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Battle of Jabiim

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For other uses, see Battle of Jabiim (disambiguation).
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"We will let the Jedi Generals know that we will fight to be free! We will fight to defend our planet! We will send the Jedi home in caskets!"
―Alto Stratus[src]

The Battle of Jabiim was a major battle of the Clone Wars between the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the Galactic Republic that took place on the planet Jabiim in 21 BBY, 15 months after the start of the war. The Republic intervened in a civil war that had raged on the planet for some months in order to preserve its vital economic interests in Jabiimi mining, and the Confederacy supported an anti-Republic Jabiimi faction with arms and droid soldiers.

The Republic task force initially made significant gains, but overextended its limited resources, and the Confederates, led by Alto Stratus and Dark Jedi Asajj Ventress, quickly gained the upper hand. Suffering heavy losses and pursued by the Separatists, the remaining Republic forces retreated to the southern hemisphere of the planet.

Only the valiant last stand of a quickly formed battle group of clone troopers and Jedi Padawans prevented a total rout by tying up large Separatist forces for several days in the battle of Cobalt Station, buying the remnants of the Republic task force enough time to evacuate off the planet.

Prelude

Republic agents on Jabiim informed the Galactic Senate that the Jabiim Congress had been undermined by Separatist influences. In fact, Alto Stratus, the leader of the Jabiimi Nationalists, had orchestrated a coup, killing most of the pro-Republic members of Congress. Stratus felt that the Republic had failed to aid the Jabiimi during several local conflicts and only exploited the planet's mineral wealth for use in its war against the Confederacy of Independent Systems[3]. Although he spoke eloquently against the oppression of the Republic, many believed these words had been purchased with weapons, supplies, and credits by the Confederacy, which gave his faction strong military support[4]. After this act of treason, civil war broke out between Stratus' Nationalist faction and the remaining Jabiimi Loyalists, led by Captain Orliss Gillmunn.

Negotiations spearheaded by the Alderaanian Diplomatic Corps were rebuffed as Jabiim geared towards war. Rather than lose Jabiim and its valuable mines, the Republic decided to retake the world by force. The Republic positioned their strike force on nearby Handooine.

The Battle

The Republic forces established a stronghold at Shelter Base, and proceeded to launch attacks on Separatist defensive positions. Aided by Captain Gillmunn's native Loyalist forces, the task force overran a dozen enemy defensive positions[3], but this was actually part of a Separatist strategy to divide the Republic forces. Stratus kept his battle droids and his elite Nimbus commandos in reserve for a strike on the now-vulnerable Shelter Base. He attacked on day 21 after the Republic landing, inflicting heavy casualties, including two Jedi generals and most of the Padawans present.

Obi-Wan Kenobi was thought to have perished. However, it was later revealed that he had survived; he and the ARC trooper Alpha-17 had been captured by the Dark Jedi Asajj Ventress and transported to Rattatak[5].

The Republic was ill-prepared for the atrocious conditions on Jabiim, whereas the Jabiimi rebels had lived there all their lives. The task force's heavy walkers became mired in the muddy, rain-soaked plains, where they were vulnerable to the agile Nimbus commandos, while the constant storms and heavy raining severely impeded their much-needed orbital and air support[3]. Even Republic radio communications and sensors were scrambled by the turbulent atmospheric conditions. Thus the rebels could time and again defeat the Republic despite its superior numbers and firepower.

File:Jabiim3.JPG

Alpha-17 leads a group of clones during the defense of Shelter Base.

Over the course of the next week, Stratus's forces made significant gains in the northern hemisphere, defeating General Norcuna and wiping out his forces at Choal. By day 30 after the first landing, 18 Jedi and over 9,000 clone troopers had been killed in action[6]. General Leska, now the highest-ranking Jedi on the planet, ordered an immediate strike at the Razor Coast in an attempt to capture Stratus. The Republic defeated the Separatist forces there, but suffered heavy casualties, and Stratus was nowhere to be found.

