The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

Because Zhang Yinghao did not want to expose the Forward Party in the Northeast too early, the army did not use the conventional squad and platoon names, but instead used the column organization to distinguish them. However, although the names were different, the basic organization was basically the same.

"Sixth Squadron, when you see the signal flare, immediately attack the Japanese headquarters and paralyze the Japanese command center."

"Seventh Squadron, responsible for clearing out all Japanese armed forces in the city, maintaining order, and preventing anyone from taking advantage of the situation to cause chaos, burning, killing, and looting. Snipers will occupy high ground and hunt freely, preferably focusing on the warehouse. No unidentified individuals are allowed to approach the warehouse. Remember, any unidentified individuals attempting to approach the warehouse, including those setting fires, can be shot. If the warehouse explodes, not only will our mission fail, but we could also lose our lives."

"Yes!"

"Remember, you must wait until the signal flare from the Fifth Squadron completing its mission is activated, then launch your attack on your target. Upon seeing the signal flare, the large forces outside the city will also intensify their attack. With both inside and outside coordinated, we can wipe out the remaining Japanese troops in Liaoyang in one fell swoop..."

In order to prevent the Japanese from becoming desperate and destroying the warehouse supplies, the best way for the 5th Squadron to take the warehouse was to not fire a gun and end the battle silently before other Japanese soldiers could react.

Zhang Datian, the captain of the 5th Squadron, had a quick thought. He immediately changed into Japanese military uniforms and, along with his comrades, pretended to be bow-legged and marched in a figure-eight manner towards the Japanese warehouse. At this time, the battle had broken out outside the city, and the streets of Liaoyang were deserted. Therefore, Zhang Datian and his men were not afraid of the Japanese soldiers pointing guns at them. Of course, it wasn't that Zhang Datian was fearless, but he knew that the snipers were already targeting these Japanese soldiers. If they opened fire, they would surely meet their Amaterasu in advance.

Zhang Datian entered the garrison while shouting "Fang Yi F" (change of guard) to the Japanese soldiers guarding the warehouse.

Since they were coming to Northeast China to fight against the Japanese and Russians, the soldiers didn't know whether they could learn Japanese and Russian. However, they still had to learn some simple expressions from both countries, especially military terminology, which came in handy at this time. This was also one of the reasons why the Fifth Squadron was sent to deal with the Japanese troops stationed at the warehouse, because its captain, Comrade Zhang Datian, had the highest language talent and spoke the best Japanese.

The defending Japanese army had never experienced such a camp raid and had no concept of special warfare. They did not suspect anything, and even a Japanese captain in the lounge ran out to greet them. Zhang Datian and his men smoothly entered the guardrail and talked to the Japanese soldiers. The other soldiers quickly stood in a favorable attack position and surrounded all the Japanese soldiers. Just when they were about to take action, a team of civilians were forced out of the warehouse by the Japanese soldiers, pulling a horse-drawn carriage. The carriage was full of munitions to support the front line. Zhang Datian did not wait for the other Japanese soldiers to speak, and immediately said to the team leader who was about to hand over in Japanese: "You go and let them go first, and then come back to hand over after you are done."

Despite the unexpected situation, the special forces remained composed. After Zhang Datian made a few covert command gestures, the soldiers immediately adjusted their positions while the Japanese soldiers' attention was drawn to the carriage, raising the guardrail. Zhang Datian looked at the ammunition on the carriage. He naturally would not allow it to leave the armory. He immediately glanced around, acting alert. After determining that there were no other unexpected situations, he immediately took action without even shouting "Attack!", as that would have exposed him. He suddenly wrapped his hand around the Japanese soldier's neck, fixed his head in place, and twisted it with force.

"Crack!"

The laborers pulling the horses heard a series of "cracking" sounds before they knew what was happening. This was the first time they had heard the sound of a broken neck, and they would remember it for the rest of their lives.

When they looked back, they saw that all the Japanese soldiers were about to be knocked to the ground with their heads tilted. It turned out that all of them had their necks twisted. What frightened them the most was that one of the Japanese soldiers, perhaps prepared, did not obey and even resisted when a soldier was about to twist his neck. The soldier was not panicked at all. He just threw a right punch to the Japanese man's ear. The Japanese man immediately felt dizzy and his head was buzzing. Then the soldier took a step forward and hit the Japanese man's throat with an elbow. There was a cracking sound, and then the Japanese man flew backwards, spitting blood, his eyes rolled back, and fell directly to the ground. His mouth opened and closed silently for a few times, then twitched a few times and then stopped moving. He looked like he was dying with his eyes open.

