The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

However, upon hearing the statement that land reform would be unnecessary as long as the People's Liberation Army was completely eliminated, many princes and nobles immediately showed thoughtful expressions, and many of them even had inexplicable glints in their eyes...

Chapter 458:

Zhang Yinghao didn't know at this point that Zhang Feng and his team had already basically finished their talks with the princes, nobles, and tribal leaders of Outer Mongolia. After Zhang Feng and his team finished their talks, they left the princes and nobles to discuss things among themselves while they dealt with other matters. As for what the princes and nobles would eventually reach, Zhang Feng and his team didn't really care.

Because up to now, there has been no objection within the Progressive Party about eradicating these old feudal rulers. There are only disputes and disagreements on the means of action, whether to be quick or slow, to use one faction to attack another, etc. Moreover, it would be abnormal for any liberated province not to kill some of the old upper class. Therefore, Zhang Feng and others do not actually have any psychological pressure to kill these old upper class.

So no matter what decision these princes and nobles ultimately made, Zhang Feng and his men could face it calmly, because they held the power to overturn the table. If some of the princes and nobles, or tribal leaders, really dared to resort to rebellion, Zhang Feng and his men naturally wouldn't mind letting them experience the power of modern warfare.

Zhang Feng also knew that directly using force to eliminate these old elites would be a permanent solution and perhaps the best option. However, the same problem remained: Mongolia was a place where ordinary people couldn't understand the PLA's language. If the entire country erupted in chaos, it would take an unknown amount of time to quell the situation. Therefore, the Party Committee decided to try to divide and win over the nobles. If some of the princes, nobles, and tribal leaders ultimately refused to accept the situation, the only solution would be to resort to armed criticism.

Furthermore, now that these former elites have arrived in Kulun, Zhang Feng and his team naturally can't let them leave so easily. They must buy time for the PLA's operations in various regions. So, if there's nothing else to do, let's just keep discussing this here...

At the same time, the liberated areas had already begun to fully transport military strategic materials to Outer Mongolia. Zhang Feng had also begun to mobilize manpower and material resources on the spot. According to the defense map previously drawn by Zhang Yinghao, he began to build a defense system in important Outer Mongolian cities such as Kulun and Uliastai, based on local conditions. The purpose was to prepare for the upcoming war to liberate all of Northeast China. Facing Tsarist Russia, they must be prepared for any eventuality...

The bunkers in Zhang Yinghao's personally drawn defense system weren't the tall, massive ones built by the Japs in the anti-Japanese dramas. Instead, they were low, with only a few firing ports. They were also connected by trenches, allowing for rapid maneuvering of troops.

Time flies, and things change with each passing day. However, the butterfly wings that Zhang Yinghao fanned in China have yet to fully influence the great powers, and familiar historical events continue to unfold. Zhang Yinghao doesn't know whether to be thankful that the Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army are not yet strong enough, allowing him to make decisions based on the familiar historical context, or saddened that the Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army are still not strong enough to change history. Zhang Yinghao is quite distressed by this!

On May 28, 1905, news finally reached Zhang Yinghao that the Russian fleet, after a 220-day voyage, had been ambushed by Japanese warships in the Tsushima Strait and nearly annihilated. Upon hearing this news, Zhang Yinghao's eyes flashed, for he knew that the time had come to once again decide China's fate.

Zhang Yinghao knew by this point that if he hadn't interfered, Japan's ultimate victory in the Russo-Japanese War would have been practically a foregone conclusion. Furthermore, Zhang Yinghao knew that Japan had directly benefited from the Russo-Japanese War by acquiring numerous colonies, indirectly enhancing its international standing. The war had enriched Japan's zaibatsu, sparking a wave of corporate investment. From the second half of 1905 to 1907 alone, investment in new and expanded businesses was twice the total investment in the decade following the First Sino-Japanese War. Simultaneously, Japan fully launched its Second Industrial Revolution, rapidly developing its capitalist economy and becoming a truly world-class power.

