Have you ever imagined such a unique country? "uprisings" due to traffic jams were so frequent that they gave birth to a short-lived "Declaration of Independence". Just a minute of "rebellion" was easily quelled by the US Navy.
Despite its defeat, the small city known as the Conch Republic asserted its self-proclaimed sovereignty for more than four decades and demanded a billion dollars in compensation from the victors.
Americans joke that this is a whimsical joke, and the inhabitants of the Conch Republic stick to their own ideas of "independence", and the story takes place in Key West, the end of the world in Florida, USA.
A special city where celebrities gather and immigrants rush for gold, such as the footsteps of Hemingway and President Truman, bear witness to its unique charm.
In 1982, the U.S. Border Patrol added checkpoints and security checkpoints in Key West to keep illegal immigrants safe, but it accidentally caused a spectacular 29-kilometer traffic jam that bottlenecked the road to the heart of Florida.
This measure has greatly reduced the experience of tourists, and has made the local people feel as if they have become outsiders, and their identity has been undermined.
On April 22, 1982, Key West Mayor Dennis Waldrow led the island's elite to the Miami Federal Court to find a solution to the roadblocks, but encountered a setback.
Faced with the futility of his efforts, the mayor was indignant and issued a strong statement to the media in public: "Tomorrow at noon, the Florida Keys will bid farewell to the Union and move towards independence!"
Under the leadership of Mayor Waldrow, Clinton Square witnessed a historic moment when the Conch Republic declared its independence. Citizens responded positively and flocked to him as head of state.
At noon that day, Denis Waldro read the Declaration of Independence aloud and struck a man in a U.S. Navy uniform with a Cuban loaf of bread, symbolizing the awakening of the spirit of resistance.
Just a minute later, however, Mayor Wardrow announced his surrender to the U.S. Navy and offered to restore his homeland — seeking $1 billion in economic assistance to heal the wounds caused by the federal government's prolonged blockade.
This unique independence ceremony contains expectations and demands for the reconstruction of the new country.
The U.S. government did not respond seriously to the actions of Waldrow and others, but they understood the traffic problems caused by the barricades.
As a result, they subsequently removed these obstacles, but the U.S. government's silence on the Conch Republic's choice of independence only deepened the local population's identification with the emerging "nation."
In 1993, the Conch Republic began issuing national and diplomatic passports, which undoubtedly boosted the pride of the inhabitants, who eagerly saw themselves as an integral part of the Conch Republic.
In 1995, when the 478th Battalion of the U.S. Army Reserve set foot on Key West for a military exercise, Dennis was keenly aware that this could affect territorial interests, and he acted decisively.
He expressed his strong opposition directly to the US Supreme Commander and Secretary of State Christopher, and simultaneously launched a "posture of preparing for war to defend sovereignty."
The next day, he formally issued a letter of challenge to the 478th Battalion, along with a-for-tat letter of protest directed at the White House, the Pentagon, and the State Department, firmly upholding their territorial dignity.
During an unexpected exercise, the 478th Battalion took an unforeseen turn, but when they found out that their opponents were equipped with Cuban bread, the tension in their hearts instantly dissipated.
In order to preserve peace, the commander of the 478 battalion wisely accepted some of the proposals of the Conch Republic, which was seen locally as a small victory against the powers.
Every year, the people of the two countries celebrate this "unofficial victory" in a unique way – throwing bread at each other and playing with water guns – a symbol of friendship and reconciliation.