Iron Storm: History of the world from 1903-2024

Chapter 1: The shifting sands

Mosul, 1912. Layla walked throughout the city, gazing at the markets selling various products, Layla being from Armenia and being a noblewoman meant she lived in the Armenian quarter of Mosul, despite this she would occasionally travel throughout the city to take in her new home. Artin, the head of her personal guard was very willing to allow these excursions into the city, it gave Layla an opportunity to speak with the people who had lived under ottoman occupation after recent events it was clear, but one day on a cool autumn afternoon as Layla was on her way home from the market she spotted a man giving a speech. "People of Assyria, we must rise up against our ottoman occupiers, if the people of Phoenicia then so can we as we have the power God" the man gave such a fiery speech and had rallied a crowd around him but that also meant he had garnered the attention of the Ottoman soldiers, "alright that's enough of this nonsense Nasser, stop this treasonous talk or it won't end well for you" the soldier yelled as he gripped his rifle, Nasser however stood firm, "if you try anything Malik, can't you see the Assyrian people are tired of being under the thumb of the Sultan, we want freedom, ask the Kurds and Arabs they'll say the same thing, Independence now". Malik beat Nasser causing him to fall to the ground off his box, the crowd immediately started to swarm Malik but the other soldiers quickly pushed them away, "disband this now or I'll have you all arrested for treason" Malik yelled and the crowd backed off.
After witnessing this site Layla had gotten an opportunity, she would unite the Assyrian, Arab and Kurdish people in a fight for independence, and so she returned to her manor to begin planning for an uprising. A week later she made her way to a tavern in the Assyrian quarter and walked inside, many of the poor Assyrian workers looked curious upon seeing a woman wearing a Russian officer uniform but they were curious about what she had to say, "Attention people of Assyria I've seen your struggle and I want to help lead your struggle for freedom, what I'm proposing is a united Mesopotamian nation where all the Assyrian, Kurdish and Arabs can live peacefully together" when Layla had finished a man stood up "what makes you think you have what it takes to lead us?" Layla pointed to her uniform "my family came from Armenia in the Russian empire, I've studied at some of the greatest military colleges in Europe and with your help we can help create a free Mesopotamia, so who's with me?" Nasser then stood up "I'm with you" and soon the whole bar was in. Layla would use her charisma and charm to sway the Arabs and Kurds to her cause, she even was able to convince Malik to join her cause and by June, 1912 in the mountains of northern Iraq Layla had begun training her army of liberation.

Meanwhile in the imperial capital of Konstantiyye, "My sultan a group calling themselves the league of the three pashas have seized control of the government and are on their way from Ankara" the Grand Vizir said, the sultan outraged ordered the military to arrest the traitors and secure the palace, but it was too late later that day the soldiers sent to arrest the pashas had defected and the sultan was under house arrest, soon after the coup the three pashas were quick to establish their new military dictatorship, when the news reached Layla in her field camp several miles north of Mosul, she new this was the time and on July 12, 1912 Layla gave the order to begin the revolution, the first stage of which would be seizing control of the government building in Mosul then securing the railway lines, Colonel Noura Hassan, a Kurdish guerrilla fighter would conduct ambush attacks against Ottoman forces in order to disorganize and disrupt their forces.

By the fall of October 11th the rebellion had started to slow down as despite their expertise in guerrilla tactics the rebels were still experiencing heavy casualties, and so from the their provisional capital in Mosul talks among the leadership were had about if they should push for at least autonomy.  "Colonel Hassan what do you suggest we do?" Layla said wishing to consider all views, "I agree with Commander  Malik, well full independence is what we set out for, we don't have the numbers to continue an open rebellion" Layla looked over the map of northern Iraq, "alright then, Karim draft an official statement and send it to General Ahmad Bey, tell him we will agree to ending the revolution in exchange for autonomy" Karim saluted before walking out of the room, "The rest of you, if the General does not accept our offer, it was an honor serving with you" Layla said saluting, the commanders saluted back before leaving the room.  Layla walked over to her desk and sat down and prayed.

"General Ahmad, a letter from Commander Layla of the rebels, they are offering surrender and request to meet to discuss terms", the General looked over the letter "send one back, tell her I will be in Mosul in a day and there we can discuss terms, I wish to put this insurrection behind me"

The next day a ceasefire was agreed as ottoman troops walked into the city, escorted by soldiers of the MLA, General would remark in his later years that despite them being a ragtag militia the Mesopotamian liberation army had a standard issue uniform and discipline and he would remark that he respected their position and had not been loyal to the Sultan he would have joined them.  "Commander Layla nice to meet you" General Ahmad said shaking Layla's hand, "General Ahmad, a pleasure to meet you as well, so please sit so we may discuss, we have been fighting for months, we've beaten your army at almost every engagement, our terms are regional autonomy over the region of Mesopotamia, De jure we would be under the authority of the Sultan but de facto we would be independent, are these terms agreeable General?" Layla said pouring a cup of tea, "Yes, your peoples will to fight for a cause they believe in is admirable and with the current political situation in Ankara I don't blame you so yes I accept your terms".  After signing the treaty of Mosul the general and Layla walked out on the balcony to see the crowd celebrating "We are free, long live Mesopotamia" and as soon as Layla said those words the crowd started chanting long live Mesopotamia, the dawn of a new nation had just begun