Occupation of Caldia

Occupation of Caldia
Part of the Great War
The HMS Clovis Richard I outside Spálgleann port.
Date 10 March 1927 – 15 March 1935 Location Caldia Result Caldia secured by Estmerish and Weranian Marines with no fighting Caldia begins de facto cooperation with the Grand Alliance Start of the Quasi-War
Belligerents
Estmere Werania	Caldia
Commanders and leaders
Edmund Anchorage Waldemar von Stürgkh	Éamon Ua Buachalla Uilliam Mac Coinneach
Strength
Estmerish: 800 Estmerish Marines 4 warships 30,000 Home Guard Weranian: 500 Weranian Marines 6 warships 25,000 Infantry	3,000 soldiers 12,500 Home Guard 500 police officers

The Occupation of Caldia by the Kingdom of Estmere and Werania began on 10 March 1927 during the Great War after a joint invasion with the intent of denying Caldia to Gaullica and its Entente allies. Marine and naval forces from both countries invaded neutral Caldia but faced no resistance. The Caldish government did not lodge a complaint despite the official violation of Caldish neutrality. Despite the occupation, the Caldish government remained officially neutral throughout the Great War. As the war progressed, the Estmerish government-in-exile relocated to Caldia as did much of the Estmerish Liberation Army. It ended on 15 March 1935.

The occupation was controversial in Caldia. Public opposition eventually resulted in the outbreak of the Quasi-War, a period of violent opposition to the occupation. It strained ties with Estmere and Werania for nearly 20 years. The relationship between Caldia and its former occupiers was gradually normalized, resulting in Caldish ascension to the Euclean Community alongside Werania in 1955.

Background

Éamon Ua Buachalla, Taoiseach from 1925 to 1935

Prior to the Great War, Caldia had long maintained an official policy of neutrality. The country had not been at war since 1709 and remained mostly uninvolved on Euclean geopolitical affairs. When the Great War officially began, Taoiseach Éamon Ua Buachalla reaffirmed the country's neutrality. Caldia's iron reserves and steel industry were of interest to both Estmere and Gaullica. Both governments attempted to persuade Ua Buachalla to enter their respective alliances, but ultimately failed. The Estmerish and Weranic governments began to hold discussions about what to do with Caldia as the war progressed. Solstianan membership in the Entente and the Gaullophillic Geatish government were cause for concern for both governments, who worried about Gaullican domination of the North Sea. Threats to Estmere and Werania's colonies in Coius made Caldia's iron reserves important to the wartime plans of both governments. Caldia's warm water ports and their strategic location in the North Sea were also factors in the decision to occupy the country.

Invasion

The invasion began in the early morning of 10 March 1927 with Estmerish and Weranian troops disembarking in Spálgleann, capital of neutral Caldia. The troops were met with no resistance and quickly began to establish control over the country. As control was established, Gaullican citizens were arrested and the Gaullican embassy was forced to close. The intent was to secure Caldia was a base of operations for the Grand Alliance, offering advantageous ports near Solstiana and the northern Vehemens ocean, allowing it to maintain naval dominance in strategic locations.

Occupation

Estmerish occupation

The Estmerish initially took the leading role in the occupation. Major General Edmund Anchorage was tasked with the permanent defense of Caldia. He oversaw the upgrading of the country's defense, fortifying much of the country. The Royal Marine invasion force was relieved by the 125th Brigade of the Home Force. Over four thousand Estmerish soldiers were sent to occupy the islands, which arrived on 19 March. Reinforcements from the Estmerish Home Force were routinely sent to Caldia in order to reinforce the existing garrison. By the end of 1927, there were over 30,000 Estmerish soldiers in Caldia.

Early in the occupation, Estmere offered Caldia assistance as an "ally and co-belligerent in the war against Gaullica" but Ua Buachalla again declined and reaffirmed the country's neutrality. Despite this, Ua Buachalla did begin to cooperate with the Estmerish government. Military forts were handed over without opposition from his government.

After the surrender of Ashcombe to Gaullican forces, Estmere was gradually overrun. By mid-1929, the whole of the country had been occupied by Gaullica. The Estmerish military retreated north into Werania. Eventually, the Estmerish government-in-exile relocated to Spálgleann. The Estmerish Liberation Army also based itself out of Spálgleann. This saw the arrival of over 120,000 additional Estmerish soldiers in Caldia. However, they were not officially part of the occupation and were mostly later relocated to Werania and other areas in northern Euclea.

Quasi-War

Main article: Quasi-War

The occupation of Caldia was viewed negatively throughout the country. The Caldish press and Ua Buachalla's political rivals viewed it as a violation of the country's sovereignty. Státaire, one of the country's oldest newspapers, condemned the Taoiseach for failing to lodge a diplomatic complaint against the Estmerish and Weranic governments following the invasion. Demonstrations against the occupation were common and were promoted by radicals and socialists. Public gatherings were banned nationally in November 1928. On 17 December 1928, an outlawed public demonstration against the occupation was held outside Carrowdun Palace. It was violently suppressed by city police, who were supported by the Caldish army and Estmerish and Weranian soldiers. Nine civilians were killed and dozens were injured in what came to be remembered as the Carrowdun Massacre. Shortly after, resistance groups began to form in order to oppose the occupying forces and the Ua Buachalla government. The three groups were Saor Glaíteann, Fiann Gael, and the United Ghaillish Workers' Front, which was affiliated with the Caldish Section of the Workers' International (GOC).

Fighting between the resistance groups, the Caldish government, and the Estmerish and Weranic occupying forces lasted until 1935. Sabotage, kidnappings, assassinations, and terrorism were common tactics employed by the resistance. The three resistance groups were ideologically opposed and at times carried out operations against one another. The GOC was outlawed in 1931 and the Worker's Front was mostly defeated by the end of the same year. The 1932 general election was delayed by Ua Buachalla amid heavy pressure from Estmere and Werania. The Radical Liberal Party was banned in 1934 due to its ties to Soar Saor Glaíteann. The insurgency ended after the Soirmoor Agreement was signed on 24 February 1935 and the gradual withdrawal of occupying forces.