Stenzan War of Independence

Stenzan War of Independence
A Corummese warship sinking off shore after being sabotaged by guerilla fighters.
Date 13 April 1907 – 2 August 1921 (14 years, 3 months, 2 weeks and 6 days) Location Stenza Result Independence of Stenza from the Corummese Empire
Belligerents
Stenza	Corumm
Commanders and leaders
Li Xhipong Hemi Hidao	name
Casualties and losses
Military dead: TBA Civilian dead: TBA Total dead: TBA	Military dead: TBA Civilian dead: TBA Total dead: TBA

The Stenzan War of Independence, called the Tau Mo le Saolotoga (Fight for Freedom) in Stenzan, was a defining moment in the history of Stenza in which the country gained independence from its colonial overlord, Corumm. The war can be defined in two phases, a fight between guerillas and pro-government security forces between 1907 and 1919, and a full scale revolt leading to open warfare between 1919 and 1921. The war was eventually decided by the Battle of Xīwàng (current day Faamoemoe) a decisive Stenzan victory that led to peace being signed between both nations. This was followed by two major events, namely the Corummese retreat from the island and the Stenzan Civil War.

Background

Colonization of Stenza

The colonization of modern day Stenza started in the early 1600s, when a Corummese vessel captained by Xi Haifong suffered a major scurvy outbreak and decided to deviate off its course to find land. The land they found turned out to be Stenza, and upon returning home the crew reported of their findings. The land they had discovered was deemed interesting enough for another expedition, and within two years a Corummese community had been found in the cape of hope on the northwestern part of the island, named after the fact it brought hope to the ill sailors who discovered it. The Corummese called this city Xīwàng (Hope), but is now known as the regional capital Faamoemoe (Hope).

Corummese exploration beyond the initial settlement at Xīwàng was met with curiosity and then hostility from the local tribes, who did not trust the foreign settlers. A seven decade long push into the country followed, and by 1671 the whole island was under Corummese control, with the native population being subjected to the choice of compliance or death. It is estimated that up to half the native population died during this period at the hand of the colonizing forces.

Over the course of the next 100 years the island was transformed into a modern mining colony. Stenza was found to be rich with metals such as Nickel and Iron. Ripe for exploitation by the Corummese colonizers. The local population was forced to follow Corummese culture and, by 1887, the nation was a Corummese puppet state headed by a Stenzan governor named Noa Zhu. Although seemingly self-governing, Zhu was nothing more than a Corummese puppet while the nation was still ruled with a tight grip by those back in Corumm.

The next three decades were not per se bad for the Stenzan population, who enjoyed all the technological and social developments the Corummese brought to them while their land was still being exploited. Regardless of this progress, the native population was still treated as a second rate class to the Corummese colonizers, who enjoyed considerable wealth based on the labor of the Stenzans.

Stenzan Guerillas and Free Stenzan Army

Although very thorough in their efforts to subjugate the Stenzan population, small pockets of tribal guerillas were never fully swept out of Stenza's vast mountainous reaches. For most of Stenza's colonial history, these guerillas were posed not much more than a nuisance to the colonial government. Occasional scuffles would be followed by search-and-destroy operations, which in turn led to relative peace.

In the early 1900s, the guerilla threat seemed to have mostly died down for the Corummese. Unknown to the colonial government however, multiple guerilla bands had settled in the mountains at the current day city of Etangeni in 1901, spending multiple years training and planning a future struggle to fight their colonial oppressors. The guerilla bands grew over the years through word of mouth recruitment, until it was decided in 1906 that the struggle should begin. Armed with stolen weapons and, in some cases, tribal tools. The guerilla bands each set off in different directions, having agreed to start their fight the next spring across the country.

