Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 144 The Battle of Gyumri (End)
Iranian soldiers began carrying sandbags and, under enemy fire, began constructing artillery firing positions along the long street. Artillerymen took cover behind them, adjusting the muzzle of their guns at a small angle within a small opening in the sandbag wall. Engineers behind them were ready to charge at any moment, and many soldiers moved sandbags back and forth.

Iranian artillery fired at almost the closest possible distance, instantly blasting a large hole in a small building more than 200 meters away, with half of the wall collapsing.

Machine guns also joined the fray, suppressing the Russian troops in the fortress even faster than regular guns. Taking advantage of this moment, the soldiers quickly dismantled the sandbag walls and advanced rapidly, then, at great casualties, began to build new firing positions.

Gunfire erupted from all directions, a fierce battle between attacking and defending soldiers. Iranian soldiers were firing machine guns, while Russian troops were using rubble and building materials to construct fortifications.

Wooden beams, broken sandbags, half-built brick walls, and even smashed furniture were piled up on the long street! Soldiers lay prone behind cover, sticking their gun barrels out through the gaps in the bricks and tiles and firing desperately at the enemy.

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in this fortress, and every street and every house became a battleground. An ordinary little room changed hands three times in a single day, demonstrating the extent of the bloodshed.

The Iranian soldiers were all in a bloodthirsty frenzy. They hadn't expected killing Russian soldiers to be so exhilarating, so they fought with all their might to kill anyone they met.

Even the elite Russian troops couldn't tolerate such lunatics. They chanted "Allah" while stabbing at them with knives. Some of them broke down mentally and tried to escape, but bullets kept hitting them wherever they went, and some were even hit by artillery shells.

Nadir-type machine guns were everywhere, their bullets faster than those of the Russian army. Inside the Russian fortress, enemy bullets were still whizzing overhead, and the machine gunners were deliberately wasting ammunition, intending to crush the place with firepower.

None of the artillerymen dared to look up, for doing so meant certain death. Every time a bullet struck a rock and made the sound of pebbles cracking, these terrified soldiers would shudder and cower even more.

Skvortskownik saw the situation and knew it was beyond repair, but as a soldier, his honor had to be protected.

He mustered his courage, picked up a cannonball, and stood up abruptly. He was determined to load the cannon himself and was prepared to die for his country!

But standing up made him more vulnerable to bullets; one bullet struck his hand, and another hit his chest. He was still alive at this point, but continued to suffer machine gun fire until he finally collapsed and died after being hit 17 times.

The death of the supreme commander completely shattered the morale of the Russian army. They either surrendered, fled, or some even perished along with Iranian soldiers.

Some senior officers, regaining their composure, hurriedly ordered the raising of a white flag. A white flag was quickly and slowly raised atop the central tower; the Russian army had surrendered.

"Look, it's a white flag! The Russian army has surrendered!"

Keen-eyed civilians spotted the raised white flag, recognizing it as a sign of surrender, and cheered. Many Russian soldiers also saw the flag, and a sense of devastation washed over them.

Three hours later, the fortress fell silent as Russian soldiers were lined up to disarm. Iranian soldiers watched them from the sidelines, disposing of the bodies to prevent a plague.

"General, we've won!"

The adjutant excitedly reported to Isfahani, tears streaming down his face. They had finally won; decades of humiliation had been avenged in this moment.

"Yes, we finally won. Quickly report the news to Yerewin and Tehran. This is a historic moment."

The Battle of Gyumri lasted five months. After suffering 1.7 casualties, Iran annihilated 3.8 Russian troops, captured 4, and had 2100 Russian soldiers missing.

They also captured 98 artillery pieces, 106 million rubles, 3000 horses, and various military supplies. With the success of the Gyumri campaign, Iran expanded its influence in the vicinity of Yerevan. Yerevan's security was thus secured.

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The news of Iran's recapture of Yerevan has sparked a strong reaction in Iran, with citizens taking to the streets to celebrate the moment.

At this time, a wave of patriotism swept across Iran, and people supported the Shah whenever Russia was attacked.

"The government's mobilization efforts in the Tabriz region are basically complete. We have transported sufficient supplies to places like Mazandran and Isfahan. There are currently hundreds of thousands of troops and transport militia on the front lines."

Iran's modernized military machine is beginning to show its power, costing several times more than usual, but with greater combat effectiveness.

"Hmm, how's the situation with the supplies?"

Nasserdin then asked Raisi, the logistics officer in charge of military supplies, about the newly established Military Supplies Committee by the Iranian government, chaired by Raisi, who oversees the allocation of national resources. Regarding the Shah's situation, he said...

"Everything is normal at the moment. The military factories in Isfahan and Tehran are being expanded, and Tabriz is also operating at full capacity."

To ensure the supply of materials, we have also made large-scale investments in steel, mining, and other areas, and have imported a large quantity of some items that we cannot produce ourselves..."

Every word Lacey spoke made the Chancellor of the Exchequer ache; it all came down to money. Various expenses had reduced what was supposed to be a three-year budget to two, and next year's costs were sure to be even greater. Once the money ran out, they'd have to find other ways to make ends meet.

Nasser al-Din was overjoyed, not only because of the victory on the front lines, but more importantly, because his wife was pregnant. The country was about to welcome a successor; how could such news not bring joy?

"That's settled then, everything proceeds according to plan."

Naserdin dismissed the others without saying much, and it seems there's no problem now; as long as things proceed step by step, everything will be fine.

Seeing Shah's state, the ministers also left. They knew that Shah was about to have a successor and expressed their understanding.

However, after they left, Nasserdin began to ponder deeply; ultimately, it all came down to money. He had naturally seen the Finance Minister's expression and could understand it, but currently, Iran had to devote the majority of its funds to the war. Other areas would have to be managed more frugally.

“Shah, he’s here.”

"Let him in."

Abdullah, dressed in a British formal suit and wearing a hat, entered the meeting room. During his years in England, he had learned a great deal at Oxford University and visited places like the Bank of England and Westminster Palace, which certainly broadened his horizons.

After returning from his studies, he was eager to put his knowledge into practice. So, he sought out the Shah. Of course, he also had other tasks to complete, including meeting with Nasser al-Din.

(End of this chapter)