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Army Of The Southern CrossThe Army of the Southern Cross is a fictional military organization in the Robotech universe. In the series second installment, The Robotech Masters, the Army of the Southern Cross is the force tasked with defending Earth from the Robotech Masters, who came to retrieve the Protoculture Matrix, following the failure of the Zentraedi during the First Robotech War. This conflict is known as the Second Robotech War. The ASC (as it is often abbreviated)is part of the larger United Earth Forces that took over the role of Earths defenders after the departure of the Robotech Expeditionary Force circa 2022. The leader of the ASC was Supreme Commander Anatole Eli Leonard, a powerful military commander from the RDF. The Army of the Southern Cross was crushed during the Invid invasion of Earth. Note: This is a different view than Mckinneys History of the ASC. Origins of the Army of the Southern Cross The origin of the ASC can be traced to the tumultuous years following the Zentraedi Holocaust (2011). During those years the primary military force on Earth was the Robotech Defense Force (RDF), whose leaders began a process preparing to build a fleet to establish extra-solar Colonies, setting up an Expeditionary Force and integrating the former Zentraedi soldiers into human society. Some Zentraedi rebelled against the Earth government in what became known as the Malcontent Uprisings. The Malcontents had their main strongholds in South America, especially in the Amazon region, thus leading to brutal fighting in this continent. A special task force was founded by the United Earth Government, known as the Southern Cross Group, led by RDF Officer Anatole Eli Leonard. Ascension, Pinnacle and Downfall After the Malcontent Uprisings were crushed, the effort was geared towards the forming of the Robotech Expeditionary Force (REF), which was to prevent a war with the overlords of the Zentraedi, the Robotech Masters. Most of the RDF was gutted to provide men and equipment for the new Expeditionary Force. The United Earth Government established the United Earth Forces (UEF), as the planets official military, combining the remaining RDF and Southern Cross Group. Many officers and troops from the RDF became the Global Military Police, tasked with overseeing the UEF and policing the globe. A special guard force located in Monument City retained the title of Army of the Southern Cross. Former RDF Colonel Anatole Eli Leonard became the Supreme Commander of the United Earth Defense Forces (having command over the UEF and REF). The Army of the Southern Cross expanded to incorporate mecha forces and the elements of the space fleet not included into the REF including the Tristar-class cruiser and Veritech Hovertank. When the Robotech Masters arrived at Earth, the UEF bore the brunt of the fight. Following a series of attacks on civilian targets by the Masters, Leonard was forced by the Prime Minister of the United Earth Government to order massive offensives against the enemy, disregarding the advice of his military advisors, especially Major General Rolf Emerson. Emerson, a former RDF officer, believed in a diplomatic approach to the aliens rather than Leonards shoot first, ask later policy, and despised Leonards careless offensives, which caused great loss of life and equipment to the Army of the Southern Cross. Eventually Emmerson admitted that no other course of action was possible, a diplomatic approach was impossible with the invaders. Towards the end of the war Leonard ordered a grand space offensive led by General Emerson himself, The Southern Cross fared badly during the war, being defeated on many occasions by the Robotech Masters superior technology, save for a few Pyrrhic victories. In the final weeks of the Second Robotech War, Leonard launched a final offensive with most of his troops and some reinforcements from the REF. This force managed to defeat the Robotech Masters, but at a great price -reducing the UEF to shambles. During the Masters assault on Monument City (home to the ASCs headquarters), Leonard was killed along with several of his top officers. Combined with the death of General Emerson, the UEF was left headless. When the Invid invaded Earth, the United Earth Forces/Army of the Southern Cross were completely incapable of defeating the new invaders. The fight with the Masters had drained the Earth's defenders, and fighting with the remnant of the Masters armies feft the United Earth Forces little time to rebuild. As the Invid took control of Earth, the United Earth Forces and the Army of the Southern Cross were completely destroyed, although some units continued to harass the Invid as members of the growing resistance.
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