NationStates Jolt Archive

Mark Bowden: (Author, The Twisting Road to Hanover) Hanover is a fairly long and complex war, that doesn’t stem from just one event.
It involved a lot of back history between Kanami and Stevid, both whom we’re at odds with each other.

General Kimsey: (Military Commander-Kanami Collation) We had an enemy right in our backyard we had to get rid of them some how. Stevid couldn’t be allowed to keep this with out some sort of compromise.

Bowden: Not to long ago Stevid and Kanami got into a political face-off. When Prime Minister Conroy formally announced the nation was expelling anyone of any faith not approved by the Government, Kanami was furious and responded. It ended in a Non-Aggression Pact. Then Stevid and Kanami met again, this time not on the battle field, but as humanitarian partners for Kurona. And upon Prime Minister Elenore Romney’s election, she began to feel Stevid was a potential ally for Kanami. But that changed quickly.

Yukito Tanazaki: (Senator, Kanami Parliament) She gave numerous speeches about the potential of Stevid as a friend, how they really had a soft side. I didn’t believe it.

Karou Kamiah: (Minister of Foreign Affairs) I had heard a lot about our previous encounter with Stevid, I wasn’t sure they could be trusted. Frankly it went against every moral bone in my body.

Bowden: About Late July, the CIA discovered Stevid was running operations on a chain of islands very close to Stevid, and this had them worried, not only for their national security reasons, but their nation’s principals. If Hanover was harboring prisoners of religion, Kanami wasn’t going to stand by and watch it happen in their own backyard, now when they can do something about it. And in addition, several islands near Hanover were extremely fragile, many recovering from genocide, and imperialism. All of these had a protectorate agreement with Kanami, and many of those agreements stated No Unauthorized Vessel, Plane, or Person shall set foot upon your lands. Use of force is authorized.

Allen Mitchell: (GDI Correspondent) We found no proof Kanami was protecting these colonies at all.

I.H. Soldier: (Distorted Voice) Kanami was acting in their own national interest, not of others.

Bowden: With the large military presence there, this made Elenore extremely nervous, because all it would take is one shot fired to start a blood bath. Elenore isn’t a fool she knows Stevid is one of the strongest Navy’s in the World, they are first on many charts, and these colonies of small militias, could not combat against their forces. So Elenore needed to find what Hanover was for, before something bad happened. She called together all her Cabinet, all her allies, and pretty asked for a meeting with Prime Minister David Conroy. Elenore was rather optimistic she could convince Stevid to back off a little in the area, and make sure Hanover was under the watchful eyes of Kanami. So Conroy was brought to Kanami, and everyone from Aqua Anu to Magic Sorcery was there. Even Kurona, who had joined the Stevid Empire.

Tomoyo Mikanu: (Ruler of Kurona) Kanami has been a long time friend. But Stevid is also a very good friend. I thought I could have influence on both sides, I was wrong.

Bowden: The meetings went on for several hours, and a lot of words were exchanged. Elenore did find out just what was being done on Hanover. It was a little scary to them, for national security and regional security.

Elenore Romney: (Prime Minister of Kanami) Hanover by its nature is illegal. Stevid can B.S. you all they want, but they were doing illegal things. Their so called “Dangerous Criminals,” half were cases of self defense, half were those who practiced religion in secret, another and only about a quarter were actual terrorists. And their military presence there was frightfully big. Too big and too close to a dozen tiny islands they don’t give a (bleep) about.

David Conroy: (Prime Minister of Stevid) Hanover is hardly illegal, an Empire annexes unclaimed territories. If you don't like it and are willing to wage war over it then become the world’s anti-Empire police force and wage war against every single Empire in the world. Ridiculous statement by the governments of Aqua Anu, and Kanami and follows suit with the rest.

Bowden: Technically there is no international law that would forbid Stevid from doing what they please, but Kanami and Aqua Anu felt otherwise.

Queen Mikaux Akoowa: (Ruler of Aqua Anu) Stevid would get away with murder in the name of their sovereignty. I mean no one draws the line, it almost becomes to a point where you can do the most heinous acts imaginable, and no one cares, because you are a free nation. Stevid likes to throw around that word too much. Any one who thinks Stevid or any nation can get away with human rights abuse should be brought up to trial.
The idea a political leader can get away with anything just because his country is sovereign? That’s Bull (bleep), it’s pure and utter bull (bleep).


