Earth-Minbari War

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The Earth-Minbari War is a fictional war that takes place in the science fiction series Babylon 5. The war ended with Earth on the brink of destruction.

The war was provoked by an Earth Alliance force led by Captain Michael Jankowski aboard the EAS (Earth Alliance Ship) Prometheus to investigate the Minbari. During the expedition, the Prometheus and her escorts encountered a Minbari crusier carrying the Grey Council. The Minbari upon seeing the Earth vessels opened their gunports as a sign of respect and strength - even though Earth humans would have no knowledge of such a tradition. Dukhat, leader of the Grey Council, realized the error too late, and ordered the gunports closed - to no avail. Captain Jankowski misinterpreted the gesture as a sign of hostility (compounded by the deleterious effects the Minbari sensors had on the Prometheus' electrical grid and jump engines) and opened fire on the Minbari vessel. Dukhat was killed and his protege Delenn, in a fit of rage, cast her vote to wage war.

While Earth ships had enough firepower to destroy Minbari vessels, the Minbari stealthing systems precluded EarthForce warships from achieving target lock. The Minbari, on the other hand, had no such problems and had weapons capable of destroying their enemies in single hits. In addition, their ships generally had greater maneuverability and acceleration. Furthermore, Minbari sensor systems were capable of overloading the shielding on EarthForce power systems, rendering their jump drives inoperable -- thus eliminating the possibility of escape.

Despite suicidal bravery (and sometimes tactics) on the part of EarthForce, the Earth Alliance found itself badly losing the war. Attempts to acquire effective weapons from friendly powers such as the Centauri Republic were rebuffed for fear of the Minbari turning on them for aiding their enemy. While other interests like the Narns were willing to secretly do business, the supplies available were insufficient for Earth military needs.

A peace attempt brokered by the Narns failed when Centauri warships ambushed the meeting; the recriminations over that event should have sealed Earth's fate. Only one battle was a victory for Earth, involving the destruction of the Minbari flagship Black Star. An EarthForce task group was ambushed by the Black Star in an asteroid field, leaving all ships destroyed or disabled. The EAS Lexington, under the command of first officer Commander John Sheridan, mined several nearby asteroids with nuclear devices, then lured the Black Star back in with a distress call. The weapons completely vaporized the Black Star, giving Earth a much-needed morale boost. The Minbari considered it a dispicable act of cowardice, and named Sheridan "Starkiller," disgusted with him, while the Earth Forces justified it by noting that killing helpless surrendering forces without mercy is just as abhorrent.

By the time the Minbari reached Earth the decision apparently had been made to destroy the human race. Military and civilian leaders on Earth desperately tried to make a stand to evacuate a few more civilians to neutral territory but to no avail. In the engagement that came to be know as The Battle of the Line, Minbari forces swiftly destroyed many EarthForce ships attempting to buy time. It was only through the capture of various humans in the battle and thus discovery that Minbari souls were being reborn in humans that the Minbari stopped.

With the war over, the Earth Alliance pledged to build a diplomatic station to stop such misunderstandings in the future; the fifth and final station was known as Babylon 5.fr:Guerre Terre-Minbari