Author's Note: To .L, I had never even heard of the Battle of Caporetto, so that is not the event I am referencing, but I might look into it for inspiration.
Chapter 2: The Punishment
He fixed his hidden gaze on the town square of Neva, the capital of Glacian. From the narrow side streets, stormtroopers marched in, each dragging along a frightened resident. Most were humans, who wore dark robes, which, at a distance, made it difficult to distinguish them from the few Wookiees present. Together the rebel sympathisers reminded him of the Jedi menace he had exterminated, save for the once Grand Master Yoda who still eluded him.
The stormtroopers held the prisoners by the collars of their thick garments and pulled them to the middle of the square where they knelt in a single row. Their thighs, ankles and wrists bound with thick rope, they writhed, but stayed silent.
"Lord Vader," said the battalion commander, with a slight tremor in his voice. "We captured the rebels hiding in the towns. They will arrive at the Star Destroyer soon. Those who escaped to the outskirts will not survive the cold. We are ready for the next phrase."
He did not believe him. The Imperial leadership often underestimated the rebels. The remains of their Hoth base stood as a testament to their cunning and adaptiveness, but he embraced every opportunity to prove the superiority of his forces. "Continue as ordered," he said. "We must teach Glacian a lesson. Spare no one."
Through the windows of the nearby hovels he watched the other residents. They either stared at the square, their months gaping open or buried their faces in their hands.
The stormtroopers lined up parallel to their captives and raised their weapons. The leader waved his hand and in an instant twenty blasters sounded. Most of targets stayed standing for a moment before their knees buckled and they fell face first. Women and children collapsed along with the larger creatures, every one of them alike in their treachery against the Empire.
The executions lasted until twilight. The twisted face behind the mask grinned, as the bodies piled up around the edges of the square. On such a desolate planet, nothing could stop him from erasing the rebel threat.
Then he noticed something unusual. Every window visible on the hologram was dark, as if the houses were empty and unlit. For a moment he wondered if the display was broken. He examined the projector and found it was functioning as normal, but when he turned his attention back to the recording, he was met with a startling sight.
A disordered crowd poured onto the streets, filling every available space and rushing towards the unprepared stormtroopers. Some of the attackers carried blasters, while the sturdier beings, most of them Wookiees, fought with only their fists. He scanned through every view of Neva. The same scene was occurring throughout the town.
He once again switched on the comlink. "Anyone leaving their home is an enemy. Fire without mercy."
The commander passed on the order, but instead several stormtroopers lowered their blasters. For the first time in decades, the ruthless Sith did not know how to react.
Now it may be clearer which event I am invoking (though not replicating), since the current date is its official anniversary.