The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

"Damn it, God! How could we fail? How could we fail?" He couldn't help but be in disbelief. His two cavalry divisions had over 12,000 men, while the enemy had only 8,000. It was already a remarkable feat that the enemy had been able to withstand one or two Cossack attacks, but now they were defeated. Really, even with over 10,000 pigs, 10,000 horses, and 8,000 men, they couldn't have caught them so quickly. Therefore, Alexander Demyanov couldn't believe the results he had heard.

At this moment, another scout came to report that a large number of field army cavalry units were approaching them from the north and surrounding them. This made Alexander Dmitryov feel the deep malice of the field army and also a deep sense of crisis.

While the 5th Field Army Brigade was exchanging fire with the Cossacks, the 8th and 12th Field Army Brigades were rapidly approaching the battlefield. Not only these two brigades, but also the 6th, 9th, and 11th Brigades were rapidly approaching the battlefield, but in order to avoid being discovered by the Russians, they took a relatively large detour, hoping to completely encircle the entire corps!

At this moment, Alexander Gimiyanov finally came to his senses. He quickly ran to the map to check it out, and exclaimed, "This is a trap! Order the frontline troops to prepare for retreat immediately."

Alexander Gimyanov couldn't help but scream in shock. Who could have imagined, who could have imagined, that the Chinese would be so bold as to devour them in one gulp? This was something they had never imagined. Of course, Alexander Gimyanov naturally had no idea of ​​the preparations the field army had made to deal with the invasion, or the price it had paid to completely eliminate them. If the field army couldn't seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, then Zhang Feng and his men could go home and grow sweet potatoes.

At this point, facing a ferocious foe, Alexander Demyanov no longer cared about winning a victory or even a promotion. His only concern was how to save his troops and escape the encirclement set by the field army. Lieutenant general and honors were no longer a concern for him. If his troops suffered heavy losses, even if he managed to escape, he would be thankful not to be executed by the enraged Emperor.

As a military commander, one must always know both oneself and the enemy, and must always seek truth from facts. Alexander Demyanov was clearly not a fully qualified commander at this point. Not only did he not understand the enemy before the battle, he even underestimated them. When faced with an emergency, he failed to handle it promptly and panicked, leading to impulsive action and even flight.

Zhang Yinghao had taught at the military academy that to deal with the enemy, one must combine both static and dynamic tactics, employing a variety of tactics. Zhang Yinghao was well aware that within positional warfare lies mobile warfare, and within mobile warfare lies encirclement and annihilation warfare. The fundamental purpose of these tactics was to exploit the enemy's weaknesses and eliminate their effective forces at the lowest possible cost.

While Zhang Yinghao's courses include analysis of actual combat, he believes they can only serve as a lightbulb for his comrades, providing them with a general understanding of how war should be fought and how to respond to various tactics and emergencies. As for the specifics of combat, it's up to the comrades to practice and analyze them themselves. However, Zhang Yinghao believes this approach presents little problem. If his comrades were restricted from expressing themselves freely, they would likely end up like the Song Dynasty or Chiang Kai-shek.

It was still too early for Alexander Demyanov to realize this. The cavalry was sufficiently mobile, and as long as they handled it properly, there wouldn't be any major problems. After all, the base had faced numerous Japanese encirclements and raids in their previous lives, and many troops had managed to break through the siege! But then again, this carefully planned operation by the field army was not so easy to deal with.

Tens of thousands of soldiers armed with live ammunition had formed a large encirclement. The troops responded to each other, and heavy machine guns were deployed in many places. All the soldiers had received orders. Even if they all died in battle, they could not let the Russian cavalry break through the encirclement. It would not be easy for Alexander Demyanov and his men to escape!

At this time, there was another thing that was extremely beneficial to the field army. That was that since the Russian cavalry had not eliminated the surrounded field army soldiers, the conditions had begun to change. The situation began to reverse and they became the surrounded side, and they were also attacked from the center. This center-blooming tactic was quite practical.

Fighting on two fronts has always been a major military taboo. With wolves in front and tigers behind, the army is caught between a rock and a hard place. With powerful enemies in front and pursuers behind, the slightest mistake could lead to annihilation. Alexander Dmitryonov showed no hesitation, displaying immense courage. He immediately declared, "Order Alyosha's troops and the vanguard division to remain behind to block the pursuing enemy. Order the entire army to turn, turning the rear troops into the front, and escape the enemy's encirclement..."

