Republic of Gotland

Foundation:
During the Nuclear War, Stockholm, a secondary target, was hit by a nuclear bomb. Although of a lower grade than the bombs on London, Paris, and Berlin, Stockholm was nonetheless evacuated. Most left to Denmark, Germany and Poland, but others went with the Swedish government (while part of the EU, Sweden still had a regional parliament) to Gotland. This increased Gotland’s population from about 55000 to 384000, causing strain on the local economy. While far enough from the mainland to keep the effects of radiation, while present, to a sufficient level (not really, but told by the government to calm the people), it was also close enough to attempt to function as a legitimate Swedish government. However, due to a lack of military coordination, only Gotland was within Sweden’s reach.

Thus began a period of political instability in the new “Sweden”. While many wanted to retain a democratic system of government, others turned towards more radical options. On the left, some Socialists and Communists began forming local communes. The first one, the Dalhem Commune, was formed on August 21, 2020. These were tolerated by the government as long as they remained loyal.

On the far-right, Nationalists and Neo-Fascists formed the United Sweden League. Consisting mostly of pre-war local Nationalists and some evacuees. The USL continued to grow, partially out of anger against the government for failing to correct the economy, but mostly due to rhetoric along the lines of “Return to the Mainland”. Although the Visby Government also advocated this position, they were focused on developing Gotland and waiting until radiation levels went down, until it was in feasible to return to the mainland. USL saw a return to the mainland and utilizing the mainland’s resources as the solution to the economic and political instability, as well as establishing Sweden as a new power, despite the Great Northern Winter.

April 11, 2032: Civil War
On April 11, 2032, the Republic of Sweden collapsed. Increasing agitation from the USL escalated into a skirmish between a USL paramilitary squadron and the military. This led the USL to revolt in several places. Although the revolt was not contiguous, it was mostly concentrated in the south and the eastern areas, USL strongholds. The fighting itself was sporadic and somewhat rare, as weapons and ammunition were difficult to create, and neither side had significant trading contacts. Both sides had experimented with making musket weapons, but the rate of production was slow. On January 17, 2034, the Republic of Sweden renamed itself to the “Republic of Visby”, to prevent the “return to the mainland” cause from gaining much strength.

June 13, 2037: Further splits
June 13, 2037 marks the formation of the United Gotland Communes as a seperate state. While the communal governments had previously been given autonomy by the Republic, pressures on Visby to enter the war offensively combined with a refusal to increase the Communes’ autonomy caused increasing tension with Visby. Eventually, the Communes formed a bloc, known as the United Gotland Communes (on February 16, 2036), and began to demand more from the Visby government. All demands were refused, so on June 13, 2037, the UGC revolted. While the revolt was not contiguous, it was spread quite evenly across the island, except for the northern area.

The Gotland Civil War:
Again, from this point, due to a lack of manpower and equipment, fighting was actually quite rare during the civil war. Gotland would not be unified in the 21st century, this was clear. Although the Republic and the Communes had some early success against the ULS, calling their new state the “Second Swedish Empire”, the fighting rarely progressed.

The one solace people had left was the Church. They were calmed by the songs and the services; they didn’t have to worry when they were there. Religious activity began to increase on Gotland, and people began to, slowly, see the Church as a greater authority than the island’s factions. This was especially true in the “Imperial” territories, as the ULS had little support from the people.

And eventually, although very slowly, religion became a greater and greater part of people’s lives. People came to believe that God has blessed Gotland, and that the man who invented this doctrine, Elvin Widforss, would lead the Church to power in Gotland, and eventually, to spread the Word of God onto the mainland. This became known as “Widforssism”. Widforssism was politically and socially authoritarian, yet did advocate some state control in the economy.

November 13, 2068: the rise of the Gutnish Holy State
Widforss forms a new political party around Widforssism, called the “Gutnish Salvation Party”, meant to save Gotland from the “weakness” of the Republic, the “godlessness” of the UGC, and the “hotheadedness” of the “Empire”. Despite enjoying popularity in the South, the Republic decides to ban the party, as “unconducive to the public health”. This angers the people to a point where Visby un-bans the party to avoid another revolt. However, after the victory of the ruling party (which had not changed since the war due to popularity in Visby, were 45% of the population lived, nearly 200000 people), Widforss declared the Gutnish Holy State in Klintehamn a few days later, on March 9th, 2069.