Moreover, after the Russo-Japanese War, Japan's main industrial sectors shifted from light industries like textiles, flour milling, and papermaking to heavy industries like electronics, coal mining, and chemicals. By the eve of World War I, Japan was self-sufficient in locomotives, railroad tracks, and ships. The economic crisis following the Russo-Japanese War swiftly established monopoly capitalism centered around the zaibatsu (presumably a group of zaibatsu), completing the internal circulation of the Japanese economy. From then on, Japanese capitalism transitioned to the stage of monopoly capitalism, truly catching up with the great powers of Britain, France, the United States, and Germany.

On the other hand, the Pacific Fleet and the Baltic Fleet, two of the three main fleets of the Russian Navy, were completely annihilated, which dealt a heavy blow to the Russian Navy and greatly weakened Russia's strength in maritime expansion and hegemony, reducing Russia from a second-rate naval power to a fourth-rate naval power.

Furthermore, the defeat in the Russo-Japanese War weakened the Tsarist autocracy and catalyzed the flourishing of the Russian workers' and peasants' movement. Tsar Nicholas II had hoped to divert public attention and ease domestic tensions through a "small" victory, but the war led to the 1905 Revolution, which accelerated the demise of the old Tsarist system, more thoroughly exposed the evils of reactionary forces, educated the broad masses of workers and peasants, and provided revolutionaries with opportunities for practice, from which they gained valuable experience and lessons, thus paving the way for the victory of the October Revolution of 1917.

Although the 1905 revolution ultimately failed, its significance cannot be underestimated. Pressure forced the tsarist government to implement reforms, expanding the political power of the people. This revolution significantly boosted the Russian workers' and peasants' movements. This is one reason why Lenin called the 1905 revolution a dry run for the October Revolution of 1917.

The Russo-Japanese War also had a profound impact on China. The Japanese and Russian armies violated the Qing court's declared neutrality policy in both the war zone and the neutral zone, committing rape, arson, murder, and looting, committing a wide range of atrocities. Over 20,000 Chinese died in the war, and property losses amounted to over 69 million taels of silver.

The brutal actions of the Japanese and Russian invaders provoked widespread resistance among the Chinese people. Even without Zhang Yinghao's intervention, anti-Russian "self-preservation societies" emerged in Harbin. Workers in Yingkou refused to work for the Russians, and many fled to join the anti-Russian armed forces. Mass anti-Russian "bandits" were specifically designed to hinder the Russian army. They cut power lines and dismantled railways, causing concern among both the Japanese and Russian armies. Therefore, after the Russo-Japanese War, Japan, Tsarist Russia, and the Qing Dynasty all launched "bandit suppression" campaigns. Ultimately, these brave individuals, with the exception of a few who successfully transitioned, such as Zhang Zuolin, Wu Junsheng, and Feng Delin, all vanished into the tide of history.

Of course, patriotic officers and soldiers within the Qing army also actively requested to participate in the fight against Russia. Jiang Gui, the commander-in-chief of the training corps stationed at Shanhaiguan and in western Liaoning, declared, "Everyone is prepared to fight bravely." He believed that as long as everyone was united, victory would be certain. While this may be a bit of a fantasy, it also demonstrates that the Chinese people's morale at this time was strong enough to withstand a war. It also shows how weakened the Japanese and Russians had become.

This was also one of the prerequisites for Zhang Yinghao to dare to launch a war and train troops in the Northeast...

Chapter 459:

The Northeast Field Army had already completed its initial reorganization and, after a period of lurking, had also completed basic training. It was time to bring them out for a walk. Upon receiving news of the Russo-Japanese War's end, Zhang Yinghao, after a brief moment of reflection, immediately issued an order to Li Tianqiao, Yuan Kesheng, Chen Linong, and other comrades: "Immediately contact those willing to resist the Japanese and Russians throughout the country and have them come to the Northeast to participate in the war..."

Zhang Yinghao vividly remembers the days of April 1903, when Tsarist Russia, reneging on its promises and refusing to withdraw its troops from Northeast China, and making seven unreasonable demands against the Qing government, provoked strong opposition from the Chinese people. Initiated by Qin Yuliu, Ye Lan, Niu Yongjian, and others, over 500 Chinese students rallied at the Jinhui Pavilion in Tokyo to denounce Tsarist Russia's aggression and oppose its invasion. They decided to form a volunteer corps to resist the Russian invasion, preparing to march to Northeast China for a decisive battle against the Russian invaders. Huang Xing and over 200 others signed on immediately.