Around 3:30 p.m., the frantically fleeing main force of the Russian Siberian Cossack Cavalry Corps finally ran into the 8th Brigade of the Field Army. Lu Zhengyi, the acting commander of the 8th Brigade, knew it was impossible to engage in a positional battle with the Russians at this point. He knew that if he dismounted, the Russians would likely ride around him. Although the Siberian Cavalry Corps still had over 15,000 men, Alexander Demyanov had no desire to fight, fearing that if he were to be entangled by the Field Army, he would be unable to escape and be surrounded by them.

Lu Zhengyi was very clear at this time that the most important thing now was to limit the mobility of the Russian cavalry. The two sides were entangled, and it would be best if it turned into a positional battle of mutual offense and defense, so that it would be possible to completely annihilate the enemy.

Thus, when a narrow road meets a brave enemy, the brave prevail. Facing an enemy force many times their number, the Eighth Brigade showed no hesitation, fearless and charging forward. War horses clashed, the enemy was hacked and killed wantonly, limbs were broken, and agonized cries of pain lingered. The corpses littered the ground, and countless soldiers shed their blood on the battlefield, their bodies wrapped in horsehide...

After the Russians defeated the 8th Field Army Brigade, Alexander Demyanov left a rearguard unit to continue forward, soon encountering the 6th and 11th Field Army Brigades. With the Field Army's deliberate guidance and pursuit, a shrinking semi-encirclement was formed near the Orkhon River.

Alexander Demyanov immediately ordered a small group of soldiers to try to break out, but it was of no use. Some were blocked by the trenches dug temporarily by the field army, and some were killed and repelled by powerful firepower. The Cossack cavalry suffered heavy losses.

Soon, the encirclement was finally formed, and barbed wire was even stretched in many places, making it look like a trap. Tens of thousands of cavalrymen in the field army kept tightening the noose around the Cossacks' necks, restricting their mobility. Soon, with the soldiers' relentless digging efforts, the battle between the cavalry finally turned into an infantry offensive and defensive battle, and all the trenches were dug.

At this time, the cavalrymen kept firing their guns, and the attacking Russian soldiers kept falling to the ground and dying. The field army had completely mastered the rhythm of the war by now, and could advance calmly and cautiously. The Russian army could only retreat step by step towards the Orkhon River, and many soldiers tried to wade across the Orkhon River to escape.

Unfortunately, these soldiers had basically miscalculated. Since they had driven the Russian army to this place, they naturally knew that the Orkhon River was in the Fengshui period. The Orkhon River is the main tributary of the Selenge River. In the spring and summer, due to the melting snow, the river water surges. At this time, the Orkhon River is also the widest and the river is the most turbulent. In addition, the field army is fortifying the defenses and clearing the fields. Even if these old Russians really swam to the other side, could they still escape from the vast grassland? Moreover, it is not that there are no field army soldiers on the other side. On the contrary, the field army soldiers on the opposite side have already sharpened their sabers and are ready to chop off the old Russians' heads.

Under the relentless pressure of the field army cavalry, the Russian army retreated step by step, and finally retreated to the Orkhon River. Many Russians were landlubbers, and if they entered the river, they would be drowned.

Of course, the fighting power displayed by the Russian cavalry at the risk of their lives should not be underestimated. Knowing that they were surrounded, the fierce fighting between the two sides lasted until the next day. Except for a few remnants of the surrounded Tsarist Siberian Cossack Cavalry Corps who broke out of the encirclement, the rest were either killed, or drowned after failing to swim across the Orkhon River, or were killed by soldiers on the other side. Another part wisely raised their hands and chose to surrender to the field army.

While these Cossacks were brave, they also valued their lives. Knowing their escape was hopeless, surrender was undoubtedly the wisest option. Many officers, including Major General Alexander Demyanov, commander of the Russian Siberian Cossack Cavalry Corps, were captured by the field army.

At this point, the Field Army's execution of this operational plan was a complete success. There were countless thrilling encounters, and the encirclement was nearly breached several times. Only thanks to the soldiers' selfless dedication, physical combat, and desperate resistance, were the enemy's forces able to hold the line. Countless soldiers have made immortal contributions!

Chapter 642: Second update!

After the Russian Siberian Cossack Cavalry Corps was annihilated, the Russian cavalry temporarily deployed in the East Siberian Governorate had lost half of its troops, and had made a very good start. However, Russia was not short of cavalry, but only

If necessary, Russia can quickly raise hundreds of thousands of cavalry units! It can be said that even if a cavalry corps is annihilated, Russia will not be seriously injured at all!

Lü Kaiwen looked at his comrades cleaning up the battlefield and said with a smile, "Send a telegram to the commander-in-chief. We have completely wiped out the Siberian Cossack Cavalry Corps that invaded our country..."

