3,903
edits
Grand Vandarch Canal: Difference between revisions
filled out 1992 Canal Crisis and edited basic history a little for clarity and lore updates; everything included has been discussed as far as I recall but lmk Yon and Urce
mNo edit summary |
(filled out 1992 Canal Crisis and edited basic history a little for clarity and lore updates; everything included has been discussed as far as I recall but lmk Yon and Urce) |
||
| Line 52: | Line 52: | ||
From the [[Carolina Grand Canal]]'s opening in [[1880]] until the Grand Vandarch Canal's opening in [[1975]], the nations along the [[Carolina Grand Canal]] enjoyed a monopoly on maritime shipping to the landlocked countries, and major port cities of the Vandarch. Because it was controlled by and run through the [[Holy Levantine Empire]]'s countries of [[Urcea]], Kronenia, and Hollona and Diorisia it gave the [[Holy Levantine Empire|Empire]], and [[Urcea]] specifically, a disproportionate level of economic power in that region. The beginning of the Grand Vandarch Canal followed the formal dissolution of the [[Holy Levantine Empire]], the end of the [[Great War]], and by extension the reduction of southern [[Levantia]]'s crushing hold on much of the continent. It was celebrated by all northern [[Levantia|Levantine]] nations, at the time, as a demonstration of modern, self-determinist northern [[Levantia]]. In southern [[Levantia]] it was met with mixed reviews. Nations along the [[Carolina Grand Canal]] were obviously not pleased to have their monopoly broken and the loss of considerable revenues in the form of passage fees and taxes. While it was loudly protested in [[Urcea]] for this reason, the economic loses would be stymying in Kronenia, and Hollona and Diorisia, who had faired far worse in the [[Great War]] and whose economies were not big enough to absorb the blow like [[Urcea]]'s. | From the [[Carolina Grand Canal]]'s opening in [[1880]] until the Grand Vandarch Canal's opening in [[1975]], the nations along the [[Carolina Grand Canal]] enjoyed a monopoly on maritime shipping to the landlocked countries, and major port cities of the Vandarch. Because it was controlled by and run through the [[Holy Levantine Empire]]'s countries of [[Urcea]], Kronenia, and Hollona and Diorisia it gave the [[Holy Levantine Empire|Empire]], and [[Urcea]] specifically, a disproportionate level of economic power in that region. The beginning of the Grand Vandarch Canal followed the formal dissolution of the [[Holy Levantine Empire]], the end of the [[Great War]], and by extension the reduction of southern [[Levantia]]'s crushing hold on much of the continent. It was celebrated by all northern [[Levantia|Levantine]] nations, at the time, as a demonstration of modern, self-determinist northern [[Levantia]]. In southern [[Levantia]] it was met with mixed reviews. Nations along the [[Carolina Grand Canal]] were obviously not pleased to have their monopoly broken and the loss of considerable revenues in the form of passage fees and taxes. While it was loudly protested in [[Urcea]] for this reason, the economic loses would be stymying in Kronenia, and Hollona and Diorisia, who had faired far worse in the [[Great War]] and whose economies were not big enough to absorb the blow like [[Urcea]]'s. | ||
The Grand Vandarch Canal was | A northern Vandarch Canal had been considered as an option since before the Grand Carolina's construction. The ideal location contained parts of the [[Nahe#Ostmark|Ostmark]] region of [[Prevalia]] and [[Gleathan]] in [[Faneria]]. It was an underdeveloped border region between the two states, but more importantly it spanned the narrowest part of the isthmus on the northern bank of the Vandarch. | ||
The ground of the modern Grand Vandarch Canal was first broken by the [[North Levantine Architects' Guild]] on behalf of the [[Faneria|Fhainnin]] government in a bid to allow warships from the Vandarch Fleet to reinforce its Kilikas and Nordska fleets, with a project being initiated in 1929 and preparations being made in 1934 by means of the occupation of parts of the [[Nahe#Ostmark|Ostmark]]. Initial surveys and redesigns saw partial work performed on laying out the path of the canal and building infrastructure, but in the waning years of the [[Great War]] the focus of the project shifted from attempting to complete the project with haste to a longer-term civilian role as an inability to dedicate enough wartime labor before the perceived end of the conflict was compounded by a growing fear of uprisings at the conclusion of the war if soldiers came home to high unemployment rates. Many countries looked to such titanic infrastructure projects as a way to, at least temporarily, give thousands of jobs to the returning service men, and at the conclusion of the war, and following the inconclusive end of the [[Great War]] the newly formed [[League of Nations]] sought proposals for peacetime efforts to bond nations together. | |||