The Anti-Russian Volunteer Corps was later renamed the Student Army, and the "Student Army Rules" were formulated and adopted, officially organizing the Student Army. Lan Tianwei served as captain, and the army was divided into three district teams, each with four small teams of approximately 10 men. They conducted daily drills and were ready to deploy to the Northeast Front at any time. Upon learning of this, the Qing government secretly ordered the arrest of the returning representatives and colluded with the Japanese government to forcibly disband the Student Army. During this period, the Chinese Education Association and the Patriotic Society in Shanghai also organized anti-Russian volunteer corps...

It was at that time that Zhang Yinghao dispatched elite PLA soldiers to the Northeast, quietly developing the region. Now that he was preparing for military action, he naturally needed to fully utilize the strength of these patriots. Their willingness to contribute both manpower and funds would be best, as perhaps they would galvanize a large group of people into action, contributing their own strength to expel the foreign powers and overthrow the Qing Dynasty.

After Zhang Yinghao finished his words and asked these patriots who were willing to resist the foreign powers to go to the Northeast, he continued: "Don't waste the strength of the Qing Dynasty and the Beiyang New Army. Especially the Beiyang New Army, they have undergone rigorous military training and can be used in the Northeast. Let the comrades who have access to the officers and soldiers of the Beiyang New Army take action. Use anonymous letters and other methods to persuade patriotic officers and soldiers in the Beiyang New Army to leave the army and bring them to the Northeast to support the war of resistance. This will not only weaken the power of the Qing reactionaries and strengthen our own strength, but may also contribute to the final victory of this war..."

Regardless of whether these letters could ultimately play a role in splitting and disintegrating the Beiyang New Army, as long as a few of them could break away from the Qing army and run to the Northeast to participate in the anti-occupied war, it would be a great success and could also lay the groundwork for future military operations. Why not do it?

Zhang Yinghao had no doubts about the Northeast Field Army's ultimate victory. He intended this war in the Northeast to be a test of people's war, mobilizing the vast majority of the people. He simply didn't believe that the Northeastern people, devastated by the Russo-Japanese War, would be unable to defeat the armies of the foreign powers on Chinese soil after arming themselves. He declared this absolutely impossible.

So after Zhang Yinghao finished instructing his comrades on what to do, he immediately sent a telegram to his comrades in the Northeast, instructing them on their next steps...

The Northeast Field Army's military commissioners were in the field army's command room at the time. They had naturally heard the news of the Russo-Japanese naval battle and immediately knew that the situation in Northeast China was about to undergo a drastic change. Hu Songhui was stunned and speechless when he heard the news. He had never expected Chairman Zhang Yinghao's prediction to come true. Then, Hu Songhui's heart suddenly became excited, because he knew that Chairman Zhang Yinghao's telegram was about to arrive, and he had been preparing for it for a long time...

Faced with the sudden news of the naval battle, the officers of the Military Commission naturally began to discuss the direction of the next military action, because the comrades also had a premonition that the PLA's military action was about to begin...

"Who are our friends and who are our enemies? This is the primary question of the revolution. Right now, in Northeast China, we have three enemies: the landlord class and the Qing court it represents, and the Russo-Japanese imperialism and the traitors it leads. Who should we fight first?"

"I think we should overthrow the Qing Dynasty first, and then we can have a decisive battle with the Japanese and the Russians..."

"No, no, it's exactly the opposite. We should drive the Japanese and Russians away first, and then we will fight a decisive battle with the Qing court and overthrow the Qing Dynasty..."

"If we fight the Qing Dynasty, the Japanese and Russian invaders will definitely help the Qing court. However, if we fight the Japanese and Russian invaders, the Qing Dynasty may not dare to intervene..."

"I think we need to see how things develop in the future. The Qing Dynasty has Chairman Mao and his men holding them back, so they don't have much power to move out. But Chairman Mao once said that the Japanese and Russian invaders will recover very quickly. If we don't drive them away while the Japanese and Russian invaders are weak now, we will face a re-armed Japanese and Russian invader in the future, which will be even more difficult to fight."

