Jedi Versus Mandalorians: 730 BBY

Okay, so we know what the outcome of the conflict was. The military upswing in the Mandalore System got the Republic paranoid with the premise of a second Mandalorian Invasion. Mandalore is bombed, and the System collapses into numerous factions, the most prominent being the New Mandalorian pacifist movement.

But I have a couple questions about the ethics of the conflict. Since this is the post Russaan Reformation period, the Republic no longer has a standing army or navy. This leaves the war as a mostly Jedi led operation, which is where the ethical problem arises.

From the information we know, the strike against the Mandalorians was a preemptive measure to prevent further expansion of their military power. Led by the Jedi, the Republic fire bombed most of Mandalore into a dust ball, causing enough environmental damage to leave most of the planet (save the arboreal northern hemisphere) an irradiated desert.

The Jedi aren't above orbital bombardment, it was used to defeat Exar Kun after all, but the methods employed during this conflict bother me. The bombing of Yavin 4 was a last ditch attempt to stop Kun from wreaking more havoc, and was only used as a final resort to end the Sith War. The 730BBY war, however, was a preemptive strike against a target before any major invasion might occur. Had this been enacted by a conventional military force like the Galactic Empire, it would seem more in character. But this is a Jedi led attack. There is no standing military. The Guardians of Peace and Justice were launched an unprovoked Base Delta Zero against the Mandalorians out of paranoia.

Now, this might bother me, but that's just personal. Let's continue with the effects. The situation bears similarities to to the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings in World War 2. Instead of committing to a ground invasion, which would mobilize the entire population against a numerically inferior foe (The Jedi), nuclear devastation is used to cow the opponent into surrendering. The armed forces break off, and the remnants of the government quickly buddy up to the winners.

Much the same way that Japan developed close economic ties with the States in the aftermath of World War 2, the New Mandalorians quickly establish friendly relationships with the Galactic Republic. Again like Japan, New Mandalore prospers from its working relationship with the Republic. The results of this are seen in the Mandalorian Arc of The Clone Wars: Season 2. New Mandalore is shown to be very well established, and remains very civilized for an Outer Rim sector.

In the 1980's, Japan became one of the most powerful economic nations in the world, at a time when the Soviet Union was collapsing, and the Cold War was dragging towards the end. Comparing this to Star Wars, this would be around the same timeframe as the Clone Wars. The Republic is struggling under tough economic times, and the anti war protestations draw distinct similarities with the anti-war campaigns created in response to the Vietnam War.


Which is where things get interesting. New Mandalore is also suffering under terrorist attacks, and an insurgency by the Death Watch which threatens to overthrow the Mandalorian government. So it leads to a "what if" scenario. What happens if the Death Watch take control of the system, and focus their efforts on using the New Mandalorians resources to re-militarize? Do you think that the Clone Wars series will expand on this? What sort of effects will this have on the Mandalorians in the unsteady Clone Wars - Dark Times timeframe?

 

I think you are mistaken on some elements of the conflict!



True, the Jedi were the main force, but the Republic still had sector forces and judical forces etc. that could be pulled together should a threat arise. Just no galactic standing army. So the Republic might still have enough militaries left to pull together to do the bombing for the Jedi.

Second, I bet that the Sith were involved in provoking such a conflict in secret. So there might be some aggression by Mando rogues that lead to Mandos in gener

 

The entire sector was devastated, not just the star system or the planet Mandalore. Besides, Jedi-led forces did BDZ operations during the CW, so they're not above serious orbital bombardements.

 

I'd rather not have the conflict be spurred on by the Sith again. The setup feels more like the Cold War, except that the growing tensions and weapons buildup actually led to a war in the end. Its like the USA nuking Russia before they have a chance to retaliate, and leaving the whole country (or in this case, planet) in a wreck.

I forgot about the Sector Forces, though. And I agree that in the situation, some dink being responsible for orbital bombardment makes more sense than the Jedi.

And after reading that Atlas Blurb, ouch. Must've been a hell of a fight.

 

There's some more on the Mandalorian Excision and Mandalorian history in general coming in WARFARE.

 

Again, this book can't be released soon enough.

 

I don't have any problem with the Sith being involved. It fits the MO of the Baneite Sith quite well.

 

"Excision"... So the Republic/Jedi saw the increasing militancy as a "tumor to be cut out" to save the "body" of the Republic?

 

They purified the Galaxy of the Mandalorian cancer by fire.

 

Or the Jedi led a (non)ethnic cleansing?

 

From the sounds of things relating to the ATLAS information, it seems like it was a hell of a fight. If this was Mandalore's height of military power (stronger than the Mandalorian Wars?), then I tremble at how vicious the war must have been.

 

That book needs to come out ASAP.

Eh...doubtful. I guess the "excision" would probably be more of a neutralization of the Mandalorian threat to galactic stability or excising the militant leaders among them and cultivating more pacifistic leaders and values on them.