Marshal Vasilevsky has been in the Far East for a year. In fact, the Soviet Union was not completely unprepared for the war against Japan. As early as the end of the Belorussian Campaign, the Supreme Command commissioned Vasilevsky to start preparing for the Soviet army along the Heilongjiang coast.

The Primorsky and Transbaikal regions gathered to make preliminary calculations and determine the supplies necessary to fight Japanese imperialism.

Before the Battle of Berlin, the Far East Operation Plan had been approved by Moscow. After Germany formally surrendered, Vasilevsky was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Army in the Far East, responsible for commanding the Transbaikal Front Army, the First Far Eastern Front Army, the Second Far Eastern Front Army, and

Pacific Fleet.

However, compared with the Soviet Union's ability to operate with ease on land, the sea power it relied on was only a drop in the bucket. Although Moscow suddenly increased its support for the Far East before and after the Battle of Berlin, the strength the Soviet Union could organize could only support 50,000 people.

to a landing force of 60,000 people.

Of course, the telegram that reached Marshal Vasilevsky at the same time also showed the base camp's determination to do whatever it takes. It also stated that the British fleet in Southeast Asia had arrived at night and would provide support for the landing operation.

For this reason, Marshal Vasilevsky changed his landing plan on the Kuril Islands and set his sights on Japan's second largest island, Hokkaido. In the Far East Command, Marshal Vasilevsky said to his subordinates

, "If the intelligence is true, the number of Japanese troops in Hokkaido is really not much greater than the defenders of the Kuril Islands. During the front-line battles in the Pacific, the US military adopted a combat method called island hopping tactics, which was very difficult for our already stretched maritime forces.

In terms of strength, it is more important to set clear offensive targets and not waste military power on worthless targets."

The island hopping tactic was a tactic adopted by the US military when it counterattacked Japan. It did not conquer each island one by one or in sequence, but attacked them one by one. This not only achieved the actual occupation of the attacked island, but also forced other islands to surrender without a fight.

soldiers.

So the Battle of Okinawa broke out, but Swindle Island was still under Japanese rule, because Swindle Island was the base that the U.S. military jumped over in the island-hopping strategy, occupying Okinawa and cutting off the connection between the Japanese mainland and Swindle Island.

When Marshal Vasilevsky learned of Moscow's eagerness, he gave up the landing on the Kuril Islands and prepared to copy the US military's island-hopping tactics and attack Hokkaido.

"Although the objective conditions are insufficient, comrades don't need to be too anxious. We also have favorable conditions. For example, Moscow's telegram also explained Japan's remarks on peace. According to the analysis of diplomatic comrades, Japan's attitude towards the Soviet Union is to avoid us.

We should seek peace through war, and our attitude toward the United States should be to seek peace through war."

"Under the current conditions, the core of the Far East Campaign must be on the Korean Peninsula to make up for the lack of preparations on the Hokkaido front line. The Korean Peninsula is not far from the Japanese mainland. Comrades, please remember a term, Tsushima Strait.

.”

As soon as Marshal Vasilevsky finished speaking, the Far East Command fell into silence for a while. The Tsushima Strait is the western edge of the North Pacific Ocean, the southwest end of the Japanese Islands, and the waters between Tsushima Island and Iki Island. The Tsushima Strait runs from the northeast

Extending to the southwest, it is about 200 kilometers long, 40 kilometers at its narrowest point, and the water depth reaches 100 meters. The continental shelf is very developed, and the bottom of the canyon is relatively gentle.

That was the place where the Imperial Japanese Navy defeated the Imperial Russian Navy in the Battle of Tsushima, but for Marshal Vasilevsky, the naval battle decades ago was not his purpose.

The next thing he wanted to say was, "Comrade Malinovsky, your mission is to attack Japanese-occupied Korea, all the way to the Korean Peninsula and the Tsushima Strait, which is closest to the Japanese mainland. Don't worry about other things. Annihilation."

The Japanese troops on the peninsula are also collecting ships that can cross the peninsula and decide whether to proceed with the next operation based on the progress of the occupation."

"Understood, Vasilevsky rules." Malinovsky was born in Osad and is now the commander of the Transbaikal Front. He arrived in the Far East after the end of the European War, later than Marshal Vasilevsky.

One year.

After revising the combat plan, Marshal Vasilevsky placed the main target of the Transbaikal Front led by Marshal Malinovsky on the Korean Peninsula to cover the Soviet Union's attack on Hokkaido!

Not to mention the impact that the Far East Command will have on the revision of the combat plan, the Potsdam Conference is still going on. Even Alan Wilson is still operating in the dark. Originally, he thought that after the issue of the war against Japan was determined, his work was over.

Facts have proved that he, a civil servant in British India, is still relatively naive when it comes to the issue of back-room operations. Once such a thing is started, it will inevitably happen countless times.

Cabinet Secretary Edward Bridges shattered Alan Wilson's naivety with two words. If the formal talks at the Potsdam Conference did not end for a day, there would be no reason for the private bargaining with the Soviet Union to end.

Seeing Alan Wilson's surprised look, Edward Bridges explained calmly, "It was like this during the Munich Conference. The negotiating partners had changed, but the British Empire was still a party."

"But I have nothing more to say. Haven't we finished talking about the war against Japan?" Alan Wilson said with a bitter smile, "You can't have a wine bar with a Soviet woman every day. Isn't this a waste of national resources?"

"Yeah..." Edward Bridges recognized Alan Wilson's understanding of the waste of national resources and gave him encouragement, but he answered the question without changing his original intention, "But we generally call this diplomacy...

"

Isn’t this too worldly? Alan Wilson couldn’t laugh or cry, and said with a grimace, “Sir Edward, I shouldn’t have too much contact with the Soviets. I still want to make progress. I want to make progress so much. If at the Potsdam Conference,

My secret behind-the-scenes operations with the Soviets, if others find out in the future, may cause trouble for my future."

"All your actions are for the benefit of the British Empire, and all your words and deeds will be archived." Edward Bridges said calmly, "There is no possibility of leakage, and no one can verify it."

"But the election is coming soon, what if the next government finds out?" Alan Wilson also knew that such things should not be said nonsense, so he deliberately lowered his voice.

"Is it because the opposition party came to power? Do you think our respected Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary said to the leaders of the active and opposition parties that they have betrayed the interests of their loyal allies again? Don't worry, you are ours." Edward Bridges raised an eyebrow.
Chapter completed!