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Ides of March
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(This story occurred when I was playing Greece and was inspired to tell the massacre from the opposite point of view)
Ahmed Ali- Second Lieutenant 254th Egyptian Calvary Division
July 24th, 1950
Our division was called out of the reserves last night from Cairo and we were briefed on the situation at headquarters. One week earlier, we declared war on Greece due to an uncovering of a sophisticated plot mandated from the top of their government (Alexander X) to hack into our military command and control systems and gain total awareness and capability of where our military installations were located and how they could be systematically be shut down.
The first military engagement was the attempted bombardment of Mycenae from ENS Rameses and ENS Osiris, however the Greeks had an early warning and a squadron of fighters and a battery of cruise missiles sent against the task force severely damaged each ship, forcing them to return to port.
Currently, the plan is to bring a major force consisting of three armies: the first, third, and fifth armies (more than 250,000 troops) to rebuff where Egypt shares the border with the Greek Republic. If the military buildup doesn’t force them to surrender, surely a major invasion into Greece will.
October 16th, 1950
The mobilization is almost completed after a hectic three months of planning and logistics. Most of the forces and equipment were sent by rail. Citizens of Egypt and anyone below the rank of lieutenant believes that this movement is nothing more than a border defense operation in case of Greek invasion. There has been strict radio silence except for the misleading department of intelligence operations to fool the Greeks into believing that across the border is nothing more than some fresh recruits and no higher soldier than a sergeant. I’m pretty confident that the lack of response from the Hellenic Army shows that they took the bait. We only have about twenty days before the invasion begins and tonight the troops learn that what they thought was a defense operation is instead a full-fledged invasion.
November 7th, 1950
The preparations are complete and after having to deal with barracks life for four months, we finally will march straight into Mycenae and take what the Romans could not one thousand years ago. I have utmost confidence this massive force will crush anything in its path as the current figure of military strength in this force alone swells higher than 330,000. Tonight we are awaiting a green light from central command to charge to victory. We are going to avoid the mountain range near Mycenae which has been reported to have numerous Greek strongholds and fortifications dug within the mountains. The first objective is to render the Greek railways unusable and beyond quick repair such that the bulk of the Hellenic Army which is reported to be mostly at their home bases in the larger southern Greek cities cannot come north to counterattack. Once the reinforcements have been cut, the repaired heavy cruisers Osiris and Rameses will bombard Mycenae specifically to target government and military control centers. When the control has been lost and the soldiers demoralized, we shall strike at once with a force of the first army 110,000 strong to take the city. The Greeks, by losing their most strategic and most renowned symbol of perseverance, will certainly be brought to their senses and forced into a treaty from which the Ancient Republic of Egypt shall benefit.
November 8th, 1950
The advance has begun, we have just entered as of five minutes ago into Greek territory and we have not yet been hit with any…
A squadron of Hellenic Air Force fighters have just flown over and it appears as if the shooting in this battle has begun. I am glad to report that the bombs used inflicted minor damage by only destroying about three trucks and inflicted minor wounds on some low ranking soldiers. We have decided not to preempt our advance with an air assault due to the known high volume of surface to air missile sites within the Mycenean mountain range. Once we can confirm air superiority, we shall airdrop new supplies and equipment and later make use of the conquered Mycenean airfields. As of now, it is simply a race to beat the trains undoubtedly being hastily prepared by the Hellenic Army to send reinforcements to the northern border.
November 10th, 1950
Today we discovered the hard way that we are in Greek artillery range. A barrage followed by heavy bomber bombardment out of total surprise has inflicted moderate Egyptian losses and destruction. Two armored platoons and one infantry company so far have been wiped out when they were the first to be sighted by the Greeks. The force has moved around the artillery range, but that will add another day to the expected arrival to the mountain pass which was originally planned to occur on the 12th. Morale is still high and we still have a robust force, however I remain questioning the full capabilities of the Hellenic Army as the strike today may only be a prelude as to what will come.
November 11th, 1950
I am frightened that my prediction may prove true. Since we have tried to turn, the Greeks have been pounding us relentlessly from all sides with artillery fire and occasional heavy bomber bombardment. In addition, the Hellenic Air Force is now targeting specific targets of administration as we have lost one sergeant major and four lieutenants plus a countless amount of NCOs. My life now rests within simple luck that a Greek pilot does not make sight of my command vehicle.
