Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 728 Is there such a good thing?
Now that preparations are complete, there's no need to wait any longer. The current forces cannot occupy too much territory. Jia Zhi's objective is very clear: to destroy all visible civilian infrastructure.

The principle of "courtesy before force" was something Jia Zhi believed he had achieved. Last time, however, no public facilities were damaged, yet it was seen as weakness.

The claim of weakness was not something Jia Zhi imagined; it was something that was said in the newspapers, not just one, but multiple newspapers.

The entire army set out from Bismarck and advanced eastward along the road. Upon reaching Cleveland, they were met with a counterattack from a local militia of over ten thousand men.

The militia resisted fiercely this time, and the Japanese provisional division leading the charge launched a fierce attack with the support of heavy artillery fire.

After a day of fierce fighting, the city fell, and the Provisional Division, having suffered over a thousand casualties, launched a frenzied retaliation.

When Jia Zhi entered the city, gunfire continued. The chief of staff suggested that the troops be regrouped, but Jia Zhi shook his head.

At least 8,000 people died in the ensuing retaliation. In this small city of only 50,000 people, every household had someone die on the day the city fell.

The enemy's main force of about 5,000 men withdrew to the east, and after a brief rest, continued their eastward advance.

Several cities along the way offered no further resistance and surrendered. This time, Jia Zhi restrained his troops, leaving a portion of them behind before quickly passing through.

In Moorhead, fierce fighting broke out again, with 30,000 militiamen gathering there and constructing numerous fortifications to resist.

Although military strategy dictates that attacking a city is the worst option, Jia Zhi had no choice but to order a three-sided siege with one side open, concentrating artillery fire for a fierce bombardment before launching an immediate attack.

After waiting for the arrival of subsequent military supplies, the three basic loads of artillery shells that had been brought in advance were all used up, and the attack was launched only after the artillery fire lasted for an hour.

Despite having more militia, Moorhead offered less resistance than Cleveland under heavy artillery fire. After three days of fierce fighting, the city's defenders withdrew.

After occupying the area, Jia Zhi deliberately left behind a division of troops and clearly informed all units that this place would be the starting point for the next eastward advance. The troops left behind were required to cooperate with the engineering corps to build the railway to this location.

This move signifies that the central and northern provinces have decided to push their border 300 kilometers eastward.

A few days after Jia Zhi of the north launched his attack, Li Heng of the south also ordered his troops to advance eastward.

The unit advanced eastward with four infantry divisions, while two cavalry divisions swept northeastward to cover the flanks.

Ten days later, they occupied Baton Rouge, blocking the Mississippi River estuary.

By this time, the Donghua Kingdom had effectively occupied most of North America.

The cunning Li Heng did not order a continued eastward advance, but instead went up the river and captured Jackson.

Compared to Jia Zhi's initial restraint, Li Heng was far less merciful. He ordered that anyone who dared to resist would have their swords left unsheathed for three days.

Baton Rouge, Jackson, and Little Rock all suffered devastating massacres for their resistance, with 300,000 people dying in the fighting.

When the news reached the East, it sent shockwaves throughout the United States.

This time, the US government didn't need to do any ideological work; the states quickly contributed money, manpower, and resources to establish armed forces in their respective regions.

Upon hearing the news, Jia Zhi in the north merely shook his head slightly. This was the way Donghua Wang had always been; in order to seize territory, he had killed not only Americans but also many natives.

It truly is a case of those who follow the trend prosper, and those who oppose it perish.

As for Li Heng's move up the river, Jia Zhi didn't take it to heart; what harm was there in letting him have it? The cost of domestic immigration had risen sharply, large-scale paid immigration had ceased, and immigration now relied entirely on voluntary participation. Even if territory was occupied, there wouldn't be enough immigrants to occupy it. Therefore, Jia Zhi didn't think large-scale killing was a good thing, especially in areas planned for long-term occupation.

Due to efficiency issues, although the United States was calling for a declaration of war and to wash away its shame through war, the mobilization process was actually not fast.

When the Donghua National Army's Northern Route Army arrived in São Paulo, the militia on the other side of the river were still digging fortifications. As a result, after being bombarded by the vanguard's mortars for ten minutes, a large number of militia fled back into the city, leaving the other side of the river completely undefended.

The advance troops successfully erected the pontoon bridge, using the same foundations as before, which saved a lot of trouble. The militia of São Paulo did not resist but chose to retreat voluntarily.

After our troops entered the city, they discovered that a large number of civilians had already fled, leaving only some elderly, weak, sick, and disabled people who could not walk.

