Now we begin on the first chapter of Knights of the Realm, which details the origins and the events leading up to the Osean War. I would like to thank Cae Lumis for his ideas and support. So now, let us begin.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Ace Combat games in any way, though as I said in the disclaimer for the Prologue to this story, I do hope to submit this story to Kono-sensei to make an official novel for the Strangereal lore.
ACE COMBAT
Knights of the Realm
Written by
Christopher Manson
Chapter I
Origins and a Seminal Tragedy
The Osean War started almost by accident and yet, it ended with the humiliation of a nation that would paint its foreign policy as a form of punishment toward the victor through another war in the 1940s; and would continue to last all the way through yet another war in 1995. Over ten million men took part in a war that the rest of the world thought would never happen; a "War to End All Wars"; it ended nothing. Yet, it shaped how wars would be fought from that point onward, through the use of new killing machines introduced in the conflict: The airplane and the tank, among other things; in the age when the steam train, and even the horse and wagon, were still the primary modes of transporting armies. Before the conflict broke out, it was generally believed throughout the world that the then new killing machines such as the machine gun would be so efficient, that nations would never go to war for fear of the consequences. The Osean War proved that theory wrong. New prevalent feelings came about from the conflict: Hate and anger; and a growing willingness to use the machines of war for even greater slaughter. Over four million people were killed in this "War to End All Wars"; mowed down by bullets, blown to pieces by bombs, incinerated, gassed, starved, devoured by rats and lice, killed by the epidemics that thrive on misery. Over five million more were wounded; the survivors could count themselves lucky, but they have lost their youth, their face, their sanity. How was this fury unleashed?
The origins of the war dated as far back as 1851. The Osean Federation, having come out of a very bloody five year civil war over the rights of man as a victorious, industrialized power, began promoting expansion of its own borders throughout the continent; coining the term "Manifest Destiny". Throughout the remainder of the 19th century, Osea's territory rapidly quadrupled in size; stretching from Oured Bay and the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, to the Kirwin Islands in the frigid far northwest; from Cape Landers on the nation's Pacific and Ceres Coast in the west, to the border of South Belka in the east.
However, things were not as peaceful as the peoples of the world liked to believe. Tensions had been building between Osea, and North and South Belka ever since the former's borders had met South Belka's at the Great Lakes region in the late 1880s. Since then, the Great Lakes region, as well as the islands off the northern coast in Aulick Bay and even the Heierlark region, had been disputed territories between the two nations; and thus, a powder keg.
Things came to a head in early December 1904, when Osea's Foreign Minister, Garry Blakesley; pacifism's leading spokesman; wanting to alleviate the growing tension between the three nations, set out on a diplomatic mission; curiously, on board Osea's second dreadnought battleship: The OFS Eagle. Through their ambassadors in Oured, the North and South Belkans learned about the Eagle's departure, and viewed its eminent "friendly visit" to Anfang, North Belka with deep suspicion. The North Belkan Navy was put on high alert; ready to intercept and sink the Osean dreadnought if it violated its territorial waters and to prevent the warship from ever making port. However, the Belkans backed off upon learning who was on board; after all, killing the world's leading pacifist would be bad for, not only the Belkan militaries, but also the two monarchies', public images to the rest of the world.
On the evening of the 27 December, the Eagle arrived in Anfang harbor, amid the cheering of Belkan citizens who adored Blakesley's peace efforts, much to the dismay, and even anger, of some of the Osean officers on board the ship. Over the next five days, Blakesley and the North and South Belkan heads of state tried their best to work out a compromise to the border crises. However, in the very early morning hours of the 2 January 1905, as Blakesley slept in his quarters, the OFS Eagle suddenly and inexplicably exploded with the loss of more than six hundred of her sailors, officers and Marines; Foreign Minister Garry Blakesley was among them.
Oured, Osean Federation - Naval Ministry
2 January 1905 - 0947 Hours (Local Time)
Running through the halls of the Osean Naval Ministry, very pale in the face, was Vice Admiral Desmond Harrison. As he opened the door to a meeting of officers, he nearly shouted to his superior, Fleet Admiral Linton Kendall, "Fleet Admiral Kendall, the OFS Eagle exploded in Anfang!" to which, Kendall replied with icy calm, "We already know, Vice Admiral Harrison. Please, sit down. We have much to discuss." Desmond, confused as to why his superior is so calm on the topic of Osea's second dreadnought battleship being destroyed in a foreign land, eventually took his seat at the far end of the table. The room was one of the most decorative military meeting rooms in the world, rivaling those of the two Belkan monarchies, the Republic of Emmeria, the Kingdom of Erusea, and even the Tsarist Yuktobanian Empire. There were a few key features that stood out to him: To Desmond's right was a portrait of Admiral Renton Rupertson, the man who sacrificed himself to prevent the Sapin Navy from taking Oured in 1795; a great hero in the eyes of the Osean people, even to this day, and a man who Desmond and every other Osean Naval officer strove to emulate. Behind him was a portrait of Commodore Thomas Perry of the Osean Navy's Third Fleet who "persuaded" the Shogun of North Point to open up trade with the rest of the world in 1830. Below the portrait, in a glass case, was Perry's sword, which, legend has it, was used to kill a samurai who opposed the opening of trade.
