Second Cross-Strait War
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| Second Cross-Strait War | |||||||
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| Part of the Kayatman Theater of the Hanaki War | |||||||
 The 29th Infantry Batallion of the Daoan National Guard during the second battle of Congvat. | |||||||
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| Strength | |||||||
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 200,000 | ||||||
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Daoan Casualties
Total: TBD casualties |
Imperial casualties
Total: 87,000 to 105,000 casualties | ||||||
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The Second Cross-Strait War, also known as the Second Daoan-Shenzhou War, was a military conflict fought between the Daoans and their Tsurushiman allies against the Shenzhou Empire that began on 10 January 1928 and ended on 27 October 1931, twenty nine years after the First Cross-Strait War. Modern day historians consider the conflict to be another theater of the Hanaki War, an ocean spanning-wide war that involved most if not all nations in the Ozeros, and the continents of Ochran and Malaio. Prior to the start of the war, the Shenzhou Empire had carefully crafted a public facade of a liberal and much less hawkish state compared to its past. The Shenzhou government established cordial relations and signed a non-aggression pact with the Daoans to demonstrate their goodwill and commitment to a peaceful state of affairs in Ochran. However, the Imperial government plotted in secret to gain their revenge against the Daoans. With careful planning and preparation and using the Hanaki War as cover, the Empire slowly amassed and mobilized forces, masking them under the pretense of securing its eastern borders against potential incursions by the primary expansionist aggressors of the war. Eventually on the early morning hour of 10 January 1928, the Empire initiated a large-scale chemical attack against military and civilian targets on the northern coasts of Dammay and Bautroi island followed by a massive |amphibious invasion of both islands. Imperial forces on Dam May island successfully established beachheads and occupied parts of the island, although those on Bau Troi island were eventually forced to retreat. The invasion had dire political consequences for the Empire, which the Daoans perceived as dishonorable and untrustworthy. This was compounded by the lack of a formal declaration of war by the Empire prior to its attacks. In response President Hà Tuấn Minh rallied the nation in a speech that was broadcasted one hour after the first bombs fell, asking for Congress to declare a state of war against the Shenzhou Empire, ordered the general mobilization of all Daoan males between the ages of 17 to 60 and declared martial law throughout the country. Congress unanimously approved the declaration of war against the Empire, which was followed by Tsurushima also declaring war against the Empire, honoring their pledge to defend Daobac. The Imperial government espoused irredentist views by claiming that the Daoans were culturally and geographically part of a greater Shen state, even going so far as challenging Daobac’s right to exist and sovereignty as a nation state.
While never officially or formally acknowledged, the Imperial government’s claims were supported by the other major imperialist and expansionist powers of the Hanaki war such as the Negara Meluguen, Zanzali, Lusoña and the Tshekedi Rebels. In spite of its early victories in the first months of war, their gains were reversed when the Daoan armies successfully disrupted Imperial naval logistic routes that it used to ferry large amounts of supplies and troops across the Kayatman sea from the Ochran mainland to Dam May island. The Daoan Navy and Air Corps were eventually successful in encircling Imperial forces that failed to escape prior to their encirclement, achieving both naval and aerial superiority which eventually forced the invading Imperial forces to capitulate by November 1929.
Background
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Aftermath of the First Cross-Strait War
Despite the intense pacifist sentiment by the ruling government of the Ma dynasty after the First Cross-Strait War, irredentist and revanchist nationalism emerged amongst the general populace and the military during the period. These sentiments were especially marked by the younger military officers of the Junting Academy of the Shenzhou Empire, many of whom were forced into civilian life because of the disarmament stipulation imposed by the Treaty of Haobinh. The treaty imposed harsh monetary reparations and requirements for the demilitarisation of the Shenzhou Emoire's southern coast. The victorious Daobac and Tsurushimese governments also limited the size and capability of the country's armed forces, which led to a significant loss of prestige and perceived divinity of the Shenzhou Emperor of the Ma dynasty, reinforcing the 18th-century diplomatic characterisation of Shenzhou as the "sick man of Ochran".