After inquiring, I learned that local officials and powerful families were spreading rumors among the citizens that our army wouldn't stay long, but would only destroy some industrial facilities and leave, just like last time. There were practically no industrial facilities in the city now, and even food supplies were scarce, so how could they possibly destroy anything?

There wasn't a single grain of food in the local warehouses, and the army's logistical supplies depended entirely on transport from Bismarck's direction, which was a huge problem.

The inability to obtain supplies from the enemy is a significant difference compared to the previous instance.

Jia Zhi decided not to rush south, but to station the entire army here and ordered the subsequent delivery of military supplies to be expedited.

During this period, a large number of scout cavalry were sent out to explore the terrain and they found that this place was really good, much better than Murhead.

From a topographical perspective, this place is located at the confluence of two rivers, making it very convenient for defense.

In terms of distance, as long as this place is occupied, it can cross the river at any time and move south to harass the major industrial cities around the Great Lakes.

These are all advantages, but there are also many disadvantages. One of them is that once surrounded, it is difficult to get reinforcements from the outside.

Another major problem is the lack of manpower. The total number of troops we have at hand is only four infantry divisions, about 60,000 men.

Taking advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness, we can strike and leave without any pressure. The enemy's strength is insufficient to hold our troops, but it would be far too difficult to maintain a long-term garrison.

After much deliberation, Jia Zhi could only think to herself, "I'll definitely do it next time."

The key issue is still the railway, or the post-war negotiations.

Jia Zhi soon learned from the scouts that a large number of American troops, no less than 70,000 or 80,000, had gathered in Madison City.

Upon hearing this news, Jazi was no longer worried. He too had a large army, and although the enemy was numerous, their weaponry was technologically superior, so a direct confrontation was not a concern. Logistically, the railway had been extended to Bismarck and was still under construction, significantly reducing the pressure on supply lines compared to the previous conflict. The large stockpiles of military supplies in Farview before the war meant that as long as the supply lines remained intact, logistics were not a concern. To ensure the safety of the supply lines, a true cavalry division was stationed at Moorhead, relying on mobility to maintain the supply lines.

What truly worried Jia Lian was another piece of news: mobilization had begun in Canada to the north.

Whether this mobilization is to reinforce the US military is unknown. After all, they are all Ansar people. Even if they are not helping the US military, we should still be wary of them.

After meeting with the entire General Staff, Jacques concluded that the Canadians would not go south and would not risk their lives for the Americans.

However, we cannot afford to be complacent and rely on others not taking action to ensure our safety.

Jia Zhi issued a second mobilization order, ordering all prefectures and counties to gather militia and be ready for defense at any time. If the Jia army marched south, our main force would immediately return.

At present, Jia Zhi controls the north and central regions, with a combined population of nearly 25 million. He currently has only six divisions with a total of 100,000 professional soldiers, so the ratio of soldiers to civilians is not high.

The second mobilization order decided to form two cavalry divisions to defend against potential threats from the north. Fortunately, North America had no shortage of horses, and the officers and soldiers of the cavalry divisions all brought their own horses to join.

It can be assembled very quickly; given Donghua's organizational capabilities, it could be completed in a month at most. Its combat effectiveness is hard to say, but it's confident it can defeat Canada.

The biggest advantage of the Donghua Kingdom's army lies in its far-reaching equipment superiority. The current US military still uses smoothbore muskets, with only a few percussion cap guns purchased from Britain. Britain, in particular, has a strong foundation, having already solved the mass production of percussion caps and the rifled manufacturing process. Their army has begun to equip itself with rifled percussion cap guns, but these are still muzzle-loading, two generations behind Donghua.

Because of a minor move by Canada, Jazhi was forced to stay in São Paulo for twenty days, partly to wait for logistical supplies and partly to see if Canada would actually send troops.

Because of this commotion, things became difficult for General MacKenzie, the U.S. commander at Madison. His original intention was to wait for the Donghua Army to attack and then use the fortified positions to resist.

Now that the Donghua Army has stopped moving and seems intent on maintaining a long-term presence in São Paulo, there's a surge of calls within the US military for a proactive offensive. Although some defeated generals previously disagreed, the public outcry disregarded those concerns and insisted on a proactive military action to reclaim lost territory. Otherwise, with 100,000 troops stationed there, who could sustain such a long-term presence?

It should be noted that the US military has virtually no discipline.

Philadelphia has also repeatedly urged a swift and decisive battle, citing immense financial pressure.

With the arrival of new reinforcements, Lieutenant General Mack was under immense pressure. Local residents and a large number of refugees elected several bishops to meet with the military, demanding that they send troops as soon as possible to reclaim their homes.

With his forces reaching 120,000 men, Lieutenant General Mike had few other options and could only announce an immediate deployment.