These civilians had never seen such a brutal killing method before. How could killing be easier than killing a chicken? Some were so scared that they wanted to run away, while others wanted to scream. Zhang Datian said sinisterly: "Don't move. Whoever screams will be killed."

Suddenly, the laborers felt like they were being strangled, like chickens in a panic, not daring to breathe. Of course, Zhang Datian and his men had issued a silence order after this murder scene, and most of the laborers kept it a secret, not revealing a single word. However, one or two later told the story to show off, but those who didn't know the truth dismissed it as nonsense. How could killing be so easy? Even if they swore and swore, no one would believe them.

Of course, the special forces are still a secret. Before being exposed, this force has always been rumored to be magical. It is also one of the most mysterious armed forces in the military. It has carried out countless missions and won countless honors.

Zhang Datian shocked the civilians and immediately began to assign tasks: "Team Five will go straight through the armory and deal with the defending Japanese troops. Team Six will immediately begin patrols and be responsible for dealing with the patrolling Japanese troops!"

"Yes!"

After seeing the two teams leave, Zhang Datian called out the names of several soldiers and asked them to go into the warehouse to check the specific situation and search for possible hidden enemies.

The Fifth Squadron immediately split into four and quickly eliminated all the Japanese troops around the warehouse. Afterward, two patrol teams, disguised entirely as special forces, continued their patrols, and the entire warehouse area fell silently into their hands, once again demonstrating the power of special forces.

Chapter 490:

After receiving the report that all Japanese troops guarding the warehouse had been eliminated and the warehouse had been successfully taken, Zhang Datian had no time to check the results of the battle. Knowing that time was running out, he immediately fired a signal flare into the sky. A shining star rose straight into the sky, shining brightly, giving people infinite hope and guiding the comrades' motivation and direction.

After seeing the signal flare, the soldiers lurking in the city did not wait any longer and immediately launched a surprise attack on their predetermined target. In an instant, the entire Liaoyang City seemed to become lively, with gunshots ringing out everywhere.

Meanwhile, outside the west gate of Liaoyang City, a battalion of field troops, under the cover of machine guns and artillery, slowly and strategically exploited the terrain to launch an attack toward the city gate. Wang Lin, personally commanding the battle at the west gate, kept a close eye on the battlefield, rotating his troops out to experience the atmosphere of war and engage the Japanese in exchange for fire. He also issued retreat orders to the attacking troops at all times to prevent unnecessary casualties.

At that moment, he saw a signal flare suddenly launch into the sky, instantly disrupting his original training plan. However, Wang Lin didn't feel the slightest bit of remorse; instead, his eyes lit up. After seeing the signal flare, regardless of whether the Japanese soldiers would try to retake the arsenal after learning that the warehouse had been captured, Wang Lin didn't intend to give them a chance to return. Of course, Wang Lin wouldn't gamble on the special forces comrades being able to defend the warehouse, or believe that there would be no unexpected circumstances that would cause the arsenal to be blown up. Therefore, Wang Lin knew that the final decisive battle of the siege was finally about to begin.

Ignoring his comrades' reactions to the flares, he immediately said, "Very good, the trouble is finally solved, and we can finally launch an attack. Liaoyang Liao, hum, hum, we can finally take it down, no need to pretend anymore."

After he finished speaking, without waiting for his comrades to react, he directly ordered: "Comrades, the comrades in the city have now controlled the arsenal. We have no worries. This is our best opportunity to enter Liaoyang. I order that there is no need to hold back. All troops will be mobilized to join the battle. All heavy machine guns and artillery that have not yet joined the battle will also be set up. I will use the most intense firepower and the most powerful offensive to enter Liaoyang and control the situation in Liaoyang in the shortest possible time."

At Wang Lin's command, artillery fire roared and machine guns fired continuously. Such fierce and intensive offensive firepower immediately suppressed the Japanese army's thin blocking firepower. The sudden change of the enemy on the opposite side surprised the Japanese army on the city wall.

However, they also knew that once these enemies entered Liaoyang, they would have no chance of survival. Therefore, in order to survive, the Japanese soldiers defending the city walls also went crazy. The desperate Japanese soldiers still braved the artillery fire and kept looking for opportunities to shoot outside the city, showing a completely fearless posture.

