Age of Rebirth

Regarding the contemptuous words of Chief of Staff Zhao Yuhe, Tang Qiuli smiled, and continued: "The Japanese not only think about it, but are doing it. It is precisely because Stalin has fully understood the careful thinking of the Japanese that he dares to use dangerous tactics. After dispatching troops from the Outer Xing'an Mountains battlefield, Deputy Division Commander Liu sent a telegram saying that Dongzhi's reconnaissance troops had discovered that the Soviet troops of the four armies were coming along the Soviet border to the Outer Mongolia battlefield."

Tang Qiuli wanted to go on, when Wang Jun, chief of staff of the Outer Mongolia Frontier Defense Army, came in and said, "Master, I just received information from the reconnaissance troops that the Soviet army crossed the Selenge River at about [-] o'clock this morning. What is most striking is that a large-scale explosion suddenly occurred in the position abandoned by our army, which severely damaged the Soviet troops occupying the position, but the specific number of casualties is unknown! The cause of the explosion is not clear."

"Explosion in the field?" Tang Qiuli repeated in doubt. It must have planted a large number of explosives in advance. Usually, only Chutian's special warfare detachment is the only army that likes to do this. However, he did not send a special warfare detachment in. To carry out similar missions in the Selenge River theater, oh, yes, it must be Liu Hongzhang’s handwriting, Tang Qiuli suddenly realized, and then burst out laughing, thinking to himself: "Liu Hongzhang is so insidious!"

Tang Qiuli laughed and said, "Don't worry about it, it's Liu Hongzhang's handwriting. By the way, Chief of Staff Wang, is there any further action for the Soviet Army?"

Wang Jun replied: "Master, as you judged, the Soviet commander Kurykin was very cautious. After crossing the Selenge River, his main force stood by and only sent three divisions of the Fifth Army. The troops of the previous tank brigade continued to move south, and according to the speed of the mechanized march of the Soviet forward troops, they would reach the front line of Checherleg at around five o'clock this afternoon!" [

After a pause, Wang Jun suggested: "Master, should we send a small group of troops to harass along the way? It convinced the Soviet army that our blocking troops were forced to abandon the Selenge River defense line because of heavy casualties!"

Tang Qiuli looked at Wang Jun approvingly, and said: "This suggestion is very good. Let Yang Ketian's East Pointer Troops send out a regiment of troops to harass the Soviet army without interruption. However, we must avoid the front , can adopt the method of side attack, not seeking to annihilate the enemy, just pretending!"

Since the Fifth Army left the main force.After marching south alone, General Kurykin's nerves were tense.A heart fluctuates uneasy.Maintained uninterrupted contact with Major General Kuryakov, the commander of the Fifth Army. Before the Fifth Army set off, General Kurykin rushed to the military headquarters in person to give a face-to-face instruction.

General Kuryakin said to Major General Kuryakov: "Comrade Kuryakov, the Fifth Army shoulders an important task. As the pioneer of the main force of the military region, you need to keep in mind that once you are attacked by an independent division When the troops attack, stop advancing immediately. Stand still and wait for reinforcements. If you are not blocked by any independent division troops on the way to the south, the Fifth Army will stop advancing when it reaches the area north of Checheerleg. Wait for my order, before there is no order, any action is prohibited, you must remember this!"

General Kurykin is not at ease with Kuryakov. Compared with the indecisive Major General Sergeyev, the commander of the Third Army, this guy's commanding style is too brave. Sometimes, his mind is simple Some people don't understand the cunning of the Chinese, so they have to be reminded and told repeatedly, otherwise, this guy whose head is full of melon seeds when he smells gunpowder smoke will just rush forward regardless of traps or not!

With the tens of thousands of troops of the Fifth Army, excellent equipment, and fierce fighting style, it is really impossible if the opponent does not show some real kung fu. Only by using such troops can we test out the sudden withdrawal of the independent division troops What is the real intention of the river defense line? .

When it came to the General Staff, after learning the news that the Selenge River had been broken through, the congratulatory telegram was filled with enthusiastic praise. However, what General Kurykin paid most attention to was the sentence in the telegram, "Stalin Comrades are delighted to hear the news that the troops of the Transcaucasus Military Region have made a major breakthrough. Especially at the Politburo meeting, they informed all Politburo members and alternate members of the matter, and greatly appreciated it. I encourage you to pursue the victory and capture Kulun in one fell swoop! "

The sky is pitiful. After six or seven days of fighting, the count was bruised and swollen. The lives of tens of thousands of soldiers were exchanged for a praise from the leader. It was worth it. General Kurykin had mixed feelings in his heart. , but it's hot!

The fully mechanized Fifth Army was rushing all the way, tanks roaring, trucks and artillery vehicles rolled up a road of smoke and dust, carrying a torrent of steel, and rushed towards Kulun aggressively. For several hours, all the reports were smooth and blocked , did not see any news of the independent division.