Shenzhou Empire
Daobac
Tsurushima
Pre-war events
Ma rearmament
The Ma rearmament was a policy and practice of rearmament carried out in the Shenzhou Empire during the interwar period (1899-1928) in violation of the Treaty of Hoabinh, which required disarmament after the First Cross-Strait War to prevent the Ma dynasty from starting another war. It began on a small, secret, and informal basis shortly after the treaty was signed. However, Shenzhou officials expanded openly and massively during the following a period of civil unrest and domestic warlordism. Wary of a the restoration of order in the Shenzhou Empire, its neighbours the Daobac Congressional Republic and the Daitoa Republic of Tsurushima sent their advisors to aid the nascent anti-imperial warlords, amping up their support with military equipment as the civil unrest transitioned to its later stages.
The conclusion of the period of unrest and reintegration of the Shenzhou Empire's armed forces prompted a return to the original stipulations of the Treaty of Hoabinh under the supervision of international observers. The reestablishment of friendly ties between the Ma dynasty and the international community, mainly its former rivals of Daobac and Tsurushima, allowed the Shenzhou Empire to negotiate for the Xi'hai agreement of 21 July 1925 that revoked some of the restrictions placed on the Empire by the Treaty of Hoabinh and recognised the Empire as having an equal right to armaments. The Xi'Hai agreement gave the Empire the legal cover for the creation of the Imperial Air Force, which had already begun in secret, and for the increase of the Imperial Army's staffing, guns and munitions.
Despite the Xi'hai agreement, the Ma rearmament remained a largely covert operation, carried out using front organisations such as glider clubs for training pilots and sporting clubs and a number of secret societies based in military academies for teaching infantry combat techniques. Front companies like the Ping An Research Corporation (PARC) and the Xi'hai Automotive Industry Corporation (XAIC) were set up to finance the rearmament by placing massive orders with various international and local Shenzhou industrial manufacturing companies for the manufacture of weapons forbidden by the Xi'hai agreement.
Li Jing, a Shen journalist and pacifist, exposed the reality of the Ma rearmament in 1916 and reported his finding to the Daoan embassy in Jinae. However, the Daoan government met his warnings with ridicule and disregarded his warnings. The Daoan government believed that the Shenzhou Empire had a vested interest in keeping the peace with the international community, as it recovered economically from its domestic unrest. They also thought the Shenzhou Empire was military inadequate as the Imperial Army relied heavily on foreign arms imports and could not field a capable fighting force should this supply be cut off. Li Jing was eventually imprisoned and tortured by the Imperial Eastern Depot (the Ma dynasty's spy and secret police agency), dying of tuberculosis and the after-effects of his abuse.
Daoan miscalculations
The Daoan government's misplaced trust in the Shenzhou Empire's motives and intentions had dire consequences which directly contributed to the Empire's early successes in the opening stages of the conflict. During the Wucheng Heavenly Rebellion the Daoan government extensively supported rebel forces on both sides of the conflict in order to keep the Empire destabilized and unable to regain their previous power and capabilities. The Office of National Intelligence (ONI), Daobac's newly established intelligence & propaganda agency, provided arms and funding to these rebels through clandestine means. Weapons, primarily small-arms, of Shenzhou origin that were captured from the First Cross-Strait War were studied, manufactured and distributed to the various Shen factions & warlords. Funding, primarily in form of cash in Latin Solidi, was also provided to the rebels. The utilization of Shenzhou-made weapons was hoped to mask direct or indirect Daoan involvement in the conflict. However, when it became apparent republican forces were poised to emerge victorious Hà Tuấn Minh, the President of Daobac at the time, ordered that support for anti-Imperial elements of the Shen be stopped. It was hoped that by currying favor with the republican elements that Daobac could control and tame the Empire. After unrest was quelled, the Ma Emperor quickly took steps to dissuade Daoan concerns by publicly stating the Empire's commitment to honor the Treaty of Hoabinh and the Daoan-Shenzhou non-aggression pact in 1903. While the Daoan government became more amenable towards rapprochement with the Shenzhou Empire, <INSERTNAME> the director of ONI continued to harbor strong suspicions and ordered the continued observation of the Empire's intentions. ONI's extensive network of field agents and informants continued to gather what intelligence they could, observing prominent Shen institutions such as the Junting Academy, Ping An Research Corporation and the Xi'hai Automotive Industry Corporation. While they were unable to definitively prove that the Empire was undertaking rearmament efforts, ONI analysts correctly deduced that these institutions were most likely utilized in preparation for a future conflict with Daobac and Tsurushima.