In Kulun, at the Field Army's Western Front Headquarters, Zhang Feng awaited the final outcome. Before the main Russian offensive, the clash between the two sides' cavalry became the primary engagement. If the Field Army could defeat a single Russian Cossack regiment, it would further enhance its advantage in the subsequent battles. Small victories accumulate to form a major victory; wars between nations are fought on this basis, with the accumulation of small advantages leading to the ultimate victory, like a domino effect. Files shared via Baidu Netdisk: "Historical Military Assistance..."

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After destroying the Russian cavalry, it is conceivable that if the cavalry's protection is lost, the long logistical supply line will become a noose around the neck of the Russian army.

No matter how many troops Tsarist Russia sent, when the field army's cavalry units were able to destroy the Russian army's supply lines, they would have firmly grasped the noose. In other words, the field army had already firmly grasped the initiative of the war and the enemy's lifeline. As long as it was used well at the appropriate time, it would eventually hang all the Russian troops alive.

The reason why this battle was able to achieve such a brilliant record was mainly due to the surprise attack. If the Russians had been prepared, they would not have rushed light troops and advanced alone. In other words, such a battle is difficult to replicate. Therefore, after the Russian cavalry was dealt with, the next important task of the field army was to resist the Russian attack in Kulun or Uliastai, which means that the next step was to fight the Russians in a war of attrition. In fact, this is also what Zhang Yinghao deeply thought.

The result of careful consideration was that although the field army could block the Tsarist Russian army in stages along the way, Zhang Yinghao wanted to delay the main force of the Tsarist Russian army, consume the national strength of Tsarist Russia and even want to bring down Russia. At the same time, it was also to buy time for the Northeast troops to liberate Outer Northeast and other places, and completely bring the newly liberated land here under control.

Therefore, giving Tsarist Russia a target is obviously the best choice. Even if the city is finally captured and the territory is finally occupied, the Forward Party will not recognize it at all. Then it can fight guerrilla warfare with the Russians, delay the Tsarist Russia's troops, and make the vast Mongolian

Ancient China became a bloody wound that Tsarist Russia could never heal, and naturally, there was no expectation that Mongolia would be separated from China. This was an open conspiracy, a national conspiracy, for the sake of long-term peace in the future of the country. It was a grand plan, and naturally had great intentions!

Of course, it can be foreseen that the comrades defending Kulun and other places will definitely encounter the attack of the Russian army's superior forces. This requires them to build strong fortifications under the attack of the Russian army. Only in this way can they

Resist the Russian attack and hold the Russian army here firmly, while also creating favorable opportunities for subsequent cavalry attacks.

Fortunately, the Russian army has not yet completed its troop assembly. If they want to launch a large-scale offensive, it will take about a month. The destruction of the Siberian Cossack Cavalry Corps can at least buy the comrades at least half a month. With at least one and a half months, it is enough for the field army to completely complete the construction of these fortifications and replenish logistical supplies.

Zhang Yinghao, who was far away in Wuhan, also quickly received the telegram from Mongolia. When he learned that the field army had completely annihilated the Russian Siberian Cossack Cavalry Corps at a minimal cost, Zhang Yinghao finally put his heart at ease.

However, Zhang Yinghao always maintained a high level of vigilance against the Russians. After all, history had proven that this country often achieved bitter victories. For example, Napoleon attacked the Russians in the Russo-French War, during World War II, the Soviet-German War, the Soviet-Finnish War, and the Battle of Nomonhan between the Soviet Union and Japan. Despite heavy losses, the Russians ultimately won. Such a situation made Zhang Yinghao pay attention. As the saying goes, a journey of a hundred miles begins with a single step. This was only a small victory on the Western Front, and he must always remain vigilant.

Of course, although Zhang Yinghao was wary, he still said happily to his comrades in the command room: "That's great! We actually wiped out an entire Russian cavalry corps in one battle. The next battle will be much easier and more relaxed. Without enough cavalry, the Russians' long supply lines will be full of loopholes. As long as this situation continues, we will definitely win this battle!"

"Yeah, who would have thought that cavalry tactics have changed and mounted infantry would be the next mainstream?"

"Haha, thanks to the Chairman, we have avoided so many detours!"

Zhang Yinghao's greatest concern and focus was indeed the Russian cavalry. The Cossack cavalry had always struck fear into the hearts of European nations. The Russian Cossacks roamed across Europe, leaving many nations in disarray. Even during the reign of Napoleon's France, when it dominated Europe, Napoleon was deeply wary of these cavalry. Furthermore, the Cossacks were truly formidable, having repeatedly defeated other European armies. These poorly disciplined, yet formidable, armies were a nightmare for other European nations.

