Antarctic Treaty

The Antarctic Treaty (南極条約 Nankyoku Jōyaku) was a wartime agreement signed between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon on 10 January UC 0079, one week after the outbreak of the One Year War. The treaty banned the use of nuclear weapons, biological and chemical weapons, colony drops, and attacks on neutral space colonies.

The treaty was signed in Antarctica following the catastrophic One Week Battle, which had killed approximately half of the total human population through nuclear attacks, biological weapons, and colony drops. Both sides recognised that continuing to employ such weapons would result in human extinction, making military victory meaningless.

Despite its humanitarian intentions, the Antarctic Treaty was routinely violated by both sides throughout the war. Zeon deployed nuclear weapons on multiple occasions, and both factions pushed the boundaries of the treaty’s restrictions when military necessity demanded it.

Background

When the Principality of Zeon declared war on the Earth Federation on 3 January UC 0079, both sides initially employed weapons of mass destruction without restraint. Zeon used nuclear weapons against Federation space colonies, deployed biological weapons, and executed Operation British—dropping Side 2 colony Island Iffish onto Earth, devastating much of Australia and creating catastrophic climate effects.

The Federation, despite being caught off guard, responded with its own nuclear arsenal, leading to mass destruction across Earth and space. Within the first week of fighting, approximately 5.8 billion people—over half of humanity’s total population—were killed. Entire space colonies were destroyed, major cities on Earth were annihilated, and Earth’s climate was severely disrupted.

Both military commands realised that continuing unrestricted warfare would result in complete human extinction. Degwin Sodo Zabi, Zeon’s sovereign, was particularly horrified by the scale of destruction and pushed for negotiations to establish rules of engagement. The Federation, reeling from catastrophic losses, agreed to talks.

Negotiation

Representatives from both sides met in Antarctica, one of the few regions on Earth relatively unaffected by the initial week’s fighting. The location was chosen for its neutrality and remoteness, allowing diplomats to meet without fear of military interference.

The negotiations were brief and focused. Both sides recognised that any delay might lead to additional mass-casualty attacks. The primary goal was to prevent further use of weapons capable of causing extinction-level events.

Key provisions of the treaty included:

Ban on nuclear weapons - Both sides agreed to cease using nuclear weapons against military targets, civilian populations, or space colonies.
Ban on biological and chemical weapons - All weapons of mass destruction beyond conventional explosives were prohibited.
Ban on colony drops - The deliberate dropping of space colonies onto Earth was forbidden, recognising the catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences.
Protection of neutral colonies - Space colonies that declared neutrality, particularly Side 6, were to be considered off-limits for military operations.
Prisoner treatment - Provisions for humane treatment of prisoners of war were established.

The treaty did not address mobile suits, beam weapons, or other emerging military technologies, as these were not considered weapons of mass destruction. This deliberate omission allowed both sides to continue developing and deploying advanced conventional weapons.

Significance

The Antarctic Treaty acknowledged that the One Year War had already become the deadliest conflict in human history. By agreeing to limitations, both sides implicitly admitted that unrestricted warfare would destroy everything they were fighting for.

For Degwin Sodo Zabi, the treaty represented an attempt to preserve some measure of humanity in the conflict. He had been horrified by his son Gihren Zabi’s willingness to employ weapons of mass destruction and saw the treaty as a check on such destructive impulses.

The Federation viewed the treaty as both humanitarian necessity and strategic advantage. With mobile suit parity not yet achieved, restricting the war to conventional weapons and mobile suit combat gave the Federation time to develop Project V and mass-produce mobile suits.

Violations

Despite its humanitarian intentions, the Antarctic Treaty was violated numerous times by both sides:

Zeon violations:

Multiple uses of tactical nuclear weapons on Earth
Nuclear weapons deployed at Jaburo (though not detonated)
Gihren Zabi’s use of the Solar Ray to kill his father Degwin, also resulting in General Revil’s death

Federation violations:

Deployment of the Solar System weapon at Solomon, which some argued violated the spirit of the treaty
Various tactical nuclear deployments by regional forces

The treaty’s greatest weakness was lack of enforcement mechanisms. With both sides locked in total war, there was no neutral party capable of enforcing compliance. Violations were often justified as military necessity or retaliation for enemy violations.

Legacy

The Antarctic Treaty established precedent for arms control agreements in the Universal Century. Despite its frequent violations during the One Year War, the treaty prevented the complete annihilation of humanity and set limits that both sides mostly respected.

Future conflicts in the Universal Century would reference the Antarctic Treaty when discussing rules of warfare. The treaty became the foundation for later agreements attempting to limit weapons of mass destruction and protect civilian populations.

The treaty also highlighted the limitations of diplomatic agreements during total war. When military commanders believed weapons of mass destruction were necessary for victory or survival, treaty obligations were disregarded. This reality influenced later Universal Century conflicts, where leaders recognised that treaties alone could not prevent atrocities.

Side 6’s neutral status, protected by the Antarctic Treaty, allowed it to survive the One Year War intact. This neutrality would continue in subsequent conflicts, making Side 6 an important refuge and neutral meeting ground throughout the Universal Century.

Behind the scenes

The Antarctic Treaty was mentioned throughout the original Mobile Suit Gundam television series but never shown on screen. It served as background lore explaining why nuclear weapons and colony drops largely ceased after the One Week Battle, despite both sides possessing such capabilities.

Director Yoshiyuki Tomino used the treaty to create a more “realistic” war scenario where both sides recognised the need for restraint whilst still engaging in brutal conflict. This allowed the series to focus on mobile suit warfare without constantly escalating to weapons of mass destruction.

The treaty’s frequent violations served Gundam’s anti-war themes by demonstrating that even agreements meant to limit war’s destructiveness are often ignored when convenient. Characters like Gihren Zabi showed complete willingness to violate the treaty when it suited military objectives.

Later Gundam works, particularly Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, expanded on the treaty’s negotiation and significance. These later interpretations emphasised Degwin Zabi’s role in pushing for the agreement and his horror at the war’s initial week of destruction.

Appearances

Anime

Mobile Suit Gundam (referenced throughout series)

Films

Mobile Suit Gundam I (mentioned)

OVAs

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin (referenced)

Manga

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin

Games

Gihren’s Greed (players can choose to violate treaty terms)

External links

Antarctic Treaty on the Gundam Wiki