"Indeed, attacking the Japanese and the Russians first seems difficult and dangerous, but it is feasible now. However, attacking the Qing Dynasty first seems easy, but in fact, the great powers are standing behind the Qing Dynasty. I think it should be like this. If we attack the Qing Dynasty first, before the Qing court is driven out of the border, the great powers, especially the Japanese and the Russians, will definitely come to the aid of the Qing Dynasty. Then we have to deal with the armed Russians and the Japanese, which is not worth the loss. So the question now is, should we attack the Japanese or the Russians first? The Qing Dynasty is not the first consideration."

Zhang Feng listened to the discussion with his comrades and admired Zhang Yinghao's prediction even more. He remembered that before he came to Northeast China, Chairman Zhang Yinghao's predictions about the order of war targets were basically the same as what his comrades discussed: the first target of war must be Japan...

Because he was distracted for a moment, when he came back to his senses, he heard a comrade ask: "Let's fight the Japanese first. Are the old Russians and the Qing Dynasty sure they won't move?"

"It doesn't matter whether the Qing Dynasty makes a move or not. In the end, they will still be our enemy. If the Qing Dynasty makes a move, we can just send a telegram to the Chairman and ask them to put some pressure on the Qing Dynasty."

"Have you contacted the troops in North Manchuria yet?"

"We've already made contact. We can let them lie low for a while. We don't have the ability to deal with two great powers at the same time."

"Comrade Zhang Feng has already liberated Kulun. It's only a matter of time before we fight the Russians. If the Japanese and the Russians unite to attack us, our comrades in North Manchuria must take action immediately."

"The Japanese and the Russians are still fighting each other on the battlefield. Can they really unite?"

"You underestimate the shamelessness of these imperialists. The dead are just soldiers from the lower classes. What loss do the ruling classes have? So, even though the great powers were still stabbing each other yesterday, they are united in their stance against us. The Russians also know that we drove out the Japanese, and they will be next. So, in terms of their attitude towards us, the Japanese and the Russians are united. Moreover, we have killed quite a few Russians!"

"Haha. We did kill quite a few."

At this moment, a comrade from the confidential office came in after reporting and said to Hu Songhui: "The Chairman's telegram!"

After Hu Songhui took the telegram and read it, he immediately read it to his comrades: "...The Russo-Japanese War ended with a complete victory for Japan. It is foreseeable that the Russo-Japanese War will soon end because the great powers such as Britain, France and the United States will immediately intervene to mediate. They will never allow either Japan or Tsarist Russia to fall or dominate. Therefore, the Russo-Japanese War will soon cease fire..."

As Hu Songhui read the polished telegram, he felt as if Zhang Yinghao were standing on the podium, planning and directing the battle from afar, a heroic figure. He felt as if Zhang Yinghao were directing the affairs of state, writing passionately, and commanding the people. He felt that although things had not yet happened, they would definitely develop according to Chairman Zhang Yinghao's predictions...

After reading Zhang Yinghao's analysis of the current situation, Hu Songhui continued: "Fully mobilize and arm the people of Northeast China, involving as many as possible in this war of resistance, creating a nationwide upsurge in resistance. The army must be prepared for a decisive first battle, a decisive one. The people, on the other hand, must be prepared for a protracted and large-scale war. This military operation must embrace the fearless spirit of preferring death to disgrace, and continue until the Japanese and Russian invaders are completely driven out of Northeast China. The slogan of this military operation is: When two sides meet on a narrow road, the one who sacrifices his life will prevail..."

Chapter 460:

Zhang Yinghao considered using the phrase "The brave prevail" to boost morale, but "bravery" doesn't really have a specific definition. No one knows what constitutes "bravery." Furthermore, this war would undoubtedly result in many casualties, so Zhang Yinghao simply changed the phrase to "He who sacrifices his life prevails." If someone dares to risk their lives, it would be unjust not to achieve victory. Of course, without life, victory or failure means nothing to the deceased.

After hearing Chairman Zhang Yinghao's telegram, all the comrades immediately thought from the depths of their hearts:

"The order to fight has finally been issued." "The war is really about to begin."

Hu Songhui put down the telegram and said, "According to the Chairman's orders and our conclusions, we should attack the Japanese first. Does anyone have any other opinions?"

Hu Songhui looked around and saw no one had any objections before he said, "Since we've decided to fight Japan, then we should either not fight at all or fight with all our might. Our first battle will be to take Shenyang. There aren't many Japanese troops in Shenyang right now. After we capture Shenyang, we'll quickly destroy the Manchurian Railway and then attack north with all our might. We'll see how the Russians react."

