>> Brief History of the Democratic Dictatorship of Oskenia
• Corsican Republic
Oskenia was formed in 1768 by Kristoffer Kåre I, a French immigrant from Norway. Fleeing monarchy and a wealth-class system, he formed a sizable resistance force with other like-minded people and managed to overthrow the government of the Corsican Republic, which at the time was an independent state of France. Following Kristoffer's assumption of leadership, the French seized an opportunity and attempted a re-capture of the island one year later. The invading force was caught off guard by the fierce defending militia that was now an independent army, powered by Kristoffer's fierce patriotism and motivation for his people. The Corsican troops holding the high ground were able to force the French Marines away from Corsica after the King saw that the invasion was not beneficial to either the people of the country of France itself. After this brief conflict, the French government negotiated peace terms, and in 1771, the French decided to let the island of Corsica to be ruled independently. They did not declare Oskenia a sovereign state until years later, and up to that date the island of Corsica was displayed on European maps as a French-controlled territory.
After Kristoffer's rise to power and quick popularity spike due to the thwarted French invasion, Corsica was renamed "Oskenia," and a never before seen government system, a self-proclaimed Diplomatic Dictatorship, was formed. In the new capital city of Ypaæpilisa, the Constitution of Oskenia on March 14th, 1772 declared the island nation independent from France and firmly planted the country in the world stage. This move towards independence inspired the international community, especially the young United States, which was fighting for its own freedom at the time.
• Anglo-Corsican Kingdom & British Influence
Shortly later, Oskenia was caught in another conflict in 1793 as a British fleet led by Admiral Nelson began the Siege of Alæqüaadæ where Oskenian resistance was fierce. It is here that Nelson famously lost his right eye. After a multi-week siege and bombardment, Kristoffer I abdicated the island to Admiral Nelson in 1796, and for a short time, Corsica was added to the dominions of King George III. Over the period of only two years that Oskenia was under English rule, the island saw an era of civil unrest and violence as citizens turned their frustrations with the occupiers against their fellow countrymen. Everything that identified Oskenia as a sovereign state was destroyed and replaced with English alternatives. Kristoffer Kåre was imprisoned and the control of the territory was given to a governor sent from the English government. Anyone who spoke out against the occupation or threatened an uprising could be fiercely punished and even executed.
Realizing that the occupation of Oskenia was a precarious situation with the Spanish voicing their opinions in favor of Oskenian sovereignty and speaking out against the treatment of Oskenian citizens, The English completely withdrew from the island of Sardinia amid celebrations from Oskenian citizens in October 1798. Kristoffer I was restored to full power and the island was once again recognized as a sovereign state, launching Oskenia into her modern age of independence.
• First Expansion Period
In 1839, the second leader of Oskenia was elected by the senate, William Olsen, another Norwegian immigrant, who came to Oskenia looking for prosperity and the ability to find a place in government. He was elected at age 35 and ruled until his death in 1889, at the age of 85. Olsen is not known for any major reforms or events during his leadership. He is considered to be Oskenia's "forgotten leader." However, the tstate of the country during the Olsen government was peaceful and prosperous. No major world conflicts erupted during this time and the economy grew substantially. During this period Oskenia attempted to stay isolated from world politics and enforce a strict policy of neutrality. This policy was successful, and by Olson's death, Oskenia had not intervened in a single foreign conflict. Despite being underrated, this period of Oskenian history was seen as a major economic growth era, with the various industries of Oskenia being strengthened and enlarged in value. It was also during this period that Oskenia acquired the territories of Cape Verde and the Balearic Islands through purchases with both Spain and France.
