Securing the Northwest

[Sarah Tintagyl]

**Private**

[quote]
[b]To: Christopher Bogart, Viceroy of Cascadia
From: Maximilian von Hess, General-in-Chief of the Imperial Austrian Army
Subject: Operation[/b]

[i]Your Grace,

It as come to our attention in Vienna that the Revolutionary Republic of Vancouver, the nation that had caused so much grief during the Idaho-Montana era of your region is on the brink of collapse. Surely you have heard the rumors as well and Her Majesty believes that this is the perfect time to begin building the Commonwealth into a dependable alliance for the region and the world. Vancouver Island will not be annex by Cascadia or Austria, but will be instead secured by the Austrian Imperial Guard, Austrian Imperial Regulars and of course Cascadian Regulars. To make sure this operation moves flawlessly, those men and women coming from Austria will first supply in Cascadia and then, along with your reinforcements, move to secure Vancouver Island.

We do not expect much resistance here and will only be sending about five hundred Guardsmen and five hundred Austrian Regulars. Once security is maintained, the natives of the island will be able to police themselves. In addition, a detachment of engineers will be made available for rebuilding and the creation of military depots and bases on the island.

I hope this letter finds you well and that this operation will go as clean as Her Majesty hopes.

Sincerely,

Maximilian von Hess[/i]
[/quote]

**Still Private**

Meanwhile, five hundred Austrian Regulars would board ships bound for Cascadia. The transports would also be made available to the Austrian Imperial Guard.

**Public**

[quote]
[i]People of the Austrian Commonwealth and the Greater World,

The area of Western North America is a region of the world very dear to Austria's heart. It was here that one of our first and strongest alliances were made with the United Kingdom of Idaho-Montana. From the flames of that alliance were birthed many more friends, Pravus Inguro, the United Federation of the East, and others, but by far, Austria is most pleased at the successes of her child and successor to the region, Cascadia. I consider myself lucky to be apart of such a strong and bound group of allies and I am sure that as time continues, these friendships will consistently make the world a safer place in the name of peace and prosperity.

It is then with great regret that Austria and her ally Cascadia, both members of the Greater Austrian Commonwealth, move to secure such peace in the region of the Northwest. The Republic of Vancouver, which has existed since the fall of the U.R.S.R, can no longer be depended on as a stable nation and such anarchy is a humanistic threat to both the people living on the island in the former republic and the people of the northwest region as a whole. Together, Austria and Cascadia will make the region safe again, safe for a budding new nation, conceived in the same liberal and democratic principles that our Constitutional Monarchy and their Democracy hold.

As such, Vancouver Island will be declared a Protectorate of the Austrian Commonwealth. May prosperity touch its lips once again.

~Maria Magdalena von Hapsburg[/i]
[/quote]

[TheShammySocialist]

[center][b][size="6"]Official Statement - Southern Cross Foreign Office[/b][/size][/center]

[center][IMG]http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa325/VictorDeltaRomeo/AUSflag3.png[/IMG][/center]

"As a fellow signatory of the Pacific Harmony Accords, the Union of the Southern Cross supports this move by the Austrian Commonwealth. The Austrians have shown themselves to be responsible rulers in both Europe, and in North America, and this move will be one that ensures stability in a critically strategic area in the Pacific Northwest. Godspeed, Austria."

[IMG]http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa325/VictorDeltaRomeo/robertabelsig.png[/IMG]

Edited April 29, 2011 by TheShammySocialist

[Captain Enema]

Dellion and the men of the Legion's Forward Logistical Group board the waiting Austrian ships. With them are a few other small forces of men. First, the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Regiment (Airborne Capable) and the aircraft of the 334th Air Transport Wing out of Fort Kimberly.

Special tanks are fitted into the C-130 Medium transports give them the logistical legs to make the long flight. The planes are sent in empty, well not quite empty as they are carry several additional bladders of fuel. This and several boxed lunches to keep the crews fed during their trip. Not to mention a few additional men in each aircraft from the 4th Special Operations Group. With them other forces are in motion as well up in Port Sudan.

Notices are sent out to the inactive reserves for the recall of specialized personnel. A full Legion Engineering Brigade is being assembled for deployment with heavy construction equipment. The response from the inactive reserve is enthusiastic as the Legionnaires grab their go bags and report to their depots for orders. Command of the Brigade is given to a long suffering Legion Engineer of some note, General Claude M'tange.

"Get the ships loaded quickly, we will meet with the Austrian convoy as they pass by. Also, pass out personal weapons, we might be Engineers, but we aren't @#$#@#@!" orders M'tange.

"What about our new patches?" M'Tange's 2iC asks.

"We'll get them made and put on our uniforms during transit."

"Austrian Legion, Imperial Guard, well ain't that some @#$#!"

"Indeed, it is some @#$#!"

[Captain Enema]

[b]Cascadia, Pacific Northwest[/b]

"Alright boys, this is a peaceful transition of power. News reports indicate the folks up on Vancouver Island aren't even falling into cannibalism and chaos. They are doing just fine on their own. We are going in to make sure this stays that way. So keep this in mind, the first one of your rejects from your own mama's wombs that so much as harrasses a local I'm going to string you up by your own balls and let the buzzards peck your eyes out," Dellion snaps at the assembled men.

