Age of Rebirth

Tang Qiuli was very puzzled by Chief of Staff Zhao Yuhe's urgency. He took the telegram, glanced at it, and put it aside, "Yuhe, the Soviet army's occupation of Chita was expected, and there is nothing to worry about." Surprised, why, can't you hold your breath?" He said with a half-smile.

Zhao Yuhe didn't smile, and reminded: "Master, you should read the contents of the telegram carefully. Deputy Commander Liu judged that the Soviet Army's Outer Xing'anling Front Army occupying Chita was trying to divide its troops to approach Kulun and Sai Yinshanda. In this way, it will form a three-sided attack on us, Deputy Commander Liu suggested that we retreat to the country immediately!"

"Oh!" Tang Qiuli frowned slightly, and then he paid more attention to the telegram, read it carefully for a long time, put down the telegram, his face was cloudy and uncertain.

Tang Qiuli believed in Liu Tiehan's judgment. Dongzhi was in the Chita area and had its own reconnaissance channels. However, there were already two Soviet armies with more than 250 million troops outflanking Kulun. It seems that there is no need for Sai Yinshanda to come here, unless Stalin hates himself to the bone, faster than wanting to kill all the military forces of the Independent Division in Outer Mongolia!

The soldier's move of Saiyinshanda was vicious and sophisticated, and it was clearly intended to cut off the retreat of the independent division. In this situation, how can we talk about a head-on blow to the Soviet Union's Lake Baikal Front Army at the Selenge River, and hurry up to run away , is serious, otherwise, the danger of being made dumplings again, no matter how powerful and unpredictable the means are, no matter how well-equipped and brave the directly subordinate corps are, they will not be able to withstand the crushing of more than [-] million Soviet troops pressure.

"Could it be—?" In Tang Qiuli's heart, a warning sign suddenly rose. Could it be that Stalin put all his troops in Outer Mongolia, not just to destroy himself and reoccupy Outer Mongolia.But another attempt?

There is only one attempt. After occupying Outer Mongolia, continue to move south, and then attack Inner Mongolia. It is very likely to occupy Kulun, then occupy Saiyinshanda, and then go south, but it will be Erenhot in China.

Tang Qiuli woke up from his contemplation.With a very ugly expression on his face, he said to Zhao Yuhe, "Yuhe, give the order that the directly subordinate corps will immediately withdraw from Kulun and enter the Saiyinshanda area. Set up a defensive line."

After pondering for a while, he continued: "Order the Sun Zhenbang Outer Mongolia Field Corps, which is training in the Pingjin area of ​​​​North China. Immediately go to the Erlianhot area to stand by. Yuan Jinghao's North China Field Corps is on standby at the front line of East Ujimqin. With the development of the Haraha River, Feng Jiwu's Niangziguan Garrison Corps will serve as a strategic reserve team!"

Zhao Yuhe finished recording the order.After handing it over to a staff officer, he said in disbelief: "Master, you arranged it like this, don't you think that after the Soviet army occupied Kulun, they would continue to go south and attack the country?"

Tang Qiuli's gaze pierced the sky of Outer Mongolia and looked towards the far west, as if he wanted to see clearly. Stalin in Moscow had his true thoughts in his heart. After a long time, he slowly said: "Yuhe, it's not impossible. , Stalin will never be satisfied with his greed for territory, hum, sooner or later he will be exhausted!"

"If such a thing really happens, then we have no possibility of retreating. The only way to fight the Soviet army is to be prepared. Our four corps have more than 170 million troops. Chen Bing is on the side of the border. A kind of deterrent to the army, perhaps, can scare off the Soviets!"

The next day, the [-] brigades directly under the corps, together with artillery, armor, and air defense units, withdrew from Kulun and moved to the front line of Saiyinshanda, leaving an empty city.

Five days later in the evening, an army of the vanguard of the Soviet Baikal Front approached the outskirts of Kulun. According to the order of General Gregarif, the commander and political commissar of the Soviet Front, the vanguard of the Soviet Army did not rush into the urban area. On the northern outskirts of Cullen, they stopped and assumed an offensive posture.

Several Soviet commanders, holding binoculars, looked at Kulun in the twilight. They always felt that something was wrong. It was too quiet, so quiet that it made people panic. There were no lights and no movement. The city, like a silent beast, squatted on the twilight prairie, watching the Soviets silently.

On the outskirts of the city, there are no fortifications to be seen, and the trenches do not look like a big battle is imminent. The whole city seems to be asleep. Only in this way will the Soviet commander be more vigilant .