Some Japanese soldiers squatted behind the city walls, holding loaded rifles. As soon as they had the chance, they stood up from behind the city walls and fired deadly bullets into the city.

As expected of a well-trained army, veterans of the Russo-Japanese War, the attacking troops of the field army were frequently struck down by their desperate counterattacks. However, the Japanese were no better. Defending on the city walls showed a lack of understanding of modern warfare and was tantamount to committing suicide. The exposed city walls provided a perfect target for artillery fragments. Japanese soldiers on the walls were frequently thrown to the ground by artillery fire, killed by shrapnel, or even thrown high and falling from the walls by the blast of artillery shells. These Japanese soldiers were suppressed by the light and heavy machine gun fire of the field army and could only passively withstand the attack, not daring to even show their heads. After a shell destroyed the city gate and the large army swarmed into the city, the liberation of Liaoyang was a foregone conclusion.

Regardless of the battles in the city or the siege outside, Qin Niugu, upon seeing the signal flares, knew that the most important task of this operation had been accomplished. He immediately breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't want to wait in the temporary command center any longer, so he gave the political commissar a message and headed towards the warehouse. When Qin Niugu arrived at the warehouse door, he saw soldiers directing several civilians to neatly lay the bodies of the Japanese soldiers on the ground. These bodies had now become stiff and straight. Qin Niugu only took a glance and saw the cause of the Japanese soldiers' deaths. He already understood the general process of the battle. He was used to this, so he simply stepped over the bodies and walked directly to Zhang Datian's position.

As for why the bodies were placed at the door? First, it was to show off their power and deter any enemies that might appear. Second, it was to be on the safe side. If an enemy attack occurred, the soldiers could use the bodies to form a bunker to defend themselves. It was simple and convenient.

"Hello, Captain!"

Zhang Datian, who was carrying ammunition from a carriage with several soldiers and civilians to defend against possible enemy attacks, was about to salute and greet Qin Niugu when he saw him. However, when he saw Qin Niugu's eyes, he suddenly remembered the rule emphasized in training that one should not salute superiors on the battlefield, so he just stood at attention and greeted him.

Qin Niu Gu nodded in response, then asked, "Is everything going well?"

"Everything went smoothly, no casualties." "These weapons are..."

"Luckily, we encountered some Japanese munitions being transported to the front line right after we arrived. We naturally intercepted them. Haha, I don't know if the Japanese on the front line still have any bullets or ammunition."

"Oh, it would be better if there were none. That way, maybe we'd lose fewer soldiers. Are all the sentries deployed?"

“It’s all been arranged.”

Qin Niugu was a steady man. He silently thought about what was said in the training class, then looked around for a while. Seeing that the sentries and guards were arranged according to the rules and confirmed that there were no omissions, he glanced in the direction of the warehouse and immediately said, "Let's go into the warehouse and take a look. If there are any, it would be best to get a few more heavy machine guns. Since these supplies have fallen into our hands, we can't let the Japanese army take them back. We still need to strengthen our firepower to prevent any accidents."

"Okay, I'll ask those laborers to lead the way. These laborers were forcibly captured by the Japanese army to do the work. I just asked them about their identities, and there's no problem."

Qin Niugu and his men didn't immediately head to the warehouse where the munitions were being moved. Instead, they arrived at the nearest warehouse door. Pushing open the door, the first thing he saw was piles of bags, densely packed together, taller than a person, stretching as far as the eye could see. For the time being, Qin Niugu didn't care much for these. As a veteran, he knew without a second thought that these bags were likely filled with captured Russian rations. To describe them as piled like a mountain was no exaggeration. He knew that when Tsarist Russia voluntarily withdrew from Liaoyang, although the Russian army burned a large amount of supplies, the Japanese army still seized a huge amount.

After passing the warehouse, a large open space appeared in front of Qin Niugu. Looking around, he saw cannons placed on the open space, as well as large-caliber howitzers and mountain cannons, all neatly arranged on the open space. Although the exact number of these cannons was unknown, the sight was already astonishing. However, Qin Niugu soon discovered a problem, because many of these cannons were damaged, and they had no shells! The cannons with shells should have been taken to the front line by the Japanese army to participate in the Battle of Mukden and other subsequent battles.

