NationStates Jolt Archive

August 2nd, 2011, 1100 Hours
Harare, Zimbabwe

It was late morning, and already much had happened. Two days before, on July 30th, a general uprising had been announced, the people rising up against the Mugabe regime. This sort of thing had been happening on and off for decades, but this time, it was the catalyst to a further reaction, much larger in the region.

So far on the 2nd, Mugabe's palace had been set on fire by molotov cocktails been thrown by mobs. The mobs had been pushed back somewhat violently by the Army, and tanks had been called in to quell the violence. Young report Derek Robinson stood just behind the large crowd, and took notes in his notebook and various pictures.

Less than fifty meters away, shots were fired, and the whole crowd ducked. A black man had thrown a brick at one of the T-55's and been shot by a panicked conscript thinking it was a bomb.

"Shots fired! Crowd surge. Fear, anger. Molotov cocktails. Noise. More shots."

He scribbled frantically, as the crowd moving in a tank which was sitting. The panicked commander opened up with the .50 cal on the roof, cutting swathes into the crowd. It was showered with fireballs as Molotov's hit the roof, and the tank caught fire. The crowd leaped out into the angry mob surrounding it.

"Up street, machine gun. Massive crowd surge. Bodies lying next burning tank. Grenades fired!"

The crump- crump of grenades went off down the street and firing was taking place en masse. Suddenly, a column of tanks rumbled up the street behind the mob. They opened up with machine guns, and the baying, seething crowd was cut to shreds. Robinson tried to run but was hit in the shoulder with an MG round. He writhed in pain and fell over onto the hard, dusty ground. Two Zimbabwean men ran out and dragged him into the relative safety of a mud house nearby. Rounds pinged off the tin roof, and the din outside was deafening, as Robinson slipped into unconciousness.

August 3rd

The violence had been stamped out by the early hours of the morning, martial law was installed.

The Secret Police had seen heightened activity, with raids taking place across the country.

The RSU mobilises various forces in the region, and the Quick Reaction Force of the 1st Battalion Mechanized Infantary, 6th Mechanized Artillery Battalion and 87th Sqn of Attack Helicopters were moved to Changara, on the North East border between the RSU and Harare. Three squadrons of fighters moved to Messina on south border to strengthen garrison.

August 4th

Violence spreads to Lupane, Gweru and Gwanda, forcing mass Zimbabwean Army mobilisations.

Mugabe's military column ambushed by guerilla's, but ambush crushed. In response, the local town of Manzu is smashed with artillery fire from Harare's garrison.

Total South African deployment to Zimbabwean borders:

1st South African Tank Regiment
1st Battalion Mechanized Infantry
4th Battalion Mechanized Infantry
5th Battalion Mechanized Infantry
4th Artillery Battalion
6th Mechanized Artillery Battalion
10th Air Defense Battalion
2nd Engineer Battalion
14th Engineer Battalion
6th, 7th & 8th Infantry Logistical Battalion

2 Sqn Fighters
120 Sqn Fighters
1085th Sqn CAS
109th Sqn CAS
60th Sqn Support
242nd Sqn Support
35th Sqn Transport
15th Sqn Helicopters

At 0500, an RSUAF Cessna 185 is shot down over Messina by Zimbabwean SAM.

At 1900 in response, a low flying Hawker Hunter is shot down by a South African SA-11.

August 5th

Massacre in Bulawayo - over a thousand dead or missing as Army machine gun the first Socialist Party rally in the town centre. Also used are fighter aircraft and helicopters, marking the first official armed uprising within Bulawayo, with key buildings being occupied.

A Zimbabwean Guards infantary battalion and a Tank Regiment are moved to the south border of Zimbabwe, along with several units of artillery support. The Harare garrison is strengthened by reserves.

*Secret IC* Several Squads of Recondos are inserted by MH-60 helicopters over the eastern mountains, to do some covert recon work.

August 6th

An RSUAF ELINT aircraft intercepts intelligence suggesting the movement of ex-Russian chemical weapons to the border north of Harare.

This is checked by Photographic recon by Tornado GR4 aircraft. Upon inspection, this is found to be the Nerve Agent, R-VX gas.

USAFRICOM Department- Pentagon

Rear Admiral Robert Moeller sat at his desk in the C ring of the Pentagon. Rear Admiral Robert Moeller is head of the United States Africa Command. He brushed his head, during his days at Notre Dame he never thought he would get this far. A young Lieutenant walked into his office.

