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It's unnecessary to say that the Universal Century is the Gundam franchise's flagship timeline, and that the One Year War-era is its anchor. Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO, the original Mobile Suit Gundam, Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team, and Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: A War in the Pocket are all set during this conflict; as are the opening scenes in Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory. It harbors some of the franchise's best-known side-stories, including Mobile Suit Gundam Zeonic Front, Mobile Suit Gundam The Blue Destiny, Mobile Suit Gundam Lost War Chronicles, Mobile Suit Gundam Cross Dimension 0079, and the stories of some of the more notable Mobile Suit Gundam Mobile Suit Variations pilots.

However, despite all of its much-trumpeted fanfare, few people know exactly what happens during the One Year War. Most fans can identify what happens at the beginning of the war, are sketchy from about the middle of January to the end of August, and then pick up their knowledge again with the events of Mobile Suit Gundam. I find this to be a shame: the middle of the war is largely ignored in favor of the large-and-flashy space battles of Loum, Solomon, and A Baoa Qu--as well as, to a certain extent, Operation Odessa.

This series will provide an overview of the One Year War's events, from front to back. It will not be strictly a timeline, nor will it be a synthesis of works to form a unified series of events (like some other have admirably done--which I shall link to ASAP). I will specify where sources differ, and, as often as not, post all that I know. Dates will be given as much as possible, but not necessarily specific times of day.

[Anyway, before I begin, I thought I'd note that the term "One Year War" doesn't even show up until Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. Older sources often refer to it as the "Zeon War For Independence" and the like. ]

Any way, let's get started...

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The One Week Battle

A War Begins

It's generally agreed, now, that the One Year War kicked off on January 3, UC 0079, at 07:20 AM. The Principality of Zeon's Military Forces carry out a number of surprise attacks on the Earth Federation's patrol fleets, while launching "indiscriminate assaults" on Side 1, Side 2, and Side 4 using nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. This dubious "honor" is usually depicted as being carried out by Vice Admiral Dozle Zabi's Space Attack Force, and they appear to do a relatively thorough job. Entertainment Bible 39 claims that the whole of the Earth Federation Forces doesn't figure out what's going on until almost an hour-and-a-half after the initial attacks, at 08:50. This can be heavily attributed to the Principality of Zeon's effective use of Minovsky particles, which made it nearly impossible for the Federation's patrol fleets and colony garrisons to get out long-range messages before it was too late.

Some of the more notable characters depicted carrying out this carnage are Lieutenant Commander Cima Garahau (Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory--"Mayfly of Space" short) and Lieutenant Ramba Ral (Gundam: The Origin). Both are shown to help carry out gas attacks.

[Speaking of gas attacks, the method of deployment of Zeon's nerve gas is shown differently. Though Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team shows a MS-05 Zaku I breaking through a colony wall and firing a small canister of gas into the air--which explodes and rapidly spreads--most other sources indicate that the gas is pumped in via external containers. There is also some discrepancy as to the nature of the gas. Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team depicts it as a brutal, suffocating gas (complete with blood and gore), while in Gundam: The Origin Zeon employs a more slowly-acting nerve agent that knocks its victims unconscious before killing them. The second, surely, is more "humane." rolleyes

It's also interesting to note that the Mobile Suit Variations books eschew calling Sides 1, 2, and 4 "decimated": rather, they refer to them as "captured. "]

With the first part of their battle plan carried out, the Principality of Zeon moves on to...

Operation British

The following day, January 4, UC 0079, the Principality of Zeon fits the "dead" Colony 8 of Side 2 with thermonuclear rockets and knocks it out of orbit, sending it falling towards Earth. Its target is the Earth Federation Forces' headquarters at Jaburo, in South America.

The colony drop operation seems to have been kept relatively secret until its implementation (who wouldn't notice a falling colony?), or at least the details were handed out on a need-to-know basis. The 603rd Technical Unit's reaction to the falling colony in Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO is particularly telling.

It takes a few hours for the Earth Federation Space Force to catch on to Zeon's plan, but by the following day (January 5, UC 0079), they've already assembled all fleets able to intercept the colony in Earth's orbit. At 12:00 noon on the following day (according to EB 39), the first wave of EFSF begin attacking the colony. Their attacks are quickly hindered, however, by the escorting Principality Fleet.

