Glade War

The Glade War, also known as the War of Columbian Imperialism in Gladel, was a major war between the Federal Union of Columbia and Socialist Republics of Gladel that cemented Columbia's position as the dominant power in the Northwest. The war was notable for the guerilla warfare engaged by Gladel and its allies both within and without Columbia.

History
Fearing the rapid expansion of the Columbia, the Socialist Republics of Gladel formed as an alliance of city-states, primarily socialist, across the I-90 in 2602. As the years went by, Gladel built up a strong and well-trained military.

In 2627, Columbia declared war on Gladel. Immediately, Columbia found it difficult to progress through Gladel as it faced strong resistance and struggled to traverse the Rockies effectively. In March of 2627, Columbia attacked the city-state of Anaconda in the Battle of Anaconda. The battle lasted a month before Anaconda fell to Columbian occupation.

In April of 2627, Columbia besieged the city-state of Butte, beginning the longest modern siege in history. Gladel took advantage of Butte's positioning in the mountains to prolong the siege for two years, embarrassing the Columbian Army in the process.

In 2628, militias made up of Pact Remnants formed in Northern Columbia and began wreaking havoc in the region. Less than a year later, the Flagburners was formed in Eastern Columbia. The guerilla warfare within Columbia's own borders forced the union to refocus its attention on the insurgents instead of the Gladel forces, resulting in a four-year ceasefire marked mostly by skirmishes.

The most heated fighting during the second half of the war took place in Northern Columbia. The Pact Remnants, while lightly armed, had high numbers of troops that surprised even Columbia's elites. In 2628, a portion of Edmonton became a battleground between the Remnants and Columbia's forces that lasted half a year. In the end, the Pact Remnants were mercilessly massacred in what has now become known as the Edmonton Massacre.

In 2629, the Flagburners staged a raid on Fort Benson. In 2631, a squad of Flagburners massacred many politicians in Great Falls in what became known as the City Hall Massacre. Following the massacre, enlistment in the Columbian Army shot up in the region.

The final major battle of the war happened in 2632 when fighting broke out in the city of Medicine Hat. The Battle of Medicine Hat resulted in the death of April Teasdale, the leader of the Pact Remnants. For the remainder of the war, only light fighting took place in Northern Columbia.

I-90 Theatre

 * Battle of Anaconda (2627)
 * Butte Siege (2627-2629)
 * Battle on I-90 (2629)
 * Ceasefire Skirmishes (2630-2634)

Columbian Theatre

 * Fort Benton Raid (2629)
 * City Hall Massacre (2631)

Alberta Theatre

 * Battle of Edmonton (2628)
 * Edmonton Massacre (2629)
 * Outer Calgary Raid (2630)
 * Battle of Medicine Hat (2632)

In Columbia
The legacy of the Glade War is mixed in Columbia with many viewing it as a reality check. While Columbia had won the war, they had failed to conquer the I-90 and their expansion efforts were halted for a few years. Their failure to conquer the I-90 also resulted in a powerful country on their border.

The massacres and the many deaths of Columbian citizens at the hands of the Pact Remnants and Flagburners has also resulted in the war being remembered as a mistake by many Columbians. The war is also attributed as being one of the major causes of continued anti-Glade sentiments in Columbia and the rise of the Columbian Conservation Party.

In Gladel
In Gladel, the war is known as the War of Columbian Imperialism. Most Glade within Gladel view the war as being a war for independence and freedom from a rapidly growing empire. Following the war, Gladel has greatly expanded its military and has invested large sums of money towards the public development of innovative military equipment.

Every year on August 4, Gladel celebrates its continued independence from the rule of what they view as an oppressive empire.