"The Chairman said, either do it or don't do it. Don't even try it. We need to think things through. What if the Russians also attack?"

"Then fight! Lead the flames of war to the entire Northeast. They are only capable of occupying the transportation lines of the Chinese Eastern Railway. Why should we be afraid of them in the countryside?"

"That's right. If the Russians still attack the Japanese, we will first join forces with them. If they attack us, we will spread the flames of war to the entire North Manchuria region. The Chairman has long said that in the three northeastern provinces, if we don't have guns or artillery, the enemy will make them for us. If we don't have food or clothes, the enemy will provide them for us. What we wear and use now are all captured from these two Japanese..."

"Then let's do this. The special forces column will send some men into Shenyang first to retrieve the munitions we've hidden. Once everything is ready, we'll attack from both inside and outside to completely eliminate the Japanese forces in Shenyang."

"We also need to destroy the railway. Otherwise, the arrival of Japanese reinforcements will be very troublesome." "We really need to cut off the railway traffic first..."

Hearing that the comrades were going to attack Shenyang, as if it was about to be confirmed, Sun Tongpao stood up and said: "Comrades, let me briefly talk about the situation in Shenyang. Shenyang was one of the main battlefields of the Russo-Japanese War and is now a ruin. The Battle of Mukden from February 19 to March 10, 1905 was the largest land battle since the beginning of the war. The war was fought within a radius of 2 miles in and around Shenyang. An estimated one million soldiers from both Japan and Russia were involved in the battle, with casualties accounting for a quarter of the total, and more than 3 artillery pieces were deployed.

The flames of war spread across the countryside and towns surrounding Shenyang. Countless artillery shells and bullets rained down around the city, razing villages to the ground and leveling hilltops. The people were caught in the hail of gunfire, countless lives were lost, and homes and property in towns and villages were destroyed. Wherever the invading army went, they looted, raped, and committed all sorts of atrocities. Countless Chinese women lost their lives...

After hearing what Sun Tongpao said, the comrades naturally knew the actual situation in Shenyang. One of them immediately said, "Yes, Weijialouzi, south of Shenyang, was one of the main battlefields. The Japanese and Russian armies fought fiercely here for seven days and seven nights. Most of the houses in the village were destroyed by artillery fire or demolished to build fortifications. Both sides came to rob food and force people to work. Those who could not hand over food or had no time to escape were often killed. In a village about ten miles from the city, because they did not obey the Russian army's order to collect food, they were falsely accused of collaborating with the Japanese, and over seventy people were brutally murdered. Alas, in counties like Shenyang and Liaozhong, the bodies piled up like mountains, and nine out of ten houses were empty..."

"Russia and Japan also frantically plundered the Chinese people's wealth. To extort money from the Chinese people, Tsarist Russia issued a massive amount of banknotes, known as "military notes," forcing them into circulation in the Northeast market. The amount was so huge that it was impossible to count. The Japanese army also issued a huge amount of "military notes" in the occupied areas, exceeding 190 million yuan. The Japanese army also set up checkpoints everywhere and conducted strict searches. Anyone carrying foreign currency was forced to exchange it for military notes. Those carrying Russian military notes were punished with flogging at the very least and execution at the worst..."

"Yes, fortunately we made arrangements early, and we were able to rescue most of the machinery, equipment, books and instruments from the Shenyang Machinery Bureau and the University. Otherwise, the losses would have been even more severe..."

"The Qing Dynasty deserves death, Japan and Russia deserve death too..."

Comrades, speaking of the atrocities committed by Japan and Russia, there is naturally no end in sight, but this is also essential for unified thinking. Sharing a common hatred for the enemy, comrades can naturally unleash astonishing strength.

Only those who have experienced the horrors of the Russo-Japanese War can truly understand the helplessness and suffering of the people of Northeast China at that time. In the face of power and war, individual power is weak and helpless.

The Russians and Japanese, driven by their desire for wealth, resorted to extremes, implementing the "Three Alls" policy, slaughtering countless people and completely disregarding the people of Northeast China as human beings. This naturally aroused the anger of the entire Northeast. Consequently, the vast majority of the Northeastern people have now become part of the united front. Comrades also believe that with just a little mobilization, the people will naturally follow the Forward Party...

