Myrdesia War
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The Myrdesia War (also known as the Myrdesian Civil War, Dacia-Goredembwa Conflict or the Goredembwan War of Liberation in Goredemabwa; see nomenclature) was a military conflict in the Federation of Myrdesia (comprising contemporary Goredemabwa and Dacia) between 1978 and 1986, which was a major part of the Emmeria-Anikatia Proxy War and overarching Cold War.
Background
Belligerents
Myrdesian Republican Army
The Myrdesian Republican Army represented a potent and powerful fighting force in Ashizwe. Despite the country's relatively impoverished majority, the government held gold and diamond supplies provided a significant pool of funds to purchase armaments from many nations such as Belfras, Tarsas, and Emmeria. As a result, the military was well equipped and well trained. It is believed this factor played a primary role in the length of the war. While the naval forces of Myrdesia were good for their time, they were put out of action early on as the primary berthing and repair yard was damaged catastrophically by a fuel-oil fire caused by enemy attack.
As of 1977, the army employed 23,000 forces, composed of 12,000 white core units with the remainder comprising majority blacks. Soldiers were paid well and many of the black majority members used the money to raise their standard of living above their peers. This would later cause them to be branded as sympathizers by the rebel forces. It is estimated that by 1986, fewer than 10,000 men were available across the air force and army. The navy and all of its personnel were folded into the army and ships sold for scrap in 1984.
As the war wore on, it is estimated that an additional 50,000 men ranging from ages 18-40 were called up to supplement elite units such as the Myrdesian Wraiths and the Cheetah Regiment. The army fought bitterly against nationalist guerrillas
The army was well equipped despite the nation's seemingly low budget. The vast majority of its hardware was of Tarsan and Belfrasian origin. In October of 1979, it began taking shipments of Type 59 tanks from Rodarion in response to an order for a hundred vehicles ordered in 1975. After war broke out, this further increased to five hundred and by 1989, had taken delivery of 1,400 vehicles.
Goredemabwan Liberation Front
The Goredemabwan Liberation Front began as a relatively small and unorganised collection of rebels who were protesting the rejection of the popular vote for Zihsileo nationalist Massawa Eyob of the Socialist Workers' Party who had won his seat in the parliament on the platform of greater representation. This led to widespread dissidence against the Myrdesian government's white minority rule. The bulk of the forces armaments initially came from raiding local Myrdesian military bases. At the beginning of the conflict the Goredemabwan Liberation Front lacked any real air or naval forces. However, after a number of daring raids and attacks much of the Myrdesian naval forces were destroyed allowing Goredemabwan's socialist allies to become more involved in the conflict. As they conflict carried on they began supplying more modern and advanced equipment. As a result, the rebel forces slowly tranisioned into an effective fighting force.
The ground forces were generally well equipped with the vast majority of its hardware was of Anikatian or captured Belfrasian origin. The bulk of the tank force was equipped with Type 65 Bohoja-ho and later Type 73 Seungli-ho tanks from the DSRA in response to the outbreak of the conflict hundred vehicles were shipped.
Goredemabwan People's Army
As the Goredemabwan Liberation Front evolved from rebel militia into a proper military force it received more advanced armaments from socialist allies in exchange for access to its vast mineral wealth. The military became one of the better equipped and trained forces in Ashizwe. After the crushing defeat of the Myrdesian naval forces, a vital supply line was opened to the DSRA which allowed continuous shipment of advanced military hardware into the country.
While the Goredemabwan Liberation Front was generally made up of volunteers fighting for their freedom the formation of proper military forces along lines of the DSRA models. Introduced conscription to the army forces which substantially boosted the armies numbers although lack of adequate training and questionable loyalty negated much of the numbers advantage. The majority of soldiers were from the black majority, with a limited number of white soldiers along with a number of highly trained specialist and advisors from the Koskazgan Cooperative.
At the beginning of the conflict the air force comprised primarily of captured Myrdesian aircraft such as the Myeong and Lyang MyL-3 and Belfrasian BAU Cutlass fighters which were then supplemented by more MyL-3's and Aymovski Ay-01's an Anikatian built variant of the Cutlass. As the conflict became more intense the DSRA began supplying more advanced fighters like the Aymovski Ay-04 and even saw the debut of the Aymovski Ay-05 in very limited numbers.