"Sir, we have a situation."

Admiral Moeller stood up from his chair and followed the Lieutenant to the war room in the pentagon. He walked into to busy room. Men and woman were busy working on all sorts of situations around the world. A normal day at the pentagon. What deserved the Admirals attention. The Lieutenant directed has attention to a large digital map on the wall.

"Sir we've been monitoring this section of Africa today."

The map zoomed into a small portion of the RSU that bordered Zimbabwe.

"We've been monitoring some large troop movements on the RSU/Zimbabwe border. It looks as if they are prepared to invade Zimbabwe."

"What assets do we have in the area?"

"Sir the USS- George Washington is on patrol in the Indian Ocean right now. I can have it diverted and off the coast of Africa in 48 hours."

"Make it so. I also want to contact our friends in Congo--Kinshasa."

"Yes Sir."

Dominion Response:

The Dominion is very concerned by the actions of the RSU as a result we offer our support to the US and any action it decides to take.

Zimbabwe Theatre

August 7th

Harare has turned into a battle ground. Seeing hope in the form of the RSU, the Socialists have openly called the people to arms agaisnt Mugabe, turning the city into the center of a civil war. Tanks roll the streets by day and flames lick the sky by night.

Mugabe himself has gone to ground, housing himself in the largest military base in Harare in an underground bunker. Various shellings have failed to kill him, and his methods of crushing the rebellion are becoming more and more brutal.

Zimbabwean Hawker Hunter escorted out of RSU airspace over the eastern mountains.

An RSUAF JAS39 Gripen is fired upon by a Zimbabwean SAM of unidentified type, but evades.

August 8th

Socialists in Bulawayo join the revolt, crushing Zimbabwean Army personnel there with ease. A popular rebel front is set up in the south of the country.

At just past midday, an American journalist in Rutenga is killed by a Zimbabwean patrol, accused of being an RSU spy. Tensions rise within the Zimbabwean army.

August 9th

Death toll reaches 5,000.

A northern suburb of Harare breaks out into independence, all Army units within the area removed.

At 1600, three Zimbabwean MiG-23 aircraft take off from Harare Air Base. They ascend to 20,000 feet and do figure of eight circuits around the city for around an hour. At 1723, they're attack run begins, to the north of Harare. Moving at just under Mach 1 and drawing fire from the rebels below, six VX bombs are dropped into the suburb. One aircraft is shot down on egress by a captured ZSU-23, the other two aircraft return to base. The words latest chemical warfare atrocity has jsut taken place.

The RSU government forms a no-fly zone over norther Harare when it hears of the chemical attack.

On the international scene, things really were heating up.

OOC: Look at the IC thread please.

Press Release from the Rhodesian Socialist Union

We would like to point out to the world, we have not got a single unit in Zimbabwe at this time, and are merely legally strengthening our border positions against OBVIOUS aggression shown by the Zimbabwean Armed forces.

We would also like to point out that is hardly acceptable AT ALL for a nation like the US to stand for Zimbabwe, an awful dictator, who openly uses chemical weapons AGAINST his OWN PEOPLE.

We call the nations of the world to condemn this obviously stupid approach shown by the US. We are entirely legal in our actions, and are merely observing the actions within Zimbabwe.

Our fighter aircraft were in our own airspace and there's in ours. We are merely responding to their aggression. The US has no place here.

"Admiral, it looks as if the RSU is not standing down. There troops are still at the boarder."

"Call up the Marine, and Airfroce units on standby, I just got permission by the Congo government to send marines there and use there boarder as a staging ground."

"Yes Sir. I have the 1st Marine Division on standby. As well as Airfroce Squadrons."

"Very good, I want them there within 24 hours."

"Yes Sir."

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

Marines from the 1st Marine Division quickly reported to there Battalion commanders to aquire information on which battalions were being sent. Once Marines were informed that they were leaving they quickly were airlifted to Africa by Airlift.

-------------

Around the US Air force Squadrons were being mobilized and readied to deploy to Africa. For the first time in history the F/A-22 Raptor would be deployed to a military conflict. Its true worth would soon be tested in the real niddy gritty gears of war.