If it weren't for the greater good, and the desire to shed more blood between Japan and Russia, Liu Wenxiu and his men wouldn't have desperately sought to expand their territory, but instead fought the Japanese and Russian armies to the death. However, if they had stayed and fought the Japanese and Russian armies to the death, it would have been impossible to establish the Northeast Field Army of this scale.

After the comrades finished speaking, Sun Tongpao said, "So, actually, I think what are we doing occupying Shenyang now? It's just a pile of ruins, and there's not much value here for the time being..."

"No, we just received intelligence that the Japanese have stockpiled a lot of munitions in Shenyang. There should be a batch of heavy artillery in there. As long as we seize this batch of weapons, we will have the strength to fight the Japanese head-on."

"Whether to fight hard or not depends on the situation. The Chairman has long said that if we save people but lose land, both the people and the land will be saved. If we save the land but lose the people, both the people and the land will be lost. In this vast land of Northeast China, I have only one thing to say to these foreign devils: If we can win, we will destroy them. If we can't win, we will fight again later. I am not afraid of not having another chance..."

"Then take action now."

"I think we can still put more effort into Japan and Russia. They are still at war, so we can sow discord between them..."

Hearing this, Hu Songhui quickly interrupted and said, "Okay, let's not talk about this for now. We can't send a telegram about this. It's great that you have this plan!"

After saying this, Hu Songhui took out a document and mistakenly handed it to the comrade who had just spoken, saying: "Wait for the document. You should take your men there now. You will be held responsible for this matter. We cannot admit this matter. However, we cannot alert the enemy now. We must first capture Shenyang. You must wait until we start the war before you can act. Otherwise, the Japanese troops in Shenyang will be alerted and well prepared, making it difficult for us to fight them."

"Yes."

Chapter 461:

After Hu Songhui and Liu Wenxiu finished their meeting, they immediately held another short meeting. They all knew that with so many troops, how could they possibly attack just Shenyang? It could even be said that attacking Shenyang was just a deception; the real military action was not an attack on Shenyang at all...

Hu Songhui took out the plan Zhang Yinghao had given him and said, "The current situation in Northeast China is developing exactly as the Chairman had anticipated. The comrades have all reviewed the plan written by the Chairman and have made corresponding adjustments. The military has also basically completed its secret deployment..."

As the comrades at the meeting listened to Hu Songhui's words, even though they knew the facts, they couldn't help but smile in admiration. It couldn't be helped. Zhang Yinghao had written this plan a year ago, and laid out the Northeast plan two years ago. In other words, Chairman Zhang Yinghao had already anticipated the current situation two years ago. What an unpredictable ability! Only Zhuge Liang, who predicted 500 years ahead and 500 years later, and Liu Bowen, who created the Tuibei Tu (Tuibei Tu) could be compared to him...

After Hu Songhui finished speaking, he looked at Lian Cheng Jue, Liu Wenxiu and other officers in a serious tone and said: "Comrade Lian Cheng Jue, Comrade Liu Wenxiu, you are specifically responsible for the military operations planned by the Chairman. The success or failure of this military operation depends on you. Only if your operation succeeds, even if the operation in Shenyang fails, it will not affect the overall situation... The Chairman's requirement for our military operation is to rather die in glory than live in disgrace. What I want to say to our comrades is that we must fight fiercely and fiercely. Now both Japan and Russia are seriously short of weapons and ammunition. At this time, it is a battle of willpower, which has greatly weakened the strength of the Japanese and Russian armies. Therefore, we must break free from the constraints of logistics, fear no sacrifice, and advance bravely. We must never give the enemy time to breathe or react. As the Chairman said, the start of a war is a decisive battle, and the outcome will be decided in one battle..."

Hu Songhui finished speaking, slamming his fist on the table to demonstrate his resolve. While his current rank in Northeast China wasn't as high as Liu Wenxiu, Lianchengjue, and the others, Hu Songhui was sent by the central government, representing it, and naturally held a higher rank. Therefore, this time, Hu Songhui would be in charge of the central government, while Liu Wenxiu would be in charge of the implementation of Zhang Yinghao's military plan. Of course, Liu Wenxiu and the others were also familiar with the Northeast, making them the best implementers of the military operation.