•Kristoffer Kåre II
Following Olsen's death in 1889, Kristoffer Kåre II--the grandson of Kristoffer I, assumed to power at the age of 45. He became dictator with promises of a larger military budget, isolationism, and increased wages for all. However, the true Kristoffer was an impulsive, quick-acting leader who made un-measured decisions on international relations and wartime operations. One of these decisions was the invasion of Sardinia in fall 1900. Impulsively, Kristoffer claimed that the invasion was to increase his influence in the Mediterranean without considering his Foreign Minister, Lukas Sjoberg's; input. Furious that Oskenia would attack an independent island with ties to the Republic, the Kingdom of Italy issued referendums to surrender Sardinia, thus launching the First Sardinian War. It was vital that Oskenia remained a powerful and independent country, and it had to project that power accordingly. When Kristoffer refused to meet Italy's demands, the Italian Armed Forces began a conflict that affected both the international community and the Mediterranean region.
• First Sardinian War
Italy's invasion of Sardinia prompted a large coalition force of European countries to send naval forces to the islands of Sardinia and Corsica in support of Italy. The primary countries involved in the invasion force are; Italy, France, and Germany. On February 16th, 1901, Italy declares war on Oskenia and sends naval elements to the region, supported by its allies. Over the next thirty-two days, fierce fighting on the islands of Sardinia and the beaches of Corsica resulted in over 25,000 casualties, most of whom were Sardinian citizens.
The Sardinian War was a short but brutal conflict, and the primary belligerents, Kristoffer Kåre II & Umberto II; were seen as incompetent world policemen and impulsive leaders. The war affected both nations negatively in the political sphere and took a great toll on Kristoffer Kåre, who died at the age of 59 in 1903. Although no official investigation was ever launched, there is speculation among the citizens of Oskenia that Kristoffer was poisoned.
In addition to the Sardinian War, Kristoffer was overly-patriotic. As the grandson of the original founder of Oskenia, he saw himself as the greatest ruler since the aforementioned Kristoffer I. His narcissism led to many falling outs with other world leaders and his social popularity to drastically drop among his citizens. Following Kristoffer's death, Lukas Sjöberg, the Defense minister who acted under Kristoffer, took power at age 37. A military veteran of the Sardinian War, Sjöberg knew the dangers of an unpredictable and impulsive government and took the mistakes made by his predecessor to heart, promising to be a much more compassionate and heartfelt leader with the best interests of the Oskenian people in mind.
• Lukas Sjöberg
Lukas Sjöberg is without a doubt the most famous and popular leader in Oskenian history. Public schools regularly remind students of his progressive social policies and stance on peace, and monuments dedicated to him are built all across the country. His public opinion soared after his new policies of militarization and Naval-superiority, as well as his stance on peace and prosperity. He was a breath of fresh air after the last two impulsive and unpredictable leaders. Under his leadership for more than 50 years, Oskenia had the lowest cost of living, the largest navy in their history, and the highest value of the Argæld, as well as the highest recorded positive image of the government as a whole. All-in-all, it was an excellent time to be an Oskenian citizen.
However, there were some in the country that did not forget about the oppressive control of Kristoffer II, and the Sardinian population was not going to let Sjöberg forget it either. Between the years of 1906 to 1910, four assassination plots were executed against either Lukas or his immediate family. In 1906, during a standard public appearance, a Sardinian radical leaped forward from the crowd and fired three rounds from a handgun striking Lukas's youngest daughter, Nora. The radical was silenced and Nora was transferred to a state hospital, where she recovered over a period of two months. In 1908, the national palace in Ypaæpilisa was attacked by a mob and a guard was murdered, leading to the formation of the Dictatorial Guard, an elite branch of the Oskenian Army trained to defend the sitting Dictator, his Ministers, and all other figures in government power. The other assassination attempts never got past the planning phase, and they were all crushed before major damage could be caused.
Lukas apologized for the Sardinian War but said that he was not interested in pursuing Sardinian freedoms during his rule and firmly stated that they would remain a part of the empire. An investigative period was launched and those who were involved in the assassination attempts were arrested and prosecuted. Out of the twenty-six people arrested, sixteen received the death penalty.
