Third Manchuria Campaign

The Third Manchuria Campaign (Chinese: 第三次满洲里战役), also known as the Lightning Campaign or the Folded War, was an armed conflict Between the Republic of China and the Haidean Republic that took place in Inner Mongolia Province between the 18th of March to the 27th of April 2104. This served as the fourth major conflict fought between the two countries. The war saw a new Haidean attack strategy being put into place as a result of newer domestically built Haidean military technologies, which caused a shockingly fast-moving Haidean advance into large swathes of Chinese territory, sending the Chinese defenders into disarray.
The war lasted for a month and nine days before China finally ceded to Haide's claims as a result of the Chinese government's panic at the lightning Haidean advance. According to Chemgotan sources, casualties on the Haidean side were reported to be 1,211 troops killed, 8,390 wounded and 28 missing. Chinese losses were said to be around 17,196 killed, 70,300 wounded and a further 429 missing.
In the months leading up to the invasion, Haidean President Hu Beizhao had called for extensive, large-scale military exercises to take place in outside the city of Siping, in order to determine the battle and attack strategies that would be able to swiftly overcome Chinese forces with minimal losses. President Beizhao often sat with many of his top Generals, as well as delegates from Chemgota and Periwan, to plan the well-coordinated attacks against China, drawing up the plans for the Third Manchuria Campaign.
China, which was still reeling from the effects of the Second Manchuria Campaign, as well as the Daxing'anling War, were very well aware of Haidean plans to attempt a fourth major invasion of China, had time and again warned Haide that China had updated their military doctrine to "respond in a swift, brutal force that will thwart any attempts at Imperialist Haidean conquest". But although Chinese authorities updated the doctrine to better prepare their troops before the war, it was reported that logistics outposts during the course of the war were still adopting the older version, citing that the older doctrine was "easier to understand". This consequently led to the untimely collapse of many Chinese positions in the war, as the old doctrine was not able to help Chinese forces fend off a large, fast-moving, technologically advanced military. In the aftermath of the conflict, China publicly executed all higher-ranked officials that did not follow the new doctrine that was adopted, as "their incompetence has led to the unsurpassed failure of preserving the territorial sovereignty of the Republic of China".
== Prelude to war ==
=== Societal split ===
Following several major defeats of the Chinese military as a whole as a result of multiple large-scale military incursions into China by the Haidean Republic into their territory, the Chinese people were tired of their country suffering defeat from the same opponent, knowing that the Haideans would not be done with the Chinese until Beijing falls. The Chinese economy was on a spiral downwards from war reparations needing to be paid from China to Haide as a part of many treaty agreements, and the Haidean military was said by military analysts to become 'a fighting force capable of standing up to nations such as the United States and Chemgota.
As such, China societally was split into two factions. The "warrior" faction, were war-hawks who called for a retaliatory invasion of Haide through their own pre-emptive strikes of the country, taking back what China saw as "traditional Chinese territory", with some radicals calling for the complete erasure of the Haidean Republic from the map. The other faction, calling themselves the "pacifist" faction, was an orginisation who called for peace between Haide and China, wishing to end all hostilities between the two nations. This, in turn, led to widespread protests and counter-protests all over China, resulting in the deaths of thousands of people.
The Chinese government, fearing such protests would spiral up into large, potentially armed uprisings, deployed hundreds of members of the Chinese military to put down the riots. While this move was successful, it did cause the public to lose trust in the government, as they believe President Zou Rong would do anything in his power to control the people. At this point, Haidean President Hu Beizhao knew that his Chinese counterpart was losing his grip on his own nation, so Beizhao saw himself as a great liberator to the 'occupied' regions of Manchuria, as he vowed to change the traditional Chinese system which he saw 'degrade the rightfully Haidean citizens of their potential freedoms'.