Stratus had actually escaped and personally led an attack by the elite Nimbus soldiers on a supply convoy led by First Lieutenant Anakin Skywalker, which was carrying much-needed reinforcements and material to the Republic base at Cobalt Station. The convoy was led into a minefield, which neutralized most of its armored support. The Jedi were unprepared for this sort of ambush, as it was the first time the Confederacy used mines in combat[6], a disturbing development, and suffered heavy losses. The Republic force was eventually able to break through thanks to the Jedi, who used the Force to detonate some of the mines, distracting the Jabiimi and clearing a path out. Stratus himself was injured in the battle, but only lightly, and vowed revenge. He now gathered his forces for a final, decisive attack on Cobalt Station, the Republic's last major defensive installation on the planet.

File:Jabiim2.JPG

Anakin Skywalker during the battle.

On day 37, Leska was killed in action and her task force defeated, and Anakin Skywalker assumed command. Much of the Republic forces were in disarray and left leaderless, however, and a full-scale evacuation was planned. Meanwhile, the Jabiimi Separatists, now reinforced by strong Droid Army contingents, were advancing on the departure point at Monsoon Mesa, just south of Cobalt Station. A battle group was formed from a small group of Padawans and the remaining clone troopers to defend the station in an attempt to delay the Separatist advance. They held out for five days against an army of more than 10,000[4]. Stratus was killed in the last hours of the battle by Aubrie Wyn, a young Padawan, and half of his forces destroyed[4], although Republic casualties were also heavy. Every Jedi present died, except for Anakin Skywalker, who—on Chancellor Palpatine's orders—had departed to lead the evacuation. However, the battle group had succeeded in delaying the Separatists long enough for the main Republic force to be evacuated off the planet, and Stratus' death made any organized pursuit impossible.

SWREP58-FC

Commander Anakin Skywalker evacuates his troops from Jabiim.

On day 43, the Republic evacuation ships arrived. However, there were not enough ships for both the clones and the remaining pro-Republic loyalist forces, who were desperate to escape the revenge of the now successful Separatists. Skywalker chose the clones; the Loyalists were abandoned to their fate with the words, "This is your war now."[5] The Jabiimi, who had placed their trust in the Republic, rightly felt betrayed and tried to force their way onto the ships, but were repulsed by Skywalker, who held them back with the Force Choke Force technique. Left behind watching their one hope of survival deserting them, they threw mud and curses at the retreating Republic forces.

Aftermath

"In a battle between those fighting for a political principle, and those fighting for the survival of their home and family, the latter usually win in the long run. They've got nothing more to lose, and it makes them terrible enemies. Like us."
―Jabiimi commander, on the nature of fighting the Republic on Jabiim[src]

With the Republic forces gone, the Confederacy was soon in complete control of the planet, so although both sides suffered severe casualties, the battle was considered a grievous defeat for the Republic. It was in the panic following the battle that the 501st Legion was deployed to Coruscant. It also left a legacy of enduring hatred among the Jabiimi people of the Republic that had betrayed them in their hour of need, the Jedi, and most of all the name of the betrayer Skywalker. Also, while the Republic lost 27 Jedi and over 10,000 clones, with two of three evacuation transports damaged, as well as seven walkers lost, the Separatists lost over 8,000 Nationalist soldiers, huge numbers of their battle droids, many Nimbus Commandos, and every last assassin droid deployed on the planet. 1 year later Gillmunn was killed by Stratus's successor, Thorne Kraym. Gillmunn's son Nolan became the new loyalist leader after that.

21 years later, the disastrous events of the battle would come back to haunt the Rebel Alliance, who was fighting against the Galactic Empire, when the Jabiim, having never forgotten the betrayal of Anakin Skywalker, nearly executed Anakin's son, Luke Skywalker and his allies in a mob, although they were later forced to cooperate with Luke after they were attacked by the Empire. Anakin, unbeknownst to them, was also involved in the battle among the aggressors, in which Anakin, rechristened as Darth Vader, still feeling the immense guilt that he felt regarding his earlier abandonment of the Jabiim people, ended up trying to dissuade the remorse by ordering a bombardment that wiped out a large amount of the population.[7]

Engagements

Appearances

Sources

Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The New Essential Chronology
  2. ↑ The Official Star Wars Fact File 128 (JAB3-4, Battle of Jabiim)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Star Wars: Republic 55: The Battle of Jabiim, Part 1
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Star Wars: Republic 57: The Battle of Jabiim, Part 3
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Star Wars: Republic 58: The Battle of Jabiim, Part 4
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Star Wars: Republic 56: The Battle of Jabiim, Part 2
  7. ↑ Star Wars: Empire
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