Two days later (January 8, UC 0079), Admiral Tianem of the Earth Federation Forces' 4th Fleet directs his ships to engage the colony's escort forces directly. Their offensive is short-lived, however--on the order of around three hours--before Tianem and his fleet are forced to withdraw, having lost over 70 percent of their fighting strength.

[Meanwhile, as the battle rages in space, special Zeon advance teams land on Earth to take out some of the EF's land-based orbital defense systems along the colony's projected course.]

With the colony rapidly approaching the "critical intercept point," and the EFSF's orbital fleets having been torn to shreds, the EF begins lobbing nuclear missiles at the colony in a last-ditch effort to deflect it. Their efforts are for naught, however, and on the 9th, the colony begins falling. Jaburo is rapidly evacuated, but the colony breaks up over Arabia in the atmosphere. The largest section (apparently the "front" end) falls on Sydney, Australia, while other fragments fall over North America and the Pacific Ocean. Tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions quickly follow the impacts, and the Earth's climate begins changing drastically.

The Principality of Zeon's forces stick around in orbit to confirm that the colony has not hit Jaburo, and then bug out.

A great number of notables take part in this operation. Lieutenant Junior Grade Char Aznable and Master Chief Petty Officer Shin Matsunaga (Gundam Officials, Aces of a Year War: Shin Matsunaga) both perform outstandingly during the operation, Lieutenant Commander Roy Greenwood injures his eye (thus the trademark eye-patch) (Gundam Officials), Lee Swaggard is promoted to Petty Officer for "valiant service" (Mobile Suit Gundam Zeonic Front), and Lieutenant Commander Gellert Schmeisser receives piloting career-ending injuries in one of the teams sent to Earth (Mobile Suit Gundam Zeonic Front).

In the aftermath of the drop, the Earth Federation's terrestrial forces are quickly assigned to crisis-management, and a special session of the Earth Federation's Supreme Staff Council is held on January 12, UC 0079, to consider the Federation's response to Zeon. Trying to keep itself updated on Zeon's movements, the EF reinforces its satellite surveillance network (EB 39).

A day earlier, on January 11, UC 0079, Side 6 declared its neutrality in the conflict.

Thus the One Week Battle comes to an end. Billions have died, the Earth is in ruins, and the Earth Federation is reeling. Both sides tense momentarily, before Zeon makes the next move...

The Battle of Loum

Yes, Loum gets its own chapter, and rightfully so. To use a bad play on an old saying: "All roads lead through Loum." Loum sets destinies, bestows fame, and ends eras. Mention its name to any UC Gundam fanboy and he'll clap his hands and squeal in glee. It's an entity unto itself.

The problem is that it's a schizophrenic entity. There are more versions of the Battle of Loum than there are heads on the Hydra. Since I can't really decide which one to choose, I'll let you decide on the depiction you like the most. I’ve outlined four basic interpretations of the battle, which in some cases have been condensed from individual sources that basically say the same thing in greater or lesser detail.

Let's jump right in!

Loum: As According to the Mobile Suit Gundam Novels, Roman Album 42, and the MSV Books

Though Zeon's attacks effectively decimated Sides 1, 2, and 4, Side 5 was spared the destruction due to the valiant defense of the Revil Fleet, which was stationed there. Over the ensuing month after Operation British, Revil consolidated the remnants of the EFF, and Zeon moved to finish off the remnants at Side 5. Though Zeon's fleet was severely outnumbered by Revil's fleet, its nuclear-armed Zakus helped them to annihilate most of the Earth Federation fleet under cover of a sea of Minovsky particles. Revil's personal flagship ship was destroyed, and he was taken prisoner.

Loum: As According to Gundam Century, Entertainment Bible 39, and Gundam Officials

This is likely the depiction that you’re all most familiar with.

With the failure of the first colony drop to destroy Jaburo, Zeon decides to try again: this time attempting to use a colony from Side 5 as the missile. A space fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Dozle Zabi departs from Solomon (though the fleet is apparently a combination of Space Attack Force and Mobile Assault Force units), and makes for Side 5. The Earth Federation spots Zeon’s move, and initiates a counteroffensive. The 1st Combined Fleet (which, as the name suggests, is a massive fleet comprised of multiple smaller ones), commanded by General Revil, departs Luna II to take on the Principality Forces at Side 5.