• Oskenian Era of Peace
Over the next 20 years, Oskenia was in a state of peaceful co-existence with the rest of the world. During the First World War, Oskenia voted to stay neutral unless the conflict came down to a matter of homeland defense. Strict naval borders were enacted and enforced during this period to all warring nations. The only military action taken by Oskenia during the First World War was in defense of its oil fields in Northern Africa. In addition to peace, Sardinian happiness, especially now that they were under a successful economic system, soared, and the popularity of the government in Oskenian-held territories stabilized. Happiness for citizens was at an all-time high, and the arts flourished during this time. Lukas Sjöberg went from approximately 50% support to almost 88%. He was seen as a celebrity in his country and many had hopes that he would turn Oskenia into a Democratic Republic.
While Lukas was interested in pursing more freedoms for his citizens, he could not in good faith change the government system that had been installed by his predecessors. He remained firm in his belief that Oskenia was a dictatorship and would remain a Dictatorship for the foreseeable future.
• Great Depression
Oskenia was negatively affected by the depression in the sense that imports from other nations were halted as the world began to descend into poverty. The Argæld dropped in value significantly and there was mass panic that the economy would collapse entirely. However, through policies of isolationism and stability, the country got through the depression without major economic loss. What was affected, however, was Oskenia's relationship with nations affected by the depression, such as the United States and England. This brought with it certain importation blockages that affected the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. Oskenia's refusal to supply financial aid to many of the affected countries reflected negatively on both the economy and the Ministry of Finance.
• Second World War
In the 1940s, Oskenia was faced with the largest and most influential conflict of the 20th century. In the beginning of the conflict, Lukas Sjöberg found it important to try and make peace with the major belligerents, and made a pact between Stalin, Mussolini, and Hitler in 1939. This was known as the "Mediterranean Alliance." In his mission of staying democratic, he also agreed with the United Kingdom and France that the three nations would not provoke or attack each-other to avoid getting sucked into the war. Essentially Lukas wanted Oskenia to stay neutral, but saw the Third Reich as a vital source of imports such as tanks and small-arms. Unfortunately for Lukas, Hitler had plans for Oskenian territory, and forcefully occupied the islands of Corsica and Sardinia in 1941. Lukas was imprisoned and a Nazi governor was given power of the entire Oskenian empire.
In 1943 when Italy decided to join the Allied powers, the island of Sicily was released from Italian control and a temporary emergency government was established by Oskenian refugees. This emergency Executive Power was governed by Bruto Briganti, an Oskenian Field Marshal who controlled a large Division of soldiers on the island of Corsica. It openly condemned Nazi Germany's control of Oskenia, and claimed themselves as the one and only governing power. When American soldiers reached Sicily in late 1943, the American government began supplying the emergency government with small-arms, vehicles, and financial aid.
• Operation Ocean Citadel
Operation Ocean Citadel, also referred to as the "Oskenian bail-out," was an American-led joint-military operation to re-instate the Government of Oskenian Free Sicily to mainland Oskenia. Oskenain Feld Marshal Bruto Briganti, the organizer of the free Sicillian movement, was approached by the American government with the goal of re-taking the islands of Corsica and Sardinia and dispersing Nazi influence from the region. On September 4th, 1943, the American government began to supply Bruto Briganti and his forces of rebels with tanks, small arms, and naval support. After a year of stockpiling, the Oskenian-American force sailed for Corsica with a combined force of 1,700 men to the German strength of 3,300. At 4:30 AM on September 5th 1944, the American Army Air Force began a concentrated strike of German positions along the islands of Corsica and Sardinia. The capital city of Ypaæpilisa was spared from raids. After three hours of concentrated bombings and bombardments from warships off the coast, American Rangers began an all-out assault on the northern beaches of Corsica. The first landings began at just past 7:45 AM near the coastal town of Alæqüaadæ. After being initially successful in their early-morning raid, the attackers discovered that the territory to the south was occupied with elite German Fallschirmjägers that had been dropped into the region with the sole mission to defend it--at all costs. After five days of heavy fighting and heavy casualties, the US Army 2nd Armored Division landed on Corsica and began pushing south with medium tanks and captured German Tigers. Finally, on September 13th, Oskeinan forces, along with the volunteer Kristoffer Korps, made up of gun-owning civilians, make the final push into Ypaæpilisa under heavy German fire. After almost two weeks of fighting, the Government of Oskenian Free Sicily was instated in Corsica on September 16th, 1944.