However, Qin Niugu was still very happy. For the current field army, scrap metal was not something to be despised. Moreover, there was an arsenal in the Northeast. If these captured items were taken to the arsenal, perhaps they could be repaired.

"We've made a fortune, Captain, we've made a fortune... If all of these artillery pieces were equipped to our field army, our field army's firepower and combat effectiveness would be at least two levels higher!"

Seeing that several of his subordinates behind him were staring at the huge number of heavy weapons in front of them in shock, he was indeed very surprised. Later, Qin Niugu learned through interrogating the captured Japanese soldiers that the Russian supplies or damaged firearms captured in the Battle of Liaoyang and the Battle of Fengtian were moved to Liaoyang for storage in order to save train capacity and temporarily unusable. The supplies transported from the Anfeng Railway and the Middle East Railway were stored in Fengtian for timely supply to the war front.

Although Qin Niugu was very happy, after hearing what was said, he suddenly realized that his spoils this time might not be as good as expected, because he had already thought that if weapons like heavy machine guns were usable, the Japanese army would definitely take them to the front line to equip the troops, and most of what was left behind might really be scrap metal.

However, Qin Niu Gu did not say what he was thinking to dampen the morale of his comrades. Instead, he reminded them, "Comrades, once the Liberation Army enters the city, we can leave this matter to the logistics department. The battle is not over yet, and we cannot waste time here."

Then he turned to the guide and said, "Quick, take us to the warehouse where you just moved the ammunition. It would be best if the Japanese don't come here. If the Japanese come, we must have enough guns and ammunition to resist the enemy..."

Chapter 491:

By the time Liu Wenxiu and his men received the news that Wang Lin had liberated Liaoyang and Li Shan had dealt with the incoming Japanese reinforcements, their troops had already rushed into Shenyang like a flood. Now, only a few scattered Japanese troops remained in Shenyang.

Looking at the shattered city walls and streets, one can only imagine the ferocity of last night's battle. Despite the bombardment, all Japanese troops understood Shenyang's importance. During the field army's siege, many Japanese officers within the city initially remained mysteriously confident, remaining incredibly arrogant. Despite being outnumbered, they organized numerous fearless counterattacks in an attempt to drive out the incoming soldiers. Furthermore, the Japanese, with their accurate shooting, even caused considerable trouble for the attacking field army soldiers.

Of course, during the Russo-Japanese War, the Japanese army mobilized a total of one million troops, but in reality, it was impossible to send all of them to every battle. At this time, the Japanese army occupied the entire South Manchuria region, and the main force of the Japanese army was still confronting the Russian army on the front line. The desperate struggle of the Japanese troops stationed in Shenyang could not change their fate of defeat.

The comrades of the field army were well prepared this time and had simulated street fighting many times. Therefore, every time this happened, they would greet them with mortars and grenades, inflicting heavy casualties on the Japanese and making great military achievements.

However, these stubborn resistance changed after the special forces captured the headquarters of Ogawa Ishisaburo and Jiu Jing without any surprise. After all, most of the troops stationed in Shenyang were logistics and supply troops. These people might be able to burst out with combat effectiveness under the coercion of officers. If there was no organization and coercion, these logistics and supply troops would naturally collapse quickly.

The most dangerous and exciting part of this battle was the fight to capture the Shenyang Arsenal. After the special forces comrades dealt with a Japanese patrol, they immediately put on Japanese military uniforms, slowly approached the warehouse door, and pretended to be patrolling as they passed in front of the warehouse.

The Japanese soldiers guarding the warehouse entrance were extremely vigilant. More than half of them crouched inside, weapons in hand, watching their surroundings for any signs of movement. However, their vigilant eyes were focused on the street directly across from the warehouse. Since patrols passed by at regular intervals, few paid much attention to the patrols approaching from either side of the entrance.

Moreover, when the original patrol was ambushed and eliminated by the special forces, not a single shot was fired. Naturally, no one would have thought that a squad of a dozen well-equipped Japanese soldiers would be killed silently and then replaced by the enemy in their uniforms. If you didn't experience it yourself, who would believe it? You have to know that they were a dozen elite soldiers, not a dozen straw men at the mercy of others!

Therefore, even if the Japanese soldiers outside the warehouse turned their attention to the patrol, they would just glance at them without a second glance. When the two patrol teams, more than 20 special forces members, were within the last ten meters of the Japanese soldiers, they quickly drew their pistols from their backs, flicked the safety, and pulled the trigger at the Japanese soldiers within reach.

