Voltarvo Intervention

'Overview'

The Voltarvo Intervention, also known as the XXXX was an early conflict between Pteroslavia and the Greater Confederated Kingdom over the breakaway Voltarvo region of XXXX. Between 1922 and 1924, the GCK provided material aide via the Tarniw Road to the Voltarvo socialist rebellion, XXXX

Historical Background

Following the 'reintegration' of the Miedzygorami Koalicje by Krola Pteroslavia in the beginning of 1919 (3BF), expeditions to the border of the Voltarvo were mounted by the Royalists, and Old Pteroslavian Imperial forts were occupied. Complaints of banditry along the Terytoria border began flooding the Voltarvo region from Pteraw in early 1920, which were intensified and expanded by March to areas including the Volhynian Border. After Pteroslavian Troops in Grody reported a series of raids on border fortifications, an ultimatum for integration was sent to Bragaraoult on 30 May 1920 (2BF) with the threat of force if it was not answered in 2 weeks time. Intense negotiations in Isniaca filled the first week, but it was apparent by 10 June that Adrian Trela would accept nothing but total annexation of the Voltarvo. The Krolestopol Advisory Sejm, the closest thing to an embassy for Pteroslavia in the Voltarvo delivered the delclaration of war, dated 20 June 1920, to Dobri Bakaban in a somber procession on the prior day, and announced their intention to leave the country.

Crossing the Tuma: 3 November 0AF

Following the establishment of the socialist sympathetic GCK on 18 June of 0AF, Chairman Bakaban was quick to reach out to the newly formed greckstatt and request aide for the revolutionary state that August. Bakaban was quick to find a political ally via the state's first First Citizen Nel Brosso, who quickly and effectively rallied the socialist sympathetic Citizen's Assembly and convinced uff de Uthen to provide invaluable political support for the venture. Following several months of organization, on 3 November 0AF four companies of cavalry and infantry conducted an amphibious crossing of the Tuma River near the meeting point of the Greck-Azani-XXXXXXXX borders. This would be the first military expedition of the newly formed Greater Confederated Kingdoms; in spite of formal protests from the Grand Vizieer, the expeditionary force entered Azani territory and began advancing relatively unopposed to the direction of the Holy State's northern border with the Tarniw People's Republic, the southernmost sub-state of Vol-tar-vo.

By 10 November, a 35 mile long primitive road and pontoon bridge had been completed across the Tuma and supplies--comprising of ammunition, food and medicine--were able to begin entering Tarniw. At the time, it was hoped that providing a supply corridor to the sea via the Laurentin port of Busik would strengthen the position of Bakaban's socialist forces, but the greckstatt was hesitant to engage its months-old unified army in the heart of winter and sought to only provide material support, as opposed to engaging in an expensive and unnecessary war while still quelling political instabilities at home. Grottcolonel Heinrich Misler, the head grecka official responsible for support to Bakaban's forces, established his field headquarters in Busik.

The Winter of Demands: November 1922- February 1923 (0AF-1AF)

In the wake of the fall of Bragaraoult, operations within the VTV cooled significantly. Many Pteroslavian leaders, and indeed much of the army, believed an overall victory had been won and that all they needed to do was wait in their positions for an offer of surrender. By November of 1922 it was apparent that the VolTarVo leadership had decided to continue fighting, and orders of preparation were sent out to the commanders on the front. Inquiries were put forward by many commanders, both on the front and away from it, as to why the socialists would continue fighting in the face of such overwhelming victory. A flight over North Azan in early December confirmed the suspicions of the Pteroslavian general staff; The GCK was funneling aid and supplies across a bridge on the Tuma.

Demands were made almost immediately to the Azani government to expel the GCK, and allow a 'short-term' occupation to ensure no further outside interference. Demands to the GCK were less heavy-handed but still asking for nothing short of complete non-interference in the VTV. When the issue of violation by the Pteroslavian aircraft that viewed the GCK operation on the Tuma was brought up to Trela, he is reported to have laughed and replied: 'Is it as much a crime for an officer of the law to report a wrong he ought not to have seen? There is no violation.' In response to the Pteroslavian ultimatum, the newly organized greck government (temporarily headquartered in Bonnhaven while the location of a permanent long-term capitol was still under discussion) issued its own counter-demands in January of 1923 (1AF), namely being that Pteroslavia formally recognize Chairman Bakaban's government and set to the task of establishing mutually acceptable borders for the Voltarvo state. Popular support for Chairman Bakaban's socialist forces among the greck citizenry dramatically outscaled the Allkommand's own estimations of its ability to support a large-scale conflict in the region, encouraging a reserved response from the Bonnhaven government; in spite of being tasked with overseeing internal politics, as opposed to international relations, Nels Brosso began privately advocating for the organization of "international revolutionary companies" to help augment the material support being sent to Voltarvo with greck volunteer troops.

While a diplomatic stalemate existed between the GCK and Pteroslavia, the unhindered material support through Azan substantially bolstered Bakaban's strength, leading to VTV forces commencing their spring offensive a month earlier than Trela had expected and taking his forces somewhat by surprise; in February of 1AF the Volhynian People's Army recaptured Bragaraoult, substantially improving the VTV's political position.

Bakaban's Offensive : February 1923--XXXXX (1AF)

In response to quiet insistence from the GCK, Dobri Bakaban ordered an offensive to be organized, in part to prove their ability to defend themselves, even with GCK materiel. Planning commenced before the storm of demands between Pteroslavia and the GCK in January 1923, and the operation commenced in early February. The main point of this attack was to make the continued occupation of the VolTarVo seem as expensive to Pteroslavia as possible, and so it was split into two main objectives: Push the line in as many places as possible, and support anti-collaborationist groups in occupied Volhynia and Tarniw. Lacking, of note, is the objective to *hold* the ground that the pushing took. Partisans and geurillas were organized behind the lines of battle, which was made easier by the Pteroslavian initiative to reintegrate the territories, rather than police them as an enemy. In the month of February there were no less than 64 recorded attacks on Pteroslavian troops and garrisons across occupied Volhynia, and another 8 in Krolestopol alone. Immediate reaction to these two forces was plodding and heavy handed, as the more specialized troops of the Inzynierowiec and Sturmoweic had been moved further south in preparation for an advance up the Tarniw-Azan border.

VolTarVo troops on the front lines were able to push into the Pteroslavian lines with surprising ferocity, and were able to retake most of Bragaraoult and parts of Volhynia. The offensive in Tarniw was ground down by the more well-equipped Pteroslavian troops there. By the end of February, VolTarVo troops had retaken several towns and cities, though the previously planned orders to fall back were never given. Enthusiastic commanders of the National Militias were certain that they could maintain control of the territories from their invaders, and that a new offensive would soon be mounted to continue the attack.