Age of Conquest Reborn

Chapter 843: Far Eastern Pattern (1)

The successive disastrous defeats of the Japanese navy forced Emperor Hirohito to reorganize the navy. This is indeed the case. Compared with the smooth sailing of the army in the Far East, the performance of the navy was unsatisfactory, or in other words, it disappointed Japan's fanatical citizens.

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When Tang Qiuli took away more than a hundred warships of the Soviet Pacific Fleet from Haishanwei, the Far East was being fought with blood and blood, and the Kwantung Army Commander, General Kenkichi Ueda, commanded the forces of the three armies and launched an all-out siege.

Trapped on the Arsenyev front line were General Timoshenko's troops of the Soviet Second Far East Army.

Since late September, General Timoshenko has been in a comprehensive defensive posture. His main assault force, four armored brigades equipped with T-28 tanks, fell into Ussuriysk during the previous counter-assault operations.

The swamp areas around (Shuangchengzi) gave the Japanese a huge advantage.

Those Izu series light tanks that were originally vulnerable to the military's T-28 tanks, with the cooperation of the Kwantung Army's artillery troops, vented their bad breath and happily abused a handful of Soviet tanks.

Timoshenko's fist was knocked off.

The Transcaucasus Front troops who came to the rescue were blocked by the First Army of the Kwantung Army on the Khabarovsk (Burli) line on the narrow mountain road between Kukan Mountain and Blea Mountain. The Kwantung Army troops took advantage of the mountain passes

Favorable terrain and constant resistance made the Transcaucasian Front pay a heavy price for every step forward.

It was only a matter of time to break through the Kwantung Army's blockade, and it was precisely time that became Timoshenko's most critical factor. His defensive positions in the Arsenyev area were being compressed every day.

The Kwantung Army troops unleashed unprecedented combat effectiveness.

Often entire divisions were mobilized to carry out non-stop attacks. The Arsenyev area was bombarded with artillery fire and smoke filled the air every day. There were more than 600,000 soldiers from Japan and the Soviet Union. In this early winter, which was already freezing, in

In a land area of ​​only a few hundred square kilometers, they were fighting desperately.

In downtown Arsenyev, at the headquarters of the Second Far East Army, Timoshenko stood in front of a military map like a sculpture. Outside the window, the sound of artillery fire was heard from far and near, and the strong sea breeze blowing from the Sea of ​​Japan led to a heavy

With the smell of gunpowder, he no longer knew how many times he had received telegrams from frontline commanders asking for help.

Until now, the casualties of the Second Army have exceeded half. Timoshenko does not have a reserve team that can be used. "They are all used," he murmured to himself, giving all the front lines

The commander's telegram contained two words: "persistence". He gritted his teeth and persisted until reinforcements from the direction of Transcaucasus arrived.

The Second Soviet Far East Army was struggling to support itself. Timoshenko was not the same. As the commander of the Army, he knew more information than anyone else. The Transcaucasian Front was not making smooth progress and was

The Kwantung Army is blocking the mountainous area around Khabarovsk, and it is impossible to reach here in the shortest time.

Regarding this bad news, Timoshenko took absolutely ruthless but absolutely necessary measures to block the news from all the troops. All the hopes of the Second Army lay in the reinforcements of the Transcaucasian Front. If

If the grassroots officers and soldiers understand the actual situation, the Second Army, which has lost too much blood, will collapse to the ground. Timoshenko himself will also be captured or killed.

A staff officer hurriedly came in: "Comrade Commander, the Far East Red Flag Third Army defending the Anigai area is requesting support. In front of their defensive position, at least three divisions of Japanese troops are attacking. The army's casualties have exceeded

Two-thirds of the army commander, Lieutenant General Nikolay Lyubshenk, was seriously injured, and the troops were commanded by a political commissar."

Timoshenko did not look back. The area defended by the Third Red Flag Army was the westernmost protruding part of the Arsenyev Defense Line. The strategic location was very important. If the Kwantung Army occupied the Anigai area, the entire defense line would be forced to retreat ten meters.

Five kilometers, if so, Timoshenko would have no room for maneuver.

"Order, the Third Far East Red Flag Army must defend the Anigai defense line at any cost, even if it is fought to the last man. In addition, tell Comrade Nikolay Blyushenk that the group army has no troops left to reinforce him. Everything

He can only rely on himself," Timoshenko ordered almost cruelly.

Seeing the staff hesitate for a moment and then turn around to go out, Timoshenko felt a sharp pain in his heart. This order would undoubtedly kill the Third Red Banner Army. But what can be done? Army Commander Nikolay Bruushin

Lieutenant General Ke, his old comrade-in-arms for many years, gave him such an order, which caused him more inner pain than anyone else.

Timoshenko pondered for a while and asked his correspondent to call the commander of the group army's guard regiment. He said in a hoarse voice: "I order you to immediately lead the entire guard regiment to the Anigai defense line and obey the commander of the army, Nikolay Blyushenk.

The command of the Lieutenant General also entrusts you with a special task. Once the Japanese break through the Anigai defense line, you must bring Lieutenant General Nikolay Blyushenko back alive."

