Great Lakes Resource Development Company
The Great Lakes Resource Development Company[1] or Five Great Lakes Development Corporation[2] was a company working to acquire and sell the natural resources located in the Great Lakes region. In 1991, Osea manipulated a report detailing the amount of resources in the region and the company's profitability to make them appear more valuable.[3] Belka's government fell for the ruse and ceded the Great Lakes and the country's northern islands to Osea in exchange for a majority of the profits from the company,[3][4] hoping to rebuild Belka's economy in the midst of its crisis.[1][4] After the cover-up was revealed, anti-Osea protests and riots broke out in Belka, further destabilizing the country. The Liberal Democratic Party took advantage of the public's discontent to gain power in the following elections, leading to the Belkan War.[1]
History
After Belka's expansion throughout the 20th century, the cost of its military was becoming unmanageable and its economy began to stagnate. A federal law review took place in 1987 that recalled most Belkan troops from its eastern territories and transferred political power back to them, allowing them to begin seceding from Belka.[1][2][4][5] By 1991, even after selling part of its eastern territory to FATO and other states, Belka's economic situation worsened.[1][5]
Belka and Osea had long been in conflict about the rights to the Great Lakes territory.[3] Following the federal law review, Belka's government began working in partnership with Osea in an effort to stabilize its economy.[3] Sensing an opportunity, the Osean government altered the details of a published report to indicate that a large quantity of valuable resources was present in the Great Lakes[3][4] and to cover up the company's operating losses.[1][3] Based off of the fabricated report and hoping to salvage its economy, Belka's government agreed to cede the Great Lakes and its northern islands to Osea in exchange for a majority of the company's profits.[1][3][4]
The transfer of the land rights took place on August 29, 1991.[1][2][4][5] Osea's ruse was quickly discovered and the Belkan public began large-scale protests against the incumbent Osean and Belkan governments, demanding the resignation of Belka's cabinet.[1][3] Belkan press secretary Von Nordenstadt announced that the government was investigating the matter, but the protests continued into a second week,[3] turning into large-scale riots.[1] The majority of the protestors were supporters of the Liberal Democratic Party,[3] which gained control of the government in the following elections and declared war on Osea and the former Belkan territories in March 1995.[1][5]
Contradictions
A summary video on Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War, posted to ACE COMBAT Channel in August 2022, claims that Osea strong-armed Belka into agreeing to the land transfer on August 29 after discovering more resources than were previously known about.[2] This contradicts all other sources that state the resource discovery was greatly exaggerated and that Belka only agreed to the transfer due to the perceived profits.[1][3][4]
The video is narrated by Nugget to help new fans learn the story of past Ace Combat games,[2] though Nugget may be considered an unreliable narrator in regards to specific details. In a similar video summarizing Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies, Nugget claims that Erusea surrendered to the Independent State Allied Forces after the destruction of Megalith[6] rather than before as stated in the game.[7]
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Aces At War: A History 2019, page 012.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 ACE COMBAT Channel. "Welcome to Nugget's Strangereal Commentary -The Belkan War (ACEZ)". YouTube. Published on 25 August 2022. Retrieved on 1 September 2022.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 New Submarine. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War Perfect Guide, page 248.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Scene 02: "A Record of The Belkan War", Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.
- ↑ ACE COMBAT Channel. "Welcome to Nugget's Strangereal World Setting Commentary -The Continental War (AC04)". YouTube. Published on 4 August 2022. Retrieved on 1 September 2022.
- ↑ Mission 17: "Siege of Farbanti", Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies.