Buzz
Throughout the course of history, the borders separating nations have constantly been in flux. As of 2017, nearly 200 countries are recognized today. However, many others have come and gone, unable to endure.
These nations vanished for various reasons, but their short-lived attempts at independence remain significant, offering valuable insights from both a political and historical standpoint.
10. Tanganyika - December 9, 1962 – April 26, 1964
Settlement in the region traces back to the 10th century, but it was officially “colonized” by the Germans in the 1880s, becoming a protectorate in 1891. It was part of German East Africa, which included what is now Rwanda, mainland Tanzania, Burundi, and parts of Mozambique. The land area was nearly three times larger than Germany itself.
The Germans asserted control after a local revolt against a German colonial company. This revolt stemmed from local resistance to German fears of competition and their racist ideologies.
By the end of World War I, Britain assumed control of the region, renaming it Tanganyika Territory in 1920. (Belgium took over the rest of German East Africa.) The territory’s name was derived from two Swahili words meaning “sail” and “wilderness,” possibly referencing the lake partially within it.
In 1962, Britain granted Tanganyika independence, as it did with many former colonies (sometimes with a little pressure). However, the newly formed republic was short-lived, as it merged with Zanzibar to create the nation now known as Tanzania.
9. The Provisional Government Of Hawaii – January 17, 1893 – July 4, 1894
After a century of monarchy, opposition to the Hawaiian throne arose, driven by dissatisfaction with several issues that emerged during King David Kalakaua’s rule. (Hawaii had recently adopted a form of democracy in which the Hawaiian monarch served as a ceremonial figurehead.)
Upon his death in 1891, his sister Lili’uokalani became queen. (She was the first and last woman to hold this title in Hawaii.) Her reign was short-lived, as she was overthrown in a coup in 1893.
Led by the Committee of Safety, a secret group determined to dismantle the native Hawaiian government, the rebels seized control of the nation. Their primary objection was that Lili’uokalani was seeking to restore native rights, and they believed that annexing Hawaii to the United States would be the most beneficial economically. (Predictably, the committee consisted mostly of white businessmen and politicians.)
The rebels received help from Marines aboard the USS Boston, an action initially deemed illegal, even by the US House of Representatives. (However, when it became clear that the US needed a Pacific refueling port for naval operations, this issue was conveniently overlooked.)
In 1894, following failed annexation attempts, a new government was formed known as the Republic of Hawaii. Sanford B. Dole, a cousin once removed of the founder of Dole Food Company, became the president of this short-lived nation.
8. The United States of Belgium – January 11, 1790 – December 2, 1790
After a series of reforms imposed by the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II on the Belgian provinces of the Austrian Netherlands (many of which violated existing treaties), the Belgian provinces revolted in 1789. They subsequently declared their independence and formed the United States of Belgium.
The conservative Statists and progressive Vonckists joined forces to establish both the government and the army. After taking several cities, they declared independence in January 1790 and managed to maintain some success for a few months. However, they were never recognized by any other nations.
The newly established United States served as an inspiration to the Belgian rebels, with the Declaration of Independence and Articles of Confederation serving as blueprints for their own founding documents. However, internal conflicts between the two factions, combined with a conquest by Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II (who ascended after his brother’s death in 1790), led to the country's collapse.
However, it ignited a spirit of independence in the region. In 1830, Belgium declared its independence from the Netherlands during the Belgian Revolution. (As Nigel Powers humorously remarked: “There are only two things I can’t stand in this world: People who are intolerant of other people’s cultures . . . and the Dutch.”)
7. The Kingdom of Lithuania – February 16, 1918 – November 2, 1918
After the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in 1918 placed Lithuania under German control, the local government sought to maintain their independence. (Germany, however, aimed to merge Lithuania and Prussia into one larger state and envisioned a sort of USSR-like entity for Germany.)
In response, the local government declared its independence and began crafting strategies to satisfy the German Empire, led by Kaiser Wilhelm II. Despite resistance from a significant portion of the government, the Taryba (Council of Lithuania) elected Duke Wilhelm von Urach as the king of Lithuania. They presented him with a 12-point proposal for his rule and established a constitutional monarchy. (The duke took the title of Mindaugas II.)
The newly crowned king never set foot in his new country, though he did spend the summer learning Lithuanian, as it was one of the conditions of the Lithuanian proposal. Furthermore, the Germans expressed their own concerns, arguing that the country lacked the right to elect its own leaders.
However, as World War I was drawing to a close, the Germans began to entertain the idea of an independent provincial government in Lithuania. On November 2, 1918, the Taryba withdrew their invitation to Duke Wilhelm von Urach and dissolved the government, thereby ending the monarchy.
6. The Republic of Formosa – May 23, 1895 – October 21, 1895
Following the First Sino-Japanese War and the Treaty of Shimonoseki, Taiwan was ceded to Japan by China, which greatly angered the island’s inhabitants. In response, the people declared their independence in May 1895, establishing the Republic of Formosa as their new nation.
A resistance force was assembled, and the islanders pledged to fight the Japanese if they dared to land on Taiwan. Appeals were made for international recognition and assistance. (France responded by sending a battleship and officers to meet with the republic's leaders.) However, international aid never materialized, and within months, the Formosans were decisively defeated by the Japanese military, largely by June of the same year.