The Japanese soldiers guarding the door didn't react until they saw the special forces draw their guns and heard the gunshots. They realized that these soldiers wearing the same uniforms were not their comrades, but the enemy. Just as they reacted subconsciously and prepared to fight back.

Dense bullets fired from twenty Mauser pistols were flying towards them, so dense that there was no place to hide.

"Bakayaloo, they are the enemy, counterattack immediately and eliminate them, uh... The Japanese squadron leader had a ferocious face full of surprise and shock. He just let out a cry of surprise when three or four bloody holes were shot in his chest.

Then, he was seen with a face full of despair and unwillingness, looking at the ground and about to become a corpse, still twitching unwillingly. At this moment, he suddenly felt that the world had become quiet, but he suddenly remembered his mission, the mountains of supplies piled up in Shenyang! He finally remembered that if these supplies could not be defended, they should all be blown up and not help the enemy! But it was too late. Now he could only die with hatred in his eyes, tears streaming down his face.

Not only the Japanese squadron leader, but also the more than 20 Japanese soldiers at the warehouse door, who were all standing, became the special forces' first choice targets. In just a few seconds, these more than 20 Japanese soldiers were all beaten into a hornet's nest.

The few remaining Japanese soldiers, though lucky enough to have survived, were wounded. They instinctively raised their rifles, even attempting to turn their heavy machine guns, preparing to counterattack. However, they were fast, and the special forces were even faster. A distance of ten to twenty meters took only three or four seconds for the special forces. For the faster ones, it took less than three seconds. Naturally, the special forces weren't going to gamble on whether any of the Japanese would succeed in their counterattack in those few seconds.

Just as the Japanese were preparing to counterattack, several special forces members wielded throwing knives. With a flick of their wrists, several more Japanese soldiers were stabbed in the chests and other places with the cloth strips tied to the ends of the knives still fluttering slowly. As the remaining Japanese soldiers tried to dodge the attack, the special forces members had already rushed in front of them. By this time, their Mauser pistols had become daggers. They leaped from the ground and plunged into the bunkers where the Japanese soldiers were hiding. With a few quick strikes, the Japanese soldiers guarding the warehouse were eliminated. Then, they divided their forces into further search for the enemy in the warehouse, while also assigning soldiers to guard and patrol. The soldiers' mission now became to defend the warehouse and await the arrival of the main force.

The field army entered Shenyang, finally beginning the final battle to liberate Shenyang. After capturing the city walls and gates, brutal street fighting naturally ensued.

Even now, the Japanese still believed they could hold out against the enemy with their "solid" walls, awaiting reinforcements. Little did they know that in the "future" of history, there had been the Battle of Stalingrad, where a strategy for dealing with urban warfare was employed: wall-penetrating tactics. This was also one of the specific training sessions Zhang Yinghao had discussed, and the comrades were naturally very familiar with it.

When the Japanese army focused on defending the gate of the courtyard and secretly shot and killed the attacking soldiers from inside, the soldiers fixed a bag of explosives on the wall with a simple bracket. With a loud bang, the side of the courtyard wall that the Japanese army thought was "solid" was instantly blown open, and grenades immediately flew in from the gap. After an explosion, the field army rushed in from the gap, and the rapid rifle shooting was followed by a bayonet fight.

The field army's encirclement was initially to surround the city on three sides with loopholes, with the aim of driving the Japanese out of the city. However, after the field army occupied the supply warehouse, the plan changed accordingly. The comrades naturally no longer wanted to let these devils escape.

At this point, the army's focus was on charging the supply depot, blasting their way through. After receiving supplies from the depot, the troops began to steadily retreat, layer by layer. The offensive could now be slowed down and taken its time. The vast disparity in numbers gave the field army a chance to achieve its objectives. By annihilating the enemy at every turn, leaving no enemy a chance to escape, the field army's encirclement tightened, its troop density grew, and its advantage became increasingly apparent.

Chapter 492:

Liu Wenxiu and other commanders were standing between the map and sand table of the headquarters, carefully studying the map and the development of the situation. They also presented the latest troop situation on the sand table. At this time, the staff removed the plaster flag representing the Japanese army from the two cities of Shenyang and Liaoyang and replaced it with a small red flag.

