During the Second World War, Ruina was just barely able to remain neutral.
History
In the 1930s, amid the run-up to the Second World War, as conducted in the Quality Universe, neutral countries included Andorra, Argentina, Cerania, Herma, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Moravia, Portugal, Quanalla, Ruina, San Marino, San Miguel, Slovia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Yadovnia.
In 1940, the government of Nordicha sought to provoke a war with the tiny, oil-rich, neighboring nation of Ruina, and to that end, sent agents to Ruina's capital Bailu, to gun down Ruina's Prime Minister, sparking an outbreak of riots and executions. Ruina's king meanwhile called for X-5, an American secret agent, to intervene.
The main part of the very complicated Nordichan plan was to prevent a particular trainload of oil from being exported, from Ruina to Nordicha, before a critical deadline, thus providing a provocation for an invasion. The freight train's entire crew was in on the plan, and were setting fire to the oil tank cars while the train was in motion. They got all the cars ignited, but X-5 was able to use an overhead trackside sand hopper to extinguish all of the fires, and then deliver the oil, on time, averting the international crisis.
Points of Interest
- Bailu (capital)
Notes
- In the mid-20th Century, in Europe, several traditional hereditary monarchies managed to survive both world wars, remaining independent and retaining their original form of government. Among these were Boravia, Carabas, Cornovia, Gardevia, Gavonia, Granaco, Kravia, Markovia, Moldacia, Norania, Numark, Offalia, Pan Balgravia, Ruina, Sardonia, Solvonia, and Valdania. Others, such as Cerania, Emporia, Patrania, or Resbia, are confirmed to have survived the First World War, but are not known to have survived the second.
See Also
- Appearances of Ruina
- Location Gallery: Ruina
- Catalogued images related to Ruina