The Jewish Nation of Mongols

by Boris Zubry

  The closest Mongols ran already to the gates trying to get there well before the Russians would be able to close it barring our way in. We could break the barriers down, but this was better. The gates were open. Faster, faster… Almost at the same time, the other units of my Western Army began scaling the walls. They were lying in wait just behind the bushes. While the entire city was on the walls watching the rape of the Duchess, our troops were inching closer to the wall on all other sides. Now we were attacking all sides pulling their defenses apart. The fight was short but fierce, and in about five hours, just before the sundown, everything was over, and Kiev was in our hands. Our losses were relatively small; a few hundred here and a few hundred there. A few Russian soldiers were able to break through trying to escape. The Tatars caught them by the river, cutting them to pieces. Well, it was not that easy. The Russians fought for their lives like the cornered rats. We lost there may be a dozen or two of the Tatars, but the Russians were dead, and their heads were presented to me. Come to think, Kiev took only two full days to fall, and it looked so strong and mighty. Well, the siege was another matter. That took a while. When you do it right, it takes time. Sometimes it takes a lot of time, months, and even years. You trade the lives of your people for the time. If you have time and the supplies, you save many lives. So, you have to create that time, liberate it from any other commitments. You need your people to be alive. But, if you are short on everything, you push, and you push, and you push. How else could you take cities? It was either a direct assault or a waiting game full of deceitful moves and the treason. We did it right, took time doing it, and saved a few Mongol lives. I think it was just right. That was our first big Russian city occupied by very aggressive and able soldiers, and we did not fail. I wondered back then if there was a limit to our power. Subutai was sure there was none. I knew then, we could conquer the world. We – Mongols of the world.

  We always used the same tactics when we had to fight inside the city. The main idea was not to allow the defenders to gather into a considerable fighting force. We kept breaking them in smaller units using that for the crowd control purposes. The best way of doing that was to occupy all high grounds and the open spaces like the squares at the earliest possible stage. Push the defenders into the narrow streets. The defenders would not be able to gather much force in the close quarters and the narrow streets of the castle-like city. Kremlin was a castle and Kiev was a castle city. The castle structure was great when you defend it from the outside assault but, when the enemy was inside already and knew the layout, it could be a losing proposition. We knew the layout of every city we attached.

  We had the spies there for weeks, and some Russians were ready to betray as well. They wanted the opportunity to survive and to profit while doing that. All that always worked to our advantage. We carefully studied every city layout using the specially trained spies. Our spies pretended to be the traders, traveling craftsmen, and the wandering dervishes. All of these people could enter any town or a city, stay there for a few days and move on. No one would pay attention to them. They were nothing; neither important nor attractive and so unthreatening. They also could do what they claimed to be good at and pay the bills. They had money, not much to attract attention but enough not to attract one. A few days in the city for a trained eye were more than enough to understand and to memorize the layout. No one ever got suspicious of my people, and rarely one of them got arrested or killed. People often thought of them as strange at least but not spies. I think it was because these people in their real lives were the traders, the traveling craftsmen, and the wandering dervishes. They knew the job and were good at it. They were spies on the side: some, for extra money and the perks; some, for the crimes, committed and some because they liked it. That made their lives exciting.

  Spying was the domain of my Chinese advisors. They were the most skillful masters of blackmail and the bribe giving and taking, and Ogedei Khan was generous enough to provide me with a few of them. He knew that the successful war was not always decided on the battlefield. The battlefield was essential, but the things surrounding it could be even more critical. The right spy in the right place could win the battle and often the war without a shot fired. It happened before, and it will happen again. We even had a spy school, and the Chinese ran it. That school employed people from every corner of the world because that’s where we were going. And, spies were our avantgarde – the most advance guard. And we had plenty of good people available. Betrayal was in their blood, and so is in ours. Thus, we felt good about each other. They perfected spying to state of the art and contracted hundreds of people of all different trades and talents to serve us in peace and war. Yes, in peace and war. That was forward thinking. We had the spies, counter-spies, provocateurs, terrorists, and the commandos conducting surveillance, investigations, and assassinations. They also led all other acts of war necessary when the diplomacy failed to work or was not applicable due to the nature of relations. The enemy had never done it to the same degree, so, we had the upper hand. We had people in foreign cities and countries working for us for years. They were very respectful citizens of those cities and nations and were trusted. Some even held high positions. Yet, they worked for us betraying their own people at our first call. That was the well-qualified army behind the frontline.

  Also, we had numerous internal informers to oversee and to control our own camps and the country. The entire empire was observed from within. We collected knowledge and, if needed, acted upon it. Education was the key to discovery, and discovery was the key to control. We assured that almost every ruler of our time, small or big, had an advisor or two working for us. That was an investment of utmost importance. Not even one enemy, internal or external, was safe from our eyes and ears and not even one friend, felt short of our attention. We tended to know everything or very close to that. A friend was not always a friend, and a foe was not always a foe. They could switch the camps at a moment’s notice. All we needed to do was to justify it for them.

