9,750
edits
Difference between revisions of "Siple War"
added featured article category
Westarctica (talk | contribs) |
Westarctica (talk | contribs) (added featured article category) |
||
| (8 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
| Line 48: | Line 48: | ||
|} | |} | ||
The '''Siple War''', also known as the '''Great Micronational Antarctic War''' was a [[micronation|micronational]] conflict between the [[Grand Duchy of Flandrensis]], Finismund, Marie State, and the Grand Duchy of [[Westarctica]] that began on 29 January 2009 and was officially ended by Flandrensis and Finismund on | The '''Siple War''', also known as the '''Great Micronational Antarctic War''' was a [[micronation|micronational]] conflict between the [[Grand Duchy of Flandrensis]], Finismund, Marie State, and the Grand Duchy of [[Westarctica]] that began on 29 January 2009 and was officially ended by Flandrensis and Finismund on 1 June 2009. The conflict gained significant notoriety in the international community was even mentioned in a Dutch travel magazine. | ||
The conflict was sparked by a controversy over territorial claims, with both nations claiming sovereignty over [[Siple Island]] and [[Marie Byrd Land]] and neither being willing to recognize the other's claims. The nature of the conflict was later altered by the support of the Grand Unified Micronational, which lead to a massive increase in diplomatic support for Flandrensis and Finismund - despite this, GUM later withdrew its support on 27 May 2009, a few days before the conclusion of the conflict. | The conflict was sparked by a controversy over territorial claims, with both nations claiming sovereignty over [[Siple Island]] and [[Marie Byrd Land]] and neither being willing to recognize the other's claims. The nature of the conflict was later altered by the support of the [[Grand Unified Micronational]], which lead to a massive increase in diplomatic support for Flandrensis and Finismund - despite this, GUM later withdrew its support on 27 May 2009, a few days before the conclusion of the conflict. | ||
Hostilities between the warring nations officially came to a close on 24 September 2010 with the signing of the [[West-Antarctic Treaty]] and Westarctica joining the [[Antarctic Micronational Union]]. | |||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
In December 2007, while [[Grand Duke Philip]] was ruling over [[Westarctica]], he accidentally let Westarctica's [[Westarctica Domain Name|official website]] go defunct and also lost the rights to the ''Westarctica.com'' domain name. The micronational community largely considered Westarctica to have become a failed state and as a result, two newly-emerged micronations, Finismund and Marie State, both laid claim to various parts of Westarctica's territory. | In December 2007, while [[Grand Duke Philip]] was ruling over [[Westarctica]], he accidentally let Westarctica's [[Westarctica Domain Name|official website]] go defunct and also lost the rights to the ''Westarctica.com'' domain name. The micronational community largely considered Westarctica to have become a failed state and as a result, two newly-emerged micronations, Finismund and Marie State, both laid claim to various parts of Westarctica's territory. | ||
On 4 September 2008, the [[Grand Duchy of Flandrensis]] was founded and, recognizing the absence of [[Westarctica]] on the internet, proclaimed the tiny [[Siple Island]] in [[Antarctica]] as its official territory of the Grand Duchy on 28 November 2008. After the settlement of several new Antarctic [[micronations]], on | On 4 September 2008, the [[Grand Duchy of Flandrensis]] was founded and, recognizing the absence of [[Westarctica]] on the internet, proclaimed the tiny [[Siple Island]] in [[Antarctica]] as its official territory of the Grand Duchy on 28 November 2008. After the settlement of several new Antarctic [[micronations]], on 31 December 2008, [[Grand Duke Jon-Lawrence]] assumed the throne of Westarctica and restored the nation's presence on the internet at ''Westarctica.org''. Jon-Lawrence immediately asserted Westarctica's right of possession over the entirety of its [[Marie Byrd Land|claimed territory]] and branded the representatives of Flandrensis, Finismund, and Marie State as usurpers. | ||
Following Jon-Lawrence's refusal to negotiate with Flandrensis or Finismund, [[Grand Duke Niels of Flandrensis]] requested help from the Grand Unified Micronational (GUM), an inter-micronational organization similar to the United Nations, which had about a dozen member states. In the beginning, the nations of the GUM became very involved in the matter, and most, if not all of its member states, defended Flandrensis in its symbolic war for [[Siple Island]]. | Following Jon-Lawrence's refusal to negotiate with Flandrensis or Finismund, [[Grand Duke Niels of Flandrensis]] requested help from the [[Grand Unified Micronational]] (GUM), an inter-micronational organization similar to the United Nations, which had about a dozen member states. In the beginning, the nations of the GUM became very involved in the matter, and most, if not all of its member states, defended Flandrensis in its symbolic war for [[Siple Island]]. | ||
==Allied nations declare war== | ==Allied nations declare war== | ||
[[File:Siple Island Old Map.jpg|thumb|400px|Map of Siple Island, the disputed territory that sparked the Siple War]] | |||