After hearing Hu Songhui's words, everyone stood at attention and shouted, "Yes, we will complete the task."

…West…-.

The war machine of Northeast China was in full swing. All the PLA units were mobilized. Orders were passed down to the corresponding combat units. Many troops were secretly traveling across the vast land of Northeast China, hiding during the day and moving at night. They arrived at their designated locations and hid themselves...

At this point, there were no more major battles between Japan and Russia. In the final battle of the Russo-Japanese War, the Japanese army occupied the Changtu line, and after the Russian army was driven to Siping, the land war was basically over. Japan really couldn't attack anymore. The further north they went, the greater the logistical pressure. Moreover, Japan had really emptied out all the wealth it had accumulated since the Meiji Restoration and was in debt. Russia was waiting for the arrival of its expeditionary navy. As long as they defeated the Japanese navy and cut off the logistical channels of the Japanese army, they would then deal a good deal with the Japanese dwarf. Therefore, at this time, both Japan and Russia had already begun to lick their wounds...

When the news of the Russo-Japanese War's defeat arrived, it dealt an unimaginable and unbelievable blow to the Russian Army. Upon hearing this news, Tsarist Russian officers generally no longer held out much hope for defeating Japan.

But why was Changchun used as the boundary for the Russo-Japanese Agreement? It was actually at the beginning of the Battle of Shenyang that Akiyama Yoshifuru, after gathering intelligence from his scouts, dispatched a force called the Naganuma Advance Force, consisting of 170 cavalrymen and 200 horsemen. The so-called horsemen referred to the local bandits in Northeast China.

After the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, both Japan and Russia tried their best to bring these bandits under their control, using their familiarity with local customs and topography to conduct espionage and other sabotage activities; and the so-called "advance team" was a small, flexible and mobile force established to interfere with the enemy's rear.

The Naganuma Advance Team's primary mission during this deep dive into Russian territory was to reach Yaomen and destroy the Songhua River Bridge on the Eastern China Railway, thereby severing the Russian supply lines. To avoid detection, they hid in civilian homes during the day, bringing their horses inside as well, and advanced at night, minimizing contact with the Russians until reaching their final destination. When combat became unavoidable, the cavalry engaged in the fight, concealing the Japanese cavalry's northward advance.

This process of stopping and starting, fighting and hiding took nearly a month, tying down a large number of Russian troops. This played a huge strategic role. With fewer troops, they tied down an enemy force that was a hundred times larger than their own, and reduced the pressure on the Japanese army in the Battle of Shenyang.

Later, Naganuma's advance force received reports of a railway bridge across the Xinkai River south of Changchun, where the Russian defenses were relatively weak. As a result, the Naganuma advance force marched day and night until they were discovered by the Russians. The Japanese immediately launched a charge, and fierce fighting ensued. During the battle, Japanese Cavalry Lieutenant Tamura Mazo and Private First Class Mochizuki Yasuzo were killed. The Japanese eventually blew up the Xinkai River railway bridge. Meanwhile, Russian reinforcements gathered, and Naganuma's advance force, fighting and retreating, finally escaped the Russian defenses.

During the chaos of the battle, the Naganuma advance team was unable to take the bodies of Tamura Mazo and Mochizuki Koji away. After the battle, the Russian army buried their bodies out of sympathy and respect, and, at Mishichenko's instruction, erected a tombstone made of railway sleepers for the two men.

After armistice negotiations between Japan and Russo-Japanese forces began, Japanese negotiators presented tombstones erected by Russian soldiers as evidence of their "occupation," a privilege reserved for victorious nations in that era: the right to control whatever territory their forces advanced. Faced with pressure from the great powers and the raging revolution at home, the Russians were ultimately forced to accept reality and make concessions, ultimately agreeing to change the dividing point to Changchun...

Chapter 462:

The Japanese army set up a defensive line along the Changtu-Siping line. After the Russian army was driven to Siping, it also continuously set up a defensive line to prevent the Japanese attack. The two sides faced off along the Changtu-Siping line, forming a strange peace situation...

