Ottoman News, 1900 onward

[The Rock Doctor]

5 May 1901

The Murle chieftain finished speaking, and Muammar Atalar looked over to the translator, a trader they'd hired in Malakal.

"He says they migrate around the great lake - I think he means Turkana - and that negotiating with you risks that practice.  If he gives you power over the land, you can take it away from him," the translator said.

Atalar nodded and contemplated the words.  The Murle hadn't demonstrated any enthusiasm for the Ottoman offer, though the cattle that had been offered up as a gift did seem to interest them.  If cattle were truly as important to the locals as the translator said, he'd send word for more cattle.  He just wasn't sure whether Constantinople would agree, and where they'd find them.   "Tell him that we do not seek to disrupt their migration...that we are motivated by a need to ensure the flow of the big river to our countrymen.  As people who suffer from drought and shortages, they must surely be able to understand how damaging a loss of water can be to life."

The translator repeated his words in the Murle language as the chief listened impassively.

The chief blinked and replied, and the translator said, "He says that you, in turn, will understand that your control over the land may threaten their access to water.  You covet the same thing.  How is he to know you won't bring in a witch to stop the rains?"

It was tough to argue with that logic.

12 May 1901

The detachment commander was waiting on the pier as the commander of the R-4 stepped ashore.  "Two days late?  I was about to send R-7 to look for you."

Lieutenant Deringil nodded wearily.  "Yes, Sir.  Sorry, Sir.  We...got lost."

"For two days?" Lieutenant-Commander Gursey repeated.

Deringil sighed.  "It's a maze, Sir.  Like a big inland delta.  And while the translator can talk to the locals, their understanding of the river is often localized or has some context to it that we don't get.  It's gonna take a long time to work out a route through it."

"I understand that, Deringil," Gursey said.  "And we'll have more boats to help us out in a few months.  But for now you and the other crew have to make what progress is possible - without getting lost.  Take a couple of days to recover - head back out on the 15th."

"Yes, Sir."

22 May 1901

"He accepts your offer," the translator said.

Tarkan Kavakci managed not to let out a tremendous sigh of relief.  "Tell him the Sultan will be pleased," he said instead.

The Dinka king had made out like a bandit.  After turning down Kavakci's initial offer, he'd been reluctant to even engage in negotiations.  Sweetening the pot had brought him back to the table, so to speak, only to have him walk away again.  At that point, if he'd strictly followed orders, Kavakci would've had the king taken into custody and negotiated with his successor - a boy of perhaps sixteen years, by the looks of things.

He'd decided instead to...broadly interpret his orders.  Sweetened the pot once again with a promise of additional cattle to be brought over the next three years as gifts to the king - for him to distribute as he saw fit (or not; who the hell knew?).  Would Constantinople be happy?  Impossible to say, though in the grand scheme of things, what was a few thousand more head of cattle to an empire?

28 May 1901

"Your offer is inadequate.  All offers will be inadequate," the translator said.  "He will not bow to you or your distant sultan."

The Nuer king glared at Mehmet Simsek as if to emphasize the point.

Well, that was that.  "Very well," Simsek said.  "Captain Ozguc, take the Nuer king into custody."

Ozguc began barking orders at his company.  As a sergeant and three privates marched across the clearing toward the king, the Nuer began to get agitated - talking amongst themselves, bunching together. 

The Nuer king called out and the translator repeated, "What is this?"

"Tell him he is being taken into custody on the orders of the Sultan.  We will start negotiations anew with his successor."

The translator had barely finished speaking when the Nuer king went for the musket hanging from his shoulder.  The king's quick draw and hasty aim meant the Ottoman sergeant wasn't the first casualty of the Nuer-Ottoman War, but he was, nonetheless, soon a casualty anyway. 

[Walter]

Guess you should have assigned more cash to the gift section in your H1/1901 report. maybe the Nuer king would have accepted it then. :)

[The Rock Doctor]

We're filing that under "Lessons Learned".

In the meantime, we get a colonial war for Christmas.

[Darman]

In the meantime, we get a colonial war for Christmas.

Yay! just what I wanted! How did you know, Santa???

[Walter]

I guess Santa Sultan knows exactly what you want. ;D

[The Rock Doctor]

Sultan Claus' secret elvish police tell him all he needs to know.

[Kaiser Kirk]

Nice story so far Rocky :)

[The Rock Doctor]

Thanks.  Let's hope for a happy ending in which the Ottomans take over the entire continent.

[Kaiser Kirk]

Thanks.  Let's hope for a happy ending in which the Ottomans take over the entire continent.

