Independent Republic of West Schiaparelli

The Independent Republic of West Schiaparelli (Italian: Repubblica Indipendente dell'Ovest Schiaparelli) was a self-proclaimed state that existed during the 
Interplanetary War. Formed by anti-communists and neo-fascists, the IRWS' purpose was to drive all communists out of Schiaparelli and, after being absorbed by the Allied Mars States, the rest of Mars. After the AMS was dissolved, the IRWS collapsed and it was given back to the newly-freed East Schiaparelli. They would unite in 2172 to form the United Republic of East and West Schiaparelli.
== History ==
=== Background ===
In 2162, Koslovic forces invaded and conquered the Republic of Schiaparelli's entire eastern half after a lengthy battle (dubbed "Battaglia d'indipendenza" by Schiaparellians) against Schiaparelli's militia. The puppet state of the People's Republic of Schiaparelli was established in it's place and former Prime Minister Giovanni Giuseppe was named head of state. Those who opposed communism fled to the far-west of Schiaparelli. They included, but are not limited to, the remains of Schiaparelli's militia, anarchists, some members of the National Socialist Workers' Party, and the far-right volunteer group, Arditi di Schiaparelli.
=== War Against the Koslovics ===
Problems became apparent as soon as they reached the west. Political differences between the neo-fascists, anarchists, and the Arditi di Schiaparelli threatened to tear this new faction apart. If it were not for General Marco Vincenzo, leader of the militia's ground forces, they would be destroyed by internal conflict. He was able to bring them together, unifying them under a common cause and promises of glory. He also harbored a deep hatred for Giovanni Giuseppe, calling him "an enemy of the state" and "the greatest threat the nation had ever faced." In mid-2163, the United Nations pledged support of the IRWS and supplied them with weapons and heavy armor. 2163 also marked the beginning of the Koslovics' offensives on the Independent Republic, beginning with the Battle of Gaius.
==== Battle of Gaius ====
In the early morning of July 17th, 2163, Koslovic forces mostly composing of Schiaparellians attacked the IRWS' capital, Gaius. Planning to meet heavy resistance, the attackers brought two M2105 HBTs (Heavy Battle Tanks) named "Reklaymer" ("Reclaimer") and "Osvoboditel'" ("Liberator"). They found themselves facing off against a large defensive position of not just Schiaparellians, but UN forces as well. Armed with far superior weaponry, they were able to repel the communists and push them back into their own territory. Marco Vincenzo, wishing to humiliate the enemy further, ordered his men to continue pushing them deeper into their territory. After reaching the destroyed town of Triumph, they left the few remaining enemies to return to their base. This risky move was the greatest victory of the IRWS during the war and made Marco Vincenzo a national hero. They were even able to capture the two M2105s and renamed them.
Plans for an offensive were now being organized, in which the IRWS, supported by aerial support by the UN, would push into the People's Republic's capital and take it. These plans would later become the foundations of the Vincenzo-Cocchiola Offensive.
==== Atrocities on Both Sides ====
At approximately 3:40 A.M. on July 24th, 2163, the Koslovic Third Army attacked the unguarded city of Caesar in retaliation for the events that happened at Gaius. They rounded up all the men and women and shot them in front of the church. They then rounded up the children and shot them in front of a lake, dumping their corpses afterwards. This event would reach IRWS command and would lead to some of the worst atrocities of the war. IRWS forces, led by Lieutenant General Tomas Marico destroyed the city of Giuseppe Square just a few hours later. Marico's men then searched for any survivors and shot them in front of the destroyed church, just as they did.
It didn't just end there, either. Despite Vincenzo's orders to stand down and return to Gaius, Marico continued to go around and kill anybody his men saw. No matter their age, gender, race, if they were East Schiaparellian, they were killed. After Marico's men raided the small town of Novi, they were stripped of their ranks and were considered war criminals. For the first, and only time, the Koslovics, UN, and the IRWS had tried to work together. The deal was, if the Koslovics brought Marico, they would return the two M2105s. In a few days, Marico was brought to Gaius and he was placed on trial. He was found guilty of over two hundred cases of murder and several other war crimes and was sentenced to death by firing squad. Marico was killed by none other than Vincenzo himself, ending his "Storm of Vengeance". 
Did you think the Koslovics stopped after Caesar? They didn't. Just after giving Marico to the Schiaparellians, they decided to attack a city neighboring Gaius, Blanc the only place in Schiaparelli not to have seen combat. It was torched, defaced, and rendered inhabitable after the Koslovics shelled it with chemicals. The exact reasons for this remain unknown, but it's most likely because of Marico's actions. After hearing of this attack, Vincenzo decided to begin the Vincenzo-Cocchiola Offensive prematurely and began the bloodiest conflict Mars had ever seen at the time.
==== Vincenzo-Cocchiola Offensive ====
A group of three-thousand men, mostly IRWS militiamen, and several HBTs attacked an important communications site that rested just three miles away from the People's Republic's capital, Vesuvius. They completely outnumbered the small security detail and was able to destroy the site, reducing it to little more than a pile of rubble and broken bodies. This severed communications from Vesuvius to High Command, rendering the city little more than a giant target. Vincenzo ordered the men to stand down and wait until they took out the military bases surrounding the city. And so they did. There wasn't any protection for miles and miles. In a little more than a few minutes after the last base fell, Vincenzo ordered everything his army had to attack Vesuvius.
Hundreds of thousands of UNSC and IRWS soldiers gave everything they had. In six months, the whole city was reduced to ashes. Constant artillery from nearby hills pummeled the city while the Koslovics retreated. Head of State Giovanni Giuseppe was captured and was placed in custody, where he would be killed by fellow imprisoned communists. Marco Vincenzo would be given the Order of Merit of Schiaparelli, the highest military honor of Schiaparelli.
=== The Allied Mars States ===
In 2165, the IRWS was absorbed into the Allied Mars States, a group wishing to force communists off of Mars. Not much is known about their involvement, as the IRWS was only one of seven nations in the AMS. It is known that Marco Vincenzo wasn't the biggest fan of them or their combat skills. Several key battles were lost due to the inexperience of their soldiers, which would eventually lead to Vincenzo constantly trying to separate from them. In 2170, the AMS was dissolved and the IRWS became it's own nation again.
=== Collapse and Reunification ===
The IRWS, no longer supported by the UNSC and considered a "secessionist state", saw itself in economic turmoil after the AMS dissolved. They only lasted a few months until the Republic of East Schiaparelli's Prime Minister Lucas Cristoforo Defoe offered to Vincenzo that if they unified, they would pay off their debt. It would take two years for Vincenzo to agree, most likely to him still having distrust of East Schiaparelli. Eventually, he agreed, and in 2172 the nation was united once again, for the first time in a century.
Vincenzo would go on to be elected Prime Minister and would lead the nation to an era of peace and prosperity until his death in 2196. He was one hundred and one.
=== Legacy ===
If you were to go to Schiaparelli today, most buildings constructed by the IRWS still stand. Gaius (now named Vincenzo City) remains the most populous city in the nation and has many monuments not only dedicated to Marco Vincenzo, but also several of the UNSC leaders who assisted them in retaking their nation. Many novels and movies have been written and directed about West Schiaparelli, the most notable one being Indipendente! A Tale of Victory in the Face of Failure (2197) , and Vincenzo and Marico (2521). Western Schiaparelli is listed as number five of the top ten most historic places on Mars.