At this time, Hu Songhui was reiterating Chairman Zhang Yinghao's judgment on the situation of the Russo-Japanese War, the situation of Japan and Russia, and the pre-war and post-war situations of various countries.

Now, the development of the Russo-Japanese War is almost exactly the same as Chairman Zhang Yinghao's previous prediction. This makes them admire him and more convinced that as long as they follow Chairman Zhang Yinghao's method, they will definitely win the final victory in this war.

"The Chairman said that the outcome of the Russo-Japanese naval battle would determine the outcome of their land battle. If the Japanese navy failed, then Japan would be at a standstill, and might even have to withdraw from Korea. Now that the Japanese navy has won, then, based on the Chairman's judgment and our current understanding of the Japanese army's situation, the Russo-Japanese War is indeed nearing its end. After all, the Japanese army's logistics are almost exhausted, and now at the end of the battle, they can only choose to fight the Russian army with bayonets, and the Russian army is the same. So, in this situation, neither side can continue to fight.

At this point, although the outcome of the Russo-Japanese War seemed to be a victory for the Japanese army, in reality, the Japanese army was now so poor that they had to make ends meet. The Russians only lost a few people in the Far East, but Japan was gambling its national destiny, so the Japanese army had to fight hard on the battlefield. The Japanese army's combat effectiveness we see is probably their highest combat effectiveness at present.

Now, the Japanese Navy has won, and it seems that both Japan and Russia can no longer fight. Of course, even if they can continue fighting, the British and American powers will not let them continue fighting. Therefore, the United States, Britain and other countries will inevitably mediate quickly.

The current situation is that Japan absolutely cannot afford a protracted war, and the Russians are currently engaged in a revolution and have no time to spare. This presents our best opportunity. However, the Russians' war potential is far greater than that of the Japanese, so we must attack Japan first. The Chairman's minimum requirement is to drag out the war until Japan's economy collapses.

The Chairman's point is that we lack a navy. We may not be able to retake Port Arthur from Japan anytime soon, but we can corner it. As for other areas, Japan must absolutely not be allowed to occupy them. Especially with regard to the mineral resources that Japan desperately needs, they must not be allowed to mine in the Northeast. Next, we must persevere with the Japanese, draining them of all their war potential and draining them of their lifeblood. Then, they will naturally withdraw.

As long as the Japanese army in Northeast China cannot obtain the benefits they deserve, and cannot obtain production materials and daily necessities, then we will be the victorious side. If they want to control the railways and mines left by the Russians, they must consult us first. However, how to do this will depend on the development of our comrades in Northeast China and will be decided based on the actual situation.

"Director, do you mean that Japan can no longer afford to fight a war?"

"Let's put it this way. These are all the Chairman's speculations. The Chairman said that imperialism wants people to fight, so it needs money and profits. Modern warfare is very expensive. Look at steel, bullets, artillery shells, coal and food. Which one doesn't cost money? Japan is short of iron and coal, and both coal and iron need to be purchased. Moreover, Japan relies on borrowing money to fight wars, and steel needs to be purchased from the great powers. Think about it, if Northeast China is plunged into a protracted war again, will anyone still lend money to Japan? If Japan runs out of money, will its people still follow them?"

"To win over the people, the nobles waved the beggar's bag of the proletariat as a banner. But whenever the people followed them, they discovered that their buttocks were adorned with the old feudal emblems, and they burst into laughter and dispersed."

"Haha, that's what I mean. The Japanese nobles want the poor people to fight for them, so they can only use the promise of benefits to get these deceived people to go to the battlefield. But when this war does not bring any benefits, these nobles will immediately abandon the begging bags of the proletariat. And when these people who set foot on the battlefield arrive here, they will immediately know that they have been deceived, so as long as we continue to fight here, neither the Japanese nobles nor their proletariat will be able to gain any benefits from us, and then they will have no choice but to stop fighting."

"Haha, it seems that the Japanese people have had a hard time since the war started."

"Haha, it's more than just hardship. Alas, this can't be compared. Maybe their people really have a hard time, but no matter how hard it is, it should still be much better than the Qing Dynasty."

"That's not necessarily true. Forget it. No matter what the Japanese do, it's not okay for them to come to Northeast China to plunder resources."