On 6 December 2008, Flandrensis, Finismund, and Marie State formed an alliance known as ''Grupo Del Acuerdo Micronational Antartico'' (GAMA) to better protect their territory. Less than two months later, on 29 January 2009, with the support of the GUM and several other micronations, GAMA declared war on [[Westarctica]]. The war itself mostly consisted of anti-Westarctica propaganda spread across the internet and the bashing of Grand Duke Jon-Lawrence Langer in online forums. For its part, after an initial spat of angry communications, the government of Westarctica largely ignored the conflict. | On 6 December 2008, Flandrensis, Finismund, and Marie State formed an alliance known as ''Grupo Del Acuerdo Micronational Antartico'' (GAMA) to better protect their territory. Less than two months later, on 29 January 2009, with the support of the GUM and several other micronations, GAMA declared war on [[Westarctica]]. The war itself mostly consisted of anti-Westarctica propaganda spread across the internet and the bashing of Grand Duke Jon-Lawrence Langer in online forums. For its part, after an initial spat of angry communications, the government of Westarctica largely ignored the conflict. | ||
===Intermicronational response=== | ===Intermicronational response=== | ||
* '''Federal Republic of St.Charlie:''' As protest against the way Grand Duke Jon-Lawrence handled the competing claims, declined to recognize any of Westarctica's claims. St.Charlie, at the time one of the most respected new European micronations, became the first nation that officially | * '''Federal Republic of St.Charlie:''' As protest against the way Grand Duke Jon-Lawrence handled the competing claims, declined to recognize any of Westarctica's claims. St.Charlie, at the time one of the most respected new European micronations, became the first nation that officially recognized [[Siple Island]] as a territory of Flandrensis. | ||
* '''Federated States of Antarctica:''' An ally of Flandrensis since within a week of its inception, the Federated States had always supported Flandrensis and Finismund in the conflict. President David Powell stated: "We believe that Westarctica has made an illegal claim to the territory in question based on an incorrect interpretation of the [[Antarctic Treaty]]. Much of the contention revolves around whether Westarctica became inactive, and, if so, whether this period of inactivity constitutes a relinquishment of any claims. We contend that this matter is not relevant, since Westarctica's original claim was illegal to begin with." | * '''Federated States of Antarctica:''' An ally of Flandrensis since within a week of its inception, the Federated States had always supported Flandrensis and Finismund in the conflict. President David Powell stated: "We believe that Westarctica has made an illegal claim to the territory in question based on an incorrect interpretation of the [[Antarctic Treaty]]. Much of the contention revolves around whether Westarctica became inactive, and, if so, whether this period of inactivity constitutes a relinquishment of any claims. We contend that this matter is not relevant, since Westarctica's original claim was illegal to begin with." | ||
* '''Democratic People's Republic of Erusia:''' Initially, Erusia had complete neutrality in the matter and refused to involve itself in the affair. After becoming elected Chair of the Grand Unified Micronational, Erusia became highly critical of the conflict and the conduct of both sides. Erusia accused Westarctica of being unprofessional and extremely offensive, but also condemned Flandrensis' side in the conflict for appearing to "have adopted the same dictatorial territorial policies it has criticized Westarctica of having." | * '''Democratic People's Republic of Erusia:''' Initially, Erusia had complete neutrality in the matter and refused to involve itself in the affair. After becoming elected Chair of the [[Grand Unified Micronational]], Erusia became highly critical of the conflict and the conduct of both sides. Erusia accused Westarctica of being unprofessional and extremely offensive, but also condemned Flandrensis' side in the conflict for appearing to "have adopted the same dictatorial territorial policies it has criticized Westarctica of having." | ||
* '''Republic of Molossia:''' [[President Kevin Baugh]] of [[Republic of Molossia|Molossia]] suggested that both parties stand down from the conflict and agree that whichever side can successfully plant their flag on Siple Island first will be the rightful owner. | * '''Republic of Molossia:''' [[President Kevin Baugh]] of [[Republic of Molossia|Molossia]] suggested that both parties stand down from the conflict and agree that whichever side can successfully plant their flag on Siple Island first will be the rightful owner. | ||
| Line 83: | Line 86: | ||
==Restarting negotiations== | ==Restarting negotiations== | ||
On 4 June 2010, Jon-Lawrence was overthrown by an internal coup led by Westarctica's [[Minister of Defense]] as well as former [[Grand Duke Travis]]. Their first act of governance was to begin negotiations with Flandrensis and the other nations of the ''Grupo Del Acuerdo Micronational Antartico''. By this time, Finismund had, itself, gone defunct and no longer existed. However, the vacuum caused by Westarctica's long absence from micronational affairs had resulted in nearly a dozen new micronations claiming its territory, despite these added complications, the negotiations progressed in a respectful way. | On 4 June 2010, Jon-Lawrence was overthrown by an [[The Great Return|internal coup]] led by Westarctica's [[Minister of Defense]] as well as former [[Grand Duke Travis]]. Their first act of governance was to begin negotiations with Flandrensis and the other nations of the ''Grupo Del Acuerdo Micronational Antartico''. By this time, Finismund had, itself, gone defunct and no longer existed. However, the vacuum caused by Westarctica's long absence from micronational affairs had resulted in nearly a dozen new micronations claiming its territory, despite these added complications, the negotiations progressed in a respectful way. | ||
==Final end of hostilities== | ==Final end of hostilities== | ||
| Line 114: | Line 117: | ||
[[Category:Conflicts Involving Westarctica]] | [[Category:Conflicts Involving Westarctica]] | ||
[[Category:Featured Articles]] | |||