When Li Jing approached the Daoan embassy in 1916, ONI took his report and findings with great interest. A copy of Li Jing's report was made by an ONI attache stationed at the Daoan embassy and sent to ONI's primary headquarters in Congvat where it was scrutinized. His report essentially verified what ONI analysts had suspected through all this time and it was used by ONI as the final piece of evidence needed to present these findings before the National Congress. Steps were taken to bring Li Jing to testify before the National Congress, however before he could be placed under protective custody by ONI the Shen reporter was imprisoned by Imperial law enforcement officials, denying ONI a key witness and source of information. ONI presented its findings in a closed door hearing in Congress in 1917, where ONI officials recommended a pre-emptive strike against key industrial sectors of the Shenzhou Empire that has been identified by ONI as contributors to the Ma rearmament efforts. However, at the time Daoan politicians were not eager to pursue an aggressive course of action against what it perceived to be a reformed neighbor. The Daoan government had recently approved a major modernization of their armed forces, purchasing new equipment primarily from Tsurushima, and thus felt that any military action taken by the Shenzhou Empire could be easily repelled. Furthermore, the Daoan government felt that its mutual defense treaty with Tsurushima was a sufficient deterrent to any potential Ma aggression. ONI's reports were archived and, unwilling to risk political fallout from clandestine operations, ONI was ordered to curtail its activities at the Shenzhou mainland. Despite being ordered to cease all espionage activities, ONI continued to maintain a minimum surveillance presence on the Shenzhou mainland which would prove crucial when the Shenzhou Empire initiated its attack in 1929.
In 1919 Le Yang was named as the Shen ambassador for Daobac, and was well known for his support of a peaceful coexistence between the Daoans and the Shen. The Imperial government sought to use Le Yang's presence to further lull Daobac into a false sense of security. Le Yang brokered significant political breakthroughs for the two governments. In 1920 a free trade agreement was brokered between the two rivals and in 1925 successfully negotiated the Xi'hai agreement where provisions of the Treaty of Hoabinh were rescinded in exchange for economic and trade privileges afforded to Daobac. When the Hanaki War broke out in 1928 and the forces of Pulau Keramat were on the verge of invading the Kajeran islands, Daobac refocused most of its military resources towards the southern border in anticipation of a spillover of the conflict into Daoan territory. The Imperial government urged Le Yang to propose that the Shenzhou be permitted to conduct air and maritime patrol along its western coastlines out of concern for encroachment by foreign elements that sought to infiltrate the Empire. Under the Treaty of Hoabinh, the southern Shenzhou coast was to be demilitarized but in 1928 an exception was given for surveillance and patrol purposes. This would eventually come to a head when the Empire used this loophole to gradually build up their forces in the southern coast and launched a surprise attack against the Daoans in 1928.
Daoan Preparations
In spite of the Daoan civilian government’s reluctance to engage in a more cautious attitude towards Imperial political endeavors, Daoan military planners shared their concerns and suspicions with ONI and extensively collaborated to formulate defensive plans in the event of an invasion of the Daoan home islands by either the Shenzhou Empire or other potential aggressors. Since the First Cross-Strait War in 1899 these defensive plans has been formulated and continuously updated, adjusting to the latest intelligence reports the armed forces received from ONI. The geography of Bau Troi & Dam May islands meant there were only a few areas where amphibious invasions could take place and Daoan military planners were able to accurately predict where potential hostile landings would take place and adjust their defensive plans accordingly which was code named Operation Resolute. Fortifications were constructed at potential landing zones with bunkers manned by machine guns and supported by artillery and anti-air gun emplacements throughout the zone. Anti-tank emplacements were planted on the beaches to prevent or at the very least slow down the use of armored vehicles during the initial phase of the landings. Aside from physical preparations, procedures and systems were also prepared by both the civilian government and military institutions to ensure that both civilian and military leadership would not be decapitated in one single strike. The decentralization of the Daoan armed forces organization was also done in the hopes that individual elements of the armed forces would be able to continue operating autonomously even if communication to military leadership was cut off. The Continuity Protocol, a continuity of government plan, was formally signed into law in 1902. The protocol outlines what steps needs to be taken to ensure that key functions of the government are able to continue their services under a range of circumstances. Among them included the order of succession of the President of Daobac.
