Date: 2245–2248

It began after a disastrous first contact, when an Earth ship encountered a Minbari cruiser and, through misunderstanding and fear, opened fire and killed the Minbari leader Dukhat. To the Minbari, this act was an unforgivable crime, and they responded with a declaration of holy war. The Minbari military proved overwhelmingly superior. Their technology rendered them virtually invisible to Earth sensors, allowing Minbari warships to destroy EarthForce fleets with near impunity. One Earth colony after another was annihilated, and Earth’s defenses collapsed in rapid succession. Every major engagement ended in decisive Minbari victory, and Earth’s military losses mounted at a catastrophic rate. As the Minbari advanced toward Earth itself, humanity faced extinction. In a final, desperate effort, EarthForce assembled its remaining ships at the Battle of the Line, intending to make a last stand to buy time for civilian evacuation. Against all expectations, just as the Minbari fleet prepared to annihilate Earth’s defenses, they abruptly halted their attack and withdrew without explanation, ending the war instantly. It was later revealed that the Minbari discovered human souls were reborn Minbari souls, a truth that shattered the religious justification for the war. Unable to continue a conflict that would mean destroying themselves, the Minbari surrendered unconditionally. The war left Earth traumatized, militarized, and deeply suspicious of alien powers, shaping human policy for decades and directly leading to the creation of Babylon 5.