Unlike other units in the Russian Army, the Cossacks were highly mobile and unpaid. Therefore, their sole source of income was spoils of war. This led to a complete disregard for military discipline once the Cossacks invaded enemy territory, with wanton acts of burning, killing, looting, and raping women becoming commonplace. Many European nations even referred to the Cossacks as "black devils."

Now, the field army had actually encircled and annihilated a Russian Cossack cavalry regiment. This was undoubtedly a great victory. Some European powers could now defeat Cossack cavalry on the battlefield with their sheer force. However, the idea of ​​encircling and annihilating a single Cossack cavalry regiment was undoubtedly a pipe dream, at least it had never happened before. After all, the Cossacks were incredibly fast, and if things went wrong, they could retreat at high speed. This made the goal of encircling and annihilating this terrifying cavalry unit nearly impossible.

Zhang Yinghao naturally wanted to send a congratulatory message to Mongolia on its victory, so he immediately said: "Warm congratulations to our comrades on the western front of Mongolia on their great victory. I hope that all meritorious soldiers will be commended.

After the heroic fighting of comrades, you wiped out a cavalry corps of the invaders and captured a large number of invaders, including the corps' highest commander. This proved that the combat effectiveness of our People's Liberation Army has become extremely powerful, and it also showed the firm will and determination of our party and army to defend the country, and proved that our party and army have the ability to defend the country and territory! Facts have proved that only the leadership of the Progressive Party can be invincible, and only the leadership of the Progressive Party can save the country and the nation! It also laid a solid foundation for the subsequent recovery of the country.

The Central Committee of the Forward Party and the Central Military Commission of the People's Liberation Army extend their warmest congratulations and condolences to all officers and soldiers participating in this great battle, as well as to all personnel serving in the front and rear areas. At the same time, we must also tell you: the war has just begun. You must guard against arrogance and impetuosity, be cautious, carry forward the revolutionary spirit of our Party and our Army that fears neither hardship nor death, actively prepare for battle, make full preparations, and strive for greater victory..."

After writing the congratulatory message and handing it to his secretary, Zhang Yinghao appeared incredibly confident. This battle undoubtedly proved once again that the positioning of cavalry against mounted infantry was correct, and it also demonstrated that the current field army cavalry was no weaker than the Russian Cossack cavalry. On the future Western Front, even if the field army might not have the advantage in terms of manpower, it already had a certain advantage in overall strategy.

Russia was undoubtedly the most unacceptable to this outcome. The Cossack cavalry had always been the Russian Army's trump card, its ultimate weapon. But now, the Cossack cavalry had been completely defeated. And the loss of an entire corps at once was unprecedented in modern Russia! It must have been enough to distress Nicholas II for a while! In fact, Russia was beginning to pay an unbearable price for its annexation of Chinese territory and its invasion of China.

Chapter 643: First update!

In Irkutsk, the Governor-General's Office of East Siberia, Governor-General Anuchin and General Bolivar, the commander of the Russian army in East Siberia, are discussing the current situation.

Even though the railway was cut off by special forces, the Russian army was still marching along the Trans-Siberian Railway towards the East Siberian Governorate.

Irkutsk was a key Russian military concentration point. This meant that this small city, originally home to a population of just over 100,000, suddenly had an additional 200,000 to 300,000 troops. The number of soldiers far outnumbered the number of residents, and the entire city was filled with uniformed soldiers.

Governor Anuchin's face was grim. Before the war broke out, he had been dismissive of the Field Army. However, the Field Army's sudden departure from Mongolia had disrupted Russia's invasion plans there, and then the sudden launch of war in Manchuria. Now, even more audaciously, they had even invaded Outer Manchuria. All of this had infuriated him. As Governor-General of Eastern Siberia, Anuchin was undoubtedly the vanguard of Russia's invasion of China. His own goal was to separate Mongolia from China during his term.

Despite the Chinese's surprise attack and defeat of the Japanese years ago, Governor Anuchin didn't take the Chinese seriously. After all, he knew them well. Later, upon learning that Russia had declared war on the Kadima government, he was overjoyed. He firmly believed that the field army would be defeated by hundreds of thousands of Russian troops, and Russia would once again reap sufficient territory.

However, after the war broke out, the field army achieved a resounding victory in the Far Eastern Governorate. In a very short time, the Trans-Siberian Railway was completely severed, with no possibility of restoration any time soon. Subsequently, the Chinese Eastern Railway was captured, and the Russian army in the Far East suffered tens of thousands of casualties in a short period of time. Such losses left Governor-General Anuchin completely in disbelief; even the Tsarist Russia had not suffered such losses against Japan! However, he also found a justification for the Russian forces in the Far East. The remnants of the Far Eastern Governorate, defeated by the Japanese during the Russo-Japanese War, were no match for the elite troops of the Eastern Siberian Governorate. With incompetent generals and exhausted troops, Governor-General Ruzhsky of the Far East was naturally no match for him. In fact, Governor-General Ruzhsky's relationship with Tsar Nicholas II was much closer than that of Governor-General Anuchin.

