Jingdaoese-Alriggian War
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The Jingdaoese-Alriggian War was a conflict between Alrig and Jingdao that started in 1684 following a series of incidents on the border. Until that moment Alrig and Jingdao had been close allies. The war officially started on the 7th day of the 6th month of the year 1684, after the Jingdaoese armed forces attacked Alriggian protesters who insulted the Chidao Emperor. Upon hearing the news of the bloodbath, war was declared by Alriggian President Luo Dai and the news was delivered to the Jingdaoese emperor by Zhuchi Xi an hour later. The Chidao Emperor expressed his sorrow over the situation, wished Zhuchi Xi good luck with their war and had her escorted back to the Alriggian border. As soon as Xi was back in Alrig, Jingdaoese soldiers closed the barriers. Jingdaoese armoured divisions were brought closer to the border, but did not approach it closer than a kiloric. Likewise, Alrig assembled armed forces close to the border, but not at the border itself. This situation remained stable for several months, with no assault undertaken by either nation. Even without military skirmishes the economic impact was severe on both nations with a great portion of the logistics sector in Jingdao operated by Alriggian companies, and Alrig's companies relying heavily on trade with and in Jingdao. On the 4th day of the 9th month of the year 1684, the Jingdaoese head steward Shen Chidao and Alriggian President Luo Dai met at the border to discuss the impasse. President Luo Dai announced that she was not willing to stop waging war against Jingdao unless it would apologise for the bloodbath. Head steward Shen Chidao expressed the Jingdaoese view that the bloodbath was an unfortunate event, but that it was not unjust to respond with lethal force when the emperor is insulted.
On the 20th day of the 9th month of the year 1684, the Jingdaoese Empire announced the nationalisation of the Kaimingcheng Container Terminal, property of the Apollonian Shipping Company. Tens of Alriggian workers employed at the site were arrested and relocated to internment camps in Jinkeai. Despite its importance to the ASC's operations in Jingdao, the company responded with understanding. Other Alriggian companies with holdings in Jingdao feared that the same could happen to their assets and petitioned the Alriggian government to come to an agreement with Jingdao. Hardliners in the Council of Driftwood rejected the call for a policy of appeasement and found a majority in the counicl for the internment of Jingdaoese citizens and the seizure of Jingdaoese assets in Alrig. Twenty-five Jingdaoese citizens were selected randomly and placed in internment camps in the Eastern Circle, not far away from the Florian border in the north. Alriggian police forces executing the order did not know that among these Jingdaoese citizens there were two undercover agents of the Tegong. As they learned of the imprisonment of their staff, the general staff of the Tegong pushed with the Chidao Emperor to escalate the conflict and liberate the undercover agents.
Three days later, on the 23rd day of the 9th month of the year 1684, the Tianchao Haijun's 3rd Expeditionary Battle Group was sighted to be nearing the Erazm Bridge west of Oudstad. Its admiral, Zhang Yi sent out a warning. The bridge was to be cleared of traffic within 180 minutes, after which he would send the 3rd Expeditionary Group Air Wing to target any vehicles and persons still using it.