The head of the guard stood at attention and saluted. He knew the dangers of going there. He had followed the general for many years. Maybe this was the last time he met. Looking out the window at the groups of Red Army soldiers rushing to the front line in neat steps, Timoshenko sighed from his heart. This

It was the last bit of his troops, all of which were used.

From September 10th to the present, in more than 20 days of fighting, more than half of the troops have suffered casualties. In such a small area, they cannot even retreat unless hundreds of thousands of Red Army soldiers jump into the Sea of ​​Japan, said the group army staff officer

The commander said worriedly: "Comrade Commander, according to the current situation, the group army can still hold on for a few days. If the troops of the Transcaucasus Front cannot open the channel in time, we will all have to sacrifice ourselves."

Why doesn't Timoshenko know? He also believes that based on his personal relationship with the commander of the Transcaucasian Front, General Paul Piliuski, the Transcaucasian Front will definitely spare no effort to rescue. However, the Kwantung Army used

A large part of the troops are blocking the attack, and no one can accurately judge how many days it will take before the passage is opened.

Continuing to send a request for help telegram to Moscow, Timoshenko slowly said in a serious tone: "Moscow, the General Staff has transferred to Comrade Stalin. The fighting in the Arsenyev area is becoming increasingly fierce. The Japanese Kwantung Army has deployed most of its troops.

Entering the battlefield in the Far East, our group army has suffered more than half casualties and has almost exhausted its ammunition. The situation is extremely critical. We request the General Staff to send additional reinforcements immediately without any delay. Otherwise, the final fate of the Second Far East Group Army will be the complete annihilation of the entire army."

In the late autumn of 1938, the grass and trees were withered and yellow. In this season full of fallen leaves, there was a desolate scene everywhere. The mood of Stalin, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Soviet Union and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union, became increasingly depressed and irritable. It was terrible.

He did not understand how the current situation in the Far East could be so unfavorable to the great Soviet Union.

First, the villain-like Chinese Tang Qiuli cut off such a huge piece of fat from the Soviet Union, including Outer Mongolia and Lake Baikal. Then, the Japanese launched an unprecedented offensive in the Far East, and the Pacific Fleet

Falling into the hands of the Japanese, Timoshenko was in danger again.

This was the only explanation for the unlucky year. He also considered in his mind more than once, a question that made his hair stand on end. The Japanese and Tang Qiuli reached some kind of secret agreement, so the Japanese dared to attack the Far East. This agreement

The fundamental essence is that the Japanese and Tang Qiuli carve up the territory of the Asian part of the Soviet Union.

If there had not been such a big temptation, according to Tang Qiuli's usual style, he would have taken advantage of this rare opportunity to launch a large-scale offensive against the Kwantung Army and regain the Manchuria area. With Tang Qiuli's strength, it would not be difficult to do this.

Apart from this, there is no way to explain Tang Qiuli's current action of standing still.

If Stalin's speculation came true, the Soviet Union would lose more than half of its territory and become a purely European country instead of the huge empire that spans the Eurasian continent. Stalin couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat every time he thought of this. He was most afraid and most afraid of it.

What is taboo is fighting on two fronts. In Europe, Hitler in Germany is also a guy who is unwilling to be lonely. His greed for territory is even worse than his own.

For this reason, he strictly ordered the Soviet Far East Intelligence Bureau to find out whether such a secret agreement had been reached between Tang Qiuli and the Japanese. Once his speculation was confirmed, Stalin would have to consider the strategic focus of the Soviet Union. Is it tilted?

In Asia or Europe.

The mainstream view in the Soviet military circles is that the sparks of war that burst out from time to time on the European continent will not affect the Soviet Union for the time being. Solving the problems in the Far East is the top priority. If Asians dare to provoke the Soviet Union, this will open up a very serious situation.

A good precedent, so the strategic concept of the Soviet General Staff is to first defeat the Japanese in the Far East, then regain Outer Mongolia and the Lake Baikal region, and drive Tang Qiuli's forces back to the mainland of China.

But there was the biggest problem. The Soviet Union's main forces in Europe had to be transferred to the Far East. This involved a fundamental change in the Soviet Union's basic national policy and strategic focus. It would affect the whole body. Stalin had to carefully consider that in Europe,

He was always worried about the head of state who had driven the whole of Germany into a state of madness.

Stalin was so anxious that he almost couldn't sleep all night. He said privately to his most intimate friends: "The Soviets are already at the most dangerous juncture. Any mistakes in decision-making will lead to catastrophic consequences. The Soviets created by Comrade Lenin cannot be destroyed."

It’s in your own hands.”

This was Stalin's truest thought. He was hesitant, hesitant, and indecisive. The news from the Soviet Far East Intelligence Bureau made him slightly relieved, "Supreme Commander, according to various verifications by our intelligence personnel, there is no discovery that Tang Qiuli has anything to do with the Japanese."

Any indication of a secret government agreement."

As another urgent telegram from Timoshenko was delivered to him, Stalin's mood, which had just been sunny, was filled with clouds again.

(To be continued)