Upon the surrender of Nazi Germany on May 8th 1945, Oskenia found itself with a very large amount of Italian and German surplus and a shattered economy. The Government of Oskenian Free Sicily was officially incorporated and became an Oskenian state. Bruto Briganti was given the role of Defense Minister and an award issued by Lukas himself. A large chunk of Italy was also occupied and overtaken. These collective parts of land came to be known as the Sicilian Territories.
Following its liberation, Oskenia deployed its navy to both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, supporting the US Navy in suppressing the Imperial Japanese Empire. When Japan surrendered to the United States in 1945, Oskenia seized the island of Taiwan and established an additional state to their empire, the New Chinese Territories. With the economy negatively affected by the war, the United States added Oskenia to the list of countries that would receive financial aid under the Marshall Plan. $250 million USD would be sent to the country to aid with reconstruction of damaged buildings, feeding citizens, and kick-starting private ventures.
• Post-War Growth
The conclusion of the Second World War and the subsequent collapse of nations such as Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany saw Oskenia rise as one of the most influential countries in Europe. The economy, bolstered by assistance from the United States and England, saw a major increase in value and grew substantially. Oskenia found itself with more resources than they knew what to do with, and therefore contributed greatly to the Berlin Airlift, supplying Germany with thousands of tons of food and oil. Relations with countries that had served as the allied powers in the Second World War were strengthened, primarily with England and the United States. This led to the admission of Oskenia into NATO.
On March 28th, 1950, at the age of 84, Lukas Sjöberg dies of old age surrounded by his family and cabinet members. He is buried in a crypt in Ypaæpilisa and regarded as one of the finest dictators in Oskenian history. An extensive period of mourning was observed in honor of him and various companies across the nation close for multiple days. The date of March 28 is now a National holiday celebrating Sjöberg's life.
• Corsican Republic
Oskenia was formed in 1768 by Kristoffer Kåre I, a French immigrant from Norway. Fleeing monarchy and a wealth-class system, he formed a sizable resistance force with other like-minded people and managed to overthrow the government of the Corsican Republic, which at the time was an independent state of France. Following Kristoffer's assumption of leadership, the French seized an opportunity and attempted a re-capture of the island one year later. The invading force was caught off guard by the fierce defending militia that was now an independent army, powered by Kristoffer's fierce patriotism and motivation for his people. The Corsican troops holding the high ground were able to force the French Marines away from Corsica after the King saw that the invasion was not beneficial to either the people of the country of France itself. After this brief conflict, the French government negotiated peace terms, and in 1771, the French decided to let the island of Corsica to be ruled independently. They did not declare Oskenia a sovereign state until years later, and up to that date the island of Corsica was displayed on European maps as a French-controlled territory.
After Kristoffer's rise to power and quick popularity spike due to the thwarted French invasion, Corsica was renamed "Oskenia," and a never before seen government system, a self-proclaimed Diplomatic Dictatorship, was formed. In the new capital city of Ypaæpilisa, the Constitution of Oskenia on March 14th, 1772 declared the island nation independent from France and firmly planted the country in the world stage. This move towards independence inspired the international community, especially the young United States, which was fighting for its own freedom at the time.
• Anglo-Corsican Kingdom & British Influence
Shortly later, Oskenia was caught in another conflict in 1793 as a British fleet led by Admiral Nelson began the Siege of Alæqüaadæ where Oskenian resistance was fierce. It is here that Nelson famously lost his right eye. After a multi-week siege and bombardment, Kristoffer I abdicated the island to Admiral Nelson in 1796, and for a short time, Corsica was added to the dominions of King George III. Over the period of only two years that Oskenia was under English rule, the island saw an era of civil unrest and violence as citizens turned their frustrations with the occupiers against their fellow countrymen. Everything that identified Oskenia as a sovereign state was destroyed and replaced with English alternatives. Kristoffer Kåre was imprisoned and the control of the territory was given to a governor sent from the English government. Anyone who spoke out against the occupation or threatened an uprising could be fiercely punished and even executed.