Um,
Yes, that reminds me I have some writing to do.
In the mean time, can I interest the Ottomans in a very nice Island off the coast of France, it fronts on the North Sea, has a great economic track record and is currently ruled by a very old woman. Might be a great spot for the Ottomans to attempt to colonize. Much better result than this African adventure.

[Walter]

If Italy could get its hands on it, I'm sure that there are quite a few potential customers out there would would pay top dollar for pieces of those lands. ;D

[The Rock Doctor]

Thanks.  Let's hope for a happy ending in which the Ottomans take over the entire continent.

Um,
Yes, that reminds me I have some writing to do.
In the mean time, can I interest the Ottomans in a very nice Island off the coast of France, it fronts on the North Sea, has a great economic track record and is currently ruled by a very old woman. Might be a great spot for the Ottomans to attempt to colonize. Much better result than this African adventure.

I am intrigued by your offer and wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

[The Rock Doctor]

3 June 1901

The Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Ethiopia have signed an agreement with economic implications for both nations.

The two will co-fund a railway from the Ottoman port of Massawa to the Ethiopian capital of Addis Abeba, a project that is expected to take up to four years to complete.  While generating traffic and revenues for the Ottoman port, it will also give the Ethiopians a more efficient link to the coast, something that nation currently lacks for its exportable goods.

Following completion of the railway, it is expected that the Ottomans will bring another of their technical specialties - dam-building - to bear on the Awash River, improving the Ethiopians' ability to withstand droughts.


OOC:  The Ethiopians insisted on a 55/45 income split off the deal, which suited the Ottomans just fine.

[The Rock Doctor]

To:  Ajri Nur Pasha, Grand Vizier
From:  Ali Omurtak, Minister of War
Date:  July 18, 1901
Re:  Update on South Sudan Conflict

Based on reports from the field, our current understanding of the situation in South Sudan is as follows:

1.  Deployments

At present, 4/5 Infantry Brigade is fully deployed in the region, with an on-paper strength of 5000 men.  The brigade has suffered approximately four hundred fatalities, the majority of which are combat related.

One squadron of the 5/13th Cavalry is fully deployed in support of the operation.  There have been a small number of casualties related to ambushes.

The 5/5 Infantry Brigade, with 5,000 men, has commenced marching from Khartoum to our outpost at Malakal.  They will be fully deployed by the end of the month.

Our infantry are equipped with the latest bolt-action rifles, along with a detachments of light artillery and Maxim guns. 

2.  Local Dispositions

At present, we estimate the total population of the South Sudan to be just under one million people.  Of these, not more than 20% are Nuer.  Other prominent groups include the Dinka (~36%), whom we have successfully treated with, and the Luo (~13%), whom we have not yet encountered. 

The Nuer are low-technology pastorial people reliant on grain farming and cattle raising.  If our understanding is correct, they are currently living in their "permanent" homes in the highlands and harvesting their crops.  Come September or so, when the rainy season ends, they will move their cattle down closer to the rivers and lakes.

Despite our earlier impressions that they were one people, there are now contrary reports to the effect that there are up to two dozen tribal units.  These may or may not all be flocking to the common cause of resisting our forces.  It will make eventual negotiations difficult, but may also hinder any attempt by the Nuer to mount a properly coordinated resistance to us.

Assuming the Nuer can devote full manpower to a fight against us, we may find ourselves facing up to one third of their population, or ~70,000.  In practice, we should expect the youngest and eldest to be working with cattle.  For planning purposes, then, we may be confronting up to 50,000 men armed with black-powder muskets and rifles, bows, spears, and hand weapons.

3.  Current Situation

Since the failure of negotiations, the Nuer have attacked several detached elements of our expedition, sometimes inflicting significant casualties on surprised and outnumbered units.  While these sometimes include combat patrols, their apparent preference is for supply trains. 
General Ozer has ordered a consolidation of his forces along a line of forts south of Malakal and around the town itself.  Thus far, the Nuer have not attacked these positions in force.

4.  Options

General Ozer does not believe the Nuer will do us the courtesy of attacking Malakal in force.  He believes, rather, that we will have to seek them out or induce them to attack targets of opportunity.

His preliminary approach, then is:

A)  Maintain existing and establish new fortified positions southeast of Malakal

B)  Run heavily protected supply trains between positions, such that the Nuer may be enticed to mount raids, yet be repulsed when doing so.

C)  Once 5/5 Infantry is at hand, undertaking large operations intended to disrupt Nuer harvesting.

D)  Use of attached cavalry to raid and disrupt Nuer cattle grazing - ideally, cattle will be driven away and used for our own supply purposes. 