The GHS quickly had the strongest Militia available to them, as many Gotlanders carried some old-style weapons for hunting and protection against bandits. Many other towns and cities in the south rebelled as well, and began expanding outwards. The Republic used this opportunity to attempt to expand south, but failed due to lack of military experience. This stage became known as the second stage of the Civil War.

While the GHS managed to expand to control about a fourth of the island in the next two years, almost destroying the last of the “Empire”, the Republic decided to mount an offensive. This would culminate in the greatest battle of the civil war: the Battle of Ljugarn.

July 19, 2070: The Ernman offensive.
Named after the President of the Republic Hans Ernman, the Ernman offensive attempted to knock the UGC out of the war. It began a couple days after the GHS began an offensive against the “Empire” (which would eventually knock it out of the war), the Republic managed to defeat Communal forces, and over the next two months, slowly advance to Ljugarn.

On September 2nd, 2070, Republican forces attacked Ljugarn. Emboldened by the recent victories, the Republican troops managed to succeed at driving the Commune out of the war, coming back to the Republic. However, support for the Republican re-annexation was relatively low, and the Republican army was in dire need of reinforcement.

February 8, 2078
Due to increasing sympathy for Widforssism in Republican territory due to the losses sustained (the most losses ever recorded in the Civil War), more towns began slowly revolting and joining the GHS. This would cause the Republic army to retreat North, and the HGS soon had control over half of the island. The front lines (it could now be called a line) would be nearly completely static for nearly another 10 years.

October 22, 2086
Widforss dies of old age. October 22 is declared to be a holiday, and Widforss’s successor, Aron Almgren is introduced to the public. While not as charismatic and inspiring as Widforss, Almgren was somewhat economically capable (meaning it did not get worse) and very much bent on retaking the rest of the island. He announced that the GHS army (known as the Warriors of Widforss) would be more aggressive.

March 2nd, 2095

Almgren’s new offensive succeeded. Arms secretly supplied from Neu-Brandenburg allowed the GHS to expand to include 65% of Gotland by 2095, as well as a few islands. Ostergarnsholm remains in Republic hands. It was then that the Republic went to the Marks, and convinced them to supply the Republic with weapons. This allowed a stalemate to form.

The Gutnish Civil War had not changed front lines very much by 2126, the game’s start. Almgren died on May 12, 2102, and was replaced by Mattias Bergius. He still rules today, although he appears quite ill. The President of Visby on January 1st, 2126 is Sigge Lundberg, of the People’s Party, the same party who established the Republic of Sweden in 2020. The two factions spend the years staring at each other though scopes and waiting for the other to attack. It seems that there is no end in sight…

September 15, 2075: The Ceder Expedition
On September 15, 2075, a man named Velam Ceder came to the Republican government and pitched a new idea: he had known that Radiation levels had been going down over the past several years to safer and safer levels. He proposed that the Republic give him the ability to establish a colony on the island of Gotska Sandon. The small island had never been inhabited, and he wondered that with radiation levels at a safer level, and given the island’s distance from the mainland, it might be feasible to establish a fishing colony. He asked to take a few hundred people with him, and if radiation was safe, to bring a total of 1000 people to the island. The Republic agreed, and fishing boats began making the journey. By 2126, the island is home to about 1300 people, and they survive off of fish and new farmland. Once a month, they export lumber to the “mainland” (Gotland Proper) which is used to support the Republic’s war effort.

Present Situation:
On Jan 1. 2126, the Republic of Gotland holds approximately one-third of the island, along with the island of Gotska Sandon. Although they are outnumbered by Holy Gutnish forces, they have a more professional military. The island is overpopulated, and politics is plagued by memories of the Communes and of the Empire, not to mention Widforssian Sympathizers.