Realizing that the occupation of Oskenia was a precarious situation with the Spanish voicing their opinions in favor of Oskenian sovereignty and speaking out against the treatment of Oskenian citizens, The English completely withdrew from the island of Sardinia amid celebrations from Oskenian citizens in October 1798. Kristoffer I was restored to full power and the island was once again recognized as a sovereign state, launching Oskenia into her modern age of independence.
• First Expansion Period
In 1839, the second leader of Oskenia was elected by the senate, William Olsen, another Norwegian immigrant, who came to Oskenia looking for prosperity and the ability to find a place in government. He was elected at age 35 and ruled until his death in 1889, at the age of 85. Olsen is not known for any major reforms or events during his leadership. He is considered to be Oskenia's "forgotten leader." However, the tstate of the country during the Olsen government was peaceful and prosperous. No major world conflicts erupted during this time and the economy grew substantially. During this period Oskenia attempted to stay isolated from world politics and enforce a strict policy of neutrality. This policy was successful, and by Olson's death, Oskenia had not intervened in a single foreign conflict. Despite being underrated, this period of Oskenian history was seen as a major economic growth era, with the various industries of Oskenia being strengthened and enlarged in value. It was also during this period that Oskenia acquired the territories of Cape Verde and the Balearic Islands through purchases with both Spain and France.
•Kristoffer Kåre II
Following Olsen's death in 1889, Kristoffer Kåre II--the grandson of Kristoffer I, assumed to power at the age of 45. He became dictator with promises of a larger military budget, isolationism, and increased wages for all. However, the true Kristoffer was an impulsive, quick-acting leader who made un-measured decisions on international relations and wartime operations. One of these decisions was the invasion of Sardinia in fall 1900. Impulsively, Kristoffer claimed that the invasion was to increase his influence in the Mediterranean without considering his Foreign Minister, Lukas Sjoberg's; input. Furious that Oskenia would attack an independent island with ties to the Republic, the Kingdom of Italy issued referendums to surrender Sardinia, thus launching the First Sardinian War. It was vital that Oskenia remained a powerful and independent country, and it had to project that power accordingly. When Kristoffer refused to meet Italy's demands, the Italian Armed Forces began a conflict that affected both the international community and the Mediterranean region.
• First Sardinian War
Italy's invasion of Sardinia prompted a large coalition force of European countries to send naval forces to the islands of Sardinia and Corsica in support of Italy. The primary countries involved in the invasion force are; Italy, France, and Germany. On February 16th, 1901, Italy declares war on Oskenia and sends naval elements to the region, supported by its allies. Over the next thirty-two days, fierce fighting on the islands of Sardinia and the beaches of Corsica resulted in over 25,000 casualties, most of whom were Sardinian citizens.
The Sardinian War was a short but brutal conflict, and the primary belligerents, Kristoffer Kåre II & Umberto II; were seen as incompetent world policemen and impulsive leaders. The war affected both nations negatively in the political sphere and took a great toll on Kristoffer Kåre, who died at the age of 59 in 1903. Although no official investigation was ever launched, there is speculation among the citizens of Oskenia that Kristoffer was poisoned.
In addition to the Sardinian War, Kristoffer was overly-patriotic. As the grandson of the original founder of Oskenia, he saw himself as the greatest ruler since the aforementioned Kristoffer I. His narcissism led to many falling outs with other world leaders and his social popularity to drastically drop among his citizens. Following Kristoffer's death, Lukas Sjöberg, the Defense minister who acted under Kristoffer, took power at age 37. A military veteran of the Sardinian War, Sjöberg knew the dangers of an unpredictable and impulsive government and took the mistakes made by his predecessor to heart, promising to be a much more compassionate and heartfelt leader with the best interests of the Oskenian people in mind.