  What would it take for you to change the side, to look the other way, to lend us a helping hand? What would you like to have; what obstacle would you want to be removed? Who was in your way? We could make you rich beyond your imagination, or we could take your family and hold them until you come to your senses. What was it going to be? What would it take? Talk to us; we listen. Nothing you would say was strange to us. We heard it all and many times over. Did you think we were that naïve? No, we were not, not that much. We were quite experienced in the art of deception, lying, and betraying. We could give the lessons, but we won’t. This knowledge is not for share. This was strictly for private use, just for us. Everyone had a priority, but that could quickly change. Just show them how and what is on the other side.

  The sticks and the carrots would do their work all the time. There could be shorter or longer sticks and fatter carrots, but that was up to you to find the right combination. If one of them did not work, increase the size of it until it worked. There should be something somewhere that you want and we can make it happen. There is always a breaking point, and where is yours? Do you want to be happy, happier, more satisfied? Talk to us; let us help. We can make you happier and even save your skin.

  On the other hand, punish until it really hearts and bribe, so it really valued. As my grandfather said before and I concur, everyone had a breaking point. It could be big, or it could be small, but it is always there. There are no real heroes in the chambers of palaces. Nothing was as it seemed, so I tried hard to see it as it really was. Being “the ruler” often meant making hard decisions. We decided to be everywhere at once, and it worked to our advantage quite well. You always needed as many eyes and the ears as you could get. Spread your influence and firmly control it. Don’t be too greedy when it comes to spies. Many of them actually worth what you pay and often more. Some of them are unique and priceless. Often, they are the key to winning the war. Be hard when needed and smile when it serves the purpose but always remember them. Although it was
a quite expensive approach, we found it comfortable and we rarely lost a war.

  President Vagabundi

  President Vagabundi was reading this ancient document for hours already. Sometimes it was not easy to understand, but he enjoyed it so much that time flew fast. What a power of the mind, the observation. What level of understanding the events and the will to manage the results. It was shocking and not at the same time. The events were known to some degree, but Batu was not. Batu definitely knew what he was doing and did it anyway. Was it the fare of the time? Was that expected of them? Blood and the brutal force were justified by greed or the necessity. Was killing the need? Was it? Was that the diplomacy of the day? Batu was not just the scary picture any longer; he had a voice and what voice that was. It was amazing.

  Batu Khan was a brilliant man indeed, and they called him a barbarian. No, his thinking and the knowledge were well advanced. He was not much different from us now. He was superior, and that is why he was winning. Atrocities… They are happening even now, as we speak and for a lesser reason. Often, there was no reason at all. Just mass murder… This document may change the prevailing opinion of the great man and spark so many arguments. Now, we try to match facts with the stories. It sounded as Batu was pretty educated for the time, and that was on top of the military genius. No one doubted he was a genius. He was perfect in war, and his administration was unchallenged for so many years. Well, probably some tried, but they should’ve known better. Definitely, they did not die in bed from old age. Does it happen now? How often? Often. More often than not. It may happen today but not then and there. It was not that kind of society. Yes, he was a born master of power. He was destined to rule, and he ruled. What power. He made life and death decisions for so many. Almost every second of every day… And, this guy Subutai… A sociopath. A rapist. A murderer. He was a common criminal and a war criminal by any standard but then again, a military genius. He was the mastermind of the entire campaign. Are all military talents - criminals, or the other way around? Could you win a war and not break a few laws? War was always about violating the rules. You had your own set of rules. It’s like making an omelet without breaking the eggs. Was it even possible?

  The Minister of Science and the Scientific/Technical Advisor to the President made a perfect copy of the original document translated to the modern Mongolian but filled with well-preserved integrity of the old manuscript. The translation from Mongolian to Mongolian was needed due to the eight hundred years gap between the present and the past. It was different now. Many things changed; everything changed.

  Yet, it was beautiful, and the pages looked like they met Batu Khan himself but survived the encounter. That was a masterpiece of history, science, archeology, document restoration, and the preservation of the ancient artifacts. There were not too many written documents from that period and none from Batu or anyone of his station. They had done a better job than the President could expect. The photos of the original document were promptly attached, and the President could see the condition of it and the real handwriting of the second or the third most famous Mongol, Batu Khan – the conqueror of Russia and Eastern Europe. There could be a scribe recording his words, but no one knew that for sure. All we know that Batu could read and write. There were just a few of the Mongols that people remember, and he was one of them. Some parts of the document, not too many though, were missing due to the age and the condition of the manuscript. These pages have simply disintegrated with time and because of the humidity and the biologics in the grave filled with the bodies of soldiers killed in the battle or a few fights. Apparently, these bodies were added to the mass grave over the centuries, and the scientists did not know that until recently. There should be many places like that spread out around the world. This kurgan was only one of them yet, how many battles were fought and how many bodies had to be buried. What if we multiply it by thousands of years… This place was not too far from the Golden Horde location, so, everything was entirely possible. Still, this was one of the most important archeological discoveries of the century, and this President of Mongolia would enter the history books as the first non-scientist reading this diary. Batu Khan… The Golden Horde… Reading your word was like meeting you personally. What an honor to meet you, Great Khan. I would not ask, “How are you?”. I know it from the diary already. You just spoke to me, in your loud voice and told the story. What a story. Are there more stories you want to tell me? What would you say if you were here and now? What else was on your mind back then and there? Would you tell me more? Please, do.