After receiving new supplies and reinforcements, and under pressure from the government and public opinion, the US military left the city and headed north towards São Paulo.

Upon hearing the news, Jia Zhi burst into laughter. "Such a good thing?"

He immediately ordered his troops to march south. The vanguards of the two armies clashed at Oukler. After a brief skirmish, the enemy scouts suffered a crushing defeat. They were unable to obtain accurate information about our forces, while our army successfully ascertained the general distribution of the enemy troops. Jia Zhi then decided to hold a decisive battle there.

With four divisions at his disposal, Jia Zhi decided to deploy three infantry divisions in the front and one cavalry division as a reserve.

The U.S. military had no good solutions after the encounter, and when they retreated, Commander-in-Chief Mike could only commit suicide amidst public criticism.

The two armies arrayed themselves in the field and engaged in a battle that Jia Zhi considered extremely complex.

The reason it's called retro is entirely because the US military still uses line formations, with neat rows of soldiers, drumming, and advancing in orderly fashion.

This tactic had long been abandoned by the Donghua Army, and the reason they are now willing to pick it up again is entirely because they are happy to cooperate with the enemy's tactics.

The U.S. Army was characterized by its large cavalry force, numbering 30,000. Jacques ordered the construction of simple defensive fortifications on the flanks and the erection of numerous machine gun positions.

When the two armies met, they clashed on both sides before the frontal battle even began.

Initially, it was a small-scale battle between their respective cavalry. After suffering heavy losses, the American forces committed more cavalry to the battle, hoping to retaliate.

The enemy cavalry pursued relentlessly, while our cavalry fought and retreated. Upon reaching the front lines, we turned our horses to meet the enemy in battle. The enemy ceased their pursuit and cautiously retreated. After reorganizing our formation, the enemy cavalry, seeing that our army numbered only a few thousand while ours numbered thirty thousand, ordered a charge, attempting to gain an advantage on the flank.

When the enemy cavalry formed their ranks a kilometer away from the battlefield, Commander-in-Chief Mike saw hot air balloons rising above the battlefield and had a bad feeling.

Before he could figure it out, the two artillery regiments of the Donghua Army had already opened fire, bombarding the enemy cavalry's assembly area like a thorough sweep.

The continuous explosions created a man-made disaster. At least two cavalry regiments were decimated by the shelling and unable to continue fighting.

In their haste to be bombarded, the American troops made a contradiction. Mack ordered the cavalry to retreat beyond the enemy's artillery range. However, the commander at the front believed that retreat was neither possible nor justified. The reasoning was simple: at such a distance, if they couldn't rush forward and eliminate the enemy artillery, the line formations in front would be hit by artillery fire and fall into an even more dire situation.

Therefore, it was decided to utilize the speed of the cavalry and launch a desperate charge.

Thirty thousand cavalrymen launched a charge, suffering heavy casualties amidst our artillery fire. Just as they were about to accelerate and get close enough, the scythe of hell appeared.

The scythes of death, sprayed from the sniper rifle positions, indiscriminately slaughtered every cavalryman attempting to approach the artillery positions along the long battlefront.

The machine gun emplacements alone could inflict casualties, but there were also mortars with extremely high rates of fire, firing shells at top speed to cut off the enemy's advance and prevent them from launching continuous assaults.

This battle is known as the cavalry's lament. The American cavalry, which the US military relied on most, seemed to be in hell in the face of pre-set machine gun positions and dense artillery fire.

The American cavalry displayed great bravery, launching wave after wave of attacks during the two-hour battle.

The exact number of American cavalrymen who remained on the battlefield is disputed between the two sides after the war.

The Donghua Army claimed that the battle resulted in the annihilation of over 15,000 enemy cavalrymen, with the enemy forces routed and corpses strewn across the battlefield—a truly horrific scene. The American forces, however, claimed only 3,000 cavalrymen were killed or wounded, with over 5,000 missing.

While the cavalry were engaged in combat, the two armies were also fighting head-on. Another key force for the American forces was their artillery. Mike, who was carrying over a hundred muzzle-loading cannons, was initially quite confident, thinking that a frontal battle was not out of the question. However, the performance on the battlefield utterly shattered his hopes.

Before the American artillery could even enter firing range, the Donghua Army's artillery had already seized the positions. A barrage of shells rained down from beyond the American range, showering all the American artillery positions. As the artillery positions were being bombarded, the American ranks, which were marching in formation, began to crumble. With each shell landing among the infantry, each exploding shrapnel shell fired thousands of steel balls, felling American soldiers in droves. The American vanguard hadn't even had a chance to fire before they were routed.

(End of this chapter)