Episode 4 Fight back to Liaodong and regain all of China!
Episode 4: Fight back to Liaodong and recover all of China!
By 5:30 in the morning on the dth, within half an hour, four of the five river-crossing sections had been breached. The last one still fighting for landing was the section between Nanjing and Ma'anshan. Because there were Ming troops on this section of the Yangtze River.
The Zimuzhou and Xinjizhou Fortresses, and the Qing army's river defense on the other side were relatively strong.
By this time, it was almost daylight, so the Ming Army's legendary "air superiority" made a grand appearance in the first battle to support the ground.
The Ming Army quickly assembled a brigade of 36 dive bombers and a squadron of 16 fighter jets, and carried out indiscriminate bombing and strafing of the Qing Army's 10-kilometer-wide position along the river. In the good visibility during the day, the Ming Army aviation forces suffered for a long time.
The results of the training were vividly displayed. Under the "surgical" precise strike of the Ming army's dive bombers, in less than five minutes, the Qing army's ten-kilometer-wide river defense collapsed. From officers to soldiers, everyone collapsed.
After the bombing, there were only four types of people left on the river beach: the first type was dead Qing soldiers, the second type was disabled Qing soldiers, the third type was mentally broken Qing soldiers, and the fourth type was like wolves and tigers.
, screaming Ming soldiers rushing onto the river beach.
Five large landing sites have been established on the 450-kilometer-long river bank from Anqing to Zhenjiang, and they are rapidly expanding to both sides. The Qing army-controlled areas in the middle quickly turned into isolated islands.
The military police of the Ming army quickly established order on the river beach, diverted traffic, and cleared the landing site for the Zhouqiao troops of the engineers and soldiers to build a pontoon bridge. At the same time, a large number of prisoners of the Qing army were also escorted over.
More assault boats continued to dock on the river beach. The soldiers on board jumped off, took off their life jackets and threw them back into the boat. Then they paddled their legs up the river embankment. The driver drove the assault boat.
Return to the other side and transport troops again.
In addition to assault boats, many larger diesel barges have appeared on the river. These barges carry the most urgent heavy weapons, such as light artillery, mortars, heavy machine guns, ammunition, engineering equipment, tanks to support infantry, etc.
On the east and south banks, the pontoon bridge troops are already busy. Five breakthrough areas, the beginning of the ten pontoon bridges, have already appeared on the river.
The engineers of the Pontoon Bridge unit were as excited as the infantry. They were wearing life jackets and helmets, working enthusiastically. The crane extended its long steel arm to hoist the planks, and engineers stood on the plates. These engineers held small
Flag, whistle in mouth, waving arms to direct the crane to be lowered at the correct position.
Impassioned military songs were played from the large speakers on the crane, and the surrounding engineers and soldiers sang in unison while working. Everyone's face was shining and they were working hard. The infantrymen on both sides also opened their eyes with excitement.
In the morning, a neat team lined up to board the assault boat, singing military songs, and headed for the land controlled by the Northern Qing Dynasty.
Scenes like this were everywhere along the hundreds of kilometers long Yangtze River offensive front. The morale of millions of Ming troops was so high. This was the first time since 1644.
…
At high altitude, dozens of bombers and fighter planes roared past. They were already advancing towards deep targets, bombing the railway hub on the Jinpu line to prevent the Qing army from reacting and transporting troops south.
At low altitude, there were dive bombers in groups of three, roaring past. These dive bombers opened the way for the advancing Ming army and stood in front.
Before the ground troops of the Ming army arrived, they always heard the terrifying screams in the air. These "air devils" screamed and swooped down from the sky, strafing and dropping black bombs. Large areas of the Qing army barracks collapsed, and countless
Qing soldiers were killed, injured, and buried alive. Ammunition depots, garages, and livestock sheds were also exploded by bombs, and flames shot into the sky. Army horses and mules covered in blood rushed out of the sheds screaming and running around.
The ammunition depot was like a volcanic crater, exploding one after another, and fireballs shot up into the sky one after another.
The soldiers of the Qing army rushed out of the barracks with their buttocks naked and their heads covered, rolling and crawling on the ground, looking for a place to hide. No one tried to organize the army at all. Everyone only cared about their own lives, and just guessed where it was safe.
Where to drill. Wherever the Ming army's planes went, the Qing army troops below completely lost their organization and became a piece of loose sand just trying to escape for their lives. Although they were still an army at this time, they were no longer different from ordinary people.
Accompanying the dive bombers are more nimble fighter planes. These fighter pilots have regained all the sweat they had put in their hard training. One by one, they showed off their skills and lowered the plane so low that it almost touched the ground.
From the treetops and rooftops, one could see the expressions of the running Qing soldiers below. The four machine guns of the fighter jets were spitting out flames, and the bullets blew up two clouds of dust on the ground. The Qing soldiers below were fleeing in all directions like rats that had exploded their nests, leaving behind
Bodies on the ground.
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The battle in the first hour went extremely smoothly, because most of the Qing troops were sleeping, and they were almost rushed to the bedside and lifted from the bed by the Ming troops. Those Qing troops who reacted were basically
He was also blown out of his bed by a bomb. They were still looking for clothes, guns and officers while they were naked, when the Ming army rushed in front of them. So they all surrendered in a daze.
Because the People's Guard's long-distance combat tank units are too concentrated, they cannot pass until the pontoon bridge is erected. Now those carried across the river by barges are support infantry tanks from various army divisions. Each division only has 32 tanks. On the long offensive front
, it seems very sporadic and can be transported across the river relatively easily first.
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There are currently two types of tank units in the Ming Army, one is the close support infantry tank unit, and the second is the long range tank unit.
