▁al li ances ▁with ▁the ▁other ▁tribes , ▁exc laim ing ▁Let ▁us ▁die ▁fighting ! ▁The ▁Her ero ▁led ▁a ▁gu err illa ▁campaign , ▁conduct ing ▁fast ▁hit ▁and ▁run ▁operations ▁then ▁mel ting ▁back ▁into ▁the ▁terrain ▁they ▁knew ▁well , ▁prevent ing ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁from ▁gain ing ▁an ▁advantage ▁with ▁their ▁modern ▁art illery ▁and ▁machine - g uns . ▁However ▁a ▁conclus ive ▁battle ▁was ▁fought ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 9 0 4 , ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Water berg ▁in ▁the ▁Water berg ▁Mountains . ▁Chief ▁Mah ar ero ▁believed ▁his ▁six ▁to ▁one ▁advantage ▁over ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁would ▁allow ▁him ▁to ▁win ▁in ▁a ▁final ▁show down . ▁The ▁Germ ans ▁had ▁time ▁to ▁bring ▁forward ▁their ▁art illery ▁and ▁heavy ▁weapons . ▁Both ▁sides ▁took ▁heavy ▁losses , ▁but ▁the ▁Her ero ▁were ▁scattered ▁and ▁defeated . ▁ ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 0 4 , ▁General ▁L oth ar ▁von ▁Tro tha ▁issued ▁orders ▁to ▁kill ▁every ▁male ▁Her ero ▁and ▁drive ▁women ▁and ▁children ▁into ▁the ▁desert . ▁As ▁soon ▁as ▁the ▁news ▁of ▁this ▁order ▁reached ▁Germany , ▁it ▁was ▁repe aled , ▁but ▁Tro tha ▁initially ▁ignored ▁Berlin . ▁When ▁the ▁ex termin ation ▁order ▁was ▁finally ▁susp ended ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 9 0 4 , ▁surv iving ▁tribes men ▁were ▁her ded ▁into ▁concentration ▁cam ps , ▁while ▁others ▁were ▁transferred ▁as ▁slave ▁labor ▁to ▁German ▁business es ; ▁many ▁Her