"The Chairman also meant this: let the comrades in the Northeast fight with all their might. If the war is truly unfavorable, we can use the Sixteen Self-Defense Decisions to delay the enemy and allow us to prolong the war. We can develop ourselves through mobile warfare while also destroying the enemy. The Chairman also told us to mobilize the masses and drive out the Japanese devils before driving out the Russians."

"it is good."

At that moment, several cavalrymen from Shenyang, who had come with the news, rushed to within fifty meters of the headquarters. They leaped from their horses and, before they could even catch their breath, excitedly shouted to the headquarters, "Victory news, victory news! Commander Li Hu of the Sixth Corps has sent a victory message. We've successfully captured Shenyang, annihilated over five thousand Japanese defenders, and seized countless trophies, including..."

Liu Wenxiu took the list and began to study it, then passed it to Hu Songhui and the others, and continued to study it on the map. After reading it, Hu Songhui laughed and said, "I think the Japanese will cry after this capture, right?"

"Hahahaha, the Japanese army will definitely go crazy if we shave their heads. After the Russo-Japanese Battle of Fengtian, the Russian army retreated to Siping Street. Representatives of the Japanese and Russian armies met in Siping Street to discuss the specific steps for the withdrawal of troops after the armistice agreement. Both sides stopped fighting and carried out reorganization. Previously, we took advantage of the mutual distrust and high tension between Japan and Russia to release the power accumulated by both Japan and Russia in Changtu-Siping during this period. Previously, the Japanese army was worried about the counterattack of Tsarist Russia and stockpiled most of the supplies in Shenyang and other places. Now, Liaoyang and Shenyang are both... After we liberated the area, all the Japanese army's stored supplies were seized by our army. Now the Japanese army in Northeast China is like fish on the chopping block. Haha, according to our previous judgment, if the Japanese really have no money to fight, then a lot of these things must have been left behind by the Russian army when they retreated. Just look at it, the food alone is enough for our entire field army to eat for more than half a year! In addition, a lot of the Japanese army's munitions and other supplies were also left in Shenyang, and they didn't have time to transport them away, so we ended up seizing them all. The Japanese will be crazy if they lose all these things.

"So, what are we going to do next? Evacuate Shenyang as planned?"

"That's definitely too late. We need more troops to carry so much baggage and contain the Japanese army."

"This morning, we killed two regiments of cavalry and one regiment of infantry. Do you think the Japanese headquarters knows this news now?"

"I can't be sure about that."

"The Japanese army in Tieling should have two or three divisions. If they leave the city, we will have to fight an offensive and defensive battle with them, and even destroying them is not impossible. Now the Japanese army's supplies in Tieling and other places in the north are actually in our hands. Moreover, the Japanese army north of Shenyang has become an isolated force deep in the enemy's territory, and is attacked from all sides. The next step depends on the choice of the Japanese army. However, no matter what the Japanese army chooses, the Japanese army will definitely send troops to try to retake the supplies in Liaoyang, so we will definitely have a tough battle with the Japanese army."

"I always feel like we won too easily. The Japanese army was so strong against the Russians, but why do they feel like they're doomed after a surprise attack from us?"

"We took them by surprise, attacking them when they were unprepared. We were like an antelope hanging a horn, using a little force to defeat a heavy object. The Japanese army must be exhausted and unable to fight again, and Japan's national strength has reached its limit. Perhaps we are the straw that breaks the camel's back!"

Chapter 493:

Upon learning that their comrades on the front had won a great victory, a victory that had come more easily and quickly than expected, Liu Wenxiu and the others were naturally delighted. Because the victory felt so easy, subsequent plans had to be adjusted and altered as necessary.

Liu Wenxiu and his companions had in their hands a complete military action plan formulated by Zhang Yinghao, as well as Zhang Yinghao's comprehensive consideration of the Russo-Japanese War and his predictions on the attitudes of the international powers. They also experienced the Russo-Japanese War firsthand. It can be said that at this time, Liu Wenxiu and his companions had a more far-sighted view than both Japan and Russia.

While the Russo-Japanese War in Northeast China undoubtedly inflicted immense harm on the people, it also thoroughly taught Liu Wenxiu and other novice war-fighters how to conduct and fight. More importantly, while the Russo-Japanese War certainly inflicted immense harm on the people of Northeast China, it also afforded them an opportunity to shed any illusions and recognize the harsh reality of their situation, revealing their own powerlessness in the face of the state's violent apparatus.

