Cicada Moving

Chapter 993 The Russo-Japanese War breaks out

 A few hours ago, Arbat Street, Mosk.

In an office of the Red Russian General Staff, several generals and marshals with serious expressions sat at the conference table, each holding a telegram in their hands, and expressed their opinions one after another.

"I think everyone has read the intelligence sent by the "Ramza Group". If it is true, the Japanese seem to want to launch a large-scale attack in Nomenkan."

"Yes, the cable says that the Japanese are trying to use the 23rd Division, the 5th Division, the 14th Division, the 9th and 10th Field Heavy Artillery Regiments, 9 rapid-fire artillery squadrons, and 16 field heavy artillery regiments. The anti-aircraft artillery team, 1 flying squadron, 22 automobile squadrons, and part of the 2nd Division, 4th Division, and 7th Division will be used intensively. This is bound to be a full-scale war. "

“Yes, the intelligence also mentioned that the Japanese are counting the number of soldiers and weapons in the mainland and occupied areas, and are gradually implementing a rationing system for material supplies. These are signs of the outbreak of war.”

“This information is indeed very clear, but can its authenticity be guaranteed?”

""Ramza" is the most successful lurking intelligence officer in the Fourth Bureau. The source of the intelligence is Japanese Navy Admiral Suzuki Kantaro, which is highly credible. Moreover, part of the intelligence has also been obtained by our intelligence personnel in Japan and the occupied territories. confirmation.”

“So, the Japanese really want to provoke the Soviets in Nomenkan, and even launch a surprise attack on our territory in the Far East?”

"It should be so. The Germans have been very active recently. We have to consider the possibility of cooperation between the Japanese and the Germans. I suggest giving Comrade Zhukov more support and higher command authority so that he can dispel the Japanese as soon as possible. Ambition, regardless of whether the other party really wants to be an enemy of the great Soviet Union.”

"agree."

"agree."

"Then in addition to the 57th Army and the troops previously transferred to the Far East, I propose to mobilize the 57th Infantry Division and the 82nd Infantry Division from the Transbaikal Military District and the Ural Military District to Comrade Zhukov, together with the existing troops to form a Provisional 1st Army, composed of Comrade Zhukov served as commander and was responsible for commanding the war against Japan."

“So how much logistical support does the 1st Army need? Can Comrade Zhukov command a force of this size?”

"At least 18,000 tons of artillery ammunition, 6,500 tons of aviation ammunition, 15,000 tons of various fuels and lubricants, 4,000 tons of grain, 7,000 tons of fuel and 4,000 tons of other materials are needed. Comrade Zhukov served as deputy commander of the Belarusian Military Region before going to the Far East. Commander, there is no doubt about his ability to command large armies in combat.”

 The heads of the Red Russian General Staff, the Ministry of National Defense, and the logistics department discussed the message sent by Sorge, and the decision to form a new group army was quickly made.

It seems like a bit of child's play, but it's not.

Although the biggest enemy of the Red Russia is currently in Europe, Nomenkan is just a scabies disease, but toads do not bite people and respond to people. If they are left alone, it will easily make the Japanese get rich.

 Before a war breaks out in Europe, it is in the interests of Red Russia to completely defeat the Japanese with absolute strength, even if this requires huge casualties and material losses.

As for peace talks with the Japanese, this is not in the plans of the generals and marshals. Red Russia is surrounded by wolves. As long as they show a hint of weakness, countless enemies will desperately pounce on them and tear them apart. Toughness will fight toughness, and war will fight war. , is the only solution.

Voroshilov, the Red Russian Defense Minister and the Chief of General Staff who presided over the meeting, made the final decision after listening to everyone's discussion, agreed to form the 1st Group Army, and ordered the deployment of combat materials to the front line on a larger scale to make up for the losses in the battle.

The Xibei Railway stopped all non-essential transportation for people's livelihood, and made every effort to urgently transport military supplies to the Nomenkan area around the clock. In addition to replenishing consumption, it also needed to establish a dedicated combat material reserve for a possible general counterattack. Then this order was sent to the Department of Science and Technology. Rremlin.

A few hours later, this message, which had been blessed by his loving father, arrived in the hands of Zhukov at the Nomenkan fortification.

 Zhukov was not excited at all when he learned that he had become the commander. He knew that a war was imminent, and a mountain of pressure suddenly hit his face. The Red Russia could only win this war, but could not fail, otherwise it would directly affect the situation in Europe.

It’s just that Zhukov always felt that something was not right. Would the Japanese really be desperate to give up the strategic advantage they had finally gained on the battlefield against China and concentrate all available troops in the Far East for a decisive battle with the Soviets? The question kept nagging at his mind.

But it was useless to think about it now. As a soldier, he could only obey orders. Zhukov turned back and handed the message to others for circulation, and then issued the first order as the commander of the 1st Army.

“All combat troops are on standby outside the combat area, speeding up the transfer of supplies, and implementing information masking on the battlefield. All offensive preparations must be completed before dawn on August 20.”

Zhukov had carefully considered setting the counterattack date for August 20. There was abundant rain in the Montenegrin grassland in June and July, which was unfavorable to the Red Russia, which had a large amount of mechanized equipment. It could not fully utilize its large corps and the combination of multiple arms. The greatest power in combat.

In late August, the rainy season has basically passed, and the temperature is between 24°C and 20°C, and rarely drops below 13°C or exceeds 31°C. The weather is cool, and soldiers can ensure their physical functions to the greatest extent. and combat effectiveness, suitable for long-term, high-intensity battles.

