Second Patagonian War
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| Name(s): | Second Patagonian War |
| Start of hostilities: | 2006 December 15th |
| End of hostilities: | 2007 March 12th |
| Winning side: | Losing side: |
 Republic of Riu de L'Argent |  New Hellenicia |
 Kingdom of Araucania and Patagonia | |
| Resulting treaty/treaties: | Treaty of Rawson |
| Major consequences: | New Hellenicia and parts of Araucania and Patagonia occupied by Riu de l'Argent, leftist government of Araucania and Patagonia deposed in a coup |
Second Patagonian War was a military conflict that involved Riu de l'Argent, Araucania and Patagonia and New Hellenicia.
After Esperanza Rios became the dictator of Riu de l'Argent, tensions started to mount in the southern part of South America. Leftist so-called Free Riu movements were trying to depose the Argentine government. After a large part of guerilla infrastructure in the western part of the country was destroyed during Operation Andes in 2005, the guerillas switched tactics. They began cross-border activities from neighboring New Hellenicia--which, along with Araucania and Patagonia, Venezola and some other nations, formed a vocal opposition against Riu de l'Argent. This was supported by Argentians who had fled their homeland after 2003. Argentine military spending increased with the aim of becoming a major regional power and "Recovering lost pride". According to Esperanza Rios South America would only thrive when it would "drop the restraints of socialists and revolutionaries." Her government attempted to forge a coalition of rightist states in South America.
In December 2006, Riu de l'Argent started a bombing campaign against New Hellenicia after that nation refused to allow Argentian military investigators to investigate the sources of rampant cross-border guerilla activity. This followed several major kidnappings, most notably the son of a well-known Argentian millionaire and Movement for a Brighter Tomorrow supporter. At first guerilla camps were bombed, but later the list of targets grew. For example, on December 21st the house of Argentian leftist poet Diego Navarro was bombed as well as several key objects of infrastructure claimed to be used by guerillas. Troops numbers at the border increased on both sides. Araucania and Patagonia and Venezola condemned Argentian actions. Chile offered to mediate for a possible peaceful solution. On January 3, 2007 a group of leftist terrorists was arrested in Bahia Blanca and confessed to planning a revolution, starting with a major sabotage act and using chemical weapons on the Argentian troops stationed on the southern border. Opponents of Riu de l'Argent claimed that this arrest was staged by Argentian authorities in order to have casus belli.
During the nautical twilight of January 3rd Argentian troops unexpectedly crossed into New Hellenicia, supported by a large scale bombing. It should be noted that no war was officially declared by anyone at this time although the media already refered to the situation as the Second Patagonian War. Rios demanded New Hellenician not interfere while the Kingdom of Araucania and Patagonia, which had a pledge to defend Nea Hellenicia in case of war, demanded an immidiate Argentian withdrawal; partial mobilization was declared.
Despite the ultimatum New Hellenicia engaged in the Battle of the Pampas (presumably there were no orders from the government either to resist or to retreat) that ended up in a crushing defeat; several batallions were surrounded and large numbers of soldiers taken as prisoners. Argentians occupied an area 30 kilometers from the border while their air force started a wide scale bombing of New Hellenica infrastructure and military targets.
The Latin Brigades, consisting of Venezolan, Araucanian, Charcasian, Lusoamerican and other South Americans who decided to help New Hellenicia were formed in Cassandruopolis; New Hellenicia also received humanitarian and military aid from other countries (the latter mainly from Venezola). Partial mobilization was declared in Riu de l'Argent on January 7th in response to Araucania and Patagonia actions. An embargo was declared on Riu de l'Argent by several countries and on 9h of January Venezola severed its diplomatic relations with Riu de l'Argent. Hugo Chavez demanded Araucania and Patagonia honor its word and defend New Hellenicia as "the situation was war in all but name". Araucanians were reluctant and attempted to secure more support first. Another reason for Araucanian reluctance was the fact the nation was deeply divided on the issue; far-left activists blamed the government for being inactive while rightist activists, led by Antonio Ferreira, demanded that the government not "put the lives of its people at stake in order to help a pariah state". Argentian information campaign presented via such outlets as Radio Latinoamericana largely discredited the Araucanian government as corrupt during the year 2006. The poll conducted in November that year shown that the majority of the Araucanians of European race had supported Esperanza Rios more than their own government.
In late January the Argentian military increased their zone of occupation but guerilla attacks did not cease. Therefore it was decided to fully occupy the country. This had difficulties. With foreign help the New Hellenecans had established major defense installation around their capital Cassandruopolis. Araucania and Patagonia claimed that a state of war would exist between it and Riu de l'Argent in case the Argentian troops would get closer than 75 km to the capital. Araucanian police attempted to prevent cross-border guerilla activity from their own country at this time, but on 2nd of February guerillas instigated a major attack on Argentian border town of Puelches. In response the Argentians started to bomb perceived guerilla targets in Araucania and Patagonia for the first time and started to push further inside New Hellenicia. On February 4th at 10 AM a strategic RAW was used on Cassandruopolis. Many locals believed these weapons even more dangerous than they actually were due to the previous claims by their government and others critical of the expansion of the Argentian nuclear arsenal. An Araucanian plan to enter New Hellenicia and help defend it was abruptly cancelled due to fear of radioactivity and perhaps even moreso due to the heavy Argentian bombardment of the New Hellenician/Araucanian borderland. Araucanians launched an unsuccessful and ill-prepared attempt to push through the Pampas instead; Argentians quickly took an upper hand there and crossed the Rio Colorado.
Large scale bombing of western New Hellenicia prevented any effective aid from Araucania and Patagonia. It also killed several fleeing members of the New Hellenician government (others managed to retreat to Araucania and Patagonia); these members were tried in absentia by the Argentians for harbouring terrorism. Argentians troops, who were issued anti-RA gear, captured Cassandruopolis on February 14th (to reduce fears among the Argentian soldiers of a possible damage to their health Esperanza Rios herself entered the city together with the vanguard) and gained large, but sparsely-inhabited areas from Araucania and Patagonia by the end of February.
The situation in Araucania and Patagonia became more and more tense with each day. Anti-war protests and riots claimed their first victims on the 23rd of February; in Riu de L'Argent more serious protests happened in Uruguay, but the police managed to control the situation.
In order to negotiate a peace treaty the Argentian government quite unusually demanded certain changes in Araucanian internal politics which included abolishing progressive taxation, reducing the budget deficit and firing certain officials accused of corruption. These demands were portrayed as a benefit for Araucanian people. In addition Riu de l'Argent offered compensation for Araucanians for the civilian damages in war provided these demands were met. However the leftist Araucanian government saw this as paving the way for exploiting the poor and refused to negotiate; on March 2nd the government was deposed in a military coup and Antonio Ferreira installed as the new Prime Minister. A ceasefire did start immediatly and on 12th of March Treaty of Rawson was signed by Esperanza Rios and Antonio Ferreira. This treaty formally ended the war. Riu de L'Argent however did not retreat from all the territories it had seized although Ferreira's comissioners were permitted inside the occupied areas in Araucania to insure there would be no discrimination against local Araucanians. The future fate of these territories as well as of New Hellenicia remains unclear as of this day.
This page was created by Abdul-aziz. |