=== Haidean motives ===
Haide had complained about a supposed presence of Chinese-backed rebel forces at its western border since 2100, when the first of such pockets appeared during the Daxing'anling War. Following the war and the expansion of the Non-aligned forces and administration, Beizhao's government considered the force a national security threat. Like other regions in northwest Haide, regions north of the border with China have seen numerous partisan-related deaths. According to a Crisis Group death toll analysis based upon Haidean government and media publications, the border regions north of Chinese and partisan-controlled areas had 8 Haidean security forces and 5 civilians killed in Chinese-related violence between 2099 and 2103 prior to the offensive. The Zhenyang region had 26 security forces and 6 civilian deaths over the same period. Crisis Group did not specify if "Partisan-related" deaths are linked to the Chinese military.
Recent increase in jobless rate and electoral collaboration of opposition parties lead to significant HUP defeats in the 2100 Harbin mayoral election, signaling difficulties for the leadership party. Military operations are known to boost nationalism and Haide's executive's popularity. It is also seen as an effective way to break apart opposition alliances, between pro-Chinese and pro-peace representatives actively criminalized by the government, and other opposition parties who are faced with the dilemma of betraying the informal political alliance in order to showcast popular patriotism.
Moreover, another driver for the Haidean operation into China is the domestic politics involving the 3.6 million Chinese refugees residing in Haide—the highest number of refugees hosted by any country—which has led to increasing public dissatisfaction and therefore public support and pressure for intervention. The negative sentiment against refugees among the Haidean electorate allows Beizhao and his HUP to benefit from moving refugees back to China. According to analysis, this political strategy has cost the HUP half of its conservative supports since 2100.
=== Military build-up ===
The first instances of a major Haidean military build-up along the Haide-China border began at around July 2102. Haidean President Hu Beizhao initially called the increase in Haidean troops on the border as "national security measures to prevent the Chinese plague (referring to the Chinese military) from setting afoot upon Haidean soil", while Chinese President Zou Rong called the Haidean build-up as a "threatening move that will most certainly lead to a fourth Haidean invasion of China".
Haide was condemned by most of the international community for the build-up, with countries like the United States placing trade embargos upon the glorious Haidean Republic. This, however did not do much to restrict the Haidean government from continuing to amass troops and military equipment on the border. Government from countries such as Chemgota had openly voiced their support, for the Haidean Republic's pursuit of it's territorial claims and interests. Chemgota, Periwan, Japan, Thailand and Turkouralia were the only countries that voted against placing sanctions and embargos on Haide, and had openly supported the Haidean military build-up on the Chinese border, with Periwanian President Suffian Hamza arguing in 2103, that if Haide was to strike at China, "the time is now".
==== Chinese missile incident ====
On the 16th of February, 2104, a Chinese Huang-14 MRBM launched from Xilingol League headed for the Yellow Sea, had apparently suffered from a "severe trajectory malfunction", and landed in the Haidean city of Anshan, hitting an apartment block, killing 15 people, leaving 109 injured. The Haidean government accused the Chinese government of purposefully attacking the Haidean people, by intentionally targeting the Haidean city and attempting to cover it up with the claim of a trajectory malfunction. A Haidean lawmaker released this statement following the missile incident:
Chinese officials had repeatedly denied the Haidean claims of intentionally firing their missile towards a Haidean populous, blaming the incident on a "severe trajectory malfunction that threw the missile off-course". This statement did not convince Haidean officials, as Chinese videos documenting the Huang-14 claimed that the new missile was "Scarily accurate", and that it did not require much maintenance to operate the weapon with much efficiency. The Chinese missile incident is regarded as one of the main factors that started the war.
=== Haidean crossing into Chinese territory ===
On the 17th of March, 2104, the Haidean military reportedly bombed a convoy of Chinese weapons vehicles heading from Xilingol League to the Haidean border, destined for Chinese-backed rebels. However, the Chinese did not retaliate, despite dozens of casualties being reported as a result of the air strike. On the same day, the Chemgotan and Haidean governments opened a crossing on the Amur river in order for Chemgotan military assets and equipment to be given to the Haidean military stationed on the Haide-China border. While the Chemgotan government stated that the Haidean military was preparing to commence joint exercises with Chemgota outside the Haidean city of Siping in western Haide, the Chinese government responded by saying the build up of the Chemgotan and Haidean militaries near China was being done in order to set up an attack into Chinese territory.
