Seneca Islands

Military Rectory of the Seneca Islands
Overseas territory of Urcea
Operation Jonah	2022
Cathedral City	Enuzha'Thaan
Government
• Military Rector	Martin St. Clair
Population  (2021)
• Total	11,502,593

The Seneca Islands are an overseas possession of Urcea. Seized as part of Operation Jonah in the Final War of the Deluge, the islands were previously part of Varshan. The islands have long been known as a center of shipbuilding in Crona and a major trade port for Varshan and the central Cronan region.

Etymology

The origin of the word Seneca, and its original Varshani language root Se'neka'an'tuuzhen, are unclear in the historical record. The traditional Varshani historical interpretation was that the name was the name of the original tribal people of the Islands, but no reference to this name exists prior to the conquest of the island by Anzo in the 3rd century BC. Some Kiravian scholars have theorized the name to simply mean "further islands" or "further land" in a depreciated regional dialect of Varshani due to its similarity to the word Ze'nu'ka'zathan, the word for "outer territory" in mainstream Varshani language.

History

21st century defense plan

With the outbreak of the War of the Northern Confederation, the government of Varshan began a rapid rearmament and defense construction project in addition to a reevaluation of its military doctrines. As part of this rearmament effort, the shipbuilding industry in the Seneca Islands received a massive influx of government funding in order to help construct a navy which could sufficiently defend the Varshani mainland. Static defenses were also constructed on the island in addition to a large-scale purchase of anti-shipping missiles which were stationed on the island. The defense activity significantly improved the local economy and improved living conditions across every caste, but also resulted in a large influx of slaves and construction of slave camps across the island. The local economy became increasingly reliant on large-scale shipbuilding efforts and slave labor. By the time of the Final War of the Deluge, the islands were one of the top destinations of slaves captured in the Invasion of Cetsencalia.

Final War of the Deluge and Conquest by Urcea

Main article: Operation Jonah

As envisioned the decade before, the Seneca Islands became a prime target of Occidental forces during the Final War of the Deluge. As the islands could threaten sea lane access to the Nysdra and provided a convenient point of invasion into the interior of Varshan, the islands became a strategic priority for Urcea. Planning began in June 2021 for an operation to take the islands.

Following a series of naval victories by the Navy of Alstin and the Royal Navy, the Urcean Royal Marine Corps landed and established a beachhead on the islands on 30 December 2021, beginning Operation Jonah. The operation was focused first on securing West Seneca, which was largely pacified by 24 February 2022. Following the fall of the island, the Anzo regime detonated an atomic bomb in the city of Zakan Rot, causing massive economic and demographic disruption throughout the island. The bombing killed more than 120,000 and injured another 200,000 or more. Military operations were put on hold as West Seneca was severely devastated. A multinational relief effort began to help survivors as the Royal and Imperial Army was unable to accommodate the large numbers of hospitalized and severely wounded. Relief and reconstruction efforts continued for several years. The bombing caused permanent economic disruption to the island due to the loss of both victims and refugees in addition to the extensive physical damage. The bombing had the effect of alienating the residents of the Seneca Islands from the Varshani cause and identity. Reconstruction and resettlement of downtown Zakan Rot began in mid-2023, but the prospect of the city becoming a major harbor in the 2020s was ruled out by Urcean and local officials.

Following the recovery period, the armed forces of Urcea renewed the offensive. The Royal Marine Corps made landfall on East Seneca on 25 March 2022. During the campaign, a local insurgency grew in order to prevent another atomic bombing by retreating Varshani forces. After a month of fighting and subsequent negotiations with the insurgents, Urcea took full control of the island on 24 April 2022. Following the successful invasion of both islands, the Senecas became the launch point for Operation Broken Chains, a series of anti-slavery raids and probe attacks on the Varshani mainland. In the summer of 2023, the islands were the launch point for Operation Alterator, the successful Urcean invasion of southwestern mainland Varshan.

On 19 May 2022, Urcea established a military rectory over the island, which signaled its intention for the islands to become part of Urcea's overseas territorial integrity. Claims of sovereignty over the island were recognized immediately by Kiravia and Corumm, but the integration was condemned by Carna and others. In the final peace treaty following the Final War of the Deluge, Urcean control over the islands was confirmed.

Government

The Seneca Islands are organized as a military rectory of Urcea. On May 19, 2022, the military rectory was established following Operation Jonah and humanitarian recovery that occurred after the Atomic bombing of Zakan Rot. Martin St. Clair, as overall commander of WES-COM, was appointed Military Rector, but he immediately invested oversight and authority to the Interim Administration for the Seneca Islands while retaining nominal authority as Military Rector.