Australian Civil War

The Australian Civil War was a war that occurred on the continent of Australia from 2045 to 2047. It was fought between the Australian government and the Victorian Protectionist Front in the Australian states of Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. It was one of the most successful campaigns during the Modern Imperial Era.

Post WW3
Following the treaty that formally ended the Third World War, Australia had the makings of an empire, having been granted Indonesia and New Guinea. The people of northern Australia, particularly in Darwin, which had been under siege for much of the Timor Sea Naval Campaign, praised Australia for defeating Indonesia.

In the south, particularly the states of Victoria and Tasmania, views were different. The majority of Victorians and Tasmanians believed that Australia did little to protect Darwin in the first place. The popular belief was that if Victoria was independent, and Australia was invaded again, then the independent Victoria would face no threat. From this, the Victorian Protectionist Front was formed, dedicated to collective independence for Victoria, Tasmania, and the south-eastern region of South Australia. The VPF adopted the Eureka Flag as a symbol of rebellion.

Attack on Puckapunyal
On the first of January 2045, the VPF attacked Puckapunyal Military Area, north of Melbourne. The aim was to obtain major weapons in preparation for war. The same day, an ultimatum was delivered to the Australian government, demanding that Victoria and Tasmania be granted collective independence from Australia. Australia, which had been taken over by imperialism, immediately rejected the ultimatum, and sent troops in to monitor both states. By then, the VPF had obtained tanks and anti-tank weaponry, and was prepared to wage war.

Victorian Terrorism
The day after Australia rejected the ultimatum, a homemade bomb was detonated in Parliament House in Canberra, killing one and injuring three. The attack was claimed by the Aggression State for Victorian Independence, a group of VPF-aligned radicals who believed that terrorism was the key to independence. The VPF, surprisingly, condemned the attacks and imprisoned known plotters for the ASVI.

Despite this, Australia blamed the VPF for the attack, and the ASVI continued to lead attacks on Australia, with approximately one every four days.

The War Begins
The time spent between the Puckapunyal Attack and Australia Day was largely quiet, terror attacks aside. Yet VPF commanders were using this time to name locations to begin their campaign against Australia. Finally, they had identified nine official targets: The plan was to strike first in Mount Gambier to attract the attention of Australian troops, before taking Launceston, then the remaining seven targets. They were to hold all nine for a month before advancing in all directions.
 * Mount Gambier
 * Geelong
 * Ballarat
 * Mildura
 * Bendigo
 * Shepparton
 * Wodonga
 * Traralgon
 * Launceston.

The campaign began on Australia Day, when VPF troops in utes entered Mount Gambier. All entries went ahead and by nightfall the Australians had gotten wind of the plan. Troops were sent in to defeat the VPF in the nearest cities. Most VPF locations held out, but the Wodonga troops were forced into withdrawal, a minor setback.

By June, VPF troops had taken most strategic locations, and were set to link these up. The only city they hadn't held was Melbourne, but that would come soon enough. The VPF, knowing the strong Australian garrison there, planned to draw out the soldiers there and take them out, to make the garrison weak enough to overpower.

The ASVI saw it differently. They argued that the decisive blow would come in Melbourne. Hence they launched an unlimited campaign to overrun the city. Although the VPF saw this as a direct threat, they were keen to take advantage of this. They would allow the ASVI to continue its Melbourne campaign on the condition that the civilians did not suffer. The plan was to allow Australia and the ASVI to weaken each other, then move in and take the city for themselves.

By December, America and Britain took interest in the Australian Civil War, and sent military and medical support to Australia. This caught the attention of the ASVI, who now launched minor bombing campaigns in both countries, with a warning to immediately withdraw. Britain did so, but America remained adamant. So the year ended with the VPF faring favourably.

2046
The first three months of 2046 saw little fighting outside of Melbourne, though VPF advances seemingly could not be stopped. By July, The VPF had taken all of Victoria, and its presence in South Australia's south-east was also high. They had reached the Murray River in all places except in the Australian Alps, and were now largely on the defensive. Attention now turned to Tasmania, where the VPF had remained in Launceston, and Melbourne.

Now, however, the fighting in Melbourne had died down. Australia had destroyed the ASVI, but were largely cut off. The VPF took its opportunity to move in, and by October the city had been captured. VPF troops now turned to the weakly defended Tasmania, and had taken the majority of it by the end of the year.

The Murray Line, however, became the most destructive part of the campaign. The VPF did not wish to extend outside the territory it wanted, and instead defended their taken territory. Australia, however, refused to give in, and called for unrestricted bombing campaigns on major towns and cities near the line, most notably Wodonga and Mildura. It had no effect on the VPF, who had already evacuated people at risk. Instead, it seemed to encourage them to protect themselves from Australia. Hence they informed the world of these bombings and took sympathy. New Zealand, Siberia, Japan and the Hindi Republic were inspired by this and sent military support, but would not directly declare war on Australia.

2047
By March, Hobart had fallen, and the VPF had taken all desired territory. Yet Australia would not allow themselves to be defeated. With American support, the unrestricted bombing campaigns continued, and several major offensives were launched. All, however, were foiled by the VPF, who relied on ASVI intelligence. The ASVI had now ceased all terror campaigns against Australia.

The Treaty of Albury-Wodonga
On 20 April, the same day as yet another failed offensive, a new proposal was supplied to Australia, once again requesting independence. Australia, its economy ruined by failures, relented.

On ANZAC Day 2047, while many remembered the Gallipoli landings in Turkey, Australian and VPF leaders met on the bridge that connected the cities of Albury and Wodonga. Here they discussed the terms of Victorian independence. Both countries would maintain diplomatic relations and trade. An armistice on the same day officially ended the war, and by July, Victorian independence was achieved.

Work now commenced to rebuild ruined cities within range of the new Australian-Victorian border. Diplomatic relations would be maintained throughout the remainder of the Modern Imperial Era.