The Band Played Waltzing Matilda

[Walter Rodney Kinghorn]

26th March 1915, Cabinet

After talking about recognising King Andrew I of Greece, Asquith yields to Kitchener.

'Thank you Prime Minister,' said Kitchener holding the letter from Field Marshal Hamilton, 'I have received word. As of now, the Allies have begun their march out of the Dardanelles. There will be 40,000 men left to guard the entrance, until when we can ferry ships through to Constantinople. A total of 55,000 Greeks, 40,000 French and 90,000 British troops have left for Constantinople - '
' - Yes, gentlemen! That is what I call a job well done!' shouted Churchill, slurping through his coffee and biscuits.
'May I continue?' Kitchener said, grating his teeth -
' - You may - '
' - Winston, do not presume that you have the right of reply.' said Asquith, before looking to Kitchener to continue. Nodding, Churchill let his fellow man speak.
'As of now, minesweepers are working around the clock to clear the way. They have lost two ships, but we are halfway through the mines. Greece has already started supplying ammunition. We are also committing another 35,000 men to the front, to replace the crippled and the dead - '
' - How many dead?' Asquith asked, not looking at Kitchener himself. Seeing the eyes stare at him, Churchill gave a devilish grin.
'I'm sorry - '
' - How many did die, Kitchener?' Asquith asked, calm but blunt.
'So far, the dead have gone upwards of sixty thousand. The Turks have no recorded death toll, Prime Minister.' Kitchener said, looking Asquith dead in the eye.
As Kitchener finished his report, Asquith and Churchill stared one another down. Instead of outlasting the First Lord of the Admiralty, Asquith closed his eyes and started laughing. At first a light chuckle, it developed into something morbid, something at the end of a journey. That everything done to go one way has all come for naught.
For once in his life, Churchill was afraid to be in the sight of a laughing maniac. Of course, he would never say that out loud.
Looking up, he had every man in the room by the eyes. 'I thank you all. Secretary Kitchener, First Lord Churchill and Chancellor Lloyd George! Thanks to you, sixty thousand men are now dead on Turkish shores and I am right once again! I should have opposed this plan further! I should have done something to stop you - '
' - You are right about that,' Churchill interrupted, 'you should have done something. Anything would have been nice. But instead we got a quivering sod of a man who was one biscuit short of a high tea. You did nothing to help the army, we should have gone to war to back France and Russia. But what did we do? We were trying to quibble our place in the world, saying we were and we were not at war. And here now, you did the exact same thing for Lord Northcote and The Daily Telegraph. Wobbling your way through the interviews, talking about secret "misgivings" about certain people as if I didn't notice. Lloyd George and Kitchener and I have made more of an effort in these few months than what you have done for this entire war - '
Slamming the table, Asquith pulled himself up. ' - I will have you for this, you ungrateful cad. I'll make sure the word "Cabinet" and "Minister" are as foreign to your words as "Ayuda, ayuda, estoy siendo reprimido".' Asquith said, as he sat -
' - "help, help, I'm being represssed". I must congratulate you on being honest with me for the first time in ages - '
' - Get out! Get out the three of you - '
Standing up to the Prime Minister, Kitchener snarled at him. 'I will not suffer for you at all. I will make sure that the war is being prosecuted, unlike you. I am sorry, Prime Minister, but I have lost your confidence - '
Standing up, Edward Grey wanted to chime in. ' - You cannot do that. A Field Marshal like you cannot interfere in the affairs of the - '
' - politics? Mr Grey, a few seconds ago, Asquith prepared to expel me from the Cabinet on the dubious grounds of supporting the fight that he cannot - '
' - Mr Kitchener, you need to restrain yourself!' John Simon, the Attorney General shouted.
'Says the man that is suddenly shouting!' Churchill shouted, sneaking a small laugh there.
'Don't you enjoy this, Churchill - '
' - Or what? You're going to order an injection against me? Litigation - '
As Churchill tried to snark, the whole room was flown into chaos. Lloyd George-ists and Asquith loyalists were insulting one another as the Prime Minister joined in the act.
Only one man remained calm and quiet.
Lloyd George himself.
Taking a small breath, he took his glass, walked to the drinks trolley and poured some gin. Looking at the chaos, he swirled the drink before making one of political history's controversial moments.

 

[Walter Rodney Kinghorn]

**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Orwell and Lloyd George: A Radio Interview (Conducted on the 16th November 1945, two months before Lloyd George's death)

Orwell: That was where you made the decision?
Lloyd George: Yes. The people, wanted a strong leader. Someone that knew the plans and knew the initiative. I say this in all honesty, Asquith did not have this quality. He fumbled around and later claimed responsibility for the success, which was untrue.

***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
100 GREATEST BRITONS SURVEY - Hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Norman Lovett

'So that's his life, David Lloyd George at number 26,' Jeremy says to the camera, 'which proves the greatest moral lesson of all time.'
'What's that?' James May asks.
'If you drink enough gin, you too can be Prime Minister of Great Britain - '
' - Although Piers Morgan claimed to have drunk a full bottle of champagne before he drove 100 above the speed limit - '
' - Good point, James,' said Norman, 'which leads to the second greatest moral lesson of all time - '
' - Which is?' Jeremy says, hand over his mouth. (small laughter)
'If you drink champagne and drive 100 over the speed limit, you too can break the law.' Norman said, deadpan as the room goes on with laughter.

*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
26th March 1915, the same Cabinet room a few seconds later.

Taking the gin glass, Lloyd George sculled the whole drink and walked to the table. In one fell stroke, he raised the glass before throwing it onto the table.
With the glass shattering over Cabinet papers and the table itself, a silence grew over the room.
Clearing his throat, the Welshman spoke. 'I too have lost confidence in the Prime Minister. Asquith, you have done nothing to contribute to the war. As of now, there is no virtue that you can claim for yourself. You are even too weak to consider vice for your own - '
' - How - '
' - I am not finished speaking,' Lloyd George shouted at the man, stiffening the back of every man in the room, 'either you resign or I do.'
Looking around the room, Asquith wiped away the tears as he looked to the men that ruined him.
'Very well then,' said Asquith, 'in that case, I will take a third option.' Before telling the Chancellor and Churchill, Asquith left the room. Before anything else occurred, a group of men followed him.
Edward Grey, the Foreign Minister
John Stone, the Attorney General
Charles Hobhouse, Postmaster General
Herbert Samuel, President of the Local Governments Board
Thomas McKinnon Wood, Secretary of Scotland
Walter Runciman, President of the Board of Trade
Reginald McKenna, Home Secretary

With some of the powerful men in Cabinet gone, Lloyd George dismissed the meeting. Walking outside, he was planning to seek a ride to Buckingham Palace. As fast as they could, Churchill and Kitchener rode with him.
'Why are you - '
' - Asquith has lost the plot, the shovel and the goddamn coffin,' Churchill said, 'I am not going to let you do something drastic on your own.'
'As much as I would like to stick my head out of this, I will back you to the hilt. The last thing this country needs is a radical change. What if Labour get in?' Kitchener said, not out of personal preference but of simple "what if".

