Bloodletting of Kansas

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Not to be confused with Bleeding Kansas or the Second Boer War

Bloodletting of Kansas
Part of the Collapse of the United States
BloodlettingofKansas.png
Clockwise from top left: Federal Loyalists operate radio • Midwestern volunteers off of Tuttle Creek Lake • Midwestern volunteer in Minneapolis, Kansas • Canadian Volunteers in Idaho • Green Mountain Militia and Iron Front paramilitaries near Osawatomie • Texas Rangers in Liberal, Kansas
DateJune 1980-Present
Location
Kansas, Idaho and parts of Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana
Status Ongoing (minor clashes)
Belligerents
Midwest Union Flag.png Midwestern supporters United States (West Coast) Pine Ridge Flag.svg Lakota Freedom Front (Until July 1984)

Commonwealth supporters

Betsy Ross flag.svg American Underground

Browns Station Flag (DSA).png Pottawatomie Rifles

American Volunteer Force Flag.png American Volunteer Force

AmericanIronFront.png Iron Front

Flag of Madawaska.svg Canadian Volunteer Committee

Flag of the Vermont Republic.svg Green Mountain Militia

Betsy Ross flag.svg United Commonwealth Special Forces (Alleged)

Supported by:

Betsy Ross flag.svg United Commonwealth

Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada

Flag of Texas (1839–1879).svg Republic of Texas

Flag of the Republic of Texas (1836–1839).svg Texas Rangers

Texas Flag Come and Take It.svg Texan Volunteer Force

The Bloodletting of Kansas, also known as 2nd Bleeding Kansas, the Border War, the Second Border War, Burning Kansas or the Kansan Campaign is an ongoing (albeit now smaller scale) conflict and series of border disputes in several former American states. The conflict has been characterized by constantly fluctuating truces, temporary alliances and unofficial warfare. The conflict has repeatedly skirted the boundaries of international law while their belligerents have maintained generally standard relations (unless damaged by other factors unrelated to the conflict).

Background and origins

General Overview

In the days after the Three Mile Island disaster, many newly independent nations' claims overlapped, with small scale skirmishes and scouting patrols engaging on nearly every border. While most would be settled with treaties, mediation, international ultimatums, and occasionally military might, control over several parts of the Rockies and northwestern Great Plains never truly came to one nation. While a treaty regarding the demilitarization of the region was signed by the various powers, the Commonwealth, Western States, Midwestern Union and Texas instead began backing militia and paramilitary groups, some of which being from the disputed regions, but many hailing from their own nations.

Timeline up to TRIOAWP

  • Kansan Declaration of Independence (June 1980)
  • Rise of the Lakota Freedom Front in Nebraska (July 1980)
  • Battle of McCook: LFF attempts to seize the city against Kansan and Nebraskan militias (September 1980)
  • Midwestern scouts launch incursion around Omaha (January 1981)
  • Battle of Topeka: West Coast Loyalists attempt to seize Topeka (July 1981)
  • Western States launch missile strikes against Kansas, reaching as far as Wichita (July 1981)
  • Provisional Kansan Parliament enacts a motion of no confidence against President John Carlin (August 1981)
  • Collapse of the Kansan Government (September 1981)
  • Collapse of Kansas as a functioning state (October 1981)
  • Midwestern scouts cross into Kansas from north Missouri (February 1982)
  • Formation of the Pottawatomie Rifles (March 1982)
  • American Iron Front backs the Rifles (May 1982)
  • Texas Rangers launch assault into Kansas after settling the Oklahoma dispute (September 1982)
  • Canadian Forces enter Dakota and Montana (July 1983)
  • Midwestern Forces enter Dakota (July 1983)
  • Minor engagements between Canada and the Midwest (July 1983 - July 1985)
  • Battle of Dodge City: Iron Front members, the Pottawatomie Rifles, Texas Rangers and elements of the Midwestern Army repel an assault by Western forces, marking one of few direct engagements by nations (October 1983)
  • Second Battle of Topeka: Pottawatomie Rifles engage Western aligned militias (January 1984)
  • Kansan government officially dissolves, despite having no control over claimed territory for several years (May 1984)
  • LFF officially signs treaty with the United Commonwealth and Canada, forming the Provisional Republic of Lakota[1] (July 1984)
  • Signing of TRIOAWP, officially demilitarizing the region. (October 1984) This would effectively transition the conflict into a purely militia-based one, and do little to end it.

Belligerents

Midwestern Involvement

Commonwealth involvement

Western Involvement

Texan Involvement

International Involvement

Not to be confused with the International Brigades of the Spanish Civil War

Weaponry and warfare

Irregular warfare

Questions of Legality

Live and let live policy

For a similar policy during the First World War, see Live and let live (World War I), for other pages called Live and let live, see Live and let live (disambiguation)

A portion of fighters loyal to the United Commonwealth, Midwest Separation Union and Republic of Texas have adopted a general policy of non-combatance and 'looking the other way' regarding each other, with some instances of limited cooperation against forces loyal to the Western Government. While most combatants are officially not aligned to their respective nations, many have recognized their shared ideals of halting the Western States and maintaining order in the region. There have been instances of these groups engaging each other, but this general attitude has prevailed to the present day.

  1. International Recognition would not come until after the end of the Canadian-Midwest Border Skirmishes.