In the 1930s, the armies of various countries were generally not so divided, and the tank units only supported the infantry and tank units. This was also Xiang Xiaoqiang's upgrade to the Ming army based on the Soviet army's large-depth combat theory and the actual experience of World War II.
Arrangements made at the time.
The "close support infantry tank unit" in the Ming army is a tank battalion in each motorized infantry division, with 32 Lightning-3 heavy tanks. These 32 tanks will always accompany the infantry division forward to provide combat support for the infantry.
Its function is of a tactical nature. The tank units of various countries now have this type of tank.
The "distance combat tank force" in the Ming army basically refers to the five armored divisions and five mechanized infantry divisions of the People's Guard.
The ten divisions of the People's Guard account for half of all Ming army tanks. Each armored division has two tank regiments and about 200 medium and heavy tanks. Each mechanized infantry division has one light tank regiment and about 100 vehicles.
Light tanks. They are responsible for the task of long-distance and large-depth breakthroughs, that is, they are the leading and main force of "blitz warfare". Their role is of a strategic nature.
According to the wishes of Li Gensheng, Gao Dayi and others, these five mechanized infantry divisions should also be called "armored divisions", or at least "light armored divisions". In this way, the People's Guard will have ten armored divisions.
But Xiang Xiaoqiang never agreed. These five mechanized infantry divisions were formed later, and the tanks they were equipped with were all "Lightning-1" light tanks eliminated by the armored divisions. There were very few Lightning-2 tanks. And there were only 100 of them in total.
Both quality and quantity are not up to the standards of an "armored division".
He knew that the Germans called this division "Panzer Grenadier Division", but he couldn't stand the weird name "Grenadier Division", so he adopted the name "Mechanized Infantry Division". In fact, these five divisions except
The tanks and soldiers are all riding in armored personnel carriers, and the artillery is also self-propelled, fully meeting the standards of "mechanized infantry".
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Infantry tanks from various divisions were gradually transported to the north and west banks. Roaring and blowing smoke, they drove up the river embankment from the wooden planks and joined the infantry offensive.
The appearance of tanks on the battlefield is a huge boost to the morale of our own infantry. Even in the current situation of successive victories, the one-sided battle with the wind is no exception.
On the rural dirt roads, highways, and fields, there are marching Ming soldiers everywhere.
The roar of a tank engine appeared behind them, and the soldiers carrying rifles turned around. When they saw it was a tank, they cheered, holding up their rifles, waving their helmets, and whistling wildly. The commander of the tank was also revealed.
Outside the turret, he grinned triumphantly and repeatedly raised his hands to the brothers below, as if he had won the top prize and returned home in full glory on a big horse.
"Sir," an infantryman shouted to the commander on the tank, "do you know where our attack target is?"
The commander didn’t know either. However, he pointed forward in a coquettish manner and shouted boldly:
"I know, it's Beijing!"
Suddenly, the surrounding soldiers cheered crazily, their admiration for the commander reaching the extreme.
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As soon as this example started, there were soldiers all around shouting loudly:
"It's not enough to fight as far as Beijing! Fight back outside the customs!"
"Recover Liaodong!"
"Recover the entire Nurgandusi!"
"Fight all the way to Russia!"
"Bring back all the land that was cut off by the Qing Dynasty!"
"Yes! Not even an inch less!"
"Fight back to Liaodong and recover all of China!"
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Overhead, there were planes whizzing by from time to time. Every time a plane passed by, the officers and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty below raised their heads, waved and cheered.
The soldiers knew very well who they relied on to win so easily and with so few casualties. Now in their eyes, as long as there is their own plane in the sky, it means there will be victory ahead.
Correspondingly, there is an endless queue of Qing prisoners of war. These Qing soldiers are gray-headed, half-clothed, covered in blood, with short legs and broken arms. They are leaning on crutches, carrying stretchers, and supporting each other on the road.
Go in the opposite direction.
In the first hour and a half of the Unification War, there was victory everywhere. Nothing but victory.
Soon, the slogan "Fight back to Liaodong and recover all of China" spread throughout hundreds of kilometers of the offensive front. Inspired by this slogan, the morale of the entire front was high.
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At 6:30 in the morning on October 4, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Ming Empire officially summoned the ambassadors of the world's major powers to the Ming Dynasty.
These diplomats have always had a keen sense of politics. They have sensed that something big is about to happen since the radio was silent yesterday, and they are all waiting for this moment. Now, they are all gathered in the Foreign Minister's drawing room, each with their own agenda and looking at each other.
, without talking to each other, just waiting for the moment the door opens.
At 6:40, the door of the minister's office opened. Foreign Minister He Ziguang came out. He greeted the ambassadors very solemnly and politely. Then without much greeting, several secretaries behind him presented each ambassador with a gorgeous gift.
gilding this document.
When the ambassadors received it, they all felt it was heavy. Sure enough, something big had happened.
When I opened it, I saw it was a formal note.
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His Excellency xx, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of xx Country:
By the decree of Her Majesty the Queen of our country, I would like to inform you that at exactly 5:00 this morning, our country has begun the war to regain the occupied territory in the north, eliminate the puppet Qing rebels, and rescue the people in the occupied areas.
During the civil war, your country's expatriates and various assets in the areas controlled by the Qing Dynasty will be protected by our imperial government troops.
In this just war, Her Majesty the Queen of our country and all her subjects will, as always, cherish the friendship between your country and fulfill the various agreements and obligations between the two countries.
Please convey on my behalf the greetings of the Queen of our country to His Majesty the King of your country (His Excellency the President\Prime Minister).
I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincerest respect to you.
——
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Ming Empire He Ziguang