La liberté des opprimés! | |||||||
Capital | Rimouski | ||||||
Largest city | Gaspe | ||||||
Language official |
French | ||||||
others | English | ||||||
Military Governor | Horace Beatty | ||||||
Area | 42,539 km² | ||||||
Population | 147,494 | ||||||
Independence | 2009; Disbanded 2010. | ||||||
Currency | St. Lawrence Dollar; The Canadian Dollar, Superior Dollar, and Saguenay Piastre are also widely circulated. |
The Republic of St. Lawrence was an independent nation created by Saguenay and the Republic of Superior, during the 2009 Saguenay War that they fought with the Canadian Remainder Provinces and the ADC.
History[]
Occupation[]
The Saguenay War began on the 10th of September, 2009, though active combat did not begin until the 12th. A surprise amphibious assault on the Gaspe Peninsula on the 13th quickly overwhelmed the Canadian defenses, resulting in complete and total occupation of the region by the 17th. However, it was not until elements of the RSA (Republic of Superior Army) were deployed through areas held by the semi-allied Lawrence Raiders that resistance forces and remnants of the Canadian military in the interior were finally eliminated, for the most part. Superioran General Horace Beatty was appointed by Superioran President Terrance Newman and the Saguenayan government as the military governor of the peninsula on the 26th.
One of Beatty's first decrees was the establishment of the "Milice Populaire," to help maintain order. This was possible because some elements of the Franco-Canadian community were supportive of Saguenay, and there was a need for local policing, in order to deploy troops to other fronts.
On November 3rd, 2009, General Horace Beatty suggested to Saguenayan and Superioran officials the formation of the "Republic of St. Lawrence", in order to better obtain local support from the Gaspe region in the war. While this was met with a cool response by Saguenay, President Newman applied enough pressure for them to accept the proposal.
Resistance Builds[]
Despite the best intentions of Saguenayan and Superioran officials, a resistance movement to the new nation quickly grew. Elements from both the Anglo and French Canadian communities participated in actions protesting the occupation of Gaspe. Actions ranged from peaceful protests to violent attacks on Saguenayan, Superioran and St. Lawrence soldiers and officials. Occupation forces were forced to respond by imprisoning protesters and anyone suspected of aiding the “terrorists,” though this did little to stop them.
Provisional Government[]
On November 5th, 2009, General Horace Beatty announced on the National Broadcasting Service the formation of "The Provisional Republic of St. Lawrence", situated in the occupied territory of the Gaspe Peninsula. A constitutional convention was set for the 10th of December, followed by national elections on the 31st of January.
Return to Canadian Control[]
However, the elections would never occur. In Mid-January, an offensive was launched by Canadian forces, and backed by a newly-arrived armored corps from the Celtic Alliance. With the Celtic forces acting as a spearhead, and a combined naval flotilla preventing enemy reinforcements, Canadian troops were able to retake most of the territory over the next month, though pockets of resistance would continue until the end of the war, when they surrendered and were taken to Saguenay. The provisional government would move to Saguenay itself, where it would be disbanded after the signing of the Treaty of Manchester.
The Canadian government would reinstall the provincial government, though most of the province would stay under military rule, for the duration, as the main body of the army pressed onward into raider territory and towards Saguenay. All outside claims to the area were dropped as a result of the Treaty.
Military[]
St. Lawrence almost entirely relied on Superior and Saguenay for its own defense. Trained by elements of the RSA as if they were reservists, they numbered about 1,200 at their height, with another 2,400 in training at the same time. There were even some French volunteers from Aroostook that joined the militias, though they were small in number. Armaments were supplied primarily by Superior.