Timeline
Outbreak of war
On 10 January 1928, naval and air forces of the Shenzhou Empire launched a surprise military strike against the Daoan islands without any warning or formal declaration of war. Heavy bombers of the Imperial Air Force were utilized to drop chemical bombs onto major Daoan cities and towns along the northern coast of the islands of Bautroi and Dammay in an attempt to sow panic amongst the civilian population. The Daoan 1st and 2nd Flotillas which were out at sea to intercept a Pulaui fleet reported by the Empire were ambushed by Shenzhou's submarines lying in wait for the fleet to arrive. While no major capital ships were sunk, the Empire was successful in drawing away the bulk of the Daoan naval fleet away from their homeports, allowing Imperial naval and amphibious operations to commence. Meanwhile, Imperial fighters, dive and torpedo bombers attacked Ben Ky and Quy Long naval bases, the primary naval base and shipyard on the islands of Bau Troi and Dam May respectively. What is arguably one of the largest amphibious operations in history was then initiated by the Empire to invade and occupy the islands of Bau Troi and Dam May, whereupon the Empire committed eight divisions of its army of at least 120,000 troops to land at six selected beaches. Daoan defense were comprised of fortified machine gun emplacements, a network of trenches and bunkers, short range coastal defense guns and artillery. The Empire's landing parties encountered fierce resistance from the Daoan defenders and experienced many casualties, although at the end of the day they had been successful in establishing beachheads across Dam May island. The amphibious landings on Bau Troi island however fared much less better, with Imperial forces ordered to retreat at the 2nd day of the invasion to focus resources to capture Dam May island instead. The Empire's failure in Bau Troi island was largely attributed to poor weather at the time of the landings and the slightly larger manpower that the Empire deployed in capturing Dam May island.
Imperial military planners had hoped that the rapid dominance of the Shenzhou Empire's military over the Daoans by destroying the Daoan fleet anchored in its naval bases and those that were lured out to sea, gas bombings of its cities and large scale amphibious invasion would force the Daoan government to capitulate within a short period of time. The sequence of events that occurred after the initial attacks however diverted greatly from Imperial military planner anticipations. The Empire's only major success were its amphibious landings on Dam May which. Imperial bombers and fighter aircraft that attacked the naval bases, while able to inflict large numbers of casualties were unable to deal significant damage to the fleet moored in harbor which were largely non capital warships and some of those that were sunk were eventually salvaged. Furthermore due to the lack of a proper reconnaissance conducted prior to the attack, vital infrastructure such as oil depots and shipyards were miraculously spared from attacks. The 1st and 2nd Flotillas of the Daoan fleet that was ambushed by Imperial submarines sustained only light to moderate damage, with the Empire sinking one cruiser, three destroyers and damaging an aircraft carrier. Additionally a combination of the Empire's prior friendly posture towards Daobac and the lack of a formal declaration of war by the Empire prior to the attack sparked outrage amongst both the Daoan government and (when this information was revealed to the public) the general population, had dire political consequences for the Ma dynasty. Believing thet had successfully struck the collective Daoan psyche, an hour after the first bombs fell the Empire issued an ultimatum to the Daoan government, demanding the immediate unconditional surrender and vassalization of Daobac, threatening the nation with a terrible war should its demands be rejected. In response to the Wmpiew's ultimatum president Hà Tuấn Minh of Daobac issued the following statement which was publicly broadcasted on the radio and television sets:
My fellow citizens, as many of you know, our nation is under attack. We did not know who or why they attacked us, for no formal declaration of war was issued against us. At 8 am today, one hour after the first bombs fell, the Shenzhou Empire claimed responsibility as the perpetrator of these attacks. This nation we were at peace with had greatly cultivated a friendly diplomatic relationship with us. We now know that this was all a lie. The Shenzhou Empire demands our nation's immediate, unconditional surrender and vassalisation. To that, I have this to say:
- In response to the demand that the Daoan Congressional Republic capitulate;
- In response to the demand that Daoans swear loyalty to the Ma Emperor;
- In response to the demand that the Daoan islands be ruled by a Shen overseer;
Daobac's reply is a single word: Never.
We shall never surrender and never falter in the face of dishonourable and untrustworthy foes. We shall be steadfast in our resolve to defend our home and way of life, whatever the cost may be, and we shall make the enemy pay for every slice of land they seize. We must remember that this will not be an easy fight, but it is necessary for it is a war to preserve our survival as a people and nation. I have every confidence in our armed forces that we shall ultimately emerge victorious and that this is the will of the Daoan people. Therefore I hereby ask Congress to declare that a state of war now exists between the Daoan Congressional Republic and the Shenzhou Empire.