Bowden: Because Stevid wouldn’t cooperate, Kanami decided to set up a mass of force in an Atoll near Stevid, almost the exact distance from Kanami to Hanover. But they we’re soon discovered. A squad of jets came to investigate, and one acted like an overzealous cowboy and played a joke by creating a loud sonic boom.

Admiral Dutch Payton: (Admiral AQRN Dutch M. Churchill) It was redicilous , who ever was flying that jet was an immature brat who thinks a 60 billion dollar jet is a toy. So we told him off, I was more than willing to shoot him into the sea to teach him what happens to kids who play around.

Bowden: Stevid was hardly worried about Kanami. Kanami in their eyes is a speck on the map compared to them. They new the world would defend their sovereignty, and they had a strong navy that could level any Kanami costal city. But what they didn’t anticpate was the might of Kanami’s ground forces, and Air Force. Kanami knew they were at a slight disadvantage their, but they were willing to risk it and invade Hanover.

Alex Thorton: (Minister of Defense-Kanami) We mobilized and went to Hanover.

Bowden: If Kanami was going to win this war, they needed good allies. Aqua Anu their long time friend, decided to join the war. So in the middle of the night, several B-2 Stealth Bombers went and took out key points on Hanover, and they got lucky because Hanover wasn’t equipped with advanced CELLDAR, then by the next morning, they and Aqua Anu organized an invasion of Hanover. Elenore wasn’t willing to waste time with an ultimatum and she got right to it. While Kanami was taking care of Hanover, Aqua Anu’s navy would head off Stevid’s and really act as a drag net for them, to slow them down. Aqua Anu purposefully went in rather unprepared, they really wanted Stevid to underestimate them incase they were to fight them again. If Stevid had done any real research, they would know Aqua Anu rides their tail as a naval super power.

Queen Mikaux Akoowa: I knew Stevid was cocky nation. I wanted them to believe we were weak.

Bowden: Unfortunately Aqua Anu underestimated Stevid as well. They didn’t anticipate Gothic Missiles. Meanwhile on the beaches of Hanover, Kanami was already quickly pushing through Stevid lines, faster than anticipated.

Lt. James McKray: (1st Lieutenant Ground Assault Unit) The battle was intense and harsh. But once we pushed into the forest things calmed down.

Bowden: As the forces moved in closer and closer, Kanami needed to figure away to slow a mobilization from those in the Hanover Capital. So Kanami played a trick, they took red sand, natural sand from their southern deserts, and duped it, to make it look like a napalm spray. This gave a window for Kanami to swarm in, and catch them off guard. It was a very clever tactic, and it did work, long enough that Kanami captured the capital with minimal civilian casualties. Upon it’s capture Kanami did what was called Project Prison Sweep. Every 5 star General went to the Hanover Prisons and basically evaluated every prisoner there. And almost a quarter of the people there were as Kanami suspected, prisoners of faith. Many hadn’t committed any dangerous or serious criminal act other than violating Stevid’s State Religion Rule, and some who we’re being held for murder were valid cases of self defense, and all of those Prisoners were given asylum

Ali Ahmend: (Former Hanover Prisoner) When Stevid announced anyone of Islam would have to leave or be arrested, my family went into hiding. We practiced in secret for a long time, and then we were captured and taken to Hanover.

Akilah Bit Karim: (Former Hanover Prisoner) I was a little nervous when the Kanami shoulders came. The Stevid guards told us they would come and rape all the women, and demoralize us. But that never happened. Many were very kind, and some were even Muslim themselves.

Servan Hussien: I was arrested and shipped to Hanover. I couldn’t afford to leave, and all my friends and family were still in Stevid. Then I was put into the Hanover jail. It was okay, humane and well facilitated. But I’m happy to be in a country that accepts me for who I am.

Alexia Dreyfuss: (Economist) People assume these people can just pick up and move, and that just isn’t the case. Often times it’s not economically feasible to. And if they seek asylum they risk being turned away, and sent back to the very country they ran away from.