However, this time, the Russian Siberian Cossack Cavalry Corps was surrounded and annihilated by the Field Army, which shocked Governor Anuchin greatly and also awakened Anuchin. Although he was reluctant to admit it, facts spoke louder than words. Even the elite Cossack Corps was no match for the Field Army. Doesn't that prove that the Field Army is powerful?

"Your Excellency, how should we fight next?"

Governor-General Anuchin seemed to be losing confidence. Originally, the East Siberian Governorate had only 140,000 men. However, according to the Russian War Department's plan, they would be reinforced by 300,000 Russian troops dispatched from Europe, bringing their total to 450,000. He had originally thought that with such a large force at his disposal, not only would they be able to annihilate the field army, but even China itself would be easily destroyed. But now, Governor-General Anuchin clearly no longer harbored such arrogant thoughts.

"Your Excellency Governor, the defeat of the Siberian Cossack Cavalry Corps has undoubtedly sounded the alarm for us. The Chinese do not seem to be as weak as we thought. In fact, they are much stronger than we imagined," said General Bolivar.

Anuchin looked at Bolivar and nodded, fully agreeing with this statement. "But even so, we can certainly achieve victory. We are assembling our forces, and a large number are on their way. Once the army is fully mobilized, we will have over 400,000 men. Then, we will advance with a concentrated force, taking a steady and cautious approach, advancing step by step, coordinating our efforts, and giving the Chinese no chance. Then, we will be able to annihilate all the Mongol forces and incorporate Mongolia into the empire. Even if we don't, we can support a pro-Russian regime established by the Mongols and completely control Mongolia..." Admiral Bolivar said.

Governor Anuchin nodded repeatedly, agreeing with this view. For Tsarist Russian officials, annexing Chinese territory was a unanimous choice, the only difference being between slow and rapid annexation. If it were still the Qing Dynasty, conquering Mongolia with hundreds of thousands of troops would have been a piece of cake. After all, when the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded China, they dispatched hundreds of thousands of troops to conquer Northeast China with minimal casualties! However, they seemed to have forgotten that transporting food and ammunition over thousands of miles, and the stretched supply lines, without railways, was a real challenge.

Moreover, whether it is Anuchin or Bolivar, their understanding of China is still stuck in the Qing Dynasty. Even though they knew that the field army had strong combat effectiveness, they did not delve into why. At this time, they still had no idea that an army that relied on the people, for the people, and had a unified ideology under the political commissars was not something they could defeat.

Of course, at this point, the entire world didn't understand the nature of the PLA. Perhaps many countries thought the field army's combat effectiveness was good, but they definitely didn't understand the PLA, and no one could have known how much combat power the PLA would unleash if faced with a powerful enemy. Of course, at this point, no one would have thought how much combat power such a group of peasants and illiterates could unleash. No one knew how much combat power a large country with a large population and backward technology could unleash. No one knew how powerful an army organized with advanced ideas could be. Of course, at this point, no one knew how powerful China would be if the entire nation was mobilized. No one knew how terrifying the overall combat concept of mobilizing the entire nation until final victory was. This was a brand new topic, a topic that people all over the world had yet to fully understand!

While East and West Siberia were still gathering forces in preparation for another attack on Mongolia, the field army in Northeast China had already begun its westward offensive. The eastward-moving field army had temporarily besieged Vladivostok. While troops attacking Khabarovsk and other areas left behind to assist Far Eastern workers in clearing the Outer Manchuria region, the main force advanced westward along the Amur River. Construction of the Amur Railway had just begun, forcing the field army to rely on river transport to alleviate logistical pressures. Fortunately, the harsh environment of Outer Manchuria and the lack of access to the Trans-Siberian Railway, coupled with the Russo-Japanese War, meant that the Russian population in the Far East was extremely limited. Including the large military presence and the three northeastern provinces, the total population in this vast region was only around 500,000. Further north, the population was even sparser, as the Russians were only somewhat cold-tolerant, not fully adapted to the harsh conditions. Therefore, after clearing out the Tsarist Russian population centers, a sustained guerrilla war was likely to follow.