On the 18th of March, Haidean forces shelled Tongliao and conducted missile barrages directed toward the city. At the same time, Haidean Paratroopers under the cover of Haidean artillery flew over the border and landed in Horqin Right Middle Banner, effectively capturing the town within minutes. Two Haidean divisions crossed the border toward the captured town, which became regarded as the beginning of the war. Within minutes of the capture of Horqin RMB, Haidean President Hu Beizhao announced that the joint Haidean-Chemgotan military exercises have commenced, with their Air Forces conducting cross-border aerial maneuvers and drills, in order to "boost the defensive and offensive capabilities of Haidean air power under the instruction of Chemgotan pilots".
China called the cross-border operations an "illegal act of war", and had brought to light the Haidean military shelling Tongliao, the capture of Horqin RMB and the crossing of Haidean divisions into China. China accused Chemgota of backing the Haidean military, and encouraging Haide to commit war crimes against the Chinese. President Zou Rong called the Chemgotans "cowards who use their puppets to do their evil bidding". Chemgotan officials responded, calling the Chinese statements "falseful", while stating that Chemgota will not directly partake in Haide "pursuing it's rightful territories" but will continue to supply the Haidean military through the Amur supply chain.
== Invasion ==
=== Initial border crossings ===
After Haidean paratroopers landed in and captured Horqin RMB, the 3rd Armoured Division, 7th Mechanised Division and the 12th Rocket Brigade entered China to meet with Haidean paratroopers stationed in the town, who were setting up temporary defence perimeters. The divisions took control of the G111 highway, which allowed for more Haidean units to enter China through Baicheng, allowing the Haidean military to capture Hinggan League with ease. Haidean fighters took off from Baicheng to establish aerial superiority around the region's skies. China responded with sending their own array of fighters in order to counter the Haidean planes, but the Chinese lost a considerable amount of aircraft from the aerial fighting that ensued.
In response to the Haidean invasion shelling, a Chinese spokesman stated that Haide was targeting civilians. Six rockets were later launched at the Haidean city of Siping as a response by the Chinese military, and two reportedly hit the Haidean town Gongzhuling. The Chinese also announced in response to the start of the Haidean operation they would be responding to the Haidean invasion with a "very swift and forceful counter-attack" that aimed to "crush the Haidean operations". In response to the airstrikes, as well as the Chinese failure to stop Haide from gaining Air Superiority, China had called upon the United States to establish a no-fly zone over the area. The United States denied the Chinese request. In response, Chinese President Zou Rong called the United States "an incompetent superpower that fail to properly protect their allies in times of crisis".
Under pressure from Congressmen and public opinion, President Rockefeller sent a letter to Beizhao, urging him to come to an agreement with the Chinese and avoid any further conflict. Enclosed within the letter was a copy of a letter written by the President, detailing concessions the President would be willing to make with the Chinese. Rockefeller also threatened economic retaliation, stating that he "doesn't want to be responsible for destroying the Haidean economy." According to official sources, Beizhao took offense to the letter, reportedly throwing it in the trash. The Haidean Government released the letter to the public on the 4th of April, with the United States receiving wide ridicule from the Haidean public.
By the 20th of March, the Haidean military announced that the ground phase of the operation had begun from three points, including a major offensive from the Hinggan area.
=== 21st March, 2104 ===
Before dawn on the morning of the 21st of March, the Haidean military officially began the ground offensive against the Republic of China. The AFHR announced they had steamrolled through more than 200 targets in northeast China from the north, and an unknown amount amount of rebels backed by Haide are also taking part in the Haidean-led offensive. According to a research paper published by Haidean State Media, "Out of the 40 factions in the Republic of China Army stationed on the Haidean border, specifically trained to repel a Haidean incursion, 37 of them have been destroyed by the superior firepower of the Haidean military."