• Lukas Sjöberg
Lukas Sjöberg is without a doubt the most famous and popular leader in Oskenian history. Public schools regularly remind students of his progressive social policies and stance on peace, and monuments dedicated to him are built all across the country. His public opinion soared after his new policies of militarization and Naval-superiority, as well as his stance on peace and prosperity. He was a breath of fresh air after the last two impulsive and unpredictable leaders. Under his leadership for more than 50 years, Oskenia had the lowest cost of living, the largest navy in their history, and the highest value of the Argæld, as well as the highest recorded positive image of the government as a whole. All-in-all, it was an excellent time to be an Oskenian citizen.
However, there were some in the country that did not forget about the oppressive control of Kristoffer II, and the Sardinian population was not going to let Sjöberg forget it either. Between the years of 1906 to 1910, four assassination plots were executed against either Lukas or his immediate family. In 1906, during a standard public appearance, a Sardinian radical leaped forward from the crowd and fired three rounds from a handgun striking Lukas's youngest daughter, Nora. The radical was silenced and Nora was transferred to a state hospital, where she recovered over a period of two months. In 1908, the national palace in Ypaæpilisa was attacked by a mob and a guard was murdered, leading to the formation of the Dictatorial Guard, an elite branch of the Oskenian Army trained to defend the sitting Dictator, his Ministers, and all other figures in government power. The other assassination attempts never got past the planning phase, and they were all crushed before major damage could be caused.
Lukas apologized for the Sardinian War but said that he was not interested in pursuing Sardinian freedoms during his rule and firmly stated that they would remain a part of the empire. An investigative period was launched and those who were involved in the assassination attempts were arrested and prosecuted. Out of the twenty-six people arrested, sixteen received the death penalty.
• Oskenian Era of Peace
Over the next 20 years, Oskenia was in a state of peaceful co-existence with the rest of the world. During the First World War, Oskenia voted to stay neutral unless the conflict came down to a matter of homeland defense. Strict naval borders were enacted and enforced during this period to all warring nations. The only military action taken by Oskenia during the First World War was in defense of its oil fields in Northern Africa. In addition to peace, Sardinian happiness, especially now that they were under a successful economic system, soared, and the popularity of the government in Oskenian-held territories stabilized. Happiness for citizens was at an all-time high, and the arts flourished during this time. Lukas Sjöberg went from approximately 50% support to almost 88%. He was seen as a celebrity in his country and many had hopes that he would turn Oskenia into a Democratic Republic.
While Lukas was interested in pursing more freedoms for his citizens, he could not in good faith change the government system that had been installed by his predecessors. He remained firm in his belief that Oskenia was a dictatorship and would remain a Dictatorship for the foreseeable future.
• Great Depression
Oskenia was negatively affected by the depression in the sense that imports from other nations were halted as the world began to descend into poverty. The Argæld dropped in value significantly and there was mass panic that the economy would collapse entirely. However, through policies of isolationism and stability, the country got through the depression without major economic loss. What was affected, however, was Oskenia's relationship with nations affected by the depression, such as the United States and England. This brought with it certain importation blockages that affected the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. Oskenia's refusal to supply financial aid to many of the affected countries reflected negatively on both the economy and the Ministry of Finance.
• Second World War
In the 1940s, Oskenia was faced with the largest and most influential conflict of the 20th century. In the beginning of the conflict, Lukas Sjöberg found it important to try and make peace with the major belligerents, and made a pact between Stalin, Mussolini, and Hitler in 1939. This was known as the "Mediterranean Alliance." In his mission of staying democratic, he also agreed with the United Kingdom and France that the three nations would not provoke or attack each-other to avoid getting sucked into the war. Essentially Lukas wanted Oskenia to stay neutral, but saw the Third Reich as a vital source of imports such as tanks and small-arms. Unfortunately for Lukas, Hitler had plans for Oskenian territory, and forcefully occupied the islands of Corsica and Sardinia in 1941. Lukas was imprisoned and a Nazi governor was given power of the entire Oskenian empire.
