Great War

The Great War
Date 1961-1967 Location Southern Hesperida, Caxcana, Liberalia
Belligerents
Pact of the Three Emperors (Pact) Pact Members Darya Xiomera Dual Monarchy of Vertansk and Solavan Associated Powers Slokais Islands Gardavasque Central Liberalia The Empire of Opthelia (Until June 1964)	Coalition of Democratic Forces (Coalition) Major Powers Eiria Greater Acadia Laeral Lauchenoiria Lehvant Libertas Omnium Maximus The Communist Union of the Novella Islands Shuell Minor Powers Milintica Serriel Federation Army of Slokais Governments-in-exile Free Andhrapuri Forces Tacit Support The Empire of Opthelia (From June 1964)

The Great War, also known as the Great World War or simply as the War, was a global conflict which lasted from 1961 to 1967. Involving virtually every great power worldwide and numerous smaller powers, the Great War was the largest armed conflict in recorded history. Many powers invested their entire military, scientific, and industrial capacity behind the war, rendering it a total war. The Great War had a profound effect on the geopolitical landscape, in particular in northern Caxcana following the Breakup of Darya, as well as causing wide-ranging social, political, and scientific ramifications.

Although historians continue to debate the exact causes of the Great War, the primary culprit is typically considered to be the expansionist ambitions of the Pact states, the three great autocratic empires who had signed the Pact of the Three Emperors, a military and political alliance, in 1957. Although some historians date the Great War to the start of the 1958 Pond War and the subsequent Dual Monarchy Intervention in Liberalia, the conflict was incited by the Tearvan Straits Incident of August 9th, 1961, when the Imperial Daryan Navy sought to close the Straits of Tearvan to foreign commerce. Numerous powers declared war on Darya within the following weeks, triggering the Pact of the Three Emperors and igniting a worldwide conflict in which autocratic imperial powers faced communist and liberal-democratic regimes alike.

The war was characterized by immense naval battles, such as the Battle of the Albarine Sea, alongside massive amphibious invasions, as well as intensive aerial bombing campaigns and battles between armies totaling millions to a side. Although Pact forces experienced major military victories and significant territorial gains during the early war, the superior numbers and manufacturing capacity of the Coalition turned the tide of the conflict. Faced with mounting losses and a punishing aerial bombing campaign, Xiomera would withdraw from the war in 1966 after a change in leadership led by the Imperial Army. Slokais Islands, under the dictatorial regime of Juan Costa, would surrender in 1966 following an invasion by Coalition forces and an uprising by the pro-democracy Federation Army of Slokais. Ultimately, the war was brought to a close with the invasion of Darya itself in Operation Crucible, the April 1966 amphibious landing at Aravali on the Daryan coast which remains the largest amphibious landing in human history.

The Daryan Campaign, the land invasion of Darya which numbers among the bloodiest campaigns in military history, ended after 15 months with the Coalition capture of the Daryan capital city of Kurwai. Although Grand Vizier Shivnath Nishad, widely considered the architect of the Daryan wars of expansion, took his own life rather than face a trial, many other Daryan officials, including Emperor Narain and leading military officers, were brought before an international tribunal at the Kurwai Trials.

Timeline of Events

1966

Faced with mounting losses and concern that Xiomera itself might be invaded, the Imperial Army staged a coup on December 14th, 1966. Emperor Zuitotoa, who had begun Xiomera's involvement in the war, was captured and overthrown. After a hastily called Great Selection, General Xiucona of the Imperial Army was selected as the new Emperor. Emperor Xiucona unilaterally declared a cease-fire and offered to hand Zuitotoa over to the Coalition for trial as a war criminal in exchange for peace talks.