Seeing Asquith and the rebel ministers leave, Lloyd George and the two others seek the audience of the King. Upon seeing him, the King smiled.
'Gentlemen, I know why you are here,' King George V said, 'Asquith has resigned his commission as Prime Minister. Will you take his place?'
Stepping forward, Lloyd George made himself calm. 'Yes, Your Majesty.'

 

[Walter Rodney Kinghorn]

****************************************************************

26th March 1915, Berlin

'Gentlemen, if we are to win this war, it must be with a direct push through France and towards Paris. Give me the forces and I can send them back from the front and into the sea - '

' - Thank you, Falkenhayn, we have heard enough,' said the Chancellor, gritting his teeth and letting the man know it, 'what of the eastern front, Hindenburg?'

Opening a folder, Ludendorff passed it over to his superior.

'The efforts that the Russians have made are far too much for the poor supplies that they have. There is nothing that they can offer to fight back with. They will break with a fresh offensive. With concentrated artillery and airplanes, there is nothing that the Russians can do.'

'Well, I - '

' - Chancellor, the Allies in the west are not moving. It should be now that the renewed fight should be there. We must batter them up now, while they - '

' - Reinforce? Renew their numbers? What is it, Falkenhayn, spit it - '

' - I am the Chief of Staff! I have the authority - '

' - A message, a message!' shouted one of the guards, rushing it towards the table. Taking it in his hands, Falkenhayn snaps it open and reads it.

'Oh, its two messages, Chancellor,' said Falkenhayn, 'I do not know which is worse - '

' - Say them!' Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg shouted, not the sort of person to like suspense.

'The first is from General Conrad von Hötzendorf. He says that the desire for an offensive is so great that if we ignore it, he will press for a seperate peace with the Allies - '

' - Jesus Christ. If that happens, the whole of Russia will be on us. If the Ottomans surrender, the Allies will be attacking Germany and only Germany - '

' - Falkenhayn. This is serious. We can have our arguments over which front needs more men, but this is one thing that sets it apart. If we lose Austria-Hungary, we lose the initiative - '

' - Wait, wait, wait, what was the second message? I heard that there was a second message, what was it?' Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg asked.

Clearing his throat, Falkenhayn looked to the men. 'Romania has declared war. They will fight for the Allies.'

****************************************************************

1st April 1915

With the letters from the consulates in hand, the Ambassador came in with deep huffing breath.

'Grand Vizier, I am troubled.' said Henry, looking to the man as he was calm in enjoying his lunch. Seeing the man act this way, he wanted to attract his attention, but -

' - By what?' Talaat Pasha asked.

'The reports. Tell me it isn't true - '

' - What isn't true? What are you talking about?' Talaat asked again.

'I have reports, from several American missionaries including Clarence Ussher inside the city of Van. Armenians are being harassed, taken under duress and butchered. Not one or two, but hundreds. Mr Ussher claimed that up to 20,000 in the Van vilyet alone have been victims - '

' - Victims? No, no, Mr Morgenthau,' Talaat Pasha started, 'terrorists. Those that work for the Tsar and the Orthodox Church to undermine the Sultan and the Empire that has given them peace - '

' - Killing these men for peace is like raping a woman in the name of chastity. These are Christian men - '

' - And we are Muslims,' said Talaat, 'we have declared war on these people. They have fought against us and for that, they must suffer for it. If the Ottoman Empire is to survive, it is to become one race, one nation, one faith, one authority - '

' - You cannot do that - '

' - And the United States can? Tell me, Ambassador, were Americans uneasy about the Sioux or the Mexicans or even the negros you kept as slaves - '

' - I was born in Germany, Grand Vizier. I would know nothing of the sort - '

' - And you will do nothing,' said the Grand Vizier, 'these Armenians, these filth. They will stab us in the back. They do not hold the same allegiance to us. They are not the same as us. They will work their way towards the top and they will destroy what we have fought to protect. Christianity has no place in this nation. Not now, not ever - '

' - But - '

' - But what? Ambassador, as of now, the United States are not at war - '

' - But Romania has joined - '

' - They are joining the inevitable. Soon, Germany will carve her into scraps. As for us, I look forward to seeing the Sultan near the pyramids once again. Looking over the - '

' - The dead, the buried, the slaughtered - '

' - The butchered and drowned and mutiliated, yes, Ambassador, that is what is going to happen. They will deserve everything that they get. They are colluding with the Russians and they will receive the treatment of enemy soldiers - '

' - They are not meant to suffer - '

' - While they harm us? No. That cannot happen. I cannot allow one Armenian to stand with a rifle or with any chance to make weapons. He'll slip one bullet out of the way, day by day. When he gets his chance, he will massacre us - '

' - Just like what you are doing right now - '

' - Yes. These things are inevitable - '

' - Like marching them out to their deaths?'

'That, yes. And poisoning them and butchering them all the way down to the third generation. Starving them out little by little until nothing of food and drink goes their - '

' - This is blasphemous, this is barbaric - '

' - This is pragmatic, Ambassador Morgenthau,' Talaat said, remaining calm through this time, 'tell the world what we have done. We will show the world what a real nation should do. It will be nothing less than a brilliant miracle on our part. I will do in less than three years what has taken the Sultans decades and centuries. I will be a martyr, bathed in glory, Mr Morgenthau - '

' - This is inhumane, this is unacceptable, this is beyond forgiveness - '

' - Much like your ancestors killing Christ,' said Talaat, before he broke into sudden laughter, 'I hope you enjoy your day Ambassador. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the sea is clear - '

' - And the Ottoman Empire is nothing less than a degenerate mess.' Henry Morgenthau Snr said, before storming off.

Walking away, all that he heard was the sound of laughter. What was worse, he wondered. The laughter of a monster or the acts he commits.

****************************************************************

Okay then, so I will explain.

1. The ATL death toll and the second front will force Asquith to resign earlier. Following this, a large section of the cabinet resigns. Instead of dealing with rebels, Lloyd George strips them of the whip and calls a wartime election. Churchill explains a coalition with the Conservatives would cripple their relations with voters.

2. I reckon that was the only way Lloyd George could get their attention. Such a waste of a good glass though.

3. The interview will have more ramifications for Orwell than Lloyd George later on in life.

4. I couldn't think of someone other than Holly from Red Dwarf to deliver a deadpan joke so bad that it was funny.

5. Lloyd George is going to gamble on an election to secure the position, instead of hoping that Asquith and his ilk stay quiet. Because in OTL, they don't. They will lose the whip from the party in ATL.

6. Hötzendorf's threat is OTL and Romania declares war earlier because of the success of the Dardenelles as well as how close the Allies are getting.

7. As of the 1st April 1915, the Allies are 173km from Constantinople. The ships have not yet reached the Sea of Marmara, yet.

8. I hope Talaat Pasha, Enver Pasha and the other Pasha all burn in hell for what they have done. I do not, repeat, DO NOT ENDORSE WHAT HE HAS SAID.