Bowden: As Hanover was taken, Kanami citizens began to feel a sense that the war was coming to an end, however the Administration knew Stevid was going to try to recapture the islands. The naval battles raged on between Aqua Anu and Stevid, it’s often called round 1. Aqua Anu was hopelessly out matched purposefully and their objective was to slow down the advancing navy as much as possible until Kanami captured Hanover. Then come back full force, and defend the interior of the islands. And it worked for a while, until Stevid launched a second round of Gothic Missiles, which pretty much would have wiped out the remainder of the fleet. Admiral Dutch Payton cut a deal with the Stevid navy, they would retreat and not fire another shot, instead of being taken prisoner.

Admiral Dutch Payton: (Admiral AQRN Dutch M. Churchil) The last thing I was ready to do was surrender to these fascists pigs.

Bowden: The battle was a fierce fire fight; Aqua Anu used a lot of hit and run tactics even to the point when Harrier Jets were kamikazeing Stevid carriers. Aqua Anu felt enough was enough and retreated. And Hanover was now well into Kanami’s hands. The Stevid flag was taken down the first day, folded up nicely and respectfully, and the Kanami flag was flung. It seemed to be a victory for Kanami they had finally beatend their long time enemy, and shown them when you mess with Kanami you will get the horns, and that Kanami will do what it has to do to ensure the safety of the region, of Democracy, and their beliefs. And Aqua Anu proved Stevid isn’t the only mighty navy in the world. But of course it proved to be too good to be true, because no sooner did Stevid pull the navy back to rearm and regroup and re-strategize; their ally the United States of Independent Hitmen was ready to come to the call of Stevid. And once I.H. entered into the theater things began to take a turn for the worse. Elenore Romney went to the Global Alliance of Sovereign Nation’s and asked for help, however Stevid Bureaucrats prevented any GASN involvement military wise, only diplomatic wise. Kanami understood, and tried to hold their own against Stevid. Just earlier Kanami had also joined The Global Defense Initiative, and Romney figured if GASN was out, they were too. So Aqua Anu, along with Magic Sorcery departed again to head off I.H. Forces, while Stevid’s Navy came near Hanover. The Queen’s strategy worked on both sides, not only did Stevid underestimate Aqua Anu, they also very much underestimated Kanami. Kanami has a rather strong air force, which gave a major advantage, against the Stevid ships. But of course Stevid had their own good air-force as well but what they lacked was advanced dog-fighters that Kanami had. Stevid’s jets held out for the longest period and matched up against the planes. The Kanami F-23 Sakura’s were the fastest and strongest jet, and they we’re assigned to Stevid’s fastest jet fighters X-24 Scorpions and X-23a Night Walker’s. Kanami’s first tactics were to jam up the enemy, by engaging electronic warfare, and it proved to work. Then Stevid came back up on the offensive, and managed to deal a great amount of damage. After Stevid launched their Gothic Missiles, Kanami launched their Batosi Missiles, which are very alike in the amount of damage they create. They did a good job, until Stevid launched their Thermobaric Bombs which are everything short of a nuclear bomb. It pretty much gutted an entire branch of Kanami’s ships.

Pvt. Robert McNulty: (YF-23 Black Widow Pilot) It was like being up against the Death Star.

Bowden: Kanami couldn’t allow for more of those to be shot, so they began to send in heavy bombers to take out ships, but the AA cannons proved to be trouble some. So the Black Widow’s and the Sakura’s began to target AA fire. The F-23’s are known for three things, their Blossom Formations, their Waves and their female pilots. Yukiko Kinimoto was one of those ace pilots; she knew the AA fire was to heavy from every side to attack the cannons, so it defeated the purpose to attack them because they couldn’t be attacked. So Kinimoto flew into the hot-zone, and began to draw their fire, which gave time to destroy a small amount of cannons. She crashed landed into the ocean and sadly she hasn’t been recovered.

Jonah Hastings: (Black Widow Piolt) I remember, Yuki was always the one to do crazy things, she was a fun loving gal, with a strong sense of duty.

