The Romulan War - In Detail

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The Earth-Romulan War
Date: 2156 - 2160
Result: A treaty that led to the creation of the Romulan Neutral Zone

"This isn't a failure. It's a setback. We have to deal with Humans. They are the ones who brought the Andorians and Tellarites together." – Admiral Valdore, 2154

Prelude

The Earth-Romulan War, also known as the Romulan War, was a major interstellar conflict fought from 2156 to 2160 between the forces of the United Earth and those of the Romulan Star Empire. Its conclusion, which was marked by an Earth/Andorian/Vulcan/Tellarite alliance decisively defeating the Romulans at the Battle of Cheron, led to the establishment of the Romulan Neutral Zone and immediately preceded the incorporation of the United Federation of Planets.

In the early 2150s, Earth began to make impressive diplomatic and military advancements in the Alpha Quadrant. A major conflict between the Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites had for the most part ended thanks to diplomatic intervention by United Earth and the starship Enterprise, under the command of Captain Jonathan Archer. The Romulans saw this newfound peace in the region unacceptable and thus began a carefully crafted campaign to destabilize the region and maintain the status quo of conflict between the quadrant's major powers.

At some point prior to 2154, a reunification movement began to become popular among some Romulan and Vulcan citizens. In that year, the Vulcan High Command, under the leadership of Administrator V'Las, planned to launch a preemptive strike against Andoria, citing that the Andorians were developing weaponry based on Xindi technology. Additionally, the Earth embassy on Vulcan was bombed prior to the attempted execution of these plans, prompting involvement by United Earth and Starfleet. Although V'Las's plans were halted and his involvement with the bombing was exposed, his connection with a Romulan operative who had been working on Vulcan with V'Las for several years remained secret.

Later that year, the Romulans attempted to incite a war between Andoria and Tellar by using automated drone ships to attack Andorian and Tellarite targets. Unfortunately for the Romulans, this had the opposite effect of what they were hoping to achieve; instead of destabilizing and dividing the region, the attacks resulted in a successful allied effort to stop the drone ships and return peace to the region.

In early 2155, the consolidation of interests among Earth and some of its neighbors reached a new milestone, when a conference to form a Coalition of Planets was convened. It included participants from the later war allies and Federation founders, i.e., Vulcan, Andoria, and Tellar, in addition to United Earth.

Open Conflict

In 2156, Earth forces and the Romulan Empire entered a state of war. It ultimately continued until 2160.

In 2266, Spock categorized the weaponry generally used in the Earth-Romulan War as atomic in nature, and fairly primitive at that. He also characterized the ships in use as primitive and designed in ways that did not permit quarter or captives.

Romulan starships were painted to resemble a "bird of prey", a tradition kept through the mid-23rd century. Ship-to-ship visual communication between Earth-allied ships and Romulan-allied ships did not occur during the war or during the peace negotiations.

Among the casualties during the course of the war included several members of the Stiles family, including one Captain Stiles, two commanders, and several junior officers. A number of MACOs also fought in the war, including Balthazar Edison.

The Battle of Cheron in 2160 is generally considered the decisive battle that marked the end of the Earth-Romulan War. Both sides recognized the major victory achieved here by a Human/Vulcan/Andorian/Tellarite alliance as a humiliating defeat of the Romulan military. This event established long-term political effects within the Romulan Empire that went on to last well into the 24th century.

Aftermath

Despite the Romulan's 2154 campaign of destabilization and the war that followed, Earth and Romulus learned little of each other in the 22nd century. In fact, it would be over a century before any Human would even see what a Romulan looked like.

Following the Battle of Cheron, the two sides negotiated a treaty via subspace radio. Among other things, it established a Neutral Zone, entry into which either side would constitute an act of war. Earth set up at least eight outpost stations on asteroids along its side of the Neutral Zone to monitor Romulan activity.

From a 23rd-century Human perspective, the Neutral Zone represented an area "between planets Romulus and Remus and the rest of the galaxy." Some Humans still harbored resentment over the war after over a century of peace, including Lieutenant Stiles of the USS Enterprise.

Despite these Human attitudes, until 2266 the Neutral Zone served its purpose and the treaty remained unbroken. In fact, one might say it served its purpose too well, as there was limited or no contact between Earth and the Romulan Star Empire from the conclusion of the war until the mid-23rd century.