In the words of OTL Australian historian Henry Reynolds. "Two such diametrically opposed societies could not merge without conflict. One or the other had to prevail."

9. Henry Morgenthau Snr. will receive a proper chance given his show of what has happened.

10. Romania declared war on the Central Powers on the wee hours of 25th April. Just so you know.

11. Two bits where laughter exists in different contexts. One is close to a mental breakdown and another is to mask a severe bigotry against Armenians. Something that I wanted to use to break the facade of professionalism in world leaders.

Before I could post these, I was not able to put "The Aftermath" in one post, that's why they are a trilogy. Not artistic, the website was taking too long to upload and it would give way before the content uploaded.

Anyway, I take my leave now. I should be back here soon enough.

I hope this is good and we'll take it from there.

Have a nice day, I know I'm having one.

 

[Walter Rodney Kinghorn]

So, any thoughts or comments will be welcome. Thank you all for watching and liking this. Thanks.

 

[Draconis]

So, any thoughts or comments will be welcome. Thank you all for watching and liking this. Thanks.

It is an interesting storyline. However I'm having trouble seeing how you arrived at such a huge casualty rate for the Allies. You're describing a casualty rate higher then the opening days of the Battle of the Somme against a far smaller opponent then the German army in France. Perhaps about 10% of your numbers for the Allied losses would be more realistic. What am I missing here?

 

[pedmore1202]

Just found this. Pretty interesting so far.

Have to agree with Draconis above though. 210000 troops attacking less than 30000, and yet you have almost 70,000 allied troops dead. What figures are you using for the casualty rates? Because both OTL Gallipoli (which involved about twice as many Allied troops, and about 10 times as many Ottoman troops) and D-Day (which involved 150,000 allied troops and about 50,000 Germans - along with a severely fortified coastline) didn't have as many casualties combined, as you have with this.

 

[Walter Rodney Kinghorn]

Just found this. Pretty interesting so far.

Have to agree with Draconis above though. 210000 troops attacking less than 30000, and yet you have almost 70,000 allied troops dead. What figures are you using for the casualty rates? Because both OTL Gallipoli (which involved about twice as many Allied troops, and about 10 times as many Ottoman troops) and D-Day (which involved 150,000 allied troops and about 50,000 Germans - along with a severely fortified coastline) didn't have as many casualties combined, as you have with this.

@pedmore1202
@Draconis

Thanks for the comment. Allow me to explain.

In fact, I should have made mention of this earlier, for better context, but I'll try to explain.
Operation Iliad occurred on a single day, where the Allied forces had to scale the mountainous high ground to claim it.
The Greeks attacking Cape Helles head on, in front of the fortress until the machine guns ran out of ammo ("Zerg Rush", I think its called, but it explains most of the mortality rates). The other forces were to attack the mountainous high ground, regardless of the opposition's use of machine guns and artillery and snipers. Gape Tepe is one of those places, where the Allies and the 19th Division fought to the death once the ANZACs and the British tried to converge on the area. In fact, most of the Ottoman mortalities suffered were in hand to hand combat with bayonets. Some sections of the defenders fought to the death, claiming more men each than what the Allies could do. After all, in war if a soldier could not live to fight, he was bound to take as many as he could with him. That of course does not count the amount of people that succumb to wounds days after. The final number was counted years and years after the fact, where the toll included those that died on the day and those that succumbed to their wounds later.

If that does explain it, then I hope that is good. If it doesn't, then I wish I could rationalise it better.

Thank you very much, I appreciate it.

 

[Walter Rodney Kinghorn]

Na, it wouldn't hurt

******************************************************************
3rd April 1915

'Almost. Almost. Almost. Almost - '
' - Did we get it?' said the lieutenant of the ship. Pulling himself from the edge, the midshipman looked to his superior.
'Yes sir, that is the last one,' said the midshipman, 'we can get to Constantinople now.' He cheered as the deck gun destroyed the last mine that remained in the way of victory.

Two miles behind, forty warships are about to pour into the Sea of Marmara. Hell will come to Constantinople's gates, by land and by sea.

******************************************************************

9th April 1915, US State of Virginia

'Gentlemen, I bring you all here today for a great purpose,' the man said near the cross, 'I am here to tell you that we are in peril. Now, some of you may think that this is a falsehood, but it is not. We, the white race, we are in peril. Our God given purpose, to elevate the savages of this world, is under siege by the three groups. The three groups are as follows. The Republican Party, which has not steered itself away from the negro lovers Abraham Lincoln and Thaddeus Stevens. The negro himself, the nigger, the one that will ruin us the moment he and she get into power. The ones that will have us toiling in the fields and the ones that will have the whip hand over us. I saw these things, my dear friends, with my own two eyes as the Federal troops forced Reconstruction onto us. The thing that has upset the natural balance of things - '
' - Yes! We need to keep them in their place!' shouted one of the younger men.
'That is the point my boy, but there is one more group. One more, one far more dangerous to our cause. That is the Wiggers. The men who put on a mask, claim that the white man is their great concern and yet are willing to hate lynching and the KKK. The two things that keep order. These two things have the President himself disliking them. President Woodrow Wilson himself does not endorse what I have to say. And I do not endorse him - '
' - He's a nigger lover!' shouted one of the older men, one of those from the original KKK.
'Yes. He himself said these things are "Un-American". And his friends in the NAACP have done nothing but support him. That is the point with this man. He does not care for the white man at all. He does not want to strip away these abominable amendments or their right to vote or anything like that. These niggers can get away with murder in the North while we struggle to maintain order. Which is why I am making a pledge to restart the return to the true America we once lost. The one where the white man shall have the whip hand over all. I hereby announce the restart of the Ku Klux Klan. Who shall join me?' Thomas Dixon Jr said, raising his hands into the night sky.
'I'll join.' shouted one young boy, before he took his white cloak and mask. At once, a line formed up. The young, those that were close to adulthood. The middle aged and working class. The old and the original vanguard. There was a man there, eighty years old. Upon donning his mask and clothes, he told of his pride riding with Nathan Bedford Forrest himself.
Upon his story finishing, Dixon lit the torch and threw it on the cross. Blazing in the open field, the cross gave light to Dixon and the men as they threw their hands up in the air.

'Will you defend this country from the uppity nigger?'
'I do!'
'And again.'
'I do!' the shout went louder.
'Again!' Dixon Jr shouted.
'I do!' shouted the three hundred men at the top of their lungs.
'Will you hail the white race, the example of Jess Willard. Willard, the man who beat that race mixer nigger Johnston flat on his ass in Cuba. All hail the "Great White Hope"!'
'All hail!'
With a devilish grin, Thomas Dixon Jr. began his session as the first Grand Wizard.

*******************************************************************

9th April to the 12th of April 1915

Men in backrooms debated whether David Lloyd George should have called for an election in the middle of the fighting. One camp, known as the "reservists", argued that an election would have crippled the Liberal Party. After all, the Liberal Party had changed.