Meanwhile, the troops stationed in Manzhouli, originally deployed to defend against Russian aggression, had received orders to immediately advance westward along the railway line. Manzhouli, a small border town in northwestern Heilongjiang Province, lies on the northern shores of Hulun Lake and serves as the westernmost starting point of the Chinese Eastern Railway. The railway runs directly to Chita in Russia, connecting to the Trans-Siberian Railway. However, when the field army reclaimed the Chinese Eastern Railway, all the Russians present were captured.

After the outbreak of war, an infantry division and a cavalry brigade were stationed in Manchuria, placing the entire city under military control. The large-scale arrival of the field army also caused great anxiety among the opposing Russian forces. At this time, there were very few Russian troops in Chita and the surrounding area, numbering no more than a few thousand at most. Such a small force was no match for the field army, especially since the field army was already fully capable of freeing up its main forces to deploy to this area.

Chapter 644: Second update!

After the field army besieged Vladivostok, facing the clusters of bunkers, the field army now had no intention of desperately attacking, and no unnecessary sacrifices were made. Vladivostok was simply surrounded with barbed wire and trenches. Of course, the field army would not let the Russian troops in Vladivostok have an easy time either. From time to time, huge cannons with calibers ranging from 155mm to 305mm dismantled from Port Arthur would fire into the city. Those huge bunkers might not be a big deal if they were hit by 155mm cannons, but if they were hit by 305mm cannons, even the Russian troops inside the bunkers would still be killed by the shock. It was not about killing as many Russian soldiers as possible, but about making sure that the Russians in Vladivostok had no peace!

"Everyone, the commander-in-chief's order has been issued. Now, apart from leaving some comrades to besiege Vladivostok, the other troops will immediately take the train to the western part of Heilongjiang, cross the Heilongjiang River, and first abolish the Treaty of Nerchinsk with facts. So next, it is time for us to continue to launch an offensive. It's time to reclaim our homeland and take revenge. In addition, the main force of the Russians supported by the European troops is still in Irkutsk. The Russians in the Far East are like water without a source and trees without roots..."

After sharing the good news, Zhao Yong pointed to the map and said, "We will continue to attack westwards to the Chita region, eliminate the local Russians, and then immediately start to defend it. According to the news, a large number of troops have gathered in Irkutsk. So whether the Russian army attacks us to the east or attacks Mongolia to the south, they need to solve a logistical problem.

The entire Eastern Siberian Governorate is short on troops, with long logistics lines and supply difficulties. With only a few hundred thousand people occupying such a vast territory, they probably wouldn't dare split their forces, as doing so would be extremely dangerous. This presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us! We are now required to dispatch troops immediately and capture the Chita region westward. This would allow us to reclaim the land in the Far East that we have lost for a century."

"Why not advance all the way west, preferably to Lake Baikal!" Someone raised the question at this time.

"If you ask me, it would be best if we could reach Irkutsk and capture Anuchin, the Governor-General of East Siberia."

Hearing someone raise the question, the other generals all echoed it. Those with nationalist sentiments seem to have an instinctive passion for expanding territory. Many books say that the Chinese love land far more than other ethnic groups. Zhang Yinghao might have thought this was true in the past, but now he knows it's nonsense.

As long as a person is human, the desire for land will definitely exist and will never stop. Otherwise, why would there be so many wars in the world? Otherwise, why would the colonists in America massacre so many Indians? Wasn't it for their land?

The reason why Chinese people are unwilling to go north is actually because the living environment in the north is too harsh. For China, which is based on agriculture, it is a losing business, so they are not willing to develop northward at all. Even if they want to develop in the three northeastern provinces, the Chinese of this era are not very happy. If they really can't survive, who would have the leisure to go to Guandong or Xikou? Doesn't the word "Chuang" express the attitude of the people? That's because if you don't go, you will definitely die, and if you go, you may not have to die. China has basically been heading south since ancient times. The southern regime has never set its sights on expanding its territory to the north! The northernmost point is the Great Wall! It has to be said that this is a kind of sadness. Of course, it is also the national conditions and the choice of the people!

Zhao Yong heard everyone's discussion and said directly: "Okay, we must seek truth from facts. Everyone knows where our food and clothes come from? How can it be so easy to supply food and drink for hundreds of thousands of people? I want to drive the Russians directly to Europe, and then what? We ourselves may starve to death on the road. We must have goals and justifications when doing things, and we must seek truth from facts. Our current goal is to abolish the unequal treaty signed between the Qing Dynasty and Russia. Whether the Treaty of Nerchinsk is unequal or not, we can't say. But if we go back further in time and Russia doesn't exist, how can we calculate it? The territorial issue is a mess!"

"Commander, what should we do?"