- Hà Tuấn Minh, President of Daobac, 1929
The reaction amongst the Daoan population was nothing short of fanatical, as waves of patriotic and nationalist fervor erupted amongst the public. Hundreds and thousands enlisted, or reenlisted, to join the armed forces in large public swearing-in ceremonies held by the Daobac Self-Defense Forces. Private corporations, especially those considered to be vital industries to the larger war effort, pledged to increase their output. City councils enacted campaigns that encouraged self-rationing and not waste materials considered critical to the war effort. In short the President's speech effectively instilled a state of total war throughout the entire nation. Politicians and historians of the time immediately recognized the historic significance of the speech. Not long after the speech was broadcasted Congress unanimously declared war against the Shenzhou Empire.
Imperial offensives
Daoan campaigns
The Shenzhou Empire’s offensive plan against Daobac was divided into three major phases. The first phase included the establishment of beachheads at Dam May island’s northern coasts. This involved the capturing of major cities and towns in the coastal northern areas. The second phase required the gradual advancements of Imperial invasion forces to occupy the entirety of Dam May island which would end with the third and final occupation phase where the Daoan government would be replaced with puppet officials. The 4th, 16th, 19th and 26th divisions of the Jim army would gradually capture the northern coastal cities of Su Phon Vinh, Cao Dinh and Hai Xuyen on Dam May island within the course of the next five days, successfully completing the first phase of the Empire’s invasion plan. At its greatest extent, Imperial forces were able to make inroads up to 58 km away from Congvat, the Daoan capital city. The Empire's utilization of the first evolution of tanks such as the Type 27 armored fighting vehicle was major contributing factor the Empire's successes in its invasion. These armored behemoths although slow moving, were impervious to small arms which allowed the Imperial forces to slowly but surely push their frontlines forward. At the time the Daoans had no effective tactic, strategy or countermeasure against the Type 27 AFVs, as these vehicles had largely been never seen in combat before. The DSDF leadership was aware of the presence of these vehicles but, short-sightedly, concluded they were of no significant threat due to their slow movements and what they thought of to be thin armor plates. Daoan military planners had long realized that in the event of an amphibious invasion the Daoans would be unable to effectively repel attacks on all frontlines. Instead, the Daoans adopted a defense in depth approach where rather than prevent the advance of an attacker the Daoans would yield territory in an effort disperse a numerically superior hostile force over the large number of territory they would capture. At the same time the Daoans would prepare well fortified lines of defense well behind the primary front lines. The war pushed Imperial military capabilities to its limits as they were met with fierce Daoan resistance. Logistics would become a primary point of concern for the Empire who had to ferry supplies across the open ocean to keep their massive invasion force supplied. At this stage of the war the Imperial and Daoan navies were engaged in skirmishes, both sides contesting for naval and aerial supremacy over the Sea of Daobac. The DSDF general headquarters (GHQ), ordered the 1st, 3rd and 20th Defense Brigades to launch a series of counter attacks to halt the Shen incursions. Led by Lieutenant General XXX of the Daoan National Guard, the counter attacks successfully blunted the Empire's momentum forcing the Empire to regroup its forces and bringing the Imperial plans for phase 2 of the invasion to a temporary pause. The frontlines eventually stabilized for the three weeks with sporadic attacks taking place by both sides to probe for weaknesses. With Imperial forces only a few hours away from Congvat, President Hà Tuấn Minh initiated continuity of government plans and ordered vice president Tô Vân Sơn alongside members of congress to evacuate to the cities of Dien Bang and Hoa Binh respectively in order to establish secondary and tertiary centers of government in the event that Congvat is occupied while the President himself remained on Congvat. Key government institutions, primarily the armed forces, also initiated similar plans with the National Guard preparing a second final line of defense from the city of Dien Bang.
