Challenge: Australia-Fiji War

BlackMage

How could a war between Australia and Fiji have broken out?

I'm thinking some time around one of the coups; Australia supports the deposed government, the new generalissimo gets uppity, a scuffle breaks out accidently at sea, and then it's on for young and old. But again, this is a challenge; make up whatever you like. I realise it's rather difficult, but that is the point.

Bonus points if you can get Fiji to attack Australian soil in some way. Extra special bonus points if you can get Fiji to invade Norfolk or Lord Howe Island.
 

BlackMage

Max Sinister said:
Wouldn't that war be a bit unequal? The Argentinians would have a better chance to keep the Falklands.
Click to expand...

Oh, no one's saying that Fiji have to do anything but sit complacency as they get blown to smithereens. But they do have a powerful military, for their size, and the terrain advantage is on their side. In the long run, they have everything against them, but they would be able to put up a hell of a fight-again, for their size.
 

Cockroach

Oh, no one's saying that Fiji have to do anything but sit complacency as they get blown to smithereens. But they do have a powerful military, for their size, and the terrain advantage is on their side. In the long run, they have everything against them, but they would be able to put up a hell of a fight-again, for their size.
Click to expand...
Yep, they have heaps of cannon fodder but no airforce and next to no navy (IIRC one or two Patrol Boats armed with 7.62mm machine guns). So occupation would be risky (assumeing all the troops prove loyal to the would be tyrant) but it isn't like they can take any offensive action or pose a threat to anything offshore.

Edit to add: just checked Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Fiji):
navy of 9 Patrol boats and 300 men
no airforce to speak of
Army: total strength of 3,500 (2950 regulars and 350 reserves) made up as follows:
Land Force Command - Land Force Command is the operational organisation of the RFMF, and is responsible for all of the main units:
  • HQ Land Force Command
  • Land Force Battalion
  • Naval Unit
  • Fiji Infantry Regiment
    • Regular Force
      • 1st Battalion
      • 2nd Battalion
      • 3rd Battalion
    • Territorial Force
      • 4th Battalion
      • 5th Battalion
      • 7th/8th Battalion
  • Fiji Engineer Regiment
  • Logistic Support Unit
  • Force Training Group
Click to expand...
 
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LightInfa

Here's my answer to the challenge:

March-June 2005: Vanuatu imposes ban on imported biscuits. Fiji responds with a total embargo of all Vanuatu goods.(First two items happened in OTL) Tensions continue to rise as neither side will lift their embargo.

July 2005: Fiji declares that if Vanuatu does not lift the ban, military action will have to be taken. Fiji recalls its peacekeepers from UN missions. On July 30, Fiji declares war on Vanuatu.

August 2005: Australia declares that Fiji's actions are unlawful, and gives Fiji 48 hrs to end military action before Australia intervenes. Fiji continues with the military course, and Australia declares war on Fiji on August 7. Fiji prepares defenses of the islands, and large amounts of the male population are drafted into the military.

October 2005: As both sides gear up for war, Australia is hit by a surprise attack. Fijian commandos hidden on merchant ships sail to Norfolk island and take it by surprise. Key installations are blown up by the commandos, and large amounts fo supplies are taken. Australians are shocked by this, and the government immediatly orders Fiji to be bombed. Australian aircraft begin to hit military targets all over Fiji.

November 2005: An Australian Naval Task Force sets out for Fiji. Australian Special Forces paradrop onto Norfolk Island and retake it after a brisk fight. Australian F/A-18s sink most of the Fijian navy through precision airstrikes. Australian troops begin to land on Viti Levu on November 25. Regulars of the Fijian Army have been dug in at the beaches, and there is hard fighting around the beaches. Airstrikes eventually dislodge the Fijians, and they begin to retreat towards Suva.

December 2005: Australian forces fight there way into Suva. Snipers are hidden in many buildings, and the fighting goes street by street. A second task force lands on Vanua Levu at the same time. After 1 day of fighting, Fijian forces on Vanua Levu surrender. A day later, Suva surrenders and Fijian resistance ends.

January 2006: A peace treaty is signed. The terms are not overly harsh, but Australian forces are permitted to be based on the island to protect the democratic government which was deposed during the war. Vanuatu is allowed to keep their ban on biscuit imports.
 
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orbeyonde

LightInfa said:
Here's my answer to the challenge:

March-June 2005: Vanuatu imposes ban on imported biscuits. Fiji responds with a total embargo of all Vanuatu goods.(First two items happened in OTL) Tensions continue to rise as neither side will lift their embargo.

July 2005: Fiji declares that if Vanuatu does not lift the ban, military action will have to be taken. Fiji recalls its peacekeepers from UN missions. On July 30, Fiji declares war on Vanuatu.

August 2005: Australia declares that Fiji's actions are unlawful, and gives Fiji 48 hrs to end military action before Australia intervenes. Fiji continues with the military course, and Australia declares war on Fiji on August 7. Fiji prepares defenses of the islands, and large amounts of the male population are drafted into the military.

October 2005: As both sides gear up for war, Australia is hit by a surprise attack. Fijian commandos hidden on merchant ships sail to Norfolk island and take it by surprise. Key installations are blown up by the commandos, and large amounts fo supplies are taken. Australians are shocked by this, and the government immediatly orders Fiji to be bombed. Australian aircraft begin to hit military targets all over Fiji.

November 2005: An Australian Naval Task Force sets out for Fiji. Australian Special Forces paradrop onto Norfolk Island and retake it after a brisk fight. Australian F/A-18s sink most of the Fijian navy through precision airstrikes. Australian troops begin to land on Viti Levu on November 25. Regulars of the Fijian Army have been dug in at the beaches, and there is hard fighting around the beaches. Airstrikes eventually dislodge the Fijians, and they begin to retreat towards Suva.

December 2005: Australian forces fight there way into Suva. Snipers are hidden in many buildings, and the fighting goes street by street. A second task force lands on Vanua Levu at the same time. After 1 day of fighting, Fijian forces on Vanua Levu surrender. A day later, Suva surrenders and Fijian resistance ends.

January 2006: A peace treaty is signed. The terms are not overly harsh, but Australian forces are permitted to be based on the island to protect the democratic government which was deposed during the war. Vanuatu is allowed to keep their ban on biscuit imports.
Click to expand...

Bravo!

A very good timeline for a very silly proposition. I am impressed.
 

Cavendish

What about war breaking out over this coup that they have just had?
Commodore Frank Bainamorana had been getting quite uppity at Oz and NZ (the latter even more so...) maybe if they try to take consulate staff hostage or something.
 

BlackMage

Ooh, brilliant work, LightInfa. It is rather silly, but you handled it expertly. Bravo!

Come to think of it, a story about the occuption of Norfolk Island might be worth writing...
 

LightInfa

I think it was a little implausible to have Fijian commandos attack Norfolk Island. I threw it in the timeline for the bonus points, but would Fiji really launch any offensive operations in a war against Australia?
 
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