Desmond was about to ask what was going on when the door opened to reveal the President of the Osean Federation, Davis Hudson, storming in; livid at what just happened. Everybody stood at attention, saluting the President. "Kendall, you bastard! You better have an explanation for what just happened! Not only did we lose one of our dreadnoughts but Foreign Minister Blakesley was reported to have been killed in the process!" Now it became clear to Desmond. Pacifism's leading spokesman was killed in the Eagle's explosion and it seemed almost certain that the military wanted it to happen. But knowing that she was a coal-fired battleship, one of the last in the world, it could've been an accident. There was also a third, but extremely unlikely, cause. "It is very simple, Mr. President: Belkan extremist saboteurs sneaked on board the ship with the intent of killing Oseans through the use of a bomb in the ship's magazine." This explanation was met with skepticism from President Hudson, "You expect me to believe that Belkan extremist saboteurs sneaked on board and planted a bomb inside the ship's internal explosive hold, knowing that the world's leading pacifist was on board? I don't buy it. I just don't." As the President walked toward the window on the far side of the room to look out toward the city of Oured to think, Desmond glanced at Fleet Admiral Kendall and he could've swore he saw his superior make a slight smile. He began to wonder what was going on inside this Fleet Admiral's mind: Was it ambition? Ambition for what? "It's only a theory, sir." Kendall replied, expertly hiding that slight smile, "What I suggest is to send an ultimatum to the Belkans, telling them that they should allow us to investigate this disaster on their soil unhindered."
Desmond realized the Belkans would never do such a thing. To do so would be the same as to give up sovereignty to the Oseans. "And if they refuse?" the President asked, turning around with a hint of worry, to which Kendall replied, without a beat, "Then it will be war. The people of Osea are already hearing about this through the newspapers and the motion pictures. They will not oppose the idea of war with the two Belkas, most notably the pacifists since their spokesman was killed on the ship." Turning back to the window, President Hudson thinks for a few seconds, and then, without even considering other avenues or even considering the consequences, he says, "I'll write the ultimatum." He thus leaves with his cabinet staff along with Kendall. It was at this point that Desmond and the remaining Naval officers think to themselves in horror, "It is an Osean War..."
Dinsmark, Principality of North Belka - Palace
2 January 1905 - 1048 Hours (Local Time)
Archduke Helmuth III was on his morning walk with his greyhounds throughout the castle grounds when one of his aides, Waldemar Krüger, came running up to him carrying a telegram. "Your Majesty. I have a telegram; urgent." The North Belkan monarch replied with a hint of worry, "Let me hear it." Krüger took a moment to catch his breath before reading the telegram "Osean dreadnought exploded during the night. Stop. Foreign Minister Blakesley among the dead." Turning to the Archduke, he says, "This is a disaster, Your Majesty." Helmuth simply frowned and headed back inside the palace, wanting more information and leaving Krüger hoping that a peaceful solution can be made to this crisis.
Dinsmark, Principality of North Belka - South Belkan Embassy
2 January 1905 - 1050 Hours (Local Time)
The Duchess of South Belka, Annette IV has always slept in late, something that she picked up from her late-father early on in her life. Having got up an hour ago, she was now sitting at the embassy's dining room table having breakfast. Then, quite unexpectedly, her meal was interrupted by one of her aides bringing a telegram with chilling news. As she read it, her face turned pale, tears swelling up in her eyes. She was usually not an emotional person, but when she read the assumed casualty figures, including the Osean Foreign Minister, she couldn't help but shed tears of sadness. "How did this happen?" Annette asked trying in vain to hold back further tears. Her aide replied, "We don't know and we don't think the North Belkans and even the Oseans know either." Little did they know, the Oseans were already making their response to the tragedy.
Over the next few weeks, the Oseans wrote their ultimatum to the two Belkas; a ten-point letter brow-beating the two Belkas with accusations of sabotage with the most important point being that Osean military authorities should be free to investigate the disaster unhindered, which was impossible for the Belkans to accept and that they had until 31 January at five in the evening to reply. Finally, when the ultimatum and its copy were received by the two Belkas on 24 January, the respective heads of state were shocked. The North Belkan monarchy's top adviser, Foreign Minister Frederick von Brandt, counterclaimed that the Osean military assassinated their country's own Foreign Minister and pitted the blame on the Belkans. However, von Brandt was a man of ambition for his nation; he was often displeased, and at times, horrified at the liberal, reformist ideals of Archduke Helmuth III and his Erusean-born wife, Archduchess Marybeth II; often accusing said ideals as "immoral" and even "destructive". The current crisis gave von Brandt an opportunity to have the North Belkan monarchy change its ways and even finally unite the two Belkas in order to face off against a dangerous rival: The Osean Federation. During this time, von Brandt, behind the monarchy's back, writes a telegram meant for the Duchess of South Belka stating that North Belka has their full support.
