Blockade of Isle d'Auguste
Timeline of the Blockade of the Isle d'Auguste May 22nd, 1925: President Jacques Dufour offers Auvernians passage home to their collapsed nation OR citizenship in Duquesne after 5 years of additional military or civil service. General Thomas Dubois and Admiral Johannes Christopsen meet to plan an invasion of the Isle d’Auguste
May 23rd: The Duquesne National Navy commissions Admiral Ernest LaRoche to its navy and allows his sailors to continue serving under his command, a considerable number however leave and have their positions filled by sailors of the navy of Duquesne. About 7,000 of the captured Auvernian troops also choose to stay in Duquesne, with only around three thousand being sent away on passenger vessels back to Auvernia.
May 25th: A Naval invasion of the Isle d’Auguste is considered for late June and later cancelled due to the high probable casualties. Instead, the Duquesne National Navy begins a protracted naval blockade of the island.
September 6th: Commander Olivier proclaims himself “President-Commander” of Augustinia and finalizes the creation of a Military Government.
October 2nd - December 20th: The Blockade is effectively broken when the Augustinian forces manage to repair a few patrol boats and a decommissioned submarine stationed at a naval testing facility on the southern side of the island which begin successfully smuggling supplies onto the island. For months this persists until on the 17th of December the submarine faces mechanical failures due to exhaustive use and the patrol boats are forced to to begin making increasingly risky supply runs. Eventually this leads to their capture on the 20th of December.
December 20th 1925 - February 9th 1926: The Blockade resumes and the Republic of Duquesne schedules a tentative date in April for a naval invasion. Admiral Johannes Christopsen and the defected Admiral Ernest LaRoche meet at the Envale Naval Battery to plan the invasion tactics.
February 10th - 12th 1926: Supplies are dropped into the country via a team of sympathetic pilots in (WIP) leading to a diplomatic crisis.
February 13th - April 21st 1926: The Blockade again resumes though more harsh than before with occasional warning shots fired at coastal batteries. Planes owned by the Duquesne National Navy drop leaflets informing the Augustinian forces that resistance is impossible in the long term, however President-Commander Olivier’s cult of personality begins to grow among his supporters who see him as the last beacon of the old Auvernian government, he vows to restore the Monarchy and old Government in exile on the island once he secures independence from Duquesne.
April 22nd - 28th: Early Hurricanes force Duquesne to delay a naval invasion, several acts of heroism see supplies delivered through stormy waters, though several such runs end in tragedy. The result is the loss of over 40 Augustinians but the delivery of much needed medical supplies and provisions.
April 29th: The Blockade is prepared to resume on the 1st of May, in the meantime supply runs slow as the Augustinians anticipate a faster response. The result is a loss in potential supply gains. The blockade is commanded by Rear Admiral Adam Dakinsun, with Admiral Johannes Christopsen and Admiral Ernest LaRoche managing operations from the Envale Naval Battery
May 1st - July 9th: Blockade resumes with a new date for a naval invasion being set in Early August.
July 10th: President-Commander Olivier, after gaining the favor of (WIP) manages to secure a round of negotiations in mid August with Duquesne on conditions that Duquesne allow medical supplies and food for the civilians in. Duquesne reluctantly obliges them.
July 11th - August 4th: The blockade remains lifted on civilian and medical aid, and the Augustinians take advantage of this to smuggle in armaments and military equipment. When this is discovered on August 4th, the naval blockade immediately resumes and all diplomatic channels are cut off.
August 5th - August 22nd: Duquesne sinks several vessels suspected of being used for blockade running, the Augustinians claim the vessels belonged to fishermen and some civilians perished, though Duquesne maintains that the ‘fishermen’ were actually sympathizers with the regime. On the 22nd however, a diplomatic crisis complicates the situation.
August 22nd: (WIP) and Duquesne begin engaging in brinkmanship over the issue of the Isle d’Auguste as they continue to interfere in the matter, making matters worse, (Cuntland) begins to organize its military forces along the border of Duquesne. Seeing this as a far greater threat than the Augustinian holdouts, Duquesne re-assigns most of the forces involved with the blockade to prepare for a potential conflict with said (Cunt).