In 1943 when Italy decided to join the Allied powers, the island of Sicily was released from Italian control and a temporary emergency government was established by Oskenian refugees. This emergency Executive Power was governed by Bruto Briganti, an Oskenian Field Marshal who controlled a large Division of soldiers on the island of Corsica. It openly condemned Nazi Germany's control of Oskenia, and claimed themselves as the one and only governing power. When American soldiers reached Sicily in late 1943, the American government began supplying the emergency government with small-arms, vehicles, and financial aid.
• Operation Ocean Citadel
Operation Ocean Citadel, also referred to as the "Oskenian bail-out," was an American-led joint-military operation to re-instate the Government of Oskenian Free Sicily to mainland Oskenia. Oskenain Feld Marshal Bruto Briganti, the organizer of the free Sicillian movement, was approached by the American government with the goal of re-taking the islands of Corsica and Sardinia and dispersing Nazi influence from the region. On September 4th, 1943, the American government began to supply Bruto Briganti and his forces of rebels with tanks, small arms, and naval support. After a year of stockpiling, the Oskenian-American force sailed for Corsica with a combined force of 1,700 men to the German strength of 3,300. At 4:30 AM on September 5th 1944, the American Army Air Force began a concentrated strike of German positions along the islands of Corsica and Sardinia. The capital city of Ypaæpilisa was spared from raids. After three hours of concentrated bombings and bombardments from warships off the coast, American Rangers began an all-out assault on the northern beaches of Corsica. The first landings began at just past 7:45 AM near the coastal town of Alæqüaadæ. After being initially successful in their early-morning raid, the attackers discovered that the territory to the south was occupied with elite German Fallschirmjägers that had been dropped into the region with the sole mission to defend it--at all costs. After five days of heavy fighting and heavy casualties, the US Army 2nd Armored Division landed on Corsica and began pushing south with medium tanks and captured German Tigers. Finally, on September 13th, Oskeinan forces, along with the volunteer Kristoffer Korps, made up of gun-owning civilians, make the final push into Ypaæpilisa under heavy German fire. After almost two weeks of fighting, the Government of Oskenian Free Sicily was instated in Corsica on September 16th, 1944.
Upon the surrender of Nazi Germany on May 8th 1945, Oskenia found itself with a very large amount of Italian and German surplus and a shattered economy. The Government of Oskenian Free Sicily was officially incorporated and became an Oskenian state. Bruto Briganti was given the role of Defense Minister and an award issued by Lukas himself. A large chunk of Italy was also occupied and overtaken. These collective parts of land came to be known as the Sicilian Territories.
Following its liberation, Oskenia deployed its navy to both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, supporting the US Navy in suppressing the Imperial Japanese Empire. When Japan surrendered to the United States in 1945, Oskenia seized the island of Taiwan and established an additional state to their empire, the New Chinese Territories. With the economy negatively affected by the war, the United States added Oskenia to the list of countries that would receive financial aid under the Marshall Plan. $250 million USD would be sent to the country to aid with reconstruction of damaged buildings, feeding citizens, and kick-starting private ventures.
• Post-War Growth
The conclusion of the Second World War and the subsequent collapse of nations such as Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany saw Oskenia rise as one of the most influential countries in Europe. The economy, bolstered by assistance from the United States and England, saw a major increase in value and grew substantially. Oskenia found itself with more resources than they knew what to do with, and therefore contributed greatly to the Berlin Airlift, supplying Germany with thousands of tons of food and oil. Relations with countries that had served as the allied powers in the Second World War were strengthened, primarily with England and the United States. This led to the admission of Oskenia into NATO.
On March 28th, 1950, at the age of 84, Lukas Sjöberg dies of old age surrounded by his family and cabinet members. He is buried in a crypt in Ypaæpilisa and regarded as one of the finest dictators in Oskenian history. An extensive period of mourning was observed in honor of him and various companies across the nation close for multiple days. The date of March 28 is now a National holiday celebrating Sjöberg's life.