Krakonian Conflict

The **Krakonian Conflict** (also called the **Krakon-Rousseaun Conflict** due to the interconnectedness and timing of the collapse of both nationstates), was a series of international and domestic incidents and wars in the Federal Republic of Krakon that led to the collapse of the national government and allowed the nationstate's takeover by the Grand Duchy of Hal Stakion in the 15 Minute War. Starting with the Rousseaunian Revolution, a series of wars, terrorist attacks, and government shuffling crippled the nationstate's stability until the Fall of Korin, which caused the collapse of Krakon.

## Krakonian Conflict

### Result

* President Thomas Sharp dies and is replaced by Lionel Kirk.
* Rousseaun gains independence from Krakon.
* Krakonian government overthrown in August 1st Coup.
* Krakonian government collapses on 23 August.
* Hal Stakion annexes Krakon.

### Territorial Changes

* All states of Krakon annexed by Hal Stakion.

## Prelude

*Main articles: Breaking of the Board, 2020 Krakonian Presidential Election, Krakonian Capitol IED Incident, Lionel Kirk Office Bombing*

### Presidency of Heath Bugs

The Federal Republic of Krakon was founded in September 2018 by a group of disgraced American business magnates who formed the first ruling government of Krakon, known as the Krakonian Board, which instructed the Parliament of Krakon on legislative matters. After several disagreements and internal conflicts, board member Heath Bugs launched a popular coup in December which arrested all other members of the Board and created the office of the President of Krakon. Heath Bugs would later solidify his legitimacy by holding mock trials in which he was judge for the jailed board members, all of which were ruled guilty of crimes against Krakon and executed.

In June 2019, the advocacy (and later revolutionary) group known as the People of Rousseau was founded by future-president of Rousseaun, Edwin Staller, which, with anonymous financial backing, provided humanitarian aid to several poor regions of Krakon, as well as advocated for more progressive policy-making in Krakon, and later independence. From the founding of the group, it was criticized by Krakonian media and even President Bugs, who called it a, "spit in the face of our great government," and put through legislation to designate the group as illegal, which failed in the Parliament of Krakon, and was theorized to be personal retaliation for Staller's criticism of Bugs' ascendance to the presidency and policy decisions.

Several policy positions and public statements by President Bugs damaged his reputation with the Krakonian public, and led to his defeat by Thomas Sharp in the 2020 Krakonian Presidential Election, which was originally put on by Bugs due to demand by parliament. Following Sharp's victory in March and his taking of office a month later on 1 April, he received public criticism from the People of Rousseau for his policy proposals, which was echoed by other advocacy groups in Krakon. Sharp did not take note of these criticisms like Bugs before him and ignored them.

### Early Presidency of Thomas Sharp and Terrorist Incidents

On 2 April, a day after Thomas Sharp took office, he forwarded a motion to the Parliament of Krakon which would have declared Heath Bugs an, "Inadequate president and original traitor of Krakon," the motion did not pass.

A week after Sharp took office, on 17 April 2020, an improvised explosive device was found in the men's public bathroom of the Presidential Wing of the Krakonian Capitol Building. The entire Capitol Complex was evacuated, a session of the Parliament of Krakon was suspended, and for the duration of the day, Krakonian Army forces occupied the Complex for public safety, and bomb crews were sent to disarm the IED, which was later found to be defective and inert. The following day, President Sharp placed blame solely on the People of Rousseau, called the group a terrorist organization, and demanded Edwin Staller turn himself in, a demand which Staller complied with, but stated the People of Rousseau were not guilty for the attempted attack. In a subsequent trial, Staller was found not guilty for bomb-making and conspiracy charges due to a lack of evidence on 8 September, and released.