In [[1958]] Faneria's initial canal design was adopted and altered by the Committee for Global Prosperity and Improvement, an ad hoc committee that had been established to select projects in the immediate post-war period. It was put to a vote in the [[League of Nations General Assembly]] on the final agenda before the winter recess and passed by a narrow majority. There was some minor resistance from [[Urcea]] and the delegation from the [[Deric States]]. They had expected support from their close allies in [[Burgundie]], hoping to vote as a newly formed [[Levantine Union]] bloc. [[Burgundie]] saw this as an opportunity to extend good will to northern [[Levantia|Levantine]] countries with whom they sought trade deals. Seen as a another example of [[Burgundie]] putting commerce ahead of a southern [[Levantia|Levantine solidarity]] it strained the [[Levantine Union]] almost to the breaking point. [[Caphiria]] and its allies voted in favor of the resolution to reduce [[Urcea]]'s power in northern [[Levantia]]. The [[Vandarch Sea|Vandarch-locked]] countries and [[Faneria]] voted in favor of the resolution to celebrate their new agency and for economic gains. [[Kiravia]] voted in favor of the resolution to gain direct access to the heart of the [[Levantia|Levantine]] economy. The remaining of the members of the [[LoN]] voted in in about a 50/50 split, leaving the yays to take the day. | |||
The construction contract was eventually given to [[Ladvner Construction]] who subcontracted much of the work out to the [[O'Shea Corporation]]. Ladvner would oversee strategic control, materials ordering, and hiring. O'Shea would conduct the day to day construction, receiving, and would be retained as the operations administration for 10 years after the completion of the canal, training the next generation of administrators. The canal was projected to hire, employ, house, and feed 15,000 workers and their families over the span of 10 years. Smaller, local construction companies from [[Prevalia]] and [[Faneria]] were hired to build worker housing and commissaries along the canal route and the rail lines of both countries were contracted to extend to the canal zone to expedite worker travel and the shipment of materials. | The construction contract was eventually given to [[Ladvner Construction]] who subcontracted much of the work out to the [[O'Shea Corporation]]. Ladvner would oversee strategic control, materials ordering, and hiring. O'Shea would conduct the day to day construction, receiving, and would be retained as the operations administration for 10 years after the completion of the canal, training the next generation of administrators. The canal was projected to hire, employ, house, and feed 15,000 workers and their families over the span of 10 years. Smaller, local construction companies from [[Prevalia]] and [[Faneria]] were hired to build worker housing and commissaries along the canal route and the rail lines of both countries were contracted to extend to the canal zone to expedite worker travel and the shipment of materials. | ||
This grand vision was almost immediately halted when in [[1962]] after only three months of preliminary construction, funding became | This grand vision was almost immediately halted when in [[1962]] after only three months of preliminary construction, funding became an issue. Member states who had pledged funding to the Committee for Global Prosperity and Improvement's projects balked when the time came due to actually pay. The international effort ground to a halt despite local housing and rail line construction continuing. [[Caphiria]] and its allies cooled to the idea of keeping its their commitment of 1.5 billion [[Aureus]]es as the [[Occidental Cold War]] grew into a larger part of its approach to post-war [[Levantia]]. [[Burgundie]], who had committed to paying 700 million [[Thaler]]s over the duration of the project, found itself embroiled to stop a pro-communist coup in [[Kandara]] that would eventually expand to the massive [[Operation Kipling]]. It reduced its commitment to 500 million [[Thaler]]s over 30 years, regardless of when the project was completed, which reduced investor confidence in the success of the project. For much of the mid 60s the project stagnated, directly coinciding with the worst of the [[Lean Years]]. | ||
While the Southern [[Levantia|Levantine]] nations continued to focus on their existing rivals as if the [[Great War]] had never ended, for the countries of Northern [[Levantia]] they found that without the [[Holy Levantine Empire]] their were boundless new economic and political opportunities in [[Levantia]] and abroad for them to explore. The nations of [[Faneria]], [[Fiannria]], [[Hendalarsk]], [[Nahe]], [[Wealdland]], [[Yonderre]], and [[Yytuskia-Helvana]] found this a time of optimism and | While the Southern [[Levantia|Levantine]] nations continued to focus on their existing rivals as if the [[Great War]] had never ended, for the countries of Northern [[Levantia]] they found that without the [[Holy Levantine Empire]] their were boundless new economic and political opportunities in [[Levantia]] and abroad for them to explore. The nations of [[Faneria]], [[Fiannria]], [[Hendalarsk]], [[Nahe]], [[Wealdland]], [[Yonderre]], and [[Yytuskia-Helvana]] found this a time of optimism and economic growth. By [[1967]] many of these nations had made commitments of their own that almost filled the gaps left by the [[Sarpedon]]ians and [[Burgundie|Burgoignesc]] backing out or reducing payments. In [[1969]] enough funding had been secured to resume full schedule construction. The pause, while costly and a waste of time, had however allowed technology to catch up the scale of the task. What was projected to take 8 years took only 6. Massive crews of men in mechanical diggers and boring machines carved through the isthmus at an incredible rate. The progress of the canal is considered on of the first satellite time lapse sequences to be completed, taken by [[Caphiria|Caphirian]] spy satellites and declassified in [[2018]] after the conclusion of the [[Occidental Cold War]]. | ||
