Battle of Rio de Janeiro
The Battle of Rio de Janeiro was the first military conflict to be waged in South America since the Cenepa War. The battle took in the capital city of Rio de Janeiro , Brazil on February 8, 2020. Though the battle only lasted a day, it was the most destructive conflict the city had ever seen. Every branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces fought against the kaiju Qetz . The battle marked the second major occurrence of the Invasive Species Skirmishes.
The Conflict
Prelude
Hundreds of years ago, the kaiju chased another kaiju - designated Tezcatlipōca by Majestic - across Central America and deep into South America, where it eventually killed the kaiju out at sea. The hunt had greatly weakened the feathered serpent, and the kaiju burrowed into a mountain within the future José Guilherme Merquior Municipal Nature Park. Despite public protests and protections, the government greenlit operations to excavate and do construction within the area for tourism. A drilling operation stirred the kaiju from its slumber, and it emerged into the new world and attacked the Cristo Redentor, believing it was some sort of threat.
Deployment
Air Force pilots were the first to respond, assaulting the kaiju with fighter jets and attack helicopters while naval vessels entered Guanabara Bay. Military police were tasked with evacuation while army and marine corps forces engaged the kaiju on the ground. With no Majestic presence in the region, the fight against the kaiju was even more costly than the one in Sunnywood .
Battlefield
The cornucopia of large buildings served as a playground for Qetz to dive and climb upon, weaponizing them in its rampage to incapacitate large amounts of Brazilian manpower. These structures were used as both weapons and cover by Brazilian armed forces in their assault on the kaiju.
Outcome
After hours of fighting, the kaiju ultimately left of its own volition for the north, leaving behind an immense amount of destruction for the government to tend to. Air force units broke pursuit after it ventured out of Brazilian borders. Many sections were blocked off from access because of spilled kaiju blood, which was considered a biological hazard.
Aftermath
Opinions are split as to whether the battle was a defeat or a stalemate. The kaiju itself was neither killed nor driven out, instead exiting of its own volition. Brazilian forces suffered heavy casualties, with response and effectiveness receiving mixed public reception. While many praised the soldiers' actions as heroic sacrifices, others decried their lack of progress and collateral damage to the city. Though Rio de Janeiro was not completely destroyed, many important locations suffered from the kaiju's rampaging. The Cristo Redentor statue was toppled and broken upon the rocks. Its loss was heavily mourned across the globe, for it was considered one of the New Seven Wonders of the Modern World. Reconstruction efforts faltered as Brazil experienced a mass exodus from the city into neighboring countries for safety. The country's economy suffered a major hit but took on a lot of new recruits for its armed forces. Many civilians died in the crossfire, with estimates for both them and military forces being in the thousands.
Historical Significance
Legacy
The Battle of Rio de Janeiro cost the lives of many, including one of the military's highest-ranking aeronautics and medical experts. Marshal Herbert Franklin was taken down in aerial combat with the creature and crashlanded. Though he was successfully recovered and tended to around the clock for days, he ultimately succumbed to his wounds on February 11th. His innovations in the field of military tech, medicine, and space exploration were considered invaluable and even irreplaceable.
February 8th is K-Day (Kaiju Day) in Brazil and a public holiday. Panic spread across the Americas because of the presence of a second kaiju, with border closing up and military defenses lining the entire coastlines of North America.
Included Conflicts
Conflict Type
Battle
Battlefield Type
Land
Start Date
February 8, 2020
Ending Date
February 8, 2020
Conflict Result
Stalemate
Location
Belligerents
Brazilian Armed Forces
Strength
Casualties
- Immense
Objectives
- Evacuate civilians
- Reclaim the city
- Kill or suppress the kaiju
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