Red Revolution

The Red Revolution was an internal conflict between the loyalist forces and various left-wing and republican rebel groups during the summer of 1920 and the winter of 1921 in the Sovereign Empire of Gristol-Serkonos. The conflict occurred due of the growing dissatisfaction between the ruling National Coalition-Patriotic People's Front coalition government and the members of the National Workers' Party, the Communist Party, and underground republican factions.

The rebellion began when Magnus Rundstrom, leader and chairman of the National Worker's Party, announced their merger with the Communist Party and attempted to seize control with the support of various left-wing and republican groups. After the coup attempt failed to capture key government agencies and the Imperial Families who escaped to Ravenstein, Rundstrom authorized a major offensive in November 1920, which ended in defeat. The Imperial government troops and the Royal Territorial Army captured most of the major cities in December and last red stronghold of Griswald in the last day of the Rebellion.

Following the war, the government sent thousands of communists and republicans to internment camps in military-controlled sector of Luminaa Island and were forced to live under extreme conditions. Here thousands died and are buried in mass graves. In addition, a mass hunt was authorized by the government, executing 10,000 more Gristol-Serkonosean citizens with suspected ties to any far left wing or republican groups. The war was characterized by bitter fighting, indiscriminate shelling of cities and towns, mainly perpetrated by both forces. Events such as the Battle for Rien-Stadt and the Rodinta massacre later became iconic of the conflict.

Background
Since the unification of the Empire, the recently established Rieshistagi (the Imperial Diet) was for many years has been dominated by a coalition of right-wing political parties led by the National Coalition. The country is experiencing its largest economic boom following the discovery of petroleum oil in the southeastern part of Gristol. Throughout the boom, wealth generally was generally concentrated to the nobility, upper and upper middle classes; while the working class experienced little improvement.

In 1900, the Rieshistagi passed the controversial GS-118, which established de facto racial segregation in the Empire. The passing of the law follows the confirmation by the Imperial Supreme Court, stating in Tarsus v. Barsethii that all facilities must be separate but equal. While most facilities provide equal amenities for everyone, racial discrimination continue to ran rampant.

The growing discontent among the working class led to the formation of various far-left wing parties. Among them is the National Worker's Party of Gristol-Serkonos founded by Magnus Rundstrom, a dissident of the Social Democratic Alliance and the far-left Communist Party of Gristol-Serkonos, founded by Marian Nicolescu. In the 1916 general elections, they were the 9th and 10th largest parties respectively out of the 16 parties with parliamentary representation in the Consei-Estadi of the Rieshistagi.

While supportive of the incumbent diarchy (the Compromise written in 1891 declared that all parties must swear allegiance to the diarchist system of government) and supported democratic change, the two parties were essentially republican, advocating wealth redistribution and the abolition of the current racial segregation in the Empire. The parties in the Rieshistagi actively worked to isolate the Communists and the National Worker's, with the 8th largest party, the Kainuu Devolutionists supporting them. By the end of 1919, internal discussions between the two parties has concluded that the parliamentary system and the democratic change is impossible and started to plan an armed overthrow of the Imperial government.

The two parties began to amass weapons from Desena and Erjunhuf. These weapons would be distributed them among the individual branches of the parties. Each branch would then take over a major government ministry on a certain date.

Early Gains
At the early hours of July 22, the communists launched a coup against the Imperial Government of Gristol-Serkonos. Assisted by several underground republican groups, they quickly overrun Gendarmerie Garrisons and took their weapons. By 6 am, the communists captured the entire Capital District, Griswald, and majority of the large industrial cities in Kymenlaasko. Beyond the areas the communists captured, the communist failed to gather enough support in the rest of the Crown Lands. A notable exception is in the Serkonos Crown Land of Vâlcea, where the Reds captured the capital city of Drăgășani.

From the grounds of the recently captured Populae Palati, Rundstrom and Nicolescu declared the formation of the People's Republic of Gristol-Serkonos.

Some of the Imperial Naval Officers were also found to be sympathetic to the communist cause. Led by Admiral Varys Nedell, they launched a coup d'état, successfully capturing the Hamina Naval Fleet Yard. With the IGSDF's largest mainland naval port captured by the communists, they also seized 70 ships including the flagship of the Imperial Navy. This caused the Imperial Army in Kymenlaasko to be thrown in disarray, forcing a retreat.

Assisted by General Valerii Kjellsson, the Commander of the Imperial Territorial Army, the Imperial Families and key government officials managed to escape Rien-Stadt to the city of Ravenstein, Carolinthia. The next day, it was decided that Ravenstein was designated as the provisional Capital City for the Government. Because of inexperienced officers in the Imperial Army, the counter-offensives launched often ended in failure. While successful in containing the communists, the failed offensive frustrate the government.

In August 1920, Lord High Chancellor Alistair Dion appointed General Valerii Kjellsson as the head of the IGSDF. With Lord High General Stephane Rosenthal dismissed, Kjellsson reorganized the military towards isolating the communist-controlled areas of the Empire. The isolation order has been so tight that even humanitarian aid from foreign countries were intentionally delayed for months before they can cross the lines. The navy also blockaded the ports controlled by the communists, blocking relief through the coast forcing humanitarian aid through the areas controlled by the Empire. Kjellsson also ordered loudspeakers mounted on the trucks, pointed towards the rebel areas and played propaganda, promising the populace food and medical supplies. Drăgășani was the only city to fall from the continuous propaganda when the local populace rose up against the communists.

The Northeast Campaign
Following the attrition orders from Kjellson, the IGSDF organized for a major offensive. In August 9th, the IGSDF pushed for the rebel-held areas of the Empire to regain control of the industrial and farming areas of Kainuu.