At 10.00pm residents in Viputa could clearly hear the sound of artillery fire coming from the border area between Opeland and SPUR.
An hour later the SPUR State Radio station in nearby Kronsgrad began transmitting news flashes about a border incursion into SPUR territory by troops of the Opelandic Army. The newsreader gave a graphic account of the action, and told how a large force of Opelandic troops had attacked a SPUR border post, which had fought back with such ferocity that the invaders had retreated.
At 9.00am on the following morning SPUR's ambassador to Opeland handed a Diplomatic Note to the Opelandic Foreign Minister demanding that the Opelandic Army withdraw from the border area, which would henceforth be declared a neutral zone. To guarantee 'the continued peace between our two nations' the Opelanders were also required to 'lease the town of Viputa and its environs to the people of SPUR for one hundred years.' The Note pointed out that if the terms were no agreed by 1.00pm, that day, a state of war would exist between SPUR and Opeland.
The Opelandic Prime Minister immediately called a Cabinet meeting, and invited Marshal Talenheim to attend. By midday the meeting had agreed to ask if a delegation could be sent to Kronsgrad to negotiate terms. It was also agreed that the Opelandic Armed Forces would be mobilised and begin to occupy the border defences.
At 12.30pm the Opelandic Foreign Minister had a meeting with the ambassador of SPUR, and requested that negotiations between a delegation from the Opelandic government and representatives of SPUR's Supreme Soviet should begin as soon as possible in order to settle their differences and thus avoid an outbreak of hostilities. When the Foreign Minister indicated that the requests made in the Diplomatic Note were not going to be immediately agreed to, SPUR's ambassador stated that there was no possibility of negotiations taking place, and requested the return of his diplomatic accreditation.
At 1.00pm SPUR State Radio announced that 'in the face of naked aggression by Opelandic forces and their government's refusal to guarantee the safety of the peace-loving people of SPUR, the Supreme Soviet has taken the decision that a state of war now exists between Opeland and SPUR. It greatly regrets having to do this, but feels that due to the intransigence of the Opelandic ruling elite, they were left with no other choice.'
At 1.01pm, Marshal Zirkoff issued orders to his troop to begin their attacks at 8.00am on the following morning.
An hour later the SPUR State Radio station in nearby Kronsgrad began transmitting news flashes about a border incursion into SPUR territory by troops of the Opelandic Army. The newsreader gave a graphic account of the action, and told how a large force of Opelandic troops had attacked a SPUR border post, which had fought back with such ferocity that the invaders had retreated.
At 9.00am on the following morning SPUR's ambassador to Opeland handed a Diplomatic Note to the Opelandic Foreign Minister demanding that the Opelandic Army withdraw from the border area, which would henceforth be declared a neutral zone. To guarantee 'the continued peace between our two nations' the Opelanders were also required to 'lease the town of Viputa and its environs to the people of SPUR for one hundred years.' The Note pointed out that if the terms were no agreed by 1.00pm, that day, a state of war would exist between SPUR and Opeland.
The Opelandic Prime Minister immediately called a Cabinet meeting, and invited Marshal Talenheim to attend. By midday the meeting had agreed to ask if a delegation could be sent to Kronsgrad to negotiate terms. It was also agreed that the Opelandic Armed Forces would be mobilised and begin to occupy the border defences.
At 12.30pm the Opelandic Foreign Minister had a meeting with the ambassador of SPUR, and requested that negotiations between a delegation from the Opelandic government and representatives of SPUR's Supreme Soviet should begin as soon as possible in order to settle their differences and thus avoid an outbreak of hostilities. When the Foreign Minister indicated that the requests made in the Diplomatic Note were not going to be immediately agreed to, SPUR's ambassador stated that there was no possibility of negotiations taking place, and requested the return of his diplomatic accreditation.
At 1.00pm SPUR State Radio announced that 'in the face of naked aggression by Opelandic forces and their government's refusal to guarantee the safety of the peace-loving people of SPUR, the Supreme Soviet has taken the decision that a state of war now exists between Opeland and SPUR. It greatly regrets having to do this, but feels that due to the intransigence of the Opelandic ruling elite, they were left with no other choice.'
At 1.01pm, Marshal Zirkoff issued orders to his troop to begin their attacks at 8.00am on the following morning.
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Off to a ominous start....Great background and start up ,looking forward to following your campaign.
ReplyDeleteDon M,
ReplyDeleteHopefully I will be able to report some of the action from the first day of the war at some point later this weekend.
All the best,
Bob
Love the storyline! Sadly, it reads all too like real history....
ReplyDeleteIan Dury,
ReplyDeleteWell the scenario was based on the events of the real Wnter War between Russia and Finland, so it was not too difficult to make the back-story sound reasonably realistic.
All the best,
Bob
Love the background! "greatly regrets..." hmmph! Sure they do.. :)
ReplyDeleteA. Jeff Butler
Brigadier General (A Jeff Butler),
ReplyDeleteI like to spend time getting the back-story right as it always seems to enhance my enjoyment of the battles that follow.
Having worked for a time as a civil servant within the British education system, one soon learns to use the English language in subtle ways to convey stronger meanings that the actual words simply state. Greatly regret means - of course - that you are going to regret making me do this!
All the best,
Bob