Federation-Cardassian War

The **Federation-Cardassian War**, often shortened to the **Cardassian War**, was a conflict between the United Federation of Planets and the Cardassian Union during the mid-24th century.

## Prelude

Formal first contact between the Federation and the Union occurred in the early 2320s. The Union at the time was intensely secretive and distrustful of their Federation neighbors. Relations between the two governments were tense, with minor dust-ups occurring along the border.

The aggressive actions of Cardassians in harassing Federation outposts and colonies, coupled with information about the atrocities committed by the Union upon the people of Bajor, drastically soured opinions of Cardassian within the Federation.

## Conflict

### The Exodus (2347-2354)

The final straw came when the Cardassian Guard attacked the colony on Setlik III in 2347. Though the USS *Rutledge* responded and was able to rescue some of the civilians, the Cardassians had massacred most of the population. The Detapa Council, the figurehead leadership of the Union, annexed the system and declared war on the Federation within the week.

The early years of the conflict were defined by a Federation withdrawal from border worlds using massive evacuation convoys. Civilians took heavy losses as they were targeted by Cardassian forces and Starfleet was spread too thin trying to protect them all. It was a period of low morale across the Federation and Starfleet. The civilian evacuees, seeing a retreat from worlds that had been Federation territory for decades, lost faith in their government. Some within Starfleet began to feel frustrated by the rigid rules of engagement, which they felt prevented them from meeting the Cardassian threat on equal terms.

### The Offensive (2355-2359)

By the end of 2354, nearly all the border worlds had finished evacuating and the convoys were no longer needed. Able to concentrate their forces, Starfleet inflicted heavy damage on the Cardassians while taking moderately higher losses themselves due to being the sole targets of opportunity. Despite the increase in casualties, morale soared as Starfleet was able to fight back effectively and utilize their strengths. Cardassian tactics proved less effective against formations of Starfleet starships than they did against convoys, or even against singular vessels who were free to engage them without the restraint necessitated by protecting transports. Some imaginative minds envisioned the Federation sailing all the way towards Cardassia Prime to end the threat once and for all.

### Deescalation (2360-2367)

After losing the majority of their fleet at Chin’toka, Cardassian Central Command staged a fighting retreat of its remaining forces. The fleet was used to defend the homeworld and other strategic systems deep within Union territory in anticipation of a Starfleet push to the heart of Cardassian territory. When no such campaign materialized, Central Command adopted a localized focus, staying only on the fringes of Federation territory.

In turn, Starfleet Command became a victim of its own success. The ferocity with which it devastated the Guard fleet raised questions about its proportionality. As the intensity of Cardassian attacks dropped, pressure to avoid provoking a desperate last stand mounted. There were also concerns that thirteen years of conflict would normalize the idea of war and a militarized Starfleet; damaging the peaceful dream of the Federation and creating a generation of Cardassians raised on jingoistic wartime propaganda seeking revenge. The recent peace with the Tholian Assembly was pointed to as a more proper solution. Though tensions remained high, hostile exchanges were relegated to low level border skirmishes and bluffs. Diplomatic efforts were greatly intensified leading to concessions in an effort to prevent decades of guerilla warfare.

## Aftermath

Open hostilities came to an end in 2366 with a tentative truce between the two powers. In 2367, a formal armistace was signed. Discussions continued over the next three years and many concessions were made on both sides in order to secure a lasting peace. The formal Federation-Cardassian Treaty was finally signed in 2370, creating a demilitarized zone (DMZ) between Federation space and the territory of the Cardassian Union.

The concessions made and the stipulations of the treaty forced additional evacuations and movement from various worlds now in the DMZ. This removal and continued Cardassian harassment led to many former colonists from the area forming the Maquis to fight against Cardassian oppression where Starfleet would not.

Though a peace was in place, relations remained cool between the Federation and the Union. This all changed when the Cardassians allied with the Dominion and the Dominion War began in 2373.

## Chronology

2347
Cardassian forces attack Setlik III, beginning the war
2355
Initial test flight of the *Keldon*-class prototype is interrupted by a Starfleet patrol
2356
Battle of Chin'toka devastates Cardassian forces; Starfleet refits escort vessels with more concentrated firepower
2365
Cardassian forces attack Nivoch, but are repelled by the USS *Endeavour*
2366
Open hostilities end with a tentative truce
2367
The Federation-Cardassian Armistice of 2367 is signed; USS *Phoenix* goes rogue and attacks Cardassian outposts
2370
The Federation-Cardassian Treaty is finalized, forming the Demilitarized Zone
## Appendices

### Connections

**Agencies:** Starfleet • Diplomatic Corps • Department of Temporal Investigations • Federation Security Agency

**Facilities:** 40 Eridani A Starfleet Construction Yards • Antares Ship Yards • Beta Antares Ship Yards • Copernicus Ship Yards • Laikan Starfleet Shipyards • McKinley Station • Memory Project • New Aberdeen Shipyards • Proxima Maintenance Yards • Salazaar Shipyards • San Francisco Fleet Yards • TL-9139 Starfleet Maintenance Yards • Tranquility Base • Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards

**Notable spacecraft:** CUV *Damar* • CUV *Letau* • CUV *Taced* • CUV *Tain*

**Spacecraft classes:** *Brinok* • *Damar* • *Detapa* • *Galor* (*Keldon*) • *Ghemor* • *Groumall* (*Tuffli*) • *Hideki* (*Yukuwa*) • *Kulinor* • *Rasilak* • *Sartan* • *Thakliv* • *Vasad* • *Vidren* • *Vystan*

**Facility classes:** *Cefta* • *Nor*

### Sources consulted

* Federation-Cardassian War article at *Memory Alpha*.
* Federation-Cardassian War article at *Memory Beta*.
* *Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual*.