Changes

On September 16th, at around 05:45 Meridan Standard Time, fire was first exchanged on the border. It is unknown which side fired the first shot, as most of the border units in the said sector suffered near 100% casualty rates. Both governments insist the other fired first. Within minutes, there was a rapidly escalating use of tactical artillery bombardments, which led to the general mobilizations of both sides. Kolonian transportation networks, still not fully set up to handle the post-2018 border, were uncapable of transporting the required material to the conflict, and later, defensive zones. This led to an early Barkadian offensive advantage, which allowed for amassed units to push past defenders, which defined the course of the rest of the war.

On September 16th, at around 05:45 Meridan Standard Time, fire was first exchanged on the border. It is unknown which side fired the first shot, as most of the border units in the said sector suffered near 100% casualty rates. Both governments insist the other fired first. Within minutes, there was a rapidly escalating use of tactical artillery bombardments, which led to the general mobilizations of both sides. Kolonian transportation networks, still not fully set up to handle the post-2018 border, were uncapable of transporting the required material to the conflict, and later, defensive zones. This led to an early Barkadian offensive advantage, which allowed for amassed units to push past defenders, which defined the course of the rest of the war.

{{quote|{...}on the 24th two night naval engagements took place near Quemoy. The clashes resulted from a Chinese Communist attempt at landing on the small island of Tung-Ting in the Quemoy complex. The first attack involved four Chinese Communist gunboats and six small landing craft while the second involved five Chinese Communist gunboats and thirty motorized junks. According to the [[Government of the Republic of China|GRC]] [[Ministry of National Defense (Republic of China)|Ministry of National Defense]], several enemy ships were sunk and the attack was driven off by seven Chinese Nationalist Patrol craft. The GRC lost one LSM (landing craft, mechanized) and had one LST (landing ship, tank) damaged. Prior to September 3, when they were advised of U. S. escort plans, the Nationalists made five attempts to land an LST with troop replacements and several ships. These efforts were turned back by Chinese Communist PT boats and artillery fire.<ref name="1958 crisis"/>}}

The confusion between which side fired first meant that the Meridan Treaty's Defensive Clause was not activated, and socialist nations did not immediately rush to the aid of Barkadia. As Barkadian troops quickly pressed further into Kolonia, some capitalist and anti-socialist governments sympathized and send material and military aid to the Kolonians. Within a few days of the war beginning, Kolonian forces were in full scale retreats to secondary defensive lines, leaving many cities to be captured. It is estimated that by the end of the first week of fighting there were 3 million refugees fleeing Westward from the advancing forces.

 

The first turning point in the war came with the Defense of Mirovana.  

 

[[File:USS Lexington (CVA-16) underway during 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis.JPG|thumb|left|The U.S. carrier {{USS|Lexington|CVA-16|6}} (top) with a supply ship and {{USS|Marshall|DD-676|6}} (bottom) off Taiwan during the crisis.]]

[[File:USS Lexington (CVA-16) underway during 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis.JPG|thumb|left|The U.S. carrier {{USS|Lexington|CVA-16|6}} (top) with a supply ship and {{USS|Marshall|DD-676|6}} (bottom) off Taiwan during the crisis.]]