During the Gladstone era, the party took on libertarian and lasses-faire economic issues while leaving social issues alone. But under Camberwall-Bannerman and Asquith and now Lloyd George, the party changed. It now became interventionist, pro-nationalisation and supporting more social policies. They feared the Liberal Party base would go to the Conservative and Liberal Unionist Party under Bonar Law.

On the other side, there were "reinforcers". Those that argued that Asquith had "poisoned the chalice". It would be impossible for a new leader to maintain power unless the opposing faction had the chance to go before a push. Those men argued that Lloyd George had every right to call for an election. The Liberal Party had changed and Lloyd George meant to uphold what was the new normal for the Liberal Party.

After losing the whip, Asquith and his fellow men formed the Democratic Liberal Party along with any members that left the party. With rallies at London and Oxford by Churchill and Lloyd George stating the new policies, Asquith had little chance. Despite being the former Prime Minister, he lacked the strength to carry on a campaign. Again and again, he would have questions on how he would be better than Lloyd George. The major newspapers were divided between Bonar Law and Lloyd George, while Labour had rallied in case of a minority government.

Campaigning across the country, Kitchener made the controversial decision to support Lloyd George. Having had his endorsement, much of the soldiering men in Britain had the chance to vote. With the speed of manufacturing the paper, the voting ballots managed to get to their stations with thanks to the men from the Territorial Army. This occurred with the explicit order of soldiers to not interfere with voters, moving away from voting booths.

Lloyd George campaigned on the shell shortage, knowing how it would have a solution. He also called for home rule for Ireland, women's suffrage as well as the punishment of Germany and her allies to be right and just.

The results came around on the 14th April 1915
689 Seats
345 Seats for a majority
3,991,827 votes

Liberal Party (David Lloyd George):
336 seats, 2,115,361 votes

Conservative and Liberal Unionist (Bonar Law):
220 seats, 1,377,384 votes

Labour Party (Arthur Henderson):
36 votes, 312,993 votes

Irish Parliamentary Party (John Redmond):
79 seats, 101,055 votes

Democratic Liberal Party (Herbert H. Asquith):
11 seats, 39,023 votes

All-for-Ireland (William O'Brien):
6 seats, 34,977 votes

Social Democratic Federation (H. M. Hyndman):
0 seats, 5,188 votes

Ind. Conservatives:
1 seat won, 5,102 votes

Scottish Prohibition Party (Edwin Scrymgeour):
0 seats won, 715 votes

Independent:
0 seats won, 29 votes

Many people have attempted to find an explanation for this vote. In normal political circumstances, a change of government leader would have a 50% chance of working compared to 80%+ in opposition. Operation Dardanelles, the support for Lloyd George compared to Asquith by newspapers and the war allowed Lloyd George to win. The backdoor negotiations for Greece's entry was a factor, as MP's had to answer on Asquith's opinions and behaviours.

This allowed for the Liberals to prosecute their case with a new leader. The Democratic Liberals, Labour and the Social Democratic Federation parties all campaigned on the waste of life. It was this that made even stalwart Liberal voters desert Asquith in his hour of need.

But, the next election would occur under the general Post-War Election Effect (PWEE), as it would occur across the world.

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22nd April 1915, Ypres

'Colonel Mordacq. Colonel!' shouted one of the soldiers under his command. Looking at a group of men from the 90th Infantry Brigade, he stood with hands on hips.
'What is it? What have you done to get me away from my duties?' Colonel Mordacq asked.
'I happened to hear some of the Canadians and the, the English. They were singing a song, it was the old one, the one we all used to sing.' said one of the private. Hand over his face, the Colonel wondered if there was any actual duties to give him an excuse to get away. As much as he would love to converse, being so close to whatever left of Ypres had to take precede -
' - I'll start it,' the soldier said, finishing the last piece of jam on toast, 'here it goes. "Three German Officers crossed the Rhine, - ".' Waiting for him to continue the song, several men try and snap their fingers in front of h -
' - What's wrong?' the Colonel asked.
'Something's wrong, Colonel. The air. It's, weird.' said the pri -
' - Look up.' Colonel Mordacq said. Above them was the lingering movement of a cloud. A green cloud.
'Get away, get away now!' shouted one of the men. As the green appeared more and more in the sky, the men forced themselves to run. Coughing and wheezing, Colonel Mordacq retreated through one of the supply trenches.
'Colonel, what the hell are you - '
' - Look!' said the Colonel, pointing to the sky. Upon sighting the unholy thing, several men covered themselves if they could.

******************************************************************

22nd April 1915, not far from Constantinople

'We've had a hard march through either deserted villages or poor defensive areas,' said Field Marshal Hamilton, 'but we're here now. That is all that matters.'
'What news of the Allied warships?' asked Aylmer Hunter-Weston.
'The Greeks made contact at Imrail Adasi. They managed to take out four battleships, three destroyers and all their minelaying ships. They lost three ships in exchange, but the Ottomans left as soon as the French joined in the battle.' Hamilton said.
'What of the Royal Navy?' Allenby asked.
'They made contact off the coast. Two more destroyers sunk, but the rest retreated back to the capitol.' Hamilton responded.
'So are they all at Constantinople?' William Birdwood asked.
'Yes,' said Hamilton, 'here is the plan. The Greeks will station their troops from the coastline going inland until they reach Sazlidere Baraji. The French will then occupy the opposite side of the water, to extend from Şamlar to Cebeci. The British forces excluding the 1st and 2nd ANZAC Divisions will occupy Cebeci to the area of Maslak. The 1st and 2nd ANZAC will push further up, to the Black Sea coastline. This will be to prevent any flanking motion as well as prevent our lines from raids.' Pushing himself from the table, Hamilton wiped the sweat off his brow.
'Field Marshal. We can do this,' said Birdwood, 'we are too close now. We can do this - '
' - I know we can. But I must question myself if it will become all too like the landings. I thought it was impossible, even for me, to get over sixty thousand dead and not even count a single Ottoman soldier. But here I am - '
' - Here we are,' said the Greek commander, 'I must tell you, Field Marshal. What we do here today will echo throughout the centuries. Even now, I can hear the Byzantines calling for the final strike against the Moslems - '
' - Field Marshal, I wish to lodge a complaint - '
' - What complaint? Speak now.' said the Greek commander.
'May I remind the commander of the Greek Division that he is acting under King Andrew I of Greece, not Basil the Bulgar Slayer. We are fighting the Ottoman Empire, not Islam. This is not a crusade - '
' - For you Brits, it is not that. But you will never know the pain - '
' - The pain? It was the British and the French that came over to help you - '
' - Enough, the both of you! Allenby, Paraskevopoulos, the both of you are squalling like those in Parliament. I have to wonder why they had a bloody election - '
' - Who won?' Hunter-Weston asked.
'Lloyd George, by a considerable margin. But like Lloyd George, we must have a quick victory before there is any more chances for the Turks. As of now, our planes have three divisions of men. That is more than enough to throw us back if we do not get more men in.' said Hamilton.
' - Field Marshal, there's a battle going on!' shouted one of the greek soldiers in butchered English.
'Where? Where!' asked Leonidas Paraskevopoulos.
'Out at sea!' the soldier shouted, before all commanders watched.