-------

All In all these are the total list of troops being sent to Operation African Furry:

Marine Core

1st Battalion 1st Marines
2nd Battalion 1st Marines
3rd Battalion 5th Marines
1st Battalion 5th Marines
5th Battalion 11th Marines
1st Battalion 11th Marines
1st Tank Battalion
1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
1st Reconnaissance Battalion
1st Combat Engineer Battalion
3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
HMLA-167 "Warriors"
VMU-1 Watchdogs
HMM-165 White Knights

Navy

USS- George Washington
Carrier Air Wing Eighteen
USS- San Jacinto
USS- Normandy
USS- Monterey
USS-Oscar Austin
USS-Bulkeley
USS-Chaffee
USS-Pinckney
USS Halyburton
USS Klakring
USS Nicholas
USS- Florida
USS- Jimmy Carter
USS-Patuxent
USS-Laramie

Airforce

19th Fighter Squadron
9th Fighter Squadron
74th Fighter Squadron
122d Fighter Squadron
334th Fighter Squadron
310th Fighter Squadron
5th Special Operations Squadron

19th Attack Squadron
960th Airborne Air Control Squadron
8th Airborne Command and Control Squadron

OOC:

Dude, check out the map of Africa. Zimbabwe's land locked.

I hold half of the borders, and Wanderjar holds the other couple.

You can't send troops there, without fighting your way through two innocent countries.

OOC:

Dude, check out the map of Africa. Zimbabwe's land locked.

I hold half of the borders, and Wanderjar holds the other couple.

You can't send troops there, without fighting your way through two innocent countries.

OOC: I got permission from Congo to send troops there and march from there.

OOC:

Yeah, he doesn't border Zimbabwe either.

True but all I have to do is get Zambias permission to go through and I can.

OOC:

Aw, bugger :P They probably won't like that though....I dunno, make up some Diplomacy and you could manage it. Congo does border me a lot tho, urk.

But anyway, I'll jsut have to cunningly come up with a way to get the Zimbabwean's to attack me first.

I have a plan... I'll write it up tommorow, Operation Drop Fire I believe.

OOC:

Aw, bugger :P They probably won't like that though....I dunno, make up some Diplomacy and you could manage it. Congo does border me a lot tho, urk.

But anyway, I'll jsut have to cunningly come up with a way to get the Zimbabwean's to attack me first.

I have a plan... I'll write it up tommorow, Operation Drop Fire I believe.

Sounds good

Operation African Furry VS. Operation Drop Fire

Round 1

FIGHT!!!!!

United Socialist States of Wagdog Response
We wholeheartedly back our friends, the Rhodesian Socialist Union, in standing against the murderer Robert Mugabe and his atrocities that disgrace principled Socialists everywhere. And we equally condemn the United States, for its typical support of reactionary imperialist butchers, and the apparently born-again-Stalinist Russian Confederacy for supplying Mugabe's regime with these chemical weapons in the first place.
Not only is this action typical of American foreign policy, as even a cursory glance at recent history shows, but also typically nonsensical; were you not among the loudest denouncing Mugabe's regime just a few years ago? What possible national interest of yours is served by defending this tainted warlord now after calling for his head for so long yourselves? Explain, America; to the world as well as ourselves and the RSU!

OOC:

Hear, hear!

I love you dude, haha.

United Socialist States of Wagdog Response
We wholeheartedly back our friends, the Rhodesian Socialist Union, in standing against the murderer Robert Mugabe and his atrocities that disgrace principled Socialists everywhere. And we equally condemn the United States, for its typical support of reactionary imperialist butchers, and the apparently born-again-Stalinist Russian Confederacy for supplying Mugabe's regime with these chemical weapons in the first place.
Not only is this action typical of American foreign policy, as even a cursory glance at recent history shows, but also typically nonsensical; were you not among the loudest denouncing Mugabe's regime just a few years ago? What possible national interest of yours is served by defending this tainted warlord now after calling for his head for so long yourselves? Explain, America; to the world as well as ourselves and the RSU!

The United Stani Provinces also support your actions taken against Zimbabwe, we will provide your soldiers with AK-111s which are excellent in desert combat, and any other environment for that matter. We will provide any other assistance needed. However we will need our men to defend our land-locked countries.

The white house oval office was quite today. Only two men sat in the room. Rays of light from the sun that bounced of the white house lawn flooded in the windows. President Santorum sat in his office talking to the Zambian Ambassador.