These guerilla bands would eventually grow out to become the Free Stenzan Army during the large scale revolts in 1919, becoming an immediate precursors to the modern day Stenzan Army

Stenzan Security Force and Corummese Army in Stenza

The Stenzan puppet state, headed by the aging Governor Noa Zhu and his band of Corummese advisors, possessed a relatively modern Corummese-equipped army. This army, called the Stenzan Security Force, consisted of Corummese officers and leaders commanding Stenzan junior officers and enlisted men. Apart from this force, a relatively small force of regular Corummese troops called the Corummese Army in Stenza was also present, its numbers having dwindled since the 1890s thanks to the relative peace in the country. With the Stenzan Security Force seeming competent enough, the Corummese government in Stenza saw no need to maintain a large Corummese military force if the colonial forces could maintain security for them.

Geurilla fight (1907-1919)

Start of hostilities

The morning of the 13th of April, 1907 marks the official beginning of the Stenzan War of Independence. On this morning, Guerillas that completed their months march from Etangeni, struck the coastal town of Falloopi from the mountains. Falloopi was considered a valuable port at the time, with mined metals delivered by rail or river craft being loaded onto Corummese merchant vessels for travel back to Corumm at this port. The Stenzan Security Force garrison guarding the town was taken by utter surprise and multiple guardsmen were killed trying to respond to the threat, but an organized response never came to be by the complacent defenders. Gunfights in and around the town lasted for two hours, with guerillas successfully blowing up part of a metal warehouse and a harbor crane. The guerillas retreated into the mountainous terrain once security forces started responding with enough force to cause considerable guerilla losses. The attack was considered a success by the guerilla forces, with multiple laborers taking up arms dropped by killed security forces and guerillas to join the retreating geurillas. The tone was set for the next twelve years.

The summer of 1907 saw similar attacks erupt around the country with mixed success. Various bands of guerillas, having set out from Etangeni the previous year, attacked facilities they considered essential to the Corummese throughout the summer with the intention to cause as much chaos as possible. These attacks had a varying amount of success, with some guerilla bands succeeding in their objectives while others were fully wiped out by the Security Force troops. The initial end goal of this offensive, to spark major revolt across Stenza by its oppressed workers, was not achieved by these actions. The suddenness with which the guerillas disrupted the relative peace did inspire some to join the guerilla bands however, providing manpower with which the struggle could be continued.

Corummese reaction and escalation

The immediate Corummese reaction to these attacks was to condemn them as outright criminal. Stenzan workers were informed by Zhu's government that anyone found aiding the guerillas would be shot without hesitation, and a witch hunt for those who helped the guerillas march across the country started. It is widely believed that this witch hunt led to the deaths of over 10,000 innocent civilians in the mountains. Conscription for the Stenzan Security Force increased, and increased Corummese forces were shipped in to both lead the increased Security Force elements and provide additional manpower to the Corummese Army in Stenza.

The next 12 years were periods of relative peace and periods of chaos across the country. Guerilla bands roamed the country, attacking targets of opportunity and occasionally clashing with elements of the Stenzan Security Force and Corummese Army in Stenza. These groups were loosely organized, manned by local volunteers who came and went and armed with whatever weaponry they could get hold of. It proved impossible for the Corummese to contain these guerillas however, with guerilla formations sometimes disappearing into thin air as guerillas hid their weapons in caches and returned to their villages to lay low. The guerillas also proved masters at eluding the Corummese and government forces across Stenza's diffucult terrain, their light nature and ability to live of the land allowing them to keep ahead of the supply-dependent attackers. News of Guerilla successes and the attacking of innocent civilians accused of helping the guerillas cause over the years, with their popularity increasing steadily.

Guerilla successes during these years include the disruption of Corummese export from Stenza to various degrees and the sinking of at least one Corummese warship in 1917. Corummese successes throughout these years include the killing of over 25,000 guerillas, with more than 45,000 alleged guerillas and guerilla supporters being killed as well. Corumesse losses through this period amounted to over 12,000 military losses and 6,000 civilians killed by the guerillas.

Stenzan revolt and open warfare (1919-1921)

Battles of Xīwàng and Corummese surrender

Main Article: Battle of Xīwàng

Aftermath

Exile of the Humiliated

Main Article: Exile of the gumiliated

Stenzan Civil War

Main Article: Stenzan Civil War