Admiring the view, Field Marshal Ian Hamilton was the first to see another Turkish destroyer sunk. Looking around, the French and the Greeks and the British and the ANZACs all celebrated.

*******************************************************************

1. After working non-stop to clear the way, the British, the French and the Greeks have opened the Dardanelles to Constantinople. So far, they have not discovered the whereabouts of XV Corps. Prepare for the coming boogaloo, folks.

2. Thomas Dixon Jr. When you thought he had enough, he has now gone and reformed the bloody Klan. The one thing that matters is that Forrest, later in life, rejected the Klan and supported reconciliation. This will have impact later on.

3. Bonar Law was the leader of the Conservative and Liberal Unionist Party in the House of Commons. Henry FitzMaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne.

4. I took the difference between the December 1910 and 1918 Elections (37) and divided by 2 which gave me 19 once rounded up. I also took out 1 million voters out of the equation, as well as adding a few thousand more due to those men that would be eligible but have not yet enlisted.

5. Since the Greeks attacked the fort at Cape Helles instead of the Irish, opinion over Home Rule does not wane.

6. Did you think Lloyd George was going to skirt into power without Asquith sneaking around?

7. The last bit says it all.

8. Chlorine gas. It's a bitch.

9. The reason for such speed is Enver Pasha giving all troops west of Constantinople to General Liman, as well the lack of arms for the defenders left.

10. In OTL, Allenby forbid the use of the word "crusader" in any official aspect when he was in command in the Middle East. He would be no different.

11. The Allied warships have fought three battles now in the Sea of Marmara. The Turkish ships are being hunted down, one by one. Constantinople is the only place where they can repair, while Allied submarines (four), can hunt them down.

Anyway, that is enough for this post. I hope that this is good enough. I hope everyone is safe from COVID-19 and that there's no great trouble. I hope this is good enough.

Thanks.

 

[Walter Rodney Kinghorn]

So, any thoughts?

 

[Ramontxo]

Thanks for your work as it is helping a lot during this long days at home.

 

[StrikeEcho]

So far so good man! Although I wonder what the German reaction to the landings and fall of the Dardanelles were.

 

[Walter Rodney Kinghorn]

Thanks for your work as it is helping a lot during this long days at home.

Thanks man. I managed to tell my mum about what I was doing and I had to explain to her what a POD is (as you do). So, given how I'm Australian, I used the example of the infamous "Birthday Cake" interview. This was where John Hewson (then Coalition leader) fucked up the answer to a question relating to the GST. I said to her a POD would be Hewson getting it right or the question from Mike Willesse never popping up.

So far, I have no symptoms, but the atmosphere (if I may say this), is motivating me somewhat to get this done. At least its recent unlike my first TL.

But thanks anyway, always appreciate.

 

[Walter Rodney Kinghorn]

So far so good man! Although I wonder what the German reaction to the landings and fall of the Dardanelles were.

Thanks.

General Liman would, around the 18th to the end of March, recall the events of the landings and the offensive into eastern Thrace. Germany would be preoccupied with the Western and Eastern Fronts. They will exploit the gap of the lines at the Second Battle of Ypres, that is one of the first things they'll do. Apart from laying waste to the Russians. I'll make it clearer in the next post.

Thanks, really appreciate it.

 

[Walter Rodney Kinghorn]

 

[Walter Rodney Kinghorn]

Hey guys, this is my first attempt at a Wikibox. As you can see, the flags aint showing, so there. At least I had a crack. I reckon I should be able to get the next post up by tonight.

Quick question, if anyone is able to answer it: How do you make a wiki box for elections. US Elections, British Elections and Australian Elections, etc. If anyone can help me, that would be thankful.

 

[Walter Rodney Kinghorn]

 

[Walter Rodney Kinghorn]

Current makeup of the Post-1915 Election Parliament.
Liberal Party (David Lloyd George):
336 seats

Conservative and Liberal Unionist (Bonar Law):
220 seats

Labour Party (Arthur Henderson):
36 votes

Irish Parliamentary Party (John Redmond):
79 seats

Democratic Liberal Party (Herbert H. Asquith):
11 seats

All-for-Ireland (William O'Brien):
6 seats

Ind. Conservatives:
1 seat

 

[Walter Rodney Kinghorn]

16th April 1915, Shadakh

Walking towards the Governor, Clarence Ussher tries to keep calm. Trying to sleep, he hears nothing but a few far away screams. Them as well as the news from other places. The rapes. The killings. All things.
They are doing to the Armenians what God did to the Sodomites, but there is no wrong committed here. I have not h -
' - Ah, Mr Ussher. Gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to one of the, the A-American missionaries. Mr Clarence Ussher.' said the Governor, Djevdet Bey. Caught unaware by the soldiers, Ussher shook hands with them. Taking a look at the men, Ussher knew they were not professional. One of them forgot to wipe the blood of a bayonet.
'Ah, yes, Governor, thank you.' said Mr Ussher. Guided to a table, both the Governor and Mr Ussher sat.
'Would you like some water, Mr Ussher?' asked one of the soldiers in broken English, one of the troops brought in from the other side of the country. Shaking his head, Mr Ussher took out his canteen and drank from it.
'Now, what is the matter that you wish to discuss, Mr Ussher?' the Governor said, taking an apple and sinking three bites in rapid succession.
'It is about the city of Van and the Armenians,' Mr Ussher started, 'I cannot stand by. My friend, he's old but he is a teacher. Sograd Kezerian, he is in his seventies. He knows what you are doing and so do I. I wish for it to stop. I have to treat them, Governor. I have to help to remove the bullets and to clean up the wounds. Do you know what it is like to see a pregnant woman lose the child in her womb?'
'No. To say that I do would be an outright lie. I am not aware of the situation of the hospital, of the reports, tell me what are they - '
' - Governor. Women and children have wounds from bullets and from shrapnel. I saw a five year old child on anaesthetic lose both forearms. He will never catch or clap, or even shake hands because of what has happened. There are people that have fallen into shock for several days, unable to get off the beds because of fear. Governor, you cannot destroy this city. I beg of you. Thousands of people could live if you showed mercy.' said Mr Ussher.
'Do you hear from Ambassador Morgenthau?' the Governor asked.
'Yes. Are you aware of the Allied advances?' Mr Ussher asked in return.
'Yes. They are getting closer, but they will not break us. We will not let go of the greatest jewels. Jerusalem, Constantinople, Mecca, Medina, they will not fall from our grasp - '
' - Ah, yes yes, I see that but Governor there are other concerns. I speak of the Armenians, which is what I said before. They must not suffer. They cannot face danger and slaughter again. The Hamidian massacres are fresh in my mind Governor, as they are fresh in the minds of the greater world. Ambassador Morgenthau has been showing the American people again and again of what has happened to the Armenians. Forgive me for what I am about to say, but there will be justice if they can live. If there is nothing more to ask for, its this. Stop the killing. Spare the Armenians, all in the city of Van will not die. Please.' said Mr Ussher, taking a longer swig of the canteen.
'If I do this, will you declare that our actions are more than justified?' the Governor asked. Chilled by the reaction, Mr Ussher shook his head with force.
'No. Not in ten thousand years. Never. Spare the people of Van, I beg of you.' said Mr Ussher, trying as hard as he could to not shout. Seeing his demeanour, the Governor nodded.
'You have my word. Van will not face harm. But now, I must take my leave.' said the Governor, with the smug face that crushed any hope that Mr Ussher had. (1)
********************************************************************
In 1949