According to the inertial thinking of European soldiers, Kulun is the largest city in Outer Mongolia and the center of Tang Qiuli's rule. The loss of Kulun means that Outer Mongolia will return to the embrace of the Soviet Union. Such an important city, whether the Chinese are No matter what, I will never give up. There will inevitably be a bloody fight on the outskirts of Kulun, and the battle will be full of artillery fire. General Greg Garif, the commander of the front army, even made plans to capture Kulun and pay more than one-third of the casualties. .

But what is the situation now? In the telescopic lens, Cullen is as silent as a dead city, more like a sleeping monster. After waking up, he will violently hurt people at any time. The cunning and insidiousness of that Chinese Tang Qiuli has already Branded in the hearts of all Soviet officers, whether in the Tannu Mountains or in Minusinsk, the biggest worry in fighting this Chinese is the traps that emerge endlessly and everywhere.

No one can judge how many troops Tang Qiuli has in ambush in Kulun City, preparing to fight a street battle with countless casualties. There are only tens of thousands of troops in one army. When stepping into this city that looks frightening to look at, there may not be a single one left. Therefore, even without the order of General Gregarif, the commander of the front army, the vanguard of the Soviet army did not dare to step into Kulun.

After observing for a while, several Soviet commanders discussed the situation for a while and reported the situation to the front army headquarters. General Gregarif's reply was very simple, "Stay where you are, pay attention to observation, and never act rashly, waiting for the arrival of the main force. !"

With the lessons learned from the past, the No.40 Third Army of the Outer Mongolian Front Army was almost wiped out. Didn’t it just make the mistake of underestimating the enemy’s aggressiveness? He's wrong, he's already ahead of that guy Vasilevsky, so there's no need to take the risk.

Thinking of this, General Gregarif was so happy from ear to ear. He finally overwhelmed Vasilevsky and captured Kulun, which meant that he had actually occupied Outer Mongolia and fulfilled Comrade Stalin's order. Solving the biggest concern for the leader is the first achievement!

Therefore, after giving orders to the vanguard, General Gregariff ordered the subsequent two army groups to speed up their march and prepare for a full-scale attack after arriving at the periphery of Kulun.

After issuing the order that should be issued, General Gregarif was very bored, maybe he was too excited, and sent a very painful telegram to General Vasilevsky whose running shoes were almost flying, "Vasilevsky Comrade Ski, the vanguard of our front army, has already reached the outskirts of Kulun, and when the subsequent two armies arrive, they can launch a full-scale attack on Kulun, planning to end the Battle of Kulun within three days."

"Since our department can independently deal with the independent divisions defending Kulun, your department does not need to rush to march. When you arrive at Kulun, I will meet Comrade Vasilevsky in the city of Kulun!"

Provocation, naked provocation, one order after another, General Vasilevsky, who almost drove the Soviet soldiers of the Outer Mongolia Front Army to their legs, was so angry that he almost spit after receiving the telegram from General Gregarif. Blood, all conceivable swearing Soviet folk slang and sayings, are used without hesitation to greet the female relatives of General Gregarif. At this moment, the dignified Comrade Commander looks like a full-fledged shrew.

After scolding, General Vasilevsky, who was still angry, returned a telegram to General Gregarif angrily, "Comrade Gregarif, according to the plan of the General Staff, Kulun should be occupied by our front army. Although the later plan was slightly adjusted, it cannot change the fact that our Outer Mongolian Front Army, as the main force of this battle, the honor of the leader of your ministry, Kulun, should not belong to a certain army, but to all Soviet Red Army soldiers!"

General Vasilevsky's words are very clear. You Gregarif don't want to take the credit for yourself. The so-called witnesses have a share. Of course, this telegram is completely harmless to General Gregarif. It is an indisputable fact that the first army to occupy Kulun, he still prepared to attack Kulun according to his plan.

On the evening of March 24, the two armies of the Soviet Baikal Front Army arrived at the outskirts of Kulun and immediately deployed to surround Kulun from all directions. , ready to fight a large-scale street battle, all the offensive preparations of the Soviet troops are carried out around the idea.

However, they are also puzzled, why the Chinese who are already trapped in a lonely city under the siege of hundreds of thousands of troops, are still so calm, let their troops toss around Kulun, at least, they should Is there a reaction?

If they are calm, these Chinese people are too calm. It is more likely that they are determined to die, with all kinds of doubts and speculations, and they continue to fly to the commander of the front army, General Greg Garriff, and the ensuing reaction Yes, I am even more afraid to act rashly. The attack was supposed to be launched on March 28th, but it was postponed to March [-]th.

On the afternoon of March 27, all the troops of the Soviet Baikal Front Army arrived at the outskirts of Kulun, and immediately surrounded Kulun, not even a fly could fly out. Completely relieved, he issued a combat order to all the troops, "The battle to attack Kulun will be launched on time at 28:[-] am on March [-]!"

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