Cold War (SWRP)

The Cold War was a non-combat build up of forces and territory by the Galactic Republic and the Hutt Empire during the period of the Great Hutt Wars. It came in the aftermath of the First Hutt War and the Hutt Civil War, with the time between the previous conflicts and the Cold War allowing the Republic and the Hutts to reform their governments and military forces to pre-First Hutt War levels and beyond.

By 12,975 BBY, both governments began gathering territory on their sides of the neutral zone that had been established between them by the Treaty of Ithoria at the end of the First Hutt War. The Jedi Order and the Bogan Empire also trained the Republic and the Hutts, respectively, to fight Jedi and Bogan forces that used the Force. This lasted throughout 12,974 BBY, and ultimately led to the Second Hutt War in 12,973 BBY when the Hutts broke the terms of the peace treaty by entering into the neutral zone.

Prelude
In 12,978 BBY, following internal conflicts within their respective governments, the Supreme Chancellor Hisako Hoshiko of the Galactic Republic and Emperor Tusa Ujalli Hai of the Hutt Empire signed the Treaty of Ithoria that ended the First Hutt War, which had been waged between the two sides for two years. The Hutts were declared the victors in the war, and a neutral zone was established in the Mid Rim that neither side could cross into without it being considered a declaration of war. The two governments did, however, recognize that a second war would likely be fought once their internal issues were rectified.

The previously-warring factions turned towards internal difficulties at the start of 12,977 BBY. The Hutt Empire became embroiled in the Hutt Civil War, with former Hutt Chairman Gorrbag launching attacks against sitting Emperor Tusa in an effort to reclaim power. By the end of 12,976 BBY, the Gorrbag-led rebellion had been defeated and Tusa tightened his grip over the Empire.

The Republic, meanwhile, under the guidance of Chancellor Hoshiko, began reforming and repairing its military command structure, which had been significantly weakened by the Hutts during the war. The Republic also repaired its political hierarchy; hundreds of new Galactic Senators were elected to the Galactic Senate following the Hutt attack that had incapacitated hundreds of Senators during the war. The Republic also strengthened its ties with the Jedi Order, integrating Jedi into its military command structure.

The Bogan Empire, which replaced the dissolved Dark Jedi of the Bogan following its covert move to Conscio, also grew in power following the war. Under the leadership of Emperor Banik Kelrada, the Bogan subjugated most of the Esstran sector, which the Hutt Empire agreed to allow under the terms of the Treaty of Centares. The Bogan Empire created a military force with the intent of using it to wage war with the Jedi Order.

History
With their internal difficulties resolved, the Republic and the Hutts spent the next two years building up their forces in preparation for what they both believed was the inevitable second war. The Cold War saw the expansion of both military forces, as well as an expansion of territory when they each brought previously unaffiliated planets from their side of the neutral zone into their governments. This expansion brought the borders of each government to the neutral zone.

In addition to indirect preparation for war, the Republic took steps to block Hutt movement in the Republic. The Republic military enforced blockades at hyperspace checkpoints leading to Bothawai, Iktotch, Yag'Dhul, and other worlds within Republic territory that had been captured by the Hutts during the First Hutt War. The goal of these actions was to prevent the Hutts from immediately gaining a foothold in the Inner Rim and Expansion Region during the resumption of hostilities. In retaliation, the Hutts used the same method to block access to and from the Jedi world Ossus in the Outer Rim Territories.

The Jedi and the Bogan spent the two years of the Cold War preparing the Republic and the Hutts, respectively, for Force-based warfare. The Jedi trained Republic forces in melee combat against Force users, and cortosis-lined swords to resist lightsabers became standard issue in the Republic military. The Bogan took the same steps to train the Hutt military to fight against the Jedi.

Aftermath
By 12,973 BBY, Tusa felt that his forces had been built up and his Outer Rim and Mid Rim territory solidified enough to once again invade the Republic and fight their way back towards their blockaded territory. The Hutt forces were met halfway through the neutral zone by the Republic, thus beginning the Second Hutt War.

Behind the scenes
The Cold War is an event created for TheStarWarsRP.Com. It was conceived by the website's administrators and faction leaders as part of the backstory for a four year advance in the timeline