"We just need to obey the orders of the Party Central Committee! Everyone should know that if we cannot stabilize such a large area as Siberia, it will be a wound that will never heal. So for the time being, what the field army needs to do is to abolish all unequal treaties signed after the Treaty of Nerchinsk between China and Russia. Under the current circumstances, if we do not recognize the Treaty of Nerchinsk as an equal treaty, then the border issue between us and Russia will always be a problem. As long as we recognize the Treaty of Nerchinsk as an equal treaty, then the border issue between us and Russia can be resolved and there will be no more objections. Of course, how the specific situation will develop in the future is a matter of specific analysis in the future."

"No matter what, we are the ones who suffer the loss."

"Haha, the Chief of Staff may be right, but in the current international environment, if we demand even a little more territory from Russia, I guarantee that all countries will oppose us. We are now taking back these territories, which were obtained by Russia's oppression of the Qing Dynasty and the signing of unequal treaties. It is only natural for us to take them back. But if our demands exceed this limit, we will immediately become the public enemy of the Western powers."

"Commander, if that's the case, then Chita isn't included, right?" "Chita is Russia's central city in Western Siberia, so we must destroy it. As for whether we'll withdraw our troops in the future, that's a matter for the future. And if we occupy the Chita area, it will give us another bargaining chip in future negotiations."

"Then, Commander, give your orders."

"In that case, I will issue the combat orders. Tomorrow morning, you will depart directly by train. A temporary command center has been established there. After arriving in Manzhouli and joining the troops there, you will immediately join the westward attack. Once you reach the Chita region, eliminate all Russian forces there..."

In fact, in his previous life, Zhang Yinghao did feel uncomfortable when he saw that such a large piece of land in Siberia was not his own country, but was swallowed up by Russia. He even thought that the Russians should be driven back to Europe and the entire Siberia region should be occupied by the Chinese.

But now Zhang Yinghao didn't think so. It wasn't that he didn't want to swallow this piece of fat meat, but he couldn't rush it. Just like now, when the field army eliminated the Russian troops in the Far East, the Russian troops were concentrated along the railway, leaving the entire East Siberia region empty. If he swallowed up such a piece of land, he would face the same problem as Tsarist Russia: a serious shortage of troops and the inability to defend such a large territory. Moreover, even if Zhang Yinghao completely eliminated the Russian troops, as long as Russia was not destroyed, they would definitely send reinforcements to the East Siberian Governor-General's District, even if they had to sell everything they had. The guerrilla warfare would never end. Of course, what would happen in the future is a matter of time!

If Russia were to truly mobilize now, it could field millions of troops. Once the proletarian revolution begins, it won't take many years for Russia to have tens of millions of troops. Then, the vast expanse of Siberia would be a perpetually bleeding wound. Afghanistan is known as the graveyard of empires, but guerrilla warfare in Siberia would cost countless lives and treasures. Therefore, even if Zhang Yinghao could destroy Russia's million-strong army, it would only be half of their standing army and would not be enough to completely destroy Russia.

If the Russians were willing, they could mobilize more troops to join the fight at any time. However, if guerrilla warfare were to begin, Zhang Yinghao himself had no way of predicting what the future would hold. Therefore, in Zhang Yinghao's pragmatic view, the Field Army could only temporarily accept the Treaty of Nerchinsk as a treaty of equality. This was the only way to maximize their own interests.

Chapter 645: First update!

In fact, if we calculate in reverse, we can also conclude how law-abiding the Chinese are! How gentle, respectful, frugal and modest they are! How they obey the leadership of the central government! If China does not recognize the treaty signed with Tsarist Russia, it only needs to send a small number of troops into Siberia to create infinite panic, consume Russia, and slowly drag Russia down.

Of course, ever since the Qing dynasty came into contact with Tsarist Russia, China has always maintained a defensive posture toward both Tsarist Russia and the Soviet Union. This is an objective fact. Furthermore, the central government was generally weak and powerless, so how could it dare to send troops into Siberia? Sending troops into Mongolia was already a problem. If a warlord dared to send troops into Siberia, perhaps the Russian government only needed to threaten and intimidate them with a single word. Those previous Chinese warlords would probably be so frightened that the soldiers they sent would disappear forever, thus avoiding their own responsibility!

At this time, the field army must seize the favorable opportunity when the Tsarist Russian power is severely weakened, seize a series of important gathering areas in East and West Siberia, and then build a defense line to resist the Russian attack and gain a favorable position for future negotiations.

In fact, whether the Treaty of Nerchinsk is an equal treaty has always been a matter of public opinion. However, in the world, even in China itself, many people recognize that it is an equal treaty, and the Russians naturally believe that it is an equal treaty. The question now is, if the Forward Party directly abolishes the Treaty of Nerchinsk, then where will the new border be? Even if a new border treaty is signed with Tsarist Russia in the future, what will happen next? Will the successor of Tsarist Russia after its demise consider this new treaty to be an unequal treaty? And then continue to wage war? It's really a headache! Of course, Zhang Yinghao also knows that everything is a test of fists. Whoever has the harder fist is right. The truth is within the range of the cannon!