On 25 December 2020, a package addressed to future-president MP Lionel Kirk, signed by 'Jean-Jacques Rousseau' claiming to be a, "Christmas present" was opened by an intern of Kirk's, which exploded in their face, instantly killing the intern and one other in Kirk's office. Edwin Staller denied involvement by the People of Rousseau and claimed it was an obvious false flag by, "The president, or someone close to him," though two days later the Parliament of Krakon was convened in a special session by President Sharp and after seven hours, a majority vote (98-2) passed a declaration pinning the bombing on the People of Rousseau, and designated the group as a domestic terrorist organization. On the same day, the Krakonian Army raided several People of Rousseaun humanitarian outposts in west Krakon, and arrested 47 individuals, all of whom were members of the organization. It was later claimed that evidence of bomb-making and revolutionary activity was found in these outposts, but following a committee investigation, these claims were declared unproven and no such evidence was produced, but the committee noted that, "...due to past activities it is highly likely such evidence exists." 35 of the 47 arrested were exonerated in later trials, and 12 were given sentences ranging from 12 years to life in prison for a variety of charges including conspiracy to commit a terrorist attack, conspiracy to enact treason, and conspiracy to murder a public official.

As later noted by Edwin Staller, the committee was correct in their assumption, as, "We had been stockpiling weapons and other materials for a coming conflict, but not in the locations they raided thankfully, though many members did have illegal contents on their person to indicate such a thing."

## Rousseaunian Revolution

### Part of

Krakonian Conflict

Map showing border divisions following the 8 July peace treaty between Krakon and Rousseaun.

### Result

People of Rousseau achieve independence as the Commonwealth of Rousseaun.

### Territorial Changes

Most of south-west Krakon is lost to the new Commonwealth of Rousseaun, Mount Krakon Federal Armory is returned to Krakon.

## Belligerents

### Defender(s)

Krakon

*Main article: Rousseaunian Revolution*

### Valentine's Day Attacks

*Main article: Valentine's Day Attacks*

On February 14 2021, Edwin Staller, who had until then been in hiding, issued the Rousseaunian Declaration of Sovereignty, which officially stated that the People of Rousseau were seeking independence and that it would be acquired by any means necessary. An hour after the declaration was issued, four simultaneous attacks (two bombings, one raid of a federal armory, and another of a federal prison) took place in Korin, the capital of Krakon, and the Mount Krakon Federal Armory. One side of the Hall of Parliament was destroyed in one of the bombings and the Presidential Wing, including President Thomas Sharp's office (which was completely destroyed) was partially destroyed in another. Mount Krakon was successfully captured by members of the People of Rousseau, as well as the Korin Federal Prison, where members of the People of Rousseau systematically released 154 inmates who had committed non-violent crimes, and the 12 previously convicted members of the organization. The prison was later retaken by Krakonian Army forces a week later. The capture of the Mount Krakon Federal Armory occurred alongside efforts to capture western Krakon, which were mostly successful, and the armory majorly contributed to the future arming of more Rousseaunian forces which helped majorly in the beginning of the revolution.

In a statement, Edwin Staller took full responsibility for the planning and execution of the attacks on behalf of the People of Rousseau, and said that they were a consequence of governmental ignorance.

### Subsequent Revolutionary Efforts and Pushback

As a consequence of being designated a terrorist organization, the People of Rousseau had lost many members and civil support in the months prior to the Valentine's Day Attacks, but still maintained a critical support base in the west of Krakon, which is the area where they were mainly based in. The support base contributed to the major one-day capture of most of west Krakon, and a lot of territories were never retaken, which was a massive blow to the war efforts of Krakon.

#### March - April 2021 Krakonian Presidential Crisis

*Main article: March - April 2021 Krakonian Presidential Crisis*

In the following month, President Thomas Sharp attempted to establish diplomatic communications twice with the People of Rousseau, which were rejected both times, and efforts to retake critical territories, aside from Korin Federal Prison, were failures. On 12 March, the Parliament of Krakon, in a crowded meeting in the former meeting room of the Krakonian Board, voted no-confidence in the government of President Thomas Sharp, which set up another vote on removing him from office. The vote to oust Sharp never concluded, as it was discovered that after the vote of no-confidence, he had flung himself out of the third story window of his home, in an apparent attempt to commit suicide.