In an attempt to break the stalemate, on the 25th of January, Imperial forces launched a second massive strike against Daoan positions by relentless shelling and bombing followed by an infantry assault supported by Type 27 AFVs which finally broke the stalemate and left the road to Congvat open. The Imperial forces fired chemical shells into the city in the hopes of softening resistance, which resulted in the death of numerous civilians. Upon the realization that Imperial forces would inevitably break through the Daoan's first line of defense and thus opening the road to Congvat, President Hà Tuấn Minh broadcasted a final decree where he announced the official transfer of powers of the Presidency to Vice President Tô Vân Sơn and encouraged the population to fight on. After completing his broadcast, Hà Tuấn Minh left the Presidential Palace to speak with the defending Daoan garrison. From this point his ultimate fate has been highly disputed with many contradictory first hand accounts stating that he was killed in organizing the evacuation of civilians, some say the President picked up arms and stood by the garrison and was shot by an enemy sniper and many other versions. Contemporary historians and scholars however agree that the President was killed during the battle of Congvat as the city was taken by Imperial forces. Daoan National Guard forces were ordered to eventually retreat to the city of Dien Bang where a final secondary defensive position had been established. News of the fall of Congvat and the incumbent President's order prompted supreme court justice XXX to appoint Vice President Tô Vân Sơn as the new President in a small ceremony in Dien Bang city hall. Surviving elements of the National Guard’s 1st, 3rd and 4th Corps rallied on the Dien Bang defensive line with elements of the Daoan's artillery and air corps halting further Imperial incursions. Another stalemate eventually settled with the frontlines stabilized approximately 150 km away from Dien Bang. Imperial forces established trenches and fortified their positions with both sides frequently exchanging artillery fire to deter the other from advancing. However it was due to Imperial offensives that the Daoans realized that the Type 27 AFVs used by the Empirecould be disabled through a variety of means. It was finally understood that the AFVs could be effectively stopped if their tracks were damaged, placing a focused explosive device in the rear of the tank where its armor was thinnest, or impede their movement in rough terrain. Soldiers from the 115th Infantry Company who, in a desperate measure, made an improvised anti-tank grenade which could be attached on an enemy vehicle and disable it. These explosives were called sticky bombs and were composed of TNT, stuffed inside socks, coated with grease to allow it to stick on a tank and rigged with a simple fuse for detonation.
Threat to Tsurushima
As the Imperial ground forces initiated amphibious landings on the Daoan islands, the Imperial Navy made preparations against a possible Tsurushiman intervention.
Occupation of Daobac
With roughly a two-thirds of Dam May island occupied, the Shenzhou Empire set about to establishing an occupation government to administer the occupied Daoan territories which was designated "Nandao Province" on the 27th of January 1928. Congvat was designated as the capital and Admiral Xu Chak was assigned as the military commander of the occupation zone. The Shenzhou Empire intended to annex the entirety of the Daoan islands as an administrative unit ruled directly from the Imperial capital of Zhongjing, stripping the Daoans of their auotonomy, hence why the mention of Daobac was not mentioned in the naming of the occupied zone. Life under Imperial rule was harsh as the Empire required large amounts of supplies to keep their occupation force fed and fit. First hand written accounts by civilian survivors of the Imperial occupation told of military officials requiring all civilians to provide a certain amount of food and water to designated supply depots established by the Empire. Civilians who did not fulfill their weekly resupply quotas were punished through various means such as public lashing, internment in a detention center or in the most extreme case; execution. Property, especially large slates of land, were seized by the Empire to be used to construct buildings to support their larger war efforts. Temporarily bases were constructed to house Imperial military forces, with the largest of these designated as headquarters to serve as the primary command and control node of the entirety of the Imperial occupation government. While a majority of the Daoan population were against the Empire's occupation, the Empire employed or coerced Shen-born Daoans to fulfill a variety of administrative civil positions in their government as a middleman between the Daoans and the Empire. Most of them were forced into employment out of fear of their families being threatened by the Empire and in spite of their reluctance many were seen as collaborators and were viewed as traitors to Daobac. The Empire, however, also provided incentives such as promise of higher ration quotas for those who would openly support the Empire by reporting any potential rebel activity. Daoan prisoners of war were interned in makeshift camps and forced to work such as rebuilding the road and rail networks which had been damaged in the Imperial invasion in order to improve the Empire's resupply efforts.