Shrouded in darkness, across the vast expanse between the two cities, the scattered Special Operations Corps members lurked in dense forests. And on a small hill less than 500 meters from the Japanese defense line, over a hundred special forces members lay lurking. Some wore Russian uniforms, others Japanese. To impersonate the Japanese, they even replaced their underwear with loincloths; the details were meticulously crafted...

Their mission this time was to take advantage of the defeat of the Russian Navy and the panic of the Russian Army to create friction between Japan and Russia, forcing them to engage in a firefight and end the current strange peace situation between Japan and Russia.

The nerves of the Tsarist Russian army are now fragile. Comrades all believe that if they create friction at this time, the two sides will inevitably fight another battle, which will greatly consume Japan and Russia's strategic materials such as arms.

Because of its aggressive nature, Tsarist Russia had been expanding for hundreds of years, and it can be said that all neighboring countries suffered greatly from its aggression. At this time, Tsarist Russia was facing internal and external troubles and a crisis, and it could not afford to show weakness. As a veteran imperialist power, Tsarist Russia knew that if it showed weakness, it would inevitably make its enemies at home and abroad ready to move. If Tsarist Russia showed signs of weakness, the wolves would definitely try to take advantage of it...

Therefore, the comrades of the Forward Party judged that if Japan and Russia went to war again at this time, Tsarist Russia would definitely launch a fierce attack, thus warning Japan not to act rashly.

At this time, Japan also knew the news of the naval victory, and morale was high. The Japanese army liked to defeat the strong with the weak. If a war broke out with Tsarist Russia at this time, the Japanese officers who were eager to make a contribution would definitely launch a fierce attack on Tsarist Russia. Attack...

However, both Japan and Russia were already at the end of their strength at this time. Even if a large-scale battle broke out, the battle lines of both sides would basically not change much. Changtu and Siping were the balance points of power between the two sides. As for the dividing line in the previous life being Changchun, that was just luck for the Japanese.

The PLA comrades had been at the Changtu-Siping front for three days, but they still hadn't found a good opportunity to strike back. This kind of thing was either not done at all or done right the first time. If it was just a small-scale clash, once the Japanese and Russian officers showed restraint, the fighting wouldn't last long before being called off by officers from both armies. Therefore, they had to inflict a significant blow on one side, causing them to react with stress and launch a desperate attack.

Over the past few days, the special forces had been lurking between Changtu and Siping, narrowly avoiding detection by the Japanese and Russian forces several times. Consequently, the special forces had to become increasingly cautious. As the time for the operation approached, their opportunities would diminish, and the situation would become increasingly difficult. Therefore, the comrades had to seize every opportunity to conduct reconnaissance. As soon as night fell, the special forces immediately dispatched their scouts, who would remain hidden for a day and return the next day to report back after dark.

Today, they received a meaningless code, knowing that a military operation involving the entire Northeast would soon begin. They knew that tonight might be their last chance for reconnaissance...

As darkness fell the next day, the reconnaissance team members, who had been out all day and all night, finally returned one after another. One by one, they began to report their findings. Special Forces Captain Liu Haoren was extremely anxious. He knew this might be their last chance. If it still didn't work, they would have to create a random conflict and retreat immediately. He also knew that the soldiers could not withstand a pincer attack from both the Japanese and Russian forces at the same time. If such a situation occurred, they would be in danger of annihilation.

Listening to his comrades' reports of the same situation, Liu Haoren couldn't help but show disappointment. He had no choice but to prepare for the worst. He could even accept a direct retreat if there was truly no chance. However, he wouldn't give up until the very last moment.

Sure enough, after the last group returned, the team leader reported to him with extremely important intelligence: "Captain, we found a loophole in the Russian defense line. There is only one platoon of Russians guarding it. At night, there are even fewer people on guard, and the defense is very lax..."

After introducing the external situation, the team leader continued with a serious face: "We can directly enter the heart of the old Russians after passing through the defense line. We found that there was an artillery position there, with at least 38 artillery pieces facing the Japanese position. I think these artillery pieces are prepared to prevent the Japanese from launching a surprise attack on the old Russians. In addition to the artillery, there are only a few infantrymen guarding and on guard. If our mission was not special and we could not act rashly, we would have just attacked them and blown up all these artillery pieces..."

"An artillery position? Poorly defended?"

After hearing these words, anyone with a working brain would immediately know what to do.