Liu Yongfu, the famed Chinese hero known for his battles against the French in Vietnam, managed to hold out until October with a garrison of 20,000 soldiers near Tainan, the republic’s capital. Faced with certain defeat, Yongfu abandoned the city, leaving his troops in confusion.
He managed to escape capture aboard a British-flagged merchant ship. (After the Japanese boarded the vessel and unsuccessfully searched for Yongfu, a minor diplomatic incident ensued.) The remaining fighters surrendered their weapons and greeted the Japanese forces, marking the fall of the Republic of Formosa and the onset of decades of foreign domination.
5. The Republic of Ezo – January 27, 1869 – June 27, 1869
At the close of the Boshin War in 1868, which resulted in the defeat of the Tokugawa shogunate, a faction of the army refused to surrender and sought refuge on the island of Ezo, now known as Hokkaido.
Representing one of the last strongholds of the old feudal order, the samurai stationed there revolted, declaring the island a sovereign nation devoted to the principles of the samurai. (They entrenched themselves in a star-shaped fortress called Goryokaku, or 'The Pentagon.')
Although they received some diplomatic recognition from Britain and France, the newly formed nation was left to fend for itself militarily and was decisively defeated by Japan’s Meiji government. (Some French commanders even abandoned their posts to assist the samurai in battle.)
The conflict was brief, consisting mainly of a few skirmishes, with the republic launching only one major offensive: an attempt to board the newly gifted US-made ironclad warship, the Kotetsu. The attempt failed, and the republic’s forces were quickly crushed by the Imperial army.
Despite leading the rebellion, Enomoto Takeaki left such a strong impression on the Japanese government that he was spared the death penalty and instead served a four-year prison sentence. After his release, he even joined the Meiji government, taking on several roles, including that of ambassador to Russia.
4. AzawadApril 6, 2012–July 12, 2012
Although it was never formally acknowledged by any other nation, the inhabitants of northern Mali in northwestern Africa rose up against their government and declared their territory an independent state. The rebels aimed to establish an Islamic nation governed by sharia law, and they were both skilled and well-equipped.
The rebels triumphed in the initial battles of the uprising. Beginning in April 2012, the conflict lasted only a few months before the rebels were pushed out of their final stronghold, the city of Ansogo.
Since their uprising, the rebels, commonly known by their French acronym MLNA, have somewhat agreed to honor the territorial integrity of Mali and are currently engaged in negotiations with the government regarding their independence. However, it seems unlikely that they will gain their own nation as the overwhelming majority of the global community refuses to recognize their claim.
There have been sporadic flare-ups of violence that last for several months, typically triggered by perceived offenses from the Malian government toward the rebels. (French forces even assisted in fighting against the MLNA in early 2013.)
3. Carpatho-UkraineMarch 15, 1939–March 16, 1939
Carpatho-Ukraine, a small state formed from the southwestern corner of Ukraine, declared itself independent on March 15, 1939. The creation of the nation, under the Voloshyn government, was largely symbolic, coming just one day after Slovakia’s own declaration of independence (which was ultimately a pretext for Nazi Germany's invasion and occupation). In a swift move, they managed to design a flag, create a national seal, and even announce a national anthem in a single day.
Similar to Hitler and the Nazis, the leaders of Hungary, who shared a border with Carpatho-Ukraine, were intent on expanding their territory and invaded the newly declared country just a day after its formation. (Hitler himself had secretly approved of this plan, striking a deal to ensure Germany’s backing.)
In a desperate attempt to save themselves, the Carpatho-Ukraine government members fled the nation they had only just established. The country was dissolved and never revived, eventually absorbed by Russia following World War II.
2. The Democratic Republic Of YemenMay 21, 1994–July 7, 1994
In 1993, civil war erupted in Yemen between the northern and southern regions after Ali Salim al-Beidh, the former vice president of the Republic of Yemen, fled to the southern city of Aden, armed with a list of demands he wanted addressed.
After a disputed tank battle in April 1994, the representatives of the southern states declared their independence, forming the Democratic Republic of Yemen just days later. It’s important to note that this is not the same as the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen, which existed for 23 years in the southern part of Yemen.
Fearing a full-scale war, the UN Security Council called for a cease-fire and a short period of investigation into the matter. (However, as expected, the fighting continued despite this request.)
The civil war lasted just over a month. The northern forces quickly defeated the southern resistance, capturing Aden on July 7, 1994, which effectively marked the end of the rebellion. In an effort to reconcile, the North offered amnesty to the Southern rebels, which led to a return to peace for the most part.
1. The Republic Of Mountainous ArmeniaApril 26, 1921–July 13, 1921
After suffering a decisive defeat at the hands of the Turkish army in the Turkish-Armenian War, Armenia's government was forced to agree to join Soviet Russia, following an invasion by Soviet forces. They were promised protection, but the Soviets soon decided to give away parts of Armenia to Azerbaijan, causing anger among the local population. In early 1921, the people rose up, declaring independence on April 26.
The rebels took control of Yerevan and the surrounding region, establishing an escape route for members of the Dashnak government and intellectuals who feared Soviet retribution.
Their efforts were short-lived, as the far stronger Soviet army quickly arrived and defeated the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. Despite the failure of their revolution, the rebels did secure a concession: the Soviets promised that their territory would remain under Armenian control, albeit as part of the USSR.