...It was always that smile, the smug smile that covered over every order to kill in that area of the world. The Turks had that, so did the Russians and the Japanese. It was the face of the devil I saw. It was the face of the very thing I decided to fight against.
- Clarence Ussher, speaking at the 30th Anniversary of the Morgenthau Institution Against Racecide (MIAR). Mr Ussher would become one of the five founders of MIAR. He would lead the organisation until his death. (2)

*********************************************************************

22nd April 1915, Ypres

'Go, go, get me more rounds!' shouted the lance corporal. Aiming at the oncoming Germans, Frederick Fisher made sure none of them came. Every bullet shot would delay them from getting to the 18-pounders.
'Here!' shouted one of his men, as he started to feed more ammunition in. Taking a few more shots, he managed to clear thirty men -
' - They're still coming!' shouted Frederick, a mix of the serious and the alarming. Armed with whatever rifles they had, the men under Frederick's command opened fire. Managing to fire the Colt machine gun, he took out a hundred men. Looking back for but a second, he managed to see the 18-pounders further and further away. Keeping up the fire, another two hundred men die when Fisher's men retire for the night. (3)

********************************************************************
22nd April 1915, Ypres.

' - Here they come!' shouted one of the machine gunners. Surprised by the waves of men, the gunner shoots. As fast and as hard as he could, he fired and fired and fired. With every moment of sight, he would see men go down. But with every moment, he seemed help back. That every step closer any soldier was taking was a small failure in his mind. Fast breath after fast breath, he continued and continue. Concentrating on the men, he did not notice which one aimed at his head.
'H - ' Before he could say anything, his brains opened up into the ground. The last thing he heard was the sound, a word he didn't bother coming across before.
Canada
Canada
Canada

*******************************************************************

From the election, David Lloyd George spearheaded great change. The first would be the Munitions Act 1915. This would place railway companies to manufacture munitions and other war materials. With their large locomotive and carriage works and skilled labourers, they would manage the task. It would be here that the costs would decrease while the output began to rise. The workforce would be under the control of the company, with the controls and conditions set by the State. Laws prevented dismissals, with all manpower being either sent to the frontlines or to manufacturing. The railway companies would also produce heavy equipment much to the detriment of their own railways. By the end of the year, 1,000 - 5,000 6-inch HE shells per week.
It was the success of this model which would later give rise to the fascist movement (Volkism in Germany) years later. (4)

The second would be the development of radical projects. This was undertaken by Winston Churchill, the First Lord of the Admiralty. Expert advice would come from men like John Scott Haldane, a man who would later develop gas masks for frontline use. Another great development would be the tank. Major Walter G. Wilson made the gearbox and caterpillar tracks while William Tritton would build a prototype. It would be here that Churchill had to build on his strengths, not playing around. (5)

Back in Cabinet (28th April 1915)

'Gentlemen, let me say that what has occurred in Ypres is, is beyond what I can think,' Lloyd George started, 'it is something beyond me. I have sent Mr John Haldane to check the gases used by the Germans. If we are receiving them, then it is only right that they receive it as well. They claim that the gas was not sent from shells, but that does not matter. Allied lives have fallen, but they will have their vengeance. Kitchener, have I missed anything?'
Looking down at his files, the Secretary for War cleared his throat. 'Gentlemen, we have made significant progress in the Sea of Marmara. Ian Hamilton has managed to position his forces on the outskirts of the city of Constantinople. Guns are all in place - '
' - What about the navy, if you'll forgive my interruption - '
' - You can forgive as well, Prime Minister,' interrupted Churchill, 'I know that the navy is my concern - '
' - And mine!' Jackie Fisher blurted.
'Anyway! The French and Greek navies have been helpful in wiping out the remnants of the Ottoman navy. All torpedo boats have sunk, along with all destroyers and minelayers. Only four battleships remain. Out of all our ships, nine have sunk. The four battleships remain inside Constantinople's waters.' Churchill said, regardless of Fisher's opinion. Twiddling his thumbs, Lloyd George nodded and looked to Kitchener.
'Has Field Marshal Ian Hamilton issued an order to attack?' Lloyd George asked.
'He has declared that the 1st of May will be the time.' said Kitchener.
'Well then, let us deal with other things. John Poynder Dickson-Poynder, 1st Baron Islington (6), will be dealing with foreign affairs as of now. A note has come in, I'll read it all for the Cabinet.' Lloyd George said, before opening the letter with a penknife. With the whole letter out, the Prime Minister reads it to himself.
'What is it?' Kitchener asks.
'What is it?' Churchill asked.
'Italy has declared war,' said Lloyd George, 'I hope that they liked the new deal we made with them.' (7)

*********************************************************************

1. Mr Ussher managed to get the entire Van population spared in OTL, same in ATL.

2. You can guess what's different. It will have an explanation later.

3. Here, he lives unlike OTL. He gets to savour the award of VC, which will help him later in OTL.

4. The success of the Munitions Act 1915 motivates German planners for the Second World War.

5. With the victory from the General Election, Lloyd George and Churchill push for OTL programs with much more vigour.

6. John Poynder Dickson-Poynder, 1st Baron Islington is now Foreign Secretary. Edward Grey is with the Democratic Liberal Party. He's far removed from the Asquith-Lloyd George power games.

7. I guess Italy has now joined the war. Thing is, the "new deal" is not the same as OTL. I'll let you guys deal with what it may be.

Fun fact: If you use Hemingway Editor, when you type in "Italy", it comes up as an adverb. Weird flex, but okay. No skin off my back, but it's weird.

Okay, I hope that this is good. I'll see you the next time around. Stay safe.

 

[Walter Rodney Kinghorn]

So, any comments? All will be welcome. Thanks for hitting 2,000 views, it means so much. Cheers.

 

[Walter Rodney Kinghorn]

3rd May, 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Soldier. Long long ago
Workers asked to fight, face the foe,
Take thy arms and fix bayonet,
Hell's hatred not faced you yet
In Flanders Fields.

We are the Living. A long long past
Since loved ones seen, nothing will last,
Charge up and rise from trenches lain,
Arise to face the guns, becoming slain
In Flanders Fields.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
- John McCrae, Canadian physician and soldier. He wrote and finished this late on the 3rd of May (1)

***************************************************************************

1st May 1915.