Therefore, Zhang Yinghao's plan now is for the Eastern Front Command to send troops from Manchuria to liberate Chita. Then, a defensive operation will be launched in the Chita area. After taking the Chita area, the field army will be able to attack or defend.

At most, the field army could retreat to the Nerchinsk area. If that didn't work, they could retreat to the Heilongjiang region. When they were stronger, they could fight back. Even if Russia had the Trans-Siberian Railway, if it was consumed by war in the Far East and China, it would sooner or later be dragged down.

However, war is a continuation of politics. It's easy to start a war, but then you have to think about how to end it. After the fighting on the battlefield, both sides will eventually return to the negotiating table. Ultimately, the Forward Party government and the field army are still too weak. If Russia were to attack with all its might, the field army might not be able to withstand it head-on. Of course, due to the influence of the international environment, the Russians could not commit their full strength to the Eastern Front. Therefore, both sides must ultimately end the war through negotiations. The scale of the war between China and Tsarist Russia is already very large. If such a war had taken place in Europe, it would have been world-famous long ago. However, this war took place in the Far East, in the desolate and desolate Outer Manchuria. Aside from certain politicians and the media, the public in other countries had little sense of the difference.

Zhang Yinghao was well aware that this situation was advantageous to China. The Field Army did not have the strength to destroy Russia now, nor would it have the strength even ten years from now. Furthermore, Zhang Yinghao knew that if Japan, with a million-strong army, could not destroy a weak China, then even if the Field Army marched into Russia with several million men, it would still be unable to destroy Russia, which already had a substantial industrial presence. Therefore, the only option was to reap as much benefit as possible after the war. However, Zhang Yinghao was filled with disgust at the greed of the Russians. The Russians were gradually encroaching on Chinese territory, and Zhang Yinghao hoped to recapture all of this territory, even further expanding westward and northward to expand the country's territory. Of course, this was a long process. The Field Army's current offensive to reclaim the Far East was laying the foundation for this plan. However, Zhang Yinghao's greatest wish was for China's territory to reach the Arctic Ocean to the north; that would be perfect.

Zhao Yong led his troops westward by train, their spirits high and their spirits high. The Field Army crossed the Ergun River and entered the territory of the former Tsarist Russia. As soon as the order was received, the troops in Manchuria had already launched an offensive. The Tsarist Russia had limited manpower and was unable to defend against the long river. The Field Army, with its numerous ships, was able to easily defeat the Russian troops deployed on the border, allowing the Field Army to successfully enter the territory of what is now Russia.

"Chief of Staff, the Russians on the border have been dealt with." A staff officer reported to Sun Tongpao.

"Let the cavalry unit go out according to the plan. The subsequent units will also advance one after another! In this battle, we must recover the territory that has been occupied by the Russians for more than two hundred years!" Sun Tongpao ordered.

"Yes!"

The staff officer immediately saluted, his eyes filled with excitement. For any military commander, expanding territory is an extremely exciting thing. This event must be recorded in history books for future generations to admire and learn from.

Upon receiving the order, the Field Army Cavalry Brigade immediately launched a charge towards Chita. They were also tasked with penetrating into the west of Chita, severing its connection with the west and cutting off its retreat. The rest of the Field Army, in accordance with their pre-determined plan, steadily advanced towards Chita.

Over 300 kilometers east of Chita lies a small settlement called Nerchinsk, home to only a few hundred Russians. Despite the outbreak of war between Russia and the Kadima government, life here remains peaceful. The Russians living there do not believe the Chinese would attack such a remote town. After all, it holds no strategic significance. More importantly, they do not believe the Chinese would dare to invade the great Russian Empire.

"Boom!"

A sound like muffled thunder came from the horizon, causing many Russians to leave their homes and frown. They looked up at the sky, and the sun was still hanging in the sky, without a single cloud.

A Russian looked at the clear sky and murmured to himself, "How strange! Why is there thunder at this hour? Is it going to rain?"

A young man pointed into the distance and shouted in horror: "No, it's not thunder! It's cavalry, God! So many cavalry..."

In the distance, at the edge of the road, a dark green wave approached Nerchinsk. Their attire made it clear that these were not Russian Cossacks. The Cossacks' cloaks were black, while the cavalry before them wore green, seemingly blending in with the steppe. Without careful observation, it was impossible to tell them apart.