"Mr. Ambassador, you have my assurance that the troops will not stay in your country, they will just be passing through if any RSU troops set foot in Zimbabwe."

"My only concern is that my people will not like the presence of your troops. You can send your troops through as long as they stay as far away from settlements as possible."

"Then we come to an agreement, Mr. Ambassador. Thank you for your time."

The President walked the Zambian Ambassador out of his office. He far welds the man as he stepped out into a limo with Zambian flags of the hood. The president then walked back to his office. He picked up a red phone labeled pentagon. "Hello, Kyle? This is the President; you have the all clear for deployment." The President set the phone back on its stand. He then turned to look out the window. It was a bright sunny warm day in Washington D.C. only a few clouds off in the distance threatened its peace....

The United Stani Provinces also support your actions taken against Zimbabwe, we will provide your soldiers with AK-111s which are excellent in desert combat, and any other environment for that matter. We will provide any other assistance needed. However we will need our men to defend our land-locked countries.

OCC: Um, for one thing there is no such thing as Ak-111s????

O[O]C: Um, for one thing there is no such thing as Ak-111s????

OOC: Well I just thought why not just change some numbers around, not too many, just like bump it up three more since this is the future eh? Just being a tad bit creative thats all.

Zimbabwe Theatre

August 10th

Death toll from chemical attack is at 50,000 people and rising. A Red Cross station in Harare is overwhelmed with inpatients, their injuries brutal.

With the promise of American help gone, Mugabe flexes even more muscle. Artillery strikes are called on inner Harare and Gweru, killing thousands more.

Another American journalist is killed in Harare by a mob, seen as a symbol of those who cannot keep their minds straight.

A Zimbabwean Mirage 2000 is shot down over north Zimbabwe by a long range SA-11 SAM of the 10th Air Defense Battalion, as it was in the No-Fly zone.

August 11th

An RSU Parachute Battalion is called up and made ready in South Africa.

Zimbabwean Armoured Columns are seen moving south of Rutenga towards Beitbridge.

*SIC* set up booby traps on the Rail Line south of Rutenga, in front of the advancing armoured columns. These booby traps consist of a mine that sets off an Artillery Shell.

Early evening, the booby traps go off, setting off a chain of massive explosions in front of the armoured columns. Thinking these explosions are incoming RSU artillery fire, the Armoured Battalion returns fire with Self Propelled Guns and Multi Launch Rocket Systems

An Artillery battle occurs between RSU counter battery artillery and Zimbabwean massed artillery units.

That night an ultimatum is released via major media broadcasters, calling Mugabe to be removed from power and a Socialist Leader put in his place, for the people. Mugabe scoff's at this, and calls for preliminary strikes against RSU positions.

A Zimbabwean Airbase in Rutenga

The sun was rising over the vast Zimbabwean desert, lighting the flat planes around Rutenga with a tinged orange light. Huge shadows were cast over the landscape by the clustered aircraft around the various aircraft at the airbase.

Rutenga was a hive of military activity. Resistance had all but be crushed in the city, so fighting was still occuring in the main squares in the centre, and the menace of the RSU was still looming less than 75 miles over the border. However, that menace would be shortly dealt with. Two MiG-23 aircraft were taxiing to take off position. Under their wings, stacks of bombs were slung along with some short range air to air missiles.

At five to the six, they lit the dull morning light witht heir afterburners and took off in formation, banking off towards the south. They flew fast, just under Mach 1, and low over the desert. They slipped right under the RSU radar complexes, who picked them up once or twice but could never get a lock. A few minutes later, three miles short of RSU lines, they popped up to around one thousand feet and began an attack run.

Several stacks of bombs were dropped on RSU artillery positions forward in the lines, before strafing occured on various soft targets in the area, all in one sweep. The two experienced pilots then banked to make their escape. Tracer fire streamed after them, and one of the MiG's was hit. Its wing was chewed off by three shells and it began rolling uncontrolably, its fuel tank streaming fire. It hit the ground before the pilot escaped.

The second MiG got under the radar as fast as possible, but not before an SA-11 was fired after it. Self guiding, the radar on the missile homed in on the MiG before exploding just under it. It was pelted with shrapnel, but continued to fly. Half an hour later, a MiG was reported by resistance agents to crash land at Rutenga.

The first shots had been fired.