The two forces meet on January 15, UC 0079 in Side 5, as Zeon prepares Colony 11 (of Side 5) for the drop. The vastly (numerically) superior EF fleet begins to overwhelm the Zeon fleet, and Dozle aborts the drop to divert more forces to the battle. The Mobile Suit teams are launched, and the tide of battle quickly turns in favor of the Zeon. Use of nuclear weapons is prolific (the Zakus are actually able to fire nuclear warheads from their Bazookas, and both sides’ ships sling nuclear missiles at each-other), and during the course of the battle, Side 5 is blasted to pieces. By the dawn of January 16, UC 0079, the Earth Federation has lost half of its fleet, and soon thereafter General Revil’s flagship, the Ananke, is sunk--Revil himself is captured. The 1st Combined Fleet soon begins withdrawing from the battlefield, and the fleeing ships split into three groups: one heading toward Lagrange point 4, one toward Lagrange 5, and one running toward Earth. Dozle commands his forces to pursue the Earth-bound group, and Revil’s Executive Officer Commodore Rodney Cunningham turns his ship, the Nereid, around to buy his fleeing comrades some time. The Nereid is burned, and Dozle orders an end to the operation not long after. His fleet splits, with some ships returning to Solomon and others moving back to Side 3.

Though the battle technically ends in a victory for the Principality of Zeon, the death toll on both sides is catastrophic, and both the EF (in space, anyway) and Zeon have effectively exhausted their fighting force for the time being.

Loum: As According to Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO

Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO puts a new spin on things. In this version of events the colony drop is a fake; a clever information leak that seeks to draw out the remaining Earth Federation ships so that they may be blasted into oblivion. The Earth Federation, quite obviously, obliges, and the two meet in space outside Side 5. The fleets line up and begin firing at each other from a distance (which at a glance is a stupid idea, because the Minovsky particles make it almost impossible to hit anything) and it appears that the larger Federation fleet has the upper hand because of its sheer numbers. Just then, Zeon pulls its trump card--the Mobile Suit--and its Zakus rip apart the larger force from close-range. We’re really only shown a portion of the battle, so we don’t really see any colonies get destroyed, or how the battle plays out in the long run.

Loum: As According to Gundam: The Origin

The Origin’s take on Loum is certainly one of the more interesting and exciting versions, and can be briefly described as containing several elements of the other accounts listed above.

In this version, Admiral Tianem is in charge of a very large fleet outside Loum, while an even larger fleet (twice the size of Tianem’s!), under General Revil, is moving from Luna II to join up with this one.

To combat this fleet, Dozle and Gihren come up with a plan to gut the Revil Fleet before it can hook up with Tianem. Dozle leads Zeon’s warships to attack the Tianem Fleet head-on, while a detachment of Kycilia’s Mobile Assault Force quietly leaves A Baoa Qu in Papuas and approaches the Side from the opposite direction. This force then splits into two groups: one group stays outside the Side and waits for the Revil Fleet, while the other group enters the Side and creates a diversionary attack. Loum predictably asks for assistance from the Federation fleets, but Tianem is reluctant to divide his forces. Revil, instead, divides his: his group continues toward Tianem while the second group--under the command of Cunningham and Wakkein--enter the Side. Dozle initially engages the Tianem Fleet, at range, but the larger force begins to rip apart the smaller Zeon fleet. Retreating, the Zeon ships look like they’re going to withdraw… until Dozle makes a surprise maneuver and rams his fleet straight through the middle of Revil’s group. The plan works like a charm, and the fleet is swiftly torn down the middle. The first group of the Mobile Assault Force then moves in and picks apart the remainders of Revil’s fleet. Revil himself is captured.

Meanwhile, within the Side, Wakkein and Cunningham’s group meets with the second piece of the Mobile Assault Force. During the ensuing battle, the Side is basically picked apart, and both the EF and Zeon take very heavy losses.

Loum: In The End

Regardless of how it transpired, Loum sees the destruction of Side 5 (and the death of the majority of its inhabitants), though Texas Colony is notably spared. The Mobile Suit proves its worth by turning a hefty numerical advantage into space dust, and Gihren gets to gloat about how his forces have successfully whipped the Earth Federation for the last twelve days.