August 23rd 1926 - March 9th 1927: The brinkmanship continues and worsens with small skirmishes almost leading to all out war, however ultimately the conflict is resolved diplomatically, and the neighboring nation backs down from aiding the Augustinians.
March 10th: The Augustinians make yet another request for negotiations and President Jacques Dufour draws a red line on the matter demanding that they surrender by the 1st of April, no response is received.
April 1st - April 3rd: Intense bombardments begin to batter the Augustinian naval fortifications, the implementation of several bomber planes seized from Marquette Airbase during the Revolution had by now been recommissioned with pilots being trained. The planes begin tactical bombings on coastal military facilities facing minimal damage from gunfire.
April 4th - April 20th: The blockade resumes with occasional bombardments, a final naval invasion date is set for mid September and will involve a 30,000 man force attempting to secure the capital city of Port Blanc and to destroy the remaining coastal batteries to allow for a larger land invasion if necessary, however, it is expected that the Augustinian forces will surrender without access to necessary supplies located at the capital, especially if pushed into the inland jungle.
April 21st - 22nd: A second wave of bombardments begin, this time destroying several coastal fortifications and notably disabling most of the vehicles the Augustinians had on the island by causing a large explosion in a central armory.
April 23rd - May 19th: The blockade resumes as before, plans to bombard the only major roadway connecting the Capital city of Port Blanc with the southern port of Augustaville are drawn.
May 20th: A third wave of bombardments begin, this time lighter than the prior two and primarily aimed at sinking all remaining patrol boats. The mission is achieved and now Augustinia is left lacking any motorized vessels for smuggling.
May 21st: Several sailboats armed with explosives are sent out from the island in the direction of the Duquesne blockade, a couple detonate leading to several injuries but no casualties and only one vessel is returned to Marquette for repairs.
May 22nd - July 8th: The Blockade resumes and there is an assassination attempt on President-Commander Olivier by would be mutineers, they are arrested and executed by firing squad.
July 9th: The plan to destroy the main highway between Port Blanc and Augustaville is given a green light and successfully severs the roadway connection, the Augustinian forces are forced to use an inland trail and horses to relay supplies and information.
July 10th - 11th: A fourth round of bombardment begins, now isolating naval defenses further from central supply lines and destroying several coastal artillery installations.
July 12th - August 10th: The Blockade continues, provisions and medical supplies begin to run low for the Augustinian forces.
August 11th-August 15th: The fifth and largest bombardment sees massive damage dealt to the remaining defenses and President-Commander Olivier relocates the military headquarters into the Jungles in preparation for an invasion. The Augustinians there access several old 19th century fortifications and begin re servicing old cannons, gatling guns and antiquated mid 19th century rifles and ammunition to bolster their supplies. Admiral Johannes Christopsen and Admiral Ernest LaRoche arrive to support Rear Admiral Adam Dakinson in commanding the [Duquesne National Navy]]’s !Carribbean fleet, and to begin sharing plans for the final invasion.
August 16th: A second assassination attempt on President-Commander Olivier fails, however the conspirators escape into the jungle.
August 17th - September 2nd: The blockade continues and bombardments become less common as only minimal defenses remain serviceable, several fortifications are in such poor shape they are simply abandoned.
September 3rd - September 7th: Duquesne forces begin preparing for the naval invasion with a final date on the 9th selected.
September 8th: A series of bombings hit military bases further inland, none doing significant damage to the facilities, but greatly effecting morale.
September 9th: Port Blanc faces a naval invasion in the early morning, the Duquesne forces face little to no partisan resistance and quickly overrun defenses. It is a quick victory, however it is quickly discovered that the forces at Port Blanc had long abandoned the city for an inland position, it becomes apparent that the war will not end so quickly. General Thomas Dubois meets with the Isle d’Auguste’s former Provincial Guard leader, and begins to round up now civilian veterans of the Guard to assist in the attacks on the jungle in order to use their knowledge of the terrain.
September 20th: Augustaville is captured as forces march along the damaged stretch of highway facing significantly more partisan resistance, but little actual military forces.