After being rushed to the hospital and receiving emergency treatment and surgery, Sharp was put on life support, which was ended by his family a week later on 21 March. Immediately after the announcement of his death, thousands took to the streets to honor the short-lived president, and many others to celebrate it. Against the advice of many in Parliament, military forces were redirected to Korin to enact martial law to stop celebrations of his death, as well as hold a military parade in the late president's honor. This was taken advantage of by Rousseaunian revolutionary forces, and the town of Celine was captured in a battle in the following days (*further information: Battle of Celine*).

In March, Parliament reconvened to hold an emergency election to elect an acting-president until an official election could be held. MP Lionel Kirk was eventually chosen, and later sworn in by an act of parliament as the official President of Krakon.

### Peace Talks

By July, President Kirk had secretly commenced peace talks with Edwin Staller to end the Rousseaunian Revolution. Initially, Kirk took a hard stance in favor of Krakon's victory but Staller was successfully able to convince Kirk of Krakon's clear disadvantage in the war. In 5 days, Staller and Kirk had worked out a peace deal, in which Rousseaunian and Krakonian military forces were to cease violent action against one another, and the People of Rousseau were to gain independence. The peace and Rousseaun's independence were officially announced on 8 July, ending the Rousseaunian Revolution.

Following this, the new President of Rousseaun, Edwin Staller, and President of Krakon, Lionel Kirk, announced that the new nation of Rousseaun and Krakon would work together to amend the economic and physical damages caused by the Revolution.

## August 1st Coup

*Main article: August 1st Coup*

In the morning of August 1st, 2021, a surprise military coup was launched by the Krakonian Armed Forces, who named themselves the Krakonian Popular Front, against the government of Lionel Kirk, which began with an incursion of around 130 Krakonian Army infantry into the partially repaired Hall of Parliament, during the first meeting back inside the Hall. 96 members of the 100-member parliament were killed during the shooting, while 4 members escaped, 3 of which were later captured and executed, and 1 went missing, presumed-dead, until 23 August, when they were found in a hideout 3 miles outside Krakon by Hal Stakionian military forces, who, presuming the MP to be a hostile, reacted quickly on sight, and shot and killed them.

Following the murder of most of parliament, the 130 Krakonian Army infantry troops advanced through the Capitol Complex, killing most in-sight before reaching the repaired office of the President, where President Lionel Kirk was residing with a gun. After wounding one of the members of the group, Kirk was apprehended and dragged to the roof of the complex, where a noose was tied around his neck and he was thrown off the front entrance to the Capitol Complex just outside the Hall of Parliament, killing him instantly as he fell.

Once the Capitol Complex was fully secured, a flag of the Federal Republic of Krakon with the star cut out was raised above the Presidential Wing, and announcements were made over the loudspeakers of Korin that the Krakonian Board was re-established.

### Renewed War Propaganda Against Rousseaun

Following, the coup, propaganda was made by the Ministry of War against Rousseaun, claiming that Rousseaunians bleed black, and calling them separatist cretin.

## 15 Minute War

*Main article: 15 Minute War*

On 23 August, the Grand Duchy of Hal Stakion declared war against Krakon in a surprise declaration, and quickly swept through the country. The new government of the Krakonian Board scrambled to make defense preparations, but devolved into infighting and collapsed as Hal Stakionian military forces entered the capital.

## References

1. ↑ The End of the Stakion-Krakon War, which became known as the 15 Minute War
2. ↑ Announcement of the Fall of Korin
3. ↑ Krakonian Ministry of War calls Rousseaunians, "separatist cretin," and claims that Rousseaunians, "Bleed black."
4. ↑ Hal Stakion Declares War on Krakon
5. ↑ East Stakion Forces Enter Krakonian Capital
6. ↑ Stakion-Krakon War, Now Dubbed the 15 Minute War, Declared Over