The Chinese military said they repelled a Haidean attempt to advance into Chifeng. Later during the day, large-scale clashes reportedly broke out between the Chinese and Haidean forces near Tongliao. Haidean forces made massive gains from the Hulunbuir region, and captured numerous villages. By nightfall, the Haidean military declared control of more than 90 villages. As fighting intensified around Tongliao, the Chinese announced that it will pull it's forces away from Chifeng due to intensifying Haidean air strikes. During Haidean air strikes during the fighting, Chinese media stated that the Haidean air force hit a hospital in Nanguan that killed 40 people, and injured 102. Chinese officials reported in the late evening that 2,174 Chinese soldiers were killed, wounded or captured. 
Haidean President Hu Beizhao stated that day that 4,109 Chinese soldiers had been killed in the operation, as well as an unspecified number of troops wounded and captured. According to the Haidean Ministry of Defence, 112 Haidean soldiers were killed by the Chinese on the day. In a speech to lawmakers from Beizhao's HUP, the Haidean president also threatened to flood Korea with millions of refugees if Korea continued to criticize the military operation, if they labelled it an invasion in particular.
970,000 people fled from border towns in China following Haidean bombardment.
=== 22nd-29th March, 2104 ===
On the 22nd of March, two Chinese military officials leading the defence of the Haidean assault from the south were killed in action in Tongliao, when the building they were based in from came under fire from Haidean artillery across the border by the Haidean military. This happened at the same time that a Chinese media news station were broadcasting the battle of Tongliao from the Chinese perspective. The incident was broadcasted live on Chinese TV channels, leading to panic among the population.
Three civilians were killed in Baicheng by Chinese shelling. In response to the attack, Haidean forces shelled Tongliao further. Eight more civilians were killed later in the day in Kailu, and 35 were injured by a Chinese mortar attack, according to Haidean sources. Two Haidean armoured divisions stated to have taken the city of Chifeng after the Chinese retreat. The Haidean government announced the capture of Chifeng, Aohan and Ongniud later in the day and released videos from the cities. In the border town of Xhinhuizhen, a suspected separatist car bomb killed 14 civilians, while a reported Haidean armoured column continued to advance from Ongniud towards Bairin RMB.
In the dying hours of the 22nd, the Chinese began to slowly lose ground in Tongliao, as Haidean armoured and mechanised divisions, some of these being supplied by Chemgota, continued to reinforce Haidean troops already fighting in the city. Haidean air support continued to attack the Chinese supply lines leading to Tongliao, crippling the Chinese retreat. Haidean forces entered the city of Tongliao on the 23rd of March, announcing the capture of the city through a televised address by Field Marshal Xiong Shui from the administrative centre. A Haidean flag was raised in the city square, with the sounds of bombs echoing around. Chinese planes continued to strike Haidean positions in order to slow the advance.
==== Kangshabu base incident ====
In the town of Kangshabu, the area immediately around a U.S. military base experienced heavy bombardments by the Haidean air force. The U.S. troops stationed retaliated on the morning of the 23rd of March, by firing surface-to-air missiles to Haidean aircraft after the 5th Changbai Aerial Squadron was sent to conduct a bombing run in and around the area. The missiles downed two planes, killing one pilot. The Haidean government responded by firing missiles at U.S. ships that were patrolling the Korean peninsula, one striking the U.S.S. John Henry. The Pentagon further raised concerns that the Haidean military are deliberately "bracketing" US Forces stationed in China with artillery fire and air strikes. According to Haidean Defense Minister, the missile attack targeting U.S. Navy vessels was a retaliatory response to the U.S. downing of Haidean military aircraft.
The governments of Haide and the United States signed an agreement to not attack each other, as long as U.S. military bases have been evacuated during wartime.
WIP