September 21st - September 29th: Little to no changes
September 30th - October 3rd: Skirmishes in the outskirts of Augustaville and raids on supply lines in the island. Duquesne attempts several inconsequential bombing runs.
October 4th: A Hurricane hits Isle D’Auguste leading to significant coastal casualties for both forces numbering in the hundreds, however it is far worse for coastal civilians who died in the thousands. Final Casualty Count: Augustinians: 539 dead, 267 injured, 135 missing Duquesnians: 589 dead, 432 injured, 78 missing Civilians: 2,470 dead, 3,578 injured, 699 missing
October 5th - October 15th: The ten day offensive begins as Augustinian forces launch guerilla raids on the struggling Duquesnian force killing several hundred while facing dozens of casualties. However this costs them as they now begin to run low on ammunition. President Jacques Dufour meets with General Marques Nelson of the Duquesne National Marines, and orders the deployment of 10,000 elite troops to aide the struggling Duquesne National Army at Isle d’Auguste
October 15th - October 28th: Both sides attempt to reorganize their forces and tend to both military and civilian aid. Little combat occurs outside of occasional skirmishes and partisan resistance. General Marques Nelson and 10,000 Duquesne National Marines ground troops arrive in Port Blanc.
October 28th: The Armies Number Roughly: Augustinians: 16,400 Duquesne National Army: 30,000 Duquesne National Marines: 10,000 Duquesne National Navy: 8,000 Civilian Partisans: 2,500
October 29th - November 14th: The Duquesne National Army and Duquesne National Marines begin to push into the interior of the island facing antiquated but difficult defenses. Moving through dense, rugged terrain and humid weather, the advance is slow and rain showers make it impossible for vehicles to follow. Several ambushes are faced along their route inland, however, Partisans also struggle to smuggle supplies inland and the troops begin to starve forcing them to hunt and forage to supplement their food stores. By November 14th President-Commander Olivier allows those injured and starving to surrender, over four thousand do though many others, loyal to their leader pledge to fight to the death.
November 15th - November 22nd: For a week a strong defense is made along trench lines, however ammunition runs so low that every other man is without a rifle, soon they retreat deeper towards their stronghold, another four thousand men are permitted to surrender before the last stand. Less than three thousand Augustinian soldiers remain, many no longer able to fight aiding the able bodied.
November 23rd: As the Stronghold is reached, President-Commander Olivier is killed in the fighting having manned the frontlines himself on many occasions. In the aftermath of his death his second in command and several other high ranking officers meet and in a dramatic and hysterical state commit mass suicide. Several other soldiers commit fixed bayonet charges into the approaching Duquesnian force shouting “Death to the Revolution!”, “Pour L’Auvernie et L’Augustie”, “Pour Patrie” and “Vive Olivier!” however most assemble at the stronghold and lay down their arms.
November 23rd - December 9th: Partisan resistance continues in Augustaville, however it is gradually suppressed and eventually the Duquesnian Army arrests most of the agitators.
December 10th: The last Augustinian holdout surrenders and Victory is proclaimed.
December 11th: The Duquesne Flag is once again flown over Port Blanc and Augustaville, symbolizing the end of the War of Auguste
December 12th: The Provincial Government is re-established, with the appointment of former governor Marques d’Este as interim governor. 5,000 troops from the Duquesne National Army act as a federal police in place of the Provincial Guard while it is reestablished December 13th-December 16th: Captured Augustinian forces, numbering 12,000, are brought back to mainland Duquesne by the Duquesne National Marines, the Duquesne National Navy and the remaining 22,000 members of the Duquesne National Army. The remaining half of the Duquesne National Navy !Carribbean fleet begin shuttling emergency food and medical supplies to the struggling civilians. Many passenger vessels depart the Duquesne mainland bringing doctors, medical supplies, fuel, and food to sustain the recovery of the people of Isle d’Auguste from the 2 year war, and from the recent hurricanes.
December 17th: Captured Augustinians, both wounded and able-bodied, are placed on trains to Pontiac, where they will be treated for their wounds before being reassigned to the Concordia Military Battery
January 1st, 1928: Isle d’Auguste is ratified once again as a Province of The Republic of Duquesne