'Help has come, help has come!' shouted Sograd. Walking to the old Armenian, the Ussher couple see what had occurred. Walking his horse towards him, the man stopped along with another.
'General Yudenich, I presume?' Mr Ussher asked.
'Forgive me, Mr Ussher, but I must translate.' said the younger man riding next to him. Exchanging pleasantries, the discussion began.
Twittering between the General and the translator occurred.
'General Yudenich wishes to dispatch 5,000 Russian soldiers for the defence of the city. They will have enough rifles and ammunition for the meantime - '
' - What do you mean by that?' Sograd interrupted, looking to the two Russians.
'The preparations are in place. As of now, Constantinople should face attack. The Sultan will have no clue what to do.' the translator said. Looking to each other, Clarence Ussher and Sograd Kezerian hoped that he was right. (2)

******************************************************************************

1st May 1915, 4:58pm

Walking into the room, he was face to face with the three of them.
Djemal Pasha
Enver Pasha
Talaat Pasha. All three of them.
'Gentlemen - '
' - Ambassador Morgenthau, we do not need - '
' - I am not a Jew!' shouted the man. Looking to them, the man was angry. Losing most of his power, Sultan Mehmed V could not stand by as the Ottoman Empire was about face its doom.
'Your Majesty, how may - '
' - You may begin by telling me why Allied ships and soldiers are around the entire city? Why was I not informed of this? Why was I not given the time of day to listen to the latest updates? Why have I - '
' - Your Majesty, there cannot be any mistakes with the communication. We must put forward the needs of the army - '
' - "the needs"? There are thousands of infidels outside the city and there are ships out in the Golden Ho - '
BOOOOOOOOM. Looking around, the Sultan did not see any section of the room falling down onto the ground.
'The current situation is being rectified. You must remain within your quarters - '
' - No.' said Sultan Mehmed V, quiet and calm. Looking at him, all three Pashas wondered what sort of man they were dealing with. Does he now have the balls to stand up against us, Enver Pasha thought. Clearing his throat, Enver walked towards the Sultan.
'Your Majesty, these are trying times - '
BOOOOOOOOOM.
'Ahem, these are trying times,' Enver started again, 'war is a serious business - '
' - You are speaking to the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, not a foolish little child - '
' - And you are speaking to the War Minister, the man - '
' - Who has not stopped the Russians or the Allies from taking our lands. You have done more than enough to destroy our empire. As of now, I am going to draft a message to send to Ambassador Morgenthau. I will call for an immediate white peace, in return for a status quo antebellum - '
' - I will not let you do that!' shouted Talaat.
'If you do it, then you are a traitor to the Ottoman Empire - '
' - If the Sultan, the ruler of the Ottoman Empire, commits to an act, is it treason or normal business. And now, I must take my leave.' said the Sultan, before strutting to the door. Rushing after him, Enver Pasha grabbed onto his left arm.
'I must insist that you remain here with us - 'Enver said, before looking to the pistol produced to his forehead.
' - And I must insist, Minister Pasha, that you remain here while I deliver the white peace to Ambassador Morgenthau - ' (4)
Out of nowhere, Djemal Pasha rushed into the Sultan. Slamming onto the ground, the gun rested underneath the belly of Enver Pasha. Wrestling for it, Enver would twist the arm of the Sultan.
'Let go of me, or I will kill you - '
' - You and the Sultanate are irrelevant to our plans, you will - '
' - Return to where you belong!' shouted Djemal, pointing the pistol now at the Sultan. Taking in a deep breath and hearing the shelling, the Sultan wanted to end this. If not today, then many would die. If not tomorrow, then many more. For the future of the Ottoman Empire, it had to be now. To save thousands, if not millions of lives, it had to be now.
'No!' shouted the Sultan, charging forward. Tackling the Navy Minister to the ground, a shot rang in the air. Punching him in rapid succession, it took both Talaat and Enver along with five other men to get the Sultan off Djemal. Now separated, Enver looked to the wounds.
The Navy Minister had the colours red purple and blue across his face. Both eyes were swollen and three teeth had fallen out of place. Red was the colour of the remaining teeth.
Looking to his stomach, the Sultan saw the darkening patch around his midsection. Knowing what had happened, he looked to Enver and Talaat.
'If I die, so does the Empire. If I die, so does any hope of winning this wa...' before he could finish, his head fell and his body became limp. (5)

******************************************************************************
The Siege of Constantinople (1st - 15th May)

If Operation Iliad was a crippling pain for the Allies, the Siege of Constantinople would become the Ottoman's crippling pain. After close to two month's of retreating and loss of land, General Otto Liman von Sanders declared this to be it.
'Du darfst nicht passieren!' shouted Liman. "You shall not pass" became the fighting words of the General, to pass onto German commanders in the Second World War.
Having drawn more troops from the east, Liman possessed a total of 100,000 defenders. These were a mix of professional soldiers, gendarmerie and random citizens conscripted in the city. Some squadrons of men would hold the latest firearms from Germany and Britain, while others would be armed with pistols or swords or pikes. The demands of defending Constantinople would mean that 16,000 men would come from the Caucasus front as well as the racecide of the Armenians.
This contrasts with the Allies, who managed to have all their forces together. Having destroyed the entire Ottoman Navy, the Allied warships shelled the city's artillery. Having cleared all defences, the Greek fleet docked at the Golden Horn while shelling. Once the news was declared to the Russians, the Russian Black Sea Fleet departed with all speed to bombard the Bosphorus.

On the 1st of May, shelling began. Allied submarines sank the last Ottoman warships, to prevent them from late night boarding. All coastal artillery were now disabled, along with the shipyards. It came as a shock when the Ottoman soldiers discovered, through rumours of rumours, that the Sultan had died.

On the 2nd, shelling continued, with the Greeks and French advancing inwards. Clearing out all fixed posts, the soldiers did not need to fight street by street. Küçükçekmece Lake had the Greeks traversing it and the bridge, while the French advances 20km inwards. The British, meanwhile, ordered the 1st and 2nd ANZAC Division to extend the line. This occurred when both divisions traversed the Bosphorus.

On the 3rd, Greek soldiers faced a counterattack from 30,000 gendarmerie at Zeytinburnu. The French faced fixed machine gun positions, which took eighteen hours to clear away. By this time, the Three Pashas ordered all civil servants and individuals in the hierarchy to retreat eastward to Ankara. This would become the event known as The Flight of Cowards (because a majority of the individuals were complicit in the Armenian Racecide). (6).

On the 4th - 7th, Russian soldiers landed on the Black Sea coast, a total of 15,000 soldiers. These soldiers would march to meet the 1st and 2nd ANZAC Divisions. With the Russian reinforcements, the Allies extended their lines until all paths had a blockade. By 1am, there was no one coming out, unless they forced their way out.