ARCHIVAL INTERVIEW- 7 Months Before Hanover
W.Com. Yukiko Mashimo: (Kanami Pilot) To be chosen as a wing commander is a great honor. I love my country and I am willing to die for it if needed, I will watch my brothers and sisters in arms until the very end.

Bowden: And Yukiko was officially given a Medal of Honor posthumously. With Yukio down another Wing Commander named Lucy Evansen took charge, she was being tailed by a Stevid jet, but was strangely let go.

W.Com. Lucy Evansen: I knew I was being painted, and I prepared to die. Made my peace with God, and just waited. But he left, and I couldn’t figure it out. But I’ve always knelt down in prayer and asked for blessings upon him.

W.Com. James E. Holmes II: (Stevid Pilot) Those women have a lot of guts. The RAF doesn’t allow women for health reasons to fly these jets. It created sort of a moral dilemma with me; can I really shoot down a female pilot? But of course I had to treat them all the same.

Lucy: I know the risks evolved, I know I may not have children. But that is fine with me, that only means I can give some lonely child a new and loving home.

Bowden: While this battle was going on, Princess Tomoyo went to Stevid to talk to Conroy, and maintain Kurona is still a friend and a neutral nation in this. She was also trying to see how Stevid was doing in the war w/o compromising their national security and friendship. Kurona had been giving provisional aid to both sides for the whole course of the war Kanami had reinforcements well on their way, they could have won this naval war or otherwise face potential invasion, but the Nation of HotDogs2 brought GDI into the matter. All nations involved were ready for a show down, then chose to compromise and call to peace.

Elenore Romney (Prime Minister of Kanami) I assumed when GDI would come in, we could find a way to end this conflict once and for all. I wasn’t expecting to take sides, other than to make sure Hanover wasn’t taken in vain.

Bowden: GDI and H2 Sent in Medical Ships near Hanover, then called a forum to get to the root cause of the war. All nations attended, however it became a even more tense political situation than the first meeting, and far more tense than the Cold War Resolution Meeting. Stevid and I.H. were out for blood, while Kanami was out for a resolution. I.H. began making proposals to downsize Kanami’s and Aqua Anu’s navy and military forces. Then things turned from radical propostions to laying blame.

Secretary Thomas Adler (I.H. Offical) Kanami had no right to occupy them because of internal Stevid policies, that is what this war was about.

Elenore: As far as I’m concerned, Hanover isn’t an official state of Stevid, it’s a bunch of uncharted islands that are used to house prisoners. Sovereignty only applies to a state, not some random group of islands.

Empress Sakura Kinmoto: They wanted to down size all our military forces, but seeing as they had been in more wars than us, they had no right.

Bowden: During the course of the forum everyone sought to Punish Aqua Anu separately, for reasons I can’t understand, and neither can Romney.

Elenore: Aqua Anu had every right to be in that war as much as I.H. Of course I.H. was coming to Stevid’s defense. Aqua Anu was our aid, they helped defend Hanover, and take it. Why should they get sever treatment, especially when it was us who asked them.

Mikaux Akoowa: (Queen of Aqua Anu) It was horrible, they kept seeking to punish us individually, even GDI sought to punish us.

Subaru Akoowa: (Princess of Aqua Anu) Frighting the way Stevid tried to manipulate the meeting to its favor. And it’s also scary the way it worked. We owe a lot to Elenore Romney I think she really helped talk them out of it.

Elenore: H2 sent Aqua Anu to the gallows, and I had to cut the rope.

David Conroy (Prime Minister of Stevid) Aqua Anu was a nation we had no quarrel with and had no intent to attack in any way yet they joined the war on the Kanami front and plotted ships in the Stevidian controlled Otium Aqua Sea. When they attacked us, we saw it as unprovoked. Stevid moved to have Aqua Anu removed from the treaty and be “dealt” with separately.

Bowden: The forum concluded and then adjourned to a final peace treaty discussion in H2. Kanami felt they had managed to talk out of sever harm, but then they saw the treaty.

Stan Holmes: The Treaty was ridiculously biased, it was slanted heavily in favor of Stevid and I.H., it was as bad as the treaty of Versailles.

