Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 464 The Partial War Between Russia and Iran (Part 3)
The Rothschilds' intelligence network was well-established in Russia, and they knew that Russia needed funds, which is why they began discussions with Iran.

A key aspect of the emancipation of serfs was that the state would help pay their ransoms, although these ransoms would be repaid over a period of 49 years. This money was not to be recovered in the short term.

In recent years, Russia's fiscal revenue has increased by 11 billion rubles, meaning that fiscal expenditures have not decreased but rather increased. With the outbreak of war with Iran, military spending will likely skyrocket.

Therefore, Alexander II thought of using railways to raise funds, including the Caucasus Railway, the Central Asian Railway, the Ukrainian Railway, the Polish Railway, and the most important project—the Trans-Siberian Railway.

As Tsarist Russia aggressively expanded its territory in Asia, it seized the entire Siberian region, a vast landmass covering over 1200 million square kilometers. Boasting endless forests and grasslands, fertile soil, and abundant mineral resources, it was often referred to as a "gold mine." However, due to its extreme distance from the European part of Russia, Siberia remained undeveloped for centuries.

Extensive feasibility studies had already been conducted by relevant departments for the construction of the railway. In 1855, Russian experts designed numerous new plans for building a railway in Siberia, but none received government support. At the time, the Crimean War was raging, and the Tsar had no time to listen to their proposals. It wasn't until Alexander II ascended the throne and recognized the importance of the railway that the Trans-Siberian Railway was finally put on the table.

These railways could potentially raise over 1 million rubles through financing. However, even Britain and France couldn't readily provide such a massive sum. Bankers wouldn't simply lend money based on their words alone; they weren't fools and considered the risks involved in any investment.

What's even more challenging is that these railways exist only on paper. Before construction even begins, their purpose is simply to attract investment.

For Russia, the financial crisis was secondary. They dared not even imagine what would happen if they failed in this battle again. For this war, the Tsar set them a minimum objective: to capture the Syr Darya region.

But events unfolded in ways they hadn't anticipated. Having already evacuated the surrounding strongholds, the Chechen and Circassian troops, giving the enemy no time to rest, immediately pressed on. The Battle of Nogeskiy commenced instantly.

However, unlike positional battles, the fighting in the city was not as intense. This was mainly due to the low morale of the retreating soldiers. Although there was an advantage in urban warfare, the limited troop strength and low morale significantly reduced the effectiveness of urban combat. Furthermore, the heavy losses of veteran soldiers in the previous battles were also a major contributing factor.

So at six o'clock in the morning, the Russian troops were driven out of Nogesky.

When news of Nogesky's fall reached the command post in Chernodze, Commander-in-Chief Muravyov slammed his fist on the table in anger.

"How could Kirstenf be a division commander? He couldn't even hold off the enemy for a day. Did he realize he was giving the enemy an opportunity? That's a crime."

Muravyov had no choice but to vent his anger. His plan required Nogesky to hold off the enemy for three days, after which reinforcements from Rostov would arrive, enough to halt the Iranian attack. He would then launch a pincer movement on the left flank to contain the enemy, forcing them into a direct confrontation. At that point, he would leverage his superior numbers and artillery to teach Iran a lesson in Russian prowess.

Now, with their retreat, their rear is exposed to the forces of the Iranians and their allies. More importantly, it puts other armies in a predicament where they cannot advance or retreat.

"What should we do now? The Tsar is still waiting for good news from us," asked the adjutant, Antonov. "We can only try to salvage the situation now. Send a telegram to the 11th and 16th Armies, telling them to hold their ground and defend against the impending offensive."

Hearing Muravyov's words, Antonov felt a pang of pity. "Isn't it too casual to just leave them to defend in place like this?"

"What else? Let them retreat? Let alone the fact that they can get there. Rather than being ambushed by the enemy in the open field, it's better to let them set up defenses like this. At least they can hold them off for a while."

Although this is disadvantageous to the officers and soldiers, it's the best solution at the moment. They're all their own men; no one would want them to sacrifice themselves in vain if there were no other way.

Iranian troops have crossed the Caucasus Mountains and will first assemble in Grozny before launching their attack.

Muravyov began to consider the defense of other cities, particularly Krasnodar. The 19th and 24th Armies were the closest to Krasnodar, and he had originally intended to use them as flanking forces. However, with the fall of Nogesky and Krasnodar under enemy threat, he now had no choice but to defend this strategically important city.

Krasnodar is situated on a low-lying plain where the Kuban River meets the Sea of ​​Azov. The Kuban River flows along the right bank, connecting waterways to ports on the Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Azov. Its strategic location is extremely important.

Meanwhile, Isfahani, who had arrived in Grozny, was also outlining plans to seize Krasnodar and Rostov. According to a telegram from Major General Bagheri, stationed in Sukhumi, Russian warships had begun attacking Iranian merchant ships and docks. They had begun to retaliate, but if they could continue to receive supplies, this could lead to further complications.

"We need to change our plans. The Russian army is now beginning to defend Krasnodar and Rostov, and their logistics rely on the Don and Volga rivers for movement."

However, what Isfahani couldn't understand was why the Russian army, with nearly 30 troops, was acting so cautiously—this wasn't like them at all.
If Isfahani and Muravyov had a conversation, they might understand. While the Russian army is large, it includes not only Russians but also Poles, Lithuanians, Estonians, and Siberians, who are deeply resentful of the Tsarist Great Russian nationalism. Therefore, there is some resistance within the army.

Another point is that the Caucasus region has recently experienced nearly two weeks of torrential rains. The existing dirt roads are muddy and difficult to traverse, making it difficult to resupply supplies. If a war were to break out, it's hard to say how much fighting capacity we would have.

"The Shah made us hurt Russia, so we have to let these people know how powerful Iran is."

Isfahani began issuing orders: the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Armies would act as the vanguard, fighting alongside the Allied forces already advancing to the Russian positions. Additionally, the Seventh through Eleventh Armies, together with the Circassian forces, would advance westward, engaging as many enemy troops as possible while the Russians remained inactive. He would advance gradually as other troops arrived.

(End of this chapter)