, the differences between the Alliance powers in operations, treatment of the defeated populations, and approach to the still present Ralkovian Regime came to the forefront. Marshite policy was harsh, driven partly by a religious belief foreign to the northern parts of the continent. This generated considerable resentment amongst the civilian population, except for the freed slaves. Most other powers were eager to draw down forces, in some cases leaving certain areas somewhat lawless. Although it reduced on the ground committment, Morddh was in a better position to maintain a garrison. After the Ralkovian defeat on the Inland Sea and link up with the Eitoans, Morrdh's old ally Aman, already leaning toward the Alliance opened the Aman Passage to Morridane shipping, material and food pouring past the passage onto newly constructed Eitoan supply depots. Commandant Gates kept relations with his counterparts on a businesslike, efficient basis and operations proceeded as smoothly as possible in that devastated land. As events unfolded Foreign Affairs came to the realization that in the long run a Ralkovian in some form would emerge from it's defeat and misery. And it was in Eitoan's best interest to see to it that Ralkovian recovery be aimed in a positive direction. Nobody wanted to see another bloody continental war. This was to become a point of contrast to, and not quite a point of conflict with Marshite policy as rudimentary relief efforts got underway in the Eitoan Zone.

The war had proved that at capacity, through judicious use of resources, the Eitoan military could match Regime Ralkovia. While demobilization proceeded slowly, it became clear that the Republic must maintain a military edge over Regime Ralkovia to secure peace in the northern continent. Thus began the informal "Shrdlu Doctrine"; Eitoan will maintain military superiority against any one continental state.

Geography

Located on the Northern Vanguat Sea, Eitoan lies north of Aurensia, in the temperate zone. The climate is temperate and oceanic (Köppen climate classification Cfb), and tends to be changeable, but not normally extreme.

There is a narrow coastal plain, giving way to the rolling hills and verdant valleys of much of the interior. Craggy mountain ranges define the western and northwest frontiers, punctuated by high passes. The lower Smigly Ridge separates the plateaus of the south from much of the rest of the country. The Ruzek River drains most of central Eitoan, with major tributaries being the Malawani and the White Ruzek. The rivers of the south, flowing from the Smigly Ridge into Aurensia include the Atwater, Burgess, and Sean. The Jin river forms much of the nation's northern boundary.

Eitoan is divided into fourteen territories:

East Payson

Macomb

West Payson

Dobrovice

Warren

Sitary

Caldwell

Virden

Leonore

Pavanka

Chillicothe

North Chillicothe

Strakonice

Methil

The largest cities are:

1. Kelso

2. Berwyn

3. Stickney

4. Vladarsik (capital)

Government and Politics

Administration

Since independence in 1904, Eitoan emerged from military rule in 1907 and has operated as a functioning multiparty democracy ever since. At the national level, the executive branch is headed by a President, elected for five year terms, with a runoff required in the event there is not a winner with a clear majority at the initial election. The Vice-President is elected on the ticket with the President, and the President names his cabinet. The legislative branch is comprised of the upper house (Ghastak), and lower house (Dashez). There are 35 Members of the Ghastak (Ghastakers), elected to 4 year terms, 20 in the year of the major round, and 15 in the year of the minor round. Ghastak seats are chosen by nationwide party-list proportional representation, under the D'Hondt Method. The 409 Members of the Dashez (Dashezniks) are elected to two year terms in single member constituencies under a runoff system similar to presidential elections. Over time, power has shifted within the legislature to the Dashez. The judicial branch is comprised of a Supreme Court of 9 justices, appointed by the President for 9 year terms, and a system of inferior and specialized courts.

Eitoan can best be described as having a multi-party system. At the current time, the centrist Free Democratic Party (FDP) holds the presidency. In the Ghastak, the Free Democrats hold a plurality of 15 seats, joined in organizing the body by the Socialist Party with 10 seats. Major opposition is represented by the center-right Civic Platform at 5 seats. The remaining members are outliers; the Communist Party at 4 seats, and the far-right National Democrats at 1 seat. The Free Democrats have an outright majority in the Dashez with 232 seats, followed by Civic Platform at 82, Socailists at 50, Communists at 27, and National Democrats at 18.

Political scientists have termed the current state of party politics as the "Fourth Party System". The First Party System covered the period of left wing dominance, with heavy military influence, from 1912 to 1937, the time of initial industrialization in Eitoan. This was followed by the Second Party System of 1937 to 1967, where many liberal reforms were instituted, the highlight of which were the Constitutional Amendments of 1943, limiting government ownership of business and guaranteeing many individual liberties. A second period of leftist dominance spanning 1967 to 1992 was the Third Party System, during which time social programs expanded, taxation increased, and mandatory national service was instituted. Since 1992, the Presidency has passed from the Free Democrats to Civic Platform (1997), returning to the Free Democrats, then to the Socialists (2007), back to Civic Platform, finally returning to the Free Democrats with the election of President Shrdlu.

Among the five parties represented at the national level, support for the fringe Communists is greatest in the Ghastak, where the party draws votes from lower income rural voters and among the Indigenous ethnic groups. The far-right National Democrats' greatest strength is shown during the preliminary round of presidential elections as a protest, usually among urban unskilled blue collar workers and an above 55 year old constituency, with the aim of drawing Civic Platform further to the right. The three centermost parties, Socialists, Free Democrats, and Civic Platform generally contend for the votes of the vast middle income, secular constituencies in issues based campaigns.