Elenore: I couldn’t believe it; GDI stabbed me in the back. So I argued over and over again why this treaty was unfair, why we went to Hanover was to protect the colonies, but everything I said fell on death ears.

Bowden: The treaty laid down nearly 100% blame on Kanami, even though Kanami testified many times, they were securing the region, and they were protecting many indigenous populations from potential Stevid massacres, but President just refused to listen.

Elenore: They only thing they listened was me proposing no-fly zones. But strangely enough when I used the words Genocide, Indigenous, massacre, imperialism, it all went in one ear and out the other.

President Roberts: (GDI/H2 President, Presider) Kanami failed to provide any evidence. GDI did what we said we would do, and that is maintain peace. Their allies had no right to participate in the war.

Elenore: Come on! I swear this guy would have called the Allies of WWII “Illegal” as well. There is no international law, or GDI law that says I can’t have allies in war.

Bowden: Romney was failing to convince anyone so she went to a last ditch effort and played her wild card. She actually had the building swarmed by over a thousand people, most of them children, and press members. All of the people were those who lived on Islands near Hanover.

Elenore: I needed them to see how many have suffered as a result of imperialist nations. And Stevid was getting too close to them, I did what I said I would do and that is protect them all.

Bowden: Several of Stevid’s Secret Service Agent’s tried to shoot Elenore, but she was of course well guarded.

David Conroy: That (bleep) could have killed us all! They could have been seen as terrorists and shot outside by either mine/IH’s security or H2’s. We could have killed her in thinking it was an assassination attempt. She breached diplomatic treaty and besides these people can see these “talks” on television. That was the most disgusting thing I had ever seen.

Elenore: All of these people were harmless, Conroy overreacted.

David Conroy: She’s too young and too naïve to be an efficient leader, what she did was stupid and dangerous, and a mockery of H2’s security.

Elenore: They shooed them out to silence them. Stevid knew I hit a nerve there, they knew they had gone too close and they knew they could lose their safety net should they have to blow up those islands. If Stevid were to attack those no-name islands, and everyone knew about them, they could be punished. But if no one knows, or no one cares, they can do what they want and keep their squeaky clean image.

Bowden: It was a shock, and public out cry in every nation that was following this story, began to protest, demanding Stevid leave the islands, to keep them safe. But the protests were largely ignored by everyone. It was winding down, and Tomoyo and King Ludoaki XVI, had been following the story very closely, they agreed too much was in favor of Stevid and I.H. the demands were outrageous, things that have never been done in war before. King Loudokai absolutely demanded that they and Kurona would be the ones to finally right up a new peace treaty, but H2, waved them off. Of course King Ludokai told them if they did they would personally make sure the world knew how much GDI was terrible.

Roberts: It wasn’t any of their damn business to get involved it was between all of us

King Robert Ludokai XVI: (Ruler of Emerald Springs) Me and Tomoyo tried to act in the best interest. It was horrifying the way they were stabbing a democratic nation in the back like that. They wouldn’t listen, so now we’re going to show the world how they stabbed Kanami in the back

Bowden: By the next day Romney had enough. She couldn’t get anyone to listen to her, the testimonies of all the people had been ignored, and H2 wasn’t ready to chage one thing of the treaty. She signed the document, and threw the pen down and declared her with drawl from GDI.

President Roberts: We lost Kanami but we got I.H. back on.

King Ludokai: They dropped a democratic nation, and took on a friend of a dictator. In no time flat, they didn’t even ask Kanami to reconsider.

Queen Mikaux Akoowa: Kanami is ten-times the nation Stevid is, with ten-times the heart, and everyone is bending over backwards for them. They are the only ones who have the desire to do anything right.

Ludokai: Kanami went to Hanover to prevent Genocide, they came out bankrupt.

Bowden: Kanami seriously felt betrayed by GDI, for writing a really slanted treaty like that.

Roberts: What on earth gives such a brown nosed little nit wit nation like Emerald Springs the right to condemn our peace treaty? We never forced anyone to do anything, we were the damn 3rd party, if anyone should complain of us being biased its Stevid, we let Kanami and company get away with murder and for nothing at the end of the day. $50billion, that’s all it cost them to have their arses saved and not even have to apologize. They got free food and great security if it wasn't for their own stupidness. We’ll pulled them out of certain death.

