Five Small Wars: 1890-1895
During the first half of the 1890s, the PRA would find itself waging several wars, with none of them requiring large amounts of manpower or any type of mobilization. While these wars were not as bloody as previous conflicts, the effects would be no less profound. By 1895, the PRA would be more unstable than during any other point during its existence. Before these wars would begin, the PRA had established two colonies in the South Pacific, one in Tahiti and one in Araucania. The PRA had hoped to extend their influence across the Pacific and this was their first step towards doing so.
South Pacific colonies established in the fall of 1891
The first of these wars would take place far to the south, on the Yucatan peninsula. Yucatan had separated from Mexico during the 1860s, and had allied themselves with the USA, which would protect them from their mutual enemy of Mexico proper. Now that the former governments of both Mexico and America had fallen, Yucatan found themselves in a desperate situation. The Communist government in Mexico desired to recapture this territory, though the communists in the PRA were hesitant to allow this to happen. While Mexico was no longer a threat after the end of the second Mexican – American war, and relations were more amiable than ever, the PRA did not fully trust Mexico, and decided that keeping Mexico divided was in their best interest. The PRA would deny Mexico the opportunity to annex the Yucatan, but would instead help install a communist regime in the Yucatan. In the Winter of 1892, the PRA began fabricating a claim that the current conservative government in Yucatan had rigged the previous election, and that the local communist party was the true winner. The Yucatan denied these claims, which resulted in the PRA giving the Yucatan an ultimatum; either the Conservative government could step down now, or they would be removed forcibly. The Conservatives refused to step down, so on March 26th, 1892 the PRA declared war on Yucatan. PRA troops quickly moved in and overwhelmed the tiny Yucatan military, with the only battle of significance being the battle of Merida.
Battle of Merida, April 19th, 1892
By late 1892 the PRA had fully occupied the Yucatan, and on December 30th the Conservatives were removed, with the Communists taking power in Yucatan.
Peace declared with Yucatan
After the Jacobian revolt of 1889, those in support of restoring the old order, banded together under a new name. Looking back to the original American Revolution for inspiration, they formed the Sons of Liberty. The goal of this group was to restore freedom and democracy however possible, and by 1893, over half of the PRA had local chapters of this organization. The Communists did what they could to put down these traitors, but more and more chapters emerged more quickly than they could be dealt with. In June of 1893, one of these chapters would take a major action. The Alaskan chapter met with local lawmakers and politicians in the settlement of Ulanakeet, and there they decided that the Union and everything it previously stood for had died, and that Alaska would secede from the rest of the PRA. The communists viewed this as an obvious act of war, and immediately moved to reunite Alaska with the rest of the republic. However, Alaska was a vast and rugged land, and this campaign would be slow going.
Alaska declares their secession
Map showing Alaska
By the fall, the Sons of Liberty had gained an incredible amount of momentum. They had chapters in more locations than not, with more and more of the general population becoming aware of their message. In late October, the situation for the Communists would turn from bad to worse, as more States would declare their secession from the Republic. In less than a week, both California and Wyoming seceded, with the later renaming itself to the Dakota Republic.
Map showing the California and Dakota Republics
This new sense of liberalism would spark civil disobedience across the republic, with a particularly large riot breaking out in the territory of Nevada-Utah.
Riot in Moab, November 1893
In January of 1894, after long and strenuous marches through the Alaskan hinterland, the PRA won a few victories over the Alaskans, but the re-conquest of Alaska was far from over. To the South, the Dakota Republic was unable to muster any type of army or militia, and was forced to surrender after being fully occupied by late February.
Dakota Republic surrenders, February 26th, 1894
Even further south, the Californians had managed to raise a small army, which clashed with the PRA army in the decisive battle of San Francisco, the largest of any battle fought during the secession wars.
Battle of San Francisco, March 1st, 1894
In the following months, more battles would be won by the PRA and occupy California, forcing their surrender in the summer of 1894.
California surrenders, August 9th 1894
The Alaskan campaigned trudged along slowly, well into the fall of 1894, when another secession occurred. This time it was Nebraska who would secede, and declared themselves as the Union of the Midwest. They had hoped for other states of the Midwest to join them in their new union, but others had refused, and Nebraska found themselves alone. In the early Winter of 1895, Alaska surrendered, and the battle of Omaha occurred shortly thereafter, which would be the last battle of the secession wars.
Alaska surrenders, January 29th 1895
Battle of Omaha, February 19th 1895
With the PRA army focused on the last remaining seceded state, The Union of the Midwest surrendered shortly thereafter, and order had been restored across the republic.
Union of the Midwest surrenders, restoring peace across the republic
While all four of the secession wars had been won by the PRA with relative ease, the communists were still in hot water. All throughout the wars, the Sons of Liberty had increased their numbers. While most of their strongholds, and all of their open rebellions were located in the sparsely populated western states and territories, by 1895 they had an increasingly formidable presence in the populated eastern states. If one of densely populated north eastern states also seceded, it would be a disastrous situation for the PRA. The PRA was also stunned by the sheer will of the Sons of Liberty and their co-conspirators. Despite the sparsely populated western states ability to field large armies, multiple states had still seceded, even when there was no hope for them against the might of the PRA army. This stubborn; even suicidal attitude of the Sons of Liberty would be enough to give Communists leaders nightmares when they slept.