E)  Recruitment of Dinka auxiliaries.  There is a traditional rivalry between these groups and some Dinka have expressed an interest in repaying past grudges or attempting to enrich themselves with Nuer cattle while the Nuer are engaged with our forces.

General Ozer believes this sort of "economic warfare" will bring the Nuer to the negotiating table within a year, with an opportunity to create economic dependency on the Ottoman state.

Alternately, we may choose to order a more direct offensive aimed at driving the Nuer off their lands, in which case they may continue to be a nuisance wherever they end up.  General Ozer believes that such a strategy is also viable, but that it will involved heavier friendly casualties and potentially agitate whomever has to take in displaced Nuer.

5.  Other Actors

As noted above, some Dinka are beginning to assist our forces.  There are some indications that the Dinka king perceives the Nuer conflict to be an opportunity for his family to become pre-eminent in South Sudan.  The Ministry of State may wish to consider whether this is a view to be encouraged.

The Murle have thus far refused to treat with us but have not initially hostilities.  It is reasonable to assume that they, and other groups adjacent to the Nuer, will be influenced by our conduct of the war with the Nuer.  Should we act excessively callously, their sympathy for the Nuer may be raised; should we act timidly, they may be emboldened.  A proper balance of assertiveness will need to be found such that the Sudanese tribes come to view us as powerful and benevolent, and negotiate accordingly.

We have not yet perceived an Ethiopian response to our expedition, but are mindful of rules of engagement in respect to them.

[The Rock Doctor]

July 23, 1901: A Nuer raid on an Ottoman supply train results in the death of seven Ottoman cavalrymen and the theft of several dozen cattle.  Eleven Nuer bodies are counted after the fact by the surviving Ottoman troops.

July 30, 1901:  A Nuer raid on Fort Cenk, a small and recently constructed position south of Malakal, is repulsed with no casualties to the Ottomans and four dead Nuer.  None of the cattle inside the compound are stolen.

August 5, 1901:  Survivors of the riverboat R-28 are located in the Sudd, some seventeen days after the boat itself sank in shallow water.  The survivors - none of whom were in the engine room at the time - report hearing a loud noise like a boiler explosion, following which the boat lost way and took on water.  The survivors and their translator were encountered by a group of Dinka hunters, who provided some assistance after being promised a reward from "The Great King of the North".

August 13, 1901:  A Nuer raid on an Ottoman supply train results in the annihilation of the thirty-man Ottoman escort and the loss of one hundred plus head of cattle, plus other livestock.  Several of the Ottoman dead are found to be mutilated.  Scouts investigating the scene three days later suggest the Nuer force likely numbered two to three hundred.

August 27, 1901:   Representatives from the Ottoman government and their armed escort are granted an audience with chiefs of the Luo people, who inhabit the savanna west of Nile.  Negotiations begin, and thought the Luo are aware of the conflict with the Nuer, they do not seem overly enthusiastic about treating with the Ottomans.

September 2, 1901:  The final battalion of the 5/5 Infantry Brigade, having marched overland from Khartoum, arrive at Malakal.  General Ozer now has two brigades and a cavalry squadron at his disposal in-theatre. 

Logistics are, at this point, tight but not impossible.  Extension of the railhead from Khartoum moves it a couple kilometres south each day, which is great for foot soldiers.  Supplies, however, are still sent from Khartoum itself, and three large riverboats are making constant deliveries - approximately 3,000 tonnes of food, forage, ammunition, and other supplies each month.
Northbound transport consists primarily of Ottoman sick and wounded - several hundred thus far.  They are treated in Khartoum at the city's hospital, though a field hospital is being set up in Malakal.  Dead Ottoman troops - of which there are 283 by August 31 - are generally buried where slain, as the hot climate causes rapid decay.

September 14, 1901:  An Ottoman cavalry troop encounters an estimated forty Nuer men and boys moving a herd of three hundred cattle from the highlands to a river valley.  Most of the Nuer are slaughtered, with no deaths amongst the Ottomans, but the Ottomans fail to contain and capture the cattle.

September 22, 1901:  Fort Piri, another recently-constructed Ottoman base south of Malakal, is successfully raided by a Nuer force claimed to be hundreds-strong by the base commander.  The raid takes place at night, allowing the Nuer to scale the compound's single wall before being detected by sentries.  The ensuing melee results in seventeen Ottoman fatalities, the remaining garrison hunkering down in their barracks building while the Nuer make off with some livestock and supplies.  Lieutenant Nazim Asik, the base commander in question, is later court-martialed and found guilty of negligence. 

[Kaiser Kirk]

but the Ottomans fail to contain and capture the cattle.

Egads! The incompetence, shoot that commander !