Though the city of Constantinople was surrounded by the Central Powers on land, and in the Bosphorus Strait, Bruno did not immediately order the shelling of the hallowed grounds in which it lay upon.
Firstly, to outright attack the city without first asking for a peaceful surrender was a bold, but reckless move. There were too many things that could go wrong in a siege against such an ancient realm. One which had significant historical, cultural, and religious structures to those fighting to reclaim it.
One stray shell could bring down the majesty and glory of the Hagia Sophia once and for all. And that was a sin worthy of sending a man’s soul straight into hell. For these reasons, Bruno was quick to reach out to the Young Turks requesting their peaceable surrender in exchange for certain terms.
Talaat Pasha, the leader of the Ottoman Committee of Union and Progress, refused to meet with Bruno, who had surrounded the city. Instead, he was busy speaking with the General in charge of its defense on their chances of successfully repelling the invaders.
The General was a man of some historical importance. Though those from Turkey may consider him a national hero, and a man of great renown. The reality is he had very little impact on the rest of the world, and thus only the most erudite of historians would recognize his name should they see it written.
Even so, the man was a Field Marshal of the Ottoman Empire at the moment, and given the chance to survive this losing war, may very well follow the same path of the previous timeline and in doing so end up the First President of Turkey.
I’m talking, of course, about Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who stood within a room, surrounded by what few other high ranking Ottoman Military officers remained within the city. He appeared to have a grim look on his face as he looked at the most recent reports.
Well over half a million men surrounded the city, with thousands of armored vehicles, and hundreds of aircraft capable of dropping bombs on their heads unopposed. The number of artillery was even larger than the Panzers, which formed the spines of the surrounding forces.
There was no way that they would emerge victorious against the man who had cast his eyes on Constantinople to be his prize in this theater of war. Belgrade? Tirana? Sofia? Those were mere stepping stones on his route to total victory.
The recapture of Constantinople would be a major turning point in this world’s history. And Bruno would be the man to do it. Even The first President of Turkey, or the man who would be, could not prevent this from becoming reality.
And because of this, his expression was beyond defeated. Still, Talaat Pasha did not seem to recognize this and was quick to ask for their odds of victory.
“So, tell me, Marshal Atatürk, what do you need to succeed in defending our great capital of Istanbul? If I am capable of providing it, then it is yours to be had!”
The Field Marshal at first did not dignify the man who was technically in charge of the Empire, or what remained of it at this point in time with so much as even a glance, and instead continued to give orders to his soldiers.
That is until Talaat Pasha raised his voice and demanded an answer.
“Marshal! You will answer me when I have asked you a question!”
The looks on the faces of the individuals’ soldiers who were rushing about the room desperately trying to carrying supplies, weapons, and anything else they could use to fortify the city’s defenses was anxious as the Ottoman Field Marshal snapped his attention towards the leader of the Young Turks, where he was quick to admonish the man for his undeserved ego.
“I need nothing that you can provide me, because it will do no good. The city is lost, and the enemy has sent their demands. Not that you would ever agree to them. So now we fight until hopefully our allies can come to relieve us, and if not… Then I suppose we will become martyrs here this day!”
Whether Talaat had deluded himself into thinking their current situation was winnable, or he was just foolish enough not to understand just how overwhelming an advantage the enemy had over them, he genuinely looked shocked and terrified when he heard this news.
His trembling quickly turned to anger as he took out his emotions on the Ottoman Field Marshal, who was trying his best to prepare for the worst-case scenario that they were now all living in.
“Demands! What demands!?! How do you know that I will never agree? If it spares our great city and our empire, then what could I possibly say no to?”
The Ottoman Field Marshal did not say a word as he handed over a slip of paper that was delivered to him by one of his men. Rather than opt for sending a messenger, Bruno had ordered the German Aircraft to drop pamphlets throughout the city.
More papers than people now littered Constantinople’s streets, and by now every citizen had read the central powers demands. Which were as follows.
“Surrender peacefully and I will guarantee safe passage of every non-Christian to Muslim land. Resist, however, and I will condemn every soldier and partisan baring arms execution by firing squad. Lastly, should a single place or item of historical, religious, or cultural value to the Central Powers become disturbed or ruined in our siege of the city, no flesh shall be spared….”
The demands were insane… And the last of them was easily the greatest deterrence to the Turks in regards to destroying or vandalizing artifacts and locations of significant to the Christians in some petty act of vengeance. Bruno had the Ottoman Government by the balls, and he had the reputation to back up his threats.
Upon reading the terms listed on the pamphlet, the expression on Talaat Pasha’s face turned ghastly. He did not say a single word as he slowly turned around and walked away. Wherever he had run off to, only he would truly know.
And shortly after his disappearance, a soldier ran into the room speaking with an urgent tone in his voice.
“General, the citizens have gathered in the streets in protest. They demand our immediate surrender…”