Stier, Duchy of South Belka - Castle
30 January 1905 - 1306 Hours (Local Time)
In Stier, the Royal capital of South Belka, the Duchess Annette IV was trying her best to play all the angles at once, including the fateful decision to partially mobilize the South Belkan Military. "Is there any way to make the mobilization move faster?" Annette asks her military aide, General Jockel Stauss, to which Stauss replied, "Depending on the railway timetable, it might take over a week, at most." The Duchess was now very worried, "This mobilization needs to move as fast as possible. If the Oseans cross the border while our forces aren't in position, they will just have to march on both Sudentor and Stier Castle, and that will be the end for us." It is then that another one of the Duchess' aides arrives, with a telegram. "Your Majesty, a telegram from the North Belkan Foreign Minister. It reads: You have our full support. Stop. We will send you military units to South Belka in the event of an attack by Osea." Annette was stunned. Did Archduke Helmuth and Archduchess Marybeth receive the same ultimatum? Do they intend to defend us? To go to war? So many questions were swirling in her head. Her military aide snapped her out of her thoughts, "What are your orders, Your Majesty?" Without skipping a beat, Annette replied, "We have the North Belkans' support. Commence general mobilization." Unknowingly, she was playing right into hands of both the Oseans and von Brandt.
It is at this point that the disputed territories began to boil as both the Oseans and the South Belkans started to fully mobilize their forces. Up to this point in the month of January, the OFS Eagle's explosion was just another event on the world stage, but with the release of the ultimatum, the peoples of the world started to clue in to what was happening; nations and powers outside of Osea, and the two Belkas began to pay attention.
Dinsmark, Principality of North Belka - Palace
31 January 1905 - 1559 Hours (Local Time)
Archduke Helmuth III and his aides were at a table debating how to respond, the Archduke having his copy of the ultimatum in his hands, he and his aides also having heard of the South Belkans' general mobilization with the Oseans doing so as well. The North Belkan Foreign Minister, Frederick von Brandt, was eerily quiet during the whole, heated debate. Finally, the Archduke turns to his top aide and asks, "von Brandt, what is your opinion? Should we really go to war?" A few seconds go by, and Helmuth's military aide, General Gerhard Wehnert could've swore he saw von Brandt making a smirk of satisfaction. "As a matter of fact, yes, Your Majesty." von Brandt finally spoke as he continued, without a hint of regret, "I was the one who suggested to the Duchess of South Belka that they commence their general mobilization, as a service to our Fatherland." Helmuth was now irate; he had always known to put his top Foreign Minister under great suspicion for, not only his anti-reformist attitude, but also for his ambitions; but this crossed the line. To say that North Belka will support its southern neighbor in an act of war behind his back was, to him, the greatest act of treason that anyone could do him and his nation. But before he could answer, von Brandt continued, "Do you really think accepting the ultimatum will solve anything? The Oseans want war; they want the ultimatum to be rejected; to appear free of blame to the rest of the world for the war they're planning against us." The Archduke, skeptical, asks, "And you know this how?" to which von Brandt quickly replied, "Our Minister of Intelligence, Dominik Kassmeyer, learned about this from his spies in the Osean government. The Oseans' new Foreign Minister said that any reply, even if it is an acceptance of the ultimatum, is to be rejected as unacceptable." Helmuth was apoplectic; was this just another one of von Brandt's harebrained, warmongering schemes; or worse: Was this some sort of coup against him and his wife?
Helmuth's military aide, General Wehnert, began to explain, "It is no secret that Osea has envisioned itself as a continental leader, and our spies have informed both Kassmeyer and von Brandt that there are politicians in the Osean government who still wish to annex its neighbors to the east, including North and South Belka." The Archduke was about to make a counterargument when he was interrupted, this time by von Brandt, "And most importantly, how will the Kingdom of Sapin, the Ustio-Rectan Commonwealth, and the rest of our neighbors to the east think of North Belka if it does nothing but sit on its ass and let its southern neighbor be harassed, invaded and eventually annexed by Osea?" It was at this point, feeling boxed in, that Archduke Helmuth III, one of the people who advocated peace and reform, relented with a sigh, "If war with Osea is unavoidable, then so be it... Gentlemen... I will reject the ultimatum..."
As he wrote, doing everything in his power to keep his hands from shaking as he consigned North Belka's fate, he began to tell himself why this was North Belka's only recourse. With the threat of a vastly larger and potentially more powerful nation breathing fury down upon his home... would there even be a Belka left if he allowed Osea to have its way? Would his nation be stripped of its pride, history... even its own name to sate Osea's ambition? No... he might be a man of peace... but his two decades studying martial tactics and history told him to never leave such a threat laying down. Better to wage war and fight for a free Belka... so that there would be a Belka to reform in the future.
And so, on 31 January 1905, ten minutes before the deadline expired, both North and South Belka sent their reply, rejecting Osea's ultimatum. Its ultimatum having been rejected, Osea declared war on the two Belkas on 1 February; the invasion of South Belka began soon after.
It was the beginning of the Osean War...
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