"We read you sir," the respond in chorus.

"We will be polite."

"Yes sir, polite sir."

"We will be friendly."

"Friendly sir, yes sir."

"We will be helpful to old ladies and lost children."

"Old ladies and lost children, yes sir!"

"We will support and ensure the continued delivery of government services in a proper well tuned Austrian manner to the peoples of Vancouver Island, and we will not fail."

"We will not fail sir!"

"Now get on your damn planes, try not to blow anything up, and make sure you all end up on the ground in one piece," orders Dellion as he waves the waiting paratroopers onto the C-130 cargo planes. The 669 Paratroopers and 83 Special Operations Group Troopers slowly trundle onto the planes as their knees groan under the strain of hundreds of pounds of equipment and parachute.

"God's blood, I haven't done this since Kickapoo Valley," mutters one of the Paratroopers.

"Stop whining," another replies.

"Besides, with gravity and all you can't help but hit the ground at some point," another quips as they lug themselves onto the planes.

The troopers make themselves as comfortable as is possible under the conditions. The engines roar to life as the old C-130 Cargo Planes groan their way into the air. One of the pilots thinks, [i]time for a full rebuild of this old bucket[/i] as he pilots his aircraft into the sky. The ten troop transports, ten cargo planes, and two AC-130 Gunships make a direct course across Puget Sound as they vector their way on the city of Victoria.

Victoria being the largest population center demands the quickest relief from whatever has befallen it. Though most of the harden soldiers suspect the locals are probably too busy slurping on tea and crumpets to give a hoot. "Remember you orders, kick babies, shoot old women, set fire to virgins, and take no prisoners!" a sarcastic old jumpmaster shouts as they close on their drop zones.

The troop transports go for a mass drop on the Victoria's airport. It is an inelegant tactic, but in the end it places all their firepower in one central position. It also allows for the rapid relief of their forces by air should that option become needed. A few ankles are sprained, a few chins gashed open, but more or less the entire battalion finds itself on the ground and busy hustling its way into position with a minimum of chaos and confusion.

Which for an airborne operation has to be some sort of record.

Edited May 1, 2011 by Tidy Bowl Man

[Bacharth]

Chris had received the letter at his home just west of Sherwood, in Western Oregon. He read the letter, and sent a letter to President Straden, informing him of the situation. From there, President Straden ordered General LaFonde to commence a combat operation, supporting the Austrians in making sure Vancouver Island undergoes a peaceful transition of power.

General LaFonde then organized Battlegroup Uppercut, comprising of an Infantry Brigade (5,000 men, IFVs and APCs) from Bellevue. The Joint Chiefs of Staff had begun Operation Puget Sunset. The Cascadian Army joined the Legion troops in Victoria and also on the Southwest coast of Vancouver Island, mainly around the city of Tofino. The troops were operating under gold code. They would assume the area is neutral or friendly, but would remain alert, travel with live rounds (not initially loaded), and would return fire if fired on.

[Captain Enema]

The initial wave of paratroopers is quickly joined by follow on forces of Legion Engineers. Standard Legion/Imperial Guard protocol dictate the restoration of public services as paramount in stabilization efforts. Five thousand four hundred and thirty three Engineers plus their personal weapons are perhaps overkill, but if anything the field work will slake off some of the rust of their long stay on the Legion inactive duty roster.

While some of the men are sporting beer bellies, bad backs, and surly temperaments, they make up for it in Engineering acumen. If there is one thing Legionnaires know how to do, it is blowing stuff up and then fixing it again. Luckily the Legion Engineering Brigade dubbed 3001st Legion Combat Engineers Brigade don't find themselves in the position of having to fix anything that other Legionnaires have blown up.

It's a rare turn of events for them. It suffices to say they are quite pleased. 4th SOG teams having spent numerous hours setting up Civil Affairs stations in larger cities on the Island report that for the most part things are running smoothly and the citizens of the Austrian Commonwealth Protectorate are doing quite fine on their own. M'Tange quickly shifts his operations from repairs and restorations to preservation of existing infrastructure.

He accomplishes this by meeting with the former Director of Public Works for the area and makes him an offer he can't refuse. In short, "We'll pay you 15 percent more than you used to make, same benefits and stay out of your hair. Just get your men back on the job and keep this place running."

As M'Tange is busy ensuring the Protectorate's Department of Public Services are well in hand, Dellion finds himself busy with a similar task. Rather than public works he is busy encouraging the Directors of local hospitals, Police Chiefs, and Postmasters to go back to work. His message is simple, "Go back to work, we'll cut your checks and we'll let you run your island. So long as you aren't some kind of douchbebag criminal and you are doing your jobs, we'll stay out of your hair."

The reception to these overtures generally are well received as it is the mysterious collapse of the central government that cut funding to local communities. The local organizations themselves suffered very little in the way of major inconveniences. Once he's finished with this task he sends word to M'Tange, "Find me a Beta Site and get busy.."

[JEDCJT]

OOC: TBM, Vancouver Island had achieved independence as a part of the Holy Empire of Ursalia, as in [url="http://forums.cybernations.net/index.php?showtopic=101523"]this thread[/url].