In total, over the course of the 15 years of construction, the project cost 8.7 billion Thalers, employed 640,034 people, and is estimated to have fed and housed 1.5 million workers, families, and persons who provided on-site goods and services. Financially, it was, like most other grand infrastructure projects, poorly managed, inefficiently run, and wasteful. However, it is touted as a massive human success. Service men and women coming back from the far flung battle fields of the [[Great War]] and were given stable employment, a roof over their head, and three square meals a day for the duration of the time they worked or lived in the canal zone. | In total, over the course of the 15 years of construction, the project cost 8.7 billion Thalers, employed 640,034 people, and is estimated to have fed and housed 1.5 million workers, families, and persons who provided on-site goods and services. Financially, it was, like most other grand infrastructure projects, poorly managed, inefficiently run, and wasteful. However, it is touted as a massive human success. Service men and women coming back from the far flung battle fields of the [[Great War]] and were given stable employment, a roof over their head, and three square meals a day for the duration of the time they worked or lived in the canal zone. | ||
| Line 64: | Line 68: | ||
==Incidents of Note== | ==Incidents of Note== | ||
===Canal Born Children=== | ===Canal Born Children=== | ||
The question of citizenship for children born to parents living in the international canal zone, Enfants nes della canal (ENdCs) (Eng: Canal Born Children (CBCs)) became a major issue for workers. For children with parents from the same nation with {{wpl|Jus sanguinis}} citizenship, the question was moot. But for parents of different nations or from nations with {{wpl|Jus soli}} laws the question was of major concern. In [[1970]] an Office of Canal Borne Children for Repatriation was formed as part of the International Red Cross and International Red Crescent. Volunteers were sent to the Canal to help parents work through citizenship laws and determine where they could go with their children when the work was complete. For the majority if the workers there was time to sort through the myriad hoops and red tape but for families of workers who were fired, invalided, or killed the situation was more dire. A refugee camp developed nearer to the end of the project as tens of thousands of people realized they had nowhere to go. This lead to what has been coined the Vandarch Diaspora. The term refers to the children born in the canal zone between [[1959]]-[[1975]] and their descendants who often live in countries whose cultures and identities are not their own. This also coincided with the development of multinational unions with more restrictive collective immigration laws, worsening the issue. | The question of citizenship for children born to parents living in the international canal zone, Enfants nes della canal (ENdCs) (Eng: Canal Born Children (CBCs)) became a major issue for workers. For children with parents from the same nation with {{wpl|Jus sanguinis}} citizenship, the question was moot. But for parents of different nations or from nations with {{wpl|Jus soli}} laws the question was of major concern. In [[1970]] an Office of Canal Borne Children for Repatriation was formed as part of the International Red Cross and International Red Crescent. Volunteers were sent to the Canal to help parents work through citizenship laws and determine where they could go with their children when the work was complete. For the majority if the workers there was time to sort through the myriad hoops and red tape but for families of workers who were fired, invalided, or killed, the situation was more dire. A refugee camp developed nearer to the end of the project as tens of thousands of people realized they had nowhere to go. This lead to what has been coined the Vandarch Diaspora. The term refers to the children born in the canal zone between [[1959]]-[[1975]] and their descendants who often live in countries whose cultures and identities are not their own. This also coincided with the development of multinational unions with more restrictive collective immigration laws, worsening the issue. | ||
===Canal Crisis=== | ===Canal Crisis=== | ||
{{Main|GaelWind#1992 Vandarch Canal Crisis}} | {{Main|GaelWind#1992 Vandarch Canal Crisis}} | ||
In May of 1992, the ethnonationalist fringe group [[GaelWind]] staged an armed takeover of large segments of the Canal Zone and the [[Nahe#Ostmark|Ostmark]] in a bid to seek legal recognition and a plebiscite on annexation into [[Faneria]]. In response, the Prevalian and Fhainnin governments launched a major combined military operation to suppress the uprising, marking both the first major deployment of [[Fhainnin]] troops since the [[Great War]] and a shift in Faneria's government following the subsequent purge of GaelWind politicians from public politics. The incident also spelled the end of [[Pan-Gaelic Theory|Pan-Gaelicism]] as a motivating factor in Faneria's geopolitical policy and significantly improved its ties with other Vandarch nations, which had believed Faneria would instead seize the canal after being emboldened by [[Nordskan Sea Flashes|unconfirmed strategic weapons tests]]. | |||
===2015 Faucilh Sageta Obstruction=== | ===2015 Faucilh Sageta Obstruction=== | ||