A variable who’s-who of notable Zeons participate in the Battle of Loum. Lieutenant JG Char Aznable of the Fourth Team destroys five enemy ships in quick succession (known as “Char’s Five Leaps”), and earns the nickname “the Red Comet.” Chief Petty Officer Johnny Ridden sinks three ships before being recalled, earning him a new paint job and a hefty promotion (Mobile Suit Gundam Aces of a Year War: Johnny Ridden). Master Chief Petty Officer Shin Matsunaga takes control of his unit when his commander is killed, and once again proceeds to perform brilliantly, sinking two ships (Gundam Officials). The Black Tri-stars sink Revil’s flagship and take him hostage as he attempts to run away. The 603rd Technical Unit test the QCX-76A Jormungand, and though the cannon proves its power, it’s the Mobile Suit that seizes the day (Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO). Lieutenant Ramba Ral and his unit do their best to be a thorn in the Earth Federation’s side, and have success capturing enemy vessels (Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team: Bonus Material). Vice Admiral Dozle Zabi commands the Principality of Zeon’s forces during the battle, and Rear Admiral Kycilia Zabi sub-manages (in some depictions) her Mobile Assault Force.

Further interesting tidbit: Lalah Sune is one of the few survivors of Side 5 according to the Mobile Suit Gundam novels.

The end of the Battle of Loum finds both factions exhausted, but it’s the Earth Federation that’s on the verge of caving in. Zeon broadcasts numerous propaganda images of General Revil, and the Earth Federation and Zeon use Side 6 as an intermediary in peace talks. All seems to be going in Gihren’s favor, until General Revil escapes…

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[Next Volume: “Zeon is Exhausted!”; The Antarctic Treaty; The Earth Invasion; And More!]

[Further Note: this piece may very well contain factual errors--as much as I like to pretend I'm perfect, I'm not--so if you spot any, try to clear them up. Remember, though: cite your sources.

For further reading, I suggest (at the moment):

Ultimate Mark
Gundam Official
Library of Londenion

More links shall soon follow. Please, do not post further links in this thread: PM them to me if you have one that I haven't added.]

And now the moment you've all ben waiting for: the first section of Volume 2!

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The Antarctic Treaty

A Proposed Peace

After dragging General Revil back to Side 3, Gihren saturates the Earth Sphere with images of his captive. It doesn't take long, however, for the Earth Federation Forces to secretly concoct a plan to rescue Revil, and the operation is launched with total "hush-hush" (Gundam Officials).

Having had its Space Force blasted to bits and the Earth grievously damaged, the higher echelons of the Earth Federation shuddered in fear and were only too happy to talk turkey when Zeon approached them with a negotiation proposal, via Side 6. Zeon officials meet with Earth Federation officials at Antarctica, and the peace talks begin on January 28, UC 0079 (EB 39. The Mobile Suit Gundam novels place Supreme Commander Gihren and Rear Admiral Kycilia at the negotiations, but have Gihren leave relatively early, convinced that he has won. Gundam: The Origin places M'quve as one of Zeon's top negotiators.

"No Soldiers in Zeon!"

In the midst of the peace accords, on January 31, UC 0079, General Revil suddenly pops back up on Earth, and he gives his famous, rousing, worldwide broadcast "No Soldiers in Zeon!" (EB 39). In it, he reveals to the world that Zeon, too, has exhausted its fighting strength. The novels state that Kycilia is so enraged by this intrusion that "she tried to smash the negotiating table." One can only imagine how Gihren felt.

With Revil having thoroughly raised the morale of the Earth Federation, the Federation arbiters opt for a wartime treaty instead of an out-and-out peace agreement, and the two sides agree...

A) To prohbit the use of weapons of mass destruction;

B) To prohibit using such tactics as colony drops;

C) To recognize the neutrality of both Side 6 and the cities on Luna (excempting bases like Granada, of course);

and D) To agree not to attack the energy supply fleets of either faction.

[Gundam Century notes that nuclear-powered weapons weren't covered by this treaty, for the simple fact that the majority of heavy weapons on both sides were nuclear-powered.]

The negotiations end, and Gihren doesn't spare a moment in declaring the formation of a new Earth Attack Force, under the command of his brother Captain Garma Zabi.

The Invasion of Earth

[Coming Soon!]

MS-05's are Zaku I which are standardly green and blue.

The one in 08th MS Team is a MS-06RD-4 Zaku II Prototype.


All in all, great work.

Sorry if I may sounded off but facts are facts.