General Kurykin's heart became restless instead, the closer he got to Checherleg, the more his heart rose into his throat, it was abnormal, the troops of the Independent Division on the front line of the Selenge River were not defeated, they were just fleeing for their lives , Why not deploy blocking troops along the way, even if it is constant harassment, this is a common sense question, the quieter it is, the more it means there is a problem!

Until around two o'clock in the afternoon on September 27th, Commander Kuryakov reported: "The troops were harassed by a small independent division. The enemy continued to attack on both sides of our army's marching route, On the road, landmines were planted, and the advance speed of the Fifth Army was affected. However, there have not been a large number of independent division blocking troops. Comrade commander, please rest assured that any form of blocking by the independent division troops will be in front of the Fifth Army. Shattered!"

General Kurykin was not completely relieved. The air force's reconnaissance operation encountered setbacks. It sent out two reconnaissance aircraft brigades, dozens of reconnaissance aircraft, and even returned. According to the report before the pilot was shot down, the reconnaissance aircraft entered the north of Cullen. In an airspace of more than 400 kilometers, it was intercepted by a large number of fighter jets from the Air Force of the Independent Division. Prior to this, no signs of mobilization of troops from the Independent Division were found.

In other words, the reconnaissance aircraft of the Air Force, at the cost of losing dozens of reconnaissance aircraft, obtained reconnaissance information that was equivalent to a pile of waste paper, which was of no use in judging the situation on the battlefield. For six or seven days, General Kurykin did not believe that Tang Qiuli would not mobilize reinforcements from the country. Where the reinforcements from the Independent Division are now is the key!

To figure this out, accurate intelligence can only be obtained by conducting aerial reconnaissance in the area south of Kulun and Saiinshanda. General Kurykin issued an order to Lieutenant General Jonasov, deputy commander of the Air Force of the Don River Military Region. Order.

Unexpectedly, what I got turned out to be a flat refusal, "Comrade Commander, our reconnaissance aircraft unit suffered heavy losses. The fighter jets of the Air Force of the Independent Division blocked the airspace in that area. Facts have proved this. I can't let me Each of them is a precious asset of the Soviet Air Force, and neither you nor I have the right to make such a decision!" These are Lieutenant General Jonasov's original words .

General Kurykin was almost mad with rage, how could he say this?It seems that I am joking about the life of the pilot yyng, if this guy Jonasov is his direct subordinate, just because he disobeyed the military order, General Kurykin would have asked the Cheka agents to arrest him, what a pity Yes, they are here to help in the battle, they belong to two different command systems, and they have the right to deal with them.

This kind of lawsuit, even if it reaches the General Staff, each has its own reasons and is entangled. The Air Force Command will definitely come forward to protect its own system, and the General Staff will each fight [-] boards. There is no way , General Kurykin had to give up this idea.

At around four o'clock in the afternoon, Major General Kuryakov, the commander of the Fifth Army, sent another telegram: "Comrade Commander, on the front line of Checherleg, our army was attacked by the main force of the Independent Division's Outer Mongolian Frontier Army. Strong resistance, the battle is going very jelly, I command the troops, launched three attacks in succession, all of which were repelled, in front of me, the battle is still in progress, and I am organizing the fourth attack!"

General Kurykin directly sent a telegram, "Comrade Kuryakov, what is the basis for your judgment that the independent division unit blocking you is the Outer Mongolian Frontier Army?" Yes, you Kuryakov Why do you conclude that it is the second-line troops of the Independent Division that blocked you? Is there a basis for it?Besides, since it is Tang Qiuli's second-rate army, how can it stop the three attacks of a mechanized army and a tank brigade? [

Commander Kuryakov's call back was also very simple, "Comrade Commander, the independent division troops that blocked me did not have heavy weapons, not even large-caliber artillery used to suppress my attacking troops. Those who appeared on the battlefield, Just some mortars! But they built complete fortifications, relying on such fortifications, to prevent the troops from entering!"

After reading the telegram, General Kurykin felt relaxed all over his body. All doubts were cleared away, and the battlefield became clear. That's right. On the Selenge River battlefield, I deployed tens of thousands of soldiers to defend The casualties of the independent division troops will not be small. It is also normal to retreat to the second-line position and establish a new blocking line. They are buying time for Tang Qiuli's main force to reinforce the Outer Mongolia battlefield.

General Kurykin put all the circumstances together and came to a conclusion, speed, the key to conquering Kulun lies in speed, and it is necessary to capture Kulun before Tang Qiuli's main force arrives.

General Kurykin put aside all doubts and did not hesitate. He said to Lieutenant General Zirenenko, chief of staff of the military region: "Comrade chief of staff, convey my order, the main force of the military region, immediately go south at the fastest speed!"

(to be continued) (to be continued...)