  The material was fascinating. All of it was strange, so unusual. Batu Khan was talking so openly, so plainly; not hiding anything. He was just sharing his thoughts and observations, and he saw everything, not missing even a slight bit. He was talking to a friend, to himself, to the future. Batu Khan was tasked with conquering everything west of Volga River, and he was set to do that no matter what. Nothing could stop his conquest, not the enemies, and not even friends. The Mongols and the other Nomads were adapted to harsh climates, hard living conditions, hunger, thirst, sicknesses, the violence of wars, and they dealt with the people they met with the same harshness. That was their way, their understanding. If you chose to stand in their way, you would be treated without mercy.

  Why should you be any different? They kept moving forward no matter what and not looking back. That’s the life of a Nomad. Why even to look back? What was there but the wasteland and the past? You do not want to go back to the past, not really. Past had more past, and that’s what you escaped from moving forward. That was why you were moving forward in the first place. You just want to remember it, maybe. Would the locust look back at the empty field it just left? Would the fire look back at the burnt down house? Would the Mongols and the Tatars look back at the village they just atrophied? No, the excellent feeding grounds were just ahead, out there, in the West. That’s the goal. West was waiting for them but not welcoming. There could be a death, but then, there could be a treasure beyond the imagination. So, what is it going to be? No, it was not clear at all. Thus, go there as far as only possible, as far as the earth takes you, to the last sea. Go there, conquer it, get your fill, and by the time you get back, the wasteland you left would flourish again. That’s what you always liked. That was beautiful. Now, you can settle down and live off the land if that’s what you desire. Or start a new cycle.

  Ever since the President received it early in the morning via the secret service messenger, he was reading it non-stop. President Vagabundi had canceled all meetings and appointments for today. The schedule was free entirely. He even ate at the desk where he was reading. He was sitting in his celebrated Presidential office surrounded by the national flag, ancient weapons, paintings of the vast Mongolian steppes and the photographs of the Mongols riding the small but so famed horses. These horses were responsible for the vast empire as much as the Mongols themselves. No one could make it without those horses, and no one had. Well, but the Great Khans led them both. There, across the room, was an antique Chinese painting on silk of Ogedei Khan (Son of Genghis Khan) – the only Mongolian Emperor of China. He founded the Yuan dynasty that ruled the Mongolian Empire, including China for about a hundred years. A hundred years was not that long in the history of the world but in the history of one country, the country where the thrones could go in any direction with no prior warning, it was an eternity. Thrones – what a powerful magnet that was. And, the invaders, the low barbarian Mongols by the Chinese standards, kept it for a hundred years. That was amazing and quite cunning. How could they do it and for so long? The competition was fearless. Reading this diary, the personal account of the Kiev siege, the President, could see that the ancient Mongols were quite “crafty” with everything they needed, when they needed it. Lies and betrayals were a part of everyday life. Did they lie to each other that easily as well? Did they betray each other that easily as well? They built such powerful alliances that lasted for a long time. Some continued for dozens of years. That could no
t be based on lies and betrayals. That could be found only on truth, trust, and honor. And, we are talking of Machiavelli. Machiavelli? Italians, French, Germans… Poles and the Russians? Machiavellianism was just a foolish child play in comparison with the Mongols at their peak. They really did it. The Trojan Horse… How could you even relate it to the Kiev siege by Batu Khan? The cunning of Subutai… The Golden Horde and all other hordes at all times. The Greeks took ten years to work out the betrayal, and the Trojan Horse and the Mongols did it just in a few months. No, that was the pinnacle of deception of all times. It was cruel but wise. It was fascinating, just fascinating. One would not even dream of something like that. How did Batu Khan look like? What were his likes and dislikes? No, how did he really look like? How did Subutai look like? What did he like and dislike? Do we have pictures of him, them? The President wanted to see anything and everything belonging to one of the most infamous, butchers in the history of humanity. He wanted to see if there were any human qualities, any realism in any of those pictures.

  “Minister! Sorry to bother you so late and at home.” The voice of the President was so agitated. The President rarely, if ever, called the Minister home. Whatever it was, could wait until morning. After all, what could be that important in science? The Minister of Science could not even get an appointment with the President on short notice. The Ministry was in the second or the third place to anything else, and he just was not that important in the larger scheme of things. He was needed there only when he was needed there. Mostly, he was left alone to take care of his underbudgeted problems in the utmost innovative way. But, then, no one really cared. Science in Mongolia usually had no place at the Government table. So, this was very unusual. Something must have happened, and he was summoned to take care of it.