And if the war goes unfavorably, as long as the war is delayed until winter, the Red Russian army, which is good at winter warfare, will have a greater advantage. No one can defeat the Slavs in the harsh winter. This has been proven by Napoleon and the French. More importantly, it takes time to transport so many soldiers and materials. Currently, the First Army only has 1,500 trucks and less than 1,000 tank trucks on paper. It will take at least more than a month to transport all combat materials. time.

Zhukov doesn't know whether the Japanese will launch an attack before then. All he can do now is to hold the position on the west bank of the Harha River and wait for the counterattack moment to come, or die gloriously at Nomenkan. The Red Russian Army has no surrender. commander.

After Zhukov gave the order, he looked outside the observation port. A few small yellow flowers were swaying gently in the wind, and a few white clouds were floating in the blue sky in the distance. There was no smell of war, but the peace under the gun could be maintained. How long, he sighed silently.

 Two days later.

　　A Red Russian plane "accidentally dropped" a bomb into the territory of Pseudomonas, where there was "no dispute".

Masanobu Tsuji, the chief of staff who was temporarily in charge of the Kwantung Army, rejected the instructions issued by the military department to temporarily maintain the status quo and wait for the arrival of supporting troops, and decided to use the bomb as an excuse to start a war.

 This is another classic attack on the enemy. In fact, after learning about the "Red Russian Operation Plan" obtained from the government, the Japanese cabinet and the Locust have already begun to increase their troops in Nomenkan on a large scale.

  It’s just that it also takes time to draw troops from Japan’s mainland, various colonies, and even the battlefield inside the Kansai region. Tsuji Masanobu’s doing so completely destroyed the plans of Japan’s top leaders.

It should also be pointed out that although the actual deployment of the Japanese army and the number of combat troops are slightly different from the "Japanese Army Combat Plan" in the hands of the Red Russians, the difference is not too big.

This is not difficult. The Japanese army's effective strength is limited. There are only a few troops, either standing divisions that have not participated in the war, the Kwantung Army, or field divisions that have completed their rest.

The national government staff who compiled the "Japanese Army Combat Plan" only had to write down the numbers of all the Japanese army's idle troops. It didn't matter if there were slight differences. It was normal for military operations to change until the last minute.

When these mixed true and false intelligences were presented to Zhukov, Comrade Red Russian God of War gave up his doubts and continued to request more troops, equipment, and logistics supplies from Mosk.

In this way, when neither Red Russia nor Japan was ready for war, the war suddenly broke out, and it was the Japanese who launched the attack first.

  In the early morning of June 27, Michutaro Komatsubara, who had just returned to Hylar from Tokyo, waved his command sword again and led the 23rd Division and the pseudo-Xingan Army cavalry to dispatch.

 Due to the limited transportation capacity of the 23rd Division, Japanese soldiers need to carry 36 kilograms of food and ammunition on their backs like mules to the battlefield 180-250 kilometers away.

 After three long days of trekking, the "mules" finally entered the attack position in the early morning of July 1 to make final pre-war preparations before they died of exhaustion.

The day before, the Kwantung Army Headquarters once again violated the cabinet's recommendation not to use aviation forces to bomb the Red Russian airport, and bombed the Red Russian aviation base near the Halaha River at 5 o'clock in the morning that day.

This air raid destroyed about 130 Red Russian aircraft. The Kwantung Army achieved full air supremacy in a short period of time. Then Japanese aircraft launched fierce bombings on the Red Russian landing points on the east coast of Halaha and the west bank fortifications. Zhukov was beaten. Caught off guard.

On the night of July 1, the main force of the 23rd Division, a total of 3 infantry regiments and 1 field artillery brigade, successfully crossed the Halaha River in an area about 13 kilometers downstream of the confluence of the two rivers, and attacked the Mongolian Army. The 6th Cavalry Division carried out an assault on the Bayingchagang Highlands guarded by the 6th Cavalry Division.

Relying on their numerical superiority, the Japanese army occupied the Red Russian strategically important Bayingchagang Mountain and its adjacent areas before dawn on July 3. The 6th Mongolian Cavalry Division retreated to the northwest area of ​​Bayingchagang Mountain.

 The excited sword performing artist Komatsubara Michutaro immediately launched his troops to pursue, preparing for a great victory. As a result, he ran into the Red Russian counterattack force head on.

After learning about the fighting situation in the Bayingchagang Highlands, Zhukov decisively ordered the 11th Tank Brigade, the 7th Armored Vehicle Brigade, a 24th Motorized Infantry Regiment, and the 8th Mongolian Cavalry Division to support the 6th Mongolian Cavalry Division.

The main force of the 23rd Division did not have a single tank, and its artillery only had 18 37mm rapid-fire guns, 12 76mm infantry guns under the wing, 8 field guns and 4 120mm howitzers. It soon fell into trouble. Surrounded dilemma.

On July 4, the battle raged fiercely day and night, with tracer bullets lighting up the night sky. Until 3 a.m. on the 5th, the Japanese army's last resistance was crushed and they began to gradually retreat toward the ferry.

On the morning of July 5, there was no sound of gunfire in Bayingchagang Mountain and the west bank of the Halaha River. The 23rd Division was defeated for an unknown number of times. Michutaro Komatsubara jumped into the river with his command knife and fled in panic.

 (End of this chapter)