With only 30% of Dam May island remaining unoccupied, the city of Dien Bang became the de facto war time emergency capital of Daobac. President Tô Vân Sơn ordered that the executive elements of the Daoan government continue to remain in Dien Bang, whereas all legislative and judicial functions would be dedicated to the city of Hoa Binh at Bau Troi island. The decision to spread Daobac's government function was to prevent the Shenzhou Empire from destroying the entirety of the Daoan government in a single decapitating strike. As Bau Troi island remained entirely free from Imperial occupation and the Daoan's navy supremacy in the Sea of Daobac which separated the two islands, the remaining defends on Dam May island were able to be continuously supplied and linked with the main bulk of the Daoan armed forces. Refugees were evacuated to both Bau Troi island and Kajera, whose government had agreed to accept refugee quotas from Daobac. Arms manufacturing plans on Bau Troi island continue to manufacture weapons to rearm both the Daoan armies and the active resistance movement in the occupied territories. Daoan commando units were also dispatched to lead and train the resistance militia units to organize them into a more effective fighting force which was divided into XX irregular regiments. These militias fought against the Imperial occupation forces using guerilla tactics, engaging in acts of sabotage, raids and hit-and-run tactics, using the resistance's mobility against the Empire. The primary target of the resistance were primarily leadership elements of the Imperial armies, land based logistics bases and supply routes. Their efforts severely disrupted the Empire's wider war efforts which was a contributing factor to the Empire's lack of further advances after the capture of Congvat. Some of the most notable resistance regiments include the 22nd, 29th and 31st Volunteer Infantry Regiments, whose exploits were well known by both the Daoans and Shen. Artillery fire was continuously exchanged by both sides along the frontlines, with Imperial forces possessing a large firepower advantage over Daoan forces. It has been estimated that the Empire fired 1.7 million artillery and mortar shells compared to the Daoan's having only fired X,XXX,XXX shells of both types. In spite of its advantage in both firepower and manpower the Empire was unable to make any significant breakthrough throughout its occupation.
The Imperial occupation of Daobac was marred by instability and an active insurgency in the occupied territories. Daoan militias were supplied and led by Daoan commandos dispatched from Bau Troi island and the city of Dien Bang in Dam May's unoccupied zone. These militia units, while not heavily armed were able to mount an effective guerilla campaign against the Imperial occupation force, targeting leadership elements of the Imperial forces, sabotaging land-based logistic supply routes and freeing Daoan prisoners of war. President Tô Vân Sơn tasked Mạch Mạnh Hà, Chief of Staff of the Daobac Self-Defense Forces, to formulate plans for a counter-offensive and expel the Shen no later than 1930. While the resistance focused on keeping the Empire off balance on Dam May island, the Daoan military adopted a policy of submarine warfare, where Daoan submarines would specifically target Imperial supply convoys which were mostly merchant vessels in an attempt to disrupt their occupation efforts. It was well known that the resources available on Dam May island was not enough to sustain the entirety of the Imperial occupation force as the Empire relied on constant resupplies of both food alongside munitions and equipment for their troops on Dam May island that was ferried from the Shenzhou mainland. The Daoan's submarine warfare campaign was referred to as Operation Enduring Victory and was in effect from February 1928 until XXX 1929. While initially caught off guard, the Imperial Navy eventually adopted various anti-submarine warfare tactics against the Daoan submarines. Ultimately, by the end of the operation Daoan submarines had successfully sunk between 620 and 655 merchant and supply ships of Shenzhou origin which were a significant contributing factor to the Empire's eventual retreat from Dam May island. As the Daoan Navy disrupted the Imperial logistic and supply efforts, the Daoan Army and Air Corps were gradually assembled for a major counter-offensive with the ultimate objective of expelling the Shen from Dam May island. Preparations were made for over a year, with the Daoan armies refining tactics and strategies it had learned from the Empire's initial invasion. The lack of any major Imperial offensives since the capture of Congvat convinced Daoan military leaders that the Daoan resistance in the occupied territories had been very effective in keeping the Imperial forces off balance and that reports from its resistance contacts indicate shortages of food and ammunition for the Empire.
Daoan counter-offensives
Throughout November 1928 until January 1929 the Daoan Armies launched occassional attacks against Imperial lines, probing them for potential weaknesses. Modern day historians generally agree that the Daoan counter-offensive had begun since the probing attacks of November 1928. On January 1929, anticipating an immenent Daoan counter-attack the Empire attempted one final offensive to breakthrough the Daoan defensive line and capture the entirety of Dam May island. The Empire committed some 40,000 troops to the offensive which was met with stiff opposition from the Daoan's 1st, 44th and 51st defense brigades. While the Empire was able to make some small gains in some areas, ultimately the Empire failed to capitalize on their advancements and by the 3rd day of its offensive, the Empire had been forced to retreat to their pre-offensive lines. The Empire's failure demonstrated to Daoan military leaders that Imperial military forces suffered serious logistical challenges with fewer basic necessities, munitions and equipment available for the Imperial forces. On February 1929 the Daoans began their advances, gradually increasing the intensity of their artillery fire against Imperial positions. At first the Daoan gains were small and slow as its armies had to push through well established Imperial defensive lines. The Empire's first defensive line was eventually breached on March 1929, and with it the pace of Daoan advances rapidly increased and capitalize on their gains. This success prompted Daoan military leaders to contact leadership elements of the Daoan resistance to initiate a coordinated offensive against major Imperial holdings. The offensive would involve both regular Daoan army forces initiating general attacks against designated Imperial military bases and occupied cities near the Empire's second defensive lines, supported by resistance forces. Daoan reinforcements from Bau Troi island would also initiate amphibious landings on Dam May island to further divide Imperial forces and limit their ability to defend their holdings. The attack which would be known as the General Offensive of 23 February 1929, was one of the largest coordinated offensives in Daoan military history, involving more than XXX regular and irregular troops. The Empire's second line of defense was breached on the same day, with Imperial forces retreating from Congvat to the northern coasts of Dam May island. The liberation of Congvat, breach of the Empire's second line of defense cause and the loss of their primary headquarters sowed confusion amongst Imperial occupation forces and demoralized them significantly.