On the 8th, news has filtered through to the Allied frontlines. Sultan Mehmed V is dead, with Abdül Hamid II. Field Marshal Ian Hamilton had no idea what to do about this circumstance. There were suggestions that republican forces could have a motivation to act. Seeing no great candidates, such an idea went away. Yet, one such man could turn the tide.

On the 2nd of May, an Ottoman commander faced capture by the Russians when attempting to retake Erzurum. Şehzade Mehmed Ziyaeddin (7), the son of the late Mehmed V, was this man. Brought into captivity, he was later brought in front of Field Marshal Ian Hamilton on the 15th of May. Having received his rights as a prisoner, he met the Field Marshal. It was there that the French and British commanders gave the son of the late Sultan an ultimatum.

Accept the crown of Sultan and they would argue for the least severe treaty to be imposed upon the Ottoman Empire. (8)

Refuse, and the royal family will not have recognition in the post-war treaty.

For two days, the son thought of it. As this occurred, the Allies pushed on either side of the Bosphorus. Problems would occur the moment the Ottomans managed to stage a defensive position. They would face a flanking from Allied soldiers or bombarded from the Allied-occupied waters or from artillery. Street by street, the Allies pushed in. Facing the inevitable, Talaat Pasha declared that an offensive had to occur. There were no ships and no large concentrations of artillery.

Without any of these things, Enver Pasha put forward a plan.

On the 7th of May, the Russians and the ANZACs crossed the Bosphorus once more. Upon reaching the other side, they faced the presence of hundreds of men and women and children. Unarmed, naked and afraid, these people separated the defenders from being captured or killed. This was not one street doing this. This was every street, every street that could have troops on it.

Two days later, Field Marshal Ian Hamilton halted all advances. At midday on the 9th of May 1915, every ship blockading the Bosphorus shelled defended areas. All Allied artillery shelled the remaining areas. For the next twenty hours, fires and the threat of shelling would be within the minds of many citizens.

Food had begun to run out, with areas having no food and water left for civilians. Soldiers had to undergo austerity, with any visible signs of hoarding punished. With this, over 8,000 women and children rushed to the Allied frontlines with the hopes of receiving food.

On the 10th of May, all Allied forces advanced. Street by street, soldiers passed through and inflicted as much damage as possible on all defending forces. No matter how hard it took, it would not let up. All efforts had to be made to make them surrender. Human shields had to have a solution. Throwing grenades over them, half of the attempts led to the deaths of soldiers and also civilians. Pushing through houses, soldiers could face ambush from more devoted citizens or deal with open paths towards a quicker victory. For every soldier, it was a game of chance.

On the 12th of May, the ANZACs took the Hagia Sophia, raising the Union Jack on top of it. This would later cause ire in the post-war Anglo-Ottoman relations, but at the time it was a powerful message to the civilian and military forces.

From the 13th to the 15th, soldiers and civilians would surrender to the Allied forces. Once Allied soldiers seized weapons, foodstuff began to pour into the city from eastern Thrace as well as from Egypt. It would be the 18th of May 1915 that Mehmed VII would have recognition as the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. It would be here that he would declare that the killing of Armenians had to stop. (9)

*******************************************************************************

Meanwhile, the Three Pashas relocated with their top tier fellows to Ankara. They would continue the Armenian Racecide, while building up the Army of Ankara under Enver Pasha. It would be here that they would declare that the Ottoman Empire would fight on to the end. All attempts to find recognition failed. Britain did not recognise them. The French did not recognise them. The Russians did not recognise them.

On the 18th of May 1915, they received the message from Sultan Mehmed VII demanding recognition. This was also followed by the order to demobilise and to stop fighting with the Russians. This would trigger the Ottoman Civil War. (10)

*********************************************************************************

18th May 1915, London

'Gentlemen, I must declare that in the thousand years that this British Empire stands, this was their finest hour.' said Churchill, before toasting the Prime Minister with a glass of whiskey on the rocks. Dealing with the applause,
'I thank you Churchill,' said Lloyd George, 'gentlemen, I must be brief. Constantinople is now in the hands of the Kingdom of Greece.' Raising his own pint of lager, Lloyd George enjoyed a bit of Welsh rarebit for lunch.
'Gentlemen, gentlemen, Constantinople has fallen. But the war continues.' Kitchener said.
'Yes, yes, what is the situation with the Western Front?' asked Lloyd George, before he took one of the toasted pieces in his mouth. (11)
'We managed to ship in 25,000 French soldiers from the Dardanelles. They have reinforced the Vimy Ridge and have taken Souchez.' said Kitchener.
'What will happen then?' Fisher asked.
'If all goes well, the railway line between Arras and Reims will pass from their hands to our. It should pressure them to face us instead of the Russians - '
' - What about them now?' Churchill asked. (12)
'Now, the French will return to the Western Front. The Russians and the Armenians will continue with the Caucasus. The British, ANZACs and Greeks will go onto Macedonia. That should be enough to pressure the Germans away from Russia. Supplies will rush to Crimea and then to the front.' Kitchener said.
'That will start to rush in next month. Supplies will strain, no doubt about that.' said Fisher.
Looking to the newspaper, the message was wide and clear. WILL THERE BE JUSTICE FOR THE "LUSITANIA"? Seeing it in front of him, Lloyd George finished the last of his Welsh rarebit and the pint.
'Has there been anything from Walter H. Page?' Lloyd George asked of the US Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
'The Foreign Secretary has been dealing with him. With the news of the Armenian atrocities, there ought to be some response.' said Churchill.
'I hope you are right.' said Fisher, as all men gathered their things and left the meeting.

********************************************************************************

1. The ATL lyrics are in italics. I hoped that I worded it right to set the tone. The last thing I wanted to do was to disrespect something that I find bone-chilling and awe-inspiring.

2. Because of the advance of the Allies through east Thrace, the Russians are going to become bold in supporting the Armenians. This is regardless of the success in Poland. They want to have both, but supporting the Armenians seems more profitable to Yudenich right now.

3. Despite having now power, the Sultan would want to plead through emotion to urge a white peace with the Allies. This is from his OTL opposition to the pro-German policy of the Pashas.

4. Of course, he could try that, but it would be like a rabbit trying to kick a trio of hungry wolves.

5. In the words of Star Trek, "he's dead, Jim".

6. When the word "racecide" gets used, it is either to signify an event (Armenian Racecide) or in a normal form "racecide".

7. I found that he was an appointed General in OTL, but it did not state any campaigns that he went on. Because of the Dardanelles, ATL appointment become duty.

8. In OTL, Şehzade wished for the chance to return to the throne. Here, given the death of his father and the losses of fighting, he wishes to get it.

9. We'll see what happens in the next post. ATL, the British and the French would have to strong-arm the new Sultan into supporting it.

10. The Ottoman Civil War will be like OTL Turkish War of Independence and the OTL Spanish Civil War.

11. I know what Welsh rarebit. Haven't tried it and I have no clue how it is meant to be eaten? Can it be with the fingers or is cutlery necessary?

12. The Second Battle of Artois will be in the next post.

So, I hope this is quite good. I await the comments. Thanks.