However, the Russo-Japanese War also gave the people of Northeast China an opportunity to learn about war firsthand. Everyone experienced war firsthand and clearly understood what war was all about and how it should be fought. War was no longer a legend or a fantasy, because it was right beside them, always with them.

Of course, if these people in Northeast China were not organized and mobilized, and remained a loose sand, only knowing how to escape, only knowing how to survive, and only knowing how to leave everything to fate, then they would naturally be powerless against the Russo-Japanese War, the opportunities before them, and all the injustices in reality.

But when the people are organized and armed, when they know they can fight for their own destiny, even completely control it, with the armed forces at their disposal, they will fight to the bitter end. Once countless beliefs have formed a combined force, what force can force the people back to their previous weakness and precarious life? What force can stop this rolling torrent?

After reading the victory report, Zhao Yong said, "Commander-in-Chief, Li Hu fought brilliantly. As the attacking side, we captured Shenyang with losses less than half of the Japanese army. I feel that the Japanese army's combat effectiveness is just so-so. I really don't know how the Qing Dynasty could have lost so completely in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895."

Liu Wenxiu laughed when he heard this and said, "Chief of Staff, just look at how many shells he fired. If he hadn't captured so many, he would have come here crying poor right away. As for why the Qing army lost so thoroughly, just look at our mentality when we fought the Qing army and how relaxed we felt. The Japanese army must have had it even easier than us when they attacked the Qing army! The image of the Qing army in our hearts must have been even more unbearable in the minds of the Japanese army. Facing the Qing army, even though their weapons were inferior, the Japanese army had an overwhelming advantage in momentum and psychological advantage. The Japanese army had a winning mentality. They knew why they were fighting and they knew that as long as they fought hard, they would win in the end."

“Where does this psychological advantage come from?”

"Haha, for example, when we train new recruits, we first teach them science. Once they know how to aim and the trajectory of a bullet, we simply have them fire a few shots at a target, then observe their own shooting, identify any errors, and summarize their experiences. After repeating this process several times, the soldier will have mastered the basics of shooting. Similarly, Japan during the Shogunate era was exactly the same as the Qing Dynasty. Japan overthrew the Shogunate, then, after the Meiji Restoration, completely opened its eyes to the world and liberated its thoughts. Because they had experienced this, they had a deep understanding of it. They fully understood the corruption and incompetence of the Shogunate, which had once isolated itself and signed unequal treaties. By summarizing these experiences, they knew how to defeat and overthrow the Shogunate. The Qing Dynasty and the Shogunate were both feudal, corrupt and incompetent. Naturally, Japan also knew how to defeat the Qing Dynasty."

If Zhang Yinghao had heard these remarks, he would surely have been impressed by the rapid progress of these comrades. In reality, by overthrowing the shogunate and then learning Western science and technology, the Japanese, upon reflection, not only easily understood how to defeat the Qing Dynasty, but also how to overthrow it and disrupt China. These were simply things they had experienced themselves, and they were simply familiar with them. From this perspective, the Japanese of that era's disdain for the Qing people was understandable. The Qing Dynasty was indeed still in a state of ignorance, ignorant of industry and science and technology. The entire national situation and developments were as transparent as a mirror, clearly visible to the Japanese elites. It even felt like the fate of China was being manipulated by these Japanese, toyed with in their hands.

"Then we are now victorious over the Japanese army because..."

"That's right. We have now mastered the methods to defeat and overthrow the Qing Dynasty. We have seen the true face of the Qing Dynasty. We have also begun to open our eyes to the world and to learn science and technology. Therefore, we are now actually on the same track as Japan. It's just that the Japanese army has taken a few more steps than us. That's all. It's no big deal. They will definitely catch up much faster than we think. Just like our new recruits must learn cultural knowledge when they enter the barracks, for example, after a bullet is fired, it is not a straight line but a parabola. When shooting, we also have to calculate the bullet's descent distance or lead time, etc. Do the soldiers understand this? Do their instructors know how to explain these scientific principles? How can someone who has never touched a gun, if he doesn't learn, possibly shoot accurately? It's not without reason that many Qing soldiers fired their rifles into the air, because no one taught them how to aim properly. Perhaps only the newly reorganized Beiyang New Army, which hired foreign instructors, fared better. Of course, according to the Chairman, we will definitely be more powerful than the Japanese in the future, because our system is the most advanced in history, and Japan will naturally not be able to match it. However, we just need more time now."