A hastily organized third and final line of defense just 80km from the cities of Su Phon Vinh, Cao Dinh and Hai Xuyen was established by the Shenzhou Empire, with surviving Imperial units slowly trickled to regroup. However realizing that they no longer had the equipment nor morale to continue the invasion, on the 26th of February 1929, surviving Imperial military leaders ordered a general retreat and evacuation from Dam May island. Approximately 20,000 men from the Imperial army fought a delaying action against five Daoan divisions in what is referred to as the Siege of Cao Dinh. The evacuating Imperial troops had little to no anti-air units to defend against fighters and bombers of the Daoan Air Corps, whose fighters targeted both troops and boats. The Empire's own fighters were unable to provide sufficient air cover due to limitations from fuel consumption. Imperial fighters had to first fly across the ocean in order to reach the evacuation site, engage Daoan fighters and then return to base, which meant that Imperial fighters only had at most 1 to 2 hours per sortie to provide air cover. These limitations allowed the Daoan Air Corps near complete air superiority over the evacuation area. At sea, the Imperial Navy did not fare any better, with Daoan submarines purposefully withholding their attacks until after troopships were loaded and on their way. By the end of the evacuation efforts 22 troop ships had been sunk which resulted in the deaths of at least 25,000 men. By the 1st of March evacuation efforts were halted as the Imperial garrison in Cao Dinh capitulated. The remaining 8,000 men of the Imperial forces stranded on Dam May ultimately surrendered and became prisoners of war. Of the initial 200,000 men the Empire committed to the invasion, only 28,000 to 35,000 returned to the Shenzhou mainland. Contemporary historains are divided in determining whether the Empire's evacuation effort should be considered as either a failure or the best possible outcome in extremely lopsided circumstances.
Armistice
With Dam May islands liberated and the Imperial forces driven away from Daoan territories the war entered into a stalemate with neither side unwilling and unable to commit forces for further large scale offensives. The Shenzhou Empire refused to enter into peace negotiations with the Daoans and Tsurushimans, instead committing to the total defense of the nation. While both Daobac and Tsurushima had the manpower to launch an amphibious invasion, neither side were keen to commit to the idea. Although the Daoans and Tsurushimans were previously able to force the Ma Dynasty to enter peace negotiations by capturing its symbolic capital city they had no guarantees that the Empire would behave in the same manner. On the other hand, the Empire no longer had the capability to launch another full scale invasion of Daobac, with a majority of its modern equipment either destroyed or captured. Daobac and Tsurushima recognized the necessity for a decisive end to the war, rather than allow the conflict to remain protracted and become a frozen conflict. Rather than engaging the Empire directly, the Daoans proposed to destabilize the Imperial state by arming active insurgency movements throughout the Shenzhou mainland. Prior to the start of the war, the Office of National Intelligence (ONI) was well aware of various active rebel movements throughout the Shenzhou Empire. It was hoped that by arming these rebel groups, the Imperial government would be forced to refocus its attention to its internal stability and security and paving the way to either peace or armistice negotiations. It would accomplish this by distributing weapons, primarily small arms of Shen origin, to anti-Imperial insurgents via a network of smugglers. Using captured Shen weaponry, the Daoans manufactured the same weapons as well for plausible deniablity. The Daoans utilized the Office of National Intelligence's network of Shen informants to smuggle weapons into the country and distribute them throughout the entire Shen nation. Between 1929 and 1931, a total of 8,000 weapons had been distributed to various active insurgency groups in the Shenzhou mainland.