Valkean Civil War
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| Valkean Civil War | ||||||||
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 Ruins after the Battle of Onkamo, 1917 | ||||||||
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Supported by:  Woodstead |
 Ostrothian nationalists | ||||||
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| 500,000 (peak) | 350,000 (peak) | 90,000 (peak) | ||||||
The Valkean Civil War (Valkean: Valkean sisällissota) was a civil war fought in Valkea from 1916 to 1922. It was fought between Monarchist forces, which comprise the government of the Kingdom of Valkea as well as conservative and far-right militia groups, and Republican forces, who wished to overthrow the monarchy and establish a republic. The Republicans were comprised of an alliance of various left-wing groups led by the Valkean National Movement. It resulted in the defeat of government forces and the creation of the Republic of Valkea in 1923.
The war began in the aftermath of the October 1916 uprisings, which were brutally crushed by government forces. Republican militias began to organize and formed a power base in Suojamaa and Suurilaakso, as well as in Valkea Proper. However, major cities such as Våren Livet, Dagsmark, and Osterlund remained firmly in government hands. The Valkean Army initially made major successes, retaking Novika and Tuuvalo in the summer of 1917. However, the entry of Ostrothian nationalists into the conflict gave the Republicans time to regroup. Among the leaders on the Republican side, Hannu Sibelius of the syndicalist Valkean National Movement emerged as its figurehead.
From their power base in Central Valkea, the Republicans were able to secure the western coastline and most of the interior by 1918. In 1919, they retook Novika and began advancing southeast, taking control of Itäänmaa and putting the pressure on government forces. The Monarchists attempted to cut off their advance in the spring of 1920 and march up to Novika, but the Republicans defeated them at the Battle of Paasola and dealt a considerable blow to government forces. With the situation becoming hopeless, King Gustav VI and the royal family fled to Aswick in 1921. Later that year, Republican forces entered Våren Livet and formed a provisional government. Despite the loss of the royal family, Monarchist forces continued to fight into 1922. The last of these forces were defeated at the Battle of Utraslahti, marking the end of the war.
The Republicans emerged victorious and established the Republic of Valkea on 1 August 1923. Sibelius was designated as its first president, and the Valkean National Movement reorganized as the National People's Party (Kansallinen Kansanpoulue) - more commonly known as the Kansallist Party. Their ascent to power marked the beginning of the Kansallist era of Valkean history, which lasted until 1975. Hundreds of thousands of Valkeans fled to Western Caledonia and Nynorsk Ostlijord as refugees, while Ostrothia successfully gained independence that same year.