Elenore: If they know Stevid is a very strong nation, why is it they are calling any alliance we formed illegal?

David Conroy: The world is a far safer place with Kanami off of GDI. They are lucky not to have a nation with the Stevidian flag flying from their presidential building. That's what would have happened if you failed to sign. Their resignation from the GDI has made the alliance safer and probably other nations in the world safer.

Elenore: What GDI nearly did was open the door to allow Stevid to take the islands near Hanover, and make people suffer more. If I hadn’t talked them down, those islands would have been twice as venerable. The first clause doesn’t even mention that Stevid refused to cooperate, that we were working to prevent massive bloodshed. Do we share the blame of the war? Yes, does Stevid share some blame? Yes. What did Stevid get? Scott free with a suggestion to make their laws “Less controversial.” Oooh.

Boerts: The treaty was a success. We brought peace to the region.

Lady Miko Jirad: (Representative Animalpolis) Peace, there will never be peace.

Alexandria Bryan: (Former South Island Resident) I hope peace can be restored to that area. I don’t want to see more bloodshed. The idea of so many forces in that area makes me nervous.

Maria Cortez: (Former Gazth-Sonika Resident) I lost my two children during the Meta Genocide. Gazth-Sonika is armed enough to fire upon a few Stevid ships, but not enough to combat them. All it takes it one spark to light off a powder keg. I can’t bear to see any more killings, more children lost. (Sniff) Oh sorry.

Bowden: Even with GDI and Kanami presnt in the region, those areas are still very fragile.

Elenore: What kept me awake at night was the idea of Stevid super dreadnaught whipping out an entire island population, out of revenge for being shot at. I wasn’t going to stand by and watch that happen.

Bowden: It is true many of these colonies were under some rule. Some colonies were even under Nazi Rule. Nazi’s who fled from justice after World War II set up residence and their own personal dictatorship. When some of Imperialist nations pulled out anarchy arose, and that led to Genocide. Kanami had reasonable Intel that Stevid was planning to annex some of these islands. Hanover was a complex war, it was over very complex issues many failed to see. Kanami wanted to protect the region from imperialist rule, and they wanted to protect the underdogs of the region, the ones no one else wanted. Of course Stevid wanted to show its might and to Kanami and show them “we don’t have to listen to you if we don’t want to. It’s our way or the highway.” Aqua Anu wanted to help their long time friend and ally, I.H. was the same. Magic Sorcery wanted to finally exercise some sort of political say in the world, after being shunned for a long time. Kurona just didn’t want to jeopardize its self. H2 wanted to show GDI can have powerful influence, Kurona wanted to protect its self and it’s two friends at the same time. Really I can’t say there was just one nation to blame, I can’t point the finger and say “Oh it’s Kanami’s fault,” or “It’s Stevid’s fault.” It really is far more complex and deeper than that, something the treaty failed to recognize. GDI was too concerned with laying blame, and getting things done they really didn’t stop and think, about what drove them to war.

Gordon Smallwood: (Warologoist) The psychology behind war is far deeper than most think. People think it’s always about power, about money, about religion, but those are mostly surface issues, some it’s about adrenaline. And the problem with most war treaties is they are very slanted, they seek only to punish and please someone. The treaty of Princtable, which was drafted by Kanami and Princstable officials, was one of the fairest treaties I have ever seen. While it did get reparations from the Reble forces, it didn’t damn them to hell. It made sure their differences were reconcilable.
Bowden: Every nation had something to prove and something to lose. Hanover is a real can of worms, far from the last Cold War. For all the nations involved their relationship may get worse or get better. Every nation from Kanami to H2 are in the eyes of the world, to see what will happen next. Many are glad it’s over, some feel betrayed; others feel victorious. When Kanami pulled out of Hanover, one thing that impresses me is Stevid soldiers didn’t deface the flag, in any way. They pulled it down, folded it up and put in a case to be sent back to Kanami. What will happen in the region of Hanover we’ll have to wait and see from here on out.