Gbenung Strait Crisis

The Gbenung Strait Crisis, also known as the Guenung Strait Crisis or the Ugbenung-Usheigepese War was a conflict between the People's Republic of Guenung and the Republic of Usheigep that lasted from November 8, 1965 to December 1, 1967. The war was fueled by Ugbenung leader Hotep Gezarin's (whom allied Guenung with ) attempt to remove Usheigepese President Philippe Nkinjire Masajouri from power because he was accused of creating economic ties with the Soviet Union. The cause was also an expansionist one, as Hotep wanted Usheigep, then a socialist-leaning capitalist country, be completely under communist and Maoist control.

Background
Although Guenung had been leaning towards the PRC since 's denunciation of Stalin in 1956, it wasn't until April 1965, when Hotep Gezarin, General Secretary of the Ugbenung Communist Party, publicly declared his support for the in the.

In Usheigep, socialism was prevalent. In 1950, Yasaqk Faxa Maraceno of the United Socialist Party was elected. He increased state intervention and created a majority-planned mixed economy. He also introduced universal healthcare and women’s suffrage to Usheigep. Although Maraceno retired in 1958, he was still popular and many Usheigepese supported socialism. In 1962, moderate Philippe Masajouri was elected as president. He continued Maraceno’s policies but took a stand against Maoism and Stalinism, also increasing ties with the.

On November 4, 1965, Ugbenung Armed Forces personnel, led by Ugbenung general Bazasjn Narane, sailed from the port city of Karidapesano, Karun Region, towards Usheigep. By November 7, they had reached the capital Darrutrami and removed Masajouri from power. Before they could install a leader in power, however, Usheigepese Vice-President and army general Dakéro Atapane stopped them and declared war on Guenung on November 8.

War
The first bombings on Guenung started on November 10, all hitting cities in the Tsana and Karun regions, plus eastern Vamanesa Region. These included Karidapesano, Ngoyotrngukwikeguluyambimitnchanjo, Sakahiniretamvire, and Mvǔɣiʒǐphǐaxa, the then-capital of Guenung, which caused high civilian deaths. Usheigepese troops began to sail across the Gbenung Strait by November 11.

The Gbenung communist government was caught off guard by the counter-coup by Atapane. They expected Bazasjn, one of the Ugbenung Revolutionary People's Army's most experienced generals, to successful install a communist government in Usheigep. As a result, the Ugbenung Armed Forces was unable to successfully hold off against Usheigepese invaders. By January 1966, the Usheigepese Armed Forces had captured Ngoyotrngukwikeguluyambimitnchanjo and all of Karun Region.

Impact
The Gbenung Strait Crisis had a great impact on Guenung–Usheigep relations. Due to the Ugbenung "invasion", many Usheigepese became distrustful of Ugbenung. The crisis also caused many Usheigepese to move away from socialism, with the ruling Grand Socialist Party putting up more moderate and neo-liberal candidates in the following years. In Guenung, people became angry at Usheigep for "making a mockery of the great nation", and travel to "capitalist" Usheigep was banned. After the crisis, Guenung and Usheigep severed all diplomatic ties until the fall of the PRG in 1989.