At sea we have also worsening news. The Osiris and Rameses were discovered approaching Mycenae again and this time the Osiris was targeted by air to surface cruise missiles which battered it so heavily, that approaching Hellenic destroyers easily finished it off with a salvo of cannon fire. Rameses did not have much luck either, a Greek diesel submarine located it steaming away from the battered Osiris, however the Rameses was able to fire torpedoes at the submarine which hit and sank it. What the Rameses overlooked was the second submarine quickly approaching nuclear submarine that made short work of it with a combined torpedo/missile strike. ESN Alexandria is at home port assembling with its attack group at the moment, therefore we have lost the ability of artillery from sea to aid us with our taking of Mycenae. I am confident we can take the city, but I am quite unsure of what the cost will be.
November 14th, 1950
Today we tried our first attempt at hitting the mountain pass that leads to Mycenae. As we approached the mountain pass that leads to Mycenae, the Greek fortifications were waiting and showed us their sheer power. There are countless advanced attack tanks hidden within the hills that destroyed our standard E-50 battle tank with relative ease. An armored company too far front of the main force was caught within the hellfire and the burning hulks which belonged to 468th now serve as fatal warnings to not pass closer into Greek territory. In addition to the demoralizing and weakening sight to see your fellow soldier killed in mass, we also were facing high artillery and Greek tank fire. We were able to force the retreat of one Hellenic reconnaissance company after we sighted them. Following their retreat, the barrage of artillery and tank fire died down and we reason that the company we sighted was giving our coordinates to the batteries. However many losses we inflicted on the Greeks is nothing compared to our losses which must be more than fifty times greater than that of their army. We must count our blessings though; recent reports tell of the back of our force being cut off and destroyed with innumerable losses by a Greek armored advance involving the Ares II main battle tank which has been grinding away at our military force. Whatever relief that I have to not be in today’s slaughter is overshadowed by the fact that our force is now completely cut off from Egypt and our only option is a continued unconditional offense toward Mycenae. We so far have a little more than 15,000 dead with more than 51,000 wounded and unable to fight. There is only 80 percent of this force left to fight and of that number, only about 65 percent has enough equipment and supplies to last another week. Fifteen percent of our battle-ready force can only last a few days more due to the losses in supplies from being cut off by the Hellenic Army or the supplies simply being destroyed.
All is not unwell, however, the military has called up three divisions of the elite royal guard to break through the Greek encirclement and reestablish our supply route. Tomorrow we will mount our full force and attempt a break through the mountain pass onto Mycenae where I am sure they have dedicated most of their militia to overseeing the mountains and not the city.
November 25th, 1950
I find time to write these words not with a lull with the battle, but with a lull in the pain inflicted onto me. The hell one week ago will forever be imprinted on my mind. I commanded my company as the leading element of the assault into the mountain pass in the early morning along with the rest of the force and we took our positions atop a smaller hill. From there we immediately began firing into what we thought was the enemy stronghold positions, but they were not. In fact, they were previous enemy positions taken a few days ago. At that point, the real positions lighted up like cities in the early morning sky and unleashed what sounded like thousands of artillery, tank cannons, and small arms fire all directed at us. We barely had five seconds to adjust our weapons for that area until the shells started exploding around us; it was all a trap. It turned to day from the light of the explosions and fires that started to come from what once were proudly serving Egyptian armored vehicles now converted to flaming coffins. As I tried to order my men to regroup and head for a more protected area, my words were cut off from what I saw in the sky to be a whole Hellenic bomber unleash its fury onto us. Their explosions wiped out whatever elements of my company that I could still command. My command vehicle was dodging and luckily missing explosions arising from everywhere around us as we raced down the hill in a hastily retreat with the handful of vehicles remaining from my company and which were incidentally turning into fireballs as they unluckily got struck by bombs or artillery shells. What I was to see at that point told me that there was no hope in our advance: the regiments which were to advance along the valley after our battalion provided cover from the top of the small hill seemed to be unaware of our slaughter and they headed for a certain doom as they were quickly sighted by the Hellenic Army and were pulverized from every angle. Carpet bombing and roadside ambushes were quickly eliminating any chance that they could to reach the desired area where they could establish a hold against the powerful defenders.
