Caribbean Crisis (1876)

## Caribbean Crisis

~ Instability of the Emasilian economy

~ Ineffectiveness of the democratic government

### Outcome

~ Damaging of diplomatic relations between Emasilia and other foreign nations~ Even more debt in the country

~ Expensive infrastructure rebuilding

## **Background**

The Emasilian Civil War that lasted from 1868 to 1873, was fought between the oligarch loyalists and the monarchist imperial armies. After much support from foreign powers like Garecia, Katyiniju, Mrassia, Destburg, Gracago, and others, the Emasilian government now owed a large debt to those who helped them quell their rebellion. Each year Emasilia made a payment of 1,000,000 Emasilian pesos to Gracago and Neka per year from 1874 to 1878.
While paying its neighboring allies, Emasilia began to fall short on its payments to other allies like Mrassia, Destburg, Garecia, and Katyiniju. However the responses to this slack were mixed. Across the gulf was Garecia and Katyiniju who responded by allowing the yearly payment to be missed as long as it still made the total requirement by the end of 1878. However Mrassia and Destburg were a bit more harsh on their terms. Mrassian and Destburgian government leaders demanded that the yearly payment be made no matter what.

On November 26, 1876, when Emasilia missed its second payment to Mrassia and Destburg, the two European powers assembled their armies and navies to set course to South America to help enforce their authority. The fleet arrived by December 11, 1876. Once they arrived, they sent the Emasilian president a telegram. To either hand over the 1876 payment or they would have to use force. Instead of answering the demands, the government declared martial law and organized the army in defensive positions around the city of Apanada.

## **The Crisis**

Three days passed without an answer. Seeing no use in peaceful means, the commanders on board the expeditionary fleet gave the order to fire upon the city of Apanada. The bombing lasted for 10 hours straight, and the Emasilian defenses proved to be worthless, since their manpower was still recovering from the civil war. After the bombing had stopped, the Mrassian and Destburgian navies landed in Apanada and several divisions unloaded and poured into the city to root out any resistance.

The Garecian Republic under president Reuben Dixon declared the massacre and bombing as inhumane and should be ended as soon as possible. After the bombing stopped and then suddenly an invasion of a weakened nation’s capital city, President Dixon sent the Garecian Navy to Emasilia to mediate between the two sides. However once the Garecian Navy arrived, the Kingdom of Mrassia and Empire of Destburg said that if Garecia were to get directly involved they would invade and destroy the entire Garecian East Coast. Not wanting to risk another war against a European alliance, Reuben Dixon called the navy back to Hatchet and announced neutrality in the crisis, ending its two week intervention.

By December 23, 1876, Apanada was fully occupied and a NEW list of demands was given. Not wanting to have the whole country destroyed even more, the president conceded and agreed to sign off a new deal with Mrassia and Destburg.

TREATY OF RIMA (1876)

1. Emasilia will cede control of the port cities of Rima, Ciéles, Maichica, Giseca, and Galameja to a joint Mrassian-Destburgian occupation.
2. The Mrassian and Destburgian armed forces and navies will remain stationed in Apanada until 1878.
3. Emasilia will be forced to pay its debts to the Mrassian and Destburgian crowns via raw materials until 1878.
4. Mrassia and Destburg will oversea reconstruction efforts in the country on their terms until 1878.