Our destination was now the command vehicle of major general Nasser which was behind the front lines to tell him that his advance could not continue on any means. On our way, my driver (who was really mine now since the rest of the command in the battalion was surely killed) was dodging occasional roadblocks of flaming hulls of Egyptian tanks and countless dead or dying bodies of soldiers no older than twenty two. The sun was starting to rise and the birth of a new day would only prove to shine on a massive scene of death and destruction. As the sun cast a light on the battle and we thought we were now safe, machine gun fire from both sides of the road started battering our vehicle and sent us off the road. The two soldiers in the back of the vehicle tried shooting back using the mounted .50 caliber turret, but a sudden explosion on top of the vehicle killed the soldier standing up trying to fire back. A grenade thrown to the top of our vehicle had killed the first soldier and as the second soldier tried standing and taking the turret, he was hit with a burst of machine gun fire on his chest and he fell to the floor of the vehicle writhing in horrible pain. All the while I had been shouting at the driver to keep going, but as I nudged him, his body fell over and I saw his face on the left side full of blood and bullets making his face completely unrecognizable. I lifted his body and placed it in the back of the vehicle with the injured soldier and his dead companion and moved myself into the driver’s seat. Without knowledge of an E-9 armored vehicle, I was able to crudely drive it as I had been the only one in condition to drive. I arrived at what was supposed to be the command headquarters, but saw nothing. Therefore I continued and claimed I saw what looked as the markings of some tents, but they were dark and quiet. Stopping the vehicle, I first looked for a medic for the wounded soldier, but all the vehicles parked nearby were eerily empty and most had open doors. Scanning the perimeter, I could start to see the dark outlines of bodies, all of them Egyptian soldiers looking as if they had died fighting. Proceeding to the tent, I saw more bodies, but these were high ranking generals looking as if dying in the process of giving orders and working command equipment. They were all dead, except one second general, who was coughing and trying to breathe. As I helped him, I asked what had happened and he told of how a group of Greek commandos had assaulted the headquarters immediately killing all perimeter guards and advancing to the tent where some soldiers within the tent started to defiantly shoot without a real target. The commandos took it as a sign of no surrender and drilled the tents with assault rifle fire. Most of the generals, including Nasser, were killed in the onslaught and all the survivors were taken as prisoners of war. He died before he could tell me more and as I lay his body down, I saw Nasser’s body with a hand on his pistol. Proceeding to the various abandoned vehicles, I heard the sometimes angry and sometimes desperate cries from one working receiver radio from various unit commanders caught within the futile battle asking for orders, but there was now no way to order them and they were left to their own fate. After scanning for any medical supplies, I returned to the vehicle where the injured soldier was now resting, but still in pain. I started driving the E-9 again until I heard a strange roaring sound. I stopped the vehicle to look up at the sky and saw nothing and continued driving until I looked up again and the noise was getting much louder and saw a few white contrails seemingly coming towards my direction. Immediately I placed the wounded soldier on my back and left the vehicle running as fast as I could, but it was not fast enough. Around ten seconds after I left the vehicle, the two missiles hit the vehicle and created a force bringing me to unconsciousness.
I awoke yesterday to learn that there were Egyptians in Mycenae, but not as soldiers; instead as prisoners. All we are reduced to are a bunch of men taking up space in some secured military prison where the tall commercial buildings of Greek prosperity cast a mocking insignificance upon us. Thanks to my multiple internal and bone fractures, I occupy a bed in this complex with somewhat of a view over the city that continues its life as normal. I don’t care anymore about militaries, honor, or pride, all it comes down to is a waste of life and I almost became part of the statistic, but I was one of the few spared. Although I do not know the details, I believe the slaughter reached 54,000 total Egyptian dead with 160,000 total wounded especially after those three divisions trying to reestablish a supply route with us were ambushed. Half of the army is either dead or unable to fight. I no longer know whether Egypt’s distortion of the Greek espionage was even worth the consideration of military action, but I definitely know that all modern war has become is simply a showing of honor among powerful men at the cost of thousands.
The ultimate irony is that both the Egyptian people and Greek people are free under democracy, however the binding tyranny of war has shown to be something that no promise of liberty can protect from.
December 15th, 1950
It appears that the war Egypt said would “finally demonstrate the validity and dignity of Egyptian honor and dominance” has come down to nothing more than a point of national embarrassment and vain sacrifice. This morning a peace treaty was signed where there is no victor, but we all know Greece only reinforced its image of perseverance and national strength. Athens will have its celebrations while Cairo will simply be asking the unanswerable question; “Why?”
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18-04-2004 18:20
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